After slipping off her shoes and checking in her coat, Ayame stumbled into a large room full of men. There were two long tables where these politicians and military officers had gathered - chatting and drinking the night away. She hurriedly went to sit next to the half- conscious Yoneda, as he was the only person she knew in the room.
"G-Good evening..." she stammered when a balding man with a long sideburns turned towards her. "Excuse me, could I ask what is the purpose of this meeting tonight? I was invited, but have not been told the details..."
"I'm assuming you are Fujieda Ayame." he replied, "My name is Hanakoji Aritune."
"Hanakoji..." she uttered, the name sounding familiar, "I recall my parents speaking about you. You are the much respected Count that was a friend of theirs."
He nodded his head. "I remember your parents well. Only I could barely recognize you, Ayame-kun. You have really grown up from the last time I saw you."
Yoneda suddenly lifted his head. "YAA! This girl is sexier than most girls her age!! I bet everywhere she goes she has guys chasing tail! WAHAHAHAHAA!!"
"Y-Yoneda-chuujou..." Ayame cried, her face all red, "I appreciate the invitation to this party, but please stop embarrassing me."
By now, a group of men had realized that a female was in the room and came to check her out. Ayame wanted to sink down into the tatami mat and disappear.
"YAMAZAKI!!" yelled another drunk fellow who had noticed him over the blushing girl, "I wanna talk to you about those silly drawings you made in that publication! Come on, do you really think some piles of tin can replace me and my men!!"
The young man - whom Ayame had met earlier outside -said nothing at first. He simply cradled the teacup in his hand and bowed his head. "Brute force isn't the answer. If you really want to protect your precious Teito, you should attempt trying to use your head. Otherwise, it will be all for nothing."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean, you damn brat??" the ensign hissed, grabbing him by the necktie, "You think you're so smart! Come on, say it!"
Deep blue eyes fell to the floor. "The traditional way isn't working, so we have to look for something else. But, nothing is ever going to change in this city if we ourselves don't change."
"SHUT UP!!" snapped the ensign, lifting his fist to punch him. However, in the next instant, another man arrived and caught the wrist in midair. "Lemme go, dammit!! Aaarg!!"
"You're too drunk." replied the man. With little effort, he threw the drunkard out the room through the screen wall. As others gazed in awe through the hole in the wall, the man bowed his head. "You okay, Yamazaki?"
"Aa," he uttered, dusting himself off, "Thanks for your help, Taisa. But I'm just going outside for some fresh air. Shitsureshimasu." He bowed his head and stepped around the tall man in a black suit who had arrived so dramatically.
Meanwhile, Ayame was trapped in a daze. `That man!' Her widened eyes hadn't left him since the moment he came into the room. Her heart pounding, she could barely breathe or think. `It's really him... that man from that time...!"
"Sorry for being late," he said, taking a spot next to Hanakoji, "And I'm terribly sorry about that hole in the wall. I promise I'll mend it later." He then noticed the girl hiding behind Yoneda's shoulder. "How rude of myself not to introduce myself to our guest! I'm Shinguji Kazuma."
Ayame just stared; her mouth open, but no words could come out. `It's like a dream. Why can't I say anything? Why...?' She then felt a good smack on the head. "KYAAA!" she instantly blurted out as numbness filled her senses.
"Nan da, nan da?!" Yoneda laughed in her ear, his hand still atop her head, "Why are you so shy all of a sudden?? Don't be fooled, men! Ayame-kun is the most reliable kid I know!"
"Is that so, Chuujou?" Kazuma said with a smile, "He speaks so highly of you, that I cannot have any objections. I suppose now it's up to Hanakoji-hakushaku."
The count nodded. "Ojousan, what I am about to tell you may affect your future, so please listen carefully. Teito will surely be attacked in the years to come. We have formed a group called the `Tai Kouma Butai' that will stop such a threat. But, we are going to need your help..."
Ayame finally regained her voice. "Tell me - is this attack the same as the one my parents spoke about. My grandparents too? Truthfully, is it the demons?"
Hanakoji didn't hesitate to answer. "Yes, it is the very same. And I assure you, Ojousan, you will be putting your life at risk in accepting this mission as your family has done so before. But it will be for the sake of Teito."
Kazuma saw the uneasiness in her face and decided to stray from the subject for the time being. "Ayame-kun, have you met our other member? His name is Yamazaki Shinnosuke. He's sixteen years old, but he's already graduated from the university with several science degrees. He is the cleverest person I've ever met."
Hanakoji happily agreed. "I have high hopes for that boy. No doubt he will bring many achievements to Teito's defense. I'm sure, Ayame-kun, that a bright young lady as yourself will get along with Yamazaki- kun."
"WAHAHAHAAH!!" Yoneda pounded his fist on the table, laughing so hard he was in tears, "Ayame-kun has met Yamazaki already!! Ano yarou - he thought that Ayame-kun was a hooker! AHAHAHAAAAH!"
"Chuujou! Dame desu!!" Ayame snapped so heatedly that he and everyone in the room stopped and stared in surprise, "I won't put up with this anymore. I-I'm going to step out for some air... Shitsureshimasu!"
Before anyone could stop her, Ayame took into a run. So many thoughts were rushing through her head. `To protect Teito... my family always mentioned that there was a price to pay for other people's happiness... but, will I...?' She had gone up some stairs and realized that she was on a deserted floor. Two steps away was the doorway to the balcony. Walking out, she gasped for air and tried to calm down, `Perhaps it was a mistake to come to this place...'
"Erhem!" Yamazaki cleared his throat and turned towards her, "What do you want?" He had been there the whole time, leaning against the railing, his hair blowing into his face. "What's the matter?" he asked, showing concern that she had trouble breathing.
