Jang Sung-hyun immediately headed to the hospital. Yu Jung-ak also needed to get his wounds treated quickly, so he couldn't do the winner's interview. When Yu Jung-ak entered the waiting room, the members of Team Silence were looking at him with worried eyes. Angela, in particular, was crying.
"Are you okay? Ji-yun left after the second round ended, saying she couldn't watch anymore. She was sobbing."
"I see..."
Yu Jung-ak was too exhausted to speak and slumped down in the waiting room. A doctor came to examine Yu Jung-ak's condition. The doctor said that Yu Jung-ak should go to the hospital right away too. Yu Jung-ak took a pre-arranged car to the university hospital designated by World One.
At the hospital, Yu Jung-ak first got treatment for his torn forehead. It was a large wound that required more than thirty stitches. Then he had an X-ray of his ribs. As a precaution, he also received a blood transfusion.
"You said you heard a loud sound, right?"
"Yes."
"The bruising is severe, but there are no fractures or anything unusual."
"Really?" Cho Yong-il asked the doctor.
"It will really hurt. That area is very painful. You should avoid overexertion for a week."
"We definitely heard a loud sound though."
"That's strange."
The doctor said there was nothing seriously wrong with Yu Jung-ak's ribs. Something seemed odd. They clearly heard a loud sound...
As Yu Jung-ak was leaving the hospital, he had many thoughts. But those thoughts disappeared in an instant with one comment from Cho Yong-il.
"Hey, I heard Jang Sung-hyun broke his hand. It seems that sound didn't come from your ribs, but from Jang Sung-hyun's hand."
"Really?"
"No wonder the veteran Jang Sung-hyun was exchanging blows with you so recklessly. He must have been flustered because his hand was broken."
"You're saying he fought like that with a broken hand? But why did his hand break when he hit my ribs?"
"If the angle is off when it lands, that can definitely happen. It wasn't his fist that broke, but his finger."
"Can a veteran like Jang Sung-hyun make that kind of mistake?"
"It was a body shot. He just had bad luck. And you had incredibly good luck."
Cho Yong-il felt bad seeing Yu Jung-ak's face all swollen up. But he tried his best not to show it.
"Sigh. What are we going to tell your mom? She's going to be worried for days."
"Ah, mom probably saw it too, right?"
"She watches all your fights. And she contacts me once a day to ask how you're doing. She tells me not to tell you so it doesn't interfere with your training. You punk. That's how your mom is. How could you disappear like that?"
"I'm sorry about that."
"Call her. You need to call her directly for her to feel at ease."
"I'm already calling her."
Yu Jung-ak realized who he needed to call right away. Since he came straight to the hospital for treatment after the tournament ended, it was about midnight. Cho Yong-hee usually goes to bed early, but she was probably waiting up for his call.
[Mom.]
[Oh, yes. Did the match end well?]
[Yeah.]
Cho Yong-hee acted as if she wasn't worried on purpose. If she had watched the whole tournament, she would definitely know he was injured, but she wasn't saying anything about it. Yu Jung-ak told her that only his forehead was slightly cut and there were no other injuries, to keep her from worrying. He could hear a slight tremor in Cho Yong-hee's voice as she said "good job." Suddenly he felt guilty.
Yu Jung-ak hung up the phone.
"What did she say?"
"I told her well. I need to work harder."
"My fault is big too. Come to think of it, while those stand-up fighters were giving it their all, you and I were just competing for the experience, weren't we? We did try hard, but still."
"Yeah, I was thinking that too. And I realized my level is that pathetic. When Jang Sung-hyun was throwing combinations, it was different from watching from the outside. When they're flying at you up close, even though you know they're coming, your reactions are slow."
"That's not something you can do overnight. It's only possible through countless repetitions of training. Boxing only uses two fists but has various combinations. And stand-up fighting uses feet too. How many more applications are possible?"
"I need to get my act together. I actually lost today's fight."
"Good that you know. Let's talk after you recover first. Just lie down and rest now. I won't say anything more."
Cho Yong-il said while driving. Yu Jung-ak quickly fell asleep. He must have been very drowsy after getting painkillers at the hospital.
