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Day 07 / 04

Even though it had been over twenty minutes since their scuffle ended, not a single word had come out of Saya’s mouth.

"Hey, why are you sulking like this? I'm not going to do anything to you."

Saya shook her head stubbornly, saying nothing. She was genuinely wary—especially after Gintoki had jokingly said he’d kiss her to shut her up if she kept being defiant.

The silver-haired man let out yet another sigh—he’d lost count—before pulling her up from her squat by the arm.

"Where are we going?" she asked, covering her mouth again as if to defend herself.

"Just follow me, okay?"

He led her down a walkway covered with natural archways formed from vines. When they reached the destination, Saya lowered her hand in shock.

"Beautiful, isn’t it?"

"...Very."

A large tunnel made of multicolored flowers stretched ahead. Stones and tiny waterfalls decorated the paths on either side.

"I remembered how much you love plants, so I figured you’d like this spot."

"Thank you, Gintoki. I really, really love it."

She sat down on a bench he’d prepared and took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the flowers.

Every time she took in their fragrance, it refreshed her mind—and when that freshness reached her heart, her stress and sorrow would always ease.

"So, by the way..." Gintoki said as he watched her, "Not covering your mouth anymore?"

"Oops!" Saya quickly slapped her hand back over her lips.

He chuckled and stepped closer, gently pulling her hand away.

"You’re really that scared?"

(She nodded.)

"That scared, huh? I told you I was just joking. I won’t do anything."

"Really?"

"Really."

He sat beside her, but that only made her shift farther away. He pulled her closer again, closing the gap between them.

His face was calm—maybe too serious—but something about it felt sincere enough for her to lower her hand.

"Heh, got you, you little rascal."

"Huh—mmph!"

The moment she dropped her guard, his lips crashed down onto hers. Her small hands clutched his shirt, beat at his chest, but his kiss only deepened.

“Mmmf—hah!”

When he finally let go, Saya gasped for air. Her cheeks burned red, and her heart pounded like a drumline on fire.

"What the hell was that!" She slapped his arm, then kicked his shin.

"That’s your punishment."

"You said you were kidding!"

"That part was the joke." That part? I was just joking, I wouldn’t do anything—that was the joke?

"You old perv!!" She smacked him square on the head.

"You crazy brat! That hurt!"

"You lech! You creep! You’re the worst!" She grabbed his head, shook it violently, and even bit his neck.

"Ow! What the hell—you a dog or something?!" He grabbed her wrists and locked her in a hold, but she twisted and bit his arm next.

“Ow!” Just then, a message notification sounded.

rachel: I’ll come pick you up in 2 hours.

Saya froze instantly.

"Your sister’s coming to pick you up?" Gintoki asked. She looked up at him, lips trembling.

She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay longer, hang out more, spend time with the kids—and with him.

"Don’t make that face..." He gently stroked her hair, and she dove into his chest for a hug.

"I don’t want to go..."

"I know. But that place is your home, right? You’ll have to go back eventually." She didn’t answer. She just buried her face into his chest.

"Tell you what—we’ve still got two whole hours. Let’s go make the most of it."

"...Really?" She looked up, eyes shimmering with tears.

"What do you say?"

"Okay."

For the next two hours, they went to the beach they had passed before. But the whole time, Saya didn’t smile once, and she never let go of his hand.

"You okay?" Gintoki asked as he sat beside her at the harbor, waiting for Rachel.

Saya only gave a small shake of her head in response.

“Why don’t you want to go back? You don’t want to be with me?”

“I do… but I also want to be with you, Gin-san.”

“Then move in. That way we can be together.”

“Okay, I’ll move.”

Huh? What did she just say?

“Wait… what did you just say?” Saya turned to him with a flat expression. “I said I’ll move.”

“Wait… seriously? Are you being serious?” Saya nodded in reply, and Gintoki burst out laughing. Saya looked down at him as he kept covering his face and laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m laughing because I’m happy.”

“Happy about what?”

“This means I can finally expand my Yorozuya business! The second branch of Yorozuya is going to be fancy—with air conditioning and a stylish European cafe theme. Hey, what’s with that look you’re giving me?”

Saya stared at him blankly before letting out a small laugh. “So that’s why you’re happy, huh? I’ve changed my mind. I’m not moving.”

“What? You can’t do that! I was going to make you the general manager of the second branch! You’d handle marketing and accounting too!”

“And how much would you pay me?”

“Hmm… I’ll pay you whenever we get a job that month.” Sigh…

“What’s with that pout? Yorozuya doesn’t make that much money, you know?”

“Then where do you plan to get the money to open a second branch? Planning to swindle me or what?” she said while shaking his neck in annoyance. “You could help me find jobs, and with that, I’d have money to pay your salary!”

With equal annoyance, she gave him a light smack on the arm—but even so… she really did want to stay here.

A strong gust of wind and the loud sound of a massive airship landing on the ocean’s surface filled the air. The symbol of Detroit’s Magic Police was prominently displayed. Looks like it was time for her to return.

“Saya, it’s time to go.” Saya looked up at Rachel standing on the deck, then glanced at the silver-haired man beside her.

“Can I drop Gin-san off first? Edo’s far—I don’t want him going back alone.”

Rachel furrowed her brow and glanced at the silver-haired guy who stood expressionless next to her sister before sighing.

“Fine, but make it quick.”

Saya followed Rachel aboard the airship, scanning the interior. It was spacious with many crew members—likely here to take the Eliths back.

“Wait here for now. I’ve got a meeting.”

“Okay.”

“And you—” Rachel turned to the silver-haired man who raised a questioning brow. “If you lay even a finger on my sister, I’ll come back and chop your head off.”

With that, Rachel walked away, leaving the two of them standing there. “What’s your sister got against me, huh?”

“What did you do to her?”

“How would I know? I’ve just been minding my own business.”

During the journey back to Edo, Saya and Gintoki chatted the whole way. Some of the crew peeked curiously but didn’t dare interrupt the sweet atmosphere between them. Besides, they’d be parting ways soon—better to let them have their goodbyes now than not at all.

“Hey Gin-san, I heard from the kids you don’t have a cellphone, right?”

“You say that like I’m too broke to afford one!”

“I was just asking.”

“Yeah, I don’t. Why?”

Saya pulled out a phone and handed it to him. “Use this. That way we can still talk when I go back home.”

“For me? This thing’s expensive.”

“Yeah.” Gintoki took the phone and examined it. If he remembered right, this model was ridiculously pricey thanks to its high-end specs. Even if he worked nonstop, it’d take him years to save up for it.

“I already added my contact info. Try it out.” He followed her instructions, opening the chat—and sure enough, her contact was there. So were her siblings’, Shinpachi’s, Kagura’s, and the Shinsengumi’s.

“You added everyone else too?”

“Yeah, so you wouldn’t have to waste time adding them yourself.” She’s… surprisingly thoughtful.

“Oh, and this too.” Her small hand reached out and pulled his hand onto her lap, doing something to his wrist. “Here, wear this. I might need to hire you again later.”

It was the bracelet she had given him earlier—the one that let her lend him her powers.

“Don’t lose it. If you do, it’s a 10 million fine.”

“In that case, take it back. I don’t want it anymore.”

“You can’t take it off. Once it’s on, it stays on.”

“Hey, that’s unfair! So if I lose or break it, I have to pay?”

“Not my problem.” The little one made a stubborn face, which made Gintoki too irritated to resist. He put her in a headlock and ruffled her hair wildly.

“You little rascal. You’re so sneaky!”

“My hair’s all messed up now…” Eventually her ponytail came undone, and Saya had to let her hair down. “Now I look terrible.”

“Terrible? What are you talking about? You’re still beautiful.”

“Excuse me, we’ve arrived in Edo,” said one of the Magic Force members. Saya, who’d been enjoying herself, suddenly lost her smile.

“Sigh… We’re here already? I’ll be going, then.”

“I’ll walk you out.”

“Suit yourself.”

She walked quietly behind the silver-haired man, staring at his broad back as her thoughts drifted to the past week. Her eyes began to warm, then tears slowly welled up. Gintoki, who was pushing the luggage cart, turned to look.

“Don’t cry. We can still chat even if we’re apart,” he said, ruffling her hair again—only this time it made her cry harder and throw herself into a full-on sob.

“You crybaby…” Unable to help himself, he wrapped her in a hug, gently stroking her back and placing a soft kiss on her head.

It wasn’t just Saya who felt sad—he did too. Normally, saying goodbye wasn’t a big deal. But this time it felt hollow… heavy. No matter how badly he wanted to keep her, he couldn’t.

He pulled back and wiped her tears, along with the snot that came out too.

“Why are you crying with snot coming out? So much for looking pretty.”

Sniff “It’s just sad, okay?”

“Sigh… Go on, then. If you stay longer, your sister’s going to come chop my head off again.” Saya pouted, reluctant to go.

“You can’t stay, Saya. But when you move here, I’ll take you on a month-long trip. Deal?”

“You promise?”

“Yeah.”

She gave him another hug before grabbing his collar and planting a kiss on his lips. “See you.”

“Yeah.” She wiped away the last of her tears and waved goodbye. “Tell the kids I said bye too.”

Gintoki didn’t reply, just waved back as the airship slowly lifted and soared into the sky until it disappeared from sight.

She’s gone now… and the feelings inside him were more clear than ever.

A dull ache spread through his chest. He wanted to cry but couldn’t. What he said about her moving in—he meant it. The thing about opening a second Yorozuya branch? Just an excuse. The truth was, his feelings were growing stronger. If he said he didn’t like her, he’d be lying.

Yeah, he liked Saya. He just hadn’t said it out loud.

Because Saya’s feelings still didn’t seem completely certain, and he wasn’t sure if what they had was the kind of like that meant becoming a couple.

“Gin-san, you’re back?”

“Yeah. Eh? What happened to you guys?” He frowned seeing Shinpachi, Kagura, Otae, and Sadaharu all panting like they’d just run a marathon.

“We were exercising, right Big Sis?”

“Yup!”

“Really…” He didn’t buy it for a second.

“Has Saya left already? We didn’t get to say goodbye.”

“Just message her. You’ve got her contact now.”

“You must be lonely now that she’s gone,” Otae teased, smiling slyly. “If you miss her so much, just text her. It’s not that hard.”

As she said that, she pointed at the phone Saya gave him. Everyone gasped—especially Kagura.

“Did Saya give that to you? Why didn’t I get one too?”

“Go buy one yourself if you want it.”

“Wow, that model’s super expensive!”

