Disclaimer: Sorachi is responsible for the original thingy.

NOTE ON THE TEXT: (*) means end of flashback.

How Fools Fall in Love

Chapter 10: A Summer In The South Part II

Farm work engrossed Gintoki for the next couple of weeks. His days consisted of toil under the scalding sun with sparse breaks in between. He had no time to think about Hijikata, nor did he want to after their argument. He had better things to do than ruminate on the idiot's temperamental bouts of anger, getting blisters on his hands and feet amounted to nothing in comparison. Gintoki knew when he was being scorned and he'd rather make himself scarce than look like a fool. He was bound to see the bastard back in Tokyo any way and, since escaping him was impossible, he'd settle for avoiding him for as long as he could.

Decision made, Gintoki didn't return to the Hijikata household, though the Shibas had treated him well and enjoyed his company. However, he had a hard time avoiding Michi. The old man's prying eyes fell on him often as not, trying to unearth the connection between him and his young master, or rather what had gone wrong between the two. The dangerous shine in his wrinkly eyes betrayed a starving curiosity which had Gintoki on his toes. He tried to steer clear of long conversations and engaged with other farmers instead. He addressed Michi no more than a few casual words of greeting every day, keeping the subject of talk within the domains of work, drink and complaints, something Gintoki didn't have any trouble with so long as he didn't have to think or speak about Hijikata. But Michi's relentless streak could not be suppressed. He had the cunning of a fox. He stopped circling Gintoki to give him some illusion of tranquility, only to catch him unaware some days later when Gintoki's mind had finally eased into some semblance of tranquility and his body gotten used to the work schedule.

The surface of the river mirrored the evening sky above and the water glistened amid dark purples and oranges. Gintoki had finished his drinks with a couple of young farmers after work when he spotted Michi coming down the river road, straw-hat hanging loose and a sweaty scarf wound around his neck.

"Shouldn't you be going home to the wife?" Gintoki teased him.

"Oi, Ginnoji! You know a man has other duties too!"

"Oh, is that what they're calling alcohol these days?"

Michi laughed.

"You're a sharp one, ain't ya?"

He sat down next to Gintoki on the riverbank slope. The grass was soft and green, but speckled with stale patches that signaled the coming autumn.

"I just call 'em as I see 'em." Gintoki replied in his best attempt at a southern accent.

"Oh, you do?" Michi extended him a lazy smile and grunted to himself "How's those blisters you got? Sure you don't want my old lady to look at them?"

Gintoki glanced down at his hands in a quick assessment and shook his head.

"Nah, I'm alright. Just have a few calluses, that's it."

"Sure thing. Were you at the east field by the temple today? Nagasawa told me he appreciated the help."

"Yeah, I finished early and went to look for something else to do. Might as well."

Michi's reply came a second too late, a dark hue flickered in his eyes denouncing a brooding thought but he quickly brushed it away.

"Pocket's already running dry for a round at the pachinko parlor?" he laughed.

"Dry as can be." Gintoki answered half defeated, but a smile burst forth from the warmth of conversation. Familiar.

He realized then the main reason why he'd been avoiding Michi. Being around him sprouted strange feelings inside him. His train of thought ran in a single direction. He couldn't help but think how easy it would be to just say the word, the name, and the running would stop. Michi's beguiling nature almost begged him, but it didn't come to it because suddenly Hijikata came into view, seizing their conversation without a word, without even a glance. The town might as well have been mocking Gintoki, forcing him to acknowledge the only subject deemed worthy of discussion.

"Oh, hey! Look who goes there!"

Gintoki followed the direction of Michi's finger to the other side of the riverbank where the recognizable figure had appeared.

Gintoki felt the ground swallow him whole.

"Haha! Now I know why he didn't want you around, Ginnoji!" Michi exclaimed, slapping his own knee in victory "He doesn't want you to steal his girl!"

Gintoki couldn't tell which was more messed up, Michi's sentence or the sight of Hijikata walking side by side with a girl. He squinted his eyes to get a better look and make sure she wasn't a hologram, but from that distance her features were blurry at best.