"This kid. He doesn't even say it hurts like hell. It must be incredibly painful."
Even just a bruise to the ribs causes considerable pain. And that's not all. The damage to the face shows up all over the body after just a few hours. The whole body becomes lethargic, as if you've caught a bad cold, and your head throbs and rings.
Cho Yong-il returned to the center, sent Yu Jung-ak to his dorm room, and came back out. Then he took out a cigarette and lit it.
"Just wait until tomorrow morning. He'll be saying he's dying."
Yu Jung-ak had never experienced proper damage before. His fights had always gone surprisingly easily.
But not today. He was probably going to suffer quite a bit.
As Cho Yong-il predicted, Yu Jung-ak was rolling around on the floor the day after the fight. Even though nothing was broken, it was extremely painful.
This was the aftermath of the fight. You feel fine during the match, but once it's over, the pain comes rushing in like interest accruing. Yu Jung-ak was experiencing his first real post-fight effects. It was so bad that the usually healthy Yu Jung-ak couldn't even go down to the cafeteria and had to eat in his room. Since both Jang Sung-hyun and Yu Jung-ak were significantly injured, the interviews were postponed further. After about three days, Yu Jung-ak gradually started moving around, and from the fifth day, he began doing light exercises.
He still had bandages on his forehead, and the swelling on his face hadn't gone down, so he looked like he was wearing purple makeup all over.
Whenever team members saw Yu Jung-ak like this, they would snicker. After about 5 days, the teasing began in earnest, with someone openly calling him "Boradori" (purple stone). It was Oh Jung-ryong.
"Hey, Boradori."
"What."
"Have you been in touch with Ji-yun?"
"A few texts."
"Hold onto her tight. Ji-yun debuted and her song is no joke. Her popularity is exploding."
Yu Jung-ak's reaction to Oh Jung-ryong's words was as if he was saying something strange. Oh Jung-ryong saw that expression and said:
"You didn't know?"
"She debuted? She didn't say anything about that."
"You really didn't know? She debuted like 3 days before your match. The internet is going crazy about a pretty new singer with great vocals. They're saying a new rookie has appeared who will continue the legacy of female divas. I guess they didn't tell you because they didn't want you to worry."
Yu Jung-ak searched for Yoon Ji-yun on YouTube after hearing Oh Jung-ryong's words. A teaser video and debut music video came up. The response was quite good.
'Come to think of it, this is the first time I've heard her song.'
Yu Jung-ak listened to Yoon Ji-yun's debut song "Flower Blooming in My Heart." It was a traditional ballad with an atmosphere unlike recent songs.
Yoon Ji-yun's voice was clean. But it wasn't particularly distinctive. There were plenty of female singers in Korea with clean voices. The song was good, but Yoon Ji-yun's voice seemed like the kind of clear and pure voice you could hear anywhere.
But when it got to the chorus, that thought completely disappeared. With that clear and pure voice, Yoon Ji-yun freely traversed from middle to high notes. The song was really difficult, but Yoon Ji-yun sang it so effortlessly.
And in the highlight part of the second verse, she was freely handling even the ultra-high range called vocalization. This vocalization technique, also called bird sound, was not something many singers could do.
The bird sound in the chorus of the very famous song "Lovin' You" by Minnie Riperton was this vocalization. The famous pop star Mariah Carey was also known for using this vocalization well. It was a technique that only a very small number of people in the world could use, but it wasn't exactly rare.
However, the fact that a rookie came out with such a technical song from her debut meant that she was that confident in her singing ability.
As if to prove this, Yoon Ji-yun also stably performed the song in her first live stage. It was such a clean stage that it didn't seem live, and if there hadn't been ad-libs in the highlight part, it could have been thought not to be live because the sound was so clean. The response from netizens who saw Yoon Ji-yun's live stage was even more explosive.
'Wow. She said she was preparing to be a singer, but she's really good.'
Yu Jung-ak was honestly surprised too. He didn't know she would be this good. Yu Jung-ak sent a text message to Yoon Ji-yun and then headed out to eat. He had finished all his exercises for the day.
Yu Jung-ak was still in the recovery stage, so there was no need to overdo the exercises. Thanks to this, Yu Jung-ak was freely spending his free time watching movies he had missed or doing other activities. Cho Yong-il said that since the prize money had increased, he should go on a trip or something once his body recovered, but Yu Jung-ak had no such thoughts. He preferred staying in the dorm and watching movies or dramas over traveling.
After lunch, Yu Jung-ak went straight up to his dorm. Meanwhile, the people in charge of Yu Jung-ak's training were holding a meeting.
They were watching a video, which was the final match video between Yu Jung-ak and Jang Sung-hyun. After watching the video, Yoon Chang-seon said:
"I met with Jang Sung-hyun."
"Oh yeah. Yoon Coach, you know Jang Sung-hyun, right? What did he say?"
"He said this. He thought Yu Jung-ak was just competing for the experience, so he honestly felt a bit resentful. Sung-hyun won't curse. From Sung-hyun's perspective, it's understandable to think that way."
"I know. I had that thought too."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. But that's not why you met him now, right? What did Jang Sung-hyun say?"
"He said when the cut happened, he thought he could handle Yu Jung-ak easily. But from the cut onwards, Yu Jung-ak charged at him like a rabid dog, and he was honestly surprised."
"He felt the same thing."
"Yes."
"He's a born fighter. It's not about technique, it's about mentality. He can't stand losing to anyone. He might look calm, but inside, the fire is bubbling. And when someone pours oil on that fire? It all burns up."
"Still, it's impressive. He's had quite a few fights so far, but this is the first time he's shown that kind of temperament."
"It means he hasn't been in crisis until now."
"In a way, that's amazing."
"It is amazing. It's a necessary quality for a fighter. But fighters with that kind of temperament don't last long. You know? Even if they're lucky enough to reach the top briefly, they fall right back down."
There are fighters who are said to have a warrior's heart. Fighters with a somewhat terrifying temperament who charge in harder when they take strong damage. People are excited by them, but in fact, those around them are always worried.
This is because the temperament classified as a warrior's heart is a double-edged sword. It deals damage to the opponent, but in reality, the one taking more damage is oneself.
What Yu Jung-ak showed in the final with Jang Sung-hyun was exactly this temperament. Normally, when taking that much damage, one should show a somewhat passive attitude, but Yu Jung-ak went even more berserk. The coolness he usually showed was nowhere to be seen.
It was truly a victory pushed through with willpower and physical strength. From a trainer's perspective, this was not at all welcome.
It was clear that fighting like this every time would lead to a major injury before long. From the latter half of the second round, both Jang Sung-hyun and Yu Jung-ak put aside the basics and just fought. If you get caught up in that atmosphere, it might seem like a great, memorable match, but if you coldly examine the technical aspects, it was amateur-level movement.
If, in that situation, even one of them had calmed down their excitement and coldly looked for an opportunity, the other would probably have been on the floor of the ring.
That's how much excitement is taboo in a fighting match.
Yu Jung-ak had been very good at mind control until now. But when he met a real strong opponent like Jang Sung-hyun, it all unraveled in an instant.
That's why the trainers couldn't help but worry. Yu Jung-ak had cheat-like specs even within his weight class, and high potential for development, so there was no need to fight while taking risks.
If he just developed his technical skills from his current state, he could easily become a world-class athlete. So it was important to help him control that violent temperament well.
"Do you know what they're calling Jung-ak on the internet these days?"
Oh Jung-ryong said.
"What?"
"Hellgate. Hellgate."
"Hellgate?"
"What Hellgate?"
"They say he sends his opponents to hell, so Hellgate. These days there are even GIFs circulating of Yu Jung-ak beating up his opponents and throwing them into the hellfire."
"Huh... If his image gets set like that..."
"He brought it on himself. Well, he used Kim Sa-wol X Kim Hae-won's 'Go to Hell' as his entrance music before, right?"
"That... song that didn't suit entrance music?"
"Yes. Quite a lot of people remembered that song. They connected that and came up with Hellgate, saying he sends people to hell."
"Hmm..."
