Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the characters in it.
If you think I do, please seek mental help immediately.
Author's Note: Reviews and flames are welcome! Thanks to everyone who has left a review, and double thanks to everyone who has left lots of reviews. Ano… for those who don't remember Goheh is the guy who claimed to be the Hitokiri Battousai in the first episode of Kenshin. He appears in this chapter. Thanks again to Lerone and Annie who edit my fic for me! See you next Friday! Enjoy!
Misao looked at Soujirou like he was crazy. A guy had never called her cute before, well at least not since she was six, much less show any interest in her. She often dressed like a tomboy and still ran wild like a kid. Plus her slight tendency to beat people up when she was mad probably didn't help matters any. Most men wanted calm and delicate women… well except for Himura-san. Like herself, Kaoru was a far cry from calm and delicate. But still, no one saw past those things, no one had noticed that she had grown up the past couple of years. Especially Aoshi-sama.
But Misao still held hope that Aoshi would come around someday, which was why she was so mad at Soujirou for kissing her. "I don't care how cute you think I am, my lips are meant for Aoshi-sama's only," she yelled, her anger obviously visible on her face. Soujirou's smile seemed to sadden a little bit at her words as he looked sorrowfully away from her at the ground. "So you are courting Shinomori-san then?" he asked her with his soft voice. Misao fidgeted uncomfortably for a second before answering. "Well… not exactly…" she confessed to him. Soujirou's smile brightened considerably as he stood back up. "Then I guess I still have a chance then," he said happily. Misao was about to protest, but was interrupted by the old woman's voice calling Soujirou from the second floor of the restaurant, where her living quarters were. "Houji, where is my soba? I thought I told you to make me soba," she complained quite loudly. Misao winced at the sound of the old lady's obnoxiously irritating voice. "Seta-san I think this would be a good time to leave," she suggested to him. "Hai, hai," Soujirou agreed with her. Soujirou walked over to the kitchen door and held it open for Misao, while smiling his gentle smile. "He isn't so bad. That smile of his is beginning to grow on me," Misao thought to herself as she gazed at his cheerful face while she walked through the door. "Ah! What am I thinking?" she thought shaking her head, as if she was trying to shake the thoughts right out of her mind. Soujirou followed silently behind her, his footsteps never making a sound like he was not there. Hearing the quiet, Misao looked over her shoulder to make sure that he was still there, only to see his face still smiling brightly at her. Misao blushed and turned back around, softly touching her lips with two fingers. That kiss…
For once, Soujirou actually had a reason to smile. Perhaps, he shouldn't have kissed her quite so suddenly, but when he looked up at her, he just wanted to. There she was her long black braid falling over one shoulder, her blue eyes glowing in happiness despite her cute attempt to look stern and serious. She was so alive and animated, unlike anyone he'd ever met. And when he looked up at that moment, he'd wondered what it would be like to kiss her. So he did.
He was unsure how she would react, but she did linger for a moment. And for that moment for the first time in his life Soujirou felt content. Then she jumped up and yelled at him, but he still smiled out of happiness. She was so cute when she was angry. She was all of the things Soujirou never saw in other people. When he was young, his family had been so cold and cruel, he had thought all people were that way. He recalled how his family had worked him so hard day and night, gave him little to no food, made him sleep on the cold floor. But what hurt him the worst was no matter how hard he tried to please them, no one ever loved him. On some of those cold and lonely nights, he would have given the world just for a comforting hug. But none ever came, and they only got meaner and colder until Shishio-san came. He taught him that the only way he could survive would be to become stronger, colder, and crueler than anyone, and so he eventually lost his humanity. But Himura-san had given that back to him, and now he was trying his best to lead a normal life. Soujirou smiled brightly at Misao-chan while she walked past him as he held open the kitchen door for her. He silently wondered what it would be like to lead a normal life… with her.
He didn't know very much about relationships himself. He had often marveled at Yumi and Shishio's relationship when he was younger. They were the only example of a couple that he grew up with. He remembered once Yumi had told him what it was like when she first met Shishio-san. Her face was smiling fondly as she thought of the memory. 'The first time I saw him, he smiled. I knew from then on I wanted him to smile only for me,' her words echoed in his mind. Soujirou smile softened as he thought to himself, "I wonder if some day you'll smile just for me Misao-chan."
