Hakuoki Tenun no Shou plays a bit differently from the rest of the series. The game is divided into multiple chapters and each one is centered around two of the main guys. Each of the chapters follows its own story with an underlying plot that connects them all.  So you can read them in any order you want but I still recommend reading them in order considering that's how the game was meant to be played. ヾ(^▽^*)))   Story This time, the story takes place in Kyoto, where the Shinsengumi were active in the past, and spins the story of their youth and memories that were not depicted in the main story, including incidents of various sizes that are recounted along with the events of the four seasons. Translations Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Characters Side Characters Translations Chapter 1: Okita's Route: - ​Intro - Check on Okita. - Ask Okita. - I'm worried about Okita's condition. - Good End - Normal End Iba's Route: -​Intro - Attend to Iba. - Ask Iba. - Iba’s concerns. - Good End - Normal End ​ Common Route: - ​Intro - Go back to my tasks. - Ask Inoue. - What I can do./Normal End Chapter 2: Hijikata's Route: -​Intro - I was worried about Hijikata. - I'll just wait in the courtyard. -I'll go to Hijikata. -Good End -Normal End Nagakura's Route: -​Intro - I was worried about Nagakura. - I'll go check on the front gate. -I'll go to Nagakura. -Good End -Normal End Common Route: -​Intro - Go back to work. -I guess I'll give up. - I'm not going to either of them. /Normal End Chapter 3: Coming Soon... Characters Souji Okita | VA. Shotaro Morikubo Okita is the captain of the first division of the Shinsengumi, he’s also known as one of the most notorious warriors on the battlefield. He posses a very sarcastic personality and a charmingly sadistic nature. This man is also very loyal to Isami Kondou and his top priority in life is to be the sword and weapon of the Shinsengumi. It is rumored that his sword skill is as good as Hijikata’s, although he personally claimed that he’s better. Hachiro Iba | VA. Mamoru Miyano Hachiro Iba is a member of the shogun’s guard who has known the Shinsengumi for years. He’s also inherited one of the most popular dojo in Bakumatso, Edo, through his family name. Despite his charming looks and his very gentle & refined appearance, he is one badass swordsman who’s trained together with the Shinsengumi captains. He’s also Chizuru’s childhood friend. Source Side Characters Sanjuro Tani | VA. Ryota Takeuchi Tani is a member of the Shinsengumi. He is the eldest of the Tani brothers and serves as the Captain of the 7th Division. He has a tendency to cause trouble, making him not very well-liked by the other Captains. Chuji Matsubara | VA. Kentaro Ito A member of the Shinsengumi and Captain of the 4th Division. He joined during the Roshigumi era and participated in the Coup of August 18th and the Ikedaya Incident, and is now known as Benkei. He is also known in the neighborhood as a man of integrity.

As for me... I'll just wait in the courtyard. I'll go check on the front gate. I guess I'll give up. Chizuru Yukimura: "Shimada, wait!" I grabbed Shimada's sleeve and stopped him. Chizuru Yukimura: "I... I'll do it." Kai Shimada: "Are you sure?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. If things between Hijikata and Nagakura get any worse, it'll be a disaster." Kai Shimada: "...Thank you, you're a big help." "Please be careful not to get spotted by the others." Chizuru Yukimura: "Of course, I’ll be careful." Shimada turned away and headed to Hijikata's room. ...If I stayed inside the gate, I might be noticed by one of the members. I'll wait outside the gate. ~Next Scene~  After that, I continued to wait for Nagakura and the others to return, but... No matter how long I waited, they never returned. Does Nagakura really not care about the curfew? As I was thinking about this... Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" I flinched at the sound of approaching footsteps. Then, I squinted my eyes into the darkness and saw... Shinpachi Nagakura: "Huh? Why is there a beautiful woman hanging around here?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Nagakura!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hold up, is that you, Chizuru?!" "Did you come to greet me this late at night? Man, it sure is tough being popular!" Chizuru Yukimura: "Shh! Please keep quiet, Nagakura!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Oh, my bad. When I drink, I end up talking a lot." "More importantly, how are Sano and Heisuke? Have they made it back yet?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Those two? I haven't seen them..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Huh… really? That's strange." "They said they wouldn't make it to curfew if they stayed much longer." "I’m pretty sure they left the party early." Chizuru Yukimura: "Is that so?" "If they returned first, it’s strange that they haven’t made it bad yet..." "Maybe they took a detour somewhere." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, it's fine! They'll be back soon." "Anyway, why are you out here so late?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Well, um..." I confide in him in a low voice. Chizuru Yukimura: "...Shimada asked me to open the gate for you guys." Shinpachi Nagakura: "I see... I'm sorry!" "Men, sorry for the trouble. Well, let's head inside." Nagakura tried to walk in straight through the gate, but... Chizuru Yukimura: "Hold on a second!" I grabbed him by his kimono to stop him. Shinpachi Nagakura: "What's wrong?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Let's check inside first." "If we get caught, we’ll be in big trouble." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Aren't you worrying too much?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Have you forgotten what Hijikata said? Breaking curfew will result in suspension, and if you're not careful, seppuku!?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Oh, I get it, I get it. You’re right." "Well then, let's check what's going on inside first." Nagakura's words made me feel relieved. And when I tried to peek inside... ~Picture~ Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Well? Do you see anyone?" Chizuru Yukimura: "It's pretty dark, so it’s hard to tell..." "I don't hear voices or footsteps." Shinpachi Nagakura: "If that’s so, there's probably no one there." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." Maybe because I was so engrossed in investigating the courtyard... But I just noticed how close we are. Nagakura, however, doesn't seem to have noticed it at all... It seems I’m the only one feeling embarrassed. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, I guess the only one who'd be up this late is that workaholic Hijikata." "The other members are probably already asleep." Chizuru Yukimura: "You're right. Well then, let's go inside." As I was about to enter through the gate... Shinpachi Nagakura: "Wait, hold on a sec." His soft but sharp voice stops me in my tracks. Chizuru Yukimura: "Is something wrong?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "...I think I can sense someone's here." Chizuru Yukimura: "Really? I don't sense anything though..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "That's what my intuition is telling me… I can tell even when I'm drunk." "It seems like they're trying to keep a low profile and keep an eye on us." Chizuru Yukimura: "I see..." I tried to sharpen my senses, but I still couldn't sense anything... Nagakura has experienced countless life-risking battles in Kyoto. He may be sensing something that the five senses can't capture. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Only Saito or Hijikata could do something like this." "Souji wouldn't lose his murderous intent even during a sword fight." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." My throat is dry from tension, and I couldn’t get a word out. Shinpachi Nagakura: "...It's probably Hijikata. He must have noticed I was back and came out." After saying this, Nagakura moves away from the gate. ~Picture End~ Chizuru Yukimura: "What are you doing?!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "I don't care if I get found out, but I don’t want you to get into trouble." "I'll go around to the back and enter the courtyard, so you can go in here when you get an opportunity." Chizuru Yukimura: "But what about you, Nagakura?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, I was the one who broke curfew in the first place." "You just happened to get caught up in it. So don't worry about it." Chizuru Yukimura: "But...!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "It'll be fine. Just leave this to me." "Well, be careful not to get caught on your way back." Nagakura tried to go around to the back door, but... I stood in front of him and blocked his path. Chizuru Yukimura: "Wait! I'll get scolded by Hijikata, too!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "You? Scolded…?" "You haven't done anything to deserve that, have you?" Chizuru Yukimura: "But… it's true that I tried to help you break curfew." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Chizuru..." Nagakura lightly scratched his head as if to hide his embarrassment. We both fell silent for a moment, as if to wonder what to say next... Soon, a large, rough hand was placed on my head. Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Thanks. I appreciate your sentiment. Really, I do." Chizuru Yukimura: "Just my sentiment..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "What, there's nothing to worry about." "No matter how strict Hijikata is, he won't make me commit seppuku over something like this." Chizuru Yukimura: "Really?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "At worst, I'll be suspended... or he'll probably just cut my salary in half or something." "I'm fine, so don't look like that." "Well, then, I’ll treat you to a nice meal later!" Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah, Nagakura...!" ...He's gone. Nagakura said that he’ll be fine, but... will he really? I guess it would be better if we went together. Thinking that, I was about to chase after Nagakura.  When suddenly, my arm was grabbed from behind. There was-–. Heisuke Toudou: "Don't. You'll get caught up in it too." Chizuru Yukimura: "Heisuke...! And Harada too." Sanosuke Harada: "We left the restaurant before him... but it looks like we got chased along the way." Harada said this as he looked into the distance. Toshizo Hijikata: "You bastard, have you completely forgotten my warnings?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Who cares!" "How do you expect me to keep to the curfew when I'm drunk!" Chizuru Yukimura: "...Ah... I thought so..." Nagakura has finally been caught. Sanosuke Harada: "...We can't let Shinpachi's sacrifice go to waste. Let's go." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." I'm still worried about Nagakura, however...  If I joined him now, the situation would only get more complicated. I might also end up causing trouble for Shimada. ...I'm sorry, Nagakura. Afterwards, Harada and Heisuke walked me back to my room... It seems the quarrel between Hijikata and Nagakura continued until late into the night. I wonder what will happen to their relationship from now on. I kept thinking about them late into the night. ~Next Scene~ The day after that commotion. Chizuru Yukimura: "There we go..." I carefully wipe the wooden floor with a wrung-out rag. Today, no new people wanting to join have come by... I'd better get the floor mopped while I can. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hey, Chizuru. You cleaning?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes, that's right. ...Umm, Nagakura..." I wonder what happened last night. Should I ask about it...? Shinpachi Nagakura: "I've been watching the new recruits' training since morning." Chizuru Yukimura: "The new recruits..." "How are they doing?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Ah, to be honest, they’re not very good." Chizuru Yukimura: "So their sword skills are still lacking..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well... there are some soldiers who are reasonably skilled..." "Whether it can be used in real combat is a different matter." "It's going to be hard to make them understand that swordsmanship that involves hitting things lightly with a bamboo sword is useless." Chizuru Yukimura: "Is that so..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Gen and the others said they chose people with swordsmanship experience." "Some of them said they had studied for three years when they had only studied for six months..." "That's a real problem." Chizuru Yukimura: "That must be tough." Nagakura's words are the same as always, and I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. However, even while we were chatting about trivial things, the memory of last night came to mind... Chizuru Yukimura: "...Um, Nagakura." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hmm, what is it?" Chizuru Yukimura: "About last night..." Just then, the door opened and someone came into the hall. Appearing before us was... Toshizo Hijikata: "Ah, so here you are, Yukimura." Chizuru Yukimura: "Hello, Hijikata." I greeted him as usual, but Nagaruka–. Shinpachi Nagakura: "...I'm going now. See ya, Chizuru." Just like that, he left the hall, avoiding Hijikata. Toshizo Hijikata: "...There's no way he didn’t see me." "It seems he doesn't even want to say hello to me." Chizuru Yukimura: "Um… Do you think he’s okay?" Toshizo Hijikata: "It has nothing to do with him being okay or not, he's just sulking on his own." "He'll get over it soon." "...Anyway, I'd like to ask you a favor." Chizuru Yukimura: "A favor? What is it?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Actually..." ~Next Scene~ Chizuru Yukimura : "Hup, hup..." Hijikata asked me to weed the garden. Maybe because of the hot weather, the ground is lush with weeds. Chizuru Yukimura: "Phew..." It looks like I’m almost done... Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" Is that... Kondo? He seems a bit depressed... Chizuru Yukimura: "Um... Kondo?" Isami Kondo: "Hah..." I called out to him, but he didn't seem to notice me. Chizuru Yukimura: "What's wrong, Kondo?" I called out to him in a louder voice this time, and he finally turned to face me. Isami Kondo: "...Oh, Yukimura. What are you up to?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Hijikata asked me to weed the garden." "What are you doing here, Kondo?" Kondo looked sad and hung his head. Isami Kondo: "Well... lately, I've been feeling that I'm not strong enough." Chizuru Yukimura: "Not strong enough? That's not true...!" Isami Kondo: "Thank you for your concern. But I know the truth." "It seems that some of the corps members have been unhappy with the way I have been doing things lately." "Because of that, the relationships between the corps members have become strained." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." It's rare to see Kondo so depressed... The bad atmosphere between Hijikata and Nagakura is probably also a factor. Chizuru Yukimura: "Um... I know this might be presumptuous, but..." "I don't think they are dissatisfied with your leadership." "I just think there was a small misunderstanding that caused a strain on everybody’s relationship." "Everyone joined the Shinsengumi with the same aspirations." "If you treat them with sincerity, I'm sure they'll understand." Isami Kondo: "I see. Sincerity, huh.." Kondo nodded deeply, as if pondering my words. But then– Kanryusai Takeda: "So this is where you were, Chief Kondo." Chizuru Yukimura: "Takeda, Tani..." Sanjyuro Tani: "Actually, I wanted to consult you about the marching record that we talked about the other day." Isami Kondo: "Ah, that. About that..." "We were supposed to make a decision after hearing Hijikata and Sanan's opinions." Sanjyuro Tani: "It would be easier for Hijikata and the others to give their opinions if we solidify the plan here." "We want to avoid a situation where a lot of people are throwing around all sorts of ideas and nothing is decided in the end." Kanryusai Takeda: "Regarding this matter, I will take responsibility for proceeding with the discussion as I have studied Koshu-ryu military science, so please rest assured." Isami Kondo: "But still..." Sanjyuro Tani: "You are the head of the Shinsengumi, Kondo. You have no reason to be afraid of them." "...Also, I'd like to get a little more specific about the case regarding Shuhei." Isami Kondo: "Um, well, that's true..." Sanjyuro Tani: "Okay, that's settled. Let's go to our usual restaurant and discuss the details then." Kanryusai Takeda: "By all means, let's do that. I'll go and make the arrangements with the restaurant." Kondo is taken away by Tani and Takeda and walks off. ...What on earth is this "March Record"? And what was that about Shuhei...? Maybe I can find out by asking the others later. But now that things are awkward with Hijikata and Nagakura... It's hard to ask them, but maybe someone else could tell me. I hope there's something that will put everyone at ease... Chizuru Yukimura: "...! That's it, that might help..." I'll talk with Inoue about it later. ~Next Scene~ That night. Around dinner time. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner!" "Finally, my favorite time of the day has come again!" Heisuke Toudou: "Now, as for today's meal..." Chizuru Yukimura: "I hope you all like it." I set out trays of delicious rice in front of everyone. Shinpachi Nagakura: "?! No way, this smell...!" Sanosuke Harada: "This smells like Edo miso soup." Chizuru Yukimura: "Yep. After consulting with Inoue, we tried to recreate the taste of Edo." "We can't get fish from the ocean, but we tried our best with what we had...." Shinpachi Nagakura: "This brings back memories! The saltiness seeps right into my body after a workout." "To someone used to the taste of Edo, the miso here tastes a bit bland." Chizuru Yukimura: "I’m sure you’ve all worked up quite a sweat during sword training and patrols." Heisuke Toudou: "This miso soup is a real hit~" Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm glad you liked it." "...How do you like it, Sanan?" Keisuke Sanan: "You went out of your way to prepare rice balls for me because of my injury." "I feel bad for asking you to do this for me when I haven't been able to contribute anything to the squad..." Chizuru Yukimura: "That's not true..." I wasn’t able to get rid of the awkward atmosphere completely... But I'm glad that everyone is happy like this. Souji Okita: "By the way, where’s Kondo? I can't find him anywhere. He’s missing out on this delicious Edo flavor." Keisuke Sanan: "Is there a reception for a dignitary from the shogunate or the Aizu clan? Have you heard anything, Hijikata?" Toshizo Hijikata: "No, I don't think there was anything planned..." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah...!" Toshizo Hijikata: "What is it, Yukimura? Do you know something?" Chizuru Yukimura: "No, actually, during the day..." I told everyone what I heard in the courtyard earlier that day. Heisuke Toudou: "So you're saying he’s out eating with Tani and Takeda? That's crazy!" Souji Okita: "They’re probably at an expensive restaurant." "Even expensive food would taste bad when you’re eating with those guys." Chizuru Yukimura: "Um... so, there is something I wanted to ask." "What exactly is a marching record?" Toshizo Hijikata: "...The marching records are something we created after the Kinmon Incident, since we had trouble figuring out how to move our troops." "I wanted to write down our military movements for times like that, but..." Souji Okita: "Oh, I was wondering what you were doing late every night, so you were secretly doing that?" Toshizo Hijikata: "This is also part of the commander's duties." "But I didn't think Tani or Takeda would be interfering with it..." Souji Okita: "Maybe Takeda wanted to show off his military studies, which he's so proud of?" "Since you always decide everything on your own, he probably wanted to interfere." Chizuru Yukimura: "If anything, I think they'd like to put it all together for Hijikata to take a look at..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, I guess we'll go and see tomorrow." "If the vanguard turns out to be Tani, I'll be laughing out loud." Toshizo Hijikata: "Even if he's that kind of person, he wouldn't do something so obvious." "I don't think they would want to go to a place where they'll be the first to die." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, that's true." "They're just a bunch of people who want to stick with Kondo and have a good time." "So I guess I'll probably be the vanguard and Sano will be guarding the lord." Sanosuke Harada: "If things go as usual, that's probably what will happen." Shinpachi Nagakura: "But when it comes to war... is armor really necessary?" Toshizo Hijikata: "These days, guns are more important than armor." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Guns?! They're so unwieldy, we can't use those." "How many people do you think you can cut with a sword while loading bullets into a gun?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Well, if you put it like that, you’re probably right." Hijikata and Nagakura's conversation seemed to have gone back to the time before any animosity arose... Relieved, I couldn't help but smile. Toshizo Hijikata: "Hmm, what is it, Yukimura? What are you smiling about?