...09/10/2009 Friday; Night...
Fuuka blinked a few times, trying to gather her thoughts.
Hiro's shout was still reverberating in her mind. She could remember his expression perfectly, the fury burning in his eyes.
Her fingers tightened around the dark coat she was still holding in her lap.
Fuuka lowered her gaze to the fabric.
She knew that what Takaya had done was unforgivable. After Shinjiro's death, it was understandable that Hiro would want revenge. After all, he had lost someone important too.
But...
Was giving in to that anger really the right path?
Or, considering everything they were up against, was that the only way to protect the people who were still alive?
Fuuka let out a long sigh and lifted her head.
"Hiro... you don't need to apologize."
He remained with his back turned to her, his hands busy working on the handle of his axe.
"But promise me you won't do anything reckless." Her voice was calmer now, although her fingers continued gripping the coat. "We can't afford to lose another member of the group."
Hiro's hands stopped for a brief moment.
His chest tightened.
We can't afford to lose another person...
Fuuka's words lingered in his mind, accompanied by the memory of Shinjiro lying on the ground.
Hiro lowered his gaze to the axe.
He understood what Fuuka was trying to tell him. She didn't want him to get hurt, much less do something he would regret for the rest of his life.
Even so, one question continued pounding inside his head.
Did Takaya deserve to be forgiven?
Hiro tightened his grip on the leather strap.
After everything that man had done, after taking Shinjiro's life without showing the slightest remorse... did Takaya really deserve to walk away from all of this without facing the consequences?
Or should he suffer something far worse?
Hiro couldn't find an answer.
He took a deep breath and returned to his work.
This time, however, his movements were slower. He finished wrapping the leather strap around the handle, adjusting the final loops before holding the loose end between his fingers.
He picked up the bottle of resin and began applying the adhesive to the end, preparing to secure it against the pommel.
"Look... I don't know what to say..."
Fuuka tilted her head slightly.
"Hiro..."
He shook his head as he pressed the end of the leather against the pommel, making sure it was firmly secured.
"I can't promise anything... but I'll think about it."
Once he was finished, Hiro placed the bottle on the desk and lifted the axe to examine the result.
The weapon was considerably shorter than before. The handle, which had originally been almost one meter and seventy centimeters long, now had a more suitable length for his height and the way he intended to use it.
The leather strap wrapped tightly around the grip, leaving no gaps or loose ends.
Hiro slowly rotated the weapon, inspecting the finish.
Fuuka watched his movements for a few seconds before closing her eyes and giving a slight nod.
"I... I know. But what if you..."
Her voice trailed off before she could finish the sentence.
She opened her eyes, but the words remained stuck in her throat.
Then she felt something touch her shoulder. A gentle, careful touch.
Fuuka lifted her head.
Hiro was kneeling in front of her.
He had set the axe aside and approached without her noticing. Now, with one hand resting gently on her shoulder, he offered her a kind smile.
A familiar smile.
For a moment, the tension keeping Fuuka's shoulders rigid began to fade. It was difficult to explain, but there was something about that smile that managed to calm her heart.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry," Hiro said in a calm voice.
Fuuka's eyes widened slightly.
She wanted to believe him.
She wanted to trust that Hiro would really be fine, that he wouldn't let his anger consume him, and that he wouldn't put himself in danger because of his thirst for revenge.
But how could she be certain?
Perhaps he was only trying to reassure her. Perhaps even Hiro himself didn't know what he would do when he faced Takaya again.
Even so, when she looked into his eyes, Fuuka couldn't see any malice.
She knew Hiro.
She knew how impulsive he could be, how difficult it was for him to control his temper, and, above all, how much he cared about the people around him.
Even now, after everything that had happened, a part of him was still trying to reassure her.
As if, despite all the anger he carried, he still didn't want her to suffer because of him.
Fuuka felt her heart gradually settling.
Her fingers loosened around the coat, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
She nodded, keeping her eyes on him.
"Alright... I'll try."
A relieved smile appeared on Hiro's face when he noticed that Fuuka finally seemed a little calmer.
He raised his hand and gently rested it on her head, beginning to stroke her hair.
Fuuka closed her eyes almost immediately. A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she felt Hiro's fingers run through her hair, gently ruffling it.
For a few moments, neither of them said a word.
Then Hiro withdrew his hand and stood up. He extended his arm toward her.
Fuuka opened her eyes and looked at his outstretched hand. With a small smile, she took it and let him help her to her feet.
"Well, I'm done with the axe. Do you think the hook will hold?"
Fuuka nodded, looking a little more enthusiastic.
"Mm-hmm! The fabric of our outfits is pretty durable. Besides, your coat has more armor than the others."
Hiro nodded and took the coat from her hands.
For a few seconds, he examined it. At first glance, it looked practically the same as always.
However, when he turned it around and inspected the back, he noticed a few modifications.
There was a set of straps running underneath the armpits, connecting to a black structure resembling a chest holster.
Most of the equipment was concealed beneath the folds of the fabric, making it practically unnoticeable when the coat was worn.
That was when Hiro spotted the mechanism.
Nestled between the folds was a double hook, with an opening between its ends. The space appeared to have been specifically designed to accommodate the axe handle and keep it secured against his back.
Hiro studied the structure, examining its design for a moment.
After taking a deep breath, he put on the coat.
The movement was quick and natural. He was already accustomed to putting it on in a hurry, often in situations where he couldn't afford to waste any time.
Once he had adjusted the fabric over his shoulders, he turned toward the desk.
The axe was still resting on it.
