Kai and his mom were getting ready for their day when Kai almost slipped up. "Hey, Mom, I'm going to catch the bus," he said, before quickly correcting himself. "I mean, I'll drive you to work, and then I'll head to school."
His mom smiled, reminding him, "We have a car now, sweetie. You can drive me to work, and then you can go to school afterwards."
Kai nodded, checking the time. "What time do you start work, Mom?"
"My shift starts at 9:00 a.m.," she replied. "But your school starts at 10:30 a.m., about an hour and a half after mine."
Kai got ready, and at 8:45 a.m., he said, "Okay, Mom, let's go."
They locked up the house and hopped into the car. Kai and his mom set off, but instead of dropping her off at her usual workplace, Kai decided to take a detour. He picked up Mike and headed to the grocery store – or so he thought. Today, Kai thought, I'll take my mom to her actual workplace, a place I've never been before.
As they arrived, Kai's mom looked surprised and blessed. "Kai, this is where I work. You've never brought me here before."
Kai smiled maturely. "Thought I'd mix things up today, Mom."
Little did she know that Kai had other plans brewing, and this was just the beginning of an eventful day.
"Thanks, sweetie," his mom said, gathering her belongings. "You're the best!"
Kai beamed with pride, knowing he'd made his mom's day a little brighter.
After Kai left his mom at work, he and Mike headed to school. As they cruised in their sleek Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Mike couldn't contain his excitement.
"Yoh, bro! You know it's so exciting. You just bought this car yesterday. I wonder what others will think when they see you with this car. I mean, it's an S-Class, man! This car is worth 1.2 million rand, bro, and you're going to school with it. We're only in grade eleven, bro! This is groundbreaking, bro. Wonder what they'll say at school? Look at us, we're the new kids on the block. No, bro, we're going to shine today."
As they arrived at school, they drove through the gates, where Security Officer Mr. Balu checked their IDs. His eyes widened in shock.
"Kai? Mike? How did you get this car? Whose car is this?"
Kai looked at Mr. Balu and said, "It's my car."
Mr. Balu's jaw dropped. "You gotta be kidding me! I never thought you were... Wow, okay, enjoy your day, boys."
As they pulled into the parking lot, students' heads turned in awe. "Whose car is that?" someone whispered. "Must be a teacher's new ride."
But when Mike and Kai stepped out, the whispers turned to gasps.
"Is that... Kai and Mike?"
"No way! That's their car?"
The two friends exchanged grins, basking in the envy and admiration.
As Mike and Kai stepped out of the car, other students swarmed around them. "Mike, Kai, can I take a picture with you beside the car?" one asked.
Mike initially declined, "No pictures, guys." But Kai intervened, "Let them take it, bro. It's just the car."
A girl approached, "Mike, Kai, can I get your number and add you on WhatsApp?"
Kai hesitated, "My phone's dead right now."
Mike grinned to himself, thinking, "Kai's not giving out his number."
Meanwhile, Emily watched from afar, curious about the commotion. She spotted Kai and Mike standing beside the sleek Mercedes-Benz and assumed it belonged to a teacher.
As the crowd grew, Kai and Mike politely asked, "Please give us space. We need to get to class."
The onlookers dispersed, and Kai and Mike headed to their first class, math. After the prayer, Emily approached Kai.
"Hi, Kai! How are you?" she asked.
"I'm fine, thanks. How about you? How's math going?" Kai replied.
"Math is going well. I understand the concepts you explained last time. Thanks for helping me," Emily said.
Kai smiled. "You'll excel if you keep trying harder. You've got potential."
Emily nodded, "I'll try harder, thanks for the encouragement, Kai."
Their conversation was cut short as the teacher began the lesson.
Kai sat nonchalantly, lost in thought, as the math teacher droned on. His mind wandered to the morning's events, his family lineage, and the secrets he kept hidden. The teacher's voice faded into the background.
Suddenly, the teacher's repetition of his name snapped Kai back to reality. "Kai, Kai, Kai! Can you give us the answer?"
Kai's eyes refocused, and he hesitated for a moment before responding to the trigonometric question: "What is the value of sin(x) if tan(x) = 3/4?"
Without batting an eye, Kai replied, "Sin(x) would be 3/5."
The teacher's jaw dropped. "That's... astonishing. Even better than I could have explained it."
Kai shrugged. "Uh, sorry, sir. Is that all?"
The teacher, still flabbergasted, asked another question: "If cos(x) = 2/3, what is the value of sec(x)?"
Kai responded effortlessly, "Sec(x) would be 3/2."
Three more questions followed, each answered with ease by Kai. The class exchanged bewildered glances.
