En Garde

1-En Garde

Fencing. Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. The three disciplines of modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre; each discipline uses a different kind of blade, which shares the same name, and employs its own rules. Most competitive fencers specialise in one discipline.

And 17 year old Sanemi Shinazugawa took that competitive discipline very seriously. He had been fencing since middle school. He was really good at it and made the team pretty quickly at his high school. 

He moves quickly. He moves with such rhythm and beat it is almost like a performance. But he lacks balance and control. But he tries to use discipline to control those factors but he struggles with his emotions.

It was the first day of his last year in high school, meaning his last year to really enjoy his sport and really give it his all. He made it through all of his classes and was ready to hit the mats. He grabbed all his equipment and made his way to the gym. And when he opened the doors he was greeted with a giant crowd watching a match in session. He made his way over and watched closely. 

He could tell it was a kid a year younger than him who was pretty good and a person who he could not identify. He watched this person carefully. They stood tall and had the build of a guy. They had reset and it seemed as if this mystery person was winning. It was the last round and the guy younger than Sanemi had no points.

"En Garde!" They yelled out. Sanemi watched this person's footwork, he moved so gracefully. He moved quickly and hastily. He stayed on his toes. He didn't lack balance, strength, or control. He was a perfect fencer. He ended the match by collecting the last point. They bowed to each other and he spun on his toes and walked to the benches and took his mask off.

He had long black hair. Not common among guys. But he also had pale soft looking skin, and blue eyes that were like two pools of water. Sanemi watched him closely. "He doesn't look fully Japanese?" Sanemi thought to himself. "Sanemi." His coach called for him, he was standing next to the new guy. Sanemi made his way over. "Great to see you this year. Hope you make this last year count. But besides that I want to introduce you to Giyuu." His coach explained. "So his name is Giyuu..." Sanemi thought to himself. "Giyuu is half Japanese and half French. He has been fencing since he was a child." The coach explained. Giyuu turned to Sanemi and bowed. "Sorry if I don't speak much, my Japanese is still rusty." Giyuu said. 

Sanemi nodded, not sure how to feel about Giyuu. "I would love to see the two of you in a match later on. But I want you guys to warm up. So get to stretching and please have a conversation with each other. I will ask for something that you both learned when working together." He said patting both of their shoulders and walking away.

Sanemi sighed, but he always did what his coach said even if he didn't want to. And he really didn't want to do this. Sanemi and Giyuu found an open space and started to stretch.

Sanemi didn't like the awkward silence. It was eating him alive. "Where in France are you from?" Sanemi asked. "Florence." Giyuu said. Sanemi didn't know where that was from. "Cool, so why move during your last year?" Sanemi asked. "Um well. My parents travel a lot for work and they didn't want me to be alone anymore so they sent me to live with my sister who lives in Japan." Giyuu explained. Sanemi hummed. "Do you play any other sports?" Sanemi asked. "Yes, I do figure skating and swimming, both are essential, for timing, balance, control, and discipline." Giyuu explained.

Sanemi started to think Giyuu might be better than him in everyday, he didn't seem to be lacking in anything. He was perfect, so the thought lingered in the back of his mind and came out, "Teach me to be better at fencing." Sanemi said abruptly. "What?" Giyuu asked to make sure he heard that right. "Teach me to be better at fencing, I lack in so many components, I can be better I just need to figure out how." Sanemi said once more. Giyuu paused. "Fine, but only on weekends. I don't like my time wasted during the week since I am kind of busy." Giyuu explained. He stood up and reached his hand down towards Sanemi. "If I am going to make you better I gotta know what I am starting with, and what to tear away from you so I can rebuild that part." Giyuu said, Sanemi could see the burning desire in Giyuu's eyes.

It was like Giyuu wanted this for his own personal agenda.

They started a little practice match and Sanemi got obliterated, Giyuu was picking Sanemi part by part. If he found any weakness or flaw he would exploit and abuse it to his advantage making sure Sanemi knew what it was. In the end Giyuu stood victorious. Sanemi sat down on the mat, his mask off as he was drenched in his own sweat. He looked up at Giyuu who was still standing with his mask on, looking down at him.

He felt so little, maybe it was not knowing Giyuu expression. It was almost terrifying. Giyuu raised his free hand and took off his mask, he was barely sweating. "Your good, but you're right you could be better. I'll give you my number after practice." Giyuu said. Sanemi nodded.

Usually he would be pissed being talked about like that, but Giyuu was doing him a favor. Giyuu would make him better.

They traded numbers on their way out, but they were stopped by their coach. "Sooooo....what did you both learn about each other???" Their coach asked, he was only met with two blank stares and silence. "You both don't have to answer now, you can answer at the end of the year if you'd like, or whenever." He explained. Before he could accept the silence and stares as answer for now, Giyuu started to answer.

"He is a dedicated person. He tries his hardest, and if he doesn't feel like the greatest he is willing to work to be the greatest. I saw it for myself." Giyuu said. Sanemi wouldn't admit he was embarrassed and flustered. "Oh? Nice job Giyuu. A very nice thing to say. Sanemi? Anything to add?" Their coach spoke. "I'll say mine later." Sanemi said. Their coach smiled. "Alright, have a good day to both of you." He said patting both of their shoulders as he walked past the both of them. 

They both left, and went separate ways. Sanemi rushed to his bus stop as the bus was about to get there and he got on and sat down and leaned his head on the window. Giyuu walked to his personal car that had a driver in the front seat. He got in the back as the driver started to take him home. 

Sanemi's ears heated up remembering Giyuu words. Giyuu's eyes lit up almost like they were grinning at the new thing he is getting to play with.

Both were feeling strong emotions about the other.

End of Part 1- En Garde.