A/N: Chapter 11 of Tiger of the Wild's. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except my own OCs. Girls of the Wild's belongs to the rightful owners Hun/Zhena.
Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it.
Episode 11
In the gym...
Moon Young slowly held up her left arm into the air, three fingers pointing up while the pinkie and thumb fold inward into the palm. The camera zoomed in on the signal, getting the operator's attention.
"A 'Wild's Card' hand signal! From the preliminary Ring!" He turned to his boss with shock in his voice. "This is actually a first that I've known someone to show us one this early in the semester!" The hand signal, known as "Wild's Card" hand signal, was an exception granted by S-rank fighters to open matches to anyone, regarded of qualification of the fighters. There were no fixed rules applied.
"Oh? That's..." The boss leaned over to look at the monitors. "Moon Young Lee, a sophomore as well as a high rank player in the ring. Interesting! Send more gloves down!"
"Yes sir! Moon Young is very lively as always~" The operator pressed a button and three more pairs dropped down from the ceiling.
"I just used my Wild's Card. Anyone can come up to the ring. Don't be shy and step up!" Moon Young announced, a smirk on her face as she gazed at the Gura High students. "And! Whatever the Gura Gang does, Wild's girls just stay where you are. I won't allow any interruptions."
"That girl..." Hye Shin growled under her breath.
"What the...! What a cocky little...We are not street thugs!" One of the boys, placed 3rd in the national competition for wrestling, lumbered forward. "If you think we would cut you some slack 'cause you're a girl, you're mistaken...damn it!" He grabbed a pair of gloves and stepped into the ring. "Guys this is my game! Don't move an inch!"
He looks scary...I thought as he stood across from Moon Young, holding my breath nervously. But she doesn't even look bothered by his weight nor size...
"I'm a man you know. Don't you...dare..." His eyes widened as Moon Young rushed forward without another word. Her fists were so fast I couldn't even follow and soon he fell down defeated. He didn't even get to throw a single punch in retaliation.
"Next." Moon Young spoke, walking back to her place in the ring.
"Interesting, Hye Shin!" The other boy mused as he too, started to loosen his uniform. "I didn't care before, but I guess this is all Wild's got for their reputation."
"Don't belittle her. She is in the high ranking." The red-head spoke in warning, watching as her comrade stepped up into the ring. "She's not just another girl."
"How boring! One by one? How many of you are there? One, two, three, four...I don't have all day." Moon Young stated almost arrogantly as she turned to address her new opponent. "Just bring it all at once. Please...?!" She blinked as her reflexes kicked in and she dodged a really fast punch. She paused for a moment before looking at her opponent carefully. "Oho~ So you're...a boxer as well?"
"Hmmm..."
"Wait...I know you." The pink-haired boxer exclaimed, her eyes widening with surprise. "Mi Nam Lee from the National competition?"
"Now you notice but so what?" He replied with a smug smirk on his face. "It's already too late!" He threw a punch and blocked hers with just a forearm. "What a disappointment...your jab is just a joke. You used to be a welterweight, but you're now a featherweight? You lost your muscles too? You chose your figure over boxing didn't you?"
"Well...!" Moon Young winced as she remember how she used to look like a year ago. "You see..."
"I'm curious...you expect to knock me out...with that punch?" Mi Nam rushed forward and kept his opponent on her toes. Moon Young couldn't throw a punch in return as she focused on dodging or blocking most of the time. Finally she side-stepped, watching her opponent rush past her.
"Hey! I'm also curious...you expect to hit me...with that speed?" She threw her own set of punches, pushing him back and he gritted his teeth with anger.
"You...! What a defiant and devious girl!" His next punch only hit an after image as Moon Young ducked and went for the unguarded front. "What the-?!"
"Why did I lose weight? I wanted to become faster! Much faster!" Her blows landed much to his frustration and her feet work was phenomenal to watch. I couldn't peel my eyes away from the action. It was as if Mi Nam couldn't do anything against her and was pushed to be defensive. "If I don't get better...I can't beat Queen!"
"Argh!" Mi Nam grunted when her right hook connected with his cheek, snapping his head to the right. His beanie was knocked off his head as he staggered but refused to fall down. He narrowed his eyes at her. "I won't...Not to you..."
"Ha! He lost! What an embarrassment!" A cocky voice spoke up and I noticed another guy stooping down to pick up the last pair of gloves. Removing his shoes he approached the fighters, getting Moon Young's attention. "Geez! How humiliating! Okay then, I'll show you what I'm capable!"
Oh a new comer...? Moon Young watched him closely but also keep an eye on Mi Nam so he didn't take her by surprise.
"What! You wanted all of us at once!" The guy continued as he shuffled forward, his fists raised. "Are you chicken now? Huh?" Feeling his movement stopped by something attached to his foot he noticed Jae Gu, who hadn't stepped out of the ring the moment the fights started. "What the hell are you doing? Do you wanna die?"
"Well..You know...two boys for one girl...don't you think...it's unfair?" Jae Gu asked with a shaky voice, keeping his gaze down. What the hell am I doing?! My body moved on its own!
Dal Dal's home...
"Aw man! Why the hell don't this markings come off?!" The girl fumed as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. When she woke up and began dressing she realized that the marks from the night before was still on her face. Rushing to the restroom she attempted to scrub the best she could but the marks only faded to a dull black color. "God damn it!"
If Moon Young were to ever see this...or Queen for that matter...screw it any of the student body were to see my beautiful face marked by this then I'll never be able to live this down! Gaaaah! How in the world did I ever agreed to play that game?! This is a travesty! Infuriating as well! ...and it's all Moon Young's fault for proposing such a game! Gawd I'm gonna punch her when I see her!
