Chapter 105

"More, more, more!"

Chinami's cold tone lashed at me.

It was absurd. Despite the freezing weather, I was swinging a shinai at empty air until sweat poured down my body.

"Not even close! Don't tell me you plan to disgrace your Master at the training camp!?"

She was driving me without a single break, as if bent on a Spartan training regimen. I'd make her pay me back with a massage later.

"Hup!"

How long had I been tightening my core and swinging this shinai?

Satisfied that my stance hadn't broken, Chinami finally spoke.

"That's enough. We'll take a short break."

No matter how strong you were or how well you knew how to use that strength, swinging a shinai for this long was grueling.

Especially while wearing full Bogu.

I wasn't dead on my feet, but my arms throbbed.

The Bogu wasn't broken in yet, so my ears and jaw ached.

I took off the Men and collapsed onto a bench to catch my breath. Chinami held out a towel.

I took it and said, "Thank you, Master."

"Don't mention it. Your stance and movements were flawless, but you're lacking in just one area."

"What's that?"

"Your kiai. The 'ki' in the unity of spirit, sword, and body. You are still missing that most fundamental and crucial spirit. Now, follow my lead. Hrya!"

Chinami tightened her lower abdomen and let out a kiai.

Shaking the sweat from my hair, I couldn't hold back a chuckle at her adorably loud shout.

"Why are you laughing? Is my kiai funny to you?"

"No, it's just cute."

Chinami flinched, her eyes going wide.

A rosy flush spread across her plump cheeks.

She looked like a girl who had just stepped out of the freezing winter wind and into a room with a warm kotatsu, her face blooming with delight.

"Ahem... Junior. I appreciate the compliment, but you need to listen to me seriously right now. A kiai is an incredibly important part of Kendo."

"I know. But if I yell like that every day, my throat will give out."

"At first, perhaps, but it gets better. That is also part of the training. You shed your limits one layer at a time."

"Understood. I'm wiped out today, but I'll give it a try starting tomorrow."

"Promise? Pinky swear?"

She held out her pinky.

I hooked my own finger around her small, delicate digit.

"I promise."

"Ahem... Good."

"My hands are pretty sweaty, aren't they? I'd hate to rub any bad smells onto my Master's hand."

"It actually smells nice."

"You do too, Master."

"Eep... Really...?"

Chinami ducked her head, swaying from side to side.

She was openly wallowing in her embarrassment when—

"Chinami! Are you up there?"

Renka's voice drifted up from the bottom of the hill, making Chinami jump out of her skin.

"Gasp!? Yes! I'm here! What is it?"

"The coach is calling for you! We have a meeting about the supplies budget and the courses for the training camp. Can you come down?"

"Yes! I'll be right there!"

Calling back, Chinami hurriedly smoothed out her Training Uniform, even though it wasn't wrinkled.

"Ahem... You heard her, right...? I need to attend this meeting, so please rest for three more minutes and then resume your practice. If you think you can slack off just because I'm not here..."

"I'll work hard. Want me to promise again?"

"N-No...! I trust you..."

Chinami patted my shoulder, telling me to do my best.

I couldn't tell if she was genuinely encouraging me or just trying to calm her own bouncing heart.

I watched her scurry down the hill, then pulled my Men back on and stood up from the bench.

Practice. Back to practice.

...

"Why is your skin so dry? Both of you?"

Miyuki had been waiting for Tetsuya and me, and she immediately started fussing over us.

I scratched my cheek with an index finger, about to answer, but Tetsuya beat me to it.

"We just got out of the shower. The air is a bit dry today, as you know."

This bastard... pulling such cheap tricks.

Let's see how far that gets you.

"I guess... Come here for a second. Let me spray some essence on you."

Miyuki rummaged through her bag and pulled out a bottle of facial essence.

After spritzing it on Tetsuya, who was leaning forward like an eager dog, she turned to me.

"Stick your face out."

"Don't want to."

Miyuki let out a soft laugh at my lighthearted stubbornness.

She went up on her tiptoes, leveled the bottle at my face, and pressed the nozzle.

Pssh!

A fine mist of moisture fanned out.

Taking it head-on, I squeezed my eyes shut and grimaced.

Miyuki giggled, sprayed my face a couple more times, and then lowered the bottle.

"You have to moisturize. You don't want dead skin or breakouts later. It looks awful. I'll recommend a product for you later, so buy it and use it."

"Why bother slapping all that stuff on? Lotion is enough."

"Says the guy who didn't even put on lotion just now... Matsuda-kun...! What are you doing! Don't rub your face...!"

"I have to rub it in."

My nonchalance must have frustrated her.

