Next chapter up! I'm happy to be able to update regularly so far! Lol..
Youki minaco-san: yes.. Our buchou is really a gentleman! I was squealing when they met. They will be meeting again in this chapter! Enjoy!
Fujiyuki-san: Yukimura... Yukimura is really something in this story. Don't worry, soon Tezuka will have all the right to take care of our Fuji!
Ayame shuurei-san: Thanks for reviewing! I'm very delighted to hear you will stay with this story. I hope I can hear more from you, though. Roger! Please look forward to the sweet yet not cheesy chapter! *wink*
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 6
Unpredictable
"Are you looking for me?" Fuji asked from the threshold.
Lord Yukimura looked up from his documents. "Are you going somewhere?" He asked after seeing Fuji's appearance.
"To the city market." Fuji answered.
Lord Yukimura stood and waved his hand to command Fuji to come in.
"I don't want to start arguing with you early in the morning but you are disappointing me, you know. I hope much from you and what you did last night truly was a disaster."
Fuji stood there and accepted whatever the lord said.
"I don't ask too much, I want you to gain the lord's attention and use it to get informations from him. Is that so difficult?"
"He didn't give me the chance and the way he looked at me made me uncomfortable. It won't be easy to get his attention, my Lord." Fuji hated to admit it to Lord Yukimura but he didn't have any choices, the lord would know in the end.
"You must success! I don't care whatever you do to get it. You will get what I want and you will be free, understand?"
"I said it wouldn't be easy but I never said that I wouldn't do it." Fuji said, "And for your information, I am on my way to get his lordship's ATTENTION as you said before."
"You two made an appointment today?" this time Lord Yukimura asked in confusion.
"No. I got an information that the lord will visit the market today and I am going to meet him there." Fuji said flatly.
"That's good!" Lord Yukimura went back to his table and took out a small pouch and brought it into Fuji's hand. "Here, use this to buy anything you want."
"I don't need it, I have nothing I wish to buy."
"Doesn't matter, bring it with you." He insisted.
Fuji shrugged and slipped the pouch into his dark brown coat's pocket.
"How are you going to go there?" Lord Yukimura asked again.
"I will walk there. It's not that far away from here." Fuji answered.
"It's that far away from here. You need one hour to reach the market on foot. Wait for a moment, I will send you there after finish his job."
Fuji accepted Lord Yukimura's order and walked to the nearest chair. Lord Yukimura was quite generous today, he wonder why but he was grateful that he didn't have to walk, his attire and shoes were disasters for long walking distance. He put his parasol on the table and sat down swiftly. "Is there someone sick?"
"Sanada. won't be long."
"Does he catch a cold?"
"Nope." Lord Yukimura went back to his desk and picked up a pen then started to write again.
Fuji waited patiently, there was no other sounds except Lord Yukimura's constant writing and exchanging paperwork.
Suddenly the door opened and entered. "How is he?" Lord Yukimura jumped up and asked.
"He is fine, my Lord. I gave him some medicines and ointment. He has to apply it every three hours. Other than that he is perfectly fine."
Lord Yukimura sighed deeply, "That's good. Thank you very much, ."
"It's my pleasure to serve you, my Lord."
"I have prepared a carriage to send you home. I hope you are willing to share it with Fuji, he is going to the market and it is located at the same direction with yours." Fuji hurriedly took his parasol and went to Lord Yukimura.
laughed at Lord Yukimura's words, "Of course not. It's nice to have a such beautiful accompany."
"I appreciate it, ." Fuji said to the doctor.
"The pleasure is mine. I hope you won't mind with this old boring man, Fuji." He replied.
"You are not old, Sir. I assure you are definitely not." Fuji smiled solemnly.
"And you, young lad is the most brilliant and kindest person I have ever met." He replied. "Shall we?" offered his arm which Fuji took gladly.
They walked to the front door and got in to the carriage.
's family had worked with Lord Yukimura for generations. The Yanagi's family was the most trusted and greatest healer in this area. From all of Lord Yukimura's subordinates, Fuji liked the most. He never judged people and he helped anyone who needed his help. He knew about Fuji's identity and supported him to do his best.
