In the garden, the boisterous cheers fill the place. The lively rooting are divided into two groups, while the clash of steel against steel sparks in the open ground, startling the birds from the trees, the branches swinging under the take off.

Shinpachi holds his ground, his breath hissing under the force of keeping his blade against his opponent, grinding. He eyes his opponent, and see that he isn't holding back as he is.

Sanosuke flashes him a smile, valorously, tauntingly, which he responds with one of his own, beads of sweat seep into his green bandanna. Then, just a few inches, his footing on the ground shifts.

"What's wrong, Shinpachi? Your muscles slowing you down?" Sanosuke asks, his amber eyes challenging, fueling him on.

"Dammit, Sano!" Shinpachi, fixing his stance, he turns to offensive and charges forward, using the impact to fall back as far as he could before both of them dash into one another yet again, but this time with unrelenting parries and blows.

Watching their captains besting one another, the soldiers fall into amazed murmurs. The two move so fast that they hardly had the chance to predict who will come out victorious. No matter how they look at it, both of them are pretty adequate in terms of strength. Shinpachi, his full body strength often had his opponent flew few meters back upon the first blow, while Sanosuke, his agility and fast reflexes is second to none especially when he wields his spear, though presently, he is not.

At that instant, the end of one blade touched the other's neck. The tip of the sword glistens under the sun is right under his chin, and, Sanosuke, concedes to defeat.

Cries of victory from a few of the soldiers break the silence, and bitter whimpers escape the major other, murmuring of their bet losing to the winning team.

Shinpachi, despite winning the spar rages at his subordinates, "You lots dare to bet against me? Get your ass up and take your sword! I'll knock some sense into you until you can take no more!"

Being called back to the training ground, they line up, stealing glances to the defeated captain, "Harada-san wouldn't have problem winning if he used his spear instead of sword, don't you think?"

"Probably. Speaking of, I don't think I've seen him with his spear as of late. Did he changed his style somehow?"

"No way! No one wield spear as skilled as he is here in Shinsen-gumi. Even Kondou-san sometimes seek his guidance to learn the Hozoin-ryu style. I can't see the reason why he would change then."

Overheard their conversation, Shinpachi snaps out of reflex, "If you have time to chat like old women, run twenty laps of the residence and I'll let you chat all you want!" The men shrink in fear, instantly clamping their mouth shut and return to their training.

Though, despite himself, he couldn't help stealing a glance to his friend, who is saying something about treating them to lunch followed by cheers by the men, and then to the mighty spear idle against a pillar at the corner for quite some time now, seeming unfitting to its imposing height and the pointing end which seems like it could pierce the heaven.

He wants to talk to him about it later, he decides. No sooner that he do, comes one of Sanosuke's men, a young man not more than twenty years old, carrying two big boxes wrapped with clothes on his both hands. Sanosuke is surprised by the early arrival of the food, he notices, and he asks the young man a few question, which he replies something in return so earnestly it instantly makes Sanosuke mad and he hits his head with his knuckles. It takes him no time at all to drag the young man by the collar back to the sender of the food.

I stare back at the bag of oranges in my hand. Words are stolen out of me and my feet frozen in place. I know I should call back the young man whom just picked up the food from me and stop Taro from eating one of the orange but my voice refuse to come out.

What should I say to Oba-san about this?

Just a few minutes ago, Taro and I have come to deliver the lunch ordered this morning, and the address had led us here. This must be some dojo hall or a private institution, I thought as I gazed at the board. A bold, lively strokes greet my eyes.

Shinsen-Gumi.

Just when I about to announce myself, came a young man from inside and by the looks of us, he immediately knew there were such lavish order which make me smiled faintly in relief. He disappeared inside for a while, before coming back with a bag of fresh oranges and handed it to me, exchanging it with the foods I brought.

Still confused with the exchange, I just followed the boy's lead before he disappeared inside once again with the food, and didn't came out until now.

"Taro, we need to return the fruit back to that man." I say, looking at Taro but surprisingly he had already peeled one and popping it into his mouth.

"Yum! So sweet!"

"No, you shouldn't be eating that!" I nearly snatch the orange from Taro's hand but seeing him eating with no care of the world, I sigh, and I look back at the gate, hoping of any sign the boy would return but there is none. What should I do now?

"Why shouldn't I? He did gave it to us, right?" Taro says, popping another into his eager mouth.

"I know, but we can't accept this. We need money from the food we delivered, not fruits." I say quietly to his eye level, hoping he would understand though little it is how the world really works.

"Why? Oba-san has received plenty of these instead of money and she just took them home. Why wouldn't you, Onee-chan?" He asks again, earnestly. This time, I really am in loss. If before Oji-san had done something which I thought as unwise and I corrected him, but resulting in huge loss of customers in Kunigaki.

