[Professional Boxer Certification Exam]
The exam consists of a written and skills test. [Professional Boxer Certification Exam]
For women, the skills portion is two rounds of two-minute sparring.
They'll be judging you based on technique and stamina.
You'll need to build muscle to add weight to your punches.
♫ Because I met you... ♫ [My Weekly Top 30 Playlist]
Hokomi's cooking.
That's a first.
Women change when there's a man in her life.
Chicken breast, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes...
Doesn't look like it's for a guy.
I'm done running.
Hokko, I love you.
She smiled.
Morning.
I've decided to take the professional certification exam.
WHAT?
A certification exam?
- As a boxer? - Yup.
Awesome.
- Are you leaving City Hall then? - Nope.
We promised we'd be diligent.
Who's "we"?
No. Kairi?
What? Someone explain.
It's mutual?
Well...
Yes, it is.
I'm so jealous!
Are you sure about him?
Not another scumbag, please.
We'll be fine. See you!
♪ Because I met you... ♪
Ready.
It seems this is as close as we can get.
We're a bit far this time.
- Will you change the lens? - Yeah.
Here you are.
Wrong lens.
Move.
You didn't bring the 400mm.
Sorry, sir.
- I'll go grab it- - Don't bother.
The match will start. I'll manage.
- Get ready. - Yes, sir.
How beautiful...
Can I call you tonight?
Sure.
Please text when you get home.
Sure.
- Don't pass out. - Sorry, sir.
- Dunce. - I'm very sorry.
What's this shot?
I thought their expressions looked nice.
- It's out of focus. - Yes, sir.
Did you do some sort of sport?
What?
You were drawn to them, because you've experienced support from the sidelines, no?
I did boxing.
- Boxing? - I'm sorry I took the shot.
We'll call it here.
You're done for the day.
Kairi, I bought us ice cream.
Kairi?
Shoot.
Sorry, I fell asleep.
So did I.
I want to see you.
[I want to see you.]
He's probably busy.
I got the day off tomorrow afternoon.
Does that mean we can see each other?
I suppose.
Yes!
She's in love.
[I Wanna Punch that Scumbag!] [Round 6]
- Thank you. - Sure.
Hokko, did you pass out?
I'm awake!
Sorry. You were so quiet, I assumed you were asleep.
Jeez.
So...
Where are we going today?
Great question.
I'll keep wondering then.
Keep wondering indeed.
This is all so awesome.
They don't stink.
What sort of gloves did you use?
- Me? - Yes.
I used these.
Here. Try them on.
I'm starving. Let's grab something to eat.
I know a good place.
Sounds good.
I'm so full.
That was delicious.
This late already?
Time flies.
Want to come over?
Huh?
Oh, well, erm...
Getting caught up in wild fantasies over there?
- I was not! - Sorry to disappoint, but Satoru's home.
I know that.
Besides, I have to fit in an early morning jog tomorrow.
- So, I'll head home and sleep. - I lied.
He's out today.
Huh?
Come on over.
53, 54, 55.
Almost there.
- Hurry! - 57, 58...
59, 60.
Next, sit-ups.
- Demon. - You're a boxer.
You gotta work off those calories.
Come on.
One...
This is rough.
Two...
You can do this.
Three.
Four.
- Sorry. - Come on!
Um...
I'm still sweaty...
[Incoming Call: Mr. Asakura]
Mr. Asakura.
I hope I didn't keep you waiting.
Sorry to call you on the fly.
I thought you'd be interested in this gig.
We're taking photos of a boxer before his title fight. [Kaneko Boxing Gym]
I remember when you first came to my studio,
you were drawn in by that boxing shot.
Yes, sir.
It cemented my urge to become your pupil, Mr. Asakura.
Right then. Let's head on in.
Yes, sir.
[Kaneko Boxing Gym]
- Move it. - Sorry, sir.
Pleasure working with you folks.
Here's to a great session.
Kairi?
You know him?
We used to spar often.
I see.
Kairi.
Do you want to take some shots?
Yes, sir.
- Long time no see. - Hey there.
Have you kept up with boxing?
Nah, I'm a photographer now.
- Still an apprentice though. - I see.
I remember we used to dream of becoming world champs.
In fact, I'm headed to the U.S. next week, still chasing that dream.
World champ, here I come.
I'm rooting for you.
Hey, I wanna root for you, too.
What's your dream now, Kairi?
Well...
- Sorry for the mess. - It's fine.
I wanted to hand this to you.
They're photographs from the boxing event.
Thank you.
