Remember when I said that story will be more than 10 chapters? Well after this chapter it certainly will be. In fact, the story will most likely exceed 15 chapters (maybe reaching 20). Also, I know that this story is categorized in romance, but there are not a lot of SoujiXChizuru lovey-dovey moments yet. I really want the story to focus on Souji and not just Chizuru. So before there is any romance, the story has to clearly define Souji's character. Please bear this in mind, because I don't want anyone to have false expectations. As always, enjoy!
Chapter 10: Treasured Moments
Supposedly, after Souji's run in with Chizuru, Kazama paid Chizuru an unwelcomed visit to headquarters. Luckily, he was not trying to kidnap her. Instead, he went to confirm Chizuru's relationship with Kodou. It was revealed that Kodou had gone missing because he was working with Kazama, along with the anti-foreign faction. Before Kazama could do anything else, Hijikata, Harada, and Heisuke barged in, which caused him to leave. Since then, Chizuru had not acted like herself at all. She became quiet and hardly ever went out, except on patrols because someone else would force her to go. However, she did meet some girl that Harada talked about, and both of them easily developed a friendship. Thanks to the girl, called Sen, Chizuru's troubles seemed to have lessened. In fact, she grew more confident, much to everyone's surprise.
As for the rest of the gang, some of them still went out drinking every now and then, despite Hijikata becoming more strict. Itou kept getting on everyone's nerves, but there was not anything that could have been done about him. While Sannan was pretending to be dead, Souji hardly ever saw him. Even though Sannan was hiding, he grew more capricious and distant as he kept on studying the Water of Life. However, the Shinsengumi could not suspend the experiments because the Bakufu still ordered them to perfect the medicine.
Souji could hardly do anything anymore, except go on patrols. He tried to cover up his illness the best he could from everyone, which seemed to have worked. Chizuru had surprisingly visited Souji a lot in the mornings to make sure that he was fine. Ever since their day in the courtyard, she would visit him. She no longer held any fear towards him, and she could easily be herself around him. Of course, Souji still teased and threatened her most of the time, but it was not out of malice. He still kept a distant eye on her to assure that she would not say anything about his tuberculosis. However, it seemed unnecessary because she did keep her promise to him, and for that, Souji would be eternally grateful to her.
After one restless night, Souji woke up drenched in sweat. He decided to wash himself and dry off in the warm air. He sat on the steps of a porch and let his loose, damp hair blow freely in the wind. Souji just happened to be sunbathing on the same area where Chizuru cheerfully polished the wooden floors of the porch . He silently watched her so she would not be able to sense him. It fascinated him how doing chores could make her so happy. After several minutes, Chizuru finished and stood back to admire her hard work, while wiping off her sweated forehead.
"That'll do it", she praised herself. Souji decided to surprise her by making his presence known.
"Finished all ready?", he teased lightly. She jumped back and gasped in shock, while a small blush stained her cheeks. After taking a good look at him, she furrowed her brows and puffed her cheeks in a way that Souji had to admit to himself was pretty cute.
"Okita-san! What're you doing out here when you're still wet?", her tone was slightly strict. Souji just smiled at her.
"I sweated last night in my sleep so I decided to take a bath. Now I'm just drying off here in the sun", he let his head fall back, and he closed his eyes as he relaxed on the steps.
"I don't care how nice the weather is, if you're wet and stay outside for too long you'll catch a cold!", she reprimanded. Souji laughed at her sudden stern demeanor.
"It's all right, don't worry", he assured her.
"It's not all right at all! You need to take better care of yourself!", she responded. Souji opened an eye to her in amazement and chuckled.
"Wow. When did you become such a nag? You worry too much! You're starting to act more like Hijikata-san", he started to tease her while he tried putting his damp hair back up. She gasped at the remark and almost stomped her way towards him.
"I told you that you have to properly dry yourself!", she stood behind him and grabbed the towel that hung over his shoulder. She abruptly started to dry his hair, which undoubtedly took Souji by surprise.
"Chizuru-chan! Why do have to be so rough and forceful?!", he complained while his body cringed. She still kept on muffling the towel over his head.
