School had been the same as always. The bullies had cornered him again during lunch, tossing scraps of food and laughing at his hesitation. Shahaan had stared at the floor, wanting to disappear. He remembered the techniques Kaito had shown him yesterday—the stances, the blocks, the awareness. But he had not moved. Fear had won.
Tonight was different. There was no one pressing him in a hallway, but the streets were alive with unpredictability. Shahaan's gray eyes scanned the alleys and side streets instinctively. He noticed a small boy near a convenience store, trembling as two older kids shoved him and demanded his money.
Shahaan's first instinct was fear. His legs wanted to run. But another part of him, the spark Kaito had noticed, tightened in his chest. Step by step, he approached.
"Hey!" Shahaan's voice cracked. "Leave him alone!"
The two older kids turned, sneering. One of them stepped toward him. Shahaan felt the adrenaline surge, muscles tightening. He remembered the stance Kaito had drilled into him, the footwork, the weight distribution, the focus. He planted his feet firmly.
"You heard me," he said again, more steady this time.
The boys laughed, more out of surprise than amusement. The smaller boy ducked behind a trash bin, eyes wide with fear. Shahaan's hands rose instinctively, blocking an incoming shove. He pivoted, using his weight to unbalance the first kid slightly. The second tried to grab him, but Shahaan sidestepped, keeping his stance steady.
It was not perfect. He stumbled once, and a sharp pain shot through his ribs as he twisted to block a punch. He grit his teeth. This was his first real confrontation outside the dojo. He had no Kaito to guide him, only the instinct he was trying desperately to trust.
The older boys hesitated, unsure of this small, drenched teenager who moved with unexpected focus. Shahaan didn't attack aggressively. He defended, positioned, and maintained balance. It was enough to make them rethink the risk. After a tense moment, they shoved the boy again, muttered curses, and walked away.
Shahaan's chest heaved. He looked down at the smaller boy, who stared at him with wide, grateful eyes. The weight of the adrenaline made his legs tremble, but there was pride there, too. He had stood up. Not perfectly. Not without fear. But he had stood.
"Thank you," the boy whispered, voice barely audible.
Shahaan nodded, still catching his breath. The neon lights reflected off the puddles at his feet, flickering like tiny sparks. For the first time, the streets felt less like a cage. They were dangerous, yes, but also alive. They were a place where courage mattered, where small victories could make a difference.
Later, when Shahaan returned to the dojo, Kaito was waiting, arms crossed, eyes calm as ever.
"You intervened?" Kaito asked.
Shahaan nodded, trying to keep his chest from heaving too obviously. "I… I tried," he said.
Kaito studied him quietly. "Not bad for your first time. Fear is natural. But courage is choosing to act even when you feel it. Remember this. It is the first step to controlling your own life."
Shahaan stared at the floor, feeling the truth of Kaito's words sink in. Every bruise, every sore muscle, every trembling leg had led to this small moment of control.
Kabukicho had not changed. The neon still glowed, the alleys still whispered danger, and the bullies still existed. But something inside Shahaan had shifted. A thread of confidence, a spark of purpose, had been lit. Step by step, night by night, he would learn to protect himself, and eventually, those who could not protect themselves.
And somewhere in the distance, he felt the streets taking notice.