Hinata stood up abruptly, putting her bag over her shoulder.
— I'm going to talk to Jack.
Mayohi looked up, surprised and immediately alarmed.
— No, stop! Let it go, Hinata! Jack doesn't like you, he's already pushing you around enough here, you shouldn't provoke a fight with him. And if things escalate, you risk being expelled... Your brother is already fighting for you, you can't take that risk for me.
Hinata frowned slightly, meeting her friend's worried gaze.
— But I'm just going to talk to him...
— No... let it go, insisted Mayohi, her voice trembling. And anyway... it's not the first time he's hit me. I'll get over it.
She lowered her head, melancholy on her face, her hands gripping her bag tightly against her. Hinata sighed, heavy-hearted.
— Well... okay. I'll let it go then, she said, but... please find a solution for this. I don't like seeing you like this.
Mayohi raised her head and gave a sad smile, almost glowing in the classroom's dim light.
— I promise.
Hinata grabbed her bag and headed for the exit.
— I'm going to the gym today. Are you coming?
Mayohi nodded eagerly and replied:
— Let's go!
When they arrived at the gym, the noise of weights and punching bags was deafening. Yet, as soon as they crossed the door, all the muscular guys froze. Their eyes shining, each had heard about Mayohi's story, and the seriousness in her gaze caught their attention.
One of the biggest, tattooed with a skull on his chest, stepped forward with a predatory smile.
— Well then... if you want, I can repaint your brother's portrait for you! he said, amused but solemn, looking at Mayohi.
Mayohi gave a sad smile and shook her head.
— No... but thanks, Pain, pain... but I don't want you showing my brother the meaning of your name!
A burst of laughter ran through the group, and several others, taking the joke literally, added proposals all more absurd than the last.
— Yeah, I can send him a text with a skull emoji!
— We can write his name on a balloon and throw it in his face!
— Me, I'll make a bloody poem, martial arts style...
Hinata, who had been watching the scene from the entrance, couldn't help smiling. The heavy atmosphere was finally lightening, and the laughter seemed to ease some of the tension weighing on Mayohi.
One of the muscular guys, with powerful arms and a mischievous look, decided to take charge.
— Okay, enough joking! We're going to get this little one back in shape! he said, pointing at Mayohi.
Mayohi stepped back, trembling.
— But... Terror... last time, I almost passed out!
Terror, the big guy with a dragon tattoo on his shoulder, burst out a dry laugh.
— If you want to defend yourself against your brother, you have to be muscular! If you want to hold on... training starts now!
Hinata watched, crossing her arms, a sly smile on her lips. She knew Mayohi was about to get caught up in one of those absurd but effective sessions that only these muscular guys knew how to orchestrate.
— Come on, first sets: push-ups! yelled Terror.
Mayohi groaned, but Hinata grabbed her by the wrist.
— Courage, you can do it.
Under the watchful eyes of Hinata and all the muscle guys, Mayohi got down on all fours. The push-ups started awkwardly at first, then increasingly faster thanks to the encouragements. Cries of encouragement flew:
— Come on! One more!
— Faster, you can do it!
— No whining, Mayohi!
When Mayohi began to gasp, Terror intervened.
— Very good, now sit-ups! Knees to chin, go!
Mayohi moaned but complied, while Hinata watched, impressed by her friend's determination. The sets followed one another: squats, pull-ups, punching bag strikes, treadmill running, and even some supervised punches. Each exercise was punctuated by jokes, laughter, and shouts, giving a chaotic yet motivating feeling.
— Hey, look! shouted another muscular guy. Mayohi, you look like a dancing chicken!
— Chicken or not, I'm holding on! replied Mayohi, out of breath but determined.
Hinata burst out laughing, sitting on a bench to watch. The energy of the muscular guys, combined with Mayohi's good will, made the gym almost magical: every effort, every shout, every encouragement created a positive and almost joyful tension.
— Now, finish with a little challenge: punching bag! ordered Terror.
Mayohi looked up, panicked.
— What? But... I'm going to break something!
— Not if you follow the tips! another shouted with a smile.
Hinata approached and whispered to Mayohi:
— Breathe, focus. You can do it.
Mayohi took a deep breath and, after a few hesitations, started hitting the bag. At first clumsily, but quickly, her punches became more precise and powerful, the advice and encouragement of the muscle guys turning the exercise into a rhythmic dance.
