Chapter 57: The Black Belt Challenge

Jason rolled his eyes.

Seriously?

It seemed like every gym had at least one guy who mistook persistence for charm.

Before Jason could say anything, Sabrina stepped forward.

Her face had turned red~not from embarrassment this time, but from anger.

She pointed directly at Derek.

"Watch your mouth."

Her voice was sharp enough to cut through the noise of the gym.

"He’s my client. And unlike you, he actually knows how to respect people."

Derek’s grin faded slightly.

Sabrina continued, her temper finally breaking through.

"Not everyone thinks the way you do. You’re constantly making disgusting comments, bothering women who have already told you no, and acting like you’re entitled to their attention."

Her hands curled into fists at her sides.

"If you can’t control yourself, then stay away from me."

She was genuinely furious.

Normally, Sabrina could brush off Derek’s stupid comments. Over time, she had learned to treat him like an annoying fly~irritating, persistent, but not worth wasting her energy on.

This time was different.

He had insulted Jason.

And for some reason, that bothered her far more than she expected.

Derek, however, simply chuckled.

"Alright, alright."

He spread his hands as though he were the reasonable one.

"Then I’ll become your client."

Sabrina frowned.

"What?"

"I’ll sign up for twenty sessions."

He pulled out his phone with a smug grin.

"Twenty. Right now."

He looked at her expectantly.

"That should prove I’m serious about you, shouldn’t it?"

Sabrina stared at him in disbelief.

Derek had completely missed the point.

She didn’t want his money.

She didn’t want his attention.

And she certainly didn’t want him anywhere near her.

But Derek seemed convinced that persistence~and enough cash~could eventually wear down any woman’s resistance.

In his mind, becoming Sabrina’s client would give him countless opportunities to stay close to her.

Once I’m around her every day, she’ll eventually give in.

His confidence bordered on arrogance.

She can act cold all she wants. I’ll win her over eventually.

Sabrina’s expression became colder.

"I’m sorry."

She pointed toward the front desk.

"But I don’t train male clients."

Derek’s smile vanished.

Sabrina glanced at Jason.

"And besides..."

Her expression softened slightly.

"...Jason already signed up for forty sessions."

Derek’s face twitched.

Sabrina folded her arms.

"He’s polite. He’s respectful. He actually listens when I speak."

She looked Derek directly in the eyes.

"That’s more than I can say about you."

Derek’s jaw tightened.

"What about him?"

He pointed angrily at Jason.

"He’s a man too!"

Sabrina didn’t hesitate.

"He’s different."

Jason raised an eyebrow.

Different?

Before he could say anything, Sabrina reached over and took his hand.

"Come on."

Her fingers wrapped naturally around his.

"Let’s go."

Jason glanced down at their joined hands.

A faint warmth spread through him.

He hadn’t expected her to hold his hand.

For a moment, he simply looked at her.

Then his fingers gently tightened around hers.

"Okay."

Sabrina felt the slight squeeze.

Her heart gave an unexpected flutter.

She quickly pretended not to notice.

But Derek noticed.

His expression darkened instantly.

"Hey!"

He stepped directly into their path.

"You think you’re just going to walk away?"

Sabrina stopped.

Slowly, she turned toward him.

"Derek."

Her voice was ice-cold now.

"Move."

Derek shook his head.

"No."

He planted his feet firmly.

"I’m serious. I want to train with you."

"You heard me."

Sabrina’s patience had reached its limit.

"This isn’t about the gym."

She stared straight into his eyes.

"I don’t want you around me."

Derek’s face hardened.

"You can’t just refuse a paying customer."

Sabrina gave him a humorless smile.

"The gym can take your money."

She took one step toward him.

"I don’t have to."

The words landed hard.

Derek’s face flushed.

Behind him, his two friends struggled to contain their laughter.

One of them, Brandon Shaw, was tall and lean, with sharp features and a naturally smug expression.

He slapped Derek lightly on the shoulder.

"Man, she really doesn’t like you."

Derek glared at him.

Brandon laughed.

"Forget it. Let me try."

He looked Sabrina up and down.

"With a physique like mine, maybe I can give her a better reason to reconsider."

The second man, Ethan Cole, burst out laughing.

He was broad-shouldered and thickly built, with a rugged face and a loud personality.

"You’re finished, Derek!"

He pointed at him while laughing.

"Didn’t you spend all month bragging that you were some kind of dating expert?"

He glanced at Jason.

"And now some pretty boy walks in and steals all your attention."

Derek’s face became even redder.

His humiliation was turning into rage.

Every laugh from his friends felt like another slap to his pride.

His eyes shifted toward Sabrina.

Then toward Jason.

Something inside him snapped.

"You..."

Sabrina immediately noticed the change in his expression.

"Derek, don’t."

But he was already moving.

His arm suddenly swung toward her.

