Disclaimer: I don't own any element of Hakuouki. This story is written for pleasure and not for profit.
A Friend Like You
Chapter 11
"Fly Out of the Golden Cage!"
By Lady Yomi
Autumn, November 20, 1863.
"Huh? What's this?" Heisuke took the envelope handed to him by Inoue Genzaburo, an elderly group member who leaned on the broom with which he was sweeping the autumn leaves from the Yagi's beautiful garden.
"It's a letter, Heisuke-kun," he said mischievously, "people use them to send messages to each other."
"Agh, I already know that!" he snapped, opening the wrapper impatiently. "I didn't say I didn't know what it is. It's just that it doesn't have the seal of..." he bit his tongue to avoid mentioning his father "...you-know-who, so I'm surprised to receive it. Not that I'm antisocial, but I prefer to discuss things in person and not with stupid paper notes that don't convey-"
"What's worth saying," Genzaburo finished the sentence he knew by heart with a sympathetic smile. "A young girl put it in my care when I was making my rounds, but I thought it was very impolite to ask her name."
Heisuke rolled his eyes, to hell with Gen-san and his Edo grandfatherly ways. He unfolded the letter and spread it in front of his face, turning from annoyance to curiosity as he read the contents:
«Heisuke-san:
Forgive me for writing to you instead of Sannan-san, but I tried to contact him unsuccessfully on several occasions. Both Ume-chan and I are very worried about his health, as it has been a while since we last saw him. Is everything going well with him? I know he needs time to recover from his injury, but I have a proposal that might help him clear his mind.
You see, Kohana-chan will be graduating next winter and she requires a Shinsengumi member to escort her to announce the event to the Okiya's customers. She asked me to use my acquaintance with your group to refer her to a respectable kenban and Sannan-san is so sophisticated, pleasant, and strong that I thought he was the best choice available.
Kohana-chan was kind enough to send me these tickets which I have attached to the letter in order for Sannan-san and a companion to attend the show she will be giving tonight. This will be her last presentation as a maiko and we both thought it would be an excellent opportunity for Sannan-san to decide whether he is willing to escort her, so I beg you to deliver them to him as soon as possible.
Sincerely, Furukawa Chie.»
"Sannan-san is so sophisticated, pleasant, and strong," he mimicked her with a sharp, sour tone of voice. "Like he's the only one who eats with chopsticks!"
"What's wrong with Sannan-kun?" Genzaburo asked as he rested his arms on the broomstick. "It's a letter from the doctor?"
"Something like that." He sighed as he pointed to Sannan's office with the letter. "Is Sannan-san in the secretary's office?"
"No, he's still in his room." He shook his head as he muttered: "Sannan-kun used to rise with the sunrise, but lately he refuses to come out before the sun is halfway across the sky and by the time he does it's just to sip a cold bowl of soup in the loneliness of the kitchen. Poor guy, I worry that his arm injury is causing him as much mental suffering as physical."
"Yeah, me too." He waved his hand as he bid farewell to Genzaburo. "Let's hope I can cheer him up a bit with this news!"
Heisuke headed for Sannan's room with lips tight with worry. Gen-san was right, Sannan's mood worsened with each morning he opened his eyes to find that neither mobility nor feeling in his arm returned. His always cordial and polite mentor morphed into a cynical and resentful individual who spat insults at the slightest provocation, suffocated by the disappointment of not seeing his longing for recovery satisfied.
How long would it be before he committed an act of madness? Heisuke was aware of cases similar to Sannan's, where brave warriors who were incapacitated in battle resorted to honorable suicide to deal with the pain of losing a fundamental part of themselves; hoping to leave this world as soldiers rather than inhabit it as beggars. But Sannan didn't have to rely on his martial skills, he thought as he approached his destination, a man as cultured and sharp-minded as he could serve as a secretary with the same dignity as any other Shinsengumi member.
Would that be enough to fulfill his expectations, though? Heisuke knew that, were he in his place, he'd curse every hour spent chained to a stupid desk; reviewing and signing endless stacks of documents with no pulse or warmth. Away from the streets and the hustle and bustle of daily patrols, deprived of the adrenaline rush of watching every corner of Kyoto for attackers. You had to be a bit insane to be a Mibu Wolf and Sannan was as thirsty for skirmishes as any of his comrades.
"Hey! Sannan-san! Are you there?" he shouted from outside. "I have good news!"
