Hakuoki Tenun no Shou: Chapter 2 - Stop Nagakura
So I decided to–
Stop Nagakura
Raise my voice
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Nagakura, stop!"
I cried out, trying to cling to Nagakura's hand, but—
~Picture~
He had already grabbed Tani by the collar.
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"...You know, back when I lived at home, my old man used to say this all the time."
"People who hang around the lord and enrich themselves—"
"Are pests that show up in every domain."
Sanjyuro Tani:
"Hey, don't lump me in with those kinds of guys—"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Just shut up and listen."
"Remember this. The Shinsengumi has us."
"We will never tolerate anyone trying to flatter Kondo, use him, and profit from it—no matter what!"
Sanjyuro Tani:
"What are you getting at, man? And what’s up with these hands?"
"What, are you gonna hit me or something? Well, come on then, I'm ready to take you on."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"You...!"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Nagakura, don’t!"
It was clear what Tani was trying to do—
To anger Nagakura and make him lash out, causing him to violate the Code of Conduct.
[One must not engage in a private fight.]
If he violates the Code, Nagakura might actually get demoted.
Nagakura glared at Tani for a while, radiating a furious aura...
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"...Yeah, I know. I'll be fine."
~END PICTURE~
Nagakura roughly shoves Tani back.
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"I'm a generous guy, so I'll let you off the hook for today."
"But never forget. If you ever cause trouble for the Shinsengumi..."
Nagakura glares unblinkingly at Tani—
He draws his sword from his waist in one swift motion.
Shinpachi Nagakura:
“There will be no more excuses. I will cut you down with this very sword!”
Tani adjusted his collar lightly, deflecting Nagakura's murderous intent with a defiant smile.
Sanjyuro Tani:
"I thought the Shinsengumi Regulations had a clause saying that we're not allowed to engage in personal conflicts"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Hah, do I look like I give a damn?"
After saying that, Nagakura sheathed his sword.
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"More importantly, you better prepare yourself. Hijikata and the others are also investigating this matter."
"You know better than anyone how shady your actions have been lately."
Sanjuro Tani:
"Go ahead and investigate me all you like."
"As I said before, I haven't done anything to cause trouble for the Shinsengumi."
Tani remained evasive until the end and disappeared from our sight.
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Nagakura... are you alright?"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"...Yeah, thanks for stopping me. I almost smashed his head in."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"You're welcome..."
"More importantly, what Tani said earlier..."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Yeah. We better report this to Hijikata."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"I'll go with you."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"...Are you sure?"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Yes. I'll also tell Hijikata what I've heard."
"And besides, wouldn't it be better to have multiple witnesses’ reports?"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"...I see. Thanks for everything."
"I really can't thank you enough."
~Next Scene~
Toshizo Hijikata:
"I see... I get it now. Thanks for looking into it."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Hijikata, you talked with Tani and Takeda, right? What did they say?"
Toshizo Hijikata:
"Well, they answered like you'd expected them to."
"They said they excluded you to make you reflect on your actions, and that Heisuke already had plans to go to Edo."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"That’s probably the best excuse they’d come up with. ...So, what do you think their real intentions are?"
Toshizo Hijikata:
"Well, my guess is that they want to cause a rift between us, or create an opportunity to curry favor with Kondo."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Speaking of curry favor with Kondo... there's talk of Kondo adopting Tani's younger brother, Shuhei."
Toshizo Hijikata:
"Oh, that. Did he say anything about it?"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Actually, I just heard about it..."
Nagakura then explained what Tani told us earlier about Shuhei’s background.
Toshizo Hijikata:
"I see... In other words, it sounds suspicious."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Right? Rumors about someone being a lord's illegitimate child are the kind that could be found in any domain."
"Even we know people with rumors like that. Like Heisuke"
Toshizo Hijikata:
"We’re probably better off asking Tani himself. Yukimura–"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Hang on a second, Hijikata, it's better not to question him directly."
Toshizo Hijikata:
"What do you mean?"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Despite everything, the signature on that Marching Record was undoubtedly Kondo's handwriting."
