Saiyuri’s Story

Synopsis: A baby is left behind at a martial arts dojo with a note from her mother. As she grows up, she begins to wonder who her birth mother is and begins the search for her.

Chapter 1--Winter’s Gift

It was mid-December and the winter snows had been falling non-stop. A young mother with nowhere else to go and no one else to turn to gazed at her darling baby girl in her arms, whom she had just given birth to. She had been the unfortunate victim of rape and had come from a very religious family. So, in order to hide her ‘shame’, she had decided to drop the child off somewhere safe that she knew the infant would be cared for without the possibility of dishonoring her own family and being disowned entirely.

The mother wept softly as she found a suitable location to leave her.

“I am so sorry, little one. I couldn’t take care of you, it was too much of a risk. But despite the circumstances that brought you into this cold, terrible place, I still love you with all my heart, Saiyuri.”, the mother said as she kissed the baby’s nose. Little Saiyuri giggled and cooed at the gesture of affection but soon grew fearful when she could no longer see her mother’s face due to the prolific snow. Scared, the infant wailed and cried to get attention and it wasn’t long that the owners of the dojo found Saiyuri and saw a note attached to her blanket.

“To whomever finds little Saiyuri, she is your’s now. Unfortunately I am unfit to care for her. She was brought into the world through violence but in your care, I am sure she will flourish and blossom like the lovely flower she is. Please take care of my daughter and if she wants to find me once she comes of age, do not dissuade her because someday, I hope to reconcile this wrong. For now, I must continue to live my life the best I can. Love…”, and the mother’s name was smeared by strains of tear-marks. The sensei drew the infant close to him and rocked her gently to soothe her crying. His wife was soon stirred by the infant’s mewling and knew that she was hungry.

“Poor dear. We’ll do what we can to raise her and when she comes of age, she can start questing for her birth mother. But we can’t sugarcoat how arduous this journey will be for her.”, the wife said, tenderly taking the fussy girl into her arms. Her name was Sakura, which was fitting, because not only did she smell of cherry blossoms, but she looked like one in all its beauty. Aikido, aptly named, had the hues of autumn in his eyes and hair and had the robust strength of a maple in his arms, however was as tender as could be with Saiyuri. The two were well experienced with children, having seven little ones of their own that kept the dojo tidy and prepared the students for their daily exercises. The dojo wasn’t only a place for discipline and learning, but for many of those students who came in, they found sanctuary from some rather rough circumstances. Now, Saiyuri was coming in from a decidedly harsh background, but welcomed into the warmth of loving brothers and sisters and two senseis who would nourish her to the best of their ability.

Chapter 2--Flawless, Beautiful Warrior

From a bumbling, clumsy toddler, Saiyuri grew into an exceptional student of martial arts and kendo. Aikido had taught her moves that would otherwise be considered as ‘miraculous’, but Saiyuri had the speed of a cheetah and her mind sensed the movements of her opponents far in advance, thus making her nearly impossible to defeat. Her only weakness was chocolate and the only person who knew this was Hirohito, who happened to have a crush on her. He could only express his feelings through chocolate, but was always too shy to speak to her. But, someday, he knew he’d be able to gird his courage and express himself to her. For now, he simply enjoyed nearly defeating her in sparring matches.

Saiyuri was inquisitive why she didn’t look like her brothers or sisters, let alone her mother and father. She had been asking questions about that since she learned how to communicate. She knew she was the right age to start looking for her birth mother.

“I love you both so much, but I have always wondered who she is. I pray she is still alive out there somewhere. There’s the possibility she may not be any longer.”, Saiyuri surmised.

“I don’t think she is dead, dearest. She would have wanted to live as long as she could to see you face to face. Why, I know I would !”, Sakura said, stroking her hair gently.

“You do know searching for her will be difficult, right ?”, Aikido warned, sagely.

“Of course I do, papa. I have prepared long in advance for such a journey. My soul is ready, my feet are sure, my heart is fixated upon the intention of being embraced by my mother. I will return, inevitably, but it may take some time.”, Saiyuri said, determinedly. She hugged and kissed her father, then her mother, packed only the bare neccessities for her arduous journey and bade her farewells to her brothers and sisters. In the background was Hirohito, shedding silent tears.