Fuji, without was nothing. supplied sleeping potions for Fuji to use whenever he found the difficult clients, he taught Fuji how to defend himself and even taught him how to hypnotize his clients. With 's helps, Fuji didn't have to dirty his hands and kept himself sane to continue his life.
Fuji sat and settled his dress, he wore a long dark yellow cotton dress under his coat. He asked Bunta to help him with his hair, Bunta advice him to braided his light brown hair and circle it to create a pretty bun. Bunta helped him to pin it around securely. They left the bangs and hair on his temple loose to accentuate the bun.
"Is 's okay?" Fuji asked when settled on his seat.
closed the door and knocked the carriage's ceiling with his cane and the carriage moved smoothly as it walked toward the road.
"Yes. It's not a deadly disease." Yanagi answered.
"We can't take our health for granted, ne? He was fine last night when he sent us off. I am surprised that he is down because of his sickness."
chuckled at him, the tip of his closed eyes wrinkled a little, "Sometimes it's not the disease that can knock down a healthy man."
"Is it?" Fuji frowned.
"Yeah, and sometimes ignorance is a bliss." He added and when Fuji asked about what he intended to say, chuckled again and refused to answer.
###
Fuji waited nervously inside the garment's store. He had stood there for hours and hadn't found his target yet. The street wasn't as crowded as before so he could see better and clearer whether Lord Tezuka already passed by or not.
He was wringing his blue handkerchief and he was afraid that the poor handkerchief would be withered away at the end if the day. The customers from that shop came and went by while looking at him peculiarly but Fuji didn't care.
He looked out the window for the nth time and finally he saw the most anticipated man walking to his direction. Fuji found it funny how he remembered the shades of his hair, the warmness of his hand and the sturdy build of the man.
When he found the right timing, he opened the door quickly and easily collided with the lord.
"Oh! I'm sorry. I don't know that there is someone behind the door." Fuji pretended to be surprised and bowed politely.
"Hn.. It's okay." He heard the familiar voice answered.
See? So easy.
"Miss Fuji?"
Fuji looked up and surprised, "Oh! Good afternoon, Lord Tezuka! It's nice to meet you."
"Hn.."
"Are you buying something here?" Fuji blinked his eyes and asked.
"Ah.. And you?" Lord Tezuka asked only as a polite gesture, Fuji mused since he looked like want to run away from Fuji.
"I want to buy new shoes but can't find the right shoes." Fuji sighed dramatically.
"Maybe you should search it at the footwear shop?" He said in the matter of fact.
Fuji looked up and laughed, "Yes, of course! How silly of me! I can't find the right shop since I never come here before. Do you by chance know where the footwear shop is?" Fuji tilted his head and touched Lord Tezuka's arm.
Lord Tezuka looked around and turned his head to the left, "You have to walk straight from here and turned right at the next intersection, the shop is the third shop at the right side." Lord Tezuka explained seriously.
Fuji rolled his eyes but smiled back to the lord when he finished his explanation.
"That's very helpful, my Lord." Fuji thanked Lord Tezuka.
"Well, then." Lord Tezuka touched his hat and readied to go.
Oh no!
Unexpectedly, at the sidewalk across of them, a woman in her fortieth screamed when someone stole her purse. The culprit found the road empty and ran across the way, towards Fuji and Lord Tezuka's direction.
Lord Tezuka then wrapped his left hand on Fuji's shoulder and made himself as Fuji's shield. When the robber ran passed them, Fuji stretched out his parasol and the man in faded and dirty clothes fell down. The crowd gathered around the man and it became a bit noisy.
Lord Tezuka pulled Fuji who was still in his arms out of the area.
"What are they going to do with him?" Fuji asked when he looked at the poor man.
"They are going to send him to the guard. He may got at least three years sentence." Lord Tezuka answered.
Fuji saw the men dragged the poor man into the road and Fuji regretted it, he thought they would only took the purse away and let him go. He never thought that they would bring him to the jail.
"I can't let them. We have to save him!" Fuji said while looking at the man, he tried to pry away from the lord.
