(Enjoy!)

A young girl can do anything to get a man's attention, and but unfortunately, it can be hard to confess your feelings towards him.

I am Kiki-Chan. I come to a gift shop in Edo, finding a gift for the man I truly love. And his name is Hijikata Toshirou. I find a very nice keyring for his phone. The keyring had a glass figure of a mayonnaise bottle. I decided to get that one because Hijikata is addicted to mayonnaise. Which, I admitted that I never understood why he likes it so much.

I then bought the keyring, and left with it in a small bag. I went home, so that I could put it in a small box where I put red ribbons on it. I was going to give it to him as a gift. A gift of basically love.

A few minutes later, I went out and walked. But as soon as I stepped out of my house, I see Hijikata, about ten feet in front of me. I panicked a bit.

Oh no! What should I do? I can't let him see me yet!

Fortunately, I managed to hide so that he wouldn't see me. I hid in a grocery store. After that, I became more nervous to even go to the Shinsengumi Headquarters. Then, a young child asked me, looking at me, "Lady, are you hiding from someone?"

I looked at the child, and answered, "W-Well, yes and no."

Then, the child's mother comes to him and says, "Young man, you shouldn't talk to strangers!" The mother looked at me and apologized.

"I-It's okay!" I replied. They then walked away.

I gave out a puff of breath, due to me being all nervous. I walked out of the grocery store and was thinking.

How should I give this to Hijikata? It's not his birthday, so this will just be a surprise. I guess I like surprising someone.

I chuckled a bit. Then, a 16 year-old named Shinpachi came behind me. He only said my name, but that startled me.

"Shinpachi! Uh, how's it going?" I asked kind of hesitant ally. He blinked and answered.

"Kiki-Chan, are you going to the Shinsengumi Headquarters to see Hijikata?"

I wasn't surprised by him asking such a question because I once told the Yorozuya that I was in love with Hijikata.

I sighed. "Yeah. I want to give him a gift, and confess my feelings to him. But even walking to the Headquarters is making me so nervous, that it feels like I can't move!"

He stared and me and grinned a bit. "If you're that nervous, how about I go with you until you're there?"

Shinpachi made me calm down, and I nodded my head.

He was walking with me, and I was still holding Hijikata's gift in my arms.

We were getting close to the Headquarters, but I told Shinpachi, "Okay, I can go by myself. Thanks for walking with me." I smiled at him, and walked alone.

Shinpachi then opens his mouth before going home. "Anytime, Kiki-Chan. I'll see you later. And good luck!"

Thank you, Shinpachi, I thought.

I was near the front gate, and I was pushing up my glasses that I was wearing, being all nervous. I gulped and took a step forward.

There were two officers by the gate and noticed me. They then asked me, "Can we help you, Kiki-Chan?" Those two knew my name because I was neighbors of the Yorozuya.

I opened my mouth to speak. "Um, I-I would like to see Hijikata, please."

I hid the present inside of my pocket of my kimono, preventing them from noticing my gift to Hijikata. I looked down a bit.

They both lifted one eyebrow up. And asked me another question.

"Do you have a meeting with him? Because if it's just for company, we're afraid we won't let you in."

I lifted my head up from that answer. I was kind of into shock.

That's right. Non-members only come here if they have a meeting. And I don't really have a meeting with him.

I thought that I had made the mistake of coming here when I didn't make a meeting with Hijikata. And I didn't want to lie, because I rarely lie to anyone. I made kind of a frown, and was really embarrassed for asking to see him.

But just then, I saw the gate open a bit. I cocked my head towards the gate, and I saw a face. It was Hijikata's.

Hijikata told the officers while he was smoking a cigarette, "Let her in." The officers then offered me to go in.

I curved my lips for being so happy. I went to the other side of the gates and got into the Headquarters. I see Yamazaki.

"Hey, Kiki-Chan! What brings you here?" Yamazaki asked me.

I told him, "Um, I wanted to talk to H-Hijikata-San."

Hijikata looks at me and says, "Okay then. Follow me, Kiki-Chan."

I blinked, and I followed him. I was looking down at the ground the whole time because I couldn't stand the nervousness inside of me. I kept the gift in my pocket, not letting anyone notice it.

Hijikata and I finally went to a nearly-empty room with just a small table. He closes the door and opens his mouth to speak.

"So, Kiki-Chan. What really brings you here?" He blows a puff of smoke, and he doesn't look at me.

I was shocked at that question. I didn't want to say 'I wanted to bring you this gift' yet, so I said, "I-I really want to talk to you!"

He opens his eyes, and turns his head slowly, looking at me in the eyes.

"Oh? Then what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

I really was feeling hot that time, and didn't know what else to say. So I accidentally asked, "A-Ah, beautiful day, isn't it?" I then knew that I shouldn't have asked that.

He comes a few steps forward to me. And answers, "Yeah. But I don't want to talk about that, Kiki-Chan. I know something about you."

I uttered in shock, and asked while I hesitated.

