I opened the window silently, making it slide with caution, and instantly, I felt my heart pounding in my chest. Chizuru was there. I couldn't see her face since she was turning her back at me but it was her. I could have recognized her from any angle. She was warming her hands with a hibachi, sitting in seiza on her futon. Her hair was arranged with a lot of different hairpins and she was wearing a black hikizuri silk awase kimono with a trail and long sleeves. There was a pattern on the lower part of the kimono, sinuous stripes of gold representing fields on hills, while the upper part was plain black with only a golden family crest, three peaches. She looked like a princess or a courtesan, although an oiran wouldn't wear a kamon. I guess it was suitable for the princess of the Yukimura clan.
She was alone and still hadn't noticed me so I came closer, still very cautious. There were chances this was a trap, especially since Amagiri noticed something was wrong with Haruhi. As I was just behind her, I kneeled and took her in my arms, muffling her surprised scream with my palm.
« Although a peach is an appropriate depiction of your person, I think a kamon with bamboo leaves would suit Saito-san much better. » I whispered in my toneless voice, tightening my embrace around her.
She escaped another scream of surprise, still muffled by my hand and I saw her blush in embarrassment. I didn't release her, not yet. I needed to fill myself with her scent, her warmth... and I wanted to savor it in case she would ask me to go. In the end, maybe I was a coward but I feared hearing her voice again, fearing what she could say to me.
After a few seconds though, I grudgingly ended my one-sided hug and took my hand off her mouth. She jumped on her feet and I met her astonished chestnut gaze.
« Ha... Hajime... » she stuttered « I... You... You... They told me... »
« I'm not dead, Chizuru. » I said, understanding what she was trying to say.
And even if I was, I would have found a way to come back for you.
« You... You're not... » she continued to stutter uncontrollably.
And instead of words, she just threw herself in my arms. The anxiety left, along with the fear of rejection and the anguish, and was replaced by an intense warmth. I closed my arms on her and held her as she started crying. None of my doubtful feelings mattered anymore. All of the sudden, there was clarity, no more sorrow, no more pain, no more bloodlust... Just the love of her.
« Ha...Hajime... » she sobbed, gripping onto my kimono.
« Shh... It's over, Chizuru... » I whispered, caressing the back of her neck to not ruin her beautiful hairstyle. « I'm here to take you home. »
« Home ? » she asked, still whimpering.
« Not Kyoto, obviously. » I answered « But to the Shinsengumi, in Edo. »
She pulled away from me and looked at me with tears filling her eyes. She brought her hands to my face and touched my skin as if she could just shatter me with her fingers.
« It really is you. » she said as first full sentence since I came in.
« Ha. » I simply answered and I leaned over to kiss her.
I missed her so much, I needed that right now, no matter the danger I was putting myself into with every second I was staying in this room. I kissed her lovingly, tenderly, with caution instead of passion. I think a part of me was still thinking she could reject me, even now. Although it was a somewhat restrained kiss, my body felt numb and I was entranced in the communion of our two selves, reunited at last. Our lips, although silent, said more than words ever could. I parted with regret but I was lucky enough not to have been noticed yet and I intended it to stay that way.
« Chizuru, will you come with me ? » I asked her.
« But... Kazama... » she hesitated.
« Is that his kamon ? » I asked, showing the peaches with a nod.
« Y...Yeah... » she blushed « Th... There is one on... all my outfits... »
« Did he marry you ? » I asked again.
« N... Not yet... » she answered.
« Then he doesn't matter. » I just said « I remember our wedding pretty well. You are Saito Chizuru and Kazama isn't part of this equation. »
« I... guess but Hajime... If he finds you here, he's going to kill you, for real this time ! » she cried « I... I accepted it, my.. my fate...To save you so... I can't go now... »
« Kazama can try to kill me but I am not the same man I was then. » I said to her, wiping her tears away with a thumb. « I'm not injured, I have no fever, I have all my reflexes... »
I drank the Ochimizu.
That was something I couldn't bring myself to tell her, not yet. I didn't want her attitude towards me to change because of my new nature. I wanted her to see her husband, the man she loved... Not a bloodthirsty monster.
« Let's go, Chizuru. » I tried again « trust me. »
She looked at me with trust, love and a bit of fear, probably towards the unknown. She nodded and went to a cupboard, taking her kodachi and her tanto, the one she got at our wedding. I was a bit surprised Kazama let her keep these weapons but I guess he wasn't considering her a threat.
She used the tanto to cut in her beautiful kimono, ripping all the trailing part, not practical for fleeing and she took some ties to tie her long sleeve.
« Do you have something for the cold ? » I asked her with concern, watching her tear apart the fabric.