"They've always been friends, you know. They got along even before Tamegoro-sama lost his sight in the accident," Michi said "I think Toshi blames himself more now that he is older. He was downright nasty when he was a kid. Hated everything and everyone when they brought him here after his poor mother died. Tamegoro-sama took him in. He was always soft on him, letting him wander around skipping school, taking care of his scrapes after he got into fights with the local kids. A big idiot brother if you ask me. Too bad he got blind. Too much love and too much hate, it never ends well. Those two learned that the hard way."

Gintoki held his tongue, lost for words. His eyes followed Hijikata and the girl unconsciously, yet his mind was somewhere else, taking in the story.

The first shades of yellow tinged the trees waving summer goodbye. It was the day before the summer festival and the whole town bustled with preparations. The road to the temple lined with stalls that would soon be teeming with people hungry for sweets and local delicacies. Sound technicians worked together with hand laborers in setting up the stage for the performances and an assortment of vans and cars clogged all traffic to the area, their drivers eager to deliver the materials needed to set the extra booths for the cultural activities. Hijikata could hear the bustle of cars and people from his room, the shouts of working men and the excited laughter of the children. It made a dent on his concentration, which was already plagued by personal unrest, and so his miserable attempt at peace got quashed.

He sought refuge in a grassy hill behind his brother's house surveying the crop fields and facing the opposite direction of the temple.

At home he had no one to distract him with idle chatter, no one at all. Everybody seemed involved with the festival and happily so. They knew Hijikata enjoyed his solitude and would only seek them out if he wished to. Mitsuba had gone to help her former schoolmates with the parade costumes and Nobu and his brother had left early to attend a series of committee meetings, on the account of Tamegoro being a local patron of the arts. Even the Shibas were nowhere to be seen, busy with their own involvement in the town's festivities.

In truth, Hijikata could not blame them their absence because he hadn't expected not to revel in his usual isolation. The confines of his room already denounced his brain's exhaustive overwork trying to fend off feelings of anxiety. The surface of his desk had disappeared under notebooks and papers, and the surrounding area of the floor promised a similar future. Getting on with his study had seemed a great idea right up until the moment he had stopped and those creeping feelings made a thorough comeback.

The cicadas and the soft breeze didn't manage to eradicate the heavy thrum of the town. It had faded to a low hum in the background, allowing Hijikata to enjoy the pretty picture in front of him and the earthy smell he couldn't get back in Tokyo.

His eyes fell on the crop fields stretched before him, on the tiny dots toiling away here and there. His teeth clenched harder on the cigarette dangling from his mouth. A cold sweat broke on his forehead as he considered the fact he would never be able to look upon his hometown the same. Not because the town had changed, no. The hills still retained their shape as did the trees and the fields; the people were the same as well, added a couple of wrinkles and new grievances. It was Hijikata himself who had changed. Irrevocably. And one of the reasons why he had was no doubt gallivanting half a mile away without a care in the world.

It still baffled Hijikata how the idiot had the audacity to show up in his hometown, in his own house... well, his brother's house technically. Indeed, nothing here would ever be his. Even his bedroom would soon become his nephew's playroom.

"Since Toshiro-kun is going to the academy next year, we can start remodeling the house for the baby's arrival, dear. Toshiro's room has one of the best views in the house. It faces the south so it will be bright and warm all day. I've read in a magazine that exposure to sunlight is very important to children." Nobu had said at lunch the previous day. Tamegoro had nodded in silent agreement.

"You don't mind, do you, Toshiro-kun? You will be well established at the police academy after all. They'll take care of all your expenses and you're guaranteed a job after you finish. It may not be the prestigious law profession your family wanted for you, but it sure will be a secure one, don't you think, dear?"

"Yes, that's true," Tamegoro replied, putting down his chopsticks "It's the path Toshiro has chosen and we should respect it."

