Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Gintama, it's far too epic for a lowly lifeform like me. It belongs to Sorachi-sensei. Only this fanfic is mine.
Author's Rant
Heyyyy! I really wanted to make a Gintama Fanfic and this is what came to my mind. This is actually inspired by the song Daydream Away by the very awesome All Time Low.
I want to rewrite the part where Mitsuba visited Edo so this does not actually follow that certain arc. And I don't want Mitsuba to die so nope, no deaths here. Just angst (maybe) and how Hijikata and Mitsuba's relationship should have ended.
Hope you like it! :) (But please don't expect too much. It's my first time for a Gintama Fic. Hahaha!)
I would really appreciate your reviews /bows/ no hates please! :) THIS IS UNEDITED SO EXPECT ERRORS.
February 14. Other people call it Valentine's day, but for the demonic vice-chief of the Shinsengumi, it was just another Friday.
At this time of the year, couples, lovebirds, or whatever you call them are currently somewhere, enjoying their lovely date and cherishing their love for each other. But Hijikata begs to differ. He's been stuck in his room all day, daydreaming about a certain girl that he hadn't met for years.
Brown hair, brown eyes, and a love for spicy food, yep that's Mitsuba Okita for you. Sougo's loving sister and the only girl that made Hijikata's kokoro go doki doki.
Even if Hijikata left her and broke her heart for certain reasons, he still loves her. He still hasn't gotten over her and never will. The impact that Mitsuba left on Hijikata is so strong that even time couldn't erase it.
Hijikata loves Mitsuba but decided to keep her a daydream away so that he won't hurt her even more. And he won't hurt himself.
Hijkata was still deep in thought until his door suddenly slammed open.
"TOSHI! IT'S VALENTINE'S DAY TODAY!" Kondo, the gorilla commander of the Shinsengumi shouted.
Hijikata snorted. "I know, Kondo-san. I know. And why are you wearing that silly uniform? Please don't disgrace the Shinsengumi further."
Hijikata was pertaining to the crazy outfit that his commander was wearing. Instead of the usual black and gold scheme, Kondo was wearing the same design but with a red and white color scheme. Oh, and don't forget the red hearts that was stitched all over the uniform. It was a total nightmare.
"What are you talking about, Toshi! This uniform was designed by Sougo and we're all supposed to wear it as a seasonal uniform. Don't you think it's just great?"
"I think it's hideous," Hijkata said nonchalantly, "I'd rather commit seppuku than wear that silly uniform."
Okita, the first division captain of the Shinsengumi, suddenly appeared beside Kondo and was wearing the same Valentines-inspired uniform.
"Hijikata-san, everyone is obliged to wear this uniform. If you refuse to wear it, you'll face something much worse than seppuku."
That piqued Hijikata's interest. "What?" he asked.
"This," Okita said as he showed Hijikata boxes of mayonnaise," will go to the trash."
Hijikata's eyes suddenly widened. He could not possibly let those defenseless mayonnaise go to the trash.
"They are innocent! They have nothing to do with this! Leave them alone, Sougo!" Hijikata complained.
Okita smiled sadistically. He was glad that he now has Hijikata wrapped around his finger, all because of his beloved mayonnaise.
"I'll leave them alone only if you wear this uniform," Okita said while holding a uniform made especially for Hijikata. "Oh, and you have to go on a patrol around the city while wearing this uniform."
Hijikata stood up and angrily grabbed the uniform out of Okita's hand. "Hmph. Fine. I'll surely get my revenge on you, Sougo."
Okita smirked. "I'd like to see you try."
And with that, Kondo and Okita left Hijikata's room.
Hijikata left his room and as soon as the other Shinsengumi members saw how silly he looked in that uniform, they all tried to hide their laughter, knowing that it would result to seppuku if Hijikata ever saw them laughing at him.
Even the sadist Okita had a hard time hiding his laughter when he saw what Hikita looked like. "You look absolutely handsome Hijkata-san, you'll surely find a date with that kind of look," Okita sarcastically remarked.
Hijikata rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever. I'll go on my patrol duty now."
Hijikata was about to leave until Okita stopped him. "Wait, Hijikata-san. You forgot your weapon."
Okita handed him an arrow that uncanningly looked like Cupid's arrow. "Enjoy your patrol, Hijikata-san."
Hijikata was sure that by wearing this uniform, Shinsengumi's morale and reputation has now reached rock bottom.
I mean, no criminal will be afraid of policemen who look like Cupid-rip offs on Valentines. That's just plain stupid. And those uniforms are the epitome of stupidity.
With his arrow in hand, Hijikata roams the city and endures all the funny looks that people give him. By afternoon, he was already used to hearing the laughs of all the people around him. But one laugh caught his attention.
It was the laugh that he yearned to hear for years. Her laugh.
Hijikata frantically looked for that laugh and could not believe his eyes when he saw her.
"Mitsuba…you're here?"
Hijikata's kokoro: doki doki.
"Hi Hijikata. It's been a long time, huh?" Mitsuba said as she approached me. For a minute, Hijikata stayed frozen on his spot. At all the moments that he could have met her, fate really chose this exact moment where he looked so damn silly.
