Kokoro No Momogatari

Episode 2: A Familiar Scent

Emperor Katsuro went with Ichiro before the break od dawn from the palace to Fuuga where he decided to go to investigate the rumored free spirit. They didn't take much and they dressed as commoners to fit in easily.

Fuuga is a lovely town though not most hygienic but have many population. There were all sorts of people in there. The poor, the rich, traders, fishermen, government officials, old and young. It was like a market place and the people seemed happy even though their town wasn't so glorified.

They arrived at Fuuga by sundown and decided to rest at one of the good inns that was built in Fuuga.

"Your highness, we should rest because we have a lot to do tomorrow." Ichiro informed Katsuro who was admiring the town from the window.

"Fuuga looks like a lively village. I see why refugees and traders settle here." Katsuro complimented as Ichiro nodded.

"Yes but it is also a dangerous place full of thieves and you, Your Majesty, don't belong here." Ichiro added, making Katsuro laugh.

"Don't be so serious friend. Join me for a drink and we could go to a brothel and have some fun. You seem so tense and serious all the time. Try to relax today is a vacation too." He suggested, making Ichiro sigh.

"Your Majesty, my work here is to be your adviser, not to relax and flirt with women. Plus, I doubt Fuuga has a brothel since it's a freeman's place." He said, making the king frown.

"We won't know till we do a little exploring. So drop our stuffs and let us go sight seeing. This is a vacation. Also you are now Tenjiro Nijimura, a traveler with his best friend Toshi Yoshimura, OK?" 

They left the inn to go to a restaurant where men were drinking, talking and gambling. It was a large restaurant and popular for its best wine and sake.

Katsuro and Ichiro sat down opposite at each other as the men in the shop were drinking and talking loudly. It was lively and rowdy but Katsuro didn't feel any discomfort instead he feel intigued. A young waitress came to their table to get their order.

She was pretty, short and has a good physique. Her hair was black as midnight and her eyes are dark as well. She has a confindent aura that if Katsuro wasn't confident himself would have melted.

"Welcome sirs. Anything you like?" She asked, as she gave Ichiro a flirty smile and checked him with her eyes making Ichiro a bit uncomfortable.

"Get us your best dishes and a bottle of your finest wine and maybe a bottle of sake." Katsuro ordered and she responded with a nod.

"You seem to be new around here. Are you merchants? fugitives?" She asked.

"Neither. We're just travelers who happemed to pass by." Katsuro responded.

"Your friend doesn't talk much, no?" 

"He's a man of few words and many action." he responded, the lady smile more then looked at Ichiro.

"Well if he ever wants more action he can come find me." She said as she walk away.

"That was extremely inappropriate. This is one of the reasons why I don't like Fuuga." Ichiro complained as he folded his hands.

"Seems like you come here a lot?" Katsuro asked as he placed his elbow on the table to support his head. "Once in a while with my cousin and it always ends up with women flucking around me or a fight." Ichiro said curtly as Katsuro revealed his white dentals.

"You are already twenty seven, men your age already have women, wives, lovers. But you have neither, do you swing the other way?" He asked making Ichiro look at him with a serious face.

"I find no attraction to anything whether male or female, man or woman. So please Your Majesty do not worry about my love life." Ichiro replied as Katsuro backed off a bit then laughed.

The waitress brought them their foods and drinks then looked at them both.

"Well I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Kaya I work here a lot. Who might you gentlemen be?" She asked.

"I'm Toshi and this serious faced guy is my friend, Tenjiro." He replied making the lady smile.

"Welcome to Fuuga. There's something awfully familiar about you Toshi. It's rare to see someone with crimson hair in Fuuga and the only popular person I know with that hair is Emperor Katsuro but someone like him will never come to Fuuga." She said as laugh making Katsuro slightly nervous.

"Please excuse us." Ichiro said making Kaya bow and wave a bye.

"It seems crimson hair makes a big deal here. We should buy some hats to cover it up so we don't get attention." Ichiro informed Katsuno who nodded as he started to eat the food on the table.

