Hijikata was silent for a long time.

Only the sound of rain falling, and the raindrops fall on the boulders, on the canopy, and slide down again. The wind blew the foliage rattle.

Finally, he whispered, "...... Yes. ”

He was surprised to hear what seemed to be an "ah" sound from Miss Kujo's throat, but he suddenly felt that he could no longer look at her—the memories of her question seemed to drain the strength of his body in an instant. He turned his face back to look directly at the crevice in the stone in front of him, where the only glimmer of light came in the darkness, and felt as if his voice had come from another distant world.

"Once upon a time, during the war, she had to go out...... It was a situation where she had to go, and there was no one else to ask for...... So I could only stand inside the door and watch her back and run out......"

He said slowly.

Many, many years ago, the scene in the Fushimi Ashrami Office came to his mind again in a trance.

At that time, although there was a lot of artillery fire outside, it was extremely dangerous—

But on that day, how bright her smile was. Just like countless ordinary days before.

When the sudden war was raging everywhere and all the development was so unsatisfactory, she suddenly rushed into the Fushimi Commission, and said in the light, smiling voice that he was familiar with: "Next time, I hope that from the beginning, I will be able to follow Mr. Hijikata into battle."

They've been out together so many times, in Ikedaya, in the Forbidden Gate Change, in Mt. Tenno, in Sendai, in Hakodate—

Then, eventually, one day, she left him and never returned.

"At that time, how I wished that she wouldn't die, not be in danger, and come back alive—"

He said word for word.

“...... I never told her. ”

The man's mellow and magnetic voice echoed through the narrow stone crevices, and a deep emotion brewed in his low and suppressed tone, which even made the eloquent Miss Kujou dumb for a moment.

I don't know how long it took for her already stiff body to move slightly, the rustling of the fabric breaking the near-stagnant silence in the cracks.

“...... Is it. She said quietly.

"To be able to make Madame trust and follow ...... so heartily I'd rather take a risk than fulfill your entrustment—"

She paused, and a gentle smile suddenly appeared in her slightly hoarse voice, which well neutralized the silence and suffocation in this square inch of space.

"Mr. Naito, he is really a very strange person. ”

But Hijikata didn't laugh.

He could understand why she said that, but the compliment did nothing to undo the pain of losing that important person. He could not speak of remorse or regret for the past, for they had no choice at the time—but, now, when he revisited the past, he had to recall her voice and smile again, which was a very difficult thing to face, and he had to exert all his strength to keep his voice sounding calm and normal, as if such a topic and such a memory could not shake him at all.

"Yes. He replied lightly.

However, this cold response did not seem to discourage Miss Kujo at all. She replied with a smile, "Yes." ”

Then, as if to further ease the tension that had spread in the space, she continued with a smile: "...... Because Mr. Naito has an aura that makes others want to admire and follow—"

Now even Hijikata could not ignore this compliment, which was almost like losing his position, he had not forgotten that she was a secret envoy sent by Satsuma, and now she was praising him on the opposing side, which was simply unprincipled!

He could still feel that she was a little different from him, after all, he had no shortage of admirers in Hino's hometown, in Kyoto, and even during the time when he finally settled down briefly in Hakodate—even Kondo-kun had a concubine who was born as a husband, and he was able to gain more admiration just by his handsome face and his aura as a hero for a while, not to mention the love letters that filled Misuseun's desk as proof— Although he rejected them all, he was not so slow that he couldn't detect the favor of others.

But so what?

She was right about one thing - he did have a "lady" in his hometown.

And he will never betray her, right?

The sound of the rain outside the crack seemed to gradually subside.

The sound of the earthwork seemed to have become much quieter with the rain that had gradually calmed down.

"Ah, even though they're in a state of straightening up, they've been coming closer...... It's a little bit useful to take a stern attitude; ”

He cleverly shifted the subject to the ordinary sergeants and soldiers, skillfully ignoring that her premise was actually "a woman who is willing to follow you."

