“Ask for her name, Kogu.”

“Oh I’m sure it’d be easy for you to do so yourself. You’re a lady’s man.”

“No, I’m not. I just had an affair with one other woman.”

“Really, your wife’ll kill the shit out of you.”

“She won’t find out about Azuki”

“Say, my wife’s name is also Azuki. What a coincidence!”

“Err…”

“Damn it just ask for the girl’s name, will you?!”

“Err… Himura,” the man turned to Battousai, talking with him with an air of caution as if he was going to strangle them at any second. “You were the one who brought her here, right?”

Battousai didn’t answer.

“What’s her name, Himura?”

The conversation was driving him insane. It was so irritatingly unpleasant to listen to. Lunch was drowned by the conversation being held by three of his comrades, all talking about the woman he had brought in last night. Just this morning, as soon as the woman came to deliver their breakfast, she had become that center of attention. It was as if the first time that they have seen a woman. Battousai had to endure the whole morning riding jokes and questions from his comrades, teasing him about bringing home a beautiful woman.

“Tomoe,” he finally answered after a while.

The three men looked as if their birthday had come early, looking more dreary than before. Battousai almost regretted telling the young woman’s name.

“Tomoe…” one man said airily. “That’s the loveliest name I’ve ever heard.”

“Was that just a pick-up line?” the other one said jokingly. “Well at least we could now talk to her.”

“Well that’s - ”

The three men stopped talking almost in an instant. Battousai stood up without looking at any one of them, and left the room, not giving a damn if all eyes were fixed on him.

He didn’t know what urged him to walk-out on his comrades. Perhaps it was the meaningless jibbering, he thought... meaningless jibbering about the woman, whom he was as merciful to spare; one who he has brought to the headquarters to be kept safe, and not to be the object of his comrades’ fantasy. Just as these thoughts were occupying him, he came face-to-face with Tomoe, who was holding a tray of food.

She and Battousai boarded eyes on each other for a while, but both looked away almost in an instant. When she had gone futher, Battousai looked over his shoulder, wondering if he should escort her to the room. But what the hell, he thought. What did it matter to him if something happened to Tomoe? Besides, his comrades know better than to mess around with a woman he himself had brought with him. A sense of respect and possession must exist somewhere.