It was a very good thing for an athlete to be given a character. It meant their recognition was increasing that much. However, if the image related to brawling became too fixed, the audience's expectations could keep leaning that way. If that happened, athletes could consciously or unconsciously feel psychological pressure.
"Come to think of it, this guy hasn't had a single decision win."
"Somehow it turned out that way."
"Wasn't the match with Jang Sung-hyun a decision?"
"That was a retirement win."
While Yu Jung-ak was away, the trainers were having an in-depth discussion about how to train Yu Jung-ak going forward. Rumsak Noi also chimed in with opinions from time to time. What they wanted was simple. They just hoped that Yu Jung-ak would have an athlete's career without major injuries.
Yu Jung-ak was watching a movie in his dorm, unaware that he was overflowing with people luck.
The title of the movie was 'To Live'
It was about a protagonist, a designer who has everything, receiving a terminal diagnosis and spending his remaining time alone without telling anyone.
It was a European film, and unlike the melodramas that often come out, there were almost no sad scenes. There wasn't even a scene of the protagonist crying.
The protagonist just calmly spends his days organizing his time. Yu Jung-ak watched the movie while crying his eyes out.
==
The trainers' consensus was simple. The answer was to further improve Yu Jung-ak's skill level.
Yu Jung-ak's usual fighting style was very good. While not flashy, it had a low risk of injury and was difficult for opponents to counter.
In short, it was a style with a high win rate. He could easily be labeled a boring fighter, but Yu Jung-ak had no decisions. So he wasn't a boring fighter either.
The trainers thought that to firmly establish Yu Jung-ak's usual fighting style, his overall skill level needed to be raised.
Among these, the most important was defense ability.
That's why Yu Jung-ak had restarted the training that was previously called "hell training" - sparring with his arms tied.
He grumbled but did as told. Yu Jung-ak started defense training with a disgruntled expression.
He dodges punches while his arms are tied behind his back. Yu Jung-ak avoided punches much more skillfully than before.
He could even dodge most of Cho Yong-il's punches. However, as the training continued, his concentration dropped, and when his concentration dropped, the frequency of allowing punches increased.
"Focus! Focus!"
Yu Jung-ak said as he was avoiding Rumsak Noi's punches. Rumsak Noi's punches weren't as sharp as Cho Yong-il's, but they were keen. Moreover, the unique rhythm of Muay Thai was subtly different from boxing rhythm, making it difficult to catch the timing.
Rumsak Noi was a master of feints. On top of that, he occasionally mixed in elbow attacks. For Yu Jung-ak, facing Rumsak Noi, who was grinning in front of him, was miserable. Rumsak Noi threw a right straight and then, without retracting his hand, immediately attacked Yu Jung-ak with an elbow.
Yu Jung-ak was suffering from Rumsak Noi's continuous attacks. It was fortunate he was wearing headgear; otherwise, he might have gotten a cut from the elbow. There are various types of headgear, and the one Yu Jung-ak was wearing allowed for more protection. This was fortunate for Yu Jung-ak.
Having completed 5-minute 10 rounds since morning, Yu Jung-ak was out of breath. Nevertheless, the trainers were pushing Yu Jung-ak to the limit.
Ding!
As the bell rang, Yu Jung-ak slumped to the floor. Yu Jung-ak twisted and removed the tied rope by himself.
It hadn't been tied too tightly from the start.
"Rest, and in the afternoon, we'll do full defense training."
Yu Jung-ak's defense training consisted of various types. First, no-guard training to improve evasion skills, and then full defense training where guards are allowed.
One might think it's better because guards are allowed, but that wasn't the case. Because guards were allowed, sparring partners mixed in kicks and knee kicks while attacking. He had done this training a few times before, but the intensity was completely different now.
It was because Rumsak Noi, who seemed like he could win a tournament right now even though he had retired, was attacking with determination.
He wore all the protective gear when getting up, but protective gear is just for protection from injury, it doesn't eliminate pain. The pain is reduced, but not completely gone.
What if Rumsak Noi hits?
It hurts even with protective gear. A lot.
"What's this?"
Angela approached the exhausted Yu Jung-ak and handed him a pink tumbler.
