"Agung-kun, thank you for coming to this room. Would you like a snack?"
"No sir, I have had breakfast with my mother this morning."
In a neatly arranged room the child sat upright in front of the school leader where he was studying, looking at each other's faces separated by a 1 meter wide table. similar covering his well-built body that doesn't look like his fifth head, short black hair with a bit of gray and the front of his bangs that are slightly wavy to the right, dark brown eyes that look glazed but sharp. Masahiro Kyoji, the principal of Takarazuka Elementary School which is also a school of his invention which has developed rapidly in 15 years so that it can open branches in other big cities at various different levels managed by trusted people, he is famous for his achievements in youth because of his several contributions in the scientific world and the title he got from it.
Despite being given all kinds of big offers, he prefers to improve the level of education for his homeland which was previously affected by the Great Hanshin Earthquake 16 years ago. In front of him right now, it was the child that caught his attention; Agung, making his curiosity soar to something that looks like "hidden but not guarded" by the child.
"So? Do you know the reason why you were summoned here?"
The headmaster, Kyoji, tries to throw bait at the boy.
"...I don't really know the reason why I was summoned to this room. Because so far no disputes or problems have arisen as a result of my actions." Agung answered orderly and without stammering.
『Look at this kid, well-composed and inoffensive words.』That answer made Kiyoji's gaze even more fiery.
"Okay, if you're so sure you haven't done anything wrong, why don't you want to call your parents here?"
Kyoji again gave a small bait in response to Agung's response.
"As I said before, I don't feel I have done anything wrong and there has been no call of action regarding any problems I caused, whether they occurred or not."
『Jeez, this isn't a 3rd grader talk at all. Even though I was just curious about some of his assignments that caught the attention of the teachers and raised suspicions that all the assignments done before were completed by his parents or siblings. The Academic Evaluation that Reina-san gave earlier to identify her understanding level was already very high; even to an unreasonable degree. For a child who is not from a native Japanese nationality either, it's extraordinary. This child is a big and good asset for this education and school.』
"Ahahaha sorry-sorry! Actually there isn't any problem with your daily life at school!" Kyoji let out cheerful words which he had been holding back for a while, admiring the polite response from Agung who was still a 7 year old child at that time.
"However, there is one thing I wish to speak to you in private Agung-kun." Kyoji's eyes became calmer but serious, thrusting a letter onto the table. Agung was momentarily stunned, not expecting to be given a letter. He took the letter after seeing it lying on the table for a while.
『...His hands don't look like those of an ordinary child. Between his fingers looks rough and has calluses for some reason... Do I have to ask--』 Kyoji caught a glimpse of Agung's hand that was grabbing the letter. Seeing some calluses left between his fingers which if not looked at properly could have been missed.
He tried to ask Agung's condition out of curiosity, but Agung answered before Kyoji could ask.
"Principal, I thank you for your response. Even for a letter of recommendation to take part in the Acceleration program. However, I cannot accept it at this time." Agung folded the letter back, handed it back with a light smile on his face.
"Why? Is there really something against you to accept this recommendation? Do you need a consultation so your parents can accept it?" The headmaster was surprised and shocked to hear the boy's refusal. But the boy had not finished his words yet.
"No, there is no problem at all regarding my parents. Even my mother would gladly receive this message with an open heart. However, as I say, I cannot accept it. For now." The boy's reply quickly incorporated the Headmaster's surprise and made him catch the meaning of the statement.
"So. For now? Is there anything you want to do before you can accept this recommendation?" while pulling back the letter of recommendation with a disappointed sigh, he asked a statement that sounded like a requirement before accepting his favor.
"Ah, sorry sir. I didn't mean to make any conditions or anything. Its just..."
"Its just?"
Agung raised his face with a confident and mature look, while smiling he stated to the headmaster;
"My friend will come to this school."
---- ---- ---- ---- ----
["And..a year has passed, but until now there has been no sign of the person Agung-kun was waiting for to appear at all."] In the Headmaster's room which is his office, Kyoji is working on a series of documents piled up to be completed. Several times he checked back the documents he had arranged, in order to avoid any mistakes, whether small or big.
Flipping through pages from one file to another, his eyes carefully analyzed the data carefully then ended all the work and rearranged it neatly so that it was easy to find when it was put in the file rack that was tightly attached to the wall of his room on the right made of white painted wood rectangular in shape and a glass panel with a sliding lock to make it easier when searching for the required document.
Finished organizing the files, on his desk there is a file that he forgot to organize along with his other documents. "Jeez, did this fall out of the other document?" Kyoji opened the document to determine which category of archive he should put this document in.
"Ah this is the Chief Manager's daughter and—oh? I forgot that there were 2 girls who moved in at the same time, is it because of my age huh?"
The school principal tidied up his documents and re-arranged the files left behind into his archive.
---- ---- ---- ----
*POW *POW *BAM *SWOOSH
In the depths of the forest inside Takarazuka Mountain not too far from the city. A young boy and an old man were clashing at a high speed. The young man was holding a karambit in his hand and the old man was only using his bare hands to avoid it. Several times there was a bang from their clashing arms, but there was no sign that the fight would end.
The boy maneuvered using his feet to move and attack, his hands also always found opportunities to attack and avoid. The old man didn't look rushed at all, he easily dodged and moved the flow of the boy's hand in a different direction; the kid's attack didn't land at all. Even with the tempo still not reduced, the boy still tried to observe his surroundings in order to make a better move to land "just one strike" on the old man's body.
"So? *BAM* are you getting tired brat?"
*BAM*
The old man provoked while parrying the blows flying his way.
"Of course, *BAM* Not yet!"
At the extreme speed the boy twisted his body, exposing his back to the old man; Causing a sense of shock and astonishment from the old man. The child disappeared from his sight in an instant; behind his back.
*SWOOOSH*
A sharp sound swooped up quickly over the back of the old man's body, not having time to determine the position of the attack— *THUNK
Stabbing the sole of his left foot into the ground, he used that to rotate around avoiding the young boy's stab.
"GOT YOU!"
His right foot sharply missed the old man's back, but his goal had been achieved.
*BANG!
The thrust of the leg from the high slanted position was intended to land himself a foothold, and turn his body rapidly; The boy landed a strike to his back using leg rotation as well as body and attacked with his right elbow. He managed to land an attack on the old man. Knowing his goal had been achieved, the adrenaline that burned him slowly faded away; bringing fatigue to his body simultaneously.
Wet with sweat as he stretched out in relief on the grass, the old man approached the Child who was stretched out exhausted, standing up.
"You've been studying my moves secretly huh? You naughty boy." He grinned while showing a face that looked annoyed at the child, but tucked in a sense of pride in it. With still teetering breaths, the child tried to control his breathing to become more constant and relaxed—it only took him a moment.
["And even If you control your breath well, this kid really takes his example seriously huh?"]The old man watched the child's development continuously and keenly and carefully, in order to cultivate his talent to bloom properly.
"But, why have you been in such a hurry these past few days? You can't hide your anxiety for some reason." He asked the kid.
"I'm sorry grandpa, but it's likely that in a few days the things I said earlier will appear in a few days or even weeks." the child; Agung. Revealed the reason to the old man; Grandfather who trained it.
"Ah I remember, if I'm not mistaken this is about—"
"That's right, the girl that will be my classmate later."
=== Crossroad ===