Chapter 5 - Walk with us , Punch - Kun

The late afternoon air hung heavy with the sweet scent of cherry blossoms and freshly cut grass, the fading sun casting long, lazy shadows across the city streets of Mishiro. Reiji Kazama walked along the cracked sidewalk on his way home, earbuds tucked loosely in his ears, the faint hum of a tired guitar riff soothing the restless noise in his mind.

The world around him felt distant, like a muted TV show playing behind a glass wall. He could see it happening, but he wasn't part of it—not really.

His thoughts circled, like usual.

Another day of pretending. Another day of pushing people away. It's easier that way.

He almost didn't notice the park until a burst of laughter caught his attention—a light, playful sound that seemed out of place in his clouded day.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a small figure racing across the playground: pink boots, twin pigtails bouncing with each step, a duck umbrella tucked under one arm.

Yume.

The child who had upended his carefully constructed wall of indifference.

Behind her, Asuka Minazuki followed closely, her eyes scanning the area with a quiet worry that only a mother could wear so well.

Reiji's stomach knotted. His pace slowed without meaning to.

Then it happened.

Yume ran a little too fast, a patch of grass hiding a gnarled root.

Her foot caught.

Her arms flailed helplessly.

And then—

She hit the ground with a harsh thud.

The sound sliced through the playful afternoon.

Yume screamed, sharp and piercing.

Asuka was instantly by her side, panic flashing across her usually calm features.

"Yume! Are you okay? Where does it hurt?"

Yume's small hands clutched her scraped knee, dirt smudged on her pants and scraped skin reddening beneath.

Reiji was there before Asuka could even finish her sentence.

He crouched down next to the girl, heart thudding wildly, hands trembling despite himself.

He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the crumpled pack of bandages—the same pack Asuka had given him weeks ago on that rainy alley.

Why do I even carry this? he thought bitterly.

But right now, it felt like the only thing that made sense.

"Here," he said quietly, voice rougher than intended, "Let me help."

Yume sniffled, eyes wide and trusting.

Reiji's fingers were surprisingly gentle as he wiped the dirt away with a moist wipe, careful not to hurt her more.

Don't mess this up. Just be careful.

"See? Doesn't hurt anymore, right?"

Yume's face lit up with a grin that could melt glaciers.

"Punch-kun is nicer than he looks!"

Reiji blinked, caught off guard.

"Wait—what?" he muttered, cheeks flushing without warning.

Asuka laughed softly, the tension in her shoulders easing.

"You're quite the hero, Kazama-kun," she said, eyes crinkling in amusement.

Reiji wanted to deny it, but the warmth in his chest made him keep quiet.

He finished carefully applying the bandage, then helped Yume stand.

For a moment, the three of them just stood there, the sun setting behind them, painting everything golden.

Yume tugged on Reiji's sleeve, breaking the quiet.

"Walk with us, Punch-kun!"

Reiji hesitated.

This isn't a bad idea, he thought, even if it'll probably be embarrassing.

He shrugged and nodded.

Together, they walked out of the park, the uneven rhythm of their steps matching the soft sounds of the city settling into evening.

There was an awkward silence between Reiji and Asuka as they walked side by side, Yume skipping ahead like a small comet of energy.

Reiji finally broke the silence.

"You know…"

Asuka glanced at him, eyebrows raised.

"Why are you like this? So… kind?"

Her smile faltered for a moment, eyes lifting to the sky streaked with pink and violet.

"Because I've been where you are."

Her voice was soft, almost a whisper meant more for herself than him.

"Angry. Alone. Lost."

Reiji's steps slowed.

He wanted to look away, to make a joke, to push the moment away like he did everything else.

But something in her words reached inside him.

"I didn't like who I became. So I try to be the kind of adult I wish I had."

Her words settled over him like a fragile blanket.

He said nothing.

His heart tightened in a way that made breathing harder.

---

Later that night — Reiji's apartment

The room was small, cramped, and filled with shadows that danced under the dim glow of a single desk lamp. The walls were bare except for a cracked window that let in the distant sounds of city life.

Reiji sat cross-legged on the floor, the picture book from the school library resting open on his lap.

He'd remembered Asuka mentioning it during detention.

"Even if you're broken... you can still shine."

He traced the soft watercolor illustrations with tired fingers.

A child wandering through storm clouds.

Gentle animals offering comfort.

Light peeking through dark skies.

The last page held a small sun shyly peeking out from behind a cloud.

The caption below, delicate and hopeful:

"Even if you're broken… you can still shine."

Reiji's breath caught.

He closed the book slowly, cradling it like something precious.

Memories rose unbidden.

His mother's voice reading bedtime stories long ago.

Her laughter echoing in a house that no longer felt like home.

The softness of a time before anger had hardened him.

He swallowed hard, fighting the sting of tears he refused to shed.

Maybe… maybe it's not all gone.

The world outside was still harsh and unforgiving.

But here, beneath the gentle glow of a fading day and the promise of a simple story…

Something fragile, something new, flickered.

Hope.

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