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3.  Into the Octagon <2>
Flip!
“

!”
Just as Changgong threw his right fist down, Jungtae grabbed Changgong’s right arm and choked Changgong’s head and arms with his legs.
The triangle choke, a jiu jitsu technique that puts pressure on the windpipe.
Jungtae wrapped his right leg around Changgong’s neck while hooking his left knee behind his right ankle. He used both hands to pull Changgong’s head down.
Press


‘It’s over you bastard

!’
Jungtae ground his teeth.
It would be impossible to escape.
‘Fuck

! What is this

!’
Changgong had no idea how to deal with this technique.
His head was spinning and he couldn’t breathe.
Was this the power of ground techniques?
Press


He couldn’t overcome the strength of legs with his arms. And his right arm was caught in the technique too anyways.
Even Hercules wouldn’t be able to get out of this.
Dongsub ran in.
“Stop! It’s over!”
“It’s not over yet!”
Changgong yelled out.
“It’s over! Jungtae! Are you trying to kill the kid! Release your hold!”
“I said it’s not over

!”
Changgong growled.
He could easily lose his temper.
Changgong braced his legs on the floor and lifted Jungtae effortlessly.
‘Is he planning on driving me into the ground?’
Jungtae scoffed.
Only a beginner would think of such a plan. The octagon floor was springy, and a grappler’s back was tougher than you thought. Jiu jitsu techniques weren’t easily broken by such meak methods.
“Grr

!”
It had become a bit dangerous.
“AAAAH!”
Changgong let out a roar.
Then, everyone was shocked.
Slam!
Changgong had driven Jungtae into the floor face first.
Jungtae couldn’t predict how Changgong was going to move. He hadn’t expected Changgong to bend his back and slam his face into the floor.
“Suplex!”
One of the coaches shouted.
The accurate term would be german suplex, an advanced technique where the grappler would lift his opponent from behind and slam his opponent neck and shoulder into the floor.
It may have been a variation, but it was certainly a german suplex.
The people were speechless. They couldn’t believe that someone would actually use that skill in a match.
Jungtae hold released. The shock must have been great as Jungtae squirmed on the floor in confusion. He was groggy. Changgong ran in and was about to smash his fist down.
“Stop!”
Dongsub charged in and pushed Changgong away.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
The bell rang.
The match was over.
Round 1, 2 minutes 11 seconds. TKO (Technical Knockout: When the referee ends the match because a fighter is severely injured or is not fit to continue.) An incident that would shock the world of martial arts had occurred in this gym of Incheon.
“Jungtae! Are you okay!”
The coaches expertly checked on Jungtae, pulling out his mouthpiece and making sure his airway was open.
The gym was in disorder because of the unexpected outcome, but Kiryong had his hands in his pockets, watching Changgong nonchalantly.
If you looked inside his pockets, however, his hands were in tight fists.
“You little shit, were you trying to kill someone in a sparring match? What were you going to do if he got severely injured?”
Dongsub was enraged, unlike his usual self.
“I’m sorry

”
Changgong lowered his head.
He deserved a scolding.
He had gotten too excited for a sparring match. He had totally lost control of himself when he almost fainted from Jungtae’s choke.
Dongsub’s anger did not dissipate.
“What’s wrong with all of you? If you guys are going to do whatever you feel like, get out here!”
Changgong could say nothing. He could only stare at the ground.
He was a little upset, though. He had spoken because he was told to and fought because he was told to. He had even been hit in the head. Why is the knocked out one the victim while the winner is in the wrong? What’s with this situation?
“Dongsub, calm down. Jungtae is fine.”
Kiryong spoke as he came into the office. Dongsub sighed deeply before moving to the side.
Kiryong sat down next to Changgong.
“You said you were eighteen, right?”
“Yes.”
“Take off your clothes.”
“What?”
“Strip.”
Well shit.
‘Yesterday, he was groping me all over and today, he’s telling me to strip. He’s going to tell me to pick up some soap tomorrow, huh.’
“Your pants too.”
“

”
Changgong took off his clothes with a dissatisfied look.
Kiryong once again looked over Changgong’s body.
He massaged Changgong’s body starting from the muscle that joined the achilles heel with the calf, the muscles from the calf to the thigh, all the way to the back and shoulders of the upper body.
‘What’s he doing?’
Changgong knitted his brows.
He was letting Kiryong do what he wanted since he’s was the one who paid him, but this was getting pretty dangerous(?), wasn’t it?
“What do you think about becoming an athlete?”
Changgong looked back and forth between Kiryong and Dongsub.
With no explanation he suddenly asks such a random question.
“Are you talking about

martial arts?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m just a part-timer here, though

