Being With You Is Enough

"This might be our last tournament; we've proven to be good at what we do." Dash was always humble whenever he talked about his achievements with people close to him because he never wanted to sound like a boastful person.

Devon smiled a bit nostalgically; she never thought she would ever be in a different country with a best friend who years later became her boyfriend, and now they were about to fight against people they didn't know and planned to win.

All this time, she felt good; she was grateful to have discovered this contact sport that had helped her in so many ways, and everything was better being by Dash's side, who was a very attentive boyfriend.

"What do you think we'll do if we lose?"

"Just go home." Devon didn't like being as pessimistic as Dash sometimes was; it bothered her when he put himself down when he was possibly one of the best fighters of his age against anyone he faced.

"I've always thought about what my defeat would be like. The first time I fought, I thought I would be defeated, but it didn't affect me much because you were with me. You have always been the one who motivates me and gets me out of my bad thoughts." Dash rarely opened up in this way to Devon because he didn't need to explain it with words.

Devon, who was listening to all this, felt a bit embarrassed because she was becoming more and more excited. "So, does that mean you've made the right decision?"

"It was never a decision; we both felt it."

"Why talk about it?" Devon didn't know where Dash wanted to go with these words.

Dash took Devon's right hand and murmured, "Being with you is all I need; nothing will replace my love for you, and I want you to always keep that in mind."

At that moment, Devon was about to kiss Dash but stopped when she saw a familiar face in the distance. "It can't be, is that Kim?"

Dash, who was being sincere with Devon, turned his gaze and found Jack arguing with a food vendor.

"Damn it, I said we only ate two; why should we pay for three?" Jack was furious because they were trying to scam him right in the face.

Kim was watching all this, trying to solve it patiently, but Jack wouldn't stop talking loudly, and the vendor wouldn't stop accusing them of not wanting to pay the bill.

At the same time, Dash approached discreetly and, before getting closer, prepared to speak in Mandarin, knowing what he was going to say thanks to the translator.

"Give me two and charge me for everything." Dash spoke calmly in Mandarin and handed over two bills.

Jack, who was arguing, turned his head, and his eyes widened almost to the point of popping out when he saw Dash right next to him, of all possible places.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Dash handed the food to Devon and said, "If you don't know how to speak Mandarin, talk with the translator; isn't it easier?"

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Jack asked, a bit embarrassed.

Kim looked at Dash and shook her head. "It's not good for rivals to meet before the tournament; we'll thank you later."

Devon nodded, and once they moved away, she murmured, "Surely he'll remember that, but he'll never know you don't speak Mandarin."

"Let's go; he'll probably tell me if he beats me." Dash took a meat skewer and, halfway through, asked, "What kind of meat is this? It's tougher than usual."

"It's better not to know; any meat is good if it's well-cooked." Devon didn't want to waste food that could feed them well, regardless of what kind of meat it was.