Sannan's voice was long overdue; Heisuke was about to call him a second time when he answered: "Do you come on behalf of Dr. Tani Mantaro?"
"Hmm, no..." Heisuke scratched the back of his head as his eyes went from the envelope to the sliding door. It was impossible to make out Sannan's form in the darkness of the room, but the distance in his voice hinted he was sitting in front of the desk. "But it's an important message! You see, Chie-san wrote to-"
"If it isn't from the doctor, I don't care."
"But you don't even know what it's about!"
"Please, Toudou-kun, go back to your duties and let me handle my own."
"No!" Heisuke opened the door ruthlessly and the light that encircled his silhouette hurt Sannan's eyes. "Chie-san is counting on you and I won't let you disappoint her! Why do you keep withdrawing from everything?! It's not like you need to use that stupid arm to... to...!" He went mute upon noticing the secretary was only inches away from his body, glaring disdainfully at him through the cloudy glass of his glasses. How the hell did he move so fast?! He seemed to have materialized out of thin air and Heisuke stumbled backward, overcome with confusion.
Sannan snatched the letter from him without a word and began to read it with growing contempt, irritated for some mysterious reason Heisuke failed to grasp.
"I don't think Furukawa-san will be disappointed by my absence," he stated in a harsh and impersonal tone. "The Shinsengumi has dozens of sophisticated, pleasant, and strong men who would be glad to accept the offer."
"Already, don't mock her way of putting it. Chie-san considers you her savior, it's only natural for her to want to help you to-"
"Help me do what?" Sannan's lips curled into a bitter grimace as he handed the letter back to him. "To be the bodyguard of a conceited brat? No... that's no way to 'clear one's mind'. After all, who said I want to distract myself? Right now I need to stay focused," he muttered as he turned his back on him to head back into the darkness of his room, "there are so many things to do and so little time to get them done. If I invest enough energy into this project... I'll get it all sorted out."
"Sannan-san!" Heisuke frowned, as worried about Sannan's lack of manners as he was about the self-absorption caused by this so-called "project" he kept talking about. "What do you mean, you won't attend Kohana-chan's performance?! What am I supposed to do with this pair of tickets?!"
"Heisuke-kun." Genzaburo stepped into his line of sight, closing the door of the room behind him as he explained: "Don't keep bothering Sannan-kun. Didn't we agree he's been suffering a lot lately?"
"Uh, yeah." Heisuke gulped, embarrassed that the old man was scolding him because of Sannan. "But it's not fair for him to disappoint Chie-san after all she did for him! What would've happened to Sannan-san if she hadn't introduced him to Tani's brother? Damn it! I just want him to give her a chance!"
"I don't know what's going on between you two, but I'm sure you won't convince him to attend any public event."
"Yeah, yeah... I don't think I can say anything to change his mind either. But that makes it even more unfair!"
"Is it absolutely necessary for Sannan-kun to be the one to show up at that place?"
"What?" Heisuke frowned. "Of course it is!" He unfolded the letter to show it to Genzaburo. "Chie-san said that Sannan-san was the best suited to officiate as Kohana-chan's kenban and that she wanted him to meet her during her last performance as a maiko! Look, she even called him 'the best choice available'! How could I tell her he called her sister 'a conceited brat'? Damn it! Sannan-san is getting ornery!"
"Sure, here it says he'd be the best choice available, but not the only one." Genzaburo pointed to the sentence that read: "...and she requires a Shinsengumi member to escort her to announce the event to the Okiya's customers." "See? I think there's still time for one of the guys to replace Sannan-kun."
"Oh, I hadn't thought of sending someone else in his place. Hmm, I have the night off so I'll use one of the tickets to enjoy Kohana-chan's last show. But who will I take with me? Hey! How about you, Gen-san? It's been a while since you left the headquarters!"
"W, what...? Oh, no! No, no, I'm too old for that sort of thing! You'd better ask one of your fellow captains; they've been hanging out in the common dining area for a while now."
"Are you sure? I know you don't like sake, but there are other ways to have fun in Shimabara. Ba-san throws some incredible Shogi matches! Even Hijikata-san hasn't been able to beat her, and he learned how to play from his brother-in-law, a former Edo Shogi champion!"
"I told you to ask someone else," the old man insisted with a light thump of the broom against the floor. "I will never be tempted by Kyoto's worldly pleasures."
