The end of the curtain

?Early the next morning, when Mr. Kondo announced loudly that today is the "cleaning day", all the team members sighed.That's right, after all, letting a group of big men who are accustomed to fighting on the battlefield day and night with daggers in their hands start to do housework like women, it is indeed a "shock" to some people's machismo.

But the noise is the noise, everyone listened to Director Kondo's words and started to fight, after all, good health is very important.Seeing this, Chizuru just laughed softly, and then tied up her shoulder straps and rolled up her sleeves to start cleaning with everyone.

In fact, it is also a very good thing for everyone to work together.

Since the physical examination is completed but some matters need to be ordered, Dr. Matsumoto will stay in the camp for half a day and is going to leave this afternoon.But everyone in the Shinsengumi is cleaning up, and Dr. Matsumoto stays at the village clinic.

The warm sun shines on everything, and the golden silk threads sprinkled gently caress the gentle smile of summer.Colorful summer flowers are blooming everywhere, just like the colorful spring, but the only simple thing is the blue-purple lisianthus blooming in the dilapidated corner of the wall.

The cleaning work was almost coming to an end, and Qianhe just happened to finish washing everyone's clothes, so he put the washed clothes in wooden basins and carried them to the big yard to dry.

After drying the clothes, Qianhe couldn't help but smile slightly as he watched the clean white clothes blowing up in the air.

——Staying in the Shinsengumi is the only thing that can be done.

Just when Qianhe was about to pick up the empty wooden basin and prepare to leave, from the corner of his eyes, he inadvertently glanced at the opposite corner, and saw Dr. Matsumoto and the chief secretary walking towards the corner one after the other.

Chizuru was a little puzzled. It stands to reason that Mr. Okita would not be walking with the unfamiliar Dr. Matsumoto. Could something have happened?

Although a little hesitant, but driven by curiosity, Qianhe followed quietly, hiding behind a pillar two feet away from them.

"Loss of appetite, persistent low-grade fever, listlessness, and cough." Dr. Matsumoto listed all the symptoms in a low voice.

"Ah." The chief executive turned his back to Dr. Matsumoto, nodded slightly and responded softly, his bangs intertwined with the shadow of the backlight, no one could clearly see his expression at this time.

"Well, let me just say the conclusion." Dr. Matsumoto sighed inaudibly, and said the fact that they had never dared to touch in an extremely low voice: "——you have tuberculosis."

tuberculosis……

Chizuru covered her mouth fiercely, but the repeated words had already blurted out.

There was a moment of silence, and the wind blew slightly and coolly.

"What, it really is that famous terminal illness." The silence that lasted for a few seconds was broken by the chief director's soft voice.

"Aren't you surprised?" Dr. Matsumoto's attitude towards this unpredictable young man was somewhat surprised.

"Tell me right in front of me, it's really troublesome, haha..." The chief executive turned around, but there was an inexplicable smile on his face.

"This is not something to laugh at! You'd better leave Shinsengumi for recuperation right now. Find a place with fresh air and slowly—"

Slowly waiting to die?There is no cure for this disease...

"Leaving the Shinsengumi? I can't do it." The director suddenly interrupted Dr. Matsumoto's words in a deep voice. At the moment when Dr. Matsumoto was surprised, he raised his head and the corners of his lips evoked the usual indifferent smile, dark green eyes His eyes finally stopped at the platycodon flower swaying in the wind not far away, "No matter how long or short my life is, there is really only one thing I can do, which is to kill all the enemies who stand in front of the Shinsengumi. That's all... If there is not much time left, I will do this even more, being here is already all I have."

Even if everything you have is your last.

"But—" Dr. Matsumoto wanted to dissuade him, but when he saw the resolute dark color in the chief's eyes, although he couldn't bear it, he had no choice but to say, "I understand your determination. But, don't force it Myself." I finally understood why there was a team doctor with excellent medical skills in the team, but no one said it.

Perhaps, it is the persistence and persistence of this young man.

—————————————————————

After eating dinner and doing what she was supposed to do last night, Qianhe sat alone in the room in a daze, but her face was not in a trance, but looking down in thought.

A few days ago, Dr. Matsumoto came to the garrison to conduct a physical examination for everyone and found out that many team members were not in good health, so Sakurai's work became busy again recently. He usually came back very late, and he didn't say anything when he came back. After a few words, he fell asleep.

Although Chizuru can occasionally help decoction, but most of the time she has to do chores in the house, but when she returned to the room, she didn't see Sakurai coming back, so she would sit and wait for a while, and she couldn't hold it anymore. before going to bed.

The cool evening wind blows through the half-opened lattice windows with the faint serenity of the bellflower.

Chizuru will never forget that when she accidentally heard about Mr. Okita's condition, Mr. Okita smiled and threatened her as always, "If you say it, I will kill you"... At that moment, she had mixed feelings in her heart, and then she Think a lot.

In fact, with Xiaoxu's medical skills, perhaps she has been very aware of Mr. Okita's condition from the very beginning, but Xiaoxu just smiled and told everyone that Mr. Okita has bronchitis... Everyone knows that tuberculosis is not a problem at all. There may be hope for a cure. Qianhe and the others have long known the relationship between the chief executive and Xiaoxu. If that is the case, Xiaoxu, who knew from the beginning that Mr. Okita's life is not long, must be very painful... Xiaoxu is the only one who bears this alone...

I didn't tell Okita-san the truth from the beginning because I didn't want to see Okita-san sad.

