#when I got heisuke and “go” I immediately thought of running

[nollatooru]

Hello I'm back with character challenges!

Saito's referring to this live drama, and the next year Okita did appear there too.

[trixibebe]

Introducing: Ishin! Kori (or Cornelia), one of the bath ladies at Harima

Because of course I gotta make an Ishin counterpart to my OC, turning the reader insert of Godless into my chara (just like the last time). Below is basically a summary :)

Cornelia's story begins in France where she was born and where lived with her middle- class family running a business, even dipping their toes into Asian territory. She had always been quite reckless, albeit a little timid, following her heart. Some may even call her selfish for that. That is because one day she fell for the son of a business partner of the family, someone who promised to marry her one day. With promises like these she didn't think about the consequences of sleeping with him before marriage. A big mistake. The family eventually found out and since she was now impure she wouldn't find a diligent man that would marry her. So she got disowned. But wouldn't it be alright if she got married to the man she thought she loved? He promised her, didn't he? What none of them knew was that there was arranged marriage for the man in place. Later did she realize that leaving him behind didn't bother her as much as she thought it would.

And just like that she was left with nothing. Well, not quite. Her family was generous enough to give her some money and bode her farewell. Wanting to go as far as possible she chose to go Japan. Yokohama was her first stop since the settlement of the Westerners was located there. But she wanted to go somewhere with more opportunities so she went to Kyo almost immediately. Another mistake.

As she stepped foot into the city she got robbed for everything she had. In a fateful turn of events she met the owner of the bath house Harima (he didn't get a name in-game right? so gotta call him Kitahara). Kitahara was generally rather sympathetic towards foreigners and had previously lost his daughter a few years prior. Taking pity on Cornelia he took her in, let her work in the bath house and was an immense help for her to learn the language. His wife helped her to get her dressed and did her hair until she learned to do it on her own. So she quite looked the part at least until you got a closer look at her. She got more than enough verbal harassment over her looks but she was trying not let it get to her as she was just grateful to be somewhere that is not back at home and not on the streets. She kept her head low, she walked through town with a hat on. It also made her job at the bath house a little different, she mostly was just a backup if any other lady was occupied. Normally on each given afternoon and evening she just tended to everything else, fixing baskets, washing uniforms etc. In the morning she helped around the house, cleaned and cooked with Mrs. Kitahara. Besides the married couple, Cornelia's support system also included Tom! So it was not all bad. Talking to the wannabe-samurai always brightened her days, but it was nothing more than that. He had his head full with his aspirations after all.

Her life changed again when on one fateful day the captain of the 8th division of the Shinsengumi, Todo Heisuke decided to get cleaned up at Harima. And she would be the one attending to him, the other bath ladies being occupied. Cori didn't have much of an opinion on the Shinsengumi, she wasn't really involved in the matters of the country in general, she'd only hear conflicting opinions about them. The bath house owner wasn't thrilled about seeing the captain but business is business, so she attended to him.

Much to her surprise he wasn't mean to her as she would've expected him to as most guests weren't too happy if they got the foreign girl. They got along rather easily. Little did she know that there was method to the kind behavior of the captain. He kept coming back to the bath, they kept bumping into each other on the street with Todo even saving her from a group of thugs. And before she realized she started to look forward to seeing him. He was one of the few people who gave her the time of the day and it made her immensely happy. One night the city was livelier than usual, streets filled with Shinsengumi troopers. Word of mouth was that they raided an inn. It wasn't exactly safe to walk around.

When Cori was on her way home she had another encounter with Todo. Trying to wrap her head around the man was no easy feat as he seemingly waited for her only to tell her to go home. And to get a kiss from her. Without much else he left, leaving her completely flabbergasted.

She didn't have much time to wonder as the next day the samurai showed up again at the bathhouse. She felt a little awkward about it but as they kept talking that feeling was gone, replaced once again with feeling content... As she was about to leave after finishing her duties, he stopped her in her tracks, asking if she would want to meet up later in an inn. Todo told her he wanted to ask something. Another odd thing she couldn't quite understand. But maybe it was just an excuse, not wanting to straight up what he wants. Still she had a hunch where this was going and once again she didn't care about the consequences, she deeply admired him for his assumed skill, for his confidence. He made her feel accepted and wanted, not just tolerated. He had her wrapped around his finger. So she agreed.

The meeting was almost what she expected. They drank a little, played strip-rock-paper-scissors and then he left her more satisfied than she ever was. But it wasn't the end of it. There was indeed a question he wanted to ask her. He asked her to be a spy for him, letting him know about any loyalist plans she may happen to overhear. Here he revealed that making her like him was a deliberate choice on his side, he wanted to have a spy after all. But he also actually liked and wanted her, he liked that she didn't care about him being part of the Shinsengumi, she showed him her true face from the get-go, not being afraid of him, not being fake-polite either. She felt conflicted about the request, sleeping on it first, but eventually agreed. She'd do it for him.

So the months passed, they spent a lot of nights together whenever he had time to spare, they talked, played, got to first name basis, fell in love. But she never dared staying until morning. She always told old-man Kitahara that she was out with Tom. She knew he wouldn't be a fan of Heisuke, and even less of a fan of the idea of her seeing the captain. But eventually the cat was outta the bag and Cori and Kitahara had a fight. He pleaded with her to be sensible as being with Heisuke could get her killed a lot faster. But she was serious about him, and so was the captain. So reluctantly Kitahara backed off. What else could he do? He couldn't put her on the street and she was a grown woman who can make her own decisions. But the peace wouldn't last long as one day Heisuke came to the bathhouse for a talk. He took Cori outside and confided in her that the city would burn that night. He wanted to alert her, hoping that she'd be safe. Turns out being near water during a fire would be quite beneficial and Cori got away without much of a scratch, she was rather busy with helping the people who sought refuge at the bathhouse. Much to her relief Heisuke was safe and sound too, but he told her he would be busy in the coming days. "Restructuring in the Shinsengumi" he said.

Nothing prepared her for a samurai with an eye-patch storming in Harima a few days later, grabbing her impatiently, dragging her along because Heisuke had called for her. The panic that rose in her hearing that was very nothing compared to the helplessness she felt when fining her beloved bleeding out on the floor of the inn Teradaya. One of his last requests was seeing her for a final time, wishing that they maybe meet again. Maybe in another life.

Bonus round: soulmates/reincarnation AU thing The OG story of Godless ends there but talking with @ariesfaeries I cooked up an idea linking Cori with Kori (who's based on my fic LYLMM ofc). Since Okita was the one who grabbed her on the night Heisuke passed and was also very close to him, he started visiting Harima, checking in on her. Sharing grief, sharing stories. Slowly healing. Starting to care for each other. Maybe even falling a little in love in due time, who knows. But it's not the same. Cori lost part of her soul that night and nothing is going to change that. Nothing and no one is ever going to make her feel like Heisuke did. So cut to the (relative) present (and the events of LYLMM). Kori is together with Majima, until he supposedly dies. It hits her hard, she's completely out of it for a long while but eventually gets over it. Life has to go on after all. Then she meets Zhao and something in her clicks. There is familiarity she cannot pinpoint exactly but she feels a pull towards him instantly. Unbeknownst to her he feels the same curiosity, some form of recognition. Finding your other half. And maybe this (in addition to everything else) is also a big reason why Kori is so afraid for Zhao's life. Something inside her tells her that she wouldn't get over it if she'd lose him.

[hakuogakuen]

Hakuouki SSL: Chapter 1 (Saitou)

Here is the translation for chapter 1 of Saitou’s route! Translating was done by shizuumi and yuugs. Proofreading by shizuumi, kuririn, and dei-hime. 

Translation begins under the cut! You can also find it at our blog!

―― June ――

As the calendar turns to the next page, our uniforms turn to summer ones as well.

In April and May, I was so desperate to get used to high school life that the months just flew by….

‘Lately, I think I’ve finally made a place for myself in my life at Hakuo Academy.’

Of course, it was still an environment meant for boys, so I still felt a little out of place. But thanks to my reliable friends and teachers, I was living a fulfilling life at school——

Two months had passed since I began high school. It was a clear and sunny morning in June. When I came to school, immediately after entering the building, the first thing I felt was an odd atmosphere.

As I climbed the stairs, just as I turned onto the landing——

Chizuru Yukimura: “Wah!?”

???: “Ah!”

I collided with the student rushing around the corner, and ended up falling on my butt.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Ow…" 

Susumu Yamazaki: “Yukimura-kun? Sorry…”

Hajime Saitou: “I told you not to rush, Yamazaki. Are you alright, Yukimura?”

I looked up into two faces I recognized. Saitou-senpai was holding a textbook under one arm. He held out his hand to me.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Ah… yes, I’m alright." 

Trying not to overthink it, I grabbed his hand and he pulled me upright.

Chizuru Yukimura: ”…Thank you for that.“ 

Chizuru Yukimura:: "I’m sorry, Yamazaki-senpai. I wasn’t being careful.”

As I bowed deeply to the two of them, I noticed a second year textbook had fallen to the floor.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Isn’t this your textbook, Yamazaki-senpai?”

Susumu Yamazaki: “O-Oh, did I drop it?  …I didn’t notice. Thanks.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “……”

Something was off. Yamazaki’-senpai’s eyes had kind of a glazed look,  and there were dark circles underneath them. Saitou-senpai also looked tired.

‘This seems…’

[Are you alright?] or [Are you not getting enough sleep?]

Chizuru Yukimura: “Um...are the two of you alright?”

Hajime Saitou: "...Us? Why do you ask?”

Chizuru Yukimura: “I might be jumping to conclusions, but….you look really sick.”

Susumu Yamazaki: “No...we’re fine. Don’t worry about us. Saitou-kun and I, see, late into the night, we’ve each been...um...well, we didn’t get much sleep last night.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “I don’t really get it, but if you two are having a rough time, it’s would be best to take a break in the infirmary—”

Susumu Yamazaki: “No! I can’t rest! This next class is the one I’m most worried about.”

Hajime Saitou: “Indeed, Chemistry is expected to be particularly difficult this time around. You’ll regret it if you don’t thoroughly prepare.”

Susumu Yamazaki: “Exactly. Although I’d like to rest... In any case, thank you for worrying about us, Yukimura-kun.”

With that, the two of them wandered staggering, down the stairs to the floor below. It made me worry for them in another way entirely; they were sure to run into someone again in that state.

Chizuru Yukimura: “They’re both studying so much they look sick.”

Was their class really that important…? I watched their weary figures until they disappeared down the hall before continuing on my own way.

__

All morning, the school had been filled with chattering students. The hallway before the classrooms was especially lively. Maybe it was because classes hadn’t started yet. Having gotten to know them over the last two months,  I exchanged greetings with my classmates in the hall as I headed to my classroom. On the way, I saw familiar faces in the distance and suddenly stopped in my tracks.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Heisuke-kun and Okita-senpai?" 

I thought that was a freshman classroom. Why would two sophomores be there? It would be time for Homeroom soon…

 [Call out to them] or  [Leave them alone]

Chizuru Yukimura: "I've heard those two are often running late...Yeah, I'll leave them be."

I decided to watch them go on their way without a word, passing up the chance to talk with them.

__

When I entered the classroom, I took out my textbook and notebook to get ready for class. The bell rang as soon as I’d finished, and I heard the sound of the door opening.

Sanosuke Harada: “Take your seats, guys. Homeroom’s starting.”

As Harada-sensei came in, everyone rushed to their seats.

Classmate A: “Stand! Bow!”

Sanosuke Harada: “All right, morning!”

Everyone in class:  “Good morning!”

Sanosuke Harada: “Time for attendance…is what I was going to say, but it seems like everyone’s here. Raise a hand if not.”

Ryuunosuke Ibuki: “You can’t do that if you’re not here…”

Ibuki-kun startled me by suddenly speaking up. A laugh escaped me before I could stop myself. Harada-sensei did make jokes like this at times. He really was a friendly, kind teacher.

Sanosuke Harada: “Now then, you all started school two months ago, and now it’s June. With that being the case…Though you might already know this, our school’s midterm exams start in two weeks! Make sure to study diligently, you guys. Put your feet up and slack off, and who knows what horrors you might be tempting?”

Harada-sensei smirked as if he knew something we didn’t.

Ryuunosuke Ibuki: "Horrors…?”

Sanosuke Harada: “If you think this’ll be the same as tests back in middle school, you’ll be in for a bad time. As you all know, Hakuo Academy has a teacher that’s much more passionate about educating its students than other schools do.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Passionate about educating, meaning–”

Ryuunosuke Ibuki: “…It’s Hijikata-sensei, isn’t it?”

Sanosuke Harada: “Well, so it goes. Following a certain teacher’s suggestion, there’ll be penalties for students with lower scores. Those scoring less than 50% in a subject will receive a special homework assignment, and must clean all the school’s windows.“

Everyone in class:  ”……“

As Harada-sensei with his explanation, everyone in class got paler and paler.

Sanosuke Harada: “Below 30% gets you cleaning corridors on top of the additional homework… And below that, the punishments get extra special.”

Chizuru Yukimura: ”'Special,’ he says…“

Sanosuke Harada: "Below 20% means doing a problem set, weeding the school yard, and a week of additional classes!”

Classmate A:  “Whaaaaat?!”

Sanosuke Harada: “Sorry, but it’s already set in stone. Don’t like it? Then study like there’s no tomorrow. I don’t think anyone should get lower than 50%. If you study then you’ll be in the clear, right?”

While listening to Harada-sensei, I recalled what happened this morning. The reason why Saitou-senpai and Yamazaki-senpai seemed so off was probably this.

Chizuru Yukimura: “……”

While I didn’t mind studying, there was no way I’d want extra homework.

Ryuunosuke Ibuki: “What would that guy do to me if I got myself stuck in supplemental classes…?!” Ibuki’s face drained of all color, and he hung his head. 

This was going to be difficult. I would have to brace myself… The midterm exams would begin the week after next. Although I had thought June’s hardships were over, the real battle was just around the corner. 

__

“Phew...” with all the meal sets having such big portions, I was full before I even realized it. 

I started heading back to my classroom before lunch ended. I was walking down the hallway feeling content, when…

???: “Your expression is especially foolish today, Chizuru.”

I looked back in confusion to see Kaoru and Saitou-senpai standing side by side.

Chizuru Yukimura: “H-Hello, Saitou-senpai. And Kaoru…”

Kaoru Nagumo: “That’s some greeting. From your tone, it sounds as if you’re unhappy to see me.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “I didn’t mean it like that… but, um, was I really making such a strange face?”

Kaoru Nagumo: “Yes, an unbearably stupid one. Honestly, I’m saying this as your brother: it’s deplorable.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Ugh…”

Hajime Saitou: “...Yukimura, mind him. Nagumo is putting it a bit too harshly.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “You think so...?”

Hajime Saitou: “I do. I haven’t thought such a thing about your expression even once today. If I had to put it into words, I’d say you looked remarkably happy just nowー”

Kaoru Nagumo: “That’s a rather mild way to put it. Just tell it to her straight: her face looked like the lights were on, but no one was home.”

Hajime Saitou: “T-That’s not true. Although she looked a little inattentive, nevertheless…”

I couldn’t keep myself composed as they commented back and forth on my expression. I spoke up, hoping to change the subject:

Chizuru Yukimura: “M-more importantlyー have you gotten close with Saitou-senpai, Kaoru? You hang out during lunch, and seem to get along.”

Kaoru wasn’t a people person by any stretch, so I was glad he found such a nice senior to get along with. Kaoru just snorted at my relieved expression.

Kaoru Nagumo: “That’s rich. But I’d appreciate it if you stopped misunderstanding and making your mind up about my business without my asking you to.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “What…?”

Kaoru Nagumo: “I’m not buddy-buddy with this guy, okay? Not now, and not ever. If I didn’t have tedious work to do for the disciplinary committee again today, I’d have no reason to spend time with him.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Hey, now…. You’ll offend Saitou-senpai if you keep talking like that.”

Before Kaoru could respond to my admonishing him, Saitou-senpai shook his head.

Hajime Saitou: “I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to worry about it.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Saitou-senpai…”

Hajime Saitou: “He’s always like this.”

It was as if he could do nothing but resign himself to the idea that even remarking on it would be pointless. And in the end, it seemed like the senpai-kouhai divide also kept them apart. But I still thought Kaoru’s attitude was a problem. ...But what could I do about it?

[Scold him seriously.] or [Just leave it at that.]

Chizuru Yukimura: “Kaoru. You shouldn’t take advantage of Saitou-senpai’s tolerance like that.”

Kaoru Nagumo: “...Hm?”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Even you wouldn’t like other people talking about you the way you have been about him, right?”

Kaoru’s eyes widened in surprise, but he wouldn’t back down. Far from it…

Kaoru Nagumo: “Like I care. If we’re talking about failings, you’re worse than I am.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “M-Me?”

Kaoru rattled on without pause.

Kaoru Nagumo: “You should be more aware of the school’s disciplinary measures. Are you even preparing for the tests properly?”

Chizuru Yukimura: “I-I’m going to from now onー”

Kaoru Nagumo: “Not to mention all the weirdos hanging around you. If you don’t get yourself togetherー”

Hajime Saitou: “Nagumo. Yukimura’s not a child. There’s no need to nitpick so much.”

Kaoru Nagumo: “Would the outsider mind keeping out of this? We’re siblings, and this is a family matter.”

Despite Saitou-senpai throwing me a lifeline, Kaoru wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t get a word in edgewise with the way he was carrying on. It felt like he was going to drag it out to no end, butー

[Stand firm and retort] or [Accept his words sincerely]

Chizuru Yukimura: “You’ve got lots to say about me, but what about yourself, Kaoru?!”

Kaoru Nagumo: “Whaー”

I couldn’t just let him walk all over me. Fixing my gaze on him and steeling my voice, I fired my own retort back at him.

Chizuru Yukimura: “I’m happy you’re worried about me, but what about you? Have you been studying properly?”

Kaoru Nagumo: “A-Are you trying to lecture me here? You’ve got some real nerve, consideringー”

Chizuru Yukimura: “That’s not what I’m trying to do. It’s hard balancing committee work with your studies, right? I just want you to look after yourself properly, too. That’s all.”

Kaoru Nagumo: “You don't need to look after me. Just leave me alone.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “But you’re my brother. It’s not a matter of ‘needing to’ or not. And furthermore, I decide who my friends are. I don’t know what you think of them, but I’ll be the one to decide whether they’re weirdos or not.”

Kaoru Nagumo: “......”

Chizuru Yukimura: “S-So, um...you should also stop trying to push everyone away, and try getting to know them better instead…”

On the other hand, I wondered whether Kaoru would even consider what I was saying after already berating me so much...but it felt like I had finally managed to express myself. In response, Kaoru said:

Kaoru Nagumo: “If you so want to disregard my advice, then that’s fine by me. And same with your weirdo friends. Make as many as you want. See if I care!”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Wh-What...?!”

But Kaoru turned away from me and all but sprinted off down the hall. He ran the length of the hallway and disappeared around the corner. Just like that, he vanished from my sight.

Chizuru Yukimura: “...Honestly.”

Hajime Saitou: “......”

Chizuru Yukimura: “...!!” What an embarrassing sibling fight, and Saitou-senpai witnessed it from start to finish. “I-I’m so sorry, Saitou-senpai…!”

Hajime Saitou: “There’s nothing for you to apologize for. Naturally, I won’t make fun of you for it, either. Rather, it has only revealed a misunderstanding in my initial impression of you.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Impression… of me?”

Hajime Saitou: “Yes. I had assumed you were more of a meek sort who would quietly endure a scolding. But it seems that I was mistaken. You truly stand your ground, no matter what.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “O-oh…”

I was very happy to hear Saitou-senpai speaking so highly of me...but when I thought about how I had just acted, I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

Hajime Saitou: Well, like you said, Nagumo’s attitude is fairly problematic. However, he’s doing his committee work diligently, despite appearances. So, you don’t have to worry. It’ll be alright. I’m sure he’ll do well, in his own way.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Saitou-senpai…”

Hajime Saitou: “...Although, it will likely be hard for him to make friends, seeing how he doesn’t wish to. Seeing you patiently and earnestly trying to persuade him, trying to get him to follow your lead; I think it could make a difference for him.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “...Thank you.”

I was so happy, hearing Saito-senpai’s words, that a smile naturally came to my face. Having a proper talk with Kaoru was a good idea after all. I’m really glad we did.

Hajime Saitou: “......”

Chizuru Yukimura: “...? Is something wrong?”

Hajime Saitou: “...Having siblings must be nice. It seems like you’re able to be yourself and show your true feelings when you’re talking with Kaoru. I...suppose I’m a little jealous that you can be that genuine, perhaps…”

Saitou-senpai gave me a vague smile, and said nothing more. 

After that, he and I parted ways, and I walked back to my classroom at a brisk pace.

_ _

As the days went by, the older students, who already knew how severe the penalties were, grew more and more desperate. Seeing them also made us grow more anxious as well, as freshmen. The strange tension that enveloped Hakuo Academy just kept growing stronger.

And then…

――  7 days until the tests ――

While we studied for our tests day after day, Harada-sensei looked around at our exhausted faces and grinned from his podium.

Sanosuke Harada: “Looking good, guys. It looks like you lot finally understand how serious we are about our tests.”

Ryuunosuke Ibuki: “What does he mean, 'looking good’? This is just agony…”

Sanosuke Harada: “Hey, don’t say that. It’s not like I don’t get what you’re going through. Just think of this as a rite of passage. This is what you signed up for enrolling into Hakuo Academy. There’s no turning back now. Anyway, just do your best.”

Everyone in class: ”……“

What he said was irrefutably correct. Everyone lost the will to argue, and went silent.

_ _

――  6 days until the tests ――

That day, I ran into Kazama-senpai in the corridor without expecting to. Naturally, Amagiri-senpai

and Shiranui-senpai were shadowing him, as usual.

Chikage Kazama: “Chizuru. Less than a week remains until testing begins. Are you studying properly?”

Chizuru Yukimura: “I am. I’m working at my own pace, and it’s going fairly well, I think…”

'How about you, Kazama-senpai?’ …I felt like I didn’t even need to ask. Why? Because he seemed plenty calm as a smug smile spreading across his face.

Chikage Kazama: “These students growing so flustered over mere high school tests is truly unsightly. Don’t you think so?”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Uh… T-That’s…”

Kyou Shiranui: "Uh, no, 'cause high school students are bound to freak out over high school tests. Rather than unsightly, it’s just normal.

