Hello my readers. I want to say sorry for the very late update. For months I didn't have any motivation and inspiration to continue this story. But this was my first fanfic so I wanted it to have an end someday. I changed some little things in the other chapters. Chapter 6 has changed a lot because I saw that Saito was a bit out of character. My writing style has also changed over the years so… I hope you will still like it.
Chapter 11
The next morning Heisuke and Harada had patrol with their divisions. They walked around town, but nothing seemed off.
"It's awfully quiet, isn't it?" Heisuke said.
"Well, it's not like something has to happen every day."
"Yeah, I know, but …"
Harada stopped walking. He crossed his arms as he looked at Heisuke. "Let me guess, you want to clear your mind from the thoughts about Sora-chan?"
Heisuke came to a halt. "W-Wha what are you saying?"
"Come on Heisuke, it's no use to deny it. It is clear for everyone that you are attracted to her."
Heisuke didn't want to react to what he said. He held his mouth shut, trying not to think about what he wanted to do to the elder man.
"Uhm, can I uh, ask you something?"
Heisuke's trail of thoughts were stopped by the voice of a woman. He turned around and saw a woman standing next to Harada. She was holding a baby and two other children were behind her, holding onto the fabric of the kimono she was wearing.
"What is it?" Harada asked.
"You see that boy standing there?" she pointed at someone behind Heisuke, "he has been asking everyone around here if we have seen a man with dark blue hair and silver eyes."
Even though Heisuke and Harada could guess who he was and who he was searching for, Harada asked her "what is wrong with that?"
"He is very obtrusive and has already hit someone who saw that specific man but didn't remember where."
"Thank you for telling us, we will investigate this matter and if possible send him away."
The woman tried to bow but the baby started crying at the unexpected movement. She whispered a few things to the baby and looked apologetic at Harada.
"It's okay, you may go."
She gave the two a smile before she turned around and walked away, the two children still clinging to her clothing.
"Sano-san, you're really good with the lady's," Heisuke said jokingly.
"I know, but that's not important now." He walked over to Heisuke. They looked at the young boy, who was now nagging an old man. The man was getting irritated, just like the boy. After a few more seconds he stood up. He let a few inches between him them and poked with his finger into the boy's chest. He said some things which Harada and Heisuke couldn't hear and then walked away.
"You useless old man!" the boy called after him, not caring about the faces glancing over at him.
"Let's go," Harada said. The two made their way towards the boy.
"What do you want?" he asked annoyed as they stood still in front of him.
"We heard that you are nagging the people here with your question," Harada stated.
"So what?"
"They just want a peaceful day, so stop with asking."
"Am I not being allowed to search for someone?"
"Not if you hit people or yell at them."
The boy huffed. "I don't hit them."
"Oh no? We heard otherwise."
"It's your own problem who you trust," he said as he turned around. "Don't talk to me again." He just finished his sentence before he ran away.
Heisuke was ready to follow him but he saw that Harada was already walking to the opposite direction. "Sano-san, aren't we going to catch him?"
"No, he knows that will keep an eye on him, so he will be more careful."
"But isn't that a bad thing. Maybe he will leave the town."
"Look Heisuke, he knows that Takeo-san is here, so he won't go away. But he also knows that we are stronger than him and that we can find him anytime anywhere so he won't harass people anymore. And that's what I was most worried about."
Heisuke nodded in understanding. "And it would be too dangerous to take him with us."
"Exactly."
Once back at the HQ they told everything to Kondou, Hijikata and Sannan. Kondou had said that they did a good job with not bringing him here. He would ask Yamazaki to keep an eye on the boy, in case he would do something to the people or he would get hurt himself. He is an important person to Takeo. Kondou also ordered them not to let Takeo, Sora or Lulu out of the HQ. Not even with someone from the Shinsengumi with them.
As Harada and Heisuke left the room they came across Sicilia and Saito.
"Ah, Saito-san, we need to tell you something. An order from Kondou-san," Harada said.
"An order?"
"Yeah, Takeo-san, Lulu-chan and Sora-chan are forbidden to leave the HQ."
"Why would he give such an order. Didn't he say so when they arrived that they could go outside with permission and if someone was with them?" Sicilia asked.
"Yes, he did say that. But we-"
"Sano-san!" Heisuke interrupted him, trying to make him remember what Kondou had said.
"What?"
"We were told not to tell her," Heisuke tried to whisper, but failed with not letting Sicilia hear what he said. She was standing too close to them to not hear that.
"What may you not tell me?" Sicilia couldn't hide the curiosity in her voice.
Harada sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, Kondou also ordered us not to tell anybody else."
"But I want to know~"
"Sicilia," Saito said, "there will always be things that will stay unspoken, because of our position in the Shinsengumi and our oath."
The blonde haired woman turned her head to the side. "I remember that you told me that you would have secrets. Even after your death. That day." She whispered the last words, still embarrassed at what happened.
"That day?" Harada's lips moved into a wide grin.
"You don't need to know." Saito took hold of Sicilia's hand. "I will tell it to the other captains if I see them."
"That would be great."
