Tae just turned 27 years old and is miserable since she's not married and realised that if she didn't get her act together she'd never be able to be a mother.

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except the waiters and Kumakura-san. And the rain.

1

Chapter One

1

It was a rainy day. A rainy, sad, but busy day at that. Too busy in fact. So busy she had left to take a walk in the rain. With an umbrella of course. Actually she'd been kicked out by Tsubame and practically everyone else who worked in the Akabeko. They sure had a fine way of treating her after she gave them all the jobs that paid for their meals and housing.

"Tae again? What's wrong with you today? This is the fifth cup you've broken and that's just today." said a waitress by the name of Akane as she went to go get something to clean up the mess her boss had just made.

"Sorry about that. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've been so clumsy lately." Tae said with a sheepish grin plastered on her face.

"Tae, are you ok? You've been acting strangely for a while now. I thought that if I left you alone it would subside but you only seem to be getting worse and nothing's ever affected your work here at the Akabeko before. Do you need money? I could lend you some of mine, or are you in trouble? Because if you are I'm sure Kenshin-san can help-" Tsubame was saying worriedly when Tae cut her off.

"Good heavens, no. Don't worry Tsubame I'm not in any kind of trouble. I'm just clumsy that's all. Don't worry, I think it's just menopause."

Tsubame looked at her worriedly not really sure what she meant by menopause since she'd never heard the word before in her life but decided that from the way Tae had said 'Don't worry, I think it's just menopause.' that it couldn't be anything too bad.

'It sounds like a sickness. Maybe it's like a cold? I'll have to askGenzai-sensei later.' she thought looking at Tae worriedly but decided to leave her alone and had done a really good job of it until about half an hour later when she and a big number of the Akabeko staff all lead her to the door.

"Tae, why don't you take a walk? You seem tired." said one of the cooks named Shinji.

"But it's raining outside." Tae said a small confused frown forming on her face.

"There's absolutely nothing more refreshing or relaxingly calming than going out for a walk in the rain Tae-san. Trust me I've done it hundreds of times." said a waitress by the name of Sumomo her hands on Tae's back as she pushed her towards the main entrance.

"Yeah and besides you look like ya need some time to yourself. You work too hard." said Ryunosuke another cook while also pushing her out.

"You guys don't have to worry about me. Why I'm just fine."

"But Tae what would become of any of us if something happened to you? We'd all be left jobless and with no way of paying for our most basic of needs. So in a way it's also our job to look after you. Trust me, we're doing this for your own good." said Sango another waitress who also happened to be pushing her out while everyone was shaking their head in agreement with what she'd said.

"But who's going to run things here?"

"Don't worry Tae-san. We can handle ourselves. Besides Keichi's right here." said Sukiko yet another waitress.

"Yeah Tae-san. I can handle things just fine. It'll be like you never left. You've taught me everything I need to know and it's not like it's the first time you've left me in charge of the Akabeko. Besides it's a beautiful evening and I'm sure we'd all hate it if you missed it." he said while everyone either shook their head with approval or said yes ect., ect.

"Here's an umbrella so you don't get wet." said Tsubame handing her the umbrella

"But-"

"Bye!" they all said in unison while pushing her out.

Talk about a joint effort. She'd never seen her staff more hell-bent or together on anything before.

"I guess it only makes sense though. I was never really good at hiding my feelings and I've been spacing out so much thinking about that lately. I can't seem to concentrate on anything else. I guess it's only natural that after breaking half the plates and cups in the Akabeko and practically burning it down while I was trying to help Shinji in the kitchen because we were so behind that someone would realize something was wrong with me. I hadn't realized I was being so obvious. I must look like a crazy person here talking to myself."

"Yes you do."

"Oh my, I hadn't realized anyone else was here." she answered turning to look at the person who'd just spoken to her. It was an older Japanese man in western garb and an umbrella.

"I figured as much. You seem to be having a rough time. Maybe I can help." he said smiling warmly.

