❝ her name is chae. ❞

―

CHAE WALKED INTO TOPANGA KARATE.

She filed in behind Kim Da Eun and Silver and the other Cobra Kai students. She held her hands folded behind her back, glancing around the dojo. In the short time that she had been in the Valley, Chae had spent the vast majority of it at the Cobra Kai dojo. Her mother and Silver insisted upon making sure that she knew that she was their secret weapon and took any means necessary to drill it into her head.

Chae glanced around the room, her eyes settling on one  girl in particular. She recognized her as Devon Lee, a former Eagle Fang student. Chae continued to look at her, causing Devon to raise one of her eyebrows in confusion.

"Terry, so good to see you," Topanga's sensei spoke as he stepped closer. "Class, gather 'round please."

The sound of the students' feet could be heard shuffling on the mat.

"I have a bittersweet announcement to make," he continued. "Sensei Terry Silver has made me a very generous offer and I'm proud to say Topanga Karate is now under new management. We're thrilled to be part of the Cobra Kai family."

That makes one of us, Chae thought to herself.

"Thank you, Sensei Rosenthal," Silver spoke before turning to address the students and walking around the room. "I'm sure you're all wondering what this means for the future of your dojo. Yes, there will be some changes. All for the better and I hope you don't mind your dues getting cheaper. You'll be given a new sensei."

Sensei Rosenthal's eyebrows knitted together.

"For today," Silver gestured towards Da Eun, "Sensei Kim and Sensei Hyan-Woo."

Silver and Rosenthal exchanged a hushed conversation before Silver addressed the Topanga students again. "Topanga Karate has spent the last few years taking losses left and right. That ends today. My new senseis will be molding you all into winners, just like our top students, Tory Nichols, and..."

Chae stood up straighter as Silver motioned his hand in her direction. "Sensei Kim's daughter, Kim Chae-Rin."

Tory and Chae stepped forward, exchanging a quick glance with each other.

"If you wanna be taught the best by the best, step up and take a gi from Sensei Odell," Silver said as Sensei Odell opened the box he held in his hands. "If you wanna quit, then at least take a complimentary thermos from Sensei Bacaria as my gift to you."

The students flocked towards Sensei Odell, taking a black Cobra Kai gi from the box.

"Nichols, you're with me," Silver said as he walked away from Sensei Rosenthal.

"No."

Chae turned her head at the sound of her mother's voice. Tory froze, looking over her shoulder.

"Your top student stays here," Da Eun spoke.

Tory glanced between her and Silver. "What for?"

"I need to see who the best fighters are in this dojo," Da Eun replied. "You will help me and Chae-Rin test them."

Tory looked to Silver as if she was looking for approval. Silver shrugged his shoulders before walking away.

Tory bowed. "Yes, Sensei."

The second that her mother walked away, Chae inhaled a breath. She stared down at the ground before looking up, her eyes once again settling on Devon who quickly turned away when they were asked to fall into formation.

After Silver filmed a video to share the news of Cobra Kai's expansion, Chae stood at the front of the dojo next to Tory as her mother taught the class.

"Pair up. Show me knife strike, palm strike, back fist. Five up, five down. Si-jak."

Chae glanced around the room, watching as the class shuffled around to pair up. Chae walked the edge of the mat, examining each of the pairs to see how they were doing. As she reached the side of the dojo, Chae's eyes landed on Devon who stood in front of a training dummy, still wearing her blue Topanga Karate gi. Tory was walking towards her. Chae approached them, standing next to Tory.

"Another one?" Devon rolled her eyes. "I already told her to keep walking. I know what I'm doing."

Chae let out a chuckle as she watched Devon strike the dummy. "By the looks of it, you don't. Keep striking like that and you'll break your hand."

"I tried telling her that," Tory glanced at Chae with her arms crossed before directing her attention back to Devon. "If you know what you're doing, then hit me."

Devon raised an eyebrow at her before shifting her body into a fighting position. Chae stepped to the side, watching closely as Devon raised her hand to strike Tory.

Tory grabbed ahold of Devon's wrist, stopping it midair. "Wrong."

Tory let go of her hand, tossing it to the side as she stepped in front of the staring dummy. She got into a fighting position, swinging the side of her hand at the dummy's neck.

"You have to keep the side of your hand sharp," Tory told her.

"Like a knife," Chae added. "Hence the name, knife strike."

Tory stepped back, allowing Devon to take her place in front of the training dummy. She positioned her hand, striking the dummy in the neck with a sharper movement.

"Better," Chae told her.

A small smile appeared on Devon's face, but it quickly faded when Tory spoke.

"Not by much," she said, glancing down at Devon's gi. "Why are you still in that gi? You don't think you have what it takes to join Cobra Kai?"

