A/N: For those of you who have watched Episode 156 (which happens to be one of my FAVOURITES even though it ended up NOT being Gin and Tae). I have to dedicate a chapter to this episode. It was so creative! I mean, it was as though you were RPG-ing Gin and everyone else. So cool! I will stop gushing now! Thank you for the reviews! And if you don't get it, watch Ep. 156 NOW!
Chapter 3
"Ah, danna! Long time no see."
"Yeah, it's been a while. Could I get my usual?"
"Of course, of course. Just let me do it up for you a bit. So, what brings you here? Anything in particular?"
"You know me, oyaji - nothing on my mind really."
"Right, I'm sure you came because you were worried about this old man. Here you go. Shochu laced with strawberry milk."
"Thanks."
"Well, here's a bit of gossip - did you hear that Katsura Kotarou, the Jouishishi leader, is getting married?"
"...Oi oyaji, not you too. What is he, some kind of celebrity! Why does him getting married qualify as town gossip?"
"Well, he is pretty famous in these quarters. He doesn't come here but even wee tots have heard of the man. I wonder who the lucky lady might be?"
"She is a female demon in diguise. Perfect match - he's got a couple of loose screws and her screws are on so tight whether she's human or not is a big question mark."
"Oh, danna, don't say that... or do I sense jealousy?"
"Do I sense insanity?"
"Ha ha ha! Danna, you're always so amusing. Young adults these days, they're so full of life. You make the most of life while you can."
"And you're making the most of my wallet."
"You know... it never hurts to tell somebody how you feel."
"I just did."
"If you don't take the chance, they slip away."
"What is slipping away is my hard-earned yen."
"Even if they don't feel the same way, at least you know you tried."
"Oyaji, you've been watching those silly Korean dramas with your wife again, haven't you?"
"So what's stopping you?"
"..."
"Remember the four rules. One-"
"Yes, yes I remember them perfectly well."
"This is the only place you can get it off your chest, young man. Once you leave, you will lose this chance forever."
"...God, is somebody dying? Could you not make it so dramatic?"
Many drinks later-
"*hic* That monshter penguin that'sh *hic* alwaysh with shim. Why *hic* can't he marry her inshtead?"
"That's clearly due to a species difference..."
"What doeshhe shee in that guy anyway? *hic* Hish looksh? He'sh a freaking crosh-dur...dur.."
"...Didn't you do that once as well?"
"At leasht, marry a norrrrmal duuude..."
"You should tell her all this, you know..."
"Like a factory manger orr...orr even shomeone from the Shing-shing gumi...shlong as ish not the Gori or the uzzer joo eejits..."
"Come on, danna. Home with you."
Gintoki staggered to his feet. "G'night, oyaji. Thanksh...for...lishning."
"Anytime, young man. You know, if you don't mind a word of advice..."
"Anh?"
"If you feel you are not good enough for her, then why don't you do something about it? Instead of pretending you don't care."
"I..." With a final effort, Gintoki collapsed.
"...Ah, he passed out."
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The next time Gintoki realised he was a conscious human, it came with a lot of pain.
"Urrrr." He moaned.
"You need to stop drinking like a sailor. You won't even have a liver at this rate. Here's some water."
Gintoki tried to open his eyes, but failed. He blanched as something wet was firmly wiped across his face. "IT'S COLD!" was what he would have yelled. If he had the physical ability to.
"Seriously, how many times do I have to tell you? You just will never change, will you." A none-too-gentle finger pulled one eyelid open. Gintoki's eye finally captured and registered a salmon-coloured kimono.
"Unh," he answered.
"Okay, I guess I have no choice." A salmon-coloured sleeve was rolled up, the arm in said sleeve drawn back, its owner clearly preparing to deliver a good-
"I'M AWAKE, I'M AWAKE!" Gintoki, despite the beating in his head, sprang up and scuttled away on his butt.
Tae smiled sunnily. "Good morning, Gin-san. Would you like breakfast?"
"Not if it's cooked by you," was what he wanted to say, but even in his hungover state he knew not to. He had learnt that it never paid. "Why are you here anyway?"
"Same reason every time I'm here. You didn't come home, Kagura got worried, Shinpachi knew you were probably passed out drunk somewhere, and true enough we found you in some garbage alley. Kotarou-san had to bring you back."
Gintoki's eyebrow twitched at the sound of his friend's first name. He crawled towards the glass of water next to his futon and drank. Not that it helped his headache that much but at least his throat felt less like sandpaper.
"Okay. I'm good. You can go home now."
Apparently he had not sobered up enough to realise the consequences of such a remark.
Tae briskly folded started folding his sheets as Gintoki doubled over in pain. "If you want breakfast, go and clean up. You smell disgusting."
