Four years have passed since we took the climb test.
I sit on a ledge just thinking about all that's happened in the years I've been here how did I survive it all? Divine intervention? Maybe I'm just the main character in some weirdo's book or something.
"Life here is anything but easy, don't you agree?" I say as the wind blows filtering the silence.
"how long do you plan on hiding?" I asked.
"How did you know I was here" said a shy feminine voice.
"I noticed from the very beginning, that you're good... but I'm better" I smirked.
I turn my head to see her step out of the shadows. She had pitch black hair and fringes, her hair was short and straight she was wearing the black sleeveless assassin uniform, she had two short blades (wakizashi) at the side of her hips, her lips were pink and plump as though she had lipstick on. her skin was light and looked smooth like silk she, had brown eyes that just looked straight into your soul the glimmer in them looked so beautiful with the sun reflecting in them she was a sight to behold.
"Better? And what makes you say that?" The shyness suddenly leaves her voice as she gets a bit annoyed and steps closer.
"Wow, looking at you outside the shadows is a bit mesmerising, you're as pretty as you are dangerous," I said stepping closer to her.
She becomes bashful, and her shyness begins to come out again from hearing my words.
"You know I've been waiting for you to come out of the shadows, you were there when I was first brought here, during my little discipline session with Ou-sama, you were there when I and Hijiro were being flogged for fighting, nobody knows it but every morning you're the first through the halls through all the traps and up the wall into the cafeteria. Four years ago you were the first to find your way back up the mountain and you did it unharmed but nobody noticed. But I guess it's hard to see a shadow even in the light." I separate her fringes to see her eyes better.
Her face turns bright red "You were watching me too?"
I walk back to the ledge and sit down "I was, you might just be the most talented student here, well I'd be disappointed if you weren't, you are the master's daughter after all" 
Her eyes widened as she heard my words.
"H-how did you know?" She stammers.
"The expression on your face just now."
"Oh... damn... I feel dumb" she laughs awkwardly.
"Hehe, so tell me why are you stalking me?" I ask.
"I'm not stalking you" She scratches her head nervously staring at the ground.
"I'm sorry of course you weren't I'm not aware of the definition of watching someone in secret trying not to be noticed for 8 years" I say sarcastically.
"Well... I...you just... interest me okay" she says with a soft smile.
I smirk "You interest me too".
I throw a kunai to her face suddenly startling her but she caught it close to her face.
"Are you cra-!" she notices I am gone.
"he disappeared?" 
I try to deliver a kick to her head from behind but she grabs my leg and sweeps my other leg pinning me to the ground then putting one of her blades to my neck.
"What the hell was that?!" She yelled. I could see the blood lust in her eyes, completely different from her shy demeanour.
I smiled and quickly grabbed her hand to switch our positions "Just wanted to see how good you are" 
"How did you do that disappearing trick?" Her eyes were bright with curiosity.
"That's a secret... wanna learn?" Okay, so I'm a sucker for a cute face.
She nodded excitedly.
"Then catch me" I ran and jumped off the ledge like I was sky diving turning my body in the air and throwing my grappling hook at a tree to slow down my fall and landing perfectly on my feet, then I began to run.
She immediately started to run after me she was fast, might just be faster than me... but I got a head start.
I ran into a cave where there were lots of traps, and a giant blade came out of nowhere almost cutting me in half. 
I slid under avoiding harm, She was on my tail so I saw as she jumped and stepped flipping, over me but I dropped a smoke bomb and ran past her.
She kept pursuing me till we reached an area where arrows were constantly fired back and forth. 
We ran through them avoiding every arrow, she looked so agile and graceful as she dodged them with all types of flips and tricks.
I saw a light and jumped through it with my body tucked in and let out a cry "Woooooohoooooo!!" 
She jumped and grabbed me in the air, I started to laugh happily pushing her off and throwing a kick at her from the side as we fell, but she blocked it laughing with me. As we falk we continue to throw attacks at each other having the time of our lives. 
As we realised we were getting too close to the ground I grabbed her and threw my grappling hook at a tree it broke our fall but we still crashed into the sand.
"Well?" She said as the laughter reduced.
"Well, what?" I chuckle.
She grabs my shirt and pulls me closer with a dangerous smile "I caught you, so spill, how did you do it?"
