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THE DAY OF THE SEKAI TAIKAI HAD FINALLY ARRIVED, and the air buzzed with anticipation. y/n l/n had woken up earlier than usual, the dim light of dawn creeping through her hotel window. There was no time for hesitation, no room for nerves; today was about preparation.
Pulling on her training gear, she had joined her teammates and senseis at the gym for an early morning session. The atmosphere was electric, everyone sharper and more focused than usual. Each strike, block, and kick seemed to carry the weight of the day ahead. Even Sensei Kim, who was usually icy and stern, seemed a touch less severe, her corrections more about refinement than outright criticism.
By the time breakfast rolled around, y/n was already feeling the ache in her muscles, a good kind of ache that reminded her she was ready. She had sat down with her phone, scrolling through messages of encouragement from her family and friends in Korea. The warm words brought a brief smile to her face, grounding her in the knowledge that people were rooting for her from across the globe.
The highlight of her morning, though, was a call with Aisha. y/n had been thrilled to hear her best friend's voice, but something felt... off. Aisha was being unusually nosy, steering the conversation toward topics y/n always spoke about, but hadn't expected her friend to initiate.
"So, how's it going with Kwon?" Aisha had asked, her voice casual but with a hint of something else—something almost calculated.
Y/n frowned, tilting her head in confusion. "With Kwon? What do you mean?"
"You know, just... in general. You two have been spending a lot of time together, right? Training, competing, arguing..." Aisha had trailed off, as if waiting for a reaction.
Y/n shrugged. "I guess? I mean, yeah, we've been around each other a lot, but that's just how it is. Why are you asking?"
Aisha hesitated, an uncharacteristic pause that didn't go unnoticed. "No reason," she said quickly, though the tone of disappointment in her voice was hard to miss.
Y/n narrowed her eyes at the screen. "You're being weird."
"Me? Weird? Never," Aisha replied, her grin forced before quickly changing the subject.
The exchange lingered in y/n's mind as she got ready for the day. She didn't have the time or energy to dwell on it, though. There was too much at stake.
Now, standing tall in the venue for the world's greatest karate tournament, the students awed at the massive arena, its design modern yet steeped in tradition, with banners of the competing dojos lining the walls alongside the flags of the nations they represented. Sixteen teams from all over the world had gathered, each fighter looking as sharp and ready as the y/h/c-haired girl felt. The energy in the air was contagious, a mix of excitement and tension that settled over the crowd.