Honestly, I'm getting afraid of taking anymore course of action. What if I insist on getting money instead of oranges which they regard as expensive fruit during this age, and the business didn't go well as it should again...

"Let's go, Taro. Back to Kunigaki." I press a smile to the little boy and he quickly falls into steps ahead, finishing the remainance of the orange.

I throw a last look to the gate. Hopeful. Watchful. I at least wanted to be of use to Oba-san and Oji-san but it was harder than it looks. A sigh judder through me, then, I turn to the road I came from and walk back to Kunigaki.

Sanosuke checks his right and left, eying every girl he sees on the street. Then, on his right, he saw a girl carrying a bag of oranges, alongside her is a boy who is offering her a slice of it but she gently rejects it with a shake of head.

He runs and it only took a few long strides to catch up to her. He touches her shoulder and she turns around slightly but immediately fully faces him, her eyes wide.

"You...yesterday..."

He smiles though awkwardly, "I'm afraid you forgot your money."

"What?"

Just on cue, the young boy who took the food comes trotting behind him, and immediately bows to her, a little bit enthusiastically.

"Please forgive me!"

She seems surprised and so a few townspeople walking by, glancing a look to their direction and she quickly brushes it off with a little waves of her hand.

"I'm sorry making you left like that. Here you go." Sanosuke hands her a handful of shillings, tied by a rope through the middle of them. Her hand falls a little under the weight, and she stares at them in disbelief.

"I have told him to call for me when you came but he was too excited for the food, I guess." He says, casting an admonish however brotherly sigh to the younger boy, then back to her, "Thank you—"

"Thank you so much!" More than anything, he is taken aback by her sudden, reverent bow. She sounds so sincere and grateful.

And so, so happy.

"Onee-chan, you're crying?" Taro says, peeking from her side.

"No, I'm not. Now hurry it up and say your thanks." She says in quiet whisper, urging the boy to a bow but the quick brush of her finger to her eyes did catch the samurai's sight.

"You go back first. I'll be back later." Sanosuke says to the boy, which he nods and quickly disappears down the road. He turns back to them and swiftly takes the bag of oranges from her hand, "I'll walk you guys back." He offers with a genial smile and later matches his pace with theirs, his shoulder near hers, which later Taro interjects and asks for more oranges.

We somehow end up in a nearby tea house. The place is becoming more crowded and livelier as it reaches lunch hour.

"Have you heard of dekopon?" Sanosuke says, gesturing to the orange he brought that has a little bump on its top, "It is a hybrid between two citrus fruits; kiyomi and ponkan. The owner of the garden gave us about a dozen bags the other day. Here. It's sweet, I assure you."

I take the outstretched fruit, feeling the peculiar bump with my fingers. "I've heard of this orange before but," I say, something in the past flickered on my mind, and my tongue seems to has mind on its own, "fruits are considered as lavish gifts. I don't remember the last time I have an orange."

He makes an inquisitive sound. "What do you mean?"

"Well. Fruits such as these are pretty expensive and it's often given as gifts in marriage ceremony and such. I heard a very rare melon only grow a hundred pieces per year and there was this picture shows there is a some sort of cap on top each of them."

This time both Taro and him look upon me with puzzled look.

"They have caps? You mean like they dress too? I want to see it too!" Taro squeals in delight, looking eager while munching an uguisu mochi. The kinako powder lightly dusts the corner of his mouth.

"Uh..I don't think that's what she means. Maybe it were grown that way to avoid rains?" Sanosuke looks positively engrossed in the discussion, fingers on his chin, "Or maybe excessive sunlight? Does it affect it in any way?"

"What a shame though! We people live for the sun!"

He rubs his hand on Taro's hairless head. "Good for you, Chibisuke. To be born as human."

"Um!"

I just can't keep myself from laughing. I just realized I've said something about the fruits in my time but they make me instantly forgot I've said that.

When I look up however, my gaze instantly locks with his, as if he has been looking at me when I'm not. He is smiling, slightly. Handsomely.

Though later I see a spark of sadness in his eyes. Or... was it my imagination?

Then I hear him saying something to Taro and he hands him a few coins before the boy runs into the restaurant.

"Forgive me for not asking you sooner but," He starts, a little bit sheepishly, "your name...?"

"Masa. Takamasa."

"Takamasa." The word rolls off his tongue as if he's trying it. "I'm Sanosuke. Pleased to meet you."

"I thought your name is spear." I say good-naturedly, recalling the name he wrote in the order paper this morning, and he laughs, throwing his head back. "You got me there, Takamasa. Although I might say that is also a part of me. You're not going to run away today, right?" He gives me a teasing look, referring of my fleeing him yesterday.

