In the early morning hours of Edo, within a section of an abandoned building, cries of agony echoed throughout the structure before falling silent. A young woman, resting on a concrete block, took a deep breath to relieve her exhaustion from the battle.
Once she had caught her breath, she noticed her clothes and body were smeared with blood and dust. She tried brushing it off with her slender hand, but no matter how hard she tried, the stains wouldn't come off. She'd probably have to throw this shirt away.
"Cleared them out as usual, huh?" came a voice from behind, prompting Saya to turn and see the Shinsengumi unit she had summoned had arrived.
"I'll leave the rest to you. I'm heading back to sleep," she said, handing over the evidence to Okita before walking off, leaving the Shinsengumi members staring after her.
"Kondou-san, that lady's really strong. Why don't you just let her take care of them herself? Why do we have to handle this? It's not like we can beat those things anyway."
"Because you couldn't find them in the first place. Besides, handling criminals—wherever they come from—within Japanese territory is our job. And one more thing, letting Saya handle them alone isn't right. No matter how strong she is, fighting alone is more terrifying and lonely than having backup."
On the main road of Edo, Saya trudged along, utterly drained. She had been up since 3 a.m. to deal with the Elith. At first, she thought it would only take about an hour, but it ended up dragging on for two. She was exhausted in every sense.
As she walked, her eyes caught sight of someone familiar sprawled over a pile of trash cans.
Saya walked over and nudged the silver-haired man with her foot. His flushed face suggested he was clearly drunk. She summoned a wind spell to lift Gintoki into the air and hold him tightly, then began walking back to the hotel.
The distance from where she found Gintoki to the hotel was over five kilometers, and their weight difference made each step difficult and wobbly, as if she might fall any second.
Eventually, she managed to carry him to the hotel. It took her more than two hours. As she stepped through the hotel doors, staff and guests looked at her curiously.
"Would you like some help?" one of the staff rushed over.
"No... I'm fine," Saya replied, continuing on. She didn't want anyone interfering in her personal matters, especially now that she was being hunted—though Matsudaira had stationed the Shinsengumi at the hotel for protection.
She took the elevator up to her floor and made it to her room. The moment she stepped in, she dropped Gintoki onto the bed and collapsed beside him.
Exhausted from battle, she rested her head on the pillow and instantly fell asleep. Gintoki was left to lie there as he was—she couldn't take it anymore. Rest came first.
The man stirred, rubbing his face and eyes to shake off the hangover. Slowly opening his eyes, he stared at the ceiling, confused.
"Where am I? Wasn't I just sleeping on a pile of garbage?"
He slowly sat up, examining the room—a luxurious Western-style bedroom with a panoramic view of Edo. Beside him lay a woman.
A woman?!
Gintoki jerked his head to look again, examining more closely. The person sleeping next to him was indeed a woman. Suddenly, he broke into a cold sweat, heart pounding as if it might leap from his chest.
Had he, while drunk, brought a woman back and slept with her?
Oh no... this is bad! The woman stirred beside him, making him flinch. She slowly turned to reveal her face.
"Saya?" So it wasn't just any woman—it was Saya.
But wait... did he bring her here? Or was she the one who brought him?
He tried hard to recall last night, but no matter how much he strained, he couldn't remember. Thinking it over carefully… based on Saya's personality, she'd never allow herself to be brought here like that.
Which means… maybe Saya brought him?
A sudden image popped into Gintoki's head—Saya, in a seductive pose, trying to lure him in.
"No, no, no!" he shook his head violently, trying to rid himself of the indecent thought. "There's no way... That kid? Seriously?"
Suddenly, Saya sprang up from the bed, causing Gintoki to jump in shock.
"Yikes!!!"
Saya squinted at him sleepily before greeting him in a groggy voice.
"Good morning…"
"G-Good morning—hey! What do you mean, 'morning'? Wait a second—how did I even get here? Last I remember, we didn't even meet last night. Did you… drag me off somewhere!?"
Saya reached out and gently touched his arm, signaling him to calm down.
"We met this morning."
"Huh? This morning?"
She nodded. "I saw you passed out drunk on a pile of trash. I felt bad, so I carried you back."
