Sins of the past
Chapter 1
Tokyo
It was those kind of rainy evenings when all sane people would be safe and snug at home, warming themselves beside the welcoming heat of the hearth. But at the Akabeko, there were still a few customers held back by the rain. Standing under the porch, they began another exchange of rumours and gossips but none of the news were as captivating as the one that happened a few weeks ago.
"… and he just appeared like a god to strike down that giant and saved the Yahiko-boy!"
" Yeah, and did you know, he was so fast that all his actions were a blur and when he's finished, that crazy giant lost the big cannon he had on his hand and was hit from nine different angles too!!!"
"Wow!!!"
Silence descent as all five of the wildly impresssed young men contemplated the dashing style and panache of the Kamiya dojo's resident laundry man and cook, Himura Kenshin. "What a man…" They shook their heads in disbelief and admiration as they each wandered back home. The glow of the setting sun shone through the slowly dissipating clouds as the gentle drizzle stopped altogether.
Inside the Akabeko, a woman of indiscriminate age brought a cup of tea to her lips. A wide-brimmed straw hat shielded her features from prying eyes. Indeed, it was unusual to see a woman with her kind of height in Japan. Curious speculators suspected that she must be one of those gaijins, foreigners from big steamships but what was she doing here? And was she really a foreigner?
Sipping her tea, Kaede wondered about what she had heard. A sword style that relied heavily on speed to accomplish an attack that would hit all nine fatalities of the targeted victim so fast the spectators could only see a single blur. What could it be but the nine-headed dragon slash of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu? She turned this thought over idly in her mind. Could it be him? Indeed, how long had it been since she last saw him? Twenty-odd years. Her lips curled up wryly. She should stop lying to herself. It's been exactly twenty-four years. No matter how far or how long she had been wandering around the world to ran away from those memories,she could never forget.
Not the childhood that she spent with him. The teasing and the laughter, quarrels and making up, tears and…kisses. She put the teacup down and touched her lips with her fingers. Remembering. No, never would she be able to forget the kisses. But neither could she forget nor forgive what happened that day. The day her happiness and innocence died. Kaede's eyes, softened with the sweet memories of the past hardened. Perhaps, it was time to confront the past.
Shrugging off her maudlin thoughts, she stood up. Gasps of surprise sounded from the few customers in the Akabeko. Standing up, she dwafed all the men in the restaurant. But her height was not the only reason why she drew such a big reaction. It was the whole package. The hat that protected her from other's stray curiosity had tilted back, revealing her face. A face that despite it's beauty betrayed steely determination. Almond-shaped eyes of emerald green spoke of a foreign heritage. But only that and her height tell of it. For her height not withstanding, she was surprisingly slim not big-boned as her height would suggest. As for her face, if not for her green eyes, she would look like the quintessential oriental beauty with her straight nose, well-shaped lips and perfect porcelain skin.
Indifferent to the admiration she drew, she headed for the owner of the shop, the warm and and polite Tae. "Excuse me, do you by any chance know the person whom the men outside were talking about just now?" Tae looked up at this stranger with an apprehensive expression. Although she was a woman and not likely to be looking for trouble with Kenshin, she couldn't quite shake off an uneasy feeling. Especially when she happened to see the sword she wore at her side underneath her cloak.
" Ano… may I know why you are looking for Himura-san?" Tae started nervously as she remembered the Kenshin-gumi returning home with Kaoru only a fortnight ago bearing all kinds of injuries. Luckily, none of the wounds were life-threatening especially Sano's. If he had died, who would pick up his tab? Busy with her own thoughts, she did not notice her customer's change of expression. Himura-san? Did he change his name or was this the wrong person? No matter what, she frowned, this was still a lead to finding him. Seeing Tae's worried looks, she decided to keep part of the truth to herself.
" Oh, he sounded like a friend I've not seen for a long time," she smiled, causing the customers still around to swoon. Even Tae, a woman could not help but be taken in by that smile. " He's staying at the Kamiya dojo just south of the city,"in a daze, Tae watched as the striking woman mouthed her thanks and walked out of the restaurant.
