Hey guys! Noah here. And welcome to the forth of five Shenmue stories we have planned for this month. This story takes place in Yokosuka, Japan. A young boy named Yasuo Ito has always been inspired by his older brother's best friend, Ryo Hazuki to be brave and strong. Ryo Hazuki is a local legend in their neighbourhood of Sakuragaoka and an expert martial artist that all the locals look up to. Yasuo wants to grow up to be brave and strong, just like Ryo. But when Yasuo finds out his younger sister, Kayoko is being bullied at school he decides to prove his bravery by facing her bullies head on, just like Ryo would have. This is the story of The Brave One: Yasuo Ito's Quest for Strength. The Brave One: Yasuo Ito's Quest for Strength Yasuo Ito watched as his sister, Kayoko, tied her shoes and slung her backpack over her shoulder. She looked small and vulnerable, but Yasuo knew better than to treat her like a helpless child. After all, he'd seen how she stood up to their parents when they were being unfair. Still, it pained him to see the fear in her eyes as she prepared to face another day at school. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Yasuo asked, trying to keep his voice casual. Kayoko shook her head. "I can handle it," she said, though the quiver in her voice betrayed her uncertainty. "Besides, I don't want you getting into trouble." Yasuo frowned. He was two years older than Kayoko, but he was still just a kid himself. Their parents had warned him not to start any fights or get involved in other people's business. But how could he stand by and do nothing while his little sister was being bullied? He thought of Ryo Hazuki, his older brother's best friend and the person he admired most in the world. Ryo was a local legend in their Yokosuka neighborhood—an expert martial artist who could take on anyone who crossed him. People looked up to Ryo for his strength and bravery, and Yasuo wanted more than anything to be like him. Ryo had taught Yasuo some basic self-defense moves over the years—how to throw a punch without breaking your hand, how to block an incoming attack—but more importantly, he'd taught him that true strength came from within. "You've got a good heart," Ryo had told him once after rescuing a stray kitten from a tree. "And that's what really matters." As Yasuo remembered those words, an idea began to form in his mind. Maybe he couldn't go with Kayoko to school, but he could find a way to help her from a distance. He could show the bullies that they couldn't mess with his sister without facing the consequences. "I'll be fine," Kayoko said, interrupting Yasuo's thoughts. "Really." Yasuo nodded, trying to hide his excitement. "Okay," he said. "But if anything happens..." Kayoko smiled and patted his arm. "I know," she said. "You'll be there for me, just like always." As soon as Kayoko was out of sight, Yasuo sprang into action. He ran to his room and dug through his closet until he found what he was looking for—a pair of hand-me-down boxing gloves that Ryo had given him. He slipped the gloves on and practiced a few jabs and hooks in front of the mirror, making sure not to hit too hard and wake up their parents. Once he felt confident in his skills, Yasuo grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled down a message: Leave my sister alone or else! He folded the paper into a tight square and tucked it into the palm of one of his boxing gloves. Then he set off in the direction of Kayoko's school, keeping to the backstreets and alleyways where no one would recognize him. When he arrived at the schoolyard, Yasuo spotted Kayoko standing alone near the swings. His heart sank as he realized that her tormentors were nowhere in sight—had they already found another victim? But then he saw them coming around the corner: three boys from her class who liked to push her around and call her names. Yasuo ducked behind a row of bushes and watched as Kayoko tried to ignore them, focusing instead on tying her shoelaces for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, one of the boys grew impatient and kicked sand at her feet. The other boys laughed, and Yasuo's blood began to boil. He tightened his grip on the boxing gloves and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. Just as he was about to step out from behind the bushes and confront the bullies, he heard a voice that made his heart stop. "Hey! Leave her alone!" Yasuo peered through the leaves and saw Ryo Hazuki striding across the schoolyard with a look of righteous anger on his face. The three boys turned pale and backed away from Kayoko, muttering apologies and excuses. Ryo put a hand on Kayoko's shoulder and asked if she was okay. She nodded, too stunned to speak. Then Ryo turned his attention to the bullies, giving them a stern warning about what would happen if they ever bothered Kayoko again. As Yasuo watched Ryo defend his sister with such ease and confidence, he felt a strange mix of emotions—relief that Kayoko was safe, gratitude for Ryo's intervention, but also disappointment in himself for not being brave enough to do it on his own. He realized now that he'd been foolish to think that he could take on three bullies by himself. What had he been thinking? He was just a kid—a wannabe like those guys who bought black belts at the mall. He would never be as strong or as brave as Ryo Hazuki. Defeated, Yasuo slipped away from the schoolyard and headed home. By the time he got back to his room, he'd already taken off the boxing gloves and tucked them back into their hiding place in the closet. He flopped down onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling, feeling more discouraged than ever before. Maybe strength and bravery were just things you were born with—things that couldn't be learned or earned no matter how hard you tried. Just then, Yasuo heard a soft knock on his bedroom door. He sat up and called out, "Come in." The door creaked open, and Kayoko peeked her head inside. She looked worried, as if she could sense her brother's disappointment. "Yasuo," she said softly. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Yasuo nodded, and Kayoko stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. She crossed the room and sat down on the edge of Yasuo's bed. "I saw what you did," she said. Yasuo frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I saw you at school today," Kayoko explained. "With the boxing gloves and the message for those boys." Yasuo felt his face grow hot with embarrassment. "I was just trying to help," he mumbled. Kayoko reached over and took her brother's hand in hers. "I know," she said. "And it meant the world to me." Yasuo looked up at his sister, surprised by the tears welling up in his eyes. "But Ryo..." he stammered. "He was the one who really saved you." Kayoko nodded. "Yes," she said. "Ryo is amazing—he's like a superhero or something." She smiled and squeezed Yasuo's hand reassuringly. "But so are you," she continued. "You might not be able to fight like Ryo or scare off bullies with just a look, but that doesn't mean you're not brave or strong." Yasuo wiped away a tear with his free hand and sniffled loudly. "You showed me today that being brave isn't about throwing punches or talking tough—it's about caring enough to try, even when you're scared." Kayoko stood up from the bed and turned toward the door, but before she left she looked back at her brother and said, "I'm proud to have you as my big brother, Yasuo. And I hope you never forget that." Then she was gone, leaving Yasuo alone with his thoughts. As he pondered his sister's words, a new sense of purpose began to well up inside him. Maybe he wasn't meant to be a hero like Ryo Hazuki, but that didn't mean he couldn't be a hero in his own way. Yasuo wiped away the last of his tears and stood up from the bed. He crossed the room and opened his closet, retrieving the boxing gloves once again. This time, though, he didn't put them on. Instead, he held them in his hands and thought about what Kayoko had said—that being brave was about caring enough to try, even when you're scared. With a determined smile on his face, Yasuo tucked the boxing gloves under his arm and headed downstairs to find his sister. It was time for him to face his fears and show those bullies that they couldn't mess with Kayoko Ito without facing the consequences. After all, he might not be able to throw a perfect punch or deliver a powerful kick like Ryo Hazuki... but maybe he could learn.