Chapter 5
"Susumu?"
The spiky hair boy man that woke him up just look at him with a calm expression. The man got up.
"Sorry, but I'm not Susumu. You were crying in your sleep, so I thought it's best to wake you up, Ichimura Tetsunosuke."
"How did you…"
"How did I know your name? I work for your grandmother (or grandma)."
Tetsu got up and look the man in the eye.
"Who are you?"
"Yamazaki Suzuki." the man answered.
A gush of wind flew pass him. He… he's not Susumu. Tetsu turn away sadly. Suzuki looked at him and then turn away. He left Tetsu alone in the empty room. Sadness rush over Tetsu's heart. Susumu…
Tetsu soon regain his cheerfulness as he head to dinner. He was never one who stuck to the past for long. But his heart does pain a little when he sees Suzuki at dinner. Of course he kept his composure though.
"Tet-chan, this is Yamazaki Suzuki-kun. He work for your grandma. Said hello please."
"Hello," Tetsu gave a little bow as he spoke. Suzuki did the same as well.
"Suzuki-kun, how long had you've been working here?" his mother asked.
"I only started working for a week, thank you for asking." he replied.
"Really? How do you like it so far?"
"It's really nice, and have lots of space."
Tetsu watch as they continue their conversation. He turn to his grandma.
"Grandma, when you said that this place comes with one heck of a story, how did you know?"
"Tetsu, I've live long enough to have heard stuff here and there. So it's only right that I know about my own house."
"Grandma? Can you tell me the story?"
His grandma thought for a bit, "How about I just tell you a bit and you can find out the rest?"
Tetsu nodded.
After dinner, his grandmother led him into a smaller room where they can talk all they want without any disturbance.
"Now then," his grandma began just as they sat down, "As you already know, this place used to be the Shinsengumi's head quarter, but they soon went to the temple leaving this place behind. Soon after the Shinsengumi perished, our earlier generation moved here. When this place were being rebuilt, they found a letter written by an unknown Shinsengumi. In it, it said:
After the battle at the Ikedaya Inn, many troop members are recovering without a problem. Luckily, our lost isn't many. Yamanami-sensei was glad as well, for he was sick in bed during the incident. The vice captain, Hijikata-san, was as grouchier as he could be with his page, Ichimura Tetsunosuke. Tetsu or Tetsunosuke was a very strong and ambitious young man like the vice captain. It's amazing how fast he's growing up. Many troop members are reluctant to fight him. Okita-sensei, first troop of the Shinsengumi, was the only one who can match against Tetsu. I was surprised as well how well they get along. Many members respect him for many things; like his strong ambitious and his talent at defeating many enemies all at once. Okita-sensei was that strong. But this is not why I wrote this letter. I wrote this letter so that many stories of us members can be heard and passed down through generation. I don't have a great story to tell, but I do have one that I want to tell above all else. It's the story of a boy name Ichimura Tetsunosuke.
His grandma stopped. Tetsu look at her, "Why did you stop? And why is it that my name is mention in your story?"
His grandmother smile, "This story was about your ancestor, who precisely got the same name. sadly, it seem like the rest of the letter was missing and no matter how many time we look for it, we couldn't find it. However, I did manage to find the last part of the letter. Do you want to hear?"
Tetsu nodded. His grandmother began again.
The battle with the Choushu ended sadly for both the Shinsengumi as well for Tetsu. The Shinsengumi Era ended and what become of Tetsu was unknown. Some said that he died on the battlefield, others said that he got married and start a new life somewhere. But to me personally, if I were Tetsu… I think I would rather died on the battlefield with my comrades then live on with the memories of that day within me. But that's just my way of thinking. Anyway, of Tatsu… he got married after his brother disappearances and never once, had he spoken of the Shinsengumi or of his little brother. Some also said that he's denying the fact that his brother is gone, but I think he just don't want to stay in the past forever. A person will have to move on sometime in the future. With the end of the Shinsengumi, I myself personally hoped that whoever found these letters, will remember the story of a fellow Shinsengumi.
"So, that's the end?" Tetsu asked.
"Sadly, yes. As I said, your ancestor was never found." his grandma concluded. Tetsu look away for moment then turn back to his grandmother when something occur to him, "Grandma, who's Tatsu?"
"Ah, Tatsu, of course I almost forgot. Tatsunosuke was your ancestor's brother. He was a wonderful man and was also one of your ancestors. Do you know he search every where for his little brother? He had never stop searching until the day he died. That's real brother right there."
Tetsu look away and stare at the ground. My ancestor was a Shinsengumi? Is it because of that that Kaa-chan doesn't want me to talk about them? Because I might disappear like my ancestor? Tetsu look back at his grandma, "Grandma? Where exactly did they found the letter?"
His grandma look at him with curiosity, "We found it in this very room. It was in a little box under the tile you're sitting on."
Tetsu quickly got up. If I'm correct. I may be able to learn more about my ancestor and the dreams I kept having. He pull the tile up and under it was a little brown wooden box. He pick it up.
"Well, aren't you going to open it?" his grandma asked in an interested voice. Tetsu gulp and slowly open it. Inside, he found a roll up brown paper that used to be white and tied together with a red thread.
"Can I open it?" he asked as he turn to her.
"Go ahead. If you want to."
Tetsu turn back to the letter and grab it gently and sat back down. He put the box down next to him and untied the thread. He open up the letter, but since it was written in old language, he couldn't very well read it. He frown at it.
"If you want to read it, go to the library and look for the dictionary that translate old languages. Suzuki's in there, so ask him for help." his grandma chipped in.
Tetsu look at her happily and nodded. He close the letter and ran out of the room, still holding the letter tightly in his grip.
His grandma sigh as he diappeared.
"I hope finding out the truth would made him stronger for the future that is to come, right Ryuunosuke?"
Ryuunosuke step into the room from a secret door.
"Yes. But even you know that it would still be something that should never happen to him. This recycle will continue until the day he defeated what holds his freedom. Namely, his best friend."