The Karate Kid | Daniel LaRusso x Reader

Chapter Five - She Buries Judy

[NEWLY EDITED 📝]

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3rd Person POV

As Lucille seated herself at the table she had reserved for herself and her son to have lunch at, there was quick pounding on the window. In alert, she glanced up and saw Daniel there. He was mouthing words while pointing at the Cobra Kai dojo. Lucille came to an understanding of what he was trying to tell her, so in approval she nodded her head, but tapped her wristwatch, meaning that he needed to hurry. Daniel held up his hand and pressed his index finger and thumb together, gesturing an okay, then rushed off towards the dojo.

"Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it?" a loud, stern voice shouted as Daniel curiously opened the dojo's door.

"No, sensei!" the karate class replied.

"Pain does not exist in this dojo, does it?"

"No, sensei!"

"Defeat does not exist in this dojo, does it?"

"No, sensei!"

"Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it?"

"No, sensei!"

Daniel slowly passed by a wall of multiple trophies and medals. He stopped in front of a particular picture with a man in a military uniform that read, 'Cpt. John Kreese U.S. ARMY 1970-72 KARATE CHAMPION'.

"Pain does not exist in this dojo, does it?"

"No, sensei!"

Has Y/N practiced karate at this place?, Daniel wondered to himself.

The sensei continued his shouting even though he had made eye contact with Daniel. "Defeat does not exist in this dojo, does it?"

"No, sensei!"

"Prepare! Aight!" Kreese instructed and the students jumped up from the floor. "What do we study here?"

"The way of the fist, sir!"

"And what is that way?" questioned Kreese.

"Strike first, strike hard, no mercy, sir!"

The sensei was a dangerous-looking man, with cold-piercing eyes—the sort of person who just looked like he'd strike first and strike hard.

Daniel watched the class in amazement from the visitor's gallery. He wanted to speak to the sensei after class, hoping he could afford the lessons he wanted so badly.

"I can't hear you!" Kreese barked while he weaved his way through the rows of students.

"Strike first, strike hard, no mercy, sir!" they repeated.

"Mr. Lawrence." Kreese stopped and stood in front of Johnny Lawrence.

"Yes, sensei."

Realizing that Johnny and his friends all took karate here, Daniel carefully lowered down to a crouch, hoping that none of them would see him.

"Warm them up," ordered Kreese.

Johnny was now in front of the entire class. They all bowed, and when they did, Johnny caught sight of Daniel. A smirk spread across his face. Daniel felt his stomach sink.

Kreese's number one student was Johnny. He looked as menacing in a gi with a black belt as he did on a dirt bike with a red leather jacket.

"Fighting positions! Jab punch! Ready? Heyah!"

At Johnny's instruction, the students all began performing jab punches. The thought of Johnny with a black belt sickened Daniel, so he fled from the dojo.

+ + +

Now eating at The Orient Express, the memory of the dojo took away his appetite.

His mother beamed as she joined him at the table.

"Guess what?"

"What?" grumbled Daniel.

"I'm going to be trained as a manager. Isn't that great?"

"Yeah."

"They have this program. It's two nights a week. As soon as a spot opens up, you're in. And the benefits—I could never get them working in computers. They pay for everything."

"That's great, Ma," Daniel told her. His mother realized something was wrong.

"What's the matter, Daniel?"

Daniel shrugged. "Nothing."

"Remember when you went to the country and you hated it 'cause you had no friends?" recalled Lucille. "What happened?"

"I got poison ivy."

Lucille gave her son a look. "You met Kevin and Kenny who became your best friends in the whole world. You gotta give it a try. Hey, I know it's hard, but we're not quitters, are we?"

"I guess not," Daniel shrugged and smiled wanly.

Lucille pointed at the window. "What's with the karate place?"

"Oh, it sucks."

"Good, 'cause we probably couldn't afford it anyway." Lucille smiled and asked, "And the girl situation?"

Daniel shrugged and replied, "It's okay."

"Just okay? To me, it looks like the whole world turned blond," she chuckled. "You got your eye on anybody?"

He started to shrug, but the beginnings of a smile around the corners of his mouth gave it away.

"Ahhh, cute?" she asked him.

"Nah, not cute," he said, thinking of the special girl he was attracted to. "She's uh—I mean, she's beyond cute."

"But she's blond, though, right?"

"Yeah," nodded Daniel. "She's got blond hair."

[ or if you don't have blond hair :) ↓ ]

"No," Daniel shook his head. "She's got [y/h/c] hair."

The manager called Lucille to get to work. Reluctantly, she got up.

"Is she as pretty as Judy?" Lucille asked.

"Oh Ma, she buries Judy in a second."

"She buries Judy?" she repeated in disbelief. "Listen, you'll tell me about it later. I love you. Be careful on your ride home." She patted his chin and walked away, but his thoughts were still on her earlier question.

"Her smile," daydreamed Daniel. "She's got an excellent smile. She's really smart." He sighed, "I don't know. I say she's beautiful. I think she's beautiful. I think she's something else." Daniel put a piece of broccoli in his mouth and continued, "She's hot. Definitely hot."