Hello! ^_^ Thanks for stopping by, I hope you like this story! XD But since it's a sequel, I recommend you to read my previous work, titled 'The Frozen Sword'
So, I've been slacking off with my current multi-chaptered project, 'Petals of Time' lately...*slapped* That's when I read some good stories, and also my first fanfic plus the readers' reviews on it XD Some of them (or you?) suggested me to make a short sequel. I didn't really want to make it at first, but when I re-read it again, I was grinning like a fool and finally decided to give this small Halloween (?) treat XD
Let's start reading! ^_^ Enjoy!
THE FROZEN SWORD
EVER AFTER
Maybe it was just me who didn't understand...
...but really, what's the point of practicing swordsmanship everyday in these peaceful days?
I sighed as I fixed my stance in this courtyard of Shinsengumi's Headquarters, while other children around me laughing and chattering in enthusiasm. It looked like they were really excited everytime we practiced together. It was not that I hated swords, but hey, I was only ten year-old. I deserved more playing time rather than swinging a sword, which I knew would be useless in real battle because there was nothing really to fight in this town.
"Alright kids, let's take a break!"
That was Nagakura Shinpachi, our coach for today. When the other kids gathered around him for the 1000th times...I thought? I silently tiptoed and stepped out of the headquarters. People said that a boy my age tended to be naughty and rebellious. I guessed that's true. Besides, I didn't really have a mood for practice today and this was my first time of ever neglecting training. So I thought it was okay.
Feeling the cozy spring breeze, I caught a cherry blossom's petal in the air. Today's weather was too good to resist. How could I spend my precious time in that boring place? Don't be kidding me...However, I couldn't completely get rid of this guilt that started to haunt my heart. Maybe it was related to the reason why those kids gathered around Nagakura-san? I knew they wanted to ask him telling about that story...the same tale that I had heard over and over again until I was bored already.
Walking into a dango store, I was still lost in these thoughts. Well, even though I used to live peacefully, they said this situation was completely different from back then. Really, I couldn't imagine the times when humans and demons were fighting against each other; the war that had shed a great pool of blood where people must train their swordsmanship for every second in their lives just to survive.
And that war had been ended by the Shinsengumi, the legendary warriors of eternal peace...more specifically, by Saito Hajime who took a great credit in annihilating the demon lord...
"Oh, it's you." The dango store's owner's voice snapped me back to reality. She furrowed her eyebrows, "But isn't it your training time?"
"It's boring so I came here," I answered reluctantly. She must be thinking that I was a bad example of my generation, "The usual, please."
She smiled and gave me my order, "It's understandable, but you must not have done such thing. You would make the fallen warriors' souls sad."
I nodded while chewing my dango, trying to ignore her words. That was why I felt a bit guilty...For a kid who was born about two years after the war ended, I was wondering if children around my age that time could go out this freely without feeling scared of encountering an oni or demon.
"Who's your training coach for today? Is it Saito-san?" She glanced at me with that hopeful look in her eyes, and quickly replaced by disappointment after I shook my head.
I had heard a rumor that this lady, and almost all females in town, used to like Saito Hajime. Even after he married Yukimura Chizuru, he still didn't lose his charm. Their love story had become a folklore in Kyoto, about how a cheerful oni child had successfully caught a heart of an emotionless boy who worked as a personal assasin of demon lord, how the boy ended up joining Shinsengumi, and finally the last battle led them to the happy ending...
...I knew it was the story that Nagakura-san wanted to tell us in the break time. Although it's boring, I must admit that it was a beautiful and touching tale...I meant, in such desperate times and with so many differences between them, their love could grow even stronger and eliminate all the barriers.
Oh no, I felt even more guilty right now...Was I really a person who couldn't appreciate the past warriors' hard work?
But wait...it was true that everyone in town, or even the entire Japan, knew about their dramatic love story. However, the side story was only known by a few people, about the birth of the well-known couple's child...
And I was lucky to know about it, shall I tell you?
"Hajime-san..," a young woman opened her brown eyes slightly as she studied her husband's naked back from the bed she was lying on, "Do you need any helps there?"
"No," the man replied with a cold yet warm tone at the same time. He was still looking for his wife's sleeping clothes in the closet, "Just wait patiently...you must rest, Chizuru."
