Chapter 5: Be Proud

Koji was lying on his back still feeling pain. Koji was breathing through his mouth in and out. He closed his eyes again and remembered his first mission as a firefighter. It was the day after Christmas.

"Yeah, I got the new phone." Yutaka showed off his new phone.

"You better take good care of it, Yutaka! That cost me a lot of yen!" Tommy exclaimed.

"Yeah, don't worry little brother!" Yutaka wrapped his arm around Tommy's neck. "I'll take good care of it!" He took a picture of them together.

"You better…" Tommy muttered.

A red flash filled the room and a siren was heard. Everyone knew what that was, they quickly slid down the pole one by one and strapped on their uniform. Everyone got in their assigned fire trucks and took off.

This was Koji's first mission. He wasn't nervous, but he was scared. He looked pale as well. "You okay there, buddy?" Takuya smiled at him.

"Yeah," He nodded looking at his shoes.

"It's alright Koji. Everyone was scared on their first mission. Don't feel bad."

"Thanks…I guess." Koji sighed. They were almost there and Koji's heart was beating every time they got closer. He closed his eyes, and clamped his hands together.

"Alright here we go!" He opened his eyes and rapidly went out to his companions. "Ready Koji?!" Tommy smiled.

"Y-Yeah." Koji breathed in and out through his mouth.

"Let's go then!" Tommy and Koji went inside the house in need. The fire was only spreading through the third floor. Tommy, Koji and Takuya had a plan to evacuate everyone in the house that's left.

"Alright Koji, this is your first job." Takuya looked at him seriously as Koji was all ears. "You get any one that's in there, out! Understand?"

"Yes, Boss!" Koji said as he nodded.

"Now go!" Tommy exclaimed.

"Right!!" Koji rushed into the room where the fire was spreading, Tommy and Takuya were watering the fire out with their hose.

"Fire Department!!" Koji called out. "Fire Department! Is anyone here?!" He searched the house and saw a Christmas tree still there burning up, the curtains on fire, and pictures being destroyed.

"Fire Department! Is anyone here?!" Koji shouted.

"Here!" He heard a girl's voice as she coughed. "Help us!"

"Where are you?!" Koji couldn't see very well with all the smoke in his way.

"We're under the table!" The girls shouted coughing. Koji turned around to his left and saw three children embracing themselves. There was a girl and twins, the girl looked older.

"Hold on!" Koji ran over there and reached out for them, the girl reached out for his hand grabbed it with the twins holding on to the sister's hand. "Stay together!" Koji looked at them and then walked out the front door; Takuya and Tommy were still putting out the fire.

"Go outside with Kouichi!! He's waiting for you with the ambulance!" Takuya ordered as Koji ran with the kids outside seeing Kouichi next to the ambulance.

Koji coughed a bit, and Kouichi came up to him. "You okay, Koji?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thank you," Koji thanked him and went up to the kids. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yes," The twins spoke in unison. "Thank you Mr. Firefighter."

"You're welcome," He smiled at them. "Where are your parents?"

The girl was about to speak with their mother came running to them and crying embracing them as if she never saw them in years.

"You're okay!! You're okay!! Thank god!" She cried for her children as they cried for her.

Koji smiled.

"Koji!!" Takuya came out of the building, he looked at the building and there was no fire. "You did great today for you first day as a firefighter! Good job man!" Takuya congratulated him and went to the family.

Koji was proud of himself.