It feels as if it's been forever since he walked this neighborhood—and it has been. But, unlike some of his comrades who had declared he would find himself lost in a nostalgia that makes him feel as if he's been homesick returning for the first time. . .
. . .no, he really doesn't feel shit about it, and that includes passing by the house he grew up in. But, Hijikata does have to admit that when he rings the doorbell, the idea of seeing the familiar face of the old doctor would be much appreciated. Not that he looks much like a casual visitor—because he isn't and it's protocol to conduct formal requests in uniform. He wonders if Kodou will even recognize him in such a thing and the hat to top it all off ( he'd never been much of a person to adorn those types of accessories ). As he waits, he takes a small glance back out towards the street, listening the incredible silence. It's one thing he has missed about here. Despite it being right in the city, the residency areas were still so quiet and peaceful.
When the door opens, Hijikata is quick to turn to greet, reaching for the brim of his hat to remove it but his hand stills at touching it when he realizes a young woman is answering the door in place of the gentle-looking old man he'd been expecting. He blinks, hoping to hide any obvious confusion on his part. But, before he can say anything, anyway, the girl is gleefully calling back into the house ( wait, what did she just say? ) and he can't help but just stand there, waiting for this very... intriguing turn of events to unfold. He supposes he shouldn't be really surprised when two more girls appear around the same age ( he guesses, anyway ). The one who speaks her supposedly secret and personal question followed by the third girl's reaction makes him unable to help himself and produce a small smile as he lowers his eyes from them. Ah, he sees. It is that time of year to be graduating, isn't it? And two of these young ladies are decidedly drunk as true to the tradition. When the one who blushed tries to stammer out an explanation and fails, Hijikata speaks up, still not looking at the three of them.
"I'm sorry for the interruption, I may very well have the wrong house." Glancing up now, he takes a quick look at only sober girl of the trio before turning his attention to the one who answered the door to begin with, offering a polite smile as he tips his hat to her. "I was under the assumption this was still the Yukimura residence." And although he doesn't outright ask, the implied question is very obvious: If it's not the place he's looking for, might any of them be able to point him to where in this neighborhood Kodou is living now?
Obviously, he can be diplomatic and polite when he wants to be. And, while they are a group of teenage girls, he's still in uniform and he can't be throwing away chances to gain information necessary by dropping to his usual blunt and hard-edged self.
Besides, the faster he finds out where he needs to go, the quicker they can return to their fun.
i'm sorry you got called into work baby cries
. . .no, he really doesn't feel shit about it, and that includes passing by the house he grew up in. But, Hijikata does have to admit that when he rings the doorbell, the idea of seeing the familiar face of the old doctor would be much appreciated. Not that he looks much like a casual visitor—because he isn't and it's protocol to conduct formal requests in uniform. He wonders if Kodou will even recognize him in such a thing and the hat to top it all off ( he'd never been much of a person to adorn those types of accessories ). As he waits, he takes a small glance back out towards the street, listening the incredible silence. It's one thing he has missed about here. Despite it being right in the city, the residency areas were still so quiet and peaceful.
When the door opens, Hijikata is quick to turn to greet, reaching for the brim of his hat to remove it but his hand stills at touching it when he realizes a young woman is answering the door in place of the gentle-looking old man he'd been expecting. He blinks, hoping to hide any obvious confusion on his part. But, before he can say anything, anyway, the girl is gleefully calling back into the house ( wait, what did she just say? ) and he can't help but just stand there, waiting for this very... intriguing turn of events to unfold. He supposes he shouldn't be really surprised when two more girls appear around the same age ( he guesses, anyway ). The one who speaks her supposedly secret and personal question followed by the third girl's reaction makes him unable to help himself and produce a small smile as he lowers his eyes from them. Ah, he sees. It is that time of year to be graduating, isn't it? And two of these young ladies are decidedly drunk as true to the tradition. When the one who blushed tries to stammer out an explanation and fails, Hijikata speaks up, still not looking at the three of them.
"I'm sorry for the interruption, I may very well have the wrong house." Glancing up now, he takes a quick look at only sober girl of the trio before turning his attention to the one who answered the door to begin with, offering a polite smile as he tips his hat to her. "I was under the assumption this was still the Yukimura residence." And although he doesn't outright ask, the implied question is very obvious: If it's not the place he's looking for, might any of them be able to point him to where in this neighborhood Kodou is living now?
Obviously, he can be diplomatic and polite when he wants to be. And, while they are a group of teenage girls, he's still in uniform and he can't be throwing away chances to gain information necessary by dropping to his usual blunt and hard-edged self.
Besides, the faster he finds out where he needs to go, the quicker they can return to their fun.