If I had had my doubts about living with Murazaki-san, those quickly went away when he made it clear he wouldn't ever show up in front of me again. His previous appareance was actually his last. I could sometimes see him train in the back garden, or give lessons of bodyguarding and Aïkido to his different student in front of the old shrine. You would usually use the magnificent dojo, full of expensive tatamis, situated just next to the shinto temple, but it was currently where me and Frei were sleeping. His actual house behind the shrine beeing way too frugal to have guests. In any case, he barely used the Dojo as it is, he found the tatamis made you careless about your falling techniques.
Hard, irregular stones being way less forgiving.
We had a sole heater to heat up the 75m² room, so me and Frei were forced to sleep next to each other. Which brought quite a lot of problems. Frei had become Timid Frei after the kiss, and could barely look me into the eyes outside of training. She hadn't made another move and I hadn't either, probably both feeling like the impending doom of professional killers wasn't romantic enough to go the step further.
To be honest, even if I was way less obvious than my friend, I was also pretty disturbed by the whole situation. It had been a long time since I cared about a romantic relationship. Scratch that, it was probably the first time.
As such we came back to our no-talk, lots of training routine, which meant we were physically close the day, and the night. After 1 week, I actually began to have doubts about my self-control, which I usually am pretty confident about.
One specific night, an asleep Frei went and looked for the warmest place in the room, which apparently was my futon.
That night I learned she usually slept with big plushies. I won't tell you how I got that information, I think the context speaks for itself.
So considering the cold and that you wouldn't be surprised if I told you I barely slept.
After a week, the psychological torture got a bit better by the re-emerging of Frei's Dad. He was still barely looking at me, and didn't utter a single word, but I understood the silent message that we had to train with him. I think he would've rather only trained with his daughter, but I had nothing to do, as there was no Wi-Fi here, and I was already way over my mobile internet data limit, so I forcefully tagged along. He actually joined us in the dojo.
Frei didn't notice but I knew why he didn't let use taste the hard and cold rocks outside.
Those old school males and their pathological ineptitude in expressing their worries and emotions. I would know about that.
Still it meant me and Frei could finally get away from each other. A dad between us was doing the trick perfectly.
But it only made the nights even worse.
At first the new training meant I was too exhausted to think about anything in the evening, I was eating my hundreth onigiri of the week, this one with tuna inside. It wouldve been good if they hadn't added mayo. Frei and I had tried almost every meal sold inside the little conbinis (convenience stores), and I assure you, there are a lot. What's more they are actually pretty healthy. Still, as it was either rice or rice, with the occasional sandwich, I was getting fed up with it all. I didn't want to walk too far away from the Murazaki's Shrine, as some of the cameras of the city and stores could have been hacked to spot us.
The convenience store closeby had no cameras, and was a safe spot to go to. Some other restaurants were also without surveillance, and almost two weeks after we went into hiding, me and Frei had decided to try a steak bar two streets down.
It was horrible.
Not the food, no, the non-rice meal was a nice change, at least to me. Maybe it was her genes, but Frei didn't feel any discomfort in eating almost exclusively only rice for the last month and a half.
No the problem was the setting.
It was a date spot.
I tell you, there was a lot of tension before, but that night was the worst.
I couldn't even tell you who did the first move, we came back, sat in our beds in silence for a while, Frei looking at her phone (She had been more sparse with her 4G). But as usual her face gave everything away, she was definitely not paying any attention to her screen.
I think I bumped her leg with my foot. She actually squeeked, like a cute squirrel yeah, and that was it.
We found ourselves panting at sunrise, not having slept a wink.
« Fuck. » She said softly through a long breath, seeing the first rays of the sun out of the top rows of little windows.
« Not again... »
« Not funny. »
« A bit. » I smirked.
« Sias, my father always comes shortly after daybreak. »
I saw her naked body more clearly now that the light of the sun had appeared. She had truly white...
« Sias, are you listening to me ? »
« No. Your ass is way too enticing. »
She pouted.
I stood up and straddled her, not paying any attention to her fake shrieks of protest and kissed her.
After awhile, she pushed me away.
« Seriously, you know how he feels about lesbians, he's gonna kill us. »
« Nah, he's gonna kill me. »
She pouted again.
This time my self-control actually won. Yay me, I was getting myself back together.
« Don't worry, we're the 25th today, it's the Kitano market today, he's not coming back until noon. »
« How the hell... did you prepare this in advance ? »
I wasn't sure what she meant by this, but I could guess.
« Erm well no, I slightly expected the romantic date and thought it would be better to be safe. »
« To be safe ? So you knew this would happen ? » Her eyes betrayed her fake anger.