Miyuki grabbed my wrists, pulling them away with all her might.

"It's a spray! You don't need to rub it in...!"

"You should've said so earlier."

"...Why are you acting so stupid today...? You can't touch your face with dirty hands..."

"Dirty...? That's a bit harsh, isn't it?"

"You had your hands shoved in your pockets the whole way here. That makes them dirty. I swear, you're ridiculous..."

Scoffing in disbelief, Miyuki pulled out a handkerchief.

It was the exact same design as the one she had tried to give me after I beat up the groper on the train.

"Is this... that one?"

"It's exactly what you think it is, Matsuda-kun. Wipe your face."

The corners of Miyuki's lips curled up.

She looked pleased that I had recognized it immediately.

'You remember all our memories just like I do.'

'It hasn't been that long, of course, but I'm still glad.'

"What are you guys talking about? What is that?"

Tetsuya barged in, completely oblivious.

I took the handkerchief and gently wiped my face before answering.

"A memory."

Miyuki nodded, her face brightening as if she liked my choice of words.

I could see Tetsuya's eyes darting around anxiously as he studied her expression.

"A memory?"

'Yeah. A memory that also happens to be the most important turning point in both your life and mine.'

"Something like that. Just get in the car."

"Ah, right..."

...

"Go on inside."

Even though we had parked in front of her house, Miyuki didn't look like she had any intention of getting out.

Without grabbing her bag or unbuckling her seatbelt, she just sat there staring at me.

I offered her a warm smile and asked.

"What's wrong?"

"You didn't even accept it that day. You only looked at it for a second. How did you remember it?"

"Remember what?"

"The handkerchief."

"Because I'd never seen anything so purely white before."

"Really...?"

"And because it was the first act of kindness from a girl who treated me like her mortal enemy."

"W-Who treated you like an enemy...!"

Miyuki stammered, flustered as she tried to deny it.

I scoffed, leaned all the way over, and pressed the buckle of her seatbelt.

Then, with my face inches from hers as she pressed her head back against the headrest with wide eyes, I flashed a smirk.

"Didn't you?"

"...It's a fact that you were a delinquent, Matsuda-kun... You still are..."

"Still?"

"O-Of course you're getting better... but you still have a long way to go..."

"A long way?"

"Obviously... You're always trying to touch me in front of people... and you still curse sometimes."

"I'll give you the cursing, but I'm innocent on the touching. You enjoyed it too, so why make it sound like it's all my fault?"

"W-Who said I enjoyed it...!"

Feeling called out, Miyuki shoved my chest away and grabbed her bag from the back seat.

She opened the passenger door and stretched one leg out, looking ready to bolt, but then turned back to me.

"Do you want to stop by my house for a bit?"

"Why? Did you tell them you were bringing me over? Are we eating?"

"No...! I was planning to have that dinner after midterms... but we have the training camp, so I need to reschedule..."

"Then why are you inviting me in now?"

"Midterms are right around the corner. Aren't you going to study...?"

"We have half a month left. How is that 'right around the corner'?"

"It's only half a month. You're an idiot to begin with, Matsuda-kun, so you have to work hard for these two weeks. If you place dead last again like you did last semester, you'll get a warning at minimum, and expulsion at worst..."

"Isn't expulsion taking it a bit far?"

"It means you're in a very precarious situation right now..."

Clack.

Miyuki pulled her leg back in, shut the door, and pointed a long finger toward the back of Wataru's car.

"Park the car over there. I'll tutor you inside."

"Why are you being so pushy?"

"Maybe I'm taking after you... Just park it."

"Your mom and dad are probably home. I'd feel bad just dropping in unannounced."

"They'll be thrilled—they definitely won't hate it."

"Yeah? Then I'll just study for a bit and head out, okay?"

"Okay."

'If I had known this would happen, I would have brought something to leave in her room.'

'Maybe I should just hang a pair of my underwear in there.'

"I'm not expecting a miracle. I just want you to make it to around 20th place in the class."

Miyuki said as she stepped out of the car.

I snorted and walked side-by-side with her toward the front door, brimming with confidence.

"Twentieth place is a piece of cake."

"You fell way behind Tetsuya during the break... and yet you talk so big? Tetsuya ranked 15th on his finals last semester."

"Then I just have to beat him this time."

"I hope you do. Let's work hard together."

She patted my back.

Her expression said she expected absolutely nothing, but we'd see about that.

Honestly, I wasn't too confident when it came to using my brain.

Still, if I scored higher than expected, I'd have an excuse to act smug in front of Miyuki. I needed to study hard, if only to earn a reward.

And to see Tetsuya's face completely crumple in defeat.