The track was endless.
Ryuji ran, the wind lashing at her face—no, his face. She was back in his old body, sprinting forward like he had back in his glory days. Every muscle burned with purpose, every footfall hit with righteous power.
And then the track curved—impossibly, upward, into a loop that spiraled into stars.
He stopped running.
Everything twisted.
A mirror stood at the curve's summit.
He stepped toward it, and his reflection shattered—revealing her.
Same cocky grin. Same sharp eyes. Same stubborn defiance. But the body? It was hers. Soft where he'd been hard. Curved where he'd been cut. Skin flushed with warmth, golden hair brushing smooth shoulders beneath a tank top that didn't leave much to the imagination.
"Damn," she muttered, half-laughing. "I really do look good."
But something tightened in her chest.
She reached out—and the mirror rippled.
Suddenly, she wasn't alone.
Ren was there.
Not beside her. Behind her. His presence wasn't overwhelming like in Makoto's dream—but warm. Familiar. And terrifying in a way Ryuji hadn't expected.
"You've been running," Ren murmured.
Ryuji crossed her arms, facing the mirror but feeling his breath at her neck. "Yeah? So what?"
"From yourself."
"No, I—I ain't afraid. I'm just figuring things out, alright?"
"Like why your body reacts every time I look at you now?"
She flushed. "That's not fair, dude. I didn't ask to turn into—into—"
"You," he said. "Just… unveiled."
Her fists clenched. "I don't get it. Why the hell do I feel like this? Why do I wanna punch you and kiss you at the same time?"
He chuckled. "Because you've always felt something. You just never had a reason to stop hiding it."
"Yeah, well, I ain't that easy," she grumbled, but her voice faltered when he stepped around her.
Ren looked her over, slow and sure, like he wasn't seeing a joke or a best friend or a mistake—but someone real.
Someone wanted.
She didn't even notice when his hand touched hers.
"You're still strong," he said quietly. "Still loyal. Still you."
Her eyes burned.
"But you don't have to carry it all alone anymore. You can want. You can feel. And you don't have to fight it."
Her hand slipped into his without meaning to.
The mirror rippled again.
This time, the reflection showed them standing close—no fear, no doubt. Just Ryuji, letting herself be seen, and Ren, seeing her fully.
When he leaned in, she didn't flinch.
She closed her eyes.
And kissed him back.
Ryuji woke up with her heart pounding and her body humming with confusion.
She sat up in bed, her blond hair sticking in every direction, her pillow damp from sweat.
"Dammit," she whispered. "What the hell is happening to me…"
And yet, she didn't want to go back to who she was.
Not really.