The end of the curtain

?The tray with the medicine bowl in his hand was not heavy, but Sakurai's heart went up and down like the slightly undulating soup.

Obviously longing to see him very much, it was a silent farewell.But I was afraid that once I saw him, I would be reluctant to leave.Thinking about myself superficially seems to be in a dilemma, but thinking more deeply, it's not just that.

Suddenly wanting to whip out such an indecisive self, Sakurai stopped and leaned against a thick maple tree alone, staring blankly at the dark brown potion in the bowl.

——Oh, don't care, anyway, after much deliberation, the ending is the same, it's better to face it calmly, just have to take a few more glances.She has put in all these efforts and at the last moment, if he doesn't know how to cherish and wants to die, she will never spare him! !

Thinking about it, I don't know if it's because I'm nervous or I have nowhere to vent my anger. As soon as I supported the tray in my hand, I kicked the poor maple tree as if I was nervous——

Pain, pain...Suddenly there is a feeling of wanting to swear...

After finally recovering from the pain from her toes, Sakurai raised her face full of resentment and depression, and the red leaves flying all over the sky gently brushed across her cheeks, with a hint of itchiness in the tenderness .

Turning around, he staggered towards the chief executive's room, but the soup in his hand almost spilled on the floor, he didn't even look at it but stabilized in time.

Looking blankly at the sliding door of the chief executive's room, Sakurai patted the door frame softly, but after waiting for a long time, there was still no response. Sakurai put down his hand knocking on the door, thought to himself, thought for a while, and then said nothing Go in the direction of the dojo.

……

Today is not the patrol time of the first team of the chief division.

The dojo in the afternoon was so huge but almost empty. The reason was that most of the time after lunch, the team members either went to patrol the streets or took a nap while they were busy.

Sakurai walked through the winding corridors of the dojo, and finally found Zongji who was practicing sword in the courtyard where the red maple danced.

The formerly sluggish chief executive put on a serious expression that was almost scary to look at, and waved the bamboo knife in his hand over and over again.The basic practice of swinging a knife did not present any difficulties or flaws to Souji Okita, but he swung every time very seriously and was unwilling to relax a bit.

It's like... If you don't practice hard, your strength will be reduced step by step until you can no longer fight...

Sure enough, the chief executive has gradually realized the seriousness of his illness. He should have put down the sword in his hand and left the Shinsengumi to recuperate, but he always practiced alone when no one was around.From other people's point of view, the general manager smiled casually and cynically as always, but few people could understand the loneliness and insignificant loneliness in his heart.

"Mr. Okita, drink the medicine." Sakurai looked at the chief executive who had just stopped moving with a blank expression, and said straight to the point and handed the medicine over.

The chief executive didn't take the medicine bowl, but gradually put down the bamboo knife, and squinted at Sakurai condescendingly with raised eyebrows, appearing a little careless: "—Your child is really hard to deal with."

...Child... In terms of his usual behavior, she feels that the chief executive is more like a child...

The corners of Sakurai's lips twitched slightly, the unpredictable expression seemed to be angry, but she didn't expect her to be helpless and suppressed slightly.

"This is my duty. Naturally, I have to be responsible until the end." Although Sakurai's voice was not loud, he could not deny every single word, as if he would not give up until today when he saw the general manager drink the medicine with his own eyes. .

This is completely in contrast to the attitude before coming here.

"But if you do something that is impossible, Xiaoxu is a smart person, so you can't be so stupid." Raised the arc that seemed to be a smile but not a smile.

"Anyway, health is the most important thing. Even if you don't want to accept it, it depends on the occasion and think of yourself at the right time." Even if Qianzuru didn't send medicine this time, you can't make fun of your illness, or say, Have you been having hopeless thoughts?

"Even those who suffer from this disease don't know when they will die. As a doctor, don't you have the awareness? Or... you want to watch this good show to the end. It makes people feel sad." There were words in the words, and there was a touch of self-mockery and subtle sadness in the director's cold tone.

I can only say that I am unlucky. In fact, it is only a matter of time before I go to Huangquan. I have already regarded life and death as the priority every time I swing a knife, so I live desperately for the Shinsengumi, for the It is Mr. Kondo who has been following.Obviously there will be no hope in the end no matter what, so it is better to let nature take its course from now on, and stop wasting efforts in vain.

"Really?" Sakurai suddenly no longer refuted, slightly nodded and pondered.She suddenly turned around and gently put the soup and medicine aside, but walked towards the basket full of bamboo swords and wooden knives calmly, and picked out a heavy wooden knife without much hesitation.

It is a bit difficult for her to carry a heavy wooden knife as she usually does not know how to wield knives and guns, but this is not a hindrance.Slightly controlling the strength of his wrist, Sakurai took the standard sword-raising posture seriously: "—then the answer to this question can be found in this competition."

What is the answer to the question?

Although she knew very well that she would be defeated or even bruised all over by the chief commander's knife, there was a faint smile on her face, a faint smile.It seems to be a confident smile, but it is better to say that there is a trace of desolation and helplessness in that smile.

For a moment, the general manager had some doubts in his heart, but he didn't show it. The careless smile on his face became more and more unfathomable, making people frightened for no reason: "——When the time comes, don't cry and beg for mercy."

