Okita sat on a bench. His sister had left him, and now he was all alone. He thought about his friends. Hijikata, whom he hated. Kondo, who was a pain in the butt. And Danna, who was as much of a friend as parfaits would buy, and more of a friend than money could buy. And yet, none of them could quite understand his loss. Hijikata was too stoic. Kondo was too naive. Gin was off somewhere reading JUMP.
Essentially, Okita was alone with this pain. He didn't even fully understand it himself. But he almost wanted to cry, though he'd never admit it. And no tears would fall. They never had, and probably never would. Kondo had given him the day off to collect himself. But the day had grown into night. And nothing had changed but the color of the sky. Clouds had chased each other across the sky as he imagined them from under his sleep mask.
-Yo. You're not sleeping, right, sadist? - Kagura bounced down onto the bench.
-Of course I'm sleeping, China. - He answered her, keeping his voice emotionless.
-You sleep talking then? - she asked him.
-Yeah. Obviously.
-Wanna tell me an embarrassing secret then? That's what happens in TV dramas when somebody sleep talks. Got any embarrassing secrets?
-No. I am perfect.
-Maybe you can learn in your sleep then. Some people learn when they are told things repeatedly in their sleep.
-Really?
-Here goes, then. You're not perfect, you are imperfect, you're not perfect, you're just full of yourself. You're not perfect, you are imperfect, you're not perfect, you're just full of yourself. You're not perfect, you are imperfect, you're not perfect, you're just full of yourself. You're not perfect, you are imperfect, you're not perfect, you're just full of yourself. You're not perfect, you are imperfect, you're not perfect, you're just full of-
-Shut up!
-So, have we learned our lesson?
-I'm not-no, actually though-
-Wrong answer. Take it from the top! Here she instantly changed into her gangster clothes. - Yo yo yo! Time for a lesson bro! Gather all your homies and here we go! You're not perfect, just a sadist guy, with a taste for bazookas and home cooked stir-fry, you're a little bit sly, not really shy, but you are not perfect, and repeat, you give it a try!
-Shut up!
-Wrong! - she threw a skateboard at him.
-Fine. I have some embarrassing secrets.
-Ooh! I never would have guessed. The strong bishonen sadist has a truckload of embarrassing secrets!
-Not a truckload. It's two.
-Ooh! Is one a secret weakness? Sounds so juicy. What is it?
-I didn't say it was a weakness.
-Maybe it's that he's stubborn.
-So what?
-Wait, that isn't a secret, is it?
-It's not a weakness, China. It's just a.. well.. a thing.
-Oh! I think I get it. He's got a thing for someone! Who could it be? Is it that ninja? Grr! I always knew something was up with that. Who put a sadist and a masochist in the same anime anyway?
-It isn't her. Anyway, according to your rap, I'm supposed to like home cooked stir-fry, not natto.
-Let's keep it that way, buddy.
-Whatever, China.
She considered him.
-What's the other one?
He tilted his head away from her. -Nothing much.
-You aren't following the rules of sleep talking very well,- she pouted.
-Shut up.
She looked closer at his sleep mask, as if trying to read an expression in the eyes on it. Finally, she concluded,
-You've got family problems.- Then, -You're... lonely?- He sat up suddenly.
-How did you- how could you know that?
She sat back, looking satisfied.
-Women's intuition.