When she was not working either at the Shieikan or at the workshop of Kurozawa-sensei, Haruhi was weaving. She wasn't really good at it and she didn't like it much either but it was customary for young girls to weave during the seven first days of July until Tanabata. She was going with Tama and all the other village girls to make clothes for the deceased souls. They would hang them by the river on bamboos. Tama was a lot more talented than Haruhi. Was there something that girl was bad at ? Her cooking was amazing, she could sew perfectly, weave... A perfect little lady, pure, calm and kind. She was helping Haruhi with her task everytime she was making mistakes, kindly putting her back on tracks. The girls were pretty good friends and even if Haruhi couldn't speak to her about the things that passionated her like swords fighting, they still had a lot of topic to discuss.
They were making a white fabric and probably would sew it in a yukata and dye it indigo, the cheapest color. Tama would make one for her father and Haruhi for her mother, hoping they would enjoy them in the afterlife. Since Tama was weaving a lot quicker than Haruhi, she said she'd also make another one but not for someone dead this time.
« Are you gonna keep it for you ? » asked Haruhi with a smile.
« No. » she smiled in return « Okaasan asked me to make one for Souji, to thank him for the money he gives us. »
« Don't you think all the sweets aren't already enough ? » chuckled Haruhi « You are always so kind to him. »
« Okaasan says that he's a good man and that he deserves our gratitude. I share that vision. » answered Tama politely « You are also repaying him for his kindness in your own way. »
« What do you mean ?! » she asked on the defensive, not liking what Tama was implying.
« The way you cook and clean the Shieikan » replied Tama with a genuine smile « You want to be useful to him because you are grateful to him for looking after you. »
« Yeah... » muttered Haruhi, blushing « yeah, that's right... »
For a moment, she thought Tama and Tsune were knowing about how Souji and her grew closer since his birthday last month and that she was implying Haruhi was dispensing services to Souji in order to pay her rent at the Shieikan. She was happy to see that her words were only spoken out of innocence. To women as honorable as Kondou-san's family, the ambiguous relationship she had with Souji would maybe be considered unworthy of respect. Souji didn't make any promises to marry her, he never told her he loved her... In the eyes of people exterior to their couple, it might appear only physical. Only them could know if it was deeper than that and Haruhi knew that in her case, it was far deeper.
« Tsune-san have decided whether or not she'd come at the Shieikan for the last day of Tanabata tomorrow ? » asked Haruhi, getting back to her weaving.
« Yes » nodded Tama « she said we are both going to come. »
« Souji invited Shinpachi and Heisuke too ! » she said with excitement « I'm so happy we all could celebrate together ! »
« I'm happy too. I remember playing in the Shieikan as a child while they were all training and Otousan was never telling me to go back home. He would take me in his arms and tell me stories about great warriors and how I'll marry a samurai one day because he was going to be a daimyo. »
« He did become one, Tama-chan » said Haruhi softly « He made his dream come true. »
« Yeah and he died a traitor... » she sighed.
« He died a warrior. » corrected Haruhi « they could cut his head off but not strip him from his honor. That's what my father told me. »
« Saito-san » nodded Tama pensively « I'm afraid I don't remember him much. He was pretty scary when I was a child. I don't think he ever spoke to me once. »
« Yeah, he doesn't speak much to anybody... » muttered Haruhi « but he's not that scary anymore now. »
Although he might be scary again the day he will learn about Souji and I.
It was now common knowledge that Haruhi was Saito's daughter even if it wasn't much spoken. Souji also couldn't hide that he was Okita here in Hino, his face was too well known. He was still using the name Tsunashi and Haruhi, Fujita, but no one was fooled in that village. They loved Kondou-san and Hijikata-san though and respected the Shinsengumi so no one reported on them. It was funny because with the Meiji restoration, even farmers were to have surnames now and more than half the village chose Hijikata. That enough was eloquent about how the Shinsengumi was perceived here.
They finished their work and since they had enough fabric, the started sewing. In no time, they had their yukata ready for Kondou-san and Yuki, which would be displayed by the river, and the one for Souji. To make a nice pattern on it, they did knots before dying them indigo and were very pleased with the result. Very proud of themselves, the girls hanged them to dry them, congratulated each other for the good work and then parted ways.
« Haru-chan ! » called Tama and Haruhi turned over to find out what her friend wanted « Hum... If it's alright with you, Okaasan and I are gonna come early tomorrow so we can help you cook for the party. »
« Yeah ! » nodded Haruhi, enthusiastic « That will be much appreciated ! »
« Great ! » bowed Tama « We'll come after the market then. »
« Perfect ! See you tomorrow ! »
Light hearted, Haruhi came back to the dojo just in time to see the students off.
« Bye Haru-chan ! See ya tomorrow ! » said Ichirô.