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah, nothing..." "I'm glad you two have cleared up the misunderstanding." Hijikata & Nagakura: "...!" My words seemed to have reminded them of their fight. Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Thanks for the food. I'm going to go and practice for a bit." Nagakura roughly put his bowl on the tray,  And then left the hall. In the awkward atmosphere, Hijikata finished his meal in silence... Toshizo Hijikata: "I'm going back to work." After those brief words, he left the hall as well. Souji Okita: "Oh no, you said something unnecessary and got them riled up again." Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm sorry. I just..." Sanosuke Harada: "Don’t worry about it. Fights of that magnitude happened all the time when we were in Edo." Heisuke Toudou: "That's right. It's a regular thing. So here's nothing to worry about." Keisuke Sanan: "That's a bit of an exaggeration, but... fights of that magnitude were quite common." Chizuru Yukimura: "But..." Harada put his hand on my dejected shoulder. Sanosuke Harada: "...Hey, it’ll be fine." "Tani and Takeda are acting like Kondo's entourage and are plotting all sorts of schemes, but..." "Our bond isn't so shallow that it can be ruined by something like this." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Alright." My anxiety hadn't completely disappeared... But still, I'll believe in the bond that they've had for so long. ~Next Scene~ But the next day. Shinpachi Nagakura: "What the hell is this!? What on earth is going on with this ‘March Record’!?" Nagakura's voice echoed throughout the hall where the senior officers were gathered. Toshizo Hijikata: "Those guys... They've made a lot of changes to the draft of the marching record I gave to Kondo." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hey, hey, mine and Heisuke's names aren't on it anywhere!" "... Surely they couldn't have forgotten to write it down?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Heisuke is scheduled to go to Edo soon, so maybe he's been left out..." "What’s the meaning of this, Kondo? Have you heard anything from them?" Isami Kondo: "I'm sure that opinion was raised during the meeting..." "I made it very clear that I couldn't leave Nagakura out." Shinpachi Nagakura: "But your signature is clearly here, Kondo." Isami Kondo: "That's..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, knowing you, you were probably flattered by those two, as usual." "Maybe you got carried away and they made you sign it?" "And you didn't like my attitude lately, so you left me out from the marching records. Is that right?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Hey Shinpachi, watch your words." "Kondo, this isn't your fault. If something like this had come around, I would have stopped it too." Shinpachi Nagakura: "What would you have done if this had become official before anyone noticed?!" Toshizo Hijikata: "I noticed it before anything happened this time, didn’t I?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "I'm saying there's no guarantee that it will be the same next time!" "And isn't it wrong to decide things only in consultation with Hijikata and Sanan, in the first place?" Toshizo Hijikata: "What are you getting at?" "We've been doing things this way ever since we came to Kyoto." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Just because it's been that way up until now, does that mean it's never going to change?" "Are you saying we should just shut up and go along with whatever you guys decide on your own!?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Have you lost your mind! You know that’s not true!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, whatever... I get it. I don't care what you guys, Tani, or Takeda think." "...I have my own thoughts on this matter." "Sano, Heisuke, let's go!" Nagakura kicked the floor and left the room. Heisuke Toudou: "Sorry, but I feel the same way." Harada and Heisuke also stand up, but... Harada gave Hijikata a wink as he left. And then, just like that, they disappear from the hall. In the oppressive silence that followed, Hijikata spoke. Toshizo Hijikata: "...What is going on, Kondo?" Isami Kondo: "As I said before, I heard that opinion come by once." "I don't remember saying that Nagakura should be removed at all." Toshizo Hijikata: "I figured as much. There's no way you'd say something like that." "Where are Tani and Takeda right now?" Hajime Saito: "They're on patrol duty at the moment, so they'll be back by evening." Toshizo Hijikata: "When they come back, I need to hear more details." Souji Okita: "...I've got one more thing I'm curious about." "Who is this 'Shuhei Kondo’? Shuhei is Tani's younger brother, right?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Now that I think about it, Tani said he wanted his younger brother Shuhei to be adopted by Kondo." "The fact that Tani and his younger brother are stationed near Kondo..." "...Does that mean the Tani brothers are planning to run the Shinsengumi?" Isami Kondo: "Now, wait a minute. That subject never came up during our discussions..." Apparently, Kondo wasn't aware of it either. Toshizo Hijikata: "This method of making decisions before anything has even been officially decided... I don't like it one bit." Keisuke Sanan: "It's a strategy to create accomplished facts and solidify your foothold." "It's bold, and blatant... do they really think we won't notice?" Toshizo Hijikata: "They think that if they can just get Kondo on board, they can do whatever they want after that." "... They've made a fool of us, too." Hajime Saito: "Commander, Shinpachi seems pretty angry..." Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah. This is giving me a real headache." Souji Okita: "From the looks of it, I don't think it'll end with him getting drunk and blowing off some steam." "How are you going to take responsibility for this, Hijikata?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Even if you say that, there's nothing I can do." "That Tani and Takeda... they did some outrageous things." Isami Kondo: "I'm sorry, Toshi. It's all my fault..." Souji Okita: "It's not your fault, so don't worry about it, Kondo." "Hijikata is in the wrong, so let him take care of this mess." Toshizo Hijikata: "I get it already." "Anyway, don't tell anyone about this. I'll start the marching records from scratch." "I'll talk to Tani and Takeda first." "Don't let them find out, you guys just do what you normally do." Chuji Matsubara: "Understood." Susumu Yamazaki: "Commander, what do you want to do about Nagakura?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Shinpachi, well..." "No matter what I say now, it'll only add fuel to the fire." "Maybe we should wait and see how things go. Just be careful with your movements." Susumu Yamazaki: "Understood." Toshizo Hijikata: "Well then, you're dismissed. If anything happens, let me or the supervisors know right away." All: "Sir!" After that, the executives each left the hall as they pleased. Chizuru Yukimura: "......" As I cleared away the tea I had served... I secretly looked at Hijikata's condition. Toshizo Hijikata: "Really? They're causing one problem after another, at a time like this when we're so busy..." Hijikata seemed to be quite worried. Until now, the relationship between the senior officers has never been this bad... I wonder what will happen from now on... ~Next Scene~ And then, that night. It was time for dinner, and the senior officers gathered together as usual, but... Chizuru Yukimura: "Um, Nagakura...?" Sanosuke Harada: "He has no appetite. If he's not eating, it's probably gonna rain heavily tomorrow." Chizuru Yukimura: "......" Heisuke Toudou: "He seems to have his mind elsewhere, so why don't we just leave him alone for now?" Chizuru Yukimura: "But..." Recalling the events of the day... I was overcome with anxiety that something bad would happen. Sanosuke Harada: "Well, I'm sure he has his own thoughts about it." "He's just that kind of guy, so please be patient with him." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Okay." "How is Hijikata dealing with everything?" Chuji Matsubara: "It seems he's in his room right now." "He's got work to do, and he's in a position where he has to think about how to deal with the situation in the future." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Should I leave some food for the two of them, or have it delivered to their rooms?" He might not feel like eating dinner right now. Genzaburou Inoue: "That's a good idea... Then, let's split up and deliver the food. Who do you want to go to?" Chizuru Yukimura: “I…” I'll go to Nagakura. I'll go to Hijikata. I'm not going to either of them.

As for me... I'll just wait in the courtyard. I'll go check on the front gate. I guess I'll give up. Chizuru Yukimura: "Wait, Shimada!" I grabbed Shimada's sleeve and stopped him. Chizuru Yukimura: "I... I'll do it." Kai Shimada: "Are you sure?" Chizuru Yukimura: "I'll try my best." "It would be terrible if the relationship between Hijikata and Nagakura got any worse." Kai Shimada: "...Thank you, that would be much appreciated." "Please be careful not to get seen by the other soldiers." Chizuru Yukimura: "Okay, I understand." Shimada turned away and headed to Hijikata's room. ...If I were to wait outside the gate, others might see me. I decided to wait for Nagakura and the others in the courtyard, where there were plenty of places to hide. ~Next Scene~ After that, I kept an eye on the outside of the walls from the courtyard, but... There was no sign of Nagakura and the others returning. It's well past curfew already. Why haven't they come back yet? I can't believe he really broke curfew... Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh...!?" Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind, and my heart nearly stopped. Could one of the corps members have noticed me...?! Just as I was thinking that. Toshizo Hijikata: "There's no need to be scared. It's me." Hiji…kata...? I cautiously looked back. ~Picture~ Toshizo Hijikata: "Don't make a fuss, got it?" Chizuru Yukimura: "..." He spoke in a low voice, and I hurriedly nodded in response. Toshizo Hijikata: "There's no need to explain what you're doing here. I can pretty much guess." "By the way, do you always do this kind of thing?" Chizuru Yukimura: "N-No... I don’t! This is the first time I've ever done something like this...!" Toshizo Hijikata: "Shh, don't shout." Chizuru Yukimura: "! I'm so sorry...!" Toshizo Hijikata: "...Well, I guess you’re not a habitual offender." "Someone asked you and you couldn't refuse, so you had no choice." That's Hijikata for you... Once again, I'm amazed at his sharp intuition. When I conveyed my agreement without saying a word, Hijikata seemed to understand immediately. Toshizo Hijikata: "But no matter how much you're asked, there are things you should and shouldn't do." Chizuru Yukimura: "......Alright." Toshizo Hijikata: "Think about it. Even though he is a senior officer..." "If he can just casually break curfew like this, it's a bad example to the new recruits." Chizuru Yukimura: "...I understand..." Toshizo Hijikata: "I told him before he left in the evening, and I thought he understood what I wanted to say." "...It seems I overestimated him." Hijikata sighed, and that's when it happened. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hey, can you hear me? Open up!" Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" I could hear Nagakura's voice from the other side of the gate. Toshizo Hijikata: "Don't answer." He told me in a stern voice, and his arms tightened as they held me down. Chizuru Yukimura: "O-Okay...!" Of course, I had no intention of running away... I couldn't help but feel nervous at the sound of Hijikata's breathing in my ear and the strength of his arms holding me down. ~Picture End~ In the meantime... Shinpachi Nagakura: "Oh... What's up, Saito! Why are you here?" Chizuru Yukimura: "...Ah" It seems Saito has found Nagakura. We sneakily peek outside the gate. Hajime Saito: "My group is on patrol tonight. By the way, what are you doing here long after curfew?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well... the party's got pretty lively." "It's hard to leave in the middle of a party like that, you know?" "I guess days like this happen every now and then, so can you let this one slide, please?" Hajime Saito: "As a member of the Shinsengumi, I can't do that." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Wait a second. Are you going to forsake us!?" Hajime Saito: "I’m not forsaking you. It's your own fault for breaking the rules." Hijikata looked at the two of them with a serious look on his face, but then... Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" The arms that had been restraining me suddenly loosened. And then Hijikata let go of me. Toshizo Hijikata: "Sorry for being so rough." Chizuru Yukimura: "I-It’s fine...!" My heart was beating so loudly... I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look Hijikata in the face. Toshizo Hijikata: "You should go back to your room. I'll take care of the rest." Chizuru Yukimura: "Eh?! B-but, Nagakura...!" Toshizo Hijikata: "...You weren't here. I didn't see you either." "I'll leave it at that. Got that?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Please wait." "If Nagakura is going to be punished, then I'll be just as guilty." Toshizo Hijikata: "It's fine, just go back to your room and get some sleep." "If Shinpachi says anything to you later, tell him you couldn't help him because I found him." Chizuru Yukimura: "But...!" Toshizo Hijikata: "Officially, you're my page." "If the others find out that you helped break curfew... what do you think will happen?" "What I’m getting at is that now we can still settle this peacefully." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." Hijikata's words... They made me realize the magnitude of the situation that my careless decision had brought about. Chizuru Yukimura: "I understand… but then what about your and Nagakura's relationship..." Toshizo Hijikata: "I'm fine with that. It's the Commander's job to keep the corps under control." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah..." Without time to stop him, Hijikata leaves for Nagakura and the others. Is it really okay...? What if Hijikata and Nagakura's relationship becomes even more strained than it is now... While I was thinking about that...  Keisuke Sanan: "...Oh dear. Nagakura is in some real trouble." Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" A voice called from behind me, and I quickly turned around to see— Chizuru Yukimura: "Sanan...! You’re there too?" Keisuke Sanan: "I was worried about them as well." Sanan has known Hijikata and the others for much longer than I have.  There's no way he wouldn't be worried about the relationship between the two of them becoming strained... Toshizo Hijikata: "At least think about your position, dammit!" "Don't you think it's embarrassing for a senior officer to take the lead in breaking the rules?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Shut up! Stop talking down to me all the time!" I can hear the two of them arguing all the way here. Keisuke Sanan: "... It must be hard for Hijikata to scold his old comrade." "However, he has to do it because of his current position." "If we allow Nagakura to behave like this, we won't be able to enforce discipline in the future." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." Keisuke Sanan: "I think it’s time you go back to your room." "Don’t worry. I'm sure this will heal with time." Chizuru Yukimura: "... Alright." After bowing to Sanan, I returned to my room. But even after I got into bed, I couldn't help but remember the exchange between Hijikata and Nagakura... That night, I couldn't fall asleep. Sanan said that it would heal with some time, but... I wonder if the two of them will really be able to make up. ~Next Scene~ The day after that commotion. Chizuru Yukimura: "There we go..." I carefully wipe the wooden floor with a wrung-out rag. Today, no new people wanting to join have come by... I'd better get the floor mopped while I can. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hey, Chizuru. You cleaning?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes, that's right. ...Umm, Nagakura..." I wonder what happened last night. Should I ask about it...? Shinpachi Nagakura: "I've been watching the new recruits' training since morning." Chizuru Yukimura: "The new recruits..." "How are they doing?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Ah, to be honest, they’re not very good." Chizuru Yukimura: "So their sword skills are still lacking..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well... there are some soldiers who are reasonably skilled..." "Whether it can be used in real combat is a different matter." "It's going to be hard to make them understand that swordsmanship that involves hitting things lightly with a bamboo sword is useless." Chizuru Yukimura: "Is that so..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Gen and the others said they chose people with swordsmanship experience." "Some of them said they had studied for three years when they had only studied for six months..." "That's a real problem." Chizuru Yukimura: "That must be tough." Nagakura's words are the same as always, and I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. However, even while we were chatting about trivial things, the memory of last night came to mind... Chizuru Yukimura: "...Um, Nagakura." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hmm, what is it?" Chizuru Yukimura: "About last night..." Just then, the door opened and someone came into the hall. Appearing before us was... Toshizo Hijikata: "Ah, so here you are, Yukimura." Chizuru Yukimura: "Hello, Hijikata." I greeted him as usual, but Nagaruka–. Shinpachi Nagakura: "...I'm going now. See ya, Chizuru." Just like that, he left the hall, avoiding Hijikata. Toshizo Hijikata: "...There's no way he didn’t see me." "It seems he doesn't even want to say hello to me." Chizuru Yukimura: "Um… Do you think he’s okay?" Toshizo Hijikata: "It has nothing to do with him being okay or not, he's just sulking on his own." "He'll get over it soon." "...Anyway, I'd like to ask you a favor." Chizuru Yukimura: "A favor? What is it?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Actually..." ~Next Scene~ Chizuru Yukimura : "Hup, hup..." Hijikata asked me to weed the garden. Maybe because of the hot weather, the ground is lush with weeds. Chizuru Yukimura: "Phew..." It looks like I’m almost done... Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" Is that... Kondo? He seems a bit depressed... Chizuru Yukimura: "Um... Kondo?" Isami Kondo: "Hah..." I called out to him, but he didn't seem to notice me. Chizuru Yukimura: "What's wrong, Kondo?" I called out to him in a louder voice this time, and he finally turned to face me. Isami Kondo: "...Oh, Yukimura. What are you up to?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Hijikata asked me to weed the garden." "What are you doing here, Kondo?" Kondo looked sad and hung his head. Isami Kondo: "Well... lately, I've been feeling that I'm not strong enough." Chizuru Yukimura: "Not strong enough? That's not true...!" Isami Kondo: "Thank you for your concern. But I know the truth." "It seems that some of the corps members have been unhappy with the way I have been doing things lately." "Because of that, the relationships between the corps members have become strained." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." It's rare to see Kondo so depressed... The bad atmosphere between Hijikata and Nagakura is probably also a factor. Chizuru Yukimura: "Um... I know this might be presumptuous, but..." "I don't think they are dissatisfied with your leadership." "I just think there was a small misunderstanding that caused a strain on everybody’s relationship." "Everyone joined the Shinsengumi with the same aspirations." "If you treat them with sincerity, I'm sure they'll understand." Isami Kondo: "I see. Sincerity, huh.." Kondo nodded deeply, as if pondering my words. But then– Kanryusai Takeda: "So this is where you were, Chief Kondo." Chizuru Yukimura: "Takeda, Tani..." Sanjyuro Tani: "Actually, I wanted to consult you about the marching record that we talked about the other day." Isami Kondo: "Ah, that. About that..." "We were supposed to make a decision after hearing Hijikata and Sanan's opinions." Sanjyuro Tani: "It would be easier for Hijikata and the others to give their opinions if we solidify the plan here." "We want to avoid a situation where a lot of people are throwing around all sorts of ideas and nothing is decided in the end." Kanryusai Takeda: "Regarding this matter, I will take responsibility for proceeding with the discussion as I have studied Koshu-ryu military science, so please rest assured." Isami Kondo: "But still..." Sanjyuro Tani: "You are the head of the Shinsengumi, Kondo. You have no reason to be afraid of them." "...Also, I'd like to get a little more specific about the case regarding Shuhei." Isami Kondo: "Um, well, that's true..." Sanjyuro Tani: "Okay, that's settled. Let's go to our usual restaurant and discuss the details then." Kanryusai Takeda: "By all means, let's do that. I'll go and make the arrangements with the restaurant." Kondo is taken away by Tani and Takeda and walks off. ...What on earth is this "March Record"? And what was that about Shuhei...? Maybe I can find out by asking the others later. But now that things are awkward with Hijikata and Nagakura... It's hard to ask them, but maybe someone else could tell me. I hope there's something that will put everyone at ease... Chizuru Yukimura: "...! That's it, that might help..." I'll talk with Inoue about it later. ~Next Scene~ That night. Around dinner time. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner!" "Finally, my favorite time of the day has come again!" Heisuke Toudou: "Now, as for today's meal..." Chizuru Yukimura: "I hope you all like it." I set out trays of delicious rice in front of everyone. Shinpachi Nagakura: "?! No way, this smell...!" Sanosuke Harada: "This smells like Edo miso soup." Chizuru Yukimura: "Yep. After consulting with Inoue, we tried to recreate the taste of Edo." "We can't get fish from the ocean, but we tried our best with what we had...." Shinpachi Nagakura: "This brings back memories! The saltiness seeps right into my body after a workout." "To someone used to the taste of Edo, the miso here tastes a bit bland." Chizuru Yukimura: "I’m sure you’ve all worked up quite a sweat during sword training and patrols." Heisuke Toudou: "This miso soup is a real hit~" Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm glad you liked it." "...How do you like it, Sanan?" Keisuke Sanan: "You went out of your way to prepare rice balls for me because of my injury." "I feel bad for asking you to do this for me when I haven't been able to contribute anything to the squad..." Chizuru Yukimura: "That's not true..." I wasn’t able to get rid of the awkward atmosphere completely... But I'm glad that everyone is happy like this. Souji Okita: "By the way, where’s Kondo? I can't find him anywhere. He’s missing out on this delicious Edo flavor." Keisuke Sanan: "Is there a reception for a dignitary from the shogunate or the Aizu clan? Have you heard anything, Hijikata?" Toshizo Hijikata: "No, I don't think there was anything planned..." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah...!" Toshizo Hijikata: "What is it, Yukimura? Do you know something?" Chizuru Yukimura: "No, actually, during the day..." I told everyone what I heard in the courtyard earlier that day. Heisuke Toudou: "So you're saying he’s out eating with Tani and Takeda? That's crazy!" Souji Okita: "They’re probably at an expensive restaurant." "Even expensive food would taste bad when you’re eating with those guys." Chizuru Yukimura: "Um... so, there is something I wanted to ask." "What exactly is a marching record?" Toshizo Hijikata: "...The marching records are something we created after the Kinmon Incident, since we had trouble figuring out how to move our troops." "I wanted to write down our military movements for times like that, but..." Souji Okita: "Oh, I was wondering what you were doing late every night, so you were secretly doing that?" Toshizo Hijikata: "This is also part of the commander's duties." "But I didn't think Tani or Takeda would be interfering with it..." Souji Okita: "Maybe Takeda wanted to show off his military studies, which he's so proud of?" "Since you always decide everything on your own, he probably wanted to interfere." Chizuru Yukimura: "If anything, I think they'd like to put it all together for Hijikata to take a look at..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, I guess we'll go and see tomorrow." "If the vanguard turns out to be Tani, I'll be laughing out loud." Toshizo Hijikata: "Even if he's that kind of person, he wouldn't do something so obvious." "I don't think they would want to go to a place where they'll be the first to die." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, that's true." "They're just a bunch of people who want to stick with Kondo and have a good time." "So I guess I'll probably be the vanguard and Sano will be guarding the lord." Sanosuke Harada: "If things go as usual, that's probably what will happen." Shinpachi Nagakura: "But when it comes to war... is armor really necessary?" Toshizo Hijikata: "These days, guns are more important than armor." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Guns?! They're so unwieldy, we can't use those." "How many people do you think you can cut with a sword while loading bullets into a gun?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Well, if you put it like that, you’re probably right." Hijikata and Nagakura's conversation seemed to have gone back to the time before any animosity arose... Relieved, I couldn't help but smile. Toshizo Hijikata: "Hmm, what is it, Yukimura? What are you smiling about?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah, nothing..." "I'm glad you two have cleared up the misunderstanding." Hijikata & Nagakura: "...!" My words seemed to have reminded them of their fight. Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Thanks for the food. I'm going to go and practice for a bit." Nagakura roughly put his bowl on the tray,  And then left the hall. In the awkward atmosphere, Hijikata finished his meal in silence... Toshizo Hijikata: "I'm going back to work." After those brief words, he left the hall as well. Souji Okita: "Oh no, you said something unnecessary and got them riled up again." Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm sorry. I just..." Sanosuke Harada: "Don’t worry about it. Fights of that magnitude happened all the time when we were in Edo." Heisuke Toudou: "That's right. It's a regular thing. So here's nothing to worry about." Keisuke Sanan: "That's a bit of an exaggeration, but... fights of that magnitude were quite common." Chizuru Yukimura: "But..." Harada put his hand on my dejected shoulder. Sanosuke Harada: "...Hey, it’ll be fine." "Tani and Takeda are acting like Kondo's entourage and are plotting all sorts of schemes, but..." "Our bond isn't so shallow that it can be ruined by something like this." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Alright." My anxiety hadn't completely disappeared... But still, I'll believe in the bond that they've had for so long. ~Next Scene~ But the next day. Shinpachi Nagakura: "What the hell is this!? What on earth is going on with this ‘March Record’!?" Nagakura's voice echoed throughout the hall where the senior officers were gathered. Toshizo Hijikata: "Those guys... They've made a lot of changes to the draft of the marching record I gave to Kondo." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hey, hey, mine and Heisuke's names aren't on it anywhere!" "... Surely they couldn't have forgotten to write it down?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Heisuke is scheduled to go to Edo soon, so maybe he's been left out..." "What’s the meaning of this, Kondo? Have you heard anything from them?" Isami Kondo: "I'm sure that opinion was raised during the meeting..." "I made it very clear that I couldn't leave Nagakura out." Shinpachi Nagakura: "But your signature is clearly here, Kondo." Isami Kondo: "That's..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, knowing you, you were probably flattered by those two, as usual." "Maybe you got carried away and they made you sign it?" "And you didn't like my attitude lately, so you left me out from the marching records. Is that right?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Hey Shinpachi, watch your words." "Kondo, this isn't your fault. If something like this had come around, I would have stopped it too." Shinpachi Nagakura: "What would you have done if this had become official before anyone noticed?!" Toshizo Hijikata: "I noticed it before anything happened this time, didn’t I?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "I'm saying there's no guarantee that it will be the same next time!" "And isn't it wrong to decide things only in consultation with Hijikata and Sanan, in the first place?" Toshizo Hijikata: "What are you getting at?" "We've been doing things this way ever since we came to Kyoto." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Just because it's been that way up until now, does that mean it's never going to change?" "Are you saying we should just shut up and go along with whatever you guys decide on your own!?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Have you lost your mind! You know that’s not true!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, whatever... I get it. I don't care what you guys, Tan, or Takeda think." "...I have my own thoughts on this matter." "Sano, Heisuke, let's go!" Nagakura kicked the floor and left the room. Heisuke Toudou: "Sorry, but I feel the same way." Harada and Heisuke also stand up, but... Harada gave Hijikata a wink as he left. And then, just like that, they disappear from the hall. In the oppressive silence that followed, Hijikata spoke. Toshizo Hijikata: "...What is going on, Kondo?" Isami Kondo: "As I said before, I heard that opinion come by once." "I don't remember saying that Nagakura should be removed at all." Toshizo Hijikata: "I figured as much. There's no way you'd say something like that." "Where are Tani and Takeda right now?" Hajime Saito: "They're on patrol duty at the moment, so they'll be back by evening." Toshizo Hijikata: "When they come back, I need to hear more details." Souji Okita: "...I've got one more thing I'm curious about." "Who is this 'Shuhei Kondo’? Shuhei is Tani's younger brother, right?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Now that I think about it, Tani said he wanted his younger brother Shuhei to be adopted by Kondo." "The fact that Tani and his younger brother are stationed near Kondo..." "...Does that mean the Tani brothers are planning to run the Shinsengumi?" Isami Kondo: "Now, wait a minute. That subject never came up during our discussions..." Apparently, Kondo wasn't aware of it either. Toshizo Hijikata: "This method of making decisions before anything has even been officially decided... I don't like it one bit." Keisuke Sanan: "It's a strategy to create accomplished facts and solidify your foothold." "It's bold, and blatant... do they really think we won't notice?" Toshizo Hijikata: "They think that if they can just get Kondo on board, they can do whatever they want after that." "... They've made a fool of us, too." Hajime Saito: "Commander, Shinpachi seems pretty angry..." Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah. This is giving me a real headache." Souji Okita: "From the looks of it, I don't think it'll end with him getting drunk and blowing off some steam." "How are you going to take responsibility for this, Hijikata?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Even if you say that, there's nothing I can do." "That Tani and Takeda... they did some outrageous things." Isami Kondo: "I'm sorry, Toshi. It's all my fault..." Souji Okita: "It's not your fault, so don't worry about it, Kondo." "Hijikata is in the wrong, so let him take care of this mess." Toshizo Hijikata: "I get it already." "Anyway, don't tell anyone about this. I'll start the marching records from scratch." "I'll talk to Tani and Takeda first." "Don't let them find out, you guys just do what you normally do." Chuji Matsubara: "Understood." Susumu Yamazaki: "Commander, what do you want to do about Nagakura?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Shinpachi, well..." "No matter what I say now, it'll only add fuel to the fire." "Maybe we should wait and see how things go. Just be careful with your movements." Susumu Yamazaki: "Understood." Toshizo Hijikata: "Well then, you're dismissed. If anything happens, let me or the supervisors know right away." All: "Sir!" After that, the executives each left the hall as they pleased. Chizuru Yukimura: "......" As I cleared away the tea I had served... I secretly looked at Hijikata's condition. Toshizo Hijikata: "Really? They're causing one problem after another, at a time like this when we're so busy..." Hijikata seemed to be quite worried. Until now, the relationship between the senior officers has never been this bad... I wonder what will happen from now on... ~Next Scene~ And then, that night. It was time for dinner, and the senior officers gathered together as usual, but... Chizuru Yukimura: "Um, Nagakura...?" Sanosuke Harada: "He has no appetite. If he's not eating, it's probably gonna rain heavily tomorrow." Chizuru Yukimura: "......" Heisuke Toudou: "He seems to have his mind elsewhere, so why don't we just leave him alone for now?" Chizuru Yukimura: "But..." Recalling the events of the day... I was overcome with anxiety that something bad would happen. Sanosuke Harada: "Well, I'm sure he has his own thoughts about it." "He's just that kind of guy, so please be patient with him." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Okay." "How is Hijikata dealing with everything?" Chuji Matsubara: "It seems he's in his room right now." "He's got work to do, and he's in a position where he has to think about how to deal with the situation in the future." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Should I leave some food for the two of them, or have it delivered to their rooms?" He might not feel like eating dinner right now. Genzaburou Inoue: "That's a good idea... Then, let's split up and deliver the food. Who do you want to go to?" Chizuru Yukimura: “I…” I'll go to Nagakura. I'll go to Hijikata. I'm not going to either of them.

In the midst of all this, what was bothering me was... I was worried about Nagakura. I was worried about Hijikata. Go back to work. I'm worried about Hijikata and Nagakura, but... Helping around the barracks is probably the thing I can do at the moment to support them. Chizuru Yukimura: "...I'll get back to my chores." "Cleaning up the barracks will probably help calm everyone's nerves..." Hajime Saito: "Yes, please." ~Next Scene~  Chizuru Yukimura: "Well then..." First, let's get some water from the well. Just then, I could hear someone approaching from the other side of the hallway. Chuji Matsubara: "Ah, Yukimura." Chizuru Yukimura: "Inoue, Yamazaki, Matsubara..." Genzaburou Inoue: "I heard some arguing earlier... did something happen?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Well, actually..." I explained to them what had happened earlier in the common room. Susumu Yamazaki: "I see. So that's what happened." Chuji Matsubara: "I think I can understand Nagakura's feelings." "Lately, Chief Kondo has those two almost always by his side." "It's not surprising that his comrades from Edo have doubts." Genzaburou Inoue: "Well... some things have certainly changed since he was in Edo." "Being the chief of the Shinsengumi doesn't just mean cracking down on ronin." Susumu Yamazaki: "Indeed... It's true that Tani and Takeda are useful to have around during negotiations with outside contacts." Chuji Matsubara: "I understand what you two are saying, but still..." Matsubara, who has a very honest personality, seems unable to let go of his suspicions. Chizuru Yukimura: "Now that I think about it, you and Yamazaki joined the corps around the same time, right Matsubara?" Chuji Matsubara: "Yes. Though they weren't called Shinsengumi back then." Genzaburou Inoue: "That's right. It's been a little over a year since then..." Susumu Yamazaki: "Maybe it's because of all the things that happened that it feels like a lot more time has passed." Genzaburou Inoue: "...Well, Toshi and Nagakura are probably on edge because things have been tough lately." "Once the new recruits learn their jobs, things will be a little easier." Chizuru Yukimura: "...I agree." Right now, they're so busy, they don’t have time to unwind. Once things calm down, there shouldn't be any more quarrels like earlier. Chuji Matsubara: "Well, we're off now." "If you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask." Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes, thank you." ...Well then. I have a lot of things on my mind, but… I have to do my job. ~Next Scene~  And so... A few days had passed since Hijikata and Nagakura's argument. Shinpachi Nagakura: "All right, we're finally done with today's work!" "Sano, Heisuke, let's go out for a drink!" Sanosuke Harada: "Again? We just went yesterday." Shinpachi Nagakura: "I know, but because we went yesterday doesn’t mean we can't go today." Heisuke Toudou: "Well, that's true, but..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Come on, it’ll be my treat. So now you've got no complaints, right?" Sanosuke Harada: "Really? You better not forget your wallet like you did last time." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Don’t worry! Here, look, I got my wallet right here." Chizuru Yukimura: "Are you going out to drink?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Yeah! This is what I live for." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Just don't drink too much." Shinpachi Nagakura: "It's fine! There's nothing to worry about!" “We're grown-ups, so we know when to stop." Sanosuke Harada: "...You, of all people, got no right to say that." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Alright, let's go!" "The other day, I saw a store that caught my eye while I was on patrol!" Just then, the door opened and someone entered the room. Toshizo Hijikata: "...What’s this? You’re planning to go out?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "We don’t have patrol today, so we can go wherever we want." Toshizo Hijikata: "I'm not telling you not to go." "But you have to obey the curfew." "You’re senior officers, you need to set an example for the new recruits." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Pfft, I don't give a damn about curfew." Toshizo Hijikata: "Hey, Shinpachi...!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Sano, Heisuke, let's go." After that, Nagakura quickly left the hall with the others. Toshizo Hijikata: "...Geez, is he still holding a grudge about what happened the other day?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Is it okay to let them go like that?" Toshizo Hijikata: "...Well, as long as they're doing your job properly, I can't really say anything about their days off." Chizuru Yukimura: "But what happens if they break curfew?" Toshizo Hijikata: "If they break curfew, they'll be suspended." "But if they do it repeatedly, then according to the Code of Conduct, we'll have to consider committing seppuku." "Just because we're old friends doesn't mean we can give them special treatment." Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" And just like that, Hijikata leaves the room. W-what should I do...! I don't think Hijikata is seriously planning on making Nagakura and the others commit seppuku. But with how things are now... ~Next Scene~  That night– After cleaning up after dinner, it was time to get ready for bed, but... There was still no sign of Nagakura and the others returning. If this continued, would they really be forced to commit seppuku? ...I'll go and check on them. Maybe they'll be back soon. Being careful not to make any noise, I quietly opened my door. It was completely silent outside, and there was no sign of Nagakura and the others returning. ...I wonder if they’re alright. I’m pretty sure it's already past curfew. At that moment– I heard footsteps from the other side of the hallway. Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" I frantically tried to hide myself... Kai Shimada: "...Is there someone there?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Shimada?!" Kai Shimada: "Shh, please don't make any noise." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah...Yes!" Kai Shimada: "What are you doing out here in the middle of the night, Yukimura? Are you thirsty?" Chizuru Yukimura: "No, it's not that..." "I was just worried about Nagakura and the others." Kai Shimada: "I see, it’s about Nagakura..." After muttering, Shimada seemed to think for a moment. Then, after making sure there was no one around... Kai Shimada: "...Yukimura, there's one thing I'd like to ask of you. Is that okay?" Chizuru Yukimura: "What would you like to ask of me?" Kai Shimada: "Actually, when Nagakura comes back tonight..." "I've been asked to remove the bolt from the gate..." Chizuru Yukimura: "That means..." He wants me to help Nagakura break curfew? Kai Shimada: "...It would be terrible if they were to be suspended for breaking curfew." "And what's worse, that could lead to them having to commit seppuku..." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." It must have been a tough decision for Shimada. When I remember Nagakura's behavior, if he was ordered to commit seppuku... He would probably say, "Fine!" in the heat of the moment and commit seppuku on the spot. Kai Shimada: "But then I was given an urgent matter to attend to." "So if it's okay with you, Yukimura... I was wondering if you could remove the bolt on the gate for me." Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" Should I... remove the bolt in Shimada's place? Chizuru Yukimura: "But, if Hijikata finds out..." Kai Shimada: “...Well, that’s…” "...No, I shouldn't get you involved after all." "Forget what I just said. See you later." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah...!" Shimada just walks away. As for me... I'll just wait in the courtyard. I'll go check on the front gate. I guess I'll give up.

