Chapter 33

Hanabi woke up in her room in the Osaka castle. She rubbed her eyes to clear her vision. She could still hear the music outside. She sat on her bed and lets out a heavy sigh.

"Okay, let's have some real fun this time," she told to herself and jumped off her bed.

After washing up, she wore another scarlet kimono trimmed with gold. She got her red ribbon and tied her long, black hair in a ponytail. She left a note on Hayabusa's door, informing him that she'll be around town. Upon her exit from the Osaka castle, her stomach growled so she decided to go to the street of food stalls. While having her breakfast, she sensed a familiar aura. She knew it well, it is Hanzo's. He is just around but instead of standing up and search for him, Hanabi continued eating.

She ignored what she had felt for she decided to leave him be. When she roamed around, the woman whom she danced with last night appeared before her.

"We met again!" she exclaimed.

"Nice meeting you," Hanabi greeted as she made a bow.

"You flatter me," the lady chuckled. "I am Kirin, you are?"

"Hanabi," the scarlet ninja replied with a smile.

"Hanabi, the only scarlet flower left," Kirin remarked.

"Whoah," Hanabi awed with a smile. "I'm quite famous, I must say."

"Well, you are," Kirin chuckled. "I hope you enjoy your stay here. For I shall go my way."

"What do you do?" Hanabi asks, tailing the girl.

"I help my mom with her restaurant," Kirin replied which earned her a nod from the scarlet ninja.

"Since you are a ninja, you probably enjoy martial arts as an entertainment, correct me if I'm wrong," Kirin added.

"I do love it," Hanabi replied.

"Great!" the girl exclaimed. "You see, there is a pair of martial artists that are known here in our place. It is rumoured that they work under the chief of the village. And as an entertainment, they are currently holding a competition outside my mom's restaurant."

Kirin yanked Hanabi down so she could whisper on her ear, "The guy looks so damn hot. I assure you, you'd fall for him at the very first sight."

Hanabi chuckled at her remarks, "Let's see if it happens."

The two ladies head to the said restaurant and just as Kirin said, beside their restaurant, the crowd gathered around.

"Hanabi!" Hayabusa called out, waving his hand.

When he finally reached her, he mumbled," You left by yourself without inviting me. Do you want to have the fun all by yourself?"

"Who is he?" Kirin asked without looking away from the young lad.

"He is Hayabusa," Hanabi introduced. "And this is Kirin whom I danced with last night."

Kirin smiled at the assassin and said, "You didn't tell me you have a boyfriend."

"You didn't ask," Hanabi chuckled which made the assassin glare at her.

"Anyways, let us watch the competition. We can have a good look at them on the second floor," Kirin said as she grabbed Hanabi by the hand and ran to the second floor of the resto. Hayabusa followed through.

Kirin opened the window and they could see the whole stage. Hanabi saw Shizuka parring with someone. She seems to be having fun. Hanabi looks at the far side of the stage, she saw him sitting, watching the fight with a smile plastered on his face.

Hanzo looked at their direction, his smile disappeared as he looks away when his gaze met hers.

Hanabi felt hurt for he doesn't look happy at all that they've met each other once again but she chose to ignore it. She chose not to make a big deal out of it.

"Whoah, Shizuka and Hanzo?" Hayabusa mused.

"You know them?" Kirin asked.

"Of course, they came from our village," the assassin replied.

"Wah," Kirin mused as she stared at the scarlet-head man on the stage, "He really is the man. It would be great if he becomes mine."

Hanabi simply smiled at her while Hayabusa decided to put his arm around Hanabi's shoulder upon noticing the stare of Hanzo. The scarlet ninja gave him a bad look but she lets him be.

"You see, the two of them have been together and are rumoured to be married when they first came here. How lucky Shizuka is to be with him. Hey, Hanabi, what do you think of that guy, Hanzo?" Kirin asked as she pointed at Hanzo.

"Hmmm," Hanabi mumbled and pretended to be thinking. "He's the worst."

