02 - Meeting Daddy Long Legs?!
"Just watch. I'll get Kondo-san's approval." I declared.
This time, the two officers looked at each other in silence. They both knew that they had to choose their words carefully in order to sway her. Hijikata-san was the first to speak out.
"Look, oujo-san. I don't mean to discriminate. With your sword skills, if you seriously want to become a police officer, we'll welcome you to the force. But if you're running away from something and want to join the force as an excuse, then you're making a big mistake."
"I know. It's just-" I paused. I couldn't find the right words to say.
"Again, don't worry about it. Things will work out. I promise." He ruffled my hair again. I scowled at him and he grinned. He knows I hated it because it takes forever to fix. "Now go on and make up with your sister before I force Mayora-san down your throat."
"Alright already. Thanks for listening to me, Hijikata-san. Yamazaki-san." I bowed to each of them out of habit from the etiquette aneue drilled into me then headed home.
The two officers briefly watched the young girl walk home before heading in the opposite direction. Yamazaki turned towards his commanding officer. "We dodged a bullet there, didn't we?"
"Did we? I think the Shinsengumi needs more recruits these days."
"Speaking of recruits, I heard about the new guy that just joined us."
"Right. What was his name again?" Hijikata opened his mayo bottle to season the Shinsengumi sausage from his pocket.
"Kageki from the Yato clan."
"Seems like Matsudaira wants to integrate Amanto into our group." Hijikata noted. "Keep an eye on him, Yamazaki."
"Will do." Yamazaki saluted and cheerfully practiced his swings. He'd been bored as of late and was happy to take on a new order.
With each badminton swing, the angry symbol on Hijikata's head grew bigger. Eventually, Hijikata threw the empty mayo bottle in his hands at Yamazaki's head.
"If you have time to practice your swings, why don't you practice using your sword more?!"
"Aneue! I'm home!" I took off my shoes at the entrance and entered the kitchen.
Seeing aneue faced down on the floor, I frantically ran to her side and shook her awake.
"Aneue! Aneue!"
"Hnn." I watched her eyes open half-way. "Sou-chan, welcome home."
"Now's not the time for that. What happened? Did you have a relapse?"
"Maybe. I'm not sure. One second, I was trying to reach for the medicine bottle and the next, I fainted."
"Hang on a sec, let me get it."
After feeding the medicine to aneue and helping her drink water, she grabbed my hand.
"Sou-chan." She paused and looked into my eyes. "I'm not sure how long I'll live but if possible, I'd like to see you in your wedding dress before-"
She coughed up blood and I frantically searched for the handkerchief I always carried.
In between coughs, she managed to tell me, "Promise me...Promise me...you'll try...living with them...in the mansion..."
"Alright. Alright. I promise."
"Pinky promise." She held out her pinky towards me.
This was when I knew she was serious. Once a pinky promise was made, we couldn't break it or else we'd have to swallow a thousand needles, which I wasn't masochistic enough to do.
"Pinky promise." I curled my left pinky around her right pinky. "Just don't talk anymore, okay?"
She nodded her head pitifully and pulled out her own handkerchief to wipe off the blood from her hands.
It was at this point that I realized that I had been duped. The blood on her hands was actually diluted ketchup.
"Aneue!" I yelled.
"Hehehe." She snickered softly.
"That's not fair."
"Honestly, Sou-chan. Are you sure you just want to run away? You might even like one of his grandsons."
I pouted, still in denial over being forced into this arranged marriage setting.
"I swear I must've done something bad in my previous life."
(A/N: Ya think. ^_- You sadist.)
Aneue and I packed our belongings yesterday and were now standing in front of the wooden gate to that old geezer's mansion.
(Image on Wordpress)
"It's a lot bigger than I imagined." I looked at the length of the gate that seemed to go on forever before pushing a button for the intercom on the gate to indicate our presence. "Umm. Hi. We're hear to visit Daddy Long Legs-"
I winced after aneue nudged my side. For an ill person, she was certainly quite strong.
"Sou-chan!" She warned me.
A chuckle was heard from the intercom. Whoever was on the other side must've been enjoying our bickering.
"You two must be the Okita sisters." A low resonant voice followed the chuckle. "We weren't expecting you to show up so early. The rest of the staff are still preparing your rooms and meals. I can let you two in though."
We agreed and the gate opened up. A few meters away stood a long Japanese-style mansion. I was curious as to how many acres this whole place was.
"This guy's filthy rich." I blurted out.
Aneue nudged my side to remind me to behave even if it seemed no one was listening.
"Hehe. I mean...this house is absolutely stunning." I corrected myself. "I mean look at this."
I stood beside one of the hedges that resembled a maid with a tea set.
"Gotta love his aesthetics." I nodded.
I spotted aneue shake her head in disbelief from the corner of my eye.
After the short walk, we arrived at the entrance of the mansion. As if on cue, the main doors opened and a disheveled young man greeted us. His black hair was tied in a loose ponytail, his long bangs fell in messy strands around his face and his dark brown eyes looked at the two of us listlessly through his rimless glasses. His unbuttoned long sleeve shirt only served to heighten his appeal.
(Image on Wordpress)
If I had been any other girl, my heart would've skipped a beat. Or two. But for some reason, I didn't feel attracted to him. Or any guy, for that matter. I've been like this since I was child. It often made me wonder if I liked girls. They were certainly more interesting in terms of expressing their feelings of admiration towards my sword skills, but my interest towards them never went beyond friendship.
Sorry aneue, I may simply be asexual.
"Nice to meet you two. I'm Shimura Shinpachi, the gardener of the mansion. I mainly tend to the garden, but I'm good with tools and the like so I help out in areas of the house that are low in manpower."
"Ah. So you're the artist." I patted his shoulder. "My sister and I think you have great taste. I'm Okita Souko." I introduced myself before turning towards aneue. "And this is my older sister-"
"Okita Mitsuba." Aneue finished my sentence. "Nice to meet you." She reached out her hand to greet him with a firm handshake and he wiped away the dirt from his hands before shaking both of our hands.
"Likewise. I'm sure with two beautiful women around. The mansion will be more lively. And I assure you that the design for the hedges were all according to the old Master's taste. I only trim and shape them."
I gave him the benefit of a doubt.
Looks like we have a playboy in the mansion.
"Since I'm the only one around right now. I'll lead you to Master's study." He told us. "Also, take care not to call him by Daddy Long Legs, oujo-chan. Wouldn't want to give Master's frail heart a heart attack, do we?"
A/N: A hot Shinpachi is weird, who's with me on this?
