The gym was loud again.
Not with cheers or reporters, but with the familiar sounds Jin had missed more than he realized—gloves hitting bags, skipping ropes slapping the floor, Aoki yelling for no reason.
Jin stood near the lockers, carefully stretching his shoulders. His body still complained every time he moved too quickly, a reminder that he wasn't invincible no matter what the headlines said.
"Don't overdo it," Kimura said, leaning against the wall. "You're still healing."
"I know," Jin replied. "I'm just loosening up."
Aoki poked Jin's ribs lightly and immediately yelped. "WHY ARE YOU STILL SO HARD?!"
Jin stared at him. "You poked me."
"That's not the point!"
Coach Kagawa tapped his cane once. "If you're done harassing the injured boxer, start your own training."
Aoki saluted dramatically. "Yes, sir!"
He tripped over a jump rope on the way.
Training was light that day.
Jin focused on footwork—slow steps, deliberate movements, no speed, no power. Just rhythm. The Phantom Step wasn't something he could spam. It required calm, awareness, and timing.
Shimada watched him closely, arms crossed. "You know," he said, "from the outside it doesn't even look impressive."
Jin blinked. "That's good, right?"
"Yes," Shimada said seriously. "It means they won't see it coming."
Aoki tried copying Jin's steps and immediately twisted the wrong way, crashing into a heavy bag.
"I've discovered something," he announced from the floor. "That step is cursed."
Kimura sighed. "You're just bad."
Later, as the gym quieted, Jin sat on the floor, wrapping and unwrapping his hands slowly. The female lead sat nearby, pretending to read while clearly watching him instead.
"You're moving like an old man," she said.
Jin looked up. "I just fought."
"That was days ago."
"…I'm a cautious old man."
She laughed softly and closed her book. "Everyone's talking about you."
He shrugged. "They'll stop."
"Maybe," she replied. "But the gym won't."
Jin glanced around. The scuffed walls. The uneven mats. The people arguing over nothing.
He smiled faintly.
As evening settled in, Coach Kagawa called it a day. Jin stayed behind a little longer, cleaning up, resetting equipment.
He moved quietly, comfortably.
This was what he liked.
No crowds. No cameras.
Just the gym.
The ring wasn't calling him yet.
And that was fine.
END OF CHAPTER
Author's Note:
Huge thanks to TheBuns and Anthony_Cone_3234 for the Power Stones support! 🙏
This slice-of-life chapter is thanks to you. If you enjoyed the lighter tone, please comment, vote, and add the story to your library — your support keeps this journey going!
Next chapter: Training Resumes 🥊📘