"I'm still deciding whether your dojo has what it takes to earn me as a student," Devon replied.

"I guess you forgot that it was a Cobra Kai student who kicked your ass at the tournament," Tory shot back.

"You mean Achara?" Devon glanced around the room before looking back at Tory. "I don't see her anywhere, do you? You think that just because she's not in Cobra Kai anymore that you're the new Queen Cobra?"

Chae glanced back and forth between Devon and Tory, taking in the conversation and being a silent observer.

"And just so you know, that referee was blind," Devon stared directly at Tory. "He gave you points when you were out of bounds."

Tory rolled her eyes. "Why are you still here?"

"My mom always said..." Devon averted her gaze before sighing. "The only way you really lose is by giving up."

"Sounds like a smart woman," Tory responded.

"She was," Devon replied sadly.

"I'm sorry," Tory apologized.

"For what?" Devon asked. "You didn't do anything. I'd love to kick cancer's ass though."

Tory nodded her head. "Yeah. I know how you feel."

Devon and Tory exchanged a sad expression, signaling to Chae that they understood each other on a deeper level that Chae didn't. When he gave her the rundown on all the Cobra Kai members, Silver had mentioned that Tory's mom was sick.

"But you have to take all that anger and you have to put it into your fist," Tory told Devon.

Devon tilted her head towards Chae, as if she were asking her what she thought. Chae nodded her head, nodding towards the training dummy. Devon turned and took a deep breath before getting into fighting position, sending a knife strike straight at the training dummy's neck with a yell.

"Guman!" Da Eun's voice echoed through the dojo, causing everyone to turn their attention to her. "I have seen enough. You have used your strength to train each other. Now you will use your strength against each other."

Devon turned her head, giving Tory and Chae a confused look.

"Nichols, Kim," Sensei Kim instructed Tory and Chae. "Get them ready."

Chae nodded her head. Despite the fact that it was the last thing she wanted to do, Chae obeyed her mother and prepared the new recruits to fight. Together, she and Tory led them through warmups before they were instructed to sit along the edge of the mat.

Chae sat on the mat next to Tory, sitting up straight as she watched her mother circled the mat.

"Back in Korea, our students would climb Chiri-san, the tallest mountain on the mainland with heavy packs filled with nothing but water," Da Eun spoke, her eyes meeting Chae's. "We would train at the peak long after the sun has set and the night's turned cold. Chae-Rin and I trained among them, wearing two heavy packs."

Chae felt like sinking into the floor when all the eyes in the dojo seemed to focus on her. For a split second, Chae was convinced that several of the students thought that her mother was kidding, but Chae knew she wasn't. She had spent many nights training in her mother's dojo, climbing Chiri-san. Over the years, it had become easier and it was something that Chae had begun to block out, haunted by the excruciating pain that it always brought her.

"My students are determined," Da Eun continued. "I will see how determined you are." She pointed at Tory and Devon with the bamboo stick in her hand. "You two. Up."

The two girls rose to their feet and stepped into the mat, standing on either side of the table in the center.

"Pick this up," Sensei Hyan-Woo pointed at Devon with his own bamboo stick before flipping it and pointing at Tory. "Stop her. Use any means necessary. You have one minute."

Chae gulped as Sensei Hyan-Woo placed the stick on the table. Tory and Devon assumed fighting positions.

"Si-jak!"

Not a second was wasted as Devon reached for the stick. Tory leaned forward, pushing her Devon's hand out of the way. Devon quickly fought back by swinging her leg around, missing Tory's face by a few inches. As Tory leaned back to avoid the path of Devon's foot, Devon reached forward and picked up the bamboo stick. She held it up in the air above her head.

"In your face!" Devon jumped up and down.

Chae watched as her mother marched up to Devon and snatched the bamboo stick from her hand. Da Eun turned, her harsh gaze directed at Tory.

"The way of the fist means you do not hold back," Da Eun scolded. "You do not go easy. Or is this what it
means in America to be your dojo's top student?"

She slammed the bamboo stick back onto the table. "Again!"

Da Eun glared at Tore as she stepped to the side. Tory and Devon resumed their fighting positions. Devon reacted at lighting speed, reaching for the stick. Tory grabbed her wrists before lifting Devon's arms and kicking her in the abdomen. Devon stumbled back, clenching her stomach.

"Harder," Da Eun told Tory.

Once they were in fighting position once more, Devon sent a kick flying in Tory's direction who was quick to take a step back. Devon distracted Tory with a jab punch and reached for the stick. Tory slammed her foot on top of Devon's hand, causing Devon to let out a yell as Tory kicked her in the face.

"I said harder!" Da Eun shouted, hitting Tory in the back of the leg with a bamboo stick.

