“Big brother, I told you—my training is currently underway. So why are you asking me to agree to a modeling shoot? I’ve said so many times that I want to become a ‘Dark Knight’ just like you guys. I have no interest in the business.”
Asuna crossed her arms tightly over her chest and let out an irritated sigh.
She had just returned from a shoot with her older brother, Ren, and the heavy silence inside the car was doing little to ease her frustration. Her gaze remained fixed on the passing streets of Tokyo as she leaned back into her seat.
“This is just for the family business. Let’s get this last job done, and after that, I’ll tell them not to involve you in the business anymore.”
Ren kept his eyes on the road as he spoke. His fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel while he guided the car toward an intersection.
The traffic signal ahead turned red.
He smoothly brought the vehicle to a stop.
Then—
The low, throbbing hum of high-performance engines began cutting through the surrounding noise of Tokyo traffic.
A fleet of sleek motorcycles pulled up directly alongside their vehicle.
Sherry lifted a hand to her helmet and released the strap. With a quick motion, she removed it, allowing the cool night breeze to sweep across her face.
“Where the hell did those two go?” she complained. “Did the bastards stop to refuel, or are they trying to build the damn bikes from scratch?”
Neji handed her a cold bottle of water.
Sherry accepted it without hesitation and took a quick swig.
Neji casually flipped up the tinted visor of his helmet.
“Only they know what they’re doing. They’ve been messing around for the last five kilometers.”
Ibuki maneuvered his bike closer, glancing between the others.
“First, tell me where we’re actually going. We’ve been crisscrossing Tokyo for the past two hours.”
“Only Kirito can tell us that,” Sherry replied.
She loosened her hair and tied it back, looping the hair tie around her handlebar with practiced ease.
The smooth sound of another motorcycle approaching drew their attention.
Kiyora pulled up beside Neji, her engine settling into a steady idle.
“So, this lady was the one who planned the ride, wasn’t she?” Kiyora asked with a teasing smirk beneath her visor.
Ibuki leaned forward.
“So, you’re finally here, Ma’am? Where had you vanished to for the last two hours?”
“The bigger surprise is that this lady managed to get both the bike and permission at the same time,” Sherry added, her voice dripping with playful amusement.
Kiyora groaned and adjusted her gloves.
“Why are you digging up the past? My family only agreed to this after a lot of pleading.”
Inside the car, Asuna's eyes widened.
She recognized the group.
Quickly, she rolled down the window and called over the rumble of the motorcycles.
“Hey! Sherry!”
Sherry turned toward the car, surprise flashing across her face.
“Hey! Asuna.”
“Where are you guys headed at this hour?” Asuna asked, leaning slightly toward the open window.
“Nowhere in particular. Just out for a bike ride.”
Sherry waved casually.
Asuna glanced past the group, scanning the road.
“Why? Aren’t those two with you guys today?”
“Oh, they were with us. We stopped to refuel, but then I don’t know where they went. They haven’t come back yet.”
Sherry tilted her head toward the empty passenger seat.
“You should come along with us too. Just ask your brother.”
Ren had been silently observing the group through the side mirror.
His gaze moved over their motorcycles and protective equipment.
They all have proper sports bikes and high-grade riding gear. That means they go on rides frequently...
His eyes briefly settled on Asuna.
Asuna will be safe with them.
Lost in thought, Ren gave a slight start when Asuna tapped his arm.
“Yeah... sure,” he said, snapping back to reality. “Whenever you want to go, just go. I’ll talk to Mom.”
Asuna's face immediately lit up.
“Thank you very much, brother!”
She opened the car door and stepped into the crisp night air.
A moment later, she swiftly climbed onto the rear seat behind Sherry.
Asuna wrapped her arms securely around Sherry's waist.
At almost the same moment, the traffic signal changed.
Green.
Ren lowered his window.
“Alright, I’m off then. Give me a call before you come back.”
“Hmm...” Asuna nodded.
Ren rolled up the window, activated his turn signal, and guided the car onto the main artery of the highway.
Meanwhile, the group crossed the intersection and soon coasted to a stop near a vacant bus shelter ahead.
They waited.
Sherry glanced over her shoulder.
“Neji, you have an extra helmet, right?”
“Yeah. It’s in my bag. Tell her to come and get it.”
