Chapter 3: Crossed Swords and Cross Words
Dear Keiu,
The trip was longer than I had expected, but I'm finally here and settled at Ohtori. You'd have to see this place to believe it. I was told that the campus was laid out to resemble the old Academy that came before it, but I think the University must be larger by far.
The weather is nice here, usually fairly mild but it can also get uncomfortably hot from time to time. I was lucky enough to get a single in the dorms, and I've even managed to make some new friends. I'm lucky enough to have one of them—Akemi Kawabe, by name—living just a floor above me, so it should be relatively easy to get together and do something. There seem to be more possibilities for activities here than I would have first thought. You should talk Soyokaze into letting you come for a few days so you can see the place.
Time seems to drift here, though. I arrived only days ago, and yet it seems as if I've been attending classes here for years. It's somewhat difficult to recall the exact date. Everybody talks about time in relative terms—two more days until the weekend, or a few days until the fencing team tryouts—and it lends the campus an idyllic atmosphere. I know you'll be thinking about college for yourself soon enough. You might want to consider Ohtori.
At any rate, there isn't much happening for me here until the fencing team holds tryouts and announces their roster. I hope to do well, but I'm a bit worried. I've only ever fenced for fun, as you know, never for competition. Still, I believe I can make the team, though I'll have to put in a bit of practice before the tryout date. As soon as something new or interesting comes up, I'll write again.
Best regards,
Kouu
Kouu sighed and leaned back in his chair. He'd meant to write home sooner, but class assignments had gotten in the way. Real life had a tendency to do that, he reflected. But then, Ohtori was still in the middle of the chaos of a new school year. With all the different teams and clubs frantically recruiting new members, it seemed as if there was never a moment of rest for those interested in joining something. Even one club could wreak havoc on a person's schedule, and a majority of the students were trying to juggle two or more. He'd have a personal understanding of that soon enough, since he'd have to start hitting the fencing gym to practice and size up the competition.
He glanced around the room briefly. The dorm still felt new to him, less home-like than he was comfortable with. He was sure that would change in time, though. He'd been in luck with a single, but that had turned out to be something of a double-edged sword. He was the only person inhabiting the room, but that also meant he was given less space overall. Still, it wasn't bad, and decorations of almost any kind were allowed. The only real restriction was that students could not alter the original state of the dorm in any way. For most students, that was no more than a minor inconvenience, as it forced many to find means to hang posters other than driving nails in the walls.
There was little furniture, but what he had was adequate. His bed, made with his own set of dark blue sheets, was tucked in one corner, while the desk sat situated along the wall, with a bookshelf mounted above it. There was a chest of drawers in another corner that held several odds and ends and his more casual clothes. There was also a small walk-in closet set in the wall by the door, where he put his shoes and his more formal clothes.
He stretched, thankful his day was over. He eyed the stack of books on the corner of his desk, including three classes worth of material to slog through. Tuesdays and Thursdays were turning out to be his heavy hitters as far as assignments were concerned. A paper due in English for when class met again the following Tuesday, and an essay due for his Western Literature class that same day. Thankfully, he had four days to work through it all.
"And then there's math," he murmured, eyeing his algebra textbook darkly. That assignment was due tomorrow.
A knock on his door interrupted Kouu's thoughts. "Come in," he called. "It isn't locked."
The door opened a second later to admit Akemi.
"Oh, hey," Kouu said, smiling. "This is a pleasant surprise." He raised an eyebrow. "But don't you have class now?"
"Well, sort of," Akemi said. "I was late to my last class, and I got locked out."
"You know, you really need to learn the layout of this place," Kouu admonished. "I know it can get confusing, but you should at least be able to find your classes."
"Everything looks the same!" Akemi complained. "All the buildings and hallways are the same white marble and columns and everything."
"I understand what you mean," Kouu said. "And I'm not trying to get on your case. But your professors aren't going to accept that answer."
"I know," Akemi grumbled. "I hear it from them. I don't need to hear it from my friends, too."
"Sorry," Kouu said.
"Oh, it's no big deal," Akemi replied. "I just…ugh."
"I understand," Kouu said. "So, what brings you here?"
"I thought I'd stop by to pay you a visit," Akemi said. "Just see how you're doing, you know?"
"Well, you're welcome to sit down wherever you like," Kouu said, making a sweeping gesture with his arm that encompassed the room. "I mean, it's a bit cozy, but you can probably find somewhere to sit."
"Thanks," Akemi said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She set her book bag at her feet and stretched once, arching her back and spreading her arms. "It's been a long day."
