Hakuoki (c) Otomate (Idea Factory)


Impeccable
Chapter ii


Previously:

"You're after my father!? Why!?" Chizuru yelled.

"Chizuru, calm down." Chiaki told her younger sister.

Chizuru clamped her mouth shut.

"Oh, no, you've got us all wrong. We're not, uh, after him." Okita spoke up.

Chizuru visibly relaxed.

"He's a fellow supporter of the Shogun but...Well, he kind of disappeared a little while ago." Okita finished.

Chiaki lifted her head up upon hearing that bit of information. She unconciously looked over at Chizuru. Saito noticed her movement, thinking that Chiaki, the older of the two, knew something, but dropped it and explained a possible position Kodo could have been put in.

"But with both of you, we have a much better chance of finding the good doctor." Sanan said.

"...Huh?" Chizuru was confused.

Sanan had explained that Kodo had seldom visited the Shinsengumi. "You both are his daughters, however. You ought to be able to recognize him no matter how he may have disguised himself, yes?"

Chizuru thought for a moment before looking back at Chiaki. Chiaki nodded and looked up at Sanan. "Yes." She answered.

"Well if they are his daughters, we can't really kill them, can we...? If you swear you'll forget about what you saw last night, then we'll look after you until you can find your father. Fair?" Hijikata asked.

Chiaki wanted to scoff at him, but didn't. Forget what happened last night? Easier said than done.

"I promise that the Shinsengumi will do whatever they can to help you find Dr. Kodo." Kondou said proudly.

Chizuru seemed happy now. "Th-Thank you so much!" She said, looking back at her sister with a smile.

Seeing Chizuru smiling, Chiaki couldn't help but smile a small smile herself.

"You must be glad that we won't be killing you, huh? Well, won't be killing you just now, at any rate." Okita said.

Chiaki glared at Okita, who might have killed her sister's short happiness, but Chizuru replied with a smile.

"Yes, I'm very glad."

Chiaki stopped glaring at Okita, who gave her a winning grin, as if understanding the reason for her glare.

"I'd prefer to place you in the custody of the Judiciary Commisioner or the Aizu rather than keep you in a house full of men, but..." Kondou left the sentence hanging.

"Should you require anything, you need only ask. We will do what we can to accomodate you." Saito said.

Chiaki looked up. "Will I be roomed with Chizuru?" She asked boldly.

Kondou was surprised. "E-eh? Weren't they in the same room?"

"No. We separated them. They could have been conspiring." Hijikata answered. "But with the number of rooms we have, it may be best to have them in the same room. Unless one of you would like to watch one of them." Hijikata asked the other captains. "They can be a page to you if you'd like."

"Ah, that's true...we can't go and treat them like they're soldiers now." Kondou said, seeming distressed.

"Oh, come on now, Hijikata. It's your idea, you can't just pawn then off on someone else." Okita said, smiling.

"Ah! Excellent! I believe we can trust Toshi with...well...one of them."

"Well, there you have it Hijikata. You're going to take care of them." Sanan said with his own smile.

"...You sons of bitches." Hijikata growled. "I won't be watching over the both of them now. If I have to watch one, one of you have to watch the other." Hijikata glared at the rest of the Shinsengumi.

"Toshi's right, now. He doesn't have all the time to watch over the both of them. Why don't you guys watch the other?" Kondou asked.

"Me! Pick me! I'll watch over her!" Nagakura said. "I'll watch over Chizuru!"

"No." Chiaki said, her voice cutting through the air, sending shivers down Nagakura's back.

Okita was amused by her rejection. Actually, it was quite understandable, since he had an older sister himself. "I'll do it. I'll watch over the older one. Hijikata, you can watch over the younger one." Okita offered.

Hijikata sighed. "That's fine. But she'll be in your room. We can't risk having the two in the same room conspiring something against us."

"That's fine by me." Okita stood up, walking in front of Chiaki. "I think you'll be easier to watch." He said, smiling down at Chiaki.

Chiaki glared at him before looking over at Chizuru. Chizuru looked back.

"I'll be fine Onee-san." She assured her older sister.

"Ah, about that..." Kondou said, gaining the attention in the room once again. "I don't wish to do this to girls, but...If you're going to be staying in the Shinsengumi headquarters, it will be best for you both to stay disguised as boys still. So you won't be able to call your older sister a girl, and to not raise suspicion, uhh, please don't call her that so familiarly." Kondou requested of Chizuru.

"Ah, y-yes!" Chizuru said in a rush.

Chiaki nodded, and then was roughly pulled up by Okita.

"Now, now, Okita. Aren't you treating her just how you treat the rank-and-file?" Inoue said.

"Hmm? I didn't notice. Sorry." Alhough Okita said that, he seemed to hold no remorse for Chiaki.

Chizuru looked with concern as Okita took her older sister out of the main room.

Okita opened the door to his room and placed Chiaki down...rather gently. Chiaki tried to look as though her breathing wasn't impaired during his hold, but failed.

Okita seemed to wait a minute before speaking as Chiaki's breathing was regulated. "Now then, to explain the rules simply to you. You run, you die. That's it." Okita smiled at her.

Chiaki looked back. "I know."

"Your sister runs, and she dies."

"She's not dumb enough to run away. And she has no reason either." Chiaki glared at him

Okita laughed. "You're very different from Chizuru huh. Before Saito brought you into the main room, we interrogated her first. In her room, she tried running, but was caught by Hijikata-san."

Chiaki frowned when he said 'interrogated'. But Chizuru didn't look like she was harmed at all.

