We have seen countless swift riders

We have seen countless swift riders

of this battlefield

Whose only remaining wealth is the life-taking

arrow of love's sigh. ------ Nabi.

Aoshi made his way through Okina's small garden; the vibrant colors of spring absent under winter's chill. His eyes were carefully averted from the bench that reminded him of a night he would wish to forget ever happened, his stride quickened, as if he could outrun the return of those memories, those feelings that he could not exorcise from within him. He reached for the small gate that would take him to the street at the front of the Aoiya and there she was, the one responsible for his unsettling feelings. She stood with her back to him, it did not matter, he would know her anywhere although it was odd seeing her in a kimono, something he could not recall her doing since she was a very small child. It was the same seeing her hair free from its ever-present braid, a small ribbon held it loosely between her shoulder blades and the long, dark, tresses cascaded in waves down her back.

Aoshi stepped back out of her line of sight as Misao turned to make her way into the Aoiya. She was breathtaking; the wistful look upon her face, everything about her made his pulse quicken. He really had no idea when she'd begun having this effect on him, it had happened so gradually he was in the middle of it before he realized it started. It was as if he'd looked away from her for only a moment and when he turned back to look at her again the girl he'd always known was gone, in her place was Misao the young woman and he'd not had a single moment's peace since. Everyday was a constant struggle, everything he did was overshadowed by his effort to control the discord of his emotions; from hurrying through the garden to avoid looking at the bench, forcing the memories of that night, not to mention the sight of her in the bathhouse. All of it was done in an attempt to rid himself of feelings that he did not understand and did not want. His efforts were in vain; he might fool himself into believing it was otherwise but when he was faced with the influence of her smile he could not help but face reality… he was losing this battle.

He wondered what it was that she'd been looking at and his eyes strayed up the expanse of the street where her eyes had been trained, his fingers clenching upon the wooden gate, his eyes narrowing angrily as he recognized the retreating form of Kazuhiko Ishida. His gaze returned to where she'd only moments ago been standing, his eyes narrowing further. He recalled the look on her face, the small smile that held so many secrets, secrets she had shared with Ishida.

You could have shared her secrets. The loathed voice in his head that he'd become accustomed to over these last several months reminded him. You could have been her sun and moon, manipulated her every waking hour and with so little effort.

No! He shook his head angrily against the voice that plagued him. I have no place for these unwanted emotions and I refuse to surrender to them.

He wanted things as they were before, Aoshi had been happy in his ignorance; happy and in control or so he believed until that one night… that one night when his control had slipped and he had touched the silken strands of her braided hair. Once he had done this he was lost and as much as he fought against it he could not help but partake of her further by touching the soft skin of her hand and then her soft mouth. In a matter of seconds she was lying beneath him and the feel of her… even now was overwhelming. She was like a drug; the kind that once you tried it, life without it just wasn't the same and you had to come back for more; again and again and again. The drug would consume you, become part of you, in your blood, in your brain and in your heart… He'd been out of control, that was obvious and had been ready to remove her yukata all together when the feel of her trembling fingers in his hair jolted him back to sanity, or some semblance of it.

He shot away from her faster than he'd moved in his life, scrambling to find some excuse, any excuse for what had prompted him to act in such a manner. In a moment of desperation he convinced her and nearly himself that he didn't want her, playing on her biggest fears; wanting to take it back when he'd seen the hurt look in her eyes. It was done however and done for the best, Aoshi was able to gain some control, relegating his feelings for her into a confined corner of his heart and ignoring the dull ache inside him. He could not ignore it completely however and found himself on nightly rounds that brought him to her door, unable to keep that ache from consuming him, until he could hear the sound of her sleeping on the other side. Even this small indulgence could not keep the memory of that night at bay forever; the feelings he did not understand, accompanied by other outside factors did not make for lasting success and the dull ache soon became a sharp agony. One afternoon in particular he could recall put a deep and lasting crack in his armor of self-control. He had taken his tea at one of the empty tables of the nearly vacant Aoiya, relaxing and watching people meander by when he spotted Misao through the window. She was with Ishida, the two of them walking, talking and laughing together; the scene itself was enough to cause suspicion in him but when he overheard the comments of the two women at the table next to his.

"Look, it's Misao-chan." One of them spoke.