Tory and Devin began the battle for the bamboo stick once more, as Da Eun shouted at them from the sidelines. "We do not accept defeat. We do not accept surrender. You fight as if today is your last."

Devon yelled, her leg extended out in a kick as she leaped over the table and grabbed the bamboo stick. Tory swung her leg, kicking Devon's wrist and causing the stick to fall to the floor. With a sharp kick, Tory launched Devon to the mat.

"Good," Da Eun said to Tory. "Strength, determination. That is the Way of the Fist. Nothing less. Remember that."

Chae glanced at Devon, taking note of the terrified look on her face.

"Class dismissed."

Devon stood up quickly and bolted off the mat. Chae watched her exit the dojo before turning her head to look at Tory.

Chae sighed as she stood up from her seat on the mat. She walked over to her bag and pulled out her phone. A small smile tugged at her lips when she saw that she had a text.

Are you free today? Let's hang out.

It was from Eli. Chae had bumped into him again after he had been kicked out of the water park after the fight. Chae had purposely bumped into him, trying to strike up another conversation. She didn't expect for him to ask if they could exchange numbers. She certainly didn't expect to text him back and forth since the water park. She especially didn't expect to find herself smiling down at her phone as she read a text from him.

Yeah. Give me the time and place and I'll be there, Chae messaged back.

She tucked her phone back into her backpack and left the dojo, not even bothering to say anything to anyone. Chae walked towards the parking lot, stopping at the car that Silver had given her. "Consider it a gift for helping Cobra Kai," Silver had said. Chae didn't care much for Silver or Cobra Kai, but she wasn't going to turn down a brand new car.

────────────

The Thirasawat Twins sat in their living room with Miguel and Eli. Decha and Eli were in the middle of playing a video game while Achara rested her head on Miguel's shoulder as they laughed at funny videos together.

"Hold on," Eli called out. "Pause real quick."

Decha rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Dude, seriously? That's the millionth time in the past hour."

"Stop exaggerating," Eli replied, glancing down at his phone.

Decha leaned closer to him so that he could look at his phone screen. Eli quickly pulled his phone away, holding it close to his chest.

"Do you mind?" Eli asked.

Decha made a face at him before pulling away, and crossing his arms.

"Who have you been texting all day?" Achara asked, sitting up on the couch.

Eli sighed. "If you must know so badly..."

"It's that girl from the water park, isn't it?" Decha asked before Eli had the chance to finish. "The one you were talking to before the fight broke out?"

"You've been talking to Water Park Girl?" Miguel chimed in. "Dude, that's awesome! For how long?"

"First of all, stop calling her Water Park Girl," Eli responded. "Her name is Chae."

"Okay...how long have you been talking to Chae?" Miguel corrected himself.

Eli shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Like, a day after we met at the water park."

Decha smiled at him, patting him on the back. "That's so awesome! You're finally moving on."

"Wh—what?" Eli shook his head. "It's not like that...I mean we haven't even seen each other since the water park and I hardly even know her..."

Achara rolled her eyes. "Maybe it's a good thing. After everything that happened with Decha and things not working out with Moon, maybe you should throw yourself back out there."

Eli furrowed his eyebrows. "You think so?"

"Yeah," Achara nodded. "Why don't you ask her to hang out with you? You said you haven't seen her in person since you met, maybe it's time you meet up again."

"She's right," Decha agreed. "Who knows, maybe she's waiting for you to make the first move. Ask her to hang out, but be cool about it. Nonchalant."

Eli nodded his head, staring down at his phone as he typed a message. "Nonchalant."

Silence washed over the group as they waited for Chae to respond. Eli nervously tapped his foot on the ground as he checked his phone every two seconds. When his phone finally buzzed, Eli looked down at his phone so fast that he almost gave himself whiplash.

"Well?" Achara asked. "What'd she say?"

Eli smiled softly. "She said yes. But wants to know the time and place. What should I say? Should I take her out somewhere or go to my house?"

Decha sighed. "See, this is how I know you genuinely like her. You're nervous and not trying to act like you're cool and unbothered."

Eli rolled his eyes at him. "Whatever. Just help me out."

Decha stood up from his seat on the couch. "Sorry, no can do. It's almost four. I have an AA meeting I've got to get to. Ask the two lovebirds for help."

Decha pointed at Achara and Miguel before walking
towards the door to put his shoes on.

"Do you need a ride?" Achara asked.

Decha shook his head. "Mae said she would meet me outside when she got home from work. I guess she wants to make sure I actually go."

"All right," Achara nodded. "See you afterwards."

"Yup," Decha nodded back before directing his attention to Eli. "Good luck with Water Park Girl."

Eli rolled his eyes. "Her name is Chae!"

