Sakura House Vol. 1

Chapter 6: A True Acceptance - Part 3: Satsuki-san and Menma-kun

        As I slept that night, I had a dream, a nightmare would probably be a better term, I woke up and immediately forgot what it was about, but it felt to me like some kind of omen of possible events to come. When I was a kid, my grandparents used to tell me that the first time you have a dream in a new area, it's a sign. I just hope it wasn't anything too bad...

        I looked at my clock, it was 3 in the morning, but I woke up because I had heard noises coming from outside. I left my room and walked to the balcony that overlooked the garden in the middle of the property, I then noticed lights on in a room across the way, I hadn't been over there yet, so I decided to investigate. I snuck through the halls the whole time, last thing I would want is for Tenma-san to see me sneaking around. When I got to the room in question, just to be safe, I looked inside with caution, what I saw wasn't a possible robber, but it was Satsuki-san, she was in a martial arts gi, punching and kicking the air, it was an amazing display!

        I quietly came in and sat against the wall, Satsuki-san didn't notice me. After about 10 minutes had passed, she stopped to take a breather, upon turning she noticed me just sitting there, I waved.

        "How long have you been sitting there?" she asked as calmly as ever.

        "About ten minutes, I'm sorry for intruding, I was just so astounded by your moves, I didn't want to interrupt." I scratched the back of my head.

        "I see, well then there is no problem." she smiled as she sat next to me.

        "So, why are you out here so late? Or would it be considered early?"

        "I couldn't sleep. When that happens I come here to train."

        "Oh...so is that why you told me you didn't need help with those guys when we first met?" I asked.

        "You remember that?" she seemed kind of shocked.

        "Well of coarse I do, it only happened just the other day, besides, I met one of my new...friends that day." I hesitated.

        "You hesitated on the word friend, why?" she asked with a puzzled expression.

        "Um...well, to be honest, when I moved to Otomaki, I wasn't planning on making friends any time soon..."

        "Why? Does it have something to do with the reason you came to Sakura House?"

        "Yes...but I'd rather not go into now...I want to tell everyone at the same time, but right now, I want everyone to truly accept me here, that includes Tenma-san..."

        "That may prove difficult, but I'm sure she'll come around eventually." Satsuki-san looked like she was staring out the window when she said that, though at the time I didn't think anything of it. "To help with this, True Acceptance of yours, would you like to know why I'm here?"

        "Sure, if it's no trouble."

        Satsuki-san smiled, "When I first came to Sakura House, I was fresh out of high school, and I had left my home in Tokyo and moved out here to Otomaki, at the time, the only ones living here were Yayoi-san and Kenzaki-san. I originally had no idea i'd be living here for so long. You see, back in high school, I had a very bad reputation in my neighborhood. I would always get into brawls with thugs in the streets. Even though I did it in order to stop the guys from harassing the public, a lot of folks didn't see it that way, they only saw a trouble making delinquent...apparently word spread and I couldn't get into any universities, and I couldn't find any place to stay, so I came to Otomaki, I had just enough money saved for the train ride. Once I got here, with no money to even afford a room for a single night, I just walked the streets, soon I found myself here, I asked Yayoi-san if I could stay the night, expecting a no, but she said yes." Satsuki-san looked very melancholic...but happy at the same time.