by the sidelines • haechan

thirty six

"Already? No, it's too soon," I heaved out, the stress that I barely managed to get rid of came flooding back to me instantly. My heart started thumping hard against my chest until I couldn't breathe, causing me to take in short gasps of air to tackle it. Gosh, I'm so not ready for this.

Just then, a hand landed on my shoulder, squeezing it forcefully so it would relax. I followed the hand up to its owner's face, where Donghyuck was wearing a restless look.

"I'm only gonna say this once, so listen up," he said piercingly, pushing my body so I would face him. "If you really want to do well, use that fear to fuel your motivation; the mats will be ferocious if you go in undetermined. You've done this before, you can very well do it again."

The second announcement for the next bouts chimed again, but he ignored it and continued, "Visualise how you want the match to play out. Test the waters first before you charge in. Regulate your breathing and pace. I know you got this."

His last words of assurance somehow managed to ease my muscles as I acknowledged it with a reluctant nod, re-entering the sports hall with a twisted stomach.

That's right, I've got this.

---

"Chung! Hong!" The referee for my match hollered as my opponent and I made our way to the centre of the mats to test our sparring equipment. I finally recognised who she was.

Kim Hyunjin. A black belt from Imoogi Club. My opponent during the friendly match we had with them.

Somehow, the worries that were embedded in me lifted off once I found out I would be going against someone I knew, but Coach Lee's words from before I stepped into the mats sounded repeatedly in my head. Never underestimate an opponent.

I wondered why that phrase stuck to me so well, then I remembered. It was the exact line Coach Yoon had said before.

"Charyeot! Kyeongnet!" Our referee ordered as we exchanged greetings with each other, my mind filled with only one thing. I'm gonna win this.

"Sijak!"

Bouncing on the spot, neither of us moved an inch towards the other for a few seconds, until she charged in unexpectedly with a long turning kick that sent me sliding far away from her. Gosh, that was cowardly.

To redeem myself, I immediately countered with a short turning kick while sliding in, the previous move acting as a launching pad for the next kick. I turned my hips to allow my other leg to swing in with the momentum, impacting her padding with a loud thud. Instinctively, I looked at the scoreboard, a smile forming on my face.

Unfortunately, I didn't expect her next attack to come so quickly, her foot briefly brushing against my padding as I dodged it too late. Turning to the scoreboard again, I heaved a sigh when her kick wasn't recorded.

"It's okay! You can do it again!" The Imoogi coach cheered on Hyunjin, who looked rather flustered not at her failed attack, but at her near-hit attempt. I waited for Coach Lee to comment something as well, but the area behind me was quiet. Why wasn't he saying anything?

Another kick from my opponent sent me back into the match, and I shifted my focus to her fidgety movements. If I could remember correctly, she was quite jumpy during our friendly match as well, maybe I should aim for that. Right, I should make my own calls.

As if an engine had started in me, my legs moved mechanically with little thinking, my eyes narrowing on the blue padding in front of me. Feinting with my front foot, I charged in with a long turning kick followed by a slam, with only the first kick scoring. Dejected, I shifted back to my original position to plan my next move, but that allowed Hyunjin to come in with another kick.