Day 7

Afternoon

“Take a breath, Zack.” Erin was trying to calm her fellow student from Gumiho, but despite being out of breath he was trying to blurt out a jumbled mess of a story. None of which made sense, because he was so out of breath.

Finally Eun-ha arrived with a glass of water for Zack, and he stopped to drink it, far quicker than he should have. The next thing he did surprised her, because she didn’t think he still needed it. Zack pulled his puffer out of a pocket, breathing in a blast of the contents.

When Zack first started at Gumiho, he had really bad asthma. With training and breathing exercises he had found ways to prevent most flare ups, and control them in the rare cases they did occur. The fact it was flaring up again was telling. She couldn’t help but wonder what else she missed in the week she hadn’t been to the dojang.

Once his breathing settled, Zack started from the beginning.

A Short While Earlier

When the door chime went off at Gumiho Dojang, Ryu Jin-soo once again felt a pang of disappointment that it was not Moon Ye-rin coming back. She was such a talented student, but also so troubled. Her past haunted her, and he feared that she would not be able to find the balance she needed to become the truly talented martial artist she had the potential to be.

That disappointment was overridden by the irritation of who had entered his place of study. The faces differed each time, but the jean vests with the stylized DN on the left breast were always the same. A gang of thugs who kept asking about Erin. Even if Erin were in the back room right now, Jin-soo would not betray his student. “Have you come to seek honour, respect, and inner peace?” He asked in his teaching voice.

“Nah old man, we don’t want your kung fu shit.” The lead man said. He was much taller than the others, towering over Jin-soo by at least two heads. He had brown shoulder-length hair, no mustache or beard, and wore relaxed shorts with his jean vest, but no shirt under that vest. The man’s muscles bulged almost unnaturally with every movement or breath.

Jin-soo was the picture of serenity, not letting the comment get to him. “We teach the traditional art of Taekwondo here, embodying all that stands for. You will not find any of your kung fu shit, as you say, here.”

“Jesus old man, I didn’t think you knew how to swear. I’m kinda impressed. Now I’ll be doubly impressed if you get that little chink bitch out here to have a discussion.”

Inwardly Jin-soo bristled at the racial epithet. As if the word wasn’t ignorant enough, but to not even use it in reference to the intended culture just made these men look stupid. Though he was not a violent man, these children needed a lesson in manners, but this new System wouldn’t permit him to act first.

“I will not permit disrespect of that nature in my dojang.” Jin-soo’s voice was firm as he looked the man in the eyes, despite the height difference, “You will return once the seven day window has expired, and learn proper respect. Until then, return to your master and repeat what I have said before. She is not here.”

It was at this moment that Jin-soo had to watch helplessly as things went horribly wrong. While two of the gang members tried to rip mounted display weapons from a wall, two of Jin-soo’s more brash students decided this was their opportunity to act. He knew their opinions of these men. In hindsight, he should have sent them to the back the second the gang walked in, but hindsight was always too late.

He reached with utter futility towards them as they each struck out at a target. The second their attacks connected, they were frozen in the same blue energy field he had seen members of this gang encased in before. Catching him off guard in the moment, the lead gang member had his large fist wrapped around Jin-soo’s right forearm before he could act, and he was strong.

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The large, full-toothed and very feral grin the man gave sent a shiver down the seventy-two year old man’s spine the likes of which he hadn’t felt since his youth. This man wasn’t just dangerous, he was psychotic enough to enjoy it.

Leaning in, that grin still on his face, the man said, “I am their master.” Then he snapped his fingers. The two men who had been attacked each grabbed one of his frozen students' heads from behind, twisting violently. The snapping sound would have been enough to cause spirit crushing emotional pain, if at the same moment the man hadn’t squeezed with enough strength to snap his forearm like it was a dry twig. His dead students were quickly forgotten in favor of his own pain.

Without any further preamble, Jin-soo was unceremoniously dragged from the dojang. His feet unable to maintain cadence, he tripped and fell. The monstrous man didn’t even miss a step as he continued to drag the now limp Sabom out the door. “I’ll teach you about respect, old man.”

Now

Mrs. McGibbons House

“We didn’t know what to do.” Zack hung his head, the defeat evident in every movement of his body, “The police can’t do anything, none of us are skilled enough to take on that monster, but…” His gaze looked at her expectantly, hopeful, “We’ve heard rumors. People have been talking about the girl who annihilated some thugs. It sounded ridiculous at first, but the more descriptions of you we heard, the less sure we were that it was all made up.”

“I don’t think I can fight him either, Zack…” His face fell as she said, “Not yet, anyway.”

“What…I don’t understand?”

“Tomorrow, just before noon, this assessment period is going to end. When that does, I’ll gain full access to the abilities I defeated those thugs with.” Zack’s face was a mix of hope and disappointment. On one hand, she might have the strength to get Sabom Ryu back. On the other hand, that was more than half a day away. Who knew what the gang would do to him between now and then.

“You can’t go.” This time it was Noah who spoke up, but she saw her mom nodding out of the corner of her eye, “I mean..uhh..what I mean is…it’s a trap…probably.” Noah’s head dropped, lacking the confidence to meet anyone’s gaze and appearing embarrassed at voicing this thought.

“Who the hell are you!?” Zack’s outburst startled Noah, and he cowered back in fear.

Erin jumped between them, matching Zack’s anger with the confidence and strength of will she had used to defeat him in sparring countless times. “Back off Zack, Noah is a good kid with a smart head on his shoulders, but he’s not a fighter. He’s a friend, and I will kick your ass if you think you can intimidate him into silence.”

Everyone in the room was surprised at Erin’s outburst, but none more so than herself. She wasn’t an overly confrontational person. Something about Noah’s fear jump started protective instincts in her, like an older sibling protecting their kid brother.

“I…” Zack backed off, looking properly chastised, “I’m sorry. It’s just…I don’t know what to do.”

“Don’t apologize to me.” Erin gestured to Noah, who was still cowering on the other side of her.

“I’m sorry, Noah. You’re right, it probably is a trap.”

Noah slowly stepped out from behind Erin and said, “I think we should message Logan.”

Zack looked at them funny, having no idea who they were talking about.

“Deputy Alvarez.” Erin clarified, “Noah, can you message him. Tell him we need him here ASAP.”

When Deputy Alvarez, Logan, arrived a short while later he didn’t knock. He burst through the door and blurted out, “Is Erin alright? I mean is everyone alright?”

Erin, for her part, looked surprised first, then blushed, then turned to hide the blush as she fought to make it go away. Her thoughts jumbled as she tried to understand why he would ask about her wellbeing specifically.

Mrs. McGibbons wasn’t one to let things go though, “Aww, that’s cute. He’s worried about you Erin. You two would make an adorable couple.”

Erin’s face managed to turn even redder, but she was soon joined by Logan as his cheeks turned a rosy tan.”

It was Eun-ha who saved the day this time, “Oh, leave the kids alone. Everyone here is fine, Logan. Grab a seat and we’ll fill you in.”

“Y-yeah, okay.” It was the first time Erin had seen Logan flustered. Her own mind betrayed her as she thought He’s actually kinda cute like that. The problem was that the thought was so foreign to her, she didn’t notice her mother trying to hand her a drink. When she finally tuned into reality, everyone was staring at her, reigniting her burning cheeks.

Taking the proffered cup, she said, “Thanks Eomma.” Then tried to sink as far into the couch as she could. Thankfully Mrs. McGibbons started the conversation off, and Zack relayed the story he had given before, with Logan asking questions as they went. Quickly bringing the Deputy up to speed.