The next morning, Misao, Sanosuke and Yahiko recalled the incident that they've witnessed to Kenshin and Kaoru.
"And he just left?" Kenshin asked as the group made their way to their main destination: the hot springs.
"Yes," the three chorused. An awkward silence settled among them.
"I'm thinking, Kenshin," Sanosuke started, breaking the silence. "That the battle between you and him really punched some senses into him. Maybe it was his conscience at work last night."
"Isn't Soujiro Seta the right-hand man of Shishio?" Kaoru asked Kenshin. "I never imagined him to be young."
"He was also the young man who broke my Sakabatou in halves," he answered. "He was a very good fighter. I have no doubts why Shishio Makoto kept him as his most devout servant. But after our duel, Soujiro left Shishio's services to find his own truth in the world."
"I see."
"So maybe that's why he's wandering around now, just as you have done," Misao said.
A middle-aged lady in a pure white kimono bowed to them as they approached the entrance to the hot springs. Behind her was an enormous wooden gate with the name Chiyo Hot Springs written on it. There was also a door at the size of the lady where people could enter.
"Welcome, honoured guests. May I help you?"
Kaoru bowed to her as well before speaking. "We're here for the hot springs, ma'am."
"I see," she said, smiling. "Please proceed this way."
The hostess opened the door behind her and gestured to the group to enter.
"Hey Sano, you're so enormous you couldn't fit here," Yahiko sneered at Sanosuke they made their way inside. Sanosuke had to bend a little in order to fit into the door.
"Kenshin, what's wrong?"
He looked at Kaoru, snapping from his daydream. They were the only ones left outside.
"Oh, nothing, Kaoru-dono," he said, smiling at her.
"You were looking over the mountains."
He smiled, scratching his head. "It was nothing. Let's go inside."
Soujiro took a deep breath as he walked parallel to the river's direction. The currents were quite strong and heavy. He looked at it and imagined if he was riding on its currents. He has been walking this forest since the previous night. He hasn't slept after the incidence. Questions were ringing inside his head; it was more than he could take. Sleep would not do him any good. Whether Michiko and the crony was a serious opponent, he did not know or care. He just wanted to go on with his journey.
He stopped by the fury river. Stooping down, he scooped a handful of water and buried his face in it. The water was cool and refreshing. Eyes closed, he scooped another handful and smelled something in the water that was quite stingingly familiar to his senses. He looked down at the water in his hands and saw blood. His face vividly reflected on it, as it had in the past.
He let the water go and looked across the stream. A body was limping on a huge rock in the river. Should he go get it, or just let it be?
Hesitating, Soujiro dropped his bag and crossed the water. He grabbed the body by the waist and hoisted it to his back. It was heavy. This person could be dead by now. He carefully dropped the body to the lumpy earth and looked down at it, catching his breath. He turned the body to see if it was still alive. It was the girl he saw last night in the town, the one who danced with flames. She was in a terrible state. Her kimono was drenched in blood. Her unkempt dark brown hair almost covered her face completely. She was stabbed by the waist.
"Could she still be alive?" Soujiro muttered under his breath, looking at the fresh wound. He checked for a pulse. The girl was still alive, but barely. She has lost too much blood.
At first he hesitated, but then he pulled out a dagger from his kimono – the only defense he carried in case of danger.
"I'm sorry," he told the unconscious body and then cut her obi. Slowly, and careful of not looking too much at the girl's flesh, he examined the wound. It was not such a deep stab, perhaps it must have been caused by a simple dagger. He took out a small box from his bag. It was a kit to treat wounds, one that he has been using to treat his when he was under Shishio's training. He treated the wound, hesitating with every stroke as to why he did not just chose to leave the body and go on with his journey.
The girl regained consciousness late in the afternoon. Soujiro leaned on a tree the whole time, waiting for her to awaken. He had questions that he wants the girl to answer.
The first thing that she saw was the crimson sky and the setting sun.
When Soujiro saw her stirring, he approached her and sat beside her weak body. The girl looked at him with distant eyes. She had the brightest green eyes that he has ever seen.
Not knowing what to say, Soujiro asked, "What's your name?"
He thought it was a stupid question but then at least he said something.
The girl stared blankly at him for a long time as if she has never seen anything like him before.
"What's your name?" he repeated, thinking that she might not have heard the question.
She blinked a couple of times at Soujiro, as if she couldn't understand the question.
Before Soujiro can conclude that she was deaf, the girl answered weakly, "I don't know."
It was now Soujiro who thought that he might not have heard properly.
"What? What did you say?"
"I said I don't know."
He looked at the girl's wound. "I'm sorry, but… what did you say?"
She took her gaze away from him and looked at the crimson sky above.
"I said don't know my name," she said more clearly. "I don't… remember anything."
Soujiro sat staring at the girl for a long time, as she lay motionless and blank, before considering that she must have acquired amnesia.
Miles away, Kenshin and the group made their way back to the inn that they were staying for their final night in the area.
