Here is the next chapter of Sadaharu. As I have mentioned, these chapters are now coming out weekly. This is anther "two episode arc," so you can expect a festival on the 25th. Thanks for reading! ^-^
That day, Odd Jobs Gin got another customer. Shinpachi greeted him at the door, and invited in a man in an apron. The old man walked in calmly, and looked at Gin, whose face lit up.
"Yo, old man! It's been a while!" Gin beamed, "You're the guy who gave me that free dango one time at a festival!"
"You remembered me." the old man seemed pleased. Shinpachi nodded.
"That is quite the compliment. Gin rarely remembers people." he said. The old man agreed and sat down.
"Right then, straight to business, Sakata-san. You know that the new years festival is coming up, right?" He said.
Gin nodded. "What of it?"
"In the past, my children have always helped me run a couple of stalls. But now, they have all left to study on other planets. So this year, I don't have anyone to help. I would be very grateful if you would help me out." he said.
"How much are you willing to pay?" asked Gin.
"How cruel, Sakata-san." said the old man, "I gave you that dango, and isn't the new year the season for giving?"
"We won't be able to feed this one," Gin jabbed his thumb in Kagura's direction, "if we don't get any pay."
"Listen," the old man said, "I am willing to give you free food the entire time you're working."
Kagura leapt up, "I'm in, old man! The new year is the time for giving!"
"That was fast!" Shinpachi exclaimed.
"Gin-san, you can work at the parfait stand if you like."
Gin leapt up, "I'm in, old man! The new year is the time for giving!"
"You too?" asked Shinpachi.
"I heard Otsu-chan said she thinks people who work at festivals are good-looking," the old man suddenly seemed to remember after Kagura elbowed him.
Shinpachi leapt up, "I'm in, old man! The new year is the time for love!"
"Thank you all," the old man bowed. "I'll see you tomorrow night." He brushed off his apron, and left, the door sliding shut behind him.
"Right then," declared Gin, "In order for me to get the most parfaits, we need to practice our cooking."
"Ok!" said Shinpachi. "I'll be on the net looking at advice!"
"Ok!" said Kagura, "I'll go do field research on the preparation of dango!"
"Ok!" said Gin, "I'll go eat a parfait!"
"Wait, Gin-san, that isn't fair!" Shinpachi began what was going to be another of their drawn out squabbles. Kagura recognized the symptoms, and left them arguing, and walked toward the nearest dango stand.
"Hello." said Kagura.
"Welcome!" many of the vendors knew of her renowned appetite. This meant that just having her could often in your restraunt could pay for your food for a month,
"I'm going to be working in a festival," said Kagura, seating herself, "And I need to know how to make good dango."
"Would you like to buy some?" asked the old man.
"Well, I only have the money for one," she said regretfully, "but, sure, for research. You know, for the wine of science." The bemused vendor began to prepare her dango.
"For the sake of science, you mean?" he asked.
"Sake, wine, what's the difference?" she said. The old man handed her the dango.
"There you are, young lady." As you can see, you roll the sweet rice flour into spheres," Kagura looked down at the dango, "And you boil it in the hot water until it floats." Kagura's mouth watered. "Then, you put them on this bamboo skewer." A drip of drool rolled down her chin. "Then, you either get your soysauce, or sweet bean paste."
"I can't hold it in any longer!" Kagura burst out, and she devoured the entire thing.
"So this is the sewer," she said, looking at the bamboo stick.
"Oy! Don't go calling things in my stall a sewer. People will get the wrong idea. It's a skewer, a skewer."
"Right..." she said slowly, looking at the stick.
"Then," continued the man, "You put the paste or the soysauce-"
"I can't visualize it anymore. What's going on?" asked Kagura, "Where do I put the paste? Or is it soysauce? What do I do with the sewer, anyway?"
"Skewer, skewer!" the old man corrected anxiously.
Just then, another customer entered the stall.
"I'd like a dango without mayonnaise." said Okita.
"Oh! It's you!" said Kagura.
"Yo."
"Right then, here you are." the old man handed Okita his dango. Suddenly, Kagura snatched it.
"Ne, Captain, it's ok if I borrow this right? Just for a second? Just for a brief search."
"Isn't it the police officer who should search people's belongings?" Okita wanted to know.
"That's research." translated the old man, amazed that this girl had the guts to steal dango from one of the most dangerous in the Shinsengumi.
"How do you research dango?" asked Okita.
"I'm learning how to make it, uh-huh."
"What are you willing to give me so I'll lend it to you?"
She pulled out a piece of sukonbu and shoved it into his mouth, returning to her observation of the dango.
"Oh! I get it!" she said. "The bean paste and the soysauce go on top!"
"Right," said the old man.
"Yay! That wasn't so confusing." she turned to Okita, "Ne, you've got lots of money. Can't I just have this one?"
"No!" he snatched it away.
"You're so cruel, Captain!" she pouted. He smiled somewhat bitterly.
"I know."
"Such is the folly of youth." she said sagely, "You'll realize you ought to give people like me dango when you're older."
"I'm way older than you!"
"Oh yeah? How old are you then?"
"Umm..six hundred and eight?"
"Oh really? Well I'm still way older than you!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Uh-huh!"
"Then how old are you?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Okita," Kagura shook her head, waggling her finger at him, "What do they teach you at the Shinsengumi, anyway? You should know better than to ask a woman her age!" she nodded to the old man, "one of the mistakes of youth," she sighed.
"Indeed.." he sighed, as if from experience.
"Isn't it past your bedtime, little one?" asked Okita patronizingly.
"Shut up, bishonen. I'll have you know I'm seven hundred and nine years old."
"Do you need help getting off the stool, granny?"
"You have admitted my victory!" Kagura was elated, leaping off the stool.
"In your dreams." Said Okita, paying for his dango, and following Kagura out of the stand.
"Keep dreaming, shrimp." she countered.
"Dream on, chibi." he replied.
"Hold fast to your dreams, shonen!" she exclaimed in an outburst of samurai spirirt.
"No," he said, "I don't think that one fits with the pattern.."
"Anyway, what are you doing out here this late, Okita?" she asked.
"Keeping the citizens safe."
"Really? Like, what do you do?"
"Well, recently we cracked down on people riding bikes without lanterns. Safety first, of course," he fingered his bazooka.
"Right. Then, where are you headed now?"
"If you don't mind, I feel it's my personal duty to make sure this little kid gets home safely." He patted her on the head.
"I'm an old granny, you know." she corrected. He smiled, and leaned toward her in a way that was almost protective, then said,
"Either way, it's in the interest of the populace to make sure she doesn't injure anyone on the way home." She punched him,
"Don't be disrespecting me, punk!"
"Sorry, granny." She smiled at him, and they arrived at Odd Jobs Gin.
"Make sure to come to the festival, chibi." she said. He shrugged.
"Maybe I'll make it. See you around, shrimp."
She walked inside, and he began to walk away, when from inside, he heard her holler:
"What did you call me, you pipsqueak?"