43 — Arcane Fist Academy

Yu Hee was adorably obvious with her staring.

Her hazel eyes moved back and forth to mine when I looked in her direction. Quick and abashed glances before her face flushed scarlet.

"I haven't heard from Go Bong in a while ─ is he okay?"

We hadn't seen, or even talked, to each other ever since that fateful conversation.

"He..." Yu Hee's concerned glance was not subtle. "He's fine. Yeah. Fine. But... umh... he's been hanging out with someone else."

"Oh, someone else?"

A nod. "They're both having fun playing around with that drone." She lowered her gaze. Her fringes fell over her eyes. "I'm sorry..."

I regarded Yu Hee with a confused look. "For what?"

"Well, you know..." She struggled to find the right words. "I know how close you two are... and─"

A gentle smile curved my lips as I interrupted her, my intention clear. "You're misunderstanding something, Yu Hee." I spoke softly, the words laced with reassurance. "I had a heart-to-heart talk with Go Bong last time. We acknowledged our differences; I offered a bit of help, of course. I wanted to extend a hand and raise him up. But it seems he's chosen a different path, and that's okay, but it doesn't really mean much for our friendship. You ought to know, being his sister and a good friend of mine."

"..."

"Should he ever need any advice, I would gladly be the voice of reason for him, but at this juncture I don't believe that he's comfortable around me anymore."

Friendships often diverge, leading down separate paths. Different roads. Goals. Ambitions. It can create distances that are sometimes insurmountable. It's a bittersweet reality that I've come to know all too well. People I once considered friends, with whom I shared countless memories, have faded into the vast expanse of the past, becoming mere echoes of a time gone by.

"I see..." Yu Hee hummed, hands clasped behind her back.

We fell into a more comfortable pace.

"Will... this happen to us too?"

I turned to look at her.

She was biting her bottom lip, trying to sound nonchalant but looking far from it.

My stride gradually came to a halt. Yu Hee shadowed me, a few steps behind.

"Who knows..." Her eyes turned apprehensive at my words. She probably wanted a different answer. "You don't want me to lie, do you?"

"It's fine to lie... sometimes..."

I chuckled. "People mature. Sometimes they drift apart. That's part and parcel of growing up, I suppose. You don't know where life may take you, and oftentimes it takes you alone. Do what's best for you, not for others."

Yu Hee nodded thoughtfully.

After a few seconds of contemplative silence, we resumed walking.

A refreshing breeze blew past us. Yu Hee lifted a hand to tame her swaying tresses. "Anyway─" Whatever she was about to say was hilariously cut off by a flier riding on the wind and slamming on her face. "..."

A burst of laughter escaped my lips.

The flier clung stubbornly to Yu Hee's face, its edges fluttering with increasing vigor as the wind whipped around us. "Well, it seems like fate has a sense of humor." I chuckled. "Maybe it's a divine sign or something."

Sensing her slight pout beneath the colorful paper, I couldn't resist the urge to alleviate her embarrassment. As such, I extended a hand and peeled the flier away from her face.

A blush of embarrassment painted her cheeks as she lowered her head in bashfulness. "Not a word, please." She pleaded, her voice laced with a mixture of chagrin and endearing vulnerability.

I raised both palms up ─ and so did the corners of my lips.

We moved over to one of the sidewalk benches and sat. I was still pumped with energy, but I could use the break.

Yu Hee delicately swept loose strands of hair behind her ear, a subtle gesture that accentuated her girlish charm and round face. Her inquisitive gaze met mine, and with a playful scoot, she edged closer, breaching the boundaries of personal space.

The intoxicating scent of her perfume wafted through the air, teasing my senses, yet I remained steadfast, unmoved by her proximity.

I turned my attention from Yu Hee to the flier still in my hand.

Purple and black. The colors swirled seamlessly across the paper, the gradients fading as the colors met each other. Emblazoned at the header was a glaring, bold title. "Arcane Fist Academy''. I read. "Warriors are forged, not born. In this hallowed sanctuary, you'll experience a transformative journey. With our dedicated team of experts, you'll embark on a path that transcends the ordinary. Join now!"

Below the brief introduction, a well-drawn fist capped in violet energy pointed skyward.

─ @Arcanefistacademy

─ +82 XX XXXX YYYY

─ arcanefistacademy.com

"Hmm..." I mused, eyebrows slightly arching.

"So..." Yu Hee started. "What are you going to do with the flier? It sounds like a scam, honestly. I've never heard of it before..."

"It does indeed seem like a scam." I hummed. Besides, why handing out fliers when you could promote your business online?

Even the name was highly pretentious. Arcane Fist.

Still…

“We’ve got nothing better to do, right?”

“Are you serious?” Yu Hee’s cute face was all wrinkled up in confusion. “It’s a waste of time, Dae Ho.”

“Perhaps…” I shrugged. I reminded myself that this was a different reality. I’d withhold judgment for now. “But it could be fun, don’t you think? We can go grab a bite afterwards.”

Yu Hee rolled her eyes at me, which just made me chuckle.

…

..

.

The place seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. A small compound, surrounded by a grassy field and a handful of trees, the driveway surrounded by tall buildings and the nearby park. A pristine training hall stood at the center of it, its vast glass windows shining in the sunlight.

Arcane Fist Academy... it did seem interesting, even though it did remind me of those shitty ass martial arts movie titles like ‘The Man with the Magic Fists’ and the likes. It did, however, manage to elicit some sense of mystery from within, and maybe curiosity was simply the default feeling to something new?

However, despite the pleasant atmosphere, the compound was void of activity. It looked deserted.

A nameless and isolated martial arts school that only appeared on a last minute handout flier... could it really have a promising future?

It was more of a one-story house than a training hall, whitewashed walls, and a black gabled roof. To its side was a mini office and what appeared to be the living quarters for the faculty.

"Why did it have to be in such a place?" Yu Hee sighed, glancing around the property, not sounding enthused at all. She rubbed her nose gently. "Does this even look legit?"

"Do you expect a Martial Art School to be set in a luxury business center in the busy bustling streets of Seoul?" I quipped back. "Where's your sense of adventure, Yu Hee?"

"We shouldn't have even bothered checking this place out." She mumbled, pointing a finger towards the building. "W-What if they kidnap us? Haven’t you heard of such cases bef—"

Her words trailed off as a door slammed open with a loud bang. I could feel the ground trembling under my feet, an unsettling chill running down my back. It didn't take a second later when my ears registered a series of heavy footsteps echoing loudly from a corner, from the back of the office.

A lone figure, dressed in a martial arts robe appeared in front of us.

Sparse spiky silver hair swayed on a balding head. There was a cold gleam in his gaze, and his clothes, although fitting well to his build and strong physique, showed wear and tear, as though it was handed down for years.

Yu Hee yelped and hid behind me.

"Hmph." The man's thin eyes narrowed upon landing on Yu Hee. He sniffed, and after giving us a second glance-over, a satisfied smirk graced his lips. "Looks like we have a lively crowd. Come, younglings. It is summer break, a joyful moment for the youth. Why don't we forget the miseries of this world and partake in some fun?"

I craned my head, cupped a hand around my mouth, and whispered right into Yu Hee's ear. "You were right. He looks sketchy."

Kinda like the caricature of some overly hyped anime character. Boisterous and obnoxious.

"Hm! Hm!" Yu Hee nodded furiously. Her ears, funnily enough, were steaming. “I-I-I think we should go somewhere else.”

I turned my gaze towards the man. The smirk never left his face. He stood strong and steadfast, like a mountain. “We stumbled upon this flier.” I waved it for emphasis. “We were curious about the place, though we probably won’t sign up for a membership. Is that fine?”

His grin widened.

In an instant, he flew across the space. His feet never touched the ground and his entire body blurred until he materialized a breath away. "Well..." His hands settled on my shoulders. His grip was unnaturally tight.

"You might regret not signing up. I'm one hell of a good coach, you'll never find someone like me." His laughter was a gong against my ears. His spiky silver eyebrows were like iron curtains as he shook his head — almost shaking mine as well.

“...” I was so surprised that I momentarily froze.

"Boy..." He breathed, hot air smelling of roasted chicken tickling my nose. His wrinkled forehead wrinkled even further as he furrowed his bushy brows. His gaze was intense — oddly reminiscent of Mia’s earlier that morning, but for a very different reason. “... Yes… I’m not mistaken.” He didn’t blink. His eyes deepened, scanning every inch of my body. “You’re a natural. Your body… is simply perfect. Everything is in the right place. Unobstructed.”

‘What the hell…’

I tried to wrestle away from his grip, but soon found out how useless of an act it was. I was sufficiently confident in my strength; I’ve been working this body out relentlessly. Still, the man’s hands didn’t budge.

“Sorry.”

The man said with an awkward cough as he released me. I breathed a sigh of relief. I couldn’t help but rub my shoulders, still feeling a dull throbbing in five different spots, where his fingers had sunk into.

“I couldn’t restrain myself… after all, it’s been a while. It’s rare for people to find out about us.”

‘Rare? How rare can it be when your fliers are literally flying around…’

However…

“Please, come inside. Both of you. We don’t usually get a lot of visitors here but that does not mean that we will treat anyone poorly, especially newcomers."

… I couldn’t deny that the man, despite age catching up to him, had incredible strength. The fact that he crossed a considerable distance with just one leap and looked nonchalant about it was enough proof to give him the benefit of doubt.

As the man beckoned, I trailed close behind him, but not before stealing a sideways glance at Yu Hee. She seemed a bit reluctant to come with us, but even more so to be left behind.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Ju Mong. Feel free to call me Master, though. Haha. Most people do."

I nodded. "I'm Dae Ho, and this beautiful Noona here is Yu Hee."

Yu Hee's pale cheeks flared red. "H-Hello."

Ju Mong boomed out a deep laugh. "Ah, the joys of the youth."

“Indeed.” I chuckled alongside him, much to Yu Hee’s embarrassment.

As we walked further in, I noticed an annexed building. Even from afar, I could see that it was filled with kids and instructors. Confused, I pointed at it. "What's that?" I was under the impression that this place was deserted. Was the Arcane Fist more well-known than we gave it credit for?

"Oh, that." Ju Mong gave us a blinding smile. White teeth fully exposed. "That's our 'shell dojo' so to speak. Our business on the surface. Those younglings are practicing TaekWonDo."

On the surface?

Something was going on.

"I see..."

I pretended to brush the matter off, but inside, I couldn't contain my mounting curiosity. The master’s earlier words certainly hadn't escaped my notice. There was more than meets the eye to this academy.

Definitely more.

I might be an aspiring football player, but even I knew the importance of self-defense.