However, her response was just as clever -

"Isn't that great? I've heard that it's amazing to have someone who has this kind of affinity that makes all the animals come closer. ”

The intimacy that seemed to be like a dream just now, Miss Kujou sat up straight, and did not keep approaching him in a boring and unfamiliar way, but continued to speak in a purely casual tone, half-jokingly, as if he had deliberately drawn a line.

Although he didn't quite understand why she suddenly became acquainted, it meant that he didn't have to be on the lookout for her suddenly attacking in ways he couldn't have imagined, and it would be good for both of them—and after realizing this, Hijikata suddenly became a little more relaxed.

"Can all the little animals come close?!" he snorted, and asked suspiciously as she continued the safe topic she had thrown up.

"Is there really such a thing?!Isn't that the bait of the animal reincarnated?? What do you do to get the little animals to come over?"

The rain outside the crevices seemed to have completely stopped. The wind blows, bringing in a fresh woody fragrance in the mountains and forests after the rain.

Miss Kujou suddenly stood up, half-bent over to the entrance to the stone crevice, and looked out.

Hijikata followed her movements and looked out, but she stood at the entrance, almost completely obscuring his vision, and he couldn't see anything at all.

He also stood up with her, walked behind her, and was just about to ask, "How is it outside?" when he heard her abruptly pick up the wonderful topic from before, and said thoughtlessly:

"Of the friends I used to know, there really were people like that...... He always looked world-weary, crawling with kittens and dogs, and birds standing on his shoulders...... That's a lot of fun. ”

Hijikata stared at the back of her head suspiciously, thinking she must be making up a story.

“...... Hey, what's that person's name?"

Miss Kujou originally seemed to be laughing, but after hearing the question, she was silent for a moment.

Then, suddenly, she turned her face halfway, her long eyelashes blinking rapidly, as if she were trying to endure some strange emotion, and from the earth's angle, the shimmer of light shining through the cracks in the stone cast a thin soft light on the curve of her face.

He heard her reply in a low voice:

“...... Fushimi. ”

Earthwork:?!

He slowly recited the strange surname.

“...... Fushimi?!"

As if sensing the sudden stagnant atmosphere, Miss Kujou paused and nodded slightly.

"Yes. Fushimi. ...... Like, there's also such a place called 'Fushimi', right?"

Earthwork: "......"

Yes. Yes, definitely. That place, in Kyoto.

There's no way he'll forget the place called "Fushimi", right?!

He had just remembered the place, the day when the fighting finally broke out, and his companions rushed out of the Fushimi Headquarters, where he was the only one left behind. It was at that moment that she crashed headlong into him and nearly hit him because she was rushing so fast.

And then what happened?

Then he said he had to go to the aid of his comrades who had already left the battle first. So, without hesitation, she chose a more distant and difficult task, laughing that she was still waiting for the next summer festival to travel with him, and with a sense of lightness and pleasure that was not commensurate with the tension of the war, she rushed out of the gate of the Fushimi Commission, leaving him alone again.

Who was she? What was her name? What had he said to her?

[Hey, don't die, come back alive!]

The roar he had uttered with all his strength still echoed in his ears, but one day, she didn't come back alive.

From that day on, the lively, calm, and determined woman who was always smiling, never came back.

The valley of the shadow of death, which had been passed through countless times before, had finally left her there.

...... Why did he think of this again and again in front of this strange Miss Kujo?!

However, before he could figure out the answer to this question, he heard a sudden chaotic sound of footsteps outside the crack in the stone!

He changed color impressively.

...... Did the officers and soldiers who came to search for her finally arrive after the delay of the heavy rain?!

So how should he react now?!...... By the way, his knife! She didn't have his knife when she got up, and now his knife was still sitting next to the place where ......they had been sitting side by side! And then—

Hijikata's figure moved slightly, and before the Kujou lady could react, he had already turned around and stepped forward, and in two steps he returned to the place where they had just sat side by side, bending down and reaching out to explore.

