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Chapter Text

Summer, August 13, 1868. Present time.

Tani Sanjuro stopped in front of an old eating house and laid down his spear (which he used as a walking aid during the long hours of travel) on a stone bench that rested under the shade of a leafy willow tree.

He could hear the cicadas singing over his shoulders. A sound that brought back memories of another time... fragments of a life that was no longer connected to him.

Summer, July 25, 1850. Eighteen years ago.

Sanjuro had met who would later become his best friend when his adoptive mother sent him to buy rice at the "Mao" restaurant.

The boy, of only ten years old, looked closely at the little girl playing with a ball outside the restaurant. She seemed to be enjoying herself and he tried to approach her in an attempt to join in, but she didn't find his gesture friendly at all and went inside the house without even bothering to take her toy with her.

He gave up with a sigh and made his way to the restaurant. After all, it had never been easy for him to make friends, boys his age seemed to be afraid of him for some unknown reason. His stepbrother used to say that he had the aura of a villain, although it was known that Mantaro would have said anything to make him look like the bad guy... he was a pretty whiny kid.

"You must be Sanjuro, Sunae-san's new child," a blonde, freckled lady greeted him. She was carrying a tiny baby girl of only a few months old in her arms. "I'm Mao, the owner's wife. It's a pleasure to meet-"

"I'm just here to get some rice," he cut her off roughly, turning his back on her. Being called 'the new child' was getting tiresome.

"Oh..." The woman smiled sympathetically, she was a kind person who mistook the little boy's rudeness for simple shyness. "I'll bring it to you right away."

When Mao left the room, Sanjuro realised that he wasn't alone; the girl he had met outside was sitting on a small table, her legs swinging in the air as she ate a rice ball. "What happened to your toe?"

"Huh." Sanjuro looked at his right foot, where a nasty cut ran across his big toe. He turned his face to the side, playing it down. "A vase slipped out of my hands and crushed it a while ago."

"It must hurt." Chie stared at the finger that was starting to turn purple. Suddenly, she began to lose her appetite.

"Of course not." He gave a boastful chuckle. "A child like you may cry, but for the son of a Tyokushin Ryu style instructor this is just a scratch."

"Your dad is an instructor of what...?" She smiled and continued to bite into her rice ball.

Sanjuro snorted at the little girl's ignorance and stood on his tiptoes over the counter, itching to get out of there any way he could. "Is the rice ready, Mao-san?"

The woman arrived with a burlap bag that could easily hold six pounds of weight. "Are you sure you can handle this alone? It's huge!"

"No problem." He accepted the bag with a blank expression and was about to leave the shop when he noticed that Chie had tossed the rest of her food into his bag before fleeing into the courtyard in a fit of giggles. "Whoa...! What's that brat doing?!"

Mrs. Mao laughed even harder than her daughter when she witnessed the scene, and it took her some time to catch her breath. "She did it because you're hurt," she said, still smiling. "I usually tell her that a little food can ease even the worst pain."

Winter, February 4, 1852. Two years later.

Sanjuro was already used to living in his new family's house. During that particular winter, he'd managed to earn the right to sleep in the same room as the others, signaling that the adoption process was nearing completion.

Those were two difficult years, but his relatives seemed to be satisfied with his company. Sanjuro was the oldest child in the house, Mantaro was two years younger, and little Masatake was still a baby. If things continued like this, he would one day become the heir of the Bicchu Matsuyama clan.

For someone born in a simple peasant's house... that was an honor he never thought he'd have the chance to know.

"Good afternoon, Izanagi-san," the boy greeted as he walked into the Mao Restaurant. "I come to-"

"Oh, Sanjuro!" The owner of the place gave him a nervous look as he struggled to hold a sack of potatoes that had scattered across the floor after being knocked over the entrance. "You're just in time! Can you bring my girls inside? They've gone outside to play and I think it's starting to snow!"

"When did I become a babysitter?" He walked into the yard, shuffling his feet with each step. "I just came to return the duster you lent my mother..."

Little Chie's face lit up as she saw him approach. She was sitting on a stone bench, her face hidden under a thick scarf and her hands shaking from holding on too long to an old, heavy book she never seemed to get tired of reading. "Sanjuro-san!"

"You're at it again," he muttered as he stopped in front of her. "I bet you want me to-"

"To read it to me, yes!"

Sanjuro rolled his eyes. "Didn't you already know how to read?" He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at Kohana, the family's youngest daughter, who was madly happy to dip her hands into the cold snow over and over again.

"Of course I know," Chie continued, "but when Sanjuro-san reads them, I can close my eyes to picture how the things that happen in the story look like."

He rested the huge duster on his shoulder, too annoyed to accept the new task she had forced upon him. "You're so spoiled, I don't have as much free time as-"

"Oh!" Chie let out a high-pitched laugh. "In that pose... you look like you're carrying a sword on your shoulder!"

This seemed to flatter Sanjuro, who placed the duster between his index and middle fingers, twirling it skilfully between them. "Oh, yeah? I bet I could do this with a sword too."

"You look like a Yasha!" the girl exclaimed as she opened her book to a page she knew by heart. "Bishamonten's Divine Warriors!"

Sanjuro glanced sideways at her, too preoccupied with his role as swordsman to pay any attention to her. "I've never heard of them..."

"Oh!" Chie pouted. "Of course you have! You read that chapter to me a few months ago! When I was sick, remember?!"

"Bah, you're always sick."

"Don't say that..." She looked at the pages of the book for a moment. They spoke of the countless battles the Yasha, tireless fighters under the command of Bishamonten (one of the Four Kings of Heaven), had fought since the beginning of time.

There were kind Yasha... as well as evil ones, so their fighting skills benefited both pure-hearted clans as those who only sought power. They were powerful warriors, skilled sorcerers, and illusionists. They could take on so many different physical forms that many believed they didn't have an original form in the first place.

Some of the Yasha were said to be fond of consuming the blood and flesh of others. This gave their eagerness to engage in numerous battles a much darker meaning than this mysterious race claimed to possess.

Despite the darkness that surrounded them, a few Yasha would rise above their twisted nature and become heroes. It was far from common, as the vast majority succumbed to sadistic bloodlust before they could even conceive the drive to do good in their hearts... most of them were born and died for evil.

And that gave greater merit to those who fought against the worst enemy they could face; themselves.

Spring, May 17, 1855. Three years later.

His best friend had turned ten and was happy to be able to tie her hair up and wear an obi around her new furisode kimono; the first one with sleeves so long they had to be folded around her forearm to keep them from dragging. It was a flirtatious detail that signaled she would soon come of age.

None of this pleased Sanjuro.

The boy had dropped by the restaurant for no reason and Chie had been talking for a while about how exciting it would be to fall in love and get married one day. Girlish nonsense, nothing more. "You're going to be an old woman," he spat as he went through the items on the restaurant's shelves, "and your children will kick you out onto the street, you'll see."

"Oh!" Chie's mouth dropped open an inch. "That's not true! I'm still a young lady!"

"A tadpole, that's what you are." He couldn't help but grimace at the thought of being more honest than he usually allowed himself to be. Why couldn't he stop speaking his mind in the company of his best friend? "You're going too fast with all this... you'll end up being a phony like everyone else."

"A phony." Chie frowned and crossed her small arms over her chest. "Mom married Dad at fourteen, and I'll be the same age soon."

Sanjuro gave her a mocking look. "And do you really think anyone would want to kiss that face full of freckles and snot?"

He expected the girl to shriek as usual, but her reaction surprised him. Chie blushed, turned her back to him, and sighed softly. "You could at least take care of your own appearance before criticizing mine..." she muttered, her voice quivering in her throat.

Tani Sanjuro couldn't have been more confused. Chie must be sick again, she always acted weird before getting ill.

Autumn, September 29, 1858. Three years later.

Mantaro stood between the house's exit and his older brother, who watched him with a smug expression, his wrists resting on the hilt of his sword. "May I ask where you're going, Sanjuro?"

The older one (who had just turned eighteen) couldn't have smiled more cockily. "I don't need to explain myself to you, Mantaro-kun."

"I know exactly what you're going to do at the restaurant." He frowned as he seldom did. "Her mother is really sick, I've seen her. We all know she doesn't have long to go. The last thing Chie-san needs is for you to be rude to her."

Sanjuro pursed his lips in a disgusted grimace. "I don't intend to be rude. I'm just leaving my childhood behind, as tradition demands. The Bicchu Matsuyama clan needs people who can put their feelings aside for the sake of national welfare." He glared at him with contempt. "If I wanted to be empathetic, I would've gone into medicine like you."

He left without listening to his stepbrother's pleas. He had made his decision long ago, and nothing and no one would stand between him and his chosen destiny.

He would be a worthy warrior. Whatever the cost.

The Mao Restaurant slowly faded away, as if withering at the same pace as the remaining strength of the woman who had given it its name in the first place.

Doctors couldn't pinpoint the cause of her illness, for the only visible symptoms were crippling fatigue paired with the paleness of a ghost brought back to life. Mrs. Mao was a porcelain statue, sinking deeper and deeper into the damp futon she'd inhabited for months.

When he arrived at the place, he saw Chie standing behind the counter with a gloomy expression on her face. The place was empty, and the dry leaves that had piled up in the garden were drifting whimsically into the foyer. The rest of the family must have been keeping Mao-san company. She didn't have many days left before her departure.

Sanjuro paused at the door frame and watched her from a distance with a distinct haughtiness. "Hey, do I get a discount for being the only customer this week?"

"Sanjuro!" Chie (now thirteen years old) rushed to meet him with an ear-to-ear grin. She looked like a castaway who had just spotted an island in the middle of a storm.

"It'll be Tani from now on."

"Tani?" She blinked, pausing in place. The newcomer pointed to the steel sword (with his family's crest engraved on the hilt) that rested at his waist, and Chie's eyes lit up in response. "May the Oni take me away! No way! They finally gave you the clan sword!" She stood on her tiptoes as she reached her fingertips towards the weapon. "I have to see it!"

"No." Sanjuro's face hardened.

"Oh... right!" Chie stepped back, running a hand over the back of her neck when she realized how impulsive her behavior had been. "No one should touch a warrior's weapon without permission..."

"Especially a peasant girl."

A tomb-like silence fell between them. He noticed the enthusiasm fading from his best friend's face as he explained that it wasn't proper for a member of the Bicchu Matsuyama clan to hang out with a woman who only talked about imaginary monsters and mediocre customer gossip.

He went on to list the benefits that becoming part of the Matsuyama household would bring him, opportunities he would miss if he continued to associate with members of a lower caste than his own.

Chie remained silent, taking in his words as she felt her heart break somewhere in her chest. However, she smiled when her friend, who was now saying goodbye to her, finished his long, painful speech. "Sanj- I mean... Tani," she muttered as she made a curt bow, trying to keep her voice from cracking as she spoke. "I... wish you the best... luck in the world! Make us proud!"

That wasn't the last time he saw Miss Furukawa Chie before she, and what was left of her family, left for Kyoto. Sanjuro stopped by the restaurant several times after Mao-san's death and always found Chie in the same spot:

Sitting on the stone bench that had flanked the huge cottage from the time of its construction, her flowing hair falling over her face as lifelessly as the willow branches that towered over the garden, holding onto the old book she worshipped... the one Furukawa Mao had written with her own hands.

But Sanjuro never let himself be seen. He always left with the same discretion with which he'd arrived, and eventually the only thing that bore witness to his childhood was an old sign that read "Mao", hanging on the wall of an abandoned restaurant.

Summer, August 13, 1868. Present time.

His mind left the memories of the past behind, returning grudgingly to the present he loathed. He couldn't take his eyes off the sign, now covered in mold and dirt. The kanji that made up the deceased's name was only visible to those who remembered what had originally been written in red ink.

"I guess it was all meant to be, huh, Chie-chan?" he muttered to himself with a bitter smile as he gently drummed his fingertips on the sharp edge of his spear. "I made my move, you made yours... and fate wanted that good-for-nothing jerk to be in the middle of it. I tried to make him see that he had nothing to do with us, that he couldn't even comprehend what we were... I really tried! But he refused to listen."

He stood up reluctantly, feeling a sting in his throat whose meaning he was getting tired of denying. "I look like the bad guy... but I always make that impression at first. It's been many years, I don't blame you. Maybe you need to get to know me again." He smiled at his reflection in the steel of his weapon. If there was one thing he never accepted, it was defeat, and he had conceded enough during the years he was chained to the Shinsengumi.

Chie was confused. All of them were pulling at her as if she were a puppet with strings made of the finest gold. They all wanted her to think like them, act like them, feel like them!

Tani Sanjuro was done with that. He had played by the rules for five long years, being what he had never been to her, making amends for his mistakes, paying for his past sins. But the voices around her made her believe his affection wasn't genuine. They lied to her face without her being able to realize it!

It was only a matter of silencing them, of making sure that the hateful sounds uttered by those who wanted to separate them didn't reach the ears of the one who had forgotten the great friendship that bound them together.

"Childhood friends..." he whispered as he fixed his eyes on the abandoned restaurant with a passionate glow in his eyes, "...are forever, Chie-chan."

Chapter Text

Summer, August 1, 1863. Five years before Tani Sanjuro left the Shinsengumi.

The tables of the second "Mao" restaurant were packed with the always restless and suspicious customers of the city of Kyoto. They paced back and forth, skittish and on the hunt for whoever offered the best service.

The economy had been struggling since the beginning of the conflict between the Shogunate and the clans that sought to restore power to the Emperor. The scholars worried about the political crisis, while the common people suffered the consequences, as they always did.

These were challenging times and the Furukawa family was fortunate to have a thriving business on their hands. The Mao restaurant was a well-known place thanks to the many dishes that Furukawa Izanagi brought back from his homeland, Edo. Mild, fresh, and pure; these were flavors worth tasting.

The restaurant owner massaged his forehead with his free hand as he cooked four servings of ramen at a time. He kept worrying about his eldest daughter not finding a husband. Chie would turn nineteen and start to be regarded as an over-aged suitor or, to put it less tastefully, a full-fledged spinster.

His firstborn wasn't very graceful and that made things even harder. Her freckled, sun-tanned skin was far from arousing the fascination that pale faces inspired in young men, and her hair only looked clean when she tied it up in the kitchen, but worst of all was her failure to carry herself in a refined manner. She held her kimono in place with an obi that looked like it was made of burlap and walked through the streets like somebody who pushed their way through a bunch of stinking cows, grumbling and avoiding greeting passersby at all costs.

"I'm too busy to stop and say hello!" she used to moan to get out of her father's scolding. "The radish bags weigh a ton and Mrs. Yuyume insists on asking me about our desserts every time she sees me carrying them around!"

Had she been a boy, Chie would have been Izanagi's pride and joy. She was diligent, hardworking, passionate, and honest, always concerned about the family business and her household's reputation, but her status as a woman prevented her from performing the tasks at which she excelled. Should she still be unmarried after her father's death, she would be evicted by the law. It was nonsensical to think that a young woman could run a restaurant without an older brother to "watch over her" and make sure she didn't commit "woman's recklessness" when dealing with life's daily vicissitudes.

Unfortunately, marriage was the only way for his eldest daughter to continue living the way she was used to, in the home she knew, doing what she loved; cooking.

Izanagi was a practical and determined man. When they arrived in Kyoto and he could no longer provide food for his two daughters, he resisted the pleading cries of the younger one and sent her to the nearest Okiya to be adopted as Shikomi, a maiko apprentice. It was a very sudden move, Mao had just died and they were in a foreign city, but he didn't regret his choices. Kohana was a magnificent maiko, one of Shimabara's most popular! And although his visits were poorly received by the girl (who still held a visible grudge against him), he was glad to know that she was safe in a profession where no one could abuse her.

If only he could say the same for Chie.

"Where's my daughter, Takayama-san?!" he shouted from inside the kitchen (which was starting to look like a sauna filled with pans all over the place). "She better not be out feeding the bums while you're covering for her again!"

Takayama Ume stopped in front of her boss and bowed quickly as she spoke in a high-pitched, panicked tone: "I, I bet Chie-chan is working hard like you asked!"

"I had no idea hard work made her invisible."

"Oh! I beg your pardon, sir?" The woman raised her head without losing her submissive position and brushed some silky strands of hair that fell over her face. "I don't underst-"

"If you don't bring her back within ten minutes, I'll take away half of your salary."

Furukawa Izanagi didn't have to say another word before his employee stormed off toward the shop's exterior.

"Chie-chan! I've found you at last!" gasped her co-worker as she caught sight of her.

Chie grinned at her from across the street with a huge basket full of seaweed in her arms. "Ume-chan! Did Dad let you go out for lunch already?"

"Are you out of your mind?" Ume put her hands on her hips and gave her a reproachful look. "It's Monday, he won't let me sit down until the moon is in the middle of the sky. What took you so long? Izanagi-san just threatened to take away my pay if you didn't show up."

"Wow... he always gets cranky when it's hot, huh?" She smiled and stepped into the shop without paying much attention to Ume. The quarrels between her and her boss were a daily occurrence. "Hey, Dad! Where should I put the seaweed?"

"Where on earth have you been?!" Izanagi peeked his reddened face through the doorframe leading to the kitchen. "Did you fetch the seaweed from the bottom of the sea?"

Chie chuckled mockingly as she put on her apron to clean up the hall. "Maybe! In this hot weather it wouldn't be surprising for my clothes to dry on the way back."

Her father couldn't help but give a low laugh, dismissing the anger he'd felt just moments before. "Be sure to change the cushions on the table under the window."

"Sure, Dad." Chie casually went to remove the cushions when Ume intercepted her with a grin on her face.

"Guess what happened while you were away!" She lowered her voice to make sure her boss wouldn't notice her. "Two Roshigumi captains were here, at the restaurant!"

"Oh." Chie rolled her eyes, annoyed at the ronin squad's mention. "Why are you so excited about those guys' visit?"

Ume shrugged, discouraged by her companion's lack of enthusiasm. "I can't believe you're not. They've done so much good since they arrived in Kyoto! Crime and brawls in the city have dropped to record low-"

"Your father would kill you if he heard you talking like that."

"Yeah, I know he hates them, but I like to keep an open mind, you know?"

"They don't think like you do." She picked up a pillow and shook it by the window, covering her face with one hand to keep from breathing in the dust that hung in the air. "Warriors... those kind of people only think about prestige and power. They don't care about people like us, Ume-chan."

"Well, the ones who came here didn't look as bad as you make them out to be. You should've seen them." She smiled brightly. "The older-looking one was very polite and his voice had a calm, soothing ring to it."

"I bet he brayed like an ass." Chie laughed mischievously. "You know what they say about the eyes of love."

"Agh!" Ume raised her hands to the sky and quirked her lips to the side. "Stop being so cynical! If you had listened to him, you wouldn't be so stubborn." She put a hand over her heart and took a deep breath before continuing with a smile: "He told me that I reminded him of someone he had met in his homeland, and that the memory brought back the scent of his childhood countryside!"

"Didn't he also tell you he dreamed about you and the children you'd have in the future?"

"Oh, Chie!" She was interrupted by a sudden cough that forced her to drink a glass of water that Chie handed her from the table. This managed to improve both her scratchy throat and her mood, so she hummed as she stated: "This is a special moment. Maybe years from now I'll remember it as the day I met the man who would become my husband".

"You don't need such a husband." Chie leaned against the window, squinting because of a strange burning that seemed to rise in her throat. "Most of the warrior class is selfish, smug, and opportunistic. You deserve better than to be tied to some stuck-up jerk who thinks himself better than you."

"More like someone you think would be better for me."

"Huh?"

"Don't you realize how biased you are against them?"

"Well..." Chie shrugged, pursing her lips into a tense line as her fingers sank into the cushion she held. "I don't mean to judge anyone, I'm just giving my opinion."

"Then you might want to know that today-"

They both heard a commotion coming from the kitchen and the conversation was put on hold. They discovered a thick, dark cloud of smoke billowing out of the room as they turned their faces toward it.

"DAD!" Chie rushed toward the scene but was stopped by two huge hands covered in a thin, greasy black substance that, after a few seconds of confusion, she identified as soot. Her father was the one holding her by the shoulders without taking his eyes off her.

"Get the customers out of here and stay outside with them!"

"But...!" Her eyes went from her father's face to the kitchen, unable to obey due to the turmoil that overwhelmed her. "What's going on?! I don't get it at all!"

Izanagi grimaced, tightening his grip on his daughter's shoulders. Guilt stifled his eagerness to appear in control of the situation. "I... spilled the sake jar by mistake! It fell on the stove and...!" He bit his lower lip as he shook his head sharply. "There will be time for explanations later, you must leave immediately!"

Chie pursed her lips and nodded several times while holding back the urge to burst into tears. Her father patted her cheek affectionately and pulled her aside to look for the water barrels they kept at the back of the restaurant.

"Chie-chan!" Ume rushed up to her amidst the customers' shrieks, covering her face with a piece of cloth she tore from her apron. "You should go upstairs and get the valuables! If this gets out of hand, it'll be impossible to get into the house!"

Chie stammered an incoherent response. She was as pale as a sheet of paper and could only manage to point at the customers who pushed and shoved each other to indicate what she was told to do.

"What?!" Ume shrugged as she squinted through the smoke. "Are you listening to me, Chie?!"

The answer was no, Furukawa Chie could only hear a dizzying array of sounds all around her. Everything moved too fast and the light pouring through the windows seemed to morph into flaming tongues that engulfed the whole place with each blink of an eye. She had the feeling the flames would burrow through her lips and dry her out from the inside, like a dying piece of firewood inside a stove with no way to do anything about it.

All would be consumed, everyone would die. She felt it in every bone of her body.

Ume gave her a strong push that threw her to the base of the stairs as she motioned for her to go up to the floor where she and her father lived. "Go! I'll take care of getting all the customers out of the hall!" She coughed violently as she fought against giving in to her self-preservation instincts and leaving the place without looking back. "Better safe than... sorry!"

Sannan Keisuke and Toudou Heisuke were three blocks away from the Mao Restaurant (where they had eaten lunch that afternoon) when the fire inside the building gained strength. They were about to return to the meeting point that Serizawa Kamo (leader of the Roshigumi) had ordered them to patrol, when a citizen came out to meet them, sweating profusely, his face and arms covered in soot.

"Roshigumi, gentlemen!" cried the poor man between sudden fits of coughing. "Mao... the restaurant! It's... it's on fire!"

"It can't be!" Sannan opened his eyes to their widest extent as his partner examined the civilian for serious injuries.

"He'll live!" Heisuke said, giving the worried passerby an encouraging pat. "Let's go to the restaurant and see what we can do!"

"Hurry on, Toudou-kun!"

They both rushed off, and it wasn't five minutes before they were confronted with the grim scene unfolding before the eyes of the terrified neighbors. The restaurant had caught fire, and the lower area was burning with the force of a brush fire. It wouldn't be long before the place collapsed and the humble little house above the restaurant met the same fate as the unfortunate business.

"Toudou. Look at that man." Sannan adjusted the bandana that had slipped over his eyes from the sweat before pointing at Izanagi. "He was cooking when we were here earlier, he's probably the owner."

"Your tracking instincts are still as fine as ever," Heisuke joked, brushing the victims' pain aside. He had seen fires of this kind so often that the whole thing had become a routine. After all, it was only a matter of material losses, as long as no one kicked the bucket, the rest could be repaired.

Izanagi worked his heart out to pass each bucket of water to the partner who followed him in the long human chain of customers and neighbors trying to quell the flames. He was so distracted that he only reacted to the newcomers' third call, immediately straightening up and turning to face them as he tried to conceal his churning emotions. It wasn't proper of his family to freak out when faced with calamity, the Furukawa's always raised their chins at tragedy.

"You must be the owner of the place..." Sannan muttered with a tone full of compassion that Izanagi was inwardly grateful for. "I'm sorry to bother you with my questions at such a sensitive time, but I need to know if everyone involved came out of this unfortunate situation unharmed."

"Oh..." Izanagi turned around, his nerves were playing against him and he struggled to find the face of Ume, his employee, in the crowd. "Takayama-san, come here!"

His young waitress approached cautiously, fearful of being blamed for the disaster and locked for life in some dark Roshigumi dungeon, but meeting the gentle gaze of Sannan (whom she had served earlier that afternoon) gave her the confidence to come closer. "Izanagi-san..." She wiped a sleeve across her face to remove the smudge from her eyes. "How can I help you?"

"Chie is with you, isn't she? I don't see her anywhere."

"Chie...?" Ume blinked several times as her eyes wandered from the house to the street. "Chie didn't go out?"

"Came out from where?!" Izanagi roared, his voice low and throaty. "I told her... to get out with the customers!"

"Y, yes! Yes, I know, but...!" Ume began to bawl in a high-pitched voice while burying her hands in her elaborate hairstyle. "I stayed with the customers and sent her to fetch some things from the house, so she could save them and-!"

"YOU BIG FOOL!" Izanagi threw himself on top of her and held her tightly by the straps of her apron. "Chie is terrified of fire! She freezes with fear and loses her mind on the spot! What have you done?! What the hell have you done?! You... killed my daughter!"

The employee began to whimper in a fit of panic as she was shaken by her employer. Sannan immediately stepped in to separate them. "Stay calm!" he ordered in the commanding tone he seldom used. "You say a girl is trapped in there?!"

"My Chie! I won't lose my Chie!" Izanagi tried to get into the restaurant with wild eyes.

"No!" Sannan grabbed him quickly, struggling to stop the man who fought to free himself from his grip. "If you go into that place you will surely die!"

"I'd rather die than leave my girl... my little girl alone in that place! I'M HER FATHER!" he shouted as loudly as his lungs, torn apart by the boiling smoke, would allow. "HER FATHER!"

Toudou Heisuke watched the unfolding scene with a disgusted grimace drawn over his pursed lips. The familiar pang of jealousy squeezed his heart and made him feel like a lonely orphan all over again, sitting on the steps of the temple where he grew up with his apathy as his only companion. He'd always been surprised and annoyed by the devotion of parents like that, living proof that his own existence was a nuisance to the one who brought him into the world.

"So, Chie..." he muttered, turning stiffly to the house buried under the shadows of smoke.

"Toudou-kun!" Sannan realized his plan right away. "Don't even think about going in there!" He restrained Izanagi and tossed him to Heisuke to stop him. "As your superior, it's my duty to take care of dangerous situations!"

"You've got to be kidding me, I'm much faster than you!" He tried to get rid of the old man but he knew that, should he let him go, the man would jump straight into the flames.

"I'm not one for jokes, Toudou-kun, and you of all people should know that."

"What the hell does it matter what I know or not?! The building will collapse any minute now, you won't make it out in time!"

"Maybe not, but I left my beloved Sendai to aid the helpless, and I won't go back on that promise." Without another word, he threw the Roshigumi's light blue haori over his head and crossed the flames like a ghost made of sky and mountain peaks.

Flaming tongues seemed to flick in and out of her throat, brushing her lungs and leaving her body only to creep back in and repeat the agonizing pain that punished her mercilessly. Chie clung to her mother's book, the one that contained all her childhood stories, as her body arched on the floor from the violent coughing that shook her. Her heart pounded in her ears and her body begged her to get up and run, but her fear of the raging flames that surrounded her prevented her from making the slightest movement.

She managed to climb up to the house thanks to the desperation of seeing the vicious fire escape from the kitchen and spread through the dining room in a matter of seconds, but once inside, she was seized by an inescapable nightmare. She thought about jumping out of the nearest window, but her legs and arms refused to obey her, shaking uncontrollably at the slightest attempt to stand up.

"Mom..." she whimpered hoarsely as she dug her fingertips into the book's cover, which felt hotter and hotter. "I'm sorry!"

It was then that someone threw something cold in her face. Was it her mother? Had Mao come to relieve her of the pain she was in?

"Chie-san!" Sannan's voice sounded distant and diffuse. "Hold on to my neck, I'm going to...!" He was interrupted by a burst of coughing, which he struggled in vain to subdue. "Come on, get in!"

The girl was uncooperative, and that complicated the rescue in ways Sannan hadn't anticipated. Chie did nothing but shake, cough, and wriggle in panic. He had a hard time releasing her grip on his torso to move it to his neck so he could carry her on his back. He had covered her with his haori (which he had soaked in water before entering) to lower her temperature and protect her from the smoke, but it hampered him and caused his strength to dwindle as he approached the window.

"You... should be very grateful to your father!" he shouted above the roar of the flames, his voice almost as hoarse as hers. "Few people would face such a living hell... even if their family's life depended on it!" Chie didn't react, so he focused his eyes on hers as he pointed to the crowd huddled under the window. "Now you have to jump! Do you understand me, Chie-san? You have to jump now!"

Chie nodded spontaneously, her smoke-irritated eyes filled with copious tears. The first tear didn't run down her burning cheeks before she jumped into the void and landed in Toudou Heisuke's arms, one floor below.

"Sannan-san!" Heisuke raised his voice, staggering under the girl's weight. "You have to get out of ther-!"

He couldn't finish the sentence.

The house's roof collapsed and Sannan disappeared along with it, swallowed alive by the fire throat he never feared to face.

Chapter Text

Summer, September 3, 1863. One month after the Mao Restaurant fire.

"I won't be able to treat you any longer, Sannan-san," muttered the old man, turning away from him as he focused on the countless texts he was studying. "You aren't paying me enough and my services are in high demand by other patients who can afford to do so."

"But... Dr. Morita!" Sannan clenched his fists on his thighs and leaned forward suddenly. "I paid you for each and every visit!"

"Just because it's pay-at-will doesn't mean there aren't people willing to outbid you." He gave him a sidelong glance. "A wealthy merchant's wife sprained her ankle and told me she was interested in starting treatment with me. My patient schedule is full and I need to make room for her."

"A merchant's wife," he repeated the words in disbelief, massaging his temple as he surveyed the doctor's tidy office. Even the silk lining that covered the seats struck him as an expense that was both frivolous and unnecessary. It was clear the guy liked luxury. "Does she have a more important job than I do?" He shook his head in disappointment. "I'm a Roshigumi member, I work to keep Kyoto's peace and-"

"And I don't give a damn about politics or public safety, Mr. Sannan." He shrugged as he went through a notebook that rested in his wrinkled hands. "It took me a lifetime of study and training to pursue this profession and I expect to be compensated accordingly."

Sannan pointed to his right arm, which lay in a humble burlap sling. "I paid you a fortune and yet my arm has been immobile since the accident."

"I told you it would require some time for it to regain its mobility." He squinted and shook his head disapprovingly. "You'd do well to give up such violent habits and return to your homeland. Perhaps you could devote yourself to working in the kenjutsu school of your-"

"It's impossible," he interrupted him with a stone-hard countenance before abruptly rising to his feet. "As the family's third son, the only thing awaiting me is the privilege of picking up the students' sandals before practice. I'm a samurai, as one I'll live and also die."

"Sannan Keisuke..." The doctor looked at him with inquisitive eyes. "Had you been less stubborn, you'd have already recovered under my care."

"Yes, perhaps... but I must protect the wealthy citizens from the wandering ronin who try to mug them as soon as they set foot on the street." He frowned until his eyes disappeared under his bushy eyebrows. "There are jobs where one doesn't get the pleasure of choice."

"This conversation is getting us nowhere." He sighed and held out the light blue haori his patient left hanging on a coat rack, rising slowly as he concluded: "I hope you find a better doctor."

"You know there's no better," he muttered. "You're leaving me to my fate here."

"Money makes the world go round, son." The man pushed the sliding door open and invited him to leave with a shake of his head. "If you get a larger sum, I might change my mind and keep you on my schedule."

Sannan looked at him from the doorway and the midday sunlight shone through his glasses' lenses. "Does that mean... I can still change your mind?"

"Hmm..." The old man nodded with his eyes closed, closing the curtain behind him as he wandered back inside his home. "Sure. Bring the double within two weeks and I'll see what I can do for you."

"The... double?" Sannan put a hand to his forehead. "This has to be some kind of joke." He let his shoulders slump, destroyed by what he'd just heard.

"Sannan-san." Hijikata Toshizo (who had been waiting for his comrade under a loquat tree's shade) approached with suspicion etched on his face. "Why the long face? Did you get bad news?" His eyes went straight to the sling. "Did he extend your convalescence time?"

"No, no, Hijikata-kun. I wish he had." He adjusted the steel bandana that covered his forehead reluctantly. "What was doubled was the payment. Where am I going to get more money?"

"Wait. You're saying he wasn't satisfied with the huge amount your father gave him?"

"No." He threw his shoulders back, watching the wind sway the trees' greenish foliage from side to side. "Someone came along with a better offer and he gave me two weeks to pay him. Otherwise-"

"He'll remove you from his schedule."

"Exactly." He turned to him, quirking his lips as he muttered: "I don't know what else to do, Hijikata-kun, if I don't recover they'll force me to leave the Roshigumi."

Hijikata frowned, shooing the idea away with a graceful wave of his right hand. "Don't say such things. Kondou-san cares for you and would never cast you aside for something like that." He passed a hand over his shoulder, encouraging him to move away from the place. "There's so much paperwork to deal with, and there's also the accounting. From what I understand, your education under Chiba Shusaku-san's tutelage was quite useful."

"You can't compare the warrior's path with accounting, Hijikata-kun," he muttered, shuffling down the cobblestone alley. "I don't want to spend my life counting other people's money." He gave a long sigh as he shook his head. "I must prove myself worthy of owning a two-sword carrying license, and I won't be able to do it sitting behind a desk."

"The wound that stupid beam inflicted on your shoulder when it went through it was too bad, you're lucky you didn't lose your whole arm."

"You call this luck?" He clicked his tongue. "I'd have been lucky if the fire had taken me with it."

"Sannan." He gave him a look as sharp as the blade of his sword. "I don't want to hear you talking like that."

"It's the truth, Hijikata-kun." He straightened and lifted his chin to glare back at his best friend. He wasn't much taller than him and yet he still felt intimidated by his stern expression. "At least I would've gone out a hero."

"Heroes are overrated." An imperceptible smile took over Hijikata's lips as he pointed to a battered house on the opposite sidewalk. "The owner of the Mao Restaurant wouldn't be working so hard to rebuild his store had his daughter not been with him. You kept him from losing the reason for all of his efforts and, if that's not heroic, then I don't know what could possibly be."

"Wow." Sannan raised his eyebrows, surprised by the rate at which the repairs progressed. "They sure worked hard to make such a big improvement in such a short time."

"You see?" Hijikata gave him an encouraging pat on the back before walking off toward the store. "My brother-in-law likes to say that every decision we make impacts other people's lives. Even when they seem imperceptible to us, the resulting shift is immeasurable."

"Hi... Hijikata-kun!" He paused, hesitating. "What are you going to do there?"

"See how they're doing, what else would I want to do?"

"It's just that..." He scratched his cheek, uncomfortable at the sudden visit. "It'll be a bit embarrassing to have all those people watching me stroll around with my arm in this terrible state."

"What's so embarrassing about getting hurt while on duty?" He parted the curtain at the front door and gave a brief nod to one employee. "Anyone would welcome the limelight."

"Well, I don't." He huffed as his companion disappeared inside the restaurant. He reluctantly followed him and, just as he entered, bumped into one of the waitresses who worked for Izanagi. He hurried to politely address her: "Good afternoon, Ume-san."

The young waitress blushed violently at the sound of Sannan Keisuke's voice. "Oh!" She smiled from ear to ear while bowing excessively. "What a pleasure to see you again, Sannan-san! Chie, my dear! Come and see who came to visit!"

Furukawa Chie peeked out from the kitchen with her face flushed from the heat and a red headscarf covering most of her head. She gaped in shock when she saw the man who saved her life a month ago standing in front of her. "I'll be right with you!" She wiped her hands on her apron and approached him with a forced smile. To tell the truth, she still felt embarrassed to face the person who saw her crying and trembling from an irrational nervous breakdown. "Sannan-san, how nice to see you back."

"The joy is mutual," Sannan replied kindly. "We see your father spared no effort in getting this place back on its feet."

"He doesn't give up easily. My father is a hardworking man who makes friends everywhere, so people came from far and wide to lend a hand. To be honest, we couldn't be more grateful for that."

"I would've liked to help." Sannan sighed. "I know only one of my arms is available, but that doesn't stop me from tagging along with the Roshigumi troops during the patrols. Had I been informed, I could've helped with the less demanding tasks."

"Don't be foolish, Sannan-san." Hijikata folded his arms, stopping beside them. "The last thing you need is to prove anything to these people, you've done enough for them."

"Huh..." Chie went speechless, surprised by the interruption of Sannan's companion. His presence towered overwhelmingly over the place, reminding her of the great lords of the epic legends she was so fond of reading about. She gaped without being able to control it and hurriedly snapped her mouth shut, trying to conceal her astonishment.

Ume had to nudge her lightly in the ribs to get her to carry on with the conversation. "You should... ask my father, Sannan-san." She shrugged as she clenched the tray in her hands. "I bet we could still use your help with some of the things that were unfinished after the repa... repairs."

"Oh yes, that's true." Sannan smiled, both curious and amused by the girl's reaction. "I hope I can be of some help to you, there's no doubt you're diligent and honorable tradesmen."

"Cut it out, Sannan." Hijikata cleared his throat, bothered by his companion's helpful attitude. Sannan was a kind person, yes, but they were men-at-arms now and such courtesies were frowned upon within the new ruling class they belonged to. Solidarity was for farmers, not warriors. "Are you going to feed us or what?"

"Oh." Chie frowned. "Sure, you can sit over here." She led them to the table, struggling to break the tension Hijikata's attitude brought to the conversation. "Are you on duty? I see you're wearing your uniforms."

Sannan concealed his embarrassment at his companion's behavior. Knowing Hijikata was among the most polite members of the ronin group to which they belonged, he didn't even want to guess how the others might behave. He was beginning to understand why Kyoto's citizens called them "The Wolves of Mibu."

But he couldn't really blame his comrade, Hijikata wasn't accustomed to expressing his feelings in a fancy way, let alone to strangers. Mistrust would leave him sooner or later, he supposed, probably once the restaurant's inhabitants became part of his everyday acquaintances.

"That's right, Hijikata-kun took a few hours off to escort me to the doctor's office. It's pretty close from here so we decided to stop by for a quick hello."

"Oh!" Chie blinked several times. "That's right, you still haven't recovered from the injuries you sustained in the accident. How's everything going, Sannan-san?"

"Well..." Sannan sighed and shrugged, pointing to the sling with his healthy arm. "It seems my treatment ended... prematurely."

"Prematurely?"

"Waitress." Hijikata interrupted the exchange, addressing Ume with a frown. "Get Sannan some sake, this might take a while and his throat will dry up if he keeps talking so willingly."

"Of course, Hijikata-san!" Ume rushed into the kitchen to bring him a cup of the best sake they managed to save from the flames. She'd do anything to please Sannan-san.

"Well..." Sannan heaved his chest full of air and blew it out through his nose all at once. "Where do I start?"

"Maybe at the part where your treatment suddenly ended."

"Good idea, Chie-san." He pursed his lips into a line. "The beam severed a few tendons, and... the healing is quite convoluted. I'm being treated by one of the best doctors in town, a man named Morita."

"Morita... yes, I've heard of him."

"Then you'll know he loves luxury more than performing bloodletting." Chie nodded and Sannan appreciated the girl being aware of the doctor's greedy character, so he continued speaking with renewed confidence: "My family sent me money to pay him for his services, but today he told me he'll give my place to some wealthy Kyoto woman if I don't deliver twice the payment in less than two weeks."

"And will it be long before your arm is back to how it used to be?"

Sannan gritted his teeth and his eyebrows flattened over his eyelids. Time... that was what he needed the most.

"The prognosis isn't good unless..." he rested his chin on his folded hands, "...I rest and follow those excessive rules doctors like to recommend. I suppose he'll come up with a miracle cure if I pay him enough, and I'll be able to get back to work without further trouble. In fact, rumor has it that he treated several patients with the renowned Ishida medicine Hijikata-kun used to hand out. It's hard to find nowadays, but I'm hoping Dr. Morita has a couple of doses stashed away," he said the latter with a determined smile, but Chie's face had hardened until she looked like a statue. "Chie-san? Did I say something wrong?"

The girl shook her head softly, smoothing the fabric of her apron with her fingertips. "I wondered what would happen if that cure you rely on so heavily never shows up."

"Well..." He adjusted his glasses, eager to resolve the hypothetical situation. "I guess then I'd have to-"

"There's no need to talk about it," Hijikata cut them off, his gaze fixed on the sake he was holding. "He'll recover."

They lapsed into an awkward silence that was quickly broken by Chie, who pointed to her throat as she blurted out: "By the way! Did you see how my voice improved?"

"Oh, yes!" Sannan laughed. "It's true, your voice sounds much clearer than before, Chie-san."

"The smoke damaged my vocal cords, but Dr. Mantaro-san came all the way from Edo to see me and everything got better in two shakes of a lamb's tail."

"In two shakes of a lamb's tail?" Hijikata frowned, not knowing whether to feel curious or uneasy at the reveal. "And who's that guy?"

"The family doctor!" Chie nodded. "He's been taking care of my and Dad's health since he inherited the family business. He's a great doctor who's done a lot for us and..." She pressed a fist to her chin to restrain her enthusiasm. The possibility of returning the favor to Sannan-san excited her, but she didn't want her gratitude to be blatant. "I think it might be a good idea for him to help you with your recovery."

"Oh, I see." Sannan moved to avoid some rude customers who purposely pushed him after spotting his Roshigumi haori. The people of Kyoto disliked them greatly and didn't miss a chance to show it whenever they could. "Chie-san, I have the feeling I'm taking advantage of your kindness. I wouldn't want to force him to treat me just because you owe me... well... what happened in the fire."

"No!" She shook her head quickly. "He wouldn't feel under any obligation! I've known him since I was a child and I can assure you that Mantaro-san is a kind and charitable person." She brushed a lock of hair away from her face, struggling to conceal the melancholy that came over her when she offered her final reason: "Besides, he has relatives in the Roshigumi, he's a strong supporter of your cause."

"Relatives?" Hijikata's disinterested tone of voice contradicted the urgency of his words. "Who's he related to? Do we know him?"

"I... I don't really know. It's been years since I left Edo and I no longer remember his family composition, but I've heard rumors and..." She forced a smile. "Anyway! You should ask him when you see him, bet you'll be pleasantly surprised!"

Hijikata said nothing, but the intensity of his gaze was enough to make her hair stand on end. It was obvious she wouldn't fool him with such a lame excuse. How could she forget which of Mantaro's brothers was in the Roshigumi ranks? She felt like slapping herself for talking too much.

"And that's what we'll do." Sannan gave her a friendly smile, disregarding the suspicion that spoiled his comrade's appetite. "If this turns out well I'll be indebted to you, Chie-san."

"Not at all, not at all." The girl dismissed the idea with a slight wave of her hand. "It's my duty to pay you for your assistance."

"That's fine." He nodded, crossing his healthy arm over the sling. "Hopefully, this will all be for the best."

"I hope so, I'd hate to see you harmed because of me."

"Because of you?"

"Had I not gone up to the house, I wouldn't have been enclosed by the fire, and... you wouldn't have been hurt like that."

"Bah." Hijikata huffed after taking another sip of sake. "Had nothing happened to him on that occasion, I bet some unhinged ronin was bound to cut him down later on."

"Are you questioning my swordsmanship, Hijikata-kun?" He elbowed him teasingly and Hijikata replied with a low chuckle he tried hard to hide. Sannan turned to the waitress, squinting his eyes into one of his characteristic calm smiles. "My job is complicated. It wasn't your fault, Chie-san."

"Thank you, Sannan-san." She bowed, overcome with gratitude. It was impossible for her not to feel responsible about her savior being incapacitated because of her recklessness, but his explanation lightened the burden.

"We'll be back tomorrow for Mantaro-san's contact information. Is he still in town?"

"Yes, he'll be staying for a season."

"Excellent. I'm looking forward to learning more about him."

Chie meant to reply, but the scolding look her best friend shot her from across the room made her snap her mouth shut. Ume had been infatuated with the handsome glasses-wearing samurai from the first moment she saw him, and it was clear the lack of attention he paid to her was affecting her severely.

Ume fell in love too easily, but Chie resolved to end the conversation to free her from the angst of not being involved in it. She exited the place after bowing briefly when Hijikata Toshizo's voice reached her ears: "You see, Sannan? I told you it was a good idea to come here."

She didn't quite understand his statement but she figured it was due to Sannan's future medical visit, which filled her chest with joy. For years now, Chie's happiness consisted of enjoying what she could give to others, although that joy tasted like a secret bitterness on the rare occasions when she remembered why she stopped pursuing her own.

Summer, September 12, 1863. One week later.

"Good afternoon!" Tani Mantaro greeted his visitor. It was enough for him to know he was little Chie's savior to accept him as a patient, but learning he belonged to the same squad his brother would join delighted him. He'd do anything to support Kyoto's champions!

"Good evening," Sannan returned the greeting with the same friendliness as his host. Mantaro seemed considerably humbler than his former doctor. He rented a small house by the river and his smile was refreshingly genuine. He decided he liked him right away. "I'm Sannan Keisuke, from the Roshigumi. We agreed to meet here some time ago."

"Of course, I remember." He welcomed him in with a wave of his hand and they both stepped into the comfortable little room that preceded the house. "Chie-san told me you'd be coming. It's quite an honor to take one of the lofty keepers of order under my care."

"Keepers of order?" He felt his cheeks redden at the term. He pursed his lips in an insecure smile as he slipped off his sandals. "We're nothing like that, sir. We're just trying to make things right, that's all."

"Well, doing things right is precisely something a keeper of order would do, my friend." He took his instruments and rolled up his sleeves as Sannan stripped off the upper part of his clothing. "How long ago was the accident?"

"A month and a few days." He showed him the scar that ran across his shoulder. "It left a peculiar mark."

"Quite peculiar, actually. That could've healed better. I don't like to speak ill of my colleagues, but this Dr. Morita fellow is a bit careless."

"Really?" Sannan looked over his shoulder and stifled a hiss as he felt the icy steel of the instrument Mantaro examined him with. "And to think I gave everything I had to that old man."

"You aren't the only one. Kyoto doctors tend to get greedy."

"Chie-san told me you came from Edo."

"That's right, so did my older brother." He smiled proudly. "He'll be joining the Roshigumi next week. He's an impetuous boy, but fiercely dedicated to his tasks."

"What's his name?"

Mantaro was about to answer when a red-haired, grim-faced man burst into the room. He looked them up and down before huffing, annoyed with his brother for conducting a medical consultation in the dining room. "Mantaro-san, isn't this a bit unhealthy for a doctor?" he said after noticing Sannan's battered arm. "I know they pay you a pittance, but these beggars deserve a futon at the very least."

"Beggars?" Sannan quirked his lips into a bitter grimace. "This must be your brother."

"Yes!" Mantaro stood up and pulled the newcomer with him, puffing out his chest with pride as he proclaimed: "I present you my brother, Sannan-san! This is Tani Sanjuro, future captain of the Roshigumi's 7th Division!"

"Sannan... Keisuke?" Sanjuro smirked cockily and tossed him a lazy nod. "The Roshi's Advisor, right?"

"That's right." He tried to forget the lousy first impression his future companion made on him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sanjuro-san."

"I prefer Tani-san, thank you." His eyes got smaller in a feline gesture that aimed to be cordial, but had the opposite effect. "I'll be your superior after all, Secretary."

His glasses fell down on his nose upon hearing the smugness with which Tani addressed him. Kondou-san labeled him as a man of patience who didn't react without provocation, but this individual seemed to be begging for a sandal to be slammed in his face.

"Sanjuro-kun." Mantaro patted his older brother's shoulder to compel him to behave. It wasn't the first time he'd insulted one of his patients in the short time he'd been living with him in Kyoto. "Would you like to tell Sannan-san how you decided to join his cause?"

"Hmm..." Sanjuro plopped lazily into a corner as his eyes scanned every nook and cranny of the patient's body. The grimace sharpening on his lips became even keener as he met Sannan's eyes, which silently confronted him as they demanded him to respect his privacy.

This only added to the amusement the cripple bred in him.

"I'd rather hear how he got that ugly scar," he stated in a mockingly concerned tone of voice. "They say back injuries occur when a warrior runs away from combat. In former times you'd have been forced to commit honorable suicide for that, you know... Sannan-kun?"

Sannan settled his glasses on his nose bridge as his only answer, suppressing a string of curses that would make Dr. Mantaro's face blush until he looked like a Yasha out of hell itself.

He'd just decided he didn't like Tani Sanjuro one bit.

Chapter Text

Summer, September 20, 1863. A week after Sannan started treatment with Dr. Tani Mantaro.

"Hey, Sannan-san!" Okita Souji met him with a mischievous grin, his hair looking redder in the midday light. "Did the medical check-up go well?"

Sannan grimaced, unable to determine whether the outcome was good or bad. "The doctor will give you more accurate details than I."

"Bah, why the long face?" He laid his eyes on the sling shielding his companion's arm. "I'd appreciate a leave of absence like yours."

"Don't speak lightly, Okita-kun. You'd go mad if you couldn't add to the Roshigumi's development for two weeks in a row." He held his chin and raised his eyebrows curiously. "Who sent you to find me? We both know I can return to the headquarters without inconvenience."

"You should say 'thank you', Sannan-san." He quirked his lips and headed down the path that ran along the river that cut the city in half. "Politeness takes you many places."

"Funny to hear you say that." He adjusted his glasses and looked at him with a gentler expression than the one he'd given him upon exiting the clinic. "I suspect Kondou-san fears I might be an easy target for our enemies."

Okita shrugged and hid his hands inside his haori's sleeves. "I won't sugarcoat it for you, Sannan-san. Had I been the enemy, I'd render your body as mangled as that useless arm you take such pains to hide." He pursed his lips and shook his head. "You shouldn't walk around Kyoto with two swords like if you were the freaking Miyamoto Musashi, you'll only get yourself into trouble in that condition of yours."

"I'm not afraid of fighting at a disadvantage." His gaze moved from the dusty streets to the crystal clear surface of the water where several residents shook the heat away with a dip.

"I know you don't," Okita brushed a sweaty lock of hair away from his forehead, "but the Roshigumi isn't in a position to lose one of its captains in a second-rate street brawl. It'd ruin our reputation far more than that Serizawa moron is already doing."

"Don't call him a moron. Serizawa-san is our boss and we owe him respect."

"That doesn't make him any less of a moron." He rolled his eyes. "Between him and that Tani punk we couldn't sink any lower."

Sannan stopped in shock and blinked several times before resuming his walk. "I thought I was the only one who was bothered by the new captain's attitude."

"You're far from it." He huffed through his teeth. "Did you notice how much he tries to act like me?"

"To act like you?" Sannan grimaced. "I don't think Tani behaves similarly to you."

"Of course he does!" Okita puffed out his cheeks and folded his arms in an outburst of disgust. "I'm not the only one who noticed! Harada-san used to be his student in the Tyokushin Ryu style and he told me I was right!"

"I'm not dismissing Harada-san's opinion, it's just that it wouldn't be the first time you felt jealous of a fellow swordsman."

"Jealousy?!" He laughed in disbelief. "Ha! He doesn't even use a sword! I'd never be jealous of the fool who uses a spear to avoid close combat." He turned on his heel and examined Sannan with a questioning look. "You don't like him either, do you? I don't suppose it's because you're jealous of him."

"Of course not." He shook his head and his eyebrows fell dangerously over his eyelids when he recalled the moment he met Tani Sanjuro. "I just think he'd be a far more tolerable individual if he had greater control over his tongue." He sighed as he asked: "Do you want to know what he said to me during yesterday's patrol?"

"If he told you you were a liability I would've agreed with him,'' Okita pointed out mischievously, ''though I hope I'm wrong."

"He said the Roshigumi was a pretty merciful bunch."

"Hmm?" Okita raised his eyebrows. "And why would he say something like that?"

Sannan gave a bitter laugh that lingered halfway down his throat. "Because they went through the trouble of appointing a new captain for the special Cripple Corps."

"Bah." He clicked his tongue and furrowed his eyebrows. "That's an amateurish cheap shot, I would've said something wittier."

"Amateur or not, he managed to make me feel like a failure."

"If you feel that way it's your own fault, you shouldn't listen to his nonsense."

Sannan grunted and ran a hand over the top of his head, annoyed by his companion's indifference. "That's easy to say when you aren't the one who can't wield his sword!"

Okita quirked his lips with his eyes fixed on Sannan's sling. "Maybe you're right, but shutting down his insults won't make you recover any faster, will it? If you let him get under your skin, you'll end up feeling twice as bad."

"By all the feudal lords, Okita-kun." Sannan let his shoulders fall. "If only it was that easy to disregard his words. I fear you won't get it unless you're in my shoes, and heaven knows I don't wish this misfortune on any of you."

"Don't be dramatic." He clicked his tongue and looked away. "It's just that you take offense over nothing."

"Do I?" His eyebrows disappeared under his glasses. "What about you? You have no proof he's imitating you, but you insist on being subjective."

"Subjective my ass. That guy started to annoy me from the second day he spent at the headquarters. The guys and I were discussing a fascinating topic, but Tani decided to invite himself into the conversation."

"What topic?" Sannan sighed with visible disinterest.

"We were trying to pinpoint who was Kyoto's most beautiful woman," he stated with a smug grin.

"What a waste of time. Is that what you do when Hijikata-kun takes a nap?"

"Keep quiet or I won't tell you the rest."

"Like I'd miss out on something crucial."

"As I was saying..." Okita continued, paying no attention to his companion's boredom. "I was the last one to speak up, so I said the obvious; that Shimabara's maiko Kohana was the sole deserving of such a title among the bunch of bimbos they nominated before."

"Kohana of Shimabara?" Sannan put a hand to his chin. "She's beautiful, yes, albeit too young for the task at hand."

"Her youth doesn't prevent her from excelling at her job, I've never seen her miss a single dance step." He shrugged without taking his eyes off the road. "She's a professional and I think that increases her popularity."

Sannan laughed softly. "Since when did you become an Okiya critic, Okita-kun?"

"It's no big deal..." He clicked his tongue with a shrug as he stopped under a tree teeming with noisy cicadas. "You know I only drink at those places. It was just a hobby to pass the time, you shouldn't take it so seriously."

"And why did you get upset about whatever Tani did?"

Okita frowned as the memory came to his mind. "He used exactly the same reasoning as I did, but to refer to Serizawa-san's tacky mistress."

"Ume-san?"

"Exactly." He huffed. "He even dared to say they look physically alike, which puts them on equal footing. Can you believe it? Equal footing by likening a maiko to a... woman like Ume?"

"No offense, Okita-kun," Sannan muttered, "but it still seems like a pretty silly spat to me."

"I'm going to kill that guy."

"Don't be so intense." Sannan leaned against the tree trunk where Okita stopped, eager to get some rest before resuming their walk. "The kid's a pain in the ass, yes, but I intend to make him one of us."

"What the hell are you thinking?"

"You aren't the world's friendliest person and yet you're still on our side."

"Don't compare me to that fourth-rate spearman."

"I suppose there's a reason why Tani is so..." he paused to search for the right word, "...cynical. We might be able to spot and comprehend that reason to make him behave as any other comrade would."

"Good luck accomplishing that after I toss him headfirst into the well's bottom."

"Have mercy, Okita-kun. He treated me worse than he did to you and yet I'm willing to give him a chance. He can't be as bad as he seems. If we put up with Serizawa-san, we may as well be a little more patient with Tani."

"That's your opinion." Okita shrugged and rolled up his haori in annoyance. The heat was putting him in a dreadful mood. "Would you like to go for a drink at the Mao Restaurant?"

"Now?" Sannan tried to cope with the abrupt change of subject. "Shouldn't we report to Kondou-san first?"

"Relax." He gave a haughty snort, strutting toward the store's door. "You're with his favorite captain, I'm sure he'll excuse your slip."

"Sannan-san." Chie came out to meet them with a tray full of rice balls. Her face was flushed from the lengthy workday she endured. "What brings you here?"

"We fear dehydration," joked Sannan as he pointed to Okita with his free hand. "This is Okita Souji, 1st Division captain and the squad's honorary rascal."

"Oh, I... see." Chie hesitated whether to laugh or keep her composure. Her eyes moved to the stranger to read his reaction, but the swordsman's expression was cryptic. He might as well be smiling or about to cut her in half with his katana, only the blessed Amaterasu-sama could know that, so she chose to bow in greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Okita-san!"

"The pleasure is mine, Chie-chan." Okita smiled back. "Sannan-san told me this nice place caught fire last month, I'm glad you repaired it so quickly."

Chie's face turned pale at the memory of the terrible fire and she had to put the tray on the table to avoid dropping it. She gave a nervous chuckle as she smoothed her apron's wrinkles. "Yeah. It's such a lucky thing that... Kyoto's people were so helpful to us, Okita-san."

"Better that way." His eyes wandered around the place and a mischievous smile formed on his lips. "I'd like to see the beam that almost split Sannan-san in two. I gather you keep it on display."

"W, what?" Chie's eyes widened. "N, no! Of course not!"

Okita chuckled with a low laugh. "Relax, I'm just messing with you." He shot Sannan a sidelong glance. "She's an innocent girl, huh? That's good. She'll have a long life provided she doesn't meddle in our affairs."

"Don't talk too much, Okita-kun..." Sannan cleared his throat. "Will you order something to eat?"

"Maybe." He still hadn't lost interest in his new acquaintance. He enjoyed teasing shy women more than he liked to admit. "Tell me, Chie-chan. Did the fire frighten you badly?"

Sannan was speechless. How dare he ask that question to someone who had been nearly burned to death? He tried to tell him to leave her alone, but the girl beat him to it: "I couldn't say I wasn't scared," she admitted, "but fortunately Sannan-san was there to spare me from a fatal outcome."

"Right." Okita eyed her up and down, attempting to gauge her reaction. "And what if no one had arrived in time to rescue you?"

"Enough, Okita-kun. Let's take our seats and let Chie-chan carry on serving the customers." Sannan held his shoulder as a warning, but Chie wasted no time in explaining herself, her expression easing in a way that didn't match the darkness of her answer:

"You don't have to be a scholar to foresee what would've happened, Okita-san. I would simply be dead." A hint of sadness crossed her face, but she was quick to hide it under a hearty smile. "Many people die from unfair reasons. Life... is often like that."

"Yeah." Okita shrugged, looking at the customers coming in and out of the restaurant. "I see it the same way." His eyes narrowed into a mischievous grin as he walked toward his favorite table. "I was hoping you'd get annoyed, but you spoiled my fun. You leave me no choice but to force you to serve me a drink as punishment, Chie-chan."

The girl couldn't help but smile. Sannan-san had every reason to consider him an honorary rascal. She nodded, ready to prepare the order, but Sannan stopped her with an inquisitive look that flashed through his glasses' lenses. "Before you leave, Miss Chie. Would you mind answering a few questions about Tani Sanjuro?"

Chie's jaw dropped, mute from the surprise that swept over her. She put the tray back on the table after collecting herself, lowering her voice to make sure no one else could hear her. "How... did you know I knew him?"

"I didn't know, you just confirmed it." Sannan frowned. "We recently learned that Mantaro-san is his younger brother and, considering you recommended him to me as a doctor, it was obvious you should know the Bicchu Matsuyama clan's heir."

"Well, yes." Chie looked away. "But I don't have time to chat with you now, Sannan-san. As you can see, I'm working." She gritted her teeth in a fake smile that failed to disguise her discomfort.

"I don't want to bother you, but it's just that..." He sighed, embarrassed by the request he was about to make to the waitress. "I'd like to get to know him a little better. We're having some... issues with his behavior at the Roshigumi and I'd appreciate your advice to solve them."

Chie would've preferred to hide in the kitchen for the rest of the afternoon than talk about Tani, but learning her old friend had difficulty fitting in prompted her to whisper the excuse she so often uttered during her childhood: "He's not as bad as he seems. He's just... a bit reluctant to trust people."

"Really?" Sannan put a hand to his chin. "I supposed something prevented him from being nice, but I never thought he felt... insecure."

"He hasn't had an easy life." Chie struggled in vain to loosen the lump in her throat. "I... I've seen him in better times and..." Her cheeks flared at the memories that flowed from the place where she buried them years ago. "I, I'm sorry, Sannan-san! I can't talk about this anymore! I have to... get back to work!" She stormed away, bumping into a few customers as she disappeared into the distance.

Sannan gave a deep sigh and let his shoulders fall in disappointment. Would that be all he'd get to hear from Tani Sanjuro? He sat across from Okita with his healthy arm crossed over his sling and his brow furrowed in frustration.

"Hijikata-san told you you wouldn't get anything out of the waitress."

"How did you hear that? Hijikata-kun and I were alone in the meeting room."

The younger one bared his teeth in a playful grin and waved his right hand between the two of them. "Don't pay heed to my methods. Do you still plan to expose Tani's weaknesses?"

"I'm not trying to expose his weaknesses, I just want to..." He paused to gather his thoughts. "I just aim to integrate him into the group, that's all."

"Well, as much as it annoys me to admit it, Hijikata-san is right. She knows many things about him, but she won't tell them to you or me."

Sannan sighed and shook his head. "I've noticed."

"But maybe she'll tell them to someone a bit more... friendly," Okita muttered, leaning out of the window with an enigmatic smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He squinted slyly, pointing at the Roshigumi patrol that showed up at the end of the dusty street. Toudou Heisuke was leading a troop of men as tired and sweaty as he was. "Give her a shoulder to cry on and she'll give us the information we seek."

Autumn, September 30, 1863. Ten days later.

Had Furukawa Chie known that Toudou-san would visit her daily to quiz her about Tani's qualities, she probably would've tried to make up a couple of fake facts to get him off her back. But there she was again, hiding in the restaurant kitchen while trying to convince Ume to cover for her for the tenth time.

"You can't avoid him forever," her friend muttered as she spied the main hall tables. "He just wants to learn more about his teammate. Isn't that the same thing Sannan-san asked that time? Everyone seems to care about him."

"Why don't they ask Mantaro-san, then? He's his brother and he should know him much better than I do."

"You know it's not like that." Ume (who knew Chie and Sanjuro's story as if it were her own), looked sideways at her with tight lips. "His younger brother doesn't know shit about Tani and I bet he already told that to Toudou-kun."

"I know, I know!" Chie puffed out her cheeks. "But... I just can't. I don't know if I can talk about him without-"

"Without bursting into tears?"

Chie nodded with a pitiful groan, hiding her face under her apron. Her tantrum elicited a hearty laugh from her best friend, who bent down to gently uncover her face.

"You owe your help to Toudou-kun. Wasn't he the one who caught you after you jumped from your burning house? You wouldn't be here without Sannan-san or him, sweetie."

"Yeah," the waitress muttered under her breath, "but I've already sent Sannan-san to a doctor. Isn't that enough to pay off my debt?"

"Will you make him sit and wait for you at that table for ten more days?"

"It's not my fault Hijikata-san thinks the Choshu meet here to plan their next attack! Even if I don't tell him anything about Tani he'll have to keep watching everything that happens from there!"

"They say there's no way to get out of the Roshigumi without committing seppuku..." Ume muttered grimly. "What if Tani's behavioral issues get him forced to cut open his stomach as a punishment?"

"Oh, Ume!" Chie turned pale and her mouth trembled as she spoke: "D, don't say that, for God's sake!"

"I'm not trying to manipulate you." She held her hand to help her to her feet. "I'm making sure you won't hurt yourself any more than you've already been, my friend. I know you'll never forgive yourself if something bad happens to him because of you."

"Yes..." She stared at her own feet. "You're not wrong about that, Ume."

"Help Toudou-kun understand him. That'll give you peace of mind."

"I... I think maybe I can give it a try."

"Then go. Don't be afraid of the tears from your eyes, but of those from your heart." She gave her a little push that sufficed to draw her out of the kitchen, but not out of the sea of worries that drowned her as she approached the table occupied by the captain of the 8th Division.

"Oh, Chie-san!" Heisuke stood up with a relieved smile plastered on his lips. "I've finally bumped into you!"

The waitress looked at him with a grudging look she found hard to hide. She knew he meant well to her former best friend, but she had sworn to never think of Tani or anything concerning his affairs anymore and felt like she was betraying herself... again.

"Sorry I didn't come sooner," she mumbled, taking a seat next to him as she removed the scarf from her hair, "but I'm not on the best of terms with your teammate and... I'd rather not talk about him."

"I, I know... I mean! I can tell you're bummed about the whole thing." He scratched the back of his neck to ease his discomfort and forced a smile as he rested his hands on the coffee table. Screw Souji for sending him on that sickening mission where he was supposed to uncover some poor girl's secrets! Wasn't Yamazaki-kun supposed to take care of that kind of depressing stuff? Heisuke would've cut off a hundred ronin before manipulating her, so his apology sounded more painful than it should when he blurted: "I'm sorry, Chie-san!"

"Don't be sorry." She raised her eyes softly, looking at him with a small determination that grew as her nerves faded away. "I've already decided that... well, that this is all for his sake."

"Of course it is." Heisuke nodded, tapping his knuckles on the table. "I know Tani isn't the party's funniest guy, but it'd be nice to know who we're dealing with before embracing a misguided opinion we might be ashamed of later." He shrugged, discouraged at the thought of his current situation. "Looks can be deceiving, huh?"

"Yes." Chie looked down, staring at her own reflection in the teacup resting on the coffee table. "Even memories can be deceiving sometimes."

"Huh?" Heisuke blinked wide-eyed. "Chie-san? What are you saying?"

"Oh!" She blushed when she noticed her distraction. "I, I'm sorry, I was just thinking out loud!"

Heisuke laughed good-naturedly, dismissing the matter with a gentle wave of his hand. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I guess you don't know where to start."

"I'd like to find out what's going on with him first."

"Hmm? What do you mean, what's going on with him?"

"What's this terrible behavioral issue you're so worried about?"

"Well..." Heisuke pursed his lips, unsure of how to express their complaints about this man who seemed to upset her so much. "Well. He... let's just say he screws up almost on purpose."

"What do you mean, he screws up?"

"He tends to say rude things and whines too much about everything." He looked at her, afraid she would take offense at his words, but found she looked more curious than upset, so he continued with renewed confidence: "He's smugger than Souji... and that's putting it mildly."

"The truth is, he always had pretty strong opinions. Tani-san wasn't about changing them to spare other people's sensibilities."

"Yeah. I can see that. But should he come up with such a stunt against Hijikata-san or Serizawa-san..." he gritted his teeth, drumming his fingers against the table's surface, "...he's going to be in for some real trouble."

"Yes, I guessed as much and that's why I decided to help you."

"Good." Heisuke smiled contentedly, taking a sip from his cup of sake. "Mr. Tani-Smug-Sanjuro is making many enemies with this charade of acting like a bully. Things will be easier for him (and for all of us too) if we find out his weaknesses."

Chie wrinkled her nose. "Weaknesses? I'm not going to give you ideas to pick on him or anything."

"N, no!" Heisuke coughed from choking on his drink and hurried to interpose his palm between the two of them. "Don't get me wrong! We just... want to know how to get him to stop being so narrow-minded and... confrontational toward others!"

"It's just that I..." Chie bit her lower lip, fighting the urge to get up and run away from the place. "I never knew how to deal with him as you think. He's very self-reliant and doesn't usually listen to anyone's advice." She smiled resignedly. "He's your typical prideful warrior."

"We're proud too and yet we don't go around dissing each other's roots."

"What do you mean?"

"He has no right to say some of our people are less valuable because of how they came into the world. The Roshigumi doesn't care about social status, justice issues, and all that nonsensical crap."

"Tani is a prestigious heir who shares his people's views. He still has some things to learn, but I'm sure he'll understand them as time goes by."

"I would say many, in fact..." he muttered, struggling to hide how much it irked him to be judged by Sanjuro and his subordinates when they intercepted the mail with money for Sannan's treatment sent to him by his father from the Toudou Domain. To be called a bastard ronin amidst laughter and mockery was something he never thought he'd suffer under the Roshigumi's roof.

A tomb-like silence fell between the two of them and Heisuke noticed Chie's freckled face twitch in a gesture of both shock and anguish. He opened his mouth to find out the reason behind her odd reaction, but a hand resting on his shoulder prevented him from doing so.

He only grasped the true situation when Tani Sanjuro's very voice rang behind his back: "I never thought one of my fellow captains would spend his surveillance hours trash-talking me to Kyoto's young girls. It's a rather creepy pastime. Don't you think so, Chie-chan?"

Chapter Text

"I never thought one of my fellow captains would spend his surveillance hours trash-talking me to Kyoto's young girls. It's a rather creepy pastime. Don't you think so, Chie-chan?"

Tani Sanjuro's syrupy voice caused a shiver to run down Chie's back all the way from the nape of her neck to her waist. She gaped an inch (trying to find the words to convey the flood of feelings welling up in her throat), when her father joined the newcomer:

"I'm glad you decided to visit after so many years, Tani!" Mr. Izanagi said with an ear-to-ear grin as he slapped him hard on the back. "Chie hasn't been the same since you left Edo!"

The girl's cheeks flared at her father's shameless admission and she scrambled to her feet so violently that she nearly knocked Heisuke's cup of sake off the table. "And it's... b, been a long time since then! Hasn't it?!" she blurted while scratching her head frantically, but covertly. "I, I bet... Tani-san didn't come here to talk about the past, dad!"

Izanagi stared at her with the same surprise Heisuke did but, to her misfortune, he didn't grasp Chie's feelings as clearly as the latter did. The cook slipped an arm over the boy he almost raised, regaining his smile as he continued: "How foolish of you! A tree without roots gets blown away by the storm! Isn't it a wonderful coincidence we now live in the capital like you, Tani-kun?"

"We grew up, Izanagi-san, and the world has become quite small since then," he stated with a cordial smile without taking his eyes off Chie.

"That's right, that's right." Izanagi motioned for Chie to follow him. "How about the three of us sit down for a little chat and catch up? Come on, Chie-chan! Let's go have some good sake with our guest!"

"D, Dad!" She stood still on the spot. "There are still many customers to take care of!"

"Bah, tell them to come back later. This is a festive occasion for our family!"

"But..." She turned to look at Heisuke's table and blinked slowly upon noticing it was empty. When had he gotten up? Was she so nervous that she was starting to lose track of what was going on around her?

"Chie-san." The 8th Division captain's voice snapped her out of her doubts. He was standing next to her, watching her with a confident expression. "I'll help him get the customers out."

"Oh! T, that's not necessary! There are only a few left and we can wait for them to leave."

"Do you think your father is willing to wait?" He pointed to the entrance with a quick shake of his head. The place's owner could be seen arguing with the customers who didn't want to leave the restaurant without finishing the dishes they'd paid for. "If I don't do something this will end in a brawl."

Chie tried to refuse, but Heisuke walked boldly to the door and apologized by explaining the Roshigumi needed to interrogate the owners about a pressing subject for the Shogunate. The crowd began to slowly leave, several of them hurling curses directed at the "Shogunate Dogs" under their breath.

Chie frowned as she took in the scene. She loathed lies of any kind, but Heisuke's decision succeeded in getting everyone to blame the government for the sudden action, rather than her impulsive father who had nearly lost them loads of loyal customers. Why was he so excited about Tani Sanjuro's return? Chie couldn't put her finger on it, but she didn't like the whole thing. Her reddish eyes moved to the table Tani sat at and she distressingly realized her heart fluttered in her chest in that distinctive way she used to hate.

The redhead had changed so much in those five years, not only physically but in another way that Chie found hard to understand. His mannerisms, the way he spoke, there was something more "cultured" that jumped out at her and sparked an interest she tried hard to hide.

"Chie-chan." The object of her thoughts called her from the table. "Your father went to get us some snacks, shall we take the chance to make peace in the meantime? Or are you still mad at me?"

"Oh!" She pursed her lips into a line. "N, No... I'm not mad about anything!"

"Then come." He smiled mischievously at her, bringing the sake Heisuke didn't finish drinking to his lips. "I promise my company will be of greater entertainment than the rumors that gossipy midget tries to feed you."

Chie frowned, struggling between suspicion and the curiosity she felt at her former best friend's gentle demeanor. Eventually, her desire to understand his motives won out and her feet led her carefully to the edge of the small table he was sitting at. She noted he was staring at her and averted her gaze as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"How have you been, Tani?" she said dryly and impersonally. "Dad was certainly pleased by your arrival."

"Was it him alone?"

She squinted at him from above. "What are you talking about?"

"I hoped Chie-chan would also be happy to see me."

"Oh, yes." She shrugged and looked away again, this time to focus on Heisuke, who struggled to slowly explain to old Mrs. Yuyume why she had to leave the store. "Are you doing well at the Roshigumi, Tani-san?"

"Not as well as I'd like." He gave a pitiful sigh. "I seem to be having some adjustment issues."

Chie turned to look at him with a frown. "You say that as a joke when it's a rather delicate subject."

"Are you afraid they'll make me cut open my stomach, Chie-chan?" He grinned teasingly at her. "I knew you were worried about me."

"Don't be so reckless." She sighed and straightened her apron. "It's hard to get far in the Shogunate if you don't mingle with the other warriors."

"These aren't warriors." He took another sip of sake, disdainfully glancing at Heisuke. "Not even the geezers will listen to them."

"With that attitude, it shouldn't surprise you they'd be tempted to complain about you."

"Geez," he interrupted her with a pleased smile. "I missed your lectures, Chie-chan."

The girl was about to reply when her father stepped between the two of them with an overwhelming amount of food in his arms. "Good! You're already catching up! Great, that's very nice! Make the most of the time you've lost!"

"Dad..." Chie frowned again, puzzled by the unbridled joy of the man who brought her into the world. "Shall I help you with that?"

"No, no. Just sit with Tani-kun while I serve you these delicacies."

"I'm not hungry." She pouted. "I had lunch on my break a couple of hours ago."

"Well, at least stay and keep the boy company while he eats!" He took a seat next to Tani, popping a cheese-filled onigiri into his mouth. "I heard they made you a spear instructor at the Roshi!"

"Yes, that's right." Tani shrugged with an awkward smirk on his lips. "But it isn't such a big honor if we consider I train farmers and merchants like you, sir."

"It's true, it's true." Izanagi gave a low chuckle. "I would never be able to master such a weapon myself! You were always proficient with them, I remember how you wielded the broom pretending it was a spear twenty years ago."

"These guys don't even reach the low level I had back then." He rolled his eyes and shook his head as he continued: "They wouldn't even know how to defend themselves with a broom."

"Oh, boy. I bet that must be pretty frustrating."

"It is." He grimaced in disgust as he watched Heisuke walk wearily toward them after finally getting the old woman to leave the place. "But Kyoto's ronin squad would be lost if it weren't for the charity shown by people of my lineage and one does what one can for one's country."

"They're all gone," Heisuke interrupted them with a tired smile. "Now you can celebrate in peace, Izanagi-san."

"Right." The cook looked at him with the same disdain his comrade did. "Then you have no business here, Toudou-san."

Heisuke's eyes opened to their widest extent, surprised by the restaurant owner's attitude, but he was quick to conceal his reaction with a friendly smile directed at those present. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Izanagi-san, but you know I'm conducting a surveillance mission that requires me to bother you with my presence." He opened his haori to retrieve the order signed by Hijikata and show it to Tani and Izanagi, who glanced at it without much interest.

"Then tell Hijikata I'll take care of the surveillance." Tani took the note and tucked it inside his right sleeve. "He knows where to find me should he have any trouble with it."

"At least... you managed to successfully shoo away the customers, Toudou-san." Chie mustered all her strength to dare to speak. She was sitting between her father and Tani, shrunk by the turn of events that had unfolded in the past few minutes. "You did us a huge favor with that, you know?" She shot him a pleading look that didn't elude Heisuke, so he hastened to reply:

"I don't want to be a spoilsport, Chie-san, but we're still not done discussing the terms of ...Serizawa-san's dinner!"

"Serizawa-san's... dinner?" Izanagi frowned deeply, his tiny black eyes moving quickly from the captain to his daughter. "What's that all about?"

Chie wondered the same thing, but kept silent when she realized her wordless pleas seemed to have been heard by Heisuke.

"Our second-in-command loves to throw parties and he asked me to inquire about the budgets offered by the city's restaurants."

"I didn't hear any of that," Tani Sanjuro cut him off, his eyelids so half-closed that his almost see-through pupils could barely be seen.

"That's because I was the one in charge of it, Tani-san."

"I would've heard about a party, it's not something you can hide in the headquarters."

"It's not a common party," he rushed to answer, aware of his opponent's mental acuity and the handicap it posed. "It's for... Ume-san."

Silence. Tani cursed inwardly upon hearing the involved person's name. It was obviously a lie, otherwise she'd have entrusted it to him, but it wouldn't take long for the others to find out about his intimate relationship with the aforementioned woman if he used the truth as proof.

Did the damned midget know something about his love affair and that's why he brought her into question? He looked inquisitively at him, searching for traces of malice in his eyes, but the boy's gaze was as honest as it was innocent. It was clear he knew nothing about the matter and his excellent excuse had been purely coincidental.

A disastrous coincidence.

He clicked his tongue as he tried to hide the frustration that overwhelmed him. He couldn't act like that in front of Chie and her father, not when he was at the most crucial moment of his return.

"For Ume-san?" he repeated without calming down enough. "And why would Serizawa-san throw a party for Ume-san?"

"Well..." Heisuke felt beads of sweat running down his forehead. He was trying hard to get Chie out of this awkward predicament, but he was getting short on ideas against Tani's insistent pressure and dangerous questions. "I, I don't know... he didn't tell me."

"I doubt Serizawa would explain himself to a brat like you," Tani mockingly blurted out. "I was just thinking out loud, you didn't have to answer."

"Huh..." Heisuke scratched the back of his head, unable to say anything else.

"I don't see why you're talking to her about this instead of me," said Izanagi while eating, oblivious to the verbal duel that happened right under his nose. "No woman runs this place."

"Dad." Chie leaned toward him, eager to avoid any kind of physical contact with Tani. "Toudou-san is the Roshigumi's youngest member and this assignment is a way to prove himself to them." She smiled gently. "He's doing his best, but he doesn't know much about running restaurants."

"That doesn't make any sense." He turned his face to the boy, whom he began to grow rather annoyed with. "Now you know how they're run and that women have nothing to do but cook, so get out of here and we'll see when we talk about the budget."

"But, Dad..."

"Quiet, Chie. I've said enough." Izanagi stared at Heisuke and the captain noticed how the wrinkles between the owner's eyebrows became dangerously pronounced. He regretted not being able to do more, but getting her out of there was no longer in his hands.

"I, it's all right, Izanagi-san," Heisuke muttered, his face red with embarrassment. "I, I won't bother you anymore."

"You give them a haori and a sword," Tani mumbled as he watched him leave the place with his head down, "and they already think they're entitled to meddle in whatever they want."

"Certainly, Tani-kun," replied Izanagi thoughtfully. "That's the problem with this new Shogunate policy. They can't ask vagabonds to pretend they're something they're not, that boy looks like more of a thief than a samurai."

"Dad!" Chie cut him off rashly, not thinking about the aggressive tone she used when speaking. "Do you forget you're talking about one of the people who saved my life a month ago?"

"I don't forget, Chie-chan, but those guys are crude bandits who don't deserve your concern."

"The only thing Sannan-san and Toudou-san stole was my soul from the Grim Reaper's hands, so show them more respect."

"Chie-chan." Tani looked at her with mock gentleness. "You're always pitying everyone around you, huh? One worthy deed doesn't turn someone into a samurai."

"It doesn't matter whether he's a foolish samurai or not." Chie frowned and held his gaze for the first time since they were reunited. "I think my life is a little more valuable than a title, don't you?"

"Why do you say that, Chie-chan?" He shrugged in an innocent way. "Did I give you any reason to think that way?"

Chie bit her tongue to restrain the burning fury that swept through her body at her former best friend's words. How come he never put a title before herself? How about when he ditched her to pursue his warrior career, five years ago? Why didn't he take her feelings into account? Wasn't she obvious enough in showing him how much she liked him?

She sighed, defeated, realizing that perhaps she wasn't as honest as she needed to be. As a mere thirteen-year-old girl who was even shyer than she was today, Tani, a high-born guy, three years older than her and far more versed in social affairs, had always been an unattainable challenge for her. So much so... that maybe she'd relied too much on her "childhood friend" status to keep him around.

In the end, she was the only one who saw those years together as something special, wasn't she? It was probably her fault; had she been a little prettier or had a better personality... maybe Tani would've realized how she felt about him.

"Chie..." Her father noticed how pale she had grown. "Why are you staring at the table like that? Don't you like what I brought to eat?" He took a plate and raised it abruptly to her face, eager to make her smile. "Look! It's seaweed soup, your favorite!"

"I said I'm not hungry..." she muttered, struggling to keep from crying. "Hey, Dad. Is it okay if I go out to get some fresh air?"

"Get some fresh air?" The man looked at her as if she'd asked his permission to fly off into the skies. "Can't you breathe right in here? I've had the windows open since dawn and I haven't cooked anything in the coal ovens."

"No, I just... I don't feel very well."

"By the Holy God of lunches, child!" Izanagi huffed, showing his desire for the girl to make a good impression on Tani Sanjuro. "It looks like you're looking for excuses to be rude to our guest!"

"No, I'm not. I-"

Tani interrupted her with a charming smile that made his gray eyes sparkle like two translucent pearls. "Let her go, Izanagi-san. I bet she got embarrassed by Toudou-kun's little ruckus and needs to regain her composure."

"Is that nonsense what troubles you, you stubborn and whimsical girl?"

"Yes, Dad, it's that very thing." She looked at him pleadingly, desperate for him to step aside and let her stand up.

"To hell with that brat..." Izanagi growled as he cleared the way for his daughter to leave. "Hope I won't see him in my restaurant for a long time."

"Wish I was that lucky, Izanagi-san," Tani scoffed, his eyes fixed on Chie's figure as she quickly disappeared outside the store.

Chie walked quickly away from the restaurant. She feared Tani and her father would come out looking for her if she spent too long outside, so she wandered away far enough so they wouldn't catch up with her for quite a while. She strode briskly down the dirt street that ran alongside the river that cut the city in half, until she was forced to stop at a street corner where a lengthy parade of imperial carriages blocked her way.

She gave a pitiful moan and her shoulders slumped at the unexpected obstacle. The emperor's family usually took quite a while to get through the city and she couldn't afford to stand still; waiting to be found. She turned her face toward the river, remembering that the dock ran under the bridge where the chariots interrupted her escape, and approached the canal's edge to deftly dangle from the stone wall and drop with a small leap onto the crumbling wood that creaked under her weight.

She smiled and stretched out her arms, pleased to find she hadn't lost her body's flexibility after the composed life she was supposed to lead as a woman of marriageable age, but that smile turned into a grimace of dread when she noticed the half-amused, half-surprised expression of the person who peacefully fished off the dock.

"Did you come to fish, Chie-san?" Heisuke snorted, trying to hold in his laughter. "Or are you going to jump into the river?"

"At this time? I think the second one."

"I'd let you do it, but you'd scare the fish away." He motioned for her to come closer without letting go of his grip on the rod. "I'm sorry about what happened back there, I didn't know Tani-san had come with me. He probably followed me or something."

"What are you talking about?" Chie walked closer and stood next to him, with no intention of sitting down.

"When Tani showed up I recalled what you said about not being on good terms with him."

"Oh, yes." She frowned without noticing. "He caught me off guard and I ended up acting like a fool."

"Why do you say that?" He clenched his line between his teeth, concentrating on reeling in a new fishing line. "I bet it was awkward to be surprised by someone you don't like very much."

"Is that what you think?" She looked at him from above. "That I don't find him 'likeable'?"

"Many people dislike him, you don't have to be a genius to notice it."

"It's not that..." She sighed, holding her hands in front of her apron. "Tani-san and I are childhood friends."

Heisuke smiled without taking his eyes off the water's surface. At last! Some information about the smug Tani Sanjuro! Maybe he wouldn't leave empty-handed from that encounter. "Really? Gee, I don't know if Chie-san is the kind of person I'd picture as his childhood friend."

"Well, it's just that we..." She shook her head curtly and took a step back as she spoke. "I should be getting home, it's not something I can really talk to you about, Heis... I mean! Toudou-san!"

"I think you could call me Heisuke instead of Toudou-san and no one would lecture you for it," he remarked casually. "I bet we're about the same age."

"What a crazy thing to say! We're still strangers."

"Strangers? Bah, a stranger is someone you buy oil to polish your sword with, not the person who refers a desperate comrade-in-arms to a competent doctor."

"Hmm?" Chie raised her eyebrows in surprise at what she'd just heard. "W, well... anyone would do that. It's not like the doctor is me."

"Not just anyone, Chie-san." He smiled briefly at her before turning his attention back to the fishing. "That's why I tried to help you out of the mess, although I think I made it worse with my stupid excuses."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." She took a seat next to him and muttered discreetly: "Tani-san isn't an easy person to fool."

"I've already noticed."

"I was going to have to face him sooner or later. You know... we live in the same city and all."

"May I know...?"

"What?"

"What was the reason the two of you don't get along anymore?"

"N, no..." Chie pursed her lips into a line. "It's nothing against you, but I don't want to talk about it right now."

"I understand..." He shrugged with a smile, trying to hide his disappointment. He didn't want to have to get any closer to her to obtain that information, but he knew neither Souji nor Hijikata would be satisfied with the little he knew about Tani so far. "It's better if I don't meddle in your things, otherwise I'll end up messing up even more."

"I don't know what to tell you." Chie laughed softly. "Because it's quite likely you will if I let you."

"H, hey! It's okay if I say so, but not if you do!"

Chie laughed again, pointing to the rod wobbling under the hand that Heisuke flailed relentlessly. "It's okay if I say you're about to lose your catch?"

"Oh! D, damn it!" He snapped his attention back to his tool and held it tightly, only preventing it for a few seconds from being swept away by the current. "This day couldn't get any more crappy! Hijikata-san will hang me from the roof if I get back to the headquarters without the dinner supplies!"

"Do you want me to do it for you?"

"What?" He clenched his jaw into a puzzled grimace. "You'll let him hang you from the roof in my place?"

"No, you bright thinker. I'm talking about fishing."

"Can you fish?"

"What kind of question is that, Toudou-san?" Chie pouted. "I work in a restaurant."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Do you think Dad has time to fish, prepare, store, and cook the fish, all by himself?"

"Hmm..." Heisuke frowned and scrutinized her from head to toe, pure distrust plastered on his face. "How long have you been fishing? Do you do it well? Hijikata-san ordered me to get these fish and if I don't bring him the exact amount he asked for he's going to-"

"To hang you from the roof, I heard you." She took the rod gently from him. "I'll catch twice as many fish as you'd have, and while I'm at it, I'll distract my thoughts from things I shouldn't be thinking about."

"Do you know what you could think about?" Heisuke suggested jokingly. "Calling me by my first name, I heard it has surprising effects on people's moods."

"Did you hear that?" Chie hid the smirk that peeked out from her lips. "I'm curious to know from whom."

"I heard it from... huh..." He scratched the back of his neck and scoured the horizon for a reasonable answer. "Oh! Well, from Mantaro-san!"

"Tani-san's... brother?" Chie wrinkled her nose.

"And Sannan-san's new personal physician, don't forget."

"You won't convince me in that silly way, Heisuk-" She forced herself to keep quiet, embarrassed to notice his first name had almost slipped out of her mouth.

He didn't overlook her misstep and contented himself with plopping down gently on his back on the dock, grinning from ear to ear as he gazed up at the bright summer sky above their heads.

Maybe his friendship with Furukawa Chie wouldn't have to be a sham.

Chapter Text

"Dad?" Chie climbed the stairs leading to Mao Restaurant's second floor, where the small room in which they both lived was located. Upon entering, she noticed the place was in darkness; no one seemed to be inside.

She was relieved to find that neither her father nor Tani Sanjuro had arrived at the apartment, leaving her free to cool off, change her clothes, and lie down on her futon to reflect on everything that happened that afternoon. If there was one thing she needed, it was rest.

When she finally dropped onto the soft mattress, the voices of the people she least wanted to hear echoed from outside the house. Chie pressed her face into the sheets, muttering curses while the front door opened.

"Who turned on the lights?" Izanagi blurted as he kicked off his sandals. "Chie-chan? Are you home?"

"Yes, Dad..." she mumbled without leaving her room. "I was sleeping."

"Well, good thing you say 'I was'. Come to the dining room, Tani-kun and I made dinner downstairs to surprise you when you showed up!"

"You just ruined the surprise, Izanagi-san," said the aforementioned, surveying the modest living room with a contemptuous grimace.

"In my defense," the cook apologized when he noticed his guest's discomfort, "I thought she was at Ume-chan's house again. She usually comes late in the evening since she likes to spend lots of time with her best friend."

"So, Chie-chan has friends now?" Tani muttered with some surprise he tried to hide behind a mocking expression. "Be careful, Izanagi-san, you don't want the capital's girls to turn into a bad influence for our innocent Edo girl."

"Oh, not at all, not at all. Ume-chan has been working in the restaurant for years and I hope she'll teach Chie how to behave in a girlish way. You know... with Mao's death..." he gave a low sigh, "...there are many things she didn't get to learn."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, for example..." His daughter's sudden appearance caused him to fall abruptly silent. Izanagi might be slightly absent-minded, but he wasn't oblivious to the tension that ran across Chie's face. Maybe he shouldn't talk about such personal things, at least not until she and Tani regained that closeness he so longed to glimpse again between the two of them.

"What a serious face you're sporting, Chie-chan," Tani scoffed from the table. "I bet you weren't so bitter during your afternoon walk."

"What are you talking about?"

"If you arrived early it's because you didn't go to your very dear friend's place."

"And why is that any of your business?" She hated to be rude to her once inseparable friend, but she wouldn't allow him to interrogate her like a criminal.

"Chie!" Her father frowned. "Why do you answer Tani-kun like that?"

"Tani-san has no reason to meddle in my affairs," she replied hesitantly, gradually losing the resolve to advocate for her privacy.

"That's no way to talk to a high-ranking warrior, lass." Izanagi waved her off to the kitchen. "Much less to one we can consider part of the family! Go and make him a cup of tea as an apology."

"Izanagi-san." Tani shook his head gently. "Don't be so strict with her, I can forgive her for having reservations around me. Wariness is an interesting detail in a woman."

"Oh, is it?" The man's eyes lit up. "Do you think so, Tani-kun?"

"Of course. Chie-chan not only has the right, but also the duty to be discreet about her daily activities." He shrugged, watching her boil the water with more annoyance than willingness. "No husband wants to hear his housewife's endless chatter after coming home from work."

"I certainly wouldn't." Izanagi gave a low laugh. "If you married Chie, you wouldn't have that problem!"

"Dad." Chie raised her voice without neglecting the fire that heated the small steel kettle. "Tani-san told you why we stopped talking?"

Both the cook and the samurai were struck dumb by the unexpectedness of her question. Izanagi opened his mouth to respond, but Tani's commanding voice overpowered it as he replied: "DOES THAT REALLY MATTER?"

"Do you have to yell?" Chie looked sideways at him, pleased to see her suspicions confirmed. Tani was trying his hardest to impress her father and all his effort would go to waste if the cook learned how he slighted his daughter, five years ago. Izanagi was desperate for her to be engaged to a young nobleman, but she remembered Tani telling her he wouldn't marry a peasant girl, which would shatter the old man's hopes of marriage.

"I'm not shouting, Chie-chan," Tani mumbled between his teeth, visibly upset, "but I think it's silly to refloat long-sunken ships."

"I don't understand a thing." Izanagi's eyes moved frantically from one to the other. "You weren't just estranged by distance?"

"There's a lot you don't know, Dad."

"Chie." Tani sat up hastily and looked down at her from his towering height. "Let's talk outside."

"What?" Izanagi replied, uneasy at his daughter's silence. "W, why do you want to go outside?"

"We have to settle this, Chie-chan," Tani said, paying no attention to the old man. "You and I... like before, like always. Now."

Sheer disgust assaulted Chie when her heart fluttered inside her chest. How long would it take for the stupid hope that gnawed at her insides to fade away? She had every reason to hate him, but the memories woven into the tapestry of their shared past whispered promises that tempted her to a blinding degree.

Was it safe... to be alone with him? She forced herself to believe it was, even when time seemed to freeze for a tenth of a second and replace the face of the person she grew up with with that of a stranger. She rubbed her eyelids and blamed the delusion on her nerves, surrendering to her craving to know Tani Sanjuro's true feelings.

"Okay, let's go." Chie followed his quick descent through the stone stairs that led to the first floor. The night was warm and serene, with nothing but the crickets breaking the silence of a time when noisy Kyoto resembled a ghost town. "Tell me why you go to such lengths to flatter my father," she blurted as they reached the restaurant's exterior. "You've never behaved that way before."

"And that's why you want to tell him I broke your heart?" The lightness of the question didn't match his concern as he scanned every nook and cranny of the alley with his eyes. A trickle of sweat slipped from his forehead and he wiped it quickly with his sleeve as he explained: "The old man is enjoying his dinner, but you're bent on ruining it for him."

"What do you mean?" She took a step back, overcome by the shock of hearing him talk about "broken hearts".

"Come on, it was obvious you had feelings for me." He clicked his tongue, still looking around. "Girls have a hard time disguising their feelings."

Chie struggled to untie the knot in her throat. Learning that Tani was never unaware of her affection for him, and yet had no qualms about rejecting and abandoning her in Edo, made her feel like screaming. "You're talking nonsense. Did you drink sake with my father before you went up to the house?"

Tani turned his face to her and gave her a brief look of jadedness before lowering his voice to mutter: "Listen to me carefully, because what I'm about to tell you is very important and I won't be able to repeat it even if I want to. We don't have much time..."

"Huh?" Chie quirked an eyebrow and nodded without understanding why her companion had become so paranoid. Was he afraid some enemy of the Roshigumi might try to attack him from behind? "Y, yes, I hear you."

"I was also a child, although I believed the opposite at the time. I assumed a respectable warrior should fight without questioning where orders came from, but time and years... forced me to rethink my beliefs."

"Beliefs?" Chie shook her head as she clenched her fists against her body and fixed her gaze on her jute sandals. "I don't know what you mean."

"I was wrong, Chie." He gritted his teeth and glanced anxiously over his shoulder. "I want to make amends for my actions and rectify the grief I caused you and your family."

Chie's face jerked up, dumbfounded by the startling revelation. Tani Sanjuro... was apologizing? She had to be dreaming! "Of all the things I thought you wanted to talk to me about," she muttered, bewildered, "this is the last one I expected to hear."

"But you can't tell anyone! Do you hear me?!" he desperately whispered. "Nobody!" He squeezed her arms and gave her a couple of shakes to stress the matter's gravity. "Everything will end if someone let them know! If they're present... I must act like before, at the beginning, when we first met! Don't forget, Chie! Remember that I do it because-"

"W, wait!" Chie broke free from his grip and recoiled until her back hit the restaurant's outer wall. "Someone's blackmailing you?"

"Ha!" He ran a hand over his face and laughed half-heartedly after collecting himself. "I wish it were blackmail. Things are infinitely trickier than that." He winced, and Chie was amazed to notice he actually seemed annoyed with the whole situation. "That's why I don't want you to tell Izanagi-san what happened between us. It'd be impossible to apologize to him anyway, the geezer gets too emotional when it comes to you."

"Perhaps..." Chie quirked her lips and averted her gaze, too confused to dare to ask anything else.

"I'm sure he'd stab me with one of his fish-cutting knives and I'd rather avoid the family quarrel."

"Family? My father and I aren't part of your family, Tani-san."

"Right." He shrugged. "I know I lost that privilege after I left, but at least we can be friends again."

"Friends?" She frowned and shook her head repeatedly. "I can't promise you that, Tani-san. I... don't know how to handle what you're saying, given all this information." She gave him a pleading look. "You need to let me think a little longer."

"To think..." He hid his annoyance and hurried to put on a charming smile, one of those that came so easily to him. "And may I know how long it will take you to think about it?"

"I don't know."

Chie was still stiff as a statue and Tani realized it was obvious he wouldn't succeed in getting her to accept his apology that night. He wanted to argue against putting off until tomorrow what could be done today, but an overwhelming chill came over him as the adjoining alley's shadows announced his pursuer's return.

"Enough. This discussion is a waste of time." His face contracted into an arrogant grimace as he spun on his heels to stride away from the place.

"Tani-san?" Chie blinked several times, puzzled by his abrupt change of attitude. "You're leaving already?"

The warrior turned to look at her over his shoulder as he walked away down the street. "Expect to see me more often Chie-chan, I promise we'll be friends again soon."

"What about Dad?" Chie bit her lower lip as she remembered the dinner. "He's waiting for you to eat the dishes he prepared!"

"I've lost my appetite," he muttered, his voice muffled by the distance. "Maybe a visit to Shimabara will fix it."

Shimabara. Chie's heart shrank at Tani's last words. Was he implying there would always be a red-light district woman who'd accept him whenever she turned him down? She stood motionless in the dead of night, pondering over the cryptic exchange as the tears she'd been holding back throughout the day painted her face with stars and salt.

Autumn, October 1, 1863.

"Toudou-san?" It was another sunny autumn day when Furukawa Chie ran into Heisuke's squad after entering the market to look for ginger roots. The 8th Division soldiers rummaged through some crates while their captain dictated the mission orders. It was clear he didn't hear her because of the surrounding ruckus, so she raised her voice to greet him a second time: "Hey! Good morning, Toudou-san!"

"Hmm?" Heisuke spun on his heels, looking for the source of the voice he couldn't identify. "Who is it? Where are you...?"

"Here, over here!" Chie stood on her tiptoes, embarrassed to notice the pile of crates between them was much taller than her. "I, it's me... Chie!"

"Chie-san?" Heisuke picked up a couple of boxes and pushed them aside, smiling in amusement at the girl's reddened face. "There you are! What are you doing here?"

"Ginger," she replied awkwardly as she showed him the basket she'd brought with her. "It seems you're dealing with bigger matters than me. Did something bad happen at the market?"

"Oh, yeah." He shrugged with a sigh. "An anonymous informant told us a group of ronin stored their weapons among Satoshi-san's vegetables and that's why we're rummaging through his goods. I hope it's true because the leafy greens will end up spoiled after so much handling."

"You bet..." Chie's curious eyes wandered over the vegetables. "Let's hope it wasn't a jealous competitor who planned to bruise them so they wouldn't sell."

"Yeah, though it wouldn't be the first time this has-" He went face-first into the ground after slipping on some squashed peaches lying at his feet.

"Oh, no!" Chie peered over the boxes, her eyes wild with surprise. "Are you okay, Toudou-san?!"

"What the hell's wrong with you people?! Didn't I tell you not to toss the fruit on the ground?!" he grunted as he struggled to sit up in vain.

"But, sir!" One of his subordinates excused himself. "None of us checked that section yet! You said you had a bad feeling about the peaches and that you'd inspect them personally!"

"Right, right, right." Heisuke shook his head and sighed after reaching his arm out to the soldier. "Now I see where that feeling came from. Help me salvage what remains of my dignity, Miura-san."

"Right away, sir!" The man approached cautiously (dodging the leftovers surrounding Heisuke to avoid falling prey to his fate) and took his hand between his own before pulling him with all his strength.

Chie had to clamp her lips together to stifle the laughter that came to her throat when they both lost their balance and ended up back on the ground.

"This has to be a joke!" Heisuke dragged his palm across his face, overwhelmed by the chain of frenzied sneezes that shook Miura's body. "And what the heck is wrong with you?"

"It's just that I'm... allergic to peaches, sir!" he answered, trying to crawl away from the place.

"You idiot! Why didn't you say so before you approached?!" He turned to the rest of the squad and a chunk of peach fell off his head due to the movement. "Get him out of here before he ends up in the clinic!"

The soldiers advanced only to stop, bewildered, at the arrival of a clean wave of water that swept the troublesome debris away from their path. Heisuke raised his eyebrows when he spotted Chie holding up an empty bucket with a triumphant smile that seemed to highlight the freckles on her face.

"Ready!" The girl pointed to the counter where the stall owner was shooting them a stern, disapproving look. "Satoshi-san allowed me to use it to clean up the mess."

"Huh... that's a relief." Heisuke stood up as his soldiers treated Miura's allergic crisis, cursing himself for ruining the (already poor) Roshigumi's reputation. How could Kyoto's citizens respect a bunch of dunces who couldn't handle half a dozen wilted peaches? He knew the obnoxious Tani Sanjuro would use this incident to justify the bullshit elitism he so loved to profess.

And to make matters worse, Chie enjoyed the show in the front row. First, he lost his grip on the fishing rod, and now this! Why did he always have to make a fool of himself in front of her? Bah, didn't he first meet her during the fire at her father's restaurant? Chie probably attracted bad luck.

"Hey... Heisuke."

He looked at her with sparkling eyes when he heard her use his first name, forgetting his superstitious guesses out of shock. Chie tucked her hair behind her left ear, hesitating before asking what sounded like a slightly indiscreet question.

"Does the Roshigumi...?"

"What about the Roshi?"

"Do you guys usually visit Shimabara in the evenings?"

"Damn it, Chie..." Heisuke covered his mouth with his index finger and thumb in a thoughtful gesture, astonished by the waitress' unusual concern. "Why do you want to know that?"

"Tani-san..." She lowered her voice at the same time as her gaze. "He talked about Shimabara and... I wanted to know if he went with the rest of the group or..." She forced herself to shut up when a powerful blush took over her cheeks.

"Hmm... well, you seem to know a few things about Shimabara," Heisuke joked, trying to take some of the seriousness out of the conversation.

"Oh, yes. It's just that my younger sister works there... b, but as a maiko! Don't get the wrong impression of her!" She rushed to add the latter, embarrassed to remember that both dance artists (maiko and geiko) and women who made a living out of selling "their services" to the men who paid for them (a practice capable of dishonoring the involved woman's family and spoiling her sisters' chances of marriage) worked in that district.

"A maiko?" Heisuke folded his arms. "That's pretty harsh for a girl younger than you. Can't your stingy father feed her with all the food the restaurant produces?"

"I don't claim to understand my father's reasons," Chie shrugged and sighed, "but things weren't great when we first came to Kyoto, so I guess he thought her being a maiko was better than starving with us."

"Sure, but things got better, didn't they? Why is she still stuck in that shithole of a neighborhood?"

"Kohana-chan and dad aren't on the best of terms." She pouted and hid her hands inside her kimono sleeves, eager to wrap up the topic. "Forgive me for bringing my question back, but I heard that ronin groups prefer to go drinking at Shimabara instead of... to do other things, and I'm wondering if Tani-san... well, if he went there alone."

Heisuke frowned, tying up the loose ends connecting the girl's mysterious interest in his companion. It seemed there was more than friendship between the two, at least on Chie's part. He couldn't help but wonder what the hell a nice girl like her saw in a jerk of Tani's ilk.

"That fool was messing with you," he stated with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "He guarded the headquarters' entrance all night long. I assure you he didn't get within a hundred yards of Shimabara." He stifled the urge to tell her the truth. If Chie had dared to ask him something so private it was because she trusted him, so lying to her face was a despicable betrayal. But wasn't that precisely his mission? To keep quiet and let Chie's heart believe whatever it wanted.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." He turned his back on her and placed his hands on his hips to scan the vegetable crates with a thoughtful demeanor.

"Really?" Chie's face lit up upon hearing him and Heisuke hated himself for lying to her like that. The last thing he wanted was to give her unfounded hope, but a nagging hunch told him it was better to spare her from the negative emotions Tani Sanjuro's solo visits to Shimabara would arouse in her.

"Do you think I'd lie to you?" He wanted to kick himself for asking such a hypocritical question.

"Well... you haven't so far, I guess." Chie gave him a genuine smile before pointing to the soldiers gathered at the market's entrance. "Looks like they're waiting for you."

"Oh... that's true." He took a few steps forward only to realize the crates had been searched in their entirety and (to his and the poor owner's annoyance) no weapon of any kind was found among what was left of the mangled vegetables. "More bad luck?! Agh, no way!"

"I'll leave you to your work, Heisuke-san," Chie muttered, retreating with a much happier expression than the one she wore upon arrival.

"H, hey! Wait a second!" Heisuke moved awkwardly through the scattered merchandise, slipping several times on the vegetable pulp his troops dumped everywhere. "I want to ask you something too!"

Chie hid the laughter that peeked out of her lips as she watched him approach, skidding on the juice that leaked from the squashed vegetables. "Oh, yeah? Do you want me to scrub the floor so you can walk better on it? Give me a minute and I'll refill the bucket."

"So funny." He stopped three feet away from her, holding onto a box as he grimaced in anguish. "The owner's going to have us cleaning this up all afternoon anyway."

"My father would lose his mind if someone caused him to lose such a large amount of money worth of merchandise."

"Don't even tell me about it." He fought to straighten up and shot her a resolute look. "Hey, Chie-san. Got anything to do tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah. It's the day after today." He smiled mischievously at her, proud of his own joke.

Chie pouted and folded her arms whimsically. "I didn't ask because I was unaware of it!"

"You learn something new every day, Chie-san." He chuckled under his breath and waved his hand as a sign of truce. "Hey, I'm serious. Mantaro-san will take that stupid sling off Sannan-san's arm tomorrow and, since you were the one who put him in touch with the doctor, I think it'd be great if you could be there to witness his return to the warrior's path."

Chie fell speechless for a moment but was quick to respond so as not to tease him with the suspense: "Of course, I'll gladly come. I'm flattered you guys want to include me in such a special moment, Heisuke-san."

"Bah, it's no big deal..." He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "I'll pick you up at... four o'clock?"

"Four o'clock is fine." Her eyes narrowed as she smiled, noticing for the first time that her humble savior used to act in an endearing way that didn't match his ronin persona. "It's been a long time since I saw Mantaro-san and I'm looking forward to chatting with him."

Heisuke was about to say something else when someone called out urgently to him:

"Heisuke! Why are you chit-chatting with girls while your soldiers tear the place apart?"

Heisuke turned around as if a pot of boiling water had been thrown on his back. "I, I'm so sorry, Hiji...!" His shoulders slumped and he breathed a sigh of relief after recognizing the newcomer. "Oh, it's you, Hajime-kun. You nearly scared me to death! I thought it was Hijikata-san."

Saito raised his eyebrows without his expression looking any less stern. "Just because it's me doesn't mean you aren't neglecting your duties."

"I know, I know." He pointed at Chie with the palm of his hand. "This is Furukawa Chie, the girl Sannan-san and I saved from the fire."

"I'm aware of that."

"Really?"

"It's my job to know."

"Right." Heisuke pouted, annoyed at how uninterested his partner was in Chie. It shouldn't surprise him, the only person likely to impress Hajime-kun would be a skilled swordmaker with an innate talent for preparing tofu. "So, what's the deal with the guys tearing the place apart? As far as I know, they finished going through the crates a while ago."

Saito quietly explained how the troop's youngest member had slipped and landed on top of the priciest sake vases in the place, instantly destroying them. The captain massaged his temples upon hearing this, dragging his feet to the spot as he blurted a thousand apologies per minute to the stall owner (who was moments away from kicking them off the shop).

Chie hurried away, eager to retreat before things escalated, when Heisuke shouted from afar:

"Don't forget, Chie-san! Tomorrow, at four o'clock!"

Autumn, October 2, 1863.

"Where are you going, Chie-chan?" Takayama Ume, her best friend, smiled as she saw her put the ugly burlap haori over her shoulders.

"Oh." She adjusted her sandal straps, smiling back at her. "I have a date."

"HUH?!"

"With the doctor," she continued, dead-laughing as Ume's joyful expression faded from her face, giving way to one of grim jadedness.

"You almost made my heart stop," Ume grunted, "I thought you were finally going to please your father."

"Nah, I'm going to Mantaro-san's clinic."

"At least the doctor is single?"

"Ume..." Chie rolled her eyes. "He's going to remove Sannan-san's sling."

"And what are you going for?" Ume pouted out of jealousy. "Did he invite you?"

"No, Toudou-san did. He said it was important for me to be there since I was the one who introduced him to the doctor." She shrugged as she muttered: "Given Sannan-san tore his shoulder thanks to the foolish thing I did on the fire day, I should be the first to congratulate him when he regains his mobility."

"In that case," Ume suggested with a sly grin, "I should be the one to go since I was who told you to go upstairs to get your things."

"What? Now you like Toudou-san?" Chie sighed, reminded of the many romantic interests her best friend hoarded all over the place.

"Oh, not at all!" Ume quirked her lips. "He's too much of a shorty for my taste."

"Then don't keep me any longer." Chie poked her tongue out in a friendly manner, ready to leave the Mao Restaurant, but her companion grabbed her unexpectedly while looking around to make sure no one overheard her.

"Ask that Toudou boy how Sannan-san is doing at the Roshigumi, will you?" She narrowed her eyes as she whispered: "And tell him I'm praying for his recovery!"

Chie gave a mocking chuckle as she slowly freed herself from her grip. "So that's the one you like this month."

"Oh! D, don't be... so over-the-top!" Ume pouted. "There were only three of them last year!"

"And you talk to me about settling down."

"Oh, come on! Will you tell him?"

"Of course I will." She gave her a sincere smile before turning away from her. "Count on me, Ume-chan."

It had rained heavily the night before and, although the sky was starting to clear, the temperature had dropped significantly. Chie clung to her humble haori to protect herself from the cold, as she struggled to endure it even when it was so mild as on that windy autumn day.

She was immersed in her trivial weather musings when she caught sight of Heisuke. The young man walked in her direction along the dirt road, his face tanned from patrolling for long hours under the autumn sun, which was still as strong as it had been during the summer.

"You left before I got to the restaurant!" Heisuke blurted out, faking disappointment. "I thought I could ask your father's approval to take you with me."

"Don't even joke about it." Chie sighed hard enough to raise the strands of hair around her forehead. "He's so obsessed with the whole Tani-san thing he hardly lets me talk to anyone who's single."

"Hmm?" Heisuke changed course to catch up with her, for (in her eagerness to avoid being discovered by her father) Chie didn't even stop to greet him. "So that's why he was so rude to me the other day?"

"I think he's hell-bent on getting me to marry him."

Heisuke quirked an eyebrow, surprised at Chie's moodiness. What she asked him at the market suggested she was interested in Tani Sanjuro, but now the very idea of marrying him seemed to annoy her. "Maybe it'd be convenient..." he muttered, trying to find a way to voice his doubts without offending her, "...for you to marry someone you've known since childhood."

Chie looked him up and down as she considered his advice. "I don't think that's it. Dad is desperate for me to get married soon, no matter if it's to Tani or the streetcorner greengrocer."

Heisuke stifled a laugh, nodding his head as he heard her. "I see..." He shrugged, his eyes fixed on the dusty road they were walking on. "I bet he's being too hasty."

"You have no idea." Chie huffed again. "I'm only eighteen, but he acts like I'm thirty-two!"

"Don't be hard on him." He pursed his lips, annoyed at how forgiving he was when it came to other people's fathers. But who could blame him? After all, any of them would be better than his.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Chie frowned and her shoulders fell sluggishly. "Sometimes it feels like he's dying to get rid of me."

"Parents don't live forever." He scratched the back of his neck, gritting his teeth as he spoke. "Maybe he's worried about leaving you alone. You're a woman and all, things wouldn't be easy for you."

"It's not like marriage would make them any simpler." Chie clutched her haori to keep the fierce wind that had just stirred up waves of dirt around her from blowing it away. "I wish I was like you."

"What did you say?" Heisuke grew suddenly serious, squinting his eyes to shield them from the dust.

