Hakuouki Alternate Universe

Chapter 17: Nagumo Kaoru

Kihara Fuyumi POV

-INISIDE THE MEETING ROOM (NIGHT)-

“So what’s so important that you needed to wake me up?” I asked them, I didn’t bother to put on my scarf since I was still too groggy. I heard them discussing about a board or something that the shogun ordered them to protect before I came in, Hijikata glared at me while the other captains just kept on staring

“What…?” I gave an inquiring look at Hijikata before I realized why he was glaring at me “Oh…” I said looking down at my night attire “Sorry, you called me so abruptly that I didn’t have time to prepare myself Hijikata-san” I reasoned

“You need to call Fuyumi-chan more abruptly Hijikata-san” Nagakura interjected, almost in sync Hijikata and I both looked at Nagakura with a raised brow, he gave out an awkward laugh

“Kihara, have you been messing with Itou’s men lately?” I placed a hand on my hip and shook my head

“I don’t have time to play with them Hijikata-san, why do you ask?” he looked away with a thoughtful expression

“One of Itou’s men told him, and then he reported to me that you’ve been harassing his men lately, he asked me to stop you” he tells me

“Why would I give my precious time of day to his men?” I said with a disdainful look on my face, he gave a long hum “Can I go back to bed now?” I asked him, he gestures his head to the door, while I turn around, the captains bid me good night while I waved a hand at them.

-THE NEXT DAY-

I was up early, what Hijikata said to me got me curious, so I investigated around the compound where Itou was stationed, I went to his room but he wasn’t there so I went to where his men was and directly asked them.

“Who’s the idiot that’s running around making false accusation about me?” I asked them, all of them looked at each other confused
“I suppose you heard rumors about me being the red reaper, I’m not really proud of the title I’ve been given but the title holds truth in it just the same” they gave a dreaded expression at me “None of you are going to speak up?” I said with a low and cold voice

“I-I think it’s one of the new recruits!” One of them shouted, I came towards the man that said that and grabbed the collar of his Kimono “he was already sucking up to Itou-sensei when he arrived”

“And who might that be?” I asked

“H-He looked a lot like Hijikata’s page” my eyes widen

“What?!” I gripped his collar more tightly “your going to come with me” I dragged him around the compound to find the one who he was talking about but to no avail, I clicked my tongue in annoyance and pushed him away from me, he falls down on the floor “tell this to your friends if one of you reports anything that I did not do, or even this little chat of ours to Itou-san then say your prayers” I threatened, he replied a shaky ‘yes’ before running off.

-A FEW DAYS LATER-

I stayed at the HQ to keep an eye out for Nagumo Kaoru, what Itou’s men revealed bothered me, did he somehow infiltrated the Shinsengumi and posed as one of Itou’s new recruits so that he can throw dirt on my name? Or is he after Chizuru…? Nevertheless I need to get to the bottom of this, I could’ve sniffed him out if it wasn’t for my sensory abilities being damaged…

“Are you alright, Fuyumi?” Harada was with Chizuru and me, we were sitting on the steps of the offering box when he spoke “your expressions pretty dark…” he pointed out, I ignore him and looked at Chizuru who was looking at me uncomfortably.