The decision was a difficult one.
Would he leave his friends behind to stay with the son he just found out he had, or would his son leave the life he'd always known to follow a man he had recently found out was his biological father?
The boy was conflicted. He wasn't readily willing to leave behind all the luxuries he had grown accustomed to in his 10 years of life, but he also wanted to get to know his father better. And he felt like he was betraying the memory of the only father he'd known up till that point.
"I can't call you father." He said.
"I know and I wasn't expecting you to call me that."
"I don't know what to do." The boy said truthfully.
"Maybe it would be better if I leave?" he offered. He knew how the child must felt. He knew that he felt that he'd be betraying his father if he accepted his reality.
"I don't know, I really don't….but…I never really knew my mother…I never had a mother...so can you tell me anything about my real mother..?" the kid asked.
He smiled weakly, it was not a story he liked to tell, and in telling it he'd have to reveal things that he didn't want the child to know just yet.
The child saw his hesitation and quickly retracted his request.
"No, she was your mother and you have a right to know the whole story, but if I may, I want my friends to listen to the story too."
The child shook his head.
Once everyone was together he massaged his temples and took a deep breath before plunging into what was the most painful experience in his life.
Once his narrative was over, everyone sat silent. It was a story that would take time for people to swallow, so he stood up and left the room.
Kaoru was the first one to snap out of it and went to look for him. After listening to that story she had resolved to offer her assistance in finish raising the child, not as a friend or younger sister, but as a woman.
He of course refused. No matter how much she pleaded for an opportunity, he knew he'd never love her as a woman and would only hurt her if he gave her false hope.
"You're so young…" he started to say, but she cut him off before he could continue.
"Is it because I'm young? I don't want to hear it!" she hollered.
That wasn't what he was trying to tell her. He meant that she was young and could find someone that was suitable for her, but he decided to say nothing; he knew that those were the last things she'd want to hear then.
At least one thing was left perfectly clear, he didn't need to decide whether or not to leave his friends behind; it was obvious that for the time being, he could not go on living in the dojo.
She refused to talk to him after hat and he didn't try to force her to talk to him either. She had 'nicely' told him that he did not need to accompany back to Tokyo, but he refused to let Yahiko and her return alone.
She didn't object, but she still did not speak to him.
Yutaro had not spoken to him since the revelation of his past, and he didn't know if the child was angry at him or not. Either way he was returning to Tokyo and went to tell Yutaro.
"Yutaro-san I will be returning to Tokyo soon and I do not know where I will be after that…"
He received no answer form the child, so he just continued talking. "I do not know when we will meet each other again, but when we meet again I hope that we can at least be friends. I do not wish to take your father's place, I have no right."
Yutaro was silent. He didn't want to lose his father, but his young mind did not allow him to see things clearly. He felt that if he accepted the fact that this man was his real father, he'd be betraying the man that had raised him, and so he remained quiet and let him go without saying a word.
Kenshin had expected that and left with the hope of meeting up with his son later on in life when the child was older and could understand things better.
Everyone was quiet on the trip back to Tokyo.
Once he arrived at the dojo he packed his few possessions and started back on the uncertain road.
He knew that he'd return one day, and so with that in mind his heart didn't feel as heavy.
Meanwhile, Yutaro felt the need to leave everything behind and meet new people so he packed his things and went to live with an uncle in Germany.
Neither father nor son knew when they would meet again, but both were sure than when that happened, they'd be able to see eye to eye.
Oh man, how long has it been? Too long…so long that the original ending I had in mind has completely gone out the window…I promise I won't wait another year and a half to update (if anyone is still even reading or remembers this story)…for sure though, the next chapter will be the last one…for all of you that sporadically came by to check..thanks!