Three months had passed since Chiyo had joined the Shinsengumi. The cherry blossoms had already gone. That's the miserable sadness about them. So beautiful yet so quick to die. Chiyo busied herself with training and helping Chizuru with chores. However, she often felt herself missing her family in England. It was hard to not think about them. She was currently sparing with Saito-kun. He still didn't talk much but he was a bit more friendly with her. It started when one day Chiyo was late to dinner. She rushed to the dining room knowing that Shinpachi would probably eat her share and she would go to sleep with a hollow stomach. However, when she slammed the doors opened panting, Saito sad with his chopsticks holding Shinpachi's face away from her tray. He did that every time she was late to dinner and never said a word but nodded when she thanked him.
She was effectively training with him. Sweat was flying as their swords crammed together slided against each other for dominance. Chiyo painted with a smile on her mouth. She loved the feeling of exhaustion and sweat.
" Chiyo-chan! There's some mail for you!"
Chiyo abruptly looked away to find Chizuru waving an envelope. She quickly sheathed her sword and apologized to Saito before walking towards her. The envelope looked crusted with sea salt and had messy Japanese written. Right below was some cursive that looked immaculate compared to the Japanese above. She sighed. The only person who could write this bad was her aunt. She had written a letter back to her family a while back. The letter had been forgotten until that moment where chiyo held the letter in trembling hands. She half expected the letter to come back with the words " send back to sender". Chiyo took a seat on a some steps and tore the letter open.
Dear Nanarel,
I have just received your letter. We also miss you. In fact, it is very pretty in London right now. A new king was appointed and he is amazingly kind. I am glad that we have a way to communicate with you now. Things are going well. Thomas has been accepted into a University where he is one of the top students. Lucilla was accepted by one of the most prestigious ballet schools in all of London and she is very happy. However, Annita's condition grows worse day by day. Sometimes she cannot hear and speak. It is slowly taking over her life. Seizures continue to keep her from school and her arm twitches uncontrollably. I think I know what ailment she has. It took my three days and three nights in my office. Scrolling through the many many pages I found most of her symptoms. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Otherwise known as ALS. It is a muscle disease where a person's muscles slowly weaken and the body shuts down. I will run some more tests to be sure. Do not tell Annita but, I do believe that she has this disease. It is not curable although we can try. That is all we can do. Hope and hope. However poor Annie probably knows. I cannot keep a secret from her and after all...it's her own body. What are we to do? Actually I wanted to tell you that I am going to Japan in a few months. I am going there to give a lecture and I would actually like you to be my translator. Meanwhile, we can try to come up with a cure for Annie's condition. And by the way...this Shinsengumi sounds rather cool to me! You go girl!
Much love,
Auntie Telula
Her hands still shook. A wave of sadness washed over her. Her younger cousin Annita had always been very sickly. When she had left Britain, she always complained of constant headaches, and pain all over her body. Overall, it was not a pleasant situation for her. ALS was not curable. In fact she has read about it. She wanted to hope for her beloved cousin but some part inside her knew that. Words didn't need to express the pit in her stomach. However, Chiyo was still relieved that her family was still okay.
" Who's the letter from?"
Chizuru looked over with her big wooden eyes. "It's from my family in the West." Something that looked along the lines of sadness and jealousy passed in a flash through her eyes.
Chiyo smiled and said," However, you are more special too me. We have the memories that they do not."
A blush passed through her face and she held her head in shame," Was it that noticeable? I didn't mean for anyone to see."
"It's fine. Are you jealous though?"
" To be honest, I am. Sometimes I think that you may like them more than you like me."
" We all feel jealous Chizuru. It's just about facing it."
When she was in Britain she sometimes felt as if her aunt liked her cousins more. It made her feel uncomfortable and nervous at times. She tried so desperately to please her aunt but she never knew that she was already very proud of her. Jealousy was a strange thing and it never made anyone feel good. She wondered if Annita felt jealous of all the healthy children who ran around her in circles. But Annita's jealousy was sad and truly depressing. Her jealousy was her life and her childhood.
After dinner Chiyo and Heisuke had some patrol duty. It was too bad since there some oranges that were fresh and juicy. Their orange was rich and buttery and the scent was sweet and tangy. Most likely, all the slices would be gone when she got back
" Aww Heisuke, there won't be any oranges left for us when we get back!"
Both were sore about missing the orange slices. Perfect oranges were hard to come by and this would maybe be the only chance they had at getting one. Their patrol ended smoothly and both went back to their rooms. Disk had already settled in and you could hear the crickets singing their celebration of night. When Chiyo got back to her room, she untimed her hair. Her hair was shoulder length and she actually preferred to keep it long. She currently shared a took with Yamazaki who took care of the Shinsengumi medical affairs. His side of the room was empty and dark. He wasn't there. She reached for her hair brush when someone knocked on her door.
" Who is it?"
" Saito."
She rushed to open the door and found Saito standing outside. He had his usao stony face but he held a purple clothed bundle in his hands.
" There were oranges after dinner and I remembered you looking at them. I saved some for you."
Chiyo was slightly shocked. He really went at great lengths to help her. A fuzzy feeling spread through her stomachs. She smiled and looked at him.
"Thank you Saito-kun. You really do so much for me. I don't know how to thank you."
She took the bundle from his hand and it gently grazed against his. He blushed while she wasn't looking and turned away. Both of them sat on the steps in front of her room. Chiyo untied the purple bundle and it revealed oranges that sparkled with the moon light. The scent of citrus goodness greeted her nose and she smiled. She turned to look at Saito and he looked up at the moon. Silently she at her oranges with gratitude and happiness.
" The moon reminds me of many things."
Saito had said some words in a bare whisper. He was normally not one for speaking.
" Yah the moon is so strange. When I look at it, I know that my family is also looking too. I feel connected even though I can't see them in person."
"Do you miss your family?"
"Mmhmm. I miss them a lot to be honest. They were so lively and always noisy. I miss that noise a bit."
"What were they like?"
"My aunt Tellula was very . She was always cheerful and she really doesn't act her age sometimes. Aunty works as a doctor and a scientist and gives lectures to many many students. She also works as a detective for Scotland Yard which is a detective firm. My cousin Thomas is hmmm how do I say it...he's bit of an asshole. He's arrogant, clumsy, and sarcastic. Apparently he is really smart but I see him as a little kid who's trapped in an adult body. My favorite cousins are Lucilla and Annita. They are sisters. Lucilla is there years older than Annita. Lucilla was also very energetic and she was very feminine. She is always bursting with ideas and her more changes a lot. One minute she's happy and blink! She's mad. Lucilla was always sickly. It kept her away from school a lot. However she can play a metal flute like no other and performs with professionals years older than her!"
Saito listened on staring at the dark shadowed face of Chiyo. She looked really happy and excited talking about her family. It was quite endearing. In the dark it was impossible to see but, a small smile tugged at his lips. Both sat in a silence that washed over comfortably. Maybe a friendship was born. It was because of the moon. The wag that Saito's eyes shone was like the moon. He was the moon.
