I don't own PMK or any of it's characters, I only own Din, Seimura, and Setsuna.

So I'm updating now because I promised, my oral surgery has been pushed back to next Tuesday because I caught the flu so just because I promised, I'm doing it now.

Thanks for all of the really sweet reviews! They made me feel a lot better then I was so nervous about getting my wisdom teeth yanked out. ::giggle:: Thank you! I love the PMK fans!

Enjoy!

Two weeks had gone by since Din had left the Shinsengumi, and things had gotten into a schedule that seemed normal. The trio would take turns making dinner and everything else, and Tetsunosuke had been forced to pick up more chores as a result of her leaving which he wasn't happy about.

Rain had come finally, telling Hijikata that the snow would soon come as well. Yamanami on the other hand was on a walk thinking of when he and the others had assonated Kamo. As the thought things over, Ito came over to him, and the two headed back to the Shinsengumi dojo, and entered Ito's private room.

"Ha!" Yamanami laughed. "That's how Heisuke-kun got you to join? That's just like him!"

"Yes, I hadn't seen him in a while but he always did say what was exactly on his mind," Ito said with a slight giggle. "He said I was taking my appointment to captain too lightly."

"Nonsense! You've worked hard to attain it! Commander Kondo-san has big hopes for you too." Yamanami moved his right hand back and forth. "You are a very capable person, I'm sure you'll be essential to the Shinsengumi. Please aid them to the best of your abilities."

Ito turned his head. "As I thought…from your choice of words it feels that there's some distance between yourself and the Shinsengumi."

Yamanami blinked, surprised that he had picked up on it.

"You think that no one at the Shinsengumi understands you! You think you don't fit in here!"

Din-san. Yamanami hung his head.

"Is that so?" Yamanami asked, looking back up. "How strange…"

"This is nothing but my own conjecture but," Ito moved up to Yamanami's face, "it seems you don't feel quite comfortable here in the Shinsengumi. Perhaps you have doubts as to the direction of the group is heading. Am I right?"

Yamanami blinked and pulled away as Ito came closer and closer towards him.

"You are a vice-commander, are uncomfortable with the group's direction. This would indicate you don't get along with one of the other executives. Commander Kondo-san? It's the one who really runs the show here—"

"NO!" Yamanami yelled, feeling that he was crossing the line. "The Shinsengumi is fine. Besides Hijikata-kun thinks more about the group then anyone else. If there is a problem then it's just with me alone."

Yamanami then stood up and excused himself. He wanted to get away from everything that was going on, and walked back outside with an umbrella over his head.

He walked through out town, trying to get his mind off of what was happening at the Shinsengumi and for some reason, he found himself looking for Din. He remembered how he had helped him when she had a problem, and was wondering if he should talk to her since she would understand what he was talking about when it came to Hijikata.

Din-san…where are you? He wondered.

As he walked down the street, he spotted Din standing outside of a store, taking down the banner in the front. He walked over to her quickly, and grabbed her shoulder.

"Yamanami-kun," she said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I talk to you?" he asked.

"Sure."

Din led Yamanami into the building and passed Seimura who was setting out long pieces of cloth onto the floor. She eyed Yamanami and giggled a bit.

"Another client Din-chan?" she asked, fluttering her eyes. "You've already handled so many today."

Din rolled her eyes. "Come on Yamanami-kun."

She led him up a small flight of wooden stairs and into a hallway. She took the last door, and walked in with him. As soon as he walked in, she closed the door behind him, and closed the nearby window.

"Sorry for Seimura-chan," she said, slipping the thick kimono off, showing a more boyish outfit underneath. "She's got a dirty mind. So what's wrong?"

"What are you doing here?" Yamanami asked blinking, ignoring her other question.

"A job for someone." She grinned. "I'm supposed to be the day fortune teller while Seimura-chan works at night. Is there something wrong at the Shinsengumi?"

