Quiet, deafening dead silence.

One may not hear the thin fibers brush as they sway on the wooden floor to the left.

Right. Left, Right and forwards. Slowly. Progressively.

To the ones who lived here; who owned nothing...this place was home. Home, with the deepest meaning and composure it could ever have.

Home, family, hope, faith, rule and moral for him was all where he sat, in the only place he was fond of in this unknown world. Anything other than respect and dignity the ones who lived here knew nothing of.

The pair of eyes of Raizo, those which were closed into depths heaven and hell shrieked. Twitched out of will and wandered. They followed a new feeling. They followed a girl. A girl who he always saw differently of.

That one sister of the family he ever known of. He heard every step of her soft walk, and felt every warm breath she lightly huffed off.

'Kiriko' His mind spoke over matter; and he lost the last bit of concentration he had on his meditation. Everything else except his own voice vanished.

His head was now... empty.

They are all from the same clan, with the same eyes and the same heart here. It must be enough reason for Takeshi to feel his senses heating up when someone is not paying attention.

He also noticed who Raizos eyes unconsciously followed, and maybe he had a doubtful hunch of why.

Raizo indeed, fluttered back to his daily task after a second he spent to doze away from everything he ever knew, to something he had no idea of.

The hour count for the medication ended. There was no wait for the fighting sessions, and watching it was a must. Anyone would notice Raizos' absence. The lack for Takeshis' presence was to advantage. His curiosity was a benefit, and his possessiveness runs overbroad. There was no such place left useless in this prison. Not an inch nor a second was wasted.

But the kitchen, was as always ... empty.

He returned in time for the practice to over; and went in line for dinner. Again, he can notice Raizos' eyes follow the thin yet strong fingers of Kiriko, as she held the chopsticks, gracefully eating her share out of her bowl.

"Why would a man look at a woman entirely?" Takeshi asked the following day from the maid who brings food to the kitchen when the rest was practicing the court yard. He was on duty to help cleaning and cooking today.

This old maid, was the only source of knowledge of the outside world for Takeshi. He learnt a lot about the outside through her. He learnt the words to name feelings, such as jealousy, anger, sorrow other than 'Pain' 'wisdom' 'courage' and the 'way of Ozunu' from her. She was kind and gentle towards these poor children. And at the question, she found herself quite astonished.

Then she warmly smiled. Takeshi could smell her oldness, and the scent of the ragged old yukata as she came closer, to whisper the answer she expected it to be. "They call it love, my child" She said, placing a ceramic on the wooden table, adding a sweet sound of a chime to the end of her line.

"What is '' Love "?"

"Its unexplainable.." She spoke gently.

"Its a name given to all feelings a man can hold for a woman, and a woman can hold for a man. Love is how you were born, dear" She the bald head of Takeshi, in the same usual warm smile.

After the chores were over, he walked back to join the line for evening medication.

He sat where he always would, and followed the movements of Raizo. Raizo was not distracted today. He did well. After the long count of hours, was the fighting sessions. They all sat and watched, until the end to which one person cannot stand anymore. As custom, he was scared for life... as the way of the nine clans, and as the way of Ozunu.

The next duel was announced before they were called off for supper. It was Takeshis' and Kirikos turn. As they both bowed in accepting the orders, Takeshi found Raizos eyes letting his gaze fall down, showing concern... not for him, as he knew... but was for this woman, as he was coming to know of that Raizo did have many 'feelings' towards her.

Surely, Raizo wouldn't want her hurt. He had made up his mind to loose from the very moment he saw Raizos' compose crumble.

Why was he so concerned about Raizo, every single second of his day? He did not know.

After they formed their line to their supper, ate their dinner and was sent for the beds, he spot Raizo talking to Kiriko.

What did he say to her? That he loves her? With doubts he never wanted answers for, Takeshi pulled up his cover.

The very next day, as Takeshi planned, he lost. He was pushed off to the wooden floor in such great pressure which he didn't resist, and with injuries causing him bleed internally which he coughed up gently. However, as Kiriko couldn't bring herself to scar Takeshi, she was punished instead and was imprisoned in the cage for three days straight, not with a single drop of water.

Takeshi wondered if he made the right decision to lose on purpose, as he now had to see that pained face of Raizo everyday as he would steal a glance at Kiriko, drying up in the harsh sun.

Raizo couldn't bring himself to eat while he saw Kirikos face suffer on the top of his food bowl in a watery image. He gathered up his courage that night, stuffed the bit of water he could manage. Maybe be expected no one to notice. He probably thought the only man with a heart here, was him. But he was wrong. Watching every move of Raizo, was Takeshi. Another man with a heart.

He followed Raizo as he vanished from his bed, tip toeing to the bamboo cage Kiriko was imprisoned in. Takeshi found himself a seat by the right wall of the building where he observed. He heard them speak.

They spoke of no love, and yes, then he understood..