had a red belt with a black stripe taped on the end He was one step away from a junior black belt or poom He usually fought teammates one rank below him the red belts because no one else in his class had his rank Except Wyatt was a red belt with a black stripe too But he wasn't supposed to be in Master Park's dojang Connor's Taekwondo team was the Lions At tournaments their biggest rival was the Titans Wyatt's team Connor had sparred with Wyatt in tournaments ever since starting Taekwondo Sometimes Connor won and sometimes he lost Connor would never say it out loud but he knew they were equally matched When Connor showed up in the dojang that morning he got the worst news ever Wyatt had moved over winter break and wanted to be a Lion And that meant Connor would have to see Wyatt in his Taekwondo class three times a week But Connor knew one thing for certain Wyatt was not a Lion Once a Titan always a Titan thought Connor Haley refereed the match She was a poom and assisted Master Park in the dojang Haley was also the big sister of Connor's best friend Nick Haley pointed to the center of the ring Chung she said in Korean It meant blue 2
Wyatt moved as commanded He wore his hogu on the blue side The chest protector wrapped around his body and tied in the back like a really big laced up shoe Haley pointed to a spot across from Wyatt Hong Connor moved to the center of the ring He wore his hogu on the red side Connor and Wyatt stood face to face in their dobok or white uniforms They wore full sparring gear that included chest hand and arm protectors shin and foot protectors and mouthguards Their belts poked out under their hogus And their foam headgear was tucked under their left arms Charyeot Haley said Connor and Wyatt stood at attention with their arms straight by their sides Kyeong nye she said They bowed facing each other And they put on their headgear Haley lunged forward with her left leg Her open hand near her ear chopped down between Connor and Wyatt Junbi Haley left her hand there until Connor and Wyatt were ready They got into fighting stance Connor and Wyatt bounced on the balls of their feet with one leg in front 3
of the other Their fists were up ready to protect their heads or block lower shots to the body Connor had 90 seconds to show Wyatt that he was the better fighter Haley slid her left leg backward She put both of her hands together like she was about to clap And the match started Wyatt danced around Connor on the balls of his feet He put one leg in front Then the other Every time Wyatt changed legs Connor switched too Like a lion hunting Master Park watched Connor and Wyatt from outside the ring The Lions was the perfect team name Master Park's first name Saja meant lion in Korean She was a fourth degree black belt who had won a gold medal in Taekwondo Connor made the first move a roundhouse kick He lifted his right leg with his knee pointed at the target and pivoted on his left foot His right foot whipped around with the top of it aimed at Wyatt's hogu HI-YAH Wyatt slid back on his feet Connor had kicked air Not Wyatt's hogu Connor landed right in front of Wyatt KYA Wyatt punched the middle of Connor's hogu KYA Wyatt landed dollyeo chagi on the side of Connor's hogu The punch wasn't powerful enough to 5
