Year of the Crow, First Month, Day 14.

 This morning was colder than it has been for the past few days and I did not enjoy dragging myself out of bed at all. I was concentrating so hard on the form we were practising that I almost did not notice that someone was observing from a window on the second floor of the House. Almost... A slight movement in my peripheral vision made me glance about and just as he moved out of view, I saw Sasanuma. I had decided not to dwell on him and his antics but now of course, I cannot help but wonder if I was right to be suspicious.

If he had been observing out of mere curiosity or perhaps wanting to check on what his man was up to, why hide? No, not hide, skulk. Yes, that is the only word for it. Skulk. Deliberately lurking in the shadows to avoid being seen. Except I did see. I did see and I can be fairly certain that he knows I saw. Kaede is his lover and Suzuki works for him so why the secrecy? He could simply stride out onto the training ground and openly observe if he so wished. But instead, he chose to watch us from somewhere he thought he would not be seen ... why?

I wonder if he was up there at Kaede's behest but if that were the case, again, why? Why would she ask him to spy on a group of women learning how to use a sword when she is down there with us? Unless she has seen something which concerns her but what could that possibly be? Surely I would have noticed if there were something amiss? Perhaps I am not nearly as observant as I like to believe ... another thought occurs to me which is that I do not know how many days Sasanuma has been up there watching... Today may have been the first or he may have been up there since we began but surely I would have seen him before now, surely?

I must stop this. It is not helpful. I am starting to sound as paranoid as Yuika... but what if Kaede is in danger from him after all? What if, there is something huge I just cannot see and he is as bad as Shigeru or worse, even? No. I must stop. I must stop interfering. I did not help Yuika and I cannot help Kaede. I must focus on my goal and get ready to travel to Purple Lightning. I feel excited that within but a few sevendays I might finally have an answer to my questions. 

There will be a bard in the Hall this evening and tomorrow the acrobats will be back. On my final evening here by a divine coincidence, a troupe of fire breathers will perform in the courtyard; I imagine I will enjoy that a great deal. I used to love watching such shows when I was younger. Of course then, I genuinely believed that they were eating the fire and actually breathing it out as if they were dragons. It was such a treat to see them. We would be given little paper pouches of candied fruit pieces and nuts to eat while they danced around all but naked and performed tricks with fire. What a wonderful way to end my stay here that will be.

It is a few sticks before the evening meal so I think I will take a walk around the House and see Hikari and Kiku for a while and then I will see if someone will trim my hair; it is getting to my shoulders now and I do not like it.