Kyuuju Amagiri: ”…Kazama-sama. If we do not depart soon, you will be late for your next lesson.“

Chikage Kazama: “Hmph. Whether or not I attend any classes, there’s not a single thing the test will cover that I won’t understand… But very well. Let us show our faces in class for today. Well then, I bid you farewell.”

I was left standing alone in the hallway, overwhelmed as Kazama-senpai swaggered off with an arrogant look on his face.

_ _

――  5 days until the tests ――

Chizuru Yukimura: “Good morning, Saitou-senpai.”

Hajime Saitou: “Is that you, Yukimura? Morning.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “You still have disciplinary committee work in the mornings even though we only have five days until the tests. That must be hard…”

Hajime Saitou: “No, it’s important to accumulate knowledge on a regular basis in order to study properly. So there’s no point in panicking just before a test.”

Just what you’d expect from Saitou-senpai…

Hajime Saitou: “However, all sports and culture clubs have suspended their activities for the tests. So since Heisuke’s not with you, he must be late. One strike for him.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “N-No, he’s on class duty today, so he should’ve arrived before me!”

Hajime Saitou: “Come to think of it, he might’ve passed by a short while ago…”

Looking at him more closely, I could see the dark bags under Saitou-senpai’s eyes. On the surface, he looked as dignified as ever, but his grip on his pen looked a little shaky, too. Perhaps Saitou-senpai was staying up late studying too…

_ _

――  4 days until the tests ――

On Saturday, I was studying in my room, when suddenly my cell phone rang.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Okita-senpai…?”

‘A message with a picture attached, as usual. Let’s have a look…’

He was making a peace sign at the camera, with an odd-looking plushie hanging from his hand.

“I won a toy that I thought you’d like. 

I’ll give it to you at school. 

I’ll even bring it up to your classroom for you.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “……”

‘What kind of tastes does he think I have? Moreover…’

Chizuru Yukimura: “Even though it’s a Saturday with tests right around the corner, he still finds time to fool around!”

_ _

――  3 days until the tests ――

It was Sunday morning.

I decided to do a little sweeping by the front door for a change of pace. At that moment, Heisuke-kun appeared, staggering.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Heisuke-kun?! Are you okay…!?”

Heisuke Toudou: “Chizuru… Mornin’…”

He had terrible, dark bags under his eyes and his eyes were hollow. He was so exhausted that he couldn’t even walk straight.

Heisuke Toudou: “I-I’m on the verge of falling asleep… So I’m running a lap around the block. Must…stay…awake…”

Chizuru Yukimura: “But if you don’t sleep a little, you won’t last until the test!" 

Heisuke Toudou: "No way! I’m not done studying yet! I’ll totally flunk it!! Don’t stop me, Chizuru! Don’t stop me! I’m not ready to die yet!”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Wait, Heisuke-kun! A whole lap around the block is too much no matter how you look at it—”

I tried to stop him, but he’d already run off… While watching his disappearing figure staggering in zigzags down the road, I could only pray for his safety.

_ _

――  2 days until the tests ―― 

During recess.

I gathered my class’s printouts and brought them to the staff room…

Toshizou Hijikata: “……”

Hijikata-sensei, looking particularly annoyed, was sighing deeply. He looked no better than the students, just as exhausted by pre-test frenzy.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Is something wrong, Hijikata-sensei?”

Toshizou Hijikata: “Those guys are so tired from cramming that they sleep through my classes. Because of them, I’m screaming my lungs out every morning. Classes are a key part of test preparations. Their priorities are all backwards!”

Chizuru Yukimura: “…You’ve been working really hard…”

I think they just stay up all night studying out of fear of punishment… Even though I understood Hijikata-sensei’s concerns, I couldn’t help but smile wryly.

__  

―― At last, the day before the test ――

Chizuru Yukimura: “Finally, it’s tomorrow…”

At the end of the school day, while I was putting away my textbooks, I glanced to the desk beside mine…

Ryuunosuke Ibuki: “……”

Ibuki-kun sat here, engrossed in his studies, showing no signs of getting up to go home.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Ibuki-kun, aren’t you going home?”

Ryuunosuke Ibuki: “Ah… I wouldn’t be able to study even if I did. Since Serizawa-san’s there…”

Ibuki-kun often mentions him when we talk. It seems like he doesn’t get along with this ‘Serizawa-san’. With him looking so cornered, I could only bring a forced smile to my lips.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Do your best.”

Ryuunosuke Ibuki: “You too.”

He gave a little smile, and then, as if he were clinging onto his desk, dived back into his books for the test.

At that moment…

Chizuru Yukimura: “?”

I noticed my phone vibrating in my pocket and took it out. A message notification came up on my screen.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Oh, it’s from Osen-chan.”

Osen is my friend who attends Shimabara Girls’ High School not too far away from my academy.

—–

Sub: Will you be okay for the test?

Chizuru-chan, are you going to be okay for the tests?

I can’t take it anymore~!

I just want to run away from it all~!

But, after we get through these midterms, we definitely need to hang out! 

I will survive them on your moral support, Chizuru-chan!!

—– 

Chizuru Yukimura: “I see. They have tests at the same time as us. Shimabara High is a sister school to Hakuo Academy, come to think of it…”

“Jeez, Osen-chan…”

Having read her message, I decided to reply right away. ‘But what should I write?’

[I’m looking forward to it!] or [Let’s concentrate on studying!]

Chizuru Yukimura: “'I’m looking forward to it!’ …and send.”

I think it’s easier to persevere when there’s a prize waiting for you after all the struggle.

A short while after I sent it, Osen-chan replied.

—��

RE: Will you be okay for the test?

Definitely!

Let’s both do our best!

—–

Chizuru Yukimura:  “Hehe…”

I could feel my motivation grow with Osen-chan cheering for me.

“Well, I should go over my notes one last time before the test…”

I finished getting ready and took my bag, leaving the classroom.

 __

Then… 

Chizuru Yukimura: “Woah!” 

I had headed to the library with the intention of reviewing my notes one last time before the test… but it seemed like i wasn’t the only one. The library was extremely crowded.

Chizuru Yukimura: “What should I do…?”

I didn’t think I’d be able to concentrate with so many people around. I couldn’t even see a single free seat I could take anyway.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Should I study at home, then…?” 

I gave up and left the library. Halfway through the entry hall, I came across a familiar face.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Good afternoon, Saitou-senpai.”

Hajime Saitou: “Oh, Yukimura. Are you heading home now?”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Yes. I’d actually planned to stay at school and study before the test, but…”

After I told him the whole story, he went quiet for a moment.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Um...Saitou-senpai?”

Hajime Saitou: “I’ll just say, first, that this may be none of my business. So I don’t mean to impose on you in any way… but if you’re looking for a quiet spot to study, I know just the place.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “This is my first time coming here after school!”

The place Saitou-senpai showed me was the science lab. Looking around the deserted lab in surprise, my voice was louder than I’d intended.

HS: “That’s no surprise. A normal student would have no business being here after school. This room in particular was assigned to the disciplinary committee to use.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “So this is where you and Kaoru usually do all your disciplinary work. Is it really okay for me to be here?”

Hajime Saitou: “It’s alright. The test is tomorrow, so the committee is taking a day off. Of course, students are also allowed to come here to review material for their studies.” Saitou-senpai continued, “Nagumo was saying he’d come here later too, but the other committee members won’t be coming. So it’s a suitable environment for studying.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Thank you!” Nodding my head in thanks, I sat across from him and took out my notebooks.

Hajime Saitou: “......”

Chizuru Yukimura: “......”

We were both wrapped up in our studies, the science lab silent. Saitou-senpai and I were the very picture of studiousness as we concentrated on our work.  

I don’t know if it was because it was Saitou-senpai, who always had a dignified air about, sitting across from me, but I felt more tense than usual. Maybe it was thanks to that feeling that I felt like I was making unusually good progress. 

As that thought crossed my mind…

Chizuru Yukimura: “...Oh.”

I’d accidentally lost my grip on the eraser I was using. In my rush to catch it as it rolled across the table, I reached out my handー

(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)

ーAt the same time, I saw that Saitou-senpai had also reached out his hand opposite meー

Hajime Saitou: “!”

Our hands touched.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Oh!” I froze involuntarily. 

In that moment when our hands touched, I felt Saitou-senpai’s own nervousness, too.

Saitou-senpai timidly lifted his head. His face was tinged pink with embarrassment.

Chizuru Yukimura: “U-um…”

Hajime Saitou: “W-What’s wrong?”

Chizuru Yukimura: “W-What’s wrong...? Uh… I’m sorry.”

Hajime Saitou: “N-no, it was my mistake.”

With neither of us able to find a good time to pull our hands away, our eyes met.

‘What do I do...?’ 

My face grew hotter from the warmth of Saitou-senpai’s fingertips touching mine. My heartbeat sped up, showing no signs of calming down.  Our hands had only touched, so why did I feel this self-conscious?

After that, my head went totally blank. For a moment, I couldn’t even remember what I was doing. 

Then, I realized I was holding my eraser. 

Chizuru Yukimura: “I’m sorry…”

Hajime Saitou: “No, it’s fine…”

I didn’t know what else to say. I could only apologize. Saitou-senpai looked away from me.

‘…… This is so awkward…’

While I worried about what to do, the words that left my mouth were...

[Kaoru’s late.] or [I’m a bit nervous.]

Chizuru Yukimura: “...I’m a little nervous after all.”

That was really embarrassing just now.

At my honest admission, Saitou-senpai nodded stiffly.

Hajime Saitou: “You’re right… maybe I shouldn’t have invited you here after all…”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Huh?”

He looked graver than I expected, when he muttered that, and his fingers were trembling.

Could it be that he had a problem with me…?

Chizuru Yukimura: “But, I’m really grateful that you did invite me! My head feels clearer, and I’m making more progress than usual with my review.”

Hajime Saitou: “......”

When Saitou-senpai didn’t respond, I started to feel a little uneasy.

Chizuru Yukimura: “If my being here has bothered you in some way, I’ll head home rightー”

Hajime Saitou: “You’re no bother. There’s absolutely no need for you to leave,” Saitou-senpai flatly cut me off, and a small smile showed on his face. “I was just worried that I might’ve made you feel uncomfortable by inviting you here. So, um… it… relieves me, from the bottom of my heart, that you say that. Thank you, Yukimura.”

When Saitou-senpai smiled at me, I smiled back happily at him, too.

Hajime Saitou: “...We seem to have digressed considerably. We should get back to studying now.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Right!”

With that, we started studying anew, and the atmosphere between us was more peaceful and serene this time.

Before I knew it, it was the time when the shadows began to lengthen, and the sunset glowed through the lab windows.

Hajime Saitou: “Yukimura, we should go home before the sun sets.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Huh…?”

I looked at the clock and realized that a lot more time had passed than I had thought. 

Chizuru Yukimura: “...It’s already this late… I must’ve been concentrating so hard that I lost track of time.”

Hajime Saitou: “It seems so. But it’s better that we wrap up sooner rather than later.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “You’re right. Thank you so much for today.” I added, “Kaoru didn’t come after all, though, did he. He really is a fickle creature.”

As I let out a sigh, I heard Saitou-senpai murmur something under his breath, looking troubled.

Hajime Saitou: “...He certainly would have shown up if he’d known you would be here.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Hmm?”

Hajime Saitou: “No, it’s nothing. It’s late, so if you don’t mind, I’ll walk you part of the way home.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Thank you very much,” I accepted his kind offer with a nod.

He returned the nod with a smile.

For some reason, that silent exchange made me very happy. 

__

The day of the test had finally arrived. It was time for the real thing at last. I had studied as much as I possibly could,  but still felt a bit anxious as I entered the school that day…

 The tests finally started.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Thanks to Saitou-senpai, I managed to study a lot yesterday…” ‘Today, too I’m sure I’ll be at my best. I hope I can concentrate like I did then!’

__

[Minigame Victory]

Chizuru Yukimura: “Yep. I was really focused today.”  

I performed well, and it showed in my grades. I think, in the end, my study session with Saitou-senpai after school yesterday was really effective. I'd have to thank him later...

Then, several days later...

I saw the posted test results, and went to the science lab to thank Saitou-senpai.

Hajime Saitou: "So, Yukimura. How did your test go?"

Chizuru Yukimura: "I was able to show off what I knew more than I thought I would've."

Hajime Saitou: "I see. That's great." 

Saitou-senpai looked happy smiling at me. It was almost like seeing him be happy for me made me increasingly happier as well.

Chizuru Yukimura: "It's thanks to you that I got such a good grade. I thought about the time I studied with you during the test, and I worked incredibly well… Thank you so much, really."

Hajime Saitou: "...I'm grateful that you think that, but a test is a measure of each individual's ability. It was purely your own ability that got you your hard-won result."

Chizuru Yukimura: "That's not true!"

Hajime Saitou: "No, it obviously is."

Chizuru Yukimura: "......"

Hajime Saitou: "......"

We wouldn't reach an agreement anytime soon. Looking at each other's faces, we both ended up smiling at the situation.

Chizuru Yukimura: "Um..."  A thought suddenly came to me, and I spoke up: "Do you always do your disciplinary committee work here after school, Saitou-senpai?"

Hajime Saitou: "I work on other kinds of things here as well. Why do you ask?" 

Chizuru Yukimura:"I want to give you something nice to thank you, the next time I come. Is that alright with you?"

Hajime Saitou: "You don't need to worry yourself with that. I did nothing more than offer you a place to study—"

Chizuru Yukimura:"Um, you don't have to be modest. I want to get you something."

Hajime Saitou: "...... I'll look forward to it, then," Saitou-senpai replied amicably, and gave me a nod.

I didn't know if it was because I got a good grade, or because I wanted to talk with him… But for some reason, my chest felt pleasantly warm.

Chizuru Yukimura: "I wonder what I should get him?"

Now, I was looking forward to the next time I'd pay him a visit in the science lab.

___

At last, the tests were over, and the results had been announced…The tension gradually seeped out of the school, and everything slowly went back to normal.

After school, after the test results were announced…I was on my way out of the school building to return home when…

Isami Kondou:  “……”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Just now…was that Kondou-sensei?” 

Kondou-sensei went around to the back of the school.  When I saw that, I paused. ‘There isn’t anything over there, so where is he going…?’ I thought it was kind of mysterious.  And so, egged on by my curiosity, I jogged after Kondou-sensei. I went further behind the school… I’d never set foot back here before.  After reaching his destination, Kondou-sensei suddenly stopped.

Isami Kondou:  “……”

‘What is this place…?’ Towering in front of me was an old gate, and my eyes widened. ‘To think there was such a place here, right on academy campus…’

Isami Kondou:  “……”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Um…”

Isami Kondou:  “Hm… Yukimura-kun? Why are you here?”

Chizuru Yukimura: “I’m sorry. I saw you heading this way, and curiosity got the better of me…”

Isami Kondou:  “Ahh, so that’s what it was.”

Kondou-sensei smiled in understanding,  and turned his gaze back towards the gate. The old wooden door was shut tightly, looking like it hadn’t been opened in a long time. It had been two months since I began studying at Hakuo Academy, but I never knew such a place existed until now.

Chizuru Yukimura: “Um, Kondou-sensei.  What is this place…?” 

Isami Kondou:  “‘The Shieikan.’”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Huh?”

Isami Kondou:  “…That’s what it was called, at least. There used to be a swordplay dojo here by that name.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Used to be?” 

Isami Kondou:  “Yes. As you can see, it’s closed now. There are no students here; there’s no one at all. But the teachings of that dojo are certainly still being passed down… That’s what I believe.”

There was a look in his eyes; almost as if he were lost in a different time, far from the present. I got the feeling that this must’ve been a very important place to Kondou-sensei.

Isami Kondou:  “I always come here whenever I want to return to my roots…This place, the Shieikan, is Hakuo Academy’s starting point.” 

Kondou-sensei put his hand on the place where I expected the sign must have once hung, and his eyes shut, lost in nostalgia.

…'Shieikan.’ As if to confirm the word, I mouthed it to myself. That name… I felt as if I’d heard it before…

Chizuru Yukimura: ”……“

Looking at me as I thought about it, Kondou-sensei smiled and kept talking.

Isami Kondou:  “Yukimura-kun, it looks like the sun is about to set.  Don’t you think it’s time for you to head home?” 

Chizuru Yukimura: “Oh, right. That’s true. It’s already so late…” 

Isami Kondou:  “By the way, I heard from Toshi.  It looks like you got some magnificent test results this time around.”

Chizuru Yukimura: “Hijikata-sensei said that?” 

Isami Kondou:  “Yes, you’re the most talented woman in the history of Hakuo Academy! It truly is magnificent!” 

Chizuru Yukimura: “…Thank you very much.” 

There was no hint of lies or flattery in  Kondou-sensei’s cheerful words… I remembered how he delivered them while walking away, and I felt a little embarrassed.

Isami Kondou:  “A student has a duty to study, so I want you to continue trying your hardest! But of course, it’s not just your studies. If you also have fun living your everyday life at Hakuo Academy… As this school’s principal, I’d be very happy!” 

Chizuru Yukimura: “Yes!” 

Returning his nod as he smiled, I looked back at ‘Shieikan’ only once. He had called it the ‘starting point’ for the school. I wonder what that meant…? Questions along those lines came to mind, and I couldn’t help but wonder at such a mystery…

Anyway, I would do my best from here forward. I smiled, in high spirits.

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki Short Story: Saito-san’s Days of Practice

First translation posts of the month (1 of 2 for translations +1 update [that one will not be tagged with hakuoki]), so please support me if you can either on ko-fi (https://ko-fi.com/V7V2W0HO) or through paypal (paypal.me/KumoriYami )…. also let me know if you have any hakuoki drama cds that you’d be willing to share that are on my looking for list since i don’t have the audio for those…..

In regards to this translation, I honestly don’t know where this short story came from, but I’ve assumed that it showed up in one of the Dengeki or B-log magazines as they, in the past, have had other various Hakuoki short stories in them....I think? If anyone has information in regards to this,  I’d appreciate it to put that down here....

Aside from Saito’s story, I’ve only been able to find Chinese translations for Souji and Heisuke for these (don’t have a timeline on those right now, cuz holy shit these feel extreeeemely long. seriously!).... and have no intention of looking for the others at the moment (i gave up after more than an hour). If anyone does happen to find the others in Chinese... feel free to send them my way since I will add those to my list of torturous translations (i don’t wanna update my lookout list rn + plus I don’t want to add these to that list without knowing where these come from). 

Anyway, this story is told from Chizuru’s point of view, also the image is not mine.

Enjoy~<3

Hakuoki Short Story - Saito-san’s Days of Practice

Translation by KumoriYami

The silence of the temple was disturbed by the sound of Saito-san slicing the air with a wooden sword. He repeated his movements smoothly, from top to bottom, [then] from left to right.

During this quiet morning, after hearing the sound of sword practice in the temple as I was heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, I couldn't help but stop.

"Ah......Saito-san?"

“Yukimura, today you woke up early? Are you going to prepare breakfast?”

"Yes, Saito-san, you are also up early."

Before my arrival, Saito-san had been practising for a while, [and] his cheeks were sweaty. I handed him the handkerchief I had with me to him, tilting my head as I asked:

“Why are you practising so early? What's the matter? [alt: Is there anything going on/something wrong?]”

“Yes, I was thinking about something.”

“Thinking about something?”

“A few days ago, vice-commander asked me to train some of the new recruits..... but I don't know what training arrangements should be made.

Saito-san frowned slightly and continued to speak.

From his words, it sounded as if the new warriors who joined [the Shinsengumi] had good swordsmanship.

“Sword skills can be ordinarily improved through normal training, but mental capabilities are different to improve, [and/but I] don't know of any good methods to improve them.”

"A good method...."

Early morning birds chirping echoed in my ears, I looked over the Nishi Honwanji temple courtyard together with Saito-san thinking of his concerns.

After thinking for a moment, I clasped my hands together and spoke:  "Ah, I have heard that the monks of Nishi Honwanji usually sit in meditation to improve their minds.

"Indeed, meditation can really improve/hone a person's mind. However, merely siting in meditation does not seem adequate,  and something else must be done."

------------

Regardless of if it's plants [says trees] or animals, all living things will hide themselves until spring as it was winter

The wind blowing off the river wasn't just cold, but painful.  Just breathing made my throat feel frozen.

——Even so, today Saito-san was only wearing a single strip of cloth [fundoshi... probably?], tightly holding his arm(s) [probably: tightly crossing his arms], quietly looking down towards the torrential waterfall before us.

"Sai-saito-san, you truly want to sit underneath  that waterfall?

Yes, since ancient times to the present, when it comes to mediation, it's best to use a waterfall.

"But, the weather is so cold, you might die accidentally...."

If there is no risk to one's life, then it will not be training.

Saito-san nodded seriously, then went towards the cold river. The moment his toe touched the water, Saito-san shook violently. I was absolutely not imagining it.

Saito-san continued his movements, obviously stiffly because of the cold.

I worriedly called out to him:

"Saito-san, d-don't do this....."

"It's okay, do not worry."

"But......"

"Do not worry."

Saito-san whispered to himself, then showed no hesitation as he put one foot into the water. 

He used his frozen legs to wade through the river and after, moved underneath the waterfall without hesitation.

"If, if only one's mind [thinks it] is cold, [then] even fire can be [thought of as] cold...... [the tl i saw had the word “cold” in place of where I put in “fire”, and the 2nd 'cold’ that I wrote as “fire/hot,” so I switched these around]

Saito-san endured waterfall falling down on his head, softly/gently [slowly] closing his eyes.

「……」

“No, no [don't do this] Saito-san! Now that you've meditated, hurry up and get out, or you really will catch a cold."

「……」

"......Saito-san?"

「……」

"Saito-san? Saito-san——" ------------

"Therefore/as a result/so, in order to improve one's willpower/mind, not only meditation, but also doing that beneath a waterfall [will help]?

"That....the last part is too dangerous..."

"It was only because the water was so cool and comfortable, that I almost fell asleep.”

Almost froze to death—— though that could not be said, I was once again made aware of the present.

"Now that it is no longer winter, it is now longer possible to ind a cold waterfall."

"Yes. other methods to practice need to be thought of."

What other ways were there? We fell into deep contemplation again.

The time, the first who thought [of something] was Saito-san.

"It would better to go into the mountains to live in seclusion, this is also [a] basic [form of] training."

------------ 

Through the roof made/built of tree leaves and branches, the familiar sunlight,  only the sound of birds from the quiet mountain roads/paths, shrouded [the area] with a tranquil/quiet atmosphere.

