NEW - NOIR EXTREME WRESTLING

Princess_Misaki: That night I sleep very deeply, as if I have really begun to enjoy my vacation. When I turn over a few times, and the sunlight slipping in through the curtains warms and stings my eyes, I think I can turn over and wrap my arm around your shoulder, but only the quilt that has lost its body warmth remains there. “Hello, room service...” I hurry to get up and open the room door. It is a pre-ordered coffee set. “I need my time to get prepared. We see each other in the ring. Good luck.” Such a simple thing. The waiter smiles and takes the tip. I nod slightly to thank him for his service. Of course, I habitually start my daily exercise, only in the hotel. At noon, I decide to go to the venue and take a look, to see what surprises tonight might have that I haven’t realized yet. When I walk into the backstage, some people come up to greet me, and some point at me and whisper. And that familiar face—I still haven’t found it. I don’t need to fret too much; after all, we won’t share a dressing room on an occasion like this. When I pass the locker room, the voice of an Asian girl dressed in a very classic style comes from behind me. “Um... I say... Misaki! You... you’d better... you’d better come to your senses soon... I, we... will help Hana... beat... beat you...” Her voice grows softer and softer. Clearly, panic and shyness make her voice extremely awkward and halting, and she isn’t even prepared for a provocation. I can’t help laughing. “Ah, okay, kid, I know. And...” I don’t counter with the harsh attitude I use toward veterans. “Remember next time, before you provoke or state your position, say your name first, Ji-yeon...” I smile warmly, walk into the locker room, and start stretching, until the noisy sounds outside and the footsteps of the rookies who take the stage first make the entire floor of the Hall tremble.

Hana_Jeong: I step out from behind the row of lockers, leaning casually against the doorframe behind you. "Hey, don't take her too seriously..." I say with a faint smirk. "She's super nervous, and she just wants to impress me." I raise my head and scan the locker room. The room has gone dead silent. Around twenty rookies all dressed in their wrestling gear have slowly begun to form a wide circle around the two of us, their eyes locked on every move we make like hawks hanging on every word. I catch Ji-yeon in the crowd, her eyes wide, constantly looking over at me as if searching for a nod of reassurance. Standing near her are a couple of tall white girls from Europe or the States, while the rest are young Japanese trainees stiffening up in absolute deference. "After all," I add, offering a calm smile to try and break the sudden ice in the room, "you're playing on home turf, so don't worry too much."

Princess_Misaki: 'Of course, you know that I'm not serious, Hana, but it's limited to here. Once the door of KBS Hall opens, you know, I won't be playing house games with the little girl there.' As these wrestlers gathered, the relaxed atmosphere between us began to become tense, and the crowd was automatically divided into two camps. Not only because of this game, I know that some of them have some grudges. We're going to Hana. Get ready. These girls behind me don't look like people who will show mercy to their subordinates in the ring.' The exclusive music in the hall outside officially began to play, and a high-pitched host began his opening speech. I turned my head and looked at the time stopwatch in the room to start the countdown, indicating that we were running out of time. I looked at your calm and beautiful eyes, 'We'll meet again in the ring, Hana'

Hana_Jeong: "Girls, can you give us a minute alone?" I ask, my voice firm as I address the rookies in Japanese. They hesitate for a few long seconds, shifting uncomfortably. Ji-yeon looks up at me, her eyes wide with anxiety, but I offer her a small, reassuring nod. "Everything will be alright," I tell her softly in Korean, easing her mind before she follows the rest of the girls through the heavy doors. Once the room empties out and the heavy curtain seals us off from the noise, we are completely alone. I look back at you, step in close, and gently place my hands on your shoulders. "You're right. After we cross that curtain, we're enemies again," I say, my voice steady despite the noise of the sold-out crowd booming on the other side. "I don't expect anything less than you doing your absolute worst to me, because I am going to do mine. But I want to tell you... despite everything that brought us to this point, I respect you. And I wish you good luck." My eyes drop for a brief second, the raw vulnerability showing through the cracks of my armor before I draw a breath and look back up, ready for whatever happens out there.

Princess_Misaki: I watched those rookies file out of the locker room one after another. I know what you want to say to me. If it’s the usual pre-match threat or taunt, you didn’t need to clear everyone out and put us in such a private space. To me, I heard the bottom line of a wrestler before she steps into the ring. “You know, Hana, those girls out there would love to strangle us to death in the ring. This is no longer just a competition between us; it’s a game among a bunch of people waiting to climb the ranks. We’re just tools for them to show themselves off. No matter what we’re about to do to each other, protect yourself—of course, on the premise that you give it everything you’ve got, okay? See you in the ring!” I held out my fist, waiting for your response, and I could almost hear those girls outside raring to go.

Hana_Jeong: I look down at your extended fist, the muffled roar of the sold-out crowd vibrating through the concrete floor beneath our boots. "Always," I say, bringing my wrist-taped fist up to meet yours with a firm, solid crack. I take a step back, taking a deep breath to pull the iron-clad wrestler persona over the cracks of my vulnerability. A staff girl gestures to me, indicating that I'll be making my entrance first. I close my eyes for a single second, taking one last deep breath to push down the trembling in my legs and calm my frantic nerves. Suddenly, my theme music erupts through the arena speakers, shattering the backstage quiet. I burst through the curtain and sprint down the ramp, high-fiving the fans pressed against the guardrails with a burst of high-octane energy. Instantly, the anxiety vanishes, the roar of the sold-out KBS Hall washes over me, and I feel completely in my element. Spotting a group of Korean teenagers near the front row proudly holding up a South Korean flag, I jog over to snap a quick selfie with them and give them a brief, warm hug. "파이팅! (Go for it!)" they shout in unison, pumping their fists to cheer me on. I turn back toward the apron, slide smoothly under the bottom rope, and scramble up to the top turnbuckle in one fluid motion. I point out to the cheering crowd before throwing myself backward, executing a crisp, beautiful backflip into the center of the ring and landing gracefully on both feet, ready for you to step through that curtain.

Hana_Jeong:

Princess_Misaki: When our fists bumped, my thoughts seemed to ignite—ignited here in the charged atmosphere of KBS Hall. It seems you slipped into character earlier than I did. Your entrance was eye-catching and full of fire. I watched your brilliant performance with my arms crossed, as if I were enjoying someone else’s match and wouldn’t have to walk out there myself in a few minutes. As your music was about to fade out, the organizers immediately dimmed the lights. The bright ceiling lights in the hall slowly shifted into dark purple spotlights, their chaotic beams masking most of the light source. Maybe the organizers saw my outfit and thought a darker-style entrance suited me better than the fiery energy of a girl group. I strolled down the aisle, lazy and casual, lazily reaching out both hands to high-five every fan who tried to touch me. My gaze never left you on the canvas for even a moment. I knew that in this match I had to be showy, because after the first match, the fans here needed to see an arrogant, smug Misaki. I slowly climbed onto the ring apron, slipped through the ropes, and immediately rested both hands on the top rope in the corner, smirking as I enjoyed the eerie background music.

Hana_Jeong: Your relentless calm instantly reawakens my nerves. For a split second, violent flashes from Osaka hit me the terrifying weight of your body, the searing pain in my joints, and the suffocating feeling of having no choice but to tap out to you. My heart hammers against my ribs. I can't let you tame me this time. Yet, as I stand across from you, I realize I'm looking at a completely different Misaki than the one who tore me apart in Osaka. In the days between then and now, we shared so much ... too much, honestly. A strange, fragile bond built on late-night drives, shared trauma, quiet admissions, and intense intimacy. The female referee calls us both to the center of the canvas to run through the ground rules. Outside the ropes, the twenty hungry rookies file into their positions, ringing the apron like a pack of wolves waiting for to get a piece of me, except Ji-yeon and the two white girls who are a bit clueless. The atmosphere is suffocatingly tense, but as the referee speaks, my eyes never leave yours for even a fraction of a second, searching your gaze.

