Chapter 15 {Kawakami Bansai}

The sound of music echoes down the corridor leading to Shinsuke's room. Perhaps he's already grown bored of the past few weeks of inactivity. Nonetheless, it's unusual of him to be playing that song. A theme that emanates sorrow, delicacy and longing, as if of a lover's torment.

I enter the room. The sight of the woman in there bewilders me for a moment. I've been told of the night she was thrown down the cell for being suspected of a spy and then had broken out on her own. Then from what I heard from the others, quite hypocritically, it was also her who helped to be Shinsuke's donor.

She turns to me in surprise. The look in her eyes is as if she has been crying. I stare after her as she quietly leaves. Women are complicated creatures to read, I dare say.

I settle down near the table. "Who is that woman exactly?"

"Who knows," Shinsuke says. He gets up on his feet and moves to the window. "So, did you manage to gather anything?"

"Not really," I say. "There hasn't been much movement from the government yet. But it seems like some other guys are moving around instead." He turns around to me. "Matako spotted the Naraku in the forest yesterday. She finished them up but it's only a matter of time before they come for us again."

"So they've been following our moves," he says, seeming slightly expectant.

"Many are their arms and legs, I dare say." I reach for the shamisen behind me and bring it atop of my lap. "Either way, we cannot yet head back to Edo or Kyo at our current rate. Best to lure them to us here at the moment for some exercises."

He speaks nothing and continues to space out at the window. That man knows when to lie low to be able to play victory. The officials won't be able to stay safe in their headquarters for long, especially not after the uproar we managed to cause. Very soon enough we'll be able to catch some bigger fish into our net. Patience is a grand thing for political schemes.

I take the plectrum and pluck the first string. "Play a duet with me, Shinsuke."