So that's what happened... Gintoki sighed, a bit embarrassed that his mind had wandered so far.
"Oh... I see. Thanks, then."
"I'm going to shower for a bit," Saya said as she got out of bed and walked into the bathroom.
As she turned away, Gintoki caught a glimpse of something on her back—a faint mark or scar. But he said nothing.
With nothing to do while waiting, Gintoki wandered around the room. As he looked around, he finally noticed that Saya's place had separate areas like a living room and a dining room. He wasn't sure how much it all cost, but he figured it had to be in the millions.
Knock knock
"Excuse me, I'm here to serve your meal."
Gintoki opened the door to let the hotel staff in. A variety of dishes were arranged beautifully on the table. His large hand reached for the bill attached—his brow furrowed as he read it.
'1,250,000 yen'
"What the hell!? What kind of food costs this much!?"
"Well, this is a five-star luxury hotel. Of course the food's expensive."
A familiar voice made him turn around. Saya was standing there in nothing but a towel, her hair still wet.
"Put on some proper clothes! You're a girl, damn it!"
"My hair's still wet. Can't put anything on yet."
"Then dry it!"
"Can't find the hairdryer…"
He let out a deep sigh and shook his head before walking over to her, grabbing her gently by the arm and leading her to the sofa in the living room.
"What are you doing?" Saya asked curiously.
"Drying your hair. Turn around."
He reached under the glass table and grabbed the hairdryer, switched it on, and began running his fingers gently through her long hair while drying it like a pro.
"You've done this for a girl before, haven't you? You're pretty good at it."
"Just a kid at home." She glanced back at him, intrigued. "Your kid?"
"Hell no. She's just someone who came down from heaven and asked to stay at my place."
"Oh…"
He kept drying her hair, but as he parted a section to brush through, his hand suddenly froze. There was a fresh wound across her back—looked like she'd just been in a fight.
"You went toe-to-toe with those guys again, didn't you?" he asked while gently tracing his finger beneath the injury.
"Yeah…"
"Why didn't you go to a hospital?"
"They're watching the hospitals. I'd get caught." Right. He forgot Saya was still being hunted.
"Go get dressed. Don't put on a shirt yet," he said, rolling up the dryer cord and setting it down.
"Why not?"
"So I can treat the wound, duh."
Without waiting for another question, he walked out of the room, leaving Saya staring after him.
"What's with him…"
...
"Thanks a lot." Saya accepted the medicine bag and checked inside. As she stepped out of the pharmacy, she froze—an old friend, Katsura, was standing hidden beside a lamppost.
"What the hell are you doing lurking there, Zura? Acting like a cop doing a bike checkpoint or something?"
"It's not Zura. It's Katsura. And no, I'm not playing cop—I'm waiting for you."
"Waiting for me? Don't you have anything better to do?"
"Waiting for you is my job. I saw you teaming up with the Shinsengumi to hunt down the Elith."
"So?"
"I can't believe it… A former foreign warrior like Shiroyasha, working with the Shinsengumi? Gintoki, have you forgotten they're part of the government?"
"I know. But I gotta eat, don't I? And besides—Zura—"
"It's not Zura! It's Katsura!!"
"I can't walk away now. I've already taken a step in. Step out, I get hunted. Keep going, still get hunted. But if I make it out alive, I get paid. If I don't…"
He paused, then added calmly:
"...I just die. That's all."
"Or is it because of that woman?" The foot that was about to take a step stopped, and she turned to look at her male friend. "I saw it, you know. That bag of medicine you bought for her."
"So what?"
"Normally, you're not like this. You've bought medicine for people before, but sitting there blowing her hair? That's really strange."
Katsura's words made Gintoki furrow his brows.
"Are you agreeing with me?"
"I was hiding on the balcony," Katsura replied, making Gintoki roll his eyes.
"Seriously, Katsura, what does it matter to you? It's none of your business."
"It is my business."
"Did that ninja hire you to spy on me?" The ninja he referred to was Sarutobi Ayame, a stalker who had recently been injured while working and couldn't move. So she probably hired Katsura to investigate.
"Yes. I answered my question, now you answer mine."
"It's nothing."