Princess_Misaki: I remind myself again and again that this is the ring, and standing across from me is someone I know all too well. Over the past few days, our relationship has heated up quickly, but even so, we still can’t avoid trading blows again tonight. Some of the girls outside the ring are already impatiently slapping the canvas. Sweat beads on my forehead. I lick my lips. Everything the referee is explaining is just filtered-out noise to me. I know how brilliant you are in NOIR, and you’re just as brilliant here. When to climb the ropes, when to dive, when to run and jump—tonight I have to drag you into even bigger trouble. I won’t hold back just because you’re a good girl; doing that would be a profound disrespect to both of our careers. When the referee finishes speaking and claps her hands together, the bell rings instantly. I’m the first to hook my arm behind your head and pull you in, starting tonight’s fight with a lock-up.

Hana_Jeong: The sudden pressure of your arm hooking behind my neck instantly snaps me out of my head. The roar of the sold-out crowd and the frantic pounding of the rookies' hands against the canvas melt away into pure white noise. I throw my weight forward into the lock-up, pressing my forehead hard against yours as our boots dig into the mat. I can feel the heat radiating off you, the absolute determination in your grip. You aren't holding back, and I refuse to give you an inch. My hands fight for position, slipping under your shoulders to secure a tight waist-lock as I attempt to shift my center of gravity and drive you back toward the ropes.

Princess_Misaki: We entered the fighting state almost in an instant. I felt that my center of gravity was constantly raised. I tried to hold your forehead. Your aggressive eyes swept every inch of my cheeks. I tried my best to suppress my weight down. Despite this, I was still staggering back. I think you can hardly hold me completely. Get up, but I seem to be wrong. In a few seconds, my feet will almost completely leave the ground.' Offfff, you are so anxious, Hana......"

Hana_Jeong: Using the momentum of driving you backward, I plant my lead foot firmly into the canvas and pivot my hips, refusing to let you drop your center of gravity. As your weight shifts and your feet momentarily lose their footing, I instantly abandon the waist-lock. I snap my arm tightly around your neck, locking your head under my shoulder in a deep, punishing side headlock. I sink my weight low, grinding my hip against yours to keep you off-balance while wrenching down on your neck. The leather of my wrist tape presses hard against your jawline as I squeeze, my breath coming heavy and hot against your shoulder. "Not anxious, Misaki... Just ready..." I grit out through clenched teeth, tightening the hold until I can feel the pulse thumping in your throat.

Princess_Misaki: We stood side by side. Your arm had secured a good angle, leaving my neck with little room to move. Gradually I had to crouch down until I was kneeling on one knee, using the changes in our positions to compensate for the pain my neck muscles were going through. I wanted to open my arms outward and try to grab something, but there was nothing around me. I moaned softly. Before you could make me kneel completely on the canvas, I suddenly dropped into a squat and pushed against your abs with both palms, trying to shove you away. Then I executed a spinning kick in place, hoping to hit your chin.

Hana_Jeong: The force of your palms slamming into my abdomen breaks my grip for a split second, forcing me to stumble back and draw a sharp, ragged breath. I try to spring right back forward to reclaim the headlock, completely unequipped for what comes next so early in the match. Before I can even blink, your body rotates in a flash of motion, and the heel of your spinning kick catches me right under the point of my chin with a sickening crack. My head snaps violently backward. My eyes roll into the back of my head as my legs completely betray me, turning to absolute jelly. I crash onto the canvas like a sack of stones, the back of my head rebounding hard off the mat. For two terrifying seconds, the arena lights blur into a streaky haze of purple and white, the roar of the crowd sounding like I'm underwater. I roll onto my stomach, clutching my jaw in genuine shock, gasping as I try to figure out how you managed to pull off a strike that lethal less than two minutes into the bell.

Princess_Misaki: Thank God, a move I made in desperation temporarily saved me. I watched your body stagger and fall onto the canvas. With my hands on my knees, I faced you, gasping for breath. The muscles in my neck were left with red marks from the strain. Watching you pant on the canvas, I walked toward the corner post closest to you. "Make some room for me, girls..." I pushed aside the hands of the girls outside the ring apron who were gripping the top rope. I slowly climbed up using the three ropes until I was crouched atop the corner post. I looked back toward where you were; you still made no move that surprised me. I prepared to leap high with a backflip, using my body weight to make you feel pressure for the first time tonight. I didn't notice that several restless arms were reaching toward my ankles...

Hana_Jeong: While you're crouching on the top rope, the tense powder keg at ringside completely explodes. The rookies start shoving each other in a chaotic bid for attention, slapping the canvas and yelling. One hungry newcomer reaches up to yank at your ankles to knock you off, but another girl immediately pulls her back, triggering an all-out brawl below the turnbuckle. Down on the mat, I desperately try to roll out of the way of your impending high-flying attack, my eyes wide as I see you preparing to leap. But as I scramble toward the ropes, two pairs of hands from the chaotic melee outside grab hold of my legs, pinning me firmly in place against the canvas. I can only watch in helpless horror as you vault off the turnbuckle, executing a gorgeous, soaring backflip through the air. You come crashing down with full force right onto my chest and stomach. The air explodes out of my lungs with a heavy, agonizing groan. I collapse onto my back, squirming under your crushing weight as my ribs throb with searing pain, completely helpless under your early dominance.

Princess_Misaki: "Thank God, those rookies are actually good for something..." When I landed perfectly on your chest and abdomen, the hands that had grabbed Hana were immediately pulled away by another group. I was nearly pulled off the ropes by the outside interference, but fortunately I was still fairly focused, and I completed the cannonball-like flipping splash before those thirsty girls could. I quickly adjusted my center of gravity, pressed my chest firmly against yours, and swiftly hooked one of your legs, locking in an early pin. "One!..." Almost at the same time, the referee slid over at full speed and slapped the canvas hard.

Hana_Jeong: "USSSSHHHHHHH!" The sheer weight of your splash knocking the breath out of me causes me to spray drool into the air, my chest burning like it's been struck with a sledgehammer. The referee's hand slams into the mat for the first count, but the sheer survival instinct takes over. "ONE!" With a desperate, guttural explosion of strength, I bridge my shoulders and throw my arm up, kicking out of the pin before the count can even reach two. "Fuck..." I wheeze out, clutching my ribs as I roll onto my stomach. Dazed and hurting, I desperately crawl toward the bottom rope, reaching out to wrap my fingers around the cold strand to try and pull myself up and regain my breath. But the second my face comes near the apron, one of the rookies on your side eager to make a name for herself winds up and delivers a sharp, stingingly loud slap right across my cheek. My head snaps back from the disrespect, my jaw aching from both your kick and her hand. Hot, furious adrenaline instantly surges through my veins, washing over the pain in my chest as I glare through the ropes at her.

Princess_Misaki: I can understand these girls' determination to become famous, but that slap clearly caught me off guard—it was as if the match had set a ruthless tone right from the start at the hotel. I watched you whip your head around in anger from the slap, and I was momentarily taken aback, but then I realized I couldn't change the tone and course of the match because of personal ties. I had already broken the rules and done something like that once, and the result is what it is now: I've become the number-one troublemaker in the league. I forced a satisfied expression. "Thank you, darling..." I nodded insincerely at the rookie outside the ring, bent down, grabbed your ankle, and dragged you toward the center of the ring. Maybe this would keep you away from some accidental harm—after all, they can't just walk onto the canvas as they please. I turned you over, face down, and then prepared to begin my technical display with a crossface. "Let's see how Hana's spine is recovering now! Hora!"

