First Rurouni Kenshin piece! i hope you enjoy this one shot-it's set after the manga.
Silently, face expressionless, Enishi moved through the streets of Kyoto, drawing gazes from around him with his careless, graceful lope. Although, the stares may have just been because of his shocking white hair.
It had been a while since he came back to Kyoto. About five years to be exact. Five years since his last battle with the Hitokiri Battousai-no, Himura Kenshin. Hitokiri Battousai was the past, and Himura Kenshin was the present. Enishi understood that, finally, and after a few years of wandering, almost grudgingly respected the red head man.
Ironically, he, Yukishiro Enishi, who had once sworn vengeance against Himura Kenshin for killing his dear sister Tomoe, had instead followed in the ex-assassin's footsteps, becoming a rurouni to repent for his past actions, murdering a good family, etc. He wasn't sorry for going after Himura exactly-after all, he had tried to murder him for his sister's revenge-but sorry for desecrating his sister's memory. The damned red head was right-he had been tainting her memory by using her as an excuse for revenge.
Breathing deeply, Enishi finally arrived at his destination-the cemetery. He quickly slipped between the gravestones there, until he found the one he was looking for. It was small and quaint, with the remains of old flowers on it.
The corners of his lips twitched-the ex-assassin still visited Tomoe's grave. At least she wasn't forgotten as he feared she would. Kneeling down, he reverently bowed his head and prayed silently.
After a few moments of silence, he caught the barest trace of an incoherent whisper just behind him. Finishing his prayer, Enishi laid down the flowers he carried, and then stood. He waited until the almost soundless whispering stopped. "What did you pray for?" he asked abruptly, not turning around.
The figure that had been behind him, whose presence he had almost not noticed, stood up. It was a girl, no older than nineteen, with long black, brown sheen hair tied in a high ponytail to mid back. Some forelocks fell delicately around her face. She had pale skin, a short, slender form which only reached his shoulder, and wore a plain light green travelling kimono. Her eyes were dark brown, grave, serene and yet honest, framed by thick black lashes. She was pretty, in a slim, serious sort of way. A little like Tomoe, which was probably why Enishi put up with the girl when he first met her, two years ago.
"I prayed that your sister was happy in her afterlife. I prayed that she bless those she cared about, and that she would keep smiling for you now and forever," the young female said quietly. She hesitated. "Is that okay?"
A near smile graced his lips, almost unnoticeable had the girl not been experienced in looking for it. "You may say what you like. I am prying anyway. You never ask about what I think when I do things, and I still wonder why, after two years."
The girl shrugged. "Most people have reasons to do something. You no doubt have many reasons behind some of your actions. Such as coming here to Kyoto, after saying you haven't been here for five years. One has to wonder why now, and not earlier or later, but you would close up on yourself if I asked something you weren't comfortable with. I don't want you to be uncomfortable, but happy."
Enishi nodded, and turned back to the grave. "I'll come back another time, nee-san," he whispered, and backed respectfully away from it. The girl near him stepped forward and placed a small bottle on the grave. Pink water swished inside the bottle.
"I heard you say Tomoe-sama liked the scent of plum blossoms," she explained, and moved to the exit of the cemetery. Enishi gazed thoughtfully at the bottle for awhile, and she waited patiently for him to follow her actions. After a few minutes, he joined her at the exit to the cemetery.
"Thank you," he said gruffly. Just because he was now a rurouni, didn't mean he had to be as humble and polite as that damned ex-assassin. However, this girl did deserve thanks. For taking care of him when he had stumbled across her house, weak from a wound he did not have the resources to tend to.
She, living alone in her poor home, had taken him in and catered for him. After he was strong again, he just stuck around. Something about her aura had drawn him to her, as well as the strong reminder this girl gave him of Tomoe. After awhile, he saw her not as another Tomoe, but someone who had a similar hidden light and sereneness about her. Someone he could understand without talking to, since she was often quiet.
