Hatsukoi - Chapter 5
Hey, everyone! I'm terribly sorry for what has become a pretty much month-long hiatus, but my life has gone through a couple of disconcerting turns since the last time I posted. My college discovered that there was mold in the dorm rooms, so they've made us move twice - once into a hotel 45 minutes away from campus, and now onto a cruise ship anchored at a dock nearby. You can read about it here. Apparently, this news was big enough to hit CNN. - ____ -
Anyways, I had actually written this chapter a while before any of this happened, but haven't felt up to posting it until now - moving all your belongings twice can be quite stressful. XD But, finally, I have a little bit of time on my hands, so here you go! ^^
Chapter 5 - Gaining Ground
The following days went by in a blur. Once Ryo had gotten ahold of the routine for his daily duties, he became absorbed by them, unaware of the flow of time that would simply pass him by. Soon enough, Ryo had learned the layout of the Ooku and could travel freely among its many compartments, taking walks and discussing the affairs of the Ooku with Mizuno and Sugishita when their work was done.
Ryo would see Tsuruoka from time to time, either when he was bringing him food or running errands for him. But despite this, they rarely got to spend time together for extended periods of time. Tsuruoka had taken to shutting himself up in his room or going on long walks by himself, much to Ryo’s disappointment. Something was bothering the other man, but Ryo felt that it wasn’t his place to pry.
Every so often, Ryo would also run into his new-found friend, Rin. When he did, the young page would always bow respectfully and greeting him with “Ryo-sama”, much to the older man’s embarrassment. Ryo would check up on him, making sure that no harm had befallen Rin since their last meeting. But no matter how many times Rin had assured that he would be alright, Ryo would always be unable to restrain a sigh of relief upon hearing that everything had went well. For some reason, he felt responsible for the young page and feared any retribution that the oily-voiced page or other Ooku courtiers had to offer.
Word of Ryo’s nighttime chivalry had also spread among the inhabitants of the Ooku, earning Ryo admiring gazes from among the lower-level courtiers and fleeting looks of wonder from those higher up. Ryo would always deliberately look the other way when confronted with such attention, embarrassed that he was now becoming an object of fascination in the Ooku. He had never intended on becoming so notorious - all he wanted was to live his life here quietly until he found a way home.
* * *
One day, after Ryo had been in the Ooku for about two weeks, he had the luck of being put on sweeping duties with Mizuno outside the dojo. The two young men had smiled at each other upon receiving their orders and grabbed their brooms, ready to sweep the ground clear of any leaves or foliage so that the other courtiers of the Ooku could walk about with ease.
At first, the two concentrated on their work, dividing up the space so that each knew where to sweep. But then, as the work became more tedious, Ryo suddenly asked, “Hey, Mizuno?”
“Yes, Ryo?” asked the other man, hurriedly shoving the leaves and foliage under a nearby hedge.
“I was wondering,” Ryo began, “do you think it’s okay that all these people in the Ooku are talking about my incident with Rin?”
Mizuno paused in his sweeping to look up at his companion. “And why would that be undesirable?”
“Well…I guess…I just don’t like it,” muttered Ryo after thinking over is thoughts on it. “I don’t think it should be such a big deal. I mean, it should be common sense that rape is a bad thing, right?”
Mizuno sighed. “Maybe under normal circumstances, yes. But this is the Ooku, a place where scores of beautiful, sexually frustrated men are kept like goldfish in close proximity with each other. I don’t personally agree with the idea of raping others to satisfy one’s own desires - I agree with you that to do so is despicable and not what people should do - but I think if you talked with Sugishita or one of the others who have been here longer, then you would understand a little better on why it occurs. In fact, when I first arrived here, I was the subject of others’ attempts as well. However, unlike your friend, Rin, I was able to fight them off myself.” Mizuno placed his free hand on Ryo’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Just be happy with the thought that people are not going to try to take advantage of you, now that your strength is known. Your place in the Ooku is surely going up.”