A cold, painful distance rose before Hijikata, more agonizing than all the time he had spent alienated in Tokyo. How typical, he thought. Tamegoro, Nobu, closer relatives, they all had failed in keeping him near. Although he loved his brother and was grateful for everything he had done for him, Hijikata had always gone the opposite of his family's wishes in a desperate attempt to prove himself. The more they had tried to tame him, to manipulate him and to pull him into the family business, the more Hijikata had fought back. The image of the bastard child who had to measure himself to his father's legitimate sons haunted him. In his youth he had tried to rip it to pieces. One of his uncles liked to say he was 'destined to amount to nothing at all', but Hijikata had proved him wrong. He graduated high school, got into college, in Tokyo no less, and with his brother's blessing and Kondo's help, he had escaped.

He had missed his family at first. His old room, the streets he knew so well. A feeling which translated a nostalgia for a life he had been eager to run away from; the most natural thing in the world for a kid facing a new reality. But now that new reality was his life. And everything else paled in comparison. The memories of his old life had become mere footsteps marking his way forward, and their imprint faded with each new step.

Mitsuba wore a simple blue yukata with pink flower patterns and a white sash that emphasized her lean figure. She had done her hair up in a bun and decorated it with a few trendy accessories to keep in touch with the latest fashion. Hijikata noticed her right away in the crowded street, but only because of the annoying four year old goblin following her everywhere. Hijikata caught the eye of both siblings before he could plan evasive maneuvers.

"Ah! Toshiro-kun!"

Hijikata's stomach did a little somersault. He would never get used to the affectionate way she called him and basked him with attention. For all her charms, Mitsuba's caring nature had an absurd way of making him feel like a complete ass.

"Hi." his greeting lacked all the air and enthusiasm stuck in his throat.

"Sou-chan, what do you say?" she turned to her brother expectantly and Sougo replied by sticking his tongue out. Hijikata's brows furrowed in distaste and he pretended not to see the demon child by locking eyes with its sister.

"I'm so sorry. Mother says four is a terrible age for kids."

Hijikata refrained from sharing his opinion that Sougo's entire life was and would be a terrible age for people all around the world.

"Are you alone? Is Nobu-san not with you? I think I saw Michi on the way here. His brother-in-law has a fish-cake stand back there, they gave Sou-chan two sticks free of charge."

"Free of charge!" Sougo repeated happily after her.

"My brother and Nobu are dining with the rest of the festival committee. She told me they'd come later to pray at the shrine."

"Great. I'll meet them there. I must thank Nobu-san for the gifts she sent my mother last week."

"What about your family?" Hijikata asked Mitsuba, casually looking behind her.

"Father's working late today and mother is helping at the shrine. The parade is also finished so I've been touring the place with Sou-chan. Unfortunately, he has been out of luck at the game booths. We are still waiting for our first prize of the night."

"The scooper was cheap! And the goldfish was fat!" Sougo grumbled.

"Maybe if you're nice Toshiro-kun will scoop one up for you." Mitsuba told him, then she turned to Hijikata, eyes wide and bright with expectation.

Hijikata didn't find it in himself to say no. Sougo didn't seem very excited either. He clung to his sister's yukata and pulled her towards the goldfish stall where a dozen little kids surrounded two small fish pools.

Hijikata payed the owner for a try and, five minutes later, Sougo had forgotten all his ill intent towards him and was instead standing behind the other kids, taunting them with two bags of prizes in his hands.

"Thank you so much, Toshiro-kun. Sou-chan may not show it, but he really appreciates it." Mitsuba said with a big smile. Hijikata shrugged in response and looked at Sougo who was deliberately elbowing the other kids so they would miss the fish and break their scoopers.

"When are you leaving?" Mitsuba's voice had lost her upbeat accent and Hijikata turned to her a bit startled. Her gaze fixed the ground and bangs covered her eyes.

"This Sunday." Hijikata replied awkwardly. He shifted his feet, wondering why the atmosphere had taken such a sudden turn.

"Sunday?" her voice rose with surprise then fell to a whisper as she reasoned, "That's in two days."

Hijikata missed the pink of her cheeks and decided to follow with a logic explanation to disperse the tension.

