"Oh, come on!" Julian goaded, stepping off the mat and walking toward the older man. "Are you scared? I promise I’ll go at ten percent. You can throw the first punch. It’ll be fun. Give the kids a show."
Julian’s tone was condescending, dripping with the kind of mock-pity that makes a teenager want to punch a wall. The younger students in the bleachers giggled nervously. Sensei Vance stepped forward, clearly about to shut it down, but Elias raised a single, calloused hand.
"It is okay, Sensei," Elias said softly. He looked at Julian, a strange, almost sorrowful expression crossing his face. "If the young man insists on a lesson, I suppose I can spare two minutes."
Julian grinned triumphantly. He jogged back to the center of the mat, bouncing on his toes, throwing rapid-fire shadow punches into the air.
Elias slowly pushed his mop bucket against the wall. He unhooked the top of his overalls, letting them drop to his waist, revealing a faded, sweat-stained white t-shirt underneath. He slipped off his heavy work boots, aligning them perfectly parallel against the wall. He stepped onto the tatami mat in his bare feet.