4

Umibouzu, the great leader of the Yato clan, and also the widowed father of Kamui and Kagura, had paced back and forth in his office looking quite worried.

Recently, his daughter had been running away from home and going off somewhere. At first, he didn't pay attention to her actions because he thought that it was normal for a girl her age to get out occasionally and have fun in the city.

But only a few days ago, he noticed her rude behavior becoming worse. And she was becoming disobedient and independent. He started getting worried so he increased the number of her bodyguards whenever she goes out.

The problem though, Kagura kept on running away from the useless bodyguards. The moronic caretaker, Sakata Gintoki, told him that she was at the stage of rebellion. His precious baby girl couldn't possibly rebel against him, could she?

A call from one of the bodyguards assigned to her that day told him that Kagura had run off again in the middle of the park and they were now searching the whole city for any sign of her.

Umibouzu immediately dialed Gintoki's mobile phone and waited for the silver-haired man to answer. After a few rings, Gin's lazy voice drawled out a barely audible greeting.

"She ran away again. This situation is getting out of control. What do you think we should do? I'm getting more worried. Kagura is already 19. Shouldn't she be more mature now? You're not doing your job of taking care of her properly!" Umibouzu quickly said straight to the point.

"Don't you get it, Baldy?"

"Who are you calling 'Baldy'? Perm-head bastard."

"It's because Kagura's already mature that she starts to do things on her own," Gin continued, ignoring Umibouzu.

"Huh? Are you saying that she doesn't care about her father anymore? And why do you sound so relaxed?! This is my baby girl we're talking about here!" Umibouzu asked.

"No, that's not it. What I'm saying is that she's old enough now. She can take care of herself. She can go out wherever she wants to without bodyguards following her around. Besides, she's a girl with monstrous strength. Even if bad guys are after her, she could pummel them down without effort," said Gin. "And no, I'm not relaxing."

"But it still doesn't make any sense! Why would she do this so suddenly?! I understand if it's gradually but…"

Gin sighed tiredly. "You really want to know, baldy?"

"Stop calling me that, bastard, and just answer my question."

"Her boyfriend broke up with her a few days ago. That's why she's temperamental," Gin told him.

. . .

Silence.

"Oi, baldy… You still there? Damn it. I knew I shouldn't have told you," said Gin, although inside, he was really remorseless.

"W-W-W-W-W-WAIT A MINUTE HERE! A-A-A-ARE YOU SAYING K-K-KAGURA… MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER… HAS A BOYFRIEND?!" Umibouzu yelled so loud that everyone within 30-meter radius heard him.

"Oi, don't yell so loud! I could hear you from… where I am!" Gin yelled back as he covered his aching ears.

"ANSWER ME! KAGURA HAS A BOYFRIEND?!"

"Well, had, is the right word."

"SINCE WHEN? WHO IS THE BASTARD?! WHY WASN'T I TOLD ABOUT THIS?! MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT THIS?!" Umibouzu threw everything in his office on a rampage.

"Because I predicted this would happen. Don't destroy your office, oi."

"M-My precious Kagura…. Her heart's in pain. I WILL DESTROY THAT MAN! Don't worry sweetie! Daddy is coming for you!"

Gin heard that Umibouzu's voice faded. The office-destroyer must have left the phone in his office and ran off to find Kagura. The silver-haired man sighed and ended the call. "Well, good thing I didn't tell him who her ex-boyfriend is."

"Umibouzu-san sounded like he was really furious," the bodyguard next to him, Shimura Shinpachi, said after hearing their conversation.

The two were standing on the sidewalk, their backs leaning on their parallel-parked car, waiting for update on where Kagura could be.

"What would you expect? He is such an overprotective dad. Let's just hope Kagura wouldn't kill me for telling baldy," Gin said lazily. "Anyway, haven't they found Kagura yet?"

Shinpachi shook his head. "Gin-san, I'm starting to get worried about Kagura-chan. What if she gets into trouble?" the ever-so-worrisome tsukkomi said. "I mean, I know she's strong and all that, but she's still a girl. She was pampered at home so much, I'm afraid she doesn't have any street-smart."

"I agree with you there, Shinpachi. On second thought, Sadaharu is with her. Let's just hope that—Oh look there she is," Gin said as he pointed towards Kagura, who was stomping towards them with Sadaharu following closely behind.

"She looked like she just had a fight with someone," Shinpachi commented after examining the girl.

"ARGH! I'M SO MAD AT THAT GOOD-FOR-NOTHING DO-S BASTARD! WHAT IS HIS PROBLEM?! HE IS SO FULL OF HIMSELF! I HOPE HE TRIPS ON DOG POOP AND DROWN ON IT!" Kagura screamed as she was in front of them.

