Chapter 18

"What?" he shouted in shock.

"I'll explain it again," Hijikata-san explain again with a slight of irritation, "You will accompany me to Kasshin Ryu dojo in Kyoto. There is a person there that will benefit you in training. His skill may not be as high as Soji, but it might give you some ideas in how to complete those moves you shown so far."

"That I understand, but," he frown, "Do I really had to go with you?"

"Yes!" he shouted angrily, "Anyway," he regain composure after a quickly hail of smoke, "I've been meaning to ask," his facial expression turn completely serious, "Who taught you those moves?"

Tetsu's eyes widen and he took a step back, not realizing the hard text books behind his foot, causing him to stumble onto the floor.

Hijikata-san frown and sigh loudly, "I'll let you go today, but you will have to answer me sooner or latter." Tetsu kept his eyes on the ground. His body started to tremble a bit. Hijikata-san could see this. He knew he shouldn't pressure someone who just went through a painful part of his life. He close his eyes and sighed. He quietly swift out of the room.

"Oh Hijikata-san? Where's Tetsu-kun?" Okita-san asked as soon as Hijikata-san walk through the kitchen door.

"Still in the study room," he answered just before sitting down. He seem to be in a bad mood, so Okita-san figure it's best not to question him.

Tetsu look up toward the window when a little cat jump into the room. The cat stare at him with it's golden eyes as if it's trying to bore a hole into his face. He gave a little smile and adverted his gaze back to the spot he was staring at earlier. He curl into a ball and cover his face in his arms.

/Who taught you those moves?/

He clench his shirt tightly /You did…/ was all he could said, or think of.

"You seriously need to get over that habit of sleeping in a room full of books." He look up from his cover and gave a glare, "It's not a habit, and I wasn't sleeping." Susumu look into his furious and yet, pained eyes. He set down beside him and gave him a small pat on the head.

"Susumu?" he asked with a bit of confusion at this sudden action.

Susumu adverted his gaze toward the little cat that was still staring at them like it had succeeded in boring a hole into their face but wanting to go even deeper.

"That cat, why is it here?" Susumu asked him with the kind of what-are-you-a-cat-lover look.

Tetsu glare at him for the look he gave him. "It just came through the window," he replied.

"For a normal kid, you sure attract a lot of weird stuff," Susumu said calmly. Tetsu shot another glare at him, "Is that suppose to be a joke?"

Susumu look at him and gave an innocent smile, "No."

Tetsu was shooting glare daggers at him now, "Don't say that with smile!" Susumu just smile at him with thanks-for-the-compliment kind of smile. This made Tetsu glare even more.

"Are you really going to go with Hijikata-san to Kyoto?" Susumu asked once Tetsu stop sending dagger glares at him.

Tetsu immediately frown when he realize he can't back out. Susumu took this as answer and turn back to the window. "Don't worry. Everything will go fine," he said assuredly.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I wonder what they would do now that they receive our little declaration of war, Hikagami," he asked with satisfaction of doing what he did. "I bet they're doing everything they can to get Tetsu ready for this," he continued with a grin.

Hikagami turn away from him and to the picture frame that hung above the fire place. /Truth and lies… you were right…/

XXXXXXXXXX

That night, Tetsu couldn't sleep. He kept thinking about the trip and what he's going to say to Hijikata-san concerning his question. He toss and turn around a bit before settling down that he couldn't sleep no matter what. He got up and quietly left the room making sure not to wake Susumu. Once he was safely out of the room, he walk downstairs to the kitchen. He needed something cold to calm his mind, or is it something warm? Anyway, he was about to enter the kitchen when he heard noise coming from the dojo.

He turn his eyes toward the dojo door and could see that the light was on. He look around making sure no one see him, which is totally weird when you were the only one awake. He crept up to the door and slightly open it so that he could peek through. His eyes wander for a bit before settling down on a figure near the end of the dojo. The figure was neatly dress in his training suit and was doing a kendo exercise.

/Why is Okita-san training so late?/ he thought with curiosity. /I shouldn't bother him./ he slowly turn around but was stop by something warm, yet hard. He look up and almost had a heart attack when he realize what it was, or who if I should put it. "Hij-" his mouth was quickly cover up before he could finish.

Hijikata-san bend down to look Tetsu straight in the eyes. "Why are you up so late?" he asked with a suspious glare. Tetsu was trembling hard. "Uh, I-I couldn't sleep," he manage to answered. Honestly, he was as scared to death as he could ever be. He could tell Hijikata-san wasn't content by his honest answer, but he accepted anyway. Hijikata-san turn to the dojo door and back to him almost instantly, "Let me guess, Soji?" Tetsu nodded incredibly hard to prove his innocent for no reason.

He turn to the door and barge in without a care of intrruption to Okita-san. Tetsu manage to move his trembling legs and follow after him. Okita-san look up and smile at them. "I thought everyone went to bed already, especially the two of you. You two are the one that are leaving, you both need sleep," he said to them with a sweat coming down form his forehead.

Hijikata-san sigh and patted his head. "Sometime I think you'll the one who need to rest. You train too much," Hijikata-san smile. Okita-san return the gesture.

Tetsu watch their exchange and couldn't help but feel like something's going on between them. He grin to himself. /Despite his looks, he's actually a really nice guy. No wonder everyone respect him./

"Ichimura!" He snap back into reality and quickly look up. "Y-Yes?" he stammer. Hijikata-san reach his hand out slowly towards him. He flinch when a warm hand suddenly, but gently patted his head. He look up in shock. Hijikata-san smile and gave him another pat on the head. He couldn't help but get caught in the moment.