Turn Back The Pendulum: It all starts, After Life [Flash back, Tento/Hanako]

Tension was high and bodies were tight, the rare moments where the adrenaline flowing though Tento's veins made it feel like time was actually slowing down. The wood clashed into each other, but it was as if he did not hear the impact, did not feel their muscles slam into each other and shake their bodies. He had no idea if it was coming from his own body or the upper class woman Hanako, but the vibration of breaths leaving the body from exhortation and exhilaration was coming from someone. From the sidelines, it would be seen that it indeed was coming from Tento. Tento's face was slightly harder, more aggressive, showing a warrior's face exchanging with another one he deemed as a warrior. Whether it was do to the nature of their clash, their body positions, or something else, Hanako and Tento were staring each other in the face, Hanako at his eyes and Tento back at hers. In a split second, he was momentarily out of the battle, and noted Hanako's clear light blue eyes. He would have commented on how clear and pretty he thought they were if they were in a different situation right now. Oh, she got a few freckles too? I didn't notice that until I got this close....

And then the moment was over. Time cranked back up once again, bring Tento's body back into the quick pace of the events happening. The yell of the teacher breaking it off, the swords of Tento and Hanako moving apart before their bodies bowed down to each other respectfully, and for Tento at least, the unknown eyes watching them and their disappointed noises. He had grown tired of being a spectale and had tuned them out by now. Tento did not know if Hanako heard this because she was moving fast but when Tento bowed he spoke out to her, "Thank you for the spar and challenge Senpai. You are truly strong and I hope to get the opportunity to do this again", Tento words would be clear and audible, showing respect and a tone actually showing enjoyment from their exchange.

After which Tento would go put away his bokken, the open rack for it being far away from Hanako resulting in Tento not seeing the tension in Hanako's face or the look the teacher gave her. As the bodies continued to leave the room at the end of the lesson, Tento's ears were turned back on. Moving out of his concentrated zone and being more away of the people that were once on the sidelines. Comments were flying from students, gossip. An easy way to get a hint of things going around and more importantly how people were feeling about it. Ice Queen. and apparently that name belonged to Hanako.

****

Time would continue after that, days passed and Tento continued his first week at Shino academy. Growing familiar with the layout, needing less time to get to classes in the day, (more time to sleep and rest), and learn within the environments of the classes he was put in. With that came further instruction from teachers and more interaction with other students. One giving him a solid exposure further to what his skill levels and aptitude was at, and the other giving him further gossip knowledge, try as he might to not care or be involved in it. Words of the freshman clashing with the Fifth year Ice Queen. He heard it repeatedly; she was cold, liked to isolate, and was competitive; competitive to a fault. He would need more experience with her to see what was true and what was people just talking.

On this day, Tento had been in his kido classes. The information still forming within his head, Tento did not go back to his dorm room. Instead he went to the yard, planning to go to the nearby open target area to do target practice. That's when he came upon Hanako, sitting on a bench. He was still a bit away from here but could see the outside of the book, a kido book. "Good day Hanako Senpai".