Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is copyrighted to its respected owners, of which I am not one. No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Modern AU. Rated for violence and some adult situations in later chapters.

co·op·er·a·tion | \ (ˌ)kō-ˌä-pə-ˈrā-shən:

1. an act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit; joint action

2. the association of persons or businesses for common, usually economic, benefit

Chapter 1: The Land in Question

Like all the previous lawyers who came before her, the woman sitting on the other side of her desk - introduced as Omasu - seemed to enjoy discussing every positive aspect of selling the dojo land to her employer down to the last, minute detail. Kaoru endured it for as long as she could before pasting a polite smile on her face as she cut her guest short. "I appreciate you coming to see me, Omasu-san, but I'm really not interested."

Omasu blinked several times, apparently taken aback as if she was not used to being interrupted. "Not interested?" she repeated with uncertainty.

Kaoru nodded, trying not to ground her teeth before speaking. "I'm not. But it was very nice to meet you." She paused, gauged the woman in front of her with speculation, and reached down beside her to pick up a pamphlet she had made just for this purpose. "I noticed you seemed very curious about the classes going on at the dojo. If you sign up, we offer a free introductory class and uniform. Speaking woman to woman, I would recommend that you take a self-defense class. It is led by one of my most experienced and competent teachers."

The skepticism was clear in Omasu's eyes. "I don't think..."

Kaoru bit back a smirk, slid the pamphlet in front of the lawyer, and flipped it open. Without saying another word, she simply pointed to a headshot of a man with flowing dark hair and piercing dark eyes that seemed to mock anyone looking at him. Arrogance clung to every inch of his face, even in a photo, from the slight arch of an eyebrow to the firm, prominent jawline. Despite that - or perhaps because of it - it couldn't detract from the handsome visage. When Omasu's protests died down as she gazed at the picture in what could only be described as rapture, Kaoru added, "Hiko-san is merely visiting the dojo for a while but has agreed to lead several female-only self-defense classes. Most of his classes have been booked for weeks now, but I think I can manage to persuade him to accept one more attendee. After all, every woman should know how to defend herself if she ever needs it."

The dazed look remained in Omasu's eyes even as she nodded in agreement like a puppet - and Kaoru was the one pulling the strings. "Yes, I quite agree, Kamiya-san. Please do sign me up for Hiko-san's class. The next one available."

This time, Kaoru couldn't hide her smug grin but because Omasu still had her eyes glued to Hiko's picture, she didn't care. Perhaps hearing the lawyer spiel for the past 15 minutes hadn't been such a waste after all. "I'll do that right away."

Omasu's employer, persistent nuisance that he was, wasn't the first person who wanted to buy the dojo land. Multiple and sometimes memorable offers had come in over the years, most notably the one from the Hiruma brothers right after Kamiya Koshijirou's death. While Kaoru's father had been regarded as a good neighbor and an excellent kendo instructor, he was equally known as a terrible businessman. It was common knowledge the dojo hadn't turned much of a profit and was closing in on disaster. Assuming that a twenty year old grieving girl was an easy target and figuring they could get the property for cheap, the Hiruma brothers arrived with a proposal far below the market value of the land. Kaoru, a business major at Kaetsu University, had laughed in their faces when she saw the offer. It was the first time she found humor in anything after burying her father and she sent them away with their tails tucked between their legs. But the brothers hadn't given up and next time they came with a few thugs to make a point. Kaoru had repelled them all with her bokken. From then on, they'd left her alone.

What none of the potential buyers seemed to realize was that no offer would ever be accepted. The dojo had been in the family for six generations and Kaoru had no intention of selling the land it sat on, no matter how many offers came in and how much money they offered. In this day and age where land was scarce especially in Tokyo, the dojo sat on approximately one-and-a-half acres* of terrain. Her great-great-great-great grandfather who created the family style was sagacious enough to know the value of the property would only go up. He had been careful to ensure that his future progeny would not do something so stupid as to value money over his legacy by instilling deep family pride in his descendants. That pride had been carried down from generation to generation and Kaoru decided long ago she wasn't going to be the one who ended her ancestor's dream.

