As some of you wanted, some KenKao moments, finally. Sorry for the lack of them in the last one, but it was necessary for plot development. Still, it's not too fluffy.

Taking one last bite out of the strawberry-filled layered triple chocolate cake, Kenshin collapsed onto his back, hands spread on his bloated belly. His stomach erupted with a growl, excessively full. His ribcage felt as if was compressing his heart, an aching, almost burning sensation plaguing his chest.

So this is heart burn

Dark blue covered the sky, the stars lost from sight, the moon at a waxing, weak phase. He had never eaten like that, with so much desperation, with so much glee and gluttony. It had been an ecstatic experience, beyond satisfying. Shame now replaced that delight, and so did a painful stomachache and heart burn. That man Iwanbo, he was responsible for this. He sat up, and found that Iwanbo was nowhere in sight. He had been so enraptured with the feast that he had forgotten about the enormous man with equally enormous smile. The banquet, or rather the leftovers, along with everything else that had appeared out of the sack had also disappeared. Any evidence of the feast Kenshin had consumed was smeared around his mouth and stained his pants, pants that were actually not his.

Kenshin looked around. A few men were engaged in a game of cards, some were in conversation, but the majority were either inside their homes or perhaps out participating in that dumpster diving activity Geezer had informed him about. Had they not noticed him gorging himself on all that food? Surely, men in their impoverished condition would have not been silent about a person enjoying a feast that could feed fifteen people.

Geezer came back later than night, handing him his share of food. Kenshin declined, and remained silent for the rest of the night until he fell asleep.

"Usually, people just pretend like we're not there, but you're quite the showstopper," said Geezer in that cheerful tone of his.

Wearing only Sanosuke's stained pants, hospital clogs, and the raggedy blanket Geezer had lent him wrapped around him to hide his scars, Kenshin kept his eyes on his feet. The day following the appearance and disappearance of the perturbing Iwanbo character, Geezer had persuaded Kenshin into accompanying him into the city, where they were to get "new" clothes for Kenshin from a donation box in which people discarded their unwanted garments and other miscellaneous objects for other people to salvage. Geezer had noticed the stains on Kenshin's pants, and had inquired him about them. Kenshin merely looked at him and said nothing, not wanting to lie or tell the truth. The truth was too bizarre and shameful, and a lie was immoral. He wondered how humans were able to do either without feeling ashamed.

Today, the weather was mild, a pale blue coloring the sky. Kenshin had asked Geezer what day it was, and when Geezer had responded with "Why, it's Thursday." Kenshin then asked the month and day, and found out it was the 21st of September. He did not ask for the year because he knew what year it was. It was the year he had decided to take action, and the year that he was banished as a result for those actions. Besides, it would be very odd if somebody who is supposed to be sane asked for the year.

Without make eye contact, Kenshin watched the humans through a peripheral view, noting the differences and similarities among that species, how they all seemed to be adherent to modern conventionality in both etiquette and appearance. They walked without greeting each other, their eyes downcast or directly in front of them, with several glancing his and Geezer's direction, but otherwise uninterested in the activity around them. Most were dressed in modern Western clothing, the traditional raiment of Nippon absent among the crowd he passed, though he knew that some did dress traditionally on occasion, or in rarer cases, every day.

Kenshin could not gage how long they had been walking. He guessed hours, though to say how many hours was an impossibility for the fallen angel, who had lived an eternity void of the perception of human time.

"Ah, here we are!"

Geezer had stopped in front of a shop emitting nauseatingly delicious aromas. Kenshin was still sick from all the food he had consumed, and felt as if he would never eat again in his entire mortal life, however long that would be.

Large, bold letters painted in various colors and fonts that spelled Rough Times Café were on the brick surface right above the door.

"We'll grab some breakfast while we're at it."

Without further notice, Geezer opened the door of the shop. Kenshin followed, loathing and delighting in the different aromas mingling in the air. Some people glanced over at them with incuriosity, and quickly resumed to their meals. A young woman with long, braided hair looked up from behind a counter, and smiled widely when she saw Geezer.

"Geezer! So good to see you. I'll be with you in just a moment."

