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THE TENSION BETWEEN Y/N AND KWON HAD BECOME PALPABLE, an unspoken conflict neither of them addressed directly. It was the second morning in a row that she skipped their gym workout, an unusual pattern for someone as dedicated as y/n. Kwon noticed her absence immediately but brushed it off, assuming she needed space after their recent interactions. Yesterday, she had stormed off, her headphones jammed into her ears just after he called her name softly. He had rolled his eyes and walked away, unsure if she genuinely hadn't heard him or was simply ignoring him.

What puzzled him even more was her complete withdrawal from their shared routines. She had ditched their chemistry tutoring sessions again today. He suspected it was because he hadn't answered her texts or calls over the past two days. That, coupled with her avoiding him in the hallways—turning and walking the other way when their paths crossed twice—made it clear something was wrong. During lunch, he saw her eating outside with her friends, instead of their usual spot in the cafeteria. She was avoiding him, and it didn't sit right with him.

What Kwon didn't know was how hurt y/n felt. The kiss she'd witnessed earlier had solidified her decision to keep her distance. It wasn't just any kiss—it was Yoo-mi. Of all people. Kwon knew exactly what Yoo-mi had done to the girl: the endless taunts, the relentless bullying, and the humiliation. For him to even entertain Yoo-mi's advances felt like a betrayal. Logically, the y/h/c-haired girl knew she couldn't blame him entirely; after all, Kwon was never hers. They could barely maintain a friendship for more than 72 hours without some sort of fallout. But deep down, it still felt unfair.

The image of Yoo-mi pressing her lips to Kwon's in the corridor outside the locker rooms was seared into y/n's mind. It was the same hallway where she and Kwon often met before practice. The sight had triggered a surge of anger and treachery so intense that she had turned on her heel and stormed away yet again before she could be seen. She didn't know that Kwon had pushed Yoo-mi away almost instantly.

***

"What the hell are you doing?" Kwon had snapped, his voice low but angry.

Yoo-mi smirked, brushing her hair back as though nothing had happened. "Oh, come on, Jae-sung... Don't act like you didn't miss me."

"You cheated on me. Or did you forget that part?" he said coldly, stepping back to create distance.

Yoo-mi's expression didn't falter. "That was years ago. And besides, Jae-chul is ancient history. Why hold a grudge?"

"Because you don't change," Kwon replied sharply, his tone biting. "I don't feel anything for you. Stop this."

Yoo-mi crossed her arms, her posture shifting as she tilted her head in mock pity. "Oh, really? Then why haven't you told your little tutor about us, huh? Don't think I haven't noticed how she looks at you."

Kwon froze, his jaw tightening. The smirk tugging at Yoo-mi's lips widened as she stepped closer.

"That's none of your business," he shot back, his voice losing some of its edge.

"Maybe not..." She purred, letting her fingers trace the geum baeji of his gi. "But it's curious, don't you think? All that chemistry between you two in class—and I don't just mean the subject. Funny, though, isn't it? You've always been so... gifted at it. I can't imagine why you'd need a tutor at all," she added with a coy smile, her eyes glinting with malice.

Kwon's eyes narrowed. "What are you trying to say?"

Yoo-mi shrugged, feigning innocence. "Nothing, really. Just that you've never been one to struggle academically. But I guess it's not about what you need—it's about what you want."

Her words hung in the air, dripping with implication. Kwon clenched his fists, stepping back as he glared at her.

"You don't know anything," he muttered.

"Oh, don't I?" Yoo-mi retorted, her voice low and dripping with venom. She leaned in closer, her tone dropping to a whisper. "Let's see how long you can keep pretending..."

 ***

What y/n didn't know was the full history between them and how years later now, Yoo-mi was using her father's influence as a pharmacist to manipulate the raven. He needed the free medication her father provided for his grandmother's treatments, a leverage Yoo-mi exploited shamelessly. While the boy felt nothing for her, she flirted endlessly, her true target being y/n. Yoo-mi thrived on making her uncomfortable, shooting her complacent glances whenever she touched Kwon during chemistry.

As y/n walked to practice listening to music, trying to act unaffected, the anger simmered beneath the surface. She replayed the kiss in her mind, the betrayal stinging anew each time. Meanwhile, Kwon was left wondering what had gone so wrong between them, oblivious to the depth of her hurt.

For now, the silence between them persisted, an unspoken battle of emotions and misunderstandings brewing beneath the surface.

The dojang however buzzed with energy as students prepared for their training session, the air thick with anticipation. The faint scent of wood polish mingled with the sound of muffled conversations and the rhythmic thuds of bo staffs hitting the ground during warm-ups. y/n made a beeline for Yoon the moment Sensei Kim called for partners, her determination clear as she tapped him on the shoulder.

"Partner?" she asked, her voice clipped.

Yoon raised an eyebrow, the corners of his lips tugging upward. "You're unusually eager today. What's the rush?"

"No rush. Just don't want to get stuck with someone who'll waste my time," she said, her tone sharp, her eyes darting to where Kwon stood across the room, adjusting his belt as it wasn't "belting" enough, according to the raven. He was adjusting yanking it open, measuring the length, his movements rough and precise, but she turned away before he could notice her gaze.