Hana_Jeong: This match couldn't possibly go any worse than this. The arena lights blur above me as you wrench back on my chin, pulling my neck and upper body into an agonizing crossface right in the center of the canvas. The pain shoots like lightning through my spine, tearing a scream of pure agony from my throat. I haven't landed a single move on you yet, and you're already breaking me apart in front of a sold-out crowd. Gasping for air, my blurred vision settles on the floor outside the ring. Standing right there by the apron is Ji-yeon. Tears are brimming in her eyes, her knuckles white as she watches her idol get completely dominated and dismantled. No. Not like this. I can't break down here. I have to be stronger not just for my own pride, but for Ji-yeon. Gritting my teeth until they grind, I dig the toes of my wrestling shoes hard into the mat. I ignore the searing fire in my neck and force my lower body to pivot. Pushing off the canvas with my core, I slowly shift my hips underneath yours, fighting millimeter by millimeter to break your leverage. With a furious roar, I turn my shoulders into you, using every ounce of strength I have left to try to flip my body over

Princess_Misaki: It seems you didn’t carry any psychological burden from the last match. From the very start, even though I had made it clear through my control that I wouldn’t give up my advantage out of pity, your resistance wasn’t even a second late. I thought you would crawl forward with difficulty until you grabbed the rope, but unexpectedly you chose to roll over using your own support, even though it would put more pain on your shoulder. You turned your body in the direction of my pull, which made my exertion and extension feel a little awkward. You were desperately pushing me upward, and I had to release my arm and give up the position. I rolled backward together with you, and the practice and the lock between us were broken. I pressed my shoulder, moved it around a little, quickly recovered into a half-crouched grappling position, and watched your next move.

Hana_Jeong: I use the bottom rope to haul my aching body back to my feet, my chest heaving as I stare straight into your eyes with absolute, unyielding defiance. I'm not giving you initiative anymore. Without giving you time to breathe, I take a sharp, aggressive step forward, faking a direct charge. As you tense up to meet me, I drop low, ducking right under your guard, and sprint toward the opposite ropes. I hit the middle strand hard, letting the elastic recoil thrust me back across the canvas with full momentum. Using every bit of speed I can muster, I leap straight at you, wrapping my legs tightly around your neck in mid-air aiming to take you down with a high-flying running headscissors takedown!

Princess_Misaki: You almost instinctively charged at me. I tried to catch you in a bear-hug-style grapple, but you nimbly ran under my arms. All I could grab was the air you had churned up seconds earlier. I heard the ropes creaking as they were stretched under enormous tension, and I whirled around to see you already high in the air. Your boots had clamped around my neck. I hurriedly tried to grab your ankles with both hands, but the immense momentum and the twisting force from your lower body pitched me forward. I had to roll to absorb your force. I stumbled and sprawled forward, and the momentum sent me sliding across the canvas for a while. I landed right in the corner at the base of the corner post. As I tried to grab the ropes and get up, a tall rookie grabbed me by the ponytail and forcibly hauled me up, then tied me to the corner post. From behind, she used an RNC to keep me trapped there, unable to move. I struggled as hard as I could while her allies chanted your name, getting you ready to attack a completely immobile target.

Hana_Jeong: Beating you with outside help is the absolute last thing I want. it goes against everything I stand for, everything we talked about. But in a Lumberjack match like this, the chaos is out of our hands. As the tall rookie firmly traps you against the corner post with that Rear Naked Choke, you're left completely helpless and immobilized. The crowd is roaring, and the rookies at ringside are pounding the mat, chanting my name to push me forward. I can't afford to waste the opening. Setting aside my pride for the win, I sprint across the ring, hit the far ropes to pick up maximum speed, and launch myself high into the air. I extend both feet straight out, attempting to drive a brutal running dropkick right into your exposed torso!

Princess_Misaki: 'Prrrr...' I felt my stomach instantly churn violently. I couldn't even turn my body to make the pressure any more bearable. All I wanted was to slowly slide down onto the mat and have a good sleep. My body was involuntarily growing heavy, and I leaned against the pad and slowly slid downward. But the one who had me in the RNC didn't seem willing to let me off that easily. She kept my body awkwardly suspended in midair with her arm. My face began to flush slightly from the pain and the feeling of suffocation. I struggled to gasp for breath, while trying to reach back and grab the tall one's head to break out of my humiliating predicament in the corner.

Hana_Jeong: I quickly push myself up off the mat, stepping in to grab hold of your messy ponytail and sharply motioning for the tall rookie to let go. "Let her go," I snap to the white girl, locking eyes with you as you gasp for air. "I guess you miss your little friends out there." Across the arena, the rookies on your side are screaming insults at me in Japanese, furious at how you're being treated. I ignore them, maintaining my tight grip on your ponytail to drag you away from the corner and back toward the center of the canvas. Setting my feet, I hook your wrist and try to hurl you with all my strength into an Irish Whip, in order to drive you straight toward the ropes near your supporters.

Princess_Misaki: My hair was passed from your follower into your hand. Even though the pressure on my throat was gone, I still wasn't optimistic about my situation. My abdomen hurt like hell, and I kept wanting to bend over to protect it, but your pulling on my hair wouldn't let me bend forward even a little. Then, when you mentioned those little kids, I immediately realized what you were about to do. You yanked my wrist and flung my whole body out. In that kind of running battle, your rhythm and planning were clearly better. I ran toward my girls, hoping they could catch me and help me stop, but unfortunately, when I bounced into the ropes, my body was completely out of control. I couldn't stop myself. They barely managed to grab me, but they couldn't get me back on my feet quickly. My body staggered and sank downward, and I had to rely on the tension of the middle rope to keep myself hanging off to one side.

Hana_Jeong: Winning or losing, I came here tonight to put on an unforgettable show just like I always do. In this moment, the absolute surge of adrenaline takes over completely, and the shy Korean girl who was trembling this morning disappears entirely. I am in my element. On the outside, the rookies who support you are practically fighting among themselves, shoving each other out of the way just for the privilege of helping you back to your feet. As they create a messy, disorganized crowd right below the apron trying to hoist you up, I spring up onto the turnbuckle. Showing off my balance, I carefully sprint along the top rope, my feet precision-stepping along the narrow strand. My heart pounds in my chest, and suddenly all the noise in KBS Hall fades into total silence. This is the moment. I need to be incredibly fast and coordinated so I won't botch.I turn my back to you and the mob, bend my knees, and in a split-second flash of movement, leap backward into the air. I arch my back into a gorgeous, soaring moonsault, flying blindly out of the ring to crash my entire body down onto you and the cluster of rookies below!

Princess_Misaki: As I scrambled to get up from the ring apron outside the ropes, I saw you through the chaotic crowd, moving swiftly and nimbly along the top rope, like a dancer dancing on the tip of a knife, calculating when to launch your attack on the next beat and drum cue. "No... no... let me up..." I think the girls misunderstood me. I wasn't in a hurry to get back into the ring—I had seen what you were about to do. They had no chemistry with me at all. By the time I had closed my eyes and braced for the impact, they finally noticed that the light above them had been blocked. Without fear, you crashed down into the crowd, landing precisely on top of my head. I was instantly knocked out of the ring and lay on the ground with my limbs completely spread out. All the noise had faded from my ears, and the world went quiet. A few seconds later, all the sounds rushed back into my ears all at once. The noise was unbearable. I wanted to raise my hands to cover my ears, only to find that I could barely do it. The impact from above seemed to have temporarily cut off my brain's control over my limbs. A whimper escaped my throat. I could only hear chaotic footsteps around me, and I suddenly realized something terrible: under these lumberjack rules, I was now outside the ring.

