[Gintama] Immortal

Yae knew he couldn't die here.

She can't die yet.

—At least not now.

The crow flew away from the branch, and the shadow covering her removed the blade, retreated silently and gradually, and disappeared into the increasingly blurred vision.

The voice that kept calling her, as if from another distant world, began to lose its composure.

Consciousness was wrapped in a thick layer of fog, and Yae kept breathing intermittently, focusing all his attention on the inside of his body, waiting motionlessly for the effect of paralysis to fade away.

When she started to move her arm a little, Yae touched the place where the pain came from, trembling slightly, pulled out the needle stuck in the wound with force.

Little drops of scarlet blood ooze out, and Yae throws the needle out with the remaining strength.

The slender silver needle flashed slightly, and fell into a cluster of broken pine needle leaves, completely disappearing.

His throat seemed to be pierced with a pile of blood-stained broken glass, and his vision was dim due to insufficient oxygen supply.

...Songyang.

The one who was looking for her everywhere.

A person who is as warm as the sun when he smiles.

Songyang.

Just by chanting this name, the mind will calm down miraculously.

He would protect her when the students in the private school were chasing her, and he would sit with her on the porch and watch the cherry blossoms fall like clouds.

The one who would tell her "Yae is Yae".

The person who always smiles and has curved eyebrows, but sometimes shows empty eyes.

Carrying a small ghoul on his back, he can say with a smile, "I can't be defeated by a monster's sword"——

The one who is gentler than anyone and lonely than anyone else.

Both vision and consciousness were shrouded in darkness, and Yae was in a trance, unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy.

The sky is very high and far away, especially blue.

She saw Songyang walking across the softly undulating fields with Yin on his back.

The child who was a ghoul not long ago had scars all over his feet, and he looked like a little koala bear expressionlessly lying on Songyang's back.

Songyang just kept his back on his back and talked to him with a smile. Passing by a beautiful lake like a mirror, he said, "Look, silver hour, it's a lake." Passing by a high mountain shrouded in mist, he pointed to the top of the mountain and said, "Look, When it is silver, it is a mountain."

Wild flowers on the roadside, dragonflies on grass stalks, slowly turning waterwheels, thick carpet-like moss under stones, and ants forming a circle around ripe fruits.

Songyang talked enthusiastically all the way, pointing here and clicking there, until Yinshi rolled his eyes unbearably, and muttered in a low voice:

"I hurt my feet, not my brain."

Yae found himself laughing.

Those memories are so warm, as if shining a little light.

She allowed herself to immerse herself in memories, sinking into the past with no end to the journey.

Song Yang's voice always seemed so happy, Yin Shi lay on his back, wrapped his hands around his neck, realized that it was useless to complain, and listened silently, very quietly and docilely.

The sun is very warm, sprinkled on people warm and harmonious.

A journey without a destination is a long, long journey.

It seems that you can walk like this for a lifetime.

The candles in the private school burned all night.

The white-haired doctor didn't say anything this time, he didn't persuade her to go to the temple to raise her, and he didn't repeatedly tell her to take the medicine on time.

When he picked up the medicine box and left, the respected old man sighed very lightly, patted the back of her hand and did not speak.

The Japanese room was very quiet, and the one who broke the silence was Takasugi.

"You're not going to get better, are you?"

Regardless of Gui's persuasion, he broke in as soon as the doctor left.

Clenching his fists and straining his jaw, the young man standing in front of her tried his best to maintain a calm expression, only the voice that questioned her revealed a few tremors.

"You already knew."

Yae looked at Takasugi for a while, and in an extremely rare way, lowered his eyelids almost docilely, and asked him patiently:

"What do I know?"

His chest rose and fell, Gao Shan stared at her firmly, and almost squeezed out a sentence through his teeth:

"You knew you were going to die, didn't you?"

That's why I always face everything more positively than anyone else. No matter how trivial or boring the daily life is, I always look forward to it with joy, as if trying my best to imprint these experiences in my memory. .

