𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 ~ T. Nichols

Take a Right

A/n~ I'm an emotional wreck after this chapter.

The dojo was filled with the sound of heavy breathing and the rhythmic thud of bodies hitting the mat as the students pushed through their burpees. Theo's chest felt like it was on fire, each rep a reminder of the tension that hung in the air. He could feel the eyes of Johnny, Elise, and Kreese drilling into them, demanding answers about the incident at Miyagi-Do.

"This could all be over in an instant. The decision's yours," Johnny said, his voice cutting through the noise. There was a hardness in his gaze, a warning that he wouldn't tolerate any nonsense.

Elise stepped forward, her expression fierce. "Who trashed the Miyagi dojo?"

Johnny continued, his tone steady but with an edge. "Y'all know I'm no fan of LaRusso's, but that sort of bullshit we don't teach in here," he glanced at Kreese. "At least not anymore. So, I'm gonna ask you again. Who trashed Miyagi-Do?"

Chubs spoke up, his voice shaky. "It was not me, Sensei. I would never disrespect another man's dojo..."

"Shut your cake hole, Chubs. We're not looking for excuses. We're looking for answers," Elise snapped, her frustration palpable.

Theo gritted his teeth, his gaze fixed on Kreese and Hawk, who stood with a smug look on their faces. His bandaged hands throbbed with pain, a reminder of the conflict that had unfolded the night before. The memory of Daniel's hurt and anger lingered in his mind, fueling his own.

Miguel chimed in, trying to defuse the situation. "Sensei, we really don't know who did it."

Kreese leaned forward, his voice low and menacing. "Somebody knows something. Question is, who's gonna break?"

Theo could feel the pressure mounting, the tension in the room thickening. He clenched his fists, resisting the urge to lash out. He remembered the camaraderie they had built, the lessons they had learned together, and how quickly that could be shattered by Kreese's influence.

Johnny crossed his arms, his expression unwavering. "Keep going. We can do this all day."

As the phone rang in the office, the tension in the dojo momentarily broke. Johnny shot a nod to Elise and walked off to answer it, leaving the students to catch their breath. Mitch piped up, "Sensei, we need a water break," trying to ease the weight of the moment.

"Two-minute break," Kreese barked, his tone sharp but not unkind. The students hurriedly moved toward their water bottles, and Theo felt a sense of relief wash over him. He caught Tory's eye and smiled slightly, grateful for her presence as she approached him.

"Are you sure you can do this?" she asked, concern etched on her face as she rubbed his bandaged hands gently.

"I'm fine," he replied, though the throb in his hands begged to differ. He didn't want to show weakness, especially with the looming presence of his grandfather nearby. He watched them from the corner of his eye, narrowing his gaze.

Suddenly, Johnny and Elise emerged from the office, both dressed in casual clothes. Their faces held a mixture of emotions—something serious had clearly transpired behind closed doors. Elise motioned for Theo to come over.

"What's up?" he asked, sensing the urgency in her tone.

"You're in pain, so I'm pulling you out," she said, her voice firm but caring.

Theo opened his mouth to protest, but Elise placed her hands on his shoulders, grounding him. "I always wanted you to meet my old Cobra Kai buddies, and we're getting together like old times. Our buddy Tommy, he's..."