"It's wild ginseng! It's good for stamina, they say."
At the mention of wild ginseng, the ears of two hyenas on the other side perked up. They were Oh Jung-ryong and Kim Young-tae.
"Isn't this what your parents gave you to drink?"
"I have one more bottle."
Angela said, showing another bottle. It was water boiled with wild ginseng and other herbs, said to be a tonic that wouldn't trigger doping tests.
"It's been checked by Coach Yoon for ingredients, so there's no problem."
"Is it okay if only I drink this?"
Yu Jung-ak said cheekily, knowing that Oh Jung-ryong and Kim Young-tae were staring intently. Rumsak Noi seemed uninterested in such things from the start. They approached Yu Jung-ak as if they hadn't eaten for days.
As they approached, their noses twitched like dogs. When Yu Jung-ak opened the tumbler lid, their eyes changed to pitiful puppy eyes, as if begging for food.
"Oh. It smells good. Angela, I'll enjoy it. But isn't there any for the other seniors?"
"No, I'm sorry."
"Not everyone can have such precious things. That's why you should treat people well usually. Right?"
When Yu Jung-ak said this to Angela, she just smiled broadly.
"Hey."
"What?"
"Give me a sip."
"You were particularly cruel during sparring earlier."
"Kid! Training should be tough!"
Oh Jung-ryong said seriously.
"Yeah, that's right. You don't think we have any ill feelings towards you, do you?"
Kim Young-tae chimed in. Yu Jung-ak narrowed his eyes and looked at them. Their gazes were fixed on the tumbler containing wild ginseng.
"My shoulders are stiff."
"Senior, are your shoulders stiff?" Angela said.
"You go over there and drink your wild ginseng. Ah, my shoulders are stiff."
As soon as Yu Jung-ak finished speaking, Kim Young-tae and Oh Jung-ryong each grabbed one of his shoulders and started massaging.
"Will you leave some for us?"
"Hm? Leave half. Just for a taste."
"Wait. Ah, that feels good."
"Feels good, right? Here, the shoulder blade. For strikers like you, this shoulder blade area often gets tight. You need to loosen this area well."
Yu Jung-ak really closed his eyes and received a massage for about ten minutes. Kim Young-tae and Oh Jung-ryong rubbed Yu Jung-ak's back diligently with all their heart and soul. They looked as if they had sold their souls for a single wild ginseng.
Gulp.
"How does it taste?"
"I've only had one sip. It's a bit bitter, but not bad? Angela, what did you put in this?"
"There's some native honey or something, so it's sweet. It's made with wild ginseng sent by someone my father knows."
"I see."
"Let me smell it a bit."
"Ah. Step back a little. I'll leave half for you. Or should I just drink it all?"
"Okay, okay. Is anywhere else sore?"
"My neck is a bit stiff."
"Young-tae, you keep working on the shoulder blade."
"Yes, brother."
Oh Jung-ryong and Kim Young-tae stuck to Yu Jung-ak's back and massaged him. Sitting on the long bench against the training room wall, Yu Jung-ak happily received the massage from the two men.
"Now I'll drink and give you some."
"How much is left?"
"Look. I've only had two sips. Can you hear it sloshing?"
"Yeah."
Yu Jung-ak stood up and took a sip of the wild ginseng water.
Gulp.
After taking a sip, Yu Jung-ak held out the tumbler and said,
"Who's first?"
"Me, of course."
"We should do rock-paper-scissors for this."
While they were talking, Yu Jung-ak suddenly ran away. Naturally, there were few people in Team Silence who could catch Yu Jung-ak in a race. Moreover, wasn't Yu Jung-ak's agility at a monstrous level?
Kim Young-tae and Oh Jung-ryong stared with dumbfounded expressions at Yu Jung-ak, who had disappeared in an instant. When the distance had widened to about 10 meters, Kim Young-tae and Oh Jung-ryong finally reacted.
"Hey! You dog!"
"If we catch you, you're getting hit with the tumbler!"
"Catch him!"
"Ah, you bastard!"
Yu Jung-ak had already escaped outside the training grounds.