"Okaaay." Heisuke smiled resignedly, knowing he couldn't persuade him to tag along. "I'll go see if any of the guys want the extra ticket. Thanks for the idea, Gen-san, I'll let you know if Chie-san's sister chooses one of us two!"
Genzaburo tried to suggest some candidates, but received no response other than the uproar that followed Heisuke's entrance to the small room they used as common dining area; the excited cheers blended with the whining of those who longed to be chosen.
"This will end up in blood..." Genzaburo shook his head. Who could possibly understand the youngsters? He thanked the heavens that this was none of his business and resumed his chore of vigorously sweeping the floor. His years told him that a bad storm was approaching and he didn't want the leaves to clog the drain and cause a flood. That seemed of greater importance to him than any freak show at Shimabara.
"Please, Heisuke-kun!" Shinpachi begged, kneeling down in front of him to plead with his hands pressed to his nose. "You know Kohana-chan is my favorite and I never can afford to pay the entrance fee!"
"That's none of my business, Shinpa-san!" Heisuke stepped back, surprised by his comrade's desperation. "My decision must be fair! Kohana will select her future kenban from those who attend so I can't choose lightly!"
"THERE WILL NEVER BE JUSTICE IF YOU DON'T CHOOSE ME!"
"L, listen!" He recoiled with a nervous smile. "How about we decide... with a lottery?"
"A lottery?" This time it was Saito Hajime, captain of the 3rd Division, who let himself be heard over the uproar. He was sitting on a cushion, his gaze as steady as his voice as he asked: "Will you let something so important be decided by chance?"
"It's just that I think any of you could do it well, albeit in different ways." Heisuke stepped aside to dodge Shinpachi's tackle, who tried to forcefully snatch the tickets away from him. "I just can't pick one of you in particular. Shinpa-san is strong and outgoing, Sano-san is popular with the girls, Souji could intimidate the punks who might try to prey on Kohana-chan, and you, Hajime-kun..."
"Me?"
"Well, you're you."
"What does that mean?" He frowned, more puzzled than offended.
"How about we settle it with a drawing of straws?" asked Sanosuke, disregarding Saito's complaints. "The winner will be whoever draws the longest straw."
"I don't know..." Heisuke pouted. "Hajime-kun always wins those games."
"You're exaggerating." Saito took a sip from the bowl he held in his hands, drinking the tofu soup he was so fond of having for breakfast.
"Of course not!" Heisuke pouted. "No one can have the upper hand! I want luck to decide the winner!"
"Heisuke-kun." Okita looked at him from the doorway, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest. "Where did you get those tickets?"
"What do you mean, where did I get them?"
"Hijikata-san reduced the pay of everyone involved in Tani's brawl." He smiled mischievously. "There's no way you bought them yourself."
"It's just that... Well, I..." Heisuke scratched the back of his head when the gazes of those present pierced him like arrows.
"Kohana-chan gifted them to you?!" Shinpachi turned pale with shock. "I, Impossible! You can't... have won her favor so quickly!"
"No! It's nothing like that, Shinpa-san!"
"Then what's it like?!"
"Chie! Chie-san sent them to me by mail!"
"Chie-chan?" Okita broke the silence that fell over the room. "Why? Did you ask her for them?"
"No..." Heisuke scratched the back of his head. "She wrote to me because Sannan-san didn't answer any of the letters she sent him. He's having such a hard time getting over his arm issue that the last thing he wants to do is escort some unfamiliar maiko." He pursed his lips. "I don't blame him for refusing, but I'd hate for Chie to be disappointed after all she did for Sannan-san, so I'll use one of the tickets to keep an eye out for trouble. Though... I'd like to bring someone who could handle the kenban duties better than me, you guys know I know jack shit about manners and propriety."
"Bullshit, you've got more education than any of us." Okita raised his eyebrows maliciously. "Are you afraid that Chie-chan will be jealous if Kohana-chan decides to pick you?"
"Huh?!" Heisuke's cheeks reddened like tomatoes. "O, of course not! Besides, why on earth are you fixating on such nonsense, Souji?! The important thing here is that one of you will get to join me for tonight's show! That's all!"
"The fool is right!" Shinpachi exclaimed, clenching his fists before his face as he added: "I don't give a rat's ass who that so-and-so is; Chie-what's-her-name! Let's get this draw over with!"
"I'll get the straws." Saito stood up promptly and opened the dresser drawer behind him, counting the straws he pulled out from inside.