Hana_Jeong:

Hana_Jeong: The impact sends a violent shockwave through my entire body as I crash straight through you and three of the rookies, sending all of us crumpling to the concrete floor. For a second, I’m breathless, staring up at the arena ceiling as my chest throb. But before I can even process the landing, the harsh reality of the Lumberjack rules takes over. Cruel, aggressive hands instantly yank at my hair and grab my ring gear. Two of the rookies on your side hoist me up by my boots and hair, shoving me hard against the steel guardrails. Cold metal digs into my spine as they rain down open-handed slaps and forearm strikes, trapping me outside the ring where I have zero protection. I try to fight them off, but they keep pinning me against the barrier, beating me down right in front of the roaring front row while you lie helpless just feet away. "Get off her!" Ji-yeon yells and bravely comes to my aid

Princess_Misaki: The intensity of this kind of match exceeded my expectations. Under such tense, high-reward rules, these people were almost like they were on stimulants, like leeches that had smelled blood from a wound. Wrestlers from different factions rushed in all at once—chaotic, yet oddly orderly in its own way. You were dragged to the metal barricade and swarmed, while someone stepped on me and dragged me toward the steel steps outside the ring. These wrestlers, eager to make their names, looked like they wanted to tear us apart and devour us. When my vision refocused, my forehead was inches from the steel steps. Bang—blood poured out as my head was mercilessly slammed into them. I clutched my forehead and writhed in pain, and the pain seemed to reconnect my nerves. "I heard you're an expert at making people give up. Today you'll find out you're actually nothing." An Asian girl grabbed my foot, shoved me back onto the canvas, and trapped me in the same sickening Ringpost Figure 4. I saw Ji-yeon helping you out of trouble, but on my end there was nothing but unbearable pain in my ankle and groin. "Hurry up! Misaki, submit to me, let that Korean girl have you, and then she'll introduce me to the people here!" It seems these people want to gain something for themselves from your match with me. Our value is just to act as so-called recommendation officials here.

Hana_Jeong: Ji-yeon rushes into the fray, swinging wildly with forearm strikes to knock the two rookies off me. She grabs my arm and hoists me to my feet, her hands trembling. Through the blur of the chaotic brawl, my eyes land on you. My heart stops. A rogue rookie has gone completely off the rails, torturing you in that stomach-churning Ringpost Figure-4 while demanding a ticket to the top. Not like this. Absolutely not like this. Leaving Ji-yeon behind, I charge through the mess of bodies. I grab the rogue rookie by her hair and brutally yank her head backward until she snaps into an arch. "Get off her!" I scream into her face. Before she can recover, I sweep my leg hard behind her knee, driving her violently down onto the hard ringside floor with a sickening thud. Leaving her groaning on the concrete, I scramble over the apron and slide back into the ring. The sight inside is an absolute war zone. All structure has collapsed; the rookies aren't even supporting either of us anymore they're just beating the hell out of each other in a desperate attempt to steal the spotlight. Factions have completely dissolved into a lawless free-for-all. "Get away from there!" I yell at Ji-yeon in Korean, desperately motioning for her to back away from the ring post and save herself. I turn my back on you for a split second, chest heaving and fists clenched, scanning the absolute madness unraveling across the canvas as I wait for you to haul yourself back into the ring so we can regain control of our own match.

Princess_Misaki: After your moonsault, it was as if the key to Pandora’s box had released a chaotic order, and I don’t see any difference between this scene and our first match that was called off. The cameras at ringside seemed not to know where to focus; because of faction divisions and personal grudges, the whole arena seemed to be brawling, and even the fans in the stands seemed to have started cursing and threatening each other. Who would have thought that, in the middle of all this, it would be you who let me escape that terrifying ringpost figure four? I clutched my knee, grabbed the post in front of me, and began to make my way up onto the canvas. I then shoved down two wrestlers who were trying to settle things on the apron. I knew I had to bring the ring’s spotlights back onto us. As soon as I stepped onto the ring apron, I climbed the corner post, and while you were still talking to your little sister, I leaped suddenly, spread my limbs, and tried to take you down from up high.

Hana_Jeong: Ji-yeon's terrified scream breaks through the roaring chaos of the arena: "HANA, BEHIND YOU!" I snap my head around, but it's already too late. You're already soaring through the air, framed against the dark purple spotlights like an impending storm. Before I can even raise my arms to block, your body crashes into mine with crushing force, taking me down from high up on the turnbuckle. The wind is instantly knocked out of my lungs with a sharp gasp as we both slam hard onto the canvas. My head bounces off the mat, and my vision flashes white. You hit me like a freight train, flattening me out right in the middle of the ring as the referee scrambles over to keep up with the overwhelming madness.

Princess_Misaki: "It seems your warning wasn't as fast as my fall!" I chuckled at Ji-yeon outside the ring, then sat directly on your chest. Facing Ji-yeon, I hooked both of your legs with my hands. "Please count again, Mr. Referee." The referee rushed over and slapped the canvas hard. "One!" The chaotic arena instantly became much quieter. The rookies stopped fighting each other, because they knew that if the match ended like this, no one would remember their names tonight. I'm not sure if you're still conscious, but I believe the roar that erupted afterward would definitely be enough to wake you. The girls in your faction were loudly cursing my shortcut, even criticizing your incompetence. I just found those words boring and ignorant.

Hana_Jeong: "TWOOO!" The referee's hand hovers inches above the canvas for the final count. Outside, the only three rookies left standing by my side Ji-yeon and the two western girls are frantically slamming their palms against the ring apron, screaming at the top of their lungs to snap me out of the haze. As the count hangs in the air, a jolt of sheer survival instinct surges through my chest. Just before the referee's hand can hit the mat for three, my arm shoots violently up into the air like a drowning swimmer breaking the surface of the water to catch a desperate breath of air. The arena explodes as I kick my shoulder off the canvas, breaking the pin at two and a half. I gasp for air beneath your weight, my lungs burning.

Princess_Misaki: 'Damn it, you all woke her up...' I couldn't keep the pin going until the end of the match. At the last moment, your body told me I couldn't claim this victory just yet. I got back to my feet in the ring and dragged you over to my faction's side. Even though these girls each had their own hidden agendas, at least they wouldn't attack me during the match. I leaned your body against the post, then grabbed the top rope and pressed the sole of my left foot directly onto your chest and throat, shaking wildly. 'Horaaaa!!!' I knew the referee wouldn't stand by and let a position like this go on for too long, but I had to keep pressing my advantage while you had just taken a heavy blow.

Hana_Jeong: "ARRRGHHHHH!" The agonizing pressure against my chest and throat cuts off my air instantly, forcing a ragged choke from my lips. My vision swims as you press your weight hard into my chest, but my instincts kick in before I lose consciousness entirely. With one hand, I grab desperately at your ankle, digging my fingers into your skin as I try with all my strength to push your foot off my neck. With my other hand, I paw frantically at your kickpad, my nails scraping against the material in a frantic bid for leverage. The referee slides into position right beside us, thrusting his arm forward and yelling at the top of his lungs: "ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! Break it, Misaki! Break the hold!"

