Ume

Ume (梅) is a stern, charming young woman uses her charm to collect debts for her merchant husband. It is later revealed that her "husband" is already married and has many other mistresses.

Story
Ume makes her debut in Volume 3 as the beautiful young wife of Hishiya Tahei. Her natural charm and beauty makes her perfect for collecting any debts owed to her husband. Ume meets Serizawa Kamo when the former is sent to collect an unpaid bill for some clothing. Serizawa says that they are unable to pay off the debt and Ume claims to understand his dilemma, and tells Serizawa that she will return the next day to collect the debt. This encounter, however brief, is enough to make Serizawa fall head over heels in love.

Later that night, Tominaga Sei and Okita Souji stumble upon Ume and her husband talking about Serizawa. They overhear Ume asking Tahei when he will marry her, revealing that Tahei only uses Ume (and her charm) to collect debts, and has no intention of actually marrying her as he is already married. Though Soji tells Sei to keep this information from Serizawa, she later sees Tahei with yet another woman he calls his mistrees, and decides to tell Serizawa anyway.

The next day, Ume arrives to collect Serizawa’s debt. Serizawa confronts Ume about her “husband” and asks her to be his woman instead and leave Tahei. Though Ume claims to know about Tahei’s other women, she begs Serizawa to let her go so that she may go.

Sei and Soji arrive as a disheveled and upset Ume hastily leaves; it’s evident that Serizawa had forced himself on her in an attempt to show her how much he loved her. Kamiya is shocked at his approach, but Soji tells her that Serizawa is all heart and soul, and that Kamiya unwittingly unleashed him on Ume.



Serizawa, distraught and sure that Ume will never want him after what he did, goes on a drunken rampage. Sei is eventually able to calm him down, and while they walk home, they come across Ume, who tells them that she's left Tahei.

Despite being incredibly broke, Serizawa makes sure that Ume has the best of everything, no matter the cost. He treats her incredibly well, and though Ume may not return Serizawa's love, she is at least fond of him.

Later, it is decided by Kondo Isami and Hijikata Toshizo that Serizawa and his group must be killed, at least in part due to Serizawa’s destructive and offensive nature. Because of Ume’s closeness to Serizawa, she is also killed.