Chapter 5: An Enemy to Get Along With

Chizuru pleaded to come as a spy for the Shinsengumi in Shimabara but she's too defenseless to go alone. "Please! I want to be of good use!" she even kneeled down for it. After minutes of explaining how much she wants to be of help for the Shinsengumi, Hijikata finally granted her permission to come, so he assigned Yamazaki and Reo to guard her undercover. Saitou would be the best partner for Reo, but since they're not in good terms or most likely she's not in good terms with him, which is why Yamazaki was chosen instead. Still worried, Hijikata asked Saitou to secretly to go as well if things get out of hand.

"Any questions?" he crossed his arms and furrowed his brows as the situation is a bit more serious considering Chizuru's safely.

"Hijikata-san…" Reo raised her hand.

Hijikata stood up and yelled, "If you're gonna ask when I will fire Souji… I WILL FIRE YOU!"

"Please fire him soon," she pleaded the way Chizuru did. Souji laughed at some corner while the other captains remained silent.

"GET OUT!" he massaged his forehead, his temper got the better out of him. Then he sat down again to calm himself.

"One more thing Hijikata-san, about my dog… I would like you to put Souji to be his uhh… baby- temporary master."

"Eh?!" the statement gave Souji a disadvantage causing him to thin his lips.

"I got it. Souji starting tomorrow you'll take care of the dog."

"…"

"I'm sure it's nothing a psychopath like you can't handle," she hid her smirk as she slid door open; apparently Souji didn't like her decision so he followed her outside. Reo knew he was following her all the way to her room so she stopped and faced him, "What?"

Souji wasn't wearing his usual smile, she finds it creepy and unusual, she couldn't guess what he was thinking, and then he finally spoke "You sure are working hard to get back at me aren't you?" his tone was low and stern.

"I'll have you know, you started it…" she turned her back on him but didn't walked out like she used to, "I get hurt too you know…?" she felt something warm and smooth rubbed against her cheek, it was Souji's jowl, "W-What… are you doing?!" he continued to rub his cheeks against her luscious and red ones. She started to hit him, he wrap his arms around her tightly to prevent her from breaking away. She was tricked by Souji's cold somber act.

"How cute~ stop hitting me, it doesn't even hurt."

"Stop whatever you're doing!" he stopped and nuzzled her neck. She could feel Souji's warmth and scent, her body got numb and at the same time she was dazed. Reo turned to gaze at him seeing his perfectly shaped lips caught her eyes.

"You wanna kiss me?" he noticed she'd been staring at his lips for quite some time. But Reo knew well herself that it was just a tease, so she backed away involuntarily, "I'm not teasing you…" he was dead-serious, still he finds the situation quite engaging.

"…" he didn't bother to wait for a response. He swiftly snatched her first kiss, he closed his eyes while hers remained wide and overwhelmed, it was unthinkable for him to do that.

Souji tried to penetrate her mouth but she shut it tightly obviously not letting him go any further. She broke free from the kiss and wiped her lips. Thinking of slapping him would probably be useless, she doubt he'd let her by any means.

He smiled ominously, "You're wearing such a lewd face there. Does that mean I can come to your room tonight?" withal he was a bit disappointed of Reo but he still finds her charming.

"…" she returned to her room without another word and at the same time eyed on Souji to make sure he won't follow her. She locked herself up in her room and buried herself under the pillows; she's gonna have a hard time sleeping tonight because of the unexpected turn of events. What is he thinking? She was kissed, her first kiss was taken by the last person who would do that, at least that's what she thinks. Reo was still blushing just by thinking about Souji and she felt like puking whenever she sees herself as a 'maiden in love'. If only she could scream without getting in trouble, in the end she chose sleep, she closed her eyelids; thinking hardly about it won't do her any good, what's more is that she'll wake up early tomorrow.

xXx

It was time for Chizuru and her bodyguards to depart to Shimabara. She waved happily at the captains who were thinking of her as a daughter, a sister, or a warrior to be sent away. Yamazaki and Reo just looked neutral.

"Chizuru, you'd better be careful there," Reo warned at the person she might consider as friend, "Men are everywhere…"

"Reo-chan, do you have some sort of grudge for guys?" Chizuru wondered.

"Yes, they disgust me a lot. Kissing other people suddenly… how pathetic are they…?" she looked at the sky with furrowed brows and though she was just only referring to Souji, she blamed all men for her frustration. Yamazaki and Chizuru decided to just end the topic. A conflict with Reo would be bad or even a pain in the butt.

xXx

"It certainly fits you," the geiko named Kimigiku commented at Chizuru's beautiful getup, "Does she needs to get dressed too?" she glanced at Reo who was guarding the windows just in case someone would peek.

"No need…" she averted her eyes away.

