Behind Ken, Jun moved with practiced grace, her eyes scanning every corner for danger. Her wrist communicator crackled faintly as she maintained contact with the team from a distance, but her thoughts were far from the mission.What if I leave the team?The idea gnawed at her, even as her feet moved automatically, slipping into the rhythm of combat readiness. Would leaving her comrades behind—Ken, most of all—be worth pursuing something more personal?
Her feelings for Ken were undeniable, but the team had always come first.Would he be able to lead without me by his side?She wasn't naïve. She knew Ken's need for her went beyond just professional. He relied on her in ways that went unspoken, ways that weren't just about being the third in command. A flicker of emotion surged through her—selfishness, she realized.I want him to need me.The weight of that thought hit her hard. Could she step away, knowing he might never find someone else, someone he could love outside of this life? If she stayed, it wouldn't just be her sacrificing her feelings. She'd keep him trapped too.
But then, amidst her internal conflict, they encountered resistance. The sharp, metallic footsteps of Galactor soldiers reverberated through the corridor. Without a word, Ken signaled her, and they both fell into action.
The first Galactor soldier lunged toward Jun, swinging a baton. Jun dodged effortlessly, her body moving before her mind could catch up. As she countered with a precise strike, sending the soldier crashing into the wall, her thoughts raced again.This is what I'm good at.Fighting alongside Ken, protecting the world—it was second nature to her. But would she be giving up the chance for something more meaningful if she never left this life behind?
Ken dispatched a second soldier with a sharp punch, catching Jun's eye in the chaos. His silent glance seemed to ask,Are you okay?She could read his worry even in the middle of combat, but beneath it, something more—he was thinking about Nambu's offer too. Jun twisted around, ducking under another attack as her mind whirled. If she left, she'd free him from the constant pull between duty and feelings, but at the same time, she knew the truth.I don't want him to move on. I want to be the one he needs.
Selfish.
The word stung in her mind, but it was honest. She was just as unwilling to let go of Ken as he was to let go of her. The decision wasn't only about love; it was about staying in the only place where they understood each other, where the dynamic between them made sense.
A Galactor soldier charged, breaking her thoughts. Jun spun, her Yo-yo flashing as she took him down with a single, fluid motion. The ease of the action was almost unsettling. Could she really give this up? Could she give him up?
As they continued deeper into the base, the fight grew more intense. Ken's focus sharpened, his thoughts quieted, but Jun's heart raced with indecision. Every strike, every moment of teamwork between them made the choice harder. They could leave the mission, retreat into a life outside of the Science Ninja Team, but that would mean giving up this—the partnership they had forged in battle, the unspoken connection that came from fighting together.
She looked at Ken again as they finished clearing out the soldiers. His jaw was clenched, his determination clear, but his eyes met hers for a brief second, and she knew they were both thinking the same thing:Could we really live without this? Without each other here?
The mission had shown her more than ever that her place wasn't just by Ken's side in a romantic sense. It was by his side in this fight, in this war against Galactor. And the selfish truth was, she didn't want to leave. She didn't want to let someone else stand where she belonged.
