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Happy... we both were. It felt like some of the emptiness in my life had been filled in. Is this what love was? Love at first sight? I would've scoffed at the notion before, but... it was always nice to read about. The idea of two people being happy in a torn world, the fact that it was even possible was really powerful to me. She and I were both raised in complete opposite lifestyles, and outside of a circumstance such as how we met, we probably never would've interacted with one another. Unless she was hired to kill me or something.

As she neared closer, I did too. I smiled, leaning my forehead to hers and touching my nose to hers. If she reacted okay to the kiss before, I figured this was fine to do. She was happy. I was happy. I felt like following my heart, and getting closer to her like this just felt right. I couldn't contain my smile, but realizing how close my lips were to hers at this point made my heart race even faster.

"Katsumi-chan, I... I'm really glad I could be the one to give you that happiness..." I'm surprised I could keep talking. The closeness to her, it made me feel like my words would get stuck in my throat. My heart was beating so fast I was afraid it'd just blow up from working so hard. "I'm happy too... With you, like this."

I coughed as well, waving a hand in front of my face. "Geez, that looks like a lot. That'd do quite the damage..."

I continued to search through the items on the carriage, opening a wooden crate and looking inside of it. I pulled out what looked like samurai's armor, only...

"This armor... it only covers someone's privates..." I stared at it for a moment, holding it up high enough so Takehiro could see.

Sheesh. It seemed this guy didn't think things through half the time. He was smart for the most part, but other times he was a complete dunce. Not that I'd ever voice that out loud or anything, I liked my head on my neck.

I climbed into the back of the carriage, starting to hand Takehiro various items. Some of them were rather... intriguing. "Man... did he really think he would get away with a lot of this?" I wondered aloud, holding up a sword with a strange curved shape. It must've been from the western lands.

My eyes widened as she suddenly opened up to me. All she ever wanted was her father's acceptance... that was something I could relate to. Although from what she was saying, it sounded like she killed her father... a woman masquerading as a man, one that killed someone in her own clan. I could see why she was so afraid of anyone finding out, but I had no intention of betraying her secret.

She was alone, just as I was. Maybe I just managed to shake things off better, or maybe I just got used to the loneliness. But seeing her so broken like this... it struck something in me. She had dealt with this far longer than I had, she carried an unimaginable pain with her everywhere she went. One that I felt I could never truly understand. I wanted to cry with her, seeing how shattered someone could really become, how they reacted to someone who offered them a hand to finally pull them out of the deep.

"Katsumi..."

It was a pretty name, befitting of a pretty woman. And as she slumped against me, I wrapped my arms around her in an attempt to comfort her. This was an unexpected situation for the both of us. She, who was tending to her wound, and myself, who was tending to my thirst. Fate just had a way of throwing us both together like this, maybe it was destined. All I knew is while she was here with me, I wanted to do the right thing, and that was to show her it was okay to trust.

"Your secret is safe with me, I promise." My voice was soft, almost a whisper, but I felt it was enough. "You're not alone anymore. You won't hurt anymore. At least while I'm around, I can swear that to you on my life."

I meant it. She was terrified, the fear of death seemed to be looming over her. While she said before that I lived dangerously, it seemed to be nothing in comparison to her very existence threatening to take her life. If her life was in danger, I'd step in and do my best to make sure she was safe. It was a code of honor, every samurai had something worth giving their life for, right? With no motivation to call my own, I would make due with what was right in front of me. Maybe my answer was closer than I thought.

"You can rest, Katsumi... I promise I'll remain here for you the entire time."

I'm not sure how much time had passed, but darkness began to fall over the horizon. I was starting to get a little tired, but I didn't want to move and risk waking him, or her. I wasn't going to check, as it wasn't right in the slightest. It was really bugging me at this point, but if he said he was a guy...

The dark brought with it a cold breeze, at which point I held this person closer in my arms without really thinking about it. Right now, I was just glad there was no one else around, at least anyone dangerous. Because a kid and an unconscious mercenary were really easy targets.

It seems though, that I didn't have to worry too much. They had begun to stir in my arms, and I loosened my grip on him/her slightly. They seemed to panic and started to try to get away, only to fall back to my chest. "I, um..."

He seemed nervous, judging from all the stammering and apologies. I stared for a moment before smiling. "Hey, you don't need to apologize." I unwrapped my arms from around him/her, leaving my hand on their shoulder to support them at the least.

"It wasn't a waste of time, I wanted to be sure you were okay... I didn't need to, but I couldn't just leave you here. I vowed to myself to stick around until I was sure you were okay..." I smiled again. "You can trust me... I promise you. I'll keep you safe as long as I need."

"I..."

As he collapsed, he just fell closer to me, and I wasn't quite sure what to do. Just let him rest? I could do that, but... in this state, I wasn't sure if I should move him at all. Taking another look around, I was foolish to think that maybe a village could appear out of nowhere. It was what he needed most, to rest in a safer environment, with people who knew better how to take care of him and nurse him to better health.

