"........."
Gintoki's eyes glossed over the picture in his hands, his feet suddenly staying glued to where he stood.
"..Seriously?" Gintoki slowly raised a hand and carefully ran it through his hair as he shut his eyes and exhaled deeply.
"Haaah...." With one last sigh, he tucks the nostalgic photo of her into his kimono.
"Right...before that, I need to buy JUMP." Gintoki says as he turns to the side and finds himself coincidentally standing right in front of a bookshop.
—Coincidence? Nothing is ever a coincidence if it's Bisha-chan who writes it.
Gintoki had not particularly said yes to the request made by the man who identified himself as (Y/N)'s father. He just went silent after that and straight out walked out.
Shinpachi got flustered at Gintoki's unusual actions and politely told the client that he would get back to them when Gintoki made up his mind.
But Gintoki— was out here trying to distract himself with JUMP. Although deep down he knew that (Y/N) was far more important than any JUMP issue in Gintoki's heart.
"Excuse me, nee-san do you have the latest issue of JUMP here—" Gintoki paused as soon as his eyes met with those familiar (E/C) ones.
Fate truly was cruel— or in the context of this book, Bisha-chan was cruel.
"........"
"........"
Silence engulfed the quiet bookshop, as the two stared right into each other's eyes.
(Y/N) who had been quietly watching over the store was slowly processing the moment.
"Gin...toki?"
"......You've gotta be kidding me."
"Gin, is that really you—" (Y/N)'s face has changed to that with tears falling down her cheeks in a split second.
Gintoki was speechless.
That look of absolute relief and love expressed clearly in those captivating (E/C) eyes of hers told him everything he needed to know. He didn't even need to ask why she looked at him like that—
—Like a great burden had been taken off her shoulders.
Gintoki's chest tightened, as a flurry of emotions rushed through his chest all at once.
Was he glad?
Was he angry?
He didn't know.
"......" Gintoki gulped, his lips parting but no words came out. He suddenly turned around and bolted right out the door without another word.
"Gintoki!!" (Y/N) tried running after him, but as expected Gintoki was faster. When she got out, he had already vanished from thin air.
"....I'm sorry," (Y/N) whispers faintly, pulling her hands to her chest. But even so, a smile appeared on her lips as she presses her hand to her lips and closes her eyes.
"But I'm glad...." She sighs as she tilts her head down, suppressing her tears. "You're alive....after all these years."
(Y/N)— right after finding out what they did to tear them apart years ago, decided to leave her family.
She ran away from home— she tried to search for Gintoki. But in the end, she found nothing. Not even a single clue of what happened to him, or where he was.
(Yahoo! Flashback Start!~)
"I said there's no one here like that!!"
With a loud booming voice, the door shuts close as her body was pushed out.
"......They didn't have to be mean about it," (Y/N) pouts as she looks down and slowly takes short steps.
Snow started falling before she realized and left with nowhere to go she took shelter under a small roof.
"Gintoki......I know you're somewhere out there," She clenched her fists, bitting her lower lip as she suppressed her tears.
"I'm not giving up like this," She mumbles, lowering her head into her arms. "I promise I'll find you, this time...I'll do everything for you."
"...Oh my,"
An old woman who was passing by spotted her and felt pity for her.
—and later on, that old woman took her with her and gave her a home.
(Yahoo! Flashback End!~)
"Really...Gin-san should lay off on pachinko. I wasn't able to buy Sadaharu's food—"
Shinpachi pauses his tracks when he sees a woman standing in front of the house.
He blinked his eyes for a while and even tried wiping his human clean to see clearer. But there really was a woman standing there— glancing at the door with a look of longing in her (E/C) eyes.
"....Uh....." Shinpachi opened and closed his mouth a bunch of times, scared of talking to such a beautiful woman.
"Are you...ahem, uh—" Shinpachi started getting nervous, cheeks turning red and his voice getting quiet.
"Ah," (Y/N) quickly noticed his presence and gazed at Shinpachi. Her eyes widened slightly, her lips then forming a small polite smile.
"A-Are you a client? Gin-san is out right now so—"
"...So he really lives here then?" (Y/N) sighs softly, turning her gaze back on the closed doors.
"Uh yes?....Do you...know Gin-san?"
(Y/N)'s smile seemed sad as she placed her palm on the door.
"...I did," (Y/N) whispers, "But....I feel like this time, the tables are turning on me." She chuckled lowly.
She pulls her hand away, "It was my fault though...so I guess I do deserve this."
"...I'll prove it. That I'll make up for everything that happened before and I swear to make you happy this time."
(Y/N) turns her eyes back to Shinpachi and gives him a smile. "I'm sorry, please ignore what you heard. I was just talking nonsense to myself."
She politely bows and walks away without another word. Shinpachi— still baffled, slowly opened the door and found Gintoki standing right behind it.
"Kya— Gin-san!! You scared me, you were here all along?"
Shinpachi blinked his eyes, confused. Gintoki was just looking straight ahead with this indescribable look of sadness on his face.
