Silver Moon – Book 1 Chapter 6

It was morning the next day. Gintoki was sitting at his desk, thinking back on the events that had taken place the night before.

It almost seems like a dream he thought. It feels weird, knowing that I'm in a relationship now…I mean, I feel happy, and I'm excited about it. It just feels weird. It's been so long since I've been in a relationship like this. Hell, it's been so long since I've even wanted a relationship like this.

Gintoki smiled to himself as he cleared his thoughts. There's nothing to be scared of though. I doubt Tsukuyo is feeling any different than I am right now. He continued thinking for a second before he became a little concerned. No, I'm not worried about being in a relationship right now. However, there is something that I am worried about…

As if on cue, the closet door across the room slowly slid open to reveal a very drowsy Kagura. She had just woken up and was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Gin-chan? Is that you?" she asked.

Gintoki just stared at her with a blank expression. What I am worried about are these idiots finding out that I'm in a relationship…he thought to himself.

Kagura went to sit on the couch as she let out a big yawn. "You're finally home," she said to Gintoki. "I fell asleep before you came back last night. Where were you anyway?"

Gintoki just kept silent. The original reason he hadn't told Shinpachi and Kagura where he was going was because he thought that they would want to tag along. He feared that if that had happened, Tsukuyo wouldn't have fulfilled her promise. He figured that she wouldn't be willing to take them all out and treat them to a dessert.

However, Gintoki now had a better reason to keep the truth from them. If I let any of them find out that Tsukuyo and I are going out, it'll be horrible. Not only will I feel embarrassed, but also all of these idiots will go ballistic upon hearing the news. It's inevitable; they're always interfering with my personal life. This time will be no different. If anything, it could be worse than ever before!

Gintoki tried to calm down and figure out how to deal with his current situation. I'll have to keep it a secret for now. I know that they'll find out eventually…but the longer I can put it off, the better.

Kagura was looking at him, trying to get his attention. "Gin-chan? Are you even listening?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

"Huh?" said Gintoki, snapping out of his thoughts.

"I asked you where you were last night," she repeated.

"Oh, right," said Gintoki, trying to sound normal. He didn't want Kagura finding out the truth. "It's none of your business," he told her simply, hoping she would just drop the subject.

Unfortunately for Gintoki, it did not work. Kagura was now even more curious. "You're acting weird. Are you trying to hide something?" she asked.

Gintoki became nervous upon hearing her question. "Of course not," he dismissed her.

"Then how's come you won't tell me where you went last night?" asked Kagura, continuing to question Gintoki further.

Gintoki put his hands down on his desk out of irritation. "Look, it's something I can't tell little kids like you about."

Kagura become angered when she heard that. "You can tell me! I'm not a little kid!" she yelled.

Gintoki just smiled at her. He knew how to get her distracted and she had just taken the bait. "Really?" he said. "If it's true that you're not a kid, then why are your boobs so small?"

"SHUT UP!" screamed Kagura, standing up out of anger.

Just then, the door across the room slid open and Shinpachi walked in. "What are you guys yelling about so early in the morning?" he asked the two in front of him.

Gintoki took the opportunity to try and change the subject before Shinpachi had a chance to become suspicious of him like Kagura had. "It's nothing important," he said, "We were just-"

"Gin-chan won't tell me where he went last night and he's pissing me off!" Kagura interrupted him.

"Oh, that's right," said Shinpachi, thinking back on the previous night's events. "You left without even letting us know that you were leaving. I ended up going home before you came back," he explained. "Where were you anyway?"

Gintoki just looked at him with a frown. I can't catch a break, can I? he thought. "Look, it's not important. I was just out taking care of some business," he said.

Shinpachi gave him a curious look. "You mean, like a job?" he asked.

Gintoki scratched the back of his head out of nervousness. "Well…not exactly."

"Hold on," said Kagura. "Are you trying to do jobs without us so you don't have to pay us!?" she shouted.