“I want one, Gin-chan! Buy it for me!” Kagura stomped and jumped onto Gintoki’s back, nearly knocking him over.

“Fine, fine! I’ll buy it! Just get off—you’re heavy!!”

“Yay!!”

A notification popped up on Gintoki’s new phone. Naturally, the three kids plus Sadaharu all crowded around to see out of pure curiosity.

“What the heck, you guys? This is grown-up business.”

“Your business is our business too, Gin-chan!”

“No, it’s not! Get lost!” He shoved them away and finally checked the message.

saya: Sent a photo

saya: Set it as my wallpaper already

gintoki: Send me the photo too

saya: Sent a photo

He saved the image, set it as his wallpaper, and then tried to screenshot it to send it back.

“Shinpachi, how do you take a screenshot?”

In the end, he had to ask for help. He wasn’t used to these high-tech phones.

“Geez, Gin-san. Just press the volume down and power buttons at the same time.”

“Thanks.”

He followed the instructions, ignoring Kagura’s whining, and sent the screenshot to Saya.

gintoki: Sent a photo

gintoki: You think you’re the only one who can set it as a wallpaper?

saya: [Sends emoji]

He smiled, pleased, as he looked at the sakura garden photo on his wallpaper. Now they had matching wallpapers. No matter how far apart they were, their hearts weren’t. That saying still held true… as long as there’s something connecting you—like a bracelet, or a wallpaper.

End…

Day 07 / 03

They finally arrived at their destination—though a bit behind schedule, they were still within the planned time. The moment Gintoki’s feet touched the ground, he twisted his back and stretched to ease the stiffness. In contrast, the petite girl beside him wasted no time. The second her feet hit the ground, she darted straight into the cherry blossom garden without waiting for him.

“Hey, where do you think you're rushing off to? The cherry trees aren’t going anywhere,” Gintoki muttered, slipping back into the yukata Saya had handed him.

“They're so beautiful! Look, Gintoki!”

“Yeah, yeah, I see it.” He followed her to an open area, scanning his surroundings. It wasn’t crowded today—probably because it was a weekday. That suited him just fine; he wasn’t a fan of being packed in with strangers.

When he caught up, he stood next to Saya, who was gazing at the stream lined with cherry trees on both sides.

“Wow~”

She looked completely thrilled. Since they got off the bus, she hadn’t stopped taking pictures and videos. Must be rare to see cherry blossoms like this where she’s from.

“You’re just taking pictures of the trees? Not gonna take any of yourself?”

“Can I?”

“Of course. You want me to take it?” She paused for a moment, then nodded.

“Smile wide, don’t just stand there like a robot. Not like that! That’s way too stiff.”

He chuckled at her awkward smile. Sure, it made sense she wasn’t used to taking selfies, but still—this stiff?

Saya pouted and fidgeted nervously. Gintoki sighed and walked over, casually slinging his arm around her shoulders.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking a selfie. This way’s better.”

He flipped the camera to the front-facing one, but she still looked stiff in the frame. He reached over and tugged at her cheek gently.

“Hey, I wasn’t ready!”

“Ready for what? You’re so tense—there’s no way you’d look natural.”

He glanced at the photo. It actually came out pretty well—natural and unforced. As he admired it, he noticed the little edit icon in the corner and tapped it out of curiosity.

Just then, a tap on his back made him turn around. Saya stood there with an ice cream cone.

“Want some?” He eyed the melting ice cream dripping down her hand.

“It’s already melting.”

“Oh—” She fumbled, unsure what to do. The one she was eating was starting to melt too.

“Give it here.” He took the cone and started licking up the drips cleanly.

“Wha—Gintoki! What are you doing!?”

“Eating ice cream. What does it look like?”

But the way he did it—it made her mind wander. Gintoki had a certain sex appeal, even if his usual slouchy behavior masked it most of the time.

“You could’ve eaten it like a normal person...”

She muttered, glancing down at her hand where his tongue had just been. Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might jump out of her chest.

“What’s wrong? You’re blushing.”

Out of nowhere, he leaned in close, startling her so much she accidentally smushed the ice cream right into his face.

Oh no.

He gently took her hand and pulled it away, then wiped the mess off his face. “Uh... Sorry.”

He took a deep breath to calm himself and muttered through clenched teeth,

“Seriously, Saya? First you shook me so hard on the bus we nearly crashed, and now this? Ice cream in the face? What are you mad about, huh? Just tell me.”

“You’re the one who leaned in outta nowhere! Of course I was startled!”

“Oh, so now you’re arguing?” Without warning, he gave her a light flick on the forehead.

“You’re really asking for it today, huh? Think it’s time for some punishment!”

“Noooo!!”

She squirmed and struggled to break free from his grip, but his strength far outweighed hers. The two ended up tangled in a chaotic mess in the middle of the cherry blossom park.

“Get over here, you little brat!”

“Let go of me, you old perv!”

“Old your butt! Not only are you stubborn, but you’ve got a mouth on you too! Maybe I should kiss you to shut you up!”

The threat made Saya immediately cover her mouth with both hands, then slap his muscled arm.

“Pervert!”

“Well, behave then! Or else Papa here’s gonna spank that little butt of yours ‘til it’s red!”

“You dirty old man!! Aaaaahhh!!” She flailed wildly, shaking her head like a rock star.

“You’re so damn loud!!”

Day 07 / 02

The road to the cherry blossom park was quite long.

The park they were heading to was over 80 kilometers away from Edo—practically crossing a prefecture.

They pulled into a gas station to refuel. As soon as Saya got off the bike, she stretched and twisted her body to relieve the stiffness.

“Ugh, so sore…”

“Well, yeah. And we’ve still got more than 40 kilometers to go,” Gintoki replied.

“You’re not sore, Gin-san?”

“Of course I am. That’s why I stopped to take a break.”

Saya turned to look at the silver-haired man busy refueling the scooter. He noticed her stare and raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Sorry… for asking you to come this far,” she mumbled.

He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. “Don’t make that pouty face. I’m the one who promised your brother, remember? If I didn’t come, who else would?”

Saya still pouted, and Gintoki couldn’t resist pinching her cheek.

“Come on, don’t sulk. I wanted to come too. Riding a bike across a prefecture is no big deal.”

“Hmmph.”

“Alright, let’s go before the place gets too crowded.” The silver scooter sped down a smaller road—a shortcut to their destination, saving time and distance.

Meanwhile, the three people and one creature who had secretly followed them had already fallen behind. Sadaharu had to run on foot, eventually collapsing halfway from exhaustion. Now, they were likely resting or bickering somewhere.

As they crossed into Yamanashi Prefecture, unfamiliar yet scenic roads surrounded them. Blue waters stretched out on both sides of the path, prompting Saya to pull out her phone for a picture.

“So pretty…”

“Told you.”

“Looking at this… makes me want to move here.”

“Then do it. We could visit often.” Saya squinted suspiciously at Gintoki’s back and gave him a light smack.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“You planned this route, didn’t you?”

“What plan? Don’t make stuff up. I brought us this way ‘cause it’s shorter, that’s all.”

Saya didn’t believe him and opened the map app on her phone. “What’s the name of the park we’re going to?”

“Why?”

“Just tell me!”

“You’re the one who told me, remember?”

“I forgot. Come on, tell meee!” She shook his shoulders and the front of the bike, making it wobble slightly.

“Saya! Cut it out, you’ll make us crash!” She immediately sat still, lips pouting again.

“Okay, okay… I’ll stop.” Halfway there, they stopped at a convenience store for another break.

Saya sat on a step outside while Gintoki went inside to buy snacks. “Hey, young lady. Are you Gin-san’s girlfriend?”

She turned toward the voice and saw an elderly local man smiling at her.

“Oh, um… no. Just someone he knows.”

“Really? Then what brings you two all the way out here? Business?”

“We’re visiting the cherry blossom park.”

“Sounds like a date to me.”

“Uhh… well…” That question threw her off. It was kind of a date, but if she said it out loud, she worried Gintoki might be embarrassed or get the wrong idea.

“Hey, long time no see, old man.” Just then, Gintoki stepped out of the store, right on cue.

“Well, if it isn’t Gin-san! You doing okay?”

“Yeah, all good.”

“Heading out on a date with your girlfriend, huh?”

Saya whipped her head toward the old man. I just said I wasn’t!!

“Yeah, it’s a date—but she’s not my girlfriend yet.”

WHAT?!

She turned her head so fast toward Gintoki it might’ve popped off. “Not your girlfriend yet? So she’s your… what, your ‘talking stage’ girl?”

“Well… I guess you could call it that.” Saya furrowed her brows even more. Since when am I his ‘talking stage’?!

Wait… what even is a “talking stage”?

After they got back on the bike, Saya was still deep in thought, trying to make sense of that conversation.

Gintoki noticed her confused expression through the rear-view mirror.

“What’s with the face? Something bothering you?”

“What exactly does ‘talking stage’ mean… Gin-san?”

At that, Gintoki slammed the brakes so suddenly she almost knocked into him.

“You seriously don’t know?” Saya shook her head.

Gintoki smacked his own forehead. “You have internet on your phone, right? Look it up.”

And with that, he twisted the throttle and resumed the ride. Saya fumbled to type into the search bar, then tapped the first result she saw and began reading.

“The ‘talking stage’ refers to the period where two people are getting to know each other before officially becoming a couple…”

Wait a second…

Her brain processed the information.

So when he said she was in the “talking stage,” that meant… he was thinking of her that way? That the two of them were… seeing where things might go?

Once the realization hit her, she considered bonking her forehead against his broad back.

But on second thought—nah. He’d probably scold her again.

Day 07 / 01

Early in the morning, just before 6 a.m.,

Today was the first day Gintoki woke up early without having any work.

He didn’t even know why. Was he excited? Not really. Couldn’t sleep? Nope, he slept like a log last night.

He scratched his head in confusion.

“Oh well, I’m already awake. Might as well just lay around and wait for the time to pass.”

In another recovery room, The sound of a phone alarm went off, causing the girl on the bed to stir awake.

Saya slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the light as she reached out to turn off the alarm. She glanced at the time on the top-right corner of the screen—7 a.m. As she pushed herself up from bed, the doctor happened to walk in at the same time.

“You’re up early today.”

“Ehe, I was thinking of going out right after getting discharged, so…”

“Going out with Gintoki? Where to?” the doctor asked while putting on a stethoscope.

“I don’t know what the place is called, but I know it has lots of beautiful cherry blossom trees.”

