Weeks have passed, along with another mundane day of school, Inoue Tatsuya heads back home on the same route where he would inevitably be bullied yet again. As he reached the underpass, he thought it was strange that Kotsuka Masaru didn't come out to pester him. Maybe today was his lucky day? Who knows… Looking back on the events of yesterday, he looked down at his fist and held it tightly, clinging on to the confidence he had gained from that small interaction.
"Hey, kid!" Tachibana George said while he was doing his roadwork. "Follow me to the gym."
"B-But"
"No 'buts,' just go!"
Eventually, Tatsuya had been dragged to the gym against his will. Now that he's back at the gym, he thought he could appreciate the work these trainees put in a bit more, but that wasn't the plan from the chief. The chief then called Tatsuya over to his office.
"I know that I don't know you on a personal level, but you seem interested, we would be more than happy to raise you into a great boxer," the chief kindly offered, however Tatsuya looked uneasy.
"I don't know if I can take up on that offer, I have to help my dad run his business and take care of my younger sister while she's ill," Tatsuya explained, but the chief not wanting to lose someone with so much dormant potential, he offered again in desperation, explaining the benefits. "Many famous boxers have great pay, more importantly, they know how to defend themselves and their loved ones." but even the chief knows that only a small percentage of boxers reach this level of status.
"I still don't know about it, but I'll probably have to decline it for now, thank you for having me," Tatsuya got up and bowed before grabbing his bag and heading for the door. "Wait! Here's my contact, keep it close to you in case you have a change of heart," said the chief, still trying to hold on to Tatsuya's hidden potential.
"Thanks," thanked Tatsuya with a warm smile as he exited the boxing gym, and headed back home. Not looking back at the gym, thinking that he won't ever be like one of them.
What did it mean to be strong? Tatsuya wished to ask, however, he felt as if he walked back into that gym, he won't be able to leave. Maybe it'd be best if I don't even think about it at all… Tatsuya gloomily opened the door only to be greeted by his sister, feeling well.
"Hey brother, tell me about your day!" Kanon hugged Tatsuya, holding him tightly to her, enjoying his warmth. "Also I have great news! I'll be following you to school tomorrow!"
"Are you sure you should be out of bed?" Tatsuya replied, putting his things down.
"Hm… I don't know, but I know I feel a lot better than I was last night," she explained.
"Welcome back, Tatsuya," greeted his dad with a smile. "Dinner's ready."
"I'll be there in a bit," he walked slowly towards his room and fixed his gaze at the vacant ceiling, his thoughts adrift in contemplation. His beloved calico cat, Taro, followed him in his room and settled upon Tatsuya's chest with a tranquil demeanour. The symphony of Taro's purrs echoed through the room in a tender tone, as if it was consoling Tatsuya.
Through a series of bizarre events, his thoughts eventually wandered to the topic of food. Tatsuya recalled his dad saying that dinner was ready, so he walked down to the dining room, with his sister and dad sitting next to each other, seemingly happy.
"You better eat before your food goes cold," his dad said, as Tatsuya sat across the table, picking up his utensils and starting to eat. His dad had prepared a red snapper for each of them, a hearty bowl of rice, and some warming miso soup.
"Y-Yeah… He's right," Kanon said, shuddering as she felt her dad's arm stroking her inner thigh, trying to mask it by eating slowly. With her dad turning around to smile at her. You better hide it properly, you slut.
"This is really good! Your cooking is always great!" complimented Tatsuya as he finished his dinner fairly quickly compared to the rest. "You flatter me, I'm just doing my best," his dad replied to Tatsuya's warm remark, scratching his head with his vacant hand and looking at Tatsuya gleefully.
"Thanks for the food," Tatsuya pushed back his chair and walked back to his room.
"Now that he's away, let's continue where we left off, you fucking whore," his dad degraded, groping her breasts forcefully.
"S-Stop… You won't get away with this forever… I'll tell Tatsu-"
Her dad covered her mouth and slapped her across her face. "You even think about telling him and there will be no certain answer on how you would live the rest of your life, got that?" Kanon nods reluctantly, coerced to follow her own dad into his room only to be violated further.
Weeks have passed and Tatsuya woke up and headed downstairs, only to be bumped into by his sister, with an apathetic expression and black eye bags. He reached out and put his hand over her shoulder, but Kanon shivered at his touch and swatted his hand away almost immediately. "FUCK OFF!" she blurted as she rushed to the kitchen, clearly affected by the cumulating damage of her nightly occurrences..
Worried about what she would do, Tatsuya gave chase, seeing Kanon hold a knife against her neck. As Kanon was about to end it all for her, Tatsuya tackled her to the ground and threw away the knife. "What the fuck?!" yelled Tatsuya.
"Why? Why did you have to get in the way… You don't even know what goes on…" she pushed Tatsuya away as she headed for the door. "I'm going to school early."
Tatsuya walked as she walked out the door in shock. He looked around and saw Kanon's laying on the floor. I better give this to her before school starts. Tatsuya got up, said goodbye to his cat, then headed out too.
While walking through the tranquil streets, the image of Kanon holding a knife against her neck couldn't seem to leave his mind at all. He'd look down at his hand apprehensively, imagining what would have happened if he hadn't been there to prevent her from ending her life short. Then the ringing of a bicycle bell could be heard, snapping him back to his senses. Tatsuya gave way to the bicycle and then started to look for Kanon on his way to school.
As he arrived at the underpass, his gaze fell upon the desecrated body of Kanon, bearing marks of an assault, and her clothes torn asunder. At the sight of this, he called the ambulance, waiting desperately for their aid.
When the ambulance did eventually arrive, its paramedics sprang into action, their movements brimming with urgency as they hurried the stretcher to transport Kanon to the hospital. Meanwhile, Tatsuya found himself obligated to still attend school today. He continued down the path, traversing through the deafeningly quiet streets until he reached his school and entered his classroom.
As Tatsuya endured a full day of school, he was burdened by a single thought, self-doubt creeping further into his mind. He contemplated how things would have been if he had just been faster... But eventually, lunchtime came around, every classroom filled with chatter and cliques that have their own 'designated' seats. In contrast, Tatsuya sat alone like he normally has, for what seemed to have been forty gruelling minutes, he remained silent drowning in his thoughts without taking a single bite. As classes resumed, this cycle persisted throughout the remaining school day until it concluded.
However, Tatsuya hadn't rushed home as he normally would, and instead headed straight to the hospital that most likely held Kanon. He talked to the receptionist and was brought to the room where Kanon was being held and knocked before entering. In there, was a sleeping Kanon, wrapped from head to toe in bandages. From the saddening sight to behold, a wave of regret washed over him. If only… If only… If only… If only I was stronger… This would have never happened. Tatsuya walked away with his hand in his pocket and tears streaming down his face, but felt a rustle–it was the business card from the chief of the boxing gym.
That's right, that'll do, I'll start training there, maybe I'll learn to be strong, and maybe I'll find out what it means to be strong. Tatsuya thought, exiting the hospital, and walking towards the gym. Tatsuya, with a glint of determination in his eyes, entered the boxing gym, giving it a chance this time…
"Yo, normie, what brings you here?" joked George, who was on the skip rope, but was brushed away by Tatsuya.
"I'm here to talk to the chief," Tatsuya glared at him with a different look in his eyes.
With his presence alone overpowering George's, the whole gym watched in silence as George willingly made way for Tatsuya to reach the chief's office. Who knew such a timid boy had such a commanding presence.
"Will you take me in?"
"Of course I will."