My Pro Boxer System

The three of us continued preparing dinner together. Strangely, after Kei returned with Thalia, her behavior changed completely. In particular, she seemed more talkative. She asked me all sorts of questions about boxing, how I managed to stay in shape, and how I became good at cooking.

My earlier impression of her now seemed wrong. She wasn't quite the shy girl I had imagined before. Her behavior and even the way she carried herself reminded me of Kiki. They both had that popular girl aura.

How did my sister manage to make friends with her?

When dinner was finally ready, we sat around the table to eat together. From then on, there was nonstop chatter between the two of them, but I didn't mind much. Thalia seemed excited that her friend was spending time here. Their conversation flowed smoothly as they jumped from topic to topic.

After we finished eating, the three of us washed the dishes together. Kei wished Thalia and me goodnight and tried to leave, but I grabbed her shoulder before she left.

"Wait up a sec," I said before heading upstairs to my room.

When I came back, I was holding two sets of sweaters. I handed one to Kei. Since it was November, the nights were often cold.

"I'll walk you home," I told her.

"T-Thank you."

Her home was a good distance away, and I didn't feel comfortable letting her walk alone. Thalia looked happy that I would walk her friend. The two of us walked quietly down the street toward her home. I thought we would pass the time in silence until she spoke up.

"Uh oh, Liam, I heard you're a boxer," she suddenly said.

"I am. Are you a fan of boxing?"

Considering her family, it wouldn't be surprising, but she shook her head.

"No, originally I wasn't. My grandpa and sister are always talking about it though, but I've only recently begun paying attention to it. Oh, that's right—I've also heard that grandpa is your coach."

"He is," I nodded.

"He's always tried to teach me how to box since I was little, but I was never really interested. Even now, I'm just starting to like it. Not enough to actually box, but maybe as a fan, I guess."

"I see. I'm glad you like it."

Her face softened into a blush and a smile.

"How can I not like it when…"

She paused. It looked like she wanted to say something but was holding herself back.

"You mean because your family is involved in boxing?" I asked. "Ivy told me about your father and how much becoming a champion meant to him."

Kei looked at me and just nodded. She didn't say anything, but there was a deep sadness in her eyes. That look was all too familiar to me. It was the same look Mom and Thalia gave after Dad died.

She seemed deep in thought after that, so I patted her on the head. My action must have surprised her because she let out a girlish yelp and her entire face turned red.

"W-what a-are you doing?!"

"If you want to learn more about boxing, feel free to come to me anytime. Or if you're feeling upset about something and just want to talk," I said.

It must have sounded strange hearing those words from me, considering we hardly knew each other. She was only my sister's friend. But maybe, over time, she could come to see me as an older brother figure.

"I-In that case," she stared up at me, her eyes sparkling. "Can I have your phone number?!"

"Sure, I guess that's fine."

"Really?!"

I nodded, and the two of us exchanged contact information. After that, I continued walking her home. She had a satisfied smile on her face and couldn't stop staring at her phone. After a few minutes, we reached her home, and it was time to part ways. I waved goodbye and turned to leave, but she immediately grabbed my hand. She had a serious look on her face as I turned to meet her gaze.

"Let's make a deal," she said.

"A deal?" I asked, feeling a bit confused.

"Yes, about the bracelet I gave you. I don't want you to ever take it off. In return, I promise to always do my best—in everything. I mean, I'm not good at school, and my teacher said I might have to repeat a year if I don't improve my grades. Studying is hard. I hate it. But if it's for you… I'll study as much as it takes. I'll do my best. Just don't take off the bracelet, ok?"

I slowly patted her on the head and smiled.

"Deal," I said. "If you work hard and always do your best, then I'll keep this bracelet on as long as you need me to."

Her delicate cheeks softened into a smile as she bobbed her head enthusiastically, too happy to speak. I then turned around and started walking away.

"You can keep the sweater; it doesn't fit anymore," I told her as I walked off. I didn't look back but I heard a loud squeal from her. She was honestly really cute.

When I got back home, Thalia was fast asleep in her room, so I decided to take a shower and then went to sleep myself. The next morning, I got up as early as usual to go for my 15-mile run, followed by some exercises in the park.

I completed 150 push-ups, 50 sit-ups, and a 10-minute plank. The system even recommended some stretches that looked an awful lot like yoga. As I performed the stretches, I could feel my muscles gradually cooling down.

After that, I did an hour of jump rope, then some shadow boxing as I tried out different combinations. I didn't even have time to check my stats since I was late for school. Breakfast was waiting for me back home; Thalia had prepared something for both of us.

After we got ready for school, we left the house in a rush. Luckily, I managed to arrive a few minutes before homeroom started, but just as I neared the classroom, I spotted someone at the entrance. It was Ivy; she looked like she was waiting for someone.

"Ivy, are you waiting for someone?" I asked.

"I was waiting for you, actually."

"For me?"

My mind went blank. Maybe it had something to do with me training her. That reminded me: I had to figure out a training regimen for her. Along with that, I had three matches set for this week plus my brutal training with Alexa. My schedule seemed to be getting busier by the day.

"The coach asked me to give you this." She reached into her bag and pulled out a badge.

It was the same badge that everyone who practiced a sport received. With this badge, I didn't have to pay for anything around campus. It also allowed access to certain facilities, such as the dorms and specialized training rooms.

"You'll get a varsity jacket and other merch from the school at a later date," she explained. "And also… um, thanks for walking my sister home last night. It meant a lot."

She had a bashful look on her face as she thanked me. She was embarrassed. She really loved her sister, didn't she?

"She joined us for dinner last night," I said.

"Yeah, she told me. I hope she didn't cause you any trouble."

"Not at all. You should join us sometime."

"I can't. Grandpa—I mean, the coach, will feel lonely if he has to eat dinner by himself."

"I see."

"Well, anyway, take care. I'll see you at training."

I waved Ivy off as she went to her class, but just then, down the hall, I saw Ms. Dalton coming toward the classroom. She spotted me, and we made eye contact. I still didn't know if she had seen me the other night. She walked down the hall with her usual radiance. With the air she was giving off, you would never guess that her boyfriend was in a gang.

I would have to have a talk with her. The more I thought about it, the more I believed it was highly unlikely that she hadn't seen me. I decided to take my shot as she came closer.

"Ms. Dalton—"

"Good morning, Liam," she said, brushing me off completely and trying to walk off. That's when I grabbed her by the hand and forcefully pulled her toward me. Her face lit up in surprise.

Luckily, no one was in the hall since it was time for homeroom. If anyone had seen what I had done, I'm one hundred percent sure it would have caused quite a bit of trouble for both of us.

"W-what is it, Liam?" she asked, trying to put on a serious act, but her voice cracked.

"I need to speak with you. It's an important matter."

"I'm sorry, but I'm a bit busy. I don't think I'll have time."

"After school should be fine. Somewhere private. How about your office?" By my tone and words, I made it clear that no was not an option.

This teacher could be a problem for me. I had to deal with her sooner or later. I expected her to resist, to lash out and slap me. But instead, she looked at me meekly and nodded.

"O-ok."