[Alt (since my ^ tl for this was more literal):  The sunlight passing through the roof made of tree leaves and branches and the sound of birds chirping on the mountain paths created a tranquil atmosphere.][also im guessing they built a shelter?]

[We have] Been living in seclusion in the mountains for [a few] days [now].

Saito-san and I were living(/surviving) in the mountains by picking wild vegetables, and fishing to eat.

"......[I] Really didn't think/expect that it would be so quiet."

"Yes..... Saito-san, is this also a form of practise/training?

"In a sense, there is no type of training stricter/more rigourous than this, than/with just the two of us living secluded in the mountains."

"Eh?"

I couldn't help but make a sound as I looked at Saito-san, however I didn't understand why he looked away.

Then while not looking at me, whispered.

"I mean, there is nothing here, I don't know if you're bored being together with me......"

"There is no such problem, I like being together with Saito-san."

"Is, is that so? That's good... Well, actually, me being together with you also...." [alt: being together with you, I also...]

Just now [he] said——

Saito-san's voice was muffled by another noise, [one] that suddenly [started] coming from the rustling of the nearby bushes.

The sounds coming from the bushes got louder and louder, until finally, it turned into the low roar of a wild beast.

I immediately assumed a defensive position, [and] at this moment, I saw a giant beast with sharp claws appear.

"Sai-saito-san, there's a bear! Quick, run away/get out of here!"

I hurriedly pulled at Saito-san's sleeves, trying to pull him so that we could escape together, but I don't know why he wanted to continue what he was saying to me, and did not move.

「……」

It absolutely wasn't because of fear that he refused to budge.  Because he was glaring straight at the bear with a terrible look.

"Yukimura, retreat."

"Are-are you going to fight it? You might not be a bear's opponent...."

"Encountering these type of circumstances should be avoided, [alt?: Coming across /having such an opportunity  is rare,/This situation was supposed to be a retreat/ I was supposed to be getting away from these types of situations,] but I am suddenly, no, I am very angry."

[^ if you can’t tell, i had looots of difficulties with the first half of this, lol. so I just put down all my interpretations... though I'd assume it's probably more  along the lines of: Having such an opportunity (with you) is rare, so I am suddenly...]

Saito-san looked straight at the bear with a sharp gaze and put his left hand on his katana's hilt, emitting killing intent/a murderous aura, as if the bear was a punching bag.

"Living in seclusion in the wilderness requires fighting a bear——Prepare to die, bear." [may say: To live  (in seclusion) in the mountain wilderness is to fight a bear/means fighting a bear]

------------ 

".....Well, we can discuss about how else to hone/improve one's mind/willpower. Will it/should it need to involve fighting bears?

Ordinary humans should not be able to defeat bears, but Saito-san is not without the possibility of winning. With these types of  thoughts, I lowered my head.

"Disregarding minor details, we cannot be away from headquarters for long, [and] living in seclusion in the mountains is not realistic.”

"Yes, to hone your mind/will, you shouldn't need to go living in seclusion in the mountains."

Once again, our thoughts were disrupted, [and] we sighed, together looking towards the sky again.

"[This is] Really difficult. Is there an effective training method that doesn't require [a lot of] time?"

Thinking about this general idea, I thought:

"Nn.....what about fasting? A few days ago, Heisuke-kun, Harada-san, [and] Nagakura-san didn't eat anything for the entire day, [and were] so hungry that they cried."

"Fasting? This sounds worthwhile, though I do not know its effectiveness."

After hearing this, I suddenly remembered,  this talk about eating——

"Ah, that's right! I need to go make breakfast!"

“Sorry, I have kept you for so long. What is for breakfast today?"

"Turnip soup, [and] Kyoto-styled cooked vegetables [lit: Kyoto cooked vegetables]. Although it's yesterday's leftovers, the taste is very rich and is very delicious." 

Ghrgh....

Saito-san responded to what I said with his stomach, which sounded like the stomach of a hungry animal.

"........It appears that my training is insufficient, [and that] I must correct what I said as fasting appears to be an effective form of practice/training."

Saito-san turned his head and blushed because of his stomach's gurgling.

I responded with a smile and looked away.

"Breakfast will be ready soon, please wait a moment."

"Today I'll help you cook, as thanks to you for speaking with me."

"Ah......okay, I'll be troubling you Saito-san!"

Saito-san spoke as he quickly walked forward, and I hurried to catch up.

the end

--------

The title of this might actually be Day of Practice instead of plural days... but I left it at days since I think it made more sense.... Unfortunately, identifying if something is either singular or plural in Chinese isn’t the easiest thing to do unless there’s more context.... and titles certainly lack that. Nouns without context... it’s like they’re all like the word ‘moose’ (only English comparison I can think of off the top of my head atm...). It’s both singular and plural and without further information, it’s impossible to figure out if one moose is being talked about or multiple moose.... 

^I only wrote this blurb cuz i spent a good 5 min pondering about what the title should be lol. Using day sounds better, and I’m kinda particular about how the way things both look and sound, but days did make more sense..... 

^^i’m kinda feeling random rn... and i’ve probably had too much sugar just now. tired too. also i don’t have a habit of writing translation notes like this nor do i really intend to do so notes like this again in the future... though perhaps again when im felt like i’ve had too much sugar? lol w/e...

>_<

nother post will be up shortly. tsukikage countdown.

[impracticaldemon]

Dangerous Connections [late submission for Saichifest 2019]

by impracticaldemon a modern, non-canonesque, 4200-word vignette

Rating:  M / Lemon   Read also on FFN | AO3

Author's Note: I have no idea where this story came from. Unfortunately, it nagged at me until I wrote it, which delayed other writing. Part of the inspiration came from @nospringonions fanfic for Saichifest 2019 (although that fanfic feels brighter, and has a beginning, middle, and end).  This is one of my very few non-Shinsengumi-era stories. The setting is a modern Japan AU that has a slightly? darker feel to it than Hakuouki SSL. Partial inspiration for the feel—and Saito's motorbike—go to @kurokiorya

As a final note, the entire second half of the story is more or less about sex.

Dangerous Connections

"I found you a tutor, Hajime-kun!"

Saitō eyed his friend warily. That particular grin always made him nervous.

"Tanaka-sensei said that she would find somebody appropriate, Sōji. There's no need—"

"Tanaka-sensei has already approved my suggestion." Okita's smirk became even more pronounced. "She agreed that it made sense to get somebody who knew the club, and wouldn't mind working around your weird schedule. Besides, it turns out that Chizuru-chan was already on her list of candidates."

Saitō felt himself tense. "Yukimura? Sōji—that's—I don't think that's a good idea at all."

Okita laughed. "Worried you won't be able to concentrate? On the bright side, you won't want to embarrass yourself, right? I figure you'll be speaking and writing English like a pro in no time!" He punched Saitō lightly on the arm—lightly for Sōji, at least.

"There must be other—"

"Get a grip, Saitō! Your family said you had to pass your English competency exam, or quit the team." Okita's expression darkened. "And this year we're going to win the championship, so don't you dare let them force you to quit!"

"I don't intend to!" replied Saitō with rare heat. "You shouldn't have gotten involved in this."

"Oi, what's with you? I thought you'd be pleased. I'm pretty sure you've had a thing for Chizuru-chan for ages—and didn't you mention that your dad wanted you to find a suitable girlfriend? I mean, you're twenty now, and graduating uni in a couple of years, and—"

"Stay. Out. Of. This." Saitō turned on his heel and stalked off, shoulders rigid.

Okita was so surprised that he watched him go.

"Well that was weird—what the hell did you say to him?"

"Nothing he wanted to hear, apparently." It wasn't Heisuke's fault that Saitō was behaving like he had a poker up his butt, but Okita had to suppress an instinctive desire to lash out at the younger man. He didn't handle rejection well—he knew it, but that didn't make him any happier right now.

"Anything I can do to help?" Fortunately, Heisuke was reading the room for once, and didn't demand an immediate explanation. Okita grimaced inwardly. Heisuke was a good guy, and he'd matured a lot in the last couple of years—they all had, supposedly.

"Doubt it. Not unless you're in the mood to torture Hajime-kun for personal information?"

Heisuke stared at him, then waved his hands in an emphatic denial. "First of all, torture really isn't my thing. Second, I wasn't planning to die today."

"You saying I can't take Saitō?"

"MMMMFFFF." Heisuke pantomimed locking up his lips and throwing away the key. Then he ruined it by adding, "Who knows? Not me." He grinned at Okita. "I knows nuffin' guv'nah!"

"What the hell was that? As if your English isn't bad enough to begin with."

"Better'n yours and Saitō's, I hear."

Okita grimaced, then shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me, but Saitō's dad says he either passes the next time, or he's out of the kendo club—national championship or not. The guy's a hardass, too—if he says it, he means it. But we need that championship if we're going to get funding to go international." He scowled.

"Makes me glad I'm not the heir—or even runner-up heir—to some fancy corporation, for once. My dad just wants me to take his guilt money and lead my own life."

"Yeah, yeah. There are worse things, you know?"

"So I'm told." Heisuke bit back a snide rejoinder—Souji was always grouchy when it came to families. Besides, it reminded him what he'd come to say in the first place.

"I don't know if it's related, but I have some news for you. Bad news, and I wish Shinpat had found you first, to be honest. Assuming he didn't avoid you on purpose."

Okita gestured for him to continue, though he was still staring in the direction that Saitō had… gone.

"You know that pharmaceutical company that's been in the news so much recently?"

"No." Then Okita reconsidered. "Wait—yes. Hijikata was ranting about it yesterday, I think. Kondō-san kept having to calm him down—not that there's anything new in that."

"Well, turns out they were into some seriously illegal shit, and even had some kind of stolen army biotech they were working on."

"So?"

"It was owned by Chizuru-chan's dad. In fact, her brother was the manager, at least on paper."

That got Okita's full attention.

"Well, shit."

"Anyway, nobody knows if they were set up, or who leaked the info to the cops—or the press—and so far it's hard to say who in the family knew all the details."

"There is no way Chizuru-chan knew about it, or was involved," Okita snapped.

"Yeah, we know that. But for now, the family, and everyone close to the family, is a suspect. And it gets worse."

"How?" Okita was already trying to sort out the kind of impact this could have on the club. Chizuru was close friends with all of them, and she acted as a kind of book-keeper and general secretary.

"Chizuru's dad made a substantial donation to the club, back when Chizuru started university. That's kind of why we got stuck with her in the first place, remember—not that I minded."

Okita remembered. "Fuck. FUCK!"

"Right? A club like ours—any sports club that wants to compete at the national level and beyond—can't be associated with illegal drugs. And these ones involve army tech, so..."

"Why the hell didn't Hijikata explain this to me yesterday?!" demanded Okita.

Wisely, Heisuke didn't point out that Sōji probably hadn't been listening. Sometimes things were okay between those two, other times they weren't—as in, really weren't. At times like this, he envied Hajime-kun for not living with the rest of them.

Okita glared at Heisuke for not answering his question. "Fine. Where's Chizuru-chan?"

"We don't know."

"What?! How is that even possible? She lives with us, for crying out loud!"

Heisuke took a half-step back, mentally cursing Shinpachi for setting him up to be the bearer of ill tidings. Sōji tended to hit first, ask questions later—well, not so much now, but still. Normally, they sent Sano-san to do stuff like this, but Sano was out of town for the week.

"We think she's either been taken away by her dad, or kidnapped by those Kazama thugs." Heisuke had to lean in to whisper the words, and Okita took the opportunity to grab him by the shoulders and shake him.

"Then what the hell are we doing just talking about it?! Why are we here at school instead of out looking for her?"

"I'm not gonna talk if you keep doing that!"

"Fine. Screw English class, I'm out of here. And I'm really pissed at Hajime-kun for not telling me all this earlier—he must have known."

"Our job is to go to school. Keep up appearances."

"Thank you for that, Hijikata-mommy-san. Sure, I'll do that." Without another word, Okita spun away from Heisuke, and ran for the main entrance.

Heisuke hesitated, then flung up his hands with a groan and sprinted off after him. Nobody was going to be happy when Sōji encountered the ladies and gentlemen of the press. And it wasn't Heisuke's fault that they'd trailed him here after Hijikata-san had slammed the house door in their faces.

Saitō's bike was expensive, but not showy, and it was a lot less noisy than most. That being said, he hadn't taken quite as much care as usual when he'd taken off from school after running into Sōji. Fortunately, he couldn't sense anyone watching as he methodically stowed the bike, and hurried through the parking lot door of his non-descript apartment building. On the face of it, he was just another young guy who'd probably forgotten something he needed for work or school. He'd done a good job of being anonymous here for two years; there was no reason to mess that up now.

He'd originally hoped to throw people off the scent by showing up for class as usual, but he just wasn't calm enough to pull it off. No matter how hard he tried, he still lacked the detachment and control of his father and grandfather—as they often pointed out. And ugh. Sōji had meant it for the best, but Saitō had hoped to avoid anything that might link him to Chizuru except as a member of the club's championship kendo team. The Kazama had top notch intelligence gatherers.

He made himself take the elevator up to his floor—which wasn't the penthouse, since that was just too obvious for the scion of a wealthy corporate empire. At least he wasn't the heir, thank all the gods. He unlocked the door to his apartment, and then carefully locked and bolted it behind him once inside.

"Hajime-san?"

And there she was, waiting for him. His heart-beat picked up at the thought.

"Chizuru…" It was still a delight to use her unadorned first name, and to hear his own name on her lips. He knew he was blushing, but he couldn't seem to help it, or to suppress the inappropriate—very warm—images that caused at least part of the blush.

Without warning—except that he was trained to read an opponent's slightest movement—Chizuru threw her arms around him, and buried her head against his shoulder. He tried not to react to her sudden proximity, but his hormones had other ideas. She was obviously frightened, and it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to gently lift her face to his, and kiss her. Not that they hadn't kissed before, but it was still so new to him—to them both—that he was immediately swept up in it, and didn't notice the passage of time until he realized that he had her pressed tightly against the hallway wall, one hand in her hair, and the other stroking the soft skin of her back under her blouse.

When he tried to draw away, Chizuru clung to him, her lips nuzzling his neck. He could tell that she was embarrassed, but also determined to keep him close. If only he were better at rational thought when they were together like this! Then he could comfort her properly, while still being aware of his surroundings, and considering what to do next.

"Chizuru, we need to plan." She couldn't stay hidden with him indefinitely—though part of him wished she would—but the alternatives weren't clear. "I think it's going to get more difficult after today…" Not so much because of Sōji blatantly throwing them together, but because the press was out there now, and hungry for details. The Kazama family wouldn't miss the opportunity to seize Chizuru if they could find her, and he suspected that Kōdō was finally scared enough to accept the Yukimura-Kazama merger, and hand her over to them to seal the bargain.

Saito made another effort to put some distance between them, but thinking about Chizuru engaged to Kazama Chikage made him want to do anything other than let go. In fact, he wanted very much to forget about everything other than finding out how best to please his beloved—if still secret—girlfriend. His mouth dipped down to the tip of her closest ear, and he began to trace the outer edge with his tongue, which elicited an intoxicating, shivery kind of gasp from Chizuru. He felt his pelvic muscles contract in response, and blood rush down to harden him into full arousal. Without another thought, he pressed a hard kiss—almost a bite—into the side of Chizuru's neck, making sure that his teeth would leave marks.

"Hajime…" Chizuru's voice was a little rougher than usual, and her breathing had quickened. He tightened his hand in her hair, and forced her head up to look at him, so that he could admire the scarlet that now bloomed high on her cheeks, and the way her eyes seemed to glow as she warmed into passion. When he brought his mouth to hers, abandoning her ear and neck, and biting gently on her lower lip, she made another half-muffled sound of pleasure, but louder and more distinct this time. He found himself trapping her even more tightly between his body and the wall, and grinding himself against her, while his tongue parted her willing lips and began to explore her mouth, eventually so deeply that it felt like a flagrant expression of what he wanted to do with the rest of her body.

As if in response to that thought, he felt Chizuru's hands tug the tail of his shirt free of his jeans, so that she could caress his bare skin in the same way that he was touching hers. His father wouldn't be very impressed at how easily distracted he was, he knew, but something rebelled in him at the thought. His friends and colleagues pushed him to be more open; his father and grandfather demanded perfect stoicism. Only Chizuru let him be entirely himself—she didn't mind his silences, she trusted him to listen when she wanted to talk, and she never seemed troubled by his awkwardness. He was utterly in love with her.

Still kissing, they undressed each other, fumbling at buttons, and even occasionally snarling at layers that wouldn't cooperate with their need to be skin-to-skin. Saitō retained enough sanity to lift Chizuru into his arms and carry her to his small bedroom, which was surely a more private and appropriate place to communicate such desires. Not until he laid her down on his bed—hair loose, clothing wildly askew, love-bite darkening on her neck—did he fully process what they were doing, and freeze, appalled by how far he'd let things go. He immediately sat back, still straddling her hips, and forced his greedy hands away from her skin.

To his surprise, Chizuru smiled up at him, and reached out to run her own hand down across the muscles of his stomach to rest lightly on the tight bulge still constrained by his lower fly and boxer-briefs. The button to his jeans was already undone, although it had taken her some minutes to achieve this, earlier. He still wasn't sure whether the button had actually been difficult, or if she'd just been distracted by his lips on her skin, and on the thin material of her lacy bra. Her nipples had hardened intriguingly under the ministrations of his stroking, pinching fingers, and then tongue and teeth.

He stared down at her now, breathless and dry-mouthed with desire, blood pounding in his ears, but desperate not to injure her in any way. Her thumb rubbed gently, but attentively, at the head of his erection, and he flinched inwardly at the combination of the exciting, pleasurable sensation, and the vulnerable, loving, determined expression on her lovely face. It might feel wonderful, but it wasn't right—not when there was fear and sadness lurking behind her passion.

"Chizuru," he whispered, barely able to resist leaning forward into her touch, while forcing himself to keep his hands curled on his thighs, rather than caressing her breasts, or busy with the pale blue panties that lay visible below her loose, rumpled skirt.

"I want this, Hajime. You love me, you believe in me, and I want you to be the first, since I don't know what the future has in store for either of us."

"We'll stay together no matter what, I promise, if that's what you want. But don't—Chizuru, those are the wrong reasons—you must know that!" He hoped that his voice betrayed neither the effort it cost to be rational, nor his hurt at her lack of confidence. In him, in them, he wasn't sure which.

He read stubbornness—and true longing—in her eyes, and the set of her lips. She wasn't going to back down, not when she believed in what she was saying.

"Your father won't want an alliance with a disgraced family, we both know that. And the Kazama want me so that I can produce an heir to both families, Kazama and Yukimura, now that their victory is certain. A marriage, an heir—that will bring everyone into line, and keep our noble blood pure." The last word was low and bitter. "Are you going to subject your family, and your friends, and all their dreams, to the inevitable retaliation? They—the Kazama—can be brutal, you know."

"My family can look after itself," he told her forcefully, trying and failing to ignore her insistent caresses. He shifted a little, then caught her wrists, pushing her down into the bed. "Don't offer yourself to me on such terms. I'll refuse." He wasn't sure he could, but he'd do his best.

Chizuru stared at him, clearly frustrated in every way, but also, maybe, a little hopeful. Or was he imagining it, because he wanted her so much, and needed her to want him back out of love and passion, not despair—or as part of some ridiculous, fatalistic goodbye.

"Hajime? I don't want you to get hurt. I love you. That's the only reason I would ever go to them—"

"I know, but this—" He swallowed, unable to do what he should, and just get up, and get his mind back on prioritizing her safety, and—and so on. Why couldn't things be simple? Why did he always think too much?! He could practically feel Sōji's eyes mocking him for his indecision.

"I'm sorry," Chizuru whispered into the silence. "I was being selfish—to want this time with you. This is my fault—"

"Dammit—no!" He let go of her wrists and curved his hands around her cheeks to cradle her head. "Just… just don't go there." He bent down to kiss her fiercely on the lips, and was surprised to discover that his control was still pitifully weak. Desire reignited as he registered the heat of her skin against his bare chest, and felt her lips part beneath his. He heard her breath hitch—just as it had earlier—and then her arms tightened around him, pulling him fully against her, so that he barely had time to brace one forearm to avoid falling.

"I won't give up—"

"I won't let you go."

With little grace, but also no pointless self-consciousness, he freed them both from their remaining clothes, and gave himself over to kissing and teasing and caressing his beloved's body into heated, extravagant arousal. Inexperience didn't mean lack of imagination, and he'd imagined making love to her so many times before, often to his own chagrin. He kissed and tasted and left marks on her skin, and suckled her breasts, and ran strong, demanding hands along her sides and over her hips and belly and around her smooth backside. And he thanked her, in fervent, heartfelt whispers, for letting him hear her cries of passion, and for sharing her wonderful, sweet body with him.

Her scent was intoxicating—he hadn't realized how much it would affect him. When his explorations finally reached the damp, sensitive folds of skin at her centre, and his fingers started to learn the contours of her most private places, her soft cries became whimpers, and he saw her biting her lower lip so hard that he thought it might bleed.

"Chizuru…" He almost stilled his hand, worried for the first time that he'd somehow hurt her, in his ignorance, but when his fingers slowed, and he lifted his lips from the hard nub of one breast, her expression plainly begged him not to stop, and he felt her hips jerk so as to press her mound more firmly against his hand. Only a little while later, he found himself sliding his fingers within her, both elated and a little shocked by how much he wanted to do such things. His body was beginning to quiver with need and anticipation of release, and he knew that she could feel his hard length pressed tightly against her thigh, and perhaps even the slightly sticky fluid that had started to pool on her skin. Without conscious thought, he pressed his fingers deeper within her, and felt inner muscles tremble and contract against them. Abruptly, he wasn't sure how he was going to manage to hold back any longer. He pulled away from her uncertainly, aware that he'd become completely focussed on sensation.

"Hajime…" She said his name like a plea, and lust jolted through him.

"Chizuru, I… I…" He swallowed, so deep in desire that he couldn't form a proper question. When she reached out and pulled his mouth down to hers, kissing him passionately, his whole body twitched involuntarily, and he clung to her, feeling his climax starting to build out of control. He could only hope—though he was moderately optimistic—that he'd made his lover feel the same way.