"Now then, it's time I interrogated you too." Okita said, looking down at her. "I don't know what you and your sister want with us, but if you do anything to Kondou-san," Okita's voice was cold, "I won't forgive you. Ever." Okita's voice became cheery again. "Now, let me be kind enough to take those bindings off your wrist. If I don't, Gen-san will be mad at me." Okita stooped to Chiaki's level and undid the bindings on her wrist.

Chiaki rubbed her wrists then looked at Okita. "Thank you."

Okita blinked at her, then laughed the next second. "You..." Okita laughed some more. "You're definitely interesting." He then relaxed, fixing another futon.


Night fell and the Shinsengumi headquarters had quieted down. Chiaki looked out the open door of Okita's room. She didn't step out the room, but the door was wide open so the moonlight spilled in the room. Chiaki wondered where her sister was in the compound. Her thoughts were interrupted when a voice called to her.

"Oi, Chiaki."

Chiaki pushed her head out the room, into the hallway, to see Okita striding down. "Get ready."

Chiaki raised a brow.

Okita stood in front of her now. "What's that face for? You need to get ready to go to the baths. Chizuru is already there."

Chiaki stood up instantly. Okita laughed. "You'd go anywhere for your sister wouldn't you. Well, c'mon now. We don't have all day."

Chiaki followed Okita through the hallways until they were in the bathing area. Chizuru sat outside, waiting for them. Chiaki held back a yell, and, instead, ran up to Chizuru with a hug.

"Ch-Chiaki!? Y-You're here." Chizuru was surprised by the sudden hug.

"Yes, yes." Okita clapped. "I don't have all the time in the world now. I have to stand guard and wait for the two of you to finish. So you two better hurry it up...or I'm going to kill you."

Chiaki wasn't fazed by the threat, but Chizuru was. The two entered the baths.

"They didn't hurt you did they?" Chiaki asked Chizuru.

Chizuru shook her head. "No, not at all. Although, I'm sure they won't hesitate to kill us if we break any of their rules..."

"They most likely will."

"They made that clear today, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Onee-san, do you need help with the bandages?"

"Maybe..."

"Alright." Chizuru worked on the bandages. "So this will probably be our few times that we can talk to each other..."

"Yeah. We can only hope to find father soon."

"But the Shinsengumi promised to help us."

"But they don't know much about our father."

"True..."

"Let's go. Okita-san might get mad if we stay in any longer."

"Okay..."

The two girls stepped out of the baths, their hair let loose.

"Took you two long enough. I was just about to go in there and kill someone." Okita smiled. "Saito should be here soon. He'll be taking you back to your room." Okita said to Chizuru, who nodded.

"Souji."

"Ah, he's here." Okita turned around to see Saito walking briskly towards them.

"Are they done?" Saito asked.

"Yeah. They just came out. Look at them yourself." Okita said, pointing at them.

Chizuru hid slightly behind Chiaki.

"I see. Let's go." Saito said to Chizuru.

"Go, Chizuru." Chiaki ushered Chizuru ahead.

"O-Okay..." Chizuru went up to Saito, who was walking her back to her room.

Okita looked back. "Now then, let's go back to my room now, shall we?"


"Why aren't you sleeping with me?" Okita teased.

"I refuse." Chiaki said, on the other end of the room.

"You're just like Saito. Serious about everything."

Chiaki turned to look at him. "I'm only like this because there is a chance you will kill me."

Okita blinked at her words. He then laughed, a quiet laugh though, being night time. "I was joking. I'll only kill you when the commander gives his say-so. Or when you make me really mad."

Chiaki didn't say anything and went to sleep at her end.


February 1864

Chiaki was walking behind Okita, her katana in her hand. It's been a few days since the Shinsengumi housed Chizuru and herself.

"So? What are you?"

"I-I'm a page."

Chiaki recognized the voice, she looked ahead of Okita and found Chizuru talking to one of the soldiers of the Shinsengumi. Chiaki was about to go up but Okita stopped her. Chiaki looked up at Okita, who still had a smile on his face.

"Huh? What are you doing, talking to Hijikata-san's page like that." Okita said, scaring the daylights out of the soldier.

Chizuru turned around, relieved to see Okita and her sister.

"C-Captain!"

"So? What were you doing with Hijikata-san's page? You know, if anything bad happens to him, Hijikata-san's gonna have to buy a new page, and they don't come cheap."

"I-I apologize." The soldier said.

Okita was still smiling. "Then go off and train."

"Y-Yes!" The soldier left as quickly as he could.

"Th-Thank you, Okita-san." Chizuru stumbled out.

"Hm? You're thanking me? Why? I wasn't helping you out."

"St-Still. Thank you."

"Whatever. Come on, Chi-a-ki." Okita said, walking pass Chizuru.

Chiaki gave one look to Chizuru and walked pass her as well.

"I also have to thank you, Okita-san, for helping my sister out like that."

"Hm? What are you talking about?"

"You don't have to know what I'm talking about."


End of Chapter

AN – I thank you readers so much! The Hakuoki fandom has to be the nicest! Giving me words of encouragement like that! I love you guys too much. You guys make me happy. T~T Thank you reviewers for your kind words.

And also, a reply to a guest reviewer. You said that you didn't like how Chizuru was acting like a child. I know she is 16. But I want to show a sibling relationship. And thinking back on past times, I think this is the best way to go. Unless you wanted me to show Chizuru being a strong character who can easily handle herself without her sister's help.