Loving You Untimely

Chapter 1 : Childhood

Ji Ren's POV

I was woken up by the noise coming from the sword outside. It's been a normal thing for me ever since I could remember. I am sure who that is even without looking. I don't know why I would always wake up due to the noise of dad's sword every morning. It's still very early but he is busy doing his usual thing.

Would he get sick without touching his sword for a day? I sighed getting up and went outside after washing my face.

"Dad, why is it so early and you're busy about that thing?" I asked dad while scratching my head, after I saw him scrubbing his sword.

"Eat your breakfast and we'll practice together, do you want to try the sharpness of my sword?" he handed over his sword to me but I just cringed while shaking my head. 

"Again, dad? How many times do you have to scrub that long knife?" I asked pouting, he then sighed like what he usually does.

He seems like he carries a lot of problems because he often sighs. Sometimes I could even adopt his kind of temperament. Sometimes I could find myself sighing without reason. I feel like I am getting too old despite of being just a nine year old child.

"Ji Ren, how many times do I have to tell you that this is a sword not a long knife?"

"It's just the same, dad. Long knife and sword, they are just both keen and both have blades," I answered, he sighed again as he face me.

"Do you want to learn how to use this?" he asked, I shook my head.

"Do you plan to tell me where you got that long knife? My playmates said that kids shouldn't play with sharp objects," I mumbled, he held my shoulder to make me face him.

Dad took a deep breath while deeply looking into my eyes. "In the world where we came from, it is very important for you to learn how to use a sword in order to protect yourself someday," he seriously said. "And one more thing, you shouldn't just play with anyone because it's not appropriate for you. You must not trust anyone aside from yourself," I couldn't tell how many times have I heard those words from dad.

He often speaks like we're aliens and that we are not from Earth. He often say that in the 'world' where we came from and things like that which I couldn't fully understand.

"But, dad! You often teach me martial arts, cultivation and things like that while those who have the same age as me were busy playing and studying but I am here busy practicing!" I pouted. "And one more thing, why don't you permit me to go to school?" I pretended to be upset as I turn my back on him.

Why isn't my cuteness affecting him? I pout due to what came in my mind.

Dad held my shoulder and turned me to face him again. "Listen to me carefully, Ji Ren. Your life in the future might not be as easy as your life here. You can't just play all you want because there are things that are more important that only I, can teach you not the school you are referring to," he lectured, I pouted again. "Trouble and danger doesn't require age, always remember that," he added leaving me with no option but to pout and sigh.

"Why can't you just at least tell me why? Are you a teacher, dad? You don't even know how to write your own name, Li Yun, you know?"

"You'll find out when the right time comes," he stated then went back to what he was doing earlier, I pouted again because that's all I can do.

"You're always saying that! I wonder when that right time would be?"

"I'll tell you everything once I could see that you are ready, capable and responsible enough for it," dad stated meaningfully.

I can't understand my dad. I am only nine years old but instead of playing and going to school to study all I'm doing is practicing martial arts, archery and things that doesn't concern those who had the same age at me. I feel like dad wanted me to join the army because of what he's making me do. Well, he is surely teaching me academic learnings but it's too ancient-like. He could write and read but his ways are too old. I feel like he went straight from the ancient land because aside from me not hearing him talking modern languages, he also don't understand some words that I learned from my playmates.

He's also prohibiting me to associate with other people that he doesn't know—take note that he doesn't know anyone because he never went outside our fences—which I couldn't really understand because he never intend to explain to me. I couldn't even mingle with children like me. Every time I open up about going to school he would immediately say no. I could only learn through borrowing textbooks from my friend. But of course, it's also a secret because dad would surely be upset when he finds out.

My life is really not normal.

As I grow up, I could notice something different about dad. Firstly, he couldn't tell me who my mom is or what her name is every time I would ask. I can't help but envy those kids who had their mothers accompanying them. Every time I would asked when can I enroll in a real school, he would tell me that his knowledge are enough to teach me. Secondly, his hair was too long but he refuses to cut it and worst he's even asking me to be like him looking like an hermit! Seriously? He doesn't want me to cut my hair!? Because of that I was often mistaken to be a girl.

This life I have is so weird.

Aside from those weird things about dad, I couldn't see anything different about him. As I grew up I could see how patient he was to me and how he loves me. He is nice and always cooked delicious food for me. And he is often busy with his sword. Ever since I was a child I grew up seeing him like that. Is he planning to be a ninja? Every morning, he would teach me how to use the bow. He's also teaching me how to do different martial arts. It wasn't difficult for me because dad said I'm a fast learner and also he is very strict when it comes to practice not giving me a choice but to learn as fast as I could.