I walked down in the busy street of Kabuki-chou, wandering aimlessly. Well, the word 'aimlessly' not really fit with me now, as I wore a black greatcoat with golden strips—along with gold buckle, white plain long sleeved shirt under the coat, white cravat around my neck, and a black plain mini skirt with a black knee-length boots with gold clasps on top of it. In simple way, I wore the female version of Shinsengumi uniform. *just think about Imai Nobume uniform from Mimawarigumi but with a black color and a black skirt, not shorts like the one Nobume wears.

So, what I'm doing right now is an activity called 'patrolling'. No, it's a 'boring patrol' if you ask me. I know I must do this daily activity even if there's nothing happened, I just can't help but feel bored. Day after day, I strolling Edo's street. I had gone through from the main road, narrow alleys in the corner of Edo city, even the street where many of gang's made their headquarters.

I didn't think that Shinsengumi officer duty could be this boring. I'm not regretting my decision to enter Shinsengumi tough. Still, I think I can't bear this boredom any longer, and if I didn't find anything can interest me soon, I'm pretty sure my sword will go unsheathed.

I walked with my mind blank due to the stress of boredom, causing me to let my guard down and didn't notice someone is standing in front of me. The next thing I know is I felt like my body got hit by something hard and strong, and then my vision turned quickly from the street to the blue sky. I realized that I'm going to fall and shut my eyes tightly, preparing from the pain in my head and body. I waited for the painful fall, but I just felt a soft thud. I open my eyes slowly, and surprisingly the sunlight didn't blind my eyes. My mind worked fast, and I came to the deduction that something is covering my eyes—or my whole body—from the bright sunlight. And I realized even it's too late, that I'm in the sleeping position yet my head don't touch the ground. I can feel something warm wrapped the back of my head, avoiding it to hit the ground when I fell. Something above me moved, and then my reddish-brown eyes met the cold grayish-blue one.

"Sheesh, why are you spacing out when you're patrolling? It's dangerous, especially for Shinsengumi officer like us. The Jouishishi may attack you and the next thing you know is your body laid dead in the middle of the street." The grayish-blue eyed person talked, there's visibly sarcasm in his voice even though there's also a hint of worry in both of his voice and eyes yet he trying to hide it. It's useless actually because I already know it clearly from the very beginning.

I tried my best to hold back my laugh because I don't want to hurt his feeling for not respecting his concern to me, so I clearing my throat and facing him with straight face. "Um… I know. Sorry for my rudeness. But, can you please get up from me? It's… awkward, you know? And look, everybody is looking at us." I said, pointing many people had gathering around and stared us with a suspicious look.

The man above me looked up, and immediately get up and cleaning the dust in his coat then took out one of his cigarettes and began inhaled it like nothing is happened. I get up to a sit position while rubbing my elbow, feeling uncomfortable as my eyes suddenly take interest in the ground. Seconds passed with silent, and the crowd around us began to disappear as they start walking to their own purpose.

"Your cigarette hasn't lit up yet." I talked after figured out that the cigarette is not lit up yet he already inhaled it. He gasped, and then hurriedly took out his bottle-of-mayo-shaped lighters and lit his cigarette. I chuckled, and I saw he turned away to hide his face from embarrassment.

"Okita-tenchou is right." I started. "Right about what?" he asked, his embarrassment already sweep off from his face. "About you, Hijibaka-san." I said teasingly and soon his face turned red again, and this time because of rage. "Just kidding, Hijikata-san. I'm sure the devil vice-commander will not take a joke seriously right?" I continued, while he just stay silent and eyes watching me. I stretched out my hand towards him, making his face confused at my actions.

"What?" he asks me straight-forwardly. I closed my eyes and sighed. "What else? I'm asking you for helping me up!" I snapped, getting impatient because of his slow-minded. As expected of Hijibaka-san. His eyes widened a bit after hearing my sudden shout, and then took my hand as he helped me up.

"Geez, as expected. You're really as clumsy as always." I stated after I stand up and I felt his glare to me. "But, thanks. If I bumped to someone else, I might make people think a bad impression about Shinsengumi." I continued, and Hijikata-san just replied me with a short 'hm'.

"Anyways," he said, turning my attention to him. "What are you doing here? I mean, I know you're patrolling, but your district is not here." He said, gazing lazily at me while sometimes puffing smokes out to the air. I waved my hand in front of my face, trying to avoid the smokes. "Yeah… Wait, what?" I asked, then turning my attention to my surroundings.

Like he said, I'm in the wrong district. I face palmed after realizing this. How come I, one of the Shinsengumi members, and not a usual member since I'm vice captain of first division, can be distracted while I'm in the middle of patrolling? Well, I can say that I got bored and didn't realizing that my feet took me somewhere randomly until I met Hijikata-san at three district far away from the district I supposed to do patrolling.

