The Hero of My Dreams

"**Admired Hero**" (憧れのヒーロー, *Akogare no Hīrō*?) is the second chapter of the first volume and the second chapter overall of the *WIND BREAKER* manga series, written and illustrated by Nii Satoru.

## Overview

Sakura meets Akihiko Nirei, whom he believes is a flashy and egotistical individual. When Nirei gets into danger for saving a woman, Sakura begins to view him differently.

## Summary

Sakura carries an old woman on his back inside Café Pothos and complains about it when he learns that she can walk just fine. Despite his rude comments, the elderly woman thanks him because he is a student at Furin High School. Sakura prepares to leave, but Kotoha offers him free food and teases him about being excited for Furin High's entrance ceremony, which will be held that afternoon.

Suddenly, a boy named Akihiko Nirei clumsily enters the café, greeting Kotoha and the woman enthusiastically. Upon seeing Sakura, he wonders where he came from and asks if his split-dyed hair and heterochromiac eyes are the result of stress. Kotoha introduces them to each other, and Nirei wonders why Sakura moved to Makochi, lecturing him about Furin High School and Bofurin's duties in protecting the town. Sakura explains that he moved to Makochi to become the top of the school, but Nirei and Kotoha ridicule him, stating that it is an impossible goal.

When Nirei leaves, Sakura judges him for looking flashy and seemingly only caring about his appearance. Kotoha tells him that he should not be quick to form an opinion on Furin's students and that perceiving them linearly will only obstruct him from getting to know them better. Nonetheless, Sakura asks her if Nirei is a good fighter.

Walking in the market street, Sakura is offered loaves of bread by the townspeople as thanks for protecting the town from yesterday's events. Sakura is flustered and declines the offer, but eventually ends up being offered different products for free by the other citizens. Remembering Kotoha's words, he starts to think that it was his own beliefs that prevented him from believing that Makochi's citizens are welcoming toward Furin's delinquents.

Suddenly, a young girl approaches Sakura and warns him about danger nearby. Nirei is revealed to be cornered by a group of delinquents after saving a woman all by himself. He tries to fight back but to no avail, until Sakura rescues him by kicking the group leader to the ground. He reasons that his actions are motivated by distaste for weak people who pretend that they are strong, and he fights the remaining delinquents on his own. Nirei watches him in awe and thanks Sakura for saving him. However, he apologizes for being helpless during the fight despite being a Furin student and wanting to become a hero like the others. Sakura admits that he is not pathetic, and the woman whom Nirei rescued thanks him for his service. Before Sakura can leave, Nirei interviews him to jot down his data on a notebook, claiming that he likes to take notes about the people he finds cool.

Afterward, Nirei tours Sakura around town and leads him to Furin High. As the new school year starts, a man announces that it is time to welcome the first-year students into the school.

## Characters in order of appearance

1. Haruka Sakura
2. Kotoha Tachibana
3. Granny Sato
4. Akihiko Nirei
5. Townspeople
6. Unnamed girl
7. Unnamed delinquents
8. Hajime Umemiya

## References

1. ↑ "【第二話】憧れのヒーロー". *Magazine Pocket*. Retrieved on April 8, 2022.
2. ↑ "WIND BREAKER, Volume 1". *Kodansha USA*. Retrieved on April 7, 2022.