“Oh, sounds like a nice place! Makes me want to go too. Alright, take a deep breath in slowly.” The doctor placed the stethoscope on her chest to check her internal condition.

“Everything seems normal. Looks like you’ve recovered well.” Saya beamed brightly upon hearing that.

“As for the other wounds, you’ll need to go in for weekly cleanings until they’re fully healed. I’ll write you a medical certificate.”

“Okay!”

After finishing the check-up and getting her documents, Saya quickly got herself ready for the outing she was so eager for.

But because of her still-healing external wounds, it took her a while to finish showering.

Once she was all set, she headed straight for Gintoki’s recovery room—only to find him already dressed, napping on the bed.

“Hey, wake up already,” she said, nudging his cheek gently.

“Mmm… You’re ready?”

“Uh-huh.” Gintoki sat up, letting his eyes scan her from head to toe.

Today, Saya wore something different than usual: a cream cropped shirt, a short black skirt above the knee, black boots, and a high ponytail. Her makeup was minimal—just a hint of pink on her lips.

She looked beautiful… and pretty well-endowed, too.

Thwack!

“OW! Why’d you hit me?! I’m still injured, y’know!”

“Why were you staring at my boobs?”

“It was an accident! Can’t I apologize?”

“Ugh, whatever. Can we go now?”

“Yeah, sure.” They made their way down to the parking lot.

Yesterday, Gintoki had asked Shinpachi and Kagura to drop the bike off early so they could ride to the cherry blossom park today—because if they had to walk, they’d get there tomorrow.

Gintoki put on his helmet and handed the other one to Saya. Just as she was about to get on the bike, she frowned at it.

“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you getting on?”

“I forgot I’m wearing a skirt… I can’t sit properly like this.” Saya pouted and poked at her skirt like a sulky kid.

“Do you have any pants with you?” Saya shook her head.

Gintoki sighed, got off the bike, and pulled down the kickstand.

“No choice, then.” He unbuckled his belt and took off the outer layer of his yukata.

“Hold your arms out.” Saya blinked but obeyed. Gintoki wrapped the yukata around her waist like a cover-up.

Now that they were close, she noticed something she hadn’t before: Gintoki’s face was really quite handsome. Sharp jawline, high nose bridge… She couldn’t resist reaching out to touch it.

“What are you doing? Groping me?” Saya giggled and gave his cheek a playful pinch.

“You’re really handsome, you know.” Gintoki raised an eyebrow and struck a little pose.

“Am I? I’ve been handsome since birth, actually.” That made Saya immediately stop smiling and give him a weird look.

“What? Why’re you looking at me like that?”

“Shouldn’t have complimented you.” She climbed onto the bike and scooted to the back seat. Gintoki followed, grumbling.

“What’s her problem… I was just telling the truth.”

“Stop whining and go already.” Once they were seated, he started the engine.

“Hold on tight, or you’ll fall.”

“Where should I hold?” Saya flashed him a cheeky grin.

“Up to you.” A pair of hands gripped his shoulders, making Gintoki frown and glance back.

“Why not my waist?”

“Well, you said it’s up to me.”

“You’ll fall holding like that. Just hug my waist.” He took her hands and wrapped them around his waist.

“Then why give me a choice to begin with?”

“I didn’t think you’d be this clueless.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Yeah, about time. You talk too much.”

“You little—!” Gintoki revved the bike and took off a little too fast, making Saya nearly fall backward. She smacked his back in retaliation.

Meanwhile, behind one of the hospital buildings… A small group of people had been secretly watching them since the two stepped outside.

“Come on, let’s go already!”

“Are we really doing this?”

“Stop talking and move! If you’re not coming, I’ll go with Big Sis instead!”

“Let’s follow them before we lose sight!”

“Woof!”

“Sigh… fine, whatever.”

Day 06 / 04

“I’m exhausted.”

“I should be the one complaining, not you.”

The two of them sat slumped together on Saya’s hospital bed, still catching their breath after being scolded by a nurse for running around.

Saya suddenly sprang up and gave a light smack to the stomach of the man next to her. “I’m hungry. I want ramen.”

“We already ate at the place next to the hospital, didn’t we? Still not full?”

“I want ramen, not hospital food. Take me there, please?”

“Only if the doctor says yes.” Saya immediately rushed off to get the doctor’s permission—which, unsurprisingly, ended with her trudging back to the room looking dejected.

“Guess that’s a no,” Gintoki said. Saya pouted, her face clouded with disappointment. Gintoki let out a sigh. Who would’ve thought this girl could be so cutesy and childish underneath it all? Was she really 24?

“Let me borrow your phone.”

Saya looked at the large hand held out to her before handing over her fancy smartphone. Gintoki tapped away at the screen and made a call.

“Ah, hello? This is Sakata Gintoki. I was wondering if your shop’s still open. I’d like to order some ramen. Two bowls, please—deliver to Shinji Hospital, Room 302. Thanks a bunch!”

He turned to hand the phone back, only to see that Saya had fallen asleep. Gintoki shook his head before gently picking her up and adjusting her sleeping position, pulling the blanket over her chest.

A buzzing sound from the phone caught his attention. Curious, he tapped into the notification. It was a memory archive—messages from over ten years ago. He scrolled down, reading each message carefully.

saya: Dad, I got first place on my test today!

saya: sent photo

saya: Aren’t I amazing?

saya: Dad, is Mom doing okay? Do you get to see her? What about Grandpa and Grandma, do you see them too?

saya: My friend just passed away. Can I ask you to take care of her too?

saya: I don’t want her to be lonely.

saya: Please look after my friend.

saya: Dad, I feel so alone.

saya: Can I come be with you? I don’t think I can take this anymore.

saya: Living like this hurts so much.

saya: Even if nothing’s wrong on the outside, my heart can’t take it anymore.

He kept scrolling until he reached the most recent message—sent, by the look of it, about a week before Saya arrived in Japan.

saya: Dad, you once said you worked in Japan, right? I’m going there for work too.

saya: You said you met a samurai there once, and that you’d introduce him to me someday.

saya: Are you going to send him to me now?

saya: It’s not like I want to meet him or anything. I’d be so embarrassed…

saya: But… if you want me to meet him, I guess it’s okay.

saya: I hope he’s a good person.

saya: Dad, I met someone.

saya: His hair is silver and he always looks kind of tired, like he’s super lazy or something.

saya: But he seems like a good guy… Just loud, sarcastic, lazy, and stingy—that’s all.

As soon as he finished reading, Gintoki let out a laugh. She gossiped about me to her dad? This kid really has no filter.

saya: Dad, today I ended up telling him about myself... and I even cried in front of him.

saya: When I woke up, I was so embarrassed. But he didn’t seem to mind.

saya: Oh, I forgot to tell you—his name’s Gintoki. Sakata Gintoki. I don’t know how old he is, but he’s probably older.

saya: And today, he took me out. It was so fun… and I also got super dizzy.

saya: I got to meet the kids at his shop, too.

saya: They’re adorable—and funny. When we went into the haunted house, Gintoki screamed his lungs out.

Reading that last part, Gintoki's eyebrow twitched. This girl... badmouthing me again, huh? Someone needs a spanking.

saya: But he really looked scared. When I saw his face, my heart sank. I felt so bad... like, seriously bad. If I had known, I wouldn’t have dragged him in there.

His lips curled up without thinking. He didn’t expect something as small as being scared of ghosts to make her feel guilty.

Back then, he really was surprised. People usually just laughed or teased him, and of course, someone like Sakata Gintoki wasn’t about to let that slide. It was about pride—and pride meant staying quiet and acting cool.

But that day in the haunted house, all that pride just vanished. All the coolness disappeared without warning, and he let himself be vulnerable—even though they had only known each other for a few days.

It was strange. For someone who didn’t care about anyone, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

He didn’t know why—but what he did know was that when she hugged him back then, he felt safe. And calm.

He liked holding her hand. Wanted to hug her more. He hated seeing her in pain. Hated when she suddenly disappeared.

Maybe… I really do like her.

"What’re you snooping at?" The voice from the bed snapped Gintoki out of his thoughts. Saya was staring at him.

"Sorry," he said, handing back her phone. "I saw the notification pop up and kinda tapped it by reflex. You’re not mad, right?"

Saya sluggishly shook her head as she sat up. "Nah, it’s fine. Has the ramen arrived yet?"

Right on cue, the door swung open—revealing a very familiar face.

"You again? What, you delivering ramen now?"

"I’m just doing a favor for Ikumatsu-san, that’s all," said the delivery guy—none other than Katsura Kotarou.

"Alright, now that you’ve delivered it, off you go." Gintoki handed him some cash.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I won’t hang around and cramp your style."

"Good." After Katsura left, the two of them cleared a space for the ramen bowls.

"Hey, Gintoki."

"Hmm?" he replied, mid-slurp.

"We're going to see the cherry blossoms tomorrow, right?"

"Of course. Your brother practically threatened to kill me if I bailed."

"Just the two of us?"

"What do you mean ‘just’ the two of us?"

"Are we really going… just the two of us?"

"Yeah. Why? Want to bring the others along?"

"I mean… kind of. But honestly, I’d rather go with just you."

Hearing that, Gintoki chuckled quietly. "What, is this your way of asking me out on a date?"

"Can’t I?"

He set down his spoon and chopsticks, then turned to look at her, eyes calm and serious. "You’ve got a crush on me, don’t you?"

Saya looked him straight in the eye, her expression equally calm. "I don’t know."

"Come on. You’ve totally fallen for me. No way you’d ask me out otherwise." He struck a pose like he was some kind of heartthrob, making Saya burst out laughing.

"Gintoki, has anyone ever told you how full of yourself you are?"

"What? So what? I’m just being honest. Believe it or not, I’ve had tons of girls fall for me." Saya nodded with a small smile. "Sure, sure. Anyway—tomorrow’s a yes, then?"

"Yeah. Wear something pretty."

"How pretty are we talking?"

"Hmm… Pretty enough to make my jaw drop."

"You said it."

"I did."

"Then it’s on."

After their chat, they polished off their ramen and by the time they were done, it was nearly midnight. Gintoki had to return to his own recovery room. Before leaving, Saya lingered by the window, gazing up at the deep blue night sky scattered with stars.

Tomorrow's the last day I’ll be here. I don’t want it to come… but oh well. Tomorrow will come no matter what. I just hope… it brings something good.

Day 06 / 03

“Thank you for your help. And here’s the full payment as agreed.” Rachel handed the check to Kondou. Her job was done. All that was left was to escort the Eliths back to America to face justice.

