Hakuouki ~The Floating World~ (Fem!Reader x Harem) [ENG]

Chapter 12: Hikikomori

You have a feeling it's been months since they've thrown you into the dungeons – commonly named „the room" by them. Without the calendar on the wall, you've completely lost track of time. The only things defining the flow of time for you have been sunsets, sunrises and regularly delivered meals.

Is this what the prisoners feel when they have to go through the process of resocialization? Right, if they sentenced you to death, you'd probably be feeling more like a prisoner soon-to-be getting rid of by the country on an unknown date. At least you're in a situation where you don't need to fret for your life anymore.

However, even though you used to complain a lot about your job, now you have to admit that without it, you just don't know what to do. Because how much can you actually rest? When working, humans find a goal in their life and the feeling that their doings hold any meaning. The problem appears the moment you work from dawn till dusk, with no breaks for lunch, or in the company of such annoying coworkers that one may as well off themselves.

And if you are to be completely honest with yourself, you really miss it – or just any – job now. Maybe you're a typical workaholic, who knows. In the end, even when you were doing something for free, you always give it your all, not rarely bringing unnecessary stress on yourself.

Shame that instead of noticing your good intentions and put them to use, Hijikata decided to depart to the other side of the world – for your nineteenth centuries' calculations, at least. Osaka may not be as far away as Tokyo (or rather Edo); still, getting there requires much more time than in your world.

You sigh heavily, massaging your aching neck. You've tried to change positions during sitting to avoid muscle atrophy. But it's not like you've had that many options to choose from – the room's small and if you wanted to walk from one side to another, you'd only make a few steps.

Finally, your boredom reaches its peak, winning against your fear of getting punished. It's not like anyone may use any reprimands on you right now – the NPC Hijikata and the NPC Sannan are in Osaka on a mission anyway. Without them, it may be a bit less lively here but it doesn't seem like any of the captains are going to be harsh on you... even Okita.