Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. Characters rights belong to Watsuki Nobuhiro. Bunbuku Chagama, that is mentioned here, is the real Japanese folktale.
A/N:
Greetings!
Yes, I support the idea of Kenshin taking Kaoru's family name. It seems logical to me, as one of Kaoru's children supposed to be the heir of Kamiya Kasshin and so on. Also, yes, I love Kenshin with short hair in the end of the manga.
On another note, English is not my native language, so, if you'll find some mistake, feel free to message me about it.
Thanks for reading!
A couple was running under the heavy rain at the evening. A young woman with a ponytail of raven hair held a traveling bag, while her redhead husband carried their three years old son shielding him from the raindrops.
They were in a small town two hours away from Kyoto where Misao and others were waiting for Kamiya's family visit. They had been going by train but accidently it had broken down just a few hours away from Kyoto. Fortunately, it hadn't been serious, but all passengers had needed to walk the rest of the way on foot. However, Kaoru and Kenshin hadn't been much upset about it, seeing the walk as an opportunity to show Kenji the countryside life.
This rain had caught Kamiyas some minutes ago just when they'd entered the town searching for an inn overnight.
"Here, Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted to her husband, pointing to a woman in her early fifties who was waving to them.
"Oh, dear, you're all soaked! Come in, you need to dry and rest," the middle-aged woman said while letting small family in, then closed the door.
"Thank you so much for your hospitality!" Kenshin gently bowed his wet head to her.
She smiled back.
"You're welcome, young man."
As a kindhearted person, Hana-san allowed Kamiyas to be her guests until the weather clears up. She said that they could spend a night in the room of her daughter who's working in Kyoto for now. She also gave them a few clean towels.
The little family got dressed in yukatas after a hot bath. Their wet clothes were already hanging on a rope. Kenshin helped Hana-san to put two large futons side by side at the center of the room while Kaoru and Kenji were drinking tea in the living room. After the room was prepared for a sleep, they went there. Kaoru was carefully brushing her wet long hair whereas Kenshin was drying Kenji's auburn hair with a towel.
"Don't move, Kenji, please, your daddy is all wet again!"
But, because Kenji was an impatient child, he was trying to run away from his father shaking his head from side to side. Kaoru made a tiny laugh at the scene and then continued to smile at her boys. She's already done a braid and was staying in the corner of the room leaning against the wall by a left shoulder. The small space was lighted by a long candle that was placed on a tiny table near futons on which Kenji was sitting with dad. All it looked like her boys were at a peaceful island in the eye of the storm. Such a calming picture...
Once Kenshin was done messing with his son's hair, he put Kenji on futon and tickled his belly. On that the kid laughed, jerking his feet.
"Now, Kenji, how about to ask your Okaa-san to tell you a little story, huh?" He smiled slyly at Kaoru.
"Pleeease!" Kenji gave a smile to her too, trying to copy his father's.
Kaoru chuckled and then sat down on the opposite side from husband and began a tale. It was the short and funny one. The story was called "Bunbuku Chagama". It's a Japanese folktale about a tanuki that uses its shapeshifting powers to reward its rescuer for his kindness. Out of many tales this one was Kenji's favorite because mother always made funny faces while narrating.
Kenshin watched them a little. His small family. On this thought a silly smile appeared on his face.
The family. Six years ago this had seemed impossible to him, having a family. That was before he had met Kaoru, this inspirational young woman, who had made a wanderer like him to feel like at home. And, before he knew it, his lonely rurouni days seemed now like another life.
Half of his life Kenshin had spent in running, not only from people, but from himself, from his past. Yet he had no regrets.
The past won't let you be if you're running from it. Only once you accept it, and once you accept your true self, you actually would be free. Without this acceptance you just won't survive.
That's what Kenshin had learned for sure.
And if everything happens for a reason, he now knew his. It was here, in this room.
...Yes, it was worth all these years of wandering.
Getting back from his thoughts Kenshin noticed that now his wife was the one who was smiling slyly at him.
"Oro?"
Kaoru grinned. "It's your turn now." She took a hairbrush and sat down next to Kenshin who sighed blissfully.
"Hai."
Although her husband's famous red hair were much shorter now, she still loved brushing them every night. And he loved to brush hers. It was their small ritual.
When Kaoru finished, she put the hairbrush down and embraced Kenshin's back while resting her head on his shoulder. They stayed like this for a while, watching their sleeping child with a pleasing silence between them. The only sounds around them were the falling rain, the quiet breath of their son, and even quieter crackle of the candle fire.
At last they extinguished the candle and got to bed.
The raindrops that were lulling them started to fall rarer.