A few days had passed and preparations were made for Serizawa and few select others would be travelling to Osaka. It didn't particularly effect until they had told her that Okita was one of the few going with him, along with Sanan. She had an awful feeling about him going, especially when Serizawa made it a point that she was to remain at the compound "like a good little pup" waiting for her master to return. In retrospect, many saw Mei as a type of handler for Okita over the course of months she had been with the Roshigumi. The realization that months had gone by with her here, all of them were a bit surprise. It seemed like weeks, possibly even less. Sanan leaving as well made her feel a bit unnerved. Not because she disliked or distrusted Sanan, on the contrary, she trusted the man as much as someone in her position could. However, it was Nimi who truly unnerved her, because Sanan was the one who kept him I check. Without him there, she had no doubt in her mind that Nimi would take the opportunity to move the research on the Water of Life more into his preferable direction rather the, at least, more humane, and less reckless route that Sanan had in mind. Many things worried her about the whole situation but even if she had decided to voice her complaints about it, Serizawa would not give her the time of day and she was only a page. By that logic, she had no right.

Breathing out a deep sigh, Mei laid on the grass of the garden she liked. Only because there was a pond and cherry blossom tree closest to her room. It always oddly smelt of lotus flowers for some odd reason, which made her like it more. She had been there for a few hours—the sky having been now stained orange and purple, after having said farewell to her master, and kept her eyes closed. Allowing the breeze of the Kyoto weather glide along her exposed skin. However, a dulling pain along her spine caused her to groan silently and slowly sit up. It came and went more often than she would've liked, and almost always the pain would appear at very less than preferable times. Meaning around others.

Since Harada had found her in the kitchen in such a—frightened state of mind, she started to notice the men of Shiei Hall were acting a bit more, wary of her. Well, wary was as close as she could describe it. They just seemed to always be insistent upon accompanying her places. Hijikata, being the exception as he didn't seem to change much. Only giving her certain looks when he thought she couldn't see. I'm sure he told them about what happened in the kitchen… She thought absently. Before she knew it, the pain along her spine disappeared and she returned to her earlier position of laying on the grass. Her mind gave up wondering about the Roshigumi for a while and let it become clear, empty. Simply staring up at the clouds seemed to ease her tense body, but then another thought came to mind. Yukimura… Kodo's last name… When she had first heard the name, she was too angered to really have registered it. But when she overheard a meeting between Sanan, Kodo, and Nimi, the name seemed familiar. It struck her with a sense of melancholy, though she wouldn't say it aloud, it made her feel sad. Why? She didn't have a clue.

"Hm? Aren't you one of those men's page? Okita, yes? That was his name."

The sudden voice caught her off guard and she moved quickly from her spot and towards the wall, a hand on Kusanagi as she glared at him.

The owner of the voice was none other than Kodo Yukimura. The bald man with an aging face gave her a look of slight surprise, and an underlining emotion beneath his confused eyes. "I'm terribly sorry, I hadn't meant to frighten you. I was just passing through… However, now that I have you here, would you mind if I ask you a question?" He gave her what would look like an attempt at a nervous smile. "I promise I won't attack you. I'm unarmed and have things, such as a daughter, that I must live for. So please don't expect anything foolish to come from me."

Mei didn't move her hand for a minute or so before she silently sighed and stood up straight, allowing her hand to fall to her side. Giving him an expecting look, she urged him to proceed.

"O-Oh not here. Do you mind if we talk somewhere private? And with ink and paper. The men here have said you're a mute really… And the time we met was the first time they're ever heard you speak up. It sounded painful to force your voice out, and I wouldn't want to trouble you." Kodo said with a lighter smile, now that she had set her hand at her side.

Again, Mei didn't move for some moments before finally she moved from the garden to the veranda and headed towards the common room. Once they reached their destination, Mei lit up some of the lamps and grabbed an ink stone, a brush and paper. Also, setting up some pillows for them both to sit upon instead of the cold wood floors.

Mei waited for the man to sit down first before doing the same and grabbing the brush and paper.

"Well, I was wondering, what is your purpose here? I mean, you're obviously not from Japan originally, and you're not a soldier, yet you had two swords at your side and serve the Roshigumi like a servant." Kodo asked with sincere confusion and curiosity in his expression.

The woman didn't waste a moment to already write the answer to his question. Once she was finished she handed him the paper. I caused a confrontation with Serizawa, and some of the men proposed that instead of beheading me like he wanted for "disrespecting" him, that I fight against Okita. I lost and the deal was if I lost he'd choose what to do with me and he decided to keep me around as a page and sparring partner.

"I see…" Kodo murmured as he finished reading. "You seem very literate in Japanese, considering you're from China." He noted lightly before handing her back the paper. "I've heard some things from Serizawa and some of the other soldiers, about your very impressive fighting skills. It's hard to believe that you aren't some sort of assassin or spy sent to the Roshigumi." He inquired.

