The air in the training room was thick with the sound of fists hitting pads and the steady rhythm of heavy breathing. The space, a converted area in the shelter, was filled with various equipment—punching bags, weights, and open mats for sparring. Today, it was Kazuya's turn to be put through his paces by Jun, Shota, and Toma.
Jun, ever the hard-nosed taskmaster, was leading the session with her usual intensity. "Come on, Kazuya, keep up! You've got more in you than that!" she barked, her eyes sharp as she watched Kazuya struggle to keep pace with the drills. Shota stood off to the side, offering silent encouragement, while Toma demonstrated some techniques Kazuya was supposed to mimic.
But something was off today. Kazuya's movements were sluggish, his reactions delayed. Every punch he threw seemed half-hearted, and his footwork was clumsy. He was usually sharp and focused, but today he was a shadow of himself. To the point he fell to the ground on his own.
Toma decided to check on him. "Kazuya, you okay, man? You're not usually this slow," he asked, his tone concerned rather than accusatory.
Kazuya forced a smile, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah, just… just a bit tired, I guess."
But Jun wasn't as gentle. She stepped forward, crossing her arms over her chest. "Tired? You look like shit today, Kazuya. What the fuck is going on with you!?" Her tone was blunt, as usual, cutting straight to the point.
Shota nodded in agreement, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity. As he Al's had noticed something was wrong.
Kazuya hesitated, his mind racing with thoughts he couldn't easily express. He couldn't ignore the conversation he heard Aiko had on the phone. It was strange as it all swirled in his head, distracting him from the task at hand. But how could he explain that without sounding paranoid?
"I'm sorry," Kazuya finally said, his voice low. "I think I might need a break today. I'm not… I'm not really feeling it."
Jun's stern expression softened slightly, though she still looked skeptical. "A break? Fine. But you better not let this become a habit. We don't have time for half-assed training."
Kazuya nodded, guilt gnawing at him for letting them down. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to waste your time."
Toma waved him off, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, don't worry about it. Everyone has an off day. Just make sure you're back to normal tomorrow, alright?"
Kazuya offered them a weak smile before turning to leave the room. As he walked down the hallway, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him, he almost didn't notice Aiko standing near the entrance, holding a small cake in her hands.
"Kazuya!" she called out, her voice cheerful and sweet. "I made this for you. I thought you might like a little treat after your training session."
Kazuya stopped in his tracks, surprised to see her. The cake looked delicious, its icing perfectly swirled, and Aiko's smile was bright and inviting. But the memory of that night's conversation made him very wary.
"Thank you, Aiko," Kazuya replied politely, "but I'm not really hungry right now."
Aiko's smile faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. "Oh, that's okay! You can eat it later, maybe when you're feeling better."
Kazuya shook his head, trying to keep his tone gentle. "I appreciate the gesture, really. But eating sweets like that… it might affect my training. I need to stay in top form."
That's when something shifted. Aiko's cheerful demeanor dropped, replaced by something colder, darker. Her eyes seemed to narrow, and her tone lost its warmth.
"Oh, I see," she said quietly, her voice almost menacing. "So, you're too good for my cake, then?"
Kazuya felt a chill run down his spine. The change in her tone was so sudden, so drastic, that it caught him completely off guard. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out.
Aiko's gaze bore into him, as if she could see straight through him. "You know, Kazuya," she continued, her voice dripping with something almost sinister, "sometimes, it's not a good idea to refuse a gift. It might be… rude...."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Kazuya standing in the hallway, his heart pounding in his chest. He watched her disappear around the corner, his mind reeling.
'What the was that?' Kazuya thought, his breath coming in shallow gasps. The way she looked at him, the way her entire personality seemed to shift in an instant—it confirmed everything he had been feeling. Something was definitely wrong with Aiko.
Kazuya leaned against the wall, trying to steady himself. He knew now that he couldn't ignore his suspicions any longer. Whatever Aiko was up to, it was dangerous, and he had to find a way to stop it before it was too late.