Your heart started to beat faster with anticipation. 

You moved slowly with heavy kimono dragging behind you. Two apprentices walked forward, swiping open shoji doors before you. The room that earlier was resounding with excited chatter instantly calmed. Light from a few single candles danced on the walls, flickering as your line walked inside. 

Room was quite small. Walls were decorated with panels with painted birds and fields. The guests sat around, small tables before them with bottles of sake and some snacks. In the corner of the room rested a courtesan with shamisen. She played a delicate memory.
You felt gazes on you as you walked inside. You lifted your head with soft jingle of the hair ornaments, and followed the bow all courtesans made before you. You counted six men altogether inside the room, including Harada and Heisuke. You looked over at Harada that was staring back at you with unreadable expression. You sent him a small apologetic smile. In your defense, it wasn't your idea.

All courtesans sat down at their designated places, you chose a vacant one beside a young man. He would be a bit older than you were, maybe in his late twenties. He moved a bit to make a place for you. You sent him a smile, while he bashfully turned his gaze, fidgeting.

You sneaked a peak at Chizuru, who sat by another gentleman to your right. He was wide in his posture, with a balding head, he seemed to be the eldest of all the men gathered in the room. He seized the girl up and down, while sipping sake from a small cup. You hoped she'll be fine.

Heisuke was sitting in a corner, a courtesan to his side tried to make a conversation. He seemed to be a bit too nervous to enjoy it as his gaze jumping around the room.

A cough to your side brought you back to the man beside you.

''What's your name?'' he manager to squeak. You didn't have idea that you could make men shy as this. But you guessed the make up and your whole outfit did wonderful job.

''I'm...'' you trailed off. Courtesans had nicknames, you recalled. You racked your brain for a name, as you didn't want to give your own.

''Yes?" the young man moved closer.

''Kingyo.''

''Ah, beautiful name ... for a.. such a beautiful w-woman as you.''

You smiled back at him.

''Thank you.''

You looked around the room and noticing courtesans pouring a drinks to their patrons, you copied their moves. You turned to man beside you, ''What's your name, sir?''

''I'm Wakizaka Katsuyuki. N-Nice to meet you.''

''Likewise!''

You filled his cup and he quickly swallowed sake. You guessed he wished to calm his nerves. You wondered if he had valuable information that could help Shinsengumi. He didn't seem like somebody you could trust with important matters as he seemed to be nervous as a cat.

You chatted for a while, while you took a few sips of sake. You didn't feel like getting drunk, but you guessed few sips should be just fine. Wakizaka with every cup loosened up more and more, and was talking about his way from Edo.

You filled another cup as you let your eyes wander around the room. Clutter of cups, sounds of shamisen, gentle voices mashed with laughter; all of this created vivid image in your head of something alien and foreign. When you were dressed up, for a moment you felt glamourous. Sitting inbetween women dressed in impressive kimonos, each beautiful on its own, you felt as if you were in a different world. A world that you could only observe from the sidelines, because in the end it wasn't your own world.

''-Gyo? Kingyo?'' slurry voice called out to you.

''Ah, yes?"

You fell too deep into your daydream that you ignored Wakizaka. His cup was empty, so you filled another. His cheeks were painted red again, but it seemed to be be more of an alcohol. Again, he drowned whole cup in one go. Was that okay though?

''Do you know any poems, Kingyo?'' he asked, wide smile on his lips.

Your eyes widened a bit. You stuttered, ''I'm afraid not.''

It was his time to be surprised.

''Aren't you a courtesan? I heard Kojima employed the best of this tea house.''

He looked at you with a frown. Your face froze with a stiff smile. Obviously, you didn't know poems, you were never educated this way. You could read, you could count so you were able to manage your shop. But fine arts were beyond your capability.

''How about you sing me a song?''

''Uh...''

Did you just blown away whole operation? You cursed yourself mentally, you should've stayed a servant girl. You shouldn't have allowed Hana-chan to talk you into this.

He caught your hand and shook a little. His bashfulness from earlier was entirely gone. You tried to take your hand away.

''Come on, sing me a song!'' he slurred.

''Let go, please...!''

His grasp was getting stronger and you felt a lump in your throat with every passing second.

''I was lied to!'' he almost shouted, yet his voice was drowned in general loud atmosphere of the room, where all patrons were in various level of drunk.

In a split moment you yanked your hand back and freed yourself from Wakizaka. You tried to move back, but heavy layers of your kimono were making it difficult. While crawling back your long sleeve caught on the tray and spilled it contents around. A courtesan next to you jumped back when sake spilled on the floor and almost onto her kimono.

''Come back here."

Your hand picked up an empty bottle of sake. You grasped it hard and with deep breath rose the bottle in the air, ready to strike him down any second.

You felt a hand on your shoulder and whipped your head around.

''Hey, this isn't the way to treat a lady.''

You saw Harada behind you, his golden eyes glistering in flickering light of the candles. He glared at Wakizaka, who fumed at him.

