Chapter Ten: A Chill Summer

Honestly, this was turning out to be the best summer of my life.

Which was ironic, considering how the summer before senior year was what started it all during the 80s, and now here I was.

The training for Nationals started now, the entire dojo trained in WKF style karate kumite. All of us used sparring gear provided by Hayashi karate gear, the Cobra Kai dojo's sponsor, and we used Ao, or blue, or Aka, or red gloves and foot protectors.

We started to be trained in the points and rules of WKF karate.

To compete in Nationals highest division, or Elites, you technically only had two requirements. You needed a dojo or a coach and certified to be a black belt in any WKF approved style of karate, such as Goju-Ryu, Shotokan, Shito-Ryu, Shorin-Ryu, several others, and only included very recently, Tang Soo Do.

Neither were issues.

Everyone at Lankershim, except for Kenny who started very recently and was technically only an orange belt, had recently tested for black belt and passed.

After Pat Johnson approved my test, he basically waived Sensei Kreese and by proxy Sensei Silver to conduct their own black belt tests.

So now the road ahead was pretty clear.

Train until Nationals, senior year itself was going to be a breeze.

"This summer is turning out to be a nightmare," muttered Robby.

Him, Miguel, and Sam were speaking in Mr. Miyagi's backyard.

"Maybe this could be for the best," Sam said. "I could use the chance to focus on myself."

"You're quitting Miyagi-Do?" asked Miguel.

Sam crossed her arms. "The dojo can't even stay open anymore. Cobra Kai owns the entire Valley, nothing can stop them. And this tournament won't really change much will it?"

Robby and Miguel said nothing.

"Let's say we win somehow. What will that change? They already have world titles, All Valley records that are going to pretty much be unbreakable, sponsorships from karate gear, more money and fame that anyone can ever get in any sort of karate worldwide." said Sam. "They've already won so much that ironically, one loss at Nationals wouldn't change a thing."

"I think it would change a lot."

Robby looked up.

Miguel smiled. "Hey Aisha."

She fixed her glasses.

"Look Tory isn't like. A complete demon, but I'll be damned if she and her team take first place again. You all want to ditch karate? Are you serious?" asked Aisha.

Robby spoke quietly. "Look it does suck. But the problem is as much as Chozen knows about karate, he hasn't ever competed seriously. Kreese and Silver have since competitive karate was basically invented."

"Think of it this way," said Aisha. "Luke Schwarber learned the exact same karate we did. From both Sensei Lawrence and Sam's dad. He only started learning this new ruleset for karate recently, and he took the highest championship in the world in it. I think Luke's better than Miguel, but really, not by much."

Miguel snorted. "I was all for keeping this team alive. Until I realized what it put all of us through anyway."

"I mean-"

"Aisha," Miguel said quietly. "Mr. LaRusso knows exactly how psychotic and dangerous Silver and Kreese are. Now they have the power to run karate dojos all over the entire Valley. I don't think competing will change anything."

"Handing Cobra Kai a fat L at nationals will be pretty sweet wouldn't it?" asked Aisha.

Robby raised his eyebrows, turning to Miguel.

He sighed. "Look how would we even do it? Who could teach us the ruleset for nationals? Who could teach us the points and techniques? We know karate, sure. But this is the highest level of competition in the entire country. How do we get there?"

"We'll figure it out." said Aisha. "Sam's parents and mine are richer than most, they could find a way for us to get the gear and plane tickets. What do you say Miguel?"

"I'll help." Miguel said. "I don't know if I want to compete yet."

"Well I'm down for sure." said Robby.

Sam looked like she changed her mind. "So am I."

Aisha and Sam hugged.

I was teaching the class tricks I had learned during my three WKF competitions in Asia and Europe earlier this summer.

"Kumite is basically a tug of war. Over what?"

I tapped the mat with a blue Hayashi protector covered foot.

"The ring." I said.

"Oss." Hawk nodded, crossing his arms.

Sensei Kreese watched carefully, everyone was wearing sparring gear and mouth guards, listening closely. Hayashi even agreed to endorse USANKF logos on the Cobra Kai GIs they made for us.

I used Rickenberger as an example.

"The tempo of the fight is critical. You have to control the mat, you move back even for a second, and you just gave your opponent an advantage. You gave him room to move, you gave him control of the ring.."

