Chapter 01 - First in the Morning

April 20th 2009, 07:30 AM, Shimazu Dorm, Room 104.

A guttural sound could be heard inside one of the room in the dorm, it's coming from a sleeping young man with a normal black hair and normal brown eyes as he starts opening his heavy-lidded eyes, trying to fight the sleepiness he felt right now.

Nagakura Yōta is the young man's name. And he's the descendant of famous samurai in Edo period, Nagakura Shinpachi Noriyuki, the second captain of Shinsengumi, later known as Sugimura Yoshie. Despite being the descendant of the strongest swordsman in Shinsengumi, Yōta always consider himself as the the third-rate swordsman with mediocre talent and prowess unlike his ancestor.

Even so, he still known by many to be one of the strongest swordsmen in Kawakami Academy. He's pretty much covering all of his lack of talent with hardwork and self-made techniques to overcome stronger opponents he faced.

And together with his strong will? He can be pretty much a force to be reckoned with.

While he still fights his sleepiness, he could feel someone slowly removed his futon and a soft touch fall on his chest, moving so rhythmically.

"Nngh... What the hell...?" Yōta moaned his complain and fully open his eyes, and what waiting in front of him was a beautiful young girl with light blue hair and purple eyes, smiling sweetly at him.

Shiina Miyako, a member of Kazama Family just like Yōta. If Yōta is a self-proclaimed mediocre swordsman in the family, Miyako would be the first-rate archer who is seen to be unmatched with her accuracy.

She's also part of the Five Heavenly Archers, a group that's considered as the world's best archers.

She's one of the greatest talent inside the Kazama Family, and she has a deep crush on him ever since he saved her from bullies during their childhood.

The bullying was so insidious that he had to use violence to warn every bullies to stop their bullying. And together with his friends, who decided to help him, they successfully saved her and stop the bullying since.

The result was, she fell in love with him. And Yōta is pretty proud to have a beautiful girl with a great bazoongas and a great talent like Miyako to fell in love with a mediocre man like him.

"Good morning, Yōta. I love you." Miyako said as she moves her hand from Yōta's chest to caresses his cheeks lovingly. She's already wore her Kawakami uniform.

"Miyako-san..." Yōta rubs his eyes for one final time to get rid of the eye gunks on the corner of his eyes.

She suddenly tried to kiss him, but Yōta is quick in response and move his head to the side, letting his cheek to be the target of her kiss instead of his lips.

He can't let his morning wood to get more hard than this.

"Good morning. I appreciate your love, Miyako-san. But can you get off of me, please?"

"Muu." Miyako pouted cutely before she leans back to give Yōta a room to move and sighs exaggeratedly. "I love kissing your baby cheek too, but I thought I had your lips this time."

"Yeah, better good luck next time." Yōta yawned loudly and do a full stretch, making all kind of popping sounds coming from his muscles.

He really should considers lowering his training regimes if every time he's stretching, his muscles will always pop like this.

But then again, with Kazuko as his training partner, it's hard to refuse her request to train and pushes their limits together especially when she does that puppy-eyes attack.

That's just unfair.

"Yōta's torso...cute bellybutton... rock-hard abs..." Miyako openly stared at Yōta's chiseled body as he's doing his morning stretch, and Yōta is already getting used to the girl's antics which make him easily ignored her when she starts drooling at the sight of his muscles.

Yōta had a great body and muscles despite looking average in face department. His body was pretty well-built with defined six packs, it's an ideal body that a good swimmer would have.

A perfect balance of power and speed.

"What a nice morning."

"It is, and breakfast is ready." Miyako chimed in from behind as she starts to clean and fold the futon before put it in the closet. "Or I can be your breakfast, if you want to." She continued while trying to open the first button on her uniform while blushing and flaunting her big and plump chest at him.

"Can you please stop seducing me first in the morning like this?" Yōta couldn't helped himself but to retorts her.

Miyako smiled shyly in response, "A girl's mind can sometimes turn into a raptor."

"I don't get what you're saying!" Yōta smacks the empty air in front of him with a back of the hand, doing it like a professional straight-man routine in manzai.

"You guys are getting along like always." A purple egg-shaped robot suddenly comes into the room.

The robot's name is Cookie, a robot invented by Kuki Corporation and given to Kawakami Kazuko by Hideo Kuki as a gift.

