Gintama: It Is Love!

I Was A Fool (Hijikata Toshiro)

Hijikata looked around, Sougo wasn't there and Kondo-san wasn't around either. He sighed softly and smiled gently before he opened the door to a small bar.

"Oh, Hijikata-san. Welcome back~"

An instant, warm smile appeared on Hijikata's lips, the moment his blue eyes met those warm (E/C) ones.

"It's nice to see you again, (Y/N)."

(Y/N) giggled lightly and tucked a loose strand of her hair back as she looked into his eyes. "Shall I get your usual ready?"

"You know it,"

"Alright, just sit tight!" (Y/N) winked at him before she moved away to get his order. Hijikata went on to sit on the counter stool— by now, it was his permanent spot.

The bar was fairly small, but it had customers from time to time. Plus, (Y/N) was the only one who worked there— it was the perfect excuse to go see her.

Hijikata gazed fondly at her as she fixed his order up. He always took in extra time to admire the woman— she was modest and kind, polite and very cute.

It was a fact that Hijikata didn't drink that much— it reminded him of the silver haired man whose breath reeked of alcohol almost everytime they encountered him. But, if it was for the sake of seeing her and meeting her? Hijikata would do it.

He would even sacrifice mayonnaise for her.

"So? How has work been? Your visits haven't been that often now." (Y/N) asked him, making small talk as she served him his usual.

"Hectic," Hijikata grumbled. "There isn't a peaceful day around when Kondo-san always goes off stalking the Shimura lady and Sougo's always busy trying to kill me." Hijikata sighed.

"I'm the only one who does the job around there."

"Hehe, well. You're a very reliable man, Hijikata-san." She winked at him and Hijikata's breath hitched momentarily.

"A-Anyways, aside from that I got a big case going on lately....." He coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment while she just giggled at how cute the man was acting.

"Is it very hard?" She asked worriedly and he slightly nodded.

"Something like that," He shrugged and then he looked at her. "You have to be a bit more careful, (Y/N). Lately, those yakuzas have been running rampant." Hijikata grit his teeth and (Y/N) flinched at the mention.

For a second, she looked down and her (E/C) went hollow, almost lifeless. As if she was brooding over something deep inside her mind. She paused and seemingly zoned out— Hijikata easily noticed this and shot her a comforting smile.

"Don't worry, I'll be here to protect you." He assured her, snapping her out of her trance. (Y/N) shot him a sheepish smile. "Thank you, Hijikata-san."

"You're a woman who manages this shop all on your own— You'd be an easy target for them. Well, this is on my patrol path so I can drop by from time to time—" Hijikata paused when he absent-mindedly rambled out his own personal thoughts.

"—N-Not because I want to purposely see you or something! B-But as the vice commander I-I have a duty to protect—"

(Y/N) stifled her laughter at his stuttering, to think that the man feared as the demon vice commander was a man so cute like this.

"Pfft, you're stuttering Hijikata-san."

"I-I— Whatever!!" Hijikata, with red cheeks, decided to shut up while (Y/N) laughed at him.