I shake my head, "How could I? You've been a big help to our restaurant today, so." He nods lightly, then pops another slice of orange into his mouth.

"You live together with Oba-san and the kids, I heard. Have things going well so far?"

I nod but hesitated next. After a little incident with customers yesterday, Oji-san hasn't come home last night. "I..." My voice trail as I caress the fabric of my sleeve on my laps, "I think so."

Sensing the uncertainty in my voice, Sanosuke turns his whole body to me, "You want to talk to me about it?"

I look up to meet his amber eyes so near to mine, his voice gentle and tender, offering comfort to me whom he had just met yesterday. His apparent kindness pulls a smile on my face.

"You're a good man."

Sanosuke seems taken aback, but then he brushes his hair back with a little chuckle. Either embarrassed or simply brushing it off, I can't tell which one.

"Just a word of precaution, Takamasa. You can never assume a man is good just from his outer profile. They usually have an ulterior motive and I can't say it's going to be good." Sanosuke said with a serious voice this time, like a protective brother reminding his litte sister to return home early that night.

I nod, taking in his advice. "So I think I should excuse myself then. There's a man with ulterior motive right here with me. Probably." I said with light humor, which he breaks into small laughter but later set his eyes back on me, the gentle creases on his eyes in tense as he stares at me wordlessly. His quiet gaze somehow turns sharp, penetrating, mystifying.

"I have to say I can't deny that."

I trace for any sign of humor in his matured gaze, but when I see none, I see that it is time to leave before my heart burst. "Umm.. thank you for the treat. I'd better go back to the restaurant now." He didn't stop me as I bow and trot away from the tea house.

I heave a sigh of relief when it is far enough from the tea house. It seems I couldn't handle the heat from the last conversation... or should I say his bold declaration. Why would he said that when we just met yesterday? He couldn't be a bad guy, could he? There's no solid proof but somehow it looked like he was helping the restaurant today. As I ponder about all these questions, a certain familiar silhouette catch my eyes.

Oji-san!

I run to the old figure walking to the direction of the restaurant and I greet him as I reach his side. He stops walking.

"Oji-san..." He seems tired, I notice. And quiet, as usual. I try to find the right word to start a conversation or to cheer him back somehow, and then the weight of shillings in my sleeve occurs to me. I am about to take it out to show it to him when he calls out my name.

"Takamasa."

"Yes, Oji-san."

His pointy, accusing eyes filled me with confusion and dread.

"Before you bring anymore misfortune to my restaurant, I ask you to leave." His sudden demand struck me with shock and extreme fright.

"W-why?" I can tell my fingers turn cold and my face positively ashen.

"A certain shaman told me you carry misfortunes to those around you. I can't keep you in the house anymore. Please leave." He turns away from me but I somehow heard the indistinct crack in his voice. I try to call out to him but he never look back again until he disappears behind a house shop.

Just then a voice calls me from behind. "Onee-chan! What are you doing there standing in the middle of the road?" Came Taro with a small bag of orange in one hand and another bag of uguisu mochi in his left hand. He looks positively happy with all the gifts he get that I couldn't help myself from smiling back despite my mixed feelings.

"Taro," I kneel in front of him, then, feeling the words taken out of me again. Taking a deep, shaky breath, I take out the shilling from my sleeve. "Can you pass this to Oba-san and Oji-san?"

Taro casts me a weird look, "Aren't you going back yourself? My hands are full already!" Seeing that, I slip the shillings into his pocket pants until the weight of it nearly strip him naked waist-down. Taro then struggles to keep it together while scolding me and I found the scene very funny. After divided the shillings to both pockets, I look at the boy with a stern look I feigned. Somehow wearing the image of a mean big sister suits me better when I'm with Taro.

"I'm leaving Oba-san to you, okay, Taro?" Taro then roll his eyes in annoyance. I then pinch those cheeks of his to retaliate.

"I already did that even before you came, though, Onee-chan! Now lemme go! I need to use the bathroom!" With that, he sprints down the road while stabling his both pockets and full hands, already made me feel lonely without his antics.

It is afternoon now and people are bustling through the road, like the busy pedestrian walk in Tokyo. I let my feet get carried by the waves of people, and I feel more lost than ever. My stomach growl like a purring tiger. I slip my hand into my obi fold to find if I have any shillings with me but instead of metallic surface, I touch a certain silky smooth object and I take it out.

Slices of dekopon oranges.

When did he—?

My face scrunch in sourness as I take a slice. "He lied." I take another one into my mouth, enduring the sour agony until my tears come out, relentlessly.

"It's not sweet at all."

-text 5, sent-

AN: so this has been idle in the draft for a half year and I finally finished it! I haven't had this beta-readed yet so please excuse the grammatical errors.

Please comment to keep it going guys :33

~toshimi-senpai