"Jiwon, get back into position! There is no time to relax; nationals are in a month!" Byungho, the Kumdo instructor, yelled at the young girl.
Jiwon deadpanned at the man; she'd been practicing for over an hour and was desperate for a break. Despite this, she took a deep breath and prepared to practice again.
She had been overjoyed to qualify for nationals, but the arduous training had dampened her spirits. Slowly, she put on her mouthguard and helmet, hoping to extend her break by a few seconds.
The vast training room was deafeningly quiet except for the instructor's voice. It was brightly lit by white lights, which contrasted with the dark wood walls. One wall on the girl's left was made up of windows through which she could see the rain outside, contributing to her calmer, more laid-back demeanour.
She glanced at her instructor as she stepped onto the mat, got into position, and hardened her gaze.
"All right, start!" exclaimed Byungho.
Lowering their bamboo practice swords, they shuffled around, searching for the perfect time to attack. Seeing an opening, Jiwon moved forward to strike, but as she did, the lights in the academy flickered, likely due to the storm outside.
"Well, I believe that's a sign to quit practicing for the day," Jiwon grinned, stepping back out of caution.
The main door to the training room suddenly opened as she finished speaking. Eunhyuk stepped in, clutching an umbrella, his hair and clothes wet in patches. With his typical expressionless gaze, he peered at Jiwon and her instructor.
"Let's go, Jiwon," he urged.
"Huh?" she voiced, wondering why Eunhyuk was here, but she ignored her queries and removed her helmet.
He patiently waited for her in the doorway.
"Thank you, Sir. I'll be leaving for the day," Jiwon said, bowing to her instructor before turning towards the main door.
She dashed across the large room, grabbing Eunhyuk's arm and dragging him down the corridor.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" she remarked with a confused yet delighted expression.
"I thought I'd come to fetch you because the rain is making it dark outside," he said, his expression straight as usual.
Jiwon took a quick peek outside through the corridor windows, only to see that the storm was far worse than she thought. The brightly illuminated corridor was darker than usual due to the storm.
"Oh wow, I had no idea. I appreciate that," she remarked as they approached the changing rooms.
She turned him around and placed her hand on his shoulder, pushing him down to sit on the bench.
"I need ten minutes to shower and change. Wait here, okay?" she stated, making eye contact with him.
"Okay," he nodded.
Jiwon headed inside the locker room, which was filled with the scent of sweat and perfume. She dragged herself out of her uniform, heavy from either exhaustion or saturation with perspiration. It typically took her twenty to thirty minutes to get ready, but she didn't want to make Eunhyuk wait, so she sped through her routine. In ten minutes, she raced out of the locker room, freshly showered, in casual clothes, and with her kit in a duffel bag.
Eunhyuk appeared engrossed in something on his phone, so she planned to surprise him.
"Boo!" she said, crouching down so they were face to face but received no response, not even a flinch.
Eunhyuk raised his head and smiled gently, prompting her to return the smile. The boy's quick wit was unbeatable.
He stood up and led the way out of the martial arts academy to the bus station.
"What were you doing on your phone earlier? Get a girlfriend that I don't know about?" she inquired, amused.
"Definitely not. I was looking at some recipes," he answered, lightly shoving her.
"Why?" she asked.
"Eun said she wanted to eat japchae yesterday, so I tried to follow a recipe, but it didn't work out," he said as they walked side by side under the umbrella.
"Oh, well, why didn't you just ask me? I can show you how I make it. I made a lot for Jaeheon's birthday if she wants any right now," she replied enthusiastically.
"I couldn't ask you to do that; you're busy enough," he said, adjusting the umbrella to provide more coverage for both of them.
"Don't worry, I like making food for you both. You're always so agreeable."
"Well, your cooking is good," he said, looking down at his friend who was slightly shorter than him.
"Seriously? Do you remember how bad the gyoza I prepared last month was?"
"Not your best, but it was okay," Eunhyuk stated.
Jiwon smiled and let out a small chuckle, looking toward the bus stop.
She noticed Eunhyuk gazing into the distance, a faint smile on his face. It was moments like these that made her thankful for his presence in her life. They had met after a night study session in their first year of high school, but she felt she had known him her entire life.
They continued to converse as they reached the bus station, waiting for their bus to arrive.
Eventually, the two boarded a bus and sat towards the rear. The sun should have begun to set at this time, but due to the rain, it wasn't visible. The slow darkening of the sky was the only indication that the day was drawing to a close. It was incredibly peaceful.
As Jiwon looked outside, Eunhyuk put his head on her shoulder, letting out a yawn. Taking the opportunity, Jiwon laid her head on his and promptly fell asleep.