DISCLAIMER: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin and any of its characters, much to my disappointment. I wish I could be as creative as Nobuhiro Watsuki.

She woke up the next morning realizing that she had a long day ahead of her. "Overtime again," she murmured as she rolled off her futon and got up. She bathed quickly, putting on the now familiar orange uniform of the Shirobeko.

Her legs were a little sore from the previous day's hike, but otherwise, she felt refreshed by her long sleep. She went straight to bed last night upon arriving at the Aoiya, even skipping dinner. She grabbed a rice ball from the Aoiya's kitchen and ate on her way to work.

"Ohayo, Sae-san!" she said as she entered the restaurant. "I'm ready for another day of working again!"

"Good, Kaoru-san," Sae said as she ushered Kaoru into the kitchen. "It's a little early still, but it's Friday today. It's always a busy day."

"Hai," Kaoru said as she got a tray. She filled it with paper placemats and started going around the restaurant, fixing up the tables before the first wave of customers came. She paid particular attention to the little flower vases on each table, making sure that the dead leaves were plucked out.

An hour after she had arrived, the customers started coming. Kaoru worked with three other girls, taking orders and delivering them to the kitchen. By the time lunch time rolled around, she was thankful to have a break and be relieved for a while. She sat down to have lunch with Sae.

"Tired?" Sae asked.

"Iie," Kaoru answered truthfully. "I'm used to it already, after a week. I'm not even daunted by the idea of working overtime tonight. After all, it's Friday," she added with a grin.

"Of course," Sae said, grinning as well. "You'll be going home with your week's earnings later."

Kaoru nodded. "With that money, I can continue buying the souvenirs I want to take back with me to Tokyo. Which reminds me, do you want to send anything to Tae-san?"

Sae thought about it. "I don't think so," she murmured. "Perhaps a letter from our father. Hai, I'll ask him to send her a letter."

Kaoru finished her rice bowl. "Just hand it to me before I go home," she told her employer. "I'm going back to work now, Sae-san."

"Rest if you need to," Sae called out after her.

Kaoru continued to wait on tables, not minding the time, until hours after the sun had disappeared over the horizon. The Shirobeko was still busy, it being a Friday night, but her shift was over. Kaoru went to the kitchen to clean herself up before her walk home, as was her routine.

"Here," Sae said, handing her a small pouch bag. "You deserve it. Won't you have any problems walking home this late?"

"Iie," Kaoru said, dropping the purse in her pocket. "I went home an hour later last time, remember?"

Sae bit her lip. "But… it's so dark outside. And you're a woman…"

Kaoru grinned reassuringly. "Just let them try and make the mistake of coming after me. They won't know what hit them. Daijobu, Sae-san. Don't worry. Good night."

"Good night, Kaoru-san," Sae said to her retreating back.

Kaoru stepped outside. It was already nine in the evening. She smiled as she contemplated making a run for it again through the woods and the rice fields. It would surely cut my travel time in half, she considered.

She had just reached the outer edges of the town when she became aware of three men following her closely. Strange. Since when have they been following me? Could they be hostile? She quickened her pace without trying to be obvious about it. Unfortunately, the men noticed, and they matched her increase in pace.

Kaoru tried not to look back while she searched her mind for any way to get rid of her stalkers. She found none, unarmed as she was. She didn't think it would help to go back into town, for that would mean that she would pass them by. She maintained her quick pace until she felt one of the men catch up to her and grab her arm.

"It's dangerous for a woman to be walking along this road alone at night," the man said in a smooth voice. "You're very unlucky that we found you…"

Kaoru sucked in her breath and willed herself not to panic. She turned to face the man holding her arm, but it was too dark to see his face clearly. "What do you want?" she asked in what she hoped was a calm voice. "If it's money, you're going to be disappointed…" She thought of the hard-earned money she had tucked away in her pocket.

"I don't think so," another man said, appearing at Kaoru's other side. "We know it's the weekend… it's payday."

Kaoru frowned. So they weren't that clueless. But she wasn't as clueless either---she certainly knew enough moves to defend herself against three men. She took them by surprise, jabbing a fist into the crotch of the man holding onto her arm and using her shoulder to push the second man away. She twisted free of them, and she ran as fast as she could without tripping, her eyes frantically searching for something that she could use as a weapon. She found none.