Chapter 1
Tokyo
It was those kind of rainy evenings when all sane people would be safe and snug at home, warming themselves beside the welcoming heat of the hearth. But at the Akabeko, there were still a few customers held back by the rain. Standing under the porch, they began another exchange of rumours and gossips but none of the news were as captivating as the one that happened a few weeks ago.
"… and he just appeared like a god to strike down that giant and saved the Yahiko-boy!"
" Yeah, and did you know, he was so fast that all his actions were a blur and when he's finished, that crazy giant lost the big cannon he had on his hand and was hit from nine different angles too!!!"
"Wow!!!"
Silence descent as all five of the wildly impresssed young men contemplated the dashing style and panache of the Kamiya dojo's resident laundry man and cook, Himura Kenshin. "What a man…" They shook their heads in disbelief and admiration as they each wandered back home. The glow of the setting sun shone through the slowly dissipating clouds as the gentle drizzle stopped altogether.
Inside the Akabeko, a woman of indiscriminate age brought a cup of tea to her lips. A wide-brimmed straw hat shielded her features from prying eyes. Indeed, it was unusual to see a woman with her kind of height in Japan. Curious speculators suspected that she must be one of those gaijins, foreigners from big steamships but what was she doing here? And was she really a foreigner?
Sipping her tea, Kaede wondered about what she had heard. A sword style that relied heavily on speed to accomplish an attack that would hit all nine fatalities of the targeted victim so fast the spectators could only see a single blur. What could it be but the nine-headed dragon slash of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu? She turned this thought over idly in her mind. Could it be him? Indeed, how long had it been since she last saw him? Twenty-odd years. Her lips curled up wryly. She should stop lying to herself. It's been exactly twenty-four years. No matter how far or how long she had been wandering around the world to ran away from those memories,she could never forget.
Not the childhood that she spent with him. The teasing and the laughter, quarrels and making up, tears and…kisses. She put the teacup down and touched her lips with her fingers. Remembering. No, never would she be able to forget the kisses. But neither could she forget nor forgive what happened that day. The day her happiness and innocence died. Kaede's eyes, softened with the sweet memories of the past hardened. Perhaps, it was time to confront the past.
Shrugging off her maudlin thoughts, she stood up. Gasps of surprise sounded from the few customers in the Akabeko. Standing up, she dwafed all the men in the restaurant. But her height was not the only reason why she drew such a big reaction. It was the whole package. The hat that protected her from other's stray curiosity had tilted back, revealing her face. A face that despite it's beauty betrayed steely determination. Almond-shaped eyes of emerald green spoke of a foreign heritage. But only that and her height tell of it. For her height not withstanding, she was surprisingly slim not big-boned as her height would suggest. As for her face, if not for her green eyes, she would look like the quintessential oriental beauty with her straight nose, well-shaped lips and perfect porcelain skin.
Indifferent to the admiration she drew, she headed for the owner of the shop, the warm and and polite Tae. "Excuse me, do you by any chance know the person whom the men outside were talking about just now?" Tae looked up at this stranger with an apprehensive expression. Although she was a woman and not likely to be looking for trouble with Kenshin, she couldn't quite shake off an uneasy feeling. Especially when she happened to see the sword she wore at her side underneath her cloak.
" Ano… may I know why you are looking for Himura-san?" Tae started nervously as she remembered the Kenshin-gumi returning home with Kaoru only a fortnight ago bearing all kinds of injuries. Luckily, none of the wounds were life-threatening especially Sano's. If he had died, who would pick up his tab? Busy with her own thoughts, she did not notice her customer's change of expression. Himura-san? Did he change his name or was this the wrong person? No matter what, she frowned, this was still a lead to finding him. Seeing Tae's worried looks, she decided to keep part of the truth to herself.
" Oh, he sounded like a friend I've not seen for a long time," she smiled, causing the customers still around to swoon. Even Tae, a woman could not help but be taken in by that smile. " He's staying at the Kamiya dojo just south of the city,"in a daze, Tae watched as the striking woman mouthed her thanks and walked out of the restaurant.