Chapter 2
"A place for everything and everything in its place," Kamiya thought happily to herself.
They had only arrived a couple days ago, but tireless cleaning and a metric ton of elbow grease had turned the sparse cottage into a rather cozy home. Kamiya was at first very annoyed by the division of labor. Okita had re-thatched the roof and fixed the walls all by himself, while she was left to clean and put things away. She realized this type of situation was the norm, but that didn't mean she had to like it.
Akesato had warned her about behaving properly. She should, first and foremost, remember to speak like a woman at all times. Her time among the men of the Shinsengumi had roughened her language, but in order to get along well with the other women she would have to speak as feminine as possible. And speaking of femininity, she was not to carry a sword at all and never be caught practicing. In all things, Akesato told her, she should be a delicate flower. Kamiya rolled her eyes as the advice played in her mind again, but she knew the words to be true. She had to remember the language and movements of a person she had not been in a few years.
Kamiya sighed. She had joined the Shinsengumi just a short time before her 15th birthday, and now she was just past 17 years old. She wondered briefly what type of life she would have had if she had remained a woman, but looking around the house she was standing in, she imagined it probably wouldn't have been much different. So much for being a rebel…
"I suppose it's time to start dinner," she murmured to herself, and quietly began to grill some fish.
"That's a pretty wife you have. I saw her the morning you two arrived. She's quite young, isn't she?"
Okita was caught off guard by the shop clerk's question. He had just finished visiting a few stores in town to pick up some necessities and, more importantly, begin making connections with the townsfolk.
"Yes," he replied a bit shyly. "We were just married a little over 2 months ago."
"Ah, well congratulations. I wish you happiness and many sons!"
Okita laughed nervously and bowed his gratitude for the kind words and his purchase.
"Tadaima."
"Okaeri."
By the time Okita returned home, Kamiya had almost finished cooking their dinner. She filled a bowl with rice and another with miso soup. Then, she put both bowls on a small tray and carried them to the table. She went back for her own tray, and Okita set his things down in order to enjoy the meal.
"I visited a few more shops today," Okita started as he picked up his chop sticks. "There might be some work available in the rice shop, but I'm not sure if I want to be around rice all day."
Part of integrating themselves into the city meant getting jobs. Well, only Okita would need a job. Kamiya, under the "guise" of Sei, would be a house wife, in charge of the finances, the house, and eventually, at least in a normal situation, children. Kamiya mentally snorted at the idea. Not only were they not a real married couple, but she was only a he pretending to be a she. She became a bit confused a shook her head (mentally noting that in the future this might be a good episode for Jerry Springer).
"You like the outdoors. It's not as profitable, but maybe you should be a farm hand. I mean, it's not like we technically need the money anyway."
Okita momentarily paused his eating to consider this idea. Fresh air and exercise were good in his book. He nodded his head in agreement and said he would go down to the fields tomorrow in between gulps of miso soup. It wasn't until he devoured his whole meal that he realized Kamiya had barely touched her own.
"Kamiya-san…?"
"Hm?"
"Are you alright? Your food…"
She had been trying to show restraint. Eat slowly. Sit properly. Use a soft, gentle voice.
"I was just thinking too much," she said with a slight giggle. She looked thoughtful a moment before continuing. "Also, I think we need to practice our characters. You still call me 'Kamiya-san' and I still call you 'sensei.'"
Okita nodded. Their relationship was strange in more ways than one. It wouldn't hurt to practice.
"Ok, Sei-san."
"Hey! Isn't that too formal for a husband?"
Okita gulped and Kamiya blushed at her own words.
"Ah… that's true… Sei… my dear…"
"Sou…ji…"
They both sat in silence a moment before Okita got too flustered by the awkwardness. He stood up, grabbed his sword, and motioned toward the back of the house. There was a small dojo area and the plan was to continue to train in the event that there was trouble.
"We shouldn't slack, S-Sei…," Okita stumbled over her name. "We need to train."
Kamiya nodded, but upon standing her knee hit the edge of the table and tray, reminding her of her duties.
"You go ahead, d-dear. I need to clean up first and change."
