Loss and Pride
The match had been swift, and decisive. Elyna blushed, ashamed to realise she’d missed the entirety of it.
“Good one!” a masculine voice exclaimed beside Dr Sōhma. Haruki bowed to the man; he responded with a wide smile that looked strangely familiar.
“You’ve done well, Haruki-kun. I’m impressed.” The praise was earnest, causing Haruki to flush. Elyna squinted, intrigued by the stranger. He looked… strangely familiar.
Dr Sōhma gave Elyna a pointed look that seemed to say: It is rude to stare. “Elyna-san.” She gestured to the man. “This is Onishi-san.”
Oh! That’s Shūji’s father! That explains it then.
“I’ve heard a lot about you both,” he chuckled, pinning Elyna with a look of understanding. Does he know about the spider accident? She bowed, finding him agreeable enough for someone who had spawned such an agent of chaos.
Where Shūji was a ball of youthful energy, his father felt quieter and more confident, a character shaped by years of experience.
“Perhaps the boy has a chance to age well,” Elyna whispered to Satsuki.
“Shh,” the girl scolded, desperately trying to hide her mirth. Of course, Shūji whined in protest from his seat.
“Youth is wasted on the young,” Haruki quoted dryly, earning a surprised laugh from Onishi. Beside him, the school nurse’s lips quirked.
“Wise words from someone who’s been eighteen for three weeks,” Elyna teased, only to be rewarded with one of Haruki’s rare, genuine smiles. The banter went on until Katayū materialised beside Shūji. “You’re up, little genius.”
“Nuh-uh,” the kendōka sing-songed in that tone that always promised a cataclysm. “I can’t possibly fight without a good luck kiss.”
Elyna recoiled, crossing her arms in the no way sign she’d borrowed from Japanese customs. As a teaching assistant, that would trample a hundred thousand lines of propriety. Out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted Sano bristle in his seat.
Shūji sent her an annoyed glare, then he turned to the most vulnerable of lambs.
“Sacchan ~”
Haruki frowned, eyes blazing with more emotion than he’d ever shown. “Shūji-kun,” came his stern warning. Elyna chuckled. Discipline-man is back.
“Oh Kami-sama’s sake,” Katayū raged, ready to drag his student out by force if need be.
Before he could pull Shūji away, Satsuki darted forward and pressed a chaste kiss to the boy’s cheek.
He completely froze. Except for his eyes that reached for the school nurse in desperate attempt to find some kind of anchor.
Dr Sōhma met his gaze with a quirked eyebrow that stated: You got yourself into this.
Katayū chuckled, gently but firmly guiding the stunned boy away. Before they could disappear, the Vice Principal gave Satsuki a loaded look, lips curled in a wry smile. “Don’t break him, ne?”
The girl turned crimson, bringing her hands to her face in an attempt to hide. “I can’t believe I did that in front of everyone,” Satsuki squeaked.
“Relax,” Elyna rubbed her back. “No one saw it. And it was sweet to encourage him.”
But Haruki strongly disagreed. “You shouldn’t have given in to his demands, Satsuki-chan. This is emotional manipulation.”
“It’s alright, Haruki-senpai,” Satsuki peeked out from behind her hands, still red from embarrassment. “I want him to do well.”
Minutes later, as they watched Shūji take his position on the floor, the playful atmosphere evaporated completely. Underneath his mask, the student was determined. He faced a policeman, a skilled technician with the kind of precision honed through years of dedicated training.
But Shūji was something else, something that made the crowd hold its breath. Slippery as an eel, each of his strikes flowed. His sharp kiai owned the room, filled with such purpose that the hair stood up on Elyna’s arms.
The match felt like a deadly dance; nothing happened but the slightest touches, long moments barely chasing the other’s shinai while tension built and built until her chest tightened. Then, Shūji erupted in a storm of lightning-fast strikes.
Onishi-san sat at the edge of his seat, living every blow in his bones. Each movement was so precise, so powerful… Shinai cracked against armours, sharp strikes that echoed inside the dome like thunder. The entire venue seemed to hold its breath.
Elyna was completely absorbed, heart racing. Her eyes followed Shūji as he danced with feline grace, his drive both mesmerising and terrifying. Dangerous.
Each strike sent a shiver through her spine. The decisive moment came like lightning: a slight opening, at best, followed by a dive so artistic that even the opponent’s supporters acclaimed it. The judges’ flags went up in unison; the crowd exploded.
Katayū’s facade finally cracked. “Yes! That’s how it’s done!”
Elyna jumped to her feet while Haruki dissolved in his chair.
“Extraordinary,” Sano’s voice rose from down the row, awe and pride mingling in his tone. He looked stunning in his unguarded wonder, and she drank in the sight. But then his eyes met hers and she blushed.
Quit your staring, girl.
During the brief recess, silence settled in the teacher’s section, as if time had stopped. Only Onishi-san and Sōhma-san seemed to find the strength to defy fate, conversing in low voices.