Ryo laughed drily, shaking of Mizuno’s hand. “As if I cared about stuff like that! I just want to go home. Really, I do. Then, I won’t have to deal with irritating stuff like this!” In his frustration, he slammed the handle part of his broom into the ground, creating a small, round hole in the earth.
Mizuno shook his head, chuckling. “Look, I usually try to take the approach that you can make a difference if you tried your hardest, that you don’t have to sink to the level of those around you. But, there isn’t much for you to do if you’re dealing with supernatural forces, which is what you are doing, according to what you have told me. Besides, there are much better ways to channel your anger without damaging the palace grounds.”
“And what would that be?” asked Ryo through gritted teeth.
“Like this!” said Mizuno brightly, swinging his broom through the air like a sword, just barely missing Ryo’s head.
“Hey! What was that for?” exclaimed Ryo, stumbling back in shock.
Mizuno laughed. “Kendo is a great way to relieve stress! It’s been a while since I’ve sparred. Do you know anything about the way of the sword, Ryo?”
“What do you think, Mizuno?” Ryo shot back, as he blocked a blow from Mizuno. This time Mizuno made the blow was much softer and slower, so that Ryo could respond without as much flailing.
Mizuno answered, trying again but aiming at Ryo’s other side, “You probably don’t, but it’s always good to learn. Besides, this is much more fun and conducive than sweeping these godforsaken leaves.”
As Ryo laughed his agreement, the two went at each other, Mizuno giving Ryo tips every so often on things like how to hold the sword and the correct stance that he should have. They were both so wrapped up in their mock fight that the two were caught completely unawares by the sound of clapping that interrupted their sport.
“Very good! That was very good!” boomed an authoritative voice not that far away.
Both Mizuno and Ryo sprung back from each other, both turning in the direction of the new disturbance. A look of recognition flickered across Mizuno’s face, and he immediately flung himself onto the ground, crying, “Fujinami-sama!”
Ryo, realizing that this Fujinami-sama must be some important figure, followed suit, hoping against hope that both he and Mizuno weren’t in trouble. As he kneeled on the ground next to his friend, Ryo could feel the pounding of his heart drowning out all else.
“Oh, there’s no need for that,” said Fujinami, bending down to help both Mizuno and Ryo up. “Don’t worry, you two are not in trouble.”
Mizuno and Ryo hurriedly spluttered out “thank yous” as Fujinami laughed, waving away their words. “You two intrigue me, that is all. Especially you -” At this, Fujinami extended a finger to point at Mizuno. “You seem to have much skill in kendo. I can see that much by just looking at the way you hold yourself when sparring. What is your name?”
“I am called Mizuno,” answered the said page, bowing respectfully.
“Ah, Mizuno,” said Fujinami, nodding as he emphasized the name. “I know of you. Your refusal to perform night duties has reached my ears. I can see the fighting spirit that must have infused you that night.” Fujinami shifted his attention to Ryo. “And…you are?”
“I am Ryo,” replied Ryo nervously, also bowing.
Fujinami smiled, amused. “Ah, another famous name! I am meeting all sorts of interesting people today. You defended…Rin, am I correct?”
“Yes, that was me,” said Ryo, unsure of Fujinami’s intent.
Fujinami nodded. “Yes, well, it’s good that someone is taking good care of Rin.” The tone in Fujinami’s voice dipped and Ryo couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. But then, the older man smiled again, and once again, Fujinami’s voice was back to its usual enthusiasm. “Well, I wanted to invite you both to the kendo practice that’s about to start. We’ve never had pages take part before, but it should be interesting to see how you two fare! So, how about it?
“Yes, of course!” answered Mizuno excitedly.
“Sure,” replied Ryo, much less excited at the prospect of maybe dueling experienced kendo masters.
“Marvelous!” said Fujinami, clapping his hands. “Now, if you two will follow me…” Fujinami made a gesture, and without further ado, led the two pages to the dojo.