He was incredibly grateful when Chizuru shifted her hips, and awkwardly, but without hesitation, helped guide him to her entrance. He took that as permission to finally surrender his thread-bare self-command and join with her, and a soft groan escaped his lips as he thrust into her, his hands moving to grip her hips as he rocked hard against her once, and then withdrew a short space before burying himself deep into her once more, savouring the way her tight, slick walls clenched and pulsed around his shaft. She was very wet, and she smelled of arousal and sex, and a strong wave of possessiveness swept over him along with the desperate yearning of near-orgasm. Unable to stop, he thrust into her again and again, listening to her moan, and feeling her writhe beneath him. Somewhere in the haze of adrenaline and pleasure, he promised himself to do more for her next time, since this time he seemed to lack the ability to do much more than ride a dizzying wave of physical sensation until he was coming hard and fast inside her, his seed spilling hot within her welcoming body.

They lay together for some time afterwards, without speaking, their bodies still joined, their skin sticky with sweat and still sensitive to the other's touch. Saitō was conscious that he had left numerous bruises and marks on Chizuru—some light, some deep—and he was embarrassed that he didn't fully recollect being so rough. It had also occurred to him, too late, that he probably hadn't been careful enough or gentle enough, given that it was her first time. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to be able to think clearly enough to express his concern just yet. He suspected he was smiling, and was a little worried that he looked smug.

Chizuru, on the other hand, looked… happy. More than happy. For some reason that Saitō couldn't fathom, she was gazing lovingly up at him through dreamy, half-closed eyes, and showed no inclination to have him move from where he lay. The only problem was that he felt a distinct inclination to make love to her again, but wasn't sure whether that would be either appropriate, or welcome. He'd never been entirely sure what women really thought about sex, having never had the opportunity—or courage—to ask. But… she really did look happy. And beautiful. Gorgeous, even. Although that didn't necessarily reflect how she felt.

"Thank you," he said, at last. It didn't begin to convey how he felt, but it was a start.

"Oh…" Chizuru looked startled, but then relaxed again and grinned at him. "You're welcome—I mean, thank you, too."

There was a lot going on, back in the real world. And somebody was going to track them down, probably either Sōji, or Hijikata-san, and probably sooner rather than later. Saitō tightened his arms around Chizuru.

"Remember, you promised."

"I know. No giving myself up just to protect everyone I care about—and especially you—from the anger of the most powerful family in the country."

He blinked. "Somehow you make it sound like I'm being selfish." Then, before it could even begin to turn into another disagreement, he added. "But even if I am—yes, that is correct. Also, to quote something either Sano-san, or Shinpachi, said one time: have a little faith, okay?"

Chizuru looked up at him with an unusually roguish smile.

"I have faith in your endurance…"

Saitō felt his eyes widen in surprise, and then Chizuru suddenly looked away, red suffusing her cheeks. Gently, he turned her face back toward his, and kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry if I was too rough—I really am. I don't know what was wrong with me. But I'd be very happy to let you test my endurance, if you want to."

And if Sōji, Hijikata-san, or anyone else needed him in the next hour or two, then that was just too bad. Chizuru's well-being, and her good opinion of him, were far more important than a national championship, a potential rift with his father, or the threats of a family with distinctly dangerous business practices.

[END]

A/Note:  I realized part-way through editing that the background for this Saito is influenced by that of the Saito from an entirely different otome game (DTL)

Tags: @shell-senji @hidetheremote @eliz1369 @nalufever @annedey @nospringonions @soujthings @do-it-for-keef @sabinasanfanfic @fury-ous @canadiangaap @aetherium-weaver @hakuyamazakisensei @petri808

To those who read Teachings of Demons:  the new chapter is underway and should be finished this weekend.  Still dealing with a number of distractions, but hoping for solid writing time in March.

~ Imp

[atopearth]

Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds Part 10 - Sakamoto Ryouma Route

I’m not sure if I never realised or just completely forgot about Chizuru meeting Sakamoto when she went to ascertain whether a rumour about her dad being at this random place was true. I do remember him trying to help her and her rejecting him though lol. He seems so carefree and happy go lucky talking to her, trying to chat her up and completely forgetting that he said he’d help her find her father LOL. I’m surprised he rather readily told her who he really was the second time they met coincidentally. A lordless Ronin from the Tosa domain - somewhere that recently had a fight with the Aizu domain because they helped Takeda when he was asking the guy questions and things got a bit violent I guess? Sakamoto seems to really like what he’s doing right now - teaching people how to steer ships like the new steamboats, and he seems to be allied with the shogunate? Lol at the Nakaoka guy having his hands full with Sakamoto running around doing whatever he wants and telling people like Chizuru his true identity lol. Ooh he’s an alleged survivor of the Tosa imperialist party and is involved in imperial nationalist movements - that’s what I thought he was supposed to be related to. But I guess they’re still investigating so we’ll see what Sakamoto really thinks about everything.

Hijikata telling Chizuru to lure him out since Yamazaki and them can’t seem to tail him and get any info out of him is just so…I don’t know, it feels so wrong. I know they say they just want to question him, and Chizuru seems to be interpreting it positively in that they want to question him so they can become allies kinda thing, but what if things go downhill in the conversation? She’s been mostly neutral, so I feel like it’s inappropriate to ask her to do this for them tbh. Omg, I love Sakamoto. I love that he could immediately tell that the letter she sent about wanting to see him was really the Shinsengumi wanting info about him, and I’m happy that he doesn’t blame her for it and instead thinks it is quite underhanded of them to get her to do this. You go tell them, Sakamoto! I don’t think I completely understand the depth of their differences in Hijikata and Sakamoto’s argument, but you can tell that Sakamoto is definitely knowledgeable about the current state of affairs and really hopes to make Japan a better place. But then again, who isn’t? From my experience with Sakamoto Ryouma in most mediums though, he’s not a bad guy and he really wanted to mediate a solution that both the shogunate and imperialists could settle with, but he was killed by a group on the shogunate side and that began the war between them, since although many people were after his life, it’s indisputable that right now, there are people on both sides telling them to not touch Sakamoto because of the impact and repercussions of doing so, considering his influence etc I believe. I’m happy that Chizuru apologised for sending that letter even if Sakamoto didn’t mind since it’s such a common thing apparently lol! But dang, he’s such a flirt, I don’t know if he’s really interested in her or not, but I guess the fact that she caught his eye since the beginning is enough to prove that he’s interested to an extent haha. Considering how obstinate and passionate the Shinsengumi seems to be towards one thing and not backing down towards anything that may seem wrong in their eyes, such as what Sakamoto speaks of, it’s probably true that he really is practically an enemy of the Shinsengumi.

I think it would have been nice to see what Sakamoto got up to in Nagasaki, but maybe they want to keep it mysterious for now since everyone is still wondering where his allegiance lies considering that he has the backing of a shogunate leader and yet communicates with the Choshu. I’m surprised the Shinsengumi wanted to protect Sakamoto from the other groups that are aiming for his life that probably don’t know he has the backing of a shogunate leader. But I guess since their superiors are the Aizu and they told people to not touch Sakamoto, it could be quite important for them to protect him in accordance with what they have relayed, and since they don’t like Sakamoto, making him owe a favour to the Shinsengumi would be nice too I guess lol. It would be so much more logical for Chizuru to distract the lookout with Heisuke or Shinpachi but I guess she’s got to be the one to bond with Sakamoto lol. I was quite worried when he got injured since I thought that was the place where he died in history but I’m glad they made it to the shack. Sakamoto is SO charming though!! When he kissed her on the forehead and told her to go~~🥰 Like, c'mon Chizuru, go get help otherwise you’ll die together if you get caught! Luckily they were close by to where Sakamoto’s allies were so it was fine, no credit for the Shinsengumi though haha but keeping Sakamoto alive is probably more important than any credit😅 Lmaoo at that letter he sent her when he got a bit better, why you so flirty?! Oh yeah, forgot to mention, it seems to be confirmed that Sakamoto isn’t liked because of him doing trade with foreigners and I guess this sharing of wealth and resources doesn’t sit well with them since it’s like a betrayal to their country by allowing foreigners and their weird products and beliefs into Japan.

I wonder if telling her some information about her father’s whereabouts was just an excuse for him to lure her out and see her again… He does seem to be really fond of Chizuru. Omggg when he was so direct about wanting to see her whenever he wants and then he tried to get her to say the same hahaha, such a tease. But it’s nice to know that he wants to see her so much that he’d give random bits of information for her to tell back to the Shinsengumi so that they’d see some worth in her meeting up with Sakamoto and won’t stop her from doing it. With her finding out about his trade with foreigners, it was nice to see a bit more insight on what he thinks with their discussion. He seems to be dissatisfied with how stagnant the shogunate and its system is and has been, he believes there’s been no improvement over the years and can’t see a future with their continued governance, which many probably can’t help but agree with too. It’s just that the Shinsengumi and others are too loyal and obstinate about keeping to the shogunate even when they at times can recognise the faults with them. Sakamoto seems to want Japan to become stronger to fend off against other countries such as Russia who have already attempted to take over an island above Nagasaki 5 years ago. I guess you can’t blame Sakamoto for thinking that these trades are needed, considering how powerful guns are compared to the weaknesses of swords especially with the distance advantage and lack of skill required (when it is compared to mastering swordsmanship).

Lmao at Sakamoto just announcing his arrival to the compounds by shouting he’s here hahaha. He really does whatever he wants. It’s nice to see him take Chizuru out, she’s always confined to the compounds, I feel sorry for her. But wow, I didn’t think that Sakamoto was born a country samurai (lower class samurai) that was treated badly because his ancestors were enemies of the Tokugawa like 200 years ago, and now they’re still so oppressed by these rules and customs that have been solidified. It’s really unreasonable, I can see why he wants things to change. I mean, if things haven’t changed in 200 years by others, then he might as well change them himself. YUCKKKK! I was really enjoying this route until Kaoru appeared. Omg, I hate him with a passion so zzzzzz. If Kaoru plays a big part in this story, I’m gonna die. Anyway, yeah, getting rid of the shogunate system and implementing something similar to the West where they elect their own leaders sounds cool and all, but to actually do it would be quite difficult, but it’s always good to pave the way to get people to start thinking that there can be these kinds of choices (since other people are doing it) rather than allowing people to be settled into the mindset that those who are born upper class will always be upper class and the lower class will always stay as peasants. I loved how Kaoru tried to paint Sakamoto as an enemy and bad guy with the things he had done recently, but Chizuru was unfazed and thinks that he’s a good guy deep down hahahah, Kaoru’s face was great🤣🤣 I hadn’t seen the CG with Hijikata protecting Chizuru and using the opening she gave him to retaliate against Kazama when he attacked the compounds at night so that was sweeet!

Although I’m not sure how I feel about Sakamoto spreading the availability of guns to the Satsuma and Choshu, especially with how terrible these contraptions were for the Shinsengumi, but it is true that unlike guns, Furies can’t be controlled. However, Sakamoto just coming and telling them to stop researching and doing experiments on Furies is pretty unreasonable considering that he just gave them information that the Satsuma Choshu have Furies of their own because of Kodo. This mutually beneficial relationship between Sakamoto and the Shinsengumi would be useful though - Sakamoto tells them progress of the Furies in the West and the Shinsengumi tell them the weaknesses and attributes of the Furies. Although I do agree with Sakamoto for some things, I do think he does undermine the Shinsengumi’s thoughts and beliefs. I believe that they are fighting for a better Japan in their own way and aren’t just completely following after the shogunate, at least right now anyway. It’s just that as the story goes on and everything, it becomes more evident that there’s not enough people who carry the same beliefs and honour in the same way as them. Oh, this is where Sakamoto dies! I remember him being on the second floor of somewhere. Most people on the shogunate’s side probably has no more patience with him spreading his weapons and words aiming to get rid of the shogunate. Well, that’s worse than what I thought would happen. It’s saddening that the Shinsengumi came too late, but to think that Kaoru had already turned them into Furies, and now Nakaoka (and maybe Sakamoto) think that the ones who assassinated them were the Shinsengumi when it was most likely the Mimawarigumi that they saw before they rushed to Sakamoto…that sucks...

I wonder if it really is like so, is the spreading of Furies by Kodo similar to how opium was spread in China to ruin them? In a way, maybe, but it’s undeniable that becoming a Fury at least gives you another chance at life whilst having superhuman strength, whereas opium really only served to end up killing healthy people on the inside and outside, as well as their families. I hate always seeing Gen die, especially when it’s by the traitors from Yodo and Tosa domains that they thought they could get reinforcements from😫 If only Sakamoto came earlier😭 Or not lol, no difference I guess since Sakamoto captured her back to Kodo so that means he has to save her another way. Btw, Sakamoto looks much nicer in Western clothes imo. Nakaoka doesn’t though lol, that hat is ugly! He’s also pretty annoying now with his insistent blame on the Shinsengumi for killing them and their comrades like they’re so righteous and everyone else is wrong. I was really happy and touched when Sakamoto said he buried Gen for her😭 I was so worried that the Furies might have gotten to him, I’m so relieved now😭 I kinda liked Nakaoka before so I’m really disappointed in how unreasonable and violent he is with Chizuru, I’d rather he had stayed dead now tbh. Sakamoto is right though, if they rely on Fury powers to win the war, then Kodo and them will get the credit and also, as the people that transformed them into Furies, I’m sure they easily know how to get rid of them after. I don’t think it’s something Nakaoka should really brush off until the war is over since that’s when they’ll make their moves. It’s also pretty silly and a waste since the shogunate is losing right now, it would be different if they weren’t already winning, but it’s pretty clear that they have the clear advantage with the guns.

Now that Sakamoto and Chizuru have successfully escaped from Nakaoka and Kodo (with the help of Shiranui), it’s nice to see them lay out what their goals are now - killing all Furies and not interfering with history as dead people. Ohh? Sakamoto knows Shiranui because they used to guard Takasugi together!😮 Considering how much Shiranui seems to be fond of Takasugi, I kinda hope there’s a Takasugi route in the future (alongside a future Shiranui route too!). Ooh, this seems like it’ll be an interesting journey with Sakamoto and Shiranui together killing Furies lol. I guess it is also the first time Chizuru doesn’t go with the Shinsengumi to Edo since she feels that dealing with her father here is her responsibility and she wants to watch over Sakamoto since he’s reckless by himself lol. I think it’s a good choice, it’s not like she can really help out much anyway, so she might as well do what she wants to do now. Nice to see how much Sakamoto appreciates her being here with him too - that hug was nice🥰

Both the bad endings were pretty average, sadly - nothing too heartbreaking or different. Overall, Sakamoto seems to be a responsible, passionate (for his dreams) and flirty guy, and the story seems to take a different route from the usual since it’s not as related to the Shinsengumi, so I am looking forward to what it’ll be about, and I quite like it right now. The only thing I’m kinda wary about is that since Kaoru seems to be there, I feel like there is a chance I might hate it in the end if it’s focused on him as the villain…😣😣😥

[ladyshiranui]

Survival of the Jolliest

Aaaaaand a VERY merry Christmas to @kyotowinds !! I apologise for my delay, and also the LENGTH of this story. But when thing lead to another and I just couldn’t help myself. I hope this story is to your liking! Thank you so much for helping me put together @hakuokisecretsanta2018 for the Hakuoki community. You’re SUCH a good friend and I’d love to organise something with you again in the future! LOVE YOU CHI <3

He darts between the supermarkets in the early Christmas Eve buzz. There must be something she’ll like, he thinks to himself as he scans over every possible gift. There’s the generic snow-globe, or maybe a nice decoration for next year’s Christmas tree, or even a box of chocolates. But none of them are jumping out at him, no. He wants this year’s present to be special. Specially special.

But what the heck do you buy for a girl?

In amongst the hustle and bustle, he bumps into a familiar face.

“Wha-- Souma?”

“Oh, Toudou. Good morning,” the college intern simply replies, placid as always. “Looking for presents? You’ve left it awfully last minute, haven’t you?”

“I know, I know, but I have no clue what I should get! What about you? Why are you here?”

Souma’s face changes from indifferent to irritated. “Nomura found the present I got him, but re-gifted it thinking it didn’t belong to anyone. Now I have to look for a new one for him.”

“Oh yeah, he’s your roommate in the dorms.”

“Please, don’t remind me.”

Heisuke reaches into his pocket when he hears his text tone. Seeing it’s a reply from one of his favourite people in the world, his lips can’t help but curl as he reads the message history.

FROM: YOU

“It’s Christmas Eve! (ᗒᗨᗕ) Do you want to do something today?”

FROM: CHI

“Totally! Any ideas?”

Heisuke scratches his head as if to trigger some idea generator. Souma watches as his face becomes increasingly determined, almost angry looking, before it snaps to utter deflation. It’s quite the spectacle to any passer-by, watching so many emotions on the human face happen in only a few seconds. Souma doesn’t doubt he’s the most expressive person he’s met, quite the contrary in contrast to his own temperament. How is she friends with both of us, Souma wonders as he sees who the text his from. We couldn’t be anymore different. What a fascinating girl she is.

“Looking for a present for Chi, I’m guessing. Do you… need some help?” Souma forces himself to ask.

“No way! I don’t need help! I know exactly what I’m doing! I know… exactly… what’ I’m…”

“You don’t.”

“I don’t… But if you help me, that’ll make it from you instead!”

“I think you’re being a bit dramatic, Toudou.”

“Am not! Ah, never mind that. Now I have to think of something fun to do with her. And it has to be really fun!”

Souma stands there, contemplating. His face is a serious one, but when isn’t it? Only a select few get to see the hidden side of Kazue Souma. Those fortunate to have laid eyes upon this mythical smile of his say that it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not even Nomura has had the honour of seeing it, and he’s been his friend through thick and thin. One can only assume these lucky people must be incredibly special.

“Why not something simple? Like… build a snowman?”

“But everyone else is doing that.”

“Make gingerbread?”

“But that can’t be the only thing we do. It’ll be over too quick!”

“Go to the tree-lighting ceremony?”

“But that’s at night—”

“Are you going to say ‘no’ to everything I suggest? I really am trying to help you out here.”

Heisuke whines. “I don’t know, man. I just really want to make it the best Christmas ever for her.”

“Well I can’t come up with everything on my own. I don’t have time to run around for you—”

“Wait, Souma…” Heisuke suddenly interrupts. His eyes have a twinkling glow, like a light bulb just went off in his head. “You’re a genius!”

“I am? What do you—w-whoa!”

The intern is suddenly dragged away with a force so strong he has no choice but to follow. Heisuke’s grip on his arm pulls him away from the market place as his heart becomes set on an idea he cannot let go. Preparations have to be made immediately.

…

Wrapped in fluffy apparel, she paces the park borders in her winter boots, kicking up the freshly fallen powder. It’s nice that it’s a white Christmas this year. Always a nice touch to the holiday festivities. She watches as loose snow in the leaves above her gracefully float to the soil in a white sprinkle, a few flakes sitting themselves on her glasses. She takes off her frames and wipes them clean with the sleeve of her coat.

When she places them back on, she sees him standing in front of her. He has a far-off look in his eyes, like he’s in a euphoric daze, as she prances over to him in greeting.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” she eagerly asks.

Heisuke fiddles around in his pocket until he pulls out two crinkled bits of paper with all kinds of things scribbled in an extremely messy fashion. “Here! I made a list of the things we have to do before midnight hits,” he says before handing Chi a copy.

“Cool! …So, what are we doing?”

“Hear me out; I know you hate running, but we’re going to have a race.”

“A Christmas race?”

“Yeah, exactly! And some other guys said they’ll join in too, so it’ll be even more competitive!”

“Great! Who’s joining?”

“You’ll see,” Heisuke smiles mischievously.

Seeing Heisuke practically glowing as he spiels his great plan to her made her feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Whenever he was in high spirits, she would be also. She couldn’t wait to see what was in store for them, though she did hate the idea of running long distances.

After some time passes, two familiar faces call out from the distance with their arms waving. Nomura, on the left, carries two brown paper gift bags while he runs ahead of whom he is with, Souma.

“Yo, Heisuke, Chi!” Nomura comes to a halt in front of them, propping down his belongings before reaching inside of both and pulling out two cameras from one. “Thought we could use these! You know, as proof that we’ve done each thing!”

“Whoa, polaroids!” Heisuke awes. “Good thinking! This is gonna be awesome!”

“You have to promise you won’t break them,” Souma strictly warns. “I can’t believe you talked me into using them, Nomura. You’re the last person I’d trust with something so expensive in your hands.”

“Nah, don’t be such a sourpuss! I’ll pay for a new one, don’t worry.”

“With what money?”

“You’ll lend me some, won’t you buddy? That’s what friends are for!”

“Nomura, you—”

“Okay! Let’s sort out teams!” Chi quickly interjects before Souma drags Nomura through the winter tundra. “Who’re the captains?”

“Oh, me! Me! I’d be a great captain!” Nomura shoots his hand in the air like a student in a classroom.

“I think Heisuke and Chi should be the captains,” Souma suggests otherwise. “This was Heisuke’s idea after all, and things would be more interesting if you two are versing one another.”

Chi looks to Heisuke, his eyes showing a hint of disappointment. But it doesn’t take long for him to perk up once more with a fierce determination in his eyes. “Alright, you’re on!” he shouts proudly as he declares war. “Nomura, you and me! Let’s do this!”

“Aw yeah, bring it on! We’re going to crush you guys!” Nomura throws his arm around Heisuke’s shoulders, the latter doing the same. They have their game faces on, already emitting an aura intimidating enough to certify Chi’s belief that she has absolutely no chance at victory.

But being paired with Souma has its perks. She always thought of him incredibly handsome and wished to acquaint herself better with him since his new presence around the school. It’s not very often Hakuo High takes on interns, and he remains a mystery to her still.

Souma mumbles underneath his breath, a white cloud of frost escaping his lips. “Toudou and Nomura on the same team surely doesn’t bode well.”

“Don’t worry, we’ve got his, Chief.” Chi encourages. Souma’s silvery eyes meet her chocolate brown ones, his irises reflecting the puffs of falling snow. She feels her face heat up and quickly turns around, fearing she may have been staring for too long, and averts her attention to elsewhere.

“Alright, whatever you say,” he grins behind her back.

The time to begin the great race was approaching, hearts thumping with the rising adrenaline in their veins. More families had flooded the park now, the spirit of Christmas prominent in the air. Really, there’s nothing at stake, there’s not even a real prize, but with Heisuke and Nomura’s horsing around and hyping up the atmosphere, it suddenly feels like this race is going to be more than what anyone anticipates. More fun? More dangerous? Who knows. It could be either one, really.

But there is only one way to find out.

“Ready, set—”

“GO!”

Like predators going in for the kill, Heisuke and Nomura sprint off, camera in hand, down the street.

“Wait, where are they going?”

“Oh, the list!” Chi quickly takes the paper from out of her pocket once more, struggling to decipher what on earth Heisuke’s handwriting is trying to say.

“I think the first one says… ‘Santa’?”

“We need to find a Santa Clause!”

