Shinichiro's eyes adjusted for a few seconds. He expected to be faced witha dimly-lit ceiling but instead he was faced with... a motorcycle?

He rubbed his eyes, blinking in disbelief. He knew that he fell asleep in bed. Why was he in his shop, facing a motorcycle when he was supposed to be in bed? Shinichiro didn't even realize that he was sitting in the middle of his shop. He stands up, instinctively looking around. It was dusty, as usual. Other motorcycles were on display, as well as assorted motorcycle parts that were on one side. On the table, there were four, small photo frames.

The first one was an old gang picture of him and the rest of the Black Dragons. He was standing proud with Wakasa, Benkei, and Takeomi. The secone one was a family photo of him, his grandfather, and his mother. The third one was a photo of him and Hitomiko. The fourth one was another family photo of him, his grandfather, Manjiro, and Emma.

"What is..." Shinichiro couldn't believe it. He grabs his phone, checking the date.

2003/08/11

Shinichiro let out a gasp, covering his mouth from the shock. 'Present day... Did I return to the present day?!' He felt his heart drop.

'Where's Manjiro?!'

That was his first thought. He practically outside of the shop, looking around frantically for any sign of Manjiro. 'If this is the present day, then what happened to Manjiro?!' Shinichiro could feel his heart rate speeding up again. What if he lost Manjiro? What if he was still dead? What if... what if this was all just some big, stupid joke and maybe that stupid witch—

"Ow!" Shinichiro's head started to pound, but he manages to shake it off. What mattered right now was Manjiro.

"Heeey Shinichirooooo!"

Shinichiro's heart rate was starting to speed up even more. He recognized that voice. He looked over to the left and saw a familiar Moped Motorcycle that was making weird engine noises. But once the figure was close enough, Shinichiro saw a mop of blond hair, wearing some clothes that were bought from a second-hand store. A bright smile was on his face, very much similar to his own.

"I busted my hawk! Can you fix it?"

Shinichiro was in clear and utter disbelief.

"Listen, listen, Shinichiro! Baji kinda went all out for this bike, and I just went ahead and smashed it up... can you help fix it?"

Shinichiro was just staring. Blankly.

He couldn't believe that Manjiro was standing right in front him, smiling so innocently.

"...how old are you?"

"Hm?" Manjiro looks at him, a bit confused.

Tears were starting to flow out of Shinichiro's eyes. "You've... you've grown big..."

"Huh? Of course I have! Weren't you the one measuring me and Emma's heights---Huh?! H-Hey!" Manjiro gets off of the Moped as Shinichiro started to fall down on his knees, crying. "W-W-What's wrong?!" He asks worriedly as he was kneeling down with him. Faintly, he could hear Shinichiro saying his name, as if he hadn't seen him in a long time.

'I did it,' Shinichiro thought. 'I changed destiny be leaping through time...'

"Shinichiro?" Manjiro was squeezing his hand now, trying to get his attention. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... y-yeah, I'm fine. I was just too happy to see you." Shinichiro wipes away his own tears. "You were saying? Baji was protecting the bike and you just smashed it up?"

Manjiro laughs a little. "Yeah. I went all out too, but not in the way you would think."

Shinichiro shakes his head. "Help me inside with the Moped, we'll both fix it up."

The blond just nodded, smiling a bit. As Manjiro was carefully putting the Moped inside the shop, Shinichiro grabbed his toolbox. And they both got to work. Shinichiro was talking with Manjiro about everything: How Manjiro started his own gang with his friends, how Emma was already dating someone named Ryuguji Ken, how someone named Kazutora was the reason for making the gang. It filled Shinichiro's heart with a sense of pride and joy, knowing that his younger brother was experiencing the childhood he never had in back in the original timeline.

It took awhile before they finally finished up with the Moped.

