Aijou strode into the lecture hall with a confident stride, a spectacle in her form-fitting black outfit that accentuated every intricate curve of her body. Of course, she loved the attention, the stare she got from people. Her long, raven locks were pulled back into a ponytail, swaying with each step she took. Her intimidating presence swallowed the chatter of the room, as though her mere arrival demanded silence.

"Sup, suckers." Her smug expression never left her face as she took her regular seat beside {{user}}. Whispers spread in the room, mostly about the unfortunate circumstances of {{user}}.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite punching bag," She sneered, words dripping with scorn as she turned to face {{user}}, "What's with that soggy look? You look even more pathetic than usual."

Her words were sharp and stings as per usual. She looked back at {{user}}, waiting for a reaction. Anything.

FUCK! Why won't you react?! Don't be such a goddamn fucking wuss, idiot. Fucking do something!!! Or say something!!! "Tsk." She clicked her teeth and gazed towards the lecturer, ready to begin his new class in the morning. She stopped all aggression, instead opening her textbook and pretending to pay attention—it's imperative she played the good part, after all.

Shit. Should I get physical? Like high school. Just a bit of push. And then... maybe... Her thought wandered somewhere else. To a dark, dark place. Maybe then... I can replicate THAT day. Her hands began wandering to the crack between her legs, her fine finger touching the damp patch on her crotch before she snapped out of it. "...Ugh."

Damnit, I thought about it again... these intrusive thoughts are getting ridiculous. Think about who you are, Aijou. The queen who's feared in the entire fucking campus. What the hell am I doing?

Aijou glanced at Bruce as he spoke up. She put on an amused smile, waving her hand dismissively as though what he said meant nothing. "Oh, just cleaning my eyes," she lied, not bothering to hide the irritation in her voice. "It's none of your business, Bruce."

She leaned back on her seat, casually crossing one long leg over another, making sure to expose a generous amount of skin and cleavage with every move she made. It was all part of the act; the dominance game she played with Bruce. Even in college now, they couldn't help but fall into their old roles. She didn't understand why Bruce put up with her shit, especially after what happened back then...

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she continued to watch him from the corner of her eye. Something felt off about Bruce today. He seemed more alert and less submissive than usual. It was unnerving, almost... She pushed those thoughts aside for now, turning her attention back to the lecture in front of them.

"See you around, Bruce," she said dismissively as he started gathering his things. "Don't get into any more trouble while I'm gone." The sneer in her voice was unmistakable. There was no way she would let him forget what happened between them. It wasn't just a part of their past; it defined their relationship, and Aijou intended to keep it that way.

As the other students filed out of the room, Aijou watched Bruce from the corner of her eye. He moved swiftly and purposefully, not lingering or wasting time as he usually did. Something about this change in him... She couldn't quite put her finger on it. It unsettled her a little, making her feel exposed despite her best efforts to maintain control over the situation.

Should I go after him? Just see what he has planned? No, that would be too obvious... but if I just let this go... he might gain some ground... Aijou tried to make herself calm down and think rationally. She had to keep her guard up at all times; Bruce was unpredictable these days, more so than ever before. It wouldn't do for her to underestimate him again.

With a final glance towards the now-empty doorway where Bruce had disappeared, she stood up and headed out of the room as well, lost in thought and unable to shake off the uneasy feeling that something big was about to happen...

As class finished up, Aijou made her way back to the dormitory, her mind still racing with thoughts of Bruce and their twisted relationship. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was up to something; it was unlike him to be so alert and aggressive. Usually, he just took whatever she dished out without complaint or retaliation.

Upon entering her room, she immediately headed for the mirror and began examining herself, searching for any signs of weakness in her body language or appearance. It was imperative that she project strength at all times; if Bruce sensed any vulnerability from her, he might use it against her. She flexed her toned arms and abs, feeling the tight muscles respond to her commands as a small but satisfied smile formed on her lips.

"You'll never be rid of me, you know." Her voice was soft but carried an unsettling amount of menace nonetheless. "I will always be here, waiting... and watching." She turned away from the mirror, fixing her gaze on some papers scattered across her desk. However, unbeknownst to her, Bruce's face had flashed through her mind once more; strong, defiant, and determined... a far cry from the image of the pathetic weakling she was so used to seeing.

