Beneath the Surface // Moonsun

Chapter 20

Byulyi POV

"I told you to stop leaning in so much when you punch. You're leaving the entire left side of your body open."

Yongsun rolls her eyes into the back her head obviously not taking my criticisms seriously enough. Otherwise we could've had a break an hour ago.

Today's lesson began at the break of dawn when the sun had barely crested over the ocean and my plan was to dump a glass of ice water on her head to wake her up. Unfortunately, she had been perched on the edge of her bed, already dressed and apparently expectant of my arrival in the morning. Maybe she heard my conversation with Krystal last night, she seemed unsurprised by the glass in my hand.

"So kind of you to bring me a glass of water in the morning, Byulyi," she smirked. "Is this an apology for being a dick?"

I may have dumped the water on her lap anyway. Can't remember, it's a little blurry, but that might be why she's in such a fucking mood. She begins to aggressively redo the set of punches and jabs I had demonstrated earlier into the air a few feet in front of me and I'm sure she's thinking of my face as she does it.

From somewhere she'd found a pair of Wheein's baggy sweatpants and an even baggier graphic t-shirt that she'd half-tucked in. It's an utterly unflattering outfit that droops off of her frame like clothes on a hanger and yet it doesn't affect her attractiveness.

"Alright stop." I finally say and she drops her arms in relief. Sweat already beads from her hairline in the cool morning air. "Now, we're going to do some practical training. I want you to come at me and try to get a punch in."

Yongsun groans a bit, but doesn't say anything. I relax my body into an unassuming stance, allowing my arms to hang at my sides. After becoming the boss, I don't get the chance or the motivation to exercise like this as much as I should. Maybe I do rely on my gun too much.

She's slow as she steps up towards me, weight shifted to her left, back foot in a defense stance. The point of her shoe digs into dew-moist grass.

"You're attacking me, not the other way around. Shift that weight forward." She hesitates, looking down and frowning at her footwork. I sigh. "Stop. Lemme fix you."

Yongsun stays frozen as I walk towards her, first digging my fingers into her jawbone and dragging her chin towards her collarbone. "Chin down always." Pressing my hand into the fabric guarding her stomach, I push into her abdomen and she gasps into my ear. "Tighten here, otherwise a punch to the gut will take you down before a bullet can."

Last night's events flash through my mind at the touch and I take a step back, letting my hand drop in what I hope is a casual manner. The deep scowl puffing out her cheeks says otherwise.

"I'm more of a 'go-with-the-flow,' self-preservering type of girl."

"Right." I nod seriously, looking into her eyes. "The kind of girl that dies within the first year of being in a gang."

"Let's hope so for the both of us." She spits.

I barely contain my flinch. "Don't say shit like that Yongsun," I snap back at her, suddenly angry. "You don't know what it means to die."

Her lips twist into a scowl. "And you do?"

"I've seen a lot of death. Don't convince yourself that it's self-contained to just you. It's not." Yongsun doesn't respond, only stares contemplatively at me and wipes damp strands of hair from her face. "Take a break."

She heaves a sigh that seems half-relief, half-annoyance and turns her back on me as she sulks back into the lighthouse. The woman needs a friend. Anyone under a stressful situation like this would be on edge, but this isn't the occupation to have a death wish for.