My mouth became silent, and I heard he growls in annoyance. "Just like I expected, you got distracted or should I say, got a blank-minded again while patrolling then just walking around as far as your feet took you and you didn't even care about that. What if you ended in a dangerous place? Or got lost and can't find way to home?" he said, his tone didn't get higher as his voice is low and husky, but I know he's scolding me now. I sighed. "I'm sorry. But, I think I didn't have something you called 'home'." I said as my head down made my eyes covered with my bangs. This conversation make me remembered, that I didn't have any place to back. Just like my title, 'stray-cat'.

"What do you mean? Shinsengumi is your home now, remember?" he said as my eyes widened to his unexpected words. Is he trying to comforting me? I turn my head up, looking directly to his eyes. Trying to find something can sweep away my doubt about his words.

"I'm serious. You're part of Shinsengumi, so the Shinsengumi HQ is you, me, and the other members home." Hijikata said, still in his cold voice. It's cold and heartless, but in the same time it felt warm to my heart. And that send a smile to my face for a second before I start walking past him.

"Where are you going?" he asked, stopping my tracks. I turned and smiled, "To home." He blinked several times, maybe he got confused because my sudden mood-change. I tilt my head to the side, silently inviting him. Hijikata-san just shrugged before start walking side by side with me back to Headquarters.

"We're back." We said in unison as we entered the wooden floor entrance. Just when I remove my boots, I heard someone inside the room next to us shout a reply to us. "Yo! So you're already comeback Toshi, Rikka-chan." the person inside the room said. I trailed Hijikata-san until he stopped in front of a sliding door. He slid the door and then come inside while muttering 'excuse me'.

I sat behind Hijikata-san, putting my sword on the floor as Hijikata-san do the same as me. I turn my head when the person in front of me and Hijikata-san spoke again. "Hiyaaaa, you two are like a couple." He said with a big smile plastered in his face, showing his white teeth. "What?" I responded quickly. I must be heard it wrong, or my ears is making fun with me.

"Yeah, you always go home together even tough your patrol location is different, like you already planned it up from the very beginning." He continued, still with his big grin. "Planned what?" Hijikata-san replied, an already lit up cigarette hanging loosely between his slightly opened lips. "You know, like planning to meet up somewhere after patrolling, and then go back to HQ together while chatting on the way here." He said flushed while he plays with his finger, just like a young girl want to confess her feeling towards a boy she liked. It's disgusting to see someone on his thirtieth to act like that, so I put my hand to cover my mouth, acting like I want to puke. Hijikata-san quietly warns me to have some respect to him because he's way older than me and he's my first commander.

I stopped my act, and Hijikata-san cleared his throat. "Kondou-san, please don't think something weird about us." He said, closing his eyes and puffed some smoke out. "We didn't plan anything to meet up and walk back together to HQ, we just accidently bumped at each other in some random street." He continued, putting his cigarette between his middle and forefinger. I nodded in agreement, hoping the commander didn't have any misunderstanding about us anymore.

"Is that so? Hm... If you say that, it can't be helped then. I was wrong." Kondou-san stated, and both of us let out a big sigh of relief. "I mustn't underestimate the fate, because you're already tied together so you'll meet up even though you didn't plan it." Kondou-san said, making me and Hijikata-san face palmed, didn't understand why he's so eager to matching us together.

"Kondou-san, please. It's not fate, it was just a coincidence. I was distracted, and I admitted it. I just walking to where my legs taking me, and the next thing I know I was bumped to Hijikata-san." I said, trying to clear up his wrong mind. He looks like he's thinking hard, and I gulped.

"I see! So you two are destined to be together, and I dare that both of you is tied by the red string, which is undoubtedly said that you are must be together." He replied, with a happy tone and I can swear he's crying out of joy now. I sighed, I must know already even though I was new here that he's a real idiot. I glanced at Hijikata-san, wanting to know what kind of face he made after hearing his superior said. He makes various faces like plain, frowning a bit, and then closed his eyes tightly while his thumb and forefinger in his forehead. He seemed to feel ashamed for having such an idiot and stupid senior. I'm feeling a bit sorry for him, though.

Kondou-san is in his euphoria when I slammed the floor. "That's enough, Kondou-san! There's nothing between Hijikata-san and me! We're just comrade, and that's it! No romantic feelings included!" I panted, catching breath as my emotion began to calm down. I glared Kondou-san who's surprised, then quickly standing up and quit the room after mumbled about permission.

She shut the slid door hard, makes the floor shaking a bit. I frowned at the door, and then to Kondou-san. He's still too surprised to move his body, and I let out a big sigh.

"You make her mad." I stated. There's no answer though, until I saw his eyes began to wet. "What did I do, Toshi? She's mad at me now! What should I do?" he said, sniffing in his mucus. I trying not to see this disgusting scene by turning my attention to the door and slid it up. The door opened, revealing the garden and pond in the front yard. I walked out, sitting in the entrance while inhaling my cigarette.

"You're the one who make her mad, so you must find the way by yourselves." I mumbled, my back facing his. I didn't dare to turn my head and see Kondou-san in his embarrassing state—kneeling down with his hands on his hip, ugly face and mucus came out from his nose—so I threw my vision to the blue sky, wondering.