"Sorry for... smashing it up like that." Manjiro scratches the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed about it. Shinichiro just shakes his head with a chuckle. "It's fine, the important thing is that you and Keisuke came back unharmed. What made you decide to make him protect the bike anyway?" He asks, both trying to tease his younger brother and was also curious. Manjiro only looked away to the side, which that meant that he wanted to avoid the question. Shinichiro just raised a brow, smirking. "You forgot to refill the gas again, did you?"

"...yes." Manjiro just nods in defeat.

"At least this Moped's all fixed up now." Shinichiro pats the back of the said motorcycle. "Go on and head on over to Keisuke's place and tell him that you had it fixed."

Manjiro lets out a small laugh before getting on the Moped. The sound of the rough engine was enough to make him smile. "Thanks, Shinichiro!" He shouts out as he drives off in a different direction. Once Manjiro was out of sight, Shinichiro lets out a sigh of relief. Knowing that his younger brother was alive, and not in a vegetative state. He wasn't dead.

But what about the others...?

Shinichiro checks his phone again, looking through his contacts: Manjiro's phone number, followed by Emma's. Wakasa's phone number was also there, along with Benkei's and Mina's. Takeomi and Haruchiyo's phone numbers were there as well. His grandfather's, Keisuke's mother, and Hitomiko's phone number were still there as well.

Instinctively, Shinichiro ran off.

"You're really hungover, huh?" Wakasa teases as he was looking at Mina with a smug grin. Mina resisted the urge to give him the middle finger, since her head was still pounding. "Ugh, what happened last night anyway? And where did Keizo and Hitomiko go? I just remember passing out."

Wakasa handed her an ice pack. "Benkei and Omi were the only ones sober. Omi took Hitomiko home and Benkei brought the both of us here at the gym. Your dad was fine with it since he trusts him."

"I'm not surprised with you being drunk, but Takeomi? Being sober?" Mina laughs a little as she takes the ice pack. "Yeah, right. He's probably trying to change for Hitomiko."

Wakasa shrugs. "I told Hito-chan to... you know, not fall for it. Besides, Hitomiko loves Shin with all her heart, even if he did break up with her."

There was a short silence before they heard knocking at the door. "Hold on, I'll get it." Wakasa stood up. The knocks were louder as he was going down the stairs, and once he opened the door, he was surprised to see a black-haired male in his work uniform, panting heavily. "Fuck, I didn't realize the gym was this far from my shop...." He was breathless, looking up at him with a smile. "How are you?"

Wakasa then felt a jolt. It wasn't physically painful, but he felt a surge of memories flash through him. There were too much, and he leans against the wall. "I—What the hell, man? You really ran from your shop to here? Seriously, you've gotta be that desperate to see me if ran all the way here." He teases, trying to pass as if everything was okay.

Shinichiro just laughs. "I guess I was. Can I come in?"

"Yeah, come on. Benkei went out with Senju to get some food. I'm just here with Mina." Wakasa moves out of the way so that Shinichiro can get inside. Wakasa... he knew that there was something up with his friend. After all, that sudden jolt in his head wasn't a coincidence. "Say, Shin?" He starts as they start going up the stairs.

"Hmm?" Shinichiro turns to look at him. "What is it?"

Wakasa stares at him for brief moment, then he shrugs and smiles. "It's nothing. It's just good to see you."

Shinichiro blinks, then he just nods back. "Good to see you too, Waka."

"Sure your dad's not gonna call us if you get lost?" Shinichiro teases. He and Mina just left the gym a few minutes ago, and they were walking down the street. The sun was setting, giving off a nostalgic aura. Lots of kids and teenagers were walking along as well as the cars were passing by. 

Mina only rolls her eyes playfully. "Very funny, Shin. Just so you know, my dad trusts me enough to actually go out without supervision." She says with a soft laugh. "Things haven't really changed with you and the rest, have they? Except with... I guess maybe Omi."

Shinichiro didn't know what to say to that. It was true that they hadn't talked to each other. Then again, before the time leap, he did argue with him. But in Shinichiro's defense... no, maybe not really. He failed to notice how cold his childhood friend was. And there was a part of him that wanted to apologize for suddenly saying that. However, he can't forgive him for abandoning Haruchiyo like that.

