Chapter 2: It's Always Easier to Remember Bad Things Instead of Good Things

Chapter summary: Sougo is irritated, but since he's Sougo, he didn't want to admit it.

"She has this condition called retrograde amnesia. It's a pretty common condition as an impact of traumatic brain injury. Some parts of her memories prior to the accident are missing, which includes her memories of you," the neurologist pointed at Sougo, "and some other things, possibly."

"How long will it takes until she fully regained her memories, sensei?" asked Shinpachi.

"All we can do is be patient and see what happens. She will recover eventually, but I can't confirm exactly when."

Gintoki was furious half an hour ago, but now, he—and everyone else—was looking at Sougo apologetically, as if saying, I'm sorry it had to happen to you. Sougo hated it.

"Stop looking at me like that, you guys, it's irritating."

"But don't you think it's weird, Toshi?" Kondo mused, raising his eyebrow. "Among the three of us, China girl is the closest with Sougo, and yet she doesn't remember him,"

"Maybe it's the trauma," said Hijikata. "Besides, they don't always get along."

"Or maybe she just doesn't want to remember me," Sougo shrugged. "Which is good, by the way. I don't have to worry about her kicking my ribs or headbutting my jaw anymore. I can reserve my energy for a better cause,"

"I've done what to you?" asked Kagura, her blue eyes widened.

"You've done violent things, Kagura, and to all of us as well. After all, you're not very ladylike," replied Gintoki, picking his nose. "You eat a week's worth of rice portion three times a day and you hurl everytime,"

"I did that?"

"Oh, no. You didn't remember that, Kagura-chan?" said Shinpachi. "Now that you've mentioned it, you ate very little today, and you haven't touched your sukonbu,"

"I don't think my stomach has the capacity to eat that much," Kagura lifted the box and pulled one strip of sukonbu, trying to taste it. Then she gagged. "Ugh, what kind of food is this? I hate it. Can you put it away?"

Gintoki and Shinpachi exchanged glances.

"Oi, Shinpachi, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yes, Gin-san. Finally, I can experience of being alongside an ideal Jump heroine."

"What are you guys talking about?" Kagura asked, confused.

"That's good, then. Come on, Kondo-san, Hijikata-san. We're no longer needed here," said Sougo as he exited the room.

"H-hey, Okita-kun!" shouted Gintoki. "I'm sorry for earlier. I was overreacting."

"No, danna, parts of them were my fault as well," Sougo bowed. "I'm sorry for causing trouble. Good day."

None of his two superiors dared to bring up the revelation on their way back to the Headquarters. The ride felt so long as he drove the patrol car.

A few days had passed since then. Summer had started to leave the city, and the glare of sun has turned into blows of cool wind. Inside the Shinsengumi dojo, Sougo clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white as he swung his shinai. He targeted for 3000 swings, or for as much as his arms could bear. He had been in a foul mood, skipping his morning drills and sleeping in. His blood felt hot in such a windy day, and he needed to vent it out.

"Sougo," a voice called him along with a strong scent of nicotine. Sougo didn't answer. He swung his shinai for the 1025th times.

1027.

"Sougo, you were supposed to be on a patrol duty this morning. Where were you?"

1035.

"Oi, Sougo!"

His hand slipped the shinai off before he could swing it for the 1040th time. The shinai flown across the dojo and broke in two, leaving marks on the wall. Hijikata, however, remained unflinched with that loud thump as he lighted his cigarette.

Hijikata sighed. He had known Sougo for too long that he didn't even need to guess what was affecting his mood.

"What is it, Hijikata-san?"

"I'm asking you why you are skipping your work again," Hijikata puffed his cigarette. He didn't look very pleased, but Sougo couldn't care less. "You could doze off at park benches during your duty for all I care, but you weren't paid for lazing around in the compound all day."

Sougo rolled his eyes. "Are you blind or something, Hijikata-san? I'm not lazing around here,"

"Come on, Sougo. Sulk whenever, but not now, please,"

"I'm not sulking," Sougo scoffed. Oh, and that too: that Sougo would rather die than to admit that something, no-someone was bugging him.

"Uh, yes, you do," Hijikata crossed his arms, leaning his back on the shoji. "Clearly, the incidents with that China girl affected you, and it's fine if you do. But that didn't justify you from ignoring your responsibilities."

"God, Hijikata-san is making stupid assumptions again, please kill me now."