When a large band of Yakuza men assaulted her village and burned it down, she was left with almost nothing. She didn't cry, but he saw the pain in her eyes, as well as a sense of losing direction. She had no idea what to do with herself. So he had gruffly asked if she wanted to join him wandering the world. She agreed.
"Enishi-san?" the girl questioned. He surfaced from his memories, and his lip twitched into what she knew was a smile.
"You address me normally, yet you are so formal for my sister. Why is that, when you do not even know her?"
She bowed her head slightly. "The image you described to me briefly of her was a woman of grace and talent, and I admire her. But I admire her most for being so protective and caring of her younger brother. She used to bring a smile to his face, where as now he can barely twitch a smile." Traces of disappointment lingered with her tone, but she continued with a brighter voice, "I hope time will give you the ability to smile and trust as you used to."
He stared at her, inwardly shocked at the sincerity of those words, but quickly composed himself. Bitterness flashed across his face. "Time will not make me a child again. Innocence was something I lost at a young age."
"I did not say I hoped you would become child like again. Merely that you would be as happy as before," she said. Enishi turned his gaze away from her for a moment, but then grasped her shoulder with one hand.
"Come-it is noon, and we can go and find a restaurant to eat at for lunch," he said. She nodded, and they walked away.
This girl, Enishi mused, was like a guiding light for people in sorrow. Something drew such types of people to her, and she would guide them out of their darkness. Unknowingly to her, she was doing it for him. He was aware of that, and not sure he liked the fact he trusted her so much by letting her do that for him. He trusted her completely-which was why she knew more of his life story than anyone besides his dead sister.
He depended on her not to break the trust and possible hope of emotional recovery, he had put in her. He knew she wouldn't, because when she smiled, it was reserved only for him. He had never seen her smile so earnestly at anyone else.
He wondered why she would remain with someone with such a terrible past as him-the bare, brief facts he had given to her were bad enough-when she could have tried to find work at a town. She wasn't bad at cooking and cleaning, and she had great potential at painting-her artworks were credible to be sold. Though Enishi made sure never to let her near sharp objects, besides the kitchen knives used to cook. Even using scissors for Ikebana was out of the question, according to him. She had an uncanny ability to cut herself by accident half the time.
His grip on the girl's shoulder tightened as he thought about her longer, puzzling over her own reasons for some of her decisions, such as staying with him-a man with a fragile composure. The girl looked over her shoulder at him, giving him a questioning look. He shook the look off, and asked quietly where she would like to go. She pointed at a restaurant close to a familiar inn-the Aioya. Hidden headquarters of the Oniwabanshuu, who's Okashira, and the little weasel girl that followed him, would surely recognise him if they saw him. But what were the chances of them seeing him? Not very high.
Silently, he followed his travelling partner into the restaurant she wished to eat in, his hand never letting go of her shoulder. Clinging to the guiding light in the centre of his darkness.
With soundless feet like a cat, the girl escaped the inn that she and her travelling partner were staying at. It was a tough feat with someone like Enishi, who was used to hearing the sound of footsteps in his light sleep, but she managed it. She escaped the inn, mentally wondering why he had refused to stay at the one close to the restaurant that they ate lunch at. But when he refused her polite why, she didn't press him.
Breathing in the cool night air, she began walking to her destination-the cemetery. More specifically, Tomoe-sama's grave.
She admired the picture Enishi painted in her mind of Tomoe. A graceful woman, with deep black eyes and shining black hair often tied back, clear pale skin and certain sadness etched in her face, from her loss of her fiancé. The sadness made her look almost mysterious, Enishi said. And she had an inner strength one could never have guessed she had, hidden under the soft, feminine features she had.
She had never told Enishi this, but she had attempted painting a picture of Tomoe from her imagination. It was hidden, folded and creased to fit in her pocket. She did not want to bring Enishi unnecessary pain by letting glimpse a possibly accurate picture of his dead sister.