"No need to hurry, Misao-chan. We'll just wait here on the bench until you're finished."

The girl named Misao directed her gaze at Kenshin, her eyebrows shooting up. She had a ring encircling her left nostril, and a tattoo of water lily on her right wrist. Slowly, she redirected her gaze to the man she was attending, shifting from curiosity to courtesy.

Except for the kitchen that was visible to everyone, the inside of the café was lit only by the sunlight pooling through the windows. The walls were painted dark colors, decorated with modernist paintings of people and things that weren't very discernible, or pleasing to the eye, Kenshin though. The tables and chairs were mismatched, and some of the material of the chairs and booths was spilling out from tears like open wounds. What was most interesting was the people. They had the most peculiar of looks. A man in line had hair like black vines, embellished here and there with multicolored beads and strings. His clothes were similarly as grungy as the clothes the residents of Rakuninmura wore, except his looked purposely shabby and cleaner than their filthy rags. The woman behind him had short spiky hair dyed blue, and wore a denim vest with spikes on the shoulders and all kinds of patches inscribed with words on them. One of the patches displayed the inverted cross, which made Kenshin curl his lip in disgust. A young man passed by, dressed all in black and with plugs in his ears that reminded Kenshin of the tribal people he had long ago seen in South America. All the customers seemed to have a distinctive look about them, as if they intentionally defied the Western-influenced, modern conventional standards of appearance Kenshin had noted during his last trip most Japanese humans to conform to… Most humans of every country and cultural background, really. Yet, this subcultural mode of dress seemed to be yet another influence of Western-origin, infused with elements of other cultures, such as the twisted locks of hair dating back from North Africa, and forms of body modification that, when first viewed upon by European settlers, were seen as barbaric and heathenish, and now were more widely accepted, depending on the age of the person, body part, style, size, and other factors. Kenshin had ceased being awed long ago by the shifting style of appearance in humans of very part of the earth, but there was something fascinating about the intentional deviancy in the aesthetic of the subcultural youth. Watching them was like spotting a patch of grass among snow, brazen and resistant.

Geezer must have noted Kenshin's scrutiny. "This here is a punk café. All kinds of characters come in here. Punks, hippies, metalheads, you name it. No one here judges you. Well, except maybe some of the hipsters."

The young lady finished helping her last costumer for the time being and called them over.

"Busy today, Misao-chan?" Geezer propped an elbow on the counter, leaning casually against it.

"It's steady today. Not too slow, not too busy. Who's this?"

She flashed her big, aquamarine eyes towards Kenshin.

"This here is… Well, actually, I don't even know his name yet! What is your name, young man?"

They both looked at him expectantly.

"Kenshin."

"Ah, Kenshin," said Geezer.

Misao stared in awe. "Kenshin? Really?

Just then, the door jingled. Misao turned her attention to the person who had just entered.

"Hi Kaoru-san!"

At the sound of the name, Kenshin whipped his head towards the direction of the person being addressed to.

Eyes as blue as the skies above blinked at him. Kaoru

"Kenshin," she said, her expression as astonished as he felt. A most peculiar sensation within his chest occurred as she neared him, a rhythmic pound against his ribcage that echoed in his ears. The clothing she currently wore differed from the simple ensemble she had been wearing the day they met. A floral-patterned dress that reached just above the knee draped over her thin figure, and she wore a forest green cardigan. Thin magenta-colored tights concealed her legs, and over those were socks in varying shades of gray that peeked over a pair of brown ankle boots. She still had a ponytail, tied now with an indigo ribbon. The only visible piercings she had were on either side of her ears. Somehow the multicolored pieces all managed to look cohesive on her.

"Kaoru, is this the guy you were telling me about?" Misao asked her from behind the counter.

Kaoru nodded her head, her attention still on Kenshin. "Yes, this is him. I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

"Ah! What a small world this is," said Geezer.

Kaoru broke from Kenshin's gaze to look at Geezer, and then back at Kenshin. "Do you two know each other?"

"Well, we just met yesterday," responded Geezer for him.

Kaoru eyed him quizzically. "Kenshin, are you staying at Rakuninmura?" Her voice was apprehensive.