The laughter, the encouragements, the strikes, everything flowed with incredible energy, and even Hinata allowed herself a few moves on the bag, subtly showing her technical superiority.
— That's it! yelled Terror. If you want to stand up to Jack, that's how you do it!
Mayohi, panting but proud, finally stopped. Her face flushed from effort bore a victorious smile.
Hinata, still smiling, patted her on the shoulder.
— Not bad. You're already stronger than you were a few weeks ago.
Mayohi laughed, out of breath:
— I survived... I think...
Everyone burst out laughing, including Hinata. The initial tension had turned into a warm atmosphere, full of energy and camaraderie. The muscular guys had done more than strengthen Mayohi's body: they rekindled her courage and her smile.
5:25 PM.
Terror looked at Mayohi sprawled on the floor, panting and red from effort. He shook his head with a sly smile and exclaimed:
— Well, to make up for all this work at the gym... I'm inviting everyone to a restaurant to celebrate!
Mayohi, at first incredulous, immediately straightened up, eyes sparkling.
— Really?
— Of course! said Terror. You well deserved it. And I think everyone here agrees!
The other muscle guys nodded enthusiastically, some clapping their hands, others bursting into laughter.
— Yeah, totally agree!
— Finally some food after this torture!
— I applaud the idea, for once I'm happy to have sweat!
Hinata, leaning against the wall, watched the scene with a sly smile, arms crossed. She didn't join in the shouting, but the fun emanating from the room was enough to bring her silent satisfaction.
A few minutes later, the small group crossed the door of a lively restaurant, laughter and footsteps echoing on the tiled floor. As soon as they sat at the long table, a feast spread before them: steaming noodles, skewers, stews, and several plates of fresh fruit and colorful desserts. The tempting smell quickly filled the air.
One of the muscle guys, Pain, shook himself and took a sip of water before telling an anecdote.
— You know what happened to me the other day? he began with a sly smile. I fell asleep during the karate teacher's nap... and when I woke up... his cat had scratched my face!
The group burst into laughter, each banging on the table or laughing heartily. Mayohi couldn't help but smile, her eyes shining with simple joy.
— Damn... all this sport has made me hungry, she murmured, grabbing her chopsticks.
— Hey Mayohi, careful not to choke, yeah! warned Pain with a knowing wink.
At the same moment, a guy, probably Theo, dared to slide a skewer onto his plate, forgetting it wasn't his.
— Hey Theo, you bugged? shouted Pain laughing. That's not your plate!
Theo, cheeks slightly red, bit into the skewer and replied shortly:
— Shut up.
Everyone burst out laughing again, and soon jokes flew from all sides. Jokes about muscles, about tiredness after the gym, about past accidents, about some people's clumsiness... The table vibrated with joyful and brotherly energy.
Mayohi laughed heartily, eyes squinted, forgetting for a moment all the sadness and fear she had felt earlier. Her shoulders relaxed, and each bite seemed to return some of the inner strength she had lost facing Jack and his gang.
Hinata remained silent, focused on her noodles. She watched Mayohi between bites, a slight smile floating on her lips. Seeing her like this, happy and laughing without restraint, was enough to fill her with quiet satisfaction.
Sometimes, she looked up, capturing an expression, a gesture, a burst of laughter, and thought there was nothing more precious than this simple yet sincere moment. Between the exchange of jokes, friendly shoves, and bursts of laughter, Hinata understood that true strength was not only in fists or muscles but also in the bonds created around a table, in these moments of shared joy.
Skewers passed from hand to hand, plates emptied and filled, and every anecdote triggered a new wave of laughter. Mayohi, between bites, even managed to throw a few friendly jabs, her eyes sparkling with complicity.
— Right, Pain? You really thought that cat would spare you?! she shouted laughing.
— Shut up, girl! he replied with an amused smile.
And Hinata, always discreet but attentive, continued eating, her eyes shining with calm satisfaction, happy to see Mayohi could, at least for a moment, forget her fear and pain.
The meal continued like this, between laughter, bites, anecdotes, and small challenges: who could eat the fastest, who would finish their skewer first, and who would tell the worst embarrassing story. The room resonated with this collective energy, a mixture of human warmth, humor, and budding friendship.