Chapter 25

Gyun heard the cage close behind him, he glanced behind him as the coach locked the cage.

"Phew" Gyun sighed as he took the gloves that he was passed, he fit them over his hand wraps and tossed his Kickboxing gloves. Over the cage as he threw a few experimental jabs to try and get a feel for the weight of the gloves.

"Hold onto those for me" Gyun said he couldn't really tell who caught them as the rest of the class were crowded around the cage trying to watch the spectacle.

Both the man and Gyun walked to the center of the octagon the coach,

"You know the basic rules already, obey my commands at all time, and as agreed it will be 1 three minute long round, go back to your corners"

Gyun walked to the corner, he still wore his shirt because he didn't feel the need to take it off but the other man, Sungmin, obviously felt the need as he stripped off his shirt revealing a muscular body underneath he shouted as he did.

-He's quite immature for a man in his 30's, but he's still a pro who's got a good record on the regional circuits. He might catch me unaware if I underestimate him, I might have to use 80% of my power.-

The coach nodded at both of them before he pressed a button and the timer started with a loud beep. Sungmin darted forward stopping just outside Gyun's range, Gyun kept his hands low he stood flatfooted.

Though Sungmin was angry he was still a professional he'd learned his lesson after he'd almost been separated from his consciousness after he'd charged in previously.

He glanced down at Gyun's feet and stance, he was standing flat footed his feet shoulder with apart, completely still and with his hands up taking on a philly shell defense style with his right hand down near his stomach and his left hand near his face .

Sungmin quickly placed his eyes back on Gyun's eyes, but instead of reading his opponent's eyes he felt a bit unnerved, Gyun's glowing red eyes were unfocused.

His eye's were empty, if Sungmin were to describe were to describe the feeling he got, it was that Gyun wasn't even looking at him.

It was if he was looking somewhere a thousand yards away. They weren't focused despite Gyun looking at him, Sungmin recognized the opportunity.

He seized the moment of distraction and threw out a cursory jab, but as soon as he did he felt an the hairs on the back of his neck rise up.

Sungmins last memory was Gyun bringing his left hand up and knocking his hand to the side casually and him leaning forward before he woke up to the foul stench of smelling salts.

He coughed as he rolled away, he realized he was laying on the ground in the octagon, he spit out his mouth piece, and looked at the coach who was holding the smelling salts.

"W-What happ...happened?" he said as he paused as he felt a sudden dizziness stuttering over his words, as he cradled his own head.

"You got your ass slept is what happened!" one of the the other members who happened to dislike Sungmin said.

Sungmin's face began turning red with embarrassment as he snapped back, "shut up! where the hell is that bastard?!"

"Oh that guy? He's over there" the man who'd made fun of Sungmin pointed at Gyun who sat against the opposite side of the octagon.

Sungmin made eye contact with him, Gyun breathed out as he stood up, Sungmin also stood up despite his feelings of wobbliness.

Sungmin took off one of his gloves as he walked toward Gyun, the coach hurriedly tried to get between the two.

But Sungmin stuck out his hand instead, Gyun looked down at Sungmin's hand for a moment before he grabbed it. Sungmin pulled him in close and patted Gyun on the back, "good shot, I didn't even see it coming."

Gyun was a bit caught off guard at Sungmins sudden change in behavior but didn't let it show on his face.

"Thanks"

But unlike Gyun most of the trainees and the coach included were unable to hide the bewilderment on their face.

The coach quickly regained his composure, "ok then uh now that that's settled why don't we finish with some quick cardio before we start some cooldown and stretching before we wrap things up."

There were collective groans from the entire class, "Ughh"

He said as he clapped his hands together loudly, "quickly! Your not going to get better from dragging your asses, move! get down and give me 40 burpee's to start! We've still got 20 minutes left to practice!"

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30 minutes later

Gyun felt the soreness in his arms as he took off his sweat soaked shirt, he had a slight smile as he did despite the tiredness in his arms.

-There's nothing like martial arts to work up a sweat-

Gyun put back on the shirt and sweatshirt he was wearing before, he shoved his sweaty clothes into his bag as he walked out.

"Hey! Gyun was it?"

"Hmm?" Gyun turned around as someone called for him as he left the locker room, it was the youngest member of the advanced kickboxing class, Ryu Hyeon a high school shotokan karate national runner-up.

"Yo stop for a second" he said as he ran over to Gyun, he had a smile on his face as he did.

Gyun plastered on a smile of his own, responding in a jovial voice "Hey Hyeon what's up"

"Not much, but uh how'd you know my name?"

Gyun shrugged his shoulders at the question, "The coach told me everybody's names before we started"

Hyeon seemed to think about it for a second before he let it go, "But man that knockout! That was some of the cleanest countering I've ever seen, you slept Lee Sungmin man."

Gyun awkwardly chuckled at that, -please leave me alone-

"Hey Hyeon did you tell him yet?" Another new voice was heard

-You've got to be kidding me- , Gyun thought as he saw Ryu Hyeon's good friend and the only other high schooler before Gyun to be with Hyeon in the advanced class.

Kornballop Vijitpongpun a second generation immigrant from Thailand, who had been a lifelong Muay Thai practitioner and son of Vichit Vijitpongpun a 3 time Lumpinee stadium champion, but had taken up kickboxing in the last few years, but every buddy just called him Korn.

"Nah I didn't tell him yet" Hyeon said with a smile

Korn and Hyeon looked at each other with a mischievous look in their eye

Gyun looked between the two, who looked back at him with a mischievous grins across their faces. "Huuuu" Gyun sighed with exasperation "What is it?"

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Lumpinee Stadium was a very prestigious boxing/ Muay Thai stadium where events were held and is widely considered the place where the best Muay Thai fighters fight and it has its own champions for its stadium. It was tore down in 2014 and replaced with a newly constructed Lumpinee Stadium