"I hope Haruchiyo's okay. Keizo said he was living with a friend, but... I kind of doubt he'd stay with your younger brother." Mina scratches the back of her neck. "How come you and Omi had a fall out again?" She asks. Shinichiro just lets out a chuckle, though it sounded pretty dry. "It was a perspective of... I guess, raising siblings." He answered. Though, it was a lie. Takeomi pretty much opened old wounds, and Shinichiro felt like those old wounds decided to come back because of a petty argument. "And I may have lost his lighter."

"Ah, the one he got you?" Mina asks again, then sighs. "All because of that, huh? I just hope he's doing okay."

Shinichiro was wishing that too, but he was sure that Takeomi was doing perfectly fine. At least, if Senju and Haruchiyo were taken elsewhere.

"I'll see you when I see you." Mina takes a stop over at one of the buildings. "Get home safe."

"You too, and tell Keizo about your feelings already!" Shinichiro says with a hint of mischief. He saw Mina's blush before she goes inside, and he couldn't help but laugh a little. 

The streetlights were flickering on as Shinichiro was walking. He still couldn't believe it. He time leaped and saved Manjiro. While the costs of it were high, he was just happy that his younger brother was living the life he was supposed to.

He reaches for his pack of cigarettes in his pocket, but instead he grabbed... a lighter.

'Didn't I lose this?'

Shinichiro stared at the lighter in his hands. Well, he was happy that the lighter was back in his possession, but somehow... he didn't want to see it. After all, this lighter was the reason that petty fight broke out in the first place. 

He places it back in his pocket. He'll figure out what to do with it later.

As he continued to walk on, he stopped when he heard a child screaming. Across the street was a playground, and there were five kids. The first three kids were older, probably around twelve or so. But the other two looked like they were a little younger. One of them was even wearing a red cape, yelling, "The hero has arrived!"

It resonated a little with Shinichiro.

It reminded him of himself, in whole honesty.

"Middle schoolers ganging up on a lone girl?!" The boy was confident, but that confidence was dwindled when the middle schoolers had already ganged up on him. He was beaten badly, and the girl, who was probably one of the two kids, already hid behind of the trees. She had tears in her eyes as she couldn't do anything to stop the middle schoolers from beating up a kid.

This invoked a rage in Shinichiro.

"Hey," The three middle schoolers looked up at Shinichiro. And boy... he was angry. "Will you knock it off already?"

"What the hell?!" They were enraged, looking at Shinichiro with a glare. "You bastard! What the hell's wrong with you?!" One of them shouted.

Shinichiro slammed his fist onto one of the poles, looking more furious than them. "Ah? You were saying?"

The middle schoolers shouted in shock. Slowly, they backed away before running off completely as they shouted, "I'M SORRY!", until they were out of sight.

Shinichiro takes in a deep breath, calming himself down before going to the kid lying down on the ground. "Are you okay, kid?" He asks. Shinichiro heard him sniffle, and he felt a little guilty on not helping him sooner. 

"How can I be strong?" The boy asks quietly.

"I'm sorry?" Shinichiro must've misheard him. "I couldn't hear you."

"How can I be strong?!" The boy looks up at him, tears streaming down his face. "I want to be like you. I want to be a real hero!" He then shouts, finally letting out loud sobs.

A memory flashes in Shinichiro's mind. 

The day he killed an old man just so he could time leap back into the past.

But he was sure there was more than just that. He just couldn't think of anything else...

Shinichiro lets out a small sigh, kneeling down to his level. "A hero, huh?" He muttered to himself, looking at the boy. "It's alright. You're definitely gonna be strong." He reassures him, holding his hand as to comfort him. "If there's somebody you really want to protect... when all else fails..."

The boy looks up at him, tear-stained. Shinichiro lets out a little laugh at this. "When all else fails, all you have to do just not give up. Be strong and determined. And if it comes to it, practice usually makes good results."

Shinichiro lets go of his hand, and he stood up. "See you around, kid."