The next morning brings a different rhythm to the gym, one that settles in quietly but firmly, like a pulse everyone can feel without needing to name it.
Ryoma and Aramaki arrive first, as they always do, legs already warm from miles of roadwork. They could have taken a break after this, but they do not.
When they reach the gym, they start again, deliberately slowing their pace so they can merge with Okabe, Ryohei, and Kenta as the rest of the fighters filter in.
There is no visible command pulling them together, yet every athlete moves with the same sense of urgency today, as if determination itself has synchronized their bodies.
Jump ropes begin to spin beneath Hiroshi's watchful eye, the sound of rubber striking the floor settling into a clean, shared rhythm that fills the space.
Ryoma jumps effortlessly, breathing even, while Aramaki exaggerates his bounce just enough to draw attention.
"If you trip, I'm not carrying you," Ryoma says without looking over.
