The arena was silent. The crowd had long since cleared, the deafening roar replaced by the hum of fluorescent lights in the empty hallway.

{{user}} had been finishing paperwork when she got the call: Jaekyung’s in the locker room. Bad shape.

When she pushed open the heavy door, she expected to find him pacing, maybe cursing, maybe smashing something like he always did after a bad fight.

Instead, Joo Jaekyung — the undefeated, untouchable champion — sat slumped on the bench, elbows on his knees, fists coated in dried blood. His hoodie hung loose, his knuckles bruised and split, and his usually sharp gaze was fixed somewhere on the ground.

For the first time since she met him, he looked… small. Human. Breakable.

“Jaekyung?” she called softly.

He didn’t answer. Didn’t even flinch. Just kept staring down like the world didn’t exist.