When Sakurai, who was physically and mentally exhausted and almost staggered back while holding on to the paper wall, opened the door, but saw Qianzuru who was depressed.He didn't ask, but just plainly pulled a bitter smile that he didn't even realize.

Chizuru-chan, you already know... I'm sorry, I don't have the ability to cure the chief, I'm sorry...

After waiting for a long time, Qianzuru hurriedly stood up, but Sakurai clearly saw that Qianzuru quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeve when he turned to face her.

Chizuru...

"Xiaoxu, you're back." Qianzuru said habitually, although there was a strong nasal voice in her soft voice, she still smiled as usual, even though her smile was as far-fetched as Sakurai's.

Then, when they saw each other's reluctant smile, they paused for a moment, then understood each other's thoughts by coincidence, and sat on the floor.

"Qianzuru, there is something..." Qianzuru, I will do my best——

"Xiaoxu, don't be sad, you'll be fine!" Qianhe said excitedly, her brown eyes gleaming with undeniable firmness, "Even if we have to face that sooner or later...but we, all of us still I will always stand by your side!" Even if we really have to face Mr. Okita's departure in the future, we still have to cherish what is in front of us and live a good life, leaving good memories... I don't want to see everyone sad and decadent So... I will always stand by everyone's side, by Xiaoxu's side...

"...Thank you, I can get to know Xiaoqianhe, and everyone... I am very happy..." At first, I thought that there was nothing worth nostalgic in this world, but after I got it, I found it hard to let go, until I knew it was not worth it. Dare to touch it but the result is heartbroken, but the moths rush to the flame and decide to protect it desperately.

Guarding is not for possessing and obtaining, but for the moving, for the important and loved ones around you.

Thank you, Chizuru, I will definitely work hard, thank you...

—————————————————————

Looking up at the secluded well, a cool air mixed with the elegant fragrance of Platycodon grandiflorum hits the face, and the dripping water splashes around shallow ripples on the water surface, but shatters the bright moon shadow in the pool.

Apart from the pagoda tree at the other end and the blooming platycodon flowers in the corner, the small yard has no other decorations. It is indeed monotonous, so that even some small movements in the yard are very clear in the dead of night.

In consideration of the need to take extra care of the girls, Mr. Kondo and Hijikata arranged a small yard for Chizuru and Sakurai when they moved to Nishi Honganji Temple. Someone will pass by.

Sakurai just came out of the Japanese room, took a little water from the well to wash her face, and prepared to rest. She felt that she needed to calm down and stabilize her mind.

"Hey~~~?" Just as he put the wooden barrel away, he heard Qianzuru's surprised or even startled soft cry from the room.No screams of fear, just wonder.

What happened?

Although he was puzzled in his heart, Sakurai dropped the towel and ran in without any hesitation, but when he opened the half-open sliding door and looked into it, he saw the person he hadn't seen for a long time.

The blue-purple eyes are like the quiet and plain face of Kikyo under the sun, and the corners of the lips evoked an elegant smile as always, and she knelt upright on the cushion facing the incredulous Chizuru.When he saw Sakurai, that smile appeared a bit soft and charming: "Hi~ Long time no see, Sakurai-san~"

At that moment, Sakurai's mind was a little blank, and he didn't even react for a while.Then, after a while, what came to her heart spontaneously was a faint joy of seeing a long-lost friend.

"You are... are—" Who is it?Ayin and Eri, it is undeniable that the two of them are very similar in appearance, behavior and language, and sometimes even Sakurai can't tell the difference.

"Huh? What do you think, Sakurai-classmate?" Hearing this, she wrinkled her nose playfully, deliberately emphasizing the title "Sakurai-classmate".

Sakurai-san... the only one who can call her that, the only one who calls her that when we first meet.

"...Ayin!"

"Here I am again, we haven't seen each other for a year~" Ayin snapped his fingers handsomely, and said with a leisurely smile, "Mr. Sakurai, it's so kind of you to have such a cute little beauty with you. "At the same time, Ayin narrowed his eyes slightly and cast his scrutinizing gaze on Xiao Qianhe, and said with a "wretched" smile: "Hello, little beauty, what's your name?"

Qianhe looked at the lady who suddenly appeared in front of him out of thin air while he was making tea and managed to startle him. He froze for a while, and then said his name: "I, I... Hello, My name is Xuecun Qianhe." It seems that this strange lady named "A Yin" and Xiaoxu are acquainted.

Sakurai looked at Ayin, who was deliberately playing a hooligan, with a dark face, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.Let me ask, Miss Ayin, did you come here specially to tease little Qianhe?

"Oh, Qianhe little beauty~ It's a pleasure to meet you~ I'm Xiaoxu's friend, and my name is Ayin~" The tone of voice seemed a bit frivolous when facing Qianhe, but when introducing himself, he was still correct. sensuality.

"Ah, hello, Ms. Ayin!" Qianzuru bowed to Ayin solemnly and solemnly in Japanese etiquette, and then looked at the girl in front of her with some curiosity.

Dark green kimono, dark purple long hair that can't be taken care of often if you look at it in a mess. Although she looks easy to get along with, Qianhe faintly feels that this girl seems to have a hidden side.

"Tsk, what miss? Just call me Ayin, Xiaoqianhe, and you too, Sakurai-san!" Ayin drank his tea self-consciously, but his appearance seemed a bit foolish, "Get straight to the point, Xiaoxu, I came here this time to find something for you."

"I know." Sakurai accepted Ayin's words calmly, and then sat down between Ayin and Qianzuru. ?