« Tomorrow's Tanabata » she chuckled « or aren't you celebrating it with your family ? »
« We make a small one here in the beginning of the afternoon with Souji ! » he grinned widely.
« We are gonna hang our wishes in the training room ! » added Makoto.
« Oh, okay. » she nodded « see you tomorrow then. »
The boys all saluted her and she went directly to the kitchen to make tea for Souji. He'll need some when he would get out of his bath after that training. She wasn't mistaken when she saw Souji coming her way in a casual yukata and with a towel on his head. He accepted the tea with a satisfied sigh and looked in the cupboard.
« Haru-chan » he complained « I can't find any sweets... konpeito, manju, mochi... they're all gone... »
« They're hidden. » she smiled.
« They're what ? » he asked, eyes widened.
« You eat too much sweets, Souji ! » she scolded « it's bad for you. »
« Haru-chan... » he threatened, his eyes reduced into tiny slits « Tell me where they are... »
« No. » she shook her head « You need to reduce your consumption. »
« You underestimate me » he grinned « from Hijikata's haikus to Shinpachi's sexy ukiyo-e and even Hajime's love life, no one could ever hide anything from me. »
« Good luck, then. » she shrugged.
« Haru-chan... »
Souji got closer and he lifted her chin up. His eyes were those of a killer and she wondered for a second if he could really kill her for sweets. He pressed against her and she instinctively stepped back, her mind yelling danger ! like a siren. She found her back against the wall and Souji's face got even closer with a predatory smile. She was cornered.
« Haru-chan... » he threatened again « where are my sweets ? »
Surprising him, Haruhi closed the distance between their lips and kissed him. Distracted, he didn't notice the kaiken before it was pressing on his throat. Realizing his defeat, he chuckled, fair play.
« Ara... What a cunning little warrior... » he murmured.
Have she said defeat ? Souji was far from defeated and he pressed his neck against the blade, making her loosen her grip not to hurt him.
« Ne, Haru-chan » he commented snidely « If you take your blade out, you should be ready to use it. »
The blade was now as much pressing on Souji's neck than it was on hers, his face against her ear. Fortunately, the side pressing on her was the dull one but she had to forfeit, otherwise, she'd eventually cut his flesh if he kept pressing that way... Slowly, she lowered her blade.
« Now... » he murmured in her neck, biting it « my sweets. »
« In the common room behind the Shinsengumi autel... » she replied grudgingly.
« Wasn't that difficult, was it ? » he smiled innocently before heading to the common room, whistling playfully.
He came back with all the sweets she had hidden and put them back in the kitchen cupboards under Haruhi's sighs. Guess she couldn't make him watch out for his sugar consumption.
« Tama-chan said she'd come tomorrow with her mother. » said Haruhi, changing the subject.
« That's great. » he nodded, sipping his tea « Shinpachi and Heisuke confirmed too. Shin will be coming with his wife and son. »
« Shinpachi has a son ?! » she yelled, surprised « he didn't even mention it ! »
« Yeah, apparently. » nodded Souji.
He stayed silent and looked outside the window where a bird was cleaning his wings on a tree branch.
« Ne, Haru-chan » he asked « do you want children ? »
« Where is that coming from ?! » she asked, completely flustered.
« I don't know » he shrugged « just wondering. »
« You want children, Souji ? » she asked, confused, and nearly added « with me ? »
« I guess » he smiled « I'm not really into babies though but I guess I'll have to cope with it if I want children of my blood. I thought I'd die before I got the chance so I never really thought about it. Maybe I'm getting old so the thought is making its way to my heart. » he chuckled.
Again, he said nothing and kept watching at the bird until it flew off.
« It's funny though » he added « Shinpachi, Hajime... Not really the men I could picture as fathers and yet... here they are. »
« I guess... » she muttered, uneasy, before changing the subject « Tama and Tsune asked to come in advance so they could help with the cooking. »
« Thanks gods » he sighed, happy « we might have decent food. »
« Souji ! » she yelled, angry.
« That's what I should have added to your letter ! » he said, his fist in his open hand « Dear Hajime-kun, please send decent recipes to Haru-chan otherwise, she's gonna kill me with her culinary skills. »
« I'm gonna kill you... » she gritted her teeths « and it's not gonna be with my cooking. »
« Can't wait to see you try... » he smirked, emerald eyes gazing at her above his cup of tea.
« I suggest you sleep with an eye open. » she hissed, wounded in her pride.
Souji chuckled and got up, ruffling her hair.
« At least, I know I'll never die of boredom with you. » he commented before heading out, leaving her with her fists clenched and her teeth grounded.
When he was gone, Haruhi eventually smiled a little.
Smile Souji, I'm gonna beat you at your own game one day and nothing would be sweeter than that !