Sparring with Father
Shu Yagami, 12, stood in the yard, sword in hand, facing his father, Miyamoto Yagami, the strongest swordsman in the world.
Miyamoto Yagami:
"You have improved quite a bit. It's hard to believe that you are just 12 years old, and you're almost matching me. It's as if I am fighting with myself right now."
Shu Yagami:
"Are you trying to find an opening by saying that? That smarts a bit."
Miyamoto Yagami:
"You sure are something, kid. You sure are my son, alright."
Shu Yagami:
"What do you think then? Whose son was I?"
Miyamoto Yagami laughed in surprise:
"Surprised! Haha."
Shu found an opening, flipping upside down mid-air, spinning toward his father's neck. Miyamoto blocked at the last second, and a tint of blood appeared where Shu's sword touched his neck.
Shu Yagami:
"That was a good spar. Bows."
Miyamoto Yagami:
(surprised face) "Yeah…"
Shu left the area.
Masakado Yagami (Miyamoto's father):
"What a strange thing to witness… a 12-year-old kid nearly beating his father, who is supposed to be the legend of legends, the strongest swordsman who even surpassed me. It's fascinating. If only we had our old fame and money… all we have is this shut-down dojo. I am sure he would have shined with that swordsmanship."
Miyamoto: (seats next to his father)
Miyamoto wiped the blood from his neck
"Yeah, I was quite surprised when he used that move. To believe he used my trick on me… and I fell for it. That kid never misses to surprise me."
Masakado Yagami (Miyamoto's father):
"Are you alright, Miyamoto?"
Miyamoto:
"I'm fine… just a bit tired. Let's not dwell on me. Look at him—he's amazing, isn't he?"
Inside, Miyamoto thought: "…I can't tell him. Not now… not ever. He doesn't need to see me like this."
He hid the truth of his lung cancer from Shu, unwilling to burden him.
Masakado:
"I've never seen a boy like him… he's your son, Miyamoto. You should be proud."
Miyamoto harshly, blood flecking his hand.
Masakado:
"It's Sims… it's getting worse by the day."
Miyamoto:
"It's ok, I am fine."
Masakado:
"Boy has already lost his mother the moment he was born, and now you are fighting with lung cancer. Did you talk to him about it yet?"
Miyamoto:
"Huff… how could I say it to him?"
Masakado:
"I understand that, but do keep that in mind. The later you say it, the harder it will be."
Miyamoto stayed silent, guilt and love pressing heavy on his chest.
Middle School
At school, Shu sat at his table while everyone talked. The other guys, bullies, were Ino, Nagi, Hikaru, and they were harassing a nerdy boy, Ichigo.
Ino: "You look gross."
Hikaru: "If you don't like his face, I can make him look nicer."
Shu stood up and walked by.
Nagi: "What's with this guy?"
Hikaru: "Who cares. Hey, fatty! Give me your lunch money!"
Shu opened the door and fell at the entrance. A teacher came running, and the bullies stopped after seeing the teacher approach.
Ino: "Huh, this MF had to get sick… now of all times?"
Hikaru: "But he looked fine a moment ago. Do you think he is doing this on purpose? Like every time we do something, something happens. Remember the coffee shop that time? That guy dropped hot coffee on you, and when we were busy dealing with it, he got away. I can't understand if it's luck or something else."
Ino: "Yeah, also like that time in the library, we were squishing the fatty, and then he dropped that lamp and broke it, and the librarian came. He got away."
The teacher noticed Ichigo's bruises and took him to the infirmary as well.
Ichigo: "Hey… um, thanks for the help."
Shu: "What are you talking about?"
Ichigo: "I know you did it because of me. "I saw you noticed the teacher coming and stepped in."
Shu: "Don't flatter yourself."
Ichigo: "Either way, thanks… we will be leaving middle school soon anyway. I thought it would all end when I go to high school, so I bear with it a little longer."
Shu: "…"
Ichigo: "Which high school will you be going to? Oh, ah… Shu, right?"
Shu: "Yeah… and I don't know."
Ichigo: "Hey, let's go to high school together. Also, you live next door to me, so we can be best friends too."
Shu: "….."
Shu didn't reply—but he didn't refuse either.
Middle School Ambush – Walking Home
After that day, when Shu was going home, Ino, Hikaru, Nagi, and a few others blocked his path.
Hikaru: "Hey, hold up."
Shu: tried to go past.
Hikaru: "Oi, you little—" grabs Shu's collar
Shu: …
Hikaru: "What's your problem, huh?"
Shu: …
Ino: "He probably forgot how to speak from fear." (everyone laughing)
Nagi: "Yo man, what are you even talking with him? Just get it over. We gotta go to karaoke."
Hikaru smirked and they began kicking and punching him. Shu took the blows silently, remembering his promise to his father: never cry, endure, and only fight back when necessary.
Nagi: "Hey, that's enough. Let's go."
Hikaru: "Yeah, yeah."
Shu stood up and went home.
Nagi: "Wtf… he stands up after all this beating?"
Hikaru: "Hey, what's the hold up?"
Nagi: "Yeah, I am here."
Finally, the bullies left, arguing among themselves about who was right. Shu walked home silently.
When Shu finally reached home, he opened the door—and everything inside him froze.
His father, Miyamoto Yagami, lay motionless.
Shu didn't scream.
He didn't throw himself onto the body.
He didn't shed a single tear.
He simply stood there, paralyzed, his crimson eyes wide open.
Those eyes—usually calm and dull—were now glowing faintly, like a crimson galaxy filled with dying stars.
Shock, disbelief, and a hollow numbness filled them, but not a single tear fell.
Ichigo, who had followed behind, entered the house and stopped cold.
It was the first time he had ever truly looked at Shu's eyes.
Up close, they were beautiful yet haunting, shimmering faintly even in the dark.
But even in this moment, with his father dead on the floor, Shu didn't cry.
Is he too shocked?
Or… is he someone who simply can't cry?
The question chilled Ichigo.
Shu already knew the answer.
When he was eight years old, he made a promise to his father:
He would never cry.
Not if he was beaten.
Not if he was hurt.
He would endure everything, and fight back only if he absolutely needed to.
Now, every memory came crashing into him.
Him and his father sharing ice cream—
Miyamoto giving Shu the bigger portion and Shu refusing out of pride but wanting it anyway.
His father teasing him, both of them laughing.
And only a few days ago…
His father placing a handmade sword in Shu's hands—
The last gift Miyamoto ever crafted for him.
Later that night
Shu sat quietly beside his father's framed photo, holding the sword across his lap.
Masakado, Miyamoto's father, stood behind him.
Masakado: "The boy always had it rough… never knew his mother. Always had to train for the family's legacy. His father was busy, and I was always at the dojo… so the kid grew up alone. He never talked to many people. Never brought home friends.
You're the first one. I'm surprised he even has a friend."
Ichigo: "Well, sir, I was just—"
Masakado: "I'm glad you're his friend. Please look out for him."
Ichigo: "…Sure, sir. I will."
END