“My pleasure,” Kondou replied.

“Captain Kondou, the commander is calling for you,” Okita announced as he stepped into the room.

“Thanks, Sougo. I’ll be heading off, then. Hopefully, we’ll get to work together again next time.”

“Likewise,” Rachel said.

After Kondou left, only Rachel, Seif, Okita, and Hijikata remained in the room.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Rachel spoke up, drawing curious glances from the others. “Do you guys know Sakata Gintoki?”

“Yeah, why?” Hijikata replied, lighting a cigarette, inhaling, and exhaling a plume of smoke.

“What kind of person is he?”

“Why are you asking? Interested in him or something?”

“A little. He seems to be interested in my little sister.” Okita and Hijikata exchanged looks before turning back to her.

“Your little sister? You mean Saya?”

“Yes.”

“That guy’s a former Joui patriot. They used to call him the ‘Shiroyasha.’”

The name Shiroyasha rang a bell. If she remembered correctly, he was a samurai so powerful that defeating him was nearly impossible. “And now?”

“Now he runs an odd-jobs business. As for his personality... well, he’s quite a loudmouth. Loves pachinko, reads Shonen Jump, picks his nose, always behind on rent, and he’s addicted to parfaits.”

After hearing that laundry list of flaws, Rachel rubbed her temples. This guy sounded like a complete mess. If Saya ended up dating him for real, she’d be the one doing all the heavy lifting in the relationship.

“You’re overthinking this,” Seif said quietly, finally speaking up after watching Rachel's troubled face.

“How can I not? You heard what they said about him.”

“True, but based on what we saw recently, he doesn’t seem that bad. He helped save Saya and even helped capture the Eliths.”

“That kind of situation doesn’t prove anything. If they really start dating, he’s probably just going to mooch off her.” Seif let out a long sigh.

“So what are you going to do? Forbid her from seeing him? You think Saya would listen to that?”

They both knew Saya wouldn’t. No matter how obedient she could be, she was still pretty stubborn.

“Stop overthinking it. She’s twenty-four now. Let her face the world on her own.”

“And look where that’s gotten her,” Rachel snapped. “You saw how much pain she went through. After our parents died, she was completely lost. Bullied, deceived, and emotionally shattered. She fell into depression. We had to watch over her constantly until she slowly came back to herself. Now you want me to just let her walk into trouble with some good-for-nothing?”

“But even if our boss is lazy, when it comes to work, he always gets things done,” Okita said, drawing their attention.

“I know him well. He may be a slacker, but when it matters, he gives his all. He may not talk much about it, but if a friend or someone close is in trouble, he’ll rush in without hesitation—and without telling anyone. Just like yesterday, when he found out your sister was kidnapped, he went straight after her.”

“And how am I supposed to trust that he’ll take care of my sister?”

Hijikata blew out a puff of smoke and stubbed out his cigarette. “We’re not telling you to trust him. We’re telling you to give him a chance. Like Sougo said, he’s not a bad guy. He just wants to protect the person he cares about. That’s all.”

Okita gave Hijikata a wide-eyed look. “Wow. I can’t believe you’re actually speaking up for the boss like this.”

“Shut up. I just don’t want to owe him one, that’s all.”

Rachel stayed silent, mulling over their words, until Seif gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Look, Saya will be fine. If that guy ever messes up, I’m sure Saya will handle him herself. For now, all we can do is stay close and watch over her.”

Rachel looked at him and slowly let go of the tension in her face. “You’re right.”

Saya was old enough to take care of herself and make her own decisions. It was time to give her some freedom.

“Well, if there’s nothing else, let’s go. I’m starving for some ramen,” Seif said, rubbing his growling stomach.

“How about we go to our usual place? It’s actually pretty good.”

“Sure, lead the way.”

Rachel’s phone buzzed with a notification. It was a message from Saya—she had sent a photo. Rachel smiled as she looked at the picture. Kagura had taken the shot. In the background, Saya was chasing Gintoki with a stick, while Shinpachi tried to break them up.

It’s time for you to really grow up now, Saya.

Take care of yourself… from here on out.

Day 06 / 02

She plopped down on a rooftop chair, gazing up at the beautiful sky as a cool breeze brushed against her face.

"I don’t wanna go back… I wish I could move here."

"Looks like someone’s really into this place," Gintoki said, settling into the seat beside her.

"Yeah… But I can’t. Rachel would totally freak out."

She knew her sister well. Ever since they'd met, Rachel treated her like a fragile treasure. She appreciated the care, but sometimes she just wanted a bit of freedom.

"Then why not move here for real?"

"Huh?" She turned to him, surprised to see him smiling. "Wait… are you serious?"

"I am. What do you say? Move in."

His expression was too genuine to be a joke—which was wild, considering it was Sakata Gintoki, a guy who only cared about sweets, pachinko, and money.

"You’re joking."

"Nope. Dead serious."

Saya placed her hand on his forehead, checking for fever. Normal. She tried feeling his pulse. Also normal.

He gently took her hand and placed it on his lap. "Saya, I’m fine."

"No… you’re definitely not normal." He sighed. "What do I have to do to prove it?"

"Why do you want me to move here?"

"I just… want you to. Feels weird hearing that from me, huh?"

"Super weird."

"I thought it'd be nice. We could visit you on weekends, hang out, have dinner with the AC blasting at your place."

"So basically, you just want to freeload off me?"

"Ah, busted." She smacked his arm.

"Ow! Hey! I’m injured here!" She kept smacking, so he grabbed both her hands.

"Let go!"

"No! If I do, you'll just hit me again!"

"Bad Gintoki! Take this!" She bit him.

"Ow! You little gremlin! Are you a dog or something?!" He let go—only to catch her in a playful headlock.

"Urgh! Let me go!"

"I’m serious, Saya. I really do want you to move to Japan—with all of us."

"You’re just trying to turn my house into your new Yorozuya branch."

"Hey, now there’s an idea! Why didn’t I think of that sooner?"

"Yaaagh!"

"Hey, there you guys are!" Shinpachi, Kagura, and Sadaharu had joined them, settling onto the bench nearby.

"So, what were you two talking about? Or were you getting all lovey-dovey~?"

"Lovey-dovey? Please. I was trying to convince her to move here so we could hijack her house—ow!!" Saya had headbutted him.

"Ow!! What is wrong with you?! One minute you’re hitting me, next you’re biting, then headbutting—I'll toss you off the roof straight into deep space!"

"Grrr!!"

"You little brat!!"

"Please, both of you—stop fighting," Shinpachi sighed.

"I really do want Saya to move in with us, you know," Kagura added softly. Everyone turned to her.

"It’s not about turning her house into a Yorozuya branch. I just want her to be with us. For real."

Saya pulled Gintoki’s arm off her neck and sat up straight, turning to listen as the little girl beside her began to speak.

“I really like you, Saya,” Kagura said cheerfully. “From the first time I saw you, I thought you were super pretty! And you’re the first girl Gin-chan has ever shown interest in too. So… I really want you to become part of our family.”

“Kagura-chan…” Saya said softly, touched by the sincerity. Then she narrowed her eyes a bit. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Hm? What is it, nya?”

“You guys planned this, didn’t you? Did Gin-san put you up to this?” Kagura’s eyes darted left and right, then blinked innocently—and bolted.

“Kagura-chan!!” Saya called out after her, then spun around to glare at the silver-haired culprit.

“I knew it…” she growled, raising her hand, ready to strike.

Gintoki quickly pushed her arm away. “Whoa, wait! Calm down, I can explain!”

He raised his hands in surrender. “Kagura just really wants you to move here, that’s all. Right, Shinpachi?” He turned to the bench next to him—only to find it completely empty. Even Sadaharu was gone.

“…When the hell did they disappear—OW!!” Too late. Now he had to run for his life from Saya’s mighty palm.

“Wait! Saya! Let’s just talk this out!!”

“NO!!!”

Day 06 / 01

The soft chirping and quiet chatter stirred the girl on the bed from sleep. Saya slowly opened her eyes and rubbed them, trying to adjust her vision.

"You can’t. Saya has to go back today."

A familiar voice made her lift her head. Shinpachi and Kagura turned toward the speaker—Rachel, the head of the Detroit Magic Division, whom Saya respected like an older sister. Rachel stood near the TV, and beside her on the sofa was Seth, a colleague and like a big brother to her.

“Saya’s awake,” Seth nodded, prompting everyone to turn toward the bed and rush over.

“How are you feeling, Saya?”

“I’m fine. But—how did you and Rachel get here?”

“Flew in,” Seth replied flatly, earning a glare from Rachel.

“What? What did I say wrong?”

“Go get the doctor,” Rachel ordered. Seth pointed at himself. “Me?”

“Fine, I’ll go.”

The doctor gave her a quick check-up. Her wounds were healing fast—she could likely be discharged tomorrow.

“Then I’ll ask to leave today.”

“Go where?” Rachel asked.

“Home, of course.” Saya shook her head vigorously, lips pouting.

“No way. I want to stay until Sunday.”

“No. You're going back today.”

“Oh, come on! She wants to stay—let her! The bad guys are all taken care of. What’s there to be afraid of?”

“Maybe... but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any stragglers left.”

“This is Saya we’re talking about—she’s stronger than any of us! Plus, the kids are here too. What’s the worry?”

“Exactly! Let Ah-Saya stay. We’ll watch over her,” Kagura chimed in.

“No. It’s not happening.”

“Excuse me, miss,” said a new voice, drawing everyone’s attention. “Your sister just started recovering. Let her rest a bit longer.”

“Gin-san! / Gin-chan!”

“Hey.” As Gintoki sat down beside the bed, Saya reached out to grab his shirt like she was pleading for help.

“Who are you?”

“Sakata Gintoki. Owner of the Odd Jobs business.”

Rachel recognized the name from the Shinsengumi contract. Apparently, he was involved in this mission too. Still…

“So what? I’m taking my sister back. You have no say in this.”

“Hey, Saya, do you want to go back?” Gintoki asked. Saya shook her head firmly.

“See? Your sister doesn’t want to leave. Don’t force her. I know you’re worried, but at least ask what she wants.”

“He’s right, Rachel,” Seth added. “Saya’s grown up. Give her some freedom.”

Neither of them were siding with her! Rachel was just worried. She wanted Saya somewhere she could look after her properly.

She’d fought against letting Saya come here alone—it was dangerous, and neither she nor Seth nor the doctors could always protect her.

“Rachel...” Saya called softly, climbing down from the bed and walking over to gently hug her sister.

