Chapter 17

'' You must have jumped like crazy.'' Mr. Touma said still amused with Danuja performance before stepping into the ring with her  '' Now raise your guard up and listen carefully.'' he said raising his own guard with the padded gloves

'' I want your right hand at your chin facing forward and the other one forward, extended like this, good now move your shoulder and there you get it. That's your guard till you make your own. Now your leg, put it more in the front and stand more sideways'' he said pleasant  '' Now kid, you are tall, long limbs and board shoulders that means you don't actually need to move a lot, because you need to avoid getting hit then letting yourself take the hits. The longer you stay not without being hit, the longer you will stay on your feet and without brain damage. ''

'' You planning to throw me to the wolfs already.'' Danuja said absently before rolling her shoulder making it in line with her extended hand. It felt better.

''You need to use your heigh and reach at the utmost level.''  he continued like he didn't hear her, already in his own land  before adding  '' This, is named the Four Lines of Defense. Foot, extended hand, stored right hand and shoulder.'' 

Danuja let herself float in that environment. Let herself focus on a single thing that mattered and willed herself not not think of the sea-like scent that was sticked to her skin.

'' The best style of tall boxers is the Drowning Style. That means constant pressure, that doesn't mean you need to land heavy hits all the time. Even just a light touch of their glove it's enough to maintain said pressure.''  Mr. Touma told her after a hour of practice, seating beside her on the only bench in the gym.

'' So basically just make them uncomfortable.''  Danuja said wiping her nape  '' I'm great at those things.'' she said  smirking making the man snort

'' Next would be the distance. If you are too close you will get hit and if you are to far they won't hit.  And the next thing should be opening one guard.'' 

'' Huh?''  Danuja asked confused  '' You want me to break their guard?''

'' No.''  Mr. Touma said smirking  '' You will voluntary open your guard.''

'' I know you were crazy since the first day I meet you.'' Danuja said narrowing her eyes at the laughing man who begin explaining.

---

Fucking insane old man  Danuja though on her way back home.  After the short break of ten minutes that they spend talking, Mr. Touma resumed to their footwork training and a brief explication of knowing the right distance.

'' Open your guard he said.''' she said frustrated arriving home before smiling at an excited Dad.  Silently she took his leash and guided him to the window. The house itself did not have a back door but Dad needed to take at last two walks a day so he stays healthy both in mind and body.

So the window was a good alternative.

'' Good job.'' she praised him when he landed before dragging her away.

The trauma Dad suffered was different than anything Danuja ever saw. He was scared of going near the front door, of complete darkness and loud sounds. He didn't have a problem with eating his meals or going outside of the house by other means.

'' How do I even open my guard?'' Danuja asked herself after arriving in the illuminated park, letting Dad loose while observing him playing

Still frustrated she get up from the bench, letting herself raise her guard up before losing herself in the rhythm of  footwork and quick jabs. 

Her concentration was taken by a panting Dad that barreled into her legs, almost making her fall over.

'' Of!''  she said catching his face, playing with him  '' Over already?'' she asked amused before taking the leash back in her hand ready to go  back home. Or at last she was suppose to if Dad wouldn't have tensed like a string, standing taunt with his ears up and tail unmoved.

'' I don't think it's over.''  a voice said, the figure getting out of the shadows making Dad growl and Danuja tense up, moving her leg forward  '' We do have unfinished business after all. '' he said and somehow Danuja recognized him

Black chirurgical mask, bushy eyebrows and short hair. Dark clothes and tall, taller than Danuja herself. He wasn't one of the three goons from before but he was surely in gang with them by looking so similar.

'' Last time my colleagues were rather harsh with you and I do apologize.'' the man said smoothly  before his eyes become smiley, like a crescent moon  '' Though I believe that small matters like those shouldn't trouble us more than needed, therefore it's time to finally talk. You see-''  the man talked in a condescended tone making Danuja grit her teeth in disgust

This again. They want to talk  she though before putting a gentle hand on Dad nape letting out a loud growl herself

For a brief moment the man looked surprised before smiling amused at her. He talked and talked and talked but Danuja couldn't hear a word.

Small matter he said 

The tone he used, the body gesture, his eyes looking down at her in a mix of amusement and superiority.

'' I'm not good at talking.'' Danuja said interrupting him making the man frown

'' Did you heard a word of what I said even?'' he asked no longer amused before raising his guard up, stopping Danuja quick punches 

Danuja didn't stop there though. She preset him by throwing jab after jab with the occasional heavy leg kicks that made the man grunt but at the end she barely saved herself from the man uppercut by pivoting and putting distance between them.

''  This is no civilized conversation. I advise you to- Ghk!''  the man tried to continue but Danuja didn't give him a change.

It was reckless. So so reckless to attack like this, in a park with Dad not moving. But there were also changes that Dad won't move at all from that spot if this goon didn't disappear.

And Danuja wasn't leaving without her Dad. Which means that this man will have to go first.