ただそんなこと願うんじゃなくて 哀しみや涙も 全部受け止めたい
I don’t only wish for that,
But for sorrow and tears, too - I want to take it all in.
As Aika made her way back to Oya Koukou, her mind drifted back to the day she met Jesse and the Mighty Warriors. She hadn't thought about that day in a long time, but after visiting them, the memories came rushing back.
It was another grim night in the underground fight scene. Aika, still disguised as a boy, had earned a reputation for being unbeatable. The undefeated "Ko" was a rising star in illegal cage matches, and while it brought respect, it also made her enemies. A lot of enemies.
That night, she thought she was stepping into just another one-on-one match. The opponent was someone she'd beaten before—loud, arrogant, and bad at losing. His bruised ego had clearly festered since their last bout, but Aika wasn't worried. She had fought tougher guys and won without much effort.
The crowd roared as the bell rang, and Aika moved fast, dodging her opponent's sloppy punches. A few quick hits from her, and he was on the ground, gasping for breath. But just as she turned to leave, she heard the cage door slam shut behind her. Something was wrong.
She whirled around to see not just her opponent getting up, but ten to fifteen men surrounding her, all wearing the same menacing grins. It wasn't a one-on-one match anymore. It was an ambush.
Aika had no choice but to fight. She ducked the first punch, her instincts taking over as she began striking out at the men surrounding her. For a moment, she thought she might be able to take them all down—she was fast and had spent years training for moments like this—but the numbers were too much. For every guy she knocked down, two more took his place.
The fight dragged on, and her body began to slow. Her punches lost power, and she could feel the bruises forming on her ribs, her arms, and her face. Still, she refused to give up. Even as they overwhelmed her, kicking and punching her from every angle, she stayed on her feet. She wouldn't let them win. She wouldn't let them humiliate her.
But just when she thought she couldn't take anymore, she heard a loud crash. The door of the cage burst open, and figures moved quickly into the fray. Aika, dazed and barely able to focus, saw men flying through the air, hit by powerful kicks and punches.
The Mighty Warriors had arrived.
Ice was the first to take down three guys in one swift motion, his movements fluid and calculated. Ryu, moving like a shadow, had already flipped one of her attackers onto the ground. Sarah, Pearl, and Bernie were handling the rest, each of them landing blows with lethal precision. The gang was no match for them.
And then there was Jesse.
Aika, half-conscious, could barely see him, but even through her blurry vision, she saw him fight. Jesse was like a storm, relentless and powerful. His punches landed with devastating accuracy, and within minutes, the cage was cleared of any remaining attackers. He fought like someone who wouldn't tolerate anyone getting hurt on his watch.
When the last of the gang members hit the ground, Jesse walked over to Aika, who was struggling to stay upright. Her vision swam, and her body gave out before she could say anything. The last thing she remembered was Jesse kneeling next to her, his hand gently cradling her head as she slipped into unconsciousness.
When Aika woke up, she found herself in an unfamiliar room. It wasn't a hospital—it looked more like a warehouse, with dim lighting and the faint smell of antiseptic. She groaned, her body aching all over.
"Welcome back, tough guy," a voice said. Aika turned her head to see Sarah sitting beside her, a gentle smile on her face. "You took quite a beating back there."
"Where... where am I?" Aika's voice was raspy, her throat dry.
"Our place," Ice said, stepping into view with his trademark smirk. "We couldn't exactly leave you there after that mess, and taking you to a hospital wasn't an option. You were in pretty rough shape."
"I'm fine," Aika muttered, trying to sit up, but her whole body protested.
"Fine?" Jesse's voice interrupted, and Aika turned to see him standing nearby, arms crossed. His expression was hard, but his eyes—those warm, intense eyes—were full of concern. "You were getting jumped by fifteen guys. That's not 'fine.'"
"Why did you help me?" Aika asked, genuinely confused. No one had ever stepped in to help her before.
Jesse shrugged, but his eyes never left hers. "Didn't like the way they were ganging up on you. You didn't deserve that."
"We've got a soft spot for scrappy fighters," Ice added with a grin. "Especially ones who can take that many hits and still stay on their feet."
Aika felt a strange warmth in her chest. She wasn't used to people having her back, and certainly not like this. "I didn't need your help."
Jesse raised an eyebrow, his voice soft but firm. "Yeah, you did."
Something in the way he said it made her heart skip. His gaze was intense, and she could see something behind it—something that went beyond concern for a fellow fighter.
Over time, Aika came to learn that Jesse's feelings for her ran deeper than just friendship. Even back then, before she revealed herself as a girl, there had been a certain protectiveness about him, something almost possessive. He had seen her as more than just another fighter—they had connected in a way that went unspoken.
But it wasn't until later, when she dropped her disguise and revealed her true identity, that things shifted between them. Jesse had always been overprotective of her, but after learning she was a girl, his protectiveness grew into something more. She wasn't sure how to handle it at first. She had always seen Jesse as a friend, someone she could rely on—but she had never returned the romantic feelings he so clearly had.
Jesse, to his credit, never pushed. He stayed by her side, always ready to fight for her, to defend her. But Aika had noticed the way his eyes lingered on her a little too long, the way his jaw would tighten when other guys talked to her, even when it was innocent. He had never said it outright, but she knew.
It made things complicated. Jesse was one of her best friends, and she didn't want to lose that. But her heart belonged elsewhere—somewhere she didn't quite understand yet.
As she walked through the streets now, memories of Jesse's fierce protection played in her mind. She remembered the way he had looked at her, even after all these years, with the same intensity and care. She knew he would always be there for her, even if she couldn't return his feelings.
She sighed, her breath visible in the cold air. There was so much love in the world, so many ways people cared for each other. But sometimes, it wasn't the way you expected—or wanted. She just hoped that Jesse would find peace with that one day, and that their friendship would remain strong, despite everything.
YOU ARE READING
Fuyu Monogatari
Fanfiction. Abandoned as a child Aika was taken in by Cobra's family but basically raised by Kohaku of Mugen since he was the one who found her. She has a passion for martial arts and even though she could have graduated top of her class she didn't want to gi...
