Shigure was buried later that afternoon. No one was left except for Toki
after two hours. She was contemplating about how different life would be
alone in the house. The house was entirely too big for her, but since she
started a private school it was just the right size. She was still thinking
about what to do as she has closed the school for a couple of days.
Tomorrow Himura-san and his friends will be going home. They have been so
supportive to her, especially Sonosuke. "I think I should at least cook
something good for them for their journey back to Tokyo", she thought. She
hurried to the market before the sun went down. She noticed that the sun
was a fiercy red on the horizon. "I wonder if it is just me", she thought
again. Her mind was a blur as she walked towards the sunset.
----------------------------------------------------
It was late at night. Saitou was straining to read his new assignment under the Japanese lantern. Suddenly he threw the papers down and stood up so abruptly that the chair almost toppled down. "Damn it! I need a cigarette!", he told himself. In betweens puffs of smoke, he was thinking why the Police Commissioner Kawaji Toshiyoshi, would assign such an unimportant case to him. He has not been assigned to a regular civilian for several years now. They had always given him politicians to spy on for the most part of the Meiji era. Why now? "She is just a civilian", he thought. Then he knocked himself on the head and with a grin, he said to himself, "Now Saitou! Even a young lady could hold such secrets.. She is after all the sister of Gentatsu the hitokiri (manslayer) of the Aizu. Aside from this, she was clearly attached to that man Shigure." With this, Saitou decided to take the assignment, eventhough it meant befriending the woman. He never was fond of interacting with women. God knows that the only woman he tolerated was his wife Tokio. It is a good thing she is non-intrusive and a capable wife. He decided to go home that night to check up on his wife and kids, it was afterall a moonless night. Even now after the revolution, the Meiji era is still not safe.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Later that morning, Toki had met with her good friends. She made sure that everyone in Kenshin's group had enough bento (box lunch) for their journey back home. It was not the best batch of food she has made. It was not like she was thoughtful in making it. She was crying the whole night but she was smiled the whole time she was saying her farewell to Kaoru and Kenshin. There was no point to worry them. It was the first step for her to contain her sadness. She did not want to see anyone who will remind her of Shigure. She sighed, "What am I thinking? The house, the hallway, this place will always remind me of Shigure."
---------------------------------------------------------------
Back at the dojo, Hajime was examining the place for clues. How involved was this young woman to Shigure and the plans for Restoration? How deep was the plot to topple the current government? There were no clues to be found eventhough he almost turned the place down. All he found were teaching materials to children nothing more. After putting everything back into place. He started to light up a cigarette, but thought better of it as the place was well kept and had the aroma of Sakura blossoms. He stopped by the small shrine of Gentatsu and Shigure in the room. "What a waste, if they had decided to join the Shinsengumi, the events would have probably not turned out this way.", thought Hajime. "Oh well, that is not something I should concern myself now."
As he was preparing to leave, he heard the rice paper door slide open. There was a very small gap behind the shrine and the wall and somehow he managed to fit himself there. Toki lit up the incense in the shrine, it was cinnamon and started cleaning the room. "Ahou! How long is she going to be in here?" Saitou thought, as he was getting restless for there was no room to move nor breathe comfortably without warning Toki that he has intruded. He stole a peak at the young lady. She seemed to be in much better condition now, although it was evident she has not slept a wink at all because of the bags below her still red eyes. Finally Toki stopped, she knelt in front of the alter and said a quick prayer. Again he stole a look, he was surprised to see her crying again, silently.
Saitou was able to leave the room unnoticed. He was feeling stiff all over and the image of the Toki as he stole that look kept bothering his mind. In truth, he felt that spying on her was all a waste. Although last night he toyed with the idea that she might be hiding something, now he was sure she was innocent. "What a waste.", he thought, although he was not sure if he was commenting on the assignment or on the young lady. That was enough work for today. He decided to eat some soba and go to Toshiyoshi to demand he be let off this case. ------------------------------
Another week has passed. The children were playing outside with their parents. She was glad the parents all came as she needed to speak with them gladly about the changes.
"Everyone, please come inside. I have an announcement to make." Toki said as carefully as possible to hide the distress in her voice. "I am glad to have the chance to be your sensei for this year. The school year is almost over and I am very sorry I will not re-open the school again."
