RK: Yatta! I'm still alive! I haven't been active lately thanks to my coming thesis proposal. *sighs* Anyhow, I've had this idea for quite a few months actually. I just didn't have the time to write it. But now that we have two rest days, guess I'll make myself productive…and maybe get some sleep afterwards. Btw, this would be written in multiple one-shots. Hope you like it!
Part I - A Fated Encounter? (Enchanted to Meet You)
It was a lovely springtime for Kyoto. The marketplace was buzzling with people, some buying fresh ingredients, others bargaining for a lower price to merchants—typical, very typical. No doubt, Ayane Katsu would have enjoyed this day if it weren't for the stares she was receiving. What, first time to see a woman with a pair of swords strapped to her waist? Ayane had always believed that men and women were made to complement each other. Both have strengths to boast and weaknesses to hide. A lady such as her who can wield a blade may be considered taboo in their culture but the fact still remains: women could become strong just like men and thus, they should also be given the opportunity to learn the ways of the warrior if they so desired. That was why for her, to say that the female race is inferior to the men who ruled the society, is nothing but utter bullsh—
"Hey, you! Come back!"
Her heart skipped a beat when she realized that she had already emptied the box of *sakura mochi she took from a nearby stand. With haste, she slipped one hand to her satchel in search for that tiny coin pouch she adored. Here it is! Turning around, Ayane paced back to give her payment to the infuriated vendor when another realization halted her tracks. What the.. I don't have any money left?! She gently shook her coin pouch and felt not even a single *mon; the little bag didn't make the clink-clank sounds Ayane was expecting. Oh, bless my unfortunate fate!
"I'M SO SORRYYYYYYYYYY!"
And with that, Ayane ran as if she could fly; leaving the stunned vendor whose expression snappily appeared like a volcano seconds away from erupting. A pulsing vein popped and he wasted no time to run after her. "Come back here you—!"
Their little scene dragged the attention of some passersby which prompted her to turn right into an alleyway, the man still in hot pursuit. Ayane would have none of that, switching directions with every chance she got. It didn't take her too long and one more corner, the shouts of her grim reaper could no longer be heard.
She ceased her sprint and finally allowed her lungs to greedily take in some oxygen. Scanning around, Ayane realized that she was at an intersection; the road back to the marketplace about six meters away from her. A smile of victory found its way to her lips as she placed both hands to her hips, acting all mighty even without an audience to see her.
"What I did isn't wrong!" she voiced out to the wind or more to herself in order to neutralize the guilt in her system. Bystanders and some people who were in hearing perimeter paid the girl no attention. Ayane felt like a complete idiot then, slumping her body in a comical way. "Ughhh, who am I kidding?" People worked like cows just to put food in their mouths and make ends meet. So who was she to jeopardize someone's business like that? Hell, what if that confectionery stand wasn't owned by the angry vendor in the first place? Would the real owner chastise the man for letting his stand be robbed? Her guilt doubled and she felt the urge to vomit the sweets she just consumed.
I can't just apologize. I have to get some money to pay for that stupid mochi! But how..? Frying her brains out as she began walking back to the main road, the patrolling group of the feared Shinsengumi suddenly came into view, stomping their way while everyone scrambled to the side. Ayane found the whole scene funny and imagined the so-called Kyoto special police force like a huge fish and the people similar to the ocean parting as the fish take a dive. A gigantic blue fish, that is. Seriously, I don't get why their uniforms are so flashy. She let out a small giggle, but then realized—quicker than her mind could conjure—how foolish her actions were. Truly, it was a grave mistake in her part, for she was the only one standing in the middle of the road, blocking the path like an imbecile.
"Move out of the way, woman!" one soldier came close and shoved her aside.
All previous thoughts forgotten, Ayane's ears fumed with indignation, standing back up to hit the soldier with an uppercut to the chin. "You could've said it nicely, you moron! How dare—"
A gentle hand stopped the girl from pulling her katana out of its sheath and Ayane found herself staring at twin irises of amber that were mesmerizingly similar to molten gold, accentuated by the sun's rays. Ayane had always loved gold as she associated it with resplendence, passion, and victory; it was her favourite colour. Her clothing would—without fail—require anything that possesses a touch of gold. In fact, the obsidian kimono she was wearing had intricate golden patterns that perfectly matched her tawny obi. "Woah, not too rash now, miss.."
