Awakened With A Demon Inside

But in a dramatic twist, another boy intervened, seizing the bat in mid-air, halting the swing with a resounding thud.

The boy was tall and powerful, his presence radiated a powerful aura of protection, a shield against the impending danger.

The group of boys stood paralyzed in shock. One of them finally whispered, "Oh no, it's Goro. He's the reigning boxing champion at our school and even competes on a national level."

"I'll give you a chance to run away," Goro offered, facing off against them.

But the boy remained defiant, his eyes blazing with determination. "I never back down," he declared.

In a blur of motion, the boy launched a punch at Goro, who effortlessly intercepted it, gripping the boy's fist in mid-air with an ironclad grip.

Goro then swiftly released the bat, and delivered a brutal punch squarely on the boy's face, the impact echoing with a sharp, bone-jarring thud.

With blood streaming from his battered nose, the boy crumpled to the ground, defeated.

Goro shot a stare at the remaining boys with a chilling intensity, "Are any of you looking for a fight?" he asked in a firm tone.

Their response was swift as they shook their heads in refusal, quickly picking up their injured friend before retreating from the scene.

Shiori held Kiyo's head urgently, pleading, "Kiyo, wake up. Please, open your eyes." She turned to Goro, her voice trembling with concern, "He's bleeding. We need to get him to the hospital."

Goro stepped forward, saying, "Move aside, I'll carry him." With that he picked up Kiyo in his arms…

Later on, Kiyo's eyes flickered open in the hospital room, he found Goro standing next to him with his serious expressions.

Looking next to him, Kiyo found Shiori sitting beside his bed, tightly holding his hand, her tears streaming silently down her face.

Upon noticing Kiyo's awakening, Shiori hastily wipes away her tears, "Kiyo, how are you feeling?" she asked with her voice tinged with both worry and relief.

Confusion clouded Kiyo's expression as he glanced between Shiori and Goro, "What are you both doing here? And how did I end up in this hospital?" he asked.

"Why do you keep getting involved in these fights when you know you can't handle them?" Goro asked, his voice laced with frustration. He glanced at Shiori and added, "Let's go Shiori."

"I'm staying with Kiyo," Shiori responded firmly, causing silence to fill the room.

Goro's frustration mounted, "But Shiori-"

"Please, Goro" She cuts him mid sentence, "inform my parents that I'll be late."

"But why?" Goro asked, appearing frustrated.

"Kiyo lives alone, so I need to look after him," Shiori explained with compassion in her voice. "Goro, please tell my parents I'll be staying over at a friend's house. Please"

"I don't understand why you're always so worried about him," Goro voiced his frustration, but Shiori remained silent.

"Anyway, I have boxing practice. I'll inform your parents. Take care," Goro said before storming off the hospital room.

Turning her attention to Kiyo, Shiori advised with a warm tone, "You need to rest and get some proper sleep." Kiyo nodded in response, closing his eyes…

As Kiyo stirred awake, he found Shiori still by his side, smiling warmly as she kept on holding his hand.

"How long was I asleep?" Kiyo inquired.

"About two hours," Shiori replied softly, concern lingering in her eyes. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Yeah, a bit," Kiyo admitted.

She quickly grabbed a bowl and said, "I've got rice and soup. Let me feed you."

"Thank you but I can manage on my own, it's fine," Kiyo insisted.

"No, I'll feed you, and that's final. Now open your mouth," Shiori declared firmly, moving a spoonful of rice towards his face.

Kiyo opened his mouth, and Shiori began to feed him.

"The doctors mentioned we can be discharged in two hours, and then you should rest at home," Shiori informed Kiyo, who nodded in agreement as she continued to feed him…

Two hours later, Kiyo and Shiori departed from the hospital…

Standing outside Kiyo's apartment door, he expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Shiori, for everything. You should go and rest now." he suggested.

"No, I'm not leaving. I'm coming in," Shiori replied, her determination strong.

"No, you should go." Kiyo persisted.

"No, I'm coming in, and you can't stop me," Shiori declared, her voice filled with determination. "I won't listen to a word you say."

Baffled, Kiyo questioned, "Why are you doing all of this?"

"Because you mean everything to me," Shiori declared, leaving Kiyo stunned, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Now, please excuse me. I'm coming in." She said before pushing the door open.

With gentle steps, Shiori and Kiyo crossed the threshold into his apartment, where Kiyo settled onto his bed.

