Walk Through Hell with me [Shinsaku Takasugi]

Chapter 2

The following day, around lunchtime, Ai was back at Otento. She wouldn’t have expected that she’d be back here so soon.
Last night, after Hijikata and Ai had returned to the base, Ai made him some rice balls and delivered them to his room.
“What brings you here at this time of night?” he had asked her.
“You missed dinner. I thought you might be hungry.” Ai put down the tray carrying the rice balls and a bowl of miso soup.
“You made all this just for me?”
“Mm.” Ai nodded. “Thanks for taking me out today.”
“I brought you there because I had been craving some of Otento’s soba noodles, that’s all. But anyway… I was just about to go rummaging around for a late-night snack. Your timing is perfect. I’m going to enjoy this.”
“I can see why you wanted to go to Otento, though. It was delicious.”
“Yeah… The owner’s a bit of a creep… But I just can’t get enough of their food… Honestly, I’d go there every other day if I could. But I’m just so busy all the time, you know?”
“You like it that much?” Ai sat down on the tatami floor in front of him.
“I do. And there’s no one among the Shinsengumi who knows how to make soba.”
“Shin seems interesting… He doesn’t seem scared of you at all.”
“Yeah, he’s a strange one. Don’t let your guard down around him. Thanks for the food. That was great.”
“It’s not a problem.” Ai smiled.
“Now hurry up and get back to your own room. If anyone sees you sneaking out of my room this late at night, imagine what they’ll think.” He flashed her a grin as her eyes widened ever so slightly.
“I didn’t think you cared about things like that.”
Ai left that night thinking she should do something. He was going out of his way for her. She would have liked to repay him for it.
 
“What? You want me to teach you how to make soba?” Shin was visibly surprised when Ai made her request.
“If you don’t mind,” she replied.
“Weren’t you telling me that you used to run a clinic? Considering a career change, are you?” he asked.
Ai shook her head. “I was thinking I’d make it for Hijikata.”
“I see… For your dear old deputy, hm?”
“Hijikata really loves soba. He’s done a lot for me and I mean he did kind of save me… Technically…” she trailed off. “Anyway, it’s only right that I repay him.”
“But, Ai, if you’re able to Otento soba whenever you please then that’ll be one less customer for me, won’t it?”
“It doesn’t have to be Otento’s recipe. Just teach me the basics. I mean I… can’t cook…” Ai looked down at her feet.
Shin laughed. “Well, after all, I did tell you that you’re always welcome here. Alright. You’ve got yourself a deal.” Ai gave him a sweet smile. “I’d love to start right away… but I’ll have to get a few things ready first. Do you think you could stop by tomorrow, around lunchtime?”
“Sure.”
“Just one more thing. Can you make me a promise?”
Ai’s smile vanished, replaced by a raised eyebrow. “What kind of promise?”
“Only visit Otento during the day… Promise me you’ll never come around here at night.”
“Oh. Yeah, okay.” Ai agreed without asking why. She was sure she could guess the reason, anyway.
 
