Disclaimer: I do not own Hakuoki. This amazing anime was created by Asuka Yamazaki, Kazuhiko Hasegawa and Mitsutoshi Ogura. I only created my Asuna and some side characters.
Editor / Beta Reader: Waffle (Thank you)
Rated Teen for violence, blood, coarse language and / or sexually suggestive scenes (rating may change to Mature in the future as story progresses, readers have been advised).
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Kiss Of Snow
By: Swanna
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Chapter 15: Echo of Memories
Kazama lifted the cup of warm sake to his lips, draining half of it in one gulp. The sweet flavor exploded in his mouth and burned going down. Warming the sake really accentuated the fiery heat of the drink. After spending some time in the cities, he'd learned a trick or two from the mortals.
Even through closed doors he could hear giggles and shrieks of delight from the living quarters here at Sumi, one of the many courtesan houses at the pleasure district in Kyoto. Men seemed to enjoy their frequent visits at these houses to either summon courtesans for entertainment purposes or for their physical intimacy. As for Kazama, he wasn't interested in either of the two vices. He only wanted a place that served high-quality sake, and it also wasn't too bad of a hideout to cover his tracks if need be.
Women were never in short supply for him. As a matter of fact, he could easily find a willing mortal woman at these red light districts on a night like this. That would be fine if all he wanted was to bed a female. But that kind of meaningless physical release hadn't appealed to him in years. It had been quite some time since he'd felt any interest in the opposite sex.
Until now.
Silently, he stared at the cup of sake in his hand. Kazama let the image of Shinohara Asuna run through his mind. He admitted that he had been fascinated with her from the moment he had laid eyes on her. It wasn't her transparent, crystal blue-green eyes or her face, but the essence of her being, both past and present. Just like any other demon, she was ice but she was also something more. She possessed a fire and strength that was both compelling and destructive. After all, she was the descendant of Shinohara Taiyō, one of the most powerful Demon Lords in the south.
Vivid memories of their original encounter from years ago came flooding back…
The refreshing air of that summer morning was carrying the smell of dewy grass and garden flowers. Kazama drew in a deep breath, finding the soft scent appeasing to his senses. He sat high in a treetop and propped an elbow on his knee, ensuring not to make any sound beneath his feet. The last thing he wanted was to give his location away while there was a small commotion taking place from his living quarters to the courtyard. The servants were scurrying from room to room, looking grim as they continued their search for Kazama's whereabouts.
As the future head of the Kazama Clan, his parents were raising him accordingly. Most of the time he was more than willing to live under their rules as he understood the importance of his duties and the extent of his responsibilities. Yet there were times like today when he was numb with boredom and felt like breaking the rules. For most, genuine boredom came from inactivity, but for Kazama who had been inordinately busy, his restlessness stemmed from the lack of stimulations.
Regardless of the lessons and series of exercises that his parents had prearranged for him, he'd always managed to pass with flying colors. His desire to regain external focus often grew when he didn't feel mentally or physically challenged. Kazama had the option of going through with the monotonous routine or avoid it altogether by skipping his training. The easiest option was to skip training and find some way to regain his external focus. When he felt adventurous, he would sneak off into the forest to engage himself in some other distractions. Other times he was content to simply lay on a high ground where he could take in his surroundings from above.
Much like this moment, as he looked down and saw two unfamiliar figures waiting by the entrance of his home. Kazama could see a fairly young looking man with long maroon hair, standing beside a younger girl with raven hair down her back. Judging from their ages, Kazama instinctively knew they weren't his parents' guests.
"I heard you requested to see me," his father said at the exact moment he appeared from the doorway with his mother. He spoke to them in a strong, wrathful voice. "A Rasetsu has no business here."
A Rasetsu, huh? Now that stirred his interest. It wasn't an everyday occurrence for a mortal or a Rasetsu to be knocking at their door. Especially since his father condemned both breeds as lesser beings.