His locks of cayenne seemed to be combed only by fingers for it to appear a little spiky, giving him that virile charm. If he used just his fingers to fix his hair like that.. Ahh, I wonder how satisfying it is to have such silky, manageable hair.. The universe seemed to have taken a pause from functioning—for Ayane, no less—as she continued to scrutinize every lineament of his charming visage. Never had anyone captured her attention the same way this man did. All of a sudden, she felt the urge to touch the contours of his face. What a handsome creature..
"Captain!" the utterance of another soldier brought Ayane back to reality and she shrugged off the redhead's hand. "Makoto is knocked out cold! We should make an example and punish this girl!"
Unlocking her eyes from the object of her interest to face the one who was kind enough to end her fleeting daydream, Ayane began making her way towards the mouthy soldier. "If you don't want to suffer the same pain as your comrade, you better shut your mouth, you fool." She paused; exhaling softly as her ire came dancing back. "I thought you guys were protecting the people?! How come you're just here terrorizing everyone like some.." Come on, Ayane, this is not the time to stutter! Pay no mind to his stare, pay no mind..
"…like some terrorists?!"
Well, that didn't sound too intelligent.. Good job, *baka.
She heard the patrolling group's supposed captain chuckle and she couldn't help but feel the warmth from her neck creep up to her cheeks. Ayane was about to give him a piece of her mind—and redeem her lost dignity—when he caught the girl by surprise, beaming at her. Why on Japan was this guy unbelievably gorgeous?! And why on the idiotic rule of the bakufu did I have to meet my type in this situation?!
"You're not from the capital, are you?" he queried.
"No, I—"
As if on cue, the angry vendor she was running from then showed his face in the commotion. Ayane almost fell sideward when she saw the man nearing them. "You there! Thought you could escape from me you little wench?! Sir! This girl is a thief!"
Yep, I hate my life. Damn you, life. The red-haired captain frowned yet his eyes maintained their soft glow. "Is this true?"
"Hey, thief! Tell the truth! We should have your hand cut off!" added the vendor.
To sweat coins was Ayane's wish to every deity laughing at her miserable life at that moment. "Of all the possible times, he decided to show up here," she muttered. However, her ridiculous wish was soon squashed—with much happiness—when hope knocked on the door of her pathetic state: a lying bag of coins was there; next to the lying soldier she'd just given a rather strong uppercut, obviously causing him to see stars. Scurrying to where it was, Ayane took the small pouch and handed it over to the vendor beside the Shinsengumi captain.
"There. There's my payment for the sakura mochi box! Sorry again, mister!" Ayane practically sprinted—for the second time that day—towards an alley after giving the bag of coins, not wanting the ridiculous, mortifying scene to last any longer. Some of the soldiers tried to chase her but their captain ordered them to stop. "But captain! She took Makoto's money and used it to pay for what she'd stolen!"
Finally, they noticed that the vendor had already vanished as well. "Don't worry about it. I'll give his money back. Now, pick him up and let's be on our way."
No one questioned further and the patrolling group was back on making their rounds to the marketplace—the unconscious soldier being carried by two others tailing behind them. The people who had been watching the hubbub returned to their tasks like nothing had actually transpired.
"Mochi thief, huh?" the red-haired captain smirked as he led his men back to their headquarters.
The bright moon shone above, looking down upon the now tranquil streets of the capital. Meanwhile, Ayane was still dragging her tired feet, allowing a breath of disappointment. The girl had no place to stay. Again. She had tried every place available, bargaining that she would offer her services as a cleaner or a cook for one day in exchange for one night. Her stomach growled with her continued steps. Guess confections can't really keep me full for one whole day. On top of it all, I have to sleep outside if my search proves to be fruitless. Hey life, why don't you give me some answers? Oh, the red-light district? Thanks, but hell no.
