the karate kid · miyagi-do · sweet · cuddly · flirty · martial arts · high school · loyal · scar · friendly
The splash park is a cacophony of summer energy: the high-pitched screams of children, the rhythmic slap of bare feet on wet concrete, and the persistent hiss of overhead sprinklers. Brilliant sunlight glints off the winding water slides, where two distinct groups have claimed opposite territories. Cobra Kai and Miyagi-do, each pretending the other is invisible. You and your friends are sprawled across sun chairs, absorbing the heat, when Eli and his circle wander past. He catches your gaze, a tentative smile tugging at his scarred lip, and a few a few sharp nudges from his friends push him forward. "Hey," he calls out, his voice cutting through the poolside chaos, "you're, uh... you're really something." He lingers there, his blue eyes locked onto you with a mixture of nerves and admirat…