Radako
…Maybe Rahee's coaching really was the right call.
Going too easy wouldn't do me any good. I'd grumbled, sure, but having the room to grumble was proof my schedule had a little slack in it. I caught my breath, then slowly got to my feet and headed for the ring in the center of the gym. The canvas was worn, but it had been wiped clean. I ran a hand over it and climbed up.
Higher than I thought.
I ducked awkwardly through the ropes, leaned my weight into them, and took in the view. It was only about a meter off the floor, but the change in perspective felt new.
"Shinwoo. Taking a break?"
Go Yewon came out of the office smiling as she called over. She leaned against the ring and looked up at me, and her chest pressed flat against the apron. I couldn't help it—my eyes went straight to the pale swell threatening to spill out of her tank top.
"Yes. Rahee said we should hit the mitts."
"Ah. Right. You didn't yesterday."
"Now that I'm actually up here, it finally feels like I'm learning kickboxing."
"I bet. This part's the most fun. That smack-smack lets the stress out, and Rahee's really good at holding mitts."
Outside the ring she settled into a stance and thrust her firm forearms forward—and her breasts swayed with the motion. She must have felt my stare. Flushing, she covered her chest and stole a glance at me, and the mood from the office picked right back up. Thankfully, Rahee chose that moment to come out of the storage room, and it ended there.
"Why are you out here?"
"No reason. Thought I might clean again."
"The kids'll be here soon. Once Instructor Changsu's done, you need to get ready to teach yoga."
"I just have to pull the mats out."
Rahee came up onto the ring with gloves, focus mitts, and shin mitts, set the first two down in one spot, and started strapping the shin mitts on. While I was watching her back, Yewon leaned in and whispered.
"…Still. You'd better hit as much as you can right now."
I started to nod, then stopped. Something in her tone was off. I looked at her.
"Ah, well. Rahee's is… next week, I think?"
"What's next week?"
"Her period. As far as I know, it's supposed to start next week. Better to do this now than then. Next week I'll run interference for you. You just have to stay off the ring."
The feeling only got stranger. I stopped with my hand halfway to the water bottle.
"…Why?"
"Rahee's old nickname was Sadako. She's completely fine most of the time, but the second she gets on the ring during her period, she changes."
"…Changes?"
"Yeah. Berserk, I guess you'd call it. You can tell her all you want and she doesn't even notice, but she turns into someone else. Full-on… hys…"
Yewon's words suddenly dragged out and died. Her eyes were locked on something behind me. I turned without thinking and lost my voice. Rahee stood with her back to us, mitts on both hands, and for a second I could have sworn a heat haze was rising off her back. It looked as if that back had swelled in an instant. I rubbed my eyes and looked again. What a back. So Rahee could speak with hers, too. It was saying she meant to kill someone. I had a bad feeling that someone was me.
"…Th-that's weird. I'm sure it was next week…?"
"…It started the day before yesterday."
"…What?"
"Two days ago. She said it came a little early."
"…I just remembered something I have to do. I'm sorry. Grit your teeth and last twenty minutes. Five rounds from the start—it'll be rough, but… as long as you haven't made her mad, you should still…"
"…She was a little sulky that I didn't call yesterday."
"…Good luck."
"She's not actually going to kill me, is she?"
"…You do know I make a mean yukgaejang."
"…Please don't scare me."
"Shinwoo."
Rahee's voice from behind sent a chill down my spine. A pair of gloves dropped at my feet with a soft thud. I swallowed and turned.
"…Gloves on. Get in position."
"Rahee? Your eyes have gone."
"Hurry. We've only got twenty minutes, so give it everything."
Smack.
"I'll hold the mitts."
"…You really don't have to give it everything…"
I'd just steeled myself, and already my resolve was cracking. I never knew Rahee had a look that murderous in her. I let out a long sigh, picked up the gloves, and slowly worked them on.
"More! Your jab flew off!"
"Hah—hah!"
"One, one-two, one-one, two!"
"Ghk—!"
The bright crack of the mitts was almost cheerful—for about a second. Then a mitt swung straight at my jaw, and I scrambled backward out of the way.
"Weave! When you dodge, drop your waist. What are you doing backing up!"
"Then teach me the weave before you make me do it!"
"I'm telling you right now! Keep going! One, one-two! One-two! One-two-one!"
The ring filled with nothing but the clean crack of the mitts and the rasp of my breath climbing into my throat. Whether it was Rahee's eyes or the mitts flying in like they meant to take my jaw clean off, my focus started to lock. All I did was watch for the mitt appearing in front of me and throw. Little by little, her movement and mine began to mesh like gears turning.
"Good! Just like that—keep it!"
"Hah—hah!"
"Feet! Keep the steps rhythmic! Think jump rope!"
"Hup—!"
"Good!"
It felt like running without a break. Not bad, though. There was still a madness in Rahee's eyes, but the corner of her mouth had lifted—she liked what she was seeing. Being told to do things she hadn't taught me was frustrating, but learning this way wasn't so bad either. Even I could feel myself getting better. The mitts were starting to crack clean.
"Hahh—hahh."
"Stop. Stop. Yewon!"
"H-huh?"
"Why didn't the bell go off?"
"Ah—ah! Wait. I'd unplugged the cord."
"I should've checked. Sorry."
"…Huh? N-no. It's fine."
Yewon stared up at her as if the apology itself were something rare. I clung to the ropes and dragged in air.
"I'm sorry. We went past three minutes. It's supposed to be three on, one off. Get used to that and it'll help your regular training, too."
