Hakuouki: Dragon Circles in Quiet Summer

Chapter 9

We were all eating breakfast together. Mei was talking about her training session with Saitou to the others eagerly. Saitou was smiling proudly at his good work.

"Oh but when I finished a boy gave me a letter-"

"Who?" Everyone asked deathly serious. "What did the letter say? You're too young for this." They all tell her anxiously.

"Really? You haven't notice?" I go along with their line of think to joke around. "This boy likes Mei and its so cute. He even kissed her cheek goodbye when we called her for breakfast." I say smirking.

"What!? Who is he!?"

"Hey! You're lying! You're just playing around!" She says with red cheeks.

"You're blushing. I know you like him too." I say making her blush harder.

"No! Stop it, Sakura!" She says throwing her chopsticks at me. I just catch them laughing. "Heisuke and Shinpachi told me that boys have diseases and if they touch girls they get sick." The two in question look away, avoiding eye contact with everyone making everyone laugh.

"That isn't true. Sakura isn't sick." Souji grins as he pecks me on the cheek. I roll my eyes.

"Boys don't have disease but if a boy tries to do what Souji does, beat him up." I nod and the others agree without hesitation.

"What about the letter you were talking about?" Sannan asks. He wasn't that interested in the talk about boys.

"Oh, it wasn't for me. I was told to give you this when everyone was together. The boy told me he doesn't know who but he was suppose to give it to me to give it to you." She thinks wondering if she said it right.

"Mei, the letter? Can I have it?" I ask. She nods suddenly realizing that she was suppose to give it to me. She pulls out a letter and hands it to me. There was nothing indicating who it was from.

I open it and I feel everyone staring. "Can you look somewhere else? This is vary unnerving." They quickly avert their eyes elsewhere except for Souji who just moved closer so he could read it over my shoulder.

I open it up but immediately Souji snatches it from my hand. "Souji! Let me read it!" I yell as he keeps it from reach.

"It's from them." He says.

"I don't care! Let me see it!" I protest as I tackle him to the ground. "Ha!" I say holding up the letter from his reach. He tickles the back of my neck making me giggle. He uses that to turn me over and steal it back.

"You don't need to know what they say." I growl and kick my leg up. I hook it around his neck and force him down. Heisuke barley moves his tray in time.

I've pinned down Souji with my foot on his chest so I could read it. He struggles but I'm stronger so his efforts are useless.

'You have been invited to a clan meeting. You're presence is needed at sunset in the forest. You should not need any more instruction. If you do not attend, Mei's status will be compromised. Do not bring your human friends.

We hope to see you there,
Fuyu Tatsumaru'

Brother...

I silently fold the letter and tuck it in my sash. "It was nothing important." I sigh with a shrug, acting unaffected. I help Souji up so we can go back to our spots.

"If it's from the demons it is something and they wouldn't contact you if it wasn't important." Sannan retorts calmly.

"Fine... It's nothing important to you. Just... Demon politics." I nod matter of factly.

"Politics?" They ask.

"Yep, order, allies, who's in charge of what. Nothing big." I wave a hand. Souji suddenly kisses me and I see his trick.

He pulls back frustrated and I wave it in his face. "Ha." I stick a tongue out at him. I tuck it away

"If it's not a big deal why hide the letter?" Souji eyes me skeptically.

"Because it's demon politics. I can't show you." I roll my eyes.

"Than can I see it?" Mei asks and everyone starts agreeing.

"No, you're too young. But I should take off now. I wanna ask Kazama if he can make sense of this." I say standing up.

"Can I go?" Mei asks surprising everyone but me.

"You want to thank him, don't you?" I ask. She nods. I sigh looking to Saitou. "How's her fighting skills?"

"Excellent. She would prove to be difficult against any opponent and if it's a difficult match, she knows how to escape."

"But has she wielded a real sword?"

"Only a few times but she's made good progress for her age." I think for a moment.

"Okay, well there shouldn't be any problems but no swords. If you haven't had much practice with a real one you shouldn't use it until your ready. You can come but you'll have to be with me at all times and do what I say." She nods. "Good, we shouldn't take too long."

I pick up Mei and walk her out. When we're outside we disappear in a blur of color.

~~~

We walk inside to find Kazama and Amagiri. "You could have knocked." Is all he says making me grin.

"Mei, go say what you wanted to say." They both look at her curiously.

"Thank you for saving me and my mom." She bows.

"We were only curious to how you knew Sakura." Kazama says.

"No, I know you do not like furies but you saved us anyways. Thank you." She finally rises. I pat her head.

"I'm sorry to cut this short but I came here for advice as well. Mei, would you mind if I..." She shakes her head.

"No, I've said what I wanted to." She closes her eyes. I gently press down in and rub a pressure point on her shoulder and she falls into my arms. I pick her up and set her down on the bed.

"What advice could we give you?" Kazama asks grinning.

"My clan wants me at some clan meeting. Should I be worried?"

"Not under normal circumstances." Amagiri says. I hand Kazama the letter.

"They agreed to keep me out of their business until I was finished with my own responsibilities."

"This is evasive. But if they're asking you to come it probably has something to flowing your contract. I have nothing else to say about this." I sigh taking it back.

"I would've hoped for more insight."

"I will accompany you." Amagiri says shocking all of us and maybe even him.

"What? Why?"

"It was once a duty of my clan to serve the Tatsumaru clan. I don't think they'll mind." I nod.

"Okay, just come before sunrise. Thank you." I say letting out a relieved breath. "I really appreciate it." I say genuinely meaning it.

I don't know what would've happened or if it was some trap. I didn't let it show but I was scared, scared of what the meeting was about, scared of why I had to go, scared of what they'll do. But most of all I was scared of the enemies I had made in that clan, including my brother, Fuyu.