I've never really had many friends. People were intimidated by me, while others lusted after me. Very few were able to look me in the eyes, treat me as a person and not the Captain of the Kendo Team. People would try to befriend me, but their eyes always betrayed their true intentions. Many had lust, whether it was for me, status, or power. Every time someone approached me, it was either with a confession or they wanted something from me. I hated it.
Then, I met him. Jason Grace, the transfer student from America. I first saw him when he was introduced to the class his first day during English, but it wasn't until he approached the Kendo club looking to join that we were formally introduced. It was then that he stood apart from everyone else. I had already heard about how he stepped between Hamura-san and Kohta-san, so I had some respect for him before I met him.
The first impression when I was giving him the typical questions about why he wanted to join was… interesting to say the least. He was polite, calm, and looked me in the eyes. That was very important to me and made me take some interest. However, the thing that took my attention the most, was the look he had in his eyes. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and I am very good at reading someone's eyes.
He had short, blonde hair that seemed to spike a little. His face was narrow with a strong jaw-line and he had some facial hair. His eyes were blue, piercing, and the look in his eyes. They were similar to my own in that they were warm, kindness filling them, but underneath it all, they were cold, analytical, merciless, and they had the same glint as my own. The glint of someone who would do anything to survive, the glint of a man who has done terrible things. Underneath the kindness and warmth that filled his eyes was the same look that I see in mine when I think of the incident. The look of a sadist, a killer.
It sent a shiver through me, and I knew I had to learn more about this Jason Grace. So, I took it upon myself to give him the basics in person, instead of having one of the older members of the club help him. He was adept at gripping the handle of the bokken immediately, but his stance was off. He didn't have any bad habits yet, a blank slate. I was… giddy to work with him.
The following week after that, I would work with him after school during Kendo club, but I never mustered the courage to ask to get to know him more. Our relationship was strictly acquaintances, and I wished I was able to call him more. I hoped to have a friend at last, and maybe, just maybe, he would understand me.
I heard the rumors, of course, circulating the school. People were calling Jason a Prince. Similar to my own Ice Queen moniker, but instead he was known as kind, but mysterious. He was attractive, athletic, and foreign. I don't think they were aware of the fact he is a prodigy in Kendo, or else he may become Sword Prince. He is modest, and likely doesn't think much of his skill, but he is already coming close to the skill level I was at only a year ago. It's only been a bit more than a week. A genius.
To be honest, I was jealous of him in a way. I wanted to be known as kind, not cold, and he was catching up to my skill level at an astonishing rate, where I have been working for years to reach this skill level. Yet here he was, bridging the gap. It's like he is a natural-born warrior. It's intimidating in a way. Especially since he was a good head taller than me. 182 cm (6'1"). I was only 172 cm (5'7").
I wish learning Kendo was as effortless for me as it was for him. As it is, though, it took me years of practice to make it to my current skill level. I have to keep honing my skills, polishing them to a fine point much like my father's blade and skill. My father is the one who taught me everything I know, he is a master.
One day, when we were training after school, I was doing some sparring against him. He was wearing a compression shirt, but that day he had his sleeves rolled up. It never occurred to me before, but that was the first time I have ever seen him with his arms bare. They were firm, but not bulging with muscle like American bodybuilders. They were lithe, tight. Compact. But it wasn't his muscles that took my attention. It was the scars.
There were scars lining the inside of his arms, crisscrossed lacerations. They were eerily similar to self-harm scars. I chose not to ask, as they seemed old and faded. He also clearly wasn't self-conscious of them, which meant they were old enough for them to be passing memories. I don't think he noticed me glancing at them, though they caused enough of a distraction to disarm me.
It was the first time he bested me in a spar, though I feel even if I wasn't distracted, it would've happened sooner or later. Truly a prodigy. He looked surprised to have bested me. Like he didn't expect it. He bowed and retrieved my bokken for me, which I took gratefully. We continued to spar after that until it was time for everyone to go. We didn't speak at that time. I wished to speak to him soon. He was an interest.