"He should be punished for what he did." Lord Tezuka answered and didn't let Fuji go.
"He wouldn't do it if he had chance. I believe he has family who wait for him."
"Then he shouldn't do it from the start. He still has options." Lord Tezuka said.
"What options do we have?" Fuji asked darkly, his blue eyes opened and his expression looked so distance.
Lord Tezuka surprised by how different the person in front of him from earlier. "He can work on land or works with someone else."
"Without education and recommendation from a lord, is there any Lord who would hire him or give a patch of his land to this man willingly?" Fuji asked.
"It's easier for you to talk, my Lord. You get everything you need; foods on your table, endless clothes and education whenever you need. What option do we have? When you have your foods, we have to fight for it. When you have new clothes, we have to.. Excuse me." Fuji shook his head and chuckled bitterly, he then separated himself from the lord.
Lord Tezuka was speechless by Fuji's reaction, never before he thought from that point of view. Fuji's words stabbed deeply into his mind.
"Miss Fuji!" Fuji ran away from Lord Tezuka and into the crowd. This little stubborn man.
"Excuse me, excuse me.. Oh! Thank you. Thanks." Fuji said when he slipped into the crowd.
In the center of the crowd, the lady hit the poor man with his fist. Fuji stopped her right before her fist landed on his shoulder.
"What is it, you wench?" she asked angrily.
Fuji smiled at the lady, "I'm sorry, my Lady but I don't think beating him into a pulp is a good option."
"Why do you care?"
Fuji took the small pouch that laid out not far from them. "Here, it's your precious pouch, my Lady. I believe it's very important to you."
She snatched it away from Fuji, "Of course! It's my birthday present from my husband. He bought it from the far away land for me!" she scolded.
"Ah, then I believe the generous Lord will be so sad if you hurt yourself, my Lady. He never intended to give you this beautiful pouch if you hurt yourself in the end." Fuji explained.
The round and wrinkled lady's face became reddened by Fuji's words. "He is very good and care about me! Of course he will be sad if I hurt myself!"
"He doesn't want you to involve in this small incident too, I bet." Fuji said shortly.
"He—" the lady looked around her and knew she had created an incident that could damage his husband's name.
Fuji crouched down next to the man, "Sir, I believe you have something to tell to this lady?"
"I'm.. I'm sorry, my Lady. Please let me go. If I had a chance I wouldn't have done it. I..I have children to feed. Please forgive me!" He begged while crying.
"The officers have arrived!" one of the
That's bad, if I can't convince her to let him go, he will go to the jail and his children will suffer too.
He saw the officers walked toward them.
What should I do? I just need another minutes to convince this woman, I need only few minutes.
Please.
Suddenly the officers were blocked by a tall man, Fuji knew him even only from his back. He sighed in relief.
"So, you will let him go this time, won't you my Lady?" Fuji asked again.
The lady looked hesitant, she looked around the crowd, looking for encouragement from the public.
A loud voice then startled Fuji, "Oh, come on! Just let this poor old man go! There is no one harmed anyway!" Fuji smiled by how familiar the loud voice was.
The crowd then agreed with the voice and declared to let the man go. The old lady didn't have any choice so she did as they told her and walked away hurriedly.
The crowd then dispersed, left Fuji and the old man alone. "Here." Fuji dabbed his handkerchief on the old man's face.
He helped the old man walked to the sidewalk. "Thank you, young Lady. I owe my life to you."
"Don't mind it. Your children need you." Fuji said and then fetched something from his pocket. "That's right, here." He handed the previous pouch given by Lord Yukimura to the old man.
The old man surprised and tried to refuse, "You helping me is more than enough."
"It's not for you, old man. You owe your children better life." Fuji answered, "Don't make them suffer more." Fuji threatened.
"I understand. I understand. Thank you. Thank you, my Lady."
Fuji left the old man alone and walked to the lord who was waiting not far from him. "Thank you for stopping the officer, my Lord." Fuji said honestly.
"Hn.. I told them that was a false alarm and everything is okay. Is it?"
Fuji smiled, "Yes. The problem has been solved."