Kenshin swallowed. For some reason, he felt as he had got caught doing something bad. He nodded.

Her face melted into a look of shock. "You should have told me."

"Now, don't be so alarmed, young lady. He just arrived yesterday, and in pretty bad condition. By the way, how is it that you two know each other?"

"She saved him from drowning," Misao interjected. "She found him at a river, and dove in to get him out. Isn't that absolutely romantic?"

Kaoru flushed. "There's nothing romantic about saving a drowning person, Misao-chan." She turned to Kenshin. "I'm sorry. She tends to go off in her wild imagination."

The smaller girl with the braid was about to respond when the doorbell chimed again and three more people came in. Misao mumbled something under her breath and begrudgingly went about attending her customers, while Kenshin and Geezer moved to the side to let the customers order.

"Well, I'm going to the back of the kitchen for some day-old grub," announced Geezer, "I'll part some for you, Kenshin. You should, in the meantime, chat with Kaoru-san. Oh, and have her help you dig through the Free Box," he said, pointing at a wooden crate below a shelf. He walked off, leaving the two comely people staring at his retreating form.

Their eyes met. Kaoru smiled shyly at him, "Well, let's see what's in the box, shall we?"

Kenshin didn't reply, but nonetheless followed the young woman to a box situated below a shelf filled with books.

"It's all up for grabs. Dig through it. I'm sure you'll find at least one thing."

Kenshin shifted his eyes towards the box, and slowly descended on it. He rested on his knees as he dubiously rummaged through the box's contents. Shirts of all colors and in all conditions were in that box, many with holes or tears in them or suffering from discoloration. He wasn't sure what would fit him, nor cared much. He grabbed the next article that he found and pulled it up. It was a button-less, zipper-less sweater in a solid, very bold red. In lieu of its obscenely loud color, there was little damage done to the garment. The fabric was soft, and it seemed warm. It would do, he supposed.

"That's quite the color," said Kaoru, expressing what appeared to be amusement on her face. "It'll keep you warm for now, at least. Let's see," she bent down towards the box, and dug through it herself. "Oh, this is cute!" She looked up at Kenshin, who was watching her with curiosity. She held a white blouse in her hand. Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "Oh this if for me, don't worry," she replied upon grasping his apprehension towards the blouse. Her eyes went towards his feet. "We need to find you some shoes. Didn't see any in here… Oh…" She fished out a pair of brown sandals. "These aren't bad. They're a little better than those hospital clogs Megumi-san gave you. Try them on, see if they fit."

She extended the sandals towards Kenshin, which he took. With little difficulty, he replaced the clogs with the sandals. They fit perfectly.

"Do they fit?"

Kenshin nodded, unable to keep a corner of his mouth from tilting upwards.

"I'm glad. You'll have to find a pair of boots for the upcoming winter, though. And a coat. This one might do," she said, handing him a linty blue coat. He took that as well, and sneezed.

"Cat hair," said Kaoru, frowning at the item abundant with the fibers that had caused him to sneeze. "Are you allergic to cats?"

Kenshin didn't think so, so he shook his head.

Kaoru looked doubtful with that statement. "Maybe you should put that back and try to find another one next time you come here or elsewhere. You still have at least two months before it gets really cold."

He placed the jacket on her extended hand, and she tossed it back onto the crate. "Well, looks like there isn't much else in here." She rose, smoothing out her dress. "You should try that on," she indicated the sweater with a nod, "unless you want to walk around all day wrapped in that blanket. The bathrooms are down there, on your left. They're unisex, and tend to get pretty gross, I may add."