Kenny nodded, listening closely.

"Let's say Rick goes for a fake."

Doug and I started to play with the distance between us.

"See?" we stopped bouncing around on the balls of our feet, trying to test each other's reflexes. "Always forward, to the side, or just barely back and forth. You, never, ever ever are supposed to move straight back. Another thing too. Mawashi geri."

Rick nodded, throwing a roundhouse with his rear leg to my stomach, right above the belt. It would've been a wazari, or two points.

I moved straight back, exaggerating a block.

"So what did I do wrong? I gave Rick the advantage, I gave him the room to keep pressuring, or worse, start a combo and possibly catch me. So? Never just move straight back, if your opponent starts to commit to an attack, you immediately have to either counter, or move left or right. Oss?"

"Oss!" the class shouted.

"Pair up, just spar for a bit guys, use what we worked on. Take it light, just look for points but keep it engaged."

Rick and Hawk paired up as Sensei Kreese approached me and we watched everyone spar lightly. With force and vigor behind the blows and footwork, but proper control for attacks to the head or jodan level.

"I used to teach the same drills back in the day." he said.

"Really?"

"Yup. Just without any of the fancy gloves and stuff. Johnny used to think just like you in the ring, kid was only moving forward or sideways. If his opponent started to attack him, just like you said, he'd counter attack instantly, or take a different angle."

I nodded. "Sounded like a smart fighter."

"Johnny's ring IQ was incredibly advanced for being a kid. But between us," Sensei Kreese looked at me. "You were always far better."

"I'd never be able to beat him in a spar."

"Well he's a grown man. But points though? You really understand points."

I watched everyone pair up and fight for about four more minutes and then spoke up.

"Let's spar with points and then wrap up class."

Hawk, Rickenberger, Mikey, and Dieter all picked up red and blue flags off the corners of the mat here on Lankershim and Magnolia Cobra Kai karate.

Everyone's GIs snapped when they knelt around the combat square.

Sensei John Kreese only watched, I don't know why I always felt in awe I was teaching my own karate classes here.

"Uh. Red, Shawn."

Both of them leapt up to their feet instantly and walked to the lines on the combat square.

They bowed to me and then each other.

"Shobu, hai!" I yelled.

Shawn was starting on the line to my right, wearing red, or Aka gear, Big Red on my left, wearing blue.

Shawn threw a front kick with his rear leg, Red parried easily off his rear hand, Shawn's bare foot clapped loudly off Red's glove.

They circled each other for a bit, and the instant Shawn began to attack with a punch combo finishing off with a back kick, Red failed to counter properly.

However, Shawn misread his range and got all tangled up. His foot basically collided with Red's hip at very close range at full power.

"Yame." I said quietly.

Shawn and Red returned to their lines, Sensei Kreese watching carefully.

I checked the flags. Mikey saw the kick and was awarding wazari for Aka, a red flag at half level. No one else on the corners blinked an eye, good call.

"Hachime!"

Red started to jab right off the line, Shawn used my drills, just moving sideways, barely needing to block in order for Red's kizami zuki to miss.

Red instantly turned to face Shawn.

And now, Shawn caught Red as Red began to attack, and forced him back with a long string of kicks and punches.

In fact, he ran Red right out of the ring as he began to punch.

"Yame!"

Everyone on the corners tapped the mat and raised a blue flag straight out from their chest, not high up in the air like a point.

They walked back to their lines, and I spun a finger in the air next to me to indicate a penalty for running out of the ring.

"Chukoku!" Red bowed in my direction.

"Use what I talked about, only sideways or forward, not back." I muttered.

"Oss." Red panted quietly.

"Hachime!"

The match resumed and Shawn and Red didn't land much at all.

Near the end, Shawn was successful in combo'ing Red after he missed a hook kick and scored with a punch to the chest.

"Aka, chudan zuki. Yuko!" Shawn bowed toward me.

I checked the clock. The two minutes for the spar had passed.

"Aka, kachi!"

They bowed and bumped gloves after I awarded the win to Shawn.

Hawk and Mikey went, then Hawk and Rickenberger went immediately afterward. I strategically placed the matches so that Hawk would have to face a much tougher opponent immediately after fighting someone else.