* * *
Tsuruoka took his place at the right side of the dojo, sitting carefully on his heels. He immediately felt his heart lighten as he took in his surroundings, pleased that kendo practice was about to start again. He noticed that the other samurai would sneak glances at him as they came in and took their places at the edges of the room, whispering to each other. But, he didn’t care. Here, the dojo was his element. None of the others could hope to surpass his skill and Tsuruoka was glad that the others knew that this was the case.
Just then, the whispering around him intensified, and even Tsuruoka’s interest was piqued. He looked around and saw Fujinami, the most powerful man of the Ooku, walk in, leading in two pages and gesturing for them to take seats in the middle of the dojo.
Before Tsuruoka could express his confusion at having the pages’ presence sully the dojo, Fujinami spoke, his voice carrying through the entire hall, “Everyone, we have two guests today in the dojo. I thought it would be interesting for them to join us. Now, who is the most skilled swordsman among the men present here?”
Without hesitation, the kendo instructor answered, looking in Tsuruoka’s direction, “That man would be Tsuruoka, Fujinami-sama.”
“Ah,” said Fujinami, smiling widely. “Then, Tsuruoka! Have a bout with one of them!”
Tsuruoka looked from Fujinami to the two pages, realizing with a jolt that one of them was Ryo.
However, just as Tsuruoka opened his mouth to speak, Ryo hurriedly said, “Please, Fujinami-sama, can I watch? I really know nothing about kendo, so I think it would be better for me not to participate.”
Upon hearing Ryo’s outburst, the other samurai laughed uproariously. “A samurai who doesn’t know kendo?” questioned one in orange robes with a contemptuous look on his face. “How can that be?”
“Look, I’m not a samurai! I’m -”
“It’s alright!” exclaimed Mizuno suddenly, cutting across Ryo’s speech. “My name is Mizuno, and I will fight you.”
Tsuruoka’s eyes narrowed upon hearing the defiant nature of Mizuno’s words. He was not used to such impertinence in the dojo. “Of course. If you say so, then it will be as you wish,” replied Tsuruoka, his tone venomous as he picked up his shinai from the ground next to him. He stood, stretching himself up to his full height, while Mizuno stared up at him boldly.
The kendo match began, and Ryo watched in amazement as his two friends fought each other. It was clear very early in the match that both Mizuno and Tsuruoka were incredibly gifted kendo swordsmen. As their bodies moved swiftly across the floor and the cracks of their shinai resounded through the air, Ryo couldn’t quite figure out who he should be rooting for. On the one hand, Mizuno had been helping him ever since he had become a page in the Ooku. On the other, Tsuruoka had been his savior, and even though he hadn’t really interacted with him in some time, now that Tsuruoka was right in front of him, Ryo could feel that connection between them burn as strongly as if they had never parted in the first place.
But soon, it was over, and with a final blow, Tsuruoka slowly sank to the ground, his hands clutching at his abdomen as his dropped shinai clattered as it hit the ground. Tsuruoka felt fury boiling within him, fury at Mizuno for being the victor and fury at himself for allowing it to happen. He refused to look over at Matsushima, Ryo, or any of the other samurai present - his shame would not allow him to. What were the others going to think of him now, losing to a lowly page? How could he face them now? All these thoughts swam in his head and pounded in his ears, closing him from all else. Then, a hand came into view, and Tsuruoka realized that it was Mizuno’s.
Tsuruoka slapped away the hand, glaring at the one who had stolen his position in the Ooku, his expression intensified by unbridled hatred. Unable to hold back his words, Tsuruoka said bitterly, his words tumbling out like a flood, “Don’t get so full of yourself! It is far more important in the Ooku to have a beautiful face and impeccable manner.” Tsuruoka gave Mizuno a slow once-over, smirking as he did so.
“Regarding beauty, I am far above you.”
