Ueda had never understood people's inability to say no to Tegoshi until the day the young man bounced up to him with a wide grin talking about how Ueda-san had such a muscular body and he struggled so much to get bigger but nothing worked, and didn't Ueda-san box? Tegoshi had fluttered his eyelashes and before Ueda knew what he was doing, he'd invited Tegoshi over to teach him.

Their first session goes better than he had expected, with Tegoshi watching with wide eyes and listening intently as Ueda explained the basics to him. He had even gotten a few decent punches in when Ueda started him on the sandbag, and when the were done Tegoshi was flushed and tired, but smiling.

"That was fun, ne! How did I do, Ueda-sensei?"

Ueda grins at the name, "Not bad. You need to practice a lot though-"

Tegoshi's bottom lip trembles.

"-b-but, uh, you were great! Really!"

Tegoshi's face lights up, and Ueda thinks he's just become one of the crowd.

-

The next morning, Ueda is surprised to find Tegoshi waiting outside the building for him looking sullen, and when he asks what the problem is, Tegoshi's eyes are sad and worried.

Ueda thinks his heart might break from the sight alone.

"It hurts~" He says, and Ueda smiles softly.

"That's normal, it was your first time!"

"But... My hands are all bruised..." Tegoshi lifts his hands and his eyes, knuckles turning black and eyes swimming with tears.

Ueda stomps down on the urge to hug the smaller man, settling for a hand on his shoulder instead. "It gets better once your hands toughen up, I promise."

"Really?"

Ueda nods.

"Oh." The tears disappear, and Tegoshi looks thoughtful, before cocking his head. "I don't think I want to be a boxer anymore."

He doesn't give Ueda time to answer before he's gone; not that he would have known what to say had Tegoshi stayed.

It was almost a shame. He'd rather liked the thought of having a boxing partner.