(HIATUS) Gintama: As The Cherry Blossom Blooms

Chapter 22: Serious times, require serious eyes. No, not really.

"Kill me already."

Shinpachi begged to no one as he sat inside the common room of the submarine along with the samurais who surrendered and two continuously bickering rivals. The older guys were discussing important affairs in another room and he was tasked to keep things calm while they have their meeting.

Along with the task, he had to endure another earful of shouts as Kagura and Sugou continued their argument.

"It's chocolate with milk!" Kagura exclaimed at the sandy haired samurai.

"No. It's milk with chocolate, China." The said samurai retorted.

"Chocolate with milk." Kagura insisted not willing to lose.

"Milk with chocolate." Sugou stayed firm as they glared to each other.

"Sadist can't you see the color? It's chocolate with milk!" She motioned to the drink that the Megane is holding.

Oh yes. That's right. It's because of this cursed drink, Shinpachi thought as he regret packing the powder for the drink earlier.

"Sadist are you blind?!" Kagura exclaimed.

"Clearly you are the one who's blind." Sugou rolled his eyes .

"Chocomilk." Kagura insisted again.

"Milkchoco." The sadist countered.

"Chocomilk."

"Milkchoco."

"Chocomilk."

"Milkchoco."

"Choco-"

"ENOUGH! Both of you! Can you two act like adults just for a moment!" Shinpachi scolded massaging his temples.

"Shut up!" They both replied back.

Sakuranee... Help me. Shinpachi begged within his thoughts.

Meanwhile inside the war room...

A serious atmosphere filled the room as the four samurais looked at each other trying to read the others' minds.

"Straight." Hijikata showed his cards with a smile.

Takasugi just smirked and showed his, "Two pairs."

Sakura, in turn, smiled sinisterly, "Full house."

Then they wait for Gintoki who smiled sadistically.

"And here I thought you guys are good." Then showed his cards.

"I got nothing."

They were all silent.

Until a knock was heard, "Hijikata-san, we're near the breaking point." One of the submarine's staff informed.

"Okay, thanks." Hijikata dismissed the guard.

"Breaking point?" Sakura asked.

"Breaking point is an islet located a little far from the base island," Hijikata explained, "It serves as our defense border and would alarm the base if there is an incoming attack and a place where we drop off the samurais who surrendered in order to assess if they're spies or not. Katsura or Matsudaria-san usually leads the interrogation process. It's really just a preemptive measure in order to keep the rest of us safe."

Hijikata drank his water in one go and continued, "I already told them that this would happen and they've agreed to do it."

Meanwhile in Edo

"They did what!?" A loud voice boomed the halls of the Edo Castle where the current shogun is taking residence in.

The guards flinched as NobuNobu threw another fit of rage by throwing another glass to the wall.