Saito and Umeko walked off further away from the festival. The crowd's singing and general sounds of gaiety was a musical backdrop to their star gazing. The lights of the festival lanterns cast a affectionate glow, however Saito and Umeko were not touched by that light. They were far enough away to be bathed in the moonlight. "Do you see it yet, milady?" asked Saito. "Can you see the star lovers meeting? Up in the sky?"

Saito looked down at Umeko and saw her looking at him with a soft look in her eyes. "I don't see them, in the sky, I mean."

Saito then became conscious of how closely they were standing and the feel of Umeko's silk draped arm around his. He looked into her eyes and felt a stirring. It was a part of his heart that had long been asleep. His occasional visits to Shimabara were satisfying, but his heart had never been affected. 'I cannot feel this way. This infatuation could lead to deeper feelings. Love will lead to seppuku. This is dangerous.' "Umeko?"

"Yes, Hajime?" she said smiling. Their reflections shimmered in the water by which they stood. He noted how bright the moonlight was.

"This cannot happen" Saito started. They both knew what it meant. He continued "My dedication to the Shinsengumi is first and foremost. I cannot allow a relationship to interfere with the brotherhood which I am a part. I know this would lead to my early death, and what's more is that I don't know what would happen to you."

Umeko's smile faded, but she did not let sadness overwhelm her. "Yes. I understand" she nodded. "Now," she looked up at the sky and asked "Please, where are the stars, can you point them out to me?"

Hajime stole one last romantic glance to cherish for a darker day. He then pointed out the crossing stars to Umeko. After a minute of pointing and squinting she finally saw them. As she clapped with delight Hajime noticed movement in the corner of his eye. It was a suspicious movement and only lasted for a split second. He felt a bang on his head and blacked out.

Umeko spun around and found two men with swords at the ready, perhaps samurai, eyeing her up and down. They both had shaggy shoulder length hair and nondescript features. One wore green and the other a dark slate blue kimono. "Got any money pretty thing?" said the one in blue.

The second one in green began to pat down Hajime and found an empty money purse. "No. I have not any money" said Umeko.

The second man turned his attention to Umeko. He quickly glanced over his shoulder at the festival. It was further away than Umeko remembered. The music and song would have drowned out her scream and Umeko felt afraid. 'I can do this. I can get out of this.'

The first man stepped forward and brushed his shaggy brown hair out of his eyes and said "Don't have any money, eh? Well we can accept different forms of payment. Ha ha ha!"

The two men advanced on her. 'Dammit I don't have my fan!' thought Umeko. One man held her arms behind her back and the other walked towards her. She looked down at an unconscious Hajime and swore.

"Oh, have a little dirty mouth, huh? Ha haaa!" said the man who was holding her.

"We'll have to give you a nice little spanking, won't we?" said the other man as he undid his belt.

Umeko waited for the disrobing man to come close. She even backed up into the vile man behind her to encourage the approaching one to come at her. "Oh! I think she wants me first! Ha ha ha" said the man holding her.

"Don't worry honey, you'll get to ride us both."

When he came into the distance she was waiting for she flung her geta clad foot right into his crotch. She then stamped on her holder's foot and elbowed him in the ribs. She used the element of surprise to run. had been holding her.

The man on her back spat in her ear when he said "You think you're clever girl? You're gonna pay for that. No money? A poor boyfriend? I'll take what's owed to me!"

They could both hear the other man groaning as he rolled on the ground. She tried to stifle her tears, but whimpering escaped with every rough jolt or vile caress he gave her person.

He overwhelmed her with his large muscular body. He unsheathed his sword and dug it into the dirt next to her face. "You're gonna get it now." He slid the sword under her throat and said "You'll do what I tell you, or I'll kill you."

She felt his hands search under her clothing. She felt his hips digging into her bottom. He licked the side of her face. 'I have to get out of here. I can't die like this.'

Umeko then began to sing, quietly, she whispered to herself to get away from where her body was. Her body was limp as her attacker pulled up her silk kimono. Her knees ground into the dirt as he pulled her now muddied kimono up over her obi.

The violator tore away her under wrappings. He got up on his knees, but kept the blade of his sword close, on her back. She looked back down to Hajime who was still out cold.

As the man undid his fundoshi she closed her eyes and thought back to when she was in her husband's arms. Her husband had murmured a Tanabata song during one of their more private moments. With a soft voice the words left her lips "Sasa no ha sara-sara. Nokiba ni yureru. Ohoshi-sa—"

The sound of her song was interrupted by the sound of an unsheathed sword and a gurgling noise in her ear. Her attacker slumped down on top of her and her eyes shot opened when she realized that the attack had ceased.

