Chapter 17:

The morning felt a bit off this time. The sun wasn’t as bright, the grass wasn’t as green, and the sakura weren’t falling. Yumi was the first to wake up this morning, and still saw the familiar boy next to her. She gazed at him, and quietly whispered:

“Good morning, Yuji…” 

While fluffing his hair. She quickly got dressed, fed Soy Sauce, and went to start her day. She went to her packed bag that she brought from the dojo and pulled out her mediation tools: A soft towel to lay down, some smelling salts, and her hair ties. With a quick set up, she was finally ready. She quietly hummed to herself, careful not to wake up Yuji, and conversed with herself. 

“The clan won’t get the best of us…” 

She repeatedly told herself. 

“With my strength, and Yuji’s heart…we’re unsto-” “Morning Yumi! What are you doing?” 

Yuji burst into the room, slightly startling her. 

“Y-Yuji! You don’t interrupt someone when they’re meditating!” 

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry! Please don’t be mad!” 

He said. 

“Relax, Yuji…I’m not mad. I’ll let you know when I’m done. How about you make me breakfast while you wait?” 

“YES! I-I mean…Yes, I will…” 

He said excitedly. Yumi giggled and waved goodbye to him, and continued her meditation. 

“Why did he have to interrupt me like that…Now I have to start all over again.” 

She said, as she tried to get back into her calm state. The scent of boiled eggs and flour slowly started to fill the room, signalling that Yuji immediately got to work. “Maybe…I should do this later. I want to talk to him while he cooks.” 

After quickly packing everything away how it was, she went to see Yuji in the kitchen. 

“How did you mediation thingy go? I didn’t mean to interrupt it…” 

He said, a hint of guilt in his tone. 

“It’s okay, I’ll do it later. I wanted to watch you cook…” “R-Really?” 

“Yes, really…I like watching you.” A hint of blush both betrayed their faces. 

“You know…I always wanted to teach you how to cook something. I figured it would be part of that pact we made.” 

“I’ve…never really thought of it until now. I’d like that.” Yuji’s mind exploded at her confession. 

“Yes! I-I’ll help you cook whatever you want! Just say the word!” 

He said ecstatically. 

“How about…like a simple sushi roll for now?” 

“T-That works! Let me grab the materials…”  

He rushed to the ingredient closet, making Yumi giggle. “Alright…” 

He said to himself, standing next to Yumi. 

“I got us some rice, nori*, avocado, and fish. All the ingredients for a simple version!” 

Yuji said, beaming with excitement. 

“Alright…what do I do?” 

Yumi said, a little quiet from trying something new. 

“Let’s spread the rice on the nori to start, like this.” 

He guided her hands to spread the rice evenly, not realizing that he didn’t ask her first. 

“I-I’m sorry! I should’ve asked if I could hold your hands first…” 

He said, trying to form an apology. Yumi giggled at his state of panic. 

“It's okay…Just remind me next time.” 

She told him with a soft smile. They spread their rice together, added their avocado, and rolled it up. 

“All done! Oh wait, I wanna show you one more thing. It’s a secret of mine.” 

He said with a wink. 

“Oh? What is it, chef?” 

He blushed at the nickname. 

“I always make sure to add a secret ingredient to every roll of sushi I make…it’s a little note rolled in the middle!” 

He said, ready to show Yumi how to do it. 

“I grab some fortune cookie paper, and write my own note to every customer I serve.” 

He said, checking if Yumi was still watching. 

“Every customer? You must really like doing this, huh…” She asked. 

“Of course! This is my dream career. How about I make a note for you?” 

She blushed at the suggestion. 

“Y-You don’t have to, just make your own…”

“Alrighty!” 

He spoke to himself as he wrote. 

“I hope that we make it through the clans attack in one piece…” 

He wrote, handing her the piece of paper. 

“Now you write one!” 

“Okay…You’re the most skilled chef I’ve ever seen…Here you go!” 

Yuji read, and slowly started to blush once more. “I-uh-T-Thanks!” 

He said. 

After Yumi’s sushi was fully made, she admired it gratefully. She looked at her sushi one more time, her mouth slowly watering. 

“I really made this?” 

“Yes you did! I’m so proud of you!” 

He said, leaving his hand in the air for a high five. Yumi couldn’t help but give him a huge smile and return the high five. 

“So…what are you going to teach me?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“The pact we made. We agreed that I would teach you something and you would teach me!” 

He said, trying to remind her of it. 

“Oh yeah…Uh, I could teach you basic self-defense if you want?” 

“No way! That would be so cool! I could beat up all the ninjas with my bare hands!” 

He said, already fantasizing a dramatic battle scene. “That’s…not how it works. It’s used to defend yourself from danger, not cause it…” 

She reminded him. 

“Okay…how do we start?” 

“Here, you can use my training uniform for now. I’ll just get you some basic stances and how to punch.” 

“I can already punch! Watch this!” 

He did an extremely bad punch. Yumi could only watch, not knowing if she felt extreme disappointment or humor. “Alright, maybe I can’t. Can you teach me now?” 

“Of course….” 

She tied a plain white karate gi* around him with expertise. 

“There…now let me show you a basic stance. Use this one if your opposition has a weapon.” 

She performed the stance, nice and slow for Yuji. “Oh…like this?”

He tried the stance, but messed it up a little. 

“Not quite…move your hands a little higher, like this…” She grabbed his wrists and moved them to line up with his chest. 

“There you go!”

 She said, honestly feeling happy for him. 

“Now, let me show you how to throw a punch. Do you have anything that I could use as a punching bag?” 

“Sure! Would a bag of flour work?” 

“That's fine. Now, let me try this…” 

She charged her fist and did a slow yet forceful punch on the flour. 

“Woah…That was…SO COOL!” 

He shouted. 

“Let me see your first, I’ll show you the right way to do it.” 

Yuji already had his fist extended. 

“Alright…Let me know if I’m hurting you at all.”

She said, already showing him how to make a proper fist. “It’s not the joints of the fingers, it’s the knuckle of your hand.” 

She said, letting go. 

“Alright…hit the bag.” 

“Get ready, bag! AAAH!” 

He let out his best and most dramatic battle cry. 

“That was…actually really good Yuji!” 

She said, this time offering him a high five. Yuji stood frozen at the compliment. 

“You’re…actually proud of me?” 

“Why would I say it if it was a lie?” 

Yuji completed the high five. 

“You’ve never told me you were proud of me…thank you.” 

Yuji said, tearing up from emotion. 

“Of course, Yuji.” 

She said.

Night fell once more, which marked the beginning of the end. Soy sauce was already asleep, and the two of them slowly settled into bed. They both laid in silence after saying goodnight for a while, until Yuji started conversation. 

“Yumi…are you still awake.” 

“Yes, Yuji, what’s wrong?” 

“I’m scared…I don’t want tomorrow to come. I can’t die, not now…” 

He said quietly, as if whispering to keep a secret. 

“You won’t die, Yuji…I won’t let anyone get a hold of you, ever.” 

They sat in silence once more, but now turned toward each other. 

“What if…I do die, and the clan wins in the end…” 

He said, sounding dead inside. Yumi immediately grabbed his face. 

“Yuji Toshida…None of us will make it out hurt, these ninjas have nothing on you. Besides, you’re too important to me to lose you.” 

She said. 

“It…makes me feel better to hear that, Yumi.” 

He said, tears starting to form. They finally latched their hands together for comfort, and gazed one last time. 

“If I die…I want you to know that you mean a lot to me…” 

Yuji said, starting to fall asleep. 

“Good night…we have a big day tomorrow…”

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