Shinpachi just looked at Gintoki in disappointment. "That's low Gin-san…"

Gintoki was waving his hands in front of him, trying to deny their claims. "Now hold on a minute!" he shouted. "You guys don't really think I would do something selfish like that do you?"

Shinpachi and Kagura just stared at him with shadows over their eyes. Their silence confirmed that they believed it.

"Look, it's not like that," said Gintoki. "Last night, I was just taking care of something personal. It's completely private and none of your business. And you can both stop asking because I'm not going to give in."

Shinpachi and Kagura both looked at each other and sighed.

"Fine," said Kagura.

"We'll leave it alone," said Shinpachi.

Gintoki smiled upon hearing this. "Good, I'm glad you understand," he told them. I finally got them off my back he thought with relief. "Anyway, there is something I need to give you," he said, producing a small bundle of cash in each hand. "Here's your pay from helping out with Seita's birthday party the other day."

Both of their faces lit up as they took the money from his outstretched arms.

"It's about time!" said Kagura, counting her small fortune.

"Yes, thank you, Gin-san," said Shinpachi. He also began counting his money when a thought struck him. Wait a minute. When did he get this money from Hinowa? Did he go to Yoshiwara last night?

Shinpachi thought about asking Gintoki his question, but decided not to out of politeness. After all, he had already told him that they would stop asking him about it.

"You're both welcome," said Gintoki. "Now please do me a favor and leave the room for a while," he said with a serious face.

"Huh? Why?" asked Shinpachi and Kagura in unison.

"I need to make a very important phone call and I can't have the two of you in here distracting me," he explained.

"Whatever," said Kagura, who was just happy that she had received her pay.

Shinpachi had a feeling that something suspicious was going on, but decided to comply with Gintoki's request for the time being. "Ok, we'll leave," he agreed.

Gintoki gave them both a look of gratitude. "Thank you," he said. "And close the door on your way out!"

They both walked out to the front room and closed the door behind them as Gintoki had asked.

Shinpachi couldn't help but still feel a little curious as to what Gintoki was up to. "I wonder who he's calling," he told Kagura. "If it's really important it might be a while before we're allowed to go back in."

"Who knows?" asked Kagura. "Anyway, if it's going to be a while, I'm going to take Sadaharu out for a walk. What about you?"

Shinpachi looked around the cluttered house around him. "I think I'll stay here and clean up a bit," he told her. "After all, it seems like I'm the only one who ever bothers to. Honestly, what would a customer think if they saw this mess?"

"Whatever," said Kagura, who was leaving the room to go get dressed for the day. She didn't really seem to care about Shinpachi's complaints.

Shinpachi just sighed as he went to work. "Some things never change," he said.

Back in the main room, Gintoki just sat at his desk in silence as he stared at the door. He waited a few minutes to make sure that Shinpachi and Kagura weren't about to come back in. Once he was sure that he could make his call in safety, he picked up the phone. He dialed the number for Hinowa's house and waited for someone to answer.

To his surprise, Tsukuyo's voice was the one that greeted him upon being picked up. "Hello?" she asked.

"Tsukuyo?" he asked. "It's me, Gintoki."

"Oh, good morning," she replied, sounding happy to hear him. "How are you doing?" she asked.

Gintoki smiled as he listened. "I'm good, how are you?"

"I'm fine…" she replied slowly. "Just in case, you do remember what happened between us last night, don't you? You didn't forget, right?"

Gintoki just laughed upon hearing this. "Of course not. It's hard to forget something like that," he said. "Believe it or not, I was actually thinking about you this morning."

"Really?"

"Yes, I was hoping I could see you again sometime so I could fulfill my promise."

"Oh, our first date, huh?"

"That's right, I have an idea in mind. Ready to hear it?"

"Go ahead," said Tsukuyo, listening carefully.

"Friday night, at 6:00, we go out to eat at my favorite ramen shop. It's a place called 'Daigo Ramen'. After that we can hang out together, just the two of us. Does that sound okay?" he asked gently, hoping she would accept his simple idea of a date. He didn't want the two of them to feel overwhelmed on their first night alone.

