The First Student Ch. 1 - Sensei!Japan X Reader

You didn't know how fast time could pass.  One minute, you remember coming home from visiting the dojo for the first time, unsure if you should train under Kiku-sama or not, the next you were waking up and going to the only class for college you had that day.  “Time skip much?”  You sighed.

As you continued forward to the dreaded college you wanted to pass through so badly, you went by the dojo.  Slowing down, you peeked inside through the gates.  A smile found its way to your face as you imagined what it'd be like to actually be trained for kendo.  You kept imagining the images, chuckling to yourself as picture after picture ran through your mind.  One picture contained you and Kiku, holding up a gold medal that you won, hand in hand.

Gasping, you shook your head as a pink color cascaded over your cheeks.  “Like that would happen...” But it  could if I trained here.  Focusing on the building again, your face held such sadness.  “I asked for my life to change, yet I’m not taking the chance.”  You hollowly laughed at yourself.  “Just how contradictory do you have to be, huh, _____?”

Taking another glance at the dojo, you sighed, walking off to the college.  As you started walking though, you heard someone say your name.  “_____?”

You turned your head to see Kiku standing by the gates with a broom to brush the leaves away as well as dirt.  You felt your face heat up as you saw him, not really understanding why you were reacting that way... Well, that's not entirely true.  “K-Kiku-sama!”  You honestly didn't expect to see him as you passed by, so you were shocked.

A blush swept over his cheeks as you called him 'Kiku-sama', still not used to being called that.  He looked at you, wanting to speak, but unsure of what to say.  Through the silence, you faced forward, towards the way you need to walk.  “Nani...” your ear twitched as he said a certain Japanese word.  “What are you doing here?”

You couldn't see his face as he stared at your back.  It held hopefulness as well as something else.  A longing for you to be his student, possibly?  You chuckled at his silly question, still not facing him.  “I'm on my way to college.”  Finally, you turned to him, smiling your brightest grin you could muster up.  His face went redder.  “I always walk this way when I go there.”

He nodded slowly until something clicked in his head.  “Ah...” he smiled, chuckling to himself.  You fully turned to him, curious as to what he was laughing at.  “So you're the girl who always passes by, grumbling about how you wish your life to be different, hai?”

Your face went red as the word 'busted!' went through your head.  Not really understanding why that word would suddenly pop up in your head, you looked away from him.  “Yeah, that's me.”  He chuckled again, making you blush even more.  You suddenly looked at your watch, and gasped.  “Um... I need to go!”  You smiled at him, sadly, waving as you left running to you class.

He looked after you, watching your back as you disappeared around a bend.  Once he lost sight of you, he sighed, placing a hand over his heart to calm himself.  As he was talking, really just standing within your presence, his heart started to race for no reason known to him.  Once he thought his heart beat was under control, he started to sweep up the fallen leaves in front of his dojo.

“Kiku.”  The Japanese man jumped as his brother came up behind him.  “Was that _____?”

“Yao.”  He bowed his head at his brother as a simple hello before sweeping again.  “Hai.”

Yao looked at his younger brother, watching him move as he swept up the leaves, almost as if he could be dancing.  The Chinese man chuckled.  “Is she now your student?  Was it confirmed?”  Kiku shook his head.  Yao pouted.  “Why is she taking so long, aru?  She should have decided last night!”

“Ni-san,” Kiku paused his work as he glanced behind him, “she'll be my student when she's ready.  Okay?”  The Chinese man pursed his lips, upset, but nodded anyway.  “Good.”  He went back to his sweeping, looking back at down the road you walked every sooften, waiting for you to come back, and confirm it yourself.  I hope _____ will say 'hai' to being my student.

~Sensei!~

After the hour of your college class, you headed straight to the dojo.  You looked at it from the gates, wondering if you should go in or not.  “I should at least visit, right?”  You knew that it would be nice of you, but then the thought of disappointing Kiku when you told him you still haven't decided yet just didn't help.  You sighed.