Mei narrowed her eyes on the man, she didn't like what he was getting at.

"I'm also curious as to where you got your swords from. Family heirlooms, I'm assuming?" Kodo now had a smirk on his face.

Suddenly the brush between her middle and index finger broke in half, beneath the pressure of her thumb. "Keep talking. I dare you." Mei growled hoarsely before quickly standing up, "I don't know what you're getting at, Yukimura, but I don't appreciate you prying. Nor do I appreciate the underlining accusations." She added, setting a hand on Murumasa as she slowly stood. She had a very nauseating feeling about this.

"I wasn't accusing you of anything. I was simply speaking out my observations." Kodo stated. "I would notice a Shi family member when I come across one. Though I never expected you to be here. What brings you to Japan? I would have figured you would be with your family right now. How are they?"

Mei gripped the handle of her katana, enough to make her knuckles white, "They're dead." Her jaw set and she found it increasingly difficult to not draw her sword and cut the man before her, down. "How do you know… My family..."

Kodo seemed genuinely surprised and distraught once those words left her mouth. "They're dead? I had no idea… I'm truly sorry…"

"Give your apology to someone who would give a damn." Mei barked, "Answer my question." What was his connection to her family? They weren't famous or anything, at least not here in Japan. Only a certain community. Most people shouldn't even know they exist. So how could this doctor specialized in western medicine know anything about them.

Kodo looked at her for a long time before he slowly stood up, but he didn't say a word. Not even indicating he had any intention to tell her anything to her question.

And it pissed her off.

But as much as she wanted to cut the man up, she'd be in deep shit with the guys if she were to even lay a scratch on him. So, biting her tongue, she hurried passed him and out the door, heading for the training grounds. The look on his face had made her feel so angry. He looked as if he knew everything about her with that smug look… As if taunting her to do something. But as soon as she mentioned the fate of her family, he looked sincerely distraught. It only caused her anger to flourish to extreme amounts. That's why when she felt someone grab her upper arm she nearly cut them in half, though whoever grabbed her had caught the wrist of the hand that held her katana.

"WOAH MEI!" The grip was tight yet not painful, "It's just me. It's Harada." The owner stated. Harada looked at her with concern written all over his face, "I called out to you like five times, and you didn't answer. I didn't mean to scare you, I promise." He stated lightly.

Once confirming it was someone she knew and not Kodo, her tense muscles relaxed and she slowly put her katana back in its scabbard once he released her from his grasp. Letting out a silent sight she turned to him, "Sorry…" Her voice still soft and strained as she barely had used it. Her vocal chords trying to adjust to being used once more after such a long time of inactivity.

Harada frowned a bit before smiling at her apology, "You'll be forgiven if you tell me why you were so upset. Once Okita and Serizawa left all of us figured you'd actually have some time to not get so annoyed and pissed." He half joked, trying to lighten up her mood. And he found his smile widening a bit as it seemed to work. His eyes on the soft smile that had formed on her lips before going back to her eyes. The man was observant, and he caught the light, almost-too-faint-to-see stains of ink on her writing hand, and the redness of her left hand from gripping her katana handle so tightly. "Were you talking with someone earlier? Are they the reason that you were upset?" He saw her jaw set, and she didn't even have to say it aloud to confirm his assumption. "Who was it?"

Mei closed her eyes as she tried to push down the bubbling anger that began to form again, before speaking, "Yukimura." She grumbled.

"Hm? What did he do? Or was it something he said?" Harada asked.

Mei contemplated on how much she could say to him, and she thought maybe he could tell her contemplation as he set his hand on her head.

"I can keep a secret Mei, trust me."

Chewing on her bottom lip for a few seconds, that seemed to help her make up her mind. So taking a deep breath she closed her eyes once more, before releasing a deep groan of frustration, "First off I was sitting in the gardens then all of a sudden he wants to ask me a question. But not outside, no, he wanted to speak privately so trying to be as hospitable as I can be in my position I agree and we go to the common room. He asks me why I'm here so I tell him. It's not like it's a fucking secret. But then he starts accusing ME of being some sort of SPY or ASSASSIN sent by God-Knows-Who to the Roshigumi. Oh, and it gets better, this QUACK doctor starts to bring up my family! PERSONAL QUESTION THANK YOU." She had decided against going into too much detail and opted to keeping the information of how Kodo seemed to know her family, or anything of that sort. At this point her voice seemed to get used to being used due to her shouting, only cracking and becoming hoarse every so often. But it wasn't up to strength so she wasn't all too loud, not enough to bring more attention to herself.

