All I want for Christmas is…
…To Protect Your Smile. [Chapter 9]
"…I need to return to my own time."
Those words came apparently out of nowhere, which confused the Yato greatly. But as people say; patience is a virtue.
The older Hijikata sibling waited a moment for his words to sink in before proceeding from the previous chapter.
"You must be wondering how the act of time-traveling is possible. In truth, I'm not knowledgeable about this topic either, but lady time-traveler had a gate-opener in the form of a pocket watch. It allowed her to enter the dimension of space and time, and from there, we would run along the timeline whether it be to the past or future. Sadly, that time-traveler isn't around anymore... My only way to return, is to find someone with a clock alike hers."
So the question was where to look. Kagura mused at the thought, her cerulean hues fixated on her cup of green tea before taking a sip. Was there a way to tell if someone had that kind of gate-opener? Unlike vending machines, pocket watches were small, and as the name implied; it could fit perfectly in anyone's pocket. Finding something like that didn't sound easy.
To the Yato's surprise however; when the redhead asked if he had any hints that could lead them to the right person, he nodded.
"As a matter of fact, I do. It's quite a coincidence, actually."
"I se— Wait, you do?" The sukonbu-lover whipped her head in the direction of her client, aquamarines widening noticeably. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry up and bring you back!"
"My thoughts, exactly~ Don't you agree, Sou-chan?"
Okita's reply commenced with a piercing glare at the older Hijikata sibling who feigned not to notice. Clearly, the police officer disliked to be called by that epithet. "I was thinking I'd let you see Hijikata," he revealed, appearing completely calm although something in his look hinted darker intentions.
See Mayora? Didn't they have a talk earlier about how Tamegorou couldn't meet his brother because that might affect the future? What the hell was that sadist thinking! "Are you stupid-aru? Did you hurt your head somewhere? Or perhaps the author took so long writing this chapter that you've forgotten the whole plot?" The maiden's insults were aimed at Sougo like sharp arrows, ready to hit its target spot-on unless he made his move. The blackhead had other plans, however.
"Okita-kun, it's fine. You don't have to stall time anymore," he told the younger boy in all seriousness while leaning forward to stare into his crimson eyes. "You have it, don't you? The timepiece…"
Stillness.
Realization descended upon the brunet's composed features; like a child who was pointed out for something bad he did but gave not much of a reaction because he had seen it coming all along. Looking away, the Shinsengumi captain broke their eye-contact. "Not if she's here," happened to be his reply.
What? Those words made a frown invade her countenance.
"Oi, sadist! What's that supposed to mean? Are you mocking me; I'm not kid anym—!" But further, she did not get. The painful look that had been spread all over her rival's visage made the teenage's heart ache. No… Okita wasn't mocking her. This wasn't one of those jokes where he attempted to piss her off. Whatever reason he had, the sadist truly didn't want to involve her in this. As if…he was trying to protect her.
"Okita-kun." Sigh. "Keeping Kagura-chan in the dark… This…isn't what you're fighting for, is it…?"
Once again, Tamegorou seemed to know much more about Sougo than she ever did. It irked her. How was she supposed to deal with this or even try help him if he kept hiding everything from her?
"Your battle is a different one," the terrorist advised. "Don't waste your time on minor details. Who knows—what if this was meant to happen? What if…it was for the better that Kagura-chan knew about it?"
A minute of silence passed by, and finally, his words managed to change the youngster's mind.
"…guess I'm done playing along," Sougo muttered as he placed down his own cup of tea, somehow disappointed. In an almost unwilling manner, the division captain fished out from his pocket a small, round pendant-looking clock made of gold.
"I knew you had it…" Tamegorou stated, overwhelmed with relief caused by his accurate guess about the one keeping the timepiece. "Kagura-chan, here it is. This pocket watch is a gate-opener which allows its user to enter the dimension of space and time. The time-traveler I met had one."
Wait… What was going on?
"Sadist, you're… You—" Her mouth remained agape as sky-blue hues glued themselves on the tiny clock, surprised. "EEEEEEEEHHHHH? S-Sadist, how did you get that!"
