Disclaimer: I do not own PMK.

Chapter 3: Leaving Kyoto

"Saya, this is Narita-san. He wishes you to be his daughter," Akesato-nee took Saya's hands gently as she spoke. Saya regarded the merchant with apprehension. He was from the north, a stranger to Kyoto. She had seen him a few nights ago at a party where she and Hana were required to help Akesato entertain the guests. It was a disaster for her. The guests wanted her to sing but she couldn't. Things would have become very ugly if Hana had not sung for her.

She remembered Narita as a quiet man who was unused to such parties. In fact, he seemed disgusted by the boorish behavior of his peers. Everything about him hinted at respectability. Why would he want to adopt a girl like her?

Akesato explained gently. "Narita-san had a daughter who was born mute, like you. This child died young. Had she lived, she'd be about your age...go with him, Saya-chan. He'll be kind to you." She waved away any protests. "This way, you can leave Shimabara." And Kyoto. I don't want to leave Kyoto. Because...

Narita-san is a kindly man. He had bought gifts for both Saya and the other girls. He did remind her a bit of her own father. Saya nodded. She'll leave with him as his daughter. Away from Shimbara, away from Kyoto, away from him. Smiling, the madam gave instructions for Saya's meager belongings to be packed. The man must be a fool to pay such a high price for a mute. Akesato watched with a mixture of relief and sadness. Hopefully with time, Saya'll get over Tetsu.

"Saya! Where's Saya?" Tetsu asked Hana as she passed him in the corridor. That was the sole reason where he had agreed to accompany the Comedian Trio to Shimabara. Nagakura and Harada were giving their good friend Heisuke one last taste of freedom before he marries his betrothed. The stag party had disintegrated into near-chaos.

Tetsu stepped out of the way as a drunken taishi ran past without his trousers. Akesato ran after him in the vague hope of restoring some order to the party. "Hana, where's Saya-chan?" Tetsu asked. Harada put a table through the sliding door. Man, San-nan will flip when the bill comes in.

"I'm sorry, Tetsu-kun. She's gone."

"Gone?" Hana nodded. "What's happened to her?" Haltingly, Hana told Tetsu about the merchant from the north and his adopting Saya as a daughter. "He has left town, Saya asks you...to forget about ...her." Hana could hardly get the words out. Saya was crying as she signed out the words on Hana's palm in those few minutes before her hurried departure. There wasn't even time to write a letter.

Tetsu slumped against the wall in shock. Gone. He'll never see Saya again. He stayed in that position until Nagakura came by on his way back from the privy. "Tetsu-kun? Not joining the party?" Nagakura shook the boy. "Tetsu-kun?" Tetsu remained motionless. His eyes blank. Surely the boy can't be drunk. He hardly touched the sake...

"Oh shit!" Nagakura recalled an earlier visit to Shimabara from which Tetsu had returned in a most peculiar state. "Guys! We've a problem!" Hearing Shinpachi's shout, the others who weren't too soused came running. "Tetsu-kun?" Harada tried to rouse the boy, but failed. "Party's over. We better get him home."

"What happened to the boy?" Heisuke asked Hana as she served him some tea to mitigate the effects of the sake. "Saya," Hana explained as she quite purposely sat close to him. "I see, poor pup," Heisuke downed his tea and patted Hana's hand fondly. She may be a little young, but Hana's a good girl.

Tetsu allowed himself to be carried over Harada's broad shoulder like a rice-sack all the way home. It was downright undignified and bordered on the comical, but he couldn't care. All that mattered to him was Saya was gone.

Tetsu was up early. Tatsu watched with concern as Tetsu threw himself wholeheartedly into his chores. He washed the sheets and hung them up then cleaned out the pig pen before breakfast, to Saizou's displeasure. What was bothering the boy? It can't be too healthy...Then again, his little brother's been growing up, and growing away from him. Maybe Tetsu's best friend and mentor Okita-san will know what to make of it.

Tatsu found Okita in the kitchen chatting with their new cook. Okita does seem to spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately. In fact, the young captain was so engrossed in watching Hotaru-san stoke the stove that Tatsu needed to call him thrice before Okita looked up and greeted him with a sunny smile.

Tatsu grinned at the memory of a similar scene some time ago when the players had been Captain Harada and Ayu-nee. Of course, the giant never spent too long in the kitchen before breaking something and getting chased out by his Ayu-nee.

"Okita-san, Tetsu's been acting kinda weird since Heisuke's stag party..."

"Hangover? I have a little something that should work..." Okita beamed as Hotaru gave him a smile before going out to wash the rice.

"No, not that. Well," Tatsu fumbled. How should he put it? Tetsu burst into the kitchen. "Hotaru-san! I've chopped all the firewood, is there anything else to do?"

All the firewood? That's a whole month's supply, considering it was brought in yesterday. Worried, Okita placed his hand on the boy's forehead. No fever. "Tetsu-kun, can you tell me what's bothering you?"

Tetsu looked back with his eyes shining with tears. His lip trembled. Finally, he cried. O, Tetsu...Tatsu tried to reach out for his brother but held back. Okita simply hugged the boy without speaking. Let him cry it all out...

Author's notes:

Hints of Hotaru-Okita pairing? Let's wait and see. BTW, tissues, anyone?