"Don't her and the merchant's young son make a handsome couple?" He heard the other one comment then continue in a voice lowered only slightly. "That young man only comes here to eat because she's here you know."

The sound of their giggling and continued speculation was enough to drive Aoshi from his seat, he made his way through the kitchen only to overhear the same sentiments repeated by Okon and Omasu, although at a much more discreet decibel level than the two gossiping ladies in the restaurant.

In his anger and frustration over her making him feel these unfamiliar and unwanted emotions, for making him feel... he had lashed out at her. He had said things to her which were completely out of line, things she did not deserve to be told and the fact that she could affect him so much that he could not reign in his anger frustrated him even further.

He knew she'd wanted to slap him for what he'd said to her, he knew her behavior toward Kazuhiko Ishida was purely innocent, despite the speculation that was being made about her. Even if the rumors had been true, he'd had no right to interfere, he knew of no evil concerning the young man, but jealousy had bit at him sharply and he was not rational at the time. He could feel the tension in her as she stood angrily before him, the way the muscles in her arm twitched at the reflex that would have been a natural reaction from any woman who was treated the way he had just treated her.

He found himself waiting for it, almost wanting her to do it, almost forming a silent prayer in his head. 'Kami-sama, please, if it means I can feel her skin against mine once more.' Aoshi didn't know what angered him more, his desperation and lack of control or the fact that she had denied him what he wanted when rather than slapping him she had excused herself and walked away. It was the same when he'd approached her at the bathhouse after seeing her and Shiro together.

Pushing away from the fence and turning from where Misao had been standing Aoshi made his way back through the garden, his eyes falling immediately upon the bench he had so carefully avoided looking at earlier. He stopped mid-stride a tidal wave of memories filling him, his fists clenched tightly, digging into the palms of his hands as he angrily and unsuccessfully tried to subdue the desire he felt.

Damn her! He cursed silently. It was becoming too much for him and he needed an outlet; he needed to do something to rid himself of this, of these… feelings. An instant later an ideal outlet came to mind, Aoshi tore his eyes from the bench and determined to conquer these unwanted emotions he headed for his room to change into something more suitable and then on to the training room where he could exhaust himself practicing.

He moved down the hall in his usual near silent stride, the same way that they all moved throughout the Aoiya. Sliding back the shoji he was surprised to find nearly the same scene as he had outside just a short bit ago. Misao, with her back to him, the pale lavender kimono replaced by her Oniwabanshu uniform, her hair now bound in the intricate weave of her braid. He could not move and the voice in his head that told him to turn away, to run, went unheeded, as he no longer had the strength to deny himself, he'd depleted that when he'd seen her outside earlier. He stood and watched her, arms up high over her head as she stretched in preparation for her workout, her movements unknowingly sensual and hinting at the lithe, graceful body beneath her uniform.

"You should know better than to keep me waiting Hanya." He could hear the teasing tone of her voice as she remained facing the opposite wall; it broke through the hypnotic state that her silence had held him in, letting him know that she hadn't simply been ignoring him as he thought. The voice in his head continued to warn him to turn away, to leave before it was too late and Aoshi, again choosing to ignore it stepped further into the room. He was here seeking an outlet to all his frustration wasn't he… what better way than to provoke the very one who had been the means of all that he'd been experiencing lately. She deserved some measure of torture after all he'd suffered on her behalf; one should never have to suffer alone.

"And you should have known I was not Hanya even before I opened this door." He spoke quietly and she gasped as she turned swiftly to face him, her eyes wide with surprise.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded, recovering quickly from her surprise; her eyes narrowing on him, her chin lifting defiantly not having the slightest clue how beautiful she was at that very moment.

He ignored his errant thought and raised an eyebrow at her, then glanced quickly at the sheathed kodachi he held in one hand before returning his eyes to hers. She looked momentarily embarrassed at her question in light of his obvious reasons for coming to the training room. Her eyes darting about the room before returning to meet his.

"Excuse me." She muttered as she walked past him, she was headed for the door and when it would have been better for him to let her leave, he scrambled for a means to keep her there. "When Hanya arrives let him know I'll come back when you're finished."

"We haven't sparred in quite some time Misao." He stepped further into the room, his suggestive tone stopping her before she could walk through the open door. "Perhaps I could stand in until Hanya arrives?"