“Ah, Chi! Wait for me!”

But Chi is already barrelling down the street in desperation to not lose Heisuke from her sight. The frosty winds hit against her face as her hair and coat flow behind her like ocean waves, Souma watching her from behind as he jogged by means of keeping up.

He holds his camera delicately in his hands, wondering if he can somehow manage to get a good enough shot. Slowly, the camera is positioned just below his eyes. He plans his steps accordingly while he continues to jog, ensuring he gets the timing exactly right, until he at last freezes his movement for one solitary second with a firm foot in front. He taps the shutter button and waits for the photo to print before picking up pace again. The photo hasn’t revealed itself yet. He’ll have to check it later.

Chi insists Souma hurries up, and he does, now feeling a little more enthusiastic about taking part. With Heisuke and Nomura still in sight, she leads the way as she traces their footsteps, hoping that they’ll be able to get there first before they do, wherever ‘there’ may be.

“Chi, wait,” Souma stops her. “Come this way. It’ll be faster.”

“What? The mall’s that way, isn’t it?”

“The markets are this way. A Santa Clause was there this morning while I was picking up some things. We’ll be able to find one before those two.”

The tables turn with Souma taking the reigns as he leads them through the crowds of the nearby markets. He was like some secret genius with a trick up his sleeve, saved for the perfect time. Souma suddenly look really cool from behind, Chi thought. He seems to favour displays emotional disinterest, as though him showing any emotion at all would damage a reputation of his, or at least  something of a similar nature. But she knows he’s having fun. I mean, if he paid attention to where he saw some random man dressed as a fat man in a suit in his morning, he must be enjoying himself somewhat.

“Found him!” Chi proclaims as she sees a big red Santa hat above the heads of the crowd. She pushes her way through, only to find a giant line of kids waiting for their turn on Santa’s lap. “Great. Now what?”

“Well, you definitely can’t push in line. We’re bound to get an earful of angry parents otherwise.”

They look around the vicinity, wondering if there’s some way they could slither themselves in without getting into trouble. The murmurings of the townspeople flood the air with noise, making it nearly impossible to hear one’s own thoughts. Just as the two were to resign to their misfortune, a sparkle of hope reveals itself at the photo stand.

Souma points out a boy in an elf hat, looking to be an appointed crowd-controller for the kids. “Isn’t that… that guy from the Student Council? Susumu Yamazaki?”

Chi immediately makes her way over to him, waving her hand in the air to grab his attention that little bit sooner. His face transforms into a tomato in point-five seconds when he sees Chi stifling her laughter as best as she can. Why did he have to see someone he knows…?

“Ch-Chi? Souma? What are you two doing here?”

“We’re in a race and we need a photo with Santa. You gotta help us.”

“You… want a photo with him? I’m afraid you’ll have to line up.”

“Can’t you, I don’t know, sneak us in? It’ll only take two seconds! Please, please please please?”

Yamazaki doesn’t say yes, but he doesn’t say no. Instead, his face is stuck in furious contemplation, as it normally is, thinking if making himself look silly is worth it. His eyes flick back and forth between Souma and Chi, seeing how truly eager they were for something as random and immature as wanting a photo with a stranger in a white beard. He doesn’t know much about Souma, but he’s close with Chi in school—it’s hard to say no to her.

Which is why he trudges over to the main staff, back straight, trying to appeal to them for his friend’s sake. The staff look behind Yamazaki, an inquisitive look on their faces as the request is proposed. Chi smiles when she catches the single approving nod from the head. Wasting no time at all, Chi is already standing next to Santa by the time Souma has the polaroid ready to shoot, who is absurdly tall to Chi’s surprise.

“So, why are you two doing this? Don’t you think you’re a little too old to be taking photos with Santa?”

“This was all Toudou’s idea,” Souma sighs. “I didn’t get much say in the matter, so now I’m caught up in the competition.” He peers into the view finder, getting the perfect angle while a couple children in front of him begin to cause commotion. With a satisfying click, he takes the picture and lets it print into his fingertips. “Why don’t you join us? I’m sure Chi would enjoy your company.”

“I can’t. It’s my job to volunteer in the community. I can’t simply drop everything to play a game.”

Chi prances back to them as Souma puts away the camera and holds the first picture of the race in his hand. “What’s next on the list?” he asks.

Chi holds the crinkled paper in her fingertips, getting an earful from whiny kids at the same time. But she pays no mind to it. “Head to the school and make a gingerbread house in the cooking club’s kitchen… I’ve never tried gingerbread before.”

“You haven’t? Not even during Christmas Time?” As if he can’t be even more confused than what he already is, his eyes squint as though to reprimand.

“How are we even meant to get into the school? It’s finished for the year. It’s all locked up.”

“Yeah… Unless Heisuke thinks he can break in through one of the windows.”

Yamazaki listens to Souma and Chi go back and forth. All the while, his shoulders slump, hearing this nagging echo in the back of his head saying “Do it, do it, do it, do it—”

“I have keys,” he finally admits.

“What? You do?”

“I am part of the student council, after all. Saito left me in charge of them when he left on holidays.”

“So, you’ll come?” Chi claps her hands together. “Come on, it’s Christmas! It’ll be fun! Having an extra team member will be a huge help, too!”

Giving in at long last, Yamazaki removes the striped hat from his head, his hair sticking up with static, places it on the ground and walks away.

“You aren’t going to tell them?”

“I’ve embarrassed myself enough already. I think it’s best I go silently.”

Having no idea where Heisuke Team is, the three hurry for Hakuo High. It isn’t hard to commute to, but the busses are so packed with passengers they can hardly hail a transport that will accept three extras. One, two, three busses go by, filled to the brim with travellers. Having to accept that walking might have to be their best option, they do just that.

“Surely we’re behind at this point,” Souma sighs as the front gate finally comes into view. But to their pleasant surprise, the gate hasn’t been opened at all.

“Maybe not! Yamazaki, where’re the keys?”

The student council member reaches into his shoulder bag, shuffling through its contents to try and hear for the familiar clinking noise of the metal. His face slowly loses colour the longer it takes for him to find them, and even more so when he checks his pockets, only for them to be empty.

“No. I always keep them with me… Where are they?”

“Oi. Looking for this?”

All three heads turn around. Behind them, two blue-haired delinquents strut up to them, stray curls falling from their tied-up hair. The one with the longer hair carries a bag from what looks to be from a toy shop, while the short-haired one holds the keys in his fingers. Their clothes look hip and their faces look smug. But Chi knows them. She knows they’re more than what they seem.

“Yo, Chi,” they both greet the girl.

“Shiranui, Sakamoto, what are you two doing here?” Yamazaki mutters, knowing full well how much trouble this duo has caused among the order of the school, to be kept in place by the student council itself. Yamazaki is less than impressed to have to bump into these fellows on this fine winter day.

“Well, we did follow you all this way to give you back your keys, but I guess we don’t have to if you don’t want them—”

“No, give them back this instant,” Yamazaki demands from Sakamoto. He attempts in clumsily catching them when tossed into his direction but drops them. The boys scoff.

“So, what brings you back to these parts? A little unusual to want to do homework during Christmas, isn’t it?”

“We’re doing a race. We have to get into the Cooking Club.”

“A race, huh?” Sakamoto and Shiranui look at each other in amusement. “Sounds cool. We’re in.

“I don’t know if you can really invite yourselves into this,” Souma tries to reason.

“Why not? It’s Christmas~” Sakamoto walks up to the gate and unlocks it himself with a hair pin. A wide toothy grin spreads across his face like a child lying that he stole a cookie from the cookie jar. “It’s a time for togetherness, right? We could help you guys win.”

“I’m cool with it,” Chi shrugs as she looks to her other teammates. “The teams might be uneven then, though. It’d be too much of an advantage—”

“Oi, Sakamoto, you’re on the other team.”

“What? You wound, Shiranui. I thought we were comrades.”

“Every man for himself,” Shiranui smirks.

The now group of five shuffle into the should-be restricted boundaries of the school grounds, apart from the delinquents marching ahead like it’s no big deal to them. Unlocking one door after the next, they delve deeper into the dark, abandoned hallways. They echo with every click of a heel, every tap of a toe, every “are you sure we should be doing this?” of a whisper. The group navigates, trying to remember where the heck the kitchen is.

Once they finally find it, they peer in the door’s window.

“No one’s here,” Shiranui states, being the tallest. “What’re we breaking in here for, again?”

“We have to make a gingerbread house. I’ve never made one before though, so—”

“You’ve never made gingerbread?” Sakamoto raises his voice.

“She’s never tried it, either.”

“What? What’s the matter with you?” Shiranui pinches her cheek, like a mother disciplining a child.

A sudden click of a door makes them all jump. A door briskly slides open, and from the other side steps a puffed out Heisuke and Nomura, plus the red-head teacher everyone who attends Hakuo High knows and loves.

“Oh? How the heck did you guys get in here before us?”

“I have a key to the school, sir,” Yamazaki quickly defends himself before the blunettes can wantonly admit to their criminal activity. “The council president left it in my care while he’s away.”

“What? Yamazaki? And you two?” Heisuke points to each fresh face. “Why do you have so many team members?”

“What, we can’t have some fun, too? Besides, I’m on your team now,” Sakamoto says while he folds his arms. “Don’t you worry, kiddo. I’ve got this in the bag for us,” he says as he ruffles Nomura and Heisuke’s hair.

“Alright you lot, let me open the kitchen for us.” Harada squishes past through the crowded hallway, him and Shiranui locking eyes in banter. “There’s left over mix from the Christmas festival in the refrigerator, so go crazy.”

As soon as the door slides open, both teams sprint inside and grab as much mixture as possible. The P.E teacher empties his bag of goodies he picked up along the way, full of candies and other treats to dress the houses in diabetes. They set their bench spaces up, each team talking strategy on how to best approach their designs. Shiranui, of course, says to go buck wild since “it isn’t like it’s a beauty pageant or anything.”

Each team waits impatiently as the houses cook in the oven. Nomura’s restlessness gets the better of him and cranks the oven fifty degrees higher than the recipe says without anyone looking. It cooks them faster all right, but at the cost at having soggy charcoal gingerbread due to the fire sprinklers being triggered from the huge cloud of black smoke.

“Please, don’t eat this, Chi. This is not what gingerbread should look like,” Souma whispers to her as he drips with water, similarly to everyone else.

Mr. Harada’s head snaps up. “Chi doesn’t know what gingerbread looks like?”

“She’s never made it before.”

“What? How is that possible?”

“She’s never tasted it, either.”

“WHAT!?”

Chi and Nomura are nominated as the icing makers for their respective teams, wasting no time in caking their architecture in white glaze to hopefully transform the sludge piles into the sweet glory they’re meant to portray. Both teams aggressively throw candies all over the wet frosting before it dries, hoping whatever sticks will somehow allow it to resemble an actual candied household of sorts.

“Okay, we’re done!” Shiranui announces.

“What? You can’t call it a house without a door—”

Shiranui sticks his finger into the sludge pile, creating a perfect hole. “There, now it has a door. Hurry and take the picture already,” he urges Souma. After sharing a quick glance at Chi, as though to ask, “should I just do it, or…”, he takes the shot and prints the photo.

Shiranui starts pushing his group out the door, more determined than ever to win the race now. Sakamoto and Nomura start yelling demands at Harada and his OCD, the teacher just wanting to make the perfect door to show off his craftsman ship. The long-hair bluenette sees this and smirks evilly.

“Shiranui, what are you thinking…” Yamazaki sees the evil in his eyes. He doesn’t like this.

Shiranui reaches his hand into his shopping bag, pulling out what looks to be a fake gun, a NERF Gun to be exact. From the doorway, while the enemy is preoccupied, he loads in a bullet, aims his pistol, and pulls the trigger, unleashing his fury unto Harada’s design. In a depressing heap, the house crumbles and falls apart.

“Shiranui, you little…!”

“Don’t think you’re going to get away with this!” Mr. Harada shouts while the former pulls everyone out of the school grounds. The game is well and truly underway.

Racing all around town, the teams follow the list accordingly. Next on the list is twirl in the ice rink, which Shiranui was unexpectedly well practiced at, make a snowman with some kind of clothing, which Yamazaki sacrificed the warmth of his gloves to get the job done, find a couple kissing underneath a mistletoe, find a decorated tree in someone’s open window, buy a Christmas drink from a café, and all kinds of other bits and bobs. As both teams knock off each target one at a time, a lovely collection of polaroids are at the photographers’ fingertips, having forever captured the best moments of everyone’s Christmas Eve.

The day was getting late with the golden sun setting behind the distance urban skyscrapers from several towns over. Time was nearly up.

Holding the list in his hands, Yamazaki reads off the second-last task. “It says ‘Buy and wear a Santa hat’.”

“Where are we gonna find one of those?”

“No chance we can buy one,” Shiranui folds his arms. “All the gift shops are well and truly closed. We might’ve lost this one.”

“Surely we can find one somewhere,” Souma replies. “We’ve come this far-- we have so many photos. Perhaps we can ask someone who’s wearing one?”

“Where on earth are we going to find someone wearing a Santa hat?” Chi mumbles.

Just as the words escape her lips, a man with incredible stature collides into her smaller frame, sending her stumbling back several feet with her glasses crooked on the tip of her nose. Looking up at the monstrous figure, she scrunches her nose in disdain, as does the rest of her team.

“Takeda.”

“Watch where you’re going, insects,” he bellows, his merlot hair flicking in the wind behind him. There’s only one person everyone knows that has longer hair than the school delinquent Shiranui, and that’s the man that stands in front of all of them—the student that’s never graduated and has stayed back one too many years. It’s obvious why, too; his attitude stinks. The gossip mongers claim he has a face so punchable, yet so intimidating none can approach for the very reason. The words live to their name. It just sucks because he’s really pretty.

“What’re you doing out here?” Souma interrogates. “Bringing about more mishap?”

“How dare you accuse me of child play. I’ll have you embarrassments know that I am a man of pride and honour, so watch how you speak in the presence of greatness.”

“That means nothing off the school grounds, you know. You’re nothing but the rest of us ‘common-folk’.

“It matters not the circumstance. People will learn to fear the name Kanryusai Takeda and obey my every command, like a filthy dog at the mercy of an unshakeable flea.”

“Wow. To call yourself a flea? Even I wouldn’t sink so low,” Shiranui scoffs.

As Takeda continues his egotistical monologue of his supremacy, Souma’s eyes notice something from underneath the man’s abnormally large jacket. He spies a red fabric with a white cotton ball hanging from the end, not dissimilar to the very thing the group needs to find. He subtly taps the side of Yamazaki’s arm. His eyes follow his, and he sees exactly what he’s talking about. Yamazaki passes it on to Chi, who passes it on to Shiranui. The latter sees the jacket only remaining closed with Takeda’s hands gripping its hems.

“I’m gonna shoot him.”

“Don’t you do it, Shiranui.”

“Come on, the guy has what we need! It’s not like I’m killing the guy.”

“Which will allow him to kill us in return.”

“Not if we run fast enough.”

“Shiranui, don’t you dare—”

He’s already loaded, aimed, cocked and fired, smack bang in the middle of Takeda’s big ugly forehead.

“Wha—What in the!?” His arms fly open, underneath revealing a Santa Clause suit, the hat falling to the floor.

“Quick! Grab it!”

Like a ninja, Yamazaki plays hero, swooping down low to the ground before Takeda has the chance to grab him by the scuff of his neck, swipes it from the ground into his hand, and leads the way as everyone else runs after him, including Takeda.

“I’ll be darned if he was the Santa Clause I took a photo with.”

“You’ll regret this, low-lives!” He shouts from afar.

“Who even talks like that?”

“Him, obviously. But never-mind, just go!”

Once catching up to Yamazaki at the front of the chase, Chi and he match pace as their feet dig into the icy ground beneath them, navigating their way to the final destination; the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. About to compliment Yamazaki on his secret ninja skills, she doesn’t watch her footing and finds herself slipping and sliding all over the place. Yamazaki in turn reflexively grabs a tight hold of her arm, steadying her once more as their pace picks up again.

“Hang on to me, Chi. We can’t have you falling behind now.”

“O-okay, sure!”

The crowd grows larger the closer they approach, the excited chatter of eager children to see the beautiful lights grace the town once more in this fine 2018. It’s hard not to bump into anyone while in such a rush, and so both Chi and Yamazaki look behind them to ensure their team is accounted for. However, they see they have lost one member.

“Where’d Shiranui go?” Chi calls back to Souma.

“He’s keeping Takeda busy, but keep going! Here—” Souma removes the camera strap from around his neck and stretches his arm out to pass the torch onto Chi. Once she grabbed a tight hold, Souma gives her an approving nod before he too is dragged into the chaos of the crowds.

The duo’s speed doesn’t slow for a second, not when sweet victory was so close they could taste it. But the space was getting thinner and harder to navigate through, making it nearly impossible to run side-by-side with someone, let alone walk.

“Chi, take the hat!” Yamazaki throws the item over the heads of multiple people he’s already found himself stuck behind. Chi jumps as high as she can, catching it with the tips of her fingers. “Get to the tree! You still need to take the photo!” He yells out to her before his voice drowns in the rest of the town’s populace.

It’s just her now—the last man standing.

Come on, come on, where’s the tree?

She looks all around, trying to spy the giant pine in the heart of the city. She finds herself going against the flow of the crowd, and instead changes her direction to move with the tide, hoping it’ll lead her to where she needs to go. Bells ringing, carollers singing, children laughing, lights twinkling, it’s a beautiful night to behold.

At long last, she emerges from the crowd, completely out of breath. Even without the lights on, the tree that stands tall and proud before her is just as enchanting as what it is to be. Her eyes scan the area, looking for her own team or the opposition. There, directly in front of her vision, on the opposite side of the great tree, she sees Heisuke, also wearing a Santa hat with the polaroid camera in his grasp. They spy each other and make quick work of weaving their way through to each other’s side.

“So, did you finish them all?” Heisuke asks.

“Yep! Well… except for one. We didn’t get to take a photo of one of us wearing a Santa hat yet,” Chi admits.

“Well here, let’s do it now!”

Heisuke takes the hat from her hands and delicately places it atop her head, fixing her slightly crooked glasses while he’s at it. She giggles at his ticklish touch as his fingers accidentally brush the side of her cheek. Madly blushing, Heisuke quickly takes his camera and holds it up to cover his pink face.

“Ready, aaaaand—"

Chi sees an opportunity and she seizes it. She holds her camera up at just the last second, the device flashing at the same time as his. Both photos print from their respective cameras, the images slowly displaying two of a kind. Heisuke is in awe, seeing how identical the photos are except for who’s on the other side of the lens. It’s a perfect moment captured.

“Hey, uh, sorry if this is weird but… can I have that one?” he shyly asks as he points to Chi’s photograph. “I mean, only if you don’t mind! You can have this one too, if you want!”

“Sure. It’s a deal,” she grins in reply. They trade photos, Heisuke beaming like a child on Christmas morning with his new treasured possession.

“Team Heisuke still wins, by the way. We got all the photos before you and got here first!”

“You so did not! We got here at the same time!”

“Then where’s the rest of your team?”

“Where’s your team?”

As the playful banter continues, they’re both interrupted by the voices of the town counting down in unison. Heisuke checks his phone in his pocket, the time reading 11:59pm.

Together, their voices join the fray, all eyes watching the great pine, hearts beating in anticipation for the magnificent display that’s to happen in only seconds. Heisuke’s veins are pumping furiously as he slowly outstretches his hand beside him. His fingertips brush her own, and at first she flinches, thinking the touch is from a stranger close by. But when she realises it’s from him, she accepts the gesture, and intertwines his fingers with her own. Once linked, she feels his hand squeeze happily as the seconds become fewer.

3… 2… 1…

“Merry Christmas!”

The people erupt in cheer as the tree ignites with a heavenly glow. Fireworks crack in the distance, filling the black sky with a plethora of colourful joy. To add further wonder into Chi’s night Heisuke dares to take a second brave step in the spirit of the moment and sneaks a quick peck on her cheek. She blankly stares at him, at a loss for words, while his gaze is intently fixed onto his shoes. Feeling giddy, she starts to giggle. Her laughter is so incredibly contagious that Heisuke can’t help but do the same.

Like the snow flakes above them, his nerves are carried away by the winter winds, both hearts feeling warm and just… right… in each other’s company this very moment.

“Merry Christmas, Chi.”

…

Elsewhere…

“Well, it looks like he beat us to her.”

“This was kind of the point to the whole race though, wasn’t it?”

“Aw, what? Come on. I thought there was a cool prize at the end. This sucks.”

“Ow! What did you shoot me for?”

“Just felt like it.”

“You gotta admit, they’re pretty adorable together, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah… Still kind of sucks though.”

[sabinasanfanfic]

Call of the Fighters - Part I

This is part of @fic-writer-appreciation‘s March AU challenge, and is a prompt for Day 9 (Historical) and Day 17 (Military). I’m also using this as a little nod to my Irish heritage in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday April 24, 1916

Hijikata put the final touches on his poem, leaving his notebook open for her to read it once she awoke. He set his fountain pen aside and rose from the desk, straightening his long-sleeved, button-down shirt as he did so. He glanced over to the corner by the window where his messenger bag waited for him.

He had resolved to do this—to participate in this failure of an insurrection. The rebels had been unsuccessful in obtaining the needed weaponry, and it was certain the British were aware that a plot was underway, though it was possible they didn’t know the timing. Despite the odds being stacked against them, the leaders decided to continue. They wanted to send a message that it was high time Ireland had her freedom.

He grabbed his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder, glancing back at the closed bedroom door. He could very well die, and he had made sure to spend what could have been his final evening with Chizuru—letting her know that he loved her. He had waited until she had fallen asleep to take his leave because he knew she wanted to go with him, and he couldn’t allow that. He wanted her to be safe, and he couldn’t guarantee that he would leave this battle alive. If he couldn’t ensure his own safety, he was sure he couldn’t do the same for her.

Hijikata regretfully left the tiny house and walked to the corner of the cobblestone street where his closest friend stood by a street sign, waiting for him. At the sound of his footsteps echoing off the buildings lining the narrow street, the man turned and shot Hijikata a warm smile upon recognizing who was approaching.

“All set?” Kondō asked.

Hijikata gave a swift nod before they both crossed the street side-by-side. Hijikata was acutely aware of his surroundings, listening for any indications that someone else was out in the dead of night with them. Thankfully, neither he nor Kondō had weapons on them. It might have drawn unwanted attention.

“We’ve been ordered to go to Liberty Hall to receive our assignments. Rumor has it we’ll be under the command of Seán Connolly.”

