❛PRIVATE LESSONS❜

The dojo's completely free tonight," Xander said with a grin as Yoon-ah slid into the desk beside his. "I mean, if you still wanna learn, that is..."

Yoon-ah turned to face him, her expression neutral but polite. "I do."

"Great!" Xander's enthusiasm shone as he leaned forward slightly. "We could go right after school, if you're up for it. I'll even get you a gi and everything."

Yoon-ah gave him a tight-lipped smile and nodded. "Thanks. That sounds good."

For a moment, Xander's grin faltered, his expression growing thoughtful. "Hey, random question," he started, leaning on the edge of his desk, "but is Cobra Kai entering the All Valley this year?"

Yoon-ah tilted her head, confused. "The All Valley? What's that?"

Xander blinked in surprise. "You've never heard of it?" When Yoon-ah shook her head, he continued, "It's, like, the biggest karate tournament in the area. Every dojo worth anything competes. I figured Cobra Kai would be all over it."

Yoon-ah frowned slightly, unsure of how to answer. "No one's mentioned it to me, so I guess... not?"

Xander leaned back, clearly surprised. "Huh. That's weird. Well, if they're not, they're missing out. The All Valley's a huge deal."

"I'll keep that in mind," Yoon-ah replied, giving a small shrug. Thankfully, the bell rang, saving her from having to elaborate further.

By lunch, the All Valley was far from Yoon-ah's mind. She carried her tray through the cafeteria, scanning the noisy room for Miguel and the others. Spotting their table, she approached and slid into a seat between Eli and Aisha. Demetri sat across from her, uncharacteristically quiet, picking at his food.

"Sensei Lawrence was on a rampage today, he's doing everything he can to get Cobra Kai unbanned from the All Valley tournament." Miguel spoke up

Yoon-ah's head snapped up. "The All Valley?" she asked, surprised. "Xander was telling me about that earlier."

"Xander?" Eli questioned, raising a brow.

"Yeah, um, Xander Stone," she said, shrugging as she looked down at her tray, suddenly feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on her.

"Holy shit, I know him!" Aisha exclaimed. "He won the All Valley last year! Yoon-ah, why didn't you say you were friends with him earlier?"

"Does it matter?" Yoon-ah asked, furrowing her brows.

"Uh, yeah. He's in Topanga Karate—that makes him our enemy," Aisha said.

Yoon-ah had to refrain from scoffing. "You're not actually serious, are you?"

"Well, I mean, she's not wrong. We'll be fighting him when we get into the All Valley competition—which we one hundred percent will be, by the way," Eli said with a smirk.

"Yeah, what if you have to fight him, Yoon-ah? You gonna let him win just because he's, what? Your friend?" Aisha added.

"He's not my friend," Yoon-ah said firmly, looking up from her tray. "A-and if it came down to it, I'm not going to back down, alright? I want to win as much as you guys do."

Miguel looked a little surprised at her outburst, but a small smile crossed his face. "That's good. Really good," he said, looking back down at his food.

The rest of the group moved on to a different topic, but Yoon-ah let out a tense breath, her gaze wandering across the table. She caught Demetri staring at her, his expression unreadable but weighted. He shook his head slightly and offered a tight-lipped smile before looking back down at his food.

Yoon-ah's brows furrowed. What was his problem?

The parking lot was quieter than usual, the buzz of students heading home fading into the background as Yoon-ah slid into the passenger seat of Xander's car. She glanced out the window, arms crossed, trying to ignore the way her stomach twisted.

"Relax," Xander said with an easy grin, pulling onto the road. "I'm a very good driver."

"Sure," she replied dryly, though the corner of her mouth twitched.

The drive took them out of the more familiar parts of the city, the surroundings gradually transforming into something altogether different. The streets grew wider, the houses bigger, and the air almost felt cleaner. Yoon-ah couldn't help but glance around, noting the tidy rows of trees and polished storefronts.

"Kind of fancy for a karate dojo," she muttered.

Xander chuckled. "We aim to impress."

When they pulled up to the building, she hesitated before stepping out. The dojo was sleek and modern, its large glass windows showcasing an interior lined with gleaming trophies and pristine equipment. She followed him inside, the faint hum of an air conditioner replacing the usual clamor of a gym.

"Wow," she said, her voice edged with something between awe and suspicion.