"Yeah, I know," Kouu said. "It doesn't help that everyone's rushing around for all the clubs. Everything feels so hectic. It's like the campus never relaxes."
"Oh, it will," Akemi said. "Once the big rush is over and all the teams and clubs are set."
"So, still a couple weeks, then?" Kouu asked.
"Yeah, something like that," Akemi said. "So, what are you working on?" she asked, noticing the letter Kouu had been writing. "English paper?"
"This?" Kouu asked, pointing to the paper. "Oh, no. I'm writing home."
"Oh? And where is home?" Akemi asked.
Kouu chuckled a bit. "Home is wherever Soyokaze's business takes him," he said. "But Kyoto, mostly."
"Who's Soyokaze?"
"He's…" Kouu hesitated, searching for the right word. As he looked around, he glanced at his watch briefly. He was surprised at how late it was. He needed to get to the fencing hall fairly soon, though he still had a little time. "He's my mentor," Kouu said. "But I'll have to explain later. I need to get down to the fencing gym and practice."
"That's fine. Do you mind if I…" Her voice trailed off as she glanced into one corner of the room. Leaning against the wall was a sword. It made her think of a rapier at first, but the hilt was longer, and the blade somewhat wider.
"What's that?" she asked, pointing at the sword.
"It's a sword, of course," Kouu said.
"No, I mean, why do you have it here? And is it real?"
"I have it here because Soyokaze gave it to me, and yes, it's very real." He stood up and walked over to the corner where it rested. He picked it up and unsheathed it, letting the light from the window reflect on the well-polished blade. "It's very light. You can use it just like a rapier." He demonstrated a few simple fencing maneuvers. "But the long hilt and sturdier blade means you could also do two-handed maneuvers."
"That's odd," Akemi said. "That he'd give a sword like that to you, I mean. You're a fencer, after all. You'd think he'd give you a normal rapier if anything."
"Well, it belonged to Soyokaze originally," Kouu explained. "He handed it down when we found out that I got accepted here."
"I see," Akemi said. Kouu sheathed the blade once more. "Well, anyway, I was going to ask if you'd mind me coming to the fencing gym to watch you."
"I don't mind at all," Kouu said. "In fact, maybe I can open your eyes to the virtue of fencing."
"I thought you wanted to drop that argument the other evening," Akemi smiled. She rose, and Kouu opened the door for her.
"I did," Kouu said. "But I'd rather win it."
* * *
Akemi picked her way through the bleachers in the gym, finally opting for a seat halfway along the bleachers and high enough to get a good view of just about everything happening in the gym.
She smiled to herself whenever she thought of this area of Ohtori being referred to as the Kingdom. That name seemed a bit on the pretentious side, as if someone was trying to be overly grand when they coined it. And yet…
She watched the captain of the fencing team face off against another opponent and score another easy win. The gathered crowd, composed of both spectators and fencers waiting their turn for a match, let loose with a thunderous cheer, and then called out the number of matches Juri Arisugawa had won consecutively.
"Thirteen!" they cheered as the next opponent took up his position facing the team captain. The match was brief, and the struggle very one-sided. Juri won with ease, and as her opponent made his way back into the crowd to be replaced by another, the gathered onlookers resumed their cheers.
"Fourteen!" they cried as the last opponent stepped up. Where was Kouu, she wondered idly? He should be seeing this. If he wanted to join the team, it would be a good idea to find out what kind of competition he'd be facing.
In as little time as it took for the complete thought to cross her mind, the new challenger was soundly trounced.
"Fifteen!" they cried. Juri removed her fencing mask and let her golden curls fall. She undid the topmost button of her collar as she sat down in a chair near where she had been fencing. It was whispered here and there that Juri would spar occasionally just to see how many opponents she could defeat. This was apparently an example of the phenomenon. The highest number of matches she had won in a row was frequently debated, but no one seemed to know for sure. What was known, however, was that she had never quit for a loss.
"All right!" the captain barked. "That's enough for now! Practice on your form, or find someone at about your skill level if you want to spar. You know the routine."
The onlookers scattered, while the fencers did as their captain demanded, some breaking off into pairs, while others went to practice thrusts and parries.
It was a kingdom, Akemi thought, one ruled by the force of Juri's presence. Sitting on her chair, where the other fencing team members gave her plenty of space, she was a lion on a hilltop, regal, graceful and powerful. One of the team members gave her a water bottle and handed her a towel. She wiped her face, and then drank from the bottle. She paused after a moment to glance around the gym. Apparently, no one caught her interest.
