Chapter 82: Silver Soul (Earth Arc)

"What are you doing—ahhh!" Shinpachi's startled cry brought Take Okakura back to her senses. This was still in front of everyone, and Sakata Gintoki was stark naked; she had just kissed him right here. Anyone who saw would think they were perverts!

"Idiot! Someone's coming," Take Okakura shoved Gintoki away with force, turned her head, and handed him the jacket in her hand.

"Cover yourself up, quick," she said irritably, though her face was still flushed.

Gintoki took the jacket, and Take Okakura stepped down from the stage. As she approached Shinpachi, she couldn’t bring herself to meet his shocked gaze.

"Cover him up, or else he'll look like some kind of lecher," she said, her face still red, then hurried out, her steps betraying her panic.

Bang! She closed the door behind her.

Shinpachi stared from the door to the stage, then trembled as he turned to Gintoki. "Gin-san! You… you two…"

"Shinpachi, at times like this, you should cover your eyes and walk away. You're still such an inexperienced boy," Gintoki said carelessly, taking the clothes from Shinpachi’s hands.

"Why is this about me now?! I just wanted to ask when you and Miss Okakura… um, became that kind of… you know, that kind of relationship," Shinpachi asked, face red.

"That kind of relationship? Which kind? Let me think… I suppose just now," Gintoki mused, stroking his chin.

"Huh? Just now? You only just confirmed your relationship and already did that to her? Gin-san, that's really terrible," Shinpachi complained.

"Shinpachi, that's why you're still an inexperienced four-eyes. Listen, in love, both men and women are hunters. Whoever gets the advantage must find the other's weakness and strike decisively," Gintoki said, performing a sleazy hip thrust.

"Who are you calling four-eyes, you jerk! I just can't understand it—Miss Okakura is so pretty and capable, why would she get involved with you? It's awful! You two are like cake and wasabi; you just don't match at all!" Shinpachi wailed, clutching his head.

At that moment, the wooden door swung open again, and Take Okakura walked in slowly.

"Are you dressed?" she asked, looking at Gintoki on the stage. Seeing that he was properly dressed, she nodded in satisfaction.

Now that he'd put on clothes, that good-for-nothing finally looked less perverted.

She walked up to Gintoki's side, smiled gently at Shinpachi, making him blush in spite of himself.

"Shinpachi, mind if I borrow this guy for a bit?" Take Okakura asked.

Shinpachi shook his head, waving his hands, "Not at all, not at all, Miss Okakura, please go ahead."

"Thank you," she replied, then turned and grabbed Gintoki's sleeve. "Come with me!"

"So eager—want to continue what we started? No problem, Gin-san can satisfy you," Gintoki sidled up to her shamelessly.

"Shut up! Who said anything about that?" Take Okakura snapped, embarrassed.

Shinpachi watched their noisy departure, sighing. When would he ever find a girlfriend like Miss Hyaku-hyaku?

Take Okakura dragged Gintoki to her car, made him sit in the passenger seat, and began to drive.

The car started, Take Okakura pressed her lips together, staring ahead in silence. Gintoki reclined in his seat, picking his nose, seeming no different from usual.

What is he thinking? Take Okakura glanced at Gintoki from the corner of her eye, her grip on the steering wheel tightening unconsciously.

She had meant to pretend nothing had happened… but…

"Hey, are you planning to run a red light?" A warm breath blew directly into her ear. She gasped and hurriedly hit the brakes, stopping just before the crosswalk.

The traffic light was red.

"Don't just lean over suddenly!" Take Okakura said, covering her ear.

"If I hadn't warned you, you would’ve run the red light today, Chief," Gintoki shrugged.

"Thank you," she replied, half sulking. A moment later, the light turned green and she restarted the car.

It wasn't rush hour, so after ten minutes she returned home with Gintoki.

"Well, is this your invitation to Gin-san?" Gintoki sprawled on the sofa.

Yes, why had she brought this curly-haired idiot home at all? Take Okakura's mind went blank. Suddenly, she realized all her actions from earlier had been absurd. In fact, whenever anything involved this jerk lately, her mind would freeze.

"N-nothing, really. I just remembered I have something to do tonight. Gin-san, maybe I should take you home now? Sorry for dragging you over like this," Take Okakura said in a panic, reaching for the car keys on the table.

At that moment, her hand was seized. She looked up to find Gintoki holding her hand, his thumb lightly tracing her skin, sending tingles from her hand to her scalp, making her shudder.

"What are you doing?" she asked, trying to pull her hand away, but her arm had gone weak.

"Do you like me?" Gintoki asked suddenly.

"Huh? Wh-what?" Take Okakura froze, his question nearly overloading her brain.