A shiver ran down her spine as another thought struck her: what if he wasn't being genuine with his apparent change in behavior? What if it was all just an act, designed to lull her into a false sense of security? Her hands began to tremble slightly as she recalled the events that led up until now. It didn't matter how much denial she forced herself into; deep down, she knew he had affected her in ways she couldn't even begin to comprehend...

Her fingers absent

"Why do they hate you so much?" A familiar voice asked from behind. Aijou whipped her head around to see who it was; another student she had occasionally spoken to in the past. She let out a small sigh of relief; it wasn't Bruce after all.

"Oh, this old thing?" She pretended to be dismissive as she shrugged her shoulders. "People are just jealous because I'm so damn good at what I do." Her words were laced with false bravado, but the other girl didn't seem to notice; she simply smiled and nodded sympathetically before changing the subject.

Aijou took a deep breath, trying to push all thoughts of Bruce from her mind for now. There would be plenty of time later tonight when she was alone in her room... if he wasn't too busy making his own plans, that is. The thought made her skin crawl uncomfortably beneath her clothes. She had never allowed anyone else to get under her skin like this before; not even her ex-boyfriends could manage such a feat. And yet, Bruce... he was different somehow.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched another girl walk past them both, shooting Aijou a venomous glare before continuing on her way. She realized then that she needed to focus more on maintaining control over her image and reputation; if word got out that people were beginning to question her strength or dominance... Well, she shuddered at the thought. It wouldn't do at all.

"Hey," She said casually, turning back to the other student as they entered the classroom together, "What do you say we study together tonight? I could use some company." The girl looked surprised for a moment before smiling brightly and agreeing eagerly; no doubt fl

"Oh, that reminds me," She said airily, gesturing towards the courtyard where several people had begun forming a circle around what appeared to be some sort of impromptu fighting match. "Did you hear about the new guy in our class? He's supposed to be pretty good at martial arts."

Her interest was mostly feigned; she didn't really care all that much about fights or competitions. It wasn't her style. However, keeping up appearances were important for maintaining control over the image she projected to others. And besides, there was always a chance that this new guy could pose a threat to her dominance... if only slightly.

"Oh?" The other girl perked up, clearly curious as well. "Should we go watch?"

Aijou considered for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly. "Why not?" She said with a carefree laugh, falling into step beside the other student as they made their way over to the commotion in the courtyard. As they drew closer, she could see more clearly that it was indeed a sparring match; two boys were circling each other warily while their classmates egged them on from the sidelines.

"You know," She began conversationally as they approached the circle, "I used to be pretty good at martial arts myself." Her words carried an air of pride; even though she wasn't actively practicing anymore, it was part of her past, and she couldn't help but feel a small sense of accomplishment whenever anyone acknowledged it.

The other student looked impressed as they finally arrived at the edge of the circle. "Really? You don't look like someone who'd need to defend herself," she said with a laugh. Aijou let out a dismissive snort; she knew

"Oh, you never know," she replied with a smirk as she leaned against one of the courtyard's walls, crossing her arms over her chest and watching intently as the two boys continued their sparring match below. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she noticed that one of them seemed to be holding back; probably playing it safe until he could gauge his opponent better. It was a strategy that might work in the beginning, but eventually, it would leave him vulnerable... just like last time with Bruce.

She felt her skin crawl at the thought, forcing herself to focus on the fight instead of dwelling on pointless what-ifs and could-have-beens. "So," she said conversationally as she glanced sideways at the other student, "what do you think? You bet on anyone?"

The girl hesitated for a moment before shrugging noncommittally. "I don't know... I guess I was just hoping it wouldn't be one of those... you know." She gestured vaguely at the boys below them, not wanting to say anything too negative outright.

Aijou snorted again; she knew exactly what the girl meant. This wasn't a real fight; it was just two overconfident boys posturing and trying to impress their peers. As much as she hated to admit it, even back then, Bruce had been stronger than her... but only because he hadn't held anything back. That's the lesson she learned that day: never underestimate your opponent. Even if they were someone you thought you knew inside out, there was always a chance that they could surprise you.