"Right. Definitely not avoiding anyone," Yoon teased, falling into step beside her as they moved to their designated area.

Sensei Kim clapped her hands, commanding attention. "We'll start with basic drills. Focus on form and precision. Sloppy techniques have no place here."

As the session began, the girl channeled all her simmering frustration into the exercise. Her staff sliced through the air in clean arcs, the satisfying whoosh a balm to her frayed nerves. Yoon kept pace, his movements deliberate and practiced.

"Loosen your grip a little," he advised after a particularly forceful swing on her part. "You're trying too hard. Let the bo do the work."

"Got it," she replied tersely, adjusting her stance.

"You're tense," he noted. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," she snapped, swinging again, the staff connecting with his in a resounding crack.

Yoon smirked, eyeing Lee who was asking the same to Kwon. "If you say so."

As the warm-up ended, the pairs moved into sparring rounds. y/n and Do-jin squared off, the intensity between them palpable. She started on the offensive, her strikes sharp and unrelenting. Yoon dodged and parried with ease, his bo a blur as he blocked her attacks.

"So rudimentary," he said, grinning as he sidestepped another swing.

"Shut up," she rolled her eyes playfully, lunging forward with renewed vigor.

Their staffs clashed again, the sound reverberating through the room. Yoon shifted to the offensive, forcing her to backpedal as he pressed his advantage. She focused on defense, her movements precise but increasingly strained under his relentless assault.

"You're getting slow," he taunted, tapping the end of his staff lightly against her side.

"Well, you're... mentally slow!" she shot back, her eyes narrowing, though her words lacked the usual bite. "Only know what you've been taught. Makes you formidable, but also very predictable. Can't think for yourself." 

Yoon laughed coldly as his friend quoted Kwon right before he stole the geum baeji from him. "Meanwhile you can't even execute what you've been taught."

The sparring grew more intense as the pairs moved across the floor, their movements a blur of calculated strikes and counterstrikes. It was during one such maneuver that everything went wrong.

Y/n and Kwon, engrossed in their respective battles, backed into each other. The collision was sudden, their bodies colliding with a jarring thud. Kwon's bo, already mid-swing, jabbed her sharply in the back, sending her stumbling forward.

"Hey, watch it!" she snapped, spinning around to glare at him, but the words barely left her mouth before Yoon's staff connected with her face.

The impact was immediate and brutal, the wooden staff striking her cheekbone with a sickening crack. Pain exploded across her face, sharp and blinding, and she fell to the ground, clutching her cheek. The room went silent, the rhythmic clatter of bo staffs halting as everyone turned to look.

"Y/n!" Yoon dropped his staff instantly, crouching beside her, his face pale. "I- fuck! I didn't mean to... are you okay?"

She didn't answer, her hand still pressed to her cheek as she tried to blink away the tears that sprang to her eyes reflexively as the pain spread to her tear ducts. Her cheek throbbed, the skin already reddening where the wood had struck.

Kwon stood frozen, his grip tightening on his staff as guilt twisted in his gut. He took a hesitant step forward, his voice low. "Fuck... I'm so--"

"Don't," she said sharply, her voice trembling. She pushed herself up, waving the boys off when they tried to help her. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine," Yoon insisted, his tone laced with guilt. "Let me--"

"I said I'm fine," she snapped, her voice breaking slightly. She turned away, her cheeks burning—not just from the pain but from the humiliation of having everyone's eyes on her.

Kwon's jaw tightened as he watched her massage the swollen area, his chest tight with something he couldn't quite name. Guilt? Anger? He wasn't sure, but the sight of her tears, reflexive or emotional, and her expression a mix of agitation and confusion, gnawed at him.

As y/n stood at the edge of the room, her hand still pressed to her cheek as Yoon handed her the bottle of water, Kim approached, her sharp eyes assessing the scene. "What happened?" she asked briskly, though her tone carried no real sympathy.

When Yoon stammered an explanation, she raised a hand to silence him. 

"Toughen up," she said sharply to the girl, her tone commanding attention from the few students still lingering nearby. "You think your pride is what's hurt the most here, but it's your focus—or lack of it—that's the real issue."

Y/n stayed silent, her jaw tight. Kim continued, her tone softening slightly but still unrelenting. "When you step into this room, you leave everything else outside. No excuses, no distractions. A moment of weakness or arrogance is all it takes to fail."

Gesturing to y/n's cheek, Kim leaned closer, grabbing her face and turning it to the side to get a clearer look. "That bruise? Let it remind you not of pain, but of what happens when you let your emotions get the better of you."

"Humility, y/n. It's the backbone of true strength. And while you're nursing that mark, think about how to avoid repeating this mistake." Her words were to the point, and harsh, but laced with a kind of wisdom that struck the girl to her core. 

"The moment you believe you're untouchable, someone will knock you down. It's not a question of if—it's when. Now, show me you can rise better than you fell." Da-eun straightened, glancing briefly at the rest of the class before stepping away and leaving y/n alone with her thoughts and the sting of her lesson.

"Back to work, all of you. Wounds heal, but wasted time does not."

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