There was a murmur across the room. The children and parents have been taken by surprise. The children started crying. It was the last day they will see her again. "Hontoni... Gomen-'asai." Toki bowed her head as low as she could and headed out of the room. She did not dare look back. She could not tell them the dire circumstances she was in. The house was not hers, she was being evicted by it's rightful owners. Aside from this the money she had made from teaching was not enough to keep the school as only one- third of the class was paying. All the others, were poor children she had decided to teach along with the others.
She went to bed early that night. It was the first time she had gotten a full night's sleep, but it was only due to her exhaustion that this came about. When she woke up the next morning, she was partly glad that at least she gets to stay for another week. At least she can hopefully find a place by then.
As Toki was leaving the house, she noticed Saitou leaning against the wall close to her door.
"Good morning Gorou-san." Toki said.
"Good morning Toki-dono. I see you are out and about. It is a good day for a walk." Hajime replied. He was still asking himself why the Police Commissioner denied his request a few days ago. But the thought was interrupted as he noticed that the lady in front of him dropped the cheerful face and started to walk away from him.
"Normally I would leave you to your devices... However I cannot stand people who wallow in sorrow over someone who has left and never will return. It is better to let the dead be, especially from what I've heard he has been ignoring you all the time he was alive anyway..", Saitou said this to her, quite annoyed at the fact that this woman has still not gotten over her loss.
Toki turned to confront him... Yes she was still aching, but she was incredulous on how he was treating Shigure. This man did not even know him! "I request Gorou-kun that you leave Shigure out of this. Whatever you hear on the streets keep it to yourself, lest you be judged in the same way.", Toki retaliated.
Saitou couldn't help but grin. His dark-brown eyes challenging the woman in front of him to speak up. "As a policeman you hear many things. Judging from your reaction though he must've been kind to you. So why are you still moping around? Walking the streets as if you did not know where to go?"
"Gorou-san", Toki started... "Call me Fujita", he interrupted.
"Fujita-san. I do not know you. I see no reason to divulge information to you that is personal.", Toki replied.
"You do not need to. I have been assigned for over a month to patrol this area. This is the first day that children has not come to your place. Judging from them, I see that they come to your place to study.", Saitou was laughing inside, as he knew this was not from astute observation but rather from the prying he did last week. "It does not seem that those children nor their parents had a dime to their name, so that must mean that you were giving free lessons. The school is not open when it should still be, so that would mean that you are experiencing financial difficulties, as you do not seem to be exuding emotional relapses. That must be it!"
"How very astute of you. Please just leave me alone!", Toki ran away.
"Damn it! She's tough...", Saito muttered. Cigarette in hand it was time for another cigarette.
CHAPTER 3: A surprising turn of events. Saito enters Toki's life.
Top of Form 1
Bottom of Form 1
----------------------------------------------------
It was late at night. Saitou was straining to read his new assignment under the Japanese lantern. Suddenly he threw the papers down and stood up so abruptly that the chair almost toppled down. "Damn it! I need a cigarette!", he told himself. In betweens puffs of smoke, he was thinking why the Police Commissioner Kawaji Toshiyoshi, would assign such an unimportant case to him. He has not been assigned to a regular civilian for several years now. They had always given him politicians to spy on for the most part of the Meiji era. Why now? "She is just a civilian", he thought. Then he knocked himself on the head and with a grin, he said to himself, "Now Saitou! Even a young lady could hold such secrets.. She is after all the sister of Gentatsu the hitokiri (manslayer) of the Aizu. Aside from this, she was clearly attached to that man Shigure." With this, Saitou decided to take the assignment, eventhough it meant befriending the woman. He never was fond of interacting with women. God knows that the only woman he tolerated was his wife Tokio. It is a good thing she is non-intrusive and a capable wife. He decided to go home that night to check up on his wife and kids, it was afterall a moonless night. Even now after the revolution, the Meiji era is still not safe.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Later that morning, Toki had met with her good friends. She made sure that everyone in Kenshin's group had enough bento (box lunch) for their journey back home. It was not the best batch of food she has made. It was not like she was thoughtful in making it. She was crying the whole night but she was smiled the whole time she was saying her farewell to Kaoru and Kenshin. There was no point to worry them. It was the first step for her to contain her sadness. She did not want to see anyone who will remind her of Shigure. She sighed, "What am I thinking? The house, the hallway, this place will always remind me of Shigure."
---------------------------------------------------------------
Back at the dojo, Hajime was examining the place for clues. How involved was this young woman to Shigure and the plans for Restoration? How deep was the plot to topple the current government? There were no clues to be found eventhough he almost turned the place down. All he found were teaching materials to children nothing more. After putting everything back into place. He started to light up a cigarette, but thought better of it as the place was well kept and had the aroma of Sakura blossoms. He stopped by the small shrine of Gentatsu and Shigure in the room. "What a waste, if they had decided to join the Shinsengumi, the events would have probably not turned out this way.", thought Hajime. "Oh well, that is not something I should concern myself now."