"Oh no! Not the straws!" Shinpachi stamped his foot. "Tell him to knock it off, Heisuke!"
"I support Hajime-kun." Okita raised his right hand in the air.
"Me too." Sanosuke shrugged. "As long as no one cheats you can raffle the tickets any way you want."
"No! Saito always wins with the straws, ALWAYS!" Shinpachi turned to Heisuke with eyes glittering with anxiety. "You're on my side aren't you, Heisuke-kun?!"
"Huh, yeah." Heisuke grimaced. "But I can't think of any other way to carry out the draw."
"What?! D, don't give up on me like that, Heisuke-kun! We have to... we have to go together! It can't be any other way! Why do we have to run a stupid raffle?! Pick me... and I promise I'll pay you back in spades!"
Heisuke growled under his breath, cocking his head to the side with a bitter expression on his face. "Truth be told, I was going to choose you, Shinpa-san... but you ate my share of the roast duck last night!"
"Bullshit! I didn't touch a single rice from your stinky plate!"
"You ate it right out from under my nose and still dare to deny it?! Agh! You're hopeless, Shinpa-san!"
"Your share fell on my plate and I thought it was part of my serving!"
"It fell in when you pushed me to steal it!"
"I've already got the straws ready," Saito interrupted their argument with his usual calmness, "but we need someone neutral to hold them."
"Neutral?" Heisuke wrinkled his nose, spitefully turning away from Shinpachi.
"Someone who has no interest in participating in the lottery, otherwise he might cheat to win."
"Look who's talking about cheating..." Shinpachi muttered with a frown.
"I'll hold the straws." Okita shrugged. "After all, I'm the only one who isn't desperate to attend Shimabara's ridiculous parties."
"What are you saying, Souji?" Heisuke frowned. "You never want to go anywhere with us anymore."
"I'd go with you if you did anything but drink." He shrugged. "There's no fun in spending your night off being embarrassed by a bunch of drunks."
"I'd rather die drinking than become a teetotaler," Shinpachi blurted out in disgust. "To think you used to be the Shieikan's best drinker and now you can't even down a sip of sake! You've become... a little woman!"
"Watch what you say, Shinpa-san." Okita frowned and his gaze contradicted the friendly arch his lips formed as he smiled. "Some accident may prevent you from attending your dear maiko-chan's show."
"Hah...!" Shinpachi laughed confidently, bumping his fists together. "Are we having a fight, Okita-kun?! Excellent! I could already feel my muscles starting to atrophy!"
"It wasn't... that kind of challenge." Okita rolled his eyes. "You were supposed to be intimidated, not excited."
"How could I not be excited about a fight?!"
"Hey, hey..." Heisuke stepped between them, annoyed by how easily they were distracted from the matter at hand. "Let's get this over with." He turned to Saito, who was handing four straws to Okita. "Ready! Now start drawing one in turns! Whoever gets the longest one wins!"
"This reeks of defeat to me," Shinpachi muttered as he drew his. "Were they supposed to be so small?"
"Everything is small next to you, Shinpa-san." Heisuke put his hands to his waist, watching Sanosuke pull out his own (which was medium-sized).
"It's my turn..." Saito approached slowly, pausing for several seconds as his eyes moved expertly between the two tips protruding from Okita's fist.
"You can't take them both at the same time, Hajime-kun," Okita joked. "Do you want to hurry up? I have other things to do."
"This is serious, Souji. It's up to me to find the right person to accompany Heisuke to the show, it's not a decision that should be taken lightly."
"You say that as if you already knew which of the two is the longer one."
Saito took a deep breath as he grasped the chosen end with his fingertips, pulling it out as slowly as if he was trying to wrack the nerves of the men around him.
The room fell into the most stunned silence when Saito Hajime showed a medium-sized straw between his index and middle fingers.
"M... medium?!" Shinpachi stammered in confusion. "Impossible! Saito never loses at the straw game! Where's the longest one?!"
"Here," Okita grunted as he unclenched his fist amidst the shocked looks of his comrades. "What the hell are you planning, Hajime-kun? Don't think you're going to rip me off like some clueless brat."
"This raffle was absolutely legitimate," Saito explained with his usual seriousness. "Heisuke said the winner would be whoever kept the longest straw, an achievement you got by pure chance."