I also brought some chocolates as a souvenir.
- We appreciate. - They're really good.
- I'm sorry, were you dieting? - Huh?
Sato mentioned she was on a strict diet, so...
Oh, no. I eat anything.
Thank goodness.
Hokomi's dieting for the professional certification exam in six months.
Sato's taking a certification exam?
Yes. She said she wanted to challenge herself.
It won't be easy.
But she's working hard.
Wow, I commend her.
Say, were you able to resolve that issue you were worried about?
Yes, somewhat.
I wouldn't say the same for my love life though.
Mr. Oba.
I believe all life lessons can be learned atop the ring.
You never know if you've won or lost until that gong sounds.
That's why you keep pushing, with victory on the mind.
- Same goes with love, right? - I suppose so.
I ended up losing my match.
But once you've given it your all, a loss doesn't feel so bitter.
Sorry, that sounded like I assumed you would lose.
But that's not what I meant.
What's important is you take your fighting stance.
I see.
You've encouraged me.
As expected of a personal trainer.
No need to flatter me.
Here, I'll pour you something to drink.
How are they, Mr. Asakura?
Good shot.
- Thank you. - Don't let it get to your head.
This is the only usable shot.
A professional must constantly strive for that quality.
Yes, sir.
- See you. - See you tomorrow.
You didn't bring the 400mm.
- I'll go grab it- - Don't bother.
It's out of focus.
- Move it. - Sorry, sir.
This is the only usable shot.
Kojima, I've compiled our notes from the meeting today.
Give it a look when you have time.
That was fast.
Did something good happen to you recently?
- I suppose. - Oh, Ms. Nade.
- Hey there, Nade. - Did you need this room?
Yeah. My team needs to make physical copies of some manuals.
Like, paper copies? Sounds old school.
Elderly folk and people without access to the internet need it.
It's an important job.
Yeah, but anyone can do it.
Sorry, I didn't mean...
I'll be heading out.
So, how are things with Mr. Kuzuya?
Are you two dating?
We are.
Does that mean you'll quit boxing?
You don't exactly have a reason to punch him anymore.
I'll be keeping up with boxing.
- I'm taking the certification exam. - You're going pro?
- What about your job? - I'm not quitting.
Even if I get certified, being a professional isn't enough to make a living.
But I want to keep at it and aim to become a professional.
Sounds rough, especially with this workload.
Yeah.
That's why I'm crunching to leave on time every day.
Sounds like you need to get going then.
Yeah, thanks.
What are you doing?
- Sorry. - Jeez...
Here.
- Thank you. - Sure.
There.
See you!
She is so irritating.
Give it your all.
Your legs.
Watch your legs.
Lower your hips.
Guard.
Raise your guard.
Looking good, Kaori.
Hokomi, don't run.
Nice.
Exactly.
Time.
Ms. Sato might be a monster waiting to unleash herself.
Another.
Is this about Ms. Hokomi, again?
She's juggling work, boxing, and a man? Talk about selfish.
She's neglecting her job,
and for what? Boxing?
She's totally just deadweight.
Then tell your boss about it.
- What? - Tell your boss.
Make them your allies.
Hell, conflate the story a bit. Nothing wrong with that.
You know you're working just as hard as she is.
But keep whining to me...
And nothing's gonna change.
You know?
Thank you.
Trust me, these are perfect.
How was the spar?
Yeah...
I was no match for her.
I thought I've trained pretty hard,
but I only landed that last hit.
Call it luck, I guess.
Ah well.
I'm used to it by now.
I've always loved to work by chipping away at things.
That's how I prepared for my college entrance exams and my wedding.
But I failed both of them.
My efforts have rarely paid off.
So, I'm used to losing.
There's no "luck" in boxing.
That punch you got in
was the result of hundreds and thousands of hits against a sandbag.
It wasn't luck.
You'll be fine.
Boxing will always reward your efforts.
Are you...
attempting to cheer me up?
Not really.
Just trying to defend the sport from a bad impression.
That's good.
I suddenly feel like I'll do better next time.
Simpleton.
Hey, today I only got one punch. But next time, I'll get two.
What keeps you motivated like that?
I wonder.
- What? - You're dieting.
Nope.
Cheapskate.
Cheapskate. Cheap, cheap, cheap.
I heard you the first time.
Mr. Kairi.
The certification exam...
will be held on November 3.
Please come watch me, okay?
You're strong, Hokko.
Makes me want to come see you whenever I'm down.
Is everything all right?
It's all right now.
I'm heading back to the studio.
All right.
See you.
