Anxiousness and excitement

The silence of the room with just the pencils writing down and the move of the desk from erasing the answers was all that I could hear.

But it wasn’t enough to free my mind from my own madness, I saw my paper and for a few minutes, I was able to respond, then my mind got caught again with a million questions that made me lose my time.

Would I be able to beat my opponent? What strategy should I use? Am I in good condition? I must prepare a new move. Class is over in one hour. The answers of the test are… and to finish my moves.

Then I snap out of my own spiral, it was a good thing that Yuki helped me study and took care of me in the morning, otherwise I would be useless to everything, the first test was over, it was time for lunch and I head to rooftop where Yuki was already sat down on a bench.

“Hey…”

“Yo, how are you feeling, Ren?”

“A little better, thanks”

I sat down next to him and opened my bento, light food but with a good balance.

“You think you can make it tonight?”

“Is not a matter of if I can, is that I need to, the more I think about it the more I realize that, no matter what, I need to be there no matter the cost”

“But if you go in your current state…”

“I know, but even if I get my face beat up or across the floor, I want to go and not regret it”

Yuki didn’t say a thing, he just nodded and we continued to eat our food.

I had another test and with that, the day was over, we headed over to my house and I went to take a shower. Never in my life had I taken that long, I was letting the water drop a ton and then I got out with a bunch of steam coming out of my body.

I got ready, I put on my casual clothes and then I put my outfit to fight in my backpack, simple black shorts and a few straps going in my feet and hands, I went to the door where Yuki was waiting for me and I nodded at him.

We left my house and went to the train station, taking the train and looking anxious at the time, we were at the perfect time, we were more than prepared, I couldn’t stop shaking my feet but that annoyed some passengers.

Yuki made me notice it and he kicked my feet gently but it happened a ton of times, I took deep breaths without making too much noise and got to relax for a few minutes. The closer we got the more anxious I got, and it was time to get off the train.

The next thing to do was getting to the place Yoru told us about. It was on a black alley, an old boxing place, it took us an hour to get there and when we got there Yoru was already there with other people, and Tatsu was there too.

“Tatsu…”

“Hey, I guess school takes that much time, either way the fight will start in a few hours, how are you feeling, Kazeki?”

“I’m trying my best…”

“Seems not even you are immune to being nervous, this is a pretty big deal for you after all so I don’t blame”

“Ren Kazeki! My star of the night, hope you are ready my boy so you can make me look good… you don’t look so good? You okay boya?”

“I’m a little anxious…”

“Hum… you better get your mental in place, remember what I told you”

“I do, thanks Yoru”

“I haven’t done anything for you to thank me, get inside, make sure to take proper rest and stretch”

I nodded and we all went inside, there I saw the fighters, all of them were older than me, some of them were muscular while the other seemed athletic, but one thing was for sure, these guys didn’t look like athletes, they looked more like criminals.

I sat down and took my clothes out and put on my uniform. They were wearing the same clothes as me, I started to stretch and keep myself warm while I looked at the competition. They looked at me too, but they didn’t laugh or look at me badly.

They were actually looking at me with some sort of respect.

I guess looks really are not everything

The hours passed really fast and I managed to calm myself until I saw what hour it was, they called us all to the center of the ring and the rules and a few words were said.

“Okay, I am going to be the referee tonight, you know the rules, you kill your opponent you are out, you bring the police here you are out, you get external help you are out, with all that set, let’s see… Ren Kazeki, you are first, you are going against Midori Kentaro, the two of you, up to the ring”

The nervousness began but this time, I let out a smile on my face, I took a deep breath and I got up, I saw how the rest were to take seats and Yuki and the others went to take places as well.

“The first one in taking 20 points is the winner, if you knock out your opponent you win by default, any questions?”

“No”

“No”

The referee nodded and I looked at my opponent. We took our stances, Midori, he was a person around my height but it was way more muscular than me, he took classic boxer stance while I did the same while moving my feet giving little jumps.

The bell then rang, the first one going with a punch was him, it was fast, I couldn’t see it but I managed to give a little jump at the site and follow up with a kick on his abdomen, the guy groaned a bit and fell back.

“1 POINT!”

I tried to look where the guy was but he didn’t let me. This time, he impulsed himself again in a horizontal way, I jumped and the guy was in front of me when I looked at him, he punched me and I fell in the box arena and stood up quickly.

“3 POINTS!”

The guy was flying towards me, I rolled and then saw him again flying against me, I went to the air and he was in front me again, and when I was about to fall, I saw what was boosting him, those were rots, and they went out pretty fast, but the ones right one was still on the ground.

I had to take a risky take, I opened my arms a bit and the guy punched me in the chest, I let a cut screamed out and then took the guy’s arm and started spinning until I threw him to the ring.

“1 POINT! KENTARO, 3 POINTS, KAZEKI!”

I touch the ground and start walking around the guy, this time he didn’t move but was looking at me, I launch myself with my wind and then I impulse myself to another side and then to the bottom of, Midori did what I expect, he pull out his roots and I made him confuse and manage to slip at the bottom.

I threw a punch, launching him and then I jumped and punched his chest to the strings of the ring, making him bounce and then kick his arm making throwing him at the ring.

“5 POINTS!”

I waited for the guy to do his next move but the guy didn’t move at all, I got worried but I didn’t want to get close, I saw blood coming out but the referee went to check him, he took his whistle and shouted.

“KENTARO IS KNOCKED, THE WINNER IS REN KAZEKI!”

The guy had a nosebleed and he could barely talk, the punch in his chin must have made him lose and the rest was just extra, he did hit the ground pretty bad when I launched him with my kick, I was still stunned.

The electricity, the chills went through all my body, I couldn’t help but smile and I lift my arm looking at Yuki and the others, Yuki and Tatsu were clapping but Yoru only nodded, I get out of the ring and try to calm myself while I was going with them.

“Good fight, kid, but don’t you get comfortable, your element of surprise is gone, the rest will take notes on you, and you must do the same”

Yoru put a towel in my head and I sit down.

“Yes sir!”

“Heh, pretty enthusiastic kid, I hope you remain like that all the night”

The night was just starting and after winning, I felt better.

“I will try!”