HAKUOUKI: Back in Time

Chapter 39

~Why not listen to music while you read?~

"Then Heisuke and Saito..."

"Yes. They are leaving with Itou. I confess, I'm rather surpirsed."

Inoue's face was sad when he said this. Heisuke and Saito were leaving... Would that mean I could never see them again?

"Don't worry. Remember what I said,we're going to keep relations amicable between our two organizations."

"Kondou." 

It was kind of him to try and comfort me, but I still couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen to the Shinsengumi. Saito definitely stayed with the Shinsengumi till the end so why was he leaving? Something is weird.

"You aren't going to let the men interact with the Guard though, right."

"Of course not. He gets to leave, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna let him get away with whatever he wants."

Maybe I should ask Hijikata about it later.

"But...is this really okay? Itou and the others leaving, I mean." Chizuru asked Hijikata with a sad tone.

"Itou and his men leaving isn't a problem. Although, I was a little surprised that Heisuke and Saito decided to go with that snake."

From there, the conversation moved onto a discussion of politics and the like that was beyond my ability to follow. I really should ask Hijikata later. Something really seems off. Chizuru decided to leave the common room while I remained. I guess I will just wait until their discussion is over.

Once their discussion as over and everyone had left, I made my way to Hijikata. " Excuse me, Hijikata? Can I speak with you?"

"What is it?"

"Well, um, it's regarding Saito and Heisuke's departure. In the textbooks, Saito and Heisuke remained with the Shinsengumi. I don't remember anything about them leaving. They're still with the Shinsengumi aren't they."

Hijikata sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You are right. Saito is still with the Shinsengumi. It's top secret though. If you tell anyone I will personally kill you."

His glare at me was paralyzing, but I continued.

"What about Heisuke?"

"I don't think I need to tell you."

That was the end of the discussion. He wouldn't tell me more.

"I won't tell anyone. I promise."

After bowing deeply to him, I left the common to look for Chizuru. I had finally found her after a few minutes of walking but she was speaking with Heisuke and Saito.

"I just wanted to hear it from you. Why are you leaving the Shinsengumi?"

"Why, huh... Hmm..."

Heisuke scrunched up his face and scratched nervously at his nose. I shouldn't be eavesdropping but I wanted to hear their answers too. So I hid behind the building and continued to listen.

"Well, Itou and I are from the same school. He's my senior, obviously. He joined the Shinsengumi at first because I invited him. So I feel like I'm kinda...obligated to to stick with him, you know? I guess that's it."

Heisuke always struck me as kind, so it was no surprise hat he felt he couldn't abandon Itou. I wonder why Hjikata didnt tell me about him.

"But that means you'll leave everyone else behind... You might not ever get to see them again."

"I'm not really on of Itou's... followers, I guess you might say but I was and am a national imperialist. So it kinda seems like working for somebody like the Guardians of the Imperial Tomb is better fit for me than working for the shogunate."

What he was saying was that while he and Kondou might agree on nationalism, they differed too much in regard to the emperor and the shogun.

"I'd wanted to stay here and screw around and have fun with the guys... I mean, we've been together for quite awhile, right?"

His gaze drifted off into the distance and there was something in his profile that seemed almost heartbreakingly lonely, but his mouth was a heard line. His mind was made up.

"What about you, Saito?"

"Joining Itou and his men serves my own ambition."

"Are you an imperial nationalist too?"

"Yes. Kondou and Hijikata are well informed, but mistaken. The expulsion of the foreign influence can no longer be left to the shogunate."

"And because you don't agree with them, you're willing to walk away and never see them again?"

Saito nodded.

"It can't be helped. If i must set aside my feelings for the Shinsengumi in order to fulfill my ambitions, then I will."

"But... Are you sure you won't change your mind? Stay here with the Shinsengumi? I can't be the only person who doesn't want you to go. We all like you! Aren't the Shinsengumi you friends?!"

"Please! Heisuke! Saito!"

"...Don't say that. It took a long time and a lot of hard thinking to decide to do this."

"Is that all you had to say? Then please excuse me."

"But if you go, then you might have to fight the Shinsengumi some day!"

"As I said, my ambitions come before my emotions."

"Saito!"

Oh no! Saito's walking this way! I gotta hide! I ran into some bushes hoping he didn't see me. Hoping the coast was clear I popped my head out from behind the bush to be face to face with Saito. Crap...

Oh... Hi, Saito...he he he..."