Joji woke up at 5:30 AM, still groggy but it's becoming a habit, slowly
The sky outside was still a pale shade of gray, the world stuck between night and dawn. He rolled out of bed and started his morning push-ups and squats, letting the movement shake the sleep from his muscles. The creak of the wooden floor didn't stir Uncle Naru from his sleep, so Joji tiptoed his way to the kitchen.
He could cook—not like Uncle Naru, but enough to get by. This morning, he whipped up a protein-rich breakfast: rice and scrambled eggs. It was bigger than usual—almost fifty percent more than his standard meal—and halfway through, he was already struggling.
This is what you wanted, he told himself. You need to grow.
With a sluggish walk and a full stomach, Joji made his way to the gym. It was still locked when he arrived, but he knew Coach Haruto would show up soon. As he waited, he loosened his limbs with some dynamic stretches outside the entrance—sun barely up, the air still cool.
That's when he noticed the poster.
---
OSAKA ROOKIE BOXING TOURNAMENT 2017
〜 The Gloves of Autumn 〜
Amateur Open Bracket (Ages 15–18)
Hosted by the Kansai Amateur Boxing Federation
Sanctioned by the Japan Amateur Boxing Association (JABA)
Tournament Dates:
October 6–20, 2017
Venue: Osaka Municipal Gymnasium (大阪市立体育館)
Weight Classes Available (Men's Junior Division):
Bantamweight (56kg)
Featherweight (60kg)
Lightweight (64kg)
(Other divisions available — check with your gym)
Eligibility:
Ages 15–18 only
Must be affiliated with a licensed boxing gym or club
Medical and physical clearance required
Parental/guardian consent form required (for minors)
Registration Deadline:
Sign-up Deadline: September 15 (Friday)
Official Weigh-In: October 5 (Thursday), 7:00 AM
Bracket draw immediately after weigh-ins
No names. No titles. Just fists.
Step into the ring — and make Osaka remember you.
More info available at your gym's front desk.
---
Joji stared at the poster, sweat already forming on his brow—not from exertion, but from the weight of realization.
October 6. That gave him just over two months.
He glanced down at his lean frame, still sitting at 50 kilograms. Six more kilos, he thought. His fists clenched as he echoed the poster's tagline in his head:
Just fists, huh?
A click behind him snapped him out of his daze. Coach Haruto appeared, coffee in one hand, gym keys in the other.
"You're early," Haruto said, barely hiding a smirk.
Joji didn't answer at first. His eyes were still on the poster.
"I'm entering," he muttered.
"I figured you would." Haruto sipped his coffee. "But you're still light, kid. You'll need to bulk fast—but not dirty. We're not using junk metals to build a car."
Joji turned to him, eyes sharp.
"Then teach me how to build it with better materials."
---
The gym echoed with the clang of weights and Joji's heavy breathing. Coach Haruto watched from the side, arms crossed.
"Low reps. Heavy load. Maximum focus," he said. "You want size and strength? Then stop training like a flyweight."
He demonstrated a modified cable workout, looping resistance bands to add instability. Every rep Joji took demanded more control—more power.
"Speed, too," Haruto added. "You bulk like a tank, but move like a sports car. That's how you win."
They kept that pace for the next week. Joji's muscles ached, sweat staining every shirt he wore. But Coach wasn't just pushing him physically—he laid out the timeline too:
---
Quarterfinal – October 6 (Saturday)
Semifinals – October 13 (Saturday)
Finals – October 20 (Saturday)
---
"Once we start," Coach warned, "you only get six days to recover between matches. No excuses. You'll be training through school, tired or not."
Joji nodded. School resumed in September, meaning everything had to be juggled perfectly. No wasted motion.
One week into this regimen, Joji dropped the barbell from his final set. He reached for his towel—and saw a familiar smirk.
"You trying to turn into a bodybuilder or something?" Imaizumi asked, arms folded. "I could hear your grunts all the way from the bathroom."
"Trying to reach bantamweight," Joji replied, wiping his forehead.
"Well, Coach wants you to come with us. Beach trip. Just two days. Me, Coach, Alisa, and his wife. They're treating it like a family thing—but he thinks you need the break."
Joji blinked. A break?
"Rest is part of growth," Imaizumi said. "You've been killing yourself here, man."
---
The next morning, Joji double-checked his duffel bag before sunrise. He packed extra shirts, a towel, his compression shorts—just in case. Uncle Naru helped him zip it up.
"You sure you won't get tired of them after two days?" Naru teased.
"Better than eating chicken and broccoli for the hundredth time," Joji replied.
They stood outside. Within minutes, the hum of a van approached. It rolled to a stop, and the front window lowered to reveal Coach Haruto.
"In you go, kid. Let's not waste the breeze."
Joji slid open the door.
Inside, Alisa and Imaizumi were already fighting over the window seat.
"You had it last time!" Alisa snapped.
"Yeah, when I was carsick!" Imaizumi shot back. "This time it's mine by birthright!"
"You're not royalty, moron—"
Joji climbed in with a sigh. "Guys. We haven't even hit the highway yet."
The bickering quieted slightly as the van pulled away.
"It's because Imaizumi is being a je-"
"Alisa, give your cousin a break" a voice came from the front seat next to Coach Haruto. The voice had a noticable accent but still has an elegant tone.
The woman looked back at us, she has fair skin and the same hair as Alisa
---
The beach welcomed them with salty air and sun that glinted off the ocean. Seagulls called overhead.
Joji helped unload the van—folding chairs, bags, even the portable grill. He worked up a sweat again, but it wasn't the gym kind. It felt... lighter.
Once the cottage was set, he collapsed under the shade of a massive umbrella. A slice of watermelon rested in his hand, juice cold against his fingers. Alisa and Imaizumi sat nearby, still trading sarcastic remarks—but this time with smiles.
"Hey Alisa, can you rub some sunscreen on my back?" Imaizumi demanded
"Huh? Do it yourself!" Alisa tossed him the bottle of sunscreen
"Come one, you really think i could spread it on my back properly by myself?" Imaizumi gave a stern look to Alisa
"Ugh, fine" Alisa spread the sunscreen across Imaizumi's back "now I can't eat the watermelon by myself, my hands now have sunscreen"
Imaizumi stood up and went to water to started swimming "woooh, it's so refreshing here! Come!"
Joji looked at Alisa " You're not gonna join him?"
"I haven't put sunscreen" Alisa pouts
"Lay down, I'll do it for you" Joji said after finishing his slice of watermelon, wipes his hands and then spread some sunscreen to his palm
"Oh really?" Alisa lay down slightly flustered
Joji lathers her whole back with sunscreen and passed her the sunscreen lathering sunscreen on her back "You do the rest, i might get headlocked by Coach if he sees me spreading sunscreen on your thighs"
Alisa took the sunscreen while still having a slight blush, she lathers her whole body before going and swim with Imaizumi
Joji wiped his hands and continued on eating the slices of watermelon
Then something caught his eye.
A group of girls played beach volleyball nearby—laughing, shouting, moving with energy and ease. Joji leaned forward to get a better look.
One girl spiked the ball, then turned, laughing.
That face.
That voice.
His breath hitched.
"No way..." he whispered.
It was her.
Mina.
She hadn't noticed him yet. But Joji sat frozen, heart pounding, the watermelon forgotten in his hand.
---
[End of Chapter 9]