Mizuno stared back at him in shock, clearly not expecting such a reproach, but Tsuruoka didn’t care. He just wanted the satisfaction that there was something that this page could not take away from him. Ryo looked on in dismay as Mizuno quickly muttered an apology and backed away, clearly shaken by Tsuruoka’s words. However, Ryo found himself getting up from the floor and squatting next to Tsuruoka, placing a hand on other man’s shoulder.
Tsuroka looked up in surprise, then looked down again upon seeing who it was. “What, are you here to laugh at me?”
Ryo shook his head slowly. “Of course not, Tsuruoka! It was an amazing fight! I really enjoyed watching it.” He heard Tsuruoka snort, but he ignored him. “I just wanted to let you know that…it’s okay if you’re not the strongest. I really don’t care. Just treat everyone the way they ought to be treated, okay?”
Tsuruoka stared at Ryo, struck by his words. “Ryo -”
“Also,” said Ryo, interrupting Tsuruoka, “I wanted to ask you to be my kendo teacher.”
“Me?” asked Tsuruoka incredulously. “Why me? Why not ask your page friend there, who is so skilled in kendo?”
Ryo said sheepishly, scratching his head with one hand, “Well, I haven’t gotten the chance to really spend time with you anymore, since you always seem to keep to yourself. I kind of miss those times when you would help me out and show me around the Ooku, so I thought that the kendo lessons might be a nice way to make up for that. Besides, it’s still pretty obvious that you’re a master, so I think I should consider myself incredibly lucky to have you as a teacher.”
Tsuruoka smiled lightly, thankful that there was at least one other person who still appreciated him. His heart felt filled with happiness as he realized how pleased he was that it was this person who still appreciated him. “Yes, that sounds like a grand idea. We will surely arrange something to that effect for the both of us. I think I would enjoy spending time with you too…as your kendo teacher.”
“Thank you, Tsuruoka!” Ryo exclaimed, smiling widely. “I’ll look forward to it!” He extended a hand and Tsuruoka took it, allowing Ryo to pull him back up. Both of them made their way to the side of the dojo as the next match was announced.
Both of them were completely oblivious of the two malefic gazes that followed their every move.
- - -
Once again, I'm seriously sorry about the delay...I hope this chapter makes up for it somewhat!
This way to Chapter 6~
Anyways, I had actually written this chapter a while before any of this happened, but haven't felt up to posting it until now - moving all your belongings twice can be quite stressful. XD But, finally, I have a little bit of time on my hands, so here you go! ^^
Chapter 5 - Gaining Ground
The following days went by in a blur. Once Ryo had gotten ahold of the routine for his daily duties, he became absorbed by them, unaware of the flow of time that would simply pass him by. Soon enough, Ryo had learned the layout of the Ooku and could travel freely among its many compartments, taking walks and discussing the affairs of the Ooku with Mizuno and Sugishita when their work was done.
Ryo would see Tsuruoka from time to time, either when he was bringing him food or running errands for him. But despite this, they rarely got to spend time together for extended periods of time. Tsuruoka had taken to shutting himself up in his room or going on long walks by himself, much to Ryo’s disappointment. Something was bothering the other man, but Ryo felt that it wasn’t his place to pry.
Every so often, Ryo would also run into his new-found friend, Rin. When he did, the young page would always bow respectfully and greeting him with “Ryo-sama”, much to the older man’s embarrassment. Ryo would check up on him, making sure that no harm had befallen Rin since their last meeting. But no matter how many times Rin had assured that he would be alright, Ryo would always be unable to restrain a sigh of relief upon hearing that everything had went well. For some reason, he felt responsible for the young page and feared any retribution that the oily-voiced page or other Ooku courtiers had to offer.
Word of Ryo’s nighttime chivalry had also spread among the inhabitants of the Ooku, earning Ryo admiring gazes from among the lower-level courtiers and fleeting looks of wonder from those higher up. Ryo would always deliberately look the other way when confronted with such attention, embarrassed that he was now becoming an object of fascination in the Ooku. He had never intended on becoming so notorious - all he wanted was to live his life here quietly until he found a way home.