I told Father about him. Of course, he reacted about how I expected him to.
"So, you're interested in a boy? Tell me of him." he was calm, but I could see he was holding something back. I nodded to his request.
"He is a transfer student from America. He looks me in the eyes." Father nodded.
"That is good."
"He is a prodigy in Kendo. I can't say I'm interested in him romantically, as we have rarely spoken outside of sparring and classes, but he does fascinate me. He seems kind but quiet. He is known as a Prince in the school. Quiet, athletic, foreign, and mysterious. He is quite popular with the females, though he doesn't seem to notice. He is modest too. Or ignorant of his own skill, I am unsure."
"You seem quite enamored with him," Father stated, giving me a tiny smirk. I flustered.
"Father!" I scolded, before smiling softly. I stood up. "I shall make dinner. Any requests?"
"Make your Tonkatsu, it's always such a delight!" Father dropped his serious persona and grinned, before going to his room, rubbing at his back. "I am afraid I pushed myself a bit too hard today practicing, my old bones are aching." He said jokingly. I smiled. Before he made it to his room, he turned.
"Saeko-chan? I almost forgot, I have another conference I must attend in the coming days. I will be leaving tomorrow. I'm sorry, dear." He looked apologetic. I offered him a smile and a nod, my heart squeezing slightly. The anniversary of Mother's death was next week. I think my concerns were written on my face, as he approached and wrapped me in a hug.
"I'm sorry, Saeko-chan." I just stood still.
"It's okay, Father. I'll be okay." He stepped back from the embrace, before going to his room. I went back to preparing the meal. I would be fine. I'd just have to visit her grave alone. Mother died giving birth to me. Father told me they were aware of the risks. Mother had a weak body. I don't mean she was fragile, she was the fiercest woman Father had ever met. She just didn't have the constitution necessary for childbirth. She told my father he had to have an heir, so she had me.
I think Father was slightly disappointed I wasn't male. But he chose to train me as if I was one, teaching me Bushido. I was to live by it. So I am. I respect it, I live by it, and I am fine with it. It is how I am to live.
The week progressed. Things were fine. Until they weren't. I was training before class in the Dojo with one of my clubmates, when the intercom came on.
"This announcement is for all students," his voice wavered, "an emergency is taking place inside the school right now. All students must follow your teachers' instructions and evacuate. I repeat, a violent incident is taking place right now-" there was a crackle on the intercom followed by a pause. "Uah! Get away from me! Get back! Ah! Auh! Help! Help! Aaah!" there was silence. Soon, the entire school was screaming and running into the hallways, pushing, and shoving. I was in the Dojo, however, with Katura-san. The hallways were empty where we were. We began to make our way through the school.
Katura-san was a freshman and was new to Kendo. She called me Busujima-senpai. She had potential but was clumsy. That clumsiness bit came back and bit her. Literally. A few of the dead that we had seen wandering through the halls had lunged towards us. I dispatched two, but two more had targeted Katura-san. She managed to dispatch one, but the other had bitten her on the shoulder. I killed that one. It was too late though.
"Are you okay Katura-san?" She nodded at me, but already her face was feverish and pale, sweat clinging to her forehead. I directed her to the side of the hallway, making sure there weren't any dead nearby. She collapsed on the wall, coughing up blood. I was alarmed, I have never seen anything like this before.
"Saeko-senpai?" she asked, her eyes glazing over. I nodded.
"I'm here, Katura-san," I said slowly, crouched before her. She looked towards me, her eyes unseeing.
"I'm scared." Her voice broke, before she convulsed, and slumped down. I sighed and moved to stand, before I saw her hand twitch. I gulped and took a breath, before swinging my bokken. With a meaty thwack, the hand that had slowly been rising towards me and the groaning that had started to rise from her throat was cut off. I felt bad. Katura-san was kind. I pushed forward. I needed to find a nurse, medical personal and medicine would be necessary.