Chizuru giggled while stroking her pregnant belly, which had entered its 9th month. Saito had become more overprotective as the time went by. And although he attempted to keep his cold nature, Chizuru could tell that he was feeling even more nervous than her.
A smile played on her lips as Saito helped her to sit down. She enjoyed the warmth from his strong arms, which slowly taking off her clothes. The man placed his palm gently on her naked belly and Chizuru's fingers began to trace his bare body. She pulled her husband's face closer and gave him a deep kiss before pushing him onto the bed.
"Chizuru..," whispered Saito when his wife was already on top of him, "We can save it for later, okay? You must sleep now. I'll help you change your clothes."
She pouted and tightened her grip on Saito's wrists. Upon seeing his wife made such face, Saito couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, "Hey, since when did my wife become a spoiled girl?"
"Since you became an overprotective husband, so our child wanted me to punish you because you didn't let us go outside at all," Chizuru gave him a winning smile and planted another kiss on his delicate lips.
They enjoyed their intimacy for a long time before finally Saito pushed his wife gently so they were in the sitting position once again, "Alright...That's enough. It's time for us to sleep."
Saito smiled at her, and Chizuru couldn't help but nod obediently. Saito took a place behind her and helped Chizuru to change into a light sleeping yukata. Chizuru swore that Saito brushed his lips on her neck as he did this.
After he tied the clothes' sash, Saito laid Chizuru down on bed and wore his own clothes, which Chizuru felt a bit regret of. At last, the young male gave her a goodnight kiss on the forehead and circled his hands around her body before closing his eyes.
While burying her face in her husband's chest, Chizuru felt that she was really lucky for having this wonderful life. Her naughty fingers slipped off the sleeping man's yukata's collar when suddenly, a strange and painful sensation stung her belly.
Saito stirred as he felt Chizuru moving uncomfortably in his embrace, "Chizuru? What's wrong?"
"H-Hajime-san..," Chizuru gasped while the beads of sweat starting to form on her face.
"...I think it's about time to deliver the baby..."
"What do you mean?! I want to come inside!" Saito shouted as the midwife kicked him out forcefully.
The old woman gave him a scowl, "First, you barged in my house in the middle of the night with those terrible looks." She stared at Saito, whose long hair was totally messy, with a panicked sweating face, and a sleeping yukata that almost fell from his shoulders, showing his muscular chest. But he didn't know why the last thing could happen, since he was sure that he had worn it properly before going to sleep.
Saito fixed his clothes carelessy, not even noticing it before the midwife pointing it out and continuing her scoldings, "Second, you couldn't even find the right words to explain about what was happening...it's good that I've known that it's already her time to give birth so I could prepare my stuffs quickly before you dragged this pitiful old woman to run here without a proper explanation."
"But I really didn't know what to say! So I-," but the strict woman had slammed the door shut in front of his face. She opened it a bit and glared at Saito from the gap, "And third, we don't need a panicked and hysterical husband inside because it will make your wife feel more depressed. Please understand, this is her first time and you don't want to make things become more difficult."
"I'm not panicked..," but the door had been closed once again, leaving the stressful husband and father-wannabe alone.
At least, he thought that he was alone before turning around. His eyes widened in shock upon seeing his comrades, all in their sleeping clothes, "...Since when did you guys come here?"
Heisuke yawned, "...Well, Hajime-kun...Do you expect us to stay asleep after you made such a loud fuss along the hallway, shouting and running like there was an earthquake, and also-"
"...I'm sorry," Saito cut Heisuke's speech, not wanting to hear more about embarrasing things that most likely had been done by him without even realizing it.
Okita grinned, and Saito knew the emerald-eyed man was happy because such things had never happened before. But he was really grateful because Kondou stopped Okita from teasing him even before he started it. But really, who expected the cold famous samurai, Saito Hajime, could be this panicked?
He rubbed his head in frustration, completely ignoring the other captains, who had begun to talk about how his child would look like, or what the baby's gender would be. They were going to be delightful if Chizuru gave birth to a cute baby girl, or whatever, Saito couldn't hear anything more of their ramblings.
After hours that seemed like an eternity, Saito gasped upon hearing a baby's cry from inside the room. Without warning, he slid the door open in haste and ran to Chizuru's side, paying no attention to the midwife who had started to glare at him again.
