Seulgi woke up earlier that Monday, to run around the block and warm up for the exercise late in the afternoon. Not even half an hour and she was already exhausted.

“Oh God, I'm so tired.” She said, when she got back home.

“Well, good morning to you.” 

“Sorry, Yerim. Good morning.” She patted her head.

“You shouldn't go that hard so soon. You just got back to the dojo.”

“I know, I know.” She was just stubborn. ”It's just for today, I promise.”

“All right. Yerim, finish your breakfast so we can go.”

“I'm already finished.” She said, with full of food and heading to the bathroom.

Seulgi spent the morning and the afternoon studying the katas. Watching videos and taking notes on them, besides everything she already had. She even studied more for the first two exams that she had a while ago. She passed them, yes. But she still had a lot to learn.

She took the bus, and got there earlier to talk with the Sensei about her warm ups. He said she doesn't need to do any other activity during the days they had class, but she could for sure do something else between these days. And to take it easy with the stretches, working carefully without trying to take more than she could. “Don't push yourself too hard.”

Class started, the Dojo Kun went well. Seulgi didn't have to say the rules by herself this time. During the warm up she very much tried to ignore Sooyoung and to not to look at her, but she could feel her eyes on her body during the stretches, and Seulgi had to look back. But, instead of looking away when she got caught, Sooyoung only locked eyes and kept staring at her with a smirk on her face.

What a weird girl she was. It pissed Seulgi off.

The students were lined up by the belts, Seulgi was in the second line, other two dudes by her side, four students behind them, and two white belts in the back. Sooyoung was in front of her, with the other three students in the same line. “Today we are training katas and we will practice their individual movements. Seulgi, you go in the line of the white belts so they can look at you.”

Seulgi bowed and walked between them, someone scoffed at the front, and the Sensei immediately stared at Sooyoung until she apologized and straightened her back. Seulgi tilted her head, getting in position, wondering if the fact that the Sensei wanted her to be an example to the others to follow was funny. “Alright, one count one movement.”

And there they went, 21 counts and 21 Kyodos (movements). That was the first kata, the Heian Shodan. It had two different stances, two different attacks, and three different defenses. Seulgi did everything correctly, guiding the white belts who were struggling a little. “Now one count, two movements. Except for Tetsui and Oi Zuki, do it all together.”

The Tetsui was a little 'hammer' you needed to pull and throw. As if someone was holding your arm, you pull it back, and hit them on the collarbone/neck. And then you attack again with a punch.

“Now, fast! I want every movement to be precise, I want to hear your uwagi hitting the air through your punches. I'll only count the start, you'll go on with your time.”

Seulgi wasn't the first to end it. She knew the exact time to do the kata. She knew the movements, she knew how to do it, how to start and how to finish. She was focused on her own, but her eyes got distracted for a second when she caught, from the side of her eye, that Sooyoung forgot to do the Tetsui and shook her head in disappointment. Seulgi scoffed, seeing Sooyoung waving her right arm around as if her member was the one to blame.

“All right…” Dominic had a serious look on his eyes. “White belts, come here with me and I'll correct your steps. Keep practicing the katas until the Tekki Shodan. But if the kata is not what you're supposed to train for your exam, then you may sit and rest.”

Seulgi hated that, she knew it, why would she stay out instead of practicing? “Can I…”

“Yes, Seulgi. You can stay until the end.”

Good, that's what Seulgi wanted. They followed the katas as they did with the first one. One count, one movement, then two, then the whole thing. Seulgi didn’t understand how Sooyoung was so good at sparring, but so bad at katas, when they're literally the basis for fights.

Seulgi did the Tekki Shodan better than Sooyoung. The one she needed to perform for her next belt exam (because Sooyoung was on the 4th Kyu), to the brown.

The belts of the ISKF (International Federation), are pretty confusing. But here's a list you can follow: 9th Kyu – White Belt, Kata (to learn for next belt) – Heian Shodan; 8th Kyu – Yellow Belt, Kata (to learn for next belt) – Heian Nidan; 7th Kyu – Orange Belt, Kata (to learn for next belt) – Heian Sandan; 6th Kyu – Green Belt, Kata (to learn for next belt) – Heian Yondan; 5th Kyu – Purple Belt, Kata (to learn for next belt) – Heian Godan; 4th Kyu  – Purple Belt, Kata (to learn for next belt) – Tekki Shodan; 3rd Kyu – Brown Belt, Kata (to learn for next belt) – Bassai Dai; 2nd Kyu – Brown Belt, Kata – Students must select Bassai Dai, Jion, Kanku Dai or Enpi (Empi). However, some schools use only Bassai Dai for this level. 1st Kyu – Brown Belt, Black Belt Kata test has a lot of requirements, and then you go from 1st Dan Black Belt, until the 10th Dan. Tha