I forgo going to the Kyoto Police Headquarters and instead head straight to Mibu. I want to see what the brothers know… -If- they know anything. Of course I can’t share much, if any of what I’ve read from her diary but maybe the brothers have something useful. But do men, or them -boys- really have any ideas of what used to happen back then? If her mother was here I’d ask her or I’d ask Masa.
It’s just after 2:30PM when I arrive in Kyoto. I’m thankful that the Police tends to keep horse stables near the stations for emergencies. Nothing else detained me so I fly to the Yagi estate and am there in less than 10 minutes.
“Excuse me!” I knock on the gate, “Is anyone home? It’s the Police! Open up!”
(Yuunosuke)
It’s not been long since I’ve returned from my futile trip to find Saya-san… I came back to find Tamesaburou muttering in the archives, before he went next door to talk to Shimada-san. Not only for the information he may have, or be able to find, but for his protection. Until we know why oneesan was targeted… there’s just too many directions to think of, all at once. One of Hanako-san’s sisters arrived to distract the children… but even they know something is wrong.
I mean, Tamebo and I always knew, back then. The less the adults tell you, the worse it is.
Excuse me! Is anyone home? It’s the Police! Open up!
Police! I run up to the gate and throw it open – are the Kyoto police now on the case?
“Saitou-san!” I’d be more relieved to see him… but his bone-tired look tells me all I need to know. He doesn’t know where she is. I usher him inside.
“Tamesaburou just went next door to confer with Shimada Kai,” I tell him.
I’m led in the house. I feel like it’s been years since I’ve been here but that’s not true. It was only several months ago that I accompanied her here where Hide finally met with her brothers.
“Tamesaburou just went next door to confer with Shimada Kai,”
“I see to the temple.” Of course I knew where Shimada was, but there’s a reason he’s become a monk.
I glance around the house and I don’t see anyone except Yuunosuke. “Is anyone else in the house?” I ask, trying to line up the people I need to speak to but for now I guess I have no choice but to start with him.
“Tell me all you know about -anyone- who might be interested in your sister. I’d be interested in anyone who has a political, financial or even personal interest, a grudge against your sister or anyone in your household.”
I give him one of the flyers that’s circulating everywhere else except Kyoto. That’s all the info I’m willing to share right now. I’m still wrestling with the -other- information I just read.
“Do it quickly.”
Is anyone else in the house?
“Hanako-san, and the children. One of her sisters came over to help keep the children out of the way… that’s it. We still don’t keep servants, sometimes Hanako-san has a daily woman come in but the children are great help…” I realize I’m babbling. I can do better.
I lead him back to the archives. “My brother hoped to share this room with you under different circumstances,” I tell him, cleaning off a chair for him.
Then Tamebo comes in. “Shimada-san thinks that it’s important to stay at the temple, in case they’re targeted as well. He’ll send word if he can find out anything.”
I repeat Saitou-san’s question to my brother.
He flops down in a chair and sighs. “Her personally? Maybe not as big as a list as those against the Yagi house in total but she has held… a certain focus, for some. There’s the collectors – Shinsengumi enthusiasts who were never members but who are deeply obsessed – pushy but overall harmless, I think. Then there’s the minor members – the non-captains that survived – and when she lived here, some would stop by and she’d be the target of whatever they were still carrying – sorrow, bitterness, anger… even kindly nostalgia, after a while, exhausted her.” I know that was -part- of the reason she wanted to go, and why he let her – she had enough to handle… and it’s funny how those sympathy-seeking men dropped off once she “retired to the country.”
“The weirdest ones are the ‘Shinsengumi gold’ crowd, who think that the shogunate or Aizu or some other power had a large cache of gold that the Shinsengumi had access to, and that it must be hidden here, or that we know where it us – but that crowd targets the house or me as the head, since women wouldn’t know that.”
The door flings open and my sister-in-law enters, bearing a tray, followed by Sachiko-chan. “Here, here,” she says, setting down tea, and a cup of … coffee?