Princess_Misaki: A series of taunts came from behind me: "Misaki! The only place you can bully Hana is in the corners!" "Once you get to the ropes, you're nothing! All you do is lie on the mat and use those ugly, twisted techniques!" Of course, they didn't want to see Hana at a disadvantage. When I stomped down one last time with even more force, I left that corner without looking back and faced your faction. You and I now had a completely pure competitive relationship in the ring, but the curses and mockery coming from behind made me utterly contemptuous of your supporters. "Shut your mouths, brats! If you think you're better than Hana, then you're welcome to boldly get onto the canvas instead of buzzing around outside the ring like flies!" I spread my hands, defending my strength. I pointed to the blood on my forehead and cheek. "You can't even push me this far! A bunch of cowards!"

Hana_Jeong: Even with the air choked out of me, I hold firm, my chest heaving as I draw in deep, desperate lungfuls of air against the turnbuckle. Watching you turn around to scream at the rookies outside, pointing at the blood dripping down your cheek and forehead, I can see it as clear as day. The illegal hold, the screaming at the crowd ... it isn't just aggression. I guess it's frustration. I'm breaking through, and you know it. A dark, defiant smirk tugs at the corner of my lip despite the agonizing pain in my neck and ribs. I don't bother trying to move out of the turnbuckle. Instead, I stay slumped against the pads, wiping a streak of sweat and drool from my chin with the back of my hand. I roll my shoulders, tilt my head back, and look straight at you with open, mocking eyes. I raise both hands, casually crooking my fingers in a universal come get some gesture, inviting you to run straight back at me into the corner. "Is that all you've got, Misaki?" I wheeze, my voice rasping but laced with pure poison. "

Princess_Misaki: You've brought me countless things far more biting and vicious than the current mockery, but as it happens, my attitude toward those rookies right now makes it impossible for me to ignore even this tiny provocation from you and the pressure of the match. When I turned my attention back to you, your gesture plucked my last raw nerve. "Hana, you asked for this..." I muttered to myself, backing up a few steps and rubbing the soles of my feet against the canvas a few times so they wouldn't slip when I charged. I shouted, "Hai!" and then sprinted fast toward your corner. If I could drive my elbow into your stomach, or ram my entire shoulder into you, either would be a morale-boosting choice. The only thing I overlooked was the cold smirk at the corner of your mouth from a few seconds earlier.

Hana_Jeong: The second you commit to the sprint, shouting that yell and charging full speed into my corner, my smirk widens into a cold, focused glare. I don't try to dodge. Instead, the moment you step into the danger zone, I throw both my arms over the top ropes, gripping the thick cables tightly for leverage. Using every ounce of explosive core strength left in my aching abdomen, I launch my body upward, swinging both legs high into the air straight over your rushing shoulders. My thighs lock around your neck just a millisecond before your elbow can crush my ribs. Using your own massive forward momentum against you, I try to snap my hips and arch my back, driving us both down into a violent, spinning hurricanrana.

Princess_Misaki: "Oh my God... Ugh!" I was once again trapped in your headscissors. This time, with impressive spring and core strength, you flung my entire body away. I carved an arc through the air that I could never have managed on my own, and my spine slammed hard onto the canvas. "Ughhhh!" This exclamation came because I truly felt the pain in my body. My mind was clear, my breathing was smooth, but my back felt as if bugs were nibbling away at it bit by bit. I raised one arm, trying to grab the rope beside me to pull myself up. I clumsily got one knee back onto the mat first, head lowered, and the blood that had just dried began flowing again from the intense exertion.

Hana_Jeong: I land gracefully on all fours, the impact echoing off the canvas as I push myself up. Looking down at my shins, I see dark crimson streaks staining my legs your blood. It’s crazy how unpredictable this business is. Just weeks ago in Osaka, it was me lying on the mat covered in my own blood. Tonight, the tables have turned and it's you dripping red onto the canvas. But as much as a part of me aches seeing you hurt, I know I can't afford a single drop of pity not if I want to stay alive in this best-of-three series. I stalk over to where you're struggling on one knee, my eyes dark and completely focused. "Get up, bitch," I growl, shedding every bit of my gentle persona. I reach down, entangling my fingers in your messy, blood-matted hair, and yank you forcibly to your feet. Before you can even gather your balance, I hook your wrist and try to whip you with every ounce of strength remaining in my body, hurling you hard toward the turnbuckle post

Princess_Misaki: 'Ughhh! Ahhhh!' Apart from low grunts, this was the first time I shouted out loud during the match. My hair was being pulled with incredible force, and then your arm slammed into my chest again and again. My body, carried by momentum and your shoving, stumbled backward into the corner. I had no choice but to reach out and grab the top rope. Off balance, I could barely use any of my control techniques. Your slightly sweaty skin gleamed under the lights. It seemed destined today that you would be here, in front of so many wrestlers, to take over everything about me. Though I refused to be treated like a punching bag, now, facing your agile, athletic movement and high-flying offense, I was like a clumsy elephant, completely unable to keep up with your rhythm.

Hana_Jeong: Seeing you dazed and clinging to the top rope in the corner, I don't give you a single second to clear your head or regain your footing. Instead of rushing straight at you, I veer off to the side, sprinting hard toward the adjacent ropes. The crowd roars as I spring onto the top strand with both feet, using the tension of the rope like a catapult. I launch my entire body off the top rope, spinning horizontally through the air as I extend my legs straight out, aiming a pinpoint springboard dropkick right at the side of your head.

Princess_Misaki: I watched it all helplessly. I had no idea what new, astonishing move you would pull off in midair. You turned this match into a stunt show. From the very start I tried to grasp your plan, but now there was no way for me to put anything into action. I tried to dodge your dropkick; in the corner I tried to slip to one side, but my torso and my legs simply couldn’t move in sync. ‘Thud.’ You snapped my head hard. My knees finally gave way, and I slowly slid down to kneel on the canvas, then fell face-down onto it. Blood mixed with the dust on the canvas covered my face. I was as wretched as a deserter, waiting for my commanding officer’s judgment.

Hana_Jeong: Sweat drips heavily off my chin as my heart hammers violently against my ribs. I can feel it the end of this brutal match is finally within reach. I glance toward the apron and see Ji-yeon alongside the two western rookies, furiously pounding on the canvas, yelling for me to finish it. But then my eyes settle back down on you, motionless on the mat. A heavy, suffocating rush of mixed emotions hits me all at once. It’s true: I respect you. Deep down... I’m starting to care for you in a way I can barely admit to myself. But inside this ring tonight, none of that matters. I will make you pay for every tear, every drop of blood, and every inch of pain you put me through last week. "Get up, bitch," I whisper harshly, my voice thick with emotion. "It's going to end soon. I promise you." I grab a handful of your blood-matted hair and haul your dead weight toward the center of the ring, tossing you onto the canvas. I use the toe of my boot to shove you over onto your back. Under the intense, blinding arena lights, the fresh blood across your face shines bright red. Turning toward the corner, I point straight to the top turnbuckle. The entire hall gasps as the crowd realizes what's coming. I glance over at your rookie faction their terrified, wide-eyed faces tell me everything. None of them will dare to stop me now. I climb the turnbuckle, step up to the top rope, and turn my back to you. I take a single deep breath, arch my back, and gracefully leap into the air executing a beautiful, soaring, picture-perfect moonsault, aiming to crash straight down with full force toward your torso.