From the small habit of heavy taste, to the ritual sense of adapting to the changes of the four seasons in life, viewing cherry blossoms in spring, listening to the rain in summer, picking red maple in autumn, and baking rice cakes in winter, everything that should be experienced in the four seasons is clearly listed. Like a list that has already been drawn up.

I don't know when I'm going to die, so I always want to feel everything as much as possible.

My life might end suddenly at some point, so I won't get tired of playing boring games thousands of times.

Because I knew from the beginning that I might not live long, that's why I always made the students in the private school cry, made those children laugh, played them around, and was so angry that the private school chased her and beat her but couldn't beat them.

Playful and gentle, freewheeling and restrained to the extreme.

I don't know when I will leave, so even love is meant to be a joke.

...The person who always bullied them has left, those children will not be so sad that they will cry.

What should I do, what should I do in order to minimize future damage.

Yinshi's figure was leaning against the door all the time, with his head up and leaning there, as if in a trance.

"Why," Yae raised his eyes and looked at Takasugi, "Don't you know that one day you will leave this world?"

"..."

She tilted her head slightly, and said with a smile: "Aren't we all the same on this point? Who knows if I will be alive tomorrow, and it is strange to live every day as if it is the last day of my life?"

"...Don't evade my question." Gao Shan took a deep breath and tried to remain calm, "You know what I'm asking."

With a slight smile, Yae was silent for a moment, and sighed softly:

"People who don't know how to pretend to be stupid will have a hard life."

Gao Shan looked at her expressionlessly, his knuckles were pinched slightly white: "Does the teacher know about this?"

"..."

"Does he know about it?"

"Enough!" Gui couldn't stand it anymore, and grabbed Gao Shan's arm.

"What Yae needs now is rest, we will do this tomorrow..."

Takasugi slammed his hand away.

"Shut up, Wig, it's none of your business."

It hurts.

Everyone is in pain.

"...if," Yae said suddenly, she looked into Takasugi's eyes, and said slowly, "every question you ask,"

"I said 'yes' to both."

——When facing things that are temporarily unacceptable, do not want to accept, and refuse to accept, everyone reacts differently.

After the deathly silence, Takasugi opened the door and ran out without looking back.

His reaction—

is anger.

A sharp rage that stabs itself and everyone around it.

"...I made him angry."

The door was wide open, Gui ran out chasing Takasugi, Gintoki disappeared, Yazhong looked at her fingertips, the candlelight by the bed flickered when Songyang sat down beside her, and quickly closed again .

After a slight pause, Yae didn't raise his head: "Part of the reason is that I hurt you."

"He's so sad for you that he doesn't know what to do." She lowered her eyelids and smiled wryly for the first time. "What should I do? How should I apologize to him? He won't come to see me in a short time."

And her condition, at this point, it is completely impossible to hide it.

Songyang's voice was gentle: "Give him some time."

It was a bit cold at night, so he took off the haori, draped it over Yae's shoulders, and wrapped it up for her.

"When people get close, there will always be some friction."

Yae raised her eyes and looked at him.

The candlelight flickered quietly, and countless words welled up in her throat, making her uncomfortable for a while.

… Back then, were you really sure that the child was dead?

——She couldn't say such words no matter what.

The other party was wearing a bamboo hat, covering herself tightly. She was paralyzed by the toxin, and her vision was extremely blurred. In addition, the light in the forest was dim at that time, so she couldn't see anything clearly.

She didn't have any conclusive evidence for her guess about the other party's identity.

She just hoped that that person was Obscure.

I hope from the bottom of my heart that the child is not dead yet.

Therefore, as to why she ran out suddenly, the explanation she gave was that she saw suspicious people outside the private school.

Suspicious people with crows.

...Next time, next time I will definitely not miss it again.

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with your body?" Songyang asked her.

After a moment of silence, Yae shook his head.

With a soft look in his eyes, Songyang stroked her hair: "You can move to my room."

With her debilitating physical condition, it is difficult for her to even walk, let alone take care of herself.

So Yae said, "Okay."