Taking the last glimpse of the dojo, you walked around the block.  You kept circling the block where the dojo was, thinking things through.  Walking always made you feel better, so you hoped that this little walk around would clear your head so you could make the choice.

You remembered saying you'd have to change your schedule if you wanted to join, but you didn't even know when the dojo opened or closed.  As you passed by the gates,  you walked up to the door, noticing a sign you didn't see yesterday.  A pout came to your face.  “1 to 2 pm for Martial Arts... 4 to 5 pm for kendo.”  You read the notice aloud to yourself, turning around and heading for another walk around the block.

You had classes at four pm, but only on some days.  I wonder if he could change the time just so I could come.  Stopping at your thought, you dreamed about the possibility, shaking your head.  “What about his other students though...?”  Groaning in frustrated confusion, the want to be trained by Kiku kept you walking around the block a few more times.

An hour later, someone took notice to you passing by occasionally.  Kiku stepped out of the dojo, standing by the entrance as he watched you turn a corner.  He cocked his head, wondering why you were walking in circles.  Is she confused?  He thought about it, growing worried over what you were confused about, or even if something was bothering.

As you made the turn where the gate was, you didn't notice a certain Japanese man waiting for you to walk by.  “_____?”  You were startled as you heard his voice.  His gentle, soft, accented, concerned voice shook you from your thoughts, making you focus on him.  “Is something bothering you?”

You stared at him, trying to process what was going on.  You were in another world as you walked around the dojo's block, so it shocked you when you heard him.  You shook back to your senses, smiling at him.  “No, I’m fine.”  He looked relieved once you said that.  “Why do you ask?”

“Well...” he fidgeted in his spot, “eto... You passed the gate a few times, and I couldn't help but notice...” He looked away from you, fiddling with his sleeves.  “I was outside most of the time today, watering the plants and kept seeing you in the corner of my eye... I thought I was just imagining things, but when you passed a fourth time... I got concerned.”

You stood there, gazing at him as his face kept getting redder.  He could feel you stare at him.  You chuckled.  I finally made a decision.  “Kiku-sama?”  He glanced at you.  “Is there a question you have to ask me?”

He was confused.  “Hai...?”  He kept staring at you as you smiled.  Kiku just didn't understand what you meant by that, until... Something made him think to ask if you decided to join.  “_____?”  You hummed.  “D-did you decide...” he gulped, blushing, though he didn't really know why he was turning red, “...if-if you want to join kendo?”

You nodded.  “Yes I have.”

Honestly, he didn't understand why he kept feeling warmth inside of his chest or how his face turned red when he was with you.  He knew of this happening when someone fell in love, but... He shook his head.  No.  If _____ decides to be my student, I can't think things like that.  Teacher and student is forbidden.  He cleared his throat as he covered his mouth with his hand.  “W-well, what did you decide?”

You hummed.  “Hm~ Would I like to  join this dojo and train under Kiku-sama, learning kendo?”  You put a finger to your chin, thinking about it for a second.  “What was that word again?”  You mumbled aloud.  Kiku stared at you, waiting for the answer.  Remembering the word you were looking for, you looked at him, smiling.  “Hai.”

The smile on his face made your chest feel tight as you couldn't breath, butterflies tickling your stomach.  He cocked his head, gazing at you as his eyes were half-lidded, as his eyes held a glint from happiness.  “I will enjoying teaching you the ways of kendo.”

You were going to say something, but someone came from around the wall, shouting: “It's about time, aru!”  The Chinese man you saw yesterday crossed his arms as he stared at you.  “I hope you keep to this commitment, aru.  You'll be his first student to come here, but we don't know if you'll stay.”  He 'humphed' as he turned, heading back to the dojo.

You stared at the man as he entered the building, wondering just what he meant.  You glanced at Kiku, about to ask, but saw his sudden mood change.  You refrained from asking.  “I'll see you...?”

He glanced at you, smiling again.  “At four.”  He nodded.  “Hai, I’ll see you then.”  He bowed to you, then turned as he went into the dojo himself.

You stood there, staring as he closed the door, catching his eyes for a second before he fully closed it.  You blushed, turning as you darted for home.