Fear in Two Ways

YOUMIN

"Taeya?"

His eyes flash open from under the darkness of his cap. I blink at him, while he pushes his hat down lower.

"Are you okay?"

And he seems more loose, too. I'd almost got him twice— during the last hour we'd been training. And it was impossible to usually catch him off like that.

"Yeah. Focus."

I stop worrying by the time he knocks me off my feet again.

"Ah."

"Up." He motions, and I can't help but notice the shadows under his deep set eyes— only get deeper. "You lost your balance."

I plant my feet into the ground.

We exchange a few hits back and forth, but he sweeps my legs out from underneath me and I go toppling on the mat.

"You're not concentrating, Youmin. Concentrate."

I can't concentrate because of him.

"Y-Yeah, sorry."

And I'm about to shuffle back up the most unexpected thing happens.

He collapses onto me.