Fuck fate. Hijikata thought.
"Yeah. It's been so long and I honestly didn't expect to see you while wearing this stupid uniform."
Mitsuba giggled. "It's okay. I actually kind of expected it."
"Why? Do you think that I look silly on a regular basis?" I asked, a bit annoyed.
Mitsuba smiled and all the annoyance suddenly left Hijikata. He's a sucker when it comes to Mitsuba's smiles. "No it's not that. It's because Sou-chan said that I need to be careful because I might meet a pedophile poorly dressed as a cupid-rip off. He also said that I should kick him in the jewels if I ever saw that pedo. And I'm guessing that he meant you."
"That little runt…" Hijikata whispered to himself. Hijikata already knows that Okita hated him to the point of trying to kill him countless times so it's not surprising to find out that Okita had said those words to his sister.
"I'm really sorry about Sou-chan. He's always been mean to you."
"N-No, no, it's okay." After all, he has the right to be mean to me. I broke his sister's heart. "I've gotten used to it."
Awkwardness soon followed. Well what would you say to the only girl that you ever loved if you happen to meet her after many years? It's not like you can just casually talk about how you left her. For the first time in forever, Hijikata was at loss for words.
HIjikata decided long ago that he would keep Mitsuba a daydream away. To just daydream about her whenever he misses her so that it wouldn't hurt the both of them. Admire her from a safe distance to lessen the pain. That's how Hijikata decided to live on.
So Hijikata took one good look at her face, and decided to end their little conversation because the longer he stays, his resolve to stay away from her breaks.
"I-I have to go…" Hijikata awkwardly said.
Mitsuba gave a bitter smile. "So you're leaving me again, huh?" Even she tried to hide it, Hijikata could clearly see the sadness in her eyes. And in that one moment, the guilt that Hijikata has been desperately trying to lock up haunted him.
"I-It's not like that!"
"No, no, it's okay. I understand. I understand that you don't have time to spend with an old friend because you're busy saving humanity from a bunch of large man-eaters. And I really understand that you have to go play basketball against rainbow-color haired guys who were once your teammates. I understand that you have to catch all Poke—"
"HEY HEY STOP! YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER ANIMES! THE HIGHER-UPS WILL BE MAD!" Hijikata said. He sighed exasperatedly and rubbed his temple.
"Okay, I get it. Let's have a drink."
"CHOME CHOMEEEEE! CHOME CHOMEEEE!" Mitsuba sang on the top of her lungs.
Hijikata and Mitsuba originally planned to just have a few drinks but unconsciously, a few drinks escalated to many. It was almost as if none of them wanted this night to end.
After Mitsuba finished singing she went to sit beside Hijikata again.
"Hey Mitsuba, I forgot to ask, but how long are you going to stay here?" Hijikata asked. The awkwardness between them is now gone. With the help of the beer, they are now comfortable with each other.
"Until you want me to." Mitsuba said with a wink. Hijikata laughed. "Well if that's the case then you better stay here for good."
"Why?"
"Because I never want you to leave."
"Then why did you leave, Hijikata, why?"
Even if both of them are intoxicated right now, Hijikata suddenly felt a sharp stab in the chest by Mitsuba's words.
"I already told you…I don't deserve you. Who knows if I just suddenly die in the battlefield? I can't leave you alone and devastated..."
"But that's what you just did. You left me alone and devastated. Didn't you, Hijikata?"
Hijikata looked at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the world. "I'm sorry…"
Mitsuba wiped the tears that were now falling from her eyes. Hijikata hugged her while wept silently on his chest.
Maybe this is just what they both were waiting for. Maybe this is just what they wanted. Maybe this is just what they needed.
Maybe they just needed this exact moment where they could venture out their frustrations for all the years that had passed.
"Hijikata, did you really love me?"
"Of course. I love you and always will." Hijikata said without a second thought. Mitsuba looked at Hijikata straight in the eye and said, "Then that's enough for me."
Before Hijikata could ask what that was about, Mitsuba leaned in for a kiss. A kiss that held a thousand words that they both needed to convey.
They parted and Mitsuba gave Hijikata a genuine smile. "Please don't tell this to Sou-chan."
Hijikata laughed. "Don't worry, I won't."
Hijikata walked Mitsuba back to the place where she was staying. And when they reached her door, they both stopped for one final look.
"Bye Hijikata. Till next time…"
Hijikata kissed Mitsuba on the forehead and said, "Till next time."
And they parted without a single hard feeling left.
Hijikata came back to the Shinsengumi Headquarters while still wearing his silly uniform. But everyone could tell that he's not that bothered by it at all. In fact, they were all surprised to see the demonic vice-chief look not so…well…demonic.
Little did they know that a sharp thorn has now been removed in Hijikata's heart. And he doesn't even worry about Mitsuba because he knows that no matter how far they may drift apart, she'll always just be a daydream away.
They might never be together but Hijikata prefers it that way.
You're just a daydream away, I wouldn't know what to say if I had you
And I'll keep you a daydream away, just watch from a safe place
So I never have to lose…