"I understand but if you may allow me to explain the situation. My name is Kanryusai Takeda and I'm a sentinel of the Shinohara family." The man began with a calm, straight face. "And this is Shinohara Asuna, she is the daughter of Lord Shinohara Taiyō. The humans raided the Shinohara Clan several nights ago, and my master and his wife were both killed while defending their manor and family honor. Asuna's home has been destroyed and she has nowhere else to go, so we came here hoping for assistance."
"It seems that the Satsuma were telling the truth when they warned us about the imminent attack," his mother turned upon his father with a severity Kazama had never experienced before.
His father's fury was evident. "We already know that humans and demons cannot live side-by-side, and they will stop at nothing to destroy us. It's only a matter of time before the humans start hunting us throughout the land."
"And do you think we should do something about her then, Homura?"
"I heard the news of Shinohara Taiyō meeting his end by the hands of mortals, but I thought it was just some baseless rumors so I dismissed it." Kazama's father shook his head with a weary chagrin. "Well, you've come to the right place for refuge."
Kazama remembered his father had mentioned that the Shinohara family was the most dominant demon clan in the Southern Japan region, and Shinohara Taiyō was a powerful demon. He was also unusual in that he didn't view humans with hatred and contempt like most demons, choosing instead to favour them with compassion and tolerance. Kazama was curious at how such a seemingly capable demon had let himself be killed by mortals, and how his daughter and her attendant had escaped death.
"Child, lift your head, so we can see your face," said his mother.
The girl's head remained lowered and motionless, keeping her eyes fixed to the ground in a determined, sullen silence.
"Asuna," her attendant urged sternly.
She then slowly lifted her head with reluctance, but still refused to lock eyes with his parents. Her eyes stopped Kazama cold. Even at a distance, they were an astonishingly bright and clear blue-green, with the frosty translucence of a mountain lake.
His mother appeared to be pleased with the girl the moment she took a good look at her. "Oh, what a lovely face she has. Considering she's also a pureblooded demoness with a reputable lineage, she will be well qualified to be our Chikage's bride."
To be my bride? Kazama thought to himself in amusement.
His parents just never knew when to quit. Not only were they adamant about teaching him the responsibilities of his position, they'd also mapped out his life for him, believing that was the way it was supposed to be done.
His father nodded in agreement. "We will take her in, but on the condition that only she can stay with us."
The previously unresponsive girl looked up suddenly for half an instant and spoke up for the first time.
"What about Takeda?" Her voice was silky smooth, but the tone was frigid.
"There is no place for a Rasetsu like him here."
"Why can't he stay?" Her adamancy never diminished.
The surprising resilience of the girl's fighting spirit made Kazama smile. He liked the way she stood up to his father when not many demons had the courage to do so. In fact, besides Kazama himself, no one had ever defied the head of the Kazama Clan without paying dearly for it. Even his mother was too frightened of overstepping her place and losing her mate's interest.
"Because he's a Rasetsu, and they're imposters who are inferior to the rest of our race. His presence is not wanted here at the House of Kazama," his father's penetrating statement rang out, as unrelenting as ever.
"Asuna, listen to me, it's alright." Her servant crouched down to her level and took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. "After today, I promise I will come by every now and then to visit you."
"Then I'm not staying here either."
"Child, do you have the slightest idea what you're walking out on? Let me spell it out for you before you can't take any of this back. We're offering you shelter and protection from the mortals so you can carry on your family lineage."
The Rasetsu's tone was urgent now. "Stop being so reckless, Asuna! This isn't what your father would've-"
"My father is dead. And I don't need anyone else but you," she said, never breaking their gaze.
Kazama thought it was a joke.
What she said made absolutely no sense to him at all. It was beyond belief that a pureblooded demon would be so delusional to see a servant, let alone a Rasetsu as her equal. She should at least value her own life more. It was natural to put yourself first and survive. Her behavior was preposterous no matter how Kazama looked at it.
But there was something about the expression on her face that struck a chord and made a lasting impression on him. She may have tried to mask it and keep her composure, but even Kazama could read the anguish that was plainly visible.
Uncertainty stalled the Rasetsu for a long moment before his lips broke into a small smile. "Then let's find a place of our own and rebuild our home, just you and me."
The girl's countenance remained placid when she gave a curt nod, and then they both turned to leave.