Looking down at him, I could no longer tell if he was conscious or not. And now I could get a much better look at his face... Something just seemed really odd to me, he seemed far too delicate to be a man, and if he really was one, then he was a damn beautiful one... No, now wasn't the time to think about that. I could ponder about his or her real gender later. Nevertheless, something about this didn't feel so wrong...

"Then... I'll keep you safe while you rest..." I murmured. He or she had said it was warm, maybe it was best to keep that warmth. I wrapped my arms around them, making sure the sleeves on my robes covered them better. If night fall came, I'd find a better way to bring warmth, maybe start a fire somehow. I wasn't how sure I'd be sitting here like this though, but it was the least I could do for now. I wanted to make sure this person was okay.

This guy was just surprising me more and more. "Ha, you're like Robin Hood. Only, you're real... and Japanese."

I didn't know if this guy knew who Robin Hood was. Actually, I was sure most of the people I ran into didn't even know how to read like I did. Regardless, that's what Takehiro reminded me of. Taking from the rich and giving to the poor... and himself.

"Well, I've got no reason to return home. My idea isn't too far from your own. I'd like to travel and help out whoever I can."

"Buy Owari? That'd be something..."

Hey dad, I'm coming home because I'm now the owner of all of this land. Are you proud of me yet? He'd probably slap me for saying that still. I didn't think anything could make that guy proud. He wouldn't be happy even if I slayed the mythical Yamata no Orochi if I still wasn't the strongest swordsman in the world. I sighed a bit.

"So, Takehiro. What are you really going to do with all of this money? I doubt you'll be buying this land as we're moving away from it."

I took his thanking me as permission to tend to his wound, and I knelt down in front of him, looking over the gash for a moment. It seemed like it wouldn't be too bad after all, at least he was able to shut the wound... I quickly brought the cloth around his leg, wrapping it around firmly, but not too tight. "You don't need to thank me. I like to imagine it's what others would do in my place..."

Examining the wound, I was up a lot closer now. And this guy seemed a lot more effeminate than I first took note of... his skin seemed really soft, and his leg was a lot more slender than that of most guys I knew... could he be? Nah. Even if it wasn't really a guy, he must've had his reasons, right? Still, I could feel my face getting a little hot, but I tried to ignore it.

"So you fight to stay alive..." It seemed like a sad way to live life. I was tending to the wound of a killer, yet... he didn't seem like a bad person. Finishing the wrap on the leg, I looked up at his eyes now, pondering what he had said. I hoped my unnatural eye color wouldn't scare him away if the hair didn't do it.

"I... of course I fight. Everyone does, but... I guess I fight for a different reason. To help others... I don't believe in having to kill someone else to get a little food. I'd rather work for it in an honest way, I guess." I looked away for a moment, something about looking into his eyes felt a little funny. "Not that I'm saying your way is wrong... is it... something that you enjoy?"

He could relate? Was there something about him that made him get treated differently by everyone else too? He looked normal, although a bit effeminate, but that wasn't something I would point out or judge him for. In any case, I wasn't going to pry into matters that he wasn't comfortable with sharing. If he wanted to tell me that would be all on him.

I wanted to smile at him when he said it was okay, but something seemed off. I don't know if it had to do with the wound, or something unseen, but I felt genuine concern for him right now. I sighed lightly at his refusal, but reached down into my robe, pulling out a cloth. "At least let me wrap it for you? I always carry one just in case I'm injured, but you look like you could use it more."

Though, his last words bugged me a bit. Wouldn't be the last? That sounded like he'd be destined to do battle again, maybe soon. It was worrisome, to say the least.

"Do... do you have to fight?"

It was a sudden question, I know. But if there was a way for him getting hurt more, I think it'd be best. I know it wasn't any business of mine. I just wanted to be of whatever help I could. It wasn't the path my father wanted me to follow, but I could never leave someone in need behind.

"That's, uh... pleasant..." I said in response to this guy's threat to the merchant. "I love the part where you hit him over a horse that wasn't even yours to begin with."

At the guy's command though, I began to look through the back of the carriage. He was right, there was a ton of stuff in here. Antiques, weapons, clothing, and what looked like the drugs he mentioned before.

"Think with all of this stuff in here there would be a wheel somewhere..."

I stared at him incredulously, so he really wasn't scared at all. He wasn't freaking out about my getting closer, or freaking out about some curse or anything. In fact, he seemed rather oblivious to it. It felt... nice. Most people I met who didn't pay it any mind were swinging a blade at me to even really notice it in the first place.

Before I could really answer though, the guy seemed rather scared that I was approaching. They seemed awfully jittery, stuttering over their words. I lifted my hands up to show I wasn't planning on striking at them while they were injured.

"I promise you, I only want to help... you don't seem okay."

His injury could've been a lot worse than he let on. Yes, I was a stranger as he was to me, but it was in my nature to help those I came across. I especially wanted to help someone who wasn't afraid of me. If that previous statement didn't convince them though... I figure I'd answer his previous question.

"The reason why I asked about you being scared or not... is because most people treat me like I'm not even human because of my hair... no one's ever complimented it before like you have. Even if it was brief, you made me feel more accepted... so please, allow me to return the favor."

I held my hand out towards him as a friendly gesture.