Love at first bump

"I can't believe it, our new japan middleweight champion isn't a japanese..."

Rylan wash his face inside the bathroom, he look at himself in the mirror and start mimicking a fighting stance. He throws a few jab in the air and lower his body, he position his arm and execute a hook in the air.

"Tch... This is not the one he used."

He tries again and again until someone opens the door. His mother raised an eyebrow, watching Rylan's shadowboxing with a mix of amusement and concern.

"What on earth are you doing, Rylan?" She asked, her tone a blend of curiosity and disapproval.

Rylan stopped abruptly, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Just practicing a few moves," He replied sheepishly. His mother chuckled softly, shaking her head.

"Well, be careful not to break anything in here." She walked over and ruffled his hair. "And put some clothes on."

Rylan quickly grabbed a towel to cover himself, a slight grin forming on his face despite the embarrassment. "I will, Mom. Sorry about that," He said, heading towards his room to change.

ZENJIRO HIGH SCHOOL

Rylan stand before the window, looking down the yard of the school. Today marks the last day of their school as they prepared to bid farewell to their teachers and friends. Rylan felt a mix of emotions swirling within him—anticipation for the freedom of summer break, nostalgia for the memories he had created during the school year, and a hint of uncertainty about the future.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day and the beginning of the official start of their summer vacation. Rylan took a deep breath, feeling a surge of excitement at the thought of the adventures that awaited him in the coming months.

As he turned away from the window to join his classmates in the bustling hallway, Rylan couldn't help but smile at the friendships he had forged and the experiences that had shaped him throughout the year.

Suddenly, he bumps into someone and they both fell onto the floor. As Rylan and the other person fell onto the floor, a few papers scattered around them. Rylan quickly scrambled to gather them, apologizing profusely.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," Rylan said, handing over the papers he had collected. The other person, a girl with long brown hair and bright blue eyes, laughed as she took the papers from him.

"It's okay, no harm done," She replied with a smile.

Rylan stares at her and time seems to be slowing down as he continues to look at the beautiful girl before him. His heart skipped a beat as he locked eyes with the girl, captivated by her beauty and the warmth in her smile.

"Is everything okay?" The girl asked.

Rylan blinked, snapping out of his daze as he realized he was still on the floor. He quickly scrambled to his feet, offering a hand to help the girl up. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry again for bumping into you," he said, a slight blush coloring his cheeks.

The girl took his hand and got up gracefully, dusting off her skirt. "No worries, it happens," She replied cheerfully. "I'm Mia, by the way."

"I'm Rylan," He introduced himself with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Mia."

They both gathered the rest of the scattered papers and returned them to their rightful owner. Mia glanced at Rylan, her eyes filled with curiosity. "Are you a new student here? I don't think I've seen you around before."

Rylan shook his head. "No, I've been here for the whole year. Just probably slipped under your radar," He said with a self-deprecating chuckle.

Mia chuckled softly. "Well, I'm glad I bumped into you then. It's always nice to meet new people, even if they've been here all along," She said with a friendly smile.

As they walked together down the hallway, Rylan and Mia struck up a conversation, exchanging stories about their favorite classes, teachers, and plans for the summer. Rylan found himself drawn to Mia's easygoing nature and the way she laughed at his jokes.

Before they knew it, they had reached the school's main entrance where students were starting to gather to bid their farewells. Rylan glanced at Mia, feeling a sense of reluctance to part ways so soon.

"I guess this is it," Mia says, as she looks down shyly.

"Yeah..." Rylan replies shortly.

"Why is she so cute?!" Rylan thoughts to himself.

As they stood at the entrance, Rylan couldn't help but think about how charming Mia was. Her smile, her laugh, and the way she listened intently to everything he said—it all made his heart flutter. Rylan's mind raced with possibilities as he contemplated asking for her phone number or maybe suggesting they hang out sometime. However, he found himself at a loss for words, lost in the moment with Mia.

"Uh... Goodbye, Rylan!" Mia quickly speaks loudly, as she runs rapidly out of the entrance.

Rylan now stands alone, started gathering his thoughts, "Was she waiting for me to ask something?" He blurted out loud.

