Kiyo's eyes were wide in horror, his chest tightening in fear as he instinctively began to take a few steps back with his movements slow and trembling.
"Don't you dare move, or I'll kill you!" one of the boys shouted, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
Kiyo froze on the spot, his heart pounding. The laughter from the group faded into an eerie quiet as all of them were staring at him, before slowly, they began to approach him with their footsteps heavy, deliberate, and filled with menace, until they stood right in front of him, forming a tight circle that left Kiyo trapped.
"Where's the kitten?" Kiyo asked in a low, terrified tone.
"Ahhh, the one we tortured earlier?" The boy asked in a taunting tone, a smirk on his face.
"Where is it?" Kiyo asked again, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Alright, I'll tell you… only if you beg." the boy sneered, his voice dripping with malice, and in a sinister gesture, he slightly raised his foot at Kiyo.
Kiyo's eyes were wide yet hardened as he stared at the raised shoe, refusing to look away.
"Put your head on it, you shit," the boy hissed, his tone low and sharp with anger.
"I won't!" Kiyo yelled out loud.
Enraged, the boy swung his hockey stick with ferocity, striking Kiyo's skull with a sickening thud.
Kiyo hit the ground with a heavy thud, the impact jolting through his body as blood began to pour from the gash on his head, running down the side of his face and staining the grass beneath him.
With rage burning in his eyes that boy quickly stepped closer and unleashed a flurry or rapid kicks on Kiyo's stomach before slamming his foot into Kiyo's face.
The sickening sounds of the impact echoing coldly in the still air.
The rest of the boys watched in uneasy silence, their eyes slightly widened as the fear of going too far of actually killing someone began to creep into their faces.
But the ringleader didn't stop. He kept kicking Kiyo again and again, each blow harsher than the last. "I'll kill you, you moron!" he screamed, his voice cracking with fury.
Then, breathing heavily, he stepped back, gripping the hockey stick with trembling hands. With a twisted snarl, he raised it high and swung down toward Kiyo's head but before it could land, a loud slap rang out sharply through the park. The boy's head was whipped to the side, causing a stunned silence to fall over everyone.
For a moment, no one moved. Every boy stood frozen, staring in disbelief, as the person who delivered the slap was none other than Shiori, who now positioned herself in front of Kiyo, her arms spread protectively in a gesture of shielding him from everyone.
The boy who had been slapped clenched his jaw further, as he slowly turned toward Shiori who was already staring back at him with her eyes wide with fear, sweat running down her face as she struggled to steady her breathing, terrified, yet standing strong.
The boy's rage erupted. "Now I'll kill both of you!" he shouted, before swinging the bat right at Shiori's face who squeezed her eyes shut in sheer terror, bracing for the attack.
But in a dramatic twist, another boy intervened and caught the bat in mid-air. The sudden stop echoed with a resounding thud, freezing the moment in silence.
The boy holding the bat was tall and strong, standing firm with his presence radiating a powerful aura of protection, a shield against the impending danger.
That group of boys stood paralyzed in shock, staring at the figure with clear fear in their eyes.
One of the boys finally whispered, his voice trembling, "Oh fuck… it's Goro, the reigning boxing champion of our school!"
Goro stood firm, his expression calm but commanding. "I'll give you one chance to run," he said, his gaze fixed on them.
But that boy refused to back down. His eyes burned with defiance as he spat, "Fuck you, moron!"
In a blur of motion, the boy lunged forward, throwing a punch straight at Goro's face who effortlessly caught it mid-air, gripping the boy's fist with an ironclad grip.
Without wasting any second, Goro released the bat, twisted his stance and delivered a brutal punch squarely on the boy's nose, the impact echoed with a sharp, bone-jarring thud.
Blood sprayed into the air as the boy stumbled backward, swaying for a moment before collapsing to the ground, unconscious with blood running freely from his broken, battered nose.
Goro shot a sharp stare at the remaining boys, "Are any of you looking for a fight?" he asked in a firm, cold tone.
Their response was swift as they shook their heads in refusal before quickly picking up their injured friend and retreating from the scene.
