╔. ■ .═════════════════════════════════════╗

╚═════════════════════════════════════. ■ .╝

THE QUIET HUM OF THE VENDING MACHINE FILLED THE AIR as Kwon Jae-sung carried y/n l/n across the expansive lobby, his steps steady and unhurried despite the firestorm she had just unleashed. When he finally reached a desolate corner, far from prying eyes and judging glances, he set her down with surprising gentleness.

Before she could take a step, his hand pressed firmly against her shoulder, pinning her back against the cool wall. His dark eyes bore into hers, unyielding but not unkind.

"What the fuck was that, y/n?" he demanded, his voice low and measured, though there was an edge of frustration to it.

Y/n's lips pursed, her hands clenching at her sides as she struggled to find her words. "What that was?" she snapped, her voice cracking. "That was me giving a fuck. About the fact that our team—our dojang—just got humiliated in front of the whole world. And for what?!"

Her voice wavered as the anger in her tone morphed into something shakier, more vulnerable. Tears welled in her eyes, not of sadness but of sheer, unrelenting stress.

"You don't get it," she continued, her words spilling out in a frantic rush. "Do you know what people are saying about us? About Tory? I saw the comments. The videos. They're tearing us apart online. Cobra Kai lost because of its captain. Tory Nichols, the female captain. My best friend. And you know what? They're not wrong. I gave her my spot, and now look at us. We lost. It all comes back to me. My mistake. My--"

"Stop."

Kwon's voice cut through her rambling like a blade, and she froze, her tear-filled eyes snapping up to meet his. His face betrayed no emotion, but his hand stayed firm on her shoulder, grounding her.

"Are you done?" he asked, his tone calm but firm.

She blinked, stunned into silence.

"Good," he said. "Now listen to me."

He stepped back slightly, giving her room to breathe but not to escape the conversation.

"First of all," he began, crossing his arms over his chest, "if anyone deserved to be captain, it was you."

Y/n opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand, silencing her.

"You gave up your spot out of pity," he said bluntly, his words cutting but not cruel. "And I get it. Tory's been through some shit. Losing her mom? That's tragic. But do you honestly think this captaincy would've changed anything? Would've brought her mother back?"

The y/h/c-haired girl flinched, his words hitting her like a slap.

"No," Kwon continued, his tone softening slightly. "It wouldn't. And as for the opportunities that come with winning—guess what? The whole team would've benefited from that. Captain or not, Tory would've gotten her share just like the rest of us."

Y/n shook her head, her voice breaking. "It's not about the money--"

"But it is," Kwon interrupted, his voice firm. "Let's be real here. The only difference between the captain's earnings and the rest of the team is what? Five thousand dollars? That's it. And yeah, that's a decent amount, especially back in but it's not life-changing. Especially not when you're already earning more in one month than most people make in six. Or even a year, depending on their circumstances."

He shrugged, his expression as pragmatic as ever. "And that's before taxes, by the way."

Y/n let out a strangled laugh, half in disbelief and half in exasperation. "God, Kwon, you're unbelievable."

"No," he said, leaning in closer, his voice softening further. "I'm realistic. And you need to be too. You can't keep blaming yourself for things that are out of your control. You made a choice—an emotional one, sure—but that doesn't make it your fault that we lost. We lost because the system is unfair, because Miyagi-do got lucky, and because shit happens. Not because of you."

The girl stared at him, her chest heaving as she tried to process his words.

"And Tory?" he added, his tone turning colder. "She's not your responsibility, y/n/n. She never was. You can care about her, sure, but you can't keep sacrificing yourself for her. She made her choices just like you made yours. And frankly? I don't have any sympathy for someone who lets their personal baggage drag down an entire team."

Y/n's eyes widened, her voice rising in defense. "Kwon, that's--"

"Harsh?" he finished, arching a brow. "Maybe. But it's the truth. I grew up without a mom too, you know. And I didn't let it weigh me down. You think I had the luxury to wallow in my feelings? I don't want to get into technicality right now, it's just how I feel about things and I'm entitled to that opinion."

The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. 

Kwon leaned casually against the vending machine, watching as y/n paced in front of him, still visibly upset. He had let her vent without interruption, nodding here and there, his dark eyes following her every move. She rambled about everything—her frustrations, the weight of her decisions, the harshness of public judgment. Her words spilled out like a flood, tinged with anger, exhaustion, and an unmistakable edge of guilt.