"ood… ive me... some.."
Ayane glanced sideways and her irritation spiked. There stood a lone man, wearing the accursed, flashy, blue uniform she had begun despising all thanks to her eventful afternoon. Ayane forcibly dismissed the memory of that encounter as her attention jumped to his countenance instead, then to his hair. "Hey, that's really cool! How did you dye it white?" she asked jollily, stepping towards the man.
However, when she analyzed the Shinsengumi soldier, Ayane's chest heaved; her initial reaction to back away. His eyes look.. I don't know, deranged?
"Blood… Blood….. I need blood….. Give me blooooood….!"
Oh, come on! I'm going to be chased again?! The exhaustion and the lack of nutrition in her system were both tugging at her as she dashed. It was actually a miracle that she had not fainted yet. In a heartbeat, the girl peeked at the insane man and was beyond shocked when she saw two more white-haired Shinsengumi psychopaths. This is not good. I have to cut them down before I lose my strength.
"Huahuahahaaaahhhhhh…! Bloooooodd…!"
"Fine, no more running," was the last thing Ayane said before she gripped her katana and swung at the first man, slicing his abdomen. She kicked the second in his shin and cut his leg; blood spraying all over. Yet as she saw the wound on the abdomen of the first insane man close in seconds, her emotions—mostly anxiety and confusion combined with the pump of adrenaline in her veins—began spiralling. She heard the second one laughing as he tried to reach his severed leg, drawing his tongue out to taste the blood on his palm. The last Shinsengumi psycho then crawled and began to lick the sprayed crimson off his ally's haori.
"S-Stop.. Wh-What is this…?" Clearly terrified of what was happening, Ayane felt her entire body tremble. Truth be told, she had seen many gruesome things in her life but never one as sickening as this. Her hands began to loosen its grip on the katana as the weariness of her body began to pull her down.
With a groan of pain intertwined with distress, alas, the girl fell. Even so, as quickly as her body hit the ground, she lifted herself up with her elbows—vainly trying to stand lest she got killed. This proved to be futile since her lower limbs had given up to fatigue. Maximizing her limited movements, Ayane scanned for her weapon and found it lying near her feet. She utilized all effort to reach for it, willing herself that she would be able to survive this night—no matter how much frightening the thought of her inevitable death echoed in her mind.
"Souji! I think they went here!"
What.. That voice… It's him..
The first deranged man neared Ayane but was halted from further movement by the tip of a spear penetrating his chest. "You.. What are you doing at a place like this, mochi thief?"
"Ne, Sano-san, this one got his leg sliced off," said another voice while Ayane tried to fix her vision, watching the second white-haired psycho's head fall from his body with a swing of a blade. "Oh, we have a witness. Heh, Hijikata-san's not going to like this."
As the two hovered over her, the third insane man bolted at their direction, prompting Ayane to use the last of her strength to vociferate, "Behind you!"
And with that, darkness enveloped her senses as she succumbed to exhaustion, hunger, and fear.
When Ayane opened her eyes, she found herself inside a room, both hands and ankles bound by ropes that were digging nasty marks to her skin. This could get infected. I swear, when I get my hands on whoever tied me like this..
"You're awake," uttered a low voice beside her. "But that should not be a relief for you. You are currently in our headquarters. I have been ordered to cut you down the moment you do anything suspicious based on my judgment. Try to escape and you will die, understand?"
Ayane wasted no effort in responding. Well of course, how am I supposed to speak when my mouth is covered by this dirty piece of cloth?! As if reading her thoughts, the man wearing a white scarf removed the cloth and the rope binding her ankles. He led her outside and into a larger room where a number of men were seated. Glancing at her right, she saw the red-haired captain and the man with emerald eyes who was at that horrifying scene from last time.
"My name is Isami Kondo. I'm the chief of the Shinsengumi. Saito-kun here has already told you that you're in our headquarters, yes?"
A nod was her only answer.
"Kondo-san.. There's no need for introductions," stated the sable-haired man beside him. "Ah, really Toshi? Sorry about that." The chief laughed as he scratched the back of his head. He's their leader? He looks a little odd and, dare I say it, nice..