« No, I was hoping for it. »
She seemed to think, playing a mean game of 'I'll make you feel guilty', which didn't work at all as I had seen through it all.
« Same thing here. » She finally said, grabbing my waist between her legs, and with an old judo technique,she pinned me under her.
Ah dang, I had just woken up Tank Frei. I wasn't sure I would be able to handle that Frei with my current...
« Haa... » An impossibly cute moan came out of my mouth.
« You bad girl. »
And my brain shut down.
After that day, we slept even less than before. But I was definitely sleeping way better.
Still, with light there is always shadow. A week later, at dawn. And as usual it came from a Jourdin.
« Seems you effectively removed every threat on our back. Nice job. Go to Gion next week for a meet. You'll have the usual back-up. » Signed Papa.
I immediately deleted the message.
Another one came, with a full address of the place. It wasn't written in kanji, it would be pretty hard to find.
I softly bit my lower lip, annoyed.
« I should be asking you what's wrong but I think I'm just going to kiss you. » I heard my not-sleeping anymore neighbor tell me.
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I looked at the half naked figure that was looking at me. I wasn't against the idea.
The effective but oh so short break was bringing me peace, but now a ting of guilt was ruining the aftermath. Frei still didn't know me, not fully. I had hidden that dark part of myself, not really well, but just enough, to make her believe otherwise, that it wasn't so bad, that I was just in a dark, emo mood all the time. She was nice like that after all.
I couldn't expect our relationship to end well if she didn't know. My grandparents had showed me that in the worst lesson ever.
All relationships ended, one way or another. Touching her lips, stroking her hair, I decided I wanted to try another way.
« Frei ? » I asked softly, I felt my voice stagger, but it held fast.
« Mhh ? » She answered, her eyes still closed.
« Next week, It'll be over, you'll come with, right ? »
She sowly opened her eyes, turn around to face me.
« What does that mean ? »
« I know where Shikami and his lackeys will be. We have a meet, courtesy of my dad. My little stunt at the hotel apparently gave him enough freedom to get in touch with our old family contacts. »
Her smile fell, to be replaced with her more german expression.
« I won't like what will happen there will I ? »
« No. But I don't see how else it will end. I'll try my best to change the outcome, but I can't make any promises. »
« I still don't understand Sias, what are we going to achieve by going to the most obvious trap ever ? »
I felt a tinge of guilt again, the « we » made me feel happy, even though it shouldn't have.
« One of two things, either the same thing than with your father, make them give up, or... »
I couldn't finish my sentence as the dojo's door opened.
« What are you two still doing in... »
Shiwazaki sensei had just entered the scene.
And we weren't dressed. Like at all.
And Frei's hand was on my waist. When did that get on my waist ?
« I'm going to kill you. » He said, blind anger in his eyes.
Frei jumped to some clothes.
I just stood up.
« Shiwazaki-san stop that. You knew the moment we showed up in front of your home. »
Unexpectedly, it worked, he immediately calmed himself down.
Internally I was shocked. He had changed. It had succeeded. The man I knew was so hot-tempered he would have taken days to calm down.
Externally I was cold. I was naked after all.
Not that it seemed to bother the master in front of me.
« You are right, Sias. » This must-ve been the first time he directly spoke to me since our last fight.
« That doesn't mean I accept this kind of behaviour under my roof. »
« Otou-sama, please, it just happened, we didn't mean to be unrespectful. » Frei intervened, only dressed with a pull-over.
That was sexy... no not right now Sias, get a hold on it.
But as much as this sight was exciting me, it was calming my old sensei even more.
« Frei, so you too... well at least he was a boy. »
Still homophobic though. Dang.
He looked at me again.
« I won't give my daughter to anyone, first you have to beat me. And not with your petty tricks and your sweet words. An honest fight. One where you show me what you're really worth Sias. I could always feel you holding back, since the beginning. »
« Otou-sama ! » Frei shouted, angry. She went into panzer-mode and began talking in japanese at a crazy speed. I didn't understand a single word.
« If you don't agree, you'll leave this Dojo. » Shiwazaki continued, unfazed by his daughter's screams.
« I can't believe this. Sias, let's go. I can't stand this... »
« Fine I agree. » I answered my old sensei.
That stopped her in her tracks.
« What ? Sias you can't... »
« Sure I can. Can I put on a Dougi ? »
Shiwazaki-sensei didn't even bother to answer me, he stood in front of the old picture of Morihei Ueshiba, and bowed. It was the first time I ever saw him do it, one of the oldest traditions in Aïkido.
This fight would be hard.
The man named Reiki Shiwazaki wasn't lost anymore.
After a short time dressing up, I stood in front of him.
