Hello world! It's finally time for the third chapter!
Enjoy!
It's been already two weeks since she started living in the Shinsengumi headquarters. She was getting really anxious, she wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Sadly, it seemed like that won't be happening for a longer while. Later that first day, when they called her out again, they'd told her that she'll stay here for the time being.
"You'll need to keep disguising. We don't want to cause a commotion by having a woman in the compound," Hijikata told her. "Also, you won't be leaving your room." She looked up at him in astonishment.
"Won't be leaving my room?" she repeated his words, eyeing the vice commander with anger. He met her stare right on, not saying anything. Kondou's gaze wandered from Shizuka to Hijikata, the tension between them making him visibly nervous.
"You must be exhausted, so we want you to rest for now," he rushed with an explanation, trying to clear the air. "And there's no safer place than our headquarters," the commander reasoned, but she knew better. They were keeping her imprisoned. She looked at Kondou, ready to argue with him, but seeing him she froze, the words forgotten.
"We figured, you'd like to have this back," he said and held Kaneyasu out to her. When she grabbed the hilt, her fingers tightened instantly and she almost cried out in relief. Instead she closed her eyes and bowed to the man.
"Thank you," she answered him, her voice filled with raw emotion. In that moment she forgot about being careful, she was just too happy. Kondou simply smiled at her, without words. In her excitement she didn't notice that Hijikata was observing her very closely.
So there she was, just sitting in one room all the time. After getting the sword back she didn't have the heart to fight with Kondou, so in the end she had to remain here. She was slowly losing her mind out of boredom. Shizuka might've had a reputation of a slacker, but she wasn't that lazy. She wasn't used to being so passive.
The girl thought that once she gets Sagami Kaneyasu back, she'll be able to somehow get out of here, but the very first night of her confinement proved her wrong. The moment she opened the door, she felt a hand of her neck. She looked up to see Hijikata's vicious glare, then he threw her back in. They were watching her all the time.
She folded the futon and sat down, breathing out heavily. After a while she heard noises outside and curiosity got the best of her. She opened the window and looked out. Then she scowled upon seeing the idiot duo (that's how she'd called them after their display of stupidity during their first meeting), but didn't leave. This is the best kind of entertainment I'll get, she realized and sighed again.
"What's wrong, Shizuka-chan?" a voice called out. She was aware of Harada's presence from the beginning, but she didn't answer, only glanced at him briefly. She was doing her best to ignore the guards' attempts to start a conversation, since she was finding it a bother. The only person she'd talked to throughout those two weeks was Innoue. She just couldn't bring herself to be disrespectful to him.
Her gaze returned to the two men. After a fast warm-up they started practising with their bokutō and she clenched her teeth at the sight. She wasn't able to train for a while now and she could feel her body getting out of shape. Somehow it just didn't feel right and she figured, that it was the power of routine. For the first time in her life she was more than eager to have a lesson with... She shook her head. Let's not think about it, or it'll drive me crazy. She concentrated on the idiot duo.
Their spar was quite a spectacle, making Shizuka's eyes widen. Both men had an amazing skill and great technique. Their styles were different, but equally good. While the taller man was mainly attacking with powerful blows, the boy, who was smaller and definitely was no match for his opponent in terms of sheer strength, was relying on speed and quick counterattacks. They weren't leaving any openings, making the fight very even. She was watching them with excitement, completely lost in the moment.
"You're liking the fight?" Harada smirked, waking her up out of her daze. She looked down at him, startled. His voice was loud enough to catch the attention of the two men and they turned to them, stopping their spar.
"Yo, kid! Finally out?" Shinpachi called out cheerfully.
"Does that look like I'm out?" she spat out annoyed and stretched her hands around the window pointedly. All three of them stared at her, taken aback. They didn't really expect any answer. Heisuke was the first one to express his surprise.
"Woah, you finally spoke!" he exclaimed and she realized that she in fact did. I really was going insane from all this boredom. It just slipped.
"Well it's a high time. I was kind of hurt, you know, Shizuka-chan?" Harada said with a laugh and glanced at her. She looked back at him unamused, but his grin only got wider. The other two also started to snicker at her face and she turned around with a huff.
"Aren't you being too familiar?" she hissed at him, but he didn't seem to mind, he didn't answer either. The two men got a little closer, apparently encouraged by her reaction.
"Yeah, you're right," Shinpachi agreed, answering her earlier outburst. She shrugged.
