Three Little Words [Ayano x Budo]

Chapter 1 // The Good Old Days

Budo's POV
I was outside playing catch with my mother. Back in the good old days.
Today had been my first day of training for martial arts, and I was still in my uniform. People always kind of found it weird seeing me play in the garden with my mother, not my father, but my dad left me when I was born. I never knew him, I have only seen him in pictures.
I didn't know it at the time, but my mother had me try martial arts so I could defend myself against people like my dad. She told me that he was a bad man, so I never really missed him. I knew she wasn't lying. I could tell. That's when I saw her again.
At the time I wasn't 100% sure what her name was, but I believed it was something like "Aishi-Chan." I had never talked to her, but I knew she was one year younger than me, meaning I was 7 and she was 6. From what I had seen, she was beautiful. She had silky black hair that she often wore up in a ponytail. Her dark grey eyes were mysterious, as was she, and I loved it.
She was watching me up on the conservatory when I noticed her. I smiled and waved at her, she waved back. She didn't smile though. I had never seen her smile, although when she did smile I could tell it was fake.

Ayano's POV
I was watching my neighbour Budo that day. He was in a martial arts uniform, playing in the garden. Seeing him and his mother so happy and close to each other made me jealous. I wanted to know what happiness felt like. I was only 6, and I couldn't feel anything.
As much as I wanted to say hi to him, my father would not allow me. It's not because he didn't like me, it was because he was protecting Budo. My mother was a yandere when she was younger, and my father was her senpai, although, I was blissfully unaware of this until I was 15 and I found a tape in my basement. My dad didn't want me turning into my mother, or my grandmother, or my great grandmother, or my great, great - well, you get it.
I understand my father's actions, but I tried greatly not to be the monster he feared I would turn out to be. I noticed him smile and wave at me, so I waved before returning from the window and returned to my room, where I acted happy in front of my parents.

Budo's POV
I always wondered why she never said hi, but mainly why she never smiled.
"That's it." I thought, "I will make it my life goal to make Aishi-Chan smile and laugh, I want to see her happy."

- A few hours later at night time, roughly 9pm -

"Let's go honey, we don't have any time to spare."
"What about Ayano?"
Ayano... That was her name. A name I would never forget.
"She's a strong girl, and she has fighting in her blood. She'll be fine, trust me."
Fighting? Did she do Martial Arts too?
"We don't have time to discuss this honey, we need to go." Mrs Aishi finished
I watched Ayano's parents leave her that day, and I sat there helplessly as they left a 6 year old alone.