"Can you walk properly now?" At the top of a mountain, where a dojo teaching Miyagi-Do Karate was located, Chozen looked at the young Dash, who had arrived at his doorstep in very bad condition. He had seen a change in his gaze, but he knew that Dash needed more time to breathe and release all his past bad experiences, just as he had done in the past.
Dash turned his head, smiled faintly at Chozen's words, and said, "Your medicines are good. Was your family a ninja or something? I've recovered very well; I'll get home much better than I had thought."
"Come, let's eat. I've prepared my star dish!"
Dash stood up, walked towards the cabin where Chozen was sweating, and saw a simple table full of food. For many, the choice of food is something sacred. Some who do not know the effort behind it criticize the dishes or do not eat them simply because they wanted something else. However, he appreciated every grain of food with much love.
He envied Devon a lot, and he had told her that. She could eat the dishes her mother prepared, and that was something invaluable.
When he arrived here with his fears present, he learned many things from Chozen, a man who had overcome very deep and strong obstacles in life. In that first interaction he had with him, he thought it wouldn't be any different from the past, but he ended up surprised at how he had changed for the better.
Not only had he overcome his dark past problems, which were darker than Dash had imagined, but he had found his own path and now led a serene life.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Chozen served him a large meat chop and smiled faintly; he, too, was living good days in the company of Dash, whom he felt the need to guide.
Could it be destiny that sent this young man to him to guide him in his concerns?
Chozen once dreamed of having a child after that night where he lost control of his emotions. He had thought of dying, and if it weren't for his sensei, who showed him the path of redemption, he wouldn't be here in this moment.
Life may not be pleasant for everyone, but the important thing about it is to understand that in certain moments, occasions, or special situations is where you truly want to live.
Dash, who was just learning all this, smiled, looked at the food on the table, and bowed to Chozen, saying, "Thanks for the meal…"
"Who are you fighting with?" After eating in silence for a few minutes, Chozen asked Dash a more personal question that he was curious about.
Dash drank a glass of water and said, "My girlfriend's mother is going to have surgery, and it costs a lot of money. Originally, I had a strong fight with my father when he refused to help someone who wasn't his family. That's why when I found out about a tournament where the prize is a large sum of money, I wanted to see if I could win something."
"My girlfriend's mother must not die. She is an excellent mother and deserves a peaceful death... I know what it feels like to be on the brink of death and feel alone, regretful, and afraid." Dash, as he said these words, smiled ironically and said, "That's why Mrs. Lee must not die. She has to live many more years."
Chozen nodded at Dash's words, and after thinking for a moment, he asked, "Do you know that we are just simple people trying to live in our own way? Problems and many other things accompany us every day. In that regard, do you really know that we don't have control?"
"I know that..."
"Then think about what you can do and have control over. Your girlfriend needs you more than ever now and after knowing the result of that operation." Chozen didn't want to see Dash on the wrong path. He was young and still had many things to experience.
Devon was really going through a tough time; she, closer than anyone to her mother, must really be having a hard time. But Dash, with his face all beaten up, didn't want to give her such a pitiful image. So, he preferred to recover a bit to pretend that he hadn't been beaten up, even though he won this tournament.
"I'll be back in a few days. Being in this place has helped me a lot to maintain that peace I had been gathering for all these years." Dash secretly started devouring all the meat on the table.
Chozen nodded and said, "It's a shame you're injured. I could have taught you many things about your training in the doctrine of Karate."
"Your words are more than enough. Besides, you could teach me more about your Karate later." Dash, among all the Karate Senseis he had encountered, sympathized more with Chozen for his way of overcoming and living life, so he was grateful to have found him.
After finishing the meal, they spent the afternoon talking about this place and watched as Chozen taught Karate to his students, who were of all ages and seemingly learned without any apparent purpose.
Without a doubt, Dash knew he needed to live life better and be more mature with his audacious problems. There was no doubt that he was in a bad place, but over time, at least he knew he could control all that hidden pain.
If Chozen could do it, he knew he would find a way to overcome it completely.