"Nobu wants to start redecorating my-" he stopped to correct himself, afraid to sound too petty "Nobu wants to start redecorating the house for the baby so I have to pack up more things to take with me to Tokyo. That means I'll have a lot to do once I return. I don't even know where I'm gonna put half that stuff," Hijikata said, now talking mostly to himself "That room isn't exactly spacious and my roommate, well I don't want to spoil my evening thinking about him."

Mitsuba's eyes were vacant as she mulled over her own thoughts.

"If you're leaving so early, maybe we could-"

Hijikata interrupted her, believing he had been senseless not to return her question.

"And you, when are you returning to Kyoto?"

Mitsuba had enrolled in a college in Kyoto that year and, for the last two weeks, she had spent most of their time together telling Hijikata all about it. Sometimes he even envied her university life. It seemed heavenly in comparison to his barrel scrapping in Tokyo.

"I'm leaving next week- I mean, next Friday," she replied with a stutter. Then she took a deep breath and recomposed herself, trying to recall her usual good humor "I'm sorry, Toshiro-kun. I thought we still had some time to spend together," she blushed "I mean, I want to know everything about Tokyo and you always seem to dodge my questions. All I do is spend time blabbing about myself."

Hijikata turned red with guilt. He wished he had something better to say than an apology, but Mitsuba planned ahead.

"Maybe we could meet tomorrow?" she proposed, her eyes staring straight into his "My mother will be home so she'll take care of Sou-chan. We could spend some time together, just the two of-"

"Mitsuba-chaaan!"

"Oi, Mitsuuu!"

Mitsuba's old schoolmates stormed in, wooden sandals clocking a clumsy rhythm as they approached. The girls had left the parade's changing rooms and brought with them all the noise and enthusiasm shared an hour before when the portable shrines had strutted by. Two of the girls were still adjusting their hair and another straightened the collar of her yukata while complaining about the heat. Yet, despite their bumbling appearance, they seemed to take notice of moment they had intruded upon and lowered their voices at once, covering their smiles behind manicured nails. Hijikata tried to save Mitsuba the embarrassment and spared her from having to finish her sentence.

"My brother must be arriving shortly. I should go meet him. I'll see you later."

"Ah- yes, I'll see you later." Mitsuba replied. Her features lit by a nearby paper lantern flushed pinker than ever. Hijikata's heart throbbed painfully as he walked away and he made it towards the stage where the taiko performance was just starting.

The rhythm of the drums took charge of his heartbeat and Hijikata let it enrapture him so he wouldn't have to suffer those pangs left by the memory of Mitsuba's face.

"Oh, so this is how it feels when a girl comes between us. Is this why you didn't want Sarutobi in our room?"

Gintoki's voice paralyzed him. It was enough to render everything before his eyes meaningless. His whole body committed to the raspy sound of Gintoki's voice by his ear, not even the loud drums could smother it. Hijikata had played safe, but not safe enough. His plan not to fall to his baser instincts and seek out Gintoki had backfired spectacularly. The span of time during which they hadn't seen each other made their re-encounter a thousand times more upsetting. Hijikata only realized it when he turned around and met him dressed in a haphazardly tucked yukata. He couldn't perceive much in the half-light of dusk, but he noticed how Gintoki's skin had acquired a slight golden tan and his rebellious wavy hair had grown a tad longer. His reddish eyes probed deep into his own, unsettling as ever, giving Hijikata an excuse to look down and notice the callused hands marked with welts. Gintoki must have wanted that scooter pretty badly for it to be worth so much hard work. The sarcastic thought didn't flew him by that if only Gintoki applied the same amount of effort in vanquishing his natural stupidity, maybe Hijikata would be spared half his troubles.

"Why are you still here?" Hijikata grunted, hoping to chase him away.

"Seems pretty obvious to me," Gintoki replied. He stepped closer and Hijikata stepped back involuntarily, pulse picking up.

"It's a festival, I came to have a good time." Gintoki said with amusement and gave a look around to stress his meaning, eyes meandering through the crowd closing in around them. Hijikata gave the crowd a silent thanks, breathing in the keen respite of not having Gintoki's eyes on him.

