If there was one thing that Gamou Maki loved; it was boxing. She breathed boxing, bled for it, no matter how many times she fell to her knees from a liver shot, uppercut, a hook landing. Gamou would always get back up until she fell unconscious. With Gamou work ethic and determination she became one of the core members at her local boxing gym. So, imagine her surprise when one of her best friends older brother offered to train her, when he isn't either training or getting ready for a match, she felt the fruition of her dedication to boxing worth it.
"One-Two!" a pair of mitts in-front of her were in set position. With practiced ease Gamou in the Boxing-ring thrown her two jabs in quick succession. She felt the impact when she connected the blows, it felt amazing!
"Good! Don't rest just yet!" The person wearing the gloves swiped at her, she bended her knees and tucked her gloves in close to her chest and ducked the fast right hook.
'This is great' Gamou felt herself grinning.
This went on for a couple sets, punching mitts or dodging her trainer's own jabs. Of course, with mitts on and her protective headgear they would not hurt but damn, it would give her a headache if they landed multiple times. When they heard the ringtone go off they relaxed. It was the final set and now she finished her workout.
Gamou took in heavy breaths, feeling the workout finally coming to her.
"Remember hands on your head and breath through your nose, nice and steady" following his instruction Gamou did so. But man, Gamou wanted to collapse and lay on the nice cool floor.
"You're getting better. Way better than a few months ago, you just need to do more roadwork."
"Thanks…" Gamou said in-between breaths. She knew that her stamina needed work but she hated running.
"Don't worry with how much roadwork you've been doing lately, it'll pay off! Just keep at it." Gamou blushed at the praise.
It felt nice to be praised for her hard work but that thought dashed out the window when she saw the time. She was late to hangout with her friends!
"Thanks! But I gotta get going! I'm late to hangout with the girls!" Gamou with a new vigor energy slipped under the ropes and ran towards to the women's changing room with her bag in tow.
"Alright tell Nagataro she can burrow my console if she wants to, I got to get ready for my match."
Gamou stopped near the door and turns to her trainer with a surprised look. This means-
"Does that mean you can't train me anymore?" Gamou hated how disappointed she sounded, like a child who cannot play with her toys anymore. Despite the fair distance between themselves her trainer still heard her.
"Unfortunately… for the time being that is it'll only be like 5 months?" he didn't sound sure, but that was fair he spent a huge amount of time on her anyways but still left a bitter taste in her though. "But hey! At least when I'm back you'll be able to maybe join me in roadwork" her trainer joked.
Inspired Gamou brighten up immediately that she completely forgot what she was doing. Headed inside the change room to shower and put on some fresh clothes she brought from home in her bag. After leaving the change room with cleaner clothes that don't reek of sweat, Gamou was rapidly texting on her phone telling her friends she was on her way and will be there as quick as possible. Not looking where she was going, she collided with the door dropping her phone in the process. Caught off guard, pain exploded across her face making her moan in pain.
'Ow…' slowly messaging her nose hoping to numb it.
"Here you dropped this" A voice so monotone and so low that she almost did not catch it. She looked up from the ground from messaging her nose.
'Huh?' she froze when she got to see the person in-front of her.
Void was the word that came to mind when she saw his eyes. Pure nothingness, like it's a blackhole ready to suck her in and consume her whole. Gamou rarely gets intimidated by someone, especially by a guy who looks like zombie. Like has this person never sleep?
"Phone" he said. Without blinking he continued to stare at her, waiting for her to grab her phone, muttering a quick 'thank you' as she took it from his hand. Looking it over Gamou sighed in relief that nothing broke, not even a smudge or a speck of dust is on it.
"Oh! Umm… Sorry about running into you totally my bad. But I'm running a bit late to meet with my friends…" he continued to stare at her for a few moments. Was it just her or was it getting a bit awkward? "uh- "before she got to say anything he interrupted her.
"Have a nice day" he said. Polite, curt response. Gamou watched him walk across the distance in the gym towards the changeroom. Looking at him, if you mind the eyes, he was kinda… why did a sheep cross her mind? A sheep knowing it about to die that would turn into lamb chops or something… Never mind that now she was so late! Ugh…
Leaving the gym, she started heading towards the 'hangout' which is just a local spot common around here with the students from her high school. 'I wonder where he goes? Does he go to school?' to be honest he kind of looked like a delinquent. Was it because of the eyes? He was polite if a little off putting… Gamou wasn't sure why she was thinking about him so much, with just the first impression she- she got scared.
Why?
Gamou wasn't sure, and frankly she doesn't want to find out.
A punching bag was taking a beating of its life, constantly taking blows with a rhythm paced pattern like clockwork. Live shot, followed by a right hook.
Heavy breathing can be heard in the empty gym followed by constants rattles of the chain attached to the bag he was using. It was quiet in the gym just him and Mr. Bag. That was fine by him he didn't want people around anyways. He was alone, always has been that won't change. This gym is perfect for him, it's a twenty-four-seven gym so he can just come in late when no one is around and find the nearest punching bag.
When he stopped, he put his hand out in front of him to stop Mr. Bag from having revenge by hitting him when he punched it hard enough to send it flying a bit to high for his liking.
'That girl.'
He remembered seeing her coming here more than one occasion but mostly from afar. There were times when he shows up and must wait for others to leave. Normally he would wait till they left but saw her heading to the change room, and today he was in a sour mood. Figuring that if he walked in headed straight for the changeroom and get changed and by the time he was out they'd be gone.
But it was his fault for underestimating her, he did not think she would change so fast. Also, beelining into his chest made her drop her phone. He was able to swipe at the phone before it hit the hard floor.
'Eww who's that creep?'
The thought attacked his mind. A mere person or was it a classmate? He doesn't know its hard to put a face of people when they're mostly the same. He couldn't even see past their eyes, only their damn mouths, the way their mouths move and thinking he can't hear them talking about him, it frustrated him, it made his blood boil.
More thoughts started pummelling him.
'what's with his eyes? Gross…' a couple of girls from a café near his high school giggled. He hated how they laughed at him, he just wanted to read his manga.
'Yo! Stop staring! its disgusting!' a random classmate said. He was trying to draw a art piece of the cherry blossom tree, and a couple that looked a bit older than himself scolded him.
'Kill yourself…'
Something snapped and so he started to punch the bag again with the same amount ferociousness as before. He kept punching until his knuckles bled once more.