She heard the three men chasing her, and she knew she wouldn't be able to outrun them all the way to the Aoiya. Glancing over her shoulder quickly, she noted that the first man was very much closer to her than the others. Stopping abruptly, she swung herself around to hit the man on the cheek, knocking him unconscious as his head spun to the side. Kaoru looked at the two other men approaching her, and she realized that she had a weapon that she could use after all. Reaching down, she removed one of her wooden sandals. It wasn't close enough to a bokken, but it was something.

She met one of her attackers head on, dodging his outstretched arm and delivering a blow to the back of his head. He staggered back away from her, but his partner came forward to grab Kaoru's armed hand. He twisted it behind her back, and Kaoru turned with him to lessen the pain. They stumbled together, losing their balance and falling over the edge of the road and into the water-filled canal that made up part of the city's irrigation system. Luckily, she landed above him so she wasn't hurt much from the fall. Not wasting any time, she wrenched her hand and her sandal free from him while he struggled to right himself in the shallow water. In a move quicker than a heartbeat, Kaoru knocked him unconscious as well.

She stood up, eyeing the final man who was still on his feet. She glared at him, all of the fear she felt earlier now replaced by indignation. "Are you still coming after me?" she demanded. "You think my week's earnings is really worth it?"

The man hesitated, and Kaoru climbed out of the canal to confront him at a closer distance. The man didn't wait for her to get out of the water completely. After weighing his options, he turned around and started to run for it. "Coward," Kaoru muttered as she threw her sandal at his retreating back with all of her strength. It hit his back between the shoulders, making him stumble. Kaoru reached for her other sandal, throwing it with a better aim and hitting him at the back of his head. He fell to the ground, unconscious. "Thank Kami-sama for my perfect aim," Kaoru muttered.

She stood at the side of the road, barefoot and dripping wet. All three men were still unconscious, but the first man to attack her was already starting to show signs of recovering his consciousness. As she contemplated what to do next, she saw a flash of white in the darkness.

"Kaoru-san?"

"Aoshi!" Kaoru said joyfully. She waited as he came to her side. "I was walking home and these men tried to rob me of my money."

Aoshi studied the scene calmly. "That's what I guessed," he said. He walked over to the man nearest them, the one starting to regain consciousness, and he delivered a swift blow to his head that plunged him back to sleep. He looked back at her, frowning slightly. "Are you hurt?"

"No," Kaoru said, shaking her head. "But these men…"

"They need to be handed over to the police," Aoshi said, picking up her sandals where they had fallen. He handed them to her, and she thanked him. "I know you're soaked from your fall into the canal, but you need to find a policeman and have these men arrested while I guard them."

Kaoru straightened up. "Don't worry, I'll find one," she said. "I'll be back soon."

"Here," he said, shrugging off his coat and offering it to her. "It's a cool night."

She took the white coat tentatively, wrapping it around her body tightly. It was too long for her, and it almost reached the ground. "Arigato," she said. "I'll be right back."

"Try not to trip," he said, eyeing her with a doubtful frown.

She pretended to throw him an indignant look. "Well excuse me," she said, laughing to lighten their mood.

Not wasting any time, she went to the police station, where one of the policemen recognized her as Shinomori Aoshi's companion. Needless to say, they recognized the coat. Two policemen accompanied her back to where Aoshi was waiting with the robbers, who were subsequently taken into custody leaving Kaoru and Aoshi alone.

They turned towards the direction of the Aoiya. Kaoru glanced at the man walking beside her. "It was a good thing you were on your way to town," she murmured.

"I was going to fetch you," he said. "I thought your shift ended at ten."

She looked up, surprised. "What---oh, thank you," she said. "It was…"

"If you're going to tell me it was unnecessary, I think tonight just proved you wrong," he said, cutting her off. Then in a gentler tone, he continued, "You were able to defend yourself, but what it you aren't able to do so next time?"

She shrugged. "I think I will always be able to look after myself. But if you insist on escorting me home whenever my shift ends late, then there's nothing I can do about it," she said with a smile. "I'm not the one who has to walk the extra mile."

"Aa, well, I insist," he said firmly.