"Chance. Yeah, right." Okita rolled his eyes and tossed the straw over his right shoulder. "I didn't agree to participate in this nonsense, in fact, I was against it from the beginning."
"You said you'd hold the straws because you weren't interested in Shimabara parties, but you didn't explicitly refuse to participate." Saito shrugged as he listed: "Sanosuke, Nagakura, Heisuke, you, and me. Heisuke had his ticket secured so four competitors were vying for the remaining one. I put four straws in your hand from the start, Souji. You could have withdrawn the extra one if you really objected to the possibility of being selected, but you didn't."
"M, maybe because I wasn't paying attention to your stupid straws!" Okita crossed his arms and quirked his lips whimsically, uneasy as he suspected Saito was aware of his interest in the maiko who was abandoned by a father as neglectful as his own sister, Okita Mitsu, was. Saito was frighteningly perceptive and Okita feared he had allowed him to get too close to his thoughts.
"With or without explanations, I think Souji is an excellent choice!" Heisuke reached over to give him a friendly pat on the back. "The fact you don't like parties will make you more able to focus on Kohana-chan's safety!"
"Don't be so quick to put the burden on my shoulders," Okita muttered through gritted teeth, "the maiko can still choose you."
"Or neither of you!" Shinpachi whined, dropping to the ground with a mournful expression on his face. "That's the least you deserve for stealing my dream of being Kohana-chan's kenban!"
"Oh, come on." Sanosuke rolled his eyes, nudging Shinpachi's ribcage with his foot to make him roll around the room. "You didn't even meet her until last month, you just want to drink for free with a pretty girl who flatters your muscles."
"One thing doesn't take away from the other..." Shinpachi muttered with his face pressed against the tatami's coarse fabric, but no one was still there to hear him.
Shimabara glowed from the caramel and carmine colored lights radiating from the countless paper lanterns that hung from street to street. The night was quiet in most of the stores, since nearly all the district's visitors were attending the Okiya where the renowned maiko Kohana would give her last performance as an aspiring geiko.
It would be the last time they would ever watch her dance with flowers in her hair. Her sleeves would no longer float around her, like colorful clouds, the next time she stepped onto the wooden stage where the people of Kyoto saw her blossom.
It was quite an occasion and the huge turnout accounted for it.
"Sannan-san should have sent at least one patrol to this area." Okita clicked his tongue as he and Heisuke approached the Okiya's entrance. "There's too many people, there's bound to be a riot at any moment."
"Geez, Souji! Can't you put work aside for one night?"
"If Kondou-san or Hijikata were in town, they would've deployed a squad in Shimabara."
"Yeah, yeah, but they're in Osaka to explain the Serizawa-san thing, and thanks to that we can all enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle, so try not to wish they'd come back to the headquarters for a while. If they cut my pay again I'll end up eating the leftovers Izanagi-san throws to the dogs."
"Why would it be specifically Izanagi-san's?" Okita smiled mischievously. "There are hundreds of restaurants better than his in Kyoto."
"Huh, w, well... because it was the first one that came to my mind! I had to spend a lot of time there thanks to your genius idea of gathering information about Tani!" He covered his mouth, embarrassed to have exposed his mission's goal before so many strangers. He tried to regain his composure as he searched his pockets for the tickets, cursing Souji's quick mind and his prying questions.
"Good evening, distinguished masters!" greeted maiko Kosuzu, who verified the visitors' tickets at the entrance. "May you have a pleasant stay."
"Oh, yeah." Heisuke handed her the tickets. "I'm sure it'll be the best in a long time."
"Come in, come in." Kosuzu bowed and let them enter the place. Her gaze followed the last of the ronin, whom she recognized as one of the dudes who used to tag along with the fearsome Serizawa during his nightly escapades. The last thing they needed was two Shinsengumi members at the Okiya! What would she do if they thwarted what she and Kohana had planned for that night? She tightened her lips, straining to keep smiling; she couldn't arouse suspicion of any kind.
"Damn, it's crowded," said the one being watched without noticing it. "I don't think we could see anything happening on the stage from here."
"Of course we can, Souji. They wouldn't let so many people in if it wasn't possible to see the act from afar."
"There are too many people..." He frowned and put his hand preemptively on the hilt of his sword. "If things go wrong we won't be able to unsheathe easily in the crowd."
"How could a simple flower and colored paper routine go awry?!" He grimaced as he tried to push his way through the crowd. "You make me nervous... with all these doubts of yours!"
