It took Ren three more days before he could finish his remaining works. Since she still had to wait, Tsubaki spent the day before returning to her hometown with Kanako. Her friend invited her to an ice cream parlor near the center of the city. She said it was a popular attraction even before summer had started.
"Actually I wanted to ask you out tomorrow but you said you have to go somewhere else so what can I do?" Kanako complained as she took a bite of her strawberry cheesecake ice cream.
Tsubaki smiled softly. She scooped some of her matcha ice cream with mochi balls filling using her small spoon. The taste of this flavor was exquisite for her taste buds. She glad Kanako asked her to meet here.
"I have a personal matter to attend to so I'm going back to my hometown," Tsubaki replied after she savored the flavor. "Don't you have any friends from your circle? You could ask them out too."
"Them? Ha~" Kanako let out a heavy sigh. She propped up her left elbow, resting her chin on her palm while picking the bits of cheesecake from her ice cream. "I do have friends but most of them are currently overseas right now. Trying to escape from the heat, I think?"
Tsubaki couldn't help but laugh. Kanako had been sighing because while most of her friends were enjoying the cool air overseas, she was stuck in the company for an upcoming project. Her father had forbidden her from leaving the country so she could just focus on her work right now.
"Don't be sad. Your father still lets you go for a short vacation within this country, right?" Tsubaki narrowed her eyes as a teasing smile curved up on her lips. "Why don't you ask your Mr. Bodyguard to accompany you to the beach? You could get to know each other better that way."
"You!"
Kanako was flustered when Tsubaki suddenly mentioned the man who was currently standing outside of the ice cream parlor. Her eyes darted to him, secretly wishing he didn't hear Tsubaki's nonsense. He was focusing on what laid in front of him. His stony face didn't reveal even the slightest expression.
"How could you say that?" Kanako whispered as she glared at Tsubaki. "What if he heard you?"
Tsubaki raised her brows in a suggestive look. Kanako looked so cute when she was blushing.
"I haven't ask you his name," Tsubaki ignored Kanako's pouty face. "So, tell me."
Kanako eyed Tsubaki with a suspicion. Tsubaki looked really eager to know about her Mr. Bodyguard. Obviously it was for her friend to tease her later.
"Or, do you want me to ask him myself?" Tsubaki gave a lazy smile toward Kanako who was still contemplating her choice. Hearing her, Kanako quickly leaned over her, trying to shut her mouth.
"Don't you dare!" Kanako hissed.
Tsubaki laughed heartily. Teasing Kanako was fun!
"So, tell me," Tsubaki urged again.
Kanako sighed. She knew Tsubaki was being serious. Even though it was a trivial matter of asking someone his name, but, Kanako didn't want to raise any suspicion. He might already know her feelings but she could still keep her calm because he didn't make it obvious.
Eventually, she muttered a name. The light in her eyes softened as the name came out from her lips.
"Saito Hajime."
"What?" Tsubaki was slightly startled. "Saito Hajime as in... one of the captains of the Shinsengumi?"
Kanako smiled. Her eyes sneakily landed on the man's back. "Quite a historical figure, right? Well, I suppose the name suits him."
Tsubaki nodded. The name really suited a skilled bodyguard like him.
"You said you have like him for a few years already?"
Tsubaki was interested to know how a cold bodyguard like Saito Hajime attracted a lady like Kanako. She momentarily forgot that the man of her house was as cold as Kanako's Mr. Bodyguard too.
"I didn't know you could be quite gossipy," Kanako muttered. She licked the ice cream that was threatening to melt around the corner of her cup. "But, since you want to know Your Grace would tell you."
"Yes, yes, indulge me, Your Grace," Tsubaki played along with Kanako. She took a small mochi ball and popped it into her mouth.
Saito Hajime was recommended when President Esumi was searching for a new bodyguard for his daughter after the last one resigned. Kanako claimed she didn't know anything until the man suddenly appeared when she was riding her horse during her short equestrian trip with her friends at a resort. Her horse was frightened by two dogs and then like a knight in black armor he appeared and saved her from falling down.
It was quite a romantic yet dramatic encounter Tsubaki could say. Grandma would definitely love it if she knew about this story.
"So, Cupid struck his arrows to your heart the moment your eyes looked into his?" Tsubaki held herself back from giggling. She didn't want Kanako to stop talking because of her teasing. "Since then, you paid your attention to him until you realized you really like him?"
"Uhuh." Kanako hung her head down as she nodded. The reddening of the tips of her ears made Tsubaki wanted to further tease her.
"Enough about me," Kanako tried changing the subject as she knew Tsubaki would ask another question about her Mr. Bodyguard. "Why do you want to return to your hometown? Visiting your parents?"
Tsubaki placed the ice cream cup on the table. She smiled slightly. "I just want to return home. It's been years since the last time I went there."
Tsubaki hadn't told Kanako about her being an orphan and the latter assumed she still had her parents. Since Kanako wasn't one to probe over someone else's personal matter, Tsubaki didn't tell her anything.
"It's good if you return home. Take some time to recharge yourself before coming back to the city," Kanako laughed as she finished her ice cream. "President Fuse would follow you too? Or he is needed at the company?"
"He says he has mostly finished the important matters so he would come with me," Tsubaki smiled fondly when the image of her smiling husband flashed past her mind. "We won't be gone for a long time. Maybe just in three days?"
"Okay~ Just take you guys' sweet time in your home."
Tsubaki let out a giggle. Kanako stood up, she wanted to go to the restroom. Tsubaki fished out her phone while the latter made her way to the direction of the restroom. She opened her gallery. A few albums appeared on the screen. She opened the one where she kept the images of the photos of the logbook.
Ren had told her about Akashi's findings. One of the writings matched with the note left behind with Hinata. Akashi was still trying to search for any clues about the two women but unfortunately, it was already clear that both of them used fake identities.
Tsubaki had been looking at the photos countless times already but she still wasn't satisfied because so far there was no other clue regarding the two women. If Nakamura Sumire was her birth mother, then who was Fujioka Masami? How were they connected in the first place? She was doubtful if the two women didn't know each other.
"What are you looking at?"
"Ah!"
Tsubaki was startled when Kanako suddenly spoke by her right ear. In her shock, her phone fell from her hand, landing on the floor. Kanako immediately bent down to get Tsubaki's phone. She smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry! I didn't expect you'd be so shocked like that." Even in her sorriness, Kanako couldn't help but laugh.
"Gezz... Don't startle me like that," Tsubaki grumbled while glaring at Kanako. Kanako laughed again.
"Sorry! Here's your phone."
As Kanako handed Tsubaki her phone, her eyes landed on the photo appeared on the screen. A flicker of recognition flashed past her eyes. She retrieved the phone from Tsubaki's hands as she scanned the photo.
"Kanako, what's wrong?" Tsubaki was a bit confused when she saw the expression in Kanako's eyes.
"Nothing, it's just..." Kanako raised her eyes from the screen. She stared at Tsubaki's puzzled face. "This handwriting and name seem familiar."
Tsubaki's lips parted open. Her face froze as she looked back at Kanako.
As both of them stared at each other with different expressions displayed on their faces, a pair of sharp eyes landed on them from a distance.