Hello world! A new, shiny chapter is here!
I had a minor setback with this one, since the exam season is here, but I managed somehow.
Enough with the story of my life now. Enjoy!
The streets of Kyoto were loud and lively as always. People rushed somewhere busily, going about their everyday chores. Shizuka noticed that the crowd's reaction at the Shinsengumi is a little better than she'd remembered it. They were still moving out of the division's way warily, but at least the surroundings weren't becoming so tense. The girl voiced her observations, making Shinpachi look at her.
"Yeah, you're right. We've beaten up some ronin and bandits, so now they are all scared to act up again."
"It did get calmer lately," she nodded. "Guess people see it too."
"And they know it's thanks to us," Shinpachi puffed up with a smile. She snorted at his widening grin, but didn't comment it in any way. After all, he was right. The Shinsengumi were finally earning some recognition in Kyoto. It was a slow process, as townspeople hated the Shogunate and were reluctant to accept its followers as protectors. But once the troops minimalized the amount of crime on the streets, they finally noticed their efforts. Can't say they love them, but at least they're not opposing anymore. Better than nothing, she concluded.
She quickly got used to walking on rounds with the divisions. When it came to Heisuke, Shinpachi and Harada, she even enjoyed it.
At the beginning she was worried that the excuse she came up with might not be enough, leaving the captains suspicious. But on one of the first patrols she's been, when Saito inquired about her investigation, she learned how futile her worry was. She couldn't even get close to anybody. Once she tried talking to a nearby merchant, he waved her off quickly, claiming in a panicked voice that he didn't know anything. The same happened with others. The people were distrusting towards the Shinsengumi. She realized that because of that her own mission wouldn't progress either.
I don't have any other way to obtain information about Sawamura. But to leave... She looked at Shinpachi and the others. The men were both behind and in front of her. Separating from the group without getting caught would be incredibly difficult. I need to come up with something else.
After finishing their appointed route, Shinpachi's division retreated to the compound. Shizuka headed towards the Yagi house right away, since she wanted to think about her situation some more. Lately, it's been all she was doing.
Some of the men, instead of going to their quarters, remained on the courtyard and she could hear their conversation. They were talking about her.
"Look at him, the moment we're done he runs to Yagi. He thinks he's better or what?"
"Who the fuck is this brat anyway?" the other added, earning acknowledging murmurs from his companions. She could feel their stares, but she didn't turn around, nor showed any signs that she'd heard them. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Ever since she started going on patrols, she became the object of the soldiers' hatred because of "special treatment" she was getting. The fact that Hijikata haven't really explained this situation only made it worse.
"Hey you brat, what the hell is your deal?" one of the men called out to her. "Is your fucking daddy some kind of a big shot?" When she heard those words, she stopped abruptly. Don't. It's annoying, but harmless. No need to mind them, she tried to calm herself.
However, seeing her reaction, they continued with their loud comments, making her unable to control her nerves. Finally she turned around, fire in her eyes. But before she took even one step towards them, one of the captains appeared and soldiers fell silent.
"What are you still doing here? Your rounds are over, go back to your rooms," Okita said and the men left right away. Damn it, why him of all people? she wondered. She didn't want to, but lowered her head slightly, thanking him. Then, before he could react, she rushed to her room. He was looking at her escaping figure, her steps so fast that she was almost flying. He chuckled at the sight.
She was following Harada, who came to pick her up for dinner. She was so lost in her thoughts that she haven't noticed his curious gaze on her.
"Something's wrong?" he asked. She looked up at him startled.
"Ah... No, everything's fine," she answered automatically. He eyed her suspiciously.
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah," she assured, but he didn't look convinced.
"So why the long face?" he prodded. "C'mon, you can tell me. Maybe I'll be able to help you," he said and offered her a gentle smile.
"The thing is..." she hesitated and he gave her an encouraging nod. "I still haven't found out anything. People won't talk to me."
"That's normal. Our reputation in Kyoto is not exactly the best."
