SHINJI TAKERU
When I woke up, the morning light filtering through the curtains, I noticed Yumi hovering over Takumi, her fingers gently checking his temperature. I felt a pang of frustration and reached out, gripping her hand. "Stop touching him," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "You'll wake him up."
Yumi looked up, her face a mixture of concern and determination. "Rykeru Goro is upset and wants us to leave now, but we all refuse to go without Takumi. He's selecting a new group to replace us."
Anger surged through me. "What? He's just going to abandon Takumi like that?"
Yumi nodded, her eyes showing solidarity with our cause. "We've refused to go without him. Rykeru Goro is picking a new team."
I stood up, frustration bubbling to the surface.
"What are you going to do? You cannot cause trouble, Shinji. He's the mentor!" Yumi yelled.
Without a word to her, I stormed out of the room and headed straight for Rykeru Goro's office. I barged in, slamming my hands on his desk. "Why are you selecting a new team? We can't just leave Takumi behind!"
Rykeru Goro looked up, his expression darkening. "We can't wait indefinitely for him to recover. The mission needs to proceed."
I leaned in, my voice low and fierce. "If you pick someone else, I swear you'll feel my wrath."
Rykeru Goro's eyes narrowed. "Show some respect, Shinji."
I didn't flinch. "Fine. If you want to make this a contest, then let's settle it. I'll fight your new team. If I win, you wait for Takumi."
Rykeru Goro considered this for a moment before nodding. "Very well. If you can defeat them, I'll give you one more day."
He called in the new group: four boys and a girl, all of them trained and ready. I stood in the center, my resolve firm. As soon as Rykeru Goro blew the whistle, the fight began.
It was a brutal and swift confrontation. I moved with precision and power, taking down the five trained students one by one. The battle was over quickly, leaving me victorious. I turned to Rykeru Goro, my expression cold. "We'll wait for Takumi."
Rykeru Goro, however, wasn't finished. He drew his sword, his eyes challenging me. "Now it's my turn."
"That wasn't part of the deal!" I said.
A grin appeared on his face. "Why? Are scared to loose to me?" He mocked.
I scoffed. "As if."
The fight that followed was intense. Each of our strikes was met with equal ferocity, neither of us giving an inch. I managed to cut his left arm, and as I prepared for another strike, Yumi's voice cut through the tension.
"Stop!" she shouted.
We both turned to see Takumi standing beside her, his eyes tired and a faint smile appearing on his face. A small, genuine smile flickered on my face, but I quickly replaced it with my usual stoic expression.
I addressed Rykeru Goro with a final warning. "Let us go with Takumi to the city, or I'll tell the team about the liquid you planned to give him. You might have some explaining to do."
Rykeru Goro's frown deepened, but he nodded reluctantly. "Fine. You have my permission to leave."
With that, I turned and walked away, not sparing a word for Takumi. The tension of the past few days hung heavy between us, and despite my relief at his recovery, I kept my distance. The urgency of our mission remained, and I had no intention of letting my guard down.
As we were prepping to head out, Takumi suddenly plopped down beside me. I looked up from my gear, half-expecting another of his impulsive decisions. "What's up?" I asked.
He took a deep breath and said, "Shinji, I wanted to thank you for saving my life."
I scoffed. "You always do stupid things, Takumi. It's nothing."
He just smiled at me. "I was trying to thank you, not get insulted."
He stood up to leave, but I stopped him. "Hey, Takumi."
He turned back, and I said, "I'm glad you survived. Though, life might have been easier if you hadn't."
He chuckled and, without warning, pulled me into a hug. It took me by surprise, and I froze for a moment. "Thanks, Shinji," he said warmly.
I was caught off guard by the hug, and for a second, I didn't know how to react. I patted his back awkwardly. When he finally let go, I could see the genuine gratitude in his eyes, but I quickly masked my surprise with my usual impassive expression.
"I got your back in this fight," he said and walked away. I chuckled softly as I watched him join the others, I couldn't shake the odd warmth left by the hug. I resumed getting ready, trying to focus on the mission ahead, but part of me kept replaying that unexpected moment of connection.