Chapter 3

With nothing much left to say, Hijikata and Sakata were out of words after the thunder question Hijikata left hour ago. Sakata was heaving a sigh every then and now thinking deeply about the possible way Takasugi could attack Hijikata especially or the Shinsingumi in general. He was holding a heavy burden on his shoulders, as if he was the one who caused the trouble.

It's all a lie…saying that I would throw everything, everyone behind, it seems I still can't move forward!

Cutting his train of thoughts, Hijikata stood up forcibly adjusting his cloth. With a predict reaction from Sakata, he stood after him immediately.

"what are you …,"

"as you see, I'm leaving." Without much explanation, Hijikata decided to leave the place even if his injured body won't help in this task. When he decides on something, he will do it no matter how it costs him.

"easy! How many time should I repeat myself? 3 days! 3 D.A.Y.S!" Sakata stood before him on the futon emphasizing on the last word.

"can you move?"

"no! I have told to take care of you, I have to do my job!"

"If I asked something like that, then you have to worry…but I don't remember asking you to babysit me, so let me be!"

The seriousness were covering the both expression of their faces, nonetheless, Sakata wanted to loosen up the mood a bit. He sighed once more and stared into Hijikata's eyes.

"you were defeated, weren't you?"

Hijikata's eyes widened over the out of the blue question, or more likely a truth exclamation. He gritted his teeth shamefully, he couldn't bring himself to be angry at the silver hair guy before him. He wasn't telling a lie…he was telling the truth, but, it hurts him to be told by the wrong person…it would be easy if it wasn't Sakata, it would be much easier! Hijikata gulped hardly his saliva as he slowly made an eye contact with Sakata.

Sakata was expressionless at that exact moment. He was staring endlessly at Hijikata, it was a stare of confrontation.

"move," Hijikata pushed Sakata's right arm aside. With no resistance from the later, Sakata smoothly moved a bit to make a way for the so stubborn guy.

"okay, but don't forget your sword," Sakata sat on his knees a bit to carry the sword that belongs to him. He stood once more in front of him to give out the sword to his owner. "you have to know that anything done in hurry, its result isn't as good as you'd expect it….just saying." Stretching more his arm to reach the black hair man before him.

Hijikata bit his bottom lip for a moment, he stretched his hand but for his disbelief, it was trembling like mad. Damn damn it!!

"why are you hesitating, am giving you what belongs to you!"

"what are you trying to do?" Hijikata put down his hand and didn't take away the sword.

What if he caught the sword and it fell down? He didn't want to be such a shameful samurai! He let his sword out of his reach once, when he was on the edge of dying, yet this excuse didn't ring a bill in his head, he didn't want to repeat the same mistake twice. Not before Sakata! Over my dead body.

"nothing," Sakata replied quietly. "just encouraging you to be burden to your comrades and to disturb their daily routine," he shush for a moment scanning Hijikata's face.

"Hijikata-kun, let me ask you, what do you think will happen if the head falls down?"

Hijikata's expression soften slowly over the thought. He bowed his head slowly as he build a scenario by himself…what … will happen?

"I'm leaving this sword here, it's your choice to decide. To rest or to resist." Sakata left the sword next to the futon and moved out the room.

It's not like I'm listening to him…I really, really … need , rest

With fainted voice echoed in his head, he sat cautiously on the futon grabbing his chest. The pain suddenly aches him as if it was pinching him. He breathed in and out while closing his eyes to maintain his control over his body. He scanned the room trying to remember why he came here, to this guy out of all people, but still, his memory betrayed him.

All of a sudden, he saw a white paper 3 foots away from his futon. He crawled to reach it. When he grabbed it…immediately a frown drawn on his face, bunch of questions jump one after one with no breath in between. When Hijikata was about to open the paper…

Sakata's hand snatched away the paper from Hijikata's.

"why are you sponging on the others business?"

"why is he sending you letters?"

"Can't he? Are you his lost mother?"

"answer me!"

"why should I take order from you?"

"GINTOKI!"

Like a thunder stopping both from moving, it was his first time ever to call Sakata by his first name which shocked Sakata in a positive way!

"tell me…why?" Hijikata wanted to break the tension mood between them by asking again.

