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ย “Fck”
Woo-jin’s head snapped back, his gloved hands immediately going to his throbbing nose that pulsated with every breath. He shook the stars from his vision, his eyes teary as his hand flung from his nose as if burned from the stinging. A thin trail of blood seeped down his lip, his tongue instantly lifting before he smeared it with his arm.
” I said not to go for the face” he wailed, taking a step back.ย Nari dropped her arms, her face stricken as she winced at the reddening of his nose.
After breakfast, Nari and Woo-jin had decided to spar for a bit while Geon-woo stood off a little to the side, a dumbbell in hand.
Long gone were their shirts and Nari was dressed down in a sports bra and leggings, her hair tied half up and down and out of her face. She was sweating lightly, the two of them going a couple rounds and Woo-jin was not holding back. Her ribs were aching from a few hits he had managed to land on her, her arms were stiff and store, her legs tired and her breath was coming out in heavy pants. Woo-jin had not been faring any better. His hair was matted to his forehead, sweat dripping down his bare torso and he was favouring his left side. He had a couple of bruises on his arms, apparently Nari’s punches were anything but gentle and he had let his guard slip and she had managed to wig him in the face.
“Sorry” Nari winced as he scrunched his nose before grimacing.
“You’ve gotten stronger” he told her, shaking out his shoulders and stifling the pain throbbing in his nose and Nari got the hint. They circled each other like prey. The ring was small, meaning they had less than the ideal space to spar without stumbling into the loose ropes around them. Nari had her arms raised, Woo-jin reciprocating despite his vision blackening around the edges. She had gotten him good.
“Or maybe you just got slow” But that wasn’t true. Nari had indeed grown strong, way stronger than she was before. While Nari already had experience in the ring it had become neglected after her mother died and with their fights they had gotten into in Seoul, she could always pack a punch but now her fists had become lethal. If she could put both Woo-jin and Geon-woo on their asses now, they didn’t want to know what she’d do to Myeong-gil or his men. But while Nari was small and agile and precise. Woo-jin was swift and airy and ruthless.
Woo-jin worked on his technique, Geon-woo helping him and with his agility, Woo-jin faired way better in the ring than he’d originally. They both matched each other where the other lacked. They connected with equal ferocity, and both were too competitive and driven to back down. Geon-woo and Hyeon-ju, despite their protest, had to clean them both up from how many times they’ve injured one another. Because neither of them would back down. It wasn’t in their blood.
Woo-jin scoffed, and in one quick, effortless movement lunged towards her with his arm outstretched. Nari’s foot moved back, her body swerving and his gloved fist barely brushed her nose as it swung past her head, she folded and landed a blow to his side.
Woo-jin inhaled a sharp breath as her fist connected with his side but he wasn’t deterred as he swung again, this time managing to connect with her shoulder.
“Ouch” she whined and he smiled, rather triumphant. “You’re a dick, you know that” her words came out as a grumble as she shook it out, pausing to grab a bottle of which she grabbed the other and blindly tossed it to him.
“One of the nicer ones I’ve heard” he said, catching the drink with one hand free of the glove.
Nari rolled her eyes, brushing the few free strands from her face as Geon-woo turned his head to face them, his own muscles flexing at he curled the dumbbell.
“I’d be careful” Geon-woo grunted and Woo-jin nodded.
“He’s talking to you dumbass” Nari corrected, removing her gloves of which she put on the table, not sparing Woo-jin a glance as he lowered the bottle from his lips, brows furrowed in confusion.
“Me? ” he echoed, turning to Geon-woo who shot him a smirk behind strained eyes.
“She has a habit of catching you off guard” he said. The words just left his lips and Woo-jin had barely turned to face Nari when suddenly his arm had been yanked forward. Nari had lifted her legs, manoeuvring her body so her thighs wrapped around his arm. Woo-jin lost his balance, his knees hit the floor, then his chest and his arm had been tugged to the side twisted in her grasp as her legs wrapped around his bicep and then she pulled.