Hawk trounced Mikey 4 points to 1. And against Rickenberger they both fought way too conservatively and Hawk won two to nothing, after Hawk scored with a roundhouse to the body that pierced through Rick's guard and landed on his chest as he blocked, they both had tons of chances to land a point.

"Ao, hach!" I raised a left hand towards Hawk.

They bumped gloves and I spoke. "This is just practice. It doesn't matter who wins or loses. Yes, defeat does not exist. But I need you both to try something new, get in there, even if you lose the match on points. Oss?"

"Oss." Hawk and Rickenberger muttered.

"The reason we do this is to develop risks we get good enough at taking for real. So in an actual competition, those points would land. Line up, let's end class."

Even Sensei Kreese nodded in approval. We couldn't accept defeat, but you had to at least try.

After I ended class, I drove home.

From there, I used my bicycle, a rare occurrence but it was a lot more subtle than my motorcycle to get to Moon's house.

Moon and Yasmine were as horny as usual when I got there, and we got right down to business the moment I put my bicycle in Moon's backyard.

She giggled, pulling me by the wrist inside her house through the open sliding glass door.

I raised Moon up by her rear, and she tied her legs around my hips.

Moon's ass had gotten plenty rounder and larger since we started this last year. It was always fun to squeeze it through her shorts or sometimes directly, and hear her moan.

When we fell on the couch we made sure not to count Yasmine out, showed her plenty of love too by making out with her in turns.

I made out with Moon for a bit, Moon and Yasmine made out, then I made out with Yas.

It was fun as hell, and the real fun didn't even start yet.

I had calluses all over my hands from weight lifting as Cobra Kai really started to take strength training seriously, and considering the smoothness of the skin of the girls, they more than appreciated it.

The girls started peeling off their clothes, and for the next forty five minutes, we enjoyed our time together.

A bit after Moon, Lucas, and Yasmine were done having sex together, Lucas had fallen completely asleep.

Moon was snuggling with him atop her bed as Yasmine sat in a chair in Moon's bedroom, boredly painting her nails, wearing nothing at all.

Moon tucked Lucas' head beneath her chin, laying a small kiss right on the top of his head.

"I wonder what got him so tired."

Yasmine snorted, still painting her fingernails. "You're really wondering that?"

"No he's typically wide awake by now, just a bit odd for him," Moon muttered.

Yasmine sighed. "Yeah I get that, I think he's just training really hard with all the guys over at his karate place. Maybe didn't sleep enough either."

"Funny how seriously they take a sport."

Both girls expected Lucas to say it wasn't a sport and it was both a sport and a very serious martial art, but Lucas didn't so much as stir.

"Damn he's really out," Yasmine said quietly.

Moon smiled. "I know."

Moon blinked slowly.

"My Lulu," Moon whispered.

She traced his hair softly, studying his face, holding him tightly.

Yasmine raised an eyebrow. "You do know we're just fuck buddies for the summer right?" she dipped her small brush into the tiny jar of nail polish on Moon's desk. "No need to get all mushy."

"I know but um." Moon brushed a thumb over an asleep Lucas' cheek. "I missed what we had. Sure he's handsome and fun and all that, but he was sweet. And kind and funny."

"Look I missed that too, that shit's over. It's senior year, this will be the last bit of fun any of us can have before college."

Moon looked over at her best friend. "There's always winter break."

Yasmine laughed. "Right."

Yasmine finished painting her fingernails and cleared her throat. "You two really know how to get me to work up an appetite. Bean tacos?"

"Mhm!" Moon smiled, gently letting Lucas' head rest onto the pillow next to her bed before slipping on panties and following Yasmine to her kitchen.

At this point, both Moon and Yasmine had no trouble being completely naked around each other during conversation.

However, Yasmine threw on a bathrobe while Moon only sat in panties while watching Yasmine prepare food for the both of them.

"Do you think we should address the elephant in the room?"

Yasmine had her back turned to her best friend, picking out cups from Moon's kitchen cupboards. "Which is?"

"Luke."

Yasmine ran her thumb across the glass she picked. "What about him?"

"He's hurt."

"It's our want, to fuck him. Can't offer much more comfort to a guy than that."

