When Dusk Hits

Fables

(AN: Wow, I an seriously so sorry it's been a few months since I've updated. School has been a mess, but I'll reallyyyyy try to write more! I tried to develop more romance in this chapter buuut I don't think I'm great at this kind of stuff >_< But I hope you enjoy anyway~~)

Reflecting over the memories we had together, a tight-lipped smile escaped my lips. Festival prizes, a pink scarf, photo booth pictures, vermillion wrapping, a key, spiral glasses, postcards, and a golden pendant.

...But as my eyes skimmed over the objects strewn across the floor, I knew that Kagura has been gone for almost two years, no one knew when she would be back, and she's probably already forgotten about me. There's no point in being like this; so attached to the past and holding on to every bit of her I could. I mean, I already lost my chance, didn't I? There's still a lot I've been wanting to tell her ever since the day she left.

Flashback

"See ya." I hesistantly raise an arm to gesture at Kagura.
"Don't forget, be here tomorrow. Bye!" Kagura waves back and skips towards her insanely huge dog who is bounding towards us. I watch as she climbs onto Sadaharu in smooth motions as if she had rehearsed it. Her hair faded into the vast evening sky as she got further away. And in just a matter of seconds, she was out of sight. With a relieved sigh, I walk back to the Shinsengumi Headquarters, legs feeling heavy. A smile crept onto my face as the events in the day replayed again and again in my head. Tomorrow.

The door swung open as I strode in. "Where have you been, and why are you getting back so late?" To my demise, there stood Hijibaka, arms crossed and waiting for me. I glanced around, noticing the sun already set by the time I got back. Our eyes then meet and Hijikata inquired further. "...and why are you smiling so much?" I was? I quickly reverted to my usual deadpan expression.
"I'm not smiling."
"You were just a minute ago," he says looking annoyed, "and you didn't answer my question. Where were you?"
"Patrolling." I shrugged.
"What's with the half-assed response? We had today off!"
"If it was our day off, it doesn't matter where I was, does it?" I smirked at him. Hijikata stood there appalled for a second but then replied with another annoying question.
"Why is it so hard for you to answer? Were you with that China girl aga-?!"
"Are you really wasting Bakaiser's time with this, Hijikata-San?" I pulled out my bazooka and fired at him, ending this discussion altogether.

The next day

"SOUGO!"
"H-huh?" my vision blurring, fading in and out I stared at Hijikata's distorted face.
"Don't 'huh' me, were you listening to my orders?"
"Sure, sure." I say, yawning. Whispers trickled within the rest of the shinsengumi, all probably were bets on who would win in a one on one battle. A vein popped out of his forehead.
"You wouldn't be so tired if you weren't out all night with that girl." a hush fell over the room for a few seconds, but it took no time for the room to be in an uproar.
"Who?"
"A girl?"
"At night?"
"What girl?"
In unison, everyone in the room turned to me for an answer. "Okita-San?" Smoothly, I shrugged and shoved my hands in my pocket. I smirked at the crowd and walked out, not saying a thing.
"Damn it, Hijibaka." I put a hand up to my flushed face and sighed as I made my way to our usual place.

"Aw man, I should've known better than to challenge you two." A boy groaned as he slumped against a tree. Kagura grinned as the other kids laughed.
"Yeah, and as expected you and Okita-San tied, Kagura." A girl brightly smiles at Kagura as if admiring her. "I was secretly hoping you would win, though." I shoot the girl a glare and she giggles.
"Don't worry, I'll beat him someday. You'll see!" Kagura widely smiles and punches her palm. I smirk a bit listening to the conversation and put my arms behind my head.

I'm not sure when I drifted off to sleep, but all I know is that when I woke up... Things got a little interesting.

"Go on Kagura, do it!" I heard an overly excited voice get closer to me, accompanied with the pattering footsteps of what seemed to be multiple people. When I struggled to open my eyes, I could only see the darkness with a faint sight of light. When did I put on my sleeping mask?
"I-I don't know about this!" Out of all of the approaching cries, I hear Kagura, seemingly very unsure of herself.
"It's just a quick kiss, come on it's a dare! You can't back out now!" The voices are now right in front of me. I lie there stiffly, not moving an inch. What the hell is happening?
"But... I can't." She speaks very softly and I can hear an anxious tone in her voice.
"Ne, Kagura, maybe you'll like it. Okita-San isn't all that bad looking y'know? And I honestly thought you two would be good together."
"It's not that... It's just-"
"What happened to the brave Kagura we once knew?" I listened for a response, the seconds painstakingly passing by like minutes. A warmth surrounded my neck and head and took me by surprise. I felt her gentle fingers lift up my face. They were trembling. Something soft pressed against my lips. Kagura? The heat from my face --and probably Kagura's as well-- intensified as the kiss continued. It abruptly ended and I heard footsteps quickly rush away.
"Wow, I didn't expect you to do it!"
"Awww, you're as red as your hair, Kagura!"
"Sh-SHUT UP!"
The voices trailed away, but the ruckus surely didn't die off.
I clenched my eyes tightly, willing myself to sleep. Forget anything and everything.