With one arm around her shoulders and the other behind her knees, Songyang easily picked her up.

The long black hair slid down the shoulders, and Yae subconsciously put her arms around Songyang's neck.Leaning on his chest, she raised her face, Songyang lowered his head with a smile, and gently touched her forehead:

"Then let's go."

Yae realizes that Matsuyo is coaxing her.

She raised her hand and touched the corner of her mouth.

...does she look that depressed?

Actually reduced to the point where he needs to be coaxed?

"Where are you going, the great channel?"

Songyang seemed to think seriously for a moment, then said with a smile, "What's that called, New World?"

"..."

Yae was speechless for a moment, but still laughed.She rested her head on Songyang's shoulder.

"up to you."

You can go anywhere.

……

Gao Shan didn't come to see her for several days.

Others told Yae that Takasugi disappeared after class these days, no one knew where he went, and no one dared to ask.

But Gui mentioned to her "indirectly" that Gao Shan's palm was hurt.

……

In a rare shrine, a figure is practicing Suzhen.

Raise the knife, step forward, cut down, and repeat this back and forth, cutting the air again and again, as if planning to keep swinging the knife until exhausted and no longer able to lift the arm.

Sweat slid down his chin, and the blood-stained handle of the knife was wet with sweat. The figure gasped, his eyes sharpened, and he suddenly raised the knife and slashed forward——

Without grasping the strength, the bamboo knife came out of his hand and slid to the edge of the steps with a clang.

There was a burning pain in the palm of his hand, Gao Shan raised his hand slightly, looked at his trembling fingers, and slowly and firmly clenched them into fists.

At this moment, someone bent down and picked up the bamboo knife that fell on the ground.

Gao Shan wiped his face and looked at the person coldly.

"What are you doing."

"Hey, is it possible that this shrine is taken over by you? I want to come to practice swords, can't I?" Gintoki carried his bamboo sword, and raised his eyelids listlessly when he heard the words. The appearance was not so much that he came to find a place to practice kendo. Rather, he skipped class to find a place to sleep.

Takasugi raised his hand to catch the bamboo knife thrown by Yinshi the next moment.

"Hey, you're idle anyway," Yinshi said lazily, his dark red eyes still had the unconcerned look.

"Play a game with me."

……

The weather in the outside world was fine, and Yae sat on the bed, staring at the pine trees in the garden.

When Takasugi opened the door and came in, she was counting the number of times the pine branches split.

Hearing the movement, Yae turned his head, and Takasugi sat down without saying a word, still in the standard sitting posture with his elbows spread and his hands on his knees.

Refusing to meet her gaze, he lowered his eyes casually, his handsome face was covered with bruises, no matter how he looked... he was beaten.

Yae: "...what's the matter with you?"

Gao Shan was silent for a long time, she thought that Gao Shan didn't plan to reply her, but then she heard him snort coldly:

"We lost the fight with Yinshi."

Yae blinked, and blinked again.

With a light cough, she quickly suppressed the smile in her voice.

"You forgive me?"

"..." Gao Shan finally gave her a look, "This is a stupid question."

"But it's an important question for me."

Takasugi was about to snort, but Yae continued: "If you forgive me, just snort."

"..."

"I'm just kidding, don't be angry." Yae saw that Takasugi was choking a little bit, so he quickly followed.

After a pause, she carefully observed the expression on Gao Shan's face, and saw that he seemed to be willing to take the bet and willingly come to see her, so she softened her tone and asked him gently:

"Are you really not angry anymore?"

After a while, Takasugi hummed in a very low voice.

Yae couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Thank you."

She breathed a sigh of relief: "When you are angry, you are always like a hedgehog. You can stab everyone, and you are the most ruthless. It has nothing to do with you being angry with me, but don't make it difficult for yourself."

Yae stretched out his hand, as if Takasugi was still the kid a few years ago, and stroked his soft hair.

"Don't point the thorn at yourself in the future... But it's okay to stab me, because I won't be stabbed by you, Jinsuke."