"Chizuru! Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!" Saito asked loudly in desperation. He didn't expect that facing something like this was much more difficult than killing an oni.
"Calm down, Hajime-san..," Chizuru smiled weakly and squeezed Saito's hand softly. Saito was feeling embarassed. He should have been the one who calmed Chizuru down and not the opposite.
Saito took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, "So, where is the baby?"
Chizuru giggled and tilted her head to the side, where a tiny creature was sleeping peacefully. Saito's eyes softened upon seeing his child, the panic in his heart was already replaced by pure happiness and relief.
"Is it a girl?!" Nagakura entered the room without permission, and Saito glared at him instantly. He didn't understand that Saito wanted to have a private time with his new little family, before finally Hijikata pulling the big man out. The midwife also left after that, leaving Saito along with Chizuru and the newborn.
"Too bad but Nagakura-san would be disappointed, because it's a baby boy..," A warm smile lined Chizuru's lips as she saw Saito touched their sleeping son's face with his finger. Much to their surprise, suddenly the baby caught his father's finger and bit it. But of course, it didn't hurt at all.
"I have a feeling that he would become a rebellious boy...I hope it's not true..," Saito let out a sigh, but then he smiled gently at his family, "Still, he's lucky to be born in the peaceful era."
Chizuru nodded and let Saito to kiss her cheek while whispering a quiet 'good job and thank you'. After that, she took a glimpse at the now laughing baby, "Hajime-san, do you have any ideas for his name?"
"A name?" Saito frowned. He hadn't thought about it. In fact, he was completely in blank about a meaningful or good name for his son. His life had been only always revolving around swords for the Shinsengumi's missions...
Wait, speaking of Shinsengumi...
"Chizuru...I think I've found a suitable name for him..."
I choked my dango as I imagined Saito Hajime, who almost died in panic on that night. I often thought of blabbering out that thing for fun, but I knew that nobody would believe me...How if I asked Okita-san or Toudou-san to give me a hand?
"Have you finished eating yet?" The lady took my empty plate and she was confused upon seeing me grinning like an idiot all of a sudden.
"Yes! How much is it?" After this, I would return to the Shinsengumi's Headquarters . It was good that our coach today was Nagakura-san; someone like him wouldn't notice that one of his students had been sneaking around in the middle of practice. By going back, maybe I could get rid of this guilt in my heart.
I looked for money in my pocket, willing to pay the dango. But suddenly, a hand from behind me had put some money on the table...
...A left hand that dressed in light blue haori.
I gulped, couldn't bring myself to turn around. His aura had sent shivers down my spine, especially when he talked to the surprised woman in front of me, "Is this money enough?"
I knew that deep voice well. It was really him, the good-for-nothing old man...Alright, I took my words back, he was not that old. But I still didn't understand why the woman before me blushing as she nodded and took the money. Hey, did you know that he was already a married man?
"Neglecting trainings is strictly prohibited," my brown eyes widened as he said those words, which undoubtedly was meant to me. Still, I refused to look at him. I was really afraid now. His sapphire eyes had some kind of power that could read your soul.
However, he pulled my hand and forced me to turn around. I could just look down at ground in shame as we walked outside the dango store. Some samurai from the third division had been waiting there and they murmured a quiet 'good luck' to me.
Crap...just if you could switch with my position now...
Finally we arrived at the headquarters, with his hand still holding mine. He didn't say even a single word and I felt really uncomfortable with this silence. I took a glimpse at the courtyard and saw my friends were still training there with Nagakura-san.
"Welcome back, Hajime-san..." A woman's voice greeted us. I gazed at the elaborate kimono she wore. She looked really beautiful and somehow fitted the sakura tree behind her. People said that she used to wear boy's clothes and scolded her husband in her younger days, but I couldn't imagine it. Was it true that women would become more feminine and softer when they started a family? I sounded like an old man...
"I'm home, Chizuru." The man who was still holding my hand replied with nothing but a cold voice.
"Hm? You found that kid? Nagakura-san was looking for him." My eyes opened wide in surprise, so Nagakura-san was not as stupid as I thought.
"He ran away from the training..." That deep voice stabbed my heart one more time, "I'll teach him some lessons."