"you aren't the one who came here … I mean by yourself,"

Rearranged his thoughts, putting the dots on the letters, trying to put the final pieces of the puzzle…

"Sougo…brought me here? He asked you to take care of me?"

"exactly,"

"Sougo…saw me,"

"he asked me to not let you be there until you're fully recover so that it won't cause much trouble to your comrades and bring their fighting sprits down," Sakata lied.

Okita asked for something else, but Sakata made up a request himself to not make a fuss with Hijikata who will lose his patience if he knew exactly what kind of request Okita wanted.

"believe in them, and him." Sakata said. He wanted to believe himself before saying it to Hijikata. The request seems irrational to him, but for every irrational beginning, there is a genius ending…that's what Sakata believes.

"I do!" Hijikata replied, faith was in his voice.

"Hijikata-kun,"

"what?"

"Takasugi…"

"I know…everything," Hijikata said turning his back to Sakata aiming to crawl back to the futon. Once he sat on it, he continued. "they are after us…they think the Shinsingumi are weak to be broken with one battle."

"they are strong,"

"we are stronger,"

"Bansai… I fought him once, he was no joke."

"I know… look at me! I have lost to him while couldn't raise my sword at him…couldn't cut him,"

"you were drunk…"

"I'm not a match to his ability of fighting, I admit it… but I have a soul of samurai that won't vanish unless I protect what I love."

"protecting is a burden." Sakata said with a low voice, like talking to himself. Hijikata could hear his mumbling, but after reading his sudden sad face, he preferred to pretend as if he didn't hear any.

"GIN-SAN! GIN-SAN!" a shout echoed in the lobby and slowly getting near the room till the door was opened.

"GIN-SAN! BAD NEWS! THE….!" The voice paused when he saw Hijikata and Sakata, one on the futon the other next to him. "Hiji…" with shock that jolted him and prevented him from speaking, Shimura paused with shriveled face as if saw a ghost before him.

"Shinpachi! Aren't you supposed to sleep with your sis with Kagura? What are you doing screaming at middle of the night!?"

"you're … alive?" with the same shriveled face, as if his soul was heavily taken out of his body, Shimura asked with fainted voice staring at Hijikata.

"what?" Hijikata asked tilting his head to the left in wondering.

With no more idle chatting, Sakata stood and held Shimura's arms and walked out the room while closing the door leaving Hijikata behind.

"what are you shouting for? What's wrong? Isn't it dangerous to walk at this time?" with his hand still on Shimura's arm, Sakata scolded him then pushed him lightly.

"Gin-san…is the one inside, is really Hijikata himself?" with disbelief, Shimura asked shivery.

"YES! Shinpachi, what about the bad news? Did something happen to Kagura?"

"the Shinsingumi is in chaos! They are preparing for Hijikata's funeral!"

"shshshshshs!" Sakata grabbed Shimura's mouth to make him lower his voice. "don't shout you idiot!" with one shout, Shimura nodded fearfully of the sudden action.

"Tell me again with low voice, preparing what?"

"I have met Yamazaki awhile ago, he was so sad that I couldn't hold it back… Hijikata is dead! They killed him!"

"who killed who exactly?! What are you talking about?"

"you can't believe how the shinsingumi in a horrible state! They're losing themselves!"

"they're holding…the funeral tomorrow?"

"but…if Hijikata is here…I have to tell them! They will gain their souls back!"

"wait wait wait! Where are you going happily like that…" holding his arm stopping him from taking more steps forward. "what you see here, forget it. We don't have to interfere!"

"Gin-san, but…"

A cracking voice stopped their conversation. Hijikata! Sakata ran to his room, to his expectation, Hijikata was nowhere to be seen. The window was opened, the cloth that Sakata lend to him was on the floor, and his uniform was gone. He went out by his choice…he chose to resist… he chose to protect, even if it meant to be protected in return!

Hijikata! Sakata thought of his injured body, will he be able to reach the headquarter?

"Gin-san, what are we supposed to do?"

"go to your sister, our mission is finished here."

"but!"

"this is a battle between them…we don't have to interfere" it's a battle between his pride and his faith. He completed with himself.

This is all a mess…the Shinisingumi isn't a place to be played with.

