Total ᕮclipse Of The Heart ~ Bankotsu Love Story

Chapter 2

Nishizawa-sama is hiring new captains, so it shouldn’t be more stressful for me then...

You sat at the small desk in your room, writing a letter to Isoroku, a shogun (political leader) you knew well, who has said he wanted his grandson to be hired by Hyura as one of the captains. Hyura was in forces with the Ashikaga clan, who was also in corporation with the emperor Go-Hanazono. So when it was necessary, the allied forces would bring their soldiers together to form a whole army, with you as the captain-commander.

It was all Kenta’s idea, when he was still in his twenties, and it went on for generations.

When you were done, signing your name at the bottom with the brush, you left it to dry, stood up and made yourself tea. It was almost lunch time, but you were already backing in work, after leaving the senior-ranked soldiers to train on their own options. Nishizawa intended to end the tour of the Shichinintai before going to have lunch with them, staff going after. You chose yourself to be at meal times with the rest of the staff. It was always amusing to see Kenta get drunk and fool himself on the table.

When you noticed the letter was dry, you folded up the letter, encased it in a beige plum envelope, with the noblewoman’s seal on it and left to the garden, where you knew you could find Ichiro, Nishizawa’s personal messenger.

Ichiro was a young man, about 18 to 19, with light brown shaggy hair in smooth waves, also plain glasses. For some reason, he is a bit of a sociopath; very shy and always blushes quietly around girls or women. The only person he could relax with was Nishizawa. Not you, obviously, seeing as he once watched you train the others and fight with other people...feisty one.

Anyway, when you went out of the castle and saw Ichiro, feeding the koi fish in the large pond that takes over a third of the space, you smiled and walked over, the letter in your kimono jacket.

“Ichiro.” You called as you towered over him, practically startling the boy. You grabbed his kimono, as he always fell into the pond. “I want you to send this to Isoroku, and it has to arrive by this evening.”

“Y-yes, Housen-san.” Said Ichiro, gently taking the letter from your hands, bowing slightly and ran in the castle. You shook your head and went back in the castle, trailing him. Just when people say the world is your oyster, for him, it’s something else.

Come to think of strange men, it was already lunch time and you could see a couple of servants rushing through the castle to wait on the guests. You sighed in disturbance. There wasn’t actually much to do since the ‘guests’ arrived, and all you could do was train and write letters. You had a few acquaintances across the land, so it was quite nice hearing from them once in a while. Three of them being young women around your age, and the other three men, who, by the way, claim themselves to be unlecherous.

Anyway!

When you passed the doors to the dining hall, you took a peek and notice the servants and cooks were still preparing the meals.

“Afternoon, Yozora-chan!” the head chef, Akira, a 28-year-old single woman greeted by the long empty table, waving her chopsticks in her hand. You simply respond with a wave and closed the door, turning your heel, only to bump into someone hard.

You didn’t actually fall. Well, you almost fell, but the person you bumped into held you as you were about to fall. As you stood there, being gripped on the arm by a tall person, about an inch taller than you, was about to blush but stayed as firm as a perfectionist can be.

“Oops! Watch where you’re going, otherwise you’d end up immobilized after your hakama loosens and reveals your underwear, shirekan-chan.”

You widened your eyes. Only one person calls you by that name. But you ignored the fact that he called you that and got to the point.

“T-thank you, Bankotsu...”

“No big deal.” Said Bankotsu with a shrug, as he helped you up. “By the way, about the hakama...”

This guy was more perverted than his stereotypical appearance of a hooker. Seriously.

“Please shut up. And aren’t you supposed to be having lunch by now?”

“Yeah, I know. I was about to go in. And what are you doing?”

“Taking a walk.” You replied bluntly. “I have lunch with the rest of the staff an hour after yours.”

“I see.” Said Bankotsu, looking out the window, though he didn’t sound interested. Out of the blue, he asked, “Can you fight?”

“Do I look like a timid girl who only wants attention on herself and want people to take care of her as long as she lives?”

“A little.” He said. You rose , about to hit him but he stopped you saying, “I’m kidding! In spite of your perfect curves, you look feared. Almost like a fierce fatal woman.”

“For your information, I’m only 17, and that makes me a young adult, not a woman or girl.” You said in a harsh, yet rather ineffective (to Bankotsu) tone.

“That’ll mean you’re old enough to hook up with someone then.” Said Bankotsu, taking your hand and kissing it surprisingly gently. Just when he was also a stereotypical maniac and psychopath, not only that but truly ironic and blunt, he can be quite gentle and...sweet. You hated to admit it, but it was actually so true.

During your first years as a commandant, Nishizawa had spoken to you about ‘hooking up’ with a boy or man. She had said:

“I’m fine with you being in a relationship with a boy or man, Yozora-chan, and you have self-respect. I just want to know about your relationship with a boy, if you ever have one, because I want you safe. I know you think men can be stupid and reckless, child, so do I, which is why I’m a perfectly single woman. Then again, if you ever begin a relationship with someone, I have to be of knowledge.”

It was all strange of her to say. But she was kind, and would do anything to help her own staff.

There was a moment of silence between you and Bankotsu in front of the doors to the dining hall. Sadly enough, it broke at the call of a familiar voice, coming through the door that opened.

“Bankotsu-san! Lunch is prepared! Oh-hey, Yozora-san!”

You frowned at the sight of Ruka, all messy with bit of her dull brown hair falling from her bun, though she was smiling. Bankotsu nodded, kissed your hand once more and went inside.

Ruka gave way for the mercenary to go in, and before she followed him, she pointed towards her lips and grinned. You flushed with both anger and embarrassment, but stayed calm.

Whatever that child Ruka does, she better not spread it around the castle, otherwise you could be the one in trouble.