CHAPTER V
(SWEET LEAF)
GINTOKI: Sweet Leaf? Where did you get the title?
AUTHOR: It's my favorite song of Black Sabbath. But I don't know what the connection of it to the chapter is.
GINTOKI: I just noticed… That every chapter is getting longer and longer.
AUTHOR: Hmm… Didn't notice that. Anyway, thanks for the people who leave their reviews and those who continue reading my stories. Aside from cookies and sweets on my desk when I'm typing, reviews give me energy in continuing this story.
(4:50 PM)
Another victim. Another crime. A few hostesses and hyakka gathered at the front of the bar as the two men lifts the unconscious hostess out of the bar, but her eyes are open and emotionless and her skin looks paler than normal like she lost a lot of blood. There's a heavy aura mixed with terror and sadness that circles around. You cannot see any joy or happiness on their faces from that time before the two men brought her to the ambulance and speed away as the women and other people followed it with look until it was distantly impossible to see. She was the third victim in Yoshiwara and 24th in the whole district.
Everyone disbanded and went to their routines as the hyakka disappeared in sight after that. Then, Tsukuyo came running to see the commotion but she arrived late and only to be approached by one of co-worker of the victim.
"Tsukuyo, you're here." The woman said with the beautiful blue kimono. She gave time Tsukuyo to catch her breath after all that running.
"Tell me what happened here?" She asked.
"Well, we were just having a break when suddenly she faint, but seconds before that she's been going wild while screaming 'gimme more! Gimme more!'." She was still nervous about that scene.
"Looks like the 'drug smuggling faction rumor' have something to do with it. Are there any person involve in this crime?"
"N-no one…" She quickly denied. "It was only us and the regular customers. But I don't think that the customers are involve in here – In fact, they where the first one to help her and called an ambulance."
"Hmm…For the customers… I can't take that as an exemption or alibi."Tsukuyo thought that there is nothing to talk about so she just asked her for some things or anything that can be considered a clue.
"Evidence you mean?" She cleared out "Well, I found something that fell off her sleeves before she was taken out." She took a second to pick it out.
She showed it to her and to Tsukuyo's surprise, it was a small plastic sachet with grams of fined red powder that looks very suspicious. "What's this?" She grabbed the sachet and inspected its content.
It's the same thing found in the other victims, but unfortunately, there were no suspects involve with it yet.
"Long lasting energy for work, sudden changes in trait and character, being so emotional in such desired thing. Did it all happen to her these past few days?" She asked while keeping the piece of evidence.
"Hmm… Not really sure. Well, all I can say is that she is acting not likely herself these past few days." Answered the hostess. Tsukuyo lit her pipe and blew a smoke "Hmm… We got a linked case here."
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GINTOKI: Wait just a freaking minute. Wait!
AUTHOR: Hey! I'm not done with this chapter yet. Why are you doing this segment already!
GINTOKI: Where not doing a C.S.I., Law and Order or Detective Conan fanfic, do we! Can you skip this boring part! It's a Gin x Tsukky fanfic, dumbass!
AUTHOR: (Grunts) as you wish. Sheesh…
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(7:00 PM)
The moon shines brightly at Yoshiwara as the rustling noise of the trees echoes the quiet area near the street that's leading to Yoshiwara. Tsukuyo waits for him under the shadows of the trees while having her daily smoking time with her smoking pipe. She leaned on the trunk and closed her eyes but, the only thing that comes in her mind was the night with Gintoki and the picture that Hinowa showed her. She blushed for a second and quickly withdraws herself from daydreaming.
'Why that idiot is the only thing that comes in my mind. He's just an idiot…But, he's not a bad person. He looked like… He's just… Wait. She kept thinking… What is he really for her? She let out another smoke to calm herself and gaze at the sky. Remembering her conversations with Hinowa, she quickly checks the couple's ticket. She thought asking him would be something that can end her life.
"Really, what is Gintoki aside from being an idiot?" She whispered to herself.
"Oi, Tsukuyo! How long have you been there?" A voice called out from a short distance. A voice of a sweet addicted idiot. Her deadpan eyes grew brightly with excitement upon hearing that voice again. But she controlled herself not react so happy but to respond cool and serious. "I know you will come. Hinowa told me and you probably know what's happening already, Gintok…" She paused suddenly shocked upon facing him.
Woman's white kimono? Make-up and lipstick? Fake hair extension tied in both sides? Woman's hand bag?
"It's not Gintoki – it's Paak…" Before he could finish talking, a powerful flying kick in the face answered him.
"What's with that get-up! What did come up in your mind!" She shouted madly as she continues stomping and kicking him on the ground.
"Te-te-teh! Wait a minute! I can explain! Just calm down!" He demanded while covering his head with his arms from kicks and stomps.
She thinks he had enough so she stopped and turned her back on him and gave him a time to reason out. She took another smoke and shortly, she blew it off softly to calm herself.