"How are you doing?" Heisuke asked, offering her a smile. Guess they won't give up now, she sighed.
"What do you think? I'm in this room all day, with nothing to do," she complained, frowning. "Seriously, your vice commander is such a pain. It's not like I'm going to run away." Shizuka looked down. "I don't have a place to go anyway," she ended in a quiet voice. Only Harada heard that and looked at her with sympathetic eyes. The other two laughed at her bitter remark.
"Yeah, Hijikata-san can be pretty strict," Shinpachi nodded.
"Too strict! All he does is scolding me," Heisuke complained.
"It's you, who's constantly up to no good, kid. That's why you're getting punished," Shinpachi countered, making the boy gasp in outrage.
"Oi, Shinpachi-san! What do you mean? You're the one who's always starting things. And I'm not a kid!"
While they were bickering like this, Harada stood up and turned to Shizuka.
"I'll try to talk to Hijikata-san and convince him to let you go out," he said out of nowhere. She looked up at him in surprise.
"Really?"
"Yeah, why not?" he answered matter-of-factly.
"Thank you." She gave him little bow. Harada gazed at her and his expression relaxed into a smile.
"There you go. You finally livened up."
She stared at him, caught off guard, but he just turned towards the still arguing men.
"Weren't you in the middle of something?" he asked and they looked at him, confused for a second. Shinpachi, who was faster to understand, tightened the grip on his sword and attacked younger man in a blink of an eye. Heisuke was only a moment slower, but it was enough. His bokutō ended up on the ground.
"Ha, I win! You're buying tonight, Heisuke."
"That's not fair!"
"It's perfectly fair. You shouldn't have let your guard down, kid." Shinpachi then threw his fist into the air in a victorious gesture, while the boy was muttering insults under his breath. They both joined Harada in front of Shizuka's window.
"What do you think?" Shinpachi nudged at Harada.
"Not bad," he praised, patting his comrade's arm in a friendly gesture.
"That was so sly, Sano-san," Heisuke said bitterly as he stood next to them. Older men simply laughed at his whining. Seeing an incredible pouty face that he was making, Shizuka almost broke out with a chuckle herself.
"Don't worry, Heisuke. We can have a rematch anytime." Shinpachi grinned down at him and the boy brightened at the words.
"You bet. And I ain't gonna let you off easily."
"Of course."
Once Heisuke was humoured, Shinpachi looked at Shizuka.
"I don't remember introducing myself before. I'm Nagakura Shinpachi." He lowered his head slightly and then showed her a wide smile. "Captain of the second division and the most handsome guy around here." His flashy introduction made the other men sigh with resignation and Harada smacked him on the back of his head.
"Shinpachi-san, what's with you?" Heisuke yelled with distaste.
"Well, it's true," he stated seriously, massaging his injury. "Just check this out!" Shinpachi then began flexing his impressive muscles in front of Shizuka. Seeing his stunts, she raised an eyebrow in consternation.
"Shinpachi, stop creeping her out," Harada scolded.
"Creep... What are you talking about? Look, they're amazing."
"Yeah, whatever." Heisuke pushed him away, earning a deadly glare. "I'm Todou Heisuke," he introduced himself while looking away, suddenly acting shy. She looked at him, a difference in his behaviour making her crack a little smile.
"Nice to meet you, Nagakura-san, Todou-san," she bowed to them politely. The latter gave her an unsure look.
"Just call me Heisuke. Seems we're around the same age."
"Sure, Heisuke," she agreed and he grinned at her satisfied. Shinpachi was looking at both of them for a moment and then turned to the boy.
"Oi, kid, aren't you getting ahead of yourself? What's with playing all cool in front on her, huh?" he cut in. "Just a moment ago you were blushing like a girl," he accused and Heisuke breathed in sharply, stunned.
"Wha? I... I wasn't! What are you imagining, old man?" he cried, his cheeks reddening.
"Look, you are even now," Shinpachi noticed mercilessly, adding to the boy's embarrassment. Then he stopped suddenly and loomed over him. "What did you say? Old man?"
He threw an arm around Heisuke's neck, trapping his head in a strong grip. The younger man tried to wriggle his way out , but to no avail.
"Ah, let go! Let go of me, you old man!" he yelled, but the words only made Shinpachi tighten his hold.
"I'm gonna teach you a lesson, you brat," he smiled diabolically. Then he turned towards Shizuka.
