【Novel】I hate my brother

※Note that I'm not good at English, and there must be some mistakes and unnatural expressions. However, I'll be glad if you enjoy it.

1. My brother and I

Squeak, squeak…the sound of bare soles scraping against the cold gym floor.

Even though it was winter and it was so cold, I was sweating, and I was trying to protect myself from punches and kicks that were aimed at hurting me.

“Hey, Is that all you have!?”

My older brother said so while attacking me mercilessly.

My brother and I started to learn karate when we were in the first grade of elementary school. My brother was a serious person, and even after school on days when there was no Dojo practice, he asked his elementary school teacher's permission to practice at the gymnasium at our elementary school. Since I started karate, we’ve practiced together a few times a week.

Now, I'm in the fourth grade and my brother is in the eighth grade. Of course, our heights, weights, and reaches are all different.

Since my brother has more experience than me, he can attack me from a greatly advantageous position. However, my brother didn’t go easy on me.

Normally, advanced players don’t be too hard on lower level players, and they should focus on developing the lower-levels’ guard timing and sense of attack, not beat them up.

It was our master's opinion, so my brother never attacked me with his full power in the Dojo, except for the Full-Power Match where we attack each other with our full strengths.

However, the practice in this gym where no one was watching was different.

Especially on a day when he was in a visibly bad mood...

Bam! Doss!

Every time an attack hit my body, there was a heavy sound. My limbs trying to guard my body hurts. It became a defensive battle for me under his pressure.

“Hit me back even one punch!”

Thud! “cough!!”

My brother's knee kick thrust my solar plexus.

I felt my internal organs being crushed, and my breathing got stopped.

In no time, I collapsed with my belly in my arms.

“Aww! Gah... aah, gah, ...”

My brother was looking down at me as I rolled over on the floor holding my belly with my arms.

“Hey! That's Ippon (KO)! What are you doing, get up now!”

I was chased by the pain in my stomach and his words, and I felt like crying.

Still, I tried to stand up, wiping away the tears that were about to fell from my eyes. When I was standing up, my stomach hurt.

This grit was probably the only strength I had, nurtured through Kumite with my brother.

“Ahhhhhh!!!”

I raised my voice and thrust out my fist with my full power.

I knew there was no chance for me to win, but I...

Boom! "Hugh!

A strong low kick to my right thigh. Its impact sound reverberated through the bone with the heavy shock. A soreness ran through the muscles.

Ugh...

It hit human’s weak spot on a thigh, and it started to hurt every time I moved it.

Once I get damaged on my feet, I have no choice but to take the attacks from the front.

Dosh! Dogu!

I couldn’t parry all his punches and kicks. It hurt and I fall back.

“Don't fall back! You’re gonna lose!

I got attacked even more strongly.

I couldn’t take it anymore…

Just as my heart is about to break, I got another kick to the same spot on my foot.

Thud!

My legs were bent, and I lost my balance, but he knee-kicked my stomach as if he kept me from falling down.

Dom! ”Ugh!”

My brother's knee stabbed me in the gut. His knee hit in a place you don't want to be kicked.

The breath is forced out...

I fell down surrendering to the pain. My body curled up was as if it tried to protect my internal organs from the ferocious attack.

I held my belly just waiting for the pain to go away. I felt like my guts were going out of my mouth.

It was painful, which made me want to throw up. No, it would still have been easier if I threw up. I just drooled, but the stuff in my stomach did not come out.

"Huh...uh...”

I rolled my body and looked for a position where I could breathe comfortably, but it didn't change much.

The time of suffering was really long…

Maybe, I just felt that way. Maybe it was just a few minutes.

"You got knocked out by body shot again! You need to work your abs, right!?”

My brother's words echoed in my aching belly.

Shut up, don't talk...I was just having a hard time with my stomach pain....

It wasn't once or twice that I lay on the cold floor of the gym by being knocked out.

I've been knocked down like that so many times.

I curled up and rubbed my forehead on the floor. And thus, once again, feeling the chill of the floor with my cheek.

All the memories when I got knocked out were flooding back at once, which made me sad.

Why did I have to go through miserable feelings every time I get knocked out by my brother’s punches and kicks?

I curled up even smaller, feeling that the pain took over my body.

I sobbed secretly so that my brother couldn't see it.

I really don’t like him

2. the best day

“Listen up, everyone. He is Chris. He joins us today. Chris is from the US, but he came to Japan when he was 10, and he’s lived here in Japan for 4 years. He began to learn Karate when he came to Japan. A few days ago, his family moved from another prefecture and now he’s one of our team. He can speak Japanese well, so don’t hesitate to talk to him and get along with him.”

Said our master at the start of the practice.