Although they remained with their backs to each other Aoshi could almost feel her eyes narrowing mischievously, he could almost feel the desire to fight coming from her, still she hesitated. No matter, he knew exactly how to get her to commit, his mouth curved up at the corners briefly before he set his cool mask back in place.

"Of course." He added nonchalantly. "As always, I will take it easy on you."

That had done it, he swung his sheathed kodachi around to knock the flying kunai she had hurled at him with deadly aim and speed to the ground. He then twisted out of the way, just in time to avoid the foot heading straight at the side of his head and watch her land gracefully not far from him, her fists raised and ready to fight.

He walked slowly, calmly to the wall, leaning his kodachi against it; he turned back to face her and took the few steps to close the distance between them. He took a relaxed, defensive stance to let her know that it was up to her to attack, which she did… many times. He could sense her frustration over not being able to connect with any of her strikes, if she threw a powerful kick he would be there to block it with his forearms, if she punched or swung her fist at him he would duck out of the way. She had gotten quicker; it was undeniable that she was faster as well as stronger than the last time they had done this. Hanya was doing his job well, she jumped into the air and over him to avoid the sweep of his legs, landing a few feet away, her chest heaving from the exertion of her last combination he waited.

He read her nervous glance as she realized she was being backed into the wall, her next move would be a fist or a foot straight at him to try and gain some distance from the wall and aid her in shifting direction. He could not miss her intention announcing it as she did, her fist transformed into a claw by the kunai she held between each finger raced straight at him. He sidestepped the deadly fist catching her wrist with his left hand he redirected her path across the front of her chest and into the wall where her kunai imbedded themselves. He held her fist there and stepped forward, pressing her back into the wall behind her; grabbing her other arm with his free hand before she could move, effectively trapping her.

"It would appear that the victory is mine." He spoke after allowing her to struggle for several moments until she realized she could not break free. Aoshi, was all too aware of her pulse hammering against his fingertips that held her wrist, the soft skin of her hand and he was all too aware that this had been what he'd wanted all along, since he'd stepped into this room after seeing her here. Before that even, always, this was always what he wanted. His eyes widened in momentary shock at his sudden realization of the truth; it wasn't that he didn't understand the feelings and emotions that she invoked in him, he understood completely and it was this that he feared so much. He had always been so completely in control of himself and now, he knew that his every move, his every thought could be dictated by her whim and yet… in that moment, he did not care. He still wanted her.

Foolish man! The hated voice that haunted him nearly as much as she did berated him. You should be careful what you wish for.

As if too demonstrate his carelessness where Misao was concerned, Aoshi failed to notice until it was almost too late, the singing hiss of a blade slicing through the air. He turned and avoided the thrust of the kunai that Misao had pulled from her obi when he'd loosened his hold on her wrist. Still, he had not been quick enough, short wisps of his hair floated before his eyes and the telltale sting of a cut as thin as paper on his left cheek as it started to bleed let him know how fortunate he was. He could tell by the widening of her eyes and her echoing gasp that she was surprised at having managed to actually get through his defenses.

"Aoshi-sama!" Her voice matched her expression as she continued to stare and he could only do likewise. The kunai, which he had thought she had depleted her supply of earlier, disappeared behind her, no doubt being tucked back into her obi.

Look what you have allowed to happen! The voice of reason shouted at him again. Don't you realize the wounds this woman could inflict upon you!

Aoshi ignored the reprimand, lost in the midnight blue eyes filled with concern and holding his breath as her small hand reached up to touch his face, her thumb wiping at the thin red line of blood on his cheek. His breath came out in a near sigh at her touch and he could not help himself as his hand lifted to cover hers, holding it in place when she would have lowered it, eliciting another surprised gasp from her.

He let go her arm that he'd kept trapped at her side and brought his hand up to rest on her shoulder. He curled his fingers lightly over her shoulder, applying the slightest bit of pressure, pulling her closer, wanting to feel her against him, wanting to kiss her, wanting to tell her how she made him feel, only to be stopped when someone stepped through the door. He momentarily squeezed her small hand in his and pulled it away from where it rest against his cheek, then loosened his hold all together watching it fall limply to her side. He quickly removed his hand from her shoulder and took a step back knowing that they were now under observation, Hanya's sharp eyes missing nothing.

"It appears I have underestimated you." He admitted quietly, watching her eyes widen further in surprise. "Hanya has taught you well."