"I know. But it's so annoying!" she exclaimed with a groan. "It's not like they'll get stabbed if they talk to me for a minute. It's been more than two months already and I still know nothing." He looked at her, his eyes sympathetic and patted her head, ruffling her hair.
"They'll talk to you eventually, you'll see. For now, be patient. And cheer up!" he offered reassuringly and she couldn't help but smile at his words.
They entered the common room and sat at their usual spot. Shinpachi and Heisuke welcomed them with a smile.
"Sano, you took your time, didn't ya? I'm starving!" Shinpachi spoke up and then started stuffing his mouth with rice. "Shizuka-chan, eat up," he mumbled. She nodded and picked up the spoon.
Hmm, today must've been Saito's turn to cook, she realized the moment she tasted the soup. How can he make everything taste so bland? According to him seasoning was unhealthy, so he was not using any.
She would never say it out loud, but the food made by Okita was hundreds times better, even if the men often complained about the dishes being too salty. Shizuka haven't really noticed that, for her they were really tasty. I'm actually praising him? I must be out of my mind, she shook her head at the ridiculous thoughts.
She looked up and there he was, sitting right in front of her. What kind of arrangement is this? It must be some sick joke.
He didn't notice her gaze, he was absorbed in a chat with Saito. She caught herself at staring for too long and looked away quickly, embarrassed. She turned to the men next to her and concentrated on Heisuke's conversation with Shinpachi.
"Shinpachi-san, you already ate yours, stop going for mine! Seriously..." he grumbled.
"I'm bigger than you, kid, so I need more food," he countered and attacked with his chopsticks again, stripping Heisuke's fish further out of meat.
"Oi! Shinpachi-san!" Heisuke yelled outraged. "It's me who needs more food. I'm still growing after all, right?" he reasoned and attempted to steal from the older man's plate.
"Ha, too slow!" Shinpachi mocked, easily protecting his food. Unhappy with the results, Heisuke started the argument all over again. Shizuka smiled at their bickering.
"Good thing Hijikata-san's not here. They'd never hear the end of it otherwise," she said.
"My thoughts exactly. Those bastards are especially loud today," Harada agreed with a sigh and she chuckled seeing his annoyed face. He looked at her, puzzled.
"Don't tell me you enjoy this ruckus?"
"At least it's not boring, right?" she responded with a grin.
"You have weird preferences," Harada concluded seriously, but then smiled back.
"Says the man who uses a stick to fight," she deadpanned at him. He gaped at her for a moment and then, as always, jumped to protect his beloved weapon. Hearing her comment, Heisuke and Shinpachi stopped their quarrel and burst out laughing. Then they immediately teamed up against Harada. He shot her an unpleasant look, but she just grinned again. She liked teasing him.
As dinner was near its end, Innoue entered the room.
"Do you have a moment?" She glanced up, ready to greet him, but his expression made her words die down. He looked very concerned, as if something big happened. The others also noticed this and all talks stopped. He took it as a sign to begin.
"I just received a word from Osaka. They are going back as we speak," he said, but it was visible that he was struggling with something more. He breathed out and continued.
"They heard about ronin harassing merchants so they went to check it. They managed to drive them off, but … Sannan-san got wounded," he stated. Men looked up at him in surprise.
"How serious?" Shinpachi asked the question all of them wanted to ask.
"His... his left arm in severely injured," Innoue spoke finally. Then he excused himself, saying he needs to talk to the commander, and left the common room. Silence that fell onto them was deafening. They all knew what it meant.
Shizuka wasn't talking much with Sannan, since he struck her as a very aloof person, but she didn't have anything against him. To have one's arm injured... If it's as serious as Innoue-san says, he might not be able to wield the sword. She sighed, feeling sorry for the man.
"Since it's come to this, he'll have to drink the medicine, right?" Okita said, breaking the silence. Captains looked at him, so did she.