The girl sighed. She hoped she could be like Tomoe-sama one day, strong and be…able to make Enishi smile. Only when Tomoe-sama smiled, and he saw her in his 'visions', did he truly smile. He came half close a smile when looking at her…but his heart still had ties to his dead sister. A part of her knew Enishi would never smile at her the way he smiled for his sister's memory. But hopefully, one day, she would be able to help him mend the scars on his mind and heart. And maybe help him…as a friend…to settle down, instead of wandering forever as a rurouni, seeking the answer to atonement for supposed sins he had.
She was jerked out of her thoughts when she reached Tomoe's grave. Someone was already there. A figure clad in a dark blue kimono knelt by the grave, watching it. Silently, the girl crept up behind the kneeling figure. Who would visit Tomoe's grave, besides Enishi and his ex-rival, the Hitokiri Battousai? It was obvious this person was not the ex-assassin; this person was female. It was late at night, which made this female even more startling to be found there.
Boldly, the girl moved forward, kneeling down beside the stranger, and laid the extra flowers she brought with her on the grave. The person she had been observing before jumped and nearly fell side ways.
"You scared me! When did you come along?" the stranger girl asked. The brown eyed girl noted that the other was actually a short, nicely figured woman in her twenties, with waist length black, blue sheen hair tied in a ponytail with an indigo ribbon. Large, wary blue eyes gazed back at her curiously.
"…I apologise for startling you," the brown eyed girl said after a short pause. She was not a very open person, as opposed to the azure eyed girl kneeling beside her, and rarely spoke to strangers. The result of it made her hesitant what to say. "I came to visit this grave."
"You knew Tomoe-san?" the blue eyes female asked, shocked. "I didn't think anyone knew her besides…well, this grave is only visited once a year by one family. Except for this afternoon…there were flowers and a bottle of perfume here…"
"Ah, that was …my friend and I," was the reply by the peaceful voice. "We know about this grave, and thought it was lonely, as it does not look often visited. But what about you? How do you know of Tomoe-sam-san…the girl buried here?"
"Well, that's a long story." Azure eyes dimmed, reminiscing in memories. "To put it shortly, my husband knew Tomoe-san, a long time ago."
"I hope I am not being bold, but may I ask who your husband is?"
Blue eyes calculated her quickly, and the brown eyed girl understood the hesitation. Both the two females didn't know each other.
"My husband is Himura Kenshin. My name is Kaoru by the way," the blue eyed girl said at last.
Himura Kenshin? The brown eyed girl kept her expression controlled and neutral, but was inwardly shocked. It couldn't be the one that Enishi fought years ago, to avenge his sister? The one who had made Enishi look at himself, and see how he was damaging his sister's memory and honour?
"…A close person calls me Hikari sometimes," the brown eyed girl offered. None who were alive knew her real name. None but one.
"Ah, I know about nick names. Mou, I have a fair share of them," Kaoru said softly. She nearly scowled. Tanuki and Busu being two of the popular ones, courtesy of two people she knew that she oh-so-adored. She decided to ignore the fact that Hikari was probably not the girl's real name. Hikari probably had reasons why she hid her name.
"So…do you come here because you feel sorry for this lonely grave?" Kaoru asked, after a long pause of silence. She felt a little awkward around Hikari for some reason. This girl, who was almost smaller than Kaoru herself, and admittedly had more delicately sculpted facial features, made her feel spiritually younger…maybe childish. Which was silly, considering the fact Hikari physically looked younger than her.
"No," Hikari said firmly. She gazed at the headstone. "Not sorry. Whatever death Tomoe-san had, I'm sure she died…in a way that she did not disapprove of." After all, Enishi told her Tomoe had died trying to protect someone he barely thought was worth it. Specifically, Himura Kenshin, but she couldn't tell Kaoru that.
"Yes…she did…" Kaoru murmured, in a way that made Hikari doubt that she should have heard it. She pretended not to, but understood Kaoru's words. Kaoru must know about Tomoe's death in more detail. As if just realising that she had said one of her thoughts aloud, she quickly looked at Hikari. "She died nobly."
