Haruki's body ached. His knuckles were scraped from hitting the rough bark of the tree, and his legs burned from footwork drills. Every night, after finishing his homework, he returned to the park, repeating the movements he learned from How to Fight.
At first, his punches were weak, his stance unsteady. But after a few days of practice, something changed. His fists moved a little faster. His steps felt lighter. The pain in his body became familiar, almost comforting.
But it still wasn't enough.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Kaito's smirk. The effortless way he dodged Haruki's punches. The overwhelming gap in skill.
"I need more than just practice."
That thought stayed with him as he walked through the school gates the next morning. His body was still sore, but he felt different. He wasn't just enduring anymore—he was improving.
—
At lunchtime, Haruki sat alone in the cafeteria, scrolling through his phone.
Another video had been uploaded.
"How to Fight – Episode 3: The Basics of Counterattacks."
He clicked on it. The masked fighter stood in a dimly lit gym, a punching bag in front of him.
"Most people think fighting is about who hits first. But a real fight is about who controls the flow. The stronger opponent will always attack first. Your job is to make them regret it."
The fighter demonstrated, dodging a slow-motion punch before striking back with precise, calculated movements.
"When you're weaker, you can't rely on brute strength. You need to be smarter. Watch your opponent. Find patterns in their movements. Every attack has a weakness."
Haruki's grip on his phone tightened.
Patterns…
Kaito always started with a shove. Then a fake punch before throwing a real one. He smirked before kicking.
Haruki rewound the video, watching the fighter's movements over and over. This… I can use this.
—
That night, he returned to the park. He replayed the fight in his head, moving as if Kaito were in front of him.
Kaito shoves—Haruki steps back. Kaito throws a fake punch—Haruki doesn't flinch. Kaito smirks before kicking—Haruki catches his leg.
Over and over, he drilled the counters, imagining every detail.
He wasn't strong enough to trade blows. Not yet.
But if he could avoid getting hit—if he could strike after Kaito left himself open—
He might stand a chance.
His body screamed at him to stop, but he kept going.
Because the next time he faced Kaito—
He wouldn't just fight back.
He'd win.