Chapter 21

Tetsu couldn't sleep that night after he had talk to O-Hana. He kept thinking about what she said. She was right, why should he help someone who is from the same linage as Jin? O-hana was one of his best friends, so why should he help Rie? Then again, Rie did say that he wanted to set her free.

He rolled over towards the open door leading outside. He sighed and closes his eyes. / Ok. Ancestor? If you're there, please help me. I know O-Hana-chan suffer because of the Yashiko family, but I don't want her to keep on suffering. What should I do? /

Just then, darkness surrounded him pulling him into total darkness. He struggles till his energy faded. / Why can't I move? / Suddenly, the forces that were pulling him slowly disappear. He could move his arms and legs now.

Swoosh! Cold wind swish passes him. He could feel a road under his feet. He took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes. He gasps in shocked as he realized where he was.

He was standing in the middle of the 1500 streets in his white pajama. The people were passing by not even taking noticed of him. He figures it was all a dream. He wandered the street looking for a place he recognized. Just then, a guy that looks just like Rie walk passed him.

/ Rie? / Tetsu followed the look-a-like into a brothel. He frowned in disgust. He can't believe this look-a-like would even bother to go in.

They enter a long corridor as a woman led them to a room. They stop in front of a room on the last corridor. She opened and usher him in. Tetsu stood by the door as the look-a-like sat down beside the window.

"Welcome, I am O-Kina," said a woman as she entered the room. Rie's look-a-like looked at her, "Aren't you the mayor's bride?"

O-Kina smirk, "Yes I am, but I have no interest in that old coot." She sat up, "To be honest, you're more my type, Jin."

Jin looked at her annoyed, "I'm only here because you wanted to discuss something with me. So say it already."

She got up and walk over to him, "All I want to discuss is our love." She put her arms around his neck, "What do you say?" she asked seductively.

Jin pushed her away, "I already had a wife, and O-Hana is the only one for me. If all you want to discuss is about this, then I'm leaving."

He got up and walks towards the door. "Why won't you love me?" she asked in a low voice, "No matter what I do, you always push me away. Why?"

He stopped and turned around to face her. He smiled softly, "Because I love O-Hana." Tears escaped her eyes and she gritted her teeth, "I will make sure you'll never be with her!" with that, she jump out the open window.

"O-Kina!" he dash towards the window. He reach out but was too late. O-Kina was already dead and the people were looking at him. He knew what just happen, he was the blame.

Tetsu didn't realize the scene was changing until he was already standing in a dark room with only one window near the ceiling. Jin was sitting on the hay around the floor with chain tying him to the wall. He was holding a half-shape-like-heart pendant tightly in his palm. "O-Hana," he whispered painfully and longing.

Tetsu doesn't know what to think anymore. How could Jin break her heart when he was this in love with her? Jin bought the pendant to his lips and kissed it, keeping it there for a few seconds. "I wonder, how you're doing O-Hana… I really want to see you."

Then the scene changes again. He was standing near the willow tree with a rope tightly griped in his hand. Tears were coming down his eyes. He took the rope in both hand and tied it around a branch. He step up onto a branch under the branch he tied the rope. He took a deep breath and whisper, "I love you, O-Hana."

He put his head through the rope and closes his eyes. "No stop!" Tetsu shouted, but he was too late. Jin's body was dangling down from the rope. The pendant of the half heart fell onto the ground with a drop of blood on it.

Tetsu shook awake as tears slide down his face. He sat up and wipes them away. He doesn't quite understand what he just dreamed about, but he knew one thing, the person who broke O-Hana's heart wasn't Jin.

Just then he heard a dragging sound. Tetsu quickly lie back down and listen with his eyes close. The dragging sound continued pass his door. He took a peek and gasp quietly. Kimiko was dragging a black trash can bag through the corridor. She wore a mask of course, but Tetsu recognize her right away.

Once she was further away, Tetsu got up quietly and follow. She dragged the bag down to the front gate and out the door. Tetsu follow until she dump the body into the car and drove away. "What was she doing?" he whispered.

"Shall we see for ourselves?" someone breathes down his neck. He flinched and quickly sprung around. "H-Hijikata-san?" he stammered.

"So you heard the dragging sound as well. Now, let's see what she's up to," he said.

"I would like to go with you two as well." They sprung around to see Rie standing there.

Kimiko came to a stop near the willow tree. She dragged the body to the willow tree and opens the bag to reveal a young girl. The girl was still alive and struggles to get free. There were tears in her eyes. She couldn't speak thanks to the cloth around her mouth.

O-Hana appears next to the girl. She looks up angrily at Kimiko. "You will not lay a hand on this girl!" she said angrily. Kimiko doesn't seem to hear her and began to cut the bag away. The girl yelped in fear. O-Hana tried to grab her, but couldn't. "Please… someone help her!" she said as tears escaped her eyes.

Kimiko suddenly stop what she was doing and look at the approaching footsteps. O-Hana looked relieved when she saw who it was. Tetsu smiled at her, for he was the only one who sees her.

"What are you doing, Kimiko?" Rie asked sadly. Kimiko took off her mask, "You wanted to get rid of O-Hana didn't you Master? I was only trying to help."

"Help? By killing all these people?" he asked even more sadly.

"Master," she said quietly.

"I knew you were keeping secrets, but would never have thought that you would ever killed anyone." He glared at her, "It's over, Kimiko."