A sliver of pale light had just appeared on the East horizon when Ye Chen opened his eyes. He threw off the covers, got out of bed, washed up quickly, and stepped outside.
Before he knew it, a month had passed since he arrived at Isshin Dojo. He kept to himself, rising early and staying up late to practice swordsmanship every day. The children thought he was strange. Only Koshiro came by to check on him now and then.
Ye Chen reached the backyard and stretched. After warming up, he started running laps around the Training Ground. Kuina arrived soon after. When she saw that he was already running and had worked up a light sweat, she stamped her foot and hurried after him.
"Hey, how many laps have you done?" Kuina asked when she caught up.
Kuina had been getting up early every day lately. She refused to lose to Ye Chen, especially after hearing what her father thought of him. She rose earlier each morning, determined to run one more lap than Ye Chen did. Her competitive streak was on full display.
"Ten."
Ye Chen answered calmly and kept running at his steady pace. Whoosh! A white blur shot past him. He turned his head and saw Kuina racing ahead like the wind.
Kuina ran faster and faster, like a little leopard gone wild. Ye Chen smiled and shook his head, then continued at his own pace. He was not fast, but his rhythm never faltered. Each step left a footprint in the ground, neither too deep nor too shallow.
Weights were strapped to his legs, hidden from everyone else. They trained his stamina and strength and helped improve his speed. His breathing remained even, too. Whether he was training, running, or simply strolling down the street, his