"It's just," Yamanami looked away, "Hijikata. I don't feel like I belong in the Shinsengumi anymore…whatever I do there is always treated so badly, and Hijikata-kun is always one step above me it seems. I'm always arguing with him and it makes me feel like I don't belong there."

"Huh." Din grabbed a bag full of a small food and handed it to Yamanami who pushed it away. "You've always been that way with him though." She began as she ate a small piece of food Yamanami couldn't make out. "You two never agree on the same thing, like you and I. That's why I came to you that one time, and maybe that's the reason he comes to you."

Yamanami sighed. "Perhaps."

Din looked at him, and then sighed also. "Well you know Hijikata, what he thinks is right he'll say until his dying day, even if you prove him wrong." She stood up and walked over to the window. "No matter what, he'll always think that he's right and you're wrong."

The room grew quiet as Yamanami concentrated on the voices coming from downstairs. One of them sounded a bit familiar but he couldn't remember where he had heard the voice from before.

"I think you belong in the Shinsengumi though," Din said, breaking the silence. "You're important, and if anything I know Isami-kun really values your input."

Yamanami found something comforting in that. "Thank you Din-san. I hope you come back home soon."

"Come on," she hopped off of the window sill, "I'll show you the door."

Din lead Yamanami downstairs where he saw that Seimura was holding a fortune telling to a rather tall man with a hat hanging off of his neck. Din moved him closer to the door, and opened it for him.

"I don't want to disturb Seimura-chan," she whispered.

"I understand," he whispered back. "I'll see you later."

"Alright." She smiled. "Bye."

Yamanami walked out of the door, and opened his umbrella as he stepped onto the street. Din waved quickly, and closed the door.

"Ryoma, I didn't know you were going to show up," she hissed towards the man sitting in front of Seimura.

"Sorry!" he said as he turned around with a grin on his face. "I just wanted to see you again! Besides I got another mission for you!"

"Damn what a pain," Hijikata hissed as he hung his head while he held his pipe.

Kondo blinked. "Oh you mean Ito-san?"

"Wasn't there anyone else?" Hijikata asked with a sigh. "I can't believe you shook hands with him."

"Why not?" Kondo grinned. "His fingers are slender and pretty for a guy."

"Don't say anymore!" Hijikata sat back up. "I don't know that he's going to be worth anything to us and I don't like how he keeps stressing that he's a loyalist."

"It's alright. We support the Shogunate but we're also loyal to the emperor." Kondo took a bite of a dumpling once he was done talking.

"That may be but still…"

Kondo smiled. "Toshi-kun is there something else bothering you?"

Hijikata sighed.

"Is it Sannan?"

The demon walked over to the window and opened it to see that it was still raining heavily. They remained quiet for a moment as they listened to the rain falling down from the sky above them.

"It's almost that time of year." Kondo smiled. "When the rain turns to snow."

Hijikata moved his pipe back into his mouth. "Yeah. I hope Souji-kun's cold goes away soon before this weather makes it worse."

"Didn't that medicine you gave him work?" Kondo asked.

"He threw it out!"

"Because it tastes horrible!"

A small kitten sitting on top of the roof listened in on the two older men talking and jiggled it's bell. It moved it's umbrella and made sure that it listened to all of their conversation.

The rain finally broke but instead of changing to sun, it changed to snow. The first snow of the season came when Hijikata announced the rule changes to the men, and how that if any of the new rules were broken, they would be forced to commit Seppuku. The rules were strange and harsh but to Shinpachi, the rules showed just how badly the Shinsengumi was falling apart.

Tatsunosuke's main concern was the fact that Tetsunosuke had been stealing expensive treats from the market once more. He had talked to him about it not moments before, and now he had found the treats hidden inside of Tetsunosuke's pockets.

"Tetsu-kun!" Tatsunosuke called out. "Come here!"

The smaller red head peaked around the corner. "Yes onii-chan?"