"That sounds great," said Tsukuyo, actually sounding kind of excited about his proposal. "Should I just meet you there?" she asked.

"Sure," Gintoki replied. "Also, if it's okay with you, let's just keep it casual. I don't really feel like getting all dressed up if you don't."

"That's perfectly fine with me," said Tsukuyo, sounding a little relieved. She didn't really like dressing up like other women. She preferred to wear her casual clothing. She was happy to hear that Gintoki was the same way.

"Well great," said Gintoki. "It's a date. I'll see you at 6:00 on Friday then."

"Right, I'll see you then," said Tsukuyo. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Gintoki smiled as he hung up the phone. He was excited for their first date. He no longer felt scared or nervous like he had earlier that morning. It doesn't feel weird anymore. It feels…nice he thought. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm really looking forward to being in a relationship with her.

Meanwhile, Shinpachi was standing still outside the room. He was holding a feather duster in his hand, but he was not using it. He had been dusting around outside the room where Gintoki was, where he had accidently heard part of Gintoki's conversation on the phone. He was standing still because he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

Believe it or not, I was actually thinking about you this morning. I was hoping I could see you again sometime. It's a date. I'll see you at 6:00 on Friday then.

Shinpachi just continued standing there as he thought about what he had just heard Gintoki say. Who was he talking to? he wondered. He was thinking about someone and he said he wanted to see them. And then he said it was a date… Does Gin-san have…a girlfriend!?

Shinpachi couldn't help but wonder if that was the case. Is that why he was acting so suspicious? He did seem like he was trying to hide something from us. Is this what it was? I need to get to the bottom of this. I think he said he's meeting this girl on Friday. I'll try to find out what's really going on when the time comes.

Tsukuyo smiled to herself as she hung up the phone. She was really excited for her first date in her first relationship. She stood there thinking about what the date would be like. It sounds like it will be nice she thought to herself. It will just be the two of us spending time together. I don't know why, but I always feel happy just being around him. It should be a pleasant evening.

As Tsukuyo stood there thinking, Hinowa came into the room. She curiously looked over at Tsukuyo who was standing near the phone. "Tsukuyo, who were you just on the phone with?" she asked politely.

Tsukuyo just looked at her. She thought about hiding the truth from her, but decided against it. She had a lot of respect for Hinowa and she didn't like to lie to her. "It was Gintoki," she answered honestly.

Hinowa gave Tsukuyo a look of surprise. "Really? Why was he calling?" she asked.

Tsukuyo suddenly became very nervous. "He just needed to tell me something," she said with a very quiet voice. She didn't want to let Hinowa know anything that she didn't need to.

Hinowa just stared at Tsukuyo with a frown. She could tell that something was wrong. "Tsukuyo, what are you trying to hide from me?" she asked seriously.

Tsukuyo just froze upon hearing the question. How can she tell? Sometimes I think she's too good at being a mom. Tsukuyo just sighed and decided to give in. She knew that Hinowa would just keep asking until she had the information anyway. "Fine, I'll tell you, but you have to keep it a secret," she said.

Hinowa gave Tsukuyo a smile to show her that she could be trusted. "Of course, you can tell me anything" she replied.

Tsukuyo took a deep breath, as she was about to reveal her secret. She didn't really want anyone to know that she was going out with Gintoki, but she felt that she could tell Hinowa without being embarrassed. She knew that she could trust Hinowa with her secret.

"Last night," she began, "when Gintoki and I were alone, he… he asked me out on a date," she said with a slight smile.

Hinowa's face lit up upon hearing this. "Really?" she shouted with excitement. "This is wonderful! Oh, Tsukuyo, I'm so happy for you!"

Tsukuyo gave Hinowa a look of alarm as she was screaming very loudly. She tried to calm her down so she would be quiet. "Ssshhhh! Please be quiet, Hinowa. I don't want the whole world to know."

