This is my first fanfic. English is not my first language, so my English teacher has checked the grammar and the spelling of the words.

Chapter 1

She awoke by the sound of the birds. The first thing she thought was that she promised the men to make a special breakfast. Shinpachi asked her to do that for Kondou. It was for him for all his hard work for them and the Shinsengumi. She sat up in her futon and looks at the purple kimono next to her. She had bought it for a special moment. A moment like this. She put on the kimono and the white obi. She did her hair in a high ponytail with a purple bow. When she was done she went to the kitchen. After a while she heard a loud noise outside. The young girl slid the door open and saw a boy with long brown hair and an older man with spiky short brown hair. Heisuke and Shinpachi were playing in the snow, a bit violently. They stopped when they sensed that the girl was watching them.

"Hey Chizuru," Shinpachi said hesitantly.

"Yeah, nothing happened," Heisuke said while he stood up.

Chizuru chuckled. She looked at the boys who were covered in snow. Sometimes they can really hurt each other, but luckily most of the times they were just playing.

"Will you help me with breakfast?" she asked. "Yes of course." The two answered in unison.

After an hour they were finally ready with making breakfast. The kitchen was a mess but the food looked delicious. Shinpachi and Heisuke helped with bringing the food to the room where they usually eat. Chizuru slid the door open but when she saw that nobody was in there she realized that everyone was still asleep.

"I think we need to wake up everyone," Heisuke said.

"Chizuru, you're going to Hijikata-san while we're going to the others," said Shinpachi.

"Why do I have to go to Hijikata-san, Shinpachi?"

"Since you're his lover." And with that the two ran out of the room. Chizuru sighed.

Since when do they knew that we have feelings for each other, she thought.

She walked to the room of Hijikata.

"Hijikata-san, may I come in?" She heard no answer so she slid the door open. A man was lying on the futon with long black hair. He laid on his back with his hands on his stomach. This was the first time that Chizuru saw Hijikata in this sleeping position. He looked so peaceful without any worries. He wore a dark blue night jinbei. Chizuru chuckled when she saw that the blanket was on the floor. She walked over to him and bent down to put the blanket over him. When she touched him lightly , he shivered and opened his eyes. Their eyes met and she said softly while she touched his cheek: "Breakfast is ready."

Hijikata sat up and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'll come when I'm ready." She smiled at him and stood up. "Okay, we'll wait for you."

Chizuru left his room with a light pink blush on her cheeks.

"What happened there?" She looked next to her and saw Okita and Kondou.

"N-n-nothing," she said while she walked past them.

"Really? I don't think so because you're blushing," Okita said.

"Souji-kun, don't say such things to Chizuru," Kondou said while he walked after the girl.

"Fine. Shall we go, I can't wait to see what our little princess have made."

The three walked to the room where all the food was.

Once they were there, Chizuru saw that Saito, Heisuke, Sannan, Yamazaki and Shinpachi already sat in the room.

"Wow!" Harada said as he walked behind Chizuru, Okita and Kondou the room in. "That looks delicious."

Everybody sat on their places as Kondou looked at Chizuru.

"Is this for a special moment?"

"Yes, Chizuru-chan, Heisuke-kun and I have made this especially for you."

"And why especially for me?"

"Because you have always helped us and you are like a father to us,"Heisuke said.

Kondou's surprised look changed into a smile.

"You're all for me like a son. And a daughter of course." He said while he looked at Chizuru.

Everyone laughed and began to eat. When all the men and the girl were done, Kondou turned to Chizuru.

"What are going to do today?"

"Well, I think I'm going to do some shopping."

"We'll clean the kitchen," Shinpachi said.

"Have you messed up the kitchen?" Okita looked with a cat grin to Heisuke and Shinpachi.

"Yeah, a little bit," Heisuke said

"I think it's not a good idea for you to go alone, Chizuru."Kondou said as he looked at the girl. "Maybe you can go with her, Toshi?"

"What?" Hijikata looked at the blushing Chizuru who looked away when their eyes met.

"No," He said with his usually stern look. "I have a lot of work to do."

"Oh, maybe you don't want to go?"

Hijikata looked at Souji with a glare of death.

"I can go with her, if she wants"

All the faces turned towards the one who was speaking.

"Ae you sure, Saito-san?" Saito nodded.

Kondou turned to Chizuru.

"Are you fine with that?"

"Yes."

After they had done the shopping, they went to a dango shop. While they walked home, Saito fell over something that lay on the ground. Luckily he landed on his hands and not on the thing that laid under him.

"Saito-san, are you okay?" Chizuru asked.

"Yes, but can you help me up?" Chizuru reached for his hand and helped him up. When he stood up he looked down to see what laid on the ground. But what he saw was not a thing. It was a little girl who was sleeping. Saito bent down to wake up the girl. She slowly opened her eyes as he touched her. The little girl looked at him with big dark blue eyes. Her hair and her kimono were the same colour as her eyes. She wore by her kimono a black obi.

Saito helped the little girl to sit up.

"Hey. What is your name?" Chizuru asked friendly as she bent down.

"… Lulu," she said as she looked with her big eyes at the young woman next to her.

"What are you doing outside, alone?" Saito asked. He looked at the girl with a concerned look in his eyes.

"I … I fell asleep."

"Why here?"

"… I don't know."

"Do you know where your parents are?" The little girl looked with watery eyes at Chizuru.

"Are your parents gone?" Saito asked.

Lulu nodded. "I don't know where they are."

"Are they still alive?" Chizuru asked at the little girl.

"I don't know." This time she spoke with a shaking voice. She hoped that her parents were still alive and that they would return. Saito looked at the girl, who was almost crying.

"Do you have other family here?"

"No."

"Brothers or sisters?" he asked again.

She shook her head. Lulu looked to the ground and began to cry. Chizuru put an arm on her shoulder and tried to comfort her.

"Can we take her home, Saito-san?"

"Well, we can't leave her here, so, there is no other choice." He picked her up and they walked home.