"Hmm," she murmured noncommittally as she continued to watch the fight below them. Her eyes narrowed slightly when one of the boys landed a solid blow on his opponent; it was clear that he had gained some confidence now and was starting to take more risks. Maybe this would be an interesting match after all...

"Well," she said, her voice sounding amused, "it looks like we might have ourselves a show here." She turned her head slightly to glance at the other student, who looked relieved at the change in topic. "What do you think? Should we make a bet or something?"

The girl hesitated for a moment before shaking her head slightly. "Uh... I dunno... I've never really done that before..." she trailed off uncertainly. Aijou smiled understandingly, patting the other girl on the shoulder reassuringly.

"It's okay," she said kindly. "We don't have to make a big deal out of it or anything." Her tone was casual, almost nonchalant; like this sort of thing happened all the time for her. The truth was, betting and gambling had never really been her style either; but sometimes it was necessary to pretend otherwise in order to maintain appearances.

As they continued watching the fight below them, Aijou couldn't help but feel a small shiver of anticipation running down her spine. It wasn't just about keeping up appearances anymore; there was something more at stake here... something personal. Something involving Bruce. And as much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, she knew that part of her wanted nothing more than to see him fall again.

The students who had gathered in the courtyard erupted into cheers and shouts as someone called out Bruce's name. He must be popular today, she thought with a sneer. As he stepped hesitantly into the circle, Aijou could see a mixture of determination and fear on his face; it was almost comical.

"And who do we have here?" She asked casually, tilting her head to one side as she watched Bruce intently. "Someone feeling brave today?" The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable. There was no way anyone could defeat him; he was simply too strong, too skilled.

Her gaze flickered toward the girl beside her before returning to the unfolding scene below. Maybe this would be a good chance for the other student to get some practice in and learn from the best... if only she wasn't so nervous about betting or anything like that.

"Well," Aijou said with a shrug, "let's see how this turns out." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against one of the courtyard walls again, watching Bruce warily as he began to spar with his unknown opponent. The other student nodded slightly in agreement; they both knew better than to underestimate either of them.

The sight of Bruce effortlessly dominating his opponent did nothing to dampen her spirits; if anything, it made her more determined than ever before. As he glanced up at her and offered what she could only describe as a mocking smile, her fingers clenched into fists at her sides. She forced herself to remain calm outwardly, but inwardly, she was seething with rage.

"Well," she drawled when the fight finally ended with Bruce victorious once more, "I guess that settles it then." Her tone was sarcastic; anyone else might have mistaken it for jealousy or anger, but those who knew her well enough understood that this was just Aijou being Aijou.

She gestured vaguely at the other student beside her. "Why don't you ask him if he wants to practice more?" Her voice held a challenge; not just for Bruce, but also for the girl standing there next to her. It was time to see where everyone truly stood in this twisted game they had been playing since high school...

"Oh, hello there," she drawled sarcastically as Bruce approached her and the other girl. She forced a fake smile onto her face, not wanting to appear too eager or interested in what he had to say. It was all just part of the game; maintaining control, making sure everyone knew who was really in charge.

"Bruce?" The other student said uncertainly, sounding out his name as though she wasn't entirely sure it fit his face. Bruce merely smiled benevolently at her before turning his attention back to Aijou once more.

She glanced around impatiently; they really needed to get on with this so they could all go back to whatever it was they were supposed to be doing. "Well?" She prompted, raising an eyebrow. "What do you want, Bruce? I'm kind of busy today." Her tone made it clear that she had no interest in spending any more time with him than absolutely necessary.

She shrugged indifferently as Bruce turned away and began to walk back to where he had come from. "I see," she drawled sarcastically, folding her arms across her chest once more. "Well, it was nice of you to stop by."

The other girl stood there uncertainly for a moment before finally speaking up. "Um... yeah, well... I think I'll head back to the dorm now. Nice meeting you, Bruce!" She smiled brightly at him as she made her excuses and hurried away, leaving Aijou and Bruce alone in the courtyard.

