Saturday mornings at Kagawa Gym were louder than they had any right to be.
"Why are you here so early?" Shimada Haru complained, hopping from foot to foot while stretching. "It's the weekend."
"Your legs don't know what day it is," Sato Ryo replied, already skipping rope. "Stop whining."
Jin arrived to find the shutters half-open and Mori Kensuke already throwing hooks at the heavy bag like it had personally offended him.
"Morning," Jin said.
Mori grunted. "You're late."
"It's six forty-five."
"Exactly."
Jin accepted that logic and started taping his hands.
From the office, Fujii poked his head out. "Coach said anyone late cleans the showers."
Shimada froze. "Wait—what counts as late?"
Fujii smiled faintly. "You'll know."
Everyone groaned.
Training passed in its usual rhythm: roadwork, drills, sparring rotations. Jin was paired with Sato this time, whose experience showed in the way he conserved energy and picked his shots.
"You don't rush," Sato said between rounds. "That's good. But you hesitate."
"I'm choosing," Jin replied.
Sato snorted. "Same thing, different excuse."
By the end, Jin's ribs ached and his calves felt tight, but it was the good kind of pain—the kind that promised tomorrow would be easier if he survived today.
Kagawa blew the whistle. "That's it."
No one cheered. They just collapsed where they stood.
The Kamogawa Gym showed up right on cue.
"Why are you always here on weekends?" Aoki Masaru complained loudly as he walked in.
"Because you don't train otherwise," Kimura Tatsuya replied.
"I do too!"
"You slept through roadwork."
"ONCE."
Jin bowed automatically. "Good morning."
"Oh hey, it's Jin!" Aoki said. "You live here now?"
"Rent-free," Jin replied.
Takamura laughed from behind them. "Of course he does. Freeloaders stick together."
Kagawa sighed. "If you're sparring, spar. If you're talking, leave."
They sparred.
Jin didn't get a round this time. Instead, he held pads and watched—really watched—as Ippo Makunouchi threw himself forward with relentless pressure.
"His timing's insane," Mori muttered beside him.
"And he never stops," Shimada added, eyes wide.
Jin nodded. "That's his strength."
"And yours?" Mori asked.
Jin considered it. "I know when to stop."
Mori frowned like that answer annoyed him.
After training, Fujii clapped his hands. "Clean up. Then get out."
Shimada groaned. "That's it?"
"That's it."
Jin helped mop without being asked. Sato noticed.
"You always do that," Sato said.
"Do what?"
"Stay," Sato replied. "Most guys leave as soon as they're told."
Jin shrugged. "I like finishing things."
Sato laughed quietly. "You're weird."
"Noted."
They ended up at the ramen shop two blocks down, the one with the cracked sign and the owner who pretended not to know their names.
Shimada ordered extra noodles. Mori ordered extra meat. Sato ordered the same thing he always did.
Jin ordered plain.
Mori stared at his bowl. "That's it?"
"Yes."
"No toppings?"
"I'm training."
"So are we!"
"You're also nineteen."
Shimada pointed his chopsticks at Jin. "He's right. We have time."
Jin smiled faintly. "Enjoy it."
From the door, a familiar voice chimed in. "If you're all done bullying him, scoot over."
Mari Iimura stepped inside, notebook tucked away for once, coat draped over her arm.
Shimada nearly choked. "She's pretty."
"She's scary," Mori corrected.
Mari sat beside Jin naturally, like she'd done it before. "You look tired."
"Accurate," Jin said.
She glanced at his bowl. "Plain again?"
"Yes."
"You're lying to yourself."
"I'm being disciplined."
She stole a slice of pork from Mori's bowl and dropped it into Jin's. "Now you're being reasonable."
Mori opened his mouth to protest, thought better of it, and stabbed at his noodles aggressively.
Conversation drifted easily.
Aoki complained about weight cuts. Kimura apologized to the table for something no one remembered. Takamura ate three bowls and declared them terrible.
"So," Mari said casually, "anyone here planning to go pro soon?"
Shimada puffed up. "Of course!"
Mori nodded. "That's the goal."
She turned to Jin. "And you?"
Jin wiped his mouth. "Eventually."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I have."
She studied him, then nodded. "Fair."
Shimada leaned over, whispering loudly to Sato, "They talk like adults."
"That's because they are," Sato replied.
On the walk back, Jin lagged behind with Mari.
"You're integrating fast," she said.
"I'm useful," he corrected again.
"Still with that word."
"It works."
She stopped walking for a moment. "You know if you go pro, things change."
"I know."
"People will expect things from you."
"I know."
She tilted her head. "You don't sound afraid."
"I am," Jin said. "Just not of that."
They resumed walking.
Behind them, Takamura shouted, "HEY! DANCER! YOU PAYING FOR RAMEN NEXT TIME!"
Jin didn't turn around. "I already did."
"What?"
"The first round," Jin said calmly. "I said it earlier."
There was a beat of silence.
Then Aoki gasped. "HE DID?!"
Kimura bowed. "Thank you!"
Shimada cheered. Mori blinked, stunned.
Takamura scowled. "I hate generous people."
Mari laughed, full and unguarded.
Jin glanced at her, then back at the gym coming into view.
For the first time, the walk didn't feel like a return.
It felt like a routine he could get used to.
END OF CHAPTER
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