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They caught him. Yagami-san, Amasawa-senpai and Kento lured him into a trap, and now they know the truth. That Oshikiri Kenya is the Payback Boxer, the person challenging people to fights all over Ijincho.
Kenya should’ve expected this to happen sooner or later. After all, he was never the best at covering his tracks. And Kento’s older sister is the leader of the MRC, a club that has an actual detective as its advisor now (how did Kenya never suspect Yagami-san suddenly joining his boxing gym?), so no wonder they got on the case and tracked him down.
And not only that, but Kento posed as his next victim. If he hadn’t revealed his identity in time, Kenya might have attacked his friend. He has always feared he’ll murder someone when he goes into the kill mode his father instilled in him (and the mere thought of Pops and the horrors he put Kenya through makes his palms sweat and his chest go tight), and if he’d done it to his friend… He wouldn’t be able to live with himself.
Just thinking about that makes his stomach churn, so Kenya focuses on his conversation with Yagami-san. Apparently, Coach has given him permission to get into the ring again to spar with Yagami. He went through all that training just to fight Kenya. How can he refuse a fight when someone is so dedicated to sparring with him?
(But the thought about almost attacking Kento lingers over him.)
After parting ways with Kenya and Yagami-san, Kento follows his sister into a taxi. As the taxi speeds through Ijincho, Kento can’t stop thinking about Kenya and what he learned. Not only was his friend actually the Payback Boxer all along, but poor Kenya is seriously messed up all because his father treated him like a killing machine. It would be suicide, but Kento wonders how satisfying it would be to punch Kenya’s father in the face.
“Are you okay, Kento?” Kyoko says as he leans his head against the window.
“Just thinking,” he mumbles.
“Are you worried about Oshikiri-kun?”
“Of course I am,” Kento says. “How can I not be?”
“You care about him, don’t you?” Kyoko says, her tone fond.
Normally, Kento would bicker with his older sister, but after learning about Kenya’s past, he can’t bring himself to. Instead, he just nods, thinking about the day he and Kenya became friends, when Kenya obliterated the kids bullying him and helped Kento back to his feet.
(If he’s being totally honest, he developed a massive crush on Kenya that day too. But he has no idea what to do with those feelings.)
“I… I had no idea his life was so…” Kento trails off, not sure what to say.
“I understand.” Kyoko puts her hand on his arm. “I’m sure sparring with Yagami-san will help him. He always knows what to do.”
Kento smiles weakly, hoping his sister is correct. He wants Kenya to be safe and happy and enjoying life.