Sherry flipped up her visor.
“Asuna, grab the helmet from Neji.”
Asuna climbed off the bike and walked over.
She accepted the spare helmet and looked at the group with mild curiosity.
Despite the roar of their engines and the thick padding of their riding gear, they seemed to communicate with surprising ease.
How are they talking to each other from inside their helmets?
She put the helmet on and secured the strap beneath her chin.
“Hey, got the helmet on?” Sherry's voice came through slightly muffled.
“Yeah.”
Asuna tightened the chin strap until it clicked securely into place.
“Alright, then long-press the intercom switch on the left side and set it to channel thirteen.”
“Hmm...”
Asuna pressed the switch.
A brief electronic tone sounded inside her helmet.
The device activated instantly, linking her headset to the group's encrypted short-range mesh network.
Then—
“Can you hear me?”
Kiyora's voice came through crystal clear.
Asuna's eyes widened.
“Yeah.”
Before she could say anything else, two sharp engine roars tore through the night.
Kirito and Reno suddenly shot past the bus shelter, their motorcycles slicing through the air in a blur of chrome and matte black.
Kirito raised one gloved hand, signaling the group to fall in line before accelerating ahead.
“Hey, what took you guys so long?” Neji asked over the comms as he twisted his throttle and began catching up.
“This asshole got a flat tire. We were getting it fixed,” Kirito replied, his tone thick with exasperation.
“Did you guys tell Sensei that you’re here?” Asuna asked.
“No. He wasn’t home, and he wasn’t answering his calls either, so we just left without telling him,” Reno replied.
Kirito glanced back briefly.
“By the way, no one mentioned that Asuna was coming along too.”
“Well, my plans keep changing all the time,” Sherry replied smoothly. “Besides, I’ve already called Allya and told her you guys are with me.”
“Fair enough. You can at least do that much for me.”
“Yeah, but you should handle your own tasks too. How long are you going to keep relying on me?”
Kirito didn't answer.
Instead, he raised one hand and signaled for the others to follow his line as he picked up speed, leading them toward the main express route.
Curiosity getting the better of her, Asuna tapped the channel interface on her helmet and switched to a private frequency linked directly to Sherry's headset.
“Hey, Sherry.”
“Yeah, go ahead. Did you want to discuss something personal on this channel?”
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“Yeah, something like that. I wanted to ask how you two know each other so well. I mean, the bond you share is even stronger than that of school friends.”
“Whose? Kirito's and mine?”
“Whose else? You always cover up his antics. You seem to know beforehand what he's about to do or what he's going to forget.”
A soft chuckle came through the comm.
“If you're thinking—like everyone else—that the two of us are dating, then you're completely wrong. I mean, why would I date him? There are plenty of better guys in Tokyo.”
“No, that's not what I meant,” Asuna quickly clarified.
Sherry's playful tone softened.
“To put it plainly, he is the first—and probably the last—friend who is like a real brother to me.”
She paused.
Her eyes narrowed as she noticed Kirito's motorcycle drifting slightly off line ahead of them.
“Wait a sec. Let's talk about this later.”
Sherry shifted down a gear.
The engine's pitch rose sharply as she accelerated.
Within moments, she pulled directly alongside Kirito.
Then she swung outward and struck the side of his helmet.
Kirito's motorcycle wobbled.
“Hey, you moron! Where the hell are you going?!” Sherry barked through her open visor.
Kirito quickly corrected his balance and pulled back alongside her.
He aggressively tapped the side of his helmet, gesturing toward her radio controls.
Sherry blinked.
Then she remembered.
She was still connected to the private channel with Asuna.
“Oops.”
She quickly switched back to the main group frequency.
“Are you crazy?!” Kirito's voice burst through the comms. “We could have crashed again today!”
“Ha... ha...” Sherry laughed. “You've fallen really badly so many times and didn't die. You certainly wouldn't die from just this.”
Her tone remained completely casual.
“Anyway, where are we headed?”
“What were you doing until now?” Kiyora interjected. “He told us ages ago that the Aqua Line is open.”
“Alright then. Let's meet at the bridge.”
“A race?” Ibuki asked, excitement entering his voice.
“Fine, then—whoever comes in last pays for everyone's meal today!”
Kirito immediately slammed the throttle open.
His motorcycle surged forward.
