Everyone started packing up, Mike was about to leave when Y/n called out to him.

"Hey, why don't you leave with us?" She suggested with a smile.

Daniel didn't seem too thrilled about the idea but chose not to say anything.

The other Cobras, except for Johnny, joined in and encouraged Mike to come along.

"Yeah, come with us!" Dutch said.

Mike looked a bit surprised at the offer but didn't argue.

"Alright, sure." He said with a small shrug and felt slightly more included.

As they were about to leave, the group noticed Heather walking out. Shortly after, Johnny walked up to them. The Cobras couldn't resist taunting him.

"What, done being Heather's shadow?" Dutch teased with a smirk.

Johnny rolled his eyes.

"I just want to hang out with my friends."

He shot a quick glance at Y/n and Mike.

"And that doesn't include them."

Before Y/n or Mike could say anything, the other Cobras jumped to their defence.

"Hey, Y/n's one of us." Bobby said.

"And Mike's part of this too." Tommy added.

Johnny looked annoyed but quickly became reluctant, realising he was outnumbered.

"Fine. I'm okay with it." He muttered.

But with Johnny around, Y/n could not take the risk.

As they were about to leave, Y/n suddenly stopped. She remembered her father's words about staying away from Johnny.

"I think I need to go. My dad wouldn't like me being around Johnny."

"Come on, Y/n! Don't leave now." Tommy said, looking disappointed.

"Your dad doesn't need to know. And it's not like Johnny is your problem anymore." Jimmy smirked.

"They're right, Y/n. You've got us. Don't let it bother you." Daniel said.

They were right in some way.

"Alright, fine. I'll stay. But only because you guys are terrible at letting me leave." She smiled.

"Hey, there's a new mall that just opened nearby. We could check it out." Mike suggested.

Johnny immediately raised an eyebrow.

"A mall? What, you planning to buy a new gi or something? Or maybe some matching headbands for you and Daniel?"

"No but maybe you can get a personality upgrade there. Heard they're on sale." Mike smirked.

The group chuckled but Johnny stepped closer.

"Funny, Mike. Real funny. You think you're the boss now just because you scored a few points in the dojo?"

"I'm just saying the mall could be fun. Unless you're scared of something new." Mike shrugged.

Johnny crossed his arms.

"Why would I be scared? I'm just not into wasting time walking around a mall like some bored kid."

"Johnny, you literally hang out at the arcade every week." Dutch laughed.

"Not the same!" Johnny shot back, glaring at Dutch before turning to Mike.

"Alright, fine. We'll go to the mall. But don't think this was your idea, Mike."

Mike rolled his eyes.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

They all went out and there were only two cars. Y/n's and Johnny's. The thing was who would go with whom.

Without wasting any time, Y/n went to her car  started the car, with Mike riding shotgun and Daniel and Bobby squished in the backseat.

Meanwhile, Johnny revved his car loudly, pulling out of the dojo parking lot with Tommy, Dutch and Jimmy shouting over each other in his car.

Both drivers were silent and their eyes met briefly in the rearview mirrors like it was an unspoken challenge. The road ahead became their battlefield.

As Y/n accelerated smoothly, Mike glanced at her.

"You're not gonna let Johnny's car get ahead, right?"

Y/n smirked but didn't say anything. The answer was clear.

Bobby leaned forward from the backseat.

"I mean, Johnny's car might be fast but I'd trust Y/n behind the wheel any day."

"Why are we even making this a race? We're literally going to the same place." Daniel sighed.

Mike turned to him.

"Daniel, that's loser talk. This isn't just about the destination.. it's about pride."

In Johnny's car, things were chaotic. Tommy was practically leaning out the window.

"Johnny, Y/n's car is catching up! You gonna let her do that?"

"Yeah! You're Johnny Lawrence! No way Y/n's beating you on the road." Dutch smirked.

"Can you even drive properly with all this pressure, Johnny?" Jimmy chuckled.

Johnny didn't respond but he pressed harder on the gas pedal. His car roared as it sped up, pulling slightly ahead of Y/n's.

In Y/n's car, Bobby pointed out the window.

"Oh no, they're pulling ahead. Y/n, do something! Use the turbo or whatever this thing's got."

"It's not a video game, Bobby." Daniel rolled his eyes.

But Y/n smirked again, turning the wheel just right to overtake Johnny's car at the next turn. The car lurched slightly and Daniel grabbed the seat.

"Could you not get us killed, please?"

"That's what I'm talking about! Show them who's boss, Y/n." Mike cheered.

Meanwhile, in Johnny's car, Dutch dramatically kept on insulting Johnny.