“Do we have numbers?”

Kondō shook his head. “MacNeill’s order seems to have caused some confusion. Heisuke asked if everything was canceled all together.”

Hijikata scoffed. “MacNeill’s an idiot. He was just waiting for an excuse to delay, and once he found out the weapons didn’t make it from Germany...”

“He has a point. It does make our position difficult.”

“That’s why we just have to destroy their arms and take over Dublin Castle.”

Kondō sighed. “We’ll have to see if that’s even possible. Who knows how many will turn out.”

“I’m glad we can rely on our men.”

The conversation ceased as the two continued their trek to Liberty Hall. The enormity of the their undertaking hit Hijikata. The Irish had spent decades utilizing political means to peacefully gain independence with the introduction of the Home Rule Bill. Twice it had been defeated, but it seemed the third attempt would be successful. It had passed in 1914, and it appeared to Hijikata that it would be the beginning steps to independence, even if the Northern Irish weren’t on board.

But Home Rule never came. Shortly before its implementation, Britain declared war on Germany, and Parliament decreed that Home Rule would not come into effect until the end of the war. Hijikata had watched in dismay while the majority of the Irish supported the British war effort and even called for men to join the British army. All he could see was yet another delay tactic—another effort of Parliament to deny the Irish what they had been wanting for centuries.

It was disgust that led to Hijikata jumping at the opportunity to participate in armed rebellion. He knew that many of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Irish Volunteers didn’t agree with the timing, as they were waiting for a good reason to call for insurrection. Hijikata couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t want to take advantage of a time when Britain was distracted and had pulled the majority of their forces out of Ireland.

Cowards…the whole lot of them, he inwardly growled. Short-sighted, risk-averting…

Hijikata’s thoughts abruptly wandered to the woman he left behind, and he felt a twinge of guilt at that. He had come to terms with the very real possibility that he could die, and he had done what he could to be sure Chizuru would be provided for. He knew that she understood his desire to take part in the rising, but he was also aware that Chizuru yearned for him to remain at her side. She loved him, and she didn’t want anything terrible to befall him.

Little flashes of their last moments together came to his mind, and Hijikata found comfort in the memory of the feel of her naked body pressed to his as she cried out her release. If anything, he was grateful he had that opportunity to show her how much he loved her before he left. He wanted to live so that he could return to her, but Ireland had to come first.

Kondō and Hijikata reached Liberty Hall, and a young boy no more than ten was seated on the front stoop dressed in uniform with a rifle clutched in his arms. Based on the boy’s hold on the weapon, Hijikata wondered how much training the lad had in its use. The boy was listless—probably from staying up late into the night—making Hijikata smile fondly at the sight of the slumped over figure. Kondō crouched low in front of the boy.

“How long have you been out here?”

The boy sat up, his spine completely straight and his eyes more alert. “I don’t know, sir. But I was awake, sir! I swear!”

Kondō chuckled. “I know. I’ll see if we can find a replacement for you so you can get some rest.”

The boy’s frame slumped once more with relief. “Thank you, sir!”

Kondō ruffled the boy’s hair with some affection before he rose to his full height, and the pair made their way into the building. Up the narrow stairs and to the left was a wide, open room. In the center was a table where six men sat. Others were gathered in groups around the room either talking or resting against the walls. Off in the corner was a crude mattress where a man lay sleeping. Hijikata knew that the man was Joseph Plunkett, who probably needed the rest before things got underway. He had to give the man credit for wanting to fight despite the worsening of his tuberculosis. Hijikata briefly wondered if Plunkett—as someone who would understand the young man’s similar feelings about the illness and desire to fight—had spoken to Souji at all.

“Ah, welcome, gentlemen!” a man with dark hair slicked back, large nose, and serious eyes greeted as he stood. Hijikata immediately recognized Padraic Pearse, the leader of it all. “I’m glad you came.” A pause. “Where are the rest of your men?”

“We decided to come in waves in order to avoid suspicion,” Hijikata reported.

“Smart,” Seán Connolly replied with an approving smile. “I’m fortunate to have men like you under my command.”

“How is he?” Kondō inquired, jerking his head towards the sleeping Plunkett.

Pearse glanced Plunkett’s way before shaking his head. “Some days are better than others. Who knows what he’ll be like in a few hours.”

Hijikata acknowledged the statement with a nod. Souji was in a much better spot in terms of his tuberculosis when compared to Plunkett—the man’s illness being far more advanced than Souji’s—and Hijikata was sympathetic to the man’s suffering. He hoped that Plunkett would feel well enough to fight. At this point, they needed every man they could get.

He stepped away from the table to allow Kondō to talk among the leaders. Hijikata wandered to another corner where some rifles were stored. He decided to go through them and be sure they were in working order. As he dug through the long wooden boxes, he realized just how short they were on arms, and a sort of resignation settled within him. While a very small part of him hoped for victory, he knew the odds were stacked against them.

Soon, he was joined by Saitō, who took a keen interest in caring for weaponry. Hijikata greeted him with some enthusiasm, though exhaustion was beginning to creep in.

“The others?”

“Shinpachi, Heisuke, and Harada are on their way up. I think they were debating who would relieve the child at the front door. Sannan, Gen, and Souji are over with Kondō discussing the plans.”

Hijikata’s attention returned to the rifle he had just pulled out of the box, finishing his inspection. “Did you see anyone else coming?”

Saitō shook his head. “But it’s early.”

No more was said between the pair as they continued their task. When all the weapons had been checked, Hijikata and Saitō returned them to the boxes. By this time, Kondō approached them with a wane smile on his face.

“We will be under Seán Connolly. We are tasked with going to City Hall to overtake the Castle. We will be joined by some of the Cumann na mBan,” Kondō reported.

“Do we know when?”

“Close to midday. Pearse wants to wait a few more hours before making any major moves. He wants to give people more time to get here. We’ll follow Pearse and some of the others to the GPO for the proclamation and then we will march to City Hall.”

Hijikata sighed, running a hand over his face in an attempt to chase away his fatigue. When he peered up at Kondō once more, he saw the fond smile on the man’s lips. He gave a quick smile in return before looking away.

“You should get some rest.”

Hijikata originally planned on telling Kondō no, but he could barely see straight, and his concentration was waning. He sighed and glanced over at Saitō. The young man was looking to him for guidance, but he also suspected Saitō was expecting Hijikata to give in to Kondō. Hijikata sighed and returned his gaze to Kondō.

“Yeah. I’ll get some sleep.”

Hijikata shifted so that he was leaning against the wall. Kondō walked away, and Hijikata presumed it was to tell the others to rest as well. He stared out into the hall, suddenly feeling a burst of energy that would make it difficult for him to fall asleep. He forced himself to close his eyes, and his thoughts drifted to Chizuru, who was probably still curled up in their bed. The mental image of her in peaceful slumber made his breathing slow.

How he wanted her near! She was a steadfast presence in his life—she never failed to calm him when he was overwhelmed—and he wanted that now to ease the knots that had twisted his stomach. But, he was also aware that it was selfish for him to want that when what he was embarking on was dangerous. And the last thing he wanted to do was put Chizuru in harm’s way.

His thoughts continued to swirl around her, and he realized after some time that his body had relaxed and his stomach settled. He drifted into a light sleep. He was vaguely aware of what was going on around him, but it wasn’t enough to disturb him too much. As the hours ticked away, he was dimly aware of an increase in the buzz of conversation and the footsteps of more people on the wooden floor.

He finally opened his eyes, squinting as bright sunlight assaulted him. He blinked a few times until he was used to the light, and he peered around the room. There were definitely more people like he had suspected, which was a small relief. He continued to take stock of the scene to get a better idea of how many people were there. Some were preparing their rifles while others were receiving instructions from leaders.

Hijikata stretched, his muscles feeling tight and heavy from his slumber. He looked to his left and saw Saitō was already alert. Hijikata wasn’t the least bit surprised by that. He stood and straightened out his clothes, wondering what time it was and where they all were in the planning stages. As he gazed around the room, he realized that their numbers were still small.

He then went searching for Kondō, eventually finding him toward the back of the room with Seán Connolly. Souji stood off to the side, his arms crossed against his chest and his eyes narrowed. Kondō turned and acknowledged Hijikata.

“Toshi. We’ll soon be marching to the GPO for the declaration. We’re handing out what weapons we have. Make sure you get one, and gather our men.”

Hijikata felt the knots return to his stomach. This was the moment—there was no turning back. He went back to the spot where he had been sleeping to pass on the orders to Satiō and to distribute weapons. He took deep breaths through his nose to calm his stomach. Now wasn’t the time to show fear. Now it was time to do what he had set out to do.

Everyone prepared quickly, and shortly before midday, the group of about 400 marched across the street to the GPO. Along the way, several members of the group broke off to paste copies of the Proclamation of the Republic for the citizenry to read.

Hijikata was looking forward to hearing Pearse read the Proclamation with their flags flying above them. He imagined the great impact it would have on everyone around them, and he felt his heart swell in his chest at how inspiring it would all be. When they drew close to the GPO, Hijikata caught movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see Seán Connolly breaking off from the group. The man motioned for the rest to follow. Hijikata was confused but followed the unspoken order.

“We’re going to start heading toward City Hall. We need to catch them unawares as much as possible!”

Hijikata waved for the rest to follow him, and soon the relatively small group was crossing the bridge over the River Liffey. As they passed by people in the streets, Hijikata could see a mixture of surprise and fear on the countless faces. He heard some shout at them, wondering where they were going with their guns.

Soon, City Hall loomed before them, and Hijikata could see that it was quiet. He immediately grew suspicious—where were the British troops that were left to guard Dublin? They should’ve known the rising was coming! 

“You men, over to City Hall!” Seán called out as he pointed to Kondō, Hijikata, and the others. “Set up for a siege of the castle!”

As they split off from the group, Hijikata looked back to see Seán with about half of the group charge at the gate. Hijikata heard the distinctive pop of gunfire as he returned his attention to where he was going. They continued to hear gunshots as they gained entry to City Hall. Hijikata stood by the door to be sure each of his men made it safely in. He then remembered that there were supposed to be members of Cumann na Ban joining them, and he wondered where they were.

At that moment, Hijikata heard the sound of masonry cracking and caught the movement of flying debris and dust out of the corner of his eye. He immediately looked around to see where the shot came from while crouching. He began to prepare to fire off his own gun if need be. It was quiet for a few seconds before he heard more gunshots coming from above him. Hijikata glanced upward, wondering who was firing, and if the British had taken over City Hall before they had.

The change in his attention was a mistake.

More gunshots rang out, and Hijikata heard a bullet whizz by his ear. Hijikata dodged to his right and took a bullet to his left bicep. He let out a cry as he instinctively dropped his rifle so his right hand could cover the wound. He could feel the warmth of his blood slide down his fingers to his wrist to soak into the cuff of his sleeve. Hijikata swore under his breath as he looked up and caught sight of a few British soldiers heading his way with their guns poised to fire.

He heard more gunshots come from behind him, and the shout of a female voice. “Get in here!”

He couldn’t quite make out the voice over the ringing in his ears, but he knew if he wanted to stay alive, he needed to move indoors out of the line of fire. As he scrambled to get up, he felt a pair of tiny hands grab him by the right arm and drag him backwards.

Hijikata let out an indignant shout as he was pulled through the doorway, and his body was slammed up against the wall. The surroundings were dimly lit, and it took some time for his eyes to adjust to his new surroundings. He let out another moan as he slowly slid to the floor. More gunshots sounded from beside him, and he looked that way to see who had come to his rescue.

Hijikata’s heart stuttered at the sight of a familiar woman dressed in a man’s uniform standing in the open doorway, firing at the incoming British soldiers.

“Chizuru!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tagging: @shell-senji, @kondo-hijikata, @eheartangel, @hakuyamazakisensei, @hidetheremote, @resshiiram, @hakuouki-or-hakuoki, @lescahiersdesable, @flower-dragon, @jellyfish-wish, @trashmonster06, @enby-peep, @emmalanna. If you wish to be added or removed from my tag list, please message me!

[spider-moon-princess]

Time Travel CH 18

Omg, 18! I’m having too much fun writing this! 

Part Seventeen

Masterlist

----++----

Shinpachi, Heisuke and Sanosuke had gone back to the gym to work out some more.

 “Yosh! Let’s work on some crunches now!”

 Sanosuke set his weights down, grabbing a towel from the bench. “Shinpachi! Haven’t we done enough today?” Heisuke flopped on the floor. “I’m with Sano-san! I can’t do this anymore!”

“Pshh, you two have such little stamina. Let’s take five and run on the treadmills then!” He sat down next to Heisuke, grabbing his green water bottle to take a swig of water.

 The little click-click of heels had Sanosuke snapping to attention. There was a reason that Shinpachi was so eager on dragging out his gym time, and this only made it clearer. He pretended not to see her as she approached the trio. He wiped his brow with his towel.

 Finally, the click-click of heels stopped right behind Shinpachi. He stiffened a bit, hesitant to turn around.

 “Shin!” Hands on her hips, a pout on her pink glossed lips, and her were eyebrows furrowed in displeasure.

 Shinpachi immediately stood up to face her. “A-ah, Etsu!” His heart skipped a beat, looking at her. She was wearing a flared red dress that hugged her curves that reached above her knees. “Wh-what brings you here?”

 “You know exactly what, Nagakura Shinpachi!” She crossed her arms. “You went to the club again, didn’t you?”

 “Just for a bit…just for a drink with Sano!” He knew he was better off telling the truth. Yeah, he liked going to the clubs, but it was mostly for the bar and ambiance. He had no interest in other women, only her. “Na, Sano?”

 Sanosuke gave her a sheepish smile. “I was watching this idiot the whole time, once he was drunk off his ass, he was listing things that he loved about you. I had to listen to him during the car ride home.” He chuckled.

 Etsu’s expression softened. She knew Sano-san never lied to her. Though she trusted Shinpachi, she couldn’t help but be doubtful once in a while. He was an attractive man, women and men looked his way when they walked out in public holding hands. She trusted he wouldn’t cheat on her, but she certainly didn’t trust the majority of girls at a club or bar. “Really, Shin?”

 “Maa, I don’t remember much, but I guess I can repeat it for you…” His cheeks were dusted with pink.

 “Ooooh, Shi~in!” She lunged forward, tackling him in a hug. “Tell me over dinner!”

 Shinpachi chuckled, giving her cheek a peck. “Okay, okay, let me get changed and I’ll meet you in my office.”

 Giggling, she nodded happily and tip-toed to kiss his cheek. Even with her three-inch heels, she still couldn’t reach his cheeks.

 “Geez…” Heisuke watched her leave for his office. “You two fight and make up over nothing.”

 “We do not fight, we have small disagreements from time to time. Besides, Etsu’s such a catch.” Shinpachi grinned like a fool in love, which was what he was. “She knows how to cook, she’s kind, beautiful, she’s got curves, she’s a D, and thick thighs for me to rest my head on-”

“Oi, oi, Shinpachi, save it for dinner.” Sanosuke shook his head, clapping him on the back as they went to hit the showers.

 --

Chizuru and Hijikata-sensei had agreed that he would bring Okita-san as soon as the discharge papers went through. She decided to go home after changing to set things up for him.

 Souji was alone in the room. He closed his eyes and tried to take a nap, but little flashes of what he wanted to call memories came to him.

 Chizuru cooking, their first kiss, studying with Chizuru, Hajime-kun, and Heisuke-kun, little bits of things here and there he didn't understand.

 Just what the hell was going on? These thoughts, memories, weren't his, but they were in his head.

 "Oi, Souji." Hijikata-san opened the door.

 Souji chuckled, "The Hijikata-san I know also never knocks." He stood up and stretched until his back popped a bit.

 "Let's get going, the papers went through." He grabbed the file folder and opened a bit to check its contents. A birth certificate, an ID, even a high school diploma...He really did not want to know how Sannan-san got a hold of these documents.

 Souji followed him out to the parking lot, grimacing slightly when he heard a loud roar. "Hijikata-san, what are all these machines?" He looked around them. The machines were similar shapes, but different colors. They all were in neat rows, though some here and there were placed crookedly.

 “Cars. They’re like our modern horses.” Toshizō opened the passenger door of his black sports car. “Come on, Souji, I don’t have all day.” He glanced at his iPhone 4, smiling lightly as he got a reminder from Satomi to come home for dinner. He didn’t forget, but she knew to send him little reminders in case he did lose track of time. He shut the door after Souji and quickly responded that he’d be home after dropping Souji off at Chizuru’s.

 “Modern horses?” Souji mused, looking around the car. He had the urge to press buttons that lit up when Hijikata-san brought the modern horse to life. What had he called it, a car?

 “Souji! Don’t touch anything! It can be dangerous if you press the wrong thing while I’m driving.” He had spotted that devious glint in his eyes. Sighing, he started driving out of the parking lot, the car picking up speed once he was out on the road.

 Souji grasped the seat for support as Hijikata-san started to go faster. He didn’t like this car thing, though it was more convenient than a horse or walking. He had to admit that when Hijikata-san made the turns rather harshly, it made him a biiiiit scared for his life. He chuckled nervously. “Are these cars meant to go this fast?”

 Toshizō smirked, pressing down on the accelerator, passing other cars by. He wasn’t a reckless driver, but he certainly was a speed demon. “Oh sure, this one is built to go rather fast. She’s meant to drive fast.” He could see Souji was scared shitless by his driving, and he was relishing every moment of it. He smoothly parked the car near Chizuru’s apartment. “Well, here we are. Didn’t take long at all.” He probably broke over twenty traffic laws, but it was so worth it, especially when Souji crawled out of the car on all fours.

 Oh, sweet solid ground. Souji took a few moments before he stood up. He’d gotten a little nauseous with the car moving at such high velocity.

He never, ever wanted to get in the same car as Hijikata-san again.

 --

 Toshizō led him to Chizuru’s apartment. “I can’t stay, but you’re going to tell him, right?”

 Chizuru nodded, looking over at Souji; he was busy staring at pictures she had up on the wall. “Yes, Hijikata-sensei.”

 “Good. Here’s his medicine, the file from Sannan-san, and the journals. Good luck, Yukimura.”

 Chizuru bowed and set the box inside, next to the coffee table.

 His jade green eyes stared at a few pictures on the wall. There was one of him, Heisuke-kun and Hajime-kun. They were wearing some type of uniform, Heisuke had his arms around the both of them, grinning, and even Hajime was sporting a slight smile. His future self was smiling so happily, it made him a little jealous.

 There was another picture that caught his eye of his future self, Hijikata-san, and Shinpachi-san. The three of them wore lab coats, making funny poses in front of a crowd of children.

 Chizuru came behind him, staring at the same picture, a smile spread instantly. “That’s one of my favorite. Kondō-san was out sick, but he was supposed to read to the children in the hospital, so he asked Hijikata-sensei, Nagakura-san, and Souji-kun to read it in his place instead.” She laughed at the memory. They had ended up doing a rather unorthodox version of Momotaro, thanks to Souji.* Hijikata-sensei and Nagakura-san chased him around the halls for deviating from the story by bringing in a gorilla instead of a monkey that Nagakura-san had to provide the voice for and the rest of the characters, and making Hijikata-sensei the demon. She’d been in the back, laughing with the rest of the children. They’d loved it so much.

 “Hmm, sounds interesting.” Souji stepped cautiously towards the living room as he looked around. This is where he would be living now. With Chizuru.

 “Ah, Okita-san…” Chizuru went to sit on the couch, taking out a packet from the box that Hijikata-sensei had given her. “…You probably have questions about the Shinsengumi, don’t you?”

Souji took the seat next to her, crossing his arms. “Many.”

 “...This packet of information should clear a few things up.”

 Souji took it from her, quickly scanning the first page. He skipped ahead to find out about Kondō-san.

 He nearly tore the damn paper in half. His jade green eyes furiously looked over at Chizuru. “Ne, Chizuru-chan, this is a lie, isn’t it?” His voice shook slightly. “Kondō-san would never surrender!”

 Chizuru remained silent as Souji reread the end of the paragraph that described Kondō-san’s death.

 “The fucking bastards didn’t even let him commit seppuku?! They beheaded him like some animal?! Where the hell was Hijikata-san?!” Souji threw the packet down, bowing his head. “Tell me that’s a lie, Chizuru-chan…tell me that he at least got to commit seppuku like the warrior he is…”

 They sat there for a few moments, Souji waiting for Chizuru to tell him the truth.

 “...He deserved that honor…He was…He…” His voice broke, unable to say anymore. He hated showing this side to anyone. He was Okita Souji, Captain of the First Division of the Shinsengumi. He didn’t shed tears. 

 Chizuru gently pulled him into her arms, burying her face into his hair, feeling his tears on her arm. There was nothing she could say to him that could ease the pain of losing a loved one in such a horrible manner. If her Souji had the same relationship with Kondō-san that Okita-san had with the Kondō-san in his time, he thought the world of him. She couldn’t do anything to ease the pain in his heart, so she just held him, hoping that her presence could be of even of even the slightest bit of comfort to him.

Part Nineteen

----++-----

*This is actually from one of the Hakuouki SSL drama CDs, I seriously recommend listening to it LMAO, although idk if it has any translations out. 

On another note, I’ll slowllyyyy be adding in the OCs and interactions! I started with mine, since I know her the best LOL, but they’ll get their time to shine, I promise! 

 AND FEELS, I KEPT SEEING SOUJI BREAK DOWN IN CHIZURU’S ARMS AND I JUST- ToT ToT 

[shenanigumi]

Δ

It all starts with a question: “What are you thinking about?”

They’re supposed to be studying, but all thoughts of the upcoming test have long since fallen by the wayside. But then again, it’s hardly unusual for Souji to scatter Chizuru’s thoughts at this point. Especially since she has by now discovered that one of his favorite pastimes is cuddling—and, despite not thinking of herself as a tactile kind of person, Chizuru cannot help but relax into his touch.

Despite the fact that Chizuru is lucky enough to be able to call herself Heisuke’s girlfriend, and everyone knows it, Souji still holds a fascination for her she can’t explain… and that attraction has been mutually acknowledged between the two of them. Perhaps that’s why they’re always so quiet in between more superficial conversations; some subjects are more dangerous than others, and it’s hard to avoid certain ones of them in such close proximity.

But it’s Souji this time who’s staring into nothingness, lying on his stomach beside her, propped up on his elbows. A small sigh is Chizuru’s only indication that he’s thinking about anything at all, but her senses always seem sharper around him, so she notices, and frowns. Normally, it’s her thoughts that are more often guessed; she never did learn to conceal them. It’s rare for someone like Souji to get this wrapped up in his head.

