The Absolute Law of Fighting
It's not easy. The absolute law of fighting: weight classes exist for a reason. No matter what kind of crazy stunt McGregor pulls, he's never beating Ngannou. Therefore, I cannot beat Seo Yeonha's father, Seo Jinseok.
If he were an average Joe, maybe, but against a guy of that size who actually trains in MMA? Even in a best-case scenario, the best I could hope for is mutual destruction.
Of course, I wouldn't know for sure unless we actually threw down. But I'm not crazy enough to beat up my friend's dad.
Squeeze. Squeeze.
He gave my shoulders a couple of heavy, bone-crushing kneads, then turned around, climbed into his car, and spoke. It felt like my shoulders had been physically dented.
"Both of you, get in. We're going to eat."
"Okay, Dad," Yeonha replied.
"I actually have some things to—"
"I won't say it twice."
Not wanting to die, I meekly climbed into the car. I tried to sit in the front passenger seat, but Yeonha grabbed my arm and dragged me into the back with her.
Glare.
Thanks to that, I was forced to engage in a silent staring contest with Seo Jinseok through the rearview mirror the entire drive to our unknown destination.
How is he even driving like that? Does he have some kind of insane peripheral vision?
The place we finally arrived at was a Korean BBQ restaurant. Specifically, the very one where I worked part-time.
Chime.
"Welcome! Oh? Hyunwoo? You're a bit early for your shift. Did you get the times mixed up since it's your first day?"
"No, sir. I came to eat with a friend and her father... Gym Leader Seo. I figured I'd eat first and then start working right away."
The moment the word "father" left my mouth, a wave of pure, unadulterated bloodlust radiated from behind me, prompting me to hastily correct myself.
"Oh my, is the young lady next to you your girlfriend? She's absolutely gorgeous."
"...Just show us to a table," Jinseok grunted.
"Right away, sir! You can take that table over there."
My boss winked at me, beaming as he whispered that he'd throw in some freebies. Boss, you really shouldn't have said the word 'girlfriend.' I think that gorilla is actually going to murder me.
As soon as we sat down, I quickly set the table, reading the room with practiced efficiency.
"This spicy marinated crab is delicious," Yeonha said. "Dad, Hyunwoo, aren't you going to eat the side dishes? Isn't it a universal rule to try a bit of everything first?"
"...The elder hasn't picked up his utensils yet. How could I possibly dare?"
"..."
Dammit. I want to eat the crab too. Why has this old man been staring only at me this whole time? Just eat the side dishes your daughter put on your plate, old man.
"Here is your meat. You can go ahead and grill it right away."
"Thank you...!" Yeonha chirped.
Without a single second of hesitation, I grabbed the tongs and started grilling. The cut was ribeye. The marbling was so exquisite that just imagining it in my mouth made my saliva glands go into overdrive.
Sizzle.
Timing is everything when it comes to grilling meat. Beef, in particular, requires absolute precision. Once it was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, I cut it into bite-sized pieces and distributed them onto the plates. First Yeonha, then Seo Jinseok, and finally myself.
Serving the elder first is the standard etiquette, but fathers with daughters usually want their daughters to eat first.
Fortunately, my calculation was spot on. The proof was the gorilla sitting across from me finally shifting his gaze away to start eating.
"Thank you for the food."
I watched his reaction before popping a piece into my own mouth. Th-this is...! It tasted far superior to anything I had anticipated. This cow had undoubtedly lived a stress-free, blissfully sedentary life before ending up on this grill. Comparing this to chicken breast was an absolute impossibility. Doing so would be a blasphemous insult to beef.
"It literally melts in my mouth," Yeonha said, her eyes wide. "Hyunwoo, you're really good at grilling meat."
"This is just the basics."
"My dad is terrible at grilling. From now on, whenever we eat meat together, you should be the one to grill it."
"Why should I—I mean, of course, it would be my absolute honor."
Feeling the gorilla's heavy gaze landing on me, I hastily corrected my tone. The bizarre meal continued in this fashion—Yeonha bringing up a topic, me responding, and Jinseok glaring. Only after we had somewhat filled our stomachs did Jinseok finally speak.
"Hey."
"...Me?"
"Who else is here besides you?"
Who on earth addresses their kid's friend as 'hey'?
"Yeonha tells me you know a bit of boxing."
"Yes. Well... to be precise, I trained in MMA."
"Your frame is rather lackluster for someone who claims to do martial arts."
"Dad, Hyunwoo was injured... I mean, it's just because he took a long break from training," Yeonha defended.
"Hmm."
Jinseok closed his eyes, seemingly lost in deep thought. Seeing this, every nerve in my body stood on end. You never knew with these types. He might suddenly throw a punch just to 'test' me. I had to look out for my own survival.
Slide.
What's this? Surprisingly, what he slid across the table wasn't a fist, but a business card.
"Park Seungjun. He's the representative of KFC."
"Why are you showing this to me?"
"The guy asked me for a favor. One of KFC's subsidiary promotions is planning a martial arts survival audition program. He wanted me to let him know if I came across any decent prospects."
"..."
"You go on it."
Hmm... It was sudden, but honestly, it wasn't a bad proposal. The program was called Fight Ground 300. It started with three hundred contestants and filtered them down to the top eight in each weight class, eventually crowning the top three. Placing in the top ranks came with prize money, and the winner would secure a contract with KFC.
I didn't know what kind of relationship Seo Jinseok had with Park Seungjun, but a man like Park Seungjun wouldn't run a scam. For an unknown rookie like me, it was the perfect stage to build a name for myself.