“You idiot! It's antics like these that keep landing you in the hospital!” Sherry yelled.
Despite her complaint, her own hand twisted the throttle.
She chased after him.
“Just go,” Kirito laughed briefly over the roar of the wind.
Asuna leaned closer behind Sherry and switched back to their private channel.
“Honestly, anyone seeing the two of you for the first time would think you're dating.”
Sherry merely hummed in response.
“By the way, how long have you two been together?” Asuna pressed gently.
“That's a long story.”
“Oh, come on. Just tell me. We've got plenty of time anyway.”
Sherry sighed and eased slightly into the straightaway.
“Alright, fine. I'm not really interested in their race anyway.”
The wind rushed around them as Sherry took a slow breath.
Her eyes remained fixed on the road, but her thoughts had already begun drifting backward through the years.
“We were neighbors, and his house felt just like my own. We played together and spent most of our time in each other's company. Squabbling over little things was a daily routine for us.”
Her voice gradually became softer.
“I had lost my parents at a very young age. Back then, it was Kirito's mom who took the best care of me and held me together.”
Her fingers tightened slightly around the handlebars.
“Later, I started living with relatives, but staying there became difficult because of constant family squabbles. Aunty stood up for me during that time. They wanted me to hand over all my parents' assets to them, and I was young enough that I might have fallen for their sweet talk, but Aunty didn't let that happen.”
The city lights stretched endlessly across the horizon.
“There were times I'd stay with them for months on end. When I reached high school, I decided to live on my own. My friends told me I was free to do whatever I wanted, but it was as if Aunty had installed CCTV cameras to watch me.”
A faint smile touched Sherry's lips.
“She would either show up herself or send that blockhead over. And Allya was always at the forefront. She'd pick a fight at home and then come over to my room, staying there all day long.”
Asuna tilted her head inside her helmet.
“But Allya is so quiet and gentle. I don't think she'd ever trouble anyone.”
“Her? Quiet?”
Sherry scoffed affectionately.
“You haven't seen her true colors yet. She's a storm once she breaks loose. No single person can handle her. Even the toughest people struggle to manage her on their own.”
She paused.
“I have no idea how Kirito handles her by himself.”
“Why? Did something happen recently?”
“Yeah. It's been about a week, I think.”
Sherry's tone lowered.
“She and Kirito had an argument over something. After that, instead of going to her own school, she came straight to my place and stayed in my room.”
“But how did she get inside the house?”
“I gave her a spare key for emergencies, so she uses that. She never messes anything up when she's here—though, admittedly, she doesn't do anything other than watch TV and play games.”
Sherry sighed.
“I sent her back that day, telling her I'd talk to him later, but I just haven't been able to catch him alone to have that conversation.”
Asuna looked ahead at Kirito's silhouette leading the pack.
“Then why not talk to him right now? In the parking lot.”
“I'm trying,” Sherry grunted, her eyes fixing on the lead bikes. “But let's get past these guys first. Otherwise, the bastards will dump today's bill right on us.”
She dropped two gears.
The engine roared as she shot onto the gleaming expanse of the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line bridge.
Wind tore past her.
Sherry leaned forward and slipped through the air current, rapidly closing the distance between herself and the others.
One by one, she overtook Ibuki and Neji.
Then she was riding neck-and-neck with Kirito.
“Hey, Kiri, move over!” Sherry yelled.
“Nope. Not doing it!”
Kirito's smirk was practically audible beneath his helmet.
“Hey! There are cops up ahead!” Sherry suddenly shouted, pointing toward the horizon.
“Where?!”
Kirito instinctively grabbed the brake.
His motorcycle slowed sharply.
Sherry seized the brief hesitation.
She twisted the throttle all the way and surged ahead, slipping past him with a triumphant burst of speed.
“You're a real piece of work, you know that?!” Kirito's exasperated voice rang through the comms.
“Cops are in my back pocket. That's why you should keep your eyes on the road while driving!”
Sherry laughed as she led the pack toward the exit ramp.
At Umihotaru Parking Area
The motorcycles glided into the multi-story parking structure overlooking the ocean.
One by one, the engines fell silent.
The sudden quiet felt almost strange after the constant roar of the ride.
Ibuki dismounted and stretched his arms.
“So, Reno is the last one.”
