Love at first sight (Heisuke x OC)

Chapter 19: Don't worry

Sorry, but this is one of those chapters that contain a lot of time skips. Still, enjoy reading and leave me feedback. I'll take praises and criticisms, just comment!

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"Mmm..." I slowly opened my eyes. I looked around and saw three familiar faces looking down at me. "Heisuke-kun...? Harada...? Nagakura...?"
"That's us" Harada smiled.
"How are you feeling Chiyeko-chan?"
"Feeling..." I tried to sit up, but pain blossomed in my abdomen causing me to cry out. "...not good"
"You were injured real bad back at the inn, you still need to rest!" Nagakura reached out his left hand to stop me.
"Your hand..." It was completely wrapped in bandages.
"This is nothing compared to your injury, worry about yourself more"
"But..." I looked at Heisuke-kun and saw he had bandages wrapped around his forehead. Harada was the only one of the trio not wearing bandages.
"I'm fine Chiyeko-chan. Thanks to you I didn't lose as much blood as I should have"
"Thank god...You scared me you know!"
"I believe that's our line Chiyeko"
"Huh?" I looked at Harada confused.
"He's right. I came running when I heard your call, expecting you to help me with Heisuke. But instead I find you collapsed next to him with a severe injury through your abdomen"
"I couldn't believe my eyes when Shinpachi dragged you both out through the back of the inn. Heisuke's wounds weren't so serious, but yours was...we didn't think you'd recover from it"
"Harada I-"
"You've been asleep for two days since the raid, we were beginning to expect the worse"
"Heisuke-kun..." I caused them all so much worry..."Gomenasai guys, I never meant to cause you so much worry..."
"You can make it up to us by resting so you recover quickly" Harada grinned.
"Yeah, it's hard seeing Heisuke so down every time he passes your room" Nagakura teased.
"Oi Shinpachi! Ya didn't have to tell her that!" Heisuke-kun yelled with a blush. I let out a quiet giggle as the two began to argue back and forth. Don't worry Heisuke-kun, I'll make sure to get better quick so I can make it up to you.

