Sano once again walked down to the docks. He was curious about the merchant girl Kaida. It didn't take him long to spot the red headed girl on the busy docks. She stood talking to a taller man in a suit. Her face was stern and worried; her fists were clenched to the point that her knuckles were white.
Sano hesitated, then began walking again. Kaida glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Her hands loosened their deathly grip and she plastered her normal silly grin on her face in greeting to Sano's arrival.
"Ah, Mr. Sagara. So nice to see you again," she said, rubbing the back of her neck with her right hand nervously.
"Hey," Sano replied with a nod to the man who had been talking to the young merchant girl. His stern face was now occupied by a most curious grin, his head was cocked and a child-like demeanor sparkled in his black eyes.
"Friend of your, Ms. Masako?" he asked, eyeing Sano for a moment.
"Um, no, not really. I'm paying him to help me with my cargo," Kaida replied, glancing at the older man.
"Right…okay," the man said with a grin, nudging her with his elbow.
"Keiji Tanaka!" Kaida exclaimed, turning from the two to hide a blush.
Sano grinned at the familiarity of the teasing. The tension that had hung in the air that morning was quickly fading.
"Well, what do you need help with?" Sano asked, glancing around at the many large vessels in search of Kaida's own personal ship.
"Oh, right!" Kaida exclaimed, snapping out of her earlier embarrassment. "Follow me."
She then turned and headed towards a row of six carts full of wooden crates. The three picked up as many as they could carry, then turned and headed down one dock. Kaida lead the way to a large ship. The word "Kozoku" was written in elegant, authentic Japanese calligraphy.
Once on board, Sano marveled at the giant sails, long ropes, and many other new objects and features on board. A few lone sailors hurried about their business.
"Why do you have so few sailors?" Sano asked, following Kaida down into the cargo hold. A small lantern hung in the corner of the large interior, vesting a dull yellow light on a few lone crates.
"I only hired the sailors that I needed to run the ship," Kaida replied, setting the crates in her arms down beside the awaiting ones.
"Aren't you rich enough to hire a full crew?" Sano asked, setting his armful of crates down and turning to follow her back outside.
"When it comes to money," Keiji put in," Ms. Masako is very careful. She only spends what she has to."
Sano raised one eyebrow in surprise. Most rich people were conceited and enjoyed wasting their money. This merchant girl Kaida was not a normal person.
Then again, he thought, Kenshin and the others aren't your average people either.
Then with that, he gathered another bunch of crates into his arms and followed Kaida and Keiji back to the ship.