"Even if he was forced to write it while drunk, Kondo is also partly to blame for being tricked."
"If we corner Tani over this, Kondo's position will also worsen."
"...And there isn’t really anybody else who’s fit to be the Chief of the Shinsengumi besides Kondo, right?"
"A bad reputation doesn't suit Kondo."
Toshizo Hijikata:
"...Yeah, you’re right. Kondo seems to also feel remorseful about this incident."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Kondo? Really?"
Toshizo Hijikata:
"Of course."
"After sticking together for so many years, there's no way he wouldn’t be affected by something like this."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"I see. Yeah, that makes sense."
"Speaking of which, Hijikata, you were summoned by the Aizu domain this morning, right? How did it go?"
Toshizo Hijikata:
"I explained to them that it was a misunderstanding, and they seemed to understand."
"Once I report today's events, I’m sure they'll be relieved."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
“That’s great! I guess this matter is settled then."
"Thanks, Chizuru! You were a great help."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"No, I didn't do anything..."
???:
"Aw~? So all’s well that ends well?"
???:
"Why do you look so disappointed?"
???:
"Cuz I was planning to be the one to perform the ritual beheading on Shinpachi. I wonder if it's still possible to hold him accountable now?"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"That voice..."
Toshizo Hijikata:
"I already know you guys are there, so come in already."
Hijikata said, half-exasperated, and the door to the room slid open.
Heisuke Toudou:
"Men Shinpachi, you're lucky to be alive! I was really worried about you for a second there."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"What?! You all heard that?!"
Souji Okita:
"I fully expected that the order to dispose of Shinpachi had come from the Aizu domain."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"What are you talking about?! The Shinsengumi wouldn't function without me!"
Toshizo Hijikata:
"...Well, I do bear some responsibility for this incident as well, since I let Tani and Takeda do as they please."
Heisuke Toudou:
"Once Itou joins, I’m sure those two will surely not be able to do whatever they want anymore."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"...Who is Itou, Heisuke?"
Heisuke Toudou:
"He's someone I knew from back in Edo. He runs the Hokushin Itto-ryu dojo, and is also very learned."
"I don't think he'll butter up to Kondo like Tani and Takeda."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Aren’t there a lot of pro-imperialist part of the Hokushin dojo... You sure that’s gonna be okay?"
Sanosuke Harada:
"Hearing that Heisuke was the one who introduced him makes me a little uneasy."
"What if we end up with two Master forerunners?"
Heisuke Toudou:
"It'll be fine! Apparently, he's enlisting after fully understanding our situation."
Toshizo Hijikata:
"...Well, I can't say anything for sure until I actually meet the guy."
Sanosuke Harada:
"In any case, it's good that Shinpachi didn't end up having to gut himself."
Toshizo Hijikata:
"If things had gone south, we might’ve had to gut ourselves too because you used our names without our permission!"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"W-without permission?! You guys agreed to sign it!"
Sanosuke Harada:
"That was obviously just to keep you from freaking out."
Heisuke Toudou:
"If you were going to submit a letter of opinion to the Aizu domain, you could have just done it by yourself, Shin!"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Y-you guys...! Don't you have a shred of sympathy towards me!?"
"Take a cue from Saito! He has the integrity to not dwell on the past! That’s what makes a true warrior!"
Hajime Saito:
"Well, if I had ended up being implicated as the instigator,"
"I was planning to kill you and then commit seppuku to take responsibility."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Saito... you..."
Sanosuke Harada:
"Lucky you, Shinpachi. Saito would have really killed you if you’d fucked up."
Toshizo Hijikata:
"In any case, Sannan and I will rewrite the marching log. I'll also make sure to warn Kondo about the matter surrounding Shuhei."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"What about the rumors Tani has been spreading among the warriors?"
Toshizo Hijikata:
"Just pretend it’s just some grand tale Tani made up."
"If you take the warriors out for drinks and talk about it, I’m sure the rumors will disappear in no time."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
“Sure, but… how much money do you got to take them out drinking?”
