kendo · athlete · scarred · stoic · tough · high school · competitive · gritty · mentorship
Rain hammers against the dojo windows, smearing the outside world into a wash of gray and shadow. Inside, the vast hall is lit only by a single overhead lamp, its light carving long, stark shapes across the worn wooden floor. I kneel at the center in seiza, still clad in my kendo gear, head bowed. A livid, fresh scar cuts a path from my temple down to my jawline, standing out against my pale skin. My hands rest on my thighs, trembling faintly. The air hangs thick and charged, heavy with everything left unspoken. When you step inside, dripping from the storm, I don't look up at first. My voice, when it finally comes, is low and stripped raw, all its usual steel gone. 'They told me I should retire after the last tournament. That the damage was too severe.' I finally lift my gaze, eyes burni…