* * *
One day, after Ryo had been in the Ooku for about two weeks, he had the luck of being put on sweeping duties with Mizuno outside the dojo. The two young men had smiled at each other upon receiving their orders and grabbed their brooms, ready to sweep the ground clear of any leaves or foliage so that the other courtiers of the Ooku could walk about with ease.
At first, the two concentrated on their work, dividing up the space so that each knew where to sweep. But then, as the work became more tedious, Ryo suddenly asked, “Hey, Mizuno?”
“Yes, Ryo?” asked the other man, hurriedly shoving the leaves and foliage under a nearby hedge.
“I was wondering,” Ryo began, “do you think it’s okay that all these people in the Ooku are talking about my incident with Rin?”
Mizuno paused in his sweeping to look up at his companion. “And why would that be undesirable?”
“Well…I guess…I just don’t like it,” muttered Ryo after thinking over is thoughts on it. “I don’t think it should be such a big deal. I mean, it should be common sense that rape is a bad thing, right?”
Mizuno sighed. “Maybe under normal circumstances, yes. But this is the Ooku, a place where scores of beautiful, sexually frustrated men are kept like goldfish in close proximity with each other. I don’t personally agree with the idea of raping others to satisfy one’s own desires - I agree with you that to do so is despicable and not what people should do - but I think if you talked with Sugishita or one of the others who have been here longer, then you would understand a little better on why it occurs. In fact, when I first arrived here, I was the subject of others’ attempts as well. However, unlike your friend, Rin, I was able to fight them off myself.” Mizuno placed his free hand on Ryo’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Just be happy with the thought that people are not going to try to take advantage of you, now that your strength is known. Your place in the Ooku is surely going up.”
Ryo laughed drily, shaking of Mizuno’s hand. “As if I cared about stuff like that! I just want to go home. Really, I do. Then, I won’t have to deal with irritating stuff like this!” In his frustration, he slammed the handle part of his broom into the ground, creating a small, round hole in the earth.
Mizuno shook his head, chuckling. “Look, I usually try to take the approach that you can make a difference if you tried your hardest, that you don’t have to sink to the level of those around you. But, there isn’t much for you to do if you’re dealing with supernatural forces, which is what you are doing, according to what you have told me. Besides, there are much better ways to channel your anger without damaging the palace grounds.”
“And what would that be?” asked Ryo through gritted teeth.
“Like this!” said Mizuno brightly, swinging his broom through the air like a sword, just barely missing Ryo’s head.
“Hey! What was that for?” exclaimed Ryo, stumbling back in shock.
Mizuno laughed. “Kendo is a great way to relieve stress! It’s been a while since I’ve sparred. Do you know anything about the way of the sword, Ryo?”
“What do you think, Mizuno?” Ryo shot back, as he blocked a blow from Mizuno. This time Mizuno made the blow was much softer and slower, so that Ryo could respond without as much flailing.
Mizuno answered, trying again but aiming at Ryo’s other side, “You probably don’t, but it’s always good to learn. Besides, this is much more fun and conducive than sweeping these godforsaken leaves.”
As Ryo laughed his agreement, the two went at each other, Mizuno giving Ryo tips every so often on things like how to hold the sword and the correct stance that he should have. They were both so wrapped up in their mock fight that the two were caught completely unawares by the sound of clapping that interrupted their sport.
“Very good! That was very good!” boomed an authoritative voice not that far away.
Both Mizuno and Ryo sprung back from each other, both turning in the direction of the new disturbance. A look of recognition flickered across Mizuno’s face, and he immediately flung himself onto the ground, crying, “Fujinami-sama!”
Ryo, realizing that this Fujinami-sama must be some important figure, followed suit, hoping against hope that both he and Mizuno weren’t in trouble. As he kneeled on the ground next to his friend, Ryo could feel the pounding of his heart drowning out all else.
