𝚂𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 [𝚐.𝚒 𝚟𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚡 𝚐𝚗!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛]

XLVII

“Kazuha.” You waved. “You’re out very late tonight.”

The lone samurai sat up, turning around. His ivory hair was free from its low ponytail, falling around his face in messy, layered waves. The strand of red was feathered in front of his left eye, like it had fallen from behind his ear. There was a softness to his face, one you hadn’t seen during the day, that was highlighted by the glow of the moon. He looked like a well and truly relaxed young man, swathed in crinkled robes and his wrist braces abandoned at his side.

“You’re out here just the same. Couldn’t sleep?” His melodic voice has a hint of roughness, like you had woken him up from a light doze when you walked onto the deck.

“Oh no, I probably could, I just came out here to meditate.” You walked over and sat next to him.

“Meditation?” Kazuha raised a slim eyebrow. “You don’t seem like the type.”

You chuckle. “Is that an insult?”

Kazuha shakes his head softly. “Not at all, you just seem to be a very active person. I didn’t expect such a calming hobby.”

“Well it’s been recommended to me by a trusted friend. She said that it would help me. You know anything about it?”

Kazuha tilts his head to the side, strands of his hair curling on his shoulder. “I do. When I was younger, it was part of my samurai training. According to my father, it helps cultivate balance and harmony of the body and mind.”

“Did you find it difficult?” You shuffled as you spoke, pulling your legs into position and placing your mediation book in front of you.

“Not particularly.” Kazuha responded. “I was never a very energetic child. It was easy for me to sit still.” Kazuha huffed a small laugh. “Besides, as the former young master to my clan, it was somewhat of a requirement to be calm, and I had already been practicing in other activities that needed patience, like calligraphy and poetry.”

“Lucky you. I hardly know what I’m doing.” You chuckled and leaned back on your hands.

“It will get easier as you go along, I’m sure. Everything does.”

“Yeah, just gotta… trust the process.”

Kazuha laughs softly, his eyes crinkling only just around the edges. “How have you been progressing?”

You sigh. “Not much. A friend has been helping meditate for longer periods of time, but I haven’t been able to reach this ‘meditative state’ the book talks about.” You, rather pettily, flick the corner of the book and wince when your nail hits the cover. “I came out here to try and meditate alone, hoping the rocking of the boat or the waves or whatever would help me chill out.”

“Oh, alone? Would you like me to leave?”

You shook your head. “No, I’m not going to kick you off the boat deck, besides, I like talking to you.” You smiled at him and he smiled back. “Though, if you’ve meditated before, care to share any advice?”

Kazuha tilts his head in thought, his doe eyes squinted. “Have you tried laying down?”

“Sorry?”

“I mean, do you always sit while trying to meditate? Have you ever tried meditating lying on your back?”

“Uh, no. The book I’m using only shows examples of meditation while sitting up straight.”

Kazuha nods like he understands and moves closer to you. He hovers his hand over your spine, but never touches. “That might be the problem. Meditation requires good posture, but if you are not used to maintaining good posture, it can be more difficult when trying to meditate sitting up.”