In the midst of all this, what was bothering me was... I was worried about Nagakura. I was worried about Hijikata. Go back to work. Hijikata told us to get back to work, but... I wonder if things will really be okay like this. Keisuke Sanan: “...Oh dear. Both Hijikata and Nagakura are in quite the predicament." Chizuru Yukimura: "Do you think Hijikata is alright?" Keisuke Sanan: "As for whether he's fine or not, I think he's fine." "If you're worried about him, why don't you bring him some tea?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Tea...?" Keisuke Sanan: "I'm sure Hijikata has a lot on his mind with the situation surrounding Kondo, Tani, and Takeda these days." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Yeah." Keisuke Sanan: "But he's not in a position to openly admit it." "Knowing him, he's probably feeling ashamed of his own immaturity right now. "It would be better if he had someone to listen to him." Chizuru Yukimura: "...If that's the case, wouldn't it be better for you to talk to  him, Sanan?" Keisuke Sanan: "In these situations, it's easier to reveal your true feelings to someone who doesn't know the details." Chizuru Yukimura: "......" Keisuke Sanan: "You seem reluctant, don't you?" Chizuru Yukimura: "No, it's not that...!" "But, after all that arguing," "I thought Hijikata would like to be alone for a while..." Keisuke Sanan: "...Well, if you don't want to, I won't force you." "After all, they've been friends for a long time." "I don't think their relationship will deteriorate over something like this." "Well, I'll be off now." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah... yes!" After that, I went back to my assigned chores... But even while I was busy, I couldn't get Hijikata out of my head. ~Next Scene~ And then, that night. When I finished cleaning up after dinner, and was about to return to my room. Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" I notice light leaking through the shoji door of Hijikata's room. Is he working late again today? Chizuru Yukimura: "..." Maybe it would be better to leave him alone, but still... Unable to stay still, I headed back to the kitchen. And then... Chizuru Yukimura: "Ummm... Hijikata. Are you going to go to bed soon?" Toshizo Hijikata: "What? You're still awake?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. I've brought some tea, so if it's not too much trouble, why don't you take a break..." Toshizo Hijikata: "..." Behind the shoji door, I could hear him let out a frustrated sigh. ...Maybe he just wants to be alone. Chizuru Yukimura: "...I'm sorry. If you don't need it..." As I took the tea and tried to leave the room... Toshizo Hijikata: "No, it's fine. Come in." "I'm not thirsty, but since you went to the trouble of making me some tea, I guess I'll just have to drink it." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Thank you." Relieved by his reply that came from the other side of the shoji door, I pulled the door open. Chizuru Yukimura: "Excuse me." I placed a teacup in front of Hijikata. I could see the inkstone and paper on the desk, but... There were many pieces of paper with mistakes left on the tatami mat. Perhaps the events of the day were still bothering him and he couldn't concentrate on his work...? I secretly peeked at Hijikata, who had his arms crossed and didn't say a word... Toshizo Hijikata: "...Did Sanan order you to do this?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Eh? How did you…?" Toshizo Hijikata: "I thought so." "I knew this wasn't your idea." Chizuru Yukimura: "...I thought it might be presumptuous of me to say this, but…" "Sanan seemed worried about you, Hijikata." Toshizo Hijikata: "...He hasn't changed at all." "They say he's become a different person since his injury." "But no matter what, at his core, he's still the same person." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Yes, I think so too." Toshizo Hijikata: "...I thought I'd grown up a lot compared to before." "I guess from his point of view, I'm still too dangerous to look at." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." I was confused and didn't know how to respond. Hijikata took a deep breath. And then... ~Picture~ Toshizo Hijikata: "We scared you this afternoon, right?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Um, well... a little." Toshizo Hijikata: "Well, at least you’re honest." Then he turned his gaze back to me... Toshizo Hijikata: "Don't tell anyone else what I'm about to tell you." I instinctively straightened my back after hearing that preface. Chizuru Yukimura: "...Yes, of course." Toshizo Hijikata: "I guess it's not something I need to ask so formally..." "Hah… whatever." "Maybe it's because we've known each other for so long and we know each other well..." "When I'm with those guys, I can't help but let my guard down." "They should understand, so why do they say such rude things?" "...What are they thinking?" "Just like Kondo has his own position," "they have their own position too." Chizuru Yukimura: "Hijikata..." Toshizo Hijikata: "But I can't let Kondo be embarrassed in front of the shogunate and the bigwigs of the Aizu clan." "...That means I have no choice but to rely on guys like Tani and Takeda." "I'm not as familiar with the ways of the samurai as they are." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." Toshizo Hijikata: "If I have to do things like this to make the Shinsengumi grow..." "To be honest, I'm getting sick of it too." "Well, it won't last forever." "But for now... I just need everybody to be patient for a little while..." Hijikata's suffering is heavier than I could have ever imagined... I'm at a loss for words. It must be hard for him to scold Nagakura and the others he's known for a long time. I don't know if my words will be able to cheer him up... Chizuru Yukimura: "...You've been having a lot of hectic days lately, and I'm sure you're all feeling a bit stressed out." Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah, I get that." "The same goes for Tani and Takeda." "No matter what they're up to, as long as Sanan and I are keeping an eye on them, we won't let them do anything crazy." "Sometimes I wish they'd understand that." "I wish they'd trust Kondo and us a little more." Chizuru Yukimura: "...I'm sure Nagakura is worried about Kondo." Toshizo Hijikata: "Well, even if we fight, he's not the type to hold grudges." "I'm sure he'll forget about it completely once he's sweated it out in practice." "I just... can't help but worry too much." Chizuru Yukimura: "If Nagakura is willing to let it go–" "Why don't you take advantage of that kindness, Hijikata?" Toshizo Hijikata: "You think?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. I'm sure Nagakura will forgive you." Toshizo Hijikata: "...I hope so." ~Picture End~ After finishing his story, Hijikata picked up his teacup. Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah... the tea has gone cold. Shall I make you a new one?" Toshizo Hijikata: "No, it's easier to drink when it's lukewarm." After saying that, Hijikata took a sip of tea. Toshizo Hijikata: "... Sorry for making you listen to my complaints." Chizuru Yukimura: "No, not at all..." Toshizo Hijikata: "But thanks to you, I feel a lot better." "It reminded me of when I was a kid and my sister listened to me talk about all sorts of things." Chizuru Yukimura: "You mean... your big sister?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah. Once, I had a fight with the neighbors, and I was feeling depressed." "My sister would listen to my complaints while cleaning up after dinner." "She never told me what to do." "She never said anything comforting to me." "Just having someone listen to me made me feel a lot better." Indeed, when you're really worried... Even without advice or comforting words, just having someone listen to you can sometimes lift a heavy burden from your heart. Hijikata's sister may be the kind of person who can show subtle consideration in that way. Chizuru Yukimura: "Your sister must have been a wonderful person." Toshizo Hijikata: "Well, I suppose so." "She was family, so I hadn't really thought about it." "She was always on my side." Hijikata lowered his eyes as if he were remembering something. He took another sip of his tea. Toshizo Hijikata: "...You can go back now." Chizuru Yukimura: "Okay, I understand. Excuse me." Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah, see ya." There were a lot of misunderstandings, but... Nagakura should be well aware that Hijikata cares about the Shinsengumi and their senior officers. I hope that the bad blood will fade away and they'll go back to their old relationship. ~Next Scene~  And so... A few days had passed since Hijikata and Nagakura's argument. Shinpachi Nagakura: "All right, we're finally done with today's work!" "Sano, Heisuke, let's go out for a drink!" Sanosuke Harada: "Again? We just went yesterday." Shinpachi Nagakura: "I know, but because we went yesterday doesn’t mean we can't go today." Heisuke Toudou: "Well, that's true, but..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Come on, it’ll be my treat. So now you've got no complaints, right?" Sanosuke Harada: "Really? You better not forget your wallet like you did last time." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Don’t worry! Here, look, I got my wallet right here." Chizuru Yukimura: "Are you going out to drink?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Yeah! This is what I live for." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Just don't drink too much." Shinpachi Nagakura: "It's fine! There's nothing to worry about!" “We're grown-ups, so we know when to stop." Sanosuke Harada: "...You, of all people, got no right to say that." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Alright, let's go!" "The other day, I saw a store that caught my eye while I was on patrol!" Just then, the door opened and someone entered the room. Toshizo Hijikata: "...What’s this? You’re planning to go out?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "We don’t have patrol today, so we can go wherever we want." Toshizo Hijikata: "I'm not telling you not to go." "But you have to obey the curfew." "You’re senior officers, you need to set an example for the new recruits." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Pfft, I don't give a damn about curfew." Toshizo Hijikata: "Hey, Shinpachi...!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Sano, Heisuke, let's go." After that, Nagakura quickly left the hall with the others. Toshizo Hijikata: "...Geez, is he still holding a grudge about what happened the other day?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Is it okay to let them go like that?" Toshizo Hijikata: "...Well, as long as they're doing your job properly, I can't really say anything about their days off." Chizuru Yukimura: "But what happens if they break curfew?" Toshizo Hijikata: "If they break curfew, they'll be suspended." "But if they do it repeatedly, then according to the Code of Conduct, we'll have to consider committing seppuku." "Just because we're old friends doesn't mean we can give them special treatment." Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" And just like that, Hijikata leaves the room. W-what should I do...! I don't think Hijikata is seriously planning on making Nagakura and the others commit seppuku. But with how things are now... ~Next Scene~  That night– After cleaning up after dinner, it was time to get ready for bed, but... There was still no sign of Nagakura and the others returning. If this continued, would they really be forced to commit seppuku? ...I'll go and check on them. Maybe they'll be back soon. Being careful not to make any noise, I quietly opened my door. It was completely silent outside, and there was no sign of Nagakura and the others returning. ...I wonder if they’re alright. I’m pretty sure it's already past curfew. At that moment– I heard footsteps from the other side of the hallway. Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" I frantically tried to hide myself... Kai Shimada: "...Is there someone there?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Shimada?!" Kai Shimada: "Shh, please don't make any noise." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah… Yes!" Kai Shimada: "What are you doing out here in the middle of the night, Yukimura? Are you thirsty?" Chizuru Yukimura: "No, it's not that..." "I was just worried about Nagakura and the others." Kai Shimada: "I see, it’s about Nagakura..." After muttering, Shimada seemed to think for a moment. Then, after making sure there was no one around... Kai Shimada: "...Yukimura, there's one thing I'd like to ask of you. Is that okay?" Chizuru Yukimura: "What would you like to ask of me?" Kai Shimada: "Actually, when Nagakura comes back tonight..." "I've been asked to remove the bolt from the gate..." Chizuru Yukimura: "That means..." He wants me to help Nagakura break curfew? Kai Shimada: "...It would be terrible if they were to be suspended for breaking curfew." "And what's worse, that could lead to them having to commit seppuku..." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." It must have been a tough decision for Shimada. When I remember Nagakura's behavior, if he was ordered to commit seppuku... He would probably say, "Fine!" in the heat of the moment and commit seppuku on the spot. Kai Shimada: "But then I was given an urgent matter to attend to." "So if it's okay with you, Yukimura... I was wondering if you could remove the bolt on the gate for me." Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" Should I... remove the bolt in Shimada's place? Chizuru Yukimura: "But, if Hijikata finds out..." Kai Shimada: “...Well, that’s…” "...No, I shouldn't get you involved after all." "Forget what I just said. See you later." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah...!" Shimada just walks away. As for me... I'll just wait in the courtyard. I'll go check on the front gate. I guess I'll give up.

In the midst of all this, what was bothering me was... I was worried about Nagakura. I was worried about Hijikata. Go back to work. I turned to Harada, who was nearby. Chizuru Yukimura: "Umm..." "Is it okay to let Nagakura go like that?" Sanosuke Harada: "Well... that’s just the kind of guy he is." "At times like this, I'd take him out for a drink and listen to what he has to say." "But today I'm on patrol duty, so I can't." Chizuru Yukimura: "Then…" I was worried that it might be presumptuous of me to say this, but... Chizuru Yukimura: "...Would it be okay if I go?" Sanosuke Harada: "You'll take care of Shinpachi?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. I'm worried about leaving him alone like that..." Harada looked at me with a suspicious look on his face, but then... Sanosuke Harada: "...That might be a good idea." "He's probably around Mibu-dera, so you should look for him there." Chizuru Yukimura: "Mibu-dera, right? Thank you." I decided to head to Mibu-dera right away. ~Next Scene~  Chizuru Yukimura: "Um, Nagakura..." As soon as I arrived at the temple grounds, I immediately started looking for him... Chizuru Yukimura: "...Ah" I saw Nagakura standing there, looking lost. He seemed to have noticed me too, and bowed his head in embarrassment. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Um… Chizuru? What are you doing here? Are you out for a walk?" Chizuru Yukimura: "What about you…?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Me? I’m, um… going for a change of pace..." After a short silence, Nagakura looked away awkwardly. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Haha… I made you worry about what happened earlier, didn't I?" "Sorry about that..." Chizuru Yukimura: "No, it’s fine..." I was worried about Nagakura, so I followed him... He couldn't immediately think of what to say. Nagakura let out a deep breath and lightly kicked the ground at his feet. Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Kondo, he’s changed. He wasn't like that before." Chizuru Yukimura: "......" Shinpachi Nagakura: "But, you probably didn’t really notice." "You’ve only been with us since last year." Nagakura laughed sadly and walked towards the stairs. Shinpachi Nagakura: "...It's not that I don't understand what Hijikata was saying." "We've got to think about how to expand the Shinsengumi in the future..." "Well, it's a pain when people you don't get along with join." "And I don't think Kondo is just drinking around for fun." "In order to make the Shinsengumi bigger, he needs to meet a lot of different people and get them to support us." "Even I know I was acting a bit ridiculous..." He can't express his feelings well... Nagakura scratches his head impatiently. Shinpachi Nagakura: "But, bowing down to people with status and titles, flattering them, trying to figure out what they're thinking..." "I don't know what it's like to get promoted that way..." "But for Kondo... I don't think it suits him." Chizuru Yukimura: "That's true..." Kondo values ​​Tani and Takeda, but– I can tell that they are clearly a different breed of people from the others. Chizuru Yukimura: "I think I understand what you're saying, Nagakura." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Really?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. It hasn't even been a year since you all started taking care of me." "But still... I can understand why you all care for Kondo so much." "I think it would be sad if Kondo were to change..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "...I see, thank you." After saying that, Nagakura turned his back to me, looking embarrassed. Then he sat down on the stone steps of the temple grounds... ~Picture~ Shinpachi Nagakura: "This is kind of... nice." Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh...?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, how do I put this..." "I'm not that good at talking." "I often end up fighting because I'm not good at expressing my feelings." "That's why I'm grateful that you understand how I feel." Chizuru Yukimura: "Nagakura..." He's a man much older than me, but... His shy smile makes him look like an innocent boy. When I see him like that, I can't help but smile too. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Wh, what's wrong? Did I say something weird?" Chizuru Yukimura: "No, that's not it..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "So, was it something I did?" Chizuru Yukimura: "No, it's okay. It's nothing." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, alright then. Though I don’t get what’s so funny." "If it makes you laugh, then I'm all for it." ~Picture End~ Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Well, if I stay here too long, people will start calling me lazy again." "I think it's about time I went back over there." "To be honest, it's a bit tedious, though." Chizuru Yukimura: "...I’m sure the problem with Kondo will be resolved with time." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well...I guess so..." "I've known Kondo for a long time, so I think it'll be fine." "As for Takeda and Tani, I don't think we can just leave them be." Chizuru Yukimura: "......" Shinpachi Nagakura: "But I can't just stick to Kondo all the time." Chizuru Yukimura: “You have your own duties, Nagakura…” Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, right now he’s just a little carried away because they've flattered him." "We'll just have to believe that he will return to his old self soon." Chizuru Yukimura: "...I agree." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Even so, I understand what Hijikata is saying, but that's not the way he says it!" "We're old friends, he should be a little more considerate." "He said that my attitude has a bad influence on the new recruits." "I think seeing Hijikata yell at us has a pretty bad effect, don't you think? Right?" Chizuru Yukimura: "That's true..." Nagakura's words are so funny that I burst out laughing. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, I guess I have to talk to Hijikata directly... or rather, use force to get him to understand." Chizuru Yukimura: "Use force..." "Nagakura, what are you planning to do?" Nagakura then gives a meaningful smile. Shinpachi Nagakura: "That's a secret! It'd be no fun if I revealed it." "Well, just watch me. I won't disappoint you." Chizuru Yukimura: "......" Nagakura seems very confident, but... Is it really okay to trust him? ~Next Scene~  And so... A few days had passed since Hijikata and Nagakura's argument. Shinpachi Nagakura: "All right, we're finally done with today's work!" "Sano, Heisuke, let's go out for a drink!" Sanosuke Harada: "Again? We just went yesterday." Shinpachi Nagakura: "I know, but because we went yesterday doesn’t mean we can't go today." Heisuke Toudou: "Well, that's true, but..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Come on, it’ll be my treat. So now you've got no complaints, right?" Sanosuke Harada: "Really? You better not forget your wallet like you did last time." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Don’t worry! Here, look, I got my wallet right here." Chizuru Yukimura: "Are you going out to drink?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Yeah! This is what I live for." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Just don't drink too much." Shinpachi Nagakura: "It's fine! There's nothing to worry about!" “We're grown-ups, so we know when to stop." Sanosuke Harada: "...You, of all people, got no right to say that." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Alright, let's go!" "The other day, I saw a store that caught my eye while I was on patrol!" Just then, the door opened and someone entered the room. Toshizo Hijikata: "...What’s this? You’re planning to go out?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "We don’t have patrol today, so we can go wherever we want." Toshizo Hijikata: "I'm not telling you not to go." "But you have to obey the curfew." "You’re senior officers, you need to set an example for the new recruits." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Pfft, I don't give a damn about curfew." Toshizo Hijikata: "Hey, Shinpachi...!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Sano, Heisuke, let's go." After that, Nagakura quickly left the hall with the others. Toshizo Hijikata: "...Geez, is he still holding a grudge about what happened the other day?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Is it okay to let them go like that?" Toshizo Hijikata: "...Well, as long as they're doing your job properly, I can't really say anything about their days off." Chizuru Yukimura: "But what happens if they break curfew?" Toshizo Hijikata: "If they break curfew, they'll be suspended." "But if they do it repeatedly, then according to the Code of Conduct, we'll have to consider committing seppuku." "Just because we're old friends doesn't mean we can give them special treatment." Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" And just like that, Hijikata leaves the room. W-what should I do...! I don't think Hijikata is seriously planning on making Nagakura and the others commit seppuku. But with how things are now... ~Next Scene~  That night– After cleaning up after dinner, it was time to get ready for bed, but... There was still no sign of Nagakura and the others returning. If this continued, would they really be forced to commit seppuku? ...I'll go and check on them. Maybe they'll be back soon. Being careful not to make any noise, I quietly opened my door. It was completely silent outside, and there was no sign of Nagakura and the others returning. ...I wonder if they’re alright. I’m pretty sure it's already past curfew. At that moment– I heard footsteps from the other side of the hallway. Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" I frantically tried to hide myself... Kai Shimada: "...Is there someone there?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Shimada?!" Kai Shimada: "Shh, please don't make any noise." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah… Yes!" Kai Shimada: "What are you doing out here in the middle of the night, Yukimura? Are you thirsty?" Chizuru Yukimura: "No, it's not that..." "I was just worried about Nagakura and the others." Kai Shimada: "I see, it’s about Nagakura..." After muttering, Shimada seemed to think for a moment. Then, after making sure there was no one around... Kai Shimada: "...Yukimura, there's one thing I'd like to ask of you. Is that okay?" Chizuru Yukimura: "What would you like to ask of me?" Kai Shimada: "Actually, when Nagakura comes back tonight..." "I've been asked to remove the bolt from the gate..." Chizuru Yukimura: "That means..." He wants me to help Nagakura break curfew? Kai Shimada: "...It would be terrible if they were to be suspended for breaking curfew." "And what's worse, that could lead to them having to commit seppuku..." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." It must have been a tough decision for Shimada. When I remember Nagakura's behavior, if he was ordered to commit seppuku... He would probably say, "Fine!" in the heat of the moment and commit seppuku on the spot. Kai Shimada: "But then I was given an urgent matter to attend to." "So if it's okay with you, Yukimura... I was wondering if you could remove the bolt on the gate for me." Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" Should I... remove the bolt in Shimada's place? Chizuru Yukimura: "But, if Hijikata finds out..." Kai Shimada: “...Well, that’s…” "...No, I shouldn't get you involved after all." "Forget what I just said. See you later." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah...!" Shimada just walks away. As for me... I'll just wait in the courtyard. I'll go check on the front gate. I guess I'll give up.