“Hide-san and I were writing back and forth, and we wanted to make certain that our home was a welcoming place to you – she said you prefer coffee to tea?” Sachiko-chan follows, bearing plates as her mother sets down food. My niece stares over at Saitou-san, and then smiles at him. “Who’s this?” There’s no pictures of Hide as a child, so Saitou wouldn’t know that she’s the very image of my sister at that age…
“Your auntie Hide-san’s husband,” Tamesaburou answers. “He’s your uncle Hajime-san.”
Hanako-san puts a loaded plate in front of him. “Eat, eat, -she- would want you to keep your strength up.” She gives her husband a look. “I’m here, if you decide that this situation is about Hide-san and not one of your weirdos,” she says. “Your mother told me everything, you know.” She bows, and takes a curious Sachiko-chan with her.
Tamesaburou slides a paper across the table. “I have a list of the gold hunters – I have standing complaints against many of them filed with the Kyoto police due to trespassing.” He looks at another list. “As for former Shinsengumi, I heard a rumor that most of the surviving Goryo Eiji were taken out recently, excepting Abe Juro. Nagakura-san has confirmed that he’s back being an ass in Hokkaido.” He flips through some paper. “No idea where Suzaki Mikisaburou is, he’s fallen off the map. There’s a few others – minor ones -” he hands over another list, “these are the ones I don’t know well enough to say they’re a no to pulling something like this.”
“Collectors… Kato Hayato has been off doing some deal with the British in Hong Kong. Muraoka Takayuki is nearly seventy but he ummm… doesn’t care for women. There’s a few others, including some women, but…” He rakes his hand through his hair. “I’m just guessing, blindly. And as for financial – the tenants of her properties are happy and don’t even know she’s the owner – they deal with me.”
“Saitou-san… tell us what happened. All I’ve been able to do is make some probably useless goddamn lists.”
“Mmm.” Was all I could answer as a cigarette kept occupying my mouth but then the older brother enters and immediately starts listing groups and names.
Collectors that were Shinsengumi enthusiast? Then foot soldiers of the Shinsengumi who came here. She never told me about -those-. Did they pester her? But then he says something about the “Shinsengumi gold crowd” and I keep my mouth shut. But we’re not left alone as the lady of the house and her child appears.
“Hide-san and I were writing back and forth, and we wanted to make certain that our home was a welcoming place to you – she said you prefer coffee to tea?”
I’m caught a little speechless. She’s been writing to here about me? “Yes. Thank you.” I take the coffee. It’ll help my throat.
The young girl asks about me and I look at her. After being introduced I simply give her a slight nod.
“Eat, eat, -she- would want you to keep your strength up.” She gives her husband a look. “I’m here, if you decide that this situation is about Hide-san and not one of your weirdos,” “Your mother told me everything, you know.”
She mostly addresses Tamesaburou whose become oblivious and starts giving me a list of gold hunters. I look at the names, if they’ve been reported to the Kyoto police they maybe a lead.
“As for former Shinsengumi, I heard a rumor that most of the surviving Goryo Eiji were taken out recently, excepting Abe Juro. Nagakura-san has confirmed that he’s back being an ass in Hokkaido.” He flips through some paper. “No idea where Suzaki Mikisaburou is, he’s fallen off the map. There’s a few others – minor ones -”
“I haven’t seen Nagakura in a while.” I say more to myself, “Mikisaburou was injured a few months ago, I doubt he’s recovered. We can eliminate those two then.”
“Collectors… Kato Hayato has been off doing some deal with the British in Hong Kong. Muraoka Takayuki is nearly seventy but he ummm… doesn’t care for women. There’s a few others, including some women, but…” He rakes his hand through his hair. “I’m just guessing, blindly. And as for financial – the tenants of her properties are happy and don’t even know she’s the owner – they deal with me.”
“Hmmm.” I’m building a plan in my head and start writing down things to a small notebook. Who needs to go where and what they should do but then he asks the inevitable I suppose.
“Saitou-san… tell us what happened. All I’ve been able to do is make some probably useless goddamn lists.”
