November 1874
It had been a year already, that Haruhi hadn't seen her family. She was pretty homesick. It was the month of Ayame's birthday. Last year, he got his first small shinai. She wondered what he got now for his sixth anniversary. He could go to school now... She hoped he'd be alright there, he was so shy... Probably other kids would try to pick on him and she hoped he could defend himself or that her father would do it. He was a very calm and mesured man, but no one should ever try to fuck with Fujita Hajime's family. With all that happened to her, she completely forgot about Kaede's birthday in September. She should probably write a letter wishing them a happy birthday, send presents, wish her father and Chizuru-neechan a happy marriage anniversary too... So many happy things to celebrate in November...
Souji and Tama had been married for a month now and Haruhi took the decision not to be his concubine. Souji didn't really take it well at first but he eventually accepted it. She refused to stay at the Shieikan and was still living at the pottery shop. She kept her job though. She loved it too much to let it go and since she wasn't planning on departing before knowing if Souji survived the year, she was happy to witness her students's progresses.
Souji and Tama's everyday interactions were kind of minimalist but it wasn't as uncomfortable as before. It seemed like they found a rhythm in their supposed relationship. They were respectful with one another, not surprisingly, and Souji was refraining himself from making jokes which could make her uncomfortable. Haruhi was witnessing all that and wondering if the both of them could eventually one day fall in love with one another. Neither Tama nor Souji were speaking to her about their marriage and the only thing she knew was that they were still not sharing rooms at night but she had no idea if Souji was visiting his wife and if he was doing it frequently. Part of her envied Tama. The other part was resolved not to interfere in their marriage. She'd love Souji from afar, like when she was a little girl. She had way too much respect for Tama to fuck her husband and anyway, if Souji did love her that much, he should have married her instead. Kurozawa-sensei was right. He made his choice. His respect for Kondou-san was stronger than his love for Haruhi. That was a truth hard to swallow but a truth anyway.
« Bye sensei ! »
« See ya tomorrow, sensei ! »
« Fujita-sensei, can I see you for a second ? »
« Yeah, sure » answered Haruhi with a smile « What can I do for you, Ikeda-kun ? »
« I don't understand what you explain about the strength coming from the left hand in this movement... » replied the boy with a serious face.
« Come, Ikeda-kun » she said, taking a shinai and handing one to her student « I'll show you. »
Haruhi repeated the movement and struck on the right with her right hand then held her shinai in the air with both hands and struck a vertical blow.
« See ? » she said, decomposing the movement « I strike on the right, my right hand discharges in energy. When I lift my shinai above my head, my left hand positions underneath it and it strikes. My right hand is only here to guide direction. Do it. »
The boy nodded but when he lifted his shinai above his head, Haruhi grabbed his right hand and the bamboo sword fell on the ground.
« Was it bad ? » asked her student, ashamed.
« You don't put your strength in your left. » she explained and she held her shinai up with both hands and removed her right hand, holding it only with her left on the extremity. The sword didn't move. « if you can't remove your right without making your shinai move then you have too much strength in it. Practice removing it. »
The boy did as she said and Haruhi smiled. That was a familiar scene, except last time, she was in the boy's place and her father was in hers, in Osaka castle. Souji was sleeping so much at that time, she was often practicing alone and her father had some time on his hands at that moment, to help her progress. How she missed her family... But reunion was close now, she just needed to be patient a little longer.
« Thank you sensei ! » he bowed, enthusiastic « I understand much better now ! »
« Good. » she nodded « practice is key. »
« Can I keep the shinai, sensei ? » he asked shyly « so I can practice at home... »
« If you bring it back everyday here, I have no objection. » she nodded.
« Thank you, Fujita-sensei ! » he bowed again, all smily « then I'll see you tomorrow ! » he started running out with his bamboo sword and stopped to bow again « bye Souji ! »
Haruhi turned to find Souji arms crossed, leaning against a wall. He smiled at her and waved his hand to salute her.
« How long have you been here ? » asked Haruhi with furrowed brows.
« Not long. » he smiled, walking towards her « You're so much stricter than I am with your students, Fujita-sensei. » he winked.