Decha's laugh could be heard as he shut the door behind him. Eli sighed and turned back to Miguel and Achara.

"So..." Eli glanced between them. "Where do I tell her to meet me?"

────────────

Chae sat in a booth at a diner. Eli sat across from her. Chae glanced around, taking in all of her surroundings.

"When you said you wanted to hang out, I didn't exactly think we'd be meeting up at a diner," Chae broke the silence. "I thought we'd be chilling at your house or something like that."

"Oh, um, well..." Eli trailed off, unsure of what to say. "Well, I was kind of hungry and a friend of mine said that this place had great food. You know, fries...burgers...milkshakes. I also thought maybe you'd be hungry too."

Chae smiled. "You talk about me to your friends, huh?"

Eli quickly looked down, trying to hide that he was blushing. "Well, no. I mean yes, but not really. I mean, I was with them when I asked you to hang out."

Chae chuckled. "Eli, breathe. I'm just messing with you."

Eli laughed nervously as he nodded his head.

"This place is actually pretty cool," Chae said as she continued to look around before turning back to Eli. "I'm liking the whole vintage fifties vibe."

Eli nodded, taking a sip of his drink. "Yeah. Me too."

Chae crossed her arms on the table in front of her. "So, tell me more about you. I couldn't help but notice the fight at the water park. Have you been doing karate long?"

"Not that long," Eli told her. "But I actually won the boys' All Valley Championship."

Chae smiled brightly, nodding her head. She already knew all about his victory, but she couldn't let him know that.

"Really?" Chae asked in faux surprise. "That's amazing. If I would've known I was having dinner with a karate champion, I would've dressed nicer."

Eli chuckled. "I think you're dressed perfectly fine and don't you worry, I'm just a regular guy."

"Oh, really?" Chae raised an eyebrow. "A regular guy, huh? How many regular guys can say they're a karate champion?"

Eli shrugged, chuckling softly. Chae smiled back at him. Before the conversation could continue, the waitress came and took their orders.

"So..." Eli spoke once the waitress left the table. "Are you interested in karate?"

Chae nodded her head. "Yeah. I've dabbled a little bit. Taken some lessons."

A mix of shock and surprise showed on Eli's face. "Seriously? You do karate?"

Chae nodded. "Well, don't look so surprised. Is it really that surprising?"

"No, not really. I—I just meant that..." Eli stammered. "Well, I just...I..."

Chae shook her head at him, laughing softly. "You're all good. You can ask me anything you want."

"Oh, um..." Eli thought for a second. "How long have you been doing karate? Who taught you?"

Chae shrugged her shoulders. "Pretty much from the second I learned how to walk. And my mom taught me."

"Wow," Eli stared at her. "I thought you said you dabbled. Now you're telling me that you're a karate prodigy?"

"I wouldn't necessarily call myself a prodigy," Chae replied. "Just a girl who learned karate before she learned to talk."

"That's...wow," Eli repeated, unable to believe it. "Have you ever thought about joining a dojo around here? It's too bad that Miyagi-Do isn't up and running anymore."

"Miyagi-Do?" Chae questioned, even though she was well-versed in all things Miyagi-Do.

Eli nodded. "Yeah. That was my old karate dojo. We closed down after the tournament. It was some deal my sensei made with Cobra Kai. Whoever lost the tournament was done for good and whoever was victorious, got to stay open."

Chae furrowed her eyebrows. "Well, that sounds stupid."

Eli nodded his head. "I agree. But I think Miyagi-Do will
make a comeback. Eagle Fang too. After what happened to Mr. LaRusso..."

"Mr. LaRusso?" Chae asked. "What happened to him?"

Eli sighed, glancing down at the table. "He was the sensei of Miyagi-Do. He just got beat up pretty bad by Terry Silver—the sensei at Cobra Kai. It kind of ruined his whole perception of karate, but he'll come back stronger than ever. I just know it."

Chae stared at him, trying to process what he was saying. She had no idea that Silver had beaten up Daniel LaRusso.

"That sounds terrible," Chae responded. "This Silver guy sounds like a real piece of work."

Eli nodded. "Yeah. You don't know the half of it."

Chae nodded her head. She thought she had a pretty good idea of who Silver was. But it turns out there were so many things that she didn't know about him. Who exactly was Terry Silver? Who was the man her mother is working with? Who was the man that she is working with?

— EMILIA'S NOTES

a full chae chapter with hawk interactions. also this is 100% going to be counted as their first date.

i'm also splitting episode 6 up into multiple parts. there will be a decha centric chapter & an achara centric chapter. there's just so much to write about & i don't want to make the chapters too long.

alternative chapter title: the tales of water park girl and mohawk boy.

also some korean translations!

- si-jak means begin.
- guman means stop.