The woman looked at me with a concerned face. She realized that I was afraid and...feeling regret for my earlier behavior. She gave me a tender smile and stroked my violet locks, "Don't do such thing again, okay?" Then she gazed at her husband, "Hajime-san, don't be too harsh with him..."
However, he didn't say anything and pulled my hand again. Unconsciously, the tears had started to form in my big chocolate eyes. It was not that he was going to hit me or anything...he had never done that. But I would prefer to be hit or punched rather than being alone for hours with his penetrating gaze and voice. Sometimes, psychological things were more terrifying than you thought. My body was shaking as he tightened his grip. He rarely scolded me, but once he did, he just didn't need to do anything to make me tremble in his presence and spoke the truth.
To my surprise, he didn't ask me to enter my room, where he would interrogate me like always. We went to the courtyard instead. My friends greeted him in excitement, totally ignoring my presence. I couldn't blame them though. He was just so charming to almost everyone.
"So, you've found that naughty kid in your patrol, eh Saito?" That damn Nagakura-san...could you please not add fuel into the fire?
"I'm sorry, Shinpachi...I'll make sure this thing won't happen again in the future," his strong hand pushed my head down. I didn't like bowing to others, especially Nagakura-san, but I knew that I had no choice.
"Eh Hajime-kun? You have come back?" I peeked from my purple strands, and lifted my head quickly upon seeing my partner in crime.
Okita-san! My savior! Please make fun of him to get rid of this stern atmosphere!
"...Make sure you punish that brat properly."
Traitor!
My jaw almost dropped as I saw Okita-san smirked and left me. I couldn't believe he would treat me that way, although I had to admit that he was more fun than this serious old man.
After that, Nagakura-san and the other children finished their practice and left us as well. Now I was alone with him and waiting in fear for whatever that he might do to me.
"You...when will you understand?" His voice broke the silence. That alone was enough to make me feel like a criminal.
"Forgive me, Father..," I sobbed while looking down at ground. No, I was a man, I didn't want to cry...
"You have to be thankful. Many people were dead so your generation could enjoy this eternal peace..," He lifted up my chin so I was facing his eyes, "In return, I hope you keep the warrior's spirit in your heart to honor their souls...Don't take it so lightly...Do you know that even I almost died as well?"
I nodded weakly, "I-I know..." Against my will, I burst out crying upon feeling this really serious atmosphere and the power from his azure eyes.
"Don't cry so easily." He said it calmly and didn't shout in anger, but his tone...somehow had brought me back into the past. Somehow I could feel the fear of a long war between oni and human.
In this tensed situation, a sudden pair of soft hands embraced my body from behind and made me feel relieved. Although I didn't see it, I knew the owner of these hands gave that man a scowl, "Hajime-san! You made him cry!"
He sighed, "I didn't do anything bad to him.."
Yes, he was right. But again, I wondered if the aura from a man who had slain countless lives was too much for a child from the peaceful era like me?
"Mother..," I wiped my tears away. I didn't want to be a crybaby or a coward, "That's alright...I'm the guilty one here..."
While other parents wouldn't care about something like this, it looked like my father was really serious especially when it came to swords. I gave him a deep bow, "I apologize, Father...I have neglected trainings...I didn't understand that your generation had fought until the last breath and left their last will to me and also my friends...I'm feeling ashamed now. I promise not to do such foolish thing again."
Strange, but I apologized from the bottom of my heart right now. His cold aura had forced me to speak the truth, but my mother's warm aura had encouraged me to apologize properly. I felt they were really meant to each other at a time like this. If I was alone with my father, maybe I would have been still crying like an idiot. And if my mother was the one who scolded me, it most likely that I wouldn't listen to her. By being together, somehow they made a balanced harmony that was starting to relax me.
He lifted up my chin again and gazed deeply into my soul. I had a courage to look back at him this time since I really said the truth. Still, I couldn't stop my legs from shaking. It was a good thing that my mother was here to support my body.
After quite a long time, he turned his eyes away from me. I was really relieved as I clung on my mother's kimono and felt her hands caressing my back.
My father glanced up at the sky. For me, it gave an impression that he was looking back at the past. And then I knew it was true, because he spoke quietly, "When I was your age, I didn't have time to have fun at all. That's why I'm this strict...I don't want you to be a spoiled kid, you must prepare yourself to face the world...I know that you hate me because of it, but I just don't want the samurai's spirit to disappear from this world."