Harada now seemed to sympathize with the woman, frowning at what he heard from her. "He did that? I don't see how you're any of his business. And why would he be asking you personal stuff like that?" He seemed more confused than upset, though probably because he wasn't the one being pried at. Mei was fuming. If it were possible, he was sure there would be steam coming out of her ears. Her arms crossed over chest and he noted the woman digging her nails into her skin. "Hey, Mei…! Don't do that…!" He stated a bit urgently as he reached out and pulled the woman's hands from her arms. Small crescents now imprinted on her skin. "Geez…" Sighing he thought for a moment what he could do to relax the woman. He felt she already got stressed out enough with Serizawa and Okita around, she didn't need some outside doctor to make upset and stressed out to this degree. After a few silent moments, Harada smiled and released her wrists. "Hey, why don't we go out for a drink? You need it."

Mei looked at Harada a bit quizzically, but the prospect of getting to relax and forget all worries for a bit seemed all too pleasing to pass up. So, after a few seconds she nodded, "Alright…"

"Great… Shimabara is the only place I can think of with really good Sake, if you don't mind it. Otherwise we can just grab some tea." Harada said lightly. He was glad he could help her in some way, knowing when Okita and Serizawa got back she'd be getting stressed out often again.

"Shimabara is fine… They don't seem to hate foreigners. Just people who can't pay." Mei murmured a bit jokingly before looking at him expectantly, "Lead the way."

"Right." He smiled.

-later-

As Mei mentioned, the people at Shimabara weren't any less pleasant towards her presence as they would with any other customer. In fact, they seemed to know her, very happy to see her, and every so often a geiko would stop and say hi to her before they'd enter the room of their patron for the night.

"You seem really popular." Harada chuckled a bit. Being as observant as he was, he didn't miss the evident affection she received. Though it would take someone truly ignorant and oblivious to not notice.

"I came here often before encountering Serizawa. They would put me up here for some nights, and in exchange I'd help teach the women and girls here other ways to entertain their guests." Mei stated lightly before they walked into a room with beautifully intricate designs decorating the doors and walls. The doors leading to the balcony wide open and letting the cool breeze to enter the room. "I've also helped with their less than pleasurable patrons."

"I feel like you mean you beat them up." Harada chuckled as he sat down.

Mei sat across from him, setting her swords down beside her, and chuckled, "Not really. Just kicked them out." She shrugged, though knowing her temper, it was anyone's guess as to how she kicked them out.

The room already had warm Sake waiting for them so they didn't waste time to pour themselves a cup and begin taking small sips of the drink. Mei's muscles relaxed as soon as she felt the warm liquid slip down her throat, relaxing her nerves. She couldn't remember when was the last time she had been able to sit beside someone and enjoy one another's company. When she really thought about it, she couldn't really remember ever letting someone get this close to her, let alone view them as a friend. Despite knowing they all still were wary of her to a certain degree, and reasonably so, she saw them as friends. Reliable. When was the last time I was this relaxed? She thought gently before taking another sip.

The silence between them wasn't at all awkward. It was a peaceful silence that made people in its reach feel content with it. It was warm and comfortable, and invited anyone to start conversation whenever they pleased. And after some time of this silence surrounding them, Harada spoke first.

"How does it feel speaking? I'm sure it'll sound warmer when you use it more and it isn't straining." Harada mused lightly.

"Maybe…" Mei replied gently before taking another sip. As she pulled the cup away from her lips she stared at her reflection in what was left of the Sake, speaking slowly, "You told them about what happened in the kitchen… Didn't you." Her words were not spoken as if a question. More like a statement that waited to be confirmed. She wasn't an idiot, and she knew that Harada didn't feel that she was either.

A small, apologetic smile tugged at his lips, "Yes…" He didn't say anything more to elaborate on the topic.

"What did they say?"

Harada looked at Mei, realizing she was looking back at him and no longer gazing into the sake in her cup. Her chewed on his lip in thought for some time, contemplating as she did before, whether to say it all or outline it with as little detail as possible. Once he made up his mind, he took a sip of his alcohol before speaking. "We all agree that something happened to you in the past that's eating away at you… We just don't know what we can do for you… I mean, you're not part of the Roshigumi really… But you help us out a lot. So, we wouldn't want to have to force you off the compound or kill you for being a hindrance… And you worry some of us…" His last few words came out in almost a whisper as his voice died out.

At first, Mei didn't say anything for a long time. She didn't know how to respond to his words initially so she sat there and gazed out the balcony and at the setting sun instead. How could she properly respond to that? It's not like anyone cared before… Then again, those episodes didn't happen often either, and usually when she was sleeping. Shaking her head, she opted not to say anything in the end. Pouring herself another cup of sake and downing it in one gulp before laying down on her side, her arm propping up and setting her head on her hand. She drank like that for the rest of the night. The silence that enveloped the room afterwards wasn't awkward as she thought it would be. That warm silence from before was filled it and neither of them seeming to mind. A smile gracing their lips as they absently enjoyed the others company and reminisced silently of happier times in the past.