Chapter Text
Letters To You
Dear Gin-chan,
You’re a perm-headed fool with more sugar in your veins than blood cells. You better get your ass back here and pay your goddamn rent before I start breaking things, starting with your Ketsuno Ana figurine. Then, your spine, yes? I thought we did everything together. I thought we were the yorozuya.
Things are boring without you. Shinpachi just nags and I have no-one to battle over the remote with. What are you going to do about this? I'm turning into a slob because I can watch all my favourite shows without you interfering. How are you going to compensate me if I put on weight? I'll never find a husband if I become twice as wide. The city has become weird; it's falling ill because you're not here. You were born to live in Edo and now you're missing, some plague has begun to spread. That's also your fault. You better hurry back; Mother didn't bring up a son like this, yes?
They're talking about getting you a gravestone. I- … So get back soon or I'll be burying your sorry corpse even if it's still screaming when I nail down the headstone. How dare you leave like this. We are the Yorozuya … yes?
Without you, it's just me, Sadaharu and a pair of glasses.
Love,
Ka-chan
...
Dear Gin-san,
HOW CAN YOU JUST LEAVE WITHOUT – uh oh. Nearly lost my cool. You're despicable, Gin-san, leaving your two apprentices without wages for so long and without letting us know when you'll return. You could have at least said something before leaving. Aneue is very angry at you – how is she going to fulfil her character purpose and restore the dojo if she has to pay for mine and Kagura's meals all the time? Kagura won't listen to me. She has gone off the rails a little. You were the only one who could convince her not to eat the bulk pack of sukonbu all in one go and now you aren't here, she has no restraint. It is honestly very tiring.
The Shinsengumi have begun an investigation into your disappearance. Hijikata-san seems to be leading it. At first, he didn't seem very interested and he was convinced you'd just gotten that drunk you had forgotten how to get home. Now, he has changed and is round at the apartment every few days to ask for updates. He says they need to keep track of former terrorist whereabouts but I do believe he is concerned for you – Kondou-san says so. Okita-san has also been visiting, much to Kagura's annoyance. He says he misses you and I'm not sure what activities you two used to do together, but he says he can't wait to resume them. It may be something to do with the fact that Hijikata has a few less black rims under his eyes, I suspect.
Otose is also very concerned for you. We spend most evenings with her and Kagura has started working some days in the bar with Tama-san and Catherine. I'm sure the stack of bottles building up behind the counter are saved for you because I noticed a few of your favourites in there. It has been so long since you disappeared, though. The authorities are moments from pronouncing you dead and though we know you're still alive somewhere, the pressure to prepare you a gravestone keeps coming up in conversation. Many people, your past clients, keep asking where they can pay their respects.
It's hard. You must return soon, Gin-san. There are many people waiting for you here.
Yours,
Shimura Shinpachi