As I made my way through the school, I noticed more and more blood and corpses were beginning to appear as I made my way closer to the nurse's office. There were dead shambling around through the hallway, though they seemed to not pay me any mind. I would merely push one out of the way with my sword if they got too close. I heard glass shattered, and screaming.
"Marikawa-sensei!" a boy's voice yelled out, followed by a scream of pain.
I broke into a sprint, sliding in front of the door to the nurse's office. I saw Marikawa-sensei staring with horror at a student who was pushing back against a small hoard of those… things. I quickly dispatched them with a single swing of my weapon. The student slumped down. I crouched in front of him. I put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm the Captain of the Kendo club, Saeko Busujima. A sophomore. What's your name, kid?"
"Ish-" he coughed, "Ishi Kikazu" he coughed some more, blood flinging onto his shirt. I looked at him with pity.
"Ishi-san, you did a great job protecting Marikawa-sensei. I commend your courage. You do know what happens when you get bitten?" the boy nodded "Do you want your friends and family to see you like that? If the answer is no, I shall end your life as painlessly as I can, but I've never killed anyone before." The boy looked shocked, before smiling.
"P-please do." I nodded.
"Wait? What are you going to do?" Marikawa-sensei protested. I held up a hand.
"I understand, you're the school doctor. I get it. Stay out of this, please." I raised my bokken, "This young man is going to die with honor, and I am going to make sure that he does." I swung. Blood stained the window, and his body slumped to the floor. I didn't get any blood on me or my weapon. The door slammed open, the dead likely drawn from the noise. I readied myself, and pushed forward, protecting Marikawa-sensei. They were dispatched like the rest.
Marikawa-sensei and I moved through the school. Then I ran into him. Jason Grace. I expected him to survive, and it looked like he found his own group. He looked at me, his eyes cold and hard. I shuddered. His eyes looked just like mine did after I beat that man nearly to death all those years ago. They were calculating, with a shimmer of sadism that was covered up by the cold professionalism that he carried himself with. He looked like a soldier commanding troops, or a hardened samurai leading his fellow warriors.
"Busujima-san, Marikawa-sensei. We are heading to the teacher's lounge. We are meeting up with 3 others. Will you join us?" his voice sounded out, firm and to the point. The warmth and gentleness that I had come to associate with his voice were absent. It was almost apathetic. I shivered. So cold. Maybe he should've been known as an Ice King instead of a warm Prince. I nodded towards him.
"Lead on, Jason-san," I said. He led the group towards the teacher's lounge. It was a decent idea. Especially as they now had warriors to clear it. He held up a hand, and everyone stopped. It truly was like he was leading soldiers, not students. They all listened to him without hesitation. Maybe it was how he carried himself.
"Takagi-san, have you noticed it too yet?" Jason's voice whispered. Takagi-san, who I recognized from sharing a period with her. Apparently, she was ahead of her class in grades. She was smart if a bit bossy. She nodded.
"Noticed what, Jason-san?" I asked, mostly for the benefit of the others. She shushed me, offending me slightly but I understood. I also noticed how he seemed to wince slightly as shushing me. Good, he understands that it could be rude. Though the situation doesn't seem the most appropriate to be focusing on things like that.
"They're attracted to sound. Watch." Takagi slid off the shoe of a nearby dead student and threw it hard as she could down the hall, opposite of where we were heading. It slammed, hard, into a locker. Immediately, the 10 or so dead in the room started walking towards it. I nodded. We used the distraction to make it into the room. There were already a few students in there, but when one of the students walked forward to greet them, and Jason didn't look surprised, I understood they were all a part of the same group. Maybe they split up? Kohta-san did wield a weapon.
"Let's barricade the door, wait until things calm down for now," Komuro-san said. Everyone agreed and got to work. I noticed Jason-san collapse in a seat and cover his face. He muttered something in English, lightly a swear word. I just stifled a giggle. I went to sit next to him. Truly, he was an interesting person.