The Sword of Kaigen

by M.L. Wang

Mamoru’s mother had once said that Yukino Dai dealt his words as carefully as he dealt his cuts. It was what made him such a good teacher.

“Don’t be rude, Kinoro,” Master Wangara scolded. “She said she wants a fight. Show the girl some respect.”

You learn over time that the world isn’t broken. It’s just… got more pieces to it than you thought. They all fit together, just maybe not the way you pictured when you were young.”

but he had hit Setsuko, so he was going to die.

Misaki wished she had Setsuko’s strength. She had thought for so many years that what she had was strength—faking a smile through pain and anger—but this honest ability to smile from the heart was something beyond anything she had ever had.

To Misaki, it perfectly captured her son—a boy with enough talent to never have to try hard at anything, who had tried harder than everyone at everything, until the very end.