“I came home late… because we had quarelled.” I say quietly, letting the cigarette hang at the corner of my lips “By the time I came home, she was gone and a note was left by somone likely posing as Okita. She was hurt, probably hit her head as she fell when she tried to get away.” I don’t show them the note. I didn’t like how this Okita called out her transgressions and our children “misdeeds”.
I finish writing my note to Toshio-san, introducing who Tamesaburou is and what is the true identity of the woman who is missing and my relation to Hide as my wife. I ask him to give his full assistance and that I will handle the my superior Kawaji should any difficulty should arise. I also ask him to leverage Saya to help Tamesaburou to get the word out and find -any- recent reports of a swordsman violating the sword carrying rules and a companion who is a “doctor”. And finally I request him to put up checkpoints on the main roads leading out of Kyoto.
“Tamesaburou, I need you to go to the Kyoto HQ and give this letter and your list of Collector and Shinsengumi gold hunters you have to Toshio-san. He’s the head of the Kyoto Prefecture Police. He can also likely confirm if Kato is out of the country. .” I take one of the flyers and scribble and add the name “Asato – likely a doctor.” https://hajimenokizu.com/blog/index.php/2021/04/22/first-class/ “Find Saya, she’ll help you make copies of this flyer and get it posted around town.”
To Yuunosuke I turn, I specifically didn’t assign him to help Saya mostly to ensure there’d be no distraction for him or for her. “For you, I need you to go to this restaurant, the Aoiya. I have a friend there, Misao Makimachi, who I haven’t seen in -years-, but she and her family are protectors of Kyoto and knows Hide by face. They may have an idea of where she is… Also I need you to ask them if they can confirm this man,” I write to the back of a flyer Hiko Seijuurou, “Whether this man is accounted for up North. He had taken an interest on Hide in the past.” Taking the rest of the flyers I give them to Tamesaburou, they’re not the most up to date since they are missing the name Asato but it will have to do. “If you can start writing the name Asato before you get there.”
I look at both brothers. “I’m going to talk to your wife Tamesaburou. If you two can go quickly… We can all meet at the Kyoto Prefectural Police Station when we’re all done.” The truth was I wanted to do all this myself but what time is it? I look at my watch and it’s 3:30PM. Besides I don’t want any of her brothers to even get an inkling of what happened to her and Okita, that -rotten- “brother” of mine.
(Tamesaburou)
Saitou-san listens to it all. Some of it is so outlandish… and I just don’t see who would want to hurt Hide-neesan…
I came home late… because we had quarelled. By the time I came home, she was gone and a note was left by somone likely posing as Okita. She was hurt, probably hit her head as she fell when she tried to get away.
I’m thoughtful for a minute. “Okita-san is… a popular one. We’ve had a few impersonators, but well, none had the look – anyone who actually knew him would know right away. One of them is on the gold hunters list – he’ll “sell” the secret to some unsuspecting fool with a sad story about needing the money for treatments…” I shake my head. “The only one I can think of is Kichisaburo, but Hijikata-san’s notes have it that you and him dealt with him rather decisively.”
But she was hurt… I exchange a look with Yuubo. They’re closer, and he turns his face away… meanwhile Saitou-san is writing furiously.
“Oh, I know Toshio-san, professionally. He’s a good man,” I say, taking my list of orders. I note that it’s me he sends to the police, and not Yuunosuke.
Yuunosuke sits up as he’s assigned a list, too. The Aoiya – everyone in Kyoto’s old family knows the “secret” of the place; they’ve been protectors of this town. “Hiko Seijuuro was the man in the cape I told you about,” I remind my brother. Funny how that summer trip to Tokyo seems like a hundred years ago now…
“Asato… ” I repeat. “That sounds familiar. Darling?” I call out, knowing -full well- my wife is hovering by the door.
