Since the fight with Kazuki in the Buddha Hall, many things had changed. Akiko, having declared her friendship, was Jack’s closest ally. Yori had become a constant companion, but he was so reserved that Jack still didn’t really know him. Kiku was pleasant enough towards him, though Jack thought that was more for Akiko’s benefit than out of any real friendship. Saburo sat on the fence. He was everyone’s friend. He would talk to anyone who listened.

Yamato, however, had distanced himself completely. He now sat on the other table with Kazuki, Emi and Nobu. He still spoke to Akiko and the others, but would blatantly ignore Jack. That suited Jack just fine.

On the upside, Kazuki had kept to his word. He had left Jack alone. He still threw intimidating looks and would taunt him, calling him ‘Gaijin Jack’ along with the rest of his cronies, but he did not lay a finger on him. Except when training in taijutsu!

This was no-man’s-land.

During the kihon and randori sessions in these classes, Sensei Kyuzo would often turn a blind eye to Kazuki’s excessive use of force. One time, they had been practising ude-uke, inside forearm blocks, and the power behind each block had escalated until they were both hammering at each other’s forearms. The bruises didn’t fade for over a week. Jack had tried to complain about Kazuki’s behaviour, but Sensei Kyuzo shot him down, saying, ‘It’s good conditioning for you. If you can’t take a little pain, you are clearly too much gaijin to be a samurai.’

Akiko’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

‘Jack, are you coming?’

She had appeared at his door in a sky-blue kimono decorated with butterflies. Jack blinked. She was like the butterfly from his vision! Then Kiku sidled up to her, wearing a light-green spring kimono and carrying a small bag.

‘Coming where?’ asked Jack.

‘Hanami!’ she sang, and hurried off with Kiku in tow.

‘What’s hanami?’ Jack called after her down the hallway.

‘A flower-viewing party,’ said Saburo, who had popped his head round the corner. Jack could see Yori waiting silently in the background.

‘A flower-viewing party? Sounds absolutely thrilling,’ said Jack with forced enthusiasm, but he put down his watering jug and followed after them nonetheless. At least it would make a change from training, he thought.

‘This certainly does make a change,’ said Jack, letting out a long contented sigh as he lounged on the grassy banks of the Kamogawa River, shaded from the sun by sakura trees that literally drooped under the weight of their blossom.

Akiko, Kiku, Yori and Saburo were sitting beside him, equally enjoying the bliss of the moment. This was the first time the students had been allowed out of the school complex, and they were all relishing the freedom.

‘So how do you like our hanami party?’ asked Akiko.