–The Shinsengumi– A group of ronin who maintained peace in Kyoto under the command of the Aizu Clan, the protectors of Kyoto. They were feared by the people for their cruelty and were called “assassins” or “the wolves of Mibu.” Somehow, their fates crossed with mine, the daughter of a local doctor from Edo. January 1864. I visited Kyoto in search of my father. It all started that night, when he held me at sword point. The moonlight illuminated him, making the falling snow look like fluttering cherry blossoms. It was there that I witnessed the Shinsengumi's secret, which would later be revealed. There were the Furies, who went mad for blood and attacked people, and the Water of Life, which transformed people into Furies. The Shinsengumi were also searching for my father, Kodo Yukimura... I ended up living with them, on the condition that I cooperated with their search. ...But at first, I was still scared of them. The warriors rushed onto the battlefield without hesitation, where countless blades were clashing. They spoke of death as if they were discussing the weather, and I thought I lived in a different world from them. But gradually my view of them began to change. It's true that they had to kill people if it was necessary to fulfill their mission, but that is only one side of them. I began to realize that when the warriors were at the barracks, they were surprisingly normal people. Six months had passed since I started living with them, and then the incidents occurred– July 1864. The Ikedaya Incident, in which pro-foreign samurai plotting to set fire to Kyoto were captured. August 1864. The Kinmon Incident, in which the Choshu clan attacked the Imperial Palace. Having witnessed the way they lived their lives during these two incidents, in my heart... I began to feel a desire to be close to them. What I am about to tell you is from the summer of 1864, a time when I was still unaware of what fate would have in store for me. It is about an incident that took place in the sweltering summer of Kyoto. ～END PROLOGUE ~  It was around mid-August 1864. Chizuru Yukimura:  "Pew, there we go." As I was about to go to the kitchen to put away the dishes I had finished washing… Shinpachi Nagakura: "Men, it's so hot. What's up with this damn heat?" "It's not even this hot inside the steamer." "Hey, Sano, do something. If it keeps going like this, I'll steam to death." Sanosuke Harada: "Sorry to break it to you, but there's nothing we can do about the heat." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Sure there is! If it were to just rain a little would make a big difference." "Summers in Edo way are better because there's a breeze, but here there's no wind, so it feels even more muggy." Sanosuke Harada: "Still, even if you complain to me, there's no point. I guess we should pray for rain." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Pray, huh? Sure thing! Let’s do something with that belly dance of yours.” Chizuru Yukimura: "Nagakura, Harada, hi there." Sanosuke Harada: "Hey, were you doing the dishes?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Yep, I just washed the plates and bowls we used for lunch... what about you two?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "We were just having a quick sparring session with some people who wanted to join..." Heisuke Toudou: "Gen! Are you there? Hey, where are you?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Oh, Heisuke, what's wrong?" Heisuke Toudou: "Well, there are a lot of people here who want to join us, so do you guys know where Gen is?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Gen? Come to think of it, I haven't seen him since lunch." Sanosuke Harada: "I saw him leave earlier saying he had something to deliver. He'll probably be back soon." Heisuke Toudou: "I see. Well then, I guess I'll just have to wait inside until he gets back." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah, wait a minute, Heisuke!" Heisuke Toudou: "Hmm, what's up?" Chizuru Yukimura: "How is the wound on your forehead? Is it painful or swollen?" Heisuke Toudou: "My wound…? You mean the one from the Ikedaya incident? That one healed up a long time ago. Geez, you're such a worrier." Chizuru Yukimura: "Well, it's really hot, so I was worried that it might get infected." Heisuke Toudou: "It's been two months since I got injured at Ikedaya." Sanosuke Harada: "She's a doctor's daughter, so it's only natural that she would be worried." "If she had a personality like Shinpachi's, she might have caused a lot of trouble if we left her alone." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Don't use me as an analogy for something like this!" Sanosuke Harada: "Sorry, sorry. Your personality is just very convenient to use for situations like this." Shinpachi Nagakura: "What’s that supposed to mean!?" Sanosuke Harada: "And Heisuke, you should be grateful that people are worried about you." Heisuke Toudou: "...It’s not like I find it annoying or anything." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Come to think of it, Souji seems to be feeling much better now." Chizuru Yukimura: "That’s right. I asked him how he was feeling this morning." "It seems he's completely recovered and has returned to training." Shinpachi Nagakura: "I'm really glad he's better now." "When he was recuperating in his room, he was always irritated and would take his anger out on me, so it was really tough." Chizuru Yukimura: "I can imagine..." Maybe Okita had been irritated because he had to rest all this time... I also remember receiving some harsh words from him. It was when I was talking with everyone. Hajime Saito: "Shinpachi, Sano, Heisuke. So here is where you were. I've been looking for you." Sanosuke Harada: "Hey Saito, what do you need?" Hajime Saito: "I would like to ask you to practice with those who wish to join the Shinsengumi." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Huh? We just had a sparring session." Hajime Saito: "This is a different group." "You are the only ones who are fit for this job." Shinpachi Nagakura: "There are other skilled people out there. What about Souji?" Hajime Saito: “...Shinpachi. Do you really need me to explain that opinion to you?” Shinpachi Nagakura: "W-What? What happened?" Hajime Saito: "I asked Souji to spar with the people who wanted to join the army earlier..." "After he had thoroughly beaten them down, he said–" "【Oh dear, even a kid's sword technique is much better. This is just a waste of time.】" "And with that, he quickly disappeared from the scene." Sanosuke Harada: "Yeah...That sounds like something he would say." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, going easy on them isn't good for them either." "Real training tests your guts and true worth." "Besides, going easy on them is more obvious than you'd think, and it affects your reputation as a man." Saito Hajime:  “But what good would it do to seriously injure those wanting to join the army?” Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well... it's true, some people got hurt." Hajime Saito: "You should be able to do it. You can assess your opponent's strength without inflicting any injuries." Shinpachi Nagakura: "If you put it like that, I have no choice but to do it. Well then, let's go!" "Sano, Heisuke, you'll help me out, right?" Sanosuke Harada: "I guess I've got no choice. Sure, I'll help." Chizuru Yukimura: "It's hot today, so make sure you drink plenty of water, everyone." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Yeah, we know!" ...Now then, let’s carry these washed bowls to the kitchen. ~NEXT SCENE~ And as I opened the door to the kitchen, there was… Genzaburou Inoue: "Oh, Yukimura, have you gone to wash the teacups?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh, Inoue, you’re here!" Genzaburou Inoue: "I just got back from going out... is there something I can help you with?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Heisuke was looking for you earlier." "Apparently, there are some people who want to join the army." Genzaburou Inoue: "People want to join? Understood, I'll be right there." "Sorry, but could you prepare some ink and a brush for me later?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes, of course." ~NEXT SCENE~ Chizuru Yukimura: "Inoue, it’s me. I've brought you some ink and a brush." Genzaburou Inoue: "Ah, please come in." Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes, excuse me." There were several people in the hall who appeared to be hoping to join. Genzaburou Inoue: "I see. You have about four years of swordsmanship experience in Osaka. And you were born in..." Inoue had a calm demeanor and a sharp gaze as he inspected the applicants for recruitment. Not wanting to disturb him, I placed an inkstone with ink and a brush next to him. Genzaburou Inoue: "Thank you." Inoue said this in a soft voice and began writing down what he had heard on his kaishi. Chizuru Yukimura: "Please call me if you need anything." ~NEXT SCENE~ Chizuru Yukimura: "...Hah." All I had done was write with Inoue... I could feel the tension of Inoue and the other applicants, and I felt exhausted. It was almost dinner time, so maybe I should go help out in the kitchen. As I was thinking about this, I heard footsteps approaching me. Souji Okita: "Oh, it's you, Chizuru..." Chizuru Yukimura: "Okita! Where have you been?" Souji Okita: "Why? Were you looking for me?" Chizuru Yukimura: "I just heard from Saito and the others..." "They all seemed to be in a lot of trouble." "I heard you gave up on the match with the people who wanted to join the army and went off somewhere." Souji Okita: "Well, it was just a waste of my time." "There's no way anyone who can go toe-to-toe with Shinpachi is going to come this way." Chizuru Yukimura: "Well... that may be true..." "But you were having trouble recruiting soldiers, weren't you?" "Isn't it a good thing that more people are joining?" Souji Okita:  "It's not enough to just have a large number of them." Chizuru Yukimura: "That’s..." Toshizo Hijikata: "Souji, what are you doing here? I've been looking for you." Souji Okita: "Oh, Hijikata, what's wrong? Your brows seem to be deeper than usual." Toshizo Hijikata: "... Whose fault do you think it is that they look like that?" Souji Okita: "I wonder who this person is who would cause you so much pain." Toshizo Hijikata: "...More importantly, weren't you on patrol duty today?" "So stop loitering around, hurry up and get ready." Souji Okita: "Oh dear, how rough with people you are. I'm tired of sparring with the people who want to join the army." Toshizo Hijikata: "Don’t give me that crap!" "There's no way that would tire you out." "Anyway, when it comes to sparring, it seems like you're pushing most of the work onto Saito and Shinpachi." Souji Okita: "Oh, so you noticed?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Of course I’d notice something obvious." "Don't you feel bad for Saito and Shinpachi, who have to pick up your slack?" Souji Okita: "Well, it's hard to hold back on them so they don't get hurt." "But if you're okay with me going all out and injuring them, then I'll do it." Toshizo Hijikata: "Of course you can’t! What's the point of injuring someone before they even join the army?" "At the very least, you can do the patrol yourself." Souji Okita: "Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ll do it, I’ll do it." "Well, see you later, Chizuru." After Okita calmly said his goodbye, he walked away. Toshizo Hijikata: "Damn, that guy..." "Now that I think of it, sorry. Were you in the middle of a conversation?" Chizuru Yukimura: "No, I had heard that the number of corps members was increasing as well..." "Um, are you busy as well, Hijikata?" Toshizo Hijikata: "...Yeah. I've split up with Kondo and Gen and we're managing somehow." "The problem is that there are just too many of them. No matter how often we meet, we're still unable to keep up." Chizuru Yukimura: "These days, there are people wanting to join the army almost every day." Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah... that's right." "The Shinsengumi has become fairly well known due to the Ikedaya Incident and the Imperial Palace incident." "The more members we have, the more people will respect the Shinsengumi. However..." "With more people, we have more things we have to think about." Chizuru Yukimura: "What more do you need to think about…?" As I was about to ask my question… Susumu Yamazaki: "Commander, are you here?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Yamazaki. What is it?" Susumu Yamazaki: "Inoue said he wanted to discuss something with you about today's applicants." Toshizo Hijikata: "I see... alright, I'll be right there." As Hijikata started to walk away, he stopped and looked back at me. Toshizo Hijikata: "Be careful out there, Yukimura." Chizuru Yukimura: "Me?" Toshizo Hijikata: "...Look, we're not the only ones in the barracks." "People from who knows where are here to join as new recruits. Among them..." "There will be people who’d want to find out about you." "Don't let your guard down just because you're in the barracks. Don't go near people you don't know." Chizuru Yukimura: "...Alright." After hearing my response, Hijikata hurriedly left the scene. It’s true, the increase in new recruits was not something that only concerned the others. As Hijikata said, I needed to be careful, too. And... just now... I wonder if Hijikata was worried about me... ~NEXT SCENE~ And so, the next day. Chizuru Yukimura: "Ugh, it's hot..." Today is even more humid than yesterday... Just standing still makes me sweat underneath my kimono. Maybe if I do some water work, like mopping the floor or doing laundry, I can ease the heat. ...I'll ask one of the soldiers for advice. As I was thinking about this, I heard a rough voice coming from the other side. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Sano, Saito, don't stop me!" "No matter what you say, I'm going to do it!" Chizuru Yukimura: "?!" That voice just now… Is that Nagakura? Shinpachi Nagakura: "Once a man says he'll do something, there's no going back on it!" Hajime Saito: "That's why I'm telling you to calm down." Shinpachi Nagakura: "There's no way I can stay calm!" "This damn heat has already boiled my brain to pieces!" Things seem tense, but I wonder what could have happened… Sanosuke Harada: "Oh, Chizuru. Sorry about all this fuss." Chizuru Yukimura: "I-it's fine..." "More importantly, what exactly happened?" Nagakura answered without even trying to hide his displeasure. Shinpachi Nagakura: "I can’t get anything done in the damned heat." "So I thought I'd take a quick bath and wash off all that annoying sweat." Chizuru Yukimura: "A bath...?" Hajime Saito: "It's not like we're the only ones here, unlike before." "I've repeatedly advised him to keep a low profile, but as you can see, he’s not listening." Shinpachi Nagakura: "What the hell?!" "Why are you looking at me like I'm some disobedient child?" Sanosuke Harada: "Because you’re acting like one." Shinpachi Nagakura: "What, so now you're taking his side, Sano?" "I don’t care what you guys say, I just want to take a bath!" Toshizo Hijikata: "Hey, you lot, what’s all this fuss about?" Sanosuke Harada: "Oh, Kondo and Hijikata. And..." Next to Kondo and Hijikata were Takeda, and… ???: "Hey Sanosuke. What’s up with all the yelling?" Sanosuke Harada: "...Hello there, Tani." Sanjyuro Tani: "It seemed like you were arguing about something. Tell me what happened." This is Sanjyuro Tani, Captain of the 7th Division. He is one of the executives who manages the Shinsengumi. Sanosuke Harada: "It's nothing serious. Shinpachi was just throwing a tantrum about wanting to take a bath." Sanjyuro Tani: "Oh... a bath, huh?" Isami Kondo: "Well, considering the heat..." Sanjyuro Tani: "I can understand your feelings, but I don't think that's acceptable." Isami Kondo: "Hmm, why is that?" Sanjyuro Tani: "It's indeed not unusual to see grown men bathing naked in a local dojo." "However, we are now under the jurisdiction of the Aizu clan, and are well known." "We may even receive important people from the shogunate or senior officials of the Aizu clan here." "In that situation, we can't let our senior officers be seen in an unbecoming state." Shinpachi Nagakura: "What do you mean by 'unbecoming state'?" "Is it really that unsightly to take a bath after building up a sweat during a match?" Toshizou Hijikata: "Calm down, Shinpachi." "That's not what Tani is trying to say." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Then, what is he trying to say...?" Isami Kondo: "There is some truth in what Tani said, considering he has worked in a castle." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hold on a second, Kondo!" Isami Kondo: "The shogunate and the Aizu clan appreciate our work, so we can't continue as we have been." "Also, Yagi's guests will be coming here as well." Sanjyuro Tani: "As expected of the Chief, I knew you’d understand." Kanryusai Takeda: "Chief! I was just about to suggest that to you as well." "Now that the number of people wanting to join is increasing by the day," "we need to get them to change their reckless behavior." Isami Kondo: "...Yes, that's true." "I’m sorry, Tani, Takeda." "It seems I can't shake the habit of running a dojo from back in Edo." Sanjyuro Tani: "It’s fine. One day, the chief will rise to a higher position." "I'm just offering my advice in preparation for that time, even if it's presumptuous of me." "...Even so, I was surprised." "Sanosuke went on such a rampage back when he was in Osaka." "I didn't expect that he'd become so upstanding after only such a short time." Sanosuke Harada: "Well, I wasn't that bad back then, was I?" Sanjyuro Tani: "It was terrible. I don’t think a day went by without us fighting back then." Sanosuke Harada: "It wasn't like that every day... I don't think." Sanjyuro Tani: "In any case, all of this must have been possible thanks to the Chief's guidance." Isami Kondo: "No, that's not true..." Kanryusai Takeda: "Sir, it's almost time for us to leave. I think you should get ready to go out." Isami Kondo: "Yes, you're right." "I'm sure you're all busy and having a hard time, but this is all for the sake of expanding the unit. I'm counting on you!" And so, Kondo walked off accompanied by Tani and Takeda. Shinpachi Nagakura: "... Ugh, those sycophants. Using such obvious flattery." Toshizou Hijikata: "Although I don’t like what Tani and Takeda said," "It's not like everything they said was wrong." Shinpachi Nagakura: "So what, you’re on their side now?" Toshizo Hijikata: "This has nothing to do with whose side I’m on." "It's just that we can't keep acting like we did in the old days forever." Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Tsk" Toshizo Hijikata: "The Maekawa residence doesn’t have outsiders walking around, unlike there." "If you want to take a bath, do it over there." Nagakura had a bitter look on his face for a while... Shinpachi Nagakura: "I get that I can’t bathe here, but..." "Asking us to do our best ‘for the sake of expanding the unit’?" "So we're basically just supposed to do all the hard work without complaining?" "Tsk, Kondo has really grown into a big shot." Sanosuke Harada: "Hey, Shinpachi... you're going too far." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Damn… I can't do this in this heat." Nagakura kicked a rock at his feet,  then turned his back and walked towards the Maekawa residence. Toshizo Hijikata: "...With our numbers growing, various troublesome things will also increase." Chizuru Yukimura: "You’ve known Tani for a long time, right, Harada?" "I heard he enlisted together with his brothers..." Sanosuke Harada: "Yeah, that guy is the oldest, Mantaro is in the middle, and Shuhei is the youngest." "Mantaro was my spear master back in Osaka." "That's how we met, and he took care of me a little." "Apparently, they were in pretty good positions before they ran away from the domain, and they were quite skilled." "We were short on soldiers at the time, so I asked him if he'd like to join..." Toshizo Hijikata: "Tani is a former samurai of the Bitchu Matsuyama Domain, and he even served as a personal attendant to the lord." "He has a lot of connections, and he's well-versed in the etiquette of attending with important people and the ways of the samurai." "There's no doubt that he was a valuable person to the Shinsengumi..." As he was talking, his bitter words were cut off. Susumu Yamazaki: “Saito, Harada, there you are.” Hajime Saito: "Do you need something from us?" Susumu Yamazaki: "I would like to request that you please respond to those who wish to enlist as soon as possible..." Sanosuke Harada: "Again?! How many are coming?" Hajime Saito: "Alright, I’ll be there right away." Sanosuke Harada: "Geez, I barely have time to catch my breath. Well, see you later." Harada and Saito quickly left the scene along with Yamazaki. Toshizo Hijikata: "...I really have been forcing them to do a lot of troublesome tasks lately." Chizuru Yukimura: "Everyone looks pretty tired." Toshizo Hijikata: "I wish we could take a nice long break..." "But that's not possible at this time of year." Chizuru Yukimura: "I wish there was some way to relieve everyone's fatigue..." Toshizo Hijikata: "You’re from a doctor's family, right? Do you got any ideas?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Western medicine is primarily about treating illnesses and injuries." "I don't know much about recovering from fatigue..." Toshizo Hijikata: "I see..." After saying that, Hijikata lightly wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Toshizo Hijikata: "At the very least, I hope we can do something about this heat." "I'm sure Shinpachi is also irritated because of the heat." Chizuru Yukimura: "In that case, we need a way to cool off, right?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah. If we had some cold food or drink, it would probably help take their minds off things." Chizuru Yukimura: "Ice... is expensive. What about watermelons?" Toshizo Hijikata: "...Watermelons?" "Back in Edo, we used to cool them in the well and bite into them all the time." "It wouldn't cost that much to buy some watermelons, so I'll think about it." Chizuru Yukimura: "I’m sure everyone would love it." Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah, probably." "By the way, do you have any assigned tasks?" Chizuru Yukimura: "No, not at the moment." "I was thinking of doing the laundry or mopping the floor." Toshizo Hijikata: "Then could you sweep the outside of the gate? It's full of dust." "If we sprinkle water on it, it might cool it down a little." Chizuru Yukimura: "Cleaning and sprinkling water, got it." Toshizo Hijikata: "Well then, I'll leave it to you." "Sorry for bothering you with my busy schedule, but please bear with me for a while." Hijikata turns and walks to his room. As the squad grows and the number of soldiers increases... It may be getting harder for the senior soldiers to get along with each other like they used to. Hijikata seems to understand Nagakura and the others' feelings well, but... I hope Nagakura and the others understand Hijikata's consideration. Thinking like that, I headed to the storeroom where the cleaning supplies were kept. ~NEXT SCENE~ After that, I sprinkled the ground with water and swept the area in front of the gate... Chizuru Yukimura: "Ugh, it's so hot..." The moment I moved my body even a little, I was covered in sweat. The sun was strong and was burning my skin. When I thought about meeting people who wanted to join in this heat... I guess I could understand why Nagakura was in a bad mood. ???: "Cleaning, huh Yukimura? Thank you for your hard work during this heat." Chizuru Yukimura: "Hello, Matsubara. Have you been out?" Chuji Matsubara: "Yes, I was asked by the Commander to deliver a letter." "I also bought some things that were missing, like paper and ink." Chizuru Yukimura: "I see. Thank you for your hard work." This is Chuji Matsubara, a senior member of the Shinsengumi. Even though he's the Captain of the 4th Unit, he's a kind person who treats people of my rank with courtesy... It seems he's also very well-liked by the regular members of the group. Chuji Matsubara: "Yukimura, your face is bright red. Is it because of the heat?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Eh... really? It’s probably because it's so hot today." "But I think I'm okay. Thank you for your concern." Chuji Matsubara: "Are you sure? You’re a little unsteady on your feet." Chizuru Yukimura: "If I start feeling unwell, I'll go into the shade right away." Chuji Matsubara: "Alright, that's good..." Matsubara didn't seem convinced and thought for a bit, but... Chuji Matsubara: "That's right! If you like, you can take this." And then Matsubara handed me something. ~ PICTURE~ Chizuru Yukimura: "A hand towel...?" Chuji Matsubara: "Yes, it looked like it was going to be hot today, so I took one that I had cooled in well water." "I just cooled it while I was on my way back, so I don't think it's lukewarm yet." Chizuru Yukimura: "You don’t have to do that." "I have my own hand towel." Chuji Matsubara: "It’s fine. I always ask you for all sorts of things." "Just take it as a token of my appreciation." Chizuru Yukimura: "But..." Chuji Matsubara: "Don’t worry, just take it." After saying this, he half-forcefully handed me the chilled hand towel. ~END PICTURE~ Chizuru Yukimura: "...Thank you. I'll wash it and give it back to you later." Chuji Matsubara: "Don't worry about it. As I said before, I’m in your debt." "You were particularly outstanding that night at Ikedaya." Chizuru Yukimura: "I don’t know about outstanding..." Chuji Matsubara: "What are you talking about? Thanks to you, all the wounded were treated quickly." "I heard that the injured healed well." Chizuru Yukimura: "I hope so." Chuji Matsubara: "Well, I'll be off now." Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh, yes! See you later." Matsubara bowed slightly and then went through the gate. He probably doesn't know the details of my situation, but... He doesn't pry into my affairs and is always polite. As I wiped my sweat with the cool towel, I felt the uncomfortable heat go away a little. ...I'll have to wash the towel later and return it. ~NEXT SCENE~ A few days later. Shinpachi Nagakura: "Ahh... It's finally over." Chizuru Yukimura: "Thank you for your hard work, Nagakura." Toshizo Hijikata: "How was it? How did the recruits perform today?" Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well... I guess they're all pretty decent." "After all that fighting, my shoulders got pretty stiff." Souji Okita: "I wish there were a few more capable people showing up." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Really though..." "It's fine with bamboo swords, but with wooden swords, we have to be careful not to hurt anyone when we exchange blows." "Normally, I can handle any number of people, but when it's this hot..." "I mean, why are we the only ones who have to work so hard?" "We just don't have enough manpower!" Heisuke Toudou: "You're complaining too much, Shinpachi. Everyone has to put up with it." Keisuke Sanan: "...I apologize, everyone." "If my arm were still intact, I could’ve helped you." "With how I am now, I can't really participate in a match..." Shinpachi Nagakura: "N-no, I didn't mean to take any kind of dig at you, Sanan." Toshizo Hijikata: "That's what happens when you blurt out your thoughts without thinking." Toudou Heisuke: "But still, it's so damn hot that all thoughts just slip out." At that moment, the door opened, and Kondo and the others appeared. Isami Kondo: "Hello everyone, it's hot again today, how are you holding up?" Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh, hello, Kondo." "Everyone still seems to be doing all right at the moment." Isami Kondo: "I see, that's great!" "By the way, I might be a little late for asking this… but who's on dinner duty today?" Hajime Saito: "That would be us. Is there something you need from us?" Sanjyuro Tani: "We've got plans to go out this evening." "We came to tell you that you don't need to prepare anything for us." Chizuru Yukimura: "You’re going out...?" Sanjyuro Tani: "Apparently, a high-ranking shogunate official is in Kyoto on official business." "It's a good opportunity to make the chief look good, so I thought of setting up a dinner party." Kanryusai Takeda: "Tonight, we'll be having dinner near the cool waters of the river." "We've carefully selected a good restaurant... so I'm sure the other party will be satisfied." Isami Kondo: "I’m confident as well. I'm really glad you guys are here. I don't know much about bars or alcohol." Sanjyuro Tani: "Chief, you’ve got nothing to worry about." "We'll take care of all the troublesome stuff." Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Another party? Hasn't it been everyday lately?" Kanryusai Takeda: "It's strictly official business." Sanjyuro Tani: "That's right. Our duties aren't just about fighting ronin." "When you're a chief, you need to be political, you know." "As someone from a samurai family, you should know that much." Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Tsk. I know that much." Isami Kondo: "N-now, now, Nagakura, no need to be rude..." Sanjyuro Tani: "Chief, we don't want to keep the others waiting, so let's head out now." Isami Kondo: "Y-yes. You’re right." Shinpachi Nagakura: "Geez, he’s really letting their flattery get to him." "Lately, Kondo has just been looking on from his high horse, while we're recruiting." Souji Okita: "Well, of course." "There's no way we can let Kondo have matches with the recruits." Shinpachi Nagakura: "It's not like I'm telling him to take part in the matches." "But, you know, he could show a bit more gratitude and consideration towards us... don't you think?" Heisuke Toudou: "Well... he wasn't like this back in Edo." Shinpachi Nagakura: "He became like this after Takeda and Tani joined his circle." "Especially since Tani joined, he's been really arrogant, don't you think?" "You've known him for a long time, right Sano? Give him a piece of your mind." "Tell him to stop getting all cocky and act all big-headed by trying to ingratiate himself with Kondo." Sanosuke Harada: "Even if I were to talk to him, there's no way he's going to listen to what I have to say." Meanwhile, Sanan, who was sitting in the corner of the room, spoke up. Keisuke Sanan: "This is where the Shinsengumi is now, so it's understandable that things are different from our days at Shiei Hall." "People and troops change, too. Whether we want to or not." His words instantly silence the room. In the tense atmosphere, Hijikata suddenly spoke. Toshizo Hijikata: “...Shinpachi” Shinpachi Nagakura: "What is it?" Toshizo Hijikata: "Don't ever say something like that again." Shinpachi Nagakura: "What?! What the hell are you on about?" Toshizo Hijikata: "I don't mind if you just complain to Harada or Heisuke when you’re out drinking." "But don't criticize Kondo in the barracks." Shinpachi Nagakura: "What do you mean?" Toshizo Hijikata: "We're not the only ones here.“ "What do you think new recruits and prospective recruits would think if they heard you, a senior officer, criticizing the chief?"  "Use your head a little more and think about it for a sec."  Shinpachi Nagakura: "I'm just saying that something is wrong!"  Toshizo Hijikata: "You can't just blurt out whatever you think!"  "Kondo has a position to hold up."  "What's the point of not thinking about that as a senior officer?!" Shinpachi Nagakura: "That's because I'm a senior officer!" "It's because we've known each other for a long time that I have to correct his infatuation and misunderstandings!" "Hijikata, don't you feel anything when you see Kondo like that?" Toshizo Hijikata: "......!" Hijikata glared at Nagakura with a bitter expression on his face, but eventually... Toshizo Hijikata: "...Think about what will happen when the Shinsengumi gets bigger." "We can't keep doing things like we did in Edo forever." Shinpachi Nagakura: "But how can you be sure that when the Shinsengumi gets bigger, that guy won't get even more arrogant than he is now?" Toshizo Hijikata: "When that happens, it'll be my job to tell him off." "It's not your job to say anything." Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Ugh." This time, Nagakura was quiet, and it was his turn to glare at Hijikata. The two of them glared at each other for a while, but then... Shinpachi Nagakura: "I can't put up with this!" After he spat out the words... He slammed the wooden door and left the hall. Chizuru Yukimura: "......" Toshizo Hijikata: “He’s a grown man, yet he still acts like a kid." Heisuke Toudou: "Um, Hijikata..." Toshizo Hijikata: "Get back to work." "If you got time to just laze about, you got time to do your jobs." After delivering those cold words, Hijikata just left the hall. Souji Okita: "Oh dear. Shinpachi may be a bit of a child, but Hijikata is just as childish." Heisuke Toudou: "Well... I kinda get where Shinpachi is coming from." Chizuru Yukimura: "..." The atmosphere became heavy and almost unbearable. In the midst of all this, what was bothering me was... I was worried about Nagakura. I was worried about Hijikata. Go back to work.

