Okoto

Okoto is a young woman from Edo who was, a few years ago, engaged to Hijikata Toshizo.

Story
Okoto only appears in one small flashback during Volume 17. Described as a kind and beautiful girl, Okoto was the only child of a shamisen merchant. The marriage arrangement intended to have Hijikata adopted onto the family as an heir, though he had no interest in running a shamisen store. About the same time as the marriage proposal, Kondo Isami had decided to move to Kyoto and start up what would become the Shinsengumi. Hijikata intended to follow Kondo to Kyoko and would thus be unable to wed Okoto. Before leaving, Hijikata visited Okoto in person and broke off the marriage proposal. He claims that she was not upset and instead wished him well. Hijikata now believes that he was leaving a girl who would have been a very good wife, but he claims to have no regrets.