"No reason", was all she said. Souji immediately sat still, obviously not expecting her to say that. He could not help himself but to grin at her random consideration toward him.
"All right, that's enough", he finally got up so she could stop and quickly put his hair up again to his usual hairstyle so she would not insist on drying it again. She jumped back again in embarrassment, probably realizing her forwardness. He turned around to face her.
"There's something I want to ask you", he started. Chizuru hmm-ed in response and waited for his question.
"Truthfully, do you like the way my hair looks?", he asked. Chizuru was taken aback by the random question but she smiled nonetheless.
"I honestly think it suits you well", she complimented. Souji grinned triumphantly.
"Really?! I'm glad! Thanks a lot!", he replied warmly. He then pointed a finger at his hair and spoke up again.
"The truth is, I was trying to copy Kondo-san with this", admiration was clear in his voice.
"You're right! It's the exact same hairstyle", she started to giggle.
"You can't tell anyone about this, or I'll have to kill you", he winked teasingly.
"Okay", she added cheerfully while seeing past his small threat and laughed again, which made Souji laugh along with her.
The next morning, Shinpachi reported to the Shinsengumi that the Shogun had passed away. It was not just terrible news to the Shinsengumi, but also to the entire Bakufu army. Souji was angry for Kondo because he knew that times would get harder on him and everyone else as well. Shortly after, the Choushuu conquest brought about the shocking conclusion that was the Bakufu's army great defeat. The Bakufu, which had been unscathed for two-hundred-and-sixty years, was slowly crumbling away. By September, bulletin boards, that claimed the Choushuu Domain being villainous, where being stripped away. The Shinsengumi was later ordered to protect these boards. The task was boring, but it was highly important. One late night, when it was Harada's turn to watch over the boards, several rebels tried to take them down. Harada managed to capture some of the men easily while others retreated. He was heavily rewarded with cash, and he invited everyone to the red-light district to celebrate. Everyone was more than happy to spend a night to have some fun as they all walked together toward a bar.
"Sano! You've really done us a service! I never thought you'd use the reward money to treat us all!", Shinpachi exclaimed enthusiastically while putting an arm over Harada. Souji looked at Shinpachi and pointed a finger at him.
"Shinpachi-san, if you really want to praise him, you ought to mention that he protected the signboards", he teased lightly.
"Yeah, there's always that too", Shinpachi's voice lost its glee, causing everyone to laugh. They finally reached the bar, and Shinpachi sprinted ahead of everyone.
"Well, Sano's paying for tonight! Drink all you like, and sweep away the gloom of the day!", he cheered at everyone. Harada caught up to him frantically.
"Bastard! This is my money you're talking about!", Harada sneered at him as he walked in.
"Sano-san, thank you! I'll be sure to drink till I'm way past drunk!", Heisuke ran in happily. Souji grinned and stepped past Shinpachi.
"It's not like all of us can drink sake, though", Souji spoke loud enough for Hijikata to hear.
"Enough of that crap. Eat whatever food you want", Hijikata retorted back sternly as everyone else stepped inside. They were led to a large dimly lit room that was adorned with colorful fans, and beautiful murals were painted on the doors. Souji sat in between Saito and Chizuru, hopeful that they could provide him with enough entertainment. Everyone patiently waited to be served until the door was slid open, which caught all of their attention.
"Greetings to you all, it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance. I shall be accompanying you gentlemen this evening. My name is Kimigiku. I hope you have a pleasant time", a geiko bowed respectively as she spoke in such a polite manner. Some of the guys, and even Chizuru, gawked at her appearance, but all Souji thought about was getting a drink.
"So pretty...", Chizuru mumbled out loud, perhaps not realizing she was talking to herself. Kimigiku smiled warmly at her, and Chizuru bowed her head in embarrassment. After several moments, everyone was feasting and drinking to their heart's content.
"This sake sure is great! It's the thrill like bam, Bam, BAM!", Heisuke yelled out, too drunk to focus on what he was saying.
