Accidental Fate

Chapter 13

My recovery was moving along steadily, I was lucky that I tended to heal quickly but it still didn't reduce the boredom that tended to take me as I lay on the tatami mat; I kept the door open allowing the fresh smells of spring fill the room and keep the air from becoming stale. The company came by often, Yukimura checked on me most often likely at my father's request and offered to fetch anything I wanted. What I wanted most was to get back to my shop, Harada or Okita, even Hajime-kun would check up on it on their rounds which I was grateful for.

It took all my energy each day to pull myself upright, making my way to the toilet was something I really tried to keep to a minimum and only Chizuru-chan was ever allowed to help me back and forth; at this rate it was likely I wasn't going to be walking freely till the end of spring but I suppose the summer is as good a time as any to get back up on your feet. However, the Shinsengumi were only ever getting busier and growing, more and more men seemed to enlist as unrest settled over Kyoto. The inner core of the Shinsengumi seemed to be on edge more than usual, I had noticed some movement during the night over the past week; my injuries making a lengthy sleep difficult to achieve.

Thankfully though, there were still quiet days every now and again; days where my father would bring tea to me himself, we'd talk briefly about a few topics, mainly my childhood growing up with my mother. His brow would crease when I mentioned the more difficult days, days where my mother would give me both her and my own measly portion of food with her soft smile, a small shake of her head when I tried to share what only amounted to a palmful of food and her insistence that she would eat later though we both knew there was nothing left for 'later.'

"I am sorry, for not being there for you both," His jet black hair covering the side of his face as he bowed his head, staring into the steaming tea between his palms. My father was a handsome man, and now I know his fierce, loving heart is why my mother loved him so dearly even after so long. "If I had known, I wouldn't have let you both endure such strife. I hope one day you can trust that."

I leaned back against the thin walls, sighing softly with a wince, "You know," I grunted slightly as I shifted in place, "She still loved you, even in her last hours. It astounded me as to why, after everything we'd been through, everything she'd been through because of you." The shame was visible on his face, these words hurt him. "I could never understand why the man she loved so much, the one she told me stories about - as much as I bashed you - would leave if he was so great." Raising my tea to my lips, I paused with a small smirk, "And then you saved my life."

The corner of his lip twitched up, a soft amused 'hmph' breathed through his nose and he raised his violet eyes that matched my own, "I'm going to protect you from now on, Kazuhi, I promise."

"I still hate you a little, it was because of your name that this happened but I can see you're trying. I wonder will you live up the father I was told of as a little girl, old man." He frowned slightly at the name and I laughed with a cheeky grin.

A large shadow blocked the open doorway, Harada stood there with a friendly smile, "Sorry for interrupting Hijikata-San, but Kazuhi there was a letter on the door of your shop." Coming in past my father, he handed the parchment to me, "Likely one of your customers." He speculated whilst sitting down next to me, receiving a glare from my father. "It makes sense that you're in the medicine business, Hijikata-San used to travel with his own medicine box before he met Kondo-San."

Pausing mid column, I raised an eyebrow at him. "Really?" I questioned, to which my father nodded. "So ironically I'm in the family business then." I couldn't help but chuckle, of course, fate would have me in this. Reading the letter, my heart sank a little, "Its the elderly couple I supply, I've been away for so long they haven't been able to receive their monthly packet."