7:10 P.M. October 30, 1875.
Yuki was sitting in a corner and Ryujiro was standing, staring at the sea.
Yuki: "Hey, Ryuku-Kun. It's getting darker. Don't you feel sleepy?"
Ryujiro: "I'm fine. Sleep dies when you're hungry for your dream..
And what's with that 'Ryuku-Kun'? My name is Ryujiro Kurogane."
Yuki: "I know.. But Ryuku-Kun is cute, right?"
Ryujiro: "My ass.. Why are you so nice to me.. It's suspicious."
Yuki gets up and slaps Ryujiro.
Ryujiro: "How dare you, bi-"
Yuki hugs Ryujiro and starts crying.
"Suspicious? What do you mean? I don't want to be alone anymore! There was no one who stayed with me.. Except my Mom and dad. But they're also gone. You're the only one who isn't afraid of me... Ryuku-Kun."
Ryujiro: "Afraid?.. What do you mean?"
Yuki: "I don't know if I should say this or not."
Ryujiro: "First of all, stop hugging me.. Your long hair are itchy as fuck!"
Yuki blushes and steps aside while Ryujiro continues to stare at the sea.
Yuki: "I mean.. Ever since I was a child, people were afraid of me and hated me too.. They behaved like this because I was my father's daughter."
Ryujiro: "Your father?"
Yuki: "Yes. Shigeo Takahashi.. My father was a man who only loved his family and hated the rest of the world. Because his mom.. My grandma was raped and killed by a man in front of my father when he was ten years old. Her last words to my father went like this.."
"Shigeo.. Protect the Takahashi name and let it live forever.. Your family will be the only one who truly loves you.. The world is hell."
Yuki's father, Shigeo started killing all the people who tried talking casually to him. Everyone was afraid of him in their neighborhood. They eventually started hating his daughter, Yuki too.
"They were always afraid of me.. That's why.. You're the only one I've got." Yuki said.
Ryujiro: "So.. Didn't they try to kill you or something after your father passed away?"
Yuki: "No.. Because they thought that my father made me super strong just like him."
Ryujiro: "So you're weak, huh?"
Yuki: "I never said that I'm weak! It's just that... I wanna get stronger.. So that I can help you more."
Ryujiro: "Yuki.. Do you know how to swing a sword?"
Yuki: "I'm not perfect at it.. But I can swing it if I have to kill a rabbit."
Ryujiro: "That's enough. You will definitely grow stronger."
Yuki: "I haven't used my Katana for quite some time now. But I did bring it with me here."
Ryujiro: "What? Why didn't you tell me earlier? We could've killed this boredom. Whatever.. Show me."
Yuki goes inside and grabs her Katana from there.
"Here.. Look at this." Yuki said
Ryujiro was surprised to see such a sword. The handle was golden and there were red rose designs on it. The guard was like a thin wheel. The blade was as sharp as a newly forged Katana.
Ryujiro: "This is beautiful. When did you get it? and who made it?"
Yuki: "I got this when I was fifteen. My uncle, Yoshio Takahashi made it for me. He was a great swordsmith."
Ryujiro: "Did you say Yoshio? He was a friend of my master, Kenshin. Great swordsmiths.. I see.
Show me how you swing it."
Yuki holds her sword and swings it with power."
Ryujiro: "That was not bad.. But you can do better. Come on. Do it."
Yuki kept swinging the sword until Ryujiro was satisfied.
Ryujiro: "Okay that's enough. I think you can actually kill a rabbit with this."
Yuki: "Really? Thanks, Ryuku-Kun!"
Ryujiro: "What's her name?"
Yuki: "Huh?"
Ryujiro: "Your Katana, I mean."
Yuki: "Oh.. It's Kagehana."
Ryujiro: "That's a pretty good name. I bet you had to think so much before picking this name. It was simple in my case though."
Yuki chuckles.
"That's right." She said.
Ryujiro: "Well then.. We should sleep now, right?"
He turns back and looks at the sea with revenge in his eyes.
Yuki: "Yeah.. Sleep is important for this wonderful yet painful journey.
We will enter the Russian Empire in three to four days I guess. Be ready.. Ryuku-Kun."
Ryujiro and Yuki spent their peaceful moments before the disaster. The ship kept drifting through the sea.
TO BE CONTINUED