Chapter Sixteen: Truth Is Hard To Pry Out Of The Mouth

Well at least trying to hide it was pointless. That was money thrown to the side, for lack of better word. But at the same time, it did allow him more of a chance to see how it will go. How he could turn this into an advantage, now that he was here again.

"How come no one told me that you've met?" She looked towards her brother. "Or why didn't you?"

"I had no idea that was your brother given that I only seen his face for a moment." Which was reasonable to be expected of anyone.

"And I didn't know that he was going to see me."

"Then why did you inquire about what I asked." It didn't make sense, not at all. If he did not know him in the least.

"Because it was normal for me to do so, and you were odd."

"Do you do that to all people who appear odd?" Because Kazuho didn't know how useful was that ultimately. Since it had been incredibly odd.

"Maybe." He deadpanned at the man.

Enyou looked at this, finally seeing why it made sense. At least it was still an answer as to why he acted the way he did. At least at the end, with the way that it seemed so at the end. The way that all of them had seem to each other.

"Now, are you going to try and tell me what it is." He looked at this man, giving how it was heading into. Trying to finally getting into main thing. The main reason why it had been so.

The pendant that was inside his shirt. One which he had carried around for years, and was able to start finding her. Although he was a little wary to take it out at the very least. Seeing that he was looking at a man that he barely knew at all, and who knew something that he intended to keep a secret. At least for a good while if they could rather than the time they were afforded.

"Are you going to show me?" Something that few will ever have a chance to look at. At least if he was the one holding onto it. And if he was here where no one knew it. He took it out, finally seeing a choice that was to be. He had to show it, regardless of what happened.

He took it out, at last. When the man stared at it, the piece of jewellery that was rare to have been asked. And yet, it was the only thing that he had to be reminded of her. And he needed to go back to fulfill it, because she deserved it above all. That she deserved it at the very least.

Enyou came forward, looking at the pendant herself. Looking closely at the small pendant, with how it appeared to have such features of both. Both which were similar and different at the same time. She opened the middle, revealing that it was also a locket. But all it had was a faded picture. A picture that was almost undecipherable. But hard to see. He closed it, because he spent years not even looking or finding. Because it was in someone else's possession.

"This is still exquisite." She held it. Before trying it on, although an unusual accessory for them to ever wear. Because of how kimonos were, and this could only be seen otherwise. And why it was strange, although it became popular as it was a way to keep certain things to heart. Something that was too personal to have been seen, but was always a part of them.

A reason why many artisans could still craft this if they tried. Because it was something that was taught, due to how enduring it was. Sasaki came down, in his kimono made of mostly dark red. With his fan still on his hand, as he looked down.

"No doubt about it. But weren't most of them more of a part of the Shogun's court than the Imperial family?" He clearly also got that out of the owner. Which wasn't even that important. But now it was something else, seeing that he has his help at this point. Not even necessary for him to have considered otherwise. Or even thought that he should guard against him.

At least when Enyou was concerned. Although the man took the pendant from here, instead choosing to have a good look at it. Even when it made almost little to no sense at this place. For he was surrounded by them, it was barely a treasure unless it has sentimental value. Looking at how it was going at the very least. Given that they didn't seem to have paid attention to its value, but what it had at the end.

With a final glance, Sasaki passed the pendant back to Kazuho. Although the moment he spent on it had been way too long, far too long for anyone to keep on trying. At least to have made it seem normal, even normal in any regard.

That was certain as the man had simply forgo with sitting, and Kazuho stood up. His legs were a little sore from all of it. This way of sitting had not been done with him for a very very long time, and the reason why he had more uncomfortable than most. At least when it came to this.

"At least give me the name of the owner." Nothing made it certain who could have owned it, other than it was clear that it didn't belong anywhere except the richest family. Since this tradition had been in use until a couple years back. As the imperial court made a fuss about how this was foreign above all, brought into the country. Popularized but not of their own origin.

Even if the treasury contained plenty of such antiques which value was still the same. But it was not the pride, the Emperor was the son of god. And that was how he needed to be viewed and so was his word. Even if the effect was nowhere near Kyokuhi, but the imperial court will sway it to their side.

Although the Shogun for generations had mostly kept their court and power to be solid. The ones who truly held the power and influence, although the imperial family was still able to influence. Not just reduced to mere figureheads and the culmination of divinity. Too divine to do anything other than be a symbol.

He kept the pendant back. As Sasai turned his attention onto him. "Tell me who it used to belong to."

Noticing that he had to have met with the owner beforehand. For it made the most sense of them all. How he will have gotten it, without anyone asking at all.

"A girl named Rin." He wasn't lying in this regard. "Around eleven when I got it from her."

"You could not have been any older than eleven as well." He pointed out a good point here. Seeing that both of them were of similar age. At least in how they dressed the very least.

"Well, we were friends." At least to be convincing as to why he managed to have it in his possession in the first place. It didn't make any sense otherwise.

"I can see that. So, any last name?"

"None."

"Anything that was unique about her."

"She looked like every other eleven year old at the time." Sasaki looked at him. Because that wasn't enough at all. "I even doubt that she was called Rin now."

"Then, why are you seeking me?" Because it made almost no sense at all. If he had a solid idea where she was.

"Because she left to be a daughter of a Samurai clan. At the very least, given that she left in a palanquin." Sasaki stared at him.

"Where was she last seen?"

"Living in a Geisha house." And Sasaki knew where he went to seek it in the first place.

"Are you certain she just didn't became a Geisha." It will have made the most sense than becoming an adopted daughter. That was difficult to be assured of at the end, since it was rare for a girl to become adopted. Without their original family being of the same descent as well. Or the fact that so little was known about her as well. Since many of them came with a certain family with them.

"Yes, I asked the owner."

"Which was the house?"

"Tohana." One of the most distinguished houses of them all, famous and well known for their Geisha. That they were the place to go if they were Daimyos. Even Shoguns could go, if it was rare that they will ever choose to.

Sasaki was curious, at least by how he reacted. Given that this was not just odd, it was also one which he had never anticipate at the very least. Or at the way it was going. If she stayed there for a period of time and left. Deep in his own thoughts, at least given by how silent he was.

"Is that a good thing?" He asked Enyou. With how he had simply forgot that they existed, being one that should be worrying given how it was. While Enyou didn't even seem to find it odd at all.

"No." At least she knew her own brother, and didn't find it odd for him.. "But it does mean that he will take this up."

"So, he likes to take things up because of interest."

Enyou nodded as a sign of agreement. At least with how much it made sense. Given that this was her elder brother, he will have been more surprised if she didn't know anything.

"I'll help you." He sat down in front of him. Putting down his fan, and finally getting to a smile.

"So, this is a success?" By the way it seemed, it made enough sense for it to have been so. Given that Sasaki was now helping him at the very least. With how it went, although he was still nowhere near as close. Although it hasn't been a month just yet.

"I think so, since my brother doesn't promise much.." If she has seen it, then he was able to charm it out of him after all. "Anyway, since your objective is achieved, would you mind just leaving."

"No." He got up and left them as fast as he could.

Now that this was settled, what was on his mind was whether Yuki will decide to break those ruled. Although Masami made the promise to look out when it came to her. He knew that at this point she will have been serious enough to know that it was not something that anyone should not do.

But there was no certainty, and only until he really had the chance to see it for himself then can he tell. At the very least.