Awakening

The suckerpunch had landed squarely on Ren's nose and he went tumbling down in a heap.

Shiinchiro, panicking, tried to prop him up, but Ren was too heavy. "Someone help me!" Shiinchiro shouted, looking around for assistance.

A few students hesitated before stepping forward to help. Together, they managed to lift Ren and carry him to the school nurse's office. As they laid him down on a bed, the school nurse quickly began to check his vitals.

"He is very exhausted and has clearly been sporting a mild concussion for awhile now, " the nurse said, frowning. "He is going to need to rest here for the day. "

Shiinchiro nodded, feeling relieved. "Thanks, " he muttered, staying by Ren's side.

As Ren lay unconscious, his mind drifted through fragmented memories and dreams. Scenes from his past mixed with recent events, creating a chaotic swirl of images and emotions. He saw his brother, their childhood park, Fubuki's cafe, Matsuno and his Third Division and finally his fight with Yuto.

In the midst of this turmoil, a figure appeared—Hasegawa, standing tall and confident.

Ren's dream-self tried to confront him, but he was paralyzed, unable to move or speak. Hasegawa's eyes bore into him, a mix of challenge and amusement.

"You're not ready Ren, " Hasegawa's voice echoed in Ren's mind. "But you will be someday."

With those words, the dream faded, and Ren's consciousness abruptly returned, as if he had been yanked out.

He blinked, trying to adjust to the bright lights of the nurse's office. Shiinchiro's relieved face came into his focus.

"Hey! " Shiinchiro said loudly. "Thank goodness! You're alright. "

"Too closeeeee! " Ren yelled as he pushed Shiinchiro's face away from his. "Why is your face so close?! "

"Oh, this is the thanks I get," Shiinchiro puffed.

Ren tried to sit up, wincing at the pain in his head. "What happened?"

"You got sucker-punched and passed out," Shiinchiro explained. "But don't you worry, you're safe now."

"You brought me here?"

"Yeah, but I had a little help. You're awfully heavy as hell." Shiinchiro smiled sheepishly.

"Thanks a lot, Sato."

"So this totally makes up for earlier, right? Remember when I almost ran you over with my bike?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Sato. I'm cool," Ren assured, easing Shiinchiro's worries.

"And are you really going to keep calling me that?" Shiinchiro frowned. "Shiin. Most of my friends call me Shiin."

"Alright, Shiin," Ren sighed.

Ren threw himself back on the bed. A lot of things didn't make sense to him since he arrived in town yesterday.

The brief moment during his fight with the Kotekai where he saved Fubuki, but he couldn't even remember how he did it. And today, during his fight with Yuto, he felt a sense of déjà vu when he was falling, as if he had already experienced it.

And now this weird dream.

"What was even that dream anyway?" Ren thought.

The events of yesterday also compounded his worries, the thought that he would be in a worse shape had he not been saved by the Third Division and today largely unable to keep up with Yuto during some parts of the fight have taught him that he's not yet at the level he would like.

Reminded by his own vulnerability. "I need to get stronger," he muttered to himself, frustrated.

"Yeah, well, maybe take it easy for now," Shiinchiro suggested. "You've got plenty of time to do that afterwards."

"You're really something! You actually landed a clean hit on Yuto!" Shiin sounded impressed. "Not many Third Years can even last 10 seconds against him but you landed that kick out of nowhere."

"That kick was wicked. You're so flexible." Shiin said, holding Ren's leg, which he yanked away.

"It was really nothing..." Ren rested, his resolve hardening.

He knew that to face Hasegawa and the challenges ahead, he couldn't rely on luck as he did today. He needed to strategize his fights better and gain a much deeper understanding of the landscape he had just entered.

"So, Shiinchiro, you said you know this town well?" Ren asked.

But before Shiinchiro could respond, a knock echoed through the room, and the nurse poked her head in. "Ryūhara Ren, Principal Hangaki wants to see you."

Ren exchanged a quick glance with Shiin before standing up, pushing aside the discomfort in his head. "Alright, let's get this over with," he muttered, following the nurse out of the room.