"Gin-san?..." Shinpachi waved his hand in front of Gintoki's face. He saw that Gintoki bit his lower lip, as his eyebrows knit together closely.
"Hey? Gin-san? What are you—"
"I'm going somewhere."
Gintoki spoke all of a sudden and easily brushed past Shinpachi— leaving the human-wearing glasses confused once more for this day.
But Shinpachi saw the way that Gintoki's fists slightly curled into a ball.
"....I wonder what's up with Gin-san and that woman from earlier?.."
Gintoki on the other hand was still in the middle of a mental crisis.
He had never used his brain so much in his entire life.
All that was running through his mind was connected to that woman— (Y/N).
What was it that he really felt when he saw her for the first time after more than 10 years?
Deep down he knew that he still loved her— when he met her before, his heart already decided on her. No one else but her.
But there was something else in his heart too. Was it doubt? Fear? That what happened before would happen again?
—He would lose her again?
"Oh, lucky. Another strawberry milk~" Gintoki monotonely sings out as soon as he opens the door and finds a lone cart of his favorite strawberry milk.
"5 weeks in a row~ I'm being blessed by the Gods." Gintoki smugly says now holding the drink in his hands.
"It's not God who's blessing you but that beautiful woman, Gin-san." Shinpachi sighs, walking past Gintoki and making the man freeze in his spot.
"....What do you mean, glasses?!"
"Don't call me glasses!" Shinpachi yells,
''That beautiful lady who always visits us. You know, the one with pretty (H/C) hair and (E/C) eyes."
"....."
Gintoki fell into a deafening silence. He instantly knew who the human-wearing glasses meant by that description.
Who else could it be but the woman he loved?
"Ah," Gintoki shook his head and let out a grunt. He didn't want to think too much right now— especially not about her.
"Wait— Gin-san, where are you going?"
"Pachinko."
"Gin-chan! There's a letter for you!!" Kagura's yell made Gintoki stop in his tracks. He turns around and finds the yato waving a letter in the air.
"Ah, it's from (L/N)-san."
Gintoki's expression hardened.
"Which one?"
Shinpachi blinked, confused.
"Which one? We only have one customer? The one with those bodyguards...."
Gintoki let out a sigh before grabbing the letter and reading it out.
"You are invited to a......"
"—A wedding?!"
Shinpachi almost yelled out when they arrived at the (L/N) Estate. He hurriedly turned to Gintoki, "Gin-san, what does this mean? Didn't he ask us to look for his daughter? Wasn't this about the job request?"
"Ah, Gin-san."
At that moment (L/N)— dressed formally with a huge, confident smile plastered on his face strode towards Gintoki.
"I want to thank you for your service. My daughter unexpectedly returned home yesterday! Willingly! All by herself!"
"...Who said it was because of me?" Gintoki spoke coldly, making (L/N) blink his eyes astonished by Gintoki's oddly cold exterior.
"Ah, well my daughter mentioned your name. She even knew I went there for a job request so I figured it was because you found her and convinced her to get married." (L/N) laughs before placing his hand on Gintoki's shoulder.
"You did well. Which is why I invited you to this wedding, this happened all because of you. I'll send the money to you right after." He laughs loudly, patting Gintoki's shoulder.
"Not necessary. We're going hom—"
"Oh stay! Please stay! The ceremony is about to start! Here, I'll let them guide you to your seats!"
Contrary to Gintoki who wanted to leave, (L/N) was very insistent. Moreover, Kagura had gone to wipe the buffet clean so Gintoki had no choice but to sit and wait.
He wanted to see what would unfold at this supposed wedding he had no idea about.
But as he sat with his arms crossed, a sour look was plastered on his face and a permanent scowl was etched on his lips.
Even Shinpachi, who was just quietly and politely sitting beside him got scared of how closely knitted Gintoki's eyebrows looked.
'She said she'll make up for it. For what happened before— but she's getting married?'
Gintoki scoffed in his mind— ever since he heard those words from (Y/N), they've been playing like a broken record in his mind.
Which was not surprising, since the day the darkness took away his reason for living— her voice was the only thing that kept him alive.
Time flew by faster than he could process. Soon everyone had settled down and the bride had entered.
Gintoki's eyes never left her figure the moment she entered. A feeling of pain and warmth spread all throughout his chest.
His breath hitched, his knuckles clenched.
She looked so beautiful.
Gintoki knew that moment— hate and disdain? He couldn't bring himself to feel such emotions for her.
The woman he loved with his everything.
"...You're what I've been praying for my whole life."
Gintoki whispers in a low tone, with a sorrowful look in his eyes and a sad smile on his lips.
Gintoki didn't want to make a scene— no one in that place knew of the love story between him and (Y/N)— the bride.
Even her own father— the cause of the rift of their love had no idea, that he had invited the man he scorned and hid his daughter from years ago.
Right now, Gintoki just wanted her.
The ceremony had started.
Gintoki didn't move.
He just watched.
As (Y/N) stood there, looking delicate but gorgeously elegant in that beautiful white wedding dress.
'It's her wedding. Why isn't she smiling?'
