Chapter 3: Blue and Blue
"Well, that's the last on my list!" Kaoru smiled as she glanced back at the small sheet in her hand. Her basket was already teeming with vegetables and she held the tofu bucket in her other hand. She was already thinking of what a delicious lunch her father could make with the items she had bought for her birthday. She was fifteen today, Kaoru reminded herself. Smiling, she tucked the note inside her practice gi and shifted the tofu on the other hand. Kaoru gave one last glance at the marketplace to make sure that she did not forget anything. Something caught her eye and she crossed the street to take a closer look.
A dark blue fabric dotted with cherry blossoms rested between the other brightly colored fabrics. She set her basket down and seemed to be hypnotized by the pattern as she stared at it for a few minutes. It reminded her of the darkness of the seas while the cherry blossoms complimented it - light and dark, the pattern was in perfect harmony with the other. Tentatively, she touched the fabric with her free hand and felt the smoothness of silk. She sighed inwardly, knowing it was too expensive and she would never be able to afford it. Taking a step back, she sighed again and bent down to pick up her basket to go on her way.
At that moment, Okita and three of his men were walking through the marketplace. They had almost finished covering the main roads of Edo and were giving the market a last walk-through. As they came down the path, people recognized the blue and white uniforms of the Shinsengumi and hurriedly stepped out of their way. One of the passer-bys accidentally bumped into Kaoru as she bent to pick up her basket. Water from the tofu bucket spilled onto the fabric as Kaoru watched in horrified surprise. As if the minutes slowed down, the drop of tofu water slowly came out from the bucket and made a small spot as it came into contact with the fabric.
"What have you done, you stupid girl?"
Four sets of eyes suddenly turned their attention to the sound of the angry voice. "You've ruined my fabric!" Hurriedly, the footsteps came closely behind Kaoru and she turned to see blue and white uniforms swimming before her eyes. Closing her eyes, she prayed that the earth would swallow her whole, so she can escape the humiliation that the woman is sure to unleash. "I'm sorry," she managed to say in a small voice.
"Sorry? Sorry?" The woman's voice getting angrier. "Sorry doesn't even cover it! You better have some money or else I will have you thrown in jail!"
Okita stood behind Kaoru and listened intently as the woman carried on her tirade. He glanced at the young woman that gripped the tofu bucket with her head downcast. He faintly heard her murmur an apology and watched as she raised her head. From her practice gi and hakama, he noted that she must practice kenjitsu. Young women who practice kenjitsu are a rarity and that made him take an interest in the proceedings before him. As he watched her lift up her head, she opened her eyes and apologized in a steadier voice.
"I'm sorry," Kaoru murmured, this time with more regret in her voice. "Someone bumped into me from behind. It was an accident."
The older woman in front of her scowled at her apology. Before she could yell at the young woman again, Okita politely intervened. "What seems to be the problem here?" he asked, though it was spoken softly his voice carried an unmistakable air of authority. Kaoru turned to the direction of the voice and noticed the hint of a smile that seemed that graced the young man's face. Her mind registered the blue and white uniforms of the Shinsengumi but she vaguely wondered what they were doing in Edo. She could see behind him, three more uniforms but their deference to his authority seemed to indicate that he was their captain. Apparently, the woman recovered quickly enough and responded to Okita's inquiry.
"She," pointing a finger at Kaoru, "ruined my fabric." She gave the young woman a measuring look and continued. "Stupid little tomboy! Kenjitsu is not something that should be taught to young women. This is the result of indulgent fathers who do not know the first thing about raising daughters. Imagine if your poor mother were alive, she would not have any of this happen. She would have taught you better manners."
Her words cut Kaoru to the quick and she bowed her head. Deep down inside, she felt that the woman's words rang true. She would never have picked up a bokken had her mother been alive. But her father loved her as much as a father would love his daughter and he taught her Kamiya Kasshin Ryu so that one day she would be able to teach it to others. Her eyes reflected sadness as she remembered how her father used to describe her mother as being gentle and ladylike. She would never be able to live up to that and the woman's words just confirmed her worst fears.
Okita noticed as the young woman beside him droop her shoulders as if in defeat. Her earlier fighting spirit being nearly crushed by this woman's words. He did not want to see that happen and before he could change his mind, he heard himself inquire: "How much?"