Someone pulled the body off of her and she ventured a look up. Toshizo Hijikata looked down at her. She realized her ass was still bare as the wind blew over it. She sat up and tired to straighten her clothing as best she could. Hijikata roughly grabbed her arm and dragged her to her feet. He let her go and gave her a stern look.

"My kimono," she said with a shaking voice "is…is…ruined." She looked down at Saito who was lying still and the man next to him who also fell victim to Mr. Hijikata's blade.

Toshi stood closer to her but gave her no words. She looked around trying to get her bearings. Her obi had some how tightened in the process and she couldn't get a full breath. She felt light headed again and Toshi caught her in his arms.

He sat her down on the ground, but did not let go of her. His stern eyes searched hers. His hands loosened and his arms moved to gently cradle her. She came back to her senses and found herself feeling a great deal of comfort in his arms. Their faces were close. She swallowed then said "You saved me. For real this time."

His answer was a meeting of their lips. Her body was tense at first, unsure if she should accept. Then he felt her relax some, and her body relaxed some more. She then gave herself to his kiss. His hands held her tiny frame close to his body.

They suddenly broke away from each other. Their eyes darted around unsure where to look and afraid to look at each other. Saito's groaning caught their attention and they rushed down to his side.

As Saito sat up he rubbed his head and Souji came down from the festival. Souji met up with Mr. Hijikata and Lady Umeko in time to help Saito off the ground. Souji could feel tension in the air but after seeing the two bodies was not sure what the tension was over.

Their attention was all reoriented when they heard some men calling out from the festival. The music stopped, and women and children could be heard screaming. Umeko stayed behind with an injured Saito but Okita and Hijikata ran back up to the festival.

Todou was standing and laughing with his two best friends when a beautiful maiden caught his eye. She was dressed plainly, and her face wore no make-up, only a fresh smile of youthful exuberance.

Ten minutes later they were wandering in and out of the spaces between the booths. He lured her behind a booth selling noodles and they quickly allowed their passions to take over.

As focused on her as Todou was, he couldn't help but have his guard up. He was part of the Shinsengumi and the instincts he developed never left him. He saw a few shadows moving on a tent wall nearby. As he kissed the girl, whose name he couldn't recall, his eye watched and noted how the shadows moved. The shadows faded and darkened. 'Like they were by candle light…Candle light? No! It's fire!'

Todou pushed the girl he was with aside, stumbled and apologized. "Sorry…maybe we can finish this some other time?"

The girl scoffed, straightened her kimono and stormed off. Todou didn't have time to chase her he made his way around the corner. He saw a man resembling Mr. Hijikata in many respects talking to a boy that he had seen with Tetsu on a few occasions.

Yoshida found Suzu and handed him a piece of flaming wood. "Suzu, take this—"

"Master!" Suzu's eyes looked at the flame and realized he had to take the flame to be loyal to Yoshida, but in the process he would be disloyal to himself. Suzu's brother had been killed by Shinsengumi and was taken in by Yoshida who was a loyalist to the emperor. 'I owe him so much. He promised me vengeance for my brother. He gave me food to eat, shelter, for nothing but loyalty in return! I have to take this torch. I have to kill innocent people…I have to… for my brother'

As Suzu's shaky hand reached out for the torch a voice stopped him in his tracks. A young man, Heisuke Todou, stood at the back of the short alley, arms crossed, said in a commanding voice "What are you two up to?"

Suzu just said "Uh…uuuuh…"

Master Yoshida turned slowly and confidently said "Nothing that a young brat like yourself should be concerned about." He turned back to give Suzu the growing flame.

Todou was a young man, but not so easily dismissed. "Put out the flame or I'm going to have to get serious!" he said.

Yoshida turned back and said "Boy, I don't have time to bother with you. If you leave now I will forget this and allow you to live."

Suzu thought 'Is my master being merciful? Or is he just…I'm so confused.'

Todou did not budge, neither did Yoshida or Suzu.

Harada and Shinpachi were still roaming around the crowd. Harada leaned over to his short friend and said "I don't think Todou is gonna be real happy that we're crashing his love fest."

"He's the one who said that he'd rather be with us than a woman" said Shinpachi with a mischievous smile.

Harada found the smile contagious. He told his friend "Remember what Hijikata said, no foolishness!"

"Right. We're not fools so we don't have to worry 'bout that. Now, as for joking around that's another story." Shinpachi put his chin in the air and said "Plus, we're just stopping Todou from getting involved with a woman."

"Well…." said Harada as he scratched his stubbly chin "I don't know….The vice commander doesn't want us to be serious with women, he never said anything about having some fun. A man needs to be satisfied after all."