"...Father, I don't hate you..," I walked closer to him without realizing it. I know his past was really sad and dark, I had heard it so many times. But it was different when you heard the story from the man himself. My eyes widened in disbelief as he played with my lavender hair all of a sudden, the trait that I inherited from him.
However, it was nothing compared to the small smile on his lips. We seldom talked to each other, maybe it was because of his cold nature? He was a man with few words, but I was glad right now, at least he acted like a normal father.
"Look at that," he pointed his finger at the red flag that stood in the corner of the courtyard. That thing told many stories of the past, the witness of bloody battles that had been done for the sake of my generation.
A smile forming on my lips while reading the kanji character written on it. A single letter that had become the symbol of the elite force, Shinsengumi.
Makoto, the truth.
I felt my mother resting her hands on my shoulders, "You know already why we gave you that name, don't you?"
"...So I could live as a brave warrior who inherits and lives up Shinsengumi's name, even when the swords are not needed anymore..," my lips spoke by itself, and suddenly I was feeling proud of being this couple's only child. I thought of it as a burden at first, because anyone wanted me to fulfill their expectations...
...but now, I thought it was not that bad.
I looked up at my parents and smiled widely. They smiled back at me and my father wrapped his hand around my mother's shoulder. Maybe it's just me who still didn't understand completely about their struggles. But as I grew up, I was sure I would.
My eyes blinked rapidly when my father picked up and carried my small body. What a rare thing to happen, and that smile had never left his handsome face. I laughed in happiness while wrapping my arms around his neck. My mother giggled upon seeing this scene, because you wouldn't see it everyday.
We walked together and I saw Okita-san from my father's shoulder. I pulled my tongue out at him because he seemed upset that my father didn't scold me like he wanted to. He did the same and I really wanted to kick his guts. There was no way I would help him annoy Hijikata-san again! I thought of asking him to tease my father together, but now I planned to do the opposite.
"Father..," A sly grin played on my face, "...How about if we put a cockroach in Okita-san's dinner tonight?"
He frowned for a while and sighed, "You're really a kid, aren't you?"
I chuckled and was really happy because the stern atmosphere between us before had gone. That was alright if he didn't want to do it, I would ask Toudou-san instead. Believe it or not, I even had sneaked in Hijikata-san's room because of my curiosity to read his poems, and yeah, they sucked. No wonder he tried so hard to hide them from the public's eyes.
My mother once told me to follow my father's calmness. In times like these, I couldn't help but want to tell everyone about his stupid behavior on the night I was born.
Okay, let's put it aside. I knew already that I had to act more mature. I was going to become a teenager in no time, but still, I couldn't hide my happiness when Toudou-san agreed to help me catching some cockroaches.
Err...I was truly a little brat...but I would try my best not to give my parents some headaches anymore...
...At least, they didn't know the reason why Okita-san almost threw up in the middle of dinner.
Who was I? Ah sorry, I forgot to introduce myself properly...But I guessed you had already known by now, right?
-THE END-
With this, The Frozen Sword is officially over...Thanks for reading and I'll be really delightful if you leave a REVIEW! XD
As far as I'm concerned, I don't want writing or reading a story that focused on OC (although I know there's a lot of great OC stories out there, but I just can't read it T_T)...but for this story, it's an exception since I want to tell a tale from Saito's son's point of view XD
I also want to thank you for those who have read and reviewed this story's prequel: xiaoyun88, aizawa saki, Tama-Chan, kiky, Reaper, Hime-Chan, cynical cupid, Marialena, Snowy Star, vampireknightdestiny, Yuki-Sama, iSayumix3, DiamondAngelPK, kage-ryu14, phoenixflamemarauder, and DemonIncarnate ^_^ Without your reviews guys, I would have updated that story really slowly or even abandoned it in the most extreme case T_T It was not easy to make 22 chapters in my first attempt to write fanfiction T_T
Arigato as well to those who have reviewed it when it's finally completed! ^_^ Kit2000, kenshin8923, alovinggirl, and gozita444! I didn't expect that I would still receive some feedbacks after I finished it XD Wow!
...Huff, I think I must start writing the new chapter for Petals of Time now XD How about if you spam me with reviews there as well so I could finish it quickly? :P Haha anyway, Happy Halloween!
Best wishes,
lunar9ueen