A Scorching Day Chapter 47

“…Of course, I knew Ki Joon could fight—I’d seen it with my own eyes—so maybe I didn’t need to worry this much. Until now, I’d tried not to show my anxiety, telling myself exactly that.

But back then, his opponents had been ordinary people. Today’s tournament was a competition between athletes in the same weight class, so I couldn’t let my guard down completely. Still, Gawon decided to trust the countless medals and trophies displayed in the showcase in Ki Joon’s room. He had to calm himself somehow, even if it meant doing that.

“Well, I’ll be off.”

Whether he knew or not how Gawon’s hands were trembling ever so slightly from the intense tension, Ki Joon waved with a fresh-faced smile.

Gawon chewed on his parched, cracking lips, then abruptly grabbed Ki Joon’s wrist as he turned away.

“Ki Joon.”

“Yeah!”

“Joon-ah.”

“…Huh?”

Ki Joon, who had turned around as usual, widened his eyes. He blinked, looking utterly bewildered. He must have been surprised because Gawon had never once called him that before.

It had always felt too ticklish somehow to just call him by his given name, so he had stubbornly used his surname all this time. Just as he’d expected, it was embarrassing. Still, he had to say what he needed to say, so he looked at him steadfastly.

“Actually… I don’t care about medals or anything.”

“…”

“Just don’t get hurt. That’s all I want.”

Gawon looked at Ki Joon with a heavy heart. He knew Ki Joon was strong, but still, his worry wouldn’t easily fade.

It was probably because of what had happened a year ago. The sight of this kid getting beaten to a pulp by his seniors, and by his father. That horrific afterimage, deeply etched into Gawon’s mind, wouldn’t easily disappear.

After staring at Gawon in surprise for a moment, Ki Joon broke into a mischievous smile that spread all over his face.

“Okay. I will.”

It was a smile Gawon loved so much. Just looking at it made his chest ache.

“I’ll win without even giving them a chance to hurt me.”

Ki Joon leaned his upper body forward. His dear face drew close. In an atmosphere as if he were about to kiss him. But just close enough not to draw too much attention.

Chattering voices flowed past his ears. As Gawon quietly gazed into Ki Joon’s eyes as he slowly stroked his head, he had the illusion, if only for a moment, that it was just the two of them in this vast space.

Gawon slowly nodded. From now on, it was Ki Joon’s part to play, so all he could do was trust him and cheer him on.

After briefly caressing Gawon’s cheek, Ki Joon turned and ran off. In the distance, his teammates, including the coach, were handing him water and honey.

―The men’s high school division, semi-professional, light heavyweight match will now begin. From the K-One Multi-Gym team, athlete Ki Joon. From the Rodeon FC Yeongdeungpo branch, athlete Kim Myeong-seop, please come forward and wait.

At the arena announcement, the stadium buzzed with murmurs. Ki Joon stripped off his top and squeezed honey into his mouth. At that moment, a noisy group of athletes took a seat beside Gawon.

“Wow, holy shit. Ki Joon’s out. Is it his first time in a year?”

“Right. He hadn’t shown up for a while, so I thought he’d gotten crippled or something.”

Gawon’s brow furrowed involuntarily. He glanced sideways, but the three or four men paid him no mind and kept chattering while looking at Ki Joon.

“Looks like he’s gotten taller, hasn’t he? Fucking… he’s even more massive now.”

“That Kim Myeong-seop bastard was making a big fuss about taking home the trophy, but he’s toast now.”

A couple of the men snickered. Then another one spoke up in a puzzled voice, jutting his chin toward Ki Joon.

“What? Who’s that?”

“You… don’t know him?”

The tone of the retort was incredulous. But only for a moment—two or three of them burst out laughing at the same time.

“Right. You’ve only been doing this for a short while, so it makes sense you wouldn’t know.”

“Hey, but still. How can you not know him?”

“What’s the big deal. It’s possible not to know some guy like that, shit.”

The boy who’d been treated like an idiot got angry.

“Looking like a pretty boy. Isn’t he a trainee or something? Shouldn’t he be going to an audition instead of showing up here?”

At the mocking tone, Gawon’s anger flared up this time. He glared fiercely to the side, but the men, heated among themselves, had no reason to pay attention to Gawon. The one who had first brought up Ki Joon leisurely jerked his chin toward the ring.

“Just watch first. Watch, and then talk.”

Gawon snapped his head around. Something more important than those bastards chattering was happening right before his eyes. Gawon clenched his fists, damp with sweaty palms.

“Now, the semi-professional… men’s high school division, light heavyweight match will begin.”

At that moment, three men seated at the commentators’ table began their analysis.

“Red corner, athlete Kim Myeong-seop. From the Rodeon FC Yeongdeungpo team. He’s a player who has gone 3-0 this year in Rodeon FC matches alone. His straightforward hooks and kicks are excellent, and his counters are just as good, which has drawn attention.”

“That’s right. Now, next is the blue corner… athlete Ki Joon, from the K-One Multi-Gym team.”

The somewhat businesslike tone of the consecutive commentary shifted immediately. The commentators cast excited glances toward Ki Joon, who was casually loosening up his body.