Toshizo Hijikata:
"...*Sigh* I guess it can’t be helped. Here, I can give you at least this much."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Ah, thanks Hijikata! You’re the best"
Souji Okita:
“Ah men, it’s so boring when everything works out fine.”
"Anyway, I'm going to tell Kondo that the two of you have made up."
Sanosuke Harada:
"I don’t think that’ll be necessary, Souji. Look over there."
And there, where Harada was looking was...
Isami Kondo:
"H-hello everyone, did you finish your conversation?"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Kondo! You were here!"
Nagakura looked away in embarrassment but...
Kondo firmly grasped Nagakura's hand.
Isami Kondo:
"...I'm sorry."
“When Tani and the others told me that it was for the Shinsengumi, I was swayed by their words.”
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"You'd better be more careful from now on. You're too trusting and don't know how to be suspicious of people."
"Well, as long as we're around, we won't let you do something like this again!"
They looked at each other as they talked, with not a single hint of resentment in their eyes anymore.
Eventually, Nagakura turned to look at me...
And gave me a smile as bright as the midsummer sun.
...I’m happy for you, Nagakura.
I smiled back, as those words resonated from my heart.
~Next Scene~
Then, one day, after some time had passed.
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Ahh... Summer's almost over..."
"In the end, I feel like I didn't get to do anything this summer except for inspecting new recruits, patrolling, and sword training."
"Those cicadas are as noisy as ever. I want to turn them all into tsukudani and eat them all."
Heisuke Toudou:
"Wouldn't tsukudani made from cicadas give even you an upset stomach?"
Sanosuke Harada:
"Men, it's hot again today. I think I'll take a bath. Should I use the well water here?"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Is that alright?"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"The Yagi family seems to be out, so it should be okay for today, right?"
Heisuke Toudou:
"Right! Let's make it a special case just for today!"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Oh, speaking of special things..."
Hajime Saito:
"What's the matter, Yukimura?"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Please wait a moment. I've prepared something special for you all."
I ran to the well.
And took out something that had been cooling in the well.
~Next Scene~
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Wow, you prepared a watermelon for us!"
"As expected of our Chizuru! You're so thoughtful!"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"No, this watermelon isn't from me; it's a gift from Hijikata."
Souji Okita:
"Wow, that's quite unusual."
"I wonder if he's actually worried about the fact that he's unpopular with the corps because of his bad personality."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"I don't think Hijikata is unpopular..."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Well whatever, let's eat it quickly!"
"Since we've got a watermelon, why don't we split it open?"
Sanosuke Harada:
"Well, this isn’t the most ideal spot. What if we break something in the house?"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Then let's go somewhere open! Good things come to those who wait!"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"The grounds of Mibu Temple are spacious, so that might be a good spot."
"I'll check with the temple to see if we can borrow it for a little while."
~Next Scene~
Hajime Saito:
"Just keep going straight, Shinpachi."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"You sure? Are you really sure this is the right direction?"
Souji Okita:
"Oh man, if only Hijikata had been here, it would have been even more fun."
Hajime Saito:
"...Knowing you, you'd probably try to lead Shinpachi to hit the commander over the head with a stick."
Souji Okita:
"Aw man, how did you know?"
Hajime Saito:
"I can guess what you're thinking."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Hey, answer me! This is the right direction, right?"
Sanosuke Harada:
"Yeah, you’re doing fine. It’s just a little further to the right..."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Right here?! HYAAAAAAA—!"
"All right, I did it! I hit it right in the center! Everyone, let's eat some watermelon with all our might!"
~Picture~
Sanosuke Harada:
"Mmm, delicious. Watermelons really are the best thing in summer, aren't they?"
Heisuke Toudou:
"Hey, Sano, don't hog the entire watermelon!"
Sanosuke Harada:
"Oh, relax. We still have plenty left, you know?"
Chuji Matsubara:
"Everyone, please stop fighting. There's plenty."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"That's right, please calm down!"
Hajime Saito:
"We’re with quite a lot of people, so it's not like it's a huge amount."
"Therefore, I'll eat as much as I can."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Even you, Saito…?!"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"What do you think you're doing, taking the watermelon away from me, the one who made a great contribution?!"
