Love At First Kick

119

'Evening ladies and gentlemen. Let's line up.'

Coach Ishijo joined us in the gym, calling us all up right away

'I hope you are ready, we are having some intense sparring today. All out style. I'm going to observe and give pointers and critiques after the class.'

'Yes, coach!'

'Let's get that equipment on and let's get started.'

I love these all out classes. I don't need to pull back. It does also mean no one else pulls back, and I'm getting bruises left and right, but it only makes me stronger.

We were only 3 rounds in, and most of the people warmed up properly. I did try to keep my eye on Jimin the entire time. Just to make sure he's okay. And so far, he's been fighting like he always does. Although, he did skip fighting Chen and IyeShi. We haven't fought either. He's fought everyone else. Maybe he's saving it for the end.

8 rounds passed before he got to Chen.

They had their usual bloodbath with both of them laughing as they kicked each other on their asses. They do that sometimes. But there was just something that seemed a bit off to me. Almost as if he couldn't move much. He was clinching a lot, which he tends to avoid.

Come on, baby. Just hold on a bit longer and you can rest. It's Sunday tomorrow so we've got a day off. You can sleep.

During a break, he sat down by the wall, barely even drinking his water. I know we're all sweaty and red, but he seemed a bit worse than the rest.

'You match your helmet.' Iye was teasing him, but she was right. His face reflects his bright red helmet. He just laughed it off, not commenting at all

'Come on. It's not funy at all if you won't even argue back.' She clicked her tongue

'I'll sort you out in the sparring, kiddo.' He grins at her

'Let's go back to it. Pair up.'

'Yayyy!' Iye was celebrating something, with Jimin laughing a bit. Looks like she clipped him on the head and is all happy with herself

'Jimin, everything okay there?' Coach asks him. He must have noticed it, too. Iye never got to his head before

'All good, coach. You need to let the kids win sometimes.' He joked back

It would be funny if he didn't look so unwell. How does no one else notice? He is getting weaker and weaker with each round. He's... sluggish. This is so not him.

'Switch!'

'Hello, gorgeous.' He smiled at me, standing right in front of me. I didn't have a chance to look at him from up close, but his eyes are all glossy, too

'Avoiding me, are you?' I tease a bit. We haven't fought yet, but he fought all of them twice. Kinda suspicious

'More like saving the best for the last.' He smiles. 'Let's do this.'

We greeted and the round started.

He attacked me first, going right for my shield. What the...I swear Iye hits harder. This is not even a point. It barely grazed me.

I went for his head and he blocked it, but it was so weak that he ended up hitting himself in the face with his hand.

'Jimin, what's wrong?' I ask him, pausing a bit

'Nothing, nothing. Keep going.' He ushers me, going back to his stance

He attacked again, a bit harder than the last time, but then he slammed into me completely, almost leaning on me. I clipped him on the back of the head lightly, but he didn't even budge.