Soujirou continued to study Misao as he started to walk quietly behind her. She seemed a little taller, but not much. Perhaps she had grown up a little, but she was still pretty much the same girl he had admired when he first saw her a long time ago. He remembered during his first fight with Kenshin, she had been hiding behind the door, until Saitou opened it, causing her to fall on her face. She had been so animated and routed loudly for Himura-san throughout the whole fight. When it turned out to be a draw she had cheered happily for Himura-san. What he wouldn't have given for her to have been cheering for him instead. And what he hadn't known then, but was pleasantly surprised to find out now was that she always acted so… cute. "Shinomori must be truly blessed," Soujirou thought to himself.
Soujirou followed Misao towards the back door. He wondered why she was heading for the back door as opposed to the front. Perhaps the old woman had already locked it, closing the restaurant for the day. She didn't like having to put up with customers any more than she absolutely had to. He wondered why someone who hated people so much would go into a business that required them to be social. Maybe she just really liked soba.
As if to justify Soujirou's thoughts, the old woman came down the stairs just as they had reached the door. "Hey! Where do you think your going?" she asked, leaning her shoulder against the wall as she caught the young couple trying to leave. She took out another cigarette and lit it. "You leaving with your girlfriend?" she asked, trying to bait them, while she casually smoked, really uncaring if the boy did leave or not. Misao quickly turned around and shook her fist at her, her face colored red with either anger or embarrassment. Soujirou couldn't decide. She then ran in front of him and yelled loudly to the old woman, "Hey! Busu! He's not my boyfriend!" Enraged, Misao reached for her kunai, silently plotting the old woman's death, when Soujirou touched her arm lightly to stop her. She looked up at his smiling face and he said looking down at her, "Maa, maa, Misao-chan. It wouldn't be that terrible would it?"
Misao suddenly forgot about the old woman and her kunai. She hadn't actually hurt his feelings had she? Did he even have feelings? His face didn't portray any emotion but how he phrased his question… Misao stuttered nervously, while averting her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at him as she fidgeted uncomfortably. "I… I didn't mean it like that…" she said quietly. Soujirou smile brightened appreciably from her comment. "Good, then you won't mind if I steal you from Shinomori-san then ne?" he asked her.
Before Misao could protest, Soujirou turned to the old woman and bowed. "Aa, gomen nasai. I'm going to Kyoto with Misao-chan now." Soujirou said in his direct sort of way. He turned around and walked out the door, waving casually and calling back behind him, "Ja ne." Misao still caught off guard, woke up and ran after him, waving her arms frantically in the air. "Chotto matte yo! What did you mean by steal me from Aoshi-sama?" she said calling after him as she ran out the door into the warm daylight. The old woman shook her head in confusion and irritation now that they were both gone. She never did understand that ahou anyways.
Misao ran as fast as her legs could carry her, until she reached Soujirou who had already rounded the corners of the restaurant and was now walking along the dirt path that led to the road. She ran up to his side and slowed to a walk to match his pace. "Chotto! What did you mean by that?" Misao said insistently, demanding an answer from him. Soujirou looked at her wide eyed and smiling amused by her anger as he continued to walk along side of her. "I like you Misao-chan. So I'm going to have to steal you're heart away from Shinomori-san," he said quite directly in his soft voice.
Misao was at a lost for words, not quite sure whether to attack him with her kunai or feel sorry for him and his hopeless cause. There was no way anyone was going to steal her away from Shinomori-san. She'd doted on him since she was a girl. But since she had gotten older, he had become more cold and distant, totally uninterested in her antics. He'd come around eventually she figured. But Soujirou on the other hand was fond of her, and he was quite open about it. Misao touched her lips gently thinking about the kiss that they'd shared. He may have caught her off guard, but she still lingered there a moment. And in that moment she lost herself, for the first time in her life she felt wanted and no longer alone. She wanted to return the kiss, embrace him, and be held tightly against him in his strong arms. But then, she had suddenly remembered that Aoshi-sama was the one she was supposed to feel that way about, not some guy she had met just once before a long ago time ago that she was supposed to bring back to the Aoiya. And so she pulled away. But the question was, did she regret it?
Soujirou looked at Misao, noticing her ivory fingers reaching up and brushing her soft red lips, while she was deep in thought. She was thinking about his kiss wasn't she? Soujirou smile grew. So Misao-chan had felt it too ne? Maybe his affection for her wasn't such a long shot after all.