"Do you like Gin-san? Look, I have so many merits—natural perm, company president, I can eat sweets for you to help keep your figure, ah, Gin-san has endless advantages. So, do you like me?" Gintoki looked at her, his crimson eyes locking hers, making her feel as if she were sinking.

You have far more flaws than merits! Though she thought it, Take Okakura couldn’t bring herself to say it aloud.

"Su… su… su…" Take Okakura felt as if her lips had been glued shut, trying to speak but unable.

"What? I can't hear you. Where did your usual Godzilla roar go? Sususu—is that some foreign language?" Gintoki grinned, leaning close.

"I like you! Idiot, is it not enough if I say I like you? Damn it, so embarrassing, why do I have to say it out loud?" Take Okakura covered her face with her arm, her cheeks and ears flushed, steam seeming to rise from her head as her mental CPU crashed.

"Is it really so hard to admit you like me? Gin-san already confessed," Gintoki smiled, pulling away her arm.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Take Okakura asked, dazed.

"Huh? What do I mean?" Gintoki’s tongue flicked over his lips as he reached out to slowly trace her lips with a finger. "Didn’t I tell you just now? Mature adults are straightforward. Since you forgot, Gin-san will remind you again."

With that, Gintoki pulled her close and kissed her, even more passionately than before at the venue.

Damn it! This bastard is way too experienced! Take Okakura was pinned beneath Gintoki, kissed hard, unable to summon the strength to push him away. Worse, she couldn’t keep up with his skilled technique—his tongue darted around her mouth like a nimble eel, while she could only endure, unable to react.

"What a fool, can't even catch your breath?" Gintoki finally stopped, straightening to look at Take Okakura, flushed and gasping beneath him, with a teasing grin.

The feeling of overwhelming a rookie was immensely satisfying.

"Damn it, you’re only better because you have more experience. If I went out and leveled up like you, I’d definitely do better," Take Okakura retorted defiantly.

"Ah, but leveling up is too late now, since Gin-san, who’s already maxed out, has decided to take you, rookie, monster hunting. So…" Gintoki slowly leaned in, his red eyes making Take Okakura swallow nervously.

"You’re mine. I won’t let anyone else touch you."

Boom! Take Okakura was once again dizzy. His? What did that mean? Did it mean he was hers too?

Gintoki propped his head up, watching Take Okakura’s dazed look beneath him, finding her amusing beyond measure. He couldn’t resist pinching her cheek, the soft skin stirring his desire…

"How about we go again? You should thank Gin-san for carrying you through leveling," he said, kissing the bewildered Take Okakura once more.

From her lips to her eyelids, to her cheeks, to her earlobes, then down to her neck, Gintoki’s hands began to roam restlessly over her body.

"Wait, don’t touch there…" Take Okakura gasped, but her feeble resistance was no match for Gintoki’s advances.

Bit by bit, her clothes were undone, exposing her pale skin. Gintoki moved to her chest, his lips traveling downward…

Just a little more, and he’d reach the missile testing site…

At that moment, Take Okakura’s phone rang, abruptly snapping her out of the heated atmosphere. She tried to rouse the curly-haired wastrel as well.

"Gin-san, let go, I have a call," she said, attempting to push him away.

Gintoki was silent for a moment, then finally climbed off her, though his crimson eyes were filled with unsatisfied longing, making her nervous.

Take Okakura picked up her phone—it was Osei calling. He never disturbed her unless something important happened. She hurried to answer.

"Hello? Osei, what is it?" she asked.

"Chief! There’s an emergency meeting. Please come back to the office quickly."

Take Okakura sighed. How troublesome.

"Alright, I know. I’ll be right there."

After hanging up, she turned to Gintoki, who sat behind her, seeming calmer than before.

"For now, that’s it, Gin-san. I have something to deal with…" she said, shaking her phone gently.

"When will you be back?" Gintoki asked, hugging her and letting her rest on his shoulder.

"I don’t know, but I’ll come back," Take Okakura listened to Gintoki’s heartbeat, feeling a sudden sense of comfort. She nuzzled his shoulder.

Yet her heart still raced from the rapid progress between them. At this moment, Take Okakura deeply understood the saying—people in love are fools.

And now, having fallen for the curly-haired wastrel, she was probably not far from being a fool herself.

At the same time, she felt an uneasy lack of security—this had all happened so suddenly. Why had Gin-san shown his feelings for her so abruptly?

When it comes to love, as long as you still have feelings, you’ll never escape its circle. Unconsciously, Take Okakura found herself moving toward the center of that circle. What she wanted to know was—was he also moving toward its heart along with her?