Woo-jin let out a sharp surprised cry and in seconds she had managed to drop him to his knees and pin him in an arm lock. She had tugged at his wrist and her ankles locked around one another. Woo-jin was quick to relent as pain flared in his arm, his hand tapped at her leg urgently.
Nari obliged at his defeat, unwrapping her legs from his arm and letting go of his wrist, she gently helped him to his feet.
“You’re sleeping outside” Woo-jin winced, clutching his arm as he straightened, brushing off her aid. Nari did not look sympathetic in the least but rather she was fighting the urge to smile along with her boyfriend who chuckled under his breath- saying he had been on the receiving side one too many times for his liking while Nari watched on amused.
“I don’t think you have a say in that” Geon-woo called from beside them, lowering the dumbbell as he stretched, a satisfactory click in his shoulder relieved him off some tension.
“You’re just as bad.” Woo-jin said accusatory. ” I thought you had my back”
“I do.” Geon-woo replied, almost insulted that Woo-jin thought otherwise. ” I gave you a warning”
“A late one. One that shouldn’t even have happened if your girlfriend wasn’t a little demon” Woo-jin’s complaints were brushed off with bemusement as Nari patted his shoulder.
” You’ll be prepared next time” Nari assured, Geon-woo lifting the ropes as she crawled through, holding his outstretched hand while Woo-jin watched them dumbfounded, bruised, broken and ego wounded in the middle of the ring.
“There is no next time” he called after them and Nari didn’t look back as she shot him a finger heart, Geon-woo chuckling as he grabbed his boxing gloves and whisked her outside to set up the tyres for his set.
Nari held her breath anxiously, her hands wringing together on her lap, feet crossed to stop her leg from bouncing as she watched Geon-woo inhale deeply. His eyes were glued to the tyres stacked before him, his arms pulsing under the suns heavy rays and she could tell he was nervous from where she sat. A less sulky Woo-jin by her side as he too watched nervously. Hyeon-ju stood in the doorframe, half foot out the door while she leaned against the railing, hiding in the shade as they waited to see if after all his training, Geon-woo was strong enough to reach is goal.ย
He’d been at it for months, training harder but he had only made it through one tyre before he’d sag in defeat. Nari wasn’t so sure how many times she had to bandage his knuckles which would only return bruised and bloodied time and time again. But this time it was different. This time she was confident he could do it.
So, she ignored the heavy pounding of her heart as his fist reeled back and then he swung, his gloved hand connecting with the second tyre and it propelled forward. His breaths were evened as he swung, again and again and each time, with each swing the tyre were knocked from the tower and when the last one careened to just before her feet, silence hung in the air.
Nari’s eyes widened, Woo-jin glanced at her in shock and Geon-woo looked at the scattered tyres as if he was uncertain what he had done and that it had actually worked. That his training had finally paid off.
But when the excited claps of Hyeon-ju reached their ears, Geon-woo blinked and then burst into cheers. Nari and Woo-jin shot too their feet in elation, their cheers mingling and Woo-jin lunged for the boy. Geon-woo cheered gleefully as he caught Woo-jin, the man wrapping his arms around him as the two cheered loudly and excitedly.
Nari grinned, her smile so wide and so breathtaking and Gen-woo couldn’t help himself as he flung himself at her. Nari was taken by surprise as he hoisted her in his arms, her own circling around his shoulders as he lifted her upwards. His eyes were gleaming, his smile wide and beautiful and for a second they were on top of the world.
Her hands found his cheeks and she pressed her forehead to his, her nose scrunched as he tightened his hold on her waist. ” You fcking did it” she said, and the words embedded deep into his soul. He did it.
They were ready.
“Don’t leave us out lovebirds” Hyeon-ju said and Nari chuckled as Geon-woo settled her down, keeping his arm around her waist as Woo-jin and Hyeon-ju both tackled them into a group hug.
They were one step closer to ending Smile Capital for good.ย
They’re literally my babies I love them sm๐ญ๐ญ๐
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