Soul for a Girlfriend?

It was lunchtime, and I was heading over to the Kendo Club, as Tsubakihara Senpai would most probably be in the dojo.

But the major problem was that I didn't know how to approach her. She isn't my classmate, let alone our years are completely different. I did not know how to start a conversation with someone I had nothing in common with.

Also she was a senior girl, so I doubt if she would bother talking with a junior like me. Judging from the things Lilith said, it seems like she has quite a strong personality.

With Reina, I had a common friend between us I used as a medium to approach her. But with Senpai, I neither had any means, nor any friends from the third year.

The only time I interacted with a third-year student recently was that time with Mineta Senpai when he was hitting on Saki in front of me. But to be fair, I'm pretty sure neither of us has a good impression of each other in our minds.

I told Kizhashi to gather information about her. Maybe I can somehow manage to get close to her if I knew something about her. Also, the fact that Kizhashi had so many friends was impressive. I can't really get around these extroverts.

I was heading over to the Kendo club, which was next to Tsūmen's Dojo. The way our school was, the building with our classes and the admin building were completely different. And the dojos were behind the admin building, next to the playground.

I turned around the corner and could see the kendo club. It was an old-fashioned dojo with a Japanese-style roof and wooden sliding doors.

I strolled in the front door, but it seemed like there weren't many people in the dojo. Standing in the dark hallway, I noticed a bunch of bamboo swords lying in the room's corner with some of their equipment, too.

I didn't expect them to be unorganised like this. The bamboo swords basically fell from their shelves, but no one even bothered to pick them up. 

What kind of person was the president of this club, Tsubakihara Naoto, was?

I heard some noise coming from inside, so I assumed someone was practicing. Taking off my shoes as it seemed like all of them left their shoes behind, in this area, I walked towards the source of the sound.

I hope the ones practicing are friendly enough, so that I can politely ask them about Senpai.

As I was approaching the room, I realised that the sounds were actually coming from outside. Due to the wooden walls of the dojo, sounds travelled a bit differently than we usually hear. 

Entering the big room in front of me, which was vast enough to serve its purpose for a sparring ground. The floors were clean enough to reflect light off the ceiling. And there was a strange smell in the air.

Judging from the shoes kept in the hallway, I'm sure there are people present in the dojo, but where? Maybe they were on break as it's lunchtime. That's the most plausible explanation.

As I was thinking while standing in the empty room, my eyes shifted towards a set of helmet and chest guard kept on the side of the room and a bamboo sword resting on top of it. 

Seems like someone was indeed using this room a few moments ago. Judging from the way it's kept, the person left the room in a hurry.

The silence around me was suddenly broken as I heard footsteps approaching me.

"Oi, who are you!?" I heard someone call out to me in a rough tone. I turned around to meet with a pair of hostile eyes staring down at me. 

It was a guy about the same height as me, with a kendo sword in his hands. 

"Sorry, I was actually for someone." I replied to his question, but rather than saying anything, he got into a fighting stance and pointed his sword at me.

"I didn't ask you why you came here. I asked who you are?" Holding the sword firmly with both of his hands, he swung it aiming for the side of my stomach.

Is he crazy? He is seriously intending to hurt me? I moved my right hand into a vertical position and blocked his impact. His face showed surprise as I blocked his attack.

He glanced at me with a smirk, and our eyes met. He wasn't wearing a helmet as his black hairs moved freely with every move. Though he was wearing his chest plate.

"You seem suspicious." He said, as changed the direction of his elbows and tried swinging at me head now. I ducked down and charged at me with his sword pointed towards my chest.

"What do you want!?" He asked again, but I didn't reply because it seemed like he was enjoying this fight.

He held the sword in such a position that I knew he was going to spike me now. As expected, he was thrusted the sword aimed at my face but I was dodging it. Going in for a last spike, he drove the sword aimed at my stomach, but I jumped back in an instant.

What the heck is this weirdo's problem? I just came here to talk, and he started attacking me all of a sudden.

"You're probably thinking why I'm attacking you, aren't you?" He asked with a smirk.

"Yeah. I just wanted to talk." I replied.

"Did you learn some fighting styles?" He said while changing his stance, charging at me again.

"I used to practise something." I got into my stance, too.

"Hoooo, Interesting!" He said with excitement in his voice as he was about to swing his sword at me from the left side, but I knew it was feint. He was going for my head.

Showing me the feint, he instantly raised the sword in front of him and swung it down at me. Moving my right arm above my head, I parried his attack as soon as it contacted my forearm. 

But due to both of his hands being in the air now, he was left wide open. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I punched him hard on his liver and his face twitched in pain. Staggering back a few steps, his hold on his sword got weaker.

Keeping my right foot firmly in front of me, and balancing myself on that foot, I spun around while raising my left leg and going for a spinning kick aiming at his face. But just before it could make contact with his face, I heard someone call out to us.

"Stop right there! Both of you!"