"Sure is!" Darren jumps Rylan from behind and put his arms around his head. "Why didn't you ask her number?"

Rylan shrugged and replied, "I guess I got a bit too caught up in the moment. She left before I could even think about asking for her number."

"Who left?" Zack asked, as he stand before Rylan and Darren.

Rylan quickly turned to face Zack, surprised by his sudden appearance. "Oh, hey Zack. Uh, Mia. She just left," He said, feeling a bit flustered.

Zack raised an eyebrow. "Mia, huh? Was it the same Mia who volunteers at the animal shelter on weekends and bakes the best cookies for the school bake sales?"

Rylan nodded, impressed. "Yeah, that's her. She seems really nice and sweet."

Darren chimed in, "And cute too! Rylan missed his chance to ask for her number."

Zack chuckled. "Well, why not go after her? It's not too late. Just go catch up with her and ask for her number."

Rylan hesitates for a moment before replying, "I, uh, I think not... I'm going somewhere today."

"Well, that's your decision to make." Zack replies, he sips from his juice before speaking again. "What are your plans for the summer break?"

"Hmm... Remember the guy we met three months ago? I think I'm going to accept his offer." Rylan respond with a smile.

"So you're going to try and box, huh? Good for you." Zack replies.

"What about you? Your father is a boxing legend, aren't you gonna follow his footstep?" Rylan asked.

"I've thought about it, but I'm not sure it's my calling," Zack replied, looking contemplative. "I have other interests I want to explore. Maybe I'll figure it out over the summer break."

Rylan nodded understandingly. "It's important to pursue what truly interests you. I respect that."

Darren, always the cheerful one, chimed in, "Hey, why don't we all hang out together over the break? We can hit the beach, catch some movies, and just have a great time."

"Bro, I just said I'm going to train for boxing, do you think I can go to the beach while training?" Rylan says with a irritated grin on his face.

Zack chuckles at Rylan's reaction, "Well, a little break won't hurt, right? You could use some time off from training to relax and enjoy the summer."

Rylan sighs, thinking it over. "I suppose you have a point. It wouldn't hurt to unwind a bit and have some fun."

Darren jumps in excitedly, "That's the spirit! It'll be awesome to hang out together and make the most of our summer break. Plus some girls in bikinis."

Rylan smiles, feeling grateful for his friends. "Yeah, you're right. It'll be good to spend time together outside of school and training."

Zack nods in agreement, "Great, it's settled then. We'll plan some fun activities and make this summer one to remember."

"I'll be going now guys! Send my regards to Yuki!" Rylan runs off.

IRON BOX GYM

"WHAHAHA! Look at the face of those guys, when I knocked their champion down!" Denis laughs.

Vincent puts a hand on his head, "I can't believe you won that belt." He says, he's about to turn his back when the gym door suddenly open.

Rylan stands by the door, his face shows some kind of worry emotion. He heads inside the gym and stop in front of Denis. "You're the new champ now, it's been three months since you tried to recruit me."

"Have you change your mind? Will you join us now?" Denis asked.

Rylan hesitates for a moment before looking at Vincent with a determined expression etched on his face. "I want accept your past offer... If it still stands."

Denis and Vincent exchange a surprised look before Denis gives a wide smile. "Of course, the offer still stands! We'd be thrilled to have you here!"

"I see... Thank you." Rylan says with a small smile.

"Why do you look nervous? Come on make that wide smile!" Denis slaps his back causing him to stumble. "Chief, make him spar with Yukata!"

"Uh... Who's Yukata?" Rylan asks.

"Yukata is a great boxer, he's got a good footwork and he's quite a genius when it comes to boxing. Although he's not a professional, he's about the same age as you." Vincent explains, while looking at the teenager that is shadowboxing inside the ring.

Rylan nods and watches Yukata as he bounces lightly on his feet, moving gracefully around the ring.

"Alright, I'll give it a shot," Rylan says, taking off his jacket and stretching his arms.

Denis claps his hands together, "Good choice, let's see what you've got!"

Vincent gestures towards the ring, signaling for the Yukata to get ready. Rylan steps through the ropes, goes to his corner to puts some gear.