Later, as the sky began to darken, I remember my promise to meet with Kagura. Sighing, I hesitantly make my way to the spot, secretly hoping she wasn't there. I gulp, grab a branch, and make my up. Sure enough, she was there. Her eyes flickered up in my direction quickly but she seemed to intentionally look away immediately. I crept slowly along the thick branches and sat there a bit rigidly; feeling awkward. There's a long silence between us, with a few exchanged glances. Our eyes meet for the sixth time when Kagura suddenly scoots next to me.
"Sadist, have you ever thought about who your soulmate is?"
"Where is this coming from?"
"I just... Think about it sometimes, I guess." Kagura shrugs and lays her chin in her hands, staring absentmindedly.
"Oh," I look at her quizzically. Stop beating around the bush, China, tell me what's on your mind. "Well, what about it?"
"I just wonder who it is, y'know? I like to think I've already met them."
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Well, partly true. I like to think that it'll be you...
"Mommy told me a story before. She said that couples who were destined to be together have red strings tied around their ankles, and the strings bring them together."
"Yeah, I've heard about it." I nod. "But, instead of the ankles, the strings are tied around their pinkies."
"Well, I've only heard Mommy's version. Sometimes I wonder, though, what if I don't go with the person life chooses for me?"
"Is that how it works?" Kagura shrugs, her head tilted downwards.
"I feel like all my life I've been directed towards dating a yato boy from back home. But... what if I don't want that? I've been living on Earth for a long time now, but since I'm going back with my dad, what if I don't even get that choice?" Has Kagura been facing this problem this whole time? I've never heard of this until now.
"China... I'm sure your soulmate is the person that you choose that makes you happy. Not some guy your parents or society expect you to be with."
"Well, I hope it's like that," Kagura plucks a hair from her head and holds it out, the red hair glinting in the dim sunlight remaining, "Because sometimes I wish I could just do this," she ties the hair around her pinky, "and choose my soulmate." She wraps the other end around my pinky.
"Ka- China...?"
"Oh! Sorry!" Her eyes widen and she quickly snaps the strand of hair
"No... it's fine. You seem out of it," I look down, wondering if it's about what happened earlier, "are you okay?"
"Uh-," Kagura looks at me  in surprise and her cheeks glow a bright pink. "I had my first kiss today."
"O-oh really?" She nods, avoiding eye contact. Making up my mind, I say hesitantly, "Well... What do you think about it?"
"I- I don't know... I always thought that first kisses are supposed to be special. Whenever Mommy talked about it, I always dreamt it would happen differently from the way it did..."
"So you're worried about who took your first kiss?"
"It's not that, I just thought that my first kiss should've been with someone I would've been dating... Or I just expected it to be more... Special feeling." I grimace and pity Kagura. She's so upset about this, and it's all because of a dumb dare. I turn to face her and pat her on the head. We make eye contact and I gaze into her eyes, that glimmered from the tears welling within. I absentmindedly wipe away the droplets forming...

and then...

It kind of just happened. Getting caught up in the moment, I kissed her.

It only lasted a moment, she didn't resist. When our lips met, they just pressed together briefly. Just a simple, sweet kiss.

"...What are you doing?" Kagura looks at me, astonished at what just occurred.
"Well- if you had just the one kiss, you'd be forced to think that it had to be special. But it doesn't have to be, you should decide what matters to you."
"So you just went and kissed me?! Sadist I will-!"
"Yeah, I did. It doesn't need to mean anything, though, if you don't want it to."
"O-Of course I don't want it to! But... Thank you. I think I get what you mean." She glances at me, her entire face flushed, "But... For good measure... One more time." She leans towards me and we kiss again.

Later

I tiptoe into the Shinsengumi Headquarters, sneaking inside as it was late at night. The lights spontaneously flicker on and I'm greeted by that wretched face. He is smirking.
"Why is your face so red, Sougo?" Hijikata says while suppressing his laughter.
"Burn in hell, Hijibaka-San."