Author's Note: Yay, chapter three! I'm on a roll, writing three fanfics at the same time. Anyway, I have a website where I post all of my fanfiction, the link is on my profile! So, time to find out what happens when Kimiku catches Ayako sneaking in after going to see Souji!

Caught completely off-guard, I stared at Kimiku in utter disbelief. I couldn't see clearly, but I knew for a fact that she was sitting up in the darkness, her blanket wrapped around her small shoulders as she waited for my answer. I didn't know how to react, nor what to expect. I loved and trusted Kimiku like she was my older sister, but I did not know whether or not she would rat me out to my parents. Holding my breath, my body ran cold as I was struck by the fact that after three years of getting away unnoticed, I had finally been discovered.

Debilitated of my ability to breathe, I stammered over my words. "Kimiku... you... how long have you been awake?" I asked.

"For the last three hours," she spoke. I was sleeping when I woke up because of a shadow on the wall and when I opened my eyes, you were leaving through the window. I thought I was dreaming, so I didn't call out to you, but after a while I realized what I saw was real. Where have you been all this time?"

Mentally cursing myself for not being more cautious, I struggled to keep calm. My fear was evident in my voice as I grabbed her hands, begging her not to tell. "Please, Kimiku, don't tell my parents or my brother. If they find out, they'll kill him... or me."

Her gaze did not waver as she stared down at me. "Where were you?"

I hesitated for an instant before whispering, "I went to meet him."

"Your lover?" she asked.

"Yes."

"How long have you been doing this?" she demanded. "Do you know how dangerous it is to sneak out at night like this? You could have been kidnapped or killed!"

I merely nodded my head.

She let out a breath, her eyes finally softening up. "Who is he, Ayako? You still haven't told me."

"Okita Souji," I confessed. "The Captain of the Shinsengumi's First Division."

Her eyes widened in recognition as she recalled that day three years back, when Souji had killed a man who had attacked me and frightened her with his brutality. I could not read her expression as she looked away, removing her hands from mine.

"So it's that man," she said quietly. "Somehow, I had a feeling."

"A feeling?"

She chuckled lightly, meeting my stunned eyes. "Yes. The way you looked at him after he had saved you - you were the most beautiful I had ever seen you before, and when you spoke to him, I was almost jealous. You probably didn't realize it then, but it was as if you were glowing. It's the same look I get from Shin."

I felt the heat rush to my cheeks and covered my mouth with my hand. "Kimiku, you must be joking with me."

"No," she was quick to respond. "I'm not. You have a strange taste in men, Aya-chan. When we were younger, I remember you having a fondness for Yamato-kun, the rowdy boy from the Shinozaki household."

Shinozaki Yamato was a boy we had both known in our childhood and our teenage years. Originally he had been the boy my parents anticipated I would marry, being from a wealthy family with a lot of loud and political influence. Yamato was a straightforward boy, who did things not because others told him to, but of his own free will. I took a liking to him because of his earnest nature and fun, easy-going personality. However, several years ago, the Shinozaki family struck rock-bottom and lost most of their land and influence, so they were cast aside by Mother and Father. I never got to say goodbye to Yamato, and neither had I ever seen him again since then.

"He's handsome, I give you that," Kimiku commented. "How did you manage to tame such a man?"

I shook my head. "Understanding that we both had our own strengths and weaknesses, and that we were not without flaws brought us closer together," I said. "It was difficult, but it was worth all of the struggle."

Kimiku sighed, stroking my hair tenderly. "Aya-chan, in a few days you'll be meeting your two potential husbands. I don't want to tell you this, but I have no choice. You have to break it off with him, because if Auntie and Uncle or the Taira or Takahashi family find out you're secretly seeing a Shinsengumi member, your marriage candidates will immediately pull out."

"I don't care," I said. "I could care less whether or not they want me. I refuse to marry either of them."

"You have no choice, Aya-"

"Yes, I do. Good night, Kimiku."

With that, I crawled into bed and went right to sleep, squeezing my eyes shut and placing my faith in Souji. He would come for me in the end, wouldn't he?

