The hum of students echo through the cafe like distant traffic when you walk through a city. Busy and bustling but alway distant from what's in front of you.
Boys and girls of similar age usually talk about their romantic future, their hobbies and interests, even their academic endeavors. But not today cause today was different, something that took over to school like a crashing tidal wave.
Takumi kage.
The hums and whispers that spread through the cafeteria like wild fire weren't about the everyday things of adolescence but the dead man walking scanning the cafe looking for a table. One devoid of people in particular.
Takumi walked in a calm stride once he found his target. He paid no mind to chatter around him. Takumi found himself annoyed at a hot topic of today, himself. He could hear loud and clear.
I thought he was dead, isn't he supposed be in coma, he gave Bito a bloody nose, he really is a dead man walk. Takumi heard it all, he kinda wish they shut up. But he took his seat and did his best to tune the rest out of his head. He dug into his food falling into the chamber of his mind.
A boy with black hair and emerald eyes eyes shift to Takumi's presence as he walked by. Osamu didn't really know Takumi well, most of what he knew of him was the incident. He saw Takumi here and there but they never really ran in the same circles. Osamu for the most part was a loner not really connecting with anyone last year. I didn't help that he didn't do extra criculars like sports or the arts, just school then tutoring then home.
Osamu eyes scan the cafeteria looking for a seat eventualing coming to the realization that the only open table was with Takumi. With a light sigh he made his way through the buddle of pre-teens enjoying lunch.
" Um…do you mind if I sit down" Osamu asked takmaui. Awkwardness in his his voice. Takumi took a moment to chew his food.
" It's not like I own they the table." takumi spit out, while Osamu let out a faint nervous chuckle. Osamu down he he begin the eat his food and their table fell into selience.
While takumi was focus on his food Osume eyes found themself lingering on takumi. He knew it was rude but he couldn't help himself. It was like wanting to look at a pretty girl but didn't want to seem weird for staring. Osamu simple couldn't believe this was Takumi, his whole demeanor was different. From what he remembers Takumi was a quiet kind kid., but now his presence gave off this edge. Like this quiet confidence oozed from his being.
"Is watching me eat that fascinating." Takumi look right into osamu eyes while he spoke with a cheek still full of food. Silence once again feel between them and in a instance Osamu face turned beat red.
" No,no,no nothing like that it just your…" Osamu panic squill die into a subdue somber look as he decide not to finish his sentence.
" sorry for staring" Osamu apologize his tone bashful.
Takumi didn't respond just grunted and finished chewing his food. He didn't look offended so Osamu was relived. Osamu decide that he should finish his food too and not embrasse himself any further.
" Mind if I take a seat too" a voice spoke out.
" Oshida." Osamu though starring at the black hair boy with a slight smile gracing his face.
" Sorry if I'm intruding" Oshida said fully focus on Takumi.
" I'm starting to get a annoyed." Takumi thought with a slight frown tugging his face.
" I don't own the table." Takumi spoke and Oshida eagerly took a seat.
" The truth is I just wanted to thanks you for this morning." Oshida said.
" no need I didn't really do it for you." Takumi replied just finishing his food.
"But still the was way you stood up against Eido, Bito, and shihara was amazing were you really gonna take all them on if the teacher didn't come." Oshida excitedly ask. Takumi drink his milk and water to finished his meal.
" yeah if it came down to it. But hey since your bombarding me with questions, do you want you lunch." Takumi said after wiping his mouth. Oshida flushed red after hearing takumi his word, his own words stumbling on the tip of his tongue trying to get them out of his mouth.
" I'm so sorry if I'm becoming a bother, I didn't mean to intrude I was simple curious. I just thought with you did was amazing." Oshida respond and just handing his food over to Takumi.
Takumi grabbed his food and dug in, barely pausing between bites. He needed every calorie he could get if he wanted to rebuild his strength. Bulking up was one of the few things he could control.
"No problem," he said between mouthfuls. "I just wanted your food. And what was so amazing about it?"
He wasn't sure what they found impressive. His fists once capable of shattering brick without trion had barely managed to draw blood. The realization gnawed at him, a bitter weight in his gut. He kept telling himself he could've handled those three morons, but deep down, a voice whispered otherwise. There was a real chance he could've lost. The thought left him feeling small.
Like everything he had fought for on Zebc meant nothing. His victories, his losses, the lessons he had bled for, all erased, all meaningless. It was like Aiger Concella had died, and in his place was... what? A blank slate? A shadow of his former self? Takumi?
What was the point of any of it?
"I don't really think it was amazing," Takumi muttered, pushing his food around with his chopsticks. "I just needed to blow off steam. And they were pissing me off."
"But it was still brave, right, Osamu?" Oshida exclaimed, looking to him for validation.