Kirin gasped as she covers her mouth, "How could you say that?"

The scarlet ninja is amused by her reaction that she wanted to tease her.

"My boyfriend here is way more good looking," she jested as she shows Kirin the face of Hayabusa. The assassin smiled and gave Hanabi a kiss on the forehead which made their spectator, Hanzo, glare at him.

"Hanabi, you dare tell me that. Now, I dare you to go on that stage and fight him. If you win, then, okay, he is the worst," Kirin challenged but Hanabi shook her head.

"I'm wearing a kimono so it's a no," she reasoned out which made the girl pout.

"Hayabusa, why are you acting weird?" the scarlet ninja whispered.

"Don't you want your boyfriend being intimate with you?" Hayabusa responded as he leans forward and had their foreheads touching.

Hanabi giggled at his acts and she could imagine how Kagura would be enraged if she saw them being sweet at each other. On the other hand, Hanzo, who has been watching the two, grips his katana tightly out of jealousy.

Hanabi and Hayabusa, then, decided to leave and stroll around. Kirin waved goodbye as they part ways. The scarlet ninja lets out a long exhale to control her emotions. She clenched her fists and is determined to move on.

"Why are we leaving? Don't you want to talk to him?" Hayabusa asked but Hanabi simply shook her head.

As she walks away, some men grab her by the hands and carried  her. With her kimono limiting her movements, she could not struggle free from their grasp.

Hayabusa tried to stop them but he was carried away by the crowd and was sent to the back corner.

Just then, Hanabi's eyes widen as she was brought to the stage and Hanzo was there as well, facing her.

"Do you think I'd let you off so easily?" Kirin grinned. "Let us watch you fight, Hanabi."

The scarlet ninja looks away from Hanzo and turns away her back, "I can't do that, Kirin."

She was about to step down but she raised her hand and caught the shurikens shot at her. She glares at the man who threw it right at her.

"Did you turn into a scaredy cat, Hana?" Hanzo smirked who is currently holding a katana. "Or have you gone soft after Hayabusa had you as his girl?"

"Hana?" the scarlet ninja muttered with gritted teeth. She turns around and steps forward. She reached her kunai hidden under her sleeves and ripped her kimono from her lap down to her feet. She pointed her kunai at Hanzo and proclaimed, "Don't call me that way!"

The spectators has gone quiet, waiting how things would unfold. They watched the scarlet ninja draws out her kunais from her sleeves and shot them towards the scarlet-head man. Hanzo blocked them all with just one swing of his katana. He lunges towards her but the scarlet ninja slides on the floor on her knees, stood up behind him and was about to plunge her kunai behind him but with his good reflexes, he blocked it.

"You've gone slow, rhino head," Hanabi whispered for unknown to Hanzo, the Higanbana blossomed underneath him and immobilized him. The scarlet ninja snatched  the katana away from him and laid it across his neck. The spectators cheered but then, Hanzo appeared behind her. Hanabi realized that it was his shadow she fought with just a moment ago.

"Did I?" he smirked as he knocked her back and because of her kimono, she fell back on her butt. Hanabi was about to stand but when she lifted her head, Hanzo's sword  is pointed right at her.

"Even after 5 years, the result is still the same," Hanzo said as he reaches out his hand to help her stand. Hanabi slapped his hand away and stood by herself.

"After 5 years, I get to see the coward who ran away," she scoffed. She glared at him,  turned away and was about to leave but another pair of kunais is shot at her.

Hayabusa managed to reach the stage and saw the two fighting. Instead of stopping them, he decided to watch how the two would fight. Maybe, in this way, Hanabi could vent out her emotions to the person who made her suffer emotionally for years. And maybe, this fight could be a better communication for the two.

Hanabi raised her hand and had her long sleeves catch the kunais. With gritted teeth, she lunged forward and with her open palms, she swings it down forcing Hanzo to let go of his katana. Without giving him a chance to counterattack, she lifted her leg and gave him a roundhouse kick. She stood on her feet and elbowed him on the abdomen.