"You’re going to regret~"

Sabrina’s eyes widened.

"Ah!"

She instinctively stepped back.

Jason reacted before he even had time to think.

He pulled Sabrina behind him.

At the same time, his right hand shot forward.

Snap!

His fingers closed around Derek’s wrist.

The movement was so fast that Derek barely understood what had happened.

One moment, his hand was swinging forward.

The next, it was trapped.

Derek’s eyes widened.

"What the~?"

Jason tightened his grip.

Pain shot through Derek’s wrist.

His bones felt as though they were being squeezed inside a steel vise.

"What the hell?!"

He tried to pull away.

He couldn’t.

Jason didn’t even seem to be using much strength.

Derek’s face paled.

How is this kid this strong?

Jason stared at him.

His expression was completely different from the playful young man Sabrina had been teasing moments earlier.

His eyes were cold.

"Let go of me!"

Derek tried to yank his arm free.

Nothing.

"Pretty boy," he snarled, though fear had begun creeping into his voice, "you’d better release me."

Jason didn’t move.

Derek’s breathing became heavier.

"I’ve got plenty of friends. You touch me, and I’ll have them tear you apart!"

Jason almost laughed.

"That’s your threat?"

Derek froze.

Jason’s gaze hardened.

"You’re standing in a gym, threatening a woman because she rejected you."

He glanced at Sabrina.

Then back at Derek.

"That’s pathetic."

Derek’s face twisted.

Jason continued.

"I can understand being attracted to someone."

His voice remained calm.

"But once she tells you no, you back off."

He tightened his grip just enough to make Derek wince.

"You don’t keep pestering her."

"You don’t insult her."

"And you definitely don’t try to hit her because she won’t give you what you want."

Derek’s eyes burned with anger.

But Jason wasn’t finished.

"Men like you are the reason women have to look over their shoulders."

His voice dropped.

"Learn some self-control."

Derek gritted his teeth.

"You think you’re better than me?"

Jason gave him a cold smile.

"No."

He released Derek’s wrist for half a second.

Then immediately grabbed him by the collar.

"I know I’m better than you."

Derek’s face changed.

He swung his free hand.

"You’re dead!"

Jason moved effortlessly.

The punch cut through empty air.

Jason stepped aside.

Then his leg snapped forward.

BANG!

His kick slammed into Derek’s stomach.

The force sent Derek flying backward.

He crashed onto the gym floor several feet away, sliding across the rubber mat before finally coming to a stop.

Silence.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Derek lay motionless.

His friends stared at him.

Sabrina stood behind Jason with her mouth slightly open.

She had seen Jason move before.

But this was different.

He hadn’t struggled.

He hadn’t even looked nervous.

He had simply reacted.

And now the man who had been acting so arrogantly was lying unconscious on the floor.

Sabrina slowly looked up at Jason.

"Jason..."

Her voice was softer than before.

She hadn’t realized how frightened she had been until the danger was gone.

Jason turned toward her.

"Are you okay?"

Sabrina nodded slowly.

"Yeah."

She looked at his hand, then back at his face.

"You really scared me for a second."

Jason’s expression softened.

"It’s over."

He gently took her hand again.

"I’m here. Don’t worry."

Sabrina stared at him.

For some reason, those simple words made her chest tighten.

She lowered her eyes.

"You’re... really something."

Before the moment could last, Brandon stepped forward.

He glanced at Derek lying on the floor.

Then at Jason.

His surprise quickly turned into a mocking smile.

"Not bad."

Jason looked at him.

Brandon rolled his shoulders.

"I’ll admit, I didn’t expect you to have some strength."

He took another step forward.

"But don’t get too confident."

He raised his chin proudly.

"I’m a Taekwondo black belt."

Jason said nothing.

Brandon interpreted the silence as fear.

"If you kneel down and apologize to my friend right now, I’ll let this go."

He pointed toward Derek.

"Otherwise..."

His expression became threatening.

"...you’re leaving here with a broken arm."

Jason stared at him for a moment.

Then sighed.

"Another one?"

Brandon frowned.

"What?"

Jason shook his head.

"You and Derek really are the same."

"What are you talking about?"

"You hear yourselves, right?"

Jason glanced at Derek.

"One guy can’t handle rejection."

Then he looked back at Brandon.

"And the other guy thinks having a black belt gives him the right to threaten people."

Brandon’s expression darkened.

"You little~"

Jason interrupted him.

"I don’t care what belt you have."

His eyes became cold.

"Black belt. Champion. Whatever."

He took one slow step forward.

"If you want to fight..."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"...then come find out whether that belt actually means anything."

Brandon’s face twisted with rage.

"You arrogant bastard."

He raised his fists.

"Fine."

He stepped onto the open floor.

"Today, I’ll show you exactly what a Taekwondo black belt can do."