"Kagura-chan, where did you run off to?" Shinpachi asked, ignoring Kagura's rampage.

"CAN YOU BELIEVE HIM?! HE IS THE WORST! I HOPE I WOULD NEVER SEE HIS UGLY FACE EVER AGAIN!"

"Oi, Kagura. Shinpachi was asking you a question," Gin said, interrupting the screaming girl.

That was when Kagura snapped out of it. She stared at Shinpachi and Gin, baffled. "Tsk, you found me." She pouted.

Shinpachi was relieved that nothing bad happened to her. Then he said, "Actually, you are the one who found us."

"Hmph! Whatever. I'm getting tired anyways. Let's go home," Kagura said in a spoiled princess manner.

"Okay, okay. Understood Ojou-san," Shinpachi said, emphasizing the word and rolling his eyes. He opened the car door for her. She went inside with Sadaharu.

After closing the door, Shinpachi sat beside the driver's seat while Gin started the car engine.

"So, Kagura-chan, where did you go? And why do you look like you just wrestled someone?" Shinpachi asked as he was pulling his seatbelt.

"I was hiding from the other bodyguards, and that's where I met with that Do-S bastard again. You remember, Gin-chan? The one from Matsudaira Hotel?"

"Yeah, I remember. I noticed you keep on talking about him ever since that day. Anyway, your father is worried sick about you, you know," Gin added.

"I DO NOT TALK ABOUT THAT SADIST!"

"You're already talking about him," Gin and Shinpachi thought simultaneously.

"And I don't care about Pappy. I just want to go back home and rest."

Kagura noticed that Shinpachi was sweating nervously, and Gin-chan looked as if he was contemplating on telling her something or not. So, she became curious and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Your father knows about Hisashi Hongo. I told him," Gin confessed after a while.

Kagura stared at him.

Silence.

And then…

"KAGURA-CHAN, STOP THAT! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL US ALL!" Shinpachi screamed in terror as he tried to pry off Kagura, who was strangling Gin from behind. The poor silver-head tried to control the wheels while Kagura was strangling him, but the lack of oxygen in his body was starting to take effect.

"…Sh… Shin… pachi… t-take… the… wheels… we're going… to hit… another… car…!" Gin said in between breaths. He struggled under Kagura's strong grip while Shinpachi took over the wheel with a panicked look on his face.

"Kagura-chan, let go of Gin-san already! Strangle him after we get home, not when we're in the middle of the freaking road!" Shinpachi said amidst the chaos inside the car.

"How dare you tell Pappy about him, you useless bastard! You know I'm still problematic and broken hearted! Now you just have to add Pappy to my problems?!" Kagura said with voice filled of venom.

From the outsider's view, as the car was zigzagging in the road, pleas of help and screams of terror were heard inside.

OOOOoooOOOO

". . . Sou-chan? W-What happened to you?" asked the gentle voice of Sougo's elder sister, Mitsuba, noticing her drenched brother who smelled of coffee… and iced tea.

"Ah Aneue, you're finally back. Where have you been?" he asked, avoiding her question.

"Oh, I was at the hospital," Mitsuba replied as she helped her brother stand up from his sitting position on the ground. "Were you waiting for me all this time? I'm sorry," she apologized meekly.

After China left him all soaked with their drinks, and leaving him with her wallet to pay for their meals (and the broken table and plates), he proceeded to wait for his sister at the entrance of her shop. "No, it's okay," he said as he gave his sister a reassuring smile. "By the way, you came from the hospital? Is your sickness attacking again?" he asked, worried.

Mitsuba flashed a smile and shook her head. "No, I just came for a check-up," she told him and gently patted her stomach with a sweet smile, "You see, Sou-chan, I'm—"

"Sougo."

Sougo and Mitsuba turned around and saw Hijikata standing not too far from them. Sougo noted that the mayo-addict threw his cigarette stick away before nearing them.

"What are you doing here?" Hijikata asked, eyeing the younger man.

Okita glowered. "Don't I have the right to visit my sister once in a while?"

"That's not what I meant," Hijikata said, "Aren't you supposed to be at the hotel working?"

"It's my day off," the red-eyed sadist reasoned.

"No. You just skipped work," Hijikata disagreed and was convinced with his own conclusion.

Okita turned his head away, his brows knotted, and his eyes blazing with anger.

He really hates that bastard.

OOOOoooOOOO

Inside a huge 10-storey Chinese-styled castle, a boy with hair tied in braids was happily munching on steam buns laid out in front of him. He was eating all of it fast, like he was in a hurry. But no, this was just his regular snack time.