Osamu hesitated. "I... think what Takumi did was admirable, but escalating the situation wasn't the best approach."
Takumi stopped chewing, his gaze sharp. "How did I escalate anything?"
Osamu swallowed hard. "I-I'm not saying you were wrong. But you gave Bito a bloody nose before he even touched you. There could've been other ways to handle it."
"They surrounded me," Takumi replied, his tone cold. "It was obvious they were going to get violent. So I made the first move."
"Even so," Osamu countered softly, "reacting with violence first makes you the aggressor."
For a moment, Takumi stared at him, his expression unreadable. Then, he nodded slowly. "Maybe. Or maybe you're just a coward."
The bluntness of his words silenced the table, the tension palpable. Takumi, unfazed, returned to his food as if he'd said nothing surprising. Both boys stunned at Takumi word regained their composure.
" I don't think-"
" That doesn't make-"
Both responded at the same time but were both cut when Takumi named was called out. All parties at the table search for the suspect and found Eida and his gang approched. Takumi immediately stop eating to stare at the idoit trio, eyes burning into the three.
" What." Takumi said with base in his voice. Eida just snared at his as him and his cronies looked down of the blonde hair boy. People gawked and stared at the situation taking place, people even egging the quadruple on, begging for something exciting to happen and Eida was gonna play right into that.
" Not again." Osamu thought as he saw the tension build up in front of him. He couldn't help but let a sign escape his lips.
" we still have problem we haven't solved?" Bido says slam the his hand on the table that takumi and his little group sat at. The crowd simmer with anticipation at Bito violence.
" I think I've solved my problem wonldn't you say" takumi respond with smirk starring dagger at Bido bangde nose.
" You snuck me! You bastard." Bido Roared at takumi how looked unfazed.
" Guys this going too far, you all know the conquese for fighting on school grounds!" Osamu interjected trying to melt the tension. Bido was about to snap at Mukumo but Eida raise his hand and Bido restrained himself like an obedient dog grinding his teeth in anger.
" Look Takumi the deal is you punch my boy here when he wasn't even looking to attack you just snuck him and then you were saved by the teacher." Eida rattle on putting on a little show for masses.
" Its kinda cowardly don't you think. So how bout this, you and my boy Bido over go the roof top and duke it out." Eida said confident as ever. The crowd couldn't contain their excitement at seeing at fight. Eida continued with his barely subtle showmanship.
" Unless your one of the coward you so despreately despies," Eida finish his claim.
Takumi sighed at his Eida weak attempt to antagonize him into a fight.
" sorry I don't fight for spectacle." Takumi responded. Eye darted back to his food as he continued to eat. Eida moxie dimmed when Takumi didn't jump at the bait, the fury written in his face.
" this bastard." Is all Eida could think as his anger keep building by the second. Every bit of showmen ship left his body as he spoke.
"You wake up from a damn coma, and now you think you're king or something?
Eida's voice didn't thunder. He didn't need to yell. His words, laced with cold contempt, cut sharper than any shout ever could. The crowd fell into a tense silence, the weight of his fury pressing down on them like the air before a storm. His anger wasn't loud it was simmering, like magma beneath the surface, ready to erupt at any moment.
Takumi stop eating at Eida words not because he anything eida did but because his throat was simple parched. So takumi reached for his milk paying no mind to Eida. The only thing being heard in the cafe was each gulp Takumi took, his adam apple bobbing with each swallow. Takumi lip left the carten of milk to gasp for air savoring the taste, He was smacking his lip mockingly at Eida but ultimately with back to finishing his milk entirely ignoring Eida.
" maybe you didn't here me." Eida said to crickets from Takumi. Crack of laughter filter into the cafe. Omg who does he thick he is? Kage not even taking him seriously. He isn't even paying attention to Eida. Those word tickle in Eida ear which were turning red.
Eida's composure cracked, his jaw tightening, fists trembling at his sides. Takumi had dismissed him completely and utterly, and that was something Eida couldn't stand. Takumi barely had time to react before Eida's hand lashed out, smacking the milk carton from his grasp.
Time slowed for everyone in the vicinity. Oshida's face twisted in panic, while Osamu tried and failed to defuse the situation. Bito grinned, eyes glinting with amusement, while Shihara grabbed a tray, dumping a poor girl's lunch without a second thought.
Takumi's gaze locked onto the milk tipping from the overturned cart, droplets suspended midair. His body tensed.
But Eida wasn't done.
In a single, fluid motion, Eida followed the swipe of his hand with a punch.
Takumi's senses flared before his mind even processed it. the sharp shift in air pressure, the minutecule shift in Eida's stance, the rush of heat as his fist tore through the space between them.
Takumi jerked his head back just enough for the punch to miss by a fraction. His momentum pulled his body with him, tilting his chair dangerously off balance. "A mistake." Takumi thought.
