After the Darkness, the Dawn

Chapter 5

"You know, I was really hoping this would be more of a one-on-one thing?" Junmyeon brings up in the locker room, eyeing uneasily out the door and down the hall at the group of teenagers warming up in the studio.

Chanyeol tightens his belt for him, pulling almost a little too hard. "Yeah, but we got competitions coming up in the new year, and someone has to supervise them for practice." He claps him hard on the back, flashing him a toothy grin. "Don't worry, I won't embarrass you too much," he assures a little too sweetly as he pushes him out the door.

Chanyeol introduces him to the students who all bow meekly and curiously back at Junmyeon. The three girls of the group throw out a shy 'Hi', and when Junmyeon says it back, proceed to whisper and giggle furiously amongst themselves. Chanyeol snaps them to attention.

"Focus. We'll be right over there," Chanyeol points to a corner of the studio. "And I will be watching all of you, so don't go thinking you can goof off and mess around, that means you Yeonjun," he points a stern finger to a flustered boy as the others snicker. "Now get going," he claps, shooing them away. "Remember, competitions start in less than a month, we don't have time to waste."

"You're surprising serious when you want to be," Junmyeon remarks as they walk over to their corner. He'd been surprised by it when he saw Chanyeol at the promotions for the younger kids last time, and once again now, directing the teenagers firmly along with a practiced authority.

"What are you talking about, I'm always serious," Chanyeol huffs, "now let's hurry up and do this, if noona gets back and you haven't learned anything, she said she won't make me fried cutlets for dinner."

"Can't you just buy them?"

"It's not the same!" he pouts childishly, stopping just short of stomping his feet and throwing a tantrum, and Junmyeon quickly and placatingly agrees.

Chanyeol starts with some basic safety guidelines, how to fall, how to block, how to dodge, before moving on to an overview of a human bodies' weak and soft spots, such as the eyes, nose, neck and groin, as well as the types of moves and situations for getting oneself out of them when accosted from either the front or behind. Most of these are catered towards women defending themselves against much larger aggressors, but Junmyeon rolls with it. He's not sure how much Chorong told Chanyeol about why he's taking these classes, and he's still not comfortable enough with Chanyeol to talk about why. In a way, while he and Chanyeol generally get along, despite all these months, he's still unable to shake the feeling Chanyeol only tolerates him for his sister's sake, no matter how much the boy denies it. And he doesn't deny it all that much, at least not when they're alone.

It all goes well for the first 45 minutes or so, and Chanyeol takes it slow with him as they proceed to work through the moves, rolling again and again on the mat.

"So," Chanyeol says suddenly, as Junmyeon grabs him by the collar and shoulder, and tries to flip him to the ground. "You and noona."

"I-, yes?" Junmyeon huffs, slightly out of breath. It's been a while since Junmyeon worked out properly, in between doing his actual paid job and spending the rest of his time with Chorong, and while Chanyeol was the one getting tossed, Junmyeon was still the one doing all the heavy lifting to toss him. "What about us?" he heaves, trying to tuck and lift like he was taught, but unlike before, Chanyeol's feet remain firmly planted to the ground.

"She says you guys are getting serious." Uh-oh. So this wasn't just small talk, this was the Talk, and Junmyeon is suddenly very glad they're in a room full of witnesses. "Well, are you?" Chanyeol presses, cool as cucumber next to Junmyeon who's suddenly sweating bullets.

"Yes, we are," he replies, and before he can even register it, Chanyeol twists a leg around his, and with an expert pull, topples Junmyeon flat onto the mat. Evidently, that was the wrong answer. He rolls with a groan as Chanyeol steps around him, not offering him a hand as he waits for him to get up again. This was not going to be fun.