Saturday came and I found myself in my nicest kimono, with my hair pinned up high and my face dolled up with makeup. Mother had forced me out of bed in the wee hours of morning to have my hair done by one of the area's most well-known hairstylist, an old woman with long, raking witch nails and a mean attitude. Perhaps it was too early in the morning, but she snapped at me whenever I would let my head drop, yanking me forcefully back up and digging her razor-sharp nails into my scalp. My eyes watered from the pain, but I did all I could to hold back my tears, because Mother was keenly watching over me from the doorway.

After styling my hair, I had my makeup done by two professionals, who at least were quiet and did not say much unless instructing me to close my eyes or move my face this way or that. However, they smelled strongly of sour vegetables and the stench was almost too much for me to bear. I breathed only through my mouth, hoping they wouldn't notice how disgusted I was when one of them breathed in my face, a putrid odor emitting from her mouth. I nearly gagged had it not been for the fake cough I managed to pull off, though Mother was glaring at me through the mirror.

After the make-up had been finished, I had been dressed in my nicest, most expensive kimono and ushered quickly to my parents and brother, who judged whether or not I needed to change anything before leaving for the Taira estate. Brother scrutinized the work of the make-up artists, saying it made me look too young, but Father dismissed his comment and rushed me to the carriage waiting outside. I would ride in a carriage with my brother, Minato, while my parents rode separately. I did not like the idea of sitting beside my brother for a full hour's ride, but because I had no voice in the matter, there was nothing I could say or do that would change it.

Before boarding, I glanced back and forth for any sign of Souji. He had promised he would come for me, but here I was, heading to my first marriage interview, and he was nowhere to be seen. I had originally assumed he would come to take me away yesterday night and had lied awake, waiting for him, but just like today, the forest was undisturbed and there was no sign of Souji anywhere. Had he forgotten it was today that I departed?

Minato noticed my hesitation and pushed me up into the carriage impatiently. "Ayako, what are you waiting for? Hurry up."

I got into the carriage and sat on the farthest end, hoping to get as much of a distance from him as I could. To my relief, he also seated himself right against the window, opening the blinds to check up on the status of my parents, who had already been seated. He called out to the driver, who simply nodded his head in understanding, most likely intimidated by Minato's irritation. We set out on the route to the Taira estate, my heart sinking lower and lower as time passed by and there was still no sign of Souji anywhere. Eventually I had concluded he had not forgotten about me, knowing how true he was to his word. Therefore I assumed he could not receive permission leave the Shinsengumi headquarters and was forced to stay behind.

I reluctantly accepted my impending doom and let out a morose sigh, pushing aside the curtain to gaze out at the endless forest, pitying myself for not being born a normal girl. I wept silently, not wanting to draw Minato's attention. If he saw me crying, he would yell at me, and most likely use force to get me to stop. Minato wasn't a cruel man, but he was forceful and did not like it when things did not go his way, likely because he was so accustomed to getting what he wanted his entire life. I disliked him, but I did not hate him. He did questionable things and treated me badly, but I could not hate him, because he did love me, in the strange way he did. Ever since I been born, Minato had taken care of me, though he always outshined me in the eyes of my parents and every one else.

Sneaking a glance over at him, I could see that he appeared to be a bit troubled, as his brows were knit together as he looked outside. I brushed the tears from my face as he opened the front curtain to stare at the driver, seeming to be puzzled.

"This isn't the route to the Taira estate," Minato spoke.

"The original road is blocked. We're taking a detour through the woods. It will be a bit uncomfortable, but it will cut time. We informed your parents of this beforehand," the driver replied and continued on. Minato was annoyed, but did not object, allowing the carriage through a path in the woods. I was relieved we could finally be away from the harsh heat of the sun, enjoying the forest scenery as we bumped along, Minato having difficulty with adjusting to the change of terrain.

I let out a calming breath and surveyed the dense, quiet forest, noting how little rabbits and chipmunks stared at us in curiosity as we passed through. I excitedly pointed out a group of baby rabbits to Minato, only to be ignored. After fifteen minutes had gone by, the driver took a sudden turn, going into the deeper area of the woods, where the trees grew so close that the light of the sun was obscured by the leaves that were crowded so near to one another. The makeshift roof gave the forest an eerie feel, and I was beginning to sense that something was wrong. Minato was not stupid and had noticed the abrupt change of route, throwing open the curtain in anger.