"I guess you could say I am. I doubt you could help though." she said sighing.

"Try me." he said smiling kindly.

"Unless you have a magic potion to make me younger there's nothing you can do."

"Well, I don't have a magic potion but I'll tell you what I do have." he said reaching for his pocket.

"A special offer of two tickets to Aizu!" he said shoving the tickets in her face with lots of enthusiasm like any good salesman would. Tae sweat dropped.

"But that's not all! Hotel with hot springs included! And not just any hot spring. These hot springs are said to help heal the sick and weak and does wonders for your complexion! The rooms are decent sized and clean with Western Styled Beds and Pillows! Not to mention you'll have a beautiful view of Mount Fuji in all it's naturedly glory! Plus if you act now I'll throw in a free meal at the Western Cafe all you can eat! All for the retail price of $35.99!" he said in one breath.

"Um, that sounds wonderful but no thank you."

At this the man hunched up and looked sad and pitiful his head dropping.

"I should have known better than to even try selling these. But what was I to do? I'm a widower with six kids to feed and a nanny who has her own three kids which she supports by herself ever since her good for nothing samurai husband ran out on her. I lost my home in a fire and just recently found a place but can barely afford it. I have so many loan sharks on my back it's dangerous to even show my face in daylight. But I do everyday just for my kids. Keiji, my oldest boy, is already working at the tender age of eight. Yuri was born a small sickly child and the doctors keep saying she won't last much longer. She turned nine just last week and all she wanted for her birthday was to be able to walk by the river with her mother and pet dog Toshu and eat some okonomiyaki." he said bursting into tears.

"Yuko and Yukito are my five year old twins who run around bare foot because they're shoes don't fit them anymore. Hokuto does nothing but beg for money on the streets even though I tell her not to and Yuichi is barely one year old and under weight just like the rest of us. It'll be a miracle if he even survives."

Tae had started tearing up when he told her about Keiji and started bawling when Yuri came up.

"What a sad story! Oh, here I am all bent out of shape with my own problems without realizing how lucky I am, and you, working your hardest just to survive! Here's the $35.99 and please don't be insulted but take my twenty dollars too. I know it's not much but it's something." she said crying.

"Thank you so much Miss. My kids will pray tonight that whatever your problem is, it'll be resolved." he said taking the money and bowing deeply his face still tear stricken and giving her the papers he'd just sold her.

"Don't you worry about that and I want you to know that you can come to the Akabeko in case you ever need a job or just some food."

"Thank you so much. We'll never forget your kindness." he said then looked at his watch and froze.

"What's wrong?" Tae asked worriedly.

"Ah! It's already five and the train leaves at five fifteen." He said panicked grabbing her hand and running towards the train station. After almost tripping over a mud puddle, jumping over a man bent down (probably to pick up something he'd dropped), bumping/crashing into a fruit stand and a few people they made it to the train station. Never, not even once, did he stop running, and getting to the train station didn't slow him down one bit. On the contrary, it only seemed to make him speed up as he ran past the ticket booths and the policeman. The train was already moving and he pushed her on while it was speeding up.

"Have a safe trip!" he yelled without panting or taking a deep breath. It seemed the man hadn't been fazed in the slightest from all that running.

"Wait! I don't even know your name!" She yelled sticking her head out the window as the trained speeded away.

"It's Kumakura!" he yelled waving good bye as the policeman ran over to him.

"Good Bye!" she yelled back waving and threw her train ticket at Kumakura-san.

To Be Continued...

LMAO! This was so much fun to write! I know there are a few things I'm going to have to fix and that I shouldn't be writing this without finishing any of my other fics but I just got back into my Samurai X fewer and just had to write this! It just flowed out of me. lol 3P

Anyway the reason I chose to use american dollars was cuz I'm just too lazy and never really understood the japanese way of doing it.

Review and if you find any mistakes or OOCness TELL ME