“Can I stay one more day? I’ll come back tomorrow evening... please?”

“Why?”

“There’s a sakura event tomorrow. I want to see it.” She gave Rachel her best puppy-dog eyes—but...

“No.” Still firm. Saya pouted, then ran straight to Seth.

“I say yes. Go ahead.”

“Seth!!”

“Enough! What did I just say, Rachel?” Rachel didn’t respond—just shot him an annoyed look.

“Alright, fine. But the moment it ends, you’re coming back. Got it?” Rachel let out an exasperated sigh. Somehow, she now looked like the stubborn child.

Seth might act goofy at times, but when Rachel got too headstrong, he always switched into serious mode to rein her in.

“Thanks, Seth. Thank you, Rachel!” Saya threw her arms around them both—at this point, who could say no?

"Hey, you." Gintoki raised an eyebrow, pointing to himself in confusion. "Me?"

Rachel stared at him coldly. "If anything happens to my sister, I won’t let you off."

"Yeah, yeah," Gintoki replied nonchalantly.

Day 5 / 04

The corpses of Elith’s top five elite soldiers lay strewn across the floor, mangled beyond recognition, not even remotely human anymore.

A sharp-eyed figure swept the room with his gaze until his eyes landed on the girl standing calmly at the center.

“Well, well… to take out Elith’s elites like that—you really are the daughter of the world’s top mercenary.”

Saya slowly turned toward the voice. The man was completely cloaked, with only glowing red eyes visible beneath his hood.

“No greeting for me, beautiful?”

“Who?” Her raspy voice made it clear—this wasn’t the same Saya he once knew.

“Ah… not Saya, is it?”

This was Dark Saya—the other self born the moment her father died. A merciless, heartless entity that wanted nothing more than to destroy everyone—friend or foe.

Worse yet, it wanted to take full control of Saya’s body.

“It’s rare you stay out this long,” the man said with amusement.

Without a word, Dark Saya launched herself at him without hesitation.

“Tsk. I told you—we’re in a hurry.”

He calmly raised his hand in a halting gesture—

And at once, her body froze mid-air.

“Charging in blindly only clouds your focus. You won’t see the openings.”

With a flick of his wrist, he slammed her body into the wall. She gasped, blood spilling from her mouth.

“Khak—!”

“Let’s dig up some old memories, shall we?”

The cloaked man launched an attack at high speed, kicking her in the stomach with such force that her body went through the wall, crashing through several rooms.

“I… I’m not… losing yet!”

“You’ve lost, Saya.”

“Not… yet!!!” Just before she could rise, it felt like her head was about to explode. “AAARGHHH!!!”

Dark Saya writhed on the floor, her heart racing so fast it felt like it would burst out of her chest. She slammed her head against the floor to ease the pain, but no matter how hard she hit the ground, it wouldn’t go away.

‘Enough already. It’s time to return to where you belong.’

“No!!! I won’t go back!!!”

The cloaked man stood quietly, observing her. But suddenly, a mysterious beam of light shot toward them, forcing him to leap aside.

“Kazura-san!!!”

The gang rushed toward Saya, who was struggling. Gintoki glared at the cloaked man, fury in his eyes, prompting the man to speak up.

“Calm down. I didn’t do this to her. Saya is just fighting with herself.”

“Fighting with herself?” Gintoki asked, his confusion showing.

“Saya has two personas—her normal one and her dark side. Right now, her dark side is being pulled back to its original place, which is causing her symptoms.”

“We don’t believe you.” Kagura said firmly.

“Suit yourself,” he shrugged.

“AAARGHHH!!!”

A final scream echoed throughout the room before the slender body collapsed to the ground, motionless.

“Azacchan!!! / Kazura-san!!!” Shinpachi and Kagura shook her to try and wake her, but it was no use; she remained still.

Gintoki checked her pulse and found it weak. “Take Saya out of here first.”

“What about Agin-chan?” Shinpachi asked, concerned.

“I’ll handle things here and catch up later.” They exchanged a glance before Shinpachi carried Saya on his back.

“Come back soon, okay?”

“Yeah.”

Gintoki watched the kids disappear before turning his attention back to the cloaked man.

“Well then, looks like it’s our turn.”

“You seem eager to play with me.”

“Not really, but it wouldn’t hurt to try!!!”

Meanwhile, Shinpachi and Kagura were trying to find their way out, but the Elith soldiers kept coming relentlessly. He thought they’d all be gone by now.

Bang! Bang!

Kagura fired to cover their backs and allow Shinpachi to run, but the building was on the verge of collapsing, forcing them to dodge falling debris.

The steel balcony above them cracked and fell toward them, but suddenly, a mysterious bazooka shot it away.

“Kazura-san! Elizabeth-san!”

“Azacchan!!”

“Are you all alright?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s hurry up. This place is about to collapse.”

“And Gintoki-san?”

“He’s fighting the Elith soldiers inside.”

“Is that so? Let’s get out quickly. He’ll be fine.”

“Right.”

CRASH!!!!!

The battle between Gintoki and the cloaked man was far from over. They continued to clash with everything they had. The man finally removed his cloak, revealing his true face.

Gintoki’s brow furrowed in recognition. He knew this man. The same man who helped in the war against foreign invaders with an old man.

“You’re making that face, so I guess you remember me.”

“Tch! I didn’t think it was you.” Gintoki used his wooden sword to push himself off the ground, taking his stance.

“Let’s continue this, ‘nephew.’”

The two lunged at each other, exchanging blows and slashes until they were both sent flying. Sainless kicked Gintoki in the chest. Although Gintoki blocked with his wooden sword, it shattered into pieces, and he was sent crashing into a wall, coughing up blood.

Sainless walked toward him, glancing at the silver bracelet on Gintoki’s arm before tearing it off.

“So it’s because of this bracelet that you can use Saya’s power.”

Cough! Cough! - Ack!!! Another kick to the stomach sent Gintoki into unconsciousness, barely able to move.

“Your skills are still impressive, but, you know… a person without power is just a regular person. No matter how hard you try, you’ll always be ordinary.”

He stomped hard on Gintoki’s stomach, causing the floor beneath them to crack.

“Ack!! Cough!!”

Gintoki, with trembling hands, grabbed Sainless’ leg. “It’s true, in the end, I’m still just an ordinary person… Cough!! But…”

With a sudden burst of strength, he flipped Sainless over and locked his legs around the man’s arm.

“I’m an ordinary person with friends!!!”

“YAAAGH!!!”

Shinpachi and Kagura, who had followed, launched their weapons at Sainless, piercing through his body. Two rough white crystals shot out, and both Sainless and Gintoki were sent flying in opposite directions.

“Gintoki-san!!! / Agin-chan!!!”

Coughing!

At that moment, the area around them began to collapse, forcing the group to scramble to escape.

CRASH!!!!!

They barely managed to escape just in time, and once they were out, they collapsed, completely exhausted.

“You guys almost didn’t make it,” Kazura said, looking down at them.

“Why are you here?” Gintoki asked, seeing Kazura standing above them.

“I followed you when I saw you come here,” Kazura replied, glancing at Sarutobi and Elizabeth, who were standing nearby.

“Still investigating me, huh?”

“Even though you don’t choose me anymore, I don’t want you to die, Gintoki-san. It’s called still having feelings for you—”

“And Saya?”

“!!!” Gintoki interrupted, ignoring her long-winded speech.

“She’s unconscious over there.”

Gintoki slowly got up and walked over to Saya, who seemed to be waking up. He sat down next to her.

“Well, well, you little troublemaker, you’re not dead yet?” Saya gave a small smile.

“Almost.”

“Gintoki, it hurts. Can you say the chant for me?”

“Like this? There’s a lot of people here.”

“Can’t you?” Saya pouted, looking up at him with an expression like a child, making Gintoki scratch his head.

“Alright, alright…”

“Jabula Jabula, my love, may suffering disappear, and happiness return.”

He whispered the words softly and kissed her forehead. Everyone around them was stunned or blushing, except Sarutobi, who screamed in disbelief, with Elizabeth having to hold him back.

“Rest, you silly girl,” Gintoki muttered, though he caught a glimpse of a slight red tint on Saya’s ears before she smiled in satisfaction.

“Mm, stay by my side.” Her hand rested on his forehead.

“Yeah.”

Day 5 / 04

Inside the facility, now reduced to wreckage, two footsteps echoed through what remained. The ceiling had caved in, debris littered the floor, and the bodies of Elith soldiers lay in pools of blood.

No one could’ve caused this much destruction except one person: Saya.

Well, it’s their fault for capturing her. What did they expect? Of course she’d fight to survive.

A sudden beam of energy shot past her face, slamming into the wall and leaving a gaping hole. She barely dodged in time—Had she moved a second slower, that hole would’ve been in her skull.

“Yaaahhhh!!”

A woman in battle armor charged in, beginning a fierce battle with Saya. Her magic weapon fired laser-like beams that could cut through anything—but Saya had her own tricks.

A hard kick slammed into Saya’s stomach, sending her flying—

But as she flew, she caught sight of a man behind her preparing to skewer her with a spear. She instantly morphed the ground beneath her, propelling herself upward and slamming down with a massive sword to intercept.

But it didn’t end there—

Three more opponents arrived.

Two were twin brothers wielding a hammer and a spear. The third, a short-haired woman, carried a bow with poison-tipped arrows.

Now it was five versus one.

Even for Saya, it was a tough fight. Attacks rained in from every angle, and she had to dodge and counter constantly.

“Move!” the archer ordered.

The others backed off as she fired a poison arrow straight into Saya’s left shoulder, pinning her to the wall. Three more arrows followed—one each in her right shoulder, left leg, and right leg.

“Now you can’t run.”

Saya struggled to break free, but her strength was nearly gone. Worse still, the poison was spreading, searing through her veins like fire.

“Argh!!”

“Can that really kill her?” one of them asked. “She has every kind of power, doesn’t she?”

“But not my poison,” the archer smirked, stepping toward Saya. She grabbed another arrow and drove it deep into Saya’s chest.

“ARGHHHH!!!”

“Crying already?” she sneered. “Don’t worry. Soon you’ll be just like your parents. And your powers? We’ll make good use of those.”

The world around Saya began to fade. Her heartbeat slowed.

Maybe this is it. I’m done. I’ve got nothing left.

“This is why you’re weak. That’s why everyone died. Your time is up. I’ll take over from here.”

Suddenly, the arrows pinning her body melted away and dropped to the ground.

Saya stood—slowly, steadily—then tilted her head back with a twisted grin.

