[Back at Saga Technical High School]
[36 hours remaining]
"Asuka, what if you get caught?" Jiro whispered loud enough for me to hear.
"Quit being a coward Jiro. If I get caught it's because you keep complaining instead of keeping watch."
Here I was at the back of the school, climbing over the mouldy concrete wall which was used as a fence. When I got to the top, I lounged on the rails of the fence and looked down on Jiro who was nervously peeking out from beside the building.
"Are you done?" He then asked without turning his head.
"Yeah."
Hearing this Jiro then faced me, "Why are you doing this anyway?"
"Come on Jiro. It's only club period. Besides it's not like I'm a part of a club." I revoked.
Still on my train of thought I continued, "Or, I could just stay right here behind the school and add cigarette stumps to the already tainted ground."
Jiro hoisted his hand in the air and shook them along with his head.
"No, no, no. I think ditching clubs is more safe. We don't want you having stage four lung cancer in the future."
I then chuckled, "Well at least I'll have you to take care of me, Mr. Future doctor."
Jiro then replied in irony, "Exactly. Keep in mind a doctor not a miracle worker. I might be able to lessen your pain, but I won't be able to prevent your death."
"I'm your friend, won't you try to perform a miracle for me?" I pouted.
"Haha. Sure, I'll perform a miracle. I'll go to your funeral and throw a rose saying 'I told you so'."
We then burst out laughing like the little kids who would at stupid dad jokes. Not being able to hold himself up, Jiro leaned on the wall behind him, clinging on to his stomach. His face was as red as a lobster with tears running down his glossy cheeks.
After gathering ourselves I then waved him goodbye and jumped off the fence landing on the rough pavement outside of the school. Behind me, came my bag flying over the wall, followed by Jiro's voice, "Take it with you."
Picking the bag off the ground, I thanked him and ventured off down the street. After walking for a while, I approached a old looking building and stood in front of it. I raised my head so that my eyes could meet the huge red letters plastered on the front. The words 'Suzuki's MMA' (Mixed Martial Arts) was all ramshackled. The second 'u' and the 'k' along with the first 'm' was no longer there so a passerby would be reading the word 'Suzi's MA'.
Furthermore, even though a few letters were still there, the red paint was faint and most of it was cracked up and so dry that even the slightest gust of wind would carry a flake of it away.
I then walked closer up to the building and inhaled the sour and tangy scent mixed with that of dust and rust seeping through the crack of the door in front of me. Placing my palm on the flat of the door, I pushed it open resulting in a screeching noise coming from the rusty hinges. At that moment I embraced the common feeling of this place I would call as a second home.
Walking further into the gym, the snoring man cuddled up in a sleeping bag at the center of the boxing ring at the left hand side of the entrance caught my attention. I had never known his name so I just call him Sensei, and he was the owner of the gym as well as my teacher.
I sighed and slightly shook my head as I walked towards a sofa opposite of the ring and flung my bag into it. After that I headed for the derelict lockers all the way on the other side of the room.
As usual, I fought to open the door of the locker to get my jersey, and closing back the door was no different from opening it, for I had to use my force to hit it into place.
By the time I finished changing my clothes, and sweeping the floors of the dusty gym, Sensei was still sleeping. Fed up with his loud and annoying snoring which resembled that of a pig, I climbed into the ring and continuously tugged on the sleeping bag in a rough manner.
"Sensei, Get up. Sensei!"
Even with all that noise he didn't even budge. Suddenly, a thought came to mind.
"You know Sensei. Those automobile magazines in the back would make good paper for a fire. Don't you think?"
As soon as I said this Sensei sprung from the sleeping bed, "Don't even think about it boy."
Seeing that he was now up, I took the sleeping bag from him leaving him in the center of the ring. After he fully woke up we then started training. First he made me do my rounds of push ups, sit ups and lifting weights, then we moved on to the punching bag.
After about half an hour of that we moved into the ring.
'We learn best by experience', this was the first thing Sensei told me when I first found this place and decided to take up MMA. My first training, we went straight to the ring and all he did was beat the hell out of me. After two weeks of that, I finally ended up blocking and landing a hit on him. It was that day that I realized what that sentence meant.
Now here I am again. An improved version, 10 times better from who I was that day. I have already learned so much, now the only thing I have on my mind is the hopes of one day surpassing Sensei. Although today was not that day, I always end up learning something different each time we spar.
"You lasted longer today." Sensei spoke to me as he threw a water bottle to me, who was sitting on the edge of the ring.
"Isn't that a good thing. It means I'm getting better."
I opened the bottle of water and began to drink. I started to feel refreshed at the sensation of the cold water running down my throat, cooling every inch of my heated body from the inside. Parts of my body that once felt hot was now beginning to feel cool.
Before leaving the gym that night I took a shower and dressed in a clean pair of black sweatpants and hoodie, which I had stuffed in my bag that morning. I bidded Sensei a goodnight and then headed home.
Strolling down the narrow streets, humming songs, I felt as if there was nothing more I needed in this life. I had a loving mother and sister, a friend that I would call my brother, and I also had Sensei; the one who taught me the psychological view of life. On the other hand, as fate has it, these moments of peace and stillness wasn't meant to last forever.
Reaching towards the entrance of my home, I stopped to the sight of strange men smoking cigars standing outside. Curious, I jogged to the door of my home, but was stopped by one of the men.
"Who are you?"
He spoke into my face, making me inhale the unpleasant smell of the smoke mixed with the stench of whatever meal he had before coming here.
"I should be the one asking that question." I then said, trying to push pass him, but he stood his ground.
Like an unexpected shot, a scream rang out from inside the house. It was my mother. Wanting to see what was wrong I pushed the man aside and opened the door rushing inside.
"MOM!"
I stopped and stood at the sight of my mom on the floor and my sister trying to help her up. I then looked at the three men who was inside the house, though the one that caught my attention was the one sitting in the sofa before my mom.
He was rather pale with shining black hair as straight as a lions mane. His eyes were dark and cold, making him seem like he had no care whatsoever.
The second my eyes met with his I felt a shiver go down my spine. In that moment, as if under a spell, fear fell upon me, but it did not stop me from keeping my eyes on him.
Fighting against it, I opened my mouth, "Mom, what's going on? Who are these people and what do they want?"