I can hear the thumping and beeping of machines before my eyes open. Everything hurts. Especially my neck. I crack open one eye then the other. I can see Seyoon talking on the phone in the corner. I strain my ears to hear what he is saying.
"You guys found him right? In the alleyway off the road? Good, he needs to be incarcerated for attempted murder. The victim? She's fine. She is-" he pauses as he looks over at me. "She is awake! I'll call you later." He shuts his phone and hurries to sit in the seat next to my bed.
I slowly reach out my hand to grab his. He gives mine a soft squeeze. "Hey you," I tried to say but the words don't come out. Just a small squeak.
I try to clear my throat again and talk but Seyoon stops me.
"Don't try, You won't be able to speak. The Doctor said it would be another couple days before you got your voice back. Do you remember what happened?" He rubs his thumb across the back of my hand and gives me a soft smile.
I don't try to speak again but just shake my head.
"You were walking home by yourself when Dongho found you and started to choke you, I found you there and threw him off you and took you to the hospital." He grasps my hand with his other hand as well. "I- I was so scared that I had lost you." Seyoon lifted up our intertwined hands to kiss mine.
"I'm fine." I tried to get out but still I couldn't say anything. I tried again but this time I didn't try to force any sound out. I just concentrated on moving my lips. I repeat myself.
"You're fine? You are not fine, you should see yourself. Bruised up cuts on your hands and face, and oh my god your neck. I will never let Dongho see anything other than a jail cell ever again." Seyoon is now pressing our hands to his cheek.
I try to reach out and softly pet his hair. There is so much I want to say to comfort him and tell him not to worry but I can't every time I try to speak it feels like something is crushing my vocal cords. There was one thing that I had to tell him. The memories of what had happened were slowly coming back to me. My clearest thought was right before I passes out. Something I wanted to tell him.
"I love you." He might not be able to hear me but he would see what I was trying to tell him. "I love you so much."
I see him close his eyes and kiss the palm of my hand. "I love you too. But please stop trying to speak it will only make the healing process harder." He lets go of my hand to grab something from the table beside me. It is a pen and paper. "Use this."
I write out:
What day is it?
I pass the paper to Seyoon to read.
"It's Thursday." He answers. I scramble to write something down but he speaks before I finish. "No the championship hasn't passes it's in two days. But listen, I don't think that it's a good idea for you to fight after what happened. Babe, please." Before he is finished speaking I am shaking my head.
This is what I have been working for, it is too late to quit now. I want this so bad. We had trained and trained for this. I had my moment when I wanted to give up and he convinced me not to. Now I was going to do this. I was confused as well, how come he was changing his mind, when weeks ago he had wanted me to keep trying? "I." Deep breath. "Will." I still can't speak but I need to get my message across. "Fight."
Seyoon stands up, "You were almost killed. Please don't do this."
I shake my head again. I hurry to write something down on the paper again:
We'll see what the doctor says.
I give him a pointed look that I hoped portrayed that the Doctor's word was law.
Right on que a group of doctors walked into my room for rounds. They start doing the evaluation and while they are speaking I am not paying attention. I am writing. When the doctor finishes speaking I put my hand on Seyoon's and hold up the note:
I am a boxer and the world championships are in two days, CAN I fight?
The doctor chuckles. "You want to fight? I guess I don't see why not. You're internal organs are at no risk. The only thing I could think would be a risk is if you got punched in the throat. But does that ever happen?"
I shake my head. Hurriedly I grab back the paper and scribble something on it quickly:
So you're saying I can fight?
"Yes, I have no problem with you fighting."
"But doctor-" Seyoon speaks up.
"No." I struggle to croak out. Seyoon looks at me and I remind him that we agreed to ask the doctor and listen to what he said.
The doctors all wish me well and tell me I can be discharged at any time. Then they leave Seyoon and I alone.
"I am going to sign the paperwork so we can leave." Seyoon stands up and walks out of the room.
I can't figure out why he is so unhappy with me right now. He should be rooting for me to fight, not telling me no.
When Seyoon returned he didn't speak to me. He set down a pair of clothes and walked out of the room. I could see his back pressed against the window. He wasn't leaving me but he didn't want to stay in the same room with me. I guess we were having our first fight. I didn't think it would come soon.
When I dressed and put my shoes on I walked out of the room. Seyoon looked at me quickly before walking off. He looked back quickly and waited for me till I followed him.
***
We are at the apartment. It is the day before the Championship and Seyoon still hasn't spoken much to me other than a few words here and there. He was sleeping on the couch. I had tried to tell him that he could go home but he refused and I couldn't figure out why. He was cooking all my meals and doing everything for me even though I tried to tell him that I could do it by myself. I wasn't hurt.
Finally he broke his silence while we were sitting on the couch watching the second Rocky movie.
"Please don't fight." He whispered.
"Why?" I can almost hear some sound come out as I speak.
He turns to face me, "Because I asked you not to?"
