Ahahahaha…the irony of life….yeah let's just say Kenji didn't know Okina at all…and I guess I'm gonna stick w/ Kanryu 4 Kaoru's husband, but it won't be the same one 4rm the original storyline (obviously)…I'm not even sure they'll share the same last name, but if they do Megumi never had a run-in w/ anyone by the name "Kanryu"…
The good thing…Kyoto was full of foreigners…the bad thing…he had no money.
Blending in was not too hard since he could just say he was a merchant doing business, but he had no money to pay for lodging.
'I need to find a job.' He said to himself, but it was hard, people were suspicious of him.
"Hey you look kind of lost, do you need a place to stay?" an old man asked him.
He turned around to see the old man that had just called out to him.
He shook his head.
"You're not from here are you?" the old man asked.
"No, I come from Russia." Said Kenji.
"Well if you need a place to stay you can stay at my hotel."
"Thank you for the offer, but I have no money."
"Well if that's the case then you can help out around the hotel."
"Thank you."
"I still need to run some errands so stick with me and we'll head home in a while. By the way what's your name? I'm Kashiwazaki Nenji, but just call me Okina."
"I'm Alexei."
"Well Alexei, welcome to Kyoto."
Kenji followed the old man around the busy marketplace, carrying all the things the man bought.
'Might as well start helping out.' He had said. 'You're young and strong.'
Kenji didn't mind, he did this all the time in Russia. The girls left the shopping to him.
'You are the one that's awake in the morning, Alexei…' they had said.
"Let's go home now." Okina said pulling Kenji out of his reverie.
Kenji almost died when he saw where the old man lived.
The Aoyia.
"Misao look what I found, somebody to help out with the housework!" Okina shouted.
"Stop shouting old man!" said Misao coming into the room.
Shock.
"It's…I'ts you!" Misao shouted, pointing a finger at Kenji.
"What happened, I thought you said you had a place to stay!"
"It…there was a mistake and there was no rooms left." Kenji lied.
"Well my offer still stands, you are welcomed to stay here." Said Misao.
"Thank you." Said Kenji trying to sound thankful when he was feeling so distraught.
His heart was beating fast; he could feel his blood leaving his face. His hands were sweaty; he felt cold shivers running up and down his spine.
"Soujiro!" Misao called for her husband.
'This is bad…this is bad…' Kenji kept thinking as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs.
"Look this is the guy I was telling you about." Misao said, but Soujiro wasn't particularly paying attention to his wife. He was looking at the man before him.
Undeniable, unmistakable, he was looking at the same eyes, the eyes of somebody that had disappeared two years ago without a trace.
"Nice to meet you." He told him bowing a little.
He came back up and they locked eyes. He smiled at him, recognition visible in his eyes.
'I know who you are.' Said those eyes and that smile.
Kenji gulped. If any person could figure out who he was it had to be Soujiro. That was why he had not wanted to get near the Aoyia yet. He wasn't ready.
"Make yourself at home…forgive me I don't think I've caught your name?" said Soujiro still looking at him intently.
It was unnerving Kenji. Why was Soujiro being so…polite? Why wasn't he saying that he was Kenji?
"A…Alexei." Kenji was finally able to stammer.
"Hmmm, don't worry about him; he's not going to be your boss. I'm the boss here." Misao told him.
"Yes that's right." Said Soujiro.
Kenji gave them a weak smile.
"I'll show you to your room." Misao said.
"I can take him." Soujiro cut in.
"OK then, Soujiro will show you to your room."
Kenji followed Soujiro in silence.
"Why have you returned?" Soujiro asked suddenly.
"I…"
"Don't answer me now. We can talk later; I just want you to think about it." Soujiro told him as they reached the room.
"I hope that you will like your room." And with that Soujiro was gone.
Kenji stood in the middle of the room at a lost for words.
His brain had stopped functioning.