"It's just that..." She shook her head sharply, stopping her words after noticing how ridiculous they might sound. "There's a lot of dirt floating around right now, I'll explain later."

"As you wish."

They didn't speak further before they reached the doctor's office, who greeted them with an ear-to-ear smile (so surprised as delighted by Chie's added visit) and the kind offer to allow them to dust themselves off a bit in the reception area before entering the clinic.

"Where did this wind come from?" complained the doctor as he secured one of the panels that had come loose from his precarious house.

"No idea, but by the looks of us we seem to be coming from the Manchurian plains," laughed Heisuke, shaking out the sand trapped in his wakizashi sword's scabbard.

"The important thing is you managed to get here before it got worse, this is just the beginning of the autumn rainy season," stated Sannan as he walked through the door connecting the clinic to the reception room. "Toudou-kun, Chie-san, I'm glad you decided to join me during this consultation."

"We wouldn't miss this day for anything in the world!" Heisuke reached over to give him a hard slap on the back which made him lose his balance.

"Be more careful or he'll leave the clinic worse than he came in!" Chie scolded him.

"You mustn't worry, Chie-san." Sannan straightened up and adjusted his glasses with a good-natured smile. "I'm sure my arm is in perfect condition under this sling."

"I hope you're right! We were about to turn around when the windstorm started." Chie helped Mantaro close the living room blinds, which the young doctor appreciated; for his house, though small, had too many windows for his liking.

"Imagine if we went all this way for nothing." Heisuke took off his sandals. "Today is an important day and no storm was going to keep us from getting there."

"Important?" The doctor stared quizzically at them and his gaze wandered among them before he spoke: "Are you going to... some kind of event?"

"Event?" Heisuke wrinkled his nose. "N, no...! Today is the big day!"

Sannan frowned when the doctor's face turned pale. "Is something wrong, doctor?"

"Sannan-san..." Mantaro clasped his hands in front of his stomach. "Could you explain... what do you mean by 'big day'?"

"Of course." Sannan's shoulders slumped slightly as he struggled to maintain a composure that threatened to fade from one moment to the next. "Today's the day you're going to take this troublesome sling off me, isn't it?"

A tomb-like silence fell over the room, only broken by the roaring gusts of wind and the muttering of thunder in the distance.

"Sannan-san, I..." The doctor ran a hand over his temple, biting his lower lip as he continued: "I said I'd remove it if there was progress, but-"

"But what?" Sannan interrupted him with a choked voice and pupils trembling behind his glasses' lenses.

"I'm afraid there hasn't been any."

Chapter Text

"Mantaro-san." Sannan swallowed, feeling his skin crawl as he spoke. The fateful wind that shook the hut's exterior resembled the strength of his feelings during that desolate moment. "What... do you mean I won't be able to... recover?"

"Sannan-san..." A mighty thunder cut his answer short and the doctor took the opportunity to wipe his forehead's sweat with a very clean handkerchief. "I thought the tendon was torn."

"But...?"

"It's cut. It was cut in two when the beam went through it."

"Impossible!" Sannan bit his lower lip hard enough to make it bleed. "If it were, you'd have noticed it from the beginning!"

"I, I'm sorry... it's true. I had to see it before, but the ligament was hidden under one of the pectoral muscles and... I couldn't identify it until very recently."

"Hidden?! What kind of a medical definition is 'hidden'?!" Sannan let out a shaky laugh that he tried to quell by running his hand over his tousled hair. "W, what... what am I going to do if this arm doesn't heal, Mantaro-san?!"

"I..." The doctor pursed his lips into a line, focusing on the sound of the incessant rain curtain outside. "I'm afraid I don't know, Sannan-san."

All the light faded from the patient's pupils after hearing him. "I never thought a doctor could run out of answers."

"You could lead a normal life if I performed a surgical operation on the tendon."

"What do you mean?"

"If I join the two ends together, it'll regain mobility."

"Your face doesn't tell me that's going to solve anything."

"Am I that obvious?" Mantaro sighed and plopped down on the tatami where Sannan was sitting. He carefully adjusted the scarf he wore over his head before explaining: "The operation would allow you to use your arm like any of us, but I can't promise the tendons will resist the movements necessary to handle a katana. They'll be shorter and you'll have to get used to wielding it with a limited range of motion. You may be able to wield a sword someday... but never with the same skill."

"I see." Sannan ran a hand over his face, suddenly standing up. "I think I have all the information I need."

"You don't want to skip the operation, you need to get that tendon reattached if you don't want the situation to get worse. You could come in again next wee-"

"I SAID I KNOW!" His shout startled those present. "I'm not going to jump in the river, okay?!"

"I, I didn't say... anything like that, Sannan-san." The doctor blushed with embarrassment. He used to shy away from others' anger outbursts, probably due to his older brother's numerous tantrums.

Sannan's shoulders rose and fell in rhythm with his labored breathing as his gaze stopped on Heisuke and Chie's sorrowful faces. They viewed him with pity... like a stray cat dying by the roadside; like a cripple who can't stand on his own legs. Was that what the respectable swordsman who inspired Heisuke to join Kondou's dojo had become? Was that how Chie viewed the hero who rescued her from the jaws of hell?

No.

No!

His life wouldn't end like that!

His life would never end!

"I... I think I just need to think." He shot them a hesitant smile that turned into a grimace of unbearable sorrow. "T, thank you for your service, Mantaro-san!" And so he opened the door with his free hand to rush out into the fierce storm.

"What are you doing, Sannan-san?!" Heisuke sat up as he watched him leave the clinic. "You can't go outside in such a storm!" He turned to Chie, his pupils dwarfed with worry. "Stay here! I'll try to talk some sense into him!"

"I'll go too! Sannan-san is like this because of me!" Chie tried to catch up, but Heisuke grabbed her obi to stop her.

"I said stay here!" He pushed her away as gently as possible amidst the gusts of wind that crept into the precarious living room. "This storm is too severe for a girl like you!"

"You say that like you're so much bigger than me! What if something happens to you too?!"

"For heaven's sake, Chie! I'm used to this kind of weather!" He turned his face outward and the adrenaline of not seeing Sannan's figure in the rain sent a shiver through him from head to toe. "The Roshigumi works in the sun and rain! This is nothing new to me!"

"I know I can say something to make him feel better!" she pleaded under the strands of hair that covered her face whimsically. "Please let me fix it! I owe it to Sannan-san!"

Heisuke watched her carefully, striving to hide the smile he got upon seeing her determination to help Sannan. He never imagined she'd be so grateful for his actions during the restaurant fire.

However, self-control prevailed and his face hardened as he sentenced: "I'm sorry to deny your request, Chie-san." He gestured to the doctor with a brief shake of his head. "That poor man won't be able to deal with this junk of a door alone, and it'd be cruel to let his belongings be ruined by the wind and water. Help him close it after I leave, will you?"

Chie frowned at the refusal, but relented with a sigh as she nodded. "Okay, I will. Be careful out there."

"Ha! Of course I will!"

Chie followed him with her eyes until he disappeared behind the alleys surrounding the clinic. Then she tied her kimono's sleeves with the ribbon she kept inside her obi, and hurried to Mantaro's side to push the door at the same time as him and make it match the frame that was shaking non-stop.

"Find something to secure it!" she shouted at him as she pressed her back against the wood. "The lock won't do to keep it closed in this storm!"

"Yes!" Mantaro got hold of a thick wooden broom that his mother had given him before moving to the clinic. It was an old thing, one of those that didn't break easily, ideal to barricade against the gusts that threatened to throw his guest to the ground. "Here it is!" He passed her the broom and she quickly placed it diagonally.

"Just in time!" said Chie with a sodden face, smiling between exhaustion gasps upon seeing they'd managed to safeguard the place. "A little more and the house would've been blown into the air!"

"Yes..." Mantaro rubbed his eyes with a tired expression. "I guess this is the price for buying a second-hand house."

"Is this the first time you've faced a Kyoto storm?"

"That's right... and I wish it was the last."

"Same here, but autumn is cruel to those who have less. The storms are almost as bad as the winter ones." Chie flopped down on the tatami, struggling to catch her breath. "Sannan-san has been very reckless."

"It's not his fault, the news came as a shock to him."

"I know." She sighed as the doctor sat down across from her. The room was dark and various objects were shaking in the storm. "I don't think it's easy news to swallow, but he shouldn't expose himself to the weather in his state of health."

"Distressed people don't usually think clearly." He smiled mischievously at her. "Or were you reasonable when you decided to go up to the second floor during the Mao Restaurant fire, Chie-chan?"

"Oh." Chie smiled, happy to have the doctor talk to her as he did while they were growing up together in Edo, a gesture of trust he now only dared to show her in private or in Izanagi's presence. "Thank you for taking care of me after that."

Mantaro clicked his tongue and lit the small fire that separated them to boil water in his rusty kettle. "Don't thank me. That's what I wanted to be a doctor for, to help people." He looked at her with his big, brown, kind eyes, so different from those of his older brother. "By the way, how are your airways?"

"My... throat?"

"And your chest, yes." He smiled as he remembered that ordinary people didn't understand his advanced medical terminology. "Did you drink the tea I taught you to make?"

"The one with honey and ginger?" She smiled back at him and placed her hands on her lap. "Yes, and also the one with hot milk and pepper."

"No wonder you sound so good. You should continue with the treatment for six more months, we don't want it to become a chronic issue."

"O, of course not." The smile faded from Chie's face. If anything frightened her more than fire, it was illness. Her health was never the best and the possibility of dying as young as her mother made her hair stand on end.

"What's wrong?" Mantaro noticed her discomfort, but not the cause. "Are you cold? Please take that haori hanging by the window. It's clean, I washed it yesterday."

"No, no!" Chie let out a giggle, embarrassed for allowing herself to be sad in front of her host. "It's just that..." She hurried to change the subject. "I was thinking about Toudou-san, I hope he found Sannan-san and calmed his distress."

"The storm is subsiding, they probably returned to the headquarters together."

"I hope you're right, Sannan-san was so upset when he left that I'm afraid he might do something unthinkable."

"It seems they're important people to you."

"Important..." Chie repeated the word reflexively. "Well, they both saved my life and... have been extremely nice ever since."

"Very different from Sanjuro-san, huh?"

"What's he got to do with it?"

"Come on, Chie." Mantaro frowned and set about filling the cups with the water he heated in the kettle. The aroma of green tea flooded the room. "I thought we could be honest."

"We can, it's just... it's complicated." She took the cup offered by her host.

"He never treated you very well, and I heard he showed up at the restaurant."

"Huh?" Chie's eyes widened. "Did he tell you?"

"Your father did." He rolled his eyes as he took a sip of tea. "He came specifically to ask me if Sanjuro-san wasn't engaged to anyone."

"Oh, no." Chie's face turned as red as a tomato. "Sorry, Mantaro, that must've been awkward."

The doctor denied without taking his cup away from his face. "I expected it. Being the heir to the Bicchu Matsuyama clan and knowing how ambitious Mr. Izanagi is, it was obvious he'd want you to marry him."

"But my father doesn't know what happened five years ago." The sadness darkened her gaze until it matched the night that was falling over the city.

"I guess it still hurts."

"It was difficult... until he apologized for his past actions."

"What?!" Mantaro made a face-twisting grimace. "Did he mean it?!

"I thought so."

"Hmm..." He scratched the back of his head with his free hand. "Be careful, we both know he doesn't do that kind of thing. He could have good intentions, but also the other way around."

"And how would an apology hurt?"

"I don't know, but Sanjuro-san can turn anything into a weapon. Don't trust too much, Chie-chan. If you put all your hopes on him... you might end up empty-handed."

As painful as it was to accept it, Chie's rational side told her it wasn't a bad idea to be cautious, so she nodded silently as she digested the young doctor's warning.

"I don't want to make you sad for no reason, Chie-chan," Mantaro continued, fearing she would sink into the same old depression. "Nothing would make me happier than to have you in the family. God knows you'd make a wonderful sister-in-law and first wife to the clan's heir, but I don't want you to go through what happened before you came to Kyoto again."

"I know," Chie muttered in a breathy whisper, "but don't you think he deserves a chance?"

Mantaro shrugged as he set the empty cup down next to the kettle. "Maybe, but you deserve it more. So give yourself a chance to be happy. Here, in reality... and not in your head."

"Okay." She gave him a look full of gratitude. "I'll try to follow your advice, Mantaro-san."

Mantaro wanted to say something else when the clinic's door burst open, sending the heavy oak broom flying into the middle of the dining room.

"FURUKAWA CHIE!" Izanagi shouted with so much fury as concern, soaking wet from head to toe. "I heard your voice from outside! Are you all right?!"

"D, Dad?" She looked at him with wide eyes, stunned by her father's abrupt arrival. "What are you doing here? Why did you leave the house in such a storm?"

Izanagi paused to catch his breath, resting his palms on his knees. Apparently, he'd come running all the way from the restaurant. "Ume-chan told me... that you went to the clinic with that... filthy ronin!"

"Oh." Chie wrinkled her nose. She forgot to ask Ume not to tell her father where she was going and with whom. "You mean Toudou-san."

"I don't give a damn about that bum's name. Saving your skin was part of his job, he doesn't have to behave as if it would tie him to your sandals for life!"

"Please, Dad. Do you have to keep being so-?"

Chie was interrupted by Mantaro, who stepped forward to extend a dry towel to the newcomer. "Izanagi-san, I called your daughter to check on her airways' improvement."

"Her... what?"

"Her... throat and chest." The doctor smiled upon thinking Chie was more like her father than she realized. "Her and Sannan-san's doctor's visit schedules overlapped, so I asked Toudou-san to escort them to the clinic for safety reasons."

"Safety..." repeated the cook, still sulking a bit. "That's... not all bad."

"Of course not. The Roshigumi does well to protect the women and children, who are so defenseless against the violence of the treacherous clans that besiege us."

"As always, I have to agree with you, Mantaro-kun," Izanagi said as he accepted the cup of tea his daughter placed in his cold hands. "How is Chie's throat?"

"Better. She followed my instructions perfectly and that resulted in her condition's improvement."

"Good, good." Izanagi gave his daughter a warm look. "Going out in the middle of the storm had its reward, I was the first to know you're recovering from that horrible night."

"Thank you, Dad, you know you'd have found out before anyone else."

"Thanks to you, Chie-chan." He looked back at the doctor with a sudden frown. "And while we're here! Tell me, Mantaro-kun, did your brother tell you why he left us in the middle of dinner a few days ago? I hope my daughter didn't do anything to embarrass him!"

"Embarrass him?"

"He left us in the middle of dinner!"

"Huh..." Mantaro scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable at both Izanagi's insistence and his daughter's troubled expression. It was obvious it humiliated her to be held responsible for Sanjuro's faults, whatever he'd done on that occasion.

"Why don't you say anything?"

"Well, Izanagi-san. I'd like to please you, but my older brother didn't mention the matter."

"Gah!" The old man's shoulders slumped at the refusal. "And here I thought we might know more about him..."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but Sanjuro-san's job is very demanding. Maybe he had to leave because of that? The Roshi deals with dozens of emergencies a day."

"Hmm... maybe." Izanagi wasn't convinced, but left the subject for another time. He'd lost all interest in questioning the young doctor. "We'd better stop beating around the bush and drink this nice tea you prepared for us. If the weather doesn't improve, I'll cook something for the three of us to eat."

"It'd be an honor to have a cook of your skills use my humble kitchen, Izanagi-san."

Chie smiled as her gaze wandered over the faces of her father and the doctor she grew up with. Mantaro had always been a shy and lonely child, which caused them to not be as close as Tani and her. Still, it was evident their shared upbringing made him part of a family she treasured.

Was Tani Sanjuro still part of that family?

Autumn, October 12, 1863.

Chie didn't hear about the Roshigumi again until ten days had passed, and the way the group of ronin reappeared in her life was as unexpected as it was painful.

She was on her day off, sitting on a wooden bench leaning precariously against the trunk of the leafy peach tree growing in the restaurant's backyard. It was a sunny Thursday (the first after a full week of rain) as she reread her favorite book's pages, the one written by her mother and brimming with legends about mystical creatures that existed outside the human world.

Chie had just noticed she never questioned why Mao had access to so much knowledge during her younger years. She married Izanagi when she was little more than a child, dedicating herself to cooking in the restaurant, tending to her daughters, and taking care of the household chores ever since. She never had a formal education, let alone the time to write a tome as large as the one Chie held in her hands.

Perhaps she had too much imagination? Was she just another unrecognized artist, stifled by ordinary life's routine? It was a weighty theory, for Kohana had undeniable gifts for the arts which she probably inherited from her mother.

Chie was so immersed in her deductions she didn't catch sight of the shadow that hid the sun's rays until it completely covered her. She raised her eyes to the newcomer as a pair of cicadas filled the air with their hypnotic, agonizing song.

"Furukawa Chie?" asked the man without even giving her time to speak. His voice was monotonous, but pleasant.

"Huh?" She rubbed her eyes, trying to focus the gaze that had been dazzled after moving from her book's pages to the face illuminated by the sunlight that filtered through the foliage. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Saito Hajime," he replied, stepping back from the light with a firm, confident step. "We met at the market, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Yes, yes." She nodded with her mouth half-open in surprise. What was the Roshigumi's 3rd Division captain doing in her house's courtyard? "You're Toudou-san's partner, aren't you? The one who scolded him for slipping on the peaches."

"Exactly."

"Can I help you with something?"

"I guess you're not serving customers."

"No, it's my day off." She pointed inside the restaurant. "My co-worker, Takayama-san, is taking care of them now."

"Hmm..." Saito narrowed his eyes as he rested them on the door leading to the kitchen. "Is there any way to find out what's going on inside without the customers noticing?"

"Y, yes... of course." Chie wrinkled her lips in confusion. What on earth was the Roshi planning to do in her father's business? Did Hijikata-san still suspect the Choshu were meeting to plan their crimes at the restaurant tables? "That door leads to the kitchen, if you're discreet and have a good ear you'll be able to hear any conversation in the main hall."

Saito entered the kitchen without a word and Chie followed him closely, more concerned about safeguarding the day's takings than out of curiosity. They walked with their backs arched under the counter until Saito stopped in his tracks. Chie mimicked him, keeping silent as she noticed the commotion in the place. Yelling and high-pitched laughter mingled with the irresponsible clashing of swords, while an unbearable stench of sake permeated every corner. It seemed like a gang of drunks occupied the center table.

"Hey, you!" a man's gravelly, raspy voice asked. "Are you the cook's daughter?"

"E, excuse me, Serizawa-sama?" asked Ume, audibly nervous.

"The cook's daughter," the man repeated with annoyance. "Is that you?"

"Oh... n, no! It's not me! Furukawa-san isn't working today."

"Serizawa?" Chie asked Saito in a whisper, "Isn't that the name of the Roshigumi's second-in-command?" but she didn't get an answer.

"Did I ask you if she worked here? Do you think I would look for her if I didn't know?" Serizawa sneered at the waitress above his subordinates' laughter. "Leave it, I shouldn't be surprised that a prostitute like you lacks common sense." Serizawa's insult was followed by a new chorus of jeers, which he hastened to silence with a loud slam of his fist on the table. "SHUT YOUR MOUTHS, YOU SYCOPHANTS!"

Chie's eyes widened at the silence that fell over the room, but her expression turned to one of bewilderment as Saito beckoned her closer with a brief wave of his hand.

"Why is Serizawa Kamo looking for you?" he asked her, still peeking at what was going on in the main hall through the crack in the door.

"I don't know!" whispered Chie. What did she do to deserve such a visit?! Did someone accuse her to the terrible Shogunate Commander who destroyed a Shimabara restaurant just because he was served the wrong drink? And what about the recent incident at the "Yamatoya" clothing store, which Serizawa blew up with an artillery cannon for not paying taxes? How would she or Ume deal with such a demon?! And God forbid her father and his bad temper show up there... or all would be lost!

"Furukawa-san."

"What?!"

"Listen, they're talking again."

Chie ran a hand over her face, struggling to focus on Serizawa's voice from the other side of the counter:

"In view of the fact that I don't believe in coincidences and I know sluts like you like to share gossip among yourselves, I shall bestow upon you the honor of answering my questions."

"An interrogation!" shrieked Ume. "W, why would that be necessary, Serizawa-sama?!"

"You don't ask the questions here, peasant girl, so be quiet and answer when you must!" Ume obeyed, on the verge of tears, so Serizawa continued: "I'm conducting an investigation about one of our members' peculiar behavior and I suspect the cook's daughter knows quite a bit about it."

"A, are you sure about that, Serizawa-sama?" Ume clutched the tray she held with trembling fingers. Serizawa Kamo had become an immovable stone statue only the gods could move out of her way. "Chie-chan is a nice and honest girl! She... wouldn't withhold information of such importance from the S, Shogunate!"

"Do you think my suspicions are unfounded?"

"N, no! I mean, yes! B, but not for lack of skill or insight! It's just that... I don't think I'll understand the relationship between Chie-chan and your investigation if you don't explain to me who the suspect is first."

"Do you interact with many members of our group, Waitress-san?" He arched his eyebrows, more interested than annoyed.

"Wah! No, of course not!" The woman's face reddened at the question's implication. "I, I only know... those who come here to eat!"

"And isn't that interacting with them?" A mischievous half-smile tugged at his lips. "I don't get why you're so nervous."

"Oh, no! There is no reason! I'm just... intimidated to be in the presence of a noble warrior like you." She brushed her hair away from her face with her gaze fixed on her feet, hoping the submission gesture would placate her inquisitor's impatience.

Serizawa seemed pleased with her pitiful docility, for he was more composed as he continued: "I have reason to suspect Tani Sanjuro is betraying the Roshigumi."

"Tani-san...?" Ume looked up and Serizawa noticed the pallor on her face.

"The very same."

"I don't understand. How? What did he do?"

"That's what I want to know."

"I don't know anything about that, Serizawa-sama. He just started visiting the restaurant a few days ago."

"And why did he do that?"

"I don't know, I guess... to visit Izanagi-san and his daughter."

"What are they to him?" He took a sharp sip from his sake pot. "Family?"

"Something like that. Tani-san grew up with Izanagi-san's daughters, he lived half a block from the restaurant they ran in Edo."

"I see. Did you hear him talk about Shimabara?" Serizawa watched her unblinkingly, his stern gaze sinking into her shy figure as if he wanted to pierce her.

Ume untied her kimono's sleeves, trying to hide the way the hairs on her skin stood up when she heard the district's name.

"Why don't you answer?"

"Oh!" She shook her head violently. "It's just that Izanagi-san's youngest daughter lives there! I thought... maybe he told me about her, but he didn't! Tani-san didn't talk about Shimabara or anything like that ever! I would never dare to have that kind of conversation with customers!"

"You don't seem very sure of what you're saying."

"It's just that... you make me nervous."

"Bullshit! Spit out the truth at once, waitress. Are you aware Tani is having a love affair with my woman or not?"

Silence fell like a summer snowfall over those present. Chie focused on Serizawa's fingers' hypnotic tapping on the table as if it were the world's most important thing. Was it possible Sanjuro had committed such a betrayal? She scrambled to review every relevant event of their shared childhood, longing to come up with a detail that would contradict the terrible statement that pierced her heart.

"Keep calm, Furukawa-san," Saito warned her in a whisper. "Serizawa has a fine ear and you breathe too fast."

"Oh, no... I didn't notice." Chie covered her face with one hand, struggling to conceal the revelation's weight. Who was the woman capable of arousing Tani Sanjuro's interest? She knew it was unfair to hate a stranger, but she felt she had stolen her fondest dreams without giving her a chance to defend them. Was she very beautiful? Or clever, perhaps? What did she do to make Tani betray the trust of one of Kyoto's most feared men? Why... couldn't she settle for her first lover? Why did she have to replace him with Tani? Why? Why? Why?!

"I see you didn't know," Serizawa snorted. He spoke to Ume, but Chie's dismay made her believe his words were meant for her. "There's countless evidence against him, but I'm a cautious man who prefers to exhaust the means before taking drastic solutions. Anyway..." He rested his palms on the table to stand up. He'd been dealing with an insidious illness for some time now, which drained his strength as if he were carrying a giant leech around his neck. "I don't know if I'll come back here to listen to Furukawa and his daughters' testimonies, I'm starting to get tired of being patient with that Tani pig."

"Please!" Ume begged with a bow that faced her with her feet. "Don't hurt Tani-san! He's very important to my employer and his family!"

Serizawa rolled his eyes, importuned by the ridiculousness of the request. However, his voice was filled with melancholy as he sighed: "You aren't Kyoto's brightest woman, but you share a name with the owner of my heart and that gives me mixed feelings."

Ume blinked slowly, vacillating between being flattered that he knew her name or offended at being called a fool. "What do you mean... mixed feelings?"

"I don't know." He held his chin as he focused on some invisible spot in the room. "Maybe that I couldn't call myself a lover of flowers if I respected one petal and crushed mercilessly the rest." He crossed his arms over his chest and his soldiers began to withdraw, disappointed to realize their boss wouldn't punish the waitress. "A peasant girl like you mustn't know shit about politics, so you'll be surprised to learn of my imprisonment."

"B, be so kind as to not underestimate me so much, Serizawa-sama!" Ume complained, her face reddening with humiliation. "I'm aware the Shogunate arrested you for... b, beheading three... people!"

"Those weren't people," he scoffed, "but criminals who decided to rebel against their superior officer. The government was slow to recognize the validity of my actions, yes, but they came back on their knees to beg me to lead the Roshigumi and restore Kyoto's order." Ume didn't dare to contradict him, so he continued: "Anyway, Mito Akanuma prison's solitude awakened my creative side and I ended up wounding my finger to write a poem with the blood that flowed from it." He smiled, pleased to catch a glimpse of the horror that made Ume's cheeks pale. "Your name will give you the privilege of hearing it."

"Oh, no! I, I'm... not worthy of such a ho, honor!"

"Shut up and listen." He cleared his throat and declaimed (to the great confusion of Chie and Saito, who watched the scene in bewilderment): "In the snow and frost the color remains, and still giving off its scent after the scattering of the petals; such ume is the perfume."

"It's... a beautiful poem, Serizawa-sama," Ume muttered, weakly staggering from confusion.

"I know." He shot her a proud half-smile before waving goodbye with a slight wave of the iron fan he carried with him. "Pray all your days are as fortunate as this one, Ume-san." He parted the entrance curtain and left the restaurant without another word.

Ume was ready to drop to her knees, overcome with stress, when Izanagi's high-pitched voice burst out from behind her:

"A LOVE AFFAIR?!" The old man came out of the closet where he had taken refuge during the conversation. "HOW CAN HE HAVE A LOVE AFFAIR?!" He gasped at the situation's seriousness. Tani being interested in another woman killed any chance of him noticing his daughter; Kyoto's ugliest woman! "By the blessed Amaterasu!" he shrieked, holding his hands to his head as he cried: "Who the hell am I going to marry her off to now?!"

"Ume-chan!" Chie pushed her way through the numerous sake drums lying on the floor, ignoring her father's indiscreet tantrums. "Are you all right?"

"No!" She wiped a hand across her forehead and whimpered pitifully: "I can't believe no one came to save me!" She shot an accusing glance at Saito, who stood motionless at the kitchen door as if he were part of the furniture. "Especially you! Aren't you a Roshigumi's captain?! Why didn't you do anything to stop that demon from harassing a helpless girl like me?! You're all... useless!"

"You need to calm down, Ume-chan," Chie suggested as she patted her encouragingly on the shoulder. "It was just a few questions, wasn't it? Serizawa-san didn't take advantage of you, he just said some rude things to you. It would've been dangerous for one of us to interrupt the conversation that seemed to have him in such a good mood." She forced a smile as she added: "Look! He even dedicated a poem to you!"

"Right... but I would've preferred to receive one from Sannan-san and not from that bellicose drunkard."

Saito went through the door leading to the street, ignoring the collateral drama, but Chie stumbled over the scattered drums to catch up with him.

"Saito-san!" The captain stopped without turning to look at her, so she continued: "Is what Serizawa-san said true? Is Tani-san dating... that woman?"

"Probably, although I recommend you not to look into the matter any further."

"He'll be all right, won't he? I bet you guys could convince him to apologize to Serizawa-san."

"Do you really think so, Furukawa-san?" He threw his scarf over his shoulder as he muttered: "Don't let Heisuke's friendliness fool you, the Roshigumi isn't a Mahjong Club."

Chie bit her tongue, ashamed of her naivety, and Saito resumed walking after the brief exchange, disappearing up the street. Was this the beginning of the end of her childhood friend's days? She wished to be wrong with all her heart, but her hopes seemed as absurd as the idea of Tani courting his fierce Commander's wife.

Chapter Text

Autumn, October 27, 1863.

Shimabara was one of three sections known as yukaku (pleasure quarters) that were established by the Shogunate in Japan's major cities in order to limit prostitution. These sites were Shinmachi in Osaka, Yoshiwara in Edo, and Shimabara in Kyoto.

The restrictions meant that nightlife businesses were concentrated in one place, away from residential neighborhoods and the disapproving gazes of upper-class families. However, this didn't mean men of high lineage didn't spend as much time in the yukaku as working-class ones. What nobles did at night contradicted the morality they boasted so much about during the day, something known to everyone... but said by no one.

The geiko, artists who devoted themselves to entertainment rather than carnal pleasures, flourished in the mid-1700s. Most of them settled in Shimabara so the place was named hanamachi, that is, a geiko district. This gave Shimabara an added value compared to Edo and Osaka's red-light districts, since not only could patrons spend the evening with a willing woman, but also enjoy traditional dances, concerts, ikebana flower arrangement displays, and party nights where the jokes uttered by the charismatic performers were as tasteful as the sake they served to their customers.

Furukawa Kohana, Chie's younger sister, had lived there since she was only nine years old, and although it was hard for her to get used to Kyoto's hectic life (so different from her beloved Edo, where she only had to worry about games and songs), anyone who knew her today would consider her part of the place.

She smiled at one of her neighbors as she returned to the Okiya with a basket full of paper rolls. The clubs closed at noon so the locals could get some shut-eye, and she took advantage of her untimely insomnia to buy the materials she needed for the flower arrangements she'd display that evening.

"Kohana-chan!" Yumiko greeted her with the scowl she always used to give her. "How could you go out without an umbrella?! Didn't you see how strong the sun is?!"

"Sorry, Mother, it was cloudy when I went out." Both maikos and geikos called the oldest of them "Mother", both out of deference to her experience, and to thank her for giving them shelter and teaching them the ins and outs of the profession.

"How many times have I told you clouds don't keep the sun's rays from spoiling your skin?" The old woman leaned back on the broom with which she was sweeping the place. "Just because you're popular doesn't mean men will become blind to the passage of time."

"Our talents define us, beauty shouldn't matter that much."

"I'm telling you from my own experience." The woman clicked her tongue spitefully, resuming her cleaning of the main hall. "Do you think those knuckleheads would choose to watch me play the shamisen over you? No, no... take advantage of the beauty you own, Kohana-chan, and try to make it last as long as possible because when it's over you'll feel as invisible to men as you were before you put on the obi for the first time.

"Oh, Mother." The maiko hugged Yumiko from behind, smiling as the old woman tried to free herself from her grip. "You're still beautiful!"

"Don't lie to my face, Kohana!" She gave her a little push with the broom, struggling to hide how much she was touched by her apprentice's affection. "Someday you'll be my age and you'll be even uglier than me for teasing me!"

"It'll be worth it if it makes me as talented as you, Mother," Kohana said, stepping back to give her space.

"Don't be sycophantic." She gave a loud huff and pointed to the stairs leading to the upper floor. "Ba-san wants to talk to you so save your flattery for someone who deserves it more."

"Ba-san? Oh, I'll be right there!" She moved as hurriedly as her tight kimono allowed her. If the establishment's owner required her presence it was surely something important.

Ba Makoto was a woman approaching her mid-thirties. She had dedicated her life to the courtesan profession and long years of effort had rewarded her with the very high rank of tayu.

A tayu wasn't part of the world inhabited by other Kyoto prostitutes; women who reached her level had enough prestige to refuse to serve customers who sought to pay for their services. In any case, it wasn't as if they solicited them very often, since the amount of money required to spend the night with a courtesan was extremely high. Too high for a common laborer to raise the necessary money.

Compared to the yujo (common prostitutes whose main attraction was their sexual favors), courtesans were, first and foremost, artists. To become one, a woman had to be trained in a myriad of different skills, ranging from traditional arts such as tea ceremony, ikebana, and calligraphy, to things that were normally reserved for upper-class ladies; such as learning to play complex instruments and writing poetry.

Clients expected their hostesses to be excellent connoisseurs of national literature and to be as fluent in writing as renowned authors were. They had to be not only enlightened and talented with their arts, but also with their talks. It was mandatory for the words their lips uttered to always be witty, always elegant.

Knowing this, it made sense for the tayu to rent the beautiful teahouse (given to her by one of her clients) to Yumiko and her adopted daughters. Even though Ba belonged to a higher social echelon, they all entertained the hundreds of visitors who came to Shimabara in similar ways.

While it was true that Ba had sex with some of her favorite customers, it was purely by her choice and with full consent to the act. That was a benefit even married women couldn't boast of. The tayu would never face an abusive or loveless marriage, nor would she be forced to give her body to anyone who asked for it under any circumstances, and that gave her untold satisfaction.

Ba, a woman who lived with the same freedoms as a wealthy single man, had just called Furukawa Kohana into her office to make her an offer that (when the time came) would allow her to enjoy a freedom much like her own.

"Ba-san," Kohana greeted her as she sat across from her, bowing gracefully with her hands on her lap. "Yumiko-san told me you requested my presence."

"How old are you, dear Kohana?" she asked with her characteristic serenity.

"Fourteen, madam."

"But soon you'll be fifteen."

"That's right." She bowed again. "It'll soon be six years since I first came to live here."

"And that's what I wanted to talk to you about." She tilted her head to the side and the huge gemstone ornaments that decorated her hair moved with it. "You've already passed the training to become a geiko and, if you agree, we'll begin preparations for your erikae, the celebration where you'll be granted the mastery of your profession."

"Do you really mean it, Mrs. Ba?" The matter's very mention terrified her, but she tried to conceal her discomfort with a shaky smile that didn't reach the surface of her crimson eyes.

"I wouldn't lie about something you have all your hopes set on, my dear."

"I know..." She smiled at her with mock excitement. "I just didn't expect it."

"Why not? It's been five years since your misedashi and it's time for you to take the next step in your career."

"I'm so grateful to you, Ba-san... to Yumiko and you, for adopting me and giving me this opportunity." Kohana touched the ground with her forehead as she bowed, realizing the gesture only trivialized the anguish she felt.

"You'll need to get yourself an officer, a kenban, to accompany you to announce your future change of rank to the clients who frequent you. Choose someone from the Roshi headquarters whom you like and return with him to our establishment. It may be too much to ask, but try to make sure the guy has decent hygiene and manners.

"An officer, understood." She nodded energetically but was quick to slow her movements upon noticing. She couldn't let herself get carried away and lose her composure in front of her employer. "All this makes me a little nervous."

"Why are you nervous?"

"It's so sudden and... I'm afraid of messing it up; of not being able to meet the expectations you put on me."

"And how could you not be up to the necessary level, Kohana-chan? You're one of your generation's most advanced maikos, you mastered all the arts we taught you. You deserve the promotion."

"That's not it..." She discreetly drummed her fingers on her elegant kimono's skirt. "I feel... unprepared to work on my own in this field." She gave her a pleading look. "When I graduate as a geiko I'll have to leave the Okiya and move into a house of my own. Yumiko-san will no longer assign me the clients I have to serve so I'll have to get them on my own, and also-"

"Kohana-chan," Ba interrupted her, almost whispering through her red-painted lips. "You can't be afraid of something you haven't even experienced."

"True, but fear is a rather irrational thing and I can't quell it with the wise advice you offer me."

"Very understandable, but now the only way is forward."

"Yes, madam." Kohana bit her lip, feeling too small to carry the enormous burden that had just been placed on her shoulders. She'd soon become an independent woman, which amazed and terrified her in equal proportion. Living on her own was her most cherished dream, yes, but she wanted to pursue it in another way; one that didn't involve continuing to dance to mediocre jerks until the end of her days.

"We'll begin to style your hair with the sakko; the last style a maiko wears and that you'll wear until you graduate. You'll have to make a handmade kanzashi and use it during this transition time. I saw that you came home with a bunch of paper rolls, so use them to create that new hair clip."

"You mean the daikin?" Kohana dared to speak with some shyness, making mental notes to avoid forgetting the information provided. "I've always wanted to put my own festive ornament together, I bet it'll be fun."

"It won't be the only thing you'll have to do by yourself. When you get the officer I asked for, you'll visit your future clients and-"

"And I'll announce to them that I'll be a geiko, yes."

"Don't interrupt, Kohana. I was going to say something else."

"Oh... y, yes?" The girl's face reddened and she mentally scolded herself for speaking without permission. It was a habit she found difficult to eradicate.

"You'll give gifts to the customers at the time of the announcement, buy them with the money you earn during the days leading up to the event."

"Oh... I see." She grimaced when she heard the last thing. She was planning to throw a small party to celebrate the grade passage with the rest of her classmates, but having to spend her savings on other people threw her festive plans to the ground.

"So remember all your tasks: get the kenban, make your kanzashi, and buy the gifts."

"I will, madam."

"You may go."

"Thank you, Ba-san." Kohana closed the door behind her and let out a long sigh, the freedom she longed for would end up destroying her nerves.

The night was falling when the maiko went to one of the capital's stores in the company of her best friend, Kosuzu, to buy the gifts in the port's modern bazaar, but the sight that greeted them when they arrived took their desire to approach the place away: Serizawa Kamo, the Roshigumi's second-in-command, was making a fuss with his soldiers. The poor bazaar owner had long since disappeared from the area, so his henchmen were looting the merchandise amidst the ravenous fire they started at the entrance.

They weren't the only ones overwhelmed by the dark spectacle; dozens of neighbors and travelers watched with fear, resentment, and contempt at those they considered the savage and irredeemable "Mibu Wolves". Serizawa, however, wasn't worthy of such a label until he left Edo province. During his first year in Kyoto he was known as an enlightened and courageous man. Kohana herself attended him on several occasions and he always behaved with serenity and respect, but his demeanor began to decline rapidly after these brief encounters.

The Roshigumi's second-in-command began to drink and commit violent actions even when he didn't have a single drop of alcohol in his body. It was rumored he was seriously ill, but it was impossible to verify as he became extremely aggressive when his health status was questioned. He was declared persona non grata at Kohana's Okiya the day he threw a pot of sake on Kosuzu's forehead for refusing to undress for him. Serizawa Kamo never set foot in the entertainment center since then.

"That man makes my hair stand on end," Kosuzu whispered as she put her hand to her smooth forehead, which still bore a small scar she tried to hide with several layers of makeup. "Imagine if something so horrible had happened in our home."

"The Shogunate should take action against Serizawa." Kohana nodded, letting her friend hold onto her kimono's sleeve to reassure her. "That man is out of his mind."

"I don't understand! They're taking everything with them! What kind of guardians steal the belongings of those they're supposed to protect?!"

"Keep your voice down, Kosu-chan. We don't want to attract attention."

"I, I'm sorry! I just... I think it's so unfair!"

"Me too." Kohana looked around to make sure no one noticed them, but the crowd was too stunned by the looting to intrude on a couple of maikos' chatter. It was then that she spotted Ibuki Ryunosuke (Serizawa's page), sitting on some crates with a sour expression on his face. He was almost hidden in the darkness and even his companions didn't seem to notice his presence.

"Ibuki-san." Kohana walked up to him, followed by an indignant Kosuzu. "What's going on?"

"Kohana-san, Kosuzu-chan." The greeting sounded friendly, but his smile was forced. "What are you doing here?"

"We came shopping, Ryunosuke-kun." Kosuzu smiled honestly at him.

"Well, go back to where you came from, no one's buying anything tonight."

"What's the reason for this outrage?" Kohana asked with a frown. "The Roshigumi should protect us."

"Please, Kohana-chan." Kosuzu held her shoulder. "Don't be angry with Ryunosuke-kun, he's not part of all this."

"Do you think I'm innocent, Kosuzu-chan?" Ibuki blinked slowly.

"I don't see you carrying the shop on your shoulder, Ryunosuke-kun. So I'd say yes."

"Don't just believe what your eyes see." He sat up lazily, the glow of the flames faintly illuminating his face's profile. "People who don't act against evil are just as guilty as the evil-doers they ignore."

Kosuzu frowned in confusion. "What do you mean by not acting in evil's presence? It's not your fault they're causing this mess."

"I'm no more innocent than Serizawa-san. That's for sure. I'm his servant after all."

"It doesn't make sense."

"What are you saying?"

"What you heard! You're not Serizawa's equal, nor will you ever be. Otherwise you wouldn't be here, away from this dreadful situation."

"A girl like you can't know anything about someone like me." Ibuki shrugged, very used to the meaningless faith the maiko always put in his person. "But if it makes you happy... believe in whatever the hell you want."

Kosuzu smiled discreetly, deciding not to provoke her companion's temper. One victory was more than enough.

"The bazaar owner is a man of influence. Is it possible the Shogunate will punish Serizawa after such a grievance?" Kohana asked.

"Maybe they will..." Ibuki frowned, turning his gaze back to the fire devouring the store, "but I have no direct line to the Shogun and his vassals, so I can't confirm anything."

"I hope they send him to prison!" Kosuzu fixed her bright eyes on the flames that framed the silhouette of the man she loathed.

"I'll take you home," Ibuki blurted out, adopting a nonchalant attitude as he pushed them away from the crowd. "With such a commotion I'm afraid someone might try to mug you on the way back."

"Ryunosuke-kun is very kind," exclaimed Kosuzu, her cheeks burning with blushing.

"Don't believe his lies, Kosu-chan." Kohana pursed her lips mischievously. "Ibuki-san must want to have a drink at Shimabara."

"Me? Nah, I don't have a penny on me."

"Are you becoming a good Samaritan? First you saved Kosuzu-chan's life and now you escort her to the Okiya, anyone would think she arouses your noblest feelings." She bared her teeth in a smile as she added: "If I were you, I'd start saving money to buy her freedom."

"S, stop talking about it! I, it's nothing like that!" He stuck his tongue out at her without realizing how immature his reaction was. "I have to think of something else," he said to himself as he stepped forward to hide his flushed face. Reflecting on Serizawa's recent actions managed to calm the beating of his embarrassed heart.

He liked the fellow well enough (when he wasn't cutting innocent women's hair or kicking stores to the ground), and learning that the Shogunate declared him a threat to public safety came as a cold water bucket down his back. The Aizu Magistrate asked Kondou-san "to take care" of the matter before October's end, and he knew full well what the bureaucrat meant by the phrase "to take care."

Serizawa Kamo was about to die and he'd probably be involved in the dirtiest part of the matter. It was obvious he'd try to keep his master from getting hurt, but he couldn't risk his life for him either, could he? His eyes fell on the cheerful faces of the girls accompanying him and he felt the sharp pang of jealousy prickle in his stomach. He would've given anything to lead such a fortunate existence as (he supposed it was) that of an artist, but he had to bear the consequences of disowning his lineage.

He managed to evade the obligations of nobility by running away from home, but was only free for a few months before being turned into a lowly page; a pauper doomed to survive on the crumbs thrown to him by his master until the gods signaled his final day's arrival. Although, if Serizawa-san died... he could regain his freedom. He felt uncomfortable with the direction his thoughts were taking, so he turned his focus back to the maikos he escorted.

"Ryunosuke-kun." Kosuzu wrinkled her lips at his crestfallen attitude. "Is everything in order?"

"Sure, no problem." He clicked his tongue as he muttered: "There's no damn problem."

Chapter Text

Autumn, October 29, 1863.

"Is he still there?"

"He's still here."

Chie wrinkled her nose at Ume's refusal. She had just ducked into the kitchen after Tani's sudden arrival at the restaurant, a situation that had repeated itself for about fifteen days. The man she least wanted to see seemed to inhabit the place since that afternoon when Serizawa first visited it.

She peeked discreetly through the small inner window where customers placed their orders and her eyes settled on the newcomer's shape. Tani was smiling while talking lively to her father (Izanagi's enthusiasm was equivalent to that of MacGyver in a Hardware Store), while Okita Souji, who came with the captain, remained far away from them both; standing in one corner of the restaurant with a sour expression on his face.

Chie ignored the source of Okita's mood, but she could tell he disliked Tani's proximity as much (or perhaps even more) than she did. She was so distracted by their similar reactions she didn't notice him staring back at her until it was too late. Okita walked steadily toward her and Chie could do nothing but duck back under the counter, praying he was only on his way to ask Ume for something to eat.

"Furukawa Chie," he said in his high-pitched voice. "Is there a particular reason why you're face down on the floor?"

"Uh! I...!" She sat back on her heels, smiling while failing to hide her embarrassment. "I was looking for... a chopstick that slipped out of my hands!"

"Lying is bad, the Oni will skin you when you land into one of the Eight Hot Hells."

"By the blessed Amaterasu-sama!" Chie pursed her lips, whispering to keep from being overheard. "I didn't mean to tell lies, Okita-san. I'm just... hiding from Tani-san!"

Okita struggled to hold in the laughter and his voice quivered from the effort he made to stifle it. "Hiding?"

"I don't want to... face him right now."

"Is there anyone who does?"

"My father, no doubt."

Okita turned to look at the cook and pursed his lips into a displeased grimace at the sight of him bending down to tie up one of Tani's sandals that had unlaced during the walk. "He seems to hold him in high esteem."

"Saying 'seems' is understating Dad's fanaticism."

"Good morning, Ume-chan." Okita broke off the conversation to greet the other waitress, who boiled rice next to the counter where Chie was hiding. "How convenient to meet you, Sannan-san told me to send you his regards."

"Oh...!" The woman's face lit up and her hands nearly dropped the boiling pot of water over her boss' daughter. "That's what he said?! Please, Okita-san... send him mine!"

"I'll try." His gaze fell back on Chie, who cursed under her breath at the water that splashed out of the pot and burned her ankle. "Will you stay there all afternoon, Chie-chan?"

"I don't intend to, Dad and Tani are blocking the front door and I couldn't leave without being asked a thousand questions as usual."

"Hmm..." His eyes wandered around the building's interior. "Isn't there another way out?"

"Just that window." She pointed to a precarious three-foot-square opening, from which a paper curtain hung. "But there's a garbage landfill outside."

"Is that much worse than facing Tani?" Okita cracked a mischievous grin that spread to the waitress' face. Chie had just made the classy choice to go through the junk outside their back window.

"Don't think about leaving me here!" Ume clutched her sleeve. "I don't want to have to explain another one of your absences to your father!"

"B, but he'll notice we left together! Come on! You'll think of something to get him off your back!"

"Don't be unfair! Why do I always have to take the rap with Izanagi-san?!"

"Why don't the three of us just leave?" proposed Okita, smacking their shoulders before sliding out of the window with feline agility. "I'd rather walk on excrement than patrol with that stuck-up Tani Sanjuro."

Ume stared at him with shining eyes and her friend had to pull her by the apron to bring her back to her senses. They both hurried out of the narrow window, complaining about the terrible smell coming from the large amount of garbage at their feet.

It was the first time Chie had ever run away from home like that. Her mother would have been proud.

"Why did you do that?" Chie questioned Okita when they were several blocks from the restaurant, walking down the busy unpaved avenue of downtown Kyoto.

"Do what?"

"Help me out of the kitchen."

"You weren't the only one looking for a way to get rid of Tani."

"Oh." Chie blinked slowly, confirming her suspicions were correct. "I figured you didn't like him."

"He isn't my favorite person."

"Many would say the same." Her eyes lingered on the reddish leaves hanging from the huge maple trees that encircled the Kyoto shopping district, the autumn scenery was quite a spectacle. She was so amazed by the view she didn't notice Ume had stopped at a shop window.

"Hey, Chie-chan," her friend called out to her without averting her gaze from the odd material that isolated the merchandise from the outside. "How was this thing called?"

"What thing?"

"This. The... see-through thing."

"Oh, that. Dad says they call it glass."

"It's so ridiculous..."

"Why?"

"It doesn't make sense to safeguard the merchandise with such a fragile material, any ronin can hit it and steal the items from the display." She grimaced as she recalled the time when thieves broke into her father's bookstore, taking everything they could carry with them. It wasn't the best of nights for the poor widower who had raised her since she was a child.

"Western things are all the rage, it's more about showing off than securing the store," Chie went on, oblivious to the bad memories that plagued her walking partner. "My sister said they'll change the Shimabara buildings' roofs for the kind those foreigners use."

"Your sister..." Okita caught up with them upon hearing about the red-light district. "Speaking of which, Chie-chan. Is it true you're related to a maiko named Kohana?"

"Oh!" Her eyes lit up at the sound of that name. "Of course I am! She's my little sister! Do you know her?"

"Who doesn't know her?" He smiled cheekily, thinking how intriguing it was for the two women to be related when they didn't look even slightly alike physically. "She's more famous than the Shogun."

"Dad and I are very proud of her. This morning we got a letter from her where she told us she would soon be named geiko."

"Yeah, I heard that, too."

"Isn't it wonderful? It must be amazing to be so beautiful and talented! She's only fifteen years old and yet she's very close to living virtually on her own, although she told us she has yet to get a kenban; an officer to accompany her to deliver the gifts she'll be giving to her customers."

"I wish I didn't have two left feet!" Ume crossed her arms over her chest and kicked a stone that tripped a couple of grumpy ronin after it rolled off in their direction. "If I was a maiko the guys would pay more attention to me!"

"You'll have to forgive me, Chie-chan," Okita gave the warriors a warning look that was enough to stop them from chastising Ume and go on their way with their heads down, "but I don't see the point of it. Why should she be the one to treat the people who frequent her? It should be the other way around, it's not like they're the ones graduating."

"I don't know any more than what she told me either." Chie shrugged. "Kohana-chan says that becoming a geiko is considered a loss for the customers who visit her and that they should be compensated accordingly."

"A loss?" Okita frowned. "That sounds rather stupid."

"The graduating maiko is no longer deemed as young and lovely as she was when she was recruited in the past, which takes away some of her appeal. A geiko has a better command of her arts and is far more professional when it comes to engaging with others, yes, but she won't ever be as pretty as a maiko again."

"Hmm, it makes sense if you put it that way."

"Of course not! It's so wrong! It's as if men are only interested in them when they're helpless little girls."

"They are," Ume confessed with a disgusted grimace. "The last guy who asked Dad to marry me did it when I was five years old. I thought he was my uncle for many years, until one day I was told he was my fiancé."

"Your fiancé?!" Chie covered her lips with her fingertips, chuckling nervously. "That's awful! What did you do when they told you?"

"Nothing, back then I didn't even know what it meant to be engaged." Ume laughed in return.

"What happened to that pervert?"

"No idea, I think he fell in a stream and drowned."

"I hope a Kappa ate him." Chie frowned. "I hate men who only notice us when we're growing up, we seem to turn into creepy spinsters as soon as we turn twenty."

"It doesn't just seem like that, it's like that." Ume looked up to the heavens, pausing when she felt a drop of water splash on her face. "In the end, none of the other boyfriends I had turned out much better than him."

Chie wrinkled her nose and shook her head as she stopped beside her. "Men from the capital are so depraved."

"Morals and money are rarely seen and easily lost in this era of ours." Okita motioned for them to follow him to a colorful awning hanging over a greengrocer's shop. "It's starting to rain, let's wait here for a minute."

"The typhoon season will be here soon," commented Ume, eager to talk to the handsome samurai who escorted them. She didn't like him as much as Sannan-san, but she wouldn't waste the chance to get to know him better.

"Hopefully it won't take long."

"Huh?!" Ume was shocked. "What do you mean, hopefully?!"

"Kyoto criminals are no friends of bad weather, they wreak more havoc when it's sunny." He hid his hands in the sleeves of his haori, thinking that the dudes behaved like mosquitoes he wished he could cut off mid-flight with his katana.

Chie, however, gazed gloomily at the vegetable crates in front of her. A few weeks ago she had run into Heisuke in the same place and the memory of that day filled her with an indescribable nostalgia. She kept wondering what would have become of Sannan-san and him after they left the clinic during the storm. Would Sannan-san's arm be healing? What would happen to his position in the Roshigumi if he didn't get better soon?

"So... Kohana-chan got her kenban yet?" Okita asked over the loud pattering of the rain against the tarp that covered them and other passersby who took shelter from the scourge of the unforeseen downpour.

"Oh, no." Chie turned around with a worried frown. "Not yet."

"Isn't it something... rather urgent?"

"Yes, it is." She sighed. "Sometimes I wish I was a boy, maybe then I could help her with all this. As a woman I'm not even allowed to enter Shimabara without male companionship."

"Even then a kenban must be an armed officer, mustn't he?"

"Yes, but I would walk the way of the sword to keep her safe." She nodded resolutely. "My sister deserves that and more."

"You care so much for Kohana, Chie-chan."

"How could I not? She's my sister."

"Not all siblings think like that." He frowned and turned toward the street. His emotions swirled around the memory of his older sister, whom he loathed ever since she turned him over to Kondou-san's dojo, claiming she didn't have the resources to feed him after their parents' deaths. A hasty and pathetic excuse, in Okita's opinion, that obeyed her desire to play house with her new husband and the brat they spawned to replace him.

Because that's how it always happened, wasn't it? Children lost their charm as they grew older and keeping them in the home became a difficult burden to bear. Who would want to deal with the needs of a sullen, wary younger sibling when they could take care of an adorable infant who returned every drop of love they received? Perhaps that's why he was drawn to the plight of Furukawa Kohana, another orphan in practice whom her father sold under equally petty pretexts. Why choose Chie and discard Kohana? Finding out if there was a common flaw between the maiko and himself would answer one of his deepest concerns.

"Well, they should do it." Chie's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Hey, Okita-san. How is Sannan-san doing?"

"Sannan-san?" He squinted at the gust of wind that sprayed a good amount of water on his face. "Recovering."

Ume (who until then had been very focused on styling her hair in front of the store window) turned to look wildly at him. "Have they already performed surgery on Sannan-san?!"

"Of course, I suppose Mantaro-kun must have promised him a quick recovery to convince him to submit to the scalpel."

"Oh, it can't be! It's just that I thought..."

"What? That he'd let you know?"

"Well, yes," Ume admitted with a pout. "I wish I had been there to greet him when he woke up."

Okita brushed aside the sodden strands of hair sticking to his forehead with a sour smile on his lips. "He's not finding this whole becoming a regular person thing very easy to process, he won't even talk to us about it." He shrugged as he muttered: "We'd better get inside, this storm is starting to get annoying."

"I agree, I'm soaking wet." Chie took the lead, stepping into the greengrocer's shop as she relished in the merchandise's scent. The Nashi pears' fragrance had permeated the air after being drenched by the rain, and the young woman brought one of the fruits close to her face to appreciate its sweet scent. "I'll take some of them, they're in full season and they're Dad's favorite."

"Sannan-san's too."

"Really?!" Ume walked over to the crates with shining eyes and started to shove the pears into Chie's wicker basket. "Ha! I bet he'll feel better if I bring him some and make him a dessert out of them!"

"But... is it okay for a couple of single women to visit the headquarters?" Chie asked reluctantly. "We wouldn't want to inconvenience you."

"Inconvenience?" Okita clicked his tongue, following her through the aisles. "Serizawa keeps a woman living with him and the Yagi have a pretty daughter who flirts with Hijikata-san daily, women come in and out of the headquarters."

"The Yagi's are the ones who housed you, aren't they?"

"Yeah. They're a wealthy family, they've been supporting the Shogunate for generations."

"Will Serizawa-san's mistress be there?" She stopped when a shiver ran down her back, she didn't want to cross paths with whom was possibly having an affair with Tani.

"Sure, unless she's locked up with the guy as usual."

"Oh..." Her face reddened and she hurried to the shopkeeper to pay for the fruits, eager to change the subject. "I hope we only run into Sannan-san."

"The headquarters are a crowded place, I can't promise you that the guys will ignore your arrival." He shrugged when Chie received the change from the greengrocer's hands. "Who knows, maybe you can take the chance to ask if any of them would like to be Kohana-chan's kenban."

"Hey!" A vibrant determination flashed across her freckled face. "That's a great idea! I'll pick the most sophisticated, pleasant, and strongest of them and I'll introduce him to Kohana-chan!"

"You'll be lucky if you find one who knows how to chew with a closed mouth." He gave her a sarcastic half-smile before leaving the place. "The rain won't stop for a while, let's find an umbrella and take that dessert to Sannan-san."

They were about to arrive at the headquarters when they spotted the guard on duty at the entrance post. Both Chie's and her friend's faces contracted into surprised and upset frowns when Tani Sanjuro noticed them with indifference from his position.

"That's impossible! How did he get here before us?" Chie stopped short, but Okita encouraged her to continue with a gentle nudge on the shoulder. His green eyes were fixed on the man who started to look like an opponent worth watching out for.

"Don't look so surprised, he probably didn't stop walking back in the rain."

"Do we have to enter through here? Isn't there... any back doors we can use?"

Okita clicked his tongue. "Unfortunately, the headquarters doesn't have windows like the ones in your kitchen, Chie-chan. The three of us will have to put up with Tani for a while."

"Damn it..." Chie bit her lower lip, feeling even more anxious than in the morning. How would she explain to Tani that she and Ume had sneaked out of the restaurant during working hours to walk out in the rain with one of his co-workers? What if he accused her with her father? What if he prevented her from visiting Sannan?

Tani feigned innocence as he held the sign-in sheet between his long, slender-fingered hands. "I thought you were at home, Chie-chan. What are you and Ume-san doing at the Roshigumi's headquarters gate?" he asked with visible concern. "Oh, but Okita-san is here, too! I could have sworn Hijikata-san ordered us to guard the restaurant, but you vanished as soon as the place's owner arrived. Did I mishear and he only asked me to do it?"

"You were so distracted by Izanagi-san's flattery you didn't hear about the girls needing someone to escort them to the greengrocer's," Okita argued expertly, pointing to Chie's basket with a smirk.

"Interesting." The corners of Tani's lips drooped as if he'd bitten into a lemon. "Izanagi-san was telling me about the fire at the port, I guess I considered it of greater importance than a visit to the market."

"We came to see Sannan-san," Chie explained, trying not to seem too interested in the visit. "Dad sent him a basket as proof of his recovery wishes."

"Your father?" Tani stifled a cocky laugh. "He sent a gift to someone he considers an ignorant bum?"

"Dad is an impulsive man." Chie tightened her grip on the basket handle, loathing that Tani's return compelled her to lie so often. "It's only natural he'd regret treating him harshly now that he's sick."

"Useless," Tani sneered. "He's useless, not sick, there's a huge difference between the two."

Chie frowned, feeling a lump in her throat. Her childhood friend always had a natural talent for telling it like it was, no matter how cruel his words were to the recipients of that sincerity.

"Sannan-san isn't useless," Okita interrupted him, brushing his bangs away from his face to play down the fury that stirred within him. He wouldn't cut out his tongue within sight of Hijikata-san and his stupid regulations for fighting between comrades. "He had an excellent education back in Edo, did you know? He studied literature, accounting, even the foreigners' language. Compared to him, you're nothing but a country bumpkin with a spear on your shoulder, Tani-kun."

A tomb-like silence fell between the two of them and Chie was frightened by the way Tani locked his gray eyes on the face of the person who had just insulted him. Okita's tongue was as sharp as his sword and it seemed to have dealt a mortal wound to the spearman's pride.

"Such a hurry to visit a cripple... what a joke," Tani grumbled, averting his gaze to the small room where the aforementioned was staying. "You have half an hour."

"Is the visiting time limited now, Tani-kun?" Okita didn't try to hide his amusement at having annoyed Tani. The guy could imitate him to exhaustion, but it was obvious no copy could ever replace the original.

"You know well why." He looked at him with disdain and resentment when answering: "You know what will happen tomorrow, it's not the time to conduct sightseeing tours."

"Sure, sure." Okita walked towards the headquarters without letting go of his companions' soaked sleeves. "Tomorrow is Sushi Night, I know, but it's still a long time away, isn't it? Don't let anxiety turn you into a hermit."

"Sushi Night..." Tani mocked him as he watched them leave on their way to the Yagi's house. Kondou's spoiled brat played him for a fool and damaged the reputation he worked so hard to preserve, but he'd overlook the issue in pursuit of one of far greater importance.

Tani was enslaved to the pale hands of Miss Ume and the blindness born of such lofty sentiment meant he didn't find it urgent to fulfill the mission entrusted to him by his clan's leader. He would allow Chie to have a good day (even if it was spent with that good-for-nothing Sannan) so he could take a day off to devote it to the yearnings of his maddened heart.

The sudden appearance of the subject of his thoughts took him by surprise, the beautiful Ume left the hut she shared with Serizawa to greet him from the porch and Tani couldn't stop the steps that led him hastily to her encounter. "Ume-san," he called out with shining eyes of adoration, kneeling before the wooden steps like a shipwrecked sailor coming ashore. "There's something I want to confess to you."

"Good afternoon, Sannan-san!" Okita chirped when Ume, Chie, and him entered the small living room without permission. "I hope you're dressed, I come with female guests."

"Aah!" Sannan sat up with a jerk to cover himself with the black haori lying next to the bed and the pain that shot through his back made him stifle a throaty moan. He'd never expected it to be so painful to recover from a minor operation. "Okita-kun! H, how could you walk in here unannounced?!" He ran a hand quickly over his face, wiping away the spittle that had collected under his eyelids as he slept.

"Sorry, I'm a sucker for surprises." He laughed mischievously, giving a sidelong glance at Chie (who stubbornly stared at the flower pots decorating the entrance out of consideration for Sannan's modesty).

"I wish you also fancied asking for permission." He blinked slowly when he noticed the women standing next to him. "What... what did the two of you come here for?"

"What are we doing here?" Ume pouted. "You had surgery, Sannan-san, and we wanted to know how you were doing."

Sannan crooked his lips and clicked his tongue as he discarded the blankets that covered him. "Why do you want to know? Had there been good news, I would've told you."

"So there is none?"

"Isn't my silence enough of an answer?"

"Oh..." Ume's shoulders slumped as she exchanged a rueful glance with Chie. The ill-fated visit seemed to have worsened Sannan's mood and not even the intensifying rain outside dampened the tension that consumed her desire to continue with the plan.

"Ume-chan brought you some Nashi pears." Okita snatched the basket from Chie and placed it under Sannan's nose. "She was planning to cook you a dessert or who knows what else to make you feel better."

"O, Okita-san!" Ume tried to retrieve the basket, but Okita was much taller than she was and only had to raise his arm to get the item out of her reach. "He doesn't want the pears!"

"And why wouldn't he want them? They're free, aren't they?"

"I told you he doesn't want them! Give them to me now!"

"Hey, hey..." Sannan interrupted them, unable to hide his smile at the ridiculous wrestling match unfolding in front of him. "I'll eat the pears, okay? Stop tugging at the basket like two stray dogs."

Ume reddened upon hearing him, but Okita gave him an amused smile. "Fine. I wanted dessert too, to tell the truth."

"I figured you weren't in it just to spoil me, Okita-kun." Sannan sighed, watching as Chie scanned the sideboards for utensils; trying her best to prompt Ume to prepare the Nashi pears. The sight would have pleased someone else, but he suffered from an outrage whose source he struggled to understand. "Forgive me if I'm not the life of the party."

Chie handed Ume a saucepan, which the young woman almost dropped on the floor. "You can boil the pears in this, Ume-chan. The stove is already lit." Ume obeyed silently, so Chie turned to Sannan with a cordial smile. "Well, I actually have good news for you, Sannan-san. Would you like to hear them as a diversion?" She looked expectantly at him, hoping he wouldn't resent the sudden change of subject.

"Go ahead." He nodded more out of politeness than genuine interest.

"Kohana-chan will graduate, they'll make her geiko in a matter of a month or two."

"Kohana-san?" Sannan put a hand to his chin, impressed by the news. "Wow! It's an unexpected achievement, but well-deserved."

"Yes. She may not be the youngest maiko in the Okiya, but she's certainly the most talented. I think her dedication during the summer festivals was the main reason they decided to promote her."

"It's very likely," Okita remarked, reviewing memories of Kohana spinning on a wooden stage, draped in silk as vividly colored as the fireworks that framed the show. "I can't stop thinking about the effort it must take to move the way she does, had she been a man she'd be an excellent fighter."

Chie watched them in silence, overwhelmed by how they complimented both the beauty and skills of her younger sister. She adored Kohana, yes, but she used to envy her knack for arousing unbridled passions. She would have given anything to inherit a bit of her mother's charisma or beauty, at least enough to secure a husband who could fulfill Izanagi's expectations. Oh, how she longed to hear him say he was proud of her! But that wouldn't happen, not as long as she was the freckled, scruffy cook of the "Mao" restaurant.

"Congratulations on your sister," Sannan concluded, oblivious to Chie's distress. "You must be very proud."

"I am," she said a little sharply, annoyed to realize they were talking about Kohana again.

"You have every reason to be," Okita conceded, leaning closer to vehemently add: "I don't have enough money to attend all of her performances, but I enjoyed every chance I had to see her in action. She certainly has a sense of humor, listen to this sublime joke she told at the Gion festival." He cleared his throat before revealing the joke: "A merchant was tending his food stall when a noble samurai showed up and said: 'Musashi Enomoto Hajime Kanesawa makes his presence known in your humble store! Have the decency to serve your best food!' and the poor man blurted out: 'I'd gladly serve you, but I don't have enough food for so many people!'"

Chie pursed her lips and turned her back on them to help Ume place the pears inside the cauldron. If talking about Kohana cheered the convalescent, who was she to be offended? She repeated that to herself over and over, trying to subdue the uncomfortable jealousy that grew and twisted inside her mind.

"Chie-san." Sannan squinted behind his glasses' lenses, ignoring Okita's laughter. "Do you need sugar?"

"Sugar?"

"For the dessert."

"Oh." She nodded, more distracted than grateful. "Yes, I almost forgot."

"The Nashi are sweet, but they'll lose all the sugar once you boil them, so it's a good idea to season them afterward." He slowly sat up, giving her a knowing look that the young woman didn't understand. "Don't confuse my eagerness to leave with any desire to get rid of your company, Chie-san, I'll be back with the sugar in the blink of an eye."

"I didn't say... nothing like that," she spoke to herself, since Sannan left the room before she could finish the sentence.

"It looks like my seduction scheme went down the drain," Ume growled, annoyed that Sannan apologized to Chie instead of her. "I wonder what made him uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable?"

"I'm sure it was Okita-san's bad jokes."

The alluded one rolled up his haori, ready to turn her into an ingredient of the pear compote, when Tani stepped into the room in desperation; surprising them by pleading: "Chie-chan! Quickly! I need your help!"

"Tani...?" Chie wiped her hands on her apron, wavering between uneasiness and bewilderment. "What happened?"

"Can we... talk about this alone?" He bit his lip, showing vulnerability as he covered his face with his palms. "It's about... a person who's very special to me. I need you to talk to her, please!"

Oh, no. Chie felt like throwing herself into the fire pit where the pears were cooking, this was definitely about Serizawa's mistress.

Chapter Text

"Chie!" Tani insisted, urgently grabbing her sleeve. "Will you help me? You're here for a reason and I want to believe it's for this!"

"It's just that..." She turned to Ume, who watched them warily; clearly intimidated by Tani Sanjuro's wild stare.

"I'll finish cooking the pears, Chie-chan," Ume explained, acting sympathetic to Tani to mask her plans of going after Sannan to tell him what had happened as soon as they left. "You go and help Tani-san with whatever that's troubling him."

"Thank you, Ume-chan," Tani said in a gentle tone that sent a shiver down her spine. "I'll bring her back in a blink, sorry for the trouble."

Chie was led outside, uneasy about the course of events, but unable to refuse Tani's request for help. The strength of the downpour caused the buildings to vanish under the whitish veil of the rain. They crossed a myriad of unfamiliar hallways and Chie's anxiety increased with each step that took her further away from the others. "Tani-san! Where are we going?!"

"I need you to tell her I'm serious!"

"W, what...? To who?!" she shouted over the roaring rain, she was soaking wet and her throat felt sore. "Tani!"

"We're here!" The young man panted when he stopped before a shack next to the headquarters, the house had no windows and only the faint glow of a candle could be seen through the paper door.

"Why are we here?" Chie frowned, both as a reaction to her companion's attitude and to keep the water trickling down her forehead from getting into her eyes.

Tani held her by the shoulders, pinning his eyes to hers as he carefully articulated the words: "Ume-san thinks I'm not as accountable as Serizawa and that's why she refuses to accept me. She said that nobody likes me and that she has no interest in having anything but a casual relationship with me." He bit his lips and tightened his grip on Chie's arms. "You have to put in a good word for me! If you tell her I'm a good person I'll get her to leave that jerk and move in with me! I'll make her happy! And I... I'll finally be happy too!"

Chie's heart dropped to her stomach as nausea overcame her. Not only was Tani's affair with Ume-san true, but she was also supposed to help them cement their relationship? She shook her head, struggling to pull away from him. "No! I can't... do something like that!"

"What do you mean, no?" He shook her slightly, struggling to contain his frustration. "You're like a sister to me! Don't you have anything nice to say about me?!"

A sister. Chie pressed her lips together, thankful that the rain hid the tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Chie!" He released his grip in a burst of anger. "Can't I count on you?!" He cursed between his teeth as he realized he was losing hold of his emotions. Chie didn't understand anything... if she did she'd know this was her only chance of avoiding the fate set by her foolish mother before passing away. Tani's duty was to break her heart, sure, but he'd do his best to spare her the pain.

He contemplated her small figure shivering under the torrential downpour and had to summon all his strength to keep the truth to himself. Chie would never be privy to the true nature of their relationship; her sad ignorance was the only thing keeping "The Mistress of Many Faces" from tearing her to shreds. If playing the villain made her safe from the family curse, then Tani would fulfill his mission flawlessly.

But Chie wasn't the only woman he had a soft spot for. Eventually, he realized he was partial to those who needed his protection, a trait born out of his deep-rooted need to be rescued. Ume taught him an affection of a very different kind than that between his clan members, and he wasn't willing to lose it just because she had bought into the role they forced him to play.

He was sick of destroying everything he loved.

Sick of it.

"Sure, of course you can... Tani-san," Chie muttered with a hint of sorrow in her eyes. "I intend for you to be happy."

"That's what I wanted to hear." He pursed his lips and gave a quick nod of his head before walking to the shack to call out to its owner. "Ume-san! Here is someone you didn't count on when you reviled me! Come out! Come and see her!"

It took a few minutes that seemed eternal (for Tani because of the excitement of seeing his desires fulfilled and for Chie due to the misery that plunged her as deep as the drops that soaked the mud around her), until the woman in question showed up under the fragile half-roof that kept the rain from splashing on her house's entrance.

She stared at them with surprise plastered on her adorable face, busily tying her beautiful golden hair back as she asked: "Tani-kun? Did you think I was serious when I said you needed someone to attest to your good nature? Who is this woman? Why isn't she carrying an umbrella with her?"

"She's almost like my sister, Ume-san." He smiled triumphantly. "And she came to vouch for my excellent personality! If you listen to her you'll learn what a nice person I am!"

Ume shot a sympathetic glance at the girl Tani brought to her door. She was disheveled, wet to the bone, and shrouded by an aura of distress that permeated the brief seconds where she gazed at her in silence, not giving Tani the pleasure of uttering a word.

"Chie!" Tani continued almost violently, grabbing her arm and pulling her forward with him. "Tell Ume-san all the things I did for you! Tell her about the books I used to read to you, about our childhood anecdotes! Tell her about our friendship!" He looked at her in despair, stunned by her silence. Her fragile memory couldn't fail him when he needed it the most!

"I, I..." Chie tried to speak, but her crushing depression prevented her from doing so. Her failure to speak was of a very similar nature to the immobility that overpowered her during the fire at the Mao Restaurant. It was like some kind of phobia to her own past.

"Speak, woman! Speak, for God's sake!" Tani shrieked, shaking her until Ume stepped in to break them apart and wrap the snowy arms that peeked out from under her dark kimono's sleeves around Chie; making her look like a crane protecting her offspring from a predator.

"What in the world do you think you're doing?!" she scolded him bravely, revealing the courage hidden beneath her meek and graceful appearance. "I slept with you once because I was bored and felt like having some fun, Tani Sanjuro. You aren't the love of my life, nor will you ever be. I won't change my mind about you even if you bring the emperor himself to praise you."

A tomb-like silence fell among the three of them. Chie watched her in wonder, caught in an embrace she never expected to receive, while Tani's gaze couldn't have been more different; his gray eyes blazed fire behind the shreds of his sodden hair.

"So what?! Is fucking Serizawa the only thing you want out of life?!" he shouted at her, losing his composure. "To live enslaved to a master who tells you everything you have to do?! Who won't let anyone get close to you!"

"He gives me the safety I need. My husband threw me out on the streets because of some baseless rumors and I'd still be there if Serizawa-san hadn't taken pity on my situation. I have to sleep with him from time to time, so what? It's a low price to live comfortably and I'm more than content with that."

"You're such a fool!" he spat with a mixture of contempt and heartache. "I thought you wanted something better... but I see I was wrong!"

"I'd rather be a fool than an abusive, pretentious orphan who thinks himself noble just because someone had the mercy to adopt him." She turned her back on him, ready to take Chie inside the house. "Curse the day I decided to lie on the futon with you, Tani Sanjuro!"

"And you'll curse it all the more in hell, you selfish bitch!" Tani pulled his spear from the sheath that held it behind his back and, had it not been for a katana that quickly came between him and the two women, he would've killed his ex-lover in the blink of an eye.

Both women fell backward on the entrance, terrified by the duel of wills that unfolded in front of their eyes: one false move and Toudou Heisuke would cut Tani's spear in two, becoming his sworn enemy.

"What the hell are you doing, Tani-idiot?!" Heisuke shouted above the rain. "If you're so keen on bragging about your lineage, you should know that noblemen don't attack innocent women from behind!"

"Get out of the way, you bastard midget!" he growled at him, annoyed by the prospect of having to face who was regarded as one of the fastest swordsmen in the Roshigumi.

"Gladly! As soon as you put your weapon down!"

"Put it down? All right, have it your way!" Tani raised the spear above Heisuke's katana, taking the risk of being sliced by its edge while being certain of being fast enough to strike it and knock his opponent off balance, which would grant him the chance to deflect the lethal cut by a few inches. Putting his other skills aside, Tani was an instructor of both the Tyokushin Ryu and the Taneda Houzouin Ryu styles; an advantage that allowed him to master the art of the sword just as well as that of the spear.

He would anticipate Heisuke's moves no matter how fast they were and teach him to stay out of his way... or so he thought before Sannan's sword landed near his throat, immobilizing him for a second that was enough for Heisuke to reject the spear's thrust with a kick.

"You cheating cripple!" Tani roared with his chin held high to avoid the dangerous steel. "What are you doing here?! You have nothing to do with this!" He recovered his confidence after remembering Sannan's torn shoulder, the secretary wasn't as much of a threat as he was in the past. "Can't you see I'd feel guilty murdering an invalid?!"

"I may be no match for you..." A raindrop ran down the fogged glass of Sannan's glasses, "but Hijikata-san is, and we both know how little he enjoys brawls inside the headquarters. I don't want to wonder how he'll react upon finding out you're attacking women he'd love to have a chance to flirt with before you stab them."

"This isn't going to end like this." Tani glared furiously into Ume's eyes, gritting his teeth until they gnashed. "You won't humiliate me, Ume-san. I will not allow Chie to suffer because of you... and I won't either." He spun on his heels with as much grace as ferocity, disappearing under the downpour while being followed by Okita's mocking eyes, who watched him from his seat on the edge of the Yagi's water well.

"He gave up pretty easy, huh?" Okita smiled from beneath the dripping bangs that covered half of his face. "I thought a braggart like Tani would be gutsier, but he ran off with his tail between his legs as soon as he heard about the Demon Vice-Commander. Who knows? Maybe he feared Sannan-san would beg the storm gods to split the ground with lightning and release him from his hellish prison."

"Enough of your jokes, Souji," Heisuke scolded him, sheathing his sword with a frown and his jaw tense with worry. "Had we fought Tani, Hijikata-san would've handed us the same punishment as him."

"Ha, I wish he would try."

Sannan lost all interest in the conversation due to his disappointment at Tani's outburst. He'd been trying to put up with him being part of the group ever since he'd met him, but the boy had just driven his desire to redeem him into the ground. His mere existence was starting to annoy him more than was convenient, worsening the bad temper that had plagued him since he'd lost his right arm's mobility.

He knew he'd been lucky this time around. The katana was shaking under his grip (since he was single-wielding it with his unskilled hand) and he was aware he wouldn't have been able to confront Tani without Okita and Heisuke's support. He needed to solve the issue of his useless arm if he hoped to remain an indispensable member of the Roshigumi, but the only available option seemed too horrifying for him to even consider it. Would he dare to drink the Ochimizu? It was neither the time nor the place to decide, yet lately he couldn't tear his thoughts away from the healing potion the Shogunate bestowed upon them.

"Sannan-san, Okita-san, Toudou-san," Serizawa's mistress greeted them as she sat up, oblivious to the furious look the other Ume gave her after leading her rescuers into the inner courtyard. "Thank you for coming to our rescue, I'm infinitely grateful. I promise Serizawa-sama will hear of your good deeds."

"It's not worth mentioning, Ume-san, we simply did our duty." Sannan gave her a brief bow, acknowledging that she didn't seem as indecent or as opportunistic as the gossip said. It was clear that her otherworldly beauty elicited contrived fantasies that damaged her reputation, so he hoped that her life would improve once Serizawa was "retired" from the Roshigumi and she could get out of the public eye.

The speed with which Heisuke rushed past him to kneel before Chie made Sannan momentarily forget Miss Ume. Chie's gaze was lost far away and her eyes widened when Heisuke placed his hands on her shoulders, causing them to flinch slightly at the unexpected contact.

"You're shivering, Chie-san," he told her as he debated whether to rub her arms to help her warm up or apologize for grabbing her unexpectedly. Chie's expression gave him no clue, for she watched him with an indecipherable blend of confusion and dejection. Did her lips tremble from the chill of the rain, the heartbreak of Tani raising his weapon against her, or the repulsion caused by his hands on her body?

He felt he was staring at his own reflection during that rainy afternoon when he fled to old Monzeki's temple, devastated to learn that his father wasn't planning to stay in close contact with him. The prestigious daimyo resolved to visit his firstborn after several years of anticipation, only to inform him that his existence was a mistake that could be righted with a monthly allowance and a yearly or six-monthly letter in which he'd remind him of how well his life went on without him.

Heisuke cursed, screamed, and cried in the solitude of the grayish cobblestone courtyard, as humiliated as he was disappointed by Toudou Izuminokami's disdain, and, although Chie didn't voice her feelings as easily as he did, he recognized her pain in the apathy of her dismayed countenance.

It was then that his mind echoed the words of someone who claimed to have looked for him in every corner of the village before stumbling upon the temple. Her voice's pitch was feminine and she wore a white and navy blue kimono, patterned with golden waves intertwined with cherry blossom branches. Could it be his mother? No, though he couldn't make out her face, that girl was much younger than his progenitor.

«"Heisuke-kun! I've finally found you! What happened? Didn't your father show up?"

"You wonder if he didn't show up?" He heard himself repeat with a choked laugh. "I wish he hadn't!"

"You have to go home, your mother is worried sick."

"At least she worries."

"We all do." Her sandals squeaked on the wet floor as she reached out to clasp his hand in hers. Her kimono was dripping with water and several damp strands were coming loose from the updo that bound her hair. "Come on, you'll end up catching a cold if you don't take cover."»

Heisuke was startled back to his senses, for he found he'd unconsciously slid his hands down Chie's arms until they rested on hers, squeezing them as the figure from his daydream did. He jumped to his feet, embarrassed to be acting with such familiarity before the prying eyes of Sannan and the others, though relieved to see that Chie was still lost in thought, too upset by the recent events to react to his slip.

He gave her an unnoticeable look of understanding after recovering from the shock. Whether it was Shinpa-san's beating to snatch his food or that of the ronin he arrested, something caused him to forget the identity of the girl who cared for him in a time of need (Could she be a neighbor? Or the daughter of a friend of his mother's, perhaps?), but he'd be grateful for the favor by rehashing it with Chie.

"Stand up," he said as he held out a hand toward her. "You and Ume will catch a cold if you don't take cover."

Chie's eyes met Heisuke's when she heard him mention Ume, and she was puzzled to realize that the Nashi pear cooking hadn't happened decades ago. She nodded in an attempt to look grateful, but her mind kept pricking her with Tani's last words: Why did he say that Ume's rejection would end up hurting both her and him? What did Chie have to do with her childhood friend's romantic breakup?

"I can't say I'm surprised by Tani's outburst and you should have foreseen it too, Chie-san. What were you thinking following him outside?" Sannan joined Heisuke, Okita, Ume, and Chie (who was covered with a pretty haori that Serizawa's mistress lent her to keep warm) inside the foyer. "Tani, Ume-san, and you are lucky that Hijikata-san is busy tonight or you'd be harshly interrogated about this whole love affair thing."

"Come on, Sannan-san," Heisuke intervened, eager to downplay the issue so as to avoid ruining the visitors' evening. He hated the prospect of Tani getting away with it. "Anyone loses their head over rejection. Spite is a serious thing and Tani wouldn't be the first to react violently when denied the favor of a woman as beautiful as Ume-san."

"There is no excuse for that kind of attitude in the Roshigumi." Sannan's eyes narrowed under his glasses. "Cowardice and quarreling among peers are both punishable by seppuku." His gaze rested preemptively on Okita. "Everyone involved in a fight gets the same punishment, whether heroes or villains."

"How amusing," Okita blurted out upon being warned. "I did nothing but watch them from the water well and yet you accuse me of starting the brawl. Never mind, I always wanted to find out what color my guts were."

"Don't talk like that in front of the young lady, Okita-kun," Sannan scolded him, "the poor thing has suffered enough abuse for one day." His gaze softened when he met her face. "Tell me, Chie-san, is there anything we can do for you?"

"I..." Her voice sounded high-pitched and raspy due to her exposure to the cold rain. "I'd like to go home, please."

"I see." Sannan adjusted his glasses. "I won't say a word about what happened and I'll pretend it was just a regular afternoon when Hijikata-san asks me for the day's news, the last thing we need is more bloodshed in the group." He remembered the appalling order they would abide by in a few hours and sensed that nothing would suffice to safeguard the Roshigumi's integrity. "Our reputation is already too tarnished to keep taking the pitcher to the well."

There was an awkward silence in the room and Heisuke (who munched on a mouthful of Nashi pear while frowning) broke it by sitting up to pick up a pair of umbrellas that rested by the entrance: "All right, I'll get them to the restaurant before dark."

"If possible... try not to return to the headquarters, this is not and never will be a place for young ladies." Sannan's eyes hardened as he caught Ume's pleading look. "Have a safe and peaceful journey."

Ume took her leave with a quick bow, feeling remorseful that her plan to cheer Sannan up had gone so wrong. "Thank you for taking care of us, Sannan-san! May the gods bless you with a speedy recovery!"

Sannan found neither the interest nor the mood to reciprocate the greeting.

"You don't have to take us back, Heisuke-san," Chie muttered after following him out of the house. "We know the way back."

"Whether you know it or not, I'd rather walk than listen to Sannan-san's lectures."

"I'm sorry, excuse me for causing trouble to you and your companions."

Heisuke looked at her over his shoulder, using the moment to check that Ume (who followed at some distance in order to conceal the sadness that overwhelmed her) didn't lag too far behind. "Why are you apologizing? None of this was your fault."

"Of course it was, had I not been here perhaps Ume-san would've accepted Tani-san's feelings. My presence and romantic confessions are a bad combo, I probably brought bad luck to poor Tani-san." She looked up at the sky and was amazed to find that it was no longer raining. The clouds were starting to disperse and a few stars became visible high in the night sky. When had it stopped raining?

Heisuke shifted his gaze back to the front as he laughed in disbelief. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're too self-defeating?"

"Huh? What do you mean, self-defeating?"

"It's just that you feel too much pity for yourself." He shrugged. "No one's going to respect you like that, Chie-san. People like Tani find a gruesome pleasure in crushing the weakest. I know I'm no one to advise you, but you should realize you weren't the only one who tried to get along with him."

"You also wanted to get along with Tani-san?"

"Yeah." He laughed mockingly as he clarified: "Though surely not in the same way as you did." He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at Ume again. "I went out of my way to iron out the differences between the two of us, and yet look how it turned out. Tani is the common denominator in all his relationship failures."

"Tani wasn't always like this." Chie clenched her fists with a resolute expression. "He just needs to be reminded of who he is... and I can help him do that."

"You don't do that, don't be a hypocrite." He faced her with a scowl over his green eyes, he was starting to know her too well to remain silent when faced with such a fallacy. "You're fixated on Tani Sanjuro coming to his senses and falling in love with you. Why are you so interested in that bully? I have no idea, maybe just to prove that you can do it."

Chie's mouth fell a span, both offended and shocked by his reasoning. "Of course you have no idea! Why do you pretend to know everything about me?!" She tried to shield herself from his scrutiny, feeling naked and vulnerable against the demons she stubbornly denied. "My feelings have nothing to do with this, I just think that people shouldn't be treated as objects you discard when they malfunction! According to your judgment, we should give up hope that Sannan-san will recover from his injury!"

"Sannan-san didn't try to murder two innocent women because of a ridiculous fit of jealousy."

"He didn't mean to murder us!"

"What was he doing then? Testing how far he could whip his spear without cracking either of your skulls?" Heisuke rolled his eyes. "I saw your face when they talked about Kohana-chan in Sannan-san's room. You're annoyed about not being pretty and talented, but not because that's going to help you be happy, but because it would get Tani to notice you."

"Were you spying on us?!"

"O, of course not! I was just passing by! How do you think I got there in time to stop that Tani freak?!"

"Coincidence or not that doesn't give you the right to read my face as you see fit!"

Heisuke gulped and held the easel to his nose, overcome with annoyance. He had to calm down, the last thing Chie needed after what happened with Tani was to find out that he was instructed to become her closest confidant. He had gathered plenty of information about the lout of Tani since he began to frequent her, but his research inevitably led him to learn about the myriad of intimate details that made up Chie's personality. He sighed as he understood how unfair it was to use the knowledge he gained through deception to reproach her for her own hypocrisy.

"There's going to be a couple of rough days at the headquarters," Heisuke muttered as he resumed walking, "so don't even think about showing up."

"Rough days?" Chie blinked slowly, as startled by the news as she was by the sudden change of subject.

"Yeah, that's why Sannan-san overlooked the ruckus your dumb boyfriend made back there."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Chie pouted with her lips, blushing at the epithet.

"Good, you're making progress!" Heisuke gave her a sly half-smile. "Don't settle for the one who whacks you with a spear, Chie-san. Just because you're ugly as a sun-dried tadpole doesn't mean you have to spend your life as a kenjutsu practice dummy."

"H, hey! I'm no tadpole!"

"True, at your age I should be comparing you to an old frog."

Chie slapped his shoulder with her palm, puffing out her cheeks as she hurriedly walked away. "That's not funny, Toudou Heisuke! Have you ever looked in the mirror?!"

"Oh! That's much better!" He burst out laughing after catching up with her. "If you don't think all the time about how miserable you are, your company will be more tolerable!"

"Well, maybe I could tell you what you need to change so you won't be such a nuisance!"

"Go ahead! I'm all ears, Chie-san!"

Chie spun on her heels to stick out her tongue at him as she made an offensive gesture with her fingers, stumbling away because of the mud sticking to her battered sandals. Heisuke found the scene hilarious and continued to laugh even as he lost sight of her and Ume inside the restaurant.

Izanagi's screams upon seeing them arrive after midnight could be heard for several blocks around, it seemed that not even the excuse of having spent a long time listening to Sannan narrate the extensive "Kojiki" (the book that recounted the origins of humanity) had been enough to placate the impulsive cook's exacerbated paternal instincts.

Furuwaka Chie's day ended as badly as it began, but that time taught her a hidden lesson of which she only became fully aware several years later.

Autumn, November 15, 1863.

Sixteen days had passed since Serizawa Kamo's death was made public. The shogunate described it as a bar fight that resulted in the murder of the Roshigumi's second-in-command, who was accused of trying to seduce his attacker's mistress while intoxicated on that tragic freezing night.

It was a shameful end for the once brave member of the Tengu clan. Serizawa Kamo, son of enlightenment and patriotism, died fighting against his own subordinates, but he went down in history as a good-for-nothing drunkard who wasted his life betraying the ideals he honored before being stricken by his mysterious illness.

If there was an afterlife, Serizawa's spirit would never know peace.

In the world of the living, Chie received a letter from Saito Hajime, who left to resume his duties in Kyoto's streets without saying more words than necessary to the addressee of the envelope he was entrusted to deliver.

Chie opened the small package carefully, reading the letter as slowly as her growing curiosity allowed her to:

«Dear Furukawa-san:

I am writing to inform you that our group now reports directly to the shogunate. We were appointed direct vassals of the Shogun Iemochi and we follow his orders from the present day. We will be renamed "Shinsengumi" instead of "Roshigumi", since we are the group chosen by his eminence to enforce the law in the streets of his jurisdiction. Isn't this an unparalleled honor? I could not be prouder of our fortune.

Regrettably, I must also inform you of the passing of Mrs. Ume. We found her body one day after Serizawa-san's death. At first, we thought she had taken her own life after learning of her master's murder, but the signs of violence on her body make it clear that this was a vicious homicide.

I promise you that we will investigate every lead that could help us find her killer. I gather that you and her were on good terms, so it seemed reasonable to offer my condolences along with the sad news. Sometimes, the people who touch our lives for the briefest of moments are the ones who leave us the most important messages.

Kind regards, Sannan Keisuke.

P.S. How is everything going with the restaurant? I would love to ask you in person, but you must be aware of the difficulty of my situation. Please be patient and have hope for the Shinsengumi, I have a feeling that everything will come back on track with the passage of time.»

Chie took a breath as she tried to assimilate what she had read. Ume had met a terrible death and Sannan continued to fight his lonely battle with depression. The political affairs of the Roshi... better said, of the Shinsengumi, were of no concern to her, but Sannan was an educated person who believed everyone shared his fondness for politics and state affairs.

She pursed her lips together upon thinking that Tani must have been grieving over the fate that befell his lover and that it was her duty to reach out and check on him, but she curbed those thoughts with a quick shake of her head.

No. Heisuke wasn't wrong when he told her she should stop making excuses for Tani while trying to redeem him from his bad decisions. Tani was unbelievably rude to Ume on that occasion. What's more, he tried to murder her long before the actual crime took place! Had it not been for Heisuke, Sannan, and Okita the poor woman might have lived one day less.

It was Sannan on whom she should pour her compassion. Chie clasped the letter between her fingers, determined to help her savior climb out of the pit of despair. While it was true that Sannan and Okita's admiration for Kohana had caused her a fair share of jealousy fifteen days ago, she now knew that the maiko was the key to getting Sannan to relax and forget about his arm's injured tendons. Kohana was capable of bringing the dead back to life with her dance and her sister wouldn't waste the opportunity.

The harsh, but honest words Toudou Heisuke addressed to her on the way back ignited her desire to show him she could think of something other than her own misery. Let Tani deal with the aftermath of his mistakes! She would recommend the most sophisticated, pleasant, and strongest kenban to Kohana-chan, while also introducing the best maiko of Kyoto to Sannan-san!

Furukawa Chie was about to travel a path that until then only existed in the pages of her favorite book.

Chapter Text

Autumn, November 20, 1863.

"Huh? What's this?" Heisuke took the envelope handed to him by Inoue Genzaburo, an elderly group member who leaned on the broom with which he was sweeping the autumn leaves from the Yagi's beautiful garden.

"It's a letter, Heisuke-kun," he said mischievously, "people use them to send messages to each other."

"Agh, I already know that!" he snapped, opening the wrapper impatiently. "I didn't say I didn't know what it is. It's just that it doesn't have the seal of..." he bit his tongue to avoid mentioning his father, "...you-know-who, so I'm surprised to receive it. Not that I'm antisocial, but I prefer to discuss things in person and not with stupid paper notes that don't convey-"

"What's worth saying," Genzaburo finished the sentence he knew by heart with a sympathetic smile. "A young girl put it in my care when I was making my rounds, but I thought it was very impolite to ask her name."

Heisuke rolled his eyes, to hell with Gen-san and his Edo grandfatherly ways. He unfolded the letter and spread it in front of his face, turning from annoyance to curiosity as he read the contents:

«Heisuke-san:

Forgive me for writing to you instead of Sannan-san, but I tried to contact him unsuccessfully on several occasions. Both Ume-chan and I are very worried about his health, as it has been a while since we last saw him. Is everything going well with him? I know he needs time to recover from his injury, but I have a proposal that might help him clear his mind.

You see, Kohana-chan will be graduating next winter and she requires a Shinsengumi member to escort her to announce the event to the Okiya's customers. She asked me to use my acquaintance with your group to refer her to a respectable kenban and Sannan-san is so sophisticated, pleasant, and strong that I thought he was the best choice available.

Kohana-chan was kind enough to send me these tickets which I have attached to the letter in order for Sannan-san and a companion to attend the show she will be giving tonight. This will be her last presentation as a maiko and we both thought it would be an excellent opportunity for Sannan-san to decide whether he is willing to escort her, so I beg you to deliver them to him as soon as possible.

Sincerely, Furukawa Chie.»

"Sannan-san is so sophisticated, pleasant, and strong," he mimicked her with a sharp, sour tone of voice. "Like he's the only one who eats with chopsticks!"

"What's wrong with Sannan-kun?" Genzaburo asked as he rested his arms on the broomstick. "It's a letter from the doctor?"

"Something like that." He sighed as he pointed to Sannan's office with the letter. "Is Sannan-san in the secretary's office?"

"No, he's still in his room." He shook his head as he muttered: "Sannan-kun used to rise with the sunrise, but lately he refuses to come out before the sun is halfway across the sky and by the time he does it's just to sip a cold bowl of soup in the loneliness of the kitchen. Poor guy, I worry that his arm injury is causing him as much mental suffering as physical."

"Yeah, me too." He waved his hand as he bid farewell to Genzaburo. "Let's hope I can cheer him up a bit with this news!"

Heisuke headed for Sannan's room with lips tight with worry. Gen-san was right, Sannan's mood worsened with each morning he opened his eyes to find that neither mobility nor feeling in his arm returned. His always cordial and polite mentor morphed into a cynical and resentful individual who spat insults at the slightest provocation, suffocated by the disappointment of not seeing his longing for recovery satisfied.

How long would it be before he committed an act of madness? Heisuke was aware of cases similar to Sannan's, where brave warriors who were incapacitated in battle resorted to honorable suicide to deal with the pain of losing a fundamental part of themselves; hoping to leave this world as soldiers rather than inhabit it as beggars. But Sannan didn't have to rely on his martial skills, he thought as he approached his destination, a man as cultured and sharp-minded as he was could serve as a secretary with the same dignity as any other Shinsengumi member.

Would that be enough to fulfill his expectations, though? Heisuke knew that, were he in his place, he'd curse every hour spent chained to a stupid desk; reviewing and signing endless stacks of documents with no pulse or warmth. Away from the streets and the hustle and bustle of daily patrols, deprived of the adrenaline rush of watching every corner of Kyoto for attackers. You had to be a bit insane to be a Mibu Wolf and Sannan was as thirsty for skirmishes as any of his comrades.

"Hey! Sannan-san! Are you there?" he shouted from outside. "I have good news!"

Sannan's voice was long overdue; Heisuke was about to call him a second time when he answered: "Do you come on behalf of Dr. Tani Mantaro?"

"Hmm, no..." Heisuke scratched the back of his head as his eyes went from the envelope to the sliding door. It was impossible to make out Sannan's form in the darkness of the room, but the distance in his voice hinted he was sitting in front of the desk. "But it's an important message! You see, Chie-san wrote to-"

"If it isn't from the doctor, I don't care."

"But you don't even know what it's about!"

"Please, Toudou-kun, go back to your duties and let me handle my own."

"No!" Heisuke opened the door ruthlessly and the light that encircled his silhouette hurt Sannan's eyes. "Chie-san is counting on you and I won't let you disappoint her! Why do you keep withdrawing from everything?! It's not like you need to use that stupid arm to... to...!" He went mute upon noticing the secretary was only inches away from his body, glaring disdainfully at him through the cloudy glass of his glasses. How the hell did he move so fast?! He seemed to have materialized out of thin air and Heisuke stumbled backward, overcome with confusion.

Sannan snatched the letter from him without a word and began to read it with growing contempt, irritated for some mysterious reason Heisuke failed to grasp.

"I don't think Furukawa-san will be disappointed by my absence," he stated in a harsh and impersonal tone. "The Shinsengumi has dozens of sophisticated, pleasant, and strong men who would be glad to accept the offer."

"Already, don't mock her way of putting it. Chie-san considers you her savior, it's only natural for her to want to help you to-"

"Help me do what?" Sannan's lips curled into a bitter grimace as he handed the letter back to him. "To be the bodyguard of a conceited brat? No... that's no way to 'clear one's mind'. After all, who said I wanted to distract myself? Right now I need to stay focused," he muttered as he turned his back on him to head back into the darkness of his room, "there are so many things to do and so little time to get them done. If I invest enough energy into this project... I'll get it all sorted out."

"Sannan-san!" Heisuke frowned, as worried about Sannan's lack of manners as he was about the self-absorption caused by this so-called "project" he kept talking about. "What do you mean, you won't attend Kohana-chan's performance?! What am I supposed to do with this pair of tickets?!"

"Heisuke-kun." Genzaburo stepped into his line of sight, closing the door of the room behind him as he explained: "Don't keep bothering Sannan-kun. Didn't we agree he's been suffering a lot lately?"

"Uh, yeah." Heisuke gulped, embarrassed that the old man was scolding him because of Sannan. "But it's not fair for him to disappoint Chie-san after all she did for him! What would've happened to Sannan-san if she hadn't introduced him to Tani's brother? Damn it! I just want him to give her a chance!"

"I don't know what's going on between you two, but I'm sure you won't convince him to attend any public event."

"Yeah, yeah... I don't think I can say anything to change his mind either. But that makes it even more unfair!"

"Is it absolutely necessary for Sannan-kun to be the one to show up at that place?"

"What?" Heisuke frowned. "Of course it is!" He unfolded the letter to show it to Genzaburo. "Chie-san said that Sannan-san was the best suited to officiate as Kohana-chan's kenban and that she wanted him to meet her during her last performance as a maiko! Look, she even called him 'the best choice available'! How could I tell her he called her sister 'a conceited brat'? Damn it! Sannan-san is getting ornery!"

"Sure, here it says he'd be the best choice available, but not the only one." Genzaburo pointed to the sentence that read: "...and she requires a Shinsengumi member to escort her to announce the event to the Okiya's customers." "See? I think there's still time for one of the guys to replace Sannan-kun."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of sending someone else in his place. Hmm, I have the night off so I'll use one of the tickets to enjoy Kohana-chan's last show. But who will I take with me? Hey! How about you, Gen-san? It's been a while since you left the headquarters!"

"W, what...? Oh, no! No, no, I'm too old for that sort of thing! You'd better ask one of your fellow captains; they've been hanging out in the common dining area for a while now."

"Are you sure? I know you don't like sake, but there are other ways to have fun in Shimabara. Ba-san throws some incredible Shogi matches! Even Hijikata-san hasn't been able to beat her, and he learned how to play from his brother-in-law, a former Edo Shogi champion!"

"I told you to ask someone else," the old man insisted with a light thump of the broom against the floor. "I will never be tempted by Kyoto's worldly pleasures."

"Okaaay." Heisuke smiled resignedly, knowing he couldn't persuade him to tag along. "I'll go see if any of the guys want the extra ticket. Thanks for the idea, Gen-san, I'll let you know if Chie-san's sister chooses one of us two!"

Genzaburo tried to suggest some candidates, but received no response other than the uproar that followed Heisuke's entrance to the small room they used as a common dining area; the excited cheers blended with the whining of those who longed to be chosen.

"This will end up in blood..." Genzaburo shook his head. Who could possibly understand the youngsters? He thanked the heavens that this was none of his business and resumed his chore of vigorously sweeping the floor. His years told him that a bad storm was approaching and he didn't want the leaves to clog the drain and cause a flood. That seemed of greater importance to him than any freak show at Shimabara.

"Please, Heisuke-kun!" Shinpachi begged, kneeling down in front of him to plead with his hands pressed to his nose. "You know Kohana-chan is my favorite and I can never afford to pay the entrance fee!"

"That's none of my business, Shinpa-san!" Heisuke stepped back, surprised by his comrade's desperation. "My decision must be fair! Kohana will select her future kenban from those who attend so I can't choose lightly!"

"THERE WILL NEVER BE JUSTICE IF YOU DON'T CHOOSE ME!"

"L, listen!" He recoiled with a nervous smile. "How about we decide... with a lottery?"

"A lottery?" This time it was Saito Hajime, captain of the 3rd Division, who let himself be heard over the uproar. He was sitting on a cushion, his gaze as steady as his voice as he asked: "Will you let something so important be decided by chance?"

"It's just that I think any of you could do it well, albeit in different ways." Heisuke stepped aside to dodge Shinpachi's tackle, who tried to forcefully snatch the tickets away from him. "I just can't pick one of you in particular. Shinpa-san is strong and outgoing, Sano-san is popular with the girls, Souji could intimidate the punks who might try to prey on Kohana-chan, and you, Hajime-kun..."

"Me?"

"Well, you're you."

"What does that mean?" He frowned, more puzzled than offended.

"How about we settle it with a drawing of straws?" asked Sanosuke, disregarding Saito's complaints. "The winner will be whoever draws the longest straw."

"I don't know..." Heisuke pouted. "Hajime-kun always wins those games."

"You're exaggerating." Saito took a sip from the bowl he held in his hands, drinking the tofu soup he was so fond of having for breakfast.

"Of course not!" Heisuke pouted. "No one can have the upper hand! I want luck to decide the winner!"

"Heisuke-kun." Okita looked at him from the doorway, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest. "Where did you get those tickets?"

"What do you mean, where did I get them?"

"Hijikata-san reduced the pay of everyone involved in Tani's brawl." He smiled mischievously. "There's no way you bought them yourself."

"It's just that... Well, I..." Heisuke scratched the back of his head when the gazes of those present pierced him like arrows.

"Kohana-chan gifted them to you?!" Shinpachi turned pale with shock. "I, Impossible! You can't... have won her favor so quickly!"

"No! It's nothing like that, Shinpa-san!"

"Then what's it like?!"

"Chie! Chie-san sent them to me by mail!"

"Chie-chan?" Okita broke the silence that fell over the room. "Why? Did you ask her for them?"

"No..." Heisuke scratched the back of his head. "She wrote to me because Sannan-san didn't answer any of the letters she sent him. He's having such a hard time getting over his arm issue that the last thing he wants to do is escort some unfamiliar maiko." He pursed his lips. "I don't blame him for refusing, but I'd hate for Chie to be disappointed after all she did for Sannan-san, so I'll use one of the tickets to keep an eye out for trouble. Though... I'd like to bring someone who could handle the kenban duties better than me, you guys know I know jack shit about manners and propriety."

"Bullshit, you've got more education than any of us." Okita raised his eyebrows maliciously. "Are you afraid that Chie-chan will be jealous if Kohana-chan decides to pick you?"

"Huh?!" Heisuke's cheeks reddened like tomatoes. "O, of course not! Besides, why on earth are you fixating on such nonsense, Souji?! The important thing here is that one of you will get to join me for tonight's show! That's all!"

"The fool is right!" Shinpachi exclaimed, clenching his fists before his face as he added: "I don't give a rat's ass who that so-and-so is; Chie-what's-her-name! Let's get this draw over with!"

"I'll get the straws." Saito stood up promptly and opened the dresser drawer behind him, counting the straws he pulled out from inside.

"Oh no! Not the straws!" Shinpachi stamped his foot. "Tell him to knock it off, Heisuke!"

"I support Hajime-kun." Okita raised his right hand in the air.

"Me too." Sanosuke shrugged. "As long as no one cheats you can raffle the tickets any way you want."

"No! Saito always wins with the straws, ALWAYS!" Shinpachi turned to Heisuke with eyes glittering with anxiety. "You're on my side aren't you, Heisuke-kun?!"

"Huh, yeah." Heisuke grimaced. "But I can't think of any other way to carry out the draw."

"What?! D, don't give up on me like that, Heisuke-kun! We have to... we have to go together! It can't be any other way! Why do we have to run a stupid raffle?! Pick me... and I promise I'll pay you back in spades!"

Heisuke growled under his breath, cocking his head to the side with a bitter expression on his face. "Truth be told, I was going to choose you, Shinpa-san... but you ate my share of the roast duck last night!"

"Bullshit! I didn't touch a single grain of rice from your stinky plate!"

"You ate it right out from under my nose and still dare to deny it?! Agh! You're hopeless, Shinpa-san!"

"Your share fell on my plate and I thought it was part of my serving!"

"It fell in when you pushed me to steal it!"

"I've already got the straws ready," Saito interrupted their argument with his usual calmness, "but we need someone neutral to hold them."

"Neutral?" Heisuke wrinkled his nose, spitefully turning away from Shinpachi.

"Someone who has no interest in participating in the lottery, otherwise he might cheat to win."

"Look who's talking about cheating..." Shinpachi muttered with a frown.

"I'll hold the straws." Okita shrugged. "After all, I'm the only one who isn't desperate to attend Shimabara's ridiculous parties."

"What are you saying, Souji?" Heisuke frowned. "You never want to go anywhere with us anymore."

"I'd go with you if you did anything but drink." He shrugged. "There's no fun in spending your night off being embarrassed by a bunch of drunks."

"I'd rather die drinking than become a teetotaler," Shinpachi blurted out in disgust. "To think you used to be the Shieikan's best drinker and now you can't even down a sip of sake! You've become... a little woman!"

"Watch what you say, Shinpa-san." Okita frowned and his gaze contradicted the friendly arch his lips formed as he smiled. "Some accident may prevent you from attending your dear maiko-chan's show."

"Hah...!" Shinpachi laughed confidently, bumping his fists together. "Are we having a fight, Okita-kun?! Excellent! I could already feel my muscles starting to atrophy!"

"It wasn't... that kind of challenge." Okita rolled his eyes. "You were supposed to be intimidated, not excited."

"How could I not be excited about a fight?!"

"Hey, hey..." Heisuke stepped between them, annoyed by how easily they were distracted from the matter at hand. "Let's get this over with." He turned to Saito, who was handing four straws to Okita. "Ready! Now start drawing one in turns! Whoever gets the longest one wins!"

"This reeks of defeat to me," Shinpachi muttered as he drew his. "Were they supposed to be so small?"

"Everything is small next to you, Shinpa-san." Heisuke put his hands to his waist, watching Sanosuke pull out his own (which was medium-sized).

"It's my turn..." Saito approached slowly, pausing for several seconds as his eyes moved expertly between the two tips protruding from Okita's fist.

"You can't take them both at the same time, Hajime-kun," Okita joked. "Do you want to hurry up? I have other things to do."

"This is serious, Souji. It's up to me to find the right person to accompany Heisuke to the show, it's not a decision that should be taken lightly."

"You say that as if you already knew which of the two is the longer one."

Saito took a deep breath as he grasped the chosen end with his fingertips, pulling it out as slowly as if he were trying to wrack the nerves of the men around him.

The room fell into the most stunned silence when Saito Hajime showed a medium-sized straw between his index and middle fingers.

"M... medium?!" Shinpachi stammered in confusion. "Impossible! Saito never loses at the straw game! Where's the longest one?!"

"Here," Okita grunted as he unclenched his fist amidst the shocked looks of his comrades. "What the hell are you planning, Hajime-kun? Don't think you're going to rip me off like some clueless brat."

"This raffle was absolutely legitimate," Saito explained with his usual seriousness. "Heisuke said the winner would be whoever kept the longest straw, an achievement you got by pure chance."

"Chance. Yeah, right." Okita rolled his eyes and tossed the straw over his right shoulder. "I didn't agree to participate in this nonsense, in fact, I was against it from the beginning."

"You said you'd hold the straws because you weren't interested in Shimabara parties, but you didn't explicitly refuse to participate." Saito shrugged as he listed: "Sanosuke, Nagakura, Heisuke, you, and me. Heisuke had his ticket secured so four competitors were vying for the remaining one. I put four straws in your hand from the start, Souji. You could have withdrawn the extra one if you really objected to the possibility of being selected, but you didn't."

"M, maybe because I wasn't paying attention to your stupid straws!" Okita crossed his arms and quirked his lips whimsically, uneasy as he suspected Saito was aware of his interest in the maiko who was abandoned by a father as neglectful as his own sister, Okita Mitsu, was. Saito was frighteningly perceptive and Okita feared he had allowed him to get too close to his thoughts.

"With or without explanations, I think Souji is an excellent choice!" Heisuke reached over to give him a friendly pat on the back. "The fact you don't like parties will make you more able to focus on Kohana-chan's safety!"

"Don't be so quick to put the burden on my shoulders," Okita muttered through gritted teeth, "the maiko can still choose you."

"Or neither of you!" Shinpachi whined, dropping to the ground with a mournful expression on his face. "That's the least you deserve for stealing my dream of being Kohana-chan's kenban!"

"Oh, come on." Sanosuke rolled his eyes, nudging Shinpachi's ribcage with his foot to make him roll around the room. "You didn't even meet her until last month, you just want to drink for free with a pretty girl who flatters your muscles."

"One thing doesn't take away from the other..." Shinpachi muttered with his face pressed against the tatami's coarse fabric, but no one was still there to hear him.

Shimabara glowed from the caramel and carmine colored lights radiating from the countless paper lanterns that hung from street to street. The night was quiet in most of the stores, since nearly all the district's visitors were attending the Okiya where the renowned maiko Kohana would give her last performance as an aspiring geiko.

It would be the last time they would ever watch her dance with flowers in her hair. Her sleeves would no longer float around her, like colorful clouds, the next time she stepped onto the wooden stage where the people of Kyoto saw her blossom.

It was quite an occasion and the huge turnout accounted for it.

"Sannan-san should have sent at least one patrol to this area." Okita clicked his tongue as he and Heisuke approached the Okiya's entrance. "There are too many people, there's bound to be a riot at any moment."

"Geez, Souji! Can't you put work aside for one night?"

"If Kondou-san or Hijikata were in town, they would've deployed a squad in Shimabara."

"Yeah, yeah, but they're in Osaka to explain the Serizawa-san thing, and thanks to that we can all enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle, so try not to wish they'd come back to the headquarters for a while. If they cut my pay again I'll end up eating the leftovers Izanagi-san throws to the dogs."

"Why would it be specifically Izanagi-san's?" Okita smiled mischievously. "There are hundreds of restaurants better than his in Kyoto."

"Huh, w, well... because it was the first one that came to my mind! I had to spend a lot of time there thanks to your genius idea of gathering information about Tani!" He covered his mouth, embarrassed to have exposed his mission's goal before so many strangers. He tried to regain his composure as he searched his pockets for the tickets, cursing Souji's quick mind and his prying questions.

