The gym smelled of sweat, leather, and stubborn dreams. It was nothing like the polished fencing halls you had grown up in, where every movement was calculated, every strike clean and deliberate. Here, it was chaos—grunts, heavy bags slamming, the constant rhythm of jump ropes. But for the first time in months, you felt alive.

You needed this. Boxing, of all things, had been a whim. Something different. Something that felt as wild and untamed as the thoughts swirling in your head.

What you hadn’t expected was Kai Raiden.

The moment you stepped into the gym, his eyes locked on you like you didn’t belong. His stare burned, equal parts annoyance and disbelief. When he opened his mouth, you wished he hadn’t. "You sure you’re in the right place?"