Chapter 11: Budding Romance

Ren looked at Sho, confused. So Sho-san, what class do I belong to?"

Sho smirked, correcting him. "You mean, 'Sho-sensei,' Ren."

Ren scratched his head but repeated, "Sho-sensei, what rank am I?"

Batu crossed his arms. "That's sneaky, Sho."

Sho shrugged. "You didn't want to take him, so I will. I'm his teacher now."

Shin grinned. "I'll teach him Kenpo too, so I'm your sensei as well, Ren."

Batu cracked his knuckles. "Who said I wouldn't teach him? Call me Batu-sensei!"

Genzou laughed warmly. "Looks like you've got many teachers now, Ren."

Sho cleared his throat and with a calm smile he said. "Based on your raw power, you're at the Master level. But in terms of martial arts, you're at first-rate in Karate and second-rate in Muay Thai."

Ren smirked, glancing at Genzou. "Then reaching the Legendary level should only take a few years. It won't be long before I surpass the old man."

Genzou's eyebrow twitched at Ren's confidence, but he smiled.

Sho clapped his shoulder. "That's enough for today. Head home and return tomorrow after class."

"Got it," Ren replied, leaving the dojo with a determined grin.

At home, he told his family about joining the dojo. His parents were delighted, and his sister pouted, demanding he show her the dojo one day. Ren promised her, knowing she would sneak after him if he didn't.

The next day at school, Haru Nakashima tried to pry for details at the gate, but Ren ignored him, heading straight for class.

After class, Ren met Yumi Fuyuzora near the school gate.

"Are you going home or the gymnastics club?" Ren asked.

"Neither, I need to buy ingredients. We're celebrating your joining the dojo," Yumi said with a small smile.

"Got it. I'll let my family know that I'll be late."

They parted ways, but as Ren was heading to the dojo, he heard Yumi's voice arguing with a group of street punks.

"Hurry up and apologize to the old man!" Yumi demanded.

"What did you say, girl?" one thug spat, stepping forward.

The old man tried to calm the situation, but the thug shoved him. Another grabbed Yumi's wrist, and she tried to pull away.

Ren's voice cut through the street. "Touch her again, and I'll break your hand."

The thugs turned, laughing, but Ren's eyes were cold. One swung at him, but Ren dodged easily, landing a sharp punch to the gut that sent the punk sprawling.

"Shit, this guy's fast!" one of the others yelled, a mix of shock and anger in his voice. They charged, two of them coming at Ren from opposite directions. Ren's mind was clear, focused.

He slid between them effortlessly, his elbow meeting one thug's jaw with a sickening crack. The other tried to punch, but Ren twisted, using his knee to hit the man square in the ribs.

Both were down in seconds, groaning in pain.

But the leader wasn't backing down. He pulled out a knife, its blade gleaming under the streetlights. "You're dead," he sneered, lunging toward Ren's stomach.

Ren's movements were so smooth, it looked almost effortless. He sidestepped the thrust, his foot coming up in a swift, low kick that swept the thug off his feet.

The punk hit the pavement with a thud, his knife sliding away. Ren didn't give him a moment to recover, following up with a roundhouse kick that sent the thug flying backward into the street.

The leader was out cold before he even realized what happened.

Ren exhaled, brushing off his uniform. "Fuckers."

Yumi stared at him, flushed, clutching the grocery bag. "Thank you… Ren. No one's ever stepped in for me like that."

"You don't need to thank me." Ren stepped closer, backing her against the wall, his hands braced on either side of her. "From now on, I'll protect you. Always."

Yumi's breath caught in her throat, her pulse quickening. Her face felt like it was on fire, and for a moment, she couldn't even think straight.

She was trapped in that space between wanting to say something and wanting to stay quiet. It felt like the air between them had thickened, like something was shifting.

She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, she just nodded, though she wasn't sure what she was agreeing to.

Her hands trembled slightly, and she clenched the grocery bag harder as if it could somehow ground her.

"Let's get to the dojo," Ren finally said, his voice a little firmer now, but still soft in that way that made Yumi feel like he wasn't just talking about the place—they were both moving toward something bigger. Something more.

Yumi nodded slowly, her hand trembling slightly when Ren reached out to take it.

For a second, she thought about pulling away, but then she reminded herself: this wasn't something to be afraid of. Not anymore.

They started walking side by side toward Muteki Dojo, the quiet night air wrapping around them like a protective blanket.

The sun was setting, painting the sky in deep oranges and pinks, and the world felt a little different, like they were standing at the edge of something new.

The fight had not been intense, but it wasn't just the physical altercation that had changed everything. It was the way Ren had looked out for her, and how she had started to see him differently in return.

As they walked, Yumi glanced over at him. His face was turned slightly toward the horizon, his features relaxed, but there was still something about him—something deeper—that made her heart flutter.

"So," Yumi said, breaking the silence, her voice a little uncertain but genuine. "How did you get so good at that? At fighting, I mean."

Ren glanced at her, his lips curving just slightly into a faint smile. "Years of practice," he said simply, but there was a certain modesty in the way he spoke. "And a lot of things I want to protect."

Yumi felt the weight of his words, a quiet depth in them that she hadn't expected. She didn't ask him to explain further, but the way he said it made her want to know more.

They continued walking, the distance between them feeling less and less like space, and more like the beginning of something. Neither of them rushed to fill the silence with anything more.

There was something comforting in it, in just being there together, each of them carrying their own thoughts but somehow sharing the moment without saying much at all.

As they neared the dojo, Yumi glanced at Ren once more. "Thanks again," she said, her voice quieter this time, but with more meaning.

Ren gave a small nod, squeezing her hand just a little tighter. "You don't have to handle everything on your own. Not anymore."

And in that moment, Yumi realized—maybe she wasn't so alone anymore.