"We were informed that you're a thief and has caused quite a tumult just this afternoon. Now, state your name and what your business is in the capital," said the man called Toshi.
"M-My name is Ayane Katsu. I've just gone here looking for another dojo since the one I was staying in has closed. Plus, I'm not a thief! I've already paid the mochi vendor! Please sir, just let me go!" she tried explaining without much consideration to her words. Her cheeks flared when some of the men surrounding her snickered. Crap, the red-haired captain has probably told everyone about our first meeting. So much for my reputation..
Their mirth ended with a single look from the sable-haired man whom she assumed to be one of the high-ranking officials besides the chief. "I'm afraid we can't. This is not about your thievery. Just hours ago, you have witnessed something that must not be seen by anyone. It may or may not be your fault; however, it all comes down to one solution: we would have to make sure that you'll stay silent. But we'll discuss this further tomorrow. Souji, bring her back to her room."
At least I got a place to stay the night. She didn't expect that the person named Souji would be the man—with those eerie irises of emerald—who was accompanying the red-haired captain during her nightmarish experience. I have a bad feeling about this guy. On the way back, Ayane felt the rope around her wrists tearing her skin. She closed her eyes in pain while he ushered her inside. "Too tight?" he asked, one fine eyebrow arched.
"Uhh, yeah. This will be infected for sure by tomorrow."
"My bad, shouldn't have tied you that way." Souji's tone was clearly between teasing and threatening—and she found herself desiring to scoop his annoying eyes out of its sockets. He gave her a smirk before making his way out of the room.
"What?! You're the one who did this?! I'm so going to kill you.." Ayane hissed. Souji opened the paper doors once more. "Kill me? How brave of you, Ayane-chan. It's too bad since you're the one who's gonna get killed by tomorrow."
The girl widened her orbs in disbelief. "Wh-What do you mean?!"
"It's as the vice commander said. We need to ascertain that you'll keep quiet. Hmm, what other way to do it than to kill you, right? Well, sweet dreams, Ayane-chan." Then he went away after informing her of her death sentence like it was actually a reward. Ayane couldn't help but laugh at her own misery. Hey life, I really hate you. Tears streamed down her face as the day's weariness tugged at her again.
Exhausted hazel orbs squinted as the rays of the morning sun peered through the paper doors. Ayane woke up to see the redness of her wrists worsening due to the tightness of the rope. After a few minutes of cursing her own blasted fate, the man she recalled as Saito walked into her room. He brought her breakfast and thankfully, removed the last binding.
With haste, Ayane ate her meal and—deprived of much contemplation—stomped her way to the spacious room she was brought to last night. She didn't need to hear what they were saying to prove her thoughts. No doubt about it, they're going to end her life. Well, I've also decided that I won't let that happen, so bring it on!
"Excuse me but I do not agree with your decision!" she brusquely opened the doors and barged inside. She gazed at the man she recalled Souji calling the vice commander. The others were not present in the room. Only he, their chief, and the man with glasses were discussing her fate.
"It does not matter if you agree or not," the vice commander answered. His purple eyes met hers but she didn't bend to his unrelenting stare. Instead, Ayane furrowed her brows, challenging him with subtlety.
"But you're being unfair! I swear I'd keep my mouth shut to hide your secret or whatever that was. Why can't you just let me go?!"
Suddenly, the bespectacled man spoke. "We can't risk anything, Katsu-san. You would either be killed or stay here to make sure that you would truly remain silent about what you saw last night."
Ayane let out a frustrated groan before responding. "Then I'll stay! To be frank, I've no other place to go anyways."
"You do realize that you're a woman who would be living in a place full of men, correct? I'll be frank with you as well, what do you offer in exchange for us sparing your life?" asked the vice commander, his voice serious and provocative at the same time. Ayane shut her eyes for a moment in hopes to calm herself before she do something idiotic that she'd certainly regret.
