Chapter 83: Silver Soul (Earth Arc)

When the first snowflake of deep winter touched the ground, people in the metropolis hurried home wrapped in thick winter coats, beckoned by the warmth of their houses.

“Achoo!”

Take Okakura glanced at Osei, who was sniffing incessantly, and sighed. So many people were catching colds lately.

“Osei, you should head home. I’ll handle the rest,” Take decided to let Osei leave early today.

“Really? Is that okay, Chief?” Osei asked, surprised.

“Why not? Consider it a rare act of kindness from your department head,” Take waved her hand, jokingly.

“Thank you, Chief! I’ll head out then. Please go home early yourself,” Osei said, gathered his files, and left Take’s office.

Tick-tock, tick-tock—the clock struck eight and Take finally finished her paperwork. She remembered that the Odd Jobs trio had invited her out tonight for drinks and a year-end party. She donned her coat and scarf, left the office, and drove toward the izakaya where they’d arranged to meet.

“I’m here…” As soon as she slid open the door to the Japanese-style room, a sake cup flew toward her. Take dodged it with a tilt of her head.

Looking at the wild and unruly group inside, she regretted coming. They were clearly all drunk out of their minds.

“Ah, Miss Okakura, you’re here! Come sit over here,” Shinpachi, not yet of age, quietly sipped juice on one side. Another underage member, Kagura, was busy playing dice with Hattori Hanzo, lively and entertained.

The room was warm, so Take hung her coat on a rack and sat beside Shinpachi. No sooner had she settled than Gintoki, thoroughly drunk, scooted close, slinging his arm around her shoulders and slurring, “Take, since you’re here, have a drink with me. Tonight I’ll sing ‘Oga Peninsula’ for you…”

The smell! The thick aroma of alcohol from Gintoki’s mouth was unbearable. Take couldn’t stand it anymore and punched him off her shoulder.

Bang! Gintoki, bearing the mark of her fist, toppled to the floor.

Shinpachi looked visibly relieved. “Miss Okakura, thank goodness you’re here. Before you arrived, Gin-san and Miss Tsukuyo got so drunk they smashed half the things in the room.”

“Hmm? Tsukuyo’s here too? Where is she?” Take asked curiously.

“She just went to the restroom with Miss Sarutobi; she should be back soon,” Shinpachi replied.

And just as he finished speaking, a drunken Tsukuyo and Sarutobi walked in.

“Hic—I want more! Bring me sake, you bastards!” Tsukuyo shouted, pounding the table energetically. She grabbed a bottle and slammed it onto the unconscious Gintoki’s head, knocking him even further out.

At that moment, Otae stood up and strode to the center of the room. She hammered the table, and the heavy thud silenced everyone.

When all eyes turned to her, Otae wore a smile that, to outsiders, seemed pure and saintly.

“Everyone, I have an interesting plan. Would you like to hear it?”

“What plan?” Take asked.

“Come on, tell us—are we going to have a drinking contest? I’m totally up for it; I’m basically the Gracie of drinking!” Tsukuyo said, hiccupping.

“No, judging from how you’re already wobbling, you’d be out before it started, Miss Tsukuyo,” Shinpachi adjusted his glasses.

“All right, listen carefully. I propose we teach that natural perm a lesson. How about it?” Though her tone was questioning, Otae’s scheming smile made it clear she was serious.

After hearing Otae’s plan, everyone was eager to take part.

“Boss lady, I’m totally with you!” Kagura loved anything fun.

“Ah, I feel a little guilty for Gin-san, but thinking about what might happen between us, I’m excited!” Sarutobi hugged herself, thrilled.

“I have no objections. That guy’s long overdue for a lesson,” Otose said, blowing smoke rings.

“I agree. So, what’s next?” Take asked, intrigued.

At this, Shinpachi tugged at her sleeve and whispered, “Miss Okakura… Aren’t you and Gin-san… you know? You really don’t mind?”

Take’s eyes danced as she smiled, “I want to see how he reacts. If his response disappoints me…” She drew a chopping hand across her neck.

“Then I’ll kill him!”

This woman is terrifying! Shinpachi’s mouth twitched as he glanced at Take, then at the oblivious Gintoki sprawled on the floor. In his heart, he lit a whole row of candles for Gin-san.

Now, the women excitedly discussed their next steps, finally settling on an order: first Take, then Otae, Kyubei, Sarutobi, Tsukuyo, and Otose.

“All right, the Women's Alliance is formed!” The women high-fived and cheered.

“Women’s Alliance? More like a Monster Alliance,” Hattori remarked, just as Sarutobi hurled a needle at him.

Thud—the sharp needle pierced flesh, landing squarely in Hasegawa’s backside as he lay nearby.

“Ah, I suddenly feel dizzy…” Tsukuyo, beside Take, swayed as if about to collapse.

