Unexpected Encounters

The cool night air brushed against Daewon's skin as he moved through his training routine, the quiet streets were offering him no distractions. It was late, almost too late for anyone to be out, but that was fine with Daewon. It was his time, his time to focus, his time to forget about everything else.

His usual training spot was hidden in a narrow alley, away from the busy city. He loved how the place felt like a sanctuary, a space where he could push himself to the limits and clear his mind. His breath came in steady puffs, his legs were burning as he ran in circles, pushing himself harder, faster.

It was during his cooldown, when he was stretching under the faint light of a nearby street lamp, that he saw Mr. Hwan. The old man had a way of showing up at the most unexpected times, though Daewon knew he often came when he was training. There was no real schedule to it, just the quiet understanding between them, and that Mr. Hwan would offer advice when he saw Daewon in need.

Tonight, Mr. Hwan was leaning against a brick wall in the alley, his arms were folded across his chest, his usual calm presence was present. Daewon then wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood up straight, trying to catch his breath.

"Late as usual, huh?" Mr. Hwan said, his voice was low but steady.

Daewon shrugged, though he didn't mind the observation. "Just a long day I guess."

Mr. Hwan looked at him, his gaze was sharp and intense, as if he could see right through Daewon's words. "Pushing yourself too hard?"

"I'm fine." Daewon replied quickly, a bit too defensively. He had been hearing similar questions from his family and Seojun lately, but he didn't want to admit to any weakness.

Mr. Hwan didn't respond right away. Instead, he glanced up at the sky, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he finally spoke. "You're not going to get stronger by running away from your limits. They are part of you, Daewon. You need to learn how to use them, not escape them."

Daewon felt a tightness in his chest. It wasn't the first time he had heard something like that, but it always seemed to hit harder coming from Mr. Hwan. The man had this ability to make even the simpler truths sound like an awareness.

"I'm not running away." Daewon said, though his voice lacked confidence.

Mr. Hwan's gaze softened, a flicker of understanding was seen in his eyes. "You're running, alright. Just not in the way you think."

Daewon didn't have a response to that. He knew the words were true. The part of him that feared failure, that hesitated, held him back more than he cared to admit.

"You'll figure it out." Mr. Hwan said, sensing Daewon's internal struggle. "Just don't let that fear drive you crazy. Focus on moving forward, not just avoiding the fall." 

With that, Mr. Hwan turned and began walking away. Daewon stood still for a few moments, processing the conversation. There wasn't much more to say. He would have to figure this out on his own, but the words were stuck in his mind. Focus on moving forward.

The night was cool as Daewon left his training spot, his thoughts still looping around Mr. Hwan's words. He wasn't sure why it had affected him this time, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized how much of his life had been about avoiding failure. He wanted to become stronger, but the idea of falling behind had always been a shadow that followed him.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, snapping him out of his thoughts. He then glanced at the screen. It was a text from his mom, asking him to pick up a few things from the grocery store. It wasn't an unusual request, but it was late. Still, he couldn't just say no.

Daewon walked toward the store, the city streets were quieter as the night approached. The warm glow of the store lights welcomed him when he arrived, he grabbed a basket, starting down the aisles. His mind was still racing with the advice Mr. Hwan had given him, but it wasn't the time to worry over it. He grabbed the usual items: vegetables, some rice, a few essentials. And moved through the aisles at a quick pace.

As Daewon approached the checkout line, he spotted someone familiar. It was Hyeri. The girl was from his class. He recognized her immediately, though they didn't know each other well enough to talk. She was behind the counter, her hair was pulled back into a messy bun, her uniform neat and professional. She was scanning the groceries, her movements were efficient, her focus entirely fixed on her work.

Daewon hesitated as he got closer. Should he say something? Was it weird to just start up a conversation when they'd only shared a few glances in class? He wasn't really sure, but something about the moment felt oddly... normal. They were two people, in the same space, at the same time.

"Hey." Daewon said awkwardly as he approached the counter, trying to sound casual. "Just these please."

Hyeri looked up, her eyes briefly meeting his before she flashed him a polite smile. "Hey, Daewon. How's it going?" she asked, scanning his items without missing a beat.

"Uhhh, it's... alright I guess." Daewon replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm just picking up some stuff for my mom."

Hyeri nodded as she bagged his items. "Yeah, I know how it is. My mom always has me running errands" She paused for a second, then added, "You're looking a little tired, you alright?"

Daewon chuckled nervously. "It's nothing haha. Just late night training. You know how it is."

She smiled, her expression warm. "Training, huh? That's cool. Got any big plans or something?"

For a moment, Daewon hesitated. There was a part of him that wanted to talk more, to explain what he was really working on. But the words didn't come easily. He wasn't sure why.

"Just... trying to get better." he said finally, his voice quieter than he intended.

Hyeri gave him a soft look. "I get that," she said. "Keep pushing yourself until you reach your goal!"

Daewon nodded, grabbing his bags. "Thanks. See you around, Hyeri."

"Take care, Daewon."

As he stepped out into the cool night air, the weight of their brief exchange crossed in his mind. It was nothing special, just a simple conversation. But for some reason, it felt like more. Like it was the start of something he couldn't quite put into words.

As Daewon made his way home, his thoughts started to shift again. The grocery store run had been uneventful, nothing out of the ordinary. But as he turned a corner, a shadow appeared in front of him, and the familiar voice of Joon called out from the darkness.

"Well, look who it is," Joon said, a satisfied smirk was spread across his face. "Thought you could just walk away last time, huh?"