I'm Sorry! It has passed a long time, but I'm back with this story. I apologize for the errors found. English is not my first language.
Rei Eien Thanks for your comment. Enjoy this new chapter.
The weekend passed quickly. It was missing some minutes to the start of classes when Chizuru, Souji and Heisuke arrived to the school. If they had arrived late, they would have problems. The disciplinary committee was very strict with the rules, especially with the arrival time. Not to mention Hijikata, the assistant principal.
Chizuru and Heisuke rapidly walked to their classroom, letting behind to Souji. The young chestnut decided to look for Hijikata; he had to talk with him. He was walking in the halls when he saw him talking with a young man, roughly of his same age.
"Exactly whom I wanted to see." he muttered to himself. Slowly he approached to them.
"Good morning, Hijikata-San" he greeted with a small grin.
"Good morning, Souji. It's good to see you on time, even for once." Hijikata sighed softly.
"Uh? The young man raised an eyebrow." I have my moments." he joked.
Hijikata frowned slightly. "Already you are here. Let me introduce you to Saito Hajime, a new second year student. He has just been transferred. So, he will be in your classroom.
Souji looked Saito for a few seconds and then grinned. "Welcome, Saito- Kun" The young chestnut extended his hand. "My name is Okita Souji."
Saito shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Okita Souji"
"Souji is the kendo's team captain, I'm sure you will make a great team." Hijikata added.
"Do you practice kendo, Saito-Kun?" Souji asked curious.
Saito only nodded in silence as he examined the young man chestnut. Still had not found someone that was a worthy opponent for him, maybe this guy was the exception. He liked the challenges and Souji seemed to be one. Just by the fact to be the captain, he had all his attention.
"Talking about teams, Hijikata-San" Souji looked at the assistant principal. "Takeshi told me that you chose Kazama as my partner for the new school activity that you invented.
"So it is. I guess you don't have any problem with that, isn't it?"
"Yes, I have one. There is not way that I can work with him."
"Find one. This is only a simple project as any other."
"I'm not interested." Souji crossed his arms.
"It's not an option, Souji…. I hope you do a good job together." With those words Hijikata turned around and walked away.
Souji sighed. Knowing Hijikata it would not easily make him change his mind. But he had a card up his sleeve to convince him; otherwise this group would be a real disaster, in any case it would be the fault of assistant principal.
He looked saito that seemed somewhat disconcerted. "Then, Saito-kun... How good are you in kendo?"
"Good enough." the young man replied without hesitation.
"Interesting, already we will see that" Souji smirked as they headed to the classroom. Later, he would talk again with Hijikata.
Chizuru opened her Locker and took some books and a notebook that she had forgotten. She jumped when Kazama appeared suddenly in front of her.
"Don't do that." She said with surprise.
Kazama smiled due the girl reaction "How are you today, Chizuru? I'm glad to see you."
"Fine!" She answered politely. Kazama was the president of the student's council so usually he was very arrogant, and he considers himself superior to others, one of the many reasons for which he does not get along with many people.
"You are coming to see me to the Kendo's competence this weekend, right?"
Chizuru grinned timidly. "I will go to support the team, besides, Okita-San and Heisuke- Kun will take part too, do you remember?"
Kazama frowned. "I was trying to do it… That, and the fact of work with Souji" Still I cannot understand why you like to be with them. They're so... simple. They don't have any charm."
She frowned. "Don't talk about my friends in that way, please."
"As you wish, this topic really bored me."
Chizuru looked at him in silence. His sassy grin really bothered her. "I have to come back to the class." she said rapidly. She closed her locker; and turned around when she heard his last words.
"See you later…Chizuru."
She sighed softly and returned to her classroom. Be out, walking in the halls at class hour, it was secure access to the punishment room.
Saito was waiting the kendo's practice all the morning. After a short presentation made by the teacher Harada, they began with the practice. There were students from different grades, many of them were good but lacked of security. Carefully, he observed the practice of Todou Heisuke of first year and the professor Sanosuke, both had many abilities on mastery of the blade. They were having a good fight when Sano made a fast movement, by disarming Heisuke completely.
"You are distracted today, Heisuke. You must be focused; the competition will be in a few days" Warned Sano.
"I'm sorry, sano. I'm a little tired. Souji kept me awake until late with his silly stories, barely we arrived on time this morning."
"Don't try to blame me, Heisuke" Souji joked. "I told you that you must sleep early, but as ever, you didn't put me attention"
"It is not true" Yelled Heisuke.
Souji smirked amply. Heisuke was getting angrier when Sano intervened. "Souji, Heisuke, it's enough. Let's go to continue with the practice. Rest a little, Heisuke. Then we continue."
Heisuke nodded as he watched the young man chestnut that was still grinning.
"Saito" Sanosuke approached to him. "We received good references about you. Are you ready to start?"
Saito nodded.
"Souji will be your opponent. Don't you mind, no, Souji?"
"Fine!... Although, I would not like to hurt to Saito-kun"
"I don't need your concern." Saito intervened. He squeezed the handle of his wood sword. "Just do it interesting." There were no emotions through his words.
Souji grinned. "As you wish, Saito-kun" Later you will not have time to change of opinion.
The silence adorned the room, Souji was the star student in Kendo, challenge him it was something that not everyone would do, but if Saito was good at something was in the handling of the sword, he used to practice for hours. He held the wooden sword in his left hand. For many it was a disadvantage, but his skills always showed the opposite.
When Sano ordered to begin, Saito moved so fast that barely Souji could avoid the hit. He was surprised to note that Saito was not as weak as he expected. Also, Saito was impressed almost always he could defeat his opponent easily. Souji would be a great challenge for him.
Saito stepped back quickly, blocking of Souji's attack, their wooden swords sounded in the entire place with each impact. It was a hard fight, none seemed to want to give up, letting everybody amazed until Harada ordered them to stop.
Rapidly he approached to them. "Good practice, guys."
Souji sighed heavily. "Only we were just warming, Sano." He complained. "Why do you always do the same?"
"Save that energy for later, Souji. You will need it." Sano smiled softly. "That was awesome, Saito. It's good to have you on our team."
Saito nodded.
"Yes, until now there was not nobody that could equal to Souji" Heisuke exclaimed.
"I've practiced a long time."
"You're stronger than I expected, Hajime- Kun, No everybody is able to dodge my sword."Souji told him.
"You are good, too. You're the first person I failed to defeat in my first move."
"Goody" Souji smirked. This will be better that I thought.
"If you work together, nobody will be able to defeat you in the competition." sano told. The young men nodded. If there was something none of them could accept, would be the defeat.
When practice ended, Saito got out to the playground. He needed fresh air. The place was starting to like him. It had a good team of kendo and the students seemed to be kind. They gathered in groups, laughing and telling about their anecdotes on the weekend. He didn't have much to tell, nor was it as if he had someone whom to tell anyway. He preferred walk a while and know the place.
Rapidly He realized a stair that leading to the roof. He climbed and saw a little grating that was dividing the space between a table and two columns surrounded by some shrubs decorating a little the space. He approached the guardrail, looking up at the clear blue sky. There, the air was much cooler.
"It's nice up here, isn't it?"
He turned around and stayed surprised, His eyes never left even a second the young girl in front of him. She was the last person he was expecting to find there; undoubtedly it was an interesting day.
