[Warning: T+ material]
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''Kimiko?" you called while you stood before the doors. "Kimiko, are you in there? Hm. She told me to come by today..."

You slid the doors and once again called her name. You and your friend were going to discuss her wedding today. Then, together with her mother search for kimono. The silence greeted you. For a few minutes you stood, a little annoyed that she might have dumped you. Sometimes she had problems with memory, but surely wouldn't forget about today.

You heard some noise from the kitchen.

"Sorry for the intrusion," you muttered and walked further into the house. You followed the sound you heard. You smelled ugly scent, that was somehow familiar. It wasn't a smell of burnt dinner. You felt creepy tingle in stomach and with a sense of fear you moved to the kitchen.

"Kimiko...?"

You slid the doors and your eyes went wide. Before you laid your brown-haired friend. Her light yellow kimono was torn and bloodied. Her face twisted in grimace, her now fish-like eyes were wide open. And above her stood her husband-to-be, Kanzaki, with katana.

You gaped at the scene, frozen on spot. Kanzaki didn't turn around. He just swished his katana to get rid of the blood still watching the dead girl's body. Your thoughts were swirling through your head. Why he killed her? Why she was dead? Why there wasn't anybody home? How come, he didn't notice you yet.

It was your chance.

You took the vase that stood in the corner. You swung at him and broke the vase on his head. He fell unconscious on the floor, right beside your friend.

"Kimiko..." you said. You tried to calm your trembling legs. "No... not yet."

With resolution in your head you run out of the house.

"Help!" you yelled. "Anybody! My friend...! Help, please!" few heads turned to you. You noticed some blue haoris in the crowd. You run towards the Shinsengumi member and tugged on his arm. "I beg you...!"

The man followed you as you led him into the house, then into the kitchen. Adrenaline left your body and your legs gave out. You threw up contents of your stomach onto the floor and sobbed into your hands. You didn't even notice when Kimiko's parents came to the house. Neither the Shinsengumi arresting the murderer. Your mind was fuzzy as man in blue offered to take you home. You recall blinking and nodding. Only then you recognized the man as Wakahisa-san from the other day.

"Are you going to be okay, miss?" he asked when you were in front of your bakery. You silently nodded, bowed to him and went into the house.

You couldn't sleep through the night, and the next morning you felt lifeless. Somehow you opened the bakery. You decided you that glooming around is not going to help. Later, to your surprise, Kaoru-san you've met weeks ago visited your bakery.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your friend," you thanked her politely.

Two days later, in the evening you decided to visit Kimiko's parents. It was even more depressing, seeing her mother wailing in tears. You couldn't offer anything to them. You walked back home when the sun was already set. You didn't feel good at all. Insomnia, crying and almost no eating made you feel dizzy.

"_____, what are you doing here?" you heard familiar voice. All you could do was to stare at Okita as he moved closer to you. Okita must have noticed your blank look as the smile on his face disappeared. "What happened?"

"I...K-kimiko-... Kanzaki-san... so much blood... Souji-san, I..." you couldn't utter single sentence. With him your façade of collected woman fell apart. Your eyes, red from crying and sleepless nights, fell on the ground. Still, you felt tears prickling in the corners of your eyes. You felt weak on your knees. Your mind was fuzzy and you felt another wave of nausea. Image of bloodied Kimiko... then her mother crying and father trying to be strong couldn't leave your mind.

"_____!" With blurry vision you looked at Okita before everything went black.

***

You opened your eyes and found yourself looking at the familiar ceiling. It was your room. You tried to sit straight but then everything went spinning.

"Hey, don't stand up yet, idiot."

"Souji-san...?" you were greeted by a sight of Okita wearing lazy grin. You looked at your hands grasping tight the blanket. "What happened?"

"That's what I should be asking. You fainted in the middle of the street. You're lucky I was just coming back from my patrol."

"Oh..."

"Don't 'oh' me, _____. What's up with you?"

Everything came rushing back at you. The murder of your best friend and the evening when you visited her parents. Soon you were again sobbing mess. Okita rushed to you. He rubbed your shoulders as you shook and trembled.

"S-she was my b-best friend... She did so much for me. Why she e-ended like this...!? He said he loved her! Then why!?" you voiced your every thought on that matter. You spent at least half an hour in his arms till you calmed down. You explained whole situation to Okita. He listened to the whole story without a simple remark.

You sat in silence through the whole morning.

"Shouldn't you be on patrol, or something?" you asked, your voice barely a whisper.

"I took the day off," he told you."Now, eat this."

You took a sip of a warm soup.

"It tastes horrible."

"That's why I only eat what you cook," he joked. You smiled a little. After blurting everything what troubled you out, you felt you could finally fall asleep. For the first time in three days. "You look as my worst nightmare, so get into the bed or I'll kill you."

You smiled and did as he told you.

You knew your pain after losing a friend was nothing comparing to Kimiko's parents. Still, the recovery would take some time. But you had Okita and now Kaoru was visiting as well. Chizuru-chan was coming by as often as she could. And finally you could smile as you used to.

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Du-du-duum, hello~!
I feel so bad about killing off Kimiko :<<
Nothing much to say, just hope you enjoyed^^