Chapter Text
“Pardon?” came the sound of a mildly confused Gintoki.
“I think she said she wanted to stay here, aru,” and the weird speech pattern of a certain Yato girl.
“And that’s basically why Gin-san said ‘pardon’, Kagura-chan,” while not forgetting the talking spectacles – I mean, the bespectacled young man.
What has happened, really, we will need to rewind about 15 minutes before.
‘The land of samurai’, there was a time when Japan was called – STAHP!! It should’ve been 15 minutes prior, not 15 seasons!
Excuse me, pardon me, let me try again.
It was a morning like any other. The sun was shining, Shinpachi doing the usual chores, Gintoki lazing around with Jump in his hand, and Kagura teaching Sadaraharu how to woe bitches – not that kind of bitches. When there’s a knock on the door, Shinpachi automatically dropped the thing he’d been doing to open it, while Gintoki and Kagura stared sceptically thinking whether that was just another mailman or an actual customer.
“Haaaai~!” Shinpachi called out while getting the door. There, by the door, stood an oddly-dressed girl. Well, not exactly, but since everyone and their children wear kimono in Gintama, the way the girl dresses isn’t really a common sight. A simple t-shirt and black jeans topped with a loose kimono jacket tied around the waist, giving the vibe of modest, casual wearer. Shinpachi’s first reflex upon seeing the girl was ‘Otsuu-chan would definitely look better in the same clothes!’ denying his actual first thought of ‘Beautiful…”
“Hello, Shinpachi-kun,” the sudden familiar name being heard from an unfamiliar face gave Shinpachi quite a jump, “May I come in?”
Shinpachi, in a mixture of surprise, confused and nervous, couldn’t help to stutter, “Y-y-y-y-yes! P-p-p-please, c-c-come in!”
The girl giggled, reminding Shinpachi of how his ane-ue’s kind smile looks. But he supposed that comes with age. What different was the playful, excited glint in her eyes instead of Otae’s patient one.
When the both of them entered the living room, or the so called office room, Gintoki had moved to his table, Kagura was sitting nicely on the couch, and Sadaharu was sleeping in the corner. It seemed like they were putting up the pretence of professionalism for the girl. Expecting an impressed customer, the Yorozuya trio were surprised when the girl laughed softly instead.
“Gin-chan,” Kagura said, “I think the tactic to get a tip for being professional failed, na.”
“I can hear that, Kagura-chan,” Gintoki replied as the girl’s soft laughter started to die down.
“I-I’m sorry,” the girl apologises between breaths, “I wasn’t expecting you guys to suddenly act professional. Ah, though I do think you can be professional sometimes.”
“Uhum! Well then, please sit down while I serve you some tea,” Sinpachi offered.
“Oh about that,” for some reason nobody had noticed the incredibly packed bag the girl carried when she first came, as she rummaged through I looking for something. Seriously, the bag could fit 2 dead gorillas without being mutilated first. She pulled out a nicely wrapped item and handed it to Shinpachi, “This is for you. They’re assortments of tea. You can open and try one, if you’d like, and we’d drink it together. No need to treat me as a formal client.”
“Aaa, not fair!” Kagura chimed in, “How come Shinpachi gets present and I don’t?!”
“Chotto, Kagura, she just told him to pour it, that just meant she doesn’t want our commoner tea and simply want her fancy tea,” Gintoki explained.
“How rude! I’m hurt! I did bring something for each of you, you know?”
“Really, na!? Did you bring sukonbu, na? Did you bring sukonbu-flavoured sukonbu for me?” The excited Kagura jumped across the table before being pulled by the collar by Gintoki.
“Don’t fall for that, Kagura! Remember the last time someone paid us up front? It bounds to be one pain-in-the-balls job that we’d regret accepting!” It sure is weird to actually talk in whispers while still can be heard by Shinpachi who had left to the kitchen. “And anyway, what the hell’s a sukonbu-flavoured sukonbu!?”
During the whole debate the girl was once again rummaging through her bag. When she found what she needed – which was, to say, a plastic bag of pickled daikon – she put it in front of the two and swung it side to side, resulting small crackling noise that turned the two’s attention to her. Kagura’s eyes were now trained to the bag, while Gintoki’s ‘Oi Kagura, snap out of it!’ left ignored. The girl put the bag on the table.
“Go ahead, it’s just konomon,” ushered the girl. Kagura didn’t wait another second to open the bag and tasted some.
“It’s so gooood! It’s so good, Gin-chan! It’s the first time I eat konomon! Why have you never bought some for me!?” Kagura spoke excitedly she was now choking Gintoki.