Hijikata ignored Sougo's provocation. "Get out of here. You have a patrol duty in Kabuki-cho,"

"Kabuki-cho, of all places in Edo? How convenient."

"Yes. Actually," said Hijikata as he took another long puff, "Kondo-san specially requested you to do a full week patrol there. But before you go, wash yourself first. You smell horrible."

"That's rich, coming from someone who smells like a burnt lungs and rotten mayonnaise."

"Whatever, Sougo."

Sougo didn't know how his feet could brought him to take a bath, changed to his uniform, started his patrol car engine and drove all the way to Kabuki-cho. For the first time in forever, he really did his patrol duty for a few hours until the sun started to set and he felt like taking a break.

He was sitting on one of Kabuki-cho's park benches while drinking his Chuubert when he saw a familiar figure walking in front of him. His stomach felt like dropping when he saw Kagura again for the first time after that accident, still lightly bandaged. She was walking his giant dog. She didn't wear her dick sheath headpiece like usual, letting her long vermilion hair softly blown by the wind instead.

As if realizing someone was observing her, she turned her head. "Oh, good afternoon, Okita-san! Are you on your patrol duty today?"

What the hell?

"What did you just call me, China?"

"Okita-san. Isn't it your name?" she asked, warily. "I'm sorry, but I didn't remember you so I had to ask Shinpachi your name, because Gin-chan is not very good at remembering names."

"You never called me with my name, and I don't want you to start now,"

"Well, Shinpachi also said that I called you 'Sadist', but I feel weird calling you that now," she shrugged. "Also, everyone keep on telling me that I've changed. But they seem to like the new change, saying that it's probably better this way."

"And you're fine with that?"

"I don't know. Gin-chan said I'm a hurloine, but I can't recall that part," she replied. "Gin-chan says a human's memory is like the branches of the tree, intertwined in complicated ways. If you rustle even one of the branches, the others will eventually start moving as well, so I need some time and they're not pushing me. But I feel comfortable with being an ideal heroine, so I thought I could start anew."

Sougo looked at the girl in front of him. She's still China, but she left different impression than what he used to know. She talked politely, walked gracefully, and he hadn't seen her picking her nose.

"I'm really sorry that I don't remember you, Okita-san. But I guess we could start over? Shall we reintroduce ourselves?"

"Don't be silly. We've already known each other." He muttered.

"Oh? Well then... I have a question to you. I've been meaning to ask you this," she tilted her head, "before the accident happened… are we some kind of enemies?"

He didn't know what to answer. Are they? For a few years they've known each other, the constant bickering didn't stop, and they've threatened to kill each other. But they never actually did that, did they?

"More or less," said Sougo, shrugging.

"Shinpachi told me that we're… kind of… complicated,"

"We are,"

"Say, Okita-san…," she looked at him, her cheeks turned pink. "Did we have some kind of past?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know… you and me. Was I ever romantically involved with you, Okita-san?"

With that question, Sougo dropped his half-empty Chuubert tube, staining his cravat and his pants before it rolled to the ground. "W-what are you talking about, you brat? What made you think that way?" He stuttered, losing all his nonchalance.

"I don't know. Shinpachi and Anego said we're not friends, but we're not enemies either," she wiggled her fingers on her chin. "And… you were so tense at the hospital a few days ago, and Gin-chan said you are partially responsible to my accident."

Sougo looked at her in disbelief. "So you concluded that we had a fight and I did some kind of domestic abuse to you,"

"Well, I didn't exactly think that you did some kind of domestic abuse. But yeah, I assumed that we had a fight as… you know, exes. And when I asked the same question to Anego, she just smiled, so I thought my assumption was correct," she blushed again. "Oh no. I made a wrong assumption, did I?"

That woman is just as delusional as her stalker, Sougo thought. He really wanted to facepalm himself with that giant dog's paw right now. He stood up, facing her.

"We're not romantically involved to each other, China. Haven't thought about it and not planning to do it anytime soon."

"O-oh? T-then… why did we fight each other so often?"

Honestly, he didn't know either. "It's more of a habit, I suppose,"

"What started the habit?"

"God, you're so frustrating. Explaining this to you in your current state wouldn't make any sense." he said, walking away from her.

