The first thing Jin noticed when he walked into the gym wasn't the noise.
It was the corkboard.
It sat just to the right of the whiteboard countdown, freshly mounted, edges still a little uneven. A simple piece of paper was pinned at the top, handwritten in bold marker.
SUPPORTERS
Jin stopped walking.
"…What's that?"
"OH, YOU SAW IT."
Shimada appeared instantly, hands on hips, chest puffed out like he'd personally built the thing with his bare hands. "POWER STONES CAME IN AGAIN!"
Aoki squinted at the board. "Why are they called power stones?"
Kimura didn't even look up. "They're not literal stones."
"So they don't give power?"
"No."
Aoki frowned. "Then what's the point?"
Mori sighed. "Support."
"Oh," Aoki said, disappointed. "That's way less cool."
Jin stepped closer to the board.
There were names already. Not many. Just a handful, written in different handwriting, some neater than others. No titles. No rankings.
Just names.
One of them stood out immediately.
TheBuns
Jin didn't react outwardly.
But something settled in his chest.
"We figured," Shimada said proudly, "if people are backing the gym, they should be acknowledged!"
Coach Kagawa tapped his cane lightly against the floor. "As long as it doesn't interfere with training."
"It WON'T," Shimada said instantly.
Kagawa looked at the board. Then at Jin.
"Does it bother you?" the coach asked.
Jin shook his head. "No."
That was true.
It didn't feel like pressure.
It felt like someone standing behind him—not pushing, just present.
"Good," Kagawa said. "Warm up."
Training went on as usual.
That mattered to Jin more than he expected.
The bag didn't hit softer.
The mitts didn't slow down.
Mori's stopwatch didn't care about names on a board.
Coach Kagawa introduced a new drill mid-session.
Ropes were tied across the ring, cutting the space in half.
"No retreat," the coach said. "You step back, you hit rope."
Jin nodded and stepped inside.
The space felt tight immediately.
Good.
He worked angles, small pivots, compact punches. Sweat dripped down his jaw as his breathing stayed steady, controlled.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone new watching.
Not a gym member.
Not familiar.
The man didn't say anything. Just observed.
Jin ignored him.
The ring was loud enough.
Comedy returned during break time.
Aoki stood in front of the supporters board, arms crossed. "So if I get on here, do I get free food?"
"No," Mori said.
"Do I get respect?"
"No."
Aoki frowned. "Then why would anyone do this?"
Shimada pointed dramatically at Jin. "FOR HIM."
Aoki stared at Jin. "You better win."
"No pressure," Jin replied.
After training, the gym did what it always did.
They ate.
Ramen this time. Cramped booth. Steam fogging the windows. Bowls clinking.
Aoki raised his chopsticks. "A toast!"
"No," Kimura said.
"TO THE SUPPORTERS," Aoki continued anyway. "Especially—" he glanced at his phone "—THE BUNS."
Shimada applauded.
Mari laughed softly. "You're terrible at this."
"I try," Aoki said proudly.
Jin bowed his head slightly toward the table. "I appreciate it."
That quieted them more than shouting would have.
On the walk back, Mari nudged him lightly.
"How does it feel?" she asked.
"Having a board?" Jin replied.
"Having people who care," she clarified.
He thought about it.
"It feels steady," he said. "Not heavy."
Mari smiled. "That's good."
She paused. "Just don't forget to care back."
"I won't."
Later that night, Jin stayed behind again.
The gym was quiet, lights dimmed, the ring empty.
Before stepping inside, he walked over to the corkboard.
He looked at the names again.
No expectations written there.
No demands.
Just acknowledgment.
Jin reached out and pressed the pin holding the paper at the top, making sure it was secure.
Then he turned back to the ring.
Training resumed.
END OF CHAPTER
Author's Note:
Special thanks to TheBuns for the Power Stones support! 🙏
Your support genuinely helps keep the story going and the chapters longer. If you're enjoying the fanfic, please comment, vote, and add it to your library — it really helps with visibility and motivation.
Chapter 22 coming next 🥊