Shingo’s Diary

I barely came out alive from the burning Miura Dojo.

I lost everything that fateful day.

My foster father and my sister were taken away from me.

I lost my home too.

That Hannya-masked man did all this.

I must find Shiori and make that man pay for what he did, I swear.

Wounded, I lost too much blood and fell unconscious.

Later, I woke up in a hospital room.

As Shingo opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a hospital bed in a white room.

The room was bright thanks to the adequate lighting and the midday sunlight from outside, but it was eerily quiet.

He felt a sharp pain in his wound as he tried to sit up, reminding him of the danger he faced.

Shingo looked around and spotted the words “Hanabi General Hospital” written on a folder in the drawer next to the wall.

Knowing that Hanabi was a private, not a public hospital, and its reputation as being luxurious, he realized that he had to escape the hospital as soon as possible.

The reasons for that idea popped up in Shingo’s brain. He couldn’t help thinking about how he would pay for his treatment as he had lost everything in the fire that took his family. Moreover, he didn’t have access to his late foster father’s bank account.

Shingo didn’t want to be chained down with this burden and decided to leave the hospital immediately. But as soon as he tried to get up, he groaned in pain and realized he was still too weak to move.

Suddenly, Shingo heard footsteps approaching, and he panicked. He quickly pretended to be unconscious and closed his eyes, hoping that whoever was coming would leave him alone. He heard the voices of a doctor and a nurse discussing his condition.

“How is the patient’s condition?” the doctor asked.

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“He’s recovering fast, but he hasn’t regained consciousness yet,” the nurse replied.

“How long has he been unconscious?”

“Three days, including today.”

“This is strange. According to this report, he must’ve regained consciousness now as his vitals are almost normal and his wounds are almost fully healed.”

“Maybe the trauma of losing his family in the fire, and he thought his life was lost too made him this way,” the nurse suggested.

“Maybe so, but we can’t keep him like this. We can’t allow him to leave the hospital until his relatives pay the bill either.”

“You’re right, Doc. Keeping him here for free treatment is bad news. I’ll keep searching for Shingo Amiga’s living next of kin. Maybe one of them is generous enough to get him out of the hospital.”

“Please do, and oh, don’t forget to inject stimulants to accelerate the activation of his senses. Please make haste, our jobs depend on it.”

“Right away, Doc.”

Shingo listened intently, relieved to know that his condition was improving, but alarmed that he couldn’t leave the hospital without paying the bill.

“I must break free from here. I’m not a bird in a cage. I don’t want to be chained in here forever,” he thought.

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Shingo waited until nightfall to escape. He put on his torn and bloody school uniform and brought whatever item he thought was valuable along with him. He had to move slowly because of the pain in his wound, but he was determined to leave the hospital. As he made his way to the exit, he had to be stealthy to avoid being caught by the staff.

The rigorous kendo training Shingo had in Miura’s Dojo paid off. Not only he moved very fast like a ninja, but he also disguised himself with a doctor’s jacket.

Combining speed and stealth, Shingo reached the exit before the security staff caught him in the surveillance camera and chased him all the way. He finally made it out of the hospital and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Phew! Thank goodness I can make it outta here,” Shingo thought. “But, where can I go next from here? I have nowhere to go!”

Shingo’s Diary

Wandering a few days, I stole whatever food and drink I found just to stay alive.

Finally, I ended up in an underground town and joined the Silver Skull Gang there.

They gave me a measly space just to lie down and take a rest.

The one who found me and recruited me into the gang was Hayato Mori. I shall never forget his kindness.

So, my new life as an outlaw has begun.

End of Act One