by Tristan Vick
“This is the school campus dojo, right?”
Without looking up, Saeko mumbled, “Yes.”
“Are you one of the instructors?”
“No,” Saeko began as she looked up to see who was talking to her. When she saw a blond American boy staring at her with the bluest eyes she had ever seen, she stopped what she was saying and just stared.
His eyes are penetrating, she thought. They were the color of the ocean, deep and clear. Gathering herself together, Saeko stood up and bowed.
“My name is Saeko Sakaguchi. I just train here.”
Reaching out his hand, the young man said in decent yet heavily accented Japanese, “Nice to meet you, Saeko. My name is Kevin Benjamin Russell, but my friends just call me KB.”
Taking his hand, Saeko brushed her messy bangs from her eyes and smiled. In her culture, they didn’t usually shake hands, but she wanted to be polite. Upon taking his hand, however, she felt a surge of electricity crawl through her.
A strange sensation came over her. She had never felt this way before, and while she thought about how unusual a sensation it was, while remaining lost in the depths of his blue eyes, she suddenly realized that she had let her hand linger in his longer than was appropriate. Taking her hand back somewhat abruptly, she grinned at her foolishness and brushed her hair back again.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Saeko said in broken English, trying to make Kevin feel comfortable. But her English was so broken-sounding, so thick with the imprint of her Japanese accent, that she became embarrassed at her evident language deficiency and averted her eyes. English wasn’t exactly her strong suit.
“Hey, your English is pretty good!” Kevin said enthusiastically. She looked back at his blue eyes and squinted hard to tell if he was being authentic. The compliment seemed genuine enough, and Saeko relaxed again, letting herself bathe in the soothing blue of his gaze.
“What? No, no,” Saeko deflected, trying to remain humble. “English is too difficult for me.”
Kevin simply smiled at her, and she felt herself drawn into him again. Why was she so attracted to him? It was like she was doing everything in her power not to tear his clothes off and maul him with wet kisses.
“So, you’re the kendo champion I’ve been hearing a lot about, then?”
“Oh, you know about me?”
“Of course! The whole school is talking about your match last week. The news even did a segment on you. You’re kinda famous around here. Maybe even the most famous girl in Tokyo!”
“Somehow I doubt that,” Saeko said, blushing.
A month ago Saeko was nobody. Just some girl going to kendo practice after school as she always had. After the tournament, all the newspapers and news reporters interviewed her, and suddenly her social life was big news. “Sometimes it can be stressful,” Saeko lied. It hadn’t been, but she didn’t know what else to say, and she didn’t want to end the conversation prematurely.
“Sounds like you’re a little put off by it.”
Saeko looked at him with her big brown eyes then turned away. “I don’t know. It’s just that … I guess I’m just not used to it, that’s all.”
“I know the feeling. I’m still getting used to living in Japan.”
“I’ve seen you in the halls. But I didn’t know we were getting an exchange student. What brings you to Japan?”
“Well, I’m not exactly a student. I graduated from my high school in the states a couple months ago. But my father was transferred to Yokosuka Naval Base, and decided to enroll me in the final semester here in Japanese high school.”
“So, what are you … like nineteen, twenty?” Saeko asked.
“I’m nineteen,” Kevin replied with a smile.
“But isn’t it weird for you to graduate high school only to come back for half of a year?”
“Kind of,” he admitted. “But I figured I could adapt. That’s the key to learning any new culture, right? Adapt.”
“I suppose so,” Saeko agreed. She smiled at him.
“Well, now that we know each other, I hope you say hi to me every day. Don’t be shy.”
Saeko smiled again, her grin revealing her slightly crooked teeth. She liked the way he flirted with her. “I will.”
“Promise?” Kevin asked, his smile lighting up his face.
“Sure, why not?”
6
The Foreigner
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Kevin looked around the dojo and then said, “My dad said I had to join a club at my new school, get to know some people, enrich myself with the Japanese way of life, so I’ve just been going around looking at all the different clubs to see which ones fit all his requisites.”
