Ashan sat on the back steps of Midtown Boxing Club, his hoodie half-zipped, tournament medal still around his neck. It clinked lightly as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees. The adrenaline had long worn off, replaced with a quiet stillness. He didn't feel like celebrating.
His phone buzzed.
Jerry [9:12 PM]:
Congrats. Wasn't expecting you to win it on your first shot tbh. Still just amateur level. You're not strong yet. But you've earned your way to Japan. Few weeks.
Ashan stared at the message. He read it twice. Then again.
There wasn't any smiley face or "I'm proud of you." Just a blunt fact: he did it. And it still wasn't enough. But that's what he liked about Jerry, aside from his strange sense of humor.
He locked the screen and looked out at the parking lot. A few of the other fighters were loading gear into their trunks, laughing with their coaches. Ashan didn't really care. He wasn't there to make friends.
He thought back to the tournament:
Caleb Monroe, the surprise knockdown in round two, then the third-round KO.
Second match, a cleaner finish, more control.
Finals, a bit ugly, a bit scrappy, but he edged it out and eventually dominated the match.
He didn't feel strong. He felt like someone who figured out just enough to slip by. He'd blocked well, landed clean jabs, kept his distance. But he knew. His cross still lacked follow-through sometimes. He couldn't double up on jabs without thinking. His uppercuts were garbage.
But Jerry was still sending the ticket. That meant something.
The wind picked up, and Ashan pulled his hood over his head. He could feel the soreness creeping into his ribs, his shoulders. He didn't even want to imagine what it would feel like against the level of fighters in Japan.
He exhaled.
He had a few weeks. A few weeks to sharpen what little he had, fix what he could. And this time, there would be no hype, no motivation. Only him and whatever waited on the other side of that flight.
He didn't smile. But for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be.