I'm not gonna lie, I got reaaaaaaaaaaally lazy to post this up. Huuurrrrr. I need to get back to "Sweet Melody". I think I haven't updated that in a year. LMFAO. OTL. I fail in life. ;A;

Well anywayz, here's chapter 4. Belated Merry Christmas and advanced Happy New Year! 8D

Chapter Four

"Just make sure that you don't strain yourself," the doctor, who came to check on Kumi's foot injury, said. "I'm certain that you'll be healed in a week. Your injury, fortunately, isn't something serious," he added. He started gathering his things and put it back on the handbag he carried with him.

"Hai. Arigatou, sensei," she thanked softly. The doctor nodded in response. He stood up from his spot while he patted the bag in his arms.

"Well then, I'll be on my way."

"I'll walk you back to the exit, sensei," Ayumu said, standing up as well from her sitting position near Kumi. They then both left the room, leaving Kumi all by herself. She listened to the disappearing sounds of their footsteps as they walked farther and farther away from her room. A sigh had unconsciously escaped from her lips. What was she supposed to do now? This wasn't very much different from living in her old home. She never had anything to do but practice tea ceremonies and other lessons that befit a princess, or so her instructors say.

"Maa, you seem bored."

Kumi yelped in surprise and immediately looked outside her window. There, leaning on the window ledge, was Souji. Unlike yesterday, he wasn't wearing his Shinsengumi garbs. Instead, he was wearing a simple white kimono whereas his hair was let loose. It certainly was long as her hair.

"O-Okita-san?"

"Ahahaha! Did I scare you? I'm sorry," he apologized but he didn't really sound like he was.

"You shouldn't sneak on a lady like that…" she huffed with a pout, placing her hand on her chest in relief.

"Sorry. Sorry," he apologized once again. His eyes landed on her now bandaged foot, concern showing itself on his face.

"So how's your right foot?" He asked, getting himself comfortable on the ledge. Kumi stared at him.

"…Should you really be in a lady's room?" She asked dryly. It was either the young Shinsengumi captain didn't notice her disparagement or he just plainly ignored it. Though, it would seem it was bending towards the latter one. He didn't really seem like the type of person to care.

"What did the doctor say?" He asked, fully ignoring her sarcastic tone of voice.

Her eyes narrowed at him but decided not to say anything about the matter. She had a feeling that he would not listen to her anyway though the feeling of disturbance still remained. Having a lone man in a woman's room did not seem right to the eyes of the many. Not unless she was a geisha, she supposed (which she wasn't in any way).

"He said it'll be healed in a week," she answered. She stood up and walked towards the wooden dresser her room had been provided with. Opening one of the drawers, she took out a hair tie and tied her caramel-like hair.

"Saa, that won't do."

She flinched once again when she heard Souji's voice near her ear.

"W-what are you doing?" She stuttered, moving away from him as far away as possible. She didn't even hear him approach her! She swore to god, she was going to have a heart attack one of these days…

"I actually prefer that you let your hair down," he said. "It fits you more," he added with that silly grin of his already on his face. Kumi could feel her cheeks get warmer than normal upon hearing his words. She was about to reprimand him for invading her personal space – in hopes of hiding her embarrassment – when she remembered her mother's words.

"Kumi, if someone has complimented you, always thank them for their kind words."

Souji watched her curiously as she fell silent. He was about to ask her if she was fine, thinking that he might had teased her too much (though he had to admit it, her reactions were rather amusing). She bowed to him all of a sudden, surprising him the very least.

"Thank you for your kind flattery, Okita-san," she said, a little stern.

He could only blink at her, wondering what was wrong.

"Mother always told me to thank people when they compliment me," she said, rising up from her bowing position.

It was Souji's turn to fall silent as he observed the sudden change of her facial expression. Realizing the sadness in her words, he immediately knew that he had to do something about it.

"It's like that, huh?" He mumbled to himself. He combed his hair with his fingers then smiled brightly.

"Kumi-san," he called cheerfully. She looked at him, wondering what he wanted now.

"Would you like a tour around the headquarters?"

"This is where the members' quarters is. No one's here right now because they're either out on patrol or training in the dojo," Souji explained as he pointed in an empty room. He then moved on with the next. Kumi, who was trailing behind him, followed him silently and let him talk and point things to her. Her foot still hurt but it wasn't painful as it was on the past few days. Besides, she noticed that Souji was walking as slow as he could so that she could follow.

"This is my room. Back there is where Kondo's room is. He's the commander of the Shinsengumi. He's a pleasant old man," he said.

Kumi nodded her head in acknowledgement and walked once again as Souji went for the next room.

"You already know where Hijikata-san's room is," he said. "So I don't really need to tell you. Also, Ayu-nee's room is next to yours, so if you need anything, she's just a door away."

Kumi could suddenly hear the sounds of wood striking with each other and sounds of men shouting as they neared a certain direction.

