Kebchii says: College life has been demanding as of late and being a legislator ain't an easy job. That's my excuse for this chapter. :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Gintama. Sadly. Fortunately.

Summer Heat

Kebchii

"There's going to be a fireworks show tonight."

Kagura's eyes twinkled at Tsukuyo. "Really?"

"I think it's going to be great," Otae retorted when Tsukuyo humbly said it wouldn't be so extravagant. "It's been a while since I have seen a fireworks display. What about you, Kyu-chan?"

Kyubei nodded. "Yes. I was still very little the last time I saw one."

"Perfect timing!" Otae turned to the blonde beside her. "Since we're all going back tomorrow, it'll be nice to see such a display before we go. It makes it all worthwhile."

While the conversation between the women continued, Kagura looked around the stalls and found some souvenir shops. She should bring something for Sadaharu, she thought and stopped at a stall that caught her attention. Her eyes brightened when she saw a pillow-like sukonbu pack. She turned, planned to call Anego and the others, but instead came face to face with a male she never met. Kagura took a step back as she noticed his other friends beside him. Their faces were not even worthy to be described in this story. Seriously, she couldn't help it if guys hit on a pretty girl like her.

"Hello there, little Miss," the guy in front of her said. "Why don't we go someplace else and we'll treat you to lunch?"

Kagura's mouth opened to agree but her breath was knocked out of her when someone suddenly wound their arm around her shoulder forcefully that she staggered forward a little.

"So, you were here."

Kagura's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Oi "

The group of perverts did their thing. "Huuh?" said one of them in a threatening tone. "Who are you, anyway?" The one in front grabbed Kagura's wrist.

"Eh? Oi, just you-"

"Touch her and I'll cut your arm off."

Kagura only stared at him, dumbfounded. She had never heard him sound so menacing before; not even when the time he was angry at her after what she did on her match with Touyu. She felt the grip on her wrist disappear and watched as the guys shoot a disgusted look at them before walking away.

She shook his hand off of her. "You didn't have to save me. I can handle myself."

"Oh, yeah?" Deep crimson eyes glared at her. "You handle yourself by falling face-first to their traps?" She yelped when he flicked at her forehead.

"Come on."

"Eh?" Kagura blinked when he grabbed hold of her hand and started dragging her. "Where are we going?"

"I'll treat you to lunch," Sougo answered, feeling conscious about the fact that they were holding hands.

"Heeh~" Kagura caught up to walk to beside him. "You're unusually nice today, Sadist." She grinned and turned to him. "Be ready to get your wallet deflated."

I'm not nice, he thought as he tightened his hold on her hand and she was too happy to even notice. I'm just someone who always finds an excuse.

"I wonder where Anego and the others went, though," Kagura said then brightened when the waiter came and laid their order on the table.

With his cheek laid against his palm, he watched as she ate her meal. "I met them, and they were the ones who told me where you were." He remembered Otae telling him China was in danger and how quickly he tried to get to the stall she was at. His eyes turned to slits, remembering how those women were giggling when he left.

"Kagura-chan," someone called and both looked up to see Shinpachi smiling at them. "On another date, are we?" he mischievously asked.

Kagura flushed, "It's not like that!"

Sougo felt a weight on his shoulder and his mood fouled instantly. He knew it was Gintoki leaning on him, an arm circled around his neck. "Heeh," Sougo heard him comment in an amused tone. Although he couldn't see the perm-head's expression, Sougo was pretty sure that if he made one wrong move, he'd find himself gasping for air.

"This laddie here doesn't seem to think so, though." Gin said and Kagura stayed silent, her eyes wide and cheeks flushed as she glanced at the flaxen-haired boy before her.

He was supposed to be looking at her with indifference, she mentally demanded. He definitely shouldn't be looking at her like he expected her to believe what the others were saying that he really did think of this as a date. Kagura looked down at her plate, slowly losing her appetite. She was starting to get bombarded by a lot of things their current situation, his actions, Otae and Kyubei's words, what the others were thinking of them, his feelings, her feelings, were all of this really happening? Was the guy even serious?

The thoughts on her head were so messed up, she was about to go and excuse herself when Gin said something.

"Anyway, it seems like Tsukuyo's treasured box is missing. So, we need you guys to be on the look-out if you happen to see it somewhere or something."

Shinpachi nodded. "It's important that we find it today. This is the least that we could do for Tsukuyo-san after all that she has done for us during our stay here."

Sougo looked at them with uninterested eyes. "Is this some kind of side-story?"

Gin tightened his hold on Sougo's neck, "Shut it, lover boy, or I will never give you my blessing."

Kagura visibly reddened as she shouted profanities at Gin while Sougo's eyes vaguely lightened up although he didn't say anything. "The box looks just like a regular box. Rectangular, crimson-painted and with flower carvings on the sides. When you see someone holding it, get it immediately and bring it to the cottage." With that said, Gintoki and Shinpachi exited the restaurant.

"They're expecting us to just grab it from someone else's hold? Danna's description is unclear. We better finish up and start looking for it, anyway." Sougo was skeptical when China merely nodded her head as a response.

They had decided to do their search on the festival venue though it soon seemed to be a bad decision since the place was starting to get crowded, making it harder for them to find such a small item. Ever since they went out of the restaurant, Sougo had noticed Kagura was being unusually silent and was almost an arm's length away from him. He set it aside when something caught his eye.

Sougo abruptly stopped and grabbed Kagura's hand to stop her. He ignored her yells as he saw a familiar face holding on to what seemed like the box Danna had described earlier.

Fuming, Kagura turned her gaze at where he was heading and in an instant, her mood soured even more.

"Saanen," Sougo called and the girl spun around, her face visibly brightening at the sight of him.

"Okita-san!" She laughed, "My name is Saine. Not some kind of hornless goat." Saine vaguely heard the flaxen-haired boy mumble 'whatever' and a snort from the girl beside him. She was, however, much more interested at the entwined hands.

Sougo shook his head. "Anyway, that box," he pointed at the rectangular box on Saine's hands. "Where did you get it?"

"Oh, this? I found this lying around at a stall earlier. I was on my way to drop this off at the L&F." Saine jerked her head, gesturing to a small counter labeled 'Lost and Found'. "But," she continued just as Sougo and Kagura let out a small sigh, "You seem interested in it so I might have to reconsider."

Both heads whipped at Saine's direction with the same incredulous look. "What are you trying to say?" demanded Kagura and Saine adjusted her hold on the box and hid it behind her back.

"I want something in return for this box."

"Oi! Oi, China! Can you freakin' slow down for a minute?" In a swift move, Sougo caught the furious girl's wrist. "What's with you? One moment you're ignoring me like I never existed and then the next you act like you want to bite my head off. You ovulating again?"

She glared at him. "Seriously! How clichéd can she get? And I can't believe you actually agreed to go out with her."

"That has got you so worked up all this time? There was no changing that weird girl's mind. And what do you care about who I go out with, anyway? You wouldn't even consider us going out!"

When her cerulean eyes widened, he knew he already said something that wasn't for her to hear. He gritted his teeth and abruptly released her wrist. "I'm going to take this back to Danna," he said as he tightened his hold on Tsukuyo's box. "It's getting dark. You should go on ahead."

His voice was so low that Kagura almost couldn't hear him. He didn't say anything before turned and walked away. His figure was long gone from her sight and it was a while before she actually moved from her position. Kagura eyes were aimed at the ground although her focus was elsewhere. Her head was once again filled with questions about her current situation with the sadist prince.

"Kagura-chan!" Otae exclaimed when Kagura emerged from the door and into the dining room. She expected the teen to drool and barf rainbows at the feast that was laid before them but it seemed the girl didn't even know it existed.

Otae turned to Kyubei and the latter shrugged. They both watched as Kagura sat down beside them and continued to remain silent.

"Where are Gin-chan and the others?" Kagura softly asked, as if tired.

Surprised at the sudden question, Otae stammered a little. "Ah - I'm sure they're on their way back from Tsukuyo-san's office at the Main Lodge." She turned to Kyubei before asking, "What about Okita-san? I - We thought the two of you were together."

Kagura snorted in contempt. "Why would you think that, Anego? Don't you know he's out there having fun with other girls?" She stood up from her seat, "I'm going to get some fresh air." Turning, Kagura headed for the balcony. Kyubei and Otae hadn't said anything after that.

Kagura laid her hand on the railing, the mahogany wood soft against her palm. The air was cool and the calm view of the dark blue sky with its stars was welcomed.

She sighed as she mentally reprimanded herself for the pathetic ways she had in dealing with situations, especially the ones with a certain crimson-eyed sadist.

He was probably playing with her anyway, she thought as she remembered the moments they were together these last few days. Maybe he was bored and decided to pick on her. He couldn't possibly like a girl he always bullied on, could he?

Kagura ignored the pang of pain on her chest as she finally came to the conclusion that Okita Sougo did not like her.

"Aren't you a little too excited about the fireworks?"

Kagura almost jumped a feet high and abruptly turned. It was, without a doubt, the guy who was occupying her thoughts just seconds ago. When she didn't say anything, he started to cross the small distance between them.

Sougo stopped dead on his tracks when he saw Kagura take a step back, although she couldn't get any further away with the railing blocking her. When she averted her eyes, he spoke again. "Look, I'm sorry for leaving you out there earlier."

"You have no reason to apologize. You had to go. You would've kept her waiting."

"If this is about the date-"

Kagura turned her back on him. "I laughed earlier, when Anego thought we were going out." She shook her head, her brows furrowed and her smile uneasy. "Why does everyone think we're dating? It's impossible."

"You don't really think that." He saw her stiffen and continued, "I know you don't. You're just being you're usual stubborn self and wouldn't accept that little thought."

Enraged, Kagura turned to him. "Who are you to tell me what I think?"

"Then, the two of us going out together," Sougo suddenly said and grabbed hold of her wrist as she looked at him with confusion.

"The two of us dating," he continued. "Will you consider it?"

Kagura stared at his heated crimson eyes and felt her heart ram against her chest. Her emotions welled up and words came out of her mouth.

"Are you seriously asking me that?" She let out a small laugh and averted her eyes from him. "Why would I go out with a guy like you? You're a sadist. You always bully me and make fun of me. You're evil and vile and although they're synonymous, they fit you perfectly. I'll consider it when the crows are white and the moon is square."

It was almost a minute and still Sougo had not said anything. Kagura finally looked at him and when she did, the pang of pain she felt earlier came once again.

The emotions on his crimson orbs vanished and were replaced by the kind of indifference she never once wanted to be directed at again.

Sougo slowly freed her wrist as Kagura sucked in a breath at his following words.

"A simple no would've been enough."

There was one thing that clogged Kagura's throat as she watched Sougo turn and disappear into the cottage.

Regret.

Edited 2017.