Waking up to a bright day, I rubbed the back of my head.
"Where am I?" I asked, looking around.
"Your at the Shinsengumi." Someone said from behind.
I turned my head around to see a man in a blackish kimono and spiked hair.
"Who...who are you?" I asked studderingly.
"My name is Susumu Yamazaki. I am the Inspector of the Shinsengumi, which is where you are." Susumu bowed a little.
"And you are?"
"Im Idril Kuwai, a banned Ninja of Osaka." I bowed my head some, my hair going into my eyes.
"How could someone like you get banned?" Susumu asked me.
"I dont want to talk about it..." I turned my ead the other way. I heard him starting to walk, I didnt know if he was coming close or walking away.
I felt a hand touch my chin and face, the hand turning my face towards his.
"You pull anything funny, and I will slice your throat." Susumu said, his black eyes looking into my light blue ones. I couldnt say anything back, I knew I'd probably would have just said something bad to him, so I nodded.
"Alright then, come with me, you need to see Vice-Commander Hijikata." He spoke again, moving his hand and getting up.
I got up and followed him with no questions, my ninja suit a little torn up.
As we walked down the hall to mister Hijikata's room, I felt like there was something about Susumu but couldnt put my finger on.
I saw Susumu stop infront of a door, I quickly stopped behind him.
"Vice Commander, we are here." Susumu said, putting a hand on the wall next to the door, waiting for an answer.
"You may come in." Mr. Hijikata said.
We walked into the room and Susumu shut the door behind us.
"What is your name?"
"Idril Kuwai." I bowed my head a little, Susumu stood next to me, he looked at Mr. Hijikata then closed his eyes.
"Hmm, what were you doing on the Choshu stronghold last night?" Mr. Hijikata asked, his pipe in his mouth.
"I was running away..." I said, looking down. Susumu looked at me with open eyes, he was right.
"Running from what?" Hijikata asked, he took his pipe from his mouth then blew the smoke to the side.
"The Choshu, I dont want to join them." I almost yelled when Susumu put a hand on my shoulder to keep me from it.
"Then would you want to join us?" It seems Yamazaki has taken a fondness to you." Hijikata smirked. Susumu didnt say anything, he just minded his conduct.
"Is the Shinsengumi like the Choshu?" I asked, looking over at Hijikata. He turned his head to the side, his long black hair swaying some.
"We are, and then we arn't. We are the ones trying to stop the Choshu from trying to make this place into part of thier Revolution." Hijikata spoke, his eyes were kind of angered.
Susumu looked at Hijikata. Mr. Hijikata turning his head then nodded.
"If it's to defeat the Choshu, Ill be gladly to help." I said then slammed my fist into the floor.
Susumu snickered to himself as he saw me lift my hand up and shake it.
"Yamazaki, take her around the Headquarters and show her around." Hijikata looked sterly at his subordinate.
"Understood." Susumu bowed his head a little, he shook his head to the side saying it was time to leave.
I nodded then looked back at Mr. Hijikata. He still looks like father...I thought. Without knowing it, my feet were running over to Hijikata, my arms flung around him.
"Thank you so much father." I said, tears in my eyes.
Hijikata couldnt move, he just patted my back. Susumu came over to me and tapped my head. I snapped out of it, realizing what I just did then ran out of the room.
"Im sorry for that Vice-Commander." Susumu said.
"It's quite fine. Me and her father were friends, pretty much brothers. When her father died, I was the one to take care of her. I dont think she ever noticed that he was gone, or atleast she never acted like it. So I bet she still thinks Im her father..." Hijikata trailed off, he put a hand on his head and turned to the side.
"I could tell by her eyes that she lost something dear to her." Susumu looked down and to the side.
"Well I best catch up with her." Susumu said then disappeared.
"Yea...Kotoji Kuwai..." Hijikata said then took a blow from his pipe.
-By the Training Hall-
"I... cant believe I called him that..." I panted as I came to a stop.
"It's alright, he probably knows it was an accident." Susumu said as he walked behind me.
"Yea..." I mumbled.
"HA!" Someone yelled from the training hall.
"You wont be able to hit me like that!" Another person said.
I went over to a door and looked though it. I saw a short red haired man fighting a tall brown haired man.
"That's Shinpachi and Sanosuke." Susumu told me.