The loud and incessant drumbeat made it difficult to hear one another and Hijikata took the opportunity to step back and find a quieter spot so he wouldn't have to suffer more of Gintoki's whispers by his ear. Gintoki followed him with a twinkle of mischief in his eye. Before Hijikata could address him something foul, Gintoki had already turned his back and was walking the opposite direction.

"Where are you going?" Hijikata asked him slightly offended.

"Up there," Gintoki pointed to the top of the hill where the roof of the temple peaked between dark trees "Gonna check my fortune and see if I have any prospects at pachinko tonight."

"You don't need a fortune for that." Hijikata pointed out.

"I can say the same about your exams." Gintoki rebutted with a frown. It was enough to prickle Hijikata's pride and his feet promptly followed Gintoki's.

"We'll see about that."

They made their way towards the stone steps to the temple without saying a word, choosing instead to huff and puff in annoyance.

Halfway through, their solemn march was interrupted by Gintoki who had noticed a series of curious signs below the lanterns lighting the way up.

"There's a haunted trail ahead. Wanna check it out?"

"I thought we were going to get our fortunes." Hijikata replied sorely.

"Oooh, are you scared, Hijikata-kun?" Gintoki bit his lower lip in a purposeful expression of mock "Are you scared of haunted houses too?"

"No, I'm not scared. I'm not scared of anything!" Hijikata burst at once, "I just don't want to put up with your ass any more than necessary."

"Sad to know that's how you feel about it. Some people actually covet this ass, okay?"

"Shut up, you're delusional." Hijikata rolled his eyes.

"Are we going or not?"

"After you." Hijikata sighed out of frustration.

"No, after you." Gintoki said with a smile.

"You're creeping me out."

"You're the one who said he isn't afraid of anything."

"Then why are you giving me that creepy smile? You're the one who's scared, aren't you? You're shitting your pants."

"Me?! Of course not, I'm a real man! Real Man Gintoki is my actual name, it's on my birth certificate."

The two pushed and shoved each other towards the entrance of the haunted trail where a couple of high school students were charging couples and little kids for admission. Gintoki and Hijikata pulled away and straightened their clothes as they waited in line. The high schoolers gave them suspicious looks when their turn came.

"Aren't you too old for this?" one of them asked.

"Oi, oi, aren't you too cheeky?!"

"Just shut up and take the money." Hijikata grumbled.

It only took them their first scare to do a speed run of the whole course. Hags, demons and ghosts barely had time to pop out of their contraptions. Gintoki jumped over bushes and Hijikata hid behind a couple of trees on his way out. They lost sight of each other as they fled but met again by the stone steps, heart hammering in their throats and tears glistening in their eyes. Lantern light had never felt so safe and warm.

"B-back there I heard a girl say they were running out of fortunes at the temple, so I had to leave immediately." Hijikata coughed, trying to justify his ragged appearance.

Gintoki too was out of breath and his excuse was just as bad if not worse.

"I saw a guy blackmailing a kappa for the last lucky fortune. I knew he was lying but I thought it would be best to alert t-the a-authorities."

"Y-yeah," Hijikaa nodded "It's for the best."

"Sure it is," Gintoki replied more assured, "We should go to the temple now. These high school kids don't know shit about making scary trails. I saw those monsters coming a mile away!"

"Amateurs. It was all leftovers from their high school festival or something. Didn't scare me at all."

"Not a bit."

They were both still feeling a bit jumpy when the last steps appeared in the distance. Families gathered there waiting for relatives and friends, obstructing the view of the temple, yet the glow of bright lights encompassed them and lively voices foretold the bustling entrance.

A loud sigh left Gintoki's mouth at the sight of the waiting lines for the fortunes. Hijikata felt the exasperation in his bones. They went to pay their respects first and then joined the multitude of people eager to get a glimpse of the future.

"This was a terrible idea." Hijikata said through gritted teeth.

Gintoki ignored his comment.

"So, you're not gonna tell me about your life here? Tell me all about the wonderful country life and your brother's big house-"

"Don't speak of my brother." Hijikata cut him short.

