WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR GINTAMA EPISODE 205. (also some uh . . . mature language?)
I DO NOT OWN GINTAMA. This is merely a spin off of episode 205 and all rights and credit, etc., are reserved for Hideaki Sorachi, the honorable creator of the Gintama series.
Home to Shimura Tae and Shinpachi, the Kakidōkan Dojo was usually more alive with the sound of life but on that bright and warm summer day the only thing that could be heard was the occasional creaking of the wood as the wind blew through empty rooms. Of all the rooms in the large Kakidōkan Dojo estate only one room was occupied at that moment. You would never have noticed it if you only listened, but if you had bothered to raise your nose a little, the distinct smell of cigarettes would meet your senses.
"It's just a small favor," Hijikata let a line of smoke ease out from his mouth, he tapped the cigarette on the edge of the ash tray before him.
"And why should I do it?" Otae with that same sweet expression looked over at Hijikata, glaring slightly at the cigarette between his fingers.
"Just say you'll do it,"
"Why?"
"Just—,"
"Why Hijikata-san?"
Hijikata grunted in exasperation, a cloud of smoke rose to the ceiling, he looked straight into Otae's unchanging dark brown eyes.
"Look at it this way . . . if you agree to indulge him for this one date, afterwards, you can tell him to never bother you again," Hijikata attempted to reason with Otae who in return stared at him in serious thought. Her gaze was unnerving him and he quickly glanced away, opting to fumble clumsily with the cigarette in his hand. Finally Otae spoke,
"Hijikata-san what makes you think that that Gorilla-idiot will stop his pursuit after one date? If anything it'll only encourage him more,"
"Eh? Ah— I . . ." I never thought of that. "I'm sure Gor— ah I mean Kondo-san will stop. If you're very clear with him."
Otae regarded Hijikata and then accusingly asked, "How do I know he didn't just send you here to convince me?"
"Kondo-san doesn't know that I'm here," Hijikata returned Otae's hard gaze. He couldn't tell Otae his real reason for coming to the Kakidōkan Dojo with this plea. It would have sounded like he was mocking her. Otae seeming satisfied after analyzing Hijikata's face and took a sip of her tea.
"Was it baseball you said?"
"Yes," Hijikata put out his cigarette in the ash tray.
"I don't dislike baseball," Otae said vaguely as she looked out to the backyard. Hijikata watched his cigarette crumble into the ashes before slowly looking up at Otae.
I just want her to be happy.
—
"Well, you girly men probably wouldn't understand." Hijikata and Sougo sat opposite to Kondo who had his arms crossed over his chest with a certain air of pride. Kondo had been bragging about his success in finally getting Otae to go on a date with him. Hijikata felt his heart tug but he refused to acknowledge it and instead distracted himself with pouring a mound of mayonnaise on the meal before him.
"He's not really girly, he just eats shit." Sougo pointed towards Hijikata and the pile of mayonnaise.
"Shut your trap, you sick bastard." Hijikata glared over at Sougo, annoyed on the outside but thankful for the distraction on the inside, although he would never let Sougo know this.
"This must be a trap," Sougo turned his attention back to Kondo, somewhat satisfied with the annoyed response he got from Hijikata, "As a fellow sadist, I can guess what's in her mind"
"Shut up!" Kondo cried out in denial, his arms still proudly crossed over his chest. Hijikata turned his attention to his meal while thinking; This is for the best. But then Kondo, being Kondo, began to relate his endeavor to a rather indecent image.
"Your metaphors are too obscene." Hijikata remarked, his usual tolerance for his Commander's perverse nature was beginning to slip. Hijikata had tolerated Kondo for many years but he found himself stirring inside as Kondo made his obscene references to Otae. He tried to redirect the conversation. "Did she say anything else?"
"No. She'll be waiting in front of the station at one on Sunday. Ah and she told me to stop following her around after this and to never visit her business again," Kondo replied happily but the looks on Sougo and Hijikata's faces were those of two who could see much further beyond those words than Kondo ever could. At least she was very clear with him like I told her to be, Hijikata thought as Kondo continued on, "Well, we'll be in a relationship now so that won't be needed anymore!"
Hijikata felt like face palming himself. Sougo, as always, said what others honestly thought but would not say in order to spare the feelings of the other,
"Isn't she telling you to completely forget about her after indulging you one last time?"
"Shut up!" Kondo stood up on the seat and began foretelling his guaranteed success, Hijikata watched him with something unsettling aching at his heart.