"Don't even talk about it. We can't give up our captains to the Corps just like that," Shinpachi answered him coldly. Give up? Corps? What does that mean? And what kind of medicine are they talking about? she wondered.
"The Corps? You mean the Shinsengumi?" she stated her thoughts out loud. Heisuke shook his head at her question.
"No, the Shinsengumi is us. The Corps we're talking about are..."
"Heisuke!" Harada and Shinpachi yelled in unison, cutting the young man off before he could finish. The latter hit Heisuke across the head.
"Ouch," he whimpered, rubbing his injury. He looked at men and just then realized his mistake. "Sorry," he said meekly, shrinking back.
"Think before you open that damn mouth!" Shinpachi scolded him. He turned to Shizuka, his expression stern.
"That's all you're going to hear about this matter. I know you must be curious, but don't ask," he told her seriously and she just nodded.
After this incident the atmosphere in the common room became so tense and uncomfortable, that most of men left without even finishing their meal. Shizuka also headed to her room, lost in thoughts.
Other corps? And they won't talk about it... She understood quickly. Ah, this must be about those creatures. So there's an entire division of them? Where are they hidden though? She stopped suddenly and looked back, towards soldiers' quarters. Don't tell me... The Maekawa house? Are they insane, keeping those monsters so close? And they can escape just fine, she thought, remembering her first encounter with them. All of this was very intriguing, but she decided to stop bothering. I have plenty to think about without this crap, she concluded and continued on her way.
It was already dark, when Shizuka went out of her room to get some fresh air. She'd spent good few hours trying to think about the way to obtain some information, but it all came down to one thing. Since people are afraid of the Shinsengumi I'd have to separate from them. But even if I somehow do it, afterwards Hijikata's gonna give me hell on earth. Damn it. She was going in circles for past few weeks and her patience was really at its end.
She sat down on the bench with a sigh and looked up. Wow, the moon's so bright tonight. Pretty, she marvelled. The breeze felt nice and soon she found herself relaxing.
"You can't sleep?"
"Something like this," she admitted without turning around. Kondou sat down next to her and for a while they were both just gazing at the night sky, not saying anything. It was strange how comfortable she felt. Normally, she'd be wary of him. Even with Harada, the one she was definitely the closest to, she was still careful not to say too much. But Kondou...
Not knowing why, his presence was giving her the sense of security. They've met here like this few times already, but every time she was caught off guard by those feelings, and honestly, it was scaring her. As time passed, the man reminded her more and more of... No, let's not think about this, she shook her head, supressing the memories even before they could surface. Finally Kondou broke the silence.
"I found these in the cupboard. Would you care for some midnight snack?" he offered. She glanced at him and noticed a small tray in his hand. Seems like there's awfully lot of those in the cupboard, she chuckled. Surely enough, looking closer at colourful shapes, she recognized the sweets he'd brought many times before.
"Thank you," she said and took a piece of candy. Kondou smiled at her response, but then suddenly his expression became serious.
"I must apologize," he started and she stopped mid-bite, confused. "I didn't know that soldiers were bothering you." Oh, it's about this.
"Kondou-san, please don't worry about this. I don't mind."
"But I do. You are our guest, so this kind of behaviour is unforgivable," he stated earnestly. Guest? I could argue with that one...
"I understand why they are like this," she tried to reason with him, but he didn't look convinced. She was at loss for a moment.
"Kondou-san, somebody once told me this. There are a lot of people in this world. Some of them will try to hurt me and I can't do anything about it. But out of all the methods to do so, words, especially the ones spoken cowardly behind my back, should not be worthy of my concern." She smiled at him reassuringly. "I really don't mind." He was observing her closely for a longer moment, then he looked at the stars pensively.
"You sound just like him," Kondou said quietly, she wasn't sure she'd heard correctly. "You're right," he added louder and patted her on the head. "You are really mature, K- Yukimura.
"No, I'm not mature at all," she admitted with a little laugh. "Actually, he would always tell me..." she started, but then realized what she was saying and fell silent. Damn it, she cursed. Her chest suddenly felt tight and she breathed in sharply.
