My brother, battered and bleeding, faces off against the last enemy in the ring. I see him stumble a bit, and my heart sinks. This can't go on much longer, or he will have lost too much blood.
My brother, who has singlehandedly painted the battlefield, decides to make the first move. This is a wise decision, as his enemy could wait for him to collapse from blood loss.
Pushing forward with groggy movements, I can tell this is my brother's last-ditch effort to win. If something goes sour here, he'll die for sure. My brother stays low to the ground, keeping his head barely high enough to see his enemy.
Then, as they're about to clash, I see my brother stumble. I can feel my heart leap to my throat as time slows down. My brother tries to avoid the stab but can only minimize the damage. I watch as the man's blade sinks into the left side of my brother's stomach. Then, as time seems to resume, the two halt in place. My brother's face is down, and his enemy is attempting to ascertain whether or not he is alive, too afraid to move without confirmation.
I can feel the color drain from my face, and I lose all self-control. My mouth moves without my mind's permission.
Kina: "BROTHER!!!"
The entire crowd is silent now, and a few people take notice of me. Those with money on the line are staring directly at the two in the center of the room, waiting for a match confirmation.
Then, suddenly, my brother begins to move again. He grabs the man's blade with his left hand to halt its movement and lets out a swing with his right. I've noticed it before, but his movements are unnaturally quick. He must have learned midst techniques over the past couple of years.
The final man is struck down, coughing up blood as he absorbs the impact of my brother's blow. I want to be excited, but anybody can see that the damage done is severe.
Announcer: "Match: Over!!"
Everyone erupts in applause or anger, but I'm left staring at my brother, who still has a sword in his stomach. He's standing completely still as if any move he makes could be his last, and it very well could be. Then, finally, he turns his head to look at me, and I try to put on a brave face, but my tears betray me. He begins to attempt his classic grin, but it turns into a grimace instead.
The man I saw him enter the building with enters the ring with a massive wad of cash in his hands. He slaps my brother on the back while laughing and hands him about a third of what he's holding. The rest of the money, he pockets. My brother takes the money he's given with disdain and slowly makes his way off the field.
I meet him on his way, and without a word exchanged between us, I help him home. I was understandably angry with him for hiding this from me. He told me he had found a job in construction, and he was being paid handsomely for it. I suppose I allowed him to pull the wool over my eyes.
As we enter our humble home, he nearly collapses. As much as I want to be angry with him for doing something so foolish, I know he did it all for me. We watched our parents die of hunger, so understandably he was trying his best to prevent that from happening to me. Still... there must have been a better way than this!
Over the years of treating his various injuries, I've never seen anything like this. We used to live a good life until Lord Kiichi was chased out of town. I've never seen the new lord, but he must look a good deal like one of those people I saw today. He could have even been one of them! I'll never forgive him for the way he's treated this town. My brother has become like this because of him.
My brother is pale and short of breath. He's been trying to hold my hand ever since I started treating his wounds, almost like he wants me to give up. Finally, as I'm about to try removing the sword from his stomach, he grabs my hand weakly. I can't look up at him and let him see my tears, not after everything he's done for me. He grabs my chin and forces me to look up at him. He's sickly and meek, but he's grinning once again.
Brother: "Sorry, Kina. I did all this to make life easier for you, but I just ended up making everything harder. Every day you've treated my injuries. You've become quite the little doctor!"
He chuckles and pets my head, then winces because of the sword still firmly implanted in him.
Kina: "Idiot... why did you do this? We could have made it somehow..."
I break down into tears and clutch at his bloodstained shirt. I just can't be angry at him. Instead, when I look at him, I can't help but feel anything but adoration.
Brother: "You're quite the doctor, Kina. However, this is one wound that you certainly can't fix."
He pulls the bloodstained money he made from the match out of his pocket and hands it to me.
Brother: "Use this money to do anything you want! You won't have to take care of me any longer after this. Don't let all your medical knowledge go to waste! Continue using it and save people for me. I'll always be watching, and I'll always be proud."
Unable to respond, I nod my head and continue clutching his hand. Then, for the first time, I see my brother begin to cry.
Brother: "I'm sorry, Kina. Please don't remember me like this. Instead, remember me with a smile on my face!"
There was nothing left but acceptance for me. With no family left to help me, I buried my brother later that day. The gods must have been watching because the sky began to shed tears for my brother as well.
I used the money I had received from my brother's sacrifice to continue my medical studies from that day forward. Then, years later, in the library, I learned that there are midst techniques used in advanced medical treatment, one of which might have saved my brother. Midst control isn't something you can learn on your own. Finding a midst teacher was imperative to my research.
Suddenly, over my shoulder, a voice rang out.
Old Man: "That's an interesting book you're reading there, young lady."
I alarmedly jumped away from the source of the noise and may have even yelped in the process. I looked over my shoulder to see an older gentleman with a bit of a wild appearance.
Kina: "Ah, hello there, mister. It's not polite to sneak up on people, much less in a library."
The old man let out a chuckle and bowed his head ever so slightly.
Old Man: "Sorry!"
One fellow at a table near us shushed the older gentleman, and he bowed once more. The old man then sat down next to me and continued our conversation in a softer voice.
Old Man: "So, you're interested in the medical sciences?"
Kina: "That I am. And yourself?"
Old Man: "I've always wanted to learn more about it, but I've only ever been a hired warrior. It seems you're reading about midst techniques there. Do you know how to use them?"
Kina: "No, I've never learned midst control. I would need a teacher."
Old Man: "I think I can assist with that!"
The man next to us shushes the old man once more, and he bows his head in apology once more as well.
Kina: "You can teach me midst control? And you want to learn more about the medical sciences, correct? We can help each other out!"
Old Man: "I suppose great minds really do think alike. I was thinking the same thing! Come live at my dojo, and I'll provide all the materials you need for your studies. In return, you can treat patients at the dojo. There shouldn't be too many, so you can have plenty of time to study as well."
Kina: "Mister, that offer is just too good to miss. I can start today!"
Old Man: "Shouldn't you let your family know where you're going first?"
Kina: "I'm afraid I don't have any family left..."
The old man looks at me with a sad expression.
Old Man: "A girl so young has lost everyone... worry not. You have a family from now on. The people at the dojo call me Shiki, but you can call me grandpa now!"
Kina: "My name is Kina. Nice to meet you, Shiki... oh uhm, Grandpa!"
That event happened a little over a year ago, and I've settled into my place at the dojo quite well. Grandpa didn't lie about there only being a few patients, but he didn't tell me how often they would be injured.
Why did I start thinking about the past all of a sudden? Oh, that's right.
I look towards the two playing tag, but my eyes are glued to Adachi. I tried to ignore it at first, but he is the spitting image of my brother. His face, body, and even the way he moves are all exactly like my brother. When I treated him at the infirmary when he first got here, it was almost like I was treating my brother again.
I've always felt comfortable here at the dojo. However, now that Adachi is here, I truly feel at home.