WHY AM I CRYING ?

After deciding to learn martial arts, Owl and I faced a big problem: we had no one to guide us. I sighed, looking at Owl with concern.

"What do we do now? There's no one to teach us..."

Owl crossed his arms, resting his chin on his hand, thinking for a moment before his eyes lit up.

"Let's spar with each other!"

The idea sounded reasonable but also extremely dangerous. At this point, both Owl and I were nearly exhausted after everything that had happened. Worried, I asked,

"Owl, can you still train?"

"Yes, sir! I can still train, Chairman! But we should find another place. There are too many rocks here; it's hard to practice and we might get hurt!" Owl replied with a determined look.

I nodded, pleased with his resolve. Waving my hand as a signal, I led Owl down a familiar path, one I had explored since childhood. After a while, we arrived at a lush green meadow, surrounded by trees that cast cool shade. In the distance, a small stream trickled softly.

Owl's eyes widened in amazement.

"This place is beautiful, Chairman! A wide, airy field, shaded by trees, and near a crystal-clear stream. If we camped here, it'd be better than going on vacation!"

I chuckled proudly. This was a place I had always kept secret, never sharing with my childhood friends. But now… it was time to use it.

Turning to Owl, I spoke seriously.

"Alright! Time to train!"

I stood facing Owl, locking eyes with him. But he avoided my gaze. Frowning, I grabbed his shoulders and shouted,

"What are you doing? Are you scared?"

Owl flinched and admitted, "Yes... Since I was a kid, I've never dared to look anyone in the eye for long… except you, Chairman..."

Annoyed, I retorted,

"In a fight, the most important thing is to stay calm and never be afraid! If you're scared, you've already lost!"

I cursed myself. I hadn't even mastered that yet, so who was I to lecture him? But Owl seemed to be absorbing my words. I continued,

"You've already faced Kien. You didn't fight back, but you didn't run either—that proves you didn't give up!"

"Owl, be strong! You can do this!"

Owl clenched his fists, eyes filled with determination. I nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright! Let's spend 30 minutes studying the basics first!"

I sat under a tree, pulling out my phone to research fundamental techniques. As time passed, I identified the most important aspects: solid stance, minimizing vulnerability, and effective striking. I learned basic moves like the jab, cross, and round kick.

After 30 minutes, I called out,

"Owl! Are you done yet?"

Looking over, I saw him gripping a wooden log, practicing wrestling holds repeatedly. Instead of just reading theory, he had already started practicing. I laughed.

"Owl, are you ready?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he silently took off his glasses and tossed them to the ground. That was his signal—the fight had begun!

I stepped forward slowly before launching a round kick. My left foot planted firmly as I swung my right leg, aiming for Owl's ribs. But my kick was slower than I had expected. Suddenly, Owl dropped to one knee, and before my foot could even reach him…

Whoosh!

Owl lunged forward like a hunting owl, moving so fast that I couldn't react. He grabbed my leg and lifted it. Now, with only one foot on the ground, I had completely lost my balance.

In that moment, I caught a glimpse of the sky. A vast blue expanse with a few white clouds drifting lazily.

BAM!

My body slammed into the ground. I had lost.

Owl panicked, stopping immediately and looking at me with concern. I lay there, still in shock.

Had I… really lost?