Eida capitalized instantly. A sharp kick shot toward Takumi's chest.
Block!
Takumi crossed his arms in an X, bracing for impact.
"Too strong." The word rung in Takumi mind.
Pain exploded through his forearms as the force sent him flying backward, knocking him clean out of his chair. His back slammed onto the cold cafeteria tiles, the breath forced from his lungs.
"Damn this weak body!"
Takumi barely had time to inhale before Eida advanced again. He was already repositioning, setting up a kick like a professional soccer player. A precise, brutal volley strike.
Takumi head as the ball.
Takumi's body reacted before his thoughts formed. He twisted, rolling just in time for Eida's foot to whip past his ribs, missing by a hair's breadth. The air around him trembled with the force.
"Space. Need space." Takumi thought.
Takumi shoved himself off the floor, unsteady as he staggered upright. In the corner of his eye, something flickered, quick, sharp. A sudden blur, accompanied by the distinct whoosh of air being displaced.
Instinctively, his body dropped low.
A tray soared over his head, nearly clipping his skull.
Takumi snapped his gaze up, locking eyes with Shihara, who scowled, clearly disappointed his sneak attack had failed.
"Predictable. Sloppy." I thought
Without hesitation, Takumi lunged forward, his body already knowing the weak spot to target. His fist curled tight. A solid, satisfying squish met his knuckles.
Shihara let out a strangled wheeze, eyes bulging as he doubled over, clutching crotch. One out for now.
Takumi stepped back, scanning the crowd that had gathered in a loose circle around the fight. His breath was steady, despite the adrenaline surging through him.
"Where's the third idiot?" Takumi thought.
But Before Takumi Could Track Bido, Eida close the distant with a flurry of attacks. Jabs, Straights, hooks he shot out but to no result as Takumi dodge each on gracefully.
" Do you all you know how to do is run!" Eida yelled in frustration. It not that Takumi was running but he knew the biggest advantage was his reflexes and experience. This weak body wasn't cable of fighting on the level and power he was use to, he didn't have the strength, durability, or speed. So he was patient, Takumi didn't really like being patient but if his time as an archer taught him anything was bagrudging patient. So Takumi bided his time but also wanting to finish this up knowing that Bido was just waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Annoyingly cunning for someone that Takumi view as too stupid to understand patient.
Bito moved through the crowd with hast as they jerred and cheered hiding in their rucks. His eyes never left Takumi eye feuled with burning fury. But He also knew that punch he landed wasn't luck and seeing him moveruer out of the flurry of Eida attack simply confirmed it. Eida wasn't just some Random thug he was a distinguished kick boxer who made it national. And Takumi was dodging him effortlessly. The Takumi who was was our erran boy, The Takumi who would flinch at his sliglest movement, The Takumi who would shit his pant at the though of fighing back no matter the abuse. Bido gritted his teeth as he reached his destination looking down at Shihara gripping his balls. Bido pulled up shihara up by his arm as he whined out in pain.
" Stop Bitching." Bito mutter, which check Shihara sulking.
" I have a plan, go grab a chair." Bito Wisper to Shihara. Bito was a prideful boy one that wish that he could embarrasse Takumi infont of all these people himself, but that wasn't enough anymore for him. He wanted to Break Takumi to beat him into eternal submission. It aggravated him to no end that Takumi of all people land a clean punch on him but what enraged him was to see someone he deemed lesser to raise beyond his standing to see such a weakling bear his teeth. Yes, Bito wanted to destroy every once of new found pride in his bitch name Takumi. A wicked smile grace Bito face as he told shirhara his plan his eyes never breaking away from the spectacle.
Takumi deflected another punch from Eida getting to his backside where takumi decide to finally strike. Aiming for devesting calf kick as it was truly unlucky for Takumi because for the frist time in this fight Eida decide to take Takumi seriously.
Takumia attcked missed over extentding his foot as Eida planted his left foot forward completely unaware of Takumi failed assault. Eida turned his body planted his right foot in Takumi guard and for a split second they lock eyes. What Takumi say wasn't anger, satisfaction, or even sadistic glee but pure disgust.
"The Fact that I have to take a bug like you so seriously" Eida thought as as he shift his body for a destructive high round house kick aim directly at Takumi's face. It was fast, faster than Takumi's untrained mind could process, and for the first time in this fight Takumi was surprised.
Takumi who has been controlling the flow of this fight was taken completely off guard by Eida attack.
As Eida foot Neared Takumi face, time slowed down and Takumi felt it.
A feeling, a sensation.
It was the same sensation, the same sensation that had saved Takumi's life as Aiger so many times.The same ability that changed the course of his life forever.