Shinpachi sighed with frustration over his large friend's slow wit. "Just…lets go!" He saw a bucket of water with coy swimming in it. He paid the man running the booth for the coy and took them with him.

Harada asked "What's that for?"

"To cool down our hot friend."

"Hahahahhaa! Shinpachi!" Harada smacked Shinpachi on the back forgetting about his own strength "This is why you're my friend!" Then the two of them saw the girl Todou was with rushing through the crowd back to her friends.

Shinpachi stopped and said "Hey, Sanno…what do you think happened? Where's Todou?"

"I dunno. Let's go find him. I wonder what put out his flame."

As Yoshida looked at Todou he thought to himself 'This boy? What is it about him?' Before the dark man and his indecisive page could figure it out they felt the splash of fishy water.

With his long wet hair whipping out in an arc Yoshida unleashed his sword. Shinpachi was there in an instant to meet Yoshida's blade with his own. "Attempted arson? Drawing arms against an official?" said Shinpachi. "You're quite the trouble maker."

Todou drew his sword and Harada picked up a pole that had been resting against a nearby tent. Harada said "Two against one, maybe it's time to give up, Mr?"

Suzu then did a quick draw that slapped Shinpachi's sword aside and freed up a path for his master and him self to flee. The two of them rushed into the crowd and disappeared.

Shinpachi blinked in amazement as Todou walked up to them. "What's wrong with you! You let him get away Shinpachi!"

Shinpachi said "But…he was…he was so fast!"

Harada craned his thick neck to see over the crowd. "I don't see em anywhere! Hey…wait! Look!"

Then the crowd began to panic. Fires had broken out all over the festival.

Hijikata and Souji ran up the hill and joined up with the three jokers who were acting very serious. They routed out several men who had been found with flaming paper, but were forced to kill them. All the fire starters called out and charged with unsheathed swords.

By the time the fire brigade arrived there was no one left to question. The sun began to rise and smoke drifted across the burnt fair grounds. Lady Umeko helped Saito sit himself down on a half burned bench.

Mr. Hijikata saw how tenderly Umeko was treating Saito then growled and shoved his sword in the ground. Souji said "I guess we'll have to catch them next time. At least now we have a few faces to look out for."

The Vice Commander merely stormed off and Souji was left alone. Mr. Okita then went to check on Saito and Umeko.

On the walk back to the Shinsengumi headquarters Souji probed Lady Umeko about her feelings for Hajime Saito.

"So, Umeko, did you have a good time at the festival, before all the hubbub started?" asked Mr. Okita as they walked down a dirt path. They lingered a little further behind the others and kept their conversation quiet.

"Yes. Yes, I did" she said watching the ground as she walked.

"You seem a bit melancholy if I do say so myself" commented Souji.

"I guess it's because I'm coming to a realization about my life here." Her eyes lifted and she took in the view of the broad open country side that surrounded them.

Souji, so used to the landscape that he was oblivious to it, asked "What realization is that?"

Umeko sighed and smiled. "Oh, nothing, I guess. Nothing a man can understand."

Souji giggled and said "Try me."

"Well…I figured I'd be surrounded by men, and that may lead to a reunion with my womanhood. Affection. Love."

"Ah. I see. Unfortunately the members of the Shinsengumi are forbidden to engage in that type of relationship."

"Except for Shimabara."

"They aren't really relationships" corrected Souji.

"No, but all the same I envy them. The women there have closeness with you fellas."

"Not all of us" said Souji focusing on a single flower blooming on the side of the road.

"Oh. Right. I apologize Souji, I didn't mean to imply that any of the men were of less than question—"

"Relax Umeko. I know I know. But what could have happened that has made you envy prostitutes! Surely you didn't mean that."

"I don't know. I'm sure their path is not glorious. I'm just being overdramatic I guess."

"Why though? Was there someone in particular that you were hoping for?" asked Souji.

"It's a moot point Souji. I was told flat out that it would not happen. I don't desire to have my heart crushed anymore. Please let it go."

"Oh dear. I'm sorry, Umeko" said Souji sincerely. "Things will work themselves out, I'm sure." 'Either you will accept this loveless existence or you will leave' he thought.

Soon after their return to the strong and safe walls of headquarters, the men ate a meal prepared by Ayu. Lady Umeko, being a woman, would only be served after all the men had been fed. She waited patiently in her room while practicing her calligraphy.

'Perhaps I will hang some of these scrolls. It may make my room feel more like my own' thought Umeko.

Later in the evening Souji visited Mr. Hijikata who was enjoying a smoke on his pipe.

Souji told Hijikata of what he heard from Umeko earlier in the day. "So I don't think there is anything going on between them Mr. Hijikata. Saito is not breaking any rules."