« Put on your Hakama, and this. »
He threw me a black belt.
« You are a 3rd Dan, fit to teach. Wear it with humility. » Not like myself, he said without speaking.
I made a decision. I would show Frei my past, now only a glimpse and next week all of it.
This, but also to honor a man who showed me once again what human's were capable of.
How even the worst human, so lost he just became a shadow of his former self, was able to become something better, greater.
« No weapons. It is not to the death. I don't want to hurt my daughter. » He told me.
I exhaled. « Arigatou Gozaimasu Sensei » I told him while I bowed.
« Why ? »
« Because that is what we say to one who teaches. »
« Sias, you still don't have to. » Frei intervened. « Let me do it. It's my father. »
« Sorry Frei, you'll have plenty of occasions to train with your father now. This is a goodbye between a student and his teacher. »
I assumed a normal stance, right foot in front of me. Core in front of my partner in sparring.
Shiwazaki-Sensei did the same.
« I hope we'll be equals afterwards. »
He grinned.
« You'll have to seriously impress me boy. » He took the same stance as I did.
« Do you seriously have to go all macho on me... » Frei sighed, before kneeling in Dogeza, watching us in silence.
The cold air blowed through the small gaps of the Dojo.
The soft tatami stood firm under our weight.
An old Fûrin chimed in the distance, ringing with the March wind.
He stepped forward.
I waited.
He began with a kick. Taekwondo. Unexpected.
A first move filled with intelligence.
We had sparred many times before, knew each other perfectly. Knew our rhythms. I knew he never used his legs to attack, and rather used them to keep a perfect balance at all times.
This was a splendid attack, unexpected, precise.
But I was a Skröskind.
I didn't even flinch.
I just stepped back.
His leg swiped void.
We were out of reach of each other again.
I stepped forward this time.
I threw a punch. Terribly simple. But with so much practice behind it you would have to be a master to even react to it in time.
He was one.
He deflected it with his palm before throwing the exact same punch towards me.
I immediately switched to an Aïkido technique, by reflex, and stepped through the attack. But that was a mistake.
Reiki Shiwazaki wasn't going to be beaten with Aïkido.
I got flung away, almost five meters. But falling techniques were almost as natural to me as breathing. And such a long throw was actually beneficial to me.
He wasn't quick enough to close the distance and use the time I was on the ground rolling.
« You are still holding back... » He accused me angrily.
« I actually want to enjoy this. » I answered.
He looked at me, not angry, his gaze was piercing.
« Are you arrogant or modest ? I want to know. »
I bowed.
So be it.
I took the same stance. But my hand were open, palms to the sky.
« Is this what your old man taught you ? »
« Yes. » I answered again.
He grinned.
He soared through me. Punches, grapples, Aïkido, the flurry of attacks was never ending.
He wanted to see, but he sure as hell wouldn't let me use the techniques as I wanted. I was going to have to go through all of his techniques, all of his experience to show him my worth.
« Often, we wait for the error, to strike the enemy, this can be good but can also be a mistake. Feints can be used, or maybe what you though was an error, is actually a technique you didn't know about. We cannot take those risks, even if it works one hundred, one thousand times, you only need one failure to be dead. No, perfection is when the Jourdin strike.
When it is impossible, when everything is lost, when the enemy shows his best, this is when he is the weakest. This is when we use his perfection against himself. Making it impossible to dodge, to react. »
An unholy mixture of martial arts and army techniques. One only possible by the alliance of multiple worlds, all being brought together for one sole purpose. To kill.
But it didn't have to be.
Just like the man on the picture of every Aïkido Dojo, those methods of killing could be altered, ever so slightly, to become something on the opposite side. Light in darkness.
Shiwazaki-san's strike was a sword, a sudden rush of wind. It rised, straight for my plexus. Most men would break their fingers, but his wouldn't. This was a finishing blow, a tornado of a technique, a killing one.
And so I became a wave.
His strike flew past, touching without hitting. Getting catched by my Dougi without hurting me.
And while his hand veered, my right hand rushed in.
He tried to dodge, but he couldn't.
My strike coursed in.
He tried to block with his other hand but this just made him more unbalanced.
My strike gushed in.
And my right palm, without a sound, delicately hit the nerve on his neck, a trickle really.
A specific point, only known by chinese acupunturers.
It wasn't much.
It wouldn't hurt.
But it would clog all of his nerves, a sudden paralysis, just for an instant.
Not long, half a second at most.
But for me.
« Just long enough to break the neck. Puncture the eyes. Shatter the bones. Or just punch the nose inside the brain. »
Not this time grand-father.
Another ring of the wind chime.
My fist had stopped in front of his face.