"Let's see you falling like a raindrop, screaming, I'll see all of that …" observing the Shinsingumi's headquarter from afar, Takasugi said smiling coldly. "soon so soon that I can't wait to destroy you by my hand." He ended his sentence stretching his hand forward, ordering his fellows to move forward, to attack. To start what their leader began. To destroy.

"this night will be yours." Kawakomi said bowing then followed the rest of the fellows.

"this night … the starts of everything I wished to have," Takasugi sighed satisfyingly, breathing in and out while imaging how the night will turn out…mighty red!

"Kondo-san! We are being attacked!" as the bombs were exploded breaking the front gate, the comrades were gathering preparing to defend their place, their lives, their friends…and their soul.

"Okita-san! What should we do? They are coming faster than expected!"

"advance! Don't let them scare you! We are stronger! We are the one who should be feared of!"

"YES!"

With a high talented group from Takasugi, they were able to advance much quicker to their advantage.

"Are they demons?"

Okita was trying to take down as many attackers as he can, but his fellows weren't as superior as him, which made him to help him and reduced his energy. In the other hand, Kondo was trying hard to jolt the enemy's movement.

"bastards!" slicing one attacker, "There are no time to be sad!" Okita shouted at his comrades as he took down 3 at once with one slash. "FIGHT!" Okita yelled at them with one breath as he running toward bunch of attackers.

"PROTECT WHAT DEAR TO YOU!" slicing…cutting…stabbing.

"SHOW THAT BASTARD WHO LEFT US," kicking one and threw him down,

"…WE CAN CARRY THIS MISSION…" without him … while stabbing the one on the floor to finish him he continued with himself as the blood covered his face. He licked it and his eyes were like a serial killer who was waiting for more sacrifices… to see more blood. "no one plays with the fire and escape safely."

Within a blink of an eye, a big explosion occurred inside the headquarter making them to stop advancing and looking backward to where the explosion was.

"NO!" Kondo screamed unbelievably of the fire that spread faster throughout the headquarter.

"how?"

"we are finished!"

"this can't be!"

A despair murmuring were escaping the Shinsingumi's lips. Taking their spirits even more the bottom of a hole. With a black cave with no light, they were walking.

"STOP WHINING LIKE OLD GEEZERS, BASTARDS!" above the wall of the Shinsingumi, a thick voice caught their ears which made every head to look to the source of the voice.

A small candle, suddenly, grew bigger and lit to enlighten the dark road in the cave, it was a light of hope, a light of power…no one knows it but themselves.

"TOSHI!"

"VICE-COMMANDER! YOU'RE ALIVE!"

"HIJIKATA-SAN! IMPOSSIBLE"

The smiles couldn't lie, couldn't be faked…his presence, was like a fuel to them…a whole new energy was created by his voice, only!

"huh? Alive? Who said am dead in the first place? Nothing is called impossible when we want something…and I don't want to die yet!"

"as I thought! You can't be killed!"

A soft yet fainted smile escaped his lips when he felt the warmth from them.

"I think the Shinsingumi needs help, but their prides prevent them? Whatever, we are here to repay you back what you did to us!" a man with a white coat with his crew, stormed the place and started to fight next to the Shinsingumi.

"Mimawarigumi!" Kondo exclaimed with surprise.

"nice to see you, commander." Sasaki Isaburo said with straight face.

"as expected from you, nothing leave your eyes" Hijikata said while walking to stand next to them raising his sword, grabbing it tightly and his cigarette in his mouth.

"I'll take care of you later, Sougo." Hijikata said defending himself from the wave of the attackers that suddenly increased.

"let's see if there will be next time, Hijikata-san."

"be sure to not be killed." Hijikata ended while defending Okita's back from an attack.

As the fire were striking the headquarter, the atmosphere was deadly hot as if it was absorbing their powers, nonetheless, they fought. They want to go on fighting believing in each other. No matter how many fell and die, they have to protect, to fight to protect!

"are you fine?" Kondo asked worried about his friend.

"If I weren't, I wouldn't be standing here."

"I see…now, it looks more interesting!" above the burning building, Takasugi said observing the battle with a half smile on his face.

"what should we do next?" Kawakomi asked.

"protecting…I like this word!"

"I like it even more, Takasugi" a third voice intrupting their conversation.