Thoughts of meeting him
"Brother, you have to teach me!" Haruka whined as she held unto Kenji's arm tightly.
With her cheeks puffed into a pout, her lashes fluttered like an innocent child incapable of hurting a fly whereas she was the exact opposite with a touch of 'very' to it.
"There is no way it's going to happen!" Kenji insisted with a hint of gravity in his tone while trying to pull his hand from her grasp.
For some time now, Haruka had been disturbing him to engage in a sword fight with her while complaining about how her skills were a little around the edges for not practicing several days in a roll.
Kenji wouldn't have had a problem dueling with her, but that would be going against their parent's wishes, and he didn't want to be a rebel.
Left with no other choice, he refused her outrightly.
"I know you are worried about Father and Mother, but I promise, they wouldn't mind if you are the one. Just one round is enough," Haruka pleaded as her eyes glistened with tears.
A smart one to say the least.
She was well aware that their parents wouldn't scold her if her older brother was the one coaching her, thus she decided to use the idea to her full advantage.
Sadly, for her, Kenji was hard to please.
"Let go!" He hollered, glaring at her after failing to pry her fingers off his arm. "Why are you so stubborn?"
"Because you remain insistent on not granting my wish," Haruka retorted stubbornly as she went on to lay her head on his arm.
All she needed and wanted was for him to help her out and if he was been this way, she had no choice but to remain stubborn.
In the end, the cuter and most stubborn one had to win, or so she thought.
Feeling the silence and the hunch that a pair of eyes were currently focused at the top of her head, she slowly lifted her eyes.
Meeting her brother's hard stare, the corners of her lips curved upwards as a glint of happiness flashed past her eyes.
"Please, brother," she pleaded once more in a much calmer tone as her lashes blinked cutely at him.
Kenji felt his spirit start to waver. It was hard to fake being strict with his beloved little sister.
Hesitating for a moment, he finally caved into her little harmless plot as a deep sigh fell off his lips.
"Just this once…" he started, but didn't get to finish his statement at once before the happy young lady interrupted him.
"Yeah!" Haruka exclaimed while jumping for joy.
At last, she was going to pick up the sword again after a long time of practicing the women's virtue which she swore to be tired from.
"After the practice, you have to prepare me a full-course meal as appreciation," Kenji announced as he finally pried her fingers off his arm using the opportunity of her being lost in thoughts.
He had waited for her to finish rejoicing before revealing his agreement to her.
If he was going to risk being scolded by his parents and going against them, he may as well enjoy the rewards well. But then, knowing his sister, he was sure neither of those things would happen.
Now, watching how her mouth was left open in shock, he chuckled inwardly.
But in reality, a good scowl remained plastered on his poker face. "Don't tell me you haven't learned how to cook properly?"
Not giving her the chance to recover from the shock and process what he just said and respond, he continued with his brows furrowing as the corner of his lips tugged downwards,
"If you can't prepare a few dishes for me, there is no need to practice with you."
The sternness in his eyes as he spoke did not go unnoticed by Haruka but that was not the end.
He took a step forward, ready to be on his way when the young lady lost in thought, recovered, and quickly grabbed his arm.
"Brother," Haruka let out in a rush. "H-how about I make some sushi for you with fresh beef soup instead?"
Her negotiation skills were top-notch, unfortunately, her brother wasn't going to fall for it.
To top it all, he had to punch her cotton candy heart, breaking it into smithereens.
"No full-course meal, no more helping you out."
Watching her brother walk down the short corridor and take a turn before completely disappearing from her view, a deep sigh fell off her lips.
Her brother's insistence forced her train of thoughts to move elsewhere as images from the past began to flood into her head.
"Sighs… If it were Mr. Suke, he wouldn't have given any conditions," Haruka thought out loud.
Thinking about Daisuke and the times he helped her train, she couldn't help but be grateful. Now, she missed all of that leeway she had back then and the man in general.
He was always considerate of her needs.
Turning around, she walked back into her room while mumbling to herself, "But if Mr. Suke is so good, then his Master would have more skills."
From Daisuke to Naoki, her train of thought moved.
Well, Kenji was making sure he wasn't indulging his sister blindly without making sure that she was getting her new skills right.
As far as she did her job, he would give her the candy she wanted. Tactlessly, she didn't know this fact.
'But Mr. Suke's Master looks very mysterious and powerful, how can I get him to mentor me?'
Just thinking of some of the things he did, his presence and all, she was already thinking of getting Naoki to teach her to perfect her sword skills.
From time immemorial, she had always felt that she was born to hold the katana, but she couldn't become a samurai.
How then was she going to practice her talent?
No one would let her enter the battlefield. She would be slain before she can even do as much as to step one foot into it.
Walking over to go sit on the legless chair at the center of her room, her thoughts continued.
'I can't even approach him. He is very scary.'
A chill ran down the length of her spine as she shuddered and quickly wrapped her upper body with her arms.
At the thought of her first encounter with Naoki, her breath seized in her chest.
Her first meeting with Naoki would always live rent-free in her mind. It was too remarkable not to be memorable.
None of the Daimyos she has seen had scared her to that extent.
The Daimyos were evil and dangerous, hence they commanded a shadowy aura, a camouflage that forced people to fear them, but Naoki was different.
Naoki naturally commanded the ambiance of respect and fear without compelling people to.
And although he seemed dangerous to her, he lacked the dark aura the Daimyos wore proudly like perfume.
He was very different, and with her curiosity getting the best of her, Haruka began to visualize what kind of person he is as thoughts of meeting him again, filled her head.