"Good evening, distinguished masters!" greeted maiko Kosuzu, who verified the visitors' tickets at the entrance. "May you have a pleasant stay."

"Oh, yeah." Heisuke handed her the tickets. "I'm sure it'll be the best in a long time."

"Come in, come in." Kosuzu bowed and let them enter the place. Her gaze followed the last of the ronin, whom she recognized as one of the dudes who used to tag along with the fearsome Serizawa during his nightly escapades. The last thing they needed were two Shinsengumi members at the Okiya! What would she do if they thwarted what she and Kohana had planned for that night? She tightened her lips, straining to keep smiling; she couldn't arouse suspicion of any kind.

"Damn, it's crowded," said the one being watched without noticing it. "I don't think we'll be able to see anything happening on the stage from here."

"Of course we can, Souji. They wouldn't let so many people in if it wasn't possible to see the act from afar."

"There are too many people..." He frowned and put his hand preemptively on the hilt of his sword. "If things go wrong we won't be able to unsheathe easily in the crowd."

"How could a simple flower-and-colored-paper routine go awry?!" He grimaced as he tried to push his way through the crowd. "You're making me nervous... with all these doubts of yours!"

"Better nervous than dead." He remained unfazed in spite of his growing uncertainty. "We have to move, anyone could stab us in this spot and walk calmly out the front door."

"Damn it, Souji!" Heisuke raised his voice to make himself heard over the noise. "Don't you remember what it was to have fun anymore?! Relax! No one will notice us while Kohana-chan is around!"

"Would you like me to write that on your epitaph?" One of his eyelids trembled when he received another push and he had to hold himself back from pulling his sword out of its sheath. "Stay here if you feel like it, I'll look for a more convenient location."

"Agh, but the view is great here! Come back, Souji! If you go away you won't be able to get back to...!" Heisuke was interrupted as a new surge of customers entered the place and dragged him along with them on their way to the stage. "H, hey! Wait! S, stop pushing! I was here first!"

Okita huffed as he saw him disappear into the central area of the hall, hoping Heisuke wouldn't get into trouble as he looked for a place that would allow him to ensure the event's safety. He moved toward the front door, but found it impossible to leave the Okiya. It felt like all of Kyoto was trying to squeeze inside the cramped foyer. Okita cursed under his breath, wondering why they hadn't held the function outdoors.

"Please...!" Kosuzu shouted through the crowd. "Please take your seats! The show is about to begin!"

Okita backtracked until he came across the wooden stairs leading to the upper floor, which seemed like a gift from heaven. If he climbed up, he could get rid of the flood of people that was about to suffocate him! He hurried to the top of the venue, away from the mass of visitors crushing against the stage's base.

"Well, that's better." He leaned against the balcony railing overhanging the second floor and stifled a low chuckle when he saw Heisuke struggle to push and shove his way out of the unprivileged position to which he'd been dragged into. There was no doubt his short height was working against him.

Being immersed in his amusement at the stunts Heisuke pulled to ensure he could see the show, didn't stop Okita from noticing the door opening behind him. He instinctively brought his right hand to the hilt of his sword and turned to identify the newcomer.

He was surprised to find an ordinary young girl. She wore her blonde hair discreetly tied in a traditional bun and was dressed in a plain red haori that covered her from shoulders to hips. The girl gave him a shaky smile, struggling to walk away awkwardly. "G, good evening, distinguished master!"

"I hope they are." He kept his grip on his katana, wary of a common girl wandering at ease in a club overflowing with male presence. His fingers loosened as he realized she was probably an artist; it wasn't as if they wore makeup and fine clothes twenty-four hours a day, was it?

"Sorry to bother you, but I'm on my way out." She pursed her lips into a line and Okita noticed how she averted her gaze. He knew that was a flirty gesture maikos used on their clients, but the avoidance that whitened her face was far from flirtatious. If his suspicions were correct, the girl was intent on not having him notice her features; as if she were afraid of being recognized.

"That hair color isn't too common, I bet there are only a dozen or so blondes in Kyoto. Tell me, do we know each other from somewhere?" Okita asked casually, with no intention of moving an inch out of her way.

"N, no!" she denied helplessly, offering him several submissive bows. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else!"

"Are you a maiko... or a geiko, perhaps?"

"I am not!"

The girl was determined to hide her face and Okita was ready to point out the foolishness of her efforts when the voice of Ba-san (the tayu who owned the Okiya) broke over the downstairs stage: "We deeply regret to inform you we've been unable to find our leading maiko. The celebration will be postponed until tomorrow and, should she not be back by the afternoon, her disappearance will be reported to the local authorities. If this happens, the money paid by our honored customers for the tickets will be refunded in full."

«"What do you mean Kohana-san has disappeared?"» cried the first spectator.

«"I came here for nothing!"» repeated the next.

«"We have to gather ourselves together and start looking for her!"»

«"Kohana-san can't be far away!"» Those and several similar shouts echoed throughout the extremely frustrated audience.

Ba hurried off the stage (more to avoid dealing with the mob's complaints than out of fear of their retaliation), vanishing in the blink of an eye. Her swift exit enraged the spectators who stirred in a riotous mass of curses and anxiety.

"By the blessed Amaterasu... Look at the havoc I caused," muttered the girl in the red haori as she stepped away from the balcony railing.

"I never thought you were the famous maiko Kohana." Okita gave her a mischievous smile, pretending to be surprised. What a letdown. Behind all the aesthetic niceties of her profession, the child was just another frightened sparrow trying to break Shimabara's net by pecking at it.

"So what if I am?!" Kohana frowned ominously and Okita hesitated for a moment, not sure whether or not he'd voiced what he thought of her out loud. Kohana took advantage of that brief flash of confusion to open the door behind her back and slip back into the room.

Okita was quick to follow her, closing the door after him without losing sight of who gripped the ends of the window overlooking the street, surrounded by the moonlight that betrayed her position in the darkness. Okita's green eyes flashed like those of a feline stalking its prey, causing Kohana to glance outside over her shoulder several times; desperate to find a way out.

"Get away from me or I'll throw myself into the void!" she warned him, all previous politeness forgotten. "Don't think I'll let some filthy ronin take advantage of my misfortune!"

"What...?" Okita stopped dead in his tracks, perplexed by the accusation. "What the hell do you mean?"

"Don't play innocent, Mibu Wolf! I know you'll ask me to sleep with you to pay for your silence! Otherwise... you'll tell everyone about my escape!"

"Sleep... with you?" Okita tried to hold back the laughter but it inevitably burst from his throat. "And leave my teammate dealing alone with the mob you caused? Besides, no offense, but I don't like cowardly women."

"You can think what you want about me." Kohana raised her chin defiantly. "I don't care about pleasing anyone anymore, especially those who pay to see me dance on stage like a doll for hire."

"If you run away you'll have to live on the streets and sell more than your dance to survive." Okita smiled wickedly as he added: "That's if you manage to outrun the Shinsengumi; it wouldn't be the first time we've returned a runaway maiko to her home."

"Her home..." she mimicked cynically. "What? Are you going to arrest me?"

"You didn't even leave the building and the law says that, once the report is made, half a day must pass from a Shimabara worker's absence to start looking for her." He walked to the window and looked outside as he leaned over Kohana's petite stature, who quickly moved away from his side. "You could jump out the window and run down the street without me lifting a finger to stop you."

"Then why are you still here?"

"Curiosity." He folded his arms without looking away from the avenue decorated by the multiple paper lanterns. "Why did you strive to be the best maiko in Shimabara if you despise the attention?"

"I didn't strive, things come easy to me and that's it." Kohana clicked her tongue and shook her head. "My body is strong and my memory is sharp, which makes most maiko's tasks easier."

"I see." Okita gave her a mocking glance after hearing her describe herself as "strong", but preferred to inquire into something different: "Where will you go? Most of Kyoto knows your face, it won't be easy for you to go unnoticed."

"I won't tell one of my future pursuers." She motioned him away from the window, unceremoniously rolling up her kimono sleeves and climbing in as Okita cleared a path for her. Kohana stood on the roof outside, her legs shaking to keep her balance on her sandals' platforms. "I'm not ready to become a geiko, so I'm leaving this place with my best friend, who has her own reasons for running away. You won't get any more explanation than that. Do you promise... you won't come after us?"

"I won't as long as I'm not ordered to," Okita replied as he placed his palms on the window's base. "So get out before it happens."

"All right. Nevermore, Shinsengumi-san," she told him under the golden strands of her bangs swaying in the night breeze, deftly sitting down on the roof to slide smoothly to the edge; from which she jumped (after long seconds of hesitation) to be met by a tarp stretching from one end of the adjoining alleyway to the other.

Okita watched her struggle against the red haori's fabric, which became entangled in her limbs after the fall, before she managed to leap off the tarp and land on Shimabara's damp cobblestones. Kohana looked up and her eyes rested on his for a moment; as full of distrust as they were thankful. What merciful God (but with a lousy sense of humor) decided to put that man in her path?

It was then that Okita echoed with his palms, shouting gleefully from the heights: "Fly out of the golden cage, Kohana-chan!"

The recipient of the message was simultaneously shocked and horrified. Didn't he realize everyone in the Okiya would hear his yelling?! What kind of wicked game was he playing with her?! She didn't stay to figure out his motives, as she ran away from the building with all the strength her scratched and sore legs allowed her to muster.

Neither knew it then, but Okita Souji's act of mercy would alter the fate life had in store for the two of them.

Chapter Text

Autumn, November 21, 1863.

"Greetings, Izanagi-san," Heisuke called out as he pushed aside the paper curtain that hung from the restaurant's door. The emptiness he noticed upon entering puzzled him. "No customers this evening?"

"Did you bring any news from Kohana-chan?!" Izanagi jumped over the counter, stepping out of the darkness in which the interior of the room was immersed.

"Huh... No?" His eyebrows furrowed, surveying the place. Izanagi hadn't opened the store's doors yet, which was strange given it was five o'clock in the afternoon on a warm, if rather cloudy, day. A couple of dark clouds wouldn't stop people from choosing to eat by the river, which added to Heisuke's confusion.

"I knew it! There's no point in dreaming!" Izanagi slumped his shoulders and dragged his feet until he made it back to the other side of the counter.

"I'm sorry, I still haven't heard from her."

"Not even the 8th Division captain has any news of my daughter! D, damn it!" He slammed his fist on the counter, causing several of the dishes to wobble dangerously in the drainer.

Heisuke stared at him in silence. The disdain the cook held for him had lessened over the months that followed the tension raised by Tani's arrival at the restaurant, but they still weren't precisely "friends" so he didn't dare say much to reassure him. "Don't give in to despair, Izanagi-san, my teammates are doing their best to find her."

"I went to the very headquarters yesterday and I told that four-eyed scumbag he should send a patrol to look for her! He agreed; he promised he'd put all his men at my disposal, but... he lied to me! He lied to me as if I were a random country bumpkin!" He put his hands on his face, holding back the urge to cry.

"Now, don't get like that." Heisuke sighed. "Can I help you with something? Even though Kohana-chan is gone, you and Chie-san still need to eat."

"It's probably not the Roshi's fault, I mean; the Shinsengumi's," the old man said to himself, "but I'm desperate to find the culprit. I want to believe it could've been avoided, but if some creep kidnapped her, it must've happened hours before the show."

"She had many fans, yes." Heisuke frowned, uneasy at the direction his thoughts were taking. Anyone who dared harm the little maiko would face the Shinsengumi's wrath, that was for sure. Hijikata-san loathed deviants and spared no effort to make them kneel and beg forgiveness for their crimes, an act that didn't stop him from mercilessly executing them. He wasn't called the Demon Vice-Commander for nothing.

"The tayu who runs the place suggested the possibility of her being kidnapped by an admirer." Izanagi stifled a sob. "But what if she ran away? She used to do it a lot when she was a child! The honorable Yumiko-san punished her severely, but Kohana didn't stop until that other girl arrived at the Okiya. What was her name? Oh, right! Kosuzu-chan! Isn't it strange they both disappeared within hours of each other? What if they ran off together after planning it for years?!"

"I don't know, that sounds unlikely. There wasn't even an arrest warrant issued for Kosuzu-san yet." Heisuke shook his head, unsure of his own answer. Kohana always carried herself with kindness, stability, and efficiency; both on stage and off. Could her professional persona be a mask to make them believe she loved a life that deep down she resented?

In any case, being kidnapped was a preferable alternative to her choosing to run away from the Okiya. If Furukawa Kohana wanted to be free, the best price to pay was to devote herself to working as a geiko. Leaving to seek a better life, while still being a naive teenager... would only end in disgrace.

"Toudou." Izanagi rested his hands on the counter with his eyes glued to an old napkin lying on its surface. "If you don't know anything about Kohana-chan, why did you come here?"

"Oh, right." He scratched the back of his neck. "I came to see Chie-san."

"To see... Chie-chan?" He gave him a quizzical look, wondering if the distress impaired his hearing. "And why do you want to see my eldest daughter?"

"She forgot one of her sandals at the headquarters." He showed him the shoe without any expression, although he felt tempted to smile after witnessing the horrified expression on the cook's face.

"W, when?! Why did my Chie go to that wild wolves' nest, and what did you do to her to make her run away half-barefoot?!"

"She asked about her sister's whereabouts, just as you did," he reluctantly lied, for he was rather amused by the old man's jealous outbursts. "I suppose she forgot her sandal because of the worry."

"Crap." Izanagi clutched his head in his hands. "I'll never succeed in getting her a husband! How can she walk barefoot around the city?! Didn't she notice she was missing a shoe?!"

"Should I give it to you, or...?"

"Chie's in the house; she's upstairs. Go and give it to her yourself, I... I don't have the strength to have another argument with her. Kohana is all I can think of now."

"I understand." Heisuke blinked slowly. Was Izanagi-san really giving him permission to go up to Chie-san's room? That wouldn't have happened if the man wasn't so disturbed. He feared he was taking advantage of the situation, so he asked again: "Are you sure you want me to go upstairs?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Izanagi gave a shrug of his shoulders. "The door is open."

Chie heard someone enter the house, but made no effort to get up from the futon. She was feverish and every inch of her body ached. She should never have allowed Tani to drag her stumbling through the rain.

The emotional shock of realizing he saw her as a sister, coupled with having to help him reconcile with his lover, diminished the clarity of her judgment. She needed to get rid of the massive weakness that was her desire to be accepted by the man who rejected her, but she couldn't stop thinking about it no matter how hard she tried.

If only she'd had someone to share her worries with! Ume had left for Edo with her father to accompany him on a business trip and her sister Kohana was busy with her upcoming graduation preparations, depriving her of her closest confidants. She felt more lonely than ever, spending her time in the company of her spite-sick mind, which kept reminding her of the likeness of a Tani Sanjuro who looked nothing like the present one.

"Chie-san?" Heisuke peeked through her bedroom door and Chie became tangled with the covers in her frustrated attempts to sit up. The young man stifled a laugh after losing sight of her between the sheets. "Easy, easy. Izanagi-san let me up."

"B, but why?!" She uncovered her feverish face and disgustedly noticed that her voice sounded hoarse and high-pitched. "You can't just... walk into someone's room like that!"

"I didn't hear you complain when Souji, Ume-san, and you busted into Sannan-san's room at the headquarters."

"That wasn't even my idea!"

"It's five o'clock in the afternoon and the sun is shining like it's noon." He sat lazily across from her, ignoring her complaints. "But yet here you are, locked up and lying in your room. Are you ill... or depressed, perhaps?"

"Both." She plopped down on her back, frowning at the wooden ceiling.

"I see."

"What did you come for, Heisuke-san?"

"To bring you back your sandal." He pulled it out from inside his kimono, dangling it between his thumb and forefinger with a mischievous smirk on his lips.

"Oh." Chie couldn't have been more disinterested. "I wondered when I lost it."

"It got stuck in the mud the night when you got mad because I called you a sun-dried tadpole."

"Ugh, I hope you didn't tell my father about that."

"Nah... and even if I had, he wouldn't have paid attention to me, he's very worried about Kohana-chan."

"Yeah, he's excited about her graduation." She wrinkled her nose, annoyed at her father for ignoring her all day. She was sick and yet he couldn't stop bragging about Kohana to his customers to spare her just a few minutes of attention.

"Her... graduation?" Heisuke pursed his lips into a line. "I don't think that's possible right now."

"What are you saying?" Chie rolled her eyes. "Dad didn't stop talking about the party all night, he doesn't even realize she didn't invite him because she can't stand him."

"Wait, Chie-san." He shook his head with a frown. "Are you aware... of what happened last night?"

Chie lowered her eyebrows over her cold-reddened eyes, feeling her heart shrink under the pressure of the dreadful foreboding pressing down on it. "What... do I need to be aware of?"

"Kohana disappeared, she never showed up for the performance."

Chie covered her mouth to stifle a terrified gasp and was about to ask him for more information when a strong gust of wind hit the little wooden house, shaking it to its foundations.

Heisuke jumped to his feet and gripped the hilt of his sword out of instinct when he heard the frantic cries of the neighbors outside. He and Chie exchanged panicked glances as they heard a voice rising above the others, cursing the cloud of debris destroying their precarious home: «"IT'S A TYPHOON! A TYPHOON...!"»

Furukawa Kohana fastened her haori when she reached the neighborhood that stretched out on Kyoto's western outskirts. It was the settlement where the city's poorest people lived which showed in the shabbiness of the buildings. The houses were huddled on top of each other, trembling before the impending typhoon that shook them like paper ornaments.

Kohana struggled to cross the wasteland that preceded the shacks only to be thrown to the ground several times by the wind. She commended herself to the gods in silent prayer as she watched countless objects fly overhead, fearing she might be stabbed by the metal shards that shot like arrows all around her.

That's when she heard a couple of voices coming from the dust blocking her vision. Her rescuers rushed out to meet her, disregarding the chaos that was raging around the place. Kohana smiled under the tatters of her messy hair, grateful for the assistance of Ibuki and Kosuzu-chan; her best friend in the whole world.

"I hope Chie-chan is doing fine," muttered Kohana as she drank the miso soup her young hosts cooked for her.

"Don't worry, dear Kohana, the restaurant has weathered worse storms," Kosuzu encouraged her. "And that includes visits from that obnoxious Serizawa, may the oni hold him tightly in their claws and never let him return!"

Ibuki clicked his tongue and moved to the window to monitor the hut's exterior, intent on overlooking Kosuzu's curse on his former master. He knew they weren't in the best place to face such a storm, but it was too late to change shelter. "The buildings downtown are ancient," Ibuki explained, "your father and sister will sleep much better than us."

"I don't care what happens to my father," Kohana grumbled from under the soup bowl, "if he gets killed by the typhoon then I'll have to worry about one less person trying to force me to go back to Shimabara."

"I don't blame you for wishing for it." Ibuki shrugged. "I'm better off without mine, too."

"It's one thing to gain independence from your parent and another to wish for his death, Ryunosuke-kun," Kosuzu denied with a frown. "Just because Izanagi-san and Kohana-chan are on bad terms doesn't mean she's better off without him."

"Oh, please!" Ibuki huffed. "Her father sold her to a brothel! You, of all people, should get it!"

"The Okiya is not a brothel," said Kosuzu seriously. "And yes, precisely because I'm no stranger to her plight, I know it's better to have a home to return to when things go wrong." She stared at her reflection in the crystalline surface of her own bowl of soup as she added: "I'd rather have a father to hate than be... like this."

"Like this?" Ibuki pouted. "Well, don't blame me, this was your idea. I told you several times that eloping together was a terrible idea. I tried to secure a good hideout but I'm a fugitive myself and the only low-profile deal available was to trade my ponytail for this smelly piece."

"Are you going to rat us out, Ibuki-san?" Kohana stopped drinking and her eyes remained fixed on his.

"What?! Of course not! W, why would I do that?!"

"Betraying the clan redeems the sins of the repentant thief."

"That only happens in your lame kabuki plays, Kohana-san."

"Even if you don't betray us," Kosuzu intervened, "it's obvious you still disagree with our plan."

"I wasn't the one who said he'd rather go back to his parents than be stuck in this ugly shack."

"I'd be with them if I had them," Kosuzu clarified, "but since that's not the case, I'm glad to count on Kohana-chan's company and yours. It's just that... I'd like Kohana-chan to try to reconcile with Izanagi-san."

"You know that won't happen." Kohana gave her a somber look. "I'm not as compassionate as you are, Kosu-chan."

"No one is as compassionate as Kosuzu-chan," Ibuki admitted with a mixture of pride and resignation. "And that's okay, we don't want her to become as bitter as the two of us."

"I'm not bitter." Kohana pouted, narrowing her eyes as she explained: "My goals are very clear. I'm not running away to live and die in a decaying neighborhood. I want to do something else; something different."

"Are you talking about your stupid dream of being a farmer?"

"It's not stupid!" She crossed her arms over her chest and Ibuki suppressed the laughter that caused him to see her sulking inside a giant haori that reached her ankles. "Why can't I farm the land and sell the things that come out of it? Why do I have to settle for pleasing others, dancing and singing like some pathetic wind-up toy? Now that's something stupid!"

"Because that's what maikos do; dance and sing like pathetic wind-up toys."

"Maybe I don't want to be a maiko anymore." She frowned, staring at the tips of her toes. "Maybe I'm sick of being like this."

"Bah, your dream may be stupid but I sympathize with your jadedness." Ibuki sighed as the storm blew out the candles that lit the room. He rubbed his hair and was reminded of how short it was since Heisuke helped him change his appearance after leaving the Roshigumi. "I don't give a damn about anything since Serizawa-san was murdered. One of the last things he told me... was to live, but I wonder if I'm doing that."

"You're the only one who holds that unscrupulous bully in high esteem," Kosuzu muttered as she relit the candles.

"Wasn't he right?" Ibuki clicked his tongue, peering through the cracks in the window he had reinforced with some rotten boards. "You call this life? You're..." he cleared his throat, "...a talented, smart, and dutiful girl. Why would you settle for hiding in a shithole like this?"

"Because you're here, with me," she admitted warmly as she joined him at the window, "and you'll still be here once we follow the typhoon out of Kyoto; on to greener pastures."

"Huh..." Ibuki pursed his lips and turned his face away to hide the blush that tinged his cheeks. "B, but w, what a thing to say! O, of course I will! Do you think I'll stay in Kyoto after deserting the Shinsengumi?! Okita must be turning over every stone in the city, eager to detach my skin from my body and bring it as a gift to Kondou-san!"

Okita.

«"Fly out of the golden cage, Kohana-chan!"»

Kohana quirked her lips as her mind replayed the quaint farewell with which the samurai alerted the entire Shimabara neighborhood of her escape, forcing her to flee for blocks and blocks of dew-dampened cobblestones that forced her to ditch her best pair of sandals.

«"I'm not ready to become a geiko, so I'm leaving this place with my best friend, who has her own reasons for running away. You won't get any more explanation than that. Do you promise... you won't come after us?"

"I won't as long as I'm not ordered to," Okita replied as he placed his palms on the window's base. "So get out before it happens."

"All right. Nevermore, Shinsengumi-san."»

Kohana rested her chin on her fist, trying to decipher Okita's mysterious expression. Would his words be true? Could a Mibu Wolf suppress its hunting instinct at the sudden flight of a helpless little bird? She bit her lower lip, engrossed in the glow of his haunting green eyes, only for her focus to break when she remembered how he teased her after following her into the room:

«"Sleep... with you?" Okita tried to hold back the laughter but it inevitably burst from his throat. "And leave my teammate dealing alone with the mob you caused? Besides, no offense, but I don't like cowardly women."»

"Well if you don't like cowardly women then I'll be the most cowardly woman in the world!" she blurted out in a fit of rage, disconcerting both Ibuki and Kosuzu.

"Kohana, my dear..." Kosuzu forced herself to smile. "Who are you talking to?"

"The soup must've caused her to hallucinate," Ibuki muttered. "I told you the miso soup didn't seem that healthy, Kyoto folks add too many koji mushrooms to it."

"I, I'm not hallucinating!" Kohana clenched her fists and sighed softly. "I was just... thinking out loud."

"About your farm?" Kosuzu inquired with an expectant smile.

"Uh... yeah, I think that's what it was."

"Well, I want you to know that, unlike Ryunosuke-kun, I support any project you come up with." She sat down next to her to add: "I didn't want to graduate and have to spend my life as an artist to death either. No... if our future was to continue acting in exchange for money, then I'd rather we dare to dream."

"No matter how absurd those dreams may be?" Kohana frowned, aware that she would take her own life before returning to Shimabara, but also acknowledging she was only fifteen years old and Kosuzu was still far from reaching that age. They were barely out of childhood and yet they already had to figure out how to live for the rest of their lives. It was as unfair as it was overwhelming.

"No matter how absurd they may be."

"You're a hopeless dreamer!" Kohana laughed. "You could make the storm stop just by believing in it!"

"Oh, I wish I could. I just think that planting carrots shouldn't be hard for Kyoto's most talented maiko."

"Hey, I could help you with that!" Ibuki exclaimed. "I know everything you need to know about carrots, radishes, and onions!"

Kohana covered her face with the sleeve of her haori to hide the laughter that came to her lips. "A nobleman who knows how to grow vegetables? That's new!"

"This noble was homeless for over a year, my scavenging skills are unmatched!"

"Scavenging through garbage?!" Kohana wrinkled her nose. "Haven't you ever grown a vegetable in your life?!"

"Why grow them when you can just pick them up from the garbage?!"

"If no one grows them then no one can buy them and throw them in your filthy dump!"

Kosuzu smiled, touched by the absurd exchange between her loved ones. Ibuki's pragmatism was laughable and Kohana possessed a natural ability to amuse others, which contributed to her renowned fame among Shimabara's customers. For her adopted sister was beautiful, yes, but Kosuzu knew that her spirit was unrivaled by any of her physical attributes.

She was so immersed in her musings that the huge gust of wind that tore the roof off the shack caught her off guard. Kosuzu tugged at Kohana's obi to pull her away from the debris blowing off the walls and Ibuki was quick to throw himself on top of them both, protecting them from the wild clouds that moved like birds of prey in the night sky.

They could only pray that the storm wouldn't sweep them away along with the remains of the humble dwelling.

"Wait here, Chie-san!" Heisuke left the apartment in a hurry, grimacing as the wall of freezing rain drenched him from head to toe. "I'll go get... Izanagi-san!"

"All right!" Chie closed all the windows as she watched him leave, making a titanic effort to push a cabinet high enough to cover one of the larger openings.

She sat on the floor as her feverish body reminded her of her current state of health. This wasn't the first typhoon they had faced in Kyoto, but the house had only recently been rebuilt and she feared the weak structure would be compromised after withstanding a storm of such magnitude.

"That's just what we needed, a typhoon!" she cursed with a hoarse voice. Couldn't life give them a break? She still hadn't recovered from the shock of learning of Kohana's disappearance and now she also had to worry about the storm taking away both their home and the business on which they subsisted.

"Chie-chan! Chie-chan!" Izanagi entered the house in a dramatic fashion, stumbling and holding his chest with every step he took. "Did you secure the fine china?! Did you cover your mother's writings?! Tell me you put my gyuto knife collection safe!"

"Yes, Dad." Chie rolled her eyes, but her annoyance turned to concern when she noticed her father was alone. "Where's Toudou-san?"

"Huh, he went for my copper pots and the Seto ware pottery dishes Mrs. Yuyume gave me as a gift."

"Dad!" Chie stifled another curse, the fever and her father's irresponsible behavior were wrecking her nerves. "How could you ask him to do something so risky?! He came to bring me back a sandal, not to die for your crappy copper pots!"

"He's from the police, isn't he?" Izanagi shrugged. "I don't think he'll be scared by a little bit of wind."

"This isn't just a little bit of wind!"

"Right, it's more like a lot."

Chie huffed at Izanagi's passivity, but was interrupted by the clatter of half a dozen pots scattering on the entrance stairs. Heisuke hurried to clumsily pick them up with his free hand, for he was carrying something at chest height that prevented him from using both arms. "Izanagi-san!" he shouted from the outside. "I think I brought... more than you asked for!"

"You've just ruined my best copper pots! You... bum ronin from hell!" Izanagi groaned as he scrambled to keep the utensils from rolling down the stairs. "If you drop the Seto ware pottery dishes, you'll have to face the typhoon all by yourself!"

"Oh, stop it, Dad!" Chie sighed as the two of them entered the apartment, drenched by the pouring rain. "Those dishes must not even be original, Mrs. Yuyume doesn't have a penny." She offered them a couple of linen towels to dry off, but her gaze locked on Heisuke as she heard high-pitched whimpers escape from between his arms. "What...? What was that?"

"What's that shrieking?!" Izanagi glued himself to the door he'd just closed despite the wind's onslaught. "Is it a rat?!"

Heisuke pushed his tangled hair away from his face, relieved at not falling into the void because of it. Souji wasn't so wrong when he pointed out that a warrior's hair length gave away how close or far they were from the grave. "Oh, this... is what I was talking about before I came in!" He showed them the little yellow animal he held against his chest. It was wet to the bone and curled up to keep warm, so it wasn't easy to tell what species it belonged to.

"IT'S A RAT!" Izanagi shrieked with wild eyes.

"How could it be a rat, Dad?" Chie approached the creature with growing curiosity. "Rats aren't yellow. Is it a cat?"

"I thought so at first, but no." Heisuke moved his arm so Chie could look at the animal's snout. "It's a dog. A Shiba Inu, if I'm not mistaken."

"Ooooh!" Chie reacted with such over-the-top affection that it caused Heisuke to stumble backward. "It's so small, fluffy, and adorable! Where did you find it?"

"He... was hiding in a corner by the stairs," he replied after regaining his balance. "I thought it was a shame to leave him to his fate in such a storm." He frowned when the shivering pup reminded him of something he'd rather forget, so he hurried to place him in Chie's arms. "But I'm not keeping him, Hijikata-san doesn't allow pets in the headquarters."

"Oh, all the better then!" Chie immediately hugged the puppy, grinning from ear to ear as she chirped: "Dad and I have been wanting a dog for years! It must be a gift from heaven!"

"More like one from hell..." Izanagi grumbled as he inspected his pots for dents.

"I'll teach him to walk with me and I won't have to go to the port alone to fetch seaweed!" Chie ignored her father's comment, wrapping her new pet in a handkerchief she pulled from inside her obi. She sat down facing the central stove and placed the puppy on her lap, rubbing his back and wet paws. "He's freezing, we need to warm him up and cook something for him, too!"

"And to top it off, we have to feed it." Izanagi shook his head. "Well done, Toudou, now I'll never be able to take it away from her."

"She really likes animals, huh?"

"I think she has a strong maternal instinct, when she was a child she used to carry Kohana-chan all over the..." He fell silent after mentioning his youngest daughter, rubbing his eyes moist with worry. Chie continued to dry the puppy without saying a word, for her grief prevented her from asking them not to talk about her as if she wasn't there.

"We have to give him a name." Heisuke plopped down by the fire, pointing to the puppy to distract his hosts. "Otherwise, you won't know what to call him when he tries to escape."

"Oh." Chie nodded softly, aware of the necessity to change the subject. "He won't be one of those who run away. He'll be obedient, I can feel it."

"You don't usually get others to obey you, Chie-san." He grinned cynically at her as he stoked the fire with the poker.

"Nonsense! Why do you always pretend to know everything about me?!"

"There's no need to pretend when your dumb boyfriend heir to the Meet-two Mating-llamas clan is living proof of that." Heisuke tapped the puppy's nose with his fingertips and it responded with a high-pitched bark of approval.

"What do you mean, boyfriend?" Izanagi's eyes darted accusingly to his daughter.

"Huh! That's... nonsense from Heisu- T, Tou, Toudou-san!" Chie squeezed her hands and averted her gaze. "How could a clan called Meet-two Mating-llamas exist?! I'm sure some flying debris hit him in the head when he went out for your pots!"

"Hmm, I'll start cooking something." Izanagi took the handkerchief off his head and placed it on the counter, kneeling in front of it with a distrustful grimace. "Be thankful I'm too stressed to figure out what the two of you are up to."

Chie watched him as he lined up the vegetables on the chopping board. Though it infuriated her to learn that her father had kept Kohana's disappearance from her, the grief showing on his weathered features was painfully evident. Holding the delay against him would only overwhelm him further, so she tried to say something that might cheer him up: "What do you think we should call the puppy, Dad?"

"You're asking it to me?"

"Sure, you were always good with names."

"Oh, no! Your mother was the one with the gift for words, I'm only good for cooking."

"I wouldn't be so sure. In fact, I think people grow fond of our restaurant because of your creative names for the dishes." She turned to address Heisuke. "Dad isn't just an expert at making Nigirizushi, he also comes up with the best names for them."

"Nigirizushi?" Heisuke repeated, holding his chin as he denied: "No, I've never eaten those."

"I bet you have, except that in Edo we call them Kamezushi!"

"Oh, Kamezushi!" Heisuke's face lit up and his voice rose above the roaring wind. "Rice turtles! Gen-san used to serve that dish at Kondou-san's dojo!"

"I'm not used to Kyoto's dish names either." She pointed to her father as she explained: "Dad picks up some rice balls and fish and shapes them into delicious figures. I don't think anyone can imitate his version of a river otter!"

"It's no big deal." Izanagi felt his cheeks light up and turned away from them to place the rice in the boiling water. He always got self-conscious when others complimented his food.

"Of course it is! You're the only one who gives them pea eyes and seaweed tails. Those river otters sold like hotcakes, you should serve them again during the Tori no Ichi festival."

"All this talk of food is making me hungry," muttered the old man, impatient to talk about something else.

"Then name him already!" Chie let out a startled laugh when the puppy reared up on its hind legs to bark at her with an unexpected amount of energy. "Wow, his vocal cords remain unharmed!"

"Why don't we name him after one of the characters in your mother's book?" Izanagi suggested.

"Huh?" Chie pouted, embarrassed about him bringing up something so personal in front of Heisuke. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"What book are you talking about?"

"One my wife wrote when she was alive."

"Oh, Mao-san was a writer?" Heisuke arched an eyebrow. "That's not an ordinary skill."

"And she was very good at it. She knew a lot about otherworldly creatures."

"Yokai?"

"Exactly." Izanagi's mood dropped suddenly and that showed in the gruffness with which he continued: "My late wife wrote about their customs, festivals, and governments; she even drew diagrams allowing us to identify each species. Although... many were lost when we came to Kyoto."

"I see." Heisuke frowned. "Did she work as a priestess?"

"Why do you ask that, Toudou-san?" Izanagi gave him a suspicious look as he stirred the rice.

"I grew up in a temple full of miko priestesses. They used to talk about that kind of thing every day."

"Oh!" Chie gasped and interrupted them with the innocence of a child as she blurted out: "Wow! You actually grew up in a temple?!"

"Yes?"

"And they allowed you to become a warrior? How did you end up there? Did your family run it?"

"So, Izanagi-san," Heisuke ignored Chie, quick to divert attention from his past to that of Mrs. Mao. The last thing he wanted was to chat about the lonely childhood of an orphan who grew up in a nearly deserted temple. "Was your wife a miko?"

"Yes." The cook's lips wrinkled imperceptibly. "Since her childhood. She quit at fourteen, to marry me."

"I see." He cracked a naughty little smile upon noticing Chie was slightly offended by his brush-off, so he wasted no time in giving her the coup de grâce. "You're running out of time to get married, Chie-san, your mom is several years ahead of you."

"What a nerve!" Chie threw the handkerchief she used to dry the dog's fur at him. "Who gave you the right to have any say in the matter?!"

Heisuke burst out laughing in response, plopping down on the tatami without bothering to remove the cloth from his face. "I think you should call him 'Yokai'," he said from underneath the cloth. "That's what the book is about, isn't it? The Yokai."

"Yokai?" Chie laid her eyes on the little dog lying exhausted in her lap. "I don't know, he doesn't look like a demon."

"Not yet. Just wait until he grows up."

"Don't be a bird of ill omen!"

"What about 'Typhoon'? No criminal would approach you with a dog named Typhoon!"

"That's a horrible name, I don't want him to honor it and tear down every house he steps on!"

"Then stick with Yokai." Heisuke lifted the handkerchief to reveal half of his face and smiled mischievously at her as he stated: "A demon would be a good companion for a girl as fierce as you."

Chie was stunned. Was she hallucinating from the fever, or had Heisuke really just called her "fierce"? "What are you saying...?" She narrowed her eyes. "Wasn't I an old, self-defeating frog?"

"Hmm." Heisuke let the handkerchief drop again. "You can be both."

"Agh! I swear I'll train him to bite you out of the restaurant!"

"You'll have to get him to listen to you first, which could take anywhere from ten years to a hundred."

"Then I'll teach him to tear up your lousy Shinsengumi haori until he gets the hang of it!"

Heisuke sat up suddenly, bringing his face close to hers to mimic her in a girlish, ladylike tone of voice: "Be careful because you'll end up getting him to bite your sophisticated, pleasant, and strong Sannan-san."

Chie leaned her torso back without sitting up, her eyes wide with confusion. "What do you mean, my Sannan-san?"

"I'm just paraphrasing what you wrote in the letter." Heisuke quirked his lips, sighed, and walked away to help Izanagi serve dinner.

Chie followed him with her gaze, scrutinizing his face as if he'd just confessed he was a kitsune disguised as a human. What was wrong with the compliments she'd addressed to Sannan? Did he find them offensive and was too polite to tell her in person, but not to voice his discomfort to Heisuke? Now that she thought about it, Kohana's disappearance caused her request to make him her kenban to go unanswered.

She didn't know whether it was the cold's fault, but she felt nauseous at the possibility of having inconvenienced the man she owed her life to.

Chapter Text

Autumn, November 24, 1863.

Typhoon Hime delivered an intense storm surge that caused severe flooding, while strong winds knocked down dozens of trees in both Kyoto and Osaka; streets became practically blocked by hundreds of shattered trunks and branches.

The powerful gusts unleashed widespread havoc, as debris from wrecked houses flew in all directions, turning the public footpath into a maze of sodden logs and straw. One of the three main avenues leading to the imperial palace was temporarily closed after being covered by water, and the northern business district suffered similar damage.

Although many homes were destroyed (more than a thousand people were affected by the typhoon), only three fatalities were reported:

Among the deceased was a man who was buried by a falling wall, another who fell from the roof of a brothel, and a Dutch diplomat who was hit by a cart as he crossed the street to take shelter inside an inn.

The government evacuated the homeless to Hakodate Island, which was oddly not affected by the storm. The number of people who had to be re-housed amounted to (at that time) a high figure of five hundred inhabitants.

The Mao restaurant (to its owners' great surprise) survived the typhoon, probably because the materials used in its reconstruction were in excellent condition, which gave it an advantage over the old buildings that lay shattered around it.

Kyoto residents began cleaning up the city three days after the storm hit. The Japanese were no strangers to cyclones, earthquakes, tidal waves, and tornadoes; they would recover from the disaster as calmly as they had been accustomed to for thousands of years.

The sunny noon shone overhead, an obvious sign of Mother Nature's fickle truce.

"Heisuke-kun!" Shinpachi made his way through the rubble and lifted his best friend off the ground in a smothering embrace. "You're alive!"

"O, of course I'm alive, you idiot!" He struggled to break free from the grip that was squeezing every bone in his body. "But it won't be for long if you don't... put me down right now!"

Shinpachi ignored his complaints, whimpering in a contrived way as he exclaimed: "I thought the typhoon would've flown you all the way to China!"

"What the... hell are you saying, Shinpa-san?!"

"It's just that you're such a midget! As tiny and frail as a dandelion!"

"AGH! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Heisuke kicked him in the shin, stumbling away after tripping over a couple of stacked boards.

Harada Sanosuke approached the store owner, who watched the situation in confusion. "Good morning, Izanagi-san." He let out an embarrassed sigh. "Forgive these fools, they don't take anything seriously."

"No, no... it's okay," Izanagi shrugged. "A little humor doesn't hurt, I think we really need it with all this chaos."

"Yeah..." He looked around. "That goddamn storm claimed few victims given the structural damage it caused to the city."

"Will the Roshi, I mean; the Shinsengumi help with the repairs?"

"Sure. We were busy cleaning up around the imperial palace, but it's my crew's turn to organize the business area during the day."

"I can't believe they put us on street sweeping duty," Shinpachi complained. "I didn't give up my romantic life as a wandering ronin to become the shogun's maid."

"This isn't about prestige, Shinpachi," Sanosuke scolded him. "It's a matter of principle. Our mission is not just to help the people with our weapons, but with our hands, and if we can use them in reconstruction, so be it."

"Yeah, yeah. Blah, blah..." He turned his back to pick up some old junk. "I came to Kyoto to kick some Choshu and Satsuma's asses, had I wanted to play the role of a generous nobleman who takes care of his subjects, I would've stayed in my father's castle."

Heisuke quirked his lips as he heard him speak of his departure from the Matsumae clan; where Nagakura Kanji raised his beloved son with plenty of luxuries and benefits. Shinpachi had wasted the opportunity to enjoy everything he was deprived of and that caused him to feel some unspeakable frustration.

"God gives bread to the toothless," he muttered, unable to contain himself. "I can't stand spoiled children who romanticize poverty."

"And I can't stand midgets who party at Shimabara with other people."

"Are you still resentful about that?"

"Souji didn't even want to go, he only went with you because Saito tricked him!"

"I wouldn't be so sure. Hajime-kun told me that Souji bought several origami animals made by Kohana-chan."

"So? They sell them in the Okiya's window, he could've bought them while he was on patrol!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't take away from how much he likes her crafts. I bet he would've enjoyed the show if Kohana-chan hadn't disappeared."

"Speaking of which..." Izanagi approached them with his hands clasped in front of his chin and a pleading look in his pain-darkened eyes. "Do you have news of my youngest daughter?"

Heisuke, Shinpachi, and Sanosuke looked at each other. None of them knew the whereabouts of Furukawa Kohana, but to say that to the old man would be the same as ripping his heart out of his chest and throwing it into the rubble around him. Sanosuke was the first to realize this, so he was quick to answer before his teammates did: "Hijikata-san said they saw a woman with her features in the marketplace that stretches along the Kamo River."

"The duck river?" Izanagi's jaw dropped. "But that's so close to here!"

"Do you suspect she may've run away from the Okiya? If she did, she could've hidden in the slums to ride out the storm."

"No." Izanagi grimaced, growing anxious at the (increasingly credible) possibility that the daughter he was most proud of had disgraced the family. "It wouldn't make sense, she would never leave on her own free will. I didn't raise her like that."

"Maybe there's something we don't know, it's still too early to speculate," Sanosuke put a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. "Have some faith in the Shinsengumi, I assure you we'll solve this mystery."

"Yes... I hope so, Harada-san."

Not far away, Chie was struggling to sort out a pile of blocks that had fallen in front of the neighbors' house. Heisuke and Shinpachi approached her after exchanging a couple of puzzled glances, the latter snatching the stone she was holding to throw it dramatically to the side.

"A girl can't do a man's job!" claimed Shinpachi as he carried three more blocks between his muscular arms.

"Stop showing off, Shinpa-san." Heisuke stifled a laugh at the amazement his teammate's strength produced in Chie. "Chie-san is used to hard work."

"The grocery baskets don't weigh as much as the debris," Chie replied, "or maybe that's what it looks like to me because of this stupid cold."

"The cold..." Heisuke frowned. "Are you feeling better?"

"Sure, but it'll take me a few weeks to fully recover."

"Then don't even think about carrying this stuff." He lifted one of the blocks and nudged her away with a light push from his shoulder. "Shinpa-san and I can clean up this mess. You go cook something for your father so Sano-san will stop getting distracted by him and help us with the cleanup."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Shinpachi pointed his index finger at him, tossing the blocks into a cart belonging to the shogunate to quickly rejoin them. "Don't even think I'm gonna let you hide Chie-what's-her-name from us!"

"What kind of bullshit are you spouting, Shinpa-san?!" He dropped the block he was holding onto the ground. "Why the hell would I hide her from you?!"

"Ha! As if you didn't know!" He shot him a sidelong glance loaded with snark before folding his arms in front of Chie. "Hey, Sano! Come meet Heisuke-kun's girl!"

"Heisuke-kun's... girl?" Chie pursed her lips into a thin line, as confused as she was embarrassed by the epithet. She looked to Heisuke for answers, but he was too busy yelling at Shinpachi to shut up to notice her.

"I already met Chie-chan," Sanosuke explained as he joined them. "Remember I was involved in the Mao restaurant restoration?"

"Yeah, but it's not the same as us actually getting to chat with her in person." Shinpachi elbowed him in the ribs and smiled mischievously as he asked: "Did you know Heisuke-kun talks a lot about you at the headquarters, Chie-chan? He kept complaining about how he'd prefer for you guys to address each other as 'Heisuke-kun' and 'Chie-chan', but that he didn't know how on earth he could suggest it to you without sounding like a dork."

Heisuke lunged at Shinpachi, covering his mouth to force him to shut up, but Sanosuke resumed the conversation without him being able to do anything to stop it: "It's true! He said he was sick of the 'san-this' and 'san-that', but that there was some sort of underlying tension between the two of you that prevented him from treating you with such familiarity. Sounds pretty romantic, in my opinion."

"Don't listen to them, Chie-san! T, they're just making it up!" Heisuke shrieked, clutching his hand after Shinpachi bit him to break free from his grip. "If that were true... I would've never told you that you were an old and... s, self-defeating frog, right?!"

"Quiet, Heisuke, the grown-ups are talking." Shinpachi pushed him in the face to make him lose his balance so he could approach Chie again. "Sano and I waited many years to be able to embarrass him like this!" he admitted as he burst out laughing. "It's not every day you meet the girl your dumb little brother likes! Do you know how many times he made fun of our love problems? Well, it's payback time!"

"Well, but let's not tell Chie-chan everything either," said Sanosuke with a mischievous half-smile, "or else Heisuke won't have enough room to confess his feelings to her when the opportunity arises."

"Agh, damn it, Sano-san!" Heisuke pulled his own bangs, overwhelmed by the situation. "I can't believe you're playing along with Shinpa-san! Enough of playing matchmaking dads with Chie-ch, ch, ch... san! Chie-san!"

"Look! Look!" Shinpachi pointed at him so excitedly that he almost started jumping on the spot. "He almost called her 'Chie-chan'! You can't deny the truth anymore!"

"WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS PUT YOU ON A HAT STONE!" Heisuke picked up the biggest block he could find and threw it in his direction, but his throwing didn't have enough momentum and the rubble slowly rolled to Shinpachi's feet, who let out a high-pitched laugh at his attacker's failure.

"I'm surprised a midget like you was able to lift that boulder! What did you do, ask your ant kin for help?"

The alluded one retorted with a string of curses that preceded a chase where Heisuke, his face reddened with frustration, struggled in vain to catch up with the one who jogged with the ease of having a constant lead of several feet. Shinpachi continued to provoke him relentlessly, which caused Chie to wring her hands anxiously. Sanosuke's lips arched into a sympathetic smile as he noticed her concern.

"You don't have any male siblings, do you, Chie-chan?" he asked her, watching the quarrel with his arms folded across his chest.

"No, Kohana-chan is my only sister."

"Well, this is a common thing among men, so don't be alarmed."

"Oh, that's good to know." Chie watched the outline of his face, surprised by the sharpness of his perception. How could he notice her uneasiness when she seemed to be paying her undivided attention to the chase? Well, he wasn't the captain of the Shinsengumi's 10th Division for nothing, his senses must be extremely keen. "I thought Heisuke-san was brash and hot-headed, but Nagakura-san acts like his evil twin."

"You have no idea!" Sanosuke laughed. "They aren't part of the Shinsengumi's famous 'Idiot Trio' for nothing."

"Trio?" Chie arched an eyebrow. "Who's the third member?"

"Uh, well..." Sanosuke blinked slowly before closing his eyes in a forced smile. "Why don't you guess? After all, you know several of our members."

Chie pouted and pondered for several moments before answering: "Tani-san?"

"What...?" Sanosuke tried to hold back the laughter but it irremediably slipped out of his lips. "Wow, the label certainly fits him! No, no, Tani is another kind of idiot. The Idiot Trio is... a trio that's more dumb than harmful."

"Dumb? Hmm, then I can't think of who the third member might be."

"The third member... is him!" Heisuke interrupted them after turning back around the opposite corner of the street, hunched over under the labored breathing that robbed him of speech. He held his chest with one hand and pointed at Sanosuke with the other as he warned: "Don't let him fool you... with his mature, dependable Casanova façade! He always pulls that... on the girls he's trying to impress!"

"Bah, Heisuke... Why did you have to ruin the fun?" Sanosuke scratched the back of his head. "I wasn't trying to impress her, I just wanted to know which one of us seemed more apt to belong to the Idiot Trio."

"There's no one more apt than you, Sano-san." He straightened up with difficulty and gave Chie a sidelong glance as he added: "Wait till he's had a little sake on him and you'll see what I'm talking about."

"Boy, did you turn out to be a curious trio," Chie muttered with arched eyebrows, afraid to poke at the subject any further. "Wait here, I'll get you a glass of water."

Chie withdrew politely and Heisuke sighed when he saw her disappear inside the restaurant. "Damn it... Why did you guys have to put me through that? I can't feel my legs and I have to keep cleaning until nightfall! How am I supposed to carry those tons of dirt when I'm on the verge of losing consciousness?!"

"Stop overreacting, no one asked you to chase Shinpachi all over town."

"And how on earth was I supposed to stop him from running his mouth?!" He suddenly quirked his lips and let his eyebrows fall over his eyes as a dreadful doubt assailed his mind. "Wait! What were you talking to Chie-san about before I arrived? You didn't tell her anything embarrassing, did you?!"

"I don't know," Sanosuke hummed, feigning ignorance. "Being a sake-loving drunk played havoc with my memory."

"I'm serious, Sano-san!" He lowered his voice as much as possible as he added: "Hijikata-san will kill me if Chie-san stops trusting me because of you!"

Sanosuke's expression turned bitter all of a sudden. "That's all that matters to you? That she keeps trusting you so you can uncover Tani Sanjuro's weaknesses?"

"What? No! It's not like that!" Heisuke looked around to check that no one was listening to them. "This isn't about uncovering anyone's weaknesses, Sannan-san just wants to make sure Tani doesn't bring trouble to the Shinsengumi. We don't need a second Serizawa ruining what little reputation we've left."

"Yeah, but she'll find out you used her sooner or later. What do you plan to do when she finds out?"

"Nothing, because she won't," he said with unusual seriousness. "I may not be a spy as good as Yamazaki-kun, but I'm not a raw rookie either. Chie-san will keep believing I approached her disinterestedly even if I have to die to uphold this secret."

"Do whatever you want." Sanosuke clicked his tongue and shrugged, walking away to continue cleaning up. "Just remember how bad you felt when you found out that the members of your first dojo were talking trash behind your back. If I remember correctly, they pretended to be your friends to get closer to your father's wealth, didn't they?"

"D, don't hold that against me!" he shouted at him from the restaurant door. "I'm not like them, I'll never hurt...!" He shut up suddenly when the girl he was about to mention showed up behind him, holding a cup with a confused expression on her freckled face. "Oh, Chie-san! I, is that the water you went to get? T, thank you! I was dying of thirst!" He took the cup out of her hands and drank as if he hadn't done so for the last decade. Crap! He should avoid being so careless! Damned were those meddling Shinpa and Sano-san!

Chie was about to suggest he drink slowly, but Heisuke choked on the water and started coughing violently before she got to utter a single word.

Ibuki, Kosuzu, and Kohana made their way among the survivors repairing their homes ruined by Typhoon Hime. The hut Ibuki traded for his ponytail had lost its roof and an entire wall, but there was no point in fixing it when their priority was to get as far away from Kyoto as possible.

"I guess Mother Nature decided it was time to continue our journey," reflected Kosuzu with her hands clasped together in prayer. "Thank you so much for protecting us from the storm, humble and brave dwelling, I will pray for your sacrifice to be rewarded in the next world."

"I don't think it's literally dead." Ibuki leaned over her left shoulder and glanced at the structure. "There are still three walls standing, it's about the same as a human who's had an arm or a leg cut off. A major loss, but not exactly fatal."

"If the walls are arms or legs then what would the roof be? The head?" Kohana teased him, emerging from behind Kosuzu's right shoulder. "Being decapitated tends to produce a literal death."

"Agh!" Kosuzu raised her hands above her head, throwing a small tantrum before turning back to them. "Why are you discussing such disturbing topics while I'm trying to pray for the soul of the house?! Do you want it to turn into a vengeful tsukumogami that will chase us all the way to Nagoya?!"

Kohana clicked her tongue. "The chase might make us flee from here faster. No amount of praying will save us from the Wolves of Mibu, so we'd better get going again."

"Kohana-san is right," Ibuki admitted, following her as he dodged the debris of the devastated neighborhood. "I can't wait to be a hundred miles away from Okita Souji."

"Neither can I," Kohana replied, regretting what she said after noticing her companions' surprised expressions.

"Do you know Okita?" Ibuki sighed. "Don't tell me he caused trouble at the Okiya like Serizawa-san did."

"I, it's not like he caused trouble... or maybe he did, I don't know." She pursed her lips without slowing down. "I ran into him when I escaped from the Okiya."

"What?" Kosuzu gaped a span. "And how did you manage to lose him? Isn't he supposed to be one of the Shinsengumi's most persistent trackers?"

"He let me go."

"What?!" Kosuzu stopped for a moment, quickly resuming walking as she recovered from the shock. She insistently tugged the sleeve of Kohana's haori after catching up to her. "Are you kidding me?! No, no, of course you aren't, otherwise he would've caught us by now. But what did you tell him to keep him from arresting you? The Shinsengumi has turned dozens of fugitives back to Shimabara, why would you be the exception?"

"I don't know..." Kohana frowned. "Maybe because he caught me in the middle of fleeing and the law says a certain amount of time must pass since a maiko's absence for her to be deemed missing. At that point, my only punishment would be to catch a couple of broom whacks from Yumiko-san for missing a show."

"Hmm, makes sense, but we both know that Shinsengumi folk don't play fair. He might've told you that to gain your trust and apprehend you faster when the mandatory time was up."

"I know, that's why I don't want to stay here a second longer. There's so much junk and rotten logs to clear away that..." she bent down to pick up some boards and throw them to the side of the path, "...I'm afraid it might take us three more days to get to-"

Kohana was interrupted by the shrieks of dread that leaked from the neighbors' throats, who scattered in all directions to the cry of: «"SHINSENGUMI! FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES, IT'S THE SHOGUN'S DOGS!"»

"Shinsengumi?!" Ibuki turned pale with shock. Were they going to catch him after all the effort he went through to sneak out of the headquarters and hide from the searches that were conducted to punish his desertion? After he abandoned the few friends he had in the Shinsengumi to free Kosuzu-chan? After... he promised Serizawa-san that he'd live?

"Oh, no! What are they doing here?!" Kohana spun around as the men wrapped in light blue haoris decorated with white mountains closed in a circle around her, unsheathing their swords with the speed of lightning.

"Don't kill us, we aren't Choshu!" shouted Kosuzu, pulling Kohana and Ibuki to her side to get them away from the swords' blades.

"Of course you aren't!" Tani Sanjuro mocked her, emerging behind his subordinates with a slow, graceful gait. The spear he carried over his shoulder reflected the sunlight, momentarily blinding his prey. "What idiot would possibly think that two runaway maikos and a Shinsengumi defector are descendants of The Great Warlord, Mori Motonari-dono?"

Ryunosuke clicked his tongue and advanced to confront the captain. "Your problem is with me, not with them."

"Don't think yourself so important, dog," he sneered, using the nickname with which Serizawa dubbed his servant. "We were looking for Furukawa Kohana under direct orders from the Vice-Commander, finding you is some sort of... bonus perk."

"How did you find me?" Kohana spoke to Tani after realizing Okita wasn't accompanying them, failing to recognize her older sister's childhood friend because of the many years she went without seeing him. "Someone ratted me out?"

"My tracking methods are none of your concern." Tani flicked his wrist in the blink of an eye, pummeling Ibuki with one end of his spear. The deserter flew through the air until he hit a wooden fence that shattered upon collision.

"Ryunosuke-kun!" Kosuzu tried to assist him, but the swords of her captors blocked her way.

"Are you in love with the deserter, little rebel maiko?" Tani leaned his torso forward, closing his eyes in a gentle smile as he elaborated: "Did you get tired of trusting the rich clients who promised to buy your freedom and decided to try your luck with the penniless Ibuki?"

"I can reclaim my freedom without anyone's help!" Kosuzu clenched her fists inside the sleeves of her flowered kimono. "I'm not the kind of girl who uses an honest boy's feelings for her own gain!"

"I don't think you're that kind of girl either." He stopped just inches away from her, still hunched over and with an expression that resembled that of a peaceful Buddha statue. "The Shimabara's whore with delusions of grandeur archetype suits you much, much better."

Kohana shoved Kosuzu away with a sudden push after hearing the insult, stepping between the two of them to draw a sharp steel fan that slashed a 180-degree arc around her. Tani recoiled with his teeth clenched in pain as the weapon inflicted a cut on his right cheek that extended to the middle of his lips.

"No! What have you done, Kohana-chan?!" shouted Kosuzu after she fell sitting on the ground. "He'll kill you!"

Tani licked his lips to curb the blood that slowly slid over them as his gray eyes studied the fugitive who dared to defy him; straight and haughty like a righteous martyr unafraid to die for her ideals.

«"That's Serizawa-san's fan!"» cried one of Tani's subordinates, as amazed by the maiko's strength as by the weapon she carried.

«"Impossible! The chiefs buried him with it!"» answered the youngest of the group, unable to shake off his stupor.

«"Of course not, everyone knows he lost it during one of his many gambling bets!"»

The third one gulped, straining to conceal the trembling of his sword as he whispered: «"Do you think... his vengeful spirit has possessed that young girl to take revenge on us?!"»

"Silence," Tani ordered, smiling wryly at Kohana as he conceded: "Surprise attacks usually favor novices. Well done, I'm proud of you."

"Don't talk to me like I'm your little sister," Kohana huffed with her fan steady on the last position of the previous attack.

"So Serizawa passed that thing down to his favorite maiko, huh? Wow, I didn't know the bastard was so sentimental. Why did you take the fan, Kohana-chan? Were you planning to trade it for food after you ran away?"

Kohana frowned, remembering when the Shinsengumi's second-in-command summoned her to a private club in Shimabara to pass on an unforgettable lesson:

«"Good evening, distinguished master," Kohana greeted him with a respectful bow, sitting down before the tea table where Serizawa Kamo was waiting for her. It was eight o'clock in the evening and the warm glow of the paper lanterns reflected on the pots of sake her client had just poured. "I hope you didn't summon me to request the same thing you demanded of Kosuzu-chan, because my answer will be the same," she explained, referring to the incident where Serizawa threw a pot of sake on Kosuzu's forehead for refusing to undress for him, an action that rendered him persona non grata at the local.

"Would you believe me if I said I don't remember?" Serizawa asked after taking a slow sip of his sake.

"Maybe."

"Hmm." He looked at her as carefully as if he intended to read her mind. "Speaking of beliefs, I suspect you believe you wouldn't need my servant dog to come to your rescue if I tried to smash this porcelain bowl in your face."

"What would make my master suspect that?"

"The fact that you're here." Serizawa's lips quirked into a suspicious grimace. "You agreed to meet me outside the Okiya despite how dangerous your decision is. You also have no escort or visible weapons with which to defend yourself."

"You have always been most respectful to me, so I have no reason to fear you. But... not all weapons are 'visible' weapons." Kohana arched her eyebrows as she drank from her respective cup of sake. "The maiko profession is not new, and neither are the methods by which we protect our personal integrity."

"And why didn't your female colleague try to fend me off with those supposed millenary protection methods?" Serizawa gave her a cynical look, emphasizing the latter.

"Ibuki-san reacted faster, that's all. She herself or any of us could've acted like him if necessary."

"I see you have a lot of confidence in those 'invisible weapons' of yours, Kohana-chan, but I advise you to reevaluate them according to the advice of an old samurai proverb.

"It will be a pleasure to listen to you, distinguished master." Kohana bowed briefly, but her body jerked violently in the opposite direction as Serizawa lunged at her; closing his huge hands like shackles around her exposed neck. Her hair ornaments crushed painfully against her skull as her attacker pressed her against the tatami, pinning her down so skillfully as to not knock a single cup of sake off the table. "What are you doing?!" she screamed, paralyzed but perfectly able to breathe. "This is an outrage! Get off of me!"

"If you want me to release you," Serizawa replied with an expression his victim couldn't tell whether it came from cockiness or boredom, "force me to do it with that 'protection method' you entrust your life to."

"But it's just that I don't...!" Kohana struggled to move in vain and her eyes filled with tears as she realized her pitiful vulnerability. The thin knife she carried inside her kimono was out of her reach, dashing all her hopes of being able to defend her life or her dignity. Yumiko-san said it was a foolproof method; that she had nothing to fear as long as she carried it with her! Why...?! Why did she lie to her like that?! "I can't!" She cried through clenched teeth in frustration. "I can't... reach it!"

"It's a knife kept in your kimono, isn't it?" Serizawa rolled his eyes before releasing her (to Kohana's unparalleled disbelief and relief) and sitting up with his hands resting on the knot of his hakama. "The maiko profession is not new, and neither are the methods by which you protect your personal integrity" he repeated Kohana's words with a mixture of irony and annoyance. "Bah! That's precisely the fucking problem! Do you think men didn't have plenty of time to devise a way to avoid being stabbed when they try to take advantage of you?!"

Kohana stifled a sob, looking up at him from the ground without even daring to blink. This seemed to annoy Serizawa even more, who massaged his brow before resuming speaking: "I'll die very soon, Kohana-chan, whether by the hand of nature or that of my enemies, but my hours are as scarce as the people who still respect my name."

"What...?" she asked, her voice trembling with shock, feeling herself falling prey to some kind of vivid, incoherent dream. Had her client just attacked her, released her, and confessed to her that he would die? All that was left was for him to turn into a wild duck and fly out of the window!

"You're the most skilled artist I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, but I knew you'd be stupid enough to find yourself alone with the violent drunk who attacked one of your own." He frowned gravely as he ordered in his commanding voice: "Stand up, Furukawa Kohana! Don't you want to learn how to defend yourself?!"

Kohana stood up with a frown on her face and a hesitant attitude born of the insecurity caused by her client's erratic behavior. It was then that Serizawa pulled out a shiny metal fan from inside his sleeve, spreading it quickly in front of her face. "You're a dancer, aren't you? I bet you usually carry trinkets like this in your obi." He tossed her the prized fan he inherited from his father as if it were of no importance to him, his lips quirking into a displeased grimace as Kohana caught it awkwardly out of nervousness. "The best defense method is surprise, so use it to your advantage and you'll live to tell the tale."

"Was that your famous samurai proverb?" she asked with visible resentment. "Because you could've explained it to me without having to scare me to death first."

Serizawa let out a derisive laugh, shaking his head as he bent to pick up one of the sake cups to take a slow, deep sip. "Lessons become fixed through strong emotions, had I explained it to you you would've forgotten it in two days." He laughed again when Kohana's anger grew more apparent, pointing at her with the glass in an obvious gesture of approval. "You'll never forget my teaching and I'll rest in peace knowing you won't commit further stupidities."»

The smack on her left arm from Tani's spear brought her back to reality. Kohana lost her balance and fell facedown to the ground, but she interposed the fan in a desperate attempt to ward off Tani's next attack.

"Seeing you, of all people," Tani stated with his eyes narrowed in contempt, "carrying around the crap that belonged to Ume-san's lover... makes me feel like throwing up." He aligned the sharp end of the spear with the fan, eager to pierce the last legacy of the man he hated. "You're strong, but nowhere near as strong as I am, Kohana-chan. Remember how we used to quarrel over that shiny ball your sister found in a crow's nest?"

Kohana's eyes widened to their fullest extent when she finally recognized her attacker. "S, Sanjuro-san?!"

"Well, this will end the same way." He raised the spear and dropped it like lightning on the fan, but the familiar voice of a newcomer broke his focus hard enough to cause him to hit the dirt floor instead of Kohana.

"I see you caught the runaway workers." Hijikata watched the scene with his arms folded, lingering over the details as patiently as a fisherman analyzing the day's catch. He was closely followed by his own squad, whose expressions displayed all the confusion their leader lacked. "Well done, Ba-san will pay us a fortune for them."

"Of course, I said I would find them and I did," Tani replied, his breath hitching and his jaw tense from the impotence he felt at the interruption. He would have ignored the arrival of any other captain, but the Demon Vice-Commander was water from a different well. "I also arrested the deserting dog, for which I expect a suitable reward."

"We'll see." Hijikata pointed to his cheek and lower lip with a slight flick of his index finger before walking away to carry out the arrests. "Wipe your face first. Shinsengumi warriors don't bleed on their uniforms."

Tani clicked his tongue as he remembered the wound and rubbed his face with the back of his fist; overcome with similar doses of rage and shame. How could he let himself be caught off guard by the little girl he watched grow up? His spiteful eyes bore into Kohana's tousled hair, so similar to her mother's, as the Vice-Commander tied her hands with a red string resembling the blood she drew from his skin with the wretched fan.

A few feet away, Ibuki's eyes half-opened as he was carried on a soldier's back, but he couldn't stay awake and the anger that consumed him faded as his consciousness plunged into darkness. One of his last coherent thoughts was that perhaps it was worthwhile to follow the mandate of his samurai blood and undertake the warrior's way.

Dusk was falling and the three captains of the ronin group were drinking sake while sitting on the bench Chie usually used for her morning readings. Pink clouds swirled overhead as Yokai, the puppy Heisuke rescued from the storm, chewed on a bone at their feet.

"We finally managed to clean up the neighborhood..." Sanosuke said with a tired smile. "I made a bet with Hijikata-san that we could do it all in one day."

"How long did he say it'd take? Heisuke sighed, anticipating another defeat for the Vice-Commander. Hijikata was no good at gambling and yet he couldn't seem to hold back when faced with his comrades' challenges, it was a wonder so many bad decisions hadn't bankrupted him.

"One month."

"One month?!" Heisuke burst out laughing. "What did he take us for? Old women?"

"You couldn't compete with one, Heisuke," Shinpachi sneered after taking a warm gulp of sake, "so don't blame him for bringing us down to your level."

"Why are you making me the butt of all your bland dad jokes?!" Heisuke shouted at him from the opposite side of the bench. "Be thankful Sano-san is sitting between us because otherwise you'd be dealing with me and my old lady fists!"

"Let him tease you while he can." Sanosuke came to his rescue. "You're younger than him and you'll have the chance to pester him when he turns into a decrepit old man who can't wipe his ass without his wife's help."

"That's if we make it to old age," Heisuke joked. "Things have gotten pretty hectic since we were put under the Aizu Magistrate's orders."

"Well, I hope you rise to the challenge." Shinpachi peeked from behind Sanosuke's right shoulder, eyes narrowed in a mischievous expression as he added: "Because with you being so short and such a slow runner, I doubt you'll make it to thirty."

"I, I won't stay this height forever! I can still grow a few more inches and when I do I'll chase you back to Edo to celebrate it!"

"Your meals are ready." Chie came out of the restaurant and joined them in the garden, offering them a tray on which rested three crispy servings of tempura. "Would you like another round of sake with your meal? It's on the house."

"Free sake? Isn't that the best combination of words in the whole world?" Heisuke left the bench to grab the tray, dodging Yokai's leaping to reach it. "Hmm, this smells delicious!"

"Dad is making meatballs with soy sauce for dinner, if you can wait a bit we can give you some to go."

"Meatballs with soy sauce!" Shinpachi put a hand to his heart when he received his portion. "Are you single, Chie-chan? Because I'd marry you so I could eat like this every day!"

"Leave her alone, Shinpa-san." Heisuke scolded him more earnestly than usual. "If Chie-san accepted all the marriage proposals made to her by customers, she would have more husbands than the Emperor has wives."

"Oh, of course not!" Chie pouted. Why was he saying that when he knew how disappointed Izanagi was by her lack of love prospects? She failed to grasp the reasons behind Heisuke's compliments, but she was grateful he didn't make her come off as an old spinster in front of his friends.

It was then that (almost as if she had summoned him in thought), the cook hurried into the restaurant; jogging down the street leading to the Shinsengumi headquarters with an absurd grin occupying the entirety of his sweaty, reddened face from exertion. Izanagi stopped dead in front of them, panting with his hands resting on his knees as he cried out: "HE FOUND HER! TANI-KUN... HAS FOUND MY KOHANA!"

Chapter Text

Autumn, November 25, 1863.

"Don't make a mess on the floor when you come in!" grunted old Yumiko from inside the Okiya. "The mat isn't on the floor for decoration's sake!"

"Oh! I, I'm so sorry!" Kondou stopped dead in his tracks and Hijikata crashed face-first into his back. They entered in line after noticing that they couldn't pass through the front door at the same time, apologizing for their rain-dripping uniforms before the fed-up gaze of the housemistress.

"Now, now!" she scolded them. "Apologies won't dry up the water any faster. What do you want here?"

"What a welcome..." Hijikata looked around. It was noon but the room was dark and quiet, completely different from the way it looked during busy working hours. "Did you close early?"

"Our artists need to rest at some point, or do you want them to work day and night non-stop?"

"Can't they take turns? 'The Red Heron' girls have gotten lazy."

"Anyway!" Kondou stepped between the two of them with a conciliatory smile on his face, eager to prevent a new fight from breaking out between the old woman and his Vice-Commander. "We came to talk to the resident tayu about the success of our rescue mission. Is she available?"

"Only if you booked an appointment. You aren't a frequent visitor, so you may be unfamiliar with the establishment's rules."

"W, well... I don't actually remember if I did." He looked over his shoulder to address his companion. "Toshi! Did you request an interview with Ba-san?"

"No."

"W, what do you mean, no?!"

"The Shinsengumi has no need to ask for permission to demand payment for our services."

"Oh, come on!" Kondou ran his hand over his face, whispering to keep Yumiko from hearing his complaints: "What was so hard about booking the appointment? If you didn't know how to write the letter, you might as well have asked Sannan-san to do it!"

"How could I not know how to write a letter?" He laughed under his breath, raising his voice to reiterate his opinion to the geiko: "I didn't book the appointment because the Shinsengumi has no need to ask for permission to demand payment for our services."

The hostess opened her mouth to protest against what she considered an impertinent affront, but was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Ba Makoto; who descended the wooden stairs with her characteristic elegance as she announced: "The shogunate's retainers are always welcome in our humble home. If you wish to visit me, I will gladly grant it."

"Blessed Daimyo!" Kondou muttered, overcome with emotion. "Look, Toshi, it's a real tayu!" He smiled at her as a small child would, ecstatic at the object of his admiration. The courtesans and their gold-embroidered attire belonged to Kyoto's imperial nobility, an exclusive world that seemed unearthly to a simple Edo farmer. Kondou grew up listening to fables about the beauty, wisdom, and legendary skills of Yoshino, a tayu who lived in the seventeenth century, and Ba's appearance plunged him into a sea of childish fantasies that prevented him from concealing his enthusiasm.

"That was excellent! What a wonderful performance!" Kondou exclaimed, clapping from his seat in the little room where Ba had just treated them to a display of her musical expertise. "I've never seen anyone play the shakuhachi so well before!" He pointed to the flute with his index finger, ignoring the jaded look Hijikata shot him from the adjacent seat. "Do we... have to pay you for this, don't we?"

"Of course not, Kondou-san," Ba denied in the tayu dialect and her red lips arched into a placid smile as she explained: "This is a gift to thank you for finding Kosuzu and Kohana-chan."

"It better be a symbolic payment," Hijikata said with folded arms, "because the troops don't eat music."

"Toshi!" Kondou scolded him with wide eyes, dumbfounded at his best friend's bad manners.

"The Shinsengumi should consider themselves fortunate to receive compensation for their services," Ba explained without the smile fading from her face, "especially considering the appalling state in which they delivered Kohana-chan back to us."

"W, we're well aware of that, dearest Ba-san!" Kondou nodded with an energetic bow that glued his forehead to the ground. "Tani-san was severely reprimanded for injuring her left arm with that spear strike!"

"I'm aware that detentions possess an inescapably violent nature, but I think I was extremely specific when I said you were to bring them back unharmed to the Okiya. Kohana-chan won't be able to perform for several weeks thanks to the unsightly sling the doctor placed on her arm, which you can understand is a colossal financial loss to our modest business."

Hijikata held his nose ridge, inwardly cursing Tani and his stupid outbursts of anger. After a few seconds of reflection, he straightened his back and sighed as he accepted the cup the tayu offered him. "I know these are hard times to get by," he admitted, "but the Shinsengumi cannot forgo the payment we were promised just because we failed to meet the specifics of your request. We recovered the maikos and we'll be compensated for it."

"Hijikata-san is the owner of an admirable amount of confidence," Ba conceded as she extended the other cup to Kondou. "The problem is, even if Kohana-chan had come out unscathed from the affair, the Okiya had to spend all its funds on the refunds demanded by the customers who attended our leading maiko's failed show." Hijikata started to protest, but Ba continued: "However, I can propose an alternative gratification that will benefit your respectable association."

"An... alternative gratification?" Kondou blinked slowly. "Please feel free to formulate it. The Vice-Commander and I will be happy to hear it." Hijikata huffed at that, but Kondou didn't hear him since he was bowing again, almost spilling the cup of tea he had just placed on the floor.

"Kohana-chan was the one who organized the escape, so she must be watched more closely than her accomplice. My intention is to have our friends from the Shinsengumi handle that task."

"What?" Hijikata laughed in disbelief and pulled the cup from his lips to ask: "You ask us to guard her when you refuse to pay the rescue? Let me remind you that our group does not do charity work."

"Please, Toshi, maybe we should-"

"Oh, but I remember it perfectly!" Ba pressed her palms together, fingers spread in front of her chest, and smiled kindly at her guests; though Hijikata noticed an unmistakable hint of cunning in her gray eyes. "Re-housing Kohana-chan in the headquarters would go a long way toward improving the Shinsengumi's reputation. It's a pity that the opinion of the people of Kyoto has been influenced by circumstances such as Serizawa-san's excessive passion, Ibuki-san's defection and subsequent kidnapping of two innocent young girls, and also Tani-san's recent attack; a situation that has prevented the festivities organized to celebrate the success of your meritorious mission."

"And how do you think Kohana-chan's presence would change their perception of us?" Kondou said after briefly gesturing to Hijikata to be quiet, since his complaints started to rise in tone as soon as he heard the word "re-housing".

"Kohana-chan has already completed her training to be a geiko, so we decided to hold her erikae; the celebration that marks the beginning of her grade passage. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the event could be held at the Yagi house? I bet the sectors of the population that are dissatisfied with the shogunate's foreign trade policies would look favorably on the Shinsengumi's efforts to preserve our cultural values."

"Wow, you are a very intelligent woman, Ba-san!" Kondou nodded, taking a quick sip from his teacup with a lively laugh. "Maybe this will get the Choshu, Satsuma, and Tosa to approve of our actions and give us a break! Heaven knows we need to sweeten them up as soon as possible!"

"We didn't come here to discuss political matters with a geiko," Hijikata said with a serious frown.

"I'm a tayu, distinguished master."

"Whatever!" He folded his arms. "We can fulfill our duty without anyone's help."

"Wait, Toshi." Kondou put a hand in front of his face, causing the Vice-Commander to grit his teeth in exasperation. "I think Ba-san is right. The shogunate wasn't built on its own, but with the cooperation of all those who longed for peace. The Most Reverend Tokugawa Ieyasu-dono could have executed his enemies' rulers after winning the war, but he chose to turn them into daimyo to assist him in the difficult task of ruling." He clutched his shoulder affectionately as he concluded: "Dialoguing isn't a sign of weakness, but of greatness!"

Hijikata gave a long sigh, unable to oppose Kondou's laudable idealism. After all, that characteristic of his personality was what inspired him to become the Demon Vice-Commander and help him accomplish his dream of becoming a samurai. "For God's sake, Kat-chan," he whispered in a pleading tone of voice. "What the hell are we going to do with another woman in the headquarters?"

"I'm sure Chizuru-chan will appreciate the company," Kondou replied in the same volume, giving him a wink before bowing again to his hostess. "Alright! You can count on us, Ba-san! I promise we'll guard Kohana-chan and make sure her erikae will be a success!"

"I'll put all my hopes on the Shinsengumi, Kondou-san." Ba returned the bow and the many ornaments in her hair produced a metallic tinged music as she stood up. "I have a feeling it will be an unforgettable event."

Okita and Kohana exchanged looks of shock and spite as they passed each other in the inner courtyard of the Yagi family home. Kohana was escorted to her room by Saito Hajime, who was carrying her belongings in a huge cloth bundle. The Shinsengumi's new female resident averted her face to avoid greeting the man she blamed for all her misfortunes. She was convinced that Okita Souji had played a part in helping his companions capture her, probably by pointing them in the direction she had fled or the attire she wore when she did so.

Men who broke their promises were the ones she disliked the most, and that was a lot coming from a girl used to dealing with drunks and scoundrels of all kinds.

"Do you know what is expected of me in this place?" Kohana asked as she and Saito stopped in front of the sliding door. It was two o'clock in the afternoon and the sky was still pouring water, so she shook her umbrella over the garden plants so as not to wet the inside of the house; grimacing in disgust when she noticed that Okita was still watching her with a similar expression on his face, leaning against the wall behind his back with his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"I don't know, Furukawa-san, but someone will come to tell you soon."

"And do you know what happened to Ibuki-san?" She straightened up, her countenance tense with worry. "Don't tell me that you forced him to follow that barbaric code of yours. If he was forced to cut out his stomach, I swear that-"

"What I know is that you don't want to get involved in the affairs of the Shinsengumi." Saito placed the package inside the room. "The less you see and the less you ask, the more likely it is that you'll enjoy a peaceful stay."

"I don't intend to enjoy a peaceful stay, but to regain my freedom. I didn't run away from the Okiya to become a slave of the Wolves of Mibu." Saito ignored her statement and proceeded to leave the room, so Kohana protested again: "Why did you let Kosuzu-chan go back home? Didn't we run away together? My punishment shouldn't be any different! Why do I have to stay here?!"

However, her questions fell on deaf ears. Saito closed the door and walked away as if the room was completely empty, causing Kohana to tear off the brooch that adorned her obi and throw it on the floor in a fit of rage. The sudden movement of her shoulder blades brought a sharp pain to her injured arm, forcing her to kneel on the dirty skirt of her kimono. She clutched the sling with her opposite hand and cursed through clenched teeth in frustration, unable to hold back the hot tears that ran down her cheeks.

Damned were Okita, Sanjuro, Ba-san, and the father who dragged her into the world! Damned were all those who refused to let her fly! She sobbed bitterly and cradled herself in an attempt to comfort herself when her troubled mind reminded her that she still had an ace up her sleeve, but that it consisted of irreversible actions such as disfiguring her face, severing her arms and legs or, finally, sticking one of her hair ornaments into her neck and putting an end to her pitiful suffering.

Kohana didn't want to die, but she didn't want to live either; especially if it meant facing such a grim punishment as becoming the Shinsengumi's new private attraction. "The Red Heron" was a suffocating environment, yes, but Yumiko and Ba's efficient kenban watched over the safety of their protégés, as well as that of the maikos and shikomis under their care, a guarantee she wouldn't have in the lair of the Shogun's dogs.

Why on earth was she being held at headquarters? Although she didn't rule out the possibility of being caught after her escape, she never believed that she would be prevented from returning to the Okiya. Why did Ba-san decide to get rid of her and pass up the chance to further exploit her to increase the establishment's income? Kohana was neither the first nor the last runaway maiko at Shimabara and she knew that such actions only increased the popularity of the performers who were brought back home after a failed escape attempt.

She pressed her eyelids together, moistened by the tears that flowed like pearls from her eyes, as she realized that she had jumped out of the frying pan to fall straight into the merciless fire of the Demon Vice-Commander and his infamous hellish troops.

It was then that the sliding door opened wide and a beam of light broke into the dark room, illuminating her despair-stricken face.

"I can't believe you're crying." Okita rolled his eyes without letting go of the door's edges. "So it turns out that besides being a coward, you're also a crybaby."

Kohana sat up awkwardly upon recognizing him, rubbing her eyes with the sleeve wrapped around her healthy arm until her skin complained with a nagging sting that colored her cheeks a similar shade to her swollen, reddened eyes. "I'm not crying."

"And on top of that, because of Hajime-kun," he sneered with a grin laden with malice as he dropped his arms next to his body. "Chizuru-chan endured him putting his sword to her neck without complaining, but you're whining because he refused to give you the information you wanted. It may take you a while to get it, Kohana-chan, but your cheap maiko tricks won't work on people like us."

"It wasn't a cheap maiko trick, I have a right to know why I'm being held here."

"Rights? Oh." Okita folded his arms and tapped his chin with the index finger of his right hand, heading to the center of the room with a nonchalant gait. "See, that's the problem, you still don't realize that you committed a crime by running away from the Okiya. From what I heard, your owner refused to pay for our services and that's why we're stuck with you."

"Ba-san refused to pay?" Surprise overrode her previous angst and anger at Okita's presence. "Why?"

"No idea, but we can't release you given your fugitive status and your outstanding debt to the Okiya, so you'll have to get used to our way of life and stop crying like a spoiled brat every time you're denied a whim."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kohana frowned, averting her eyes to avoid sending him to hell.

"Remember how you treated me like a pervert and threatened to jump out of the Okiya's window if I came near you?" He paused briefly. "After you escaped, I understood that you knew there was a tarp waiting for you at the bottom, so you pretended to be frightened to buy time while you sought to appeal to my sympathy and convince me not to come after you." Kohana fell silent, but the way she pursed her lips was enough to confirm his suspicions. "I'd have to be an idiot to take the tears of Kyoto's greatest actress seriously. I'm not filling you in on your status to comfort you, but to make you drop the act and spit out the reason why you were carrying Serizawa's damn fan." He pulled the mentioned weapon out of his haori as he concluded: "I bet you would've attacked me if I got in your way, huh?"

"Just because I know how to defend myself doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to challenge a Shinsengumi captain."

"Smart girl, but what about Tani?" He smiled with macabre pleasure as he pointed to his lower lip. "Your fan gave him a nice scar. If it were up to me I would've sent him to meet his ancestors long ago, but the decision-makers wanted him to be captain, so why should I believe you?"

"You don't have to believe me." Kohana clenched her fists and stared at the ground. "Truth is, I don't know what I would've done if you'd tried to stop me. What happened with Sanjuro-san... it was an act of desperation. I didn't even think, I just... reacted and that was it."

Okita arched his eyebrows, surprised by her sudden honesty. He walked to the other end of the room and subjected her to a deep visual scrutiny before asking: "How did you get the fan?"

"I remember seeing you with the group Serizawa-san used to take to the Okiya." She tilted her face to look at him over her shoulder. "Were you friends?"

"Answer what I asked you."

Kohana sighed, closing her eyes with visible exhaustion as she explained: "Serizawa-san was a lover of imperial culture and traditional values, so he held the profession of maikos and geikos in high esteem. He... was a great poet and artist, but his love for our country wasn't enough to improve his bad temper and what I suspect was an incurable disease that pushed him to drink." She turned to face him. "I pray for Serizawa-san to rest in peace, though I don't mourn his death. He won't commit further misdeeds with which to shame his true self and the ideals he professed in the next world."

Okita smiled with a mixture of irony and disbelief. "Is that why you're in love with Ibuki?"

"What?"

"It's obvious that he appreciates the bastard who enslaved him for a year and you seem to be just as blind as he is."

"Ibuki-san and I are just friends. Besides, he's the guy Kosuzu-chan likes."

"The other maiko?"

"Yes, that's why I asked about his whereabouts." She arched her eyebrows as she added: "Are my feelings part of the interrogation or do you want to know if I'm single?"

"Shut up, you don't ask the questions here." He pocketed the fan again with his eyebrows furrowed over his closed eyes, clicking his tongue at the prisoner's audacity. How could she even think of insinuating such nonsense? He quirked his lips as he realized it was typical of a maiko to evade personal questions with flirtatious or witty excuses.

"But I still want to know something else, Okita-san."

"Did Tani hit your head as well as your arm? I said you don't do the-"

"Did you help Sanjuro-san find me?"

Okita grimaced, determined to deny her the answer but unable to resist the chance to mock Tani's incompetence. "Fortunately for you, I wasn't ordered to pursue you and so you got to enjoy the three days of freedom that Tani granted you. Had I been in charge, I would've arrested you before the sun of the first morning rose."

"Wow..." Kohana pouted, puzzled. "I was convinced otherwise, but it's nice to know that Mibu Wolves keep their promises."

"What are you talking about?"

"You said you wouldn't follow me unless you were ordered to, and you kept your word." She bowed deeply as she muttered: "Thank you."

Okita froze, vacillating between being moved or embarrassed by the gesture. Finally, discomfort won the duel and he resolutely withdrew from the room; causing Kohana to feel even more confused than he was as she watched him disappear into the rain that poured down on the Yagi's inner courtyard.

Saito led Ibuki to Hijikata's office after he regained consciousness. The prisoner gulped when he was greeted by the hardened face of the Vice-Commander, who visually inspected him while he signed some documents on the table that served as a desk. "This is the first time I interrogate a corpse."

"Wait! I, I... can explain it, Hijikata-san!" He dropped to his knees before him, pressing his palms to the floor in a desperate attempt to beg for forgiveness.

"No, you can't." Hijikata shook his head. "Heisuke will have to, since he was the one who claimed that you died during Serizawa's assassination."

"What? N, no! Heisuke-san must've got confused! There was a lot of blood and also several of those creepy creatures scattered in the garden! Maybe... he thought I died along with them!"

"That doesn't make sense, Heisuke said he checked the corpse to verify its identity before burying it. It's obvious he helped you escape and he'll pay for lying to his superiors." He rolled his eyes as he muttered: "I can't believe he thought he'd cheat us by cutting your hair."

"Oh, no, you see...!" Ibuki smiled nervously and pointed a trembling finger at his head. "I actually sold my ponytail to pay the rent on that hideous shack you found us in!" The hairs on his arms stood on end as Hijikata pushed the document aside to pay him his undivided attention.

"I didn't summon you here to discuss your defection from the Shinsengumi. Tell me, what were the missing maikos doing on your property?"

"Huh, it's just that..." Ibuki scratched the back of his neck and bit his lower lip. "Well, you see... I was just trying to-"

"Quickly," he interrupted him, his jaw tense with impatience. "I know you're going to lie so don't waste time crafting your alibi."

"Lie? No, of course not! I... confess I was the one who kidnapped them from the Okiya!"

"What?" Hijikata grimaced, perplexed by the unexpected confession. "You say you deprived them of their freedom?"

"That's right!" Ibuki raised his chin to conceal the panic that caused him an uncontainable access of nausea. "I wanted... to enjoy my freedom in the company of Shimabara's best maikos, so don't take too long to p, punish me accordingly, Hijikata-san!"

Hijikata turned his head softly to the right to fix his gaze on Saito, who was guarding the accused with his usual seriousness. "That's what happened, Saito-san?"

Ibuki turned pale. "W, wait a damn minute! Are you saying Saito-san is aware of everything that happened?!"

"Of course, it's his job to know. I ordered him to keep an eye on the rest of the Okiya workers after Kohana's disappearance and it didn't take him long to identify the accomplice who went to the city's outskirts to meet her leader. The only thing we didn't expect was that you were the one who escorted her to that place. Had you been smarter, you would've taken a boat back home."

"But if he was aware of our hideout then why did he wait for that madman Tani to capture us?! Why couldn't he do it himself and stop that guy from giving us a beating?! Kosuzu-chan and Kohana-san didn't deserve to be treated like criminals!"

"And that's how a kidnapper talks?" Hijikata gave a sly smile. "You aren't fooling anyone, you brat. Why do you want to take the blame for what happened? Do you even know how we punish kidnappers? The only payoff you'll get is that Kyoto's citizens will remember your face after we expose your head on a pike."

"P, please, Hijikata-san! You know that, should I prove myself guilty of kidnapping them, then they could resume their careers without their reputations being harmed by this stupid incident! My punishment... would allow them to keep on climbing the ranks without anyone being able to oppose their will!"

Saito's voice sounded as light as a wind breeze when he finally decided to take the word: "And why are you so sure... that they wish to follow that career path?"

"I, it's not that I'm sure, I just think it's the best course of action! I don't want that old bastard woman who controls the Okiya to throw them out on the street!"

"Why does that matter to you?" Hijikata shook his head. "You always prided yourself on being a selfish jerk, but you were willing to be executed just so they could keep their social position."

"Maybe I don't need to be so individualistic, huh?" Ibuki scratched his head, struggling to hide the blush that came to his cheeks. "Anyone would do the same in my place, Kosuzu-chan is a kind girl who doesn't deserve to suffer like this."

"I'm not a proponent of executing altruistic people, and you, Saito-san? Do you think you'll be able to train this punk to become something close to a warrior?"

"It wouldn't be a problem if he's willing to learn."

"W, WAIT A MINUTE!" Ibuki recoiled so fast that he hit his head against one of the standing lamps, letting out a high-pitched yelp from the impact. "Do you think I'm crazy enough to go back to the Shinsengumi?!"

"You would be insane not to accept, since you'd be executed this very afternoon." Hijikata shrugged. "It's not like you have the right to set any conditions given your status as a deserter and all."

"P, please listen to me, Hijikata-san!" Ibuki pursed his lips when he felt numerous beads of sweat start to slide down his forehead. He couldn't let his nerves get the better of him in a situation as delicate as that, so he breathed in and out several times before explaining: "I can't be... part of your ranks after what you did to Serizawa-san! The way you betrayed him... was a terrifying thing to witness!"

"Serizawa-san got what he deserved." Hijikata frowned. "Even if he hadn't drunk the Ochimizu the shogunate would've ordered his execution at a moment's notice, your master went too far with the whole assaulting upstanding citizens and setting fire to their businesses thing. Don't let the irrational attachment you feel for him blind you to the evils he committed."

"I know his behavior wasn't the best, but he saved my life and I think it's... awful that he left this world in such a violent way."

"If you kill by the sword, you die by the sword, boy. It's time for you to get used to the idea that carrying a weapon in your waist opens you up to becoming someone else's prey."

Saito took the word when the prisoner fell into a long silence; immersed in a tension that was completely understandable to Saito, a man who greatly respected Kondou for helping him escape an unfair imprisonment in the past: "Tani Sanjuro has become a problem that is on its way to wreaking the same kind of havoc that Serizawa-san's presence brought to the group."

"What does that have to do with me?" Ibuki replied, his face hardened with resentment.

"He came close to stabbing Kohana-san just because he got annoyed at her for carrying his enemy's fan. His attitude doesn't align with the values of Bushido."

"I still don't get why Tani's behavioral problems have anything to do with me returning to the Shinsengumi."

"Tani is too unstable to be a captain," Hijikata chimed in. "I asked Saito not to detain the maikos to see how Tani would proceed and, seeing how he behaved like a neurotic baboon in heat, I decided to replace him with you."

"W, what are you saying?" Ibuki's eyes widened. "Are you going to... demote him?!"

"I'd actually prefer to have him executed, but I don't have enough grounds to do so yet." He smiled arrogantly as he added: "The best I can do now is to take away the command power at his disposal, but I must replace him with a swordsman capable of leading the 7th Division. You have a lot to learn, Ibuki, so I'll wait for Saito-san to confirm that you're ready to take his place."

"It's just that... damn it! Not only do you want me to return to the Shinsengumi but also be willing to become captain?! That's... absolutely insane!"

"You know you weren't strong enough to defend those girls," Saito sentenced sternly. "Had you not dropped out of the training I was providing you with before you ran away from the headquarters, rest assured that guy wouldn't have been able to touch a single hair on their heads."

"Are you saying it's my fault they were captured?!"

"I'm saying that the best way for Kosuzu-san not to suffer is for you to become a shield that keeps her away from anyone who intends to hurt her."

"I..." Ibuki bit his lower lip. "I want her to fulfill her dreams, more than anything in the world! Kosuzu-chan deserves a better destiny and I... I'm willing to do my best to help her achieve it!"

"Then stop acting like a crybaby and come back to our ranks," sighed Hijikata, massaging his forehead due to how fed up he was with such negotiations. Sannan used to handle diplomatic talks, but his injured arm had him in a foul mood. "You want to become strong enough to protect that brat and I need an excuse to strip Tani Sanjuro of his captain's duties."

Ibuki took a deep breath, aware that joining the Shinsengumi could not only provide him with the money to buy Kosuzu's freedom, but also give him the necessary combat skills to forcibly remove her from the Okiya should things go sour before he could raise the requested amount. "All right, Hijikata-san," he stated with a bow laden with resolution, "I accept your proposal to join the Shinsengumi."

"Good." His Vice-Commander nodded with both firmness and approval as he ordered: "Get out and don't come back to my office until you can wield a katana."

"Hey, Saito-san," Ibuki asked as he followed his teacher through the Yagi's inner courtyard. He covered his head with his hands to avoid getting his hair wet when he remembered that its short length meant he wouldn't have as much trouble drying it, so he lowered his arms and wrinkled his nose when the water splashed onto his face. "You said earlier that Tani's behavior didn't align with the values of Bushido. Doesn't the Shinsengumi execute members who break the warrior's code? Because if so, Hijikata-san already has sufficient grounds to kick him to the other world."

"I said that his attitude didn't align with the teachings of Bushido, not that he broke the code."

"Well, if you ask me, I think Bushido is absolute bullshit." He instantly regretted his words when he received the sternest look he had ever seen in Saito's eyes, so he hastened to take it back with a nervous smile: "I, I mean! Bushido isn't absolute bullshit, of course not, but... the way they interpret it here? How could he not break the warrior's code after insulting and trying to stab an innocent girl? That... was far from honorable!"

"They resisted the arrest and contempt is a fair reason to employ violence."

"But Tani is an instructor of both Tyokushin Ryu and Taneda Houzouin Ryu styles. Shouldn't he consider the gap in strength between his prisoners and himself before acting? Exceeding as he did should be enough to break the code."

"The laws aren't that specific, Ibuki-san." Saito paused halfway across the garden to contemplate the raindrops slipping on the lustrous leaf of a camellia bush. "Most only cover the general aspects and leave the details to be interpreted as the judge sees fit. I... joined the Shinsengumi after experiencing those kinds of loopholes firsthand."

"Oh, yeah. The guys said you're hiding from justice or something."

"I thought the government had my back and I acted under the mandate of honor, but they ruled in favor of the loser and I was charged with murder. If it wasn't for Kondou-san's kindness... well, I doubt things would have turned out well for me."

"Wow, Saito-san, that sounds like a real pain."

"The Shinsengumi can be both a blessing and a curse, it all depends on how well you play your cards." He turned to give him an imperceptible smile. "If you work hard you'll rise high enough to protect your loved ones. The sword wielded to defend is mightier than the one that serves the selfish desires of those who seek to wrong their adversaries."

"That came out great!" Ibuki smiled back. "Like something out of 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'!"

Saito let his jaw drop a span and looked at Ibuki as if he had floated down from the sky. "Do you know that book, Ibuki-san?"

"Of course! I come from a good home, I'm not a bumpkin like Hijikata-san," he joked, backtracking when the Demon Vice-Commander's wrathful face came to his mind: "B, but don't let him know I said that!"

"I won't." Saito urged him to take shelter from the rain under the wooden eaves that covered the adjoining corridors. "What's your favorite part, Ibuki-san?"

"My favorite? The Battle of Red Cliffs, of course! That Cao Cao bastard was a devil in sheep's clothing!"

"Oh, that's the favorite episode of many readers." Saito nodded with his eyes fixed on the courtyard. "I prefer Guan Yu's death, having the ruler executed by someone he trusted is as frustrating as it is fascinating to read."

"Well... it's not a bad episode. Especially since old Cao Cao dies of a brain tumor after Guan Yu's execution."

"I take it Cao Cao isn't your favorite character."

"Ha! That filthy corrupt geezer isn't anyone's favorite!" His laughter was cut short by the sudden steel that landed inches from his throat. Ibuki stifled a scream as he discovered that Okita Souji was at the other end of the sharp katana that threatened to pierce his larynx.

"I never thought the river would bring you home, Ibuki-kun..." he muttered with an affection that contrasted with the murderousness of his gaze. "I'd kill you if I didn't wonder what was the reason why Hajime-kun didn't do it before."

"Put the sword down, Souji," Saito ordered. "The Vice-Commander spared his life."

"This coward thinks he can just walk in and out of the Shinsengumi as if it were a fishing club?"

"He's under my tutelage. Besides, if you knew the reason for his re-entry you'd be happy to welcome him back."

"Don't presume to know me, Hajime-kun, I'm anything but predictable." He clicked his tongue before putting his katana back in its sheath. "If I let him live it's because I feel like it and that's it."

Ibuki let out a sigh of relief, hiding discreetly behind his teacher in case Okita changed his mind.

"And why did they let him come back?" The newcomer didn't bother to take cover from the rain under the eaves. Saito noticed he was soaked and in a foul mood, but he couldn't figure out why. "Does Hijikata need someone to write his poems for him?"

"I'll tell you later, Souji, it's a delicate matter and anyone could listen to us here."

"Bah, that good-for-nothing Ibuki knows it and I don't... How nice! In no time, I'll end up sweeping the entrance together with Chizuru-chan!"

"Don't be so touchy, I bet you'll be pleased with the Vice-Commander's idea."

"What would've pleased me was to slit that fool Ibuki's throat, but... no way, only those with the name Tani can do what they want in this place." Okita rolled his eyes and walked off toward the kitchen.

"Wow..." Ibuki watched him until he disappeared into the house. "Does he hate Tani too? Hmm, I wonder how he kept him from killing him. Maybe I should ask him to teach me his tricks, I'm sick of having nightmares where Okita turns me into a pincushion."

Saito walked forward down the hallway, indifferent to the odd encounter with his best friend. "Follow me, Ibuki-san, I'll show you the common dormitory where the troops sleep."

"H, hey!" Ibuki hurried to catch up with him. "That's great, Saito-san, but...!"

"But?"

"When will I be able to go to the Okiya to visit Kosuzu-chan? Or Kohana-san! I heard that Tani hurt her arm when she was trying to protect Kosuzu-chan and I'd like to apologize for being a complete inept."

"I don't know the date when you'll be allowed to leave the headquarters, but Kohana-san is captive here so maybe you'll be able to see her later."

"Captive...? Ibuki paused to inspect the surroundings. "W, why? Where is she?"

"I'll take you to her room tomorrow. She asked for you so she'll be glad to see you."

"Oh! That's a relief!" He pouted as he muttered: "The poor girl must feel pretty lonely without Kosuzu-chan, they've known each other since they were kids and have been through a lot of difficult things together. Why on earth would they split them up?"

"Probably to prevent them from planning another escape together."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Ibuki smiled wistfully as he resumed walking. "Never underestimate the power of childhood friends, huh? Who knows how far I'd have come if I'd had the support of someone like that!"

"You won't have to depend on such fickle things as friendship once you've mastered the art of the sword," Saito corrected him with a taciturn expression on his face. "The warrior's path is lonely, but fruitful."

"How can something that forces you to isolate yourself from the world be fruitful? You can't protect friends who aren't even there to support you!"

"You'll understand it when you grow up."

"Huh... of course, Saito-san." Ibuki kept his head low without daring to say anything else, as embarrassed as he was aware of how much he needed to learn about his master's philosophy of life. The samurai's path had just opened like a cherry blossom before him; sublime, but fleeting.

Chapter Text

Autumn, November 26, 1863.

Heisuke walked reluctantly through the muddy streets of Kyoto, losing the capacity to watch for his umbrella to cover him from the rain with every step he took. Hijikata had been clear in ordering him not to expose the haori, the kusari body armor, or the Shinsengumi's protective steel bandana to the elements but, in all honesty, his Vice-Commander's commands were beginning to seem increasingly irrelevant to him.

He frowned gravely as he once again recalled the authoritative and impersonal manner in which Hijikata had informed him that he would be cutting his salary in half to punish him for sparing Ibuki's life and, not content with forcing him to survive on bread and water for the rest of the month, he also forbade him to leave the headquarters except to perform his work duties.

To say he was dissatisfied with the Shinsengumi leadership would have been an understatement. His comrades were gradually drifting away from the ideals they had forged within the honorable walls of the Shieikan; protecting the country's future with their swords had turned into an endless bureaucratic chore that was more akin to a cult of idolatry to the Shogun than the unpretentious group of ronin that emerged from Kondou's dojo.

Heisuke knew Ibuki was a free soul who never wished to be part of a military organization like the Shinsengumi and was only caught up in the gruesome Rasetsu affair because of being Serizawa's servant, so he felt it unfair to force him to rejoin their ranks. The boy should have been painting ukiyo-e woodblock prints at an art academy, not cutting up humans (or creatures that used to be) to make ends meet.

But Hijikata decided to appoint him captain and the gods themselves knew it was impossible to reason with him once he found out he could use someone to fine-tune the Shinsengumi's performance. He sighed as his restless mind wandered back to the reason behind his punishment; without Heisuke, Ibuki might have been executed along with Serizawa and his Vice-Commander wouldn't have been able to train him to replace Tani. So why did he resolve to punish him so harshly?

Military discipline, of course, he replied to himself with a roll of his eyes; the rule that dictated that obedience to one's superiors and the accurate fulfillment of the duties assigned by them should take precedence over one's critical judgment and biases rooted in a sense of friendship or compassion. When had the family that housed him in the dojo morphed into a martial regime composed of bosses and subordinates? Power seemed to be wreaking havoc in the glory-hungry minds of his commanders and Heisuke feared it wouldn't be long before Shinpachi, Sanosuke, or even Okita committed some misdemeanor that would condemn them to the irreparable sentence of seppuku.

He was immersed in such reflections when he reached the poorest area of the Kyoto cemetery, where Chie was crouching in prayer before a stick of incense glowing on the grave of Ume; Serizawa's deceased mistress.

Sannan ordered him to escort her to the headquarters so she could visit her sister, and, while he was grateful to be able to distract himself from the catastrophic course his thoughts regarding the Shinsengumi were taking, he was also dissatisfied with his superiors' insistence that he report the details of their meetings. Hijikata's impatience to get information about Tani and Sannan's strange fixation on Chie's routine and feelings made him more uncomfortable than he dared admit when Sanosuke accused him of using her to his advantage. Back then, he had replied that he would never hurt her, but... was he doing what was necessary to prevent others from doing so by exposing her most precious secrets?

"Heisuke-san?" Chie sat up when she saw him arrive, holding her own umbrella with both hands as she gave him a questioning look. "What are you doing here?"

"Hah! G, good afternoon, Chie-san!" He forced a smile and advanced to bow politely at Ume's grave. "Your father said you were here."

"Will you escort me to the headquarters?"

"Yeah! l, if that's all right with you, of course..." He scratched the back of his neck with a grimace on his lips, alarmed by the suspicion that lingered on Chie's countenance. "W, what's wrong?! Why do you keep looking at me like that?! I'm not a ghost or a corpse that crawled out of the grave!"

Chie laughed softly, covering her mouth with the sleeve of her kimono to conceal the impoliteness of joking in a cemetery. "It's not that," she replied, "I just think it's strange that Dad allowed you to come with me."

"Oh, so that was it..." He rolled his eyes as he folded his arms. "He said, 'Better the devil ronin you know than the devil ronin you don't', so I guess I'm still not his favorite, but he prefers me to the alternative of another Shinsengumi captain escorting you." He pointed to Ume's grave with a slight jerk of his chin as he added: "You do well to visit her, with the bad reputation she earned in life I doubt anyone has prayed for her since the monks arranged the cremation. As far as I know, neither the boys nor the Yagi attended the funeral; let alone the husband she disgraced by moving in with Serizawa."

"I wouldn't say she dishonored him," Chie mumbled with her eyes fixed on the stone tomb through which the rain poured like a waterfall of ownerless tears, "but he to her, and in every possible way."

"What are you talking about?" Heisuke's eyebrows lowered, intrigued by the statement.

"Ume-san made a good impression on me in the few minutes we spent together," she explained, referring to the incident where she defended her from Tani's deranged outburst, "so I asked Mrs. Yuyume to tell me what she knew about her when she came for tea at the restaurant. You see, Mrs. Yuyume is quite a gossip, yes, but she possesses a level of research that borders on the obsessive when it comes to verifying the veracity of the rumors she spreads left and right. If you want to find out about something without bothering to question it, Mrs. Yuyume is the best informant available."

"Ha, you had to say it before," he joked, "we could've hired her for espionage work. Yamazaki-kun could stop having to disguise himself as a granny if we had a real one to do his surveillance."

"The shogunate's enemies would do well not to underestimate Mrs. Yuyume's ability to learn other people's secrets," Chie conceded with a brief smile of agreement before continuing: "Well, she told me that Ume-san was happily married to the owner of a tailor shop until her beauty aroused the envy of her neighbors; who spread the rumor that Ume-san was cheating on her husband with theirs. After finding out, the dude kicked her out of her home; depriving her of all her belongings without listening to a single one of her pleas. A few days later, when hunger was already causing painful knots in her stomach, Serizawa-san offered her to live under his roof in exchange for becoming his mistress." Chie took a deep breath, pausing to close her eyes and concentrate on the sound of the rain falling around her. "Most people considered Ume-san moving in with Serizawa-san as a confirmation of the false rumors of infidelity that haunted her, even though she only moved in with him so she wouldn't end up begging on the streets."

"So that was the reason why her reputation was ruined?" Heisuke asked almost to himself.

"Yeah, I feel so regretful that I didn't get to know her better," she confessed, half opening her eyelids to watch the smoke drifting softly from the incense stick. "I hated her for weeks because of jealousy, but... now I understand why both Tani-san and Serizawa-san fell in love with her. Ume-san... was an extremely strong woman."

Heisuke remained silent, convinced that, despite what he himself believed, Tani Sanjuro never loved Ume. As much as he disliked Serizawa, it was more likely that the unfortunate tailor's wife had aroused those feelings in him, but in Tani? No. Tani was just obsessed with her, just like he was with his stupid lineage or with being Chie's childhood friend.

How could Tani even think he loved her when he tried to murder her with his spear for daring to reject him? His lips curled into an indignant grimace as his gaze rested on the back of Chie's neck; as fragile, soft, and delicate as the petals of the flowers she'd just laid on the grave. The very idea of hurting her was unnatural to him, so he didn't understand-

He forced himself to stop his stream of consciousness, dumbfounded at the unexpectedness of his conclusions. What the hell did Chie have to do with any of that?! I, it wasn't like he was in love with her or something, for God's sake!

"Has there been any progress on the investigation of Ume-san's death?" Chie asked without taking her eyes off the tombstone.

"Huh...? W, what?" Heisuke's eyes widened as he tried to suppress the blush that turned his cheeks purple. "W, what investigation?"

"What do you mean, what investigation?" Chie arched an eyebrow. "Ume-san's!"

"Oh, yeah! That's it! The... investigation!"

"Yeah...?"

Heisuke dragged his hands across his face, struggling to regain his composure. Where were his manners?! The spirits would probably punish him with dozens of ghastly nightmares for behaving like a fool in their place of eternal repose! He cleared his throat without daring to look at Chie, focusing on the sobriety of the gray cobblestones that lined the path. "I don't want to give you gory details on sacred ground... but we're certain that Ume-san died from a series of slashing wounds. We found her in her room a day after Serizawa's murder, though I guess you already know that he died in a bar fight, which means it may or may not be related to her murder."

Chie faced him with a worried frown. "Do you think... Tani-san might've done it?"

Heisuke remained silent, reaching over to give his companion's umbrella a little nudge with his fingertips; since she was letting it fall to the front without noticing it.

"Oh, thank you!" Chie quickly thanked him for his help with a small bow when she noticed that the back of her kimono had gotten wet because of her carelessness.

"Come." He motioned for her to follow him along the stone path that led to the exit. "Let's get going. You'll catch another cold if we don't hurry to the headquarters." Chie nodded without saying anything, so Heisuke resumed the discussion: "We don't have any strong suspects at the moment, but chances are that Serizawa killed her before he died."

"But Tani promised he'd get revenge on her for humiliating him."

"Yeah, but old-fashioned warriors like Serizawa don't usually leave their mistresses alive when they know the Grim Reaper is coming for them; that way they make sure their enemies can't take it out on them when they're no longer able to protect them."

"I see. Sounds... twistedly romantic, huh?"

"Yeah," Heisuke forced a hesitant smile, "a little."

"Would it be bold of me to ask you to keep me up to date on the investigation? Whether Tani is involved or not... I just want for the case to be solved so that Ume-san can rest in peace."

"Sure, no problem. I'll let you know if we find out anything else."

"Thank you, Heisuke-san." Chie gave him a brief smile as they began to walk down the main avenue of the shopping district, which was just as muddy as the rest of the city streets. "By the way... there's something else I want to ask you."

"Huh?" He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, keeping his attention on the road. The last thing he needed was to stumble and fall in the mud like he did in Satoshi-san's greengrocer's shop.

"That thing Nagakura and Harada-san said-"

"Oh, no! No, no!" Heisuke cut her off with wild eyes, waving his free hand to emphasize his objection. "Don't pay any attention to anything Shinpa and Sano-san said!"

"But it's just that-"

"I said don't! I, if you start going on and on about every silly thing they come up with, you'll end up just as crazy as the two of them!"

"You're the one acting crazy!" Chie spat, rolling her eyes. "Why shouldn't I listen to your best friends? Come on, I want to know if all that 'san-this' and 'san-that' stuff was true!"

"But I already told you it wasn't!"

"So it was a fabrication of Nagakura-san's?" Chie pursed her lips. "Because it sounded like something you would say."

"Enough! Don't act like you have a guidebook titled 'Toudou Heisuke's Behavior' tucked under your arm!"

"I'm not doing that!" She pouted as she dodged a puddle. "I was just trying to-"

"Trying to what?!"

"To help you, you idiot!" Chie swung her umbrella with the intention of hitting him, but Heisuke dodged it with agility to spare. "W, why do you always have to complicate everything?! Isn't it the same as when I started calling you Heisuke-san instead of Toudou-san?!"

"How the hell is it going to be the same?!" Heisuke was tempted to throw his umbrella into the mud, but he stopped himself when he remembered that he'd borrowed it from the headquarters and ruining it would give Hijikata more reasons to punish him with further pay cuts. "Don't you realize it'd be absurd for you to call me 'Heisuke-kun'?! I, it's not like we're engaged or anything like that!"

"Well, God forbid we were!" Chie shouted, her face flushed with annoyance. She hurried ahead down the lonely avenue, wishing to lose sight of him, but (to her great frustration), Heisuke caught up with her easily and kept up her pace without speaking to her for several minutes.

They were halfway to the headquarters, walking under the gray clouds from which a fine drizzle was still falling, when Chie muttered: "I don't like how mysterious you've gotten lately."

Heisuke clicked his tongue and replied without taking his eyes off the road: "Who's mysterious? You're the one who gets carried away by Shinpa and Sano-san's cheesy fabrications."

"And what about the time you made fun of what I wrote to Sannan-san?"

"What? T, that has nothing to do with it." His voice softened slightly as he added: "Besides... I wasn't making fun of it."

"What do you mean? You said that Yokai would end up biting my sophisticated, pleasant, and strong Sannan-san while you looked at me as if I were some naive brat writing love letters to a grown man who'd never notice her!"

"Don't blame me for your track record" he replied with a renewed dose of cynicism that brought the sharpness back into the conversation, "after Tani, anyone would think you're into unattainable men."

