The fight between Kentaro and Kana quickly spread around school. Some kids even went up to Hiro for confirmation. He told them all the same thing.
"She just stuck up for me, that's all."
In each of his classes they were talking about it.
"It was her first day here and she's already in a fight."
"Nobody would be worse than Kentaro."
"I heard Hiro asked her to protect him."
"Heh, what a loser."
Hiro was unable to concentrate. His mind kept going back to Kana.
What could the principle do to Kana? It was only her first day. They couldn't suspend her already. I knew I should've went outside for lunch.
The chime rang, signaling the end of the school day. Hiro quickly left the classroom and rounded a corner, wanting to forget the events that happened today.
"I hope she isn't in any kind of trouble. If I had only- Gaaaa!"
Hiro slammed right into someone.
"D****t watch where you're going!" He said holding his sore nose.
The other person grabbed him by his uniform.
"Don't you curse at me like that! Now apologize or I'll- Oh it's you Hiro!"
"Kana? You're still here?" Hiro asked surprised.
"Where else would I be?" She released her grip.
"I just thought Mr. Dartsy would've suspended you."
"He can't do that. It's only my first day here. I told him that I slapped him in self defense. He was planning to attack me after all. I was let off with a warning."
"He, Kentaro wouldn't go that far, would he?"
"I was prepared for that. As for him, he was suspended. I'm guessing he has a decent fight record to get put out on the spot."
"Suspended? He's gone?"
"For the time being yeah. Why do you sound so surprised?"
Hiro began to explain, but stopped himself.
"It's nothing. I'll see you later Kana."
Hiro tried to walk away, but she grabbed him by his uniform again.
"Oh no no no no! I wanna know what happened between you two. Now spill it."
Hiro clenched his teeth. He opened his mouth but no words were able to come out. He shook his head. Kana could sense that whatever happened, it took a toll on him. She felt that she made him recall a bad experience of his past. She eased her fingers off his uniform.
"Sorry, I didn't want to sound threatening. I just thought you'd want to talk about it. Well, see you tomorrow."
She walked away.
"Kana wait!"
Kana stopped and turned back. Hiro hesitated a bit.
"If.....if it's you I talk about this with, then I guess it's alright. I mean, if you really want to know..."
Kana smiled and grabbed his arm.
"Let's go!"
They ran out of the school, and into the streets.
"Go? Go where?!" Hiro asked.
"Take me somewhere that has the best steaks!"
"Well can we slow down first?"
"Nope! Just give me directions and I'll led us there!"
"Good grief..."
After many backtracking, they were finally able to make it to Kansmai, Hiro's favorite food stand. He use to eat here after school, but doesn't come quite often anymore. He still enjoyed the food nonetheless. Kana ordered two steaks.
"I'll pay for it." Hiro said taking out his wallet.
Kana slapped the wallet from his hands.
"What the hell..."
"I brought you here so I'll pay for it. Besides, it would be rude if I just expected you to pay."
Kana paid for two medium sized steaks. They took their food to a round circular table.
"Oh this smells so good!"
Kana quickly started devouring her steak. Hiro on the other hand used his fork and knife to cut the steak into little pieces. He ate one piece at a time. Kana looked at him in disgust.
"You are such a girlie girl..."
"Because I like to eat with dignity instead of shoving my food down my throat like a gorilla?" He said eating another small piece.
Kana stared at him for a long time.
"You wanna say that again?"
Hiro stopped eating and looked at Kana's face. She had a cold expression that threw Hiro for a serious loop. He couldn't predict what she would do if he did challenge her, so instead...
"Who me? No, I didn't say anything. Heheheh, oh boy....."
"That's what I thought. Now tell me the story between you and Kentaro."
Hiro stopped eating and looked at Kana. This time her face was full of curiosity, and her eyes looked determined to learn the truth. Hiro sighed, and put down his eating utensils.
"It started two years ago, in my first year of high school..."
Hiro began walking home from school after staying to be a last minute replacement for a soccer match, which his team won.
"My legs are pretty sore from that match. I didn't even have time to stretch. We won though, so that's what really matters. I'll have to ice this when I get home too."