Paako stands up, shaking off the dust and dirt from his lovely kimono. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "This is a disguise. So no one can suspect us while investigating … I'll act just like other hostesses. Because the faction might be just another customer or…" A flying kick on the face answered him again and slammed him on the ground.
"Idiot! That doesn't make any sense!" Answered Tsukuyo, standing with one foot on the half-dead perm guy. "Just act like a normal customer. Every hostess here knows you. You're well known here."
She's actually right. After making the town free and saving the Hyakka leader, how could he not possibly become known in Yoshiwara? He smirked as he stands up and took off Paako's kimono, revealing his trademark kimono with the black shirt inside. (Seriously, how did he manage to hide it under another kimono?)
"We should go now before another victim comes." Said Tsukuyo as she began to take a step down the stairs to Yoshiwara. Gintoki didn't take a time to remove his make-up or his fake hair extension and quickly walk after her because he can do it while walking.
Walking around the 'town of lights' was not easy. There were so many people and customers hanging around, probably because it's Friday. They stopped by at Hinowa's house to plan out. And of course, Hinowa is with them in the living room that makes Tsukuyo feels a little uneasy, thinking that she might say something embarrassing to Gintoki. "Oi! Tsukuyo!" He called out. "You're a Hyakka. You don't look like any hostess with your clothes. How will you conduct your investigation?" He asked monotonously while looking at her with deadpanned eyes.
Hinowa smiled at him, like she has a solution to the problem "Ah. Don't worry Gintoki. I'll let her borrow one of my kimonos."
Tsukuyo heard it loud and clear and like to disagree with it. She was a bit surprised with the idea that came to Hinowa. "Hey, wait a minute…" She wants to protest but she couldn't think of a thing to deny it.
"Well, I guess that settles it." He interrupted with low voice. "Now hurry up and get dressin'." He walked out of the room to get some fresh air outside and to give Tsukuyo some time to prepare. As he closed the door, Hinowa smiles at her and said "Now Tsukky, we should get ready to make you attracting to him."
"What the? Maybe you mean to get ready for the undercover plan." She answered with a forced smile.
"Oh, whatever." She replied.
(15 Minutes later…)
Gintoki is daydreaming on the garden while sitting on a big rock under the tree when she heard Hinowa coming out of the door called out his name with a joyful tone. He didn't hesitate and he looked to her direction.
"Sorry to keep you waiting Gintoki." Said Hinowa.
"Ah, it's okay… Anyway, where is she? Are you two finished?" He stood up and approaches her. "Where is she anyway?" He asked with a monotonous voice. Hinowa replied with a smile as Tsukuyo went out of the room slowly. Hinowa stepped aside to let him see her more clearly.
The moment their eyes meet, Gintoki wants to let out a comment but his lips couldn't move nor wouldn't his throat let a voice out as his eyes grew bright and his body freeze from his last step.
She is wearing a red kimono with flowery design on its sleeves. Her hair is well done similar to hair style when he first saw her get drunk with a flower hair pin on it. She wears a very light make-up just to make her complexion good.
Noticing that he stares at her a little bit long, she pulled out and looked away from something else. She was embarrassed that her cheek blushed slightly. "S-so, h-how is it?" She asked nervously.
"She looks so cute. Wait. Did I just think that she's cute again? This death god courtesan, cute? What the hell is happening to me? Huh? And why are my eyes are not getting off from her? Should I say cute to her? No, Hinowa might think it different? Come on, pull yourself together?" A heavy debate is happening in his mind from just a simple question. He scratched his head and think again.
"You look… Uhmm… You look…" He stammered, unable to complete his sentence. He is confused what term to use to express his answer.
"Answer me Gintoki! Don't ignore me." Tsukuyo shouted as glared at him.
"Really… you look…" Still he could give his final answer. He was pressured.
"Gintoki!" She shouted once more.
"You look PERFECT!" He suddenly answered it without even using his mind. That word just suddenly went out of his mouth.
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A moment of silence bounded around them, giving everyone some time to react about it. Hinowa seems to be the first one to react though she wasn't expecting that answer from him but she's at least hoping to say it. "My, my, you two should get going now." She said followed with a forced chuckle to make the mood light. Tsukuyo looked down. She was shocked about what she just heard.
Then she heard an ascending sound of footsteps approaching her but before she could lift up her face to see it, someone just hold her hand that surprised her. She let out a soft gasp as it pulled her softly.
The silver haired samurai spoke out a word. "Nothing will happen here if we didn't move. Let's go." He tried to act cool like it didn't happen and just shrugged it off. He did at least not to look at her eyes and walked out together with their hands holding each other.
"Be careful, you two." Said Hinowa as she wave goodbye to them. Now she's all alone but her smile is still on her face. But she suddenly remembered something she just forgot "Crap. I think I'm forgetting something." She muttered.
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They're back on the street, walking side by side while hand in hand. She couldn't say anything or start a conversation. They're just walking in silence.
"Oi Tsukuyo." He called her attention. "Do you have plan for our investigation?" He asked in a serious tone.