So Chizuru asks her question.

Souji doesn’t respond immediately, and when he does, it starts with half a laugh. “I betray myself,” he says, maybe-exaggerating-and-maybe-not as usual, and fans his fingers across his face. “How do I say this without sounding like an asshole…” He isn’t talking to her, just muttering to himself, but Chizuru’s heart beats a little more quickly all the same. That doesn’t sound good.

But before she can open her mouth to say never mind, he doesn’t have to try to say whatever it is if he doesn’t want, he continues. “I was thinking about kissing you,” confesses Souji all at once, and Chizuru’s heart stops. “But then I thought, no, that’d make things messy.” He looks at her sideways, a glint of curiosity in his expressive green eyes. “But then I thought… would she be mad if I did it anyway?”

Chizuru opens her mouth, then closes it again, feeling herself flush. Heisuke’s image seems blurry in her mind, an abstract connection her body can’t quite make in the moment. Of course she already knows she has no choice but to say no, but when Souji is looking at her like this… She can’t think straight, indistinct thoughts fluttering around her head like trapped insects. She may write as a hobby, but the words don’t come.

“I’m…” begins Chizuru, making a valiant effort to meet his eyes, but can barely hear herself over her pounding heart. “I’d… love to, but… I… can’t. I’m sorry.” Souji spoke of betrayal, but he cannot begin to imagine the extent to which she has betrayed herself. She intended only to be polite, but her choice of words wasn’t exactly a lie, and he knows it. Now Souji has a foothold in her psyche, lost ground Chizuru knows she can never regain.

But he doesn’t use it against her. Not yet. He just smiles—maybe a little disappointed, but certainly not surprised—and changes the subject.

Chizuru didn’t know one face could have so many features until Souji starts pointing hers out, one by one. He’s always focused on faces, ever since he can remember. He enjoys studying people’s reactions, and to hear him tell it, trying not to react counts as a reaction. Maybe that’s why he enjoys teasing Chizuru so much; it’s easy to provoke her, fluster her… manipulate her.

Maybe Souji is just seeing how far he can push her, but Chizuru cannot bring herself to care. Heisuke is sweet to her, but his compliments are clumsy to the point of incoherence. Souji has a silver tongue, speaking of her beauty in small and specific ways. Good lips and laugh lines. Good nose, button but not upturned. Good cheekbones, nice chin, strong jawline. Good eyes, clear, like melted chocolate, somewhere between milk and dark. And her hair frames her face perfectly.

And Souji likes Chizuru’s hair, running his fingers through its silky strands, nails grown out just a little too long and brushing her scalp so that she can barely suppress her shivers. But she can’t bring herself to tell him to stop, because deep down, she doesn’t want him to stop. She likes his touch, his nimble fingers. A lot. Too much.

In the interest of fairness, Chizuru tries to tell Souji what exactly she likes about him too, but she finds that—along with her breath—he has stolen all the words she might have used. For her, it is no single feature of his, but his very being that fascinates her, the fact that his appearance fits his personality so precisely. She cannot divide the totality of his self into smaller segments, much less explain the exact aesthetics of his face.

But Souji seems to understand, and lets the conversation lapse as Chizuru rolls onto her back, staring fixedly at the ceiling. There’s no way she can face him anymore. This peculiar and unprecedented concoction of emotions pulsing through her veins is beginning to interfere with even her stubborn self-control. In the moment, clinging to her sense of obligation to Heisuke feels much less satisfying than indulging Souji.

“There,” whispers Souji, tracing his finger slowly from her forehead—along her nose—across her lips, one and then the other—over her chin—and down her throat to her neckline. “It’s not a perfect silhouette. But it’s close.”

Silence ensues, as Chizuru has no response to such a softly spoken sentiment, but is shattered within the minute with a return to the subject they’ve avoided for so long. “I still wanna do it,” says Souji suddenly, sounding more than a little pained as he buries his face in a pillow, and Chizuru swallows a groan. Why did he have to bring that up at such a charged moment?

“I—I know,” manages Chizuru, blushing all over again. “Me, too. But… I can’t. I’m sorry.” Even her determination, her fear of hurting Heisuke by letting things progress too far, has grown tangibly weaker. A single reason, no matter how important it may be, seems too little to resist.

“Restraint is easy!” exclaims Souji, gathering her close, and Chizuru squeaks automatically as his hands maybe-accidentally brush past her posterior. “Child’s play!” And his face is so close, nestled in the crook of her neck so she can feel his breath as he speaks. She thinks she feels his mouth press against her skin—but his lips aren’t puckered. It isn’t a kiss, but a compromise. (Not enough, thinks Chizuru, before she can stop herself.)

But Souji sees her thinking too much again, and nudges her earlobe with his nose to draw her out of her thoughts. It works: Chizuru fidgets, but doesn’t shy away, her body still drinking in his touch. “Wh-what are you doing…?” she manages, struggling to look at him.

Souji just shrugs, pulling back so that their cheeks brush together. “Intrusive thought,” he explains, a half-sheepish sparkle in his eye. “All my willpower is going into not kissing you. I can’t help anything else.”

Trying to suppress the color rising to her cheeks once more, Chizuru closes her eyes rather than try to meet Souji’s. But then, for a split second, his teeth are on her neck, and she stiffens, eyes flying open again—but his touch is gone again almost as soon as she registers it.

“Intrusive thought,” says Souji again, and smiles. “Don’t worry about it.”

A few more hours pass them by, full of ambiguous tension, but Chizuru cannot bring herself to tell Souji to leave. Precarious as this situation may be, she cannot deny that she enjoys his company. Yes, she enjoys his flirtation, his forwardness, how easily he can articulate feelings and sensations—so unlike Heisuke’s awkward, sincere innocence.

(But the two of them don’t coexist well in her head. Just as Souji rarely enters her head when she is with Heisuke, she finds it difficult to concentrate on her love for Heisuke when she is with Souji.)

Chizuru comes back to herself in time to catch Souji yawning, and that isn’t the first time. He seems to be fading fast, and she doesn’t want to keep him so long that driving home will be dangerous. “You’d better go,” says Chizuru reluctantly. “It’s already after midnight, and you’ve still got a bit of a drive ahead of you.”

It takes a moment for Souji’s eyes to flutter open. “True,” he mumbles, snuggling deeper into his blanket. “Or I could just sleep for ten minutes…”

Chizuru sighs. “Do whatever is least likely to get you killed.”

“Least likely?” echoes Souji, tilting his head. “Least likely is if I stay here.”

The same thought crossed Chizuru’s mind, but she didn’t let herself think about it seriously. Father tends to be… overprotective, after all. But at the same time, she’s sure he’d want her friends to be safer rather than sorry—and besides, she knows Souji’s schedule well enough to know he’ll be up and out of the way an hour or two before Father awakens.

“All right,” says Chizuru finally, conceding. “You can stay.”

“My phone’s dying,” says Souji, checking. “Could you set an alarm on yours?”

“What time?”

Souji pauses. “5:45.”

Chizuru stares at him a moment—how can he get so little sleep on a regular basis?—but obligingly inputs the time all the same. “You’ll have to come in and set it on my nightstand before you leave,” she says, handing over her phone, and tries not to think of Souji in her room. Even Heisuke hasn’t had that privilege yet. “That has my alarm on it, too.”

Souji looks up from texting Inoue with the last of his battery, undoubtedly letting him know that he won’t be coming home tonight. “You’re not staying in here?”

Hesitating, Chizuru moistens her lips. She enjoys Souji’s presence, possibly more than she should, but he has a strange power over her, and that makes her nervous. Still, it’s late enough that her thoughts are beginning to scatter, and with them, her resolve. The unexpected strength of her attachment to Souji frightens her, but… if she can last this long without betraying anyone, she can last through the rest of the night.

“All right,” says Chizuru tentatively, but Souji no longer seems to be paying attention. (He probably knew from the beginning that she’d never turn him down.) Instead, he just lets out a little ‘hm’ sound as he puts down his phone.

“What is it?”

“Oh, just an epiphany,” returns Souji lightly.

Chizuru swallows. “Good or bad?”

Souji looks at her sideways again, a few locks of hair falling into his face. “I just know I’m going to kiss you tonight anyway,” he says, his voice quiet, and Chizuru tries not to shiver at his tone. “Because I’m a bad person.”

He isn’t joking.

“Th-that would put me in a difficult position,” stammers Chizuru, unable to look at him. “As much as I…” But she stops herself before she shows too much of her hand again. He’s only bringing this up to test her strength of will, she realizes—waiting for a conclusive ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Reiterating that she feels the same impulse won’t help either of them. “I could never hurt Heisuke like that. You know I can’t.”

Souji lets out a long breath. “There it is,” he says, his tone hovering somewhere between sullenness and resignation as he finally receives his answer. “You said the magic words. Fine.” He rolls over, looking as helpless as Chizuru feels. “See, I don’t want to put you in a situation like that.”

In that moment, Chizuru can tell she’s won the battle, but she can’t muster a sense of relief. No one else can never hope to loosen Heisuke’s claim on her heart and her future, but her body is—her lips seem to be—a different matter altogether. How such traitorous feelings can coexist with her affection for her boyfriend, she doesn’t know… but for whatever reason, one thing is certain.

At her core, she wants a taste of Souji.

Two fluffy blankets and one another’s body heat are enough to ward off the chilly autumn night, but Chizuru can’t fall asleep with someone else so close beside her—especially someone like Souji. She can’t seem to get comfortable, although she does her best not to change positions too often for his sake. He needs his rest, after all.

Time seems to telescope that night, each hour stretching out far longer than it should with so few remaining between them and the dawn. Yet still it seems like little time has passed before the alarm sounds, and they awaken—Souji’s arm around her waist, his front pressed against her back.

He withdraws his arm long enough to press the snooze button, and Chizuru rolls over to face him, chasing his warmth. All boundaries between them seem dissolved at this early hour, no need for artificial distance, as Souji leans his forehead briefly against hers. And, in the same way he pressed his mouth to her skin last night, Chizuru presses hers to his forehead—inhibitions lower so soon after awakening. (Heisuke seems like a mere memory, a dream.)

“Part of me wants to ask you to stay,” says Chizuru, tangling her legs with his sleepily to keep him in place even after the snooze wears off. “But… I know you can’t.”

Souji hesitates as if considering it. “I can stay ten more minutes,” he says, effortlessly extricating himself from her amateur trap in search of comfort. “It shouldn’t take me that long to get to work.”

Slowly, he lies down again, resting his head over Chizuru’s heart—the upper flat of her chest, perhaps out of respect for her boundaries—but he sits up again before too long. Perhaps her pulse has quickened too much for direct contact to be comfortable anymore, she thinks, drowsy suppositions flowing into one another like a lazy river.

But then Chizuru realizes, several minutes later, that Souji is staring at nothing again, eyes fixed intently on the bookshelf. The light just before dawn is far too dim for him to be studying their titles, no matter how sharp his eyes may be. For one reason or another, he is lost in his head again. “Are you okay?”

Chizuru’s voice is soft and weak to her own ears, but she knows Souji’s hearing is impeccable; he must have heard her. After a brief hesitation, he looks down at her for a long moment, wearing an expression she cannot fathom in the darkness. Still, her breath catches in anticipation she can’t explain: something is about to change between them, and she’s about to find out what.

“I’m sorry,” murmurs Souji, and leans down.

[hakuyamazakisensei]

November One-Shots: Day 18, Scarf; Saito, Heisuke and Harada

“Guys, guys, guys!! You have to help me!” Heisuke shouted as he came sliding into the room. “You won’t believe...oh!” He came to a stop and immediately put his hands behind his back.

The room was empty save for one person -the very last person he wanted to see at the moment.

“H-Hajime-kun, you’re here!”

“You said you needed assistance?”

“O-oh, no...no! Sorry to disturb you while you’re working,” he said, slowly backing out of the room. “I’ll just go look for Sano-san and Shinpat-san, then...”

“Heisuke.”

The younger man froze in his tracks. “Y-yeah?”

“You are not disturbing me. I would be glad to help you.”

“O-oh, I...see. Well, you see, Hajime-kun...I really need Sano-san or Shinpat-san...because...uhm...OH! Because I need somebody really tall to help me!” he finished in a rush, a bright smile spreading across his face.

Saito studied him for a moment, almost certain Heisuke was not telling the truth. He tilted his head to the side and studied his friend for a moment before nodding. Whatever was going on, he was certain Heisuke would tell him if it was urgent.

“I understand. I believe Shinpachi is running an errand, but Sano should be in the cafeteria.”

“R-right, thanks!” Heisuke retreated into the corridor and then dashed away, leaving a very confused Saito in his wake.

Heisuke rushed along the hall, nearly knocking over several people in his haste to reach the cafeteria. He spotted Harada almost immediately and stopped for a moment to catch his breath before calling out to him.

“Sano-san....I need help! You have to save me!!!”

Harada raised an eyebrow but pushed his tray aside and rose to feet.

“What’s going on?”

“Hajime-kun is going to kill me, that’s what!”

Harada looked skeptical but motioned for Heisuke to join him. Heisuke rushed over carrying something in his hands and settled himself at the table. Harada lowered himself back to his seat and indicated that Heisuke should talk.

“Well, you see....I was just going to borrow Hajime’s scarf, you know? So, I got it and put it around my neck, kinda loose like...”

Harada closed his eyes, imagining all sorts of possibilities, but kept his mouth shut as Heisuke continued.

“I had to ride the bus this morning because I forgot to fill my car up with gas and when I got on the bus, the door closed on the scarf. I tried to pull it in...but it tore!”

Harada was beginning to see where the story was going. He shook his head and tried to hide the grin he felt spreading across his face.

“Anyway, I thought ‘Oh shit!’ but then I thought ‘Wait, Chizuru can probably fix it!’ But...when the bus driver opened the door so that I could pull the scarf in, a big gust of wind grabbed the scarf and half of it went flying down the street!”

Heisuke dropped his head to the table and groaned. Harada, finally understanding the situation, wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or knock some sense into the brat’s head. He settled for a mild scolding and a chuckle.

“You get yourself in the weirdest situations, Shrimp. You really shouldn’t borrow people’s things without their permission.”

“But what am I going to do, Sano-san?”

“Have you considered telling Saito what’s up?” Harada suggested.

“What?! No way!! Are you crazy?!”

“Well, what do you plan to do, then?”

“I thought...I would  just buy a new one and slip it back in his room before he noticed it was missing but...”

“But?”

“It’s made of some weird material and I can’t find anybody that sells it!” He tossed the piece of scarf he’d been toting around onto the table for Harada to inspect. Harada lifted it and rubbed the material between his fingers. What was that -silk? No...it was similar to silk but it felt different. He couldn’t quite place it.

“Look, Heisuke, I’m telling you, Saito isn’t going to kill you. Just explain what happened!”

“Explain what?” Saito asked, walking up to the table.

Heisuke yelped and leaped to his feet. “It was an accident!” he blurted, his eyes as wide as saucers.

Saito looked from Heisuke to Harada before letting his eyes fall to the scrap of material lying on the table between them. His brow knitted and he turned to face Heisuke directly.

“Is that my scarf?”

Heisuke was halfway across the room in a shot. “Well, I better get back to work!” he said loudly and bolted from the room.

Harada sighed and indicated that Saito should join him. “I guess I’d better explain.”

[akuriyou]

Hakuouki Fandom Tag Game

-- tagged by @hakuoukiandmocha11 (that was unexpected haha XD)

-- How and when you got into this glorious fandom:

HAHAHA That’s a story in itself.

SO.

I never knew what Otome was until... ooh... 2015? Maybe it was 2014. In any case, I didn’t have a clue. My cousin spammed me a shit ton of Hakuouki stuff in the past along with other Otome stuff, but I never really paid much attention to it. Until then. I also didn’t even pay attention to the company name when I picked up the PS3 game case. I literally walked into GameStop, browsed the PS3 section, and saw this game. And me, being a historical Japan geek (although I know almost nothing about it), saw this game that involved the Shinsengumi and started freaking out. I jumped on it thinking it’d be a rad game.

Little did I know, it would be a rad game in a completely different way.

I really didn’t think it’d be a romance novel until I started playing. Like I read on the back that it was, but I was expecting it to be more like... half-cutscenes and then fighting, you know? Cuz that’s the kind of game I play. And man, was I hooked. Still am. My best friend can attest to this. I am so diligently waiting for when Shinkai comes out in North America.

I didn’t watch of the anime. It just... didn’t click with me. I tried to, but I just stared at the screen with a dead face. I did watch the movies, though, and a few of the OVAs. I still have yet to watch Reimeiroku. I should learn Japanese and play the game XD

-- Favorite character in terms of development.

Oh man. I think Souji-kun. He was a little shit at first to me and I kinda disliked him, but when I actually played his route, I grew to love him. He’s the cutest out of all of them, I think, in terms of how he loves you. And the way he presents himself to others and hides who he really is... I don’t really know how to put my feelings on him into words, but I definitely say Souji-kun on this one. (He’s such a precious baby - protect him).

-- The character you’d get along with most in real life:

Err... This is hard, cuz I’m kinda awkward and don’t have the best social skills. I tend to blurt things out before I think about them and... yeah. If I really sit here and think about it, it’d probably be either Toshizou or Kondou-san. Toshizou because although he’s scary as fuck, he gets things done, is very orderly, and knows what to do. I feel like I tend to gravitate towards people like that.

As for Kondou-san, he’s like a daddy! Well, he is one, but, well, I think a good number of people could get along with Kondou-san because he’s such a charismatic guy. He’s nice to be around and is very kind and open. I respond well to those kinds of people and is when I act my stupidest. I also feel like if we were friends, we’d be constantly trying to make sure the other isn’t being burdened too much or the like, haha XD

I think I’d also be cool with the baka trio, however, I fizz out really quickly in high-energy settings like parties, so I’d mostly be a party pooper who tries to enjoy the atmosphere with them. Though, I don’t think they’d particularly mind, especially Sano-san.

-- The character you are most like:

Hm. This one is also a tough one because as I was sitting here, thinking about immediately putting down Heisuke-kun, I thought about Shinpachi-san. They’re similar, but I think I’m most like Shinpachi-san. Loud, not exactly boisterous, but blunt and awkward. He smiles a lot and tries to be everyone’s support, but has a quick temper and is quick to yell. I’m similar in that regard, although I try to be calm and support like Sano-san (HA! HAHA! HAHAHA!)

-- Least favorite character

Oh. Uh. Well. I didn’t play Reimeiroku or watch it, but Serizawa. Just from the accounts I’ve seen, I just can’t stand him. 

OH. NEVER MIND, I JUST THOUGHT OF ITOU. I can’t stand Itou. Just his pompous ways and the way he holds himself and - ahem. The one thing I can’t stand about him the most would be the way he talks. But that might’ve been the point.

-- Personal favorite husband:

Oh fuck, really? 

HAJIME-KUN. YOU CANNOT TELL ME OTHERWISE. (Okay, but honestly, Yamazaki-kun and Shinpachi-san would be wonderful husbands.)

-- Favorite route:

Toshizou’s. Fight me.

-- Who you wish had a route:

Kondou-san. Not in a romantic way. Nonononono. Do. Not. Go. There. Just like... as a father-figure. I know he dies and all that, but it’d be wonderful if you could interact with him more and see him acting all fatherly-like and warm fuzzies all around. I just want more Kondou-san loves. Is that bad?

-- Least favorite route:

Heisuke-kun’s. I say this without hesitation because of how Sannan-san turned out. I really love the guy (though I didn’t at first), but this... and plus, I love Heisuke-kun and all, but his route was the least interesting out of all of them.

-- Favorite Chizuru ship:

Toshizou/Chizuru or Souji-kun/Chizuru

-- Top 3 ships overall:

Ibuki/Shizu; Toshizou/Chizuru; Souji-kun/Chizuru

-- Do you write/draw/contribute to the fandom in some way? If not, do you have any recommendations? Link us to them!

I have a couple of fanfictions ideas down, but I don’t have a lot written or posted because they involve OCs and all that and I hate for my OCs to be Mary Sues and I’m a perfectionist, so I don’t know if they’ll ever go on the internet. (Holy shit, that looked like a run-on sentence).

Otherwise, I’ve drawn a shit ton of my OC in the Hakuouki universe. I have some lying around, waiting to be posted, but I don’t really have the time to finish them quickly. I hope it will be soon, though.

Overall, I hardly contribute at all. I have everything confined in my own little shell... I need to break out of it.

Okay. That’s it for me today. I’ll tag @aciddollies because she’s the cousin that spammed me way back when and the only one I know who likes Hakuouki that follows me. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to though. I just said why the hell not when I saw this. XD

Now then. Time to go watch One Piece Film: Gold.

[deltavsotome]

The Amazing Shinsengumi: Heroes in Love: Episode 3: You Know You’re Not a Literal Wolf, Right? Also That’s Fucking Gross [Ep.1]  [Ep.2]

Following the destruction of roughly half of Japan by Heisuke’s ridiculous dojo showoff hour, Cash resumes her “normal” life at the base of the shinsengumi--cooking, cleaning, doing laundy, trying to stop Heisuke from doing the same, staring into the middle distance. Things seem to be unusually okay considering the setting, but the idyllic illusion is about to be shattered not only by flames of indeterminate and inconsequential origin, but the flames of twisted passion...

The shinsengumi has been called away from their “recreation rooms” by their sworn enemy, fire. Cash is worried. She stands in the middle of the courtyard, presumably staring at nothing, the scent of bakumatsu pine sol wafting through the air from her recent adventures in sanitation.

She has decided to stay home (as if she would have had any other option) since she likely would have just slowed the group down. I don’t know. She has demonstrated a large amount of skill when it comes to dousing people with water, but I suppose that’s not needed for this particular breed of fire.

This fire is apparently the biggest thing that has happened since she started staying with our beloved samurai cops. Nothing’s going on in this country! Anti-bakufu sentiment? What’s that? Sono joi? Eh? Ronin plotting shit? Naaaaah. The absolute biggest thing they could possibly be dealing with is fire. When is this even taking place?!

??? is looking for Cash. Oh, boy! Who could it possibly be?

It’s our ol’ flirty pal Sanosuke. He informs Cash that Heisuke is hurt! Oh no! Was his headguard busted? Did the fire do it? What happened?! He says that even though Heisuke is obviously hurt, he won’t have any of it. “Golly gee!” he probably cried, tossing his baseball in the air as he glared at Hijikata, “I’m not hurt! You can’t tell me what to do! You’re not my real pa!” Hearing this, Cash agrees to come with Sanosuke and convince Heisuke that he is, indeed, injured.