"Heisuke, you've only been drinking and not putting anything into your stomach!? You'll get drunk!", Shinpachi looked at the young kid. 'Too late, he already is', Souji noted to himself while taking another sip of his sake.
"It's fine for today!", Heisuke slurred out. Souji and Saito were perhaps the only men in the room who could hold down their liquor long enough compared to everyone else, whose faces where already rosy. Shinpachi then faced Chizuru.
"Chizuru-chan! You ain't drinking, how're you supposed to get drunk, huh!?", Shinpachi was clearly tipsy at this point. Chizuru nervously picked at her food.
"Well, uhh...I can't drink so uhh...", she laughed nervously as she spoke.
"Then I think you should eat till your stuffed...", he replied back while tipping his head back to engulf more sake. From the other side of the room, Kimigiku was conversing with Hijikata.
"I've heard you're like a demon, Hijikata-san of the Shinsengumi. However, it would seem an act as you're such a good and handsome man", she flattered.
"I get that a lot", Hijikata replied while taking another sip of sake. Shinpachi and Heisuke spat out their drinks in unison at Hijikata's remark before almost falling over from laughter.
"Hijikata-san's already drunk!", Shinpachi exclaimed.
"That was fast! He never could hold his liquor!", Heisuke chimed in before laughing hysterically again. Souji could not help but laugh along with them. Even before they all became part of the Shinsengumi, Hijikata would always be the first one to get drunk after just one small bottle of sake. Throughout their fun, Chizuru just stared at Kimigiku in awe. She finally sighed bopped her head down after staring at Kimigiku for a long time. Souji just observed Chizuru and wondered what she may have been thinking about. Then Shinpachi interrupted his train of thought.
"Still, if we can get this sort of money for protecting the signboards, who knows how much we can get if we catch all the culprits", Shinpachi mused while turning to Harada.
"Speaking of which Sano, why did you let them get away? If there were only eight of 'em you could've handled 'em all", Shinpachi pondered out loud.
"Yeah, I thought that was weird too...", Heisuke commented. Harada huffed slightly and turned to Chizuru.
"Chizuru, were you out at all last night?", Harada spoke in such a serious tone, it made Souji sit up.
"Huh? No", she replied simply, which made Harada glare at her.
"Are you sure about that?", his voice lowered.
"Yes, I'm always at headquarters at night", she answered, a little frightened.
"What's all this about, Sano?", Shinpachi asked. Harada's face softened a bit.
"It's just...when we were up against the soldiers that night, someone who looked just like Chizuru was there, and then our formation fell apart", Harada recounted. Souji silently processed Harada's story and looked back at Chizuru, then he suddenly remembered something important.
"Wait a second... Do you think it could be that girl you, Heisuke, and I met a while ago during our patrol", Souji stated as Chizuru stared back at him with wide eyes.
"The girl said her name was Nagumo Kaoru, right? She really did look a lot like you, didn't she?" Souji wondered out loud. Chizuru lowered her head.
"But that's not enough to...", she trailed off sadly.
"I didn't really think she did, but...after all, she was dressed up as a girl, you know?", Heisuke added. Then Saito came up with the best idea that Souji had ever heard him say.
"Then I believe we should have Yukimura-kun dress up in a girl's kimono", he suggested quietly. Chizuru gasped in shock while everyone eyed her carefully. She was soon starting to panic.
"Chizuru!", Heisuke stood up excitedly, and Shinpachi did not take long to join him.
"Hell yeah! That's a good idea!", Shinpachi then turned to Kimigiku.
"Hey Kimigiku-san, would you dress this kid in a girl's kimono for us!?", he almost jumped with excitement. Chizuru was crying out in protest while Hijikata tried to stop them, but Kimigiku put a hand on him.
"Very well, I shall do my outmost", she answered politely and led Chizuru out the room. After a moment, the men continued to drink as they waited patiently for Chizuru. Hijikata had stepped out of the room for some fresh air; the alcohol was already draining his energy. Suddenly, Kimigiku's voice was heard through the other side of the door.
