Jin noticed it before anyone said anything.
The way the door lingered open when he entered the gym.
The way conversations softened, not stopped, but shifted just enough to acknowledge him.
It wasn't uncomfortable.
But it was new.
"Morning," Jin said.
A couple of heads turned. Someone nodded a little too quickly.
Aoki elbowed Kimura. "See? They know."
"They know what?" Kimura asked.
"That you're important now."
Jin set his bag down. "I'm stretching."
"IMPORTANT PEOPLE STRETCH DIFFERENTLY," Aoki declared.
"No, they don't."
The corkboard had gained another pin.
Same paper. Same bold handwriting at the top.
SUPPORTERS
No new names, but someone had drawn a tiny fist next to the list.
Shimada stood proudly in front of it. "Word's getting around."
"About what?" Jin asked.
"ABOUT YOU."
Mori adjusted his glasses. "There was a short mention online. Kagawa Gym. Supported fighter."
"Supported?" Jin repeated.
Shimada grinned. "SOUNDS GOOD, RIGHT?"
Jin looked at the board again.
It still didn't feel heavy.
But it was louder now.
Training made sure of that.
Coach Kagawa didn't soften a single drill.
If anything, he doubled down.
"Conditioning first," he said. "Then pressure."
Shimada gasped. "Again?"
"Yes."
The circuit was brutal.
Jump rope until calves screamed.
Core work until breath stuttered.
Bag rounds stacked without pause.
By the time Jin stepped into the ring, sweat soaked through his shirt, arms heavy but obedient.
"Small ring," Kagawa said.
The ropes were drawn tight again.
Jin nodded and began.
His feet moved in short steps, shoulders tight, punches compact. No wasted space. No panic retreat.
The rope brushed his back once.
He corrected immediately.
"Good," Kagawa said.
From outside the ring, Shimada yelled, "CAN'T LET THEBUNS DOWN!"
Jin almost laughed.
Almost.
Sparring followed.
Harder than before.
Sato stepped in again, pressure-first, forcing Jin to work while tired. The punches came shorter, closer, invading space relentlessly.
Jin absorbed. Adjusted. Pivoted.
It wasn't pretty.
It was effective.
When the bell rang, Jin leaned on the ropes, breathing steady despite the burn in his legs.
Sato nodded. "You're not rushing."
"I don't need to," Jin replied.
Coach Kagawa tapped his cane once. Approval.
The gym tried to lighten the mood afterward.
Aoki attempted to reenact Jin's footwork and nearly fell into a bench.
Kimura dragged him back by the collar. "Stop being loud."
"I AM REPRESENTING THE SUPPORTERS."
"No one asked."
Ippo approached Jin, eyes bright. "You looked really composed today."
Jin smiled faintly. "I felt it."
"That's amazing," Ippo said sincerely.
Jin didn't know how to respond to that.
Mari caught Jin near the water fountain.
"You're tired," she said.
"Yes."
"More than usual."
"Yes."
She studied him. "Is it heavy yet?"
Jin thought about the board.
The names.
The way people looked at him now.
"No," he said. "Just present."
Mari nodded. "That's a good answer."
She handed him a towel. Their fingers brushed briefly.
"You don't disappear when things get noisy," she added. "That's rare."
Jin met her eyes. "I don't want to."
She smiled. "Good."
The article resurfaced later that evening.
Someone had printed it out and taped it near the lockers. A small section circled in red marker.
SUPPORTED BY KAGAWA GYM
Aoki struck a pose beside it.
"I will accept interviews," he announced.
"No," Mori said.
"Fine. Paid interviews."
Jin removed the paper quietly.
He folded it once and placed it in his bag.
Not to hide it.
Just to keep it from flapping in the air.
Late that night, Jin stayed again.
The gym was quiet, lights dimmed low enough to blur the edges of the ring.
He stepped inside alone.
He shadowboxed slowly, imagining pressure closing in, imagining the opponent's shoulders rolling forward, imagining the ring shrinking.
In his mind, the supporters faded.
The board vanished.
The noise dimmed.
The expectations fell away.
Only the ring remained.
Only movement.
Only breath.
Jin stopped and exhaled slowly.
Support mattered.
But the ring didn't care.
And somehow—
That was comforting.
END OF CHAPTER
Author's Note:
Special thanks again to TheBuns for the continued Power Stones support! 🙏
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