It has been a few days since the tournament exam ended, Reiji was announced as the winner of it. Though he feels very unhappy with the way he won.
For some reason Nero decided to up and quit when it was his turn to fight Reiji. Due to that he was announced as the winner by default.
He wish he could go and ask him the reason why, but from what he has seen from him he probably just stare at him.
On the other hand, Kazuki has been missing. He searched all around the city for him, however Hinata stopped him. He listened seeing that she is confident that Kazuki will return soon.
While Lia has gone to the Hein region to go get healed and with those two gone he is all alone, scrubbing his face with one of Kazuki's favorite food, Grilled fish.
"I can't believe during that entire exam I was the only one who fought a match worth forgetting. That sucks."
He hears a sound similar to music playing.
He stand up from his chair, giving the store owner his money for the great grilled fish he just ate. He walks outside and it seems he is not the only one drawn to the music.
He walks closer to the direction of the sound, where he has to squeeze himself in just to pass through. To his surprise he witness Hachimaru performing what he call…he doesn't know what to call it.
Sound keep escaping his mouth like something being squashed, his hands swinging back and forth. Listening to each beat coming from Hachimaru, he can not stop himself from shaking his head.
Several minutes pass as he enjoy what his hearing until sunset, where everyone begin heading to their house.
"That was great." Hachimaru whispering to himself with a tired expression.
"Hey Hachimaru!" Reiji waving his hand to add, "That was great. What do you call that music? That sure wasn't Imayō." Excitement written all over his face.
"…" He looks at him with wonder.
"Are you my new fan?" Holding onto Reiji's face tightly.
"No. Am Reiji Kōshin. The guy you fought against in the tournament."
In a split moment he freezes, Reiji feeling the trembling of hands on his face and he runs away leaving him in utter shock.
***
The blue moonlit sky shones the street. The once bustling town district has now turned quiet as a tomb and he continues searching for Hachimaru in this silence.
"I should probably go home." Muttering to himself he adds, "Am sure Hina's waiting for me."
Since Kazuki left, his been taking care of Hinata or should he say she's been taking care of him. There has been no day where she did not cook and clean the house.
He should not be surprised. For a few months he wondered why was the house always clean when the majority of their days were spent at the academy.
And the answer to that question is Hinata
comes home and clean before they arrived even cook for them.
"She truly is hardworking." Reiji whispering to himself.
He wish he and Kazuki could thank her.
Meanwhile in the corner of his ears, he hears a familiar sound - he turns dashing to the direction of the sound.
And as he expected, it is Hachimaru looking like his practicing.
Hachimaru notice him, freezing immediately on the spot and his teeth gritted together. He faces his back towards Reiji.
"Hey Ha…loser! Don't run again!"
He spins around glaring at Reiji with burning fury. He takes slow steps to Reiji's direction.
"What'chu say to me?" Grabbing on to Reiji's clothes.
"Sorry about that." Scratching his head. "I just thought it might be the only way to stop you from running away from me."
He stares down at him, before throwing him on the ground.
"Well that doesn't matter. Please leave me alone." A sense of frustration in his voice.
"No I won't." Getting up from the ground.
"Well, I guess I have to be the one to do it."
He spritz away like a chicken being chased.
***
The bright morning light phases through the windows eliminating the class. Most of the time he would be sitting next to Kazuki and Lia, but now Reiji is all alone.
The same goes for Nero and Tamia. Who find themselves without Faizan, who Reiji heard is apparently in jail. There is also one more person absent. That being Koruto who usually sits across from the two boys and Lia.
'It be best to stop caring about people who God knows where they are.' Starring through the window.
In doing so he catches sight of Hachimaru promenading past.
He immediately ask the teacher to go to the toilet who luckily allows him to and he sprints out like he is about to let out a fountain.
He finally catch up to him, holding onto his shoulder and punting heavy. However, Hachimaru turns around landing a strong fist straight on his jaw.
"Who are you?"
Reiji gets up - grabbing his cheeks to say, "Ouch! Huh… Did you have to punch me that hard?"
"Of course, why would you scare me like that?"
"Huh…Because you won't responding to me when I was calling you." Reiji stands up from the ground.