"Dal Dal? Are you up yet?" Her mother's voice floated from downstairs, catching her attention. "Do I need to call the school or something?"
"Yeah I'm up! Don't worry about me and don't call the school yet!" She replied quickly before frowning at her reflection. Suddenly her phone went off and she managed to catch what was happening inside the gym. "Hmmm? What's this? A fight at the preliminary ring this early in the school year? That's new..."
She watched the video closely from the beginning and nearly squealed when Jae Gu appeared on screen. However she also had a feeling like something bad was about to happen. Rushing out of her room in only her pajamas she didn't even stop to eat anything.
"Dal Dal?!" Her mother spoke up after her daughter flew down the stairs and put on her shoes. She popped her head out of the kitchen, catching the streak of brown hair rushing out the door. "Where are you going in such a hurry?! And dressed like that?!"
"Sorry Mom but I'm going to school now!" She shouted over her shoulder, a grin spreading across her face as she rushed down the street. "My Jae Gu is waiting for me!"
Back at the gym...
"You wanna die little bastard?"
"You stay out of it Jae Gu!" Moon Young shouted, getting the guy's attention.
Jae Gu Song? Him? Queen placed him as her opponent? The Gura High student looked at the boy with disgust. No way...? He looks like a fucking wimp!
"I don't think...two against one is fair..hahaha..."
Get a grip! Getting his foot out of Jae Gu's clutches, the fighter got into an attack stance. Queen must have had her reasons...to nominate him...
"Oh hey! I got no intention to fight!" Jae Gu attempted to explain, noticing the look on his opponent's face. "I just want you to quit...! I really don't want to fight! I don't even know how!" When he reached forward his opponent stepped back, keeping light on his toes.
That was close! He could have punched me or kick me...who knows what he's thinking...I have to be really careful!
"C'mon, let's not fight...I thought I told you, I can't fi-"
K-POW!
"Jae Gu!" I rushed forward to catch him, concern laced in my voice. He was trembling with blood dripping from his nose, unable to speak. I quickly pulled out a kerchief and wiped the blood that seemed to be coming out faster. "Are you okay, Jae Gu?!"
"He went down with just that one punch?" The Gura High student blinked with surprise, looking from his fist to Jae Gu and back to his fist again. "How in the world? Did Queen make a mistake?"
"Get out of the ring Jae Gu!" Moon Young snapped angrily before looking at his attacker, her lips pulled over her teeth in a snarl. "And you! Your fight is with me not with the scrawny kid!"
"Did you forget about me already?" Mi Nam asked, his punch barely grazed her jaw since she leaned back a minute earlier. "I'm still in the ring! Don't ignore me!"
"Hey, look at me." Pulling Jae Gu out of the ring I placed my hands on his shoulder and turned him so he could look at me. My kerchief was drenched with blood so there's no point in wiping anymore. "You okay? Talk to me!"
"He..He punched me..." Jae Gu stammered, a hand raised to stop the bleeding. He was shaken and I didn't like to see him like that. "Out of the blue..."
WHACK~
"Moon Young Senpai!" I looked up when Mi Nam unleashed a kick, making contact with the left side of her body. She stumbled but didn't fall much to her opponent's surprise. Kicks were allowed since there were no rules applied and my jaw tightened. Crap...! What can I do?!
"Tobi..." Jae Gu gazed at me with a thoughtful expression on his face. "You want to fight...don't you?"
"I..."
"Then...go for it. I'll be okay so don't worry about me."
"Okay." Nodding my head in agreement I stood up and gave my bag as well as his over to Go Seul. She gave me a worried expression but I proceeded to peel off my shoes and stepped into the ring. The moment of watching Jae Gu get punched replayed in my mind and I couldn't help but bite my lower lip with anger.
"Eh? Tobi, why are you stepping into the ring? I thought I was strict with my orders." Moon Young asked as I walked up to her, ignoring her opponent for a second. Her body throbbed from receiving the kick but other than that she didn't look that banged up. "I can handle—"
"May I?" I held out my hand towards her. At first she gave me a questioning look then she noticed that I was looking at the gloves. Smiling she peeled them off and held them out for me to take.
"So you are going to fight? Can you handle it? This could almost be the equivalent of fighting in the nationals."
"I won't know unless I try." I replied, fitting the gloves that snugged my fingers quite nicely. That's right, this will be my first taste fighting against really skilled fighters. But...! Clutching my hands into fists I took a deep breath. If I can't overcome this...then I'll never improve. Dal Dal herself was tough and I want to see just how strong they are too.
"Hey! Where are you going?! Our fight isn't over!" Mi Nam shouted as Moon Young walked off to the side, an angry vein throbbing against his temple. He never had an opponent walk away from him before. "Don't tell me you're running away!"
"Oi, why are you yelling at her?" I asked, taking my place as he turned his attention to me. "You aren't worth her time."
"What did you say? You got quite the mouth on you." Mi Nam said, no doubt irritated by my words. "For a foreigner you really don't know a thing or two about us. I hope you have something to back up your words."
"Mi Nam! Lets take him down together!" The other one stated as he stood right beside his companion. "I saw the look on his face when I slugged Jae Gu. This guy'll be really quick and then you can finish your fight with the cocky girl."
"No...I'll take him on by myself." Mi Nam replied, cracking his fingers loudly. "I want to rough him up with my own two fists."
Inside a classroom...
"Hey! Jae Gu grabbed his ankles~"
"Ballsy! Jae Gu really is something else!" Two students were giggling as they watched the fight being broadcast through the network Wild's TV.
"Ah!" Queen accidentally let out a gasp when she watched the punch, a hand going up to cover her mouth. Quickly excusing herself she exited the room and made her way to the gym with an unreadable expression on her face.