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He always thought that if somebody would ask him what he thought of Kamiya-san, he'd say the following things:

Hyper. Stagnant and Kamiya-san in a sentence wouldn't sound right, and he's sure that they'd agree with him once they saw her in action: the way she ran Hijikata-san's errands in earnest; the way she would do the chores in the troop with constant vigor; the way she'd interact with other members during their downtime, lively and bubbly; and the way she would swing her shinai during practices, coupled with cute yells that all the men just can't resist listening to, while distracting them with their own swings at the same time.

...

Stubborn. He can't count the number of times he asked her to leave after her revenge was complete. The one that stood out to him the most was the time he called her out after her sparring session with Harada-san, led her away from the troop and – when he was sure nobody was around - slammed her against the bathroom wall in an attempt to intimidate her into leaving, only to get a grin and a challenge in return. She boldly challenged him to a one-hit match, saying that she would leave if she failed to hit him within three days. He honestly thought this was his chance of chasing her away, and so he accepted. He may not admit it out loud, but he prided himself on his sharp instincts, but even so, he made it a point to never ever let his guard down whenever she's around.

And also…

"Leave the Mibu-Roushi, Kamiya-san. This is no place for a girl."

"I'm not a girl! I am a bushi!"

If he had a bu[1] everytime they had exchanges like that, he'd be richer than Saitou-san by now.

And considering that the latter wasn't like Harada-san who bought women at every chance he got, just sake, that's saying something.

...

Determined. Even more so than the average girl. He had to admit that the effort she exerted during the past two days was admirable. During dinner, during patrols, and even during bedtime! Her efforts always ended with her getting smacked, disappointed, or bruised - which reminds him - he still have to explain to Hijikata-san how that big hole in the porch came to be. He had to admit that he relished the feeling of victory whenever he heard her roar of disappointment ("Argh! Not again! Okita-senseiii!"). It may seem mean but, the constant let-downs that Kamiya-san would feel everytime she failed to score a hit gave him hope that she would come to her senses, leave the troop and shed the haori, hakama and daisho, and don the white makeup, kimono and hana kanzashi[2].

He hoped that through his constant rejections, Kamiya Seizaburo the bushi would die and Tominaga Sei the girl would return…permanently.

Only a few minutes remaining till midnight, and his contest with Kamiya-san was about to end. He was at the teahouse in Shimabara where Akesato-san worked, after rushing Kamiya-san over because of her "horse".

A couple of hours have passed since they arrived, and he spent his time watching the lively scenery of the red-light district from his spot at the terrace. In the distance, he heard the familiar boom of the drum, signaling the arrival of midnight, and he knew that with its arrival comes the end of his contest with the stubborn girl.

He was reminiscing his memories with the half-sakayaki-haired girl when Oshizu came to announce that Akesato-san was looking for him.

When the pretty courtesan told him that she had calmed down and has come to terms with the situation, he expected to see her sitting dogeza[3] style to hide the tears in her eyes while she admitted her defeat. About time, his inner self remarked.

But instead of seeing a groveling Kamiya Seizaburo, he saw a prim and proper, ladylike Tominaga Sei – complete with the kimono, makeup and accessories. For the first time.

His shock overcame his resolve to kick her out, and his guard just flew out the window instantly.

So when she smacked him on the head with a pipe ("Gotcha."), just seconds before the midnight drum, he knew that he only had himself to blame for becoming vulnerable.

"Y-you bamboozled meeeeeeeee!"

"Thaaat's right!"

He always thought that if somebody asked him what he thought of Kamiya-san, he'd say that she's hyper, stubborn, and determined.

Now, in the midst of Harada-san and company's laughter, Serizawa-sensei's boisterous comments, Hijikata-san's rage and Kondo-san's attempts to pacify them after he reported her absence for a "three-day indulgence", Okita Soji would have to add clever and beautiful to the list. After all, they were the reason for his defeat in the first place. She really got him there dressed as Tominaga Sei.

But can you blame him?


Glossary:

[1] A bu is ¼ of a ryou in the exchange rate of the Bakumatsu period. According to KH's notes, each member of the Shinsengumi receives a salary of 3 ryou a month, so one bu in itself is a huge amount already.

[2] Hana kanzashi literally means "flower hairpin". It's a hair accessory used by females in kimono, and their design depends on the season in which they are worn. Trivia: This is the title of Tominaga Sei's theme song in "Kaze Hikaru Soundbox", one of the manga's soundtracks. :)

[3] Sitting dogeza means kneeling with your head touching the floor as a sign of deference and great respect, and also to ask for forgiveness or a huge favor. See Wiki's article on dogeza for more info.


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