“Do you think he can manage?” Satsuki murmured in her ear.
It was Haruki who responded, his gaze lost in space. “He’s stubborn enough to pull it off.”
The tone was given, filled with anticipation and larger-than-life expectations. Elyna pressed her lips, feeling the tension knot her sternum.
The semi-final told a different story. Shūji’s opponent was a national university champion with slightly less technique, but perfect timing. He fought with much less flourish, his experience evident in every calculated movement. The few strikes he dealt were devastating.
Elyna sighed; this was mastery—efficient and economical. No less impressive.
Shūji fought with his usual evasiveness. But instead of facing a storm, he was caught in quiet waters that barely moved, awaiting the perfect moment to surge and drag him down. Tornado Shūji grasped at straws, thrown off balance. The defeat was clean, if not swift.
When Shūji’s shoulders sagged, Elyna’s heart ached for him.
“Still extraordinary,” she whispered, eyes misting over.
When their friend appeared afterwards, armour and kendogi discarded in favour of light jeans, his father engulfed him in a fierce hug, lasting long enough to embarrass a teenager.
Yet, Shūji drank in its emotional intensity, arms clamped firmly around the patriarch’s frame.
Then Sōhma-san approached; her usual composure unravelling as she swept Shūji into an embrace that felt almost… parental.
They stayed to watch the finals because neither Shūji nor Haruki would move from their seats, but Elyna’s heart wasn’t in it anymore.
The duel wasn’t as riveting when played by two unknown figures.
It ended in less than five minutes, the champion who’d beaten Seishin’s star pupil making mincemeat of his opponent with a few clean strikes.
Disappointing.
As they collected their things, Elyna’s gaze drifted to their usual magnet; Sano approached her, as if pulled by gravity. Their eyes locked for a suspended moment, both eternal and fleeting. Taking the full brunt of his silent attention made her pulse quicken.
“It was incredible,” Elyna managed.
He smiled, folding his coat over his other arm. “Hai. It is rare for high-schoolers to reach this level. It means extraordinary skills from both teacher and students,” he added fondly, sliding a glance at Katayū.
There was respect in his eyes; curious, she wondered why he didn’t attend the kendo club.
“Did you ever compete?”
“Ah, no.” His hand carded through his hair, a slight smile curving his lips. The movement revealed the line of his shoulder, grey knot pulling taut across his chest. “I’m more of a Kung Fu man myself, even though it annoys the traditionalists.”
Elyna bit her lip. She could see it so clearly—his graceful Qi Gong routines translated to martial arts, all fluid strength and controlled power.
Trust Sano-sensei to find a niche practise to correspond to his unique teaching style.
“It does seem to fit you well,” she blurted out, blushing that she’d been staring so openly. The agitation of the hall seemed to dim around them, the crowd’s noise fading until his micro-expressions became her whole world.
“Katayū-sensei said you move like me.” His lips quirked, almost self-deprecating. “Apparently it doesn’t quite fit kendō’s aesthetic.”
He gestured as he spoke, demonstrating a flowing motion that reminded her of Chinese movies; Elyna was mesmerised by the elegant strength in his forearms as he moved.
A beat of silence passed between them; she was lost in his eyes. Then he cleared his throat and unwrapped his coat.
“Let’s get out, ne?” His head tilted playfully, sliding his arms into the sleeves.
The spell broke, leaving her breathless, and disoriented. Elyna followed him in a daze; the sun had already dipped beyond the horizon, leaving behind one last trail of fire. Her eyes tracked the elegant silhouette before her, long wool coat flung over broad shoulders.
It was only when Shūji appeared at her side like a bull in a China shop that she started. “We’re celebrating, Elyna-chan!” he almost yelled, still high from his performance. “You have to come!”
“Don’t call me that,” she glared, forgoing the usual sushi insult in case Onishi-san heard her. Beside her, Satsuki gave her a look that said it all; she would never intrude upon a men’s party, especially that kind of absolute revelry where alcohol would probably be the main attraction.
“Nope. I have water-polo tonight,” Elyna laughed, already dreaming of her warm bed.
“We’ll nurse your hangovers tomorrow,” Satsuki added diplomatically, anticipating the aftermath. Clever girl, she’ll probably cook some stomach-settling stuff.
Disappointment flickered across Sano’s features before he congratulated them both on being reasonable. Behind him, Katayū was on the phone, coaxing Sarah to join them, fast and enthusiastic.
Elyna waved at the group and set off for the train, wondering why regret and elation fought a tug-o-war in her chest. She wished she could have joined… but there was too much danger in choosing that path.
I can’t afford to get drunk in his presence.
Elyna: I’ve seen a badass kendo duel!
Aksel: Someone die?
Elyna: Kendo, dummy, not MMA.
Aksel: No blood, not interested.
Elyna: Sushi made it to semi-finals, you dolt! That’s super incredibly wonderful!
Aksel: Yay, I’m so happy I could die.
Elyna:…
Aksel: You’re a nerd, sis