“You be careful, Sai ! When you return, I will defeat you in our next battle !”, Hirohito called out, somewhat meekly. Saiyuri turned, her soft, blue eyes gazing at him like that of a gentle deer.

“I will, but you know Hiro, it is I who will defeat you.”, she added with a sassy smirk, pivoted on her sandal and began walking away from the dojo.

Chapter 3--Over Miles and Miles

It seemed that Saiyuri was traveling for days on end. Her sandals were beginning to become worn and tattered. She began to look and smell like a beggar woman, but her beauty had never faded. She wandered everywhere asking people if they had seen a woman who looked like her and no one had been able to help.

Saiyuri began running low on rations and only had a few crumbs of rice left to eat. It had rained the day before, so she found a Styrofoam cup that had been blowing in the gentle wind next to a drain. Granted the water wasn’t the purest in Japan, but for the moment it would have to do. Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist. Alarmed, and alert, she quickly flipped this person over her and onto his back.

Then she saw that the person was a woman.

“My goodness ! I am sorry ! Did I harm you ?”, Saiyuri asked, covering her mouth in fear.

“No. You didn’t, dear. Goodness, you’re strong !”, the woman said. Saiyuri marveled at the woman’s dark, raven hair and how it was tied behind her heart-shaped, porcelain-colored face. She felt she was looking into a mirror of her elder self.

“Saiyuri ?”, the woman asked, and reached up to touch Saiyuri’s face. Intuitively, Saiyuri felt she could trust this woman even though she had recently flipped her on her back.

“How do you know my name ?”, Saiyuri asked, somewhat fearfully.

“I gave birth to you. I have never forgotten your face.”, the woman said, drawing Saiyuri near to her heart.

Saiyuri felt tears rise to her eyes. She and her mother cried for a good long while before Saiyuri wanted to take her back home to the dojo.

“I want you to meet the family that raised me.”, Saiyuri said.

“Magnificent, but first we need to have something to eat and rest before we go.”, her mother suggested. Saiyuri’s stomach growled ferociously and she blushed darkly in embarrassment. Her mom, whom she learned was named Kikiyou, laughed heartily and felt that it was the first sincere chuckle her mom had experienced for a long while.

As they enjoyed a meal of warm double cheeseburgers, fries and chilly Coke-a-colas, Saiyuri learned more about her mother. She had since escaped the brute who had been responsible for raping her many years ago as a teenager. The man had since been sentenced to jail for his crime, for she wasn’t the first woman he had brutalized so violently. Kikiyou hadn’t cared to look for love ever again and was happy with the friends she had made. Most of her confidantes had been female but there were a few males that she knew could be trusted with her life.

The reunion was only beginning between the two women. They learned they had many things in common, and one of those elements was chocolate. They both adored it, admitting it was their Achilles’ Heel. They loved classical music and could both sing like perfect angels and they enjoyed the simple beauty of a flower garden, trees in bloom and the changing of the seasons. They soon learned that they had meant to be brought together and vowed to be best friends forever.

Chapter 4--Samurai Clan

Kikiyou had enough money to afford a bus ride back to the dojo. Although she knew she was leaving behind her old life in the city for the idyllic scenery of the countryside, she was happier than she could ever be. Each moment presented her a new opportunity to learn about her daughter.

Kikiyou soon met Saiyuri’s seven brothers and sisters, the pupils of the dojo and at last, her mom and dad. Saiyuri’s adoptive mother and father were so ecstatic to see her returning home that they wept in elation, hugged her, and kissed her cheeks non-stop.

“You don’t need to be sad. I told you I’d be back.”, Saiyuri said, teasing her parents a bit. Kikiyou thought that perhaps she would be chastised by the two parents that had raised Saiyuri for sixteen years, but they simply took her into their arms and welcomed her to the clan.

“We know you’re a wanderer as well. If you are in need of anything, we’ll do our best to provide you with food, clothing and board.”, Aikido said, intuitively. It was uncanny how he could look a person in the eyes and sense their soul. Kikiyou shivered at his perception, but he was right. She had been a bit down on her luck recently after the company she had worked for had gone belly-up. She was going to start looking for work in the weeks to come and no matter how long it took for her to actually get a job and earn enough money to own an apartment, Aikido and Sakura would help keep her nurtured and throw in some martial arts as well.