"Then why was she wearing a towel? Or...?" Before Katsura could finish, Gintoki knocked him in mid-air, sending him crashing to the ground before walking back to the hotel.
When he returned to his room, he found Saya slumped on the sofa. Gintoki walked over to her, brushed the hair from her face, and it looked like she had fallen into a deep sleep.
He sat behind her and grabbed the medical supplies before gently starting to tend to the wound on her back.
It was strange. Not that Gintoki had never treated anyone's injuries before—he had done it for Kagura, Shinpachi, and even Otose. But because they were family, he never thought twice about it.
But Saya? He'd only known her for three days, yet he had already blown her hair, treated her wounds, carried her on his back to the hotel, and offered all of this without any pay. He didn't even consider asking for anything in return, even though he was exhausted. He didn't know why, but he couldn't just leave her like that.
Calm down, he thought. It's not like I'm saying I like Saya. I just don't understand my own actions. He had been through a lot with women, but no matter how close they were, he had never done anything like this before. Saya was the first one he had done all this for, and it felt weird.
"Uhm... what are you doing?" Saya, who had just woken up, groggily asked the one treating her wounds.
"I'm treating your wound."
"Oh... be gentle, it hurts."
"I'm being as gentle as I can. Just go back to sleep."
"Hey, Gintoki," Saya whispered, though he could still hear her.
"Yeah?"
It was the first time she called him by name since she usually just called him 'you.'
"Thank you."
"Yeah, but why did you order so much food? You're just going to sleep without eating."
"I ordered it for you."
"It's too much. Can I take some home?"
"Up to you. Just tell the staff."
"Thanks."
Saya wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, but when she woke up again, the sky had turned orange. She moved slightly and noticed a blanket covering her. She then looked at the table and saw a card with some writing on it.
'Kamakko Club'
She wasn't sure what it was, but she figured it might be a club. But who left it there? She tried to think carefully, wondering if Gintoki had left it behind. But why would he leave it? Was he inviting her to go?
After thinking it over, she realized she was already dressed and had walked out of the hotel. She walked on, not forgetting to ask for directions to the club before leaving.
After walking to what she guessed was the club mentioned on the card, she stood for a moment, observing, before two staff members came out to greet her.
"Hello! Welcome to the ladyboy bar!"
"Are you here alone, hon?"
"Uh... yes."
"Then please follow me."
Saya was taken aback but nodded and followed the staff—one with orange hair and the other with glasses—into the bar, looking around as she entered. The inside was decorated in a Japanese bar style, with dim pink lights and a stage for performances. Most of the customers were older men, visibly drunk and getting into arguments with the hostesses, who weren't hesitant to slap them back.
Saya was somewhat shocked. She hadn't expected the hostess bar to be this wild.
"We've arrived!" The sliding door opened to reveal an inner room. Saya stepped inside and looked around. It was a VIP room, decorated simply but elegantly in typical Japanese style.
"Welcome, hon!" A deep voice that had been made to sound softer spoke up, and Saya turned to see a woman—who looked a little like a man—wearing a silver wig and a kimono.
"Gintoki?"
"What do you mean, Gintoki? I'm Pako," the voice responded normally.
It was, of course, Gintoki, but in a wig and a kimono.
"Come sit. Why are you standing there looking confused?"
Saya walked over and sat beside Gintoki. He poured sake into a small cup and handed it to her.
"What's this?"
"Sake."
Saya drank it and made a strange face. "It's delicious."
"Right?" Seeing that she seemed to like it, Gintoki poured another cup for her. "Don't drink too much, okay? If you get drunk, I'm not carrying you home."
Saya nodded and continued drinking the sake and eating other dishes. There wasn't much conversation between them, just the sound of the wind blowing and the clinking of cups.
Gintoki glanced at Saya, who was starting to turn red from the alcohol. "Are you okay?"
Saya lifted her head, but the alcohol had made her lose balance. As soon as she looked up, she almost fell backward, but Gintoki quickly reached out and caught her.
"Ugh~ I shouldn't have let you drink this much." Who would have thought she had such a weak tolerance? He thought maybe he should have given her soda instead.
Gintoki helped her sit back against the cushion, but Saya was so limp that he ended up sitting next to her, keeping her steady.
