Ikemen Sengoku: Nobunaga Oda

Chapter 6

Hideyoshi and Mitsuhide?

Hideyoshi: "Answer me. If you weren't doing anything suspicious then you can explain yourself!"

Mitsuhide: "Hideyoshi, there is no need to raise your voice. I can hear you." Hey, whoa now! Are they fighting?

Hideyoshi: "If you can hear me, then answer me. Now." It was just the two of them in the alleyway. Hideyoshi grabbed Mitsuhide by the collar, hard. Mitsuhide turned away, his smile gone.

Mai: "What's going on here?!" I ran over to them, ready to break things up if I needed to.

Hideyoshi: "Mai?"

Mitsuhide: "This is a surprise. On your way back from a walk?" Mitsuhide brushed off Hideyoshi's hand and straightened his collar.

Hideyoshi: "Mitsuhide, we're not done. Mai, go on. It's nothing for you to worry about." Yeah, unless I become an accessory to Mitsuhide's murder by walking away right now. Hideyoshi turned back to Mitsuhide. He lowered his voice to a barely audible growl. "You left the castle without telling anybody last night. Where did you go?"

Mitsuhide: "Am I not allowed to leave my room, Mother?"

Hideyoshi: "So you're not going to tell me. Mitsuhide, enough is enough!" Hideyoshi shoved Mitsuhide against the wall.

Mai: "Hideyoshi?!" He had his hands on either side of Mitsuhide, trapping him.

Hideyoshi: "You've got to be aware of the rumors! People say you're the one who tried to assassinate Nobunaga at Honno-ji!" What? That's what people think?

Mitsuhide: "That's curious. You and I both know that Kennyo is the culprit."

Hideyoshi: "Where there's smoke, there's fire. Prove to me that you have nothing to do with this."

Mitsuhide: "Sometimes what looks like smoke is just fog." Even with his back to the wall, Mitsuhide didn't flinch. "Worrying too much will turn your hair gray. In fact, I can see some spots already."

Hideyoshi: "Stop changing the subject." They were staring daggers at each other. I was afraid they'd start trading blows. Alright, this needs to stop.

Mai: "That's enough, you two!" Hideyoshi, at least, broke eye contact with Mitsuhide to look at me--

Mitsuhide: "Nobunaga's right-hand man, remonstrated by a girl. And you worry what people say about me. Now, let go." Pushing past Hideyoshi, Mitsuhide began to walk away.

Hideyoshi: "We're not done here!"

Mitsuhide: "I'm afraid we are. Lord Nobunaga has called me. I mustn't keep him waiting." With an inscrutable smile, Mitsuhide sauntered off. Hideyoshi sighed, shaking his head. Okay, that got nasty. What's this all about?

Mai: "Hideyoshi, can we talk? I'd like to know more about that rumor?"

Hideyoshi: "All right. But not here. Come on."

Mai: "I'll follow your lead." As we walked, I couldn't help but notice he looked frayed around the edges. Hideyoshi brought me to a tea house, where he ordered tea for two and some dessert for me.

Hideyoshi: "I'm sorry you walked in on that."

Mai: "There's no need to apologize." He even sounds tired.

Hideyoshi: "There's a rumor going around that Mitsuhide is working with Kennyo. And it's only a rumor. But the other vassals don't think that. Some suspect he's plotting treason." Yeah. That slithery attitude probably doesn't earn him a lot of trust. "Mitsuhide's left Azuchi several times without saying where he's going or why. I heard someone even saw him meeting with a messenger from Echigo."