Gintoki froze.
"And don't look like that. Shinpachi cooked. He told me he didn't want you to die yet."
"Shinpachiiii!" Gintoki would have cried out in appreciation.
"He paid for it though." Tae smirked. Gintoki reminded himself to really thank Shinpachi later.
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Ten minutes later, Gintoki found himself watching Tae busy herself serving the breakfast Shinpachi had prepared out of the corner of his eye.
He didn't find it a purely unpleasant experience, he thought. Although he would rather die than admit it, she was cute. He could live the rest of his life like this, watching her putter around in his kitchen every morning - whoa, what was that?
"Gin-san, I know you find me cute, but do stop. I am engaged, after all."
She heard me! How come she heard me!
"Because you're an idiot." She set a bowl of rice in front of him. "Here you go."
As Gintoki slowly started munching away, he noticed how she had reduced the portions. That his tea was extra strong and had something herbal which he couldn't identify, but was clearing his alcohol-laden system.
"Lucky guy," he muttered.
"Eh?"
Against his better judgement - maybe the alcohol hadn't completely left his sytem - Gintoki grunted and repeated. "Zura's a lucky guy. If he falls short of your expectations, let me know. I'll whip him into shape."
Tae laughed. "Ara, Gin-san. That is the only nice thing you've said to me about me in the long time we've known each other."
Not without good reason, Gintoki thought. He concentrated on his breakfast for a while longer before the question that had plagued him all day and night returned to his memory.
"Why are you marrying him anyway? And don't give me some shit like he has a proper job or he's a good man, because there has to be fucking thousands of good guys with good jobs who would have been perfectly fine. Like you said, we've known each other this long. You could at least tell me the real reason."
Tae raised an eyebrow. "Well, it's simply really. He was the only one who asked."
Gintoki sweatdropped.
"I know you're thinking there's something fishy going on or he's plotting something cool involving a secret high-tech Joui base under my dojo, but no. We're good friends who enjoy each other's company-"
"Friends don't get married! God, trust Zura and you to totally screw up the concept of marriage..."
"I'm not going to hit you because it's rude to do so in front of food. There are some things about Kotarou-san and I that you wouldn't understand."
"Could you please stop calling him that?"
Tae shrugged. "We're just two individuals who connect on an emotional level, find that we do well with each other's support, and so decided that instead of waiting around for someone who will never reciprocate our feelings, why not just take the plunge together?"
That was much too long for Gintoki to process all at once. "Come on, Otae-chan. Marriage isn't a business transaction. What's this talk about plunging-"
"Gin-san, have you ever heard of this saying? In your life you will meet a person unlike any other, whom you will never get bored talking to. You could tell them things and they will never judge you. This person is your soulmate and you meet him or her only once."
Gin stayed silent. And put down his chopsticks. "Thanks for the meal." Abruptly he got up and left the apartment in a few quick strides, the door sliding shut behind him.
Tae stared after him before continuing in a smaller voice to herself. "And if you know you've met him, but can never be together, then you don't have a choice but to move on."
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"She'll never accept me."
"Don't say that..."
"All she's living for is to carry on the legacy of her husband's ramen. That's all that matters to her now."
"Did you even-"
"Try? I've tried so many times, Otae-san. They say women like persistent men, but at the same time, persistence drives people away. I don't want that."
"At least you did try. That's really something I admire. I mean, goodness knows I wouldn't, myself."
"If you don't mind my asking - what's really stopping you?"
"Pride? I don't know, myself. Fear? It could be any of those things. Men can live with rejection. But for women, it's not so easy."
"I see."
"Plus, he doesn't have a proper job, he never pays his rent. He's probably almost a diabetic and his liver has probably expired from excessive drinking. He digs his nose and scratches his ass in public. Not exactly what I imagine a husband to be."
"...I have to agree with you on that one. Sorry, Gintoki."
Tae burst out laughing. "You really are funny!"
"I try."
"Ah, Katsura-san. I might as well... my boss is inviting us all to a staff get-together and he told us to bring somebody. Won't you come?"
"Otae-san..."
"You can pretend to be Space Captain Katsuura or whoever, I don't care, but just...as friends."
"...That's awfully risky for your boss. What if-"
"The Shinsengumi finds out and busts the party? Between me and them, do you really think they stand a chance?"
"...Good point. When is it again?"
tbc
A/N: To be very frank, I'm starting to puke at how corny this might get. But what the hey. Some people are wondering what's gonna happen, whether it's going to be a happy ending for everyone. You know, I don't know, myself. I'm Serious. Some days I think I'll do it this way, other days...Ha ha ha! Thanks for reading and thank you EVEN MORE for reviewing. It's very encouraging!