Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
╚══════════════════════════════════════. ■ .╝
THE CAR ROLLED TO A STOP OUTSIDE KWON'S APARTMENT COMPLEX. The once-vibrant chatter of the ride home had long since faded into silence. Being the last to be dropped off, the boy took a moment, his hand resting on the seatbelt buckle, hesitant to leave the brief sanctuary of the vehicle.
Sensei Kim glanced at him from the driver's seat, her sharp gaze softened just slightly, though her posture remained as rigid as ever. "Kwon," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Before you go... do you want me to take you to the hospital?"
Kwon's head tilted slightly, his brows knitting together. He hadn't expected her to bring it up, but then again, Kim Da-eun seemed to know everything. His grandmother had been in the hospital for weeks now, her condition a constant weight on his mind. The idea of facing her frailty right now, after everything, felt unbearable.
"No, it's fine," he muttered, shaking his head. "I'll go tomorrow. I just... I need to crash for a bit. That's all."
Kim studied him for a moment longer, her gaze piercing yet not unkind. "It's not weakness to want to rest," she said, her tone unusually understanding. "But remember, time waits for no one, Jae-sung. Make sure you don't waste what little you have with her."
He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. There was a tightness in his chest he didn't quite know how to shake.
The woman leaned back in her seat, shifting the conversation. "Your training," she began, her tone sharpening. "Almost one week from now, we'll be in Barcelona. The Sekai Taikai is not just another tournament—it's the tournament. This is your chance to prove yourself. To start over."
"I know," Kwon said quietly, his jaw tightening. "I won't fail."
"You can't afford to fail," she corrected, her voice like steel. "This is bigger than you. Bigger than all of us. You've worked hard, but the question is whether you can focus. Eliminate distractions."
Her words hung heavy in the air. Kwon swallowed, knowing exactly what she meant. He nodded, though his mind wandered briefly to y/n—the thought of her made his resolve waver just slightly. He quickly shoved it down.
Sensei Kim's voice softened just a fraction, breaking through his thoughts. "Life isn't always about winning, but it is about knowing what you care for and protecting it. Whatever—or whoever—that may be."
Kwon's brows furrowed as he looked at her, confused by the cryptic turn of her advice. "What are you talking about?"
Da-eun didn't answer directly, her expression giving nothing away. "Figure it out," she said simply, gesturing toward the door. "Now go. Rest. Train. And focus."