Lord Tezuka didn't say anything and started to walk with Fuji following behind. Fuji contemplated whether he did something wrong or—
"We are arrived."
"Huh?"
"The footwear shop." Lord Tezuka said while tilting his head toward the shop.
"Oh! The footwear shop. Right." Fuji said, panicked.
"Well, then." once again the lord tried to walk away from Fuji.
Not again!
Fuji ran to catch up the lord, "Wait! Wait a moment! I haven't.. Ouch!" Fuji exclaimed suddenly.
Lord Tezuka turned around and found Fuji leaned on a light pole while bitting his lips.
"You are so reckless." Lord Tezuka said and moved Fuji until he leaned on Lord Tezuka now and grabbed his arms as if it was his anchor of life.
"I'm sorry." Fuji said sheepishly, his foot wasn't that hurt actually but he had to do what he had to do to keep the lord stay.
They walked to the main street where all carts were parked. Lord Tezuka led them to a small yet luxurious cart which Fuji wouldn't recognize unless he saw the coachman.
" !" Fuji called happily.
"Good afternoon, Miss Fuji!" He raised his hat.
"It's nice to see you today, . By the way, thank you for your help just now at the road."
Fuji liked this loud man but he felt guilty too. He got information about his lordship's schedule from this man when he sent him home that night.
"Likewise, Miss. Some ladies are being too stubborn sometimes and please call me Momoshiro. makes me think that you are calling my old man."
Fuji laughed, "Sure. You can call me Fu—"
"You can call her Miss Fuji as you should be and we are ready to go now. We have no much time to chit chat." Lord Tezuka cut them. He escorted Fuji to the carriage and opened the door for him. Fuji looked back at the coachman and gave him small waves.
"Aye aye, Sir!" Momoshiro snickered. He found his lord acting different everytime he met this miss. Last night when they were bickering, Momoshiro was enjoying the moment. Never before he found his lord talk let alone touch a girl in the public. The lord even sent him to escort the young woman back to her home.
When they arrived at her house, which was the bancelor house of Lord Yukimura, Miss Fuji thanked him and they talked for a moment. Miss Fuji was one friendliest woman he ever met. She was lovely and smart too, she asked about his lordship's activities and Momoshiro thought that it was good to help Miss Fuji to get closer to Lord Tezuka.
A silver haired man then appeared and brought her in to the house but not before she said good night to Momoshiro. He then went home and reported about Miss Fuji's house and his worry about her well-being at the house to Lord Tezuka.
Lord Tezuka called meanwhile dismissing Momoshiro. He didn't know what they talked about but he hoped that everything was okay.
###
"It's okay for Momoshiro to call my name, my Lord." Fuji explained while sitting down on the seat. He expected the lord would sit next to him but the lord surprised him again. He sat across Fuji in the small carriage.
"It's not appropriate for a man to call a woman with her given name unless they are close." Lord Tezuka knocked the ceiling and the carriage moved swiftly.
If you say so.
"You can sit next to me, my Lord." Fuji said in confusion.
"That too..is not appropriate, Miss Fuji." He answered strictly.
"But, I want to put my foot on the chair and I need someone to lean to keep my balance. And just for you information, last night you touched me without my permission, too." Fuji added.
"I did?" Lord Tezuka asked again.
"Yes, you did! Have you forgotten about them already?"
He kept talking but the lord didn't say anything and just merely staring at him. "And also, I know a nice tea shop near here. What about we go there and drink?"
Then as if he was struck by something, Lord Tezuka started his long speech about what was appropriate for a young lady and what not. The long speech lasted until they reached Lord Yukimura's house. Fuji deafening his ears and pretended that he heard.
He was no woman and he could protect himself without Lord Tezuka's help.
He didn't need Lord Tezuka's long speech, he needed the information. If only this lord was that easy.
This chapter finish at here. Nothing much happening here but I love this chapter! Do you know what I love more? Your review! Give me one if you by chance dropped by. Thanks also for my lovely readers who stopped by and wrote reviews for me. Also to people who put this story as their favorite and who always follow this story. Love you!
Friday fact: at the first, I really intended to make Tezuka as a prince instead of a lord. I think I will save it for another story.