Koezaru wa Akai Hana  or The Crimson Flower that Divides Lunar Coupling  is a R18 otome game that was released in the West for the Switch BUT without most of the R18 content (like a certain other R18 that was released). So here we are again, translating the spice they left out so we can enjoy the game to the fullest! ⚠ Please be warned! This game contains some graphic content! Some of the scenes might not be everyone's cup of tea . The more graphic scene will have a warning sign. ⚠  Story Will Naala’s future be one of subordination, or…? The story unfolds on a continent where the number of women has drastically decreased due to an incurable disease known as “The Rot.” A young girl, Naala, lives in the southern country of Rus. Her mother is abducted by the northern country of Nasla, leaving her as an orphan. Her childhood friend Auri, the next king of Rus and someone whom she adores like a brother, supported her through her hardships. Several years after that nightmarish night…Naala was welcomed into the royal family, and began to feel at ease in her life as Auri’s bride to be. However…The nightmare begins again, as a decision will have to be made in front of the Nasla army that is kidnapping women. A fictional world that’s full of exoticism. This is a romance adventure game for women that depicts rich romantic relationships that involve the character’s countries, along with conflicts and beliefs. Official Synopsis Translations Touya: - Time to Choose - Sweet Kisses - Lovely Life - The Pits of Paradise ⚠ - Shaky World ⚠ Suren: - Time of Selection - The Worst Couple - Bonds   - Final Chapter: The Battle of Love - Final Chapter: Broken Bird ⚠  Nohl: - Beginning of Dinner ⚠  - The Bride's Night  - Broken Bonds 1   ⚠  - Broken Bonds 2   ⚠ - Final Chapter: Pet Slave ⚠ Ruzi: - Remnants of Heat - Final Chapter: Never-ending Research Naran: - Melting Words - Final Chapter: Fareway Future Cef: - The Couple's Hand - Final Chapter: Gentle Tone Characters Touya | VA. Shinnosuke Tachibana The king of Nasla, who ascended to the throne just one year ago. In accordance with a law that his father, the previous king established, he kidnaps many women from Rus (including the heroines) in order to prevent their bloodlines from dying out. However, he also established the Nasla Selection Law, preventing things such as violence against women. With policies that differ from the previous king, he spends his days thinking about ways to protect women’s feelings. Suren | VA. Eiji Miyashita Nasla’s military commander. On the battlefield, his authority is second only to the king. As his attitudes towards the opposite sex are pompous and coercive, he is feared by the Rus women, but his subordinates trust him immensely. Contrary to his crude appearance, he is quick-witted and very astute. Nohl | VA. Chihiro Suzuki The king’s most trusted vassal, in the political arena his influence is second only to the king’s. While he may seem kind and agreeable, sometimes his cold-blooded side can be seen in his stance of putting the country above all else. He doesn’t seem to have any interest in romance, dodging the issue with a smile even if a woman asks him about it. Ruzi | VA. Masatomo Nakazawa A young man that the heroine comes into contact with normally as everyone around him is embroiled in competition to find their bride. He is a pacifist with a relaxed nature, who does not anger easily. Through his profession as a doctor, he is extremely popular among both men and women, and often acts as an arbitrator. On a certain rule, he will work together towards the same goal. Naran | VA. Noriaki Sugiyama A lively guy who thinks of Suren as an older brother, and is always following him around. His personality is straightforward and pure, but this sometimes makes him clumsy emotionally. On a certain route, he provides emotional support for the troubled heroine. Cef | VA. Toshimitsu Oda The only son of the minister of the opposition forces. Currently he serves as the minister (his father’s) secretary…officially at least. He is a troublemaker who doesn’t care for taking a wife and doesn’t take anything seriously. Under his philosophy of “don’t get into conflict with anyone” he has lived an idle life. However, on a certain route, he’ll be inspired by the heroine’s recklessness and bravery, and little by little… Source

January 1866. The Satsuma and Choshu clans had been rivals as sonno joi factions, but after the Kinmon Incident they became enemies and eventually became bitter enemies. The two clans met in secret in Kyoto and formed an alliance. It is said that Sakamoto and Nakaoka of the Tosa clan were also involved in this incident. Translated Video Ryoma Sakamoto: "Well then, today I'm going to tell you a story that has nothing to do with the Shinsengumi. This time it's about the Satcho Alliance." "The Satcho Alliance was an alliance between the Satsuma and Choshu clans that was formed in Kyoto in January 1866." "At that time, the Tokugawa Shogunate had launched a war to subjugate the Choshu clan, and the Choshu clan was going through a difficult time." "The Choshu clan was isolated and without support, so they desperately needed allies to fight the Shogunate in the future." "And so, the one chosen for the job was the Satsuma Domain." "The meeting started around January 8th, but I was late because I had to clean up after the Union. I didn't arrive in Kyoto until around the 20th." "I was about 10 days late, so I thought the meeting would end soon and there would be a party, but..." "The discussion didn't progress at all, and things were getting really tense, so I was gettin’ pretty nervous." "At that time, I came to Kyoto as an escort for important people from the Choshu and Satsuma clans, but you guys were already there." Kyo Shiranui: "Yeah. Katsura was at that meeting representing the Choshu clan. I was his bodyguard at Takasugi's request." Ryoma Sakamoto: "Why didn't Takasugi come then? If he had, the meeting wouldn't have dragged on for ten days." Kyo Shiranui: "You got that right. They had a falling out on the first day and the Satcho Alliance almost never came to fruition!"  "They say that meeting took… ten days, but I guess that couldn't be helped."  "Katsura and the guys from Choshu really hated the Satsuma clan. They thought of them like their parents' enemy."  "Plus, the terms of the alliance were so terrible that they must have put up with it for a long time." Ryoma Sakamoto: "...That's strange. Although Saigo may look like that, he was buying into the Choshu clan."  "After all, he supported the ideas of my master, Katsu-sensei."  "In order to abolish the Tokugawa Shogunate and establish a council system, we needed the Choshu clan, which had power in addition to the Satsuma clan." Kyo Shiranui: "The only people who know about that are Kazama and Amagiri, who were Saigo's bodyguards. So how was it?" Kyuujyu Amagiri: "At that meeting, it's true that Saigo put forward several conditions. The main contents were that the Choshu clan submit to the shogunate."  "Specifically, it was a change in the clan's lord, a purge of the militant executives, and a reduction of 100,000 koku from the Choshu clan's 360,000 koku." Ryoma Sakamoto: "Wait a minute. Surely the Satsuma and Choshu clans are just trying to form an alliance?" ”Why were the Choshu clan presented with conditions that made it seem as if they had lost to the shogunate” Kyuujyu Amagiri: "What the Satsuma clan needed from the alliance was for the Choshu clan to survive." "At the time, a second invasion of Choshu was being planned within the shogunate." "If that were to happen, the Choshu clan would undoubtedly be destroyed." "I think the Satsuma clan demanded submission to the shogunate to avoid that." Chikage Kazama: "...But that's not all." "Satsuma's aim was to show the Shogunate how they had made the Choshu clan submissive." "And it was a scheme to weaken the power of the Choshu clan compared to the Satsuma clan when the Shogunate became a council system." "...Saigo must have thought that far." "He probably wanted to keep the Choshu clan standing so they could use them as a shield when he would fight the Shogunate someday." "But the Choshu clan had fought the Shogunate army on their own and driven them back, so there was no way they could accept such conditions." "If they accepted them, the Choshu clan would have admitted defeat to the Shogunate." Kyo Shiranui: "And if they hesitated, a second invasion of Choshu might have started."  "If that happens, the Choshu clan will be destroyed for good. Katsura must be worried." Chikage Kazama: "Katsura is a man who, in that situation, managed to drag out the meeting with Saigo for ten days. You should give him some praise.” Ryoma Sakamoto: "Hold on... If you knew the situation, you should have persuaded Saigo." Kyuujyu Amagiri: "We were just guards. We have no interest in what they were doing." Kyo Shiranui: "But even with all that preparation underway, the one who got shit to move along was you, Sakamoto." Ryoma Sakamoto: "Huh? Why me? I was angry because the meeting wasn't progressing, so I just complained to Saigo and Katsura..." Kyuujyu Amagiri: "Saigo was also in a difficult position. If someone had spoken up, he would have been willing to make peace with the Choshu clan unconditionally." Ryoma Sakamoto: "Hahaha... Oh, so that's how it was. I'm glad I came late. I'm a real hero." "Well, things like this happen... That's what the Satcho Alliance was about." "But even the Shinsengumi guys probably never dreamed that something like this would happen in Kyoto on New Year's Day in 1866." Kyuujyu Amagiri: "At that time, Kyoto was at the height of its power." Chikage Kazama: "...But really, why did they choose Kyoto as the location?" Ryoma Sakamoto: "Yeah... well, the Satsuma and Choshu clans didn't want to do it because it was enemy territory, but they did it anyway."  "But it wasn't like it was okay to do it just anywhere, was it?" Chikage Kazama: "Kyoto was under the control of the shogunate in those days. It was enemy territory for both the Satsuma and Choshu clans." "Saigo and Katsura had made the effort to evade the shogunate's radar by traveling all the way from their home domains to Kyoto." "They had to hide from the dreaded Shinsengumi's dogs, and it was a pain to have to deal with their guard duties." "Was it really necessary to go to such lengths to hold a meeting in Kyoto? Was the person who suggested it an idiot?" Kyuujyu Amagiri: "I don't agree with most of what Kazama says and does, but I do agree with this one." Kyo Shiranui: "You're right, I thought the same thing. So, why Kyoto?" Ryoma Sakamoto: "Well, the thing is… I also told them that the Shinsengumi are in Kyoto and it's dangerous..." "...But well. Am I the only one who thought that if we had a meeting in Kyoto, we could meet up with some pretty women on the way? Hahahaha…" Kyo Shiranui: "You're the cause of this! Are you stupid?" Chikage Kazama: "It was a stupid reason after all. This is why I can't trust humans." ~END~

Here is the translation for the R18 version of Koezaru wa Akai Hana:  Touya's scene Lovely Life. Translated Video Select: Options ⇀ Events ⇀ Touya ⇀ 愛しいい命  ⇀ Skip to after Ure leaves. Naala: "It’s weird, don’t you think." Touya: "That's right." When Touya returned at night, I talked about the day’s events. Touya would listen attentively and nod. At a break in the story, Touya would smile softly. It never disappeared so curious, I asked him about it. Naala: "...? Was it really that interesting?" Touya: "Well yeah, but you’re just so cute when you’re talking so happily." When he said I was cute, his voice was so sweet it almost melted me, and I felt like all the strength left my body. Lately, I've often worried that if I’m loved this much, I might really melt. Naala: "What are you talking about? You must be tired of seeing it.” Touya: "No matter how much I look at you, I’ll never get bored. I want to stare at you so much that it makes me sad to go to sleep..." "This must be what they call lovesickness." Naala: "Even though this is both-sided?" Touya: "Yeah. I love you so much, it hurts..." Naala: "...You gotta stop sweet-talking me." Touya: “Why?” Naala: "It makes me love you so much that it hurts me.” Touya: “...” Naala: “Hm?” Touya: "I'm in a lot of trouble right now." Naala: “What?” Touya: "I’ve got an early day tomorrow, so if I were to take you right now, there wouldn’t be enough time. Only a few hours wouldn’t be enough to satisfy this desire.” Naala: "! Let's go to bed. Don't push yourself too hard." Since that first night, we’ve been intimate several times already. Actually, I’m reluctant to force Touya, who is so busy, but it was such a minor concern that I could push it aside every time. Touya: "You're the one who's saying cute things…” Naala: “Ah, wait...Touya!" Touya: “What?” Naala: "You need to get some sleep tonight. After all, yesterday we… well, a lot of things happened, and you barely slept." Touya: "A lot of things? We tried a lot of things?" Naala: "Idiot! Don’t make me say it out loud!" Touya: "My dear queen... let me hear your lovely voice again tonight..." Naala: "Hey, wait a minute!" At this rate, my concerns will get pushed aside again. I was worried about Touya’s health, but as I started to fret... Suren: "Sorry, am I interrupting something?” Naala: “!? Wha–” Touya: “...” Contrary to his words, the military commander, Suren, entered the room looking completely unashamed. I had to doubt his nerve to open the door to the king’s bedroom without warning, at a time when even the chamberlain was off. Touya: “...What brings you here this late at night, Suren?” Suren: “You’ve been preventing me from meeting, so I had to come here at this hour.” Touya: “There’s no need to meet.” Suren: “Which ordinarily would be fine, but today we must.” Touya  “...?” They’re childhood friends, but a volatile atmosphere filled the room. The tense air makes me feel uncomfortable. Suren: “...I got info that Rus is attacking with the help of the western continent today.” Naala: “...!?” Suddenly, I get the illusion that all the lights in the room have gone out. The shock of being hit in the head with a blunt instrument echoed from the heavens. Naala: (No way… they borrowed the power of the western continent…) Unlike Nasla, which has a lot of exchanges with foreign countries, Rus is mostly isolated. So the information suddenly provided by Suren is unbelievable. Touya: “...Is the inforamtion reliable?” Suren: “It was brought back by one of our spies over there, so it’s very credible.” Touya: “The west… well, that’s troublesome.” I’d heard this from Auri once a long time ago. It seems that there are ethnic groups in the West, beyond the sea, that have a culture that is quite different from this one. He said that even if they wouldn’t lose in weapon skills, they were inferior in terms of numbers and physical strength. Naala: (But, borrowing power from the West… what will they demand in return?) As I was worried, Touya took over the content I’d been concerned about. Touya: “Didn’t they say that after their victory, they’d try to divide Nasla’s territory into the mountains?” Suren: “They’re pretty confident, yeah. If we lose, we could get annihilated.” Touya: “I wonder if there’s a reasonable resolution and a chance of victory.” Naala: “...” When I was in the residence, I wanted nothing more than for Rus to take action. But now… with research for a cure on the right track, I felt like grinding my teeth. Had they just waited a little longer, we’d find a cure, and needless blood wouldn’t have to be shed. Naala: (I wonder if this way of thinking is selfish though…) Suren: “That’s why I came here with an idea.” Naala: “...?” His purple eyes, which had been facing Touya up to now, turned to me. Suren: “Let’s give her up and negotiate.” Naala: “What…” Touya: “What did you say?” I gazed at this unexpected proposal, and Touya squinted at this risky suggestion. Suren: “Your research is on track, right? With a cure, that might lead to the peace you’ve been wanting. But now, that’s not looking likely.” Touya: “So, you want to return only one woman?” Suren: “Yeah. According to my research, she’s the royal sister. In that case, we might be able to persuade the Rus king…” Touya: “Out of the question!” Naala: “...!” His sharp voice cuts Suren off and roars in the room. It was also an angry voice, very unlike him. Touya: “Leave, Suren. If you make any more foolish suggestions, I will lose my patience with you.” Suren: “...You’d say that to a childhood friend. Calm down, Touya. You’re the king.” Touya: “...So you’re telling me to divorce her.” Suren: “I didn’t say that. Even if she goes back, if the negotiations are successful, you might be able to marry her again.” Spoken with a sigh, Suren approached me. He stopped a few steps away and gestured towards Touya with his eyes. Suren: “Hey, you say something too.” Naala: “Say what…?” Suren: “Tell Touya that you’ll convince them. I doubt you wanna be in the middle of a conflict with Rus.” Naala: “...” It’s true that I didn’t want either side to shed blood - my home of Rus, or Nasla that Touya governed. And if the war begins now, research on a cure that has begun to produce results will be suspended. If that happens, we won’t be able to save the future of women. Naala: (I don’t want to be unable to fulfill Touya’s long-cherished wishes…)  So I think I would have made my decision anyway, without being prompted by Suren. I turned to Touya to convey my determination… Touya: “Don’t say it.” Naala: “...?” Touya: “I won’t hear it, I don’t want to. No matter what you say, I won’t let you go.” Naala: “Touya…?” He restrains me with a stubborn… or should I say, a frosty look. Ever since Suren came here, Touya has been acting strangely. Suren: “Hey, even this girl here is trying to make your wish a reality…” Touya: “She is my queen! Mine! I will never let her go!” Naala: (...?)  Since Touya and I developed our feelings, I’ve had no intention of ever leaving him. So it is nice to hear him say he won’t let me go, but… Naala: (“Mine”…?)  