"Better nervous than dead." He remained unfazed in spite of his growing uncertainty. "We have to move, anyone could stab us in this spot and walk calmly out the front door."
"Damn it, Souji!" Heisuke raised his voice to make himself heard over the noise. "Don't you remember what it was to have fun anymore?! Relax! No one will notice us while Kohana-chan is around!"
"Would you like me to write that on your epitaph?" One of his eyelids trembled when he received another push and he had to hold himself back from pulling his sword out of its sheath. "Stay here if you feel like it, I'll look for a more convenient location."
"Agh, but the view is great here! Come back, Souji! If you go away you won't be able to get back to...!" Heisuke was interrupted as a new surge of customers entered the place and dragged him along with them on their way to the stage. "H, hey! Wait! S, stop pushing! I was here first!"
Okita huffed as he saw him disappear into the central area of the hall, hoping Heisuke wouldn't get into trouble as he looked for a place that would allow him to ensure the event's safety. He moved toward the front door, but found it impossible to leave the Okiya. It felt like all of Kyoto was trying to squeeze inside the cramped foyer. Okita cursed under his breath, wondering why they hadn't held the function outdoors.
"Please...!" Kosuzu shouted through the crowd. "Please take your seats! The show is about to begin!"
Okita backtracked until he came across the wooden stairs leading to the upper floor, which seemed like a gift from heaven. If he climbed up, he could get rid of the flood of people that was about to suffocate him! He hurried to the top of the venue, away from the mass of visitors crushing against the stage's base.
"Well, that's better." He leaned against the balcony railing overhanging the second floor and stifled a low chuckle when he saw Heisuke struggle to push and shove his way out of the unprivileged position to which he'd been dragged. No doubt his short height was working against him.
Being immersed in his amusement at the stunts Heisuke pulled to ensure he could see the show, didn't stop Okita from noticing the door opening behind him. He instinctively brought his right hand to the hilt of his sword and turned to identify the newcomer.
He was surprised to find an ordinary young girl. She wore her blonde hair discreetly tied in a traditional bun and was dressed in a plain red haori that covered her from shoulders to hips. The girl gave him a shaky smile, struggling to walk away awkwardly. "G, good evening, distinguished master!"
"I hope they are." He kept his grip on his katana, wary of a common girl wandering at ease in a club overflowing with male presence. His fingers loosened as he realized she was probably an artist; it wasn't as if they wore makeup and fine clothes twenty-four hours a day, was it?
"Sorry to bother you, but I'm on my way out." She pursed her lips into a line and Okita noticed how she averted her gaze. He knew that was a flirty gesture maikos used on their clients, but the avoidance that whitened her face was far from flirtatious. If his suspicions were correct, the girl was intent on not having him notice her features; as if she was afraid of being recognized.
"That hair color isn't too common, I bet there are only a dozen or so blondes in Kyoto. Tell me, do we know each other from somewhere?" Okita asked casually, with no intention of moving an inch out of her way.
"N, no!" she denied helplessly, offering him several submissive bows. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else!"
"Are you a maiko... or a geiko, perhaps?"
"I am not!"
The girl was determined to hide her face and Okita was ready to point out the foolishness of her efforts when the voice of Ba-san (the tayu who owned the Okiya) broke over the downstairs stage: "We deeply regret to inform you we've been unable to find our leading maiko. The celebration will be postponed until tomorrow and, should she not be back by the afternoon, her disappearance will be reported to the local authorities. If this happens, the money paid by our honored customers for the tickets will be refunded in full."
«"What do you mean Kohana-san has disappeared?"» cried the first spectator.
«"I came here for nothing!"» repeated the next.
«"We have to gather ourselves together and start looking for her!"»
«"Kohana-san can't be far away!"» Those and several similar shouts echoed throughout the extremely frustrated audience.
Ba hurried off the stage (more to avoid dealing with the mob's complaints than out of fear of their retaliation), vanishing in the blink of an eye. Her swift exit enraged the spectators who stirred in a riotous mass of curses and anxiety.
"By the blessed Amaterasu... Look at the havoc I caused," muttered the girl in the red haori as she stepped away from the balcony railing.
"I never thought you were the famous maiko Kohana." Okita gave her a mischievous smile, pretending to be surprised. What a letdown. Behind all the aesthetic niceties of her profession, the child was just another frightened sparrow trying to break Shimabara's net by pecking at it.