She nodded. "My shift ends at nine. I just stayed an extra hour last week because they were shorthanded."

They walked the rest of the way in silence until they reached the Aoiya. Aoshi opened the gate for her. "Take a…"

"Hai. A warm bath," she said, beating him to it. "Thanks, Aoshi. I'll just return your coat tomorrow."

"No hurry," he said, following her inside.

"Yeah, you probably have half a dozen more coats like these hidden in your room. It's all I ever see you in when you go out," she said, teasing him.

"Go take a bath," he replied, prodding her lightly with his hand.

"Hai. Oyasumi, Aoshi-san," she said, laughing as she went to the bathhouse. She didn't see the smile playing around his lips as he retired upstairs.

Kaoru felt groggy. She had a good night's sleep, but she could not lift her arms nor sit up in bed without feeling as if the room was spinning. Opening her eyes, she looked around her slowly to orient herself.

It's morning, I'm in my room. Am I sick?

A single quick shake of her head and a resulting feeling of nausea told her that she was. With a sigh, she relaxed on her futon, recounting the events of the previous evening. Falling into that canal and not being able to get out of her wet clothes in the cool night must have given her a bad dose of the colds. At least, she hoped it was that benign.

Not wanting to move a muscle, she gave in to an overwhelming desire to sleep. She didn't know how long she slept, but when she next opened her eyes, someone was kneeling next to her, putting a hand to her forehead. "Aoshi?" she asked. Kami-sama, is that really my voice? I sound awful!

"You're warm," he said.

"I don't feel too well," she told him.

"You were tired yesterday, then you fell into the water. You're sick with the flu."

"I know," Kaoru said. "But I've gotten sick with the flu before. I just need to rest for a while."

"Good idea," Aoshi said, nodding. "I'll have the cook send something for you to eat."

"What time is it?"

"Nearly lunch time."

"Oh." She closed her eyes. She heard him leave the room, the sliding door seeming to be louder than usual. She put a hand to her throbbing head. After a while, the door opened again and Misako entered with a tray. "Ohayo," Kaoru said.

Misako looked concerned. "I brought some food," she said kindly. "I know you feel tired, but it would make you feel a lot better if you eat something."

"Arigato," Kaoru answered. "I'll be fine, Misako-san."

Misako gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before rising up and leaving her. Kaoru eyed the tray, which contained a bowl of soup, a rice bowl, and a cup of green tea. She sat up slowly, reaching for the soup. She lifted the bowl to her lips, letting the steam warm her face. Taking a sip, she frowned. She knew Misako was an excellent cook, but her taste buds were not cooperating with her at the moment. She could not taste anything. Putting the soup down, she slid back onto the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.

She drifted off to sleep again, and when she woke up a few hours later, she wasn't alone. Aoshi was with her again, sitting down on the floor next to her tray of food. "You haven't eaten anything," he said.

Kaoru sighed. "Haven't you gotten sick before? Everything tastes awful."

She was surprised when he gently slipped a hand under her back to help her up to a sitting position. "You sound like a child," he chided her. "How do you expect to get well without eating?" He handed the soup to her.

She took it, surprised to find it still hot. "It's still hot," she said.

"No, I had Misako send up a new tray. Don't let me force feed you, Kaoru-san," he added lightly. "I don't want Himura to go after my head because I didn't take care of you while you're here."

Kaoru set the bowl down. "Can you get me a ribbon first, from my box? I want to tie my hair neatly." She ran a hand through her tangled hair, embarrassed that he was seeing her in her sleeping clothes yet unable to do anything about it.

He stood up and took a pink ribbon, handing it to her. "Arigato," she said. She raised an eyebrow. "Your favorite color?"

"It was on top," he answered curtly. "I'm glad to see that your ability to tease me hasn't been incapacitated."

Kaoru laughed, ignoring the pain in her head. She tied her hair back from her face before picking up the bowl of soup again. She took a tentative sip, the soup still tasting bland to her. After a few minutes, she had forced all of the warm liquid down her throat. Admittedly, it made her feel better a little.

Aoshi handed her the rice bowl, and she shook her head. "I'm not hungry," she told him.

The corners of his mouth turned upwards in the slightest of smiles. He held up an envelope before her. "A letter to you, from Tokyo," he said. "If you at least try and eat some rice, I'll give it to you."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Give it to me now," she said.

