Hiro lay sprawled across his bed, looking like a guy who hadn't slept on a mattress before. Everything was calm and quiet, except for his soft snores; however, beneath his eyelids was anything but calm. He began to twist and turn in his sleep as he muttered under his breath, "No…no…stop it…".
─────╽ワンピース╽─────
INSIDE HIS DREAMS
─────╽ワンピース╽─────
Everything was burning. The street, the buildings, even the sky itself looked as if it were affected by the inferno. He could barely breathe. The air tasted of ash and blood. People were running everywhere, tripping, screaming, disappearing into the flames. Shapes moved between the fire, distorted, twisted creatures that seemed made from stitching various other flesh together. They tore through anything unlucky enough to be near them. Hiro's heart punched against his ribs when he spotted them.
But he didn't even hesitate; he just ran into danger. A woman stumbled in front of him, falling hard as a creature lunged. Hiro grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the way just as its claws slashed the ground where she'd been.
"Go! Run!" he yelled.
She didn't question it. She sprinted.
Hiro kept running.
Another person, a child who barely looked around ten, was trapped under a fallen street sign. Hiro braced himself, lifted with everything he had, and dragged the child free. His arms burned, but he didn't stop.
A man hopelessly swung a broken piece of wood at a monster twice his size. Hiro tackled him out of the way and shoved him toward an alley. "Move! Don't look back!"
He didn't know how long he kept going. Every second was a relentless assault of heat, fear, and instinct pushing him forward. But in the middle of all the chaos, something hit him—
His family.
His blood went cold.
He spun around, scanning the burning street. "Mom? Dad? Guys!?" he shouted, voice cracking. He couldn't see them. He couldn't even know the direction of his own home through the smoke.
Then he saw the street sign at the corner. Bent, blackened, but readable.
His house was that way.
"Please… please be okay…" he whispered.
Hiro took off running, stumbling over debris, slipping on ash, shoving through the smoke as fast as his legs would let him. His chest hurt. His lungs burned. But he kept going.
Hiro took off running, stumbling over debris, slipping on ash, shoving through the smoke as fast as his legs would let him. His chest hurt. His lungs burned. But he kept going.
He had to.
─────╽ワンピース╽─────
BACK TO REALITY
─────╽ワンピース╽─────
Then the world flipped.
Hiro rolled straight off the bed and slammed into the floor.
He groaned, face squished against the boards as his blanket wrapped around his legs like it was trying to take him hostage. He lay there for a long moment, wondering if he could get a few more minutes of sleep in.
And then his alarm clock went off.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Why…" he whispered in agony.
He snatched a pillow and hurled it. The alarm clattered to the ground and finally shut up.
Hiro stared at the ceiling, hair sticking up in confusing directions. "Fantastic. Nightmares and now back pain. Love that for me."
Hiro pushed himself up, rubbing the side of his face where he'd hit the floor. His back ached, and his eyes felt heavy, but he knew he had to move.
He walked to the bathroom and flicked on the light. His hair stuck up everywhere, his face was puffy, and he looked exhausted. He splashed water on his face, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair as best he could. Perfection was impossible, but decent, he could manage that.
Then he filled the bathtub and took a quick bath, letting the warm water fully wake him. It helped shake off the last traces of sleep and the lingering unease from the nightmare.
Back in his room, he got dressed. A white dress shirt, grey pants, black dress shoes, and the plain black tie that always felt a little tight. Finally, he added his navy-blue jacket, not part of the uniform, but it was a personal style choice of his own.
He grabbed his bag and headed to the kitchen.
"Morning," Hiro said, sliding into his seat.
"Morning," his mom replied. "Don't forget, you need to pick a club to join this year. It's important."
Hiro nodded. "Yeah, I'll figure it out."
His dad smiled. "And remember, take Josuke to the arcade this weekend. Make sure both of you enjoy yourselves and look out for each other, alright?"
Hiro's face lit up. "Got it, Dad! I'll make sure we have a blast."
His dad smiled back. "I'll hold you to that. Now then, sure to have a great day, Hiro."
─────╽ワンピース╽─────
10 MINUTES LATER
─────╽ワンピース╽─────
He took a deep breath, stepped outside, and felt the cool morning air hit his face. He locked the door behind him and started walking toward school. Cars passed by, people talked, and the city moved on like any other morning. No fire, no monsters, no screams. Just normal.
He walked at a steady pace, smiling a little to himself. "Today's gonna be fine."
Hiro tightened the straps of his bag and picked up his pace. The streets were quiet, the usual morning bustle only just starting to stir. He moved quickly, taking the familiar route to school, his shoes tapping against the pavement.
