Trying to Kill Each Other Doesn't Count as Flirting (or Does it?)

Chapter 16

In the days following the assassination attempt, Sougo hadn't had a chance to see (F/N). Instead, most of his bodyguard duties had been handed over to the castle guards and the oniwaban, and he'd been trapped in various meetings and discussions about the future of the country, which somehow managed to be more boring than following around a spoiled-rotten princess all day.

At one of those meetings, he found himself sitting across from Hijikata in an otherwise empty room. The situation was strange, and Okita couldn't help but wonder what was going on, and why he was getting the sinking feeling he was about to work overtime.

"It's been decided that the Shogun's vessel will be heading by air to Kyou," Hijikata explained. "Everyone insists it's gonna be safe, but I have a feeling they're gonna have company."

"That so?" Yep, he would definitely be working overtime.

"I want you to go with them," Hijikata continued. "Keep an eye on the Princess. Think you can do that?"

"Sure," Okita answered, mentally calculating how dead he should make Hijikata for doing this to him, "but just to be clear, which princess are we talking about?"

"Soyo," he answered. "As for your princess, she'll be travelling with them as the Shogun's ward. She's a capable fighter, so we're planning on having her stay with Soyo, as well, just to be safe."

Okita tensed. It was logical. (F/N) could handle herself, and he knew that, but a small part of him wished she could stay far away from it all, where she wouldn't get hurt. After all, this mission was dangerous, and he'd already lost his sister. He didn't want to lose her, as well.

But there was nothing he could do. Even if he did try to force (F/N) to stay behind in Edo, she'd just stab him in the face, so he steeled himself, and focused on the task at hand.

"So (F/N)-chan and I are on babysitting duty. What about the Shogun? I doubt we're leaving him to his own devices."

"Hardly," Hijikata answered, snuffing out a cigarette, "but we have someone else on him. A very special guest—Hattori Zenzou."

"...Zenzou, huh?"

"Yeah. He was (F/N)'s teacher, right? Make sure to tell her he's going to be there, all right?"

Okita considered this for a moment. Then he reached under the table, and pulled out a bazooka.

"Die, Hijikata."

~o0o~

Security increased significantly over the next few days. Sougo turned most of his bodyguard duties over to the castle guards and the oniwaban, and (F/N) found herself surprisingly bored. After much reading, and internet surfing, and trying to coax some ninjas out of hiding to spar, (F/N) decided to try sneaking out of the castle. After the fifth time she got caught, an exhausted Shogun gave her a lecture on scaring the poor castle guards, and (F/N) was forced to give up.

Instead, she decided to appoint herself to the position of the Shogun's personal bodyguard. She followed him everywhere, sharpening her kunai, and preparing to lop the head off of anyone who would dare try to hurt him. That wasn't always possible, though. Occasionally, he would stop, and turn to her with an apologetic smile and a bow.

"While I appreciate your concern, (F/N)-san," he'd tell her, "I'm afraid I can't bring you into this meeting."

Whenever that happened, (F/N) would snap an exaggerated salute, and watch quietly as he walked away with Matsudaira. Then, once they had disappeared out of sight, she would heave a sigh, and proceed to complain to anyone who was willing to listen.