NETIZEN

MAD GENERATION

Three years ago

 Seoul, Hongdae

"There is a school education, and there is a school of life."

Hye Mi was discovering how little she knew what life was. She had lived in a plastic bag like those you get when you win a goldfish in a fair. The bag had burst, and now she wiggled on the floor, trying to find her way to the water.

Shy Hye Mi spent her life hiding behind her family members, who were her fortress. There was no longer a wall between her and the world; she had to learn to fend for herself.

"So the guy grabs you from behind. What do you do?"

"I step hard on his foot; I elbow him as many times necessary and as hard as I can."

Hye Mi enrolled in a new school. One where her instructor and mentor taught her how to survive. Every day, she went to Jared's hideout, which was more significant than she thought. Jared installed what one could regard as sports training facilities. The teenage girl wondered how he smuggled all the equipment on campus without being noticed.

"For the moment, your punches feel like being attacked by cotton candy. So we'll be focusing on your legs with kicks. I teach you the foot sweeps I know.

"For your stature and weight, what's important is for you to knock your opponents down as quickly as possible, especially when they are many. Also, you have to learn to use the surrounding space, including the walls which you can use to rebound," explained the Jedi Master.

It sounded so surreal, yet Jared was stern, and the 6.8miles he forced her to run daily proved the man took his mission seriously.

"You need to have endurance and to take punches," Jared said.

Push-ups, pull-ups, and boxing Hye Mi had a Rocky Balboa workout plan.

"오빠 [oppa=big brother], please, it's enough," Hye Mi begged.

"Did you just say op-pa?"

"Yeah, are you glad?"Hye Mi said with a smile.

"No-no, my parents thought about what name to give me thoroughly. I don't want to be any Oppa. And don't use that tone of voice. You are giving goosebumps."

"How about orabeoni?"

"Ya, we're not in some Joseon era flick. Jared will do. Call me Jared; never call a man Oppa unless he is your brother. I mean, we were in 2014; Korean women should free themselves from those traditions. If the guy's name is Gyeong Lee Gwon, call him by his name. Guys who like that are machos who want to be venerated."

"You look Korean, but you don't sound it," Hye Mi said, sitting up.

"I love my Korean heritage, but I can't stand to see women in modern times, giving every guy around an op-pa and pretending to be like weak tofu jelly."

Jared was right about how she could think of calling a man other than her brother that way. But Jared was playing substitute; he told her not to lean on him. Yet, she slouched on him unconsciously.

"Hey, Hye Mi, the interlude is over; it's time for sit-ups," Jared said. He grabbed her ankles to hold them down.

This sports practice helped the girl who had steam to blow off. Hye had something to do a mission to accomplish. She cooled her mind on the sandbag and the Wing Chun training wooden dummy.

As the days went by, what seemed impossible at first became routine. People wouldn't believe the fragile asthmatic girl who would spend hours locked up in her room would have so many resources. But she was driven by her will to become stronger. The intense training was paying off.