“Oh yeah?” Saeko replied. “Which one do you think you’re going to pick?”
Locking eyes with her with his intense blue eyes, he replied, “Kendo. Definitely kendo.”
“Really? What about kendo fascinates you?” Saeko asked.
Staring right as her, he answered, “I can think of several things, but only one of the reasons truly captivates me.”
Saeko smiled and asked, “Really? What would that be?”
Kevin smiled. She still wasn’t getting it. “Well,” he said rubbing the back of his head and trying to act cool. “It’s the club with the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen in it.”
Saeko froze and looked at him with big eyes. Suddenly it dawned on her that he meant her. Her cheeks flared up bright pink and, still shocked and amazed, she could barely think over the rapid beats of her fluttering heart. “What? You think I’m pretty?”
“You better believe it. You’re unequivocally gorgeous.”
Saeko was taken aback. She wasn’t used to the bold advances of American boys, nor was she used to so much flattery. In fact, she half-suspected it was a joke. After all, she had never thought of herself as overly pretty. Not plain, but not striking either.
“You must be joking,” she said. “I’m not that pretty. But you might like my friends Makiko and Eri better. They’re popular with all the boys. They wear makeup and care about fashion and all that. Makiko is currently dating a boy, but I doubt it’s that serious. And Eri just broke up with her boyfriend last Wednesday, so I’m sure she’d say yes if you asked her out.”
Kevin smiled again. “Actually, to tell you the truth, my mind was made up the moment I set foot in this dojo. I want you to train me.”
“Me?!” Saeko gasped. “But I …”
“Well, you’re the best, aren’t you?”
“Second best, actually.” Saeko sighed in disappointment. Eyeing Kevin up and down, she squinted hard at him, then playfully hit him in the arm.
“Ow!” Kevin yelped. “What was that for?”
“Will you still like me after I kick your ass up and down this dojo? Will you still like me when I’m serving you pain for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Will you like me then?”
Kevin’s face grew serious. “Nothing can dissuade me. My mind has been made up.”
“Good,” Saeko said with a satisfied grin on her lips. This will be fun. “We will begin first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Excellent!” Kevin said, sticking out his hand. She received it and they shook on it.
Smiling at each other, the long silence turned into a lingering and somewhat awkward pause, as if they had suddenly run out of things to say to each other.
Kevin ran his fingers through his hair and looked outside. “Hey, it’s almost time for morning classes to begin. Maybe I could help you finish cleaning up?”
“Oh, no,” Saeko protested. “This is my mess. I’ll clean it up. But...”
“Yeah?” Kevin asked, unable to hide his interest.
“Never mind,” Saeko sighed.
“Well, how about I walk you home after school then?”
“Oh, you don’t need to go out of your way on my account,” Saeko said, trying to be humble. “I’m sure you probably are really busy with … homework and stuff.”
“
Not really,” Kevin answered. “Really, it’s no problem. Let me walk you home.”
“Well,” Saeko said brushing her hair back behind her ear as she contemplated it. “I mean, only if you really want to.”
“I do,” Kevin answered, shooting her that smile of his that made her knees weak and her head feel faint.
“So, I’ll meet you back here after school then?”
“Sure. I’d like that.”
“Great! See you then,” Kevin said as he turned to leave.
Saeko waved goodbye and watched him leave, her head a mile in the clouds, dreaming of what good-looking kids they might have someday.
Kevin looked back just in time to catch a glimpse of her watching him. His sudden turn of the head caused her to look away reflexively, but she just as quickly looked back again. They both blushed and then continued about their business. The day would prove to be torture for them both, especially since they were filled with giddy anticipation and couldn’t wait for the final chime of the school bell to ring, announcing that they’d be able to see each other once again.
Although Kevin wouldn’t mention it to Saeko, he had lied about having checked out the other clubs at school. Actually, he had seen her photo in the school newspaper and he knew … he knew he had to meet this girl, no matter what. Everything about her drove him mad. Her almond-shaped eyes, long silky black hair, and deep olive skin. She was both stunning and exotic all at the same time.
