CTS TIME: RE250.08.23 – 11:00 AM
Jasper leaned casually against a nearby railing, watching Blaze like a hawk, an amused grin plastered on his face.
Blaze took a deep breath, straightened his jacket, and stepped forward.
"Alright, Blaze," he muttered under his breath. "Just be normal. Just talk like a regular guy."
But the moment he got closer, his heart betrayed him.
There she was—Serena Blackspire.
Her long red ponytail shimmered under the store's bright lighting, swaying as she moved. Her crimson eyes scanned the clothing racks with precision, her expression a mix of focus and mild frustration.
And then—
She looked at him.
Blaze froze.
His mind went blank. Completely.
All the smooth lines he had practiced last night? Gone. Every plan? Useless. His brain short-circuited.
Serena, however, raised an eyebrow, slightly tilting her head.
Then—before Blaze could even attempt to recover—she spoke first.
"Hey, you. Help me pick some clothes," she said, her tone casual yet firm.
Blaze blinked. "Wha—?"
Serena sighed, grabbing his wrist and dragging him toward the clothing section. "Come on, don't just stand there. Since you're here, you might as well help."
Blaze's face went completely red.
Jasper, standing in the distance, clapped a hand over his mouth, holding back his laughter.
"Oh, this is gold," Jasper whispered to himself.
Blaze's Mission: Choosing Serena's Clothes
Inside the boutique, Serena browsed through the racks, occasionally picking out a few outfits and holding them up.
Blaze, meanwhile, was still trying to regain control of his entire existence.
"Okay, focus," he told himself. "This is a normal situation. Just act normal."
Serena held up two jackets—one was a sleek, fitted black coat with red streaks on the sleeves, the other a dark crimson one with intricate silver embroidery.
She turned to Blaze. "Which one looks better on me?"
Blaze swallowed hard.
"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap—"
He tried to answer, but instead of words, all that came out was—
"Uh… um…"
Serena blinked. "Are you broken?"
Blaze quickly shook his head, forcing himself to say actual words. "No! Uh, I think… the black one suits you better. It matches your—uh—whole, um… vibe."
Serena inspected the jacket again, then nodded approvingly. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing."
She tossed it over her arm and continued searching.
Blaze exhaled, relieved that he somehow survived. But just when he thought he was safe—
Serena held up another outfit.
A fitted battle outfit—tight black pants, a cropped combat top with red accents, and a high-collared jacket.
She turned to Blaze again.
"What about this one?" she asked. "Would this look good on me?"
Blaze's soul left his body.
His mind immediately conjured the image of Serena in that outfit, and his entire face turned a deeper shade of red than her hair.
He coughed violently. "I—I mean—it's—you—uh—"
Serena narrowed her eyes. "Are you malfunctioning again?"
Blaze turned away, pretending to intensely examine a random shirt on a rack. "I—I just think it suits your style, that's all!"
Serena smirked, clearly enjoying his reaction. "You're weird," she muttered, but there was an amused glint in her eyes
From a safe distance, Jasper was watching everything unfold, shaking his head.
"This idiot is hopeless," he muttered.
But then he noticed something else.
Serena was smirking. Not in a mocking way, but in a… playful way.
She was teasing Blaze.
Jasper's eyes widened. "Wait a damn minute…"
He crossed his arms, grinning to himself.
She likes him.
Maybe she wasn't fully aware of it yet, but the way she reacted to Blaze's nervousness? The way she kept engaging him? She was enjoying this.
Jasper smirked. This just got more interesting.
CTS TIME: RE250.08.23 – 12:15 PM
The automated checkout station hummed softly as Serena completed her purchase. A sleek, silver AI robot hovered beside her, scanning the items before carefully gathering each bag into its mechanical arms.
Serena flicked her wrist, activating her command interface. "Take all of this back to my room," she ordered.
The AI's eyes blinked blue as it processed the request. "Acknowledged. Delivering items to Room 726." It floated away, disappearing into the store's automated delivery system.
