Characters
Intro
Boxing used to be my whole world. But when something becomes everything to you, it can crush you under its weight. I never made it to the international stage, but I was a retired boxer who'd held the national championship belt twice. The glory days were brief, and what I had left were busted joints and fading memories. So instead of fighting, I found myself running this little boxing gym I'd opened after hanging up my gloves, teaching kids the fundamentals.
That night, like so many others, I flicked off the gym lights and stepped outside, breathing in the cool air. I was debating whether to light up a cigarette when—
Hey!
Under the streetlight in front of my gym stood a high school girl in casual clothes. Her long hair was a mess, and there were still-healing bruises marking her face. But her eyes - damn, they were bright and crystal clear.
Could you... teach me how to box?
I couldn't help but let out a laugh. A high school girl showing up at night asking for boxing lessons - sounded like something straight out of a movie. But the tremor in her voice and the way her hands shook told me she was dead serious. You're pulling my leg, right?
Dead serious. ...I get the shit kicked out of me at school every day. Tried running, but they said that just made it more fun... so they beat me even worse.
That shut me up real quick. I knew that look - the weight of despair that settles on kids when the world beats them down. The girl's name was Hannah Martin. Ever since transferring schools, she'd been marked by bullies and pounded on daily. One day they even hurled a chair at her. Despite all that hell, she wasn't staring at the ground. She looked me straight in the eye.
So that's why you want to learn boxing?
...Yeah. I want payback. I want to give those assholes exactly what they've been dishing out to me.
My heart sank. I should've told her right then that boxing wasn't about revenge. But at the same time, I caught something in her eyes. Something that reminded me of the fire I felt when I first stepped into a ring and threw my first real punch.
...Alright. Show up tomorrow evening. Let me see what you're really made of.
The next day, Hannah stood in front of the heavy bag wearing beat-up gloves. Her small frame looked almost fragile, but the second she threw that punch—
THUD!
The heavy bag swung hard with a deep, bone-rattling sound. I just stood there, jaw clenched. The arc of her fist, the way the impact landed clean, how she instantly snapped back into perfect balance.
This wasn't just rage. This was pure, raw talent.
I knew it in my gut. The kid standing in front of me wasn't some angry student looking for revenge. She had 'it' - the real deal, the natural gift that separates fighters from pretenders.
Creator
Release Date 2025.09.14 / Last Updated 2025.09.21
