Body Talk

28: The Preliminaries Pt. 1

It's finally here.

The National Preliminaries. The entrance to the world of martial arts and glory.

And of course— the moment I stepped into the venue, I felt the nervous tension gripping me like hard rock; and the past me would have weak knees, but strangely, all nervousness dissipated when I looked at the ring.

Instead, what took over was Excitement. Thrill. Tension.

And I remembered why I started boxing in the first place.

Jungkook, who was near me, seemed to have the light in his eyes as well— every ring we go onto, it was our sacred place.

A place where we belonged.

But the glory didn't last too long. Jaegyu walks in to the waiting room, along with a few other boxers. The others started to mumur when he glares down Jungkook, his leer that was the epitome of hatred. 

His friends began to snicker.

"Look at that asshole, thinking he's all that."

"Jaegyu is so much stronger, haha."

I stepped forward in anger, but Jungkook stops me.

"What? You gonna beat me up?" Jaegyu chuckles under his breath. "What a loser."

Once his attack was aimed at me, Jungkook's eyes seem to flare. His expression grows dark— and terrifying.

The others suddenly grew wary of him and stepped back; except Jaegyu.

Jaegyu stares at the glaring Jungkook, then at me— before his eyes filled with intent. Before I could stop him, he kicks my boxing gloves off my hands with a strike of his knee.

"Oops." He remarks. "My bad, my bad."

I gesture to Jungkook that it was okay, squatting down to pick up the gloves— but I winced in pain as soon as one of Jaegyu's juniors steps on my wrist with overwhelming force and weight.

As soon as Jungkook witnesses that, something clicked in him— and his fist flew at supersonic speed to the wall beside Jaegyu's face. The wall seems to crumble slightly, as the edge of his knuckles bruised with blood. Jaegyu's minions watched with perpetual horror and lets go of my wrist.

"What? Too cowardly to punch me here?" Jaegyu speaks nonchalantly, and even tauntingly. Jungkook's eyes clouded to nothing as he glares at him with no expression; almost in a calm.

"The ring." Jungkook suddenly says after all this while. "I'll meet you there."

"Don't get cocky and wear a safeguard, I'm a brawler, not an out-boxer like you."

With that, Jungkook turns back, his expression as cold as ice.

"Me?" His eyes darkened, and for the first time— ever— I saw a tinest bit of fear in Jaegyu's eyes.

"You should be worried for yourself."

______________________________________

"We're progressing to the second stage of the preliminaries, which are the open and heavyweight class! Both are in the mixed martial arts category, but surprisingly, there are three boxers in the open class." The reporter of the match started to explain, and the audiences' eyes seemed to direct to us.

"First, we have Kwon Jaegyu of Hanlim High, a brawler boxer who is famous for his heavy punches. One punch in and you'll end up in the hospital. Please welcome him!" The reporter exclaims, and the crowd cheers.