"No." Sakurai responded softly to this sentence just now, and before he could recover from the slightest stunned just now, he saw a brown shadow flashing in front of his eyes, the tall figure seemed to be accompanied by an aggressive look. The sense of urgency makes it increasingly difficult to breathe.

"—Crack!" At the moment when the wooden knives intersected, her only consciousness was not an instinctive resistance, but a thought that she was about to be unable to withstand the pressure, but she had to hold on.

Even if one's own strength is too small to be vulnerable in the eyes of the other party, if you don't try to fight with all your strength, then you will lose without fighting. The saddest and most ridiculous thing is of course the self who surrendered in his heart.

Looking at the chief executive's elusive expression as he pressed tightly against him, the gloomy low pressure was clearly admonishing himself not to be overwhelmed and surrender as soon as possible. Willing to back down.

...Then why are you working so hard?What's the point?

……

For her, the chief executive inadvertently showed mercy time and time again, but resisted the inexplicable impulse in his heart and did not make a cruel blow to kill her, but it was obvious that his patience was almost exhausted.

The wooden knife in his hand was easily picked up by the director again and again, and he swiped into the air to knock down the fluttering red leaves.With perseverance again and again, gritted teeth and endured the pain, more and more blue and purple bruises appeared on the arms, which looked particularly shocking against the white skin.

Picking up the wooden knife and rushing forward again and again in a seemingly crazy and uncoordinated manner, it is actually a kind of silent oath and deep dissuasion at the cost of skin pain. Maybe it is really difficult for people to understand, but she just Be able to do so.

"...No—uh..." Chizuru, who had just come to the dark place, was anxious to rush up when she saw this, but before she could make a sound, her mouth was tightly covered by the hands protruding from behind , an irresistible force instantly pulled her into a wide and warm embrace.

The familiar smell, the light but unique breath is elusive and lonely...

Chizuru's eyes widened in surprise, and she couldn't react to this situation for a while.After a while, she turned her head in a daze, just in time to meet Hijikata's dark purple eyes, reflecting Chizuru's terrified face.

Hijikata's eyes are as beautiful as the mysterious amethyst, but this beauty that should be seen at a glance seems to be locked in the desolation of the past like flowers and leaves, but when you stretch out your hands, you will never be able to grasp it. .

The clear expression in those eyes was a negative stop, but it made Qianhe dispel the idea of ​​rushing forward, and fell silent in thought.

——Mr. Hijikata, you... have always understood, right?

"—It's not Xiaoxu's style to be self-sufficient. Maybe you want to prove that your strength has never changed?" The calm and gentle tenderness in his eyes disappeared at this moment, replaced by the coldness and ruthlessness of the "son of the devil" in the rumors, and the heart-wrenching coldness reveals the despair of death everywhere.

There is no unwillingness, just letting nature take its course and depravity.

"No, there are many fates as you think. But there are good and bad things in everything, and there is always a part of fate in your hands." Sakurai finally spoke in a flat tone, but with an unprecedented deep color.

In the cool tone of the chief executive, she did not keep quiet. She waved the heavy wooden knife that she picked up again and again, pointed at the chief executive intentionally or unintentionally, and met the chief executive's blade again, "At least struggle!" Have you passed it? Don’t worry too much about the final result, save it until the end, then you can fight with peace of mind. Destiny doesn’t control everything about you, including all powerful opponents. You can fight head-to-head again and again , then you can stand up again and again, although there will be pain in the middle, but one day you will be able to defeat the opponent and break free from the shackles of fate. But if you only want to fall, then—”

At the same time, Sakurai let go of the wooden knife without any hesitation, and with the sound of the wooden knife falling to the ground, seeing that the chief executive's wooden knife seemed to be too late to slash her neck fiercely , but in the next second it abruptly stagnated half a centimeter from the throat, not even an inch.

For a moment, the general manager's casual but chilling smile receded, and the dark green eyes turned into vague anger.

Although it is said to be a wooden sword, but with the strength of the chief executive, the wooden sword is enough to become a murderous weapon.Taking a person's life lies in the difference of one thought.

Sakurai, on the other hand, smiled indifferently at the wooden knife that almost took her life just now, and then looked at him with dark eyes that were as calm as moon water, and said faintly: "Then it will be like just now, in the Once you make a mistake in not fighting, you can only fall into the abyss forever and there is no room for turning back."

——From the beginning to the end, the ruler of fate is not a single-handed monopoly of sleepiness and confusion.

So Director, you have to work hard to live, and only by working hard can there be hope...

"The Okita Souji I know will never give up lightly. Because as the 'sword' of the Shinsengumi, he will always move forward fearlessly and protect everyone with his own beliefs and abilities."

……

It seemed to be crimson red in the twilight. On that silent night when the maple leaves were full of the magnificent colors of the temple, the girl named Sakurai quietly left the Shinsengumi.It was just the usual gentle greetings during the evening meal, without any sign of farewell, and the last people I saw were Hijikata and Chizuru, who knew the whole story from beginning to end.

There is always a banquet in the world. I am afraid that you will not even have the courage to say goodbye after seeing each other for the last time, so it is better to say goodbye quietly.

Chizuru, the chief is counting on you...

Everyone, hope to see you again...?