Miki Kaoru stood off to her side, arms folded, his eyes constantly scanning the gathered fencers.
It was then that Kouu entered, facemask tucked beneath his left arm and foil in hand. He waved to Akemi as he entered, and she smiled to encourage him.
He stood out from the others, she noticed. Part of it was his height, but even then, there was something else. It was the nonchalant way he carried himself, she realized, the way that nothing going on seemed to matter to him. He didn't seem to acknowledge the crowd at all. He wasn't interested in fencing to prove anything or to improve, just to enjoy himself. For Kouu, it was a game, separated from any other only by the need for sharp reflexes and general physical fitness.
She watched as he found an area of his own on the floor and began practicing thrusts and lunges. His movements were quick and economical, with a fluid grace she didn't see in many of the other fencers on the floor.
One of the fencers tapped Kouu on the shoulder. Akemi couldn't hear what was said, but after a brief exchange, the pair moved to one of the lanes to fence. She watched the two take up their stances. There was a moment of hesitation between the two, and then Kouu shot forward, thrusting. His opponent looked taken aback by the sudden movement and hastily countered. Kouu lunged forward again and attacked with a quick flurry of blows that dismantled his opponent's defense, leaving him wide open for the winning point.
As his opponent walked away, another hastily stepped up. Kouu finished the second match just as quickly, and a third stepped up to take the second one's place.
It was then that Akemi noticed that Miki had stopped scanning the room and started watching only Kouu. A small crowd was starting to build up around the tall freshman, just a handful of fencers who had been practicing their moves until a moment ago.
The redhead watched Miki lean close to Juri to whisper something in her ear. The lioness watched Kouu for a moment, and then nodded. Miki straightened, grabbed his foil and facemask, and headed in Kouu's direction.
* * *
Kouu had polished off his fourth or fifth opponent--he hadn't really been keeping an accurate count--when he saw Miki Kaoru step in front of him. A hush fell over the room, as Miki looked the newcomer up and down briefly.
"Mr. Kaoru," Kouu said, bowing. As he rose, he took off his mask. "It's a pleasure to see you again." He almost seemed like a different person now, Kouu thought. The Miki he had seen playing the piano and apologizing for the brief encounter with Touga bore only a passing resemblance to the Miki who stood before him here on the fencing lane.
Whispers shot through the audience. How did this newcomer know Miki, who was bested in fencing only by Juri herself? Were the two connected in some way? Perhaps they knew each other from before Ohtori.
"And you, Kouu…"
"Kouu Koharu," the blonde said, remembering that he hadn't given Miki his full name during their brief encounter in the piano room. "Freshman."
"I see," Miki said. "I didn't think you fenced. You seem to be quite good."
Kouu shrugged. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a brown-haired girl with a hairstyle reminiscent of an onion scribbling furiously in a notepad. She stopped every now and then to ask questions of those around her.
"I like to think so," Kouu said.
"Well, fencing is a perishable skill," Miki said. "And I haven't seen you around here even once yet."
"It is the beginning of a new year," Kouu pointed out.
"True," Miki said. "But constant practice is necessary to stay in good form. Constant challenge, as well."
"I can appreciate a good challenge," Kouu said. He smiled as he spoke, but saw no similar look from Miki.
"Well then…" Miki put on his mask and assumed a stance. "En garde!"
Kouu hastily donned his own mask and took up a neutral stance. As he stood now, he could strike or defend easily. The crowd leaned forward in anticipation. Miki didn't fence as often as Juri did, and hardly ever against the other fencers. He mostly took care of individual instruction as necessary, and the majority of the sparring he did was against Juri. Seeing him single out and challenge a newcomer was something rare to the point that no one could quite remember if he had ever done it before.
The two stood still, sizing each other up. The crowd waited with bated breath.
The screech of rubber soles against the polished hardwood floor echoed through the gym as the two fencers darted toward each other. The clatter of the two combatants' foils made considerably less noise, but carried more impact as the two fencers made contact, neither managing to strike the other.
Kouu took up the offensive first, pressing Miki farther and farther back. His attacks used up as little motion as possible. Save motion, save energy, he had been taught. But he couldn't find a true weakness in Miki's defense. Juri's lieutenant was giving ground almost willingly, as if he was still sizing up his opponent.