Upon finding Heisuke (who is sitting in a corner) he repeats that he isn’t hurt. After some (read: not much) goading, he shows Cash his burn with a pitiful frown on his face and says that he didn’t pay attention to treating it because it seemed like it would be troublesome. Okay.

“I’ll heal it with some spit,” he says. Please don’t.

Wanting to care for Heisuke’s barbecued arm in a non-disgusting way, Cash spots an unassuming stream nearby in the middle of Kyoto and runs off. She rips off her sleeve and dips it in the water, coming back and placing it on Heisuke’s red, bubbling, blistering flesh.

Heisuke gives the protagonist some vital information about the enemy that she perhaps shouldn’t know. The shinsengumi is supposed to be a special military force, guard your secrets! Don’t go ahead and spill information about fire of all things to a civilian!

Hungering for more sanitation, however, and feeling a little feverish from coming into contact with the mysteriously hot fire, Heisuke drags Cash into the stream.

He takes her deep into the stream and she feels like she’s drowning, but all he can manage to say about this is “cute” because this is Heisuke and being a functioning adult is a foreign concept to him in this game. He really is some kid from the 1950s in Heisuke’s body.

Cash, terrified by her near-death experience, stares at Heisuke as he smiles blankly at her, glad that (A. She continues to be cute (B. His wound has been cooled. He can’t read the air. Either that, or he totally refuses to.

The answer here? GET MAD. Cash isn’t going to smile at Heisuke after nearly killing her for no reason. “What were you thinking?” Cash cries. Heisuke is confused. He thought what he was doing was romantic and awesome! He thinks he looks handsome! What’s more is that he thinks Cash looks super sexy now that her wet kimono is nearly see-through and clinging to her body due to all the moisture. Embarrassed (as anyone would be), she tries to hide her shame.

“Don’t hide yourself,” Heisuke says. Following this, he embraces Cash and then begins licking her cheek. What in the goddamn FUCK is wrong with him? He continues calling her cute and begins licking all kinds of random-ass places on her face, like her nose (?!) she’s freaking out! Anyone would be! They’re in public, she’s soaked, and WHERE THE FUCK ARE THE OTHER SHINSENGUMI?

RESIST THAT MOTHERFUCKER

Unfortunately, Cash has no way to escape. Heisuke won’t let go of her because she’s “so cute” and continues his public molestation. You want him to stop? No! You’re just too damn sexy and kawaii for him to let go of. This, unfortunately for him, is the opposite of sexy and kawaii. It’s gross and kowaii.

The ensuing unwanted makeout scene is written in the most clinical and stilted way, which makes it even creepier. THEN he begins licking her again, and demands that she be honest with him. She loves this! Cash, apparently, does, because these games never really account for the revulsion you attempt to get across, but we’re given another chance.

STOP IT ALREADY. Seriously. This is fucking gross. Cash’s face is going to smell like spit. Nasty. You’re the worst, Heisuke.

After CONTINUING to do this stupid shit after this decision, going so far as to ask if Cash would be “even more excited if someone were watching,” he FINALLY understands that she wants him to knock it off.  He looks totally shocked. “You want me to stop?” he asks incredulously. IT’S NOT LIKE SHE OPENLY ASKED YOU TO DO SO TWICE OR ANYTHING.

After explaining that she absolutely does not want any more of this shit, Heisuke pouts and throws a mini-tantrum.

Of course. He decides that her asking him to stop sexually harassing her in the middle of the city in broad daylight means that she just wants him to do it in private. He also doesn’t understand that licking someone’s cheek is disgusting.

When they get back to the base, Hijikata is there. He’s frowning, and gently scolds Heisuke not only about his stupid-ass third degree burn but the fact that he was just... molesting Cash in broad daylight. It essentially amounted to “don’t do that” and Heisuke got absolutely none of it. This Hijikata is so... weak. This is a wonderbread Hijikata. No requests for seppuku, no punishment, just a gentle bit of admonishing for poor conduct. He actually brushes the whole thing off with “Well, that’s just the kind of guy he is” and requests to meet with Cash later. She agrees, and he leaves. When he does...

Heisuke IMMEDIATELY wants to begin acting like a perverted asshole furry again. Cash says that she needs to see Hijikata and immediately bolts from his darksided ass faster than you can say “fuckshit.” She finds bizarro Hijikata grilling rice cakes in his room. Because of course.

After being sure that Cash knew why he called her in, he says “I’m sure he told you he wanted to do more after I left as well.” YES HE DID. Being a gentleman (as far as I know) Hijikata asks if Cash would like to stay in his room for the time being. He doesn’t stay with her. What a guy! She stays there for a few days to let Heisuke’s awful dog instincts hopefully burn out.

All’s well as it could be, all things considered, but this arrangement does not sit well with a certain wolf cub...

[impracticaldemon]

Do As I Say

by impracticaldemon for @nollatooru in appreciation for her kindness, wonderful art, fine sense of humour - and for letting me use the chibis from her “Hajime!” comic as the perfect icon for the SaiChi blog.

~ 1600 words

Also written as a belated contribution for HijiChi Week. Sumimasen deshita! @hijichiweek @sabinasanfanfic @hidetheremote @shell-senji @eliz1369 @nalufever @hakuyamazakisensei @teapotart @shibuemiyuu

Do As I Say

There was a murmured “excuse me,” and Hijikata looked up in surprise.

“Kondou?  What are you doing up so late?”

The Shinsengumi’s Chief smiled cheerfully, and set down a tray with tea and small snacks.

“Late, Toshi?  I’d heard that you often have tea at this time.  Before going - or rather, not going - to bed.”

“...I can’t stop her from bringing the tea.  I’ve tried.”

“Mmhmm.”

Kondou sat down near Hijikata’s desk, completely unabashed. He poured the fragrant, pale green tea into two cups, and handed one to his truculent second-in-command.  Hijikata eyed him warily.  As much as he appreciated Yukimura’s devotion to - well, call it duty, since it was better not to dwell on other possibilities - he could wish that fewer people knew about her routine.

“All that aside,” Hijikata said lightly, ignoring his friend’s slight smile as he tried to turn the subject, “why are you still up?  I know there are meetings tomorrow morning for you, and then-”

“This is good tea,” Kondou murmured, just loudly enough to interrupt.  “She told me that she tried giving you a more soothing blend, designed to promote restful sleep, but you refused to give it a chance. ...Did you really tell her to dose Souji and Heisuke with it instead?”

Hijikata found himself hastily clearing his throat as the image of Chizuru’s startled face appeared vividly before him.  What he’d actually said was that she could keep the damn stuff to herself, since he needed to finish up a letter that couldn’t wait since their food depended on it.  He might have also mentioned that if he got too drowsy, he worried that his pen might slip and he’d accidentally tell the asshole in charge of supplying their rice that he was a two-faced, thieving whore-son who deserved a punch right in his delicately powdered nose for trying to starve the men who protected him.

He hadn’t suggested giving the tea to Souji and Heisuke until later, in response to Chizuru’s manifest disappointment that he wouldn’t touch it himself.  He probably shouldn’t have added that they deserved whatever was coming to them, and that if her odd brew put them to sleep then that was all to the good.

“...Toshi?”

“Ah, yes, sorry.  I was working on the letter to the delegate of the Imperial Comptroller, you see, so it was urgent.”

“And the bit about Souji and Heisuke?”

Hijikata rubbed at the bridge of his nose.  “Souji thought that it would be entertaining to get Heisuke drunk and then bring him by to sing nonsense words through my window.”

“Nonsense words?” Kondou watched Hijikata drain his cup of tea and absently hold it out for a refill.  He obliged, carefully hiding a smile, sure that this ritual had played out numerous times over the past months, with Chizuru calmly pouring, waiting, and insisting that she wasn’t tired.

“...It was nothing, Kondou-san.  Nothing of importance.”  Hijikata tried not to wince, as he recalled the childish doggerel set - more or less - to the chorus of a traditional drinking song.

Give me your hand, and I’ll bring you tea Give me your lap, I’ll rest on your knee Give me your heart, and faithful I’ll be Give me your sword -

He hadn’t heard the rest, and didn’t want to.  Souji had been laughing too hard to run, and Heisuke too drunk.  He’d smacked them both upside the head - Heisuke had looked bewildered - and told Souji that he was confined to quarters until further notice except for scheduled patrols.  The First Division Captain had been entirely unrepentant.

“I was just thinking,” said Kondou, “that maybe you need to get more rest.”

“I will - I have just a bit more to go now and -”

“If it’s so close to being finished, then I expect I’ll cope. ...You just drank two and a half cups of tea without noticing that it’s Yukimura-kun’s special blend.  She rarely puts herself forward, you know, but she requested a few minutes with me earlier today.”

“Kondou - what?”  He stared into his cup, detecting only subtle differences in scent and colour from regular tea; it was nothing like what Yukimura had brought him the other day.  Irritation rose to the fore.  “You didn’t need to do this.  I resolved the rice issue -”

“Yukimura-kun said that you were clearly disappointed in the Senior Vice-Comptroller and didn’t stop ‘thinking out loud’ until you suddenly invoked the gods and, er, Sannan-kun.”

“It wasn’t like that!” Argh.  He could just tell that he was losing this battle.

“Sannan-kun confirmed that you’d asked him to have a word with the Comptroller’s Office.  He seemed quite pleased by your suggested course of action, but murmured that you didn’t usually condone such forceful measures.”

“I asked him to speak with the Vice-Comptroller and remind the bastard that it isn’t wise to stint a loyal and well-trained group of armed men.”

“You keep telling me to get enough rest, Toshi.”

“Yes, but -”

“And you say the same to Souji, Saitou-kun, Heisuke-kun... even Harada-kun and Nagakura-kun.”

Hijikata glowered.  He knew he was glowering.  “That’s because they behave like children, with the exception of Saitou.”

“I’ve given permission to Yukimura-kun to come get me if you refuse to put away your work by midnight each night this week.”  Kondou got quietly to his feet, his expression serious.  “I trust her judgment.  She has a good heart and cares about you.  I wish we could do more for her, but...”  He sighed, clearly still troubled by the girl’s situation.  Then he shook his head and focused back on Hijikata.  His mild brown eyes held a trace of warning.  

“Toshi, you have never been one to live by the motto ‘do as I say, not as I do.’ We know all too many who do.”  Hijikata nodded.  Kondou smiled faintly at him.  “That said, please consider that if you push yourself too hard, there are others here who will follow your lead.  Yukimura-kun is just one of them.  If you tell others to rest, but you do not, you create uncertainty as to your true wishes.”

“I understand your point, Kondou.  But...”

“I know, Toshi.  But it’s only for a week.  Oyasumi - and try not to blame the girl too much.”  

Hijikata wasn’t surprised when Kondou’s departure heralded the entrance of his wayward - and apparently over-protective - page.  She looked apprehensive, but determined.  He had the sudden thought that Edo women were known to be stubborn to a fault, and meekness could be deceiving.

“Yes, Yukimura?”  He didn’t look at her, busying himself instead with tidying away his brushes and ink.

“Kondou-san said you were going to bed shortly.  Is there anything I can do - or fetch - for you now?”

A dozen retorts sprang to mind, but to his dismay, Hijikata found the idea of kissing those soft lips more distracting than any scolding he might give.  He pushed himself to his feet.

“No, nothing.”  He tried to turn away indifferently, but a wave of fatigue reminded him of a question that he did want answered.  “Wait.”  The sudden hope on Chizuru’s face was both endearing and an invitation to disaster.  He folded his arms inside his sleeves to keep from reaching out.  “The tea this evening.  Kondou-san said it was your blend, but it wasn’t the same.  So what was it?  You did make it, I gather?”

“Well, yes, Hijikata-san, I did make it.  But Sannan-san provided me with a superior method for blending the components.”

“Oh?”

Chizuru - Yukimura - met his stern gaze without flinching.  Much.

“Y-yes. And he said to add his own variety of mint, which would be more agreeable than mine with the underlying flavour.”

They gazed at each other for a long moment, and Hijikata concluded that while Yukimura might not have known of Sannan’s deception - a soporific had been added, he was sure of it - she had her suspicions.  He sighed internally and bowed to the inevitable:  with Yukimura, Kondou, and Sannan in collusion, he wasn’t going to get his way.  Moreover, Sannan might - might - be the least troublesome of the three.

“I suppose that answers that, then.  Rest assured, I will change for bed the moment you leave.  Unless you plan to stay and watch?”

Yukimura immediately flushed.  “N-no, Hijikata-san.  I’ll be going... Oyasumimasen.”

“Good night.”

It was a sad state of affairs when he had to resort to such petty tactics just to deal with an innocent like Chizuru.  He changed quickly, feeling more tired by the second.  The moment he extinguished the lantern, a quiet voice called from outside the door:

“Excuse me, Vice Commander.”  Of course.  Saitou.  He should have guessed when Chizuru left with so little difficulty.

“What is it?”  

“...I was asked to remain for a short time.”

“By all the tits on all the goats in all the hells, I do not need a fucking watchdog!  Go away, Saitou!”

“Yes sir.  As soon as your light has been extinguished for a certain length of time, I will depart as ordered.”

Hijikata closed his eyes.  They were going to drive him crazy.  Still... there were worse things.  Probably.

“Oyasumi, Saitou.”

“Oyasumi, Fukuchou.”

As sleep claimed him - and it did not take long - Hijikata found himself smiling.  She was exasperating... and unintentionally troublesome... but she cared.  He wished - briefly! - that his life, his choices, would allow him to care for her in the same way.

[END]

A/Note:  Thank you for reading! I will post this to FFN and AO3 when I have a bit more time & energy.  All likes, reblogs, and especially comments are appreciated.

[spider-moon-princess]

Time Travel CH 7

I gave myself feels writing this, have fun with this!

Part Six

----++++---

"Chikage-kun!" A six year old Chizuru wailed, jumping up and down, trying to reach the flower the blond haired boy was holding out of reach. "Please, give it back!"

"Not until you agree to be my bride!" He cackled, taking off running. He loved teasing Chizuru like this, she was too adorable. As he turned his head to look back at her, he wound up face first in the dirt, his white shirt and shorts now dirty. "YOU PEASANT! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!"

The auburn haired boy had stuck his foot out for little Chikage trip over. He plucked the little flower from his hand. "Don't go making Chizuru-chan your bride." His jade green eyes glared into his ruby red ones. No one gets away with bullying his Chizuru-chan, only he was allowed to.

Chizuru caught up and she looked up hopefully at Souji. "Souji-kun!"

Souji smiled, placing the flower in her hair. "Come on, Chizuru-chan. Let's go find Hajime-kun."

Chizuru nodded happily, taking his hand.

"Damn you, Okita!" Chikage shrugged off the hand that an older red-haired boy used to lift him up.

"Kazama-sama, your father is waiting for you."

"I have business to handle with Okita, Amagiri!" Chikage struggled against his hold, but the older boy was stronger than him.

Chizuru happily skipped along as they walked, holding Souji's hand. "Ah, I found Hajime-kun!"

Little Hajime was reading a book underneath a tree. It was usually where one could find the little indigo-haired boy when they went to the park.

Hajime glanced up when he heard his name mentioned. He nodded in greeting and went back to his book.

Chizuru plopped down next to him, and Souji next to her.

"Ne, Chizuru-chan,"

She looked over at Souji, her hand touching the flower in her hair.

"Why didn't you tell Kazama you'd be his bride? You didn't have to mean it." Souji found it a little odd that Chizuru didn't cry uncle at something so simple as that.

Chizuru's little cheeks flushed pink. "That's because..."

Souji's green eyes stared at her, wondering what would come out of her mouth. It'd been less than a year since he came to live with Kondō-san's family and Hijikata-san, and Chizuru-chan, the little girl next door, was stuck to him like glue. At first, he found it a little annoying that a little kid wouldn't leave him alone, but he came to embrace the time they spent together now. It was nice...being a part of a family that cared. There was a small part of him that feared that one day his foster family wouldn't want him anymore, but Kondō-san always put those thoughts to rest. He couldn't trust adults because they always lied, but he could trust and believe in Kondō-san.

"I want to become Souji-kun's bride in the future!" She buried her face in her little hands in embarrassment.

Hajime looked up momentarily from his book to stare at the pair, his stotic expression stayed the same.

Souji burst out laughing after a brief moment of silence. "Chizuru-chan as my bride?" He hummed in amusement.

Chizuru finally peeled her hands away from her face to look at him. "Yes! I want to become Souji-kun's bride so we can have a family of our own someday!"

Souji laughed again and patted her head. "Okay. Become my bride, Chizuru-chan." He stuck out his pinky finger.

Chizuru smiled and immediately put her little pinky finger to his.

---

"Na, Chi-zu-ru!" Heisuke called for the tenth time that minute.

Chizuru blinked and looked up at Heisuke, slightly dazed. She had gotten lost in her own thoughts. "I'm sorry, Heisuke-kun, could you repeat what you said?"

"I asked you which ramen you're getting. Are you okay?" Heisuke looked over at her in concern.

"Ah, I'll get the usual." She handed him her menu. "I'm okay, I just got lost in thought."

"There must be a lot going through your mind, with that other Souji suddenly appearing and all."

"You could say that." Chizuru fidgeted with her napkin.

Heisuke wasn't used to this much silence between them. They normally could chat away a storm over the smallest topics. "Na, I wanted to go with you tomorrow. Is that okay?"

She already knew what he was talking about. "That's fine! Thank you, Heisuke-kun, for always being there for me." Chizuru gave him a genuine smile.

His cheeks warmed in response. "It's no big deal! You're a really good friend, Chizuru."

Chizuru's smile faded, and she sighed. "I'm worried about how Hijikata-san will react to Okita-san."

Heisuke nodded in agreement. "That's for sure...it's been hard on all of us, Chizuru, not just you. We all miss him."

"He should be happy, hearing that so many people cared about him."

More silence. Neither could think of what to day next. Luckily their waiter broke the silence by taking their order.

After a delicious meal of ramen, Heisuke took Chizuru home. During the car ride, the car was heavy with silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Heisuke-kun. Thank you again." Chizuru gave him a small smile before she exited the car.

"Yeah, goodnight, Chizuru."

Chizuru made her way to the empty apartment. It still felt empty even after some time. She was never going to get used to it.

----------

Part Eight

I had so much fun imaging them as kids, augh, little Hajime and Chikage are precioussssss! >w<

[shenanigumi]

HaraChi or HeiChi?

While I do ship HaraChi, my favorite Chizuru ship is without a doubt HeiChi. Because I actually do ship both of these, my analysis is going to have to get nitpicky, since they’re both so good on the surface. For instance, I have a few problems with HaraChi, and they’re nothing that keep me from shipping it, but they are enough that HeiChi is a clear winner.

First of all, Harada moves a tad fast for my tastes, especially as compared to all the other guys. I like The Scene as much as the next girl, but any man who talks about children on the first date is immediately suspect. Though he does obviously care for Chizuru, it strikes me a little bit selfish and/or obsessive that he’s that into the idea of having a family; it’s almost like the image of that dream is getting in the way of his seeing Chizuru in the here and now. And yeah, his epilogue is insanely fluffy, and I love adorkable-father-to-be Sano, but the timing strikes me as… odd. Maybe it’s just the contrast between his route and all the others, but he quite literally kisses first and asks questions later. That’s not something I personally look for in a guy, no matter how attractive he is.

More importantly, while anyone can see that Harada and Chizuru care for one another, it feels more lopsided and awkward than Heisuke and Chizuru’s natural affinity. Emotionally speaking, Harada tends to let things get out of hand—repeatedly letting Chizuru get to the point of running away—before he says anything. That is, he might notice that Chizuru isn’t doing so well, but he doesn’t actually talk to her about it until she brings it up first, and he should count himself lucky that she cares enough about him not to try running away a second time. He may be more observant than Heisuke, but that’s not a very useful quality if he doesn’t use it to intervene for good.

Essentially, Harada prefers to act instead of talk; there’s also that post-Scene side story where he needs a good old-fashioned makeout session, not a conscious discussion, to restore his resolve. Since communication is the foundation of every good relationship, it makes me a little bit uneasy that several of Harada and Chizuru’s interactions are physically based post-route split, whereas all the other pairings get mostly emotional development. (Harada in general strikes me as a comparatively static character, but that’s another story.) And yeah, that did get kind of annoying sometimes since that’s all we got, but it also feels a lot more natural. If they could just balance out all the routes, that’d be perfect, but alas, they polarized it in Harada’s. As a result, the whole thing just feels a little bit… off.

Now, as for Heisuke and Chizuru, well. They’re just on such a level with one another that I can’t help but ship it. From the beginning, he is the most open and friendly captain in the Shinsengumi, even asking her to call him by his first name since they don’t have much of an age difference between them. Even early on, his priority is always in making sure that Chizuru is okay, to the point of concealing his own struggles just to see her smile. And, though Heisuke is arguably the first to develop feelings for her, and is prone to jealousy, he isn’t possessive or overbearing about it. He clearly respects Chizuru enough to let her be her own person and, if necessary, to care for her from afar.

But despite all their chemistry, it’s not a perfect relationship, and I love that about it. Like the entire route, it’s made of fluff and tragedy. Chizuru gets fed up with Heisuke’s post-fury self-sacrificial attitude, and Heisuke gets frustrated with Chizuru’s insistence on following him into danger. But, oblivious as they may be, they’re also sensitive enough to one another’s needs that they can’t keep secrets from one another, and they have no choice but to talk it out. That kind of mutual support, and the tenderness with which they care for one another, is honestly breathtaking to me. (I cry every time I rewatch the conversation when Heisuke asks what happens if his legs crumble to ash and Chizuru says she’ll carry him. His route touches me on a deeper emotional level than a lot of the others, and that’s saying a lot.)

Due to their individual temperaments, Heisuke and Chizuru both need to feel like they have a place and a purpose, but the relationship between them doesn’t feel forced or desperate because it’s been going on for so long. The development of their dynamic is so subtle and natural and well-rounded that I can trace it all the way back to the beginning. Just like Heisuke made the effort to be Chizuru’s anchor when she felt trapped in an unfamiliar environment, Chizuru becomes Heisuke’s tie to humanity, which he thought he lost when he became a fury. What I love most about HeiChi (and believe me, there are a lot of things) is the way their roles are seamlessly reversed, and then balanced altogether.

So you see, I ship HeiChi so much that it’d basically take a perfect route to overcome it. Those little HaraChi snags aren’t anything I genuinely take issue with, but they are enough that I have to rank it second. Thanks so much for asking!!