During a sparring session in mixed martial arts, when you're pinned under your opponent, the natural instinct is to struggle and do whatever it takes to break free.
If you don't, the person on top will gleefully rain down punches, and even if you guard, your face will eventually turn into a bloody mess.
But right now, what's Sia, who's pinned beneath me, doing in this dangerously precarious position?
She's raising her pale, soft arms in what might be a guard or just an attempt to cover her face it's hard to tell.
Because of that, I can't bring myself to throw a punch and am just sitting there, frozen with a dumbfounded expression.
(What the… She's the one who took it to grappling, so what's she doing? Does she want to just take the hits?)
Even in non-official matches, there's an unspoken rule in sparring or fighting.
Even if both fighters are determined to overpower each other with fierce resolve, when one person no longer has the will to continue or their body gives out and they collapse, the other person has to stop attacking.
Why?
Because otherwise, you'd just be a thug beating up someone who doesn't want to fight anymore.
That's exactly how I feel right now.
(If you're not going to keep fighting, tap out and admit defeat. Why are you just lying there?)
With Sia acting like this, I can't bring myself to hit her more.
But it doesn't seem like she's given up on the match either… or so I thought.
Then, the realization hit me like a bolt of lightning: Sia might snap out of it and counterattack at any moment. With that thought, I tightened my thighs around her waist, squeezing hard to make sure she couldn't escape.
How long did we stay like that?
As the adrenaline pumping through my body began to fade, my dulled senses slowly returned.
Thanks to that, I started to feel a vivid sensation I hadn't noticed before.
Because Sia was only wearing a sports bra, her bare waist was pressed against my legs, and I could feel the soft, warm texture of her skin and her body heat vividly.
On top of that, the flush on Sia's face hadn't faded, and an indescribable emotion welled up inside me.
(This is… suddenly a really weird feeling.)
For some reason, the rough atmosphere of the ring started to heat up in a strange way.
As we stayed there, locked in an oddly intimate position as if we were lovers sharing a moment, the spectators who had been quietly watching started rattling the chain-link fence around the ring, causing a commotion.
"Damn it! Finish her, oppa! Wow, this is insane. Sia-unnie is just lying there on purpose!"
"Smash her face in! Pretending to be a tame kitten, huh!"
Hearing the crowd scream like a bunch of frenzied monkeys finally snapped me out of it.
(I've already held back a lot at this point. Honestly, haven't I basically won? If I'd attacked when she dropped her guard, it would've been over.)
With that thought, I lost the desire to continue the match.
It just wasn't fun anymore, I guess.
Carefully, I spoke to Sia, voicing the hope I held onto.
"You done?"
But that faint hope was shattered by Sia's expression returning to normal.
"Nope, let's keep going. Put your guard up!"
As if trying to shake off her embarrassment, Sia shouted and tensed her core, attempting to wriggle out from under me.
Her fierce determination nearly broke my hold, but I tightened my thighs around her waist to the limit, barely managing to keep her pinned.
(That was close, damn it. Alright, if you want to keep going, I'll finish this.)
While Sia was panting heavily after failing to break free with a spring-like twist of her hips, I swiftly turned her body to the side and wrapped my legs around her right arm.
She flinched and tried to escape, but I'd already locked her shoulder and neck with my legs, tightly securing her arm.
My series of movements was executed without hesitation or error.
No matter how much my body had changed, these were techniques I'd honed countless times, so they came naturally.
(They call this an "armbar," don't they? Let's see how you get out of this one.)
I flashed a victor's smile at Sia, who was now helplessly pinned.
"So, what's it gonna be? Keep going, and your arm's gonna break."
"…"
No response.
I slightly twisted her arm to instill a sense of danger, and a weak voice came from below.
"…I lost. Spare my arm. I've still got a lot to do."
As Sia quietly tapped the ground with her free hand, I gently released the armbar and stood up, smiling.
I won.
It wasn't an official match, just a spar, but a massive sense of accomplishment welled up inside me, something I hadn't felt in a long time.
"You did well."
Sia, who had sat up to catch her breath at some point, spoke to me in a low voice.
(Oh, I forgot to help her up.)
I was too caught up in the thrill of victory.
Without a word, I took off my gloves, walked over to Sia, and extended my hand.
She took it, her expression complex as she continued.
"You're not at an amateur level. Are you training to go pro as a guy?"
The phrase "as a guy" made me chuckle.
"Just a hobby."
I answered her casually.
"Hmm. For a guy, your strength isn't bad, and your technique is practically pro-level. Ever thought about seriously giving it a shot?"
"I'm not into snake heads."
Cutting her off mid-sentence with my blunt reply, Sia froze for a moment before bursting into a hearty smile.
"Of course. That level wouldn't satisfy you, would it? You won't find a guy like this anywhere else."