As he was preparing to leave, he heard the rice paper door slide open. There was a very small gap behind the shrine and the wall and somehow he managed to fit himself there. Toki lit up the incense in the shrine, it was cinnamon and started cleaning the room. "Ahou! How long is she going to be in here?" Saitou thought, as he was getting restless for there was no room to move nor breathe comfortably without warning Toki that he has intruded. He stole a peak at the young lady. She seemed to be in much better condition now, although it was evident she has not slept a wink at all because of the bags below her still red eyes. Finally Toki stopped, she knelt in front of the alter and said a quick prayer. Again he stole a look, he was surprised to see her crying again, silently.
Saitou was able to leave the room unnoticed. He was feeling stiff all over and the image of the Toki as he stole that look kept bothering his mind. In truth, he felt that spying on her was all a waste. Although last night he toyed with the idea that she might be hiding something, now he was sure she was innocent. "What a waste.", he thought, although he was not sure if he was commenting on the assignment or on the young lady. That was enough work for today. He decided to eat some soba and go to Toshiyoshi to demand he be let off this case. ------------------------------
Another week has passed. The children were playing outside with their parents. She was glad the parents all came as she needed to speak with them gladly about the changes.
"Everyone, please come inside. I have an announcement to make." Toki said as carefully as possible to hide the distress in her voice. "I am glad to have the chance to be your sensei for this year. The school year is almost over and I am very sorry I will not re-open the school again."
There was a murmur across the room. The children and parents have been taken by surprise. The children started crying. It was the last day they will see her again. "Hontoni... Gomen-'asai." Toki bowed her head as low as she could and headed out of the room. She did not dare look back. She could not tell them the dire circumstances she was in. The house was not hers, she was being evicted by it's rightful owners. Aside from this the money she had made from teaching was not enough to keep the school as only one- third of the class was paying. All the others, were poor children she had decided to teach along with the others.
She went to bed early that night. It was the first time she had gotten a full night's sleep, but it was only due to her exhaustion that this came about. When she woke up the next morning, she was partly glad that at least she gets to stay for another week. At least she can hopefully find a place by then.
As Toki was leaving the house, she noticed Saitou leaning against the wall close to her door.
"Good morning Gorou-san." Toki said.
"Good morning Toki-dono. I see you are out and about. It is a good day for a walk." Hajime replied. He was still asking himself why the Police Commissioner denied his request a few days ago. But the thought was interrupted as he noticed that the lady in front of him dropped the cheerful face and started to walk away from him.
"Normally I would leave you to your devices... However I cannot stand people who wallow in sorrow over someone who has left and never will return. It is better to let the dead be, especially from what I've heard he has been ignoring you all the time he was alive anyway..", Saitou said this to her, quite annoyed at the fact that this woman has still not gotten over her loss.
Toki turned to confront him... Yes she was still aching, but she was incredulous on how he was treating Shigure. This man did not even know him! "I request Gorou-kun that you leave Shigure out of this. Whatever you hear on the streets keep it to yourself, lest you be judged in the same way.", Toki retaliated.
Saitou couldn't help but grin. His dark-brown eyes challenging the woman in front of him to speak up. "As a policeman you hear many things. Judging from your reaction though he must've been kind to you. So why are you still moping around? Walking the streets as if you did not know where to go?"
"Gorou-san", Toki started... "Call me Fujita", he interrupted.
"Fujita-san. I do not know you. I see no reason to divulge information to you that is personal.", Toki replied.
"You do not need to. I have been assigned for over a month to patrol this area. This is the first day that children has not come to your place. Judging from them, I see that they come to your place to study.", Saitou was laughing inside, as he knew this was not from astute observation but rather from the prying he did last week. "It does not seem that those children nor their parents had a dime to their name, so that must mean that you were giving free lessons. The school is not open when it should still be, so that would mean that you are experiencing financial difficulties, as you do not seem to be exuding emotional relapses. That must be it!"
"How very astute of you. Please just leave me alone!", Toki ran away.
"Damn it! She's tough...", Saito muttered. Cigarette in hand it was time for another cigarette.
CHAPTER 3: A surprising turn of events. Saito enters Toki's life.
Top of Form 1
Bottom of Form 1