"I'm sure I don't need to hear the details of Tomoe-san's death. That is, private, I think." If she was ever to hear the proper story, it would be from Enishi. She would wait until he was ready to tell her more about the circumstance of his sister's death, how he had been there, his guilt at being there for some reason.
Kaoru smiled at Hikari. "Thank you for your understanding."
"There's nothing to thank. I await the truth from the right source though," Hikari replied, and stood up, and smiled at Kaoru's puzzled face. "Don't mind me, I'm feeling a little sentimental today for someone…close to me. But, we should go back to our homes now, ne? It's late."
Kaoru stood up as well, and nodded. "Nice meeting you Hikari-san. We should meet up again some time for tea. I live at the Aioya temporarily." She gave a few directions for Hikari to follow.
"Ah, I know it," Hikari responded. "Sumimasen if I sound rude, but is it wise to give out your place of residence to a stranger?"
"My instinct says I can trust you," Kaoru replied. She gave Hikari a curious look. "You are rather mysterious, but I trust my instincts. You aren't dangerous to me or my family."
Hikari let out a small half smile. "Thank you for your trust. I might stop by some time, if you don't mind, and pay a visit." When Enishi wasn't with her. "Goodnight, Kaoru-san."
"Goodnight Hikari-san." Kaoru watched as the younger girl slipped into the night almost soundlessly. She wondered what type of bond had she formed with this girl-for surely a sort of bond had been created, one based on understanding through quiet, vague words and silences. An awkward language for Kaoru, but she understood it.
Silence…quietness…grace…
Kaoru stopped briefly for a few seconds, eyes widening in surprise. That girl reminded her of someone. Someone she had imagined in her mind after first hearing Kenshin's tale as an assassin for the Ishin Shishi.
She was a little like what she imagined Tomoe herself.
"I will go and supplies before we leave the town, Enishi-san. You still look like you need a bit of rest-last night was not kind to you," Hikari said to him, and hid away some of her concern.
Enishi sometimes had nightmares, thus the reason why sometimes she saw him at breakfast, quite tired. He disliked any questions about what kept him up the night before, because then he would be asked what he dreamed. What he dreamed was his own business, and he did not need to be smothered by questions. Hikari understood after watching his reactions to some people who asked him, as he bought things or such. He would become a little tense, his answers shorter than usual. She restrained her curiosity, and was sometimes rewarded by him telling her small parts of his nightmares. She accepted his behaviour-he was a man still trying to mend himself, and it was wise not to push him too hard.
Enishi watched Hikari slip away into the crowds. Part of him uneasily stirred at having her out of his line of vision-another part understood she was trying to give him space, and appreciated it. He really did need space. He had not lost sleep the night before because of nightmares, but because he had been contemplating a realisation he recently noticed.
Gradually, the longer he spent with the girl, the more details he told of his past to her. He hadn't even realised that she practically knew more than half his life story, until he had heard her slip off to Tomoe's grave the night before. The fact he had not stopped her, had not been enraged that she had tried (when he hadn't come), told him volumes of his subtle change of personality over the years, as well as his trust in Hikari. The trust which subconsciously made him relaxed about his secrecy.
He wasn't sure he liked the feeling of peace he got when he was around her, but it was a world better than the paranoia he used to feel constantly. A corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
Hikari walked, taking her time to enjoy the morning as she went shopping in the busy market place. Enishi did not like to stay in a town for long, hence why she was buying supplies so early. She never knew when he would decide to leave-it would just be suddenly said, usually the night they were about to leave. Though she noticed that Enishi seemed to find some form of peace in staying in one place, lately. Once they had stayed in one city for two months-a record.
Once finished with her shopping, Hikari decided to drop in at the Aioya to say hello to Kaoru. It wasn't often she would make a friend-wanderers were often distrusted, and Kaoru had a bright lively aura around her that cheered others up. Hikari found herself too grave and serious sometimes.
Stepping timidly inside the inn Kaoru stayed in, Hikari stopped and looked around. The inn was crowded with people, boisterously laughing, chatting and drinking. She didn't see Kaoru anywhere.
