February 1867
I was getting back from the market where i bought everything for the dinner tonight. I was planning on a fish stew with rice and a dessert. Normally, we never have dessert at the headquarters but I wanted to try. As i arrived, hands full with all my groceries, i saw Chizuru running toward me.
« Saito ! » she called with a smile « are you making the dinner tonight ? »
« Ha. »
« Heisuke took me to the river this afternoon and he caught some ducks ! » she explained, excited. « Can we eat them tonight ? »
I looked at Toudou from afar who waved at me with his hands filled with dead ducks and a smile that was so wide it was going from ear to ear. I counted the ducks... eleven... not enough to roast them but enough for a stew if i put them in instead of the fishes but i'll have to change a bit my ingredients.
« I can make a stew. » i said.
« Great ! That sounds delicious ! » she said, still so excited. « Do you need help ? »
No. And I want you to avoid the kitchen all day. Don't even think about coming in.
I'll have to find her occupations to be sure she wouldn't try to help me.
« Maybe you and Toudou could pluck these ducks and put them here afterwards. » i said, showing her a basket near the kitchen. That should take them at least one or two hours... « but before, since the menu changed, may i ask you to go back to the market and fetch some ingredients and spices ? »
I saw her eyes lit and she nodded. Good. Chizuru loved the market, she will probably stay there a long time, comparing prices to be sure to have the best deal. I made her a quick list of ingredients and she went away with Toudou. I entered the kitchen to put my bags in and wondered what i should do first. Since i needed the ducks and spices for the stew anyway, my best option was to start with the dessert.
I took out the flour, the eggs and the mizu ame out of my bags and got my recipe out of my sleeve to mix the ingredients properly. I decided to make some only for the captains due to the expensiveness of the ingredients. I took a big bowl to mix everything, following the orders on the paper before my blood froze.
Honey. I need honey. I forgot it. Shit. Maybe if i put more mizu ame instead... but that won't be according to the recipe. I can't just invent something. If there's honey on the recipe, then i need honey...
I began opening every cupboard, hoping to find some honey and i got lucky. I sighed with relief. I would have prefered not serving dessert at all instead of serving one that wasn't according to the recipe. I put the honey in my preparation and stirred it until it was homogeneous. I put some wood underneath the oven and waited for it to be hot enough before pourring my preparation in a big rectangular shape mold and putting it in the oven.
I heard some noise outside and supposed Chizuru and Toudou were back. I opened the door to take their groceries. They nearly stepped in, wondering what was smelling that good.
« The ducks, please. » i asked to get them out of my way.
They went away and i looked at them on a bench, plucking the ducks. They were going faster than expected. Chizuru was carefully putting the feathers in a basket to keep them. She'll probably make pillows from it. Toudou wasn't as careful and Chizuru scolded him so he started putting the feathers in a basket as well. Nagakura and Harada joined them and i saw that the task was turning into a contest of the fastest plucker. I sighed. They'll stay kids forever. I started the preparation of my stew with the vegetables and the spices. The meat would be added last.
After about half an hour, i got out my dessert from the oven and put it somewhere where it could cool down peacefully. It looked good and was smelling good as well and i was pleased with it since it was the first time i was trying this recipe.
They brought me the ducks and i emptied and prepared them before adding them to the stew. I took off a bit of wood from under the pot so that it wouldn't burn and got out from the kitchen. The only thing to do now was wait and i repeated my movements in the courtyard, keeping an eye on the kitchen door.
At dinner time, the captains and Chizuru ate the duck stew all together, except for Souji who was unwell and decided to stay in his room. Chizuru brought him a plate but he said he wasn't hungry. I decided that i will try to bring him some later with extra spices. His illness was modifying his sense of taste and he said to me once that now, everything was tasting the same to him. Nagakura and Toudou fought for the last piece of duck, as expected, before Hijikata-san asked them to calm down. When everyone was finished, Chizuru started gathering the plates but i put my hand on her shoulder, asking her silently not to move. I took the plates out of her hands and took them to the kitchen. I came back shortly after with the dessert and i saw Chizuru's eyes widden with surprise and delight just as i hoped. I put the plate down and everyone smiled with envy.
« Castellas ! » said Harada « did you make these, Saito ? »
« Ha. » i nodded.
They all took one and bit in it.
« It's so delicious ! » yelled Toudou, nearly putting the entire castella in his mouth.
« What's the occasion ? » asked Inoue, politely.
« My birthday. » i answered « three days ago. »
« Hey ! » added Toudou, spitting crumbs as he was speaking « Chizuru's birthday is also near ! When is it... » he tried to remember, scratching his head.
« Actually... » she answered, blushing red « it's today... »
She plunged her gaze in mine and we both smiled.
« What a coincidence... » i muttered in my toneless voice, eating my castella.
« Happy birthday Chizuru-chan ! » said all the captains one after another and Nagakura went to his room to grab a bottle of sake to celebrate.
« How old are you now, Chizuru-chan ? » he asked, opening the bottle and serving a cup to everyone.
« Ei... Eighteen... » she answered.
« Old enough to have a cup ! » he announced, handing her one.
« Oh no, i can't ! » she refused, shaking her head.
« Come on ! Just one ! » insisted Nagakura and the other captains joined him. Her gaze went on me, probably wondering what was my position on the subject and if i could rescue her.
« Yukimura. » i finally said « the taste of the sake will reveal more flavors in the castella. You should try. »
« Al...alright... » she stuttered and she brought the alcohol to her lips, sipping.
Her face twitch from this new flavor. It was a bit sweet and bitter at the same time. She bit in the castella and her smile grew bigger.
« It's true ! » she said to me « it's even more delicious now. »
I nodded, pleased, while the other laughed.
« Drink some more, Chizuru-chan ! » encouraged Toudou but she didn't wanted to. He took her cup and filled it while Nagakura started encouraging her as well.
« I think you shouldn't force her to drink some more if she's not willing to. Unless your intentions aren't honorable. » i said with a icy gaze and Toudou took back the cup.
« I never meant to... » he started, blushing red with shame and anger.
« I know. » i said but my gaze was still fixed on him, leaving an aura of doubt in the room.
After that, all the captains let Chizuru be and she was pleased with it. I saw a thank you in her gaze when it landed on me and i stood up.
« I'm going to bring some to Souji and Sannan. » i said before turning to Harada who nodded with a smile.
« Yeah, i know. It's my turn for the dishes... » he sighed « mind helping me Shinpachi ? »
The two of them gathered the plates and i went to the kitchen first to add some spice to the stew i made and bring it to Souji along with his castella.
« Souji. » i called.
« Leave me alone. » he answered and i heard him cough.
« I'm leaving a plate with extra spices in it outside your room. There's also a castella i made. » i said, putting the plate down.
The shoji opened a little and i saw a hand grabbing the cake before closing it again. I hoped he'll eat some stew too but Souji always had a preference for sugar anyway.
« If you want more, i think there's leftovers in the kitchen. » i said but he didn't answer and i walked away.
I went to the Rasetsu quarters but found them empty, probably already on rounds. I put a castella in Sannan's room with a note and went away, to Chizuru's room.