



Okada Izou: What d’ya want, Master? Y’need me for somethin’?

> 1. It’s chocolate!

Okada Izou: Chocolate?

Okada Izou: Hohh. It’s some kinda Western sweet, then…

So, what’s this about Valentine’s?

> 2. Happy Valentine’s!

Okada Izou: What’s with the weird greeting outta nowhere… Valentine’s?

> 3. Happy Valentine’s & Happy Birthday!

Okada Izou: Y-Yeah…. — so y’knew about my birthday.

So, what? Valentine’s?

Okada Izou: Hoh. Some kinda Western festival, then.

Festival… a festival, huh.

Okada Izou: Sounds good! Yer gonna keep me company for a bit.

Okada Izou: Lessee… your room’ll do.

> Eh?!

Okada Izou: Speakin’ of festivals, a guy’s gotta have sake! Sake!

I’m gonna drink ’till I drop!

> …. yeah.

> Then I’ll have juice.

Okada Izou: That chocolate of yers was pretty sweet, but it could do with a bit of sake.

Okada Izou: C’mon! Drink up, drink up! It ain’t any fun if ya don’t do things big!

Okada Izou: Uhahahah! Drinkin’ sake early on in the day ain’t a bad way to spend Valentine’s! Ain’t bad at all!

[ TIME PASS. ]

Okada Izou: And so y’see, then’s when I went and cut down the whole lot of ’em who were tryin’ to jump us.

Okada Izou: Like I told ya before, I’m a real genius with a blade.

A bunch of assassins like that were nothin’ compared to me.

Okada Izou: … but Katsu-sensei just complained.

Okada Izou: “Izou-kun, you shouldn’t take such joy in killing others. You need to change your ways from now on.”

Okada Izou: Then I went and told ‘im,

Okada Izou: “If I hadn’t gone and killed ’em all, your head would be rollin’ on the ground right about now.” [1]

Okada Izou: He heard that and just stared at me all wide-eyed.

You coulda made a real masterpiece outta that expression back then.

Okada Izou: …………..

Okada Izou: …. hey, you. You stopped pourin’.

Okada Izou: Drink, drink! Today’s the great Valentine’s!

Okada Izou: … or what? Are you sayin’ you don’t wanna drink my sake?

> H-He’s a talkative drunk…

> Izou-san, it’s about time we…

Okada Izou: Uhahahahah! I’m feelin’ real good today!

Here’s to Valentine’s!

[ TIME PASS. ]

Okada Izou: .……. drink. ….. drink, drink up.

Okada Izou: ……….

> One of the Four Hitokiri is tangled up and passed out right over here.

> Did he fall asleep?

Okada Izou: ………

Okada Izou: ……… why, Takechi-sensei? [2]

Okada Izou: ……. why’d ya go and give me the cold shoulder?

Okada Izou: Ryouma…. why…..

Okada Izou: Why’d ya go and leave me behind….

Okada Izou: ……

Okada Izou: Why….. , why…..

> ………..

> Izou-san….

Okada Izou: Ooooeeeguhhhh!

> He threw upppppp?!

> Towel, get a towel!!

Okada Izou: ……..

Okada Izou: …… I, ….. I.

Okada Izou: ……….

Okada Izou: ……….

Okada Izou: ……. m’sorry, Master.

[ NEXT DAY, IN THE HALL. ]

Okada Izou: Yo, Master. I owe ya for yesterday. It’d been a while since I had sake that good.

Okada Izou: That Valentine’s thing is a real good time!

> You went and forgot what happened already.

> Cleaning that up was rough.

Okada Izou: C’mon, don’t be like that. Here. For yesterday.

Okada Izou: I don’t even know what t’do when it comes to stuff like this, and it probably ain’t all that interestin’, but if you like it, ya might as well use it.

> Thank you, Izou-san.

> I’m gonna put it on right now.

Okada Izou: …….

Okada Izou: ….. hey, Master. You….

Okada Izou: ……..

Okada Izou: ….. nah, forget it.

Okada Izou: — it’s nothin’.

Okada Izou: ….. today’s real nice. It’s a real fine day!

[1] The conversation referenced was recorded and said to have actually happened with Katsu Kaishu in his autobiography, ‘Hikawa seiwa’.

[2] ‘Takechi-sensei’ refers to Takechi Hanpeita, leader of the Tosa Kinnou-to / Tosa Imperialist Party.

A Valentine’s gift give in return from Okada Izou. While it’s the same type of cotton scarf that Izou wears around his neck, the design is far more stylish in comparison. Though such a scarf may or may not have been popular at the end of the Edo period, it seems to have been worn by the sick and retired in the past. “You can use it like this t’conceal yer face and walk around the streets at night. It’s the kinda thing every manslayer used. … what? Now we match? Don’t say somethin’ so dumb!” ” … well, work hard not t’get stabbed in the back yourself.”