Kondou didn't comment on her words and just looked at her quietly. Just when she was about to excuse herself, before she did something even more stupid, he spoke again.
"It must've been really hard." His words made her eyes widen. "Having your life turned upside down and when you're this young. I can't even imagine..." She clenched her fists to prevent her hands from shaking. Seeing her tense expression, he rushed with an apology.
"I understand you don't want to bring this up, I really do. But know that," he seemed to struggle for right words "if you ever need something, I can always hear you out," Kondou ended and coughed awkwardly, clearly not used to this kind of conversation.
"Thank you," she answered finally, her voice just a little bit unstable. I need to get out of here quickly, before I break down in front of him, she thought frantically. She looked up at him just to see his face light up in a gentle smile. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. It... It's the same.
"You should go in and rest," he stood up and gazed down at her.
"Y...yes. I will go in a minute," she said quietly, careful not to let him see her face. Kondou nodded and headed back.
When he left, she had to hold onto the bench, otherwise she would've fell. Her other hand landed on her chest, trying to somehow ease the pain that struck her. It's been... a while. I almost forgot this feeling. She felt the tears on her cheeks and wiped them roughly, but they got wet again so quickly, that soon she stopped bothering. How could I not see this before? His smile... It looks exactly the same.
Some days later she was on patrol again, this time with Okita. Usually Shizuka would avoid such situation more than fire, but this time she didn't really care. She had a lot on her mind. The girl still felt depressed after her talk with Kondou, but most of all, she felt mad at herself. I shouldn't have lost control like this. Idiot.
She was so lost in her thoughts, that she'd already bumped into several people, earning few nasty stares. Okita was watching her curiously, but didn't comment on it in any way. This finally caught her attention and she looked up at him, their eyes meeting. She expected seeing his half-smirk or hearing something rude, but none of those happened. He stayed like this for few seconds, then turned away, gazing at the stalls. Hm? No snarky remarks? No mocking? What the hell? Only now she'd noticed that today he was strangely mild. She instantly got very suspicious.
Shizuka collided with yet another person, though this time she wasn't spaced out. She looked around and her eyes widened at the amount of townsfolk on the streets. Even the distance they normally kept from the division was smaller.
"Why is there so many people?" she mumbled to herself.
"Must be because the Gion Festival is soon," Okita answered.
Oh, right. It's around this time of the year, she thought absentmindedly. Then she realized what just happened and gaped at him, taken aback. He noticed her expression.
"What's wrong, Shizuka-chan?"
"Did you hit your head?" she blurted out without much thinking and he chuckled at her words.
"I don't recall anything like that," he responded after feigning consideration for a moment. Okita then leaned in, towering over her. "Why do you look so startled? Are you flustered, perhaps?" he inquired with a grin.
She looked at him, now downright shocked. What is going on? First, he's barely talking to me and now he's chirping as if it's the most natural thing in the world. But thinking about it... It's been a while since I've heard any stupid comments from him. She glanced up at him and decided to voice her observations.
"What happened to you?" she asked openly, sure that he'd understand what she meant. He looked back at her and she saw something flicker in his emerald eyes. However, before she could identify it, it was gone. He opened his mouth to answer her, but right then they heard one of the soldiers speaking up to someone.
"Hey, are you ronin? Give me the name of your lord right now, if you even serve one. Hurry up!"
Just as Shizuka and Okita got closer to the group, people noticed the scene and started panicking. They created a big commotion and she got pulled away by the crowd. After a moment of struggle she managed to jump sideways and ended up in front of some shop. She looked around, but couldn't spot Okita anywhere nearby.
She almost started searching for him, but stopped, remembering something. Wait. This is my chance! I could ask around a little before he finds me. She turned back and decided to talk to the owner, who was now standing in the entry, probably driven out by the noises.
"Excuse me," she bowed slightly to the man. "Can I..."
