Book of One-Sh!ts

[Gintama] Shiroyasha: A Glimpse of the Past

Gintoki was on his own. He'd planned to get strawberry milk and then go right back to Shinpachi and Kagura. That was it. It should've been a simple little event, but it was taking forever. Today was just not his day. He'd gone to the nearest convenience store, only to have it be closed. So he had to walk like an extra two miles to the next one. Then, when he went to pay, he didn't have enough money. Luckily, the cashier was willing to cover for him. Thank you, cashier, you saved his life. 

He stepped outside of the store to see the sky dark with clouds. It's going to rain now, isn't it? He better get back quickly since he doesn't have an umbrella. Sigh. Why did it have to be today? Of all days? It wasn't right. Now he had to run back to the Yorozuya. The rain wasn't waiting for him. It began to drizzle, then pour, and he would be soaked to the bone by the time he reached the apartment. He wasn't fast enough. Story of his life. When had he ever made it to a place on time?

Now, here he was, soaked in water, not even bothering to run anymore. He just walked. One foot in front of the other. What was the point in trying to avoid it? He was already wet. He'd only get more wet. So what? 

A car approached the samurai. He couldn't hear it due to the harsh winds and the rain. The vehicle was approaching too quickly to notice Gintoki too. And Gintoki was too deaf to notice the car. It slammed right into him, noticing him at the last minute. Gintoki fell to the ground and his consciousness slowly left him. His ears were ringing and his vision blurred. He couldn't hear the loud noises around him. Would he die? Like this? Did he not even deserve an honorable death? This was bringing back a memory...a distant memory...when was that again? Wasn't it raining then too? He couldn't remember completely, but he could feel his spirit being lifted to that time. 

...

It was dark and cold. Gintoki was caring for his dying mother in a makeshift shelter he had built to protect them from the rain. His good-for-nothing father left them to fend for themselves. He wasn't even that old and he already had to become a man.

"Your fever is rising, Okaasan. You have to hang in there, okay? Don't go leaving me off by myself! You promised..." the young version of Gintoki pleaded with his mother. If she could, she would have stayed alive; however, her poor health was only getting worse. There wasn't much more he could do to help her. If he could, he would have already done it.

His mother looked up at him. He didn't deserve this kind of life. If only she had gotten with some good, respectable, gentleman. Maybe things would have turned out differently then. She lifted her hand up and touched the young male's face before speaking,"I don't think I'll be able to keep my promise."

"No! No...Okaasan!...You can't give up now!" the young Gintoki grabbed his mother's hand and held it in his own, squeezing it lightly.

"I'm sorry, Gin-chan," the mother closed her eyes and her breathing faded. Gintoki was left behind by the only person he had in his life. The rain fell on the top of the shelter as he cried. This couldn't be happening! This just wasn't fair! He'd never met his father and now his mother was dead!

Silent tears fell from Gintoki's face. Even though no one would hear him cry in the middle of nowhere, he still didn't want to make a fuss. One by one, a tear fell. He tried to hold it back but it just wouldn't happen. He had to cry. That's just the way it would turn out.

"What am I going to do now?" he questioned. "There is nothing left for me in this world..."

~....~....~

A couple of years had passed since his mother died. He was now a rogue child. Everything he did was just to survive another day. Time after time he wondered why he even tried to live. Maybe it would be better if he just starved to death or jumped off a cliff. That way he would reunite with his mother before it was too late.