Morning was especially gentle this time, and everything seemed calm and hushing.
The sky was almost white and the air had a faint but still noticeable coolness to it. My skin was tingling as if it was being touched by the cool air but still, I got to the training ground early. As usual, I was expecting it to be empty.
But Kento was not absent.
He was standing against the wall with his arms folded across his chest and a stern expression painted on his face, while a bunch of soldiers were doing their drills not far from him. When he saw me, he immediately went out of his way to get my attention but in fact, he didn't make loud calling this time. With a small nod, as if we were two criminals who had just made an unspoken agreement to keep the orientation quiet, he communicated with me only.
We did our drills side by side without directing any words to one another.
There was no ridicule. There was no loud laughter. Just the sound of swords being skilfully swung and feet hitting earth.
It was… strangely wonderful.
After some time, we allowed ourselves to rest for a short period. I sat down to hydrate myself while breathing heavily and looking down at the ground.
It was at that moment that I noticed Kento watching a soldier intently. The soldier was a tall man full of self-assurance and he was trying to impress everyone around him with his sword skills.
Without thinking twice, Kento leaned towards me and said, "Please, watch, and learn."
I waited for an explanation but Kento just looked at me.
With a very serious expression on his face he approached the soldier then and there. "Hey," he said loudly, "the highest command wants to see your work at first hand. They are really impressed."
The soldier immediately became very proud of himself. "Is that so?"
"Yes," Kento affirmed it with a nod of his head. "Yet it is only one special moment they want to see. Very difficult one."
The soldier took a step forward. "Which move?"
Kento very dramatically lowered his voice. "The Silent Tiger Roll."
The soldier was puzzled. "I have never heard about that."
Kento said while putting his hand on the soldier's shoulder, "The reason is only a handful of warriors knowing it."
The soldier was slowly agreeing with what Kento was telling him.
When Kento left the man with "NOW" shouted, he immediately turned his body forward in an attacking manner… unfortunately, into a bucket full of water that someone had placed there.
Water splashed.
For a moment, there was a kind of silence in the training ground.
After that, Kento pretended to pass out and called out, "PERFECT FORM!"
The soldier was sitting there on the ground, looking at a drenched and speechless fellow and obviously angry too.
Everyone started laughing.
Before I could control myself—
I laughed as well.
Not quietly.
Not politely.
I laughed.
The laugh was so unexpected that I immediately covered my mouth with my hand.
It seemed like the world had stopped.
Kento looked at me slowly.
His eyes were very wide open.
Then his smile was the biggest and most sincere one that I have ever seen.
"Oh," he uttered, "The moment."
My laugh broke down into a little and I got very embarrassed, heat rushing to my face.
"Don't," I said.
"Not at all," he said softly, "I am just… glad."
The drenched soldier shouted, "KENTO! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Kento replied as if nothing was wrong by doing a military salute, "Only after training hours!"
Still, with a smile but this time not accompanied by a humorous look, he came back to me.
"That laugh," he told me, "is really your laugh."
I turned my eyes away, my heart pounding in an unusual manner.
"It just slipped out," I said.
He joined me on the bench. "That's how it all begins."
For a second, I didn't feel the pain that was in my chest.
I didn't feel the heaviness.
I just felt… as if I was not weighed down.
And I did think that deep inside myself—
Akira would have been the one who smiled.
The thought didn't hurt.
It gave me comfort,
Just a little.