"I'm skilled in the art of the blade and combat. Let me join your ranks," she stated right after fluttering her orbs open. Both the vice commander and the bespectacled man didn't appear surprised by this; only the chief seemed to be taken aback. Ayane weighed her options: she would either be killed or stay with these men. Of course, to live would be the obvious choice—even if it meant being with the feared Wolves of Mibu.
"Hijikata-kun, I think we ought to consider her proposition, ne? We'll have to test your abilities then, Katsu-san."
"Perfect. Please let me spar with the guy who accompanied me back to my room last night." Her answer was without uncertainty and that was not surprising—for Ayane, at least—since she had earlier sworn that she would make that Souji pay.
Hijikata raised a brow at her plea. Kondo's expression was a mixture of shock and worry, and truth be told, Ayane found it endearing. I'm starting to wonder if he has his own child..
"Then it's settled," her supposed sparring partner said after sliding the door open, the glint of mischief clear in his emerald eyes. "Let's see how skilled you truly are, Ayane-chan."
"Souji, I don't think she can go up against you. Heisuke! Nagakura! Stop eavesdropping and come inside!" Hijikata shouted and both men—whom she also recalled to be present during her interrogation last night—came scrambling inside the room. "This sparring match will determine whether you can really join us. And you will face.."
"Him," he pointed towards a young man, boy rather, who has long light-brown hair tied in a high ponytail. "Haaaah? Why me?! I don't want to hurt a girl!" exclaimed Heisuke.
A girl, eh? You'll regret your words later, kid.
She put on a mask of politeness and let her gaze soften. "I sure hope so. Heisuke-san, was it?"
"Ah, I'm Heisuke Toudou! Just Heisuke is fine. Can I call you Ayane-chan, too?" To say that his blush was quite obvious was clearly an understatement. Awww.. He looks adorable. I might be able to let this kid off the hook if his cuteness keeps up.
"Sure. Let's go then." Ayane followed him to the sparring grounds at the back of the common room, right beside the dojo. The others also went with them to watch the bout that would determine the girl's fate.
"Two strikes to win. Begin!"
As quickly as it had commenced, Ayane's spar with Heisuke surprisingly ended with the latter sporting a shiner. Hijikata smiled knowingly as he announced the winner. "Congratulations, Katsu. You can now—"
Intentionally, she paid no attention to the vice commander and went over to the muscular man who was teasing Heisuke and how he lost to a 'little lady.' "Nagakura-san, I presume? If I may be so bold, I would like you to be my next opponent."
"Hey, hey, aren't you going a little too fast? Overconfidence has caused a lot, even the strongest warriors, to stumble down, you know."
Ayane dismissed his words and stood in a defensive position, waiting for Nagakura to attack. He acquiesced to her challenge and proceeded to strike the girl. Coordinating her flexibility with speed, Ayane won the match quicker than her spar with Heisuke. It was clear that everyone was not expecting her to win this time. Adding to the triumphant swell of pride she was feeling, she looked at the expression of the men around and saw that they were all stunned by her victory—including Hijikata.
"Now Hijikata-san.. Can I have that match with Souji-san?" questioned the female. The vice commander didn't get the chance to answer for Souji was in front of Ayane in a flash. Their wooden swords collided and everyone couldn't believe their eyes: it was very much like watching Saito and Souji spar. All noted that her swiftness put up for her strength disadvantage against her larger and visibly stronger opponent. Neither of the two were paying attention to the men's chatter; their goal was to strike the other down and at that moment, nothing else mattered.
Similar to what had happened with her earlier matches, Ayane made the first move, causing Souji to change his tactics and parallel with her speed. She used another technique to counter his attacks this time and after a few more clashes, her dimples showed as she saw an opening. The girl wasted no time and made her final charge, hitting him on his torso.
Nonetheless, it seemed that she got entranced in finally exacting vengeance upon him and proceeded to charge again even when her name was announced the winner. So when Souji's bokken flew from his grasp, Hijikata held fast onto her to prevent the girl from making another strike. "Stop now! You've proven your skills. Didn't you hear me earlier?"
