It was slightly before 7pm and Taekwondo practice had ended an hour ago. The dirty dojang was now empty off its previous occupants, save for Hae Jin, who was the member on cleanup duty today.

Hae Jin let out the umpteenth frustrated sigh as he squeezed the floor rag dry and threw it on the dojang floor harder than needed.

“I’ll be watching you, Hae Jin. See you at practice.” 

School and taekwondo trainings had already started for 2 weeks, and Captain Ryu Hwan’s encouraging words in the infirmary was all that filled his mind these days. 

“I’ll be watching you, Hae Jin. See you at practice.” 

Words that were well-meaning and sincere, but probably not that literal. 

Words that had made him light-headed. 

Words that made him glance around the dojang during trainings, searching for the stoic Captain.

“I’ll be watching you, Hae Jin. See you at practice.” 

Was he? 

Was he watching me?

Hae Jin knew he respected the Captain deeply. In fact, he didn’t think he could respect him more than he did before entering the college. But watching the Captain direct the team with assuredness and lead the team by example, Hae Jin understood why the college had such a strong martial arts team. 

Won Ryu Hwan was strict.

Won Ryu Hwan knew the heights he wanted the team to scale.

But he was also compassionate and fair.

During the first week of training, the captain had berated a few newcomers for their tardy conduct in school. He had also called out a few senior members for their dismal academic performance. While warning them of a likely suspension from the team if they did not buck up, he suggested they attend practice twice instead of 4 times a week, at least until they had their college work sorted out. When senior Seo Sang Goo’s father had passed away abruptly in a work accident during the holidays, the captain made sure that at least one member of the team was around the senior. To help pick up the pieces with the senior who was left with a broken mother, and 4 distraught younger siblings. 

“Fight like you live, live like you fight.” 

Those were the first words he uttered to the assembled team.

To the stoic captain, martial arts practice extended beyond the ring. The heart of the fighter was equally as important as his body, and he wanted to protect that, as much as he could. 

If he thought he’d respected the Captain deeply before, Hae Jin was wrong. The respect now went beyond his fighting and artistic abilities. Won Ryu Hwan was a man of strength and compassion. 

Hae Jin wanted that. 

He wanted to grow into a great man, just like how he was sure Won Ryu Hwan would be in years to come.

And he would start now. 

With a new found determination, useless fangirl thoughts out of his system, and a floor rag in hand, Lee Hae Jin began mopping the sweat-stained dojang. 

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“Arasou, you have a good date night with Umma. What do you mean don’t touch the stove in the kitchen? That was only once! I didn’t know it would melt the package, I did as instructed. It said to boil the package in hot water. What? Aish, yes my future wife better be a better cook. Anyway, I don’t expect you to be back until much later, alright? Happy Anniversary, Appa.” 

Cheh, Ryu Hwan rolled his eyes while ending the call, grabbing his clean clothes from his shower locker.

Years ago, he left an aluminum wrapped instant dinner in a pot of boiling water, conveniently forgot about it, until the smoke alarm in the kitchen started to ring. After the incident of a melted pot and burnt dinner, his family members never let the memories of the incident go. This memory, forever brought up in family dinners as a topic of great humor, stuck to him like a shadow. Somehow, his parents felt that it was beyond important that they kept - in their words - his “feet on the ground, because everyone else is putting you on a pedestal”. 

Honestly, he appreciated the sentiment of his parents, he really did. 

But they didn’t have to sound so excessively proud of this mistake of his when narrating the tale to others, right? 

Sometimes he wondered what his parents were more proud of - his achievements or insignificant mundane blunders. 

Beep! 

Ryu Hwan quickly dressed himself before retrieving the incoming audio message from Hae Rang, which he quickly regretted opening.

“Hoi Captain, I heard from your dad. He pleaded with me to bring you out for dinner tonight after your practice, sorry babe, I gotta help my dad with the new coating for the electric guitars today. Will be at the shop till late. Just,... don’t burn your kitchen down, aye?” 

Between Lee Hae Rang and his parents, he definitely had a good head on his shoulders. 

‘Why am I still friends with you.’ Agitatedly, Ryu Hwan typed out the quick reply while packing up his Taewondo uniform. Within seconds, another audio message came in from the musician. 

“Must be the .” Hae Rang’s classic drawl filled the empty shower room. 

Ryu Hwan thanked the heavens that he was alone then. 

And for the millionth time, Ryu Hwan thanked the heavens again that Lee Hae Rang was a musician, despite having a gifted sense to be a fighter. 

If he was in the team, the world would be a mess, Ryu Hwan thought darkly, while exiting the showers, heading towards the main dojang hall. He knows too much. Ryu Hwan mentally shuddered at the thought of having the irate musician expose any of his best kept ‘secrets’. 

No one must know that the Captain can’t cook. 

-------

Ryu Hwan padded softly across the clean dojang, mentally reminding himself to commend the meticulous member on roster duty during the next session. Just as he was about to lock up the dojang, he spotted a feet peeping out from one of the room’s pillars. 

Walking forward to have a clearer look, Ryu Hwan had to stop the chuckle ready to leave his chest. 

There lay Hae Jin, the team’s newest talent, sleeping.

A sketch book strewn across his lap, pencil in hand, and slightly tanned face marred with some pencil marks - most definitely from his stained hands which were full of graphite. 

Lee Hae Jin. Nobody in the team would refute this, the seniors could tell. This innocent looking boy was going to be the team’s next best fighter. During the diagnostic rounds for newcomers, Ryu Hwan had arranged for a better senior fighter to test the younger boy. Just as he expected, Hae Jin did exceptionally well. If the fight continued for 5 more minutes, he knew Hae Jin would have won. Easily, at that. 

Who was Lee Hae Jin? 

Who taught him to fight with such discipline? 

Ryu Hwan remembered catching himself several times, trying to search for the brown haired boy during training, to study his form. As captain, he had to rule by fairness. Thus he took extra pains to ensure that every member had his attention, not only talented ones like Hae Jin. 

Breaking away from his thoughts, Ryu Hwan extended his hand to tap the sleeping boy’s cheek, which was gripped tightly right after the first tap by Hae Jin, who’s eyes were still closed. 

If not for his years of tireless training, he would have ended up on his back by now from Hae Jin’s quick defensive measures. Ryu Hwan blocked the younger boy’s leg sweep, stalling all further advances by bringing them into a leg lock. Hae Jin, now awake, could only stare up at him in surprise. 

Ryu Hwan allowed himself a small sly grin at the younger boy’s response while moving closer to whisper into his ear, “Is that me you’re drawing in the sketch book of yours?”