She comes back in. “Well, it sounds like Saitou-san wants to talk to me, and you to have a lot to do.” I press my hand to hers as I leave the room… I don’t know if I could be as collected as Saitou-san had it been… She stops both of us at the door. “Keep busy. Do well – your parents are watching,” She reminds us. We-know- this … we’re the sons of samurai. It just doesn’t have to be lived like it, much, in these days.
(OOC – the Yagi brothers leave)
(Hanako)
I sit down, and pick up one of the otabe and nibble on it. “I heard ‘Asato’ – if it’s the one I know of, that’s her married name – her father’s clinic was Muraoke, and it was located in Shimagyo – somewhere around the Higashi-Honganji Temple. She was a doctor, but I mostly knew of her as a midwife -she assisted in my older sister’s first two. And… if it’s the same one, the one who went to Tokyo with Okita-san when Hide-san stayed here, during his last illness.”
One of them is on the gold hunters list – he’ll “sell” the secret to some unsuspecting fool with a sad story about needing the money for treatments…” I shake my head. “The only one I can think of is Kichisaburo, but Hijikata-san’s notes have it that you and him dealt with him rather decisively.”
I still can’t believe it might be Kichisaburo. There was no body… It must’ve turned to ash. But Tamesaburo’s comment about selling a secret worries me. What secret? The gold?
It doesn’t escape my notice as the brothers look at each other when I say Hide is likely hurt.
“Oh, I know Toshio-san, professionally. He’s a good man,”
I can only nod and then he reminds Yuunosuke who Hiko was. I almost forget he met the behemoth and I can only wonder if that’s why he’s had me tailed in Aizu. But I can’t deal with that right now, I have other concerns.
The brothers leave and I’m faced alone with Hanako.
“I heard ‘Asato’ – if it’s the one I know of, that’s her married name – her father’s clinic was Muraoke, and it was located in Shimagyo – somewhere around the Higashi-Honganji Temple. She was a doctor, but I mostly knew of her as a midwife -she assisted in my older sister’s first two. And… if it’s the same one, the one who went to Tokyo with Okita-san when Hide-san stayed here, during his last illness.”
“I see.” I stop and think, “I always figured Hide went to Tokyo with Okita… Although her diary did state she was waiting to be asked by him. I had assumed they…” I look away and take a sip of the coffee “had made plans after and she simply didn’t write about it. So what would you say Asato’s or rather Muraoke’s relationship was to Hide?”
Taking my cigarette I suck on it, “There wasn’t much about her in Hide’s diary except for one line, that Hide noticed she was jealous when Okita and her were having….” I take a drag on my cigarette, “”relations”. Can you collaborate that? If so how strong do you think was the jealousy? And when was the last time have you or your family seen or heard from her?”
(Hanako)
I had assumed they… had made plans after and she simply didn’t write about it.
I shake my head. “Oh, no, she was here the entire time – and it was the right decision. She was here with her family when their father died, after all.” I look up at him, a little puzzled because he mentions her dairy – they’ve been together long enough, shouldn’t he know most of this, “but according to her mother, the relationship with Okita, long troubled, was over by that time. She still cared… but by that point, she put family above whatever friendship was left. And then there was Asato-san….”
“Asato-san – and again, this comes to me via my late mother in law – was a doctor with experimental treatments. She had something that Okita-san took that kept Okita-san… well, I think it’s known that when someone with his affliction coughs up blood, there’s not long.” I shake my head. “Hide-san was his escort, so that the rank and file of the Shinsengumi just thought that he was courting a girl instead of staving off death. And I guess they -were- courting, maybe? – but he could be very moody, according to Okaasan, so it had a lot of ups and downs. Was Asato-san …” I frown, searching for the word, “a triangle? I don’t know. Okaasan said that it was never the same after the first time he dumped her.” My mother in law told me all of this not to gossip… but she wanted me and Hide-san to get along, for me to try to understand her. At the time, it didn’t help. I didn’t want to listen – I just wanted the woman who I felt was standing in my way as “Lady of the house” to get out of my way.
