[ Majima regarded her for a moment or two, studying her face. He seemed hardly to notice the rising steam. ]

...I disobeyed orders. I was supposed to work together with my brother to kill the head of a rival clan, and everyone the guy had with him. But my boss changed his mind at the last minute. Told me to call the whole thing off.

Only by then, Saejima was already on his way. If I followed orders, it'd mean leavin' my brother to die.