- Ara: (An opening!)
- Children of the Haan family were required to master martial arts. This was because they were born with the duty of protecting the seal of the Nine Tailed Fox 'Eun'.
- Ever since we were able to walk, me and my siblings learned from our martial arts instructor how to handle weapons and how to control the power of the moon El.
- I wasn't particularly good at other things but was confident at least in my spear skills. But...
- Sister: That kind of lame attack won't work!
- Ara: Ah...!
- Sparring with other siblings was difficult. Today's training session was sparring with spears that I was confident in, but the result was my defeat as always.
- Martial Arts Teacher: Stop, it's Ara's defeat.
- At our instructor's shout, I got up while hitting the dust off my back and stood in front of third oldest sister.
- Martial Arts Teacher: Ara, your bold attack was fine but you leave too many openings. Your movements were quite good during practice but your body freezes every time during sparring...
- I offered a handshake as a sign of saying good match but Third Sister picked up her weapon and walked past me.
- Ara: ...
- Martial Arts Teacher: Always think about your own movements as well. Your strong point is your flexible movements so you'll certainly be able to perform better if you throw away your burdens a bit. Why don't you try one more time?
- Instructor smiled kindly then looked at second oldest brother. Second Brother confidently nodded as he raised his spear.
- Ara: ... Okay. I'll try one more time.
- Instructor gave the signal with a gladness in his voice. I corrected my stance as I stepped far away from Second Brother.
- Ara: (Always think about my own movements...)
- I had to think about not just my opponent's movements, but my own movements as well. Read the enemy's moves and break through their opening to land a finishing blow.
- The image I drew in my head was close to perfect but my body didn't move according to my thoughts.
- Ara: (Throw away my burdens... How am I supposed to throw it away...?)
- I barely blocked the spear that approached my head then ran away to create some distance. Second Brother must have not liked me just running away because he ran straight after me as he swung his spear aggressively.
- Ara: (I shouldn't let myself be beaten by such an obvious attack. I have to dodge the spear with least movements as possible.)
- I parried the attack by only moving my spear slightly then didn't hesitate to go on the offensive right away. Second Brother easily lowered his spear to block my attack.
- Ara: (Don't think about anything else. Just focus on the battle in front of me.)
- I distanced myself far away again as I held my spear with only one hand. Second Brother was running in straightly again and was swinging his spear much more widely this time.
- Ara: (Now!)
- I jumped up high to dodge Second Brother's spear and landed behind his back.
- The moment I was turning around to sweep across his defenseless leg, my hand stopped for some unknown reason.
- Brother: Heh, what an idiot!
- Second Brother immediately turned around to land a finishing blow on me.
- Martial Arts Teacher: Stop... it's Ara's defeat.
- I couldn't look straightly into instructor's disappointed face shaking his head left and right that I turned around on the spot and left the training gym.
- I could hear other siblings mocking me from far away. I will certainly get scolded by instructor for my disrespectful behavior but I couldn't go back.
- I was always a loser in this place.
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My Brother & I 1