He inclined his head quickly and turned away to make his way to the door, seeing Hanya just inside the door his eyes politely averted. Aoshi did not utter a word to his comrade, he had never needed to, and even now Hanya understood him. He quietly closed the door behind him and made his way down the hall to disappear into the quiet solitude of his room.

-----

Hanya stared at the closed shoji Aoshi had only a moment ago closed behind him as he exited. He would have to of been blind not to realize the scene in which he'd stumbled upon, more uncomfortable than that however was the look he'd clearly seen in his Okashira's eyes. Aoshi was more often than not angry after an encounter with Misao these days; 'the rift' as he'd called it in the beginning had developed into full-fledged hostility. It had not been anger that he'd seen as he walked past on his way out, it had been fear, not even that really, more like… desperation and it was disturbing to say the least to see someone who was always so in control so deeply disturbed. He did not believe that Aoshi would ever intentionally harm Misao, however the man who had just left them was not himself and so he looked her over cautiously and although she appeared a bit dazed he could not surmise that she'd been hurt.

"Misao-chan." He decided to ask just to be sure. "Daijoubou?"

"Hun?" She muttered in confusion, not hearing what he'd asked her at all

"Are you all right?" He asked again walking over to stand in front of her.

"Ha… Hai." She answered absently.

"What happened?" He prodded, all the while searching her face for bruises of any kind, still not convinced.

"I tagged him." She answered, her tone implying that she could barely believe it herself.

"Nani?" Hanya asked, his voice filled with incredulity.

She lifted her right hand and he could see the smear of blood across her thumb. Could this be true? He wondered. Could she have actually managed to get a scratch on Aoshi?

"I caught him off guard." Misao repeated in that same disbelieving tone as she stared at the blood on her hand. "He barely moved out of the way in time."

Hanya waited for her to continue, noticing how her hand started to tremble. He put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze and her eyes lifted to meet his, widening as if she just realized it was he that was in the room with her.

"He just stood there, Hanya… he didn't say anything, her just stood there." She glanced at her hand again as she continued speaking. "…and I thought… I thought that he was going to…"

Her voice trailed off and Hanya felt a chill run up his spine as he envisioned a cowering Misao before an enraged Aoshi. His loyalty to Aoshi was so strong that he would follow him into hell, but if he raised a hand to Misao… Okashira or not Hanya would 'drag' him to hell himself. I'm jumping to conclusions! He reminded himself, although Aoshi had appeared to be 'not himself' when he'd first came upon him and Misao in the training room it looked to him as if Aoshi had been more inclined toward tenderness than harm.

"I must be crazy!" She raised her eyes to his again, an overly bright smile accompanied by words that were spoken with forced laughter. "Aoshi-sama would never want to do that!"

"Do what Misao?" He asked her.

She waived him off shaking her head as if to say it was nothing at all and stepped away, to Hanya she looked as troubled as Aoshi had and he only wished that he could do something for her. An idea coming to mind; although she was probably tired from a workout that was more than she had bargained for with Aoshi, it might be the best thing for her to train some more.

----

It turned out he was right in his assumption as their session continued well beyond that of anything previous, Misao completely spent when she'd finally offered up a white flag then collapsed against the wall and slowly lowered herself to the floor. Hanya sank down beside her, both of them silent except for the gasping of their oxygen-starved lungs.

"You're getting quite good Misao." He managed between breaths.

"And you are a flatterer Hanya." She turned and smiled at him, a real smile this time. Even so, it didn't last long as something over his shoulder caught her attention and her brows furrowed and a confused frown replaced her smile. Hanya turned to see what it was that disturbed her so, his eyes falling on the twin kodachi in their sheath, forgotten by their master for probably the first time ever.

"Aoshi seemed upset when he left." Hanya offered in an attempt to open the conversation if she so desired to speak on the subject. He noted her eyes lowering to the floor again, she pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, her cheek against her legs.

"Aoshi-sama must really hate me now." She whispered quietly, resignedly.