"Johnny, they're ahead of us! This is embarrassing. Hit the gas!"

"Yeah, because nothing screams maturity like street racing your ex." Jimmy laughed.

Johnny didn't say a word but sped up again, almost catching up to Y/n's car at the next stoplight.

At the light, both cars ended up side by side.

"Hey, Y/n, nice try but Johnny's still the king of the road!" Tommy shouted out the window.

Mike leaned out from Y/n's car.

"Yeah? Tell that to the taillights you've been staring at!"

Dutch and Tommy burst into laughter but Johnny stayed focused. As the light turned green, both cars peeled out with everyone inside yelling and laughing.

By the time they reached the mall parking lot, it was unclear who had won but neither Y/n nor Johnny looked ready to admit defeat.

They parked side by side, stepping out of their cars as if nothing had happened.

Mike clapped Y/n on the back.

"That was awesome."

Tommy grinned at Johnny.

"Man, that was close. But you definitely won, right?"

Y/n and Johnny exchanged one last glance before walking towards the mall.

As the group entered the shiny new mall, the automatic doors slid open, revealing a bright world of shops and food courts. Tommy immediately ran ahead, pretending to be a robot by copying the sliding door movements.

"Beep-boop, welcome to the mall!" He exclaimed, making Dutch and Jimmy burst into laughter.

"Really? We're doing this already?" Y/n muttered, crossing her arms.

Y/n never liked places packed with people. It made her anxious but she was here with her friends and....her ex. So maybe it was worth it.

"You expect anything less?" Daniel replied.

Mike turned to Johnny with a smirk.

"You think this place has a karate gear store? Might be good for you to pick up some new moves."

Johnny shot him a look.

"Funny. Maybe I'll buy you a helmet, so you stop getting hit so much."

Before they could argue more, Dutch grabbed a mannequin from one of the storefronts.

"Look! It's Johnny's long lost twin!" He held the mannequin up, mimicking its pose while Jimmy snapped a photo on his Polaroid camera.

"Put that down before you get us kicked out." Y/n warned.

Meanwhile, Tommy had discovered an escalator. He ran up the down.moving side.

"I'm defying gravity!" Dutch quickly followed, trying to outpace him.

"Bet I can make it up faster!"

"Are they serious right now?" Daniel said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"They're always like this. I think their brains reset the moment they walk into a public place." Y/n sighed.

Johnny leaned against a railing and heard them.

"Better than being boring, Larusso."

Mike, not one to be outdone, joined in by pretending to surf on the escalator rail.

"Look at me! Mall champion right here!"

"You're all going to get kicked out and I'm not bailing you out when security shows up." Y/n called after them.

Dutch turned back and waved dramatically.

"Come on, Y/n, live a little! We're at the coolest place in town!"

Jimmy suddenly spotted a shop with novelty hats and rushed inside, dragging Tommy and Dutch with him.

Seconds later, they reappeared wearing oversized cowboy hats, pointing finger guns at everyone.

"Yeehaw! We're the Wild West Cobras!"

Mike and Johnny, despite their rivalry, accidentally shared a laugh before catching themselves. Johnny quickly covered it with a cough.

"Yeah, real mature, guys."

"Better than your mannequin joke, Lawrence." Mike smirked.

Y/n and Daniel exchanged a look as if to say, What did we do to deserve this group?

"Immature." Daniel muttered under his breath.

"Extremely." Y/n agreed.

A/n: Daniel and Y/n are me and my bestie judging people silently.

Suddenly, Dutch and Tommy decided to challenge Mike and Jimmy to a speed walk race through the food court, yelling loudly as they weaved between tables.

Johnny, unable to resist, ran after them to judge the race leaving Y/n and Daniel standing there, looking like the only responsible ones.

"Are we babysitting grown men?" Daniel asked.

"Unfortunately, yes." Y/n replied, before spotting Dutch about to climb onto a fountain.

"Oh no, not again! Dutch, get down from there!"

Dutch inevitably slipped and almost fell into the fountain and the group burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Johnny suddenly stopped in front of a shop decorated with fake spiderwebs, creepy mannequins and a sign that read

"The Haunted Hallway – Scariest Experience in Town!"

"We're going in there." He announced and was already stepping toward the entrance.

Immediately, Y/n shook her head.

"Nope. Not happening. Absolutely not."

Johnny turned back, raising an eyebrow.

"What's the matter? Scared of a little fake ghost?"

"I'm not scared. I just don't feel like walking through a dark hallway full of people jumping out at me."

"Oh, she's totally scared. Maybe you should wait outside, Y/n. You know, in case it's too much for you." He smirked.