Hiro stared at it for a few seconds before letting out a deep breath. There was a hint of nervousness in his expression, as if he were about to test something that...
He reached out and grabbed the weapon.
With a movement of his arms, he swung the axe once before letting the blade point downward. His eyes followed it as he assessed its weight.
The weapon was still heavy. There was no denying that.
But the shorter handle had considerably altered its weight distribution, making the axe feel lighter and easier to handle than before.
Hiro adjusted his grip, feeling the leather wrapping settle against his palm.
That was when Fuuka's eyes widened.
She watched Hiro in silence. There was something about the sight that caught her completely off guard.
The way he held the axe, the firm stance he maintained despite the weapon's weight...
Fuuka couldn't quite explain why.
But somehow, that weapon seemed to suit Hiro perfectly.
Before she could give the thought any more consideration, he swung the axe once again and reached behind his back, attempting to fit it into the hook.
His first attempt failed.
The handle struck the metal frame but didn't find the correct opening.
Hiro leaned forward slightly and tried again.
Nothing.
He adjusted the angle, searching for the right position, but ended up bumping against the hook once more.
After a few more attempts, he finally managed to align the handle with the opening.
CLICK!
A metallic sound echoed through the room.
Hiro stopped moving and glanced over his shoulder, trying to see how the weapon had been secured.
The axe was firmly in place.
He felt its weight resting against his back and let out a small murmur of surprise.
"This is more comfortable than I thought..."
Still a little skeptical, Hiro slightly extended his arms and began swaying his torso from side to side.
The axe moved along with him.
The blade shifted to the right, then to the left, while the handle swayed against his back.
But it didn't come loose.
Hiro increased the intensity of his movements, practically shaking himself to test the hook's sturdiness.
But the axe remained firmly in place.
Hiro's eyes widened when he realized that the hook had withstood the weight of the axe without showing even the slightest sign of instability.
Still somewhat impressed, he reached behind his back and pulled the weapon free.
Once he had it in his hands, he spun the axe several times, testing its balance and how easily he could maneuver it.
The shorter handle seemed to make a considerable difference.
After a few rotations, Hiro rested the axe head against his shoulder and let out a satisfied smile. Then, he turned toward Fuuka.
"Not bad, Fuuka. This is better than I expected."
Fuuka smiled and nodded.
"I'm glad you like it, Hiro."
She tilted her head slightly, as if she had just remembered something.
"By the way, have you ever used Aragaki-senpai's axe before?"
Hiro raised his eyebrows, surprised by the question. His eyes drifted upward as he tried to recall.
"Hmm... yeah, I have. A couple of times, I think. Once against that werewolf Shadow\... and the other time against the Void Shadow. Why?"
Fuuka raised one hand to her head and scratched her hair, looking a little embarrassed.
"Ahh... that explains it..."
She glanced once more at the axe resting on his shoulder.
"It's just that, for some reason, that axe really suits you."
Hiro turned toward her, surprised by what she had just said.
"Huh...? Are you serious?"
"Uh-huh!" Fuuka nodded with a slightly bigger smile. "It's like... I think you were born to wield an axe. I don't know how to explain it."
Hiro stared at her for a few seconds before an amused smile appeared on his face.
"Born to wield an axe? That's a new one."
"But it really does suit you!"
The two of them started laughing.
For a few moments, their earlier worries seemed a little farther away.
The conversation about Takaya, Shinjiro's death, and the group's uncertain future was still there, but neither of them seemed willing to bring it up again just yet.
At least, not now.
Hiro took the axe off his shoulder and walked over to the wall, carefully leaning the weapon against it. Fuuka then shifted her gaze toward the clock on the nightstand.
8:30 PM.
She blinked when she noticed the time before looking back at Hiro.
"Hiro, have you eaten yet?"
He began taking off his coat, shaking his head.
"No. I was actually thinking about going out for some ramen. Wanna come?"
Fuuka gave him a small smile.
"Oh, sure! Do you think anyone else would like to join us?"
Hiro took a few seconds to think while removing his coat completely.
"Hmm... see if Yukari or Minato are interested. If I remember correctly, Hagakure shouldn't be too crowded today."
"Alright! I'll see you downstairs."
Fuuka walked over to the door and left the room.
Hiro nodded as he watched her leave. Once her footsteps faded down the hallway, he was finally alone.
He let out a sigh and returned to the desk.
He began gathering the tools he had used, putting away the measuring tape, saw, sandpaper, and the remaining materials inside the toolbox.
He also closed the bottle of resin and returned everything to its proper place.
However, when he lowered his eyes...
He stopped.
The floor was an absolute mess.
Small metal fragments and a considerable amount of metal dust were scattered near the desk.
Some particles had even accumulated around the legs of the table, the result of all the work he had done modifying the axe handle.
Not to mention... the books he had knocked onto the floor while working on the weapon.
Hiro furrowed his brow.
"Oh, come on..."
He looked at the mess, then at the toolbox.
Cleaning all that up would certainly take a few minutes. Maybe longer, depending on how much dust had spread throughout the room.
With an expression of utter disgust, he spotted the piece of handle he had cut off earlier and gave it a light kick, sending it sliding toward one of the room's corners.
"I'll clean it up later... if I have time."
Without bothering to look at the mess again, Hiro walked toward the door.
He opened it, stepped outside, and closed it behind him.
At least for tonight, he intended to give his mind a little rest.
After all, considering everything that had happened over the past few days, he wasn't the only one who needed a break.
Everyone there needed one.
TO BE CONTINUED...