Sanosuke Harada:
"What do you mean, a great contribution? You just split the watermelon."
Souji Okita:
"Plus, this whole incident caused trouble for the Shinsengumi."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"That's over now! Why are you still dwelling on it?!"
"But you're eating it right after I said that! If that's how it is, then–"
~END PICTURE~
Nagakura shouted and ran off.
Soon, he returned with something in his hand.
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Eat this! You gluttons!"
He spills water, apparently drawn from a well, all over everyone.
Sanosuke Harada:
"...Now he's done it."
"They say I've mellowed out a lot lately, but..."
"I'm not human enough to be so unfazed by being interrupted while I'm eating!"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"C-calm down, Sano. I’m just joking around."
Sanosuke Harada:
"Shut up, Shinpachi, prepare yourself!"
Harada, losing his composure with rage, grabs Nagakura.
Chuji Matsubara:
"E-everyone, please calm down! Private fights are, you know, against the rules or something..."
Sanosuke Harada:
"Excellent! I'll show you Harada Sanosuke's second seppuku!"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"*Sigh*..."
Genzaburou Inoue:
"...Oh dear. Well, I guess I'll just let them fight it out."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Are they gonna be okay...?"
Despite all the turmoil...
The summer of 1864 came to a lively close.
~Next Scene~
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Men~... I’m stuffed. Now then, let's hurry and clean up."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Okay. I'll go get some cleaning supplies."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"That should do it. Well, with that done, let's head back."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"–-Yes!"
~Next Scene~
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Thanks to the watermelon, I was truly able to enjoy the summer vibes... but now that it's over, it feels a little anticlimactic."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"It seems like you didn't get to eat much because everyone was vying for the food..."
"Hijikata said that since we couldn't do anything summery this year, we should let you eat your fill."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Hmm? Well... everyone seemed happy, so I don't really mind that much."
"I did cause a lot of trouble for everyone."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"...That's very like you, Nagakura."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Well... I was hoping the others would be a bit more considerate and let me eat more."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"...Oh, I see. Then, please wait here for a moment."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Hmm? Wait for what?"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"You'll find out soon!"
I ran to the well and returned to Nagakura with the chilled fruit.
Chizuru Yukimura:
"I anticipated something like this might happen, so I kept one aside."
"Hijikata had prepared two of them since he figured one wouldn't be enough for that many people."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"So, if I had eaten my fill earlier..."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"I was planning to share it with the rest."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Then… this is for me? I can eat all of it?"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Yes, of course!"
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Awesome! You really are the best, Chizuru!"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Please wait a moment. I'll cut it right away."
~Picture~
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Ahhh, this crisp sweetness and juiciness! When you think of summer, you think of watermelon!"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"You're right."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Kyoto summers are pretty hot and humid, aren't they? Since you can't just take a bath as easily as we can, it must be tough for you, right?"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Well, I don't go on patrol or practice swordsmanship in the scorching sun like you all do."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"...Come to think of it, I should’ve probably been the one to prepare this watermelon."
"I guess I really am no match for Hijikata."
Chizuru Yukimura:
"Ah well..."
"But you know what, I've realized something from this incident."
"That you truly deeply care about the Shinsengumi."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Haha... You didn't think I only thought about drinking, swordsmanship, and having fun, did you?"
Chizuru Yukimura:
"N-no, of course not!"
"I just realized you cared more than I had imagined."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"I know, I know."
"Of course I care. The Shinsengumi isn't just something Kondo and Hijikata built..."
"It's something we all built together."
Nagakura looked up at the sky—
His eyes burned with a fierce determination that rivaled even the midsummer sun…
Chizuru Yukimura:
"...Please keep doing your best."
"I'll help with anything I can."
Shinpachi Nagakura:
"Thanks! You really are such a good kid. Here, have some of my share of the watermelon too!"
No matter what happens to the Shinsengumi in the future...
As long as Nagakura is there, everything will surely be alright.
Seeing his unclouded smile made me truly believe that.
~END~
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