Rivals
BY: Lady Addiction
FANDOM: Hajime no Ippo
WARNINGS: Gen, OOC, spoilers for entire anime
SUMMARY: Miyata ruminates.
NOTES: I altered the ending of episode 75 for this fic.
WWW
It really was amazing how someone can totally turn your life upside down. The day I met Makunouchi Ippo was the day my life went into a detour and so far, I've yet to come out of it.
I mean, I was born and raised to be a great boxer. From ever since I could remember I've been surrounded by the sounds of glove pounding sandbags, of hammer hitting gongs. I grew up working my ass off at the Kamogawa Gym, aiming to follow right after my father's shoes.
I was Kamogawa's Golden Boy, the rising star many couldn't wait to see grow up into a champion boxer. I was a genius technical out-boxer, and several pros have sparred against me and lost while I was still too young for the pro tests. I was supposed to blast through the Rookie Championships, the A-Class Tournament, get top ranking in the Featherweight Division, and win the Japan National Featherweight Champion belt from Date-san.
I was at the top of my boxing world, and I never thought I could ever go down.
Then he comes in, this awkward, meek guy with all the charisma and presence of a sheep, and I was supposed to spar with him!
It's been about two years since that fateful day and now he was down there, in that well-lit ring we all aimed for, wearing the mark of kings. I stared at him intensely, feeling a surging emotion deep within me that I hesitate to identify. He looked so victorious, standing in the middle of the ring, the Japan National Featherweight Champion belt around his waist, a toothy grin in his battered face.
That rising star had passed me by so fast, I can almost feel the afterburn. I straightened up and began to walk out of the hall.
We have yet to have our rematch, and I was determined that I will pull equal to him soon.
In boxing, there can only be one winner…it's not going to be Makunouchi.
-FIN-