Hiro rubbed his right leg. During the game, someone tried stealing the ball from him, and ended up kicking him hard, leaving a purple bruise on his leg.
The sun was starting to set over Junbai city. He stopped to admire the nice scenery.
"Junbai city looks nice during this time of day. I can't get enough of these... Hmm?"
Hiro looked a bit closer out north. Downhill near a river stream, he seen a kid cowering in fear. A bigger, muscular guy was standing over him.
"Why are you doing this? I haven't done anything wrong!" The scared boy said.
"I didn't get my daily workout today, so I need to keep myself in shape by beating on a few people." Kentaro said cracking his knuckles.
"Then go to the gym!" He yelled.
Kentaro grabbed the boy by his shirt and cocked his fist back.
"No, this is a better workout for me. Besides the gym is halfway across town!"
"How about I get my workout going too?!"
Hiro came from behind and swung his bag over Kentaro's head.
"Guh!"
Kentaro dropped the boy and was on his knees holding his head.
"Who did that?!"
Kentaro looked back at the two boys. His eyes became red with anger.
"OH IT'S ON NOW!"
Hiro looked at the boy and knew who he was.
"Totam! You really need better friends." He said making a small joke.
"Forget the small joke, and he isn't a friend of mine. Let's get out of here Hiro!"
"Good idea."
They both began running. They heard footsteps coming from behind, and knew Kentaro was hot on their trail.
"I know you can run faster than that Hiro. He's gaining on us!" Totam said.
"Huff huff.... I know..."
Damn, wrong time to get injured. I'm not running as fast I should be.
Hiro began slowing down. Kentaro grinned with delight. ju
Looks like my workout schedule just got extended. I got another one to pulverize!
Kentaro was right behind Hiro, and made a football like tackle, catching and bringing Hiro to the ground.
"Woah!"
Totam looked behind him. Kentaro started punching Hiro left and right. Totam shook his head and kept running.
"You see what being a hero gets you punk?! Thought you could pull a fast one on me, getting a cheap shot and then run?! Not today!"
Kentaro gave him one more good punch, then got off him. Hiro's nose was bleeding and his eye was a bit swollen. He dusted himself off and held his head high.
"Workout complete. I don't think I built my arms enough though. Maybe this will help!"
Kentaro grabbed Hiro's bag and chucked it in the lake.
"Ahhhh I feel stronger already. Shouldn't stick your nose where it doesn't belong kid. Oh look at this! You have the same uniform as me! Looks like we're going to be seeing a lot of each other. See you at school bhahahaha!"
Hiro could hear his laughter fade away in the distance. He picked himself up, his body aching from head to toe. He looked in the river and his bag was nowhere to be seen.
Probably drifted off, or at the bottom by now...
He spit out the blood in his mouth, and walked home.
"I've been tormented by him ever since. Everyone I've helped, everyone I gave my time and energy to, didn't bother to do anything!"
Hiro's hands started to shake, then bawled into fists.
"Those cowards! I've never asked anything in return, or expected anything for my help! When I finally needed someone's aid, what did they do?! They walked off, stared, even laughed at me! THEY ALL TURNED THEIR BACKS ON ME! THOSE DAMN B******S!"
Hiro threw the table, causing the steaks to fly off. Others that were around stopped eating and talking stared at them. Some people backed away, afraid of what he was going to do next. Kana grabbed Hiro's hand and quickly led him away.
Kana wasn't sure where they were going, but they soon found themselves in a park. Pine forests surrounded the nature filled park, children were running around, a river stretched down the park too.
"This place is so nice isn't it Hiro?" She said looking all over.
Hiro hung his head down, still angry, embarrassed, and ashamed by his actions.
"Hello? Are you there?" She waved her hand in his face, but still no reaction.
"Kana...... Why are you around me?" He finally broke his silence.
"What's that suppose to mean? Am I not good company or what? Because I-"
"Stop joking around!" Hiro raised his voice a bit, showing that his demeanor still hasn't changed.
The sudden tone startled Kana. She kept quiet.
"Everyone...... Everyone didn't want to be around me or talk to me, because they were afraid of getting the same treatment. You saw what happened today, when Kentaro comes back he'll just be nasty towards us. You were just a transfer student so you didn't know what you were getting yourself into, but it's too late now. You should've let me be. That way I wouldn't have dragged you down with me..."
