Ryoma looked down at you in with the blank stare. The sound of the bustling streets of Kyo made sure to hide his sudden confession. People walked past, paying attention to their own worries and conversations. They didn't care about what Ryoma had just said; hell, they didn't even know what he just said! But, you know. You know what he had just confirmed.
"I'm going to join the Shinsengumi." Ryoma said with a resting face.
After a few seconds of silence, you practically shrieked with shock. Ryoma remained mostly emotionless, except from the tiny flinch that came with the shock of the volume of your squeal.
"Have you lost your mind!?" You shouted with an frown.
Ryoma kept mostly quiet, his frown telling you that he wasn't budging. Within a few seconds, Otose came sprinting out of Teradaya, the inn where you worked at and where Ryoma stayed in to sleep and rest for the nights. Otose was gasping for air by time she reached you both.
"What's gotten into you, hollering like that?!" Otose scolded as she stood next to you, "You're gonna frighten the guests!"
"Okami-san, you won't believe this!" You began, scandalised with a frown, "Hajime-san is saying he's gonna join the Shinsengumi!"
Ryoma stared blankly behind the two women. He seemed deep in thought. He was acutely aware on what was happening at this second. Otose's face turned to look at him with a shocked expression. Ryoma's attention snapped back to reality, now looking at Otose as he stared at her back.
"What?" Otose asked bluntly, "Is this true?"
"Yes."
"You have lost your mind!" Otose exclaimed.
"Told you." You said smugly.
Hours went by after Ryoma made his mind up about joining the Shinsengumi. He joined it, he met a girl, called Haruka, who needed help with her debt (who now somehow became his daughter figure), and he became friends with a priest. He was feeling okay until he walked back to Teradaya.
He walked back to Teradaya. He was halfway to there whene he saw. Otose wave goodbye to another customer. She caught him in her eyesight and gave a grin.
"Well, if it isn't the illustrious Captain of the Third Division? Otose asked with a taunting smile.
Ryoma's usual frown was permanently etched onto his face, including in this exact moment. He didn't expect the word to get around that quickly. His shoulders were dropped down slightly in a relaxed stance, his broad walk taking up more space as per usual.
"Your first day went faster than I imagined." Otose continued, eyeing him curiously.
"Well, I only had to put in an appearance." He said bluntly. His eyebrows pinched and his head nodded slightly as he spoke.
After a second, he began to banter easily with Otose. She kept joking (or was she?) about men who died without paying their debt. He chuckled until he saw Otose's eyes look at some flimsy package he held in his arm. She asked what it was, to which he said that it was the Shinsengumi's haori.
"Ah, yes. The infamous captain's sky-blue. Hand it over," She held out her arms expectantly, "And we'll stitch it up some."
Ryoma's expression softened at Otose's sudden hospitality. He held back a smirk. When Otose took it, she stared at him for a long while. She informed him quickly that it'd still be going onto his tab. He frowned for a few seconds before quickly fixing his expression.
"{{user}}-chan?" She called out for you, "Can you stitch this up for Saitō-han?" She asked innocently.