You can do it.
Good morning.
- Good morning. - Morning.
Morning.
Right then.
Huh?
Kojima, have you seen my laptop?
Your laptop? No, I haven't.
It's missing.
That's not good.
You have confidential information stored there.
What are you doing?
An apology's not going to cut it, Sato.
What will you do if there's a data leak?
Sir, I've had our tech team lock our systems.
They're also looking into any data leaks, so let's wait on their assessment.
Thank you.
If anything gets out, this is your responsibility.
We can't have you slack off because of boxing or whatever it is.
I'm terribly sorry for my mistake, sir.
Let's search around for your laptop again.
Right.
Nade...
Hokomi, I found it.
Voilà.
Jeez, I can't believe you forgot it.
Kojima told me what was up, so I started searching, too.
- Thank you. - It's no sweat.
Where was it?
Right here.
Here?
That's strange, it wasn't here earlier.
Are you saying I did this?
That's awful.
- Of course not, I just- - Look, Hokomi.
If you can't work overtime, request to be reassigned elsewhere.
What?
I don't care if you're preparing for an exam. This is your job.
Work when you're supposed to. It's starting to piss me off.
Don't act so conceited, just because you're Mr. Oba's favorite.
Conceited? No, I've never...
Honestly? I hate you the most out of all our coworkers, Hokomi.
Everyone's all "Hokomi this," "Hokomi that".
They're all obsessed with you.
You made an error in our calculations? Unbelievable, Ms. Nitta.
I'll revise the documents right away, sir. [5 Years Ago]
- I'll help out as well. - What?
I'm relieved to hear it, Ms. Sato.
Just get it together, all right?
We're sorry for our mistake, sir.
Let's do this.
This is all your fault, Hokomi.
Hokomi's going out with Mr. Kuzuya now.
- What? - This is what she gets for being on cloud nine.
What was it you wanted to discuss?
It's regarding the lost laptop, sir.
Ms. Sato is blaming the entire incident on me,
but I haven't done a thing.
Well, it has been found-
Sir, it's more than that.
This is not the only incident involving Ms. Sato.
She has been forcing me to take on her workload,
all so she may leave on time.
- What? - Sir.
When Ms. Sato insists, I just can't say no to her.
I think boxing has changed her for the worse.
It's like she gets aggressive, and...
- Oba. - I got word from our tech team.
No one has hacked or leaked any data from Sato's laptop.
- Good. - Sir.
I shall take full responsibility for this incident.
I'll be sure to give Sato a strict word,
so could you please let this matter slide?
If you insist, I'll leave her to you.
Thank you.
Your emotions are clouding your judgment, sir.
If anything, I'd say this course of action is quite reasonable.
Anyone who knows Sato's work ethic would agree.
Then if you'll excuse me.
Mr. Oba...
Sato.
I'm sorry for all the trouble.
It's all right.
How are you holding up?
Just fine.
- Sato. - Sir.
Could I ask you not to tell anyone else of this blunder?
- What? - I don't want Ms. Yui or Mr. Kairi to know.
Sir, please.
All right.
Thank you.
Kairi, you got a minute?
Yes, sir.
- Sit. - Yes, sir.
Izaki's Second came to our studio with a request.
He'll be boxing in Las Vegas for the world champ title, [Project Izaki Yuya in LAS VEGAS]
and they're looking for a photographer to document his journey. [Project Izaki Yuya in LAS VEGAS]
Would you want to give it a shot?
- What? - Although you're still an amateur photographer,
you're familiar with boxing.
This is a unique advantage of yours.
You really ought to consider becoming a boxing photographer.
This job would take at least half a year.
It'll take even longer for you to make it big.
You'll have to face not only your subjects,
but also boxing more than ever.
All that to say,
this is the opportunity of a lifetime.
Do you feel up to the challenge?
In fact, I'm still chasing that dream.
What's your dream now, Kairi?
[Project Izaki Yuya in LAS VEGAS]
Please let me take this opportunity.
You leave next week.
I'd suggest you start packing.
I'm back.
- Huh? You going somewhere, Kairi? - Yeah.
I'll be in the States for a shoot.
[Project Izaki Yuya in LAS VEGAS]
A boxing shoot? [Project Izaki Yuya in LAS VEGAS]
Yeah. The place is all yours until I'm back.
Will you be able to do this?
What?
I mean, you're always turning down shoots for sporting events.
True. It probably sounds like I'm just dreaming, huh?
Dreaming?
Satoru.
I want to become a boxing photographer.
Hilarious, right? Someone like me, having a dream.
