Violent Bounce

EIGHTEEN

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Hijikata slides the door open to his room. Namjoon walks in the room too, slowly looking around as he slides the door closed behind him.

Hijikata walks over to his shelf, picking up a faced down photo frame. "Your father was very dear to me."

Namjoon looks a him.

Hijikata turns around to face him. "Ryoma never let any of us down when he became a Shinsengumi. One of the best." He soflty hands him the frame.

Namjoon curls his brows and nervously takes the frame to look at it. It was a detailed painting of Ryoma and Hijikata. Both of them were smiling.

Namjoon has never seen his father smile before.

"In the past, he stuck to Okita more than the rest of us." Hijikata chuckles, sighing. "Okita has been stuck up ever since Ryoma left the Shinsengumi."

Namjoon looks at Hijikata. "Sir Toshizo, I don't have to know any of this."

"I know that Ryoma was never a good father to you. I know that you grew up in the village instead of him."

Namjoon's brows curl up.

Hijikata soflty takes the frame back. "My reason is; don't be ashamed to be a Sakamoto. It's in your blood. It shouldn't matter that you are Ryoma's son."

"I don't want it to be a big deal to others, that's why I don't want anyone to know. I don't want people to think I'm stronger than them or anything."

Hijikata lowers his eyes and sighs, turning back around to put the frame back. "I understand."

Namjoon bites the inside of his cheek. "Aren't you...Jin's father?"

Hijikata scoffs and sighs. "Yes." He turns around to face him. "He can't help to be...a little selfish and thinks he's better than everyone else." He sighs again. "Even if he's my son, I don't want that to overpower his needs. He's not class president, he's one of the students."

"Just like me." Namjoon mutters up, looking at him.

Hijikata smiles small. "Correct."

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"Easy. Easy."

Yoongi slaps Hoseok's hand away. "I can walk on my own. I'm not old."

Hoseok moves away with the chuckle. "Okay, okay."

Yoongi scoffs, trying to walk normally without pain interrupting. "Where's Kim anyways? Wasn't he supposed to be here?"

"Time was held back... He's with the Shinsengumi."

Yoongi stops and faces him. "What? He told me he's just going to talk to Sensei."

"Sensei was with the Shinsengumi..."

Yoongi's brows curl, facing forward. My father is going to try and put him down. If I don't intervene, it'll get messy... I can't let him be tear down by the Shinsengumi.

Hoseok tilts his head. "Soji?"

"I can't leave him hanging, Jung." Yoongi starts to walk faster.

"Soji, no—" Hoseok quickly reaches over to grab his arm. "You can't intervene. It's dangerous. The Shinsengumi—"

"I don't care. They'll try to tear him down."

"He's strong enough to do it himself." Hoseok soflty says. "Kim has been strong ever since he showed up. Do you not believe in him?"

Yoongi lowers his eyes. What's wrong with me...? Ever since him and I kissed...I don't feel like I'm the same person anymore.

"You're right." Yoongi moves Hoseok's hand off. "I shouldn't be worried..."

The door slides open.

Hoseok looks up from the sound. "Kim! You're back." He smiles. "How did it go?"

Yoongi turns around and sees him. "Kim..." His brows curl, being relieved that he's okay.

"I haven't discuss all of it, but they know the clan from the past. It went well." Namjoon looks at Yoongi. "I see that you're standing. Is your stitch okay?"

Yoongi nods. "Yeah... It's doing okay."

Namjoon side smiles.

Hoseok raises a brow, noticing something. Yoongi's suddenly shy. And Namjoon's smiling. Hoseok lowers his eyes. There's something going on...

"The Gotoka clan is responsible for the attempt. As you guys know, I've dealt with them before." Namjoon says, lowering his eyes. "Hopefully, with their honor, I will fight with the Shinsengumi."

"Kim, what about us? We're students for a reason." Hoseok spoke, brows knitting up.

"I know." Namjoon looks at him. "But I've studied more to know what they do. I won't let anybody else get hurt."

"We're future warriors of the Shinsengumi, Kim." Yoongi says, brows knitting too. "We have to fight, even if we're wounded and weak like this."

"Min. I know that—"

"If you do know it, then why are you pushing us away and basically saying you're the only one who can stop them?" Yoongi interrupts, annoyed.

Namjoon blinks, brows curling up. He closes his eyes and sighs. "I don't want any of you getting hurt." He looks at them.

Yoongi's brows relax. Hoseok looks at Yoongi to wonder what he's thinking.

Then Yoongi's brows knit again. "And I don't want you getting hurt either. None of us do...none of us." He lowers his eyes.

He decides to shove Namjoon in the arm before leaving the room, sliding the door open, leaving it open for Hoseok. Namjoon turns to watch him leave, brows curling.

Hoseok sighs and looks at Namjoon. "Think about it, Kim. You're making it seem like we're no help. When we are." He says before leaving too, sliding the door closed behind him.

Namjoon lowers his eyes.

Hoseok catches up to Yoongi, standing beside him. "Do you think he'll let us?"

"He can't just let us sit here and die naturally. I rather die in a battle. I am not letting this slide. The Gotoka clan can't go down without us—!"

"Min Soji Yoongi."

Both Yoongi and Hoseok stop, facing someone familiar.

Yoongi widen his eyes. "S-Sir Toshizo..." He gets himself to bend to bow.

Hoseok bows too. "Sir Toshizo, what are you doing here?" He politely asks.

"Min. Jung. We should talk." Hijikata says.

Yoongi slowly sits back up. "M...Me?" His brows curl.

Hijikata nods. "You both were part of the attack that day. Am I correct?"

"Yes sir." Hoseok spoke.

Hijikata turns around. "Follow me."

Hoseok and Yoongi look at each other, both gulping and started to follow him.

Namjoon slides the door open, noticing both of them are gone. His eyes lower, closing his eyes. They're right...

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