Misao, on the other hand, was still lost deep in thought and unsure of how to react to Soujirou's bold statement. And she was not watching where she was going either, failing to notice that where the road and the path met, the road was on higher ground, requiring her to step up. But instead of stepping up onto the road, Misao tripped, falling forward as her arms flailed in the air comically as she tried to get her balance back. Misao closed her eyes and braced herself for impact, but it never came. Surprised, she opened one eye slowly, and then the other, only to see Soujirou's face smiling down at her. Soujirou must have caught her before she hit the ground. Then Misao realized her situation. Tenken no Soujirou, former right hand man to Shishio Makoto, was cradling her gently in his arms. "Wow, he has changed," she thought, blushing as her heartbeat quickened. "Eh? What's wrong with me? What should I do?" she thought unsure how to react. But Soujirou was the first to break the ice. "Misao- chan, you should be more careful, ne?" he said in his happy tone. Then Misao snapped out of her reverie and began to squirm, trying to get out of his arms. "Let me down!" she said insistently as she kicked her legs like an impatient child. Soujirou laughed lightheartedly and set her down. "You're so funny Misao-chan," he said with an amused smile on his face.
Misao's face turned into a pout at his comment. She didn't like to be laughed at. But before she could retaliate, she felt a sudden pain in her ankle as she tried to stand up on it. "Owwww," she moaned in pain loudly as she shifted her weight to her other leg. She must have hurt it when she lost her balance. "Why do these things always happen to me?" she thought in frustration. "Maybe the gods just like to mock me," she pondered. "Well whatever it was it hurt!" she thought to herself. Misao sighed as she lifted up her leg to examine her aching ankle.
Soujirou looked at Misao with a bit of concern. He knelt down on one knee and lightly touched her ankle, trying to examine it. Misao put her hand on his shoulder in order to maintain her balance, while looking down at Soujirou and her injured foot. Soujirou delicately touched her ankle with one hand while he held her foot in the other. "Ow, ow!" Misao yelped in pain. Soujirou looked up and smiled weakly at her as he quickly pulled his hand away from her ankle when she yelped. "Gomen nasai Misao-chan. I didn't mean to hurt you," he said, his soft voice trying to sooth her. "It's alright Seta-san. How bad is it?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Soujirou lowered her foot gently and stood up slowly, making sure Misao didn't lose her balance again. "Ah, Misao-chan I wouldn't walk on that. I'll take you to a doctor when we get to the next town, ne?" he promised her. Soujirou then smiled and scratched his head nervously, "Misao-chan, until we get you to a doctor I'll have to carry you on my back," he told her, hoping that Misao-chan wouldn't get upset again and start throwing her kunai at him. That would make getting her to fall for him and forget Shinomori-san a lot more difficult.
But fortune smiled on Soujirou, and Misao just silently nodded, obviously troubled by something. Relieved, Soujirou carefully knelt down on one knee, so Misao wouldn't lose her balance. Using Soujirou to hold onto to keep her balance, Misao limped behind him and then wrapped her arms tightly around him. Soujirou paused for a moment before standing back up. It was the closest thing to a hug, he'd ever gotten.
Soujirou's facial expression changed from the happy smile he usually hid behind to one more content. For some reason, he didn't feel so alone anymore. Standing up slowly, he took one of Misao's legs under each arm, and then turned his head to look at her resting behind him on his back. Misao still had that sad look on her face. Trying to cheer her up, Soujirou smiled brightly and remarked, "Misao-chan, you shouldn't look so glum. It's unbecoming of your pretty face." He then turned back to the road, and started walking at a slow pace so as not to upset his precious cargo.
Soujirou looked at the winding road ahead of them. The sun was still shinning and they had a few hours of daylight left ahead of them. He looked up at the blue sky and smiled into the sunlight. There were few days as nice as today, but maybe he was just being impartial. But still, the grass was green, the sun was shining, and the earth was silent. And he was with Misao.
And then Misao broke the silence. "Seta-san…" she said softly, her breath tickling his ear. "Ah, please call me Soujirou, Misao-chan," he asked her as he continued to walk along the road, carrying her piggyback. Misao nodded, her braid bouncing behind her as she held on tightly to Soujirou . She continued, "Soujirou…" "Aa?" Soujirou asked, still looking at the road in front of him, continuing at a steady pace. "Arigatou," Misao whispered softly. Soujirou smiled.
