Summery: It all started in Junior High, when Sakura got her first love letter. She may be tomboyish, but never would she have thought that her first love letter would be from a girl.

Now entering her first year of high school, she hopes she can finally get a boyfriend. But fate would have her repeat that embarrassing moment once again. Though this time, the most beautiful girl in school is the one to confess. Because of this, she's even more popular with the ladies. Is she ever going to get a boyfriend?

First Love Letter

Chapter 3 - 6 years ago, Kendo Competition

Sakura watched the match intensely as a sempai shouted a kiai loudly and rushed forward at his opponent. He swung his shinai quickly to the left, aiming for the hidari-men. The bamboo sword landed firmly on the target and a white flag was raised, indicating he had won the first point. The two stepped back to their beginning positions and raised their swords. Sempai took this chance and screamed, lashing out and aiming for migi-men. Raising his arms speedily, the opponent deflected the shinai from reaching its target and aimed for his own. His sword cracked sharply, declaring its goal reached. The score was now tied. The two touched swords and began attacking again. Taking a quick step backwards, Sempai distanced himself from his opponent for a breath. With a kiai bellowed, the opponent shot forward again, closing the space between them quickly and swinging his shinai to the left. Sempai instantly recoiled backward and raised his bamboo sword. Too late for a counter block, the sempai was hit, the opponent's sword landing on the hidari-do.

The three referees held up the red flag, indicating the opponent has won the point and with the second point the opponent won the match. A referee calls the end of the match. Sempai and his opponent, with their shinais held in the center guard position, slowly lowered their bodies into squats, their knees forming a 90-degree angle. They stand and place their swords at their sides. They each execute ritsu-rei, a 15-degree angle bow, and walk back to their seats.

Sakura looked over at Sempai as he took his place next to her, kneeling down with the right knee, then the left, and finally lowering his hips into a sitting position atop his tucked feet. He was breathing hard, showing that the exercise was not simple.

"You're next, Taisho." He informed her, a smile gracing his face as he kept his eyes forward. Although he was a year her senior, she had quickly rose up the ranks and beaten him, taking the title of captain.

Sakura nodded. The score was now two to two between the five-pair teams. Being the captain, it was now up to her to break the tie. Sakura swallowed as she remembered who her opponent was. Li Syaoran, the Chinese abroad student who has won countless medals in kendo, judo, iaido, kung fu, and wushu sport, is known as a genius.

As Sakura began tying a bandana around her forehead, soft chuckling was coming from her Fukusho. Peeking at him, Sakura saw that he was trembling, trying to stifle his laughter. When he finally noticed that she was looking at him, he gave a low cough and straightened.

Consfused, Sakura raised an eyebrow at him. "Nani?"

"Just," simply shaking his head, he continued, "The expression you had. Seemed like you were constipated."

Her hand flashed up to her cheeks. "Eh? Honto ni?"

The corner of his lips lifted. "Try your best to win, okay? Even if you don't think you have a chance against him."

"Un!" Sakura smiled in return. Putting on the men, or helmet, Sakura tied the strings securely and grabbed the shinai that was resting by her side. Standing up, Sakura took a few steps into the arena and gave the proper bow, her opponent doing the same. Making her way to the middle, she drew her sword and squatted. As they both rose, they circled one another. He launched into a series of attacks; men, kote, do. One after another they came, but Sakura was faster and lighter. She deftly blocked each strike with an attack of her own, aiming as he did. As seconds flew by, both she and her opponent fell into a comfortable dancing onslaught as one attacked and the other defended, each switching roles hastily.

Only 40 seconds remained and neither opponent had scored a point. Shinai raised in front of her, Sakura watched as her opponent dashed forward and met her head-on. His piercing amber gaze caught hers as they locked swords. They were so full of fierce determination, making her shiver. Breaking the hold, Sakura darted backwards, eyes still focused on him. He followed her lead and moved up, then to the side, showing intricate footwork known mainly to masters of the art. Sakura smiled and showed off her own movement techniques. As Sakura collided her bamboo sword with her opponent's in a block, she felt a hard tap on her helmet. Red flags glared up around the room. Disappointed that she hadn't seen his move, she repositioned herself into the chudan-no-kamae, the center guard position. Sakura knew she had to do something fast.

Her opponent had won a point and only a few seconds were left. If she doesn't score, not only would she lose the match, but the entire team would lose the competition. With a new resolve, she let out a cry and charged forward. Raising her shinai to the left and aiming for the left head target, Sakura swung to the right. Her opponent raised his sword high to block hers. It was just as she wanted. Swiftly, she changed the angle of her attack, lowing it and swinging for the left abdomen. Her shinai met armor as she rushed past her opponent. White flags flew up into the air, announcing her point.