"Hey, where are you taking us? This is the opposite direction, you imbecile!" Minato demanded. The driver ignored him and continued on with the journey into the darkness, the sound of my parents' yelling alerting us. Minato stuck his head out of the window and looked back, then forward, ordering the driver to stop.

Instead of doing as ordered, the driver cracked his reigns down on the horse, picking up a dangerous speed. I cried out as I bumped my head on the side of the carriage, Minato in a state of panic when he realized my parents' carriage was far behind, having come to a complete stop.

"Stop! Stop the carriage now, dammit!" Minato hollered as our kidnapper continued galloping on into the darkness. We took a sharp turn, the carriage nearly tipping over as Minato fell onto me, nearly knocking the wind from my body. We rode violently into a secluded area of the forest, far from the main path before suddenly screeching to a halt in a glade.

Dazed, I sat still, recovering from the ride and holding my throbbing head as Minato stood up, throwing open the curtain only to find the driver had since got off of the horse and had disappeared. Bewildered, Minato ordered me to follow him out, yanking my hand as we got off, nearly causing me to fall in the process.

"Dammit!" Minato cursed, kicking the ground in frustration. "Come out, you bastard! I know you're still here!"

Silence.

"Mother and Father are still back there," I spoke.

Minato, completely disregarding me, walked towards the bushes. "Show yourself, you coward! Where have you taken us?" he called. "Who paid you to do this?"

Completely stranded in the middle of the forest, and all alone with a potential murderer, we were defenseless, having nothing to protect ourselves with but our own hands and feet. I suddenly saw a bush move beside me and whipped around in alarm. "Here! I saw it move!" I said.

"It was probably just an animal," he retorted. "Now we're going to be late for your interview. I was hoping you would get married to that guy, too. I'd finally get to have the house to myself. But now that we're late, it's impossible to get an approval from their family. But there's still that alcoholic Takahashi left. He'd do anything for a woman who can take care and cook for his fat self. I still can inherit the property if you go off and marry him."

I was incredulous by Minato's heartless words. "Brother, don't you care at all about my happiness?" I asked. "Don't you even care what I feel?"

"Why should I?" he snapped. "I did once, but that was a long time ago. I'm exhausted from taking care of you. The sooner you leave, the sooner I'll be able to finally get possession of the property. Mother and Father just want money and power from your marriage, don't you know? Don't be so foolish and rely on feelings, Ayako. In a world like this, emotions get you nowhere. But money and power, that's a whole different thing."

I knew it all along that money and power and land were all my family cared for, but it hurt even more to hear it coming from Minato's own mouth. I covered my mouth with my hand as Minato's true intentions came to light. The caring, protective brother I had loved had been replaced long ago by this man, who had been ruined by his insatiable thirst for power.

Suddenly, a figure burst out from the bushes, seizing me by the arms and pulling me into the woods. Before Minato could even react, I was thrown over the man's shoulder and taken hastily away from the scene before Minato could even begin to process what was happening. I was about to scream when a familiar scent greeted me, a scent I could recognize anywhere. Though my captor was wearing a hood, I knew who it was solely from the way he smelled, and my alarm quickly subsided to relief.

"You came," I breathed as he whisked me further and further from the glade. "Souji!"

He looked up at me, his emerald eyes glinting in the dim obscurity. "You thought I forgot about you, didn't I?"

"Maybe," I replied as his running began to slow down. "Scream really loudly so he thinks you're fighting me off."

I did as told, letting out a loud shriek that pierced the serenity of the forest. Souji laughed, coming to a stop at last after our exhilarating escape. He dropped me down onto my feet and smiled at me, removing his hood. I ran into his arms, feeling the ethereal joy of freedom for the first time in my entire life. He caught me around the waist, standing there as I whispered words of relief.

"Thank the heavens it's just you," I mumbled as I held onto him. "You were the driver, weren't you?"

Souji inclined his head. "I stole the original driver's uniform and left him in the bushes by your house. The other driver had no clue where we were headed. He was just following after me. What a fool," he explained in amusement. "Did I scare you?"