But Kagura grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Everyone kept giving me different answers to my question. Why are you the only person I'm forgetting, among all people? I remember everyone, even the extras that haven't appeared for years, except—"

"I don't fucking know, okay?" he snapped. He looked at her round blue eyes. It was filled both with confusion and curiosity. Her grip weakened when he yelled, yet she didn't flinch. That and this stubbornness were familiar to him, and somehow he was a little relieved that he could get a glimpse of that familiarity.

"But I want to find out."

"I don't want to, China. If you ask me, I think your subconscious made the decision for you." he said, removing her hand from his arm. Then he walked to his patrol car, leaving Kagura behind.

Sougo was on his way back to the Headquarters when his phone rang. "Yeah, hello,"

"Sougo, are you still around Kabuki-cho?"

"Hijikata-san, when are you going to leave me alone?"

"Trust me, I really want to. But Kondo-san haven't come home, saying he was on an important mission. It's a bullshit, by the way, so you know what to do."

Sougo knew where this leads. "You want me to pick him up from Anego's place and drag him home,"

"You are very thoughtful, Sougo. See you at the Headquarters." Click. Sougo sighed. Kondo had obtained a pass to visit Shimura Residence from the front door, not from the ceiling or the overhang; but that doesn't mean he'd stop stalking Otae. For the past few years, though, the excuse was to cook for them, since Otae's cooking—if it could be called cooking in the first place—could paralyze anyone who eats them. So at the very least, his visits were beneficial for both sides. Sougo took a turn and headed to the Shimura Residence's direction. Ten minutes later, he arrived.

"Good evening," he greeted. "Is Kondo-san here?"

"Yes, he is," said Shinpachi, dragging the passed out Shinsengumi Chief to the engawa. "It wasn't me who had done this, by the way. Ane-ue hit him after he called her flat."

"I see," replied Sougo. There was a bump on Kondo's forehead, possibly after being thrown across the room.

"Ah, Okita-san! Coming to fetch the Gorilla, are you?" greeted Otae.

"Good evening, Anego. Yes, I am,"

"Ara, what happened to your uniform?"

Tch. "I met China girl today and she popped a very stupid question, so I had to drop my grape Chuubert for a dramatic emphasis."

"Did she ask you about the two of you being exes?" asked Otae casually as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Yes,"

"I'm sorry, but what the hell am I hearing?!" cried Shinpachi.

"My, my. Kagura-chan might lose her memories and some parts of her personality, but she is still as blunt as ever," she rested her hand on her cheek. "I thought she was infected by Amanto warts, but it's still Kagura-chan, after all."

"Speaking of Kagura-chan, I came to the Yorozuya office this morning and found out that she already cleaned up the house, Ane-ue. Gin-san was crying in happiness. It was both scary and wonderful at the same time," said Shinpachi. "But it's still Kagura-chan, no doubt."

"There's no need to mislead her though, Anego."

"Really? She's just one step away to become a Yamato Nadeshiko just like me, then." said Otae, ignoring Sougo.

"Uh, Ane-ue, I'm not sure Yamato Nadeshiko suits your personality."

"Sougo," said Kondo, abruptly regaining his consciousness. "Did Toshi pass my message to you?"

"He did. And I did what you asked, Kondo-san. That's why I met her," said Sougo, exhaustedly. "Isn't that what you guys want?"

"What?" Otae asked innocently.

"We don't understand, Sougo. What are you talking about?"

"Okita-san, Ane-ue and Kondo-san might be plotting something, but I really have no idea what's going on."

Sougo rolled his eyes. "I don't care if anyone did, though. Now, Kondo-san, can we please go back? I'm so tired."

"Wait, Okita-san. Before you leave…," Otae stopped Sougo. "I want to tell you, she's genuinely worried. She told me that she didn't mean to offend you when she said she didn't know who you are at the hospital. If she ever approached you, please don't be so hard to her,"

"And what should I do, then? If she regained her memories about me—" if there's ever anything important about it, of course, "—we'll destroy more properties, attempting to kill each other, and she'll start hurling everywhere. All of you seems happy with her development. What good does it make if I tried to change it?"

"Sougo—"

"Let's go, Kondo-san. I'm sorry for making troubles, Anego, Shinpachi-kun." He said. It was such a long day, he's tired and he didn't want anyone to bring up that topic further. First it was Hijikata-san. Then the China girl herself. Then the Gorilla and the Female Gorilla.

God, why can't I live in peace?

Let's be real, Hijikata ships it. Kondo ships it. Otae ships it. Basically everyone are shipping them. Next chapter: Gintoki Lecture Mode!

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