𝙎𝙣𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙚 {𝙏𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙨}

𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮

The atmosphere outside the arena buzzed with a mixture of nervous energy and anticipation. Miguel was shadowboxing furiously in a corner, his fists flying through the air as he tried to exorcise the frustration that had been building up ever since his breakup with Sam the previous week. Zeke, leaning against a bench with the other Cobra Kai students, kept his eyes on Hawk, his emotions simmering beneath the surface. He hadn't yet fully dealt with the whole Moon situation, but he knew this wasn't the time to let it all out.

Zeke glanced over at Miguel, noting how intensely his friend was training.

"Yo, Miguel, calm down, man," Zeke said, trying to keep the mood light. "Save some for the tournament."

Aisha, who was stretching nearby, rolled her eyes. "Hey, don't even bother. He's been super aggro ever since the breakup."

Zeke sighed. "I also got broken up with, but you don't see me doing that."

Hawk, trying to change the subject, glanced around. "Well, where's sensei? The tournament's gonna start soon."

"He'll be here," Aisha replied confidently.

But Bert, a small blonde kid who wasn't exactly the most intimidating member of Cobra Kai, suddenly spoke up. "I don't know about that."

Aisha frowned, turning to him. "What are you talking about?"

Bert shuffled awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable being the bearer of bad news. "I saw him last night at the mini mall. I was buying... a carton of milk, when I heard him in the parking lot, yelling."

Zeke, his irritation mounting, asked, "Well, why didn't you tell us this earlier?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm just so used to seeing him drunk, it didn't seem like that big a deal," Bert admitted with a shrug.

Hawk's eyes widened in alarm. "Well, we're here, and he's not. So it's officially a big deal."

Aisha's worry started to show. "What if something happened to him?"

Bert, still trying to play it cool, asked, "Like what?"

"I don't know," Hawk said, his voice tinged with panic. "Like he drove his car off a cliff, or he bought a gun and blew his brains out."

Aisha quickly shook her head. "No, sensei would never off himself. It's too pussy a move."

Zeke crossed his arms, trying to maintain some composure. "Whatever. I mean, we're here. We're gonna have to do it without him."

But just as the tension reached its peak, a familiar voice cut through the room.

"Do what without me?" Johnny said, stepping into the locker room.

The group visibly relaxed, and Aisha was the first to speak. "Sensei!"

Hawk, still a bit shaken, admitted, "We didn't think you were gonna show up."

Johnny, ever the steadfast leader, reassured them. "I may not always win, but I never back out of a fight."

Miguel, visibly relieved, grinned. "Great. Let's sign up."

But Johnny raised a hand to stop him. "Not yet."

As the group made their way inside the tournament venue, Johnny led them to a small side area where they gathered in a tight circle. To Zeke's surprise, his father, Michael, approached the group, looking every bit as composed and strong as he always did.

"Hey, Dad," Zeke greeted him with a nod.

Michael nodded back, acknowledging both his son and Johnny. "Ezekiel, Johnny."