Hakuouki: Dragon Circles in Quiet Summer

Chapter 16

As I jumped the top of rooftops, committed to not breaking down until I made it to the next town or city, I spotted someone I had forgotten about in all this turmoil. The one who made it all possible.

Matsumoto.

I appeared in front of him. "What are you doing here!?" I ask giving him a tight hug. He laughs patting my back.

"Yamazaki wrote to me that I needed to come quick because you were leaving... Did I interrupt?" He eyes my bag but his eyes freezes on my bare arm with the bracelets.

"A lot has happened since I last saw you." I smile.

"Well, fill me in and let's talk. Don't leave until then." I sigh knowing full well I couldn't say no to him. Just one more day.

"Hold on and I'll walk you there." He nods and I disappear in the shadows. When I emerge all my things are back where they were in my room. "Okay, let's go..." I had caught a glimpse of Souji still sleeping under the trees.

~~~

"Look who I ran into, my least favorite friend." I smile letting Matsumoto walk in.

"A warm introduction from you as always, Sakura." He laughs.

"Matsumoto! What are you doing here?" Kondou asks.

"Yamazaki had sent for me-"

"Because I missed him and I didn't know how to reach him. Thanks Yamazaki." I smile at him making him freeze.

"Yes, exactly..." He narrows his eyes.

"Who's this, Sakura?" Mei asks curiously.

"Yes, who is this child?" Matsumoto asks, astonished.

"Mei this is my old friend, Matsumoto. Matsumoto this is Mei, she's under the Shinsengumi care." I say making sure he caught my drift to not ask.

"It's nice to meet you. Good thing you have a fellow girl like Sakura in this place full of men. She must've taught you to fight them off well." Matsumoto says with a double meaning. I roll my eyes.

"Yeah! She let me go to Shimabarra one time-"

"Haha! That's funny!" I laugh throwing her a look.

"Sakura, care to explain?" Hijikata asks with narrowed eyes.

"Hehe, she wanted to know what I did so we dressed up. But she was with me the whole time, I didn't drink, and we just enjoyed some food and entertainment." Hijikata is still looking at me with narrowed eyes.

"I mean, she lets me go meet her friends from when she worked as a informant. There was a baker who gave me so much sweets, a shop owner who gave me a new kimono and this girl she use to work closely with? She was super nice and said I could visit her whenever I wanted." Yamazaki looks at me, recognizing what it was.

"She's a fury, it's only if she needs help and for blood. I'm not taking her away from here." I whisper to Yamazaki. He nods in relief.

"So I'm to assume Sakura has proven herself? Last time everyone was quiet hostile towards her." I grin.

"Defiantly, she's really helped us out a lot. She's an irreplaceable part of the Shinsengumi." Kondou says and I look away. So this was their plan.

"I will admit u was wrong about her. She's been a big help." Hijikata says making me dig my thumb into my forefinger.

"Recently she's been vary progressive. It's astonishing how much she's helped us." Sannan also compliments. I dig it in deeper.