Helia sits in Naobito's office, having successfully completed her report. The weight of the lies she has spun lingers in the air, and she can't shake off the sensation of guilt that clings to her conscience.

And now all that's left is to await Naobito's response to the information she provided, or rather, the lack of information she actually provided.

Naobito lets out a sigh and fixates his gaze on her, his expression stoic yet astute. He then asks, a hint of irritation in his voice. "Is that all?"

"Yes sir..."

He leans back in his chair, his expression hardening with irritation. He speaks, his tone laced with frustration and disappointment.

"I ordered you to keep an eye on Toji, thinking you'd find something significant. Yet, time after time, you come back with nothing."

She tries to defend herself on a polite tone. "With all due respect sir, Toji is a very distant and discreet person, which makes it hard to find something on him."

His gaze intensifies, his irritation evident in his eyes. He responds, his voice laced with a hint of arrogance and annoyance.

"I don't care if Toji is discreet. I ordered you to find out everything I want to know about him. If you can't accomplish this simple task, then what use are you?"

She grits her teeth and looks down. "I'm sorry sir."

"Your apologies mean nothing. Results are what I value, and so far, I am not pleased with your lack of them."

She doesn't speak a word, afraid that it might worsen her situation. He regards her with a cold, disapproving gaze, then makes a dismissive gesture.

"Get out." He says, his tone laced with annoyance. "You're dismissed."

She rises from her seat, perform a hasty bow, and swiftly exits the office. As the door closes behind her, the weight of the encounter with Naobito hangs in the air, the disappointment and irritation etched on his face still fresh in her mind.

[...]

As she hastily walks through the estate, the words of Naobito echo in her mind, a dagger to her pride. His harsh statement, "What use are you?", pierces her heart, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

She finally arrives at the training grounds, and she spots Toji waiting there, ready to start their training session. Her mind is still preoccupied with the words of Naobito, their sting still lingering in her thoughts.

However, she makes a conscious effort to push those feelings aside, determined not to let them interfere with her training. She approaches Toji, masking the internal turmoil within, putting on a neutral expression.

He notices the change in her attitude, a subtle shift in her expression that doesn't go unnoticed by his discerning eye.

"Something is bothering you." He observes, his voice steady but tinged with curiosity.

"No, it's nothing, I'm just in a bad mood."

He's not entirely convinced by her dismissive response. He can see that there's more to her mood than she's letting on, but he doesn't push the matter further at this moment.

"In that case, we better make this a good training session to help you blow off some steam." He says, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

He notices the bracelet he gave her today, securely wrapped around her wrist. His watchful eyes observe the delicate accessory, a small hint of satisfaction flickering across his gaze.

"It would probably be better if you removed that before we start training." He points at the bracelet. "It might get in the way or even break if we spar."

She looks down at her wrist. "Oh, you're right."

She carefully removes the bracelet from her wrist and places it aside. A subtle smile tugs at the corner of Toji's lips, his gaze following her movements as she makes sure the accessory is safely placed.

"Let's start then, I remind you that I am supposed to kick your ass today!" She says, her eyes full of confidence.

He grins smugly, a hint of challenge in his eyes. He positions himself, ready to engage in the training session.

"You're right, today's the day you're supposed to try to kick my ass." He replies, his voice laced with amusement. "But don't get your hopes up. I won't go down that easily."

[...]

The training session starts, and Toji and Helia engage in a series of sparring exchanges. Toji moves with precision and finesse, his muscles rippling as he swiftly dodges and counters her attacks.

Despite her determination, she finds herself increasingly challenged by his agility and experience. Every blow she lands seems to have no effect, countered by a smooth parry or a swift evasion.

The intensity of the training continues for an hour, the two of them locked in a relentless dance of attacks and evades.

In a sudden moment, Toji executes a skillful maneuver, successfully tripping her and causing her to fall to the ground.

In the process, she instinctively grabs onto his shirt, pulling him down with her. They both hit the floor in a tangled heap, the impact jarring and unexpected.

The fall leaves them both sprawled on the ground, his body now pinning her underneath. Her back throbs slightly from the impact of the fall, and she becomes acutely aware of the weight of his body on top of hers.

The unexpected intimacy of the position adds a strange flutter to her senses, a subtle mixture of physical discomfort and an unwelcome hint of warmth.

She smiles smugly at him. "If I go down, you go down with me."

He continues to lie atop her, a sarcastic edge to his voice. "Well, this is a nice position we've ended up in, isn't it? It's like a scene straight out of a romantic novel."

She scoffs as he leans in even closer, his face now mere inches from hers. A hint of a challenge glimmers in his eyes, and his voice lowers to a more intimate tone.

