Chapter 34: Inviting Hiratsuka Shizuka
The All Japan Kendo Championship uses a single-elimination system to determine the number one Kendo practitioner in Japan. The winner is awarded the "Emperor's Cup," the highest honor in the sport. The matches are held with extreme rigor and gravity, demanding immense willpower, martial spirit, and adherence to basic ethics from every participant.
Eligibility is determined through pre-selection trials by the prefectural federations under the All Japan Kendo Federation. The winner of these trials represents their region. There are exceptions—runners-up from Hokkaido, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Aichi, and Hyogo, as well as the top three from Chiba, Tokyo, Osaka, Saitama, and Fukuoka, can also qualify.
The tournament is held annually on May 10th. (In reality, it is held on November 3rd, Culture Day; the author moved the date for plot purposes—don't take it as fact!)
Chishima Akishin wanted in, which meant he had to start preparing now. Today was April 18th, meaning only 22 days remained until the grand tournament. Time was tight, and he didn't even know if the regional trials were already over.
He pulled out his phone to check. It turned out the official trials were set to begin in three days. The timing was perfect.
The next morning at dawn, Akishin left for work as usual. The weather remained pleasant, and he once again bumped into Yuika and Kaiko. The girls greeted him first before pedaling ahead toward school.
Akishin had happened to see their academic scores; both were top-tier students. When they entered the school, Yuika was ranked second in her year, and Kaiko was fifth. After a small mid-term quiz, Yuika had moved up to first—beating second place by a single point—while Kaiko had slipped to ninth.
Both were "honor students" from rural Chiba. As a private school, Sobu High offered them significant incentives; in addition to a tuition waiver, their autumn and winter uniforms were provided for free. They only had to pay minor administrative fees. The condition was that they had to remain in the top thirty of their year.
Yuika's family apparently had a member with a serious illness, leading her to apply for educational grants. This was likely why both girls were working after school instead of focusing solely on their studies, and why they wouldn't settle for low-paying jobs. It seemed they had been working since they were children.
But that's their business...
Akishin wouldn't pry, nor would he interfere unless Yuika herself brought it up. And even then, the only help he could likely offer was financial. That probably wouldn't happen; the girl was incredibly resilient. Behind that soft exterior lay a stubborn streak of iron. Keeping these thoughts to himself was the best way to respect her. Their relationship was simply that of a good boss and a good employee.
Since it was Saturday, Sobu High only held half a day of classes. Akishin only had one hour of PE, making for a very relaxed schedule. After arriving at school, he headed to the library first.
Later, sitting in the office, he read his classic literature as usual. At eight-thirty, Shizuka arrived right on time, yawning as she walked in.
"Morning, Hiratsuka-sensei."
"Morning, Chishima-kun."
Shizuka sat at her desk and pulled out a cigarette. But just as she was about to put it to her lips, Akishin snatched it away! She didn't even have time to react.
"Chishima—Akishin!"
"Yes? Hiratsuka-sensei, smoking is hazardous to your health. Please refrain."
Shizuka slumped. This wasn't the first time he'd done this—it was the tenth. Nowadays, if she wanted a smoke, she had to hide from him. Getting angry was useless. She couldn't win a fight against him, and she couldn't win an argument either. She just had to accept it.
Hiratsuka Shizuka snatched the cigarette back from his hand, stuffed it into the pack, and glared at him with her arms crossed over her chest.
Akishin shifted, pulled a few books from his bag, and handed them to her with a smile. "Hiratsuka-sensei. These are the translated versions of those three books. For you."
"Translations of the books you've been reading?" Shizuka accepted them carefully. Since he hadn't mentioned it for a few days, she'd assumed he'd forgotten.
"That's right. I almost forgot, but I managed to track them down today."
"Hmph... Thanks." Shizuka thanked him awkwardly. She found herself feeling a bit jittery whenever she faced him.
"It's nothing."
Akishin went back to his reading, while Shizuka curiously opened the Japanese version of Zhao Hua Xi Shi (Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk). There were parts she didn't quite grasp, so she occasionally nudged Akishin with questions. Only after he explained the social climate of that era did she begin to understand. Still, she read with intense interest; the words often struck a chord deep within her.
The first period didn't belong to them, but the second did. Shizuka only had one hour of teaching today, but as a guidance counselor, she had other duties to attend to after class.
"Hiratsuka-sensei, do you have any plans for tomorrow, Sunday?" Akishin asked suddenly, without looking up from his book.
"Tell me what it is first, then I'll consider if I'm 'free' or not." Shizuka glanced at him, gently flipping a page and catching the pleasant scent of ink. "If you mean eating and drinking at your place, I'm free."
Akishin: "..."
"I'm planning to visit the Chiba Prefecture Kendo Federation tomorrow, and I'd like you to come with me."
"The Kendo Federation? What are you going there for?"
Akishin weighed his words. "I plan to enter the All Japan Kendo Championship, so I want to go scout things out. If possible, I'd like to sign up for the trials immediately."
"You want to enter a Kendo tournament!" Shizuka stared at him in surprise, her tone turning inquisitive. "Are you sure you can handle that?"
"It's worth a shot, right?" Akishin smiled with quiet confidence. "So, I was wondering if you'd have the time to accompany me. Going alone is quite boring."
Shizuka thought about it. She didn't have any plans for tomorrow. Normally, she'd sleep until noon, wake up to eat, read manga or play games until midnight, sleep, and then head to work. That was her routine. But since Akishin was asking, going for a look didn't seem so bad.
She agreed. "Fine! But you're paying for everything."
Shizuka's expression turned a bit mischievous. She wasn't short on cash, but the idea of getting one over on Akishin—who had been getting the better of her lately—felt satisfying.
"Of course. If there's anything you want, Hiratsuka-sensei, just say the word."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
The two shared a small smile.
...
The first period ended, and the second began.
They closed their books simultaneously, grabbed their materials, and stepped out of the office together before parting ways. Shizuka headed toward Class 2-F, while Akishin made his way to 2-J.
Today, Yukinoshita Yukino participated in the PE lesson properly, finding a spot for herself to jog. Akishin noticed her glancing at him with a look full of hesitation.
"Yukinoshita-kun. Is there something you want to say?"
"Nothing!"
Facing the approaching Akishin, Yukino hesitated for a split second, then shook her head and walked away.
Akishin watched her go. That kid is still as dishonest as ever. He'd just have to wait; she would likely speak up eventually.
Still, what business does she have with me? Is her family coming to cause trouble?
Probably not. I haven't done anything to harm her. Just some friendly advice...
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