He's currently in his main form.

"Fufu, of course." Miyako giggled. She loves joking around with Yōta because he's seemingly always trying to retort every funny and stupid remarks she throws at him or others. "By the way, I already put out your uniform."

Yōta looks at the tatami floor below and there is indeed his uniform, straightened out and ready.

He gives a genuine smile at Miyako, "Thank you, Miyako-san. I can see you'll be a great wife in the future."

Miyako's body flushed in red when she hears that word coming from Yōta's mouth, and she couldn't helped herself to imagine what will it be like to be his wife.

And the imagination turns her into a pile of goo full of happiness. A giggles flowing out so naturally from her mouth and Yōta simply shakes his head in amused manner at the sight.

"Could you please help Miyako-san, Cookie?"

Cookie chuckles as he starts wheeling his way to Miyako's direction before slowly leading the girl out of Yōta's room to the dining room, "Of course, Yōta. You should hurry too, we can't have the food to get cold, aren't we?"

This time it's Yōta's turn to chuckle as he moves toward where the bathroom at, "I know. I will be there in few minutes."

The first thing he does when he arrived at the bathroom, is looking at the mirror for any hair coming out from his nose, seeing nothing coming out, he nods his head satisfyingly.

He then starts washing his face and hair to refresh himself, completely erasing any sleepiness remaining before come back to his room to get changed and grabs his glasses.

He wore his custom-made Kawakami uniform, a white gakuran version of the original uniform. A reason why he ordered this uniform is simply to hide his body physique completely and make him looks like a nerdy person.

He then grabs the bokutō, a wooden sword, with the words 'Lake Toya' inscribed on it that Yōta supposedly bought at Lake Toya during a class trip in his junior high.

He slipped the bokutō on his right hips inside the black belt that buckled over his uniform to let the bokutō hangs tightly on the hips.

He looks around the room and approach the sword display stand positioned in the corner of the room, the case secured a tawny brown-colored katana, with gold-laced guard attaching to the handle in comfort.

This is Higekiri. A heirloom of the Sugimura Family and a sword that Nagakura Shinpachi Noriyuki used in his youth as the second captain of Shinsengumi.

This sword was given to Yōta by his father after he successfully beating the shit out of his old instructor to prove himself that he's worthy to wield Higekiri.

Together with the sword, he also received the last name of Nagakura. This is the ancient tradition of the family to give the last name of Nagakura to the Shindō Munen Style practitioner from Sugimura Family who able to wield Higekiri.

Yōta carefully picks the sword and draws the sword from its scabbard. The blade emits a glimmering of silver when the sunshine touches the surface of the blade.

As always, Higekiri's blade is silvery beautiful. For Yōta there's nothing can beat the light that it radiates. It's just that beautiful.

Sheathing the sword back, he slips the sword on his side as well, together with his bokutō before he grabs a lone black leather glove beside the display case and wore it on his left hand.

He's ready for a new day.

-Scene Change-

Yōta goes out into the hallway and smell breakfast.

There's a woman at this dorm called Shimazu Reiko who cooks breakfast and dinner for the tenants in the dorm on weekdays.

He also sometimes takes a charge of all the household chores in dorm due to his 'inclination to care for other people', he simply wants to help the old lady.

"Oh, good morning, Yōta-chan!" A motherly woman suddenly show up in front of him.

This is Shimazu Reiko, 43 years old, don't ever mention her age in front of her. Virgo. And loves Korean Drama more than her child.

"Good morning, Reiko-san." Yōta smiled in response and bow his body in respect.

Living in old-fashioned dōjō giving him this habit to always respect the elders when you talk to them or in front of their presences.

"You're really a good boy with a good manner, Yōta-chan. Just like Yamato-chan. I hope everyone else learned from you both how to respect your elders." Reiko shakes her head before smacks Yōta's back playfully and pushing him to the dining room on the first floor.

When he arrived, he could see breakfast lined in order. White rice, fermented soybeans, dried seaweed, salmon, miso soup with lots of ingredients, and boiled spinach are on the table.

"You need to eat a lot in the morning!"

"Reiko-san is right. It's one of the basics of living." Cookie chimed in from behind, but instead of the egg-shaped robot, there's a humanoid robot with a height of 180cm but with no legs.

