Chapter 3: Sepparation

BANG!!! KLACK!! BAAAAGGG!!!

Every second you’ll hear that sound. Everytime Cathy’s and Ibarai’s bokken meet you can hear the clashing sound echoes from where they are fighting. It’s like two gods of war are on battle with each other and our ground is their arena.

Ibarai swish his bokken. Cathy dodges it. Cathy strikes. Ibarai defends. It just keeps going and going like their fight won’t reach a conclusion.

It’s been 30 minutes now since the duel started. What amaze me more is not that the both of them has suberb skill in swords but the fact that they have unlimited supply of stamina. Well, that’s why I thought though.

“*pant* You’ve improved Ibarai-san *pant*” Cathy said while catching her breath and holding her bokken up high.
“Ha! And you *pant* become weaker! *pant*” Ibarai replied.

Both of them are drench with their own sweat really, like someone poured them a bucket of sweat all over their body. In my opinion Ibarai already reached her end point. Her panting is different from Cathy and she can barely stand up properly unlike Cathy whose stance from the beginning is still consistent up until now. And I think Cathy knew that.

“You’re shaking. Do you know that?” Cathy pointed out while putting back her bokken in its tie. “I think it’s time for us to end this and settle this as a tie.~chu” She smiled.

“What are you doing?!” Ibarai angrily shouted. “The fight isn’t over yet!”

“Ibarai-san” Cathy knew that Ibarai cannot go any further and it will only harm her body if the fight still continues.

“DO NOT UNDERESTEMATE ME!!!!!” Ibarai charges towards Cathy more fierce and full of power. She put her bokken at her back indicating that her next blow will surely cut whatever it lands on. Cathy is not moving, she’s just there waiting fo Ibarai. I couldn’t help it, I don’t know what got into me but I shouted.

“MOVE DAMMIT!!! SHE’LL KILL YOU!!!”

It’s too late to move, Ibarai is now in front of Cathy. She swings her bokken forward. Cathy didn’t move back. As the blade of Ibarai reaches Cathy’s neck Ibarai suddenly fell to the ground as if someone shot her from somewhere. She’s not moving, like a dead person on the ground.

“Ibarai-sensei!!!” a girl from the crowd rushed towards Ibarai. She took Ibarai’s body on her arms and looked at Cathy with an angered eye. Cathy looked at her and smiled.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine. She’s just unconscious. I just put her to sleep actually.~chu.”

After hearing what Cathy said the girl carried Ibarai to the school clinic along with some more kendo club members. As the whole school sighed with relief my body was stunned by the sight of Cathy’s eyes on mine. She’s freaking looking at me like I’m going to be her next target!

“OTOTO-CHAN!!!! I FOUND YOU!!!!!” she giggly shouted while pointing her bokken at me. “I’M YOUR ONEE-CHAN OTOTO-CHAN!!” then she waves her hand franticly.

And that’s it. It’s confirmed. Cathy is my sister. Why the world seems to like weird people being my relatives. First my mom, have you ever seen a mom like her? NO! Second is Anne, her smile is hypnotic and she’s an archer like a female version of Robin Hood. And this! Cathy! She looks like a character from a High School action manga brought to life!!

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It’s funny how the school looks normal again after the intense fight between Cathy and Ibarai. It seems like it didn’t happened at all. After the fight the people slowly dispersed from the sight and moved on to their regular life in school – chatting. In my relief everybody really doesn’t mind what Cathy said it’s only Ichiro who got ecstatic about it he’s so eager to meet both of my “sisters” I bet because it was said in English. Well I don’t know.

I thought after the fight all will back to normal school life to me like anyone else in my school but I guess it won’t happen since Anne and Cathy is still in school. It didn’t take long when Anne sent someone from the lower years to fetch me and talk to me in the Cafeteria. I think Anne used her hypnotic smile to command this young man, he looks like he’s on drugs.

In the cafeteria there’s no one else there except her, me and Cathy and this junior which is about to go after receiving his dose of Anne’s smile. I knew it! Her smile is as dangerous as Cathy’s bokken! I wonder if she also uses it on her Olympic archery battles to confuse her opponents.

“Hiro” Anne started. “I want you to meet our sister Cathy.” She pointed to Cathy which is sitting right next to her. 

“I know… she shouted it awhile ago.” I answered. Cathy giggled after hearing that though and I don’t know what’s funny.

“What are you doing here anyway?” I asked. I really want to know what’s the reason for them to come here and to pick a fight with a high ranked senior in school.

“Well I applied to be your school nurse since Manchiro-sensei is leaving next week.” Anne answered. She’s really happy about it, even without her smile on her face I can totally sense that she really wants to be our school nurse and I’m having a heart pumping action on my chest because of that. “I said to Cathy to that she should apply as a PE teacher here since Physical Activity is her major back in America but sh…” Suddenly Cathy shouted.

“Do you know any dojo here?!” She enthusiastically asked me. She’s so on her hyper mode, she just finished an intense fight from ibarai and I knew she used lots of energy but it seems like she’s been fully recharged already.

“I think there’s a dojo down the street just pass the super market?” I answered. After hearing that she run quickly to the door like in a split second she didn’t even say thank you. I’m really in a state of shock. Is she an alien? How can she still move like that after a fight with Ibarai. Ibarai was so exhausted that she lost her consciousness and this girl; she can still run that fast! I bet she’s also a part of a sprint team. =.=

After seeing Cathy moved that fast my attention was quickly turn to Anne which is looking straight to me.