''What do you want? Mind your own business,'' he growled. Harada scoffed at him.

''Come on,'' he turned to you. His soft voice soothed a bit your fright. Helped by Harada you stood up. He took the bottle from your hands and put it away.

''Hey!'' Wakizaka shouted, stumbling and trying to stand up.

''Tch,'' a patron who you recognized as one sitting by Chizuru appeared before you. His hand reached and grabbed back of the collar of Wakizaka. ''What do you think you're doing?"

''Kojima...!'' Wakizaka yelped.

''Get out if you can't behave, you fool.''

With sheer force he pushed younger samurai out of the room. You held your breath as he closed the doors back, with patter that shook the walls of the room. He looked back at you. You felt Harada's graps on you tightening.

''Forgive mannerless idiot,'' he addressed you with a short bow of his head. Then he turned around the room and a bit louder he said, ''I will make sure he's punished accordingly later for disturbing this place.''

Without any delay, the evening went on as if nothing happened. Servants picked up scattered tray and tidied up the space.

''Are you alright?'' Harada asked, leading you to an empty spot in the corner of the room.

''Yes.''

His eyes filled with worry as he looked at you hand, just a few minutes before squished in Wakizaka's bear-like grasp.

''I was a bit scared... but everything is fine now. Please, don't worry.''

He sighed, ''what are you doing here anyway?''

He gestured at your whole form.

''It was Hana-chan's idea,'' you defended yourself weakly. ''And I agreed. And before you say anything else, I know it was bad idea.''

He opened his mouth once, twice.

''I'm glad nothing else happened, but from now on stay beside me, okay?''

''Okay,'' you nodded quickly. In all honesty you felt so much safer with Harada.

''Good,'' he said. He finally smiled at you. Your shoulders relaxed.

''So that kind of atmosphere'' you started few minutes later. The room seemed to become even louder, so you had to move closer to Harada for him to hear.

''Yeah?''

''Is this usual occurrence?''

''What should I tell you?'' he asked back.

''Aren't you a customer of teahouses? I overheard some courtesans talking about you,'' you teased with a small smirk fighting its way on your lips, as you saw his troubled expression.

He rubbed his forehead with his head.

''Taking you here was really bad idea."

''In certain aspects yes, but otherwise I think I was successful in delivering Chizuru here.''

He looked back at you, resting head in his knuckles.

''It's bad for my heart.''

''Oh, why though?''

You straightened your kimono absentmindedly, tracing your fingers along patterns made by your own hand. You enjoyed the conversation. Some would say you were oblivious, but no, you weren't. You noticed that Harada was looking at you intensely. You didn't meet his gaze, because you knew it would be bad for

heart.

He chuckled and moved closer to your. His breath tickled your ear, but you didn't allow yourself to move. Does enjoying his attention like this was selfish?

''Maybe because you're most dazzling woman here... how about that?"

Your cheeks flushed red matching red camellia flowers embroidered on the kimono you wore. This was definitely bad for your heart, as its rate speed up, threatening to soar out of your ribcage.

You took a peak at Harada. He was smiling as he moved back to his previous position, that was still quite close to you. He caught your gaze and held for as long as you did – which meant not too long, since you were too embarrassed and quickly averted your eyes.
You felt as if someone was watching you; and you were right. Chizuru was looking into your direction with a stiff smile, while still nodding an listening to her patrons words. What was that...? You didn't want to venture with your thoughts into this.

''You are silly, Harada-san,'' you said after a while.

''How so, ______?'' he asked, surprised.

''Today I'm Kingyo, by the way."

''Why Kingyo?''

''I think it's pretty name.''

He hummed for a second and then nodded, murmured ''can't disagree with that," to which you chuckled in response.

Evening carried on, yet before you could even think ''what now?" doors burst open. A masked group of individuals in black outfits blocked the entrance. Music stopped on a single tune and for a second it felt as if the room froze in confusion. Glint of katanas in hands of the unexpected guests, and it was as if everyone suddenly were struck by a lightning – screams, grunts, rustle of fabrics.

You jumped in your seat, but before you were able to formulate a single thought your vision was obstructed by Harada's form standing before you. You stood up as well, and took few steps back, assessing situation. Almost every man within the room had their weapons at ready and within a split second you could hear clash of metal. The doors were no longer blocked, as the foes attacked. Harada and Heisuke were soon in combat. The patrons and courtesans were trying to flee the room, except for Kojima and one other man by his side.

From your point of view, he didn't seem in rush. His katana was drawn, but otherwise he looked quite composed. And none of the black figures were even trying to get near him, so it was safe to assume there were only two sides to the conflict.

It didn't change the fact that your heart beat like crazy. You gulped down silva. Two Shinsengumi men were severely outnumbered by at least ten more.

You watched as Harada pushed back one assassin through the light wall, making a hole in it. The man that he fought with was pushed down on the floor, with blood scattering around from large gash going from his shoulder to his abdomen.