"There's some big brawl over there. Why don't you wait it out inside, young man?" the owner cut in and gestured towards his shop. This interruption was strange to say the least, but she figured it was her only opportunity. She nodded and followed him.
Suddenly, one of the employees appeared in the back.
"Boss, this guy is one of the the Shinsengumi!" he yelled and the owner turned to her, terrified. Then they all started running off, some of them pushing her out of the way. She lost balance and would've fell, but in that moment, she felt strong grip on her arms. She looked up, just to see Okita's smile.
"Well look what you've found, Shizuka-chan," he said cheerfully. He moved her gently to the side and blocked the escape route. Then he entered the shop with his men. She wanted to follow, she didn't really know why, but he stopped her.
"Wait outside," he ordered and disappeared.
She could hear sounds of swords clinging, some painful groans and mighty yells. They must be having fun there, she concluded with a snort.
Her knees were starting to hurt. Right after they've returned to the headquarters, both of them got called out by Sannan. Apparently he already knew everything and, seeing his expression, he was not pleased with the news. Now Shizuka and Okita were kneeling in the common room, the general commander looming over them menacingly.
She noticed a change in Sannan. She met him as a calm and quiet man, but ever since his injury happened, he was constantly annoyed. She understood this, though. Harada had told her, that the man was working for the the Shinsengumi just as hard as Hijikata.
He must feel so miserable now. Suddenly unable to do a thing that was as easy as breathing before... Of course he would try to vent his anger somewhere. She gazed at Okita, who was being scolded. It seemed that currently he was this "somewhere".
"Given the situation, I did what I had to. I found illegal weapons, so I arrested the people involved." He looked up at Sannan, Shizuka a little impressed by how unfazed he was. If looks could kill, Okita would be long gone, but he was meeting this harsh stare right on. Damn, he's even smiling, she noticed.
"C'mon, it's not something to lose your head over, Sannan-san." Okita said pleadingly, but it didn't work. Actually, it seemed to have the opposite effect.
"Not something to lose my head over?" he repeated dully and she almost flinched when she saw his expression. Wow, this guy makes Hijikata's temper seem like nothing.
She was considering speaking up to explain, but after seeing his face she immediately abandoned the thought.
"My head is exactly where it's supposed to be. Perhaps you should inquire after yours, Okita-kun," the general commander responded in an eerily calm voice and she almost laughed at this comment, it was so fitting. She figured however, that grinning would only make their situation worse, so she suppressed it.
Sannan told them that the owner of that shop had a fake name and was a Choshu spy. Shizuka nodded, since she's realized that much.
"We were perfectly aware of their actions, but we let them be in hope of gaining information." He didn't have to add that by doing what they've done, they ruined the Shinsengumi's plans.
"I had no choice," Okita shrugged, the tone of his voice betraying that he knew how weak of an excuse that was.
"He's right. It already went down to this, so he picked the best option possible. And it wasn't a total failure." Harada, who was in the common room as well, spoke up, defending the kneeling pair.
"Yeah, but don't you feel bad for Shimada and Yamazaki? They've been staking the place for so long..." Heisuke stated obliviously and Shizuka almost hissed at him. You're not making it any better with those smart ass opinions, you moron. He noticed her expression and fell silent.
Then she looked at two men who stepped out. Those are the spies, right? I think I've seen them around before.
"We were getting nothing new for some days now, so Okita-san did us a favour," the man said in a polite voice. The other one, the one dressed all black, nodded, agreeing with his companion. Shinpachi laughed, patting both of them on arms.
"Those guys are the definition of calm and reasonable, aren't they?" Then he looked at Okita. "Souji on the other hand..." he smirked.
Shizuka's conscience was jabbing at her for a while now and she finally had enough of it. Okay, I don't like him, but I can't let him take all the blame. She looked up at Sannan.
