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AS HER TRAINING AT COBRA KAI CONTINUED, so did her life start to fracture in unseen ways... The arrangement with Kreese had seemed like a blessing at first, but now, it felt more like a double-edged sword. Her training fees were waived, and her meals were taken care of while her parents were away, each one balanced to meet the demands of her brutal regimen. He'd even secured her a gym membership for additional training, shared only with Kwon, a luxury exclusive to the captains of the dojang. But there was a cost—a promise to guarantee victory at the Sekai Taikai.
Failure wasn't an option.
Each time Kreese's cold eyes locked onto her during training, the weight of that deal bore down on her chest. It wasn't just about winning; it was about proving she deserved everything she was being given. Every punch, every kick, every bruise reminded her of the stakes.
But her promise to Kreese was only one thread in a tangled web of stress and deceit. Her parents had pulled her out of karate after that fight, going as far as to uproot their lives in Encino and move halfway across the world to Seoul. It was meant to be a fresh start, a clean break from the chaos Cobra Kai had brought into their lives.
In truth, their business-heavy schedules hadn't changed. They still traveled frequently, most of their operations scattered between Europe and the U.S., leaving her alone to fend for herself when they were away. While their absence gave her freedom to sneak off to the dojang, it also piled on responsibilities she wasn't ready for. Managing the house, making meals, keeping up with school—it was too much, but she didn't have a choice.
When her parents were home, the strain shifted. They didn't notice the bruises she painstakingly concealed with makeup or the exhaustion she tried to hide behind coffee-fueled mornings. Her gi and gear were stashed in her school locker, her gym bag hidden under piles of books. Every move had to be calculated, every excuse airtight.
The web tightened further when it came to her friends—or what was left of them. Aisha, her best friend since the beginning of her high school life, was still in Santa Cruz, living a vastly different life in private school. They used to talk all the time, but now, weeks passed without so much as a text. y/n told herself it was just life pulling them in different directions, but deep down, she knew Cobra Kai was the real reason.
Word of her enrollment in Master Kim's dojang spread fast. Students avoided her—some out of fear, others out of disdain. Jae-chul and his lackeys didn't even try to meet her eyes anymore, their bravado shattered after the beatdown she'd delivered. But while the bullies stayed away, the whispers grew louder.