''______ stay behind me!'' Harada shouted, throwing you a quick glance. He was still standing before you, his spear ready, while you stood in the corner. You nodded, but couldn't utter a single sound.

The noise alerted probably the whole building by now, you assumed. You hoped the back-up you brought with you will come soon. You looked over at Heisuke, who had two men charging at him. Chizuru knelt behind him, terrified.

All of you were surrounded by the enemies. Harada was again in a fight with a black clad figure, when another man attacked enemy from other side. He gave a nod to Harada.

''Thanks!''

Man, who you recognized from earlier that night when you were in Shinsengumi Compound, stood arm in arm with Harada.

''Corridors are clear, rest will be there soon.''

''Good job, Yamazaki,'' Harada replied, as he swept some of the sweat off his forehead.

You noticed two more individuals on the ground, leaving Kojima, his associate and three others in the room. Kojima, seeing that the tables are turning now rushed to the exit. He was stopped by man in Shinsengumi haori's appearing in the corridor.

You sighed in relief. He was surrounded, and any fight that he tried to pull of was futile. He was caught along with his allies.

Everything happened so quickly that it felt as if only seconds went by.

''_______," Harada turned to you, ''go with Chizuru through that door and go down to the streets, I'll catch up with you."

''Okay.'"

You walked through remains of the door, and out to the corridor. Bringing hand to Chizuru's back you descended the stairs. Looking at her, she seemed to be reasonably shaken. Somehow feeling responsible for her, you tried to look braver than you were and smiled. You couldn't stop your hands from shaking though, but you didn't withdraw them from Chizuru's shoulder. You rubbed it reassuringly, although the gesture seemed to go unnoticed by her. She looked worriedly at the entrance. You could guess what was going through her head just by looking.

''We're out," you send her a smile.

''It seems so.''

You stood by a Shinsengumi soldier, who might have been on the look out on the street. He was tall man, that towered over the crowd of other woman. Some you recognized from the party.

''Come on ladies,'' official looking man shouted out. ''Let's move backwards a bit.''

Everyone listened to him, as you were ushered to walk to the other side of the paved road.

You looked around, and standing in front row of the onlookers you were able to see the entrance to the establishment clearly. Your gaze moved to the roof, behind which moon shone brightly. You wondered how long it will take for Harada and the rest to take care of the situation. You meant to ask the Shinsengumi soldier that stood by you earlier, but he was nowhere to be found.

''Weird.''

He didn't seem to go inside, or at least you didn't notice him. Going from face to face, you tried to localize him in the crowd. It was to loud too try to shout, so you didn't even try. You caught a glimpse of blue and white haori disappearing into an ally to the left of the tea house. It must've been him.

''I'll be back,'' you said to Chizuru, and picking up your kimono layers you moved through the crowd.

You crossed the road, just as the official yelled at you. You paid him no mind, and looked into the alley. It was relatively small alley, with no windows to the side and a single doors leading into the tea house. It was empty, except for few barrels and wooden chests, but no one in sight. In contrast to the brightly lit main road the alley was dark and just few metres further it twisted to left.

Seeing no one, you guessed the Shinsengumi soldier just went inside after patrolling places around the establishment. And just as you were going to go back, you noticed a piece of blue material stuffed behind a barrel. You pushed the barrel, and to your surprise it opened. Metal objects scattered around, with a familiar cling-clang of katana. At least ten of those laid scattered on the ground. And behind it all, unmistakably, a haori that belonged to a Shinsengumi soldier.

Something was terribly wrong.

The dark alley suddenly was approached by a lantern light from the turn to the right. You mentally cursed and stood up quickly. You could flee the alley and go back to the main road, but seeing the weaponry in the barrel and a abandoned just there you had bad feelings.

Suddenly the light went out, and you heard a series of low voices and few ''shh''.

You jumped to your feet and to the single doors. They opened easily from the outside. You were inside a backdoor area, a room filled with barrels and chests. You locked the doors behind you, well aware that they could be easily forced open. You took off the outer layer of your kimono and stuffed it by the stairs you went for.

You tried to remember the outline of the building inside, but you weren't too familiar. You knew the party was taking place on the second floor, so you could start from that. And you might find some people along the way.

Breathless and sweaty you burst into the corridor. Left or right? You questioned frantically, leaning on the wall. Right, you decided and pushed into the dark corridor. After a moment you started to hear voices and you only hoped you were going into correct direction.

You were momentarily stopped, as invisible hand shot out of the darkness of crossing corridor and caught your arm. You let out a scream, and the grip tightened around your form.

A sharp blade was pressed to your neck.

''And who do we have here, hm? I've seen your face around."

******

My update rate is once-a-year apparently. I'm so sorry... but as promised to some, I didn't abandom the story! I hope you enjoyed.

(i hope to get better at updates.)

And thanks to Himiko_Omikami for keeping my Haku-hype never ending!