"See you, Shizuka-chan." He started to drag Heisuke away, accompanied by the boy's enraged screams. "And call me by my name too!" he called out to her lastly.
She was looking at them with amusement. She thought that talking to them would be annoying, since her first impression wasn't the best, but strangely she found their company enjoyable. They were idiots, yes, but at least entertaining ones.
"Are they always like this?" she asked, making Harada look up at her.
"Unfortunately. They never shut up," he complained, though his expression was full of fondness. "You'll get used to it quickly," he smiled at her.
"I guess. I'll be probably staying here for a while," she sighed. He just hummed and comfortable silence fell between them.
After a while Harada stood up.
"I'll better check on them before Hijikata-san finds out. They tend to get really destructive when they are fighting." He started to walk away, but after few steps he turned around.
"I almost forgot. My name's Harada Sanosuke. It's a little late, but nice to meet you, Shizuka-chan," he spoke up and offered her his best smile. The girl frowned.
"Aren't you too forward?" she said again.
"You wish to be called Yukimura instead?" he asked. Her face fell at the sound of the unfamiliar name. She looked away. Harada noticed her distress, but didn't comment on it in any way.
"I just want to get along with you," Harada told her. "Is that a no, then?" She glanced up at him and had to stop herself from laughing at his pleading face. It was amazing.
"Then I'm calling you Sanosuke-san," she proposed boldly, not minding that he was obviously older. He blinked few times, clearly caught by surprise. Then he shrugged with a smile.
"I prefer Sano. Deal," he concluded and turned away on his heel. "See you around, Shizuka-chan," he waved as he walked away.
She was watching him go and wondering what got into her. Why the hell would I say something like this? It's not like I want to be friends with them. Idiot, she scolded herself.
She closed the window quickly and threw herself onto the futon. She would never admit it, but today's encounters weren't that bad. And having someone to talk to felt.. strangely reassuring. Not that she'd ever admit it.
Harada had kept his promise. A few days later Shizuka was finally allowed to go outside. Hijikata put multiple restrictions though, so basically she could only explore the area of captains' quarters, which was called the Yagi house. As long as the place belonged to the Yagi house she was free to walk around, meaning she could go to the common room, the training hall and the courtyard. However, she was forbidden to get close to the Maekawa house, the place where the soldiers were stationed. She did understand that, they didn't want her to catch the men's attention.
And of course she couldn't leave the compound itself. Hijikata warned her that any kind of disobedience will be severely punished. But I need to get out of here. I won't find any information here. Damn it.
The next day, she still haven't figured out how to go out without getting herself in trouble. She was passing next to the common room, lost in thoughts, just in time to see the divisions leaving on the patrol. She noticed a familiar face and decided to try and talk to him. Okay. Now or never.
"Excuse me." Some men turned around at her voice, their expressions curious, so did the person she called out to. She remembered his name was Saito. And next to him... Okita Souji, she remembered annoyed. His "joke", as he called it, was still fresh in her mind, making her unable to view the man neutrally.
"Yes?" he answered after ordering the rest to keep moving. Okita was just observing her. She completely ignored his presence, instead focusing on the man with the dark hair.
"You are going on patrol, right? Could I perhaps... go with you?"
"Why would you?" he asked right away. I shouldn't mention Sawamaura family. So...
"I was thinking about asking some people in the town. Maybe somebody else survived. I would like to try and find them." Saito nodded in acknowledgement, but his eyes were unmoved.
"The vice commander did not give you permission to leave the headquarters. I will not go against his orders," he answered seriously and turned to leave.
"Going on patrol isn't a walk in the park, you know?" Okita spoke suddenly. "We can get into a fight anytime and with a frail body like yours I don't think you stand a lot of chance," he said cheerfully, though in her eyes it seemed like mockery. She clenched her fist in anger.
"I can handle myself," she answered coldly, not even sparing a glance in his direction. He snickered.
"Hmm... Is that so?" he hummed. She didn't notice that Saito stopped and listened to their exchange.
"In that case I will test how capable you are. If you are good enough, I will talk to the vice commander," he proposed and Shizuka looked at him gratefully, then bowed deeply.
"Thank you very much."
He nodded and then left through the gate. Okita was gazing at him for a moment with widened eyes, then he glanced at Shizuka.
"I can't wait to see your great skill, Shizuka-chan," he told her with a smirk and joined the rest. She glared at his back irritated.