And so they started their journey back to Kyoto.
Author's Note: Reviews and flames are welcome! Thanks to everyone who has left a review, and double thanks to everyone who has left lots of reviews. Ano… for those who don't remember Goheh is the guy who claimed to be the Hitokiri Battousai in the first episode of Kenshin. He appears in this chapter. Thanks again to Lerone and Annie who edit my fic for me! See you next Friday! Enjoy!
Misao looked at Soujirou like he was crazy. A guy had never called her cute before, well at least not since she was six, much less show any interest in her. She often dressed like a tomboy and still ran wild like a kid. Plus her slight tendency to beat people up when she was mad probably didn't help matters any. Most men wanted calm and delicate women… well except for Himura-san. Like herself, Kaoru was a far cry from calm and delicate. But still, no one saw past those things, no one had noticed that she had grown up the past couple of years. Especially Aoshi-sama.
But Misao still held hope that Aoshi would come around someday, which was why she was so mad at Soujirou for kissing her. "I don't care how cute you think I am, my lips are meant for Aoshi-sama's only," she yelled, her anger obviously visible on her face. Soujirou's smile seemed to sadden a little bit at her words as he looked sorrowfully away from her at the ground. "So you are courting Shinomori-san then?" he asked her with his soft voice. Misao fidgeted uncomfortably for a second before answering. "Well… not exactly…" she confessed to him. Soujirou's smile brightened considerably as he stood back up. "Then I guess I still have a chance then," he said happily. Misao was about to protest, but was interrupted by the old woman's voice calling Soujirou from the second floor of the restaurant, where her living quarters were. "Houji, where is my soba? I thought I told you to make me soba," she complained quite loudly. Misao winced at the sound of the old lady's obnoxiously irritating voice. "Seta-san I think this would be a good time to leave," she suggested to him. "Hai, hai," Soujirou agreed with her. Soujirou walked over to the kitchen door and held it open for Misao, while smiling his gentle smile. "He isn't so bad. That smile of his is beginning to grow on me," Misao thought to herself as she gazed at his cheerful face while she walked through the door. "Ah! What am I thinking?" she thought shaking her head, as if she was trying to shake the thoughts right out of her mind. Soujirou followed silently behind her, his footsteps never making a sound like he was not there. Hearing the quiet, Misao looked over her shoulder to make sure that he was still there, only to see his face still smiling brightly at her. Misao blushed and turned back around, softly touching her lips with two fingers. That kiss…
For once, Soujirou actually had a reason to smile. Perhaps, he shouldn't have kissed her quite so suddenly, but when he looked up at her, he just wanted to. There she was her long black braid falling over one shoulder, her blue eyes glowing in happiness despite her cute attempt to look stern and serious. She was so alive and animated, unlike anyone he'd ever met. And when he looked up at that moment, he'd wondered what it would be like to kiss her. So he did.
He was unsure how she would react, but she did linger for a moment. And for that moment for the first time in his life Soujirou felt content. Then she jumped up and yelled at him, but he still smiled out of happiness. She was so cute when she was angry. She was all of the things Soujirou never saw in other people. When he was young, his family had been so cold and cruel, he had thought all people were that way. He recalled how his family had worked him so hard day and night, gave him little to no food, made him sleep on the cold floor. But what hurt him the worst was no matter how hard he tried to please them, no one ever loved him. On some of those cold and lonely nights, he would have given the world just for a comforting hug. But none ever came, and they only got meaner and colder until Shishio-san came. He taught him that the only way he could survive would be to become stronger, colder, and crueler than anyone, and so he eventually lost his humanity. But Himura-san had given that back to him, and now he was trying his best to lead a normal life. Soujirou smiled brightly at Misao-chan while she walked past him as he held open the kitchen door for her. He silently wondered what it would be like to lead a normal life… with her.
He didn't know very much about relationships himself. He had often marveled at Yumi and Shishio's relationship when he was younger. They were the only example of a couple that he grew up with. He remembered once Yumi had told him what it was like when she first met Shishio-san. Her face was smiling fondly as she thought of the memory. 'The first time I saw him, he smiled. I knew from then on I wanted him to smile only for me,' her words echoed in his mind. Soujirou smile softened as he thought to himself, "I wonder if some day you'll smile just for me Misao-chan."