"…This is a good thing, right?"
"Yes. Shinwoo, you really have talent. Even with me pushing you like this. It's such a shame you didn't start training sooner."
"…Thanks. But I probably would've quit right away. Whoo. If it was like this."
Still panting, I met the eyes of a boy looking up at me from below the ring. The girls on either side of him were staring too, dazed. At the three of them I clenched my teeth. My training was one thing, but if the kids got scared, that was a real problem. Their eyes were shining, though. Not much fear in them. I ought to say something.
"Hey, kids."
"…H-hi…"
"Look fun?"
"…Yeah…"
"…H-hyung. You look so cool…"
"…Th-the smack-smack sounds like music."
The corner of my mouth lifted before I could stop it. They hadn't called me mister. For little pipsqueaks, their manners were impeccable. Someone had raised them right.
"Yeah? I only started yesterday myself."
"Really?"
"Mm. You guys are gonna be way better than me someday."
"…I'll work hard."
"Me too!"
"Me too!"
"Good. Want to practice together later?"
"Yes!"
Thank God. They'd been watching me, not Rahee. Maybe it was a mercy she'd had her back turned.
"Bell's set."
"Then let's go again, Shinwoo."
"…All right."
Once I saw that what I was doing was motivating the kids, I couldn't very well keep grumbling. It didn't feel bad, either—especially not with more and more of them gathering around the ring.
"Stop. That's enough."
"Hahh—hahh—hup…"
"You did well. How do you feel? Refreshing, right?"
"You're the one… moving like that… and you're not even winded?"
"I'm used to it. The breathing will come once you've done it a while."
Somewhere along the way the madness had left her eyes. But when I looked into them again, she tilted her head and started pulling the mitts off.
"What is it?"
"…You. Don't get on the ring this week."
"…Y-you're saying the same thing as your friends…?"
"…Anyway. Don't come up."
"Want to do it down on the floor, then?"
"Let's just do it on the floor."
"All right. Rest a bit, then keep going on the rest of your lower body."
"…Got it. Hoo."
I peeled the gloves off and shook my head, and sweat flicked away in drops. Somewhere nearby someone swallowed hard, but I didn't have the strength to look. When I climbed down, Rahee clapped and gathered the kids.
"Hello, everyone. See that male teacher over there? That's Instructor Lee Changsu. Say hello."
"Hello!"
"Hey."
"Let's warm up by following Instructor Changsu. Instructor, they're all yours."
"Sure."
I perched on the long chair in the corner, wiping sweat with a towel, and watched Changsu work. He taught the calisthenics one movement at a time, and the kids copied him, adorable about it. From here on I didn't know a thing and I wouldn't be any help. I'd have to trust Rahee, Changsu, and Yewon. I headed for the leg press myself.
It's actually running pretty smoothly.
I kept an eye on them between sets, and the handoff was smoother than I'd expected. Changsu warmed a group up and passed them to Rahee; she ran the basics, and while they rested he was already teaching the next time slot. Kids who stayed on after training with Rahee had yoga with Go Yewon.
"All right, then. Say your thanks."
"Thank you!"
Changsu handled the send-off. He walked the kids out of the gym, and when he came back the next session started. This time Rahee warmed them up while Changsu taught jump rope and the basic movements. Then he left to pick up the kids coming back from their academies, and Yewon took over the warm-up. The ones staying longer ran around the gym or got snacks.
Still not enough downtime. One more person and it'd be just right.
I would've been the perfect extra pair of hands, except I didn't know any of it. Maybe I should at least help with the driving. I had a standard license, sure, but jumping behind the wheel of a passenger van on no notice was risky. There were kids in it.
If we're short-handed, I'll just have to do it.
I clicked my tongue and straightened the water bottles and towels around me. It was about time to take photos for social media. I looked properly worked out, and the shots weren't coming out bad. The problem was that I was terrible at taking them. I was striking one pose after another when the kids swarmed over to watch.
"…Want to take one together?"
"Yes!"
"Yes, oppa."
"Who's oppa. Come here. You're in the center."
"Hyung, me too! Me too!"
"You're next."
"Score!"
Their bright laughter did a little healing of its own. They weren't badly behaved, and they were easy with people. I could feel, somehow, that every one of them was being careful around me. They'd seemed to listen pretty well during training, too. Had hitting mitts up on the ring actually worked? Anyone who knew the sport would've seen I was a beginner, but maybe the kids just didn't know, and that was why they were like this. I took the phones they held out and snapped a photo with each of them.
"Here."
"Thank you!"
"Don't mention it."
"Mom said I absolutely had to get pictures of the hyungs!"
"…Ah. Right."
"But, oppa."
"Yeah?"
"Mom asked if I wanted a little sibling, so why is she telling me to pick one of you two?"
"…That, I wouldn't know."
"Hmm. Teacher said storks bring babies. I bet the hyungs have the stork's phone number."
"My mom said you have to win the lottery. Something called Lotto."
"Nuh-uh. My mom said she picked me up from under a bridge."
"…Mine too. But she still thinks we're in kindergarten."
"Yeah. And we're all grown up."
At that age you don't stop to wonder whether the bridge in the story is a bridge at all, or a pair of legs. Still—underneath wasn't wrong. It was a line I hadn't heard in a long time, and somewhere in the middle of it Changsu, back from collecting the kids, started warming them up again. Go Yewon, who had been photographing the gym with her phone in hand, came over and spoke to them.