Chapter "For Mother's Sake"

Hanae's eyes fluttered open, and she found herself reclined on a bed. Sitting up, she surveyed her surroundings, realizing she was in an unknown apartment in Hisashi's apartment and that morning had already arrived.

Hanae's expression shifted to one of confusion as Hisashi emerged from the kitchen, clutching a cup of coffee. His face reddened as he caught sight of her, quickly averting his gaze.

Meanwhile, Hanae's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she realized her shoulder was exposed due to her fallen top. Hastily readjusting her clothing, Silence settled over the room, thick with discomfort.

Hisashi nervously suggested, "You should head back to your place. It's already morning, and you might be late for university."

Hanae, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, softly murmured, "Thank you." Hisashi remained silent, his demeanour bashful and unsure.

Hanae whispered softly once more, "I'll leave now." Hisashi nodded in response.

She rose from the bed, collected her bag, and began to make her way towards the main door. As she reached for the doorknob, she hesitated and turned to face Hisashi, who met her gaze.

With a gentle smile, she inquired, "You'll come to university, won't you?" Hisashi's cheeks flushed crimson as he glanced down, replying softly, "Um, yeah."

A warm smile graced her lips as she opened the door and stepped outside, leaving Hisashi alone in the apartment.

Hisashi let out a deep sigh and settled onto his bed, taking a sip of his coffee.

After a moment, he emerged from his apartment, locking the door behind him. As he descended the stairs, he noticed Subaru waiting downstairs. Subaru's face lit up with a smile as he caught sight of Hisashi, waving enthusiastically in greeting.

Hisashi approached Subaru, and they exchanged fist bumps.

Subaru asked, “Looking forward to visiting Ryugari-Sha?” Hisashi smiled and replied, “Definitely, I hope we make it through the admission process.”

Subaru chuckled, saying, “C'mon, we both have some karate skills. I'm sure we'll nail it.” Hisashi nodded, smiling in agreement.

Subaru suggested, "Ready to go?" Hisashi paused, responding, "Actually, I need to make a quick stop first."

Curious, Subaru inquired, "Where to?"

Hisashi explained, "I'm moving to a new place, so the real estate agent will be here any minute to pick me up.”

Subaru inquired, "Why the sudden move?" Hisashi replied, "No particular reason, just the landlord wants me out."

Subaru nodded understandingly, suggesting, "Well then, let's go together." Hisashi smiled and agreed.

Shortly after, the agent arrived on his two-seater bike, pulling up in front of Hisashi. "Hurry up, Hisashi. I'm on a tight schedule," he urged impatiently.

Hisashi and Subaru glanced at the bike, noticing only one seat available. Subaru reassured, "Don't worry, I'll wait for you."

Hisashi insisted, "No, you should head to Ryugari-Sha and secure your admission. Once I'm done here, I'll join you." Subaru smiled and agreed, "Alright," as they exchanged a fist bump.

Hisashi settled onto the bike, and they drove off, leaving Subaru to continue on foot toward Ryugari-Sha with a smile on his face.

After two hours had passed, Hisashi was now on his way back with the agent.

The agent brought the bike to a stop in front of Hisashi’s apartment building, and Hisashi dismounted from the bike,

The agent let out a heavy sigh before delivering his verdict to Hisashi. "Hisashi, you won't find any apartment in that price range. You need to expand your budget. Give me a call when you're ready to reconsider." With that, he drove off, leaving Hisashi standing there, his expression devoid of emotion.

His gaze fell to his watch, and with a resigned air, he turned and began to walk away from his apartment,

As Hisashi strolled along, he suddenly came to a stop, his gaze lifting to find himself standing before the imposing facade of the Ryugari-Sha Dojo.

Filled with determination, Hisashi muttered to himself, "This is my last hope. I'll do whatever it takes to succeed." With resolve in his heart, he marched towards the main gate of Ryugari-Sha.

Upon entering the dojo, Hisashi was greeted by the sight of numerous students engaged in rigorous punching training. His eyes widened after seeing luxury of the Dojo

As Hisashi scanned his surroundings, his eyes fell upon a large bell hanging nearby. With unwavering determination, he reached out and struck the bell, the sound resonating loudly throughout the dojo.

The sudden noise drew the attention of every student, causing them to pause their training and turn to face Hisashi, who stood confidently.

In response, The students gradually shifted aside, a clear pathway formed, leading directly to 'Taigu Kosuke' who stood there, his gaze fixed upon Hisashi.

Hisashi's attention was drawn to Subaru among the students, clad in the Ryugari-Sha uniform. Despite the bandages adorning his bruised face, Subaru's joy at seeing Hisashi was evident. While Hisashi felt a mix of confusion and concern at Subaru's condition, he couldn't help but smile, knowing that his friend had secured admission.

The booming voice of Taigu Kosuke resonated through the dojo, demanding, "Who are you, kid?"

Hisashi quickly straightened up, bowing respectfully as he introduced himself, "I am Hisashi Ogawa, 21 years old. I want to become a member of this Dojo."

Kosuke's smile was reassuring as he signals Hisashi to come forward. With determination, Hisashi walked towards Taigu Kosuke, his confidence unwavering. As he stood before Taigu Kosuke, the Ryugari-Sha students lined up behind Hisashi.

Taigu Kosuke inquired, "Do you possess the courage to be a part of this dojo?" Hisashi responded with a swift nod.

"Then let's put it to the test," declared Taigu Kosuke. "To gain admission to Ryugari-Sha, I must witness your potential, your courage. If you truly have what it takes to be a part of Ryugari-Sha, you must pass this test.”

Hisashi nodded eagerly, affirming, "I'm prepared for whatever comes."

Kosuke nodded in response, outlining the challenge, "Very well. For this test, you'll fight with one of my students. I understand you may not win, but you must endure. You'll have five minutes to withstand his attacks. No running, no hiding—just blocking or fighting back." Hisashi placed his fist over his heart, a symbol of his determination.

Kosuke continued, his voice firm, "During these five minutes, if you fall, you must rise within five seconds. Failure to do so means you're not worthy of Ryugari-Sha." Hisashi nodded, acknowledging the challenge.

Kosuke raised his voice, "Who among you is willing to face-" Before he could finish, a voice cut in, eager and determined, "I'll take him on!”

As Hisashi turned to face the challenger, his eyes widened in disbelief. Standing before him was Todoka, the very same boy who had mistreated Hanae earlier, the one Hisashi had punched. And next to him stood Taiga, the one responsible for Kojiro's death. Both Taiga and Todoka, adorned in Ryugari-Sha uniforms, locked eyes with Hisashi, who stood in stunned silence.

Kosuke declared, "Very well then, Todoka, you're up against him." An evil grin spread across Todoka's face as he confidently walked forward and positioned himself to face Hisashi.

Hisashi felt a wave of nervousness and fear wash over him as he glanced at Subaru for reassurance. To his relief, Subaru was smiling confidently and gave him a reassuring thumbs up,

As Hisashi's eyes locked onto Todoka's sinister grin, Kosuke's words reverberated in his ears: "Hisashi, if you die, then you die. But if you endure, then you'll earn your place in Ryugari-Sha.”

With determination, Hisashi dropped his bag to the ground and assumed a fighting stance. With resolve firmly in his heart, Hisashi thought to himself, "I have to do this. for mother’s sake i have to do this, i have to"

His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of fear and determination coursing through him. Meanwhile, Todoka's smirk remained unchanged as the bell rang, signalling the start of their showdown.