The Karate Kid | Daniel LaRusso x Reader

Chapter Four - A Done Deal

[NEWLY EDITED 📝]

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Your POV

When we arrived back at our apartment complex, Daniel invited me to join him in his apartment. At first I was hesitant, but I eventually agreed to.

Daniel had managed to dig out a book about karate once we were inside his apartment. Now, he was practicing front snap kicks while counting aloud. And I was leaned against the wall with my arms crossed, observing him closely.

"Two. . .three. . .," muttered Daniel as he lifted a leg up each time he counted. He stopped counting and faced me. "I don't know why I tried out for the soccer team in the first place, Y/N. I knew that Johnny and his friends were trying out too, but I still did it. Now look what I'm doing. I'm practicing karate so I can fight back."

"The team sucks anyway. And they don't deserve you, Daniel. Most of them think they're soccer stars and hog the ball most of the time," I explained, trying my best to cheer him up over the situation.

"Doesn't sound surprising," he muttered, then turned around and resumed his exercise. But he stopped and faced me again, putting his hands on his hips. "Hey, didn't Freddy say you know some karate?"

I knew some karate. Mr. Miyagi had taught me a little bit. But I didn't like to show anyone my 'skills'.

"Yeah, but I'm not as good as Freddy says I am," I chuckled.

"I don't believe that," Daniel said, looking unsatisfied with my answer. "Ya know. . .maybe instead of learning from a book, I could learn from you."

I shook my head with a laugh. "Not gonna happen, LaRusso."

"Aw come on. Why not?" Daniel asked.

I shrugged a little. "I'm not the teacher type."

Before Daniel could persuade me to teach him even more, there was a knock at the door. We turned our heads to look and saw Mr. Miyagi outside of the screen door with a toolbox in his hand.

"Fix faucet."

"Oh yeah, come on in." Daniel pointed to the kitchen sink. "It's the kitchen one."

Mr. Miyagi entered the apartment; Daniel had no choice but to resume his front snap kicks.

"Oh, karate. Very good," mentioned Mr. Miyagi as he studied Daniel curiously. He glanced from Daniel to me, then down at the open book on the floor, and back to Daniel. "Learn from book? Why Y/N-san not teach you?"

"Apparently she doesn't share her karate skills with other people," Daniel said, pointing his thumb at me. "But it's no problem 'cause I had a few months at the Y in Newark where I lived."

"Ohhh." Mr. Miyagi walked over to the kitchen sink and set his metal toolbox on the counter. While he worked underneath the sink, he looked back up at us and asked, "What happen to eye?"

"I fell off my bike," lied Daniel. I had a feeling Daniel would never tell anyone what had actually happened to him. He probably felt embarrassed, which I couldn't blame him.

"Lucky no hurt hand."

+   +   +

The following day at school, I was in the lunch line beside Freddy. The options the cafeteria workers had provided for us—hot dogs, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut—were not too pleasing to the eye. A grimace found its way onto my face when I noticed the big bowl of sauerkraut in front of me; it wasn't a favorite food of mine, but considering there weren't many other food options, I had no choice but to get some.