Sentences which started with what, where, why, and how built up inside her mind at a rapid pace. Completely baffled by this revelation, Kagura had problems keeping her calm. Sougo on the other hand, stayed mute.
There was only one thing she was certain of right now, and that was the fact that this was the thing he had been trying to hide from her all along. Was it really that much of a big deal if she knew? It made her wonder if the sadist had ever traveled in time, or even taken it to the next level—changed the past. Knowing him, he probably did it already. But for what purpose?
"Oi Sougo, where the hell are you?" Toushirou's riled voice emitted from the sadist's radio transceiver, interrupting her train of thought. Recognizing his younger brother's voice, the client put on a blissful look. Upon seeing this, Okita handed the walkie-talkie to him instead of replying his boss. Tamegorou's euphoric expression turned into an addled one as he accepted the tool, unsure of what this brunet wanted him to do with it. The sadist didn't lie about letting him 'see' Hijikata after all.
"Oi, Sougo!"
…should he reply? The blackhead seemed to wonder as he hesitatingly placed the radio transceiver closer to his lips.
"H…Hijikata?"
The other end grew quiet. Did the Mayo Freak recognize his sibling's voice?
"You're not Sougo. State your name at this instant or commit seppuku."
Perhaps Toushirou did catch on the familiarity in the other's voice, but chances were that he thought it would be impossible for him to directly converse with a dead person and decided not to have funny guesses about who he was actually talking to.
"Togae Takumi. I'm just a terrorist who picked up this transceiver your friend left behind~ So, how are you doing on this fine day, Hijikata-kun?"
Of course, this caused the officer to throw a fit. First of all, his subordinate had been irresponsible enough to lose his own walkie-talkie, and now, the terrorist who had picked it up was making fun of him. Fate refused to be kind today.
Tamegorou on the contrary, was just happy that he got to converse with his brother. As long as the police officer didn't get suspicious, it should be fine…right?
As she watched him, Kagura couldn't help but wonder how he felt about all this. What did the older Hijikata sibling think after knowing his future? That no matter how hard he tried, he would still have his sight taken away from him, get separated from his brother, then die a lonely death drowned in darkness…?
Time was such a heart-wrenching thing, indeed. She had always known it was after experiencing how time could change those she held dear and tear her family apart, leaving her with no place called 'home'… But to move towards your own misery like her client did was a complete different thing.
Getting trapped in your own darkness was unpleasant, and so was being alone. Just the thought of it made her cringe. Could she deal with such a fate? Then again, watching someone you held dear struggle in the darkness hurt even more一would she be able to accept Okita if his intention for traveling in time turned out to be bad…? There was also this question about where he got the clock from. Her little head wasn't meant for complicated things like these…
The conversation between the two siblings ended with Hijikata disconnecting in annoyance, but not before he swore to find this Takumi-guy wherever he was and throw him in the slammer. The older male allowed a chuckle escape his lips as he handed the transceiver back to its owner. His brother had grown, but he was still the hot-headed kid he used to know.
"You've become such a fine man, Toushi… I'm so…proud…" Tamegorou smiled sheepishly to himself before turning to thank the Shinsengumi captain for giving him such a rare opportunity. It was short-lived and risky, yes, but he had pulled it off well. Despite the trouble, at least this trip to the future wasn't in vain…
"I know I shouldn't ask more of the two of you, but…" the terrorist's gaze shifted between the youngsters, "Okita-kun, Kagura-chan… May I have one last request? There's a place I want to visit before I return to the past."
…
…
…
"Sou-chan," the sandy-haired girl said softly one night when they sat at their porch, under the starry sky. "Put out your hands… I have a gift for you."
"…?" Okita blinked a few times, his deep, crimson orbs glinted with anticipation. A gift? Why…? It wasn't his birthday…because they only celebrated it when the air got warmer. Or could it be…an early Christmas present?
The child was confused, but did as he was told by showing Mitsuba his palms.
"Listen carefully…" the older spoke as she placed something in Sougo's tiny hands, "This is a special pocket watch… A clock which lets you travel through time."
