Soujirou glanced up, hearing the knock on the door. It had gotten dark, and
he'd been watching people in the hanging lantern light as they passed,
heading out for dinner and entertainment. Kyoto had an active night life,
and he might have wanted to go out and enjoy it, had circumstances been different.
He felt a sudden twist to his stomach when Saito opened the door. Although he'd chatted with the girls downstairs, and one of them had taken it upon herself to bring him tea every now and then, eventually they'd grown tired of his attempts at conversation when it was clear he wasn't going to give them bits of gossip they could share and laugh amongst themselves with.
"Ahhh." he agreed, a disappointed they hadn't been more eager to be friendly. But he couldn't blame them. They dealt with customers all day who probably tried the same. They gave him no more politeness than required of them.
"But.. the hair suites me, doesn't it?" He asked smiling and touching the back. It was a bit strange for his neck to be bare like that, but strangely comforting. "I decided it might be best not to be confused with your friend..at least, not as easily." He said, giving a laugh. They told me I wore my hair like him. I thought it might be better than like this."
He stopped speaking, his smile struggling. Saitou hadn't made any move to come into his room. He didn't really care why he'd cut his hair. He was only here because he had only said he'd check up on him, not so that they would have conversations. He was business to Saitou. More so even than to the girls downstairs. He wondered if maybe he should have stayed to small towns. Hearing laughter and conversation outside was hard. He felt like an intruder to this place. It was worse really, than being alone, because he was still alone in a sea of people all who had found a place. Even Saitou had found a home here.
"Thank you for taking the time to check up on me." He said softly, turning back to the window a moment.. "I don't really have anywhere else to go, so I'm sure it will be easy keeping an eye on me. even if I wanted to, I don't think I could disappear into the crowds here."
He gave a smile, over his shoulder/ "Like the girls downstairs, I'm nosy too. I asked about your Okita Souji. he was well loved, wasn't he? People I talked to said nice things about him."
The look on Saitou's face made him stop. He would have liked to be friends with Souji, but stopped himself from saying so, sensing the danger behind the topic of conversation.
"Sorry. I probably shouldn't speak like this." He lowered his eyes from Saitou, the smile he'd struggled to keep, fading finally while he stared at an empty teapot.
heading out for dinner and entertainment. Kyoto had an active night life,
and he might have wanted to go out and enjoy it, had circumstances been different.
He felt a sudden twist to his stomach when Saito opened the door. Although he'd chatted with the girls downstairs, and one of them had taken it upon herself to bring him tea every now and then, eventually they'd grown tired of his attempts at conversation when it was clear he wasn't going to give them bits of gossip they could share and laugh amongst themselves with.
"Ahhh." he agreed, a disappointed they hadn't been more eager to be friendly. But he couldn't blame them. They dealt with customers all day who probably tried the same. They gave him no more politeness than required of them.
"But.. the hair suites me, doesn't it?" He asked smiling and touching the back. It was a bit strange for his neck to be bare like that, but strangely comforting. "I decided it might be best not to be confused with your friend..at least, not as easily." He said, giving a laugh. They told me I wore my hair like him. I thought it might be better than like this."
He stopped speaking, his smile struggling. Saitou hadn't made any move to come into his room. He didn't really care why he'd cut his hair. He was only here because he had only said he'd check up on him, not so that they would have conversations. He was business to Saitou. More so even than to the girls downstairs. He wondered if maybe he should have stayed to small towns. Hearing laughter and conversation outside was hard. He felt like an intruder to this place. It was worse really, than being alone, because he was still alone in a sea of people all who had found a place. Even Saitou had found a home here.
"Thank you for taking the time to check up on me." He said softly, turning back to the window a moment.. "I don't really have anywhere else to go, so I'm sure it will be easy keeping an eye on me. even if I wanted to, I don't think I could disappear into the crowds here."
He gave a smile, over his shoulder/ "Like the girls downstairs, I'm nosy too. I asked about your Okita Souji. he was well loved, wasn't he? People I talked to said nice things about him."
The look on Saitou's face made him stop. He would have liked to be friends with Souji, but stopped himself from saying so, sensing the danger behind the topic of conversation.
"Sorry. I probably shouldn't speak like this." He lowered his eyes from Saitou, the smile he'd struggled to keep, fading finally while he stared at an empty teapot.