"Don't take that seriously. She'll forgive you anyway." I said after Kondou-san make a waterfall from his tears, trying to stop his unmanly like behavior. "Really?" he said, waterfall didn't come out anymore, but tears still in his eyes. I nodded, and his face lit up because of happiness, and the next thing I know is he's mumbling about how nice her manner, appearance, skill, etc. I'm not listening to it, even though I was thinking about the same person he's praising proudly now.

I walked no, running actually—because Yamazaki who's walking in front of me got thrown up to the sky after crashing to me, and I didn't care. My mind is full now, and I need refreshment to clean it up. I went through the hallways, ignoring any greeting from other member to me. I just think about my destination: the practicing room.

I slid the door up, wielding a wooden sword in my right hand. I thought the room is empty as the training time is over minutes ago, but there's someone inside. The person swinging the sword back and forth without any hesitation, and looks like he's getting drown to his concentration. Seems like he didn't know I'm entering the room.

His light brown hair swaying as he moves his body non-stop, sweats dropping from his body until his shirt wet and become transparent. I know, because I can see his well-build body under his shirt. Usually, any girl would squeal and swoon seeing this hot scene, but it doesn't effects me. I already saw this scene hundreds times, so it's a common scene for me. I lived at a place filled with man, and I was the only girl here. People may think about weird ideas, but its fine. As long as I didn't do something like their weird ideas, it doesn't matter.

Soon, I began my exercise. I moved my body back and forth, swinging the wooden sword in my hand as fast as I could, creating some wind around my hand. Its quiet chilly, but I don't care. I just need some refreshment, imagine you're in the middle of war, tons of amanto is charging to you, Rikka. Prepare and when they close enough for your sword to reach them, slice them in half without any mercy. Don't let any of them run away from you. Run, run, run for them, find their hiding spot, blown it up with bazooka or Hijikata-san's creep. And then, the final slash will be delivered for the boss while their plane got blown up after you shoot it with the bazooka you borrowed from Okita-taichou—

"What?" he said deadpanned, standing right in front of me. Startled, I jumped backwards and let a big sigh after I calmed down.

"Okita-taichou, don't startle me like that," I said with eyes closed. The next time I opened my eyes I see him tilted his head, with a boring look.

"You're the one who called me, so I asking you if there is something you need. You're mumbling something about Hijikata-san's creep too. Are you going insane because the summer heat or what?" he asked with disgusting look. I looked at him, a little confused, but then something clicked inside my head. Oh.

"Ah, I'm imagining about a hiding spot used by the enemy getting blown up because I shoot it with bazooka or Hijikata-san's creep, just that. I didn't realize that I mumbling about that in reality," I said. I saw his expression didn't changed at all, but he walked closer to my direction. I got confused again by his action, but soon understood it after he clasped my hand with his.

"That's right. But, it's better if we throw out Hijikata-san in the hiding spot before we blown it up."

"Yeah, with his likes, that dog creep thing too. I think he'll unhappy if he left this world without his favorite with him."

"Ah, how about we give an extra blow with throwing a tabasco sauce bomb after his body torn into pieces?"

"That's a good idea. Then, if his infected-by-dog-creep meat still there after we blown it with Tabasco bomb, we'll call the cleaning service to gather what's left and order him to give the remaining meat to the wild dog."

"No, no, no. Even a wild dog doesn't want to eat that. It's too disgusting."

"Ah, that's right. I'm sorry, Okita-taichou. His dead meat is too disgusting that I want to vomit on top of it."

"Me too—"

"HEY! HOW DARE YOU SAY YOU'LL VOMIT ON TOP OF MY DEAD MEAT?! I'LL GET YOU TO COMMIT SEPPUKU LATER!" shout Hijikata-san who's popped from somewhere and scolded us.

"What? I can't hear what you're saying because your loud 'HEY!' Make my ears deaf for a moment. Can you repeat that, Hijibaka-san?" tease Okita-taichou with his hand in the back of his ears, face deadpanned like always. I sweat dropped seeing his action, but can't hold my laugh any longer because Hijibaka-san—no, Hijikata-san soon chasing Okita-taichou around the HQ while shouting rapidly about committing seppuku or something around that lines. I smiled with eyes following those two fools—yet very strong—chasing each other like usual. The two surely act lively as always.

"What are you smiling about?" Hijikata-san asked suddenly after realizing I'm smiling over him. He frowns dangerously to me. Uh-oh.

"What, do you even care about that, Hijibaka-san?" I teased, and soon I found him fuming. He was about to explode when I swayed my wooden sword, almost hitting his face in the process. "Wha-!" he backed off so the tip of my sword won't hit his pretty face. Well, he has good reflexes. I knew he can easily dodge it even though he's quite surprised at my sudden attack.

"Nice move, Rikka-san!" shouted Okita-tenchou at the back. I saw he put his thumb up, and as reply I do the same with a grin across my face. "I'm sorry Hijibaka-san, I did that on purpose." I said slyly, my grin got wider seeing veins popped all over his face.

"YOU… I'LL SURELY GET YOU TO COMMIT SEPPUKU!"

Thanks for reading! See you at chapter two!

RnR!