Kenshin followed the way Kaoru had pointed to, passing a few tables both occupied and empty. Off to the side, affixed to the wall was a glass case filled with records, tapes, discs, and videos of what he presumed were related to music, though he didn't stop to check closely. Another wall with a larger glass case displayed T-shirts, hoodies, and other items that had domestically made price tags. Behind that wall were the restrooms, two of them, the doors absent of signs or labels that specified that they were restrooms. The only indications that they were restrooms were the tabs on the doors that read either occupied or unoccupied, and the sweet stench of urine slipping through the cracks. He opened the one that said unoccupied, dreading what he would find. The pungent smell of urine intensified, and Kenshin reflexively gagged. He ceased to inhale through his nostrils, his mouth parting instinctively. The room was dimly lit, the walls painted grey and tagged with curse words, quotes, messages, and declarations from its previous occupants. Out of morbid curiosity, Kenshin inched towards the toilet, and scanned it. The previous occupant had left the seat up, and droplets of dried and fresh urine stained the rim of the bowl. The inside of the bowl was rusty and unclean. Kenshin quickly moved away from it, grimacing. There was no mirror in the bathroom. All the better. Kenshin dared not look at his reflection since the first time he had seen it upon the surface of the water that nearly claimed his life. He placed the blanket above the sink, and stared quizzically at the garment he had been sent to put on. He knew where the head was supposed to slip into, as well as the arms, that was obvious, but he did not know how to go about doing that. Was he supposed to slip in his head first, then the arms, or the arms and then the head. And which was the front, and which was the back? There were no visual characteristics to distinguish one side from the other, except for a label on the inside of the neckline that read contained information of that sweater.

Revolution 8. 100 % COTTON. MACHINE WASH COLD. MADE IN CHINA. SIZE: M.

He decided that the back was where the label was, and proceeded to slip his head through the neckline. Once that was accomplished, he slipped an arm into a sleeve, then the other arm into the other sleeve, which required him to bend his arm somewhat awkwardly. The bandages he still had on rubbed uncomfortably against the fabric of the shirt, his wounds itching from the friction. He had contemplated shedding the bandages, but could not bring himself to do so. Although he would not be able to see his wounds in his back, leaving them exposed somehow made the absence of his wings that more painful.

Kaoru was speaking to her friend across the counter, who looked busy preparing something that involved an unfamiliar metallic machine.

"Kenshin," she said when he was within earshot, her eyes surveying his face, his torso, and then his face again. "That color looks good on you."

"Yeah it does," said Misao, placing a mug filled with a steaming beverage in front of Kaoru. "You'd think it'd clash with your hair since its red, but it actually looks really good on you."

Something odd rose up to his face. Heat. He believed he was doing what they called blushing.

Misao caught his embarrassment and giggled. Kaoru mashed her lips together as if to suppress something from slipping out of her mouth.

"Well, I hope you don't mind if I got you a vegan blueberry muffin. I doubt you're vegan but I got you one just in case," she said as she handed him the baked good that he hadn't noticed until then.

Reluctantly, Kenshin took it, a mixture of want and disgust wrenching his gut.

"Oh, is that not what you wanted? I'm sorry." She frowned, looking disappointed. On herself or him, he did not know.

Kenshin nodded vigorously. "No," he said, his voice coming out more forceful than he intended, "you have done nothing wrong. This one is unworthy of such kindness."

"Don't say that. No one is unworthy of kindness. Plus, you must be hungry. You've had to walk at least two hours to get here. Please take it, or trade it for another one if you don't like this kind."

"This one is not hungry, that he is not."

"Save it for later, then. And take that glass of orange juice right there, too," said Kaoru, nodding towards the mentioned beverage, taking the mug filled with dark liquid and muffin in each hand. "I already bought them so ya gotta eat 'em. Come on, let's find a place to sit."

When Kenshin didn't follow her, she looked back and said, "Come on, I'm hungry too, you know."

"H-hai," he replied, doing as she said.

"Yes, a booth is open!" she said, placing herself on a tattered seat by a window. She looked up at him expectantly. Reluctantly, he took a seat across from her, somewhat relieved to be sitting down. The shoes the kind doctor had given him were not meant for walking long distances for long periods of time.

"So, how are you feeling?" Kaoru asked him in an affable tone before taking a sip of the dark muddy liquid.

Kenshin stared. Her eyes were so blue, like the blue of the skies of his home. Kenshin looked away and at the civilians passing by. They did not notice him as they went about their way. Some walked in pairs, laughing or in conversation with the other. Most were alone, their faces expressionless, or talked into a device he recognized as a recent invention called a cellular phone.