"Alright alright, just don't teach it to anyone ok?"
She nods.
"When the blade is thrown to your face all your focus is on it, you don't want to get hit so it's practically the only thing you see at that moment, you're not focused on your peripherals, someone fast enough could easily duck under your eyes and run behind you or something like that, it's a pretty simple trick" 
She looked at me with wonder "Impressive, did you make it up yourself?" 
"Pretty much" I reply.
"Do you mind if I start using?"
"Nah, go ahead" 
"But now that you've told me, aren't you scared that it won't work on me next time?" 
I smirked and picked up a small rock and threw it in the air, her eyes looked away for not up to a second and I was behind her with a blade to her neck
A sinister smile grows on my face "Do I look like someone that gets scared?".
She was shocked that even knowing the trick wasn't enough to stop it from being used.
"I see you found yourself a sweetheart hope you ain't getting freaky on the beach" Jay says walking up to us.
Hearing his words filled me with irritation "I'll smack that grin clean off your face"
"Temper temper, aren't you gonna introduce her to your bro?" His grin gets wider.
She starts to look shy again "Hello Jay"
"Oh, you told her about me already?" Jay asks.
I laugh awkwardly "Nope, she's just... well informed so to speak... Wait... I just realized you didn't tell me your name"
"It's Keiko" she replied.
"Alright I'm-"
"I know" Keiko cuts me off.
"Oh right, forgot I was talking to a stalker," I say casually. 
She shoots me a glare and a pout.
"You know technically you've been stalking me too right?" She claps back.
"Bullshi-"
"Language" Jay cuts me off.
"You knew I was there the whole time but you said nothing you just watched me, you knew who my father was you may be more of a stalker than me" She sticks her tongue out at me.
"Hmm maybe" I grin.
"What a beautifully....creepy love story" Jay raises an eyebrow.
I raise my fist at him "Guess which finger I'm thinking of".
"Glad to see you're having fun while your peers are preparing to take their tests," a voice says from beside us.
Holy crud, how... when? I didn't even notice him or hear his footsteps... am I getting sloppy or is the difference between me and the teachers that great?
Masking your footsteps to hide your presence huh? I bet I could figure that out.
"To the hall... now" his presence was ominous and sent chills down my spine.
When we reach the training hall first up is Keiko, I'm excited to see her in action but what excites me more is the test, I finally get to assassinate someone.
It's a bit hard holding back my excitement, who's blood will cover my hand today I wonder.
Keiko is starting... her opponent looks strong, a guy named Miamura, he also passed the climb test without any injuries, seems like an interesting matchup.
"Huh, what's Keiko doing?" I ask as I see her perform some sort of dance with her blade.
"It kinda looks like a kata" Jay replies. 
"A kata? In a life or death situation? Has she gone mad?" I ask.
Jay gives me a side eye "I guess we know your type now" 
"Suck a fat one" I punch his shoulder.
We both laugh.
"Hey... Kai... somethings have been on my mind about today" Jay suddenly gets serious.
"What's up?" I raise a brow
"What if... we get paired against each other?" He asks.
I'm taken aback by his question ".....hm, I guess it's logical to think about that... look, Jay, I made up my mind when I drowned that night, one way or the other, I'm always going to survive, and if anyone gets in the way of that... I'll end them"
"Even if it's me?" A sad expression covers his face.
"....Anyone" I look back to the fight.
*Ding* the bell rings for the fight to start.
As soon as her opponent took a step forward Keiko threw a kunai at him, although it looked like she missed at first, the crowd was baffled at her real target, we turned to look at the master holding her kunai close to his face and before we can turn back her opponent is dead on the ground.
Wow... she took my move, and perfected it, not only tricking her opponent but the entire arena... she truly is nothing short of amazing.
As the match ends I see a few of the assassins that were guarding the master rush at her. Shit! I knew that stunt she pulled wouldn't go unchecked.
Three of them rush at her but she's holding her own doing her best to avoid their attacks and counter strike.
I want to help her... but I'm not trying to get myself killed as well.
Her evasion doesn't last long before one of them sweeps her legs and punches her to the ground.
With the rage that filled my body, I didn't even realise when I had started running towards them and kicked the asshole that touched her in the face.