No, this isn't enough. I need these boys to learn about the consequences of underestimating a female adversary. "One last sparring match, Hijikata-san; with the guy who brought my breakfast this morning."
"I accept." Ayane peered over to see the indigo-haired man making his way towards them. There was no need for a cue to start the spar because the two were already going at it the second their distance had shortened. Their fight was the longest amongst the others and she realized that he was the most difficult one to defeat. Leaving the men—Nagakura and Heisuke in particular—open-mouthed and awestruck for the fourth time, the girl had managed to prevail still. The two bowed to each other as Kondo began clapping his hands. "Amazing! Absolutely amazing!"
"I wouldn't call beating my captains like that amazing, Kondo-san.. But you've shown your real abilities, Ayane Katsu. I must admit that I'm impressed," Hijikata uttered, prompting Ayane to bow before the men.
"Thank you, sirs. To be honest, I'm fairly certain that your captains would be able to beat me the next time we spar. I emerge victorious not because I'm stronger than them, but because they've underestimated me since I'm a woman," she said and surprised them further with a different weapon this time: with a smile. Ayane let her words hang for a moment and crossed her fingers, hoping that these men would absorb them positively.
"Allow me to welcome you to the Shinsengumi now, Katsu! You won't turn back on your words, right?" asked the chief happily, breaking the short silence which was turning into a rather awkward moment.
"Of course. You'll kill me otherwise." Her reply had caused all but Souji to laugh. Still bitter about losing to me, eh?
Hijikata probably decided that it would be wise to continue the introductions this time. "We have pledged allegiance to the shogun and our job is to protect the capital. Unfortunately, as of late, our reputation has not improved, which is why I will not tolerate any form of abuse towards the people."
"Eh really? Then vice commander, why did one of your soldiers pushed me, a civilian, yesterday at the marketplace?" Ayane quipped and she saw Hijikata's expression turn into a grimace. Quite visibly, he seemed to be aware that the girl was trying to turn the tables and provoke him as payback.
Ayane's lips turned upward and resolved that maybe, being a part of the Shinsengumi was her destined purpose as to why she went to Kyoto in the first place. I'm going to make the best out of this, she thought. Especially since I'm the only woman here.
Just when she was contemplating how her life would turn out with the Shinsengumi, the captain—whose looks had ridiculously caused her to almost swoon at first sight—approached them. "I'll buy you some *dango if you're still mad about that, Ayane-chan." She could feel her composure unsteadying as their eyes met for another cosmic moment; well, for her, at least. Calm yourself, Ayane.. Breathe..
To her relief and admittedly, annoyance, Nagakura called his attention. "Ah, great timing Sano! You wouldn't believe it but she managed to beat every single one of us. Including Saito! You oughta have a match with her too!"
"Told you she's amazing, Shinpachi." Oh, so that's his first name. "Think you can do me the honors, Ayane-chan?" the man she now knew as Sano asked. All the girl did was offer him a curt nod and positioned herself in a fighting stance. For the fifth time that day, the others would be able to watch her beat another man double her size. Heisuke and Shinpachi were already betting on how long it'll take for her to finish the match. The bespectacled man, Kondo, and the vice commander had left them, already knowing how the spar would end. Souji sat beside Saito, the former still bitter about his lost and decided that watching—no, learning—her moves would come in handy the next time they fight.
A minute had passed and the girl's feet were still glued to the ground. Sano thought that maybe she was strategizing a move that would take him down with little to no effort. Though he didn't see the matches firsthand, the shocking truth remained that she had managed to beat four captains; so he needed to carefully plan his attacks in order to win. Furthermore, he had seen her hit one of his soldiers last time so he's fully aware that the girl was exceptional for someone her built.
Unknown to the men, she wasn't really strategizing, planning, etcetera. In fact, the sole reason why she hadn't attacked yet was because she felt comically similar to candied jelly—her limbs wouldn't heed to her command no matter how much effort she exerted. No, it wasn't due to exhaustion nor fatigue; she could still fight. Ayane inwardly berated herself for being extremely stupid, trying to squash the tiny butterflies inside her stomach.
