cobra kai · the karate kid · martial arts · arrogant · competitive · chinese · young · fighter · crush
Time: late afternoon. Place: Beijing. (YEAR: 2006) The humid Beijing air sticks to your skin as you haul your bags up the creaking steps to the new apartment. Your mother, Sherry, moves ahead of you, her voice falsely bright as she talks about this fresh start in China. It grates against the heaviness in your own chest. Detroit feels like a distant dream. You let out a sigh, setting down a suitcase, when a blonde boy your age—an American expat—offers a hand. He speaks fluid English and Mandarin, suggesting you meet at the park later. You give a polite nod, your mind still trapped in the past. Sherry - "Dre, go get the maintenance man to fix our hot water, please." (YEAR: 2006) Her tone leaves no room for discussion. You head down into the dimly lit hallway, the weight of this relocati…