I won’t understand.

I never will!

Why am I like this?!

Once more, he attacks himself with his father’s weapons.

But, now, there is a kind voice that interrupts his thoughts.

“You’re doing great.”

Akari sits beside Akira on the gym bench, smiling at him with warm eyes. She takes a drink of water.

“Th-Thank you,” Akira murmurs. “My arm hurts a bit, but I need to continue…”

Truth be told, Akari wants him to stop, even though he’s only used one machine thus far. His body is already suffering. He’s not being patient enough, and he’s not maintaining proper technique. He considers this to be his pacing, and yet…

She wants him to go home and rest, but forcing that could destroy his very will. All she can do is guide him as he keeps trying.

It doesn’t help that Akari is a meek advisor. Akira says he is going at his pace, and she can only suggest otherwise so much…

After stretching and drinking some water, Akira’s arm feels a bit better, at least enough for him to start lifting a five-pound weight.

Akari stands close-by, watching him, encouraging him, advising him…

But his body refuses to accept his efforts.

He trembles. He loses his form. His muscles cramp once more. Akari helps him adjust, helps him continue. But, he buckles again and again.

It’s not even just his arms. His legs wobble. His face turns red with a grimace and quivering eyes. His breathing grows erratic.

And then, Akira drops the weight. It narrowly avoids crushing his foot. He yelps, stumbling back, but Akari catches him, her hands on his back and his shoulder.

“Let’s give your arms a rest,” she suggests, completely tender. “We’ll take another break, and then we can work on your legs.”

Akira murmurs a reluctant “Okay.” His mind wanders in circles, and only she can guide him.

Akira rests on the bench for a few minutes, and then proceeds to the leg press.

He doesn’t last long.

I am truly contemptible, Akira judges.

The lightest weight still gives way to a horrible cramp.

It starts out fine enough, but then the pain spikes, and I have to stop yet again.

I use my inhaler, but my chest still tightens.

My body still trembles.

Akari helps me, that perfect body of hers so close to me, comforting me so much…

But I fail regardless. Because I’m useless, and weak.

Because not even she can help me accept exercise.

Akari… She’s a natural. She wields such elegance. I can’t get jealous. No, I refuse! Seeing her succeed, it only fuels my admiration. I wish I were like her. I wish I had a strong body like hers.

But I don’t.

That’s not her fault. It’s all mine.

The patience she has for me, even then, is so potent…

So, so different from my father.

When I’d exercise under my father’s watch, the same thing would happen every time. I would cramp, and he’d make me push through the pain. He’d just keep increasing the weights, forcing me through endless reps until I collapsed. Following torturous sessions over days and weeks, he would realize it was fruitless, and give up. But eventually, he’d find another reason to try again. Now that I’m away, I was hoping that I could actually succeed with a proper pace. But this starting pain… is worse than it used to be. My body… has grown weaker. I can’t stand this.

I can’t stand exercising.

It all reminds me too much of…

Back on the bench, Akari gives Akira some water. So gently, she says, “Drink.” And as Akira hydrates himself, she asks, “How are you feeling?”

“It hurts a lot,” he replies. “I don’t know why. These starting cramps are really bad.”

“Even though you’re pacing yourself better?”

Akira nods with teary eyes.

Akari stands up. “Let’s call it for today.”

“But it hasn’t even been an hour,” Akira laments.

“You have to listen to your body,” Akari responds.

Akira gulps. “Why don’t you keep going? I can wait and watch.”

“No, it’s okay. We should get you back to your dorm. I can drive your car?”

Akira sighs. “Alright,” he softly accepts. “Thank you, Akari.” He stands up, but the pain spikes in his legs. With an anguished grunt, his body falls forward.

Akari catches him, with a hand on his shoulder and an arm across his chest. “Lean onto my arm. It’s okay.” She’s touching him yet again, but she hides her nerves completely.

Akira, blushing heavily, takes her offer. They start walking together, slowly, holding each other…

Predictably, Akira’s mind goes wild. She’s beyond towering. I can’t believe how tall she is! And she… smells good? Wasn’t she just exercising? And this arm… It’s thick, it’s muscular, it’s soft. Gosh, Akari is truly a handsome lady. How could someone like her face so much scorn? Why… can’t more people appreciate her?

“Hey!”

Akari whips her eyes up from her tiny Akira to some bastard approaching them. Her face convulses at his smug smile.

He chuckles, his eyes lingering upon Akira. “Little man had enough, hm?”

Akari growls, wielding pure bloodlust.

But Akira just tugs at her sweatshirt, and whispers, “Let’s go.”

His fingers tremble upon her cloth.

The aggressor closes the distance, snickering as he breathes on a twitching Akari and towers over a frightened Akira.

“Get the hell away from us,” Akari snarls, ready to beat the crap out of him.

“Hah!” And with that quick laugh, the bastard raises a fist and summons it down, as if to strike Akira right on the crown of his head.

But he fights like a true fool. His end goal is triggering Akari, but he really thinks that he can land a strike on Akira?

Certainly, he has it coming.

Akari smacks away his fist and grips his wrist, squeezing it.

No, not just squeezing.

She’s crushing it.

The man screeches as Akari is about to break the very bones of his wrist. All the while, her tenacious death stare assaults his vision.

With just one hand, she lifts the brute off the ground, over her head, and throws him several feet away.

Akari grunts with an incredible rage, guiding Akira away as she watches the man land on the floor, her eyes on him like a hawk to ensure he stays down.

And that he does.