"Wow! Chizuru-chan! You're so pretty!" Sen, the princess complimented, but Chizuru remained humble despite how beautiful her appearance was.

Reo glanced at her for a moment; she couldn't help but stare, "R-Reo-chan, it doesn't suit me right?"

"Y-You look great…!" she looked at the wall beside her to hide her embarrassment.

"Eh~? But wouldn't it be unfair if Chizuru-chan's the only geiko, right?" Sen gave a beam of smile at Reo.

"What are you going on- hey! Don't!"

xXx

"Ugh… I can't believe I'm stuck with you…" Souji sighed as he sat beside Haru. It may be surprising that Haru wasn't hostile towards him like he used to, the person he was most aggressive with, Reo didn't really told Haru to be nice or something since she didn't see him that morning. The dog yawned and fell asleep.

Not knowing what to do Souji thought of Reo, about what he did to her last night. Oh man… she didn't even look at me before she left. He admitted that it was just a whim of his to kiss her, but it seems that she hasn't acknowledged the kiss just yet. If it's her she must've forgotten about it.

xXx

"Ah! She's so cute too!" Sen clapped at Reo; she looked elegant and mesmerizing as a geiko, her blonde hair and sky blue eyes fits well with her blue kimono since Chizuru wears the red one. Her beauty is different from Chizuru so the two can't really be compared.

"I can't go undercover wearing these," she took off all the accessories and wore her own clothes, "Chizuru, you'd better get ready now," she warned.

"R-Right!"

"Awww~ that's too bad," Sen sighed out of disappointment, "But you're right it is expected that Chizuru-chan would gain a lot attention, so it's a bad idea if her guard does too..." she nodded at herself.

Chizuru politely bowed at Sen and Kimigiku as thanks for their assistance, she went on her way to serve her guests while Reo stayed behind her and glared at men who were staring at her, she's too vulnerable after all and most likely the type who couldn't kill a fly, "Keep your eyes on your head, you-"

"Reo-chan, don't! Uhmm… excuse us…!" she wrapped her arms around Reo's and dragged her away to calm her. Chizuru looked at her with her big chestnut-brown eyes and stunning red lips, Reo thought she's like a dazzling gem that shines on her eyes and sighed.

"Stop it Chizuru, I'm not going to cause any trouble… I promised Hijikata-san…"

Chizuru took a deep breath and tried to gain some confidence, she's about to face a room full of delinquents behind the doors and serve them, "Okay! Here I go! Reo-chan, are you going to be fine out here?" she asked and got a nod from Reo.

After a few hours she decided to take a peek inside the room, "Looks fine to me," Chizuru was serving sake at the drunkards and quietly listening to their plans.

Before she closed the door a beautiful geiko stood in front of her and greet her, she wasn't Kimigiku, "Hello there, may I ask what you are doing?" Reo got interested and insisted to pay for her time with her, the geiko didn't really mind if she's a woman as long as she could pay a big price for the services.

"That room across would be enough."

"I understand, would you to be provided with sake?"

"I don't drink, I want to talk," her voice showed no sign of emotion and her eyes were calm and serious.

xXx

Chizuru returned to the HQ with Hijikata, "Can you still go on?" Hijikata asked, they stopped running and both were panting hardly, he held on her hands to support her.

She caught some air, "Yes…"

Hijikata noticed a familiar figure at the gates, it was Souji, "Thank you for your patronage," he teased and gone off.

"You bastard! Don't misunderstand."

"H-Hijikata-san…" she called.

"What is it?"

"Reo-chan, stayed behind..." he twitched and figured out it would be bad news.

"Come on its getting cold, let's talk inside," he noticed the chills coming out of her breath.

xXx

"Haru?" Reo called out the name of her friend, "Here's breakfast…" she seemed a bit down on the weather after last night.

"Welcome back Reo-chan~ I didn't see you yesterday…" Souji came out from behind her.

"You…!" she turned to look at her dog who was quietly eating, Haru didn't snarl nor showed aggression, "…?"

"Surprised now aren't we?" he smiled as he approaches the dog, he bent over and reached out his hand, the dog licked his palm like when he does to his own master. Reo stood there dazed as she watched her dog and Souji get along.

"He likes you...? Did you hurt him?"

"No, no, no. You got it all wrong missy."

"Attack him!" the dog ignored, "Growl at him!" the dog didn't even budge from Souji's hands. She stepped back couldn't believe what she was seeing.

He stroked her dog passionately, "Well now, having a grudge against the kiss?" he walked towards her.

"W-What kiss?!" she swayed her hand sidewards to negate his statement, "And get away from me! You'll make me pregnant!"

"You thought all that just because of a kiss? Ha ha! For a chaste person you sure have a wild imagination," he laughed at her reaction.

"D-Don't mock me!" she blushed as one of her eyes twitched uncontrollably.

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