—
The winds had picked up and rain tore down from the sky on the greater Edo region. Still Kondo stood in full baseball game watching gear in front of the Shinsengumi Headquarters. Hijikata and Sougo stood at the front gate behind him.
"We're right in the path of the typhoon. She's not gonna show." Hijikata realistically noted. At least Hijikata hoped Otae wouldn't show. Even if he had gone directly to her house— on his own free will— to bargain for her agreement to Kondo's baseball date, and even if he had believed that his real reason was because he wanted her to be happy . . . Hijikata couldn't help but hope Otae wouldn't show. Then maybe Kondo would finally get a clue and give up. Then Hijikata and Otae could continue with their weekly convenience store runs for half off Bargain Dash and mayonnaise. But Kondo charged forward to meet up with Otae— despite the rain, wind, and spears that flew at him. Hijikata watched as Kondo's back receded from his view, he reached into his pocket and gripped the bottle of mayonnaise, the 50% off label sticking to his palm.
—
Kondo's cellphone began to ring just as the clouds in the sky began to clear and Kondo had reached his conclusion that fate had determined that him and Otae were not meant to be. A typhoon, a painful chase after the baseball game tickets, and a heart warming family reunited side plot were enough to convince him so. But even so, as Kondo brought his cellphone to his ear, a part of him was hoping that maybe—just maybe— he would hear that sweet voice on the other line.
"Kondo-san?" Hijikata's gruff voice met Kondo's ears instead.
"Toshi?"
"Sorry it's not your girl," Hijikata's emphasis of the words 'your girl' was punishment on himself for the anger ignited by Kondo's proclamations earlier. Hijikata hadn't really shown it but that unsettling twitch had been a sudden angered desire to protect Otae from Kondo, which on further thought (with much self-convincing and bowls of mayonnaise) was a stupid thing to get riled up over. Yes. Stupid. Just stupid. An image of Otae smiling flashed before Hijikata. Kondo's defeated voice immediately cleared Otae's image from Hijikata's mind.
"Heh, the girl doesn't matter anymore." A skip in Hijikata's heart beat. "I'm devoting myself to the sword."
"I see," Relief seemed to fill Hijikata up, he glanced away and tried to concentrate on the conversion at hand. "Sorry to bother you while you're down, but we have a problem on our hands." Hijikata continued on to explain the current situation and the inevitable approach of a previously undetected meteorite. The cigarette in his mouth bounced at each word that left his lips. "We'll have to issue an evacuation order. Well, there probably won't be much damage, but you better stay away from the dome." Hijikata's words of caution would never reach Kondo as his cellphone lay abandoned on the street. "Huh? Kondo-san? Kondo-san?" Hijikata checked the screen of his cellphone to see if he still had connection. There was nothing wrong with his cellphone's service. Hijikata blinked. Realization dawned on him and with a light scoff he flipped his phone shut. That idiot is probably going to the dome now. Hijikata thought and shook his head. It doesn't matter, she's probably not at the dome anyways. Hijikata looked at the blinking screens behind him, they were tracking the closing in meteorite headed for the baseball dome, Hijikata gulped. At least I hope she isn't.
Blip. Blip. Blip.
God damnit! Hijikata spun from the monitors and towards the doors, angrily pushing aside Yamazaki who had been chewing on anpan. Hijikata ran straight for the dome, the wind whipped his cigarette from his mouth but he didn't care, he simply ran forward. The cigarette landed on the ground after a few tumbles but it continued to burn brightly.
Hijikata knew he was getting closer as crowds of people began to push against him. They were all trying to get away from the dome. Then there was a flash of light as the meteorite broke through the gather clouds, headed straight for the dome. Hijikata ran faster, his heart pounding against his chest, his arms pushing people away. Let me through! Let me through god damnit!
Suddenly there was a loud thud followed by skidding and then a crash. Innocent bystanders screamed in shock and Hijikata turned around. That display of sound effects had been Kondo whizzing through the air, landing on the ground, tumbling, and then slamming against a car.
"Kondo-san!" Hijikata ran over by instinct to his Commander's side. "Kondo-san!" he cried out again as he reached the bleeding, bruising, and shriveled Kondo. The Commander of the Shinsengumi looked up through a swelling and black eyed face, trails of blood had begun to stream down his face. "Kondo-san are you alright?" Kondo opened his mouth to speak, he was missing a few teeth,
"Fate can be so cruel sometimes Toshi . . ."
"Eh?" Hijikata blinked and upon observing Kondo's wound there was that undeniable familiarity of them. Hijikata fought back the smile that tugged at the hardened frown on his face. Only one person could inflict such wounds. Only one . . . sweet smiling girl.