"So," Aijou began conversationally after a moment or two of awkward silence, "are we done here? Or is there something else you wanted to talk about?" Her tone was icy; she didn't want to appear too interested or engaged, but at the same time, she needed to maintain some level of control over the situation.

She glanced down at her wristwatch, frowning slightly as though she were suddenly in a hurry to be somewhere else. The truth was, she wasn't entirely sure what she wanted Bruce to do or say; all she knew was that whatever it was, she needed to keep him off-balance and under control.

"Out with you?" She repeated slowly, as though she hadn't quite heard him right the first time. "Like on a date or something?" Her voice was incredulous; such a request coming from Bruce was almost laughable. Not that she'd let him know that, of course.

She pursed her lips and tilted her head to one side as she studied his expression carefully. He seemed sincere enough... but then again, he had always been good at putting on a show when it suited him. "I don't know," she said finally, forcing herself to sound nonchalant. "What do you have in mind?"

She raised an eyebrow as Bruce turned away from her, his words trailing off uncertainly. For a moment, she was tempted to laugh; it didn't seem possible that he could be serious about any of this. But then again, she knew better than to underestimate him. After all, she had spent years doing exactly that... and look where it had gotten her.

With a shrug, she turned and walked away in the opposite direction, pretending not to care either way what he had decided to do. Inside, however, she was buzzing with conflicting emotions. A part of her wanted to accept his offer, if only to throw him off guard; another part of her wanted nothing more than to maintain their existing dynamic and keep him firmly under her thumb.

As she made her way back to the dormitory, she couldn't help but wonder what choice would be best for her... and whether there even was such a thing anymore when it came to Bruce Alster.

"Oh," she said with a bored sigh as he approached her in the corridor. "Hello, Bruce." She couldn't resist adding a small smile to her tone; it was difficult to maintain her indifference towards him when they were this close together. "What do you want?"

Bruce laughed softly and shrugged his shoulders, looking awkward for once. "I just... wanted to talk." He paused, obviously searching for the right words before continuing on: "Look, about yesterday in the courtyard... I didn't mean any of that stuff about going out or anything like that. It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing; it doesn't mean anything more than that." His voice trailed off uncertainly.

Aijou raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by this sudden change in tone. "Oh," she said after a moment, still trying to keep her expression neutral. "I see." She hesitated for a moment, unsure how to react or what to say next. It was strange; Bruce had never been like this around her before. Usually, he was so confident and in control of any situation they found themselves in. But now... well, she couldn't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction knowing that she had rattled him at least somewhat.

"Well," she said eventually, clearing her throat as she straightened up slightly, "I guess I should thank you for the offer, then." She smiled again; this time it was a genuine one. It felt good to know that even after everything they'd been through, there were still some things about him that she could enjoy.

As they continued talking and joking around with each other, the air between them seemed to lighten somewhat. It almost felt like old times; when they had been close friends instead of bitter rivals. But she knew better than to let herself get too comfortable or trusting; one wrong move from either of them could send everything spiraling back out of control again.

When Bruce finally suggested sitting down on a nearby bench, Aijou hesitated for a moment before agreeing reluctantly. They sat side by side, a respectable distance between them but close enough that their shoulders occasionally brushed against each other. It was an odd position to be in; unsettling yet somehow reassuring at the same time.

"You know," she said after a moment, glancing sidelong at him, "we don't have to keep pretending this doesn't mean anything, you know." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, but she couldn't quite keep the hint of challenge out of her voice.

Bruce smiled slightly and looked away before replying. "I know," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "But it's easier this way... for both of us." He paused before adding with a touch more confidence: "And besides, we make a good team when we work together like this. I mean," his voice took on an almost teasing tone as he looked back at her, "it's not like anyone could take the fighting champion title away from me while you were sitting there beside me, right?"

Aijou snorted and rolled her eyes, even as a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Ha ha," she said sarcastically. "Very funny." But deep down, she knew he was right; they did make a good team... when they worked together. The question

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she considered his words. "Go out as friends... hmm," she drawled slowly, careful not to reveal too much of her true feelings on the matter. It was a tempting offer; spending time with Bruce outside of their usual competitive environment could be interesting... but then again, it could also be dangerous. She knew better than anyone how quickly things could go south between them when they let their guards down.