You've changed, Kairi.
I suppose we owe that all to Ms. Hokomi.
Speaking of Hokomi, have you told her yet?
No, not yet.
I don't care if you're preparing for an exam. This is your job.
Work when you're supposed to. It's starting to piss me off.
I hate you the most out of all our coworkers, Hokomi.
This is all your fault, Hokomi.
Okay.
Huh? Ms. Hokomi?
- Mr. Aizawa. Good evening. - Evening.
What a coincidence.
A coincidence indeed.
Good seeing you.
That reminds me.
It'll get lonely around here once Kairi heads to America, huh?
America?
You hadn't heard? He's leaving next week for a photography gig.
He'll be gone at least half a year.
I guess it isn't an easy topic to bring up though.
Being in a relationship sure sounds difficult.
You can't be a burden to each other, or else you'll both end up unhappy.
Either way, I'm rooting for you, Ms. Hokomi.
See you around.
Kojima, where's Sato?
She took the day off.
Pretty unusual, huh?
[BOXER]
Hello?
Great to see you again.
I wanted to thank you for the biking lessons.
I'm the one who needs to thank you.
Your friend referred me to a famous sports photographer,
and now I even work under him.
So really, thank you.
That's amazing! I'm happy for you.
On that note, I'm headed to the States next week.
It's for a long term shoot, so I'll be out of the country for a while.
You couldn't have picked a better time to meet up like this.
Does Sato know you're leaving?
No, I haven't been able to tell her yet.
I see.
Mr. Kuzuya.
This is a great opportunity for you.
You have to take the chance while you can.
But I'll make one request.
Try to make it back for the certification exam, will you?
Sato's working really hard to pass.
All right?
- Thank you again for treating me. - Of course.
I wish you the best of luck in America.
Thank you.
Take care.
Mr. Kuzuya.
Hokko.
I'll be looking forward to that punch of yours.
You're strong, Hokko.
You must really like boxing.
Hokko, get up.
I'm done running. Hokko, I love you.
Mr. Kairi.
Hokko.
Yes?
Here. [BOXER - HOKOMI]
Aren't these...
Let me see your hands.
There.
[BOXER - HOKOMI]
Say...
Could I toss a few punches?
Ready.
Hokko.
Listen.
I'm going to America.
I'll go and study to become a boxing photographer.
Once I go, I won't be back for a while.
There's no guarantee I'll succeed.
I don't even know if I'll be able to face boxing head on.
But I want to give it a shot.
I'll be rooting for you.
Will you be okay without me?
Of course.
I'm quite busy, you know.
With the exam coming up,
I have no time to spend with you.
I can't even go eat ramen.
If anything, this will let me concentrate.
Hokko.
I promise I won't let my life remain stagnant.
I owe this all to you, Hokko.
Mr. Kairi.
Yeah.
Do you remember the other day?
When you asked me
what kept me motivated?
Well, it's you.
Mr. Kairi.
I promise to pass the professional certification exam.
In exchange,
go do your best in America, too.
I...
I won't be waiting for you.
In other words...
This is goodbye.
Hokko.
Thank you, for everything.
Take care.
[BOXER - HOKOMI]
[Half a year later]
[Day of the Professional Certification Exam]
[Tachikawa Tachichi Arena] [Boxing Professional Certification Exam]
Give it your all, Ms. Sato.
Yes, sir.
Right then.
- Go for it. - Yes, ma'am.
Mr. Oba.
Is Mr. Kuzuya...
No, he's not here.
Try to make it back for the certification exam, will you?
Sato's working really hard to pass.
Mr. Kuzuya.
I...
I like Sato.
I don't want to see Sato sad or crying.
So, please don't run from her any longer.
If you don't return for the exam,
I'll tell Sato, I...
[BOXER - HOKOMI]
Mr. Oba.
Thank you for coming out to support me today.
I hear your results come out tomorrow?
That's right.
Sato.
Yes?
You see...
I don't want to see you suffer.
Not any more.
Sir?
Sato.
I've always been in love with you.
Let me amend.
I really, really love you.
Sato.
Can't I be the one at your side?
Kairi? Where were you?
You'll manage just fine, Hokko. [Misunderstandings pile up...]
I want to follow suit and move on as well. [Misunderstandings pile up...]
Don't tell me you're fine with this. [Misunderstandings pile up...]
I want us to fight on even grounds, Mr. Kuzuya. [Their Bout of Love, begins!]
But after seeing a smile like that... [Their Bout of Love, begins!]
I won't lose to you.