Princess_Misaki: The only thing telling me the match is still going is the pain in my scalp. I know that once the bell rings, Hana won’t keep doing these outrageous things to me anymore, but right now we both have to be ruthless. My hearing is slowly coming back, but opening my eyes and keeping my balance is still no easy task. As cheers and angry shouts come from all around, the lights finally sting my eyes enough for me to register some brightness. I turn my head to one side and see you arch your back, your hips aimed in my direction, your hands gripping the ropes as you get ready to use the rebound to launch yourself. Damn, another moonsault. I’ve suffered plenty from that move tonight. Those rookies who swore they’d have my back are now on the other side of the ring, praying my torso is strong enough to withstand another hit. I don’t blame them; for a rookie, having the courage to defy a star like you is already a wonderful start to her career. I wiggle my toes slightly, and feeling in my lower body is gradually returning. As your body arcs beautifully through the air above me, I have to make you realize that this perfect high-flying move is a mistake. I raise my knees to my chest and curl up my body. I don’t know if you regretted it when our eyes met, but I dare say your landing this time won’t be too successful.

Hana_Jeong: I close my eyes mid-air, surrendering to the descent like a valiant warrior accepting an inevitable, crushing fate after risking everything. The moment of impact is catastrophic. Instead of landing flush on your exposed chest, the solid bone of your raised knees underneath your knee pads drives like twin battering rams directly into my ribs and stomach. The collision violently breaks my momentum, sending a sickening shockwave straight up my spine. The impact bounces me hard off your legs, severing all my balance and breath in an instant. I fly completely out of control, tumbling across the canvas and rolling into a tight, frantic ball as I hit the mat. "AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH AAAAAHHHH!" A raw, gut-wrenching scream tears from the absolute depths of my lungs, echoing wildly across the stunned silence of KBS Hall. I lie tightly curled on my side, clutching my crushed ribs and gasping frantically for air that refuses to come, writhing in pure, unadulterated agony while the ring sways around us. I look in a glimpse to ringside and I see Ji-yeon crying compulsively.

Princess_Misaki: 'It'll be over soon... I promise... ah...' I endure the pain and throw your words right back at you. I dodged your devastating blow, but that doesn't mean your landing had no force. You're one of the few wrestlers in NOIR known for your flight height and falling speed. Almost no one can pull off rope moves like yours. My knees tremble involuntarily from the impact of your landing, and I can barely stand now, but I can't let people see that. I struggle to turn and crawl toward you, who've rolled to one side. 'All right, come here...' I use one arm to roll you onto your back, then press my body down onto your ribs and abs. 'Ref! Here!' You're drenched in sweat too, no better off than I am. Our heavy breathing collides in waves. The girls in my corner are cheering excitedly, slapping the canvas behind me, hoping their rhythm will throw off the official and make her call my victory sooner. 'One!!!!!' A girl in fingerless gloves runs to the spot outside the canvas closest to you. She's almost in my blind spot and also out of the referee's line of sight, like ground-and-pound in an MMA fight. Without warning, she once again kicks off the rookies' showtime. When I notice how violently the canvas is shaking, I'm not sure how many punches she's already thrown at your jaw while kneeling there! 'HEY!! What are you doing, bitch! Stop!' For the first time tonight I use such crude language, and it's at my own supporter. That move instantly makes the referee stop the count and completely messes up my rhythm. The referee stands up and loudly scolds her. With the help of your supporters, the moment she's ejected from the canvas, she's swallowed up by your girls, and I hear groans louder than those on the canvas coming from there. 'Leave her, ref! Look here...' I wait anxiously for the referee to come back and restart the count.

Hana_Jeong: The referee's interrupted count leaves us suspended in sheer, agonizing chaos. The brutal, unsanctioned blows to my jaw while I lay defenceless on the mat have done the unthinkable one of the punch has split my hairline, and dark red blood rushes out, pooling hot across my forehead and mixing with the sweat on my face. It's obvious that the rookie has something else underneath the fingerless gloves. I've gone from total dominance to a complete, bloody downfall in a matter of seconds. My vision swims in a haze of red and blinding overhead lights. Crimson streams down the side of my face, staining the canvas beneath my head as I lie there beneath your weight, my chest heaving erratically against your crushing torso. Blood trickles past my eye and drips onto your skin, painting us both in the exact same violent shade. My arms lie heavy and unresponsive at my sides, my body completely shattered from the brutal knee-counter and the cheap-shot ambush. I can barely breathe, let alone fight off the pin, as the referee turns back around to face us, waving his arms frantically to clear the ringside madness before dropping back down to restart the count. "1... 2 .... Thr..." I raise my hand in total despair to make the ref stop

Princess_Misaki: I was waiting for the three count, but I felt a pull dragging me away from your body. Only then did I notice that you had raised your arm high, just enough to lift your shoulder off the canvas. "Stop! It's only two!" The referee solemnly announced the thing I found so hard to accept, but honestly, without his help I couldn't even get off your stomach. With his tug, I barely dragged myself to one side and lay flat on my back on the canvas. Our faces were terrifying—blood mixed with sweat, messy strands of hair clinging to our cheeks. "I promise, Hana, that lunatic was not my idea," I murmured, not knowing whether you received the message. But the match had to continue. I rolled over and began to crawl toward the nearest ropes. If I could grab them first, maybe I could get back to my feet faster.

Hana_Jeong: My eyes remain closed, heavy and swollen, barely registering your whispered apology above the distant, ringing hum in my ears. All I can truly feel is the sickening warmth of fresh blood running down my forehead, tracing the curve of my cheek and dripping onto the canvas. Driven by pure muscle memory, I slowly roll onto my stomach. Every nerve in my body screams in protest; I have virtually no energy left. I reach out a trembling, blood-stained hand, painfully dragging my broken body toward the bottom rope on my side of the ring. On the outside, Ji-yeon and the two western rookies slam their palms against the apron, their voices cracked and desperate as they scream to keep me conscious. "Don't give up, Hana! Please! You can do it! Fight back!" My fingers finally wrap around the bottom cable. I pull myself an inch closer, using the rope to anchor my weight, gasping for breath through a mouthful of copper and sweat as I struggle to find whatever tiny spark I have left.

Princess_Misaki: Before I could even get back to my feet, I heard an explosive cheer. That was not good news for me. A wrestler who can’t even stand upright on the canvas doesn’t deserve that kind of passion from people. So there’s only one possibility: you’re stronger than I am. I tried to hold my body up with my knees. I pulled hard on the ropes, and all I got in return was the elastic feedback of them deforming. In a sorry state, I kept pulling myself along the ropes, to the middle rope, then the top rope, and hauled myself up. I leaned back against the ropes with difficulty, my steps messy as I tried to find my balance again. When I looked at you again, neither of us looked good. This wasn’t a hardcore match in the standard sense, but the outcome had clearly exceeded my expectations. I swallowed hard and walked over with heavy steps. I had to fall while charging forward. When I reached you, I swung my heavy arm and slammed it hard into your chest. Then I grabbed your bra and rudely pulled you to the center of the canvas, raised my leg, and kicked at your lower abdomen, trying to make you double over, then pressed your head between my thighs.

Hana_Jeong: PASSSSSSH! Your heavy chop explodes across my chest like a slap from a red-hot iron. I slump back against the ropes, clutching my burning, crimson skin as actual tears of pure, blinding pain weld through the blood and sweat in my eyes. Before I can even process the agony, you grab me rudely by my bra like I'm nothing more than an expendable, broken object. "URRRRGGHHHH!" The violent yank forces me to instantly curl inward. Within a split second, your foot drives into my lower abdomen, doubling me completely over before you trap my bloody head tightly between your thighs. My arms hang limply, my hands pawing feebly at your tights as my legs buckle and wobble beneath me. My right knee snaps and drops hard onto the mat. I am hanging on by a microscopic thread. I know this is it. If I try to fight your sheer weight right now, I'm done for good. I have to gamble everything on one final, desperate reversal. So I play along. I let my entire body go limp and submissive beneath you, staying completely still in position making you believe you have me right where you want me to finish this match once and for all.