Soujirou continued to study Misao as he started to walk quietly behind her. She seemed a little taller, but not much. Perhaps she had grown up a little, but she was still pretty much the same girl he had admired when he first saw her a long time ago. He remembered during his first fight with Kenshin, she had been hiding behind the door, until Saitou opened it, causing her to fall on her face. She had been so animated and routed loudly for Himura-san throughout the whole fight. When it turned out to be a draw she had cheered happily for Himura-san. What he wouldn't have given for her to have been cheering for him instead. And what he hadn't known then, but was pleasantly surprised to find out now was that she always acted so… cute. "Shinomori must be truly blessed," Soujirou thought to himself.
Soujirou followed Misao towards the back door. He wondered why she was heading for the back door as opposed to the front. Perhaps the old woman had already locked it, closing the restaurant for the day. She didn't like having to put up with customers any more than she absolutely had to. He wondered why someone who hated people so much would go into a business that required them to be social. Maybe she just really liked soba.
As if to justify Soujirou's thoughts, the old woman came down the stairs just as they had reached the door. "Hey! Where do you think your going?" she asked, leaning her shoulder against the wall as she caught the young couple trying to leave. She took out another cigarette and lit it. "You leaving with your girlfriend?" she asked, trying to bait them, while she casually smoked, really uncaring if the boy did leave or not. Misao quickly turned around and shook her fist at her, her face colored red with either anger or embarrassment. Soujirou couldn't decide. She then ran in front of him and yelled loudly to the old woman, "Hey! Busu! He's not my boyfriend!" Enraged, Misao reached for her kunai, silently plotting the old woman's death, when Soujirou touched her arm lightly to stop her. She looked up at his smiling face and he said looking down at her, "Maa, maa, Misao-chan. It wouldn't be that terrible would it?"
Misao suddenly forgot about the old woman and her kunai. She hadn't actually hurt his feelings had she? Did he even have feelings? His face didn't portray any emotion but how he phrased his question… Misao stuttered nervously, while averting her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at him as she fidgeted uncomfortably. "I… I didn't mean it like that…" she said quietly. Soujirou smile brightened appreciably from her comment. "Good, then you won't mind if I steal you from Shinomori-san then ne?" he asked her.
Before Misao could protest, Soujirou turned to the old woman and bowed. "Aa, gomen nasai. I'm going to Kyoto with Misao-chan now." Soujirou said in his direct sort of way. He turned around and walked out the door, waving casually and calling back behind him, "Ja ne." Misao still caught off guard, woke up and ran after him, waving her arms frantically in the air. "Chotto matte yo! What did you mean by steal me from Aoshi-sama?" she said calling after him as she ran out the door into the warm daylight. The old woman shook her head in confusion and irritation now that they were both gone. She never did understand that ahou anyways.
Misao ran as fast as her legs could carry her, until she reached Soujirou who had already rounded the corners of the restaurant and was now walking along the dirt path that led to the road. She ran up to his side and slowed to a walk to match his pace. "Chotto! What did you mean by that?" Misao said insistently, demanding an answer from him. Soujirou looked at her wide eyed and smiling amused by her anger as he continued to walk along side of her. "I like you Misao-chan. So I'm going to have to steal you're heart away from Shinomori-san," he said quite directly in his soft voice.
Misao was at a lost for words, not quite sure whether to attack him with her kunai or feel sorry for him and his hopeless cause. There was no way anyone was going to steal her away from Shinomori-san. She'd doted on him since she was a girl. But since she had gotten older, he had become more cold and distant, totally uninterested in her antics. He'd come around eventually she figured. But Soujirou on the other hand was fond of her, and he was quite open about it. Misao touched her lips gently thinking about the kiss that they'd shared. He may have caught her off guard, but she still lingered there a moment. And in that moment she lost herself, for the first time in her life she felt wanted and no longer alone. She wanted to return the kiss, embrace him, and be held tightly against him in his strong arms. But then, she had suddenly remembered that Aoshi-sama was the one she was supposed to feel that way about, not some guy she had met just once before a long ago time ago that she was supposed to bring back to the Aoiya. And so she pulled away. But the question was, did she regret it?
Soujirou looked at Misao, noticing her ivory fingers reaching up and brushing her soft red lips, while she was deep in thought. She was thinking about his kiss wasn't she? Soujirou smile grew. So Misao-chan had felt it too ne? Maybe his affection for her wasn't such a long shot after all.