His eyes narrowed on her in disbelief, could she have really misunderstood Aoshi's actions, or was it something else? Had she decided against Aoshi herself and told him of her choice… No! He would never believe that, even with all the speculation about her and Kazuhiko Ishida he would not believe that Misao loved anyone but Aoshi. He had paid particular attention to both of them since Misao had first given him the idea that she harbored affection for their Okashira. He'd seen the attentions of Shiro result in nothing more than a deepening friendship and although she seemed partial to the young merchant, Hanya could tell it was not what she felt for Aoshi. Still, considering Aoshi's nature and despite the fact that he understood Aoshi's feelings to be the same for her, Hanya wasn't entirely convinced that in the end, it might be less painful for her to be with the young Ishida and perhaps, Misao realized this as well.

"Misao." He began quietly knowing that he could agree with her misgivings regarding Aoshi's feelings for her and set her on a path that would lead most likely to Ishida or some other young man. It was not in him to manipulate those he loved however, no matter how much it may be to their benefit; the choice was Misao's and he would leave it to her. "That would be impossible, especially for Aoshi."

She made no comment; the two of them sat in companionable silence for sometime before parting ways for the evening. Each of them called away by their separate duties as Oniwabanshu and each of them lost in their own thoughts of the same man.

----

Misao walked slowly along the street in town, the smell of sulfur and the smoke settling close to the ground the only reminder of the fireworks that had thrilled her and the other's of the Aoiya earlier. Everyone in town, including those of the Aoiya had gathered together and cheered the brilliant light show, all in celebration of the New Year. The fireworks were over and everyone was heading back to their homes to celebrate further with food, gift giving and high spirits; she had plans to do so as well but first she had to do something. She had seen Kazuhiko only briefly during the fireworks display, making certain to invite him and his family to the celebration at the Aoiya. He had politely told her that his parents had made arrangements to go elsewhere and although he would prefer to go to the Aoiya he had agreed to accompany his parents. Misao told him dejectedly that she would just have to give him the gift she'd bought for him the day after New Year; he could not possibly have missed her disappointment and compromised by agreeing to meet her after the fireworks. He had a gift for her as well and the two of them promised to meet in front of his parent's shop to exchange them, and so after the last burst of bright color exploded into the sky Misao hurried back to the Aoiya. She gathered the gift that Omasu had helped her wrap carefully in the silk scarf that she had bought just for that purpose, as well as the box of sweets for his parents and was now on her way back through town to meet Kazuhiko.

The quiet emptiness of the streets were a deep contrast to the bustling people that had crowded them earlier as was the growing darkness lit now only by the glow of the street lantern. As she approached her destination Misao grew nervous, the comments of those who shared the Aoiya had grown in frequency as well as become more direct. She could not ignore what Kazuhiko's attentions implied and she was now at a point where she had to make a decision; firmly make their relationship take one path or another. She looked down at her kimono, brushing her fingers over one silken sleeve she could not help but think that her decision appeared to have been made. She would have never willingly dawned clothing such as this before; always preferring her uniform or other clothing of that kind of fit.

Aoshi had noticed it too she was certain, although he made no comment. Their hostility had ended and now there was nothing between them… nothing but the love that refused to leave her heart and silence. She had been careful about leaving the Aoiya to see Kazuhiko because although Aoshi no longer commented on her continued acquaintance with him she had not missed the way his eyes had narrowed as he'd watched them talking earlier during the fireworks. She had not missed the dangerous look in his eyes as they followed Kazuhiko moving through the crowd to rejoin his family after they'd finished talking.

"Misao-san?" Kazuhiko's quiet voice made her jump, as she'd been lost in her thoughts. She looked up to see him stepping from the shadows in front of his parent's shop a lantern in one hand and a large object bundled under his other arm. His gentle smile and warm brown eyes never failed to evoke a smile from her in return; no matter her mood he could always lighten it.

"Shall we go inside then?" She asked him after several moments of staring in silence. This only made his smile grow as he laughed at his own foolishness then he shook his head.

"The shop is no place for gift-giving." He told her and held out his hand with the lantern to indicate the direction behind the shop. "Come this way."

Misao followed closely as the light became dimmer, the street lanterns disappearing behind structures and now only the one Kazuhiko held lit their way. He was speaking to her as they walked but she was so concentrated on not losing her footing that she failed to hear a single word until he stopped walking and failing to notice she bumped into his back.

"We're here." He announced. Misao could hear water nearby and when she looked up she realized that they were in a small garden. A strange sense of déjà vu overcame her as she sat on the bench he indicated, knowing full well what it was reminding her of she quickly brushed the feeling aside.

