Accordance

15

"I didn't live the life of an ordinary child." That was how it started and from there it seemed his soul poured out and he couldn't stop his mouth even if he wanted to. It became a need for her to hear. To accept him. No games. No lies. Just him. As he was.

"I had a rich father. A overbearing mother. And a legacy that has always suffocated me." She was quiet. Her ears perked for the next word.

"To you, it may seem what problems could I have? But, who I am is because of what they made me. I didn't want you to ever know. But, look how you convinced me." She smiled against his thigh.

"I never had many friends. Every friend I did have, my parents found a way to seperate us. I was always alone. It hurt as a boy. But I've grown used to it now. Day after day I was programmed like a wind up toy. Spanish lessons. English lessons. Aikido. Kendo."

"What's that?" Her voice asked quietly.

"It's a type of martial arts. It involves the withdrawing and proper care of handling a sword. Much like it, kendo is fighting with a sword."

"I wanna see you do it." He chuckled.

"Someday you will." He took a breath before continuing.

"Every morning, I would have to go out to the garden and practice. My father was ruthless in his instruction. If I didn't do something right, I got beaten. Funny, it is so reminiscent of how it used to be. Generations before him."

"After this, I had history lessons. I had to memorize every man in my family, what he did, who he was and what his contribution to our country was. For years I did this until I didn't need the books anymore. At the time, I was young and eager to please. I wanted my parents to love me. I wanted them to see me as the perfect son. I wanted them to be proud of me. So, I took the beatings. I took the hard lessons. I took the loneliness. I soon grew arrogant. I knew of my name and what it meant. I felt like a god. No one could tell me anything." She was listening intently now, he could feel it in the way her body stiffened.

"The only one who could get a reaction out of me was my grandmother. She had taken to having me spend the summers with her in Kyoto. Then, we lived in Kyoto too. But her house became my escape. She could see their influence on me. And she didn't like it at all. I remember the first day I went to stay with her. I didn't take off my shoes and she hit me with a bamboo stick." He couldn't help laughing, the memory replaying in his mind.

"She told me there that I would respect her and her house. If I did not, she warned that I would get respect beat into me. In my fear for her, there was underlining respect. No one had ever demanded respect from me. But here this woman was short and thin as a wisp of wind telling me the rules of her home. That is why I am so protective of you. You remind me of her." She turned and faced him, her eyes looking up into his. They reminded him of a doe.

"I do?"

"Just like her. Short. Full of attitude. But, loving and wise." She giggled and hiccuped.. Embarrassed, she hid her face.

"S-sorry."

"Stop apologizing." She took her hand down and a blush intensified the intoxicated red in her cheeks.

"O-Okay..." He licked his lips and looked away. It had grown dark and only the glow of the pink lanterns could be seen. The sky shown bright with stars. The pale pink glow cascaded across her body and outlined places he wanted to see more of. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes.