When you started your work as dressmaker at your grandfather shop, you never imagined you'd become personal patch-maker for peculiar people from infamous Wolves of Mibu.

Cutting long material into something that will become kimono, you sung softly. Tranquility of the mornings always put you in good mood. Especially in spring going into motion, everything seemed to be blooming, leaving cold winter behind. Soft breeze tickled on your cheeks, filling the air with smells of freshness. As morning turned into noon, with noise increasing on the street, you worked without haste. Your grandfather was working in the back of the shop, while you were in front, ready to welcome customers.

''Hey, _____!"

Or not customers.

Scissors tumbled in your hands, as your heart made a thump. Like a scared stray cat in the alley you jumped at the sound of the three guests. You took a deep breath and looked at loud man, who made a noise while walking in. His sent you a bright smile as made himself at home. Shinpachi-san.

''It's been awhile,'' second man, bending down as to not tap his head on the door frame, called out to you. You sent him a smile, as you put down your scissors and material. Harada-san.

''Sorry for intrusion,'' small voice called out from behind of the two males. A face you didn't yet recognize.

''Don't scare me like this," you said but smiled at them and you stood up from your place. Two males wore their brilliant blue haori, meaning they were either on duty or just finished it. ''What's up?"

''We're coming with two things,'' Harada said, waving his long fingers in the air. His usual smile was plastered on his face, and it seemed there wasn't anything urgent, judging from his relaxed stance.

You sent him a pointed look.

''I bet you got your kimono torn and since you man cannot hold a needle to save their life, you're coming to me."

Harada sent you a chuckle, ''you are kinda right."

''We're just letting the professionals do their job,'' Shinpachi interjected.

You shook your head. You weren't angry, not really. You were still smiling. Harada pointed at the person behind him. Small figure sent you a bow and small smile, probably uncertain of the situation.

''This kid has his sleeve badly torn,'' Harada spoke. You looked over at the sleeve and now that you focused you could easily see a tear running down the sleeve. You moved closer.

''Ah, really,'' the kid waved his hands in front of him. ''There is no need, I can do it myself."

You raised brew at him, and then turned to the Shinsengumi captains, ''So now you're taking people here without their agreement? Wow."

''Who do you take us for," Shinpachi said, unamused. He turned to the kid. ''Chizuru, let her handle this. Besides we wanted to ask you something."

Chizuru finally agreed to your help and allowed you to examine the sleeve. You looked over at her. Her, because within closer proximility you were able to see that she wasn't a boy, even in her male hakama. That raised a few questions in your head, but you guessed there was a reason why she would be going around dressed as a boy. Even if the cover was rather thick.

''It'll take a second to sew it, please sit down,'' you showed the girl to the place where you previously cut the material. ''Do you guys want a tea?"

''Oh! Yeah," Harada was quick to agree and sat as his usual place by the window. You brewed the tea, brought some sweets and finally sat down.

''Shinpachi-san, please stop playing with yarn,'' you scolded as you watched him juggling balls of yarn in the air. You took place by Chizuru and with skills you learned since you were a small girl, you quickly patched the tear. While you worked you asked your guests, ''So what did you want to ask me?"

''Actually, it's me,'' Chizuru said. ''I'm looking for my father as he was seen recently in this area.''

She described you the look of man called Yukimura Kado. Description that sounded familiar, mostly because Harada already told you to look out for that person. For whatever reason it would be. But ever since a year, when you first heard about Yukimura, you didn't see man such as him.

''No, I haven't seen him recently either,'' you said, as you finished your work. The seam was visible, but you did your best to sew it in a way so it won't tear again in the same place. You hummed as you touched the material, ''it would be even better to make a new sleeve and sew it in. I think I have same material in the back."

''No, no,'' the girl refused.

''Are you sure? I can be quick about it" you hummed, thinking of the work you were supposed to do for other customers. ''Two or three days maximum."

''Thank you for the trouble, but I'm fine with this. It's not too serious."

What a timid girl, you noted with slight amusement. You turned to the men who sipped the tea on the other side of the room.