“Oh, there’s no need for that,” said Fujinami, bending down to help both Mizuno and Ryo up. “Don’t worry, you two are not in trouble.”
Mizuno and Ryo hurriedly spluttered out “thank yous” as Fujinami laughed, waving away their words. “You two intrigue me, that is all. Especially you -” At this, Fujinami extended a finger to point at Mizuno. “You seem to have much skill in kendo. I can see that much by just looking at the way you hold yourself when sparring. What is your name?”
“I am called Mizuno,” answered the said page, bowing respectfully.
“Ah, Mizuno,” said Fujinami, nodding as he emphasized the name. “I know of you. Your refusal to perform night duties has reached my ears. I can see the fighting spirit that must have infused you that night.” Fujinami shifted his attention to Ryo. “And…you are?”
“I am Ryo,” replied Ryo nervously, also bowing.
Fujinami smiled, amused. “Ah, another famous name! I am meeting all sorts of interesting people today. You defended…Rin, am I correct?”
“Yes, that was me,” said Ryo, unsure of Fujinami’s intent.
Fujinami nodded. “Yes, well, it’s good that someone is taking good care of Rin.” The tone in Fujinami’s voice dipped and Ryo couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. But then, the older man smiled again, and once again, Fujinami’s voice was back to its usual enthusiasm. “Well, I wanted to invite you both to the kendo practice that’s about to start. We’ve never had pages take part before, but it should be interesting to see how you two fare! So, how about it?
“Yes, of course!” answered Mizuno excitedly.
“Sure,” replied Ryo, much less excited at the prospect of maybe dueling experienced kendo masters.
“Marvelous!” said Fujinami, clapping his hands. “Now, if you two will follow me…” Fujinami made a gesture, and without further ado, led the two pages to the dojo.
* * *
Tsuruoka took his place at the right side of the dojo, sitting carefully on his heels. He immediately felt his heart lighten as he took in his surroundings, pleased that kendo practice was about to start again. He noticed that the other samurai would sneak glances at him as they came in and took their places at the edges of the room, whispering to each other. But, he didn’t care. Here, the dojo was his element. None of the others could hope to surpass his skill and Tsuruoka was glad that the others knew that this was the case.
Just then, the whispering around him intensified, and even Tsuruoka’s interest was piqued. He looked around and saw Fujinami, the most powerful man of the Ooku, walk in, leading in two pages and gesturing for them to take seats in the middle of the dojo.
Before Tsuruoka could express his confusion at having the pages’ presence sully the dojo, Fujinami spoke, his voice carrying through the entire hall, “Everyone, we have two guests today in the dojo. I thought it would be interesting for them to join us. Now, who is the most skilled swordsman among the men present here?”
Without hesitation, the kendo instructor answered, looking in Tsuruoka’s direction, “That man would be Tsuruoka, Fujinami-sama.”
“Ah,” said Fujinami, smiling widely. “Then, Tsuruoka! Have a bout with one of them!”
Tsuruoka looked from Fujinami to the two pages, realizing with a jolt that one of them was Ryo.
However, just as Tsuruoka opened his mouth to speak, Ryo hurriedly said, “Please, Fujinami-sama, can I watch? I really know nothing about kendo, so I think it would be better for me not to participate.”
Upon hearing Ryo’s outburst, the other samurai laughed uproariously. “A samurai who doesn’t know kendo?” questioned one in orange robes with a contemptuous look on his face. “How can that be?”
“Look, I’m not a samurai! I’m -”
“It’s alright!” exclaimed Mizuno suddenly, cutting across Ryo’s speech. “My name is Mizuno, and I will fight you.”
Tsuruoka’s eyes narrowed upon hearing the defiant nature of Mizuno’s words. He was not used to such impertinence in the dojo. “Of course. If you say so, then it will be as you wish,” replied Tsuruoka, his tone venomous as he picked up his shinai from the ground next to him. He stood, stretching himself up to his full height, while Mizuno stared up at him boldly.
