Chopsticks

Chapter 2: Butterflies and Elephants

I made my way back to main part of the market, smiling like an idiot. Maybe I didn't get a katana, which is what I had initially wanted, but I did get a place to practice without my parents knowing. I also got a nice pair of hair chopsticks- both for the all-time low price of free!

"I thought you said you were shopping for melons." Katsu's voice said. I whirled around and saw him standing with a basket of apples. He stared at my hair with an unreadable expression.

"Oh ... I got distracted." I said, putting my hand on my head in an attempt to hide the chopsticks. Everytime I lied I felt like a knife was being pushed into my back, but it was necessary. It was important for me to get the money from the competition. I turned and started to walk toward home. Suddenly, Katsu grabbed my arm. I froze. My heartbeat quickened. He knows. He knows!

"We still need to get the cabbage." He said flatly. I took a breath, I need to calm down. I faced him.

"Right." I said with a smile, "Let's go get it." As he turned around, I quickly pulled out the chopsticks and stuck them in my kimono, careful not to stab myself.

After getting the cabbage, apples, and a melon, we headed back home. Katsu never brought up the chopsticks or my suspicious behaviour. I was actually grateful to not have to explain myself. I hadn't told anyone of my plan to join the Weapon's Competition of Samurodate, not even my family. I hadn't planned on telling anyone, but Ajuma probably wouldn't have helped me otherwise.

When we reached my house, my dad was standing outside. It was getting dark and bugs had started buzzing around. I hoped he hadn't been standing outside the whole time. When he saw Katsu his face lit up. He walked forward.

"Ah, Katsu! My best student." He said, patting him on the back. Dad taught a sword fighting class to the people in the poor side of the city. Rumor has it that my dad's father, a samurai, taught him everything he knows, and his mother was also part of a samurai family. Although I never saw him in action, I heard he could cut a bullet in mid air. The only time I ever saw him do anything violent was when I was younger and he had saved me from a... terrible man.

"Thank you, sir." Katsu replied with a bow. My dad smiled warmly at him. I didn't know that Katsu took classes with my dad. It wasn't very often that a teen took the class unless they needed self defense, or they were entering the competition. Many people on the poor side of the city joined the competition, and did so only for money. Although we would try to be prepared with the best of our resources, the rich just had it better, leading them to have more money for nothing. Unfortunately, they never made it past the third level and in some cases, back home.

"Well, you kids better get inside." My dad said, "it's getting dark."

I nodded, gave Katsu the cabbage, then shuffled inside.

"Oh, and Katsu," I heard my dad say, "Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

I heard Katsu blow air out of his nose as a laugh, "It was my pleasure."

I grinned and made my way to my room. On the way, I dropped off the fruit in the kitchen.

"You're home, my darling?" My mother asked. She was washing dishes in the sink. Her hair was also streaked with white. She was pretty young, but the stresses she had faced made time her enemy.

"Yes. I had fun." I said. I hugged her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She was another reason I had to get the money. She had a lot of medical problems and my dad's classes were barely covering the bills.

"Good. I heard you went with Katsu." She mentioned as she organized some of the fruits.

"Yes." I said, joining her. I examined the apples that Katsu had picked. They were all bright red and beautiful, a rarity among the rotting fruit in the market. It must have taken him forever to find these.

"You two used to play together all the time as children." She said. I looked up from my pile of apples.

"I thought we never talked."

"Oh that happened after he switched schools. He became more distant after that, but before then, you two were like peas in a pod." She said casually. I don't remember this. I thought.

"Oh." I said plainly. I said goodnight to my mom and made my way back to my room. Immediately I stuck the chopsticks under my pillow and went to wash off the heavy makeup on my face. I hated makeup. I hated applying it and washing it and the weird feeling of wearing it- but it was all part of the plan.

The competition was in a week and I had a lot of training to do with my new weapons. I hadn't practiced my aim in a while, and if I wasn't good then my entire plan would be ruined. I collapsed on my bed. Suddenly the event of Katsu grabbing my arm came to mind. I tried to swat it aside- then remembered it was because we needed to get cabbages. I laughed. Going over the rest of the day's events, I drifted off to sleep.

_

"Throw it right!" Ajuma yelled.

"I'm trying!" I replied frantically. Today I had snuck out of the house. My dad had gone to teach his classes and my mom decided to visit a sick family member. They would both be gone for hours so I decided to take the chance. The makeup on my face felt disgusting as it mixed with sweat. I wanted to wash it off but I would need it for my walk back home. I felt so uncomfortable.

"IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TARGET, NOT NEAR IT." Ajuma continued to yell. Apparently I did need practice, but I was getting better fast. The last throw almost made it to the middle.

"Ajuma, the tassel makes it harder to throw it right!" I complained.

"Use them. It's an interference, like wind. Can you cut off wind?" She asked.

"No..."

"Then stop complaining."

"Fine..." I grumbled, going back to throwing. She continued to critique my throws, and told me to use proper technique. As hard as she was on me, I was glad she was helping me.

"Don't you think I'm getting better?" I asked her hopefully during my water break. Ajuma gave a short laugh.

"Did you hit the middle?"

"No."

"Then no." She stated. Geez, tough crowd.

We sat in silence and examined the holes on the target. I had gotten progressively better, but not all the way yet. Ajuma had set up a target practice area in the back of her shop, and apparently people actually came here. There were a bunch of used targets behind us which we used to compare. The other targets didn't have any holes outside the middle, forcing Ajuma to be even harder on me.

"Mei..." Ajuma ventured.

"Yes?" I said, looking up from my water. She looked kind of upset. Am I that bad?

"What are you planning to do about the males only rule of the competition?" She asked. Yes, only boys can compete in the competition- Yes, I'm still going.

"I have a plan." I stated.

"Which is?"

"I'm going to cross dress as guy." I said, turning down my gaze out of embarrassment. Crossdressing wasn't something people looked upon favorably. It was disgraceful, even. I thought she would yell at me, but I got quite the opposite. After a second of silence she spoke up.

"Please be careful." She said, her voice tinged with sadness, "I've already lost my son to those competitions, I don't want to lose a good soul like you too."

She looked sad which didn't suit her. I nodded.

"I promise to return in victory." I said confidently.

"HOW CAN YOU PROMISE VICTORY? FOR ALL WE KNOW AN ELEPHANT COULD FALL ON YOU TOMORROW." She said, returning to her former self. I grinned.

"I'll try my best to not be squashed by an elephant."

"Good." She replied with a smile. Then we returned to training.