Then Kouu spotted an opening at Miki's left shoulder, and he lunged in to exploit it. He realized almost too late that it had been a feint. Miki's foil came up fast to deflect the blow, and then Miki launched his own assault. It was a struggle for the blonde to fend off Miki's attacks, and for a moment, he wasn't sure he could keep it up. The Student Council secretary's last attack was within mere inches of Kouu's facemask when the blonde saw that his opponent's attack left him open. The secretary's overconfidence denied him victory for the moment. Before the ball point of Miki's foil reached Kouu's mask, the freshman's own blade was there, knocking the blow aside at the last possible second.
"Way to go, Kouu!" Akemi cheered from the stands, making Kouu grin beneath his mask as he took up the offensive anew. "Show them how it's done!"
He pressed forward again. Once again, Miki was giving ground, but it was done grudgingly this time. Then he noticed a weakness in Kouu's attack, and beat the invading foil aside just in the nick of time.
The two stood apart for a moment, neither one moving to the attack. Kouu considered his next course of action. Even as careful as he was, he was beginning to tire. It didn't help matters that he couldn't find any good way to finish his opponent. Miki's defenses were too solid, his attacks too swift, for Kouu to gain any definite advantage. He might be able to wear his opponent down to a point where a weakness would be revealed, but that would take time and energy the blonde wasn't sure he had. His best bet, he realized, was an all-out offensive. It wasn't a great tactic, but it was the only thing he could think of.
As the match had opened, so did it close. Kouu and Miki rushed toward one another at the same time, each readying an attack. Kouu knew he was wide open, but he was committed. He couldn't back out now.
Both foils struck at the same instant. Kouu's blade struck Miki in the shoulder, while Miki's foil pressed against his facemask. The two stood like that a moment, as if the match had left them so exhausted they hadn't even the energy to withdraw.
Miki straightened first, taking off his mask. "Impressive, Mr. Koharu," he said. "You really are good. I'm afraid I underestimated you."
"Underestimated me?" Kouu puzzled, taking off his own mask. "You still won."
"True," Miki said, "but it was a victory I had to work for." He paused for a moment, thinking. "However, a win is still a win," he pointed out. "And you still could stand to improve, Mister Koharu."
"I know," Kouu said, smiling. "And I intend to." He wiped the sweat from his brow before it could drip into his eyes. Now, Kouu thought, he had a reason to work to better himself. "Thank you for the match, Mr. Kaoru," he said, and turned to leave the lane.
Miki watched him go. Outwardly, he looked calm, but he was troubled. He hadn't encountered anyone that good in some time. The only person who gave him that much of a workout was Juri, and she typically won matches between the two of them. Kouu was almost as good. Miki tried to calculate how good Kouu would be when he was back in fighting form if, as the blonde had claimed, he was really just out of practice.
Akemi greeted Kouu as he separated from the dispersing crowd.
"Okay, I take back the comment about fencing not being challenging," Akemi laughed. "You're dripping like a waterfall, and with all the work I saw you putting in out there, it's obviously not that easy."
"Of course not," Kouu said. He was still breathing a bit heavily from exertion. "But thanks for watching. I really appreciated the encouragement."
"No problem," she said. "But right now, you need a shower."
"No kidding," Kouu said, heading for the locker room. "Well, I'll see you later," Kouu said. Akemi nodded, and they separated. But before he'd taken more than a couple steps, Kouu stopped and turned.
"Akemi?" he asked, raising his voice to be heard over the din.
"What is it?" she asked, turning to face him.
"How would you feel about having dinner out tonight?"
____________________
Anthy gazed out the window of her dorm room, staring across the campus. The setting sun colored Ohtori in golden hues. Beyond the grounds of the university, she could see the ocean, shimmering brilliantly in the sunset. It was quite a sight, and she would have appreciated it more if she weren't in her current position.
For the first time since arriving, Anthy was feeling fear. She had thought she felt it before, when Utena had left to go to Ohtori ahead of her, but that was just anxiety borne of anticipation. And until now, before and after her meeting with Akio, what she had felt was dread in the face of what she potentially faced. But so far, she had only been thinking in terms of what she would have to go through.
Fear had come for her when she started to wonder, not about what she might have to go through, but if...
If. If they failed in their goal... If Akio knew what they were planning... If...
The fear was in the uncertainty, the insecurity. The fear was in the powerlessness Anthy felt as the Rose Bride. The Bride was always a position of submission. There were precious few choices available to her at this juncture. It was all in Utena's hands, and, if they were very lucky, the hands of those who might fight beside them.