Unconsciously, Takumi was processing more information than his brain could handle, his senses heightened to an impossible degree. Every sound was distinct, every subtle shift in the air was palpable, and each vibration that traveled through the ground felt as if it resonated in his bones. His eyes captured every movement, every fleeting detail, as if they were cataloged as memories. The scents in the air, the taste of the atmosphere, everything was categorized and stored. It was as if his body had become a second brain, autonomously collecting and processing the world around him.
And so, Takumi body moved on its own, responding instinctively when the mind faltered.
Takumi's arm shot up to block the kick, his other arm instinctively reinforcing the guard. His body understood the power of Eida's strike, how much force would be behind it, the precise angle of impact. There was no need for thought, only action.
The world snapped back into focus. To anyone watching, it seemed like Eida's kick would land cleanly, but just before impact, Takumi's defense locked into place. The kick landed with brutal force, snapping through his guard like a whip.
Takumi's body absorbed the impact, but it wasn't enough. His defense shattered, and Eida's kick slammed into him, sending a shockwave of pain through his body. His face bruised under the force, painting his ghostly white skin with hues of blue and purple with blood peppered in to finish the painting Eida created.
But Takumi didn't falter. Instead, he felt… elated.
A grin plastered his face, wicked and wide stretched across his face.
"I have it," Takumi whispered, his voice low, but the excitement in it was undeniable. "I still have my symbol!" He shouted in his mind
" Is this bastard smiling!" Eida thought as he looked at the receiver of his attack. His body vibrated with anger as Eida flowed into his follow up attack.
" A sidekick." Takumi thought as Eida followed through exactly what Takumi predicted. Takumi wanted to simple take a step back to move out of the kick reach but in an instance instead of the move he planned he found himself midair as he contorted into a back flip to dodge a grapple From bido, dodging two attacks at the same time.
The crowd erupted in awe at the incredible display of athleticism, but the spectacle only fueled the anger of the dynamic duo, Bito and Eida. Bito was the first to charge at Takumi, only to be met with a face full of milk that temporarily halted him in his tracks. In that brief moment, Eida surged forward, and for the first time in the fight, Takumi was charging directly at him. Eida jump at him wanting to land a superman punch , but Takumi expertly dodged the punch and countered with a devastating overhand.
A sickening crunch echoed as Takumi's fist smashed into Eida's face. Blood splattered in the air, frozen for a moment before gravity reclaimed it. Eida reeled back, clutching his face in pain.
Out of Eida's shadow, Bido lunged, his movements sharp, the scent of milk still clinging to his skin. Takumi braced himself, shifting his stance as Bido closed in. Just as Bido's fist shot forward, Shihara hurled a chair into the fray.
Takumi's body tensed not in fear, but in concentration. Dodging their attacks wasn't impossible, but the problem was timing. He'd already moved before realizing their plan, throwing his momentum off balance. He tried to adjust, feet planting as he let himself fall to slip past both attacks. But then—
"KAGE!"
Eida's voice was the only warning before a kick crashed into Takumi's shin. His footing crumbled. The chair followed a split second later, clipping his temple with enough force to make his vision blur. His body twisted midair, instinct screaming at him to keep from landing headfirst. But what he saw next only made his blood boil.
Bido was falling too, only he wasn't out of control. He was aiming, elbow cocked back, gravity turning him into a human hammer.
"Shit!"
Takumi barely had time to cross his arms in defense before impact. Bido's elbow crashed down, sending a shockwave of pain through his bones. A barrage followed, fists hammering into him like a relentless storm.
Takumi snarled, twisting, trying to shove Bido off, but Bido had the weight advantage. His grip was a vise, keeping Takumi pinned beneath him. Takumi struggled, teeth grinding as he fought to free even one arm.
Then if things couldn't get worst a boot slammed into his ribs.
Shihara had joined in, his kick stealing the air from Takumi's lungs. The momentary lapse was all they needed.
That was it.
Takumi had lost.
Bido, Eida, and Shihara grinned, the glee of dominance flashing across their faces. Their fists rained down, a merciless downpour of pain. Each blow cracked against his body, breaking down his guard, his strength, his pride.
The pain blurred. His anger burned. But behind it hidden, festering.
was shame.
It took him back.
To a time when he was weaker.
Before the rebirth.
Before Euphemia.
To that night.
Rain poured, relentless and cold. Darkness swallowed the slums, suffocating any light.
Takumi staggered back against the damp brick wall of a filthy alley. His body was smaller, frailer. His breath came ragged, chest heaving.
The taste of copper flooded his mouth.
A blow snapped his head sideways. Another slammed into his gut, forcing him to curl up into a ball.
Reality blurred. The fists from the present merged with the ones from the past. The dirt under him was dry yet soaked. The rain stung his skin, and the alley smelled of rot.
He was helpless then. He was helpless now.
A shadow loomed over him.
The last thing he saw before his mind sank into unconsciousness was a smile?
"Lily."