« They might never wield a real sword but that's not a reason to be lenient. Discipline, rigor and respect are as important as prowess in the study of martial arts. »
« Ara » he knocked on her forehead gently « Hajime-kun, get out of here, please ! I know you're in there ! »
Haruhi couldn't refrain a smile and she pulled herself out of his reach.
« You're homesick again ? » asked Souji with a faint smile.
« A bit. » replied Haruhi « I'll return this winter. There's lots of snow at that time of the year. I'll make snowmen with Ayame, maybe even Kaede if he can walk... He probably can now... »
« You'll send them my regards. » said Souji with a nod.
« You know, you could maybe come and visit with Tama. » she smiled « Shinpachi said he'd come. In fact, he'll probably walk me home. »
« I'll be too busy with the Shieikan, especially if I lack an instructor. » he stated, thinking while combing his hair with his fingers.
« Okay, then... » she smiled « nevermind. »
Like everytime they stopped talking, there was an uncomfortable silence between them. It had been ever since his wedding and her refusal to become his mistress. There were words between them, behaviours, touches... that were floating around them but neither would yearn to them. Souji respected Haruhi's decision and it was final. He never once tried to stray her from the path she chose, even if she could see his love and desire burning in his eyes way too often.
« You look so serious with your hakama and your ponytail. » he smiled « a real kenjutsu instructor. »
« I am a real kenjutsu instructor. » she stated.
« Yeah, I know. » he chuckled.
« Are you making fun of me ? » she asked, frowning.
« No. » he smiled and she couldn't get more explanations than just that.
« You want something, Souji ? » she asked casually.
« I do. » he nodded, taking a shinai with a smile « An opponent. »
« With shinai ? » she smiled, holding hers firmly.
« I'm tired of making bruises on your skin. » he shrugged « It's not funny if I can't even see them. »
« Sadist. » she sighed.
« Plus » he smiled « Tama's cooking is way too good. If I don't get exercise, I'm gonna get fat. Now that would be sad, considering I'm currently a gorgeous ten. »
« Don't flatter yourself. » she chuckled.
« Your words, not mines » he shrugged again.
« To be fair, they're Kachiko's words. » she smiled, taking her fighting stance « but you seem to enjoy that pretty well, Tsunashi-san. »
« Oh yeah... » he nodded « the cute waitress... Kachiko-chan and her wonderful tea. I wonder what she's up to now. »
« Probably yearning after another man. I wouldn't worry about her. » she chuckled « So are you gonna attack me or should I go home ? »
« I just wanted to savour your smily face » he grinned like a predator « before it became all teary. »
« Come on, you coward. »
Souji leaped forward and she blocked him, counterattacking immediately with a blow to his neck which he deflected. She quickly pulled herself out of range but he followed her, aiming at her abdomen. She crouched to propel herself and their bamboo blades clashed again one against the other.
« Is it because you fuel in your rage ? » asked Souji « that you have so much more strength ? »
« I never stopped practicing » she smiled, evading a blow « while you were eating sweets. »
« You underestimate me. » he stated, getting rougher and quicker « Your ass is gonna be on the ground before long. »
She aimed for his throat and he deflected it again but she anticipated it, it wasn't her real target. She made the bamboo slid against Souji's, making her shinai land with force on his right shoulder.
« Ippon ! » she yelled, proud, just before Souji made her loose balance and slit her throat with the bamboo blade.
« You're dead. » he stated.
« That's not fair ! » she yelled « I had the point ! »
« A simple injury. » he said, brushing the dust off his shoulder with disdain « not enough to win. »
« If you were really injured on your shoulder with a real blade, you wouldn't have been able to slit my throat that way ! » she pouted angrily « you're cheating ! »
« Am I, though ? » he smirked with sparkles in his laughing eyes « You seem to underestimate me again. »
« You liar ! » she frowned « You just can't stand the idea I won ! »
« Hum... excuse me ? »
Tama was in the entrance of the training room and she was bowing politely, waiting for the both of them to stop their argument.
« Ah, Tama-chan » smiled Souji « what can I do for you ? »
« I apologize for bothering the both of you but there's someone at the door. » she said politely.
« You never bother us. Is it a new student ? » asked Souji with a smile.
« No. » she shook her head « It's a swordsman. He said he got a letter and is here to see Fujita Haruhi. He gave her full name. Should I let him in and make some tea ? »