Late that night, Minato was on duty at the fire station, making an entry in the logbook, when the speaker on the office wall started blaring.
“Outbreak in Katamiya district, block 43. Fire has spread to a neighboring apartment complex.”
It was a report from the fire department dispatch center, passed on to them from the 119 operator. Two command documents came through the fax machine, complete with status updates and a detailed map. Apparently the fire had originated in the construction site next door to the apartment complex.
Koba, the driver engineer, promptly set about outlining their route and optimal hydrant locations.
“Protective gear, check! Boots, check!”
Meanwhile, as Minato was getting dressed at the lockers, Wasabi came barreling out of the bunk room. “That complex is where your hero lives!”
“What?!”
But there was no time to stand around and panic.
“Pants, check!”
“Lapel, check!”
“Jacket, check!”
“Safety belt, check!”
“Good to go!”
Minato moved on autopilot, equipping each piece without missing a beat. Then he grabbed an air tank and slung it over his shoulders. From start to finish, it only took him 45 seconds max. Once he was done, he ran off to the garage, leaving Wasabi behind. The order called for both a tiller truck and a pumper, so apparently this was one serious blaze.
Their sirens blared through the sleepy town.
“Apparently it was a large amount of commercial-grade fireworks that sparked the blaze,” the lieutenant explained as he pulled on his fireproof gloves. Behind his glasses, the look in his eyes was grave.
Hinako waffled back and forth, carrying her most precious possession: her surfboard. She had experienced fire drills back in school, but this was her first time dealing with the real thing.
Just a few moments ago, she had snapped awake to the sound of explosive fireworks as her balcony lit up like a summer day. Then she heard other residents screaming about a fire and immediately leapt out of bed.
She had wasted another day surfing, so her apartment was still nothing but piles of cardboard boxes. If a single spark found its way inside, it would all go up in flames…but this was no time for idle speculation! Ugh, I should’ve unpacked like Mom told me to!
“Okay, uh…phone!”
Hinako couldn’t make a U-turn with a surfboard in her hands, so instead she walked backwards out of the valley between the boxes.
“Wee-woo, wee-woo! Fire! Fire!”
Yes, I’ve noticed! Thank you, Mr. Fire Alarm!
“Uhhh…wallet!” Right as Hinako returned with her phone, she remembered something else and had to rewind all over again.
In school she’d learned the “PuRCH” system—no pushing, no running, no chatting, no heading back—but naturally, during an actual crisis, it was the furthest thing from her mind. Humans could accomplish many incredible things during times of emergency, but evidently, thinking clearly wasn’t one of them.
By the time Hinako finally made it out of her apartment, the hallway was filled with the smell of smoke. Wait, is this actually a big fire? Crap, I’m on the eighth floor! I gotta get outside!
“Aagh! Wait!”
But by the time Hinako made it to the elevator, it was already on its way down, carrying the other residents.
Wait, I know! The emergency stairs!
Hinako ran down the hallway and threw open the door to the stairwell. Smoke was rising from the lower floors…so if she couldn’t go down, her only option was to go up. She dashed up the staircase without another thought.
Just five minutes after the first call to 119, the fire department arrived at the nearest hydrant. They lifted the cap with a crowbar, and sure enough, water sprang up. Next, they attached the hose.
“Deploy the water!”
Instantly, the pumper’s hose puffed up, and it was time to lay siege to the burning stairwells and balconies. Meanwhile, fireworks erupted from the construction site next door.
“Target: sixth-floor external staircase! Connect to the fifth-floor integrated water supply pipe and deploy! Number Two, Number Three, get up there!” the squad captain commanded.
“Yes, sir!”
Number Two—that was Wasabi. Together, he and Number Three sprang into action.
“Up, up, up, up!”
Carrying the hose extension, they dashed up the emergency staircase to the fifth floor, where they connected it to the building’s hose outlet.
“Deploy the water!”
It was time to put all that training to use.
Meanwhile, in the first floor lobby, another firefighter was busy getting a head count of the evacuated residents and checking for any missing or injured individuals.
“Stay calm, folks! I’m taking everyone’s apartment numbers!”
“I forgot my teddyyyy!” a little girl wailed from the safety of her mother’s arms. Her young parents must have been too flustered to think to grab their daughter’s favorite toy.
Outside, the lieutenant called the shots from the fire car, passing along information and new orders to his subordinates. In other words, he served as the control tower for the operation.
“So far the fire hasn’t made it inside, and the residents have evacuated to the first floor. One female eighth-floor resident noted missing. Number Two, Number Three, put that fire out and go find her!” he commanded into his lapel radio.
