Others might not have known either.
Just because of one woman.
In sixth grade, I went to the official dan exam to earn my first-grade degree. I started taekwondo out of simple curiosity, and somehow managed to make it to the official dan exam, only to be captivated by a woman who had come to earn her second-grade degree that very day. Her black hair was tied back into a fist, and she maintained a sedate posture. When her name was called, she straightened her dobok with a loud snap and walked away with a stern, military-style marching band. She stood with a firm posture, recited the oath in a powerful voice, and sparred with her opponent, maintaining eye contact. Simple and easy movements, yet they looked impressive. As she walked along, performing the final demonstration formation of roundhouse kicks, nare kicks, and backflips, I saw her hair tie snap, and it came off beautifully, as if it had been planned. It was like a scene from a drama or movie. The woman calmly followed the formation. Suddenly, I saw the hair tie around her wrist, and even now, I feel reckless and embarrassed.
Here, here... hair tie...
-Oh, are you giving it to me to use?
You can have four... or you can give it to me later...
-I'll give it to you later, thank you.
I rubbed my wrist, thinking, "How can you treat me so warmly?" She seemed to have played a significant role in the demonstration team, and she seemed to be proud, as if her hair tie had played a part in her ability to perform so well. "When did you start seeing this?" The demonstration team all started practicing Geumgang together. Even Geumgang, which had seemed the most unattractive to me, looked different, and she was the only one I could see in the demonstration team. Now, it had become my favorite form of poomsae.
After the official examination, I dragged my tired body into the locker room to put on some comfortable clothes. It was quiet, so I thought no one was there, so I knocked on the door roughly and opened it. A person who had tied her black hair into a fist and maintained a sedate posture, then when her name was called, she straightened her dobok with a bang and walked out as straight as a military band. The person who had borrowed my hair tie was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and turned around to straighten her dobok. But why was she wearing a white short-sleeved shirt? I saw that her sweat was soaking through her and her underwear was showing through. I automatically let out a "huh" sound to show that I was watching from behind. Then the woman turned around and carefully examined my belt.
-Song Woo-gi, you came to pick the first prize.
N..huh?
-The kid who gave me the hair tie earlier, and...
-The kid who only looked at me
Oh, I guess I felt someone's gaze. Well, how could I not notice when someone was looking at me like that?
Ah... yes... is that your name..!
-Jeon So-yeon