"Stop it!" Chie stopped in the middle of the street, dropping her arms close to her body until her umbrella's tip touched the muddy ground. She looked up at him with pupils quivering in genuine disbelief as she asked: "What's wrong with you, Heisuke? You're... acting like a jerk."

"I am, aren't I?" He halted in front of her, tossing his own umbrella aside to brush his bangs away from his face with a weary smile. "Sorry, things... haven't been going well lately."

Chie frowned, feeling both resentful and worried. "What do you mean, not going well?"

"Never mind, never mind." He sighed. "The idea was to relax with you for a while, not to insult you in ten different ways."

"Sannan-san is upset with me, isn't he?" Chie moved forward to pick up Heisuke's umbrella, shaking the water off it. "I shouldn't have been so effusive in the letter... I'm sure I made things worse by asking him to become Kohana-chan's kenban."

"Don't worry about it." He took his umbrella when Chie held it out to him without looking at him, surprised that she took the trouble to clean it after how rude he was to her. "Sannan-san is so upset about the state of his injury he would've taken offense even if you'd offered him a trip through time to go back to the day he hurt his arm."

"Are you sure?" Chie asked, still with her back to him.

"If there's anyone I know well, it's Sannan-san." He sighed as he raised the umbrella to take cover under it again, feeling unexpectedly unsure of what he was saying.

"Then why did you get mad at me for writing to him?" She turned slowly on her heels, hiding under the umbrella's brim.

"I, I didn't get mad!"

"Of course you were!"

"Agh! I...!" Heisuke held his head with his free hand, closing his eyes in frustration. "Does it matter why I did it?! Y, you know I always get mad over stupid stuff!"

"So you really were mad." Chie peeked out from under the umbrella, giving him a questioning look. "Why...?"

"W, well... huh..." He pursed his lips, quickly turning his back to her to walk away in the opposite direction. "C, can we talk about it later? Hijikata-san will rip out my toenails and use them to prepare Ishida Sanyaku medicine if it takes me too long to take you to the headquarters!"

"Your... toenails?" Chie shook her head, refusing to ask him what he meant by that. She followed him down the path that became harder to navigate as they left the modern shopping district and entered the residential one, whose houses were enclosed by irregular dirt paths more akin to the natural trails of the forest than the avenues of downtown Kyoto. "All right, we'll discuss it as we walk."

Heisuke rolled his eyes, both fed up and baffled by his companion's insistence. "I said 'later', not 'while we walk'."

"You don't think Sannan-san is sophisticated, pleasant, and strong?"

"What? Of course I do!" He shook his head and gave a shrug of his shoulders. "There's no one as sophisticated, pleasant, and strong as Sannan-san."

"So?"

"So what?" He looked directly at her, frowning and quirking his lips as they both temporarily split apart to avoid stepping into a flooded ditch that stretched along the street.

"If you agree with me, then why did you get mad?"

"Damn it, Chie!" Heisuke restrained the urge to hit his head on his umbrella handle. "What did you have for lunch, Quiz Soup?!"

Chie smiled for the first time since they left the cemetery, joining him at the end of the ditch that disappeared into the distance as they walked. "So what's wrong is for me to think that Sannan-san is sophisticated, pleasant, and strong?"

"I'm not going to answer that." Heisuke pouted. "Nor any of the stupid things you might think to ask. What happened? Were you possessed by an evil spirit who seeks to expose all my secrets to get revenge because I joked in the cemetery?"

"Maybe," Chie hummed, "or maybe it's because I'm beginning to suspect you were jealous of Sannan-san."

"What?! Me, jealous of a tadpole like you fawning over Sannan-san?! Bah, you wish!"

"It makes sense, especially considering your fixation on us calling each other 'Chie-chan' and 'Heisuke-kun'."

"GAH!" Heisuke shouted in exasperation. "You're... awfully annoying! And then you wonder why you can't get a husband!"

"And what does that have to do with it?!" Chie blinked innocently. "Married women can be annoying too!"

"Believe me, none of them can be as annoying as you!"

"You're exaggerating."

"Of course I'm n-" Heisuke forced himself to shut up, frowning upon catching Tani Sanjuro coming out of an adjoining alleyway, walking casually through the mud to join them with a cocky grin on his lips.

"Is it so hard for you to be honest with my dear childhood friend, Heisuke-kun?" he asked, leaning the spear he carried over his shoulder, which was covered by the same Shinsengumi haori Heisuke wore. "Because you like to be called like that, don't you, Heisuke-kun? I know you can't be extremely sincere thanks to Hijikata's military intrigues, but what does it cost you to tell her you're in love with her? I mean, anything's better than calling her a 'tadpole'."

"Shut your mouth and go back where you came from, Tani," he warned him, as determined to safeguard the confidentiality of his mission as he was to prevent his comrade from playing with Chie's feelings again. "I'm not in the mood for your antics."

"And what are you gonna do?" He chuckled. "Beat me and increase the length of your punishment? If you go on like this, you'll end up paying Hijikata for working for him."

"What punishment?" Chie asked. "Why did they punish him?"

"As I said: Is it so hard for you to be honest with her?" His gaze, as gray as the clouds that rolled across the sky, shifted from Heisuke to Chie. "Hijikata punished him for aiding the escape of a deserter. Can you believe he even faked his death by burying the corpse of one of our dead comrades in his place? Heisuke-kun isn't the paragon of honesty you think he is, Chie-chan, if this surprises you I don't want to wonder what you'll think when you find out about his other secrets."

"I said shut your mouth!" Heisuke pushed him with the palms of his hands, hoping to throw him backward into the mud and put an end to his stupid speech, but Tani's chest felt as immovable as the rocks that symbolized mountains in the zen garden of the temple where he grew up. "What?" He gasped, seized by the most sincere confusion. "How-?"

"How could you not move me an inch?" Tani bared his teeth in a condescending smile. "It's because I'm not a wimp like you, Heisuke-kun. You could be on my level if you spent more time training and less time playing around with Shinpa-chicken and Sano-sucker."

"What did you call them?!" Heisuke gripped the hilt of his sword, blinded by outrage, when Chie's hands closed over his wrists; preventing him from drawing and breaking one of the cardinal rules of the Shinsengumi.

"Stop fighting!" Chie begged, quickly interposing herself between the two of them. "What's the matter with you, Tani-san? Why do you insult Heisuke-san's friends? Aren't they your comrades too?"

"He pushed me first," he replied with an impertinent smile. "Honesty shouldn't be an excuse for attacking a 'comrade'. If he can hit me on that pretext, then I can make fun of our other 'comrades' in retaliation. At least I'm not physically assaulting anyone, huh?"

"Get out of the way, Chie!" Heisuke shouted, trying to push her away with his free hand. "No one insults Sano and Shinpa-san under my nose and lives to tell the tale!"

"No!" Chie turned toward him, holding out her arms to stop him from striking his rival. "Are you crazy?! You'll get yourself killed!"

"Don't underestimate me! I can handle Tani and ten more like him!"

"T, that's not what I'm talking about!" She joined her arms together in front of her chest, holding her palms out to signal him to calm down. "If you fight with him... they'll make you cut open your stomach!"

"I don't give a damn! Get out of the way!"

"Well, I do care, so calm down and knock off the bullshit!"

Heisuke slowly lowered his arms, stunned by what he had just heard. Was Chie really willing to shield Tani, the guy who had caused her so much harm, while confronting an armed and enraged ronin... just to prevent said ronin from making a mistake that could condemn him to seppuku? He pursed his lips and closed his eyes painfully, thinking that a liar like him didn't deserve an iota of the affection his defender held for him.

"Be careful, Chie-chan," Tani mocked, "if you keep acting like this you'll make him fall even more in love with you."

Chie turned to look at him with her eyebrows furrowed over her crimson eyes. "Don't you have anything productive to do, Tani-san? You're wearing your uniform, so I guess you're neglecting your work duties."

"Oh, how formal." Tani looked down at her with a distant expression. "Are you still upset about what happened that afternoon with Ume-san? You should be more patient with me, Chie-chan, that was the last chance I had to talk to her and no one seems to care about how bad I've been feeling since she died."

"And that's why you decided to approach us? Because forgive me for being suspicious, but your brother talked to me about the aftermath of losing a loved one, and insulting Heisuke-san and his friends doesn't seem to be a natural stage of the grieving process."

"Mantaro-kun doesn't know as much about mental health as he likes to think he does." Tani huffed when Heisuke bent down to pick up the borrowed umbrella he dropped during the scuffle. "Ume-san would probably still be alive if this bastard midget hadn't butted in on the argument we had at the headquarters, so don't blame me for holding a grudge."

"Heisuke-san isn't to blame for what happened!" Chie replied. "If it weren't for him... you would've hurt not only her, but me too!"

"No, no. A girl like you doesn't know anything about weapons, I was just trying to give her a scare; a... little lesson."

"And it turns out I am the liar?" Heisuke stood next to Chie with his eyelids half closed in disgust. "Stop twisting shit around to make yourself look good, Tani. You're one of the main suspects in her murder and trying to implicate others only makes you look guiltier."

"Twisting shit around?" Tani covered his mouth to stifle the laughter that came to his lips, hunching slightly to get to the same height as his teammate. "Chie and I are childhood friends and that's something that eats you up inside, doesn't it, Heisuke-kun?"

"What the hell does that have to do with Ume-san's murder?"

"I bet a bastard of your ilk didn't have a single friend growing up."

"Stop it, Tani-san!" Chie raised her fists, helpless at the threat of another fight, but Heisuke remained unfazed by the provocation.

"Maybe not, but I have them in the present and that's all that counts."

"You think so?" Tani gave him an enigmatic look that Heisuke failed to understand. "Well, I hope you still believe that after Hijikata sentences you to commit seppuku and no one does anything to stop it."

"Nobody? A, are you so thick as to believe Shinpa and Sano-san would stand idly by while I'm forced to take my life?!"

"I don't know, what do you think? After all, you know them better than I do."

"I..." Heisuke let his shoulders slump, disturbed by a question he didn't dare answer.

"By the blessed Amaterasu-sama! Why can't you ever behave yourself, Tani-san?!" Chie shouted as the captain of the Shinsengumi's 7th Division spun on his heels and walked away in the opposite direction, vanishing into the rain just as quickly as he had arrived. "Your way of coping with grief is... a total disaster!" She turned around, concern written all over her face as she asked: "Hey, Heisuke-san. Are you all right?"

"All right?" He laughed softly, his expression more akin to disappointment than the nonchalance he was trying so hard to convey to her. "Of course I am. I told you before that people like Tani find a gruesome pleasure in crushing the weaker ones, but... he's dead wrong if he thinks I'm not as strong as he is."

"Of course he's wrong." Chie lightly patted him on the shoulder before starting to walk toward the headquarters. "Come on, you said your boss would rip your toenails out if you took too long to escort me, and we've already been held up too long because of Tani-san."

"W, wait!" Heisuke took a short run to catch up with her, blinking repeatedly after resuming walking. "You really... think I'm as strong as him?"

"Oh, w, well... you're both Shinsengumi captains, aren't you? That... has to mean something," she muttered from under the umbrella over which a thick curtain of rain was pouring. "Now can I ask you something myself?"

"Huh?" Heisuke grimaced. "Agh! Again with the questions?"

"It's not my fault you won't tell me anything."

Heisuke closed his eyes and sighed as they both reached the residential neighborhood's gate. "Maybe... I've been keeping a lot of things to myself lately."

"Maybe? In the last few minutes, I've learned that you were punished for saving a deserter's life and passing off a corpse as his, that there are certain 'military intrigues' that prevent you from being 'extremely sincere' with me, that you have 'other secrets' that would shock me if I knew them, and," she added with a sly little smile, "that you also seem to be in love with me?"

"WHAT?!" Heisuke got so upset that he slipped several times on the spot, being inches away from falling into the mud, a disaster he avoided by holding on with both arms to the wooden gate that covered them from the rain. "The last one isn't true! It's not and it won't e, ever be! I swear it... on Shinpa-san's muscles!"

Chie laughed again, picturing how strange Shinpachi would look without his muscles, when her mouth contorted into a panicked gesture as she noticed that Heisuke had once again dropped his umbrella so he could hold onto the pillar. "Oh no!" She bent down to pick it up, shaking it without managing to remove the numerous mud stains that covered what had once been a beautiful koi carp pattern. "You just ruined this beautiful umbrella! Don't you know how expensive they are at the market?!"

"NO! The umbrella! Hijikata-san will take me to the firing squad!" Heisuke let go of the pillar, lunging forward to grab the umbrella that threatened to kick him into the next world, but the sudden movement was enough to make him lose his balance and fall face-first to the ground, ending up in worse condition than the object he had been entrusted to keep in optimal condition.

"Oh no! Heisuke-san!" Chie extended her free hand to help him to his feet, but Heisuke refused the courtesy, shaking his head as he wiped his face with his uniform sleeve (a uniform that, he thought with disgust, he was also ordered to keep away from the elements).

"This day," he stated as he brushed his soaked bangs away from his face, "couldn't get any more crappy."

"Don't worry, Heisuke-san." Chie helped him up despite his complaints, holding the umbrella handles under her arm to hold onto the pillar with her free hand and keep Heisuke's weight from pulling her down with him. "I'll lend you mine and... we'll pass it off as the one you borrowed from the headquarters!"

"What?" Confusion prevented him from refusing her help, so he stood up to give her a puzzled look as he protested: "Are you crazy? They have different designs, Hijikata-san will find out that we exchanged them!"

"Of course not." Chie rolled her eyes. "No Vice-Commander has enough free time to remember the designs of the umbrellas he lends his soldiers."

"I can tell you don't know Hijikata-san." Heisuke gulped as he adjusted his bandana. "He's so perceptive he doesn't need free time to notice details like that."

"I bet you a free order of tempura he won't!" She hung onto his arm with a confident smile and Heisuke let himself be dragged away due to the shock. Wasn't she worried about getting her kimono muddy by holding him so tightly? "Looking the way you do, we can improve your reputation by telling him that you saved me from being assaulted by a lecherous ronin who tried to prey on me in the cemetery!"

"Who? Tani?"

"No! A random ronin!"

"That's crazy." Heisuke couldn't hold back the smile that came to his lips as they approached the headquarters. "You're underestimating Hijikata-san. You can't pass off a fall as a fistfight when it comes to him and his devilish hawk eyes."

"Of course I can!" Chie lowered her voice to avoid being overheard by the soldiers guarding the entrance. "Just let me give you a punch or two and you'll see how he won't know the difference!"

"Your silly little girl punches won't make any difference."

Chie tried to punch him lightly on the shoulder, eager to prove her strength, when the two guards left the gate to meet their superior and the freckled visitor who accompanied him.

"Captain Toudou-san!" exclaimed the taller one, noticing the appalling appearance of the newcomer. "Are you all right?!"

"Of course I am, Miura-san." He waved his hand to downplay the matter before adding: "And I already told you that you can call me 'Heisuke', there's no need for formalities between comrades-in-arms."

"Were you ambushed on the road, Captain Toudou-san?!" asked the shorter one, ignoring the request that his Division Leader had just made to him.

Heisuke opened his mouth to deny the assumption, but Chie's smiling and expectant expression forced him to reflect for a moment that seemed eternal to his subordinates.

"Sir!" Miura called out to him, wondering if his captain had been hit in the head during the incident. "Was it the Choshu?!"

"No. It was only one guy, at the cemetery. Just a common deviant who tried to prey on Miss Furukawa, but the wetness of the terrain gave him some... combat advantage." He gave Chie a resigned look after finishing what he said, rolling his eyes as Miura and Takahashi began to loudly congratulate him for "beating a Choshu pig in his own pigsty".

In his opinion, the only pig was himself and all the falsehoods he spewed out since becoming a Shinsengumi spy, but the happiness that overcame Chie's face at hearing him use her alibi was worth every damn lie. If he had to twist the facts to secure his position in the group and continue to indirectly protect Chie... then he'd lie until the last of his days.

Chapter Text

Green.

Vibrant and bright green.

Green, like the leaves of the leafy willow tree that grew next to her old home.

Kohana drew in a deep breath as she stepped under its shade and filled her hungry lungs with Edo's warm air, releasing it sharply in a high-pitched cry of happiness. She whirled around with her arms outstretched, bursting into laughter as the white and light blue sleeves of her kimono hovered like seagulls around her; soaring across the firmament that stretched, infinite, before her feet.

She was home! Home again! A piece of heaven beyond the reach of Shimabara, the Shinsengumi, and all the shadows that inhabited Kyoto's unholy corners.

In Edo... everything was perfect. In Edo... everything was fine.

"Kohana-chan!" Her mother's face shone brighter than the sun when she called out to her from the family garden. "Come!" She wiped the sweat from her face with the back of her hand. "If you behave yourself, I'll teach you how to harvest Kabocha pumpkins!"

"Mom?!" Kohana's heart leaped inside her chest. She wanted to run to her, but her body froze in surprise and she had to settle for frantically moving her eyes from one point to another, eager to catch every detail of her mother's appearance. The blonde hair that stuck out from under the white headscarf that covered her head, the freckled cheeks (so much like Chie-chan's), the green kimono; vibrant and bright green; green, like the leaves of the leafy willow tree that grew next to-

"Oh, it can't be!" Her mother pouted, putting her hands on her hips as she exclaimed: "The crows pecked them again!"

The crows.

"NO! MOM!" Kohana felt a rush of absolute terror as a flock of black birds descended on the family orchard, suffocating her mother until she disappeared under the oppressive embrace of their inclement wings. "No, stop it! Leave her alone!" Her despair shattered the paralysis of her body and she stumbled toward her mother, crying in frustration as the fabric of her kimono became entangled in her limbs; causing her to stumble and sink into a darkness as dense as the feathers that overtook every inch of her vision.

"Furukawa-san! Furukawa-san!" A member of the Shinsengumi bowed repeatedly in front of her. The boy's dark hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail and he wore a white hakama over a kimono that was close to the color of salmon flesh. "Please wake up! You're... having a nightmare!"

"A nightmare?" Kohana tried to steady her labored breathing, sitting down gently on the floor where she had fallen asleep. "I see."

"Would you like a cup of tea?" The boy pointed to the tray lying between the two of them, but cut off his own question with another bow: "I mean, I should first apologize for entering your room without permission, Furukawa-san! It's just that I heard you screaming and I was afraid that-"

"That one of those bastards might have tried to hurt me?"

"Huh... Yes!" He nodded his head emphatically before sticking his forehead to the floor again, "But that doesn't necessarily describe the Shinsengumi's general behavior! Our senior members are very respectful to women, it's just that... there are some new people in the group who need to adjust to the Bushido's behavioral code!"

"No wonder, everyone knows that the Shinsengumi hires any brute who can wield a club." Kohana carefully analyzed the features of her companion, noticing the delicacy of his features. His hands, free of calluses or scars, seemed more adept at preparing flower arrangements than scrubbing floors or fighting street brawls, so she narrowed her eyes as she asked: "Who are you?"

"Oh! My name is Yukimura Chizuru, excuse me for not introducing myself earlier!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yukimura-san." Kohana paid her a little bow. "Are you the Yagi's maid?"

"M, maid?!" Chizuru went pale, terrified at the prisoner's insight. "Y, you're wrong, Miss Furukawa! I'm a working member of the Shinsengumi, not a maid!"

"A female member of the Shinsengumi?" Kohana blinked, genuinely surprised. "Wow, looks like the Mibu Wolves are as innovative as the rumors say."

"No! I'm not a woman!" Chizuru frowned as she pointed to the kodachi sword at her waist. "Can't you see my sword and the awful clothes I'm wearing? I, I also wear my hair tied up like a boy and-"

"No man I know bases his masculinity on his hairstyle or the 'awfulness' of his wardrobe." Kohana laughed as she lifted her corresponding cup of tea to her lips. "I can't say the same about their blatant obsession with swords, though."

"Please, Furukawa-san!" Chizuru pleaded as she pressed her palms together before her chest. "Don't tell anyone about this! It's supposed to be a secret, and... I'm afraid of what might happen to me if the public finds out that I'm part of the squad!"

"Don't worry, Yukimura-san," she assured her seriously, "I'm not a gossiper."

"Really?" Chizuru released the air that had been stuck in her throat, breaking into a weak smile of relief as she muttered: "You don't know how much I appreciate it, Furukawa-san!"

"You have nothing to thank, it's the least I can do to repay you for bringing me some breakfast." She sighed after holding a slice of Daikon radish with her chopsticks and eagerly shoving it into her mouth. "These brutes haven't given me anything to eat since I got to the headquarters."

"What?" Chizuru looked around the room, noticing that it was completely empty except for the belongings Kohana brought with her. "They didn't even give you a futon?"

"No," Kohana answered with a full mouth, pointing to the bearskin she was sitting on as she explained, "I had to sleep on this coat that a customer gifted me, which is a pity because I was hoping to exchange it for a good amount of money after escaping, but the dampness of the floor seems to have spoiled it and I know I won't be able to sell it for even a tenth of the original price."

"Miss Furukawa..." Chizuru muttered, her lips tight with worry, "may I know why you escaped from the Okiya?"

"Hmm?" Kohana gave a mocking snort. "Doesn't the girl who disguises herself as a samurai know?"

"I adopted this identity to find my father, but I don't think Furukawa-san's actions stem from the same motive as mine."

"Your father?"

"Yes, Yukimura Kodo, an Edo physician who served the shogunate before he disappeared." She sighed as she asked: "I suppose you don't know him, do you?"

"It's the first time I've heard his name." Kohana popped another slice of radish into her mouth. "You said he worked for the shogunate. Did you join the Shinsengumi to investigate the military unit where he disappeared?"

"Huh, it's actually a bit more complicated than that. Me joining the Shinsengumi wasn't... part of the original plan," she admitted with a nervous smile, "but fate led me to this place after I left my home in Edo and... well, let's just say that my father's brief stay in the headquarters is the last reliable clue I have."

"That's a pity..." Kohana raised her eyebrows as she muttered: "I'm not surprised that we're both rebellious Edo women, though our motivations for running away from home couldn't be more different."

"Would you be so kind as to tell me what yours is, Furukawa-san?"

"It's not half as altruistic as yours," she clarified, thinking she would never go into the Mibu Wolves' nest to rescue her selfish old father. "I was just sick of dancing, singing, and performing for others."

"And that's why you ran away from the Okiya?"

"Yeah, my idea was..." She took another sip of tea before mumbling: "I don't know, maybe go back to Edo and get a job on a farm or something."

"Oh." Chizuru blinked politely, futilely attempting to conceal the surprise that raised her eyebrows until they disappeared under her bangs.

"Yeah, I know it's not the ideal profession for a future geiko."

"W, well... it's a bit strange, yes, but at least it would reduce the chances of being found by your pursuers." Chizuru clenched her fists on her hakama's lap. "No one would look for Shimabara's most successful artist in a godforsaken orchard!"

"That's what I thought... though I don't know if I'll ever be able to put that theory to the test anymore." Kohana stared at the slice of radish she held halfway between her mouth and the plate.

Chizuru leaned her torso forward, eager to improve the prisoner's mood. "But whether it's a good hiding place or not, do you like Edo's country life?"

"Huh?"

"Edo people regularly come into contact with nature, so I wouldn't be surprised if you miss it. My father and I had a small vegetable patch at our house, you know? We used part of the harvest for food and the rest to prepare herbal medicines."

"What area of Edo are you from, Yukimura-san?"

"From downtown, although my father and I didn't use to associate much with the neighbors," she explained with a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "My father... he's a bit on the wary side."

"It makes sense, working for the shogunate is a delicate matter."

"Yeah, maybe that was the reason..." Chizuru hurried to change the subject when the thought of her father brought tears to her eyes. The prisoner might have discovered her identity, but that didn't mean she'd allow herself to cry like a little girl in front of her: "So, Furukawa-san... Do you miss living in a place as remote as Edo?"

"Yes..." she admitted as her mind replayed the dreamlike scene of her mother working in the family orchard. "I can't deny it was a peaceful way of life that I'd like to experience again."

"I don't blame you." Chizuru smiled, nodding enthusiastically as she exclaimed: "I can't wait to go back to Edo with my father either!"

"You should hide your feminine mannerisms better," Kohana advised, "men your age tend to be a bit more... coarse in expressing their feelings."

"Oh! Does Furukawa-san think that... my behavior is too noticeable?"

"Maybe you can fool those who are too busy to notice you, but your identity will become obvious to someone who grew up among women like me. The way you sit, for example, reveals that you were raised as a well-bred woman."

"The... way I sit?" Chizuru squirmed on the spot, blushing as she realized she'd never thought that something so simple could give away her condition. "Do men sit differently?"

"Certainly." Kohana put the breakfast tray away and reached over to spread her knees apart with her fingertips. "Your legs are too close together and your back is too straight." She pushed her head down, twisting her lips as she noticed that Chizuru's new position looked more like that of a tired old man than a teenage ronin. "Rest your open palms on your thighs and stick your elbows out to appear more dominant and confident. Don't be afraid to make prolonged eye contact and stop apologizing so much; any gesture of submission will highlight your femininity and jeopardize your façade."

"Oh, my goodness." Chizuru grimaced nervously, fighting the urge to sit back down as usual. "This is so awkward... I feel like I'm imitating Hijikata-san."

"Hijikata-san?"

"The Vice-Commander."

"If you consider him manly enough, then imitate him in every way you can."

Chizuru blushed again as she thought that Hijikata was not only the most manly man she knew, but also the most attractive, but shook her head to drive that inappropriate musing from her mind; giving Kohana a determined look as she declared: "I'll give it a try! Thank you very much for your advice, Furukawa-san!"

"I already told you that you have nothing to be thankful for, I'm the one who's thankful that you brought me breakfast." Kohana bowed a little. "Thank you for the food, it was delicious. Did you cook it?"

"Yes, the Shinsengumi put me in charge of the cooking and cleaning of the headquarters."

"With your feminine appearance, they must have put you to do similar tasks to theirs. I heard them practicing kenjutsu a while ago, don't you train with them?"

"No." Chizuru pouted, fully aware of how badly she wanted to test the combat knowledge her father had passed down to her, but completely convinced that Hijikata would never allow her to measure her strength against any of the members of the ronin group. "They want me to go unnoticed, so it would be unwise for me to engage in physical activities that would draw too much attention to my body."

"I see, I hadn't taken that detail into account." Kohana sighed as she added: "I just wanted to make sure those guys didn't take advantage of your kindness, they've been nothing but rude to me so I wouldn't be surprised if they put you to cleaning from sun up to sun down."

"Take advantage? Oh no!" She smiled. "At first everyone called me 'Ibuki-kun' because they seemed to be amused by the idea of me replacing the servant who ran away before my arrival, but they dropped it after a few weeks. I bet they'll treat you more respectfully once they get acclimated to your presence in the headquarters."

"Ibuki-san..." Kohana blinked. "Hey! Do you know if he's safe?"

"Safe?"

"Yeah! They didn't force him to cut his stomach, did they?"

"No, I don't think so." Chizuru held her chin in thought. "I think I saw him walking in the garden with Saito-san, though I could be wrong. It was stormy and their figures weren't easily distinguishable in the rain."

"Could you find out what happened to him? The uncertainty is driving me crazy."

"Of course." She held the tray as she sat up. "I'll let you know the truth as soon as I find out."

"Thank you, Chizuru-chan." Kohana turned to rummage in the trunk where her belongings lay. "We women must support each other, so let me repay your kindness with a gift." She showed her a delicate kimono of light blue, white, and blue hues where a flock of seagulls flew over a snowy beach. "Here, it's the least I can give you as a gesture of my friendship."

Chizuru was stunned by the motifs that adorned the garment. "Oh, no! I, it's beautiful, but... I couldn't accept it!"

"What do you mean, you couldn't? You'll hurt my feelings."

"It's just that I've never owned such a fancy kimono!" She sat back down to examine it, pursing her lips as she remembered that the Shinsengumi's rules forbade its members from saving money for personal purposes. But... she wasn't an official member of the group, was she? Besides, a garment couldn't be considered 'money' either. "Is it silk?"

"Yeah, I know they're not widely worn in Edo and you don't have the chance to wear it now either, but maybe you can wear it once you find your father and go out to celebrate your reunion?"

"Do you think..." Chizuru muttered as her fingers dug into the kimono's fabric, "...that I'll manage to find him someday?"

"Why not?" Kohana patted her hands before pushing the garment in her direction. "Kyoto isn't as big a city as those from the capital like to brag about."

"But you could sell this beautiful kimono for a lot more money than the coat you're sitting i-"

"Kohana-san! Are you all right?!" Ibuki called out as he dramatically pushed aside the door that separated Kohana's room from the Yagi's inner garden. "I heard they hadn't provided you with anything to eat so... so...!" His face reddened and the words got stuck in his throat when he noticed Chizuru's presence. "Huh... Y, Yukimura-kun! I, I didn't know you were here!"

"I think we figured that out," Kohana teased, standing up to offer him a bow filled with relief. "Ibuki-san... I just asked Chizuru-chan for news of you. I'm so glad to see you're okay."

"Yeah, haha." He scratched his head and pouted as he looked at the soba noodle tray he carried with him. "Same here, though I see Yukimura-kun already brought you something to eat."

"Never mind." Kohana took it out of his hands, going to sit on her coat to hold the chopsticks with her healthy hand and tangle them in the hot noodles. "It's the first time in years where I can eat whatever I feel like without Yumiko-san telling me I'm going to get fat as an ox."

"I'll leave you two alone to catch up." Chizuru sat up with a cordial smile but Kohana stopped her to hand her the package containing the kimono she had purposely left on the floor.

"Don't leave without it," she said confidently, "you'll need it for when you go out to celebrate with your father."

"Oh..." Chizuru breathed in to hold back the tears that came to her eyes again, making a sharp bow in which she tried to imitate Hijikata as much as possible before quickly losing herself outside. "Thank you, I promise I'll take good care of it!"

"That guy..." Ibuki muttered with his eyes fixed on Kohana's sling, "...Tani Sanjuro. He did that to you, didn't he?"

Kohana nodded, her countenance darkened by disappointment. "Yeah... I still can't believe Sanjuro-san dared to hurt me like that." She clutched her bandaged arm as she whispered: "I... used to love him like an older brother, but... I guess that's all in the past for him."

"It's a pity he's become a jerk." Ibuki let his shoulders slump. "Thanks for standing up for Kosuzu-chan. I should've done it myself but... we both know I'm a complete loser."

"Don't say that." Kohana frowned as she chewed on a serving of noodles. "Sanjuro-san threw you against that fence harder than the typhoon would have."

"Bah, someone like Okita or Saito-san could've withstood the impact."

"Don't cry over spilled milk, what's done is done. Now we must think of a way to escape from here."

"Escape?" Ibuki blinked wide-eyed. "W, wait! We can't do that! Hijikata-san will kill us!"

"I want to see him try," Kohana replied through her full mouth.

"Don't be stupid! Do you have any idea how hard is to escape from the headquarters?! Besides, I can't leave! I... made a promise to Saito-san!"

"A what...?"

"A promise!" Ibuki raised his chin resolutely, clenching his fists over his lap as he explained: "I joined the Shinsengumi to be trained by Saito-san and become the next captain of the Shinsengumi's 7th Division!"

"That can't be!" Kohana let out a high-pitched, mocking laugh. "What the hell do you want to become captain for after all it took for you to escape from this place? What happened to your plans to marry Kosuzu-chan?"

"M, marry?!" Ibuki fell on his back, kicking Kohana's bowl of noodles and sending it flying through the air. "I, I never said that I'd... that I'd do anything like that!"

The prisoner narrowed her eyes, overcome with annoyance at being deprived of the food that now lay scattered on the floor. "Whatever! Joining the Shinsengumi has nothing to do with what we planned!"

"O, of course it does!" Ibuki quickly sat up. "If I become captain then I can raise enough money to get her out of that filthy brothel!"

"The Okiya is not a brothel!"

"Whatever!" He rested his palms on his thighs and leaned forward, struggling to explain his reasons without exposing how he felt about Kosuzu. "Listen... no one will pay me for being a fugitive, but I can do something for her in this position! Or do you think we'll be lucky enough to get her out of the Okiya a second time?! That demonic old woman you all call 'mother' can overlook her own need to eat and sleep when it comes to watching over Kosuzu-chan!"

"I... I know," she muttered spitefully. "It's just... that whole becoming a captain thing is going to take some time, isn't it?"

"I think so."

"Hmm." Kohana sighed. "Does that mean I'll have to stay here until you make it?"

"Well, I..." Ibuki straightened his back. "I don't know. I wish I could get you out, but..."

"Yeah, I know it's impossible."

"Forgive me, Kohana-san." He let his head fall forward. "I must admit I wasn't thinking of you when I agreed to become Saito-san's student. I just wanted to... do my best to get Kosuzu-chan out of the Okiya."

"It's okay." Kohana dismissed the apology with a brief wave of her healthy hand. "You don't have to apologize for doing the right thing, I also want Kosuzu-chan to regain her freedom."

"I know this will be tough for you, but I'll do my best to convince them to give you the food and blankets you need."

"Don't worry..." Kohana muttered with her eyes lost in the spilled bowl of noodles, remembering the countless times Yumiko-san threw her food into the street as punishment for forgetting a song's verse. "I've been worse."

"Good afternoon, Hijikata-san," Chizuru greeted as she put her forehead on the floor, "I'm relieved you decided to grant me another interview."

"Why did you bring that tray with you?" He asked from the desk where he was reading several documents that were piled around him.

"Oh, it's just that... I thought you might take advantage of our conversation to have a cup of tea. You've been working for hours... non-stop."

"Leave it out, this isn't a damn tea party."

Chizuru wasn't surprised by the Vice-Commander's lack of manners. After all, he had behaved with the same impertinence at their last meeting, so it was to be expected that any attempt to oppose his wishes would prove futile. The only thing she'd accomplish by offending him would be to have him slam the door in her face.

"All right." She left the tray outside before entering the room. "I apologize for interrupting you while you're bus-"

"Apologies won't make up for lost time."

"In that case... I'll stop bothering you with my apologies." She couldn't let Hijikata's bad mood get to her. If she intended to request his help, then it was absolutely necessary that she make a good impression. "Your office is very elegant. Is that a library?"

"It's a piece of furniture where books are kept, Yukimura, you can decide if that aligns with your concept of a library or not."

Chizuru approached the volumes, eager to find a common theme to break the ice between the two. "I'm surprised that Hijikata-san has a penchant for reading haiku poetry."

The last word chimed like a sharp bell in the back of Hijikata's mind and his eyes reflexively shifted to his guest. The color drained from his face as he caught sight of the small book of poems that Chizuru held in her hands half-hidden by the men's kimono in which she concealed her feminine figure.

Of all the volumes at her disposal... she had to choose the one he had authored.

"Leave that where it was. I don't think you share my literary tastes." He tried to remain calm despite his urge to throw the damn book out the window. Publishing his poetry anonymously was one thing, but allowing someone to criticize it in his presence was quite another. Hell! He wasn't using a pseudonym for nothing!

"Hogyoku-san is a good author," Chizuru continued without paying him a drop of attention, pleasantly surprised to find the poems of one of her favorite writers in such an unexpected place. "He's been criticized a lot since he started writing, but it's because he has a simple and honest style that sets him apart from the rest of the stilted authors everyone is used to reading."

"Tell me you didn't come here to babble about literature, Yukimura."

"Oh, of course not!" She excused herself with a shy smile, happy to note that she'd managed to make eye contact with him. "It's just that Hogyoku-san writes about peach blossoms, spring breezes, and stolen kisses at night festivals. That sort of thing... it's something we girls like a lot, but most literary critics are men who tend to dismiss our interests as vain and stereotypical."

"I told you I don't want to hear anything about-"

"I bet Hogyoku-san is a girl," she resolved with a slight nod of her head. "Otherwise, how could she write so sensitively?"

"W, what do you say?" Hijikata struggled to hide the grimace of dismay that distorted his face. "H, how could he be a... girl?"

"Do you think it's a man?" Chizuru pursed her lips. "Because I've never heard one talk like that."

"S, shut that thing and tell me what you wanted to speak to me for." He massaged his temple as he lied: "After all, it's not even mine, the library belongs to the Yagi family and you'll have to deal with them if you ruin a single page of that stupid book."

"It's just that... I'm afraid Hijikata-san will reject my request before allowing me to explain the reasons behind it."

"You shouldn't judge people before giving them a chance to prove their character." He sat up straight, giving his full attention to the daughter of Yukimura Kodo; the man who supplied them with the Ochimizu and unleashed most of the troubles that plagued the Shinsengumi. "Feel free to make any requests you wish, but don't try to pretend you like that trashy poetry to get my approval," he said with a hint of contempt, frustrated at how little admiration his writings used to receive.

"But if I wasn't lying!" Chizuru held the book to her chest. "I really like Hogyoku-san's poetry."

"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes, unable to believe his ears. "Spit out the damn request before I get bored of waiting and decide to resume my duties."

"All right." She took a deep breath before continuing: "I'm here because I was assigned to attend to Miss Furukawa and-"

"What happened? The brat already gave you trouble?"

"Huh...? N, no! Not at all! I'm just... concerned about her comfort."

"Curious considering she already managed to tarnish the Shinsengumi's reputation," he sneered. "The runaway maikos said they left the establishment with a special permit and the Aizu Magistrate accused us of illegally arresting them, which is idiotic considering they're employees of one of Shimabara's most well-known Okiyas." He curled his lips into a cynical smile as he added: "The Magistrate is a conservative guy who'll never admit how much he knows about the red-light district; even with the landlady's complaint and no trace of the fucking made-up permit, he decided that arresting them was an 'unconscionable' action and that sending them back to the Okiya would suffice. We wouldn't have to deal with Furukawa if it weren't for a farcical arrangement the owner agreed to with Kondou-san, so don't blame me for not welcoming her with open arms."

"I understand that Furukawa-san and her companion caused the Shinsengumi a lot of trouble," she conceded. "But isn't it rude to treat her so harshly? She wasn't given a futon to sleep on or anything to eat for a whole day. Maybe being nice to her will improve the Magistrate's bad impression of the Shinsengumi?"

"Niceness? To that ungrateful brat?" Hijikata clicked his tongue, uncomfortable at hearing her repeat Kondou's and the tayu of 'The Red Heron's' reasoning. "She should be thanking me for keeping Tani from stabbing her instead of wasting her time looking for allies to turn against us."

"No, no." Chizuru shook her head. "Furukawa-san didn't try to turn me against anyone. She just... seemed to be having a really hard time, you know? She was really hungry and told me about how much she longs to go back to her home in Edo."

"Edo?"

"Yes, she said she was tired of entertaining customers at the Okiya. She apparently escaped to fulfill her dream of living on a farm."

"A farm," Hijikata repeated the word with the same expression that would have graced his face had he been served a mud pie in a restaurant. "I've never heard anything more stupid."

"I was surprised too, but..." She sighed. "Furukawa-san never chose to be a maiko, Hijikata-san. We Edo people tend to feel at home in nature, and Kyoto couldn't be more different from our home."

"Not all of us are what we want to be."

"Why do you say that?" Chizuru looked away, distracted by the golden leaves of the Chinese elm growing outside the office. "I heard you used to deliver medicine in Edo until you decided to change your fate."

Hijikata huffed, as pleased that rumors of his determination were spreading through the Shinsengumi ranks and cementing his leadership of the group, as he was overwhelmed by the pressure that came with such a reputation. Should he fail... every compliment had the potential to become a rebuke; a mortifying taunt like those that accompanied his endless years as a peasant.

"That's beside the point." The Vice-Commander waved a hand in the air to downplay the objection. "You're wasting your time. There's nothing you can do or say to change my mind, Yukimura, our meeting is over."

"But, Hijikata-san! All I ask is that you show Furukawa-san a little consideration! You can't hold such a grudge as to deny her a bed or a simple bowl of soup!"

"Ask Gen-san to find something for you to do." He turned his eyes to the papers lying on his desk, ignoring the anguish that darkened his visitor's face. "It's not the first time that idleness has led you to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

Chizuru stood up, resigned to yet another defeat in the eternal war she was waging against the man who had delayed the search for her father (diminishing her chances of finding him alive) by keeping her in the Shinsengumi headquarters. No wonder they called him the Demon Vice-Commander! Talking to him was like negotiating with the Emperor himself; no matter how much she tried, she could never offer him anything valuable enough to pique his interest.

"Could I... take this book with me?" she whispered, her voice muffled with disappointment. "My father liked Hogyoku-san's writings as much as I did. He kept a bound edition in a special corner of our family library and... I always regretted not bringing it with me to Kyoto. It's probably been looted by bandits by now." She forced a pained smile as she added: "Even if you did not accept my proposal, I thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns, Hijikata-san."

Chizuru bowed deeply just as Hijikata's tired voice reached her ears:

"You really like those damn poems, huh?"

"Well... yes." She blinked. "I like them very much."

"I'll tell you what..." Hijikata crossed his arms over his chest. "If you can recite one of them from memory-"

"Will you promise to be nicer to Furukawa-san?"

"I'll try."

"Oh! T, that's great!" Chizuru cleared her throat and straightened her back, ready to declaim the verses that could improve the situation of the maiko she felt indebted to. "Which one do you want me to repeat?"

"Whichever one you feel like."

"All right." She drew in a breath and proceeded to recite her favorite poem from the book: "Endless winds of March, pink petals rain down my face, it's a time of light."

There was a long silence between the two of them, during which Chizuru feared she had made a mistake in some of the verses. She hurried to apologize, but Hijikata spoke before she could do so: "It was fine." He cleared his throat to hide the emotion that overcame him as he listened to her intoning his own words with such fervor and expressiveness. Yukimura's melodic voice had just performed the unprecedented miracle of giving rhythm and cadence to one of the poems he considered to be extremely mediocre.

"I'm glad you liked it, Hijikata-san."

"Yeah, yeah." He looked back at the documents, eager to put the poetry topic aside. Remembering the occasion when he wrote that composition and, more importantly, to remember who inspired it, caused the walls that normally guarded him to crumble like sand around him. "Perhaps I could... ask the Yagi's to lend her their eldest daughter's room. I heard she got married and left her parents' home, so the maiko could occupy the room until it's time for her graduation."

Chizuru smiled brightly, offering him a respectful bow and a thousand words of thanks as she clutched the book of poems that had just granted her the first victory she could boast of since arriving in the unforgiving city of Kyoto. Whatever Hogyoku-san's true identity was... the mysterious author would always have a place in her heart.

Chapter Text

"I swear on my sword, it's as if you draw bad luck," Heisuke muttered as he and Chie crossed the headquarters' inner courtyard, "every time I run into you I end up soaked, muddy, or 'peached'. I only need to end up bloodied to conclude that our friendship is unquestionably cursed."

"Don't be superstitious." Chie gave him a brief sidelong glance before returning her attention to the rain-dampened plants in the garden. "I bet you get in trouble when I'm not around, too."

"Of course n-" He stopped when he heard distant chatter. "Wait! I think someone's coming! H, hide!"

"What?" Chie arched an eyebrow. "Why do I have to hide?"

"B, because I don't want the guys to know you're here!" He turned to her to emphasize the weight of his argument. "If they find out, they might-!"

"Tell me more secrets you'd rather keep from me?" she cut him off with a wry smile before resuming walking. "Besides, you're overreacting, those people you overheard went in another direction."

"Agh! Wait!" He let his shoulders drop and sighed before reluctantly following her. "Don't go alone, you idiot! You don't even know where we're going!"

Chie laughed under her breath. "Well, maybe I can ask Nagakura or Harada-san."

"Don't even think about it, those two will just tell you more lies to make me look like a spoiled brat."

"Great! That'll make me like your friends even more!" Chie paused and pointed to the foyer at the back of the outdoor wooden hallway that surrounded the garden. "Shall we go in?"

"Not you," Heisuke replied with a frown and pursed lips. "I'm going to get out of these muddy clothes, take a bath, and ask where they're keeping your sister. So stay here and don't-talk-to-anyone. Got it?"

"Two minutes ago you wanted me to hide because you heard voices and now you're going to leave me alone in the hallway for God knows how long?"

"Agh, it's just that..." Heisuke ran a hand over his face. "Listen. I'm tired, I'm in a bad mood, and I'm muddy up to my brain cells. If I keep arguing with you the mud will harden and I'll lose the ability to walk to the bathroom by myself, and the last thing I need is for Shinpa-san to add a new taunt to his repertoire."

Chie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in a grumpy way. "Do whatever you want."

Heisuke gave no response other than to turn his back on her and walk away with the same annoyance that pervaded his guest, which increased Chie's eagerness to meet with Kohana and make sure the impolite Mibu Wolves hadn't treated her with their trademark rudeness.

Why did they have to be so rude to girls? Chie leaned her arms on the railing that separated the hallway from the garden, pouting at the thought that not only the Shinsengumi men were unkind to her, but almost all the others. Her ill-tempered father, the troublesome Tani-san (even though Tani was a Shinsengumi member, his bad manners preceded his joining the group), and the restaurant patrons who treated her like a slave named "Hey, waitress!" whom they could boss around until they got bored.

She sighed as she looked up to gaze at the patch of sky where orange and purple clouds heralded the imminent arrival of night, thinking that perhaps it was due to her lack of physical attractiveness. Would men be just as rude to Kohana-chan? She supposed not, although her younger sister's beauty presented other kinds of risks (no doubt worse than being belittled) that made her fear for her safety and prompted her quick visit to the headquarters.

But then again, she couldn't unfairly judge Heisuke-san and compare him to the likes of Tani or the trashy customers at the restaurant. He really had had a bad day. His encounter with Tani was fraught with tension and would have definitely escalated into a physical fight if Chie hadn't been there to stop them. In addition, she had learned that Heisuke had helped a Shinsengumi deserter escape and buried the corpse of one of his dead comrades in his place to dispel any doubts about his involvement in his execution.

Damn... she still couldn't picture the carefree and cheerful Heisuke doing something as twisted as that. It was clear that the defector meant a lot to him. But... why hadn't he ever told her about him? To tell the truth... Tani wasn't wrong when he told her that she didn't know anything about Heisuke. Didn't he also tell her that he'd been punished for collaborating with the defector's escape? What kind of punishments did the Shinsengumi impose on its members when they didn't go to the extreme of forcing them to cut their stomachs open? Had he been whipped... or maybe locked in some dungeon from which he was only released to escort her to the headquarters?

Chie bit her lower lip and looked down at the ground as she remembered the look of terror that made her companion's face pale when he dropped the Vice-Commander's umbrella in the mud. Would he be punished for that again? She hoped not... but she silently promised to herself that she'd do whatever it took to convince Heisuke's superiors that the damned umbrella got dirty when he tried to protect her from a perverted ronin in the cemetery.

Although she hated lying and wasn't sure if Heisuke was as honest with her as she first believed, the truth was that she'd never forget that she owed her life to Sannan and him.

It was then that, as if she had summoned him in thought, Sannan's voice reached her ears: "Furukawa Chie? What are you doing at the Shinsengumi headquarters?"

Chie straightened up suddenly, turning to the left to give a hasty bow to the one watching her from the nearest sliding door frame. "Oh, Sannan-san! What a pleasure... to meet you after such a long time!"

"Likewise," he replied without a trace of emotion on his face, sending a slight shiver down Chie's spine as she caught her reflection in the lenses of his sunset-darkened glasses. "What are you doing here?"

"Huh, I came to visit my sister!" She smiled nervously. "Kohana-chan, do you remember her? She's... detained at the headquarters."

"How could I forget her?" Sannan's lips twisted into a grimace that emphasized the sarcasm behind his question. "She's the young lady you wanted me to escort during her graduation announcement... and who then ended up wielding Serizawa-san's fan to cut off the face of the Shinsengumi's 7th Division captain."

The smile faded from Chie's face and she wrung her hands to hide her embarrassment. "Oh, yes... I... I'm so sorr-"

"Why don't we talk inside?" he asked, disappearing into his room without giving her a chance to object. "A woman and an invalid shouldn't be chatting outside during the winter night hours. Who knows what kind of ailment we might expose our weak constitutions to?"

Chie furrowed her eyebrows, hesitating about whether it was safe to follow him inside the compound. Heisuke told her not to talk to anyone, but Sannan-san wasn't "anyone"; he was the man who lost his arm (and thus his swordsmanship) to save her from the restaurant fire. Her existence was the cause of his misfortune and she would never forgive herself if she turned her back on him just because he was acting a little strange. How would she behave if she lost her sight or her hearing? Because for a samurai his deft hand was just as important as any of his five senses, so it was to be expected he'd be terribly depressed.

"I'm really sorry about what happened with Kohana-chan," continued Chie as she entered the room dimly lit by the light of a single andon lamp, "none of us imagined that she would escape from the Okiya and much less that she'd resist arrest."

"That's of no concern to me," Sannan replied from the darkness. Chie spotted the sling still protecting his injured arm as her host raised his healthy arm to adjust his glasses. "The Shinsengumi shouldn't concern itself with such lowly matters as Shimabara's fugitives and, if Tani can't arrest a young girl without getting injured, then perhaps he shouldn't bear the title of captain of the 7th Division."

"Maybe he shouldn't carry it for hurting one of the girls he grew up with."

The corners of Sannan's lips turned up slightly, though he remained motionless in front of the window that led outside. "Do I sense resentment in Furukawa-san's voice?"

Chie blinked repeatedly, frowning as she realized the indignation that was seeping through her. "Should I be glad that he put her arm in a sling just like yours?"

"No." Sannan's response was quick and impersonal. "You shouldn't." The room fell into an awkward silence until Sannan decided to move away from the window and take a seat on one of the cushions that lay in front of his desk. "When was the last time we spoke?"

"Before Ume-san's death," Chie replied as she sat down across from him.

"Of course." Sannan picked up a stack of documents and began to go through them disinterestedly. "I had forgotten that I never answered your letter."

"Did you read it?"

"Something like that."

Chie gave him a bow without daring to look up from the floor. "Well, I apologize if my request to become Kohana-chan's kenban offended you."

"There's no point in apologizing for that. After all... it would have been a complete waste of time."

"I still apologize." She frowned and clenched her fists over her skirt, giving him a determined look as she added: "I shouldn't have burdened you with the responsibility of being involved in a public event when you're already dealing with..." Her eyes fell on the sling and, although she was quick to look away from the bandage, Sannan caught the truncated meaning behind her words.

"Don't look at me with pity," he commanded in a curt tone that caught his guest off guard. "I may be a cripple now... but it won't be forever."

Chie's crimson pupils quivered in the depths of her eyes. "What do you mean, 'It won't be forever'?"

Sannan half-opened his lips, eager to share the fruits of the research that had kept him sleepless for weeks. However, he forced himself to keep quiet as quickly as the need to speak came to his mind. Chie was a civilian who couldn't and shouldn't get involved in the Shinsengumi's affairs. If she did, her stay in the headquarters would be permanent... and that was only if the Vice-Commander spared her life.

"Nothing."

"I..." Chie took a deep breath. "I believe Sannan-san will recover from his injury."

"You think so?" He proceeded to review a stack of documents, but Chie noticed that they were the same ones he had just gone through.

"Yes. It's only fair, isn't it? Sannan-san saved my life... and the gods wouldn't reward such a noble deed with punishment."

"Maybe your life was not to be saved."

"What?"

"Maybe that's why I was punished," he said as he dropped the sheets he was holding on the desk, smiling with unexpected malice. "If your gods exist, it's obvious they aren't in agreement with your existence."

"How can you say that?!" Chie sat up suddenly, holding back the tears that came to her eyes. "Do you think I had to die in that fire so that you could... continue cutting humans with your sword?!"

"At what point did I mention my opinion?" Sannan stood up and rounded the desk to face her. "I'm talking about your gods. If such celestial beings exist, it's irrefutable that they sanctioned my actions with a fate worse than death. But... I don't believe there's such a thing as gods, Chie-san."

Chie stepped back a couple of steps, intimidated by her companion's closeness. "Then what do you believe in?"

"I believe in science!" he replied with a passionate gleam in his eyes, moving forward to grab her right wrist with his healthy arm. "People die and get hurt because of ridiculous coincidences that only obey to senselessness and randomness! But with science... everyone can be saved! Injuries... and even death! Everything... can be changed!" He let out an insane cackle as he concluded: "My condition isn't a punishment for saving you... but an opportunity to save myself!"

"S, stop it... Sannan-san!" Chie flailed, trying to free herself from his grip. "I, it's... great that you're so confident in t, this, b, but... you're scaring me!"

"Oh." He released her as quickly as he had held her, and his eyes vanished behind the glass of his glasses as he gave her a conciliatory half-smile. "Looks like we're not as alone as I thought, Furukawa-san."

"What?" Chie turned to spot Saito Hajime and a young boy with his hair cut to the nape of his neck in the inner courtyard. Saito had placed a heavy bamboo pole over his shoulders and tied two huge bales of hay to each end of it. The poor student struggled not to fall flat on his face as he swung the weight walking from one side of the garden to the other; all under the fixed gaze of the warrior who was instructing him in the art of the sword.

"Ibuki-san knows your sister's location, so ask him to take you to visit her."

"What...? Are you sure?"

"Of course."

Chie wanted to object to the idea of trusting a total stranger to help her reunite with her sister, much less one who was accompanied by Saito Hajime; a captain who, during the brief exchange of words they had months ago, warned her that the Shinsengumi wasn't a Mahjong Club and that she wouldn't bank on Heisuke's friendliness.

Speaking of Heisuke, she would've preferred to wait for him to finish bathing and pick her up in the hallway as promised, but she had no idea how much longer it was going to take and Sannan's increasingly erratic behavior was beginning to make her hair stand on end to the point that she would've gone off with Serizawa himself just to leave his creepy room.

"Thank you very much for your assistance, Sannan-san," she said with a hasty bow. "I wish you a speedy recovery."

Sannan watched her wander outside with a bittersweet smile that made the enamel of his teeth gleam under the lamp's golden light. "I will have it, Chie-san, rest assured I will."

"I'm freezing..." Kohana muttered as she covered herself from head to toe with the bearskin coat she had used as a futon the night before. Were those bastards planning to freeze her to death rather than hunger? She prayed to the gods she'd stopped trusting years ago that Ibuki-san would succeed in pleading with the Shinsengumi bosses to give her basic amounts of food and shelter, but it was obvious the brutes refused to listen to him.

Damn, hopefully ignoring him was all they did in response to his pleas. Kohana was sure she'd climb up on the roof and jump off it if they punished Ibuki-san again because of her. As much as she hated to admit it... she'd grown quite fond of Kosuzu-chan's ridiculously dorky crush.

"Look at that!" cried a mocking voice from the doorway of her room. "The future Geiko-san!"

Kohana was petrified as she realized that half a dozen men were blocking the only way out of the room and the air caught in her throat when she recognized the (sadly familiar) look of lust on each of their faces.

"You can't be in here! Get out of my room before I make you regret coming in!" she commanded with more fierceness and indignation than characterized other girls her age, which momentarily startled the intruders. One of them turned to retreat, intimidated by the maiko's reaction, but the leader of the group held him back.

"And how will you make us regret it?" the leader sneered, raising his arms above his head and bending his wrists to mimic the pose of a bear about to attack its prey. "By giving us a tight bear hug? Ha! You're welcome to start with me, babe!"

Kohana curled her lips into a grimace of disgust as the chorus of laughter from the intruders pervaded the air and gave away the many liters of sake they'd consumed to dare commit such an affront under the Demon Vice-Commander's roof. "The only bear that's going to gut you will be your Vice-Commander when he finds out what you plan to do."

"What we plan to do?" scoffed a thin, haggard guy who appeared to be the leader's right-hand man. "Looks like our bear is psychic! How about predicting the number of hours we'll be having fun with you?" he added after entering the room, an act that emboldened the rest of the men who didn't hesitate to surround Kohana amidst laughter and whistles of admiration.

"Don't make me slit your throats!" Kohana warned as she reached inside her kimono to pull out the steel fan she was so used to carrying, but, to her utter panic, she only managed to remember that Okita had confiscated it when she was detained at the Shinsengumi.

"Will you do that before or after you undress?" asked the leader, paying more attention to his companions' reactions than to the girl who recoiled from his advances. "Because it's clear you can't help but rummage through your clothes at the mere thought of sleeping with one of us!"

"I hope that 'one of us' is me!" exclaimed the haggard man. The leader tried to reply that it was obvious he was referring to himself, but a porcelain vase smashed into his face with such force as to knock him backward onto the floor. "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!" he shrieked, overcome with shock. "THE DAMN THING ATTACKED THE BOSS!"

"And there's more where that came from!" shouted Kohana as she threw a new vase at the head of another member of the group, knocking him out.

"DAMN BITCH, YOU HAVE NO MORE JUNK WITH WHICH TO SAVE YOURSELF FROM ME!" said the haggard man with a high-pitched laugh of triumph when he realized his victim had run out of decorative objects with which to defend herself. He threw himself at her with his arms outstretched to give her a beating she wouldn't forget in ten lifetimes, but his arms came off his body at the level of his elbows and fell with a thud to the ground.

Kohana gasped in shock as two powerful spurts of blood exploded from her attacker's stumps and drenched her from chest to head.

"W, what's going on?! WHAT'S GOING OOON?!" the intruder shrieked as his legs gave out from the weakness caused by the massive blood loss. "WHO DID THIS?! WHO THE FUCK DID-?!" He was rendered speechless when, turning at a ninety-degree angle to the left, he discovered Okita Souji's death-thirsty gaze. "May the devils take-!"

The haggard man was silenced when a new swing of Okita's sword decapitated him in his tracks.

"RUN AWAY! IT'S THE CAPTAIN OF THE-"

The gang's second standing member also lost his head and the third didn't even get to utter a word before his executioner's blade found his throat and pierced it with the speed and power of a ripping thunderclap.

Kohana shivered as her rescuer walked over the bodies of the two intruders knocked unconscious by the vases to address the last one involved; the individual who had been on the verge of leaving the place when Kohana rebuked him and who was still clinging to the sliding door with a face pale with terror.

"P, please, c, captain!" he whimpered as he knelt with his palms joined in a prayer stance. "I, I didn't agree to this from the b, beginning! B, but... I'm v, very influenceable w, when I'm d, drunk!"

"What does 'didn't agree' mean?" Okita asked, advancing without any expression on his blood-spattered face. "Were you going to watch them do it from there? To help hold her down, perhaps? Or to cover her mouth so she wouldn't scream while they ruined her life?" He plunged the katana into his shoulder without hesitation, disregarding the screams he uttered as the steel tore through veins and tendons. "The Shinsengumi doesn't need influenceable weaklings like you... and neither does the world, so bid it farewell."

"N, NO! I'M... I'M SO SORRY, OKITA-SAN! I, I PROMISE... I'LL NEVER DRINK AGAIN IN MY LIFE!" he whimpered as he struggled to stick his forehead to the ground despite the sword piercing his flesh. "ALCOHOL IS MY PROBLEM! IT'S THE ALCOHOL! I, I PROMISE... I'M NOT A PERVERT!" He pointed to Kohana with a trembling hand that refused to stay still over her bloodied figure and two thick tears slid down his cheeks as he wailed: "That little girl... she's the same age as my daughter! That's why... I didn't dare to hurt her! I would slit the throat of any demon who dared to touch a hair on my Fuji-chan's head and I know... this girl must also have a father who would kill for her!"

Kohana snapped out of her stupor at the mention of her father, as the disgust of remembering that she was exposed to that kind of danger entirely due to his fault overcame her shock at the slaying of her attackers. She ran her kimono's sleeve over her face, anxious to wipe the blood of those deviants from her lips and eyelashes, before muttering with her voice hoarse from the anguish that oppressed her vocal cords: "Three dead out of a group of six. I think that's enough, Okita-san." She pointed to the two men lying unconscious, but alive at her feet. "One more... and Hijikata-san's patience might be surpassed by the number of mortal victims."

"Criminals aren't victims," Okita spat over his shoulder. "If I don't kill them, he will when he gets the chance."

"As Vice-Commander, I believe it's his right to choose."

"For heaven's sake!" He clicked his tongue as he twisted the sword into his prisoner's flesh, causing him to let out another pitiful moan of dread. "I save your pathetic life as a paid doll and you take Hijikata's side?! This is nuts!"

Kohana opened her mouth to elaborate, but Okita pulled his sword out from inside the wretch's body with a sharp movement that made him crumple in pain. He wasted no time in snatching off the cord that held his hair in place to tie it more tightly than necessary around the wrists of the prisoner who burst into tears of gratitude despite the rudeness with which he was being handled.

Okita moved deftly among the corpses, tearing off pieces of their clothing to immobilize the pair that still remained unconscious. "You hit them so hard, I doubt it's only three dead. Are you sure those vases weren't made of stone?" he muttered, his voice muffled with annoyance.

"Are you joking after killing three people?"

"I'm theorizing after I stopped six scumbags from getting their way with you." He gave her a spiteful look as he got up from the floor. "The least you can do is to be grateful."

Kohana pursed her lips and averted her gaze, ashamed to be scolding the man to whom she already owed too much for her liking. If she learned anything from Yumiko-san, it was that it was never wise to owe too much to his kind.

"I assumed that your performance's believability when accusing me of being a degenerate to buy time in Shimabara was due to the superiority of your artistic skills," Okita said as he watched the fallen men with his hands resting on his hips, "but you attract them like flies to feces, so you obviously have no shortage of material from which to draw inspiration."

"I'm not feces."

"It's a comparison." He arched his lips in a smile that exuded slyness. "I'm comparing you to feces, not saying you are, but if you want to take the hint..."

"Whatever." Kohana massaged her temples, groaning in disgust as she felt her fingertips sticking to the warm blood soaking her forehead. "Oh my God, I think I'm going to throw up."

"You're too calm." He shrugged as he clarified: "Regarding the attempted assault, of course, not the murders. It's not the first time you've been through this, is it?"

Kohana frowned, giving him a wary look as she asked: "How do you know?"

He could've told her that one harassed individual recognizes another, but he preferred to maintain the emotional distance that separated the two of them. He would gain nothing by confiding his deepest secrets to the one he still considered a spoiled brat. "You're a maiko and you have to deal with jerks who mistake you for a prostitute on a daily basis."

"That's right," she replied with renewed arrogance, lifting her chin to add: "And that's why I had the fan Serizawa-san gave me; a weapon that would've protected me from those thugs if someone hadn't confiscated it when I arrived at the headquarters."

Okita's eyes widened as guilt pierced his heart like a poisoned arrow.

"Do you realize now?" Kohana pointed at him with a bloody hand that only added to the strength of her argument. "I told you that Serizawa-san gave me that artifact as a gift to fend off the brutes who would try to mess with me and you took it from me as soon as I set foot in the den of the Mibu Wolves!"

"Well I didn't think the damn recruits would have the guts to sneak into your room while I'm guarding it!"

"Guarding?" Kohana blinked. "You've been watching over my safety all this time?"

"Don't think yourself special," he hurried to clarify as he crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm covering the shifts of a comrade who's in detention and another who's off duty. Your safety is just part of my daily duties." He dug into his pockets to pull out the fan and unfold it in front of her with a swift movement of his right hand. "And as such... I think I should return this to you."

"My fan!" Kohana stepped forward as if she had found an oasis in the middle of the desert, but Okita slammed the fan shut and pushed it away from her reach.

"If you use it to escape from the headquarters," he warned with eyes resembling two lines of a mesmerizing green tint, "this time I will hunt you down... and I'll kill you."

Kohana took a step back. "Are you threatening to kill me?"

Okita raised his eyebrows. "I don't think you have that many ways of interpreting my condition."

"That's fine." She dropped her arms by her body and gave a brief nod. "I promise I won't use it to escape from the headquarters. Can you give it to me already?"

"Sure." He held out the fan and Kohana grabbed it quickly out of his hands. "It's up to you whether that thing keeps you breathing or not." Kohana said nothing, so he busied himself with storing the maiko's few belongings inside the bearskin coat she'd dropped on the floor during the drunken recruits' attack. "You're lucky this thing didn't get blood on it, you'll be able to sell it for a lot of bucks if you make it out of here."

"H, hey! Wait! Where are you taking my stuff?!" Kohana began to frantically tug at her coat when she noticed Okita closing it into a sack that he slung over his shoulder as he prepared to leave the room.

"What's wrong with you?! Are you crazy?! Stop pulling or you'll throw everything on the floor!"

"I won't let you guys take even more things from me! Isn't it enough to be without food, shelter, and to be harassed by a bunch of thugs?!"

"Taking more things from-" Okita rolled his eyes as he realized the misunderstanding, sighing as he narrowed his eyelids. "I'm not 'taking' anything from you, woman. Why do you think it took me so long to show up to send those bastards to the next world?"

"Because you're the world's worst guard?" Kohana replied with all the sarcasm she could muster.

"They summoned me to ask me to help you move your things to the Yagi's eldest daughter's room, but you can sleep over with the top members of your fan club if you're so afraid I'll steal your ugly sandals and cheap cans of oshiroi makeup."

"The Yagi's daughter's room?" Kohana pouted. "Will I have to share it with her?"

"Don't be ungrateful. Don't you maiko all sleep together?" He walked away without bothering to dodge the bodies lying on the ground.

"No, Kosuzu-chan and I have our own room."

Okita rolled his eyes. "The Yagi's daughter got married and left her parents' home, but someone else will probably share a room with you. There's a boy-"

"A boy?! You want me to share my room with a man after what just happened?!"

"You don't have to worry about him... the boy is a saint. His name is Yukimura and he's in charge of helping old Gen-san with the housekeeping."

"Yukimura... Chizuru?"

He turned to glance at her over his shoulder, surprised that she knew who he was talking about. "Uh-huh. I see you know him."

"Yes!" Kohana smiled, dodging around the corpses to join him. "She's a... he's a delightful boy and I won't mind sharing a room with him!"

"Damn it..." Okita curled his lips into a bittersweet smile. "I told Hijikata no one would buy the tale about Chizuru-chan being a man."

Kohana wanted to protest, striving to keep the secret entrusted to her, but Heisuke (who walked down the outer hallway whistling nonchalantly while drying his hair with a towel) stopped dead in his tracks as he caught sight of the corpses of the Shinsengumi's newest members.

"WHOA!" he shouted, dropping the towel on the floor in shock. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?! W, WHO KILLED THE-" His eyes moved swiftly from the dead to Okita's bloodied sword. "FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, SOUJI! WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO NOW?!"

"Justice." He smiled in a feline way, amused at his comrade's reaction. "Are you guys gonna scold me when I do things right, too?"

"Doing things right?! Six people are dead!"

"Correction; there are three morons dead," he pointed to the shattered vases, "two who pretend to be unconscious from the blow of some vases that the maiko threw at them," the aforementioned trembled when they realized the captain was aware of their acting, "and one next to you who has been with his forehead glued to the ground for almost twenty minutes to thank me for not cutting his face."

Heisuke looked at the man lying on his knees beside him, still muttering prayers of gratitude to the gods who saved him from the vengeful wrath of the 1st Division's captain, but his frown quickly met Okita's again. "These men are recruits, Souji! How long ago did they join the Shinsengumi?! Three days?! It was clear they would break the code somehow! You can't just... kill them because they committed some fault! You should've discussed it with Hijikata-san! N, not even Kondou-san will forgive you for killing them in cold blood!"

Okita pursed his lips, annoyed at the mention of Kondou's possible disapproval. "They are samurai, aren't they? It wasn't cold-blooded murder if they all carried swords at their waists with which to fight me."

"They're rookies, beginners! And you're a damn prodigy who got the rank of Menkyo Kaiden before you came of age!"

"I think there's been a misunderstanding," Kohana explained, peeking out from behind Okita. "Okita-san saved me from these men. They came into my room and tried to... attack me. I defended myself with a couple of vases I found on a piece of furniture, but they were too many for me. If Okita-san hadn't arrived in time... I don't know what would've happened to me."

Heisuke blinked slowly, startled by the presence of the bloodied girl who seemed to have materialized out of nowhere. "What? They tried to...?"

"They were perverts, yeah," Okita nodded. "I only spared the lives of the cowards who didn't dare to wield their swords because the maiko asked me to."

"Maiko...?" Heisuke's mouth dropped an inch and the color drained from his face when he understood the gravity of the situation. "W, wait! This is Kohana-chan?! C, Chie-san's sister?!"

"You know my older sister?"

"Agh, my goodness! Y, you're not hurt, are you?!" he asked her as his eyes scanned her frantically for injuries.

"Oh, no. The sling's been here for a while and..." Kohana forced an uncomfortable smile. "This blood isn't mine."

"Yeah," Okita added with a wicked grin. "The maiko literally bathed in the blood of her enemies. I'm sure no Kyoto pervert will dare mess with her once the rumor spreads."

Heisuke dismissed the explanation, not satisfied until making sure that the young girl was unharmed. He tried to check her neck, abdomen, and wrists with the automated movements he usually employed to verify the condition of his comrades on the battlefield, but Kohana swatted him away with a light swipe of the back of her fan.

"I'm fine, samurai-san," she explained. "You don't need to worry about me."

"Phew, yeah, sorry!" Heisuke stepped back, rubbing the back of his neck with a relieved smile. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't in danger. I was tasked with escorting your sister here and, if anything happened to you before you met her, Chie-san would-" He suddenly went mute, his eyes widened, and his face contracted into a grimace of utter tension as the cook's daughter came to his mind. "MAY THE ONI TAKE ME AWAY! I FORGOT I LEFT CHIE ALONE IN THE HEADQUARTERS!"

Okita and Kohana exchanged confused glances as Heisuke sped off down the hallway, cursing himself at the top of his lungs for abandoning the one he was ordered to protect.

Chapter Text

"Wait for me, Chie-san!" Heisuke shouted as he ran through the outer corridor with as much strength as his legs weakened by the hot bath would allow him. "I'm coming for you!"

"What the hell are you doing loose in the headquarters?! Are you looking to get yourself killed?!" yelled Shinpachi (who until then was enjoying a soothing pot of sake in the moonlight) from the ground as he passed him at top speed.

"No time for explanations, I have to-!" Heisuke slipped and fell flat on his back against the corridor's floorboards when Sanosuke reached out from the garden to grab his hair and force him to stop dead in his tracks. "Ah... ugh!" he groaned with a breathless gasp, unable to catch his breath. "W, what the hell, Sano-san?!"

"You'd better be caught by me instead of Hijikata-san," he replied, peeking down from above with his eyebrows raised in curiosity. "What happened? You should be grounded in the common dormitory instead of wandering around the garden."

"I, I'm not wandering!" He sat up awkwardly, shaking off his clothes with both hands before shooting a squinted look at one of his best friends. "Chie-san is alone in the headquarters and I need to meet up with her as soon as possible!"

"Chie-chan...? Why is she here? How come no escort was assigned to an unmarried young lady like her?"

"W, well..." Heisuke averted his gaze and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace of pain. "Truth is, she was assigned one... I escorted her here to visit her captive sister, but I had to leave her alone for a moment to take a bath and-"

"A... bath," Sanosuke echoed with the most genuine contempt on his face. "You ditched her... for a bath."

"It sounds awfully irresponsible because you're saying it out of context!" He stood up for himself with his eyes wide open. "She was attacked by a wandering ronin and I... well, I got into a fight with him! But we fell into the mud during the brawl and... I couldn't show up before Kohana-san looking like a pig who ran away from the nearest pigsty! T, that's why I left her alone, because... I needed to bathe first!"

Shinpachi moved from his spot on the ground upon hearing him, standing up to approach him with long strides while pointing at him with the same hand with which he was holding the sake pot. "Oh, no, no! You're not going to pull that perverted ronin crap on us!"

"W, what?!" Heisuke blinked repeatedly in surprise. However, he refused to admit he was lying: "I, it's no crap! Ask Chie-san and she'll tell you the same thing I did!"

Shinpachi held one of Heisuke's arms with his free hand, raising it to his face so that he could contemplate its smooth surface. "I know the exact number of blows it takes to knock you to the ground, you minuscule, deceitful ant, and it's so many that you'd have at least a dozen bruises on your body!"

Heisuke broke free from his grip with his teeth clenched in frustration. Shinpachi had not only been trained as a warrior from the cradle, but he was also his most frequent training partner, rendering him an expert at recognizing the effects such a street brawl would have produced on his persona. "Well... it's just that the guy caught me off guard! I was chatting with Chie-san and didn't see him coming so it wasn't hard for him to take me down!"

"If you were talking to Chie-san before he attacked you then how did you know he was a pervert?" Sanosuke inquired with his eyebrows furrowed and his arms folded across his chest. "If what you say is true, then he didn't have time to actually do anything to her before he knocked you to the ground."

"Agh, I, I don't know!" Heisuke's head frantically swung back and forth from Shinpachi's face to Sanosuke's as he struggled to hold up an alibi that was falling apart. "Why do you guys have to be such busybodies?! It happened too fast and I can't waste time explaining it while Chie-san is alone in these damn headquarters!"

"The faster you explain it the faster you'll be able to reunite with her," Sanosuke conceded without moving out of the way, "but you won't move an inch unless you tell us the truth."

"Yeah." Shinpachi also crossed his arms as he stood side by side with Sanosuke, giving a sly little grin as he added: "We know you're pretty wimpy, but not so wimpy as to get dragged through the mud by a fourth-rate ronin."

Heisuke massaged his temples, slumping his shoulders in a resigned gesture as he muttered: "Damn it... I can't stand the stupid lies anymore, so I'll be honest with you guys. Even if it gets me grounded for another week... I'd rather be punished for telling the truth than for lying to my best friends!"

"Now, cut the drama," Shinpachi sneered with a smile that was more sympathetic than mocking. "What could you possibly do that was bad enough to prompt you to come up with such nonsense?"

Heisuke clicked his tongue and shifted restlessly on his heels as he scanned the corridor behind the men blocking his path. "It's just, well, it'll take me a little while to explain! Can I just fill you in on the way? Chie-san could be in trouble!"

Sanosuke and Shinpachi gave each other deep confidential glances without uncrossing their arms or moving an inch from the spot. They would make use of the closeness of their relationship to silently communicate while deciding whether Heisuke's urgency stemmed from Chie's genuine presence in the headquarters, or a ruse to sneak out of the place. Heisuke was the fastest runner in the Shinsengumi and could get them off his back in a matter of seconds, so it was not in their best interest to underestimate his speed.

"I'm sorry, Heisuke," Sanosuke said once he and Shinpachi were on the same page, "but we can't risk you playing us for fools. Tell us the truth first and then we'll decide whether to let you go or send you back to the common dormitory."

"Agh! Damn it all to hell!" He growled as he grabbed the hair that covered the nape of his neck. "Who wants enemies with friends like you two?!"

Chie wrung her hands as she walked toward Saito and the unfamiliar boy. Which of the two would she address? She knew that Saito was a captain of the Shinsengumi's 3rd Division, but she was unaware of his companion's military rank. It would be rude not only to interrupt them but also to add to the offense by greeting the one of lower rank first. It was clear that the younger one was training, but perhaps Saito was learning from him rather than supervising him?

Her eyes went from Ibuki's sweaty and strained face to Saito's serene and attentive countenance. She didn't know the latter too well, but it was impossible for her to picture him suffering as Ibuki did under the weight of the bales of hay he was carrying. This was enough to convince her that Saito was his superior, so she respectfully approached him when Ibuki's contemptuous voice reached her ears:

"Get out of the way, you hideous hag! Can't you see that I might lose my balance and fall flat on my face if I stop?! God! Who lets these riff-raff in here?!"

"Oh, I, I'm so sorry!" Chie turned away, her face burning with embarrassment. "I thought... you were going to turn in the other d, direction!"

"Well, that was your mistake, to think! Why don't you go back to washing the floor with the rest of the spinst-?!" Ibuki buckled under the weight of a new bamboo cane loaded with two additional bales of hay that Saito placed over his shoulder blades, forcing him to bend his knees and grit his teeth to stay on his feet.

"Congratulations, Ibuki," Saito said with no expression on his face, walking away from his apprentice with his arms crossed as he explained: "Having a lively conversation like this while carrying two bales of hay on your back means you already have enough strength to carry four."

"D, damn it... this can't be true! Me and... my stupid big mouth!"

"What are you doing here?" Saito turned to Chie to rebuke her with the same inexpressiveness with which he addressed his student. "You should be in your sister's room."

"Oh, yes!" Chie gave him a quick bow, blinking rapidly as she straightened up. "It's just that Heisuke-san... I mean, Toudou-san escorted me here but he had to go take a bath and-"

"Take a bath?"

Chie forced a pitiful smile as she shrugged her shoulders. "A ronin attacked us on the road and Toudou-san got muddy from head to toe during the scuffle."

Saito's eyes narrowed and his mind seemed to dwell on a specific point of the conversation before asking: "Did he leave you with Sannan-san?"

"Oh, no..." Chie rubbed her cheek with the sleeve of her kimono, self-conscious about the lack of manners she exhibited by entering Sannan's office without Heisuke's explicit permission. She thought Saito hadn't noticed her brief stay in the room, but it was obvious that nothing escaped the captain of the 3rd Division. "Toudou-san told me to wait for him in the hallway, but Sannan-san came out to meet me and suggested we should talk inside given his... condition."

"What did you talk about?" Saito remained deadly serious and his lack of courtesy escalated to the point that Chie feared she was undergoing one of the infamous Mibu Wolves' interrogations that populated the nightmares of Kyoto's inhabitants.

"Well... about nothing! I mean, nothing important, you see... We just talked about my sister's incident and how terrible it was that Sannan-san got hurt because of me."

"Nothing else?" The question sounded more like a demand. "He didn't mention any cure?"

Chie pondered for a moment, folding her palms in front of her lap and frowning as she muttered: "He did... but not explicitly. He... said he wouldn't be a cripple forever, but replied that he wasn't addressing anything specific when I asked him what he meant. Later, though... he seemed to lose the ability to contain himself and claimed that science could not only cure people, but also save them from death."

Saito took a deep breath, visibly disturbed by what he had just heard, but his expression became less stern when he spoke again. In spite of everything, it seemed the captain appreciated her sincerity. "I hope you didn't take his words seriously, Furukawa-san. Sannan-san's ideas are nothing more than the delusions of a warrior fallen from grace. Our second-in-command Vice-Commander is going through a difficult time and tries to cling to any hope that passes through his sorrowful mind, no matter how misguided it may be."

"This won't get him in trouble, will it?" Chie's worried eyes reflected the light of the lamp that illuminated the garden where Ibuki was doomed to train until dawn. "I told you the truth because... well, because Sannan-san is acting in a very strange way and I'm afraid he'll do something crazy, but I don't want him to be punished because of me."

Saito lowered his gaze and Chie noticed that he was thinking about something else that he would obviously omit to say out loud. This reminded her of Heisuke's inability to hold his tongue and avoid voicing what he felt, a contrast she found amusing enough to bring an irrepressible smile to her cold weathered lips.

"What are you laughing at?" Saito glanced over his shoulder, certain that Ibuki had neglected his training to engage in some antics, but he was puzzled to discover that his student was still in virtually the same position in which he had left him. Hopefully, he'd make it halfway across the inner courtyard before collapsing from exhaustion.

"Oh, n, no reason!" Chie tried to hold back another fit of laughter. "I'm so sorry, Saito-san! It's just that you're so serious it's unavoidable to get nervous!"

Saito seemed to vacillate between a million different answers before speaking, settling on the safest one by muttering: "Heisuke has been bathing for too long, I'm sure he was delayed by something important."

"Anything is more important than me," Chie said almost to herself, but she was terribly embarrassed when she noticed that her companion had heard her and was watching her in a way that resembled very much the one Kohana used when trying to discover a lie. Bah, surely she was misreading him. The 3rd Division captain's expressions were as indecipherable as a kitsune's disguises. 

"Ibuki." Saito turned his back to address his apprentice. "I'll take Furukawa-san to her sister, so don't stop training until I return."

"Fu... Furukawa-san?" Ibuki turned pale when he recognized the surname. "W, wait a minute! The ugly spinster is Kohana-san's sister?!" Chie pouted at the offensive epithet with which he was once again referring to her, so he hurried to correct his mistake while trying to keep the bales (which kept swaying at the slightest movement of his body) from snapping his spine in two. "Oh! N, no! I actually meant to say... t, the single woman who shares Kohana-san's f, family attractiveness! B, but it's not like I find Kohana-san attractive! Just... a figure of speech! A way to flatter the beauty of her lineage! I bet her lord father is also-!"

"Stop talking, Ibuki," ordered Saito as he proceeded to retreat from the garden, followed closely by a Chie who was once again struggling to contain her laughter at Ibuki's verbal awkwardness.

"Is that weird guy with the western haircut a friend of Kohana-chan's?" Chie asked as she and Saito walked down the outer hallway of the Yagi home. Half of the headquarters' members were dining in the common dining area, while the other half gathered in the room where Okita decapitated the recruits who tried to molest the resident maiko, so their only company were the lanterns that lit up the pathway with their amber light.

"He's the one who helped her escape from the Okiya."

"What?" Chie looked over her shoulder, although Ibuki was already out of sight. "Is that why he's being held at the headquarters?"

"I will remind you for the second time that you shouldn't inquire into the affairs of the Shinsengumi."

"Oh, yes, I know." She pouted, rolling her eyes as she repeated in a low, monotone voice similar to Saito's: "The Shinsengumi isn't a Mahjong Club."

Saito straightened his back and furrowed his eyebrows, surprised that she remembered the warning he gave her after finishing the surveillance of the Mao restaurant. "If you know it, then why do you keep sticking your nose where it doesn't belong?"

"Because I'm not one of your soldiers, Saito-san. I can listen to you, but I don't have to obey you."

He gave her a brief sideways glance, doubly surprised that the freckled waitress who had less self-esteem than Shinpachi after returning from a trip to Shimabara would dare to answer him that way. She was right, but she was acting in an irrational and driven manner that contradicted her usual demeanor.

"You don't have to, but it's still in your best interest," Saito argued without a hint of confusion in his voice. "Aren't the rumors about us that you no doubt hear from your restaurant's customers enough? The Wolves of Mibu," he stated with absolute certainty, "isn't a name that inspires the desire to visit us as often as you like to do."

"I don't 'like' to do it," she clarified, "it's just that Tani-san was here before and I was worri- I was worried, I mean... I worry about him. And also for Sannan-san... and for Kohana-chan! My sister is detained in what you call yourself a den of wolves and you expect me to stay at home with my arms folded?"

"Your sister isn't detained. Our commander and the tayu who owns the Okiya agreed to house her at the same place where her upcoming graduation will be held."

"Nonsense, why would the Shinsengumi be interested in throwing a party?"

"It was the Yagi family's decision."

Chie scrutinized his face with her eyes, seeking to discover if he was telling the truth. But, again, his expression resembled an impenetrable wall that gave no indication of being able to be circumvented by the usual means employed to overcome a standard obstacle. Whether he was lying or telling the truth, she wouldn't prove it by watching him with her nose wrinkled like a fool, so she settled on watching her footsteps on the wooden floor as she asked: "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Not showing how you feel on the inside."

Saito blinked slightly and slowed down his gait until it came to a complete stop. He stood with his back to Chie for a moment, until he turned to give her a deep look that seemed to focus on something much farther away than her wavering little figure. "Perhaps there's nothing to show."

"Of course there is." Chie let out air between her lips, frustrated. "Everyone feels things."

"Feeling isn't the same as knowing."

"Huh?"

"I may know things, but that doesn't mean I have to feel anything about them. If you don't feel anything, then there are no feelings to show along with your actions."

"I can't believe there's such a person." She folded her arms and shook her head. "Doesn't Saito-san have a single opinion of his own? Does he just follow orders like a-" she cut herself off as she understood the rudeness of her words. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Saito-san! I didn't mean it that way! It's just that-"

"It's just that I follow orders like a slave," he completed the sentence with his characteristic lack of expressiveness. "I'm not offended to hear it, especially since it's what allows me to fulfill my purpose of serving the Shinsengumi." Chie tried to apologize again, but Saito resumed walking. "Let's go, I bet we'll soon meet Heisuke."

"Is... my sister's room very far from here?"

"Yes, on the other side of the headquarters."

"Oh, that's why you say we're more likely to run into Heisuke first."

"Indeed." An awkward silence accompanied them for a couple of minutes until Saito decided (a bit against his better judgment), to resume the conversation to ask: "Why do you want to learn how to hide your feelings, Furukawa-san?"

"Huh?" Chie swallowed, the question had caught her off guard. "W, well... I think I'm a very expressive woman and... some people have taken advantage of me... because of that weakness."

"Do you think your feelings are a weakness?"

"They are when people use them to benefit from what I feel for them." She thought of her father's insistence that she marry and satisfy his desire to keep the family business, of Tani using his status as a childhood friend to commit very serious offenses that Chie would undoubtedly forgive... and she also thought of Heisuke's lies and omissions that were starting to cast a shadow over the friendship that had united them for several months.

"I'm sorry, Furukawa-san, but I don't think it's a skill I can teach you. Wielding a sword can be learned through concentration and repetition, but concealing your feelings... is something you will only learn when you stop feeling them with the intensity that tends to give them away."

"And what caused you to stop feeling as strongly as before?" she dared to ask, a little self-conscious about the familiarity implied by the conversation subject. However, discomfort overcame curiosity and she hastened to mumble: "Y, you don't have to answer that, Saito-san! Please excuse my indiscretion!"

"Remember when we spied Serizawa behind the counter at the restaurant?"

Chie's eyes widened and she covered half of her face with her kimono sleeve. "Talking about indiscretions! Why are you reminding me now? Are you trying to embarrass me to death?"

Saito raised his face and his blue eyes became fixed on the wooden ceiling that covered the corridor they were walking along. "If I remember correctly, I told you that you were breathing too fast."

The moment of the chilling revelation of Tani's secret relationship with Ume-san stung her heart as it came to her memory:

«"Bullshit! Spit out the truth at once, waitress. Are you aware Tani is having a love affair with my woman or not?"

Silence fell like a summer snowfall over those present. Chie focused on Serizawa's fingers' hypnotic tapping on the table as if it were the world's most important thing. Was it possible Sanjuro had committed such a betrayal? She scrambled to review every relevant event of their shared childhood, longing to come up with a detail that would contradict the terrible statement that pierced her heart.

"Keep calm, Furukawa-san," Saito warned her in a whisper. "Serizawa has a fine ear and you breathe too fast."»

Chie massaged her temples with her fingertips as she came back to the present. "I would rather remember the indiscretions than the painful memories; better to die of shame than of sadness."

"I don't intend to cause you to die of sadness," Saito explained with a solemnity that contrasted with the absurdity of his answer. "Breathing is the beginning of everything; not only of life, but of skills as well. Breathing must be controlled to wield a sword, a paintbrush, and even a geiko's fan. Start with that... and you'll be closer to hiding your feelings from eyes unworthy of seeing them."

Chie gaped, unable to articulate a coherent response because of the advice. If she started with the basics, maybe she could master the complex! She hastily clasped her hands in front of her lap and gave a quick bow in an attempt to regain her lost composure. "I thank you very much for your advice, Saito-san!" But she found, to her bewilderment, that her companion resumed the walk without saying anything else, ignoring her effusive thanks completely. Chie followed him in silence, frowning due to the foreignness that Saito Hajime's enigmatic personality produced in her.

"CHIE-SAN!" Heisuke rushed to meet Chie and Saito when they were about to reach Kohana's old room. The hallway was almost plunged into darkness except for a distant lamp that remained lit to demarcate the site where the executions occurred. "I'm glad you're okay! Hajime-kun picked you up from the hallway, huh? I'm glad! I thought you were still there waiting for me alone!"

"Where have you been?!" Chie scolded him with her hands resting on her hips and her back arched in his direction, causing Heisuke to dig his feet into the ground and wave his arms at the sides of his body to keep his face from smashing squarely into hers.

"Y, you want to know where was I?! Well... bathing!" He took a step back to regain his balance. "Do you think I'd do anything else while you waited for me?!"

"We passed by the bathroom on the way here," Saito said with his usual nonchalance, "but it was completely empty, so I figured you were delayed by unpostponable Shinsengumi business."

"Well, well... that's not entirely wrong, Hajime-kun."

"Then you really went off to do something else and left me to my fate in the hallway!" Chie folded her arms and averted her eyes as she pursed her lips. "I should've expected it from you."

"H, hey! What do you mean, 'I should've expected it from you'?" Heisuke moved to meet Chie's gaze, squatting his shoulders and head so he could look her straight in the eye. "Maaaybe I took a little too long in the bathroom, yeah, but there was something that prevented me from meeting you as soon as I would've liked to!"

"What happened?" This time it was Saito who answered, as Chie was still stubbornly ignoring Heisuke's attempts to explain the situation.

"Some guys broke into Kohana-chan's room and-"

"What?!" Chie went from not paying an ounce of attention to him to literally pinning her pupils on his. "When?! What did they do to her?!"

"Don't worry, she's fine!" Heisuke hurried to raise his palms in front of his torso in a motion intended to calm her growing anxiety. "Souji arrived before they touched a single hair ornament of hers."

"Did he subdue them?" Saito asked as he left the room, unable to stay chatting after learning about the incident.

"Huuuh... Something like that!" Heisuke held out a hand to stop him from leaving. "W, wait, Hajime-kun! Souji's fine! I'm sure he's already talking to-" He sighed as Saito disappeared inside the headquarters without giving him a chance to continue. "Damn, why on earth did I mention Souji?"

"They seem to be good friends," Chie muttered.

"You have no idea, Hajime-kun is the only one who understands Souji." Heisuke rolled his eyes. "It doesn't make sense, Hajime-kun and I are the same age so it should be easier for me to get along with Souji, but no matter how much I try to do exactly the same as him, I always end up bickering with Souji over something silly. We got along better when we lived at Kondou-san's dojo... but I guess we've all been stressed out since we moved to Kyoto."

"No matter how hard you try, I doubt you can act like Saito-san." Chie couldn't miss the chance to tease him thanks to her spite at being ditched. "You're so different from each other that you could pass for his evil twin."

"Evil... twin?!" Heisuke turned his face so fast in her direction that his neck muscles complained with a painful stitch. "Agh! And why do I have to be the evil one?!"

Chie clenched her fists and stomped her foot on the ground, overcome with a sense of irritability brought on by all the unexpected events that occurred that day. "Because you leave helpless women to their fate in the lair of the stupid Mibu Wolves! How come there are perverts attacking girls in the headquarters?! Wasn't my sister guarded by anyone when it happened?! Ume-chan was right when she said you were all a bunch of good-for-nothings incapable of protecting anyone!"

Heisuke gaped, dumbfounded by Chie's emotional outburst. Sanosuke had warned him that girls could react intensely, but he had always believed that Chie was an exception to the rule. He cracked a nervous smile and raised his palms again to calm her down. "Whoa! W, where did all this anger come from? If you calm down, I'll explain everything that-"

"No! I hate you! I hate you and all your stupid lies! Because of you, I had to put up with Sannan telling me that the gods wounded his arm as punishment for saving my life and then restraining me to the point of tears! And then Kohana-chan's friend called me a hideous hag! And Saito-san subjected me to an interrogation that made me fear I'd be locked up in the nearest dungeon!"

"Did you say Sannan-san restrained you...? But if you were with Hajime-kun when I arrived and you seemed comfortable next to him!"

"Of course I was, because he only scared me at the beginning! But that's the problem with all of you... sometimes you're nice and sometimes you're not, it all depends on how much usefulness you find in outsiders to the Shinsengumi! Don't you realize that you operate like cogs in a machine designed to get your commander to the top of the shogunate and that you're willing to throw away anything that doesn't contribute to it?! Saito-san told me he'd even lost the ability to feel but he didn't care because that way he could be of better use to the Shinsengumi! Tell me Heisuke, are you really my friend or do you only talk to me because your stupid boss told you to?!"

Chie didn't intend to be literal, but to give a metaphorical example to back up her point, however... the pallor that invaded Heisuke's face and the way his pupils trembled inside his green eyes, nearly imperceptible in the darkness, forced her to abruptly fall silent. Had she... hit the nail on the head?

"And I thought..." Heisuke muttered, his voice cracking under the deepest shame, "...that the hardest thing I was gonna have to do today was to tell Shinpa and Sano-san that I slipped and fell into the mud while denying I had a crush on you. But nah, the worst was yet to come." He ran his palms across his forehead, lifting his bangs to the crown of his head before letting them fall back over his eyes. Then he sighed and shook his hands as if he was about to get into a street brawl, unconsciously preparing himself for what he was about to say. "I'm not gonna contradict your feelings about the Shinsengumi. After all... I don't agree with the course our organization is taking either. I wish we had crossed paths back in Edo, Chie-san, before you and your father moved to Kyoto. Kondou-san's dojo was more like a family of idiots back then and I'm... sure you'd have a better impression of us if you'd met us before we became the Wolves of Mibu."

"It's not about that!" Chie was quick to interrupt his speech, eager to avoid a possible misunderstanding. "I'm just confused! After Tani left for Kyoto I swore to hate samurai for the rest of my days, but then Sannan-san and you saved my life, and.... well, I don't know what to think of the warrior class anymore! There are times when I believe you're my friends and that I can count on you... but there are others where you use me for your benefit!" Heisuke closed his eyes and pursed his lips as he heard her but Chie continued, unable to contain the frustration that made her blood boil: "Tani used me to prove to Ume-san that he could be loved, Sannan-san sees me as an opportunity to prove that he can heal his arm with the help of science, and you...! You...!"

"I only sought your trust to gain access to intel that would expose Tani's illegal behavior and justify the Vice-Commander in sentencing him to commit seppuku." His countenance turned to stone but his voice, almost turned to a whisper, trembled like a child's as he admitted: "We were never true friends, Chie-san. It was all a lie. I'm... sorry. Forgive me."

"What...?" She began to cry uncontrollably as she heard him, and the shame that overcame her for not being able to disguise her feelings swirled with the disappointment and rage that seemed to shake her heart and slam it with the force of a typhoon against her ribs. 'Breathe, Chie, breathe, it all starts with breathing' she repeated to herself as she felt her throat close and dry up like it did in the night when the flames of the Mao restaurant fire encircled her. She couldn't breathe... She couldn't breathe!

"Chie-chan!" Heisuke held out his arms as he saw her stagger, fearing she would faint from shock, but Chie gave him a look of contempt he never thought he'd see in her usually shy and kind eyes.

"Don't call me Chie-chan! You... have no right!" She stifled a sob and stepped back with a trembling step that almost sent her backward to the ground. "You've been deceiving me all this time?! After I trusted you with my feelings... with my secrets?!"

"Yes! I already told you I did it, damn it! I reported them to Hijikata every chance I got!" He ran a hand frantically over his face, unable to keep calm around Chie's increasingly anguished sobs. "Please, Chie-chan, stop crying! I can't see you like this! I know it was an order at first, but I grew fond of you over time and...!"

"I don't care what you grew fond of! You're a liar! Was Yokai a hoax too?! Did you bring him to the restaurant to finally win my friendship?!"

"Are you crazy?! I would never do such a low thing! Don't act like you don't know me, I'm still the same Heisuke as ever!" He said the last more to convince himself than the girl who cried disconsolately in front of him. He had changed so much in the last few months that he was sure that, if he saw his reflection in the Yagi's pond, he would beat it until he sank to the bottom of the water.

"Answer my question!" Chie demanded with her fists clenched on both sides of her body.

"S, sorry. I wasn't listening..."

"I know!" Chie wiped away her tears with a sharp movement of her kimono's sleeve. "Tell me what you gain by being blindly loyal to the Shinsengumi!"

Heisuke was dumbfounded and blinked several times before he managed to articulate a coherent response. Something in the back of his mind felt "heavy"... wrong.

"What I gain?"

"Yes! Don't you remember who you were before your whole life revolved around the whims of the shogunate?! Don't you remember your mother, your home... the friends you left behind?!"

As soon as she said the last thing, the whole world seemed to twist and flicker for an instant that became eternal. As eternal... as the glow that blinded them when the sun of Edo shone on their frightened faces at the vision that enveloped them in its overwhelming embrace.

"What's going on?!" Chie fell on her back and Heisuke rushed to kneel down next to her and hold her shoulders while his eyes darted from one point to another in search of possible enemies. Could the vision be the work of the guys who were pursuing Chizuru-chan? Hijikata had warned them of their supernatural powers, so he refused to be intimidated by the illusion.

"Come out wherever you are, you damn good-for-nothing oni!" he yelled. "You're dead wrong if you think you can catch me off guard just because I'm arguing with Chie-san! We fight all the time so don't think a little bickering will give you the upper hand!"

"It's gone..." Chie withdrew feebly from his side and Heisuke made no effort to stop her, disappointed by her rejection but relieved that the vision had faded like a soft summer mirage.

"Yeah... I'm sure it was the work of some new enemies of the Shinsengumi."

"Enemies with supernatural powers?" Chie sighed as she sat up. "Leave it, I don't want to know anyway. With you I don't know what to believe and what not."

Heisuke repressed the urge to defend himself against the accusation, aware that, no matter how hard he fought to prove the veracity of his statements, Chie would never believe a single word that came out of his mouth again. "I must report this incident to the Vice-Commander," he explained, making no effort to hide the depression that had settled like a dark cloud over his normally cheerful and carefree demeanor. "There's a protected witness at the headquarters who could be in grave danger if those thugs used the vision to infiltrate the Yagi property."

"Are you talking about Kohana-chan?"

"No. It's a young lady connected with a secret investigation of the shogunate. We've kept her hidden in our ranks for a relatively short time, but she's expected to live in the headquarters for an indeterminate amount of time."

"Why are you telling me this stuff?" Chie frowned and her tear-reddened eyes responded with a stinging that caused her to reflexively rub them. "You won't get in trouble for discussing Shinsengumi internal affairs with me?"

"I don't give a damn." He took a breath to calm himself and his voice became a whisper when he interposed a hand between the two of them to add: "I just... I don't want to lie to anyone ever again. I don't want to lie to you again."

"Good night, I hope I'm not interrupting a romantic breakup," greeted the voice of a tayu finely attired with a gold embroidered haori who showed up at the headquarters' entrance with a reddish smile that seemed to go from one side of her face to the other.

Heisuke frowned, recognizing the tayu who led the failed show of Kohana he attended with Souji, but uneasy to see her arrive unannounced mere minutes before they were caught up in a supernatural vision.

"I know the last thing you want is to have to put up with my stupid presence for a single minute longer," Heisuke muttered as he moved forward to position himself cautiously between Chie and the newcomer, "but I beg you to trust me and not leave my side... even if it's the last time you do. I promise I'll leave you alone once you're with your sister."

Chie was about to reply, but preferred to remain silent and stand behind Heisuke when she noticed the tayu advancing with long strides she took in her impossibly high platform sandals to meet the two of them.

"Thank you for receiving me, samurai-san! I have come to visit my dearest leading maiko!" she said with extraordinary diction and charisma, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil that flooded every inch of her greeters' bodies. "Would you be so kind as to guide me to her chambers? I'm looking forward to fill her in on the events that took place during her absence at the Okiya!"

"Sure, follow us," said Heisuke while holding Chie by the elbow as gently as possible, fearful that the tayu was actually an oni ready to tear them in half at the slightest distraction. "I bet it's such interesting gossip for you to decide to show up at the headquarters in the middle of the night, unescorted, and unannounced."

"Clever boy." Ba smiled with an unnatural sweetness that didn't diminish the elegance of her gait as she explained: "I understand your suspicions, but I'm a woman who's accustomed to the kind of independence possessed by wealthy noblemen. If I want to go somewhere, I simply move there; formalities are for slaves. It's obvious that a penniless soldier like you doesn't frequent my kind, but you'll see how ecstatic your commander will be to see me."

Chie remained silent, sighing defeatedly as she was guided along the place she longed to escape from with each new tear she was forced to hold back. If it had all been a lie... then why was Heisuke going out of his way to protect her from the supposed threat posed by these supernatural beings? If he let her die... then he'd have less work to deal with and could go back to patrolling the streets of Kyoto with his troops as he was so fond of doing before he was tasked with surveilling her.

"My second most popular maiko, Kosuzu-chan," Ba continued to babble, "just got engaged to a port administrator who established most of Japan's current trade routes. Honestly, I couldn't contain the urge to tell Kohana-chan the good news, since I plan to arrange a similar engagement for her as well. I'm a firm believer that marriage is the solution to all the woes of a woman who wasn't fortunate enough to be born a tayu."

Heisuke and Chie exchanged a pair of sidelong glances upon hearing her, but the former cleared his throat and the latter decided to focus on the floor as they got closer and closer to Kohana's new room.

Chapter Text

Kohana sighed. She was sitting on the engawa (the wooden walkway that separated the exterior part of her room from the garden) with her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on her blood-stained sandals and socks. Although the bearskin coat prevented her kimono from being completely ruined by the streams of blood that showered her from head to toe, she was careless enough to wipe her attackers' blood from her face with one of the sleeves, and thus ended up ruining the delicate silk kimono as well. Even the fabric ornaments in her hair weren't immune to the aftermath of the carnage that erupted around her.

Her lips curled into a pout of annoyance when she realized that Ba-san would be adding a huge amount of money to her debt in order to replace her wardrobe before her graduation day arrived. Kohana had worked extremely hard to pay off most of her debt to the Okiya before escaping, since she didn't want Ba-san and old Yumiko to think she was a petty criminal, but it was obvious she was now not only tied to Kyoto by the Shinsengumi, but also by the exorbitant expense the Okiya would invest in her person.

She watched as Nagakura and Harada-san (whom she had just been introduced to) helped Okita carry the bodies of the victims out of her room, but she smiled in disbelief and averted her gaze as she realized that she had labeled the dudes who had tried to molest her "victims". Her brow furrowed over her eyes as red as the blood that Okita had drawn from the perverts' bodies. Was she supposed to feel pity for them? Or fury, outrage, terror? Or maybe... should she be happy that her savior annihilated them before they laid a single hand on her?

Whatever she was supposed to feel, Kohana felt nothing... Nothing, except a deep resentment towards her father, Furukawa Izanagi. Why was she thinking about her father now? What the hell did the stupid old man have to do with the filthy perverts who treated her like a piece of meat... like a mannequin without feelings or reason?

Well, she told herself with her gaze lost in some invisible spot in the garden, it was probably because her own father also dehumanized her by selling her to the Okiya under the excuse that "he didn't have enough food to feed his two daughters", which was ridiculous considering he owned one of the busiest restaurants in Kyoto. She rested her forearms on her knees, struggling not to remember the many times where Izanagi ignored her in favor of her older sister. This was definitely not the best time to sink into the frustrating images of her childhood, but she couldn't contain the parade of scenes where her father complimented the dishes Chie cooked and complimented her for cultivating her huge passion for literature (so similar to her mother's), all without him making the slightest effort to acknowledge the presence of the little blonde girl who went out of her way to win the approval of the head of the household.

«"Daddy, Daddy!" An eight-year-old Kohana ran to meet her father with her hands gently clasped over a hidden object that made her smile from ear to ear. "Look what I found! It fell in the garden, but it didn't get hurt and I can bring it back to the nest if you help me climb the tree!"

"What? What tree are you talking about?" Izanagi, who looked much older since his wife's recent death, didn't bother to look at her and continued peeling the endless amount of potatoes he was pulling one after another out of a sack almost twice as tall as he was.

"I'm not talking about the tree!" Kohana pouted. "I'm talking about the little bird I rescued! I think the last storm knocked it out of the nest and the two of us could-"

"I can't right now," he replied, his eyes fixed on the potatoes. "I'm cooking."

"Agh, I know, I can see you do it with both my eyes!" she protested while pointing at her face with her index and middle fingers. "But I'm not tall enough to put it back in the tree by myself! I stood on my tiptoes, climbed on the dining room stool, and even asked Sanjuro-san to help me; but that big fool told me to go to the mountain to look for a tengu god to put it back in the nest for me!"

The sound of her father's fists crashing against the table made Kohana shudder from head to toe and her little heart race like a hare in hunting season.

"Damn it, Kohana! Can't you see how hard it's been to keep the restaurant afloat since your mother died?!" He turned to look at her with a tense jaw, disturbed by an emotion as complex as it was mysterious. "Why can't you help me with the cooking like your sister does instead of distracting yourself with incoherent fantasies?!"

"B, but, daddy...!" She raised her trembling hands where she held the little bird, her eyes veiled by a wall of tears that threatened to collapse on her cheeks. "This is no fantasy, it's a real baby bird! It's alive, don't you see?!"

"NOBODY CARES ABOUT THAT STUPID DEAD BIRD!" Izanagi slapped his daughter's hands away and the pigeon flew off like an arrow, crashing to the ground with an agonizing whimper as brief as its short life was.»

The Kohana of the present dragged her healthy hand across her face and took a deep breath as the desperate cry of her past self replayed in the back of her mind, just as if she were still standing under the oppressive roof of the Edo house where she was born.

"Don't let the maiko out of your sight," Okita told Shinpachi and Sanosuke as he walked past Kohana (whose bowed head he pointed from above to emphasize the importance of the order). "I'll report to Kondou-san about the shit that happened here, so make sure she and that junk she's carrying with her go into the Yagi girl's old room and don't come out of there anymore."

Kohana didn't hear the reply from her watcher's companions, as all her attention was focused on the origami figure that fell from Okita's left pocket and rolled gently across the surface of the wooden floor until it came to a stop next to her lap. Was it... a paper heron? Her blonde eyebrows furrowed slightly in a gesture of confusion as she proceeded to disassemble it to discover the signature of the artisan who created it.

"Huh, Saito-sensei sure forgot about me, so screw his outdated Meiwa-era training!" Ibuki exclaimed as he kicked one of the bales of hay his teacher had forced him to carry during the afternoon. "Does he think I wanna train to become a mule?! Behaving like a smelly pack animal won't buy Kosuzu-chan's freedom!" He pouted and plopped down lazily on the biggest bale. "Well, though if you consider that Hijikata-san wants me to replace that pig-headed Tani guy... then it makes sense for Saito-sensei to treat me like an ass."

He was so at ease resting on the hay that he didn't notice the presence of Heisuke, Chie, and the tayu Ba in the inner garden until they stopped just a few steps away from him.

"O, oh...! Heisuke-kun! I mean, Captain Toudou-san!" he shouted as he sprang up to carry the heavy hay bales on his back as easily as Saito did, but they began to fall apart as he plunged his fingers frantically inside to keep them from sliding back to the ground. "S, shouldn't you be h, having dinner with the others?! Right now, I'm... t, too busy with my training to follow further orders from the S, Shinsengumi!"

All the newcomer did was frown, raise his chin, and rest his hand on the hilt of one of his swords, an attitude that Ibuki found highly unusual for him. Was he taking it out on him because they'd cut his pay and restricted his freedom of movement after saving his life? Wow... and he thought Heisuke wasn't the spiteful type.

"Training will have to wait," Heisuke put an end to any theories by adding: "We have a Code Forty in the headquarters and I need you to bring it to the commander's attention."

Code forty?! Ibuki's eyes widened and he swallowed in an effort to hide his reaction before the two civilians who accompanied the captain. Did he mean... an infiltration of supernatural beings in the headquarters?! "Oh, my God...!" he thought with his jaw hanging open in the most sincere terror, "Were those horrible Rasetsu creatures again?! How many times were they gonna break out of Sannan-san's lab?!".

"Don't tell me you forgot what the codes mean again!" sighed Heisuke, rolling his eyes while trying his best to articulate what to say in order to avoid Ibuki's bulletproof honesty from exposing him to his companions. "Books are just as important as muscles, so remember to study the rules of the Shinsengumi alongside your physical training or you'll end up becoming a common slum thug instead of an honorable warrior."

"Huh, yes, Toudou-san! R, rest assured that I won't neglect the study of Bushido!" Ibuki gave a hasty, mechanical bow, wondering what the hell had gotten into Heisuke's head to make him act all formal like that. Maybe he was trying to keep the women surrounding him left and right from panicking?

Wait a minute...

Ibuki raised his face slightly to look at the aforementioned women. One of them was Kohana-san's weird sister, whom he had met (and insulted) a while ago, but the other one was... The tayu who owned the Okiya?! What was that opportunistic bastard doing in the Shinsengumi's headquarters?! Ibuki lowered his gaze and gritted his teeth as he realized that that obnoxious courtesan was the only obstacle preventing him from attaining happiness with Kosuzu-chan. The so-and-so was probably there to make sure Kohana-san's erikae went off without incident, so her visit had to be the reason Heisuke was at pains to hide the seriousness of the code forty.

"If that's all, then I'll hurry to inform the commander that we have a visitor of extreme importance at the headquarters!" Ibuki stated, purposely disclosing a false meaning of the code.

This seemed to please Heisuke for an instant, as the corners of his lips rose slyly at the sound; an expression that quickly faded from his face to be replaced by one of utmost annoyance which he accompanied with a grunt of frustration so fake as to draw the attention of Chie (who, despite having been fooled for months, was already familiar with most of the 8th Division captain's non-verbal gestures). "I'm trying so hard to speak in code only for you to end up disclosing its meaning in front of our guests?! Get out of here, you low-life rookie! You still have a lot to learn!" He gave a kick to the air that Ibuki dodged like a scared dog, stumbling away from the garden in order to alert Kondou about the presence of supernatural beings in the headquarters.

"I'm sure I've seen that young man somewhere else,” said the tayu Ba when Heisuke, Chie, and she resumed walking and proceeded down the hallway separating the dining area from the kitchen. "Isn't he Ibuki Ryunosuke, the delinquent who defected from the Shinsengumi after the death of his troublesome master and decided to drag my two maikos with him in his laughable, but heartwarming escape attempt?"

Heisuke held his breath, surprised that the tayu was not only aware of the events that took place in the privacy of the Mibu Wolves' lair, but that she also knew Ibuki's physical appearance; a vulgar page whom a noblewoman wouldn't deign to look at long enough to recognize him after his radical haircut and change of wardrobe. "If you knew who he was then why didn't you say anything while I was talking to him?" Heisuke asked without taking his eyes off the path or his hand from the hilt of his sword.

"Why waste words on a servant when I can get answers from a distinguished captain of the Shinsegumi?"

"Distinguished?" Heisuke smiled sarcastically. "Didn't you call me a 'penniless soldier' a while ago?"

"A warrior can be distinguished even in poverty. The captains of the Shinsengumi may not be known for their nobiliary titles, but they are known for their eagerness to uphold the traditional values of our prosperous and competent shogunate." Her eyelids narrowed inquisitively as she added: "And your case is especially captivating, Toudou Heisuke-san, as I gather that you do possess nobiliary titles and only share the poverty of your comrades due to your disdain for the past-anchored culture of your progenitor."

Chie raised her eyebrows until they almost touched her hairline. The tayu had just said that the foolish, untrustworthy, and hopelessly crass Heisuke was part of the nobility?! Not in a million years! The very idea that Heisuke had a chance to live in a better environment and was throwing it away for killing people on the streets of Kyoto made her hate him even more! When were the lies going to stop?! The more she got to know him... the more she realized that she didn't!

"I don't know what you're talking about." Heisuke didn't seem upset about Ba disclosing another one of his secrets in front of Chie. "If you know so much about me then you should know that my salary was cut and I'm being kept on bread and water for saving Ibuki's skin. If I had a rich father to ask for money from, then believe me I would've long ago swallowed my pride to beg him for a bowl of soup and a warm blanket."

