The water splashed beneath Hakuji's feet as he sprinted in the middle of the street during a heavy rainstorm, carrying an unconscious, blood covered woman in his arms. This woman was Koyuki, the love of his life, his fiancé. He had no idea what had happened, but his first instinct was to seek out a doctor.
"HELP! DOCTOR! SOMEONE! IS THERE A DOCTOR?! PLEASE! MY FIANCÉ! SOMEONE HELP US!" His shouts and heavy breaths were drowned out by the thunder that echoed in the sky.
It was almost morning, but no one seemed to be awake yet. Or, the more likely possibility, no one wanted to help. No one would help a criminal like him. That on its own wouldn't be a surprise to him, but to refuse to lend a hand to Koyuki? Someone in trouble? Someone in pain?
He nearly slipped in a puddle, but managed to keep his footing and hoist Koyuki higher on his back. Even if no one wanted to help, even if no one in this village would offer a helping hand to someone as beautiful and precious as Koyuki was to him, then that wouldn't stop him from helping her. Somehow, someway, he was going to fix all of this.
***
"Are you sure you need nothing else, Hakuji?" Keizo asked as Hakuji prepared to leave.
Hakuji looked up at his teacher with a confident expression. "I'm sure, Sensei. I promise I won't take too long. I'll be back before tomorrow morning."
Keizo shook his head with a grin on his face. "And how many times do I have to tell you? You don't have to call me Sensei anymore. You know you'll be inheriting the dojo after you marry Koyuki."
Hakuji blushed at the thought of Koyuki, his beloved, his precious snowflake. The two of them would be getting married next week. It had been arranged two days ago now, but it all still felt so foreign in his mind. It was strange, and no matter how many times he told himself he deserved it, it still felt like a dream. Even now, he imagined waking up, still training under Sensei Keizo in the dojo, and still caring for a sick Koyuki. Right now, his life felt like a dream, like it was too good to be true.
And then, he found himself waking up every morning, seeing Koyuki much healthier than she was before and able to walk on her own now, even though he still kept insisting on carrying her everywhere as if she were the most fragile treasure in the world. Every morning, he still woke up a day closer to their wedding and Keizo's retirement. After that, he would have ownership of the dojo and he would be a married man. Was he even ready for that responsibility? Keizo seemed to think so, and he hadn't been wrong before.
"I know, I know. Still... I can't believe it. It all just seems so..."
"Fast?" Keizo finished.
Hakuji slowly nodded his head. His sensei always seemed to be able to understand how he felt. "Yeah..."
Keizo put his hand on his prized student's shoulder. "Hakuji, I know you might believe you're not ready for this, that you don't deserve it, but ever since I have brought you into my home, you have shown me over and over that you are the only one I want to inherit my dojo... and the only one I could ever trust with my daughter."
Hakuji looked up at Keizo, his master's eyes betraying no lies. He truly believed in Hakuji that much. Keizo then brought his student in for a hug.
"Despite what you might think... you are ready, Hakujj. You just have to believe it yourself."
Hakuji returned the hug with a smile. "Thank you... Sensei."
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RESOLVE OF THE COMPASS WARRIOR
FanfictionFor his entire life, Hakuji's life was one of unfathomable misfortune. He always had to fight and get stronger to protect the ones he loved. Time and time again, however, he would always fail when he was needed most. When his family is attacked by d...