"Not bad, right?" Xander said, holding the door open for her.

"Not bad at all," she echoed, eyeing the polished floors.

Xander led her to the mats, "All right. Let's see what you've got."

"What, no grand tour?" she asked.

"This is the tour," he said with a smirk. "Now, come on. Show me how good you Cobra Kai's really are."

Yoon-ah rolled her eyes but stepped onto the mat, her stance instinctive. They moved through drills, Xander's instructions coming at a steady, measured pace. He didn't shout or bark commands the way her former sensei did; instead, his tone was calm, almost encouraging.

"Your weight's too far back," he said, tapping her foot lightly with his. "Shift forward. You'll have more power that way."

She adjusted, her brow furrowing. "Better?"

"Much," he said, stepping back to let her repeat the movement.

Yoon-ah worked through the combinations, her muscles burning as the rhythm started to click. Xander corrected her form a few more times, always patient, always watching.

"Not bad," he said finally, nodding in approval.

"Not bad?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow. "I think I just outpaced you."

Xander laughed. "You're getting there. Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

After a while, they took a break, sitting on the edge of the mat. Yoon-ah cradled a water bottle, her gaze flicking to the rows of trophies gleaming in the afternoon light.

"So," she said, keeping her tone casual, "I heard you're last year's All Valley champ."

Xander glanced at her with a smirk. "Have you been asking around about me?"

Yoon-ah rolled her eyes, taking a sip from her water bottle. "No, don't flatter yourself."

"I'm just messing with you," he said, chuckling. "But yeah—guess I am."

"Guess?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's not really something I like to brag about," he said with a shrug, his tone easy.

Yoon-ah let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "Well, that's very humble of you. The kids at Cobra Kai would never shut up if they won something like that."

Xander grinned. "Maybe this year, you'll have the bragging rights."

Yoon-ah turned to face him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Not likely. But Miguel—he's got a real shot at taking your title."

"And why not you?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

She shrugged, leaning back on her hands. "I'm alright, I guess. But I wouldn't say I'm that good—not good enough to win an entire competition."

Xander studied her for a moment, his voice soft when he spoke. "I think you're a whole lot better than just 'alright.'"

The words hung in the air, drawing her gaze to his. The moment lingered, the silence stretching just a little too long before Yoon-ah broke it, twisting the cap of her water bottle and looking away.

The moment lingered, their gazes holding for a beat too long. Yoon-ah quickly looked away, twisting the cap of her water bottle.

They resumed training, the atmosphere lighter now. Xander demonstrated a few new techniques, guiding her through the movements with a focus that made her stomach flutter despite herself. She tried to keep her distance, both physically and emotionally, but it wasn't easy.

He wasn't like the people she was used to—he didn't push too hard or try to intimidate her. Instead, he made her feel like she could figure things out on her own, like there wasn't some invisible standard she had to meet to earn his approval.

By the time they wrapped up, the sun was dipping low, casting the dojo in a warm glow.

"Ready to head out?" Xander asked, tossing her bag over his shoulder.

"Yeah," she said, though her voice lacked its usual sharpness.

The drive back was quiet, the weight of the day settling in. When they pulled up to her apartment complex, Yoon-ah hesitated before unbuckling her seatbelt.

"You didn't have to walk me to my door," she said as they approached the building.

"Good thing I wanted to, then," Xander replied easily.

They stopped outside her door, the faint hum of traffic filling the silence. Yoon-ah shifted on her feet, her bag slung over one shoulder.

"Thanks for today," she said finally.

"Anytime," he replied, his smile warm but not overbearing.

As the moment stretched, Yoon-ah felt her pulse quicken. She wasn't used to this—being this close to someone, letting them into her space. When Xander leaned in slightly, she froze, her breath catching.

The kiss, when it came, was soft and unhurried, his lips brushing hers in a way that felt both deliberate and tentative. It wasn't overwhelming, but it wasn't forgettable either.

When he pulled back, his gaze searched hers for a reaction.

"Goodnight, Yoon-ah," he said quietly, stepping away before she could process what had just happened.

She stood there for a long moment after he left, her fingers brushing her lips. The kiss had left her confused, her emotions a tangled mess of fear, curiosity, and something she couldn't quite name.

Why had she let him kiss her? And more importantly, why did she want him to do it again?