Moon tilted her head. "I mean talk to him."

Yasmine began to prepare hard taco shells and fry beans in Moon's kitchen. "Again, we're fuck buddies."

"But we're still friends."

"Not his girlfriends anymore."

Moon noticed how Yasmine still refused to face where she sat on the kitchen island.

"It bothers me to know that he's hurt. Even over someone else."

Yasmine now stopped stirring the beans in the pan she was frying them on. She turned to Moon. "If he was messed up over you, or anyone else. I'd feel bad, I'd help. But it's Tory, that bitch is a monster. She's legitimately dangerous."

"Didn't you-"

"Moon do you even know what she did to Aisha? To Sam?"

Moon shrugged. "So now you care about Aisha."

"Where is this coming from?"

"Look Yas, this is our last year of highschool. Our last chance to do things right. There's no more need for any of this heartache. All the karate fights are over, we're all about to move on. Shouldn't we end things properly?"

Yasmine frowned. "Just don't remind me of Tory."

"Why not?"

"It makes me not want to do this anymore." Yasmine glanced towards Moon's bedroom quickly.

Moon left where she sat around her kitchen island.

She approached Yasmine and hugged her from behind.

Yasmine sighed. "What?"

"It's obvious."

Yasmine finished frying the beans, and looked over at Moon who placed her hands on Yasmine's shoulders.

"You're hurt too over everything. Over Luke and I from last year. All this karate mess."

Yasmine looked around, and then at Moon. "Sure," she said curtly.

"This is part of that healing, I promise."

Moon hugged Yasmine again, and now Yasmine returned it.

"Luke's fine though." Yasmine shrugged as she and Moon made eye contact. "So fine that he's just napping right now, you can go back to your room and check and see how fine he is."

Moon shook her head slowly. "After how absolutely nuts these past few years have been. No. I'd say no one is fine."

"Yeah, people started motorcycle races and giant fist fight battles over a karate tournament." Yasmine nodded. "I'd say that's nuts."

Moon smiled lightly. "This is where we find sanity. Healing. Okay?"

Yasmine nodded.

Moon pecked Yasmine on the cheek and the two girls ate their lunch together.

I woke up slowly, Moon nor Yasmine were in Moon's bedroom.

This was a bit odd, my snug lovenest with Moon right here in her room had changed since we included Yas, but I was sure at least one of them would be here when I woke up.

I put on some gym shorts and walked outside Moon's room and found Moon on her couch.

"Hey."

I kissed Moon on the lips to greet her.

Something was off immediately, I could tell.

"Where's Yas?"

"She went home."

Moon wanted to talk about something.

I nodded, sitting down next to Moon, she had put on a tank top and short shorts.

"So what's up?" I asked.

Moon looked at me. "Luke are you, okay?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"You don't seem like it. I think you're clearly hurt over Tory."

I nodded slowly now. "What do you want me to say?"

"The truth." Moon leaned back, placing her head on her head. "I know you, last summer it was clear. You were all pent up and stuff, you wanted me to help you unwind."

"Not much has changed."

She smiled. "No."

"Look what we had last summer was fun as hell. I wanted more, and now we tossed Yasmine in here. Honestly the best way to pass the time." I brushed a hand over her shoulder. "Is together."

Moon held my hand with both of hers.

"Lucas I'm genuinely worried about you. Before you just wanted fun, now it's clear you want comfort because you're hurting."

I frowned.

I trusted and respected Moon too much to just block her out. This wasn't just some chick on the cheerleading team I'd regularly fool around with, I'd known Moon for years now and I had to answer her.

"What worries you exactly?" I looked at her.

"That you're not telling me everything. What truly hurt you? What's really bothering you? I mean," Moon smiled, chuckling. "Any guy would want to watch reruns and quick sex here with Yas and I. But I know when you're not telling me everything."

I frowned.

"What's really bothering me is I can't tell you the truth of why I'm hurt." I said honestly to Moon. "I'm worried you're not exactly completely over your feelings for me. If I tell you the truth, it'll ruin the fun of all of this."

Moon sat up on her heels, putting a hand on my arm. "Nothing will ruin this summer. Now tell me."