Hinowa realized that Tsukuyo was trying to keep it a secret and tried to settle down. "I'm sorry, Tsukuyo. I'm just happy to hear that you and Gin-san are finally going somewhere."

Tsukuyo gave her a look of confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, it was obvious that you two had feelings for each other. I was just waiting for the both of you to finally realize it yourselves."

Tsukuyo simply blushed without saying a word. There was truth in Hinowa's words, but she didn't want to let her know that. Had my feelings really been that obvious? she wondered.

"Anyway, I'm happy to hear that you two are going out now," Hinowa continued. "When is your date?"

"Well, he just called to tell me," said Tsukuyo. "We're going out to eat at 6:00 on Friday."

"Sounds wonderful," said Hinowa. "I hope the two of you have a good time together."

"Thank you," said Tsukuyo timidly. She paused for a moment before she gave Hinowa a serious look. "Listen, Hinowa, I know you're happy about this and all, but you have to promise to keep it a secret, ok?"

"Why? Don't you want to let people know?" she asked.

"Not really," she said honestly. "Or at least, not right now. It's embarrassing for me. I'd rather just keep it between us for now. Do you understand?"

Hinowa gave Tsukuyo a small smile. "I understand. I'll keep it a secret for now."

Tsukuyo gave a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Hinowa. Please just keep it a secret from Seita and the Hyakka. They're not as understanding as you are."

"Yeah, yeah. I just hope you realize that you'll have to tell them eventually."

Tsukuyo gave her a nod to show that she understood. "I will when I'm ready, just not right now."

Hinowa continued to stare at her for a second before she decided to leave her alone. "Well alright then," she said, "I have some work to take care of, but I'll be around. Let me know if you need any help getting ready for your date," she said with a smile and a wink.

Tsukuyo just watched her leave in silence. I hope she can keep my secret she thought. I'm not ready to let other people know yet. If anyone else besides her knew about me and Gintoki, I don't know what I would do.

Author: Now that the chapter is over, let's welcome our new guest character to the conversation. It's none other than the main heroine of Gintama herself, Kagura!

Kagura: Hey, what's up?

Author: First off, let me just say that you are one of my favorite female characters in all of anime and manga!

Kagura: Oh wow, thank you so much. That means a lot.

Author: And now that we've gotten that out of the way, go ahead and read the request from the reader.

Kagura: Huh? What're you talking about?

Author: You know, that card I gave you that has a request from one of our readers written on it. You are supposed to read it.

Kagura: But I thought that I was here so that I could talk about the story.

Author: Oh…no, none of that. You're just here to read the card.

Kagura: What? But what about all of that praise that you were just giving me? Are you really going to make one of your favorite characters just stand here and read you a request from a reader?

Author: …Yeah, pretty much.

Kagura: …You're a real asshole, yes?

Author: Just read the damn card.

Kagura: Ugggh, fine. It's a request from someone named Nekoadmirer. It says, "Can you make a chapter where Shinpachi and Kagura and the others will shockingly find out about Gintoki and Tsukuyo's relationship! Please the funny way!"

Author: Thank you, Kagura. You may have been able to tell from this chapter, but that is the direction this story is heading. I plan on having Gintoki's and Tsukuyo's friends all become suspicious of them going out, leading to chaos and hilarity throughout the rest of Book 1.

Kagura: So this is how you write, huh? You let the readers come up with the ideas for you.

Author: Actually, no. This is how I planned Book 1 before I even wrote the first chapter.

Kagura: Wow, really?

Author: As far as you know.

Kagura: …So now do I get to ask a question?

Author: Nope, we're out of time.

Kagura: Wait, but I didn't even get to do anything!

Author: Too bad, we're done. Anyways, I would just like to say a quick thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, or follows this story. I always look forward to reading all the comments you guys leave behind. It's stuff like this that encourages me to keep writing. Thank you all! See you next chapter!