"Just a little bit. I think you scared Minato more than anyone else, though," I confessed.

Souji let out a huff. "He deserved all of that," he answered. "But I needed a witness so I had no choice but to bring him along. Are you injured anywhere? I'll make you feel better."

I pointed to my head. "I hit it on the side of the carriage earlier, and-"

He placed a gentle kiss to my forehead, silencing me instantly. "Better?"

"A lot better."

We took a break by the waterfall, which was a twenty-minute hike from our original location. I refused to let him carry me up and walked side-by-side with him the entire way there, crying out in delight when I finally caught sight of the crashing water ahead of us.

"Amazing!" I sang in wonder, rushing towards the falls. "It's gorgeous!"

Souji watched as I stopped by the edge, staring into the crystal clear water in awe. I had never seen something so magnificent in my entire life, and stood up to try to see the very top, which lie several dozen feet above us. Souji wrapped his arms around me from behind, burying his face in my neck as he enjoyed the breathtaking view with me.

"My parents used to bring me here when I was young, along with my older sister," Souji said. "I used to swim in here all the time before my parents died."

"It must have been fun," I said, gently touching his hand. "Wasn't it cold?"

"Not to me. I used to swim around butt-naked!" he admit. I pictured a baby Souji jumping into the water in his birthday suit and could not help but laugh.

We spent some time just enjoying the view together before Souji took me down to the city not too far away, where he brought me in to the Shinsengumi's headquarters, walking in with me through the front gate, where two guards stared at me, completely mesmerized. Souji pretended not to notice as he led me through the courtyard, where men dressed in the signature blue haori were busy sparring with one another. They bowed respectfully to Souji as he passed, though their eyes were glued onto me in disbelief. I was beginning to wonder if this was okay and stuck close to Souji, taking a few steps forward so that I was directly behind him.

"Souji, who's the girl?" a boy with brown, tied back hair and youthful features inquired, approaching us. He smiled at me when I looked at him, shyly rubbing the back of his head. "Hello there. I'm Todo Heisuke."

"Hello, I'm-" I managed to reply before Souji placed his arm around him, grinning widely. "Huh?"

"Good to see you too, Heisuke," Souji said, making Heisuke nervous with his wide smile. Heisuke chuckled sheepishly as he backed away, Souji smiling back at me, nodded his head and I followed him up the steps and into the main building. A tea table had been set up, and gathered around it were a few faces I recognized from before - Sano and Shinpachi were there, along with Hijikata and Saitouu. Two men I did not recognize were there as well and were stunned to see me come in through the entrance, dressed in my best clothes at that.

Heisuke came into the room after us, sliding the door closed as everyone got silent. Souji pushed me in front of him, urging me to introduce myself to the expectant men. Before we had arrived, he had told me to call myself Shiroyama Aya. I scanned their multitude of expressions as I bowed my head low.

"Hello, my name is Shiroyama Aya, and I-"

"I recognize you," Hijikata cut me off as soon as I raised my head, much to my surprise. "When Souji said he was bringing us back an ally, I did not expect a woman to come walking in."

"I remember you!" Shinpachi burst out, standing up and rushing over to me, grabbing me by my hands and beaming at me. "You're that beautiful girl from back then, aren't you? Remember me? Nagakura Shinpachi?"

I laughed, nodding my head. "I remember you, Nagakura-san."

"Then you probably remember me too, right? I'm Harada Sanosuke," Sano greeted from where he sat.

"Yes."

Shinpachi directed my attention back to him with a shake to my hands. "It's been too long. Aya-chan," he said enthusiastically. "You've gotten even more pretty since the first time I met you."

"Thank you very much for complimenting her," Souji said, casually prying Shinpachi off of me.

"Shiroyama, right?" a man I did not recognize asked me. He had short hair and steep slopes for eyebrows, yet his golden eyes were kind and gentle. "Are you a relative of Shiroyama Takeda?"

"No, she isn't," Souji answered. "She's from the northern Shiroyama clan, the one who has blood from the mainland. Her family has been overrun by rebels and her family has ties with me so I thought it would be a good investment to bring her here."

"So that's how you know her," Hijikata grumbled. "This girl, we've seen her before. Is she really from the north?"