The kendo match began, and Ryo watched in amazement as his two friends fought each other. It was clear very early in the match that both Mizuno and Tsuruoka were incredibly gifted kendo swordsmen. As their bodies moved swiftly across the floor and the cracks of their shinai resounded through the air, Ryo couldn’t quite figure out who he should be rooting for. On the one hand, Mizuno had been helping him ever since he had become a page in the Ooku. On the other, Tsuruoka had been his savior, and even though he hadn’t really interacted with him in some time, now that Tsuruoka was right in front of him, Ryo could feel that connection between them burn as strongly as if they had never parted in the first place.
But soon, it was over, and with a final blow, Tsuruoka slowly sank to the ground, his hands clutching at his abdomen as his dropped shinai clattered as it hit the ground. Tsuruoka felt fury boiling within him, fury at Mizuno for being the victor and fury at himself for allowing it to happen. He refused to look over at Matsushima, Ryo, or any of the other samurai present - his shame would not allow him to. What were the others going to think of him now, losing to a lowly page? How could he face them now? All these thoughts swam in his head and pounded in his ears, closing him from all else. Then, a hand came into view, and Tsuruoka realized that it was Mizuno’s.
Tsuruoka slapped away the hand, glaring at the one who had stolen his position in the Ooku, his expression intensified by unbridled hatred. Unable to hold back his words, Tsuruoka said bitterly, his words tumbling out like a flood, “Don’t get so full of yourself! It is far more important in the Ooku to have a beautiful face and impeccable manner.” Tsuruoka gave Mizuno a slow once-over, smirking as he did so.
“Regarding beauty, I am far above you.”
Mizuno stared back at him in shock, clearly not expecting such a reproach, but Tsuruoka didn’t care. He just wanted the satisfaction that there was something that this page could not take away from him. Ryo looked on in dismay as Mizuno quickly muttered an apology and backed away, clearly shaken by Tsuruoka’s words. However, Ryo found himself getting up from the floor and squatting next to Tsuruoka, placing a hand on other man’s shoulder.
Tsuroka looked up in surprise, then looked down again upon seeing who it was. “What, are you here to laugh at me?”
Ryo shook his head slowly. “Of course not, Tsuruoka! It was an amazing fight! I really enjoyed watching it.” He heard Tsuruoka snort, but he ignored him. “I just wanted to let you know that…it’s okay if you’re not the strongest. I really don’t care. Just treat everyone the way they ought to be treated, okay?”
Tsuruoka stared at Ryo, struck by his words. “Ryo -”
“Also,” said Ryo, interrupting Tsuruoka, “I wanted to ask you to be my kendo teacher.”
“Me?” asked Tsuruoka incredulously. “Why me? Why not ask your page friend there, who is so skilled in kendo?”
Ryo said sheepishly, scratching his head with one hand, “Well, I haven’t gotten the chance to really spend time with you anymore, since you always seem to keep to yourself. I kind of miss those times when you would help me out and show me around the Ooku, so I thought that the kendo lessons might be a nice way to make up for that. Besides, it’s still pretty obvious that you’re a master, so I think I should consider myself incredibly lucky to have you as a teacher.”
Tsuruoka smiled lightly, thankful that there was at least one other person who still appreciated him. His heart felt filled with happiness as he realized how pleased he was that it was this person who still appreciated him. “Yes, that sounds like a grand idea. We will surely arrange something to that effect for the both of us. I think I would enjoy spending time with you too…as your kendo teacher.”
“Thank you, Tsuruoka!” Ryo exclaimed, smiling widely. “I’ll look forward to it!” He extended a hand and Tsuruoka took it, allowing Ryo to pull him back up. Both of them made their way to the side of the dojo as the next match was announced.
Both of them were completely oblivious of the two malefic gazes that followed their every move.
- - -
Once again, I'm seriously sorry about the delay...I hope this chapter makes up for it somewhat!
This way to Chapter 6~