The problem was that she could rely on no one aside from Utena. Anyone who might be able to help her would have to be a Duelist, and the Duelists were under Akio's influence, even when they thought they weren't. Especially when they thought they weren't. And just as a Duelist might be, they were almost all inevitably twisted into something unjust. She remembered when Saionji Kyoichi had been a noble young man and Touga Kiryuu had been a veritable knight in shining armor. It was amazing how a person could change, she thought.
She knew Akio planned on adding to the Student Council in some way. She had guessed this shortly after her arrival. She had later seen letters sitting on Akio's desk, letters to be sent out to new potential Duelists, but these only confirmed her suspicions.
She knew, as Akio did, that the Duelists from the Academy were stale, in a sense. They had been a volatile mix once before, personalities clashing in new and surprising ways each time a new duel was to be fought. But they had all been through the worst of what they could inflict on each other. Even if they didn't remember directly all that had befallen them at the Academy, somewhere down deep, they knew. There was a limit to how well they could be played against each other now.
New Duelists would liven up the mix. They would revitalize those who came before them and later stand on their own when the original Duelists moved on. New conflicts would clash with the old in a ritual Akio had been performing since time out of mind.
Anthy felt cold inside at the thought that she would knowingly take part in this ritual once more. It wasn't just what would happen to her, though dread at that fact was certainly a part of it. It was knowing that she would be an object of desire, a thing over which the Duelists would not only fight, but also twist, pervert and corrupt themselves just for the chance of fighting for.
She felt cold inside because of the emptiness of it all, the meaninglessness.
But it would not do to dwell on these things. She could accomplish nothing by worrying. She decided to tend to the roses. If nothing else, it would help her regain her calm.
____________________
Usually, it was Akemi who was late, Kouu reflected as he looked at himself in the mirror. Of course, he had an excuse. Akemi just had to change her clothes. Kouu had needed a shower before he even thought of changing. He held out some small hope that Akemi would, in keeping with her normal habits, get lost on the way from the fencing gym to the East Dorms. Of course, hoping didn't make it so.
Never keep a lady waiting, his sister had told him once. Considering Akemi, that was probably advice to live by. Still, he found himself running late. He just hoped it was forgivable.
Finally showered, dressed and made generally presentable, Kouu left his room at a pace just shy of a run. Being on the second floor meant the elevator was almost completely useless to him, as he could make his way down the stairs almost as fast as the elevator, and it was rarely ever ready and waiting at his floor anyway. Really, the only use it saw was from students arriving at or departing from campus between semesters with a hefty load of luggage.
There were a few people in the day room on the ground floor watching television and talking. The blonde gave them a cursory glance as he went through the room, and then walked out the door.
The sight that greeted him immediately outside the dorm building stopped him cold. There was Akemi, sure enough... And then there was Touga, chatting her up and laying on the charm. Judging by Akemi's light blush, it was obviously having some effect.
Kouu had heard his share of rumors surrounding the Student Council president. While he was more than willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, he also knew that rumors have to start with something. Casual observation alone lent him plenty of evidence to judge in favor of what he had heard. But while his first reaction was to storm over to where Touga and Akemi were talking and break them up, he quickly put a rein on his instincts and walked over casually.
"Akemi," he said as he approached, "sorry I'm late."
"Oh, it's no problem," the redhead replied.
"I saw Miss Kawabe waiting all alone here and decided to keep her company while she waited," Touga said, smiling. "You must be Mr. Koharu."
"Yes," Kouu said. "And you're Touga Kiryuu, right? The Student Council president?" Kouu got the feeling that Touga was measuring him, determining whether or not the blonde would be any impediment to Touga's advances on Akemi.
"Yes," Touga said. "I see you paid attention during orientation."
"Well, I think just about everyone has heard about you, Mr. Kiryuu," Kouu said, returning the president's smile in a somewhat forced show of nonchalance. He'd made it to the island a day or so too late to catch the orientation, but it was difficult not to know who Touga was, with the way rumors spread.
"Quite possibly," Touga said. "But it's hard to avoid notice in the Student Council. That was true even at the Academy. And by the way, call me Touga. I'm not overly fond of formalities."
"Then call me Kouu," the blonde replied, edging closer to Akemi.
"Certainly. Well, I won't keep you from your engagement any longer," Touga said, giving Akemi a winning smile. "Enjoy your evening." So saying, he went on his way, leaving Kouu and Akemi to continue their evening.
There was silence between the two in the wake of the Student Council president's departure. Kouu was the first to speak.
"So, what was that all about?" Kouu wanted to know.
"What was what all about?" Akemi responded.
