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THE TREK STRETCHED ENDLESSLY, each step a battle against her aching body. By now, six hours had crawled by, and the unforgiving terrain showed no signs of mercy. The trail twisted upward, jagged rocks cutting into the soles of her boots, while the relentless weight of the water sack dug into her shoulders alongside her already hefty backpack. It felt like her entire body was ablaze—a cruel irony given the cool, overcast sky above.

Y/n's breaths were ragged as she stumbled slightly, catching herself against a boulder. Her shirt clung to her skin, soaked with sweat, and strands of her hair, sticky and disheveled, clung stubbornly to her flushed face. The constant movement only made her more aware of the heat radiating off her body. Why did I ever agree to this? she thought bitterly.

Ahead, Kim Da-Eun showed no signs of slowing down. Her movements were mechanical, her steady pace unwavering. She barked out the occasional reminder to "focus" or "adjust your footing," but it was clear she had no intention of halting. The girl bit back a groan. Sensei's endurance was superhuman, her students seemed just as tireless, but y/n? She wanted to throw herself into the nearest cold stream and stay there forever, watching her comfort show on repeat.

Yoon glanced back at her, his brow furrowing in concern. "You okay back there?" he called gently.

"Fantastic," she panted, adjusting the strap of her sack. "This is my dream vacation."

"You're doing fine," he reassured her with a small smile, gesturing for her to step carefully over a particularly sharp incline.

"Am I?" she muttered under her breath, struggling to keep up.

Kwon, walking slightly ahead, turned his head just enough to smirk. "I told you you'd overheat," he said in a low, teasing tone. "You look like a tomato about to burst."

She shot him a glare despite her exhaustion. "And you look like a guy who carries double the weight because he can't win a spar," she snapped back.

His smirk only widened. "At least I'm not whining about it."

"Yes, you were!" Her irritation flared, but it was quickly overshadowed by a wave of dizziness. The heat trapped beneath her layers was unbearable, and her muscles screamed in protest with every step. She paused, her chest rising and falling rapidly, the straps of her sack digging into her skin like a punishment.

"Y/n?" Yoon's voice was closer now, his expression shifting from concern to alarm.

"I just... need a second," she admitted, leaning against the rough bark of a nearby tree.

"No seconds," Kim's sharp voice cut through the air. She barely glanced back as she strode ahead. "You stop, you fall behind. Keep moving."

The words stung, but they weren't unexpected. y/n forced herself upright, her knees trembling slightly.

"You good?" Park asked this time, his voice void of any fatigue.

"Yeah," she lied.

Kwon appeared beside her, looking annoyingly composed for someone hauling twice her load. "You're slowing down already?" he taunted, his tone lighter this time but still infuriating.

"I'm fine," she ground out, pushing off the tree and trudging forward.

But her steps were clumsy, and she could feel her focus slipping. The sun may have been hidden behind dark clouds, but the oppressive humidity hung heavy, suffocating. Every part of her burned with exertion, and the urge to stop, to quit, became harder to ignore.

Y/n found herself leaning against another tree, letting out an exasperated breath as she tugged at the waistband of her sweat-soaked pants. Her legs were on fire, and the extra fabric was only making her misery worse. Without much thought, she kicked off her boots and began peeling the sweatpants down her legs.

"YAH!" Yoon yelped, his voice shooting up an octave as he spun around so fast he almost tripped.

Park let out a high-pitched squeal and dove behind Lee, who gasped and slapped a hand over his eyes, muttering incoherent prayers in Korean.

Kwon, however, had the most dramatic reaction. He froze mid-step, his face instantly turning a shade darker. He opened his mouth to speak, then immediately shut it, looking away sharply as if the sight of her was dangerous, and began bowing and apologizing profusely to a... tree?

"What is wrong with you guys?" y/n snapped, glaring at the group of flustered boys. "I'm wearing shorts underneath!"

The tension in the air evaporated instantly as the boys collectively sighed in relief. "Ah, well, of course... haha." They mumbled in unison, rubbing the back of their necks, though their ears were still bright red.