"Do not return seeking aid if you leave now," his father said with a face hard as stone. It was a promise, not a threat.
That comment halted their steps momentarily but only the Rasetsu looked back over his shoulder. Meanwhile she moved her hand to the bottom of his kimono, briefly bunching the fabric up in her fist. As if to tell him to continue forward because her mind was set, that she had chosen him over herself.
Without another word, they resumed walking away.
"That girl…beneath her delicate beauty, she has a spine of steel. It's too bad, she would've been the perfect bride for Chikage," his mother remarked with a disappointed sigh.
His father snorted. "Someone so short-sighted and unable to understand her own predicament is not worthy of our son. When she gets driven to a corner with nowhere to go, she will remember my words and regret the grave mistake she made today."
But they had never returned since that day and they were never heard from again either, until now. From the looks of things, the Shinohara princess certainly didn't seem to regret or question her decision. Even up to the present day, he couldn't stop wondering at that mind of hers every so often. Was she as foolish as she sounded, as imprudent?
His instincts said otherwise. They saw her as something more, something intriguing.
"Kazama." A familiar voice brought him back to reality. "What are you doing here at Sumi?"
He didn't even bother to look up when she entered the room. "Do you greet all your customers with that attitude of yours? I don't recall having to answer to you."
She sat across from him. "If you're in my territory, then you owe me an explanation."
This time he stared into her light-brown eyes, which suggested intelligence rather than emotion. Whether that was normal for her, or whether it was due to his presence, he couldn't tell. Nor did he care enough to delve into any of it either.
"How do I owe you an explanation? Don't over estimate your importance just because our families are associated with each other, Senhime."
Kazama's father was allied with Senhime's father, and often times they'd shared similar mindsets in regards to the ranks of demon hierarchy. Although their families didn't run in same circles and they weren't close, it didn't make their alliance any less. His father would've been tenacious in unifying Kazama and Senhime if it wasn't for her tainted bloodline, when her ancestor had taken a mortal as a mate. Full-fledged demon or not, Senhime was still a high-ranking demoness with influential connections in their realm.
Her demeanor was one of thoughtful sternness despite her dissatisfaction with his response. "I know you're in Kyoto to carry out your missions for the Satsuma. I don't want you to bring trouble while you're staying here."
"If that's what's worrying you, then relax. Besides Amagiri, no one else in the city knows where I am."
She peered at him for a long moment, trying to decide how much of his answer she really believed. "How long are you planning to stay in town?"
"Who knows? I was planning to leave in two days, but now I've found something more interesting to do here." And it involved one particular demoness.
A small sigh escaped her lips. "Whatever you have in mind, it can't be good…"
"Why are you staying here? Why don't you go back to your village of Yase?" He asked, deciding to turn her question on her.
"I'm waiting for someone," she replied without any elaboration.
Kazama had known her for years, so he was aware that her attitude was not one of deceit or guile, but rather one of caution and reservation. Hence he didn't try to elicit more information out of her.
"Since we have our own reasons for staying in Kyoto, we'll just stay out of each other's way." It was a suggestion to prevent any kind of attempted opposition from Senhime's end, knowing that she could be compulsively curious at times.
"You do that, Kazama," Senhime stared threateningly at him on her way out. "Because I don't want to get involved in your grand scheme, whatever that may be."
As she was leaving the room, Amagiri was already standing at the other side of the door. They gave each other a slight nod of acknowledgement before moving past one another.
"What do they want now?" Kazama asked, barely curbing his impatience.
Amagiri closed the door behind him. "The Satsuma think that since the calls to shut down the Choshu Clan is continuing, it seems best for us to lay low for now until they figure out their next move."
"You're acting as the mortals' puppet."
The words echoed through his mind again. Despite what Asuna thought, Kazama was always two steps ahead of the mortals. He was always in motion, always quicker than those around him. He may be lending his strength to the Satsuma, but they could never get him to do anything he didn't want to do. No one could.
Yet there was much in that ignorant comment of hers that irritated him like torn skin, catching every touch. The moment he thought it was healed, there it was again.
"What are your plans?" Amagiri asked congenially after a moment.
