Sergeant Masaji Kato walked into Lieutenant Colonel Kawashima's office nervously clearing his throat at speaking with the woman he had fallen for who also happened to be his boss.
After discovering from Lieutenant Suketani that she was under investigation she had ordered everyone including him to prepare for their upcoming journey to Wuhan temple along with Yuri and his party, yet he couldn't shake off the worry that she wasn't as okay as she had pretended to be.
He knocked lightly on the door before entering and he felt his heart jerk in his chest as he saw her head in hands a single tear running down her face.
She looked up in shock angrily scrubbing at her face.
"What is it Kato? I thought I told you to prepare for travel." she said firmly her voice wavering.
"Please call me Masaji, and I have made the preparations I just…I had to make sure you're okay." he said his face flaming.
She looked up fuming.
"Why does it matter?If I get killed I get killed I'm sure they already have a replacement lined up so what does it matter anyway?" she asked her voice pained.
"It does matter Lieutenant, to me it does matter, why do you think they are investigating you?" he asked confused.
She looked at the table she was sat on clasping and unclasping her hands.
"I have made movements without authorisation." she said finally.
"Why would you do that though?" he asked still confused.
She looked at him eyes blazing.
"I'm tired Masaji! I'm tired of being a pawn playing this endless game, Yuri and everyone, I admire them they're free to do as they please, nothing matters they just go where their heart leads them, to do that to be free…I want to be free!" she exclaimed.
"But you can be, explain to the boss I'm sure they'd understand." he consoled.
She shook her head bitterly.
"No, they'll never understand to them it's all about power I was like them I wanted power, but now…I just want to ensure their safety, something big is happening and the army can't see it, if those people don't do something there will be no army no China, Japan, nothing! And if that's what the army will never understand, to them it's all about brute force but Dehuai has powerful magic, he poses a threat an entire army can be wiped out with magic…" she said anxiously.
He looked at her solemnly.
"Then we must help them, we will continue to Wuhan if that's what you please but I am concerned about your safety, it seems like someone is planning an assassination." he said biting his lip at the thought of life without her.
"Yes, even if I die I will do everything in my power to help them! That girl, Alice she has strong magic I can't believe that she killed those soldiers on the train but if she chose to she probably has the capacity to do it, if Dehuai seizes her everything is lost…" she said.
Kato resisted a shiver at the thought of Dehuai's plans going ahead.
"I'm sure the boy will protect her at this moment I want to protect you." he said.
She looked at him shocked.
"You truly care about…me?" she asked trembling slightly.
"I do Yoshiko Kawashima, I care what happens to you and I'll do everything in my power to protect you from the army, from Dehuai, from everything. I promise." he said his voice hopeful.
She walked over to Kato her eyes filled with tears.
"I never thought…I've never had someone who's…truly cared…thank you…" she said choking back a sob.
Kato wiped away a tear and smiled encouragingly at her.
"Everything will go smoothly at Wuhan, and one day you'll be free." he murmured into her hair.
"I promise" he finished.