Blaze, meanwhile, was still in full recovery mode from his traumatic shopping experience. His brain felt like it had been through a battlefield—no, worse—a warzone where Serena was the unstoppable force, and he was an unarmed civilian caught in the crossfire.
Serena turned to him, stretching her arms slightly. "Well, since you've already finished training for today—"
Blaze, still mentally rebooting, automatically responded, "No, I—"
"Good," Serena interrupted before he could correct himself. "Wanna come with me? I don't know this place very well, and I don't have company. Talon's missing somewhere, and Dante's probably still wrestling a shark or something."
Blaze's soul left his body for the second time today.
Wait… did she just invite me somewhere?!
His thoughts were running faster than his blade strikes. Was this a date? Was this an invitation? Was this—?!
"Uh… s-sure!" Blaze blurted out, his voice cracking slightly.
Serena raised an eyebrow, but before Blaze could even process what was happening, she grabbed his hand and started walking.
Blaze's entire system shut down.
W-wait, what's happening?!
His face turned deep red as he felt the warmth of Serena's hand wrapped around his wrist, leading him like it was the most casual thing in the world.
A few meters away, Jasper watched everything unfold with a shit-eating grin.
This is gold. Absolute gold.
He followed at a distance, casually blending into the crowd while keeping a sharp eye on Blaze.
Blaze turned his head slightly, eyes begging for help.
Jasper smirked and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Good luck, lover boy," he mouthed silently.
Blaze glared at him, internally screaming.
Jasper nodded reassuringly, then started making subtle hand signs behind Serena's back:
"Relax."
"Don't mess this up."
"Talk like a normal person, damn it."
Blaze gulped, his heartbeat still in overdrive.
Serena led Blaze through the bustling shopping district, her pace casual, her grip on his wrist firm but natural.
"So," she said, looking around. "What's a fun place to check out here?"
Blaze, who was still recovering from the hand-holding situation, nearly stuttered his response. "U-uh, well… the upper levels have some amazing sky lounges with great views. There's also a virtual arena, a hoverboard park, and, uh… an aquatic dome."
Serena glanced at him with amusement. "You really love talking about places that involve fighting or training, huh?"
Blaze scratched the back of his head. "W-well, it's what I do best."
Serena smirked. "Alright then, let's check out the sky lounge first. I wanna see this place from the top."
Blaze nodded quickly. "S-sure, yeah, good idea!"
Jasper, still tailing them, shook his head. This guy is a mess.
The transparent elevator took them to the highest level of the Diamond Spacehub. As the doors slid open, a breathtaking sight greeted them.
The entire city stretched beneath them, glowing with neon lights and holographic advertisements. The artificial sky projected a mesmerizing sunset, blending shades of purple and orange.
Serena walked to the glass railing, her expression calm but intrigued.
"Wow," she muttered.
Blaze stepped beside her, trying very hard to act normal. "Yeah… it's beautiful."
Serena glanced at him for a moment, then back at the cityscape. "I never really took the time to admire places like this. I was always too busy training."
Blaze nodded, understanding completely. "Yeah… same here. Training, fighting, proving myself—it's all I knew for a long time."
Serena tilted her head slightly, studying him. "And now?"
Blaze hesitated for a second. He wanted to say something. Something important. But instead, his brain betrayed him again.
"Uh—I mean—I still train. A lot. But, uh… sometimes, you gotta take a break… y'know?"
Serena snorted. "Wow. Deep words, philosopher."
Blaze internally facepalmed.
Serena smiled faintly before turning back to the view. "I get it, though. Sometimes, we forget that there's more to life than just fighting."
Blaze nodded. "Yeah…"
For a moment, they just stood there, watching the city below in comfortable silence.
From a distance, Jasper was mentally taking notes.
Alright, alright, progress! Now, just don't say something stupid, Blaze. Just keep it cool—
And then, Blaze—being Blaze—ruined it.