The golden-eyed man nodded his head. "The Shiroyama clan is lesser known, but they do have a wide family line that extends to China. Aya-san, how long have you been here?"

"I've been in and out of Japan for about four years," I said in a slight northern accent. "I just received news of my family's misfortune and informed Souji-san. He told me that because my parents knew his, he could provide a place for me to temporarily stay while things are settled in the north."

"Actually, we're cousins," Souji suddenly said. "Right, Aya-chan?"

"Yes," I answered, internally alarmed by his new story.

"Oh, great!" Shinpachi chortled. "I was beginning to worry you two were together or something."

"Of course not," Souji replied nonchalantly. "But I forbid any of you from getting any close to her. She's delicate."

"How old are you?" Heisuke inquired excitedly. "I'm nineteen!"

"I'm twenty," I lied. I was really nearing twenty-two, but saying I was twenty sounded like the better decision.

The casual atmosphere was rattled when a second man I did not recognize crossed his arms over his chest smugly. "Hmph."

"What is it, Sannan?" Souji queried, a hostile glint in his eye. The man by the name of Sannan stood up, walking over to me and grabbing my face in his hand, tilting my chin up so he could stare into my eyes through his bespectacled ones. He had sharp, inquisitive eyes, endless knowledge seeming to be hidden behind his amber irises. Ignoring Souji's protesting, he smiled at me, releasing me after he had finished examining me.

"She doesn't look very Chinese," Sannan observed, pushing his glasses up.

"I'm only partially Chinese - my grandmother," I explained calmly. Souji angrily wrenched Sannan from me, glaring at him.

"Who gave you permission to touch her?" Souji demanded.

Sannan smiled. "Calm down, Okita-san. She's only your cousin, right? You act like she's more than that."

"Sannan, that's going too far," Heisuke scolded as Souji stared him down. The two looked at one another for a moment before Sannan retreated to his original seat, smiling kindly over me as if nothing had ever even happened in the first place.

"I apologize if I scared you, Shiroyama-san," he said, ignoring Souji's unwavering stare.

"It's fine," I said, though I found myself disliking him from the way he observed me. It was as if he were testing me and keeping track of my every movement. Suddenly feeling greatly uncomfortable, I was relieved when the golden-eyed man stood from his seat, clasping his hands together as if coming to a final decision.

"As Commander of the Shinsengumi, Isami Kondou, I give you permission to stay with us from here on out. I could hardly turn away such a nice young woman, and Souji's cousin at that. I'll prepare a room for you immediately in a separate area from the men's rooms, that way you'll have some more privacy," the man, who identified himself as Kondou, declared.

So this was Isami Kondou, the man I had heard so much about and the only person Souji loved as much as he loved me, if not more than me. I could not help but smile widely at the man, bowing down gratefully.

"No words can express my gratitude," I spoke.

"I knew you would understand," Souji exclaimed in delight. "Kondou-san truly is a saint, isn't he, Aya?"

"Kondou, you're agreeing to this way too easily," Hijikata objected, having kept silent the whole time. "What good would having a woman here do? It'll just bring us all trouble."

"I disagree," Sano spoke. "I think we need a woman around here."

"Yeah, why not?" Shinpachi agreed.

"I bet Aya-san has some secret talent," Heisuke added. "She can probably make herself useful around here, right?"

Souji and I glanced at one another briefly before I inclined my head. "I can fight."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, swords are not for women to play around with," Hijikata said, laughing.

Feeling irritated with him, I grabbed the sword off of Souji's belt and pointed it at him. "I can prove it to you."

"Can you?"

Hijikata eyed me testily for a moment before placing down his cup of tea and nodding his head. I withdrew the sword as he stood up, looking around the room before finally resting his gaze upon Heisuke. "Heisuke can be your partner in this match. Let's bring this out to the courtyard."

Hijikata filed out, followed shortly by Saitou, Sano, Shinpachi, Sannan, Kondou, Souji, then Heisuke. Heisuke glanced at me worriedly, wondering if I was going you be able to handle fighting against a full-fledged samurai. I wondered the same, having never wielded a sword in my life - I had only held and used wooden swords when I practiced on my own, mimicking the maneuvers and stances my brother had learned from his instructor.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Aya-san?" Kondou inquired as I entered the courtyard. "Heisuke is one of our best men."