Princess_Misaki: You obediently bent over and grabbed my trunks directly. Your obedience surprised me a little, but I figured that in a match like this, by this point there was no need for you to keep up any pretense. I staggered and threw a few punches at your bent back. I could hardly feel any resistance in your muscles. I bent down, wrapped my arms around your waist and abs, clamped your torso with both arms, and struggled to lift you. I knew that if I could manage to haul you up and keep standing on the canvas, then even if I couldn’t hold on and fell, you would still be the one taking the heavy damage. But my arms had already started trembling nonstop. I gritted my teeth and tried to hold on, but my legs couldn’t stand steady. I kept staggering around the ring to keep my balance.

Hana_Jeong: For a terrible, endless second, the heavy blood rushing to my head combined with being upside down turns my entire vision stark, blinding white. Consciousness flickers, but I force a deep, ragged breath into my burning lungs. Now. It's now or never. I dig deep into whatever empty reservoir of strength I have left. In one fluid, desperate burst, I snap my legs upward, locking my calves tight around your neck. The sudden weight shift forces your hands to instinctively clutch at my thighs to keep us from collapsing. Using the last violent impulse of my abdominal muscles, I try to haul my upper body straight up against gravity, riding your momentum until I'm sitting high and square over your trembling shoulders. Before you can process the sudden shift in weight, I attempt to throw my entire upper body backward toward the canvas, snapping my hips with vicious precision. The torque hooks your momentum and pulls your dazed, battered frame forward into a crushing, desperate hurricanrana! For a terrible, endless second, the heavy blood rushing to my head combined with being upside down turns my entire vision stark, blinding white. Consciousness flickers, but I force a deep, ragged breath into my burning lungs. "ARRRRRRGGGG!" I scream a raw, terrifying burst of pure despair, agony, and every last drop of extreme effort left inside my broken body. Now. It's now or never.

Princess_Misaki: I didn’t know if I had completely lost my footing, or if your boot was once again restricting the blood flow to my clear head. Before I could even hug you tight and slam you onto the canvas, your shin sickeningly hooked around my neck. I staggered forward, then felt my body get flung. Even though neither of us was in a standard offensive or defensive position this time, I wasn’t thrown high into the air; instead, I flew forward at an awkward height in a low flip. “TAAAAA!” My back slammed directly into the corner post this time. I roared loudly, because otherwise I couldn’t vent that kind of pain. Was I awkwardly hanging upside down on the corner post? My feet had gotten stuck between the ropes on either side of the corner post when I crashed. This time it was my head’s turn to have blood rushing backward into it. Not only was the world spinning, but so was the standoff between you and me. I struggled to pull my feet out from between the ropes, but the rookies outside the ring caught them at just the right moment. I couldn’t break free, and could only watch you, in my inverted vision, struggling to get up and move toward me.

Hana_Jeong: I manage to land on one knee with a brief, desperate flash of grace, but my legs immediately give out, and I collapse forward onto all fours. My chest heaves uncontrollably, and a agonizing, tearing sensation burns deep inside my core a micro-rupture in my abdominal muscle from that suicidal hurricanrana. Fresh crimson drops from my forehead, splashing rhythmically onto the blood-stained canvas beneath my face. Through a haze of pain and sweat, I look up and see you trapped upside down, your feet entangled in the turnbuckle ropes while the rookies outside hold you in place. I force myself up, but my balance is completely shot. I instantly stumble and crash sideways against the ropes, leaning against them awkwardly just to stay upright. Every breath feels like swallowing glass. Summoning the absolute last spark of strength left in my broken body, I drag my feet forward, wobbling unsteadily in your direction. Still clinging to the top rope for support, I pull back my leg and aim my kickpad straight into your exposed abs with everything I have left!

Princess_Misaki: “Aaaagh!” I screamed in despair. I tried to cover the area you were attacking with my arms, but gravity and my battered torso made it impossible for my arms to protect my abs for long. My abs were repeatedly scraped by your shin guard. I twisted and struggled with all my strength. My legs were yanked hard, leaving my abs completely exposed. You treated me like a punching bag that could scream and give feedback. I began coughing uncontrollably and dry heaving. My thighs started to feel cold. Being suspended for so long made blood pool in my head. My heartbeat pounded violently. The focus of my vision began to blur again. I could feel the temperature of the air entering my lungs gradually cooling.

Hana_Jeong: Seeing you cough and dry heave, completely helpless while suspended upside down, I finally let go, allowing your body to slip out from the ropes and crash onto the canvas like pure dead weight. I stand over you, my own body trembling violently from exhaustion and the tearing pain in my core. I have almost nothing left in the tank. Reaching down, I grab you carelessly under your arms, hauling your limp frame back up. I drape one of your heavy, unresponsive arms over my shoulder to support your weight, wrapping my arm tightly around your waist. With every muscle screaming in agony, I bend my knees and use the absolute last reserve of my strength to hoist you up, struggling to sit your dazed, bloodied body onto the top turnbuckle to setup one final, devastating climax.

Princess_Misaki: It must have been because they had your tacit approval—those girls finally let me go. I collapsed headfirst onto the canvas in a heap. I no longer had the strength to curl my body up. I couldn’t even tell where the most unbearable injury on my body was: the top of my head, my cheeks, my chest, my abs, my spine... every mark left on every inch of me agonized me. In despair and chaos, I felt someone haul me up. Unlike Chanyota’s kind of lift, which was pure overwhelming strength, you struggled to shift me through a few positions. I was held up by you, my arm draped over your shoulder, my body leaning forward. You braced me with your own body and set me on the corner post. “Hey!!!! Look—Hana’s revenge moment!” Some of your fans had already jumped to their feet, shouting excitedly. My head hung lifelessly against your back. My hands clutched your trunks for dear life—otherwise I couldn’t find any point of support to get myself fully upright.

Hana_Jeong: I step up onto the second turnbuckle, standing directly in front of you as you sit dazed on the top post. But before I can execute the move, a desperate scream comes from the apron. One of your rookies springs up and delivers a blinding high kick straight into my already torn ribs! The sickening blow almost knocks me backward to the canvas, but in sheer desperation, I wrap both arms tightly around your neck and upper body, using you as an anchor to keep from falling. My face buries into the crook of your neck. There, amid the roaring crowd and the blinding lights, I feel your soft, fragile breath against my collarbone like a silent plea for this brutal nightmare to finally end. In that quiet, suspended second, the entire arena melts away. It feels like it's just the two of us, alone in the world, holding each other in the wreckage of what we've done to one another. A sudden, heavy ache blooming in my chest makes me wish, just for a moment, that none of this had ever happened that we were holding each other like this in a completely different life, under completely different circumstances. A profound guilt washes over me for what I have to do next. I lean in close, my lips brushing against your bloody ear, and whisper softly: "I'm going to finish you, Misaki. And it's gonna hurt. I'm sorry."