Take noticed that Tsukuyo was falling toward a pile of broken glass and rushed to support her. In that instant, a handful of needles and kunai spilled from Tsukuyo’s arms, flying straight toward the unconscious Gintoki.

“Watch out!” Take, cradling Tsukuyo, kicked Gintoki out of harm’s way.

Bang! Gintoki, eyes rolled back, crashed onto Madao, landing atop him in a perfectly comical pose.

“…” Shinpachi.

Miss Okakura! Do you really like Gin-san?

“Ow… Why does my butt hurt?” Madao, now beneath Gintoki, woke up.

He blinked, and his worldview was shaken—his first time… gone! Atsuko, forgive me!

Overwhelmed, Hasegawa fainted again—his standard method for escaping reality.

Afterward, the group separated Gintoki and Madao, escorted Gintoki to a nearby motel, and booked a room.

Inside, Shinpachi and Hattori stripped Gintoki down to just his underwear. Then the women piled in.

Seeing Gintoki naked on the bed, Sarutobi excitedly whipped out a camera and began snapping 360-degree shots of his sleeping face.

Suddenly, Tsukuyo, leaning on Take, retched uncomfortably.

“I’ll head out. Tsukuyo drank too much tonight; I’ll take her home. If anything new happens tomorrow, let me know,” Take said, helping Tsukuyo into her car.

By the time Take delivered Tsukuyo back to Yoshiwara, it was already midnight. Exhausted, Take decided to go home.

Before bed, she found herself wondering how Gintoki would react tomorrow. She was eager to know—how would he handle all this?

Smiling, Take drifted into sleep.

Early the next morning, the incessant ringing of the doorbell betrayed the visitor’s impatience. Take, groggy-eyed, opened the door—it was Gintoki.

Gintoki’s eyes darted nervously, avoiding Take’s gaze. He hesitated for a long while before finally looking at her and asking, “Ta—Take, do you know what happened last night?”

What could possibly have happened to make him and Old Lady Otose suddenly cross the K-point and break through Earth’s atmosphere?

Take remembered the plan. She lowered her head and spoke in a deep voice, “Did you forget? Gintoki, last night… last night… we…”

Hearing Take’s halting words, Gintoki’s face stiffened even more. He’d been so vigorous last night! How many times was it?

“If things are like this now, you have to take responsibility, Gin-san,” Take said, looking up at him.

Gintoki was utterly stunned. What now? What now? Gin-san also did ○○○—with other women last night!

Take delivered another blow. She lowered her head, gently stroked her belly, and said softly, “Gin-san, do you think maybe there’s a little curly-haired one in my belly already…”

“Ah!!! Sorry!! Let me calm down first!!” Gintoki shrieked and bolted away.

What kind of reaction was that! Take couldn’t help but squeeze the door handle until it creaked. If it were real and that bastard dared run off, she’d definitely rip off his destructive Armstrong cannon!

Just as Take was about to close the door, a tissue was handed to her. She glanced from the tissue to the fingers, then to the owner—

Isaburo Sasaki! What was he doing here so early?

And the look in his dead-fish eyes—full of heartbreak—what was that about? Why was he looking at her like she was a fallen girl? Why were his eyes fixed on her belly?

Take suddenly felt exhausted…

“Why are you here so early, Mr. Sasaki?” Take asked, blocking the door.

“Miss Okakura…” Sasaki glanced at her belly, his expression complicated.

“All right, if you have something to say, say it quickly,” Take said.

“I was hoping to invite you to breakfast…” Sasaki hesitated, clearly unsettled after overhearing the earlier conversation.

“I think I’ll head back for now—your state doesn’t seem very good,” Sasaki said, maintaining his elite demeanor, though his voice wavered a bit.

“Okay, goodbye,” Take replied, closing the door decisively.

Left outside, Sasaki lingered for a moment before finally leaving.

At that moment, Take received a message from the Women’s Alliance—[Gin-san made a move! He proposed to Otose with marriage as the premise for their relationship. Ah! So envious! —Sarutobi Ayame.]

“…” Take stared at the egg on her plate, picked up her fork, and stabbed it fiercely, splintering it into pieces…

For a moment, the living room was flooded with Take’s murderous aura.

A few hours later, the doorbell rang again. When Take opened the door, she found Gintoki sweating profusely.

“Take! Let’s date with marriage as the premise!” Gintoki still couldn’t meet her eyes.

“All right,” Take smiled, agreeing, but the fork hidden in her hand glinted with a silvery sharpness…

Author’s note: Mad ramblings—Today I revisited ‘Kimi ni Todoke.’ Sawako and Shota are such an adorable couple, I’m smitten all over again. Thinking about it, my girlish heart probably began to die the moment I started thinking Gin-san—with his foot-scratching, nose-picking, diabetes, old-man smell, and pachinko addiction—was super cool… —(:3亅∠)—