"Oh, they are funny." I laughed a little.
The both of them looked at us then ran over.
"Susumu! Who's your friend?" Sano asked.
"Oh her, she is Idril." Susumu said then leaned against a wall.
"So your the ninja Susumu found on the Choshu building last night." Shinpachi said smirking.
"Yea..." I trailed off.
"So how is it following this emotionaless guy around like a dog?" Sano said.
"I bet she'd make a good friend to our puppy boy!" Shinpachi laughed.
"You got that right." Heisuke said out of no where.
"Heisuke! We missed ya!" Sano said.
"Oh god..." Susumu put a hand over his eyes.
"Hm?" I turned to Susumu and looked at him.
"You okay?"
"Yeah fine.." Susumu moved his hand to cover his mouth.
"Um okay..." I looked at him worriedly, he looked sick but I guess he wanted to hide it.
Susumu looked at me then coughed a little, his breathing a little heavy.
"Susumu..." I said, putting a hand on his forehead to check if he was hot.
"Your burning up!"
"Just let it go, Ill be fine." Susumu smacked my hand away.
"But, it could get worse." I worriedly said.
"I said-" Susumu fell over, I caught him then looked at him.
"Looks like he's been like this for a while." I said, looking down at him. I picked him up cradle style, he wasnt heavy or anything so it was easy to dash back to Ayumu's room.
When I got there, no one was in the room so I went over and layed him gently onto the bed that was against the wall. As I looked at him it was clear to me, he showed no weakness what so ever. But right now, he had one...being sick.
I pulled the covers over his frail sick body and waited. I didnt know the place well and couldnt go out to find any medicine, so I didnt know what to do.
After a few minutes I heard someone walk by, I looked back to see a chibi sized person with red hair.
"Can you help Susumu?" I asked, almost pleading.
"Why? What's wrong with him?" Tetsu asked.
"He is sick, and I dont know where anything is around here." I said.
"Ill go get a wet cloth then." Tetsu said running off.
"Susumu...get better...please." I looked to the side, unfallen tears in my eyes.
"Dont let them fall, dont let them fall." I said. As I cried to myself, I really know why I was crying, I just was. Suddenly I felt a pair of strong arms go around me.
"You care...for me?" Susumu whispered into my ear.
"...you should be sleeping..." I changed the subject.
Susumu smirked then put his head on my shoulder, whispering into my ear again.
"You know...I care too."
My eyes widened as I heard those words. Those words were the last thing my father told me...before he died. Could those words really come from someone who said he'd slice my throat.
"Do you really...care...?" I asked, looking straight at the wall.
Susumu's eyes closed some, he moved his head so it was stuffed in my hair, he sniffed it then nodded.
"Your hair...it smells nice..."
I smirked a little then heard someone coming, I felt him go back onto the bed, him closing his eyes.
"Im back, I brought him some medicine too." Tetsu said as he walked into the room.
"Thank you so much." I took the wet rag and put it on Susumu's head, I saw his hand twitch then I grabbed the medicine.
"Your the Idril girl arnt you?" Tetsu asked.
"Yes I am, and you are?" I asked, looking up at Tetsu.
"Im Tetsunosuke Ichimura, Tetsu for short." Tetsu said perkishly.
"Well thank you again, but can I be alone with him?" I asked.
"Yea, Ill shut the door." Tetsu said heading out.
"Thanks." I turned to Susumu, who had his eyes open once he knew Tetsu was gone.
"You need to rest." I said with a smile, Susumu looked at me then moved his hand onto mind. I looked at him, my face blushing a little.
"Hey no need for that." Susumu smiled, he leaned up and kissed me on the cheek, I moved my hand so it lay on his kimono covered chest.
"Want it off?"
"Nah, you need your rest." I said kissing him on the lips, he put his arms around me like he did before and kissed me back deeply.
When we broke loose, we both were breathing irregularly.
"Ive...never kissed anyone like that..." I said looking at the ground, my face was a darker shade of pink, pretty much a crimson color.
"Tastes like cherry." Susumu smirked then plopped back onto the bed.
"Heh." I smirked then put the rag back onto his forehead.
"Please...rest now."
"Under...stood..." Susumu closed his eyes and fell asleep.
I sat there looking at him, I just smiled then leaned against the wall that was near him, I moved my hand, grabbing his and fell asleep.