Hakuouki: The Masked Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 6

"Sakura-chan... Wake up." I hear and mumble incoherently and when I shift, I go off an edge I didn't know was there. I quickly wake and just barley catch the branch before my fall. I hang on it and see a grinning Okita.

"I didn't think you'd try to fall over." He chuckles as I let myself down gently.

"I forgot I was in a tree." I groan stretching out my sore back.

"People don't usually nap in trees. We were trying to look for you but couldn't. I just only saw your arm dangling so I caught you just in time for dinner. Come join us." He suggests, with a jerk of his head.

"Sure." I yawn, following him.

"Do I have petals in my hair?" I ask when he eyes my outfit with a chuckle.

"Actually they're all over you." He points out and I look down and he's right. He laughs at my surprise as I begin to brush them away.

"Missed one." He says pulling a petal from my bangs the framed my face.

"Thanks, Okita-San." I give him a kind smile. He pauses for some reason before opening the door.

"Look who I found." He calls grabbing me by the shoulders to put me in front of him for everyone to see.

"Sakura!" They exclaim in surprise.

"Where were you?" It was Hijikata, looking vary angry. Or was that his normal look?

"I accidentally fell asleep in the tree." I shrug as I laugh a little embarrassedly. We're given our food and Okita explains how he found me.

"How can someone fall asleep in a tree? It isn't vary comfortable." Toudou point out and I shrug.

"I've had that habit ever since I was little. Incidentally I chose my name when I was in a tree." I inform as I picking at my food.

"Let me guess, a cherry blossom tree?" Nagakura grins at me.

"Of course. I use to have a huge one right outside my home. It was so big that when my friend fell from the vary top, she broke a few bones." I laugh at the memory. "But cherry blossoms are the best kind of tree. They're so beautiful and free just like..." I trail off losing my thought.

"That's a pretty smile you got there." Harada says snapping me out of it as I roll my eyes.

"I lost myself for a moment." I explain, shaking my head from the daze.

"Where did you hear that from?" It was Kondou. His question surprises me and his expression was one I could not place.

"Um... I don't remember. It was a long time ago when I was like five. Maybe it was just some idiot." I shrug as I eat some fish but he doesn't drop it.

"Than what were you gonna say before you stopped?" He questions with a purpose and puts me on my guard. The others are also confused, wondering what he was doing.

"What are you getting at, Kondou-San?" Hijikata asks giving him a look.

"I don't know, that's why I didn't finish." I smile gently at Kondou but it doesn't reach my eyes. "I don't feel comfortable continuing with this route of conversation on my early life. You understand, right?" I ask rhetorically and his eyes widen but than something, as if realizing something for the first time, lights up his eyes with determination.

"Before you get any ideas in trying to pry information from my past from me I suggest you take everything about me into consideration and add what your trying to find out to it. No matter what you want to ask there will be one response: 'That is the limit to my service.' But excuse me but now I've lost my appetite. I'll be back tomorrow morning. Also tell Yamazaki I want to meet him. Have a good night." I call closing the door as I left.