"Oh, touchy subject?" Gintoki replied with a smirk.

Hijikata focused on the nape of the person in front of him, devising ways to shut down the conversation. He could sense Gintoki's eyes on him, searching his face for clues. When he didn't get any out of Hijikata he continued his probing.

"Would you rather I heard it from someone else?"

Hijikata scoffed. He would rather Gintoki didn't hear anything at all.

"It's a big house, so what?"

"Yeah, I didn't mean that." Gintoki said, his voice devoid of humor. Hijikata's heart clenched at the earnest statement.

"What did you mean?"

When Hijikata turned to look at him, Gintoki's eyes were no longer on him.

"Michi told me about your brother..." Gintoki didn't finish his sentence, preferring to simply gesture towards his eyes.

Hijikata stood frozen for a moment before swallowing an urgent need to smoke.

"Michi has a big mouth."

"Hearing that from the former local delinquent sounds very reliable." Gintoki sneered.

"That's all in the past." Hijikata replied dryly.

"Is it?"

The question was simple yet it surprised Hijikata. Was it really all in the past? The alienating violence and childishness, surely. But what about the motives behind it? Hijikata didn't know the answer. He looked at Gintoki who had a soft smile playing in his calm features. Hijikata wasn't conscious of it, but that smile angered him beyond reason. He didn't know what answer to give but Gintoki seemed to understand him perfectly.

The group behind Hijikata nudged him on the shoulder to move on. He had been so startled he hadn't noticed the gap that currently separated him from the people in front of him.

He closed that distance while responding a solid "Yes."

"Liar." Gintoki chuckled. Something akin to tenderness coated his voice but Hijikata could only feel shame. He blushed and tried to sway the subject.

"No, you are the liar! You were supposed to leave me alone like I asked."

The change of tone brought back Gintoki's stubborn chin along with his natural idiocy.

"If yelling at me and poking my eye with your finger can count as asking, asshole."

"My point stands." Hijikata declared, crossing his arms.

"Well, I can't help it if you're- if-" Gintoki stuttered, struggling to get the words out, "I can't help it if you're the only person I know around here."

"I thought you and Michi were buddies already."

"Hahahahaha, funny." Gintoki's fake laugh made a few heads turn their way and Hijikata quickly regretted his comment.

"Well, it's not the same."

"Whatever, I don't care. Let's just get our fortunes and leave." Hijikata said. He was dying for a cigarette.

"I mean it," Gintoki went on "With you, it's not the same."

Hijikata chanced a look at Gintoki and for a second the night seemed to be aflame. Hijikata's heart started that tempestuous beating he didn't know how to subdue. That uncontrolled torrent of feelings Gintoki's unexpected appearance had sprung in him earlier assaulted him again and he was left without the words to reply.

"Next please! Would you like a fortune, sir?"

"Y-yeah, yes, please."

They both had bad fortunes and spent the rest of the night ranting loudly and obscenely about it as they drank to their wits' end in various local bars.

Hijikata woke up in hell. It smelled bad, his back hurt and blood had to be running out of his ears so loud was his phone ringing. He groped his pants in search of his pockets and took out the screaming gadget.

"He-Hello?" his voiced grated on his throat. He coughed painfully and was rattled by the sound coming out of his own mouth.

"T-Toshiro-kun?" Hijikata couldn't place the caller at first. He could only think how that sweet voice sounded so much better than the awful mind-numbing ring that had woken him up.

"Yeah, it's me." he mumbled.

"Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm..." Hijikata opened his eyes slowly and realized it was the first time he had done so since being jump-started like a dead car. The place was dark, definitely a room. His eyes followed the faint sunlight coming in through the window shutter and he noticed he was lying on a tatami floor with half a blanket thrown over his legs.

"I'm okay, I'm..." Then, at the same time his brain recognized Mitsuba's voice, his eyes picked up Gintoki's slumbering figure by his side, legs and arms arranged in weird angles and tangled in the other half of the blanket. Some part of Hijikata sighed in relief, for the setting was as familiar to him as breathing, yet another roused in alarm.

