"And once again, that's game to Arisa," Saki said, looking up from the bowling score sheet at her friends. "I believe congratulations are in order," she continued, looking at Arisa with a smile.

"Yes, great job, Uo-chan!" Tohru said, beaming at her. "I don't know how you do it, but you're always so wonderful at this!"

Arisa smiled ruefully as she looked over Saki's shoulder at the score sheet, where her score was more than double that of either Saki or Tohru. "I think the bigger surprise is how you two can manage to be so bad at this. Seriously, we even had bumpers on!"

Tohru blushed. "Well, bowling is hard!"

"That's right," Saki agreed in her serene way. "Determining the correct amount of force necessary is far less intuitive for some of us than others, Arisa, though of course I rejoice in your triumphs."

"Well, I think I've had enough of this sort of triumph for today," Arisa said, grinning at the two of them. "I don't know about you ladies, but I'm starving!"

"I could certainly eat," Saki said almost immediately, and Tohru quickly agreed.

"Yes, food sounds wonderful! Where do you two want to go?"

"Whatever sounds good to you, Tohru," Arisa promptly responded. "Seeing as how this is our last chance to properly treat you for a while, make it a good choice, ok?"

Tohru's lip was wobbling yet again as they swapped out their bowling shoes. Even though she'd be seeing her friends again at school the next day, at graduation, after graduation, and the morning she and Kyo left...they were right. Today was the last time they'd be spending together, just the three of them. The last chances for them to be together, to share inside jokes, to tell inside stories. To simply sit together, and be themselves: three friends, who had always been there for each other.

But Tohru was doing her best not to spend the entire day crying, and after an almost herculean effort she managed to give her friends a big smile.

"You know I don't mind! Wherever you feel like eating is perfectly fine with me!"

Arisa gave her a mildly exasperated look. "Tohru-"

"Noodles, then," Saki said, smiling at her. "Let's go have soba, hmm?"

"Soba sounds delicious," Tohru agreed, and Arisa sighed before looking at Saki.

"This was supposed to be Tohru's choice, Hanajima," she chided, and Saki shrugged.

"And dear Tohru did choose, in the end. Now, are we going to go get some soba, or are we going to keep standing here to be continuously reminded of your many glorious victories, Arisa?"

Arisa sighed as she scooped up her purse, then smiled as she grabbed Saki and Tohru's arms. "I guess it figures, doesn't it?"

"What figures, Uo-chan?" Tohru asked, giving her a puzzled look.

"We might be graduating and moving on...but some stuff never really changes, does it?" Arisa asked, giving Tohru a grin. And after a moment, Tohru returned it.

"No," she agreed, looking at both of her friends. "Some things really don't!"

And hopefully, they never would, either.


"Bow!"

Kyo's voice was a sharp, staccato bark as he knelt at the front of the dojo practice room, his body angled slightly as he, along with his class, bowed to the front of the room and the dojo's banner. With barely any effort or additional motion he straightened his body back to fully face his kneeling students, then his voice came once more in the same authoritative manner.

"Bow!"

This time, the class all bowed to him, and as they straightened back up he exhaled, then smiled as he rose to his feet and gestured for everyone else to do the same.

Smiling, Kyo clasped his hands behind his back as he looked around the room. "That's it for today...and that's actually it for me, too. Anyone in tomorrow's class, I'll see you then; otherwise this was my last class with you guys. Thanks for being such good students."

It had been Kazuma's idea, for Kyo to take over teaching a few classes at the dojo during the rest of his final year in Tokyo. As much as Kazuma had fully supported Kyo's desire to go out into the world and his dream of teaching, and as much as he felt confident that Kyo had the technical skills to succeed, both he and Kyo had agreed that there were certain areas where Kyo was admittedly weaker than he should be. With Kazuma's help and support, Kyo had tackled those areas head-on; ever since the middle of summer break, he'd been running classes by himself.

And Kazuma had gone straight for the jugular, damn him; the very first class Kyo had started working with had been comprised almost entirely of pre-teens, and the second...children.

Kyo had been terrified, at least in the beginning. As a black-belted dan himself, he'd done his share of teaching already, albeit within his own classes. Kazuma liked to do mixed level classes, so Kyo had a fair bit of experience working with lower belts, too...but there was a big difference between what he'd done before and being completely responsible for age groups almost guaranteed to push his buttons.

