[Flashback — Years Ago]
Ren fujimiya lay buried under a heavy mound of blankets, his small eyes squeezed shut.
His breathing was jagged, interrupted by dry, uneven coughs that shook his frail frame.
The fever had left him exhausted, tossing and turning in his bedroom.
The door clicked open.
His mother, Kaede Fujimiya, stepped inside.
Her expression was calm, carrying that gentle, unwavering smile only a mother could have.
She walked over and sat softly on the edge of his bed.
“Ren,” she called out softly.
“Open your eyes.”
Ren fluttered his eyes open, looking up at her from under the covers.
“Huh… Mom? I wanna eat noodles…”
Kaede’s soft expression shifted into a look of mild disbelief.
“Oh? You’re completely sick, and you still want to eat noodles?”
Ren managed a weak, pleading smile.
“Yeah… I’m so hungry. Please make some?”
Kaede chuckled softly, raising a single finger.
She gently poked his forehead and pushed him back down onto the pillows.
“Mom, what are you doing?” Ren whined.
“No noodles for you today. You’re getting soup, and that’s final.”
Ren immediately scrunched his face into a dramatic pout.
“Mom, listen to me—”
But Kaede was already walking toward the door, not falling for his puppy eyes.
She stepped out into the hallway, leaving the door slightly ajar.
“Just rest, Ren,” her voice drifted back in.
Ren lay completely still on the bed for a moment.
Then, a tiny, mischievous smile crept onto his face.
*’I’m going to eat them anyway…’*
He quietly slipped out from under the heavy blankets.
Tiptoeing out of his room, he descended the stairs with extreme caution.
Peeking around the corner, he saw his mother busy in the kitchen.
He placed a small hand on his chin, plotting his escape route.
‘I have to move softly…’
Carefully measuring every single step, Ren crept toward the front door.
He slid his tiny feet into his shoes.
He reached for the doorknob, turning it as quietly as he could.
Suddenly, a familiar tickle violently squeezed his nose.
“A-a-choo!”
Panicking, he clamped both hands over his mouth and immediately bolted out the door into the street.
A few seconds later, Kaede stepped out into the entranceway to check on the noise…
…only to find empty shoes and an open door.
The sun was blistering.
Ren stumbled weakly along the paved footpath, his legs wobbling with every step.
“His school… is way too far,” he whispered, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.
But he kept pushing forward, step by slow step.
A few hours later, a completely exhausted Ren finally stood clutching the iron gates of the local high school.
“Haa… haa… it’s so hot…” he panted.
Just then, the final bell rang.
Classes were over.
A sea of high school students began pouring out of the gates, many of them throwing curious glances at the tiny, panting kid clinging to the iron bars.
Through the crowd, Ren spotted a familiar figure walking out.
His tired face immediately lit up with a massive smile.
He let go of the gate, throwing both hands up into the air to catch his attention.
“Masaki!” he cheered—but the exertion instantly caught up to him, sending him into a fit of coughing.
Masaki fujimiya walked over, his usual stoic face dropping into a scowl of pure disbelief.
Ren looked up, completely unfazed.
“I’m hungry! Come on, let’s go eat noodles!”
Masaki looked at him with a deadpan, almost exasperated expression.
“Absolutely not.”
Ren immediately deployed his ultimate weapon: a massive, trembling pout.
Masaki sighed, grabbing his little brother’s hand.
“Come on. We’re going home.”
Ren stubbornly yanked his hand free.
“No! I want to eat!”
“Stop being stubborn, Ren.”
Without a second of hesitation, Ren dropped flat onto the ground, crossing his arms.
“Take me to get noodles, or I’m not getting up!”
“Absolutely not,” Masaki repeated, his voice cold and authoritative.
Realizing the sit-down strike wasn’t working, Ren escalated the situation.
He lay completely flat on the dirty ground and started rolling around in circles.
“Take me! Take me! Take me!”
The high schoolers walking past couldn’t help but stop and stare.
Several girls giggled at the adorable tantrum, while Masaki stood there, his face burning with absolute embarrassment, staring down at his rolling little brother with a look of pure defeat.
Masaki let out a long, heavy sigh, rubbing his temples.
“Fine. Alright. Let’s go.”
A short while later, the two brothers were sitting inside a small, quiet restaurant.
A waiter approached, gently placing a steaming bowl of rich ramen on the table.
Ren’s eyes practically sparkled.
He leaned in, greedily inhaling the savory aroma, before aggressively snapping his chopsticks apart and diving into the food.
