A Year Later and A Serious Talk

Currently, I was blindfolded and walking across the tips of blades. Katana's, European Longswords, Claymores, Naginatas, Bardiche - all kinds of bladed weapons, all at different heights.

And all of these weapons were one of a kind. Their sharpness near unmatched when compared to the multitude of weapons in this world. They could even cut my skin, and when bullets can't do that, it's truly a way to know that these blades sure are sharp.

This was a sort of training developed by Mikumo-sensei. She said it would help me better control my center of gravity and how my body distributes weight.

At first, I could just walk over the blades. Sure, my feet would get cut up pretty badly, but it was manageable. It'd heal within a few minutes anyway. But as time went by, I slowly realized how to do it properly, how to rely on skill to do what I could do with my overwhelming physique. It was...revolutionary for my overall prowess.

And alongside the martial training Mikumo-sensei gave me? My skill sky-rocketed into the beginning stages of Grandmaster after a year before it started slowing down again.

Over the year, I'd developed another stance for my style, which I had taken to calling 'Nishimiya Weapon Style' because of the way each of my stances mimics the characteristics of a weapon. So, after thinking about it, I realized that my style of fighting turned me into a weapon, hence why I named it such. Plus, people who heard it would think I used weapons, so they'd possibly underestimate me. Kind of a long shot, but I should be able to use it to my advantage if the situation ever pops up.

Getting to the end of the course, I hopped off the blade tip I was standing on before slipping off the blindfold, only to see Mikumo looking at me. I smiled and walked over to her, while she returned my smile with a small one of her own.

"You truly are a talented boy, Yukiro," she emphasized the word 'boy' still trying to deter me from my pursuit of her, but I ignored it and continued smiling while I got closer to her.

"Then why don't you take me up on my offer, Miku-sensei?" I quipped playfully, "The offer still stands, after all~" I said before walking passed her and out of the training area, and into the courtyard. Looking up I saw the moon and the stars shining down on me, and knowing Mikumo was besides me...it felt nice. Relaxing. The most relaxing it had been for the passed few years, honestly.

"...You're still going on about that, Yukiro?" she sighed, yet I could hear the smile on her face, "Do you not have any girls your own age who you like? Or any who like you? You're a dashing young man, after all," she said casually, yet the sincerity made me smile even wider.

Yet when I thought about girls my own age, two popped to mind. Karla and Saeko. I still spoke to them over the phone, and Karla still excessively text me every morning...but I wonder if they still like me the way they did when I left. I must admit that during this past year, that same thought had been popping up in my head, and I began to realize how much I actually missed them.

Karla's outgoing eccentric behavior was something that used to annoy me but after the things I'd seen traveling the world...it was one of the lighter things I could think of which would cheer me up.

And Saeko...like a genuine samurai who followed the Bushido code. So loyal, and ever so mature, she was always someone I could rely on to have a normal conversation. Whether the conversation was about martial arts or other things we both enjoyed, like novels, it didn't matter. The memories of the talks between us are, along with other things, a bastion of light in my mind. A mind that belonged to a person who has killed dozens, maybe even hundreds of people throughout his travels.

...I remember when I used to think that I would only kill Yujiro, and yet I've killed so many other people...How people change, huh?

I looked down from the moon and at my hands. For a second I imagined that they were covered in blood, but I quickly closed my eyes and brought up a hand to wipe my eyes.

I must need some sleep or something.

"Are you okay, Yukiro?" Mikumo spoke from beside me, her black eyes filled with a slight worry instead of their usual indifference. When our eyes met, she seemed oddly flustered and quickly explained herself for some reason, "You didn't answer my question, so I thought I may have hit a sore subject. I apologize if I have," she averted her gaze slightly, anxiousness buried deep within her expression.

Smiling at her, I would have never thought the cold-hearted Mikumo Kushinada could show such expressions before I met her. I've got to say, everyone who dislikes her...they've got her wrong, honestly. Either she's different in this world, or her canon-self wasn't explored enough, but I can tell you one thing; she's different. More human.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking about some things," I gently said, shuffling a little closer to her, "To answer you question; yes, I have two friends my age back home. They had crushes on me when I left. Nothing too serious, but I wouldn't know. I never got to speak to them about it," I said as I looked back to the moon. But not before I saw Mikumo's face go slightly grim. I heard her open and close her mouth a few times, seemingly wanting to say something but it took a while before she actually said something.

"Why don't you just get with one of them, then? You do realize I'm old enough to be your grandmother, yes? You'd get nothing being with a woman as old as me," she said with a voice that seemed slightly...bitter? But I moved past such a revelation and answered her with a troubled tone.

