« Thank you all for gathering » I said to the men in front of me, bowing to the Shinsengumi as its whole. « I'm here to introduce Saito Haruhi. She has been placed under my care and will be a page. »
Haruhi bowed to the men as well, her long ebony hair flowing around her face and her black kimono with the Saito kamon on it. I had it tailored very quickly, i wanted her to be identified as a Saito in the headquarters to be sure she would be safe. The obi, a woman one, was pink. She got the right to choose the one she wanted to wear.
« Thank you for accepting me. » she said, repeating the words I told her to say.
« Haruhi is still a child » i continued « but she is a Saito. If she misbehave, you will report directly to me. If you misbehave, she will do the same. »
My tone was calm but the message was clear. Anyone touches her or bullies her and my blade would make sure that it never happens again.
« Thank you for your attention. » i bowed again « you can dismiss. »
Everybody sat up and the captains came closer to have a look at Haruhi.
« There's starting to be so many Saito in this headquarters » said Nagakura with a grin « We should maybe change our name in Saitogumi. »
« Is she really your blood, Saito ? » asked Harada, crouching in front of Haruhi.
« Ha. » i nodded.
« She doesn't really look like you... Except the eyes maybe but even this.. It's not the same blue. » he muttered.
« Are you gonna stare at me long ? » asked Haruhi on the defensive.
Harada laughed and stood up, reporting his gaze on me. « She also seems to have more temper. »
« We'll work on it. » i said, bowing « I will not let her be a bother. »
« I want to learn how to fight. » she said firmly, looking up at me.
« I said I'll allow you if you respect the rules. » i said in return in my toneless voice « and you're currently breaking them by not showing respect to Harada-san. »
She gritted her teeth and took a impassive, submissive expression. « Pardon me, Harada-san. »
I nodded. It was feeling strange. I trained men, taught them discipline... but never before had I had experience with a kid. And I wasn't sure that I started with the easiest.
« Did Toshi agree to this ? » asked Souji, getting closer along with Chizuru.
« Of course. » i replied « I asked him for permission before fetching her. »
I would never had taken the decision without informing the commanders first. I cannot say that it went smoothly though. I explained to them that a friend had died, leaving a child without any family or ressources and that I had to take care of her. They understood why I was bound to the child but she still was a girl and that was a problem. They agreed nonetheless, thanks to Kondou-san, and I just hoped that Haruhi wouldn't cause any problems that could reflect negatively on me and the Shinsengumi.
« They're always so soft on you... » said Souji with a smirk.
« Look who's speaking... » i answered with the same smirk. « Haruhi, this is Okita-san and next to him, that is Saito-sensei. »
« You can call me Chizuru. » she said with a genuine smile.
Haruhi took a moment to look at Chizuru in her hakama and turned to me.
« She's a girl. » she said.
« That kid's observant » chuckled Souji « I like her already. »
« I am indeed a girl » replied Chizuru with a maternal smile « I am the Shinsengumi's doctor and Hajime's wife. »
« So you're my sister ? » she frowned.
« If you want it to be. » replied Chizuru.
She lifted her gaze to look at me and I smiled. I told her all about Yuki that night when the snowflakes were dancing around us and she understood with so much compassion that I didn't think it was even possible. She allowed me to take Haruhi into the family and I would never find an appropriate way to repay her for it.
« Okay... » said Haruhi before looking at me again « When can I start to learn how to fight ? »
I sighed and Chizuru chuckled gently. I guess she was finding it very funny to imagine me as a father.
« When you'll be worth training. » i said in a firm voice « Show me that you deserve you place here and I'll train you. »
« I'm on kitchen duty if you want to tag along, Haru-chan » said Harada with a smile « learn a trick or two. »
« Okay ! » she said with a smirk.
« Haruhi... » i scolded gently.
« Harada-san. » she bowed « thank you for having me. »
I nodded and she went to the kitchen with Harada. My gaze followed them until they were out of sight and Souji sent his elbow in my shoulder.
« Look at that family man ! » he chuckled « first married, now father... »
« Brother. » i corrected.
« Ara, not with me Hajime-kun. » he smirked « I don't know why you took this kid in but she's not your blood. »
« It's irrelevant. » said Chizuru firmly before I could reply « Hajime adopted her therefore she's a Saito and you will treat her as such, Okita. »
« You're starting to speak like Hajime-kun. Be careful, Chizuru-chan. » he chuckled again. « But this kid seems nice. I'm gonna go see how kitchen duty's going. See ya. »
He turned around and waved his hand in the air, taking the same direction as Harada and Haruhi and I stayed alone with Chizuru. I passed my arm around her, resting my hand on her hip.
« Thank you. » i said.
« There is nothing to thank me for. » she replied, resting her head on my shoulder.
« I believe there is. » i smiled « I love you. »
« I love you too. » she replied, kissing my cheek. « I hope she will be happy there. »
« It can't be worse than where she was before. » i sighed « Still I'm afraid something could happen to her. »
« May I remind you that I've been the only girl in these headquarters for years ? She'll be fine. When I arrived, i was fourteen and all the captains have been very kind to me. They'll protect her. »
« May I remind you that one of these captains took your virginity on a bathroom floor ? » i frowned.
« And he's now my husband » she smiled and it was contagious.
« You're right... She'll be fine. » i sighed again « but I just hope she will be able to behave. She can be so insolent sometimes... And I don't know how to do with kids...»
« She's nine. » she chuckled « she'll learn. You can't expect her to be the perfect daughter yet. »
« I'm not her father » i said, plunging my eyes into Chizuru's.
« You adopted her. » she chuckled again « I guess that makes you her father now. »
I didn't answer. She was right but i'd rather not think about it. I prefered the term of brother. Father was making me uncomfortable, as if I had been unfaithful to Chizuru and that was something I couldn't accept. I leaned over to kiss her, squeezing her hips with my hands and forbidding myself from making them travel a little lower to rest them on her ass. She parted with a smile and came whispering in my ear.
« You know... I'm not working with Sannan this evening... » she murmured in a voice full of promises.
That voice made my mind travel to places of wonders and it made it even more difficult to decline her offer.
« Hum... Haruhi doesn't have a room yet... » i blushed uncontrollably, my mind and body already completely elsewhere « she's sharing ours for the moment... »
She looked puzzled for an instant and then laughed at my flustered face.
« Nevermind. » she said, kissing my cheek again « but you owe me a date night. »
« Deal. » i replied « If Kyoto doesn't become a battlefield before. »
« You're so pessimistic. »
« Realistic. » i corrected and we stayed silent for a moment, feeling the damocles sword above our heads. « I have a round. I shall get going. »
« Okay ! » she said with a smile « would you mind if I tag along ? I don't have anymore duties and I miss our rounds together. »
« Nothing would make me feel happier. » i answered while we walked together to the entrance of the compound to get my haori.