"Hello! Are you here to stay for awhile, or just eat?" A cheery voice asked her. Hikari turned and met the cheerful green eyes of a young woman. She was dressed rather oddly, her torso covered in the way a kimono would, but her arms were bare, and half her legs were as well. Her thick black hair was tied in a long braid, and she had a sunny, happy face all round.
"Ano, I was here to say hello to someone…but I think it would not be a good idea to disturb them so early in the morning," Hikari responded to the green eyed girl.
"Oh, okay, though I don't think the person you're looking for will be able to sleep much longer, if they're still sleeping. It's getting noisier and noisier," was the reply, and the cheerful girl grinned at Hikari. "My name's Makimachi Misao by the way."
"Nice to meet you. People call me Hikari."
"Odd, I haven't seen you around these parts before," Misao said.
"Ah, well, I'm a traveller that never stays in one place long," Hikari replied.
"A female rurouni? That's rare! It's kind of like Himura and his red hairs…damn it, I wasn't meant to say that. Pretend you didn't hear that," Misao said, waving a hand and smiling mischievously. Hikari mentally started. Himura? It couldn't be the one Enishi mentioned…?
"Hikari-san!" A voice called out, and a woman made her way over to Misao and Hikari. Kaoru.
"Good morning, Kaoru-san," Hikari said. Misao looked surprised.
"You know Hikari-san, Kaoru-chan?" Misao asked. Kaoru nodded.
"We…met, recently. I never expected you to come visit so soon though!" she smiled. A little boy clung to the back of Kaoru's kimono, peeking out from behind her. The boy was a toddler, with cute round cheeks and red hair tied back in a short ponytail. His eyes were innocent, purple with a brown over colour. He gazed at Hikari with a mixture of shyness and curiosity in his cute eyes.
"Ah, this is my son, Kenji," Kaoru said, and picked up the little toddler, smiling at him lovingly. Kenji laughed sunnily as his mother held him-it was obvious he adored her.
"He is very cute," Hikari said awkwardly, with a half smile. She didn't know what exactly to say, since her experience with children was limited. She found smiling a little awkward as well-unless it was for Enishi. She wanted to help him heal the non-physical scars he had. Kaoru had that ability to make people around her unconsciously happy with a smile, and Hikari could not envy the nice girl because of that ability, but sometimes she wished she could have the same talent. It might have been good for Enishi.
Kaoru waved at a person out of Hikari's line of vision. "Kenshin!" she called. Hikari gave a tiny jump from the name, but managed to pull it off as being startled by Kaoru's sudden shout. Kaoru smiled apologetically, but Hikari shook her head, giving an amused half smile. It faded quickly, as she turned and saw an astonishing figure.
Red hair. Cross shaped scar. Battousai.
"Oh, hello," he said, smiling at her gently. There was something strange in his eyes though…something akin to recognition.
"Ah, Kenshin, this is Hikari. Hikari-san, this is my husband, Kenshin," Kaoru introduced. Hikari gave a hesitant half smile.
"Um, hello, nice to meet you," she said, more quietly than usual, and instinctively clasped her hands together loosely in front of her. She let some locks of hair fall around her face to partially hide its expression out of habit, unknowing that it was quite graceful. Kenshin looked at her, puzzled. The habit reminded him of someone…
"Have we met before, Hikari-dono?" he asked.
"I doubt it, Himura-san. Red hair is not so easily forgotten," she said the jest hesitantly. Kaoru and Misao laughed.
"That's true. Do you want some tea? I'll pay," Kaoru asked, but Hikari shook her head, politely refusing, her expression becoming a little stoic. A mask of serenity, and one Kenshin truly recognised. A lady he knew in his past had worn that face to cover other emotions. He kept quiet for the sake of the girl in front of him, not wanting to cause offence.
"I'm sorry, but I'll be leaving the town soon with a friend, so I better not in case I will leave within the hour. Thank you for your offer though," Hikari said. Kaoru nodded, slightly disappointed-she was rather curious about this girl, who was a little like her imagined form of Tomoe. She wondered if Kenshin seemed to find any likeness to Tomoe from Hikari, but refrained from asking in front of the girl.