Hiro's eyes showed so much sadness that it pained Kana to look at him. They're was so much anger in them when he told his past, and she thought he was blaming and pointing fingers at everyone. Seeing him like this, it really showed that Hiro did indeed cared for everyone. When he saw how they really acted, it completely shut Hiro down, and he's been alone ever since.
"Hiro, that's a nice name isn't it? It's like hero, except yours is spelled with an I instead of an e."
"What's your point...."
"I'm saying that you have every right to feel this way. Angry towards Kentaro and angry towards the ones who turned their backs on you. That just shows how much you really care for people."
Hiro didn't say anything. She was right about that though. Hiro did care about others, maybe a little too much. He didn't know where his kindness came from, but everyone was grateful for that, because they never seen anyone care so much about their problems as he did.
"As for me well, I'm not the type to run away from someone who has a problem, or step down to bullies. So in a way, I'm like a hero too huh? Scratch that, a heroine."
Another fact Hiro couldn't ignore. Kana stepping up to Kentaro was an eye opener, that they're people who still protects the ones who can't protect themselves.
"Even heroes need help... What'll happen if everyone runs away when you need them the most..."
"For you, I'll be your hero. So that way..."
Kana took a step towards Hiro.
"I'll be your second hero, so you won't have to do everything alone, right Hiro.. Hehehe, it's funny comparing the two isn't it."
Hiro's eyes grew wide. A part of him wanted to thank Kana, because she was the first one who didn't run in the face of danger, but another didn't trust her, not yet anyway. He put his hands in his pockets and kept walking.
"So what was that weird stance you did at the cafeteria? Do you know martial arts?" Hiro said trying to change the subject.
"As a matter of fact I do. My mom is a martial artist herself. She runs a dojo at our house. Maybe you can join and we could practice together."
Hiro raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"So sorry, it's a girl's only dojo. Better luck somewhere else."
A vain popped out of his forehead.
"Then why would you recommend it to me..."
"Oh the look on your face was well worth it haha."
"I don't know why my name is Hiro anyway." He said changing the subject once again.
"Maybe it's because you are a hero, you just don't know it yet."
"Tsk, you sound like a fortune cookie."
Kana grabbed him and pulled him in for a headlock.
"How about I break you like a fortune cookie?!"
"Uncle UNCLE!"
After they walked around the park some more, they said their goodbyes. Hiro unlocked the door to his house.
"Mom, dad, I'm home."
No answer.
"Working late again huh?"
He walked into the kitchen to see two notes on the fridge. One from his mother and the other his father.
"Dear Son, your mother and I are working again. Sorry we can't be there as much but we'll get to have some father-son time soon. I promise."
"Dear Hiro, I hope you're studying and working hard in school. I want my handsome boy to get a good education and go to college like his big sister. Tell me everything that's happened when I get back. I've made some food in the fridge when you get hungry." P.S. I smell like butt.
"Dad is so childish..."
Hiro sighed.
"It can't be helped. I guess it's another day here by myself."
He took the food from the fridge and began starting on his homework.
"I'm home!"
Kana returned to her home. A pretty nice sized house with two floors, a furnished living room with two white couches and a coffee table in the middle, and a scent of lavender sparkled in the air.
"Hey honey," Han said reading the newspaper on the couch. Han was a big muscular man, bigger than Kentaro. He had on a light blue button up shirt with a black tie, black slacks and dress shoes. He had short, sleek black hair. She kissed her father on the cheek.
"You just got back from work huh?"
"Yeah, work was killer today. Selling homes isn't easy you know."
"I can tell. Where's mom?"
"She's just finishing her class. She'll probably chew you our for missing it."
Kana hung in her in shame.
"Oh man, I totally forgot...."
"What kept you out all day that you would miss training?"
"I was out with my new friend."
"Heh, you never did have any problems making friends."
Kana could hear multiple footsteps coming through the kitchen. Girls in white Akido uniforms were coming from the dojo, just ready to leave. They waved to Kana as they left.
"Hey you're Kana right?" One girl stopped to ask Kana the question.
