📘 2007: A Girl with No Tomorrow

✦ Chapter 12: The Ring, and the Stranger Who Called Me Sister

> “I came here to survive.

But someone came back to remember me.”

— Aki Hoshino

---

The sports hall buzzed with noise.

Dozens of students in white doboks moved around, stretching, chatting, psyching themselves up. Coaches shouted last-minute instructions. The air smelled of sweat, floor polish, and tape.

Aki stood alone near the corner of the warm-up area.

She was dressed like everyone else — but no coach, no team, no parent stood beside her. Her name was called. She nodded, moving with mechanical grace.

> This wasn’t excitement.

This wasn’t competition.

This was self-preservation.

She walked to her assigned holding ring.

Then someone stepped into her shadow.

“Yo,” a voice said. “Fancy seeing my little sister here.”

She blinked.

Turned.

And saw him.

Same face. Same tattoos. A healing scar across his stomach, faintly visible beneath his open jacket. He had changed into tournament gear, hair spiked messily, mouth already half-curved in a grin.

“You,” she murmured.

He held up a hand. “Good to see you too. I was starting to think you were a ghost.”

“You… you're fighting?”

“Yup. Got discharged from the hospital last week. My coach dragged me into this. Said something about proving I'm still ‘loyal to life.’”

Aki didn’t respond.

He tilted his head. “So. You remember me?”

She nodded slowly. “You’re the boy from the shrine.”

He grinned wider. “Wrong. I'm your older brother. Remember?”

Aki blinked. “You misunderstood. I lied to the hospital.”

He placed a hand on his heart in mock pain. “Ouch. You’re cold, sis. Saved my life, lied for me, paid my bill, then ghosted me? You have to be family.”

She stared. He didn’t flinch. Didn’t look scared of her expressionless tone.

He just looked… amused. Curious. Alive.

---

They sat side by side on the bench, waiting for their matches.

“I never got your name,” he said.

“Aki.”

“Nice. I’m Rei.”

He leaned back. “So what’s your deal, Aki? You win tournaments for breakfast or something?”

She didn’t answer.

He glanced at her hands — her knuckles wrapped tight, her stance perfectly still.

“Let me guess. Dad made you do this?”

Her eye twitched. Barely.

Rei raised his eyebrows. “Thought so.”

A few moments passed in silence.

Then he said softly, “Listen… I know you don’t want friends. I’m not offering that.”

She turned toward him.

“I’m offering this,” he continued, tapping his chest lightly. “If you ever need a brother again — even just for five minutes — I’m not busy.”

Aki opened her mouth.

Closed it.

Looked away.

Rei chuckled. “You’re not much of a talker, huh?”

She said, almost without thinking:

> “Everyone talks at me.

You’re the first one who talks like I exist.”

He blinked.

Smiled.

Didn’t say anything back.

Just gently bumped her shoulder with his own. “Good luck out there, little sis.”

---

Her name was called.

She entered the ring. Bowed. Faced her opponent.

The world went silent.

She didn’t think of medals. Or her father. Or winning.

Just the echo of someone calling her sister with no cruelty behind it.

And for once —

she fought not out of fear.

But to prove, just maybe, she was still human.

---

End of Chapter 12

---