HAKUOUKI: Back in Time

Chapter 32

~Why not listen to music while you read?~

"Ms. Sen?"

Oh, goodness, you needn't be so uptight! You look about my age, so I see no reason for us not to speak as contemporaries."

"So, just Sen, then?"

"Yes, I suppose that will do."

She grasped my hand between her own, her face open and earnest.

"We must meet again sometime, Haruna."

She gave my hand a gentle squeeze, then turned and left, her kimono swaying behind her. Our encounter was over before I had the chance to grasp what was even happening, and so I simply stood, stunned, for a moment or two.

"Okay?"

I then glanced up uncertainly at Saito. 

"Is my disguise really that noticeable?"

"Saito looked down at me, a strange expression on his face.

"...Who knows?"

"What? Wait, what's that supposed to mean?!"

His only response was a flicker of a smile. I opened my mouth to protest-

"We should go. We've fallen behind already. We must hurry to complete our patrol on time."

He spun on his heel and marched off down the street.

"Fine!"

It felt like summer. Each day was hotter than the last. On this particular sweltering day, I was bringing some tea to Kondou, who was relaxing on the veranda.

"Here's you tea, sir."

"Oh! Thank you..."

He had been in deep thought; arms crossed and face stern. This had been bad since Lord Iemochi's death. Kondou especially was having a difficult time of it. Perhaps it was best if I simply leave him alone. I turned when he spoke.

"Matsumoto is examining Souji right now."

Did he know about Okita's illness?

"What did he say?"

"He hasn't said anything yet. I hope it's nothing serious. 

I felt bad. Kondou really cared for Souji yet I am unable to tell him the truth. How sad he would be to find out that Okita would die from Tuberculosis.

"If something happened to Souji, I don't know how I would be able to face her..."

"Her?"

"Yes..."

Lines formed across his forehead, and his frown deepened.

"When we left for Kyoto, Mistu, his older sister, asked me to look out for him. If I made her mad, I...well, I shudder to think what might happen to me. The very thought is terrifying."

"What would she do to you?"

"I'd rather fight off ten ronin then try and argue with her. She's...quite something."

"That makes two of us."

"Oh. Hello Hijikata."

"I hop everything will turn out alright, but if something should happen to Souji, then I would like you to be the one to tell Mitsu, Toshi."

"Like hell I will. That kinda crap is what we have a chief for. Chief."

"Easy for you to say..."

To make both Kondou and Hijikata act like that. Just what sort of person was Okita's sister?

"Oh right... Did you hear about the notice board over by Sanjo Ohashi Bridge?"

The board Hijikata was talking about had been set up by the shogunate, to officially and publicly declare the Choshu enemies of the court.

"Some assholes pulled it out and tossed it into the Kamo River."

"Yes of course I heard about that. Haven't they already replaced it?"

"They did. Same thing happened. I think they're gonna ask us to keep an eye on it pretty soon."

"It got torn down at night, didn't it? What do you say to using Sanan's Rasetsu Corps, then?"

Hijikata frowned. "The Rasetsu Corps..."

"You think it's a bad idea?"

Hijikata chose his words carefully, his face grim.

"They work hard enough, but...they tend to get a little excited. Whatever we give them to do, they end up slaughtering the other side. That's not enough for 'em, though. They go in and hack the corpses to bits. Most of the time they're not even recognizable. "

How horrible. 

"Maybe they're doing it to try and hide the Shinsengumi's hand, but they're going too far.We're not a pack of murderers. I told 'em to knock it off, but they won't listen. They just wanna play with their corpses. They keep this up and we're no better than those night cutters."

"Hm..."

I felt a snake down my spine as he spoke. Even more than a year later, I still remembered with terrifying clarity what I had seen when I first arrived in Kyoto. They had behaved liked possessed spirits; their swords hacking away mercilessly at men already dead. It hadn't been hatred or fear that drove them, but some sort of twisted amusement. I didn't think I'd ever forget the half mad smiles each had worn.

"I've got a few other ideas."

"Good, good. I'll leave the details to you then, Toshi."

"Ah, yes... Have you heard about Lord Yohsinbu Hitosubashi, the old Guardian of the Shogun?"

"Yeah, what about him? I've heard a couple say he's like Ieyasu reborn. I donno about that, but I do hear he's pretty sharp..."

Before long they had started to discuss politics I couldn't begin to understand and I politely excused myself.