Kana put her hands on her hips.
"Depends on who's asking."
"Me. I'm Setsuna Shiranui."
Setsuna had short black hair and dark blue eyes. She had the stern face of a tomboy but had the body of an athlete.
"Your name has been going around school lately, and I want to hear what happened directly from you."
"Nothing happened really. A bully picked on my friend, so I was going to put the hurt on him."
"I like that answer. So who was that friend? His name is Hiro right?"
"Yeah..."
Suddenly, an idea came and slapped her in the face.
"Could you tell me how Hiro was before he became all gloomy?"
"How he was? Well he definitely smiled more. Plus he was more friendly, now he doesn't talk to anybody. I have a few classes with him so I know, he would make jokes and pulled some pranks on the teachers. This may sound weird, but he had a glowing aura."
"A.......glowing aura?"
"It's hard to explain, but when you're around him, you couldn't help but smile. He had that affect on people. I liked him better when he was like that. Now he's just a walking zombie."
"It seems you have some intimate feelings for our little Hiro." She said jokingly.
"Yeah right! Now he just acts like a giant a*s to everybody. Like I would like a guy like that! Ugh, I'll see you tomorrow."
Setsuna quickly left the house.
"This is going to be so very interesting."
"And where were you young lady? You missed today's class." Kana's mother, Juna, said.
She entered the living room through the kitchen. Kana's looks mostly came from her mother. They both had long brown hair, but Juna's being a tad darker than Kana's. Soft blue eyes with pink lip gloss, smooth light skin with a slender body.
"Sorry mom. I had a good reason though."
"Humph, I bet. Wash your hands. Dinner will be ready soon."
"Alright!"
Kana, Han, and Juna were eating a nice delicate meal. Tempura with grilled fish, white rice and salad thrown in the middle.
"So Kana, how was your first day at school," Han asked.
"It was interesting. I almost got into a fight."
"That's my girl!"
"Don't become a thug like your father Kana. Use your words instead of your fists." Juna said.
"I'm still a thug in your eyes I see."
"Yes."
"Heh.."
Han rubbed his nose with confidence.
"Well then, who's the real thug in the bedroom huh?"
"That would be me."
Han fell out of his chair.
"I.....didn't need to know that... That's not all though. I was able to find Hiro."
Han returned in his seat rather quickly. Her parent's faces grew serious.
"Hiro Yatakashi? That's Fuji and Shami's boy right," Han asked.
"That's the whole reason we moved here to Junbai." Juna said.
"Asahi asked me to bring Hiro to the Spirit World as soon as possible. He's really not how I imagined he'd be, not completely anyway. Is he really this Full Blue Moon descendant?"
"Shami is very protective over her son," Juna said folding her arms on the table. "Most likely she didn't tell him anything about the prophecy."
"I hope he shows me something good. I moved all the way from West Point for this guy!"
Fuji and Shami returned to their house well after midnight. The house was still and silent.
"I hate coming home like this," Fuji said taking off his coat. "It feels so depressing."
"How do you think Hiro feels? He comes home to this almost everyday." Shami said.
"You're..... You're right. Sorry for saying that. I'll check on Hiro."
Fuji went into Hiro's room to see him sleeping at his desk with lamp shining on him.
"Shami, I don't think you have to worry about Hiro slacking off."
Shami went and looked at Hiro. She gave a heart warming smile.
"I'm glad to see he's keeping up with his schoolwork."
"Me too. Right now we have to make sure he becomes an exceptional warrior."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
Shami started to shake. She put her hands over her shoulders to stop herself.
"Why does it have to be our son? This prophecy, why us? I want my son to become something other than some tool used to help the Spirit World."
Fuji held his wife tightly, and brought her into his chest.
"He isn't a tool. He was chosen, we have to accept that. He'll become a great man and a great hero. Just believe in him, he has the name after all."
Shami stopped shaking, but doubt still clouded her mind.
"Do you regret it?" Fuji asked.
Shami shook her head no.
They both kissed Hiro on his head, then they both faded away into the Spirit World.
No, not one bit. I love my little Hiro,
but I'm worried. Worried about how this'll affect him. Why did it have to be him... -Shami Yatakashi
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