"That's right. We're currently conducting an investigation. What was I thinking? A date? I was too carried away with that word he just said." She thought. She looked at him seriously and answered "There will a big event in one of the hostess club around here. Maybe we should observe there. A big number of guests will be there tonight."
"…So we should really go there?" He connected. She just nodded.
"Man, this will be a hard task. I should get something for doing this." He grunted with a tiring look in his face.
From those words, Tsukuyo remembered something that Hinowa gave her earlier this afternoon. If she gave it to him, it will probably lighten his mood since he's a sugar addict after all. "Oh yeah. The eat-all-you-can ticket." She thought all of a sudden as her eyes brighten.
"Gintoki." She said.
"What is it?" They stopped walking and faced each other. He thought that it is something important.
"Hinowa just gave me this as a token for our efforts." She said while taking something out of the sleeves of her kimono. "This may at least brighten your mood… Well if want to go for it with me…" She struggles to find it but finally she finally felt it with her fingers.
"Here it is." She said with her brighten voice. She pulled it out and handed it over to Gintoki as she looked away from him with her face starting to get red.
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"E-eh… what is this for? D-don't tell me that..." Stammered Gintoki. "Yes and I'm serious about it." She connected with all of her courage to say it. Tsukuyo didn't expect silence from him as she's expecting a more surprised and excited reaction from him. But wait, something's different. She took a glance to it and - - - It's not the ticket she's holding… It's the same thin coiled wrapper with the shape of the ring in the middle that Hinowa mistakenly showed to her. Thunder roared in her mind. "Shit I forgot. I changed my clothes and ticket is in the other one." She thought.
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(FREEZE MODE WITH A JAW DROPPED EXPRESSION)
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There was a long pause between the two… "Uhmm… Y-y-you d-don't have to get serious a-a-about it." Said G-Gintoki while s-scratching his head. (Shit. Why is the author stammering too?)
"N-no! this is not what you think?" She replied nervously as she throws back that thing away. "I-it's a mistake." She tried to reason it out. Her face is now rosy red than before.
"Now now Tsukuyo it's alright I understand. B-but you don't need to do what Hinowa said you to."
"No! Believe me! It's a mistake! Really!" She shouted as they get the attraction of the passersby.
Gintoki felt very nervous about that as he is not ready for it (Whatever he's thinking). "Help me whoever god responds to my prayer! Control me! Give me strength! Stop the sinful things that is starting grow in my mind!" He prayed in his mind. "It's not any woman. This woman is different that some part of me tells me not to do it." He thought.
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Then suddenly, a commotion happened just a few meters away from them that got their attention.
"Hey! Watch where you are going, bitch!" Shouted the man to the woman wearing a violet kimono who came running and bumped him. Her black long hair covered her face as she quickly turned sideways and run through the alley. She looked like she's hiding something under her sleeve as her one hand is inside of the opposite sleeve.
Tsukuyo and Gintoki looked at each other and nod at the same time, gesturing that they should follow and chase that woman. They completely forgot the issue they were arguing with and made a quick run to the dark alley. "Could she be one of the drugs selling faction?" She asked.
"Well, there's one thing to find out." He replied.
They finally got to the alley and the surprised woman quickly turns her face to them. It is a dead end.
"You woman, stop right there!" She commanded as she pulls a kunai out of her kimono.
"Wait Tsukuyo!" Demanded gintoki as he gestured her to stop.
"It's you… What are you doing here? dumbass" He said softly to the woman. Tsukuyo wondered who is that woman and she took a good stare at her. She was surprised to see how beautiful that woman is. She couldn't say a word until the woman spoke her words. "It's not dumbass, Zurako it is." With a manly voice. But a flying kick to the face from Gintoki replied him.
"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked with his eye twitching. "What's with that outfit?" he followed up.
"It's a disguise." Grunted Zurako. Gintoki turned to Tsukuyo again with a grimace on his face. "I'm sorry Tsukuyo but it's not that drug pushing faction… It's just a Bomber Faction." He said
"That's Joui faction for you." interrupted Zurako.
"Like the hell I care!" He shouted.
AUTHOR: Well, that's chapter five. Kinda cliffhanger.
GINTOKI: It's not a little boring anymore… BUT IT'S KINDA SUSPENSE WITH A LITTLE CRIME, AUTHOR!
AUTHOR: We should change some mood in some chapters sometimes.
GINTOKI: Like hell! You're destroying the mood of the story! I think you're going to disappoint the readers of this fanfic especially for those who leave their reviews. It's getting farther from Gin X Tsukky Fluff. Where are you getting these ideas?
AUTHOR: I don't know. Probably from the songs I listen to. Like something from Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, Saxon, Metallica, Megadeth etc.
GINTOKI: That's a little weird. I don't see any connections into it, like the guitarist Buckethead whose influence is Michael Jordan.
AUTHOR: Yeah right. Well thanks for reading. Just tell me if I need to change something or some improvements needed.