Draft 4

The meeting with the girl made me realize one thing. The difference between modern people and those from the past can sometime be vast. It is only through the distance of time that one can realize how far our society has grown from both a technology and ethical standpoint

Okita Souji is a cute girl. In modern times, her looks and upbeat attitude would have made the girl a popular idol or influencers if she were into such things. With a healthy complexion, honey-colored eyes, and lithe figure, I could imagine many of my colleagues going batshit crazy trying to invite her for a drink had she been introduced to the group

At least, that is what would happen if she was born in my time

This is the old Japan, Edo period. Circa a time where walking around with a sword is perfectly normal and health safety awareness is so fucking low people might as well be throwing feces on open wounds to prevent infection

In this era, there would only be two fates for Okita. One being married off to another house as a wife, defenseless against any harrassment dished out on her because of her frail form. The other being sold off as a Geisha or common whore, which isn't all that different from each other in context.

Why? Because feudal ages tends not to treat their women very well. At least that is what I have gathered from the general historiccal records at the time

Thankfully, she did none of those. The Souji household is, from what the swordsman had told me, a generally well off family who practiced Kendo as their tradition.

As a result, she had came to learn the way of the sword as a child and proved herself capable with it. One thing lead to another and she was recruited into the Roshigumi, earning herself fame amongst the others after executing many enemies on their way to Kyoto

I should be glad such a fate was avoided, being happy that people from the past isn't as discriminating as I thought they'd be

But....As someone coming from a modern society where the taking of another's life is frowned upon...As someone whose job is to save people....as someone who had dedicated his entire life to researching life itself....it boggled me that a young girl like Okita Souji would already have several kills under her belt, and yet acted like there's nothing wrong with it

Cold eyes of a kille gazing at me with curiosity. Hands that brought death clasped upon my shoulder. A bright smile lit up her entire frame as I finally paid her attention

It's confusing

It's unnerving

Yet I have no right to judge her. I know that for all that she'd done, Okita's not inherently a bad person, which is why I did  not immediately refuse her offer to join her for lunch after training

After all, killers may be killers, but food is food.

An apple a day's not gonna keep a hungry doctor away

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After I had made myself an office in the village, the amount of people getting sick decreased. Still, there were the occasional case of diseases showing up that needs my attention, so you could say I wasn't entirely idle in my job

I closed the office's door behind me and walked outside. The warm spring's breeze brushed through me, ruffling my grey Yukata as I made my way toward the busier part of the village

"Ah, it's Dokutah! Good morning to you!"

"Old Gakotsu, say hi to your niece for me"

The old farmer greeted me as I passed them. I nodded back, nervously quickening my pace

"Dokutah, a good day to you" A little girl yelled across the field

"Likewise, Hanya"

"Dokutah, thank you for treating my sister last week!" A young boy bowed

"No problem, Kotaku"

"Here are some fish I just caught this morning, please take them as gratitude for those miraculous medicine you gave me" A basket of fish was shoved into my chest

"You can keep them, I would feel bad taking it from you"

"Bah. Stop speaking nonsense and just accept this woman's gift already!"

A hand clapped my shoulder. I cried as several pounds of fresh beef packed in a bag were dumped on my lap

"These are meat my cousin from the mountains sent me. Consider it repayment for treating me of that backpain that's been there for months, Dokutah!"

"These are the best grains harvested last spring. Sorry we don't have any money to repay you, but this is the least we could offer"

As I walked further along, more and more gifts were piled on my arm. I wobbled from the sheer weight it bears

Quietly, I suppressed a sigh

This is one of the reason why I don't go outside often.

One thing people just can't seem to understand is that I don't treat them for the money. Though I did charge a small fee for appearance's sake every time diagnosing someone, payment weren't something I'm particularly focused in when it comes to doctoring

The village's people are grateful for me providing medical treatment to them and reduce the overall mortality rate around the area. However, I'm sure any doctor in my place could have done a better job. Their gratitudes are entirely misplaced

Seriously, just a small 'thank you' is fine, no need to show me any fancy gifts or formalities

Just treat me as you would an average person. Is that so hard?

Fresh blood and water dripped down from the numerous bags lining on my shoulder, staining my clothe. I sighed again

________________

"What took you so long?"

"Some minor inconveniences I have to solve at the lab" I complained, lowering myself upon the chair "I'm not late, am I?"

