Hakuouki: Change of Fate

Her Own Kind

Harada POV

"Your dumplings, sir," the waitress said as she set a plate of steaming food in front of Nagakura. "And sake for the table," She placed the bottle in the center and distributed the O-choko around the table.

The waitress squeezed between Nagakura and Harada and leaned in slightly. "May I pour your drink, sir?" She asked Harada. The young woman allowed her sleeve to inch up her arm as she reached for the bottle, exposing her wrist. He had seen this maneuver done by the geishas at Shimabara many times. Harada paid her no mind.

Nagakura reached out his O-choko to be filled as well, but the waitress turned and hurried off, hurt by Harada's rejection. Nagakura slammed the glass on the table and cursed. "I can't take you anywhere," he grumbled.

"What are you talking about?"

"Everywhere we go, all the girls flock to you, and then I'm completely ignored."

"That's not true, and you know it," Harada rolled his eyes and took a sip of his drink.

"It is so! Just last night at Shimabara, that geisha came looking for you just so she could offer you a free drink. She wasn't even the one serving us!"

"She knows we come there often and treat the staff well; she just wanted to butter me up in hopes that we'll request her next time we're there. She was just looking for a break from the usual drunk crowd."

"Of course, you see it that way. The lady killers never know how blessed they are." Nagakura pouted into his drink and stuffed two dumplings into his mouth.

Nagakura's words had some truth to them. He didn't notice any women flocking to him. This wasn't because he 'didn't know he was blessed'; he just wasn't looking at other women. Harada only had his eyes set on one unattainable woman, Elena. Time had healed the awkwardness between the two of them. She could now stand to be in the same room as him without becoming flustered and running away, but their chemistry had died. At least hers had.

It was still torturous to be around her, close enough to reach out and touch her like he had once been allowed to but knowing the damage it could cause their fragile relationship if he did. The part that hurt the most was that Elena said she didn't want to be with him because she couldn't attach herself to someone knowing her ultimate goal was getting back to the future. Now, a year later, he saw Saito and Elena canoodling under the engawa before dinner. The unanswered questions ate away at him. Was Saito's timing just better? Did she like him all along? Did he do something wrong? Could things have been different with a different strategy, or were they always doomed to fail?

"Well, don't you two look like a barrel of fun," Souji laughed from the entryway of the café.

"What are you two doing here?" Nagakura asked.

"Saito and I are headed back from the market when miss Sen spotted us. Apparently, Elena and Saito helped her out of a tight spot a while back. She wanted to buy us a meal to show her thanks."

"Perhaps we may join you?" Sen asked, flashing the boys a most charming smile. "I would be happy to buy your meals as well for the intrusion."

Harada forced his face to stay neutral. Saito was the last person he wanted to have a drink or share a meal with. It wasn't that he was necessarily angry with Saito; Elena made it clear she had no interest in pursuing a relationship with him. Enough time had passed that it wasn't really improper for Saito to court her. Still, it surprised him that Saito didn't offer him any warning before making his move. Especially seeing as he knew Harada's feelings towards Elena. The entire situation bugged him.

Nagakura waved a dismissive hand, oblivious to Harada's discomfort. "You know what I say about friends and food!"

Nagakura got up, grabbed an extra seat, and moved over next to Harada. On the other side, Saito sat directly in front of him, and Souji sat on the outside corner. Sen took up the extra spot at the end of the table. The waitress returned to get the new orders and made yet another pass at Harada, which he ignored. He was so caught up in his own head that he didn't realize his schooled expression had fallen into a grimace until Sen spoke up.