koi no yokan | inosuke hashibira

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝟏

Honestly, training as a swordsman isn't as bad as my dad said it would be. All you need is to keep the correct stance, keep your breathing slick, practice every day, and eat well. Becoming a swordsman wasn't always what I wanted to be. At first, I was destined to be a scholar just like my mother. That was until I saw my father draw his blade.

I fell in love with the sword. I was attached. I begged my father to teach me some small skills behind my mother's back. He simply agreed and said that every woman must learn to defend themselves someday.

Every day, he would give me small lessons. It started out with small stances and how to hold your blade. But that was enough for my mother to get angered at it. Her teaching lessons grew more strict and mentally aching. I couldn't keep up and only had a bundle of stress thrown onto me.

My father noticed my struggle. He knew it wasn't right for me to stay in a position like that. So he sent me away to live with my uncle.

It's been two years since I've been sent to my uncle's. Him and his son been wonderful company. They treat me like a real family and not a tool to use to get into a competition. It was the most I've ever lived.

While living under my uncle, he's been training me as a swordsman. His son is much too young for that, but just like I used to do, he watches our training.

"My, my, you're quick, (Y/N)!" My uncle swooned as he picked himself up from the dust. He held his sword over his shoulder while he flicked his jet black hair to one side of his face. "You've grown these past two years..." he sighed, approaching me with a wide, toothy smile on his face.

My uncle was much different from my dad, living style-wise. My father was the head of the family, owning a large estate and having all the things brought to him in a blink of an eye. My uncle, though he loved my father, chose to live in the wilderness nearby a small river village. He had a buzz cut look, cutting his own silky hair. It was down to cover his eyes, barely touching his nose.

"I know, uncle! It's all thanks to you!" I chuckled, swinging my sword back into its sheath. "These past years have been amazing just thanks to you."

My uncle scoffed at himself as the reflection of his face was shown on his blade that he stared down upon. "Don't force yourself to say such things. You have a real gift." He placed his hand on my head and lightly ruffled the top.

His sword was something I've never seen before. It was this shiny green color. Though it was light, making the sword look white, I could see the faint green color in my reflection. Whenever I asked him about it, he would simply say that they were grass stains. I've tried cleaning his sword, but the tint still remains.

"Thank you, Uncle Hikaru!" I smiled, raising my head to look up at his dark brown eyes.

"Don't sweat it!" He chuckled, slipping his sword into his sheath. "How about I'll go to the village and buy some ramen to celebrate!"

I felt my adrenaline start to rush as I jumped for joy and started to punch the air. "Hooray!" I laughed out while prancing around the small garden.

"DAD!"

My uncle and I flinched once we heard his son cry out his name. My cousin, Aito, was quite the handful. He's only a few years younger than me and he reminds me of my brother. He has that stubborn look and he loves attention from my uncle. I don't mind that at all. Though sometimes, it would get out of hand.

"Yes, Aito? Do you need anything?" My uncle suddenly turned around in worry as he approached his son. I followed him, the same emotion of worry in my voice.

My uncle is really protective of Aito. I don't blame him for that. They live in the wilderness and they have to worry about the bears and the mountain lions that lurk around.