Turning to Kiyo, Shiori spoke softly, "Hey, Kiyo, you'll notice I'm still in my uniform. If it's okay with you, could I borrow some of your clothes?"

"Absolutely, feel free to wear whatever you like," Kiyo replied with a warm smile.

A gentle smile graced Shiori's lips as she replied, "Alright, you get some rest. I'll take a quick bath and whip up something to eat."

With a nod of agreement, Kiyo lay down on his bed drifting into sleep while Shiori disappeared into the bathroom…

In the middle of the night, Kiyo stirred awake, his eyes slowly opening. To his left, he saw Shiori sitting on the floor beside his bed, her gaze tender and focused on him, her eyes reflecting one of quiet affection.

"What are you doing? You should get some sleep," Kiyo suggested.

"You're so clueless," Shiori responded sharply.

Kiyo frowned in confusion and asked, "Why do you say that?"

With a hint of disappointment, Shiori sighed, "Well, how do I look in your clothes?" she asked.

Kiyo's gaze lingered on her for a moment, before replying, "Yeah you look good." his tone completely casual.

Shiori shook her head in disappointment, letting out a sigh, "You're hopeless." she said.

Kiyo's confusion remained.

"Alright, I should get some sleep now." Shiori declared standing up gracefully and settled onto a small couch nearby, preparing to sleep…

While sleeping, Kiyo felt a soft sensation on his face. Quickly opening his eyes he saw Shiori was above him. Dressed in her school uniform, holding some strands of her damped hair from a recent bath, it seems she was playfully brushing her wet strands against his face. Their closeness sparked a mutual blush that spread across both their cheeks.

With a sudden movement, Shiori retreated and settled on the edge of the bed, her actions causing Kiyo to sit up in confusion.

"What was that all about?" he asked, looking at her with a stunned expression.

"I was just trying to wake you up," Shiori explained, maintaining her gaze downward, prompting Kiyo to shake his head in disappointment.

With a sigh, Shiori rose from the bed, announcing, "Well then, I'll go get ready for school." Kiyo acknowledged with a nod.

Suddenly, a sharp knock on the door broke the moment. Both Shiori and Kiyo got startled, exchanging puzzled glances.

"Who could that be? I hardly ever have visitors," Kiyo mused aloud, his curiosity mingling with a hint of unease.

"Don't worry, I'll go check," Shiori reassured him, taking confident steps toward the door.

Shiori swung open the door to find Goro standing there, "Good morning," Goro greeted warmly.

Shiori gasped, "Goro, you scared us!"

Goro shrugged, "Eh? whatever. I'm here to pick you up. Let's go, we're running behind schedule."

Shiori gestured, "Step inside, I'll be ready in five minutes."

As Goro entered, he noticed Kiyo on the bed. Shiori headed to the kitchen while Goro approached Kiyo, who gratefully murmured, "Thanks, Goro, for saving me that time."

Goro seized Kiyo's collar, lifting him slightly with a surge of anger.

"Listen, you skinny brat," Goro growled, his tone fierce. "I don't understand why you're always involved in fights, and I certainly don't get why Shiori wastes her time on you. But if anything happens to Shiori because of you, I won't hesitate to finish you off."

Goro dropped Kiyo back onto the bed who appeared terrified, glancing at Goro, his expression filled with disbelief and confusion, while Goro returned his gaze with eyes full of anger.

Shiori then returned, holding her bag. She sat beside Kiyo, who seemed unsettled by Goro's actions.

Shiori quickly held Kiyo's and gently said, "Kiyo, I've made you something to eat. Have it when you're hungry, and I'll visit again."

Goro's anger flared, "Shiori, we're running out of time!" he raised his voice.

Shiori gently caressed Kiyo's cheek, whispering, "Get well soon." Goro's anger grows further.

Shiori stood and exited Kiyo's apartment, Goro shot Kiyo a menacing glare before storming out in frustration.

Alone, Kiyo pondered, "What do they all want from me?" He pressed both hands to his forehead, shutting his eyes in contemplation…

Two hours later, Kiyo's sleep got disturbed by a knock echoing at his door.

"It's probably Shiori. She must've taken the afternoon off for me," Kiyo assumed as he rose to answer the door.

As Kiyo opened the door, his eyes widened in shock at the sight of Goro standing there with a grave expression.

Before Kiyo could react, Goro seized his collar with both hands, barged into the apartment, forcefully slamming his back against the wall, lifting him up.