There was no denying it. She's developed a crush on him. The thought of herself as a lovesick puppy was repulsing her to the core. And just because he was her crush didn't guarantee her freedom to act like a total idiot around him. She must make her move immediately and end this match, once and for all.
"Shinpatsu-san, Ayane's hands are trembling.." commented Heisuke.
"Eh? Don't tell me she's scared?" replied Shinpachi who wasn't taking his eyes off of the two. "Wha—She's afraid of Sano?"
These loudmouths.. Ayane huffed in irritation and willed herself to dash towards her fifth opponent, her sword raised to deliver the first strike. Sano blocked her charge with ease, causing the girl to lose balance and fall to the ground face first. All she could do was shut her eyes and brace herself for the impact. So much for my fifth victory..
Yet it seemed that the odds were never in Ayane's favour; for instead of the ground, her face bumped into the warm, hard chest of her sparring partner as he wrapped an arm around her waist for support. "Ooops! You okay, Ayane-chan?"
No words would form in her lips no matter how hard she tried to think. Her mind was going haywire especially after realizing the position they were in. Ayane was positive that her face was utterly similar to a ripe tomato at that moment—and she wanted to tell Kondo that she's taking her words back and they could just kill her instead.
"Ya just can't get enough of the ladies, huh? Congratulations, Sano! You ought to be given the flirt-of-the-year award!" hollered Shinpachi as he stood and went over to them. Heisuke couldn't contain his mirth either and added, "Maybe Ayane-chan is frightened by spear-users!"
"Yeah, that's it! Finally, Sano! Your charms didn't work this time!" Shinpachi continued his teasing. Ayane snappily removed herself from his embrace, trying her best to hide her stained cheeks. She wanted the earth to just open up and swallow her. This is unacceptable! How could this guy have such a strong effect on me!? And we've only met yesterday! Without much thought, she bowed in front of her opponent. "You've won, sir."
Sano blinked twice as he processed her words. "Wait a moment! I didn't even land a strike, so why are you suddenly conceding? What's the matter?" he asked, amber irises filled with slight worry. It was then that Saito decided to speak. "The girl has had four consecutive spars so it's only natural for her to be tired. Sano, you should take her to her room. We will have our proper introductions at lunch."
Why Saito-san? Why must you order him to do so? I can perfectly walk on my own! "Ah! That's not necessary. I'll see you all later," she stated and took a deep bow. Ayane forced herself to walk properly despite the urge to run. This was actually one of her biggest problems. Whenever she develops a crush on someone, she loses the ability to think, act, or speak properly. This dilemma was caused by her childhood crush who had graciously trampled her innocent perception of love and marriage; and to describe Ayane as being badly hurt would be a huge understatement.
Burdened by her painful experience, she started disregarding men while she blossomed into a full-grown woman. Turning down suitors and marriage proposals became her favourite pastime when she was fourteen until her sixteenth year of existence. At her current age of nineteen, Ayane should already have her own family—yet here she was, acting like a *ronin who was given mercy by the Shinsengumi simply because she could wield a blade despite her gender.
And now, she's faced with another idiotic burden of being infatuated with the red-haired captain. He was, in fact, the second man to ever capture her interest—after almost seven years. And at first sight no less!
Letting out a sigh, Ayane opened the doors to her chamber and plopped to the floor. The sparring fights were indeed tiresome; she was feeling famished just by pondering what her lunch would be. Being ungrateful was something Ayane detested but if she were to be honest, the contents of her breakfast tasted much saltier than the average meal. Guess these men really need the touch of femininity in their lives for a change. She resolved that if her lunch would taste—again, she's not being ungrateful, just trying to help—awful, then she would volunteer to be their cook. After all, another talent Ayane had would be the ability to work magic whenever she's in the kitchen. Wait a second, they haven't returned my stuff yet! And my swords too!
As if some deity heard her inner protests, Ayane heard someone outside and she immediately rose to her feet. "Please, come in."
Her hazel eyes widened as Sano slid the doors open; in his large, bandaged hands were her satchel and swords. Placing her things against the wall to her left, he offered her a bright smile. "I suppose the other guys had the chance to befriend you while I'm out on patrol. Mind if I sit, Ayane-chan?"