Kneeling beside Kiyo, Shiori gently lifted his head into her arms. "Kiyo, wake up… please, open your eyes," she pleaded with her voice shaking with panic.
As Kiyo didn't respond, she quickly looked up at Goro with tearful eyes, and with clear desperation in her trembling tone she spoke up, "He's bleeding badly, we need to get him to a hospital, quick!"
Goro let out a quiet sigh, his expression flat and uninterested. "Move aside, I'll carry him." he said in a dull, flat tone.
Without another word, he stepped forward, crouched down, and lifted Kiyo into his arms…
Kiyo's eyes slowly fluttered open, his vision hazy at first. As the room came into focus, he realized he was in a hospital bed, and standing beside him was Goro, watching with a serious, cold expression.
Turning his head to the side, Kiyo saw Shiori sitting close to him, both her hands clasped tightly around his with tears silently streaming down her cheeks.
The moment she noticed Kiyo regaining consciousness, she quickly wiped her tears away. "Kiyo… how are you feeling?" she asked softly, her voice slightly trembling with both worry and relief.
Confusion clouded Kiyo's expression as he glanced between Shiori and Goro.
"What are you both doing here? And how did I end up in the hospital?" he asked.
"Why do you keep getting involved in these fights when you know you can't handle them?" Goro asked with a firm tone before glancing back at Shiori he added, "Let's go Shiori."
"I'm staying with Kiyo," Shiori responded firmly, causing silence to fill the room.
Goro's frustration mounted, "But Shiori-"
"Please, Goro" She cuts him mid sentence, "Inform my parents that I'm staying with a friend."
"But why?" Goro asked, clearly frustrated and confused.
"Kiyo lives alone, so I need to look after him," Shiori explained with compassion in her voice. "Goro, please tell my parents I'll be staying over at a friend's house, please…"
"I don't understand why you're always so worried about him," Goro said, his voice edged with frustration. "Anyway, I've got boxing practice. I'll let your parents know. Take care."
With that, he turned sharply and stormed out of the hospital room, the door swinging shut behind him.
Turning her attention back to Kiyo, Shiori spoke softly with her tone both gentle and caring. "You need to rest now… get some proper sleep," she said with a warm smile.
Kiyo gave a small nod in response and closed his eyes. Shiori's smile lingered, calm and constant, as she continued to hold his hand by his side…
Kiyo stirred awake once more and found Shiori still sitting beside him, her hand gently wrapped around his and a warm remained on her face, eyes locked on him.
"How long was I asleep?" Kiyo asked in a faint, tired voice.
"About two hours," Shiori replied softly. "Are you hungry?"
"Yeah… a bit," Kiyo admitted.
Shiori's smile grew a little brighter. "I've got some rice and soup," she said, reaching for a small bowl. "Let me feed you."
"Thank you but I can manage on my own," Kiyo insisted in a warm tone.
"No, I'll feed you, and that's final. Now open your mouth," Shiori declared firmly before moving a spoonful of rice towards his mouth.
With a faint smile, Kiyo opened his mouth, and Shiori gently fed him, spoon after spoon.
"The doctors said we can be discharged in about two hours," Shiori said softly as she fed him another bite. "Then you can rest properly at home."
Kiyo nodded in quiet agreement, and Shiori continued to feed him with a gentle patience that never left her smile…
Two hours later, Kiyo and Shiori left the hospital together. They soon arrived at Kiyo's apartment and now they were standing outside the closed door.
"Thank you for everything, Shiori," Kiyo said sincerely. "You should go and get some rest now."
Shiori shook her head firmly. "No, I'm not leaving. I'm coming in," she said with her voice steady with determination.
Kiyo frowned slightly. "No, you should go," he insisted.
Shiori pouted slightly, her gaze dropping to the floor before she whispered, "I won't listen to a single word you say… I'm coming in."
Kiyo blinked in confusion, taken aback. "Why… why are you doing all of this?" he asked softly.
Shiori slowly lifted her gaze to meet his. "Because you mean everything to me," she said, her voice low but filled with feelings.
Kiyo stood frozen, his eyes widening in disbelief as her words sank in.