Chapter 5: Saitou's Feelings and Aki's Temper
Aki was at the clinic studying until Saitou was brought to him badly injured, her eyes widen as her hands trembled at the sight of him all bruised up. She knew what to do but seeing him like that was a somber moment for her.
She rinsed his wound with cool water, enough for him to ease a bit of his pain. He grunted as she sewed his cuts tight closed, then she cut the thread and wrapped the laceration with bandages.
"All done… you feeling okay?" her smile was radiant. She wiped the sweat flowing under his jaws. Saitou felt silent and was too shy to thank her, "What's wrong? Do you still need something? Could you be hungry?" she stood up to but Saitou held onto the tip of her kimono to prevent her from leaving.
"I don't need anything…" his voice was low and shallow.
"I see well, I have to go, I need to send a letter to Matsumoto-sensei about my research papers…" she thought that he's already fine and just needs to rest so she took her leave. It was a cold hint for Saitou – it must've hurt to see someone like him who prioritizes their work than people – she'll choose her job over him no matter what happens. After a while of thinking he fell asleep.
xXx
"Is Saitou-san, awake?" Chizuru asked Aki, she held her own hands together tightly. She was rather worried.
"Oh, I think he is, come in. Saitou! Medicine time!" she yelled behind the door.
Before Aki could get in Chizuru immediately sprinted beside Saitou's futon, she kneeled down and downed her head to ask for forgiveness, "I'm sorry Saitou-san! You got hurt because of me!" it was an unpleasant to hear for Aki, she narrowed her eyes to Chizuru as she clenched her fists. Saitou collected his thoughts before he spoke to the girl pleading.
"I'm only doing my job. Raise your head," he said barely getting up.
"But still…! I want to be of use! If only I could fight…" Aki sat near Saitou and got his medicine ready but before anything she looked at Chizuru with fierce eyes in morbid.
"Don't try to protect me. You know you're not that strong," steel was his voice as he delivered the message vividly not for her to interfere no matter what happens.
"Nobody expects you to fight," Aki said bluntly, Saitou while in bed couldn't believe she said that. Chizuru on the other hand was stunned and her head dropped as she looked at the floor not knowing what to do, "Even though you carry a sword around it seemed that it's only for display isn't it?" her was like a knife to Chizuru, "Acting strong won't help anyone."
"I… I'm sorry…" Aki snapped from her anger and reverted to her usual self. Oh no! Why did I lash out on her?!
"Chizuru-chan! I apologize for saying that… it takes a lot of courage to stand for someone like that especially if you really can't fight and a woman to top it off… I'm really sorry…" she didn't realize that Chizuru was already in tears. Saitou remained silent and took his medicine.
"It's okay Aki-san… it's really my fault from the start," she wiped her tears away and smiled at her.
xXx
Saitou's wounds have already healed so he immediately went on patrol with his men. Each corner of the street wasn't overlooked and so as the alleys. Then he spotted a small commotion in the middle of town and the cause of it is an old woman, a typical thug, Aki. Before he went to halt it he listened to their argument.
"Outta my way you stupid woman! This old lady here owes me money!" the thug smashed the table beside him but he ended up hurting his own fist, he's mostly all talk and no bite.
"…" the old woman was too scared to speak, she hid behind Aki.
Aki smiled ominously her voice was the same as she spoke but there was a hint of purely anger in it, "Then let me ask you this: If I impaled you with this," she reached out a scalpel from her pocket, "because you're taking advantage of this weak old lady and all the other merchants, which one of us is the criminal?"
It was queue for Saitou to dissolve the fight; he reached for his scabbard and showed a threatening stunt for the thug. His eyes were like ice as it scared away the thug. Aki on the other hand kept her scalpel and walked ahead of Saitou. He stopped her from taking another step and demanded an explanation, "What is wrong with you?"
"Well, it was only a threat. I wasn't going to put it into action. I needed to protect the poor old lady until you came along," she chuckled weakly.
"That's not what I meant," he sighed, "You've been unusual… changed is the right word to put it."
"Oh Saitou… am I not allowed to be angry?" the question caught him off guard, she was right, even someone like her could get angry. He wasn't really used to seeing her mad like that since he normally sees her smiling and laughing along with her friends.
"…"
"I'm a person too you know?"
"..."
"Well… I'll try not to be angry from now on…" she trailed off and hurried home without him. She faded from the sea of crowd.
xXx
The sky would always be a beautiful sight for Aki as she tried to forget about her pain. Her work have been doubled ever since Matsumoto went back to Edo, her studies as well must never be left behind. Geez… Saitou makes it look like sword fighting is more difficult than science…
"Well it's not! Sword skills are limited for each person's capability and takes time to learn and discover but science… Well there's always something new to it because people like to explore… that's why it is harder than swordplay!" she raised her fist high up in the sky.