After several long moments of silence, she finally shook her head decisively. "I don't think so," she said with a sigh. "I appreciate the offer, but I think it's best if we just stick to what we know how to do best... which is being enemies." She gave him a small smile; not unfriendly exactly, more like an acknowledgment of their shared history.

"Well," Bruce said with a shrug, "it was worth a shot, I suppose." He stood up from the bench and offered her his hand to help her up as well. Aijou hesitated for a moment before taking it; their hands were larger than she expected, warm and steady. As they rose together, she couldn't help but feel a tiny spark of something ignite within her chest. It wasn't love or admiration... just the thrill of competition, maybe. Or perhaps it was simply the knowledge that no matter what happened between them in the future, they would always have this moment; the memory of sitting side by side on a bench and talking about something other than their next fight.

"Well," she said finally as they began to walk away from the bench, "I'd better get going. We still have that sparring session later today." Her voice sounded casual enough, but there was an undertone of regret in it that even she couldn't quite mask.

As they parted ways, Aijou couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. On one hand, she was glad that things had returned to normal between them; the awkwardness and tension from earlier in the day had dissipated, replaced by their usual banter and teasing. But on the other hand, there was a small part of her that wished things could have stayed as they were for just a little while longer... a tiny flicker of curiosity about what it might be like to spend more time with Bruce outside of their normal context.

She told herself it didn't mean anything; that she was still in control, and that nothing had really changed between them. But even as she walked away from him down the corridor, her heart felt heavy with an unfamiliar sense of loss.

As the days passed without any sign of Bruce at school or training, rumors began to swirl among their classmates about what could have happened to him. Some speculated that he had dropped out entirely; others thought that perhaps he'd been injured during an unauthorized street fight or even kidnapped by rival gangs.

Aijou, for her part, tried not to think too much about it. She told herself that he was probably just taking some time off for personal reasons and would return when he was ready. But deep down, she couldn't help but feel a small sense of unease; something about Bruce's disappearance didn't sit right with her. Perhaps it was simply the knowledge that without him there to challenge her, things were going to get a lot easier... both in terms of their training and her own personal goals for the future.

As she sparred with other students during practice sessions, Aijou found herself missing the familiar feeling of having Bruce push her to her limits; it made everything else feel hollow by comparison. But at least this gave her an opportunity to focus on other aspects of her fighting style, honing her skills and learning from those around her while she waited for his eventual return.

The weeks turned into months, and still there was no word from Bruce. Eventually, Aijou had to accept the fact that he might not come back at all; that their brief moment of camaraderie during his disappearance had been nothing more than an illusion. She tried her best not to dwell on it too much; after all, she still had her studies and training to focus on. But deep down, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness whenever she thought about what might have been... if only things had gone differently between them all those years ago.

Aijou listened carefully as the principal made their announcement about Bruce's disappearance. She felt a strange mixture of emotions; sadness at the news of his accident, guilt for not having been there for him when he might have needed her most, and perhaps even a touch of anger at herself for not knowing what had happened or where he could be now.

As the principal finished speaking and students began to talk amongst themselves, Aijou remained silent. Part of her wanted to reach out to someone; her friends, family, or maybe even Bruce's if they were still around school, but another part of her felt guilty doing so; like admitting that there was something more between them than just rivalry and competition. She knew better than anyone how easily things could spin out of control when she let herself get too close to someone.

Eventually, the principal dismissed the assembly, and Aijou found herself alone once again, her thoughts circling around one central question: what would happen now? Would life at the school ever be the same without Bruce Alster? And even if it did, could she ever truly forget about him or the impact he'd had on her life? She wasn't sure of the answer to either of those questions, but she knew one thing for certain: no matter what happened next, things would never quite be as they used to be.

As the day drew to a close, Aijou made her way back to the dormitory in a thoughtful mood. The news of Bruce's disappearance had been weighing heavily on her mind ever since the principal had announced it earlier that day; she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, or that maybe there was more to the story than anyone was letting on.

The walk home seemed longer and lonelier than usual without Bruce around; it felt like a part of school life as she knew it had disappeared along with him. As she neared her destination, Aijou found herself wishing things could go back to how they were before; when there was competition between them, but at least there was also some sort of connection, however twisted and manipulative that might have been.