But that had been the point, and Kyo knew it as well as Kazuma. If he wanted to excel, or even succeed at his chosen profession, then he could not let his temper get the best of him, ever. No matter how provoked he felt, no matter how frustrated or disrespected, he always had to be professional. He could professionally kick a brat out of class, but he could not lose his temper. He would not lose his temper.

And he didn't.

It had been hard, especially at first. But as the weeks and months went by and Kyo became more confident, things became easier. He found himself worrying about it less, thinking about it less. Fighting for it less...because he didn't need to.

By the end of his time in Tokyo, Kyo was teaching at least one class six days a week, at a wide range of ages and levels. And every week, he would sit down with Kazuma and talk about his classes: his students and their abilities, his thoughts on their progression. Any problems he might be having, or questions he wanted to ask. Kazuma had given him high level overviews of what he expected from the classes Kyo was teaching, but he had otherwise given Kyo control of how he wanted to conduct them, break down the lessons, or delegate within the classes himself.

Kyo had felt the pressure, but he had done his best, and by and large he felt pleased with the results. His weekly check-in, initially so intimidating, had become a treat; Kazuma's early corrections and suggestions had diminished over time, and by the end of Kyo's time there Kyo could almost feel that they were equals.

Sort of.

And as much as he was glad he'd be going to a new place and a new dojo, he was surprised by how much he going to miss the classes he'd been teaching at the Sohma dojo. In eight months he'd seen some great progression on the part of his students...and made some unexpected connections.

He'd always gotten along well with most people at the dojo; although it was on the Sohma estate and many of the students were Sohmas of all ages, the vast majority of them were from the 'Outside.' To them, Kyo had always been just another student, special only because of his connection to Kazuma. Within the dojo, skill and discipline were what mattered the most, and over his many years in the dojo, Kyo had found a peace and calmness that had never been allowed to grow in any other part of his life. But at the same time, he had never allowed himself any personal closeness, never allowed himself to truly form friendships. At the dojo, as at school, he had always held himself apart. Some of the other students could have been his friends, if he'd been willing to let them...but he hadn't.

At the dojo, as at school, friends were only one more thing he'd eventually have to lose.

Breaking the Curse hadn't been as simple as flipping a switch. The Curse was gone, yes, and the threat of confinement was gone, too. The fears of a lifetime might no longer apply, but the habits he'd developed to handle them...those were going to take a lot longer to break down.

But he was trying. Trying to stop being afraid of being hurt, and start letting people in. That was what he'd told Tohru, that day in front of her parents' grave; he wanted to be a part of the world, not close himself off any more. It would be a long process, but he was determined to do his best.


Kyo had thought maybe one or two of his students would want to say something to him after class. He'd only been teaching them for eight months, after all, and starting next week they'd once more be taught by Kazuma. What student wouldn't be excited to be back with the master, given the choice? Especially a master like Kazuma, who had always been a gifted and encouraging teacher as well as a brilliant karateka? If anything, it was sure to be a relief.

He wasn't expecting the entire class to stay.

"Sensei Kyo, what d'you mean this was your last class?" one student demanded, glaring at him. "You mean today was your last day teaching?"

"Is it 'cause you're graduating, Sensei Kyo?"

"Were you going to university, Sensei Kyo? Is it 'cause you're not going to have time?"

"Did you have to find a different job? Is Sensei not paying you enough?"

"Dummy, you don't ask people how much they get paid!"

"Sensei Kyo, are you sure you couldn't stay for just a little longer? Universities don't start for another few weeks, right?"

"Sensei Kyo, are you moving?"

"How come you never said anything before now, Sensei Kyo?"

The questions came so fast and furiously that Kyo was taken completely aback. He hadn't ever specifically mentioned that he was going to be done teaching when he graduated, because he'd never really seen a point. He'd always known his teaching was temporary, and he assumed his students had known that, too.

And a part of him had always sort of thought...that they'd maybe be happy. As much as teaching was what he had always dreamed of doing, he was still worried, especially with these, his first 'real' students. Worried he'd seem awkward and unsure, worried he'd been too snappy, and too impatient. Eight months had done wonders for his confidence, but that was for going forward; these were students who'd been there with him from the beginning for every awkward lurch and stumble.

But somehow, almost amazingly, they were upset with him.

Upset...because he was leaving.

Kyo finally found his voice. "Whoa, calm down, guys, geez. No one's gotta yell or talk over each other or anything like that," he said, crossing his arms and looking around the group of students before taking a breath.

