Tanaka Hatsune

Tanaka Hatsune is a young girl in Kyoto who, after a chance encounter with Okita Souji, immediately falls in love with him and has her father set up a marriage proposal. She appears in Volumes 16 and 17 of the series.

Story
Hatsune is a young woman of about 16 who lives in Kyoto. The spoiled daughter of Tanaka Kensho, a Western medicine doctor who serves an aristocratic family, Hatsune is used to getting whatever she wants.

On one particular day, a fire breaks out in a shop in Kyoto. In the ensuing panic, the shop owner realizes that a thief has just run off with some goods. Hatsune just happens to find herself in the middle of this battle and, as is most often the case, Soji arrives in time to capture the thief, while leaving a lasting impression on Hatsune, who immediately goes home and begs her father to set up a marriage proposal.

When the proposal arrives, Kondo Isami and Hijikata Toshizo congratulate Soji on his valiant rescue, though Soji claims he doesn’t remember her. Soji tells them to turn the proposal down, claiming that he has no interest in having a wife or children, though of course Kondo and Hijikata both insist that he at least go meet her. The next day, a meeting is arranged at Minamigawa Theater. Flustered, Soji makes his way to the theater (with chaperones Kondo and Hijikata) where an anxious Hatsune and her father await. Before seeing her, however, Soji steps out of the theater and spots a beautiful young woman. Soji is clearly suspicious of her, and soon realizes that the woman is Tominaga Sei in disguise.

While Hatsune and her father continue to wait on Soji, Sei manages to get herself in a bind, only to be rescued by Saitou Hajime (who is also in disguise). After Soji finally catches up to Sei, he begins to questions her about why she in dressed like a girl - Saito interrupts him, telling Soji that he sent Sei to spy on Hasune for him.

After several hours, Soji finally makes it to the theater. Unfortunately, while he was with Sei he managed to smudge some of her makeup on his clothes; Hatsune’s father immediately calls of the wedding as he believes Soji left to visit “other women”. Hatsune quickly gets over the marriage, and turns her attentions instead to Hijikata. Neither Hijikata nor Hatsune’s father is amused at this marriage prospect, with the former quickly leaving the theater with Kondo and Soji in tow.