When I arrived at Dojo on that day, a foreigner was there.

I was excited because it was rare for me to meet them because I lived in a rural area and only one foreigner I had known was ALT(Assistant Language Teacher in school).

I didn't expect a foreigner to be in my Dojo.

Oh, but wait…my master said he was in junior class…!?

No, no, no, his height was apparently the same as an adult. Other members who were junior high school students like Chris were a head shorter than him.

170cm...no, I thought he was 180 cm tall. Maybe he was the strongest in Kumite…

The new Dojo students we hadn't expected to see were making us get excited, and my friends became noisy saying “He is really tall!”, “He looks so strong”, and so on.

''Hey, hey! hush! Then let's get it started.”

Master said and we started practicing as usual.

Preparatory exercises, Kata, training to improve strength and endurance,　mitt-hitting... , we did the usual training menu.

Chris looked a little bit nervous at the begging, but then he seemed to be enjoying the practice. He was able to do it smoothly, and he asked other members when he had a question.

When practice was nearing the end of the day, the master said,

"Okay, everyone, gather around! Well, today is our monthly Full-Power Sparring day(FPS). Does anybody want to take a crack at it?

Anybody?”

Nobody answered.

FPS was different from the usual practice; it was serious sparring like a competition.

Sometimes you crouched down by damage, sometimes you fainted by getting a high kick.

So there were no kids who wanted to do it.

''Hmmm? No one, huh? Even if you play a game like that, your opponent will push you and you'll lose. Challenging spirit makes you stronger.”

No reply.

'Hmmm... yes, Chris! What about you? You want to try? It's a sparring match where they attack each other with full power. I heard you were doing it at the previous Dojo, so if you want...”

Before the master finished speaking, Chris replied with vigor.

“Yes! I'd love to do it.”

“Oh, that's the spirit! Well, then, the opponent is…”

The master looked in our direction. And everyone looked down.

No one wanted to fight with the big guy.

"OK! Then…Kaito! You do it.”

“..What!?..oh, well…Osu(yes).”

It was my brother who was nominated here. I think it was a reflexive response. Obviously, he was intimidated by Chris.

When the two of them faced each other, the disparity in their physiques was clear. My brother's head was about the height of Chris’ chest.

I thought if Chris knee-kicked my brother, it would be a critical hit to his belly.

Like my brother and I…

“Both of you, face each other. And you guys watching, not only watch, but also try to find the good and the bad in their fight, OK? Then, start!”

Kumite begins.

When Shihan signaled to start, it was, surprisingly, my brother who took the initiative.

When fighting with a taller opponent, close the distance and attack the opponent’s belly to drop his guard. Then high kick.

It's a loyal road theory, and my brother fought with it.

Gah! “Ugh!”

A sound of hitting.

Chris's middle kick went straight to my brother's body. Although he was blocking, he was about to be knocked down by the power of the difference in body size.

He staggered a couple of steps, but went towards Chris.

However…

Bash!

Huh...

A low kick to the right leg stopped my brother in his tracks.

And then, Chris’ punches and kicks hit every part of my brother’s body.

Aah! Ugh, hah! Gah...

His collarbone, chest, flank ...

Every time Chris’ fists hit, a pained voice leaked from my brother's mouth ...

He curled up his body to avoid getting a critical hit, but the game was over in an instant.

Zum!!!!

Geh! .

With the sound of a heavy blow, my brother's body floated in the air. Chris's right fist was completely buried in his belly.

My brother was puking while being floated in the shape of く(a Japanese letter).

He was blown away and fell off his back onto the mat on the floor. He rolled over on the floor holding his belly.

Gehhhh!

My brother vomited a lot.

“Kaito!”

The master got surprised and rushed over to him.

“Are you okay? Hey, are you okay!”

The parents who had come to pick up their kids also got surprised and shocked.

''Well, guys, it's already the end time for today, so we'll dismiss without the meditation. Take care of yourself and go home, and we'll see you next week in practice!”

Perhaps because the master was busy taking care of my brother, a young adult player belonging to the dojo said to everyone.

My brother and I always got back to our house by walk because it was close, but what should we have done on that day?

When I looked at my brother, he was crying and still puking. Chris looks worried about him, too.

Normally, you would be worried or sad to see your brother in this condition. But I seemed to be cynical. No, I guess I had become cynical because of the practice with my brother.

I was feeling very refreshed. The person who had been attacking me violently was suffering to the point of vomiting.

At this point, I was convinced. I hate my brother.

The End

※Thank you for reading! Your comments or "good" makes me motivated.

Also, it would be appreciated if you tell me about some English correction, or good English words to describe the pain of stomach-punching^^

Anyway, thanks again.