"Go and speak to Uchiyama Einosuke, tell him that I've located his family heirloom."
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Souji stood at the threshold of his room, stretching his arm above his head before walking into the early afternoon sun. He held his head up to get a glance at the blue sky above, rays of light hitting his eyes. Except for a slight twinge of pain every so often and a persistent cough that wouldn't go away, he felt like he had been resting in bed for over two weeks now. As the Shinsengumi's Captain who commanded the first division, he had missed all the action so far when he'd been told to stay behind at the headquarters to regain his health. As much as Souji attempted to disguise it, on some levels he felt vulnerable and helpless when illness overtook him. Those were the worst days of his life, worse than death itself.
Today, he'd determined to prove that he was fit for the sheer physical strain. To be among the living again.
As he strolled towards the garden to practice his swordplay, he saw Asuna and Chizuru holding a conversation off to one side. Souji wasn't quite prepared for the hitch in his chest. It had been a while since he'd been alone with the demoness. Yet there she was, her black hair shimmering like a soft veil. Almost as if she sensed him staring at her, Asuna slowly turned around and their gazes collided across the distance.
"Okita-san! Are you okay? What are you doing out here?" Chizuru asked with a heavy note of concern as soon as she saw him.
Her thoughts were easy to read, so he gave her an innocent smile. "Nothing. I'm just exercising my legs."
"You shouldn't be out of bed, Okita-san. You haven't recovered completely yet."
Souji reached over and patted Chizuru's head. "I know you're worried about me, but I'm tired of being in bed."
She wasn't taking the bait. With a frown, she said, "Maybe…but you need your rest. Plus I'm sure both Kondou-san and Hijikata-san wouldn't be happy to see you out of bed."
Right at that moment, he heard footsteps approaching and the murmur of voices.
"Speaking of our Demon Vice-Commander, there he is," Souji said with particular emphasis on the word demon as the voices drew closer, and Hijikata came into view with a young woman walking next to him.
He didn't recognize the woman, who may have been fifteen or sixteen years of age. Long, auburn hair framed her pleasant face, with emerald eyes full of life. She wore a faint smile that wavered between warmth and shyness whenever she looked up at Hijikata.
Souji knew that look all too well; he'd seen it before. She looked at Hijikata in the same way that many other women did in his presence. Not as the Shinsengumi's Vice-Commander, but as a man.
"Ah, it's Hisako-kun," Chizuru pointed out. "She must've come here to visit her brother since he's injured. Looks like Hijikata-san is seeing her out."
"She just needed a good excuse for being here." The nuance in his remark made Chizuru wonder.
Despite his temper and infamous scowls, Hijikata Toshizou could charm. Didn't Chizuru know it? Just by walking past them, he would have a cluster of young women smiling and melting at his feet, before he even spoke. He had great looks, sure, especially since he was a guy that men respected and women adored. But it was more than just his looks; Hijikata had a magnetism that stopped others in their tracks.
Suddenly Chizuru looked into Souji's face with an abrupt gasp. "I forgot I'm supposed to meet with Saito-san to go on patrol together. I will speak with you both later!"
With that she took to her heels and ran in a hurry, leaving them alone in the garden which suited him just fine. He wanted Asuna all to himself anyway.
"It's just you and me left, Asuna-chan," he smiled at the demoness, who was looking to her right and off into the distance wordlessly.
Noting her distraction, Souji followed her line of vision. His smile vanished the moment he realized her gaze was landing on the retreating backs of Hijikata and the woman.
"Hijikata-san may not look it, but he is actually quite popular with women. They like him because of his strength and his handsome face," Souji volunteered the information willingly, testing her to see what her reaction would be. "He's the kind of man who doesn't fall for a woman easily but when he does, he falls hard. If he cares for a woman, he can make her feel like the most important person in his life."
Asuna finally turned to him with a look that was icy enough to freeze the blood in his veins. "Why are you telling me this as if it matters to me?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I thought you'd be interested to know."
She cocked her head, questioning him. "No, I couldn't care less."
"Well, glad to hear it."
