The Romance of Oblivion:Past Lifetimes

Chapter 33: Shadow of Naginata Blades

Nakano stiffened upon hearing it. She looked once more at Soma only to find her previous serious face have turned to an easy going look as if what happened is just a dream.

"Souji, I told you she'd show up." Soma turned to the nervous man beside her.

He only smiled gently. But before Soma could speak once more, her heart raced. Looking forward, she caught a glimpse of crowd, encircling a certain place. She dont know why but she seems to feel her brother is there.

Souji saw it too. "Brother...." Soma unconsciously said, only then she understand that the original Soma and her brother, Saito, have a sibling connection.

She ran towards the crowd and pushed herself to go further. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Saito, standing there and his bloody katana's blade is touching a young girls neck. His dark fathomless eyes were giving this killing intent and he seems to not hesitate on killing the girl. The girl is just seven years old, she was trembling in fear, her eyes were tightly shut and her clothes along with her hair were disheveled.

"Brother!" she shouted and rushed in front of the girl, hugging it tightly. She cant bear to watch a child dying like this, its just too much.

Saito retrieved his sword as he narrowed his eyes on the girl in front of him. He dont clearly understand why the girl called out brother before she hugged the child.

Silence won the crowded place but a man laughed while clapping his hands. "Alright, alright. No more shows. Everyone, leave." he continued while smirking as his cold gaze made the crowd willfully disperse.

Soma could feel the girl in her arms shaking violently while choking between sobs. She slowly let go of the girl and was about to console her but a hand pinched her chin and raised her head.

Her eyes widened in shock to see the male lead and its no other than Soma Kaozue who have been laughing previously. The girl beside Soma ran to another direction but Saito hit her nape.

"Hey!" Souji came but an unexpected sight caught his eyes. The girl he was with a while ago is kneeling on the dusty pavement while a man at his age is pinching her chin and her said brother, Saito Hajime is only standing on the other side, supporting an unconscious child in his arm. Does he not know the other girl was his sister?

Saito glanced at Souji's direction without any hint of respect.

"Name?" Kaozue asked.

Soma firstly glanced at him, this Kaozue is a devious comander more than Saito or Souji. Her heart raced in anxiousness. Only she knows how the true Kaozue is, cruel and bloodthirsty even towads his subordinates except for Saito who he found the same as him, a lone wolf from the wild plane.

"Soma... K-Katsu." she said in gritted teeth as she felt how he is pinching her chin tighter.

"Soma....." an emotionless voice came out from Saito, he finally realized why the girl is familiar to him. Its been five years since he last saw his parents and siblings, he never thought Soma would show up.

Kaozue looked at Saito then to the girl, he smirked upon seeing how familiar their dark and somber eyes were. He then let go of Soma's chin when Saito started to walk at their direction.

Saito handed the child on Kaozue disrespectfully, casting the idea he is his superior. Soma need to act in a childish way to complete the mission. She quickly stood up and hugged Saito, her head can only reach his chest and she sobbed between the embrace. "Brother Saito.... When are you going to get home? I was worried about you everyday and I cant hold it anymore!" she wailed, her watery eyes made Saito smile gently.

Even Souji is shock to see this coffin face Saito smiling, he have never seen him smile. Saito caressed his sister's hair but after a while, he figured something which made darkened his face and his lips went to a straight line. "Soma, did you run out again?" he asked. It was not the first time for his sister to come out for she is always isolated and forbidded to go outside.

Yun Ren Xie held her breathing, the original Soma is really troublesome more than Fang Ye Xue who also ran out. She knew how intimidating and strict Saito is. Smiling nervously is the only way she can do in order to avoid Saito's anger.

Saito sighed heavily, he can just send her back but it will take days for her to go and also, Japan is unstable, its not suitable for her to travel back without a strong background. "I'll take you home next month." he said as he pulled his sister out of the place.

"O-oi! What about this kid? Saito!" Kaozue shouted loudly but Saito only turned a deaf ear and took Soma with him. Yun Ren Xie knew that Saito is living inside the camp where they provide food and housing. Commanders have their own estate inside the camp while unit captains have their own yard and the lower ranked samurai's have to cramp in the smaller yards.

No other members of Shinsengumi can be spotted inside the camp and Saito successfully took his sister inside his yard. "Soma, do you know what you just did? That girl and her family nearly killed a shogun representative. Its a crime if everyone reported to the higher ups that you protected an assassin. You should not act rashly here!" he said coldly while grabbing Yun Ren Xie's wrist in a tight manner.

She knew how protective Saito is, she also knew how he loved his job and always kept that calmly collected side of him. His grip made Yun Ren Xie hiss in pain, this third male lead is really much more veracious as a devil than how she described him in her manga.

"B-brother..... Soma understands..." she said while her eyes were watery. A tear accidentally dropped from her eyes and this made Saito realize how fragile his sister is ever since they were a kid.

"Stop crying, I wont scold and hurt you anymore if.... you always stay obedient. Got it?" Saito loosened his grip and rubbed his temples. "Also, dont go outside without my permission. Its really dangerous."

"Brother, ever since you left, I have been learning martial arts and used my naginata swiftly! Rest assure, Soma can protect herself!" Yun Ren Xie acted like a child and Saito cant help but feel his sister is too funny.

Saito smiled once more. "Rest, I'll go cook some food for you."

Meanwhile, Ishi and Reo were left at the same place while Souji have gone back to the shrine and the new commander Soma Kaozue went to the Vice-Demon Commander. Ishi was sobbing until Reo gave her a handerchief.

"You! Help me find where the young master Saito is living!" Ishi grabbed Reo's collar with great strength. She can only express such attitude if her young miss is snatched away from her.

*Arigato! The cold but young Saito Hajime!

History Tip: Saito Hajime is the third unit captain at the age of nineteen in 1863. He is quiet and calm, always observative since he knew danger can pop out anywhere. Although the third unit captain Saito Hajime is quiet, he can be also intimidating once angered. One of the titled best swordsman under Shinsengumi and people said Souji Okita even feared Saito Hajime's swordsmanship. He was born at the year of 1845 and died in 1915 maybe at his old age of 71. Married two wives and had sons and daughters.