Chapter 7 : A peaceful Dinner

" What should I do "

As soon as the eyes of Hiroshi caught Aiko. Moments later , she got abducted by some 5 or 6 men and pushed her in the Black Van. He tried to follow the van but rushing at full speed , the van disappeared.Panic surged through Hiroshi as he realized he was losing ground, his efforts to catch up futile against the relentless pace of the speeding vehicle.

"Should I call him for location ?" Hiroshi stuttered. He took out his phone and searched for someone's phone number. Eventually, he dialed Tatsuya for help. The rang was about to end. Hiroshi was praying for the call to be picked up. Finally the Call was picked up.

" Hello , Hiroshi " The voice from the other side was warm and soft seemed like a Boy in his 20s

" Tatsuya , I need your help " Hiroshi said while catching his breathing beside a Wall.

" Hey , What happened ? " Tatsuya said " Are you fine? "

" One of my Friend got abducted in front of my very own eyes " Hiroshi replied while taking short breaths " I need you to track down the location of the van "

" Calm Down Hiroshi , Do you remember the Number plate of the Van " Tatsuya asked

" Yeah , I remember " Hiroshi told Tatsuya the Number plate.

" Ok , wait for few minutes. I will call you back "

" Ok , I will wait for your call "

As Hiroshi stood there, phone clenched tightly in his hand, a whirlwind of emotions swept through him. Fear, anger, and desperation warred within him as he awaited Tatsuya's call. Every passing second felt like an eternity, each heartbeat echoing the urgency of the situation.

He glanced around, feeling exposed and vulnerable in the bustling street, his senses on high alert for any sign of Aiko or the van. But the city carried on around him, oblivious to the turmoil raging within him.

Minutes stretched into eternity, and just as doubt began to creep in, Hiroshi's phone buzzed with an incoming call. With trembling fingers, he answered, relief flooding through him at the sound of Tatsuya's voice.

"Hiroshi, I've got a lead," Tatsuya said, his tone urgent yet steady. "The van was last spotted heading towards the industrial district. I'm sending you the coordinates now. Stay safe."

Gratitude washed over Hiroshi as he thanked Tatsuya before ending the call. With renewed determination, he punched the coordinates into his phone's GPS and set off towards the industrial district, every step fueled by the hope of finding Aiko and bringing her back to safety.

Following the coordinates, Hiroshi ran as faster as he could. After running for about a quarter , the distance between the coordinates were closing and eventually led Hiroshi to an abandoned warehouse at the edge of the industrial district. As Hiroshi approached the looming structure, his heart pounded in his chest, each step echoing the urgency of his mission. The dilapidated building stood as a silent sentinel, its windows shattered and its walls adorned with graffiti.

The warehouse was fenced with a concrete wall of about 1 meters or 1.25 meters of height. Hiroshi climbed on the fence from side so he wouldn't get noticed by someone. As he took a peek , He noticed that there were 4 men on the entrance and 2 men each on the front corner. Hiroshi prepared himself mentally and emotionally for the upcoming Combat with these men for the sake of saving Aiko.

With a determined glint in his eyes, Hiroshi carefully surveyed the scene before him, his mind racing with strategies for the impending confrontation. The sight of the men guarding the entrance only fueled his resolve, each obstacle serving as a testament to the lengths he would go to save Aiko.

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Hiroshi silently assessed his surroundings, searching for any advantage he could use to his advantage. The adrenaline coursing through his veins sharpened his senses, heightening his awareness of every detail, every potential threat

He jumped quietly and swiftly continued to move towards the entrance from the back of the fence. As he continued to move , He quickly closed the distance between the 1st man on the right corner and knocked him in a split second. But His attempt to go silently failed and all the other men noticed him.

" Hey , who's the kid " The men on the corners ran towards him hoping that he would go down easily. But they were down down the ground a moment later. As the rage - drenched Hiroshi walked towards the Entrance of the warehouse. Two men came from inside of the warehouse and lunged towards Hiroshi. But Hiroshi punched one man hard enough making him croak in pain. He slammed the other man on the wall knocking him out. He walked past 8 men who were down the ground within the time span of few seconds.

He entered the warehouse through the front door which was unlocked. Right after entering , he noticed that there were 3 men around a box , 4 men on the corners. He looked for Aiko and found her blindfolded and mouth sealed lying down against the front wall. There were 2 men in front of Aiko.

" Hey , how did he get inside " One of the men shouted " Well , you are not getting away. "

He lunged towards Hiroshi but he slammed him on the floor. Seeing this other men lunged towards Hiroshi. But one by one they were on the ground.

But as Hiroshi continued to beat them , one of the person from behind attacked him with a sharp knife. Unaware of this , the knife landed on his waist creating a deep cut.

" Sure , you can fight Kid. But in front of the Knife , You gotta back down " He said while he was preparing himself with the knife.

Hiroshi dodged few strikes made by him and launched a kick on his chin. Getting hit by an unexpected kick , the man lost his balance. Hiroshi took advantage of this and launched few punches to knock him down.

Quickly , he moved towards Aiko and removed her restraints. What he saw was a painful expression on her face , covered in tears.

" Aiko-San , are you okay " He asked " Should I Call the ambulance ?"

She couldn't say a word because of the trauma she went through. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she stumbled into Hiroshi's waiting arms, seeking solace in the safety of his embrace. For a moment, they stood there together, their hearts beating as one, each drawing strength from the other in the aftermath of their harrowing ordeal.