He tried to sit up properly but the moment he did so his head burst with splitting pain. A vague row of memories swirled up and he understood why he had ended up in Gintoki's pension room with a awful hangover.

"Are you sure you're alright, Toshiro-kun? Nobu-san called my mother and she mentioned you hadn't come home last night. We were worried."

"Yeah, I- uh, I stayed with a friend," Hijikata said, unable to come up with a better excuse given all the mayhem and fire going off in his head "I'll be home soon." he added.

"Okay, they'll be very relieved," Mitsuba said calmer, "I can come over and help you pack if you need, later, I mean- if you want."

"Yeah, sure. I'll call you, thanks." Hijikata replied impulsively, more out of politeness than agreement. His head was throbbing with pain and he couldn't think of anything else, other than keeping up his sitting position.

"I'll be waiting." were Mitsuba's last words before she hung up.

Hijikata fell back on the tatami floor as soon as the line went silent and he let out a small wail of pain, wincing as he shut his eyes again. He stayed like that for a while, waiting for the pain to subside. In his mind he berated himself for drinking so much, yet he could share a good portion of guilt with the sorry excuse for a human being lying right next to him.

It was strange. In that dark room, barely in half-light, he might have said he was back in the dorm in Tokyo. The thought comforted him and for a moment he couldn't help but think he couldn't wait to get back there. Back home. But what was home if not that town and his brother's house?

His words to Mitsuba came back to him. I stayed with a friend.

"I can't believe I said that." Hijikata whispered.

"Me neither."

Gintoki's observation earned him an elbow between the shoulder blades.

"So did you like it there?"

The shadows in the room had grown with the sun's descent, but Mitsuba's small apartment hadn't lost its charm.

Gintoki's teacup was half full. Although his throat felt dry, he couldn't will himself to have another sip.

"Sure, it's a nice small town like any other." he replied.

"Indeed," Mitsuba noticed his need for brevity and acknowledged it with a sad smile "Well, I won't bother you with recollections, Gin-san. I'm taking up too much of your time already, but still..." a minor coughing fit interrupted her train of thought "Excuse me."

She settled her teacup on her lap and took a deep breath. Gintoki remained quiet, unsure whether to take advantage of the situation and leave or offer some kind of help. She collected herself after a minute, yet he couldn't help the feeling of restlessness at her sight. Perhaps their conversation had carried on long enough.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes. It's nothing," Mitsuba dismissed him quickly "The doctor told me the cough would go away eventually."

"I'll leave you to rest then." Gintoki suggested, moving to stand up.

"Oh no, please. I still haven't asked you..." she paused again to regain her strength and Gintoki could tell by the conviction in her gaze the real issue was coming "I'm going on a date tomorrow, a blind date. A friend of mine arranged it. The reasons are my own," she said it firmly, looking anything but the usual kind and fragile young woman Gintoki knew "The truth is, I plan to get married soon. And I was wondering... I've thought a lot about it and I fear entrusting Kondo-san with this just won't do. You, Gin-san, on the other hand, I'm sure you will be direct and impartial, as you always are. You see, I was wondering if Toshiro-san has someone he-" another coughing fit shook her.

The teacup nestled between her two hands fell to the floor as she doubled over, spilling cold tea on the carpet. Gintoki rose to help her as her breaths turned into gasps and she struggled for air, the cough ravaging her.

"Oi!"

Gintoki's heart stopped when he noticed red stains on her skirt. Blood. Mitsuba had slid down her seat to the floor and her hands clutched her chest in a frenzy as it heaved abnormally.

"Oi, oi, Mitsuba." Gintoki put his hands on her shoulders in a panic, not knowing what to do. Distant memories paralyzed him.

"G-Gin-san..." she could barely speak.

"I'll get an ambulance." He told her before running out of the room.

At the front door he bumped right into Sougo who had just returned from school. Gintoki seized his arm like a madman and Sougo's school bag dropped to the floor so hard was his grasp.

"Stay with your sister." Gintoki said before disappearing from view and calling the emergency line.

AN: I hope the phrase "better late than never" can still apply here. Thanks for reading.