Eniola sat on her bed doing the most entertaining thing she could do that day.

Stare into imminent space.

The singular room she had was feeling more like a prison than the more she sat in it. Her muscles were sore from the intense training that the PSEUDO had put them through. Eniola found out she had shit stamina because all the fighting she had ever done was virtual. Today, luck was on her side, and Kain gave them a day off after 3 weeks of strenuous training.

The simulations had ranged from elaborate home break-ins to deadly stakeouts to stealing intelligence from government offices. The last hit home, in ways Eniola wasn't ready to face. They lasted for long hours and made Eniola sore in places she didn't realize could get sore. To make it even better, they had combat training with PSEUDO members, and Eniola got paired up with Hyejin, who did her two favourite things. Fight Eniola and taunt Eniola. She always sneaks attacked Eniola, proceeded to body slam her on the ground, and then tells her she had the aforementioned shit stamina and weak fighting style.

Eniola didn't want to be upset, but it was hard not to feel her ego crumble when a schoolchild had kicked her ass 25 different ways. Once the training session ended and Eniola recovered from sore muscles and a bruised ego, they ate in the kitchen, which became packed with hungry fighters. Then the 5 of them would watch hackers explain what they did and try to keep up.

Kain continued to keep up his ominous act. He rarely trained with them and spent time with the hackers, like Zaira, to figure out where the hell Paradox was going.

Eniola didn't want to look weak, even though much evidence pointed to the fact. She just kept her head down and soon it all became a blur. It was much better to pretend like it didn't matter.

So now all Eniola had to do was be bored. Eniola didn't want to overstep and try to ask anyone because she was frankly scared of everyone. Especially Kain. He seemed mysterious but not alluringly. It was more about how he made you want to run as far as you could.

Eniola wondered what Bee would think of this. Why did he think they were dangerous when they wanted to help them? To think of it, Bee seemed out of it. Maybe it was the effects of convening with criminals.

Eniola the whoosh of the door as it slid open, and she got up and immediately met Jay's eyes. A smile crept onto her lips. He had changed his clothes and put back on the bomber jacket he always wore. And in his hand was cooler. Then Eniola raised an eyebrow.

"Hey," Eniola said.

"Hey," Jay replied.

"What's going on?" she asked before she scooted to the edge of the bed.

"I've realized that with all this crazy stuff going on, it's been a long while since we've been on a date together, or had any alone time," Jay said, as he leaned against the doorway and raised his eyebrows.

"Really?" Eniola replied as she leaned forward. Of course, she knew.

Eniola admitted it hadn't crossed her mind. Maybe it was because he was more worried about surviving in every place they transferred them. Jay became an afterthought except for the time she indirectly revealed she loved, not felt intensely for him. There was still a line. Of course, Eniola liked him, but just not like that yet. They had feelings for each other, and they had blossomed even during the time that they weren't dating each other.

But what if he felt more than just liking her? What did that mean?

And she wanted him now.

"So, what do you have in mind?" Eniola asked. "Remind you that fugitives still have limited options."

Jay breathed in a laugh before he swayed over to her. "Just get up. I promise you'll like it. Have I ever taken you on a bad date?"

Eniola pretended to think. Most of their dates until this point comprised of going over to each other's place late at night and cuddling into each other's arms to a movie. Thye just needed each other.

Eniola shrugged.

"Exactly," he said before he reached forward and knotted their fingers together. She almost jumped at the sensation.

"What?" Jay responded.

"It's been a while since we've done this," Eniola revealed. "I miss this."

"Me too," Jay replied before he leaned in for a quick peck on the cheek. Eniola's heart blossomed. "And I look forward to keeping up my streak on never having bad dates."

Eniola only giggled as they both walked from her bedroom and down the hallways until they emerged into the front door. Eniola raised an eyebrow. This is where Kain had taken her.

"This outside of the house is nice," Jay said. "I think you're going to like it."

From there, Eniola and Jay walked outside into the landscape of nature. Eniola sighed. It was still beautiful even after yesterday. But Eniola widened her eyes just so that she could look surprised.

"Come over here," Jay said before he pulled her across the bridge. Eniola also pretended to see for the first time before they emerged in a small plateau area just above the stream.

Now, this Eniola had not seen.

Pitched up was a white cloth tent lined with string lights that sat on top of a picnic blanket. Eniola's eyes lit up in marvel. Jay walked in front of it smugly as he smiled widely. Had he done this all for her?"

"I asked the unarmed members of the PSEUDO to help me with it," Jay said. "And they begrudgingly accepted. What do you think?"

"I think this is nice," Eniola said, as she smiled.

"Just nice?" Jay asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Fine," Eniola sighed. "Very nice."

"Right," Jay agreed before he took a seat on the mat and scooted over for her.