They both glare at each with flames of anger enclosing their space.
"Why have you been following me since yesterday." Hachimaru ask.
"Huh…I wouldn't have to if you stopped and listened to what I have to say!"
"Why would I have to listen to you?"
"Huh…Well for once it might help you!…huh" His breath gives in.
Before he can say anything he pause, starring at him and turning his back towards Reiji. They begin to scroll throughout the academy.
"What do you want?" Hachimaru ask.
"Before that, let's introduce each other. My name is Reiji Kōshin from the Kōshin clan." He says with a proud smile on him.
"My name is Hachimaru Fon from the Fon clan." He side eyes him to add, "I can't believe you are the prince everyone was talking about and the fact that I fought you is even wilder."
"Ok. Anyways I wanna know how you were able to use that move on me to damage my ears?"
He stares at him with a confused expression.
"You mean Jūsei?"
His silence confirms his question.
"I really shouldn't tell you this, but whatever. In my clan whenever someone turns 6 whether you a boy or girl you are taught Sei. One thing before I continue, learning Sei is way different than here in the academy."
"Then can Sei be learned in different ways." Reiji's eyes filled with curiosity.
"Depends on what clan you belong I guess. Once we are of age (6) we are sent to a mountainous region where we meditate half naked. If you master Sei, your body is able to handle the coldness of the mountain and our body became immune to the cold."
"Wonder how? But that at least answers why you are always shirtless."
"We are then taught to use Sei to make our skin rubber-ish. Don't ask how it is possible. That skill becomes the first step to learning skills like Jūsei.".
"Wait! Are you saying there are more skills after Jūsei and can you perform them?"
"Of course and I know a few."
"Could you tell me more and teach them to me."
"No. Why would I do that? It's highly prohibited for a ninja to share the secrets of their clan. You should know that better than anyone."
A few meters away from them - Reiji notice another student heading their way. Not like it matters to him.
"Dammit. With how you act I thought you might spill the beans." A question suddenly pops up in his mind.
"Don't you usually sing when you speak?"
"Of course, am doing that right now."
The student walks past them.
"Only now you do."
He turns his back checking if the student that just walked past them has disappeared. And quickly pays attention to Reiji confirming his far away.
"You ask a lot of questions." Hachimaru says.
"Is it wrong." Reiji says smirking at him.
For the first time Hachimaru smiles at Reiji. In his heart he feels a sense of accomplishment. Without even asking why, he begins to tell Reiji why he raps when he talks.
***
After I was done training in the mountains, I returned to my village and found out that my father had left. With no one in the village not knowing where he left.
6 years passed without my father being present when I was growing up. I even began to forget his face. One day while I was practice my move called BUSSŌ SHOTTO I accidentally missed my target.
I tried to retract my arm, but something seemed to have held it in place. This thing felt rough, it seemed to have a grip on my fist.
When I forcibly tried to pull my arm, this thing revealed itself to be my father. With a full unwashed beard, baggy eyes and his hair was stylized like spikes.
If another year had passed am confident that I would have not recognized him. He let go of my arm to say.
"Hi son guess who's back?!" He spoke the same way I speak now.
I was in utter shock that water began to drip down from my eyes involuntary. I fell to my knees and cried to my heart's content.
"W-wait why you crying." Stuttering he adds, "Shouldn't you be happy that you know one of the Fon Oshie."
It took a while before I stopped crying. Once I was done I hit him with non-stop question's. Until I got to the one I was truly curious about.
"Where were you this whole time?"
"Not now. Just know that this world is no more filled with ninjas."
As a kid I didn't understand what he meant, even today I still don't. I then proceeded why he speaks the way he speaks he said.
"It's a new style of music that I learned."
***
Present.
"He taught me the music and the rest is history."
"That's a cool story. But, that doesn't answer why you change the way you speak."
"Really."
Reiji stares at him with curiosity in him.
"Well it's because my mother didn't like my father for what he did so I began creating a habit where- when am infront of people am comfortable with i speak normally and if I don't know them I rap while I speak."
"Does that mean you consider me a friend?!" A big smile written in his eyes.