Aku No Hana ~ Flower Of Evil ~ Hakuouki Fanfiction Story

***...Secrets revealed...***

{May 1887, Night.}

With all the blood in my face it was hard to notice anything anymore. I felt dizzy and tears began to rise to the surface. No way, I had been seen by a boy. I wasn't completely naked but I wasn't fully covered either. What had he seen, will anyone even marry me anymore at this point?

     "U-uh. Don't cry I-I'm sorry." The boy had quickly closed the door before anyone else could peek in. his face was young, but he had still been a man. "I-I didn't see anything.. maybe.. N-No! I haven't seen a thing!" He stumbled on his words and turned red himself. His brilliant blue eyes focusing on the ground with him kneeling down. He tried his best to comfort me and apologized even more. This must have been awkward for him as well. He made various expressions and somehow the mood lightened. I held my yukata close, but I felt less vulnerable now. He must be the same age as me. He also didn't seem like a bad person. "I'm sorry, it was stupid of me to even think of undressing in a place full of men. I'm glad you're not a bad person." My words flew out and I could see how they hit the boy still kneeling down before me. His face must have been as red as mine and I chuckled. It was a funny thing now I looked back on it, embarrassing but funny.

     "Mmh, isn't this interesting.." Somehow that voice sounded familiar. The door opened and three men revealed themselves. Two I didn't know and the other was known as Souji. "I was wondering why I felt such an attraction towards you, but now I know." Still in this awkward position I began to blush again. I had hoped no one else would enter and this all could be our secret, but I was a prisoner, of course that would be the case. "Nice, Heisuke you finally scored!" The boy jumped up and stood in front of me. His long brown hair waving behind him. He seemed to glare at them with distrust in his eyes. "Shinpachi, Harada, Souji, please look away." His words shocked me and apparently the other men as well. Souji's face, however turned into a smirk right after that sentence. He began stepping towards Heisuke and placed his hand on one shoulder, while looking over the other.

     "You're just a little boy, Heisuke. What will you do." The way he said it was more serious than teasing. This was bad, what am I supposed to do in a situation like this. I can't run I'll be cut down before I even have the chance to leave this room. The fear was probably visible on my face, because the other men both sighed. The strong looking one turned away, while the one with the red hair walked towards Souji and removed his hand from Heisuke's shoulder. He cleared his troth, his amber eyes fiercely watching Souji's moves. "Enough Souji." Souji lifted both hands in the air and shook his head. The movement letting his reddish-brown locks sway. "Don't worry. It was just a joke." The man named Harada turned one more time to me, before walking over to the door. "Than make it sound like one."

{May 1887, Morning.}

I couldn't believe I actually slept that night. My eyes did feel heavy and my skin tired, but overall I was awake. Last night had held me up most of the remaining time. I was wondering what they would do to me, would they just murder me now they knew I had lied. There were multiple situations going through my head all night long, keeping me from drifting into sleep. I was a bit scared of what they would say, but was already trying to prepare for the worst.

My thoughts began to sway all kinds of ways and I hardly noticed the door opening. "Miss Kimura, would you please follow me." A man with sharp eyes and a green Yukata stood ready in the opening of the door. He spoke politely while his head was lowered. "Yes." Was the only thing able to get out of my mouth. I was so nervous that I felt sick. I knew this was coming, but I wished It would just be forgotten. I took a deep breath and stood up. The person noticed my uneasiness and somehow gave me a friendly smile, something I hadn't suspected from my captors. "Miss Kimura, don't worry. Everyone in the shinsengumi might look frightening, but they are not bad people." I looked at him in surprise and tried my best to cheer up. "Thank you."

     "Alright, we have another problem at hand now." Isami Kondou had everyone gathered inside the meeting room. All the heads of the shinsingumi had stationed themselves somewhere on the ground and the feeling of before had returned. "It seems our guest had a secret and now it's out we have to discuss what to do." I looked around, I think I have at least seen every person before. "Well we can always keep her for fun, right." Souji's answer made me hold my breath. Would they really do that? "Souji stop being such a jerk!" Heisuke had a comeback just seconds after the words and it made me feel a little better. "How boring, it was just a joke."

     "Souji, you should stop telling jokes that aren't funny." Harada complained. He shook his head and pushed his hair back with his hand. "No we will have to think about something that can protect our secret." Everyone was silent, probably thinking of a way to get rid of me. "I have an idea." The man named Sannan spoke without hesitation. "We can keep her here, if we release her she might be taken captive and tell our secrets when they torture her." The words were cold, but he had a smile on his face. It looked like he would not care if anything happened to me, just the fact that his secrets would be out. "Yes, if she stays here they have a harder time getting to her." Kondou stroke his chin and after a few second of silence, nodded. "Alright, we keep her here. She can be a new apprentice or something."

A new apprentice, but that means I have to go and sleep inside the men's quarters. That didn't sound like a good idea. "Of course you have to keep your identity a secret." Sannan continued. "You have your own room and we will tell our members to keep away from you. We'll come up with a lie to tell them." Somehow I didn't really mind this outcome, but it also meant I had no chance of finding the doctor my mother so desperately needed. "Now before you go back you have to pick a division you want to join. No matter who you chose they will take care of you." Kondou crossed his arms and waited for my reply. Who should I pick they all seemed to want me gone. Maybe I should go to Sannas, he was the one trying to keep me here. But I heard he was experimenting on his people to so I don't want that.

I looked around and before I knew it my eyes laid sight on Heisuke, the youngest of the bunch. If I joined him I don't have to worry about him doing anything. He saw me half naked already and didn't try to touch me, he looked away. Souji was sitting next to him, his eyes watching me with amusement. I will never pick him, he seems like a dangerous guy to be around. "I- I think I would like to join him." I pointed at Heisuke and let out a sigh. Heisuke's face lit up and he rose from the ground. "Alright, welcome to the team!" He sounds excited, hopefully I made a good choice.

     "Well, Heisuke, it seems like she prefers you over all of us." Harada answered. "It must be because you still look like a kid." Shinpachi laughed, Heisuke began to pout like a kid and yelled at Shinpachi to shut up. They seem like good friends, it's nice seeing them have fun. "Alright then, if you have any questions you can ask anyone here. I hope you will work with us, but remember one misstep and we will not hesitate to cut you down." The last words came from Hijikata and I nodded.