Two weeks later on the day of the match I was standing outside the ring watching Kibum standing in his corner with his trainer who was continuing to whisper tips into my friend’s ear. I took a quick glance at Alex his coach was doing the same thing. However, there was something about Alex that told me he would win this fight. I don’t know what it was but something just told me Kibum would not walk away the winner.

Before the match began, I walked to the ring and looked at Kibum he seemed as determined to win this fight, as he had been to protect me that night the two of us snuck out. Kibum looked at me seeing me for the first time sense I had arrived.

“Hey! Oppa You can do win! I’m cheering for you!” I said to him in Korean. After being best friends with him for the past eight years I had in result learned to speak Korean. Hyung Joon even taught me to read and write in Korean. Something my parents saw no use for but left it at that. Kibum looked calmer and more reassured.

The match started and I thought to myself it would be better to stand near the back where Kibum couldn’t see me from his peripheral vision. If he saw me, he might become distracted and that could cause him the match.

It turned out Alex was one of the top boxers in our age group in that weight division. And Kibum had only been boxing for a few months; Kibum didn’t stand a chance at winning this match. It was a set up it had to be! Some guy thought it would be funny to see a Asian kid get knocked to high heaven. I felt my throat grow tighter at the thought of Kibum’s reaction to his loss. He would be devastated because he had worked so hard for this moment but he would never see that winning moment.

However, Kibum was putting in a good fight he was giving almost as many hits as he received. To me that just seemed to make the fight more painful to watch.

There where a lot of people watching the match but only one of them singled me out. Someone I hadn’t expected to see. I felt a light tap on my shoulder and saw Jenny standing there on a reveling tube top and shorts and flip flops.

“I didn’t know you liked boxing.” She said as she pulled out a cigarette and held it out to me as if offering it.

“I don’t smoke.” I said shaking my head, she let out a small chuckle and she placed the cigarette between her lips. She lit the cigarette, took a drag and breathed out the smoke.

“Good, your to young anyway if you had said yes I would have slapped you.” She said she directed me to follow her so we could find a place to sit. When we found a place to sit, I looked at her.

“How long have you been smoking Jenny?” I asked as she continued to smoke her cigarette and watch the match.

“Hehehe sense I was younger than you are now.” She said laughing.

“So why would you have smacked me?” I asked her not understanding her one bit she has been smoking sense she was younger than me and she would have smacked me had I said yes?

“Your friend what is his name?” She asked ignoring me question looking at Kibum who continued to fight even though I wished he would give up so he wouldn’t get anymore hurt.

“His name is Kibum Kim.” I told her, she whispered his name under her breath over and over again as if trying to get a feel about him from his name.

“He is the boy who was with you when I saved you from Jose.” It wasn’t a question but a pure and simple statement of fact.

“Yeah he hasn’t been the same sense. He suddenly took up boxing after that and he all but gave of photography. He’s changed.” I turned my gaze from her and looked down I didn’t know what I could say after that.

“You know I have a theory. That a man has to have something he wants to protect selfishly. Something that is irreplaceable to him. He has to fight and bleed for it and if a man doesn’t have this he is lost. I think that men some how know this and they will go to great lengths to find it. Then again, there are times when what they wish to protect has been right in front of them all this time. It takes the realization that if they don’t protect this ‘thing’ it will be lost forever. When this realization comes to them they strive to be ‘stronger’ so they can protect this ‘thing’ that is dear to them.

I also believe that this is not a conscious realization, that they realize it more on a spiritual level.” Bom lit another cigarette and started to smoke she looked oddly at peace with the ‘cancer stick’ in .

“What are you trying to say?” I asked I wanted to know the reason behind her telling me her theory.

“I think Kibum has found his thing in you.” She said this off handedly as if it where no big deal but I knew it was I was Kibum’s thing he wanted to protect?

“What?” I asked

“Listen you said he was a photography before right? Then suddenly after that night, he started boxing and becoming stronger? I saw his face that night Kiddo he was standing in front of you using himself as a human shield. He also looked completely helpless because face it he was a bit of a wimp before. I’m willing to bet he invited you here to see him fight so you would believe in him and let him protect you. The male ego women aren’t helpless.

He may not realize it but I’m willing to bet he is doing this to prove to himself he can protect you. What’s your name Kiddo?”

“Rachel.” I told her the information weighing heavy on my mind. Was she right about Kibum and if she was I had been unfair to him before when it came to his not paying attention to his photography.

“Well Rachel I think it is pretty clear to the two of us that Kibum is going to loose. So when he does please comfort him.” She was right Kibum was barely standing after fighting six rounds with Alex it was taking everything he had just to stand.