Gintama; Takasugi X Reader (part 2) [Save Me]

Chapter 38 {Shimura Shinpachi}

We three stay silent, patiently giving them time to decide what to say. Then after awhile the woman lifts her gaze from the floor and eyes us with concern.

     "To be frankly, we want you to help search for our daughter."

     "Has something happen to her?" I gently inquire.

     "We don't know for sure." The mother's eyes glitter and fill with worry. "But it's been months since she last returned home. One day, we received a letter from her, stating that she would be out for some time due to her sudden job promotion. But after then, we have heard no more from her," she explains.

     "Oh..." is all I can manage. Seeing the pained expression of them both makes my chest tighten with sympathy.

     "Sorry but," Gin-san joins, crossing his legs, "your daughter has been missing for months and you've only decided to search for her now?"

     "Gin-san." I turn back to our customers and offer them slight apologies.

     "We thought she would eventually come back to us, but our patient goes thin by the passing time without any words from her," the man says, taking no offense of Gin-san's previous bold remark.

     "We're very worried and intend to scold her for this sudden disappearance when she comes back."

     "What if she runs away from home again when you scold her?" Kagura suddenly joins, surprising the aged spouses with her lone curious question.

     "Ah, Kagura-chan!" I exclaim to her. "Don't ask."

     "Eh, why?" she counters. "Is it because she won't come back? Is it because she won't be found?"

I keep the effort to lecture her and avert my focus back. "I'm sorry, but please, they mean no offense," I soothe. "And I'm very sorry to hear about your daughter's news."

Hope lights up on both of their faces, lifting their age on the last digit. "So you'll help us?" the mother eagerly asks.

Before I can agree, Gin-san scratches his head again and dismissively says, "Why don't to go to the police instead? I'm sure they'd find a way to locate your daughter faster then us trying to aimlessly search the town for her."

     "We didn't want to cause a big deal out of this," says the man, his voice tired and strained.

     "So please." His wife stands up along her husband and offer us a deep bow. "Please help us find her."

I shoot from my sit and raise both of my hands to them. "No, please." Then I turn to look at Gin-san, still seemingly unconcerned about this.

     "Gin-san, come on. Let's do what we can to help them. We can't just leave them to return like this."

He groans and unwillingly replies. "Tsk. Fine, fine. But don't blame us if we don't find anything that leads to her."

     "Yes, we won't mind," the mother says and offers another bow. "Thank you very much." 

A satisfying smile plays on my lips and I approvingly nod. "Would you mind tell us her name? So then, it'll be easier for us to ask people."

     "Yes, of course. Her name is Y/F/N."

I blink at the nostalgic name, trying to recall who does it belong to. Kagura jumps up from the couch and leans forward to our guests, eyes wide.

     "Y/N? So you're Y/N's parents?" she asks, highly shocked to hear the name.

Then it occurs to me that the name belongs to a woman Kagura introduced to us so long ago. No wonder why she doesn't come to visit Kagura anymore.

     "Are you two acquainted?" Y/N's father asks.

Kagura nods and confidently states. "If she's gone missing then I'll definitely find her and bring her back to you. Don't you worry."

Both of them smile genuinely at her firm remark. "We're counting on you."

     "Sure."

     "Well then, now that we've stated our business, we'll be on our way."

     "Yes, I'll send you," I say, stepping pass Gin-san and proceed to open the door for them to leave. "We'll contact you once we hear something about her."

     "Thank you so much."

When I step back in the living room again, Kagura stares out the window, looking thoughtful and solemn.

     "I guess money doesn't come easy," Gin-san says, standing up and stretches.

     "And you were about to send them away. Who would've know that Y/N-san went missing..." My hands clench and I realize something still hangs between my fingers.

     "Oh, Gin-san. I found this at the door." I hand the letter to him.

     "Emm? What is it?" Kagura peers behind my shoulder. "Is it a letter?"

Gin-san takes the paper, reading the title. "Huh? Whose this from?"

     "I don't know."

He then removes the envelop, revealing a piece of paper containing the letter itself while another is a...picture?

He stares down at the image for a long time that makes me think something has gotten wrong.

     "Speaking of the devil..." Gin-san breathlessly trails.

     "What, what's wrong?" I impatiently ask with a held breath. Even Kagura stills and watches him.

Then his eyes go to the letter, his expression widens, then it recovers back, betraying no emotions he feels.

     "A pain in the ass job we've agreed to it seems," he curses out of the blue, then turns around to his desk. "Geeze, women are stupid."

He throws the papers over his shoulders, and they lightly land on the floor.

I bend down to pick them up, puzzled by his sudden accusation. The picture contains two figures in its contend though taken at night not to mention from afar, which causes the people to be difficultly distinguished.

I squint and notice that one of them has longer hair, which classifies her as a girl while the other one a man.

     "Gin-san, who-"

     "Let me see that." Kagura snatches the picture from my hands and inspects it.

The writings on the other paper catch my attention and I can't help but brush my eyes over what they're about.

On the whole paper contains only one lone, enigmatic sentence that conveys an also enigmatic message, written down neatly with a fine brush.

        'Kare wo watashi ga mimamorimasu.'

Before I can ask what this is about, I almost jump when Kagura shouts.

     "Ahh! It's her!" she exclaims, eyes glued to the picture. "I don't know about the guy beside but, it's her! I've no doubt!"

     "Gin-san, what is going on-"

     "Shinpachi," he cuts off, turning to face us as a smirk crawls up to his face. "Go and drag our guests back here."

     "What?" I stare at him, confused.

He ignores my remark, and props himself on the chair, eyes beginning to turn grave and thoughtful.

     "They might have to be prepared for a little shock."

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('I'll watch over him.')