For the first time in a long while, y/n felt the tight knot in her chest begin to loosen. And for the first time, she allowed herself to believe him as she continued talking.

Through it all, Kwon remained silent, letting her unload her feelings. When she finally paused, taking a shaky breath, he tilted his head slightly, his voice low and steady. "Feel better now?"

Y/n shot him an irritated glare. "Not really."

He shrugged, the ghost of a smirk playing at his lips. "Then keep going. I've got time."

She huffed, crossing her arms. "It's just... everything's a mess. I gave Tory the captaincy because I felt bad, and now everyone's blaming her. I mean, I know she didn't do great, but she's not the only reason we lost. I shouldn't have caused a scene and pinned it all on her back there. Not to mention, there's still you—" She stopped abruptly, her voice catching.

Kwon raised an eyebrow. "Me? What did I do this time?"

Y/n's lips tightened into a thin line. "You fought like hell out there. You deserved to win. But now you're stuck with this stupid debt, and--"

"Stop right there."

His voice cut her off, firm but not unkind. He straightened, his smirk fading as he met her gaze head-on. "You don't need to worry about my debt."

Y/n blinked, taken aback. "But-"

"No buts," he said, his tone brooking no argument. "I had a word with my sponsors today. They offered to cut the debt by fifty percent."

Her mouth fell open, her eyes widening in shock. "Fifty percent? Are you serious?"

Kwon nodded, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. "Not just that. They'll cover my college expenses if I decide to go pro. And," he added, leaning in slightly, "they want me training for the Olympics. Four years, y/n/n. Four years, and I could be wearing gold."

The girl's mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find words. "That's... that's huge, Kwon. I don't even know what to say."

Kwon chuckled at her reaction, his grin turning teasing. "Speechless for once? Never thought I'd see the day."

"Shut up," she muttered, though a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

He ruffled her hair affectionately, making her swat at his hand. "I told you, didn't I? You don't need to worry about me. I've been on my own for a long time. I can take care of myself."

He shrugged nonchalantly, his casual demeanor at odds with the weight of the conversation. "But thanks for caring, I guess," he added with a laugh.

Y/n rolled her eyes, but her smile lingered. "You're actually kinda amazing."

"I know, it's literally what I told you when we first met... but did you listen?" he shot back, his grin widening.

Before she could retort, Kwon's expression turned serious again. "Listen," he said, his tone softer now. "About Tory... don't hold all this social media crap against her. She's your friend, y/n. Real friends? They're rare. Not everyone's lucky enough to have people like Tory, Aisha, or even that Mexican kid in their corner."

Y/n frowned, correcting him automatically. "Miguel's from Ecuador."

Kwon's smile returned, this time softer. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. My point still stands. Cherish the people who have your back. And maybe... don't end things with Nichols on such a negative note. Get closure if you need it, but don't let this ruin what you have."

Y/n hesitated, her brows furrowing. "How are you not mad at her?"

Kwon's jaw tightened briefly, but his voice remained steady. "Oh, I'm furious. But I also know that if the roles were reversed—if you were on the other team and I was here—you would've done the same thing for me if not worse."

The girl was about to argue, but no words came. She knew he was right.

"See?" Kwon said, his grin returning. "You're so predictable that way."

She sighed, shaking her head. "I don't get it. How are you being so... mature about this? Since when are you the voice of reason?"

Kwon smirked, leaning against the wall. "Don't get used to it. Being mature is exhausting. I'd much rather be out there causing trouble and doing dumb shit. Feels way better."

Y/n giggled despite herself, her laughter lightening the heavy air between them.

Kwon sighed dramatically, running a hand through his hair. "Now I know how my halmoni feels. Being adult sucks."

Y/n laughed harder at that, shaking her head. But before she could say more, a sharp voice crackled through the intercom, echoing throughout the lobby.

"Attention, Sekai Taikai competitors: All dojos convene immediately in the main lobby, including those who have been eliminated."

The two teenagers exchanged confused glances.

"What do you think that's about?" she asked.

Kwon shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Only one way to find out."

With that, they turned toward the main lobby, their footsteps echoing in unison as they headed into the unknown.

Together...

1.7k words