The moment the third man approached the group, Okita's pen stopped midstroke. The man's appearance had little in common with the Hijikata he knew, but the pen and his mannerisms - the look in his eyes was so much like what he remembered from when he was a child - it hit too close to home. His voice, too, was different. There was all of the gruffness, but without the hints of affection - not that he expected that to show up where Homura was concerned, but Okita could feel a familiar ache building up. He knew this man wasn't Hijikata, he didn't look like him, didn't act like him, didn't sound like him, and yet, in the smallest ways, Okita saw his leader and wanted it to be him instead.

Dropping his gaze, he went back to drawing, wishing that Hijikata hadn't just said he'd stay away from him. Okita wanted to meet this man and see who he really was. He wanted to test him in person to see just how he should react to someone who was and wasn't Hijikata. It made his head hurt to think about parallel worlds.

He was so focused on the conversation across the way that he didn't notice that anyone was approaching him until it was too late. Someone sat down next to him and he jumped slightly, switching the grip on his pen in case this person presented a threat.

"Good afternoon."

He recognized that voice. Glancing up, Okita relaxed a little and set his pen down. The conversation was now forced to the side as he tried to cover up his surprise at seeing Sai again. "Good afternoon, Sai-kun. How are you?"