In the midst of a peaceful slumber, Reese was startled awake by the sound of his bedroom door crashing open with an alarming bang. Rubbing his eyes and trying to make sense of the sudden intrusion, he found himself face-to-face with his younger brother Ryan, who was practically vibrating with excitement.
"Kuya! Kuya! Wake up!" Ryan exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of urgency and exhilaration.
"I'm awake, I'm awake. What is it?" Reese replied with annoyance in his voice.
"How do you know how to fight? You know what? Don't answer that; just teach me how to fight," Ryan said excitedly.
"What? You woke me up for this? And what fight?" Reese said in exasperation.
Ryan took out his phone and showed it to Reese. "This fight," Ryan said, pointing at the phone. "Your fight last night is all over Tiktok and Facebook. You are the talk of our small city."
Sure enough, there they were: clips of Reese's epic showdown in Pantalan spreading like wildfire across social media, garnering thousands of views and comments in just a matter of hours. The adrenaline from the fight came back to Reese as he watched himself in action, his heart pounding with a mix of pride and disbelief. 'Damn, I was that fast last night?'
"Wow," he murmured, shaking his head in wonder. "I didn't expect it to spread like this at all."
Ryan grinned from ear to ear, his excitement palpable. "So, what do you say, big bro? Will you teach me some of those moves? I want to be as cool as you!"
Reese glared at his brother. "Aren't you a basketball varsity? Isn't that cool enough?"
Ryan grinned, leaning back against the doorframe. "Hey, being on the basketball team is cool; no doubt about it," he replied. "But think about it, Kuya. Martial arts? That's a whole different level of cool. It's like having superpowers, man. Plus, imagine the look on everyone's faces when they see me busting out some martial arts moves on the court! It's going to be legendary."
Reese chuckled, nodding in understanding. "Fair point," he conceded. "Alright, little brother, I'll teach you some moves. But not now. Give me until tomorrow, and I will give you something."
Ryan's excitement dimmed slightly, but he nodded understandingly. "Got it, Kuya. I'll be waiting. Just make sure to let me know when you're ready to train me into the next martial arts legend!" Ryan said as he headed back to his room.
After being disturbed by his brother, Reese tossed and turned in bed, unable to find a way to go back to sleep. So Reese decided to just look for his parents downstairs to talk to them about his plans for the summer.
Reese found his parents in the kitchen, eating breakfast. "Morning, Mom, Dad," Reese greeted as he entered the kitchen.
"Good morning, Reese," his mom replied, glancing up from the stove, where she was preparing breakfast.
"Did you have fun last night?" his dad asked casually, though there was a hint of concern in his tone.
He was caught off guard by his mother's question. Reese did not know how to answer. 'Did they find out what happened last night?'But he had no choice but to answer.
Reese looked at his parents carefully just to see if he could discern something, but to his dismay, he could not. Something about which he was worried even more. trying to appear nonchalant. "Oh, it was fun," he replied with a shrug. "Just hung out with Renz, Rey, and some other friends. Nothing too crazy."
Looking at how his parents did not bring up his fight last night, Reese was relieved. 'I guess they did not know about it.'
Reese and his parents ate their breakfast in silence after talking about his night's afterparty.
Minutes later, Reese's father couldn't help but notice the somber look on his son's face. "Is everything alright, Reese?" he asked gently, setting down his utensils.
Reese glanced up from his plate, a small frown creasing his brow. "Yeah, I'm okay, Dad," he replied, though his tone lacked its usual enthusiasm.
His father raised an eyebrow, his concern evident. "You seem a bit quiet this morning. Anything on your mind?" he pressed, reaching out to pat Reese's hand reassuringly.
After contemplating, Reese cleared his throat, feeling the weight of his impending confession. "Mom, Dad, I've been thinking," he began tentatively, "about finding a job for the summer in Cebu City."
His parents exchanged glances, concern evident in their expressions. "In Cebu City?" his mom asked, her voice tinged with worry.
"Yeah." Reese nodded, his gaze steady as he met their eyes. "I want to help out with the tuition, and there are more job opportunities there."
His dad sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's just... Cebu City is so far, Reese. And we worry about you being alone there," he admitted, his tone filled with parental concern.
Reese nodded understandingly. Even though he would be alone in Cebu City this time, it wasn't his first time going there. He's been in Cebu City plenty of times since he was a kid, with his parents and younger brother. though disappointment flickered in his eyes. "I know, Dad. But I promise I'll be careful," he assured them, hoping to alleviate some of their worries.
As Reese sat nervously at the kitchen table, his parents exchanged worried glances, sensing the weight of their son's request. Reese's dad folded his arms, his expression serious, as he listened to Reese's proposal. "I've been thinking a lot about this, Dad. I know it's a big decision, but I really believe it's the right one."
Reese's dad leaned back in his chair, his eyes searching Reese's face for any sign of uncertainty. Reese's mom reached out, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "Honey, moving to Cebu City for a job for the summer…it's a huge step. Are you sure you're ready for that kind of responsibility?"
Reese felt a knot in his stomach, but he squared his shoulders, determined to convey his sincerity. "I know it's a lot to ask, Dad. But I've been doing my research, and I think I can handle it. I want to help out more."
There was a moment of silence as Reese's parents exchanged a silent conversation, their expressions reflecting the mix of concern and pride they felt for their son. "It's a big decision, honey. But if this is what you really want, we'll support you," his mom finally relented.
Reese felt a surge of gratitude wash over him, knowing that his parents were willing to trust him to make his own choices.
"Thank you, Mom, Dad. I promise I won't let you down," Reese reassured his parents.
With emotions running high, Reese's parents nodded in agreement, their worries tempered by the knowledge that their son was determined to carve his own path in life.
After securing his parents' agreement, Reese's father inquired about the time of his departure. Reese explained that he had planned to leave the following week on Sunday, allowing him some time to finalize his preparations and say proper goodbyes. His father nodded thoughtfully, absorbing the information. He then offered some fatherly advice, reminding Reese to stay safe, keep in touch, and make the most of his opportunities in Cebu City.
Reese assured his father that he would heed his advice. With their conversation concluded, Reese felt a sense of relief knowing that his parents were supportive of his plans.
With his parents' approval secured, Reese turned his attention to preparing for his summer job hunt in Cebu City. However, before diving into his own plans, he wanted to ensure that his younger brother and best friends were equipped with the knowledge they needed for their own pursuits.
Remembering the stack of martial arts books he had ordered online, Reese decided to sift through them and devise a comprehensive training program. He gathered all the books and spread them out on his desk, scanning the titles and flipping through the pages to get a sense of their content.
After careful consideration, Reese devised a plan to combine the teachings from each book into a cohesive curriculum that covered a wide range of martial arts disciplines. He organized the techniques and principles into different categories, such as striking, grappling, and self-defense, to create a well-rounded training regimen.
Excited to share his findings with his younger brother and friends, Reese called his friends to meet him tomorrow at his house. He explained his idea of combining the martial arts books into a unified training program and outlined the benefits they would gain from studying multiple martial arts.