So far, even with his trained eyes, he couldn't tell if she was being truthful about her feelings. Not when she was a master at hiding her emotions behind a mask and would only let you in so far before slamming the door shut on you.
Souji's gaze soon fell to a black cat that prowled in between them, circling and following Asuna when she walked over to sit at the bench. He leapt onto her lap and snuggled down as soon as she started scratching under his chin. His purr deepened with sheer satisfaction when he was receiving the demoness's affection reserved exclusively just for him.
Standing there watching her caress the cat made Souji jealous as hell. A funny thought came to him when he realized he also wanted to be stroked like that, though he'd prefer she used that caress on different areas of his body.
"Who is this little guy here?" Souji asked with a valiant attempt at blocking his personal thoughts from manifesting.
He picked up the cat and rubbed its nose with his before holding it close to his chest. It rustled around to get comfortable and let out a few squeaky meows.
"Yoshiro."
Souji was quite surprised that Asuna would find it necessary to give the animal a name; a rather proper name at that. Something wasn't right.
"Yoshiro? That's a nice name for a cat. Did you come up with it?"
"No. Hijikata did."
His disquiet grew. It was another surprise he didn't see coming. "I didn't know Hijikata-san was an animal person. It seems like there's another side of him that we don't get to see too often."
It was no secret that their notoriously stern Vice-Commander was a competent leader who always pushed his men as hard as he pushed himself, ensuring they would all live up to his example and survive. Of course he was also a considerate man by nature, but those signs of kindness were rarely displayed openly even with his men that he'd known for years. Just the fact that he had shown that reserved side of himself to Asuna so soon implied a change in their relationship. It felt like it was only yesterday that Souji had told him to either kill the demoness or trust her more. Since when they were getting along so well?
A cough escaped him, despite his fierce struggle to suppress it. Even breathing had become a chore. It felt as if a thousand needles were being driven through his chest. Another violent cough broke out and this time earned him a stare. The cat jumped out of his grasp and raced across the garden.
Taking a deep breath, he then inquired, "By the way, is it true that Arata was also injured by the same man from Ikeda Inn?"
"That is not important. Right now, you should be resting."
"Asuna-chan, do you think I'm weak?"
"It doesn't matter what I think, or what anyone thinks," came her answer without a second thought. Asuna, by contrast to Arata's sister, looked calm and self-confident. "It only matters what you think of yourself."
"What if I don't know?" he answered absentmindedly while looking ahead to take in the scenery.
It wasn't fair to be thwarted by her answer, not when she was right. But ever since he'd met Kondou at the age of nine, he'd lived his entire existence by following that man's footsteps. That goal was his life. Now with this prolonged illness preventing him from doing what he wanted, he wasn't sure what he thought of himself anymore. He had a very difficult time tolerating his vulnerability, even temporarily.
"You're a mortal. It's only normal for you to get hurt and get sick. Whether you accept it or not, nature will always take its course."
Exasperation rose in him unexpectedly. Deep down Souji was sure she meant no harm by it, but her comment reminded him of who he used to be and how he used to live. His whole childhood had been about people making sure he knew he wasn't good enough, that he was inferior. Defective. But that had been a different life, and it had happened to a different person.
"It must be easy for you to say those words when you're a demon." His voice sounded accusatory, even to his own ears. Though maybe he did mean it after all.
She didn't seem to have taken any offence by his statement when she said, "We're not invincible and we don't live forever. We can also get hurt and get killed."
"At the very least you still have the strength and health to carry out your dreams."
"Why are you mortals always so focused on what you don't have rather than what you do have? Not everyone can accomplish everything they hope to achieve in life. Aren't you just being greedy for wanting too much constantly?"
Souji was stunned for a moment, and then he couldn't stop himself from chuckling. Of all the people he expected to find comfort in, he'd never expected it to be Asuna. He didn't open up easily to anyone but he was glad he had with her today. She helped him to come to grips with his situation.
Instead of him being fixated on familiar things he was no longer able to do, he should be grateful for the things he was still able to continue doing. He may be unable to join Kondou in the battlefield, but he could still give support from the sidelines. Although it wouldn't be the same, it was still better than being completely useless to Kondou. A sense of relief flooded over him.
