VISION GRID SYSTEM: THE COMEBACK OF RYOMA TAKEDA

They wait until the lights outside the gym turn dimmer and the city settles into its late rhythm, but the inbox remains unchanged, the same empty space staring back at them with quiet indifference.

Nakahara checks the time once more, then straightens and speaks as if making a practical decision rather than conceding defeat.

“That’s enough for tonight,” he says. “We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”

Sera refreshes the inbox again anyway, the habit too ingrained to stop immediately, and lets out a humorless breath.

“I won’t be able to sleep like this,” he mutters, eyes still locked on the screen.

“They’ve sent it,” Nakahara says, calm but firm. “It’s just not reaching us yet. There’s no point burning yourself out staring at a screen.”

He pauses, then adds, “Save your energy. We’ll need it when this actually turns into a fight.”

Sera hesitates, fingers hovering over the keyboard, then finally exhales and shuts the computer down.

The office falls quiet, and not long after, they leave the gym together, piling into the minivan with the Aqualis logo on its side, Kenta already waiting behind the wheel as the engine starts to life.

***

The next morning arrives without ceremony, and Sera sits at his kitchen table with a simple breakfast growing cold in front of him.

Out of habit more than hope, he scrolls through his phone, skimming headlines until the familiar initials catch his eye.

His posture stiffens as he opens the OPBF website and finds the statement sitting plainly at the top of the page, already formatted, already decided.

***

OFFICIAL STATEMENT – OPBF LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION

The Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation acknowledges receipt of medical documentation submitted on behalf of OPBF Lightweight Champion Ryoma Takeda.

After review, the OPBF recognizes the legitimacy of the champion’s current condition and hereby grants an extension of sixty (60) days to the deadline for the champion’s first mandatory title defense.

The new deadline for the mandatory defense is August 24, 2017.

Both parties—Nakahara Boxing Gym (Japan), representing Champion Ryoma Takeda, and Chao Phraya Elite Boxing Promotion (Thailand), representing No.1 contender Thanid Kouthai—have been formally notified of this decision.

The OPBF expects both camps to renegotiate the terms of the mandatory bout in good faith within the extended period.

Should no agreement be reached, the OPBF will proceed in accordance with its regulations through a purse bid to determine promotional rights.

—OPBF Commission

***

Sera’s phone nearly slips from his hand as he stares at the OPBF statement, the words clicking into place all at once instead of gradually.

He dials before finishing the last line, pacing his kitchen in a tight circle as the call connects.

“Coach,” he says the moment Nakahara answers, his voice sharp with urgency, “we need to hurry. The OPBF has…”

“I know,” Nakahara cuts in, calm to the point of cold. “I’ve read the news. I’m already in front of your place.”

Sera freezes, then moves on instinct. He rushes outside in his T-shirt and slippers, and down below the minivan idles at the curb, Kenta lifting a hand from the driver’s seat in greeting.

Sera doesn’t bother going back inside to change his clothes. He locks the door, jogs down the steps still with the slippers, and pulls the door shut behind him as he climbs in.

“Quick. We need to call them immediately,” he says as the van pulls away. “Before they start thinking up new tricks to force this back against us.”

***

They reach the gym before seven, when the street is still quiet and the shutters nearby remain closed.

To Sera’s surprise, Ryoma is already there by the door, Aramaki standing beside him, both men looking as if they have been waiting longer than they admit.

“So you’ve read the news too,” Nakahara says as he steps out of the van.

Ryoma nods once and moves aside, letting Nakahara unlock the door without a word.

Sera rushes past them the moment they enter, heading straight for the office. He powers on the computer and grabs the desk phone, dialing even before the screen finishes loading.

But the call rings unanswered.

The desktop finally appears first, and the inbox refreshes to reveal the OPBF email sitting neatly at the top, timestamped hours earlier and saying exactly what the website already has.

“They must have got it too,” Sera mutters, dialing again. “There’s no reason to keep pushing the fight on June twenty-fifth now.”

“Let’s hope they see it that way,” Nakahara says, keeping his eyes on the window rather than the screen or the phone.

The call connects at last, and Lawson’s voice comes through measured and professional.

[This is Preecha Lawson.]

“This is Takuya Sera from Nakahara Boxing Gym,” Sera says, keeping his tone formal despite the urgency tightening his chest. “I’m calling regarding the OPBF’s official statement released this morning.”

[Yes. I’ve read it.]

“Then you understand the commission has granted a sixty-day extension,” Sera continues. “The new deadline is August 24th. Our champion has no intention of avoiding the mandatory defense, and we expect to proceed under that timeline.”

Lawson is quiet for a moment, long enough for the silence to feel intentional rather than technical.

[I see… Please allow me some time to discuss this internally.]

“Mr. Lawson…” Sera begins.

[Please, wait. I will call you back.]

The line goes dead before Sera can respond.

The office settles into a tight silence, broken only by the faint vibration of the computer’s cooling fans.

Sera drums his fingers against the desk, Kenta shifts his weight uneasily on the sofa, and Ryoma remains still, eyes lowered, listening.

“They’ll try to force the fight on June,” Nakahara says at last, his voice low.

Aramaki blinks. “Even after the official statement from the commissioner?”

“They’ll say August doesn’t work,” Nakahara replies. “Like tight schedule on their side. There’s always a reason.”

“And how are they going to force it even after the commissioner’s statement?” Aramaki asks.

Ryoma speaks before Nakahara can answer. “It’s already mentioned in the statement.”

Nakahara nods, his expression darkening. “If we can’t reach an agreement with them…”

Suddenly, the desk phone rings, cutting him off mid-thought, the sharp sound filling the office.

Sera answers at once, his posture straightening as he listens, saying nothing, his expression tightening with each passing second until the call ends and he lowers the receiver carefully, as if it carries weight.

“They won’t accept August,” he says. “They’re forcing it to purse bid, and they’re confident they’ll win it no matter what.”

Sera pauses, jaw tightening. “They said June twenty-fifth still stands, that they already have other commitments lined up, and Thanid Kouthai isn’t the only fighter on their schedule.”

He exhales sharply before continuing. “They made it sound almost instructional, like we should understand how a proper promotion plans a year. And that if we’re truly professionals, we should understand their situation.”

“Just as I thought,” Nakahara says, voice edged with anxiety.

“Bullshit,” Kenta snorts, the sound sharp and unfiltered. “That’s just an excuse to force the fight their way.”

Ryoma lifts his gaze, calm and direct. “If they want to take it to purse bid, then we proceed. And we win the bid ourselves.”

Nakahara doesn’t answer immediately, his gaze lowering as he exhales slowly, the breath heavy with calculation and a weariness shaped by experience rather than defeat.

“If it goes to purse bid,” he says at last, his tone cautious, almost pessimistic, “our chances aren’t good. If they want it this badly, they’ll throw money at it without blinking.”

He pauses, letting the implication settle. “And if they win, it won’t just be about June 25th. If they win, we won’t be fighting here.”

His eyes harden. “We’ll be fighting in Bangkok.”

Sera’s expression remains tight, dissatisfaction written plainly across his face as he shakes his head once.

“We can’t let Ryoma enter the ring like he did back in Melbourne,” he says. “If it comes to a bid, we have to win it, no matter what.”