“Roger!”
Wasabi and the rest of the pumper squad still had no idea that the missing resident was, in fact, “Miss Hero.”
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the building, Minato was on the tiller truck, busily fighting the balcony fires. One of the residents had left some bundled magazines out on their balcony, which was where the blaze had initially begun. The whole balcony was burned black, the sliding glass door had melted, and the apartment interior was completely waterlogged. The balconies immediately above and below had suffered significant damage as well.
The truck’s ladder could extend up to 100 feet, enabling Minato to perform rescues and extinguish fires from up close. Once the balcony was fully extinguished, he maneuvered in close and lifted a wet and charred teddy bear from the ashes.
Pew, pew, pew! BOOM!
Up on the roof, Hinako had a front-row seat to her very own fireworks show. Everything’s flying so fast, you’d think there was a liquidation sale.
“Aaah!” Hinako screamed as a shower of sparks rained down on her. Thanks for the invite, but I’ll pass!
Carrying her surfboard like a turtle shell, Hinako crouched forward at a near right angle and ran to one corner of the roof, where she peeked over the edge. Down on the ground, she saw several fire trucks and plenty of firemen.
She took a deep breath and shouted: “Heeeelp!”
Behind her, another firework exploded with a deafening boom. Fortunately, a man in glasses noticed her and started talking into his radio.
They’re gonna save me! Thank God! As sparks flew in every direction, Hinako crouched down under her surfboard and hunched her shoulders. Each passing second felt like an eternity. Somebody, please, save me!
“Are you all right?!”
Footsteps were coming up the stairwell. But before Hinako could rejoice, an even bigger firework went off directly behind her, and she whirled around.
A crane slowly reached in her direction. Behind it, neon fireworks bloomed like chrysanthemums. Hinako sucked in a breath. There, in the bucket of the crane, was a young man with dark, almond-shaped eyes. He was smiling as if they were old friends, possibly in an attempt to reassure her.
“Are you all right?” His voice was pillowy soft.
“I…uh…” Slack-jawed, Hinako stared at his face. He was so handsome that he looked like a movie star. Swap the uniform and crane for a cape and a white horse, and you’d have Prince Charming! She might have swooned, you know, if the building wasn’t literally on fire.
“Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m okay!”
Boom, boom, boom! The fireworks detonated one after another.
“Stay calm. I’m going to get you out of there.” The man opened the bucket door, and Hinako timidly approached.
“Can I bring my surfboard with me?” she asked.
“Of course.” He grabbed it from her with both hands. “It’ll be a tight fit, but once you’re on board, I need you to crouch down low.”
Fearfully, she boarded the bucket, put on the helmet he handed her, and crouched down, just as instructed.
“Missing resident in custody!” the man called down. “Lower the crane!”
With a high-pitched whine, the crane began to descend, swooping like the long neck of a brachiosaurus.
Holy crap, we’re so high up! Hinako wasn’t especially afraid of heights, but regardless, she clung to the bucket railing.
There would be no surviving a fall from this height—not unless you were on the water. That was the biggest difference between land and sea. But the firefighter scarcely seemed to mind; he gazed at her with a confident smile. Seriously, why did he keep looking at her like he recognized her? Or was that familiarity just in her head?
Eventually the bucket touched down on the ground.
“You’re safe now,” said the firefighter as he handed Hinako’s surfboard back to her.
“Thank you so much!” Not only had he saved Hinako’s life, he had saved her board, which was worth just as much. She couldn’t begin to express her gratitude.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “If anything, I should thank you.”
Huh? What do you mean? But before Hinako could really think about it—
“Hinageshi! You know you’re not allowed to bring personal property into the bucket!” the man in glasses shouted angrily.
“Sorry, sir!”
Wait, what? But you said it was okay! Hinako winced. “Sorry I got you in trouble.”
“It’s all right. That board means a lot to you, right?” he asked casually.
“Yeah, I’ve had it ever since I was a kid. Although it’s practically falling apart…”
“I’d like to see you ride it again sometime.”
“Huh?”
“Now and then I see you from the roof of the station. Out on the waves.”
“Hinageshi! We’re pulling out!” The bespectacled man was calling for the firefighter again.
The young man smiled stiffly and then raised his hand in farewell to Hinako. “See you around.”
“Wait!” Hinako shouted reflexively. “If you’re interested…uhh…would you want to…learn to ride? With me?” She made a “wave” motion with her hand. Looking back, it was a ballsy invitation, especially since she’d only just met the guy.
“Or do you already know how?” she added as an afterthought.
He responded by grinning from ear to ear.