As they took a breather, Alex glanced at the corner of his digital screen. To his surprise, the battery indicator was fully charged. Smirking, he turned to Jin. "Of course, Mister Gymnast. Maybe I should wear the same outfit—a leotard—to make my movements flow better. Am I right?"
Jin rolled his eyes, catching the hint of humor but wasting no time in retaliating. In a flash, his arm shot forward, looping around Alex's neck and locking him into a guillotine choke. Alex's smirk vanished, replaced by a brief look of alarm as Jin tightened his grip, the pressure building around his neck and shoulders.
"Getting cocky, are we?" Jin teased, his voice steady as he held Alex firmly in place. Alex tried to maneuver out, shifting his weight and attempting to pry Jin's arm free, but the hold was iron-tight. He could feel his strength waning as his vision began to blur, his digital screen dimming in sync with his consciousness.
Despite his attempts to resist, the pressure got the better of him, and his struggle weakened. With one last attempt at pulling free, his arms fell slack. Jin held him just a moment longer to make sure he was out, then gently eased him to the ground.
After a few seconds, Alex stirred, groggily opening his eyes to see Jin leaning over him with a smirk.
"Maybe save the banter until you can actually escape my holds, leotard or not," Jin chuckled.
Alex groaned, rubbing his neck, but despite the defeat, he managed a smirk. "Guess I'll just have to wipe that smirk off you next time," he muttered, already sizing Jin up for a rematch.
As Alex got to his feet, still catching his breath, the apartment door swung open, and Jack stepped inside, tossing his bag onto the nearest chair with his usual laid-back swagger. He took one look at Alex, tousled and slightly bruised, then at Jin, who was stifling a smirk, and raised an eyebrow.
"What, did I miss sparring night?" Jack asked, grinning as he sauntered over.
Alex's eyes lit up with a mischievous glint. He might not be able to take down Jin just yet, but Jack? Master Kenjiro's former disciple? Now, that was a different story.
"Oh, you missed a hell of a warm-up, Jack," Alex said, cracking his knuckles with a grin. "Think you're up for a round?"
Jack chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "Is that a challenge, junior? I hope you're not still sore from Jin's little lesson."
Alex smirked. "Sore? Please. Jin's just the appetizer."
Jin snorted, folding his arms as he leaned against the counter. "Careful, Jack. He's got some moves," Jin teased. "And an endless supply of cockiness, apparently."
"Good," Jack replied, rolling up his sleeves. "I could use the practice." He settled into a loose stance, beckoning Alex forward with a taunting wave. "Let's see what you got, hotshot."
Without hesitation, Alex lunged forward, aiming a swift punch, Jack sidestepped smoothly, grabbing Alex's arm mid-motion. In a swift, maneuver, Jack twisted Alex's arm, forcing him off balance, and transitioned into an armbar with seamless precision. Within seconds, Alex felt the pressure mount, and before he could process it, the world faded out briefly.
When he came to, he found Jack grinning down at him, offering a hand.
Alex blinked in disbelief, grabbing Jack's hand to pull himself up. "Why the hell are you so strong?"
Jack chuckled, releasing him and rolling his shoulders. "500 to 1."
Alex frowned, still rubbing his arm. "What? What's that supposed to mean?"
"That's the record between Jin and me," Jack explained with a smirk. "We stopped sparring when Jin finally beat me on his 501st try."
Alex's jaw dropped. "You're telling me… Jin only managed to win once in five hundred matches?"
"Yep. And I wasn't exactly going easy on him, either," Jack replied, giving Alex a friendly slap on the back. "So if you're planning on winning, junior, you've got a lot of work ahead."
A mixture of awe and frustration crossed Alex's face as he looked over at Jin, who was stifling a grin. Clearly, the bar was set high.
Alex sank down on the mat, catching his breath as he glanced at the corner of his digital screen. Kofi's irritated messages were already piling up, scrolling angrily across the display.
You should have let me take over your reflexes! We could have beaten both of them!
Alex rolled his eyes and, with a quick flick of his fingers, discreetly typed back through his digital screen, the gestures appearing as if he were tapping the air.
What do you want me to do, spar with them wearing a headset? he typed. And come on, Kofi, we may have landed a few punches against Jin in the past, but we've never actually beaten him. And Jack? He glanced over at Jack, who was chatting with Jin and looking as nonchalant as ever. Jack's on a whole different level.
Kofi's response flashed back in an instant, Different level, my antennas! I could've given you reflexes that'd make him think twice about throwing you around like that.
Alex sighed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. He wasn't about to let Kofi's frustration spoil the moment, especially now that he had some perspective on just how powerful Jack really was.
As Alex took a moment to catch his breath, Jack and Jin joined him on the mat. Jin handed him a refreshing drink, which Alex gratefully accepted, taking a long sip as he let the coolness wash over him. Jack, however, didn't waste time on small talk. He leaned in, cutting straight to the point.
"So, what's your plan?" Jack asked, his tone sharp. "Are you aiming to take over the firm?"
Alex shook his head, setting the drink down. "Nah, not exactly. I'm not looking to run the whole place," he said with a shrug. "I just want to make partner and use the firm's resources for this new venture I'm setting up."
Jack raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but skeptical. "Why even bother with the firm's resources?" he pressed. "Master Kenjiro could fund whatever you need a hundred times over if you just asked him."
Alex gave a slight smile, knowing Jack wouldn't fully understand without the right context. "I'm not just after funding," he explained, choosing his words carefully. "It's about building connections, getting access to the right network of clients. There are doors that the firm can open that Master Kenjiro… let's just say he has different circles." He paused, feeling the weight of the firm's influence in shaping his plans.
Jack watched him closely, his eyes narrowing as if trying to read between the lines. "You're saying it's not just about money—it's about laying the groundwork for something bigger."
"Exactly," Alex said, nodding. "And, you know, doing it this way keeps me under the radar. I don't want to rely on Master for everything. There's something to be said for standing on your own, right?"
Jack leaned back, smirking. "Well, if you're planning to take the hard route, better be ready to face a few more punches along the way."
Alex couldn't help but laugh, glancing over at Jin, who was already rolling his shoulders as if warming up for round two.