Kouu nodded in the direction Touga had gone. "Him."
"We were just talking, Kouu," Akemi said. "Relax."
Kouu sighed. "I'm not one to believe rumors, but, well… Every rumor has to start somewhere. From what I've heard, he doesn't just talk when it comes to women."
"What, you think he's trying to seduce me?" Akemi's eyes widened in disbelief at the blonde's suggestion.
Kouu shrugged. It wasn't a matter of thinking; he was thoroughly convinced. "I don't know," he said. She was already upset, and he thought it best not to make things worse. "All I can say is that I've seen him around, and he stops and flirts with just about every single girl he sees."
"Kouu, he's a good-looking guy." She tried to keep her voice calm. "Girls are naturally going to give him second glances when he walks by."
"This isn't 'second glances' I'm talking about," Kouu argued. "He walks around and flirts or hits on every girl he comes across, or close to it. They might think he's just being friendly, or he's interested, but he's leading them on."
"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe he just doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by flat-out rejecting them?" Akemi snapped.
"Do you have any idea how naïve that sounded?" Kouu retorted, and then instantly wished he could take the words back. So much for not making her angrier, he thought.
"I can't believe you!" Akemi nearly yelled. "Listen to yourself, Kouu. You can't go around judging people just by what you hear. Besides," she sighed, "even if you were right, it's not like I can't tell when someone's trying to take advantage of me. Give me some credit, Kouu. I have more self-control than that."
"I know, it's just..." Kouu shrugged. He wanted to believe Akemi had as much self-control as she said, but her reaction to Touga seemed to be quite strong and definitely in the Student Council president's favor. "I don't know. Can we just drop this?"
"Now you're dodging out of the argument," she accused.
"Yes, I am," Kouu said, and sighed. "Look, this isn't what I had in mind. I'm sorry I brought it up. I'm not usually like this, I just… I'm sorry. I was an idiot for bringing the subject up and thinking that way. Now can we just go out and have a good time?"
"If you insist," Akemi said, rolling her eyes. It was an exaggerated expression, though, and she laughed as she did it. Kouu breathed a sigh of relief, glad the brief altercation was finished. However, his opinion of Touga didn't change. As much as Akemi might dislike it, Kouu wasn't about to let her be used by Touga. It would be different if he could believe Touga's intentions were pure, Kouu reasoned with himself. But under the circumstances, that seemed less than likely.
"So, did you have any place in mind?" Akemi inquired.
Kouu shrugged. "I don't really know. I haven't been out much since I got here, so I don't know where there's any place that's really nice. I was hoping you'd have something in mind."
"Well, I do know of a place we can go to," Akemi said. "It's probably not very busy, but it'll be a bit of a walk to get there."
"Lead the way," Kouu said.
The road they walked led out toward the edge of the island. The island the university occupied was small, Kouu knew, but he hadn't much of an idea how small until just now. In the brief time he and Akemi had been walking, they had nearly reached the coast. Of course, it was also likely that the campus was simply situated near the coast. The island was home to a port for fishermen, another port for the campus, and an entire village of people. It couldn't be that small.
The island had been home to a fishing village, originally, and some of that trade still remained. More recently, it had been a sort of tourist place, advertised as a quiet, secluded island where people could get away and just relax. The vacation economy had kept the island afloat until the Ohtori Board of Trustees had decided to build the university there. Now, Kouu thought, it looked like the island would become a college community. It had caused a minor uproar among those more wealthy vacationers who had purchased estates on the island. Soyokaze, the man responsible for most of Kouu's upbringing, had a friend who mentioned on more than one occasion that he was less than pleased with the construction of the university.
As the couple neared the coast, the road forked. To the right, the road led down to a beach, while the left fork led up a short cliff.
"So, which way?" Kouu asked.
"Left here," Akemi said, looking back at the beach as they headed up the cliff road. "It might be nice to hit the beach once before the semester gets in full swing, too."
Kouu nodded. "Yeah, we should get a group together some weekend soon. We'll have to talk Taki and Ran into coming down here."
"Definitely," Akemi said. "One last hurrah before we all have to get serious."
After a few minutes of walking, Kouu spoke up again.
"So, where is this restaurant of yours?" the blonde asked.
"What's the matter?" Akemi teased. "Afraid of a little walk?"
"A little walk? No," Kouu laughed. "But this is more like a nature hike."
"Well, I chose the scenic route," Akemi said. "I like looking out over the sea."
"The ocean's always made me nervous," Kouu said.