"Get over here!" Tatsunosuke pointed to the spot in front of him. "What is this? You told me that you would stop!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Tetsunosuke kicked the floor playfully.

Tatsunosuke sighed. "You're getting so bad with stealing that I'm afraid to take you to the market! What am I going to do with you?"

Tetsunosuke looked up to answer when he saw Din walking up from behind. He blinked and pointed towards her, and Tatsunosuke to turn around.

"Hey Tatsu-kun," she said gently. "I was just coming to see you."

"Din-chan." He blinked. "Welcome back."

"Thanks." She smiled.

"Din-chan!" Tetsunosuke stepped out from behind his older brother and grinned.

"Hey Tetsu-kun."

"ICHIMURA!" Hijikata yelled. After hearing his name, Tetsunosuke ran away from the two and over to his master.

Din walked towards Tatsunosuke once the smaller red head was out of the room, and hugged him tightly. He blushed and hugged her back, not understanding why she was hugging him so tightly.

"I missed you a lot," she whispered.

His blush grew deeper. "I missed you too."

Din then pulled away with a smile on her face. "Do you know where Souji-kun is? I want to see him."

"He's in the back." Tatsunosuke moved away from her.

"Thanks. I'll see you at dinner alright?" she said as she began to walk away.

"Sure." He blinked with a smile crossing his face.

Yamanami was sitting outside with Souji, watching him as he played with a gang of local children. Souji soon came over and sat down beside Yamanami as he puffed hot air onto his hands to warm them back up.

"I haven't heard anyone call you by that name in a while," Yamanami said.

"No one would let "Souji Okita" play with them." Souji giggled.

Yamanami puffed up his cheeks as he tired to hold back his laughter. "I see, they wouldn't let you play with them huh?"

"No!" Souji moved his hand back and forth. "I mean I wouldn't play with them!"

"When I first met you, you were about the same age as them." Yamanami sat forward. "Din-san was always by your side whenever I saw you."

"But I wasn't as sweet or as innocent." Souji leaned forward as well. "It's cooold! Is the year over already?"

"It went by so fast."

"Time flies in central. Last year we barely had time to breathe and it looks like it's going to be the same this year. I'll probably be an old man before I know it!" Souji giggled once more.

"People change even in a single year." Yamanami twitted his fingers together.

"I think Hijikata-sama was right in that meeting." Souji sighed, catching Yamanami's attention. "But I think you're even more right."

"Souji-kun!" Din said, breaking through Yamanami's thoughts. "Hey Souji-kun!"

"Din-nee!" he said happily as he ran over to her. "You're back!!"

Souji jumped on Din and wrapped his arms and legs around her tightly. She hugged him back tightly and he then jumped off of her and clapped his cold hands together.

"I've missed you!" Souji cheered.

"I've missed you too." Din smiled. She looked over towards Yamanami and waved, and he waved back to her instead of saying anything.

An hour later of talking to Souji about things that had happened while she was gone, Din walked into Hijikata's room, and closed the door behind herself. He looked up from the writing he was doing and blinked.

"When did you get back?" he asked as he blinked.

"I came to tell you that I have to stay out longer," Din said seriously, in a tone Hijikata hadn't heard come from her mouth before. "I came here for one day, and then I'm going back out."

"For how long?"

"Until the end of February." Din's hands gripped her kimono tightly.

"That's two months from now!"

"I know." Dun hung her head. "But it's something I have to do."

Hijikata looked away from her. "What are you doing?"

"I can't tell you." Din shook her head.

He jumped up and grabbed her arms tightly. She squeaked from the surprise but kept her head lowered as he shook her.

"Tell me where you're going," he demanded. "I want know now."

"No," she said back. "I'm not going to."

I'm leaving in April. She told herself. Leaving, forever. Leaving in April.

"What the hell is going on!?" Hijikata yelled. "I want you to tell me right now dammit!"

"You don't understand!!" she yelled back, now looking at him in the face as tears fell down her face. "You're so blind and stupid that you don't understand!!"

