Location: K/DA HQ – Main Floor, Rooftop Access
The girls had already turned in for the night.
Cole was still awake.
He stood on the balcony of the HQ, letting the cold air cool his skin, hoodie loose, a file in one hand and tea in the other. His breathing was visibly amidst the 3am air. The interface pinged softly in the corner of his vision.
[Side Quest Unlocked: Smoke & Neon]
Objective: Locate Akali before the next showcase.
His brow furrowed. The system rarely interrupted without reason.
That's when the alarm tripped—just a blink of red across the security panel. One of the upper rooftop motion sensors had picked up movement.
He set his cup down without a word.
The top floor of K/DA HQ was built for privacy—green rooftop gardens, discrete helipad access, and a panoramic view of the city. No one should've been up here. No one besides—
A flash of green streaked across the rooftop. Cole turned just as a figure vaulted over the railing and landed on the tiles with feline grace.
She was breathing hard. Mask pulled low. Hood off. Her signature twin blades were strapped to her back in a rush, one boot still unlaced. Akali.
And behind her—shadows.
Not metaphorical ones. Real ones. Moving unnaturally. Men in black, their faces obscured by steel veils and flickering runes. He recognized them. The Order of Shadow. Zed's disciples.
Cole didn't hesitate. He stepped in front of her as they closed in. No words, no questions. Just a line in the sand.
"She's under my protection," he said, voice even.
The three assassins hesitated. Their leader, taller and cloaked in robes slick with rain, tilted his head. His voice rasped like a knife sliding across stone.
"She belongs with us. This... phase of rebellion will end."
Akali snarled, stepping beside Cole now, drawing one of her kama. "I don't belong to anyone."
Then—unexpectedly—her she pulled his face down and kissed him. She retreated from his lips, eyes burning with mischief and a little desperation.
"Actually, I'm with him," she said, loud and clear. "Boyfriend."
Cole's eyes flicked sideways. "Boyfriend?"
"Yes," she repeated, tone sugary and defiant. "So unless you want a public scandal involving K/DA's head manager and his very possessive girlfriend, I'd suggest you leave."
A beat passed.
The leader of the Order didn't move. But he looked at Cole—really looked—and frowned. Not in fear. In recognition. As if he saw something that wasn't there just a moment ago.
A sharp whistle cut the air.
Cole caught the shuriken mid-flight.
Steel met skin—and lost. His grip tightened, warping the blade with a metallic groan.
He flung it aside. It thunked into the wall, bent and useless.
"The Void whispers about you," he murmured. "We will meet again."
And then the shadows fell back. Just like that. Silent as smoke.
Cole didn't speak until they were gone. Akali let out a breath she'd clearly been holding. Her shoulders dropped.
"That was bold," he finally said.
She laughed, wiping rain from her cheek. "Please. I've done worse. Besides, you played along."
"I didn't have much of a choice."
"Don't act like you didn't enjoy it." He didn't argue.
He eyed her carefully. "You okay?"
Akali's smile faltered for half a second. "No," she said. "But I will be."
Then she looked up at him, head tilted. "You're not what I expected. Ahri mentioned you were… different. But I didn't think you'd cover for me without asking."
"I figured if you needed help, you'd ask later."
She blinked. Then smirked. "Damn. You really are my type."
Cole chuckled. "Good to know, girlfriend."
She groaned, face flushed. "Okay, okay. One time thing. Emergency bluff."
[New System Update]
Akali: Reputation Increased
Status: Potential Bond Formed – [False Relationship Activated]
Note: Pretend relationships have a habit of becoming real if left unattended.
[SP Gained: +250]
[Strength of Nasus: Passive Strength Scaling Increased]
Akali leaned against the wall, stretching her sore arms, eyes watching him closely now—not as a stranger, but something else.
"So," she said, brushing a strand of green hair from her face, "do fake boyfriends get invited in for ramen?"
He shrugged. "Depends."
"On what?"
"Whether the fake girlfriend can cook."
Akali grinned wide. "I'll make you the best damn noodles you've ever had. Deal?"
"Deal."
And just like that, the rooftop no longer felt like a battlefield.
_______
The smell was enchanting.
Cole leaned against the doorway, watching Akali work her magic in the kitchen. Gone was the swagger of K/DA's razor-tongued rapper—what remained was a woman moving with quiet precision, sleeves rolled up, face softened by the warm glow of the stovetop.
