Samurai's Blossom - A Hakuouki Fanfic [HAITUS]

Chapter 4 - Doctor

Sara pov:

I opened my eyes feeling dazed. I stared at the wooden roof that was above me for what felt like the longest time before I closed my eyes momentarily with a sigh.

"So, I'm still here..." I mumbled only to tense and look to the open window when I heard a cheerful voice.

"Obviously – you are our doctor now, aren't you, Sara sensei?"

"Na...Nagakura san?" I asked, squinting my eyes.

"That's me!" he chimed. "Do you mind if I come inside?"

I just nodded slowly and he moved away from the window the next minute only to let himself into the room through the door. I didn't bother getting up as he plopped down a few feet from me while smiling brightly.

"What are you doing here? I mean, outside this room," I asked.

"Keeping an eye on you, of course!" he answered cheerily. "We're taking shifts – Souji was here until a little while ago."

"Ah," I mused with a soft laugh, "keeping an eye on me so I don't escape, huh?"

"Not to sound rude, but yes," he answered with a shrug. "But we're also here to make sure you're doing okay. Chizuru chan was tending to you when you were asleep with a fever. Speaking of which, how are you feeling now? Hopefully, your arm is a little better too."

I sat up, making sure I used my uninjured arm to stay in role, while wondering why I had had a fever. As far as I had heard from my parents, I had never had a fever before, not once in my entire life...so why now? "I really don't know how to answer your question, actually. I feel pretty beat up but I still have my wits and inner strength to not give in to the pain. I am used to overworking myself after all."

"Overworking? How so?" Nagakura san asked curiously and I smiled, feeling rather comfortable with the casual conversation we were having.

"Attending to patients," I answered, "and not taking a break until all of them have been given the medical attention they need. I've stayed awake for two days straight without sleeping once because of that."

"Wow! So you're a really dedicated doctor then! That's amazing!"

"I guess...but it never seemed to satisfy my father," I replied, feeling my eyes prickle and a layer of tears blur my vision momentarily. I blinked several times and laughed in an attempt to not make it obvious. "Well, I can't please everyone so I've decided to just do whatever I can in my power."

"Oi Shinpat san! The questioning is supposed to happen when everyone is around!" We looked to the door to see Toudo san standing there with a hand on his hip and a scowl on his face. Mere minutes later, he walked into the room along with the other Shinsengumi captains, the vice-commanders, the commander and Chizuru.

"I'm glad to see that you're finally awake, Sara san. How do you feel?" Kondo san was the first to speak and I felt a little relaxed under his kind gaze.

"Alright, but I've been better."

"Ah, I know how terrible it feels when one is injured...but be strong, okay? With rest, you'll heal and feel better soon," he said and I nodded with a smile. "That aside, would it be alright if we could ask you some questions? If you're still tired, we can do it another time."

"I'm okay to answer questions," I replied.

He nodded before taking a seat along with the others. He exhaled deeply once, "Okay. Please answer honestly, Sara san, because we don't want to force you to cooperate."

I resisted from reacting to his words. He was a kind man for sure but he knew when to be serious. I was most definitely going to be questioned about my past to make sure that I wasn't a threat to the Shinsengumi in any way – well, I couldn't win against them in a swordfight for sure but there were probably other ways they felt threatened by my sudden appearance – and I would have to keep my cool and answer them as convincingly as I possibly could.