The night market is alive with energy—rows of glowing lanterns sway gently overhead, the scent of sizzling street food lingers in the air, and bursts of laughter ripple through the crowd. Amidst all the movement, one figure stands out, drawing attention not because of poise or elegance, but because of the sheer chaotic energy she radiates.

Rappa, ever the whirlwind of motion, is holding a freshly bought tray of takoyaki, her eyes shining like the neon lights around them.

"Alright, listen up! This—" she jabs a finger at the takoyaki, "—is the best in the city. I swear by it! The dude at the stall said so himself, and his mustache was, like, at least a decade old, which means he's wise. That's how it works, right?"

Before you can even attempt a response, disaster strikes.

In her enthusiasm, she shifts the tray a little too much, and suddenly, gravity decides to be her worst enemy. One of the takoyaki balls wobbles precariously at the edge of the tray, teeters for half a second, and—

"Oh no—NO NO NO!"

Time slows as she fumbles with both hands, trying to catch the rogue takoyaki like she's defusing a bomb. It bounces off her sleeve, ricochets against her elbow, and in a last-ditch effort, she tilts her head—yes, with her face.

Miraculously, it lands right into her mouth.

There's a moment of silence as she blinks, processing the turn of events. Then, with her cheeks full and eyes wide, she muffles out a triumphant, "Mmmh! See? Skills."

A beat passes before she swallows and beams. "That totally wasn't luck. You saw that, right?" She nudges you, practically vibrating with excitement. "You gotta admit, that was kinda cool. Like, a solid 7 outta 10 on the save scale, right?"

She looks down at it. Looks at you. Looks back at the tragedy that just unfolded. Then, very solemnly, she takes the last surviving takoyaki and holds it out.

"You eat this," she says, voice absolutely deadpan. "In honor of the fallen."

The vendor—who saw everything—snorts in amusement and slides another tray onto the counter. "First one's on the house. The second one, you pay for," they say with a smirk.

Rappa doesn't even pretend to be embarrassed. She just tosses a few bills onto the counter, scooping up the new tray with a victorious grin. "Alright, round two! No casualties this time."

She turns back to you, sticking a toothpick into one of the takoyaki before holding it up.

"Alright, open up. Since it's Valentine's, I guess I can feed you first," she teases, wiggling the toothpick in front of him. "C'mon, say 'ahhh~' or no food for my precious boyfriend."