« Where did that bastard take her ?! » I hissed in anger.
Kaoru just smiled at me and stayed silent so I banged her head on the wall violently.
« Answer me ! » I shouted.
« Saito-san ! »
Sen barged into the room, followed by Kimigiku.
« Saito-san ! » she yelled « Are you insane ? Let go of Chizuru ! »
« That's not Chizuru. » I informed them calmly, my eyes throwing daggers at my prey.
« Kiku, do something ! » said Sen and Kimigiku took a tanto out of her obi.
I unsheathed my wakizashi very quickly and positioned it on Kaoru's neck.
« You move, she's dead. » I threatened « and I would have no remorse. We have been fooled. »
« Alright... » said Sen « We're listening, Saito-san... Don't hurt her, please... »
« That is not Chizuru. I should have seen it sooner. That is Chizuru's sister. »
That's why she felt like a stranger and why she was thinking all my efforts were so funny... That's why she never smelled of spices... How she must have laughed inside her sick little head. Well, she'll soon discover that I don't have any more mercy for women than for men when they are my enemies.
« Chizuru doesn't have any sister... » objected Sen, looking at me as if I was some kind of maniac.
« She does. » I affirmed.
And that's why she pretended to be traumatized and mute, so that I wouldn't hear her voice and realize that she's an impostor.
« No, she doesn't. » she denied « She does have family left, like a brother in the Nagumo clan and an uncle but she doesn't have any sister... Sorry Chizuru for keeping this information from you... » she added.
A brother ?
Without warning, I pulled on Kaoru's obi and kimono to expose his bare chest.
« What are you doing, Saito-san ?! » yelled Sen before opening wide eyes « It's... It's a boy... »
A boy. A boy who made me believe he was my wife for days while she was still in the hands of Kazama, taking her away from me with every minute that passed.
« Kazama tricked us... » I muttered in anger « he made them exchange their clothes and made you rescue Kaoru... That way, you were satisfied, at least for a time, until he got Chizuru out of our reach. »
Since we all thought she was experiencing a terrible trauma, we didn't force her to talk and didn't touch her which could have revealed that she wasn't who she pretended to be. Chizuru is still with Kazama.
« H... How...did you ? » stuttered Sen, totally puzzled.
« The palanquin. » I said.
« Which palanquin ? » she asked, even more confused.
« Precisely. You told me Chizuru was on foot with Kazama. But I clearly remember him telling her that a palanquin was waiting for her. She shouldn't have been on foot. » I explained « I didn't realize at first, too focused on her trauma. »
« And that was enough ? » she said in disbelief.
« No. The hairpins. » I added « I had doubts so I asked her to give me the hairpin I offered her and she gave me that one. » I showed the silver hairpin in his hair « I hate that hairpin even if I never told Chizuru about it. It was offered to her by Sakamoto Ryouma at the Gion festival three years ago. Chizuru surely remembers that day. »
I was so jealous of Sakamoto that day. He took Chizuru away from me to take her on a date. Chizuru couldn't have forgotten. It's the day I confessed my feelings for her and kissed her for the first time. I remember I ruined her bun because of my lack of restraint and then put the hairpins back in her hair. I hesitated a lot to throw this one away out of jealousy.
« What if I had given the right answer ? » said Kaoru with a grin, finally opening his mouth.
« There was none. The colorful one was from Harada and the wooden one, that's not even Chizuru's. I never offered her a hairpin. »
Silence fell in the room and Kaoru exploded in laughter.
« I thought I could keep up this little act for a bit longer... » he said with a grin « you were so caring, my beloved Hajime... It was so cute ! »
I applied pressure on my wakizashi, making his blood pour and my hunger awoke, seeing the crimson liquid trickle down his neck. It wasn't painful like a bloodlust episode but it was a desire I had trouble to dominate. I needed to know how good it tasted. Without noticing, I approached my face and got my tongue out to lick it. It was so good... Like a refined delicacy. It was probably the best thing I ever tasted in my whole life...
« Saito-san, what's happening ?! » yelled Sen, looking at my face.
Kaoru laughed some more « a Rasetsu ! How low did you fell ? »
I regained my composure, backed off from his neck, dominating my thirst for blood, and ignored his question.
« Where is Chizuru ? » I asked him.
« With her rightful husband. » he chuckled.
« I asked you where. » I repeated, applying even more pressure on my wakizashi. I had to restrain myself though, otherwise I would end up slitting his throat and that would be too merciful for him. In addition, I needed answers and I knew that one way or another, I'll get them.
« Why do you care ? » he chuckled again as if the blade on his neck was nothing but a joke.
I didn't reply and took off my wakizashi from his neck, controlling myself. I saw in his chestnut eyes my hair, white as snow, and my crimson pupils. I needed to calm down now, get the control back on my body and mind and not let all my raging emotions take over me. They needed to get back where they belonged, behind the dam of my inexpressive mask. But every time I was starting to calm myself, mental images of Kazama hurting Chizuru were coming into my mind, making my blood boil some more. My Rasetsu condition was making me more sensitive to my emotions. I needed a stronger self discipline.
« It's not like she's still gonna wanna be with you now that you're dead, anyway. » he added with a wry smile, my cut already healing, closing itself.
« I'm not dead. » I replied between my teeth.
« Oh but you are ! Nothing but a living corpse, believe me ! I know a lot about the Ochimizu... I helped create it with Kodo... You died the minute you took it. Now you can't live anymore and the bloodlust will eventually take you. There is no escape from your fate. »
« Shut up ! » I growled « Tell me where she is. »
« I won't say shit. » he said with a wry smile.
I caught his collar and dragged him behind me.
« Let go of me ! » he yelled in anger but I didn't listen.
« Saito-san ! » scolded Sen in her commanding voice « Nagumo Kaoru is an Oni ! He must face our justice, you can't take him ! »
I looked at her with a burning icy gaze that left no room for all her shit and she didn't move as I continued to drag him down the stairs.
« Saito-san ! I command you to come back ! » she yelled.
« He's mine. » I said with steel in my voice and Kaoru started screaming in fear and calling for help, realizing that maybe, making me mad wasn't that much of a bright idea.
