Author's Note: Second to last entry before I complete this short story collection. Not too much here but decided to try Megumi.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
Story 29, Megumi Back in Tokyo
Megumi stepped off the train and on to the platform, carrying her bags on each side. It had been a long journey from Aizu and the doctor was looking forward to a short rest and home cooked meal.
'As long as the tanuki doesn't make it.'
Megumi chuckled at the thought and looked around the platform for an familiar faces. She had sent a letter last month to Yahiko and the Himura's, informing them on her arrival on June first. A telegram was sent from Aizu to Tokyo for them to pick her up around eleven but no one was in sight.
Megumi took out her pocket watch and opened it up to see the time. 'Eleven o' two. Where could they be?'
"Megumi!"
At the sound, Megumi looked up to see two familiar faces. "Ken-san and Yahiko-chan. How much they have changed."
As Megumi watched the two approach her, she could not help but smile. She noticed that Yahiko had grown a bit taller since seeing him last winter. He was eleven now and, from letters Megumi had read, on his way to being a great swordsman. Kenshin on the other hand had changed drastically. While the red haired swordsman was still thin framed and youthful looking, Megumi gasped at the changed appearance.
"Hello Ken-san and Yahiko-chan. It's nice to see you."
Yahiko grumbled under his breath as he still hated the chan part to his name. "Hello Megumi."
"It's nice to see you Miss Megumi that it is. I hope your trip was good."
Megumi smiled at Kenshin. "It was, thank you. I see you have made a change Ken-san."
Kenshin smiled and rubbed the back of his head nervously. He knew she was referring to the change in his hair. In mid-April, Kenshin made the decision to cut his hair short as he began the new chapter in his life. After everything that happened last fall with Enishi and then marriage to Kaoru, Kenshin felt it was time for another change in his life.
"Yes. This one felt it was time to make a change."
"Must of been hard to get use to short hair."
"At first, but after a while everything felt easy. My hair is washed and combed faster too."
Yahiko huffed. "Took Kaoru a while to come to terms with it though."
"Speaking of, where is the tanuki?"
Kenshin smiled as he took hold of the bag Megumi held at her left side. "Miss Kaoru is back at the dojo with Miss Tsubame preparing lunch. They'll be waiting for us to return soon."
Megumi arrived with Kenshin and Yahiko at the dojo and stood outside the front gate as it opened. The dojo had not changed too much and looked the same as her last visit.
"I read that some new students have joined the school."
Kenshin turned to Megumi. "That it is. Yahiko and Miss Kaoru are excited, and classes just began last week. It's strange to hear so much energy in the dojo."
As Megumi followed Kenshin and Yahiko, she observed the surroundings of the front yard. She noticed some flowers blooming along the sides of the buildings. An array of yellows, reds, and whites. She took a whiff of a delicious smell coming from the kitchen of miso soup and meat.
"Don't tell me that the tanuki is cooking."
Yahiko chuckled. "Things may have changed Megumi but not that much."
"Miss Tsubame has brought food from Akabeko. Yahiko and I can bring your bags to your room. You should get yourself settled that you should."
As Yahiko and Kenshin left to Megumi's room, the young doctor decided to go towards the kitchen where the smell of delicious food was coming from. As she walked towards the kitchen, Megumi noticed that more flowers were along the edge of the building. She could not recall seeing any in the dojo last spring and felt it was a good touch.
"Megumi!"
Megumi looked up to find Kaoru standing in the doorway of the kitchen with an apron on her body. She was wearing a nice yellow kimono and her hair had changed since last winter. Megumi looked closer to find that Kaoru's hair was in a ponytail without a ribbon, shorter in length, and her bangs were outgrowing.
"Good afternoon. We just arrived back from the station."
"I'm sorry I could not come to meet you. I decided to stay behind to help with lunch."
"Hello Megumi."
Megumi looked to find Tsubame looking over Kaoru's shoulder. The young girl had sprung up a bit in height but looked the same as last year. "Hello Tsubame."
"Well Megumi you're just in time for lunch. Would you like some ginger tea while we get everything ready?"
"Tea would be fine."
As Megumi sat on the outside bench she looked up at the sky to find the sun shining and clouds looking lovely. She held her tea tightly and took a sip as she relaxed. It had been a long journey and she wanted to enjoy herself.
"Here you are Megumi."
Megumi looked up to find a bowl in front of her from Kaoru who was smiling brightly. Megumi smiled back and took the food. "Thank you. Everything smells wonderful."
"Thank you Miss Megumi. We wanted to welcome you with some food from Akabeko."
Tsubame sat down next to Megumi. "I even brought some ohagi. Akabekko's planning to put it on the menu more often."
Megumi smiled and began to eat her rice as she listened to the conversations surrounding her. There was a lot going on in Tokyo it would seem. New families were moving in, the Akabeko was more popular than ever, and Kaoru revealed that two new students would be joining the school.
'Everything seems to be going well.'
"How about you Megumi?"
Megumi turned to Kaoru. "What?"
"How's the clinic going?"
Megumi smiled. "The clinic is doing well. I was nervous about how Aizu would take to a woman doctor but everything had been going well. With so many to treat, I managed to get three helpers to assist me. I just hope it will be left standing when I return next week."
"I'm sure it will Miss Megumi. You would not leave unless the clinic was in good hands."
"Thank you Ken-san."
After lunch, Tsubame, Kaoru, and Yahiko left to do the dishes while Megumi and Kenshin sat down with some tea.
"It's good to have you here again Miss Megumi. Tokyo is not the same without you."
"Thank you Ken-san. I do miss Tokyo but Aizu is where I belong. I plan to continue doing my work there and healing as many as I can."
"I have no doubt."
As Kenshin and Megumi sipped their teas, she stared at Kenshin through the corner of her eye. "How is your body treating you?"
Kenshin's back straightened up and he held the cup a little tighter. "It's as best as it can be. So far the effects are still minor, but Miss Kaoru is worried. She tries her best not to show it but I know her well enough to see her concern."
"Does she smile for you?"
"Everyday."
"Is that also why you planted the flowers?"
Kenshin quirked his eyebrow at Megumi.
"Yahiko and Kaoru do not strike me as gardeners."
Kenshin smiled. "Since this one has stopped wandering for good, I felt I should add something to my new home. Miss Kaoru loves flowers and I want to make her smile too."
Megumi smiled and sipped her tea, happy to see and hear that Kenshin was doing well. She always had a great respect towards Kenshin and was glad that he was in a good place. She had noticed earlier during lunch that his cross-shaped scar was fading slightly. 'Maybe you are finally healing from the past.'
"I almost forgot."
Megumi looked at Kenshin and saw him take out a piece of paper from his gi.
"A letter from Sanosuke. I thought you would like to read it."
Megumi took the paper as Kenshin got up to leave. She hesitated for a moment, not sure if she should read the letter. Despite their arguments, Megumi had a fondness towards the rooster and felt sad when she heard of his departure to the world.
'Maybe someday you'll come back.'
Megumi placed her cup on the bench and opened the paper to read its contents. As she read, Megumi was impressed. Sanosuke was traveling to many places around the world like China and Mongolia. His next stop was apparently Greece then the rest of Europe.
'He's making his way around the world it would seem.' Megumi smiled. 'Good for him.'
"Hey Megumi!"
Megumi turned around to find Yahiko waving towards her. "Kenshin and Kaoru want us to go for a walk before dinner."
Megumi smiled and stood up. "Alright."
She folded the letter and walked over to her friends. It was good to be in Aizu doing what she loved, but Megumi missed many things about Tokyo including her friends. They had become her family and she would always cherish them.
End
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