After a few weeks of rest Kiyoshi's wounds were all healed. So she started
to work in the kitchen with Ayu-nee in the day time, and working with
Susumu at night. Everything was going fine. Well most of the time....
"Kiyoshi-chan!!!!!" from not far away came a voice echoing from the halls of Shinsengumi.
Kiyoshi looked up, she already have a good idea about who it is, as she had guessed. The three comedians were staring right back at her.
"Can I help you with something?" Kiyoshi puts down the carrots that she was peeling.
"We were just asking what's for dinner." Shinpanchi giggled while asking.
"Its just after breakfast, Shinpanchi-san, I don't think Ayu-nee have thought about that yet." Kiyoshi stood up quickly, pat away the peels on her grey kimono, "Is it Sanosuke-san wants to see Ayu-nee?" Kiyoshi looked up at Sanosuke.
"I....yes!!" Sanosuke blushed slightly than nodded.
Kiyoshi pointed over at the side yard, "Ayu-nee is over there, checking the fishes."
In a flash they were all gone.
Kiyoshi quickly finished up her job than she went back to kitchen. She has nothing to do until before dinner. So she decided to look for Tetsu-kun to practice together. Tetsu-kun was an official since half a year ago. Kiyoshi doesn't think he is that strong, but as long as she can improve, it doesn't matter who it is. As usual Kiyoshi found Tetsu busy with servant duties. Kiyoshi still doesn't understand why he does servant things, but she isn't the one doing it, so she doesn't complain.
"Tetsu-kun!" Kiyoshi called out from behind.
"Arr" Tetsu yelped, then he look back, "Kiyoshi you scared me."
"Sorry, didn't mean to." Kiyoshi smiled slightly. She doesn't smile that often anymore. After her family's accident happiness wasn't in her.
"Well, its okay. I'm almost done here, so we could practice together." Tetsu quickly finished up what he was doing. "Everything is finished. Let's go!"
Kiyoshi stood up, "Okay." They both walked to the dojo quickly, with excitement, and in Tetsu case joy.
As soon as they got to the dojo both of them got dressed in armors , and practiced. Kiyoshi's moves were quick and swift, yet it isn't hard enough. Tetsu's moves were not quite as fast, but every time he strikes it was a hard hit.
After an hour of non-stop practice, both of them fell to the floor, exhausted.
"I'll go get some water, you wait here." Tetsu pulled of his gears, than he ran out of the room.
Kiyoshi smiled and called out, "Thank you Tetsu-kun!" Being with Tetsu-kun makes her feel very safe, not that she thinks Tetsu could protect her. It was how he always makes her feel like home, that made him special.
Suddenly the door slide open, and the person who came in wasn't Tetsu.
"Susumu-san?" Kiyoshi looked up, and saw Susumu standing there, she quickly stood up, "Are you looking for me?"
"Yes." Susumu answered swiftly.
"Is there a problem, or a mission?" Kiyoshi asked, not understanding why Susumu looks so nervous.
"No." there was a pause, Susumu was obviously anxious about something, "um........do.....um..........did you hear that there's going to be a fair soon?"
"Huh? Oh.......yes, I heard about it." Kiyoshi looked at Susumu, studying his face, "Is there something more you want to say?"
"I.....yes....uh.........no.......Actually I......."Susumu never finished the sentence, because Tetsu walked right in.
"Did I interrupt something?" Tetsu asked, lending Kiyoshi a face cloth.
"No, not really." Susumu answered, "So you two were practicing?"
"Of course! Kiyoshi is really good!" Tetsu wiped off his sweat, and took a gulp of his tea.
Kiyoshi sat down and watch them talk (later started to argue).
After a while Kiyoshi stood up, "I have to go, its almost lunch, I have to go help Ayu-nee."
As soon as she got to the kitchen Kiyoshi bounced over the Ayu-nee. "Ayu- nee! What did Sano-san want to talk about this morning?"
Ayu-nee smiled, "Children should not be so nosey." Ayu-nee answered while putting a pot of water on the stove.
"Kiyoshi isn't a child anymore." Hotaru popped up from under the shelf(she was looking for soy sauce), "Kiyoshi is 17, she already reached the age of marriage!"
"Hotaru, you make me sound so old." Kiyoshi smiled, she started to help Hotaru and Ayu-nee on the lunch.
