The pain in his hand was more severe than he thought it would be, and he withdrew it fast, but was unable to react much before a barrage of fists were incoming.
Kian put his arms up to protect his face.
"What the fuck do you think you are doing!"
The yell got louder.
"You suddenly decided to fight back now... know your place."
The barrage kept coming, and Kian could do nothing but hunch in on himself to protect his body.
"Ill fucking send you to the hospital again, this time for good, so you wont dare to come back this time."
The pain was insufferable, his body hurt everywhere to the point he could barely move anymore.
"That is not how you punch."
The voice was new but familiar.
Kian heard a 'thud' and a yell, the barrage of hits and kicks had subsided and he looked up slowly.
A hooded guy stood between him and the three others, however Chad was now on the ground holding his nose, blood streaming from the nostrils at an alarming rate.
"Who the fuck are you?"
He yelped out, the two other guys trying to help him on his feet.
The hooded guy didn't respond but stood ready in a stance with his fists up.
Kian locked eyes with Chad seeing a frightening expression before he and the other two guys took off in a hurry.
"Hm hopefully, they don't tell anyone."
The voice trailed off, as the hooded guy turned to help Kian to his feet.
Kian stared into a pair of ice-blue eyes, forgetting to breathe for a second, before noticing the rest of the face, and the realization hit him fast as he got on his feet.
It was the guy from the Gym, the one whom he had flicked off earlier in the day.
He suddenly regretted doing that, he had been in a bad mood and exhausted from the long run. but in his defense, the guy had been an ass with his comment.
"Thank you," was all he muttered and stumbled to his feet checking his condition.
He was able to walk, but both old and new bruises were aching badly.
"Hmm"
The guy looked him over but didn't say much, then he moved in closer, until Kian could feel the breath on his neck, as the guy launched his arm under Kian's to support him during his walk.
"Where to?"
"Umm.. just down the road to that complex"
Kian muttered back, feeling odd that there was no mention about what had just happened, like it was a normal occurrence during a stroll.
"Ok"
In a way he was happy there were no questions, he no longer thought he had the strength to explain what had just happened.
The memory of the fist in his face was still too vivid, and he was using his last ounce of self-control to keep the tears away in the current moment.
"You punched him wrong."
Kian turned his head to look at the guy, his surprised look hidden in the dark.
What had he just heard?
"You need to line up your wrist and fist and turn it like this."
The guy did a motion, punching straight out in the air with his free arm, the motion straight and fast.
Jaiel turned his head to see if Kian was watching, only to find his face way close to the surprised look on Kian's face, who was studying him intently and earnestly.
Jaiel quickly looked straight again, clearing his throat.
"I can show you the proper stance and how to hit with your whole body if you come back to the gym."
It was a subtle invitation and Kian wondered if this was his way of apologizing for the comment earlier in the evening.
Kian's eyes widened at the thought, he had just decided not to go back, and cursed inwardly at himself for having given up so fast.
Kian groaned from the pain in his body as he tried to reply, only let out a small sound, barely audible.
"Y..yeah."
They reached the apartment complex, having walked the rest of the way in silence.
The street lamps were further in between, but the lights from the many windows towering over them, helped them light their way.
"Well, see you tomorrow then."
The guy studied Kian's face, making him feel weirdly self-conscious.
He then felt soemthing wet on his face and reached to touch his nose, horrid to find out there was still blood dried on his skin under it.
He must be looking horrible right now.
Kian watched the guy walk away in the dark, occasionally seeing him pop into the light from the street lamps, then he remembered.
"Kian!"
He yelled his name loudly, suddenly aware he didn't even know the guy's name.
He waited a bit in the ambiance of the night and after what seemed like forever, he heard a faint sound echoing down the street.
"Jaiel."
Kian finally managed to get himself to his bed, having cleaned the blood off his face and checked his now blue and yellow body.
He looked up at the ceiling, thinking back on the encounter with Chad.
Why had he said he had betrayed him?
He closed his eyes, reaching out in the dark with a straight arm and clenched fist.
'Tomorrow,' he thought, finally making up his mind.
He would go back to the gym.
Jaiel walked through the door to his home, the big entrance hall was dark and empty as he entered, but he easily found his way upstairs to his room, throwing his bag next to the bed and followed suit to land on the bed.
He just had to meet that finger-flicking guy again.
He had been annoyed at the gesture at first but had ignored it, but when sneaking out in the evening, he just had to encounter him again.
He had bumped into him at the store, though the guy, was it Kian? had at least apologized then.
Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy.
Jaiel brushed his hand through his hair to push it back, feeling the cool wind coming in from the window, brushing over his forehead.
Why was this Kian guy attacked? They even seemed to know each other, it was not a random mugging, it had just been to..hit him.
He yawned some and rolled over on his side.
Hopefully, he would not be recognized, he should not have punched someone... if the gym found out.
"Ugh."
He let out a sigh and closed his eyes, sleep soon reaching him.
It was early morning, and Kian stood outside the gym, his feet had brought him there early in the morning, and he remembered the Coach's words, that he would be considered a member if he showed up again.
Last night his angry thoughts had pushed him to go back here, but now when he stood in front of the door, he found himself hesitating.
Was it really that easy to change? No. it wasn't, he knew he needed to fully commit to this if it was going to change anything.
The him in a year from now would regret it, if he did not walk through this door today.
A year.. he would try to give it a year.
"Oi, let us through, don't stand gawking there."