"Nope" Okita cheerily replied. We sat at a dango stall, filled with customers from outside travelling through this village. Most of them are merchants, some are travellers, and a few are swords for hire just getting drunk out of their mind "Just finished whipping up the dogs myself"

"Whipping up...the dogs?"

"Training new recruits" She explained with a relaxed smile "Some of them looks like little puppies who can't swing a blade to save their own lives. Naturally, it was up to me to train them up to shape, not just physically but mentally as well"

"Do I want to hear how you train them?"

"That's for you to decide. I'm just hungry after cracking so many bones open" She shouted "Old man, more dango!"

"Injuring your subordinates like that isn't going to end well" I hummed "From an emotional standpoint, it would lead to your relationship with them getting strained- a perilious thing in a combat-oriented profession. On a physical level, such degree of wounds tend to get permanent if you're careless. I would advise you being more gentle with them. A steady pacing would certainly help"

"Right" I smiled as she seems to be seriously considering my input

"Still, if some of them gets injured I'd have to be the one to take care of them. Then you'd have to stay in this village with me a little longer"

"That's the plan"

"Eh? What did you just say?"

"Nothing" She swallowed down the dango "leader intends for us to head straight to Kyoto for fear of the Shogun's safety here. Many of us are inexperienced, so I wish to train them as much as I can. If they are strong enough they won't die as often on the battlefield"

"I see, you really care for your men. Don't you, Okita?"

She stopped, if only to take a sip of water or to mull it out

"Maybe I am. But as to why I care for them remains to be seen" Okita remarked, lifting up another dango stick "Could be because they'd only be deadweights in battle. Could be that I only want my men to shine out from the rest out of personal pride as their trainer. Could be that I'm injuring them to satisfy my sadistic tendencies. There are several possibilities existing aside from pure kindness that can motivate me to make an effort to those kind of things"

"Apologies if I'm not a good judge of character. Medicine's always been more of my thing" I glanced at my dish, taking a piece of fried shrimp between my fingers. The thing taste delicious "But it never struck me that you'd do it out of sheer selfishness. Well-" I corrected myself "Not a selfishness born out of the desire that interests oneself. Rather, I don't know you as well as you yourself or some of your comrades did, but I always make it a point to see a person's good quality before their bad one"

Okita looked at me for a long moment

There was something in that gaze. I don't know what it was, but our eyes remain locked for several seconds

Finally, the swordsman broke eye contact to stare down at the dango dish

"You're a strange man, Dokutah"

"You won't be the first to say that" I picked up another piece of shrimp and inspected it

What a beautiful Tempura

*Chew*

________________

"You won't be the first one to say that"

Of course. She thought amusedly. Someone like Dokutah would hardly be called as "ordinary" to anyone who possess the littlest bit of knowledge about him

Okita just happens to be there when the man first step out of his house. 

From the other banks of the river, she watched as people of this place intereacted with him. Woman would praise him. Men would thank him. And children, they would crowd around him as they demand to play with the doctor. She watched, as everytime his only reply would be a smile and a humble shake of the head

The look of admiration on their faces, to the point of near excessive attention....

To outsiders he is a medical practitioner. To the villagers he is their savior. The deed he did for them must be so large in nature to earn that amount of gratitude from the inhabitant of this place. 

"I always make it a point to see a person's good quality before their bad one"

She frowned

Doctoring is a woman's job

Just like how fighting is a man's job

One is reserved for the weaker gender. The other is made for those who seeks honor and glory on the battlefield. There is a disparity at play, separating a line between those who are more valued as an individual. 

For one who saves lives will always be deem as inferior to those who takes them away

But does she have the right to be discriminating toward a person's occupation, when she is also doing the same? 

No, that would be hypocrisy at its finest. And she could imagine just like her, there has been many who ridiculed him in such a choice 

Strangely enough, Okita Souji felt a sense of empathy with this man

_______________

Author's Note: Next chapter will have the Roshigumi departing for Kyoto after they are treated from their wounds. 

Also, Kondo Isami is not the boss of the organization as of yet. He won't be taking a large parts in the story until the forming of the Mibu Roshigumi ("Shinsengumi") and entered the first of their tales in 1863

Yes, I did my history research

No, I did not enjoy it

About Okita being harsh toward her fellow swordsman during training:

"In 1861, Okita became Head Coach (Jukutou) at the Shieikan. Even though he was often commented to be honest, polite, and good-natured by those around him, he was also known to be a strict and quick-tempered teacher to his students"