She shook her head hardly, burying her face in her mother's kimono, hands clutching tightly on the soft red fabric on her mother's leg.

Kondo crouched down to face his shy little daughter. A gentle smile hovered on his tender face. "Tomo-chan, there's a summer festival tonight at the town. Do you want to come?" He waited for her response but she remained immobilized behind her mother's leg. "Tou-san will buy you some cotton candy and goldfish for you, okay?"

His voice may sound reassuring and convinceful enough in his wife's ears but not to Tomoe. She rarely met her father and it's only couple of times in her early two years old, and she was barely able to remember her father. Living the days together with her mother in a big house where her father bought the house for them is a paradise enough for her and her daily routine consist of; running endlessly on the vast yard, climbing the trees searching for insects, and catching fishes in the pond in the yard when her friends with their mothers came over for a visit.

And she was immune with her mother's nagging when she went back to the house with her kimono covered with dirt and soaking wet with water from she-don't-know-where-she-got-it.

And now her mother wanted to send her to her father's place for she had some business out of the town for a couple of days.

His wife snorted amusedly and lifted her small body into her warm embrace, Tomoe cuddled into her mother as she wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, "Now, now Tomo-chan, you said the other day you want to meet Otou-san right?" Tsune caressed her daughter's dark brown hair before Tomoe slowly lifted her head and look at her father in shy manner.

Kondo stood up and gazed into her hazel eyes, then he smiled proudly, 'She look just like me.' He thought inwardly as his hands naturally reached out for her.

"Come here, Tomo-chan." His voice was soft and tender, a fatherly voice.

Her hazel eyes glued to his face as she chewed her lower lips, hesitant.

Kondo's eyes contorted ruefully. He knew he seldomly spent his times with his only child and he just couldn't help it; his works and dreams to protect the people around him occupied his times more than the time he spent for himself, although not having the samurai bloodline in the first place, it didn't bother him.

He have to finish what had been started.

But here he is, standing in front of his own child, feeling like a stranger in his daughter's eyes he is while timidly waiting for her to accept his advance, although he pretty sure she won't-

She hold out her small hands to him. Wanting him to take her.

He felt his heart thwarted its pulse for a moment. Shocked.

Tsune brought her forward to the startled father with a grin on her face.

Shortly after, Kondo's arms were heavied with the weight of his child. For the third time as he recalled wistfully.

Fragrance of jasmine greeted him as she snuggled comfortably in his arms, he mentally registered that she have the same sweet scent as her mother, and unconsciously made him smile again.

"Kon-chan, here is her belongings." Tsune shoved an average size of bag in her left hand to him. "She usually dirt her clothes so fast so you might have to change her clothes few times a day."

He gasped slightly in disbelief as he took the bag with his free hand, "She's that active now?"

She nodded in assent. "But don't worry, she should be able to do all things by herself now; taking a bath, wearing her own cloth, eat and of course, making a mess!" She explained almost cheerfully, stressing the usual habit of a child in her age specially possesses.

Kondo blinked few times, "Oh? Really? She's really a fast learner!" He turned slightly to Tomoe in his arms with a wide grin while she was already engrossed in staring her own father since while ago.

Then an adorable smile arched on her perky little lips.

Tsune chuckled lively, "She have taken alike of you. That's good." She commented reassuringly. "She might seem a little shy at first but she'll open up more later." She added as she patted Tomoe's back.

His content grin still adhered on his face as he asked, "How old is she again?"

She put her forefinger and thumb on her chin, calculating her age, "Ah. She's turning three in the next month."

Kondo sighed, 'She's turning three and I'm barely spent her early years with her? I am a bad father...' He thought sadly.

Meanwhile, Tomoe's fingers started to play with her father's black haori before she saw a man with chestnut hair waving his hand to her from behind the gate of the compound. But Tomoe merely replied by blinking her eyes, so much like that someone.

"Oh, before I forgot," she added again. "Don't go overexcited her. You remembered I told you she had an asthma right?" She then reminded him of what had she told him in his visit few weeks after her labor.

He nodded tentatively, not entirely remember actually, "Yeah, I remember."

Tsune's eyes suddenly glinted with guilty, it's not just now, it began right when her first pace started to reach his place which may took about one hour and half walking. "Kon-chan, you can do this, right?" She took his hand into hers. "I'm sorry for troubling you but I can't find anywhere else to take care of her while I'm away to my sick mother but you."

Being a swordsman he is, let alone he was a commander of the group of samurai, she knew that they won't be able to live together like a normal family supposed. She knew that too well and Kondo already warned her when their relationship just about to begin.

But she didn't care.

She wanted to be his wife regardless.

She wanted to be the mother of his child.

Although she knew he won't be able to fulfill his commitment as a father and as a husband unconditionally.

His gaze soften as he tightened his hold to her hand, "Don't say that, Tsune. Of course I can take of her. I'm the one at fault." His face contorted wistfully while Tomoe watched innocently her parents conversing, "It's just a matter of time," He brought his wife into his embrace, "I'll return to our home and we'll live as a one complete family. I promise."

She nodded with a smile on her face as their eyes locked for a brief moment, "We'll be waiting." She then placed a chaste kiss on his cheek, "I think it's time for me to leave. Tomo-chan," Automatically she turned her head to her mother, "Hmm?"

Tsune kissed her cheek as she caressed her hair, "Be a good girl, okay? Remember what Kaa-san told you?"

She nodded fervently, "Emm!"

"So I'll be going now." She took a step back before she saw a group of men already gathered behind their Commander.

"Please have a safe trip, Kondo-san!" There were four men bowing as they wished her safety in her trip way to her mother's house.

A smile arched on her face before she bowed too in response, "Please take care of Tomoe, everyone."

They watched her slowly disappeared from sight when Kondo noticed Tomoe's face slightly changed as she saw her mother waved her from afar.

"Kaa-san, take care..."

Author's note: Kondo Isami have a wife and a daughter in the real life but only depicted in the game but not in the anime.

I hope you enjoy the story as much as I enjoy writing this!

This story is not finish yet so tell me what you think of the story, 'kay?

Ja-ne!