Ugh, he pisses me off so much! She breathed out, to calm herself. Let's not think about him.
She retreated to her room and waited for the divisions to come back.
When they did Saito, to her surprise, found her right away. She lightened up at the sight of Harada, since she wanted to thank him for standing up for her with Hijikata. He waved at her and she broke out into a little smile. It faded quickly though, as noticed who was behind him. She scowled upon seeing Okita.
What the hell is he doing here? Their eyes met and he smiled at her knowingly, as if he'd read her mind and decided to irk her on purpose. She turned away quickly.
"Let us go," Saito said and she nodded without a word. She followed him to the courtyard and positioned herself in front of him. Harada and Okita sat down on a nearby bench. She looked at Saito, but he didn't move.
"Shouldn't we use bokutō?" she asked and Saito looked up at her.
"Why should we?"
"Why you ask..." she trailed off confused. What do you mean why? "What if I hurt you or..." Before she could finish she heard a loud laugh. She gritted her teeth.
"You think you could hurt Hajime-kun? Your skill really must be legendary," Okita said, still giggling. She turned to answer him, a sharp retort at the tip of her tongue, but Saito spoke up, stopping her.
"You can use mune if you want," he stated indifferently, ignoring Okita's comments. She reached for her sword.
If he's not going to do it, then why should I? she thought briefly. But what if I really injure him? Shizuka considered it for a while and finally flipped the blade to its back. Then she focused solely on Saito.
His aura is no joke. Must be pretty strong. He's having his swords on his right side. Left-handed. She was observing him like this for a moment, but he was staying completely still. He's not going to reach for his sword? She looked closer, curious.
His stance, though at first glance seemed relaxed, had a strange tension to it. She recognized this position right away. Ah...Iai. He's using the quick draw.
It wasn't her technique, but she knew it through and through, thanks to Father who was iai user himself. She was defeated with it so many times, that she learned how to counter it. But everything depends on how good he is. With Father it was still difficult, even when I knew how to respond. Well, we'll see.
She looked him in the eye and for few seconds they just stared at each other. Each was hyper aware of the other, the rest completely forgotten. Every twitch, breath – everything was being registered and judged. They were standing quietly like this for a longer moment.
Harada and Okita observed closely, intrigued by the girl's behaviour. They were both wondering what was hiding behind that concentrated frown. She didn't see them at all, as her full attention was on Saito. She had to admit that she liked his gravity. It was a clear evidence that he was taking her seriously, and she appreciated that. But above all, she was really excited. It's been a while since she had a chance to practise and this was most likely going to be a great spar.
She was waiting for the moment. She could already feel it begin. Her body and mind joined together, creating perfect harmony. The surroundings became crystal clear. Father had a name for this, but she could never remember it. It was a state of total awareness, when one's brain registers everything but doesn't focus on anything. She thought of it as one of the most amazing sensations and she was ecstatic every time it was happening. Her oni nature was only making it stronger. She looked up at Saito and smiled.
This is it. Now.
She charged like wind towards him. He was still standing still. Okay, now he'll dodge, then he'll try to knock the sword out of my hand, she analysed. In split second she reached him and, sure enough, he moved out of the way. Then Shizuka felt a sudden chill. Wait, what the hell? He's way too fast! she panicked. Almost as if in slow motion, she started to turn around. In the corner of her eye she could see him raising his blade in a very familiar move, aiming at her own katana. I can't lose!
Before she even thought of that, her body took action. Her pupils became gold and she finished her movement in a flash, meeting Saito's sword. Perfect.
She pushed forward and after the moment they separated. The man didn't waste any time and charged right away, the strength of his attack stunning her. Is he even a human? He's too damn fast and strong! she whined, parrying his sword. Her oni powers were gone and she could feel exactly how powerful Saito was. Her first impression of him wasn't wrong. This is going to be a tough one.
She breathed out, not allowing herself to lose even an ounce of concentration. She was observing Saito closely, but couldn't really find any cracks in his defence. He was very well trained. But... Maybe I can use the fact that he's left-handed somehow? she wondered. She figured this sudden idea was worth a try. She gripped Kaneyasu tighter and focused on throwing him off balance, trying to force him into making a mistake by attacking his right side. Saito however quickly caught on and countered accordingly. Crap! she cursed annoyed.