"This is for your parents." She told him while handing him the small box of snacks and sweets that Okon and Omasu had prepared. He thanked her profusely and set the box aside as she handed him another gift. "And this is for you. Omedeto."

He unwrapped it carefully, having noticed the great care she had handled the gift with; sneaking glimpses of her as she watched him slowly folding back each corner of the silk it was wrapped in. When he uncovered the item and said nothing she grew nervous and fidgety; worried that he didn't like it at all.

"Uh… I thought of you when I saw it." She stuttered as he continued to stare at the small statuette, when he responded with nothing more than a single nod Misao thought that maybe her idea wasn't such a good one. When she'd seen the small figurine of the boy playing a violin she had thought of him immediately and taking his own advice that the best gift is usually the first one that comes to mind she had bought it for him. "It… It's from Europe."

"Hai." He whispered quietly nodding again and then raising his eyes to hers. Misao found herself holding her breath, not releasing it until she saw the smile on his face. "Arigato Misao-san."

"You like it?" She asked as she watched him fold it back into the safety of it's wrapping, fingering the small violin, chuckling lightly then finished wrapping it and set it on the bench beside him before turning back to her.

"Hai." He told her. "I like it very much."

"Yokatta." She sighed as her shoulders relaxed and her own smile returned.

"Don't forget." He reached inside the front of his hanten and pulled out a small object wrapped in paper and handed it to her. "I have a gift for you as well."

It weighed next to nothing and Misao didn't have the slightest clue what it could be. She gasped when she folded back the last corner of the paper and saw the beautiful hair comb resting in her palm. It was remarkably intricate; silver that sparkled in the lamplight, bent and molded into an exquisitely detailed butterfly. Misao was almost afraid to touch it as it looked so delicate and fragile she feared she might somehow damage it. Kazuhiko apparently had no such misgivings as he took it from her hand, leaned forward, brushed some of the lose hair around her face back and pinned it with the comb above her ear. Embarrassed at her stupidity and hoping she didn't appear ungrateful or as if she didn't like the hair comb Misao was about to thank him for the wonderful gift when she felt the light brush of his lingering fingers caressing her cheek. To say she was shocked was an understatement and he could not help but notice her eyes wide as saucers and quickly pulled away, climbing to his feet he reached down and picked up the bundle he'd had under his arm earlier.

"I have another gift for you as well Misao-san." She was surprised even further and still not recovered from what happened a few moments ago. Misao could do nothing more than stare at him as he slowly revealed his violin. "Now close your eyes and listen while I play for you."

Misao did as he asked, instantly mesmerized by the sound of Kazuhiko's violin; it was sad and it was sweet and the sounds of melancholy and joy filled her simultaneously. It registered somewhere in the depths of her mind that this was the sound that love makes, for what else was able to wreak emotions from a person that were complete opposite ends of the spectrum? Nothing, there was nothing else that had that much power; the sound and the feeling were overwhelming and Misao found herself lost in both.

The music stopped but as long as she could kept her eyes closed she could still hear it, she could pretend that the sound of love was still there, she could pretend many things. She welcomed the soft press of lips against hers; the arms that wound around her and caressed her back now used to pull her against him, while she pushed her fingers into his hair. The silken strands were just as she'd always imagined and this time he did not pull away from her, their kiss deepened and she felt his own fingers delving into her hair. He broke off their kiss and she whimpered in momentary protest until she felt his lips brush lightly against her cheek again and again, making her gasp when he kissed the sensitive skin right below her ear.

"Misao." The whisper of her name was like the blast of cannon fire. Her eyes flew open and she gasped in shock at the gentle brown eyes that gazed back at her, so near that she could not look away. She jumped immediately to her feet and Kazuhiko turned and made to climb to his. She put a hand on his shoulder to stop him and shook her head.

"Please." She asked saying nothing more, unable to form any other words. She had done the most despicable thing and was thoroughly ashamed at having allowed herself to stoop so low as to pretend the one she was with was someone else. It had been Aoshi's mouth kissing hers, Aoshi's arms about her and Aoshi's hair that ran like silk through her fingers. It was Aoshi, yet it wasn't; she turned and made her way back through the garden in the dark, leaving Kazuhiko to stare after her in confusion.

"Misao?" She heard him call but ignored it and continued back through the dark to the Aoiya.