Chapter 1
"Did you even stop to ask yourself if this was a good idea?" said Megumi.
"I don't understand why you're so riled up! I did this to cheer him up! It's a happy surprise!" replied Kaoru, defensive.
"Do you ever think beyond your own feelings?" asked Megumi.
"Can you two stop? We don't have to go ahead if he doesn't want to," chimed Misao.
"Stop what?" said a male voice.
The three women turned around to face Kenshin who'd just come back from an errand.
"It's…" started Misao.
"Nothing," interrupted Megumi.
"They've found the village," interjected Aoshi, annoyed at having to be witness to all this just because he was incapable to move.
Kenshin stared at the trio.
"The what?" he asked.
Megumi sighed then threw her hands up.
"I want no part in this."
She walked out.
"Megumi...dono?"
Keshin followed her with his eyes as she left the room shaking her head. Confused, he turned back to Kaoru.
"What is going on?" he asked.
The woman shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.
"I thought…"
"Can you guys do this somewhere else?" asked Aoshi, only to be completely ignored.
Kaoru strengthened her resolve.
"Shall we go to Otsu?" she said,
Kenshin reeled. He heard the echoes of her words in his own voice. An image of Tomoe flashed in front of his eyes.
"Kenshin?"
He snapped back to reality. Kaoru eyed him with concern.
"Why would we go to Otsu," he managed to ask, his mouth dry.
"I… I made inquiries…" she began but stopped, uncertain of the whole idea at this point. Maybe Megumi had been right, after all.
Kenshin stared at her wide eyed. Inquiries? How could she have found this information out. He didn't think that anyone alive knew of what had happened deep in that mountain. Plus he had burnt that house down. There should have been nothing left of it.
"Kenshin, are you alright?" asked Kaoru with growing concern.
"How did you find about… this?"
She twisted her hands.
"Well we asked your master where he'd found you, and, judging by the time elapsed between your sale to the slavers and the time you were freed, we established a possible radius… Aoshi also helped," she explained.
"Reluctantly," added the man.
"Misao and everyone here looked around for a village that could possibly be where you were born. I thought you might want to know…"
Kenshin stared at her. As relief washed over him, he started to feel his heartbeat go back to normal. His birthplace. This was what this was all about. Suddenly, a completely different set of emotions took over him. He had never really thought about going back, especially since there was no "home" for him.
"I'm sorry," said Kaoru. "I didn't think this would upset you…"
He shook his head, trying to dispel the last remnants of his earlier shock.
"It's… fine. I just…" He looked around, as if the words could be found on the walls of the room. "I wasn't expecting this." he admitted.
"We don't have to go…" said Kaory, meekly.
Kenshin tried to make up his mind about this but just couldn't think straight yet.
"Give me some time to process this."
Kaoru nodded.
"Well… I… I guess I'll just go now."
He turned around and awkwardly walked away.
"That foxy doctor was right," said Aoshi.
"Oh shut up, will you?" said Misao.
Kaoru turned to her in shock. Misao shrugged.
Kenshin sat on a bench and observed the barges go up and down the Kamo river. On the other side, longs strips of colourful silk floated on the water, their dyes left to set. His mind was blank. He'd thought that Shishio's death would bring him closure, yet it seemed it had only rekindled memories of his past in a disorganised and out of focus fashion. The nightmares he had managed to keep at bay in the last few years were back. The idea that Kaoru could have known and investigated his past had sent him in a panic. He hoped he would never have to tell his friends about this side of himself. A barge came dangerously close to the silk. Two men yelled at each other.
"I thought I might find you here," said a soft voice.
He turned to see Megumi's silhouette against the sun. She sat next to him. They remained in silent contemplation for a while\.
"I can't believe I'm about to do this," finally muttered Megumi.
Kenshin shot her a sidelong glance, intrigued.
"Kaoru... She just wants to make you happy," she said.
"I thought you wanted nothing to do with this," replied Kenshin with a smirk.
She sighed.
"I don't. But I have to make sure you keep your promise."
Kenshin looked down at his calloused hand, unable to find anything to say.
"She means well," insisted Megumi.
"I know. But I haven't spared a thought for that place in years. I'm not even sure of what I will or can even find there." I don't need to reopen more old wounds, he thought.
"That is true. But maybe it would be nice to see the place for what it truly is. And maybe…" She hesitated. He faced her.
"Maybe you'll want to pray at your parents' grave."
He looked at the river anew. Children were running on the far side, picking up stones, playing with take tombos and temaris. He couldn't remember ever being a child. He had vague memories of working the field with his father, but no clear image of his mother. He'd always assumed they'd died and that was why he had been sold. He couldn't remember their passing.
"Maybe," he echoed.
Megumi shifted towards him.
"After the Bakumatsu, you never thought about finding your village again?"
What could he possibly have found there? Had his parents been alive, or had he been wanted, he would never have ended as a slave. Nevermind that. He could never have stood in front of his family with that much blood on his hands. He clenched his fists on his lap.
"It didn't cross my mind."
His tone made it clear that the conversation was over.