Four months had passed, and winter's white, cold embrace had finally given way to the luminous, radiant warmth of spring.
Spring—the season of blooming flowers, gentle breezes, radiant sunlight, and the beauty of nature's rebirth. For most, it was a time of love, warmth, and well-deserved rest after winter's harsh bite.
But for Sentarō, it was the complete opposite.
Now fully healed, he was overjoyed at the thought of finally beginning his training toward becoming a samurai.
"ALRIGHT!" he shouted, sliding open the door with excessive force and bursting out of the room Ujiyuki had assigned him. His energy was like that of a thousand men. Dressed in his black-and-white checkered samue, he grabbed the training book and stormed outside.
"It took some time for the wound to heal, but I'm finally ready to start my training!" His voice carried far, fueled with vigor and excitement. But little did he know… his joyful scream had just summoned wrath.
BOOM!!
Another sliding door flew open with equal force. Ujiyuki appeared, his blue kimono and black haori flaring from the gust of air his anger produced. His face twisted in irritation as his voice thundered across the courtyard.
"KID, SHUT UP!" His eyes blazed with fury.
"Don't you know I'm trying to sleep?"
Sentarō froze. "S-Sorry, Mr. Ujiyuki," he stammered, immediately toning down his earlier energy. He scratched his cheek nervously. "I'm just… really excited to start my training, hehe…" A sheepish giggle slipped out, his attempt to lighten the mood.
Ujiyuki sighed and stretched, his expression softening into something more thoughtful. His sharp eyes studied Sentarō's frame carefully.
"Hey kid, are you sure you're fully healed enough to start training?" His voice no longer carried anger but genuine worry.
"It's alright, Mr. Ujiyuki. I'm fully healed now," Sentarō said, trying to reassure him.
"If you say so, kid…" Ujiyuki muttered, still unconvinced.
Just as Sentarō turned to leave, something important hit him. He stopped, turned back, and asked, "Ehh… Mr. Ujiyuki, where am I supposed to train?" His tone carried an expectation of a simple answer.
"Ahh… you're right," Ujiyuki muttered. It was clear he hadn't thought that far ahead either. A dilemma indeed. He rubbed his chin, lost in thought for a moment.
Then suddenly, his face brightened. He snapped his fingers.
"Hey kid, I just thought of a great place you could use to train. Follow me." Without waiting, he walked past Sentarō and headed straight into the forest. Though confused, Sentarō trusted him and followed close behind.
The two wandered for some time, weaving through the woods. Along the way, vibrant flowers colored the forest with shades of yellow, pink, and violet. Birds chirped. The air carried the soft fragrance of spring.
Finally, they arrived at a riverbank. The sunlight shimmered on the surface of the flowing water. Green grass carpeted the land, dotted with blossoms glowing in the light.
At first, Sentarō couldn't understand why Ujiyuki had brought him there—until he noticed the four dead trees. Each one stood taller than him, stationed at different points along the riverbank. One leaned toward the water on the northeast side. Two stood on the west and southwest, leaning slightly toward the forest path they had come from. And the last tree stood in the center, upright and rigid, like a lone sentinel. The positioning… was perfect.
"Wow, Mr. Ujiyuki, you were right. This place is great, hehe." Sentarō's chuckle was light, but the joy in his eyes was obvious. His face glowed with excitement.
"ALRIGHT!! Time to start my training!" he shouted once again, raising the orange book Ujiyuki had given him high into the air.
"Have fun, kid," Ujiyuki replied, already turning to leave. His figure disappeared into the forest, leaving Sentarō to his own devices.
The boy sat cross-legged on the warm grass, opening his training book. His eyes widened with awe as he flipped through the first few pages.
"Wow… super cool." His face lit up like spring itself. Each page revealed unique drawings and instructions on technique. His heart raced with excitement. But the deeper he read, the paler his face became.
"These techniques… they look really hard…" His lips tightened. "This isn't going to be easy."
Despite the realization, he rose to his feet, dusted off his pants, and exhaled deeply.
"Alright. Let's do this."
He approached the dead tree by the river's northeast side and reviewed the first instructions.
"Hmm… I see. A samurai must first master hand-to-hand combat before learning to wield a sword," he muttered, summarizing the book's guidance. He studied the illustrations and mimicked the stance.
He spread his legs, bent his knees, straightened his posture, and began throwing punches at the tree.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
After just three strikes, he lost balance and fell flat on his backside.
"Damn, it looked so easy in the book…" He groaned, rubbing his butt. But instead of frustration, he let out a laugh. "Well, I knew it wasn't gonna be easy, hehe." He stood back up, reset his stance, and tried again.
"I'm not gonna quit just because it's difficult." Time passed. Sentarō repeated the stance again and again, each attempt ending in failure. His body was stiff, his balance poor. Still, he persisted.
By the time the sun dipped beyond the horizon and night draped its cloak across the riverbank, Sentarō collapsed onto the grass. He lay there, staring up at the stars.
"Damn… seems like I have to get in shape before I continue…" His breathing was heavy. His body was average, but too rigid and too weak for the discipline demanded of him.
At last, realizing how late it was, Sentarō got up, dusted himself off, and trudged back through the darkened forest path. When he arrived at Ujiyuki's house, to his surprise, the older man was waiting at the entrance.
"You're late, kid," Ujiyuki said flatly.
Over the past four months, the two had eaten, laughed, and even bickered together. Without realizing it, their relationship had grown into something resembling that of an uncle and nephew.
"You look hungry. I made some yakisoba. Let's eat." At the mention of food, Sentarō's exhausted face lit up. He rushed inside with Ujiyuki.
They sat on the tatami, and Ujiyuki served him. After giving thanks, Sentarō wasted no time digging in, eating with the desperation of a starving animal.
"So, kid," Ujiyuki asked between sips of noodles, "how was your first day?"
Sentarō paused mid-bite, swallowed quickly, and took a gulp of water.
"I'm not gonna lie… training to be a samurai is really hard." He spoke honestly, though his focus was still on his meal.
"But don't worry—I don't plan on giving up." He slurped more noodles, drank again, and continued, "My body just isn't in the right shape… but I plan to fix that." He gave Ujiyuki a wide, determined smile.
Ujiyuki smiled faintly in return. For a moment, he thought about how he was supposed to be supervising and advising Sentarō whenever he got stuck. But the boy had already realized his own weakness and resolved to overcome it.
Perhaps… there was no need to intervene.
He reached out and gently patted Sentarō's head.
"Just do your best, kid." Simple words, yet strong enough to leave Sentarō speechless—baffled, but deeply motivated.