"Okita-san," she called. Said man turned his head to look at her, attention on her.

"Are we, perhaps, near the dojo?" She asked. He smiled at her then looked in front of him again.

"You've got good ears," he commented, stopping right in front of an open door. Kumi stopped right beside him and peeked inside. There, she saw, were men sparring with each other, bamboo swords in their hands. They were so engrossed with what they were doing that they failed to notice their presence.

"This is the dojo. Everyone trains here and sometimes, we come sparring with each other here," Souji explained patiently. "Or train, most of the time," he added as an afterthought.

"Oh! Souji!"

Both of them looked at the person who just spoke. A tall man, whose black hair was tied in a low ponytail and unruly way, stood there along with two other men who stood beside him.

"Eh? What do we have here?" He asked, leaning towards Kumi. She, in return, shied away.

"Now, now, don't try to scare away the lady, Sanosuke," the short man with red hair said.

The so-called Sanosuke man let out a huge grin and took a step back. He let out a loud baritone laugh.

"Haha! Sorry about that, miss!" He said. The other two men with him approached her and observed her features. Kumi, out of habit, played with her fingers as their gazes made her feel uncomfortable. She had always hated attracting too much attention to herself. Yet, she still did and she wondered why.

"Is she the woman you found by the river a few days ago?" The red-haired man asked, face turning to Souji's direction.

"Yes," Souji replied.

The brown-haired man leaned in towards her. She shied once again. Was there something on her face? Why did they keep staring at her as if she was some kind of strange creature? The man in front of her suddenly blushed and grinned, surprising her. He suddenly held her hands as his eyes shone with happiness.

"God has finally answered my prayers and has brought me a beautiful woman!" He exclaimed, earning himself some sweat-drops from all of them.

"Eto…thank you…?" Kumi thanked, uncertainty all over her face.

Sanosuke and the red-haired man yelled at 'Todou' for holding her hands out of the blue. She sweat-dropped once again when they said that it wasn't fair that he was only the one who held her hands. After the entire ruckus had died down (which took long than expected), they finally introduced themselves to her.

The tallest one of them was named Sanosuke Harada. He was the tenth unit captain and boasted that he was the best spear fighter in the Shinsengumi. He also mentioned that he was called the 'Suicide Attempter Sanosuke' because he survived seppuku. He even had to show the scar to her to prove his point. Kumi didn't really think it was necessary but said nothing. She didn't really want to burst his bubble.

The red-haired man introduced himself as Shinpachi Nagakura, the second unit captain of the Shinsengumi. He said that he was the keeper of Sanosuke. Kumi didn't really understand what it meant, but she had a feeling that she didn't really want to know…

The last man was named Heisuke Todou, the one who held her hands without warning (He apologized afterwards about it, though). He was the eighth unit captain. Kumi smiled slightly. He seemed to be the most normal one of the trio…(She wasn't aware of his strange obsession though. Not yet, to be precise)

"And we're the Three Comedians!" Shinpachi finished proudly, hands on both sides of his hips. Todou frowned at this.

"Oi, don't put me in the same level as you guys," he said nonchalantly, crossing his arms.

Shinpachi yelled at him for his remark. Kumi could only blink at them. Her gaze then landed on Souji who was vaguely chuckling at the trio. Sensing that she was looking at him, he looked back at her and gave her a smile of his own. Well…she was certainly surprised. She'd heard from rumours that the Shinsengumi were nothing but merciless and cold-blooded assassins. Weren't assassins supposed to be terrifying and intimidating? These people were showing otherwise, though.

'I guess I was wrong,' she thought, letting a tiny smile appear on her lips.

"It is nice to meet you all. My name is Kumi. I hope to be friends with you all," she said with a genuine smile and a curt bow.

The trio gawked at her for a few moments, wondering where those shoujo flowers and bubbles that surrounded her came from. All of a sudden, they glomped her while crying out Kawaii!

Yes, the rumours were certainly wrong.

"Did you have fun?"

Kumi looked up at her companion. Giving him a smile, she nodded then looked up at the now red and orange-hued sky.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," Souji countered, hearing her soft whisper.

Kumi shook her head then focused her eyes on him.

"I meant…thank you for doing this. I- you have certainly helped me cheer up, if not a lot," she clarified. She held her hands together, resting them on her lap. "You noticed that I was still mourning over my loss. But I simply can not forget it, not that easily, I'm afraid," she said, closing her eyes at the memory.

"I lost everything I treasured and cared for in a flash. Worst of all, I saw it with my own very eyes…"

Silence befell between the two of them. The only sounds they could hear were the faraway shouts of the Shinsengumi members coming from the dojo.

"Are emotional scars so easily healed?" Souji asked, breaking the silence between the two of them.

Kumi's grip on her hands tightened upon hearing his words. She suddenly found it very hard to breathe. Perhaps, it was because she was trying not to cry.

"No…" she said.

"You don't heal that easily, especially when it had left you scarred for life."

つづく...