Chapter 6: Truths and Reasons

Souji and his men were on a stakeout near the lake. He caught Reo sleeping on the job; he didn't wake her up, probably thinking of a good punishment for her. A kiss would be nice… hehehe… He examined her sleeping face and poked her cheeks, but she still wouldn't wake up, he then whispered into her ears, "I'm going to kiss you… if you don't wake up…"

"…!" she shoved his face away, "Don't go near me," she stood up and went back to position, avoiding a bit from the lake; she's still traumatized from when she was young. Night shift sucks…

"You're no fun, you let the chance of making out go to waste," he sighed then grinned to wait for her reaction, she ignored him since she did fell asleep in the middle of work and would like to make up by taking it seriously.

"…" she drew her sword at the noise she heard from behind the bushes… it was just a squirrel. Someone blew air on her ear, "What?!"

"Job's over, we're going home," said Souji.

"Wait…"

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Is this a chance to push him off the lake and end everything? She thought of it seriously. Then she asked Souji to see how beautiful the lake was, "I didn't know you were such a romantic person," he teased, Reo just let him talk; it was nonsense for her anyway. Then they got closer to the lake, her knees were shaking a bit as they went nearer. Reo really would like to push him as revenge; she slowly aimed on his back and pushed him.

He cascaded but she didn't realize that she fell along with him; he held her hand tightly and splashed into the lake. Reo panicked underwater, she can't swim. So Souji dragged her to shore with a grin on his face, "You even suck at pranks…" he said while on top of her, they were dripped with water, Reo's chest can be seen through her white clothing even if it was dark, she covered it before he sees, it was a good thing that it's just the two of them there… or not.

Souji's mage got messed up, but still for a man, his hair was so silky. He hadn't left his position; he gently caressed her face, her head was pretty much rounded and when she pouts her cheeks go all puffy.

"Mizu ni shitataru ii otoko*…" she murmured under her breath. Her vision was blurred, but she can tell how handsome he was.

Note: Mizu ni shitataru ii otoko – a man so handsome that even water can't ruin their beauty.

"You think so? Thanks," he drew closer to her face.

"Don't you dare…" she furrowed her brows, "Get off of me you bastard."

"I saved you didn't I? And you slept on the job, you think I'll let that slide?" he looked into her deep baby blue eyes, no matter how mad she was, she would always look cute for Souji. He had a point but even so she doesn't want to kiss him as much as possible. She averted her eyes; his looks make her give in to his alluring play. He went to her ears, "I want to hold you…" he whispered in a seductive tone.

"Then let me ask you this: are you in love with me?" her voice shook, she was getting more confused with him, but she was confused from the start.

"I told you I'm leaving that to your thoughts…" he aimed for her lips but Reo covered her mouth with one hand while the other on her breast, her cheeks turned reddish.

"I would like it if you stop playing around with me, I don't have time to mess with you…"

"Letting my teases aside, we still need to do something about you punishment right~? Oh! You owe me for saving you from your own demise."

"It's your fault from the start!"

"Reo-chan, don't forget that you're in a delicate position, so what will it be? I'm nice enough to let you off with a kiss," she noticed that he was still on top of her; he might do something bad to her besides a kiss. But she had to know first if he's serious or not. She can't reach for her sword, and if she did he might have stopped her, he have always defeat her.

"All right, everything will be over with just one kiss," she sighed. You pervert…

"Oh well… let's discuss about that kiss…" he grinned.

"Why you..!" she tried to get up but he restrained her from doing so.

"Let me explore beyond you lips Reo… you don't have to hesitate… there's no need for you to move an inch…" his expression was convincing her already.

She gulped, "I don't have to owe you anything. You hate me so why didn't you just let me drown? You're doing this because you hate me! A punishment shouldn't be like this! Just tell Hijikata-san I slacked off! It's that simple!"

"Do you really think I hate you?" he sighed in disbelief, " It seems that you're thinking the wrong way, you little idiot. So I'll just be blunt with you. I love you Reo," the moment she heard those words her heartbeat was extraordinarily fast, "Which means…" he licked her little ear, she gave a whimper, "There's no room for arguments."

"…"

Reo wasn't much of a fighter against him; she finally gave in. Souji pressed his lips on hers, "Your mouth…" she hesitated but she let him in, she was avoiding his tongue but he caught it anyway, he sucked her bottom lip. Then he went onto her neck licking all the way to her chin, she was holding her moan with her hand, so Souji took it away, "I want to hear your voice…"

"Enough, it's only a kiss. Now, get off."

"Hmm it seems my feelings didn't even reach you Reo-chan, you have such a cold heart the-" he suddenly coughed painfully, he got off her.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"I have tuberculosis," he revealed, "Could you be a bit more considerate?"

"You're getting unfair, no you always were. How can you use you illness against me? How twisted are you...?"

"You won't accept my feelings anyway, so might as well use it as an excuse right?" he pushed her down on the grass and snaked a hand in her kimono.

"Hey…! Don't touch me!"

"Shh… I'll touch stranger places if you keep that up," he didn't really touched her breasts; he's only teasing her like always. Souji wouldn't go that far, she was innocent after all, "I can hear your heartbeat," he took her hand placed it to his chest to show her his heartbeat was normal unlike hers, "Well that's all for now~!"

"I think I'll quit."

xXx

"Reo-chan said she wants to talk a geiko in Shimabara and redeem her debts…" she lowered her eyes from slight worry.

"What?! Why the hell would she do that?!" he raised his tone and was unpleased by the news.

"She didn't say anything further and said that once I told you, you mustn't interfere."

Hijikata furrowed his brows and thinned his lips, "And why is that?" his tone remained unchanged.

"Its personal matters… she said…"

He finally calmed down and thought of things rationally, "I get it, I don't have the right to question or even judge her actions…" he noticed the chills coming out of Chizuru's breath, "If that's her preferences then so be it."

xXx

Shinpachi and Sano were heading to Shimabara, "Let me come with you," said Reo. She caught them at the gates.

"Again? Are you secretly working as a geiko there?" Sano grinned as he asked.

"No," she answered briefly, they know she's laconic, so they just nodded at each other.

xXx

They arrived in Shimabara, Reo parted ways with the two and went to see Shiori, the geiko she's trying to get no matter what, her reasons were still unknown but she needs her no matter what.

Shiori is the finest geiko in Shimabara, her voice was the most beautiful of all as well as her elegant appearances, but she wasn't cheap but still had Reo visited her every other day. She didn't let Shiori know that she'd been redeeming her debts.

"Welcome back."

"…"

"…"

"Is something wrong?"

"No just keep talking about youself."

"Y-Yes…"

xXx

Sano and Shinpachi arrived before midnight when Souji encountered them by the gates; the two were pissed drunk but can still be legible for small talk.

"I hear Reo-chan had been going with you guys to uh~ brothels? What's up with that?" Souji asked as he leaned at the gate, probably not letting them in unless they answer his question.

"Who's that? And who the hell are you? Are you a woman?!" Shinpachi was the most the drunk among the two. Sano pushed him away; it seemed he's the one who was still thinking straight.

"She goes with us to Shimabara but doesn't hang with us," he answered as if he didn't drink any alcohol.

"I wonder..."

Ah yes, my vacation was over, so tune in next weekend for the next chapter. Keep reviewing!

Thank you for reading.