“Oh, and I don’t think she uses Muraoke – she married an Asato, who was going to take over her father’s practice, but the story around town was that the second her father died, he didn’t want to be a doctor anymore, took everything he could sell, and skipped town. She even kept the name after he turned up dead in the Kamo River, five years or so ago. She returns to work in Kyoto every couple of years, but she’s very unreliable – one of my sisters was going to use her, and paid her, but she left town before the birth. But every time, she was still based in the same house.”
I eat another otabe. “As for ‘relations’… Okaasan never told me about that,” I tell him, shaking my head. “But… I guess it did happen. She talked to me the night before my wedding with Tamesaburou – of -course- with my mother and six older sisters I was -very- aware of things.” I look at him, then away – what a topic to discuss with a man I barely know! “But she said not to expect much, that it was…” I try to recall her words, “awkward and painful and overrated for both sides.” At the time I was mystified – how did she know? – and also amused, because maybe perfect Hide-san did have a falling. Now I can only remember how -sad- she was, saying it.
“Hide-san and I were writing about you. I know she wanted to make a family visit here in the spring, but she also said that your work takes you all over, even to Kyoto, and that she wanted you to feel welcome coming here should you need a place to stay.” I smile. “And… right now in the middle of all of this, he couldn’t express it – but my husband appreciates you bringing him in to help. He’s a good lawyer because he earned his way up. He’s a good father because he’s a good man. But head of the family? Village elder? That’s… that’s where a man needs an apprenticeship from a father, and he didn’t get that. He’s been worried that what happened on his trip to Tokyo caused great harm.” I’ve known him since we were children – and he cannot stand to upset his sister.
I stand up. “He should have brought me – I’m much more diplomatic.” My smile wavers. “Now, go find my sister-in-law, I still need to show her sometime that her cooking lessons weren’t entirely wasted on me.”
Hanako looks at me and I know she’s wondering why I’m asking these questions. Some of it I know but I couldn’t believe. After all I deemed her a loyal creature, if she already went so far as to offer herself up to him, why would she suddenly let him go when he’s close to death. But I don’t say anything to Hanako, it wasn’t just a friendship to her, not from what I read. So I pick up some of the food. I didn’t want to be a ungrateful guest.
“Asato-san – and again, this comes to me via my late mother in law – was a doctor with experimental treatments. She had something that Okita-san took that kept Okita-san… well “Hide-san was his escort, so that the rank and file of the Shinsengumi just thought that he was courting a girl instead of staving off death. And I guess they -were- courting, maybe? – but he could be very moody, according to Okaasan, so it had a lot of ups and downs.
“She and Okita were always seen together. The men had gone so far as to say she’s betrothed to him, which led some of them to resent that.” Of course I don’t say what I truly thought, that time I only chided myself for even listening to their rumor mongering and wondering why Gennoujou-san didn’t even consider Todou, perhaps it was because it was known he was secretly a bastard child of a daimyo. Unfortunately he died shortly after we moved into the temple. I even made the comment she didn’t make a cute boy to dissuade her and her father from visiting us again in Nishi Honganji but of course they both wanted to resume her relations with Okita.
. Was Asato-san …” , “a triangle? I don’t know. Okaasan said that it was never the same after the first time he dumped her.”
“Perhaps.” I say about Asato, “If Hide thought she was jealous then of course.” She tells me more about Asato and the husband who ran out on her after selling all of their belongings. But then he turns up dead in the Kamo river? Interesting… Could this woman have done him in or who else?
“Do you know if the police ever investigated the death or what the rumors swirling around town after they found him?”
Finished eating I put the bow down and go back to drinking the now cold coffee but it helps my throat. I’m surprised she starts talking about relations. I only meant to mention that to see if the triangle motive have any validity to it.
I guess it did happen. She talked to me the night before my wedding with Tamesaburou “But she said not to expect much, that it was…” “awkward and painful and overrated for both sides.”
She looks at me and then away, somewhat embarassed but I can only look straight on. For a moment I smile sadly, “It didn’t have to be that way.” I tell Hanako.
