The Disgraced Blossom- A Hakuouki Fan Fiction

21

Song: Japanese Type Beat - Arigato

Haruka glances at the newcomer; fierce amethyst-tone eyes trained onto her, silky straight raven hair tied in a neat ponytail he wore a hoari that matches with his eyes. The regal male steps further inside his shadow looming on the wall when he paused to turn his focus on the other man.

"Saito-kun, I want to have a word with you now that your patient is awakened," Hijikata's voice was strained.

"Yes, vice-commander," her "saviour" unfolds to his height.

The two of them venture out as the door slid closed leaving Haruka to sort her space. She tugged at the kimono revealing a new prominent scar was visible on her taut skin flexing a finger on the sewn area. A frown furrowed in between her brows just as a sick feeling clutches in the pit of her stomach whereas masculine voices drifted from outside.

The female had trouble getting up on her feet, yet, she succeeded to shuffle at the entranceway. Haruka pushed the door open to spy two of the man in the middle of a discussion cutting off mid-sentence to glance at her direction.

She leaned heavily against the arch to reciprocate their intent gaze Haruka ignored the yearning to feed her empty as well as suffering from a parched throat. The girl had her guards up against the duo especially that certain officer clad in a plain black kimono who's midnight-blue eyes did not waver from her own.

"Why am I still alive?" she inquired listening to her raspy voice.

"Ask him," the other stepped behind.

"I had no choice but to save you," Hajime commented.

"I'll be dead sooner or later," she said bluntly. "Where are the rest of them?"

"You were unconscious for a week after losing the copious amount of blood," Hajime explained to her. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of this bleak news but they are longer part of the living."

Haruka used her energy to walk out to stare at the number of wild florals a mesh of colours on the opposite wall while swallowing the bitter pill. One week ago, all of them had danced at the end of the rope whereas she almost died of blood loss. Out of the blue, she recalled the ambush during their journey at the castle as planned until the opposing gangs became a nuisance.

"I was there to witness their hanging," Hijikata announce without heat behind his words. "Proud till the end."

"Haruka?" Hajime frowned but the girl was lost in her own world.

"Put her back to bed, in fact, she must not be seen by the soldiers," Hijikata cautioned his captain. "All we know is that Haruka is missing."

"Haruka..."

"Haruka?"

"She will be your leader from today onwards," Raiku bellowed in a firm tone. "Show your loyal support!"

"I will not be ordered by a girl!" someone shouted from the crowd.

"Do you dare to disobey me?" Raiku roared.

"We only know Raiku-sama as our head honcho but not that one!"

Haruka remained silent beside Raiku she wore a tattered black kimono; shaggy blonde mane in top-knot, jaded eyes gazing at the rest of them with not much of a flinch. The only reason most of them never dared to walk off was because of Raiku's temper as well as punishment for behaving rudely. She rested a hand on the katana's handle loving the weight on the side of her hips.

She was only fifteen-years-old the youngest in the group; a top-notch fighter capable to defeat grown men and cause fear whenever her name was either mentioned or the sight of Haruka in front of their pleading eyes. Many were fooled by her lanky appearance but the girl was building up to gain strength.