"Try this first," he said, edging the bowl towards her. "Not negotiable."

Kaoru rolled her eyes, shifting a bit so she could fold her legs more comfortably under her blanket. She took the rice bowl in her hands and took a mouthful. She swallowed, frowning at her hands. "I can't even use my chopsticks that well."

Aoshi nodded. "We're in no hurry," he said. "I went to town this morning and caught this letter just as the train from Tokyo arrived." He placed the letter on the futon beside her.

Kaoru nodded, still eating. "It's a good thing it's the weekend," she said. "I don't have to work till Monday."

"Don't think about work right now," he told her. "It's the weekend, you should rest." He paused for a while before continuing. "The men who attacked you have been imprisoned. They've been sentenced to stay there for two years. I doubt if they'll go after you again. They probably think it was the biggest mistake of their career."

She smiled. "They had me frightened for a while."

"Aa. You handled it well. You weren't even hurt except by that fall in the canal."

"And I got sick because of it."

He chuckled. "It's all right, they won't know it. I know their type. They stakeout those establishments that are open at night and stalk those people who come from those places. They've been doing it for a while now, it's a good thing they were arrested thanks to you. It's quite a story to tell when you get back to Tokyo, although I suppose it's not entirely alien for you to be chasing after evil doers."

He looked at her, a smile still apparent on his face. "I know how you met Himura. When my Oniwabanshu encountered him while we were working for Kanryu, I had him checked out. That's when I discovered the circumstances under which he came to live under your roof." He shook his head in disbelief. "A young woman like you going after Hiruma Gohei… it reminds me of how Misao would handle a similar situation. It's a good thing Himura was there to save you."

"Hai…"

"It was unfortunate for Gohei," Aoshi continued without pausing much. "Much as it was unfortunate for those men who attacked you. Then again, if they had skill, I suppose they won't be that dependent on fortune…"

Kaoru laughed, and he stopped talking. "What?" he asked.

"That's the most I've heard you speak in one instance," she said. "That's quite a mouthful, Aoshi-san."

"Aa," Aoshi said, nodding. "You've had quite a mouthful yourself, didn't you notice?"

Kaoru looked down at her empty rice bowl. I finished all that while he was talking. He deliberately distracted me so I would forget the blandness… She looked up to see the almost inaudible but familiar smirk on his face. "You…" she said almost accusingly.

"Finish it up," he said, handing her the green tea.

She did as she was told. "I'm not surprised," she said, admitting defeat. "You really are a good babysitter."

"That's why you should just do as I say and do away with the protests," he said, taking the empty cup from her. "Now get some more rest while you read that letter. I already pried it open a bit for you while you were eating."

Kaoru picked up the envelope, impressed with him. "Arigato, Aoshi-san," she said.

He nodded before leaving the room with the tray. Left alone, Kaoru fingered the half-opened letter absent-mindedly. She couldn't believe that she had finished her entire lunch without any effort at all.

Listening to Aoshi talk was enough to erase that bland taste in my mouth, she thought with a smile. That man could talk endlessly if he wanted to, really. Her smile widened as she remembered how his soft tones washed over her and made her forget that she was ill. No one had really taken care of her that way. Whenever she got sick back in Tokyo, Megumi would always come and use her medical skills to nurse her back to health. It was different this time. Aoshi isn't a doctor or such, but he was able to make me feel better…

She bit her lip in deep thought. Well, she didn't really feel better. The nauseous feeling had just been replaced with something else, something that made her stomach feel light and made her breath unsteady. The feeling wasn't at all alien to her. What is this? What am I thinking?

Pushing her disturbing thoughts to the back of her mind, she opened the letter and immersed herself in the lives of the friends she had left in Tokyo.

End Chapter.

Guys, I posted this chapter in a rush coz I feel guilty giving you nothing for a month and more. Anyway, I've been told not to answer my reviewers at the end of my chapter, but I can't help it! You all give nice reviews that really help me along! So I want to write back, hehe. But in this case, I have to do with a general THANK YOU! to everyone coz I'm in a hurry. Major exam coming up so I just want to give this out asap. I hope you enjoy it. I'll answer your reviews next chapter. See ya!