Startled for a moment, Gao Shan came back to his senses, and avoided her hand with a look of disgust.

"Don't touch it, I'm not a child anymore."

"Why? If you touch it, will you not grow taller?" Yae looked surprised.

Immediately, she withdrew her hand quite seriously: "I'm sorry, I won't do this again."

Gao Shan endured it, but didn't hold back: "...can you be more mature."

"...Jin Zhu, you despise me."

"It's so noisy. As a patient, you have a little self-consciousness... Take care of your illness."

"Is this concern?" Yae smiled and watched Gao Sugi stand up. "Is it caring? Are you caring about me?"

In response, he directly closed the door.

But before Takasugi turned to leave, Yae saw that the corner of his mouth seemed to be slightly raised.

Bickering and arguing, the ordinary daily life is indeed the happiest.

And all of this, even for a short time, is thanks to some idiot.

Yae turned to look out of the corridor.

"Aren't you coming out? Or do you want me to find you out myself?"

After a moment of silence, Gintoki reluctantly shuffled to the corridor.

"I'm in trouble." He clicked his tongue and scratched his messy silver curly hair, and there were marks on his face, but he looked a little better than Takasugi.

"Why is the collar loose again?" Yae's tone was helpless, and her eyes were extraordinarily soft.

"Come here," she beckoned to him, Yinshi hesitated for a moment in the corridor, but obediently moved over.

Yae closed the collar of Gintoki's kimono a little, and patted the dust off his shoulders.

Gradually growing up over the years, Yinshi's body is thin but strong, and his clothes look loose and casual, but his body that has been practicing kendo all year round is not thin at all, and his muscles are tight.

She still remembered that when Songyang first picked up Yin, she could hold his little wooden clogs on her palm.

There is a traveling attire for him. Songyang tied his leggings, gauntlets, hat, and cloak for him. Every time he had to go to great lengths to prevent the hat from covering his eyes or the cloak being too long to drag him down. on the ground.

The small, curly-haired and soft child let the two of them toss with drooping eyelids at such a time.

An expression of "what else can I do, as long as you are happy".

"You're such an idiot," Yae said suddenly.

The corner of Yinshi's mouth twitched: "...Hello."

"Have you heard the story of the orange and the pear?"

"What a story about oranges and pears."

"Once upon a time, there was a man who liked to eat oranges, but his friend gave him a big basket of pears, and asked him if he was happy. He said he was happy, but he was not as happy as receiving oranges, and his friend was angry. Yes, because he got the pears with great difficulty. In the end, the two of them broke up unhappy." Yae said very seriously.

Yin Shi: "...so?"

"You are different. You always know what others need and want the most." Yae looked up at him and said softly, "But you are also a fool. Because even if you hate oranges so much, you will I was so sour by the oranges that I shed tears, but even so, I will still give the oranges to the people I like.”

She said seriously: "I just want you to be happy. If you encounter painful things and unbearable burdens in the future, it doesn't matter if you run away. I just want you to be happy."

When the private school was first established, she was worried that Songyang had more students to take care of now, and Yinshi would feel lost and sad.

But instead of becoming lonely, he made friends, and unconsciously became the person who protects everyone and this private school.

Yinshi lowered his eyes, and there was no emotion in the dark red eyes.

"...But you won't live long." He whispered.

He knew when she collapsed at the door of the private school.

After a moment of silence, Yae stretched out his hands, and gently wrapped his hands around Gintoki's thin shoulders.

The little child who could be held in her arms is now a teenager who can put his head on her shoulder.

"Silver Hour,"

Yae paused.

"After I die, I just exist in another way."

She patted Yinshi's back, although he couldn't see it, she still showed extremely gentle eyes.

"Thank you, Silver."

The child who was once called a ghoul, tried hard to survive no matter what he encountered.

Even in the desperate situation of being alone, he did not give up. He used all available resources and tried his best to survive in that kind of mass grave——

Then met Yoshida Matsuyo.

"I keep forgetting to tell you...it's great that you're a kid who's trying to live."