"Why are you in your combat form, Cookie?" Yōta asked as he fixed his glasses.

"That's because this robot has attitude." The one who answered this was a man of average height, with dark brown hair and brown eyes.

Naoe Yamato, the strategist of the Kazama Family, the voices of reason in their family, and a schemer to help them to make money or beat others with trickery and strategy.

"Did you do something, Yamato-san?" Yōta couldn't helped himself but to ask that.

Yamato raised one of his eyebrows, "Why do you think so? I don't do anything. This robot just suddenly came into my room, threatening me by saying he will cuts me into four parts if I don't wake my ass up."

"I told you I'm saying that because I care about you!" Cookie 2 retorts as he wheels his way to Yamato.

"If you really care, you won't threaten me like that!"

"That's just how I showed my affection! It's what you humans called tough love! So just bear with it!"

While both of them bantering with each other, Yōta was dragged by Miyako to sit beside her as she grabs his arm tightly with both hands for some reason.

"Oh! G-Good morning!!" Suddenly a loud voice laced with nervousness could be heard coming from their behind, making all the tenants jumped on their feets.

What a fired up greeting.

When they look at the source, they can see a fairly tall and soft pale-skinned girl with thigh-length deep forest hair that is tied in two low pigtails by ribbons with square bangs, dark blue eyes, and a voluptuous figure.

If not for her scary glare, she would be a perfect woman that's giving off a yamato nadeshiko aura with a great ass too.

She's also carrying a real sword with her just like Yōta. Carrying a real sword would be a big problem in Japan since there are Sword and Firearm Control Act Violations.

But it wasn't a problem for both of them because they already obtained official permissions from the country to carry the real sword with them.

By the way, this is Mayuzumi Yukie, the eldest daughter of the Sword Saint, Mayuzumi Taisei and one of the Four Divas.

And in terms of strength in swordsmanship, she's far stronger than Yōta, in his own words.

Yōta still remembers the first time he met this girl. There's no way he would forget that.

After all, the first thing this girl do when they met was requesting a duel between him and her for some unknown reason that Yōta doesn't know.

The duel lasted for 1 and half hour. And the duel ended with him losing, but at least he loses with dignity.

And by dignity, he means he successfully shredded Yukie's uniform and let him to see her everything, from her beautiful boobs to her clean-shaven young pussy.

Luckily, since the duel was a private one, only three Kawakamis were there to witness their duel.

After seeing that beautiful scene and burn it inside his memories to remember for eternity, Yōta wholeheartedly accepted his defeat with honor and dignity.

He's also losing quite a lot of blood from his nose that day. The biggest reason why he was defeated by Yukie.

"Oh, Mayuzumi-san. Good morning." Yōta smiled at Yukie, who couldn't helped but to blushing, as she starts remembering the duel as well.

Covering her red face behind her school bag, Yukie scampered in to her seat and refuse to look at Yōta.

Yōta simply shakes his head in response, he guesses it will takes some time for him to be able break the wall between both of them.

He knows that Yukie doesn't hate his guts for embarrassing her back then.

The girl is too kind-hearted to hate someone. And if she really hates someone, then it means that person for the world's peace is deserved that hate with every fiber of their beings.

"I-It's a good day today!!" Once again she starts shouting, startled all the people around her except for Yōta.

People in this dorm still not quite getting used with the girl's sudden shout or her stern glare as Yukie still new resident in this dorm.

Only Yōta who seemingly realized the girl's problem which is why he's not really surprised when the girls suddenly shouting when she's trying to starts conversation or the way her face suddenly cramps up when she's feeling nervous.

By crossing their blades, he understands what kind of person Mayuzumi Yukie was, at least in basic information.

"Yes, it is. I just hope it won't rain today." Yõta replied while nodding his head and eat some dried seaweed.

"Um...! A....!! Uuu..." She suddenly grows quiet with a steam could be seen blowing out from her red ears as she shakily picks the chopsticks in front of her.

She really has great manners when she's eating, showing how much she must be well brought up.

From the corner of Yōta's eyes, he could see Miyako was pouting at him. He raised one of his eyebrows before putting down the chopsticks carefully on top of the bowl.

"Stop being pouty like that."