"Really?" Akemi was a bit surprised by the revelation. Kouu seemed like the levelheaded and practical type. "Why?"
"I don't know, really," Kouu said. "I guess it just unnerves me to look out over all the waves and see nothing but more waves. Looking out at the ocean like that, I think I can understand why ancient explorers thought that after the ocean there was nothing but the edge of the world. It seems like that's all there is, even when you know that somewhere out there, after miles and miles, there's land."
"Maybe we shouldn't go to the beach, after all," Akemi suggested.
"No, don't let that stop you," Kouu said. "I'd still be perfectly willing to go just to hang out with you and everyone else."
"Well, we'll see," Akemi said. "Anyway, we're just about there."
Kouu hadn't been paying much attention to where they were going as they talked, and so he looked up for the first time and saw the restaurant. It was a fairly small white building that overlooked the ocean. It didn't look as if there were a great many people inside, but it was a bit out of the way, Kouu reasoned. Still, it looked like a nice enough place from the outside.
As they entered, he was just thankful that he had enough money to cover the meal.
* * *
"So, what brings you to Ohtori, Kouu?" Akemi asked between bites of tempura.
"Nothing in particular," Kouu said. "Partly just because I needed to go to college, of course, and partly because Soyokaze recommended it."
"Who's Soyokaze?" Akemi asked. "You mentioned him earlier.
Kouu swallowed a bite of curry before answering. "Soyokaze is my mentor. That's as close as I can come to describing him, I guess. I've never really tried to find a word to describe his relation to me. He's always just been Soyokaze to me." He took another bite, and after swallowing it, continued. "He took me and my sister in when our parents passed away. I was about ten then."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Akemi said. "I hope it doesn't sound like I'm prying."
"Oh, don't worry about it," Kouu said. "Anyway, he was an Ohtori student, as it turns out. So was my father, in fact. They went to Ohtori together when it was an academy, and they were both on the Student Council. I was never told the whole story, but I'm pretty sure that's how they first met. Soyokaze's the one who gave me that sword you saw sitting in my room earlier. He had it when he was at Ohtori, and he said it would be fitting for me to take it back again. Now he owns a company that makes business software. He's also one of the alumni that the promotions board always points out as being the kind of success story you can achieve if you attend Ohtori." Kouu grinned. "He was really amused by that, I think. Anyway, he recommended that I go to Ohtori, and I passed the entrance exams, so here I am." He took a drink. "What about you?"
"What about me?" Akemi asked.
"Why are you at Ohtori?"
"Oh, well… Part of it is just that I wanted to get out of the house when I went to college. My mother's the traditional sort. She actually wanted me to become a housewife, if you can believe that."
Kouu's laughter interrupted her. "What's so funny?" she demanded.
"I just can't see you as the stay-at-home type," Kouu said. "Cooking and cleaning and tending the home. It seems too tame for you."
"For your information, I happen to be a very good cook," Akemi said. "As you should know, after dinner the other night."
"I don't doubt you," Kouu said, his tone turning serious. "But I see you as being someone who needs a fairly constant challenge in life."
Akemi nodded. "That's why I started taking kendo, originally. Mom hated the fact that I was in kendo. That was one of the only things Dad ever stood up to her on, I think. She would have preferred me to continue with my piano lessons because playing the piano was more 'ladylike', but I hated her showing me off in performances, so I quit once I was old enough. I used to go to a university in Sendai, where I live. But the program there wasn't what I wanted, so I transferred here. The day before I left for Ohtori, Mom told me that what I really needed was 'a proper man to settle me down.'" She shook her head, as if still unable to believe it. "I think she was ready to take me to a matchmaker and be done with it once and for all. But I had the grades to get in, and with my kendo scholarship, she couldn't really make any excuses about cost, since it's a free ride as long as I keep my grades up."
"Well, if you ever need any help with studying," Kouu said, "Let me know. I might be able to help you."
"Thanks for the offer," Akemi said. "I can usually keep a pretty good handle on things, though."
"That's fine," Kouu said. "Just remember. If you need anything, let me know."
The rest of the dinner passed in small talk. Kouu found himself fascinated by his dinner companion. She was physically attractive, but if that had been all, Kouu would have lost interest over time. There was something about her that compelled him, something he could not name. It was in her smile when she laughed, it was in her frown when she was deep in thought. It was in the tone of her voice and the way she spoke, it was in the way she moved, aggressive and energetic without being obnoxious. He could stare into her hazel eyes all day, but he tried to avoid that as much as he could. He was naïve in some ways, but even he knew already that he was very capable of falling for this girl, and falling far. And while he wanted to fall for her more than anything, he was apprehensive at the same time. Falling for someone meant losing a measure of control.