”
“That doesn’t matter. A full-time fighter is rare. Many people fight on the side of their main job.”
“Main job?”
“Owner of a coffee shop, office worker, teacher. Even restaurant owners. Of course, coaches have MMA history. Dongsub was a fighter until two years ago, too.”
That was surprising.
Changgong had thought martial artists just trained all day long.
“Speaking bluntly, you have talent.”
“Oh, okay.”
Changgong nodded his head like it was nothing. He obviously must have talent for Kiryong to grope his body.
Dongsub, however, was pretty surprised.
Kiryong was not one to compliment. He actually disliked talking about talent. He believed that effort was much more important than talent.
That kind of Kiryong was talking about talent. From giving advice during a sparring match to talking about talent, Kiryong was acting a lot differently from what Dongsub was used to.
Changgong scratched his head as he spoke.
“I don’t have the money to pay for training. It’s kind of embarrassing, but my family’s having a pretty rough time.”
“How much do you make working here?”
“1.4 million won including commuting expenses.”
“I’ll raise it to 1.5 million won. I don’t need training fees.”
“

”
Changgong was conflicted.
He had to think it over now that the master was coming out like that.
Honestly, he did want to do it.
Actually, he really wanted to.
He still felt the excitement from when he was in the octagon before. It hadn’t even been a formal match.
It was a new feeling for Changgong.
However, Changgong was concerned about his promise to his father. He had promised never to fight again after getting expelled, and he shouldn’t go breaking it already.
“I don’t think this is something I can decide by myself. I’ll discuss this with my father.”
“Are you interested, though?”
“Yes, I want to do it. But honestly, I think it may be a bit difficult. I promised by father that I would never fight again.”
“This isn’t like street fighting.”
“I know. But I’m not sure my father would agree.”
“

”
Kiryong didn’t press the matter any further.
It may not be a street brawl, but it was still an exchanging of blows. That’s why even when people had talent they never went on to be professional fighters.
“I’ll speak to my father.”
“I understand. Get back to work.”
Changgong bowed politely before leaving the office. Dongsub, who had been standing to the side, sat down on the chair Changgong had just been sitting in.
“You’re really interested in Changgong.”
“You should be too since you watched the match.”
“

”
Jungtae was going to be debuting into not only the X1, but also the Golden Glove Pro League, one of the two big leagues in the country.
Just debuting as a pro meant you had some skill.
Changgong had beaten that Jungtae. He was in a heavier weight class, and Jungtae may have underestimated him, but a win was a win. Of course, if they had a rematch, Jungtae would probably win 9 times out of 10.
“More than anything, the kid knows how to punch. Flexibility, strength, and sense. That kid has to fight. If we shape him right, he may even surpass Hwanseong.”
Dongsub’s eyes widened.
“You really think he’ll be that good? Hwanseong was the youngest athlete to debut in the X1.”
“We’ll see.”
Kiryong clasped his hands tightly. It had been a long time since Kiryong had looked so thrilled.
“Nowadays though, most parents don’t want their children doing dangerous jobs.”
“We’ll have to try our best. But there’s nothing we can do if it doesn’t work out.”
***
A neighborhood that was packed full with cars. Changgong lived in this five unit multiplex home.
The walls were cracked all over and looked as if they could fall over from a little tap.
Changgong opened the gate that barely came up to his chest and went up to the rooftop.
“I’m back.”
“Yeah.”
Seungjeong greeted Changgong while watching TV, wearing sweats full of holes and a yellowed undershirt.
“Is anything good on?”
“I’m just watching whatever’s on.”
“Did you eat?”
“I did.”
“The food’s exactly how it was, though.”
“I ate out.”
“Where’s the money coming from to eat out all the time?”
“You bastard, nagging just like your mother. Bongchul bought me a bowl of pork rib hangover soup, okay?”
Bongchul Choi, Seungjeong’s childhood friend.
Changgong changed clothes and watched TV next to Seungjeong.
“What, do you have something to say?”
Seungjeong asked after 10 minutes of watching TV silently.
“Father, what do you think about martial arts?”
“What martial arts?”
“Like the SFC. They show it on TV sometimes.”
Seungjeong glanced at Changgong before sitting up properly.
“What about it?”
“Just

I was thinking about trying it out.”
“

”
“Truth is, I got an offer from the master. It actually costs 150 thousand won to register as an athlete, but he’s going to waive it for me.”
“

”
“And he’s going to raise my wage to 1.5 million won.”
“

”
“He says I have talent. I sparred with a guy who’s going to debut in a major national stage today, and I won.”
“

”
“Oh, and even if I was going to be a coach, they said I have to go through training like an athlete. I can only teach if I experience it

”
Seungjeong listened silently as Changgong continued to ramble on.
Changgong’s mouth dried up.
After saying he wasn’t going to fight just a while ago, here he was talking like this. He was ashamed. But what could he do. This felt like the way to go. He really wanted to do it.
“So, you want to do martial arts?”
“

yes.”
“Then why do you keep talking about other stuff?”
“That’s not

”
Seungjeong mouthed a cigarette.
“Athlete registration fee waived, a small raise, compliment that your talented, these things aren’t what’s important. Tell me truthfully, are you doing this because you really want to? Or are you doing this because the people around you are saying all these good things?”
“

”
Changgong calmly thought.
Did all the compliments feel good? Of course.
Getting complimented that he has talent, getting a raise, and even getting the registration fee waived, it may not seem like much but it all had affected his decision.
But he also wanted try for the sake of it.
His heart still raced when he thought about it. The excitement that ran down his back as he knocked Jungtae out, the surprised people. It was only for a moment, but he had felt like the center of attention.
How could he explain this feeling?
“I want to do it.”