HIRO TAKEDA POV:
It's late and we're walking along, heading home after we'd just been out to see a movie. It's cold out, with the first winds of winter setting in, so we stop at the first 24/7 convenience store along the way for some hot coffee: standing by the wide, front-facing windows to drink it, while we gazed up at the stars.
"Tonight...was fun," she says, hiding her smile behind her cup.
"Yeah," I take her hand, laughing. "The guys will definitely make fun of me for taking you to a Revengers movie for a date, though."
She laughs, bumping against my shoulder. "That's why they're all still virgins."
"I'm a virgin too, though."
"What?!" she exclaims, rearing back, looking...amazed.
I'm...immediately self conscious, and it probably shows. But then she gives me a playful slap, like she does. "I don't believe it!"
"Closest I got was a cheek-kiss in Year 7."
"W-with who...?"
"Takahata-san, in Class B."
"I don't believe it!" She slaps me again, grinning ear-to-ear. "You're such a...handsome guy, though! And I mean...you're into sports, you always score good exam grades—"
"All this praise! Really, I'm nothing special."
"It's the truth, though! I'm really..." —she brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, breathing out slowly—"surprised that no one else got to you first...is all."
I roll my eyes. "Duh...it's because I'm a Takeda—no girl is crazy enough to want to get involved with the black tiger's own son."
"It's their loss," she says, pulling me closer.
More like a safety concern.
The conversation dies down, after that. And because there aren't any people or cars passing by on the neon-lit streets, flanked by looming tall skyscrapers...it's deathly quiet.
I really love the city, and just its...ambience, in moments like this. The whole idea of a city is that it's a place with a lot of people all crammed together, but then there are these magical times where everything is perfectly still. Quiet. An almost supernatural kind of peace you would think to only be able to find in like a cave or a hidden mountain shrine.
"So...what's it been like at your new school?" I ask out of the blue.
"W-what?" she turns to me quickly, immediately placed on the defensive. "Oh, everything at school...is fine."
"I see." I smile at her...promptly dropping the subject. I don't know why, but she always gets flustered like this if I ever try to question her about her new school! But still, I give it a try every now and then, anyway, because I'm genuinely curious...and maybe it's rude of me, but I can't help it! Like maybe one of these days she'll finally crack and spill the beans.
We've been close friends since our diaper days, so there's barely anything we don't know about each other. However, this steadfastly remains as one of those few dark spots...
Moriko...
She's my everything.
I love that she comes across so sweet and innocent most of the time, but if you get to know her...
Well~let's just say that she can really throw a punch! And—I swear—I've seen her wrestle guys more than twice her size! Really, she's incredible...and I'm so thankful that I usually manage to stay on her good side.
And in a way...whenever I'm holding her, like I am right now...
I feel like some of that strength gets passed on to me—like I could power through anything.
I...couldn't imagine a life without Moriko by my side. Without that strength to guide me, always pushing me forward.
"Moriko-san," I say to her softly, brushing my cheek against hers. "You know I love you, right?"
I know she won't say it back, because she isn't the lovey-dovey type.
But even so, I can feel it in her smile while we're close together like this...that she feels the same.
"Say, Hiro-kun. After we're married...will things be the same between us?"
"Marriage? We only just got out of high school."
She places herself in my arms, hugging me tight. "We've practically been dating our entire lives," she cooed with one of her rare great, glowing, gorgeous smiles that put all her other smiles to shame, drawing a tickly warm hand across my face. "We should start planning ahead for the future...thinking about what kind of house we'll live in, our careers, how many KIDS we're going to have..."
"Kids?!" My eyes could have just bulged out of my skull. "You always said you didn't want—"
"I know what I said~" She giggles. "What, is it news to you that people can sometimes change their mind?"
My heart is beating fast in my chest. "Wow. Just...wow. I..."
"We're not little kids anymore, Hiro-kun. Graduation is just around the corner." She knocks on my head. "We've both gotta start thinking like grownups!"
"If you'll stop physically abusing me, maybe,,." I say, leaning in for a kiss...
But then, something caught my attention. It was brief but instantly tore me away, just as our lips were about to meet: a small glimmer...of something moving in the darkness of the alley behind her.
"I just..." I start to say, trying to keep the conversation going. While at the same time, I'm wary— keeping my gaze held firmly on the alley behind her. "Moriko...I just don't want to screw this up. You're the most important person in the whole world to me, and we'll only get one chance to do this right." I shook my head, clenching my teeth. "I would never be able to forgive myself."
"Hiro-kun..." she whispers, lowering her lips to my neck. "We're both new at this. We're both still...learning the ropes."
"I know you're scared, too. Not like either of us has had the best parental role models."
"But so what if we're scared? We have to keep going anyway! Be BRAVE."
I was dangerously close to getting lost in her eyes, then...but not enough to miss another glimpse of whatever it was, lurking in the darkness behind her—this time, for absolute certain—
"Moriko!" I yelled, brushing her aside. "Look out!"
My adrenaline kicks in automatically, leaving me without a second thought beyond ensuring her safety.
Because the truth of what I had seen, then, was a pale hand extending out of the shadows—
Pointing a GUN straight toward us!
BANG!
I know it's the sound of a shot being fired, exploding in my eardrums. And I hear Moriko cry out.
What happens next...goes by in a blur. Like a fever dream.
Like...I'm being sucked down a drain, every bit of me, trickling into...nothingness. Beyond thought.
Moriko lays me down onto the cold sidewalk, and she's pleading with a voice I've never heard from her: "H-Hiro...? Hiro?! Stay with me, I'm calling an ambulance!"
I touch my hand against my shirt, feeling a growing stain of warm blood.
Moriko, she's no longer sad...
She's ANGRY.
There is the sound of a couple more gunshots, and I hear a man yell. Then…a vicious dog's growl. Panicked shouts, and razor sharp claws and teeth grinding and tearing through flesh and cloth. Screams of pain.
I smile to myself, feeling a sense of...relief. Because I know she'll at least be safe.
That's my girl, I'm thinking.
You go and get that...fucking bastard. Avenge my ass.
I know Moriko Hanzo...isn't what most people would consider normal. It's another one of those things I've always been able to just…"sense" about her, without it ever being said. I don't know how it's possible...but she can take on a thousand men all by herself, if she really needed to.
Heh...
My childhood friend, and love of my life...
Is like a superhero.
Maybe that's why she's always been so secretive about some aspects of her life, like the school thing...in order to protect me. Like there's this whole other side to her that I know nothing about.
And that's okay, you know? A little mystery is perfectly fine in a relationship. Or so I've heard…
The screams subside while I wait for the ambulance to arrive. Moriko has returned to me, the skin around her mouth, her face and neck and fingers stained with fresh blood.
"Hang in there," she said.
I feel her applying pressure to the wound...though I imagine, at this point, it's like trying to sop up an entire ocean into a kitchen sponge.
What I'm seeing now is all...hazy. Like now the whole world is just a big, confusing mess of shapes and lights...and my eyelids keep drifting shut like all those long, sleepless nights I spent studying, where I'm constantly nodding off...
But...I can't let it overtake me. That's what I've heard in the movies and stuff.
Stay awake..just stay awake...don't nod off...don't go to sleep...
Even if it's like torture, I have to keep my eyes open.
Heh...
But at least I have Moriko with me, keeping me warm...my HERO.
"Hiro-kun, I'm right here!"
"Yu...kari..." I know...
This is my chance. Maybe the only shot I'll ever get—
What do I want to say? What would be my final words, if I have to choose?
There isn't any time for me to think on it...so I go with the first thing that springs to my mind:
"Go on without me...and kick some ass."