"Why is our teacher asking Kai so many math questions?" someone whispered. "Is he the teacher or is Kai?"
Kai intervened, "Sir, since you're asking me so many questions, isn't it time for you to teach us?"
The teacher chuckled, embarrassed. "Sorry, class. I got carried away. You're exceptionally proficient in math, Kai. I just got excited."
Emily watched Kai with newfound admiration. "Wow, he's amazing."
Mike, sitting in the corner, grinned. "Wow, bro, you're on fire today. Never cease to amaze me."
The teacher regained composure and continued the lesson, but the class's attention remained fixed on Kai, the math whiz.
Kai's exceptional performance continued throughout the day, impressing his teachers and classmates in English and biology classes.
After the third period, Kai, Mike, and Emily headed to lunch. As they sat down, Kai mentioned, "Mike, I might not be able to drive you home today. I have somewhere to go."
Mike nodded understandingly. "No worries, bro. I'll take a taxi. Do what you need to do."
The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, and they headed to their next classes.
As the final bell rang, marking the end of the school day, Kai received a call. "Hello?"
"Kai, we're outside your school. I sent someone to pick you up," said Mister Reginald.
"Actually, sir, I bought a car yesterday, so I drove to school today," Kai replied.
Mister Reginald chuckled. "Well, in that case, follow the black car outside. They'll lead you to my house, where you'll begin training with my personal security team."
Kai spotted the Porsche outside and waved at the security personnel, who recognized him. "Hi, I'll follow you to Mister Reginald's place."
The security personnel nodded. "Yes, sir. Follow me."
Kai bid farewell to Mike and Emily, then followed the Porsche out of the school gates.
As Kai followed the Porsche, the 30-minute drive gave him ample time to think. "What am I getting myself into? I don't know any taekwondo or martial arts."
To calm his nerves, Kai pulled out his phone and started listening to a taekwondo podcast. The information flowed effortlessly into his mind, and he absorbed the basics, advancing to professional-level skills in mere minutes.
"Wow, this is incredible!" Kai thought, grasping 50,000 to 100,000 words of martial arts knowledge.
The Porsche stopped before an imposing mansion, its grandeur awe-inspiring:
- Tall, wrought-iron gates
- Lush gardens and a private lake
- Sleek, modern architecture
- Panoramic views of the surrounding landscape
As Kai stepped out of his car, a security personnel greeted him. "Welcome, Kai. Please wait here for Mister Reginald."
Fifty minutes passed before Mister Reginald arrived, apologizing for the delay. "Kai, I've been waiting for you. Sorry for the wait."
"No worries, sir," Kai replied.
Mister Reginald handed Kai a set of gym clothes. "For your first lesson. My personal trainer will guide you."
Just then, a man with an air of arrogance approached. "Sir, with all due respect, I thought you said you'd bring a master, not a child. What can this kid teach us? I'm 20 years older than him!"
Kai raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the man's audacity.
Mister Reginald intervened, "This is Beldin, one of my top security personnel. He's been with me for over 15 years and is an exceptional martial artist."
Beldin's eyes narrowed, but Kai simply smiled. "Let's see where this ends up."
The tension was palpable, setting the stage for an epic showdown.
Kai thought to himself, "Time to teach Beldin a lesson." He turned to Mister Reginald and said, "I'm ready for my first lesson. Beldin can be my test subject."
Beldin laughed, "You think you can handle me? I'm the best."
Kai smiled confidently, "I like to start with the best."
Beldin's expression darkened, his face reddening with anger. "Don't get ahead of yourself, boy!"
Beldin stood 6'2" tall, with a muscular build, short-cropped brown hair, and piercing blue eyes.
The dojo was a spacious, well-lit room with polished wooden floors, mirrored walls, and a high ceiling. The air was thick with anticipation.
As they stepped onto the mat, Beldin sneered, "Your move, boy."
Kai sprinted forward with lightning speed, his movements a blur. Beldin didn't see it coming – a soft push sent him tumbling to the floor.
Beldin scrambled up, stunned. "What...how did you...?"
Kai smiled, "Just getting started."
Beldin charged, throwing a punch, but Kai dodged effortlessly and landed another gentle push, sending Beldin stumbling back.
Beldin's eyes widened, "This boy...he's incredible!"
Kai's taekwondo moves were swift and precise:
- A perfectly executed ap-chagi (front kick)
- A swift dwit-chagi (back kick)
- A series of rapid-fire jabs and hooks
Beldin struggled to keep up, his face flushed with surprise.
Mister Reginald watched, impressed. "Kai, your skills are exceptional."
Beldin bowed, acknowledging defeat. "You're...amazing. Teach me."
Kai smiled, "Time to share my knowledge."