Eniola sat down as he opened the coolers and all the sweet scents of the food wafted in at her nose. She sighed in bliss. Eniola wondered if Jay also knew how to cook, and this was another hidden talent.

"This smells good," Eniola gushed. "Did you make it yourself?"

"Thanks and no," Jay said. "I took them from the kitchen. It's kind of full."

"Wow," Eniola gushed. "I almost thought you knew how to cook."

"That's not in my vicinity," Jay chuckled and so did Eniola

"So what do we have?" Eniola asked as she looked inside.

Jay reached inside and pulled out a container inside of a

"These are bao," Jay said, as he held in front of his face and shook it. Then he reached inside, then pulled out a small pot. It opened to reveal brown rice with vegetables inside of it. "And this is fried rice."

"Delicious," Eniola said even though she hadn't eaten. There had been more stuff like fried meat skewers, ginger beef, noodles, and a special brand of Chinese soda.

And it was good. Heavenly, if Eniola could say.

Her favourite was the noodles, which she slurped up with no shame. Jay stifled back a giggle.

"What?" Eniola said, with her mouth full.

"You look cute," Jay gushed. Heat spread through Eniola's cheeks. She enjoyed being cute.

And for a while, it was just them, and the stream that flowed beneath them and provided a calming sense of awe. Eniola didn't think about Enigma for just a little.

"So, I have a question?" he said, in between the food. "When did you realize you liked me?"

Eniola froze before she sighed in relief. It wasn't until now she realized there was a moment. She would probably say it happened during the regional SCOPE championships last year.

Eniola cleared her throat. "I would probably say back to the time when we went on our first unofficial date to that gamer festival in LA. Then I began to finally address that I've been feeling things."

"Really? It wasn't earlier?" Jay asked. "I thought I had that charm."

"I just denied it because I wanted to pretend that I disliked you," Eniola said. "But then you grew on me. And then we kissed for the first time and then I really liked you."

Redness seeped into his cheeks, and a little chuckle escaped from him. Now he was the cute one. Eniola focused again. "What about you?"

"It was almost four years ago," Jay said instantly, and Eniola almost choked on the bao in her mouth.

"Hold on," Eniola began, as she coughed. She set the bao down. Four years. "That long? Woah."

"Yeah, when Theo first invited me into the Discord, I thought you were kind of cool," Jay admitted. "I thought you were a cool gamer and were funny."

"I didn't like you," Eniola replied. "I was pissed at Theo for inviting you because we didn't know you in real life."

"I could tell," Jay whispered. "I'd always wanted to get to know you, but you were offline or somehow went offline when I talk to you."

Was thirteen-year-old Eniola that much of a bitch? Jeez.

"Oh wow," Eniola said. "In the three years you'd been talking to us, you never revealed yourself, so I had every reason to suspect you were a forty-year-old guy named Chuck. I was convinced that your real name was killswitch."

"Then you must've thought that my parents were pretty badass then," Jay laughed and so did Eniola. It was contagious at this point.

"So what prevented you from spilling out your undying love onto me when you came to San Francisco?" Eniola asked as she leaned forward.

"It didn't seem like you liked me that much," Jay revealed. "Then I met you guys in real life, and I thought it would be different, but it still didn't seem like you liked me. But luckily you weren't fully immune to the charms of Jay Yoon."

"I wasn't," Eniola jokingly admitted. "It seems like so long ago, especially with everything. But then I remind myself it hasn't even been a year yet. Speaking of the year, what do you plan on giving for our anniversary?"

Jay froze in time like he was on the spot. He scratched the back of his head. "Support? Love?"

Eniola almost jumped at the L Word. And why was she saying it like it was a curse? Nevertheless, it still surprised her. Jay maintained eye contact with her, and she froze on the spot.

"Yeah," she said awkwardly. "Support."

"I've also been wanting to tell you something for a while," he began. " I l-

Eniola quickly leaned forward before her lips crashed into Jay's. A low moan rang in his throat before his hands gripped her waist and pulled her onto her knees. Eniola sighed in response before her hands curled around his jaw. He tasted like Chinese food, but so did Eniola. It was a while since she'd kissed him. Truly kissed him. Nothing stolen, or quick. Kissed. Her heart swelled with bliss.

Jay pulled away just for a second, but Eniola pressed her forehead onto his, and she breathed in sync with him. Woah.

"What was I saying again?" he breathed, as he brushed a thumb over her cheek.

"I don't know," Eniola breathed back, knowing damn well what he was about to say. But she was amid the adrenaline and tension and didn't want to unpack that yet. "Let's just continue."

Jay didn't reply, only pulled her closer again, until she was against his chest on her knees. Eniola squealed as Jay grabbed the back of her thighs and pulled her onto his lap so that she straddled him. Eniola then ran her hands through his hair before they moved around his neck. She could kiss him all day if she could. Her heart accelerated.

Now it was just them. Together.