Not having anything to defeat him with, Shizuka realized that she was going to lose. They were equally fast, but the man was a lot stronger. She could already feel her arms aching, the strain he was giving with his blows slowly overwhelming her. Saito of course noticed this and put even more force. Shizuka clenched her teeth, waiting for opportunity to counterattack, but she was too occupied with defending to even try it.
Her focus started to fade, she was losing the feeling from the beginning. No, get a grip! she scolded herself.
Oni powers started to surface, but she was suppressing them, not wanting to use them. She shouldn't have allowed them to manifest earlier, it was too dangerous. But as she was being steadily pushed back, her patience came to an end. To hell with it. I'm a cheater after all, right? Then she let the powers out. She could feel them raging inside of her, eager to come out fully. I need to be careful. Transforming here would be a complete disaster. But only this little was enough.
She countered Saito with new energy and now he was the one having trouble with parrying her. She caught a glimpse of his face and, seeing his slightly widened eyes, she smiled slyly. She regained her confidence and met Saito straight on.
But then he surprised her yet again. Very soon he got used to her pace and they were fighting on the equal footing. Wow, he's seriously amazing. Almost as good as Father, she marvelled. But I won't lose.
The spectators were watching the spar with astonishment. To tell the truth neither of them expected the girl to be very good with sword, even after she admitted that Kurai Harunosuke himself was her teacher. They thought that, being a woman, she might've been introduced to some defence tactics, nothing more. But what she showed today...
It was a display of incredible swordsmanship, the skill so impressive they couldn't utter a word. And she was holding her ground against Saito, one of the Shinsengumi's best swordsmen. She may have made few missteps and had really chaotic style, but it didn't matter. Her movements; the way she dodged, countered – they couldn't stop looking at her. She was mesmerizing. Harada and Okita were so absorbed that they didn't notice another person joining them as an observer.
"What is going on here?" Hijikata yelled suddenly, making Shizuka glance at him briefly. As soon as she did that, she realized she'd made a mistake. A second later she felt Saito's blade on her neck, her own sword laying on the ground.
As Hijikata was approaching them, Saito sheathed his sword. He picked up Sagami Kaneyasu and handed it to her. She was clenching her fists in anger and embarrassment. Damn it! How could I get so easily distracted? Idiot! she berated herself, her frown deepening. She took the sword, unable to look him in the eye.
"You are very good," he said and she finally glanced at him. "Your teacher taught you well," he added and for a second his face relaxed into a small smile. It disappeared so fast though, that Shizuka wasn't sure if she really saw it. But it was his words that surprised her more. She felt very grateful, her earlier irritation evaporating quickly. She opened her mouth to thank him, but at that moment Hijikata appeared in front of them.
"Care to explain what are you both doing, Saito?" he asked the man, but his glare was directed at Shizuka.
"Yukimura wishes to go outside, so I was testing whether or not she can protect herself," Saito answered simply, clearly immune to Hijikata's threatening stare. "I was about to ask for your permission, vice commander."
"And why would you want to go out?" He turned to her, towering over her menacingly. She seemed just as unfazed as Saito was.
"I was thinking that somebody might've survived. I want to ask around," she repeated her explanation.
"And how can I be sure that you..." Hijikata started again, but she interrupted him with an impatient sigh. What a pain.
"I won't run away. And if I try, you can always cut me down, right?" She glanced at Okita, offering him a bitter smirk. He just looked at her with innocent eyes. Seeing their exchange, Harada chuckled quietly.
Hijikata's frown deepened momentarily, she was sure that he was trying to find more excuses, but after a minute he breathed out loudly.
"You stay close to the captains and listen to them at all costs. Understood?" he looked at her seriously.
"Yes. Thank you." He answered with a "hmph" and turned around on his heel. Saito lowered his head towards her and started leaving too.
"I want a rematch!" she called out after him. He stopped for a second and she could see him nodding slightly, then he followed Hijikata. She smiled at his back.
Once they left, Harada stood up from the bench and went to her side.
"Shizuka-chan, that was amazing," he praised her with a wide smile, grabbing her arm in a friendly gesture, She would've shaken it off, but she was too happy to do that. Finally, I can start, she thought excitedly. She returned Harada's grin, though with more reserve.
"Thanks."
"You gotta spar with me too some time," he proposed. Shizuka looked at the yari in his hand doubtfully.
"Against that monstrosity? No thanks, Sano-san." She backed away a little to emphasize her point.
