Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Departure

The current time is 4:00 pm. It was getting late afternoon, with the sky turning golden-orange. Ken walked to his house, and he arrived at a quiet residential area. Not long after, 6 junior high school boys with delinquent appearances, and from the uniforms they wear, are not from the school the delinquent boys this morning. Seeing them, Ken then stopped in his tracks. Ken seems to recognize these boys uniform, and the face of two of them. Seeing Ken's arrival, these boys then walked over to Ken. One of these boys then said

"You're Ken, right? The one who beat my friends the other day?”

Ken's expression was flat, he then answered

"Yep, because they tried to forcibly ask me for money"

This delinquent boy then said

"Oh, I see? today, you will feel like you shouldn't do that."

This delinquent boy, then clenched his fist, while saying

"Today we will teach you a lesson"

The six boys then ran towards Ken and were ready to hit him. Ken dodges and parries, and managed to land punches on enemies. However, due to the number of enemies, Ken seems a little overwhelmed, several times he was hit on his body, but Ken was able to precisely maintain his stability, despite enduring the pain of the enemy attacks managed to hit him. Even so, it can be seen that Ken is still agile by prioritizing to avoid his head from being hit. After a while of fighting, Ken was able to overthrow all of his enemies, who now seemed unable to stand. Ken himself was breathing heavily, he then said

"I warn you, if you are still looking for trouble with me, next time I will make you unable to walk"

Hearing this, seemed to scare Ken's enemies, Ken then walked away from here.

Ken arrived at his house, he then entered his house from the front door. Ken closed the door behind him, took off his shoes, then saying

"I am home"

It seems that there is no answer because Ken's mother and father have not yet arrived home. Ken then said in mind

“Not home yet…”

Ken then put his shoes on the shoe rack, he then walked to his room on the 2nd floor. Arriving in the room, Ken put his bag, then was about to take off his clothes. Before long, Ken stopped because he felt pain in his body. Ken then took off his clothes more carefully, he then walked in front of the mirror.

It seems that Ken has quite a lot of bruises on his body, which is also on his arms, the impact of the enemy's blows that have hit him so far, and when he fends off enemy attacks. Ken held several bruises on his body, his face then showed that Ken was holding back the pain of the bruises on his body when touched. Ken then walked to the bathroom. After bathing, Ken is now wearing a long-sleeved sweater, not only because it's cold, but also to cover the bruises on his body. Ken then walked out of his room, towards the first floor.

The next day, Ken is now walking to his school. As he was passing through a quiet residential area, he was then intercepted by 5 male students, of which 3 were the boy who yesterday bullied another school boy who was helped by Ken. Seeing this, Ken sighed wearily. Ken walked up to them, whereupon they also walked up to Ken. Ken said

“You guys again, even this time you increased your numbers. Isn't that a deterrent?"

One of them then answered                      

“Heh, you will regret that you underestimated us”

The five of them then ran towards Ken, this time Ken entered a martial stance, and fought his enemy more seriously. After some time of fighting, it seems that Ken, with his out of breath, won the fight again. Ken then just walked away from here.

After Ken's school, the time is now 4:16 pm. Arriving at a T-junction, Ken seems to be intercepted by 3 male students in other school uniforms, with their facial expressions looking cynical. These three people are seen wearing maroon sweater vests, and appear to be dressed neatly but elegantly, different from the boys who were previously opposed by Ken. They are also junior high school students, and are about the same age as Ken. Ken's facial expression showed that he was not familiar with these three people. Seeing this, Ken let out a long breath languidly, then said

"Okay, what do you want?"

One of them smiled sarcastically, he was Ryo Muramasa, a 2nd-grade junior high schooler, just like Ken, Ryo then said

“I've heard, rumors about your prowess in fighting. That's why I'm here to meet you"

With a straight face, Ken then answered

“So… you guys want to find trouble with me or something?”

