Hakuouki ~The Floating World~ (Fem!Reader x Harem) [ENG]

Chapter 9: Okurimono

"We're here," announced finally the redhead silently. All this time, he hadn't said the word, only passively followed you. You completely lost the trust of his. Despite feeling sorrow, you couldn't blame him, it was a natural reaction. You brought it upon yourself after all and you were now facing the consequences.

Just after passing the gate, you were welcomed by Heisuke's face. He had a bucket in his hands and was probably about to carry it somewhere. However, your unexpected appearance stopped him in his tracks.

"Oh hey," he chatted up, putting away the bucket for a moment. "How did you manage to be so..." he cut off, when he glanced behind Saito and his cyan eyes caught a sight of yours. Then he said no more. His eyes, now big as spoons, were telling you much more than his mouth; they were staring at you with both astonishment and confusion.

In the corner of your eye, you noticed Okita resting against a small wall beside the platform. You dropped your gaze glumly, unwilling to see any more of the familiar faces. And yes, maybe you just met them. But everyone, or rather most of the people you met here, kept on showing you nothing but kindness... How could you tell them face-to-face that you'd lied to them? They trusted you, fed you and gave you a shelter. There was nothing worse than betraying those whom you owed so much.

Your gaze moved to your bounded hands. Whom you were even existing for? Was there even any reason to live if your life was going to be like this? Or maybe it was all just a bad dream? Maybe it was high time you... woke up?

This time you didn't need to wait long for your trial. No, actually it couldn't be named trial. While the procedures were similar, the problem was that from the beginning you didn't do anything wrong. To them, you were a fugitive, disobedient prisoner, shady woman who gods-know-what-she-would-do. Yet, from your point of view, you were just a lost soul imprisoned in the yore relying only on themselves. So what else could you do? You had tried to escape and get back to your own times but with no use. You were going to die here. No matter how much you prayed, the end would still be the same.

Hijikata, seeing you with the guardians, instantly knew what was happening. He just silently entered the room where you'd recently apologized to the management.

Of course, why was his opinion of you going to change? From the moment, you got here, he was trying to get rid of you, seeing you as a possible danger. Yes, in a helpless, pathetic you, who, if she really were to kill someone, she could only trip on the straight road and committed an accidental suicide.

You squinted, stopped for a moment. But soon enough, a gentle push from Harada made you continue your march towards the said room.

"Report, Saito," stated Hijikata when everyone gathered themselves in the common room. You felt like a small girl again sitting alone in the center of the circle created by Shinsengumi's members. As if they were vultures ready to split you into parts. You didn't like it. Still, you had no other choice but to endure it. You dug your nails into the inside of your tied hands knowing it would result in scars later.

"Yes sir."

The captain of the third division, all this time sitting without any motion on your right in a seiza position, only now nodded, preparing himself to give his full report. He wasn't a talkative one but you definitely gave him a lot to think back then, when he caught you by the lake. After all, not many women would like to swim under the moonlight... And definitely not when their guardians weren't there. Who knew what could await her in the forest deep in the night, right?

But overall, you had a strange feeling he took it in the wrong way like a suicide attempt; a ritual escape from the dishonor which was supposed to be brought to you by Shinsengumi. The problem was that you safely returned to the shore. What was more, you didn't bother drawing a small knife to avoid being arrested upon being noticed by him. Not to mention that no member of the group, even the management or any captain didn't remember you one bit. And if you really were holding a deep grudge towards them, there should be a reason to. But you literally had no husband, son or brother... All this because you haven't been born yet. You just wanted them to kill you as you knew your efforts were completely in vain. It was a past here; you didn't belong to these times so you should either go away or die as fast as possible. Someone who hates Shinsengumi with passion, would never agree on their terms and calmly their head on the stone. Not many people would complain about such trivial things so Saito was surprisingly smart if he managed to notice it.