Jinx ~ Rewritten

Chapter 18

Fade in. There is a shot of a hospital. JAEKYUNG's car is waiting outside, with DAN inside it.

DAN [Internal]: I thought all that martial arts shtick was just for show...

He imagines the move JAEKYUNG made when he blocked the THUG's knife.

DAN [Internal]: How'd he do that?

DAN re-enacts it using his own hands but can't figure it out. He presses his head to the seat and heaves a breath.

DAN [Internal]: When's he coming back?

Scene cuts to JAEKYUNG opening his driver-side door. He gets in. In JAEKYUNG's hands are bandages, antiseptic bottles, cotton buds and band-aids. DAN is surprised.

DAN: Eh? Aren't we going in?
JAEKYUNG: Us?! Please, you're barely even bruised.
DAN [Glares at him]
JAEKYUNG: ...And if I was caught with a beaten-up guy, the press would have a field day.
DAN: There it is. Yeah. How selfless.
JAEKYUNG: I brought you supplies, didn't I?
DAN: Don't you have them at home?
JAEKYUNG [Unboxing a packet of cotton buds and antiseptic liquid]: I can't remember, if I'm honest. Besides, I've got training at 5:00am. Athletes don't have the room to dick around. No time to show you where the medical stuff is so...

JAEKYUNG dabs a cotton bud in antiseptic liquid and raises it to DAN's forehead. He leans in as he does it.

JAEKYUNG: ...Next best thing.
DAN: Pfft. Imagine being that rich...
JAEKYUNG: Hmm?
DAN: Don't act like you don't know. 'I can't be bothered looking for this at home, I'll just buy more now'. Yeesh. You have it made.
JAEKYUNG: Says the guy who gets to sleep in tomorrow.

There's silence. JAEKYUNG continues to clear the cuts on DAN's forehead.

DAN: It takes a lot to be in the MMA.

JAEKYUNG's expression flinches.

JAEKYUNG: Yeah... it does.
DAN: Can I ask you something?
JAKEYUNG: Why are you asking permission? You're freaking me out.
DAN: I'll just say it then. What was that move you made back there? When you blocked a knife?
JAEKYUNG: Eh? [Surprised] You really want to know?

DAN nods.

JAEKYUNG: That's aikido. It's nonviolent, you use the force of the opponent against them and depower them. That move harnessed a pressure point in the hand.
DAN: Can you teach me it?

JAEKYUNG raises an eyebrow. He makes eye-contact with DAN, who stares at him with confidence. JAEKYUNG smirks.

JAEKYUNG: Okay, featherweight. [Grabs a pen] Try blocking this.

JAEKYUNG launches forward, pretending to stab him. Caught-off-guard, DAN slaps his hand out of the way. JAEKYUNG gives an impressed smile.

JAEKYUNG: Not too bad. But, here's the traditional method.

Shot focuses on their hands. JAEKYUNG holds DAN's, pushing it against his palm.

JAEKYUNG: Non-dominant goes here...

JAEKYUNG grasps DAN's right hand and places it on his wrist. DAN squeezes tightly on him.

JAEKYUNG: If you bend their wrist, you disarm them. Then, they instinctively drop their weapon.

The pen drops. DAN watches it fall to the car floor. His head tilts back up, looking directly at JAEKYUNG now.

DAN: This whole time... I thought this was all malarkey. You really know how to fight.
JAEKYUNG [Internal]: A bit insulting but I'll take the compliment.
JAEKYUNG: Well, I can teach you a few things.
DAN: Eh? Really?
JAEKYUNG: We've got a lot of time at home. You want to be tough?