“Hey, it's not my fault, man! The bike's gears were just getting stuck!”
Reno removed his helmet, revealing a flushed face.
The entire group gathered near the ocean-view railing.
“That’s why I told you to send the bike for servicing,” Kirito said.
He unzipped his riding jacket and tied the sleeves around his waist before reaching into Neji's backpack.
He pulled out a bottle of water and took a long, greedy gulp.
“Alright then, let's head to the supermarket and then move on,” Reno grumbled.
Neji grinned and gave Reno a light punch on the shoulder.
“Well, at least he admitted he has to pay today.”
Sherry stepped forward.
The playful expression she had worn throughout the ride disappeared.
Her face became serious.
“Kirito, I need to talk to you. It's important.”
Kirito paused and lowered the water bottle.
“Okay. Hey, you guys go ahead. I'll talk to her and catch up.”
“Alright, but come back quickly, or else there might be nothing left for the two of you,” Kiyora warned.
She waved as the rest of the group began heading toward the main plaza.
Their footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
Silence settled over the corner of the parking deck.
Kirito walked over and leaned his back against the cool steel railing.
Sherry reached into her bag.
“Catch this.”
She tossed a cold soda can toward him.
Kirito caught it smoothly.
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
His thumb hooked beneath the ring pull.
With a sharp hiss, the can opened.
“Things haven't exactly been going great for me lately.”
“You and Allya had a fight, didn't you?”
Sherry stepped closer and pulled herself up onto the railing beside him.
“That's exactly what I want to talk about.”
Kirito's relaxed posture instantly stiffened.
His eyes narrowed.
A dark shadow crossed his face as he glared at her.
“You shouldn't get involved in that. It's a private matter between us.”
“Yeah, yeah. It's your private matter. Why would I say anything?”
Sherry snapped.
She pushed away from the railing and stepped directly into his space, her eyes flashing with sudden fury.
“You damn bastard, I saw tears in her eyes! She's come home after fights so many times, but I've never seen her cry like that. So don't lecture me!”
Her hand shot forward.
She seized Kirito firmly by the collar of his shirt.
“And don't you dare tell me whether this is my business or not—she's my sister too!”
Sherry pulled him down until he was forced to meet her furious gaze.
“I have every right to stand up for her!”
Kirito's jaw tightened.
A cold, distant look filled his eyes.
It was an expression Sherry had never seen him direct toward her before.
“Just because Mom let you stay with us for a few days, you've started acting like you own the place.”
Kirito reached up and seized her wrist.
His grip was firm.
He forcibly removed her hand from his collar.
Sherry froze.
The words struck harder than his grip ever could.
Her breath caught in her throat, and a sharp ache spread through her chest.
The person who understood her better than anyone—the one who had been her absolute pillar of strength through the darkest years of her life—was now actively trying to push her away.
A tremor entered her voice, but she refused to back down.
“Do you think... do you really think you can talk to me like that, and I'll just leave you here alone, crying?”
Her eyes began to glisten.
“We promised each other that we'd always stand by one another and keep each other on the right path!”
Her palm struck Kirito's cheek.
The sharp crack echoed across the concrete floor.
Silence immediately swallowed the parking deck.
Kirito's face remained turned to the side.
A red mark slowly appeared across his cheek.
He couldn't bring himself to look at her.
Inside his chest, grief, stress, and suffocating loneliness collided into a storm he had been desperately trying to keep contained.
“I'm not leaving you... and I'm not letting you go...”
Sherry's voice trembled.
Tears gathered in her eyes before finally spilling down her cheeks.
“Not until you tell me what's truly in your heart.”
Sherry—the girl whose fiery pride and fierce independence could humble anyone, the girl so stubbornly strong that no one in their group had ever seen her truly break down—stood before him with tears streaming down her face.
For the sake of the promise they had made years ago, she had cast aside every bit of her pride.
She had laid her raw emotions bare.
Seeing those tears, something inside Kirito finally cracked.
The wall he had built around his heart shattered.
His own eyes filled with hot, uncontrollable tears.
He slumped against the railing, his vision becoming blurry.
And then—
A memory long buried resurfaced.
One Year Ago — During Lunch
The afternoon sun bathed the school rooftop in a warm glow.
Kirito climbed onto the small concrete ledge above the staircase and lay back against the cool stone.