The young sadist could feel the cold metal against his skin, which only perked his interest even further as he stared at it in wonder. A clock…which let him travel through time? Was that possible? He had never heard about such a thing before… But Ane-ue never lied.
"I want you to promise…" Mitsuba closed his fists around the timepiece, "…that no matter what might happen, you won't use it on me. Even if… I happen to go where papa and mama are…"
At her sudden request, the young boy frowned. "No wanna…!" He protested and tried to wrap his short arms around his sister's waist, lightly clinging to her. "I wanna stay wid chuu…"
"You mustn't, Sou-chan…" His words seemed to pain her, because she looked as though she wanted to cry… Which was rare, because Ane-ue always smiled. He hated to see her like this. It made his chest hurt a lot. A kind if hurt which candies, hugs or kisses couldn't heal…
"Wh…Why…n-not…?" Droplets of water trickled down the brunet's chubby cheeks. Being the good boy he was, Sougo tried to hold back his tears; he really did…but the thought of not having his sister by his side was unimaginable for the poor child. Their parents had disappeared…was Ane-ue going to leave him too?
"You have to move on with your life…there's so much waiting for you in the future," the tabasco-lover brushed her slender fingers through Okita's soft locks tenderly, "Please promise me that… For my sake…?"
"S…" the kid sniffed and shifted his gaze down on the wooden floor. He didn't want to…but if this was his Ane-ue wish, then… "…Sou-chan pwomis…"
At the little one's words, Mitsuba smiled – a smile filled with hurt and relief, both at the same time. "Even though it's difficult, you'll be fine, Sou-chan… That girl will be there after all…" she whispered in Sougo's ear as she pulled him into a tight hug.
"I'm sorry… Please forgive your sister for confusing you like this…" the brunette uttered under her breath and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, "…I'm so sorry…"
The Okita siblings kept hugging each other for a long time… Their tear-filled eyes expressed how painful this was一This farewell, which would take place sometime in the future… But when? No one knew…
Sougo didn't understand much of this…he didn't understand anything at all, but something was definitely bothering his beloved Ane-ue. The sandy-haired boy had never seen her like that before… So lost… So broken… So…desperate…
The way she kept apologizing over and over was too heart-wrenching… Oh, how he wished…wished with all of his might that he could free her from the suffering…
…but what if it turned out…that he was the cause of her struggles…?
…what…was he supposed to do then…?
…
…
…
Kagura had been pondering what kind of place her client wanted to visit.
Turned out it was his own grave. Perhaps it was a way to confirm his existence, she wasn't sure.
It felt strange to see a guy place flowers on top of a gravestone which belonged to him; wildflowers, which he had picked up from the side road earlier where they were swaying in the cold breeze of a winter evening—completely abandoned.
Unlike the two citizens, Sougo didn't enter the graveyard but remained waiting in front of its gate.
"I…used to think that certain things could last forever… That I could make them last forever if I worked hard enough; wished hard enough," Tamegorou spoke, moldavites reflecting the memorial's granite surface. "Toushi was such an innocent child back then. 'I want to protect his smile,' I would tell myself as I watched him grow up day by day…but time waits for no one."
"Can't you just ask the sadist to change the past? Like, give you the opportunity to bring chibi Mayora away from home before the incident occurred-aru."
"Unfortunately, no. If it didn't happen, a lot of things in this present couldn't have happened; Toushi wouldn't have left home, couldn't have met his buddies, and most likely never have become the Shinsengumi member he is today. Again, if he never became a police officer, the lives of people he has saved through the past years might get affected too. Do you understand? Things which lie too far in the past should not be dug up, because the changes would be fatal. You, however, still have a chance to change your future. It's not too late yet."
"Why…would I do that-aru?" The Yato asked, puzzled over what she had been told. What was there to change? Wasn't her life like this good enough? She had Gintoki, Shinpachi and Sadaharu - life was fun because the Yorozuya always stayed together. She also had Otae, Kyuubei, Tsukuyo, Sa-chan, Soyo and Nobume, only to mention a few. Even Zura, Sakamoto, Mutsu, and the Shinsengumi which only consisted of idiots could offer enjoyable moments.