"Tory and I were basically in love. I never felt that way with anyone else. Not with." I gulped. "Not with you. Not with Yas or Char. I'm sorry, I just didn't want to let you know that."

"It's okay."

"Really? It'd bother me."

Moon shook her head. "No. Things can get complicated fast, the important part is to be honest to clear things up. Tell me, tell me everything."

"Everything?"

"Luke we have all summer just to help you clear your stress out. Sex can't solve everything."

"It helps." I smiled.

Moon smiled too. "Definitely. But not everything."

I laid out, and Moon let me rest my head on her bare thighs. She ran her hand through my hair as I talked and laid my head in her lap on the couch.

"Fine," I said. "I think the easiest way to explain everything. Is that from the moment I moved to LA, every time I've tried to do something someone had a problem with it."

"Really?"

"Big time." I nodded. "I get Sam and her dad were hurt when I helped reopen Cobra Kai. But they knew Robby and his dad were cool people and they were mad anyway."

"But didn't your karate teacher hurt like, all of them at one point?"

"Sure but that was a million years ago. That was in the 80s." I said. "I'm trying to make up for all the shit I've done. I made out with Yas at that party, I let Hawk bully Miguel, I lied to Daniel LaRusso. But even turning over a new leaf isn't good enough for all of them."

Moon sighed. "So in a perfect world. Everyone would forgive you for what you've done, and you'd be with Tory?"

"Well no, I mean. I just thought people would be fair with me."

"That's enough to get you pent up to want casual sex again?"

"Anyone would want it."

Moon shook her head. "Like I said last summer. Not you, even if you're a guy, you don't randomly want a fling or something."

It sometimes surprised me how well Moon knew me.

"You're right. What's really bothering me is my family."

"Yeah they always seemed cold. Even your mom."

"I mean. I haven't talked to my actual dad in about over three years. And yet, I have to inherit his legacy in medicine, all the money and experience as a medical doctor. My mom's, her dad's. And honestly."

I sighed.

"Even though I have the grades to do it, and my family has more than enough money to send me to med school eventually. I think I've found my calling as a karate Sensei."

"Luke they're stuffy and annoying as hell. It's fine if they don't approve of you."

"It'd be one thing if it was just Pops and Nana. But my Mom never approved of Sensei Kreese, even when they met back in the eighties. And now Mom's gonna have a baby with Johnny Lawrence."

"But Johnny likes you."

"Sure but his sons don't."

"Sons?"

"He's basically adopted Miguel."

Moon snorted. "Because he never met his real dad?"

"It's something they share in common I think."

"Isn't that something you sort of share in common with him too? With Miguel as well?"

I shrugged. "I've met my dad of course."

"No but. You hate each other. Like you said, you left Denver and he didn't bat an eye. It was your mom who flipped out and moved out here."

I said nothing.

"Luke you and Johnny, and Miguel would all get along great if you just talked to them."

"I wish that could happen."

"Well why not?"

I looked up at Moon, shaking my head. "It's all pretty complicated."

"Can't be that complicated. You're guys. One minute you can be beating each other's faces in, the next you're all playing Call of Duty and drinking beer together."

I laughed. That was pretty accurate.

"I'll try for sure."

"Good."

I turned, slightly raising Moon's shirt with my nose to brush my lips against the smoothness of her flat stomach.

Moon laughed.

"What?"

"It's impressive how quickly guys can go from talking about something serious to being horny."

"Can you blame me?"

"Nah I take it as a compliment."

Moon and I made out and started to roll around on her couch.

I had been with only a few other girls besides her, but being with Moon was intoxicating. Besides her stellar body growing far curvier in every area, she was wonderful to be with.

With Ao and Aka gloves and footguards, Cobra Kai's girls all sparred in the flagship dojo in Encino.

Tory blasted Piper right in the stomach with a fully powered roundhouse kick.

"Get up!"

Piper couldn't and then Tory pointed to Devon. "Let's go!"

Silver watched through a security camera in his office as Senseis Min-Jun and Odell led class, nodding in approval of Tory's ferocity, timing, speed, and technique.

"She reminds me so much of Barnes sometimes it's almost funny." Silver muttered.

Kim Da-Eun stood in front of his desk. "If the dojo weren't all boys, I'm afraid I'd be training at Lankershim."

"Really."

