The Art of Throwing a Punch

Familiar with the school, finding an unoccupied spot during the festival was easy. Only Leo and Ren occupied the empty classroom, listening to the festivities echoing from outside.

"Are you ready to learn how to throw a punch?" Leo asked.

"And do you even know how to throw one?" Ren questioned skeptically.

"I have three older brothers, I had to learn survival. Now, are you aiming to get yourself killed or to defend yourself? Either way, you're quite scrawny, and we've only got a few hours to teach you the basics."

"So... I'm going to die?" Ren asked, accepting his fate.

"What I can do is teach you how to throw a proper punch. Landing a well-placed punch in the right spot can knock someone out, no matter the size difference."

Ren felt like the Small Shinning Knight, lacking the strength to conquer anything alone and needing to rely on the stronger ones.

"First and most important: you need to be careful not to hurt yourself with your own punch. Punching the wrong way could even break your wrist, and it'd be quite pathetic to lose with your own move."

It was exactly the sort of thing Ren believed he would do, and he paid close attention to Leo's explanation of how not to hurt himself.

After this initial lesson, the classroom door swung open, and Aria and Erika entered, neither of them looking pleased.

"Are you really going to do this?" Erika asked.

"It's not like I want to, right? I only enjoy fights in manga; in real life, I prefer peace. But there's not much else I can do now," Ren replied.

"You don't have to do this. We can go back to the festival or just run away. Alex is a jerk, and whether you win or lose, it's going to be horrible," Aria said, her head hung low.

Ren didn't entirely agree. Aria had done so much for him that he felt the need to make it up somehow, and in his mind, there was nothing wrong with this approach.

"I feel like it's too late for me to run away. Let's do this, Leo; teach me how to take him down."

Leo looked helplessly at the girls and continued his lessons.

"The two main things you need to know are how to channel your strength and where to hit him. Your leg position and support are just as important for the punch as your fist itself."

They progressed, with Leo instructing on stances and foot positioning, while Ren repeatedly punched the air, giving his best and receiving constant corrections from Leo.

The girls were just watching. Erika started to find it amusing, knowing all this effort would likely be in vain; Alex was much bigger than Ren, and he had no chance of winning. Aria, on the other hand, watched with sadness, feeling powerless to change the course of events.

"Well, the next part won't be easy to practice, as I'm not going to let you keep punching me, but I'll show you a specific target. Aim for his chin; if you land a decent punch there, he'll be out cold, and the fight will be over."

Ren began to think this through practically. Alex was taller than Leo, who was already significantly taller than Ren. He would have to punch upward and hit Alex's chin, and he wasn't sure if he could. If Alex also knew how to fight, and Ren had no doubt that he did, he could easily defend against Ren's punch to such a crucial point.

In real life, the prospect of getting into a fight was terrifying. Combat techniques and battle strategies were cool in stories, but now, in real life, Ren could only imagine how the day would end up in the hospital. Besides, he couldn't hurt his hand; he needed it to finish his manga.

They paused for a water break, and Leo put his hand on Ren's shoulder, trying to reassure him.

"I won't leave you alone to get beaten up. If you can't take him down, I'll step in."

"If you step in, his friends will too."

"Hey, I've always been used to facing bigger and more numerous opponents. It's better than leaving you to take the blows alone."

Ren wanted to feel grateful for his friend, but the idea of lying on the ground and being pummeled by Alex wasn't at all comforting.

"Fine... thanks."

"Can we get out of here now?" Erika asked irritably. "It's still a couple of hours until seven, and we could at least enjoy the end of the festival, right?"

According to Leo, there was nothing more to teach in this time; Ren just needed to remember everything he had learned and execute it perfectly.

So, the quartet returned to the festival. Ren kept his eyes peeled to avoid running into Alex before the appointed time, and Aria herself seemed alert, scanning their surroundings with concern.

Despite them holding hands again, the atmosphere was far less lighthearted, and neither of them could truly enjoy the festival as they wanted.

And quicker than they expected, the festival ended, and seven o'clock drew near. Aria still wished they could leave, but it was too late for that now. The quartet made their way behind the school, and deep down, Ren was hoping that Alex and his friends wouldn't show up.

In the darkness of the night, visibility was reduced, but the three silhouettes waiting for them were clear. Ren hesitated for a moment, but Leo's hand on his back gave him support.

He took a deep breath and took another step forward.