Hearing this, making Ryo grin, he then replied

“Heh, of course not, it's just that you're a perfect match for my strength training. So, until I win, I will not let you go"

Ryo smiled slyly, he then continued talking

"First let me introduce myself, I'm Ryo Muramasa, nice to meet you"

Ken replied

“Greetings, I'm Kenshubo Takeru, nice to meet you… Wait a minute! don't be casual about it”

Ryo chuckled, with a sly expression, then said

"Don't worry, I won't bore you"

Ken then put his hand into his pants pocket, then said

“You know, I thought you were friends of those delinquents before. But… is it true that you don't know them?”

Hearing this, Ryo smiled, he then answered

"I don't even know who they are you mean"

Hearing this, Ken looked surprised. Ken then said

“Whatever, Then come forward any time”

Hearing this, Ryo's two friends moved away. Where now only Ryo is dealing with Ken. Unlike Ken who seemed normal, Ryo's expression turned serious, he then entered the martial stance with both fists clenched and pointed forward. Ken looked surprised again, then said

"Didn't invite all your friends?"

Ryo smiled, then answered

"Of course not, they're just curious about you too. Don't compare me to anyone of the delinquents you fought before"

Not long after, Ryo ran forward towards Ken.

Ryo immediately aimed his fist at Ken's face quickly making Ken surprised with his speed, Ken was lucky to have dodged, only one finger away from his face. Ken said in mind

"Very fast?"

Ryo's next attack, he kicked Ken with his left foot. Ken immediately dodged, and before long, a fist shot towards Ken, surprising him, Ken didn't seem to have expected it. But luckily, with good reflexes, Ken was able to parry it. Ken said in mind

“He is different from my opponents so far…”

Ken doesn't want to be left behind, Ken immediately launches his attack, while thinking of the next attack, to overwhelm the enemy. Ken and Ryo's attacks now collide, they parry each other and launch attacks. None of them had managed to land an attack yet.

Ken accelerates his attack movement, this makes Ryo unable to keep up. One blow finally landed on Ryo's face, making Ryo take a few steps back from his position. Ken immediately charged forward to continue his attack and launched kicks and punches. Ryo managed to fend it off, but it didn't last long. Attack after attack Ryo received, he tried to prioritize protecting his vital points. However, the attacks he received finally knocked him down, and now Ryo was crouched to his knees. They both seemed to be out of breath and tried to fix it. Ken then said

“I'll admit you're great too. With practice, you will surpass me.”

Ryo smiled, but also looked annoyed. Ken then started walking away from here, Ryo seemed to see him leaving, he then said

"Today I admit my defeat, but tomorrow, we'll see."

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Hearing this, Ken waved his hand while still walking away and facing his back to Ryo.

The next day, the current time is 6:00 am. Ken just opened his eyes and woke up from his sleep. He was in his bedroom, illuminated by the yellow light from the night lamp on the nightstand next to his bed. Ken was silent, with a sleepy expression on his face, and looked like he was about to fall back asleep. Before long, his alarm went off, causing him to open his eyes again. Ken then turned off his alarm clock, without looking at it. Ken then said

“I woke up before the alarm clock again. It feels like I don't need an alarm clock”

Ken decided to go back to sleep, he closed his eyes again.

The time is now 6:30 am, Ken seems to have fallen asleep in his bed, the morning sun is starting to penetrate the gap in the curtain in the window. Not long after, there was a knock on the door of this room, Ken's mother said

"Wake up Ken, today we are going to the main house of the Takeru family"

Hearing this, Ken tried to get up from his sleep. Still lying on his bed, Ken then answered

"Yes mom, I'm awake"

Ken got up and took a seat. He seemed still sleepy and was trying to gather his senses. After a while, Ken then got out of bed and walked out of the room.

