The first week at James' apartment had been grueling. Kaito's arms ached constantly, his legs felt like lead, and his pride had taken repeated blows. But something was different.
For the first time, he noticed subtle changes: a slightly faster step, a little more control when dodging, and — most importantly — a tiny spark of confidence.
Morning Routine
James had a routine, and Kaito was forced to follow it. Wake-up, push-ups, squats, footwork drills, shadowboxing, a short run — all before breakfast.
Kaito groaned as he lifted his arms for the tenth set of push-ups.
"You're moving like a snail," James said, smirking. "Speed isn't everything, but you'll need both speed and strength if you want to survive a fight."
"I… I'm trying!" Kaito gasped, collapsing onto the mat.
James crouched beside him. "I know. That's why I'm not letting you quit."
He's relentless… but somehow it feels… fair.
By the time breakfast came, Kaito was panting, drenched in sweat, and already starving.
"Eat fast. Today's drill is reflexes and reaction," James said casually, flipping an omelet.
Kaito took a bite and groaned. "Reflexes… can't we just do punches?"
James shook his head, laughing softly. "Nope. First, you need to not get hit."
Testing at School
The next day, Kaito returned to Shizuoka High. He felt… different. Not confident, not even close, but slightly more aware.
In the hallway, Ryo and his gang were at it again, shoving books and laughing. Kaito froze, instinctively flinching.
Don't… don't make a sound…
But then something clicked.
He remembered James' words: "Focus. Move with it. One step at a time."
Kaito sidestepped one of Ryo's pushes — not perfectly, but enough. The books didn't fall. Ryo's smirk faltered for a moment.
"What was that?" one of Ryo's friends muttered.
Kaito hurried away, heart hammering. Not a victory, but… a small success.
Step one… survive.
Unexpected Ally
During lunch, Kaito sat quietly on the bench, nibbling at his sandwich. A girl from his class, Miki, waved at him.
"Hey… you're Kaito, right? I saw that sidestep earlier… impressive."
Kaito choked on his sandwich. "I… I just… tripped a little."
Miki laughed. "Sure, 'tripped.' Don't worry, I get it. You're new at this…
I can tell. Want some help navigating the lunch crowd?"
Kaito blinked. "Uh… yeah, sure."
Wait… someone… actually wants to help me?
For the first time in a long while, Kaito felt… a little lighter.
Evening Reflection
Back at James' apartment, Kaito flopped onto the couch. His arms ached. His legs ached. His pride… slightly better.
James was tossing a small padded ball across the living room. "You move a little faster today," he said casually.
Kaito nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah… I think I… I didn't completely fail at school today."
James smirked. "Not failing is the first step toward winning. Remember that."
Kaito stared at the ceiling that night. Small victories. Tiny sparks. That was enough for now.
One day… maybe I can stand up for myself completely.