“Hey, Sherry, if I ever started heading down the wrong path... what would you do?”
Sherry paused while tearing open a packet of protein bars with her teeth.
“And where did this nonsense pop into your head from?”
“Just like that. It crossed my mind during math class.”
Kirito stared lazily at the clouds.
Sherry smirked and took a bite.
“Well, that's never going to happen. But if you ever get restless and act up, I'd have a blast beating the living daylights out of you.”
“So, THIS is why people go around calling you two a couple—because of antics like this.”
Neji had walked up the stairs, carrying a plastic bag filled with cold soda cans.
“Yeah, let them bark.”
Kirito grinned and stretched out an arm.
“Did you get the drinks?”
“Yeah. Catch.”
Neji tossed a can through the air.
Present Time
Sherry angrily wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve before turning away from Kirito.
She walked over to a nearby concrete bench and sat down heavily.
“If Aunty were here... she'd never let us fight like this.”
Her voice trembled with a painful mixture of anger and grief.
Kirito lowered his hands.
All the defensive rage drained from his body.
He hung his head in shame, staring down at his trembling hands.
Sherry glanced back at him.
Her tone softened despite the tears still streaking her face.
“Why are you looking down now? Come sit here and tell me the whole story.”
She paused.
“It's not like I'm going to abandon you... I'll stand by your side through everything.”
Kirito slowly walked over.
Each step felt heavy.
He sat beside her on the bench and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“Sorry...”
The word came out barely above a whisper.
His voice was small, timid, and fragile.
“There's just so much going on right now that I can't keep my mind focused on one thing. That's why I said all those horrible things to you.”
Sherry let out a long, shaky breath.
A small, reassuring smile finally broke through her tears.
“Oh, let it go. Fighting is a daily routine for us anyway... and I know you'd never really mean things like that.”
Kirito stared at the concrete beneath his feet.
“I'm trying my best to act normal... hanging out with friends, playing in tournaments like always, and acting as if nothing happened when I'm home.”
His fingers curled against his knees.
“I'm doing it all just to support Allya so she doesn't feel alone... but I'm struggling, Sherry.”
His voice cracked.
“Missing Mom is slowly eating away at me day by day. It feels like I can't do anything without her.”
Sherry leaned back, quietly looking at her oldest friend.
“Why do you feel the need to be ‘normal’?”
Kirito remained silent.
“You never let anyone see your pain. It took me a long time to understand that about you... but I know you just need time and space.”
Her voice was gentle.
“You'll heal on your own.”
She paused before adding,
“And as for Allya, the two of us will handle her just like we always do.”
“I know...”
Kirito swallowed hard.
“But just think about what she must be thinking of me.”
His voice became strained.
“It hasn't even been six months since Mom passed away... and here I am, riding bikes and playing in a tournament.”
Sherry reached over and placed a firm, reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“You're overthinking it. She'd never think that way.”
Her expression softened.
“She trusts her big brother completely.”
Sherry stood.
The coastal wind swept across the parking deck, tugging at her hair and clothes as she looked toward the distant horizon.
“And why are you getting hung up on the past?”
She turned back toward him.
“Think about the future. You have so much left to do.”
She flicked her hair over her shoulder.
“We'll deal with whatever comes next when the time comes.”
Kirito looked up at her.
For the first time in what felt like ages, the heavy weight pressing against his chest lifted just a little.
A genuine, albeit faint, smile reached his eyes.
“You're never going to change, are you?”
He chuckled softly.
Sherry smirked and picked up her helmet.
“You should be the one changing. Stop acting like a kid.”
She turned toward the brightly lit entrance of the plaza.
“Come on, let's go, or else those guys won't leave anything for us.”
Kirito stood, dusted off his pants, and followed close behind.
As they approached the group, Kiyora turned around from a nearby food stall.
Her hands rested firmly on her hips.
“You guys are finally here? Reno's got money to burn, so he's treating everyone to dinner tonight!”
Asuna stepped up beside Sherry, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes as she nudged Reno.
“So, where is Reno taking us?”
Reno groaned dramatically and pulled out his wallet.
“Hey, it's dinnertime, and I'm hungry too! That's the only reason I'm taking you guys along!”
“Alright, let's go!”
Ibuki laughed as he led the way into the warm light of the restaurant.