Kim nodded. "John was always kinder to me than you were."

Silver chuckled. "I didn't think kindness was something you respected."

"Let me rephrase. John always respected me more than you."

Silver shook his head. "Nichols has more potential to be a champion than anyone at Lankershim."

"Schwarber's already a champion."

"Exactly. He doesn't count now does he?" said Silver.

Kim spoke calmly, nearing Silver's desk. "I still think Lee shows more potential. Less to unlearn."

"Admittedly, John taught Nichols well," said Silver. "Now that they've been given breathing room to grow. The girls will sweep every tournament we compete in. Nationals, the Sekai Taikai."

"The Open was always interesting to watch back home." Kim said. "Never imagined we'd have our own spot."

"We've earned it."

Kim sighed. "Does it bother you though? Having one half of our dojo split from the other. My grandfather would never approve."

"Honestly he wasn't keen on women in karate at all." Silver said. "But besides the one exception." he glanced at Kim up and down. "Grandmaster Sun-Yung would unfortunately be proud of Schwarber. He passed his test after all."

"Would he approve of what he's done to our female champion?"

Silver saw the way Tory absolutely tore her classmates to shreds during sparring.

"Definitely." Silver muttered with a smile.

"Pain creates strength. It's Cobra Kai's greatest trait." Kim nodded. "Unfortunately I don't think Schwarber has it in him to take another championship."

"Are you serious?"

Kim shrugged. "The boy seems to enjoy teaching instead of competing more from what I can tell. Doing both tends to be a struggle."

"Honestly I enjoyed having the Payne brothers around more than him." Silver said.

Kim smiled. "You're jealous of John aren't you?"

Silver was quiet, scowling.

"Aren't you?"

"Nichols and Schwarber seem to trust and like John than they'll ever do with me. You and Lee get along fine. Only Kenny Payne seemed to get along best with me." said Silver.

Kim spoke. "We should've given them more time. Kept them here more."

"Oh please. Schwarber and John were begging to clear out the second they got the chance."

Kim looked to be deep in thought.

"What?"

"I'm wondering," Kim said. "I'm wondering if this split we took will cost us."

"Cost us what?"

Kim was still in thought, she looked right into Silver's eyes. "Everything."

"I used to doubt myself too." Silver said. "How could I, one of the wealthiest men in Los Angeles, torture a teenager? Over a high school karate tournament?"

Kim smiled.

"Then I remembered." Silver put his hands on the armrests of his desk chair. "I remember what your grandfather taught me. I remembered how his way, should be the only way in karate in the entire world. I remembered what I struggled for in Vietnam, I remembered how much I owed John Kreese my life."

Silver looked over at Kim and out of his thoughts. "This split was the best decision we ever made. We had two different teams anyway, under the same name."

"These girls will be made stronger separated from the boys. Angrier, yet more focused." said Kim. "I can definitely see a first place medal in their future. But that doesn't change a simple fact."

"Which is?"

"Nichols' feelings towards Schwarber are fueling all of it, she's directed all of her rage about him towards making her and the others prove they're better than his team. We're not fixing the problem, merely making it worse."

Silver shrugged. "Then what do you suggest?"

Kim shook her head. "I have no idea. But it certainly can't end well."

Kim spoke calmly. "My grandfather wanted one idea for Cobra Kai. One team, one name, one idea. But the day his karate caused rivalries within its own students, would be the day it failed."

"You're not talking about the kids anymore." Silver said.

"You want to betray John." Kim blinked, her lips curling into a smile looking at him. "You want your vision of Cobra Kai, to be the only one."

"I'm the one getting sponsorships and funding the entire venture towards gold in the Korea Open."

"The Sekai Taikai is one thing," said Kim. "I honestly see the problem as between you and John. Nothing else. This has nothing to do with the children."

"Look-"

"You both deserve to run this dojo. But your pride is blinding you. You can't admit that he was the one who trained this dojo's champion from his very first day. He was the one who created the team and then brought you on board. I will always respect you Terry, but I will never respect thievery."

Silver frowned, watching Kim speak quickly before she left.

"Had I known about this entire thing before I came here I would have had second thoughts. Now, I want to see change."

Silver frowned, spinning in his desk chair as Kim closed his office door behind her.