He did not realise that he was actually talking with her again...more like teasing.

Before Y/n could even reply, Tommy gasped dramatically.

"Johnny's picking on Y/n! That's bold!"

"Careful, Lawrence, she might karate kick you into next week." Dutch grinned.

"Yeah, Y/n's scary in real life. She doesn't need a haunted house," Jimmy laughed.

"Watch out, Johnny, she might throw a mannequin at you like Dutch." Bobby added, nudging Johnny.

Y/n crossed her arms, glaring at Johnny as the rest of the group piled on.

"Oh, so now I'm the scared one? I seem to remember Johnny screaming like a little kid last Halloween when someone threw a fake spider at him."

"Yeah, Johnny. What was it you said? 'Get that thing away from me!'" Daniel smirked.

The group burst into laughter as Johnny's ears turned red.

"That was different. That spider looked real."

"It was plastic, man. And you're over here teasing Y/n?" Bobby smirked.

Johnny groaned.

"Okay, okay! Can we just go in already?"

"Fine but if anyone screams louder than me, they're buying snacks for everyone after this." Y/n announced.

Dutch immediately pointed at Johnny.

"You hear that, Lawrence? Better save your allowance for pretzels."

"Shut up, Dutch." Johnny muttered.

As they stepped inside The Haunted Hallway, the air turned cold and creepy music could be heard.

Jimmy, Bobby, Dutch, Tommy and Mike immediately sprinted ahead like kids on a sugar rush, pushing and shoving each other to be the first to get scared.

"Why do I feel like this is going to end badly?" Yn/ muttered, stepping into the hallway.

Daniel chuckled nervously but was clearly excited, looking around with wide eyes.

"It's not so bad. Just fake stuff, right?"

Johnny was right behind Y/n with his footsteps annoyingly close.

"You sure you're not about to run out screaming?" He teased quietly, leaning just a little too close.

His voice was low enough that only she heard it, sending a small shiver down her spine...not from fear but from the sudden reminder of how close they used to be.

Y/n turned her head sharply, her ponytail brushing his chest.

"I don't scream. But you might." She whispered back.

Johnny smirked.but before he could reply, a loud BANG! sounded from one of the hidden doors.

A zombie mannequin lurched forward, making a growling noise. Jimmy let out the first scream, practically jumping into Bobby's arms.

"Get it off me!" Jimmy yelled, flailing dramatically.

"I don't want to die here!"

"It's not even moving, dude!" Dutch howled with laughter, doubling over while pointing at Jimmy.

Ahead, Mike accidentally triggered another jump scare...a skeleton on wires dropped down from the ceiling, nearly hitting him in the face.

"What the-!" He yelled, stumbling back and almost crashing into Tommy.

Tommy laughed so hard that tears streamed down his face.

"Mike, I think the skeleton likes you!"

Daniel bumped into Y/n as they all shuffled forward.

"I don't think this place is up to code." He said with a laugh, ducking just as a giant bat puppet swooped down.

Y/n laughed too but suddenly felt Johnny's hand on her back as he guided her around a corner.

"Careful." He murmured.

Her breath hitched but she didn't say anything.

"Careful yourself." she shot back over her shoulder with her heart racing for reasons that had nothing to do with the haunted house.

Meanwhile, the madness ahead reached a new level. Bobby accidentally tripped over a hidden fog machine and set off a chain reaction.

Dutch fell forward, knocking over a table with fake severed heads and Mike let out a loud laugh as he tried to help them up.

"Man, you guys are worse than the actual scares!"

Daniel finally lost his usual calm and burst into laughter when another mannequin fell on Tommy's back.

"I can't believe I'm saying this.but this is actually fun."

Suddenly, a hidden panel slid open next to Y/n and Johnny and a figure in a black cloak jumped out with a blood curdling scream.

Y/n instinctively grabbed Johnny's arm, pulling him closer before she realised what she was doing. She quickly let go with her cheeks burning.

Johnny gave her a smug look.

"See? Told you you'd scream."

"I didn't scream. I was just... caught off guard." She retorted.

Johnny leaned in slightly.

"Sure you were."

Before Y/n could respond, Bobby's voice broke through.

"Hey, lovebirds! Stop flirting and catch up!"

"We're not flirting!" They both shouted at the same time, earning more laughter from the group.

As they reached the final room, a giant animatronic monster leapt out, sending Jimmy, Tommy and Dutch into a screaming pile on the floor.

Mike laughed so hard he had to hold onto the wall, while Daniel high.fived Bobby for not screaming once.

Y/n couldn't help but laugh too, even as Johnny smirked at her again.

A/n: gotta have some fun too, right?