Ken walked down the stairs, and arrived on the 1st floor, he then headed for the dining room. At the dining table, Ken's mother was seen preparing food, Ken's father is reading the newspaper, and his younger brother Shitara who has been reading his school notebook. Ken then sat next to his father. His father then said

“Good morning Ken”

Ken replied in a polite tone

"Good morning Father"

Ken's father answered

"Are you ready today to go to the main house?"

Ken replied

“Yeah, as usual, right? This has become routine on certain dates every year”

Ken's dad replied

"Yes, this is a day where all the Takeru families gather every year, as a form of mutual solidarity"

Ken's younger brother, Shitara Takeru, who had been reading the book for a while, then said

“Don't forget too, the honor ceremony. Brother, don't run away again while the ceremony is going on"

Hearing this, Ken smiled and then replied

"Yeah, I wouldn't have run away if it weren't with you, hahaha"

Ken chuckled. Hearing this, Shitara smiled sarcastically. The talk of the honor ceremony earlier, seemed to interest Kenshubo, he then said

"This ceremony, father, has been going on since when?"

Hearing this, Ken's father looked surprised, he then replied

"Hmm, suddenly you are interested?"

Ken replied

“Yes, I keep doing this, I just want to understand more about this cultural background in our extended family (clan). Because as far as I remember, we have been doing this honoring ceremony long ago, I was first invited to participate when I was in 1st grade. But I guess it must have lasted longer than that? And again, the honor ceremony was performed in front of an old shrine in the backyard of the main house”

Hearing this, Ken's father's expression turned serious, this also seemed to interest Shitara. Ken's father then answered

“Alright, great if you're interested Ken. From what I know, this culture has been going on since the first time the Takeru family was founded”

Hearing this, Ken's expression changed to surprise, he looked like he didn't expect it

“Since the first time, the Takeru family was established? Since when is it, dad?”

Ken's father answered

“Unfortunately, dad also doesn't know exactly. Because the notes were kept in the main house library, and dad didn't finish reading them, hahaha”

Ken's father laughed. Hearing his father's words, Ken and Shitara's expressions turned astonished. Seeing the two expressions of his son, Ken's father stopped laughing, and his expression turned awkward. Ken's father then resumed talking

"Ahem, I will continue. Family members who join this culture have been very much reduced. I think you also know, sometimes we meet our distant relatives. Especially for the honor ceremony, the administrator and leader are chosen from one of the family members, which fell to your grandfather. This also greatly affects kinship activities, where many who come from our closest family only, from grandfather's brothers and sisters”

Hearing this, Ken's expression turned curious. Ken then asked

"The election, based on what?"

Hearing this question, Ken's father's expression turned doubtful, he then answered

“In that case, only your grandfather knows. Because he never told anyone”

Hearing this Ken's expression turned curious. He remembered again, one thing that bothered him. Ken then asked again

“Then… what is in the locked shrine?”

Hearing this question, Ken's father's expression turned doubtful again, he then answered

“I don't know for sure either, because the place is considered sacred, and also because it's old, so only grandpa has ever actually entered it. Dad and the others only heard stories. However, it is said, if the contents are statues of Shinto gods left by the Takeru family for generations”

Hearing this, Ken's expression turned curious. Takeru's mother came out of the kitchen here which was partitioned by a wall that had a bar table, which this bar counter was connected to the kitchen. Ken's mother brought food to the dining table and sat beside Ken. The four of them then started breakfast together. Ken's mother then said

"Shitara, Ken, you have prepared your things to bring, right?"

Shitara and Ken replied that they had prepared it. Ken then said

"We were there for 2 days and 1 night, right?"

Ken's mother nodded, then answered

"Yes, right"

They then continued eating. Hearing this, Ken thought to himself

“We will stay there for 2 days and one night. Because today is Sunday, as a result, Shitara and I will not go to school tomorrow. Even my father and mother had a day off from their job. This means that family members who come to honor and kinship ceremonies do the same. From this alone, it can be seen how important this activity is”

This seems to make Ken even more curious.

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