♪ Nee, dokka ni oite kita you na koto ga
Hitotsu futatsu uite iru kedo... ♪
Vaundy's Odoriko floated from the speaker, and with it, Akali's body swayed. Each motion—chopping scallions, stirring broth—flowed like choreography. A rhythm built not for a stage, but a sanctuary.
♪ Nee, chanto hirotte okou
Hajikete wasurete shimau mae ni... ♪
Cole watched, caught in the moment. This wasn't performance. It was peace.
"Take a picture," Akali said without looking. "It'll last longer."
"Can't help it," Cole replied, grinning. "I'm starstruck."
She shot him a look over her shoulder, playful. "Well, not everyone gets to taste Akali's world-famous ramen."
"That's true," he said. No sarcasm, no joke. Just honesty.
The lack of a comeback caught her off guard. She turned back to the pot, and he didn't miss the faint blush coloring her cheeks.
Moments later, she slid two bowls across the counter. Steam rose like incense from the broth.
"And no bowl of ramen's complete without a cold Sapporo." She held out a can. It clinked against his with a soft chhk.
"To fake boyfriends and midnight noodles," she added dryly.
They both took a sip.
"So," Cole said, eyes still on her, "anything I should know about the shadows chasing you?"
Akali rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat. "It's just a guy. Obsessed in that I-was-promised-you way. Parents pushed us together when we were younger—like that ever makes things work."
"Ex, then?"
"Something like that." She slurped her noodles before continuing. "We gave dating a shot. He was a great sparring partner. Terrible boyfriend."
"And now he can't take the hint?"
"Pretty much."
Cole leaned in slightly. "And he's gonna come back?"
"Eventually." She met his gaze over the rim of her bowl. "That's where you come in, Mr. Boyfriend."
"I thought that was a one-time thing," he said slowly.
"I thought it over." She tilted her head. "It's our most viable strategy. And really—who's gonna complain about fake dating a K/DA idol?"
Her eyes sparkled with mischief, daring him to say no.
"Some people might," he muttered, thinking of Ahri.
"What was that?" Akali narrowed her eyes.
"Nothing."
The conversation flowed on—soft, sincere, with laughter and long silences in between. Eventually, the weight of the day caught up with her. She stifled a yawn and disappeared into the guest room.
Cole settled on the couch, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling in thoughtful silence.
_____
12:03 PM. Sunday.
Cole woke with sunlight spilling across the floor and the muted quiet of a slow day. No alarms. No urgent tasks. Just the siren song of caffeine pulling him toward the kitchen.
He rounded the corner, half-asleep—just in time to crash into something soft and fast-moving.
Kai'Sa.
She stumbled, eyes wide, but he caught her before she fell. Her hands braced on his chest, breath shallow.
"Watch where you're going," she snapped—more flustered than angry. A pink flush bloomed across her cheeks.
"My bad," Cole said, still holding her steady. "I think part of me's still asleep."
She stepped back quickly, brushing down her jacket. "Just… try to be more careful."
They walked in silence to the kitchen. Their footsteps echoed on the tile. A note sat neatly on the counter.
Went out. Figured you and Kai'Sa could use some quiet.
Make sure Akali gets fed when she wakes up—probably in a few hours. – Ahri
"Huh. Guess they left us behind," Cole said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yeah. That's normal." Kai'Sa moved to the coffee machine with practiced ease. "Decaf?"
He frowned. "Do I look dead inside? Americano's fine."
She handed him a mug a minute later. "Here."
"Thanks."
"I guess it's just the two of us today."
"Seems like it."
A pause stretched out between them—tense, uncertain.
"Look," Cole said finally, "I know we didn't get off on the right foot. But I'm not playing games here. I'm trying."
Kai'Sa crossed her arms. "You can't expect me to trust someone I've known for, what, a week?"
"No," he said. "But maybe you can try."
She tilted her head, studying him. "And how exactly would we do that?"
"We could start by spending the day together. Getting to know each other."
Her brows lifted. "Are you seriously asking me out on a date?"
"If that's what it takes."
Kai'Sa didn't answer right away. She sipped her coffee. Thought. Then, with the faintest smirk:
"Fine. Meet me back here in thirty. There's a place I've been wanting to visit."
Cole grinned. "Deal."
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