Even if her awase kimono was very thick and lined and that silk was a good warmth keeper material, I was worried she could still get cold.
« I have a wool haori and thick tabi for my feet. » she explained, putting them on.
« Good, we're traveling on foot. » I said.
« We ? » she asked, puzzled.
« Haruhi's here. » I explained « and two members of the Yase clan. »
« The Yase... » she muttered to herself, putting her wool haori on.
« Let's go. » I hurried her.
I walked towards the window and jumped to the ground. I extended my arms and asked her to jump. She expired and closed her eyes before doing so and she landed in my arms unhurt. I put her down with a smile and we stayed in the shadows to reach the borders of the forest. When we arrived we found Haruhi and another Chizuru, this one in a hakama and with silver eyes.
« Wha... What is this ? » asked my Chizuru, eyes wide.
« Yasha Mika-san. » I explained « Don't pay attention. »
Was it really the moment for Mika to take Chizuru's appearance ?!
« Chizuru-neechan ! » said Haruhi, hugging her « I'm so happy ! »
« I'm enchanted to finally meet you, Saito-san » said Chizuru-Mika with respect « Your husband really did all he could to get you back. He surely cares a lot about you. »
So you're enchanted to meet her but that didn't prevent you from fucking her husband, right ?
Chizuru nodded, mouth agape to see her face talk so casually to her. Mika looked at her pensively and changed her clothes and hairstyle to match Chizuru's except her kimono wasn't ripped off its trail.
« Perfect. » she commented, looking at her new black kimono with the Kazama kamon. « Which house is it ? »
I understood what her plan was and had to object. It was way too dangerous.
« Yasha-san, you won't be able to fool Kazama. He's a perceptive man. » I told her calmly « your eyes will give you away. »
« That's a detail. » she said with a wave of the hand. « When he's not bewitched, I'll just have to close my eyes. That worked perfectly well in the past, don't you agree ? »
I blushed uncontrollably at the memory of the moment we shared together and how she kept her eyes closed, making me believe it actually was Chizuru.
Can we not bring that subject up in front of my wife, please ?
« Kazama isn't the kind of man you want to play a trick on. » I warned « He won't be as understanding as... other men... »
« I need an Oni » she said firmly « a strong one. Kazama is pure-blood. The son I will get will be as powerful as Koan, maybe more if Kazama is that exceptional. Men aren't a problem, Saito-san. No matter how powerful they are. »
« Kaoru is also pure blood and he's a prisoner in the Yase clan. » I suggested.
« Sen-himesama will never agree to let me use him. » she chuckled. « Kazama's my best option. You tell my father I'll come back to him as soon as I'm sure I'm with child. Tell him I love him, alright ? »
« I will. » I said, knowing that whatever I could say, she wouldn't change her mind.
I showed her the house where Chizuru was supposed to be and she changed into her fox form for discretion. I saw her change back to climb through the window and got mixed feelings. I was still mad at her for the trick she played on me but still, I knew that it was only natural to her and I had some sympathy for her. A part of me couldn't help but think that this was a farewell. Kazama wouldn't fall in that trap. I turned to my family, finally reunited and started walking.
« Let's go. »
We started walking together. I wanted to turn around and get Mika back. She was offering us a wonderful opportunity but her life was on the line. As much as I wanted to put my sword through Kazama, there was a chance he could still overpower me even as a Rasetsu. The logical choice was to bring back Chizuru to the Shinsengumi, where we could all protect her and then, if my path crossed Kazama's again, I could fight him and make him pay for what he did. Even if I were to die in this fight, Chizuru would still be protected by all the Shinsengumi, out of his reach.
We walked for an hour in silence. Haruhi was holding Chizuru's hand to guide her through the obscure forest. The moonlight wasn't enough to light our way. I saw a fire afar and supposed that was the camp. As expected, I found Koan there, in his human form, probably not to scare Chizuru. He looked at me with an ageless sadness.
« Where's Mika ? » he asked me.
« She stayed. » I answered. « She will come back when she's with child and she loves you. »
He nodded and reported his gaze on the fire. I brought Chizuru next to it as well and she warmed herself, along with Haruhi.
« I'm losing my fourth daughter tonight. » said Koan after minutes of silence « youngsters never listen. »
« She's not dead. » I tried to reassure him.
« Not yet. » he shook his head « She's overconfident. That will kill her. »
I didn't answer. I shared his concerns for Mika but I couldn't come close to the affection Koan had for her. I sat next to Chizuru by the fire and she rested her head on my shoulder, looking at the dancing flames.
« Thank you, Hajime. » she said and I passed my arm around her waist.
« Warm yourself. » I told her « We will be going in a few minutes. We are too close to Hakone. »
She nodded and passed her arm around Haruhi's shoulders. We were a family again.