Soon, a knock was heard, and came in a one-armed middle-aged man who looked troubled.

"Boss, we have a problem," Abuto said while scratching his head.

Kamui, looking as innocent as ever, stared at him with curious eyes. His cheeks were puffed out because of the steam buns stuffed inside his mouth. "Woh ish ee [What is it]?" he asked.

Abuto sighed deeply. "It's Ojou-chan. Her running away schemes are getting more frequent, and your father gave out an order to have her house-arrest."

Kamui swallowed the food in his mouth before saying, "Well, isn't that a good thing?"

"Huh?" Abuto asked with skepticism, "Tell me exactly how that is a good thing?"

After munching and swallowing more steam buns, the boy answered, "If Kagura gets house-arrest, then I can help her escape… and so she will owe me. If she owes me, then I can use her for my plans!"

Abuto face-palmed. "I see, so that's your motive. Has anyone ever told you that you are the worst brother in existence?"

Kamui smiled angelically, "Yup!"

OOOOoooOOOO

Mitsuba and Hijikata gaped at the sight of the destroyed kitchen of the shop. The two looked back at Sougo after their minds absorbed everything.

Sougo avoided their quizzical eyes and just threw China's wallet to Hijikata.

Hijikata, puzzled for a second, looked inside the wallet and gaped when he saw almost half a million cash fitted inside. He looked back at Sougo, bedazzled.

"Hijikata-san, let's talk for a minute outside," Sougo said, looking at Mitsuba apologetically.

Mitsuba understood and nodded with a simple smile.

OOOOoooOOOO

Hijikata lit up his cigarette as soon as they were outside the bakery. The two were facing the passers-by on the sidewalk.

Okita, again, noticed Hijikata's unusual actions with his cigarette intake. It looks as if he was trying to avoiding smoking with his sister around. He shrugged the thought off and said, "Do you remember the girl who German Suplexed me in the elevator the other day?"

"Yeah. The China-girl. What about her?" Hijikata asked.

"She's the one who destroyed the shop's kitchen. And she's also the one who gave the money to pay for the damages," Okita answered, remembering his previous engagement with the girl.

"Hn. That girl is really troublesome. Who goes destroying someone else's property and paying for the damage afterwards? The Yato clan sure has a handful brat," Hijikata looked back inside the shop.

Okita's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know about her involvement with the Yato? She told me that some men from the Yato clan were chasing after her, that's why she hid in Aneue's shop."

Hijikata looked at his eyes warily. "You didn't know? She's the only daughter of Umibouzu, the fearsome leader of the Yato clan," he replied.

Okita looked at the ground upon grasping what Hijikata said. It all makes sense. The reason why she didn't want to reveal her name. The reason why she was being chased… she must have run away from home.

"I wonder why she's acting that way though… If she continues on troubling us, we can't avoid being involved with the Yato clan," Hijikata added. "Anyway, don't tell your sister about this. It's best for her if she doesn't get stressed out."

All of his thoughts about China suddenly disappeared as he focused on what his companion said. Thoughts of the past quickly entered his mind.

Hijibastard sounded like he owns his sister… like he knows her better than him. He was heavily implying that he was worried about Mitsuba more than him, her own brother. It was enough to piss off the sadist prince.

"Don't tell me what to do," Okita stubbornly said. "If anyone's caring about my sister, it's definitely me. You're just a nuisance."

After saying that, Sougo walked away irritated, leaving a confused Hijikata watching him disappear into a corner.

OOOOoooOOOO

Hijikata, Hijikata, Hijikata.

It was always all about Hijikata.

Ever since the bastard entered their lives, nothing good happened to him.

He took everything.

His sister.

Kondo-san.

His life.

What was worse is that Hijikata never realized how he destroyed his life.

… How broken he was after he came in their family.

But.

No matter what he did, no matter how loud he screamed, no matter how hard he tried to pick up his broken self… nobody noticed. Nobody helped.

That's why he gave up. He just left his broken soul scattered all around. Not caring anymore if anyone noticed.

But what he didn't know… is that slowly, someone had already picked a piece of his soul.

And the one who picked it…

. . .

. . .

"How dare you tell him, Gin-chan! I will never forgive you! I will put spiders in your bed tonight!"

. . .

Is the girl who first noticed him.

The two had no idea… as Kagura's car drove past a walking Okita on the sidewalk… that their broken souls can only be fixed by each other.

To be continued.

A/N: The last part was so cheesy I had to facepalm.

Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to those who still believe that this fic will be picked up by me at some point. Especially for the anon (mi-chan) who reviewed this fanfic very recently that reminded me about this particular story (which, I admit, I have forgotten already OTL)

Gintama © Hideaki Sorachi