Disclaimer: Hakuouki is a visual novel game by Idea Factory. (They make a bunch of cute guys! Drools. So I always look up new series just so I can stare at them~) Hakuouki then is adapted into an Anime by Studio DEEN. And today, the Anime series is licensed by Sentai Filmworks in North America. (I got this information from Wikipedia and I believe the information is accurate. I wouldn't know though!)

Story notes (just in case):

Rasetsu - Fury
Ochimizu - Water of Life

"Forever" will not keep us connected

Chapter 1

"Hey, Kanon-hime, there's someone injured over here!"

Who's that? It sounded like a young man's voice.

Footsteps rustled in the grass. "What terrible injuries! Hurry, Kanon-hime! We must save him!" the same voice shouted.

The female voice was now heard. "Why is his hair white? He's not some kind of monster, is he?"

"Will you just shut up and heal him?"

Souji thought he had had his last moments. He was ready for death. His illness was already eating his life away, let alone his form of being a Rasetsu, which shortened his life span. If heavens wanted him to live, he would only return to the Shinsengumi. Return to the side of his dear friends who were still out there fighting a war.

[…^…]

There was nothing but shadows. Complete darkness. The air felt cold to the bones. But it was worth it. Souji was regaining his conscious, even if his body ached. His mind was getting stronger with passing time. Although, he was worried how long he was out for. They need me, he would tell himself over and over.

"Hey, his hands are cold, Kanon-hime!" the guy's voice from before sounded alarmed.

"Then use your hands to warm them up, Saburo!" the same girl's voice retorted rather loudly.

The guy sighed in distress, "But I'm a guy…!"

She snickered, "Like that dead person would know."

"…I'm going to get fire then."

"Ohhhh no you don't!" she said. There were sounds of them struggling. "We need to save as much firewood as possible!"

Groaning, he told her, "Then please warm his hands up! His blood flow must stay warm. Unless you want to heal him again."

"…But I'm a girl. You would let such a lowly person touch your princess?"

"You don't act like one though," he sneered. "He won't know as long as he's asleep, right?"

His fingers twitched. Souji wanted to open his eyes, but they were rather close shut.

"Fine, whatever!" Kanon said.

More footsteps and Souji heard someone next to his right. Soft warm hands took his hand and rubbed it slowly.

"Wow, his hand is like… frozen."

"See?" the guy said.

She hissed, "Shut up! Go get a towel and hot water for me!"

"For him? Okay!"

Someone walked away and the footsteps grew distance. Souji found his breathing easier now and his left hand twitched.

Kanon's voice sighed, "Poor guy… it is already spring, but you're freezing up so bad."

It was already spring? How much time had passed? Souji tried harder to control his weak, aching body. His two hands moved and Kanon's hands dropped his right hand on the ground. Souji's eyebrows started to move and his eyes slowly opened.

His eyes stared at the ceiling. It was supported with wood and he could see the tile sets of the roof. His body was under a thin layer of a blanket and underneath felt like stone. And then at the corner of his eyes, Kanon was staring at him curiously. Her brown hair was long, he was not sure how long, and her eyes were blue.

"Good morning," she patted on his head. Her black and blue kimono's sleeve touched his face and he blinked. "How are you feeling, Mister White Hair?"

He blinked again and asked, "…My hair is white?"

"It was when I first saw you," she told him.

Souji turned his head to her. The length of her brown hair was touching the floor since she was sitting. He could not help but studied her. "…Who are you?" he inquired. He seemed to be lying on the floor of a small shed. "Where… am I?"

"Uh, you can call me Kanon," she pounded on her chest, giving him a dry expression. "You're in my village with no name."

He weakly gave her a weird look. "…Then which part of the country are we in?"

"Hmm," she smiled to herself rather mischievously. "That's a secret. I'm not supposed to let outsiders in, but Saburo is just too kind hearted."

Then he remembered about his friends. When he moved to get up, she used her left hand to push him back down. "Hey," he moaned. His stomach was hurting and he did not struggle too much.

Kanon patted on his head again. "There, there," she grinned. "The weak needs to stay in bed. Since Saburo saved you and I healed you, you better stay down until you're completely healed."

"I… appreciate your efforts, but I must really go," Souji tried to get up again. He barely even made it halfway and she pushed him back down with her hand. Getting irritated, he lightly glared at her. "I have to go."

She glared back and said, "I don't care."

"Hey, Kanon-hime!"

Turning her head around, she saw Saburo walking in with a large wooden bowl of steaming hot water and a towel hanging from the edge of the bowl. Souji used this chance and used as much strength as he could. When he moved up loudly, Kanon looked back at him with alarm and hurried to get him back down. But their timing was rather off and their bodies slammed into each other. Souji fell back and his head missed the pillow.

"Ow…" Kanon winced, rubbing her neck. Apparently, Souji's head hit there. She glared, "The hell, watch what you're doing! You hurt me, apologize, you dumbass!"

Souji rubbed his head and managed to sit up. "You weren't looking either," he narrowed his eyes at her. His forehead had sweats and he rubbed them.

"Hey, don't start arguing with the injured," Saburo frowned. His hair was jet-black and put back in a small ponytail while his bangs covered his ears. And his eyes was silver.

Silence seemed to have fallen and Souji breathed heavily. He realized Kanon was giving him a shocked look. "…What?"

She stood up and angrily said, "You're that boy from long ago!"

Saburo and Souji both stared at her with complete confusion. But Souji did not care and said, "I need to go!"

Now being rougher, she used her foot and pushed him back down. "I would let you go, now that I remembered, but I can't," she mumbled. "Plus, I already used effort to keep you alive, so you're not going anywhere until I say so!"

"K-Kanon-hime," Saburo blinked nervously.

"Oh, sounds like your friend's awake," a familiar voice was close by.

Kanon did not look back, "Don't come in! I'm in the middle of something here!"

Souji's eyes looked to the door. Two men walked in anyway. They were Harada Sanosuke and Shiranui Kyou. "Sano-san?" Souji's face brightened up a bit.

In an opened shirt, there was a wound on Sanosuke's right side of his waist. He smiled at Souji and waved, "It's good to see you're awake, Souji."

Thanks for reading!