* * *
Dinner had been pleasant, and had gone better than he had thought to hope. He had kept Akemi talking for most of the walk back just to hear the sound of her voice. It was soothing, like the sound of the waves on the shore. Even without that, though, he liked the way she spoke, careless and free, talking about anything that came to mind, not worrying about what other people might think. She was a free person, Kouu realized, and she needed to stay free.
These thoughts all went through his head as he neared the East Dorms. Akemi had parted earlier, saying she had agreed to spend some of the evening with Ran, so Kouu decided to walk for a while to clear his head and order his thoughts.
As he walked around the dorm, he saw that some small distance from the easternmost wall of the building, there was a curving line of hedges that stood taller than Kouu was by a good margin. In the fading light, he could make out a gap between the hedges, which led to a hedge-lined passage. He entered out of curiosity, and realized then what he had come across.
A hedge maze.
He had heard of mazes like this and seen pictures of them, but he had never seen one up close, and certainly never had the chance to explore one. He wondered idly if he would get lost. He supposed it was possible, but in his current good mood, there was little that could bother him. He fairly floated along the path, paved with white stones, as he made his way through.
The maze wasn't terribly complicated, but it was large. Kouu had always had a good sense of direction and a knack for solving mazes on paper. Those two talents served him well here. He only met with a few dead ends before finding his way to the center. He could tell he was closing on the heart of the labyrinth when the curve of the passages became shorter. As he neared the center, he thought he could hear the sound of running water and, through that, someone's voice, though he couldn't recognize whoever it was or make out what they were saying. As he drew closer, it became apparent that the person in the labyrinth was humming to himself.
Another turn brought Kouu to the center of the labyrinth. Like the path he had been treading, it was paved in white flagstones, and in the very center was a fountain. The edges of its basin were carved in a vine pattern that repeated itself endlessly all along the edge. It sprayed water up and out in a rippling dome shape that was pleasing to watch. Around the fountain on all sides were arrayed benches of the same white stone. They were simple in construction, but elegant.
Lying spread out along one of the benches was a young man with slightly unruly blue hair. His eyes were closed as he hummed to himself, a song or melody Kouu had never heard before. A cane leaned against the edge of the bench the man lay across, within easy reach of his right hand. At first, he seemed totally oblivious to Kouu's entrance, but then he spoke.
"You know, in medieval Europe, the Church made use of labyrinths like this. Their labyrinths were just designs in the stone, though, and they were smaller. They were made for pilgrims who couldn't manage the journey to the holy land. So instead of going to Jerusalem, they would walk along the labyrinth and pray and think. It was a meditative exercise of faith."
"And so what are you meditating on?" Kouu asked, smiling faintly.
"Nothing," said the blue-haired young man, who appeared to be roughly Kouu's age. He rose slowly from his relaxed position. "I'm no pilgrim, and I'm not on a journey. And on these legs, it's damn hard to meditate on anything and walk at the same time." He stood. He wobbled for a bit, as if to demonstrate his impairment, then steadied himself with his cane. "What are you meditating on?" he asked.
"Nothing much," Kouu said. "I'm in too good a mood to think any deep thoughts." Then, remembering his manners, he realized he had yet to introduce himself. "By the way, my name is Kouu Koharu."
"Mikado Tsuchiya," the blue-haired young man said. "I've returned here after an extended illness. Well, not here, really. I attended the academy before. They built the university while I was still in the hospital. But both places are alike enough that it doesn't really matter. And you?"
"This is my first time here," Kouu said.
"You wouldn't happen to live in the East Dorms by any chance, would you?"
"Actually, I do," Kouu said.
"Oh, good. I know you just arrived, but would you be so kind as to walk with me back to my dorm room, then? I don't feel too steady at the moment, and I'd hate to take a spill out here in the middle of the maze."
"No problem," Kouu said. Mikado fell into place beside him as the two made their way back through the labyrinth. Kouu matched his steps to Mikado's slower, faltering pace.
"Tell me something—and this is going to sound like an odd question, I guess—but have you noticed anything unusual on campus?" Mikado asked.
"Unusual?" Kouu said. "No, not really. I've heard that rumors spread fast here, but other than that, nothing. It seems like a nice enough place so far."
"I'm sure it does," Mikado said. "Give it time, though."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Oh, don't mind me," Mikado said. "Just thinking out loud."