Sitting across the table, resting his chin on his hand, Masaki watched him eat.
His annoyed, stoic expression had completely melted away, replaced by a tiny, but undeniably genuine smile.
Later that evening, the two brothers finally arrived back home, standing quietly at the front entrance.
Hearing the door open, their mother, Kaede, hurried down the hallway.
Her face was etched with worry.
“Masaki,” she asked, looking at the two of them.
“Was he with you this whole time?”
Masaki couldn’t quite meet her eyes.
He looked slightly off to the side, covering for his little brother.
“Yeah. He was with me.”
Kaede leaned forward, trying to get a better look at Ren.
But Ren was clutching the fabric of Masaki’s shirt tightly in his small fists, slowly shuffling behind his older brother’s back to hide.
A soft, knowing smile crossed Kaede’s lips.
“Why are you hiding behind your brother? Come out where I can see you.”
Trembling slightly with guilt, Ren stepped out from behind Masaki.
He kept his eyes glued to the floor.
“Sorry, Mom…”
Kaede’s expression softened completely.
“It’s alright.”
Relief washed over Ren, and a small smile appeared on his face.
Masaki, too, let out a quiet sigh of relief, a faint smile touching his lips.
But then, Ren’s face suddenly went pale.
He slapped both hands over his mouth.
Kaede’s eyes widened.
“What’s wrong?!”
Ren’s voice was muffled and panicked.
“I… I think I’m gonna throw up—”
“Hurry! To the bathroom, right now!” Kaede yelled, rushing him inside.
She paused, glancing back at Masaki with an exasperated but fond look.
“You go wash up too. I know perfectly well he’s the one who forced you into this.”
The very next day.
Ren was walking back home alone from the local grocery store, carrying a small plastic bag.
The man gestured frantically for Ren to come closer.
*’Maybe it’s an emergency…’* Ren whispered to himself, his innocent nature taking over.
He walked into the alleyway.
But the moment he stepped into the shadows, a second man stepped out, blocking his exit.
“Keep quiet, kid,” the first man hissed, his grip suddenly clamping down like a vice on Ren’s tiny wrist.
He looked at his partner with a sick, greedy grin.
“His organs will fetch a really high price on the market.”
Ren’s blood ran cold.
Absolute terror gripped his heart.
He yanked his arm frantically, trying to break free.
“Let me go!”
*’I’m such an idiot…’* Ren thought, tears welling in his eyes as panic set in.
Suddenly—the sound of rapid footsteps.
A blur of motion shot into the alleyway.
WHAM!
A flawless Taekwondo flying kick landed squarely on the trafficker’s face.
The sheer force sent the man crashing backward into the brick wall.
Ren fell to his knees, gasping for air.
He looked up, his wide, teary eyes locking onto the familiar, protective back standing between him and the danger.
“Masaki…”
The second trafficker gritted his teeth, pulling a knife.
“Where the hell did this brat come from?!”
Both men lunged forward at once.
Without a single word, Masaki charged straight at them.
(Fade to Black)
The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow over the footpath.
Ren walked quietly, his tiny hand clinging tightly to two of Masaki’s fingers.
He hadn’t said a word since the alley, his eyes staring blankly at the ground beneath his feet.
Suddenly, Ren stopped walking.
Masaki noticed the silence.
He stopped, letting go of Ren’s hand, and dropped down to one knee so they were face-to-face.
“What’s wrong?” Masaki asked gently.
“Why the long face?”
Ren kept his gaze glued to the pavement, his voice barely a whisper.
“I want to learn how to fight… just like you.”
Masaki’s eyes softened.
A warm, proud smile appeared on his face.
“You will learn. And one day, you’re going to surpass me, Ren.”
Ren’s head snapped up, his sad eyes widening with hope.
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
Ren reached out, extending his small hand toward his older brother.
His voice was filled with a burning, childish determination.
“I promise you… I will never disappoint you.”
Masaki’s smile deepened, filled with an unconditional love only an older brother could hold.
“You could never disappoint me, Ren.”
Masaki stood up, extending his hand down.
Ren looked at it for a second before grabbing it firmly.
Together, they continued walking under the setting sun.
Present Day
The cool night breeze rustled gently.
Ren stood alone on the balcony of his apartment, leaning against the railing.
He looked up at the vast, starry sky stretching endlessly above him.
Thinking back to that promise, a quiet, peaceful smile graced his lips.
—Chapter 13 End—