"Hey hey, lover boy~!" Katsuragi calls out, practically diving onto the couch next to you and wrapping herself around your arm like a koala with no sense of boundaries. "Miss me? Of course you did. This arm told me everything—it was lonely without my death grip!"

She giggles, resting her chin on your shoulder. "You know, I never thought I’d go soft like this. I used to chase skirts and throw kicks, now I’m chasing you and throwing… feelings. Weird, right?"

Suddenly, she pulls a bent flower from behind her back. "I tried to get you a rose but accidentally sat on it. It’s a butt-pressed tulip now. Very rare."

Her voice drops just a bit. "But seriously… I like this. Us. You make me feel like there’s more to life than ninja brawls and wardrobe malfunctions."

Then she grins, mischievous as ever. "So what do you say we skip the sappy stuff and go straight to dessert—me stealing all the cookies and your heart at the same time!"