Akesato

Akesato (明里) is a prostitute in Shimabara who was once an apprentive Geisha involved with Tominaga Sei's older brother, Tominaga Yuuma. She uncovers Sei's secret and is one of her most valuable allies.

Story
Akesato, born Satono and later known as Sato, was from a small fishing village located on Biwa Lake. The daughter of a poor fisherman, Satono was an entertainer in Gion who eventually became involved with Sei’s bother, Yuuma.

After Yuuma died, Akesato's father became ill and was unable to work. In order to support her parents and four other siblings, Akesato sold herself to Hanaya in Shimabara and worked as prostitute.

A few months after Yuuma’s murder, Akesato meets “Kamiya Seizaboro” and quickly discovers it’s really Tominaga Sei in disguise. Against Akesato's pleas, Sei refuses to go back to being a girl, instead choosing to stay by Okita Souji's side. Akesato realizes that Sei is in love with Soji, and promises to help her in any way she can, becoming a sort of "big sister" to Sei. Akesato pretends to be “Seizaburo’s” lover, while also offering cover when Sei gets her period.

The rouse becomes complicated, however, when Satono meets fellow Shinsengumi member Yamanami Keisuke. When Yamanami accidentally drops a ryou coin in front of Akesato, she soon realizes that the coin fell from his tattered kimono sleeve. Embarrassed, he tells Akesato to keep the coin if he tells him her name. She then figures out that Yamanami must know Sei and tells him that he must come back with her as she can’t keep a ryou for nothing; she stitches up the sleeve for him. Upon Yamanami’s return, he finds that Satono sewed the coin into his sleeve and heads back to return it. Though at first Yamanami is worried that Sei, or rather Kamiya Seizaburo, will be angry with him for seeing “his woman”, Akesato insists that he isn’t that kind of man. They continue to see each other (and fall in love with each other) until the guilt becomes too much for Yamanami. He asks Akesato to stop seeing Seizaburo, but she refuses saying she has other customers just like him (when in reality Sei would have no where to hide when she has her period). Yamanami believes he is being deceived and decides to end their relationship. But as he turns to leave, Akesato grabs a sword and threatens to kill herself rather than reveal Sei’s secret or be with a man who doesn’t trust her. Yamanami understands that he truly loves Akesato and grabs the sword to stop her. They fall into each other's arms as Akesato whispers Seizaburo’s secret.

A few months later, Yamanami meets a young boy of about 7 named Masaichi (better known as Mabo) who had lost his parents and was later adopted out to a couple who, unfortunately, punished him for not speaking to them. The trauma caused Mabo to lose his voice, and he refused any help, instead playing childish tricks.

Yamanami becomes an accidental target of one of Mabo's games when he falls into a large hole, causing him to lose his wallet. Mabo takes an interest in the man, and follows him to Shimabara where he returns the wallet, meeting Akesato in the process. Despite his age, Mabo is smitten by her. As the days pass, Mabo slowly warms up to Yamanami and the three of them become a sort of family.

Disaster strikes, however, when Yamanami is sentenced to seppuku for deserting the troop. Though Yamanami did not want to see Satono before his death, claiming it would only cause lingering regret, Sei manages to find Akesato and takes her to Yamanami to say a final, tearful goodbye. After his death, Satono faints and is taken into the Yagi house to recover, with Mabo sleeping at her side. Later, when she awakes, Akesato tries to take her own life before being stopped by Mabo, who finally regains his voice. Mabo says her he wants to go with her, and Sei tells her that if she takes her own life, she’ll also be taking Mabo’s, as well as any memories of Yamanami. Akesato breaks down and hugs Mabo.

Two days later, Akesato's mother comes to visit her at Shimabara. She tells Akesato that Yamanami came to visit and has helped pay for her freedom. Now free from her duties, Akesato, now known as Sato, and Mabo move into a small residence near the Shinsengumi headguarters, determined to start a new life together. Though Sei is still able to stay with Satono, Mabo, who believes Sei is a man, is very jealous of their “relationship” - he says he will bear it until he can take care of her himself.