But amidst the ceremony, the bride did not even smile.
"Do you, (Y/N) (L/N) take Ayato Osamu as your lawfully wedded husband?"
Gintoki gulped.
He felt nervous and scared, watching this.
"I—"
In that short moment, (Y/N)'s eyes found Gintoki's red ones.
Their eyes locked and Gintoki saw her lips crack a smile— the same lips that had been pursed into a tight line the moment she entered the place.
She was looking at him so lovingly, so sweetly, so warmly.
"....—Don't."
"......"
"....."
"What!?"
"I don't." She repeated firmly.
The moment of silence had been broken by (Y/N)'s father as he angrily stood up from his seat, infuriated.
"(Y/N), what is this rebelious act?!"
(Y/N) calmly looked at her father and smirked, bringing up a hand to her chin.
"Well, I gave you what you wanted. A wedding," She shrugs her shoulders. "But I never said that I'll get married."
"..Stop whatever you're trying to do right now, (Y/N)."
"Don't be so uptight, father." (Y/N) says as she rolls her eyes and points to the space between her eyebrows.
"Oh, and don't furrow your eyebrows so much— you'll get wrinkles." She chuckles, smirking as she started walking over to where Gintoki was sitting at.
"10 years was a long time, and I promised someone I would make it up to them to no matter what."
(Y/N) stopped right in front of Gintoki and smiled.
"I was too young to love you," She spoke calmly and softly, "I was powerless, weak and couldn't even protect our love."
"What are you—"
"But I'm not like that anymore." She cut him off, "This time I want to protect our love. I can love you freely now, as long as you give me a chance. With you by my side, I can get through anything." She holds his hand and looks into his eyes.
"It doesn't matter what I have to go through, as long as in the end— you're with me, Gintoki." She pleaded softly.
"....Idiot," Gintoki lightly laughed. "Are you proposing to another man at your wedding?" He joked, making her laugh softly.
"But maybe I'm the idiot between us two,"
"I should hate you for leaving me....for taking my love for granted, and yet....."
"And yet," Gintoki whispers with a faint smile.
"I'm still in love with you, (Y/N)."
He pulls her close and hugs her tightly, taking in the familiar scent of her that always calmed him down.
"I can't ever let you go."
(Y/N) looked up at him and smiled.
They didn't care about all the other people who were watching with shocked faces.
They had enough of people meddling in their love.
"I love you, Gintoki. For you, I can do anything— even rewrite the stars."
"Let's go?"
Gintoki grinned and tugged on her hand which was in his.
(Y/N) grinned widely and held his hand tighter.
"Let's go!"
(BONUS: IM SO SORRY ITS BEEN SO LONG EVERYONE I MISSED YOU ALL!)
"Ah, right." (Y/N) paused before she could take off with Gintoki. She grabbed something and handed it to her father.
"What's this?"
"That's my wedding present to you!" (Y/N) grinned, locking her arms with Gintoki again.
"After all, Dad you never came looking for me when I left the house 10 years ago." She pointed a finger on her chin.
"You want a daughter who will listen to you right? I would offer myself but, you'd have to cut off my wrists, tie my feet, cover my eyes and sew my mouth so I'd listen obediently."
(Y/N) blinks her eyes innocently at her father with a cruel smile on her lips.
"But that's too much trouble— a doll is better instead!~" She giggled gesturing to the stuffed doll she left in her father's hand.
"Try marrying that doll off, dear father~"
With one last wave, she took off with Gintoki.
"Chase after them! Right now!!" (L/N) yells at the guards who right away sprang into action.
"Oi."
The guards stopped when a gun was pointed at them— specifically, a purple umbrella.
Kagura points her umbrella at them with a bucket of popcorn in her hands.
"I've got some complaints, " Kagura calls out,
"Your soup tastes bland and the chicken is too small, the cake needs more sugar and the egg needs more salt!!"
"What did you even come here for?!"
"I came for the food obviously! I'm leaving!!"
"Ah!!! Someone finished all the food!!"
"Ah! Gin-san just wrecked a wedding! Why? What happened?! Is this the so-called shotgun wedding!?"
"Come on, glasses!" Kagura yells as she drags Shinpachi along with her.
-----------------------------------------
BISHA-CHAN'S NOTES:
AHHHHHH! Everyone did you miss me? I'm so sorry I took so long. I was so busy like suuuuuper busy— and now I'm on break so I finally have some time. I'm gonna start writing requests like crazy right now!!
Ah, did you all forget me? Do you still know who I am? I am so sorry for making everyone wait so long 🥺 I love you all!!
kuroyukisamishii here is part 2— I finally finished it 🤣 This one was definitely the fic that took me the longest to write. Well, I hope you like it eitherways 🤣👍
Everyone, Bisha-chan is back!!! I'm so sorry I took a hiatus with no notice— I won't do it again 😔
My last update...I think was when I was sick? Well, anyways Bisha-chan is healthy and good now.
Everybody, please stay safe and healthy!
Bisha-chan will work hard!!~ ♥️