Of course I don’t tell her about the first time Hide and I slept together. Neither of us the first but I found the moment sublime and wonderful that truly changed what I thought two people could be, that I can’t even for a moment think had I been her first how much more precious and revealing the experience would’ve been for me. Though I can only wonder for her. I’ve never been able to read her mind and when I try, I fail at it spectacularly. I realize I’ve zoned out for a bit and reach into my pocket to light a fresh cigarette, now that my throat has recovered somewhat.
“Hide-san and I were writing about you. I know she wanted to make a family visit here in the spring, but she also said that your work takes you all over, even to Kyoto, and that she wanted you to feel welcome coming here should you need a place to stay.”
“Well yes we were planning to bring the family here so the children can get to know one another but if I were traveling alone, I wouldn’t want to impose Hanako-san.” Which reminds me at some point I have to get some lodgings arranged but not right now. I’ll probably be moving quickly.
“And… right now in the middle of all of this, he couldn’t express it – but my husband appreciates you bringing him in to help. . He’s been worried that what happened on his trip to Tokyo caused great harm.”
Taking a drag I consider what she says. “I do know that he cares for his sister deeply. That’s probably why he’s trying to get into my business in Aizu.” I shrug, “Tamesaburo will always be her family and I already told him, should the time come Hide needs -her- family, if he’s there, than that will be enough.”
“Now, go find my sister-in-law, I still need to show her sometime that her cooking lessons weren’t entirely wasted on me.”
Standing up with her I take my bag and my sword. “Thank you. I’ll be sure to bring her back here.” I look outside, it had started to rain. Well at least I did bring one change of clothes.
(OOC: you may close.)
Do you know if the police ever investigated the death or what the rumors swirling around town after they found him?
“Yes, they came here looking to us for information, as the killer used the sort of thrusting move that Toshi-sama developed for the Shinsengumi – and left-handed.” That stuck in my head – a left handed swordsman – is that even a thing? Then I realize that Saitou-san has been using his left hand to eat and drink this entire time. “But I don’t think they caught anyone, but it’s been years.”
It didn’t have to be that way.
I only blush! I am a good married lady, but Hide-san was wrong, wrong, wrong. But she’s had two children by Saitou-san and according to Yuubo, they’re very affectionate. Maybe she’s since changed her mind?
She and Okita were always seen together. The men had gone so far as to say she’s betrothed to him, which led some of them to resent that.
I nod. And, I’ve always wondered if the potential damage it did to Hide-san’s reputation was balanced by the fact that just the idea of her being with one of the strongest (but not -the- strongest, that was my Toshi-sama!)
if I were traveling alone, I wouldn’t want to impose Hanako-san
I wave my hand. “Please, Saitou-san – I have -six- sisters and I learned long ago if we worried about imposing, or who owes who… well, that’s not how a family works. Here,” I say, fishing a key out of my obi, “to the side gate, it’s a bit more discrete and you won’t wake anyone with your coming and going if it’s late. I’ll make up the room Toshi-sama used to use, for you.” He should know -where- it is, but does he know the -honor- I’m giving him?
That’s probably why he’s trying to get into my business in Aizu
I shake my head. “That idiot kid who works for him… he went to investigate a case only and was -warned- to stay away from you, but…” I sigh. “I’m sorry if it made things worse. ” Since returning and debriefing Tamesaburou, he quit work, which just added another issue that he’s having to deal with. Then I pause, before saying something, “I hate to bring this up… but could your wife’s kin be involved in this? If she won’t grant a divorce, it sounds contentious. Would someone…?” I heard he was a good investigator, Toshi-sama himself greatly appreciated those skills, but when it comes to family?
Tamesaburo will always be her family and I already told him, should the time come Hide needs -her- family, if he’s there, than that will be enough
What does he mean by that? Of course family is there, and both brothers would do whatever it takes for her. Me, as well. But isn’t he her family now, even if the marriage is still yet to happen?
I escort him out, and then go back to the children…. and make sure to pray for the safe return of my sister-in-law.
(OOC – close)