Disclaimer: I do not own PMK or RRK, I only derive pleasure from writing about the characters.
Chapter 21: Sakura's Falling
The sakura is late in blooming this year, Nagakura thought as Harada helped him change his bandages. They were sitting on the veranda. The flowers are exceptionally beautiful. Too bad Toudou-san isn't around to see them. After the raid, they had counted thirty dead deserters and five of their men killed, three by Heisuke's sword. There were numerous injuries too.
"Sano-kun, did it have to end like that?" The giant didn't have the words to reply. Instead, he pulled the bandages tightly around Shnpachi's wound, forcing him to yelp in pain. "Sano! That bloody hurts!" He spun around to cuff his large friend. Soon a friendly scuffle was underway.
"Harada-san! Nagakura-san! Please! Your wounds!" An alarmed Hotaru chided as she chanced upon them. Both men stopped. The bandages were tangled about both of them. Hotaru stifled her giggles at the ridiculous state they were in and hurried off for more clean bandages.
Both Shinpachi and Sanosuke exchanged glances then burst out laughing. They could almost hear a third voice laughing along with them like he always did.
Hijitaka visited Okita alone. Okita wanted to go out and view the sakura. He was too weak to walk by himself. Hijitaka carried him out to the bench under the hospital's cherry trees. All the while, he was painfully aware how light his friend was in his arms. Souji had always been slender, now he was bony.
The illness has given his skin a translucent paleness that resembled porcelain. Hjitaka felt as though any bump or jolt will shatter the young man into a thousand pieces. It was with great relief that he finally sat Okita down on the bench. Okita's cough has eased recently, or maybe it was just that he was too tired to cough. Both men sat watching the falling petals.
"Hotaru-san is busy today. She's nursing the injured..." Hijitaka started. Souji was less agitated after her visit. In fact, Souji had asked after his friends. Still, he was a bit upset she told Okita about the revolt and Saizou...
"Either way, we lost..." Souji murmured. Hijitaka nodded. The revolt had cost them dearly. Many of the deserters had been promising swordsmen with great potential, men that would have formed the next generation of the Shinsengumi.
"The sakura is falling, Souji." The peace in the hospital garden was a respite from the chaos outside. The timeless beauty of the pink and white petals as they whirled in the wind touched even the most battle-hardened soul.
"But the sakura will bloom again next spring," Okita smiled. "I think it's a pity Hotaru-san is not able to go view the sakura..."
"You do know she still treats Tatsu and Susumu as friends."
"Maybe next spring she would have chosen...how's Hajime? He hasn't visited..."
"Hajime's busy..." Hijitaka reached out and took Okita's thin hand in his. Many years ago when the sakura was blooming, he had allowed the sake to cloud his better judgment and given a little boy a sword. Seeing the boy's face light up with joy, he hadn't the heart to take it back.
A few springs later the boy killed his first man. Souji followed them like a faithful dog, down the path they had chosen. Too young, he was far too young and gentle for the blood-soaked path they walked. Maybe his illness was heaven's way of sparing Souji from further bloodshed, but at what cost?
"Souji," Hijitaka gripped his friend's hand gently. "Can you ever forgive me? Forgive me for giving you that sword before you were grown; forgive me for letting you follow me..."
"Toshi, there's nothing to forgive. I chose my own path." Okita smiled. "Don't be silly now."
"Toshi, I'm tired," Okita murmured dreamily. "Lean on my shoulder for a while." Hijitaka gently rested the younger man's head on his broad shoulder. "Arigato, Toshi..." Okita replied weakly as he closed his eyes. "Arigato for everything." Hijitaka watched the pink and white blossoms dance as the breeze rustled the branches.
They sat in that position for a long while before Hijitaka realized Okita's hand was growing cold. Okita wore a peaceful look on his young face. His friend was gone.
"Souji-chan?" Souji, the sakura that blooms next year will not be the same sakura that blooms this spring...
"Hajime-san!" Saitou ignored his wife's pleas to slow down as he stalked through the park. This stupid walk was her idea so let her catch up with him! He was still smarting from his failure to kill that punk called Battousai. What sword style does he use? How was it possible a boy can prove to be the match of...
In addition, he had lost some of his best recruits when they defected with Toudou that traitor, recruits he had been grooming as future elite swordsmen. During the raid, he had made sure they paid with his sword.
You're really letting it get to you, Hajime-kun. Lighten up. Isn't the sakura beautiful? A flicker, a silvery voice. Okita Souji. He hadn't visited the young man since his hospitalization. He hasn't even done any meditation recently. He had lost his prayer beads after falling from the bridge and he hasn't replaced them yet.
He stopped. The blossoms were exceptionally beautiful this year. Tokio thankfully caught up with him. She was very out of breath. Saitou looked at her and smiled. "Toki-chan?" He offered her his hand.
She was pleasantly surprised when he offered to buy her some refreshments. Yes, Souji, Saitou conceded. I really should enjoy this lovely day with my wife.
Umeya. Suzu watched as their head waitress Kikujo fled from the kitchen sneezing. "Ume-dono! I'm allergic to cats!" He grinned wickedly. Kikujo flirted outrageously with the customers. Her wardrobe would have caused a Shimabara courtesan to blush. Today was a fall-off-the shoulder kimono slit up to mid-thigh.
"Who's gonna care for Tsuki-hime? We can't possibly take her to Nagasaki." Umeko emerged with the resident black tabby. "Suzu, you take the cat." Umeko plopped it onto his lap. What do I look like? A cat-sitter? Suzu had never noticed before that the cat had odd eyes, green-blue and amber. The cat miaowed and proceeded to shred his sleeve with her claws.
"Is Saya really going?" Suzu asked as he tried to disengage the feline from his clothes. Saya has been very subdued since Umeko broke the news to her. Umeko will need a week or so settle her business in Kyoto.
"Yes." Umeko's tone was flat. Even she wasn't sure if it will be the best for Saya. Saya has been crying in her sleep recently according to Kikujo and the other girls who shared her room. Iron Boy's patrol has not been active after their big raid on Toudou and the other defectors.
Author's notes:
Playing up on the friendship between the guys in this chappie. Can't resist writing a touching death scene for Okita-san. Like Okita to kind of knock sense into Saitou for his behavior towards his poor wife. A throwback to the PMK Saitou?
A feline allergic waitress? Tsuki-hime translates to Princess Moon. Kikujo translates literally to chrysanthemum girl. I will definitely develop this character if there's still time.