Chie's face, contrite from the anxiety of not knowing whether or not to believe in the one whom until minutes ago she had considered a trustworthy friend, lost a little of its color as a side door slid open in front of them and a large group of soldiers left the kitchen amid a cacophony of laughter and curses. After the first five warriors disappeared down the hallway, the figure of Tani Sanjuro emerged like the sun reappearing to dazzle one's eyes after the seemingly certain darkness of the eclipse.

Heisuke arched an eyebrow at the sight of him. He wasn't surprised that Tani's gray eyes were digging like a bloodthirsty sword into his gut after the run-in they had outside the headquarters, but his disinterest turned to surprise when he noticed that Tani wasn't grinding his teeth at seeing him again in Chie's company... but at the proximity of the tayu who was walking gracefully in his direction.

What was Tani's issue with the dignified mistress of the Okiya that prompted him to snarl as if he were about to tear her apart with his bare hands? It obviously had nothing to do with Serizawa's deceased lover, since a courtesan would never allow a woman rejected by her husband to take refuge on her property and jeopardize the reputation of her artists.

Heisuke expected the worst to happen when Tani's party met his halfway down the hallway, but nothing prepared him for the way Tani ignored Ba to proceed to grab Chie's hand and pull her roughly to his side to whisper a few scant words in her ear before continuing on his way.

"What the hell is wrong with that idiot?!" Heisuke shouted, turning so quickly to face him that he had to grab hold of the tayu's fine golden silk obi to keep from falling to the ground. He stumbled forward after disentangling himself from the cloth and raised his voice so that Tani, who had just disappeared into the southern corner of the hallway, could hear him: "Weren't you satisfied with what you did to her sister and now you want to break Chie-san's arm too?!"

«Remember what I told you.»

Her childhood friend's brief words, still echoing in Chie's mind, surprised her as much as they confused her. Which of all the things he had told her lately did he mean...?

Could it be that Heisuke had been punished for aiding a deserter? No, that didn't seem to trigger the urgency evident in Tani's voice. Or maybe that Heisuke was... in love with her? Bah! Of course not! Surely even the poor bastard responsible for cleaning the Shinsengumi's latrines knew that Heisuke was only pretending to be her friend! Then... what on earth was he talking about? It couldn't be his ridiculous idea that pestering Heisuke was helping him process the loss of Ume-san!

"Chie-san!" Heisuke's energetic call interrupted her musings. "What was it that psycho scumbag whispered to you?!"

"Huh, what?" Chie frowned and the bitterness with which she replied brought out the native Edo accent she always tried so hard to conceal. "Why do you care?! I can't believe you're still trying to get information about Tani from me! Have you no shame?!"

"I, I'm not trying to find out anything, damn it! Didn't I tell you I'd never lie to you again?!"

"Well, with you I don't know what to believe and what not, so stop interrogating me and take me to my sister once and for all!"

"But I'm not interrogating you!" Heisuke's voice became high-pitched with frustration, which led him to open his palms on both sides of his body. "I just wanted to make sure that bully doesn't play with your-"

"With my feelings?" Chie gave a snort that wavered between turning into a smile or a sob. "Please! You're like a thief who tries to rescue the victim just so they can mug them later."

Heisuke fell silent as he realized that Chie wasn't as wrong as he wished to believe and their gazes locked on opposite points of the hallway for what seemed like an eternity.

"I bet this conversation is extremely important to both of you, samurai-san," Ba said after finishing holding the obi that Heisuke had unwisely tugged from her waist, "but I also vote for you to continue leading us to my star maiko's room."

"Oh, yes..." Heisuke took a deep breath and resumed walking. Follow me, it won't be long before we arrive.

"Take a seat, Souji," Kondou indicated from the cushion where he was sitting next to Hijikata. "Would you like some sweets? Chizuru-chan was kind enough to bake them for me, but it's imperative that I pass on them this time."

"Why?" Okita asked with a mischievous grin. "Is Kondou-san trying to keep himself in shape now that he's the sole commander of the Shinsengumi?"

His boss and tutor let out a lively laugh. "Ha! That wouldn't hurt, would it? I've put on a couple of pounds since Chizuru-chan's been in charge of the kitchen, those delicious Edo sweets and all the time I spend in the office taking care of paperwork are a dangerous combination!"

"Sit down, Souji," Hijikata muttered without taking his eyes off some reports he was reading with his characteristic seriousness.

"Nah, I'll stand. The last thing I deserve is to rest after neglecting my guard post."

"Oh." The smile slowly faded from Kondou's face and was replaced by a hardened frown that made him look much older than he actually was. "Yes, Hajime-kun informed me about the attack on Kohana-san's room. It's... utterly deplorable that our protégé was exposed to such a level of violence from those who were supposed to watch over her." He sighed and ran a hand over his forehead. "What shall we tell to dearest Mrs. Ba? Kohana is her star maiko and now not only is her arm in a sling because of us, but she has been through a traumatic experience from which it will probably take her a long time to recover."

"I'm sorry I neglected my duties," Okita muttered through gritted teeth and clenched fists, "and I'm willing to submit to seppuku to pay for the way I betrayed the trust Kondou-san placed in me."

"B, betray...? Oh, no! No, no, no." Kondou placed his teacup on the table and shook his hands in an anxious gesture. "What's gotten into your head, Souji? Seppuku, you? Of course not! No one learns without making mistakes and if we let go of every warrior who makes a mistake then we'll never give them a chance to reach their full potential."

"That doesn't align with the values of Bushido, Kondou-san," Okita replied with no expression on his face. "You taught me that the path of the samurai is found in death and I've been willing to walk to the end of that trail since the first time you put a bokken in my hand."

"That's very honorable, Souji-kun, but you're forgetting a detail of utmost importance." Kondou gave him a sympathetic look and waved his hand to signal him to sit down, which Okita reluctantly complied. "The strength of Bushido lies in the balance existing in each of its mandates; to follow only one and ignore the others is as foolish as crossing the avenue leading to the imperial palace with a blindfold over your eyes."

Okita folded his arms and quirked his lips. "And what is this important mandate that determines that a warrior who neglects his duties and puts the life of an innocent girl at risk hasn't lost his honor to the point of having to regain it by seppuku?"

"Chugi, loyalty. Not only do the troops have a duty to their leader, but the leader also has a duty to their subordinates. As commander I am responsible for all actions committed by the members of our ranks; especially after having given my word to a courtesan of Ba-san's rank." This time it was Kondou who crossed his arms, concentrating on the tea table standing between him and Okita. "I must ensure that the Shinsengumi becomes a useful tool to the shogunate, to whom I have also given my word. Sacrificing the captain of the 1st Division will do nothing but weaken us both strategically and morale-wise." He pursed his lips and gave him a hesitant look that was intended to conceal his affection for him. "For now you're more useful alive and at fault than dead and redeemed."

"I can't believe it." Okita rolled his eyes. "You punished Heisuke for pretending to have killed that fool Ibuki and I'll get out of this in one piece?"

"Your distraction was an accident,” Hijikata said, looking up for the first time from the documents he was holding, "what Heisuke did was a deliberate choice. That brat is lucky I didn't have him whipped fifty times on his back for his disobedience."

"Now, now, don't get excited, Toshi." Kondou patted him on the shoulder a couple of times, causing Hijikata to grumble under his breath without any of those present paying attention to him. "Heisuke-kun tends to put his heart ahead of the rules, which is a weakness, yes, but also his greatest strength. If it wasn't for him Ibuki-kun wouldn't have decided to join the Shinsengumi and God knows we need such kind-hearted people in our ranks." He paused and put his fist to his chin before adding: "We need to be a little stricter when it comes to selecting our personnel, we can't allow more perverts like the ones who attacked Kohana-san to sully the good name of the Shinsengumi."

Hijikata folded his arms and shrugged. "You wanted the Shinsegumi's numbers to grow faster."

"I did, but not by recruiting the kind of criminals we should be arresting."

"Well, they're already arrested, aren't they? What do you want me to do with them now?"

Kondou took a deep breath, crossing his arms as he lowered his head in a gesture of deep resignation. "How many survived?"

"Three," Hijikata replied.

"The law is clear, they must be hanged in the presence of the Magistrate of Aizu."

"Right." Hijikata stood up. "I'll take care of the formalities."

"Wait a moment, Kondou-san." Okita stood up at the same time. "I feel obliged to give you a piece of information of vital importance."

"Huh? What's the matter?"

Okita smiled and his eyes flashed with a spark of mischief that escaped Kondou's perception, but not Hijikata's. "One of the three survivors refused to participate in the attack after arriving at the maiko's room. I only injured his shoulder by mistake during the brawl, but he's nothing more than a slave to drink who had a change of heart after thinking of his little daughter. I think... his act of bravery earned him the right to commit seppuku in the headquarters instead of being hanged alongside those immoral criminals."

"Oh, w, wow... well, that changes things quite a bit." Kondou massaged his forehead, uncomfortable with the new information. "Toshi, c, can't we spare that poor fellow's life? It would be a pity for that girl to lose her father being that he-"

"No." Hijikata interrupted him with a sternness that gave no room for further questioning. "As you said, the law is clear; alcoholism doesn't exempt him from covering up the attack by not alerting us to what was going on. He not only broke the rules of the Shinsengumi or the Bushido mandates, but the laws of the Bakufu. That guy has no choice but to die as a criminal or a warrior, although personally I wouldn't bestow the honor of seppuku on a coward of his ilk."

"I'm sure I heard him say 'This isn't right, guys, leave that sweet young lady alone!' when I arrived on the scene," Okita lied with a benevolence that (again) only succeeded in fooling Kondou, "but one of his comrades threw him to the ground and he was unable to get up anymore because of his drunkenness."

"Oh, no. No, no." Kondou smoothed his hair with his hands, shaking his head several times before nodding in a sudden burst of determination. "All right, Souji, you need say no more. I'll allow that poor man to commit seppuku rather than be hanged by the authorities."

"I appreciate it a lot, Kondou-san." Okita smiled slyly again after stroking the hilt of his sword. "Would you be so kind as to allow me the honor of assisting him during seppuku? I want the edge of my sword to show him how grateful I am to him for refusing to hurt my protégé."

"Yes, yes, Souji, do as you wish..." Kondou muttered, holding his own head as he struggled to ignore the guilt of having to execute someone he considered an innocent man who would never reach his full potential. How long would it be before he was forced to condemn one of the companions, no... better put brothers who had followed him since he was a simple farmer in Edo?

Okita left Kondou's office, gloating over his accomplishment, but Hijikata followed him and cut him off before he could make much progress down the roofed wooden walkway that encircled the garden. "Why are you so interested in decapitating that pathetic drunkard?" he asked bluntly. "I know you aren't motivated by compassion, Souji, so spit out your reasons if you don't want me to shut down your little project."

"Shut it down?" Okita raised his eyebrows and arched his lips mockingly. "You wouldn't dare to disobey Kondou-san's orders, would you?"

"No, but you aren't the only one who can persuade him to do your will."

"Manipulating Kondou-san... what a nerve!" Okita crossed his arms and tilted his torso in his direction before baring his teeth in a feline grin. "You always have the most twisted ideas, Hijikata-san, that's why everyone calls you 'demon'."

"Enough with the games." Hijikata sighed and let his shoulders fall a few inches, annoyed at how little effect his threats used to have on the boy he saw grow up. "I don't care how those bastards die as long as they do it quickly and without complications, so I want to verify that you aren't planning something that might jeopardize our relations with the Magistrate. You know that uptight bureaucrat has been all over our asses ever since Serizawa lost his mind."

"Yeah, I know." Okita quirked his lips and his eyebrows drooped over his half-closed eyelids. "I didn't lie about sparing that guy's life because he said he regretted not doing anything to stop the break-in at the maiko's room."

"And why do you insist on killing him yourself? The Shinsengumi is no playground for your sadistic games, Souji. If an instant of mercy was enough to make you feel less of a man, then go take it out on all the drunks across Japan. We now follow direct orders from the shogunate and executions should be as distant and professional as possible."

Okita clicked his tongue and shook his head in disbelief. "You never understand anything, do you? The maiko was about to suffer the unspeakable at the hands of those bastards because that guy didn't lift a finger to help her." He let his arms fall gently on either side of his body, but his fists clenched tightly as he added: "But if he's truly remorseful, then he'll willingly agree to regain his honor by seppuku; which is far more than a coward who calls himself a samurai deserves."

"And why did you decide to bestow upon him an honor he doesn't deserve?" Hijikata rolled his eyes. "It'd be easier and quicker to hang him, from what I heard he doesn't even come from a noble family. He's a poor farmer from Edo just like most of us were when we came here."

"I won't deny that my request to assist him during seppuku stems from my loathing of cowards and my desire to take it out on him," he admitted with a slight shrug, "but this goes beyond a personal whim, Hijikata-san." He turned to gaze at the lamps illuminating the garden as he muttered: "You recently said that if the shogunate recognized us as samurai, then we had to be prepared to live like them. Well, I am, and I would've gladly submitted to seppuku if I hadn't arrived in time to protect the guest I was ordered to guard. You heard me in there; I even suggested carrying it out after saving her, as none of this would've happened if I had been less arrogant and left a replacement in my place while I was absent."

"And what has all that to do with that godforsaken drunkard?"

"He claims to be repentant for his actions and as a samurai he's entitled to the option of restoring his honor through seppuku. If we don't give it to him it's because we don't see him as a real samurai, but as a simple Edo peasant playing servant to the shogunate," he replied with an ironic smile. "Real bushi can only lose their warrior status by direct command of the Shogun, so let's take this game seriously and treat it accordingly, shall we? Let's not disappoint Kondou-san."

Okita retreated with the ghost of a smile dancing on his lips and Hijikata watched him disappear inside the headquarters as he thought about how unconditional loyalty to Kondou's ideals was one of the few things he had in common with him. The methods by which they made sure Kondou fulfilled his dreams were extremely different, but they were both just as determined to give up their lives to help him reach the top.

"Hijikata-san, sorry to disturb you at such an hour!" Chizuru was heading to meet him at top speed, carrying her short sword with both hands while trying her best not to stumble on the freshly waxed floor. "I heard Kohana-san had trouble! Is there anything I can help with?!"

"Oh, Yukimura-" Hijikata tried to explain to her that everything had been taken care of, but Ibuki's (equally desperate) arrival from the opposite direction made him turn around to warn him that the hallway had been waxed. Of course, he didn't get to utter a word before the boy slipped noisily and slid face down on the floor until the crown of his head gently bumped into the Vice-Commander's right foot.

"Id had adwful newds, Hidikata-dan!" he muttered with his mouth glued to the floor. "Thegh capdain Todo-dan... c, code fodty!"

"What the hell are you babbling about?" Hijikata turned away with his eyes rolled back. "Stand up and stop sucking my socks off like I'm fucking Serizawa!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, H, Hijikata-san!" Ibuki jumped up. "Code forty! Captain Toudou-san informed me that a code forty is taking place at the headquarters!"

"What...?" Hijikata's eyebrows furrowed in concern and his head turned unconsciously toward Chizuru to make sure the young girl was still with them and hadn't vanished in the invisible embrace of one of the powerful oni chasing her. "Is it the oni or is it another breakout from Sannan's lab?"

"I, I don't know! Toudou-san didn't give me many details because he was accompanied by two women unrelated to the Shinsengumi!"

"Women?" Hijikata massaged his eyebrows in annoyance. What the hell was the grounded brat doing strolling around the headquarters with two unknown women? He recalled ordering him to escort the maiko's older sister to the Yagi's house, but that had been over three hours ago and there was no excuse for Heisuke to continue wasting time with her and whomever the other busybody was, much less when an active attack on the Shinsengumi base was in progress! What the hell had been going on with that reckless Heisuke lately?!

"What is a 'code forty'?" Chizuru asked, interrupting the Vice-Commander's thoughts. "Please tell me Kohana-san is all right!"

"That's what you and I are gonna check," he replied as he motioned for her to follow him with a quick nod of his head. "Come, Yukimura, let's go to the maiko's room."

"Yes, Hijikata-san!" Chizuru tightened her grip on the sheath of her sword and followed her boss with as much haste as she could as he moved with firm, quick steps over the waxed floor.

"Ibuki!" Hijikata turned to look at him over his shoulder before entering the headquarters. "Don't stand around like you're part of the garden decoration! Make yourself useful and update the commander on the situation!"

"Oh... r, right away, Hijikata-san!" Ibuki gave him a quick bow before darting off in the opposite direction; which led him to slip a second time and cover the distance to Kondou's office with his face pressed to the ground.

Heisuke tried to say goodbye to Chie when they reached the door to Kohana's room, but she turned her back on him and followed the tayu into the room, determined to ignore any attempt at reconciliation from the spy who broke her heart.

"May all the devils take me..." Heisuke muttered, rubbing his right hand over his face as the visitors slammed the door in his face. "I really messed things up with you, huh, Chie-chan?"

"I told you she was gonna feel bad once she found out," replied a deep, unhurried voice from the floor.

"Huh, who...?" Heisuke sighed when he noticed Sanosuke sitting by the door, his figure skillfully masked by the glow of the lamp that illuminated the entrance. "Oh, it's you, Sano-san. Please, I'm not in the mood to listen to your I-told-you-so's."

"But I-told-you-so." Sanosuke offered him a sympathetic smile and patted the floor to motion him to sit next to him. Heisuke reluctantly agreed, unwilling to be lectured but unable to object to the request of the man who was not only one of his best friends in the world, but also a role model. "Has it been a long time since she found out about the farce?"

"No. Chie-chan cornered me with a million questions earlier and I couldn't help but tell her the truth."

"Alright. Then you should give her some time to recover from the shock."

"What? Of course not! If I don't show how sorry I am then she'll end up believing that I never cared about our friendship! Chie-chan already has enough reasons to think that I only wanted to use her for that stupid mission and I don't intend to give her another one! As soon as she's done talking to her sister, I'll offer to take her back to Izanagi-san's restaurant and apologize as many times as it takes! What's more, I'll let her sink my face in the mud and jump on me if it'll help her feel better!"

"Heisuke, Heisuke." Sanosuke pressed his lips together and placed his palms between the two of them. "Remember what I told you last time?"

"What?!" he spat defensively, annoyed that Sanosuke didn't grasp the cleverness of his plan.

"About the way you felt when those guys pretended to be your friends to get close to your father's wealth."

Heisuke slumped his shoulders gently and averted his gaze in a clear gesture of remorse, remembering the conversation he and Sanosuke had the afternoon they had spent cleaning up the debris from Typhoon Hime:

«"I'm serious, Sano-san!" He lowered his voice as much as possible as he added: "Hijikata-san will kill me if Chie-san stops trusting me because of you!"

Sanosuke's expression turned bitter all of a sudden. "That's all that matters to you? That she keeps trusting you so you can uncover Tani Sanjuro's weaknesses?"

"What? No! It's not like that!" Heisuke looked around to check that no one was listening to them. "This isn't about uncovering anyone's weaknesses, Sannan-san just wants to make sure Tani doesn't bring trouble to the Shinsengumi. We don't need a second Serizawa ruining what little reputation we've left."

"Yeah, but she'll find out you used her sooner or later. What do you plan to do when she finds out?"

"Nothing, because she won't," he said with unusual seriousness. "I may not be a spy as good as Yamazaki-kun, but I'm not a raw rookie either. Chie-san will keep believing I approached her disinterestedly even if I have to die to uphold this secret."

"Do whatever you want." Sanosuke clicked his tongue and shrugged, walking away to continue cleaning up. "Just remember how bad you felt when you found out that the members of your first dojo were talking trash behind your back. If I remember correctly, they pretended to be your friends to get closer to your father's wealth, didn't they?"»

"I'm a fool," Heisuke said as he snapped back to the present, "but I refuse to give up and stop trying to work things out with Chie. There must be some way to-"

"I didn't remind you of that example to lecture you," Sanosuke interrupted him, "but so that you can put yourself in her shoes."

"Huh?"

"What did you do when those guys tried to convince you that they liked you even though you had full evidence to the contrary?"

"I told them to screw themselves," Heisuke mumbled through his teeth. "I think I ended up punching one or two of them..."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?! Because it was bullshit!" He jumped to his feet, unable to contain the frustration that flowed like a tumultuous river inside his veins. "But I'm not like them, okay?! I really care about Chie-chan's... feelings!"

"But she doesn't-know-it," Sanosuke concluded with a finality that left no room for any kind of argument. "You won't do any good by insisting, let her process the situation and give her space to recover. Female hearts are too fragile to the coarse ways of warrior men like you and me."

Heisuke fell silent and his desperate eyes held the stern look of the one offering advice he feared he would regret following. Finally, he bowed his head and nodded with his fists clenched on both sides of his body; helpless before the deserved sentence of fate that severed the thin cord connecting him to Chie as punishment for lying to her for two months, six days, twenty-one hours, and forty minutes.

Chapter Text

"What would you like the autograph to say?" asked Kohana to Shinpachi while signing a poster of the Okiya (where a depiction of Kohana dancing in an Ukiyo-e style illustration could be seen) with a calligraphy brush. She was seated in front of a small maple wood desk located in the middle of the Yagi's eldest daughter's room.

Shinpachi grinned from ear to ear and puffed out his chest with pride as he exclaimed: "To Nagakura Shinpachi; captain of the Shinsengumi's 2nd Division, chief assistant to the Vice-Commander, defender of the commendable ideals of the Bakufu, and the most muscular, handsome, brave, dangerous, and cleverest wandering warrior in all of Japan! With much love from his greatest admirer; the beautiful, talented, and... uh... also very beautiful? Kohana-san; who's extremely honored to be able to write these lines in his honor!"

"Oh!" Kohana stifled a chuckle, which she hid by clearing her throat. "All that...? Hmm, I'll have to use a smaller handwriting than I'm used to so as not to cover the poster completely. It would be a shame to ruin such a nice drawing."

"No! Not small! It needs to be seen at least from...!" He paused to take a series of quick glances over his shoulder while counting the distance with his fingers. "Oh, dammit! Why does the detention room have to be so far away from the common dormitory?! I don't wanna have to wait for Hijikata to release that bastard Heisuke from detention to brag about Kohana-san's autograph to him! I want it to be the first thing he sees when he sets foot outside, but he won't see it even if I nail it to the damned roof!"

Kohana wanted to reply that she could buy a bigger poster at Shimabara, but was interrupted by the door opening seconds before the tayu Ba Makoto entered the room; closely followed by Chie, her older sister.

"My dearest Kohana." Ba stretched out her arms as if she intended to give her a comforting hug, although both knew it was only a symbolic gesture of cordiality. A tayu would never embrace a maiko; much less in the presence of strangers unconnected to the Okiya. "I'm sorry you had to face such misfortune. A helpless young girl like you didn't deserve to be the victim of such outrages in what should have been a safe haven during your recovery. First, they break your arm when arresting you... and then you're attacked by a group of perverts in your own room?! Hmph! No wonder they call them 'The Mibu Wolves'! But don't worry, I intend to complain to whomever it takes to get those wild pigs punished. After all, they're nothing but a bunch of worthless, immoral drunks."

"Welcome, Ba-san." Kohana sat up, crossed her healthy hand over her sling, and gave her a remorseful bow. She thought she would never see the owner of "The Red Heron" again after escaping from the establishment (which helped her deal with the shame of dishonoring the one who taught her everything she knew about her profession), so she couldn't help but feel like crying from sheer mortification after being comforted instead of severely reprimanded for her wrongdoings. "Chie-chan, I also appreciate that you decided to visit me."

"Of course, but... t, that's not your blood, is it?!" Chie asked, turning pale as she stared at the multiple splashes of dried blood that covered her sister's kimono.

"Oh, no!" Kohana quirked her lips into a forced smile. "It's just 'collateral damage'... those guys didn't get to lay a single hand on me." She bent down to give another deep bow to the tayu. "Ba-san... I'm so sorry for ruining your valuable property! Believe me, I intended to return it safely to the Okiya once it was safe to return to Kyoto!"

"Returning to Kyoto." Ba rubbed her chin as she gazed up at the room's ceiling. "I know you would have. You may have fled Shimabara in a moment of weakness, but you were never a thief."

"No! Of course not!" denied Kohana without sitting up. "I only wanted... to go back home! Nothing else!"

"But, my child..." Ba sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest in a weary manner. "Shimabara is your home."

"How could it be?" Kohana replied as respectfully as she could. "If the Okiya was my home... then I wouldn't have to work as a maiko to continue living there!"

"Doesn't your sister work at the restaurant?" Ba pointed at Chie (whose surprised eyes darted from one to the other as she clutched the basket where she carried some food and clean clothes for Kohana) with one of her red silk sleeves laced with gold thread. "Adult children should help their parents keep the household afloat, whether they are cooks or maikos. What is respectable in Japan's humblest household, is respectable in Shimabara as well."

"You don't get it... I've been dealing with this since I was a child and-"

"Didn't your sister cook since she was a child, too? As far as I know, she had to help your father with the restaurant after your... your very esteemed mother left this world." She cleared her throat before continuing, distracted by a mysterious reason that caught Chie's attention. "And I'm sure the restaurant's customers have nothing to envy to the Okiya's, right?" She turned elegantly to Chie and gave her a smile that made it clear she had noticed the confusion on her face. "I bet you've had to deal with a lot of rowdy drunks, Chie-chan. Didn't Serizawa-san himself cause a commotion at your father's restaurant a few months before he died?"

"Y, yes," Chie replied under her breath. "He scared one of the waitresses... even though he dedicated a poem to her afterward?"

"Typical of drunks!" laughed Ba, suddenly in a good mood. "See, Kohana-chan? No woman is spared from being wronged in this sad world ruled by the uneducated blindness of men who call themselves 'defenders of the commendable ideals of the Bakufu'."

Shinpachi clenched his teeth and shoulders in a fit of panic, well aware that he tended to act like a belligerent drunk in Shimabara and that the dig was clearly aimed at his person. Of course, he never got rough with any female worker who rejected him (alcohol gave him bouts of total amnesia, but he was sure Sanosuke would've sobered him up with a beating had he tried), but the discomfort that came over him caused him to slip the door stealthily and disappear behind it along with the poster on which Kohana only managed to write: "To Nagakura Shinpachi; captain of-".

"I know," Kohana stood up with a desperate look, "but I didn't leave just because I disliked the customers, Ba-san."

"What was it that you didn't like then? The fine clothes, the good food, the worship of the masses, or the makeup perhaps?"

"A golden cage is still a cage," she replied in a whisper, startling both the tayu and her sister. "I want to grow a successful farm and manage it until I die. To live off the land; to cultivate it with my hands both under the warmth of the summer sun and the moisture of the autumn rain."

"Dear Kohana." Ba smiled sympathetically. "You're only fifteen years old, no one will sell an estate to a woman of your position."

"A geiko can get a house if she puts her mind to it." Kohana clenched her fists under the sleeves of her bloody kimono and lifted her chin to give her a determined look. "I won't embarrass you with the Shinsengumi, Ba-san. I heard you're planning to hold my graduation here and you can be sure I'll keep my end of the bargain. I have a better chance of fulfilling my dream as a geiko than as a maiko; I've spoken to many agricultural professionals who visited the Okiya and they've given me an endless amount of valuable advice."

Ba laughed again, but this time with a distinct tinge of derision that made her voice become syrupy. "Holding a conversation on a subject doesn't mean you can deal with it as easily as an expert."

"I beg you not to underestimate me! I have the knowledge, the passion, and soon I'll also have the social standing to allow me to do so. Didn't you build the Okiya against all odds too? Ba-san should know better than anyone that we women can defy the establishment and overcome the obstacles that stand between us and our dreams!"

"Some obstacles can turn into misfortunes, Kohana-chan," she said with raised eyebrows as she fiddled with the cord that adorned one of the room's lamps. "Think about what happened to that vulgar woman who was recently murdered. What was her name...? The adulterous wife of the tailor who moved in with Serizawa-san. God, I can't believe I forgot her name! It's probably a sign that her morality was as fragile as the shameful legacy she bequeathed to this world."

"Serizawa Ume was her name," Chie interrupted her with a frown and a tense jaw, honoring her with the surname of the man she decided to live and die with, "and she wasn't an adulteress. Her envious neighbors spread false rumors so that her husband would throw her out on the street, but Serizawa-san gave her the option of living by his side as his wife. If there's anyone who lacks morality, it's the husband who placed more value on gossip than on the word of the wife he swore to protect."

A deep silence fell like a dark blanket over the three of them. Kohana gaped, stunned at her normally shy and insecure sister's display of courage, while the corners of Ba's red mouth twisted in a bitter gesture that she hastened to conceal by resting her fingertips on them.

"Maybe, maybe," Ba muttered, shrugging after regaining her usual composure. "Innocent or not, her murder remains unsolved and I only mentioned her to highlight the dangers an outcast woman faces on the streets of Kyoto. It's evident that the thugs in the capital became emboldened after assaulting so many ordinary women without suffering consequences, and now they intend to target high-class ladies like Kohana-chan as their victims." She spun quickly on her heels and her red kimono spread around her as if it were a misty specimen of the mythical "Hell flower". "Do you understand, dear Kohana? I only intend to prevent you from suffering a similar fate. The scent of the dew on the grass, the storm clouds swirling on the horizon, the chugging of the wagons across the lonely dirt paths. Is it worth dying for a handful of unattainable memories? You can't get your childhood back, Kohana-chan, that fragment of your life vanished along with your mother."

"I brought you rice croquettes with coleslaw," Chie said as she deposited the basket resoundingly on the desk that separated her sister from the tayu. "You've had a long and stressful day and you need to eat dinner to recover from that injury, I'm sure your boss can visit you at more reasonable hours to discuss the arrangements for your graduation." She stood up defiantly and put her hands on her hips as she waited for Ba to leave the room.

"What an... interesting dinner," the tayu mumbled, as surprised as she was offended by the reaction of her star maiko's vulgar sister. "Well, your health comes first dear Kohana, I hope that 'dish' is enough to satisfy you until you can return to our home and eat something better suited to your social standing. I assure you I'll be back with a couple of interesting news tomorrow... and maybe a lunch that doesn't stink of rotten eggs."

"Thank you so much for the visit, Ba-san!" Kohana said goodbye with a bow that she didn't finish before Ba walked away from the place with long strides. "Oh, my God! What did you do, Chie-chan?!" She burst out in a fit of nervous laughter. "You know you should conduct yourself with more respect in Ba-san's presence!"

"I'll do it once she shows us some respect. I let the thing with Ume-san slide, but I won't allow her to talk about Mom. Why does she insist on talking about her as if she knows her?"

"You let the Ume-san thing slide?" Kohana laughed again. "But you came close to slapping her when she called her an adulteress!"

"Hmm, maybe I should've done it and taught that gossiper not to speak ill of the dead..." She busied herself with opening the basket and extracting both the food and the clean clothes she had brought for her sister. "Didn't you see the look on her face when she saw the coleslaw? I've kicked customers out of Dad's restaurant for less, so she can consider herself lucky she criticized my salad in the Shinsengumi headquarters and not at one of our tables."

"I'm sure you had as bad a day as I did." Kohana plopped down on a cushion and began to devour the croquettes with voracious hunger.

"Pretty bad, yeah." She frowned as she remembered Heisuke's disappointed look when she slammed the door in his face. "But obviously not as bad as yours." She sat across from Kohana with her eyes fixed on the sling around her left arm. "Your petulant boss said you got your arm hurt when you got arrested... Aren't you planning to tell me about it?"

"You're better off not knowing." Kohana quirked her lips and Chie noticed the melancholy that was creeping over her face.

"Don't bother to hide it; I heard it was the neighbor we grew up with."

"Yeah... it was Sanjuro-san."

Silence. Chie furrowed her eyebrows several times and wrung her hands before she managed to answer. "That's what I was told, but... Are you absolutely sure it was Tani-san? There are a lot of spearmen in the Shinsengumi, it could be someone else." Chie pursed her lips expectantly, how could Tani have committed such an atrocity? She couldn't deny it, as she remembered how he'd mistreated her and Ume-san some time ago. The ease with which he had wielded his spear to punish two unarmed women never ceased to shock her; if Heisuke had not arrived in time... perhaps they would both be dead.

Her heart clenched when she remembered that Serizawa Ume was no longer among the living.

"I'm absolutely sure it was Sanjuro-san." Kohana frowned and her crimson eyes faded under her blonde eyebrows. "He was the one who captured us when we escaped from the Okiya. That cheeky prick called Kosuzu-chan a 'whore' so I couldn't hold back the urge to cut the stupid grin off his face with my fan... though I have to admit I didn't recognize him at the time, as it had been so many years since the last time we saw each other."

"By all the gods in heaven!" Chie held her forehead, denying in disbelief: "But I just ran into him and he didn't have any wounds on his face! Are you sure you got to cut his face? Maybe you fended off another soldier!"

Kohana huffed and rolled her eyes, averting her gaze as she tried to be patient with her older sister. "I understand it's hard for you to take it in, but I'm one hundred percent sure it was him. What's more, after hitting me with the spear he complained that I'd wounded him with a weapon that belonged to the lover of the woman Ba-san mentioned, so I'm guessing he had some sort of romantic interest in her?"

"Yeah..." Chie muttered, still unable to recover from the shock that overcame her. "Tani-san and Ume-san had... a relationship of sorts; albeit an extremely brief one. He didn't take it well that Ume-san didn't wish to prolong the affair and preferred to keep living with Serizawa-san, so he tried to strike her with his spear in a fit of rage... exactly like he did to you." She ran a hand across her forehead, overwhelmed by the anguish that threatened to bring tears to her closed eyes. "I thought it was an isolated incident, but now I see that the Shinsengumi had every reason to investigate him."

"Investigate him? What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing. Just... I think it's because they consider him a suspect in poor Ume-san's murder." Chie half-lied, knowing she was incapable of keeping her composure if the conversation shifted to the espionage mission that Heisuke had been tasked with, and which ended up destroying the friendship that once blossomed between the two of them. She loved her sister deeply and didn't want to burden her with problems she didn't consider half as serious as the ones she was facing. "Hey, this is a very important chat, but I can't have you still sitting on that bloody kimono. I brought you some clean clothes," she pointed to the red kimono lying on the table, "so give me a few minutes and I'll come back with a bucket full of warm water to get all that horrible blood off you."

"Red," Kohana huffed in jest, "Couldn't you've chosen another color?"

"Oh! W, well... it's just that most of my kimonos are-"

"Red, I know." She let out a low chuckle as she dismissed her with a wave of her healthy hand. "Be careful out there, the Shinsengumi really is a den of wolves."

It didn't take long for Chie to come upon a member of said group, as Sanosuke stepped up to flank her as soon as she closed the door to the room behind her; greeting her with a warm smile that the young woman didn't return due to the resentment that Heisuke's companions still stirred in her.

"Are you leaving already, Chie-chan?" he asked her with his natural kindness. "Let me get you an escort, it's too late for you to go back to the restaurant alone."

"I'm not leaving," she answered dryly without looking at him, "I need a bucket of hot water so Kohana-chan can take a bath."

"Oh, a bath..." Sanosuke pushed his hair out of his face, pouting as he sighed: "Damn... I can't believe we were so careless. Your poor sister got soaked in the blood of the perverts Souji killed and we locked her in there without even giving her a damn cloth to wipe herself with. Excuse us, Chie-chan, men like us don't pay too much attention to the aftermath of battles." He let out a nervous laugh as he added: "I guarantee you that each of us has slept covered in the blood of our enemies at least once since we arrived in Kyoto."

"I can't imagine that fool Heisuke covered in the blood of his enemies, though at this point I should accept that I don't know anything about him." She quickly regretted mentioning him. Why on earth did she have to complain about him to one of his best friends? Obviously, spite was causing her to have less control over herself than she usually did.

"Oh, well..." Sanosuke's nervous smile was replaced by one that displayed more sympathy than discomfort. "Heisuke is a warrior like any of us and is no stranger to the ins and outs of the business."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply otherwise." Chie excused herself with a brief bow intended to disguise the embarrassment that had taken hold of her features. "As far as I can see he's already left the area, right? Toudou-san... he did a good job escorting me to the Shinsengumi."

"Yeah... he seemed very sorry for lying to you about his mission."

"Huh?!" Chie's eyes widened in shock when she realized that Sanosuke was aware of the falling out they'd been involved in. Her cheeks reddened when the captain of the 10th Division burst out laughing, amused by the reaction his words elicited. "W, why are you... l, laughing at me, Harada-san?!"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" he excused himself with a chuckle. "That terrified face wasn't what I expected to see when I told you about Heisuke's regret."

"I, it's not a terrified face!" Chie rearranged her hair while pretending to be upset to hide her embarrassment. "I, I just... didn't expect Toudou-san to be the type to share personal matters with his coworkers."

"Our camaraderie goes beyond that of mere 'coworkers'." Sanosuke waved the idea away as if he was getting rid of a couple of annoying mosquitoes. "We're comrades in arms. More than that, brothers!"

"That means you're aware of how much his lies have hurt me," she muttered as she looked away, "and you'll understand that I'll never be ready to forgive him."

"'Never' sounds like a horizon too foggy for us to predict the course our lives will take once we reach it, doesn't it?" Sanosuke crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the fireflies flickering in the inner courtyard. "Those bugs don't usually withstand late autumn, Chie-chan, but here they are... even though anyone would've bet they'd die by the end of summer. Some things survive despite all odds."

Chie clicked her tongue, giving the fireflies a glare so fierce as if Heisuke himself were floating and glowing over the garden. "And others obey the bidding of nature." She spun on her heel to face him, eager for him to change the subject. "The Shinsengumi already does too many unnatural things for my liking, so I'd appreciate it if you'd let this matter die once and for all instead of keeping it flying around the headquarters like those cursed undead fireflies of yours."

Sanosuke frowned, suddenly worried, did little Chie know about the Rasetsu's business? He wouldn't dare ask her directly, as he feared to endanger her unnecessarily; but he couldn't help but to imperceptibly probe her level of knowledge by replying: "What do you mean by 'unnatural things'?"

"What else?" Chie grimaced. "The same thing I told Toudou-san. You're all willing to discard your humanity (and with it your loyalty to your loved ones) if it means serving the agenda of the stupid Shogunate. The warrior class doesn't care about peasants like me except when they can use us to their advantage."

"You aren't entirely wrong... but you're not entirely right either." Sanosuke gave a relieved smile that Chie took to be one of self-pity. "The Shinsengumi serves the Shogunate and refusing the orders of our superiors isn't an option, so Heisuke couldn't do much when he was tasked with keeping an eye on you to uncover Tani's weaknesses. We lower members of the warrior class don't have much more freedom than peasants, and our lords use us as much as they do to you guys."

Chie was silent for a moment, swallowing the information she hadn't thought about during all the years she had loathed Tani for leaving for Kyoto after accusing her of being "a gossipy and delusional peasant". "Do you know who ordered Heisuke to pretend to be my friend?"

"No, but the important thing is that it wasn't his idea and he was in no position to refuse to perform the task assigned to him."

"It's no excuse, I would've told him everything he needed to hear from Tani if he'd been honest with me."

"Are you sure?" Sanosuke grimaced. "I don't see you as the kind of woman who would expose her childhood friend's weaknesses in front of a stranger, much less knowing that his superiors' goal is to gather evidence that will help them condemn him to death."

"O, of course not, I, I'd never do that!" She blinked rapidly, unable to argue her case. "But what if I'd spoken up on his behalf, huh?! Tani-san may behave like a bastard from time to time... but he hasn't done anything that deserves the death penalty!"

"Not even break your little sister's arm?"

"He probably didn't recognize her, they hadn't seen each other for years!"

"And what about the murder of Serizawa's lover?"

"T, they don't have any proof that it was him either!"

"Look, you're entitled to feel betrayed by what Heisuke did, so don't think I'm trying to force you to forgive him when it hasn't even been a day since you found out about the mission." Sanosuke shrugged. "I know it hurts to have your feelings played with, but it's nothing that can't be cured by sitting down to reflect in the company of a nice hot bottle of sake."

"Drinking won't fix anything." Chie's jaw tightened. "The less I think about Heis- Toudou-san, the better."

"All right, think of your true friend then and take him down a peg or two before it's too late."

"Tani-san?"

"Yeah, the brat is a wickedly good spearman and has trained ours in a way I've rarely had the pleasure of witnessing." He smiled in disbelief as he added: "I swear on the ladies of Shimabara; I've never seen someone who had such a knack for mastering this kind of combat at such a young age. What is he, twenty-four?"

"Twenty-three." She blushed when she realized that she replied with a quickness that was usually reserved for a samurai's close relatives. "But why does Harada-san speak so highly of him when you're all plotting against him?"

"''Plotting' is too strong a word." He huffed. "If it were up to me things would be a lot more relaxed around here, but Hijikata and Kondou-san are in charge, so..." He forced himself to shut up out of respect for his superiors, but took back the word to conclude: "Your friend Tani is a master of the Tyokushin Ryu and Taneda Houzouin Ryu styles, and as a warrior I have a duty to recognize his skills."

"Is that why you're asking me to advise him to calm down? Because you want him to keep on training the Shinsengumi's spearmen?"

"More than that." Sanosuke quirked his lips and scratched his head, averting his gaze as he muttered: "When you train with someone whose style you know so well... you perceive things that others fail to spot. His arrogant, elitist attitude isn't as natural as he strives to make others believe; there's a side to Tani that I'm sure you know and must've persuaded you that he deserves to be saved as much as I feel he does."

Chie stood thoughtfully, remembering the words Tani whispered in her ear the last time they crossed paths. «Remember what I told you.» But what exactly was it that she was supposed to remember? Was it something recent or old? How did he expect her to review everything he'd told her since they'd met as children? She clutched her temples in a sudden motion as a stitch of pain seemed to shoot through her head from side to side. "Agh...!"

"Are you all right, Chie-chan?" Sanosuke held out a hand that hovered halfway between the two of them.

"Yeah... I'm just tired. I'll talk to Tani-san as soon as possible, Harada-san, you have my word."

The captain of the 10th Division tried to reply, but he turned hurriedly as he heard a rush of footsteps approaching dangerously close to the maiko's room he was ordered to protect. He couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as he caught sight of the scowl on Hijikata's face (who was closely followed by a very nervous Chizuru). Whatever was the reason that had his Vice-Commander so upset, he preferred it to having to face one of those horrifying creatures that brought so many problems to the Shinsengumi.

"Is everything okay with the maiko?" asked Hijikata, giving Chie a scornful glance after noticing her presence. "Why are you neglecting your duties to chat with this woman? Shouldn't she have left the headquarters after visiting her annoying sister?"

"It's not what it seems, Hijikata-san." Sanosuke cracked a sly smile as he explained: "We're just getting ready to take a hot bath."

Both Chie and Chizuru let out a high-pitched «EEEEEEH?!» upon hearing him, but Hijikata was quick to put an end to any attempts at teasing from his subordinate: "Stop joking around, Harada, this is serious business. There's a code forty taking place in the headquarters, so keep your eyes open."

Sanosuke shrugged and pointed at Chizuru as he replied: "If there's a code forty in progress, then it's you who should keep your eyes open."

"No demon will even be able to look in Yukimura's direction before I rip their eyes out of their sockets," Hijikata stated with his jaw tense with determination, "so don't bother reminding me."

Chizuru blinked repeatedly upon hearing him. She could only see his back, so she was deprived of beholding the expression of bravery that graced every inch of his face. However, the strength in his voice and the words he used to affirm he would protect her caused her to blush deeply; both in surprise and shame at having become an impossibly heavy burden to the Shinsengumi.

She was flattered that a unanimous decision had been made to protect her from the oni who intended to drag her into an enigmatic world she had no desire to know, but she also didn't exactly like the idea of them putting themselves in harm's way because of her. Kazama Chikage was a monstrous warrior who could decimate their ranks without even bothering to draw his sword, and Chizuru would've given anything to be able to fight him off with her own hands, rather than risk sacrificing those she considered the bravest men she'd ever met in her short, but eventful life.

His reddish eyes focused on the kodachi sword she was clenching in her hands and the corners of her lips tightened as she asked herself: "What was the use of having supernatural powers if she had to rely on the sacrifice of those who didn't in order to defend her freedom?" She needed to find a way to save them and save herself in the process as well. If any of them died because of her... then she'd never forgive herself.

"Yukimura!" Hijikata snapped at her, addressing her with the same lack of patience he reserved for his soldiers. Chizuru was inwardly grateful for this, as she was starting to feel extremely guilty at the thought of the numerous tragedies that could result from her refusal of Kazama's incessant marriage proposals. "Did you hear what I just said, or are you too busy counting the fireflies in the garden?"

"Huh, about the... ripping their eyes out thing?! I, I'm sorry, Hijikata-san! Did you say something else? I wasn't... paying attention."

"I noticed." Hijikata quirked his lips, annoyed by the inattentiveness of the girl who served as his page. "You'll be sleeping with the maiko from now on, so bring your things to her room. I should instruct you not to let her discover your identity, but by now even the Emperor himself must know you're a woman so I won't waste my breath recommending it."

"This soldier is a woman?!" exclaimed Chie in genuine surprise. "I, I can't believe it! Do they really accept women in the Shinsengumi?!"

Hijikata let out a deep sigh as Sanosuke burst into a fit of laughter, unable to remain serious at the blunder of his Vice-Commander: "Well, looks like Chizuru-chan's disguise isn't as bad as we thought!" he remarked. "At least she can pass for a man when it comes to a pair of untainted eyes that weren't messed up by the battlefield's hypervigilance!"

Chie turned pale with embarrassment and gave a hasty bow to Chizuru, eager to remedy any damage her carelessness might've done to the young attendant's self-esteem: "You must excuse me, Yukimura-san! I didn't mean to imply that you... don't look like a woman, but quite the opposite! W, well... not technically quite the opposite! Only the parts where you don't look, uh... feminine enough? B, but... feminine like a samurai! A... what on earth were they called? Oh, yes! Onna-bugeisha!"

"Oh." Chizuru blinked slowly, puzzled by the conclusion Kohana's older sister had come to. "You don't have to apologize, Furukawa-san. Actually... I'm honored that you weren't able to tell me apart from the rest of my teammates. I go to great lengths to protect my identity and I'd appreciate it if you could keep this secret within the walls of the headquarters. I'm not an official member of the Shinsengumi, just a simple servant who tries to be as helpful as she can to her country."

"Oh, right!" Chie nodded vigorously. "You can be sure that this won't get out of here! I, I'm not a gossip or anything like that, so don't think I'm gonna go out and tell everyone that there's an onna-bugeisha in the Mibu Wolves' headquarters!"

Chizuru pursed her lips, holding back her laughter at Chie arguing back in the same way Kohana did after being asked for confidentiality. Neither of them had the makings of a "gossip-monger", but it was funny that the label should upset them in such a way. Once she regained her composure, she turned to Hijikata to offer him a respectful bow as she pressed her holstered kodachi to her chest. "I'm very grateful that you have entrusted me with the mission of protecting Kohana-san, Hijikata-san. You can have full confidence in my capabilities, for I shall sacrifice my own life protecting her if necessary."

Hijikata felt like making fun of such a promise by telling her he wasn't leaving her there to watch over the maiko's safety, but to make it easier for his men to protect them both (both Kohana and Chizuru were prone to be targeted by bastards whose sole purpose was to prey on them, so it'd spare him several headaches if they could narrow down the area where the most vulnerable elements of the headquarters roamed). However, the solemnity with which she spoke caused him to find it difficult to mock her. Yukimura's body might be weak, but her spirit displayed a strength of temper that he'd so far only seen in warriors with nerves of steel such as Kondou, Sannan, or Saito.

"Of course," he replied, thinking of the advantages they could gain from the Shogunate allowing them to recruit female warriors. Women might not be the best attack force available, but their loyalty and determination was nothing to be sneezed at. If farmers could become samurai... why couldn't women as well? He, more than anyone else, knew that the noble class's prejudices were as unjustified as they were archaic. "Go tell your new roommate the news, see you tomorrow." He withdrew without giving her time to return his greeting, quickly walking away from the place.

Chizuru said goodbye to Chie and Sanosuke after overcoming the satisfaction of getting her boss' support, and was greeted with a friendly exclamation of joy from Kohana when she entered the room to tell her how worried she had been about her after learning of the assault.

"Chizuru or no Chizuru, I still have to guard the entrance," said Sanosuke as Chizuru closed the door behind her. "You won't be afraid to go look for the bucket by yourself, will you, Chie-chan? If you follow that hallway and turn right after the second door you'll come to the storage room where the Yagi keep their personal cleaning supplies."

"Sure, no problem. Thanks for all your advice, Harada-san." Chie bid him farewell as well, bowing a little before walking away in the indicated direction. Truth was, she didn't really like the idea of walking alone in the Mibu Wolves' den while they were running around because of the so-called "code forty" mentioned by the Vice-Commander, but she was exhausted and just wanted to help Kohana feel better, get the hell out of the headquarters, and lock herself in her room to sleep for a whole week.

She thought she caught a glimpse of Heisuke out of the corner of her eye, so she stopped momentarily to look around; finding with both relief and disappointment that she was just as alone as she thought she was. She cursed under her breath as she stepped into the dark storage room, ashamed that a part of her heart harbored the hope that he'd show up to tell her that it had all been a misunderstanding and that his interest in befriending her had been genuine from the beginning.

«"I know the last thing you want is to have to put up with my stupid presence for a single minute longer," Chie recalled Heisuke's words to her as he advanced to stand cautiously between her and Kohana's boss, "but I beg you to trust me and not leave my side... even if it's the last time you do. I promise I'll leave you alone once you're with your sister."»

Chie squeezed the ends of the bucket with her fingertips as she gazed at her faded reflection inside the water someone had forgotten to dump out. She shook her head to shake off the daydream that seemed to rise around her just as the odd mirage that engulfed them did before Ba-san's arrival broke its spell. Despite his background, Heisuke looked ready to make good on his promise to leave her alone.

Thinking about the mirage reminded her that Heisuke (in an unexpected burst of sincerity) had mentioned that such a supernatural phenomenon might be a ploy by enemies of the Shogunate seeking to seize a protected witness they were hiding in the headquarters. Chie's chin rose sharply in surprise and she inhaled loudly when she realized that this "witness" was none other than Yukimura Chizuru herself.

"Of course!" she exclaimed in the darkness of the storeroom. "That's why she's dressed as a man! She's not an onna-bugeisha; she's a prisoner!"

"That brain of yours never fails to get you into trouble, does it, Chie-chan?" said Tani's calm voice behind her back. "Yukimura's secret must not be known and my duty as captain of the Shinsengumi is to bury you with it."

Chie let out a short, sharp cry at the threat, recoiling back with wide eyes. "T, Tani...? What are you saying? I... didn't say anything! I said absolutely nothing at all!"

Her childhood friend smiled in a way that appeared ominous under the moonlight that made his teeth gleam like a sword's sharp steel. However, he held out his hand in her direction in a warm manner that contradicted the harshness of his initial greeting. "Don't worry, I'd never allow those filthy peasants to lay a single hand on you. You can trust me."

Chapter Text

Autumn, November 26, 1863. Ten o'clock p.m.

Heisuke walked at a safe distance from Tani and Chie, following them with a frown across the busy main avenue leading to the Mao restaurant. The city was particularly lively due to the sumo wrestling tournament that would take place over the next week and Heisuke took advantage of the commotion both outside and inside the headquarters (where his companions were hunting down the oni who had probably left the place long before they started looking for them) to sneak out to watch out for Chie's safety.

He knew for a fact that he wasn't allowed to leave without permission and that Hijikata wouldn't hesitate to toughen his punishment should he learn of this new insubordination incident. But to hell with him and his stupid Mother Goose's rules! It wouldn't hurt anyone if he was absent from the headquarters for a few minutes! Tani had done nothing but cause harm to Chie's family and he couldn't understand why on earth she was foolish enough to let herself be escorted home by the man who had not only just broken her younger sister's arm, but was also one of the prime suspects in the murder of the woman whose grave she visited earlier that afternoon.

He had to muster all his strength to avoid getting between them when he saw them leaving the headquarters together, which he succeeded in doing only by convincing himself that it would be more beneficial to follow them on the way back in order to finally carry out his mission and discover Tani's true intentions. His fragile, budding friendship with Chie might be lost forever, but he would die before allowing Tani to continue playing with her feelings. The scumbag would pay for every single tear that spilled from Furukawa Chie's eyes after learning of the mission he was given only because his superiors wanted to get rid of Tani.

Did they want him to spy on the elitist bastard to find a reason to condemn him to shove a steel blade in his guts? Well, he'd gladly do it!

"Remember I agreed to let you escort me only because you promised you'd apologize to Kohana-chan," Chie's unconvinced voice said from a few feet ahead. Heisuke was separated from them by a group of six people exchanging jokes at the top of their lungs, so he didn't manage to hear Tani's answer before Chie continued: "It doesn't matter that you didn't recognize her! You can't go around whipping defenseless young girls with your spear! First you attack me and Ume-san, and now Kohana! Is this how an heir of the Bicchu Matsuyama clan behaves?"

"Real warriors aren't like the heroes in your fantasy books," Tani replied as he gave her a wry smile. "The Shinsengumi isn't a playground, you know?" He hid his hands inside the sleeves of his haori and nodded his head forward as his mocking expression was replaced by one of sudden seriousness. "That's why I treated you so badly before I left Edo; I didn't want my best friend to see me getting my hands dirty."

"What...?" Chie froze for a moment, stunned by what she had just heard. "What do you mean... you didn't mean it?"

"About you being a peasant girl who only babbled about imaginary monsters and gossiped about mediocre customers?"

"Y, yes..."

"Bah, of course not." He smiled mischievously again as he explained: "Friends always know the right thing to say to hurt you, and I... well, let's just say I tried to protect you the only way I knew how. But I wasn't lying when I said we belonged to different worlds, Chie-chan; innocent people like you are incapable of understanding the kind of vile acts we warriors must commit to ensure their safety."

Heisuke quirked his lips as he listened to him, not only annoyed by what he considered another of his many manipulative excuses, but because he was overcome by a strange sense of déjà vu that closely resembled the one he experienced before he was caught up in the recent oni mirage. His body felt heavy and wrong.

"Hmm." Chie nodded, struggling to maintain her composure when faced with the unexpected revelation. Finding out that Tani never looked down on her for not belonging to the warrior class changed everything she had felt for the past five years. "I know, Saito-san likes to repeat that the Shinsengumi isn't a Mahjong Club." Sanosuke's confession about how each of them had slept covered in the blood of their enemies at least once since arriving in Kyoto also came to her mind, but she refrained from mentioning it because of how terrifying it was for her to imagine her childhood friend murdering another human being. However, reminiscing about her talk with Sanosuke reminded her of her promise to ask Tani to stop testing the Shinsengumi's patience, so she hastened to add: "But just because it's not a Mahjong Club doesn't mean it's a club for beating up women with that thing you always carry on your shoulder! There's a difference between committing violent acts to defend someone and... between doing whatever it is you do when you lose control!"

Tani quirked his lips before sighing loudly. "All riiight. I'm gonna apologize to your sister, okay? I would've done it earlier, but I haven't had a chance to meet with her since we captured her."

"It's not just about apologizing," Chie replied, lifting her chin to meet the gaze of the man who was more than four inches taller than her. "You have to control yourself when you feel the need to commit such violent actions. How could you want Miss Ume to notice you if you were willing to beat her up just because she refused to do what you wanted? No woman would agree to... fall in love with a guy like that!"

"W, why are you bringing up Ume-san now?" He ran a hand over his face, trying to conceal the gesture of remorse that took over his face at the memory of the situation. "I told you I was just trying to scare her."

"Nonsense, you only said that to show off in front of Heisuke. I'm not stupid, Tani-san, I know you were upset that Ume-san rejected you."

"You don't know anything."

"Of course I do! You think you're the only person in the world... whose feelings were rejected?" She averted her gaze toward the lamps that decorated the avenue they were walking down, shrugging as she muttered: "Getting angry is normal, hitting an innocent woman is not."

"Not where I come from."

"What?" Chie turned to look at him, bewilderment causing her to stop feeling so self-conscious about the intimacy of the subject. "What on earth are you talking about? No one used to beat up women in Edo!"

"Oh..." Tani's eyes met hers and Chie managed to catch a fleeting expression of terror that made his normally haughty or mocking gray pupils tremble. "Y, you can't be sure of that, Chie-chan. All homes are different."

"Yeah, that's true." She attempted to maintain eye contact, but her companion broke it to stubbornly concentrate on the road. "But Dad says it doesn't matter where we come from, but where we're going. I know I'm not the best person to say it, but you can't let your past determine your present."

"You'll never understand, never!" Tani shook his head. "Ume-san was the first person that... accepted me as I am now; as Tani Sanjuro. And it was a fucking disappointment that she changed her mind just because that Serizawa pig could buy her better dresses!"

"I don't think Ume-san was that shallow."

"What do you know?! You knew her for only five minutes!"

"W, well, maybe she was shallow, okay? But what does it matter now? She wasn't the first person to accept you as you are, Tani-san! What about Mantaro-san, Kohana-chan, my father, my mother, and even me? Didn't we count?"

"You clearly said that you and your father weren't part of my family!" He pointed at her with his eyes narrowed in frustration. "What's more, you even refused to consider me a friend anymore! Or did you forget that along with everything else?!"

"Forget? Forget what...?"

"Agh, nothing! Just forget everything I said and leave me alone!"

Heisuke rolled his eyes as one of the women walking in front of him whispered to her husband that Tani and Chie made an adorable couple, and he replied that watching them argue on the streets of Kyoto brought back memories of the ridiculous bickering they used to engage in when they were teenagers.

This mission was becoming a grueling test for his nerves.

"You didn't murder Ume-san, did you?" Chie's question was asked in such a soft tone that Heisuke only managed to understand it thanks to the lip-reading lessons Yamazaki Susumu gave to the Shinsengumi members in order to improve the efficiency of their surveillance patrols.

"Of course not!" Tani hissed between his teeth. "I'm sure that Serizawa pig killed her before he was ambushed at the bar."

"Toudou-san said she was found in his room a day after Serizawa-san's death."

"Yeah..." He paused while they both dodged a line of people waiting their turn at a busy ramen bar, which Heisuke took advantage of to get past the annoying group that stood between them to hear the conversation better. "I had a look at the corpse myself."

"Oh, no! Tani-san... I'm so sorry! I didn't know that you... W, why didn't you let one of your teammates examine her?"

Tani rolled his eyes. "All corpses are the same."

"Yeah... but you loved her."

"It doesn't matter."

"I'm so sorry." Chie pursed her lips and clasped her hands in front of her chest in a gesture of sympathy. "Are you still investigating what happened? I... asked Toudou-san to keep me updated on the situation, but... well, he and I had a falling out at the headquarters and I don't think I can discuss it with him anymore; at least not in the near future. So... maybe you can fill me in on any new developments on the case? I know you are angry with Ume-san, but I'm indebted to her for showing me such kindness in life."

"Yeah, yeah, I will. But... a falling out?" He turned his face in her direction, raising his eyebrows cockily as he stated: "Why? You seemed to get along so well that your little hands around his wrists were enough to keep him from drawing his sword when I insulted his ridiculous foster parents. You have no idea how impulsive that bastard is, Chie-chan." He smiled mischievously as he concluded: "The fact that he heeded your pleas is the reason I warned you that you'd end up making him fall even more in love with you."

Heisuke stopped dead in his tracks to breathe in and out several times, gritting his teeth and raising his palms outstretched in front of himself as he repeated to himself: "Easy, Heisuke, easy. If you kick that guy in the back of the head, not only are you going to end up sentenced to commit seppuku, but Chie-chan will never trust you again"; which managed to bring him back to a calm enough state to resume walking at the exact moment Chie replied:

"Stop with the nonsense! You shouldn't have insulted Nagakura-san, let alone Harada-san! He thinks highly of your skills as a spearman, you know?"

"Of course I know, I also think Harada-san is a very admirable warrior."

"Then why on earth did you call him 'Sano-sucker'?"

Tani shrugged and the spear he carried on his back glowed as it reflected the light of a red paper lamp hanging from the ceiling of a neighboring store. "I just wanted to annoy Heisuke, you know I like to stir up trouble."

"Well, you should stop doing what you like. I already told you it's your responsibility to honor the title of heir to the Bicchu Matsuyama clan."

"And you have to answer what you're asked instead of evading the issue with sermons."

"Huh?"

"The falling out. Why did that idiot Heisuke and you get into an argument?"

"Oh... well. I found out that the Shinsengumi had been spying on me for a few months and Toudou-san didn't tell me anything about it." She avoided giving too many details of the matter, as she didn't know if Tani was aware of the ins and outs of the mission. She didn't want to hide from him that the group he belonged to was trying to find a reason to force him to defect, but she feared that Heisuke would fall victim to Tani's terrible wrath. Chie witnessed the difference in strength between the two of them with her own eyes when Heisuke tried to push him into the mud without managing to move him an inch, so (even though she was still furious with him) she would do her best to prevent them from being involved in a new quarrel.

"And why would the Shinsengumi spy on a simple waitress like you?"

"Don't you know?"

"No, those stuck-up peasants never tell me anything." He clicked his tongue. "I don't even understand why they let you out of the headquarters after discovering that Yukimura is a woman, I'm sure that the so-called 'Demon Vice-Commander' would've preferred to leave you locked up in Sannan's sex dungeon."

"The sex what?!"

"Nothing." He bared his teeth in a devilish grin. "It's a joke."

"Your jokes are horrible." Chie rubbed her cheek to hide the blush that had painted her face purple.

"Those farmers with delusions of grandeur must be spying on you to get to me." He shrugged as they crossed a stone bridge that rose several feet above the dark surface of a river that glimmered occasionally under the light of the full moon. "I know they're looking for a reason to get rid of me since I started flirting with Ume-san."

"If you know it then why do you keep stirring up the hornet's nest, Tani-san? What are you looking for? Do you have a death wish?"

Tani laughed and his shoulders shook a couple of times as he stifled a loud cackle of disbelief. "Do you think those guys can kill me? Ha! That would be unexpected!"

Heisuke (scowling more and more because of how much he was offended by Tani's elitist taunts) slowed down to allow another group of people to get between him and the couple he was watching as stealthily as possible. Pedestrian density was much lower in that area of town, so he didn't dare follow them as closely as he did as they walked down the main avenue.

Who the hell did Tani think he was to look down on the Shinsengumi like that? Shinpa-san had noble blood, Miura (one of the soldiers belonging to the 8th Division) did too, and even he himself did; so why did the adopted son of a little-known Edo clan such as the Bicchu Matsuyama think he had the right to call them "peasants" or "farmers"? The fucker spoke as if he were a demon prince incapable of bleeding when no one was unaware of the humility of his origins.

"If you're as strong as you say," Chie said suddenly, shocking Heisuke by the way she seemed to echo his thoughts, "then why couldn't you stop those perverts from attacking my sister? You were there, Tani-san, and yet it was thanks to Okita-san and not you that she got away with nothing more than a bad scare."

"I would've noticed she needed help if that moron Hijikata hadn't been lecturing me for being late getting back from patrol." Chie noticed Tani frowning the same way he did when Serizawa Ume turned him down. "Trust me, it won't happen a second time. I'll decorate the tip of my spear with the windpipe of the next pervert who dares to look at her with lust."

"You don't have to be so graphic," Chie muttered, slowing down from the shock of imagining Tani disemboweling Kohana's attackers. "I would've been satisfied with the first part."

"Come on, that's how all us big brothers react, isn't it?" He smiled nonchalantly. "Not trying to imply it's because of me accidentally breaking her arm, but I'm the only one who has the right to annoy Kohana-chan."

"You already have your own younger brother to annoy," Chie replied, struggling to conceal the smile she got from remembering the absurd scuffles Tani and Kohana used to get involved in as children, "so I won't let you annoy mine."

"That's true, I haven't stopped by Mantaro-kun's clinic in a while." He smiled mischievously again and crossed his arms as he added: "But annoying that altruistic small-town doctor isn't as much fun as getting on Kohana-chan's nerves; the two of us have similar temperaments and that makes it more interesting."

"Kohana-chan had the quietest five years of her life until you figured you'd come back into it just to whack her with that stupid spear." Chie sighed, stopping at the end of the bridge and causing Heisuke to quickly hide behind the group of pedestrians that stood between the two of them to prevent Tani from spotting him as he turned in his direction. "If you really want me to forgive you for what happened... then you have to promise to look out for her safety. Kohana-chan has been through too many traumatic situations since she got involved with the Shinsengumi."

Tani was turning in her direction to reply when a group of ronin fled at full speed from inside a busy restaurant that stood next to the bridge. The thugs unsheathed their katanas to push their way through the crowd; parting it like the wings of a startled dove would do after spotting the hungry cat pouncing on it.

"Please, somebody stop them!" cried an elderly cook who stumbled after them with his face flushed with despair. "Those rascals are taking all the day's earnings! Oh, God! Stop those thieves, for God's sake!" He then paused to hold his chest and fell to his knees a couple of feet away from the bridge, unable to continue the chase because of exhaustion. "Don't let them... get away with it! Please!"

Tani drew his spear and struck three of them with the force and speed of lightning, stopping them in their tracks before they had even set foot on the bridge. However, Chie noticed in horror that the one carrying the bag with the restaurant's money ducked just in time to dodge the weapon's lash; avoiding his pursuer with an elaborate pirouette that allowed him to cross the first seven feet of the bridge in one leap.

The world slowed down around her and her reddish eyes darted from the thief who seemed to fly in slow motion toward her (smiling with the satisfaction that only victory brings), to Tani's teeth gnashing as he glanced over his shoulder to yell at her to get out of the way; fully aware that she was about to be knocked over by the assailant. But Chie ended up focusing her gaze on the cook lying on his knees on the icy cobblestones of the street, stretching out his hand covered in old burns in her direction as numerous tears of frustration slid down his wrinkled cheeks.

That poor old man reminded her so much of her father that her own safety seemed a triviality compared to the need to bring him justice.

"STOP!" she shouted at the same time she spread her arms on both sides of her body, becoming the only barrier between the thief and freedom. "STOP THERE, YOU SCOUNDREL!"

Obviously, the ronin ignored her request and knocked her over with all the strength possessed by his body brimming with adrenaline and determination. Chie's vision exploded like the summer sky during a night of fireworks and went completely dark when she flew off the bridge like a tiny living spinning top. She only recovered her vision when her feet lost contact with the ground and her throat broke into a high-pitched scream as she realized she was about to plummet onto the distant surface of the Takano River.

But her fall stopped the instant a pair of hands closed on her wrists with a formidable force that felt like it was crushing her forearms as the grip became the only thing keeping her from plummeting into the void. She raised her head with difficulty, as pained as she was confused, only to find that Heisuke was holding her with his face scrunched up from the effort he had to make to avoid falling along with her. Her rescuer was flat on his stomach on the edge of the bridge, fighting for the weight of his own body to serve as an anchor as he made a superhuman effort to pull her along with him.

"Heisuke!" cried Chie, her voice hoarse and her eyes brimming with tears as one of her sandals fell to the bottom of the river, more than forty feet below. "H, help me, please! Heisuke...!"

"TANI, GO GET THAT... BASTARD!" he indicated to his partner while the muscles in his arms trembled violently. "I'M... GONNA LIFT... CHIE-SAN!"

Tani rushed in his direction, intent on ignoring the one he considered a wimpy midget incapable of saving Chie, but the cook and the many pedestrians of Kyoto (including the restaurant patrons and the married couple who pointed out what a good couple Tani and Chie made) beat him to it as they swarmed over Heisuke to grab the victim's arms and help him pull her back up onto the bridge.

"Tani-idiot!" Heisuke shouted again without letting go of Chie, whose wounded face from the blow peered over the edge of the bridge thanks to the assistance of her rescuers. "What are you waiting for?! Go get that fucking ronin! If you let him get away I'll kick you off the bridge too!"

"Don't order me around, you snooping midget!" he snapped before breaking into pursuit, twirling his spear skillfully between his forefinger, middle finger, and thumb as he crossed the bridge at almost supernatural speed.

Heisuke let out a curse as he watched him fade out of sight through the crowd; if Tani didn't have so many behavioral problems his skills would have been extremely useful to the Shinsengumi. While it was true he had no shortage of reasons to wish to be in the front row the day he was sentenced to commit seppuku, the sheer admiration he had for his skills made the plot against Tani seem just as unfair as the one that ended in Serizawa's death. He frowned at the thought of Souji... would he be the next to become the target of the witch hunt that the stupid Magistrate had waged against the subordinates of Kondou-san who failed to adhere to the strict code of ethics imposed on them by the Shogun?

Good grief... wasn't he himself breaking the rules by leaving the headquarters without permission to spy on Tani and Chie?

"Miss!" exclaimed the cook as he pulled off the handkerchief covering his head to wipe away the trickle of blood sliding from Chie's left eyebrow. "You didn't have to risk yourself like that for the money of an old fool like me! You'd be at the bottom of the river if it weren't for the assistance of this brave young man! Those shameless ronin aren't afraid to become murderers if it helps them earn one more filthy coin!"

"I, I'm sorry, I..." Chie stammered intelligible words from the floor, too upset to articulate a coherent response. Her eyes moved from the crowd (who were all leaning over her to check her body for injuries and harass her with dozens of questions she couldn't understand) to the worried face of Heisuke, who quickly grabbed her hands to help her to her feet.

"Hey, hey! Give her some room to breathe! I'll throw the next person who touches her or asks her stupid questions headfirst into the river!" He commanded them as he waved an arm around Chie to get them to move away from her. "The Shinsengumi will take over the case and we'll ensure that these criminals," he added as he unsheathed one of his swords to stop the three ronin who had stood up after Tani's attack, ready to take advantage of the mess to sneak away from the authority, "pay for their evil deeds!"

Heisuke took a breath, concealing the weariness that had taken hold of him as he approached the convicts to tie their hands with the cords he kept in his pockets. He wouldn't allow those good-for-nothing ronin to become aware of his weakened state and dare to fight him to escape when there were so many civilians around; a fight in that area of the city would only result in unnecessary casualties. However, his concern for the citizens wasn't met with as much gratitude as he had hoped, as he heard multiple complaints behind his back after mentioning the Shinsengumi:

«"Shinsengumi?!" cried the assaulted cook with his voice sharp with indignation. "If you're from the Shinsengumi then why aren't you chasing after the missing criminal like that brave red-haired boy did?! I could have my money back if you weren't wasting your time with these useless punks!"»

«"Don't waste your breath on him, Uehara-san!" said the woman who was still holding onto her husband's arm. "Those stuck-upp villagers like to call themselves 'samurai' but they always let others do the dirty work for them!"»

«"Yes," added the husband of the one who spoke before, "any Mibu Wolf would rather flirt with a vulnerable woman than draw his sword. Let's not forget the ways of that pig Serizawa Kamo!"»

Heisuke rolled his eyes, turning his torso slowly in their direction to point out that one; Tani wasn't a "brave red-headed boy" he had taken advantage of, but another of the Bakufu's dogs they so despised. Two; that he had already drawn his sword and the three remaining criminals weren't going to tie themselves up on their own and wait to be arrested while they chased their accomplice. And three (most important of all): That he wasn't flirting with Chie!

But Tani's sudden appearance on the bridge caused him to be as startled as the others members of the crowd, for the captain of the Shinsengumi's 7th Division walked nonchalantly toward them as the thief's corpse dangled high on the spear he shouldered; swaying like a flag woven of pale flesh, warm blood, and torn rags.

"For heaven's sake!" cried a woman above the shrieks of dread that surrounded her. "W, what have you done?! T, that man was-"

"A scumbag who messed with the wrong person," Tani spat with a vicious smile as he spun the spear with a quick flick of his wrist that caused the corpse to detach from the weapon and fly off the bridge; plunging into the silvery waters that swallowed him just like a wild beast would. "And we're the goddamn Shinsengumi, so get your filthy asses out of the way or you'll end up just like that bastard!"

The crowd dispersed as they stumbled, shrieking in terror when they discovered that they weren't in the presence of just one Mibu Wolf; but two. Executing a thief without first having him tried by the magistrate of Aizu was illegal, so they would probably murder not only the rest of the criminals, but also any witnesses willing to accuse them in court.

Of course, they would be pardoned provided they claimed to have committed the crime in self-defense, but no one would dare stay around to verify it (including one of the accomplices who tried to escape in panic, which Heisuke prevented by grabbing him by the collar of his kimono without even bothering to look at him).

"For God's sake, Tani!" Heisuke growled when Chie, Tani, the three prisoners, and he were left alone in the middle of the street. "Did you really have to make a spectacle by throwing him into the river? Don't even think I'm gonna jump in and pull him out! Only God knows what kind of things are lurking inside the water at this hour!"

Tani shrugged. "No one will miss him, if that good-for-nothing Sannan wants to play mad scientist and perform an autopsy on him then let him come get him himself." He frowned imperceptibly as he noticed the sharp wound across Chie's forehead, struggling to conceal the rage that made him grind his teeth under his seemingly peaceful expression.

"Watch your words, Tani, we aren't in the headquarters," Heisuke warned him. "Why did you kill him? Did he confront you?"

"Something like that." He pointed to Chie with a brief shake of his head. "We have to take her to my brother's clinic, that cut needs stitches."

"Yeah, I know." Heisuke pursed his lips and pointed to the cord with which he was holding the three prisoners in an orderly line. "I'll take these bastards to the headquarters. Maybe Hijikata-san will change his mind and spare me the punishment if I bring him fresh meat for interrogation." The prisoners stirred in a mixture of horror and distress at hearing the Demon Vice-Commander's name, but Heisuke gave the rope a tug that plunged them back into a mute, anxious resignation.

"And maybe he'll sentence you to commit seppuku for sneaking out of your cell," Tani replied with a sarcastic grin. "A wimpy midget like you can't carry three men twice your size to the base. It's enough for just one of them to push in the opposite direction to throw you to the ground like a macaque attempting to lasso an ox."

"Agh! Who the hell do you think you are to underestimate me, Tani-idiot?! I'm not a stupid monkey!"

Tani wiped the chest of his kimono with his fingertips, smiling with double the mischief as he commented: "Are you sure? The shove you gave me in the street earlier today felt exactly like that of a baby monkey."

"That's it! Now you've really crossed the line!" Heisuke clenched his fists, ready to push him backward onto the cobblestones of the road to show him what he was capable of, but Chie's trembling voice brought him back to reality: "Huh, what did you say, Chie-san...?"

"That I'm dizzy," Chie muttered as she held her head. She didn't really feel like talking to either of them any longer (for she was as fed up with the Shinsengumi's violence as the rest of Kyoto's citizens), but she had no choice but to ask to be escorted on the return trip. "Can you two stop arguing for once? I really need to go to Mantaro-san's clinic." She bent down to replace the sandal she lost in the river with one dropped by a woman who stumbled as she fled down the street in panic. It was a bit small for her foot, but it would be worse to have to walk to the clinic barefoot.

"Oh, yes! O, of course!" Heisuke was quick to hand Tani the cord, bewildered by the strange feeling of camaraderie he felt toward the one he considered a selfish, spoiled prick. "Thanks for offering to deliver them," he muttered after averting his eyes and clicking his tongue, "Mantaro-san is your brother and Chie-san is your childhood friend, so I guess you're missing the chance to meet with both of them just to make sure these scoundrels make it to the headquarters."

"And what if I do?" Tani turned sharply, giving the cord a hard enough tug to bring the prisoners to their knees and back to their feet in the blink of an eye. He walked away without even saying goodbye to Chie, disappearing into the darkness of the bridge after concluding: "Sentimentality is for peasants."

Heisuke snorted with a roll of his eyes upon hearing him. "It's always the same with these people, huh? Be they civilians or noble warriors, they all live with the 'peasant' on the tip of their tongues." He turned to meet Chie's furious gaze; she was frowning despite the pain it caused her to do so. "Now what's wrong with you? Didn't you want to go to the clinic?"

"You promised you'd stop spying on me, but it's obvious you're still doing it."

"Again with the same thing." He massaged his temples, motioning for her to follow him as they walked down the desolate alley. "I just prevented you from falling headfirst into the river and you can't even say 'thank you' before accusing me of being some kind of pervert stalking you from the shadows."

"Isn't that what you were doing before those ronin robbed the restaurant? You promised you'd leave me alone, but you don't let a day go by without behaving like a..." She rubbed her eyes and turned pale when she noticed that her fingertips were covered in blood. "I, is it normal to bleed so much from a blow to the head?"

"Yes, wait." Heisuke unfastened one of the belts that held his swords at his waist, reaching over to tie it deftly around Chie's head. "There, this will stop the bleeding until you get to the clinic. The head usually bleeds a lot, but most of the time it's nothing to worry about. Just let me know if you feel nauseous or experience double vision."

"This is ridiculous, I look like my father when he works in the kitchen." She pouted as she resumed walking, eager to put distance between the two of them. "Won't your weapons fall to the ground without that thing to hold them?"

"Hmm, no." He raised one of his elbows to point to his second belt with his opposite hand. "It's better to carry two to keep them from falling during a fight, but I guess we won't have any more inconvenience for the few blocks between us and the clinic." He grimaced as he added: "But it's been thoroughly proven that you attract bad luck, so we'd better be careful."

"Maybe you're the one who attracts bad luck," Chie replied without taking her eyes off the road. "Tani-san and I were strolling along smoothly until you decided to follow us and pass on your Mibu Wolf crime-detecting skills to us."

"'My crime-detecting skills'", he repeated with a roll of his eyes. "The guy impaled on his spear didn't manage to remind you that Tani is also one of those wolves?"

"I don't know, did he remind you?" Chie pursed her lips and shrugged. "As much as you guys might strive to deny it, Tani-san fits in very well with the Shinsengumi. What would've happened to you if he hadn't been there to intimidate the crowd?"

"Bah, same old same old; some spitting, some tomatoes on the back of the head. The people of Kyoto are much ado about nothing."

"You guys seem to have no idea of the true level of discontent there is since you came to town. Believe me, my job as a waitress allows me to hear things that customers only discuss when they know no member of the Shogunate is around to hear them."

Heisuke bared his teeth in a sarcastic smile, crossing his arms in front of his torso as he asked: "What? You wanna trade places with me and work as a spy yourself? The Shinsengumi doesn't pay very well, Chie-san."

"I never said that." She frowned and averted her gaze. "I'm just saying that it might not be in your best interest to get rid of the more troublesome members of the group. Tani-san, Serizawa-san, Okita-san... all of them have been able to inspire a special kind of fear in the population that has managed to prevent-"

"Revolts and assassination attempts from happening," Heisuke concluded, nodding his head to Chie's great surprise, "I know."

"So you agree with me?"

"Uh... not entirely," he shook his head to the side, hesitantly. "We don't benefit from having Shinsengumi members willing to blow up a clothing store with an artillery cannon or impale citizens without trial, but it's true that we can't turn into a bunch of bureaucrats afraid to exercise authority, either. It's hard to work for the government, y'know? We have to be tough enough to inspire respect, but be careful not to offend the sensibilities of the noble idealists who judge us from the top of their castles. Guys like Tani... have their uses from time to time, but it's not an easy thing to explain to the office workers who don't patrol the streets."

"Harada-san..."

"What? What does Sano-san have to do with all this?"

"He said you weren't fond of spying on me."

"Agh, don't tell me he told you what we talked about!" He dragged his hands across his face, stretching the skin on his cheeks out of frustration. "Why do they have to be such busybodies?! What the hell did that loudmouth Sano-san say to you?!"

"Nothing bad." Chie raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes sharply as the movement brought a painful twinge to her forehead. "Ouch, he just... said you were in no position to refuse to do what you were ordered to do."

"Yeah, that's true, but... are you sure he didn't say anything else?"

"I'm sure." She clenched her fists and shook her head softly as she muttered: "I was ready to judge you less harshly because Harada-san advocated for you, but then I found out that you were still spying on Tani-san and me, and I ended up changing my mind."

"Oh, come on, Chie-san!" Heisuke spread his arms out on either side of his body, turning to face her without stopping walking. "I was just worried about you being left alone with the guy who broke your sister's arm! What did you want me to do, sit in the headquarters and pray to an incense stick while you smilingly walked into the wolf's mouth? I didn't do it because it was about you in particular; I would've spied on any girl who was alone with Tani after what happened to Ume-san!"

"He didn't hurt Ume-san." Chie adjusted the belt-bandage that was threatening to slip off her head from the walking. "If you were so worried you could've caught up with us and stated your intentions up front instead of spying on us."

"Yeah, right!" He gave a sarcastic cackle. "So you'd say you never wanted to see me again in front of that idiot? Tani would've told the whole headquarters!"

"W, well, maybe I wouldn't have! Didn't I just tell you that Harada-san convinced me that you didn't intentionally spy on me? But this is different, no one ordered you to follow us and yet here you are; doing exactly what you promised you'd never do again."

"Agh! You're just as hard-headed as your deranged father... and just as impulsive too!" Chie gasped in outrage at that, but Heisuke continued: "How could you think of trying to stop that wretched ronin without even having a weapon to defend yourself?! Knocking you over and pushing you off the bridge is the most merciful thing that could've happened to you! Do you have any idea how many innocent civilians die every day for trying to play hero in this damned city?!"

"Someone needs to put them in their place!" The belt fell over her eye as she spun around to face him with her fist pressed to her chest; eager to prove her point. "That poor mugged cook could have been my father! I couldn't let the thief get away with it!"

Heisuke's arms tightened as he clenched his fists, staring impotently at her for a couple of seconds before confessing with a considerable amount of annoyance: "I heard what you said on that windy day when we went to Mantaro-san's clinic together."

"W, what are you talking about?" She settled the belt over her forehead again, coming to a halt under a paper lamp that gave a reddish tint to her brown hair.

"I said that your father insisted you marry someone because the old man wouldn't live forever and he was worried about your safety. You replied that marriage wouldn't make things any easier for you and that you wished you were like me. It was very windy and we ended up in the middle of a dust storm, remember?"

«"Parents don't live forever." He scratched the back of his neck, gritting his teeth as he spoke. "Maybe he's worried about leaving you alone. You're a woman and all, things wouldn't be easy for you."

"It's not like marriage would make them any simpler." Chie clutched her haori to keep the fierce wind that had just stirred up waves of dirt around her from blowing it away. "I wish I was like you."

"What did you say?" Heisuke grew suddenly serious, squinting his eyes to shield them from the dust.

"It's just that..." She shook her head sharply, stopping her words after noticing how ridiculous they might sound. "There's a lot of dirt floating around right now, I'll explain later."

"As you wish."»

"Oh." Chie pursed her lips and resumed walking, eager to downplay the importance of the conversation. "Y, yes, of course I remember. It was when we thought Sannan-san's sling would be removed."

"Yeaaah." Heisuke quickened his pace, jogging to catch up with her. How could she walk so fast with someone else's shoe and a possible concussion? "And you thought I didn't hear you say you wished you were like me."

"Yeah, it's no big deal." She crossed her arms, trying to hide the blush of embarrassment that colored her cheeks as if she were still standing under the paper lamp. "Wouldn't any Edo peasant girl want to feel safer carrying a pair of swords like yours?"

"You gotta stop putting yourself at risk like that; you ask me to stop checking up on you when that's the only reason you're alive to keep arguing with me," he muttered as he walked beside her and shook his head in a clear sign of annoyance. "Do you think you'll impress the Shinsengumi leaders with those stupid acts of bravery and they'll let you fight side by side with Chizuru-chan? You're a woman, you can't-"

"I know that!" Chie shot him a furious glare. "Not even in death would I join the Shinsengumi! The Shogunate... has nothing to do with justice!"

"Shut up, or I'll be forced to arrest you," he joked with a smirk that was more akin to a tired grimace. "Look, I know you thought it was unfair for that bastard to prey on a man who reminded you of your father, but that's precisely why we patrol the streets of Kyoto; so that people like you can live in peace. The members of the Shisengumi are mostly lower-class workers who know how bad it feels to lose everything to abusive criminals, so you shouldn't expose yourself to any kind of danger while we're here to take care of them."

Chie was silent for a moment, remembering the words of Kohana's boss:

«"A warrior can be distinguished even in poverty. The captains of the Shinsengumi may not be known for their nobiliary titles, but they are known for their eagerness to uphold the traditional values of our prosperous and competent shogunate." Her eyelids narrowed inquisitively as she added: "And your case is especially captivating, Toudou Heisuke-san, as I gather that you do possess nobiliary titles and only share the poverty of your comrades due to your disdain for the past-anchored culture of your progenitor."»

"You said 'mostly'," Chie repeated as the two stopped in front of Mantaro-san's clinic. "Tell me, is it true what Ba-san said?"

"Huh? Who the hell is Ba-san?"

"The tayu." She rolled her eyes before focusing her gaze on her crossed arms. "The tayu who said you had noble blood."

"Oh... huh... that tayu, yeah!" He scratched his head, averting his gaze as he stifled a nervous laugh. It must've been some kind of crazy gossip she overheard in Shimabara! Can you imagine me... related to those uptight old geezers from the Toudou domain? What a load of crap! There's as many Toudou in Japan as there are farts in Shinpa-san's guts after gorging on legumes! Believe me, I have noooothing to do with those people!"

"If you aren't going to tell the truth then don't bother answering." Chie turned her back on him, starting to walk toward the door of the clinic, which caused Heisuke to let out a curse under his breath.

"D, don't go away, dammit!" He let his arms fall heavily beside his body as he blurted out: "Just because I lied to you once doesn't obligate me to answer everything you ask me from now until the day I die!"

"You can choose not to answer and I can choose to end this conversation. I've had a terrible day and my head hurts like hell... just let me rest, Toudou-san." She raised her hand to knock on Mantaro's door, but Heisuke's follow-up words made her stop in mid-stride, her eyes wide with shock.

"Listen, Chie-chan...." He paused to gulp down some saliva. "Chie-chan, Chie-chan..." he repeated under his breath, determined to address her with the familiarity he had been trying so hard to suppress. Finally, he managed to raise his face with his trademark confidence to state: "I don't have a normal job, okay? I don't know if I'll be alive tomorrow or next week... so I want you to know that I'm really sorry about what happened."

"I... already know that?" Chie mumbled, extremely shocked by the honorific employed.

"Good!" He put his hands to his hips and forced a smile as he pointed his index finger at her. "Make sure the doctor stitches up that nasty wound on your forehead and stop trying to catch criminals on your own while I'm gone, will you?!" He spun on his heels hastily before running off in the opposite direction, waving his right hand to bid her farewell with a final: "That's all! You can keep the belt, bye!"

"W, wait, Toudou-san!" Chie froze in place, gaping under the dim glow of the lamp that illuminated the porch of Tani Mantaro's clinic. "What... the hell was that?"

Chapter Text

Winter, December 26, 1863. Eight o'clock in the morning.

"Good morning, Maiko-chan," exclaimed Okita as he extended a letter to Kohana, who didn't expect to meet him as soon as she opened her bedroom door. "It seems you have mail."

"A letter? From whom?"

"I don't know or care." He shrugged and crossed his arms as he asked: "Where are you going?"

"To the courtyard, to breathe some air."

"Is there no air inside your room?" He peered into the room above Kohana's head, which was easy given the height difference between the two of them. "Wow, I didn't know maiko were able to hold their breath for so long. Had you dived back to Edo when you ran away from the Okiya, no doubt you'd have thrown your pursuers off the scent."

"That's all, Okita-san?" Kohana gritted her teeth, struggling to conceal her annoyance at her captor's constant provocations. "It's a letter from Ba-san, so I'd appreciate it if you'd give me the privacy I need to read it."

"Bah, why do you have to talk in such a convoluted manner?" He clicked his tongue as he resumed walking along the walkway surrounding the Yagi home. "All you have to do is say: 'Fuck you, Okita-san, your stupid face makes me wanna puke,' but I guess that would send you straight to maiko hell and the demons would force you to wear hand-me-down kimonos and cheap comb-overs."

Kohana ignored his complaints and walked to the middle of the courtyard with her eyes glued to the letter, too intrigued by its contents to stop and argue with the man who was determined to make her lose her temper. Okita possessed a lot of confidence in his ability to humiliate others, but he forgot that his chosen victim was the favorite maiko of the fearsome Serizawa Kamo; who was able to outdo him in both malice and violence. Okita could be a real nuisance, but at least he wouldn't break down her bedroom door if she refused to meet with him.

Kohana proceeded to read the letter after stopping in front of the fountain that decorated the garden blanketed by the thick December snow:

«"Dearest Kohana-chan:

How was your last month in the den of the Mibu Wolves? I hope those wild dogs didn't cause you any more inconvenience. Kondou-san promised he would take care of you and I hope he kept his end of the bargain.

I don't have much free time so I won't waste any time explaining the reason that prompted me to write this missive to you. See, your sister's lousy food caused me to forget to bring up a matter of extreme importance to you during my last visit, and that is Kosuzu-chan's arranged marriage.

I can imagine your surprise after reading the above and I admit that the news also caught me off guard. The candidate owns a fleet of fishing boats (nothing fancy for a maiko of Kosuzu-chan's level) and who, if that wasn't enough, is also about thirty-five years his senior. In other circumstances I would have flatly refused to accept his proposal, but... after her escape attempt, I'm afraid that Kosuzu-chan's services are no longer as requested as before, and her debt with the Okiya grows with each new performance where we spend more money on the arrangements than what your little friend collects at the end.

But don't despair yet; I have devised a plan to improve Kosuzu-chan's reputation in which you can personally collaborate. The last time we met you said you wouldn't embarrass me with the Shinsengumi and that you were planning to become a geiko to have a better chance of achieving your... intriguing dream of becoming a farmer, right? Well, how about continuing to work for a couple more years at the Okiya (instead of retiring as soon as you graduate) to keep your best friend from being shackled to an opportunistic old man who only seeks to benefit from her misfortune?

If we hold the osakazuki ceremony alongside your erikae, you and Kosuzu-chan could exchange drinks via the 'san-san-kudo' method and thus be united in a sisterly relationship of onee-san and imouto where you would become her instructor, legal guardian, and main provider. Your poor sister lacks the experience necessary to clear her name by acquiring the title of geiko (a privilege to be yours in the near future), so you could save her from a dismal fate just by delaying your retirement from the profession for a short time.

Kohana-chan is a good-natured young lady who couldn't live with herself if she went off to the countryside to churn dirt while her partner in mischief suffers the consequences by raising a herd of spoiled brats, so I'm sure you'll be making the best of decisions.

With best wishes, Ba Makoto."»

Kohana put her healthy hand to her forehead, overcome with stress from reading the letter. Of course she wouldn't let Kosuzu-chan marry an old man! What's more, she wouldn't even let her marry a stranger her own age! Her heart belonged to Ibuki-san, and Kohana knew that marrying someone else would cause her best friend to jump into the nearest river to sink like a lead hook under its icy waters.

Speaking of Ibuki, was there a possibility he could rescue her? No... Ba and Yumiko-san knew he had helped them escape and wouldn't let him within six feet of the Okiya. Kohana squeezed the letter into the fist resting inside her sling; Ba-san's plan would be enough to improve Kosuzu-chan's reputation in Shimabara (which would lessen her chances of having to undergo an arranged marriage), but that meant Kohana couldn't leave Kyoto until her ward's graduation, which could take anywhere from months... to years.

Was she willing to delay her dream just for Kosuzu-chan's sake? Of course she was, she wouldn't think twice about it! What on earth was a stupid farm compared to her childhood friend's life?! However, her vision was beginning to blur from the tears she was stubbornly holding back in the back of her eyes. The prospect of having to not only become a geiko, but work as one for an indefinite amount of time made her want to melt into the garden's snow so she wouldn't wake up until next spring.

Her wish was quickly granted when Okita tripped her, causing her to fall face first into one of the mounds of snow she was gazing at with a mixture of pain and longing. From inside the pile, Kohana was able to hear the muffled sound of surprise that escaped her attacker's throat, but she scrambled to her feet with teeth clenched in frustration and a face so reddened as to melt the snow covering it.

"What the hell did you just do to me?!" she snarled as she pointed to her sling, now soaked from hitting the ground. "What kind of samurai gets his kicks from tripping crippled women?!"

"D, damn it...!" Okita instinctively extended an arm toward her, but stopped the movement when he realized it would only make the situation worse. "Why didn't you break the fall with your hands, you big fool?! Had it not been winter, you would've smashed your face against the ground's cobblestones!"

"BECAUSE MY ARM IS IN A SLING!" she shrieked in a mixture of bewilderment and indignation.

"It doesn't make sense..." he muttered almost to himself. "I was sure you'd take it out of the sling to soften the impact."

"And why on earth did you think I'd be able to do something like that?!"

"Hmm." He held his chin thoughtfully. "It's just..."

"What?!"

"You don't move like a person in pain, so I thought you were faking it."

"I'm a professional, we dancers are used to disguise the pain! Do you have any idea how much my dance kimono weighs and the amount of pain I experience when performing certain movements while wearing it?!"

"Huh..." Okita shrugged, turning his back to her to focus on the sun that beamed down on the frosty morning. "That one where you squat down and turn on your heels looks like one of the exercises with which I enjoy torturing recruits."

"Whatever!" Kohana pouted and raised her eyebrows haughtily. "I can't waste my time chatting with a savage like you; I need to have a meeting with Kondou-san as soon as possible."

"Kondou-san?" Okita turned in her direction, his lips quirked in a bitter expression. "What for? Are you planning to accuse me to him for knocking you to the ground?"

Kohana rolled her eyes. "I'm not five years old, Okita-san."

"Then what is it?"

"The letter." She waved it in front of his face before tucking it inside her kimono's sleeve, and the contact of the snow-wet paper with her skin made her shiver with a chill she didn't know if it came from the cold, or from the nerves she felt from the situation. "I must inform Kondou-san that there will be an additional ceremony to my erikae called 'osakazuki', where I will become Kosuzu-chan's legal guardian to prevent her from being forced to marry a stranger."

"What kind of bullshit is that?" Okita gave a mischievous grin as he blurted out: "Ha! Don't tell me you're gonna become her farmer-husband! I can already imagine you planting potatoes in Edo while she raises your fourteen foster children."

"Don't talk nonsense! I'll be her 'onee-san', which is akin to being an older sister!"

"An older sister can't protect you like a husband can."

"A geiko can do it!" Kohana took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. "Okita-san doesn't know anything about geiko or maiko so I don't know why I'm wasting my time arguing with him. As I said before, I need to meet with Kondou-san to inform him about the changes required for both rituals to be held at the same time."

"Well, you'll have to do it later because Kondou-san himself ordered me to accompany you to Shimabara."

"What? Me...? Why...?"

"What do you mean, why?" Okita smiled derisively. "I thought it was me who knew nothing about the hanamachi culture, but your ignorance exceeds mine."

"Stop teasing me!" Kohana clenched her fists and cleared her throat, struggling to remain calm. She was beginning to fear that she might have been wrong to underestimate him, for his talent for getting on her nerves definitely rivaled Serizawa's. "I, I mean... Why would Okita-san assume to know more about the matter than a future geiko? There's no reason why someone like you should accompany me to the geiko district."

"See?" he laughed. "You don't know anything about geikos." He shrugged and exposed the palms of his hands. "We're extremely close to your graduation, so as your kenban I must accompany you to compensate the customers who will no longer be able to hire the services of a lovely young maiko who will become a much less attractive geiko." He tapped the hilt of his sword with two fingers and smiled innocently as he finished: "As your armed officer, it'll be my pleasure to slice up anyone who complains about the promotion."

"Are you out of your mind?!" Kohana shouted, losing what little patience she had left. "How on earth did you find out about that?! You can't be so brazen as to think I'll accept you as a kenban just because you offer me your ridiculous services!"

"Who's offering? I am your kenban."

"That's for me to decide, not you!"

"No, that's for Kondou-san to decide. And if he thinks there's no one more qualified than me to escort you as you wander the dark corners of the commercial sector, then you'll be forced to trust his judgment."

Kohana crossed her healthy arm over the sling, annoyed as she remembered that she had jumped out of the frying pan only to fall into the fire. After all, the Okiya and the Shinsengumi weren't so different when it came to blindly obeying their founders. "I guess now I have even more reasons to meet with him."

"You've been here long enough to know that we obey orders first and then question them."

"And that's why everyone thinks you're a bunch of mindless followers of the Shogunate."

"Ha." Okita bared his teeth in a malicious grin. "You think so too? Even after I saved you from those perverts and bestowed the honor of seppuku on the cowardly drunkard who didn't dare to defile you?"

"I..." Kohana pursed her lips before giving up with a short sigh. "Well, we're not discussing my opinion... but your proposal to become my kenban!"

"It's not a proposal," he replied calmly, "it's an order from Kondou-san."

"Whatever! I don't even understand how did you find out about the kenban thing... This can't be Ba-san's doing, she would've chosen a much more distinguished swordsman than you." She held her forehead with her free hand as she asked: "Did you talk to her when she came to the headquarters? You must've impressed her in some way..."

"No, your sister told me you needed a kenban a month or two ago."

"What?" Kohana's eyes widened to their fullest extent. "Do you know... Chie-chan?" "And you do it to the point that she dared to confide the ins and outs of my profession to you?" she thought.

Okita smiled sincerely, as amused by her reaction as he was by the answer he was about to give her. "Sure, most of us guys know Heisuke-kun's girl."

"The... what...?"

"Come on, come on. You act like it's impossible for anyone to notice poor Chie-chan."

"I, it's not that!" Kohana blushed, embarrassed by the turn the conversation had taken. The last thing she wanted was to discuss her older sister's love life with the captain of the Shinsengumi's 1st Division. "Seriously, Okita-san, I don't understand why you take so much pleasure in the idea of officiating as my graduation kenban. Isn't this a super boring task for a man-at-arms like you?"

"Boring?" He bared his teeth in a sharp grin. "I can't wait to see how you apologize to those perverts for getting old."

"Agh!" Kohana threw the letter in his face. "Shut up, you're horrible!"

"Ha!" Okita didn't let the attack dampen his good mood. "I don't have to dress up to accompany you, do I?" He didn't wait for an answer and raised an arm to check the sleeve of his light blue haori. "Nah, the uniform will do. These things are super formal per se."

Kohana took a deep breath before turning to him with a frown. "Okay, do whatever you want. But I'm not leaving the headquarters without telling Ibuki-san the truth about Kosuzu-chan first!"

Okita rolled his eyes. "Bah, don't take too long."

"You're putting too much makeup on! If you keep this up I'll end up looking like a maiko!" Chie complained as the mirror in the restaurant's kitchen revealed that Ume was adding a third layer of paste to her forehead.

"Stop whining, didn't you say you were sick of customers asking you how you got that ugly scar on your forehead?"

"Yeah, but I don't want them to ask if I fell asleep on a box of makeup on my break time either!"

"Don't be dramatic, I'll make you pretty enough to finally get the husband Izanagi-san dreams of so much."

"I don't want you to help me look 'pretty', Ume-chan! I just can't tell anymore if Mrs. Yuyume is losing her memory because of age or she really enjoys asking me the same question three times a day!"

Ume rolled her eyes before spreading the foundation with her fingertips. "You should thank me for wasting my valuable makeup on you. Do you have any idea how expensive bintsuke abura paste is? And not only that, if you didn't have skin as tanned by the sun as I do then there wouldn't have been any way to hide the scar, so try to remember the gods of beauty in your next new year's prayer."

"And I'm the dramatic one?" She pouted as she muttered: "I don't care about the gods of beauty, I just want everyone to stop asking me what happened being that there's no one in the city who doesn't know that Tani of the Shinsengumi killed a ronin just for knocking me down..." She took a deep breath and her lips quirked in bitterness as she remembered the way the unfortunate man's body swung over the spear of Tani Sanjuro; who smirked with the characteristic smugness of the Wolves of Mibu.

"Stupid Tani," thought Chie as she recalled the conversation they had minutes before the chaos broke out:

«"Real warriors aren't like the heroes in your fantasy books," Tani replied as he gave her a wry smile. "The Shinsengumi isn't a playground, you know?" He hid his hands inside the sleeves of his haori and nodded his head forward as his mocking expression was replaced by one of sudden seriousness. "That's why I treated you so badly before I left Edo; I didn't want my best friend to see me getting my hands dirty."

"What...?" Chie froze for a moment, stunned by what she had just heard. "What do you mean... you didn't mean it?"

"About you being a peasant girl who only babbled about imaginary monsters and gossiped about mediocre customers?"

"Y, yes..."

"Bah, of course not." He smiled mischievously again as he explained: "Friends always know the right thing to say to hurt you, and I... well, let's just say I tried to protect you the only way I knew how. But I wasn't lying when I said we belonged to different worlds, Chie-chan; innocent people like you are incapable of understanding the kind of vile acts we warriors must commit to ensure their safety."»

"Chie...?" Ume put her free hand between her friend and the mirror, moving it up and down. "Helloooo, earth calling Chie. What are you thinking of? Didn't you hear anything I said?"

"Huh...? Oh!" She got embarrassed as she met the reflection of her blushing face. "N, nothing. Just something Tani said before killing that guy."

"Huuuuuh...?" Ume raised her eyebrows and a mischievous smile tugged at her curious lips. "Right! Did he profess his love for you?! Oh, that's so romantic! I bet the runaway ronin interrupted you seconds before you reciprocated his feelings and that's why Tani-san couldn't contain his rage when that bastard hit you!"

"O, of course not! What kind of wacky fantasy is that, Ume-chan?!"

"Oh! So it was Toudou-san who interrupted you two? I'm sure he did it because he was also planning to confess the depth of his affection to you and resented Tani beating him to it! I bet if that nosy ronin hadn't come along, the two of them would've dueled for your hand!"

Chie blushed even more and couldn't stop her voice from rising a few decibels as she replied: "NO! There were... no confessions from anyone! Why do you have to turn everything into a romance novel?!"

"None? Really?" Ume sighed and folded her arms half-heartedly. "Bah, how boring."

"I, it's not boring... it's normal." Chie took a breath in an effort to calm down. "Besides, it's not even about what Tani-san said... but about how it made me feel."

"You can't expect me not to think it's romantic if you put it like that!"

"I didn't feel anything romantic," Chie explained with a jaded grimace. "It was more like... a sense of déjà vu; like I'd heard it somewhere else... some other time."

"That sounds stupidly romantic, Chie-chan."

"Of course it doesn't!" She huffed as she tied a headscarf around her head. "You're the one who doesn't get it at all."

"No wonder Izanagi-san is so desperate for you to get married," Ume joked, following her after leaving the kitchen to attend to her waitressing duties, "you wouldn't recognize love even if it knocked you off a bridge and left you hanging from it."

"Less jokes and more work, Mrs. Smartass." Chie pointed to the tables with a quick jerk of her chin. "The restaurant has been full for weeks now, I'm surprised that people in Kyoto like to eat out so much in winter."

"That's not why..." Ume lowered her voice and approached her as they stared at seven visibly upset swordsmen who entered the restaurant. "Since word spread about Sannan-san nearly losing his life under this very roof, the more superstitious enemies of the Shinsengumi decided that luck would smile on them should they meet here to discuss how to restore the Emperor to power."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, all the new customers who have set foot in the restaurant in the last month are acquaintances of my father's, and you know how much he supports the Choshu-Satsuma cause."

Chie wanted to ask something else, but the voice of the one leading the newcomers took over the room when he shouted: "Izanagi-san, come and greet us! We're here to help you!"

The aforementioned (who was cleaning one of the few free tables while cursing Ume for being late in returning from her break) straightened up and went to meet the ronin with his eyebrows furrowed in a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "Help with what? Are you people going to stir the noodle soup with your swords?"

"Ha!" laughed the leader. "Not much use for a herd of warriors in a kitchen, is there? We're better at gobbling up what comes out of there! I'm Hironaka Ryota, third representative of the Choshu clan," he rested one hand on the hilt of his katana and waved the other to introduce his companions, "and these are my loyal brigade mates: Oyama-san, Konishi-san, Shibata-san, Inaba-san, Yamane-san, and the little Mano-kun."

Izanagi folded his arms. "I still don't get what you want to help me with."

"Your youngest daughter is being held at the Shinsengumi headquarters. Are you aware that she suffered severe injuries during the capture?"

"Agh, don't remind me! Don't-remind-me!" Izanagi suffered a fit of rage that forced him to hold onto the nearest wall to avoid falling over his customers. "I practically raised that bastard Tani Sanjuro and welcomed him with open arms when we met again in Kyoto, I was even willing to grant him the hand of my unattractive eldest daughter... but he thanked me by breaking my dearest Kohana-chan's arm! That fool almost ruined her profession as a maiko!"

"Huh, Izanagi-san..." Hironaka tried to interrupt him without success.

"And speaking of work-related mishaps, that inept tayu allowed her to be locked up in the headquarters until her graduation, being that my daughter could've spent that time making money at the Okiya to pay off her debt to Shimabara! Doesn't anyone care about taking advantage of economic opportunities anymore?! They're both lucky I'm so busy with the business, because I'm itching to go find them so I can tell them what I think of them!"

Hironaka cleared his throat after exchanging a couple of uncomfortable glances with his comrades. "Izanagi-san, the content of your complaints makes us fear that you haven't heard the worst of it yet."

"What...?" The old man panted, his cheeks flushed with exaltation. "What do you mean by 'the worst'?"

"A group of Shinsengumi recruits tried to force her to sleep with them." Izanagi gasped as he heard this and his chest rose and fell frantically from the shallow breathing that took over his lungs. Hironaka continued: "The tragedy was averted thanks to the quick intervention of one of the captains, but we don't believe that an organization of armed peasants such as the Mibu Wolves will be able to restrain themselves during future incidents. If we don't do something-"

"OF COURSE WE'LL DO SOMETHING!" shouted Izangi, his jaw unhinged with rage. "I WILL GET MY DAUGHTER OUT OF THAT DIRTY KENNEL AT THE COST OF MY LIFE!" He grabbed a kitchen knife lying on the nearest table and violently slipped it into his belt before marching toward the front door. "What are you fools waiting for?! Come on! There's no time to lose!"

"Dad...!" Chie stepped into his path, her face pale with concern. "Please calm down! I'm sure we can resolve this in a more diplomatic way!"

"Did you know about this, Chie-chan?!"

"N, no!" She lied instinctively, afraid that her father would turn his powerful outrage on her. "But the Shinsengumi is a highly trained military division, you won't be able to defeat them with a simple kitchen knife!"

"Highly trained... military division?" Hironaka scoffed, positioning himself between Chie and her father with his arms crossed and his chin raised in a condescending smile. "Those farmers may impress an inexperienced woman like you, but believe me they're no match for a father who not only has divine justice on his side, but also a Choshu brigade that deserves the title you uneducatedly bestow on the Shinsengumi."

"This is a matter of honor, Chie!" Izanagi said, joining the ronin who were leaving the shop. "Close up the business as soon as the last customers leave and don't wait for me for dinner!"

Chie froze in the middle of the room and her face contracted into an anxious grimace as the unexpected avengers dropped the curtain behind them. Would that be... the last time she would see her father alive?

"For heaven's sake!" whispered Ume amidst the murmurs of the few customers who hadn't already managed to sneak out of the restaurant, terrified at the possibility of being involved in one of the increasingly frequent fights that used to break out in Kyoto's commercial establishments. "I knew I recognized those guys from somewhere!"

Chie turned quickly in her direction, blinking several times to get her thoughts straight. "Do you know them?"

"Yes." Ume nodded, clutching the tray she held to her chest to mutter: "They're part of the Choshu who've been meeting with my father. They usually ignore my presence, but their boss asked me something during his last visit." She waited for the last customers to leave the restaurant before continuing: "He wanted to know if it was true that you were dating one of 'the Shogunate's dogs', but I told him that you stopped associating with him when you found out that he only went out with you to spy on one of his comrades."

"H, Heisuke-san and I weren't dating!" she clarified without thinking, feeling incredibly stupid when she realized that that wasn't the most important point of the matter.

"I know, I was just trying to protect you, Chie-chan!" Ume bit her lower lip. "If you had seen the malevolent smile on his face when he heard my answer... then you'd be as relieved as I am. I think that guy was planning to assassinate you to prevent you from revealing that he and his people decided to meet here to plot against the Shinsengumi, and that I was right to say you'd broken up with Toudou-san. The restaurant is a breeding ground for an imperialist revolt and I don't want you to be harmed by a conflict that has nothing to do with you." She sighed as she added: "Besides, I wasn't so wrong, was I? After yet another betrayal by a close friend, I'm sure you hate the warrior class even more than before."

Chie pondered, wondering if she really still hated men-at-arms. Sannan-san (the samurai to whom she owed her life) might be acting strange, but who wouldn't when faced with the onset of an overwhelming disability? Okita-san (despite his sour and shocking humor) was not only kind to her and Kohana, but also defended the latter's honor when she was ambushed by perverts.

Sanosuke-san and Nagakura-san helped with the strenuous repairs at the Mao restaurant (both after the fire and after Typhoon Hime) without asking for more than a couple of snacks in return. In fact, Sanosuke-san explained to her that warriors could be as deprived of freedom by their overlords as the common people were by them; something Saito-san also helped her to understand with his many warnings about the brutal nature of the Shinsengumi.

Even Heisuke... especially Heisuke.

"I refuse to let my father's political preferences," Ume declared, putting an end to Chie's musings, "endanger either Izanagi-san or you. I have enough burden on my conscience knowing that your poor sister is a hostage of the Mibu Wolves and that the imperialists might hurt her during some brawl."

"Yes, I know." Chie swallowed, remembering that Yukimura Chizuru (another woman just as vulnerable as Kohana) resided at the Shinsengumi base. "And that's why you must understand why I cannot keep quiet."

"What? What do you mean, Chie-chan?"

"I have to warn them that a Choshu brigade is heading for the headquarters." She removed her headscarf and undid the apron covering her kimono with the dexterity resulting from the amount of times a day she repeated the motion. "Can you take care of closing up the business? I have to alert them that my father is leading a gang of troublemakers!"

Ume caught the garment in mid-air, holding it awkwardly as she watched helplessly as Chie disappeared up the street at top speed. "Oh, my goodness!" she whimpered, letting her shoulders and head hang down in a gesture of utter resignation. "You're gonna make that demon Choshu cut my head off for lying to him about Toudou-san and you!"

Saito Hajime raised his palm to signal the members of the Shinsengumi's 3rd Division to form up behind him. He had just caught a glimpse of a woman running down Kyoto's main avenue with a flushed face and disheveled hair from what had been a strenuous run.

However, his curiosity turned to annoyance when he recognized her as Furukawa Chie; the daughter of the man who was leading a foolish ronin parade with the (possible) pretense of laying siege to the headquarters.

"Furukawa-san," he called to her from the opposite end of the street, causing Chie to stumble to a halt due to the inertia that took hold of her trembling legs. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Saito-san...!" She gasped as her voice trailed off, her face overcome by a mixture of relief and worry. "My father... is with some guys... and they're heading to-"

"To the headquarters." Had Saito been more expressive, he would have rolled his eyes. "I know that."

"Oh...!" Chie nodded weakly, too tired to let the surprise show on her face. "How did you... find out? Don't tell me that... Dad got there before I did!" She bent her back and rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

Saito split off from his troops, instructing them to continue patrolling the area before crossing over to meet Chie. "Why do you keep underestimating the Shinsengumi, Furukawa-san? We have eyes everywhere, we don't need your help."

"Damn it..." Chie pursed her lips and closed her eyes as she realized that her effort had been in vain. "I just wanted to... stop my father... from causing a ruckus. Kohana-chan is there and I'm worried that-" She covered her mouth with her hands as she began to cough violently; so embarrassed by the humiliation of being just as impulsive as her father, as for being in such a lousy shape in front of one of the captains she was trying to "protect".