With a lift of his head, Souji chuckled again, in a more relaxed manner. He was already feeling less burdened as if a significant weight has been lifted from his shoulders.
"What's so funny?" A look of puzzlement clouded her beautiful, delicate features.
"How you put me in my place." He shook his head and gave her a rueful smile. "Never mind, I'm just being moody and sulking."
When he'd come out to the garden and spotted Asuna, he couldn't resist talking to her. He had the full intention of teasing and flirting with her until he had the satisfaction of making her look confused. But instead, she'd outmaneuvered him. Even the fact that Souji had discussed so much with her told him something about his feelings for her, which were beyond casual.
Even right now, right this moment - looking at her, speaking to her and being with her just wasn't enough for him. He wanted to touch her. And it suddenly occurred to him that all he had to do to be able to touch her was reach out an arm. One quick stretch and he could be pulling her towards him.
But he had a sneaky feeling that the demoness wouldn't have liked it, not one bit at all. So he thought of something else instead.
Moving closer to her, Souji said, "That reminds me, I still haven't thanked you for saving my neck at Ikeda Inn. How would you like to be repaid?"
He could already think of a few ways to express his appreciation, and all those scenarios would've brought pleasure to almost any woman. However, none of them would be appropriate in these circumstances. Maybe later, though. For now he would keep those thoughts to himself.
"You don't owe me anything. I was only there to watch over Chizuru," Asuna stated, unblinking.
His lips curved up as he chose to ignore her nonchalance. "How about I offer you my blood?"
"It's not necessary."
"Why not? It must've been a while since you were last fed."
"Because Hijikata has already offered his blood to me. We also agreed that I only need to go to him and take blood from him when my hunger strikes," she answered without hesitation.
"Is that so? I didn't know you two had become so close." Souji's hand clenched onto the edge of the bench, his nails digging into the cool stone.
Hijikata again.
He had heard that name one too many times today. It was pretty damn clear that their Vice-Commander was also attracted to Asuna. There was no hiding anyone's feelings as they were right there, out in the open. Souji soon realized how out of control he was, so he quickly retracted the physical evidence of his emotions before Asuna could notice. He needed time to figure out what to do about this new revelation. One thing was for sure, he wasn't ready to hand her over to Hijikata without a fight.
Without much thought, Souji turned to the flowerbed next to him and started sliding his index finger along the red rose's stem, searching out a sharp thorn. The awful pleasure of pain washed over him the moment he pierced himself deeply to draw blood.
"Ah, how clumsy of me. Seems like I just can't stop getting injured," he said, feigning extreme innocence. "Asuna-chan, you might as well take my blood since I'm already bleeding."
Those eerie eyes seem to flash when he lifted his finger to her lips. There was an expression of uncertainty and temptation on her face. All she needed was a little push. "You're not going to waste my blood, are you?"
Asuna took his hand as she darted her tongue out to catch every droplet of his blood before sucking his finger into the wet warmth of her mouth. He could feel her fangs grazing his skin. Heat seared him. His urge to tease had now turned into an urge to take…
Until he heard the sound of Kondou loudly clearing his throat from a distance. Multiple pairs of eyes were watching them, including a specific pair of violet eyes that seemed to slice into Souji like knives.
In that instant, the first thought that crossed his mind was how long it would take before Hijikata's anger rose to the surface.
X X X
AUTHOR NOTE:
Hi everyone, I just want to give a big thank you to those who have reviewed/favorited/followed this story since the last chapter. Let's just hope I won't leave you hanging if you know what I mean lol.
Also a special thanks to those who took their time to write me such lovely and sweet reviews and messages. I was surprised that so many of you were still following this story and patiently waited for new updates after so long. Not to mention how forgiving and encouraging you were in your reviews, which only made me feel even guiltier when you were so nice to me!
I'm honestly grateful to have such amazing supporters like you guys and because of this, I got super motivated the past few days. So TADAAA! Hope you like this little surprise and enjoyed the new chapter!
Wishing everyone all the best for the holidays and sending you love and good luck for the New Year! See you in 2021! XOXO