Kenshin suddenly tensed, and looked outside the Aioya into the space outside, teeming with people. Kaoru noticed immediately. "Kenshin…?"
Hikari turned around, and her heart nearly stopped, along with everyone's standing in the Aioya who recognised the person.
'I didn't think Enishi-san would come here!' Hikari thought in shock. His face looked grim as he gazed at Kenshin. Then, slowly, his gaze transferred to her.
She froze at the unreadable, hard look he gave her, but relaxed when his eyes softened. He nodded at her, and then jerked his head slightly-he wouldn't lose control of his temper from seeing the ex-assassin anymore. That was behind him. However, he wanted her to be away from the red head as soon as possible. Hikari wouldn't dispute it with him; even if she partially wanted to sit down and talk to the kind people she met recently. She didn't want to push his control. Not yet. He wasn't quite ready.
She looked back to the new acquaintances she had made. Misao, Kaoru and Kenshin were staring at Enishi, and then her, in shock. Even Kenji seemed to pick up on the tenseness of the air, and gave a little whimper. Kaoru held him tighter instinctively, and Kenshin stepped closer to his family. Hikari gave a formal little bow.
"I must go now. My travelling partner is waiting outside, and I don't want to make him impatient. He's rather uncomfortable of crowds, because he looks so unmistakeable," she murmured, hinting at who exactly was her travelling partner. Enishi was unmistakeable mainly for his white hair. She suspected it was white from shock, because recently, unknown to him, small inconspicuous strands of black had been returning to his hair. She didn't know what that meant and so never told Enishi.
Without giving the people around her time to reply, Hikari turned and made her way over to Enishi. He looked tense, and as soon as she was within his reach, he reached out a hand and held her shoulder tightly. Hikari looked up at him, searching his eyes. They were a little unsettled and out of focus. "Enishi-san?" she called out softly.
He blinked, and looked at her. His grip on her shoulder loosened, but only slightly. "Let's go," he said gruffly. "I've payed the keepers of the inn we stayed at."
"Okay, Enishi-san," Hikari said calmly. She was aware that the Battousai and his family and friends-since more shocked people had arrived-were staring at her and Enishi. She didn't want them to view him as a bad man.
Hesitantly, she reached up her hand and covered the one Enishi had on her shoulder with his own. "Let's go then. Is there a destination in mind?"
She always asked him that when they were about to leave a town, and the answer was always 'not really.' It was a way for her to know the condition of his soul-whether his heart was still as restless as it used to be, when she first met him. His answers had become less monosyllabic as they travelled together longer.
So it surprised Hikari when he gave a small shake of his head. "Actually, yes. I have an idea."
"So where?" Hikari asked, restraining her eagerness to bare curiosity. Enishi sensed her instinctive rein over her emotions. How like Tomoe, and yet not like Tomoe, this girl was, he mused. She wasn't like Tomoe because…she was her.
"A trip down memory lane wouldn't hurt too much now, I believe. What do you think?" he finally said. Hikari got the offer and a slow but beautiful, spirit-lifting smile spread across her face. Her eyes softened in peaceful understanding.
"Why not? Seems like a good idea," she accepted his unspoken, almost tentative, offer.
Enishi slowly let a smile creep across his face-the first one he made without any trace of bitterness, as he let the smile he received heal a little more of the wounds on his heart and mind. He found he was quite glad she had accepted his offer…to actually show her a bit of his past. It made his heart a bit lighter.
"Come on then," he said, and he and the girl turned and disappeared into the crowds.
It was time to let someone into his past, little by little. He felt it-this girl could be his closure to it, and his full introduction into the present.
"I thought I saw that bastard Enishi…!" Misao gaped at the spot he and Hikari had been at before. Then another thought struck her. "Wait! Hikari was with him! Isn't that dangerous?"
"No…" Kaoru said slowly, receiving an incredulous look from the kunai wielding girl. She elaborated. "Enishi-san seems different from when we last saw him."
