Jeong Jae‑in watched Han Seong‑tae with his arms folded.
He was holding a textbook boxing stance.
There was absolutely nothing about it that looked special.
‘There must be some reason Choi Ye‑chan brought him.’
Jeong Jae‑in trusted Choi Ye‑chan’s eye.
He was not yet a world‑renowned director, but even so Choi Ye‑chan was good at spotting talent.
It was also Choi Ye‑chan who had discovered Kim Mu‑cheol.
“Fight!”
At a stuntman’s signal the sparring began.
They called it sparring, yet Kim Dae‑hyeon was clearly holding back.
No one here expected Han Seong‑tae to win.
Dae‑hyeon almost went pro, after all.
The stuntmen at Seoul Action School were people who had invested half their lives for action.
Someone who had only dabbled a few times could not defeat someone who had trained professionally.
“Still, his stance is pretty clean, right?”
“Yeah, the stance is decent.”
“Director Choi Ye‑chan recommended him, so he can’t be completely untrained.”
“True, whatever else, Director Choi’s eye is the real thing.”
From the side came the sound of the other stuntmen whispering.
They were judging Han Seong‑tae’s posture.
A man recommended by Choi Ye‑chan.
That alone was enough for Han Seong‑tae to draw interest.
Come to think of it, everyone here has appeared in Ye‑chan’s films.
They had acted for Choi Ye‑chan, yet none of them had ever received a recommendation like this.
To him they were only stuntmen.
Hearing that someone else, like Kim Mu‑cheol, had been recommended made them curious.
“Hey, what is that?”
“My eyes aren’t playing tricks, right?”
“Wow, the director did not recommend him for nothing. That’s impressive.”
Once the sparring started Jeong Jae‑in let out a breathy laugh.
He had expected something, but this was beyond expectations.
He said kickboxing, but that is Jeet Kune Do.
Jeet Kune Do, the martial art Bruce Lee created, had its distinctive fencing‑like footwork that any martial artist would recognize.
What Han Seong‑tae showed could not have come from a day or two of lessons.
Still, it looks strangely awkward although it is good.
Jeong Jae‑in, arms folded, observed Han Seong‑tae closely.
There was a sense of mismatch in Han Seong‑tae’s offense and defense.
It looked like a master’s techniques inside an untrained body.
He was an interesting person in many ways.
“Where on earth does he keep finding kids like that?”
Jeong Jae‑in felt a bit of greed.
They say you can tell a promising tree from its first leaves.
Han Seong‑tae still looked awkward with action, yet he seemed worth cultivating.
With a little shaping he would become a fine actor.
So this is why Ye‑chan brought him.
Watching Han Seong‑tae throw a punch, Jeong Jae‑in lifted the corner of his mouth.
Things looked like they would get interesting.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says that to beat your opponent you must aim precisely at the vital points.]
Even before the bout started the God of Acting was telling him he had to win.
He said that with his help there was no way to lose.
You want me to beat someone like that?
Han Seong‑tae was not optimistic.
Kim Dae‑hyeon charged like a bull, so threatening that Han Seong‑tae felt ready to shout surrender at any moment.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ tells you to step back two paces.]
Whoosh!
A hand the size of a pot lid brushed past his chin.
Had he reacted even a little slower that hand would have grabbed him.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says twist your body to the right.]
Whoosh!
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says the opponent’s flank is open, thrust a straight punch at once.]
Whish!
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ asks if that is even a fist and tells you to roll sideways.]
Han Seong‑tae moved exactly as the founder directed.
It was effective.
The problem was that it was only effective.
My reactions are too slow.
He was moving as told, yet there was a limit.
Reading messages while Kim Dae‑hyeon lunged right in front of him meant he was inevitably late.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ thumps his chest in frustration.]
Han Seong‑tae was not the only one feeling stifled.
The founder who was giving him instructions writhed in frustration as well.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ laments that if he could take over himself it would be a dream come true.]
Han Seong‑tae’s reactions stayed just a little slow.
Whoosh!
If that had caught me I’d be dead.
The spar with Kim Dae‑hyeon remained close thanks to that.
“Hoo… You really dodge well.”
“Gasp… gasp… Thank you for the compliment.”
Dodging was possible only because of the deity’s advice, yet he still could not land a proper attack.
The biggest issue was that Han Seong‑tae’s stamina was running out.
He had trained hard for months after returning, but that could not match the endurance of someone who had trained more than ten years.
Furthermore Kim Dae‑hyeon’s muscles were for real combat, not for show.
A body built for action acting could not possibly have less stamina than Han Seong‑tae’s.
