Air rushed into Aiden Cross's lungs like he had been drowning.
GASP—
He shot upright in bed, sweat clinging to his skin as his chest heaved violently. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst out of his ribs.
For a few seconds, he didn't move.
Didn't think.
Didn't breathe properly.
Just sat there.
Alive.
"… What…?"
His voice came out dry and unfamiliar.
Younger.
Much younger.
That alone made his stomach twist.
Aiden slowly lifted his hands into view.
They trembled slightly.
Smaller.
Leaner.
No calluses from years of training.
No scars.
No bruises.
Nothing.
"… No way."
His heartbeat sped up again.
The last thing he remembered was lying in bed… exhausted… replaying the final moments of Cobra Kai in his head.
Then darkness.
Nothing after that.
No dreams.
No warning.
Just—
Gone.
And now…
He was here.
Alive.
Breathing.
In a body that wasn't his.
Aiden forced himself to look around.
The room was unfamiliar.
Simple.
Ordinary.
Posters on the wall.
A desk cluttered with notebooks.
A backpack slumped carelessly on the floor.
This wasn't his old bedroom.
Not even close.
Slowly, carefully, he slid off the bed.
His legs felt lighter than they should.
Stronger in some ways.
But unfamiliar.
Like wearing someone else's shoes.
Step by step, he walked toward the mirror hanging on the wall.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
Not physically—
Mentally.
Because he already knew what he was about to see.
And he wasn't ready for it.
But he looked anyway.
And froze.
A teenage boy stared back at him.
Sharp eyes.
Short dark hair.
Lean build.
Healthy.
Young.
Sixteen… maybe seventeen.
Definitely not his old body.
Aiden reached out slowly and touched the mirror.
The reflection copied him perfectly.
"No…"
His voice barely escaped his lips.
"This isn't real…"
But it felt real.
Too real.
His skin was warm.
His breath was steady.
His heartbeat was loud and clear in his ears.
This wasn't a dream.
Knock knock.
Aiden jumped slightly.
"Aiden!" a woman's voice called from outside the door. "You're going to be late for school!"
He froze.
Aiden…
Same name.
Different life.
His throat tightened.
"Y-Yeah!" he answered automatically. "Coming!"
Footsteps faded down the hallway.
Silence returned.
Aiden slowly turned back toward the room.
His eyes landed on the desk.
Something caught his attention immediately.
A folded paper.
School schedule.
He walked over and grabbed it.
Hands slightly shaky.
He unfolded it.
And read the top line.
Then froze again.
West Valley High School
The words hit him harder than any punch.
"… No way.""
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"No… no… this can't be…"
His mind raced violently now.
West Valley High.
He knew that name.
Too well.
Because it wasn't just a school.
It was the school.
The one attended by Miguel Diaz,Robby Keene,and Samantha LaRusso.
From Cobra Kai.
His stomach dropped.
Hard.
"No…"
His mind flashed back to the show.
The fights.
The rivalries.
The tournaments.
Everything.
Every moment he had watched… memorized… studied…
All of it came rushing back at once.
"If this is real…"
His breathing slowed.
Focused.
Controlled.
Like before a fight.
"If this is really West Valley…"
Then that meant—
This wasn't just reincarnation.
This was rebirth into the Cobra Kai world.
A dangerous thought formed in his mind.
Sharp.
Clear.
Exciting.
"""I know what happens…"""
He clenched his fist slowly.
Not in fear.
In determination.
"If I'm really here…""""
His eyes hardened slightly.
"Then this time"
"…"
"I won't just watch."
Later That Morning
The California sun felt strangely warm against his skin.
Too peaceful.
Too normal.
Students gathered near the entrance of West Valley High, talking, laughing, and arguing—just another ordinary school day.
But for Aiden…
This felt like stepping into history.
He adjusted the strap on his backpack and walked toward the front gate, eyes scanning everything carefully.
Every building.
Every student.
Every movement.
Because somewhere here…
The story would begin.
Soon.
Very soon.
Then—
He saw him.
Standing near the entrance.
Skinny.
Nervous posture.
Messy hair.
Holding books tightly against his chest.
Looking unsure of himself.
Aiden froze mid-step.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Recognition hit instantly.
There was no doubt.
That face.
That posture.
That presence.
It was him.
Miguel Diaz.
Before Cobra Kai.
Before confidence.
Before becoming a champion.
Just a scared kid trying to survive high school.
A slow breath escaped Aiden's mouth.
"So… it really started."
His pulse steadied.
His mind sharpened.
Everything was lining up exactly like the early days of Cobra Kai.
Which meant—
The bullies would come.
The fights would happen.
The dojo war would begin.
And the timeline…
Was about to move forward.
Unless—
He changed it.
A faint smile formed on Aiden's face.
Not friendly.
Not cruel.
Focused.
Ready.
"Alright…"
He adjusted his backpack again and stepped forward.
"Let's see what happens… when someone who knows the future steps into the fight."