Echoes from the past

The day HE met HER

Results were out and kiyoshi was selected for an elite high school. His mom was elated. It's been so long since anything this good happened in Fujita family. Arata got into a "not-so-good" high school as his marks were too bad. But he was happy anyway. His father was a businessman and Arata wanted to join his father's business after school so he wasn't that serious about his studies. New term would start after a month in kiyoshi's school so he was free apart from his part time jobs. He would spend his free time in dojo in his neighbourhood. That was the very place where he learned martial arts. The night he saw his mother with another man he was filled with rage. His mother witnessed the wild side of his son...she saw how his son beat the crap out of that man. She didn't want him to become a monster so she asked the martial art instructor,Mr Suijin,in her neighbourhood to teach him how to control his anger. The instructor was an old and wise man. His face was wrinkled but he had a strange glow on his face. He was short but was very agile.He would tie his waist length grey hair in a low ponytail. He took  kiyoshi as his apprentice and that was the start for kiyoshi. Kiyoshi respected his master above all.
         Suijin's dojo was just like the traditional dojos of Japan and it was huge. It has a Shinto shrine gate on the entrance. Dojo itself was a bit like a shrine. Some of its parts were forbidden for everyone. Only Suijin used to go to those parts. Kiyoshi learned martial arts real quick as if he knew it before. His master was impressed by his skills.
One day after practising,kiyoshi sat down with his master to meditate. He closed his eyes and let himself lose. As his body relaxed,his mind took him somewhere else. He saw a vision. He was in that same garden. He looked all around to find that girl he saw last time but she wasn't there.
"I am happy to see you again kiyoshi." Same girl's voice came out of no where. Kiyoshi turned around but again there was no one.
"Who are you?? What do you want from me??" Kiyoshi asked. Frustration was clear in his voice.
"We will meet soon."
Kiyoshi opened his eyes in shock. A sudden gasp escaped his lips. He tried to calm himself down. He wiped away sweat drops forming on his forehead.
"Are you alright child?" His old master asked.
"Nothing master....it's just I am having some weird dreams and visions lately."
"Sometimes dreams show us something really important which is buried deep inside our sub conscious mind. Look closer you will find your answer."
"But sensei(master in Japanese)..." Kiyoshi didn't say another word because nothing was clear to him either.
"Take a deep breath. The clouds of confusion will disappear soon." His master caressed his head softly.
Kiyoshi didn't understand what he meant but his words really calmed him down. Kiyoshi sat down and meditated for a while. Then he helped his sensei in cleaning the dojo. His face looked peaceful but his mind was in utter confusion. He kept thinking about that girl.
"You are thinking too hard kiyoshi." Kiyoshi turned around in surprise. Even though he wasn't showing any emotion but his master was able to see through his facade.
"No it's nothing like that sensei...I am not thinking about anything."
His master just smiled and left. Kiyoshi kept looking in the direction in which his sensei went.
"How is he able to tell what is bothering me??!" He thought to himself.
"KIYOSHI.....heyyyy....KIYO..." Kiyoshi's thoughts were cut short by Arata's screaming.
"Can't you just keep it down?? What happen?" Kiyoshi asked in an annoyed tone.
"It's been so long since we last met kiyo. I went to your home too but your mom said you have gone to the dojo so I came here to meet you." Arata explained everything with a stupid grin on his face. Kiyoshi smiled.
"So how's everything going on?? Tomorrow is the first day of your new school. How are you feeling.....excited???" Arata asked. He was more excited than Kiyoshi himself.
"Not much."
"WHAT?!!! You aren't excited !!!!! You are going to the most elite school in Japan and you are not excited!!!"
"Some super rich kids study there what else is so great about it??There's no need to get so hyper about it." Kiyoshi said putting on his shoes. He was ready to back to home.
"Think about all the hot rich girls. Man I wanna go there too." Arata said drooling all over.
"Gross....Arata you really need to stop."
"Man you are such a party pooper." Arata said crossing his arms. They talked for a while and then Kiyoshi went to his home. His mom was also very excited about kiyoshi's new school. After dinner Kiyoshi went directly to his bedroom. As soon as he closed his eyes he fell asleep.
Kiyoshi soon lost in that same dream. But this time it was a bit different. That garden was on fire. He looked all around to find that girl. Something in his heart told him to look for her. His eyes searched for her but she was no where to be found.Kiyoshi started running. Soon the scenario changed completely. He was in a house...not any modern day Japanese house but a traditional one.
"Hello....anyone home??" He got no answer. As he walked a little further he came across a sliding door. He opened the door and all of sudden a headless body fell from above. It looked like a man. It was wearing a yukata(a traditional unisex kimono) which was soaked in blood. Kiyoshi got really scared. His heart pounded hard against his chest. He didn't know what was going on.
"YOH ARE A MONSTER....." Kiyoshi heard a male voice. It was heavy and deep and was filled with rage and hatred.
"What is Going on?? My head is gonna split in two." Kiyoshi thought to himself. As he lifted his hands to grab his throbbing head an ear -splitting scream escaped his mouth. He was holding a sword completely covered in blood.
"What is this?? How the hell I got hold of this sword??!" His body went into an uncontrollable spasm and his vision blurred.
Everything went black. Kiyoshi looked everywhere but he was unable to see anything. Kiyoshi heard some noise from behind.As he turned around he saw that girl. But This time he was able to see her properly. She was looking down. Her beauty was mesmerising. She looked like a goddess. Her silky black hair were tied up. She was wearing a red and white kimono. It was simple yet elegant. She was tall and had attractive features. Kiyoshi was awestruck by her beauty. She looked up with tears in her alluring golden eyes.
"I am waiting." As soon as she said that her whole body went up in flames. Kiyoshi felt sharp pain in his chest and fell on his knees.

"NOOOOOO......" Kiyoshi woke up screaming. His mother came running towards his room.
"What happened dear???" His mom was worried. Kiyoshi was having a lot of bad dreams lately. She took him in a warm embrace. Kiyoshi was still in shock. He was shaking with fear.
"Mom..can you please stay here with me??" Kiyoshi asked his mom holding her hands tightly.
"Off course kiyo." She hugged him. She didn't ask any question. She just pressed his throbbing head softly. Soon kiyoshi fell asleep again. Next morning he got up early and took a shower. He mediated to ease his mind.
"Breakfast is ready dear." His mother called out.
"Coming mom."
Kiyoshi ate his breakfast and got ready. He grabbed his bag and headed out for his school.
"Don't get nervous kiyo. I know your new school will look like a strange place to you but just believe in yourself and keep calm." She advised him. She thought all his bad dreams must be because of his nervousness.
"I will be alright mom. Don't worry." He left after saying that. His new school was a bit far from his home. He took a train. After thirty minutes he reached his school. He looked at the building....it was huge. He entered the school's main gate. Right in front was the admin block and on its both sides were classes and other sections of school. Students were coming to school in luxury cars. It was an elite school after all. Not everyone could go to that school.

"Bye Yumi...take care." A man dropped his daughter at the school. She waved him bye and started walking towards the school. Kiyoshi felt a strange feeling in his heart. He turned back and his bag fell from his hands. He couldn't believe his eyes. The girl from his dreams was standing right in front of him. But she looked different. She didn't have black hair instead she had blonde hair and her eyes were green. But everything else was the same.
"Excuse me....you dropped your bag." She handed his bag over to him and walked away.
Kiyoshi still couldn't believe that he saw the same girl from his dreams in flesh and blood.
"Who is she??" He thought as she walked past him.