"It seems you've already forgotten what I told you about breathing," he pointed out without bothering to make eye contact with her.

"I didn't forget... I just... suck!" She stood up and took a deep breath of air. "I'm bad at both hiding my feelings... and breathing, Saito-san!"

"To no one's surprise." He rested his hands on the hilt of his sword and nodded his head slightly as he concluded: "If you're walking freely through Kyoto's streets after learning of Yukimura-san's identity, it's only because you're too predictable for your own good. I didn't ask you where you were going because I didn't know, but because it's customary to do so when bumping into an acquaintance."

"What are you talking about? I'm not predictable!" Chie pouted, as surprised as she was offended by the confession.

Saito raised his eyebrows. "You're just as honest about your feelings as Heisuke is, which makes sense considering how well the two of you get along."

"Agh, this has nothing to do with him!" Chie clenched her fists without managing to avoid blushing, a detail that increased her nervousness and caused her breathing to speed up again. "And how come you guys only let me go because I'm predictable? I'm sure Saito-san is the only one who can read my mind!"

"And who do you think convinced the commanders that you were trustworthy enough to leave the headquarters?" he revealed in a dry, impersonal tone that was in stark contrast to the importance of his words. "You didn't think Tani Sanjuro spoke on your behalf, did you?"

"No..." Chie blinked slowly, astonished to discover that she owed her freedom to Saito. "Even if Tani-san had intervened, I know you wouldn't have listened to his pleas. After all..." She paused, her eyes darkening under the veil of a myriad of mixed emotions, "...all of you want him dead."

"I'm not authorized to discuss that with you, Furukawa-san."

Chie rolled her eyes and put her hands to her hips after letting out a resounding huff. "Okay, but you're obviously allowed to entrust me with the reason you let me go. Why were you so sure that I wouldn't tell anyone about Yukimura-san's identity?"

Saito shrugged in response and Chie couldn't help but grit her teeth and grunt at how difficult it was to communicate with him. "Well, never mind!" She frowned, folded her arms, and took a firm step in his direction. "Have you already let your comrades know that my father and those thugs are heading to the headquarters?"

Saito's lips quirked into an imperceptible grimace that could have been either a smile or a disapproving gesture. He stepped away from her at a leisurely pace to catch up with his troops, completely indifferent to the alarm that should pervade one of the captains of a base besieged by the enemy. "Don't underestimate the Shinsengumi, Furukawa-san."

Chapter Text

Winter, December 26, 1863. Three o'clock in the afternoon.

Okita was impatiently waiting for Kohana (who had been delayed for over an hour) outside the Shinsengumi headquarters. Why was it taking her so long to report the arranged marriage nonsense to that dumbass Ibuki? He knew Ibuki wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but maiko were notorious for their communication skills and it made no sense for her to keep filling him in on the contents of the letter. What the hell was she doing... offering her shoulder for him to cry on?

He huffed, wondering why on earth Kondou-san ordered him to escort her during her visit to Shimabara. Was it a punishment for neglecting his guard duties on the day the recruits attacked Kohana? No... Kondou-san wasn't one to hold a grudge; he probably tasked him with becoming her kenban precisely because he was the one who defended her from that pack of perverts. A faint smirk tugged at his lips over the prospect of continuing to make his mentor proud, and the pride that swelled his chest caused Kohana's voice to catch him off guard:

"Sorry for the delay, Okita-san, I'm not used to putting on this kind of kimono without anyone's help."

Okita raised his eyebrows as he contemplated the newcomer's appearance change. Kohana was sporting a different hairstyle where the multiple colorful accessories that used to adorn it (such as her silver and wisteria flower kanzashi) had been replaced by a small hanemottoi paper bow holding the ponytail that rested atop her bangs, plus a pricey metallic maezashi brooch shaped like a feather with a gem encrusted in its center.

"It's called shimada style," Kohana explained when she noticed that her companion noticed her hair. "I wore the sakko until now, but we're so close to my graduation that I'd better start getting used to wearing it. After all... this will be my daily look for God knows how many more years."

"The kimono sleeves are shorter too," Okita pointed out, looking visibly disinterested as the two set off down the avenue leading to Shimabara. "Will you wear black every day from now on?"

"Oh, no." Kohana tapped the fingers of her healthy hand on the basket she held in front of her lap. "My future kimonos will be of kosode cut like this one, yes, but not necessarily black. This color should be worn in ceremonial phases such as my graduation, festivals, or important business appointments; but it's not mandatory to dress formally the rest of the year. 'The Red Heron' owns several geiko kimonos that, while not half as flashy as those of the apprentices, can still be considered colorful and youthful."

"It's funny that you stress that they're 'youthful'," Okita teased with a mischievous grin. "What's the matter? Does it bother you to have to dress like a married woman at such a young age? If you were smarter, you'd have failed a few dance classes so you could keep dressing like a maiko until you came of age."

"Agh! Have I ever said that it bothers me to look older?! You're the one who hears what you wanna hear!" She closed her eyes and gave a petulant pout without slowing down. "This outfit is much lighter than the last one, so I can move more easily. Besides... there's nothing wrong with looking older; maturity is a quality much appreciated by the Okiya's customers."

"And that's why you bring a basket full of gifts with which you'll bribe them into forgiving you for getting older?"

"Okita-san is oversimplifying the situation too much," she replied with increasing doses of arrogance. However, Okita noticed the veins on the pale forehead of his victim constrict as evidence of the effectiveness of his provocations. "We won't only be visiting my clients to announce my graduation, but also the teachers who have instructed me since childhood. They care about my ability and not my age, so the purpose of some of these gifts is to thank them for supporting me during my career."

"That some of these gifts are true tokens of appreciation doesn't mean that the rest aren't bribes." Kohana fell into a stubborn silence (probably to avoid telling him to go to hell), so Okita continued: "I don't usually hang out in Shimabara, so this is the first time I walk through its streets with a geiko."

"Future geiko," she corrected him with a frown and her gaze fixed on the ostentatious blue Daimon gate (inspired by the gate of the historic Shimabara Castle) that acted as the entrance to the red-light district and rose, imposing, a few feet away from the two of them.

"Well, whatever." Kohana was silent again (which was starting to get on his nerves, since one couldn't annoy someone who refused to participate in the conversation), so he hid his hands in the sleeves of his haori and pretended not to be too interested in her possible answer by adding: "I'm surprised that you don't find it strange that a Shinsengumi captain would pass up the opportunity to request Shimabara's services."

"Why should I be surprised?" Kohana shrugged. "Geiko are entertainers, not prostitutes. Honestly, the Mibu Wolves don't strike me as the kind of people who enjoy listening to our music or talks about entertainment and politics."

"Politics?" He let out a choked laugh. "What can a brat like you know about politics?"

"Nothing a Mibu Wolf would be interested in, evidently," she said haughtily.

Okita clicked his tongue, disgusted by the answer that put an unexpected end to his new attempt at bravado. The frustration that overcame him took away his desire to continue the exchange, so he continued walking in silence as they both entered the busy entertainment sector where the best Okiyas, tea houses, academies of music, dance, and ikebana, kabuki and bunraku theaters, Ageya restaurants (such as the sublime "Sumiya"; a favorite among the upper echelons of the warrior class), public sento bathhouses, brothels of all classes, imperial-style residences inhabited by wealthy homeowners, and the rest of the colorful infrastructure that provided the stage for the red-light district's bustling routine.

Kohana visited several of the aforementioned establishments to hand out some carefully designed cards called "Noshigami" to the customers, teachers, or business owners to whom she announced her upcoming graduation; inviting them to the location where the ceremony would take place, only to be met with loud cries of surprise and indignation from her guests:

«"B, but the Yagi's house...! That's crazy! That's the den of the Mibu Wolves! Didn't you hear what they did to those poor youngsters during the sumo tournament?! They're crazy, insane, crazy I tell you!"» shrieked her elderly singing teacher.

«"It can't be! Who would've thought of such a thing?! Ba-san would never allow such an important celebration to take place among a pack of vulgar peasants! Are you sure it was her decision?"» complained the mistress of the "Kami-sama's Steams" bathhouse.

«"How dare they pretend to support the karyukai after the way Serizawa and his damned Roshigumi cut off the hair of our most prized artists?! What a nerve! This is unworthy of the Shogunate!"» cursed the owner of the renowned "Kabuki-za" theater.

«"Aren't you afraid to change the collar of your kimono in front of all those dudes?! My goodness! But it hasn't been long enough since they tried to molest you, Kohana-chan! A future geiko shouldn't have to suffer such humiliations!"» lamented her Okiya's head dressmaker.

«"So not only will you stop dressing like a sweet maiko forever... but I'll also have to share a roof with the Demon Vice-Commander...?! I, it's impossible! I'll surely do something that will make me look suspicious and he'll drag me inside his torture dungeon!"» whined one of her wealthier clients.

Kohana, in a titanic effort to appear professional, replied to their concerns with smiles and comforting words assuring them that Kondou Isami of the Shinsengumi was an educated, kind, and art-respectful man whom she had the pleasure of having met personally during her stay at the headquarters. But her attempts to comfort them were of no avail, for the terrified citizens suspected that the maiko's calmness was caused by the threats with which her captors convinced her to disregard the despicable abuses to which she was subjected after falling into their clutches.

The fact that Okita Souji, one of the late Serizawa's favorite Mibu Wolves, escorted her during her tour of the neighborhood only heightened the fears of each unfortunate recipient of the eerie invitation.

"Ba-san is gonna hold this against me," Kohana grumbled as the last customer locked the door of his store behind him. "They should've anticipated that no one in their right mind would want to attend a party at the Shinsengumi base."

"Ha." Okita stuffed four pieces of candy (which he had bought during the tour) into his mouth. "After all, you'll need to bribe them to come to the party instead of to forgive you for getting old."

"Ugh. Could you disguise how much my misfortune amuses you?"

"I'm not amused," he replied after swallowing the snacks. "I appreciate you speaking well of Kondou-san."

"Really?" Kohana raised an eyebrow, suspecting that this was a new prank of his.

"I can draw my sword and force them to attend if it'll make us finish earlier."

"Force them?! O, of course not! I don't want the rumor to spread that there were hostages during my graduation!"

"Why not?" Okita bared his teeth in a wicked grin. "An artist's popularity depends on how much she's talked about."

"How much she's talked about well, Okita-san, not badly!"

"Bah, there's no such thing as bad publicity."

Kohana put her healthy hand to her waist and sighed in annoyance with a roll of her eyes. "And a Mibu Wolf says so?"

"Of course!" His smile sharpened as he concluded: "They may hate us, but everyone knows who we are."

"Maybe I don't want everyone to know who I am," she muttered, struggling to conceal the distress that cracked her voice, "maybe I just want to be left alone."

"What you want is inconsequential." Okita raised his eyebrows to shoot her a glare full of arrogance and contempt before resuming his march with a fast and efficient gait. "Let's get this over with, future geiko. I can't keep wasting my time with you."

Kohana scowled terribly, hating him with every fiber of her tortured being. The only thing that kept her from refusing to continue walking beside him was the gratitude she felt for the inconsiderate jerk who had become her savior.

"W, wait, gentlemen! You can't get through without a citat-" The recruit guarding the entrance to the Shinsengumi headquarters was grabbed by the uniform by Hironaka Ryota's powerful hands and thrown several feet away as Izanagi and the rest of the Choshu pushed into the front courtyard, eager to bring justice to the cook's daughter.

"And they call this a 'highly trained military division'?" laughed Hironaka from behind his bushy brown beard. "An unarmed rookie guarding the gate? Ha! Don't make me laugh!"

"It doesn't make sense..." said Oyama (the oldest of the group), tightening his grip on his katana as his eyes like a hawk scanned the terrain for possible threats. "They must be aware of our arrival, we must prepare for an ambush."

"Let them come, then!" Izanagi bellowed, still leading the charge with cheeks flushed with anger. "But they better beg me on their knees to forgive them for allowing my daughter to be disgraced before they send me to the next world!" He waved the knife above his head and shouted even louder as he demanded: "Hijikata! Come out wherever you are, Demon Vice-Commander! You and those freaks owe me an endless amount of explanations!"

A tomb-like silence fell over the headquarters and Hironaka came to wonder if the place might not be completely empty seconds before the front door slid open with the force of a storm; crashing against the opposite end of the frame to reveal the wrathful figure of Hijikata Toshizo himself, who fixed his rage-darkened eyes on the invaders as he walked to meet them. "What is this outrage?" he asked with icy indignation.

"My daughter!" Izanagi shouted before the Choshu squad leader could reply. "Bring me the bastards who tried to molest her so I can slit their throats with the edge of my gyuto knife!"

"I guessed that was it." Hijikata folded his arms after stopping in front of them, surprising his enemies by the carelessness he showed in not placing his hand on his swords to defend himself from the imminent attack of eight armed men. "The perpetrators were executed."

"W, what? All of them...? So there is no one left... for me to get revenge on?"

Izanagi was speechless with surprise, but Hironaka resumed the discussion: "They weren't all executed, were they, Farmer-san?"

"Who are you calling 'Farmer', you Choshu dog from hell?" Hijikata warned with a low growl. "This isn't a farm, but a highly trained military division and I'll be extremely pleased to teach you the difference."

"Oh, really?" laughed Hironaka. "I had no idea that military divisions rewarded perverts with the sacrosanct seppuku!"

"No criminal committed seppuku under our roof, so keep the empty accusations to yourself."

"Empty?" Hironaka took a step forward, moving dangerously close to his political rival as his grip tightened on the hilt of the sword he carried at his waist. "Don't you dare deny that you granted that privilege to one of the assault's perpetrators. I can forgive a group of ignorant farmers for disrespecting the Bushido, but not for lying to my face."

Hijikata flashed an arrogant smile without uncrossing his arms or moving an inch away from the one who confronted him. "Don't talk to me about Bushido, you clueless moneybags. At least I read it for myself instead of hearing it from the lips of my nursemaid like you."

"What the hell did you say, you cheap piece of a peasant bastard...?!"

Hironaka drew his sword and his six subordinates wasted no time in imitating him, but Tani Sanjuro's calm voice interrupted the confrontation: "I know you asked us not to interfere, Hijikata, but I'm tired of being a bystander."

"Go away, Tani." He shot him an angry glare before curling his fingers gently around his sword. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Of course it does!" He smiled as he met them with a goofy nonchalance that made Hijikata wonder if his repeated disobedience wasn't due to an incurable case of stupidity. "I don't need anyone to defend me from my wrongdoings. If I did something to offend Izanagi-san, then I'll agree to take whatever punishment he sees fit."

Hijikata was about to order him to return to the headquarters with the rest of the soldiers, but decided to keep silent and pray that Tani would die during the brawl; a blessing that would allow him to get him off his back and replace him with Ibuki without having to look for an excuse to condemn him to seppuku. With any luck, his rampant idiocy would end up benefiting the Shinsengumi he did so much harm to as captain of the 7th Division.

However, Hijikata's sinister plan went awry when Sanosuke charged into the courtyard with the spear under his arm and a nervous expression on his normally carefree face. "Wait, Tani-kun!" He jogged to meet him and his gaze repeatedly shifted from Tani's confident smile (who was still walking toward the cook who was gnashing his teeth at the appearance of the man responsible for breaking his youngest daughter's arm) to his boss' jaded countenance. "You're good but you can't take on eight armed guys by yourself! Hijikata-san... we have to back him up!"

"Go back to your post, Harada. If he thinks he can solve it, then let him take over."

"What the hell...?" he muttered, pausing momentarily in confusion, but the perplexity didn't last long and he returned to chasing Tani with a scowl after realizing that his relentless Vice-Commander was weighing the possibility of getting rid of the spoiled brat who had done nothing but bring headaches to Kondou-san... and everyone knew the fate that awaited the Commander's enemies. "H, hey, Tani-kun! I said wait!" He shouldered his spear after catching up to him. "That'll be four Choshu for me and three for you, okay? We'll find a way to calm the old man down without hurting him!"

"Stay where you are, Sanosuke-san," Tani replied after flashing him a smug smile over the shoulder on which he was carrying his own spear, "an heir of the Bicchu Matsuyama clan doesn't need reinforcements."

"Damn it! Why do you have to be so smug?! I'll back you up whether you like it or not!"

"I said no." Tani interposed his weapon between the two of them with such impressive speed as to take Sanosuke by surprise, who stopped dead in his tracks at the threat of the comrade he was trying to protect. "I like you, but not enough to let you tell me what to do."

"H, hey! I'm not trying to overrule your wishes, I'm just making sure you don't bite off more than you can chew!"

Tani squared off in front of Izanagi without bothering to respond and Sanosuke was left standing in the middle of the garden, dumbfounded by the impertinent behavior of his usual training partner.

"So you're the only one alive among all the scoundrels who wronged Kohana-chan?!" shouted Izanagi with his cheeks reddened with anger while a couple of members of the Choshu clan pretended to hold him to prevent him from pouncing on the enemy (which they hoped would happen at any moment). "Why weren't you executed along with the rest of the criminals?!"

"Because I'm not a pervert, Izanagi-san," he answered with a gentle smile, "and it wasn't my intention to hurt poor Kohana-chan during her capture."

"What are you talking about?! Of course it was! You broke her arm with that stupid spear you're carrying around!"

"I repeat; it was an unfortunate incident during a confusing brawl. If I had known I had one of my two beloved childhood playmates in front of me, then I would've hugged her instead of arresting her."

"And I should believe you just because the goddamn Shogunate did it?!" He panted after getting rid of the ones holding him. "I was willing to forgive that my sweet Kohana got hurt during the arrest, until I found out that your fellow pig-teammates tried to mess with her! No, Tani... I've already lost my trust in all of you! The Mibu Wolves..." He raised the knife above his head and hurled it quickly in his direction, "...are nothing but a dirty pack of mangy dogs!"

Those present were unable to catch a sudden gulp of air because of the unexpectedness of the attack before Tani deflected the knife with a centrifugal swing of his spear that sent it flying off in the opposite direction and into the strip of sandy ground separating him from the invaders. "Enough, Izanagi-san," he warned with sudden seriousness. "Did you not learn to act wisely after the calamity your impulsiveness caused in Edo? So many lives lost... so much desolation. And for what? To chain someone who would never be yours? What a waste."

Izanagi grew pale and the Choshu stepped back as they lowered their weapons, uneasy at the direction the conversation was taking. The idea, after all, was to manipulate a cranky cook into being killed so they could accuse the Shinsengumi of executing civilians lacking military training in cold blood... not cause a regional conflict between two rival clans.

"W, what...? What are you talking about?" Izanagi pulled another knife from his belt and wielded it to wave it around in a frenzy of rage that surprised Hijikata himself. "How do you know that, you demon brat?! HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW THAT?!"

"You'll know when you deserve to know it." He shrugged as he concluded: "Now put that thing down, you're only going to get hur-"

The second knife cut through the air like a glinting arrow and the voice of Chie (who finally reached the headquarters after making her way through the men who had gotten her stupid father into such a mess), rose like the screeching of a kettle at its boiling point as she shouted: «"SANJURO-SAN! LOOK OUT!"»

Hearing his first name on Chie's lips after so many years caused Tani to become unable to defend himself from the attack that was aimed at his heart. Fortunately for him (and unfortunately for the Demon Vice-Commander), Sanosuke threw his spear and intercepted the knife with a precision that even a master of the Tyokushin Ryu and Taneda Houzouin Ryu styles such as Tani would envy; thwarting the attack by deflecting the sharp utensil to a new target.

Unfortunately, the new target was Tani's right big toe.

"Okay, this ends here!" Sanosuke bellowed after positioning himself between his wounded comrade and the invaders. "I'll decorate the tip of my spear with the body of the next idiot who tries to show off!"

"This is unbelievable! Unbelievable!" Tani burst out laughing, bewildering all the witnesses to the access of cackling that led him to hold his stomach while his trembling torso arched or bent under the force of the spasms he got from the sight of the trickle of blood coming out of his foot. "It can't be, ha ha, I'm getting... out of breath! It's been so long... since I've seen something like this! It's so ridiculous... ha ha! I love it!"

Chie opened her eyes wide and exchanged a worried look with Sanosuke before muttering: "Tani-san... Are you okay?"

"If I'm... okay?" Tani burst into a new fit of laughter that took more than a minute to end and made those around him feel even more awkward. When he finally managed to regain his composure, he shook his leg to get rid of the blood oozing from the wound and drew in a breath before offering a clownish bow to Izanagi. "I hope this is enough to settle my debt to you, Izanagi-san." With that said, he ripped off the knife with a demented pull that didn't even make him blink and licked it before throwing it at Hijikata's feet; to whom he destined his last words before walking away from the place: "The show is over. Keep training hard, 'teammates'."

"'Teammates', my ass!" Hijikata shouted, as enraged by Tani's survival as by the fact that the Choshu had taken the opportunity to flee the headquarters during the brawl. Good grief... Since when had he become so stubborn and thoughtless? Pretending to have a group of invaders murder Tani in order to get him off his back was something Kondou would never approve of, and he was sure he would scold him until dawn. The very thought of disappointing him put him in a terrible mood. "Fighting inside the headquarters is punishable by seppuku, so you'd better report to my office right away!"

"What headquarters?" Tani scoffed as he disappeared down the hall. "This is the Yagi's courtyard, the Shinsengumi headquarters are behind it."

Hijikata stifled a thousand curses and spun on his heels with enough energy to kick up dust all around him; leaving the garden without paying any attention to the weeping cook who had just fallen to his knees on the ground or to his nosy first-born daughter. The sooner they got out of the headquarters, the better!

"By the blessed Amaterasu-sama, Dad!" Chie whined, leaning over to help him as she debated whether to give him a comforting hug or shake him until the two neurons that inhabited his head reconnected. "Why did you attack Tani-san?! You're lucky they let you live after injuring a Shinsengumi captain!"

"Chie-chan..." Izanagi remained on his knees, holding his chest with his gaze lost in a distant point. "How long have you been here?"

"I just got here, but that's not important! Don't you understand how close you came to dying... or killing Tani-san because of a foolish suspicion?! He said he didn't hit her on purpose and we have no reason to suspect otherwise! Come on, dad...! Why on earth would he hurt her intentionally? Tani-san may be a Mibu Wolf, but we know that serving the Shogunate doesn't make them criminals. He always treated Kohana-chan as if she were his own younger sister!"

"But... the perverts..."

"Those guys are already answering to Enma Daiou-sama, so stop looking for excuses to join them in hell!" Chie straightened up as she found her father's face twisted into a grimace of pain and his right hand clenching the fabric of the apron that still covered his lap. For a moment, she thought the old man was distressed by her words, but the guilt that engulfed her turned to anxiety as Izanagi rested his palms on the floor to support the weight of his body that was collapsing inch by inch on its surface. "Dad!" Chie tried to hold him, but the old man's burdened figure was slipping away like water through her hands. "Dad, what's wrong?! What's wrong?!"

«"Hey! Who let you two into the headquarters?!" A familiar, but unmistakably hostile voice came through the gate separating the Yagi residence from the main avenue. "It can't be... Izanagi-san? What are you two doing here?"»

Chie's face turned to find Heisuke, Chizuru, and the rest of the 8th Division soldiers (who were returning from a patrol) swarming around them to assist the convalescent who threatened to faint at a moment's notice. Heisuke didn't wait for them to answer what he had just asked, as he knelt down in front of Izanagi to inspect his sweaty countenance and take the pulse of his wrist with brows furrowed in concern.

"Chizuru-chan!" he called out to his teammate, who quickly joined him at the mention of her name. "His pulse is very weak! You have medical knowledge, right?!"

"Yes! My father taught me a thing or two!" Chizuru took Izanagi's other wrist to measure his pulse and brought her head close to the patient's chest (who, much to Chie's dismay, had just fallen completely unconscious), straining to hear the beating of his battered heart.

"Captain! Sir!" cried Takahashi Yusuke, one of the most inexperienced members of the 8th Division. "That man must be faking it so we won't arrest him for breaking into the Shinsengumi without permission! How can he be hurt?! There's not a single drop of blood around him!"

"Don't be such a moron!" Miura Yukio, another of his comrades, hurried to chastise him. "It's a poor old man; he must be sick or malnourished!"

"Shut up, both of you!" ordered Heisuke. "If you keep babbling, it'll take longer for Chizuru-chan to find out what's wrong with him!"

"It's a heart attack," Chizuru whispered, her eyes hard with dismay. "This man is dying!"

"Oh, no!" sobbed Chie, clinging to her father's kimono as tears streamed down her freckled cheeks. "I told him not to try to avenge Kohana-chan! I told him but he wouldn't listen!"

"Did your father have an argument with someone, Miss Furukawa?" asked Chizuru.

"Y, yes," Chie nodded through the sobs that shook her body. "Some Choshu convinced him to confront the soldiers who attacked my younger sister a, and..." She collapsed on her father's chest in despair, unable to explain the situation any further.

Chizuru jumped to her feet, intuiting that the stress of the fight had caused the cook's heart to stop working. The seriousness of his condition meant they couldn't waste another minute on inquiries. They had to act as soon as possible! "He'll die if we don't get him to a clinic!" she explained to Heisuke and his soldiers. "But we must make sure to transport him in a vehicle where I can resuscitate him by applying pressure with my hands on his heart!"

"Understood!" Heisuke nodded and quickly placed the dying man on his back, instructing Miura and Takahashi to hold his legs to lighten his load. He then fumbled in his pockets and pulled out some coins which he placed in Chizuru's hands, staring at her as he explained what he needed from her: "Two houses down you'll find a jinrikisha driver who-"

"Jinrikisha?" she interrupted him, her stay in Kyoto was too recent and she had not yet assimilated its inhabitants' dialect.

"It's... those carriages that drivers pull behind them, Chizuru-chan! The ones that carry passengers through the streets!"

"Oh, yeah! I get it!"

"Knock on his door and pay him whatever he asks! We'll catch up to you with Izanagi-san!"

"But... the resuscitation!"

"We'll do it as soon as he's on the cart! Don't waste time and alert the driver!"

"All right!" Chizuru rushed up the street without looking back, eager to rent the cart so she could initiate the miraculous cardiac massage.

The troop carried the old man's body and ran after Chizuru at a breakneck pace, and Chie joined them in a jog with the little strength she still possessed after the grueling (and recent) run she had made from the restaurant to the headquarters. "I, I'm coming with you, Toudou-san...! Please, you have to save my father!"

Heisuke said nothing (partly because he had to carry Izanagi on his back while running at top speed, and partly because Chie's tearful face made him feel both frustrated and disturbed) so, during the brief ride to the carriage driver's place, his mind was engulfed by a million thoughts related to the relationship he formed with both Chie and her stubborn father over the past few months.

It was obvious that Izanagi loved his eldest daughter; Heisuke beheld firsthand the dread that made his eyes twitch when he discovered that Chie was trapped behind the flames that consumed their home. However, he always believed that the old man didn't feel the same way about his youngest daughter. Selling her to an Okiya in Shimabara's red-light district under the laughable excuse that a restaurant owner "couldn't feed her" was more than enough proof, wasn't it?

Perhaps not... Izanagi marched (knife in hand) to the Shinsengumi to avenge the dishonor inflicted on Kohana and his heart raced so fast at the unbridled emotions he felt at the thought of her being the victim of such a misfortune, that it ended up giving in irretrievably after the confrontation.

How would his own father have reacted if...?

Wait. Why the hell was he thinking about that bastard again?

Just as it happened during the Mao Restaurant fire, he couldn't help but wonder if the lord of the Toudou Domain would despair in the same way upon learning that his first-born son had been brutalized or murdered.

For Heisuke might be a bastard, the fruit of an unofficial relationship... but he would always be the first, wouldn't he? The one who bestowed the title of "father" on the man who sired him. That had to count, didn't it? It was valuable, wasn't it? No one... could just bring a son into the world and get rid of him without his conscience keeping him awake for the rest of his life! He would never settle for sending money to the son who was at risk of being impaled on some random ronin's steel just because society said he wasn't welcome in his own home!

But a dead parent was a thousand times worse than an absent one. No one came back from the dead.

His mother, Konomi Ikue, stopped breathing one fateful May morning in the year 1856, when Heisuke was only twelve years old. He saw her fall to the ground with his own eyes, sprawling among the vegetables she held in the basket with which she used to gather the produce from the family garden. He cradled her frozen body and wept inconsolably for several hours; so many... that he thought he had run out of tears by the time evening came.

The rumor of his mother's death soon spread through the village and he spared no effort in promising the landlord (one of the first to visit him to confirm Mrs. Ikue's death) that he would continue to tend the garden and sell the harvest to pay the rent on the house they occupied, but the man refused to let him continue living on the property; assuring him that he felt safer renting the garden to an adult with more experience in the matter. He couldn't convince him through optimistic promises or pleas, so he had to watch as the neighbors took his mother's body to the funeral while he was busy taking what few belongings he had out into the street.

He suspected... there was someone else there, but he couldn't remember clearly. The moon traversed the sky from one end to the other and the dawn brought with it an employee of his father's who didn't speak a word to him at any time and merely handed him a neat letter that read:

«Toudou Heisuke:

I have learned of the passing of Konomi Ikue-san. Since this will prevent you from staying in the house I secured for the both of you, I offer you the following housing solution: Head for the temple of the old monk Monzeki, by the Tsurumi River. I studied martial arts there during my youth and I'm sure they won't refuse to provide you with a place to eat and sleep after learning that we are related. You could take advantage of this twist of fate to learn a thing or two from Monzeki-san; his kendo skills are legendary and you couldn't be initiated into the art of the sword by a better master than him.

My deepest condolences, Toudou Izuminokami.»

His son clicked his tongue in disbelief. The daimyo hadn't visited Edo in a year and the last time he had deigned to show his face was to break his heart by declaring that he couldn't keep in close contact with him due to the dishonor of their connection, so receiving a letter where he made it clear that he wouldn't come to console him for his mother's death and that, to top it off, he paid more attention to his swordsmanship than to his loss, caused him to feel even more alone... although not surprised.

The Heisuke of the present was overcome with an indignation that made his blood boil, bringing him back to reality. To be an orphan, whether by the grim reaper's fault or by parents who didn't deserve to be called such, was an intolerable curse. He would never allow Chie to experience the same suffering that tore his soul apart. Whatever it took, he would make sure that Furukawa Izanagi would see the light of the next day.

Chapter Text

Winter, December 26, 1863. Half past eleven at night.

"Izanagi-san is stable," announced Saito after entering the Vice-Commander's office, who was still working at his desk under the light of a solitary candle. "Heisuke's squad returned with me, but Yukimura-san decided to spend the night with the old man in case he gets worse and requires her care."

"'Decided'? Her... 'care'?" Hijikata placed the documents he was reading on the table and turned to glare at him in disbelief. "I can't believe you let her stay at the clinic, Saito. That's so unlike you. Since when do we allow prisoners to stay out overnight?"

"It's an extraordinary situation."

"It's not, that clinic has a perfectly capable doctor to deal with any eventuality." He grimaced as he remembered that Dr. Tani Mantaro was not only related to the guy who escalated the Choshu ambush, but he was also the doctor who failed to heal Sannan's arm. "Right... maybe it's good that Yukimura is just a stone's throw away in case that useless fool fails to save the old man. The last thing we need is for him to die and have the magistrate show up to demand explanations for it." The gesture of annoyance on his face slowly morphed into one of disappointment as guilt managed to make his mind replay for the fifth time the heated argument he had with Kondou hours ago.

Boy, had he screwed up.

"Yukimura-san isn't alone, Vice-Commander." Saito's calm voice rose above the sepulchral silence that reigned in the headquarters. "Heisuke is watching her."

Hijikata waved a hand in the air before holding his forehead and returning his tired eyes to the documents. "I know... I wasn't thinking about that."

"We caught the Choshu who staged the ambush before they reached the next street corner. The six ronin and Hironaka Ryota, their squad leader, are already locked up in the dungeon; ready to be interrogated whenever you choose to do so. I hope you won't be offended, but I took the liberty of gathering the instruments of torture beforehand to lighten your burden."

"Come on, Saito," he laughed half-heartedly. "Are you trying to put me in a good mood?"

"Huh?" He raised his eyebrows, visibly confused. "Good mood? Why?"

"Nothing, nothing." He sat up with a sigh, dusting off his hakama before joining his subordinate at the room's entrance. "I'm afraid this interrogation will have to be different, we must do our best to honor Kondou-san's good name."

"Hmm. Understood. Do you want me to wake up Sannan-san?"

"Yes, please." He put his hands to his hips and let his head drop as he muttered: "Even with the bad mood that afflicts him lately, I'm sure he's still better at diplomacy than I am."

Winter, December 28, 1863. Noon, two days later.

Heisuke entered Dr. Tani Mantaro's humble clinic, where Izanagi was admitted after being stabilized by the outstanding skills of the young doctor (who was quick to compliment Chizuru on her cardiac resuscitation technique). Chie decided to close the restaurant to attend to her father during his recovery, so Heisuke (wearing the characteristic light blue uniform of the Shinsengumi) stepped into the narrow room they occupied to check the old man's condition and, incidentally, hand him a heavy package with food and medicines that Kondou wrapped with his own hands; eager to remedy the inconvenience caused by his imprudent Vice-Commander.

"Good afternoon," Heisuke greeted as he entered the bedroom. "How's it going? Is Izanagi-san awake yet?"

"No, I died with my eyes open!" grunted the old man from the mattress.

Heisuke failed to suppress the smile that broke out on his lips. Izanagi looked as pale as the sheets around him, but he was still his usual grumpy old self. He was reluctant to admit that he felt an incomprehensible need to be liked by him, and had long harbored the hope that he could improve the cook's impression of him. After all, a person capable of stabbing Tani and living to tell the tale deserved a considerable amount of respect.

"How are you feeling, Izanagi-san? I've seen hundreds of recruits faint from fright during the Shinsengumi battles, but never one whose heart stopped from shock," he joked as he placed the huge package on the table that lay on the opposite side of the room.

"What are you talking about?! Are you suggesting I was scared?! It's been... a long time since the last time I got angry like that, that's all!" The cook's face reddened with embarrassment as he muttered: "The day won't come when my knees will tremble when faced with a snotty kid like Tani Sanjuro!"

"Dad, please." Chie grabbed his shoulder and gently pushed him back onto the cushions she had piled behind his back. "Don't get all worked up. Mantaro-san said it was bad for you."

"Bad would be to admit that I'm afraid of the brat I helped raise!"

"Maybe you didn't collapse on the floor out of fear," she told him as she frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, "but you did because of your anger outbursts. Why didn't you take a couple of hours to digest the bad news about Kohana-chan instead of storming the Shinsengumi headquarters with those thugs? You're too impulsive."

"Me? Impulsive? What a bunch of nonsense!"

"You were irresponsible, Dad." Chie sighed. "You lecture me every day about how crucial it's for me to marry someone before you die. 'Soon you'll be too old to draw the attention of suitors!'" She mimicked Izanagi's low, hoarse voice. "'When I die, the government will take the restaurant away from you and you'll be out on the street!'" She ran a hand across her forehead as she concluded: "What would've happened to me if you'd lost your life during the confrontation?"

"Bah! It's no big deal!" Izanagi squirmed on the spot, uncomfortable. "You're acting like your mother, making a storm in a glass of water. Sometimes men have to take a couple of swipes at each other to calm things down, Chie-chan!"

"Oh, for crying out loud." Chie rolled her eyes. "If I do that, it's because you're acting like a hot-tempered little boy. Next time let Toudou-san and the rest of his teammates take care of the Shinsengumi's business."

Heisuke (who was listening to the conversation with his arms folded) shot her a faint smile upon hearing her, but the gesture was replaced by one of astonishment when Izanagi tried to leave the mattress he occupied. Heisuke quickly knelt down beside him, blocking his way as gently as he could. "Izanagi-san! I don't think you should stand up!"

"Why not?!"

"Go back to bed, Dad, Mantaro-san said you should rest," his daughter ordered him, more annoyed than alarmed.

"Why should I obey the orders of a doctor who isn't even here to take care of his patient?! Let me through, Heisuke! My daughter may think your age makes you fitter to wield a sword than I am, but she forgets how dangerous the edge of my gyuto knives are!"

"So, gyuto knives, huh?" Heisuke made an effort to look interested, convinced that distracting him would thwart his clumsy escape plan.

"Why the hell are you repeating the last thing I say?" The cook remained seated on the futon, looking at him with the most sincere disbelief. "Are you stupid? Don't you know anything about cooking?"

"Only a little, really." Heisuke shrugged as he scratched the back of his neck with his fingertips. "Keep in mind that I didn't have the chance to live in an ordinary house for long before I moved to the temple I spoke of during the typhoon."

"Oh, right. Monks live on bread and rice, but I'm sure you eat better at the Shinsengumi."

"Yeah, ha ha, but I'm not often in charge of preparing the food." He smiled. "I hate being cooped up, so I prefer to take care of shopping and hunting."

"From living in a temple to becoming a Mibu Wolf... what a strange turn of events." Izanagi shot him a questioning glance as he leaned back on the cushions. "What temple did you live in? The Genko-an?"

"No, it was one in Edo."

"Edo?!" He gaped an inch. "You lived... in Edo?!"

"Of course, most of us are from there!" His shoulders shook with laughter at Izanagi's surprise. "Almost all the founding members of the Roshigumi were students of Kondou Shusuke-san's Shieikan dojo."

"Oh, yes, old Shusuke! I heard he suffers from a dreadful paralysis and hasn't been able to run the dojo since you all ran off to Kyoto to play samurai like a bunch of ingrates. Kondou-san should go back to Edo and take care of managing the inheritance Shusuke was kind enough to bequeath to him by adopting him, but it's clear he won't do that while he's under the influence of the Hijikata family's youngest son and his wild delusions of grandeur. I warned old Shusuke that the little rascal would bring him trouble long before the adoption process was completed."

"Dad, don't be nosy," warned Chie upon noticing Heisuke's discomfort, turning in the latter's direction to ask: "Did you start training there after you left the temple, Toudou-san?"

"Uh-huh." He cleared his throat, refraining from mentioning the hardships he experienced in the actual first dojo where he studied before being accepted into the Shieikan. "The Shieikan is the closest thing I've ever had to a home, although Kondou-san's mother wouldn't let us into her house ever." He laughed softly. "We had to wait for her to drop off the lunch by the back door and heaven have mercy on the poor bastard who tried to sneak into her kitchen."

"I wouldn't want a bunch of dirty dudes who enjoy whacking each other with wooden sticks coming into my house at all hours either," Chie replied jokingly. "And that's not to mention how expensive it must've been to feed them! I always wonder how do dojos manage to provide a home and food for so many students?"

"The teachers usually charge quite a lot of money for sword-holding licenses and instructor qualifications."

"Enough about dojos, we were talking about knives," Izanagi interrupted them, impatient to resume the conversation that had convinced him to stay in bed. "How is it possible for you to call yourself a swordsman without ever having held a powerful gyuto in your hands?"

"Powerful...?" Heisuke pursed his lips, holding back his laughter so as not to offend the old man. "How do you expect me to arrest thugs... with kitchen knives?"

"Well, by wielding them! How else? They're ten times better than a katana!" He crossed his arms and raised his chin proudly as he explained: "The cutting edge provides excellent contact with the surface and the gravity center is designed so that the user doesn't have to exert any effort when slicing food. The gyuto is extremely light; a double-edged utility knife that you'll never find in the land of those barbarians who try so hard to imitate its quality."

"I don't want to contradict you, but..." He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, unable to hide a smirk of satisfaction at defending the tool that had saved his life on several occasions. "Such lightness would prove a problem when attempting to cut through denser materials such as long bones or an enemy's skull. Ronin aren't made of broccoli, are they?"

"Toudou-san is right, Dad." Chie rolled her eyes, weighing in to avoid a possible argument between the two. The last thing she needed was for her father to have a second heart attack while trying to convince a samurai to trade his swords for kitchen knives. "Maybe a deba would be better?"

"A deba?!" Izanagi shook his head violently, puffing out his cheeks in indignation. "No, no! That's for cutting fish! If this boy wants a sturdy knife with the ability to cut through anything, then that's the Santoku! The renowned three-virtue edge is useful for cutting vegetables, fish, meat... and especially bo-nes!" He huffed as he finished: "I hope that's enough to prove that my tools are much more dangerous than those toys the samurai insist on carrying on their waists."

Heisuke and Chie exchanged confused glances. It was obvious that Izanagi wasn't going to back down no matter how nonsensical his claims were, so Heisuke was quick to give a peculiar spin to the conversation: "Was the knife you threw at Tani's foot one of those?"

"Toudou-san!" Chie scolded him, annoyed that he reminded her father about a traumatic incident just when he seemed to have regained his good humor, but Izanagi replied with an enthusiasm that was as unbridled as it was unexpected.

"Oh! That was a Sujihiki! The blade is very narrow and made of incredibly hard steel. I've been using it for years for filleting and piercing chickens."

"I bet that was the biggest chicken he ever got to cut," Heisuke teased with a smirk. He couldn't hide how much it amused him that that Tani Sanjuro jerk had been defeated by a knife meant for preparing teriyaki.

"A good knife should be able to adapt to unexpected circumstances. You can never know if a customer will order miso soup or try to steal the day's takings; you have to be prepared for anything."

"Dad." Chie sat up, walked to the opposite side of the mattress and pushed Heisuke away from her to sit down in his place. "Can you stop talking about such violent topics? The last thing you need is to stress out, Mantaro-san said you should stay calm. How about I bring the Mahjong set and we play a quick game?"

"I already said I don't give a damn about Mantaro-kun's advice. What kind of doctor would leave a sick person to his fate? That boy has a lot to learn about the profession."

"You're not on your own, I'm here and so is Toudou-san."

"But Mantaro-kun-"

"He went to buy some new blankets at the market," Chie frowned with a mixture of indignation and embarrassment. "You refused to lie down in the same ones as his poorer patients, so he'll have to pay for them out of his own pocket. You should be thankful he didn't charge you for them and stop complaining for the sake of it."

"Bah." Izanagi folded his arms, grumbling. "Well, he should've foreseen that some of his patients wouldn't want to lie down in the filthy rags worn by the beggars he treats for charity! No self-respecting doctor would let his patients' blankets get ruined like that."

"Hey, Kondou-san sent you this package," Heisuke blurted out, laying it on the bed as he unwrapped it to ease the tension of the conversation. "He said he wanted to apologize to both of you for the altercation two days ago and that he hoped the contents would be enough to restore your good opinion of the Shinsengumi."

"Kondou-san didn't do anything wrong," Chie muttered. "We're the ones who should apologize to him."

"Of course not!" Izanagi dug inside the package. "It's their fault for accepting any pervert who decides to enlist in the Shinsengumi! If they were stricter during selection, then none of this would've happened."

Chie pursed her lips and shot a quick glance at Heisuke, expecting to find an expression of offense or disgust on his face at the blatant way her father was criticizing the group he belonged to. However, Heisuke didn't seem to have heard him, as his hands busied themselves extracting the various gifts while he answered Izanagi's questions with a polite smile.

"These envelopes contain Ishida Sanyaku medicine," Heisuke explained, unaware of being watched, "the Vice-Commander's family used to sell them in Edo and they gave us several boxes for free when we left for Kyoto. We haven't been involved in too many serious brawls since that, so we can afford to spare a handful or two."

"Oh!" Izanagi took the envelopes and nodded with satisfaction. "Don't tell it to me like I don't know! I know it! This medicine works wonders for my bunions!"

"There are also a couple of Kampo medicine preparations sent to you by Yamazaki Susumu, the squad's doctor. There's reishi and shiitake mushroom powder, plus a few grams of kakkonto, daikenchuto, shakuyakukanzoto, and yokukansan herbs."

"Excellent! Whoever that guy is, you should be sure to thank him for me, boy! Chie-chan tends to catch a lot of colds so she'll be able to make good use of the kakkonto medicine."

"The medicine isn't for me, dad, it's for you." Chie took one of the bundles of aromatic herbs and sat up to go light the small fire that rested in the corner of the room. "Mantaro-san doesn't have any yokukansan herbs at the clinic so this delivery is heaven-sent. I'll make you some tea with them and won't leave you alone until you drink the whole cup."

"What are yokukansan used for?" Heisuke asked while Izanagi was still going through the package.

"They're good for calming anxiety..." She gave her father a sidelong glance and lowered her voice to avoid being overheard. "And irritability, too!"

Heisuke stifled a laugh and nodded knowingly as he whispered: "Then make him drink the whole teapot...!"

Both struggled to conceal their laughter and only the timely arrival of the local doctor managed to keep Izanagi (who was still praising the compassion of the Shinsengumi commander for sending him such an exquisite mixture of food and medicine) from suspecting he was the butt of the jokes made by his daughter and the messenger of the group he tended to praise or loathe depending on his current state of mind.

"Guess who I met on the road?" Mantaro pointed to Chizuru, who was carrying the huge pile of blankets for him. "Yukimura-san insisted on lightening my load. I tried to object... but he's a pretty stubborn soldier."

"You've been treating Izanagi-san for several days," Chizuru explained after placing the blankets on the nearest piece of furniture, "so you shouldn't tire yourself out running strenuous errands like this."

"Yeah, I must admit I started to get short of breath on the way back..."

"Chizuru-chan." Heisuke sat up with a hard worried look on his face. "What are you doing here alone? If Hijikata-san finds out..."

"Oh, no!" she interrupted him with a nervous smile and raised her palms to wave them in front of her torso. "I'm not alone, captain!" Heisuke opened his mouth to ask her not to call him "Captain", but Chizuru continued: "I came with Shimada-san, but he decided to stay behind guarding the clinic's exterior!" She hurried to show them a medium-sized packet she pulled from the inside of her kimono's sleeve. "My father is a doctor and worked with the Shinsengumi until..." She paused, struggling to hold back her tears. Crying would only ruin the masculine façade she worked so hard to maintain. "My father disappeared... but his instruments and some of the medicine he treated his patients with was left in the headquarters, so I decided to bring it here because... I think Dr. Tani-san could make better use of it than I could."

"What's that about your father disappearing, Yukimura-san?" asked Chie as Mantaro received the package with an endless stream of appreciative words.

"His name is Yukimura Kodo," muttered Chizuru, pursing her lips at the familiar pang of pain that shot through her every time she uttered her father's name. "He's an Edo physician who served the Shogunate before he disappeared. I guess you haven't heard of him..."

"Can you describe his appearance? Maybe he was a customer at the restaurant Dad and I ran."

"He has a shaved head, a kind expression on his face, and a serene personality. We don't look much alike physically... but our accents and mannerisms are very similar."

"Damn, I don't remember ever meeting anyone like that."

"I haven't come across a colleague with those characteristics either," Mantaro denied. "It's a shame Yukimura-san, but I promise I'll spread the word among my patients and let you know if any of them have come across him."

"So will I!" Chie sat up. "If Yukimura-san is willing to follow me out, I'll let you know a plan that might work."

"A plan?" Chizuru blinked, as confused as everyone else present.

"Yes!" Chie smiled, shooting a mischievous glance at Heisuke before revealing: "It's a confidential plan, so I'd prefer to tell you privately."

Heisuke crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, unimpressed by Chie's attempt to give him a spoonful of his own medicine. Was she still unable to forgive him even though he saved her butt from falling off the top of a bridge and carried Izanagi on his back to keep him from dying of a heart attack? Damn it! Why did she have to be so spiteful?! Stubbornness was definitely the Furukawa family's dominant trait!

"All right, Furukawa-san," Chizuru replied, ignoring the tension surrounding her as they left the room, "I'll follow you to the entrance and then I'll retire with Shimada-san. I've been here too long and I don't want to abuse my superiors' kindness."

"Do you know any artists, Yukimura-san?" Chie asked her when they both stepped outside, where the afternoon sun endowed the snow with a warmer shade than usual. The light, however, was about to subside under a storm front that was rapidly advancing toward Kyoto.

"An artist..." Chizuru held her own chin and her eyes lit up after a brief moment of reflection. "Yes, I do! There's a guy in the headquarters who can draw very well!"

"Describe what your father looks like and ask him to paint a portrait of him. We'll make several copies and I'll make sure to hang them in the restaurant and other stores in the area; that's what we did when my cat 'Mikio' got lost in Edo and we found him in the blink of an eye."

"Oh, that's a great idea! I feel like a fool for not thinking of it before..."

"Don't be, living in the Shinsengumi headquarters as a man can't be easy at all, let alone while trying to decipher your father's whereabouts. In fact, I asked you to come outside with me because..." Chie paused before clasping her hands in front of her chest, hesitantly. "Is it okay if I speak to you less formally, Chizuru-chan? We're both women and you're much younger than me, so I'd feel more comfortable if we discarded the formalities."

"Oh, of course!" Chizuru smiled. "I share a room with Kohana-chan, so we can consider each other indirect sisters, hehe!"

Chie smiled back and nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Well... between us, Chizuru-chan. The other day I realized that you aren't an onna-bugeisha, but a prisoner of the Shinsengumi. Does that have anything to do with your father's disappearance?"

"Oh... Chie-chan sure is perceptive," she muttered, looking around. "Shimada-san must not be far away, so I wouldn't dare to go too deep into the subject, but... let's say that my stay in the Shinsengumi is some kind of guarantee, at least until my father returns to his place of work."

"Did Kodo-san work for the Shinsengumi?"

"Yes," Chizuru lowered her voice until it was barely audible above the chirping of the birds that populated the tree growing next to the clinic. "As I understand it, he was under direct orders from the Shogunate. He was... attending to some sort of confidential medical research that was forcibly interrupted after his disappearance."

"I understand. The Shinsengumi must be trying very hard to find him."

"Not as much as I'd like..." Chizuru pouted, struggling to conceal the bitterness that caused her to clench her fists inside the sleeves of her cherry blossom-colored kimono. "I brought his medical journal with me when I came to Kyoto, but it was given to one of their members after I was captured so he could continue Dad's investigation. Since he was replaced... I feel like I'm the only one who cares about finding out what happened to him. But don't get me wrong, please, I'm very grateful to the Shinsengumi for allowing me to accompany them on their patrols to gather information about Dad!" she hastened to add. "It's just that... I'm beginning to feel quite hopeless."

"If the Shinsengumi can't find him," Chie said, suddenly serious, "then maybe the opposing side can."

"What do you mean?"

"The Choshu usually meet at Dad's restaurant. In fact, my best friend's father frequently associates with them. If you allow me, I'll show them the portraits when they come for lunch and make sure that the friend I mentioned to you takes some home to distribute among her father's acquaintances."

"Huh?" Chizuru's eyes widened to their fullest extent. The Choshu were sworn enemies of the Shogunate and associating with them on that level could be considered treason. What would Hijikata-san do if he found out that she had requested the imperialists' help to find her father? But more importantly, why was Miss Furukawa proposing this to her? "Do you... support their cause, Furukawa-san?"

"I despise politics," she admitted, with special emphasis on the word "despise", "but Ume-san's father is a scholar who likes to philosophize about imperialist values and..." She stopped, pausing mid-sentence as she frowned because of the sudden uncertainty that came over her. "I hope you'll appreciate the favor I'm doing you by keeping this secret. I don't want the Shogunate to get their hands on her or her father for this."

"Oh, no! No, no, no!" Chizuru shook her head several times and squeaked in a whisper: "I would never do something as low as that! You have no idea how grateful I am to you all for helping me to widen the search!" Chizuru held her hands fervently, shocked by the miraculous help she had just received. "If this works, then I'll be indebted to you for life!"

"It's no big deal!" laughed Chie. "I'm indebted to you for performing that weird heart massage on Dad on the way to the clinic!"

"Oh, it's true!" She sighed with a blend of nostalgia and sorrow. "Well, hopefully we'll both be able to nag our parents for many more years to come. I'll ask Ibuki-san to paint that portrait of my father and I'll be sure to get the copies to you as quickly as possible."

Chie recognized the name of the friend of Kohana's who called her a "hideous hag" and an "ugly spinster", but Dr. Mantaro interrupted the conversation when he peeked through the front door with his eyebrows furrowed in concern: "Are you two finished discussing that 'confidential' deal yet? It's freezing outside and I'd hate for you both to fall ill because you're not comfortable chatting inside. If you wish, I can turn on the kitchen stove so you can discuss whatever you need to there."

"Did my father send you to fetch me because he doesn't want me to stay alone with Yukimura-san, or are you the one who's worried about me?" Chie asked with her eyelids half-closed, fully aware of her father's and her childhood friend's reactions due to their ignorance of Chizuru's true identity.

"Huh...! N, no!" Mantaro blushed up to his ears and burst into explanations as Chie and Chizuru re-entered the clinic. "That would be a terrible indiscretion! W, why do you think Izanagi-san or I would do something like that? He's... desperate for you to marry someone and... w, well... Yukimura-san might be a good candidate, right? If that's what your heart desires, Chie-chan, t, then I'd never stand in the way of your happiness!"

"Of course not!" Chie burst out laughing and exchanged a look of trust with Chizuru (who was struggling to hide her own laughter). "Yukimura-san is a ronin and you know very well how little Dad likes nameless warriors."

"Oh, r, right..." Mantaro muttered to himself, extremely uncomfortable to have to discuss such sensitive topics in front of a stranger. "It's true, Izanagi-san is only interested in..." His voice trailed off into an inaudible mumble that prevented anyone from hearing the end of the sentence.

Chie and Chizuru entered Izanagi's room only to hear him say to Heisuke: "Hey, kid. Can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"Work waits for no one, so I decided to reopen my restaurant. I neglected the customers too much with the typhoon thing and also with my foolish siege of the headquarters, so I asked Chie-chan to take care of it while I recover; but the poor thing had a couple of bad nights and is a bit distracted, so I'm afraid some rascal might take advantage of that. Could you keep her company during today's workday? You're a Mibu Wolf and I know no one will dare to get smart with you around."

"Dad! I don't think that's a good idea!" Chie tried to object, aware that the presence of a Shogunate servant in one of the Choshu's meeting places would only end in strife.

"Although it may not seem like it, Chie-chan is a woman," Izanagi continued, "and after the incident suffered by my youngest daughter, I stopped believing that Kyoto men are capable of respecting them to the extent they deserve."

"But... I'm also a Kyoto man," replied Heisuke with a puzzled little smile on his face.

"Nah!" Izanagi dismissed the idea with a quick wave of his right hand. "Didn't you say you all come from Edo? We Edo men are light years ahead of the scum swarming in the capital! We may live here because this wretched government decided to raise the cost of living in the countryside, but our hearts remain as clean as our beloved Edo's firmament!"

"Hmm." Heisuke looked at Chie's exasperated expression (who was looking at her father with a mixture of annoyance and helplessness) out of the corner of his eye. "A restaurant run by a single woman sounds like trouble to me, yeah, but I'm not sure I can take care of a personal affair without Kondou-san's permission. The Shinsengumi guards noblemen, not merchants."

Izanagi's eyes lit up with the gleam of a mysterious spark as he revealed: "You know that Kondou holds my family in high regard, Heisuke. You were just a brat when we lived together in Edo, so you probably won't remember... but you and Chie-chan used to get along. Do your old friend a favor, will you?"

"What are you talking about?" Heisuke's eyebrows furrowed as much as Chie's, and the former feared that the tea the old man was drinking might have provoked some unexpected side reaction. "Your daughter and I were never friends."

"Huh? Bah! I knew you wouldn't remember! You used to come home to read-" He couldn't finish the sentence, as a powerful coughing fit shook his body from head to toe, causing him to writhe on the futon until Mantaro managed to force a gulp of hot syrup through his parched lips. The coughing gradually gave way to a faint drowsiness that helped him regain his composure, but he was too weak to avoid ending up curled up in the blankets as Chie covered him with a black haori that belonged to the doctor.

"Dad, for heaven's sake! What was that? Are you all right?"

"Yeah," he muttered hoarsely. "I think I need to rest..."

"Exactly." Mantaro wrapped two bottles of syrup in a brown paper package. "From now on you should rest and drink a sip of my medicine with every meal. Heart problems often cause fluid buildup in the lungs, so staying hydrated is a priority."

"Why would I need to drink more water when my lungs are already full of water?!" complained Izanagi, his face still flushed from his recent seizure. "Do you want to drown me, Mantaro-kun?!"

"I'm not leaving this place until you promise to obey Mantaro-san's instructions, Dad," Chie told him with her arms crossed and a frown on her face. "If you want me to open the restaurant, then you'll have to obey everything he tells you without question."

"Bah! Yeah, yeah, I'll do it." The old man leaned back on the cushions, closing his eyes because of the tiredness he was trying so hard to hide. "But I also need a promise in return..." He half-opened his eyes while Mantaro took care of lowering the curtains so that not so much light could enter the sick man's room and he could take a much-needed nap. "Heisuke... the Shinsengumi always insists that they're here to protect the innocent women and children of the capital, instead of to accuse them of supporting the imperialists and throw them into their terrible torture dungeons. If any of that is true... then keep an eye on the restaurant so that nothing bad happens while I'm gone."

Heisuke sighed, ready to refuse again, but Chizuru beat him to it by replying with a smile: "Don't worry, Izanagi-san! Heisuke-kun will help you!"

"W, what?! You can't make that decision for me, Chizuru-chan!"

"Shimada-san is waiting for me outside so, instead of resuming the search for my father, we'll go back to the headquarters and I'll explain the situation to Hijikata-san so he won't punish you again for sneaking off without permission."

"I, I'm sure Hijikata-san won't approve of this! You know how much he dislikes us getting involved in civilian affairs!"

"This is not just any civilian affair." Chizuru lowered her voice and covered her mouth with her hand, bowing in front of Heisuke to avoid being overheard by the others. "Hijikata-san and Kondou-san have been on bad terms ever since Hijikata-san allowed Tani-san to face Izanagi-san and the rest of the Choshu clan members alone, so I sense that Hijikata-san won't waste the opportunity to offer the Shinsengumi's services to the man who suffered a heart attack because of his carelessness. If the Shinsengumi's actions benefit Izanagi-san, then Kondou-san will be extremely pleased and this will allow him to make amends with Hijikata-san."

"Oh! That makes... a lot of sense!" Heisuke slammed his right fist against the palm of his left hand. "Wow, Chizuru-chan, I didn't know you were so smart! It's probably rubbing off on you for spending so much time proofreading Hijikata-san's papers!"

Chizuru blushed and quickly turned away from him, self-conscious at the wary look in Chie's red eyes. Did she think that the sudden flush in her cheeks was due to Heisuke rather than... Hijikata-san? The very thought of offending the woman who had come up with one of the best possible plans to track down her father's whereabouts shook her from head to toe, so she hastened to direct an awkward bow at her before vanishing outside the clinic as she shouted: "Speaking of documents, I remembered that I have many tasks pending at the headquarters! Thank you for everything, Furukawa-san, I hope your father recovers as quickly as possible! I promise I won't be long in coming back to visit you to deliver those leaflets you asked for!"

Chie put her hands on her hips and gave Heisuke another distrustful look as she asked: "What on earth did you say to poor Yukimura-san?"

"N, nothing!" This time it was Heisuke who blushed, uncomfortable with the way Chie, Mantaro, and Izanagi seemed to analyze every inch of his face. "It's soldier stuff; nothing that matters to a nosy tadpole like you!"

"Again with the tadpole thing...?! Good!" Chie pouted and crossed her arms fiercely before turning on her heels to stomp out of the clinic. "I don't even know why I'm asking! It's not like I care about the secrets of the stupid Mibu Wolves!"

"Why does this..." Izanagi muttered (seized by the lethargy produced by the medicine he had just drunk) when Heisuke left the room to catch up with his daughter, "...seems so familiar to me?"

"Come on, Chie-chan, come back here!" yelled Heisuke as he crossed the snowy street to catch up with her. "I can't believe you're jealous of Chizuru-chan! Don't you realize the huge crush she has on Hijikata-san?"

Chie turned aggressively, fists clenched at the sides of her body and cheeks burning from the (Heisuke assumed) sudden walk. "Jealous?! You idiot! Don't even think that I like you or something!"

"Ha!" He grinned mischievously after stopping in front of her. "Don't worry, don't worry. I don't think you're dumb enough to fall in love for a second time with some guy who played with your feelings."

Chie pursed her lips; undecided whether to be offended by the cheap shot related to her previous behavior regarding Tani, or to explain to him that she no longer held a grudge for the spying mission he was forced to execute. After a brief moment of reflection, she turned her back on him to resume walking with a much calmer pace than the one that had taken her outside Dr. Mantaro's home. "I still wouldn't like you even if you hadn't spied on me," she declared with her eyebrows raised in a smug expression. "Plus, you were forced to do it, which means you lose all the 'bad boy' points you'd gathered and thus any possible appeal to a girl like me who only cares about that kind of person."

"Hmm?" Heisuke blinked several times. "I thought... you were still mad at me about that."

"Bah..." She shrugged as they both walked down the icy path. "I'm stubborn, but not stupid, Toudou-san. I calmed down as the days went by and... well, I started to reflect on all that Harada-san, Saito-san, and you told me about the Shinsengumi's rules."

"And yet you keep calling me 'Toudou-san', instead of 'Heisuke-san'," he said with his lips curled into an annoyed grimace and his arms flexed behind his head.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"You said you weren't stupid and yet you ask that."

"Hey!" Chie nudged him lightly with her palms. "Why are you so obsessed with honorifics?!"

"I'm not!" He pouted and lowered his arms to clench his fists and stubbornly focus on the road. "You brought it up when you and Chizuru-chan went off to talk about your cocky 'confidential plan' as if you were two girls climbing into a tree house where you hung a sign that says 'No Boys Allowed'! It's obvious you still don't trust me, otherwise I might've been able to hear whatever you two were whispering about out there!"

"But you did the exact same thing before Chizuru-chan ran off to the headquarters!"

"Oh, it's just that... those were Shinsengumi secrets that we couldn't discuss in front of Mantaro-kun or your father!"

"It's the same in my case," she replied arrogantly. "Both dad and Mantaro-san are unaware that Chizuru-chan is a girl and I wanted to be able to chat freely with her."

"So you two really put up a 'No Boys Allowed' sign between you and us, huh?"

"More like a 'No Heisuke Allowed' sign."

"Bah, you wouldn't be the first."

"What do you mean?"

"Just nonsense." He sighed and grimaced as he changed the subject: "Don't you think it was nice of Kondou-san to send all that medicine and nutritious food to your father?"

"Hmm, of course I do, although I still think we're the ones who should send an apology gift to your boss."

"You could cook something at the restaurant and give it to me before closing. I bet then you wouldn't feel indebted to the Shinsengumi."

Chie squinted her eyelids, suspicious. "Are you crazy? Feeding you won't solve the foolishness my father did in the headquarters."

"I, I didn't say it was for me, you big fool! It's... for Kondou-san!"

"Oh, that changes things."

"You're always thinking the worst of me!" Heisuke pouted. "Do I look like an opportunistic freeloader to you?"

Chie held back her laughter, concentrating on the snowy road as a distraction. "Don't make me answer."

"Now, I won't speak to you until you stop teasing me!" He crossed his arms stubbornly in front of his chest, kicking a pile of snow as he walked forward along the path. "I shouldn't have listened to Chizuru-chan! Spending all afternoon cooped up in that stinky restaurant with you will end up ruining the first day I get to enjoy after being released from Hijikata-san's punishment!"

"Some of the medicine bottles had foreign labels on them," Chie pointed out from behind, entirely disregarding her companion's tantrum. "You can't get those in just any drugstore... I hope Kondou-san didn't spend a lot of money on them."

"Kondou-san is a generous man," he replied without turning to look at her. His brow was severely furrowed, but not because Chie thought he was an "opportunistic freeloader", but for a hidden reason that became harder to ignore as he talked to her, "but I fear that his wallet may not be the only thing to suffer because of his kindness... and that those of us who've followed him since he left Edo in order to join the nobility may fall victim to the same fate."

"Hey!" Chie stopped in the middle of the street, her lips curling in bewilderment. "You can't say that just because my father asked you to watch the restaurant! I know I can be a pain in the ass, but don't imply that I'm just as bad as all the ronin you've had to beat up since you joined the Shinsengumi!"

"I didn't mean it that way," he muttered from ahead, slowing down but not stopping. "It's about something more important than you, you silly girl."

Chie crossed her arms without moving from the spot. "If it's soooo important, then just spit it out."

Heisuke huffed under his breath, retracing his steps to rejoin her. Why couldn't he just tell her to fuck off and continue the walk to the restaurant? It was obvious that the lack of sleep was taking its toll on Chie's mood and that the recent strains in their relationship were only playing against him when it came to reconciling with her, but he felt an irrepressible need to share his concerns about the Shinsengumi with her. He told himself that it was probably because she was the only girl his age he knew who wasn't involved with the Shinsengumi (at least not militarily) and, therefore, her opinion would be extremely different from what Sanosuke, Shinpachi, or even Chizuru herself might give him.

"What your father said in there... about how the Shinsengumi should be stricter when it comes to recruiting manpower..."

"Oh!" Chie's frown softened slightly out of embarrassment. "Don't listen to Dad's busybody ass, he has no idea what he's talking about."

"No, no... he's right."

"What?" She blinked without uncrossing her arms, as uncomfortable from the cold as she was from Heisuke's (both physical and emotional) closeness. "Hmm, well. My father throws so much fruit into the basket that sooner or later he had to hit a shot."

Heisuke smiled faintly, amused by Chie's explanation. However, he regained his seriousness after putting his hands in his pockets in a nonverbal gesture very similar to hers. "I've been concerned about the changes in the administration of the Shinsengumi for some time now. I told you this the night we fought, remember?" Chie gave a silent nod, so he continued: "When your father was out of danger and I returned to the headquarters, I overheard the bosses arguing in the courtyard out back. Hijikata-san... didn't stop Tani from confronting your father and the Choshu because he intended for Tani to be killed during the brawl."

"Oh, no," muttered Chie with wide eyes. "He probably did it so he wouldn't have to find an excuse to condemn him to commit seppuku!"

"That's right." Heisuke pursed his lips and clenched his fists. "Kondou-san was furious... apparently Hijikata-san handled the whole Tani issue behind his back, and the worst thing is that this isn't the first time something like this has happened," he hastened to add with a frown. "Hijikata-san has made several questionable decisions since Serizawa-san left the scene. Sometimes I feel... as if his spirit has possessed him to avoid paying his debts in the afterlife."

"Don't be silly, you can't compare Hijikata-san with Serizawa-san."

"I'm not." He quickly shook his head. "It's just that... Since Serizawa-san died, Hijikata-san's determination to sacrifice his life to realize Kondou-san's dream tripled."

"And what's wrong with that?" Chie rubbed her cheek with the sleeve of her kimono when she noticed an icy snowflake land on its surface.

"That he's not only willing to sacrifice his own, but everyone else's." Heisuke took a breath and looked up high into the cloudy sky. "The Bushido code is very strict and I fear what might happen if any of us break the rules by which Hijikata-san keeps the group in line." The tone of his voice dropped considerably when he whispered: "The Shinsengumi... is beginning to resemble a military cult more than the family I learned to love."

"You worry unnecessarily," his protégé replied from within the curtain of snow that fell gently between them. "Tani-san has done countless stupid things since he joined the Shinsengumi and so far he hasn't been given more than a couple of lectures as punishment, so I doubt either of you could commit such a serious offense as to be sentenced to death. What's more! Now that Kondou-san uncovered the conspiracy to get rid of Tani-san, it's likely that his bad temper will stop putting him in danger."

Heisuke shook his head. "The fact that civilians outside the Shinsegumi like you know that the chiefs didn't punish Tani with appropriate force is a lousy sign. The Aizu Magistrate will soon learn that we aren't obeying the terms of the rank he granted us, and then... the pressure to live the way the nobility do will only increase to unbearable levels. I fear for Souji and..." He sighed and his eyes fixed on an invisible spot in the whitish blanket surrounding them. "Neither the boys nor I are cut out for the archaic world where the Bushido code was conceived. I think... even contemporary nobles aren't."

"I've never heard you speak with such propriety about anything," Chie remarked, too intrigued to notice the pale snowflakes beginning to pile up on her sandals.

"Hmm, I had a good teacher. You should hear him talk about it, I'm a small-town hick next to him." He turned his back to her as he resumed walking, but stopped again when he put a couple of feet of distance between the two of them. "But that's not the only thing wrong with the Shinsengumi. Can I... ask you a favor, Chie-chan?"

"Yeah, sure, Toudou-san."

"If you can help it, don't walk the streets of Kyoto alone."

Chie took a step forward, as confused as she was alarmed. "Why not? Is something wrong?"

Heisuke flashed a thoughtful smile over his shoulder, resuming his march down the path that faded into the embrace of the blizzard that blurred all traces of the landscape around him. "I just want to keep you from falling off a bridge again. I know you're brave, but there are some things that you're better off not facing alone... So let me know if you need me to escort you somewhere and I'll be with you in a heartbeat. Even if my word isn't worth much to you anymore, I swear I won't let anyone hurt you."

Chie followed him silently, puzzled by the unexpected nature of the oath. Heisuke walked several feet ahead of her, making his way through the snow as his light blue haori blended with the brightness of his surroundings; briefly reminding her of the fleeting flash of a sky from the distant past. It was then that, just as suddenly as the snowflake fall began, her mind was overcome by the echo of Izanagi's mysterious statement at the clinic:

«"You know that Kondou holds my family in high regard, Heisuke. You were just a brat when we lived together in Edo, so you probably won't remember... but you and Chie-chan used to get along. Do your old friend a favor, will you?"

"What are you talking about?" Heisuke's eyebrows furrowed as much as Chie's, and the former feared that the tea the old man was drinking might have provoked some unexpected side reaction. "Your daughter and I were never friends."

"Huh? Bah! I knew you wouldn't remember! You used to come home to read-" He couldn't finish the sentence, as a powerful coughing fit shook his body from head to toe, causing him to writhe on the futon until Mantaro managed to force a gulp of hot syrup through his parched lips.»

The world seemed to dissolve into a blank sheet of paper as Chie wondered: "What did her father mean... when he said the two of them used to get along?"

Chapter Text

Winter, December 28, 1863. Four o'clock in the afternoon.

Kondou, Hijikata, Sanosuke, and Shinpachi were seated around Tani Sanjuro in the conference room. The accused had been summoned to discuss the quarrel he had had with the owner of the Mao restaurant at the Shinsengumi headquarters entrance (or, according to Tani; in the Yagi's courtyard).

"You guys took your time in summoning me," Tani pointed out after taking a seat on the floor. "Were you praying that Izanagi would die so you could judge me more harshly? I thought you'd have enough common sense to realize this is a waste of time, but it's clear that peasants lack the advanced knowledge of Bushido that we noble-blooded warriors possess."

"Noble-blooded warrior!" Hijikata sneered with his hands resting on his own thighs and his elbows arched outward in a defiant attitude. "You're gonna pull that one on us too? You seem to be itching to join those Choshu nobles we've got locked up in the dungeon."

Kondou cleared his throat and the wicked smile that graced Hijikata's face faded into a grimace of frustration. "Sanjuro-kun wasn't the only one responsible for what happened two days ago," Kondou stated with a seriousness that was rare for him, "so let's strive to make this a civilized conversation and not a witch-burning trial, shall we?"

Hijikata averted his gaze (annoyed with himself for the indirect reprimand he received from his boss), while Shinpachi reacted in the complete opposite way; grinning with satisfaction while nodding his head. "That's right, Kondou-san!" He reached over to give Tani a light pat on the back, who received it with a confused expression that he was quick to conceal. "This isn't a court-martial, so let's not act like Tani was to blame for that deranged old man and his Choshu friends deciding to storm the headquarters!"

Hijikata quirked his lips without looking away from the window that displayed the gentle snowfall outside. "You want to throw the poor old man into a cell? Wasn't it enough that our 'noble-blooded warrior' gave him a heart attack? In my opinion, bringing a man of his age to the brink of death is such a dishonorable action as to warrant the punishment of seppuku."

"I'm not saying the cook should be arrested!" Shinpachi rubbed his forehead to wipe away the beads of sweat that were beginning to form on his skin due to the exasperation he felt over the issue. He wasn't defending Tani because he liked him, but because his sense of honor prevented him from keeping silent in the face of what he considered an injustice. The whole honorable suicide nonsense had him at his wit's end; he hadn't given up his life as a wandering ronin to submit to a bunch of suffocating rules imposed by a radical conservative like Hijikata was. "I know he's in the hospital, but we can't forget he was the one who led those Choshu bastards to the headquarters! All Tani did was stand up to them when they trespassed on our territory and things would've turned out a lot better if we hadn't stayed hidden inside while he paid the price! Are you gonna cut his stomach out as a reward for having the balls to do our duty?!"

"Already, Shinpachi." Sanosuke put a hand on his shoulder and cracked a weak smile as he muttered: "Did you forgot about the civilized conversation thing altogether?"

"Oh! Yeah!" He bowed hastily in the Commander's direction. "Excuse me, Kondou-san! It just seems stupid for us to take it out on Tani when that old man is responsible for the incident! If you knew him better-"

"What do you mean?" Kondou interrupted him with sudden interest.

"Izanagi isn't fond of ronin devoid of title or fortune," he replied, rising to sit back on his legs with a look of concern on his normally cheerful and carefree face. "He has treated Heisuke terribly despite him saving his daughter's life during that fire, so I wouldn't rule out that his recent association with the Choshu isn't just because of what happened to Kohana-san, but for political reasons as well."

"Come on! Izanagi-san is a bit grumpy, yeah," Sanosuke chimed in, "but I don't think he's a spy for the Tosa or the Satcho."

"I'm not saying he's a spy, but we can't ignore that most people in Kyoto want to see our heads on stakes."

"Yes... the anti-Shogunate sentiment has become very strong as of late," Kondou whispered almost to himself, raising his voice as he unexpectedly turned to his Vice-Commander. "Toshi, what do you think?"

Hijikata turned to look at him with narrowed eyes, as surprised to be called by his first name's diminutive (which he hadn't done since they argued after the uncovering of his plan to replace Tani with Ibuki), as he was grateful to be asked for his opinion. "The old man is no spy, but he's evidently a pawn that those Choshu dogs manipulated against us."

"How do you know?" Kondou asked. "Have you already interrogated them?"

"No, but it's such a stupid plan that even a child would be able to figure it out."

Sanosuke put a hand to his chin and focused his gaze on Kondou as he stated: "Then if we must take it out on anyone for the trespassing, it's the Choshu prisoners we captured."

"“Depends on what you mean by 'take it out'," Kondou replied with furrowed brows. "These warriors (as rude as they were to call us 'farmers' and accuse us of not respecting the Bushido code), are nothing more than soldiers following orders given to them by their superior."

"If we do nothing, they'll see it as a weakness and ambush us again to force us to react," Sanosuke insisted.

"If we execute the noble servants of a rival clan to prove a point, then we'll give them the excuse they were looking for when they egged Izanagi-san on to invade us and get himself killed in the process. We've already spilled more blood than a government force is allowed to. If we continue like this... we'll cause a revolt."

"Come on, Kondou-san!" Shinpachi huffed. "Seven invading Choshu ronin aren't the same as an old man armed with a pair of kitchen knives! No one will call us savages for executing them!"

"Citizens cannot discern military personnel from civilians. Pardoning Izanagi-san and executing Hironaka Ryota and his kind will trigger the same outcry as if the cook had died on our base. I'll let them return to their domain with a letter I'll write in my own handwriting. With a little luck... I'll manage to make peace with the leader of the Choshu clan."

"I guess that means I can get the hell out of here," said Tani, who had been (strangely) quiet for a while. "I don't care what happens to Izanagi and his gang of failed raiders. So, if we're not gonna talk about me anymore, then I'd appreciate it if you'd let me go back to training."

"Sure," Kondou nodded. "It's easy to commit lapses of judgment when tempers are high, but the real merit lies in retaining a sense of justice even when everything is against us. Shinpachi..." Kondou fixed his gaze on his subordinate. "I'll give another chance to Sanjuro-kun. Your wisdom has reminded me not to indulge in that kind of impulsive behavior that we try so hard to eradicate in our group."

"Oh! That's great, Kondou-san! Did you hear that, Tani?! You owe me at least five bottles of sake next time we visit Shimabara!" Shinpachi turned to shot a mischievous grin at him, but Tani sat up with an expression of discomfort before offering the Commander a half-hearted bow and then promptly disappearing outside, leaving all present in a stunned silence that seemed to last for an eternity.

"B, by G, God!" complained Chie, rubbing her forearms with her freezing hands as she and Heisuke walked down the street leading to the restaurant. "I, it's so cold a, as if we were climbing the t, top of M, Mount Fuji itself!"

"We're in the middle of winter, why didn't you throw on a coat before going out?"

"B, because I, I didn't think it was going to start s, snowing!" She frowned and her teeth seemed to chatter even more as she asked: "And w, why a, aren't y, you... shivering l, like me, huh?! It seems as i, if you were raised on a, a m, mountain!"

"I wasn't raised on one but I trained on several," he replied with a nonchalant shrug before (much to Chie's surprise) taking off the Shinsengumi's light blue haori and holding it out to her with an annoyed grimace on his lips. "Here, put this on. I promised Izanagi-san that I'd watch out for your safety and I don't want him to accuse me of breaking my word if you end up dying of hypothermia before we arrive."

"I d, don't w, want it! If people s, see me w, wearing t, that thing... they'll stone me for s, supporting the Shogunate!"

"For heaven's sake, don't make such a big deal out of it!" Heisuke clicked his tongue and placed the haori on top of her, covering her head by mistake because of the carelessness with which he did it. "No one will come out in such a blizzard! The only one who could stone you among all this snow is Yuki-onna-sama!"

"I, I bet... she doesn't like... the Shinsengumi e, either!"

"I hope she doesn't like it, that way we'll keep her from seducing our troops and driving them into an icy grave. God knows we've got no shortage of soldiers foolish enough to believe it's normal to run into supernaturally beautiful women in the middle of a winter storm."

"Hey..."

"Don't worry, we're close to the restaurant," he assured her, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Thanks for the coat. I, I... feel better now."

"Huh..." He glanced sideways at her, uneasy at the strange feeling of restlessness that stirred in his chest when he noticed that Chie had put on his haori and hugged it against her own body to prevent the cold from taking away what little warmth she had left. "S, sure, it's fine. Y, you'd better not die. That thing... l, looks good on you." He scratched the back of his neck as he muttered: "Y, you could pass for a soldier... or maybe n, not... you're too prett-"

"Why are you stuttering...?" Her freckled face contracted into a worried expression. "Oh, no! I'm sure you're cold now, but you're too proud to admit it! Let me give it back to you, Toudou-san... we can even share it if you want."

"W, WHAT...?! NO! THAT'S NOT NECESSARY! NO!" He shouted louder than he meant to so he was quick to laugh nervously to cover up his outburst. "Ha! Don't worry, Chie-chan! I'm perfectly fine! I was just... distracted! Yeah, distracted, that's it! I don't even remember what the hell I was talking about, haha! I think it was about Yuki-onna-sama? Y, yeah, I'm sure that was it! It's impossible not to get distracted... when thinking about beautiful women!"

Chie tried to correct him, but a couple of barks at her feet caused her gaze to fall on the small lump that scrambled underneath the snow. "Yokai?! Oh, no! May the Oni take me away! What the hell are you doing down there?!" She sank to the ground to dig inside the icy blanket that covered the first two feet of the street and pull out the poor puppy that wouldn't stop shivering.

"For God's sake, Chie! Why did you leave him outside?!"

"I didn't! How could you think me capable of such a cruel thing?!" She took off her haori and proceeded to quickly wrap Yokai up. "He has a habit of sneaking out the damn back window! Dad and I left the house so fast that neither of us bothered to close it! Damn it! I've told Ume a thousand times not to leave the property without checking that everything's locked up first!" Her eyes got teary as they rested on the trembling snout peeking out from under Heisuke's uniform. "I'll die if he gets sick from this! I'm such a fool! I should've remembered to close that stupid window!"

"Now, don't worry about it." He pointed to the restaurant (which they had just arrived at) with a nod of his head while gently nudging her shoulder with the palm of his hand to encourage her to go inside. "Being a stray, he must be as used to the cold as I am. We'll light the stove, put him in front of the fire, and you'll see how he'll recover in no time."

"You think so?"

"Of course, he won't even remember the cold after tasting one of my special chicken broths." He walked forward at a confident pace toward the kitchen as the two of them entered the restaurant darkened by the storm that made it seem as if the sunset had come earlier. "Shinpa-san always complains that I don't cook large enough quantities, but I'm sure Yokai-kun will be a much more appreciative eater than that insatiable glutton."

"Do you know where we keep the cooking supplies, the miso, the chicken, and so on?" Chie asked after hanging a sign announcing that the restaurant was open on the front door, busying herself with rubbing the puppy that lay in her arms while she deposited a measure of charcoal on the central fire pit.

"Of course!" Heisuke peered through the window connecting the kitchen to the dining room as he moved back and forth with a familiarity that puzzled her. "You gotta be observant if you wanna keep your head attached to your body on Kyoto's streets. Don't forget that I spent two weeks sitting at one of those tables to interrogate you about Tani before you decided to stop hiding inside here."

"Ugh!" Chie grimaced. "I w, wasn't hiding, I just wanted to avoid talking about Tani-san with a complete stranger! The Shinsengumi will never gain the trust of Kyoto's people if they keep behaving like a bunch of creepy thugs."

"Believe me, I wasn't at all enthusiastic about chatting with you either," he assured after resuming his task of preparing the food. "I hate being cooped up and got bored out of my mind for days just because Hijikata-san wanted to get rid of that Tani nuisance."

"Don't call him a 'nuisance', Tani-san had enough punishment already by enduring Dad's senilities."

"I've never heard of a victim who bursts into laughter after being stabbed."

Chie took a seat in front of the fire, pulling her pet closer to the radiance as she rubbed his golden fur with her hands. "Hijikata-san said you were watching the restaurant because he suspected the Choshu were meeting here, but he actually intended for you to find out Tani's weaknesses through me. It's almost as if being a good liar is one of the requirements for passing the Shinsengumi entrance exam."

"You're not gonna make me apologize again, are you?" he asked with a mocking tone that Chie clearly picked up from a distance.

"Be careful with the stove next to the back window, the burner doesn't work properly and it tends to overheat the food."

"Uh... Okay, got it!" He looked out the window again with his eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Hey, Chie-chan. Hijikata-san was right in the end, wasn't he?"

"About what?"

"The Choshu." He looked down as he focused on quickly chopping up the chicken with a razor sharp knife. "I bet they had to visit the place several times before they decided that Izanagi-san was the perfect candidate to become the scapegoat who'd force the Shinsengumi's hand."

"I know how to cook chicken broth, you know? I should be the one who should be working in the kitchen. The customers will start coming in soon and I can get the day's menu ready much faster than you can."

"Come on, come on, Chie-chan. Why are you always changing the subject? Dodging the question makes you look suspicious."

Chie pouted, undecided whether to confess that the restaurant had become one of the Choshu's favorite places to eat (and probably to plot their schemes as well), or to pretend that no member of that clan visited the place until the incident that gave her father a heart attack happened. Lying wasn't just something she detested with all her heart, but it could also endanger Heisuke's life; a group of the Shinsengumi's sworn enemies could break through the main gate at any moment and the 8th Division captain (who certainly accounted for a war trophy they wouldn't be willing to lose) would be cornered against a number of opponents who would outnumber him by a wide margin.

But on the other hand... there was the promise she made to Chizuru-chan. If she alerted Heisuke that the Choshu were frequenting the restaurant she would not only ruin the plan to hand them pamphlets with Yukimura Kodo's face on them to increase the chances of his daughter tracking down her father's whereabouts; but she would also endanger the lives of Ume-chan, her father (whose intellectual contribution to the Choshu rebellion was becoming more and more noticeable with each passing day), and Chizuru's as well; for the Shogunate would never forgive her for seeking the help of the imperialists. The girl-turned-samurai was extremely clear in hinting that the Shinsengumi's efforts to discover Kodo's location had waned after snatching his medical diary from the daughter they were holding prisoner, so she couldn't help but feel that the idea of handing out the portraits painted by Ibuki was Chizuru's last chance to be reunited with the man who brought her into the world.

Chie frowned with her eyes fixed on the fire before which Yokai slept peacefully, recalling the sea of despairing emotions that seemed to drown her when her own father vanished in her arms. What would she have done if Izanagi had died that afternoon? Heaven knew she wasn't nearly as brave as Chizuru-chan and there wasn't the slightest chance she would have the courage to disguise herself as a man. She would have lost the restaurant and (not being allowed to move to Shimabara with her sister since a geiko could only house others of her kind) she would have ended up on the streets. Alone... and devoid of the calm determination that characterized the Yukimura heiress.

Chizuru trusted her. Would she betray her just because she feared becoming a hypocrite who was critical of the Shinsengumi's "necessary lies" while doing the same in secret because she believed she had a valid way of justifying it?

Were lies worse than betrayals? Was having the moral high ground more important than the lives of her best friend, her father, and the girl she promised to help reunite with her last remaining family member?

"Why are you so quiet?" Heisuke sighed and shook his head as he threw several chopped vegetables into the pot where he would prepare the broth. "I'm not planning to arrest you just because the Choshu come here to eat, Chie-chan. I just wanna make sure that you and your father are safe. What happened that afternoon with Izanagi-san could have serious repercussions."

"Do you see any Choshu around here?" she asked with an indifference that hid the disgust that invaded her for not being completely honest with Heisuke. "If I had them as customers, believe me they would've been here long ago. The restaurant has been packed to the brim since word spread that Sannan-san lost his skill as a swordsman here."

"Come on! What kind of excuse is that?" His lips arched in a disbelieving smile. "No one would go out for lunch in the middle of a snowstorm!"

"You underestimate how wasteful the people of Kyoto are, they'd rather expose themselves to the scourge of the elements than risk looking like paupers who spent the afternoon at home." She stroked Yokai with her gaze lost in the distance, giving a faint smile that didn't reach her eyes when the puppy jumped up to start biting Heisuke's haori with an overwhelming amount of rage.

"H, hey!" Heisuke pressed his hands on the counter and leaned out the window with his eyes wide open. "Tell him to stop doing that! Yokai, no! Stop it! Didn't you have enough with filling my uniform with fur and wet dog stink?! Get out of there, you bad dog! That thing is more expensive than the Emperor's underwear!"

Chie scooped him up in her arms, rolling her eyes at the furious barking the little dog emitted in response as he squirmed to get free, but the ringing of the door bell as a couple of people entered made her hair stand on end. Oh no... if it was the Choshu, then she would never forgive herself. She would die alongside Heisuke to atone for the guilt of having withheld the truth, though she knew Enma Daiou-sama wouldn't lessen her punishment, and, honestly, she would be perfectly fine with that decision. A liar like her was not deserving of redemption.

Fortunately for Chie, the visitors were Okita Souji and her younger sister, Kohana; though this failed to free her from the whirlwind of reproach that had taken over her mind, plunging her into an absentminded stupor that caused her not to return their greetings until Heisuke left the kitchen with a mischievous grin that he dedicated to his teammate after stepping out to meet him. "Hey, Souji! How's the kenban business going? Did you need to protect Kohana-chan from some pack of snow baboons on the way to the restaurant?"

"Better bodyguard than cook," he replied with an equally mocking grimace as he sniffed the aroma of the broth. "What are you doing here? Has the old man been transferred back to his house yet?"

"No, Izanagi-san is still at the clinic, but he asked me to escort Chie-chan home and help her with the restaurant while he's away." He lowered his voice and clapped his palms together in a pleading gesture as he added: "I know I'm not allowed to be here, but don't go with the gossip to Hijikata-san! I'm doing it because I think Kondou-san will appreciate it if we give a better impression of the Shinsengumi to Izanagi-san!"

Okita shrugged slightly and spoke with a softness uncommon in him as he replied: "If it makes Kondou-san happy, then it makes me happy." Having said this, he turned to engage with Yokai; who was barking as loudly as his small (and tired) lungs allowed him to in order to intimidate the newcomers. Okita brought his hand close to him and smirked when the little dog immediately bit it; shaking it as if he was trying to tear apart a prey that was unlucky enough to fall into his jaws. "Oh, this one has an interesting attitude. What's his name?"

"Yokai," Chie replied, coming to her senses after receiving a gentle hug and a few words of encouragement from her sister (who thought her noticeable unhappiness was due to Izanagi's poor health rather than her embarrassment at lying to Heisuke).

"A demon's name. Hmm, I hope it doesn't bring you bad luck and the restaurant burns to the ground again." He crooked his lips into a mean smirk, boring his green eyes into Chie's without bothering to pull away the hand that Yokai was viciously biting. "How have you been, Chie-chan? I hear you've gotten into dozens of troubles since we last saw each other."

"Oh, yeah..." Chie pouted before backing away to stop her pet from further attacking the visitor. "Yokai, stop it! Leave Okita-san alone!"

"Leave him be, I've been bitten by worse things," he confessed, as amused by Chie's discomfort as he was by the way Yokai bared his tiny teeth, eager to resume the confrontation.

"Yokai-kun has good instincts," Kohana commented after offering a graceful bow to Heisuke, which he returned with a flustered awkwardness that stemmed from how much he disliked formalities, "it's only natural that he would prevent a Shogunate dog from entering his territory."

"A dog recognizes another dog, huh?" Heisuke joked, putting his hands to his hips as he asked: "Hey, but what the hell are you two doing here?"

"We came to bring Chie-chan an invitation to attend my graduation." Kohana handed the delicate, jasmine-scented envelope to her sister. "We already finished delivering them to Shimabara, so I thought I'd bring you the leftover ones to hand out at the restaurant and see if any of your clients would like to attend."

"Oh, there were a lot of leftovers..." Chie pointed out curiously.

"Yeah... let's just say that no one was too thrilled that my erikae will be held at the Shinsengumi headquarters instead of at 'The Red Heron'."

"I can imagine why." Chie read the contents of her own invitation, which she raised above her head to thwart Yokai's plans to bite it to pieces. "Why isn't Dad's name on it? Aren't you going to invite him to the graduation?"

"Oh..." Kohana sighed and massaged her temple with her healthy hand. "It's not that I wasn't willing to invite him, I just figured it might take a while for that impulsive old man to recover from his ailment."

"Don't be silly, Dad wouldn't miss your graduation for anything in the world." Chie took one of her hands as she settled Yokai's weight on her free arm and smiled after squeezing it affectionately. "You look beautiful dressed as geiko and I'm sure our father will think the same once he sees you with his own eyes. You know how proud he is that you're doing so well in your profession."

"I wish I could be as sure of that as you are," she muttered before returning her sister's handshake with a sigh. "I don't hold out any hope that he'll attend, but feel free to invite him."

"Of course I will!" Chie gestured at one of the tables for Okita and Kohana to sit after releasing her. "Have a seat, I'll fix you something hot to eat; it's on the house."

"We don't have time for that, Chie-chan." Okita rested his hands half-heartedly on the hilt of his sword. "We'll have dinner at the headquarters, I have a lot to do there and I can't stay any longer."

"I won't allow you to take my sister out in this storm," Chie said after placing Yokai on the ground (who wasted no time in stumbling out to bite one of the sleeves of the haori that Heisuke was waving in a futile attempt to remove the dog fur, causing its owner to let out a thousand sharp curses while pulling the fabric as gently as possible so as not to harm the puppy). "I have enough problems with my father; I don't want Kohana-chan to get sick too." She turned her back on him without another word before disappearing into the kitchen.

"W, wait, Chie-chan! I still have to finish cooking... my special chicken broth!" Heisuke called out, still fighting for the possession of the Shinsengumi's haori, a battle whose victory Yokai seemed to have secured. "Be careful with the seasoning, I already put enough salt in it and it'll spoil if you add even just a pinch too much!"

Chie completely ignored his advice, an attitude that succeeded in making Okita chuckle under his breath as he commented: "Chie-chan isn't as submissive as she seems at first glance, huh?"

Heisuke nodded with a roll of his eyes. "You have no idea, she's just as stubborn as her dog."

Okita cast a sidelong glance at Kohana, who wasn't paying attention to the conversation because she was hanging her fur coat on a coat rack located at the opposite side of the room. "Ha, it must be a family thing."

Meanwhile, in the kitchen permeated by the delicious scent of the chicken soup that was on the verge of reaching its desired cooked point, Chie was deeply relieved that the snowstorm had prevented Heisuke and Okita from crossing paths with the dreaded Choshu that used to hang out at the restaurant.

Because... they hadn't attended because of the blizzard, had they? Or was it possible that they had decided to choose another place to eat because they knew that the recent raid (shamefully led by her father) on the headquarters would attract the inevitable attention of the Shinsengumi? (Which they no doubt wished to avoid so they could continue planning their schemes without the Shogunate's intervention).

She couldn't deny that getting rid of the presence of those trouble-seeking warriors was a huge relief, but at the same time she was afraid that this new twist of fate could hinder the success of the plan she had proposed to Chizuru. If the Choshu were to leave... then how would she distribute the painted portraits of Yukimura Kodo among their ranks?

It was very likely that she would be forced to seek the direct assistance of Ume's father; an action that would not only increase the risks to which her best friend and her imperialist progenitor were already exposed... but herself as well.

God... what had she gotten herself into?

Winter, December 28, 1863. Midnight.

"Saito." Hijikata entered the Yagi's courtyard, where his subordinate was supervising the arduous training of Ibuki (who was beating hay bales incessantly with a bamboo sword that had caused bleeding calluses on his hands from the friction involved in the mechanical movements he had been repeating for hours). "Let him rest and come in for dinner."

"Impossible," he replied with his arms crossed, not taking his eyes off his student, "he still needs to perfect his technique to a greater degree."

"Let him perfect it tomorrow." He grimaced as he revealed: "The Commander refused to replace Tani with Ibuki, so you shouldn't worry so much about preparing him to become a captain. Ibuki will have to settle for joining the division of his choice as a foot soldier, and we both know he doesn't need to become the reincarnation of Oda Nobunaga to get the position."

"It's not my intention to disobey a direct order from the Commander, but I request to be allowed to finish what I started," he muttered with a respectful bow. "Ibuki-san's goal is not to become a captain, but to protect his loved ones. If I stop training him now, then I will have failed as a teacher."

The Vice-Commander growled under his breath, putting his hands to his hips and shaking his head as he exclaimed: "Why do you want to waste your time training children who know nothing about swords? At this point you'll end up taking Yukimura as a student too."

"That wouldn't be a bad idea, Vice-Commander."

"What...?"

"If Yukimura-san learns to defend herself, then we'll prevent the oni from kidnapping her so easily."

"Have you lost your mind, Saito? You were in the front row when those punks broke into the headquarters and yet you seem willing to ignore how stupidly strong they are. By God, they broke the arms and jaws of the armed guards at the entrance! Do you have any idea what they'd do to Yukimura if she tries to confront them with that ridiculous little sword she carries around her waist?!"

"There's something else about Yukimura-san," he whispered with his eyes fixed on the snowflakes falling softly from the night sky, "something unknown. A... potential." He turned to face his boss with a determined look that hardened his normally mild and indifferent gaze. "Two days ago I opened a door from the inside while she was sweeping the hallway outside and pushed a lamp to see if her reflexes were as fine as I assumed."

"And what happened?"

"She caught it with her free hand before it fell to the ground. She didn't even have to turn to look at it to do so, Vice-Commander, but she seemed just as surprised at her feat as I was; so I don't think she's aware of her abilities."

"Hmm." Hijikata crossed his arms and frowned. "I don't like that 'hidden abilities' thing at all. Remember that her father was the creator of the Ochimizu. If that old bastard used Yukimura as his guinea pig, then she's likely to end up just like-"

"Yes, I know that," Saito interrupted him without noticing, so intrigued by the matter as to momentarily forget the deference he owed his superior. "But I beg you to let me test her before taking drastic measures. Whatever her nature may be... Yukimura-san is but a girl who probably had no chance to determine her own destiny. If Kazama and his kind want to get hold of her because of the experiments her father subjected her to, then the best thing we can do to help her is to provide her with the tools that will allow her to decide the direction her life will take without anyone else doing it on her behalf again."

"And why would we want to help her?" He rolled his eyes as he mumbled: "The only thing her damned father and her have brought us is trouble. We were much better off before the Shogunate imposed on us the extra task of becoming their fucking lab rats."

"I thought you had decided to follow Kondou-san's wishes."

"Oh, come on!" he cried with his voice high-pitched with annoyance. "What the hell are you talking about now, Saito?"

"He took pity on me when no one else did," he admitted with a hint of melancholy in the depths of his blue eyes. "My inability to use my right hand determined my fate well before I was born and unleashed a series of uncontrollable circumstances that ended in me killing my opponent during that fateful duel. Because of my complicated past, no one was willing to trust in my word. No one... except Kondou-san; who not only offered me food and a safe roof over my head, but also gifted me with the invaluable teachings that would allow me to rise above the path others laid out for me." He looked down and the lower half of his face disappeared under the scarf that covered his neck as he muttered: "Isn't that the cornerstone of the Shinsengumi? To be able to decide our place in the world no matter where, when, and how we were born?"

"Right, right." Hijikata sighed in a clear gesture of defeat, beaten by the reasoning that reminded him so much of the ideals that his best friend had embraced since they were children, and which first inspired him to become the Demon Vice-Commander in order to uphold them. "I can't deny that the brat has a heart as noble as yours or Kondou-san's, so I suppose it won't hurt if she spends less hours sweeping the engawa and more playing samurai with you."

"I appreciate it, Vice-Commander." Saito offered him another formal bow, ignoring the dull sound Ibuki's body made after collapsing from exhaustion on a mound of icy snow. "I will begin training her as soon as possible."

Chapter Text

Winter, February 2, 1864. Eight o'clock at night.

Chie was just finishing arranging the obi that held her yellow furisode kimono patterned in white peonies (which Ume was kind enough to lend her so that she could wear it on the day of Kohana's erikae, since it had been a long time since Chie had worn formal attire and didn't own any that still fitted her), when she spotted through the window of her room that the Shinsengumi member in charge of escorting her to the headquarters had arrived at the restaurant and was waiting patiently, wearing the uniform and bandana that distinguished the ronin group, for the guest to join him outside the restaurant.

She wasted no time in saying goodbye to Yokai and her father (the former lying at the foot of the futon where the old man was still resting) to come down to meet her bodyguard, who greeted her with a smile as bright as the midday sun while bowing animatedly.

"Chie-chan, I hope you don't mind that I took the trouble to pick you up!"

"Kondou-san?" She blinked several times, perplexed by the unexpected presence of the Commander of the Shinsengumi himself.

"The very same!"

"I, is it okay for you to be alone here?" Chie peeked in both directions, anxiously wringing the semi-sheer fur covering her shoulders. "Aren't you afraid someone might take advantage of the fact that you're unaccompanied to ambush you?"

"Ambush?" Kondou let out a laugh that echoed in the solitude of the starry winter night. "Ha, a young girl shouldn't be thinking about such things! I promise there won't be any disturbances, Chie-chan. It won't be long before we get to the headquarters so you can show off that pretty kimono in front of all my captains." He offered her his arm for her to hold onto during the walk. "Who knows? Maybe we'll get lucky and you'll get one of them to fall in love with you! God knows it would do several of the guys a world of good to settle down with a do-gooder wife like you."

Chie blushed violently, gripping the Commander's arm with an awkwardness she didn't know whether it came from his matchmaking remarks or the invitation to walk around with such over-familiarity. The only man she had ever walked with like this was her father, but she couldn't deny that Kondou possessed (despite being much younger than Izanagi) the same "fatherly aura" as her progenitor. She was wondering if this was because the Shinsengumi leader had children as well, when the aforementioned seemed to read her thoughts as he exclaimed: "Oh! Hopefully the day will come when I can escort my little Tama-chan to a party too!"

"Tama-chan?"

"My little daughter!" he replied with a proud nod. "It's impossible not to love her at first sight, she's an adorable little thing." He sighed as he muttered: "Well, or at least she was the last time I saw her."

"Has you been away from Edo for a long time, Kondou-san?"

"Too long." He pursed his lips and shook his head. "It's been about three or four years now."

"That's true, that's a long time in a kid's life, I bet your wife misses you too."

"Huh, my wife." Kondou laughed with a blend of amusement and skepticism that surprised his listener. "I don't think Tsune-san misses me. When it comes to arranged marriages, the last thing the parties want is to be forced to live together beyond what's imperatively necessary."

"Oh! Forgive my indiscretion, Kondou-san!" Chie bowed briefly as they walked. "I didn't mean to intrude on the privacy of your relationship!"

"No, no. Don't worry, you haven't committed any indiscretion." He lifted the corners of his lips and focused his gaze on the stars as he explained: "Arranged marriages can become uncomfortable burdens that many of us would like to avoid, but they're incredibly easy to bear if both husband and wife have rational minds that understand the entirely transactional nature of the affair. I met Tsune-san on my wedding day, so I was honest in telling her that my sole intention in marrying her was to provide my father with an heir, and (fortunately for both of us), Tsune-san harbored the same desire to carry on the legacy of hers, so we experienced no greater frustration than waiting anxiously for the fruit of our union to be born."

"My parents also had an arranged marriage," Chie muttered with a grimace, "but I don't think I could do something like that. Arranged marriages sound so... distant."

"They are." He nodded while giving her a look that was as paternal as it was understanding. "Tsune-san and I can't even consider ourselves friends and, although we are united by our shared love for Tama-chan, we don't have any other kind of connection beyond polite tolerance. Love is always the best option, Chie-chan, so try to seek it and hold on tightly to it so you don't have to settle for the alternative." He sighed as he added: "I'm not saying that love can't arise over the years in marriages of convenience... but it's more the exception than the rule."

"Dad doesn't usually talk too much about Mom," she whispered almost to herself, uneasy about how easy it was to share her feelings with someone who was basically a stranger. She didn't know why, but chatting with Kondou made her feel like she was still the unruly child playing pretend as a Yasha in Edo's bright meadows, "and sometimes I wonder if it's because of how much he was affected by her death or that maybe he didn't love her as much as I like to think he did."

"Grief is a difficult subject," he conceded, "and each of us experiences it differently. Give Izanagi-san time and I'm sure you'll begin to better understand his feelings for your dear mother. If there's one thing I'm sure of," he mused with a nervous smile, "it's that your father really does care about the welfare of the daughters she left behind."

"Oh, no." Chie shielded one of her cheeks in embarrassment. "I'm really sorry about what happened at the headquarters! I wish my father hadn't behaved like a savage!"

Kondou raised his eyebrows as they both crossed the stone bridge that separated the commercial district from the residential one. "But I'm the one who should be sorry!" He shook his head as he uttered: "This was nothing more than a terrible misunderstanding caused by my inexcusable lack of attention."

"Even with all the attention in the world, you couldn't have foreseen that my father would let himself be deceived by those men."

"Why do we conduct so many surveillance missions if we can't prevent our adversaries from taking advantage of sick old men like your father?" He shook his head again and frowned. "I won't rest until I apologize to your family for my contemptible negligence, Chie-chan."

"But you already have!" Chie gave him a sympathetic half-smile. "Kondou-san was extremely kind to send us so much medicine and healthy food for dad. If it wasn't for you..." She paused and peered behind her back, her face pale with terror. "Kondou-san!" she whispered. "There's a man dressed in black following us! His face is covered by a mask so he must be an enemy!"

"Oh, ha ha!" Kondou couldn't hold back a loud laugh that echoed outside the closed shops lining the street. "Don't worry, Chie-chan! That's Yamazaki-kun, our bodyguard."

"B, bodyguard?" She shot him a quick glance over her shoulder, uneasy at the expressionless indigo eyes that topped the mask hiding the lower half of his face. "You promised me we wouldn't be involved in any disturbances, are we in danger?"

"Of course not, of course not." He shrugged as he sighed. "It's just a deterrent measure. Yamazaki-kun is following us closely to prevent the Shinsengumi's enemies from thinking they can ambush their Commander."

"Then I wasn't wrong about the ambush."

"Ha!" Kondou laughed again before giving her a couple of friendly pats on the hand with which Chie was holding onto his arm. "Maybe not, but it's no big deal either, I promise you that your sister's erikae will be celebrated without any kind of mishap."

"That Yamazaki Susumu... is he the same one who sent the medicinal herbs to my father?"

"The one and only!"

"Oh my, then I must thank him for his courtesy." Chie tilted her body in his direction to address him with a brief bow that (to her great confusion) wasn't returned by the warrior whose mind and body were completely immersed in the important task of protecting his superior. "Hmm, I guess I'll have to do it when the mission is over."

"Speaking of missions..." Kondou clicked his tongue. "I'm ashamed to admit that I wasn't aware of the espionage mission that Heisuke-kun was given. As if your father's incident wasn't enough, you were also affected by a situation that needed to be settled internally without involving innocent civilians." He looked up at the bright moon illuminating the starry firmament as he stated: "I won't punish Sanjuro-kun for having adjustment issues; his behavior may be somewhat difficult to control, but I don't consider it to be that different from that of the rest of the men-at-arms that make up the Shinsengumi. Unfortunately... our tendency to violence often trumps our desire to preserve the peace."

"Well, you're not wrong when it comes to Hijikata-san," Chie muttered, not bothering to hide the resentment she felt for the aforementioned man. "He's entirely to blame for this. If it wasn't for his stupid plan to execute Tani-san, then neither Toudou-san, nor my father, nor I would have gotten involved in his Machiavellian intrigues."

They progressively walked deeper into the residential neighborhood where the Shinsengumi headquarters was located when Kondou replied: "The Vice-Commander has no ill intentions, he's just... I guess he's trying to protect us from danger."

"What danger can result from one of your members behaving like a jerk? Can't you just kick him out and be done with it?"

"Ha..." He cracked a pitiful smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I wish it were that easy. The warrior class is very strict when it comes to compromises."

Chie pouted as she nodded sympathetically. "I know, though I wish it weren't so."

"You're not the only one." He frowned suddenly as he commented: "Tempers have been running high since the Sonno joi movement decided to oppose the Shogunate's decision to open its doors to the West."

"Sonno joi," repeated Chie, counting the syllables with her fingers. "Is that a translation from another language?"

"Sonno joi is a translation of the Chinese expression 'Zunwang Rangyi', which means 'Revere the Emperor; expel the barbarians'."

"Oh! Then it's about the imperialist clans!"

"Exactly. Their ideas are similar to yours, for they also believe that our caste system should be abolished."

"R, really?" Chie blinked a couple of times, shocked by the revelation. "I guess... the Shogunate doesn't agree."

"No." Kondou pursed his lips as they approached the headquarters entrance, from where Hijikata could be seen anxiously awaiting his boss' arrival. "Though not perfect, the caste system and the rules by which each class is governed are the reason we've managed to live in peace for so long. The followers of the Shogunate believe that this isn't the best time to destabilize our society. Avoiding any demonstration of weakness while the foreigners are standing at the door is the most sensible strategy to preserve our people's independence."

"Does that mean that both the imperialists and the Shogunate are wary of the 'barbarians'?"

"You could say so, but in different ways." He crossed his arms over his chest as he added: "They believe that turning the country upside down at our most vulnerable moment is the right thing to do, which is too revolutionary for my taste."

"But you refuse to punish Tani-san with the harshness that the Shogunate dictates," Chie muttered as gently as possible; trying to be respectful of the social differences that separated the Shinsengumi Commander from a simple cook, but too intrigued by the intellectual curiosity that characterized her. "Isn't that revolutionary behavior as well?"

Kondou laughed softly, amused at the irony of her conclusion. "Well, yes, I may not be as conservative as most... but I still try to honor the trust the Magistrate of Aizu placed in me by allowing me to lead the Shinsengumi. Tempers are running high, but I'm a faithful proponent that the servants of the Shogunate and the imperialists can come to an agreement that will allow us to protect citizens like you and your father. The enemy is outside, not inside."

Chie smiled back, pleased by the explanation. "I understand, and I wish there were more leaders willing to dialogue with their mouths instead of their swords."

"Oh, of course there are. Don't let yourself be deceived by the noisy minority, Chie-chan."

Hijikata shot them a distrustful glance as they both stopped on the porch. "What are you two talking about? I hope it's not private Shinsengumi business."

"Oh, Toshi!" Kondou's eyes lit up as he looked at the Yagi's garden decorations. "The boys did a great job with the preparations! Is everyone inside already?"

"Yeah, can't you hear them? They've been waiting for a couple of hours for the maiko in the main hall, I had to come up for air to avoid getting a migraine from their yelling."

"Oh, so that's what it was about..." Kondou put his hands to his hips when Chie released her grip to give Hijikata a half-hearted bow. "And I thought you were worried about me."

"What?" Hijikata frowned. "Of course I wasn't. I would never doubt Yamazaki's abilities; he's an excellent bodyguard."

Chapter Text

"She's still very young," stated Yumiko as she watched Kohana play the shamisen single-handedly in the center of the stage, providing the music that fueled the intricate dance that Kosuzu offered to the spectators, "we should've waited at least five years before granting her the title of geiko."

"But she plays beautifully," replied Ba, enjoying the spectacle from the rack without letting the complaint of the manager of the business she owned dampen her good mood. "I never thought that someone with a broken arm could master such a complex instrument."

"Bah! That little girl couldn't even master a one-hole shinobue! Kohana-chan is a good dancer, but she has neither an ear for music nor patience for the arts."

"Well, in the next act she will perform the kuro-kami dance while you play the shamisen; so maybe you can indulge yourself in humiliating her in front of all the guests," she suggested with a spark of malice in her gray eyes that didn't move away from the form of the one who would soon obtain the same rank as Yumiko.

"What a thing to say, Mrs. Ba-san!" The old woman recoiled in surprise. "I would never do anything like that! Although it may not seem like it, I only want the best for my students. As her teacher, I'm worried that Kohana-chan might not be ready to become a geiko."

"You mean because of her brief excursion to Kyoto's slum area?" Her red lips arched into a condescending smile. "Come on, she won't be the first or the last geiko who tried to break free from Shimabara's jaws."

"That's not why..." She frowned. "I know that Kohana-chan is a strong girl capable of resisting this way of life, and that she won't leave Kyoto without Kosuzu-chan. Don't you remember the geimyo I chose to baptize her with the day we adopted her? 'Fukuhiro'; the fortune of possessing an incalculable mental and spiritual strength in spite of her apparent outward fragility."

"Fukuhiro, how could I forget?" A small dimple appeared on Ba's whitish cheek from a deep resentment that she failed to conceal. "It was too ostentatious a name for such a little girl."

"I still don't understand why you didn't allow me to assign her a geimyo like the rest of the girls, Kohana-chan is the only one who uses her real name in the professional field." She shrugged and sighed as she added: "That's probably why she's haunted by bad luck."

"Don't be superstitious, my dearest friend." The tayu turned her back to return her focus to the stage with a satisfied look on her face. "Why get rid of a name that describes her so well? 'Kohana' means 'little flower', and our star maiko will always be a reminder that someone so young can blossom in our Okiya just as cherry blossoms do in spring."

"With all due respect," the geiko muttered with folded arms, "I don't like it when people are compared to those kinds of flowers. It may sound poetic in literature, but it only attracts misfortune in real life. There's nothing more vulnerable and ephemeral than a cherry blossom, and I expect my students to become strong, upright artists like bamboo stalks."

"Oh, that's true," Ba replied almost to herself, making eye contact with Tani Sanjuro's furious gaze in the crowd; which caused her smile to widen until it revealed the entirety of her immaculate teeth. "Such a small flower would be extremely easy to crush."