"S-Sure." Ayane's breath hitched but she tried to remain passive as she sat down—gracefully this time—and beckoned him to do so as well. While she'd like to take a look at his beautiful amber orbs again, Ayane felt more butterflies inside her stomach so she merely lowered her head. Without warning, his cheerful voice snapped her out of her trance.
"I believe our last encounter can't be considered a pleasant one," he uttered, slightly giving his cayenne mane a scratch. "And I heard that you'll be joining us from now on. So we might as well get along.. What do you think, Ayane-chan?" His visage showed no signs of lying and she felt like immediately trusting him due to his sincerity.
Unable to make a proper response, she nodded, showing with that simple gesture that she did agree with him.
"Great then! Saito said we should introduce ourselves to you later at lunch but I think it's fine if I do it first." Sano laughed a little before continuing, "After all, I'm the one who brought you here in the first place.."
Ayane's blush came flooding back as she realized his words. She lost consciousness during her horrific encounter with those white-haired men—moments after seeing Souji and Sano there too. And since he said that he did bring me here..
...So that meant Sano was the one who had carried her all the way to their headquarters. Insecurity clouded her thoughts and Ayane couldn't help but apologize. "I-I'm sorry if I'm heavy or anything! I—"
"Hey, hey! I didn't come here to tease you about that.. And you're actually pretty light to carry, you know. Really, it's no big deal!" He quickly answered, waving his large hands. Ayane bit her lower lip and gave him another nod.
"Anyways, you've met the soldiers of the tenth division during our patrol last time so you're probably aware that I'm a captain. My name is Sanosuke Harada by the way," he added and offered the girl another warm smile.
Sanosuke would never know the giddy feeling he was causing Ayane to experience with every beam he gave her. She then raised her head to finally meet his gaze; hazel pools colliding with twin shields of amber. "I-I'm Ayane Katsu," she sputtered.
His chuckle tickled her ears once more. "You're being too formal. Well, when you need anyone to spar with, don't hesitate to ask me, alright? Anyways, nice meeting you, Ayane-chan." At this, the girl's lips turned upwards ever so slightly, her dimples deepening a little.
With one last smile and an unnecessary—but heartwarming—ruffle of her chestnut tresses, Sanosuke stood and walked outside her room, telling her that lunch would be ready soon. Ayane closed the paper doors and sank to the floor, her flushed face buried in her palms as she mentally slap herself for acting so immature and pathetic. She thought that maybe a quick bath before lunch would help her ease her nerves. Dragging her gaze to the satchel, Sanosuke's gentle voice echoed when her mind replayed their previous conversation—the thought of bathing left forgotten.
"And I'm enchanted to meet you, Harada-san," she whispered, dimples finally showing as she hugged the satchel tightly to her chest.
*Sakura mochi – a type of rice cake eaten during spring, wrapped in salted cherry leaf (also edible). There are two kinds of sakura mochi: the chomei-ji sakura mochi (Edo), which is a crepe-like, flat rice cake; and domyo-ji sakura mochi (Kyoto), a thicker, coarsely grinded version of the traditional wagashi.
*Mon – a cheap bronze coin which was used from the Muromachi period up to the era of the Tokugawa (1336-1870). One ryo (gold currency unit) is equivalent to 4000 mon.
*Baka – Japanese word for fool, idiot, or stupid.
*Dango – another type of wagashi or Japanese confection. These are dumplings made from rice flour skewered onto sticks and are eaten throughout the year.
*Ronin – means masterless samurai.
RK: Actually, Shinpachi, Sanosuke's charms did work lololol. More info about Ayane? The katana is not really her preferred and dominant weapon. Plus, she has an awful past that would dwell on most girls' issue (even right now): beauty and physical appearance. All would be revealed in time, haha. I hope you'll come to love her and the other OCs as well.
Up next… Time for Souji Okita's love interest to be introduced in the second chapter of Visions of Forever: You and I, Part I! Stay tuned, minna-san..