The Former Marine

It was still February, and Derek Rogan's gym was still thriving. Celebrity visits were no longer uncommon, but when Kylie Jenner started showing up more often, things changed a bit. Derek was used to Kendall visiting, but now there was a new face joining her, and the dynamic at the gym began to change.

It was a sunny morning when Derek walked into the gym, ready for another day of training. The room was already full of students stretching and preparing for the day's classes. As he organized the last details, Kendall walked in with her usual confident demeanor. But this time, Kylie was by his side, as promised at the party a few days ago.

Derek glanced at the two sisters and smiled. "Good morning, Kendall. I see you brought company today."

Kendall smiled back. "Yes, it seems I managed to convince my sister to come with me."

Kylie, with a determined look on her face and a slight smile on her lips, approached and extended her hand.

"Hi, Derek. I've decided to take Kendall's advice and try some classes. I want to see if I'm really any good at this."

Derek shook her hand firmly, always maintaining his professional demeanor.

"Well, self-defense is something anyone can learn with dedication. And from what I know about you, you don't give up easily."

Kylie laughed lightly, adjusting her hair behind her ear.

"I have my moments. But let's see if I can keep up."

The first class was intense, but Derek knew how to balance the difficulty well, especially when it came to new students. He went through all the basic moves, from simple defense techniques to some more advanced combinations that Kendall was already mastering. As Kylie tried to keep up, Derek noticed that she was a dedicated student, just like her sister. She was focused, attentive to detail, and didn't hesitate to ask questions when she didn't understand a move.

Derek approached her after demonstrating a restraint technique.

"You're doing great, Kylie. Remember, the key is to take your time. Focus on each movement."

Kylie looked at him with a tired but determined smile.

"I get it. I just didn't know I'd sweat so much in class."

He laughed, something rare for Derek, but the situation called for it.

"Well, no one said it would be easy."

She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her hand and tried the movement again, this time slower and more precisely. When she finally got it right, Derek nodded approvingly.

"That's it! Much better."

Kendall, who was standing nearby, laughed as she watched her sister progress.

"I told you it wasn't all glamour, Ky."

Kylie rolled her eyes but smiled.

"I know, I know. But I can do it."

The days passed, and as each class went by, Kylie started to show up more often. What started as an occasional appearance by Kendall's side soon became a regular occurrence. She not only attended classes, but she began to ask for more focused training, especially with Derek. And, as usual, he met her requests with the same seriousness and dedication he had with all his students.

There was one particular moment, one afternoon of training, when Kylie was having difficulty with a tackling technique. She had tried several times, but it seemed that she always missed the right moment to act.

"Don't get frustrated," Derek said calmly as he walked towards her. "It's about patience. The timing will come naturally, you just need to focus and wait for the right opportunity."

Kylie sighed, clearly frustrated with the situation. "I know, but I never seem to get the timing right."

Derek gave her a slight smile, always calm. "Want to try with me? I can show you the correct rhythm."

She nodded, and Derek got into an attacking position, holding Kylie's arm to simulate the movement. With precision, he guided her arm, showing her the correct timing for the tackling.

"Now," he said calmly, and Kylie, sensing the moment, successfully executed the move. She looked at Derek in surprise, her eyes shining with excitement.

"I did it!"

Derek nodded.

"Yes, you did. Now try it again on your own."

Kylie repeated the move several times, each time with more confidence, until she finally mastered it.

"It's… kind of addictive," she said, laughing lightly.

Kendall, who was across the room, smiled at her sister.

"I told you! After a while, you can't stop."

Derek's routine continued, but he could tell Kylie's presence was creating a buzz among the other members. It was hard to ignore the fact that two of the most famous women in the world were regularly training at his gym. Media attention was slowly creeping in, but Derek always kept his focus on what mattered: his students and their progress.

One day, after a particularly tough class, Kylie and Kendall were sitting in the break room, drinking water and catching their breath. Derek walked over to check on them.

"How was today?" he asked, already knowing the class had been tough.

Kendall, who was used to it, shrugged. "It was good. It always is."

Kylie, on the other hand, was exhausted but smiling. "I didn't know something so physical could be so satisfying."

Derek smiled back. "That's the whole point. The more you put in the work, the more rewarding it becomes."

Kylie looked at him thoughtfully.

"I really like this. I think I finally found something that really challenges me."

Kendall playfully nudged her sister.

"Well, I told you Derek knows his stuff. Maybe we should make him our personal trainer from now on."

Kylie laughed, but there was a hint of seriousness in her response.

"I'd like that, actually. He really knows how to motivate us."

Derek, ever humble, just shook his head.

"You guys deserve it. I'm just showing you the way."

The two sisters looked at each other and smiled. Clearly, Derek Rogan had earned not only the respect but also the admiration of the Jenners. As the weeks went by, Derek's gym routine continued to thrive, but now with the constant addition of Kylie. She not only attended classes, but also brought in other celebrities interested in the intense and focused workout that Derek offered. Little by little, he became the center of a community of people seeking discipline and self-improvement.

For Derek, it was just another day at work—even if, now, that work involved some of the most famous people on the planet.