The Disgraced Blossom- A Hakuouki Fan Fiction

17

The quietness hung ominously within meeting premise, each man sported a gloomy expression whereas the head honchos of the Shinsengumi sat with their spine straight opposite a row of officers in single file. Behind them were a team of men who reciprocated the grisly features of their ranking officials whilst everyone's mind was occupied by the second disaster to literally rain on their parade.

"So," Souji responded with evident sarcasm. "The Shinsengumi are prime suspect somehow, I am not bothered by the news."

"The village is closer to Kyoto," Isami announced with a heavy heart.

"I am sure part of the rumours is courtesy of those flapping tongues," Souji retorted, yet, the male paused momentarily to hack terrible cough.

Hajime on the other hand tuned in to the rest of them as each shared reports as well as himself from their extra work at the burnt village. The group had been instructed to bury the remaining bodies on the ground at the same more men were required to stand guard on the site in case they had "visitors".

"Souji-san," Hajime peered at the male from the corner of his vision who sat on the side of Harada. "Your cough is interrupting the meeting, please, I suggest you rest in your room."

"Hajime-kun, you are not my mother," Souji returned a glare when someone places a bandage wrapped hand in between them.

"Oi," Harada raised a brow. "Put off the argument for later."

"Harada is right," Hijikata sighed inwardly.

Hajime bowed his head feeling a little flustered to irate his vice-commander with their nonsensical bickering. They resumed the subject on hand even though nobody mentioned Yamazaki's name, albeit, Hajime had an inkling that the boy might be busy with a given role whereas Sannan was busy gazing at the others.

"Who would do such a heinous crime?" Harada whispered in a strangled tone. "Innocent lives lost for some political pursuit?"

"I want to drive my blade through those fuckers," Shinpachi finally spoke out loud in a snarled tone.

"Right now, all of us must be on alert," Kondo glance straight ahead with determined eyes. "We cannot bring the dead back but study deeper into this matter, someone may have an idea to frame the Shinsengumi."

"Che," Shinpachi looked away in mild disgust.

At that moment, Hajime spied on Souji's contemplating expression as the other must be digging up mentally for a solution in aid of Kondo while Hajime bests the same resolute for Hijikata. A hapless sensation gripped onto Hajime's heart since neither of them had a hint of a clue of their nemesis although it was easier to pegged the Chosus who were willing enough to paint the tip of their blades with the blood of the Tokugawa loyalists.

"Saito-kun," Hijikata called out his name. "Tomorrow, I want both Harada and your team to proceed with the task return only when the job is completed."

"Yes, vice-commander," Hajime nodded once.

"How do we find those bastards?" Heisuke slammed both hands on his knees.

"Hijikata-san," Shinpachi finally glances up from staring a hole on the tatami mat. "I think we should start with the ones living within the cells."

"What have you thought of, Shinpachi?" Harada tilted his auburn-head sideways to stare over Hajime's ruffled hair.

"We need to uncover from available sources until we confirm our first suspicion," Shinpachi bared his teeth leaving out the Chosus clan from the sentence. "We had our hands full the moment these bunch of hooligans walked into Kyoto the temple incident might just be a fair warning for further chaos."