Surprised, Kaoru snapped her head up and stared at the young Shinsengumi captain next to her. Behind him, she could see three other faces that registered confusion at this discourse. The woman in front of them, opened her mouth and closed it immediately before naming a price. Without hesitation, Okita withdrew his wallet from the inside of his gi and counted out a few coins. He looked at the woman and handed over his money.
"Will this be enough?"
Seeing the flash of coins, she nodded and hastily added them to her own purse. Hastily wrapping the fabric, she handed it to the young captain. She straightened herself and glared at Kaoru once more. "You're lucky that someone took pity on you." She eyed the young man next to her. "Mind my words, young woman. No one will want you for a wife. Not some ill- tempered, clumsy, sweaty little tomboy." The woman turned towards Okita. "Don't be fooled by her appearance. I've heard the stories about her. She's willful and ill-tempered. Her father has spoiled her to no end and she is unfit for anyone." With that, she turned her back on the pair and went further inside her store.
Okita could feel his anger rising at the harshness of the woman's words. His normally smiling face was drawn in a grim frown as he glared at the woman's retreating back. Remembering the young woman next to him, he turned towards her to offer the wrapped package. Noticing her silence, he stood in front and spoke quietly. "Here you go, miss." Okita offered the package politely as he held it in front of her.
Her ears still ringing from the verbal assault of the woman, she failed to hear the young man in front of her. Her eyes were a little dazed and yet her anger was beginning to rise up once again. How dare that woman call her ill-tempered and willful. Besides, she had no right to speak about her father that way. She should hit that woman with her bokken, if she had the mind to bring it with her to the market. Maybe the tofu bucket would suffice as a weapon. Then her mind reminded her that the tofu bucket was the reason why she got into trouble in the first place.
Kaoru suddenly became aware of a pair of dark brown eyes smiling in front of her. Alarmed, she made a brief note of his ponytail, the smile on his lips and again, the blue and white uniform. It was the last detail that made her eyes widen back in realization as the words seemed to reach her ears this time. ". okay?"
"Well, that's the last on my list!" Kaoru smiled as she glanced back at the small sheet in her hand. Her basket was already teeming with vegetables and she held the tofu bucket in her other hand. She was already thinking of what a delicious lunch her father could make with the items she had bought for her birthday. She was fifteen today, Kaoru reminded herself. Smiling, she tucked the note inside her practice gi and shifted the tofu on the other hand. Kaoru gave one last glance at the marketplace to make sure that she did not forget anything. Something caught her eye and she crossed the street to take a closer look.
A dark blue fabric dotted with cherry blossoms rested between the other brightly colored fabrics. She set her basket down and seemed to be hypnotized by the pattern as she stared at it for a few minutes. It reminded her of the darkness of the seas while the cherry blossoms complimented it - light and dark, the pattern was in perfect harmony with the other. Tentatively, she touched the fabric with her free hand and felt the smoothness of silk. She sighed inwardly, knowing it was too expensive and she would never be able to afford it. Taking a step back, she sighed again and bent down to pick up her basket to go on her way.
At that moment, Okita and three of his men were walking through the marketplace. They had almost finished covering the main roads of Edo and were giving the market a last walk-through. As they came down the path, people recognized the blue and white uniforms of the Shinsengumi and hurriedly stepped out of their way. One of the passer-bys accidentally bumped into Kaoru as she bent to pick up her basket. Water from the tofu bucket spilled onto the fabric as Kaoru watched in horrified surprise. As if the minutes slowed down, the drop of tofu water slowly came out from the bucket and made a small spot as it came into contact with the fabric.
"What have you done, you stupid girl?"
Four sets of eyes suddenly turned their attention to the sound of the angry voice. "You've ruined my fabric!" Hurriedly, the footsteps came closely behind Kaoru and she turned to see blue and white uniforms swimming before her eyes. Closing her eyes, she prayed that the earth would swallow her whole, so she can escape the humiliation that the woman is sure to unleash. "I'm sorry," she managed to say in a small voice.
"Sorry? Sorry?" The woman's voice getting angrier. "Sorry doesn't even cover it! You better have some money or else I will have you thrown in jail!"