With her point, the time limit was announced reached. Breathing hard, Sakura formed her body into center guard position again, facing her opponent, her shinai pointing at him. He was a mirror image of herself as they moved. Identically, they both fell into a squat and placed their swords at their sides in the tai-to position. Bringing her left hand to rest at her side, Sakura stood as he did and gave a bow, the shinai now relaxed.

Walking back to her seat amongst her teammates, she dropped gracefully onto her knees and sat. Setting her shinai on the floor next to her, Sakura took a deep breath. Pulling the string that held on the men loose, she took it off and placed it gently on the ground. Her soaked bandana came off next. When they were all off, she positioned her hands on her thigh and corrected her posture. Once she was relaxed, she awaited the score. The referees huddled with the judges and quietly talked over the results. When they broke apart, a single judge stood standing as the rest sat down or returned to their original positions.

Clearing his throat, he announced the outcome of the match. "Since the time limit has been reached and opponents are tied, we have looked over the points of both teams." he cleared his throat again and resumed, "The points both teams have earned are the same. So, I declare ensho."

"So this was to be a sudden-death match." her sempai whispered softly.

Catching his words, Sakura thought them over. A jittery sensation fluttered through her body. She'd never had to work this hard before to win a match, and she's never had this much fun doing it. Her opponent truly is as amazing as people have proclaimed. Sakura smiled.

Sakura watched her opponent's reaction. It was calm and cool and very collected. She didn't know anyone like him. She, on the other hand, was bouncy with excitement.

As she donned on the bandana and headgear again, her opponent did the same. They repeated the routine and was back on the arena floor thrashing at each other. They were both a little breathless by the time a minute had passed.

Sakura knew that if she wanted to win this thing, she had better attack now or she'll be too tired later. Blocking another men attack and breaking away from the locking, Sakura decided to show all that she had learned, counting on her speed as an advantage. Closing in on her opponent with Ayumi-ashi, she switched and used the intricate footwork of Hiraki-ashi when he was in range. Charging in, Sakura stepped to the right, bringing her shinai to the right toward the Migi-men mark. Faking the attack, she changed her footing and moved left, swinging her sword above his head and bringing it down and around to attack his left abdomen. His quick reflexes enabled him to block her blow. At his kiai, Sakura recoiled from his sword, diverting his shinai just in time to land her own on his right wrist.

The white flags shimmered in the air once more as the crowd cheered the victory. Backing away from one another, they performed the correct procedure and walked back to their teams.

Taking off the men, Sakura breathed a deep sigh of relief as fresh air rushed around her sweaty head. She, along with all the others, executed za-rie, the formal bow. Forming a triangle on the floor with her thumbs and forefingers, Sakura leaned over them, her nose almost touching the smooth wooden floor. Raising her upper body back up into the upright posture, a smile blossomed on her lips. Her team won the competition.

Looking over at her opponent, she saw that he looking directly at her and he wasn't happy about the lost at all.

Turning away, Sakura gathered her things. As Sakura and her teammates got up to leave, a hand on her shoulder brought her around to face her ex-opponent.

"You were just lucky today. Next time, you won't be so lucky. I'll make sure that you lose and regret you ever humiliated me." his arrogant tone lashed out at her with a challenge.

Sakura smiled. "Then make sure you don't get defeated next year before we have our fight."

Flushing a deep red, he let her go, his hands shaking with anger. "I think you should be the one worrying about that."

Sakura continued her smile as she joined her team.

Author's Note: That's the end of chapter. This one was rather hard for me to write (and I hope it's not so boring). Had to look up so much information about a sport I don't know much about. The next chapter will be up shortly, picking up where it left off. Anyway, I've clarified some things like Japanese words/phrases or their custom below in case they confuse you! Most of the terms are from kendo (so look up kendo if you don't understand them).

Taisho - term in kendo means 'captain', it is a rank/order when in competitions. The Taisho (captain), goes last while Sempo goes first. In order, Sempo, Jiho, Chuken, Fukusho, Taisho.

"Honto ni?" - means 'really?'

"Nani?" - means 'what?'

These are the legal targets in Kendo. Only these targets will earn points.

Men - top of head

Hidari-men - (or sayu-men) upper left of head

Migi-men - (or yoko-men) upper right of head

Kote - right wrist

Hidari-kote - left wrist (targeted only when raised)

Migi-do - right abdomen

Hidari-do - left abdomen

Tsuki - neck (only those in dan level may attack here)

These are the basic etiquettes, postures, footworks, and movements in kendo.

Shizen-tai

Ritsu-rei

Seiza

Za-rei

Kamae

Chudan-no-Kamae

Ashi-sabaki - term for all kendo footwork techs. which include Okuri-ashi, Hiraki-ashi, Tsugi-ashi, and Ayumi-ashi.