Her routine is interrupted again though when she finds a large group
of people surrounding the bulletin board in the hall, laughing and
jeering. Someone has posted a love letter - sent to Saionji
Kyouichi by Wakaba. Humiliated, Wakaba runs away crying and Utena
snatches the letter and tries to comfort her friend. When she sees how
distraught Wakaba is, Utena resolves to confront Kyouichi and ask him
how the letter came to be made public.
She finds Kyouichi in the dojo practicing kendo, or Japanese fencing. When
she confronts him with the story of Wakaba, he is totally unconcerned and
calls Wakaba's letter trash, fit only to be thrown away. Utena is shocked
again by his callous attitude, first toward Anshi and now Wakaba, and
challenges him to a duel on Wakaba's behalf. At first Kyouichi is amused,
and trying to take Utena off her guard he thrusts his shinai at her, but she
easily catches the blow of the bamboo blade.
Then it is his turn to be shocked when he sees the Rose Seal on the ring she wears,
and he cuts off his mocking play abruptly.
"There is a proving grounds in the forest behind the campus," he tells Utena.
"Meet me there after school."
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