"Oi, how can you call it a monstrosity? It's the best weapon ever," he pouted.
"I prefer swords."
"But spear's range is no joke. You can't land attacks like that with a sword," he protested.
"That's cheating," Shizuka countered. Like I'm the one to talk about others cheating, she thought with a sigh.
"How's that cheating? This is simply one of its merits."
They got themselves into a heated discussion about advantages and disadvantages of weapons, each protecting their own opinion. They were so engrossed in the talk that they haven't noticed that Okita was watching them all this time, his expression unreadable. Then he stood up and joined them, his usual smirk plastered on his face.
"Well, aren't you two getting along well?" he said. They both looked at him taken aback. They forgot about his presence.
"Yeah, we've become friends," Harada answered contentedly, his words surprising her. Friends? She glanced at him and he gave her a soft smile. "Haven't we, Shizuka-chan?"
"Sure, Sano-san," not knowing why she responded and smiled back.
"Oh, that's great," Okita beamed at them, his grin fake in her eyes. He turned around, but before he left he called out to her, looking back over his shoulder.
"Ah, once you go on patrol, you better be careful, Shizuka-chan. You never know what might happen," he ended and gave her an eerie smile.
"I'll remember that," she answered dryly, returning the gesture. He chuckled and disappeared behind the corner. She breathed out annoyed. Why he always pisses me off so much? And what's with that? "You never know what might happen?" He needs to work on his threats, that bastard.
Harada was observing her reaction with amusement and them patted her on the head.
"Relax. That's just the way Souji is. He's not so bad once you get to know him," he informed her, but she just snorted.
"Yeah, right."
"I mean it," he insisted with a grin. She didn't believe it one bit. Every captain got more or less used to me by now, but he's only threating me or mocking me. I doubt it'll get better. Seems like he's a natural born asshole, she thought.
Satisfied with this conclusion she nodded her head slightly, making Harada gaze at her curiously. He didn't get to ask what it meant, as they were interrupted by a loud voice.
"Hey, dinner's ready!" Heisuke appeared at the other side of courtyard and waved his hand at them.
"We're going," Harada answered. He started walking, but Shizuka stayed in her place. Both men looked at her encouragingly.
"C'mon, you should eat with us," Heisuke said cheerfully. Harada nodded in agreement.
"I don't know if I..." she hesitated, the memory of Hijikata's annoyed expression fleeting through her mind.
"Oh, it's alright, don't worry about Hijikata-san," he assured, guessing her thoughts. "The commander will be delighted." Upon mention of Kondou her resolve weakened.
"Isn't it lonely eating by yourself?" Harada spoke and she glanced at him. She couldn't counter this one, since he was right. He noticed her wavering and sneaked behind Shizuka. He pushed her gently, startling the girl.
"Let's go," he ordered and they all headed to the common room.
"We should hurry or Shinpachi-san will eat everything," Heisuke noted with fright and increased his pace.
At the beginning reluctant, soon Shizuka matched their steps. Hearing Heisuke's statement she chuckled quietly. She couldn't help it, their company was so enjoyable.
She remembered Harada's words.
"Yeah we've become friends."
Friends.
She didn't know if he was serious when he said that. But his expression in that moment... It was sincere. Am I even allowed to make friends? she wondered, while following two men. I shouldn't do it. It's not like I'm going to stay here.
She looked at Heisuke and Harada, they were laughing at younger man's another comment regarding Shinpachi. She caught up to them.
Screw it.
"If you're so afraid, Heisuke, then don't slow down," she called out.
She decided not to think too much about it. We'll see what will happen. For now, I'll go with the flow.
Both men looked at her and smiled widely. Then they all hurried together down the corridor.
Okaay, third chapter down!
Some afterthought: I actually got a comment, saying that Sano is more suited to be with Shizuka. On one hand I totally agree. Sano's always been my second favourite, and in some aspects, I actually like him more than Souji. He's gentle, caring and sweet, and (compared to Souji) not complicated. He's just a guy with a simple dream. He's also very easy to write, at least for me.
BUT! Once I created Shizu, I couldn't imagine her with anybody else than Souji. In my head they suit each other perfectly. I hope I 'll be able to convey that well in this story, so you won 't be having any more doubts. And I just love him, whatcha gonna do about it? :)
Thank you for reading and some feedback is always welcomed. I 'll be trying my best to upload chapter 4 as soon as possible. Until then, see you!