That’s not like him, it’s an odd choice of words. Confused by this weird vibe, Suren spoke in a remonstrative tone. Suren: “...Y’know, I was wondering why you married her. But… I get it. It was you. You wanted her.” Naala: “...? What are you saying?” Touya: “...Say anything more, and I’ll kill you.” Naala: “...?! Touya!” He really did pull out his sword and yelled. In contrast to my panic, Suren, on the other side of the pointed blade, remained calm. Suren: “Remember, Touya. Is this what you wanted to become?” Touya: “...! Leave. I don’t feel like hearing any more from you.” Suren: “Yeah, I’m goin’. But just think about what I said.” Suren turned around and left, raising his hand slightly. I was stunned to see him leaving in the same easygoing manner as when he came. Naala: “Touya…” Touya: “...” When I called out to him, Touya looked down deeply. I felt sad because it was like he was refuting everything. Naala: “Do you think I would betray you?” Touya: “...” Naala: “Hey, Touya.” I grabbed the hem of his clothes and tugged. After continuing several times, I heard a voice that seemed to be pushed out of the gap between his teeth. Touya: “...There’s nothing.” Naala: “...Nothing?” Touya: “There’s nothing about me… that deserves to be loved by you.” Naala: “What?” Touya: “I just can’t stand the thought of losing you.” “I’m always in agony like this… it’s so lame. This isn’t the man I wanted to be.” “I wanted to be a strong man, like Suren.” Naala: “Touya…” “I want to be with you, because you are you.” Touya: “You can be with such a weak man?” Naala: “That’s fine. No one is only strong.” “The you who is weak and cries sometimes. The you who works so hard for your dream. These are all you, aren’t they?” Touya: “They’re all… me?” Naala: “Yeah. I don’t love you just because you’re strong. I love the person in front of me, Touya… all of you.” “I said so before, right? I’ve got weak and ugly parts of myself as well, so we’re the same.” Touya: “There is nothing ugly about you.” Naala: “You feel that way because you love me. And because I love you, I love the parts of you that you hate.” Touya: “...” Naala: “Hey, Touya. I love you.” I warm both his cheeks with my palm and put my thoughts into my eyes. Gradually, Touya’s eyebrows came closer, and his tightly tied lips melted… His trembling hands covered mine. Touya: “I am… weak. I have no right to be, but I’m still so happy.” Naala: “No right to be?” Touya: “I’m not good enough to be loved by you… So, I felt it natural that I wouldn’t be loved.” “But when I knew that you truly loved me… I was so, so happy.” Naala: “Why are you saying you’re not good enough? There’s only one Touya in the whole world.” Touya: “...” Naala: “Touya?” Touya: “I’m sorry…” I didn’t know why he apologized, but I could tell that Touya was suffering from something. His body, which was trembling while in my embrace, seemed like it could vanish at any moment, so I put my arm around his back. Naala: “I love you, Touya. Don’t say you’re not good enough, don’t say such sad things.” I put my hand on Touya’s cheek, as he silently tears up. I softly kiss away his flowing tears. Naala: “You really are a crybaby.” Touya: “...Do you hate this kind of guy?” I love his tear-soaked eyelashes. I press my lips against his eyelids and forehead with my emotions overflowing. Naala: “...No. I love you.” Touya: “...” We took off each other's clothes in the blink of an eye. I wanted to convey my feelings for Touya with all my heart and body as quickly as possible. ~Picture~ When our lips met naturally, without either of us knowing, the taste of tears spread in my mouth, and I felt as if Touya's heart was melting into mine. His lips parted for a moment, touching my forehead, then my cheek, and then sliding down to my ear. I shivered as his pointed tongue licked all the way to my ear groove. Naala: "Mmm, that tickles. Are you going to lick that much?" Touya: "Yeah, I haven't tasted this place yet." The sound that resonated directly in my ears was so obscene that I felt as if I was being penetrated deep inside. The wet sighs that echoed in between deepened my illusion. Naala: “Hah…” Touya: "Your entire body tastes so sweet..." I instinctively tilted my head back, and the tip of his tongue that had been tickling my ear ran down my neck. The wet spot cooled in the air, and the trail of his caresses was imprinted on my senses. Touya: "Can I taste you some more? Naala: "D-don't ask me that.” His gaze was on me from so close that my heart pounded noisily. In his tear-filled brown eyes, I felt as if I was seeing a truer side of Touya that I had never encountered before, and my chest began to flutter. Even though I had held him many times before, I felt more nervous than the first time. Touya: "Well then, I’ll do as I please..." The way he turned up the corners of his mouth in a grin was strangely lewd, and I secretly swallowed my saliva. I was the only one who was feeling increasingly nervous. Naala: “Mm…” When he traced the swell of my breast with his lips, I twisted my body in embarrassment at the thought of my exaggerated heartbeat being revealed. Touya: "Are you... nervous?" As expected, he correctly guessed my noisy heartbeat and my temper flared. I felt embarrassed for no apparent reason and ended up saying something in a sulky voice. Naala: "You're probably annoyed because I can't seem to get used to it." Touya: "No?... I just thought it was a very lovely sound. It was as if you were whispering your feelings for me, and it made me happy..." "Am I being conceited in thinking that?" The reply "I'm not conceited" turned into a moan as he sucked on my bulge. Naala: “Ah, ha…” Touya: "Sit there." ~End Picture~ I was gently led to a seat on the bed by myself. When I looked up confused, a sweet, melting smile came over me and lightly pecked my lips. ~Mini Picture~ Touya: "Let me taste all of you tonight..." His whispering lips ran down my neck, sucked my collarbone, and stopped at the swell of my breast. His pointed tongue teasingly licked around the tip of my nipples, and my sensitive body reacted immediately. He took the raised tip into his mouth and sucked with varying strength. Naala: "Ahh! Ahh, mmm...!" Touya: "Hmm... you're really honest here... so cute... you're blushing so lustfully… like you're inviting me..." Naala: "Ah, ah, ah... Idiot..." My nipple which had been teased began to tingle. When he sunk his teeth into the engorged spot, my body jumped involuntarily. The other nipple, which had not been touched, grew hard as well and was pinched between thumb and index finger. Naala: "Hii! Ah, ahhh, no...!" Touya: "If you don't like it, do you want me to stop?” Touya asked maliciously and parted his lips. Tears of frustration welled up in my eyes, and my vision became blurred. Touya: "What a face..." Naala: "Eh...? What...?" I blinked, my eyes blurred with lust. I heard a groan, then the sound of someone swallowing, and I felt my body temperature rise even more. I realized that we were both excited, which made me even more excited. Touya: "Damn, I love you so much, I want to swallow you whole..." As if to carry out his words, he licked my skin as he moved further and further down. Eventually, he held my ankle up, bit it once, and then circled around my ankle with the tip of his tongue. Naala: “Ah… ha…” My toes were carefully stretched one by one and my toes were kissed. It felt as though I was being revered, and a perverse pleasure welled up in me, and I was embarrassed by myself. Naala: "S-Stop... This is so embarrassing." I tried to pull my foot back, but his grip was surprisingly firm, and I couldn't move it. While I was trying, the tip of my toe was taken into his mouth, and he began to lick stickily up to the spaces between my toes. A gentle stimulation rose from the tips of my toes, and heat built up in my lower abdomen. Naala: “Hya!? Ah, nooo! This feels weird...!” Touya: "I told you, I want to taste all of you. Even though I tried to escape, Touya held on tightly and wouldn't let go. Unable to bear the lewd scene, I looked away, but his hot lips started moving again. He traced the top of my foot, gently biting my calf, and sucked my inner thigh. Naala: "Ouch!” He sunk his teeth into my soft spot, and I let out an exaggerated cry of surprise. As the flattened tongue caressed the spot that was tingling with pain, my hair stood on end with pleasure. While I writhed, he sucked, making a slurping sound. Touya: "You’re all mine…” There was a red mark caused by congestion. He placed his lips close to it and whispered fondly. For some reason, it looked cute to me, and I lost all desire to protest. Naala: “Yeah…” He gave a short response and slid his fingers into his scarlet hair. Then my knees were spread wide and he began licking a more sensitive area. I was so embarrassed by the state of my private parts being so exposed right before his eyes. The next moment, as I held down both of my thighs as I tried to close them, my bud was sucked with an especially loud noise. Naala: "Ah! Ah, stop, not there... No!" Touya: "Hm... but you're saying the opposite here... right? "Overflowing with lewd nectar, you're trembling lasciviously..." The caresses over my whole body had already made me wet. Embarrassed that I had reacted lasciviously even before he had touched me, I covered my flushed face with both hands. Naala: “No…” Touya: "Just by poking the entrance like this... hmm... look, it's overflowing even more..." Having it put into words only fueled my sense of embarrassment. Even though I was so embarrassed I couldn't stand it, when my bud was stroked by his hot lips, I became even more out of breath. Naala: "Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh...!" Touya: "Hmm... just hearing that voice gets me going..." With my head dazed from pleasure, I ruminated on what I had been told. When I dropped my gaze, Touya's need was flowing so much that it looked like it might explode at any moment. Somehow entranced by the mass, I exhaled and spoke in a feverish tone. Naala: "I... I want to do it too, Touya..." ~End Mini Picture~ A surprised-looking face rises. Touya stared at me, locking eyes with me in silence. Hearing my pleading gaze, a sad sigh escapes from Touya's mouth. Touya: "...I'm sorry. I appreciate the sentiment, but… if you do anything to me now, I won't last more than a few minutes." "Well, how should I put it, I seem to get way too excited when I'm with you." Naala: "But I don't like it when I'm the only one having everything done..." I want Touya to feel good, too. I gazed upon him with such feelings, and with a wry smile, Touya climbed onto the bed. He led me by the hand, leading me onto him, as he was sitting cross-legged. In an instant, his penis, curling up in front of his stomach, became more prominent, and I swallowed hard. Touya: "Now, let me enter you like this." Naala: "Eh, l-like this?" Touya: "That's it. You're going to swallow mine with this cute, lustfully wet part of yours..." Two fingers opened my opening, and the honey spilled out and ran down my inner thighs. The moment he fiddled with the shallow part inside, he penetrated deeper - an intense pleasure flashed through my mind, and my hips trembled. Needless to say, I wanted Touya's heat so badly I couldn't resist. Touya: “Come here…” Intoxicated by the sweet sound, I reach out my hand. ~Picture~ Naala: “Mm, ah…!” I slowly lowered my hips and rubbed the hard tip against the opening of my vagina. My insides wriggled, and the entrance sucked on him as if to pull him in. I was embarrassed by my overly lewd reaction, but I couldn't stop my hips. Touya: "...If you stimulate me like that...ah, I'll reach climax before I even get inside you..." Naala: “Mm, no… d-don’t” Urged by the urgent voice, I lowered my hips, already melting with pleasure. I felt myself being pushed open, and I swallowed him up in my tightest parts. Naala: "Haaahh...!" Touya: “Ngh…!” Even though I've only just taken in the tip, a tingling numbness spreads from my lower back and my whole body starts to convulse. Without realizing it, my insides tightened around him and a short groan came from his mouth. Touya: "Kah, haa, haa... It makes me really happy as a man to have you feel this good..." Naala: "Ha, ah... idiot." Touya: "Am I wrong...?" His voice husky with lust poured into my ears. At the same time, I was pushed up slightly from below, creating a pleasant pressure deep inside. I wanted more of this sensation. I wanted my wet insides to be pushed open all the way to its dead end... Pushed by desire, my body sank deeper and deeper. Naala: "Ahhh…!” Touya: "Ha, it's already... so muddy..." Naala: "Hmm, damn... no... I told you not to say stuff like that..." Touya: "You still haven't answered that question from earlier…” Naala: "Uh, uh...huh...?" Touya: "You like this, don't you...?" Naala: "Hi! Ahh!" He penetrated me all the way to the back in one go. The sudden, overwhelming stimulation caused a flash of light to flash in the depths of my eyes. He thrust upwards several times as if to finish me off. Naala: "Ah! Ah, ahh, so suddenly....Huh! Ah, ah...!" Touya: "You like it, right...?” His whispering, like a spell, was making my brain go numb. I was prompted to speak with my mouth hanging open. Naala: "Ah, ah, I love it..." Touya: "Whose...?" Naala: "H, ahh, ahh, Touya's... I like Touya's..." As I finished, the eyes right in front of my face softly narrowed. Touya choked with joy and couldn't contain it, and hugged me so tightly that his back arched. Touya: "Ah, haa... me too... your insides are so tight I feel like I could be torn apart... but they melt and envelop me softly..." "I want to keep doing this... aah... I just want to hold you in my arms..." Our lips met with an intensity that swallowed up his lust. My brain was melting with pleasure, so I couldn't think of anything else and I simply entangled our tongues in a frenzy. With each movement he rocked me, the heat in my lower abdomen grew. The back of my head went numb. The inside of my mouth and vagina were both a mess with Touya's heat. Naala: "Ah! Ah! Ah! No, no, t-this is bad...!" Tears of pleasure spilled down my face. I shook my head, not wanting to reach my climax, and he kissed my eyes as if to soothe me. But the movements inside didn't stop; instead, they became more and more intense. Touya: "Ah, ah, it seems so... my insides are twitching, ah, ugh... it's unbearable..." I could tell that our bond was dripping wet. In my own hazy consciousness, I felt the honey trickling down my thighs. Touya: “! Hah, hah…” When the depths were dug out especially deeply, the mass inside swelled up. At that moment, Touya put his hands on my waist and moved as if to pull out his thing. Instinctively understanding what this meant, I clung tightly to his neck. Naala: “No!” Touya: "Huh?! No… I can't, I have to pull it out quickly…" Naala: "But... it's okay... ha, ha, ah... I want your heat..." When I expressed my honest feelings, his content inside of me jumped in response. Touya: “Ugh!” Naala: "I love you, Touya... I love you so much…” Touya: “!” As he whispered through the kiss, he thrust violently again. I reached my limits in an instant, and sweat began pouring out of every pore in my body. Naala: "Ahh! Ahh, ahhhh...!" Touya: “Mm, Naala…!” At the same time that he heard Toya's labored breathing, something inside me twitched dramatically. Immediately afterward, I felt something hot being sent into my body. ~Picture~  Touya: "Uh, hah, hah, hah..." Naala: “Touya…” When I called out to him, panting, he gently stroked my head. It felt like a compliment, and it tickled. Touya: "I love you... Your life is more precious than anything else..." Naala: “...Huh” Touya: "Now, for the first time, I feel like I truly understand the meaning of those words. “Life is so precious”..." His gentle voice seemed to express his feelings, and it warmed my heart. Tears of happiness made my lips taste salty again. ~End Picture~ Naala: "...Hey, Touya." Touya: “Hm?” Naala: "I really don't want to start a war. One reason is for the women's sake, but... I don't want you to be in danger." Touya: "...Are you going back?” Naala: "I did consider doing that, but... if I go back, there's a high chance that I won't be able to come back here." "And if war breaks out, I'll be imprisoned in Rus and won't have the means to protect your dream. I won't be able to protect the women either." "So I'll send a letter to my brother... to the King of Rus." Touya: "...Are you okay with that?" Naala: "I am. I'm sure the ministers will brand me a traitor, but... I don't mind if it moves my brother's heart, even if just a little." Touya: "...Even if I stop you, you'll probably rely on Nohl and Suren." Naala: "Hehe, that's true. If you refuse, I probably will." Touya: "I hate to make you bear this burden, but..." Naala: "As a married couple, we should share both our burdens and our joys." Touya: "Hah... I thought you'd say that." Naala: “...Huh?” Touya: “What’s wrong?” Naala: "Have your scars disappeared?" Touya: "My scars?" Naala: "Remember when you came to that flower field, you said that you were practicing sword fighting with someone and got injured." Touya: "...Ah, they’re completely gone." Naala: "That's right..." It seemed odd to me that something like that could just disappear so easily, but since Touya himself said so, there must be no mistake. Touya: "More importantly…" ~Picture~ Naala: "Hmm... Wait, Touya. Let me rest a bit more..." Touya: "The night is too short to enjoy you. So I can't waste a single minute..." "I want to devour every last bit of you..." I want all of Touya. I wanted to listen to his sweet, resonant voice forever... ~END~

Hakuōki Shinkai: Manyou no Shou is a fan disk that brings together a number of spin-off stories and illustrations into one, focusing on stories that were not included in the main story, such as recollections of incidents in " Hakuōki: Zuisouroku ". Story Collections This game has four major collections: Zuisouroku, Truisouroku, The Travelogue, and The Sakura Ephemera. Each of the major collections contains a smaller collection of stories and sometimes pictures. Zuisouroku Zuisouroku is pretty much the Switch version of the PSP/PS2 game of the same name with a little added content for the newer love interests like Shinpachi and Iba. - Shinsengumi Adventures - Portrait of a Worrier - Reminiscences - Memories of Love - A letter from him Tsuisouroku A collection of DLC content from various Hakuoki games and some picture collections. - Kyoka Records (Storytelling under the rain) - The Tea Party Debate - Nostalgia - The old books hall - World Tree (Picture Collection) - Shido Play (Picture Collection) The Travelogue A collection unique to this game. It contains a collection of short stories about locations you visited in the main game. - Shinsengumi camp - Kyoto city - Kyoto suburbs - Japan Sakura Ephemera The Sakura Ephemera is the same as the Ephemera from Hakuoki Zuisouroku. The more stories you've completed, the more you unlock in the Ephemera. Translations Zuisouroku : A Letter from Him - Shinpachi's letter - Yamazaki's letter - Sanan's letter - Souma's letter - Iba's letter - Sakamoto's letter

A letter written to Chizuru after the end of the main game. Enjoy his heartfelt letter filled with his inner thoughts and words of affection! Translated Video Dear Chizuru.  You must be surprised by this sudden letter. When we are always close to each other, there are times when it is difficult to put my thoughts into words, even if it's something that comes from the heart. I have written this to put what is in my heart into words and convey it to you. I would be happy if you would read this to the end. The first time I met you was at the end of the third year of the Bunkyu era (1864). It was during the incident where the Furies went on a rampage. Even though you were dressed as a man, I knew at a glance that you were a woman in disguise... But I never imagined that you were Kodo's daughter. Were we bound together by some invisible fate? My true feelings at the time were… that I thought this situation was troublesome. I can say this now, but I wondered whether Kodo was still alive, and what we would do if we found him... Because back then, even we didn’t understand the situation. So, to tell you the truth, you should have just run away. If you had run away back then... you would have definitely been spared. The Shinsengumi were not so heartless as to chase and kill a woman who had run away. Amidst all this, you decided to stay with the Shinsengumi in order to search for your father. And you tried your best to find your place among us. But to me… your presence was both dazzling and an eyesore, as someone who had lost their place in the Shinsengumi. There were times when I was harsh to you... But you always cared about me after I became Fury. Before I knew it, we were having conversations, eating meals together… and sometimes even going for walks at night. Now that I had died and was cut off from the outside world and my friends, you've become a small source of refuge for me. So I wondered, what else could I do for you other than improving the Furies? Of course, I had the noble cause of wanting to restore the lifespan of my comrades and that of my own. ...But what I was thinking in my heart was, what I could do to not make you feel responsible. And then an idea occurred to me. What if, with Kodo's help, I could return Furies to their human form? That would be the best solution. This wish of mine caused me to part ways with the Shinsengumi. But... you followed me. Back then, I couldn't put into words how surprised and happy I was... But now I can express those feelings. ...My dearest love. I am truly happy about your actions. Even if my body crumbles and scatters into dust, my love and feelings for you will remain forever. And now, you have come with me to this foreign land, far away from Japan. Do you know how much I love you? Thank you, Chizuru, for everything. And I will continue to love you. ...Well, I think I'll stop spilling my feelings here. If I praise you too much, I'm afraid I'll end up feeling embarrassed the next time we meet. ~END~