"Wh-Wh-What do you mean, Hijikata-San? What is it that you know about me?" I was kind of scared of what his answer was. Then, he spoke.

"Don't act like you don't know. For the past few weeks, I've noticed that you were stalking me. And trying to hide just to not let me find out. Everytime you stalked me, I knew you were always behind me, even if I can't see you."

I was petrified. It's true that I would always follow him, but what's not true is that I'm a stalker.

I had no choice but to reply.

"I-I wasn't stalking you! I-I was-" I nearly told him the truth, but he interrupted, and yelled at me.

"THEN HOW COME YOU WOULD ALWAYS FOLLOW ME? WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT ISN'T STALKING?"

I opened my eyes very widely. I then couldn't say anything because I was starting to shake from fear. He got irritated and told me something with a very low tone.

"Also, it's illegal here in Edo to stalk a Shinsengumi officer. And just for you always stalking me..."

It seemed like to me, he was at his breaking point.

"...YOU'VE CAUSED TROUBLE!"

I see him pick up a vase from the counter, and then smashing it onto the ground. The vase broke into so many pieces. One piece of the broken vase had cut my cheek, right below my eye.

I-I got cut!

I was petrified. I had so many thoughts crossing through my mind, thinking what Hijikata would do to me.

He speaks again, only to be more scary than before.

"Now that you've caused this much trouble, you're going to get it."

I didn't know what he would do, and I honestly didn't want to know. So I panicked and screamed at him.

"HIJIKATA, IF YOU WOULD JUST LET ME TALK FOR JUST A MINUTE, YOU MIGHT UNDERSTAND! PLEASE LET ME EXPLAIN!"

I had to scream it out. "Please...please..."

Then, it was silent. I put my head down, with my hands over my head. Hijikata wasn't irritated all that much, but was speaking in an angry voice.

"Alright. Explain then."

I reached my hand to my pocket, getting the gift out. I still had one hand over my head, shaking tremendously. I managed to get the gift out, and Hijikata had gasped in shock.

He then takes the gift, and I hear the ribbon being unwrapped. I see the ribbon on the floor. Very slowly, I lifted my head up. I see the top box off the bottom, and Hijikata's face was very open-eyed, and was sweating a bit. He opened his mouth to speak.

"K-Kiki-Chan. Is this...a mayo keyring for my phone?"

I nodded my head. He shakes a bit, and was sweating more. I then see small tears in his eyes. I finally said, "Hijikata-San, this is a gift for you. And I would neverstalk you. And it's because..."

"...I love you."

He turned towards me and starts crying. I stood up, but Hijikata walks to me. And hugs me very tightly. I didn't really expect him to hug me.

"Kiki-Chan, I'm so sorry. I just thought you were a creepy stalker. And I was this close to arresting you. But I'm glad I didn't. Because..."

He pauses for a second, and then whispers in my ear, "...I love you too."

My eyes open in shock. I hadn't realized that he loves me as much as I love him. I whisper his name, but got no response.

Hijikata then backs away from me by a few inches. He takes off my glasses, and I knew what he was going to do then.

He comes closer to me until he sets his lips on mine. I was feeling overheated by this kiss. He embraces me a second time. I embraced him back.

I then started to cry too. After a few seconds, our lips were apart. He opens his eyes to look at me. I looked at him back. He whispers something to me.

"Just don't follow me like that anymore, okay?" I nodded very slowly at his question. I put my glasses back on.

We then picked up the broken vase, and Hijikata notices the cut on my cheek.

"I'll get you a bandage," said Hijikata.

He got me a bandage, and put it on my cut. His hand was cupping my cheek and asks me one more thing.

"How about we walk together?"

I was blushing very hard, and answered, "Y-Yes."

Me and Hijikata went outside of the room and started walking. His hand was holding onto mine.

There, I see Kondo coming towards us.

"Ooh, I see two lovebirds holding each others hands!" Kondo said loudly.

I was embarrassed, but Hijikata gave Kondo a mad face and told him, "We are. But doesn't this make you think of Otae, Chief?" Kondo got a frozen look.

He then yelled at both of us. "DAMN YOU TOSHI!" He ran off out of the Headquarters and yelled Otae's name non-stop.

Hijikata and I both shook our heads. I said, "That Kondo. He'll never stop, will he?"

He shook his head. He puts the cigarette out and steps on it to let the fire go out. He takes out his phone, and shows me the keyring I gave him.

"Thank you for giving me this, Kiki-Chan. I really love it."

I smiled really big at him. We then walked more, and Hijikata asks, "Want to get something to eat?"

I looked at him. And answered, "That sounds great."

He still hold hands. And I had thought in my mind...

I'm so happy I told him my feelings. Now I don't feel nervous anymore.

I also wrote this on Deviantart back in December, while I was writing "Friends and Scars". And this was and is dedicated to my best friend. I was very glad to make a dedication because my best friend is very special.

Hope you enjoyed this! Please review! :)