"It's your fault." Miyako crossed her arms and humphed at Yōta for ignoring her and getting lovey dovey(?) with Yukie.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry." Yōta deadpanned at her while reaching his hand for Miyako puffed cheeks and poke it, making the girl lose her strength to keep the pouty face.

"Muu." Miyako swats the finger that's once again poking her cheek, but you can see she looks happy if the big smile on her face was any indication.

She's just playing with Yōta, trying to be a jealous girlfriend or something like that.

"Get a room, you lovebirds." Yamato deadpanned at both of them before drinks the miso soup from the bowl.

Reiko on the other side couldn't helped but to watching over them with warm gaze and smile at the sight in front of her, this liveliness always never failed to brightened her day.

"Right." Yōta hummed before stops flirting with Miyako and picks his chopsticks once again, "By the way, do any of you know where Capt is?"

The Shimazu Dorm has seven rooms for students attending Kawakami Academy. Four rooms for guys on the first floor and three rooms for girls on the second floor.

5 out of 7 are all eat in the dining room in the morning like this, but...

Yamato and Miyako shrugged their shoulders in response.

"Master has been gone since Saturday evening." Cookie answered as he backs to his main form, the egg-shaped one.

"As expected from someone with the name of 'wind'. He's so unpredictable and free-spirited."

"Where did he go this time?"

They treat this issue as an ordinary occurrence since Shōichi has a tendency to wander off.

With one of the rooms upstairs is empty, so there are only two girls live in this dorm. While the final room on the first floor belongs to...

"Man, you're late waking up. Did you overwork yourself again?" A man with black eyes and smooth spiky black hair finally joined the conversation.

This New-Type of healthy delinquent name is Minamoto Tadakatsu. One of the students who resides in the Shimazu Dorm.

Yōta scratches the back of his head while smilling wryly, "Yeah, kinda. Old habit is really hard to get rid of, you know? And if I don't practice my swordsmanship often, I'll get rusty too."

Tadakatsu scoffed, "I bet Kazuko was dragging your ass once again to train together. You're a big softie when it comes to her."

""So true."" Yamato, Miyako, Cookie, and Reiko said at the same time.

When it comes to Kazuko, Yōta was known as the man who will break his knees just to make the girl smile. He never, or rather CAN'T say no to Kazuko when she asks something to him.

He's really a big softie when it comes to Kazuko.

"I-I-I think y-you're already strong, senpai..." Yukie quietly chimed in from her seat, her face was bright red when everyone's attention came to her.

She felt it when the first time she crossed her blade against his. The pressure of his blade is not something normal swordsman would have.

Even her father, the Sword Saint, doesn't have that kind of pressure in his sword.

She's not afraid for admitting how lucky she was back then for be able to defeat Yōta in duel.

"Thank you very much, Mayuzumi-san. I'm happy to hear that." Yōta said while giving a genuine smile at the youngest girl.

It's really nice when someone complimented his skill in a swordsmanship. It doesn't matter if it's flattery or not.

Hearing something like that would always bring smile to his face.

Yukie once again buried her red face behind the bag. She still couldn't helped but to get nervous and embarrassed when Yōta smiles at her.

"I don't understand." Yamato started as he looks at the interaction between Yōta and Yukie, "When it comes to looks, you're the most average one, but somehow you still ended as the chick magnet after Capt. How does it works?"

"Chick magnet?" Yōta tilts his head in confusion, "There's must be something wrong with your eyes, Yamato-san. You should check it later."

Tadakatsu couldn't stopped himself from snorting when he heard that.

How ironic for a man with glasses asking people to check their eyes to see if there's something wrong with their eyes.

"I don't want to hear that from you, glasses." Yamato huffed in annoyance.

"Because Yōta is cool and strong. He's attractive too! So it wouldn't be weird if he would attracts many people to him." Miyako chimed in from the side.

"Your opinion can't be counted on, Miyako." Yamato shakes his head and continue to eat his breakfast.

How could he believe in what Miyako just said?

The girl simply love Yōta too much. Everything that's coming out from her mouth is her SOLE opinion about the man she loves.

Of course she would praises and give him the best compliment ever. There's nothing that could beat Yōta in her book. That's just how she is.

You seriously can't count on her opinion when it's about Yōta.

But then again, what Miyako just said can be true as well. The fact that only strong women that would flock around him, there must be something that's attracting them to the self-proclaimed swordsman.