Botan -Peony- Vol.2

1

Keio first year, the Capital of Kyoto was as buzzy as it could get with waves of merchants, samurai and peasants running their own business. The same with me, Sayo Katamori, maid to Shinsengumi and an assistant to demon vice-commander Hijikata Toshizo. It was yet another busy day full of chores and teasing humour from men of Shinsengumi.

The sun was setting when I walked my way back to Shinsengumi headquarters from the market. While collecting the letters from the stationing guard at the main gate, my eyes caught the image of a woman approaching. She looked very gentle with straight trimmed eyebrows and almond shaped eyes. The plum navy blue kimono that she wore enhanced her elegance. In her arms was a wrapped package in purple. Noticing my stare, she bowed as she paced quicker towards me.

"Excuse me. Are you the maid in Shinsengumi?" She asked as she smiled.

"Yes, I am. Is there anything I can help?" I returned with a question.

"Here are this month's cloths I have weaved and sewn for them. Please send Kondo-sama and Hijikata-sama my regards." She passed the package to me and bowed. "Well then. I need to pick up my son from my neighbour. Farewell." She excused herself hastily.

"Who was that?" I wondered but I didn't realize I was sounding my mind out. I slipped the bundle of letters into the package.

"Who was it?" A voice asked. It was Souji.

"What are you doing?" Staring at Souji suspiciously, he started to make a dumb face; I supposed it was a dumb face. He had that nervous look whenever he tried to purposely hide or lie. He looked extremely uncomfortable. His posture also looked weird with his shoulders hunched forward. His arms were crossed over his stomach but something seemed off.

"What are you doing, Sayo-chan?" Instead of answering me, he decided to return the same question to me. Something was definitely wrong. I paced around him, scanning for the smallest change in him. Souji stayed still but his shoulders were raised which meant that something was wrong. He wasn't as relaxed as his usual silly self.

"What are you hiding?" I placed a hand on my waist while the other hand held onto the package.

A meowing voice accompanied with a small tail poking out of Souji's chest was a huge giveaway to what he was trying to hide.

"Why do you need to hide a kitten?" Finding no reason for him to hide the kitten, I stared at him; confused. "Anyway, just now there was a woman handing me this package saying that it's the cloths she has weaved and sewn for this month. Who is she?"

"Ah, it must be Miyuki-san. She is wife to a former soldier of Shinsengumi." Souji explained as he got the kitten out from his clothes into his arms. It was a ginger kitten with big grey eyes. My heart suddenly beat fast at the sight of the furry creature. What is this cute creature? It was as if the nature was calling out for me to touch the ginger cat. I reached my hand out and patted the cat. It made a happy meow which warmed my heart magically.

"Former?" We continued the chit-chat as we walked towards my room. I placed the package in my room and came back to Souji soon to discuss about that woman called Miyuki.

"Yes. He died chasing a robber. Well, there were many obstacles. We send Miyuki-san money every month for her and her son but she just won't accept it so she uses the money to weave clothes for us." Souji smiled gently as he scratched the kitten's chin.

"I see... Then, what is wrong with the kitten?" I asked.

"It wandered in this morning and I have been playing with it but Hijikata-san saw me and asked me to throw it away." Souji sighed sadly, pouting as he poked the kitten's moving paw.