Once the dance performance was over, Kohana came down from the stage and took a seat in the middle of the hall to meet with the members of the Shinsengumi attending her graduation; thus giving way to a more informal stage of the ceremony that would precede the final san-san-kudo ritual where she would become geiko and adopt Kosuzu as her maiko protégé.

It took her a good while to pour several dozen pots of sake for the captains (who wasted no time in distributing them among their subordinates to prevent Kohana from having to interact with the less polite members of the group, who were kept relegated to the outer portion of the room in deference to their squad leaders), but she finally found the opportunity to show them a pretty ceramic spinning top decorated with a red silk tassel and spin it with a quick flick of the wrist in the space separating her from her guests.

"This is a quiz game," she explained as the captains sat in a circle around the gadget. "The silk tassel will point to one of the participants so that they can ask a question about any of us and spin the top. When it stops, the person pointed to by the tassel will be the answer the gods chose to grant."

"Oh! I know this game!" cried Shinpachi with his palms resting on his crossed legs. "I played it at Shimabara but was too drunk to understand the rules!"

"And then you wonder why you always get kicked out of the place," Heisuke muttered, but Shinpachi didn't pay him an iota of attention due to how delighted he was to be able to interact face-to-face with Kyoto's most famous maiko during what would be one of her biggest performances.

"Hey, Kohana-chan." Chie took a seat next to her sister. "Can we girls play too?"

"Of course you can. Do you want to start the game?"

"Oh, no!" Chie stepped back a few inches, terrified at the prospect of being noticed by everyone in the room. "I'd rather let fate decide."

"Who cares about fate?!" Shinpachi held out his hand with a confident smile. "Let me try, Kohana-san! I have a great question in mind!"

"Hey, behave yourself, Shinpachi!" Sanosuke warned him behind his back. "Remember that the commanders are present!"

"Bah, don't stop enjoying yourselves because of us," replied Kondou from the opposite end of the circle, his face lit up by how much he enjoyed parties. "Neither Sannan-san, Toshi, nor myself are here as your bosses; but as fellow guests, so feel free to joke around at your leisure."

"Huh... I don't think it's a good idea to say that to Shinpa-san, Kondou-san." Heisuke pursed his lips. "If he's a pain in the ass sober, just imagine when he's got a few drinks in him."

"Here I come!" Shinpachi's booming voice took over the room as he threw the spinning top to the floor as he shouted: "Which one of us gets to marry Chie-chan?!"

"EEEEEEEH?!" shrieked Chie, her face red with embarrassment. "N, no one will! What kind of question is that?! That can't be allowed!"

"Of course it is." Kohana covered her mouth with the sleeve of her kimono to hide the laughter that came to her lips. "And now we must wait for it to stop and the tassel to point to the lucky owner of your heart."

"What a waste of time! You'll see how it ends up pointing at myself!" Her reddish eyes pierced the spinning top with such determination as to cause equal doses of surprise and amusement to those who watched her vain attempt to alter the trajectory of the toy with the force of her thought.

Sanosuke laughed softly and stretched out his right hand, suspending it just inches from the spinning top. "Not if I stop it at the precise moment the tassel points at me."

"Don't be a cheat, Sano-san!" Heisuke slapped his hand away, as frustrated by the gesture as he was focused on the outcome of the game. "Let fate determine it!"

"Agh, this has nothing to do with fate!" Chie complained, putting her fist to her chin out of sheer anxiety at the sudden slowing of the spinning object. "It's just a stupid ceramic top!"

"Hey, it's stopping!" Shinpachi exclaimed with his knees and palms flat on the ground. "I think it's going to end up pointing at Heisuke!"

"Of course not!" He pouted and crossed his arms over his chest, too disgruntled to hide his obvious disappointment. "Can't you see that I'm on the other side of the round?!"

"If the tassel points to her sister then we'll have to try again," Saito commented with his characteristic serenity.

"N, no!" protested Chie with a high-pitched tone of despair. "If it points to her then it will mean that I won't marry any of you, s, so there would be no point in insisting, Saito-san!"

"I bet it'll stop right in front of Chizuru-chan." Okita flashed a mischievous grin, aware that both Chie and her younger sister knew the true identity of their prisoner and that he could annoy two birds with one stone with such a suggestion. Parties used to make him irritable and (since this one was no exception) he felt like teasing someone to get back in a good mood.

"And what if it did?" Kohana replied with furrowed brows, forgetting her geiko manners because of her outrage at Okita daring to risk Chizuru's masculine façade in front of so many strangers. "I'd rather have Yukimura-san become my brother-in-law instead of Okita-san."

"Oh, why?" His mocking expression intensified. "Do you think I would take you as a consolation prize if Chie-chan marries someone else?"

Kohana was about to tell him to go to hell, but was interrupted by the cries of shock from the crowd as the spinning top stopped and the tassel lined up perfectly with the spot occupied by Sannan Keisuke, who seemed unfazed neither by the unexpected result nor by the way Chie watched him with her lips tightened in tension and her eyes widened to their fullest extent.

"Sannan-san?!" Shinpachi shouted with a blend of confusion and dread. "N, no! It's not possible! Why on earth would Chie-chan marry him?!"

"Remember that Sannan-san saved her life during the restaurant fire," Saito explained without looking up from his plate of tofu. "That incident must have connected them karmically."

"Bah! Of course not!" He sat up, unable to sit still out of frustration. "If that was true then I'd have to marry every single one of the old farts I snatched from the clutches of those Choshu dogs!"

"Furukawa-san is not an old fart."

"I, I know that! It's not my fault I never got to save a woman! Hell, why are you all so much luckier than I am?! The youngest woman I rescued was sixty-two!"

Heisuke rolled his eyes and grimaced before pulling him by the haori to get him to sit back down. "You're taking this too seriously, Shinpa-san! Sit down and let someone else throw the spinning top!"

Kondou smiled softly as he took in the scene, taking a brief sip from his sake pot before casually commenting: "I'm glad the Shinsengumi is hitting it off with the people of Kyoto."

"The people of Kyoto?" Hijikata (who sat with his arms folded at his side) quirked his lips wryly. "I only see a bunch of troublesome teenage girls who do nothing but cause us multiple headaches."

"We did what we could," Kondou sighed, "at least we are no longer indebted to Ba-san for hurting Kohana-chan."

"We'll never become what we dreamed of when we left Edo if we keep doing things your way." He frowned as he made eye contact with his listener. "You said this would improve the reputation of the Shinsengumi, but look at the results, Kat-chan. Even the Yagi didn't deign to attend the ceremony we held at their residence. Do you have any idea what the warrior class will think once they learn that we allowed a couple of petulant merchants to snub us in our own base?"

"Yes, yes, I know." He massaged his temple with his free hand. "I'll talk to them tomorrow and try to smooth things over."

"That won't work. You can't rise through the ranks of the Shogunate with diplomacy when the nobles think you're a pushover peasant who talks to them about peace in the hope that they'll throw you some moldy crumbs after lunch. We must be tough and become a force to be feared in order to oblige them to treat us with the respect that (in fairer circumstances) should inspire our commendable loyalty to the government."

"I don't know, Toshi." Kondou shook his head and hid his hands inside the sleeves of his haori. "I think I prefer Ba-san's philosophy."

"Bah. What kind of conformist mentality is that?" Hijikata snorted loud enough to raise several strands of his dark bangs above his forehead, terribly uncomfortable at the way his best friend rejected his ideas in favor of those of a smug rich wench. "You don't need more than strutting around Shimabara with a flowery fan and platform shoes to be a tayu, so feel free to try it and then let me know if it helped you become a warrior of renown or not."

"Don't get mad, Toshi." Kondou cracked a sympathetic half-smile. "It's just that... I'm still getting used to this Commander thing. It was easier to fulfill my role as the diplomatic chief when Serizawa-san was here to take care of both military discipline and public relations. I know he was a difficult man to deal with, but his absence left a very big void in the Shinsengumi."

"If we don't replace Serizawa with a leader just as tough as him, then we'll fall into oblivion and be forced to return to Edo."

"I will never become Serizawa."

"You don't need to." He shrugged. "I'll serve as the Shinsengumi's left hand and you as its right. We'll combine our strengths of diplomacy and strategy to reach the top; just as we dreamed before we became warriors."

"I never dreamed of seeing you emulate Serizawa-san."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do." He sighed. "I just don't want incidents like Izanagi-san's attack on Sanjuro-kun in someone else's house like the Yagi's to happen again."

"Fine, then I'll find a more appropriate base for the Shinsengumi."

"T, that's not what I'm trying to say, Toshi!" Kondou pursed his lips, striving to keep his voice low. "Having a greater amount of privacy won't improve our reputation."

"Of course it will. Who do you think spread those stupid rumors about the internal operations of the headquarters all over the city? The Yagi aren't our allies, and having their eyes on us is just as dangerous as if we were staying in some Satcho chief's home." He frowned as he concluded: "And you know I'm leaving the subject of Sannan's secret investigation out when I refer to our 'internal operations', so you'd do well to consider the lethal repercussions we could face if these city-dwellers busybodies stop fearing us and over-snoop into the Shinsengumi's affairs. Will you trust that I can take Serizawa's place or will you wait for some unfortunate civilian to be assassinated? The decision is yours, Kat-chan."

Kondou nodded with an expression of suppressed dismay as his absent gaze fell on the smile that grew on Chie's face when it was her turn to spin the ceramic spinning top. That girl who looked as familiar to him as his own young daughter was one of the citizens he had pledged to protect, and his duty as Commander compelled him to do whatever was necessary to prevent the dreaded rasetsu from ending hers or her loved ones' lives. He was terrified at the thought of his best friend living up to his nickname of "Demon Vice-Commander" and becoming a monster capable of committing atrocities in his name, but... was there a worse atrocity than the death of an innocent at the hands of those hellish creatures? He had already seen them feed on multiple individuals (mostly members of his troops) who were unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and if he could do something to prevent it from happening again... then he would sacrifice his own soul to achieve it.

Kohana and Kosuzu went back on stage to seal the erikae with the san-san-kudo ritual, but the former's good mood evaporated after leaving the games behind and facing the approaching graduation that would chain her to Shimabara for an undetermined amount of time. Sure, Kohana was happy to help her best friend get that perverted old man off her back, but her heart protested the death of her freedom by pounding on the inner walls of her chest just as that of a prisoner dragged to the execution wall would.

And, to make matters worse, her mentor had the bright idea of intercepting her before the closing of the ceremony to reveal that Ba-san planned to appoint her as her "atotori" to remedy the mistake she made when she failed to provide her with a professional name upon becoming a maiko. This meant that Kohana would become Akaisagi Kohana, since she would inherit the property where the Okiya "The Red Heron" stood when its owner died, and thus her new surname would consist of the kanji that formed the words "Akai" (adjective for "red") and "Sagi" (heron).

Kohana huffed as she and her future sister poured the drink into their corresponding cups, unable to conceal the rage boiling deep in her veins. An atotori geiko had the responsibility of looking after the establishment she would inherit as if it were her own home, but without enjoying any of the benefits possessed by an independent geiko or even an ordinary housewife. Kohana wouldn't be able to make a single relevant decision (such as selling the business to someone else and using the money to buy land in Edo) until the tayu who named her as her heir lay burned to ashes on her future funeral pyre.

How many chains were they planning to throw around her neck?! Now she not only had to wait for Kosuzu-chan to become a geiko so she could get the hell out of Kyoto... but she also had to cross her fingers for Ba-san to kick the bucket soon?!

The sound of her cup crashing into Kosuzu's with an incalculable amount of force that made it burst into pieces brought her back to reality.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" exclaimed Kosuzu, who managed to pull her hands away in time to avoid getting injured. "Are you hurt, Kohana-chan?!"

"N, no... everything's fine," she mumbled with her trembling eyes fixed on the reflection returned by the multiple shards of glass around her.

"What do you mean, it's fine?! You're bleeding!"

"I said everything's fine! We have to... conclude the ceremony!"

"We already hit the cups, so it's already concluded!" Kosuzu stood up to cover Kohana's injured hand with a white handkerchief that she kept inside her obi. "Please help me take her backstage to stop the bleeding!"

Hijikata and Sanosuke were the first to leap onto the stage to assist the injured woman, and the room erupted into a lively chatter that ranged from concern for the welfare of the star of the show, to jeers directed at the poor quality of the Yagi's dinnerware (who used to boast about having provided them with the best utensils they owned despite their status as "farmers").

The only one who remained silent was Okita, whose inquisitive eyes scanned every inch of the stage to make sure his suspicions were perfectly justified. Those crimson-colored cups weren't as fragile as the others thought, for the eldest Yagi daughter had received them as a wedding gift from a wealthy member of the Shogunate, but decided to leave them behind when she moved away because of how much she disliked Western culture. Okita had become interested in the history of the cups after hearing that they were made of a ruby alloy that made them extremely resistant to falling, a fact that caught his attention due to the interesting results that could be obtained by applying such technology to the manufacture of Japanese swords.

But not even the best sword in the world could divert his attention from the revelation he had just witnessed. The maiko shattered the equivalent of a diamond with a brief flick of her right wrist, and Okita wouldn't rest until he discovered the source of her massive strength. If Kohana was an oni infiltrator who intended to kidnap Chizuru to hand her over to that bastard Kazama... then she would die before midnight.

Kohana walked out the back door into the courtyard, sighing in frustration at the two bandaged hands she stared at with a frown. First, Sanjuro-kun broke her arm, and now a pair of cheap glass cups slashed the palm of her opposite hand? Perhaps Yumiko-san was right in suggesting that her repeated bad luck stemmed from never being given a professional working name and that her life would improve now that she had been christened "Akaisagi Kohana".

She was thinking that at least she was relieved that Ba-san had approved the san-san-kudo ceremony despite her clumsy mishap, when Okita Souji's voice was heard from the shadows that crowded the garden:

"Take off the bandage."

"What?!" Kohana staggered away until her back hit the outside wooden wall of the living room. "Who's there?!" She narrowed her eyes to get a better look in the darkness and they widened as her stalker advanced sword in hand, aiming at her as the moonlight that snaked over his stern expression revealed his identity. "O, Okita-san?" She let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, my goodness... you gave me quite a scare! Why did you unsheathe your sword?"

"I said take off the stupid bandage," he repeated as he raised the tip of the sword to place it in front of Kohana's chin. "If you make a single false move I'll make sure you bleed to death before you regret doing it."

"What the hell is wrong with you now?!" she spat with more indignation than fear. "Are you thinking that I pretended to hurt myself all over again?!" She began to undo the bandages with sharp jerks that stemmed from how offended she was that he thought her a liar. "Honestly, throwing me into the snow with a surprise trip was much more original than this sad 'intimidating midnight swordsman' act you're playing now!" She showed him her hand where several cuts were starting to bleed again due to the violence with which she got rid of the bandage. "See?! Or are you going to accuse me of having cut myself on purpose even though you were in the front row when it happened?!"

"What the hell...?" he muttered, perplexed at the failure of his theory. "Oni don't heal that slow. I was sure that-"

"Oni...?!" Kohana pulled out her steel fan from inside her kimono, taking advantage of Okita's distraction to knock his sword away from her face with a blow powerful enough to stagger him for a couple of seconds in which it was incredibly difficult for him to regain his balance. "Don't make me laugh! Next time you get drunk at a party, make sure you leave your swords safely tucked away in your room! And I thought Serizawa-san was the only one who attacked innocent people because of his damn alcoholism!"

"It has to be a trick!" Okita threw himself on top of her and grabbed the hand with which she was wielding the fan to immobilize her in a complex lock that obeyed both his frustration as well as the fear he felt at Kohana's supernatural strength. "Didn't I tell you I'd kill you if you used that crap to run away from the headquarters?!"

"And who says I'm trying to escape, you big, stupid fool?!" She flailed in a vain attempt to free herself from his grip. "You said I could use it to defend myself and that's precisely what I'm trying to do!"

"Of course you aren't!"

"Of course I am! You threatened me first, you paranoid drunk from hell!"

Okita pursed his lips and his hesitant gaze rested on the hand he held as he felt the warm blood gushing from Kohana's lacerations slip through his own fingers like a painful reminder of the absolute certainty of his mistake. "Bah! Why do you always have to be so difficult?!" He let go of her like someone dropping a hot coal, taking several steps away to turn his back on her and bring both hands to his forehead in a gesture of utter weariness.

"Difficult?!" Kohana let out a wry laugh. "This is the second time you've attacked me because of your paranoid fantasies and I'm the difficult one?! Then excuse me for not being the fucking oni you want me to be! Does it bother you so much not having an excuse to cut my throat?!"

"What bothers me... is letting one of those oni pretend to be an innocent maiko to murder us in our sleep!" He turned to face her. "You may not heal as fast as them, but that doesn't mean you're human! How the hell do you explain what happened in there?!"

"Explain what...?"

"About the damn cups!"

"It can't be..." Kohana bent down to pick up the bandage and press it against her hand in an effort to stop the bleeding. "You really are one of those violent drunks, huh? Your type always fixates on the most irrational things to justify the absurdity of their angry outbursts."

"They weren't normal cups!" he replied, moving in her direction again before stopping with his fists clenched in front of her. "They're Western, reinforced with an alloy that makes them almost indestructible."

"Nonsense!" She rolled her eyes. "Who would even think of making something like that? Seriously, Okita-san, let's talk about this when you're sober and we'll see if you still claim I broke a couple of indestructible cups with my demonic ultra-dark powers."

"I'm-not-drunk!" he explained, carefully gesturing the words to prove his clarity of judgment. "As if the drinks weren't enough, you almost caused me to fall face first to the ground when you hit my sword with your laughable toy fan! Do you think it's normal for a maiko with no combat experience to destabilize a Menkyo Kaiden of the Tennen Rishin Ryu style?!"

Kohana was silent for a moment, suddenly uneasy as she realized that this wasn't an exaggeration she could attribute to the booze.

"Well... maybe I'm a bit different. Okay?" she conceded, struggling to conceal the trembling that gripped her hands as she busied herself with re-bandaging the one she injured during the ceremony. "I don't tire easily and I have more strength than it seems, yeah, but (since you care so much to know) my wounds usually heal at a normal speed. Are you sure... that these so-called 'oni' exist?"

"Absolutely sure."

"Hmm." She shrugged with more insecurity than confidence. "Well, I've never encountered any of them, so I know even less about them than you do."

"You say you don't know where your strength comes from?"

"That's what I'm saying." She sighed without taking her eyes off the bandage. "As far as I know, both my mother and my stupid father are human; so I don't think I have anything to do with those creatures you're confusing me with. But... well, I have no way of explaining why I am the way I am; nor of ruling out the possibility of being related to them. I'd like to find out as much as you do, but it's impossible to figure that kind of thing out while you've been imprisoned inside Shimabara's walls since you were nine years old, you know?"

Kohana let her arms fall listlessly and the movement caused the origami paper crane she kept in the sleeve of her kimono to fall rolling to her feet. Okita's eyes widened as he recognized the craft he had purchased weeks ago at the Okiya, so he instinctively shoved his hands into his pockets, rummaging inside them with a deeply puzzled expression on his face. "How the hell did you find that? Are you... some kind of pickpocket?"

"This is the last straw!" She huffed. "First you threaten me with death and now you accuse me of being a thief?!"

"This..." He bent down to take the crane between his index finger and thumb, rising quickly to show it to her with an unmistakable vindictive emphasis, "...IS MINE! And you had it with you; so yeah, besides being a non-human-thing, it turns out that you're also a thief!"

"Hey! D, don't shout it from the rooftops!" she pleaded quietly as she scanned the corners of the garden. "Okay, I know there's something strange about me, but I beg you not to tell the others, Okita-san! I don't know what they'll do if they find out I'm different and the last thing I need now is more trouble. Kosuzu-chan needs me to protect her from those opportunistic bastards so excuse me, but I still can't let myself be crucified on a hill by a bunch of superstitious villagers who feel threatened just because I'm stronger than them."

"And also because you can steal their belongings from their pockets without them noticing," he pointed out with arched eyebrows while holding the crane up to his listener's face.

"I, I told you I didn't steal it from you!" Kohana took hold of the paper bird and began to take it apart with her frown fixed on the tiny folds of paper that made it up. "You lost it the night you defended me from that herd of savages." She showed him the signature on the inside of the sheet. "I was very surprised to see my name here, but it makes sense since my origami figures sell like hotcakes. Honestly... I have more fun creating them than dancing like a piece of meat for the uneducated drunks of Shimabara, so I was eternally grateful that there was a mysterious customer who bought them all the time. It was you, wasn't it?"

"And what if it was me?" He crossed his arms over his chest and averted his displeased gaze. "There are many children in the neighborhood and handing them out among them helps to keep them distracted so they won't meddle in the Shinsengumi's affairs."

"Children, huh?" Kohana sighed. "If my paper figures gave them at least a little happiness, then please, let me live to protect Kosuzu-chan. Wait until she graduates and becomes an independent geiko and I promise you that then you'll be able to cut open my chest with your sword to find out what kind of monster lives inside me. God knows I'm dying to know the truth, too..."

"For heaven's sake," he snorted with a wry smile. "Why do you have to be so dramatic?" He turned to give her a wary look that he refused to soften despite how depressed the girl whose fate he was forced to decide looked. "I won't make a decision as long as sake runs through my veins, so try to make good use of the time you have left."

"And how long will that time be?"

"Who knows?" He shrugged. "Tomorrow, the day after, in a month or three. Maybe in a year or two; it all depends on how close you are to those demonic creatures who want to take over Chizuru-chan."

"I'll never let them take her away," she declared as her eyes met his in an access of determination. "Chizuru-chan has been one of the few people who has treated me kindly since I came to this filthy pigsty so whatever those monsters who call themselves 'oni' want with her, rest assured that they won't get it as long as I'm here to stop them."

Okita let out air between his lips and raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "You can't even regenerate your wounds and you still think you can beat them? You need a lot more than non-human strength to take on those guys."

"At least I'm in a better position to do it than you," she stated with a scowl, wounding her companion's pride as if it were an unexpected stab in the back. Okita turned on his heels and walked away wrapped in a dense halo of frustration, disappearing into the darkness of the night without another word.

On the other side of the garden, Tani was walking down the long hallway leading to the common dormitory when the honeyed voice of "The Mistress of Many Faces" cut through the silence; causing her listener to stop dead in his tracks with his jaw cracking with tension:

"That uniform looks even more ridiculous on you than it does on those farmers," she sneered from the depths of the milk-pale porcelain triple mask that concealed her identity. "You must really enjoy playing this 'Shinsengumi' nonsense with them."

"What the hell are you doing here?!" he growled. "If anyone sees you we'll have to kill them and I... I can't deal with any more deaths, okay?!"

The Mistress of Many Faces pounced on him with non-human speed, grabbing him by the neck to slam him against the wall of the Yagi home with a massive amount of force that shook the (fortunately empty) building to its foundations. She lifted him up with one hand, ignoring the fist blows she received from the victim she used to punish with such violence since he was too young to remember.

"How dare you criticize my actions after mentioning the genocide of our people to that damned old murderer?" she asked with a gentleness that contrasted the anger with which her red nails dug into her prey's throat. "'You'll know when you deserve to know it'" she mimicked him. "Ha! That tragedy has nothing to do with you, you naive brat, so you'd better stop playing the mysterious messenger and keep enacting your 'Tani Sanjuro' role. Otherwise, your days of playing captain of the Shinsengumi will be over."

"I know... you killed her, you filthy bitch... from hell!" Tani gasped as he struggled to get out of her grip.

"Hmm? Who are you talking about?"

"UME! I know you killed... Serizawa's mistress!"

"Oh." Her laughter echoed inside the mask. "Of course not, you did it by disobeying me, I only acted as an agent of the karma you accumulated against her. Her lover made sure to help her escape from here before being ambushed by the Shinsengumi, so she probably would've survived if you hadn't become obsessed with her." She shrugged as she concluded: "You're not here to play house with a human, but to fulfill the mission I entrusted to the surviving clan members."

"To hell with your... damn mission! I like this life! I like... the stupid Shinsengumi with all its stupid little fucking farmers! All right?! I won't let you... take this away from me too! Do you hear me?! I, I won't let you!"

The Mistress of Many Faces let him fall to the ground with a sigh of disgust. "God, you're really pathetic." She turned her back on him, wandering up the aisle with a gait as graceful as it was intimidating. "If you want to remain Tani Sanjuro then act like Tani Sanjuro. There is someone approaching whom I imagine you wish to save from a fate as dire as the one you inflicted on Serizawa's lover, so practice with him."

Tani stood up with difficulty, holding his hand to his neck to restrain the high-pitched cough that gripped his throat, when the voice of none other than Tani Mantaro himself reached his ears:

"Sanjuro-kun!" The doctor rushed to his side, hastily slapping his adopted brother's back to help him recover from his coughing fit. "Hey! Are you all right? You look... sick!"

"Mantaro-kun..." Tani frowned as he adjusted his Shinsengumi haori to hide the puncture wounds that his clan leader inflicted on his neck. "How long have you been here?"

"Oh, just a couple of minutes! I just arrived, it's a shame I missed most of the graduation after Kohana-chan was kind enough to personally invite me to attend, but one of my patients underwent an emergency and I was forced to stay with him until he was feeling better." He pursed his lips as he took another worried glance at his brother, who looked dangerously pale. "I've never seen you this bad, are you sure you're not sick?"

"Yes, I'm fine." He took a deep breath and stood up straight, eager to regain his composure and dispel the suspicions of the brother who loved him as if they shared the same flesh and blood. He would never risk endangering the life of one of the finest humans he knew; if The Mistress of Many Faces dared to lay a single one of her claws on him, then he was certain he would die avenging the affront. "I've been on too many night patrols to endure another night on my feet; party or not I'd rather be snoring away on my futon."

"Oh, sure, I share the sentiment." He smiled while blowing on his hands to warm them up. "But this is a very important moment in Kohana-chan's life, so it's crucial that we're here to support her! God, I have to apologize to her for being late for the erikae! Can you help me find her, Sanjuro-kun?"

"Sure."

"Hey... Are you sure you're okay?" He sighed. "You've been so weird since you joined the Shinsengumi, sometimes... it's almost like you're a different person."

"Nonsense!" He hastened to flash one of his characteristic haughty smiles at him. "Being captain of the Shinsengumi's 7th Division adds to my duties as the heir of the Bicchu Matsuyama clan, so it's to be expected that I'll behave with more maturity than I did when I was a troublesome spearman from Edo."

"Hmm, I don't know if I could call your current behavior 'mature'," he joked, "but I'm glad you're having a good time, Sanjuro-kun. Just... let me know if you need anything, okay? I heard that some members of the Shinsengumi were plotting against you and... well, I'm relieved that Kondou-san is a noble man who refused to punish you for your past actions."

"Don't listen to the rumors of the resentful city-dwellers who treat themselves at your clinic." He threw an arm over his shoulder to guide him back to the hall where the headquarters' inhabitants were gathered. "They'll say anything to ruin the reputation of the Shogunate, so don't believe anything you haven't heard directly from me. Whatever others say, I assure you that I'll be a proud captain of the Shinsengumi until the last of my days."

Mantaro nodded with renewed confidence, satisfied by the explanation given by his beloved older brother.

"Wait, Chie-chan!" Chizuru caught up with her before Chie walked out (escorted by Heisuke and Sanosuke) from the headquarters. "I have to give you... what you asked for!" She held out a package with her cheeks burning due to how nervous she felt about the situation.

"What's in that package?" Heisuke asked, snooping over Chie's shoulder (who didn't waste a second to move the bundle out of his reach to prevent him from discovering the plan to find Yukimura Kodo's whereabouts). "Is it food? Agh, Chizuru-chan! Why are you giving the leftovers to Chie-chan?! She already has plenty of food at the restaurant while we have to fight every day like dogs for a measly plate of rice!"

"I, it's not food!" Chizuru retorted. "It's... girl stuff, that's all!"

"What do you mean, girl stuff?!" Heisuke tried to grab the package, but the sake he drank made his movements slower than usual, giving Chie the upper hand. "Are you two pulling the 'No Boys Allowed' thing again?!"

"Don't be a pain, Heisuke!" Sanosuke shoved his face with his palm, pushing him away with more weariness than annoyance. "Stop meddling in women's affairs or we'll dress you up like one on the next undercover mission!"

"D, don't talk nonsense, Sano-san!" Heisuke struggled to keep his balance after the shove, staggering in a goofy way that caused Chie to laugh discreetly as she exchanged a look of confidence with Chizuru. "Why the hell would I want to dress up like a woman?!"

"From the way you're trying so hard to pry into their affairs anyone would think you're eager to share fashion tips with them."

"O, of course not! I just thought it was food!" He crossed his arms whimsically over his chest and the tousled strands of his bangs rose several inches as he huffed. "Maybe I wouldn't be so hungry if that bully Shinpa-san didn't snatch half of all my portions!"

Chie addressed Chizuru with a deep bow, taking advantage of her companions' distraction to whisper: "I'll give the pamphlets to Ume-chan so she can hand them out to her acquaintances!"

"Thank you very much, Chie-chan!" She reciprocated the greeting with pursed lips and eyes moist with dread. "I just hope... everything will be all right!"

"It will! I promise you'll be reunited with your father soon!"

The girls held each other's hands before parting, unaware that Sanosuke's fine ear had picked up the totality of the conversation.

Chapter Text

Summer, July 7, 1864. Seven o'clock in the morning.

"Who among you swine dared desecrate my portrait of Kohana-san?!" Shinpachi bellowed as he opened the door of the common dormitory from the outside, dazzling those who slept (or at least did before he shouted in their faces) with the sunlight filtering in behind him. "I'm sure it was you, you fucking envious midget from hell!"

"W, what?" Heisuke mumbled in a half yawn, rubbing his squinting eyes as he struggled to sit down on one of the numerous futons that covered the floor of the hot room from end to end. "What did you say about some acetate? Damn, old man... go ask Ibuki-kun; I don't know a thing about painting."

"I didn't say 'acetate', I said 'portrait'!" Shinpachi tapped the poster he was holding with his index finger. "Who was the smart-ass who drew a kitsune mask on top of my precious Kohana-san's face?!"

"It's not a kitsune mask," Okita corrected him with a mischievous grin, stretching his arms above his head to ease his stiff muscles, "it's an oni mask."

"How do you know that?! Agh, don't tell me it was you, Souji!"

Saito sat up and sighed as he slipped on his sandals. "It doesn't take a genius to tell the difference, Nagakura-san."

"Saito is right," Sanosuke muttered with a frown due to how much he disliked being woken up by shouting, "anyone could've made that scribble. Why are you suspicious of us instead of demanding explanations from the recruits you torture every day in your kendo classes? I assure you they have no lack of reasons to take revenge on you."

"And I don't lack them either after being accused of being an envious midget from hell," Heisuke added from the bottom of the tangled hair that fell over his shoulders, "but I'm not twelve years old to do so by destroying the secret shrine you devoted to your favorite celebrity. Seriously, Shinpa-san, why are you making such a big deal out of a fucking piece of paper?"

Shinpachi snorted, pocketing the portrait while still analyzing his teammates' reactions with a blend of frustration and suspicion. "I can tell you don't know a damn thing about the karyukai! They won't be printing any more portraits of Kohana-san as a maiko... much less autographed on her graduation day!"

"Wow..." Okita muttered, staring blankly at an indistinct spot in the room. "It's been a long time since then, huh?"

"Yeah." Heisuke yawned. "Despite starting with Chizuru-chan's unexpected arrival, it was a relatively quiet winter."

"Quiet but boring," Okita replied. "Fortunately, things promise to get more interesting tomorrow."

"Ugh, don't even remind me."

"What's wrong? I thought you were as excited as I am at the prospect of getting to slice off a couple of Choshu's throats."

Heisuke scratched the back of his neck and his lips twisted into a hesitant pout. "I, I'm not saying I'm not excited. It's just that..." He forced a smile as he turned his face in his direction. "Today is the Yamaboko Junkou float parade and I wanna invite Chie-chan to watch them with me. My idea is to spend as much time with her as possible and... I don't wanna have to go back to the headquarters early for the sake of a stupid raid where probably nothing worth mentioning will happen."

Okita blew out air between his lips in an access of sneer. "Gion Matsuri? Are you seriously thinking of wasting the time you could spend preparing for the mission on attending that superstitious festival?"

"Maybe I don't need to 'prepare' for anything, Souji! Some of us are confident in our abilities, you know?!"

"And others risk their lives and the lives of their comrades to spend the night with some random girl."

"Hey." He frowned and the corners of his mouth tightened. "Don't call her that."

"Right, right." Okita waved a hand to downplay the matter. "I didn't mean it that way, you know I like Chie-chan."

"Yeah, I know... but you better focus on her sister, will you?"

"Hmm? What are you talking about?" He shot a wicked little smile at him. "Are you jealous?"

"O, of course not!" He looked away. "Huh... it's just that it's been a long time since Kohana-chan returned to Shimabara. The poor thing doesn't get along very well with her father, so I didn't run into her on any of the occasions I visited Mao's restaurant. Every now and then I wonder if she's happy as a geiko... Don't you, too?"

"And why on earth would it occur to you that I'd care?"

Heisuke blinked, confused. "Because I thought you two used to get along?"

"Get along?" Okita stifled a cackle of disbelief. "Are you crazy? I thought I'd die of happiness the day her boss took her away with her!"

"You don't have to be so cruel." He rolled his eyes, annoyed at his comrade's lack of empathy. "I can tell you've no idea how hard it's to be tied to a place that doesn't align with your moral standards."

"And do you have it?" he asked with his eyelids half-closed in an inquisitive expression that made the hairs on the back of Heisuke's neck stand on end. "Because if you wanna get the hell outta the Shinsengumi just let me know and I'll spare Kondou-san the bitterness by piercing you with my sword during the raid. We can blame it on the confusion of the moment and skip all the honorable suicide bullshit."

"Don't talk nonsense, Souji!" Heisuke stumbled to his feet (to Okita's surprise; more pissed off than frightened), walking away toward the door without looking at him as he added: "Why does everything have to end in death and suicides in this goddamn place?! May heaven punish me for trying to hang out with a girl; humanity's biggest sin!"

Okita exchanged an uncomfortable glance with Saito (who was silently judging him from the opposite end of the room with his eyebrows furrowed in a reproachful expression), before opening his mouth to say something (whatever prevented Heisuke from taking his "joke" to heart!) that he didn't manage to utter due to the discussion that boomed from the outer courtyard and quickly caught the attention of everyone present.

"Ibuki-kun quarreling with Hijikata-san?" Sanosuke asked aloud, surveying the scene with his eyebrows raised in curiosity. "Wow, I never thought he'd have the guts to complain about the Tani-kun thing."

"Yeah," Shinpachi nodded. "He's been whining about the same thing for months now, so I figured he was the type to complain without doing anything to change his circumstances."

"That he's doing WHAT...?!" Heisuke pushed Sanosuke and Shinpachi aside to rest his shocked eyes on the young artist whose life he spared over a year ago. "It can't be! Ibuki-kun, what the hell are you doing?! I didn't save your ass for you to risk it by confronting Hijikata-san!"

Ibuki ignored Heisuke's question and clenched his fists with his gaze fixed on the chief who was several inches taller than him. "It's unfair you guys won't allow me to become captain of the 7th Division after I tore my heart out training under Saito-sensei's guidance!"

"I don't care whether you think it's fair or not," Hijikata replied indifferently. "You have no right to question the Commander's decisions, so stop wasting my time with your spoiled child's tantrums."

"Tani doesn't deserve to be a Shinsengumi captain! He... has injured helpless girls and even caused heart attacks to old men of questionable judgment! Who will be his next 'accidental' victim?! Children?! Babies, maybe?! Tani is nothing but an abusive bastard without a shred of respect for the Bushido's teachings!"

"It's very brave of you to make such accusations while the aforementioned is on patrol." Hijikata's lips arched into a haughty smile. "Why don't you repeat the same thing once he's back? If you do and survive the fallout from your assertions, then rest assured I will grant you control of his division before the day is out."

"Oh, I..." Ibuki's fingers loosened gently, unclenching from the softened insides of his fists in a gesture of gradual resignation. "It's just that I couldn't... if Tani decides to settle it with a duel, I... I..."

"Exactly." His boss shrugged with his arms folded across his chest. "You'd lose before you even drew your sword."

"But... it's just that I... trained so hard and..." He bit his lips with as much anger as shame as he muttered: "I can... I know I can do it if I put my mind to it!"

"Hope doesn't save lives, boy; skill does."

"But...!" Ibuki's eyes clouded over as a flood of tears threatened to spill over his cheeks, so he spun on his heels and stormed away as fast as he could to avoid further ridiculing himself before the man he was trying to impress. "This is nonsense! I don't know why I thought I needed to be one of you to rescue Kosuzu-chan! As soon as she becomes a geiko... I'll get the hell out of Kyoto with her and forget all about this damned place!"

Hijikata let out a long sigh, watching as the rest of the captains ran off after Ibuki to make sure he didn't pull one of his typical impulsive elopements. The only one who stayed behind was Saito, who closed the distance between them before greeting him with a respectful bow.

"Good morning, Vice-Commander," he said with his characteristic serene gaze. "I'm sorry that my student bothered you, I'll discipline him to prevent this kind of incident from happening again."

"No, no." Hijikata rubbed his own forehead. "It's not necessary, the brat had been repressing the offense for months; it was only to be expected that he would explode after learning that he won't be accompanying us to Ikedaya."

"May I be honest?" Saito stood beside him, gazing at the yellowish greenery of the garden as if it were the most interesting landscape in the world.

Hijikata tilted his head to the right, accustomed to his subordinate's habitual eye-contactless chatter. "I'd be offended if you were not."

"Despite his lack of experience and indiscretion, I would rather have Ibuki-san watching my back during the raid than that hot-headed spearman."

"Harada is also a hot-headed spearman and yet I've never heard you complain about him."

Saito's eyes narrowed. "Something is not right with Tani."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know." He frowned imperceptibly. "Maybe it's just a bad impression."

Hijikata gave a low chuckle under his breath. "You wouldn't be the first." He breathed in the morning air, whose growing warmth heralded that the day would be just as hot as the last one. "Unreliable or not, I don't want to stir the hornet's nest by advising the Commander to make changes in our ranks during such a critical time. Having the last Choshu we captured reveal the location of the next enemy's next gathering in the vicinity is a stroke of luck we can't afford to miss. We only came across the whereabouts of that imperial court-connected individual thanks to exchanging his freedom for that of the noble bastard who tried to ambush the headquarters along with the cook. What was his stupid name again?"

"Hironaka Ryota, sir."

"Right, Hironaka. It's a pity I missed the chance to put Mr. 'Farmer-san' in his place." He clicked his tongue as he explained: "We'll need Tani's massive strength as a captain during the raid; Ibuki isn't ready to lead the 7th Division through such a risky mission."

"Then... should we fear that the patriots' plan to burn down Kyoto to kidnap the Emperor is a reality?"

"It'd be foolish to doubt it. All the evidence points to the fact that these traitors are serious about overthrowing the Shogunate."

"I see, now I understand why we must use Tani's spear to our advantage, Vice-Commander." He paused before musing: "What I don't understand... is why we can't take Ibuki-san to Ikedaya with us. Even if he's not a captain, he could attend as part of the soldiers that make up the existing divisions."

Hijikata pursed his lips and sighed with an unusually sympathetic expression. "The boy may not be as bad as he was before he became your apprentice, but he is not yet capable of successfully navigating such a messy scenario as a raid. I fear he might become demotivated and lose interest in further training after discovering that his effort didn't put him on par with his peers, or worse... that he'll be killed as soon as he sets foot in the inn."

"If I may express myself honestly..."

"Damn it, Saito, I already told you that you can!"

"I think Ibuki-san's level is actually higher than that of the rest of the regular soldiers. He may not be up to the level of the Shinsengumi captains, but I trust he can defend himself against the enemy if he stays close to his comrades."

"I've already handed the procedural instructions to the rest of the captains; we don't have enough time to alter them just to keep your student from throwing a tantrum." He put his hands to his hips and turned to face him as he asked: "Speaking of students, how is Yukimura's training going?"

Saito kept silent (his favorite strategy to disguise that something had caught him off guard), remembering the occasion when Sanosuke confided to him that Yukimura Kodo's daughter was searching for her father in the enemy's ranks. Saito promised him not to share it with anyone and to watch out that the newcomer wouldn't get into trouble, as Sanosuke was more concerned about her safety than the loyalty he owed to the Shinsengumi. Saito was unable to comprehend such a mismatch of priorities, but he wasn't surprised that Sanosuke would think with his heart rather than his head... and besides, he had plenty of confidence in his ability to prevent a naive young girl from compromising the ronin group's integrity.

After all, what harm could come from Yukimura and Furukawa handing out leaflets with the missing doctor's portrait? Of all the strategies they could think of to track down his whereabouts, that (in his opinion) was one of the most harmless. Yes, the plan was to reach out to members of the Choshu clan, but it was clear they were doing it to expand the search radius and not because they were aware that the imperialists employed him after he defected from the Shogunate. Despite what Yukimura believed, the Shinsengumi hadn't given up the search for the doctor... they were just trying to spare her from the heartbreak of discovering that her father was not only a traitor to the motherland, but was also fully aware that his daughter was imprisoned in the enemy's jaws because of him, with no intention of lifting a finger to help her; much less restoring her peace of mind by confirming that he hadn't burned along with the laboratory he set on fire to fake his death.

Not a letter, not a single sign of life in over half a year. Saito's lips tightened as he thought of how much he pitied Yukimura for trying so hard to reunite with a parent who was unworthy of her unending devotion. He thought it very likely that Yukimura was more like her mother than her father, as the two were like oil and water when it came to moral codes; suggesting that her mother must have been quite unhappy next to an unscrupulous bastard such as the infamous creator of the Ochimizu. Maybe... that was the reason why his apprentice never spoke of the woman who brought her into the world.

"Yukimura is not as skilled with the sword as Ibuki," Saito replied without betraying the worries that swirled inside him.

"That's your conclusion after all you insisted on training her? Bah, no wonder your chatter about Yukimura's 'hidden abilities' and 'potential' were unfounded suspicions. But hey, her being just an ordinary girl is as good for her as it is for us; those stupid oni are likely just trying to kidnap her to blackmail Kodo, so now we just have to worry about figuring out how to bridge the gap in strength between them and us."

"I still request permission to continue training her."

Hijikata raised an eyebrow, both puzzled and irritated by the request. "Why?"

"I've told you before; human or not I think she deserves a chance to defend herself from her pursuers."

"Come on! Even we can't touch a hair on their heads!" He ran a hand over the back of his head and sighed, as fed up with the conversation as he was with the whole kidnapping demons thing. "All right, do what you want, but you'd better not neglect your real responsibilities because of your new teaching vocation. I won't turn the headquarters into a dojo no matter how much you beg me on your knees, Saito-sensei." He walked away with rolled eyes, unable to notice that Saito was smiling imperceptibly thanks to the joke with which he dismissed him.

Summer, July 7, 1864. Seven o'clock in the evening.

The Gion Matsuri Festival (named after the district where it originated) was a festivity held every year in the city of Kyoto that ended with a grand parade of decorated floats called "Yamaboko Junkou". Merchants would take the opportunity to bring their wares out onto the street and (to a lesser extent) sell religious items to help exorcise evil spirits and beg for the mercy of the gods; displaying their goods in front of all those in attendance at nighttime food stalls.

For, while the roots of the festival stemmed from the "goryo-e" purification ritual (a method employed since ancient times to appease the gods and thus prevent fires, floods, and earthquakes from breaking out in the period separating one blessing from the next), at that time there was a reduced emphasis on the spiritual aspect since the flourishing merchant class (which had amassed an amount of power that placed it far above the peasant caste and dangerously close to the nobility) used the festival as an opportunity to flaunt its wealth.

This time of the year was the favorite of Furukawa Izanagi, owner of the popular Mao restaurant, but his happiness was marred by his precarious state of health; as he hadn't been able to recover from the heart attack he suffered at the end of last year and had to not only rest for long hours, but also move around with the help of a wooden cane that made him feel twice as old as the nearly centenarian Mrs. Yuyume.

"CHIE-CHAN!" shouted Izanagi from the top of the numerous cushions where he was lying, stretching awkwardly to catch a glimpse of the dining room from inside the kitchen where his daughter used to convince him to lie down while she prepared the day's dishes (which aimed to prevent the old man from stressing himself out by trying to control everything going on outside). "Tell those whores to get out of the restaurant before the customers decide to spend their money on their services instead of on our food!"

"Oh, my goodness." Chie covered her cheek, blushing at her father's statement. She put down the tray she was carrying and approached the table occupied by the three prostitutes who were chatting animatedly without having consumed any of the business dishes. "Sorry, girls, my father is in a terrible mood since the doctor forbade him to attend the festival."

"Don't apologize, dear!" replied the younger yujo, smiling with a mouth of lips as red as the silk ribbon tying her kimono at the front of her waist. "Izanagi is right, we're abusing your kindness by sitting here fishing for dudes without being able to pay you for even a measly cup of tea."

"I really don't mind." Chie smiled back. "You bring men to the place and God knows they like good food and drink as much as women; it's a symbiotic relationship." She sighed and rolled her eyes as she added: "Unfortunately, my father got stuck in the Meiwa era."

The young women laughed uproariously and the eldest (who was wearing a kimono as yellow as a canary's plumage) gave her a friendly pat on the hand as the three of them stood up to leave the restaurant. "You'll see, someday you'll inherit this dump and we'll turn it into a money-making machine!"

"Think big, dream big, Isamu-chan!" Chie joked as she dismissed them with a bow born of the respect she felt for the girls who shared her age, but not her privilege. Her gaze became tinged with melancholy as she watched them wander outside, marching into the daily routine that forced them to submit to the unseemly abuses of countless strangers who took advantage of their sad situation. What was stopping those pigs from paying them to help them survive without demanding that they sacrifice their pride in return? How could those men live with themselves knowing that their victims only surrendered the secrets of their bodies to them because they had no other choice?

She was suddenly assaulted by an unaccustomed amount of resentment toward her father for not only ordering her not to hand them the leftovers from the restaurant, but also for kicking them out on the street when they were giving their all to achieve something as wretched as attracting the attention of their next abuser. For Chie had known Isamu, Sadayo, and Rina for so many years that she was sure that, despite the beautiful smiles with which they faced life, none of them enjoyed being thrashed like a piece of meat in exchange for a slice of bread.

"Chie-chan! Chie-chan!" Izanagi's screams echoed off the walls of the restaurant and Chie swore that the migraine she was suffering from was going to make her head explode at any moment. "Where are you?! Have the customer-stealing whores left yet?!"

Chie thought "Unless your intention is to sleep with other old men just as annoying as you then I can't imagine what customers they might steal from you", but she kept her words to herself like she used to do since she was a child. This time, however, she found it much more difficult to do so than on all previous occasions added together. She didn't know where this uncharacteristic rebelliousness that seemed to have taken hold of her since Tani returned to their lives came from, but she suspected it was related to all the events triggered by the fire at the Mao restaurant and the miraculous intervention of the Shinsengumi to save her from the flames.

"Don't yell like that or you'll scare off the rest of the customers, Dad," she told him as she entered the kitchen.

"Nonsense! Tell me, have you served the macha tea yet?" He pointed to a group of customers snacking in the center of the room. "It's the first thing you should offer them when they arrive, but I don't see a single cup of tea on the tables!"

"I know that Edo's clientele was not as demanding as Kyoto's, but we've been here long enough for me to know how much they like to be pampered." She walked toward the dining room, ready to resume her waitressing duties, but stopped midway when she remembered something she had wanted to ask her father for a long time. "Hey, I have a question, Dad."

"What?"

"When you were in Mantaro-san's clinic, you told Toudou-san that he and I used to get along when we all lived together in Edo, but... I can't remember him from anywhere."

"Huh?" Izanagi raised his eyebrows. "When did I say that?"

"At the clinic! When you asked him to join me for the day! He and I went back to the restaurant together and found Yokai buried in the snow after he sneaked out the back window, remember?"

"Yes." Izanagi smiled as his eyes fell on the puppy sleeping by the fire. "And thanks to the divine Amaterasu nothing serious happened to him, something tells me that dog will live longer than me."

"Well, yeah, I hope so!" Chie showed her palms in a gesture of absolute confusion. "But please don't change the subject! You said we knew each other in front of everyone, if you don't believe me go ask Mantaro-san!"

"Why would I say such a crazy thing?" He sighed. "It's not that I don't believe you; I was drowsy out of my mind from the drugs that witch doctor made me inhale for hours so I don't remember most of what happened that day. Maybe I mistook Toudou for that Tani prick, you didn't talk to anyone but him when you were a kid and the two of them look a bit alike if you twist your eyes."

"Nonsense." She rolled her eyes. "They only share how stubborn they are and their obsession with street fights."

"I don't know, I still don't quite trust in your replacement of Tani. If he's not careful, I'll end up throwing a knife at him too."

Chie opened her mouth to deny that Heisuke was a "replacement", but she got distracted by the arrival of a new visitor whose colorful light blue haori betrayed his affiliation to the Shinsengumi. At first she thought it was Tani Sanjuro, but recognized Heisuke's facial features after a brief moment of puzzlement. She walked in his direction while thinking that perhaps her father was right about the physical resemblance between the two, but her surprise gave way to a smirk when Yokai leapt ahead of her to latch onto the coat he (much to his wearer's annoyance) used to tug whenever he got the chance.

"NO! Yokai, you bad dog!" Heisuke tugged his haori sleeve up, wrestling to retrieve his coat without hurting the puppy. "Why do you always have to do this?! If you keep tearing my uniform I won't be able to hide the patches from Hijikata-san and I'll end up headfirst into the Kamo River!"

Sanosuke's jovial laughter preceded his entrance and he bent down to pick up Yokai and lift him over his head, grinning as a carefree child would as he watched the wild barking of the creature as it squirmed to try to bite his knuckles. "Why didn't anyone tell me there was such a fierce dog in the restaurant? We should recruit him to join the Shinsengumi's ranks!"

"Don't even think about it!" Heisuke adjusted his haori while giving Yokai a spiteful sidelong glance. "He'd be hanging onto my uniform all day like some four-legged mutant piranha!"

"We could use a mutant pet piranha," he replied with a seriousness he failed to sustain. "Imagine what it'd do to the ankles of those Choshu dogs!"

Heisuke pouted, bringing his hands to his hips before making eye contact with Chie (who gave him a quick bow as she greeted him). "Too many dogs for my taste." He returned the greeting to the cook's daughter, smiling imperceptibly as he said: "Hey, Chie-chan. I hope you don't mind us visiting you so late, I'm sure you and Izanagi-san are too busy with the preparations."

"Preparations?" Chie blinked. "For what?"

"For Gion Matsuri! What else?" He cocked an eyebrow and laughed in disbelief. "Today's the parade, don't tell me you're gonna pass up the chance to expose your food on the street!"

"That's easy to say when you're healthy and young, boy," Izanagi replied from the cushions on which he lay with a frown. "I'm too ill to attend and neither Chie-chan nor my other employee can pull the truck to the main street."

"Oh..." Heisuke greeted him with an awkward bow, embarrassed that he hadn't noticed the owner of the place was present, but he was quick to force a smile and cross his arms over his chest as he asked: "You have no male employees, Izanagi-san?"

"No." He shrugged. "My daughter scared off the last four."

"Huh?" Heisuke turned his head to look at Chie, her father, Chie, and Izanagi again. "How come she scared them away?"

"For God's sake, Dad! That's none of Toudou-san's business!" Chie blushed and the sudden change in the tone of her voice worried Yokai (who was starting to fall asleep in Sanosuke's arms after getting tired of biting his fingers) enough to make him bark from anxiety. This prompted Chie to approach him to stroke his head and reassure him that all was well. Sanosuke commented that he had owned a similarly nervous dog as a child and the two began exchanging anecdotes about their respective childhood pets; a subject for which they shared the same level of inordinate interest.

Heisuke took advantage of the convenient distraction to approach Izanagi and rephrase the question in a hushed voice: "What did your daughter do to scare them away?"

Izanagi huffed dramatically, for remembering the incidents only added to his bad mood. "She dared to refuse to marry any of the four of them!" he muttered. "It was a real shame, as if she had plenty of marriage offers to spare!"

"Marriage offers?" Heisuke blinked. "Are you saying... that her FOUR co-workers confessed their feelings to her? Wow, I guess even Hijikata-san can't boast of arousing those kinds of emotions in people." His gaze settled on the aforementioned (who was still chatting with her back to him) as he thought that Chie didn't strike him as "ugly" as some of his comrades thought she was, but he was aware that she didn't possess the kind of exotic beauty that drove men crazy. However... he was being incredibly unfair in judging her based on her physical qualities; Furukawa Chie had a memorable personality and it wasn't so far-fetched to think that someone could fall in love with her after spending hours and hours next to her in the restaurant.

"Feelings?" Izanagi blew out air between his lips mockingly, interrupting Heisuke's reflections with an abruptness that irritated him. "Of course not! None of them fell in love with her!"

"What are you talking about?" He looked at him as if he had grown a second head, as confused as he was annoyed by the statement that contradicted his inner convictions. "Why would they wanna marry her if they didn't-?"

"They didn't suggest anything!" Izanagi closed his eyes and waved his hands to dismiss the matter. "I was the one who suggested it to Chie-chan!"

"But... that's crazy?"

"No, it isn't. Listen, my boy, arranged marriages are one of the wisest businesses a family can undertake. I myself am proof of that; my father arranged my marriage to Chie-chan's mother without listening to objections and we were... happily married until the day that sickness took her away." He paused and rolled his eyes as he concluded: "I'm much softer than my father, you know? I promised Chie-chan that I wouldn't initiate the arrangements if she disagreed with my plans, and... well, you can imagine what happened."

"But I don't get how she could scare off your workers by refusing to marry them; the guys didn't even get to know you were playing matchmaker, did they?" Heisuke crossed his arms and quirked his lips, thinking that the old man was as sick in the head as he was in the heart.

"Of course they found out! I kept complaining about my daughter's foolishness for weeks on end, and I suppose each of them was so disappointed at missing out on the opportunity to rise from being a simple restaurant worker, to inheriting it and becoming its owner, that they decided to give up the job so they wouldn't have to meet daily with the selfish woman who robbed them of the chance to get ahead in life."

Heisuke pursed his lips to stifle the smile of disbelief the revelation caused him and turned his back momentarily so as not to curse Izanagi for blatantly blaming Chie for something that had been entirely his responsibility. It was clear that the workers had resigned after learning that their boss was conspiring to force them to marry a co-worker without their knowledge, and not because Chie's rejection had "scared them off", but he took a deep breath in an effort to contain the indignation that assailed his senses.

Whatever he did, he needed to avoid arguing with Izanagi; the temperamental (and often irrational) man whom he needed to plead with in order to be allowed to invite his daughter to the Yamaboko Junkou float parade.

"It's a pity that Chie-chan's stubbornness caused you to run out of workers who can pull your food cart," he commented with a sympathetic nod of his head. "Fortunately, Sano-san and I are here to help!"

"What?" Sanosuke turned to look at him with an annoyed grimace. "Help with what? Didn't we come here to invite-?"

"Sano-san and I have a lot of experience pulling food carts!" Heisuke continued in a raised tone of voice to prevent his comrade from ruining his strategy to take Chie to the festival without arousing the suspicions of her father (who had crossed him off his "candidates to marry his first-born" list within three minutes of meeting him and would probably refuse to allow her to spend the night with him... even if it was with purely platonic intentions). "We used to take them everywhere during the Edo night festivals because Kondou-san said it was an excellent way to train to make ourselves stronger. Look!" He rolled up his haori and flexed his arm in front of Izanagi's face. "These muscles are the reward for dragging ramen carts uphill! Go ahead, touch them and check them out for yourself!"

"Oh..." Izanagi tapped his arm reluctantly, puzzled by the strange demand. "I think I remember some dojo boys pulling food carts, but it's been so many years that my memory is starting to feel a little fuzzy."

"I think Shinpachi kicked the bucket in the headquarters and his wandering spirit possessed Heisuke's body" whispered Sanosuke to Chie, who was just as surprised as he was, "but we'd better play along while we find an exorcist."

"Ume-chan!" Izanagi called out to his employee (who until then had been too busy serving customers to notice the newcomers' presence). "Come, I have bad news for you!"

"Bad...?" She joined them with her shoulders slumped and her head down. "Please don't tell me you decided to ask me to pull the food cart for you."

"What? Of course not!" He reddened with indignation. "Do you think I'm some kind of animal?!" He pointed at Heisuke and Sanosuke with a quick wave of his hand. "These fine gentlemen offered to do it! But, if you think I'm such a ruthless boss, then you can join them too!"

"No, no, no! Forgive my indiscretion, Izanagi-san!" She offered him half a dozen bows in less than five seconds. "I was just carried away by the anxiety of hearing you talk about bad news!"

"Well, you'll be working overtime selling our dishes with Chie-chan without getting any extra pay for it, so I guess I'm not wrong in saying they're bad news," he muttered without looking at her. "But I'd never force a fragile-built woman to do a man's job. Have you met Heisuke and Harada yet?"

"Only the first one!" She greeted them with a slow, pronounced bow that responded to her efforts to recover from the jitters that struck her every time she annoyed her boss and jeopardized the job that gave her the economic freedom she valued so much. "Good afternoon, distinguished masters. Thank you so much for helping my boss with his business. It will be a pleasure to share the night's working time with you."

"The pleasure is ours," Sanosuke replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. So this was the so-called Takayama Ume who received the pamphlets with Chizuru's father's portrait to hand out to her "acquaintances", huh? His distrust of her soared when she missed the graduation held at the headquarters, but he hadn't heard anything about the waitress since then and truth be told, she looked pretty pathetic in person.

Sanosuke knew that imperial spies tended to assume harmless identities in order to go unnoticed, but he had still envisioned her as possessing similar levels of beauty and mystery as the tayu Ba Makoto. He quirked his lips, unable to conceal his disappointment at the sweaty pallor of the young woman's face as she trembled in fear at the threats of such a ridiculous old man as Izanagi.

A couple of hours later, Yokai was barking his head off (picking fights with every moving thing in his field of vision) from the top of the food cart that Heisuke and Sanosuke effortlessly pulled. The pup fell silent all at once and shook his head in an unmistakable gesture of confusion when they stopped in an open space of the busy avenue where the evening parade was scheduled to take place.

"It's a good thing they've already lit the lanterns!" Ume exclaimed as she and Chie retrieved the food from inside the vehicle to deposit it efficiently on its surface.

"It looks like this isn't the first time you've done this," commented Sanosuke after grabbing a piece of chopped chicken to sneakily feed it to Yokai.

"No, we've been here a couple of times with Izanagi-san," replied Ume.

"And the cart doesn't look that heavy so we might as well have pulled it ourselves instead of making you work on your day off," Chie pointed out after securing a couple of colorful signs on top of the wooden banner that topped the stall.

"It's not our day off," Heisuke explained, turning to rest his palms on the counter. "We were allowed to attend the festival, but only if we did so in uniform and kept our eyes open to make sure there were no incidents during the parade. If I'm not mistaken, Souji and the rest of the guys are walking the streets parallel to the main avenue."

"So it's... some kind of semi-day off?"

"Yeah." Heisuke bared his teeth in a vehement grin. "But I can't promise we won't ask you to feed us in exchange for pulling the cart!"

Chie pouted, pushing the overflowing trays of takoyaki dumplings out of his reach. "You're giving me more reason to think it'd have been better if we'd dragged it here on our own."

"Come on, Chie-chan." He shook his head. "Why are you always trying to prove that you can do the same things as men?"

Chie raised her eyebrows and folded her arms. "Because I can do them!"

"Women have other qualities better than carrying heavy things and defending themselves in battle," Sanosuke claimed after extending another piece of chicken to Yokai without Chie noticing. "For example, preparing food as appetizing as this." He bent down to take out a couple of sake bottles from inside the cart and place them on the beverage display.

"Nonsense!" Chie rolled her eyes. "My father is a much better cook than I am!"

"That's true," Ume nodded, still seasoning the yakitori skewers she held five at a time between her fingers. "Izanagi-san may have one hell of a temper, but he's the best cook you'll find in Kyoto."

"I don't knooow..." Heisuke cocked his head to one side, hesitantly. "Izanagi-san puts too much salt in his food, everything he cooks tastes like it jumped out of the ocean straight into the frying pan."

"Just like when Souji cooks," Sanosuke joked.

"Ugh, don't even remind me, Sano-san! His damn soba noodles made me want to throw myself into the Yagi's well and drink every last drop of water!"

Sanosuke laughed mischievously, but turned to face Ume when he heard her exclaim that they had already finished setting up the food stand and just had to sit and wait for the customers to start ordering. "Have you been working for Izanagi for a long time, Ume-san?" he asked her.

"Oh." Ume blinked a couple of times, surprised that he was addressing her instead of Chie (whom he knew much better.) "Y, yes, Harada-san, I've been working at the Mao restaurant for almost four years now."

"Wow." He crossed his arms in front of his chest and raised his eyebrows. "You've been working since you were very young; that's not common for women in Kyoto."

"I like having money of my own," she muttered as she averted her gaze with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"Why? Do you come from a poor family? From what I understand, those are in short supply around here."

"N, no, that's true." She nodded with a frown and her eyes fixed on the ground. "My family isn't poor. Kyoto society is composed mostly of merchants and nobility."

"And to which of the two do you belong?"

"My father owns a bookstore."

"Oh, yeah? What bookstore?"

"Huh, I... well, I don't think Harada-san knows it. It's on the other side of town."

"Hey, Sano-san!" Heisuke leaned against the counter again, his lips pursed in annoyance. "What the hell are you doing? We're supposed to be interrogating potential criminals, not food vendors!"

"I'm not interrogating her!" He ran a hand over the back of his neck, ashamed to allow his suspicions of the waitress to override his better judgment. Intimidating her would only keep her from letting her guard down around him, which would hurt his attempts to find out if the woman's Choshu contacts had the potential to put poor Chizuru-chan at risk. "If you knew what flirting was, then you wouldn't stay alone drinking yourself silly until you black out in some corner every time we go to Shimabara."

"W, what are you saying?!" He pressed his lips together and clenched his fists on the tablecloth covering the stall. "I don't black out alone anywhere! If I do black out... well, I always do it in company!"

"Yeah riiight," he teased, "If you knew what flirting was, then you wouldn't think I was interrogating Ume-san."

"I don't...!" He frowned and scrunched up his nose. "Bah, okay! If you want to flirt then flirt alone, Sano-san! We're not here to waste time, we're here to work!" He adjusted the knot of his bandana at the back of his head and settled the Shinsengumi haori over his shoulders, concealing his embarrassment with an attitude of absolute determination. "Hey, Chie-chan!"

"Huh?" She clasped her hands in front of her lap, even more confused than Ume was after hearing that Sanosuke was "flirting" with her. "What's... going on?"

Heisuke pointed down the street as if he intended to lead a squad of soldiers to the war front. "I'm going to patrol the avenue to make sure no riots break out! Are you coming with me... or are you going to stay and watch Sano-san's stupid attempts at flirting?!"

"Go... with you?" She pointed to the cart with a helpless wave of her hand. "But I can't leave the stall, or Yokai! Who will serve the customers if-?"

"Don't worry, Chie-chan," said Sanosuke, leaning back on the counter while petting Yokai (who had taken advantage of his owner's distraction to devour an entire serving of okonomiyaki) with his free hand. Being alone with Takayama Ume would make his task of getting as much information out of her about her Choshu friends as possible much easier, thus he wouldn't allow himself to waste the opportunity afforded to him by Heisuke's unpredictable temper. "This little guy and I hit it off so I'll see to it that he stays out of trouble. As for the stall, your friend said she had as much experience in this as you, didn't she? Besides, a man can do twice as much work as a woman," he joked, "so I'll probably turn out to be a better assistant than you."

"I don't know." Chie pouted as her eyes met Ume's, who looked both perplexed and fearful (an attitude that was quite common for her, so Chie wasn't sure whether to attribute it to Heisuke's invitation or her usual jumpy disposition). "Hey, I won't leave if you ask me to stay, Ume-chan. It won't be the first or last festival I see from the back of the stall."

"No need, Chie-chan!" Ume gave her one of her typical hurried bows, smiling with such genuine affection as she rose up that all of Chie's doubts dissipated. "Go take a walk with Toudou-san! Maybe you'll get lucky and he'll finally confess his feelings to you!"

"What the hell, Ume-chan?!" Chie shrieked, blushing to the top of her eyebrows and turning around several times to make sure Heisuke hadn't heard what she said. Fortunately, Heisuke had begun walking and was wandering up the street through the crowd in an attempt to disengage from the embarrassment that overcame him after not receiving a resounding "yes" from the first girl he invited to hang out with him at the Gion Matsuri festival. "O, okay!" She nodded as she broke into a jog to catch up with Heisuke. "I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail, so please take good care of them, Harada-san!"

"Count on me, Toudou Chie!" Sanosuke dismissed her with a relaxed military salute, unable to contain the laughter that rose in his throat when Chie squealed loudly again in response to the epithet he used to refer to her.

"Wait, Toudou-san!" Chie caught up with him, panting after having to push her way through the crowd to avoid losing sight of him. "What's the hurry, huh? Didn't you hear me... calling out to you at the top of my lungs for more than... half a block ago?"

Heisuke gave her a sidelong glance, striving to mask his surprise with a haughty expression and a shrug of his shoulders. Chie didn't usually raise her voice too much, so the festival's ruckus drowned out her every attempt to get his attention. "Maybe I would've replied if you'd called me 'Heisuke' and not 'Toudou'."

"There you go bringing up the honorifics again." She took a deep breath, still walking beside him. "God, I wish I'd worn a yukata! I thought the temperature would drop after nightfall."

"Don't mention it, I'm also getting cooked." He tugged at the collar of his kimono with his index finger. "The Shinsengumi uniform seems to have been designed for patrolling Mount Fuji's summit." He eyed the pedestrians wearing cool clothes. "But I think we've known each other too long to start chatting about the weather, don't you?"

Chie blinked and her gaze fell on his profile as they strolled under the warm glow of the paper lamps that seemed to hover like curious fireflies over the avenue. "And what do you want to talk about?"

"Well, first of all... being honest with you." He shot her a brief sidelong glance before turning his attention back to the road. "I was planning on inviting you to the festival ever since I heard we'd be patrolling the area, but huh... I figured your father would be up in arms so I used the food cart thing as an excuse. I... uh, I don't think the same way as Sano-san, you know? I think you're stubborn enough to drag a castle along if you set your mind to it, but I needed Izanagi to believe otherwise."

"Oh, well... thanks for calling me stubborn, I guess?" she joked.

"D, don't mess with me!" He crossed his arms, sulking. "You get what I'm trying to say!"

"And why did you want me to tag along during the festival?" Chie kept staring at him with an intense curiosity that caused Heisuke to want to do anything except make eye contact with her.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Maybe... I don't know, I needed to chat with someone different for a change."

"Different?"

He faced her with his lips pursed in a jaded grimace, still reluctant to look her straight in the eye. "Not-man. Not-Shinsengumi."

Chie smiled, amused by his sarcastic response; that cynical side of Heisuke was among her personal favorites. "Well, I'm glad I'm neither."

Heisuke smiled mischievously and pointed his thumb at himself. "Why? Are you glad I asked you to go out with me because of that?"

"O, of course not!" She pouted. "Don't be cocky, I'm just saying it because-"

"You hate the warrior class, I know." He rolled his eyes. "I can't believe you still do it even after meeting the guys and me."

"You aren't the problem." Chie clasped her hands in front of her lap and watched her sandals slide quietly across the pavement. "The Shogunate is. Tell me, has your opinion of the Shinsengumi improved, or do you still harbor the same concerns you shared with me the afternoon we left the clinic together?"

Heisuke's lips quirked and he fixed his scowling gaze on the group of people walking in front of them. "It may get worse tomorrow."

"Oh." Chie stopped after noticing that Heisuke suddenly turned his back on her to approach the counter of a giant street food stall that undoubtedly belonged to a restaurant much more popular than her family's. One of the numerous employees greeted him with a friendly smile and Heisuke started ordering as if all memory of the previous conversation had been wiped from his mind. "What the hell...?" she muttered, closing the distance between them to discover the source of his erratic behavior. "Hey, Toudou-san! What are you doi-?"

"Here!" Heisuke turned to place a yakitori skewer between her fingers while he brought his own to his mouth to wolf it down with the same desperation as a prisoner given a loaf of bread a day would. "Geedz, I was starvding! Dhis destaudant has dhe best skewdes in Kyodto! Go on, eat dhem!"

Chie grimaced, not quite sure if prompted by Heisuke's trademark bad eating manners or by her jealousy at hearing him compliment someone else's restaurant dishes. "You had money to buy the goods from that expensive restaurant and yet pretended to eat the food from ours in exchange for pulling the cart?"

"Ha!" He swallowed the piece of chicken he was chewing and grinned as he motioned for her to follow him down a nearby alley. "Don't be a party pooper and eat that skewer or I'll eat it too! We warriors never pass up the chance to chew whatever falls into our jaws because only God knows when we'll have the chance to eat again!"

"Hey, where are we going?" She warily scanned the bluish darkness that hung over the lonely alley, contrasting with the vibrant illumination that flowed like a river of gold in the veins of the main avenue. "I don't know about you, but I don't feel like sitting down to eat in a dumpster."

Heisuke clicked his tongue in response and (after biting down on the skewer stick to keep it from falling to the ground) bent down in front of the side wall of a low-roofed storefront to interlock his fingers in front of his knees. "Pudt youd foot here and comed up when I popel you todwad with my handns, Chie-dchan!"

"What?" Chie struggled to stifle her laughter, but complied with the request and placed her foot where he instructed her to, holding onto his shoulders to keep from losing her balance. "Are you gonna help me get up on the roof?"

Heisuke nodded and lifted her up without any difficulty; in fact, he thought the girl was a bit heavier than she looked (probably because of the many kimono layers she wore around her body) and pushed her with more force than necessary, so he spat out the skewer and hurried to climb onto the roof to make sure his poor passenger hadn't rolled off the opposite side of the building. "Damn! Are you all right, Chie-chan?!" he asked, pale-faced at the remote possibility that he might have hurt her. Chie, however, was sitting comfortably on the front edge of the roof; watching the festival with her eyes shining with excitement.

"Oh, wow! The view is great!" she exclaimed. "I'd never have thought we could see the floats from here!"

Heisuke dropped down beside her with a sigh of relief. "Goddamn, I thought I'd knocked you off the roof."

"Huh?" She turned to look at him with a mischievous grin. "Do you think this is the first time I've climbed on a roof?"

"You don't look like the athletic type," he joked, but his expression grew tinged with remorse as his eyes fell on the smoking stick Chie held in her right hand. "Dammit... I dropped the stupid skewer when I thought you'd rolled down the roof!"

"Oh..." She held out her skewer to him. "We can share mine if you want?"

"N, no!" He folded his arms and looked away to hide the blush that came to his cheeks at the thought of sharing a meal with her. "It's okay, I was so hungry I ate most of the snacks before I even set foot in the alley."

"Hmm, if you say so." She began tasting the vegetables that dressed the top area of the artifact, finding them surprisingly delicious. She wondered what kind of seasonings the fine restaurant that cooked them might be using, but the memory of her interrupted conversation with Heisuke gradually took over her full attention. "Maybe I misheard, but didn't you say that your opinion of the Shinsengumi might get worse tomorrow?" She locked her eyes on his with her usual inquisitive curiosity. "What's happening tomorrow?"

Heisuke sighed and his eyebrows fell over the green eyes he kept fixed on the helpers who were pushing the crowd away from the street so that the parade of floats could get underway. He circled his knees with his arms wrapped in the sky-colored fabric of the Shinsengumi as he muttered: "Something that will likely estrange the Shogunate and the Satcho clans forever."

"A fight?"

"A raid." He looked around to make sure they were alone before pointing to a distant section of the city. "At an inn. It's over there, near your doctor friend's clinic. Do you know anything about the Sonno joi movement?"

"Revere the Emperor; expel the barbarians." Chie nodded. "Kondou-san told me about his philosophy the night he escorted me to Kohana-chan's graduation." She furrowed her eyebrows in a gesture of utter bewilderment. "But... he said that the enemies were outside and not inside; that he preferred to dialogue with his mouth rather than with his sword, and thus find a way to protect us from the barbarian scourge. Why would he decide to attack them on their territory and provoke irreconcilable differences between the two sides?"

"Because they plan to set fire to Kyoto in order to kidnap the Emperor during the riots."

"What?!"

Heisuke nodded without looking at her, pursing his lips without taking his eyes off the distant inn that appeared and disappeared like a fickle ghost in the whitish mist on the horizon. "Kondou-san believes there's no other way to stop them than to arrest the radical members who usually gather in Ikedaya to plan their attacks."

"And what do you think, Toudou-san?" Chie rested her forearms on her own knees, watching him anxiously. "There must be an important reason for you to think that arresting those who intend to burn down the city might worsen your opinion of the Shinsengumi."

"Oh, yes..." He smiled faintly, partly amazed and partly intimidated by Chie's mental sharpness. "Well, maybe I have a worldview that conflicts with what we'll be doing tomorrow." He quirked his lips and sighed. "The Shogunate is falling apart, the caste system is outdated bullshit, barbarians are sneaking in like rats into our country, and... the court isn't alone; the Emperor is supported by the merchant class and all its economic might." He shrugged as he added: "No merchant with half a brain would support the corrupt government that takes half of their daily revenue with taxes that do nothing but enrich the parasites of the nobility; the Shogunate is in decline and will end in ruins if it goes to war with its opposition while those Western vultures hover in circles over us."

"But how could war be avoided?" Chie shook her head in disbelief. "If you ambush the ringleaders of the Sonno joi movement-"

"There will be war," he interrupted her, "and if we don't do it and allow them to burn down the city-"

"There will be too," she finished, dumbfounded. "Hell..." She shook her head again. "But I still don't understand why you're blaming the Shinsengumi, Toudou-san, you're between a rock and a hard place, aren't you?"

"We are," he nodded with visible resentment, "but only because Kondou-san decided to follow Hijikata-san's advice and chase them like dogs until they ended up radicalizing." He clicked his tongue. "There's this guy... his name is Sakamoto."

Chie raised her eyebrows, unsettled by the extended pause that followed the statement. Heisuke had become engrossed in his own thoughts, staring blankly at a distant point in the night sky as he seemed to remember something important. "What's with this Sakamoto guy?" she asked, snapping him out of his daze.

"Oh, he... Well, he's a sharp guy," he replied, making eye contact with her to reaffirm the significance of the detail, "goddamn sharp. And he's been working hard to mediate between the Shogunate and the Sonno joi; so hard... that I daresay he convinced several of our people of the importance of uniting to prevent the barbarians from taking advantage of our infighting and conquering us as they did to other eastern countries and kingdoms."

"Have they already conquered other lands?" Chie blinked, as curious as she was ashamed of her own ignorance. "Wow... I really have no idea what's going on in the world, huh?"

Heisuke gave her a sympathetic smile and lightly patted her hand before scratching one of his cheeks with his index finger. "Hey, don't feel bad about it! You're a girl, nobody talks to you about this stuff."

"Well... thanks for being different." She flashed a smile tinged with self-pity back at him. "There are so many things I'd like to know." She sighed as she concluded: "Although right now my priority is that neither you nor the rest of the Shinsengumi members get hurt during that stupid raid. Tell me, will it be too dangerous?"

"Hmm." He shrugged. "I don't know, it all depends on so many unpredictable details that it's hard to say for sure. Things could go phenomenally well... or horribly wrong." He glanced at her taciturnly. "But whatever happens, I'm sure that the tension between the Shogunate and the Sonno joi will only grow and..." He forced himself to keep quiet so as not to express his fear that the Magistrate of Aizu would order them to expand the number of Rasetsu troops they possessed in order to contain the enemy's onslaught. There were too many ordinary footsoldiers in the Rasetsu Special Division and they would soon need an experienced captain to lead them. Who among them would sacrifice his human existence to continue serving the Shogunate from the realm of the dead? Hijikata-san? No... he was too well known for the masses not to notice his disappearance, they would probably select someone who steered clear of the public eye; someone like Sannan-san, Hajime-kun... or perhaps even himself; the first-born bastard son of Toudou Izuminokami whose supposed "death" would prove incredibly convenient to his relatives.

"I understand," Chie interrupted his unnerving internal predictions. "Even if there are no problems during the raid, there will definitely be afterward."

"Yeah..." He nodded with a weak smile. "I think that's why I decided to spend the night with you." He blinked repeatedly after noticing how easy it would be to misinterpret what he had just said. "W, well, as friends... you know; in a strictly platonic way!" He pointed to the huge, feudal castle-shaped Hoko and Yama luminous floats moving down the avenue. "To see the floats, that's all!"

"And to eat yakitori skewers," added Chie after taking a final bite of hers and tucking the stick into the pocket of her obi; eager to toss the greased chopstick into the first trash can she found on the way back, but too environmentally conscientious to throw it on the roof of someone else's store. "Hey, I want you to promise me something, Toudou-san."

"Huh? What?"

"My mother gave me this kushi comb and it's always brought me good luck," she replied after removing the tortoiseshell accessory that crowned her traditional nihongami hairstyle to place it in the palm of his calloused hand. "So I want you to take it with you to the raid."

"Of course not!" Heisuke instinctively pulled away, interposing his opposite hand between the two of them out of shock. "I can't accept it, Chie-chan! How could I take something your dead mother gave you as a gift?!"

"I'm not handing it to you forever, but to remind you that you have no choice but to survive to give it back to me."

"It's impossible. What if I lose it during the fight? I'd never forgive myself! I, I'm not very good... at handling such delicate objects, much less in the middle of a night skirmish!"

Chie sighed and looked away, both disappointed and embarrassed by his rejection. "As you wish, then give it back to me now and forget what I said."

Heisuke moved the fist in which he held the comb out of her reach, pursing his lips in a pout of hesitation. "No... hey! I'll take it with me, okay? Just... don't get upset."

"I don't want you to take it just because you feel guilty," she muttered without daring to look at him.

"What difference does it make? I can take it for any reason I want, the important thing is for me to survive so I can give it back to you, right?"

Chie shot him a brief sidelong glance from the depths of a pair of serene eyes that hid the unbearable uncertainty the impending raid aroused in her. In less than twenty-four hours, Heisuke would go from watching the Yamaboko Junkou float parade with her, to fighting to defend the beliefs of the Shogunate with the blade of a sword that would take the lives and dreams of those who shared what were possibly his true ideals. "Yes," she conceded, "the important thing is for you to come back."

When would the men of her country understand that watering the earth with the blood of their brothers would not prevent the arrival of a new era?

Chapter Text

Summer, July 8, 1864. Ten o'clock at night.

"This damn inn couldn't be any bigger, could it?" Hijikata muttered as he and Kondou (dressed up in the same light blue uniform worn by the anxious troops awaiting their orders from a few feet back) stopped at the closest street corner to the wedge-shaped two-story building that took up most of the block. "We'll have to split into two groups to encircle them and prevent those imperialist rats from sneaking around the opposite end."

"Wait, Toshi." Kondou pointed to the golden glow illuminating the windows of the room where the enemies of the state were gathered. "Do you see the shadow cast by the lamps on the wall? There's a woman dancing for them."

"Why do you mention it? Almost all the hostels in Kyoto offer the services of Shimabara women in exchange for a percentage of the profits."

"I don't want any civilians to get hurt during the raid, okay?"

"All right." He folded his arms. "I'll try to fulfill your wish, but I won't guarantee the life of any city-dweller who's stupid enough to stand between those traitors and our swords."

"I know," he nodded earnestly, "and I won't ask you to do it. Let's just... avoid unnecessary civilian casualties." He turned to signal a pair of his captains to approach with a quick flick of his index finger and thumb. "Souji, Heisuke; you will accompany me during the penetration phase. I'll also take..." He paused, his gaze lingering on Shinpachi's excited face, but he ended up pointing to Tani Sanjuro after a brief moment of reflection in which he thought that the latter had shown greater devotion to the Shinsengumi since he decided to forgive his adjustment issues and give him a second chance.

Shinpachi was a tenacious warrior, but he hadn't missed the chance to express (with similar doses of inflexibility) his displeasure with the Shinsengumi administration since the Magistrate ordered them to execute Serizawa Kamo; former Commander for whom he felt an ideological as well as an emotional attachment. Kondou wasn't inclined to doubt Shinpachi's loyalty, but neither could he blindly rely on it. Their lives and the future of the Shinsengumi depended on those who were committed to the Shogunate's philosophy, so he wouldn't risk breaking into the inn with men unwilling to kill and die to ensure the preservation of the government they served.

Shinpachi would have the opportunity to prove his loyalty to the Shogunate during the remainder of the raid, but not at a time as crucial as its beginning was.

"What the hell?" Heisuke complained. "Why are we going with Tani-idiot and not Shinpa-san?"

"Seriously, Kondou-san." Okita pouted, casting a spiteful glance at Tani over his shoulder. "Why take a spearman on a demolition mission within a confined area? Nagakura-san's steel will be far more useful than that women's toothpick Tani carries on his back."

"Are you sure, Okita-kun?" Tani asked after giving him a subtle nudge as he stepped forward while holding the sheath of his own sword with a haughty smile. "You might change your mind after seeing me wield this cutie."

"Stop calling me 'Okita-kun' or it'll be the last word you ever utter," he warned him with an expression icy enough to freeze the burning night around them. "I don't know who gave you that piece of crap, but I bet you don't even know how to unholster it."

"You think so?" Tani turned to face him with a smirk.

"I know it," he spat with a mixture of arrogance and contempt. "If you knew how to use a sword then you wouldn't have been fighting in inferior circumstances until now. You can't fool me; I was in the front row when Heisuke and Sannan-san kicked your ass."

"I like a challenge." His smile sharpened as he rested the palm of his opposing hand on the hilt of the weapon he held holstered. "Wielding a spear puts me at a disadvantage and that makes each fight more interesting, Okita-kun should know how frustrating it's to win all the time."

"Hmm, looks like I was wrong and your last word won't be 'Okita-kun', but 'time'." He lunged in his direction with the determination of a predator about to pounce on its prey, but Hijikata interrupted the confrontation when he interposed a hand in front of Okita's torso to force him to stop.

"Enough of stupid quarrels, Souji, we're working," he said. "Obey the Commander or I'll send you all back to the headquarters."

Heisuke and Okita (leading the members of their respective divisions) followed in the footsteps of Kondou and Tani (who was quietly thanking his boss for having selected him to watch his back during the penetration phase) as they made their way toward the southern section of the inn. Hijikata, the rest of the captains, and their corresponding troops stealthily departed for the northern area; which required a greater amount of containment due to the fact that it featured not only the main entrance, but several bordering establishments whose doors still remained open and increased the likelihood of unsuspecting Kyoto citizens becoming unwanted victims of the raid.

"I can't believe Kondou-san is planning to have us jump into the tiger's mouth with a guy we've never seen wield a sword!" Heisuke whispered as he and Okita folded themselves against the wall of a bathhouse to prevent the residents of the inn's second floor from spotting their light blue coats in the dark. "I'm sure Kondou-san would've chosen Shinpa-san if that fool knew how to keep his political opinions up his ass!"

"And you're the best one to judge him?" Okita asked with a smile as acerbic as it was mocking. "You'd better have your political philosophy straight, because I'll show you no mercy if you change your mind in the middle of the fight and join the Satcho."

"What the hell, Souji?" He spat on the ground with his eyes fixed on Tani's back, who had stopped mere inches from him as Kondou stepped forward to make sure they could cross the back street without being ambushed (Hijikata tried to persuade him that the Shinsengumi Commander shouldn't expose himself like that, but Kondou's stubbornness was as great as his altruism and he had flatly refused to allow any of his subordinates to take his place). "Shut your mouth or I'll be the one to run you through for talking nonsense!"

"You wish, little Choshu wannabe," he blurted out with his trademark sadistic grin.

Tani glanced over his shoulder at them as he muttered: "Don't tell me you got stage fright, Heisuke-kun."

"And who gave you a candle at the funeral, Tani-idiot?! Make sure you watch Kondou-san's back and mind your own business!"

"What a temper." He rolled his eyes before turning his gaze to the front and laughing under his breath. "I don't blame you, I'd be in a bad mood too if I were about to slit the throats of the poor bastards who share my political sympathies."

"I can't believe you two insult and accuse each other of imitating each other for years," Heisuke complained as he frantically turned his head from side to side to face the unexpected accusers flanking his sides, "but you decide to reconcile to make me lose my temper minutes before a major raid!"

"I didn't reconcile with anyone." Okita shrugged with his eyelids half-closed over his haughty gaze.

"Me neither," agreed Tani without taking his eyes off Kondou. "I'm just commiserating with you, Heisuke-kun. You should thank me for putting myself in your shoes after how unfair you were to me."

"Commiserate, my ass!" he growled as low as he could. "I'm not a damn Choshu! If I was... I would've brought them your ugly turmeric-spiced carrot head on a platter long ago to gain their trust!"

Tani turned to look at him and his lips arched into a smile that mirrored the one gracing Okita's face (which annoyed the latter to no end and caused the gesture to be quickly replaced by the opposite), but he didn't get to reply before the Shinsengumi Commander signalled them, indicating that they could move on. The three forgot the discussion in the blink of an eye and joined him before the back door of the inn with the stealth of a fox sneaking into an unattended chicken coop.

"We're the Shinsengumi," Kondou bellowed as he, along with the captains of the 1st, 7th, and 8th divisions (and their respective troops) burst like a tidal wave of blue waves into Ikedaya's shadowed foyer, "vassals of the honorable Magistrate of the Aizu Domain! By imperial decree, I declare that all of you are under arrest!" His announcement unleashed a chorus of wild shrieks that marked the appearance of the armed foes who had until then been waiting hidden in the gloom.

"To warn the enemy that he's about to rip out their entrails is typical of Kondou-san!" Okita exclaimed as he unsheathed with lightning speed.

"Let's not waste the chance to give them some hope that they can still resist arrest!" commented Tani, mimicking him with a smirk that only annoyed its recipient.

"So, is playing on the enemy's feelings more important than seizing the advantage of the surprise factor?" Heisuke asked with a mischievous smile, too excited by the adrenaline flowing through his veins in anticipation of the impending combat to remember that he was joking with Tani Sanjuro himself, and that, to make matters worse, he was doing it while being on the verge of taking part in a mission that contradicted his beliefs. He realized his mistake when the aforementioned smiled back, so he hurried to draw his katana with a frown, engrossed in the faces of the opponents that materialized around him out of nowhere. He didn't want to hesitate and justify the recent accusations of his companions, but he was beset by an irrational restlessness that prevented him from blindly surrendering to the pleasure that being the Shogun's attack dog used to give him.

"We're acting under orders from the Tokugawa Shogunate!" Kondou continued as the swords of his subordinates clashed against those of the rebel cell members. "If you resist, you'll be denied any chance of mercy or negotiation!"

"Go to hell, you fucking Wolf of Mibu!" shrieked a Satcho warrior who rushed at the Commander, eager to crown himself with the triumph of cutting off the head of the Shinsengumi's top dog before the battle began. Unfortunately for him, his own neck was the one that was severed from his body as Okita's steel sliced through it like hot butter.

"Death to the Shogun's dogs!" shouted a young boy who squared himself between Heisuke and the stairway leading to the second floor, stabbing the air between them with a thrust as precise as the stitch of the expert weaver who had brought him into the world sixteen summers ago. "We won't allow you to hand our women and children over to the barbarians!"

The attack was skillful, but not enough to counter the hybrid Kenpo parry-counter-attack technique of his victim; who altered the trajectory of the weapon with a blunt blow from the wristband protecting his opposite arm to seize the lethal path with his own blade and plunge it deep into his opponent's chest.

Heisuke kicked the wounded man's body backward to release the sharp shield that guaranteed his existence, but his eyes widened to their fullest extent when he noticed a pamphlet with Yukimura Kodo's portrait (which until then remained hidden in the pocket of the deceased's kimono) dangling precariously from his katana; pierced in the area that separated his sinister left eye from the right. Heisuke's lips parted in a gasp of confusion and his mind wandered to the moment where he had discovered the clandestine maker of the effigies of Chizuru-chan's father:

Winter, March 16, 1865. Four months ago.

«"Damn it, Ibuki-kun! Why the hell are you taking so long to get in formation?!" Heisuke pushed the door aside and entered the recruits' common bath with a rudeness born of both his usual impatience and the nervousness he felt at having to explain to the Vice-Commander that the morning patrol had been delayed because he couldn't find one of the members of his division. "You're the only fool who would consider bathing before going out to roam the dirty streets of Kyoto for ten hours stra-" His jaw dropped in disbelief when he realized that Ibuki wasn't busy with his hygiene, but painting several copies of an old man's portrait that lay scattered around him. "WHAT THE HECK?! I, I can't believe you're drawing another one of your stupid comics!"

"Heisuke-kun! I mean, Captain Toudou-san!" Ibuki tried to hide the numerous papers scattered on the floor and cursed when the palms of his hands turned black from the contact with the fresh ink. "I, I... can explain it!"

"You'd better be able to!" Heisuke crossed his arms with a frown fixed on the few drawings Ibuki hadn't managed to ruin during his desperate attempts to push them out of his range of vision. "What's that?" He pointed to one that looked incredibly familiar. "Why on earth are you drawing old bald men instead of training with the others?"

"W, well, you see..." He sat up, hugging the portraits to his chest before pulling one out of the pile and extending it to him with a trembling hand. "They're for Yukimura-kun; I thought I'd paint portraits of her father so she can hand them out during patrols and increase the odds of finding him."

"Did she ask you to do that?" he asked as he carefully appreciated the close resemblance of the illustration to that of the deserting doctor who had inspired it. Damn, Ibuki sure had talent! How long had it been since the last time Yukimura Kodo and the artist had met at the headquarters? He was one hundred percent certain that few would manage to remember the face of an old man of little consequence more than a year after his disappearance.

"No..." he lied, swallowing his breath to avoid getting young Yukimura or Kohana-san's older sister in trouble, but not convincingly enough to successfully fool Heisuke. "I, I volunteered." He nodded multiple times as several of the pamphlets he was holding slid to the ground under the force of the same gravity that rolled beads of sweat from his forehead to his chin. "Yukimura-kun misses her father very much and I... well, I can't tolerate watching hope fade from her eyes every time she returns from the city without any news of his whereabouts!"

"Haven't you ever considered..." he muttered without taking his eyes off the portrait, "...that maybe she's better off without him?"

"W, what?" Ibuki half-opened his mouth in a gesture that made him look twice as giddy, but his eyebrows furrowed quickly as he recovered from the surprise. "Of course not! I abandoned mine to avoid being forced to wield the sword of nobility and look how I ended up; forced to wield that of a peasant!" He clicked his tongue as he reluctantly concluded: "Once you mature you realize... that children are never better off without their parents!"»

Summer, July 8, 1864. Half past ten at night.

Once you mature you realize that children are never better off without their parents.

Once you mature you realize that children are never better off without their parents.

Once you mature you realize that children are never better off without their parents.

The phrase repeated nonstop inside Heisuke's mind, much like the drops from the garden's faulty faucet that never allowed him to sleep.

Chizuru-chan wasn't better off without her parents, Ibuki-kun wasn't better off without his, neither were Chie or Kohana-chan; neither were Souji or Shinpa-san. Neither... neither... He wasn't either...

Despite being a staunch enemy of the Shogunate, the boy he had just killed in self-defense had decided to keep the pamphlet with the portrait of Yukimura Kodo that he probably received from the hands of a Shinsengumi member such as (at least in appearance) Chizuru-chan was. Why did he decide to keep it? Why didn't he throw it on the ground and spit on it before crushing it with the worn tip of his sandal? Was it possible that he knew the location of the missing doctor and planned to give him the pamphlet to let him know that his daughter was imprisoned in the clutches of the Shinsengumi? Had he... pitied the fate of an orphan in practice who would never be better off without her father?

The blood flowing like tears from the hardened rim of the unfocused gaze of the Satcho clan's second victim seized Heisuke's full attention as his parched lips repeated "I killed him, I killed him, I killed him and that's why Chizuru-chan will never find her father," but he came abruptly to his senses as Tani's sword pierced the air in front of his face to neutralize the new enemy who intended to take advantage of his distraction to end his torment with an accurate thrust that came close to piercing the space between his unprotected collarbones.

"What is it, Heisuke-kun?" Tani sneered as he twirled the sword between his fingers like a spear, reversing the edge to return the blow of another pair of Satchos attacking him from behind. "What are you babbling about Yukimura? I thought you liked Chie-chan!"

"Snap out of it, Heisuke!" Okita shoved him in the back with his open palm and the push made Heisuke stumble three steps forward, an action that prevented his comrade from getting between him and another one of his victims. "If you don't fight you die, so stop dreaming and get to work!" He wanted to say something else, but became distracted when a high-pitched female scream pierced the air and caused several of the combatants to look up to the second floor of the inn.

"Souji!" Kondou shouted as he took out an opponent with a kick that sent him rolling to the opposite end of the foyer. "Make sure our guys don't hurt any civilians during the arrest!"

Okita wanted to ask "What?! Why me?!", but he just nodded firmly before making his way up the stairs; unable to disobey his Commander's request no matter how ridiculous it sounded. Most of the criminals moved out of his way (many throwing themselves into the void to avoid facing the Shinsengumi's reaper), but a couple of them managed to quit their oxygen dependency thanks to the deft touch of the sharp weapon that cured them of its need.

The captain of the 1st Division didn't take long to enter the room where the rest of the brawl was taking place and check, with the shrewd eyes of a hawk, the situation in which a handful of subordinates of Tani Sanjuro were involved (the men turned out to be just as impetuous and disorganized as their leader; since they hadn't received orders from either Kondou nor the heir of the Bicchu Matsuyama clan to justify their presence at the upper level).

Seven Satcho "patriots" littered the length and breadth of the hall, drowning in their respective pools of blood.

Four more from the Shinsengumi; entangled in the celestial mortuary coats that hinted that the carnage had spread to the farthest reaches of the firmament.

Nine soldiers from his side standing; three of them staggering from wounds inflicted by the last survivor.

For in the middle of it all... was Furukawa Kohana; repelling the attacks of the Shogunate defenders with the steel fan that belonged to the former Commander who lived, fought, and died for the ideals of a government that repudiated his "savage" philosophy for deeming it inferior to that of the Western kingdoms they were trying to placate. There was some kind of poetic justice in that, even after death, Serizawa's weapon continued to punish them for their betrayal.

"That damned whore won't let us capture her!" One of Tani's subordinates complained after noticing Okita's arrival. "It was easy to slit the throats of the Choshu dogs that confronted us but that geiko isn't just any dancer, we fear she's an imperialist spy! Do you... want us to call for reinforcements before proceeding?"

"'Before proceeding'," Okita scoffed, advancing toward Kohana with a hardened look of anger. "Don't you think it's too late for that? Watch and learn how the Shinsengumi hunts, wolflings." He initiated a fight with the aforementioned as soon as he said this, striking the fan with thrusts as swift as the wrist movements that parried away the bombardment with as much grace as expertise. He had known for months now that Kohana wasn't quite human, but personally battling her only added to his regret; he should've killed her when he had the chance. "Didn't I warn you that I'd kill you if you betrayed us, maiko-chan?!" he roared as the edge of his sword cut through the fabric of one of the sleeves of the dark kimono that floated like stormy clouds around him.

"Who's betraying you?!" Kohana replied as she raised the fan above her determined face, framing it in a luminescent halo as the glow of the full moon reflected off its surface. Serizawa's weapon came crashing down like a guillotine on Okita's sword, forcing its wielder to hold it with all his might to stop the tremor that spread from tip to hilt like an unexpected wave of rising tide. "These warriors hired my services for one night, but it was you who attacked them like rabid beasts in the night; not knowing friend from foe!"

"Probably because there are no 'friends' here!" Okita spread his feet apart to keep his balance and rotated his torso with the intention of attacking her from the opposite direction, certain that she would have greater difficulty defending herself with the arm that Tani Sanjuro had broken months ago. After all, Kohana possessed the strength and energy of her (possible) oni relatives... but not their regenerative abilities. "Surrender!" he spat as his katana sliced through the air like an arrow destined to pierce the geiko's whitish jaw. "Or you'll find out how those who face rabid beasts meet their end!"

"Will you kill the only one who can stop those demons from abducting Chizuru-chan?!" She dodged the onslaught with an ease that made Okita gnash his teeth in frustration, cursing the vaporous silk that concealed his prey's future movements. "If you're the best the Shinsengumi has to offer... then you don't want to take me out of the game, Okita-san!" She hit him on the right shoulder with the back of the fan, making sure not to hurt him with the blade but hard enough to send him flying across the room.

Tani's soldiers let out a range of exclamations of dread as the body of the 1st Division's captain crashed down beside them with a thud that masked the faint whimper of agony that escaped from his chest. Several tried to approach him to assist him, but Okita got up and rushed back into the fray before they could take a single step in his direction.

"You bastard!" he snarled as he rained down dozens of sword thrusts aimed at the fucking fan that seemed to teleport to every point he looked at; surrounding and enclosing him inside an unbreachable mirror that stood between his duty and him. "What do you even know about Chizuru-chan or the Shinsengumi?! You're just... a non-human-thing that entertains itself by playing with the fate of normal people!"

Kohana let out a laugh under her breath, squinting her reddish eyelids at the irony of his statement. "How could I play with your fate when I can't even control my own?" She ducked to evade his most recent attack before hitting him in the stomach with the upper area of the fan, knocking him back to the balcony facing the outside area of the inn (where the clashing of metal and the piercing screams resulting from the nearby brawl could clearly be heard).

"Enough of your lies!" Okita held onto the door to avoid falling into the void and the sudden movement set off such a strong pang in the middle of his chest as to make him believe that Kohana had finally had enough of the gap in skill between the two and had decided to end the fight with a deadly thrust.

"Okita-san, sir!" one of the soldiers who'd been witnessing the battle implored, his mouth trembling and his eyes moist with terror. "P, please, let us help you defeat this sinister creature of the underworld! I promise you... we will gladly die by your side!"

"NO!" he ordered after he unclasped the door that prevented him from collapsing to the ground due to the fatigue that had taken hold of him. He summoned all his strength to charge at his opponent with a thunderous battle cry. His vision blurred intermittently and he couldn't tell if it was due to the insane forcefulness of the geiko's attacks or the lunar halos coming off the fan that danced like a shooting star around him.

"Give up, Okita-san," Kohana advised with a bored expression that didn't match the superhuman speed with which she was returning his desperate attacks. "Or you'll find out how those who face rabid beasts meet their end."

"Shut up!" he bellowed without pausing, gasping at the gradual loss of breath that plunged him into a suffocating nightmare where countless glimmering crow's wings were pushing deep into his guts; preventing him from breathing. "Shut your damned, cursed mouth and die the fuck up!"

Blood. A gulp of blood escaped from his throat along with his last words and impacted squarely against Serizawa Kamo's old fan, endowing his own reflection on the surface with a crimson hue that made him look like the soul-thirsty killer he had always prided himself on being. His eyes, however, were not those of an executioner; but those of a twenty-two-year-old young man facing the prospect of death for the first time in what had been a life as short as it had been violent.

Kohana's pupils shrunk due to perplexity. She believed she hadn't hit him hard enough to produce internal damage, but the blood sliding from her fan to the ground caused her heart to race with doubt. She had no intention of murdering him, for she still remembered that she was indebted to him both for keeping the Shinsengumi recruits from putting their hands on her, and for keeping the secret of her inhumanity during the months she was forced to remain in the headquarters.

However... however... in what other goddamn way was she gonna get him off of her? Okita was quick to resume the assault and subdue her to the unrelenting force of the bestial frenzy that overtook him after discovering that he was probably mortally wounded and needed to devote every remaining minute to the honorable task of arresting her to die fulfilling Kondou-san's bidding. Kohana was once again caught in the cycle of deflecting his thrusts without injuring him as more and more soldiers swarmed the entrance gate. If she didn't hurry... their numbers could become a risk to her freedom.

The Okita who allowed her to escape from the Okiya on that bright autumn night to the jovial cry of "Fly out of the golden cage, Kohana-chan!" and this one couldn't be more different. This Okita, in fact, resembled an awful lot the one who stubbornly devoted himself to making her life bitter during her stay in the Yagi household:

Spring, April 25, 1865. Three months earlier.

«"Oh, my, Kohana-san!" Chizuru exclaimed when she came upon a row of garden pots lined up outside the room she shared with the geiko. She had just finished training with Saito-sensei and the aroma wafting from the aromatic herbs managed to stir up her appetite even more than the many hours of heated exercise under the afternoon sun did. "The pots turned out great! You're not as bad at crafts as you think you are."

"You wouldn't think so if you saw all the odd-shaped pots I threw in the trash," she joked as she inspected the leaves of a small Fuki specimen. She wrinkled her nose and leaned her torso over her kneeling legs when she noticed that the cold seemed to have wilted much of the crop. "Anyway, the container isn't the main issue; if the temperature doesn't start to rise none of the Sansai herbs will survive."

"Probably because they usually grow in the mountains and not in pots, right? The lush forests of their natural habitat allow them to better withstand the frost." Chizuru nodded with a sigh, aware of its origin due to the exhaustive knowledge of herbal medicine inherited from her father.

Kohana shrugged and muttered with a frown: " Well, it's the only thing I managed to get from that teacher of yours that you have so much respect for. These dudes don't want to spend a single ryou on seeds and eat nothing but rice and meat; so I haven't been able to get my hands on any leftover vegetables to plant in the ground. No matter how hard I try..." she whispered with eyes glazed over with sorrow, "...it seems like the universe itself is conspiring to prevent me from building my ideal vegetable garden."

Chizuru opened her mouth to suggest an alternative that would renew her friend's hopes, but the arrival of Okita Souji (who crossed the wooden hallway with his arms folded and an expression of contempt on the face that the young woman had been finding paler and paler with each passing day) prevented her from doing so. " Who the hell told you you could fill the engawa with garbage?" he asked with half-closed eyelids. "This is a military base, not a greenhouse."

"Oh, Okita-san!" Chizuru offered him a hasty bow and clasped her hands in front of her torso while smiling amicably. "They're Sansai herbs, the kind that grow in the mountains! We begged Saito-sensei to collect them during the last training excursion of the 3rd Division." She pointed to the containers in front of which Kohana (who was determined to avert her eyes to hide the blush with which embarrassment had ignited her cheeks) was sitting. "Kohana-san doesn't have much to do cooped up in her room all day so she decided to spend the time making these pretty little pots. We thought... it would be interesting to put them to use. If all goes well, we might even be able to grow additional food for the Shinsengumi!"

"'Additional' food?" Okita said mockingly. "Only if you like to eat field weeds like goats."

Chizuru pouted, making an effort to remain polite despite how much his stubbornness frustrated her. " They're not 'weeds', they're Sansai herbs; one of the most popular foods in Edo."

"Yeah, but we're not in Edo, are we... Chizuru-chan?" He leaned his torso over her petite frame, smiling with a mischievousness usual in his interactions with the Shinsengumi's newest acquisition as he suggested: "If you miss the food of your native Edo so much then perhaps you should return home to have your dear father prepare those delicious simmering weeds for you. Oh, right... he's not there anymore."

"Leave her alone," Kohana ordered as she sat up to glare at him while clenching her fists on either side of her body; furious at the flash of agony that took over Chizuru's countenance after hearing the captain's sentence. "I'll get them out of the way, okay? They're just stupid unimportant plants, you don't need to make a fuss over them."

"Are they really unimportant?" he asked, losing all interest in Chizuru and moving sinisterly in her direction.

"Yes." She clenched her lips as tightly as her fists, struggling to conceal the shiver that ran up and down her spine. Okita's silhouette seemed to have attracted all the shadows in the garden as he shortened the distance between the two of them, and Kohana had the impression of facing a ghoul creeping out of its grave to terrorize the world of the living.

"Then there won't be any problem if I get them out of the way."

Kohana half-opened her lips to protest, fearful of what "get them out of the way" might mean to him, but slammed them shut again to avoid giving him the satisfaction of wrenching worry from her loins. Chizuru, however, wasted no time in reaching out to him to plead: "Please, Okita-san, don't destroy them! Kohana-san has taken great pains to-!"

The flowerpots flew off the engawa before she could finish the sentence, propelled by the accurate kicks delivered by Okita's sandal and shattering into dozens of pieces as they hit the lawn of the Yagi's garden.

"NO!" Chizuru reddened with fury and gave him a shove before throwing herself on her knees over the shattered plants, straining to find any herbs that had survived the injustice she had just witnessed. To her great disappointment, they all seemed to have suffered the same fate as the fragile pots that contained them. "This is low even for you, Okita-san!" she shouted as the aforementioned walked away with a smirk on his lips as the remains of the largest plant trickled like water through her hands. "I'll tell Kondou-san what you've done and I'll make sure he reprimands you for behaving like a spoiled child! You'll see how he makes you climb the mountain alone to recover what you so thoughtlessly destroyed!"

The laughter Okita let out in response echoed in the solitude of the courtyard, irritating Chizuru to unsuspected levels but unable to reach Kohana in the distance of the dissociative state that clouded her sensory perception. She stood motionless beside the remains of the orchard that never was, resembling a statue wrapped in a silk kimono as dark as the memories that came to her mind. For the geiko's horrified eyes were fixed not on the ruined Sansai herbs... but on the pigeon she rescued from the storm when she was eight years old and which her father unceremoniously threw to the ground; bringing the last chapter of its life to a close with the same coldness that Okita Souji bestowed upon her crops.»

Summer, July 8, 1864. Eleven o'clock at night.

Kohana's skin took on a deep reddish hue and her eyes flashed with the gleam of molten gold as she returned to the present time, blinded by the effect of the traumatic memory that made her believe she was fighting her father instead of the 1st Division captain. She let out a hoarse, guttural shriek as her fighting style switched from defensive to offensive mode, forcing her enemy to stumble in retreat to avoid being cut to pieces by the supersonic movements of the steel fan.

"Dammit!" Okita coughed up blood again and the weakness that took hold of his legs made him fall on his back. "I won't... die here!" He rolled on the ground with his teeth clenched in pain, narrowly managing to dodge the impact of the fan that sank the ground where he lay seconds before. Kohana's strength seemed to have multiplied out of nowhere and her hair whitened enough to amplify the brightness of the moon to the point of making it look like the midday sun. What the hell was he fighting with?! Oni couldn't be that fucking strong! But no... there had to be a mistake, the maiko couldn't regenerate her wounds; he was sure of that! How was he going to arrest whatever-it-was-Furukawa-Kohana without dying in the attempt?

"Well," he thought with a smile of resignation garnished with the thick blood dripping from his lower lip, "it was likely that the stupid hemorrhage would kill him sooner, so he might as well take the chance of dying fighting for the Shinsengumi. If Ikedaya-san longed to become his grave, so be it." He gripped the hilt of his katana with both hands before lunging toward his opponent in a suicidal attack in which he knew Serizawa's fan would sever his head seconds before he succeeded in wounding the supernatural creature's stomach; a considerable sacrifice, but a priceless one.

He closed his eyes in the final stretch to recall every detail of Kondou-san's face; the Commander he respected like a father and for whom he would give up the rest of his life without a hint of remorse.

It was then that, as if he had summoned him in thought, Kondou Isami himself burst into the room: "SOUJI, NO!" He rushed at him in mid-run, wrapping his arms around him to deflect his trajectory and thus thwart his attempt at immolation. The two rolled together to the balcony, intertwined in an embrace where the blood that still soaked Okita's chest merged with the one gushing from the Commander's wounded arm.

"K, Kondou-san!" Okita's alarmed eyes locked on the laceration that the fan drew on Kondou's skin as payment for saving his life. "I, I had it all under control!" His high-pitched, raspy protests were interrupted by the terrible gasps and nervous coughs that shook his body. "I didn't need you to come for me! Are you... looking to end up like Sannan-san?!"

"Nonsense, it's nothing more than an insignificant laceration!" He stood up to step between Kohana (whose appearance had returned to her normal form thanks to the bewilderment caused by the sudden appearance of the man who had always treated her with often undeserved doses of sympathy and kindness) and his protégé, sheathing his sword while showing the palms of his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "Kohana-chan, it's me, Kondou-san! Please, I beg you to let us take you to the headquarters! I promise we won't hurt you, but I need you to stay with us while we clear up this matter!"

"I won't let you take that monster to the headquarters, Kondou-san!" Okita complained from the floor in a low tone of voice that none of the people present (except Kohana) could hear; both because of his weak pitch and the shrill cough that muffled his speech.

"Just put the fan down and everything will be fine," Kondou continued with a hesitant smile as he instructed his troops to slowly encircle her. "We're in the middle of a highly dangerous mission and I need you to obey my subordinates to get us all out of here in one piece. These guys have families to get back to and so do you, Kohana-chan. I don't want Chie-chan to suffer if things go wrong here and I'm one hundred percent sure you share my concerns, right?"

"Chie-chan, yes," Kohana mumbled as she nodded with an unfocused gaze and an open mouth, overwhelmed by the emotions that made her chest rise and fall at a speed similar to the respiratory stress caused in Okita. She wasn't able to understand where the overwhelming power that invaded her veins moments before had come from, almost leading her to do something she would regret until the end of her days. Idiot or not... Okita-san didn't deserve to be beheaded for destroying half a dozen pots by kicking them.

She nodded and walked slowly toward Kondou, lowering her gaze as she offered him her fan by the handle to disarm her; leading her to notice that her white socks looked just as black as her kimono due to the blood dripping from them. However, their reunion was interrupted by Okita's fist closing like a padlock over the hem of her dress: "It looks like... your time is up, maiko-chan! You hurt Kondou-san and... I, I won't rest until I send you back to the deepest corner of my nightmares!" he growled with the last of his strength, breaking down in a new coughing fit before his neck gave way and his unconscious face impacted squarely against the pool of blood he had just vomited.

"Oh, by God, no! Hold on, Souji!" Kondou collapsed on top of him, clutching him against his torso in a fit of terror. "I, I... this was all my fault, damn it! You're just a boy, I should... I shouldn't send you to confront her, her alone...!" He gulped and closed his eyes, holding back tears to force himself to think with his head and cast away the weakness in his heart. "Please get Miss Furukawa to safety while I find a doctor for Okita-kun!" he ordered his subordinates as he stood up with the inert body of the aforementioned resting between his shoulder blades. "I need four of you to come with me to defend me on the way out; the raid is far from over and I can't fight in this state!"

Half of Tani's soldiers disappeared down the corridor with their leader (emboldened by the chance to save the life of the 1st Division captain and earn the eternal gratitude of their Commander), while the rest cautiously approached Kohana to tie her wrists with a bloody rope; fully aware that the rope was merely decorative and they were at the mercy of the colossal strength of the creature they intended to arrest. Kohana, however, honored the pact she made with the Shinsengumi and surrendered her freedom with the docility of a lamb; not only because she trusted Kondou's word, but because she felt deeply ashamed over the repercussions of her actions.

She kept wondering if it was really worth it to pay the price of her freedom with the blood of her persecutors.

"Hurry up, you midget bastard!" Tani scoffed, amused by the annoyed expression that distorted Heisuke's reddened face as he realized he was unable to catch up with him during their strenuous race through the east wing of the inn. "Didn't you say you were the fastest swordsman in the Shinsengumi?!"