" It's okay " He tried to soothe her " You are fine with Me being here. "

Hearing this words made Aiko relax a bit while taking a deep breath. " Thanks you for your help, Hiroshi-Kun "

Both of them decided to call Police.Hiroshi and Aiko waste no time in contacting the authorities. As they await the arrival of the police, they provide detailed descriptions of the perpetrators and their van, ensuring that law enforcement has all the information they need to apprehend them.

Within minutes, sirens wail in the distance as a team of officers descends upon the scene. Hiroshi and Aiko recount the harrowing events of the abduction, their voices steady despite the lingering fear and adrenaline coursing through their veins.

The police quickly secure the area, taking the unconscious kidnappers into custody and gathering evidence to support the investigation. Meanwhile, Hiroshi and Aiko find solace in each other's presence, their bond strengthened by the shared trauma they have endured.

Both of them walked towards their home after the police had left. Their home was 5 kilometers away from the Warehouse. One of the policeman took them to the nearest intersection because it was already a little late to be walking alone.

" Hey , Hiroshi-Kun " Aiko said while looking at him with full of fascination " Are you a martial arts expert ?"

Hiroshi shook his head modestly. "Yes , I was a martial artist but I guess Adrenaline did most of the work today."

Aiko smiled appreciatively. "Well, whatever it was, you saved me. Thank you."

As they continued walking, Hiroshi kept glancing around, still on high alert despite the apparent safety of their surroundings. The quiet evening air was a stark contrast to the chaos they had just escaped.

As they approached Aiko's house, she turned to Hiroshi with a soft smile. "Thank you again, Hiroshi. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Hiroshi smiled back, a bit bashful. "I'm just glad I could help. Get some rest, okay?

As Hiroshi was about to leave Aiko's doorstep, she noticed the wound from earlier on his side. The blood had soaked through his shirt, a stark reminder of the danger he had faced to save her.

"Hiroshi-Kun, wait!" Aiko called out, her voice filled with concern.

Hiroshi turned around, a puzzled look on his face. "What is it, Aiko-San?"

"You're hurt," she said, pointing to the bloodstain. "That cut looks serious. You need to get it treated."

Hiroshi glanced down at the wound, wincing slightly as he realized the extent of his injury. "It's nothing, really. I can take care of it when I get home."

Aiko shook her head firmly. "No, you need proper medical attention. Come inside, let me help you clean and bandage it."

"I don't think you should...…" While Hiroshi was saying , Aiko held his hand and pulled him inside her house.

As Aiko led Hiroshi inside her house, the adrenaline from the recent events began to wane, and Hiroshi felt the pain from his wound more acutely. She guided him to the kitchen, where she quickly gathered a first-aid kit.

"Sit down," Aiko instructed, her tone gentle yet firm. Hiroshi complied, his exhaustion evident.

Aiko carefully lifted Hiroshi's shirt, exposing the deep cut on his waist. As Aiko lifted Hiroshi's shirt to tend to his wound, she couldn't help but notice his impressive build and well-defined muscles. For a moment, she was taken aback by his physical strength, a stark contrast to his usually modest demeanor.

"Wow," she murmured, her cheeks flushing slightly. "You're in good shape, Hiroshi-Kun."

Hiroshi's face reddened as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Oh, thanks. I, uh, try to stay fit."

Aiko smiled, shaking her head in amusement. "Well, it certainly paid off tonight."

She focused on cleaning and bandaging his wound, her hands steady despite the flutter of nerves she felt. The sight of his injury brought her back to the seriousness of the situation.

When she finished, she stepped back, still a bit flustered. "That should do for now. But you need to see a doctor tomorrow, just to be safe."

Hiroshi nodded, trying to downplay his discomfort. "I will. Thanks, Aiko-San."

As Aiko put away the first-aid kit, she glanced at Hiroshi. "You must be starving after all that. Why don't you stay for dinner?"

Hiroshi hesitated. "I don't want to be a bother, especially after everything that happened."

Aiko shook her head with a gentle smile. "You're not a bother, Hiroshi-kun. Please, it would make me feel better knowing you're not out there hungry and hurt."

Seeing the sincerity in her eyes, Hiroshi finally relented. "Okay, thank you, Aiko-san. I'd appreciate that."

Aiko moved to the kitchen, quickly preparing a simple but hearty meal. Hiroshi watched her, the normalcy of the act a soothing contrast to the chaos of the evening. As the aroma of the cooking filled the room, Hiroshi felt his tension begin to ease.

They sat down at the small kitchen table, the meal laid out before them. "It's not much, but I hope you like it," Aiko said, serving him a bowl of steaming miso soup and a plate of rice and grilled fish.

Hiroshi took a bite, savoring the comforting flavors. "It's delicious, Aiko-san. Thank you."

Aiko smiled, relieved. "I'm glad you like it."

As they finished their meal, Aiko cleared the dishes, and Hiroshi helped, despite her protests. The simple, domestic act brought a sense of normalcy, grounding them both after the tumultuous evening.

Aiko walked him to the door, her expression a mix of gratitude and admiration. "Be careful on your way home, okay? "

"I will," Hiroshi promised, giving her a reassuring smile before stepping out into the cool night air.

As Hiroshi made his way home, he reflected on the evening's events, his thoughts lingering on Aiko's expression of admiration. It gave him a sense of pride and fulfillment, knowing that he had been able to protect her.

With a sense of peace and a newfound bond with Aiko, Hiroshi lay down, the day's events finally catching up with him as he drifted into a deep, restful sleep.

Then End of Chapter 7