“It’s been quite a while since we’ve seen him on the ground, hasn’t it? His physique seems to have improved even more.”

“He’s a famous player, isn’t he? Could you give a brief introduction?”

“Athlete Ki Joon is seventeen years old in actual age. First of all, his physique is overwhelming, isn’t it? His ability to fight for position in a standoff is excellent, and he has detailed setup. Above all, he’s a very distinctive player because of his KO punch. His fighting style is flashy yet fundamentally solid, and his fight IQ is said to be on par with that of a professional.”

“Most of all, his record is… undefeated, undefeated, undefeated—he’s a monster of a player. In fact, if you just look at his skill, he should have turned pro long ago. It’s said that due to personal circumstances, he’s only competed in amateur matches until now, but since he’s returning after a year, we’re looking forward to seeing if he can extend his KO winning streak.”

Amidst the string of praise for Ki Joon, the two athletes entered the ring. Unlike the previous matches—amateur or hobbyist bouts, where the fighters came up heavily armored—the semi-professional competitors had all removed their tops and weren’t even wearing headgear.

Ki Joon, appearing bare-faced, did a couple of light jumps in place. As he stretched his limbs, a wave of excited cheers erupted throughout the arena. Even though it was an amateur competition, the response was reminiscent of a pro main-event bout.

Among them was even a group who had brought along large telephoto cameras. They had been sitting without any reaction the whole time, but as soon as Ki Joon stepped up, they became actively busy taking his photos. Gawon couldn’t help but be inwardly surprised.

“Oh, the response is already on par with the pros, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely. I’ve heard that although it’s a small number, a fan base has already formed around him. Athlete Ki Joon’s looks are quite likable, so he’s definitely at an advantage when it comes to fan service. Once he turns pro, showmanship is an important aspect, too.”

The commentators exchanged jokes and laughed. True to the talk of fan service, loud cheers followed Ki Joon’s every move—shouts of admiration from fellow athletes, and a mix of affection and encouragement from his fans who had come to watch the matches.

The referee stood between the two boys. After making eye contact with the fighters and briefly explaining the rules, he confirmed that they were in their corners and then shouted loudly.

“Round one, fight!”

At last, with the referee’s booming voice, Ki Joon’s first match began. Unlike his opponent, whose face was tightly tensed with nervousness, Ki Joon—chewing on his mouthpiece as he stared at his rival—looked relaxed.

The gazes of the two fighters quietly locked. As the opponent closed the distance, Ki Joon subtly widened the gap. Just as the opponent was about to come in with a hook, Ki Joon’s expression shifted abruptly.

“…He’s smiling?”

A dazed voice came from above Gawon’s head. The man who had been mocking Ki Joon just moments ago gaped with his mouth open.

Indeed, Ki Joon was smiling. Had Gawon ever seen that expression on that kid’s face before? Gawon followed Ki Joon with a blank stare.

His eyes, filled with elation, glistened eerily. The corners of his mouth were pulled wide, and his dimples were deeply carved. As he lightly dodged the hook coming toward his face and stepped nimbly, Ki Joon was clearly enjoying himself.

His opponent, visibly provoked, hardened his expression ferociously. A roar that scraped the throat burst from him. The opponent, trying to seize the initiative, stepped in quickly and charged at Ki Joon. At the same time, Ki Joon raised his hand to parry.1)

Up to that point, it seemed like a clean block of the first attack. There was no need to rush from the opening move. But then Ki Joon boldly stepped inward. He penetrated the opening and landed a right hook to the opponent’s jaw—in an instant.

Thwack!

It was only once. Ki Joon had thrown a single punch. A sound like a punching bag bursting echoed through the ring. The opponent, squarely struck, clutched his jaw and staggered, collapsing to the spot.

Gawon’s mouth fell open. His eyes hadn’t even caught up with the situation yet. Ki Joon, taking control of the downed fighter’s back, smoothly and naturally applied a submission hold. The choked opponent couldn’t last three seconds before frantically tapping the canvas—a tap-out sign of defeat.

“…”

The boisterous spectators fell silent all at once. Even the commentators, who should have been narrating the match, were momentarily lost for words.

“…Just now, that was a counter with a single right hook, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. And then he immediately transitioned to the ground… and got the tap with a real naked choke.”

Coming to their senses, they regained their composure and announced the decision.

“Athlete Ki Joon wins round one in 15 seconds by submission!”

Waaah! The arena heated up fervently. Ki Joon, Ki Joon, Ki Joon… His teammates from the same gym shouted his name in unison. The gym master handed him water and patted his shoulder with a satisfied smile.

Gawon let out a deep breath. Only then did he realize he had been holding his breath. He’d been tensing his whole body, and now his shoulders ached. He said he’d leave no room for me to get hit… Ki Joon had kept his promise, and Gawon was proud of him—deeply proud.

At that moment, Ki Joon, who had been drinking water, suddenly whipped his head toward Gawon. Their eyes met.

‘Did I do good?’

That kid asked with his lips. Gawon, who had been staring blankly at Ki Joon, let out a chuckle. He nodded and gave a thumbs-up. Seeing that, Ki Joon flashed a mischievous smile across his entire face.