Around midday, the following day, Ai was having her ‘lesson’ at Otento.
“So, as you knead, you’ve got to use your thumbs to help give it shape.” Shin taught her.
“Like this?”
“Exactly like that. You’re sure you’ve never done this before?”
“This is harder than it looks…” Ai wiped the sweat from her forehead with her forearm.
“It takes a lot of strength, yes. Let me know if you need to take a break.”
“Oh, I’ll be fine. I’m used to physically demanding jobs. I’ve been training to be a doctor for years.” Ai left out the real reason she was as strong as she was. He didn't need to know that, anyway.
“The Shinsengumi caught a lucky break, didn’t they? Stumbling upon a doctor like you. With no one around to treat their injuries, it would only be a matter of time before they’re all wiped out.”
“Maybe. They seem pretty strong, though.”
“Oh? You know each and every one of them that well, do you?”
“Not really. I’ve only just started living there. But I mean, they’ve survived till now without a live-in doctor, so…”
“Ah, yes, of course. Well, once you’ve learned more about the way they live on that base. I want to know everything about them.”
“Why?” Ai stopped what she was doing and turned to him, eyeing him suspiciously.
Shin laughed, the sound hollow and empty. “It’s just that, one day, I’d like to show up at the base, with a surprise order of soba for the deputy and his closest companions!”
“If you say so…” Ai turned back to the work she was doing. She wasn’t buying it.
“By the way. I do so appreciate your enthusiasm, but you’re getting buckwheat flour all over the place.”
“Huh?”
Shin leaned in close. “Like right here, for example.” With one slender finger, he gently poked the tip of her nose.
“Oh…”
“The deputy must be overjoyed having you around. You clearly think quite highly of him.”
“You think so? He has done a lot for me, I only thought I should return the favour,” Ai replied nonchalantly.
“Oh, come off it. You don’t have to try and hide it around me.”
“Hide what?”
“You wouldn’t be making soba from scratch if you didn’t have at least a little crush on him.” Shin’s eyes narrowed with delight. Ai cocked her head to the side.
“A… crush?”
“The deputy isn’t the only one who’s helped you out of your predicament. And yet… Here you are, learning how to make the deputy’s favourite food. And only his.”
“Oh, that? He’s the only one who’s gone the extra mile for me. He’s done more than simply ‘help me out of my predicament’.”
“I suppose even young ladies like yourself can be blind to their feelings.” A deeply amused smile lit up Shin’s face. What was so amusing? Ai eyed him sceptically, but he either didn’t notice, or pretended not to. “Almost done. Now let’s finish strong, and make some good soba!”
 
“Now this is some fine-looking soba. You’d never know it was made by a first timer!”
It was nearing sundown when they finally finished. Ai stared at the soba she’d made. This man was full of it.
“You flatter me.” And he was. Anyone could see it was made by an amateur. It probably tasted worse than it looked. Ai smiled self-deprecatingly at the thought. She was good at many things, but cooking wasn’t one of them. But then, why would it be? She didn’t even eat human food.
“Use this when you’re ready to eat it. It’s got all the ingredients to make the soba really tasty.” Shin handed her a packet of seasoning.
“Thank you.”
“I think I see some of your Shinsengumi friends at the back door.”
“I’ll be going then. Thanks again for today.” With a wave of her hand, Ai left the restaurant.
 
Ai made it all the way to the base before she realised that she left the soba she made at the restaurant. God, how scattered brained could one person be? The darkening sky stretched out above her as she made her way back to Otento. It probably could have waited until tomorrow, but that would be such a waste. Ai took a shortcut through a dark and narrow alley when she heard the sound of someone collapsing from up ahead, followed by the scent of rusted iron; the scent of blood. Ai felt a rush of air as a splash of red filled her vision, followed by the vicious glinting of a sword in the moonlight. She gasped.
The man holding the sword noticed her. Movement in the peripheral of her vision; Ai had no time to react before she felt the blunt force of a sword’s hilt ram into her stomach. She let out a strained noise as the wind was knocked out of her. The man who had attacked her threw her over his shoulder. Ai quickly regained her strength. Her claws ripped into the man’s back. He cried out, his hold on her loosening. She twisted herself out of his grip and disappeared back into the alley from where she came.
“Find her!”
Ai heard three sets of footsteps follow after her. She rounded a corner and leaped up onto a store’s roof. She stayed low, hidden in the shadows until she saw the men run past. As soon as they rounded the corner, she made for the Shinsengumi base, sticking to the rooftops.
 
Not even an hour later, Ai stalked down a certain hallway, following her nose to a door. She heard voices behind that door, talking seriously.
“How did she manage to get away?!”
“It’s like she just disappeared.”
“No doubt she’ll be leading the Shinsengumi straight to our door.”
“I don’t think she saw my face, but…”
Ai violently shoved the sliding door open. The three men in the room jumped at her arrival, swords at the ready. Ai smiled wryly at the men before sliding the door shut and sitting down in front of Otento’s proprietor.