"Everyone, my apologies for the wait", she called out, and the door slid open to catch everyone's attention. Souji could have sworn his heart skipped a beat at what he saw next. A woman dressed in an intricate red kimono slowly stepped into the room. Her dark hair was slightly pulled back into a beautifully arranged display. Her face was smooth and pale, except for the rosy-pink blush that appeared on her face, and her lips glossed a soft red. After his moment of bewilderment, Souji finally recognized her as Chizuru when he noticed her warm honey-brown orbs. He took a quick glance around at everyone, who were all still trapped in her spell. Heisuke did not notice that he was overfilling his cup of sake, Shinpachi had dropped his food, Harada's mouth looked like it was about to drop to the floor, and Saito sat motionless as he gawked.
"I-Is that you Chizuru?", Heisuke stuttered out.
"Y-Yes", she answered softly while bowing her head more.
"Wow. Talk about a change! For a second I didn't know who you were!", Souji praised lightly, glad that he did not sound too infatuated.
"Well? Does she look the same as the girl, Sano?", Saito finally pulled everyone back to reality.
"Hmm... I don't know. Chizuru's just so damn pretty, I can't tell anymore!", Harada eyed Chizuru again, which made her squeal. Heisuke got up again.
"You said it! Chizuru's pretty!", Heisuke claimed. Once again, Shinpachi joined him.
"Yeah! She's so good-looking, I forgot it was her!", Shinpachi added. Souji cocked a brow at him, while laughing.
"Shinpachi-san, you've fallen under her spell?", he teased. Shinpachi looked at him while scratching the back of his head.
"Don't make me blush!", he said giddily, while everyone else, beisides Chizuru, laughed.
"Please, stop it!", Chizuru ran out the room all embarrassed.
"Hey, Shinpachi! Why you gotta say such weird stuff?", Heisuke reprimanded.
"Sorry", Shinpachi replied while he looked half-guilty. The men finally sat down and enjoyed another shot of sake before Shinpachi started clapping his hands to make an announcement.
"All right! Sano, do that thing you always do at parties like this!", Shinpachi cheered.
"Yeah! Until you do it, it doesn't feel like we're drinking with you!", Heisuke urged as well. They were referring to Harada's famous belly dance. He had a scar on his stomach, which was proof of an earlier attempt to kill himself. Years ago, Shinpachi made fun of him by drawing a face around the scar with ink, and that was the start of Harada's playful performance. Those were pleasant moments that Souji wished he could relive everyday. But his only dream was to help Kondo toward his dream, nothing more than that. After several attempts of persuasion, Harada finally agreed to do it.
"Then that means I better go get Chizuru-chan before she gets into trouble", Souji stated while getting up and walking towards the door. He slid the door open and was surprised to see Chizuru sitting right outside, but with Hijikata. A coil sprang deep within Souji as he saw the two of them together.
"Sorry to intrude. I'll leave you two alone", Souji's voice was light, but it had an irritated tone to it. He began to shut the door when Shinpachi stopped him and peered out from behind.
"Hey, Hijikata-san! Sano's stomach show is about to begin!", he chimed. Then Heisuke also joined in as well.
"Chizuru, you hurry up and come too!", he encouraged. Finally they all returned to the room and watched in joy as Harada made a fool of himself at the center of the room. He danced oddly with fans, trying to imitate how a geiko would dance. Everyone laughed and drank like there was no tomorrow. Souji's foul mood was washed away as he relished the moment, clapping and cheering in pure bliss. 'Those were precious moments', he would later think back in the future. It would be the last time that all of them would celebrate together, but no one knew that then. They also did not know what tragedies and darkness awaited them in the cold and uncertain future.
Did you guys like the small plot twist in the end? I didn't mean for this chapter to be so long again, but I wanted to make this chapter fun and light-hearted for everyone to read (I know I couldn't go through this chapter without squealing and laughing haha). I apologize if there are any spelling/grammar errors, I'll go back and probably fix those throughout the week. The next chapter probably won't be posted until Friday or the weekend (I've got a lot of other work to do in real life, but that just makes me all the more excited to write these chapters) . Thanks for your patience! As always, have an awesome day!