Hanzo knelt down as he is knocked back. As he raises his head to prepare for his counterattack, he got surprised when Hanabi already lunged towards him and knocked him down.

"Don't mock me, you freak! " she yelled as she attempted to pierce his throat with her kunai while on top of him. But then, she stopped when the tip of her weapon is just millimeters away from him.

"Go on, stab me like what you did before," Hanzo jested.

Hanabi got off from him and kept her kunai. Her breathing became fast and her tears start to well up once again.

"My win, rhino head," she proclaimed before taking her leave. As she makes her way out of the crowd with her head low, a hand yanked her backwards.

"Are you just going to leave?" Hanzo asked.

Hanabi held back her tears as she brushed him off.

"Leave me alone," she said as she walks away but the scarlet haired man grabbed her yet again.

"Is this how you say hi after all those years?" he teased. Hanabi slapped his hand away and hits him on the chest.

"You should have never showed up!" she sneered. "You should continue hiding away, running away, you coward."

Hanzo noticed her watery-eyes so he draws her close and hugged her. The scarlet ninja couldn't help but break down. Her sobs once again has got the better of her that she could not stop her tears from falling.

"I hate you, rhino head," she cried as she hits him on the chest. "I hate you. I hate you."

"I know," Hanzo replied as he brushed his hand on her black hair. Eventually, Hanabi gave in and hugged him back tightly.

Shizuka, despite seeing the person she loves reunited with the woman he has always dreamt of, smiled for the days of seeing Hanzo cry for Hanabi are finally over. She has been watching him shed tears for her. She has witnessed how desperate he was to see her but he couldn't do so. She knew from the start that her love would not be reciprocated but she chose to stay to witness how the two would reconcile.  Kind of a masochist, ain't she? This made her realize that no matter how she separates them, they'd end up on each other's arms.

"How long do you plan on doing this?" Hanzo asked as he smiles at the crowd.

"Until I'm satisfied," Hanabi sniffed who was just finished crying.

"When the night falls, I'd be dead," the redhead remarked as he adjusted Hanabi on his arms. "I'd die for the second time if Hayabusa finds out about this absurdity. You're his girl, right?"

They are currently at the center plaza, standing at the highest stage. Hanzo is carrying Hanabi on his arms, bridal style, as a consequence of losing to her.

"You haven't died when I stabbed you, you won't die just by standing," Hanabi mused as she wipes off his sweat with her sleeves. She completely ignored Hanzo believing that she and Hayabusa are together. "And I'd be happy to watch Hayabusa kill you."

"Of all things, why'd you want to do this?" Hanzo asked. "You're heavy as a bull."

"So you could physically bear the weight of leaving me for years and for fooling the people here in Osaka," Hanabi replied with a smile as she waves at Kirin who is currently looking up to them.

"What do you even mean by that?" Hanzo asked in confusion.

"Haven't the rumours reached your ears, rhino head?" the scarlet ninja questioned as she wraps her hands around his neck. "They said that you and Shizuka were married. What a great gossip, right?"

"So, having me standing here at the middle of the day carrying you is your way of getting back at me?" Hanzo sneered,"What are you? A child?"

"You keep on complaining, what are you? A boy?" Hanabi mocked.

"Anyways, a news got to me that you almost died crying for me," the akuma ninja teased with a smirk on his lips.

Hanabi narrowed her eyes on him and asked, "How'd you know that?"

"Hayabusa told me when we bumped into each other during one of my missions," the assassin replied. "But the question is, why the hell did he become your boyfriend when you're in love me?"

"Why'd you run away?" Hanabi asked seriously, ignoring Hanzo's question.

"To atone for my actions. I killed your family and caused such unimaginable chaos. The biggest irony I haven't expected is that I have fallen to the daughter of the family I killed," he replied. "Kagura helped me when you almost killed me. You all could forgive me but I couldn't forgive myself so I decided to come here and serve the chief and help him get rid of the black marketeers and the rebels in his territory."