But why give this to me? He must have plenty of fighters in his own gym he could send. Right next to me sat Seo Yeonha, a current boxing genius and future Ju-jitsu prodigy. Why offer this to me, someone whose skills he hadn't even witnessed firsthand?
As I stared at the card, lost in thought, Yeonha chimed in from beside me.
"Hyunwoo, are you going to participate?"
"I'm thinking about it."
"If you go, I want to go too. It sounds like fun."
"I haven't decided yet... Wait."
What was that? For a split second, it looked like the corner of Seo Jinseok's mouth twitched upward...
"...Yeonha. Did your dad ask you to participate in this before?"
"Yeah. But they said it wasn't strictly boxing rules, so I refused back then. But... if you're going, I want to do it with you. I've always wanted to try doing something with a fr-friend..."
"..."
To briefly list Yeonha's credentials: idol-tier looks, a junior record of 10-0, an amateur record of 7-0, and the woman closest to becoming the next world boxing champion. I didn't know if she realized it herself, but she was already a minor celebrity on the internet.
Ah, so the casting offer was originally meant for Yeonha.
The pieces fell into place. Park Seungjun had approached Jinseok, but Yeonha, a pure boxing purist, had flatly refused. Jinseok was now using me—the first friend his socially awkward daughter had ever made—to change her mind. It was a transparent ploy.
No matter who entered the women's division, they would have a hard time beating Yeonha, and her appearance alone would generate massive views. The stage was practically tailor-made for her.
So, to get Yeonha to participate, they're willing to hand a spot to an extra like me?
Being treated like a mere extra was slightly irritating. I couldn't let them have their way so easily.
"I will gladly accept this opportunity, Gym Leader Seo."
"Hmph. As you should."
"Hehe. If we meet in the tournament, we might even get to fight each other, right?"
"We're different genders, Yeonha."
"Ah, right..."
The three of us demolished ten servings of meat. Jinseok sent Yeonha back to the car first while he paid the bill. I was at the counter, processing his payment—the result of my boss pushing me to learn the ropes quickly.
"That will be 450,000 won, sir."
"Your name is Hyunwoo, correct?"
"Yes, sir."
Despite the serious tone of his voice, I clearly saw his hand hesitate slightly as he handed over his card.
"I apologize for this."
"Pardon?"
"As you know, my Yeonha is incredibly introverted. She would never listen to a word I said, but when she talks about you, her face lights up completely."
"..."
"It's the same with this program. I've told her countless times that experience is crucial if she wants to compete internationally, but I couldn't convince her. It was a real headache."
"I see."
I guess even a gorilla like Seo Jinseok was a doting father at heart. Once he started talking about Yeonha, the words flowed out of him in an endless stream.
"That's why I'm sorry. I'm sure a young kid like you wouldn't want to be humiliated in front of a national audience, yet I practically forced you into it."
"...?"
What on earth was this old man talking about? Humiliated? Who, me?
"From what I gather, you've only recently returned to training. You're at an age where you still have so much to learn, and I feel I've done something terrible as an adult. I apologize once again for letting my greed get the better of me."
"Father."
"Don't call me father. Do I look like an easygoing guy just because I'm speaking to you nicely?"
What a lunatic. Anyone listening would think I'm begging to marry his daughter.
"Gym Leader Seo."
"What is it?"
"I am truly fine. I am only grateful for the opportunity."
"...Hearing you say that eases my mind a bit. Do your best, and treat it as a learning experience."
"No, sir. If I'm going, I'm going to win. Why bother entering otherwise?"
"Mmm... Confidence is good, but the level of competition won't be as low as you think."
The level, huh... Unless it's UFC-level, I highly doubt anyone can stop me.
"Make sure to watch when the show airs. You'll be surprised."
"You certainly have a sense of humor, kid. I won't hold my breath, but I'll watch."
"Drive safely."
"Right... Ah, I forgot to ask. What exactly is your relationship with my Yeonha?"
"We're just friends."
"Over my dead body will I ever permit you two to date. If you truly want to, come back after becoming a simultaneous three-division UFC champion."
"...Ah, yes, sir."
Jinseok didn't even listen to my reply. I bowed to the back of his head as he walked out of the restaurant after the payment cleared. He was a fascinating man in many ways.
If I were to conquer three divisions, it would have to be lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight. He might as well have just told me to screw off.
After the Seo family left, I worked diligently until my shift ended at 9 PM. Before heading over to clean Noona's Ju-jitsu gym, I stopped by my apartment to change. My school uniform was reeking of grilled meat, so I planned to throw it in the washing machine first.
However.
"Noona?"
"Is that... Hyunwoo's voice? My Hyunwoo is back...?"
Stepping out of the elevator and looking toward my apartment door, I saw Baek Jieun crouching in front of it, waiting for me. The entire hallway reeked of alcohol.
"Noona, what are you doing here? What about the gym?"
"...Sniff, hic. I'm sorry, Hyunwoo. Please don't ignore my calls. I'm so sorry."
"What calls all of a sudden... Ah." Come to think of it, I might have blocked her number and forgotten to unblock it.
"I'lldothecleaningmyselfandIwon'tchargeyouanymembershipfeesandI'llteachyoualltheJujitsuyouwantsojustpleasedon'tignoreNoona'scallsHyunwooI'mseriouslygoingtocryrightnow."
"Speak like a human being, please. I can't understand a single word you're saying."
For some reason, whenever I got involved with this woman, my head started to throb. Why were there so many eccentric people around me? This really wasn't going to be easy.