“What the…?!”

Before they could react, the ground erupted into a massive stone spike that impaled one of the twins straight through the chest.

“YOU!!”

The others attacked at once. Saya called forth a long sword and drove it through the remaining twin’s heart, then slashed him clean across the chest.

“Kuuya!! You monster! I’ll—”

Before she could finish, the short-haired archer fired her own poison arrow—Into her ally’s head.

The venom surged instantly, twisting his body grotesquely until he exploded.

“Well then…” Saya said with a blood-soaked smile.

“Who’s next?”

Explosions echoed from the other side as fiercely as ever. Gintoki’s team wasn’t holding back—

Even though the Elith side had numbers on their side, they couldn’t match their strength.

“Jeez!! Finally done!”

But just as the words left his mouth, one of the room’s large doors burst open—

And from the smoke emerged a monstrous creature, so massive its head scraped the ceiling.

It looked like a massive, long-haired brown dog—

But its face was oddly human, with razor-sharp teeth like a shark, three tails, and a stench that reeked of rotting corpses.

“What the hell is that thing?”

“Ugh! I’m gonna puke—ugh, ughhh!!” Kagura gagged as the smell overwhelmed her.

Sadaharu stepped forward, growling deeply as he stood face-to-face with the beast.

“Sadaharu… is that you?”

“Woof!!” Sadaharu turned to smile at everyone—

Then suddenly his body surged with power, swelling in size until he was just as massive as the demonic beast.

Gintoki noticed a crystal pendant hanging from Sadaharu’s neck.

Saya must’ve left it for him.

“I get it now. Alright, I’m counting on you.”

“Woof!” Gintoki patted Sadaharu’s leg.

“Take care of it quick, alright? We’ve got dinner to get home to.”

“Woof!” Elsewhere, in the main hall—

Day 5 / 02

In a cold, square-shaped room filled with various pieces of experimental equipment—some of which still emitted faint beeping sounds—a young woman lay restrained on a metal platform at the center. Her light-colored eyes scanned the surroundings carefully. Though disoriented, she could roughly guess that this was some sort of underground lab… and that she, herself, was likely one of the “test subjects.”

“Well, well… you’re finally awake, little lady.”

A rough, hoarse voice spoke beside her. A large man reached over, his coarse hand brushing against her cheek. Saya turned her face away with all the strength she could muster, prompting a roaring laugh from him.

“Ouch! Rejected by a pretty girl, huh? That stings.”

He gripped her cheek harshly, making her wince in pain. She struggled against the restraints, but the more she moved, the more electric currents surged through her body, leaving her weak and breathless.

“Give it up, Saya,” he said, leaning in close. “You’re powerless now. Just an ordinary girl.” But instead of showing fear… Saya let out a soft laugh.

“What the hell are you laughing at?”

“You’re just ridiculously scary, that’s all.”

In that instant, the electricity in the room surged toward her body. The lab equipment flickered and went silent. The lights blinked and then shut off completely.

With a sudden force, all her restraints snapped free.

The man stumbled back in shock, reaching for his weapon. But it was too late—The moment the blade neared her, she caught it barehanded, transforming it into a crackling electric spear. In one swift motion, she hurled it straight through him.

He collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Saya pushed herself up slowly and began walking toward the exit, eyes scanning for the next threat. But before she could take another step, a dozen Elith soldiers swarmed the corridor ahead.

“Freeze!” one of them barked.

“Stay where you are and surrender quietly!” Saya stood still, locking eyes with each of them one by one.

Then, she spoke.

“No.”

Elsewhere—deep within the rural outskirts, far from the city—Gintoki and the Shinsengumi raced after Sadaharu, who was leading the way by scent.

“Jeez, they took Saya this far out?” Kagura huffed as she ran.

“No kidding… we’re practically in ghost town territory,” Hijikata muttered, eyeing the surroundings warily.

“Makes sense though,” Gintoki added. “The farther they are from the city, the less chance the cops will come sniffing around. Perfect for hiding shady operations.”

Eventually, they reached a wide clearing in the middle of the abandoned town. Sadaharu slowed down, nose twitching, before stopping in front of an old factory building. He sniffed the air carefully… then barked loudly.

“Woof! Woof!”

Everyone froze.

That bark said it all—“She’s here.”

“What is it, Sadaharu? Did you find Saya?”

“Woof!” Sadaharu barked toward the open dirt field. Gintoki looked in the same direction, pondering something.

“Kagura, didn’t you say Saya cast a spell on your umbrella?”

“Yup, she did-nya.”

“Then shoot over there,” Gintoki said, pointing at the field.

“But Gin-san, that’s just an empty field…” Shinpachi said, confused.

“Doesn’t matter. Just shoot.”

“You got it-nya.”

Kagura lifted her umbrella and fired a magical blast toward the field. The beam struck something invisible, triggering a shockwave and smoke that began to rise.

“What the heck…?”

Moments later, cracks formed in an invisible barrier, gradually revealing a hidden structure behind it—an enormous research facility. Elith operatives inside could be seen frantically running for their lives.

“Seize them all!!” Kondou shouted to his unit as the terrified researchers fled.

“What’s going on here?” Hijikata grabbed a panicked man by the collar. He looked like a scientist.

“Help us! Please—it’s a demon! A demon’s gone berserk!”

“What?!”

“She’s gone mad! She’s going to kill us all!”

The words were enough for the Odd Jobs crew to understand instantly. They leapt onto Sadaharu’s back and dashed forward, charging straight into the chaos while shouting back—

“Shinsengumi! We’re leaving the rest to you!”

“Gin-chan… Saya’s going to be okay, right?”

“She has to be. That girl’s a hundred times stronger than we are.”

“Right-nya! I forgot.” Of course she’ll be fine. That girl’s practically invincible.

Day 05 / 01

Friday morning—already the fifth day of the week—had arrived far too quickly. Only two days left, huh? Then his duty of looking after Saya would be over.

The thought made Gintoki feel strangely uneasy. Normally, that wasn't like him at all. A job ends, and that’s it. He'd go home, lie around, and read Jump in peace.

But this time… it was different.

He didn’t want it to end.

Not because he wanted to keep working—but because he didn’t want her to leave.

He wanted her to stay. Stay here, stay peacefully. Go on trips together. Go shopping together like yesterday…

“Gin-chan~ Breakfast’s ready, nya~!”

Maybe… maybe he should ask Saya to go somewhere with him after this job ends? She’d be going back to America soon, and who knew if she’d ever come back?

He stroked his chin, lost in thought.

But wait—why did he even want to do all that?

Could it be… he actually liked her—

CRASH!!!

Before he could answer his own question, the house’s tiny terror came flying in with a surprise dropkick that sent him crashing into the wall.

“WHAT THE HELL, YOU CRAZY KID?! I COULD’VE DIED!”

“Who cares, nya~? If you died, we’d get the life insurance money and build a high-tech Odd Jobs office, nya~!”

“YOU BRAT, KAGURA!!!”

After their usual chaos, the two made their way downstairs to Otose’s shop. Gintoki sat at the counter and was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer amount of food laid out.

“Why’s there so much food today?”

“We’re celebrating~” Catherine chirped, placing a glass in front of him. “Celebrating your newfound love~”

“Love? A celebration? For what?”

“The kids said they wanted to throw a party for you,” Otose chimed in. “Said since you finally fell in love, it’s worth celebrating.”

Gintoki let out a deep sigh. “When did I ever say I was in love?”

“Oh come on, Gin-san,” Shinpachi added. “Even someone watching from Mars could see it. The way you look at Saya—it’s different from how you usually stare at pretty girls.”

“Is that so? Then explain it.”

Shinpachi froze. He honestly didn’t know how to put it into words—he’d never been in love before. “Uh… well… it’s hard to explain.”

Gintoki sighed again. “Listen, Shinpachi. Just because you look at someone a certain way doesn’t mean you know everything about what you feel. Sure, maybe… I’ve started to like her. But liking someone doesn’t always mean the feeling will last forever, you know?”

“So, Gin-chan~ Do you like Saya or not~?”

“I don’t know... maybe I do.”

“Eeeeehhh~!”

The entire shop erupted in teasing sounds and smirks. It wasn’t like his feelings were perfectly clear—he admitted to himself that he liked Saya, truly liked her—but there were still too many mixed-up thoughts in his head, questions he hadn’t figured out yet.

“Well, it’s about time. You’re almost thirty—finding yourself a wife now wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Easy there, granny. I haven’t even asked her out yet!”

“So, when will you ask her to be your girlfriend, Gintoki-sama?”

Tama asked curiously while mopping the floor.

“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought that far ahead.”

“Better be quick, or some mutt might snatch her up, nya~ Saya’s really pretty, y’know?”

“She’s that pretty? As pretty as me, perhaps~?”

Catherine asked with a dramatic pose.

“Please, Catherine-san. Don’t even compare. You’re not even close to the dirt on her shoe.”

“Oh you little four-eyed punk!! You think you’re hot stuff just ‘cause you’ve got glasses!? You think you can insult other people like that?!”

“I already told you—I’m not just a pair of glasses!!”

“Alright, alright. That’s enough bickering. Eat your food before it gets cold.”

Just as things were settling down again, the door swung open—and in came the Shinsengumi.

“What the hell, guys? We’re in the middle of a peaceful meal here. Ever heard of manners?”

“Didn’t mean to interrupt your feast,” Hijikata said seriously. “But we’ve got a problem.”

“What happened?” Shinpachi asked.

“Saya’s gone missing,” Kondo answered with a worried face.

“When?”

Gintoki set down his chopsticks, face suddenly calm and serious.

“No one knows exactly,” Hijikata replied. “We went to meet her this morning for a meeting, but when we got there… the place was completely empty.”

“Did you try calling her?”

“We did,” Okita answered. “We tracked the GPS her sister put in her phone, and it still shows she’s in the room. But after searching the place... we realized she didn’t take either of her phones with her.”

Okita handed Gintoki two high-end smartphones—both looked brand new.

“Has she stopped by here at all?” Hijikata asked.

“No,” Shinpachi replied. “We haven’t seen her since we parted ways yesterday.”

As everyone discussed the situation, Gintoki suddenly went quiet.

He was remembering something...

Something Saya had said to him last night, when they were riding the Ferris wheel together.

“Hey… Gintoki.”

Saya’s voice was soft as the two sat high above the city in the Ferris wheel, surrounded by stars.

“Hmm?”

“If… if I ever got kidnapped… would you come find me?”

