“Can I hit him?” Ken is doubting his ability.
Roger was standing right in front of Ken. “Should I close my eyes for you to hit?” asked Roger.
“Is he mocking me?” Ken is getting angrier.
“You underestimated me, AAAHHH,” he went forward to punch him.
BLOCK!!
Roger blocked his punch with ease. “Now, try and give me at least one punch,” he said.
“He is too strong, but I am not going to give up,” Ken said, about to try again.
BLOCK!!
“Not now,” the third time trying.
BLOCK!!
“Don’t just try hitting, learn from your mistakes,” said Roger.
“I can easily block your one hit,” he added.
“Try something different,” Andrew said.
“Different?” Ken is thinking differently.
“Oh, I forgot this,” he went forward to hit him again.
“AAAAHHH,” BLOCK!!
“KNEE HIT!!!” Ken is using a special move.
“COUNTER KNEE HIT!!” Roger.
“He countered it. How did he do that?” Ken wondered.
“Hahaha,” Andrew is having the best time.
“HEAD HIT!!” Ken with another move.
BLOCK!!!
“He even blocked my powerful head hit. What am I supposed to do?” he was getting tired.
He tried everything, but failed every single time. Then, he realised that 5 minutes were up.
“Wait, I have forgotten about my power,” he is about to use his power.
“With this, I would easily punch him,” Ken thought.
Just about to punch him, he thought, “If I use my power to punch him, then what is the point of training?”
“I need to punch him on my own, not using my power,” he decided.
“Oh, I never thought about cancelling my 5-minute power. Can I cut it after getting started?” he wondered while reading Roger’s mind.
“He doesn’t have strength or fighting techniques, but he has great grit,” Roger’s thoughts about Ken.
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Ken was surprised when he read Roger’s mind.
“So, Roger sees something in me,” he said, happy.
“I should cancel it, but how?” he wondered.
SLAP!
“Wait, what happened?” Ken realised that he was lying down.
“That’s my line,” said Andrew.
“Why did you get frozen often?” he asked.
“Oh, when I am using my power, my eyes don’t move, that makes them think I am frozen,” he finally understood what everyone meant when he is using his powers.
“When I am thinking, I don’t see what others are doing. If I am thinking deeply, maybe I get frozen,” he said with a laugh.
“I don’t get it. Your laugh makes it clear that something is wrong,” said Andrew.
“Nothing, don’t worry about small things,” Ken replied.
“Ken, you are a lot weaker than I thought. Now, you are also getting frozen,” Roger said.
“What should I do? Do you really want to get strong?” he asked.
“Yes, I do want to get stronger. I am sorry, I will try my best hereafter,” Ken replied as he bowed down as an apology.
“Ok, I would give a chance, don’t waste it,” said Roger.
Andrew checked the time and realised it was around 7:00 am. “Then, I think we shall continue in the evening, it’s already 7:00,” he said to Roger and Ken.
“Well then, we will continue our training in the evening,” said Roger.
Ken and Andrew waved bye towards Roger as they started walking home.
“I am sorry, Andrew,” Ken apologised.
“I am causing a lot of trouble, I will make sure I won’t repeat,” he added.
“Why are you talking so formally?” Andrew said with a hit on Ken’s shoulder.
“We will get stronger soon,” said Andrew.
“Hereafter, I should think twice about using my power,” Ken thought.
“Why is my head hurting a lot? It feels like I am getting drained every time I am using the power,” he wondered.
They both headed home to get ready for college.
“How is your training today?” asked his father.
“I am causing a lot of trouble. Can I really get stronger?” he said with his face looking disappointed.
“I don’t like myself; everyone would think the same,” he said.
“Listen, son, what do you think that defines a person?” his father asked.
“Strength?” Ken said.
“No,” his father said.
“Money? Fame?” Ken thought and replied.
“These could be important to some, but they don’t define,” he said.
“Then what defines a person?” Ken asked.
“Only you can define yourself, only I can define myself.”
“Most of the people in this world try to change themselves for others, only to realise that they are wrong at the end of their lives.”
“Being yourself regardless of the situation is what makes you the strongest man,” he said.
“Trust yourself more; understanding yourself is more important than understanding others,” he concluded.
Ken was in awe when he heard that. His disappointing face was already gone. He felt his pulse, his heartbeat, and he finally felt himself.
“There goes the dad, I am glad that I get to see him like this ever since that day,” Ken’s mom said.
“Which day?” asked Ken.
“That day was 19 years ago—” his mom started something.
“Stop it, Chi,” his father shouted.
“I am just telling our son,” Ken’s mom.
“It’s not something he needs to know now,” said Ken’s father.
“What is going on? I have never seen Dad shouting at Mom” Ken was wondering about the situation.
“Sorry, Ken, I will tell you when the time comes,” said his father.
“Thank you, Dad,” Ken said, smiling.
Then he ate his breakfast before eventually leaving for college.
“He has changed a lot from then, but Ken is a lot different to him,” Ken’s mother thought after both Ken and his father left.
“A lot happened today, I can’t believe it’s just the start of the day,” Ken thought while walking to the stop.
“What happened back then? Why did Dad shout suddenly?” he needed answers.
“I have to trust myself more,” he recalled his father saying.
“Being yourself regardless of the situation? What does he mean by that?” he wondered.
He caught his bus on time and thought about a lot while travelling.
During the break, “I have finally decided what I want to become,” Ken said to Andrew.
“Tell me, tell me, I can’t believe you have decided,” said Andrew, waiting for the answer from Ken.
“I want to become the one who—” Ken revealed.
“I could never guess that even if you give any number of chances,” Andrew said with a laugh.
“That’s you being you,” he said as he couldn’t control his laughter.
“Why are you laughing?” asked Ken.
Ken was confused and wanted to use his power on Andrew instantly.