"I was always wondering, Kiyoshi why don't you wear something in bright colours? Hotaru looks nice in her red kimono. You should put some colour on you." Ayu-nee sat down beside the stove. Most of the things were done. They just have to wait till the pot boils after that they're done.
"I don't want to." Kiyoshi said slyly, "my whole family was slaughtered. I don't think it would be respectful to be wearing such clothes." Even the happiness I have now, is making me fell guilty, he continued in her heart.
"It's been a month, I think you should start your new life. I think you're family wants you to be happy." Ayu-nee patted Kiyoshi gently on her shoulders, "tomorrow, we'll bring you to get something new."
"I'll pick out something nice for you!" Hotaru said excitedly.
Kiyoshi didn't have much choice, so she just nodded in agreement. Maybe she's right I should start over.
The next day came quickly right after the morning chores Kiyoshi was dragged out the door. Leaving Tetsu alone at the door, feeling ditched.
"I think Kiyoshi would look nice in this!" Hotaru pulled out a pink kimono in the shop.
"No, I don't fit in pink." Kiyoshi blushed at the thought she was in that nice pink kimono.
"How about this one?" Ayu-nee pulled out a deep sea blue kimono with trail of little white flowers at the bottom.
"I like it!" Hotaru clapped her hands, and pushed Kiyoshi into a changing stall, "see if it fits!" and yanked the kimono in Kiyoshi's hands, than she slammed the door.
Blushing slightly Kiyoshi changed into the kimono. She pulled hard on the white Date-Jime Belt. Kiyoshi tugged her hair back, and fixed her ponytail before leaving the changing stall.
"Look, Kiyoshi looks so nice!" Hotaru cheered.
"Indeed, but there is something we could do, to make her look even better." Ayu-nee smiled, then pulled away Kiyoshi's hair tie, Kiyoshi's hair felled down behind her shoulders, down to her waist.
"Kiyoshi looks so noble like!!!!" Hotaru clapped happily.
Blushing, "No, I don't." looking at her own reflection in the mirror, Kiyoshi sees a girl that looks so happy that makes her feels like she was back in time with her family.
Ayu-nee unexpectedly started to braid two little braids with Kiyoshi's hair, than wrapped them around each other dexterously, then she pulled out a kanzashi with a simple design and popped it in place. "Now Kiyoshi IS a noble lady. Don't you think?"
"Kiyoshi-chan!!!!!" from not far away came a voice echoing from the halls of Shinsengumi.
Kiyoshi looked up, she already have a good idea about who it is, as she had guessed. The three comedians were staring right back at her.
"Can I help you with something?" Kiyoshi puts down the carrots that she was peeling.
"We were just asking what's for dinner." Shinpanchi giggled while asking.
"Its just after breakfast, Shinpanchi-san, I don't think Ayu-nee have thought about that yet." Kiyoshi stood up quickly, pat away the peels on her grey kimono, "Is it Sanosuke-san wants to see Ayu-nee?" Kiyoshi looked up at Sanosuke.
"I....yes!!" Sanosuke blushed slightly than nodded.
Kiyoshi pointed over at the side yard, "Ayu-nee is over there, checking the fishes."
In a flash they were all gone.
Kiyoshi quickly finished up her job than she went back to kitchen. She has nothing to do until before dinner. So she decided to look for Tetsu-kun to practice together. Tetsu-kun was an official since half a year ago. Kiyoshi doesn't think he is that strong, but as long as she can improve, it doesn't matter who it is. As usual Kiyoshi found Tetsu busy with servant duties. Kiyoshi still doesn't understand why he does servant things, but she isn't the one doing it, so she doesn't complain.
"Tetsu-kun!" Kiyoshi called out from behind.
"Arr" Tetsu yelped, then he look back, "Kiyoshi you scared me."
"Sorry, didn't mean to." Kiyoshi smiled slightly. She doesn't smile that often anymore. After her family's accident happiness wasn't in her.
"Well, its okay. I'm almost done here, so we could practice together." Tetsu quickly finished up what he was doing. "Everything is finished. Let's go!"
Kiyoshi stood up, "Okay." They both walked to the dojo quickly, with excitement, and in Tetsu case joy.
As soon as they got to the dojo both of them got dressed in armors , and practiced. Kiyoshi's moves were quick and swift, yet it isn't hard enough. Tetsu's moves were not quite as fast, but every time he strikes it was a hard hit.
After an hour of non-stop practice, both of them fell to the floor, exhausted.
