It was 11:47 PM when Noa Aizawa made the worst decision of her night: stopping by the convenience store in her pajamas and slippers. She just wanted one thing—one, stupid tuna mayo onigiri—and there it was. The last one. Glowing under the flickering LED like it knew it was special.
She reached for it.
So did someone else.
Their fingers touched the plastic at the same time.
They both froze.
She looked up and saw him—a guy in a crumpled hoodie, black hair messy like he lost a fight with a pillow, holding a canned coffee like it was a weapon. His eyes were wide. He didn't move.
"You can take it," Noa said flatly, yanking her hand back. "I'm not about to start a midnight rice ball brawl."
"Wait, seriously?" he said. "You sure?"
"No," she snapped. "I'm just being polite. Obviously I want it."
He blinked. "...Same."
Silence. The kind that felt too loud for a fridge aisle at midnight.
Noa sighed. "Alright. Rock, paper, scissors?"
"Best of one?"
"Don't push your luck."
They played.
She lost.
He grabbed the onigiri, held it like a trophy, then… hesitated. "Actually… now I feel kinda guilty."
"You won," Noa said, crossing her arms. "Eat it with pride. I'll survive."
The guy stared at her, then at the rice ball, then back again. "You want half?"
She raised an eyebrow. "That's weirdly nice. Also weird."
"I'm Ren," he said, like that explained it.
"Noa."
They stared at each other for a second too long. Then Noa shrugged. "Well. Enjoy your guilt snack, Ren."
She walked off, bare heels slapping against the linoleum floor, leaving him in the aisle still holding the onigiri like he wasn't sure whether to eat it or offer it an apology.
—
The next morning, Noa walked into her new internship office.
Bright lights. Smell of paper and bad coffee. She yawned, adjusted her ID lanyard, and checked the whiteboard for the crew list.
Her name was there, under "Field Team B."
Right beside: *Ren Kurosawa.*
She stared.
Then turned slowly.
And saw him.
Same guy. Different hoodie. Same dumb, surprised face.
"…You."
He grinned.
"Hey, Onigiri Girl."
Noa closed her eyes.
This internship was going to be hell.