Princess_Misaki: Fear won’t make me cry; only words and feelings that touch the soul will. During this time, I’ve been criticized for being emotionally erratic, wayward, and violent. No one cares what I look like after I leave the ring, and likewise, I don’t care about them. I’ve lost matches, in different situations, and no one ever said these things to me. The two of us are now “embracing,” and no matter what happens in the next second, I don’t think I have the strength to change any of it. Instead, I sit more relaxed on the corner post. My breath is mixed with damp, sour body odor and the unique scent of this Korean girl. We’re in the ring; the bell hasn’t rung yet. I know I can’t act too unrestrained. I quietly move my arm from your trunks to your abs, with an attitude close to submission and camaraderie, ready to calmly accept all of this. “It’s okay. At least, right now, we’re holding each other...” My dry, hoarse voice, in a tone only we can hear, comforts your unease and guilt before victory. I bury my shadowed face into your shoulder. “Do it, Hana. At least I didn’t yield. I’m out of bullets. Take everything tonight.” I close my eyes and savor the last few seconds of stillness in your embrace.

Hana_Jeong: Tears finally break through, hot and stinging as they mix with the sweat and blood pouring down my face. No matter how much I try to harden my heart, no matter how much I transform into this ruthless version of myself, the soft, empathetic Hana will always be alive inside me. Hearing your hoarse, gentle surrender in my ear completely shatters whatever cold facade I had left. One of us has to win tonight, and I'm glad it's me—but God, this hurts. Before I break our embrace, I discreetly press a soft, lingering kiss against your bloody collarbone, a silent acknowledgment of everything we've put each other through. Then, the wrestler takes over again. I step both of my boots onto the top ropes, balancing precariously over the canvas. I yank your head back gently by the hair, raising my other hand to point to the screaming crowd, signaling the end. I close my eyes for a fraction of a second, praying to whatever gods are listening that my torn core holds together for this last, terrifying stunt. Using your shoulders for ultimate leverage, I launch myself off the top turnbuckle! I leap high into the air, wrapping my legs tightly around your neck mid-flight. We spin through the open air in a massive, breathtaking Avalanche Hurricanrana, flipping completely over from the top rope and aiming to crash you down onto the canvad

Princess_Misaki: The soft moment ended almost in an instant. The searing pain of my scalp being yanked reminded me again what this petite girl was about to do to me. You climbed even higher than me. All I could see were your thighs coming toward me, and then my neck was clamped. From the big screen behind you, I saw you smugly extend a finger toward the audience, declaring your complete dominance. I cooperated, despairingly shaking my head and struggling under your control—though, of course, my current strength was no longer enough to make you lose your balance and fall. “No... don’t... ah!” My shoulder seared with pain the instant you exerted force. Then my whole body flew forward, tracing a despairing spinning arc under the control of your legs, until my forehead slammed into the canvas. From the high-impact collision, I bounced, flipping from prone to supine. The lights were blinding, but in my vision they all became background. My eyes were open and vacant. A slight twitch at my toes proved my vital signs were still stable, but my mobility had been completely stripped away. “Get up! Misaki! Don’t play dead here!” The rookie who had just kicked you shifted from encouragement to curses. She seemed to be complaining about fate’s unfairness—why the one lying on the canvas now wasn’t Hana. Ji-yeon, that cute girl, her voice went hoarse amid screams, almost cracking. “Hana, hurry up and pin her! Misaki is finished now!” One of her feet was almost stepping onto the canvas, about to step on my abs. The referee was strictly guarding against such a move. I stared at her expressionlessly. Maybe one day I would give her a little punishment, but for now, her devotion to you had made me begin to give her a tiny bit of regard.

Hana_Jeong: I fall belly-down hard onto the canvas, my knees slamming directly into the mat. Even with my knee pads on, taking a fall from that high burns through the absolute last drop of fuel I have left in the tank. My chest is heaving, my vision is blurring, and every single muscle in my body is screaming in complete agony. I'm totally spent. I can't deliver another strike, I can't lift you, I can't do anything more. Using pure, desperate instinct, I drag my exhausted body across the canvas, crawling inch by inch over your fallen frame. I don't even have the energy to pull off a cover I simply collapse, laying flat over your body with my head rested heavily right next to yours and my chin resting over your bruised shoulder. The ref dives into position, slapping his palm against the mat, and the entire arena begins counting in unison with him... ONE! TWO!

Princess_Misaki: You came much slower than I expected. I didn’t feel my legs being hooked, not even any excessive twisting of my body. Your arm and chest rolled over my body like a cart, then stopped. Right now, the only ones still passionate on the canvas were the referee and a bunch of rookies. “One! Two! Three! DingDingDingDing!” The crowd erupted in cheers. They love a revenge story. Those rookies finally rushed angrily into the ring. A slender referee could no longer stop their aggressive behavior. I saw some arms reach down—they should have been victory cheers and high-fives, but the way they pulled at your body was clearly dissatisfied and roughly twisting you around. “Stop... stop it! You guys...” I saw Hana being pulled away. I prayed someone would appear and stop these wild girls... and let you enjoy the victory you deserved.

Hana_Jeong: More referees and venue staff swarm into the ring, pushing back the aggressive rookies and finally bringing the chaotic situation under control. But the second their frantic hands pull at me, I completely collapse right back onto your chest, my energy utterly depleted. Before they can drag me off, my fingers reach out and gently squeeze your spread-out arm. I lean down, my voice a barely audible whisper against the roar of the arena: "Thank you, Misaki." Careful, gentle hands from the medical team begin to hook under my shoulders, slowly pulling me up from the canvas. The moment my feet hit the mat, Ji-Yeon bursts past the refs and wraps her arms around me in a desperate, tearful embrace clinging to me tightly, as if she's hugging her absolute superhero, while the referee finally raises my hand in victorious redemption.

Princess_Misaki: I watched your hand being firmly raised on the canvas. That Korean girl was happily and emotionally hugging you, celebrating and shouting. If I had been the one who won this match, I don’t think there would be a girl like that doing those things for me. “I’m fine, thanks, but I need a stretcher...” I whispered to the frantic medical staff. For a moment, they didn’t know whether to deal with my head or my body first. “Misaki, your technique is truly embarrassing—you’ve disgraced our team’s name!” Those girls were still chattering away. I simply draped a towel over my face and didn’t take it to heart. If I were to passionately challenge them right now, these people who can only talk big definitely wouldn’t last 30 seconds. “Good job, Hana. See you in Tokyo...” That was the last thing I muttered, still savoring the scent of the hollow of your collarbone and your neck. With the staff’s assistance, they helped me back to the backstage area.

Hana_Jeong: The referee holds my hand high in the air, declaring my victory, and the dam breaks I completely burst into tears, my shoulders shaking as all the pain, exhaustion, and overwhelming emotion wash over me. Ji-yeon and the western rookies slide into the ring, wrapping their arms around me in a chaotic, ecstatic group hug. Over Ji-yeon's shoulder, my eyes desperately trace your movements. I see the Japanese paramedics swarming around you, helping you onto the stretcher, and my heart aches. When I hear that arrogant rookie sneer those bitter words at you, a sharp spike of anger flashes through me. You gave every single drop of blood you had in that ring, and she doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as you right now. Ji-yeon senses my gaze shifting. She gently leans in and whispers softly in Korean, "She'll be fine, Hana-ssi. You both gave everything in this ring... and you became closer than you think." Her words sound enigmatic, swirling in my mind alongside the memory of your lips near my ear, the heat of your breath, and the lingering touch on my collarbone. Then, I turn back to the crowd, and the sheer noise hits me like a wave. The entire KBS Hall is on its feet, giving us a thunderous, overwhelming standing ovation. Nearly five thousand Japanese fans, standing and cheering passionately for a bloody, battered Korean girl who just poured her entire soul onto the canvas. I wipe the tears and blood from my eyes, looking out at the sea of roaring fans, but my thoughts are already in Japan. See you in Tokyo, Misaki.