"It was my fault," she said in a strong voice. Okita looked at her, his eyes widening slightly. "There was a commotion among the crowd and I lost sight of Okita-san. I ended up in front of that shop and they recognized me as one of the the Shinsengumi. He just cleaned up the mess I made," she explained, but Sannan's face didn't change.
"His task was to look after you, was it not?" he answered, staring at her. She held his glare, not wavering.
"But circumstances separated us. He cannot predict everything," Shizuka reasoned.
"As one of the Shinsengumi captains, he should know that the unforeseeable situations shall be taken into consideration as well," he countered and she realized that this was going nowhere.
He doesn't even make any sense. What a load of crap. She smirked at him, a scornful smile reflecting her thoughts. Seeing Shizuka's expression, the man's eyes turned ice cold.
Hijikata entered the common room, breaking the tension, and men threw questions at him. Sannan looked away.
"What did the guy say?" Harada asked.
"Those lunatics wanted to set Kyoto on fire and kidnap daimyō in the commotion," he stated and all captains looked up at him, surprised.
"What the hell!? Are they for real?" Shinpachi exclaimed.
"They were supposed to meet in an inn tonight, to plan further." Hijikata added and then glanced over captains. "Get ready. We move out."
Baka duo yelled enthusiastically, the thought of an oncoming fight clearly agitating for them.
"Sannan-san, Yamazaki, Shimada, come with me," the vice commander said and went out.
Right after they left Harada reached out a hand to Shizuka and helped her on her feet.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, thanks," she responded. The man looked down at her, his eyes suddenly serious.
"You should probably go to your room. We'll be going out soon." She gazed at other captains and then back at Harada. He's right. It's not my business anyway.
"Got it," she said and left the common room. Okita also stood up and glanced briefly at her retreating figure.
She was passing by Hijikata's room and heard voices inside. She didn't think much of it though and just continued walking.
"Are we going to send them as well?" Yamazaki asked.
"They are too unstable," Sannan said. She slowed her pace involuntary. "Sending them would be more trouble than worth," the man explained. They must be talking about those creatures.
"Did the prisoner say anything about him?" Sannan inquired and she could hear Hijikata let out an annoyed grunt.
"No. It seemed like he's never heard the name before. Shimada, Yamazaki, what about you?
At the change of topic Shizuka started going away, finding captive's confessions much less interesting.
"The entire time we've been observing the shop, Sawamura hasn't appeared once." The moment she heard those words, she stopped abruptly, shocked.
Sa... Sawamura? Did I hear correctly? She couldn't move for a moment, her legs shaking slightly. Then she approached the door quietly and kept listening.
"That damn bastard sure is careful," Hijikata spat out with a sneer.
"However, we got our hands on an interesting rumour," Shimada spoke up. "Apparently, some people saw Kodou-san in Kyoto."
"Kodou-san in Kyoto?" Sannan repeated mechanically.
"Yes. And he wasn't alone." There was a moment of silence, then she could hear Hijikata inhaling sharply.
"Don't tell me. Sawamura?"
"At least that is what we have heard."
They were still discussing, but Shizuka wasn't paying attention anymore. Hearing that name again, this time clearly, had even bigger impact on her. She flinched, her fists clenched tight enough to draw blood.
I finally got something. After all this time, finally! There were so many emotions raging inside of her that she felt overwhelmed.
Once she more or less regained control over herself, she started thinking. I need to somehow join them tonight. I spies said he might be in that inn.
Suddenly she heard steps. She turned around and moved away from Hijikata's room as fast as she could. Then she walked right into Kondou.
"Yukimura, what are you doing here?"
"I..." she stammered, searching for an excuse.
"You are excited as well, right?" he said, looking around. She did as well and noticed a gathering near the entrance, soldiers' voices loud in the stillness of the night. "They are preparing so eagerly, of course you'd get influenced by their attitude." He laughed jovially and glanced down at her, waiting for an answer.
"Oh, yes," she agreed quickly, mimicking his enthusiasm the best she could. Kondou seemed to be satisfied with her response and stepped closer to her.
