Teaching Kendo in Tokyo 1980

The next morning, as soon as Ikeda Shigeru arrived at school—but before even stepping into the classroom—he spotted an announcement posted on the bulletin board.

It was a disciplinary notice: suspension letters for Miura, Asano, and Irie.

So the police must've informed the school.

Just as he was about to turn away, he overheard someone muttering behind him.

"Isn't Ikeda the ringleader of those three? Why didn't he get suspended too?"

"They probably helped him get away. Covered for him."

"What's with the school? They should've suspended all four. There's no way Ikeda wasn't involved in the fight."

A surge of anger welled up in Ikeda's chest. He forced himself to unclench his fists, pretending not to hear the whispers, and headed toward his classroom.

But then another voice piped up.

"He shaved his head… is he planning to get revenge for his buddies?"

"I heard he's aiming to take over all of Tokyo."

"No way, someone said he's trying to turn over a new leaf. I heard he even returned the money he extorted."

"As if. Must be a front."

Ikeda's brow furrowed. He abruptly turned and strode straight toward the group talking.

It was a trio of boys. The moment they saw Ikeda coming, all three paled. One of them even squeezed his legs together, practically ready to wet himself.

"Hey! I did return the money I extorted! That's a fact!"

The three boys who had been gossiping so boldly just moments ago now bobbed their heads like chickens pecking grain, not daring to say another word.

Ikeda turned away, shaking off the irritation clouding his mind, and continued toward his classroom.

As usual, the other students avoided him.

Not that Ikeda particularly minded. Turning over a new leaf didn't mean he had to become friends with everyone.

He sat idly at his desk, staring out the window.

Truthfully, he'd never cared for scenery, but there wasn't much else to do at the moment.

A good student, he supposed, would crack open a textbook and get a head start on the next lesson. But "improving academically" wasn't yet on Ikeda's personal reform plan.

He still had no idea that his respected mentor, Kiryu Kazuma, was aiming to get into the University of Tokyo. In Ikeda's mind, Kazuma would naturally leverage his kendo prowess to land a police academy recommendation, then join the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

That was the path Ikeda wanted to follow, too.

Had he run into Kazuma this morning, he'd surely have been stunned to see his mentor walking and memorizing exam points at the same time.

Just then, a timid voice reached Ikeda's ears.

"I-Ikeda-kun… s-sorry to bother you."

Ikeda looked over to see none other than Kondo—the class "punching bag," "four-eyed pig," and frequent target of his past bullying—standing nervously beside his desk.

Head bowed, sweat pouring off him in rivulets that dripped from his nose, Kondo was visibly trembling.

A wave of revulsion rose in Ikeda. In truth, he'd started bullying Kondo in the first place because the guy's constant sweating grossed him out.

And it hadn't even been Ikeda who started it—the girls in class had. He'd merely picked up where they left off.

"What is it?" Ikeda asked, forcing down his disgust and trying to sound as friendly as possible.

Kondo hesitated, then pulled out a piece of paper, clearly unsure whether to hand it over.

Without waiting, Ikeda snatched it and scanned it.

It was a detailed list of all the money he had ever extorted from Kondo.

"Y-you did give back the money from the last time," Kondo stammered, casting nervous glances toward the trio of gyaru girls across the room. "B-but… y-you said you wanted to t-turn over a new leaf, r-right? So… c-could you please return… all of it?"

Ikeda looked again at the list, then shot a glance at the girls.

"You getting bullied by Saya and her crew?"

Kondo instantly shook his head so hard that sweat went flying—some of it even splattering onto Ikeda's face.

Recoiling, Ikeda quickly said, "Alright, alright, stop shaking! I get it! I owe you money, right? I'll pay you back! I'm working a part-time job now, so I'll repay you in installments after I get paid."

Kondo looked as though he'd been granted a royal pardon and bolted out of there at top speed.

Ikeda glanced over at the gyaru group on the other side of the room. The girls all averted their gazes.

At lunchtime, Ikeda followed his usual pattern—using his lingering reputation to quickly secure the most coveted item in the cafeteria: a yakisoba bun.

He was just about to head back to the classroom when a first-year delinquent suddenly appeared in front of him and deliberately bumped into him.

The kid's cream-filled bun made contact—cream side down—right against Ikeda's school uniform.

"Oh my~ isn't this Ikeda-senpai? So sorry, I didn't see you there!" The boy's tone was sickeningly sweet. "A reformed Ikeda-senpai wouldn't blow up over something like this, right?"

Ikeda clenched his fists—but then caught sight of the head teacher responsible for student conduct entering the cafeteria.

Starting a fight here would be serious, especially with the head teacher present.

He forced himself to relax his hands and smiled at the first-year. "Be more careful next time."

Immediately, the first-year and his crew—who'd been lurking nearby—burst into exaggerated "Ooooh~" jeers.

"Turning over a new leaf! Redeemed delinquent!" The ringleader leaned in close, grinning nastily at Ikeda. "But you think you can just decide to turn over a new leaf and have everything go back to normal? Do you know how many people are itching to beat you up? If you're really gonna play the role of an ordinary student, you'd better learn to take it lying down, Senpai~"

"Even an ordinary student doesn't have to take everything lying down," Ikeda finally retorted. "Legally, there's still such a thing as justified self-defense."

"Tsk, tsk~ Senpai, you don't get it, huh?" The first-year shook his head mockingly. "If an ordinary student fights back, sure, that's self-defense. But if you fight back… what do you think the cops will call it? Obviously just another case of a delinquent brawl—hahaha."

With that, the boy turned to his cronies. "Let's go! No point talking to someone who's gonna be hospitalized tomorrow. The legend of Meisei Junior High… it's over."

The group burst into laughter.

One of them even added snidely, "Remember now~ No fighting back! Bye-bye, Senpai~"

Ikeda stood frozen, fists clenching and unclenching over and over.

Just then, the head teacher barked from across the room.

"Ikeda! Are you about to start another fight? How much further are you going to drag Meisei's reputation through the mud?!"

Ikeda whipped around, glaring at the teacher.

He wanted to shout—to tell them all that he wasn't that kind of delinquent anymore.

He wanted to scream to the world: I really do want to change! I really want to be a good person! Why won't any of you believe me?!

What will it take for you to believe me?

Ever since that day—years ago now—when his mother had abandoned him and his alcoholic father, Ikeda hadn't felt this close to crying.

He bit his lip hard, forcing the tears down.

Because long ago, on the very afternoon she left, his mother had told him:

"Men don't shed tears easily."

Now, with nothing left but his stubborn pride and determination, Ikeda fought back the tears with all his might.

(End of Chapter)