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Hiroshi sat at the pond, shinai across his legs. He watched the languid movement of the Koi, seeking serenity. At that moment, he had none.
Hiroshi was a Kendo Master, the finest Kenoka in all Japan. He had never lost a match.
His wife, Kaori joined him at the pond. “Husband,” she said. “What troubles you?”
“I look troubled?”
Kaori smiled. “When I first saw your eyes, my heart recognized you. I knew we would marry. In three months, we did. I know your heart like it was my own, my love.”
Hiroshi smiled at this. “I know this is true. In my Kendo bout with Fujioka, I looked in his eyes and knew I would win in seven movements. I won in seven. In all my matches it is the same.”
“So?”
“Today I lost.”
“What? You fought no matches today.”
Hiroshi said, “Kimiko plans to date a boy.”
Kaori blinked at the sudden change of topic. She sighed. They dreaded letting her their willful daughter go free. “What did you tell her?”
Hiroshi shuddered. “I prepared myself for a great battle of wills with her.”
“And?”
“When I looked in her eyes, I knew…she had won.”
_______________________________
Written for FLASH FICTION FOR THE PURPOSEFUL PRACTITIONER: https://flashfictionforthepracticalpractitioner.wordpress.com/2017/01/25/flash-fiction-for-the-purposeful-practitioner-2017-week-05/
Author’s Notes:
Kendo: Martial Arts with bamboo swords: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo
Shinai: Bamboo sword.
Kendoka: A practitioner of Kendo.
Koi: Japanese Goldfish (very large Carp)
EagleAye
Momus News 
Wrong target. Hiroshi must prepare for a battle of wills against the boy.
And he must prepare for many more battles to come against many more unworthy opponents.
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Very true. In fact, driving boys away from Kimiko will probably be far easier than driving her away from the boys! 😉
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Fortunately, my daughter has a lot more sense when it comes to relationships. My son on the other hand…
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I just hope that I’m as lucky as you when my daughter grows up. So far, I’m dreading the day when… :O
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It’s not just daughters, but sons.
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Very true. I hope things work out well with your son.
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Me too.
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Neat story really draws the reader in. But when I got to the end I wondered, were girls in Japan ever allowed to choose someone themselves, or to date, until very recently? I thought dating was pretty much a Western world thing pre-1945.
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Well thank you! That’s good to hear.
Sorry for the confusion. This story takes place in present day Japan, in 2017. Kendo may sound old (and it is) but it is still practiced all over modern Japan and many other countries including the US.
Thanks so much! 🙂
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I remember an acquaintance grumbling about his daughter’s boyfriend and a listener remarking with a grin, “No fellow will ever be good enough for your little girl.” 🙂
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No doubt. That’s precisely what I think when I look at my daughter. 😉
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Well done my friend…when Hiroshi and Kaori began speaking, I could hear them. My granddaughter is 15 and has her first boyfriend (they met at church youth group). I would think her father feels must like Hiroshi.
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Well at least they met at youth group. There’s hope she’ll be well-treated anyway. I can imagine papa is still nervous, though. I’m glad this story felt real enough. Thank you so much!
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Oh yeah. He’s nervous…he’s a school teacher AND an ex-cop 😀
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He must have very good judgment, to be able to learn so much from looking into another’s eyes. And he must be very wise, to see that he cannot defeat the love in his daughter’s eyes. She must fight that battle herself.
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I think that’s what he realized. Fighting for her, even if he was right, would be counterproductive. He fought not only a battle against the will of his daughter, but against his own instincts. Affairs of the heart are more complex than those of the blade.
Thanks so much for your thoughts, Joy! 🙂
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As a parent, these words…“I prepared myself for a great battle of wills with her.” sound familiar…and also …”I knew…she had won.” Children reach the age where they feel they know what is best for them and you try to stir them in the right direction, but it doesn’t always mean they will follow that. These can be very trying times and your actions can have positive affects or negative. We have learned a lot from our children…each are different…and each needed different kinds of support and advice. You can only do what you feel is best and always remember to listen to them! I can say…the teenage years are quite a task to get passed. But, we all survived. I had an uncle that use to say…”you pay for your raising when you have children of your own.” There is a lot of truth in that. Great post. 🙂
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What a wonderful reply! You’ve said a lot of the things I’m thinking about lately. My daughter Hannah is a mere 19 months old just now, but I find myself thinking about the future a lot. I do hope she does the right things in the coming years, and I desperately hope that I will too. I hope that I know when to guide and when to leave her be. I just hope to lay a groundwork of honesty and trust, and cross my fingers after that. Thanks so much for your thoughts. I really appreciate it all.
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You are very welcome and I wish you great blessings and and enjoyment in raising your daughter.
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Very interesting. I would say like her father, this girl is strong willed. When she has something she really wants she gets it. In regards to his daughter perhaps this master, has a bit of weakness and the daughter knows this. Cheers
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Very astute observations there. I’d say you’re right. Kimiko takes after her father more than he or she realize. She’s good at analyzing her opponent. Thanks so much! 🙂
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raising a child is never easy – especially willful daughters of tender heart fathers. like the way you built the story on people with a culture we could identify from their names and activities.
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I know, it’s a great responsibility, but it has it’s wonderful moments too. Glad you enjoyed the story and could identify with it. Thanks so much! 🙂
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You are welcome! Agreed, a responsibility with another’s nurturing is daunting even when they reach young adulthood. Growing up with a father who also liked to spin tales I can totally relate to this – happy there are still dad’s like you to bring up their daughters with tenderness and a little bit of magic.
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Great take and so real. I like the way you build the story up from the prompt.
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Cool. I’m glad it felt real. It’s good to know it works that way. Thanks most kindly! 🙂
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