Chapter 1

“Listen sunshine, I just think you should get back into something you enjoyed and gave you purpose!” Jongdae huffs, giving you an exasperated look as you focus on slurping the remains of your frappuccino through your twisty straw.

“You need to socialise more, get out and do stuff and not hole yourself up in your room,” Jongdae hisses, leaning in and snatching your empty cup from your hand and putting it on the tray sitting on the table between you.

“You think that getting back to kicking and grappling people is going to help me socialise?” You ask, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s better than nothing,” your friend replies, rolling his eyes. He gets up, taking his bag and nodding towards the exit of the coffee shop. You sigh and grab your own things, following him back into the library.

Quite frankly, staying up in your room is very comfortable. There’s things to watch, books to read, writing to be done. All sorts of perfectly acceptable activities. Just because you’re currently in a little slump doesn’t mean you’ll be there forever and not being around people is not always a bad thing.

However, you know that Jongdae is still just looking out for you and you would be lying if you said that the thought of going back to training didn’t excite you even a little bit. In fact, you may have already looked up the university clubs and their joining requirements, but Jongdae doesn’t need to know that.

~~~

The first time you enter the class, you’re nervous. It’s been over two years since you’ve worn your dobok, but the uniform feels familiar. You fidget a bit with your water bottle before you find a comfortable place on the ground to sit and wait for the class to begin. Everyone seems friendly enough and, after a quick chat about what your level and goals are, the teacher is more than eager to help you get back into it.

However, you know trouble when you see it and this time you sense it as soon as it enters the dojang.

He’s wearing the same uniform as you and everyone else, but the difference is that instead of the green belt that’s tied around your waist, he has a black one. His dark hair is neat and soft looking, almost falling over his eyes and his shoulders look broad and sturdy even in the unflattering clothing.

Like being called to, his eyes immediately fall to you and he meets your curious look. You stiffen, his gaze is dark and piercing, as if he’s sizing you up.

You immediately look away from the newcomer and back to the teacher, who is moving to the front, signalling for everyone to get ready.

All students settle into position and you focus on the warm up, trying your best to keep up and not be in anyone’s way. You fall back into a familiar pattern, albeit slightly less enthusiastically as you start on the crunches. It’s been years since you had last pushed yourself like this and you can definitely feel it.

By the time you are starting to pair up with partners, you are already panting, completely forgotten about the mysterious black belt guy.

That is, until you find yourself face to face with him.

“Baekhyun is my assistant here, since you’re new, you’ll be with paired with him,” your teacher speaks, appearing on your side as you nod dumbly. “He’ll look after you.” Mr Han smiles at you fatherly and pats you on the back quickly, before he makes his rounds through the rest of the students, making sure everyone is in position.

You look at your partner and you notice him staring at you, looking you up and down slowly, scrutinizing.

You’re still panting slightly, a little embarrassed that so little could tire you out, but you clear your throat before speaking.

“Hi,” you greet, nodding towards him and giving him your name quickly.

He just nods back and grabs the kicking pads from the ground next to him as per the teacher’s instructions.

It feels a bit rude, but you give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he’s just shy.

You start with some crescent kicks while Baekhyun firmly holds the pads, giving you the counts in time with the teacher. His voice is low and soft, almost drowned in the loud sounds of skin hitting the leather pads across the room.

Even though your movements are slow and sometimes a bit sloppy, at the end of the round you’re happy and slightly exhilarated that you remember it all. The adrenaline coursing through your veins making you smile under your nose in content.

You take the pads from Baekhyun to hold for his round as you watch him get in position.

Maybe it’s showing on your face, but you’re a bit nervous holding kicking pads for a black belt, but you it up knowing that precisely because he is a black belt, it’s safest to be partnered with him.

“I’ll go easy on you, don’t worry.” His low voice startles you, making your eyes snap up to his.

Your blood is already beginning to boil from his tone, but then he smirks. It’s patronising as hell, but also a little bit hot, making you livid.

You officially hate this guy.