"It's nothing!" she cried, still in a snapping mode, "Please, just give me a moment to myself... I-I'll be fine! Just go!"
"I was here first." he replied, crossing his arms, "I don't have to go anywhere."
This could have easily erupted into an argument if Kazuma had not arrived. "Yamazaki, the Count would like to speak with you. Please let me handle Ayame."
Yamazaki shrugged and walked on inside without a complaint. Kazuma then bowed his head to the flustered girl.
"I'm sorry for the umcomfortable situation we have put you in. Still, it's urgent you join us, Ayame."
"DEMO...!" She quickly restrained herself from another outburst. "Demo," she said more quietly, "Why me? Why are you choosing me?"
The look in Kazuma's face softened as he knelt in front of her. Taking her hand, he smiled warmly. "Don't you remember? We've met before."
"We have..." Ayame uttered, her mind moving backwards into the not-so-distant past.
She was running through Ginza as a couple of demons chased her. They leapt at her, slamming her against a brick wall. She screamed as one of them tore at her kimono and another clawed her shoulder. The demon instantly exploded with green blood as a blade came crashing down its middle. The other demon, scared by the surprise assault, tried to run but the swordsman caught him and stabbed him until the moans ceased.
"A-Anata wa..." she uttered, lying on the ground, bleeding and trembling, "Who are you...?"
Kazuma shook the blood off the blade and knelt down to check on her. Taking off his coat, he wrapped it around her and then lifted her up into his arms. The time it took him to carry her to the hospital seemed like an eternity. Never before had Ayame felt so warm, so secure.
`Is this the man I was destined for...?' she thought, the memory fading before her eyes and replaced by the curious look on Kazuma's face. "Aa! I don't remember it so well!"
"I remember it perfectly," he chuckled. Ayame swooned as he went into a long record of their first meeting with even more detail than she remembered. Even more so, he hadn't let go of her hand. After finishing his story, his brown eyes focused on her. "It was then that I felt it..."
"F-Felt what?" she gasped as his fingertips gave hers a little squeeze, `Not good, I'm getting so dizzy!!' she screamed inwardly, her face completely red.
"Fujieda Ayame," he said almost in a whisper, "The power inside you is waiting to come out. Shine, be the light for this city. We need you. We can't do it without you. You need not be afraid of what the future brings, because I'll stand by you."
'KYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!' Ayame could've died at that moment. Already she had dismissed the idea of coming here as a mistake and had made up her mind into doing something gallant. "Shinguji-san, I will accept this mission. But there's something I have to confess to you first..."
"Nan dai, Ayame?"
"W-Watashi wa..."
Another interruptions suddenly occurred as Hanakoji's secretary came saying there were some matters that Kazuma had to take care of. Kazuma happily went without complaint, but not without turning back with a smile to Ayame. "Take care not to stay out here too long."
"H-Hai!"
But Ayame didn't wish to go indoors and spend her time with some drunken military men. Instead, she spent the rest of the evening gazing up at the stars on the balcony. She felt so excited she didn't want to fall asleep. But sleep she did fall into and woke the next morning on a bench inside, wrapped in a dark dinner jacket.
`Shinguji-san's...?'
Realizing that she spent the entire night here, she rushed down the stairs to see if she could find someone. She ended up in the sitting room where Yoneda and Yamazaki were drinking tea. Both of them were wearing the same clothes from yesterday as well.
"OHAYOU GOZAIMASU!" she cheerfully chimed.
"Yo..." Yoneda sighed, with his head down on the table because of the great hangover he suffered, "I think we all partied too much last night... Ayame-kun, how can you be so energetic?"
She hugged the warm fabric around her. "Shinguji-san is so wonderful~!" she blurted out. She then heard footsteps behind her. "OH!"
"Yo!" Kazuma said just as energetically, "I've got to drop some things off in town, but we'll have a meeting as soon as I come back." He put his hands on her shoulders and chimed, "With Ayame-kun here now, our team is finally complete!"
"A-Ano...!" she uttered, spinning around. She stopped to notice that he was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday and that his dinner coat was black. The one she was wearing was navy blue. "No, it's nothing..."
Kazuma happily waved and left, while Ayame stood in confusion as to whose dinner jacket was she wearing. She lifted her head to the smirking Yamazaki. "Hmhmhmhm..."
"What's wrong with you??"
"Ayame-chan, there's something you must know." Yoneda uttered, trying to act sober, "You see... the truth is..."
A scream followed the truth. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH?! HE'S MARRIED?!!?"
Yamazaki fell to his knees, laughing so hard that tears were coming out. "This is too funny! Of all the stupidest... Ahahahaaa!!"
Although Yoneda felt bad for Ayame, he soon joined his comrade in the laughing fit. "WAHAHAHAHAHAA!"
"S-Sonna...!" Ayame gasped, her face in anguish, "I can't believe it... I was so sure that..." She turned for violent for a second and hurled those two through the wall. "SHUT UP, YOU TWO!!"
Lying in the garden, Yoneda took out a sake bottle, drinking and laughing at the same time. Yamazaki sat up and loosen his tie, as he stared towards the girl wearing his dinner jacket. "It's going to get interesting from here on..."
* * * * * * * * *
Preview of the next episode - "Are you staying?"
Kaede-chan, what a miserable day I've had! The man of my dreams is married! But, it's too late to be rid of these feelings. It's affecting my mood and my training - maybe I'm should not remain with the Tai Kouma Butai after all. But, to make matters worse, Yamazaki-san suddenly told me that I absolutely cannot leave. I'm so confused. What am I to do?