"What if I said I don't know whether I could stick to just one of them? What if I said I wanted both of them?" I said, asking in a slightly sardonic tone. That tone being focused on myself, that is.

Mikumo-sensei scoffed before walking forward a little, her hair trailing behind her as she walked and spoke, "Then I would say that you're awfully selfish and greedy. I would say that you're very obstinate to not just pick one of them and be happy," she said before turning to me, a sad smile on her face, "It can hurt much more to have both of them then to have one of them and not the other, you know? I speak from experience. I was a young woman during the time when polygamy was practiced by the noble houses in Japan, after all," her eyes were sad, speaking of her troubles from that time.

Leaning against a nearby pillar, I banged my head softly against the wooden surface, reprimanding myself for bringing up such a troublesome subject, while I watched Mikumo as she was shrouded in moonlight.

Finally, I let out a self-deprecating laugh while keeping eye contact with the woman in front of me.

"I know. It would make me a real piece of shit. But because I'm a piece of shit...I'd still try it. If it didn't work, it won't work, but if I can get it to work, and keep everyone happy...wouldn't it be worth it?" I asked lightly, my voice slightly soft, none of my casual arrogance anywhere to be seen.

"Hmm, I would presume so...but it would be a rough road, Yukiro..." she trailed off before her body jumped like a shock went through her, "Why are we talking about this anyway?! It's not like it's any of my business to begin with!" she went to storm off in her usual graceful way, but I stopped her by grabbing her hand.

"Miku...it is your business. I'm sincere in my feelings for you, you know?" I said, a gentle smile on my face. But Mikumo didn't turn to look at me, her face turned the other way. All I could see was black hair. "I don't know what happened in the past and I won't pretend to understand the struggles you went through...but I want to travel that rough road with you. No matter what it takes," I said, feeling Mikumo's body shaking as I spoke. She turned her head to give me a sidelong glance, the eye staring at me, cold to the extreme.

"Did you ignore the part where I said I was old enough to be your grandmother?" she asked coldly, but her voice shook slightly toward the end.

"I don't care," I smiled and shrugged, "Your age doesn't matter to me," I just looked at her, hope flooding my eyes.

She scoffed, "And what if your age is a problem to me? You're 15, Yukiro. I would be breaking laws if I entered any kind of relationship with you," she said, the coldness in her voice receding slightly, a hint of bitterness replacing it.

"You don't strike me as the type of person to care about laws like that, Miku-sensei. You kill people - there are laws against that, aren't there? Yet you ignore those," I smilingly said, my words being serious, yet sounding slightly playful. "There's obviously something else holding you back, and that's fine. Just know that unless you tell me the reason, I won't stop trying. Not until you tell me to stop, and not until you tell me why. I love you, after all, sensei," I said with a serious face and a gentle smile, my eyes no doubt boring into her own.

She paused upon hearing what I said before she had a sort of outburst, "Do you know how arrogant you sound?! How pigheaded?!" she shouted, her voice firm and reprimanding, "There were thousands of men like you back in my time, and they all failed in their pursuits! Who could accept such a man?!" she shouted, hoping to hurt my feelings, presumably. Yet I continued smiling, before gently squeezing her hand.

"If those are your thoughts, sensei...then why are you holding my hand so tight? Like you're afraid to let go? Afraid that I'll disappear if you let go?" I asked, holding up out hands to show how her hand and fingers were interlocked with my own, her thumb slowly stroking my hand, seemingly having a mind of it's own.

Mikumo-sensei looked to the union of our hands, her eyes going through a multitude of emotions. Shock, disbelief, confusion, and many other emotions that flickered through her eyes. All in all, she seemed completely shook by the realization that she was indeed holding my hand like I said she was.

"Let go!" her body shook before she tore her hand away with me doing as she asked before she started backing up as if scared to let our hands touch again. Her hand came up to her chest which was rapidly moving inward and outward as she breathed in and out rapidly, her cheeks slightly pink. If it weren't for her extraordinarily pale skin, I doubt I would have seen the color change. Her body shook one more time before she spun around, not letting me look at her face before she disappeared, running off toward her room, silently.

Seeing her run off, I sighed, shaking my head.

"That could have gone better..." I mused, leaning back on the wooden pillar, banging my head against it feeling frustrated with the feelings inside of me. If only I could just pick one of them, I'd be able to live a somewhat peaceful romantic life. But no, I've gotta be born as a greedy, selfish asshole. Great.

As I looked up at the moon, my thoughts were quickly expelled from my mind as all that filled it was shock and disbelief.

Half of the moon was gone, leaving it in a crescent shape.

It can't be...Korosensei?!