"Hey," she said, grabbing his arm firmly while looking at him with slightly dazed, yet strangely intense eyes. "Have you ever been so sad that you wanted to die?"
Her question made Gintoki turn to look at her. She was really drunk now—probably very drunk.
"You're really drunk. Let's go home now," he said, but she shook his arm violently as if ringing a bell at a shrine during New Year's.
"Answer me first!" she insisted. Eventually, he gave in and answered to end the conversation.
"I've never felt that way. Are you satisfied now? Let's go home."
"But I have," Saya's hand, which had been grabbing him for support, froze. She looked up at him at the same moment he looked back, and they locked eyes. She could see his gray eyes clearly, and even though hers were glazed with drunkenness, the sincerity in her gaze was evident.
"I've tried to kill myself three times, but I never succeeded," she said with a bitter smile, as if mocking herself. "The first time, I shot myself, but the magic inside me automatically protected me, so I survived..."
Her story caught Gintoki's attention, and he sat back down, watching the woman talk about death with a tone that seemed oddly playful, contrasting with the sorrow in her eyes.
"The second time, I was fighting an enemy. Safeguard and Rachel helped me just in time. And the third time... I jumped off a building, but the doctors saved me."
"Why would you do that?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Saya leaned back on the cushion and gave a faint smile before tears started to fall from her eyes.
"My grandmother was killed because those people wanted to sell her powers. My mother was killed protecting me. My father was killed while helping Japan during the war against foreign invaders. My grandparents who lived next door were killed. Huh! My first friend was killed by a stray bullet from bullying. Huh!!"
All the sadness poured out as she cried loudly. The sound of her sobbing echoed throughout the room, so loud that Kagura and Shinpachi, who were eavesdropping outside, could clearly hear it.
"Everyone was killed... Huh!! Because of me. If I didn't have these powers, they wouldn't have died. Huh!!!"
Her slender fingers dug into her face, slapping herself, causing Gintoki to intervene.
"I want to die!!! I want to die!!! Huh!!!"
"Enough, Saya, enough..." Gintoki pulled her into a hug, gently rubbing her back to calm her down. He recognized this behavior. It was the sign of someone suffering from depression, and he suspected that Saya was experiencing it. Gintoki tried to pry her fingers apart, which were clenching so tightly that blood started to seep out, and he slipped his hand in to protect her from hurting herself.
"I've lost too. Teachers, friends, family... Even though I don't feel the same as you, I understand how painful it must be."
"Huh!!!"
"But you're not alone anymore. You can share your sorrow with me."
Saya continued crying, and it didn't seem like she would stop anytime soon. Gintoki thought of something and then gently pulled her around to face him, holding her hands and massaging them lightly to help her relax.
"Let's play a game."
"Huh! What game?"
"Come on, I'll ask you questions, and you answer, okay?" Saya nodded, still sniffling.
"Pako, oh Pako, I ask, you answer. What's your name?"
"Huh! Saya Richel."
"Where are you from?"
"Detroit, America."
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-four." Younger than him.
"How do you feel right now?"
"I want to die."
"Can you share your pain?"
The question caught Saya off guard, and she bit her lip, holding back more tears before nodding quickly.
"I'll cast a spell on you. Jabula, Jabula, my princess, may your sorrow vanish and happiness return." He whispered the spell, gently touching her forehead. After a moment, Saya's sobbing softened into quiet hiccups.
"How's that? My game worked, huh?" But just as she stopped for a moment, Saya pouted and began crying again. "Oh, it didn't work?"
Saya threw herself into Gintoki's arms, causing both of them to tumble to the floor.
"Thank you, Pako."
She smiled faintly, her face still streaked with tears. Gintoki's spell had worked; the sorrow and the suffocating feelings that had built up began to lift, though not entirely.
Seeing this, Gintoki smiled a little, raising his hand to gently ruffle her hair. "You're heavy, you know. You charge at me like that and we'll both break our bones."
"I'll heal you."
"You're not a doctor; you're a mage, don't forget." Despite the teasing, both of them smiled and laughed, feeling a little lighter.
"Looks like Saya is feeling better now," Shinpachi said, having been secretly watching outside.