"Captain! Tell us about this free spirit again." One of the men drinking asked grabbing Ichiro and Katsuno's attention.

"Well many rumors surrounds him but I'll tell you what I know. He is as beautiful as a golden goddess, fierce eyes that are like double edge sword but seem to glow in the dark, a soft voice that holds a kind of spell and he's as swift as the wind. He's called a free spirit for a reason." The captain narrated.

"Why?" Another asked.

"His sword knows no mercy and frees the souls of the captive." The captain replied. "If he wasn't so dangerous, I would keep him as my woman because his beauty is rare and very intoxicating. It's addicting and always on my mind. Plus one thing I can never forget is his scent." The captain said again.

"What scent?"

"The scent is fruity. The scent of peaches." The captain responded to the crew who all shouted happily.

"How did you find this free spirit?" Katsuno asked as he took a drink from his wine.

"Are you also interested in him?" The captain asked.

"Hardly. But the rumors about him seems to interest me." Katsuno responded making the captain rub his rough beard.

"Well that's the thing. You don't find him, he finds you." The man explained.

"What do you mean?"

"During the time I was a slave trader, it was him who attacked my ship with a few bandits in the middle of the night. He sparred my life but in exchange he took one of my eyes." He explained as he placed his hand on the bandage on his left eye.

"That's a heavy price to pay for a job. Seems he's one of those freedom fighters." Katsuno said.

"He is." The captain responded.

"Your Highness we need to leave." Ichiro whispered. Ichiro paid for the meal and left with Katsuro who was processing the information the captain told him.

"Your Majesty what are you thinking about?" Ichiro asked.

"The information that man said seems useful and if I'm right he's the heart of the bandits. If he's captured, the bandits attacks will probably stop." Katsuno responded.

"But he's a freedom fighter and is dangerous. I won't let you do something stupid if you're thinking of one." Ichiro said making him raise his brow.

"Who said I'm doing something stupid? I'm doing this for..." Katsuno paused when a familiar scent passed him in the crowd. He ran towards where the scent is going to the crowd as Ichiro calling out the name 'Toshi'.

He kept chasing the scent until he got to an alley where the scent seem to have vanished.

"Where are you? I feel you here somewhere. Could it be you? Peaches." Katsuno thought as he faced left and right but couldn't see anyone. Ichiro finally caught up to him then he paused as he panted hard.

"Your Highness, why did you run?" 

"Nothing. I though I saw someone I know but I guess I was wrong." He replied as he walked around one last time.

"Shall me return?" Katsuno can't do anything so he just nodded.

Raijin was in a corner holding his breath with his hands before he released it and heaved as a sign of relief. He came out slowly and watched Katsuno and Ichiro leaving.

He finally left after he checked the coast was clear and immediately went to their hideout.

"Raijin, you're late. Care to explain?" Kaoru asked as she offers her food. 

Kaoru has a raven hair, dark blue eyes and fair skin. She wears a green kimono and has a gentle face. She's known as the big sister of the group and married to Natsu with twins named Rin and Riko who are just four years old.

"None I suppose. Just got caught on something." He replied as he smiled at her and started to eat his food.

"I can't tell her someone was chasing me or she'll definitely tell Shinuske and he'll lock me up if I refuse to stay." He thought while eating. "But something about that man felt familiar. Who is he?" He asked to himself.

"Your Highness it's time for you to rest. You need it after a long journey." Ichiro informed him who was sitting by the window of the inn and looking at the bright moon.

"I'll rest later. You can head off to bed if you wish to." He replied. Ichiro nodded and walks into his room.

Katsuno brings out a tiny jade bracelet that would fit a small child's hand. The jade token has a symbol of a tiger embedded on it with a family name "Hakitori".

He held this piece of jewelry like it's the most important to him then give off a sad face as he looks at the moon.

"I'm sure that was you. I will never forget your scent, I don't know why but I feel like you're here somewhere. Are you angry at me?" He asked himself as he pressed the bracelet to his chest before putting it inside.

"I'm going to find you no matter what, I promise." He said to himself before going to bed.