Kikiyou didn’t know the first thing about kendo or karate but she was more interested in the ‘way of open hands’ than with the way of the sword. Sakura was more than delighted to help her learn and could see much potential in her. It would take time for Kikiyou to overcome her initial lack of self-confidence but her aptitude to learn something new was immense and swift.

It took about 9 months for Kikiyou to find a new job that would pay for an apartment that could house three people. Saiyuri knew it meant that she would have to say goodbye to the family she knew and return to the family she had just become a part of. Kikiyou had met a handsome, intelligent accountant named Michu who treated her like a queen and made her feel absolutely divine. Michu had no experience with children, but upon meeting Saiyuri, he connected with her spirit. It was hard not to because she was so delightful and engaging.

Though Saiyuri adapted quickly to life in the city with her mother and father, she often would return to the country to visit her adoptive family. In her new school setting, she had become head of the Kendo club and was president of the martial arts association. She was a ‘small package of fury’ in competition. But she found it strange that she had still not heard much from her friend, Hirohito. Hiro was still back at the dojo, trying to muster up enough guts to write Saiyuri a letter. He had done everything in his power to get Saiyuri to notice him and even when she had visited him the last time, he had been unable to defeat her in battle. He vowed that this time, it would be different and he would finally kiss her, even if it ended in him getting slapped. Secretly, though, he prayed that her hand would stroke his face and pat it gently.

Chapter 5--Hiro Victorious

Saiyuri was blossoming more and more into a gorgeous woman day by day and by the time she returned to visit her adoptive family, Hiro too, had grown into a handsome man. He still wore glasses that shielded his dark violet eyes, but he had become stronger over time. He knew now, more than ever, he could probably beat Saiyuri in a sparring match and was looking forward to proving it.

Aikido called the two to face each other in the center of the dojo. The two friends bowed, as they typically did. It was like old times. Saiyuri had never been challenged by her peers, but Hiro was the perfect match. He moved even quicker than what she could remember, but she was like the wind; unable to be caught.

Then, he reached for something in his pocket. It was a piece of candy he had been holding on to. Saiyuri smelled the sweetness of the chocolate and sighed. He had her exactly where he wanted her now. He was able to hit her in the back and won the match.

“If you hadn’t had that chocolate I would have won !”, Saiyuri protested.

“But, I kept it just because I wanted to give it to you. All this time I have been meaning to write to you and tell you I love you.”, Hiro said, sheepishly, his cheeks turning red. Saiyuri was surprised at the confession, but was ultimately touched by this gesture. She had never thought of Hiro romantically before but in the past, she had entertained a few notions of the possibility of being his girlfriend.

“Maybe we can start dating like normal girlfriends and boyfriends do.”, Saiyuri offered, chuckling merrily. Hiro felt like dancing wildly in that moment. He had never envisioned his humble request to the Gods being responded to in this matter but he said a silent prayer of thanks for them answering him.

“Of course we can, Sai. We’ll keep in touch as much as possible and promise not to allow anyone to come between us.”, Hiro answered. He embraced her and kissed her on the nose. Again, she blushed floridly.

“Sorry if that was too forward but I cannot help myself sometimes.”, he added with a light-hearted chuckle.

Epilogue

Over the years, Saiyuri and Hiro became closer and learned more about each other as nearly inseparable lovers. As soon as they became adults and finished college, they were married nearby the dojo where they had grown up.

There was soon the pitter-patter of tiny feet in Saiyuri’s house. She and Hiro had become the proud parents to twin boys, Ryuta and Genki. Ryuta was the name of Hiro’s father, and Genki had been named after a beloved sparring partner of both of them that had followed them into college and strangely enough, had become their pediatrician. But the doctor didn’t play favorites with the boys. He loved them equally as he did Hiro and Saiyuri.

Saiyuri’s parents, both birth and adoptive, grew to love the little boys and hoped they would become martial artists someday. It was bound to happen since it was in their blood. But as for the present time, they were loved dearly by the vast community that surrounded them and they couldn’t have asked for a better pair of parents. Sure, they were fallible like any other parents were, but they would learn and mature in knowledge, humility, discipline, strength, joy and most importantly, love.

The End