"Good. I am glad. It would surely have been a terrible development if he was involved with…a woman."

"Would you prefer he was involved with a man?" Souji asked unable to keep a straight face. He raised his hand to his mouth and giggled.

The response Souji was expecting was not the one he got. Hijikata ignored the comment and stood up. He said "I'm going to have a quick meeting with the Lady Umeko. I will speak directly to her on the matter."

"Oh are you sure you want to do that? I mean, there's nothing going on! There's no need" said Souji, a little confused.

"Souji, stay here and take care of any issues that arise. Kondo will not be back until the day after tomorrow and Vice Commander Yamanami is again wallowing in his sorrows in Shimabara." Hijikata turned towards the door and looked back at Souji with his dark piercing eyes. "Only disturb me if it is an emergency."

Stunned into obedience Souji said "Yes, sir." After Mr. Hijikata walked through his door and down the path Souji said "What was that all about?"

Mr. Hijikata wasn't sure why he was going to Umeko's room. He just knew he had to go. 'Why am I doing this?' He stopped along the walkway halfway between his room and hers. The wind blew through his hair and he looked at his destination.

The sun had set and the moon had risen. Hijikata's mind reviewed the various images he had of Umeko in his mind. The day she first arrived and looked him up and down. The night he saw her kill the ninja. She had been lying on her back and bathed in a shower of red blood. The flash of her wrist when she poured him tea. Her limp form in his arms after her attack.

He had stolen glances back at her and Souji as they walked back from the festival. The sun made her skin glow and her teeth were like pearls. It had been quite a while since he had last had the company of a woman. 'I don't need that. A brotherhood is more fulfilling on many levels. Souji's companionship is enough for me.'

Hijikata felt frustration at his own rule. 'Souji doesn't have breasts like ripe melons.' "Dammit" he said and took a few steps back to his own room. He stopped and thought 'Am I afraid? I am not afraid of a mere woman. Why should I run? I will go to her room and confront her.' Over what Hijikata was going to confront her about he was not sure.

Then he remembered the kiss. He froze then looked back over his shoulder towards her room. 'I am almost there.' He bit his bottom lip at the memory of her sweet lips on his. He felt his mind get a bit hazy. 'That is what I need to speak to her about. That kiss…'

He felt his feet taking him toward her door. 'It was wrong of me to do that especially right after her attack. I must set the record straight. I have no feelings for her. No attraction to her beauty. No admiration for skill, nor respect for her courage to confront me. Through it all she is still a beautiful flower. No! None of that. That is……'

Hijikata found himself in front of her thin paper door. He called her name. It was a gruff demand that made her blood burn. After the kiss Umeko wasn't sure if it was attraction, fear, or anxiety that made her feel so hot. She heard that it was him and was unsure of what to do. After a long moment she said "Please sir, enter."

When he slid her door aside he saw her kneeling in her sleeping kimono next to a small paper lantern. Her hair was down and he saw it as straight black silk that spilled over her shoulders. She spoke first. "Vice Commander, please come in. What can I do for you at this hour?" She kept her eyes cast downward as a proper Japanese lady.

He stepped into her room realizing that it was too late for a proper call. Regardless he closed the door behind himself. She raised her eyes and met his glare. She thought 'He is one impressive looking man. He has such broad muscular shoulders and what a lean waist…His long hair and those eyes…those intense eyes.'

She stood and walked towards the door to open it. He grabbed her wrist and held her in place with one flick of his eyes. She said breathlessly "We…" she swallowed trying to ignore the desire rising within her "… should, we should keep the door open. This isn't proper." 'What is going on? This man hates me. Is he trying to hurt me? Dominate me? This is twisted.' She looked up into his eyes and saw the burning desire of a very hungry man. 'But it feels so good.'

Umeko spoke again. "If this is about Captain Saito, I want you to be assured that he did nothing improper and that nothing happened. He told me we would have a strictly platonic relationship." Her breath came faster again.

Vice Commander Hijikata then pulled her close and gave her a gentle, but passionate kiss. She wanted to resist this man she was told was a demon. His large masculine hands traveled up and down her waist. They undid her small obi while his lips explored her neck and shoulders. Her hands slid under his kimono and pushed it aside. Her eyes feasted on his bare shoulders and well defined body. Their kimonos were open all the way, but did not leave their bodies completely.

They lay down on her futon quietly giving in to their hidden longings. They both knew the walls were paper and sound carried far. They would have to keep it a secret. Umeko cherished the direct contact of her skin with his. They both enjoyed the sensations and did what they could to maximize them.

This would not be the last of their clandestine meetings. Vice Commander Hijikata sat up, looked around and then blew out the light.

THE END