Maybe he'd gone about this the wrong way.

"Yeah, today was my last day teaching you guys," he confirmed, looking around. "No, I'm not gonna go to university, but I am gonna be moving," he said, his voice steady and projecting. "On Monday, even, so you can see why I'm not gonna be around for Tuesday's class."

The voices were a clamor once more.

"Where are you going, Sensei Kyo?"

"Can't you still come back and teach?"

"How come you never told us?"

Kyo held up his hands, and they quieted down once more. "No, I can't come back, 'cause I'm gonna be living up in Aomori-"

"Aomori?"

"Why're you moving to Aomori, Sensei Kyo?"

"There's nothing in Aomori, Sensei Kyo!"

"-and working at a well-respected dojo up there," Kyo continued, his voice cutting through the babble. "I'm gonna be teaching full-time there, going forward."

"Can't you teach full-time here, Sensei Kyo?"

"Why didn't Sensei hire you if you're gonna work at a dojo, anyway?"

"Why didn't you tell us you were leaving?"

The same student had kept repeating the last question, and Kyo had been trying to avoid the accompanying and increasingly accusatory stare. Finally, he couldn't ignore it anymore.

"I didn't say anything 'cause I didn't think it mattered, ok? You guys're gonna be back with Master starting next week, pretty sure that's a bump up in anyone's opinion. Hell, I know I'd jump at the chance to work with Master," he said, his smile faltering slightly as he thought about just how true that statement was.

After this weekend, Kazuma wouldn't be his master any more. He would have a new dojo, and with that new dojo...a new master.

He was stunned at the lack of enthusiasm he saw on the faces of most of his students.

"We like you, Sensei Kyo," one student said, kicking down at the floor. "Sensei is great, but...you are, too."

"Me?" Kyo was aware he sounded surprised, but it was hard not to be, just then. After all, they were talking about Kazuma!

But the rest of the group was nodding, too.

"You're really good at explaining things, Sensei Kyo."

"Yeah. And you break everything down so good when you're demonstrating, I could never do a kick as slow as you without falling over!"

Balancing always had been one of Kyo's strengths.

"You're always so excited about stuff, Sensei Kyo. Like karate is your favorite thing ever, even if it's something super boring we're practicing."

...he never had been one to be subtle, either, when it came to how he felt about karate.

And as surprising as it was to hear any of this, he couldn't help but be touched.

"Well, thanks, you guys. You've all always worked so hard, I always wanted to do my best for you, too," he said looking around with an admittedly embarrassed smile. He wasn't used to being praised like this, so out of the blue...and it felt nice.

"You should have told us you were leaving, Sensei Kyo. We could've done something for you!"

"Yeah!"

"That's right!"

He was just grinning now. "Well, don't worry about it, ok? Hearing all this stuff is pretty damn nice, all on its own."

"Why didn't Sensei hire you to work here, Sensei Kyo?"

"Didn't you ask him? I bet he would've."

"Did you do something to make Sensei mad, Sensei Kyo?"

"No, he certainly didn't."

At the quietly amused voice from the doorway, everyone head, Kyo's included, snapped over to see Kazuma standing there, and everyone promptly bowed. Kazuma bowed back, then smiled as he walked into the room, taking note of more than one embarrassed face.

"I was wondering what was keeping you," he said, giving Kyo an amused glance. "I'm admittedly surprised I didn't realize."

"Sensei, are you sure you don't wanna hire Sensei Kyo?" One of the students suddenly piped up, red-faced but determined, and Kazuma smiled.

"I would be positively delighted to hire Sensei Kyo, Masahiro. However, at this time, the right path for him is to go somewhere else and learn from another teacher himself. No matter how strong any given master or how comfortable we are in any one specific place, there are always benefits to pushing beyond our comfort zone and working with someone new, in some place new. And much as I'm sure we'll all miss him here," Kazuma said, his eyes lingering on Kyo for a long moment, "I am confident he'll become an even stronger karateka under the guidance of Master Matsuda."

Kazuma took a little breath, then smiled around at the students. "I am very much looking forward to seeing your progress under Sensei Kyo when we begin together again next week. And I'm sure that we'll still see Sensei Kyo here at the Sohma Dojo in the future, from time to time."

Kyo returned Kazuma's smile with a grin and nodded at his students. "Oh yeah, and I'm gonna look forward to hearing how all of you guys are doing whenever I check in. So no one better start slacking, got it?"

