Kaito Hoshino's arms ached like they were filled with cement, and his legs felt as if someone had replaced the muscles with rubber bands. But there was something different about him — a spark, tiny but real, that made him stand a little taller than yesterday.
I can… maybe… do this.
Morning Drill
James had a new plan for the day.
"Today, we do real defensive drills. Not just footwork or push-ups. I'm going to throw punches, light ones, and you react. Just survive."
Kaito stared at him, wide-eyed. "Survive… that's it?"
James smirked. "If you survive, you learn. If you don't… well, you're going to know what failure feels like."
The first few rounds were a disaster.
Kaito ducked too late, raised his hands at the wrong time, tripped over his own feet. He stumbled into the wall, almost knocking over the lamp.
"Not bad for a beginner… but not good enough," James said calmly, chuckling.
Kaito groaned. How is surviving so hard?
By the end of the morning, he was drenched in sweat, muscles screaming in pain. But he dodged a punch — just once. Tiny, sloppy, but he dodged.
That's… progress.
School Hallway Challenge
Back at Shizuoka High, Kaito felt the weight of his own fear. Ryo and his friends were there again, smirking, whispering, testing him like a predator with its prey.
Okay… small steps. Focus.
Ryo tossed a crumpled paper ball at Kaito. Reflexively, Kaito sidestepped, almost tripping, but kept his balance.
The small victory didn't go unnoticed. A few classmates glanced at him, eyebrows raised.
"Whoa… he dodged it," Miki whispered, nudging the kid next to her.
Kaito's face went red. Don't look at me… don't look at me…
Ryo frowned. "Huh? What was that?"
Kaito didn't answer.
He just walked away, heart hammering. Not a full victory, but a step.
A Friend Appears
During lunch, Kaito sat quietly, still trembling slightly. Miki slid next to him.
"You did good," she said softly.
Kaito blinked. "I… I just… moved out of the way. That's all."
Miki laughed. "Hey, moving out of the way counts when someone throws things at you constantly. Small victories matter."
Kaito felt a little spark of pride. Someone noticed… maybe I'm not invisible.
She leaned closer, whispering:
"If you want, I can help you practice reactions too. Nobody has to know."
Kaito nodded slowly, a small smile tugging at his lips. Maybe… maybe this isn't going to be so impossible.
Evening Training with James
That evening, James noticed something different as Kaito limped into the living room.
"You moved better today. Faster, more aware. You're learning."
Kaito shook his head. "It's nothing. I just… didn't get hit this time."
James laughed. "That's huge. Dodging even one attack is a step forward. Tomorrow, we'll add a second."
Kaito groaned. Second…? But inside, a small part of him looked forward to it.
Night Thoughts
That night, lying on the couch, Kaito stared at the ceiling. His arms still ached. His legs still screamed. His pride was fragile.
But there was something new:
I'm learning. I'm surviving. Maybe… I can stand up for myself one day.
And for the first time, he believed it might actually happen.