The next day, Noah woke with a dull ache in his muscles. His vision was still fuzzy, and the world tilted slightly as he tried to sit up.
Soo sat across from him, legs partially crossed, reading a newspaper.
"Look who's finally awake," he said, his glasses sliding down his nose. "You okay?"
"I... think so," Noah muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "What... what happened?"
Soo folded his newspaper. "You did something yesterday most people couldn't even dream of. Congratulations."
Noah frowned. "And what exactly did I do?"
"You don't need to know yet. Just know that you're special," Soo replied.
Noah's stomach churned. "Well, at least I'm okay, right?"
"Okay?" Soo chuckled dryly. "Kid, if you weren't okay, you wouldn't be awake right now. Did you lose some common sense after passing out? Anyway, now that I know new things about you, we're going to focus on developing your body for the time being. No more boxing."
Buzz. Buzz. A phone rang on the desk beside Noah's bed.
He grabbed it. "11:00 am… so it's the next day, huh? Eight percent battery… and-"
His eyes widened as he saw a notification. "Fourteen missed calls from Mom, I'm in trouble..."
He tapped the notification, and the phone started ringing. Brrrr. Brrrr.
"NOAH!" A loud, high-pitched voice screamed through the speaker. Caught off guard, Noah didn't respond.
"Noah!" His mother's voice shrieked again, so sharp that he nearly dropped the phone. "Where were you? Do you know what time it is? Fourteen missed calls and not a single text back? Do you want me to die from worry?"
Noah swallowed, his throat tightening. "Mom, I-"
"Don't you 'Mom' me! Tell me the truth. You got in a fight, didn't you?" Her voice cracked, fear laced with anger. "You know what happened to your father, I told you…"
The mention of his dad's death hit Noah like a punch to the chest. His grip on the phone trembled.
"Y-you're jumping too fast! I wasn't fighting," he said quickly. "I just... passed out during training. I forgot to hydrate properly. I promise it won't happen again!"
"Passed out? That's supposed to make me feel better?" she snapped. "Do you know what it's like for me, waiting and not knowing if my child is lying in some alley bleeding out? I barely let you start training. Barely. And now this-"
Her voice cracked again. "..."
Noah glanced at Soo, who was still sitting there with his glasses low, sipping coffee in silence.
"Mom," Noah whispered, guilt tightening his voice. "I'll explain when I get home. I'm… I'm sorry. Or, if it makes you feel better, I can have my instructor explain-"
Soo's lips twitched. "Instructor, huh?" he said dryly, setting his coffee down. "You want me to calm your mom down? Sounds like fun."
Noah's eyes widened. "Wait, no! I didn't-"
"Too late, kid," Soo interrupted, leaning back. "You dragged me into this mess. Honestly, you should've just told her you were busy studying at a friend's house and fell asleep."
Noah groaned, pressing the phone back to his ear. His mom's voice was still tense but slightly softened by suspicion. "Studying? What are you talking about, Noah?"
"Uh..." Noah hesitated, wishing he could just disappear. Soo gave a barely perceptible nod. "Put it on speaker. I'll talk to her. You go shower and wake up, Noah."
Noah placed the phone on speaker and set it on the nightstand. "Mom, I'll let my instructor explain!"
He bolted out of the room.
"Wow, that's faster than I've ever seen him move during training," Soo chuckled. "Hello, ma'am. I assume you're Noah's mother?"
"Yes," she snapped. "And who-"
"Instructor, like Noah said," Soo interjected smoothly. "Your son is training under my supervision. He's been learning proper techniques, discipline, and ways to protect himself. Things you've already approved of, as I understand it."
Her voice softened slightly, though suspicion lingered. "I… I know he's been training, but he didn't tell me he was pushing himself to the point of passing out. Do you even let him rest?"
"Rest, yes. But he's improving fast. Faster than anyone I've ever worked with. And while he may have overdone it yesterday, it's because he's… exceptional and determined. Not reckless, just tired of being weak, I suppose."
A pause, then she muttered almost to herself, "Exceptional, huh… reminds me of someone."
"Exactly. Exceptional," Soo said. "Which is why I'm keeping a close eye on him. I assure you, no harm has come to him, and I'll make sure none will."
Noah peeked from the hallway, half-dressed, and caught Soo smirking. He groaned, believing Soo was flirting with his mother. "Oh great… now he's flirting with my mom…"
Soo continued, "I don't mean to brag, but your son is special, and special things require special guidance. I'd also like to discuss this whole fighting thing, but that's for another day we can perhaps discuss in person."
On speaker, his mother's voice finally softened completely. "Alright… just, please, Noah, promise me you'll be careful. Don't push yourself as you did. And if you pass out again, make sure your instructor can contact me."
Noah walked in, nodding. "I promise, Mom. I'll be careful."
Soo reclined, satisfied. "See? That wasn't so bad. Now, kid, enough chit-chat. Hurry up and go home. My gym isn't your house!"
. . .
Three months passed in the blink of an eye. In that short yet long-feeling time, Noah changed dramatically. Outside of school, despite Soo pushing him to keep up with his studies, he spent every spare minute training: mornings, lunch breaks, after class, and weight sessions at a nearby gym.
Thanks to an "innate talent" Soo refused to explain, his progress equaled what someone would normally achieve after three years of daily training. The skinny kid he had once been was gone. Noah was lean, muscular, and had somehow grown another 5 cm (about 2 inches), standing at a staggering 198 cm (6'6").
Since discovering his talent, Soo had forbidden Noah from continuing boxing and instead focused on developing his body. Today was the benchmark day. If Noah met Soo's requirements, he could return to boxing.
With his bag slung over his shoulder, Noah pushed open the gym doors. "I'm here, master!"
The office door was open. "Alright. Put on the gloves, I'll be there in a second!"