Hiro remembered the first time he came back to Nzo's coffee shop after centuries of absence. With his falling out with Hendrix, he only came back to Xego for business, barely acknowledging him whenever they had a chance to meet in the office or even around the City of Ruinae.
It may be childish but Hendrix's refusal to bond with him in the arena despite his constant badgering and even begging was very hurtful to him. Like any other man, he is not as expressive of the emotional turmoil that has been going through his life, but the arena symbolizes that he is not alone -- that Hendrix will always be there for him no matter what.
The arena and Hendrix are the redemption he is longing for now that he reconciled himself about being a bloodless konxelada, but both had failed him. He realiz