Finally, after what seemed like an excruciating final hour of economics, school let out, and Saeko found Kevin waiting for her in front of the dojo as promised. She was pleased he had come early, and she showed him how to put on the keikogi robes and the rest of the body armor, called kendogu. She even had him help cinch her up tight, which proved to be way more sensual for both of them than she had initially intended. His breath on the back of her neck, him pulling the cords of her armor so tight that she almost lost her breath, but snugly secure to ensure her pounding heart didn’t tear out of her chest—it was all very titillating. Under the weight of the armor and the robes, Saeko could feel herself starting to sweat, the worst of it between her thighs, and she hoped to God he didn’t notice.
Saeko cut practice short so they could have time enough to walk and talk to their hearts content. While Saeko finished cleaning up, Kevin played around with her gear. He was waving around her shinai, pretending to be a samurai and looking like a genuine novice. Sneaking up behind him, Saeko was about to put her hands over his eyes for a playful bout of peek-a-boo when Kevin quickly spun around and yelled, “Kiii-ya!” bringing the sword down hard.
Saeko caught it between the palms of her hands and stopped it dead. Kevin’s eyes grew big with shock as he realized he just about smashed Saeko’s face in. They remained wide as he contemplated the strength she possessed able to stop the full force of a sword attack with her bare hands.
“Oh, shit!” he cried out. “I’m so sorry.”
Saeko took the sword from him and laughed. Stuffing it into its carrying case, she said, “It’s no problem. But just let me put this over here before you hurt yourself with it.”
Kevin laughed and looked away, embarrassed. Saeko finally finished putting her gear away and then took Kevin’s arm in hers. “Come on,” she said, tugging on his elbow. “Let’s go.”
Towing him behind her, she ran out of the dojo and then out the school gates. Exiting out of the side entrance, they hooked a hard right and made their way down the street. As they went, Saeko looked down and realized they were unintentionally holding hands.
7
Bullied
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Coming to the end of the lane, which wrapped around the school grounds with a cement retaining wall on the one side and a grove of neatly trimmed hedges on the other, Kevin and Saeko turned the corner and ran smack dab into Shinji Terajima, who was smoking a cigarette. Accompanying him were his group of no-good, gangster-wannabe friends. Terajima’s eye sockets were black and blue, and the bridge of his nose had a bandage across it where Saeko had split it open.
Taking a long, deep drag on his cigarette, Terajima looked over in time to catch Saeko and the new exchange kid frozen in their tracks staring at him as if he were the last person they expected to see. “Hey, hey, hey,” Terajima said with a snicker. “Look who we have here. It’s the famous Sakaguchi.” He exhaled and blew his smoke right into Saeko’s face. She coughed and waved the smoke away, giving him an annoyed look.
“Hey, man,” Kevin said, stepping forward. “Don’t be a dick.”
Flicking his bangs away, Terajima looked at Kevin, then clicked his tongue in an annoyed fashion. He then ignored him, focusing all his attention onto Saeko. He put his hand across Saeko’s shoulders and affectionately gave her a squeeze. Noticing that she tensed up, Terajima smiled.
“What are you doing wasting time with this dog-shit foreigner?” Terajima asked, using slang words so Kevin couldn’t make out what he was saying.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but we were going to a love hotel,” Saeko blurted. This shocked Terajima, as intended, who stepped back and then shot a jealous glance toward Kevin. Kevin, who was equally astonished, raised his eyebrows. They looked back at Saeko at the same time.
“Did you just say you were taking me to a love hotel?” Kevin asked, slightly bewildered. He had nothing against the oddity of love hotels, and he certainly wouldn’t object if Saeko, of all people, wanted to take him to one. But it caught him off guard.
“You’re kidding, right?” Terajima scoffed.
“No. It’s no joke. We’re headed there right now,” she affirmed. She nudged Kevin’s arm to get him to say something.