The voice seemed harsh, and Kian moved out of the way to let three men get to the door.
"Ohh if it isn't one of the applicants."
Their faces lit up, but Kian was unsure if it was good or bad, their expressions seemed a bit off.
Like hungry wolves who just saw a red cape.
"Hey this means we lost the bet!"
One of the three, the tallest with a square jaw and messy brown hair, looked at Kian curiously.
"Maybe he is a fanboy of Jaiel? Girls used to come around all the time, till the coach had them chased away."
The man in the middle, the shortest of the three grinned after stating his thought out loud.
"Come in, come in boy, how old are you? are you here to become a pro... you want to build some real muscle huh."
Kian was almost pushed inside the gym with three fussing men around him, laughing at each other while merrily bringing him to the counter inside.
They acted like housewives huddling around him, like he was an item on a flash sale.
"Hey, hey coach, look what we found lurking around."
"I bet he is here to see Jaiel"
The short man elbowed one of the others with a grin while winking at Kian.
Somehow Kian just thought they were funny, and the wariness in his body faded.
These three seemed like a meddlesome but merry bunch, like housewives.
"Ooh, maybe I can show him how to punch! he will become my student."
"Huh!!! why is he your student, you obviously don't even know how to punch, you lost your last match, is it the saying, those who can't do, teach?"
The tall guy laughed while throwing words at the other.
"Besides, obviously he is mine to teach."
Kian was confused, was the man just speaking badly about himself, didn't he just a second ago state only those who can't do, teach, then offered to teach him as well?
Kian felt a headache coming on and sighed to himself.
"Who are you saying can't do anything but teach."
A sharp voice echoed through the room loudly, and everyone's attention was now on Kian and the bunch.
The Coach had somehow crossed the room in an instant, reaching up to grab the ear of the tall man to pull him down to his eye level.
"What is wrong with teaching huh? If only my students weren't slacking and actually did what they are told, maybe they would win a match sometime."
The three men grinned and hurried on with their own agenda, waving back at Kian excitedly.
They were just like school kids, Kian thought. Were they really functioning adults? Somehow he thought that would be impossible.
"So you came back."
The coach was eying him up and down, and Kian switched the weight from one leg to the other, nervously looking anywhere but the coach.
"Yes.."
He finally replied, unsure what to do with himself.
"I see you came in your workout clothes, but you are a student aren't you?"
The coach saw the bag Kian had thorwn over his shoulder. It was a big bag with both his school materials and uniform.
"You can change in the back, after training."
The coach pointed to a door where the three men had disappeared too, and Kian assumed it was the changing rooms.
"Here fill this out, you are now an official member of the gym."
Kian filled out his personal information and handed the form back to the coach.
16... alright, you are the same age as our Jaiel, you might even go to the same school.
Kian looked around but could not see Jaiel anywhere.
The coach noticed his look and simply continued.
"He is doing road work, and so will you be, for the first while."
Kian looked at the old man with a confused expression.
Was he not going to learn how to punch or spar?'
"I know that look, but that is too soon for you, I'm not teaching you anything until your body can handle it."
The coach stored Kian's file in a cabinet and turned back to him.
"You will start running the same route as yesterday, every morning, then come back here to change before school."
Kian suddenly felt like something invisible had hit his stomach.
Like yesterday... That run had almost killed him. His thoughts were exaggerating, but he eventually threw his bag in a corner and left for the road.
He started running, then soon after was jogging, trying to keep an even pace.
His joints felt burning and his body complained of pain in every muscle, as it was still recovering from the day before.
Soon, he was unable to keep jogging and continued walking the path.
Time went on and he brought out his phone, noticing the time.
"fuck."
He yelled and started running like crazy back to the gym.
He brought his body to the limit, as he finally reached the place and went in to quickly grab his bag, steering towards the door in the back.
He threw his shirt off, panting fast, and rummaged through his bag for his school uniform, starting to lower his sweat pants as he suddenly froze.
A presence was behind him, and he felt awkward, unsure if it would be rude to turn and look to see who it was.
"Oh, you came?"
He recognized the voice and forgot his thought as he turned around to see a tall guy with ice blue eyes stepping into the room from an adjacent shower area.
The lower body only covered by a towel wrapped around at the hips.
"Yeah... I made it."
Kian looked away. Was he not embarrassed by being naked in front of a stranger?
Seriously this guy puzzled him, he seemed so nonchalant and disinterested in anything around him.
"Your nose looks fine, I don't think it broke."
Kian's cheeks flushed and instinctively touched his nose and looked back at Jaiel again, already forgetting why he had looked away in the first place.
He was met by curious eyes, studying his face, then Jaiel brushed his wet black hair back and walked to another part of the room.
"Muscles"
"What?"
Kian's face turned red, he had said the word out loud, having stared at the toned body of a fighter.
It had not seemed real to him, this guy was supposed to be his age and yet, their physique could not be more different from each other.
"I mean, you must train a lot, are you trying to go pro?"
Kian blurted it out, trying to avert an embarrassing moment by making it sound like he was asking about boxing specifically, regarding the muscle comment.
"Yes"
The reply was surprising.
Kian had not thought that was the case. The guy was only 16 like him.
"Ohh," was all he could muster as a reply, as he had no idea what going pro really meant, still not knowing anything about boxing.
He quickly changed his clothes and left, then realized he had not even thanked Jaiel properly for what he had done for him last night.
He decided.
'i'll have to come back again tomorrow.'