"Then why don't you join us? It will get busy there, so we could use a messenger," he explained to her. She was staring at him, taken aback by his offer. He took her silence as a sign of reluctance and started hesitating. "Of course you don't have to feel obligated if you don't..."
"I'll go!" she exclaimed fiercely, grabbing his sleeve. He looked at her, a little startled by her reaction. "I want to go," she repeated a little less forcefully, letting go of him. Did I overdo it? Damn it, she cursed. Then she felt his hand on her head, patting her. She glanced up to check his expression.
"That's the spirit! Very good, Yukimura, I like it," he said with a wide smile, and she sighed in relief. "Hurry and prepare now. We'll be going out soon."
"Yes," she answered with a little bow. Kondou nodded and headed to where she came from.
Shizuka ran down the corridor and entered her room. She tried to calm down, but in vain.
He might be there. Maybe I'll see him, she thought. Unconsciously, her hand went to the hilt of Sagami Kaneyasu and gripped it strongly. She unsheathed the sword and looked at it, its sharp edges shining brightly in the moonlight. It's perfect.
She checked her tabi for Dragon's Claw too, just to make sure. Okay, I'm ready.
She went out and walked towards the main gate to join Kondou's division. Once she got closer, she smiled upon seeing familiar faces.
"Oh, Shizuka-chan, why are you here?" Shinpachi asked, him and Heisuke looking at her with surprise.
"I'm your messenger," she answered.
"Oh, is that so? Well, the more the merrier," the man said with a big grin and she just shook her head in resignation at his reckless attitude.
She glanced over other people and spotted Okita. Everything happened so fast, that she didn't have time to process his strange behaviour on their patrol. Now, as she was looking at him, some of his comments came back. He noticed her gaze on him and offered her a crooked smile. She turned away, annoyed. Flustered? Yeah, right.
In the meantime Kondou arrived and was now standing at the front.
"Our group's target is Ikedaya. Let's go," he ordered and guided the men outside. She looked around and noticed that their numbers weren't very impressive. Only ten men? This amount was not nearly enough for a raid of such a big inn as Ikedaya. So that's why he wanted me as a messenger. He has no men to spare, she realized.
As they were passing the dark streets, she suddenly found herself nervous. It wasn't cold, but her arms started to shake. No, I need to focus. They said that man might be there, I must be ready. Shizuka held onto Kaneyasu again, hoping to calm her nerves. And soon, she felt her strength slowly coming back. Thank you.
She straightened her back and looked ahead, her gaze unclouded, her pace steady.
When the time comes... I will definitely kill him.
"Y...yes. I will go in a minute." Kondou agreed without a word and left Shizuka alone on the bench. Before entering his room, he stopped at the steps and looked up at the sky one more time.
"You raised your daughter so well, my friend," he said quietly, as if talking to the stars above. He smiled briefly and stayed still for a longer moment.
When he turned towards his quarters, he noticed a man.
"Souji! Why are you still up?" he scolded lightly.
"I was just heading back, Kondou-san."
"Yes, hurry and go," Kondou said and went inside himself.
Okita went down the corridor and stopped just before the turn. He looked at the courtyard and spotted a figure crouched next to the bench. He was observing the person for a longer while, until some time later she went to her room, her steps slow and wobbly. Then the man turned on his heel and retreated to his own room.
"A daughter, hm?"
Okay, chapter 4 down! Honestly, I'm not sure about this one. I kept going back and forth about various things. Damn, as the story goes on, it gets more and more demanding. I don't even wat to think about the budding romance…
Yeah, speaking of the romance. I'm still kind of scared to write Souji, but in this chapter I figured 'You need to finally start using this guy, he's supposed to be the main lead, dammit! Don't hide behind Sano!' and I stepped out of my comfort zone, even if just a little bit. I will study Souji more and will gradually attack you with him, just give me some time.
Feel free to leave a review, I want to know what you guys think
Thank you for reading and see you soon (I hope)!