"You know," Kaoru started, "I'm really glad to see you again."

Kenshin redirected his gaze to her, his mouth parting.

Her cheeks were flushed, the color of rose petals. "After you left, I regretted not inviting you over for dinner. I don't get much company. I'm alone most of the time. I'd be nice to have more company."

She had a timid bearing, different from the confident girl who had ordered him to follow him only moments earlier, her shoulders tense and her chin tilted slightly downward. Humility was something that existed only within humans. Angels exhibited nothing less than reverence in all they did.

"How are your wounds? Have you been doing what Megumi-san advised you to do?"

No, he hadn't been. Somewhere during his journey toward Rakuninmura, he had lost the medication he had been given, and had not thought about treating the cursed wounds since. He didn't much care what happened to him.

Kaoru somehow perceived his negligence, because she sighed and said, "You probably think it's none of my business, and maybe you're right, but if you don't treat them you may get an infection."

To spare himself from speaking, Kenshin took a sip of the orange juice. It was citrusy and sweet, running smoothly down his throat. He hadn't realized how thirsty he was until he quaffed the entire thing down. Not as good as elixir, but still refreshing for his mortal tongue.

"Hey, I mean it! You need to take care of yourself, even if you live in Rakuninmura. You-"

She stopped herself, her face softening. "Gomen nasai. It's not my place to tell you what to do. It's just that it'd be a shame if something bad happened to you again, after what you already went through."

Her eyes held his for a moment before shyly shifting to the surface of the table. This was the girl who had swum formidable tides to rescue him and spent time and money out of concern for his health, and he wasn't doing anything to secure her efforts. It was unfair to Kaoru.

"No, it is this unworthy one who is sorry. You're right in being angry with me."

Her face seemed to soften. "I'm not angry with you. Just worried."

"You are worried about this one?"

Kaoru fiddled with a stray lock of hair. "Well, yeah…" She ceased the mug and drank from it, her eyes veering out the window, the blue in her eyes brightening as the sun hit them. A subtle hue of brown reflected from her hair, and once again he could see the imperfections of humans that, aside from the wings and the glow of their skin, separated them from the angels.

But even with all her physical imperfections, she really was a lovely human. He had seen many beautiful mortals throughout the ages, of every kind of species, human and non-human, but none had made him feel like how he was feeling now, light enough to float away.

Or maybe it was his empty stomach

"Hey, that sweater suits you well, Kenshin." Geezer's voice startled both of them, for each jerked at the sound of his voice. "Did Kaoru pick that out for ya?"

Kenshin shook his head.

"Well, it looks good. And so does that muffin. You haven't eaten a bite out of it yet."

Kenshin's stomach affirmed it with a growl, and without further thought Kenshin grabbed the baked good and chomped down on it eagerly, moaning in delight as his taste buds were assailed with the tangy sweetness of blueberries.

"That hit the spot," said Geezer, amusement in his voice. "You won't find better blueberry muffins for miles."

Aware of Kaoru's presence, Kenshin ate as civilly as he could.

"Have you eaten yet, Geezer-san?" Kaoru asked. She had made room for Geezer, sitting closer to the window.

Geezer remained on his feet, nodding. "I had the same thing our hungry friend over here in the kitchen. I hate to interrupt your meal, Kenshin," added Geezer, "but I'd like a word with you outside."

Perplexed, Kenshin abstained from taking another bite and followed Geezer outside. Kaoru watched them leave with curiosity.

The temperature had risen slightly, or maybe it was the garment he now wore that provided some warmth. The stale sourness of the air was sharper now that he had the aromas of the café to compare it to. The air wasn't as clean as it had been during his last visit, nearly three centuries ago.

"Well, Kenshin," said Geezer, his upper lip hidden by the white whiskers of his mustache. "This is where we part ways."

"Why must we part ways?"

"Because you don't belong in Rakuninmura, and I do."

"I don't understand."