A week and a half later

"It sure is hot..." I wiped away sweat from my forehead with the cloth I always kept on me. I fetched myself some water and turned around to relax while drinking it when I discovered three men standing in the doorway. "Oh!" I dropped the cup out of shock. "What are you guys doing here?" I cleared away the broken cup. "Guys...?" I forgot about the water that still sat upon the floor as I regarded them inquisitively. Three pairs of eyes stared at me in disbelief. "You guys okay...?" They didn't answer. "Okay then...Well if you're hungry, don't worry. Breakfast will be ready soon" Their eyes followed my every move as I moved around the kitchen preparing breakfast. Their gazes caused me to fidget and my cheeks to slowly redden. I turned around and sighed. "It makes me uncomfortable when you stare at me like that so please would one of you say something?" They still wouldn't respond. "Seriously...What's up with you guys?" Silence. "Okay I give up" I shrugged my shoulders and got back to cooking breakfast. I went to retrieve rice to steam, but suddenly lost my footing and found myself falling. I forgot to clean up the water I spilt!
"Chiyeko!" Harada exclaimed.
"Look out!" Nagakura warned, although the warning had little effect since I'd already slipped. I closed my eyes and braced myself for impact.
"I've got you!"
"Nani?" I opened my eyes to see Heisuke-kun had caught me. "Oh, arigato Heisuke-kun" He helped me up and I stood with my hands on my hips facing the three men. "I'm glad that I managed to get you talking. Now will someone tell me what is up with you three?"
"Are you sure you should be up and about, let alone making breakfast yet?"
"Seriously Nagakura? That's what you guys are worried about? I've been resting for a week and then some! I'm completely fine. I'd show you I'm fine, but that'd be highly inappropriate"
"I wouldn't mind you show-!?" Nagakura was hit hard around the head by Harada before he even finished his sentence.
"Don't be baka!" He scolded his friend harshly. "Gomen about that Chiyeko, we're all just worried about ya. That's all"
"I appreciate your concern guys, but I'm fine. If I stayed in bed anymore I'd be sleeping not resting" I joked which got a laugh in response from all of them.
"So, you've healed?"
"Hai Heisuke-kun, I'm all better. Now would you three stop staring at me and leave me to make breakfast for minna?"
"Sure. Good to see you recovered Chiyeko"
"I'm looking forward to that breakfast!"
"We'll be waiting Chiyeko-chan!" The trio of friends left and I could finally relax. They're all baka...I smiled to myself as I continued making breakfast. As I did so, Hijikata-san walked into the kitchen.
"Hijikata-san!? What brings you here?"
"Make sure Souji and Heisuke take this" He handed me some medicine. "It's Ishida Medicinal Powder, manufactured by my family"
"Okay, I'll give it to them with some hot sake"
"...Have some yourself while you're at it"
"Me? But my injuries have healed"
"Don't argue, just be sure to take some"
"Okay Hijikata-san" He walked with the intention of leaving, but abruptly stopped in the doorway.
"And kid?"
"Hai?"
"...Good to see you up and about" With that he left. He's worried about me...I smiled. Arigato Hijikata-san...My smile then fell. I've got to make sure I don't worry any of them like that again. I finished breakfast and got help carrying it out to the common room. After breakfast, I fetched the tray with the Ishida Powder and hot sake.
"Hijikata-san said you two need to take this medicine" I handed the medicine and a cups of hot sake to the two men.
"Why's there some medicine and sake left?" Heisuke-kun asked.
"Because he said he wants me to take some too, though I don't see why since my injury has healed"
"Just give it a shot Chiyeko. They say this stuff really works" Okita-san stated before taking his own medicine.
"Well, it can't hurt" I shrugged my shoulders and put the Ishida Powder in my mouth before washing it down with the hot sake.
"Man, that Ishida Powder with hot sake is the best! I'm so jealous of you guys!"
"Well you're still hurt, aren't ya Shin? Why don't you have some?"
"Nah, my injury wasn't as bad as any of yours" Despite the fact that his wound still looked painful, Nagakura had declared that he was completely healed. He continued his normal training and went out with his division on their rounds. He had even convinced Hijikata-san that his wound wasn't as bad as Heisuke-kun or Okita-san's.
"I would never have thought that Toudou-kun or Okita-kun would return from a fight injured..." Inoue-san seemed shocked and saddened by the thought.
"That's only because it was so dark in there! It wasn't a fair fight, okay?!" Heisuke-kun exclaimed defensively. I had witnessed the fight and knew darkness wasn't the reason the fight was unfair, but I decided to keep my mouth shut for Heisuke-kun's pride's sake. "I had to stop him from killing Chiyeko-chan, I jumped in front of his blow and it broke my head-guard right in half"
"He split it in half just by punching it? That's pretty damn impressive" Harada commented. Heisuke-kun angrily muttered something unpleasant under his breath in response to Harada's comment, but the burgundy haired man just laughed.
"I heard one of 'em got away from you, Souji" Nagakura gestured towards him, but Okita-san only smiled quietly in response;
"It won't happen again" Then he suddenly turned to me with a serious expression. "Do you have any siblings?"
"That's a random out-of-nowhere question, uh, none that I'm aware of"
"Hmm..."
"Why?"
"The guy I was fighting looked like he could be your twin"
"Really?" Did I have a brother? Maybe I got separated from him all those years ago-Ahh! My head began to throb in pain, warning me not to delve any further. "I don't know if I have a brother, but if I did I would hope that he wasn't the one fighting you that night" Okita-san nodded before his lips turned up into his usual smirk.
"I'm sure it was just a coincidence, don't worry yourself over it"
"I won't"
After a while, various tales of daring exploits during the Battle of Ikeda Inn were told. I noticed that as the sake decreased, the stories told became more exaggerated. Men...I rolled my eyes with a smile before taking another sip of my now warm sake.