By the time he saw the school gates, he glanced at the time on his watch and started to run as it was creeping from 7:58 to 8:00 . There was no way he was going to be late today. With a quick slide, he crossed the gates and made a dramatic pose.
"Safe…" he muttered, then straightened his jacket. He looked around at the students already milling about the courtyard, a wave of relief washing over him.
"Thank god, I'm on time for once. Now then, I need to avoid bumping into Himiko for the rest of the day, and I'm set."
Hiro pushed open the school doors and stepped inside. The hallway smelled faintly of polished floors and chalk dust, and the sound of chatter and footsteps echoed around him. Students moved between lockers and classrooms, laughing, greeting each other, and exchanging good mornings. Hiro weaved through them, careful not to bump anyone, his bag bouncing lightly against his side.
He finally reached his classroom and slid the door open just as the teacher was starting to call attendance. Without a word, Hiro walked down the aisle, nodding politely to a few classmates along the way.
He made his way to the back left corner of the room, the spot he liked to call the "anime protagonist seat." It was far enough from the teacher that he could hide from him when he really didn't want to get called out for something, and close enough to the window where he spent his time looking out the window for entertainment.
Hiro slid into the seat, rested his bag on the floor, and let out a soft sigh. He leaned back slightly in his chair, stretching his arms.
The teacher cleared his throat, drawing the class's attention. "Alright, everyone," he began, voice firm but calm. "I know you're young and full of dreams, but it's time to start thinking seriously about your future. Soon, you'll be graduating, and you'll need to figure out what path to take, whether it's a career, college, or something else entirely."
He paused, letting the words sink in. "To help with that, we're going to do a small exercise. Those of you who wish to, can come up here and share with the class what you aspire to become in the future, or what profession or college you're aiming for. You can also write your ideas on the board, so that everyone can see them, and we can help brainstorm together."
A few students nodded, some relieved.
The teacher smiled a little. "Sometimes the people around you see strengths in you that you don't notice. So if you're unsure, say that too. We can help give you ideas. And if anyone would like more personal guidance, you're welcome to talk to me after class. I'll help you one-on-one, however I can."
The room felt a bit less tense after that. A couple of students whispered to each other, suddenly more willing to participate.
Hiro grinned slightly, leaning back in his seat as he waited for the first few students to speak. One student got up and nervously said they wanted to become a lawyer. Another mentioned wanting to pursue medicine. Hiro listened, his fingers drumming lightly on the desk, eyes wandering out the window for a moment.
Then the teacher called his name.
"Katsuhisa Hiro," the teacher said. "Your turn."
Hiro's grin widened. He stood up before walking toward the board with steady, confident steps. The class quieted, curious to hear what he had to say.
He picked up a piece of chalk, raised his arm dramatically, and with a sweeping motion wrote in bold Japanese characters:
正義の英雄
(Hero of Justice)
As he wrote, he spoke aloud, his voice calm but full of determination:
"I'm not really good at much other than drawing or engineering, but if I had a choice in what I wanted to be…a perfect profession, it would be…"
He straightened, stepped back from the board, and let his hand drop. Turning to face the class with a confident smile, he shouted:
"TO BECOME THE SYMBOL OF HOPE!!!"
The room erupted in laughter. Some students snickered, others outright cackled at Hiro's dramatic proclamation.
The teacher slammed a hand on his desk, frowning. "Hiro! Enough joking around! Take this seriously. Your future is not a game!"
Hiro didn't flinch. He turned toward the class, chest out, eyes blazing with conviction. His voice rang clear and steady:
"This isn't a joke! I'm serious!" he said, planting his feet firmly. "I want to be the symbol of hope, a hero of justice!"
With that, he struck a pose, one hand raised toward the ceiling, the other clenched in a fist at his side, stance perfect for maximum dramatic effect.
A few students still whispered or giggled, but some stared at him with genuine surprise. Hiro noticed, however, he didn't care. This was who he was, and he wasn't about to back down from it.
The teacher pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly, clearly torn between frustration and amusement. "Hiro… you're ridiculous. But… I suppose determination like that can help you later on in life, as long as you seriously apply yourself to more achievable goals. Just… don't let your theatrics get in the way of your actual work, alright?"
Hiro gave a confident nod, letting the energy from the room and his own conviction settle in. "Understood, sensei. But don't forget, I'll be more than just a student. I'll be someone who makes a difference. Don't worry, though, I won't forget you when I become the greatest hero ever."
The class murmured, rolling their eyes and chuckling. Hiro returned to his seat, still holding a small smile, already feeling a little more alive than he had this morning.