[‘One Who Defined His Era’ says it was a reckless fight from the start.]
[‘Man of a Thousand Faces’ says you might have been better off reading even one more line of the script.]
[‘One Who Made Laughter From Tragedy’ throws punches wildly and shouts that whoever wins is on our side.]
Surrounded by the gods’ comments, Han Seong‑tae did not take his eyes off Kim Dae‑hyeon.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says if you tense your body too much you will not move as you want.]
Easier said than done.
Relaxing was not simple in a threatening situation.
“As long as my body is loose now, I will go all out. Just dodging will get hard.”
“More than this?” Kim Dae‑hyeon did not answer.
This looks bad.
Han Seong‑tae saw the fierce look in Kim Dae‑hyeon’s eyes.
All his evasions had probably provoked him.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says there is no need to be afraid.]
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ advises you to observe the opponent’s steps and muscle movements closely.]
Following the advice, Han Seong‑tae studied Kim Dae‑hyeon.
His footwork was heavy, which made it very threatening.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says if you look at the opponent’s shoulders you can tell where the punch will go.]
Han Seong‑tae knew that already since he had not trained just for show in the past.
With the deity’s coaching it would be odd not to know.
I am so tired my limbs will not move.
His stamina was simply gone.
Kim Dae‑hyeon’s threatening strikes made it hard even to keep standing.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says you can do it.]
Bruce Lee might have been able to win, but Han Seong‑tae could not.
Kim Dae‑hyeon had been pulling punches from start to finish.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says drawing the opponent’s carelessness is also a skill.]
Han Seong‑tae moved.
Kim Dae‑hyeon’s punches grew fiercer, proving he had meant what he said about going all out.
Since Kim Dae‑hyeon was judo‑based, getting caught by that hand would finish things.
‘Better to take a hit that hurts less and end it.’
Whoosh!
Kim Dae‑hyeon’s fist came flying.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ tells you to twist away.]
Han Seong‑tae did not do so.
Thud!
Kim Dae‑hyeon’s fist slammed into Han Seong‑tae’s crossed forearms.
Han Seong‑tae flew back a little and fell.
“…Huh?”
Kim Dae‑hyeon’s expression as he looked down at the fallen Han Seong‑tae turned strange.
He seemed not to have expected this outcome.
“I surrender. I can’t go on.”
“……”
“It is hard to beat someone who has trained so long. I learned a lot.”
“Yes… good work.”
At Han Seong‑tae’s words Kim Dae‑hyeon nodded with a reluctant face.
He looked dissatisfied and frustrated at the same time.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do‘ lets out a hollow laugh at the sight of you.]
Han Seong‑tae had never intended to win.
This much is enough.
Just lasting a long time against Kim Dae‑hyeon was plenty.
He had not won or landed a clean hit, yet he felt no regret.
“…”
Turning his head, Han Seong‑tae noticed the eyes around him.
Jeong Jae‑in and the stuntmen were watching him with curious looks.
What is that about?
Han Seong‑tae blinked at their gaze.
Bang, Baang!
Han Seong‑tae pounded the sandbag.
After the bout he had been shown what equipment the gym had and how to use it.
When the explanation finished, it became individual workout time.
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ grumbles that he dislikes your defeat.]
Han Seong‑tae let out a hollow laugh at the message of complaint.
Was losing so unpleasant to him?
For half an hour since the bout, the Founder of Jeet Kune Do had kept sending messages.
It ended on a good note, so isn’t that fine?
Since Han Seong‑tae had never planned to win, he could not fully understand the deity’s feeling.
Bang, Ba‑ba‑bang!
Even now as he struck the sandbag, it was the same.
He thought it was enough that things had ended without bad feelings.
“Oh……”
“Not bad.”
“Dae‑hyeon struggled at the start too. He has something.”
Han Seong‑tae turned at the attention he felt and saw people watching him.
Tilting his head at their curious eyes, he wondered why they looked that way.
Why are they staring like that?
He did not know their reason.
Was there some problem with the sparring?
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says they look at you contemptuously because you lost.]
I did not know losing was such an issue.
Understanding martial artists’ hearts was very difficult.
[‘One Who Defined His Era’ murmurs that it does not seem to be for that reason.]
[‘Man of a Thousand Faces’ says muscle‑brains cannot see what is around them.]
[‘Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says you should not listen to people who do not truly know martial arts.]
“……?”
Chuckling at the messages, Han Seong‑tae sensed a stare and looked back.
He saw stuntmen absorbed in their workouts, none looking his way.
Was I imagining it?
Tilting his head, Han Seong‑tae focused on training again.
“…….”
One pair of eyes kept watching him.
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