He turned to Serena, still flustered, and blurted out—
"So, uh… do you have a boyfriend?"
Jasper nearly choked from laughter in the distance.
Serena's head snapped toward him, her eyes widening slightly.
Blaze immediately realized what he just said.
OH SHIT.
His entire existence crumbled.
Serena just… stared at him for a second.
Then—
She smirked.
"Why? You interested?"
Blaze turned so red that he looked like a damn tomato.
Jasper collapsed against a wall, laughing his ass off.
Blaze, meanwhile, was dying inside.
Serena shook her head, amused. "You're ridiculous," she said, then turned back to the view.
Blaze wished a black hole would open up and swallow him.
Jasper, wiping away tears of laughter, silently applauded.
This is the best day of my life.
CTS TIME: RE250.08.23 – 2:30 PM
Location: Outside the Diamond Spacehub – Main Entrance
The two of them walked side by side through the grand entrance of the Diamond Spacehub, the neon-lit city stretching out in all directions. The artificial sky above had shifted into a warm, golden hue, mimicking a late afternoon glow. The hum of spacecrafts flying above and the chatter of people filled the air, but for Blaze, everything seemed muted.
He had just spent the past few hours with Serena.
She had held his hand. She had smiled at him. She had even teased him.
And now, she was leaving.
Serena stopped near the towering entrance gate, turning slightly toward him. Her long red ponytail swayed as a gentle breeze passed through, the soft light catching in her crimson eyes.
"Thanks for hanging out with me today," she said, her tone casual, but there was a hint of sincerity in her voice. "But… sorry for that. You're a champion. I know you're probably thinking this was all a waste of time."
Blaze's heart stopped.
Waste of time?!
His mind screamed, No! It wasn't! But the words did not leave his mouth. Instead, he stood there, completely frozen, his face heating up again.
Serena tilted her head slightly, waiting for a response. When none came, she gave a small chuckle and turned away. "Anyway, see you later, Blaze," she said as she started walking toward the hotel entrance.
Blaze internally panicked. Say something, idiot! SAY SOMETHING!
His lips parted—
But nothing came out.
Instead, he just stood there, watching her walk away.
A few meters away, Jasper was losing his mind.
He had followed them this far, waiting for Blaze to make a move— anything— and yet here the guy was, standing like a statue.
Jasper pinched the bridge of his nose. "Unbelievable," he muttered.
He quickly marched up to Blaze, smacking him on the back of the head.
"OW—!" Blaze snapped out of his trance, rubbing his head. "What the hell, Jasper?!"
Jasper glared at him. "You moron! She literally just gave you a perfect moment to say something cool, and you blew it!"
Blaze groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I—I just—" He sighed. "Damn it…"
Jasper crossed his arms. "Damn it is right. This was your shot, bro! Do you even want to confess after the Grand Showdown, or are you gonna keep standing there like a lost puppy?"
Blaze clenched his fists. He did want to. He really wanted to. But every time he was near Serena, his brain short-circuited.
Jasper sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, new plan," he muttered. "We need to fix your confidence before you even think about confessing."
Blaze raised an eyebrow. "Fix my confidence? How?"
Jasper smirked. "Easy. We train."
Blaze frowned. "We already trained earlier today—"
Jasper grabbed his arm and started dragging him away. "Not that kind of training, dumbass! We're going to teach you how to talk to Serena without turning into a stuttering mess."
Blaze's face turned red again. "I don't turn into a stuttering mess!"
Jasper shot him a deadpan look. "Bro, you just stood there and let her walk away. I rest my case."
Blaze groaned. "Fine. What's the plan?"
Jasper grinned. "Step one: Stop being an awkward idiot. Step two: Learn how to flirt. Step three—"
"—Jasper, I swear if this is another one of your brilliant plans…"
Jasper laughed. "Oh, trust me. This one's gonna work."
To be continue...