"That was so relaxing," Misao said gleefully. "I've forgotten how good hot springs were. We should do this more often, you know."
"Yeah and maybe you can pay next time, Misao," Yahiko said.
"Kenshin," Kaoru said, looking at Kenshin. "What are you thinking?"
Kenshin snapped to his senses, amazed in how much Kaoru can sense his thoughts.
"Hey Himura, you've been like that the whole afternoon. You've been staring blankly. Are you alright?" Misao told him, looking over her shoulder.
"Is it Soujiro?" Sanosuke, who was also beside him, asked. "You still worried about that kid?"
Kenshin answered. "Well, to tell you guys the truth, I can help myself to think about the Soujiro I met with Shishio and the one Sanosuke and the others encountered last night. There's just something…"
"What?"
"Oh, nothing!" he smiled at them. "I guess I'm just happy for him. I just couldn't help thinking about things."
When they reached the inn, Kenshin allowed Kaoru, Misao and Yahiko to go ahead of them in the staircase until they were out of earshot.
"Now tell me what's really up," Sanosuke said behind Kenshin, who answered without hesitation this time.
"I can sense something is going to happen."
It was cold that night in the mountain area. Soujiro managed to start a campfire for himself and his companion. He also prepared their dinner, catching two medium-sized fishes from the river, and heating water for them to drink. They warmed themselves by the campfire as the night went deeper.
"It's prepared," Soujiro said, handing the cooked to the girl.
"Thank you very much," she said. "You've been a great help to me. But since I still can't recover my memory, is it alright if I tag along with you for a while?"
Soujiro faked reheating his fish, staring into the fire.
"Alright," he answered, looking across the fire, where the girl sat. "But I have to warn you, I might be a dangerous person. I'm a fugitive."
The girl stopped chewing her food and looked at Soujiro, who smiled back.
"Oh, that's alright. You're the only person I know right now, so I won't have anything to lose." And with that, she returned his smile.
Soujiro stared at the fire uneasily. "So you still don't remember anything? That's strange."
She shrugged. "I wonder how I can get my memory back. Well, one thing's for sure; at least I can remember you even after I get back my memory."
He didn't answer. She swallowed her food, as if she hasn't eaten in days.
"By the way," she said, putting down her unfinished food. "Thank you for helping me. It's not a usual act of a passer-by to help someone who was covered in blood."
Soujiro looked up smiling, and scratched his head thoughtfully, unsure of what to respond.
"Oh… well… uhm… it's alright I guess."
As Soujiro leaned on a tree that night to dose himself to sleep, he couldn't help but to think about the events that would come at the expense of a companion. She may stick around, but only for a while. But then, if she doesn't regain her memory, will she ever go away? If she finds out about his reputation, will she be frightened? The Meiji government was still after him; he was still at large. But thoughts bothering him even more was the girl's past – why was she stabbed. Soujiro was sure that she was the girl he saw the previous night entertaining Kenshin Himura and his comrades. He didn't tell her this yet. But perhaps, tomorrow, he will…
Senkaku was running wildly. His feet were moving frantically. Soujiro could sense the fear from him – the fear of being punished in his defeat to Kenshin Himura. Soujiro knew this man was to die. After all, the world serves no place for the weak. They were only food for the strong. Senkaku ran and ran, his sweat trickling down his brow. He headed towards a river and sat there, panting. And without warning, blood gushed out from his head.
"Soujiro… hey, Soujiro…"
Soujiro opened his weary eyes and saw only darkness. He looked up and saw two bright green eyes staring at him from the dark. He scratched his eyes.
"What is it?"
"I have to pee."
He looked up. "Pee? Just take a hole there behind the trees. No one will see you. I won't look at you."
The girl hesitated. The forest was very dark. A deep sheet of fog covered every light in the heavens.
"Couldn't you accompany me?"
He scratched his eyes again. 'You've got to be kidding me,' he thought.
"I really have to go."
"You seem a lot more energetic now after we've eaten," he said, tightening his shoelace, a habit of his.
"Yes. I feel quite better. You've treated my wounds well. But I really got to go."
"Alright, alright," he said, straightening up and leading her into the forest.
Soujiro hid behind a tree, staring into the darkness as the girl went a little farther. A thought suddenly came to him.
"I think I know who you are," he said through the pitch-black. "I should've told you this afternoon. You were a dancer in an inn. I saw you a night ago." He recalled the yellow light and the fire.
"Would you want me to take you back in the village?" he asked. There was no answer.
"Are you done yet?" he said, looking over his shoulder.
"No!" she hissed, making him look away quickly. After a while, she was done. "But that village, where is it?"
Soujiro looked at her shadowed figure, as he felt her approaching.
"I'd like to go there."
"Alright, I'll drop you off there then."
She was taken aback by this. "You're leaving me there? Am I already a burden to you? I'll never pee in the middle of the night again, I promise."
"No, It's nothing like that, but you should've peed earlier," Soujiro smiled in the darkness. "It's just complicated."