"Why are you talking to yourself Aki-chan?" Souji asked, he was watching her secretly, he was grinning the moment she saw him.
"Souji-nii?!" she jumped from where she stood and was stunned and embarrassed at the same time. Their brother-sister friendship had grown that's why she calls him that, "You heard everything didn't you…?" he nodded.
"What's wrong…?" he frowned.
Aki crouched and pointed something from the grass, "Souji-nii! I found a rabbit! I'll call it 'Souji'."
"I found an ant, I think I'll call it 'Aki'," he countered.
"Hey! Why'd you name me after that? Rabbits are cute you know?"
Souji chuckled, they both sensed someone's footsteps coming to their direction and they knew who it was, "Aki-chan, have you been doing what I taught you?"
"Yes sir! Saitou is a short man but I don't mind since I'm not picky with guys," the footsteps stopped.
"Right, you know how to tease him right? He'll give up in not time, but if he doesn't I'll take you away from him," one of his brows rose as he grinned.
"Yes sir! Saitou is a short man but I don't mind since I'm not picky with guys."
"Oh shoot she forgot the next line," he whispered to himself.
Saitou came out with his mood unpleasant, "You two are working together?"
"S-Saitou… ahahahaha…" she looked sideways.
"Aki-chan, I'm good too," Saitou's demonic aura appeared, Aki looked disturbed.
"Good at what?" with that Souji left them alone with a giant grin on his face.
"AKI…!" he looked like he's about to eat her whole.
"S-Saitou…? Gaaaaaa!" she ran off to avoid his rage but he grabbed her shoulder and forced her to face him. I am so dead.
"Souji is teaching you to play with me, did he not?"
"Actually we're just pretending… that… he's teaching me how to uh…"
"What?"
"To tease you…! We were just…"
"If you've got time to play around with other people, why don't you just get back to work?"
"Right…" Saitou sighed. Aki grew into a one heck of a teaser from hanging out with Souji often, but the fact that they were too close makes him feel uneasy, perhaps he finally had feelings for her somehow. Aki wasn't much of a nice person as he thought because of how she acts whenever enraged, though he can't deny the fact that she gets angry sometimes, "Hey… what's with you today?"
She tip-toed to rustle his hair, he didn't mind it, and she meant no harm after all. He looked at her eyes, they were cheerful and bright, but rather wistful in some way. The feelings he has just needed to be expressed no matter what.
"Aki… I need to tell you something."
"Yey~! You're going to say you love me."
"…" for some reason he felt like backing out, with her like that there's no way she's serious, "Forget it."
"Sorry, I must've ruined the mood… if it's important, then say it. I have to go back to work."
"…"
"…"
"I…" Aki was focused on the movements of his lips and was expecting the next words. He took a deep sigh, but he was cut off.
"I was so sure that I'd be happy to hear that… but not now… I like you so much that I don't want to get in your way of your duties for the Shinsengumi, so I hope you don't interfere with mine too."
He was rejected but he won't take that for an answer, "You think I can't handle my job and you? Don't look down on me Aki."
"I didn't mean it that way," she walked out. Saitou followed her. Aki didn't know what to say to him, she doesn't really want to be in love with him. Wow, I've never gone this far and here I am running away. She was quite different from when goes clumsy from nervousness, "Ha… ha… ha…" she laughed to shake off the uneasiness, but nothing happened, the more Saitou was catching up with her the more she panicked.
xXx
Aki reached her room and shut the door at Saitou, but his hands was strong enough to make his way in, "I won't accept your answer. After turning me into… this… I used to be… you're making me lose my phase. Is that all you have to say? Nothing?"
"Yeah… I never really had gone this far so… I have to uh… study," she pointed with her shaky index finger at the piled up books at the corner. He didn't move an inch from where he stood, "Get out please!" Saitou grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. He aimed for her shaking lips, but she immediately shielded her lips with her free hand.
Saitou closed the gap of their faces and gazed at her eyes, "Why are you shying away? This is your fault."
"Uh-oh…"
"You didn't think this through didn't you?"
"Pretty much…" she threw a dry laugh. She sighed, it was a situation that she didn't expect to happen. Saitou looked calm, "Remove your hand."
"NO!" he led her down on the futon and went in between her legs while on top of her. I feel stupid for some reason.
"…"
She felt herself giving in by the moment, she slowly let her hand fall without a hint of quell, "Oh you… not wasting time and going for the climax huh?"
"Keep your indecent thoughts in place, I'm not going to do that," he said bluntly.
"My indecent thoughts? And you call yourself decent while on top of me?" she countered and was back to her usual self again, no longer nervous.
"I'm not like you," he narrowed his eyes.
"You pervert," she teased, "If you want a kiss, you need to marry me first." Saitou loosened on her and got up, Aki laughed at his unusual expression. The two ended up arguing for the rest of the night.
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