"So what if I am?!" Kohana frowned ominously and Okita hesitated for a moment, not sure whether or not he'd voiced what he thought of her out loud. Kohana took advantage of that brief flash of confusion to open the door behind her back and slip back into the room.
Okita was quick to follow her, closing the door after him without losing sight of who gripped the ends of the window overlooking the street, surrounded by the moonlight that betrayed her position in the darkness. Okita's green eyes flashed like those of a feline stalking its prey, causing Kohana to glance outside over her shoulder several times; desperate to find a way out.
"Get away from me or I'll throw myself into the void!" she warned him, all previous politeness forgotten. "Don't think I'll let some filthy ronin take advantage of my misfortune!"
"What...?" Okita stopped dead in his tracks, perplexed by the accusation. "What the hell do you mean?"
"Don't play innocent, Mibu Wolf! I know you'll ask me to sleep with you to pay for your silence! Otherwise... you'll tell everyone about my escape!"
"Sleep... with you?" Okita tried to hold back the laughter but it inevitably burst from his throat. "And leave my teammate dealing alone with the mob you caused? Besides, no offense, but I don't like cowardly women."
"You can think what you want about me." Kohana raised her chin defiantly. "I don't care about pleasing anyone anymore, especially those who pay to see me dance on stage like a doll for hire."
"If you run away you'll have to live on the streets and sell more than your dance to survive." Okita smiled wickedly as he added: "That's if you manage to outrun the Shinsengumi; it wouldn't be the first time we've returned a runaway maiko to her home."
"Her home..." she mimicked cynically. "What? Are you going to arrest me?"
"You didn't even leave the building and the law says that, once the report is made, half a day must pass from a Shimabara worker's absence to start looking for her." He walked to the window and looked outside as he leaned over Kohana's petite stature, who quickly moved away from his side. "You could jump out the window and run down the street without me lifting a finger to stop you."
"Then why are you still here?"
"Curiosity." He folded his arms without looking away from the avenue decorated by the multiple paper lanterns. "Why did you strive to be the best maiko in Shimabara if you despise the attention?"
"I didn't strive, things come easy to me and that's it." Kohana clicked her tongue and shook her head. "My body is strong and my memory is sharp, which makes most maiko's tasks easier."
"I see." Okita gave her a mocking glance after hearing her describe herself as "strong", but preferred to inquire into something different: "Where will you go? Most of Kyoto knows your face, it won't be easy for you to go unnoticed."
"I won't tell one of my future pursuers." She motioned him away from the window, unceremoniously rolling up her kimono sleeves and climbing in as Okita cleared a path for her. Kohana stood on the roof outside, her legs shaking to keep her balance on her sandals' platforms. "I'm not ready to become a geiko, so I'm leaving this place with my best friend, who has her own reasons for running away. You won't get any more explanation than that. Do you promise... you won't come after us?"
"I won't as long as I'm not ordered to," Okita replied as he placed his palms on the window's base. "So get out before it happens."
"All right. Nevermore, Shinsengumi-san," she told him under the golden strands of her bangs swaying in the night breeze, deftly sitting down on the roof to slide smoothly to the edge; from which she jumped (after long seconds of hesitation) to be met by a tarp stretching from one end of the adjoining alleyway to the other.
Okita watched her struggle against the red haori's fabric, which became entangled in her limbs after the fall, before she managed to leap off the tarp and land on Shimabara's damp cobblestones. Kohana looked up and her eyes rested on his for a moment; as full of distrust as they were thankful. What merciful God (but with a lousy sense of humor) decided to put that man in her path?
It was then that Okita echoed with his palms, shouting gleefully from the heights: "Fly out of the golden cage, Kohana-chan!"
The recipient of the message was simultaneously shocked and horrified. Didn't he realize everyone in the Okiya would hear his yelling?! What kind of wicked game was he playing with her?! She didn't stay to figure out his motives, as she ran away from the building with all the strength her scratched and sore legs allowed her to muster.
Neither knew it then, but Okita Souji's act of mercy would alter the fate life had in store for the two of them.
Author's note:
End of chapter eleven! The title comes from the old saying: "Though the cage be made of gold, it's still a prison", whose meaning applies to Kohana's current situation. Will she get what she craves and be free to make her own decisions? Or will she need to compromise for the sake of certain comforts? We'll see later! Thank you as always for all your support and sympathy! :D