“Can’t…breathe…!” The choked Gintoki tried his best to speak.
“Here’s the tea,” Shinpahi came with 4 cups of tea, “Erh, Kagura-chan, I think Gin-san is about to die.”
The girl’s soft chuckle could be heard again, and the glitters in her eyes seemed to grow brighter by the minute. Smelling the unusually sweet smell from the tea Shinpachi poured, Kagura let go of Gintoki and sat nicely.
Everyone picked their cup and drank slowly. Upon first sip, everyone let out a delightful ‘aah…’ and seemed to melt away. Their faces turned stupidly relax like Hijikata’s during his mayoland adventure.
“Somehow… I don’t feel like choking you again, aru,” Kagura said.
“Ahh, so you did that on purpose? Somehow, I don’t feel like getting worked up about it,” said Gintoki. Soft chuckles erupted from the room.
“Yeah, somehow I don’t feel like doing tsukkomi today, either,” Shinpachi said. And that was when all heads snapped to him, removing the relaxed vibe that was in the room for barely a few seconds.
“Konoyarooo!!” Gintoki smacked Shinpachi’s head, then grabbed his collar, “Don’t get carried away, you little shit! You are only useful for your cleaning, tsukkomi and glasses! Without even one you’re just a NEET, a NEET, I’m telling ya!”
“No, but, I am employed to you--buhegh!” Shinpachi was cut when Kagura pushed Gintoki and took turn holding his collar, and was shaking his head in addition.
“He’s right, Shinpachi! The 3 things are what made you Shinpachi, aru! Without one you’re just gonna be another Shinpachi, aru!”
“Then what the hell’s the difference, you idiot!?” Shinpachi snapped.
“Ah, he’s back,” everyone else said at the same time.
A Sadaharu-yawn later, and everyone was sitting nicely in their place again.
“So, about this request of yours, what exactly do you want us to do?” Gintoki asked nonchalantly.
“Nothing,” the girl answered without missing a beat. The smile still plastered on her face.
“…eh?”
“I just want your permission to stay here for a while.”
“…pardon?” And that is where we catch up to real-time.
“I want to stay with you guys for some time, I’ll even pay the rent if I ever stayed for a month. Oh, and by the way, my name is Matsuri. Shinsei Matsuri. Call me Matsuri.”
There’s a long pause before Shinpachi finally speaks up, “Um, Matsuri-san, we don’t quite get it. You want to stay here? Why?”
“Because I’m a fan.”
“A fan? Like that there in the corner of our room?” Gintoki points at a cooling fan.
“Or like the machine Gin-chan delusionally claimed to have destroyed when trying to find a fan?” Kagura chimed in.
“Oi, it was the truth!”
“No, no. A fan, as in, Shinpachi is one over Otsuu-chan,” The Yorozuya trio stared at Matsuri in disbelieve, Kagura and Gintoki are even picking their nose.
“Matsuri-san, there’s a limit to how far a joke should be stretched.” Shinpachi said.
“Eh? I’m everything rotten, sure, but pretty sure I’m not a liar,” Matsuri explains defensively, “You see, I came from quite far away. You know the place called ‘fourth wall’? Well, I came from beyond that.”
“Yeah, sure you are,” Gintoki says in a monotonous tone, “It’s as if you’re saying you’re our reader or something.”
“But, I am.”
“Gin-chan, she said she is,” Kagura poked at Gintoki.
“Yea, right! Like this crappy manga has a fan, nevertheless a reader, for that matter.” Gintoki flicks the booger from his pinky.
“Ah well, you’re not dead yet, aren’t you? That means this manga is still alive, and it wouldn’t be without readers and fans,” argued Matsuri.
“…she has a point, Gin-san,” Meanwhile Kagura is cleaning her finger on Shinpachi’s hakama.
“See, I know you’d get it, Shinpachi,” Matsuri beamed with praises. “I don’t really get how I’m here, either, but I figured I might as well enjoy it fully. And what better ways should it be done other than staying with the beloved main characters, ne?”
The Yorozuyas form a circle and starts discussing among themselves for decision, occasionally glancing over to where Matsuri sits. Matsuri finds the sight humorous, though she kinda worries about the answer. But then again, if they refused, this fanfiction would come to an early end. So she shouldn’t worry, right?
“Aaaalright, here’s the deal.” Gintoki says in authoritative voice, “Nobody here is a dead weight, so if you decided to stay, you need to be able to take care of yourself.”
“No problem!” Matsuri replies joyfully. Yeah, this fanfic wouldn’t just end before anything begun.