Gintoki turned to her slowly. His gaze was calm, but something deep inside stirred.

“Would you want me to find you?”

She looked him in the eyes, then gave a small nod. “I would…”

He smiled faintly.

“If you want me to find you… I will.

Even if they take you all the way to America—

I’ll chase you down… until I find you.”

Saya held out her pinky.

“Promise me.”

He hooked his pinky with hers.

“I promise.”

“Gintoki, where are you going?”

Shinpachi asked as the silver-haired man suddenly stood up and marched off, grabbing Sadaharu like he was headed somewhere important.

“I’m going to find Saya.”

“Then we’ll go too!”

“No. You guys stay here.”

“No way, daaa!”

Kagura and Shinpachi stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “You want us to just sit and wait around? That’s not gonna happen. Besides… you’re not the only one who made a promise to Saya.”

Gintoki paused. “Wait… you guys knew?”

“Not exactly,” Shinpachi replied with a small smile. “But I figured you must’ve had a talk like that with her.”

“When we were walking to the amusement park,” Kagura added, “we made a promise to Saya too. That if she ever got taken—we’d be the ones to go rescue her. No matter where she is.”

“Hey… Is someone hunting you down, Saya?” Kagura asked bluntly.

“Kagura-chan! You can’t just ask that!” Shinpachi turned to stop her, but Saya only offered a small smile.

“It’s okay. You can ask… I’ve been hunted for a long time—since I was a kid.”

“You must be really exhausted,” Shinpachi said gently.

“Yeah… So tired that sometimes, I just wish I could disappear.”

“Don’t disappear, na! If you do, Gin-chan will be super sad!” Saya laughed lightly. “Why would Gin-san be sad because of me?”

“Because Gin-chan likes you, duh!” Saya raised an eyebrow at Kagura’s bold declaration.

“Come on… Someone like Gin-san?”

“It’s true,” Shinpachi added. “Normally, when someone’s upset, Gin-san doesn’t hug them. At most, he pats them on the head. But with you? He hugged you.”

Saya fell silent, her smile fading into thought. “Maybe… he just pitied me.”

“No way,” Kagura said confidently. “We can tell—Gin-chan really cares about you. He wouldn’t have invited you out otherwise. He’s stingy as hell! He never pays for anyone unless he has to, but he actually bought amusement park tickets for you!”

“…He did, didn’t he?”

“But isn’t it dangerous, going out in the open like this?” Shinpachi asked, glancing around.

“I don’t know…”

“Don’t worry, Shinpachi! We’re here, right? No one’s laying a finger on Saya while we’re around!”

“But those guys… the Elith… they’re terrifying. I don’t think normal kids like us can handle them.”

“Terrifying? So what!” Kagura slammed her hand on Shinpachi’s back, making him yelp.

“If Saya ever gets taken—we’ll be the ones to bring her back. That’s a promise!”

“Are you serious?”

“Dead serious!” Kagura puffed up with pride.

“We swear on the honor of the Yorozuya! No matter where they take you—we’ll bring you back!” Saya let out a quiet laugh and nodded.

“Then I’m counting on you.”

“We know, sir… Without the bracelet, we wouldn’t stand a chance against them.”

Shinpachi spoke with firm resolve, eyes burning with determination. “But we’re the Yorozuya. No matter how heavy, dangerous, or terrifying the job is… we’ll still take it.”

“I’d say don’t even try,” Hijikata cut in sharply. “Those guys aren’t normal. No matter how brave you are, you won’t be able to beat them.”

“That’s exactly why, na…” Kagura replied with a smirk. “Saya gave us something—just in case.”

“Something?” Hijikata raised an eyebrow.

Kagura and Shinpachi revealed the weapons Saya had given them—though not as powerful as Gintoki’s bracelet, they were designed to help them stand a fighting chance against the Elith.

Gintoki glanced at the weapons, then let out a small chuckle. He reached for his sword, a familiar glint of resolve returning to his eyes.

“Well?” he said with a grin. “You want us tagging along or what?”

“Hell yeah,” Gintoki turned to the rest of them. “Let’s all go—together.”

Day 04 /04

The young girl stood there, casually licking her ice cream while watching the seductive ninja woman in a full red outfit.

Meanwhile, Shinpachi was desperately trying to explain things to her—but it clearly wasn't working. At this point, he was on the verge of giving up.

“Azacchi, just let Gin-chan go already. He’s not getting any younger. Let him have a girlfriend for once.”

“Kagura, let me tell you something—I am Gintoki’s real girlfriend! That woman is just a pretty-faced con artist trying to leech off of him!”

“I really doubt that...” Shinpachi muttered.

“You seriously don’t know anything, you stupid glasses! That’s why you’re still just a pair of frames nobody wants to wear!”

“What does that even mean!? And I’m not a pair of glasses!”

“I agree with Glasses-man, na~” Kagura chimed in, finishing her ice cream in one slurp and ignoring Shinpachi’s protests.

“Gin-chan and us—we don’t even have money for Saya to scam, you know?

If anything, we're the ones scamming Saya~”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means Saya’s super rich! She paid for everything today and even gave us money for snacks, na~”

Hearing that, Sarutobi was momentarily stunned.

“S-So what if she’s rich! That doesn’t mean she’s nice! You guys just met her—what if she’s using her money to manipulate you all!?”

“I don’t know...” Shinpachi shrugged. “But from what I’ve seen, Saya hasn’t done anything shady.

And if she was up to something, there’s no way Gintoki would let it slide.”

Everyone knew that Gintoki wasn’t the kind of guy who got tricked easily.

If he had been, he wouldn’t have survived this long.

“Oh look, Gin-chan and Saya are coming out now~!”

“Gin—!” Sarutobi prepared to charge over, but then froze.

Gintoki and Saya were holding hands as they walked out. They were smiling and talking—genuinely happy together.

It was like a knife through the heart.

She couldn’t handle it. Sarutobi Ayame could not accept this.

“Oh great... you’re here again?” Gintoki raised an eyebrow, but quickly frowned as he noticed her teary-eyed expression—just like some heartbroken heroine in a daytime soap opera.

“What the hell’s with her now...?”

“It seems... our love ends here, doesn’t it...?”

“Huh?”

“I worked so hard to recover, even dressed up nicely just to see you… and this is how you treat me? Hic!”

“Uh, what's wrong with her?” Gintoki asked, staring at Sarutobi who had dramatically collapsed onto the floor, looking as heartbroken as a soap opera heroine.

“You really love this woman, don't you? Fine! If you want to leave me that badly, I won’t stop you! Go ahead—do whatever you want! And you!”

“Huh?” Saya raised her eyebrow and pointed at herself, wondering if she was the one being addressed.

“If you ever make him cry, I swear I’ll kill you!” Sarutobi shouted, then dramatically leapt away, leaving the other four completely confused.

“So now I’m the bad guy? I’m not even that woman’s husband, why do I get treated like I cheated on her or something?” Gintoki grumbled while Kagura patted his shoulder.

“You’ll get used to it, nya~”

“Is everyone in this town crazy or what?!”

After that chaotic scene, the Odd Jobs gang and Saya went to grab dinner, which Saya generously paid for.

“Hey hey, wanna ride the Ferris wheel?” Kagura pointed to the large wheel in the distance.

“Sure. We’re here already, might as well get our money’s worth,” Gintoki said, scooping parfait into his mouth. Truthfully, he’d rather be home reading Jump, but since Saya was footing the bill, he couldn’t exactly refuse.

“Let’s go before it gets dark,” said Shinpachi.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

At the Ferris wheel, Kagura immediately split them into pairs—she rode with Shinpachi, leaving Gintoki with Saya. Gintoki didn’t object; he figured Saya wanted to ride anyway.

Inside the Ferris wheel, silence lingered. Gintoki's amber eyes subtly glanced at the girl sitting across. The warm sunset lit her face, making her look almost ethereal—like time had stopped just for her.

“What are you staring at?” Saya finally asked, noticing his gaze.

“You’re really beautiful, you know that?”

“Huh?” His straightforward words caught her completely off guard.

“I said, you’re beautiful.”

“W-Why say something like that out of the blue… I don’t know how to react!”

“What, are you shy or something?”

“N-No! I mean… maybe a little,” she admitted, biting her lip. “Throughout my whole life, besides my family… you’re the only one who’s ever told me I’m beautiful.”

The Ferris wheel slowly ascended to its peak, then suddenly jolted to a stop—Saya flinched.

“Are you okay? You look pale.”

“…You’re afraid of heights, aren’t you?”

She nodded quickly. Even two-story buildings made her legs shake.

“But wait, how do you do your job then?”

“That’s… work mode. Totally different.”

The cabin shook slightly again, making her grip the bar tightly. Gintoki noticed her trembling and pulled her over to sit beside him, then reached out and held her hand.

“Feeling better?”

“It feels even more tilted now…”

“It’s fine. Just a little wobble.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Saya closed her eyes and took deep breaths, trying to steady herself. The sound of his voice calmed her a bit.

She peeked at his hand still wrapped around hers and smiled faintly, squeezing back.

“Are you holding my hand ‘cause you’ve fallen for me?”

“Maybe.”

His casual answer made Gintoki chuckle softly. “Man… now I’m the one getting flustered.”

Despite his words, his expression remained flat—with only a tiny smile playing on his lips. Saya wasn’t sure if he was truly embarrassed or just pretending.

“Hey, Gin-san…”

“Hmm?”

“If I were kidnapped… would you come find me?”

“Would you want me to?”

She turned to him and nodded. “Of course I would.”

“Then I’d find you—no matter where. Even if you were taken all the way to America, I’d come get you.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Saya smiled and gently rested her head on his shoulder.

Day 04 / 03

Saya tilted her head up to the sky and closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze brush against her face.

Japan is amazing. It feels like my heart is being healed... I don’t want to leave. I just want to stay here.

The sound of stretching pulled her attention. Gintoki sat up, rolling his shoulders and arms to relieve the stiffness.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah, kinda. Are those guys still not done playing around?"

"Guess not."

Gintoki glanced around until his eyes landed on a clock—it was 1 PM.

"Anything you wanna ride?"

"There's one thing. Will you ride it with me?"

"If you’re in, I’m in."

"You sure? This one’s scarier than all the others."

"How scary can it really be? Rides are all the same."

"You sure? It’s really scary."

"Positive. Let’s go."

Positive, my ass! Whatever he said earlier—he wanted to take it back.

He thought it would be a roller coaster or something, but no... this was a haunted house!