“Oh, yeah, right. We’re going to the love hotel,” Kevin responded at her urging. “I’m going to take all her clothes off and then do things to her.”
“Oh yeah?” Terajima said, doubting their little charade. “Like what?”
Saeko leaned in and whispered into Kevin’s ear, “You’ve gotta do better. You have to be convincing.”
“I’m going to take all her clothes off,” Kevin restated, slightly louder this time. “And lick her places. With my tongue.”
Saeko rolled her eyes. Kevin was the opposite of convincing. Just then she grabbed Kevin by the scruff of his neck, reeled him in, and French kissed him right in front of Terajima and his lackeys. Just to prove she was serious, she pressed her leg in between Kevin’s, rubbing her thigh against his crotch, getting him aroused.
After the kiss Saeko looked back at the shocked expression on Terajima’s face, satisfied she had made her point. Kevin just stood there transfixed in a libidinal-induced daze.
Terajima just laughed and shrugged off the little display. “So, you’re going to let this filthy foreigner stick his dirty little cock into you? Is that it? You’re more of a whore than I thought,” Terajima hissed. Turning his back on them, Terajima looked over at his posse and, with his fist bobbing sideways and his tongue poking into the inside of his cheek, made the lewd gesture of a fellatio that, subsequently, sparked a round of laughter from the squad. Unexpectedly, a hand landed on Terajima’s shoulder.
“You take that back,” Kevin demanded.
Everyone's voices died down as Terajima slowly turned back around to see Kevin standing nose to nose with him. “Why don’t you butt out of this, gaijin. This is between me and her,” Terajima replied, nodding his head at Saeko.
“Well, now I’m making it between you and me...” Kevin said through gritted teeth. Saeko grabbed his arm and pried him away before he did something stupid.
“Come on. They’re not worth it,” Saeko said, pulling Kevin along behind her as she tried to defuse the situation before tempers flared. “Just ignore him.”
“Yeah, you better do what your little slut bodyguard says, gaijin, if you know what’s good for you.”
Kevin didn’t want to look like a sissy in front of Saeko. Besides, this asshole had crossed a line. Kevin shook himself free of
Saeko’s grip, then turned right back around and marched up to Terajima. “Look, hotshot. I think you owe Saeko an apology,” Kevin said with authority.
Terajima laughed and put his hand on Kevin’s chest. “Why don’t you just follow your little whore to the love hotel and get her nice and wet for me when I stop by he
r house later tonight.” Terajima clicked his tongue again, then shoved Kevin back.
Kevin staggered back, but caught himself. Saeko reached out to grab him by his arm again, but he evaded her. He walked firmly up to Terajima and shoved him back—hard.
Suddenly Terajima’s fist landed on Kevin’s jaw. Kevin’s knuckles repaid the favor and smacked into Terajima’s face. The blow sent Terajima staggering back. But it also pissed him off even further.
“You’ll pay for that!” Terajima growled. But before he could smash the American puke’s face in, he was dealt another harsh blow. Right to his gut. This one was more devastating than the first and knocked him to his hands and knees.
Terajima scrambled on his hands and knees to escape Kevin’s wrath. This was invitation enough for Terajima’s punk friends to intervene, and two of them cut off Saeko, preventing her from getting caught between the combatants while they duked it out. Suddenly, two of Terajima’s lackeys grabbed Kevin’s arms and slammed him up against the concrete wall that ran around the school grounds. Another one slid an aluminum baseball bat from under his long trench coat and handed it to Terajima. He wound up and swung the bat hard.
Kevin felt the baseball bat strike him between the legs, and he crashed to the ground in inexplicable pain. Keeling over, he began coughing. He felt as though he would spew out his internal organs while the throbbing pain filled his entire body.
Motioning with his hand, Terajima had his thugs pick Kevin back up and set him on his feet. Leaning in, Terajima snarled, “You think you can come to my country and get me to bow down before you, as if you were the master and I were your dog?”
“What the fuck are you talking about, man?” Kevin said. “You’re the one with issues.”