So it annoyed her that someone kept sending lawyers to talk her into selling the acres she owned, though she tried to keep her temper. At least, Kaoru thought as she gazed at the latest lawyer rambling on, they seemed to be coming from higher up in the food chain. Makimachi Misao was the head litigator and - Kaoru hoped - the last in a very long line of lawyers jabbering legalese at her.

At least Misao was amusing. Kaoru had never seen so much energy packed into such a small, petite woman. She was even shorter than the kendo instructor but twice as animated, gesturing with her hands and her voice rising with excitement, lowering it when she realized how loud she was, only to have the cycle repeat again and again.

Misao described the positives of moving to a more populated district to attract more students but Kaoru had already heard it from the other dozen-plus lawyers so she zoned out on the repetitive words. As she watched the petite woman speak, blue eyes sparkling with good-natured humor, a sudden thought struck Kaoru. She picked up her dojo's pamphlet and made a mental note to again thank Tsunan for doing such a wonderful job in depicting the instructors at her dojo.

"So, what do you think, Kamiya-san?" Misao asked brightly, apparently finishing whatever speech she had prepared.

Kaoru tilted the corners of her lips up, hoping she didn't look like she was scheming. "I think you've had some martial arts training in the past. Am I right?"

Misao blinked her large eyes at the sudden change of subject. "A long time ago, I took some kempo classes," she admitted cautiously.

The smile on Kaoru's face widened; perfect. "I thought so. You walked in with such uncommon grace. But I'm sorry to hear that you stopped. Would you perhaps be interested in restarting? The dojo has a kempo instructor and he comes with very high regards. We're offering a complimentary introductory lesson and a free uniform to all new students." She flipped the pamphlet open and slid it in front of Misao, pointing to a stern faced man.

Aoshi had fought her tooth and nail on putting his picture in, but Kaoru won the final argument and made him pose for a photo with Tsunan. The end result was a forbidding expression with a hint of a snarl on his lips. Still, even the uncharacteristic sign of rebellion couldn't dispel his handsome visage.

And Misao was instantly hooked, Kaoru could see it in the way her eyes flared with interest. The lawyer leaned forward to stare at the picture before breathing out, "That's the kempo instructor?"

Kaoru nodded, smiling. "His name is Shinomori Aoshi. He teaches every evening, which I think may fit perfectly with your work schedule. We are very flexible in working out times for our members, and we do have a generous make up policy in case you miss a class. We also offer private lessons, if you prefer one-on-one instruction. Would you be interested in signing up?"

"Would I? Hell yeah, sign me up with that hottie!" Misao exclaimed.

Kaoru kept the smile on her face, though inwardly she cringed. Aoshi was not going to be happy about being saddled with an energetic woman who might or might not embarrass him in class. But she did compensate him with a generous salary and the threat of blackmail so he would simply have to deal with it.

It was for the good of the dojo.

"It's for the good of the dojo, Aoshi."

Aoshi leveled a flat stare at her. "She tried to get me in the shower with her. At my apartment."

At that, Hiko Seijuro chortled. "You should have taken her up on her offer, Shinomori. You know, lose that stick up your ass."

"Unlike you, I don't allow myself to get involved with students under my tutelage," Aoshi said stiffly.

Hiko shrugged his broad shoulders, broad muscles rippling with easy grace. "I'm just a guest instructor. And if a lady offers to buy me a drink or three, who am I to refuse?"

"A man with no morals, perhaps."

"I have morals. I just don't have an issue with everything under the sun."

Kaoru stopped the argument before Aoshi shut down and refused to speak with them for two weeks while Hiko continued to tease him mercilessly. Most of the time the two men tolerated each other out of mutual respect, but they also bickered on a regular basis. If Kaoru didn't completely rely on both men to support her in running the dojo as she had the past four years, she would have lost her mind long ago from the petty squabbles. "Can we get back to the main problem? Apparently Red Dragon Corporation ran out of lawyers to send so now the head of the company wants to meet with me to discuss this matter. I'm not sure why they're being so persistent but I want it to stop. Do you foresee any problems with me meeting this man and telling him no once and for all?"

"Meet him for a lunch date," Hiko advised. "Arrive late and leave early. That will place control of the entire meeting squarely in your hands."

Cringing at the thought of being so rude, Kaoru looked at Aoshi. "What do you think?"