"A little heads-up wouldn't hurt!" Kwon muttered, glaring at the tree as if it had wronged him.

The girl snorted, rolling her eyes as she slipped her boots back on. "You guys are unbelievable." She was half-amused, half-exasperated by their overreaction, but at least she felt a little better without the clinging fabric.

Yoon, ever the composed one, exhaled deeply, shaking his head as he stepped forward. "Here, let me help," he said gently, sliding the sack of water off her shoulders so she could open her backpack fully.

"Thanks," she muttered, her irritation subsiding as she dug through her bag.

Yoon unzipped his small bag with practiced ease as he held her sack for her, retrieving a protein bar. Tearing it open, he bit into one end and held the rest out to y/n without hesitation.

"Here," he said casually, his tone light as always.

Y/n barely glanced at him before leaning forward and taking a bite. "Thanks," she mumbled through her mouthful, chewing quickly. Kwon, trailing behind them, watched the scene unfold with a growing knot of frustration in his chest. He knew they were friends, and that friends share things with each other all the time... But her nonchalance still stung, though what truly set his teeth on edge was Yoon's easygoing demeanor. 

No hesitation. No awkwardness. Just... casual.

He tried to convince himself it was the exhaustion, the heat, or maybe even the damn double sack weighing on his back. But the sight of the girl taking the bar from Yoon like they were in their own little world sparked something primal in him.

It shouldn't bother him, Kwon told himself. It was just a stupid protein bar. But his fingers tightened on his straps, his pace faltering for half a second before he caught himself. He shifted the weight of the two water sacks on his shoulders, grumbling softly.

"This isn't a picnic," he scoffed a bit louder than intended, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Y/n glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow. "What was that, Kwon?"

"Nothing," he replied shortly, turning away before she could press further.

Yoon handed her a water bottle next, his tone still calm and collected. "Drink. We've got a long way to go."

Y/n nodded, taking a sip before letting out a heavy sigh. "I kinda really hate this mountain," she muttered under her breath, earning a soft laugh from Yoon.

"Get used to it," Kwon called back without turning around. "We're only halfway done."

The girl rolled her eyes, biting back a retort as she packed up her bag and pushed herself to her feet. She wasn't going to let Kwon's comments get under her skin—not entirely, at least. She rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath before turning back to Yoon, who resumed guiding her through the trail.

Kwon fell behind again, glaring daggers into the path ahead, every step a war against his own emotions.

But as they continued up the trail, the sharp edges of the mountain weren't the only things cutting into her resolve. The weight of every step, and the oppressive heat made every moment feel heavier than the last.

And Kwon's presence did not make it easier...

1.3k words

A/N:

okay, okay, i know no one wants another yap-fest from me... BUT WE HIT 101K READERS!!! 

i started this fanfic literally two weeks ago, and to even imagine of this kind of support is wild. like, i was already losing my mind at 1k, and now? 101k?! i don't even know what to say except thank you. seriously.

your support means everything. seeing all your comments, messages, votes... and just knowing you're enjoying Fists of Fire makes me so incredibly happy. it's not just a fanfic to me... it's something i love doing, and having it connect with so many of you is just surreal.
(i'm emotional, okay? let me have this :'). )

i know i probably sound like a broken record by now, but thank you for giving this story a shot, for hyping it up, for the love, for all of it. it's more than i could've ever asked for, and i'm beyond grateful <3

and because i apparently can't post without giving life advice: stay hydrated, be kind to yourself, and remember that how others treat you says more about them than it ever will about you. you deserve good things, even if the world tries to convince you otherwise.

the amount of readers who have mentioned suffering from depression here is heartbreaking, and i really wish things get better for you soon... just hold on a little longer, yeah? 

no matter how tough things get, just know someone's always rooting for you—even if it's just a random wattpad write unhealthily obsessed with a cobra kai maniac ^^

anyway, i'll stop now... have an amazing day/night/life!