“She wanted to be a teacher at a dojo rather than the school” She said.

“I can see that.” I replied.

“Actually Hiro..”

“Mmm.”

“I’m so happy to see you right now as well as Cathy. It really wasn’t a week when I found out that I have siblings abroad.” She said as she close her hands together on the table. “First I thought she (mom) was just joking but I suddenly felt like there’s someone out there really so after the call I quickly booked a flight here in Tokyo.” She continues. Her smile is different from her hypnotic smile; it’s a smile of happiness like she got what she really wanted for a long time, like she was talking to the man of her dreams. Full of happiness but with a dash of shyness. I know I should be like her but I really couldn’t feel the same.

“What’s wrong Hiro?” She asked. I think she noticed that I’m not really quite comfortable with her.

“I was shocked too when I found out.” I said in a soft voice. I’m not looking at her intentionally; I’m looking at the ground at this time I just couldn’t look at her at the eyes. “Honestly I’m still shocked. I just can’t get hold of the idea. In my 18 years of life with mom she never told me, she never gave any hint that I have any siblings. I grew up basically knowing that my family is like that. Me, mom and dad although dad is not already with us.”

“What do you mean?” she asked. Her voice becomes very conscious and a bit concern like.

“I just… I’m not saying…” at this point even though in my head I know what I want to say it just won’t come out from my mouth. “I’m so attached with this family that I don’t know what will happen if everything will change suddenly. It’s just.. all is happening so fast.. and… a.. and I couldn’t catch up”

“Pardon me… but I don’t really know what you are pointing out.” She said with a very straight voice. I bet she knew what I’m talking about. Her aura had changed since we began the conversation. I think she just want me to confirm what she’s thinking.

“I’m sorry… It’s just… this family… this family is what keeping me like this… I don’t really know what I’m feeling right now but… I’m confused…” I hesitantly continued. At this point I don’t know if what I’m doing is correct or not. I have no idea why did I come up with this idea. It just happens so suddenly. But then I should finish it no matter what the out come is.

“this family is my family… and I am what I am because of them and I still cling on to them until now… and…” I don’t know if I could still continue. I can see that Anne is listening to every word I utter, it’s like she’s dissecting every word I say and try to decipher a message out of it. “and the presence of you… you and Cathy… suddenly… shatters everything…” At this point I think I was wrong to even start this. “Everything that I have starts to disappear.. everything that I believe in.. everything.. it just crashed after seeing you at my door.. after hearing you say you’re my sister… I’m so sorry.. but that’s…” But then Anne said something.

“Selfish.” She said whispery.

“what?” I asked. I know she already know what I meant and she’s pissed, somehow.

“I never knew you’re like this.” She said. “I never knew you’re so selfish. We’re not here to just ruin your family!” I know she wanted to shout at me, slap me, or some sort but she’s just keeping it in.

“Selfish?!” I’m pissed actually I did hope she understand coz she’s older but I guess not. “I’m selfish?!? I just want a family! A family I KNEW!! Aren’t you contented with the family you have there and you want to have what’s mine too??” I suddenly became furious. The things I have held back suddenly erupted. “You have a family of your own back in your country! Relatives! Cousins! Aunts and Uncles! Fathers! And me? What do I have? Only my mom and you want her too?? Now who’s selfish??” I’m clenching my fist under the table so hard that I could already feel my nails piercing the flesh of my hands.

Anne slowly exhaled through her mouth that you could hear the sound of her exhaling, and the sound of it sounds like its shaking. Anne is trying to be calm herself inspite of what I’ve said. She let go of her hands and put it or her lap under the table.

“Did it ever cross your mind… that we too are looking for a family… That we also long for a care of a mother… that we also want a place where we can call home? Have you ever thought about that??” she said. I can sense that she is really pissed, I bet more than pissed but she wanted to stay calm. “If you sir feel like we’ve been obliterating your so called family, I am so very sorry."She suddenly stood up that I looked up to her. “I think mom should’ve kept us apart and never called us it would have been better for both of us.” She picked her things up and walked away leaving me alone, quiet, unmoving at the table. Then she stopped.

“My father died right before I had my first birthday a few months after mom left us. I’ve never experienced having cousins nor relatives that you say. I only had Jeeves, my dad’s butler. He take care of me up until now.” I looked at her as she said those lines. It made me think of what I’ve said. I jump to conclusion to quickly. I assumed things to be like what I am thinking. I think I knew better but I knew less. I though I’m the only one hurt but I guess I’m the one who hurts. I want to say sorry but I don’t know how.

“Don’t worry.” She continues. “I’ll just say that you don’t need us here to Cathy. Nice meeting you Miyagi-san. I shall leave now.”She slowly walked towards the door of the cafeteria never looking back at me. When she opened the door I saw Cathy, she’s been there listening all along and she’s crying. As the door automatically closes I think my heart shuttered into pieces. It’s like I’ve let go of someone so dear that I cannot even feel the pain but I know that it hurts. Then suddenly a voice said.

“Hiro. You’ve just let go of the greatest thing that could happen to your life” It was Ichiro. He was there all along. I know what he meant. I know what I have done but I couldn’t do anything now. It’s already gone.

“Come on Ichiro… We still need to attend afternoon class” I replied. I couldn’t get my head up, I’m ashamed. I feel terrible. I feel like it’s not me at all, it’s like that I’m the one who crashed the family I want to protect. What should I do? I don’t know what to do now. Someone help me. Please.