"You don't have to do this," Souji stated.

I smiled. "I'm not going to win, of course, but I'm going to put up enough of a fight that Hijikata-san will reconsider."

"Aya-chan, I didn't know you knew how to wield a sword," Souji spoke. "Who taught you?"

I stood across from Heisuke, smiling at Souji, who stood on the sidelines. "I taught myself."

The men who had previously been sparring and practicing had since crowded around in curiosity, seeing as I was holding a razor-sharp blade in my hand. Hijikata, clearly doubting me, hardly even bothered to watch as the fight began. Sano and Shinpachi watched anxiously as Heisuke rushed full-speed at me while everyone else just waited to see how I would handle the first strike. Holding the hilt of the sword with both hands, I waited until the very last second to move from Heisuke's attack range, blocking his sword with mine.

He was much stronger than I was and my arms began to tremble under him. I lowered our swords down, elbowing him in the face and using my leg to swipe him off of his balance. I was partially successful, because he stumbled back, completely stunned as the crowd watching us held onto their seats in tension. I rushed at Heisuke, bringing my sword down just to have him counter my attack, pushing me back. I was beginning to feel the weight of losing when I decided to change tactics, apologizing to him before kneeing him in the stomach, and as he doubled over in pain, I tried to grab the sword in his hands, only to find he fought back, ensuing in a struggle.

He managed to wrestle free of my grip and as a result, I fell onto the ground on my rear end, Souji's sword skidding across the ground before Hijikata's feet. Heisuke, realizing the fight was done with, smiled and offered a hand to me. I gladly took it, dusting myself off as everyone looked expectantly over to Hijikata, who had his arms stubbornly folded across his chest. I could tell that he was still unconvinced, probably having seen how much I struggled when it came to physical strength.

For my first time fighting, I didn't do as badly as I had thought.

"Heisuke, you were going easy on her, weren't you?" Hijikata asked.

Heisuke shook his head. "Actually, I wasn't."

"Not bad," Sano commented, genuinely impressed. "You were struggling a bit but you definitely know how to defend yourself, Aya-san."

"Oh, thank you," I said, rubbing the back of my head meekly as Hijikata cleared his throat.

"Very well. Stay if you like. Just don't get in the way," he declared, walking back into the building. The boys cheered, and Souji, retrieving his weapon, patted me on the back.

"I'm surprised you knew how to use a sword," Souji remarked, still astonished by the show I had put on.

"That was actually the first time I have ever used a real sword and fought someone," I confessed, the boys nearly reeling over in their disbelief. I chuckled. "Sorry for elbowing you and kneeing you, Heisuke."

"It's okay! I'm actually still in shock. I wasn't holding back at all, and it was your first time even fighting," he mused.

"Well, it looks like you've surpassed Toshi's expectations," Kondou said as he joined us. "Let's all have a feast tonight to welcome Aya-san to the Shinsengumi, shall we?"

Nobody raised any objections at the sound of celebration and cheered, wandering off to do their own thing as Sannan and Souji remained with me. Sannan, having kept quiet the whole time, smiled at me, a chill running down my spine as he complimented me on my fighting skills.

"For someone who has never even held a sword, that was quite a feat you've accomplished," he spoke. "Okita-san, you should be a little less concerned about her. She can protect herself if she needs to."

Souji, though hostile, smirked at him. "You're right. She can probably beat up anyone who gets too close to her. Or if she can't, I will."

Sannan was unfazed. "Oh?"

"Aya-chan is all I have," Souji declared. "I'm not letting anyone take advantage of her. That includes you, Sannan."

Sannan, more entertained by Souji's threat than intimidated, laughed. He smiled at me once more before taking his leave, wandering off into the building. Souji glared daggers into his retreating backside until he completely disappeared, then sighed in annoyance.

"That bastard..."

"I think he's suspicious," I stated. "He isn't falling for it as easily as the others are."

Souji huffed. "Then we're just going to have to be extra careful around him," he decided. "Come with me. I'll give you a tour around the place."