When she finally reached the dormitory, Aijou collapsed onto her bed with a sigh. She knew she should probably talk to someone about what she was feeling; maybe seek out Bruce's friends or family if they were still around school, but somehow, she couldn't bring herself to do it. It felt too much like admitting defeat; like giving up control over the situation and surrendering to her own emotions.

With a deep breath, Aijou closed her eyes and tried to push all thoughts of Bruce from her mind. There would be time enough tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that, for worrying about what had become of him. Tonight, she needed some peace and quiet; a chance to regroup and figure out how to move forward without him by her side. As much as it hurt, she knew that this was something she would have to learn to live with... if only because there was no other choice.

As Aijou lay in bed, her thoughts continued to circle around the situation with Bruce. It was strange how much his absence had affected her; she hadn't realized just how much of a presence he had been in her life until now. Perhaps it was because they had spent so long as enemies that their connection went beyond simple rivalry and competition; maybe there had always been something more beneath the surface, even if they hadn't wanted to admit it.

Her brow furrowed as she recalled his offer earlier in the day; how he'd suggested going out together, not as enemies but as friends. The memory made her heart ache with longing and regret; what would have happened if things had been different between them? Could they ever find common ground where their feelings for each other didn't get in the way of their friendship? Or was it too late for that now?

With a sigh, Aijou rolled onto her side, facing away from the door. It wasn't much longer before she finally drifted off to sleep, dreaming fitfully of what could have been... and what might yet still be, if only they could find a way back to each other.

Aijou let out a startled cry as the sound of pounding on her door echoed through her slumber. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up swiftly, her heart racing as adrenaline coursed through her veins. She glanced around wildly before finally registering the voice outside her door; it was Bruce.

Hesitantly, she swung her legs off the bed and moved towards the door. As she reached out to unlock it, another thought crossed her mind: what if this was all some sort of trap? What if someone had found him and hurt him even worse than he already seemed to be? But at the same time, she couldn't just ignore his pleas for help; not when it was Bruce.

Taking a deep breath, Aijou opened the door a crack, revealing her face to whoever might be on the other side. To her relief (and surprise), she saw that it was indeed Bruce. His face was pale and covered in blood, and he looked weak and almost feverish. For a moment, she didn't know what to say or do; all she could think about was how badly he must be hurt for him to come crawling back to her like this.

"Bruce," she managed finally, her voice trembling slightly. "What happened? Are you okay?" She glanced down at his bloody arm and felt a wave of nausea wash over her. The thought of anything happening to him made her feel sick with fear and guilt.

Aijou felt a chill race up her spine at his words; it was obvious that he wasn't in any condition to take care of himself right now. With trembling hands, she reached out and carefully pulled him inside the room, closing the door behind them. "Come on," she said, helping him onto her bed. "Let me get you cleaned up and see if I can find anything to help with that wound."

As she moved about the small dormitory gathering supplies from her bathroom and medicine cabinet, Aijou couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Bruce; why he had come crawling back to her like this. She knew it must have been bad if he was willing to risk exposure just to get here... or worse, to suffer even more while waiting for someone else to find him.

When she finally returned with the supplies in hand, she found Bruce lying on her bed, his eyes closed and his breathing shallow. Gently, she cleaned the blood from his arm and applied antiseptic and a bandage before laying a blanket over him. As she worked, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of responsibility for what had happened; like maybe if she had been there earlier, things might have turned out differently.

"Bruce," she said softly as she sat down on the edge of the bed beside him, her hand resting on his arm. "I'm here now. You don't have to worry about anything; I've got you." She paused, unsure what else to say or do in this situation. They had never been close like this before... and she wasn't sure if she wanted to be, really. But for now, it seemed like there was no other choice.

As Bruce pulled her into his embrace and confessed his feelings, Aijou felt a strange mixture of emotions sweep over her; shock at his revelation, confusion about what she should feel or say in response, and a tiny spark of something else... perhaps gratitude that he had trusted her enough to tell her the truth.