I shake my head at him. I am still so confused. He has been my biggest supported to keep fighting. I try asking him again. "Why?"
Seyoon stands up and stared down at me. "Don't you get it? I Love you! When people love someone they worry and they want to take care of them! I am so worried! And- And it's like you don't care! All you care about is fighting!" Seyoon starts to pace. "You know I need to get some air." He walks toward the door and storms out.
"Seyoon." I try to croak out. But he is already gone. The door has slammed shut behind him.
I curl myself around one of the pillows on the couch. I can feel my chest contract and tighten. Was I really only concerned about fighting? Dongho would have let nothing stop me from fighting. Nothing. I guess maybe I was still in that mindset. Dongho still had a hold on me.
Should I call Seyoon. No, I'll wait till he returns. It's not like he would be able to hear me anyways. He would probably get mad at me for trying to talk anyways. Looks like I was going to stay here on the couch till he returned.
8 o'clock. 12 o'clock. The hours rolled by and still Seyoon didn't return. Slowly I fell asleep on the couch.
[C]—————•••—————–
Slowly I wake up on the couch. My alarm is blaring. I stumble up and head to turn my alarm off. When I look at the time I only have another hour before the tournament starts. Seyoon is still gone. Maybe he just wasn't going to come to see me fight. My heart dropped but I still got ready in my gear. I filled my gym bag with all my things and some snacks to hold me off during the other fights.
Then I head to the arena where the championships would be held.
When I arrive I scan the room, a little part of me hoping that Seyoon would be there waiting. But he wasn't the room was empty of any familiar faces.
But I couldn't think about Seyoon now, I needed to prepare for my first fight. I put on my headphones and sit down to wrap my hands. Don't think, Don't think. Just prepare. Get in the mindset. Get my muscles ready. I stay in my quiet corner and pull out my jump rope. I pull out my headphones they should be calling my name any moment now.
I am good. I can do this.
Soon I hear them calling my name and I put my stuff away. Grab my gloves, and head for the stage. I can do this. I have got this.
I pull myself up onto the stage. Quickly I pull my hair back showing off the great ugly bruises that wrung around my neck. I pull on one of my gloves and pull the strings closed with my other hand and my teeth. But I pause on my other glove. Usually the coach helps with the second glove.
"Hey you got any one to help you?"
I look up and the ref is standing above me. I shake my head and hold out my glove. I was grateful that this stranger took pity on me.
When he is done I face my opponent. She is someone I have fought many times before. This first fight was going to be super easy.
Sure enough as we fight it is as I predicted. It only lasted 2 short rounds before I knocked her out.
My victory was short lived with no one to share it with. I Quickly headed to my little quiet corner again. I have to prepare for my next fight. But I can't help but continue to scan around the room just hoping on the off chance that I would see Seyoon's face.
But by the time they called my name again I was still alone and searching for Seyoon's face.
I didn't take off my gloves so I wouldn't have to put them back on again. I quickly duck into the ring. All of the lights are shining down on me and beating on my back. My opponent is again someone I had fought before. This one was going to be a little harder.
Halfway through the fourth round and I am feeling the strain on my muscles and brain. I reach out with a fast left hook and duck as my opponent pulls toward me. She is a southpaw. So I had to fight differently. Every move is countered differently and her usually punches were coming from a different direction.
Finally I hear the bell as the fourth round ends. I quickly hop back into my corner.
"Hey! Babe! Look at me!" I hear Seyoon's voice. I quickly scan the crowd around me. When I look down I see Seyoon standing there.
I try to speak but it's just a croak. "You came?"
"Of course I came. I can't believe I even considered not coming. The important thing is I am here now and you can do this!" He pulls himself up onto the outside of the ring. He grabbed me around the back of my head and pulled me to him for a kiss. Suddenly I felt rejuvenated. I felt like I could win this whole thing. "Now, go kick some butt."
I nod at him to let him know that I will.
The bell dings again for the Fifth round to start.
I hurry to get back to the center of the ring. This round is easier. I can almost see her punches before they happen and I am able to block them. The round doesn't end in a knockout but it is a clear win for me. After the final bell rings I run over to where Seyoon is standing and jump into his arms. He spins me around once and kisses me again.
I hop down and pull him into my quiet corner. "What made you change your mind?" I croak out.
"I realized I was being stupid. I am here to support you in any way that I can." His face is a large grin across his face.
In that moment I knew that I could win anything. Accomplish whatever. As long as Seyoon was there to support me I have the world in my hands.
It didn't even matter if I won the championships anymore. All I needed was Seyoon and a pair of boxing gloves. And I'm set.
"Everything will be alright." Seyoon said as he cupped my face in his hands.
And he was right, everything was perfect.
YOU ARE READING
Fighter
FanfictionYou are a fighter, a boxer to be exact, and one day you end up saving some guy's life. No big deal, till he comes to your gym and wants you to train him. His name is seyoon and he is a part of a group called A.C.E. Little do you know he will change...
