IRON FISTS || Axel Kovacevic

III - Between Lines

chapter 3: Between Lines

Jisoo entered the room with a quiet push of the door, her eyes scanning the space with an instinctive wariness. She'd been on edge all day—the opening ceremony, the displays of strength, the overwhelming tension that had built up between her team and the others. But now, with the noise of the lobby and hallways behind her, she was greeted by an unexpected stillness.

The room was dimly lit, the yellow glow of a single lamp casting long shadows against the walls. The beds were neatly made, the room sparse in the way hotel rooms always were—functional, but devoid of personality. And sitting on one of the beds, her back slightly hunched, was Tory. Jisoo couldn't help but notice how the other girl wasn't her usual self. Normally, Tory's sharp features and confident posture made her seem like she could take on anything that came her way. But tonight, she sat with a slight tension in her shoulders, her gaze unfocused and distant.

Jisoo stopped in the doorway, a hesitant frown curling the edges of her lips. She wasn't one to be overly concerned with the moods of others. The team had their purpose, and they all had their roles to play, but something about the way Tory was sitting, the way her hands fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, made Jisoo pause.

Her brow furrowed, unsure of how to approach. She wasn't exactly good at this sort of thing—comforting people wasn't her strong suit. She wasn't sure if it was because she'd never had anyone comfort her growing up, or if it was simply because she didn't have the patience for it. But there was something in the air, something off-kilter that made her step into the room and gently close the door behind her.

"What's wrong?" Jisoo asked, her voice lower than usual, guarded but laced with an undertone of curiosity.

Tory's head didn't lift at first. She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, her gaze still trained on the floor as if it held some secret she couldn't escape. It wasn't like Tory to look this vulnerable. The walls Tory had built around herself were usually thick, impenetrable, much like Jisoo's. So why did it feel like the cracks were starting to show now, in this quiet hotel room?

Tory's lips parted, as if she might say something, but no words came out. She lifted her head slowly, her eyes briefly meeting Jisoo's before quickly looking away again. The reluctance was palpable. It was clear that whatever was bothering her, she wasn't ready to share.

Jisoo shifted uncomfortably on her feet, a little out of her depth. She'd never been great at prying, but this—this felt different. She couldn't just walk away. It wasn't about being kind or nice. It was because they were teammates, and Jisoo understood the silent bond that tied them together. It was about respect. And in this moment, Jisoo could tell that Tory was struggling in a way that wasn't about physical endurance or competition—it was something else.

"Does it have something to do with the american dojo?" Jisoo asked, the question coming out before she'd fully thought it through. Her eyes narrowed slightly, studying Tory's body language. She'd seen how Tory interacted with the members of Miyagi-Do before—how her expressions tightened when they were brought up in conversation. It wasn't a stretch to make the connection.

At the mention of the dojo, Tory's head snapped up, her expression suddenly alert. The vulnerability disappeared in an instant, replaced by a sharpness that reminded Jisoo of the old Tory, the one who kept her emotions buried beneath layers of armor.

"How'd you know?" Tory's voice was tight, almost defensive, as if the question itself was a challenge.

Jisoo shrugged, her lips curling into a faint smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm observant. People don't always say what they mean, but you can tell when something's eating at them."