Stealing Spree

In this kind of situation, only I became conscious of the other party. Coach Ayu who clung to me tightly to recover some of her stamina and to let the pain pass never reacted or I just couldn't see it. Even after someone shouted 'Break', she kept her hold for a little longer until the acting referee shouted it once more. During that few seconds she used to clutch, I felt the breeze from her breath gradually stabilized.

She's the one who urged me to use her weakness and now I felt bad so I didn't push her away during it but I acted as if I was doing that.

In front of these boxers, what I did might be a low move but none of them called it out, they also heard Coach Ayu's encouraging me to do that after all.

With a little more than 30 seconds left for the 1st round, Coach Ayu stayed at the defensive position and I continued circling around her to try landing another hit. During that time, I didn't move as much to prevent the same thing from happening. Either way, I also limited my approach on that side of hers. The first time is fine but doing it again after seeing the effect on her, I will truly be hated by everyone here.

And soon enough, the bell clanged once more indicating the end of the round. I dropped my arm and instantly went to my corner where Sena already put down a stool for me to sit as she climbed up to help wipe the sweat off of my body.

Coach Ayu also went to her corner and one of her friends did the same for her. However, I noticed that her eyes never took me out of her focus. She's still in her battle mode. I guess that's how much concentration she has for this Skill Test she proposed. Hisa-jii is also watching after all. Coach Ayu is like this to help me. I have to show the two of them that I'm eligible for that part-time job. In this world, not everything will be easily handed to anyone. Most if not all needed to prove themselves first. That's why that's what I'm going to do as well, prove myself to Coach Ayu and the decision-maker, Hisa-jii.

After taking out my mouthpiece, Sena handed me a drink.

"Do you think it is fine for me to do that?" I asked her.

Sena gazed at me and nodded after understanding what I meant with my question, "Don't think too much about it. In the professional scene, exploiting someone's weakness is natural. And this time, Coach encouraged you to do it."

"I see. You're right. I guess we'll have to add that to your training."

"… Ruki, you meanie." Sena pouted before putting the towel on my face as she pressed on it hard.

"Of course, we will have to adjust it so that it will not overwork you."

Upon hearing that, the girl agreeably smiled and switched to gently pressing the towel on my face.

Coach Ayu's injury was the reason she retired, it's not a normal weakness that was fine to be exploited or it would affect her drastically. Even if she encouraged me to do it, I shouldn't focus on that and just add that into my strategy in dealing with her.

Although she hadn't landed a clean hit on me, my arms I used to block most of her punches are already aching. I should stop taking those head-on and dodge instead. A former pro like her shouldn't be underestimated.

Sena will become like her in the future. I guess I have to prepare for a beat-up from this girl.

"Hmm? Why did you suddenly smile? What's on your mind?"

The thought of her made me unconsciously smile, huh? This just shows how in love I am with her.

"Did I? I was thinking of your future as a pro boxer. I'm conditioning my mind to be beaten up by you."

Sena giggled at my answer and tapped my back. "Stop flirting with me while we're on the ring, idiot. Do your best, Ruki!"

After saying that, she put my mouthpiece back on and took the bottle of water from my hand before going back down to the side of the ring.

Soon after that, the sound of the bell indicating the end of the one-minute break already sounded.

I stood up and faced Coach Ayu in the center of the ring once more.

"Give it your all, Onoda-kun. Impress everyone." She encouraged me before going back to her stance.

"I understand." I nodded before doing the same.

"Fight!" the acting referee shouted along with the last of the three clangs of the bell.

-

-

During the 2nd round, Coach Ayu once more went to the offensive in the first 2 minutes. Moreover, she stopped holding back and showed me what a former olympic-level athlete can do. With how fast her fists were, I couldn't dodge at all and just raised my guard up.

More than a few times, she would break my guard and land a hit on my face, my body and everywhere she found open.

In response to that, instead of just taking the hit, I always aimed a counter to her. Although most of the time my fists will hit the air, I still landed some on her body.

With those two minutes, the way I exploited her weakness was to prevent me from being hit by her one-two combination. Whenever I felt like I would not be able to keep up with her movements, I would go to her left side to break her momentum.

When the last minute was called out, the cheers around us were already louder than the squeaking of our shoes or the dull sound of the gloves hitting something. Even Sena's voice was already drowned out.

Furthermore, my concentration for the match had already reached the peak which made that last minute to be a brawl between Coach Ayu and me.

In the last 10 seconds, due to us being exhausted from that nonstop brawl, we probably mutually decided to clutch to catch our breath.

With our bodies that close, and our sweat mixing together, Coach Ayu satisfyingly laughed as she let most of her weight rest on me.

Since there's no more time, the acting referee didn't shout for Break anymore and just waited for the bell to clang, ending the 2-round match between us anticlimactically like that.

Of course, there's no more announcement about who won, as soon as it ended, Sena helped me get down and Coach Ayu was helped by her friend.

After clapping for a good show, the spectators dispersed after leaving behind pieces of advice either coated by criticisms or praises.

-

-

"I feel like I aged younger after watching that match. Good kid!"

As we were resting on the bench and talking about the result of that Skill Test, Hisa-jii walked over while laughing heartily.

"Thank you. Uhm. If Coach Ayu was truly serious, I would be knocked down during the first round." I politely answered.

"Don't be too humble and accept some praise, Onoda-kun. I'm not wrong with my evaluation of you," Coach Ayu rebutted. "What do you think, Hisa-jii?"

"Hisa-jii. He's qualified, right?" Sena added as she also looked at the old man.

Although his hair was already mostly white, the build of his body was still better than most younger adults. A retired pro boxer who never stopped training his body. Just looking at that biceps, on both of his arms, his punch is surely destructive.

Hearing the two girls asking him, he instead turned to me. "Inaho already asked you this before but I will repeat it, do you not want a career in boxing, Onoda-kun?"

"I'm sorry. I've already decided. However, I'm truly flattered that two veterans of this circle are trying to scout me at this age."

"Oh. I see. Nevermind then, it's still early anyway. Although it's better to train you early on, you seem to have been training yourself for a few years already so the effect will already be minimal. If you ever change your mind in the future, don't hesitate to tell me." Hisa-jii waved his hand before laughing once more.

"Inaho, he's more than qualified. Start preparing a training program for his lesson and send it to him. That way, he will have enough time to revise it as he sees fit."

More than qualified, huh? I guess I'll stop refusing their compliments. With his approval, I've already secured myself a part-time job. They might be approving today but if the lessons I will conduct next week fails then I can kiss goodbye to this job.

"And you girl. Ever since your boyfriend came back here, you started to be more energized. It's well and good but I don't want to see you overworking yourself, train normally and prepare for the competitions you will join in."

Well, I'll make sure she won't do that. After telling me to not overwork myself, if they also did the same then it's my turn to reprimand them. Sena will be joining competitions at the high school level first to earn more experience. Once she graduates or even before that, she will start joining amateur matches to gain qualifications to be a pro.

Her path was already laid out in front of her and I can say that I'm also excited for her. I will help her to reach that dream of hers, every step of the way.

""Yes, Hisa-jii!"" The three of us shouted in concert.

My trip this time is quite fruitful. I got to spend some quality time with Sena and I managed to land a job that will help me test my skills.