その男の晩年は寡黙にして質実剛健。

隊を抜け会津に残り、名を改め警官として政府に仕え、その生涯を全うした男は、最期まで共に戦った彼らの事を多くは語らなかった。武士というものの生き様が色褪せ、価値を失った時代において、ことさら武士らしく生きた一人の男。

なーんて、いや、こう見えて僕ってば口が軽いからさ、下手に喋るとある事ない事ペラペラ喋っちゃうわけよ。いつぞやも道場で一生懸命竹刀突いてる若者に偉そうに突きはどうのこうの講釈たれちゃったりね。

大体、剣なんざどう斬るだの、こう払うだの、んなこといちいち考えてやってられないっつーの。もう夢中んなってわーわー振り回すだけなわけよ、わかる？

まあ、そんなもんですよ、あの頃は。

夢中で斬り合い、夢中で泣き笑い、夢中で死んでいく、みんなそうして駆け抜けていった。ならばせめて俺ぐらいは最後まで旗を掲げながら堂々と生きてやろうと思ってな。

激動の幕末を戦い続け、最後まで生き抜いた一人の新選組。彼の心中を知る者はいない。

『―――なあみんな、夢の果ては見つかったのかい』

The man's final years were simple and quiet. After he quit the brigade, he remained in Aizu, changed his name, and served the government as a policeman. Despite living a long and full life, he spoke little about his comrades he fought alongside in the past, even towards the end of his life. In the age when the life of the samurai started to fade away, this man firmly stood his ground and continued to live like a samurai.

That sounds really good in writing, but in truth, I actually have pretty loose lips. The moment I open my mouth, I just blabber about all kinds of things that may or may not be true. One time, there was this young man who was training really hard with his wooden sword at a dojo, and I just went right in and gave him this long lecture on the importance of tsuki. You know what? You don't have time to think about how to properly attack or parry. You just get really into the moment and start swinging your sword around. You get what I mean?

That's just how it was back in the day though.

They immersed themselves in fighting, laughed and cried enthusiastically, and died in a frenzy. That's how they all lived in that age. That's when I thought I should at least live my life carrying my own banner till the very end.

One member of the Shinsengumi who fought through the turbulent age of the Bakumatsu and survived. Nobody knows what was going through his mind.

"Hey guys. Did you get what you wanted in the end?"