"You know, if we stay like this much longer, I won't be able to keep myself from taking full advantage of this... position we're in. You're looking awfully attractive like this, all flushed and pinned down."

She chuckles and gently pushes him away. He allows her to push his face away, his expression a mix of mock disappointment mixed with a hint of curiosity. He also lets her push his body off hers, his weight shifting as he rolls to the side, giving her space to sit up.

He props himself up on his elbow, his gaze still locked on her, his tone still tinged with a hint of playfulness.

"Such a pity, I was quite enjoying the view."

He watches as Helia gets up, and dusts herself off. His eyes follow her movements intently, a subtle flicker of appreciation in his gaze.

"Who knows, maybe you'll see it again one day if you're lucky." She reaches out to him.

He grins at her comment, the possibility sparking a hint of hope in his expression. He accepts her extended hand and uses her support to get back on his feet.

He takes a moment to brush off the dirt from his clothes, and then a sly smile spreads across his face as he responds to her comment.

"Is that a promise, or just a tease?" He teases back, his tone laced with a hint of flirtation.

She hides the smile that came to her lips and shrugs, pretending to be unbothered. "Let's continue training."

He smiles at her response, the lighthearted banter filling the air.

"Alright, no more distractions. Let's get back to business." He assumes a ready stance, his body poised and prepared for the next training exchange.

[...]

They continue with the training session, immersing themselves in a series of sparring moves and attacks. The intensity of the exchanges increases, each of them pushing themselves to the limit, testing the other's skills and agility.

He moves with precision and fluidity, effortlessly countering her strikes and launching counterattacks of his own. The sound of fists connecting, and bodies colliding fills the air, the atmosphere charged with determination and the drive to improve.

In the heat of the battle, Helia accidently sent her legs flying into in his private parts, the impact landing with unexpected force. Her eyes widen at her action, she didn't do it on purpose.

Toji recoils instantly, a sharp hiss escaping his lips, his face contorting in a mix of pain and surprise.

He steps back, bending slightly, and eventually falls to his knees, clutching his privates. He winces as a wave of pain washes over him, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he tries to catch his breath.

"If you didn't want to have children, you could've just said so instead of aiming for my family jewels."

"I'm so sorry Toji." She rushes to him and kneels next to him, patting his back.

"It's fine... just, give me a moment." He manages to say through clenched teeth, his voice laced with lingering pain. She gently starts to rub his back.

"I'm really sorry Toji... I didn't do it on purpose."

He lets out a sigh, still leaning slightly forward, his body still trying to cope with the pain from the kick. He glances over at her, his expression a mix of pain and resignation.

"Yeah, I know you didn't do it on purpose... Just be careful next time. Those are fragile and extremely sensitive... Damn, it hurts like a motherfucker." He mutters, still clutching his privates.

[...]

He takes a few more minutes to recover from the pain, his breathing gradually steadying and his grip on his pants slowly loosening. His face still bears a hint of discomfort, but the sharp edge of the pain has subsided considerably.

"Alright... I think the worst has passed now."

She helps him up to his feet. He slowly rises, his movements a bit gingerly, still feeling the aftermath of the hit. Despite the lingering pain, he manages to stand, albeit still a bit hunched over.

He lets out a sigh. "Damn, that was a direct hit... I'm gonna feel that for a while."

She looks at him with a sorry look, not knowing what she could do to ease the pain. "I'm sorry..."

He waves off her apology, dismissing it with a slight gesture. "It's fine, I know you didn't mean to do it. Just... aim higher next time, alright?"

She doesn't know how much it hurts to be kicked in the balls, but it must be really painful because she has rarely seen Toji in that much pain.

"I think that's enough training for now. With my current state, I'd rather not risk any further... accidents."

"You're right... Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be alright." He replies, a hint of resilience in his voice. "I've endured worse pain than this before. I'll be back to normal soon enough."

[...]

As they both make their way out of the training grounds, Toji suddenly nudges her on the shoulder. He grins, a mischievous glint in his eye, his voice dropping to a slightly flirty tone.

"Hey, you know... If you want to make it up to me for the whole incident earlier, I can think of a few ways you could help ease the pain..."

Her eyes widen slightly, and her cheeks heat up a little as she hits him on the shoulder. "Oh, shut up!"

He lets out a mock wince, a sly grin still playing on his lips. He rubs his arm dramatically, though clearly amused by her playful smack.

"Ow, watch the arm! You should be kinder to the injured, you know." He replies, feigning pain as he exaggerates a grimace.

They both share a moment of laughter, the tension from earlier easing. Their laughs, resonates through the corridors, bouncing off the walls and filling the air with a lighthearted atmosphere.