Chapter 53

'' You know, after all this time it's still creepy seeing you this-'' Mr. Touma said before grimacing at his next words ''-cheerful.'' 

In response Danuja let a grin grown on her face while shadow boxing, sweat dripping off her body on the ring ground.

'' It wouldn't have anything to do with a certain break into a highschool. Wouldn't it?'' he said with a deadpan face making Danuja stop and turn at him, still grinning

The gleeful feeling that she did it and most of all didn't get caught was still there whenever she though of it.

'' I don't know what you are talking about old man.'' she said grinning making the man snort

'' Bet that's where all my screwdrivers ended up to. Becoming weapons to a thief in making.'' he said almost teasing, laughing when Danuja growled, a playful sound that she learned long ago, making Dad get up from his spot in the gym '' Just don't get caught kid.'' he finished waving his hand

'' I know that. I'm always careful about those things.'' Danuja said getting off the ring, taking a towel around her shoulders, wiping the sweat off her '' When it's the next match?'' she asked, not diving more than needed in her nightly escapades, no matter how proud she was

'' Impatient brat.'' Mr. Touma tsked before adding '' This week on Friday night. If you are good enough than you should be all healed till Monday.'' he said picking up another towel, throwing it at Danuja '' Wipe it all or you would catch a cold.''

'' Who I'm fighting? It's another karateka?'' Danuja asked and she couldn't help the twinge of disappointment.

It wasn't like karateka's weren't a force to be reckoned with in itself. It was just that after her first match that summer, Danuja fought two more times over the course of vacation and both of them were karateka. Both using the Shotokan style and both of them angry as fuck because of her stunt from her very first match.

She wasn't really sure but the last man she fought must have been friends with Shoto, her first opponent. Or at last that's what she picked up from his muttering in the fight whenever they were close enough to hear anything beside the crowd.

'' What you thought you escaped them?'' Mr. Touma asked amused, huffing a laugh '' They are a sticky bunch you know, could suffocate you under a minute.'' he said weirdly proud before clearing his throat '' This time though it's a different style.''

'' Oh?''

'' Yes.'' he said rolling his eyes '' And don't make that face, I wasn't the one who humiliated karate as a whole by using history of all things.'' he said pointing a finger at her making Danuja roll her eyes '' This one it's using Chitō-ryū style, 90% hardness and 10% softness, it's also similar with Kyokushin style in some aspects.'' he said in his teaching mode '' Also that's your homework.''

'' I get homework?'' Danuja asked weirdly excited

'' Yes. Find out about Chitō-ryū style and two days from now tell me how you would win against it. Think you can do it?'' he asked smirking at Danuja

'' Course I can.'' she said smirking right back '' I'm pretty great at those things.''

'' Oh and just so you know-'' Danuja said before leaving, Dad already outside '' I never got sick in my life.'' she said closing the gym door beginning to run slowly with Dad back home

----

'' Danuja-san it's reading a book.'' Kana said staring over her shoulder, humming at the words written

The two of them were on break, still on the same bench they found the day before, Kana curled on Danuja jacket, eating the candies she always brought for her. Danuja hummed in response before flipping a page.

'' It's a magazine.'' Danuja corrected her gently, looking concentrated at the yellowed pages. She gritted her teeth when the next pages were stuck together with age. '' Tsk.''

'' Do you want to learn karate?'' Kana asked scooting closer to Danuja, squinting her eyes at the pages '' Wouldn't it be easier to search online? ''

'' It would.'' Danuja said '' But I can't even use my phone at school and I need to...find something.'' she said finally parting the stuck pages, nodding to herself when the images of Chitō-ryū fighters appeared

'' Hmm.'' Kana hummed before a sad sigh made Danuja forget the magazine and turn fully at the girl '' Should I get my first aid kit ready?'' she asked pouting sadly, looking slightly down at Danuja hands

They were ugly hands for one so young. A girl at that. The skin on her two knuckles was always just a little scabbed and slightly red. Her nails were usually a mess too, cut too short so they won't deter her when punching. Her hands were also covered in calluses, still small ones but enough to make her hands awfully scretchy.

'' If you want to.'' Danuja said in the end, her voice rough and hands tightening on the magazine pages

Kana just smiled brightly, her sadness looking forgotten before taking one of Danuja hands in her own. Bravely mind you. The girl shivered at the roughness , before she begin playing with said hands, occasional shivers going through her body.

Danuja did not get any research that day and she didn't regret it one bit.

----

When Danuja arrived at Hitomi-san restaurant that afternoon, she was pleasantly surprised to see it almost empty, just the odd elderly eating their fill slowly. Hitomi-san looked to be in a deep conversation herself before spotting and going at her side.

'' Danuja-chan, go stay at the back and guard the ramen would you dear?'' the woman said getting a silent thumps up from Danuja before going back to her conversation

In the kitchen, Danuja glanced at the slowly simmering broth before humming. She has no actually how to recognize if it was ready or not but Hitomi-san always has the talent of coming back when said broth would be at it's limit. She throw her bag on the ground, taking out the old, yellowed magazine before leaning on the counter and reading without any more distractions.

In big, faded but proud black letters was written Chitō-ryū , THE 1000 year old Chinese style.