Chapter 5: The Calm Before the Bell
The morning sun peeked through the blinds of the Akami household, where noise was as constant as breath. The kitchen buzzed with activity — the sizzle of eggs, the clatter of plates, and the high-pitched chatter of Rukio's younger siblings bouncing around the dining table.
Rukio Akami sat quietly at the end, calmly spreading butter on his toast. Across the table, his father, Hiroshi Akami, sipped coffee in tranquil silence, flipping through the morning newspaper. His mother, Kana Akami, danced between the stove and the sink with energy that could match a tornado.
"Rukio, don't forget your water bottle! You'll dehydrate and faint in the middle of class again," Kana called out, half-joking.
"I've never fainted, Mom," Rukio replied dryly, placing the said bottle into his bag anyway.
"Yeah, but you're always doing brain boxing or something!" one of his younger brothers yelled, mimicking boxing punches with exaggerated swings.
Rukio shook his head with a small, tired smile. The youngest, Mio, clung to his leg dramatically.
"Big bro! Uppercut the bad guys today!"
"I'm not fighting today," he said. "Just physics class."
He gently peeled Mio off and made his way out the door, sharing a subtle glance with his father on the way. Hiroshi gave him a nod — small, approving, and perfectly quiet.
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Rukio's ride to school was uneventful but meditative. His legs pushed the pedals rhythmically, while his mind wandered — not about class, but about movement, reaction time, and pressure points. The city blurred by, but in his head, he was already in the ring.
His school uniform fit cleanly on him, crisp and ironed, but his backpack was always bulkier than the others — half school supplies, half training journals. As he parked his bike and entered the campus, classmates greeted him with a mix of admiration and distance. Rukio was respected, not popular.
During physics class, the teacher discussed momentum and collision.
"An object's mass times its velocity gives us momentum," the teacher explained. "In collisions, momentum is transferred."
Rukio raised his hand, earning a few surprised glances.
"Would that be similar to a counterpunch in boxing? If a punch comes at you, and you return one while moving forward, wouldn't your momentum overpower theirs if timed correctly?"
The teacher blinked. "Well… that's quite a specific example, but yes. That's a practical application."
He jotted down notes in the margins of his notebook: *Counterpunch = Momentum shift. Feint to bait momentum?* His mind wasn't in the classroom anymore.
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At lunch, he sat under the shade of the school's old camphor tree. A few students loitered around, but none disturbed him. With his bento box unopened beside him, Rukio stared into the distance, thoughts spiraling around his upcoming match with Oharu.
*He's strong. Really strong. But he's slow on the turn. Wide stance. Doesn't reset his guard fast enough after throwing a right.*
He leaned back, arms folded behind his head.
*My angle game has to be tight. Sidestep, bait the right, cut in with a body shot. If I take the center early, he'll crumble faster than expected.*
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Training Journal — Week 1
Day 1: Coach Haruto had me spar with a southpaw today. My timing's off. He said I rely too much on instinct and not enough on calculated motion. I'm starting a new plan: analyze every sparring session. No wasted movements. No emotion.
Day 2: Worked on footwork drills. Focused on circling in, pivoting with balance. Coach said, "If you want to beat Oharu, you'll need to make him miss with his eyes wide open." That stuck with me.
Day 3: Watched tapes of Oharu's last three fights. He baits with his right and counters with a heavy left hook. Pattern noted. I've written a counterplan—will test it soon.
Day 4: Coach introduced me to underwater resistance training. Punching while submerged is brutal. It exposes your form's flaws. My jabs flailed. My crosses sank.
Day 5: Shadowboxed in the dark gym after hours. Felt my breath. Heard my own heart. Visualization's becoming sharper. I saw Oharu in front of me, clear as day.
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Week 2
Day 6: Light sparring with a heavier opponent. Learned to absorb pressure without folding. Rolled under hooks and slipped jabs while staying calm.
Day 7: Coach adjusted my diet. Said my energy spikes too fast. High-protein, low sugar now. More tea, less soda. I'm still adjusting.
Day 8: Tested first draft of Oharu strategy. Feint to bait left hook, step inside. Counter with body shot. It worked. Once. I got tagged right after. Need to work on timing.
Day 9: Did nothing but rope drills. Hundreds of skips. Timing, posture, breathing. My legs are lead now, but my coordination improved.
Day 10: Rest day. Studied film again. Slower this time. Noticed Oharu drops his right shoulder before launching that hook. Subtle. Tells me when it's coming.
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Week 3
Day 11: Coach said, "No sparring this week. Only analysis." I protested. He insisted. Wants me sharp, not bruised. Studied my old fights and Joji's matches too.
Day 12: Practiced fakes and parries. Deception is an art I hadn't respected before. Now it's the foundation of my plan.
Day 13: Talked to Coach Haruto about fear. He said even champions shake in the locker room. The trick is hiding it until the bell rings.
Day 14: One last heavy bag session. 5 rounds. 3 minutes each. All focus. Picturing Oharu the whole time.
Day 15: Final day before weigh-in. Cut a kilo. Focused only on breathing and stretches. Coach said my eyes are sharp now. I feel it too.
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That night, Rukio lay in bed, eyes open. The moonlight pooled through his window, silver and soft. His hands rested on his stomach, rising and falling with each deep breath.
"I've done everything. I've planned every angle. Why am I still uneasy?" he whispered to the silence.
The room offered no answer. Only the hum of the ceiling fan and distant laughter from his younger siblings in the next room. He closed his eyes and murmured,
"I'll finish this clean. No surprises."
Sleep came slowly, but it came. Tomorrow was weigh-in. The storm would follow.
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[End of Chapter 5]