"Rakuninmura is a place where only those with light fully extinguished from their eyes permanently stay, and only a transitory residence for those who are still searching for their place in this world, for there is still hope in them. I cannot leave any; they are my children. But they can leave Rakunimura. And you Kenshin, you must leave. There is still a glimmer of light in your eyes. I saw it blaze when you saw Kaoru. In the short amount of time I've known you, I've never seen you look so alive."

"But, I have nowhere to go."

"Nonsense. This is vast planet. Small compared to the rest of the universe and to realms existing in other dimensions, but for you it is big enough. You'll find a place, I'm sure of it."

"I have no place in this world."

"My boy, you have much to offer. You're not fated to fail. I am certain we'll meet again. And when we do, you'll have found your place."

"What should I do?"

"You can start by going in there and finishing the rest of your muffin with Kaoru-san. She likes your company."

"I doubt that."

Something thwacked Kenshin on his head. Geezer held a folded paper article of sorts, presumably a newspaper, the weapon he had leashed out on him with. Startled, Kenshin could do nothing but stare.

"Don't be so blind! If you don't believe me, go back in there and verify it yourself. Now, I must be heading back. But before I do, know this: You can still redeem yourself. Until next time, Kenshin!"

Geezer had taken only few steps before a radiant glow blossomed and absorbed him, disappearing just as soon as it had materialized. Recognizing what had just happened; Kenshin's body began to tremble. It was the light of his home, he knew it was, and Geezer had been carried off as if he were an angel.

Kenshin sucked in his breath.

An angel.

"Are you alright?"

His heart already accelerated, it nearly came to a great halt at the sound of Kaoru's voice. He had been startled far too many times today that he wondered if he could handle it.

"Kenshin, what's wrong?" Kaoru walked towards the sideway, looking at all directions. "Where's Geezer? I saw him pass by the window alone, and wondered where you had gone. What happened? Did you two have an argument? You look pretty riled up."

Kenshin shook his head, and breathed in air the way he had seen overly stimulated humans do to calm their bodies.

You can still redeem yourself.

But how? No fallen one had ever been granted entry back into Paradise. None. But, an angel did not lie. They defied orders sometimes, or bent the truth, but never outright spoke a lie. And Geezer had been a Guardian Angel, he was certain of that, the benevolent kind that looked after humans who needed the most aid. Unfortunately, even when they watched over their charge, they could not stop fate. Nobody, not even the angels, knew the mortals' fate, including their own.

"Kenshin?"

"We had no argument. We merely parted ways."

"Parted ways? What do you mean parted ways?"

"He is to go back to Rakunimura, and I elsewhere."

"You're not going back to Rakunimura?"

"Correct."

"Why?"

"I do not belong in Rakunimura."

Her eyes studied him, and finally she said, "I see. Where will you go, then?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Correct."

A pause. Then shyly, she said, "Come to my home, while you figure things out. There is a spare bedroom for you to rest in. I live alone, so it'll be good to have some company for a change."

"I-I mustn't…"

"But why?" Pink rose up her face. "Hey, now, don't get the wrong idea. I'm inviting you as a friend. I have no ulterior motives, got that?"

"No such thought crossed my mind. I simply do not wish to be a burden"

"Baka. I wouldn't be asking you if I thought that."

"You don't know who I am."

"I know that Geezer took a liking to you, and Geezer is a great judge of character. I know that you've been hurt, and not just physically. I know that you have a past that you don't want to about, and that's okay. We all have things in our past we don't want to talk about.

This human. She was as pure and kind as they came, a rare breed of human, an angel. No, better than an angel. She was beautiful in every way, and he did not deserve to share the same roof with her, as much as he wanted to. But the thought of parting ways with her a second time was unbearable compared to the first time, when it had merely been an unhappy occurrence.

"Just a sec," she said, hastily opening the door. From the threshold she yelled, "Goodbye Misao-chan, we're leaving."

From the inside, presumably from her post, Misao replied, "'We?' You mean with Kenshin?"

"Yes."

A delighted squeal rung out as Kaoru let the door shut behind her. "Alright, let's get going," she said, a determined stride moving her forward

He hesitated. His feet did not move. She paused mid-step and looked back at him, her lips puckering in a frown. "Hayaku!"

"H-hai," he said, and followed her.