"Got it, Sensei Kyo!"

Kazuma and Kyo both laughed at the earnest group response, Kyo's grin widening.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't say anything, ok? But like I said, you guys've all been great, all of you. So thanks for being a great class, all of you, and keep working hard."

"Thanks, Sensei Kyo!"

"Be safe!"

"We'll miss you!"

"I'll keep practicing, don't you worry!"

Kazuma watched, smiling, as the students all made their promises and said their goodbyes, then finally bowed out of the room. It took a little while longer, but eventually only Kyo and Kazuma remained.

"'Didn't say anything?'" Kazuma queried, and Kyo immediately blushed at the gentle, almost non-existent chastisement that still struck home with the sting of a whiplash. "You didn't tell your classes you were leaving?"

Kyo looked down, embarrassed. "I didn't think it'd really matter," he admitted, looking at his feet. "I figured it was a temporary thing, me teaching here, and I figured...they'd all be happy when they got to have you back," he said, looking sheepishly up at Kazuma. "I know I would."

Kazuma shook his head at Kyo, but he was smiling. "You sell yourself far too short, Kyo, though I hope after that little display I just saw you understand that more clearly. Perhaps yes, you began your time teaching here knowing it was temporary. But you never treated it that way," he continued, reaching out and squeezing Kyo's shoulder. "You never gave it any less than your best, did you?"

Kyo shook his head, and Kazuma nodded.

"Exactly. And your best, well..." he chuckled, glancing at the door the students had left through. "Clearly, your best resonated with many of your students."

Kyo flushed again, but this time he was smiling. "I always tried to do what you taught me, Master. If I could make anyone else as excited about karate as I was when I was coming up through the ranks...as much as I still am," he said, laughing, "then I figure I'm doing a good job."

"Well...you're doing a good job, Kyo," Kazuma said, looking at him affectionately. "And I know you'll continue to do a good job, for Master Matsuda."

Kyo felt a little twist in his stomach at those words, a mixture of nerves and excitement. In a little over a week, he'd officially start work at the Matsuda Dojo, in the employ and under the instruction of Master Kenichi Matsuda.

He hoped Master Matsuda would be pleased.

Kazuma continued on. "You've proven to be an excellent teacher, Kyo, and I know you'll do well. I imagine your biggest difficulties, at least in the beginning, will be connected to your youth."

"Yeah," Kyo said, letting out a rather gusty sigh. He was rather expecting that, too.

In spite of the fact Kazuma had started Kyo working with younger students, those two youth classes hadn't been the extent of Kyo's responsibilities. Later on, Kazuma had added additional classes to Kyo's workload, and it turned out that his greatest challenge hadn't been kids pushing his buttons, but peers. Even with three black bars on his belt, there were some older students who'd had an issue with Kyo being in charge; Kyo had on more than one occasion reminded himself that the bulk of the students in the advanced classes were either people he'd trained up with or who had trained up ahead of him, people who were no doubt already battling preconceived opinions about Kyo himself.

And who likely were not shying away from the word 'nepotism' in their thoughts as they looked at Kyo leading.

He had been rattled, and it had taken longer for him to get comfortable with the older students, cursing himself and his insecurities the entire time. And while he hoped that starting fresh at a new dojo would make at least some of those problems easier, a new dojo also meant that no one had any reason to have confidence in him right off the bat.

He would give them reasons.

Kyo looked up at Kazuma. "Don't worry though, Master. It's like we talked about; I'll just stay calm and cool, not take any bait, and let my skill speak for itself."

Some of those things were easier said than done, even now. 'Calm and cool' had never been Kyo's strengths in the past, and when it came to taking bait, he had been a champion. But not now, and never again. Not when the stakes were this high, and so many people were counting on him to do well.

Kazuma had stuck his neck out for Kyo to get him this job; Kazuma's professional reputation was on the line, as much as Kyo's own. The last thing Kyo wanted was for him to sully Kazuma's name or make him regret his decision.

"I'm gonna do a good job, Master," he repeated, looking seriously up at Kazuma. "Just you watch!"

Kyo looked so earnest and fired up standing there, one raised hand clenched and his eyes blazing. That same passion and determination Kazuma had seen when Kyo first came to him and told him his plans for the future...and so very, very many times since.

"I know, Kyo," Kazuma said, his voice soft, but proud. "I know."