Okita stood behind Kaoru and listened intently as the woman carried on her tirade. He glanced at the young woman that gripped the tofu bucket with her head downcast. He faintly heard her murmur an apology and watched as she raised her head. From her practice gi and hakama, he noted that she must practice kenjitsu. Young women who practice kenjitsu are a rarity and that made him take an interest in the proceedings before him. As he watched her lift up her head, she opened her eyes and apologized in a steadier voice.
"I'm sorry," Kaoru murmured, this time with more regret in her voice. "Someone bumped into me from behind. It was an accident."
The older woman in front of her scowled at her apology. Before she could yell at the young woman again, Okita politely intervened. "What seems to be the problem here?" he asked, though it was spoken softly his voice carried an unmistakable air of authority. Kaoru turned to the direction of the voice and noticed the hint of a smile that seemed that graced the young man's face. Her mind registered the blue and white uniforms of the Shinsengumi but she vaguely wondered what they were doing in Edo. She could see behind him, three more uniforms but their deference to his authority seemed to indicate that he was their captain. Apparently, the woman recovered quickly enough and responded to Okita's inquiry.
"She," pointing a finger at Kaoru, "ruined my fabric." She gave the young woman a measuring look and continued. "Stupid little tomboy! Kenjitsu is not something that should be taught to young women. This is the result of indulgent fathers who do not know the first thing about raising daughters. Imagine if your poor mother were alive, she would not have any of this happen. She would have taught you better manners."
Her words cut Kaoru to the quick and she bowed her head. Deep down inside, she felt that the woman's words rang true. She would never have picked up a bokken had her mother been alive. But her father loved her as much as a father would love his daughter and he taught her Kamiya Kasshin Ryu so that one day she would be able to teach it to others. Her eyes reflected sadness as she remembered how her father used to describe her mother as being gentle and ladylike. She would never be able to live up to that and the woman's words just confirmed her worst fears.
Okita noticed as the young woman beside him droop her shoulders as if in defeat. Her earlier fighting spirit being nearly crushed by this woman's words. He did not want to see that happen and before he could change his mind, he heard himself inquire: "How much?"
Surprised, Kaoru snapped her head up and stared at the young Shinsengumi captain next to her. Behind him, she could see three other faces that registered confusion at this discourse. The woman in front of them, opened her mouth and closed it immediately before naming a price. Without hesitation, Okita withdrew his wallet from the inside of his gi and counted out a few coins. He looked at the woman and handed over his money.
"Will this be enough?"
Seeing the flash of coins, she nodded and hastily added them to her own purse. Hastily wrapping the fabric, she handed it to the young captain. She straightened herself and glared at Kaoru once more. "You're lucky that someone took pity on you." She eyed the young man next to her. "Mind my words, young woman. No one will want you for a wife. Not some ill- tempered, clumsy, sweaty little tomboy." The woman turned towards Okita. "Don't be fooled by her appearance. I've heard the stories about her. She's willful and ill-tempered. Her father has spoiled her to no end and she is unfit for anyone." With that, she turned her back on the pair and went further inside her store.
Okita could feel his anger rising at the harshness of the woman's words. His normally smiling face was drawn in a grim frown as he glared at the woman's retreating back. Remembering the young woman next to him, he turned towards her to offer the wrapped package. Noticing her silence, he stood in front and spoke quietly. "Here you go, miss." Okita offered the package politely as he held it in front of her.
Her ears still ringing from the verbal assault of the woman, she failed to hear the young man in front of her. Her eyes were a little dazed and yet her anger was beginning to rise up once again. How dare that woman call her ill-tempered and willful. Besides, she had no right to speak about her father that way. She should hit that woman with her bokken, if she had the mind to bring it with her to the market. Maybe the tofu bucket would suffice as a weapon. Then her mind reminded her that the tofu bucket was the reason why she got into trouble in the first place.
Kaoru suddenly became aware of a pair of dark brown eyes smiling in front of her. Alarmed, she made a brief note of his ponytail, the smile on his lips and again, the blue and white uniform. It was the last detail that made her eyes widen back in realization as the words seemed to reach her ears this time. ". okay?"