"Hiko-san's plan seems sound," the kempo instructor replied stiffly. "If you are intent on giving him one final refusal, ensure that you keep the balance of power in your favor."

Kaoru sighed. She had a temper but it wasn't her nature to be so abrupt. Hiko interpreted her hesitation correctly and asked pointedly, "How many lawyers did he send over again?"

She frowned. "Fifteen." Kami help her because he had sent fifteen lawyers who had used the exact same spiel, making her waste time and possibly brain cells trying to interpret their words. But, she consoled herself, she also added fifteen new students to her roster. That thought caused a satisfied smile to curl her lips up.

Aoshi slanted her a flat look. "Meet with this man and tell him to stop sending his people over. Because if you enroll one more student like Makimachi Misao in my class, I will quit and never speak to you again. Ever."

Hiko tsked at the mostly empty threat but Kaoru knew she couldn't hold off the inevitable anymore. She had to tell Himura Kenshin to back off so she could go back to running her dojo in peace. "Right," she said grimly. "I'll meet with him tomorrow and end it once and for all."

Whatever she expected the CEO of Red Dragon Corp. to be, it certainly wasn't a man no taller than herself, wiry, with flame red hair, and a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek that looked old for someone who appeared so young. He couldn't be a day over thirty in her estimation. He was also rather attractive, in a pretty-but-dangerous kind of way that might appeal to a lot of women.

But, Kaoru noted, as she allowed the waiter to seat her, despite the youthful appearance, he was clearly no pushover. His eyes, a steady and bright amethyst, held more than a hint of something. She never knew how to describe it. Arrogance, perhaps? Or just the belief of complete confidence in oneself? Aoshi had it, Hiko had it in spades, so much that it spilled out from him, and now this man. She wondered if she would forever be surrounded by alpha males.

"It's so good of you to join me, Kamiya-san," Himura commented.

The dryness of his tone almost caused Kaoru to wince but she steeled herself. Guilt gnawed at her conscience about taking Hiko and Aoshi's advice, but it was clear now that she had to follow it if she was going to get anywhere with this man. So Kaoru pulled on the inner strength she needed to deal with yet another I'm-always-right male and pasted on a sincere smile she didn't feel inside. "I'm so sorry I'm late, Himura-san. I'm sure you understand that some business matters take longer than expected." She picked up her napkin and flicked it open to settle it on her lap.

The restaurant Himura had chosen was a formal and exclusive dining place that only allowed members and their guests to even enter through the vaulted doors. Kaoru expected he would choose a place like this to either intimidate her with his power and connections or impress her. But she also had enough experience in such places, thanks to Hiko's exotic tastes and seemingly never-ending supply of money. So she simply ordered sparkling water and scanned the menu briefly before settling on a salad. A salad, she thought ruefully, that had better come with diamond earrings, with the price they were charging for it.

"Please order whatever you'd like."

Kaoru glanced above the menu to meet Himura's eyes, his gaze fixated on her. She almost swallowed because he suddenly looked predatory as if he realized she wasn't intimidated and he chose to take it as a challenge. She didn't want it to go in that direction so she abruptly closed the menu and said sweetly, "Thank you, kendo instructors do tend to get hungry."

Himura sat back in his seat. Kaoru hadn't realized he had leaned forward in the first place; his presence was that overwhelming. A smile crept on his face, but it looked as reassuring as a snake. "I can imagine. Speaking of your dojo, I understand that you offered a free class and uniform to everyone in my litigation department?"

Kaoru's eyes widened in innocence as she deflected his pointed question. "Your entire litigation department is merely fifteen people, Himura-san? I thought you ran a large and successful company. I suppose I was mistaken about that."

Something changed in his eyes and Kaoru suddenly had the distinct feeling that perhaps she should not have indirectly insulted his company. Or his business acumen, whatever made Himura bristle like that. "I only need fifteen because I have the best, Kamiya-san. Any more would be redundant." Whatever charm he previously exhibited vanished and something cold and impersonal slid across Himura's face. "Well, let's get down to business, shall we? Before you have to leave in a hurry as soon as the food arrives."