Hijikata growled from her calling him stupid and moved his right hand, and hit her across the face. Her head moved to the side but she ignored what had just happened and kept talking.

"I'm leaving in April and I'm never coming back! I want to stay as long as I can but I can't! I don't want to leave!!"

"What?" Hijikata blinked in surprise. "Why?"

"My duty!" she said as she shook her head. "My Goddamn duty! I missed everyone too much! I can't do this!"

"I'm countin' on you Cowgirl! You're gonna help me clean up Japan!"

"I miss him," she whimpered as she lowered her head, and it hit Hijikata's collarbone. "I have to go…I have no choice."

"Din…."

"I missed you too much, even for just a damn month. How am I supposed to deal with leaving you forever?" she whispered.

Her hands left her kimono and grabbed the front of Hijikata's. She tugged on him once, then twice until he finally got the message, and let her rest against his chest. Her crying continued but he didn't do anything to stop it, he was still in shock about what she had said.

Leaving…forever. Hijikata thought. Din…

A few hours had passed since Din talked to Hijikata, and she had already served dinner. Everyone was now going back to their rooms in order to get some sleep. Tatsunosuke was looking forward to seeing Din in the morning, not knowing that she would be gone when he woke up. Wanting to know more about what was going on, Hijikata walked into Din's room to see her sewing something.

"What's that?" he asked, standing by her open door.

"I'm making something for Souji-kun since he's sick," she answered, not looking up to him. "I started too late but I'm sure he'll use it anyway."

Hijikata sighed. "I don't want you to leave permanently," he admitted. "I'd like you to stay here with us."

"I would too." Din sighed. "But I have to leave. I'm sorry for what I said before, I wasn't thinking."

Hijikata shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Can you tell me where you're going?"

"This time I can't," she confessed as she dropped her sewing. "But Hijikata…if something happened to me, would you protect me as much as you could?"

"Of course."

"I would do the same to you," she said gently. "That's why I have to leave, I've put you at too much risk. I'm sorry."

"What are you involved in?"

"Something you don't stand for." She closed her eyes for a long moment. "Please don't ask anymore. I'm just telling you, I'll protect you as long as I can."

"And I will too."

The next morning Tatsunosuke walked into the kitchen expecting to see Din but saw an empty kitchen instead. He sighed loudly and walked into his workroom where he saw a note sitting on his desk.

What's that? He asked himself as he walked over to it.

Tatsu-kun,

I'll be leaving for a bit longer, but I'll be back in two months. After that, when I come back I have to talk to you about something serious. Wait for me, I'll be back soon.

--Din

Din-chan. He thought, clutching the letter. Why couldn't you tell me to my face? I hope you come home soon.

"So what is it Ryoma?" Din asked as she walked beside the taller man. It was early morning so Ryoma wasn't too worried about being caught.

"I have somethin' I wanna show you before you head back over to Seimura-chan's," he answered.

Din followed Ryoma over to the pier. She looked around at the construction and saw the spot where she had kissed Tatsunosuke once. A smile crossed her face as she remembered, but then felt Ryoma grab her hand.

"What?" she asked.

Ryoma grinned and pointed towards the construction. "There. What they're building is for us."

She looked over towards him and blinked. "Us?"

"Yup!!" A wider grin crossed his face. "That's the house I'm havin' built for us! We're gonna live in it once Japan is cleaned up!"

"A house…," Din whispered.

"We'll be together once Japan is cleaned up! Then we won't have anything to worry about."

So many feelings came over Din at once. She felt her cheeks blush but tears fall down from her eyes and her hands came up to her mouth in surprise. Her mouth opened in awe as she tried to sort the feelings inside of her but couldn't.

"Ryoma!"

Din turned to Ryoma and buried her face into his side as she cried loudly. His smile stayed on his face and he turned around to her, and hugged her tightly.

"It's alright Din-chan. It's alright," Ryoma whispered.

R&R please!