"Then, why'd you bring Shizuka with you?" Hanabi pouted without looking at him. "And falling for me is surely a lifetime atonement for your sins."

"Shizuka helped me escape, plus, she has a connection with the chief," he replied.

"Furthermore, she's lightweight, easy to bring anywhere. She's quite handy," Hanzo jested as he notices the jealousy coming from the scarlet ninja.

"Then, go and marry her, you rhino headed jerk!" she snapped which amused the akuma ninja.

"Should I?" he teased even more.

"You should. You two look good together anyway," someone replied. He is currently sitting on the roof across the two. He is wearing his smirk which immediately annoyed the akuma ninja. "Hanabi and I could have a happy ending."

"Hayabusa?" Hanzo said as Hanabi stood on her feet. What even annoyed him is that the scarlet ninja jumped off and hugged him.

Hayabusa smirked as he ran his finger on Hanabi's nose down to her lips.

"Miss me already?" he asks the woman.

Hanabi smiled and nodded, "Definitely."

Hayabusa caressed her face and held her chin up, attempting to kiss her but this time, Hanzo could no longer tolerate seeing Hanabi being intimate with another man.

This made the akuma ninja jump towards them with his katana drawn out. Hayabusa had his kunai block his attack and smirked at him.

Hanabi laughed which confused the akuma ninja. Hayabusa laughed with her and a realization hits him. He, then, heard Kagura's voice down below and she's waving at them with a smile plastered on her face.

"Is that funny?" he scoffed.

"Yes, it is," Hayabusa replied. "Hanabi never fails to amuse me at how fast she grasps the situation is."

"What brought you here?" Hanzo asked.

"To watch the two of you have a happy ending after 5 agonizing years of waiting and crying," the assassin replied. "I'm tired of seeing Hanabi cry. Glad to see her shining brightly now."

"Has he been visiting you?" Hanzo questioned the scarlet ninja who sat beside him.

"Yeah," Hanabi replied,  "He comforted me when I needed it the most. Especially Kagura."

"Now that you finally caught him, no need for me to comfort you," Hayabusa remarked before he jumped off the roof and went beside Kagura who managed to follow them earlier.

"So how does it feel to see the one you like being intimate with another person, huh?" Hanabi teased but Hanzo simply changed the topic.

"Don't you have any plan on changing your kimono? That slit you made is way too high," Hanzo commented as he looks down at the crowd.

"I still don't want to leave," she whispered. "I'm afraid that if I take my eyes off of you, you'd be gone again."

Hanzo chuckled at her response as he pinched her cheeks, "When did you become so clingy, Hana?"

"I just want to be sure, rhino head. I hate having regrets," the scarlet ninja replied as she held his hands. "There's nothing you couldn't do anyway."

Hanzo smirked and said, "I won't let you slip away ever again."

He leaned close until their forehead touched, Hanabi closed her eyes as he leans closer. She enwrapped her arms around him, assured that he will no longer leave her side.

The long wait, the painful days, the melancholic moments and hopeless times are now finally sealed with a kiss.

"The scarlet flower has finally found her happiness," Izanami remarked as he watches them.

"She could not have gone with all those painful and sorrowful days if it weren't for your schemes, Izanami," Amaterasu corrected.

"If it weren't for me, they wouldn't fall for each other. It's because of me that scarlet flower searched for Hanzo for vengeance but slowly, it blossomed into love," the god of death defended himself.

"You really have your ways with your words, death god," Amaterasu remarked. "But with or without you, because of vengeance or not, even if they're enemies or friends, even if they're far or near from each other, one way or another, they'd still find each other and be together for they are bounded by the red string of fate."

"The so-called Scarlet Shadow, huh," Izanami added. "An unexpected yet perfect pair."

"Indeed," Amaterasu agreed.

               **Here Ends The Story**