"You okay?" Saya turned back, noticing Gintoki’s face had gone pale.

"Y-Yeah. Totally fine..." (He was definitely not fine. He wanted to cry.)

"You don’t look fine. Want to back out?"

"No, no, no!" he quickly stopped her as she started to move.

"I’m just a bit excited, that’s all. Nothing serious."

"You sure?"

"Sure! C’mon, it's our turn!" He gently nudged her forward. Deep down, he wanted to bail, but he didn’t want to disappoint her—or lose face. Gintoki Sakata could lose money, but never pride.

They stepped into the darkness. The gloomy atmosphere was suffocating. He instinctively grabbed her shoulder tight, prompting her to pull his hand to walk beside her instead.

"Better like this?"

"Y-Yeah... much better." His eyes scanned the dim space nervously.

"If you can’t handle it, just say so."

"A-AHH!" A loud bang as the door slammed shut made him jump and cling to her arm.

She didn’t pull away—only stroked his arm gently to calm him down.

They pressed on until they reached a large room lined with rows of beds, each with a “corpse” covered in a white sheet.

Saya picked up a note on the nearby table. It was the room’s mission: Solve the puzzle to get out.

"What’s that?"

"A task. We have to solve it before we can leave."

"Oh, come on! They’re making us do stuff now? I’m already freaking—AHH!" Something fell to the floor mid-sentence, making him jump again.

"I’ll go find the clues. You coming?"

"Y-Yep…"

Together, they searched the room, both jumping at every noise.

Gintoki was glad he wasn’t alone—it helped ease his nerves a little.

His amber-red eyes scanned every corner until he spotted a piece of paper wedged under a desk.

"Found it, Saya! I got the last clu—"

But as he looked up, his face froze.

Saya was gone.

“Saya… where are you?”

Gintoki scanned the room, his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach.

He forced himself to move, every step filled with dread and hesitation.

“Saya! Come on out! Don’t play around like this!”

The banging noises only got louder, and now he was getting annoyed.

“What the hell is all that banging? That you, Saya? Say something!”

No reply.

And worse—the “corpses” on the beds started to shake.

His feet instinctively backed up until his back hit the wall. His heart pounded wildly, nearly bursting out of his chest.

And then—the corpses sat up all at once and charged at him!

His legs gave out as he dropped into a crouch, covering his ears and squeezing his eyes shut in pure terror.

“Holy Mary, full of grace—please let me live! I’ll never skip school again—AHHHHH!!!!”

“Gintoki! Gintoki!!”

Saya’s voice cut through the chaos as she pushed past the ghosts and rushed to his side, shaking him urgently.

“I’m here! I’m here now! You don’t have to be scared anymore!”

Tears streamed down Gintoki’s face as he slowly lifted his head, removing his hands from his ears.

“You idiot… where the hell did you go?”

“I’m sorry… I’m here now. You’re safe.”

She wrapped her arms around him and gently rubbed his back, offering him comfort he didn’t know he needed.

Warmth—genuine and unfamiliar—radiated from her embrace. It melted the fear away like morning light chasing off a nightmare.

He finally hugged her back, burying his face in her shoulder.

Normally, he would have brushed it off, claimed he wasn’t scared, played it cool.

But with this girl… he just accepted it. He let himself be vulnerable without shame.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Saya pulled out a cap from her bag and gently placed it on his head, shielding him from the horrors around them.

“Don’t let go, okay? Or the ghosts might come after you again.”

“You don’t let go either. Don’t leave me behind again, got it?”

Day 04 / 02

Upon arriving at the amusement park, Saya scanned the surroundings. The amusement park wasn’t much different from the one back in her hometown. Although it wasn’t as big as the one in Detroit, it was probably better than being alone and lonely.

Gintoki stood panting while waiting in line for a ride. Saya reached out and gently tapped his arm. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.” He tried to act tough, but it was obvious he wasn’t feeling great. “To be honest, it’s tiring, but I can handle it.”

The loud shrieks from people on the ride filled the air, making it impossible to tell who was screaming. After the ride stopped, everyone climbed off with various expressions.

“Ugh!!!”

As soon as Gintoki got off, he ran straight to the trash can and vomited. He didn’t know how the others were doing, but he couldn’t take it. Maybe because he was getting closer to his thirties, his body wasn’t as resilient as when he was younger, or maybe he wasn’t used to rides like this.

“Water?” He looked up at the person next to him, who was holding out a bottle. He reached for it. “Thanks.”

He opened the bottle and took a gulp. It helped clear his throat. He then offered it to Saya. “Do you want some?”

Saya looked at the bottle, took it, and drank it all.

“I’m still hungry.” Gintoki smiled, chuckling lightly. “Sorry, I overdid it with the water.”

They continued riding more attractions, with Kagura and Shinpachi pulling them along. As they kept going, Gintoki started feeling exhausted. He leaned against a backrest and took a deep breath to get some oxygen into his lungs.

They had only been on a few rides, and yet he was already out of breath. He placed his hand on his forehead and realized he was also feeling dizzy.

“Want to rest for a bit?” Saya asked, sitting next to him.

“How am I supposed to rest?” Gintoki tapped his own lap. He thought for a moment before lying down on her lap, placing his hand on his forehead.

“Just for a little while.”

Seeing that he had closed his eyes, Saya took out the handheld fan she had just bought and held it to cool him down.

She gently ran her fingers along his sharp nose while observing his face. Upon closer inspection, Gintoki had a strikingly handsome face – a sharp nose, a perfect jawline, and charming dead fish eyes. Overall, he was quite good-looking.

But there was one thing that bothered her – his lazy personality, his nose-picking habits, and his sharp tongue. But it wasn’t that bad.

“You know, it’s not nice to touch someone else like this while they’re asleep.” Gintoki spoke with his eyes still closed.

“Well, you’re handsome.”

“Are you being that direct?”

“Why? Is it wrong?”

“No, never mind. I’m going to sleep. And don’t get up to mischief, or you’ll regret it.” Without saying more, Gintoki reached out and placed Saya’s hand on his chest to keep her from moving around.

“Hmph,” she said, helpless. She decided to just sit still.

“Hey, is Gintoki already knocked out?” Kagura, who had just returned from the restroom, asked, and Shinpachi joined them.

“Yeah, looks like he’s out.”

“That’s how old people are. They play a little, and then they’re done for.”

“I’m not old! I’m in my late teens!”

“Old is old, old man.”

“So, what should we do? We haven’t finished riding yet.”

“You guys go ahead. I’ll stay with Gintoki.”

“Aren’t you going to play, Saya? There are still so many rides left.”

Saya shook her head lightly. She wasn’t feeling great either. She was starting to feel dizzy and lightheaded. If she played any more, she’d probably end up like the guy lying on her lap.

“Oh, right.” She turned and took some money from her bag before handing it to the kids. “Here, go buy some snacks.”

“It’s okay,” Shinpachi said, feeling a little awkward, but Kagura was excited and almost grabbed the money. However, Shinpachi stopped her by locking her arm.

“Just take it. And buy me a burger too.”

“Hey, Shinpachi. Saya’s giving it to us, so just accept it. Besides, she asked us to get her a burger too — it’s not like we’re spending it just for ourselves.”

“You’re right.”

In the end, he accepted the money and gave a polite bow. “Alright then, we’ll be off. And please take care of Gintoki for us.”

Saya nodded in response before the kids walked off.

Day 04 / 01

The sound of birds chirping in the morning was so loud that it almost made it impossible to sleep. Saya rubbed her eyes and turned back and forth to try and shake off the drowsiness, but her headache was killing her. She must be hungover from last night.

Slowly, she propped herself up from the sofa and looked around, noticing a blanket covering her and a pillow she had no idea how it got there.

Ding~

The phone in the room rang, grabbing Saya’s attention. She walked over to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

[There’s someone waiting for you at the reception.]

"Who is it?"

[It’s the odd jobs.]

Hearing that, her brows furrowed. She was sure she recognized the name, but couldn’t quite place it.

[Can we talk? Hello, Saya, it’s me.] The familiar voice came through the phone, accompanied by the sounds of chatter from others.

"Is this you, Gintoki?"

[Yeah.]

"So, what’s up?"

[Let’s go to the amusement park.]

"Huh?" Saya raised an eyebrow, confused by Gintoki's invitation. "Now?"

[Yeah. I’m giving you five minutes. And... dress nicely, okay?]

Suddenly, the line cut off, leaving Saya standing there in confusion. What was that about? He called to order her and then just hung up. But despite the confusion, she went ahead and took a shower and changed her clothes anyway.

It’s fine, right? It’s not like it would hurt.

It took her about five minutes to get ready. When she got to the lobby, she found Gintoki and the others waiting for her.

"I'm slow, huh?"

"Sorry."

Saya glanced at the two younger kids standing there and smiling friendly. "Hi, I’m Kagura, and this here is Glasses Guy."

"It’s Shinpachi, not Glasses Guy!!"

"Oh." She smiled faintly. They were so friendly that it made her feel a bit awkward.

"Alright, let’s go," Gintoki said.

As they walked, Saya glanced around at the scenery. During the walk, it was mostly Kagura and Shinpachi who were chatting with Saya, but she didn’t really respond much. Probably because she wasn’t used to it and didn’t want to get them involved too much.

Suddenly, Gintoki stopped walking, making the others stop as well. His red eyes fixed on the person in front of him before he sighed deeply, causing the younger ones behind to lean in to see what was going on.

The purple-haired woman with red glasses, dressed in a beautiful kimono, slightly exposed her shoulder and said, "I’ve been waiting for you, Gintoki. I’ve been waiting all this time. That’s why I tried to heal myself..."

"Let’s go."

"Wait a minute!!!" Sarutobi lunged and clung to his leg when she saw Gintoki about to walk away. "You can’t leave me like this! I’ve been trying so hard to heal myself for you, but now you’re going to do this and go to that woman!!!"

"What are you doing? Let go!" Gintoki struggled to pull Sarutobi off, but she held onto his leg so tightly that it took more effort to get her off.

"Who’s that?" Saya leaned forward, looking at the purple-haired woman who was sitting on the ground.

"Azacchan is Gintoki’s stalker."

"Huh? Shouldn’t the police arrest her?"

Saya’s question made Shinpachi and Kagura glance at each other. How were they supposed to explain this? Since she was their friend, they let it slide? Would she be shocked?

"Never mind, Saya. Let’s just go. Let Gintoki handle this." Shinpachi gently pushed Saya forward to walk, with Kagura following behind.

Day 03 / 04

“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."