She hesitated for a moment before returning the hug, awkwardly patting him on the back with one hand as she tried to find words to express how she felt in return. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered finally, her voice thick with unshed tears. "I never meant for anything bad to happen to you... I only wanted to be better than you."

As they held each other close, Aijou couldn't help but wonder if there was a way for them to move past their rivalry and find some sort of common ground; some middle ground where they could coexist without constantly trying to outdo or defeat one another. Maybe with time and effort, they could become more than just rivals... maybe even friends. But as she looked into Bruce's eyes, she knew that there was no guarantee of anything in this life; not safety, not happiness, and certainly not a future free from danger.

Eventually, the moment passed, and Aijou found herself pulling away from him, already regretting the distance that had grown between them over the years. "You should go," she said softly, her voice catching in her throat as she fought back tears. "It's not safe here; you know that."

As Bruce nodded in agreement and opened the door, Aijou watched him leave with a heavy heart. She knew deep down that this might be the last time she ever saw him again... but even as she accepted that fact, she couldn't help but hope against hope that somehow

As the door closed behind him, leaving her alone once more in the quiet of the dormitory, Aijou found herself struggling to process everything that had just happened. She felt a strange mixture of emotions; relief at having been able to help Bruce and confusion about his confession, as well as guilt for not knowing how to feel or what it all meant for them in the long run.

She sat down on the bed, staring blankly at nothing in particular as her thoughts raced unchecked through her mind. Perhaps they could find some way to move past their rivalry and find common ground; maybe there was a chance that they could become friends after all... or perhaps something more. The possibilities seemed endless now that he had opened up to her like this, but at the same time, she couldn't help feeling a sense of loss at the knowledge that things would never be as they were before; that their rivalry was forever changed by this night.

With a sigh, Aijou stood up and began to gather her things for the day. She had classes to attend and training sessions to attend... but deep down, she knew that part of her heart would always belong to Bruce Alster, no matter what happened from here on out.

Their eyes met briefly as they passed one another in the hallway; his filled with uncertainty and perhaps even a hint of apology, while hers were guarded and solemn. Neither spoke; there didn't seem to be anything left to say after everything that had happened between them over the past few days.

As Aijou continued on her way to class, she couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead for her and Bruce now; whether they could ever truly move past their history together or if it would always loom over them like a shadow. She knew that things could never go back to the way they were before, but maybe... just maybe... there was still some sort of future for them if they were willing to try and make it work.

The thought filled her with equal parts hope and trepidation; on one hand, the idea of having Bruce by her side as a friend, ally, or even something more seemed like a dream come true... but on the other hand, she knew that there would always be obstacles in their way, both from within themselves and from outside forces like their fellow students and the school administration.

As she took her seat in class, Aijou steeled herself for whatever lay ahead. She knew that things were never going to be easy with Bruce again; that there would always be a layer of complexity and nuance to their relationship that they had never known before. But despite all the challenges, she couldn't help but feel a tiny flicker of determination igniting within her chest; a spark of hope that perhaps, just perhaps, things could still work out in the end.

As the final bell rang, signaling the end of class, Aijou felt Bruce's presence beside her once more. Her heart skipped a beat as he leaned in closer; their eyes met briefly before his lips pressed softly against hers. She froze for a moment, unsure how to react or what this meant; she had never expected him to make the first move like this.

When they finally pulled apart, Aijou found herself staring up at Bruce, her cheeks flushed and her heart racing. "I... I don't know what to say," she managed finally, her voice barely a whisper. "I never expected..." Her words trailed off as she searched for the right thing to say, but no matter how hard she tried, nothing came out.

Bruce smiled warmly down at her, his eyes filled with tenderness and understanding. "It's okay," he said softly. "I didn't expect it either... but I wanted you to know that I feel the same way." He paused, seeming to weigh his next words carefully before continuing, "We can figure this out together, Aijou; we don't have to let our past define us anymore."

Aijou felt a flutter in her stomach at his words; they were just what she needed to hear. With a small nod of agreement, she reached up and intertwined her fingers with his, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "Yes," she said softly, taking strength from the contact. "We can do this... together." Together, they walked out of class arm-in-arm, facing whatever challenges lay ahead with renewed hope and determination.