"You are right Kaoru, that you are. He seems very different…a man who has given up on revenge, and tried to repent instead for his sins," Kenshin replied. In fact, he mused, he might have unknowingly found the answer to his atonement, in the form of that woman. That woman so like Tomoe in spirit, and yet unlike Tomoe… because she knew how to express emotions to the one who needed her the most.
He looked at his wife and son tenderly, contemplating the reason he lived his life without feeling shadowed by his past. Not to say that he had given up on being sorry-he was still sorrowful over all the lives he claimed, in the Bakumatsu. However, that was his past. His wife and son were his present, and future.
Misao, noticing the look unconsciously radiating off him, quickly excused herself.
Kaoru felt the contemplative look her husband gave to her, and looked at him questioningly. He smiled in return, and her features brightened with it. She offered their son for him to hold, and he took Kenji. Kenji blinked, looking from his adored mother to his…lovingly teased…father, and grabbed a fistful of Kenshin's red hair, tugging at it very slightly. Kenshin sweat dropped. Well, his son didn't pull so hard anymore.
Kaoru laughed, and the sound warmed his heart. He smiled cheerfully, swinging his son, and managed to elicit a giggle from the toddler.
His family was the light of his life.
Hikari glanced curiously as she and Enishi walked the streets of Tokyo. Enishi was looking around with a light of contemplation and absorption in his eyes, and Hikari did not want to disturb him if those contemplations did not cause him too much pain. She wondered which part of his past Tokyo came from.
Enishi suddenly came to a stop, right outside what looked like an old, deserted home. It was surprisingly intact, not broken into, not touched. It was dusty looking though, with disuse. No one had been inside or near it for years, according to its appearance.
Enishi stared at the home for a long while. Even Hikari soon grew tired of standing outside the house. She gently touched Enishi's arm. "Enishi-san?"
He looked at her, considering something in his mind, and finally acted upon it.
"This was the house I grew up in."
Hikari blinked, and then nodded, listening as he continued, head bowed, "My parents died when I was young, so nee-san took care of me. She was both my sister and mother, and the dearest person to my heart. That was why…her death drove me near mad."
Hikari didn't know what to say. So she did the only thing she could-listen, and give him his space as he contemplated the place of his childhood.
After a few minutes, Enishi lifted his head to reveal composed eyes. He stepped towards the house, and walked to its front door. Just before opening it, he stopped, and called back to the girl who hesitated a little distance behind him. "Well? Are you going to stand there all day?"
She hastened after him, and both entered the house together. Instinctively, Enishi laid a hand on her shoulder, drawing unconscious strength from her soothing presence.
They entered a room covered in layers of dust. Furniture was scattered around the room here and there, and it was dim and dry. Enishi's mind travelled back to a time when there was no dust, when his nee-san was still alive, and engaged to Kiyosato Akira. She had been acting happier than usual during that time.
Nee-san! Come play with me!
Coming, otouto-chan! We can go out for dinner tonight-it couldn't hurt. We could invite Akira-san, if you don't mind.
He make's you smile more often. Why would I mind?
His grip tightened on Hikari's shoulder. She looked at him puzzled, taking in the way his eyes had slid shut and his brow wrinkled. She placed a warm hand over his lightly.
Enishi breathed deeply for a few moments, and concentrated on the feel of her hand on his. It was a…pleasant feeling. His let go of her shoulder, only to grab her hand. He opened his eyes to look at Hikari, who had a startled expression on her face. Seeing his eyes open, she gave him a serene, yet sincere smile.
He took another deep breath, noticing something that had been tickling at his subconscious for quite awhile.
Hikari very delicately smelt of a rare cherry blossom.
His hand tightened on hers, and he gave a smile that, startling but joyous to Hikari, had a light of hope in it. In response she returned that smile with one of her own again, and lightening his heart. He leaned down close to her ear, speaking to her on a personal level.
"Please keep smiling for me, my hikari…Akiko-chan."
OWARI
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