"I promise to come and get you when this war is over, when the new government is built and everyone can live in peace" he told her.
She nodded. "I cannot wait Michi, I cannot wait to start my life with you" she told him.
"I love you too Emi, and I'll be back" he said kissing her cheek and leaving.
She thought it was odd that he kissed her on the cheek and not the lips. Maybe he's saving it for when he came back to her.
Little did Emi know that Michi wasn't coming back, and it would be several years before would find out who had taken his life.
*End Flashback*
Ten years into the Meiji government Emi still sits in the park on the same bench where Michi kissed her ten years ago. She had noticed a lot of the men came back and a lot didn't. She thought Michi was still tied up or in jail.
Everyday she would sit there and everyday she grew sadder as she noticed Michi still hadn't returned.
One day two weeks later as she sat on that same bench a man named Kenshin happened to be walking by the park and saw her. He wondered if it was the same girl he was told about. All he could do was go ask.
"Excuse me miss, my name is Himura, Kenshin and I was wondering if you by chance know this handwriting?" he asked holding a letter out for her.
She looked at it. It had been ten long, painful years but she knew the handwriting and knew it well.
"This is Michi's writing, how did you get this? Where is he? Is he safe? Is he okay? When is he coming back to me?" she fired at him searching his eyes.
He bowed his head. "I'm sorry but no he's not alright, he was killed. I talked to him before he died and he said there was a lady back in Tokyo that he adored and couldn't wait to be with her. He told me she had eyes as green as emeralds, that sparkled when she laughed. And hair a very auburn color that he loved to see the different colors that the sun pulled out of it" he said. "But he did ask me to give this to you, and I vowed to him to find you and give this letter to you"
Her heart was filled with sorrow and sadness. She felt betrayed. He had promised her he would come home and this red headed stranger told her he was dead. Should Emi believe him or not? She didn't know what to do.
"Take me to where he was buried" she told him.
Kenshin had vowed not to go back to Kyoto for any reason. "I'm sorry I cannot" he said.
"Why not? You told me Michi died, so now either tell me where he is buried or show me" she said with a little more heat in her voice then she had intended.
He shook his head again.
She was beyond pissed with Kenshin.
"If you read the letter Miss, you answer is in there" he told her turning to walk away.
How did he know the answer was in there? Did he have a hand in killing Michi? Or did Michi trust him enough to not let him tell her where he's buried...? Whatever the reason she was annoyed.
"Wait..." she called softly.
He turned around and looked at her.
She opened the letter and started reading it. Emi's eyes became moist as she could barely get through the letter from her beloved. She fell to her knees crying.
Kenshin picked up the letter and scanned it and sighed. "I'm sorry...I really am" he told her.
She looked up at him. "H-he lied to me...he said he loved me but he didn't...I am really a fool.." she said crying again.
Unbeknownst to them it would take them both a month before they started to date. Fate has a funny way of finding those that we need in life. Kenshin needed Emi as much as Emi needed him.