~~~~

“And then he smirked at me, Jongdae, can you believe what kind of an he is?!” You huff, angrily stomping the table with your coffee cup. “I hate him so much.”

Jongdae is sitting across you, eyebrows raised as he sips from his iced coffee. You stare at him, waiting for some sort of response.

He finally sets his drink on the table between you and leans in slightly, playing with the straw as he looks at you.

“When are you going back?”

“Tonight.”

“Uh-un,” he replies, taking a sip from his coffee again,

“What? What does that mean?” You ask, nudging his hand repeatedly.

“All I’m getting from this is that there’s a hot guy that managed to immediately get under your skin and you’re into it.” Jongdae replies, a eating grin spreading on his face.

“He’s not hot!” You hiss loudly, before taking a big gulp of your coffee, scalding your tongue and throat in the process.

Jongdae raises his eyebrows at you in a very questioning manner and you sigh, rolling your eyes.

“Fine, maybe he is a little bit.” You concede. “But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s an . And I’m so not into it.”

“Maybe,” Jongdae replies, still looking completely unconvinced. “Let me know how it goes today, just try not to punch him in the face, it’d be waste.”

You grunt at your friend’s teasing, throwing the paper from your straw at him and hitting him in the forehead.

He clicks his tongue at you, before he starts whining in exasperation from your antics.

~~~

Trying not to punch Baekhyun in the face proves to be a little hard when you find yourself faced with him again.

Even though it was just a warm up, the teacher already pushed you a little bit harder today and you’re panting a bit. Meanwhile, Baekhyun looks as lax as ever, despite the fact that he clearly did a lot more physical than you.

You are dying to give him a good whack to the pretty face.

Because his face is pretty, in fact, paired with the dark semi-hidden eyes under his black locks, it’s almost distractingly so. Today his hair is parted a little and despite the evenness of his breath, there’s a little bit of perspiration gathered on his forehead, making his bangs slightly damp.

You purse your lips and tighten your hold on the kicking pads in your hands.

After a few rounds, you’re starting to get tired, but you keep pushing through. You think you’re doing well until, during one of your spin kicks, you lose your footing, slip backwards and end up painfully dropping on your back with a groan, knocking the air out of your lungs.

Mr Han’s voice booms through the surrounding noise, asking if you’re okay, and you weakly give him a thumbs up as you try to shake off the stars from your vision.

“Take a break,” you hear a quiet voice.

Baekhyun sits on the ground next to you, placing your water between you. You move to sit up and even though you’re sure you can manage on your own, Baekhyun grabs your arm and pulls you up slowly.

“Don’t rush yet,” he says, letting go gently and handing you the water bottle. “We can continue in a moment.”

You nod wordlessly, slightly taken aback.

~~~

“So, now the problem is that he was nice?” Jongdae asks, confusion lacing his voice.

“Yes!” You hiss. “He can’t just do that to people out of the blue, it’s unfair.”

You’re finally at the front of the queue and you order your drinks. This time you go for a hot chocolate, because you really need something sweet to help with your mood and Jongdae decides to copy you, but with extra whip cream on top. When you move to the counter to wait for your treats he finally speaks again, continuing where you had left off.

“Can you even hear yourself?” He huffs, “The hot guy was nice to you and you’re making a fuss over it!”

“First of all, stop calling him ‘the hot guy’ and second - he’s just so frustrating, it’s not my fault!”

Jongdae gives you the biggest eye roll as his name is called out for your drinks.

“You’re unbelievable,” he mumbles.

“I heard that,” you say, grabbing your drink from his hand.

“You were meant to,” he snaps back, before he wraps his free arm around your shoulders shaking you lightly and making you laugh.

~~~

“Your form is good, but your core is weak.”

“I know, I’ve not trained in years.”

“When you move, you’re unstable, you need to exercise.”

“I’m already doing that.”

“Stretch more too, you’re too stiff.”

“I know, Baekhyun, we’re doing