Revival

Chapter 5

The sunlight filters through the curtains, gently waking Hiro from his slumber. As he opens his eyes, he is momentarily disoriented. Remembering the events of the previous day when he was transported back in time. With a deep breath, he steadies himself, knowing that he has an important mission ahead.

Hiro enters the kitchen to find his mother, already preparing breakfast.

"Good morning, Hiro!" Kelly says with a smile.

"Morning, Mom. Yeah, I did. Smells delicious as always." he says returning the smile. As they sit down for breakfast, Hiro engages in light-hearted conversation with his mother. Savouring every moment spent with her, knowing that the future they shared together hangs in the balance. Each chuckle, each shared glance, weaves into their ongoing narrative, a collection of mundane yet precious moments. Hiro savors each second, each minute spent in this comforting cocoon of familial love, well aware of the looming uncertainty of the future. The table, a canvas for countless shared meals and heart-to-heart talks, now bears the promise of another cherished memory. A simple breakfast spread lays before them, the tantalizing aroma of home-cooked food a comforting hymn to the start of their day.

Hiro puts his dishes in the sink before preparing to leave for school. After getting ready, he walks to school, his backpack slung over his shoulder. Eager to reunite with his friends and continue his mission to change their futures for the better. He knew the grim fate awaiting his classmates and most importantly, his mother. Hiro's heart clenching at the thought of her tragic end, with determination surging through him like a river coursing its way to the ocean.

On his way, he spots Himiko walking alone, her shoulders hunched over, and her eyes downcast. He can't help but feel an instant connection with her. In his eyes, she was just another classmate, a girl whose name is easily forgotten. She was known as a loner, distant from the rest of the students, which might have contributed to his initial lack of interest. He had heard whispers of her troubled family life and the harsh treatment she allegedly endured at home. He sympathizes with her and hopes he can be of help to her this time around.

As he sits in class, he can't help but admire his old classroom. Rectangular wooden desks are neatly arranged in precise rows, pointing towards the teacher's larger desk and the imposing blackboard that occupies the front wall. The desks were scarred by years of diligent note-taking, and etched with secret scribbles of its past occupants. The walls, painted in a soothing shade of cream, serve as a backdrop for various educational posters and charts. In a corner, a shelf brims with textbooks, dictionaries, and additional learning resources. Above it, a clock ticks away. Each element within the room, from the well-worn desks to the duty roster on the wall, speaks to the daily rhythms of school life.

His thoughts are severed as Mr. Mori begins his class as usual. Throughout the class Hiro keeps stealing glances at Himiko, unable to shake off the empathy he feels for her.

When the lunch break arrives, Hiro seizes the opportunity to sit next to Himiko. He offers her some homemade lunch as a gesture of friendship, and he feels relief when she accepts it with a small smile. He tries to engage her in conversation, discussing innocent topics like her hobbies and interests. At first, she remains uptight, but slowly, she starts to open up to him, sensing that he genuinely cares about her.

The students flock back to class as the bell rings. Hiro is now sitting back with his friends, constantly glancing over at Himiko through the class. His friends and Mr. Mori notices his agitation and wonder what may be instigating this. Class ends and Hiro and his friends walk out as he overhears something. Hiro pauses in place as his friends continue walking out of the school without noticing his absence. Assuming he's off to something strange they ignore it. Peaking back into the class, Mr. Mori was there, standing in front of her desk. Himiko stood there, her small frame bundled up in a worn-out jacket, and Hiro notices the hesitant expression on her face.

"Himiko, you seem a bit distant lately. Is something bothering you?" Ryu asked, feigning concern. "You know, Himiko, you can trust me. If there's anything troubling you, I'm here to listen and help." He says leaning in closer.

Himiko stands there seemingly helpless, avoiding eye contact, she hesitates for a moment, "N-nothing sensei, I'm okay," she replies trying to sound composed.

"Hey Himiko, do you want to walk home?" Hiro said, trying to sound casual as if he hadn't been waiting for her and eavesdropping on her conversation. As they walked together, Himiko seems slightly more at ease. Hiro didn't press her with questions about the conversation, giving her space to share if she felt comfortable. Instead, he talks about their schoolwork, their classmates, and anything that could distract her from the lingering unease.

They reach her house, and he hesitates for a moment, knowing that her home life was far from ideal. He wants to protect her, but he also didn't want to overstep his boundaries.

"Um, Himiko, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you," Hiro says softly, choosing his words carefully.

Himiko looks up at him, her eyes reflecting a mix of gratitude and uncertainty. "Thank you, Hiro-kun. You're different from the others."

A small smile tugged at Hiro's lips. "Well, friends are supposed to look out for each other, right?"

"Yeah," she nods as she makes her way to the door. Upon ringing the door, her mother swings it open in distress. Himiko's body suddenly becomes tense as her mother's glaring eyes greet her. Hiro, still waiting for her to enter, sees her mother yank her arm while yelling "About damn time you came home!" Quickly, she notices Hiro standing outside and her face crinkles more as she makes eye contact with Hiro.

"I just walked Himiko home since we live nearby. We were talking about some school stuff," he shouts, trying to sound casual after noticing that he may have upset her mother more.

Her mother waves with a fake smile before her eyes narrow toward Himiko as she sneers "Don't waste time chit chatting with boys. Get inside and do your chores!"

Himiko exchanges looks with Hiro before walking into her house showing clear signs of distraught. The door shuts on her as yells continue to arise from the beaten-down house.

For the rest of the day, Hiro couldn't get the image of Himiko's mistreatment out of his mind. He felt a gnawing sense of helplessness, knowing that he had to be careful not to draw attention to her situation, or it might exacerbate her troubles.