But before his hand touched the scabbard, he heard Miss Kujo, who was still standing at the exit of the crack in the stone, and strangely did not try to stop him, say abruptly:

“...... Actually, I also have someone who cares about it. ”

Hichikata didn't bother to answer her in a vain manner, and his right hand brushed the dirt on the damp ground, and finally touched the cold scabbard.

Just as he was about to grab the knife at once, draw it out and point it at her, and threaten her not to act rashly again, and to take it obediently, he heard her laugh strangely twice.

"Since I'm a wandering girl, then, that person can be regarded as my 'Dan Nasan'. ”

Hijikata's movements paused slightly, and the next moment he grabbed the scabbard and suddenly turned around and stood up.

Miss Kujou did not seem to have the slightest intention of resisting or guarding against his next move, but stood there and calmly continued:

"My Dana is a grumpy person. ”

Earthwork: "......"

He suddenly felt speechless.

He didn't believe that Miss Kujou didn't perceive his intentions. However, this cunning young girl, who was as cunning as a fox, actually stood at the entrance and exit of the stone crevice so stupidly, without the slightest intention of rushing up to grab the knife from him, but patronizing what to say about her "Danasan", which is a little-

The sound of footsteps outside seemed to be getting closer and closer. Hijikata made up his mind.

If he were to arrest her, it would be better than letting the reckless guys outside shoot her indiscriminately, right?

He made up his mind and drew his knife with a thud.

But in that moment—the moment before he had pointed the tip of his knife at her—he heard her laugh suddenly.

"That guy was always worried and had big ambitions. Her laughter fell, and he heard her speak clearly.

"I have a lot of things to do every day, and sometimes I'm so busy that I don't even have time to rest......"

Earthwork:!?

A flash of light flashed through his mind.

He finally remembered why her words seemed familiar!

But he had already drawn his sword and pointed it at her, and the blade slashed a snowy light in the air with inertia, cutting through the darkness, and the tip of the knife was finally pointed at her!

At the same time, he blurted out, "Who are you?!, who the hell are you?!"

The stumbling footsteps outside were already very close.

Miss Kujou smiled.

“...... What a bad temper. But maybe that's what makes him cute. She said with a smile.

Hijikata: "You ......!!!

Before he could call out that name, he suddenly felt that his eyes were dark!

It turned out that she threw the warm military jacket he had just handed over to her and threw it in front of him!

Hijikata subconsciously dodged to the side.

At that moment, he heard her clear, undisguised voice.

"This is probably the legend, there is a deep bond between each other. ”

Hijikata yelled, "...... Stop! Don't go! Snow—"

He finally scrambled to pull aside the military jacket that was under his hood. However, in his field of vision, there was no longer the figure of the woman who was still standing there just now.

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

August 28:

Because I didn't change it yesterday, I'll write a little longer today

Recently, I have been very busy, and I have some health problems, and today I have a toothache that I can't love

So writing an essay is probably logically dead [Hey!

For the sake of Su Terrier, let's ignore the logical problem

Let Vorsimi make a little cameo today!

He's popular with small animals.,It's the setting in the game school park K.,Yo hhh.

The last thing the sister said about Danna-san was described as a template by the deputy chief in order to deal with the guests asking her if she had Danna-san when she was exploring Shimahara.

The deputy chief was standing outside at the time and heard it. And Jun Ju also told the sister that the deputy chief not only heard the full text, but was also very angry

Next update: Because I have something to do tonight, I may not be able to go home until late, I will try to be more tomorrow, it may be shorter, everyone forgive me.

Thank you to the little angel who voted for me or irrigated the nutrient solution~

Thanks to the little angel who threw [Mine]: Gui Crane Shen, CS Fungus, Immortal Limit, Meow Meow 1;

Thanks to the little angel who irrigated [the nutrient solution]:

Moon Dance 20 bottles;

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!