"Hey, Shinpachi, do you think after this, Gintoki and Saya will get together?" Kagura asked, her eyes still glued to the scene inside.
"It's hard to say, but there's a pretty good chance. I mean, Gintoki's never really comforted anyone before, not even us."
"Yeah, so does that mean Gintoki's going to have a girlfriend?"
"Looks like it, yeah." Shinpachi responded with a smile.
Kagura suddenly ran off, excited. "Then I'll go tell everyone to start preparing for the celebration!"
"Wait, Kagura! We still have work to do!"
"Ughh, ughh…"
The sound came from the person next to him, who kept murmuring every now and then as they walked back. At first, Gintoki had planned to send Saya back when she seemed to be getting better, but the stubborn girl insisted on eating more. She said she couldn't waste the expensive food, then finished everything—including the sake.
Of course, after drinking that much, there was no way she wouldn't get drunk. She became a mess, lying flat on the floor, and Gintoki had to call Kagura and Shinpachi to help clean up the mess.
"We're here," the taxi driver's voice snapped Gintoki out of his thoughts. He paid and helped Saya out of the car.
Carefully supporting her, he managed to get her inside, but stopped short when he saw his old friend, Kazura, standing in front of the hotel.
"Not you again, Kazura. You're still working for that ninja girl?"
"It's not Kazura, it's Kazura. Besides, I can't just quit in the middle of a job."
"Then that's your business." Gintoki dismissed his friend, prepared to lift Saya again, but then Kazura spoke up.
"So it's true, huh?"
"What?"
"That woman… you really like her, don't you?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Your actions, man. Normally, you've never comforted anyone. You just sit there, listening to them cry. But now—hey, wait a minute, Gintoki! I'm not done talking yet!!"
Ignoring Kazura's shouting, Gintoki lifted Saya bridal-style and walked straight into the hotel, not caring about the words or complaints from Kazura.
"Take care of that guy for me."
"Sure."
Kazura's voice could still be heard yelling outside the hotel, with the Shinsengumi watching the scene. Even though they were friends, Gintoki couldn't be bothered. Let Kazura think what he wanted—explaining it was pointless, especially with someone like him who would never listen.
Once in the room, Gintoki gently placed Saya on the bed, then pulled off the wig that had been itching his head the entire time.
"Damn, that's itchy."
Scratching his head, he went to take a shower and change clothes. It would be too embarrassing to go back looking like this, so he decided to freshen up first.
When he came out, ready to leave, he paused when he realized Saya was no longer in the bed.
"Saya? Where are you?" Gintoki searched the room, but couldn't find her.
"Saya!! Saya!!" He called out as he searched, finally finding her on the sofa in the living room, lying sprawled out and mumbling softly.
"Damn it, can't you stay put? I thought those guys had taken you already."
Letting out a sigh, he walked over to carry her back to the bed, but she suddenly grabbed him and pulled him down, causing his head to land on something soft.
His hand instinctively squeezed the soft, round shape under him. Gintoki froze, staring at his own hand in disbelief.
"Shit!" As soon as he realized he had grabbed Saya's chest, he quickly yanked his hand away.
"Damn it! Why did I have to grab that... idiot!"
His face burned with embarrassment. Despite being thick-skinned in most situations, something like this—well, it didn't happen often enough for him to get used to it.
"Umm~" The sound of Saya moving caused him to look up, and to his surprise, she hugged him tightly.
Suddenly, Gintoki felt an unfamiliar sensation stir within him, thinking about the words Kazura and Shinpachi had said earlier.
"Your actions, man. You've never comforted anyone before."
"Gintoki, I saw it! You hugged and comforted Saya. You like her, don't you? Gintoki, are you going to have a girlfriend now?"
"We were just wondering because normally, you never comfort anyone like this. You usually just sit there and keep them company."
shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He was just helping a fellow human being. Seeing her seem to have depression and considering harming herself, anyone would do the same, right?
Besides, he was hired to watch over and help Saya from a distance. If he didn't take care of her, who else would, right?
"Hmm~ Gin-San…"
"Huh? What is it?"
"Thank you..." Her hand gently rested on his and she stroked it softly.
"Mm."
It felt strange, but it really felt good.