SWISHH!
"Kurhk! What happened?" Azami lay sprawled on a bench, what seemed to be an ice pack was placed on his forehead.
WHOOSH!
"What's that noise?" He scanned his surroundings, only to find that he was in a boxing gym.
It was packed with training boxers shadowboxing all over, some were hitting mitts, others fought the sandbag.
"Woah!" A familiar voice echoed from the red-haired boy's side, Azami glanced at Ippo beaming in astonishment.
"You're here too? I suppose we're still in Japan right? It's not like that guy kidnaps people for a living…" Azami read the posters on the walls, he was relieved to see them still in Nihongo.
"Hmmph! Both of you should go home when you're back in reality." Mamoru appeared right next to them, arms crossed.
He glared at Ippo, then towards Azami, "I hate those who pick on the weak. But, I also despise those who just leave after being beaten. So pathetic."
Ippo's eyes welled up in tears as he thanked both Azami and Mamoru before preparing to leave.
Still in daze, Azami breathed a sigh of relief as he felt that the wallets were still in his pockets.
"Tsk, tsk! Hold on a second." Mamoru grabbed Ippo's shirt and said, "You're so frustrated to the point of crying." He took a marker nearby and drew a figure, using Azami as a reference.
After that, he taped the drawing onto one of the sandbags and told Ippo to punch it with all his might.
"All right, think of this as that guy over there and punch it!" Mamoru pointed at Azami and chuckled heartily.
"But… it wasn't—!!"
WHAM!
Mamoru struck the back of Ippo's head, comically creating a bulging bump. "Stop saying useless stuff and do it!! You'll feel better!"
"Come on, hurry up!" Mamoru pushed the young Ippo towards the sandbag.
Regaining his senses, Azami watched the antics between the two. He noticed the vending machine in the gym and bought an energy drink.
The two continued with their punch training until Azami had finished drinking it all. Coming back to the bench, he heard Mamoru boasting with his punch earlier.
POW!
Ippo mumbled a few words before hitting the sandbag with a textbook straight punch.
"PUHAHAHA!! That's it, that's the feeling. See looks like the face is in pain!" Mamoru grinned, patting Ippo's shoulder.
"Yo, let me try." Azami walked towards the sandbag, a doodle of his face crumpled to oblivion.
"Tch! I thought you left already." Mamoru snorted in annoyance, 'This guy clearly wants to show off.' He murmured subtly.
Seeing their reactions, Azami scoffed, then took a wide stance and low guard. Closing his eyes, he recollected how Takeshi performed that devastating blow from before.
'An uppercut with a 45-degree angle trajectory.'
BAM!
Smoke curled upwards as the bolo-punch erupted like a volcano, swinging the sandbag as if it was a grandfather clock.
"Amazing!" Ippo exclaimed, the same expression was present among the others who saw the punch as well.
A bead of sweat trickled down Mamoru's face, he took a glance from both of the high schooler's fists and saw that they were bleeding, with skin literally peeled over.
"You idiots! Come here and get wrapped up or it will get infected!"
…
Many hours had passed after Mamoru bandaged Ippo and Azami's bloodied hands, staring at the now darkening beach, Ippo hesitated before saying a word.
"Azami-kun, are you sure you don't want to go home yet?" Ippo asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yeah. I rule this place, I can sleep anywhere I want." Azami snickered, a hint of sadness briefly escaping.
"Uhh.. you see, we still have plenty of leftovers from yesterday's catch. Since you saved me from Umezawa-senpai…"
"Where's your house at?" Azami questioned, putting back the protein bar in his pocket.
…
Location: Tokyo Bay
Time: 6:06 PM
"Huh, Ippo you're late."
Several middle-aged men and women gathered near a fishing boat, carrying equipment for fishing.
"My, you got beat up this much again." Hiroko Makunouchi, Ippo's mother, wore a concerned expression as he checked Ippo for more injuries.
"Good evening, Okaasan! My name is Azami Hanamichi, Ippo's friend at school!!" Azami bowed in a perfect 90-degree angle enthusiastically.
"Oh wow, what a respectful kid. You can just call me auntie, let's not get too formal. Besides, you're the first friend that Ippo actually brought home." Hiroko rubbed her chin and eyed Azami like a sniper ready to shoot.
"You dyed your hair red, you must be a delinque—Umphh!!" Hiroko's words stopped as Ippo covered her mouth.
"N-Nothing like that!!" Ippo forced a chuckle, taking the bait in boxes off from Hiroko's arms.
The same act happens to the other fishermen. Hiroko felt concerned of how Ippo waved off the delinquent thing, but seeing the red-haired kid help with carrying the boxes lifted the weight off her heart for now.
"Good bye!!" Ippo waved his arms up in the air, the fishing boat sailing off the shore.
"Hmm, what's that thing you're carrying?" Azami asked.
"Oh, Takamura-san gave it to me. It says Mike Tyson K.O. Collection." Ippo answered, fidgeting in embarrassment.
"So, when are we eating?" Azami asked again, his stomach grumbling loudly.
Ippo beamed out, suddenly remembering why Azami had followed him all the way here.
Inside their quarters, Ippo laid out a bunch of dishes on the table, rice, tonkatsu, fried fish, and sashimi.
Azami ate like his life depended on it, while Ippo was too focused on watching the DVD that Mamoru had given him.
"I wonder how it feels to be strong…" Ippo's voice was quiet but determined.
"Burp* Ah… that was a good meal!" Azami caressed his now-round belly in satisfaction. "To be strong, huh? How about we go see that Takamura guy tomorrow?"
"Right!" Ippo stood up, punching the air several times. "Wait, where did all the food go?! Don't tell me you even ate all of the Tonkatsu?!!" The boy shouted.
"Sorry about that. Here, take it. It's good for boxers, I think." Azami took out a protein bar from his pocket, two more accidentally falling out.