Harada seeing you were done raised his sleeve and showed you how his sleeve was dangling, torn on the stitch.

''Can you please fix this for me? It wasn't intentional, I swear!" he added, seeing your glare at the piece of material. Material that was fixed by you countless times.

''Harada-san,'' you snapped. ''Are you deliberately destroying your clothes?"

''No,'' he said, slightly fazed by your glare. He continued, ''There was ronin, and somehow we got entangled together. So should I have lost my head or a sleeve, ______-chan?"

You sighed.

''Pff,'' Shinpachi laughed in his full baritone. ''It seems for miss dressmaker your head is less valuable."

''Shut it, Shin,'' Harada snapped at his friend. ''If it weren't for your clumsy dodges I wouldn't even be in that situation.''

''My dodges were perfect,'' Shinpachi sent him a half-glare.

You stood up, not even bothering to join their conversation. Their banter could go for hours, and if their third friend, Heisuke, would be here, the time would extend to endless. You stood up on small stool and reached for a wooden box. By another look at Harada it seemed that also his inner clothing was somehow in need of fixing so now you needed other threads.

You tapped place by your side and Harada quickly plopped down, while undressing from the haori. He picked up the box you had put on the floor and kept it, again as usua,l on his crossed laps as he waited for you to start working. Needlework was something that relaxed you and actually made you happy, so your slight annoyance before about Harada destroying your work, swiftly left you.

''Look at you, all on the cloud nine,'' he smiled down at you. In his golden eyes, a spark of amusement lightened up. He moved tad bit closer and said, ''Maybe I should tear down more of my clothes.''

Your eyes widened.

''Oh, don't you dare!"

He laughed at you small outburst.

You tapped your chin in small wonder, and let your thoughts be spoken aloud.

''How about I do some embroidery on your kimono? I'd love to make some flowers between butterflies!"

''I humbly decline."

''Your loss."

You started to chat away about all things you could think of, conversation running smoothly. Simply because Harada was that kind of person, with whom you could forget about time flowing and all things in between.

''Hey, when you're done, can you fix mine?" Shinpachi interrupted your talk about best sweetshops in the city. You argued the best one belonged to Hiyori-san, which was located at one of main street going out of the city. Harada thought that sweet shop from old Kasamatsu sold the best dango he ever ate.

''Huh?" you focused at Shinpachi. Him and Chizuru sat side by side, near the window. You almost forgot about them.

''Here,'' he showed you part of his kimono. Indeed, a tad bit grated, but in no need of mending.

''No," you said, and focused again on blue haori. This time you decided to make a different seam, one that would hold stronger. It was your own battle – what will come victorious: your stitch or man power?

''Why?" Shinpachi whined. He pointed at Harada and said, ''you always agree to fix his clothes, but me and Heisuke always have to plead and beg."

You blinked at him and then laughed. You also laughed a tiny bit at Chizuru's rather surprised face.

''Maybe because Harada-san is ultimately a kind man,'' you stated to surprise of both Chizuru, Shinpachi and Harada himself. You continued and sent a look to Shinpachi, ''And ultimately, you are a loud man that barges into my shop as if he was going drinking to Shimabara."

''Pfft!" Harada just laughed out loud at your words. You chuckled tiny bit yourself as you were finishing with the haori.

''That's-! I'm not-!" Shinpachi was weaving his hands. Harada leaned on you, putting his arm on your shoulder, still laughing. ''Shimabara is place of... Uh.. grater needs!"

You rolled your eyes.

''That's why you're my favorite person in all Kyoto,'' Harada told you in between of clutching his stomach in laughter. 

You looked over at him and warm smile spread on your lips. You didn't mind being called somebody's favorite person. 

___***____***___

Yes, this is what I'm doing instead of writing thesis and other fics. As me and my friend were talking, Harada is ultimate husband material and healer of broken heart *ahem Okita's route*... so yeah. 

It's going to be rather short story, a few chapters at max. 

I hope you enjoyed! ^^