The more I talked to Sia, the more I felt like I was going to die laughing.
Her way of speaking reminded me of some battle-hardened warrior from the old days, reaping heads on the battlefield.
"It's been a really fun day, so I'd love to grab a drink with you, but since you're a minor here… too bad."
Strangely, Sia's voice was clear and pure, like a stream flowing gently.
"Same here. Shall we head out?"
I said to Sia after calming my trembling lips.
(The match is over, so let's get out of here. Are we gonna stay in the ring forever?)
Sia nodded in agreement, and I opened the door on the chain-link fence.
"You were amazing. Wanna spar with me sometime?"
"Are you going to keep coming here?"
"How do you maintain that physique, hyung?"
As I stepped out of the ring, I answered the barrage of questions lightly while undoing the straps stuck to my sweaty skin. When I glanced back, Sia was still in the ring, seemingly lost in thought.
I tilted my head but went back to what I was doing.
_
___
Sia stood like a statue, mentally replaying the fight from the beginning.
Had she underestimated Sehwa?
She shook her head at the thought.
If Se-hwa had seemed like some delicate, sheltered type, maybe she would've, but the moment she saw Sehwa hitting the sandbag, she was genuinely impressed.
Despite her doll-like appearance, Sehwa's skill was exceptional.
And there was a glimpse of almost feminine ferocity in her.
Combine that with the tattoos etched on Sehwa's body, and you'd think, (This guy's lived a rough life.)
A man like that could be dangerous to approach carelessly.
Dismissing the idea that she'd lost because she underestimated her, Sia sank into another thought.
Physically, she had dominated Sehwa.
Sia was tall for a woman, and strength comes from size.
Of course, the standards for men and women are different.
Due to differences in muscle density, even a strong man would be weaker than a woman.
Sehwa was strong for a man, but he couldn't overcome the physical gap. When Sia grabbed his waist, Sehwa couldn't resist and went down.
(I was far stronger than him.)
The more Sia thought about it, the more it felt like she was sinking into a maze. As she layered thought upon thought, her eyes suddenly lit up.
She touched her toned, chiseled abs.
(...That's it.)
In all her sparring matches, even those against men, she'd never gone as far as grappling. Most ended in striking.
So, being caught off guard by a man's thighs for the first time had cost her the initiative.
Realizing this, Sia flicked her long hair with a sense of clarity and stepped out of the ring.
Her usual stoic expression had returned, but her face was slightly flushed, unnoticed by anyone herself included.
______
_
As Sia finally stepped out of the ring, I was fanning my sweat-soaked shirt.
I'd have to put on my school uniform later, and the stickiness was getting uncomfortable.
While I was doing that, Mina suddenly grabbed my arm, looking shocked.
"Are you crazy?"
"What? You okay?"
"I mean…"
"My arm's all sweaty, you know."
I squinted at her, and Mina quickly let go, apologizing.
I noticed a worried look in her eyes and wondered if she was freaking out over grabbing my arm, so I teased her gently.
"Why are you so nervous?"
"You're not mad that I touched you? You said something about it earlier."
"I was just asking if you were okay."
"…Really? You don't care if I grab your arm?"
I waved her off with a laugh, reassuring her.
"It's not a big deal. If you're worried about it, can you grab your unnie for me? I need to talk business with her. I'm too exhausted to move."
With that, I slumped into a chair, completely drained.
Mina, looking a bit guilty for some reason, stared at me like I was some strange animal. When I closed my eyes in resignation, she immediately went to get Sia.
"…I brought her. And don't close your eyes like that. It's creepy. Well, not creepy, but… I don't know."
(This works pretty well. She's calling me a thug when she's just as bad.)
When Mina gave me a resentful look, I opened my eyes slightly and met her gaze, causing her to lower her head.
(She's doing it again. Is she actually scared?)
Well, if Mina zones out again in the future, I'll have to use this trick, I thought, and turned to Sia, who was standing in front of me, speaking expressionlessly.
"Let's talk business now."
"Sure. Has the tension settled a bit?"
"What tension?"
I genuinely didn't know what she meant, and Sia gave me a baffled look. Mina, standing next to her, did the same.
"Weren't you mad about what Sia-unnie did earlier?"
"Nah, I wasn't really mad."
"Then why'd you suddenly want to spar?"
"No particular reason."
Mina's strange look seemed to spread to Sia.
"Is that what living in a cold place does to a guy?"
"Just think of it as me having a… unique way of living."
Sia didn't respond, lost in thought, her eyes scanning my neck.
"Why do you have tape on your neck?"
At that, I casually ripped off the tape.
Sia looked at my now-exposed neck, then tilted her head to examine my body further before asking with genuine curiosity,
"Hmm. When you lived in Russia, did you ever use a handgun?"
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Translated by Reversalmanhwa.web.id
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