Misao, on the other hand, was still lost deep in thought and unsure of how to react to Soujirou's bold statement. And she was not watching where she was going either, failing to notice that where the road and the path met, the road was on higher ground, requiring her to step up. But instead of stepping up onto the road, Misao tripped, falling forward as her arms flailed in the air comically as she tried to get her balance back. Misao closed her eyes and braced herself for impact, but it never came. Surprised, she opened one eye slowly, and then the other, only to see Soujirou's face smiling down at her. Soujirou must have caught her before she hit the ground. Then Misao realized her situation. Tenken no Soujirou, former right hand man to Shishio Makoto, was cradling her gently in his arms. "Wow, he has changed," she thought, blushing as her heartbeat quickened. "Eh? What's wrong with me? What should I do?" she thought unsure how to react. But Soujirou was the first to break the ice. "Misao- chan, you should be more careful, ne?" he said in his happy tone. Then Misao snapped out of her reverie and began to squirm, trying to get out of his arms. "Let me down!" she said insistently as she kicked her legs like an impatient child. Soujirou laughed lightheartedly and set her down. "You're so funny Misao-chan," he said with an amused smile on his face.
Misao's face turned into a pout at his comment. She didn't like to be laughed at. But before she could retaliate, she felt a sudden pain in her ankle as she tried to stand up on it. "Owwww," she moaned in pain loudly as she shifted her weight to her other leg. She must have hurt it when she lost her balance. "Why do these things always happen to me?" she thought in frustration. "Maybe the gods just like to mock me," she pondered. "Well whatever it was it hurt!" she thought to herself. Misao sighed as she lifted up her leg to examine her aching ankle.
Soujirou looked at Misao with a bit of concern. He knelt down on one knee and lightly touched her ankle, trying to examine it. Misao put her hand on his shoulder in order to maintain her balance, while looking down at Soujirou and her injured foot. Soujirou delicately touched her ankle with one hand while he held her foot in the other. "Ow, ow!" Misao yelped in pain. Soujirou looked up and smiled weakly at her as he quickly pulled his hand away from her ankle when she yelped. "Gomen nasai Misao-chan. I didn't mean to hurt you," he said, his soft voice trying to sooth her. "It's alright Seta-san. How bad is it?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Soujirou lowered her foot gently and stood up slowly, making sure Misao didn't lose her balance again. "Ah, Misao-chan I wouldn't walk on that. I'll take you to a doctor when we get to the next town, ne?" he promised her. Soujirou then smiled and scratched his head nervously, "Misao-chan, until we get you to a doctor I'll have to carry you on my back," he told her, hoping that Misao-chan wouldn't get upset again and start throwing her kunai at him. That would make getting her to fall for him and forget Shinomori-san a lot more difficult.
But fortune smiled on Soujirou, and Misao just silently nodded, obviously troubled by something. Relieved, Soujirou carefully knelt down on one knee, so Misao wouldn't lose her balance. Using Soujirou to hold onto to keep her balance, Misao limped behind him and then wrapped her arms tightly around him. Soujirou paused for a moment before standing back up. It was the closest thing to a hug, he'd ever gotten.
Soujirou's facial expression changed from the happy smile he usually hid behind to one more content. For some reason, he didn't feel so alone anymore. Standing up slowly, he took one of Misao's legs under each arm, and then turned his head to look at her resting behind him on his back. Misao still had that sad look on her face. Trying to cheer her up, Soujirou smiled brightly and remarked, "Misao-chan, you shouldn't look so glum. It's unbecoming of your pretty face." He then turned back to the road, and started walking at a slow pace so as not to upset his precious cargo.
Soujirou looked at the winding road ahead of them. The sun was still shinning and they had a few hours of daylight left ahead of them. He looked up at the blue sky and smiled into the sunlight. There were few days as nice as today, but maybe he was just being impartial. But still, the grass was green, the sun was shining, and the earth was silent. And he was with Misao.
And then Misao broke the silence. "Seta-san…" she said softly, her breath tickling his ear. "Ah, please call me Soujirou, Misao-chan," he asked her as he continued to walk along the road, carrying her piggyback. Misao nodded, her braid bouncing behind her as she held on tightly to Soujirou . She continued, "Soujirou…" "Aa?" Soujirou asked, still looking at the road in front of him, continuing at a steady pace. "Arigatou," Misao whispered softly. Soujirou smiled.
And so they started their journey back to Kyoto.