And of course, there was the sadist…
"Kagura-chan… Don't take my words to heart, but…there's something you should probably know…" the raven-haired man looked in the direction of the gate where Okita was standing, his voice reducing a few notches, "That boy…doesn't have much time left. He knows that better than anyone else…"
Sky-blue eyes opened wide in shock. What is he talking about…? 'Not much time', as in…?
"You'd think that a time-traveler can undo all their mistakes, giving him or her a life without misery…but that's not true. Everything—and note when I say that everything comes with a price. By making drastic changes in time, your lifespan will be shortened. Basically, you're cutting off the end of your own timeline to add more time other places, which creates the illusion of 're-doing the past'. I've met a time-traveler, but believe me; in the end, even she was incapable of escaping her fate."
"…then…what-aru. What will become of him…?"
"There's not much he can do to prevent himself from meeting the end. Nevertheless, he can be saved—and you're the only one who can do it. To pull that off however, you need trust him no matter what the future might bring… Kagura-chan… Can you do that?"
It was getting hard to breathe. Just a moment ago, she thought he would always be around; thought they would remain rivals until childish insults like brat couldn't be used anymore—although they'd still use them, because that was how they did things. That was how they interacted, fought, hated yet respected each other; how they were supposed to continue until the last breath of life left their bodies, leaving them cold and lifeless for eternity.
What could have been important enough for the sadist, to the point that he wouldn't hesitate trading his own lifespan for…?
…
…
…
I can feel the fire in your heart
Burning you and tearing you apart
This might be the ending of your dreams;
Please wake up 'cause nothing's ever what it seems…
–"Moments", originally by Ayumi Hamazaki
…
…
…
She could see him a few meters away, trying to keep up with his opponent. Whenever he wasn't at the offensive, the sadist would either use his sword to block or just jump away swiftly. Locks of sandy-brown hair fluttered softly with every attack he made. Obscure pools of maroon, focused, as he aimed at the vital points on the other's body. He hit them most of the time, but the damage couldn't be compared to the blows which were sent back at him.
Even so, Okita refused to give up.
"You really love that man, don't you," Another voice, followed by a hit of an umbrella, tugged her conscience back to the situation at hand. Indeed, this wasn't the time to laze around. The guy in front of her wasn't quite an easy target either.
"A human. Really?" Aquamarines were glued to the police officer as he spoke. "You've always been weak, Kagura. But since when did you sink this low?"
She was about to tell him not to look away from her during a fight. But then, he continued, and made a pair of eyes similar to his widen in shock.
"Wouldn't it have been a shame…if something happened to him?"
No. He couldn't be serious… He couldn't. Or…could he? That guy could fight her. He could hurt her. Heck, he could even kill her for all she cared… Anything. Anything but that.
"Y…You dont dare." The Yato said, but her shaking voice proved otherwise: She was doubting her own words.
Of course he dared. Or rather; it would have been a pleasure for him to do it.
As if he was saying 'watch me', the other smiled. A smile, much more evil and psychotic than the ones he often wore. That was the only reply she received. The next thing happened so fast that her mind had problems progressing it.
At the speed of lightning, Kamui stormed in the police officer's direction with his hand raised. She recognized that stance. She recognized it awfully well. The said hand was ready to force its way through the victim; skin, flesh and bone altogether. It was a Yato's killer move. And Sougo was too busy dealing with Abuto to see it coming. He didn't see it coming.
"SADIST—!" The girl screamed on top of her lungs in a hoarse voice. Her throat was dry, but she didn't care. Kagura felt her heart make a jump in her chest as the distance between the two males closed in.
At that moment, she realized how cruel fate could be sometimes…
He was going to die.
[End of Chapter 9]
Author's Note:
Hey again, readers. Yeah, I'm still persistent on getting this fic done. The reviews make me very happy. I always go through them as I plan my next chapters, so keep them coming~ I hope the puzzle pieces are starting to fall into place? You can always re-read the parts in italic if it's getting hard to follow.