Chapter Four

Miu walked into the class to see Kenichi with his head on his desk in a gloom. "Kenichi what is wrong?" Miu asked attentively as she placed her hand on his shoulder. He didn't respond to her. "What club are you going to join?" She asked. "Judo? Kendo?" she asked.

"Gardening." He told her as she nearly face planted.

"H-Huh?" she asked.

"Gardening I will be a gardener and live a long life." Kenichi said as he stood up.

"Kenichi what is wrong?" Miu exclaimed franticly.

"He is scared because the guy who judged his match with Daimonji is now gunning out to him." Nijima said. "He has been like this since he found out Tsukuba is after him." Nijima added.

"Tsukuba. Tsukuba! TSUKUBA!" Kenichi yelled franticly

"Kenichi calm down." Miu told him quietly and it seemed to placid the boy. Kenichi blinked a few times.

"Okay I was over reacting a bit." Kenichi said.

"So who are you?" Miu asked Nijima.

"I am Nijima Hauro, Kenichi's best and first friend." Nijima lied as Miu looked surprised.

"Don't lie to her Nijima." Kenichi said as he brushed himself off. "Miu-chan is my best friend." Kenichi said as Miu smiled.

"You have only known her for a week." Nijima said. "While he have known me for years."

"Kenichi you shouldn't be mean." Miu scolded. For some odd reason Kenichi felt really guilty.

"Sorry Nijima." Kenichi said flatly.

"Wow she has known you for a week and has you trained." Nijima teased.

"Does not." Kenichi said as the bell rang.

"Well I am going to go." Nijima said.

"Cya Nijima." Kenichi said.

"Are you really going to join the gardening club?" Miu asked.

"Yah it will bring me some peace from my hectic life that I will get for training at Ryozanpaku." Kenichi joked as Miu giggled.

"Yah it has gotten livelier." Miu said with a gentle smile.

"I bet it has." Kenichi told her.

"We should sit down before the instructor gets here." Miu said as she sat in the desk next to him. 'Hmm I wonder why Grandfather didn't tell me what I was feeling.' She thought.

After School

Kenichi waited for Miu to get out of Gymnastics while he looked around for Tsukuba. 'Left is clear… right is clear… and behind me…' He trailed off as he saw Tsukuba behind him crushing rocks. 'I am so dead.' He thought as Tsukuba dragged Kenichi away and slammed him against the wall. "Why are you doing this? You already know you can beat me." Kenichi reasoned.

"Because I want to." Tsukuba told him as he slammed him against the wall again.

"I don't want to fight you." Kenichi said as he walked past.

"Heh everyone was right you are a coward." Tsukuba said as Kenichi stopped and KI started to release from him. Tsukuba took a cautionary step back. 'This feeling…'

"Take that back!" Kenichi exclaimed as he turned and took a stance. Tsukuba flew towards him and Kenichi barely dodged the punch but wasn't so lucky with the kick. The swift powerful kick landed on Kenichi's stomach making him lose all the air in his lungs forcing him to collapse and Tsukuba kicked Kenichi again dropping him on his stomach.

"You are all talk." Tsukuba said as he kicked Kenichi's ribs a few times. Suddenly Kenichi's hand shot out and grabbed his ankle. 'What the hell?' Tsukuba thought as he kicked Kenichi until he was forced to release him. Tsukuba scoffed and walked away. He lifted his pant leg to show a hand print bruise on his ankle. 'What kind of strength does he have?' Tsukuba thought as he looked at Kenichi who was failing to get up.

With Miu

Miu was sitting on a window sill waiting for Kenichi. 'Where is Kenichi?' She thought as she looked out the window. 'Maybe he met up with Tsukuba.'

An Hour Later

Miu walked into the courtyard of the dojo. 'I wonder where Kenichi is.' Miu thought as she saw Kenichi with his back to her without his shirt on. She gasped when she saw the bruises and welts on his back. She instantly went to him while Apachai and Sakaki stood next to him. "Kenichi what happened?"

"Nothing Miu… I just fell down some stairs." He told her with a faint smile.

"Those bruises aren't from falling down… you met up with Tsukuba didn't you!" she said slightly hurt that Kenichi lied to her.

"Really Miu I fell down the stairs." He told her softly. "Master Akisame is waiting for me." He said as he walked away.

"Keni…" she trailed off as Sakaki placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Leave him be Miu." Sakaki told her. "Kenichi doesn't want you to see him like this."

"But…"

"Miu whatever happened he doesn't want you to see him like this." Sakaki told her. "No guy wants to have a woman worry over them because they lost." He told her.

"That is stupid!" she exclaimed.

"That might be so but it how us guys think." Sakaki told her.

Miu's cheeks puffed out as she thought about it before letting out a sigh. "Fine I will let him talk to me about it when he is ready." Miu said with a sigh.

"He may never be ready." Sakaki told her.

With Akisame and Kenichi

Kenichi was sitting cross-legged in front of Akisame as he checked Kenichi over. "Well nothing is broken." Akisame said as he slapped Kenichi on the shoulder.

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt!" Kenichi exclaimed as he placed his shirt on. Kenichi looked down in sadness. "I wanted to back up my words but I couldn't." Kenichi said sadly. "He beat me up so easily."

"So what will you do?" Akisame asked.

"I won't go out hunting for the guy if that is what you are thinking." Kenichi told Akisame who smiled before slapping his knee.

"We will start technique training tomorrow." Akisame said as Apachai appeared banging his fists together.

"Apa I get to have a disciple." Apachai said as he picked Kenichi up and ran outside.

"He is so excited that he didn't hear you say tomorrow." Kensei said as Akisame nodded.

"Wow look you are punching through a… WALL!" Kenichi yelled terrified. "AH SOMEONE HELP ME!" Kenichi yelled scared.

"Should we help him?" Kensei asked.

"Nah it would just upset Apachai too much." Akisame said as he stroked his mustache. "APACHAI STOP PUNCHING THROUGH WALLS!" he yelled.