"Stop jabbering and go arrest those dudes before they make their way outside, Tani-idiot!" he replied, as annoyed by the height difference between them as he was by the senseless cowardice of the half-dozen rioters who were fleeing in vain toward the third floor of Ikedaya. Didn't they realize that they had every inch of the place surrounded? Dying in battle or even surrendering would be a thousand times more dignified than ending up stabbed in the back while stumbling around like frightened little children who lost sight of their mother at the market hub.

The only excuse he could find to regain his composure during the raid was to make sure to capture as many Satcho alive as possible; so that they could interrogate them or use them as barter to secure some sort of agreement that would prevent clan warfare. He was sure that Kondou-san would support his initiative and congratulate him for obeying his order to avoid unnecessary casualties (yeah, yeah; the Commander only referred to "civilian" casualties, but Heisuke was willing to have some flexibility when it came to the specifics of the mandate). It was for this reason that the enemies' insistence on fleeing like rats to the rooftop felt like a cruel prank of the cosmic forces that stubbornly mocked the hypocrisy he exhibited by seeking peace through the point of a sword.

"This way, chibi-Toudou!" laughed Tani as he entered the dark room at the end of the third floor where the besieged took refuge.

"What the hell did you call me?!" he shouted, crashing into his back when he pretended to follow him inside. "Damn it, Tani-idiot! How could you stop suddenly like that?! I think... I broke my nose!"

"Silence," he ordered with his lower lip trembling with anxiety and his eyes fixed on the impenetrable face of the older man with wine-colored hair who watched them with clasped hands resting on his lower back. Tani clicked his tongue when he discovered that the man dressed head to toe in black was standing between them and the Satcho climbing onto the roof through the only window in the room. "These bastards set us up!"

"A trap?" Heisuke peeked out from behind him, grinning in disbelief at the situation that awaited them inside. "Bah! It's one random guy against two Shinsengumi captains! Let's just cut him down fast and be on our way; the bigger they are, the harder they fall!"

"He's not just any guy and he's not alone," he assured with uncharacteristic concern, pointing to the shadowed corner where another would-be enemy, dressed in a fine kimono with blond hair neatly trimmed at the nape of his neck, was smoking kizami tobacco in a kiseru pipe without even deigning to lay his sharp eyes on the newcomers.

"Thank you for pointing out the obviousness that your companion was unable to perceive," interjected the warrior who prevented them from advancing. "My name is Amagiri Kyuujyu and I regret to inform you that I cannot allow you to arrest the people you are pursuing."

"And I regret to inform you that I don't give a damn about your information!" Heisuke spat over the sword he held with both hands. "Step aside or start fighting this second so you'll stop wasting our time; whatever you decide, you'll go down anyway!"

"Don't behave like a bully, you little punk, we don't want to mess with these guys now," Tani warned in a low voice with his eyes fixed on the one who was smoking listlessly from his pipe. "I'm sure they're the famous oni Hijikata was talking about."

"What? The oni...?" He blinked several times as his green eyes shifted from one to the other. It was true that there was something "different" about those two; like some kind of villain aura that oozed out of their pores and vibrated hostilely around them like the rattle of a snake on the verge of striking its prey, but they seemed undeniably human beyond that. Perhaps... too human. "It can't be! How do you know?!"

"I wonder the same thing." The blond demon smiled from the shadows, his whitish teeth reflecting the golden light of the engraving that decorated the end of his pipe as he pulled it away from his lips and placed it in a pocket of the coat draped over his kimono. "Amagiri, I infer that you know what you have to do."

"Yes, lord Kazama," he nodded as he offered him a deep bow from which he slowly rose to refocus on his opponents. "I'll keep the smaller one from bothering you while you take care of the other one." He adopted a physical combat pose, raising his fists to face level as he squared up in front of Heisuke. "We can avoid this fight if you avoid interfering in the duel between lord Kazama and your teammate. Personally, I'd rather avoid hurting a mere pawn of the government like you."

Heisuke snorted with a mocking smirk, shaking his head skeptically. "Hurt me? While facing a katana with bare fists? Don't make me laugh! Your 'oni' gang may be strong, but your bodies seem to be made of the same flesh that my sword cut hundreds of times before!" He looked at Tani out of the corner of his eye, trying to conceal the uneasiness that engulfed him when he realized that Tani had not yet unsheathed his own sword and was studying Kazama with narrowed eyes despite the fact that the enemy was walking resolutely to meet him with the tip of his weapon (a katana just as luxurious as his clothing) preceding him by almost two feet of distance. "Hey, Tani-idiot, don't let your guard down around that good-for-nothing snobbish blond! He may look like he's never been in combat before, but I know from good authority that (even if they send others to fight their battles) these nobles train from the cradle!"

Kazama rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "For God's sake, Amagiri, kill him once and for all."

"With all due respect, lord Kazama, I fear that to go to such lengths would be to interfere too much with the affairs of the humans."

"And aren't you interfering by assisting the Choshu, Satsuma, and Tosa clans?!" Tani demanded as he gripped the hilt and sheath of his sword with gritted teeth and a defensive pose that would (possibly) be effective enough to stop Kazama's fearsome onslaught. "What the hell is the chief of the western oni doing in Kyoto, huh?! As far as I know... you guys pledged to stay as out of the human world as w-!"

Blam! The titanic clash of Kazama's weapon against the back end of Tani's pushed back the latter until he hit the opposite wall, knocking the air out of his lungs for a tenth of a second that caused Heisuke's pupils to shrink and his jaw to slacken in shock.

"If you attack one Mibu Wolf, you attack them all, you dumb, clueless moneybags!" Heisuke shouted, raising his sword above his head to cut the air separating Kazama from Tani. Unfortunately for him, Kazama dodged the attack without any difficulty and went on to deliver a barrage of thrusts at Tani (who parried with a skill that Heisuke doubted could be possessed by someone who didn't use his sword often enough to be on the level of one of the dreaded oni described by his experienced Vice-Commander) while Amagiri stood like a tower of obsidian between him and his companion.

"This is your last warning, Toudou Heisuke," Amagiri warned with his usual deadpan expressionlessness. "If you keep trying to interrupt lord Kazama I will have no choice but to put you out of action."

"How the hell do you know my name?" He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Bah! Who cares?! You and your ridiculous enlightened monk's façade will be what will be put out of action!"

"I see you recognize my mastery of monastic martial arts."

"I was raised in a temple full of grandpas who could wipe the floor with you!" He twirled his sword between his fingers before actively rushing to meet him with the intention of knocking him out of the way so that he could assist Tani.

"Hopefully you learned something from them." Amagiri stopped Heisuke's sword with his fingertips and accompanied the motion just as a weaver would tighten the thread before spinning it; causing the momentum accompanying the thrust to direct the sword (along with its owner who struggled to keep the pace from its opposite end) to the far end of the room.

"What the hell?!" Heisuke gritted his teeth, staggering to regain his balance and charge again at his enemy. Damn it! Hijikata-san didn't hype it up as much as he thought when he briefed him on the strength they possessed! What kind of supernatural creature was he fighting with?! "Stop playing games with me and show me that you know how to do something other than endlessly defend yourself like a cheap coward!" he shouted, drawing a spiral in the air with the tip of his sword as he tried to unsuccessfully strike the body that eluded his attacks with a speed too fast to be perceived by his imperfect human eyes.

"Your provocations are useless," he replied as he gave Heisuke a forceful shove with the palm of his hand on the left side of his waist, which unbalanced his center of gravity and caused him to roll on the ground. Heisuke didn't take long to rise and spit out the blood that flowed from the lip that split when he fell face first against the tatami, so Amagiri slid his right foot backward at a ninety degree angle; adopting an offensive pose where his fists turned into a pair of threatening time bombs. "My mission is to prevent you from interfering in lord Kazama's combat, and if delaying you through a skirmish against the air that extends indefinitely achieves it; well, that's what I'll do."

"It's laughable for you to talk of skirmishes when you don't even dare to punch back at me!" Heisuke tried to cut his annoying shape again, and again, and again; shrieking and cursing more intensely at the proof of his shameful inability to connect the edge of his sword with the target that should be so much easier to cut given how slow and heavy a man of Amagiri's height and imposing physical build must be. Was it possible that the oni were so powerful as to defy the laws of the natural world? "Stop running away and fight, you bastard!"

"I regret that I cannot grant you that pleasure, Toudou Heisuke."

Heisuke gritted his teeth until they gnashed. All right, if Amagiri insisted on being a stubborn brat... then he would do the same! God knew he had plenty of experience at that! He feigned an attack from the right only to duck halfway and escape the combat zone under the arm the guardian oni swung aside to dodge his fake lunge. Heisuke took advantage of the ruse to move to the other end of the room with his characteristic speed and attack Kazama from behind; cutting the end of the gold embroidered left sleeve worn by his opponent (his target had been the exposed area between Kazama's head and shoulder blades, but Kazama was quick enough to detect the threat and move out of the way).

"What the hell is this filthy rat doing here, Amagiri?!" Kazama stepped back with a sour expression on his lips, staring at the two captains challenging him as if they were a pile of excrement that someone deposited at the door of his mansion. "Didn't I tell you to take care of him?!" He checked the sleeve of his robe and clicked his tongue before giving Heisuke an angry glare.

"I'm terribly sorry, lord Kazama." He bowed deeply to him. "I promise it won't happen again."

"Ha!" Tani bared his teeth in a mischievous grin that was at odds with the beads of sweat that collected on his forehead and betrayed his unease at having to face the chief of the western oni. Where the hell was his good-for-nothing mother when he needed her the most?! Obviously, she didn't give a damn about what happened to him. "Well done, Heisuke, this will get this petulant twerp off his back and make things more interesting!"

"Don't congratulate me, you dumbass!" Heisuke gasped for air as he shot him a sidelong glance to check that his teammate wasn't as battered as he was; surprisingly (and beyond a slight anxious tiredness that Heisuke thought he had never seen in him before), Tani seemed to be completely unharmed. "You better start thinking about how the hell we're gonna defeat these dudes 'cause I'm running out of ideas!"

"Is Heisuke-kun admitting that I'm a better strategist than he is?" He let out an amused chuckle. "Wow! This guy must have hit my head really hard and I must be lying delirious in some corner. Okay..." His gaze shifted from Kazama (who had just sheathed his sword to cross his arms over his chest in an attitude of utter annoyance) to Amagiri; panicking when he discovered that the oni had disappeared from his field of vision. "Wait! Where did that giant bodyguard of his went t-?!"

Amagiri reappeared behind him before Tani could finish the sentence, directing a fist at the back of his head with enough power to crack his skull into a thousand pieces.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY, TANI-IDIOT!" shouted Heisuke, who foresaw Amagiri's next move thanks to the pronounced height difference between him and the captain of the 7th Division. It was then that he dropped his sword and raised his hands to grab Tani's light blue haori in an instinctive grip that wasn't driven by his feelings for him; but by the endless hours of training, patrols, and missions where the members of the Shinsengumi learned to protect each other just as a band of wolves would, willing to sacrifice themselves for both the alpha as well as the weakest of the pack.

Crash! Amagiri's fist impacted squarely against Heisuke's forehead, shattering the protective plate of his bandana when he interposed himself between Tani and his attacker. The steel defense prevented the inordinate blow from tearing the skin from his face, but it was useless against the shock power that bent his neck backward with a speed that would have broken it had it not been for the cushioning provided by the wooden beam supporting the wall behind him and against which he crashed as loudly as savagely.

"Oh. It was not my intention to fatally injure Toudou Heisuke. Had I known he would come between us... perhaps I would have restrained the force of my attack; Tani Sanjuro clearly possesses a higher level of endurance than his human companion." Amagiri straightened his back. While it was true that he had just verbally apologized for his mistake, the indecipherable expression on his unyielding face didn't match the forced gesture of compassion (which offended as much as it infuriated Tani).

"Shut the fuck up, you sanctimonious fucking jerk!" he spat before hastily leaning over Heisuke, who was lying on the edge of unconsciousness as a considerable amount of thick blood trickled down from his traumatized forehead to the underside of his quivering jaw; dripping onto the surface of the light blue uniform to which Tani clutched to shake him in a fit of impotence. "Hey, you midget bastard! Why the hell did you think I needed your help?! I can deal... with a thousand worse blows than that! Who the hell asked you to play the hero by risking that stupid, fragile head of yours?! You're... completely out of your mind!"

Heisuke coughed and stifled a groan of agony before muttering: "I'm... a good-for-nothing. My father... my father was right. The old geezer was... right." He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes as he moved his arm erratically to rummage inside his haori. "What am I gonna tell to C, Chie-chan? The comb..." His gaze lost its characteristic glow as the contusion plunged him into a stupor he wasn't able to shake off. "The comb," he repeated as his fingers failed to grasp the accessory he was trying to pull out of his pocket. "I have to give her back... the damn comb."

Tani clicked his tongue when Heisuke passed out, seizing the comb that the badly wounded young man mentioned with as much confusion as discomfort. His upper lip twitched as he ascertained that, indeed, the orphaned peasant who had just sacrificed himself for him kept none other than the comb that adorned the hair of Furukawa Chie herself in his pocket. He wondered how on earth he had gotten it as a swirl of insecurity and unhealthy jealousy churned in the depths of his stomach. It wasn't possible that his childhood friend had gifted it to him, was it? Maybe she dropped it by mistake and that fool Heisuke picked it up to give it back to her later.

Heisuke's voice, raspy and high-pitched, broke the silence as his hand suddenly closed around the wrist with which Tani held the comb, and his determined green eyes tried to hold his gaze: "I, I'll survive, I won't die... here!" he promised, his teeth chattering with rage and pain. However, the grip gradually weakened and his arm eventually disengaged and hit the ground at the same time as his battered head. Heisuke lost consciousness again over the surface of the pool of dark blood that had slowly formed around him.

Tani put the comb away with more anger than he intended to display before the attackers who were unaware of the source of his churning emotions, rising up to face them with a scowl and the corners of his mouth drawn down into a sour expression. The oni fighting style reminded him of that of his people in terms of strength, speed, and dexterity, but he was sure he could become a tough contender if he took advantage of the fact that the western oni should not be too familiar with the traits (both natural and learned) possessed by the members of his remote mountainous clan.

He charged at them without uttering a word, repelling Amagiri's attacks without any difficulty, but encountering considerable opposition from Kazama Chikage; whose savagery in combat was comparable to that of dueling against an avalanche that pours its entire body weight upon the unwary who have the misfortune to cross its path. Tani was so focused on unveiling an opening that would allow him to break through Kazama's offensive shield while struggling to prevent Kazama from doing the same to him, that he completely forgot about Amagiri's existence and failed to notice that the latter had sneaked up behind him with the intention of delivering the same kind of devastating punch to the back of his head with which he knocked Heisuke out of the fight.

Amagiri spread his legs apart to channel the potential energy of the earth and transmute it into a bolt of lightning that would shoot out from his knuckles upon coming in contact with the most vulnerable point of the 7th Division captain's spine. However, a firm grip (the strength of which he found inexplicable) around his ankle prevented him from performing his special technique. The guardian oni looked down, frowning as he discovered that Heisuke (who lay face down with his face sunk in the blood that kept gushing from his wounds) had managed to crawl to them in a state of semi-consciousness that didn't even allow him to look up to behold the enemy who possessed the ability to rip his soul from his chest as punishment for his pitiful interruption.

Amagiri bent the opposite knee at a ninety-degree angle, shaking his head as he set out to crush the skull of the young human he would have preferred not to have to murder. "I am very sorry, Toudou Heisuke. I didn't want it to come to this, but you're forcing me to finish the job I was given."

"NOOOO!" Chizuru burst into the room and didn't hesitate to direct a powerful thrust of her kodachi sword straight into the chest of the oni who was about to slaughter the one she considered one of her best friends in the whole world. Heisuke showered her with incomprehensible doses of affection and understanding; from the moment he believed her to be a misguided kid with the worst luck in the world and even after discovering that she was the daughter of the doctor who ruined his life and that of his friends by introducing the Ochimizu into the Shinsengumi. Chizuru would die a thousand deaths before she would allow any of the captains to die because of her, and that was especially true when it came to Heisuke-kun. "Get away from him, you abusive pig!" she ordered as Amagiri held the tip of her weapon between his index finger and thumb and then raised it into the air along with its owner who held on to the hilt without ceasing to kick frantically in his direction.

"Damn it!" Tani peeked over his shoulder, straining to dodge the deadly lashes of Kazama (whose teeth gleamed in the darkness when he flashed a sharp grin in response to the sudden appearance of the object of his desire). "What are you doing here, Yumikura?! Who was the idiot that let you out of the headquarters?!"

"I came by myself, Tani-san!" She released her grip and stifled a groan of frustration as she fell into a sitting position at Amagiri's feet. "I haven't been training all this time with Saito-sensei to stand idly by while you risk your lives!" She stumbled to her feet and stretched her arms out to the sides of her body, facing Heisuke's attacker with all the courage that resided inside her small, slender frame. "I won't let you hurt him! If you want to hurt him, then you'll have to step over my corpse!"

"That won't be possible, Yukimura Chizuru," Amagiri replied with a hint of compassion in his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest in an attitude that was almost meditative. "I am strictly forbidden to hurt the heiress of the Yukimura clan; not only because of your hierarchical superiority, but also because you are one of the few oni women capable of blessing our decaying race with multiple pure-blooded heirs."

"Again with that?!" Chizuru hastily picked up her sword to place it between them with a trembling grip. "I've told you a thousand times that you mistake me for someone else! I'm not an oni! I'm Yumikura Chizuru... a proud member of the Shinsengumi who isn't afraid to die for her ideals!"

Heisuke half-opened his eyelids, unable to fully lift them up due to the dried blood pooling on his eyelashes. His chest and shoulders were rising and falling furiously from the titanic effort he was making to stay conscious, thus making the scene around him increasingly unclear due to the lack of sharpness and focus that defined it.

Kazama and Tani were fighting with a ferocity too hard for his tired eyes to follow, while Chizuru refused to budge from the life-saving position she occupied. He thought about using his last reserves of energy to beg her to take advantage of Kazama's distraction and Amagiri's uncharacteristic refusal to harm her to flee the room, but he was aware that the infamous bodyguard would catch up with her immediately and end up kidnapping her as he had repeatedly tried to do in the past. How on earth would they keep those monsters from taking her with them to force her to become the mother of a new generation of creatures just as twisted as their father? He wondered and wondered until he sank again into an uneasy dream where he believed he heard the distant voices of Hijikata and Saito coming to their rescue.

Chapter Text

Summer, July 9, 1864. Eight in the morning.

«"Heisuke-san...? Can you hear me?"»

Was that Chie-chan's voice? And... was she calling him by his first name?! Heisuke struggled with all his might to pry open his eyelids, which seemed to have closed like bear traps over his green eyes, but the sting that shot across his forehead from side to side forced him to slam them shut again.

"Damn it!" He reflexively brought his hand to his forehead, and the mere touch of his fingertips against the wound covering the simple fracture that ran across the front of his skull caused him to clench his teeth as his eyes burned from the effort of holding back the tears he had been taught to suppress since he was too young to remember.

His father's voice mingled with that of the monk Monzeki in the back of his mind, and he could hear them say, "Men don't cry, Heisuke" an indeterminate number of times before Chie's anxious pleas rose above the reproachful echo:

"Don't get up, Heisuke! I, I mean; Toudou-san! The doctor said you should rest!" Chie's hands rested on his shoulders with a gentleness completely opposite to that of Amagiri's fists raining down on his body during the combat that seemed to have occurred mere seconds ago.

"Chizuru!" Heisuke stammered as he broke into nervous gasps. "Is Chizuru-chan safe?!"

Chie's lips pursed slightly due to the unexpected jealousy that squeezed her stomach, but she decided to ignore the feelings she attributed to her anxiety over Heisuke's poor condition. She hastily sketched a sympathetic smile as she motioned for her to approach the futon where the convalescent lay. "Yes, she's here, don't worry."

"Chizuru..." Heisuke opened his eyes slightly, and Chizuru's eyebrows plummeted when she noticed the dark circles around them.

"Tani-san and I are fine, Heisuke-kun," she announced after kneeling beside the bed while analyzing the patient's behavior whose actions would reveal the severity of his injury. "I've been taking care of Okita-san and you all night in the headquarters infirmary."

"Souji?" Heisuke stared at the opposite side of the room, stifling a cry of surprise when he saw his teammate's pale, sweaty face buried in the blankets surrounding him on his mattress. "Is he...?" He didn't dare ask if he was alive for fear of receiving a negative answer.

"He's alive, yes," Chizuru nodded with a professionalism that surprised Chie (who tried to distract herself by picturing how a world where women could practice medicine would look like in an attempt to ease her discomfort at the obvious closeness that existed between Heisuke and Chizuru). "The doctor will be back any minute to give him another round of medicine."

"Medicine? Why? What's wrong with him? Was he injured?" Heisuke furrowed his brow in confusion and quickly regretted doing so when a new invisible stab seemed to slice his face from the base of his right cheek to the upper left area of his forehead. "Ouch, damn it!"

"We don't know exactly," Chizuru said, glancing sideways at Chie as she explained: "All I was told was that Okita-san tried to arrest Miss Kohana (who was performing in a show she had been hired for) during the raid and was seriously injured in the melee. He was already unconscious in Kondou-san's arms when I arrived at the inn."

"That's ridiculous," muttered Heisuke as he collapsed onto the futon with his eyes closed, overcome by exhaustion that made him even less inclined to believe such a claim. "Neither a little girl like Kohana-chan nor a bunch of Satcho cowards could've left Souji in such a state."

"There are things about my sister that even I didn't know," Chie interjected, her sullen gaze fixed on her thistle sandals. "Kondou-san summoned me to the headquarters to inform me that she was the one who knocked Okita-san out and that he was therefore forced to detain her here." She took a deep breath as she added: "Ibuki-san showed up at the restaurant in the early hours of the morning, insisting that I not tell my father anything about this to prevent him from suffering another heart attack due to the shock."

"The Izanagi-san thing makes sense, but... Kohana-chan?" Heisuke opened his eyes again, his eyebrows furrowed. Despite the agony caused by the gesture, his annoyance and confusion were too great to control the accompanying body language. "No, it must've been the work of those damn oni. 'Lord' Kazama and his servant Amagiri Kyuujyu; that's what those monsters disguised as people called themselves. If it wasn't them, then they surely had allies of their ilk wreaking havoc in the rest of the building."

"I can assure you that Kohana-san possesses supernatural combat abilities," Chizuru said quietly, avoiding eye contact with him to hide the anguish that pierced her heart when she heard him compare beings of her kind to "monsters disguised as people". No matter how hard she tried to deny it, it was becoming increasingly clear that Furukawa Kohana wasn't the only non-human guest of the Shinsengumi. "After all, it was thanks to her that Kazama-san decided to withdraw from Ikedaya without forcing me to leave with him."

"What are you saying?"

"It all started when you fell unconscious, Heisuke-kun. I tried to defend you while Tani-san confronted Kazama-san, but his servant lifted me into the air like a little stray cat and carried me over his shoulder to get me out of the way. The only thing I could do to prevent him from killing you was to scream, so I did so with all my might."

Summer, July 8, 1864. Midnight. One day earlier.

Kondou and Hijikata were anxiously conversing in hushed voices moments after the doctors had moved Okita (on a makeshift stretcher made from a tatami mat laid over a shoji panel they had removed from inside the inn) to a safer area where they were treating the rest of their wounded comrades, when Chizuru's desperate cry electrified the air around them.

"Is there another woman upstairs?!" Kondou asked as his gaze shifted from Kohana (who was still keeping her recent promise not to resist arrest by the fearful soldiers surrounding her with equal doses of dread and unease) to the third floor of Ikedaya. "It can't be! Was another one of your colleagues offering her services tonight, Kohana-chan?"

"No." She shook her head, unable to return his gaze because of how guilty she felt for hurting (probably mortally) the man Kondou considered a son.

"There are dozens of Okiyas in Shimabara," Saito interjected after losing sight of the stretcher carrying the unconscious body of his best friend, "so it could be a girl from a rival house."

"Damn it!" Kondou rubbed his forehead, trying to predict the repercussions of re-entering Ikedaya to ensure the survival of another civilian who had had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, when one of Tani's soldiers approached him to give him a quick bow, followed by an anxious confession.

"I don't think that scream came from a woman, Kondou-dono!" he explained. "Yukimura-kun appeared out of nowhere just a couple of minutes before you did and threw himself headlong into the fight, even though we begged him not to! I saw him disappear up the stairs and... well... you know how high-pitched that boy's voice is! I'm afraid his impulsiveness and inexperience may have caused him to-"

"Yukimura-what...?!" Hijikata shouted in a fit of terror that he hastily camouflaged with an outburst of furious indignation. "Who the hell let him out of the headquarters?! I told Sannan-san not to leave his side so he wouldn't do anything stupid!"

"It can't be!" Kondou paled and his voice trembled as he muttered: "Toshi... Do you think Sannan-san has been drinking... you-know-what? He's been very depressed and cynical lately, so maybe he took advantage of us leaving him behind to-"

"That doesn't matter now!" He interrupted him, both out of concern for the fate of the young woman who had been assigned to him as a page and out of panic at the suspicion that his decision to prevent Sannan from accompanying them on the raid might have been the last straw for the disgraced warrior's increasingly diminished patience. "We must help Yukimura!"

"Take me with you!" Kohana pleaded (much to the surprise of her captors). "I can help you! Kondou-san knows what I'm capable of!"

"Are you kidding? Don't let the kabuki plays you perform go to your head." Hijikata clicked his tongue and turned his back on her, ready to come to Chizuru's rescue without the help of any dancer with a martyr complex, but Kondou's hand on his shoulder caused him to stop in his tracks.

"It's okay, Toshi, take her with you. Desperate times call for desperate measures." He nodded seriously after giving him a slight push of encouragement that baffled his receiver, and turned to the left to signal Saito to join the urgent mission to save Chizuru's life. But, to his great confusion, Saito had (for the first time since joining the ranks of the Shinsengumi) acted without waiting for orders; he fought his way through the enemies in the foyer with bloody sword strokes, disappearing upstairs to (if heaven allowed him) be the first one to arrive at the scene.

Blam! Tani was thrown outside after crashing (very unceremoniously) through the paper panel separating the room where he was fighting Kazama from the balcony surrounding Ikedaya's third floor.

Anyone would think that the only thing preventing him from falling into the void was his fingers clenched around the precarious wooden railing that creaked under the added weight of his body, but Tani rolled his eyes at what he considered a mere inconvenience that could be resolved by revealing a little more of his true nature. He was just moments away from shedding his human façade by extending the winged appendages typical of his race, when the abrupt arrival of Sanosuke (who echoed with his palms from the sidewalk where he and his subordinates were struggling to unroll a sort of white sheet) prevented him from doing so:

"Hang in there, Tani-kun!" he shouted in his usual jovial voice, which Tani found unnerving because of the noticeable anguish that made it sound even more sharp and annoying. If there was one thing that drove him crazy, it was being deemed a pitiful loser by those delusional peasants who called themselves "samurai". "In a second, we'll spread this cloth to soften the impact of the fall! Just let yourself fall when I tell you to, and I promise we'll keep you from hitting the ground!"

If Tani had rolled his eyeballs any higher, they would have sunk into his skull. Falling onto a dirty rag as if he were a fragile damsel in distress was as embarrassing as it was unnecessary, but (after glancing briefly over his shoulder) he noticed that Sanosuke's golden eyes were watching him with restrained anticipation.

Tani sighed, defeated. He would have transformed in front of any of the insignificant peasants surrounding him to return to battle (whatever it took to wipe that idiotic smile off the face of the chief of the western oni) ...but not in front of him. "The Mistress of Many Faces" never hesitated to tear apart those who discovered his true identity, and he would never dare to endanger Sanosuke. It wasn't that he was fond of him or anything (he told himself with as much confidence as if he were denying it to someone in the flesh), he would simply feel guilty if he caused the death of the only human in Kyoto who knew how to wield a spear properly.

His fingers loosened their grip on the broken railing and his body collapsed onto the spread-out fabric, his eyelids half-closed in annoyance and his lips twisted into a grimace of obvious discomfort after being greeted by Sanosuke's friendly smile and the gaze that crowned it with the unexpected glow of dawn in the dead of midnight.

Meanwhile, on the third floor of Ikedaya, Chizuru struggled in vain to free herself from Amagiri's grip. He wouldn't let her go, no matter how much she screamed, kicked, punched, and even stabbed him with her sword in a desperate attempt to shove herself off his shoulder, where she had been placed as if she were nothing more than cheap luggage. Amagiri regenerated faster than she could hurt him, so she was stunned for a moment; her reddish eyes filled with tears born of the frustration that enveloped her as the healing mist grew from the cuts she inflicted on her captor.

"Don't pretend to be surprised, Yukimura Chizuru," Kazama said as he walked catlike toward her after sheathing his sword, smiling upon noticing that his non-human opponent had decided to abandon the fight. "I'm sure you're aware of our race's regenerative abilities, as well as the multitude of gifts that characterize its male members. As a female oni, your only talent is to stay alive long enough to give birth to the next generation of our people. I can understand that you would like to possess greater physical strength so that you can select the man who will make you a mother, but if nature agreed with you, then female oni would be able to match our level."

"Stop calling me 'female oni'!" Chizuru growled. "Nature has nothing to do with this, so don't use it as an excuse to justify your abusive behavior!"

"Abusive?" Kazama raised his eyebrows, stopping in front of her with the same condescending smile he would give to a five-year-old child trying to convince him that the sky was lime green instead of light blue. "And what exactly am I abusing, to be precise?"

"The power that was granted to you! You are a 'Lord' of the oni, aren't you? Then you are not only abusing your physical strength, but also the title that you should honor! Am I not also an oni?! Because if I am, then that means I am part of your people, and therefore you're just as bound to protect me as I am bound to serve you!" Chizuru clenched her fists until they shook as much as the pitch of her voice at the end of the sentence, and Amagiri's eyes softened imperceptibly at the depth of her statement.

Kazama, however, burst into a maniacal laugh that took him almost twenty seconds to recover from. "Your idealism moves me, Yukimura Chizuru. Don't we agree that becoming my wife would grant you unparalleled levels of protection? By my side, no one would dare lay a finger on you."

"You would lay yours on me, and that would be enough to make me feel like the most unprotected woman in the whole world!"

Kazama clenched his teeth and stifled a hiss, as offended as he was disgusted by her rebuff. "Playing hard to get won't change your fate. Your feelings are subjective and don't obey the indisputable logic that built our society, but rather the emotional whims of an ignorant little girl who knows nothing about her own kind thanks to the terrible upbringing she received from her father. Kodo should have taught you better."

"Don't you dare disrespect my father!" Chizuru's eyes flashed, and Amagiri frowned when he felt the girl's weight increase as much as her body temperature. There was no longer any doubt that she was the heiress that he and his master had been searching for for so long.

Kazama held Chizuru's chin with just two fingers, but the colossal force he applied to its surface caused his victim to scream as if he had thrown an anvil on her toes. "I will belittle him because that is what he deserves for not preparing my beloved wife for my magnificent arrival. We are pure-blooded oni, Yukimura Chizuru; we are not like him, and he should have honorably fulfilled the mission he begged on his knees to undertake. Kodo knew I would return, but he abandoned you to your fate to go play war with the humans. And for that..." his eyebrows furrowed terribly, "...I will never forgive him."

"That's a l, lie!" Chizuru cried. "Dad didn't know...! M, my father... would never betray me like that!"

Kazama bared his teeth in a sadistic smile, and Amagiri was about to demand that he stop mistreating her (both emotionally and physically) when Saito and Hijikata burst into the room with a thunderous roar:

"Shinsengumi!" Hijikata bellowed as he thrust his sword between the kidnappers and himself. "Put her down or we'll slice you up like fish!"

"Fish?" Kazama sneered with his eyes closed. "Is that the best you can come up with, Shogunate dog?"

"Hijikata-san, Saito-san!" Chizuru exclaimed, her eyes shining with both joy and fear.

"I don't give a damn if my threat doesn't entertain you!" Hijikata raised his katana above his head, his eyes burning with determination. "I was ordered to protect Yukimura and I'll cut you open like whatever fucking animal you choose if you dare touch a single hair on her head!"

"Just one?" A cynical laugh escaped Kazama's chest as he raised his right hand to caress the cascade of turbulent water that fell from the crimson ribbon that tied Chizuru's hair into a ponytail. "I'm going to touch more than that."

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Saito shouted in a way that surprised even Hijikata himself, lunging at the bastard who dared to disrespect his student in his presence. His katana sliced through the air in an endless series of high-pitched whistles that reached the ears seconds before the blue spark of steel impressed the eye, becoming a sharp whirlwind of death in which any human being would have lost their life.

Unfortunately, Kazama was not a human being.

A single twist of Kazama's left wrist was enough to deliver a deadly blow to Saito's skull, and it would have easily hit its target had it not been for the teenage girl (just as blonde as Kazama) who materialized out of nowhere between the two of them, interposing her mirrored fan between the oni and the captain of the 3rd Division to ensure that he would continue to lead the ranks of the Shinsengumi.

"Another one?" Kazama asked Amagiri without taking his disgusted gaze off the unfamiliar face of the newcomer.

"Apparently so, Lord Kazama." Amagiri frowned as he looked at her with a mixture of unease and interest.

"Bah! It doesn't matter!" Kazama drew his sword and his lips curled into a gesture of pure malice. "She's just a female! If I could get rid of the other one, then I can get rid of her too!" He prepared to attack, but to his great shock, Amagiri gently set Chizuru down on the ground to allow her to rejoin her comrades (which the hostage did without a second thought, immediately taking refuge behind a very relieved Saito). Kazama's eyes widened at his subordinate's actions and he turned in his direction, his jaw trembling with rage. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO, AMAGIRI?!"

"It had to be done." Amagiri clenched his fists behind his waist. "This is getting out of hand, Lord Kazama."

"According to whom?!" Kazama let out a guttural laugh. "I don't care if she's hiding behind that bunch of weaklings! I'll slit their throats and bring her back without your help!"

"It's not wise." Amagiri shook his head and narrowed his eyes at Kohana as he explained: "We need to consult with the elders of the Kazama clan to find out why there are two members of the mountain tengu clan supporting the Shogunate."

"Tengu clan?" Hijikata whispered almost to himself, glancing sideways at Kohana while keeping his guard up. "Damn it! I'm going to kill Kat-chan for not letting me know about this! 'Desperate measures', my ass!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Hijikata-san," Kohana interjected in an equally low voice, exchanging a guilty glance with Chizuru, suspecting that her friend would reproach her for never sharing the secret of her supernatural abilities. Apparently, they had more in common than a love of gardening and dysfunctional parental relationships.

"Don't exaggerate, Amagiri!" Kazama continued arguing with his servant. "They're probably doing the same thing we're doing with the patriots!"

"Assumptions pave the way to ruin, Lord Kazama." He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head as he concluded: "We must heed the wise counsel of the elders before proceeding. The last thing we want is for the fires of human war to spread to the realm of the yokai."

Kazama kicked a nearby tea table in response, turning it into a lethal projectile that smashed through the two sturdy walls separating their room from the eastern part of Ikedaya. The only thing that prevented Hijikata from being decapitated by it was Kohana's sudden tug on his ponytail, saving him from danger but not from the embarrassment that overwhelmed him when he realized that he owed his life to the rebellious brat that Kondou had decided to use as a secret weapon without even warning him about it.

"THIS IS AN UNFORGIVABLE AFFRONT, A DISGRACE!" Kazama shouted, his eyes wild as he looked from the peaceful face of his servant to the terrified ones of his enemies. "Don't think you've won the war, you useless worms who will live on borrowed time thanks to the archaic traditions of my people!" He pointed at Chizuru, even though he could see nothing but her trembling hands clinging to Saito's forearms, as Saito still stood (sword in hand) between his future wife and him. "Consider this a gift that proves the greatness of my infinite mercy toward you, female oni! You may say goodbye to these human pets you have grown so fond of while I consult with the elders, but afterwards... I will return and annihilate every pathetic little animal that dares to defy my will!" He clicked his tongue and held the torn sleeve of his kimono before fixing his disgusted gaze on the unconscious body of Heisuke (who still lay face down in the same pool of blood where he had fainted). "Starting with the damned midget who dared to desecrate my garment!"

Summer, July 9, 1864. Half past eight in the morning.

"Oh, great," Heisuke exclaimed sarcastically after hearing the story. "Another death threat. I'll add it to the list of things I don't give a crap about."

"Don't take it so lightly, Heisuke-kun," Chizuru warned. "I'm terrified that he'll kill you all when he comes back."

"Kohana-chan is imprisoned here, isn't she? The rich kid and his nanny cowered when she arrived, so it's just a matter of asking her to become your bodyguard. The two of you hit it off, so I doubt she'll refuse to protect you from him." He fixed his gaze on the tea that Chie had boiled and served while they caught up on the latest developments. "Speaking of duos, didn't those guys say they ran into 'two members of the tengu clan' in Ikedaya? Maybe Kohana-chan knows the identity of the other guy."

"I doubt it." Chie handed him his cup of tea, which Heisuke took more carefully than usual to lessen the clumsiness caused by his contusion. "I talked to my sister when I got to the headquarters, and she assured me that she doesn’t know much more than we do about that mysterious tengu business. The poor thing is just as confused as you and I..."

"Is Kohana-chan okay? Super strength or not, I hope they didn't lock her up in the dungeon where we throw the Shinsengumi's enemies. That place is a pigsty."

"She's physically fine, though not so much emotionally. Kondou-san let her stay in the same room she shared with Chizuru-chan during her previous stay with the Shinsengumi."

"Really? Even after she kicked poor Souji's butt?"

"She's extremely sorry about it. Apparently, it was nothing more than a sad misunderstanding." Chie sighed as she gazed at her reflection in the darkened interior of her own teacup. "You're not the only one who thought Kohana-chan could defend Chizuru-chan from that guy; my sister practically begged him to let her do it to apologize for the harm she caused Okita-san." Her anguished gaze fell on the aforementioned, who was complaining in his sleep while Chizuru lifted his head to help him drink even a little tea.

"I hope Kohana-chan is up to the challenge." Heisuke pouted. "I'm not saying she's not a strong girl; she showed a lot of strength of character during the months she stayed with us, and she has to be damn skilled to put Souji in that state, it's just... what was the word?" He sighed after failing to find it. "Sorry, I'm tired, I don't know what the hell I was gonna say."

"Don't worry, Toudou-san." Chie replied with a sigh similar to his. "I imagine that pesky woman Ba-san will be here soon to complain that my sister isn't making money for her at the Okiya."

"Yes." Heisuke nodded, suddenly serious. "The leaders of the Satcho clans will also be arriving at headquarters soon." Chie and he exchanged worried glances, aware of the concerns about the impending civil war they had shared during the night of the parade. It was then that, after recalling Chie's anxious face on the rooftop (as freckled as the sky full of twinkling stars that framed it), his eyes widened in panic as a new (and powerful) headache struck him. "N, NO WAY!" he shouted without any regard for Okita's restless sleep, checking his pockets while gasping from the pain caused by each desperate movement. "THE COMB! W, where's the damn comb?! Damn it! D, don't tell me... that I lost it during the brawl!"

"Oh..." Chie pressed her lips together, trying not to show how disappointed she was by the news, but the way her eyebrows met in the middle of her forehead betrayed the pain caused by Heisuke's carelessness. "Don't worry. It wasn't your fault."

"What are you talking about?!" He turned his head so quickly in her direction that he had to hold the back of his neck with his right hand to avoid screaming in agony. "Of course it was! I'm... a damn fool! It was your mother's comb, Chie-chan! God, I should have taken better care of it!"

"It was my fault." She tensed her peri-orbital muscles to hold back the tears threatening to escape from the trembling surface of her eyes. "You warned me that it would be almost impossible to avoid losing it during the raid, but I insisted that you take it with you, Izanami-sama knows why." She shook her head and tapped her forehead lightly with the base of the palm of her hand. "If I lost my mother's comb, it's because of my irrational whims, not yours, Toudou-san."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself." Heisuke took a deep breath, resting his clenched fists on his knees, his frown lost somewhere in the distant corner of the room, which (despite it being mid-morning) was still shrouded in darkness thanks to the curtains covering the windows to prolong the convalescents' rest. "I'll ask the guys to help me look for it. Maybe one of them found it during or after the commotion. Sannan-san is in charge of the Shinsengumi's inventory and is extremely strict when it comes to returning items lost during our operations to their respective owners. Sannan-san can be very kind, but I assure you that he'll become the nightmare of any poor wretch who dares to pocket even a single chopstick that doesn't belong to them."

"I don't think Sannan-san will want to help me after what happened the last time we saw each other," Chie muttered practically to herself.

"What?" Heisuke blinked, making eye contact with her because of the perplexity that twisted his lips into a smile of utter disbelief. "Are you talking about that stupid game your sister organized at her graduation? Come on, you can't have fallen for that nonsense about Sannan-san being destined to marry you!"

"Eeeeh?!" Chie blushed as she remembered the spinning top whose tassel pointed at Sannan's indifferent yet hostile face as it stopped in front of him. "N, no! How could you think that I would be affected by such nonsense?! I'm talking about something else, s, something that happened before, not that!"

Heisuke yawned and flopped onto the bed, rolling his eyes. "Oh, Sannan-san is so sophisticated, pleasant, and strong!" he mimicked her in a sharp, sour tone. "If he's so sophisticated, pleasant, and strong, then go ask him to give you back your filthy comb and let me sleep! You women are impossible."

"God!" Chie jumped up, her face twice as red from frustration added to the embarrassment she felt after remembering both Sannan's rejection of her request to become Kohana's kenban and his awkward reaction to the decision of that damn spinning top. "You are the one who's impossible! I meant something else, S-O-M-E-T-H-I-N-G E-L-S-E! Idiot! Stupid! That bully obviously didn't hit you hard enough; otherwise, he would've knocked the stupidity out of you with one punch!" She spun so quickly on her heels that she slipped on one of her sandals and nearly fell headfirst to the floor, but she grabbed the doorframe to keep her balance, leaving in a cloud of curses she didn't dare utter aloud.

"Wait, Chie-chan!" Chizuru followed her outside, struggling with the curtain hanging from the front door as she tried to catch up with her. "H, hey! You shouldn't take the nonsense Heisuke-kun says so seriously!"

"Who says I'm taking it seriously?!" Chie turned to face her, her cheeks flushed with anger. "If I did, I'd stay and explain to him that nothing he says makes sense, but I have better things to do than waste my time with an ungrateful dude who accuses me of being 'impossible' after I spent the whole night awake taking care of him!"

"It's normal for Heisuke-kun to say nonsensical things and even be rude to you, Chie-chan!" Chizuru explained as she clasped her hands together in a conciliatory gesture. "Remember that he's suffering from a contusion, which is essentially a brain injury."

"Right." Chie pouted. "So what does that mean? Is he dumber than usual or something?"

Chizuru gave a nervous smile. She always forgot that her medical knowledge was a privilege and not the norm. "Well, sort of. You see, a contusion can cause irritability, frustration, unpredictable mood swings, and difficulties interacting with others. It's normal for him to seem unempathetic or have difficulty understanding your emotions while he's recovering from the fracture."

"Hmm." Chie crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto her heels, struggling to hide the guilt that forced her to look away. "I had no idea about any of that, Chizuru-chan. You and Mantaro-san could be good friends."

"Oh." She blinked. "Are you talking about the doctor who treated Sannan-san's arm tendons?"

Chie rolled her eyes. Why did everyone keep bringing him up?! "Yeah, the same one."

"Oh, I see. That's not a bad idea. Maybe we could exchange family recipes for herbal medicine." Chizuru clasped her hands in front of her lap and gave her a sympathetic smile as she continued: "Getting back to Heisuke-kun... The contusion may cause him to feel extremely depressed, bored, or anxious for no apparent reason, so I think he would benefit from you visiting him at the headquarters during his convalescence. The more he distracts himself, the better."

"No way." She pouted without uncrossing her arms. "You heard him in there, he sent me to look for my 'filthy' comb by myself (which is a gift from my dead mother that he just lost in a stupid street fight) while he went to bed. I'm not going to follow him around like a lapdog so he can kick me away whenever he feels like it."

Chizuru sighed as she recognized the same proud stubbornness that characterized Kohana in her older sister's irate expression. "You've known Heisuke-kun much longer than I have, so you must be even more certain that such an outburst of cruelty is not typical of him."

"I'm angry precisely because I know him." She massaged her temple with her fingertips. "This isn't the first time he's teased me for believing that I'm in lov... interested in Sannan-san."

"Yeah, but he probably didn't do it at such a delicate moment as this one, right?"

"N, no. It was just his usual heavy-handed pranks."

"That's what I mean, the contusion is causing him to be so sullen. It's not personal. I'm sure he'll behave better when you come to visit him in two or three days. His bad mood will pass soon, but melancholy and anxiety will cloud his days for an indeterminate amount of time, so it would be good for him to count with a friend like you."

"All right." Chie shook her head as she glanced quickly around the headquarters. "I just hope Hijikata-san doesn't kick me out for meddling where I don't belong. He made it very clear that he doesn't want me snooping around here."

"You can always say you're here to make sure Kohana-chan is safe."

"Yeah, after what happened last time, they can't accuse me of worrying in vain." Chie bowed wearily. "Take care of that idiot Toudou-san while I'm gone, Chizuru-chan. His brain is so small that I'm afraid the tenth of an inch separating the two ends of the fracture is big enough for it to roll off to the floor."

Chizuru stifled a laugh that made her shoulders shake, covering her mouth with her fingertips in a gesture so feminine that it threatened to undermine the masculine façade she was still struggling to maintain. As soon as she noticed her carelessness, she quickly cleared her throat and placed her hands on her own hips to emphasize the confidence (Or was it dominance? Damn it! She never remembered Kohana-chan's advice!) of her manly silhouette. "And... tell me, Chie-chan!" she asked in a voice that didn't sound as serious as she intended. "Have you had any news about my father?"

"Oh." She blinked, as confused by her companion's sudden change in attitude as by the question. However, her perplexity vanished as soon as she understood that Chizuru was referring to the Yukimura Kodo pamphlets they had decided to distribute among the Choshu clan members who visited the restaurant to increase the chances of finding his whereabouts. Chie's eyebrows furrowed in a sympathetic expression as she shook her head. "No one seems to have paid any attention to them."

"No one...?" Chizuru paled and her hands slid gently from her waist until they hung limply by her thighs like the inert appendages of a puppet whose strings had been cut. "Are you sure? But we distributed so many, and in so many different places too! Someone... someone must've seen him! It's impossible that no one in Kyoto knows where he is!" She stifled a sob as she exclaimed: "I was so sure this would work, Chie-chan! So sure!" She covered her face with her hands. "I need to see my father, I need to ask him if what that pig Kazama said about me is true! I want to know if Dad... knew he would come back for me all these years!"

"Calm down, Chizuru-chan." Chie put her right arm around her shoulders, trying hard to meet the gaze of the young girl who reminded her so much of her own younger sister and who, just like her, shouldn't be dealing with the terrible difficulties that fate (as heartless as it was inflexible) had in store for her. "We'll figure something out, but it may take a while. Just... don't lose hope, okay?"

"How could I not?" She tried to take a deep breath but failed to do so, clinging to the dark tapes covering the neck of Chie's kimono to prevent it from getting dirty during her daily chores. "Kohana-chan said she hadn't heard anything about him in Shimabara either, and I... I'm starting to wonder if Dad abandoned me in Edo so he wouldn't have to face me when Kazama reappeared to claim what is his."

"You don't belong to anyone, do you hear me?" Chie frowned and lifted her chin with her free hand. "Kohana-chan and I didn't have the chance to be your friends in Edo, but rest assured that we will be in Kyoto. You can count on us and also on the Shinsengumi. Their members are a little insensitive at times," she muttered through her teeth, indirectly referring to Tani and Heisuke, "but their hearts are in the right place."

"I don't want any of you to die because of me."

Chie sighed as she pulled a handkerchief from inside her obi and handed it to her to dry the tears that were dampening her cheeks. "I know. I hope the same thing, but it's useless to worry about something that hasn't happened yet." She smiled weakly and patted her on the back, adding: "Who knows? Maybe your father walked away from you so he could come up with a plan to save you from the advances of that pedantic jerk who thinks kidnapping you is an acceptable form of courtship."

"Do you think so?" Chizuru's crimson eyes lit up like a pair of bonfires at the Obon festival.

"Yes, and I'll visit every temple in the city to make it happen."

Chapter Text

Summer, August 22, 1864. Eleven o'clock in the morning.

Although Chie promised Chizuru that she would visit Heisuke in two or three days, the Shinsengumi leaders authorized her to meet with her sister Kohana, but not with Heisuke or Okita due to the strict security measures put in place at the headquarters after the Ikedaya raid and the subsequent Hamaguri Imperial Gate incident that took place on (still recent) August 20.

The members of the Choshu clan unleashed their plan to set fire to dozens of blocks of mansions adjacent to the palace (emboldened by the Shinsengumi's inability to arrest the leaders of the movement in Ikedaya), determined to kidnap the Emperor and take him to their fiefdom amid widespread panic. Unfortunately for them, the rebellion was crushed under the bloody yoke of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which punished the Choshu clan with the scourge of troops coming from the domains of Aizu and Satsuma (the latter led by the famous general Saigo Takamori), who completely secured the integrity of the imperial palace and its inhabitants.

However, their strenuous defense was not enough to prevent a vital part of the imperial residences from being engulfed in flames. The mansion of the wealthy Takatsukasa family (which was one of the tallest and strongest buildings in the area) burned with the same ease and speed as the surrounding buildings, leaving as a reminder of its former magnificence a weak, twisted skeleton that mimicked the color of the ohaguro iron paste with which courtesans painted their teeth.

Dozens of members of the court (including Nakayama Tadayasu, the Emperor's special advisor on national affairs) were expelled from it due to their participation in events that shook the Shogunate's authority by exposing how deeply the ideals of imperial patriotism had taken root in the heart of the Japanese capital. The capture, identification, and ultimate execution of the agitators kept the Shinsengumi (and the rest of the Bakufu troops) busy in the vicinity of Hamaguri Gate, so Chie decided to take advantage of the decreased vigilance at the headquarters to ensure that Heisuke and Okita continued to recover from the injuries they had sustained at Ikedaya.

After saying goodbye to Kohana (who was becoming increasingly taciturn due to her prolonged stay at the military base she had learned to hate, but still adamant in her intentions to protect Chizuru from her heartless pursuer. Fortunately, the aforementioned had not received another "visit" from Kazama, probably because the oni prince owed a couple of explanations to the clan that had just been humiliated due to their secret yokai weapon deciding to turn his back on them and leave to consult the elders of his village about a supernatural matter as foreign to their cause as it was to their interest), Chie walked stealthily through the lonely corridors that made her skin crawl due to the strange absence of the crowd of rude and noisy soldiers who roamed them daily.

There was something dangerous in the air that made sliding her sandals across the polished boards of the engawa that reflected the summer sun feel as risky as doing so before the den of a bear as furious as it was hungry, but Chie tried to ignore it, telling herself that the anxious knot in her stomach was due to the bad news she had just heard from her sister and not the presence of a predator ready to lunge at her jugular vein.

Okita was sick. Terribly sick.

The youth-stealer. The white plague. Tuberculosis. The taboo name (which neither Chie nor her contemporaries dared to mention often to avoid attracting its devastating wrath) of the grim reaper who managed to break the 1st Division captain's arm-wrestling record of winning against all the executioners who had tried to sever his life in the past.

Kohana confessed to her that learning that Okita had collapsed in Ikedaya due to the illness that afflicted him (and not the duel of wills in which they were locked) reduced the guilt that had gnawed at her insides for a whole month, but that it had only left her body to be replaced by remorse for beating up the dying man who had prevented a group of perverts from taking advantage of her. Chie understood her pain completely, especially since she had also been the recipient of a couple of unexpected acts where Okita's atypical kindness had come to the fore. Memories of the rainy afternoon when he had encouraged her to run away from home for the first time gradually took over her mind as she descended the small staircase that separated the wooden hallway from the inner courtyard:

«"Will you stay there all afternoon, Chie-chan?" Okita looked at Chie, who cursed under her breath at the water that splashed out of the pot and burned her ankle.

"I don't intend to, Dad and Tani are blocking the front door and I couldn't leave without being asked a thousand questions as usual."

"Hmm..." His eyes wandered around the building's interior. "Isn't there another way out?"

"Just that window." She pointed to a precarious three-foot-square opening, from which a paper curtain hung. "But there's a garbage landfill outside."

"Is that much worse than facing Tani?" Okita cracked a mischievous grin that spread to the waitress' face. Chie had just made the classy choice to go through the junk outside their back window.

"Don't think about leaving me here!" Ume clutched her sleeve. "I don't want to have to explain another one of your absences to your father!"

"B, but he'll notice we left together! Come on! You'll think of something to get him off your back!"

"Don't be unfair! Why do I always have to take the rap with Izanagi-san?!"

"Why don't the three of us just leave?" proposed Okita, smacking their shoulders before sliding out of the window with feline agility. "I'd rather walk on excrement than patrol with that stuck-up Tani Sanjuro."

Ume stared at him with shining eyes and her friend had to pull her by the apron to bring her back to her senses. They both hurried out of the narrow window, complaining about the terrible smell coming from the large amount of garbage at their feet.

It was the first time Chie had ever run away from home like that. Her mother would have been proud."»

And soon Okita-san would be just as dead as she was.

Chie stopped in the middle of the garden when the undeniable certainty of his death stabbed her heart like a dagger. She stood motionless among the bushes full of ajisai hydrangeas for an indeterminate amount of time, only coming to her senses when Heisuke's concerned voice reached her ears:

"Oh! Can I help you, miss?" he asked behind her, moving forward to greet her with a friendly bow that confused Chie, both because of the bandage that still covered half his head as well as the fact that he didn't seem to recognize her. "Are you here to visit the Yagis? They're preparing lunch, follow me and I'll escort you to the house!"

"Heisuk... Toudou-san," she murmured without moving from the spot when Heisuke took her hand to try to lead her away with him. "It's me... Furukawa Chie?"

"Furukawa what...?" He let go of her hand to scratch the back of his neck with a nervous smile. "Excuse me, do we know each other from somewhere?"

"Of course we do!" She took a step back, frowning. "We've known each other for over a year! Since... the fire at Mao's restaurant."

"Oh, damn it!" He clicked his tongue and shook his head, pointing to his forehead. "I'm sorry, Miss Furukawa, I guess you're one of the many people I forgot after that enemy of the Shogunate seriously wounded me."

"W, what are you saying?" She turned pale and clasped her hands to stop them from shaking. "Do you have... amnesia?!"

"It seems so." He sighed as he put his hands on his hips, closing his eyes without managing to stifle a laugh as he repeated an altered version of the phrase Chie had used to bid him farewell after their last encounter: "It’s a shame that that bully hit me hard enough to not only knock the stupidity out of me, but my memory as well."

"Oh!" Chie blushed with both shame and anger and gave him a push on the shoulder that only made her companion burst into laughter. "You idiot! You and your pranks! I thought... you really had lost your memory!"

"I know it, hahaha!" He clutched his stomach and his eyes became watery from the spasms shaking his body. "You're incredibly naive! I was counting the days until I could get my revenge on you! I've been holding back laughter ever since you almost called me 'Heisuke' out of shock, haha!"

"I, it wasn't because I was shocked! It's just out of habit, that's all! You know I'd still call you by your first name if you weren't a serial liar!" Chie pouted and crossed her arms fitfully over her chest, struggling to hide the relief that spread through her veins as would the warmth of immersing herself in a medicinal hot spring. She wished the gods would punish him for taking advantage of her concern, but at the same time she silently thanked them for preventing the consequences of his actions in Ikedaya from being as dire as those faced by poor Okita-san.

"Bah, don't start that again!" he said with a smile that he matched with a hug as firm as it was brief (which confused its recipient to the point of making her stagger in place when Heisuke quickly pulled away from her). "Just because I put this rag on my head again to add credibility to the ruse doesn't mean I'm a liar, but rather an actor committed to his role!"

"So even the bandage is fake?" Chie rolled her eyes and rubbed her cheeks with her fingertips, turning her face away to hide the blush that spread across her skin after the fleeting hug, which resembled more the way Heisuke hugged his teammates than how Chie imagined he would hug a woman. "You're horrible, you shouldn't play around with things like that. Chizuru-chan said the contusion would take a long time to heal."

"I just can't make any sudden movements." He removed the bandage and began to skillfully wrap it around his right hand, throwing a couple of punches in the air. "The wound stopped oozing pus about a week ago."

"Ugh, stop it, that's disgusting!" Chie stuck out her tongue, and the gesture made Heisuke burst out laughing again, so she added: "Wow, I didn't expect to find you in such a good mood. The last time we saw each other, you were grumpier than my father."

"Oh, well, it's just that yesterday I received some amazing news from my first kendo teacher in Edo."

"Really? Is he the one you said taught you how to speak properly about all those political issues you like to discuss?"

"Exactly!" Heisuke nodded with a proud smile. "Itou Kashitarou, one of the most intelligent visionaries I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Apparently, he's thinking of joining the ranks of the Shinsengumi so he can lead some kind of coalition between the defenders of the Shogunate in the area and us. Kondou-san likes the idea of enrolling more Edo natives in the Shinsengumi as much as I do, so he's just as excited about the possibility of expanding our numbers with the assistance of good country men rather than relying on Kyoto's greedy mercenaries, for a change."

Chie pouted and crossed her arms, visibly unsure. "Didn't you say that the Shogunate was falling apart and that the whole caste system was outdated nonsense? What happened to your so-called friend 'Sakamoto'? Wasn't he also a 'goddamn sharp' man who helped you understand the views of the Sonno joi movement?"

"Shhhh!" He covered her mouth abruptly, looking around in a paranoid manner as he whispered: "Don't talk about those things here! Just because there are few soldiers present doesn't mean the headquarters are completely empty!"

Chie stumbled backward, pushing him away with as much discomfort as annoyance. Why couldn't he stop touching her all the time?! "Okay, okay!" she replied in the same low tone. "It's just that you seem to be in a...!" She pressed her lips together to stop herself from continuing the sentence.

"In a what...?"

"In a toxic relationship with the Shogunate!"

"Pfft! Are you serious?" He laughed ironically. "There's nothing toxic about being open-minded, Chie-chan."

"There is when you're so open-minded that your brain spills out every time you nod like a mindless fool to every damn thing your boss orders you to do."

"You don't get it at all." He put his hands on his hips and shook his head without looking at her. "My teacher used to be an imperialist too, you know? But in his most recent letter, he said that his philosophy was born out of the impetuosity of youth, and that maturity helped him understand that obeying the authority of the Shogunate was the most sensible option to prevent the barbarians from taking over our country."

"And Sakamoto-san thinks the same?" she asked quietly, her eyes narrowed, convinced that the aforementioned would disagree.

"H, he has nothing to do with this! You... simply have no idea how smart Itou-sensei is!" He clenched his fists as he fixed his green eyes (whose pupils remained shadowed by the weight of his dark eyebrows furrowed over his eyelids) on her. "If Itou-sensei says it's wise to support the Shogunate, then it is! He's not the kind of person who makes decisions lightly. If he changed sides, it's precisely because he must've thought it through to the point of giving up eating and sleeping to devote himself to reflecting on the matter for months on end!"

"Fine, do as you wish." She shrugged and closed her eyes, resigning herself to the fact that Heisuke seemed to adore the man and that she would not be able to make logic prevail over his high opinion of his teacher. It was clear that it wasn't in her best interest to continue discussing politics with him, so she made a titanic effort to change the subject by asking: "Speaking of eating and sleeping... are you taking good care of Okita-san?"

"Okita?" He quirked his lips and nodded, too annoyed with both Chie (for exposing the fickleness of his ideals) and himself (for being unable to trust his own opinion over that of his teacher) to continue the conversation that was beginning to make him feel emotionally exhausted. The turn the exchange took was abrupt, but still welcome. "Huh, well... we do what we can for him. You know how he is; we can't say 'Take a break, Souji' without him trying to stab us with his sword."

"Hmm." Chie nodded reluctantly. "Maybe I should talk to him. It's not the same for other men to feel sorry for him as it is for a female friend to do so."

"Don't even think about it." He sighed and shook his head again. "He's been in a foul mood ever since everyone left to defend the Hamaguri Gate without him."

"Oh, that's right. I bet they didn't take him because of his illness, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Does it bother you that they left you behind too?"

"Huh? Why do you think it does?"

"I don't know..." She shrugged. "Sannan-san and Okita-san seem to be having a hard time dealing with the setbacks that prevent them from performing as warriors, but you don't seem as upset as they are."

"Bah." He clicked his tongue and forced a half-hearted smile as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm used to being a failure."

"Hey!" Chie's eyes widened, stunned by the statement. "Don't be silly! Don't you think you're being too hard on yourself?"

"Of course I am." He turned at a ninety-degree angle to gaze at the morning sun, which colored his tousled brown bangs with a range of shades that went from copper to gold as the breeze ruffled the strands covering the scar that stretched across his forehead. "I'm no good at fighting, but I'm no good at living in peace either. My only purpose is to be a reminder of a mistake." He quirked his lips into a bitter smile as he looked back at her. "But that’s the life of a bastard, isn’t it?"

Chie sighed and slumped her shoulders as she remembered Chizuru's warnings about the episodes of depression that could assail Heisuke after his injury. She closed the distance between the two of them with a hesitant step, struggling to find the words to cheer him up, when she realized that the last part of his speech revealed a mystery she had been trying to unravel for months. "Hey, wait, Toudou-san." She crossed her arms and tilted her head as she asked: "Did you say 'bastard'? So is what Ba-san said about you true?"

"Huh? Who the hell is Ba-san?"

"The tayu!" She clenched her fists in front of her face and pursed her lips in pure annoyance. "The tayu who said you had noble blood! Agh, why can't you ever remember her name?!" She placed her clenched fists on her hips before pointing her index finger accusingly at him. "The last time I questioned you about it, you tried to convince me that you weren't related to the aristocrats of the Toudou clan, but at this point I'd have to be the dumbest woman in Japan to believe you!"

Heisuke sighed before rolling his eyes and nodding with a resigned chuckle. "Okay, okay, I really didn't remember her damn name. It's just that... bah, I don't even know why I'm talking about this. It must be the contusion's fault."

Chie pouted. "Don't you think that my insistence on knowing more about your family is due to a gossipy or nosy disposition." She sighed, her voice barely audible above the song of the cicadas that had just begun their daily summer chorus. "It's just that it seems to be something that disturbs you so much as to have kept it from me even though you were on the verge of death, and... I don't think it's healthy to be so ashamed of your origins that you'd take the secret to the funeral pyre with you."

"It's not as if nobody knew it." He shrugged. "The guys know about my relationship with my father, it's just that..."

"What? Don't you think I'm just as understanding as they are?"

"Hmm." Heisuke quirked his lips. "Let's just say you're not exactly the number one fan of the nobility."

"I don't think your teammates are either, are they?" She moved her index finger lazily in circles next to her face. "It's hard to have a high opinion of a man who turns his back on his son just because he fathered him with a woman whom society doesn't consider 'good' enough to be his formal wife." She shrugged as she asked: "Has it been a long time since you've seen your father, Toudou-san?"

"Quite a lot." He nodded. "Although not as much as etiquette would suggest. My father... has a more modern mindset than is appropriate for someone of his position. His name is Toudou Takayuki, and he's the clan's daimyo, named 'Izuminokami' by the Shogun himself. My mother was nothing more than a simple florist from Edo, so any offspring resulting from their relationship was just as doomed as her feelings for him." He shrugged after a pause in which he inhaled the warm air that still reeked of smoke due to the recent Choshu fire. "They kept in touch by letter until Mom died, but I have no idea if they remained close or not. She... lacked the expressiveness that characterizes the Toudou, so it was impossible to decipher her emotions regarding the matter." He sighed. "After her death, my father arranged for me to move to the monk Monzeki's temple to train according to family tradition. He still writes from time to time and never forgets to send me a monthly allowance so I don't have to rely entirely on my Shinsengumi salary, so I guess it could be worse."

"I'm so sorry to hear that your mother passed away as well."

"Don't worry, it happened too long ago to still affect me."

"I see." Chie raised her eyebrows as she looked at the hands she held in front of her obi. "Daimyo... wow. He must live in a castle or something equally fancy, right?"

"Yeah." He sat down on the edge of the fountain that decorated the center of the Yagi garden. "It's a damn beach house."

Chie laughed enthusiastically when she heard this, sitting down next to him to exclaim: "Oh! I think I know which one you mean! It's the Tsu castle, right? The one built on that cliff overlooking the sea?" Heisuke nodded without saying a word, so Chie continued: "May the Oni take me away! Your father lives in a real feudal palace! And you're the heir to all that?"

Heisuke clicked his tongue. "Biologically, yes; legally, no."

"Bah! What an injustice!" Chie rested her face in her hands. "Although, on the other hand, maybe it's for the best; if you were destined to inherit that fortune my greedy father would never stop until he forced me to marry you."

"Hey." He pouted. "Don't make it sound like such a tragedy."

"It would be for me." She stuck her tongue out playfully. "I wasn't raised to live in a castle. I bet I'd constantly put my foot in my mouth and your noble relatives would constantly make fun of me."

"Ha." He smiled genuinely as he muttered: "Yeah, me too. I have nothing in common with my father and brother, so I guess it's better if we interact as little as possible."

"Brother...? Do you have a younger brother?"

"Yes. Takakiyo-san, a boy as sensitive as he's talented." He quirked his lips into a bitter smile as he rested his elbows on his knees and interlaced his fingers in a thoughtful manner, closing his eyes momentarily to enjoy the rhythmic song of the cicadas. "You know, when that idiot Amagiri knocked the lights out of me with one blow, I remember wondering if my father would be saddened by my death, but it's clear that it would only take off a hundred and fifty-five pounds of dead weight off his back. The Toudou clan already has its heir, and my departure would prevent my father from spending part of his valuable inheritance on the stupid monthly payments he insists on sending me to make himself feel better."

"You can't believe he had a legitimate son just to replace you." Chie raised an eyebrow. "Feelings don't work that way."

"Of course they do." He rolled his eyes. "Especially when it comes to the nobility." He shrugged. "But I won't waste any energy trying to convince you of this, you'll realize what I mean for yourself once I die in battle."

"What are you talking about?" She straightened up, confused. "How ridiculous. Only you would predict your own death after surviving an oni attack."

"Those who kill by the sword die by the sword." He shrugged again. "What would be ridiculous is to believe that my days aren't numbered. Anyway, I don't care, it's not like I imagine myself growing old with anyone."

Chie felt nauseous at the mere thought of Heisuke dying in his youth (as did most ronin of his class in the turbulent era they had to face), but she quickly frowned and clenched her fists with determination, aware of the warning she had received from Chizuru about the depressive episodes he might sink into after his injury. "Wow," she blurted out, trying to sound casual but unable to hide a slight tremor in her voice, "I wasn’t aware that contusions made you suicidal."

"Ha, don’t be silly." He gave a smile that didn’t reach his green eyes. "It has nothing to do with the contusion, it’s a warrior thing, but I don’t expect a girl like you to get it."

"I don't get it precisely because being a girl makes me immune to the Shogunate's mass brainwashing." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms capriciously over her chest, staring at him with arched eyebrows. "Living with the belief that you'll die tomorrow prevents you from making long-term plans, which benefits those who seek to use you as a disposable pawn for their own gain. Therefore, I consider myself more clever than all of you for not 'getting' the usefulness of sacrificing yourself for political ideals that may vary depending on which side of your futon you choose to get out of each morning."

"Damn, you're starting to sound like Hajime-kun." He chuckled softly as he rested his palms on the fountain and focused his gaze on the treetops, where sunlight filtered through the dark foliage in blinding patches that reminded him of the shimmering patterns on the surface of the Tsurumi River when he used to watch them from the bottom while taking summer dips after training with the monk Monzeki. "Although he uses the same argument of 'believing in the things that never change' to defend the Shogunate, so don't even think about hitting him with one of your pro-Satcho speeches."

"I'm not on the imperialists' side either." She pouted. "If we keep this up, all the stupid warriors will cut themselves to pieces and there will be no one left to defend us from the barbarians." She paused, focusing on her sandals, which swayed gently as she moved her feet back and forth, eager to change the subject to cheer up her companion. "Hey, which side of the conflict is your father on?"

"Him? Hmm, I think the Shogunate, although it's hard to know with all the political intrigue swirling around him. A daimyo cannot be one hundred percent honest in a letter that will pass through dozens of curious eyes before reaching my hands." He smiled and tilted his head amiably in her direction as he asked: "Speaking of less-than-exemplary fathers, how is Izanagi-san? I hope everything is going well with his health."

Chie smiled back at him. "Oh! He's doing pretty well, considering he continues to live up to his name by getting angry over every little thing and eating as if his body were as immortal as that of the blessed Izanagi-sama." Heisuke laughed at the comparison, so (motivated by his noticeable improvement in mood) she added: "What's more, he sent his regards and wishes for a speedy recovery, but he was very clear in stating that," she mimicked Izanagi's voice, "'If you suspect that the ronin is getting too big for his boots, then you'd better make sure he thinks it was a joke! I don't want him to think I care about his safety or anything like that!'"

"Wow! Greetings and get well wishes from Izanagi-san!" Heisuke held his forehead with his palm and pretended to lose his balance from the shock. "It's such a huge difference from how he treated me at first that it's inevitable for me to get carried away, so I'll take it as a joke without you having to convince me." He laughed maliciously as he concluded: "Tell the old man I died, or maybe don't, I don't want the joy of thinking I kicked the bucket to cause him another heart attack." He stood up, but stumbled when his vision went dark for a couple of seconds.

"Oh, Toudou-san!" Chie jumped up, extending her arms toward him to prevent him from collapsing on the floor. "Are you okay?!"

"Y, yeah. Leave me, I can manage." He straightened up and took a deep breath after rejecting her gesture with a brief shake of his right hand. "It's not as if I could use you as a walking stick during the trip." He rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I will soon leave for Edo to escort my teacher and his troops back to headquarters."

"What...? Are you crazy? You can't walk that many miles in your condition!"

Heisuke frowned and clicked his tongue. "Don't treat me like I'm pregnant!"

"D, don't be ridiculous!" Chie blushed, but she pushed aside her embarrassment to insist: "Can't you imagine the damage it could cause if someone assaults you on the road and you hit your head again during the fight? A month isn't enough time for the injury to heal completely!"

"Nonsense! Who would think of mugging a penniless bum like me? Besides, Hijikata-san and Kondou-san agreed that the hike and the fresh country air will help me recover faster." He put his hands on his hips and rolled his eyes. "They suggested exactly the same thing to Souji, but he refused to leave the headquarters while your sister is still in charge of Chizuru-chan's security. You know how he is, he still suspects that Kohana-chan is in cahoots with that idiot Kazama and his henchman of dubious loyalty."

"I don't know what frustrates me more, how irresponsible you are with your health or how unjustified Okita-san's grudge against my sister is."

"Souji probably likes Kohana-chan," he joked with a mischievous smile. "The guy doesn't do things by halves, so he either idolizes people like he does with Kondou-san or hates them to death like with your sister, but I think that means he feels something for them, you know? The worst thing when it comes to Souji isn't that he hates you, but that he's indifferent to you; those are the kinds of people who end up getting cut by the blade of his katana."

"I don't think so. Okita-san has never been that extreme with me. Maybe he's just overprotecting Chizuru-chan."

"Hmm, maybe, maybe." He put his hand to his chin. "I'd be glad if that were the case, since Chizuru-chan needs all the help she can get, and I'd feel more at ease knowing she's well protected while I'm not here to watch her back."

"You really like Chizuru-chan, huh?" she mumbled, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, unable to hide her anxiety about the bond between them. It wasn't that she liked that fool Heisuke or anything like that (she told herself with complete certainty), but the last thing she needed was to be replaced with a new friend who was much braver, prettier, younger, and smarter than she was; which would undoubtedly cause her to lose what little self-esteem she had left after Tani abandoned her. While it was true that Tani had apologized for his actions and explained why he had acted the way he did back then, she still found it difficult to deal with the feeling of rejection that had overwhelmed her for the past six years.

"W, well!" Heisuke crossed his arms and looked away in an obvious fit of discomfort. "We all want to prevent that bastard from laying his hands on a guest of the Shinsengumi! Her father disappeared while carrying out orders from the Shogunate, and Kazama (who, in addition to being a fucking oni prince, is also employed by our enemies) found her because we locked her up here, so we have to make sure that, huh, he doesn't kidnap her because of us! Do you have any idea how guilty we'd feel if Chizuru-chan suffered such a tragic fate because we weren't strong enough to p, protect her?"

"Would you let me accompany you to Edo, Toudou-san?" Chie pressed her lips together and fixed her trembling eyes on his as she made the unexpected request. "It's the off-season at the restaurant, so Ume-chan is taking care of most of the tables at Dad's restaurant. B, besides... Yokai-kun is old enough to hunt partridges now (which will save you the trouble of having to chase them while injured), and I assure you that I can cook them a thousand times better than you can."

"Wait, wait, wait!" he urged her to calm down, putting his palms between them. "Off-season? In the middle of summer?"

"Of course, don't you know anything about restaurants?" She pouted. "No one wants to eat indoors on a sunny day."

"It doesn't matter, I wouldn't feel comfortable traveling for days on end with an unmarried girl! Do you want your father to start hating me again?"

"Oh, come on!" She clenched her fists at her sides and the fabric of her red kimono glistened in the sunlight as she stepped forward to close the distance between her and the captain of the 8th Division. "If you won't let me formally accompany you, then I'll follow you anyway, but I'll walk far enough behind you that no one will think we're together! Of course, that means you probably won't hear me scream if some bandit attacks me along the way." She shrugged as she muttered: "But I'm not Chizuru-chan, so I doubt you'll feel guilty if I die because of you."

"Are you really trying to manipulate me so blatantly, Chie-chan? Do you think I'm that dumb?"

"If it's so blatant, then it's not manipulation," she said with a mischievous smile as she stopped in front of him with her hands hidden behind her waist. "Come on, I promise I won't cause you any trouble! At least you'll have someone to talk to during the trip. You're so sociable that I'm afraid you'll go crazy if you don't interact with another human being for so many days in a row."

"Bullshit!" He clicked his tongue and turned away from her, massaging his forehead (which caused him a twinge of pain that reminded him of the severity of the fracture that ran through it from side to side). "Agh! You just wanna make sure I don't get killed on the road, but you're crazy if you think I'll let them stop me from escorting Itou-sensei back to headquarters! Kondou-san entrusted me with this mission because he knows I'll do whatever it takes to make sure my teacher honors the Shinsengumi troops with his enlightenment and wisdom."

"I won't deny that I'm worried about you," Chie sighed with her eyes closed. "But I'm also thrilled at the idea of seeing my old home again. Is the thought of traveling with me and Yokai for a couple of days really so unbearable? I could use my desire to visit my relatives in Edo as an excuse. You know that women can't travel that far without a male escort, so no one will think I'm taking care of you; quite the opposite, in fact." Heisuke just frowned in response, so Chie raised her hands helplessly. "Fine, fine! You don't have to take me with you if you don't want to!" She turned on her heels so quickly (determined to leave the headquarters as fast as possible to hide her humiliation) that the black tortoiseshell comb holding her bangs in place flew off her head and landed at the bottom of the Yagi fountain. "Oh no! For heaven's sake!" She let her arms fall, staring at the koi carp swimming around the accessory that had just disrupted their peaceful routine. "I just bought that thing!"

Heisuke stifled a laugh and approached the pond to crouch down in front of it, ignoring the hateful look that Chie shot at him after she noticed him laughing at her misfortune. "Ha, I'm sure the carp appreciate the gift!" He reached into the water and pulled out the comb, shaking it and drying it on his clothes before offering it to her with a mocking smile. "You'd better wash it before you use it, or you'll end up smelling like fish excrement."

"Very funny." Chie took the comb between her index finger and thumb, holding it away from her kimono with a grimace of disgust on her lips. "Dad keeps complaining that I don't take care of my appearance as a young lady of my age should, and he's been particularly annoying since I stopped using Mom's comb to keep my hair out of my face. I bought this one at the market to stop him from lecturing me every day, but there's no way I'm gonna use it again before giving it a thorough wash, so I figure he'll scold me as soon as I set foot in the restaurant."

"Speaking of combs..." Heisuke sat up with a sigh and faced her, the corners of his mouth tight in a clear gesture of guilt. "Neither the guys nor I were able to recover your mother's comb, so I don't think it would be fair for me to refuse to escort you to the place where she died." He put his hands on his hips and sighed again. "Kondou-san and I will be leaving in two days, so make sure you make all the necessary arrangements. Bring a wide-brimmed hat to protect you from the sun, and bedding for Yokai and yourself; we plan to spend the night at various inns along the Toukaidou trail and using the beds at these establishments is a surefire recipe for ending up covered in lice and similar parasites, so remember to pack your futon and makura. Oh, and a couple of blankets too! The temperature drops significantly at night."

Chie's eyes, like red maple leaves, lit up when she heard this, and the skin on her freckled cheeks stretched as she nodded with a smile of utter satisfaction.

Chapter Text

Summer, August 24, 1864. Eight o'clock in the evening.

"Chie-chan, welcome!" Kondou greeted her at the entrance to the headquarters, inviting her in with a friendly pat on the back that interrupted the visitor's ceremonious bow of respect. "Is that dog following us yours? Wow, what a beautiful coat he has! You can tell he's well fed at the restaurant! Our expedition will benefit from having a powerful Shiba Inu watching over us! Tell me, what is the name of this majestic bodyguard?"

"Yokai! Although I wouldn't call him 'majestic' considering his hygiene habits," she replied as she was literally pushed through the hallway leading to the inner garden by the lively figure of the Shinsengumi's commander. "It seems that the idea of the trip to Edo excites both Kondou-san and T, Toudou-san, right?!"

"Of course! You know very well how much I miss my dear Tama-chan!" he nodded with a bright smile and pulled a seaweed stick from inside his sleeve to throw it at Yokai's feet, who devoured it in one bite before it finished rolling across the floor. "Hmm, I wonder if she likes dogs as much as I did at her age."

Chie felt a chill run down her spine as they crossed an unfamiliar section of the Yagi residence where the windows were boarded up with material that prevented the light from the lamps illuminating the engawa from seeping into the interior of the enclosure, but she attributed it to the relatively recent absence of the sun's heat that had burned the ground for most of the day.

"By the way, Chie-chan!" Kondou stopped when they reached the opposite end of the garden. "Did you bring Izanagi-san's written permission with you?"

Chie pouted and clutched her left arm as she looked away just like a scolded child would do. "Why on earth do I need to hand you that stupid permission, Kondou-san? I'm nineteen years old, I'm not a little girl."

Kondou's shoulders slumped. "Oh! Don't tell me you didn't bring it!" He spread his palms in a consoling gesture. "You're an adult, yes, but you're still unmarried. The only condition I set for allowing you to come with us was for Izanagi-san to authorize your departure, and if he didn't, then I'm afraid-"

"Of course he did." Chie reluctantly handed him the permit, closing her eyes tightly as she muttered: "But I didn't tell him I was going to Edo... I told him I was staying at the headquarters to take care of Kohana-chan while she recovered from an illness."

"My God." Kondou sat down on the edge of the engawa and looked at her with utter disbelief. "Why did you do that? Traveling that far is completely different from staying safe within the walls of the Shinsengumi! I'm no stranger to Izanagi-san's bad temper and I know he'll raise hell if he finds out I agreed to take you to Edo under false pretenses." Yokai lay down beside him and Kondou stroked his back, his gaze lost in the distant confines of the starry night. "I'm sorry, Chie-chan, but the last thing we need right now is to have further issues with the already tense citizens of Kyoto."

"You don't understand!" Chie clenched her fists beside her face, her eyes glazing over with frustration. "My father wouldn't let me return to Edo even if I were escorted by a troop made up entirely of armed women!"

"Why do you think that?"

"Because it's true!" She bit her lower lip and shook her head. "He... I'm sure he hates the place where we were born because it's where we lost Mom forever. Our last memories of Edo were... extremely painful." She sighed and dropped her arms before shrugging. "I guess the pain prevents him from remembering the good times, but I prefer to focus on them."

"Kohana-chan has expressed the same feelings as you."

"What?" Chie blinked. "She did?"

"Yes." He nodded as he absentmindedly scratched the back of Yokai's ears. "She said that her promise to protect Chizuru-chan was the only thing keeping her from accompanying us to Edo, as she was dying to see the meadows where she grew up again."

"No wonder we share that desire," Chie muttered as she clasped her hands at chest level. "We both spent the happiest days of our lives there." She took a deep breath and let her shoulders slump. "It's a shame that neither of us will ever set foot in Edo again unless my father has a divine epiphany. I'd have liked to bring her a gift from Edo to cheer her up."

"Hmm." Kondou quirked his lips and focused his thoughtful gaze on hers. "It's true that she's been down lately."

"Yeah, the news of Okita-san's illness hit her really hard."

The commander of the Shinsengumi rubbed his forehead before standing up with a sigh. "All right... you can come with us."

"Really?!" Chie gave a little jump of excitement, and the huge backpack she was carrying on her back jerked along with her. "May the oni take me away! Thank you so much, Kondou-san! Thank you, thank you so much! I, I promise I won't do anything to compromise the mission!"

"This isn't a mission," he insisted as Chie and Yokai followed him down the hallway, "just a business trip that will culminate in the happy addition of Heisuke-kun's mentor and all the good men who follow him to the Shinsengumi. Oh! Speaking of Heisuke-kun, he's the reason we're leaving Kyoto so late." He looked at her over his shoulder with a pitying smile as he stopped in front of the Yagi's front door. "I know that traveling at night is not proper for a lady, but I beg you not to be upset with him; the concussion has wreaked havoc on his ability to sleep and, since he has had difficulty sleeping at the usual time, I decided to allow him to do so during the day."

Chie wanted to reply that she didn't care what time they left, but she fell silent when Heisuke himself came out to meet them with a frown, carrying his respective luggage on his back. "Don't make excuses for me, Kondou-san," he said, rolling his eyes as he dodged Yokai's repeated attempts to chomp down on his long ponytail. "The sun set below the horizon a while ago, so my delay is unjustifiable."

Kondou blinked, confused. "Okay, okay, I won't. But what took you so long? I thought you were still resting in the common room."

"I was talking to Sannan-san." He nodded behind him, and both the commander and Chie gaped in surprise as the aforementioned emerged from the darkness of the hallway just as a ghostly apparition in a kabuki play would do.

"Good evening, Kondou-san. Furukawa-san, how have you been?" The newcomer bowed deeply to them, his lips twisting in a grimace of pain as he stood up and his injured arm moved inside the sling that still covered most of its surface.

"Very well, Sannan-san," Chie replied, her eyebrows meeting in the middle of her forehead in an obvious gesture of concern. Sannan was smiling softly from behind the lenses of his glasses, which reflected the caramel light emanating from the andon lamps surrounding the inner garden, but his expression was unmistakably melancholic; and (as if that detail weren't worrying enough), his skin tone looked as pale and gaunt as that of a dying man. She bit her tongue to keep from asking about his health and ruining the serenity (so different from the sarcastic malice he had displayed during their last conversation, or the cutting indifference with which he had reacted to the outcome of the game that had paired them in Kohana's erikae) that reminded her so much of the infinitely compassionate hero who had saved her life during the fierce fire at the Mao restaurant.

"Sannan-san told me about the time he was rude to you, Chie-chan," explained Heisuke, scratching the back of his neck with a certain discomfort born of the intense silence that fell between Chie and Sannan after exchanging a brief (but meaningful) greeting.

"What...?" Chie's eyes widened and her nervous gaze shifted from Heisuke's somewhat embarrassed face to Sannan's (who nodded calmly in confirmation). "Oh, b, but... there was no need to dig up misunderstandings from the past! I... well, I understand very well how difficult it must be to deal with, with, huh...!" She gulped, unable to continue the sentence without mentioning Sannan's tendons and offending him as she had done on the night when the disgraced warrior suggested that perhaps the gods had decided to punish him for saving her and thus preventing the consummation of their unquestionable divine plans.

"Of course there was," Sannan conceded with a sigh, "the loss of my ability to wield my sword has turned me into an unforgivably erratic and resentful creature; I should never have hinted that I regretted rescuing Furukawa-san from the fire."

"Please, there's no need to apologize, Sannan-san!" Chie waved her hands, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment at being the center of the conversation. "If I remember correctly, you also said that you didn't believe in that superstition about divine punishment and that you were confident you could recover thanks to your scientific research! That's... well, I don't think there's anything wrong with trusting science!"

Sannan smiled pitifully, but a tempestuous spark lit up his eyes at the mention of what he considered his only hope of rejoining the Shinsengumi's executive ranks. Chie was the first woman to support his epistemological vision, and that made him feel compelled to share his discoveries with her, although he wondered if she would continue to do so after learning about the less ethical aspects of his experiments. "Furukawa-san has a prodigious memory," he murmured, adjusting his glasses with his healthy hand. "So much time has passed since that incident that I thought my initial rudeness had overshadowed the poor explanation of my beliefs that I provided before suggesting that you leave my office."

"What did you tell Chie-chan about your research?" Kondou inquired, arms crossed and brow furrowed, fearful that his subordinate had revealed even the slightest bit of information about the Ochimizu to her, who was just an innocent little girl to them, but not to the increasingly distrustful leaders of the Shogunate.

"Nothing I wasn't authorized to share," he replied, arching his eyebrows in a gesture of arrogance that was uncharacteristic of the Sannan Kondou knew during his youth in Edo, but increasingly common in the man forged under the flames of the Mao restaurant. "I told her about my disinterest in abstract matters such as fate and my certainty that we can turn misfortunes into opportunities if we have enough knowledge to do so."

"Hmm." Kondou slumped his shoulders, partly relieved and partly concerned about the obvious subtext of the statement. "W, well, that's fine, Sannan-san. I don't mean to lecture you, but you know the Shogunate is very strict about these kinds of matters. Chie-chan is a guest, not a Mibu Wolf."

"Oh, believe me, I know." Sannan shot him a condescending smile before turning his attention back to Chie, regarding her with a blend of adoration and respect that caught her and her companions off guard. "I truly appreciate that Furukawa-san has graced the headquarters with her outstanding intellect. Her compassionate spirit has always watched over me, and that's why I wanted to apologize for my past actions."

"There's nothing to forgive, Sannan-san." Chie scratched her cheek with the tip of her index finger before bowing slightly in his direction. "I have faith that you will recover with the help of science. Mantaro-san often says that food is the best medicine of all, so feel free to visit the restaurant whenever you like and I promise I'll prepare something as delicious as it is healing."

"Gee, that sounds like an unmissable offer." Sannan's eyes disappeared behind the lenses of his glasses as he flashed a gentle smile. "Thank you for looking after me, Furukawa-san."

It was then that Heisuke (who until then had been watching them with the same mixture of disgust and perplexity displayed by a teenage son witnessing his parents' saccharine flirting) leaned forward slightly to interpose his head between them as he said: "I just hope you're not apologizing in advance in case that 'scientific medicine' of yours fails and you end up solving your problems in the worst possible way."

"Oh, Heisuke-kun." Sannan smiled with the same condescension that permeated his exchange with Kondou. "Are you implying that I'm not a skilled enough scientist?"

"Just make sure whatever you're going to put in your mouth has been tested on humans first."

"Of course I will." He crossed his arms and arched his eyebrows in a slightly defiant attitude. "Your anxiety is unfounded."

"I mean it, Sannan-san." Heisuke stepped between them and pointed at him, his eyebrows raised even higher than those of his interlocutor. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, okay? Promise me you'll be patient and won't do anything you might regret."

"I never regret anything."

"I'M DEAD SERIOUS!" Heisuke raised his voice as he rarely did and Chie took a step back due to the shock, convinced he was afraid that Sannan would commit honorable suicide after the inevitable failure of the medicinal potion he was developing. "Dying is no better than being disabled, and if you think it is it's because you're not smart enough to imagine a life that doesn't involve tearing others apart with a dirty piece of metal in your hand!"

"Hey, stop it..." Chie mumbled, her fist clenched against her chest. "You've already got Yokai barking."

Sannan gave up with a sigh, stepping forward to place a hand on Heisuke's shoulder, which was rising and falling with the gasps of rage shaking his body. He patted it a couple of times before dropping his head forward briefly, stepping back without breaking his grip, which gradually calmed his impetuous comrade-in-arms. "All right, Heisuke-kun, I promise I'll continue to be a part of this world. Eternal sleep will never stand between you and me."

"If you let it do so, then I promise you I'll punch you awake as punishment for breaking your promise," he assured him, his dark eyebrows drooping over his eyes that scanned his listener's in a desperate attempt to convince himself that he wouldn't return to find that a bloodthirsty Rasetsu had usurped the place of his role model.

Sannan smiled genuinely upon hearing him, but was careful to distance himself and take refuge in his natural indifference when he spotted the imposing figure of Hijikata approaching the group with his characteristic frown.

"Are you leaving already?" he asked the commander, his contemptuous gaze resting on Chie's futile attempts to silence the dog whose repetitive barking reminded him of one of those grotesque Western "Gatling Machine Guns" he was unfortunate enough to spot at the latest Aizu army weapons exhibition. "It's getting late, so don't waste any more time on Shinsengumi matters. I have everything under control."

"Oh, that's right!" Kondou rubbed the back of his neck and nodded with a relieved smile. "Thanks for helping me with this, Toshi, I promise we won't be long in getting back with Itou-san and his troops!"

"There's no need for promises." He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, unable to hide how little he was thrilled by the idea of someone as conceited and untrustworthy as that individual joining the Shinsengumi. Hijikata (partly out of self-interest and partly because fate had brought him to its doors on numerous occasions) had assessed the performance of Itou Kashitarou's dojo during the years he distributed his family's Ishida medicine throughout Edo, and what he had seen happening there hadn't impressed him one bit. In fact, he remembered being very happy the day that (having himself already become a student at the dojo of Kondou's adoptive father) Heisuke showed up to announce that he had given up studying under that fool in order to join the Shieikan. His eyes instinctively fell on the aforementioned as he thought the latter, and his gaze softened as he explained: "Take all the time you need, the headquarters isn't going anywhere."

"Thank you, Toshi!" Kondou bowed deeply before rising with an enthusiastic smile while clutching nervously at the straps of the backpack he carried on his back. "It'll be very difficult to part with my precious Tama-chan once I have her in my arms, so I appreciate you not blaming me if it takes me more than ten years to return!"

His listener curled his lips into a rare grimace of insecurity and looked away for an awkward moment, which, fortunately, went unnoticed by everyone present (as the travelers had just begun to say goodbye to Sannan with varying degrees of effusiveness).

Hijikata wasn't remotely stupid and was fully aware that his best friend was joking with the best of intentions, but the mention of his (extremely adorable and as kind as the man who brought her into the world) biological daughter reminded him that the little girl wasn't the only family member he would be reunited with in Edo; since Tsune, her mother, was also awaiting the return of the husband she hadn't seen in several years.

Kat-chan didn't usually talk about Tsune (if his memory served him correctly, he hadn't done so even once since they arrived in Kyoto), but he couldn't deny that he himself had often thought about her; not because he was in the least bit interested in her as a person, but because he often wondered if the commander missed her company. Their connection was the result of an arranged marriage, so there was no fairy-tale romance at work, but it was a marriage nonetheless, so it would be extremely naive (and delusional) of him to believe that her husband was as indifferent to her as he hoped, or perhaps... longed for.

Damn it! Why the hell was he still standing there instead of leaving to do something more productive than daydreaming like an empty-headed teenager? If he kept this up, he'd end up exchanging romantic gossip with Yukimura and the fucking Furukawa maiko! Hijikata turned on his heel and strode away from the spot, disappearing up the hallway with a grunt of frustration that only managed to attract the attention of (a very perplexed) Kondou.

Summer, August 25, 1864. Otsu (Toukaidou trail), seven o'clock in the evening.

Kondou, Heisuke, and Chie arrived at the port of Otsu thanks to a ferry that had left Kyoto the night before and crossed the fast-flowing channel that ran through Lake Biwa without any major difficulties. The trip wasn't exactly "smooth" due to both the powerful currents that agitated the body of water separating the two cities and rocked the boat from side to side, and the steamy summer heat that refused to leave the interior of the ship until well into the early morning hours. However, the passengers didn't face greater hardships than these and soon fell into a sleep that (although light) managed to prepare them for the epic journey that would take them from the imposing Otsu to the distant village of Minakuchi-juku.

For if Kyoto was the capital of the nobility, then Otsu was the capital of commerce; and Chie (who carried Yokai in her arms to prevent him from being trampled by the crowd flowing like a river of cranky faces around them) was greatly surprised to witness the excessive development that the metropolis had undergone since her last visit, six years earlier. The pervading influence of Japan's decision to open its doors to the barbarians of the West was undeniable, for it disturbed her to notice several of them strolling freely along the dusty avenue lined with hundreds and hundreds of shops (a dangerous number of them run entirely by said foreigners). Chie's trembling pupils locked onto the unfamiliar yellow words painted on the glass window of a sweetshop filled with extravagant and colorful products (which she thought looked more like her sister's hair accessories than food), when Heisuke grabbed her hand and gave it a firm tug to pull her away from the place.

"Don't fall behind!" he ordered without turning to look at her, letting go of her as soon as he finished the sentence. "Remember that we're on a mission and we can't waste time looking for you if you get lost because of being distracted by nonsense!"

"Already! You don't have to remind me of it at every second! If I get lost, I'll just ask Yokai to track your stinky stench of onions to find you!" Chie pouted before glancing over her shoulder to scrutinize a pair of barbarians who solemnly entered the sweetshop; the man with a ridiculously thick mustache wore a black hat similar to the towering kanmuri crowns that adorned the heads of samurai of yore, while the woman wore some kind of kimono that was outrageously tight around her tiny, waspish waist. The skirt covered in white and light blue ruffles reminded her of a waterfall pouring its torrential waters into the void, and she suppressed a smile as she wondered why foreigners liked to dress up as living kabuki theater props. However, her mischievous amusement turned to melancholy when she noticed the customers' blond hair... the exact same color as her mother's and Kohana's. A bittersweet expression quirked her lips when she realized that the barbarian "invasion" (for although indirect, Chie still considered it as such) had its positive side, since her sister's popularity as an artist was partly due to the fascination her exotic appearance aroused; which would have been impossible during the era of patriotic isolation that subjected her mother to the most terrible of scorn. If it weren't for Furukawa Mao's impressive skills as a priestess, which surprised the monks who took pity on her and adopted her after the shipwreck, her mother would probably have-

"What do you mean, onion stench?!" Heisuke shouted, continuing to fight his way through the crowd moving up the street and interrupting her reflections with his usual lack of tact. "Bah! Says the one who spends most of her day in the kitchen!"

"What's going on? Why are you guys arguing now?" Kondou asked more to himself than to his companions, as he was distracted by checking a map he had spread out in front of his face (with great difficulty, for he was surrounded on both sides by other passersby who were just as eager to escape the noisy crowd as he was). "I read that there's a type of Western shop called a 'sweetshop' around here. Do you think we could visit it to get some sweets for Souji?"

"Sweets for Souji?!" Heisuke huffed and pushed his way between the map and his boss, setting the scroll aside with what little courtesy he had left thanks to the stifling heat and the crowd that seemed to multiply it exponentially. "With all due respect, Kondou-san, we can't waste time on such trivial matters. If we arrive late to the meeting, Itou-sensei will get a bad impression of the Shinsengumi's respectability."

Kondou sighed and tucked the map into his sleeve before motioning for them to follow him through a street as crowded as the one they were trying to leave. "You're right, Heisuke-kun, forgive my lack of professionalism. Sometimes I forget that I must behave like a servant of the Shogunate and not like the ordinary heir to a country dojo."

"It won't take us two hours to buy candy." Chie rolled her eyes and turned to point to the shop with her free hand. "The sweetshop is over there, Kondou-san, we just passed it."

"Oh! Really?" His dark eyes lit up as he beamed an imploring smile at his subordinate (who grumbled under his breath at Chie's impertinence, mentally kicking himself for agreeing to let her meddlesome ass accompany them to Edo). "You don't think it would be inappropriate for us to stop and explore the store, do you, Heisuke-kun? I promise it will only take a second."

"It's not a matter of time!" He let his arms fall to his sides with his palms facing outwards, his gaze shifting from Kondou's friendly face to Chie's annoyed expression as he tried to speak as quietly as possible (a task he found impossible ninety-nine percent of the time). "It's not a good idea to act like wealthy tourists in a city like this! There's no shortage of criminals in Otsu and nothing attracts them more than empty-headed visitors who consult maps for the sole purpose of filling their pockets with Western trinkets!"

"So dramatic. Since when did you become so paranoid?" Chie ignored his warning, placing Yokai on the ground to trot back to the sweetshop. Heisuke cursed as the dog followed his human mother with the same carefree attitude as her, glancing indifferently over his shoulder in a way that seemed to say "You're weak, your bloodline is weak, and you will not survive the winter" while shaking his hind legs to throw dusty dirt in his direction.

Summer, August 25, 1864. Outskirts of Otsu (Toukaidou trail), nine o'clock at night.

"It took us forever to get out of the city! I thought the map would be useful, but they've done so much structural remodeling as to render it obsolete," exclaimed Kondou, staring at the stars twinkling faintly above their heads as they crossed the unpopulated area surrounding the bustling port capital. The sound of the crickets and the gentle breeze rustling the knee-high grass would have been soothing in other times, but not in the current era of political turmoil that forced the government to focus on more pressing matters than rural crime.

"Don't look at me." Heisuke raised his palms in a gesture of deflection. "I told you it wasn't a good idea to waste time at that stupid sweetshop."

Kondou smiled as Yokai emerged from within the thick bushes with a couple of energetic leaps, attempting to capture a timid gray butterfly in his jaws stuffed with both grass and drool (which were as terrifying to the poor insect as they were hilarious to the humans he was guiding through the field). "Well, you can't blame us for expecting the saleswoman to know more than two or three words in our language."

"That's true," added Chie, her nose crooked with contempt. "Those barbarians call us uncivilized even though none of them can understand a word we say no matter how hard we try to educate them. Is it really that difficult to memorize the names of half a dozen desserts?" She began to enumerate with her fingers. "Taiyaki, dango, dorayaki, monaka, mochi, yokan... See? It's not that complicated!"

"I think the problem is that the lady was trying to offer us some of her Western desserts," Kondou interjected, always conciliatory and diplomatic. "I heard her mention 'Queen of Puddings' and 'Syllabub' several times and, if I'm not mistaken, those are some of the dishes that were on sale in the promotional section of the display."

"Do you know how to speak the language of the barbarians, Kondou-san?" Chie asked, her eyes wide open.

"No, no," he shook his head nervously. "Just a little, but not enough to have a halfway decent conversation with them. Working for the Shogunate takes me here and there, so it's not the first time I've stopped to buy Western food, but it's not worth spending money on, to be honest; their diet is too sweet and greasy. Those beaten egg cakes they like so much to snack on taste suspiciously similar to the jujube fruit and ginger syrup our doctors use to treat fever."

"Indeed, none of those desserts looked appetizing." Chie let out a cackle of surprise when Yokai popped up from the grass at her feet to proudly show her the bare branch he was holding horizontally with his snout. "Wow! Where did you find that, Yokai-kun?" She gently took it from him, examining it with a whistle of admiration. "Good heavens, it's almost as tall as I am! You want me to throw it so you can catch it in the air, right?" Yokai nodded with an enthusiastic bark and Chie raised the stick above her head, ready to indulge her energetic pet, when circumstances went awry in the worst possible way.

Five criminals emerged from the grassland; the first four surrounded Kondou and Heisuke with the blades of their katanas, dazzling them as the moonlight slid like water across their surfaces, while the last one immobilized Chie from behind, placing a short knife at her throat as he shouted:

"Don't make a single sudden move or I'll spill this fucking whore's blood on the ground!"

Yokai withdrew his lips to reveal his intimidating teeth and growl with a monstrous rage that Heisuke had never before witnessed in his small body covered with soft golden fur, letting out half a dozen shrill barks that gave way to an angry dash with which he intended to save his most beloved or die trying. His loyalty was as admirable as his bravery, but Heisuke quickly grabbed the teal scarf wrapped around the dog's neck to prevent him from lunging at the attacker. There was no doubt that Yokai had the ability to inflict severe injuries on him, but Heisuke was sure that Chie's pet wouldn't come out unscathed in such a dangerous armed combat. Besides, the last thing they needed was to further agitate the jittery dude who seemed to be even more scared than the terrified girl he had taken hostage.

"H, hey! Calm down! Okay?!" Heisuke raised his free hand as he tried to subdue the dog, which was thrashing wildly to free itself from the obstacle between him and his prey. "This doesn't have to end badly! Just let her go and we'll give you everything we've got on us!" He searched his pockets desperately. "The money isn't even ours, just take it and we'll tell our boss it was stolen while we were sleeping!"

"Don't tell me what to do, you stupid midget from hell!" screamed the criminal, his eyes bulging. "Get down on the floor! Both of you get down on the floor or I'll kill her!" He gripped the knife tighter without realizing it as he stumbled backward still holding onto Chie (whom he considered the only shield capable of preventing the pair of samurai who they had been following all the way from Otsu from cutting his gang and him to pieces), which caused his victim to utter a whimper of pain as he tore the surface layer of her skin enough to draw a trickle of blood.

"ENOUGH! I TOLD YOU TO STAY CALM!" Heisuke insisted, unable to hide his terror as he suddenly sat up without letting go of Yokai (although, honestly, he felt his fingers loosening their grip in his eagerness to see him tear apart the bastard who had dared to hurt Chie-chan. What's more, he would probably cut him to pieces with his own sword before the dog could lay a single claw on him!). "If you kill her, it won't be long before you join her in the other world, you hear me?! We're experienced warriors and that girl is the only thing stopping us from kicking your ass and that of the herd of dirtbags surrounding us, so stop acting like an idiot and allow us to hand over our belongings without anyone getting hurt!"

"It's true! Please don't hurt her! We won't resist, I promise!" Kondou agreed, slowly removing his hand from the hilt of his katana to abandon his defensive stance and bow respectfully, seeking to prioritize the safety of his young guest over even the valuable weapons that he and Heisuke carried. A chill of uncertainty mixed with relief ran down his spine when he thought that Izanagi's daughter would have been killed in an instant if he had chosen Okita or Saito as his traveling companions instead of Heisuke, as he suspected that they wouldn't prioritize the life of an ordinary girl over the mission entrusted to them by the Shogunate. It wasn't that he believed defending the government's travel expenses and the swords with which they could ensure that the criminals didn't slaughter them like pigs after robbing them was a heartless decision, but he was sure he wouldn't be able to live with the guilt of a poor girl (whom he should never have brought on such a risky journey!) dying because of his bad decisions.

Shoot. What if the criminals decided to kill them after they surrendered? As stated in "The Art of War", written by the wise military strategist Sun Tzu: "The best defense is a good offense", and its author was not mistaken in insisting that the most effective way to defend oneself was to be proactive and take the initiative, but... did that also apply to handling situations where civilian hostages were involved? Because "The Art of War" also said: "Do not press a desperate enemy. An exhausted animal will continue to fight, for that is the law of nature", which reinforced his belief that he was doing the right thing by adopting a conciliatory attitude. Bah! But what good would it do to spare her from being killed out of desperation if they then decided to take her life along with theirs?!

Kondou gritted his teeth with as much anger as shame upon discovering that he had neither the experience nor the training necessary to deal with such a matter. The Shinsengumi wasn't created to negotiate, but to corner and tear apart like a hungry pack of wolves... like a hungry gang of road robbers. If one of his soldiers was taken hostage during a raid, he would commit honorable suicide rather than allow his comrades to surrender on his behalf, but Chie was no samurai and it was ridiculous to expect such a sacrifice from her. No... the only one responsible for whatever misfortune befell them next was him and only him. He should have listened to Toshi when he told him that allowing the cook's daughter to accompany them was as irresponsible as it was dangerous.

"Don't worry, Chie-chan!" Heisuke shouted over Yokai's deafening barking, struggling to muster a smile that didn't reach his eyes hardened with helplessness and anxiety. "Everything will turn out all right, you'll see!"

But Chie was no longer there; her mind (in the grip of panic and overstimulation) had obscured the periphery of her vision until the world around her was plunged into the deepest of darkness. The only thing she could make out in the shadows was a small, bright circular window where she could see the wooden stick she was holding in her right hand, swaying gently over the grassy field where the hem of her blood-red kimono faded away.

It wasn't the first time her eyes had stumbled upon such a scene, was it?

"True," she replied to herself from the solitude that marked that hidden corner of the universe where time neither moved forward nor backward. It was then that, with the force and speed of a summer lightning bolt, the date of the event that triggered the unmistakable feeling of déjà vu inside her broke the monotony of the darkness as it exploded like fireworks in front of her face, writing itself in the void with letters of fire that seemed to distill flames of pure gold around her:

4 | 9 | 1 8 5 3 !

"I was eight years old," whispered the present-day Chie as the backyard of her former home in Edo materialized with the ethereal density of a transparent membrane of water beneath her feet, gradually taking the shape of the grass that the previous night's frost had sprinkled with tiny crystals on the ground where she saw reflected the childish face she had at that age.

"And I was thirteen," replied the voice (several decibels higher) of Tani in front of her, whose appearance was as innocent and ephemeral as the cherry blossom petals that the spring breeze was whirling capriciously behind him. "Eleven years ago, I promised I would teach you how to defend yourself so that no bully would force you to marry him when you grew up. The arranged marriage of one of your friends had you quite worried, remember?" He stepped back, pointing at the garden with the back of his hand in a gesture as teasing as it was contemptuous. "Well, probably not, since you seem to have convinced yourself that you learned to fight here and not where you actually did. Come on! Training at your home...?" He blew air through his teeth. "That party pooper Izanagi-san would never have allowed it."

"Then where did it happen?" she asked in an adult voice that didn't match her childish body at all.

"In the temple." The scene around her faded like the dying flame of a candle, quickly replaced by the monastic dwelling in Edo where her mother grew up, a building that stood next to a humble waterfall that emptied its waters onto the green surface of the river that surrounded the property. Chie was distracted by the view stretching from the polished cobblestones she stood on to the lush forest of oak trees with wide, twisted branches surrounding the mountain, when Tani broke the silence to explain: "You asked me to teach you how to use a sword, but I refused by saying that-"

"That you weren't surprised that I was so ignorant as to not know that women didn't fight with swords," Chie interrupted him, blinking after being startled by the unexpected memory that she could have sworn she didn't know just ten seconds ago. "That I should learn to fight with a naginata instead, a halberd with which-"

"You would have the advantage of keeping enemies at a distance, yes," Tani finished the sentence, but his eyebrows furrowed over his gray eyes as the dark fog began to take over Chie's field of vision again. "Time's up," he sentenced. "I hope you've remembered enough to make sure that-" His voice distorted. "Everything... will turn out... all right..."

"W, wait, Tani-san! Don't leave yet!" Chie half-opened her mouth in terror when the childhood body she inhabited was forcibly separated from the adult version (to which she returned with a blend of nausea and vertigo) to cast an indifferent glance at her as both stages of her brief but eventful life floated in the abyss that was shrinking as the luminous circular window connecting her to the real world reappeared.

"You didn't remember clearly," explained the girl whose cloudy eyes she didn't dare look directly into out of fear that the copy might decide to devour her whole to take her place, "and that's why you won't be able to unlock the skills you need to ditch the attacker without losing something in return. You'll survive, but a loved one will die."

"What?! That's not fair, damn it!" She was shouting, but her voice was becoming progressively more diffuse and distant. "What did I overlook?!"

"Too much." She shrugged and her voice also distorted as she uttered the end of the sentence: "Too... late."

"Can I stop it?! Please, tell me what I need to remember!"

"He wasn't thirteen years old", concluded the past version of Chie before disappearing along with the liminal space that had spawned her, giving way to the terrifying reality that greeted the present Chie with the burning sensation and suffocation caused by the knife pressing against her throat.

She believed that the only things she had brought back from her bizarre out-of-body journey were, first, the tender hope that Tani had agreed to teach her how to use a naginata at her mother's temple and, second, the entirely irrational idea that her childhood friend wasn't thirteen years old in 1853; but the way in which the fingers of her right hand spun the branch she was holding to quickly place it in an upright position and push the base so that the opposite end struck squarely into her captor's unprotected eyeball, made her realize that she had returned with a treasure of immeasurable value under her arm.

"AGH!" The delinquent stumbled backward, pushing Chie away to clasp his face reddened with agony. "HOW DARE YOU HIT ME, YOU DAMNED DECEIVING BITCH?! I WAS PLANNING TO KILL YOU QUICKLY, BUT NOW I'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SLOW AND PAINFUL DEATH!" He pounced on his prey and both vanished into the grass which seemed to have swallowed them alive, causing both Heisuke and Kondou to shout the victim's name as they drew their swords to fight the four assailants who were preventing them from approaching to help her.

The leader raised and brought down the knife on Chie's vulnerable neck (who was lying face up under the immovable weight of the ronin), but, fortunately, she managed to interpose the stick in the path of the weapon with enough speed for it to turn into the shield that separated her from death once, twice, and three times... but not four. The branch broke after the fourth strike and Chie interposed her bare hands between herself and the beastly executioner who longed to claim her life, too terrified to remember to commend her spirit to the gods who would soon receive her in the afterlife. The only thing she thought about during what were probably the last seconds of her time on earth was that Heisuke had released Yokai and that her pet was running desperately to meet her; ready to pounce on her attacker and prevent him from accomplishing his sinister deed.

«"You'll survive, but a loved one will die."»

Chie's pupils shrank with dread as she witnessed a diaphanous vision that overlapped the world of the living, confirming the omen she had heard from the lips of the cloud-eyed girl:

Yokai would bite the killer's arm (whose name, "Ogawa Takeshi," popped into her mind at the same time as the vengeful fists of his previous victims waved in the void, crying out for justice), and this would save Chie's life, but Ogawa would quickly recover from the attack and stab her defender in the abdomen, fatally wounding him. The pitiful howl of her beloved Shiba Inu echoed from the alternate future that threatened to become permanent and Chie's eyes filled with thick tears that blurred the conclusion of the vision where Heisuke showed up to (Late, too late!) decapitate the villainous Ogawa with a clean sword stroke that put an end to the deplorable chain of injustices with which he had decided to weave his days.

«"Can I stop it?! Please, tell me what I need to remember!"»

«"He wasn't thirteen years old."»

The world around her began to gradually speed up and Chie feared that everyone involved would be subjected to the inescapable judgment of the perverse deity of déjà vu unless she managed to appease it. What did she have to remember?! What did she have to remember to save Yokai?! Who?! What...?!

Sanjuro-san.

Tani.

Tani Sanjuro.

Ogawa Takeshi's head was severed from his body at the exact moment in which Chie returned to reality; but not only did it happen much earlier than in her ill-fated vision (thus preventing her beloved pet from being involved in what would have been a deadly confrontation), but it was also severed by the tip of Tani's spear rather than the blade of Heisuke's katana.

Her childhood friend (now an adult dressed in the Shinsengumi's trademark haori) had just materialized miraculously in the solitude of the Toukaidou trail, lighting up the prevailing darkness with a smile as bright as the moonlight kissing the steel of his bloodied spear.