"I'll go get some water, you wait here." Tetsu pulled of his gears, than he ran out of the room.
Kiyoshi smiled and called out, "Thank you Tetsu-kun!" Being with Tetsu-kun makes her feel very safe, not that she thinks Tetsu could protect her. It was how he always makes her feel like home, that made him special.
Suddenly the door slide open, and the person who came in wasn't Tetsu.
"Susumu-san?" Kiyoshi looked up, and saw Susumu standing there, she quickly stood up, "Are you looking for me?"
"Yes." Susumu answered swiftly.
"Is there a problem, or a mission?" Kiyoshi asked, not understanding why Susumu looks so nervous.
"No." there was a pause, Susumu was obviously anxious about something, "um........do.....um..........did you hear that there's going to be a fair soon?"
"Huh? Oh.......yes, I heard about it." Kiyoshi looked at Susumu, studying his face, "Is there something more you want to say?"
"I.....yes....uh.........no.......Actually I......."Susumu never finished the sentence, because Tetsu walked right in.
"Did I interrupt something?" Tetsu asked, lending Kiyoshi a face cloth.
"No, not really." Susumu answered, "So you two were practicing?"
"Of course! Kiyoshi is really good!" Tetsu wiped off his sweat, and took a gulp of his tea.
Kiyoshi sat down and watch them talk (later started to argue).
After a while Kiyoshi stood up, "I have to go, its almost lunch, I have to go help Ayu-nee."
As soon as she got to the kitchen Kiyoshi bounced over the Ayu-nee. "Ayu- nee! What did Sano-san want to talk about this morning?"
Ayu-nee smiled, "Children should not be so nosey." Ayu-nee answered while putting a pot of water on the stove.
"Kiyoshi isn't a child anymore." Hotaru popped up from under the shelf(she was looking for soy sauce), "Kiyoshi is 17, she already reached the age of marriage!"
"Hotaru, you make me sound so old." Kiyoshi smiled, she started to help Hotaru and Ayu-nee on the lunch.
"I was always wondering, Kiyoshi why don't you wear something in bright colours? Hotaru looks nice in her red kimono. You should put some colour on you." Ayu-nee sat down beside the stove. Most of the things were done. They just have to wait till the pot boils after that they're done.
"I don't want to." Kiyoshi said slyly, "my whole family was slaughtered. I don't think it would be respectful to be wearing such clothes." Even the happiness I have now, is making me fell guilty, he continued in her heart.
"It's been a month, I think you should start your new life. I think you're family wants you to be happy." Ayu-nee patted Kiyoshi gently on her shoulders, "tomorrow, we'll bring you to get something new."
"I'll pick out something nice for you!" Hotaru said excitedly.
Kiyoshi didn't have much choice, so she just nodded in agreement. Maybe she's right I should start over.
The next day came quickly right after the morning chores Kiyoshi was dragged out the door. Leaving Tetsu alone at the door, feeling ditched.
"I think Kiyoshi would look nice in this!" Hotaru pulled out a pink kimono in the shop.
"No, I don't fit in pink." Kiyoshi blushed at the thought she was in that nice pink kimono.
"How about this one?" Ayu-nee pulled out a deep sea blue kimono with trail of little white flowers at the bottom.
"I like it!" Hotaru clapped her hands, and pushed Kiyoshi into a changing stall, "see if it fits!" and yanked the kimono in Kiyoshi's hands, than she slammed the door.
Blushing slightly Kiyoshi changed into the kimono. She pulled hard on the white Date-Jime Belt. Kiyoshi tugged her hair back, and fixed her ponytail before leaving the changing stall.
"Look, Kiyoshi looks so nice!" Hotaru cheered.
"Indeed, but there is something we could do, to make her look even better." Ayu-nee smiled, then pulled away Kiyoshi's hair tie, Kiyoshi's hair felled down behind her shoulders, down to her waist.
"Kiyoshi looks so noble like!!!!" Hotaru clapped happily.
Blushing, "No, I don't." looking at her own reflection in the mirror, Kiyoshi sees a girl that looks so happy that makes her feels like she was back in time with her family.
Ayu-nee unexpectedly started to braid two little braids with Kiyoshi's hair, than wrapped them around each other dexterously, then she pulled out a kanzashi with a simple design and popped it in place. "Now Kiyoshi IS a noble lady. Don't you think?"