Well, Kaoru thought drolly, so he knew the tactic she was pulling. It was unexpected, but he did strike her as the intelligent type, sharp and unlikely to miss anything. It was almost like playing chess, gauging each other's move before taking a step, sometimes forward and sometimes back. "Yes, let's get to the point," she agreed.

"What will it take for you to sell the land?"

"Nothing," she answered promptly.

Himura raised one brow. "Nothing?" His tone indicated skepticism, which made Kaoru bristle in annoyance. Apparently he was one of those people who believed everything was for sale.

"As I've told your entire litigation department, made up of the best and brightest, I am not willing to sell, Himura-san. Ever. Surely my answer can't come as a surprise to you."

A thoughtful expression stole over Himura's face as he studied her with an assessing gaze that suddenly made her feel exposed under his probing eyes. "I suppose it shouldn't. I can see you're a woman of your word."

Kaoru nodded, relieved he understood her position. "I am."

"Well, then, Kamiya-san, I apologize for wasting your time."

Whatever she had expected him to say, that was not it. Mentally scrambling to make sure she heard him right, Kaoru said dumbly, "What?"

Himura smiled but it was that non-reassuring twist of his lips. "I said I apologize. I should have realized sooner that there is no changing your mind on this issue. It would have saved both of us a lot of time and grief."

"Er, yes." Wary now, Kaoru stared at the man for a long moment. He acquiesced too quickly. Himura had something up his sleeve but she didn't know what he would say or do next. "So we have an understanding then?"

"Hmm. Will you be offering the same deal to me as you did my employees?"

There he went, throwing her off balance again. "Deal?" she repeated blankly.

"The free introductory lesson and uniform."

Kaoru was instantly suspicious at the smooth words and what was probably supposed to be a kind smile. "I can't imagine that a man like you would have time to join a dojo, Himura-san," she said, a little more sharply than she intended. He definitely hadn't given up, she realized. This was just a different tactic but Kaoru couldn't see how this was going to help him.

Himura merely raised his brows. "Do you know me so well then, Kamiya-san? I used to practice kendo when I was younger. I considered taking it back up again, and now that I no longer have to worry about acquiring your land and the headaches that come with it, I can focus on other things." His shark smile appeared again and he even bared some teeth as if in challenge. "It seems fortuitous that you and I have met."

Not liking whatever game he was playing, Kaoru decided to end it before she found herself in a disadvantageous position. "Unfortunately, that special is no longer available. If we run it again, I'll let you know." She took a pointed look at her watch and rose gracefully, spying the waiter approaching with their food. Her stomach gurgled in regret but it was time to make her exit. "I am dreadfully sorry, Himura-san, but I really do have to get going. Thank you for meeting with me and agreeing there is no need to pursue this matter further." Kaoru inclined her head and, without waiting for an answer, headed straight for the door in measured steps so she wouldn't look like she was running.

He didn't stop her, but she knew Himura's gaze stayed on her until she vanished from his view. When Kaoru exited the restaurant, she allowed the doorman to hail a taxi for her, nerves still strumming from the meeting. She was going to need to regroup and be on guard for Himura's next move.

Both sides of her temple throbbed as Kaoru stepped inside the dojo so she was grateful for the quiet in the hallway. But then she heard a feminine voice coming from around the corner. Normally, at this early hour, it was just her, Aoshi and Hiko, although Hiko was known to have some of his adoring female acquaintances drop by to offer him food or drink. Still, Kaoru knew both men were curious to see how the lunch went so allowing someone to stop by today would be unusual.

When she rounded the corner, she found Aoshi wearing a ferocious expression she had never seen before. But the source of his irritation became clear when Kaoru spied a small, petite woman speaking animatedly to him, apparently oblivious to his annoyance.

"Kamiya-sensei!" Misao said, pausing in mid-sentence as she caught a glimpse of her. "It's nice to see you again. I just stopped by to give Aoshi-sama a bento box I made for him."

Kaoru tried not to laugh because Aoshi did look aggrieved. But she didn't understand his frustration with the lawyer because she found Misao quite pretty and pleasant, even if the lawyer did seem like the kind of woman to push boundaries beyond what was comfortable. "It is nice to see you too, Makimachi-san. Er, Aoshi-sama?" she asked, watching Aoshi's pained expression at the formal title.

"Oh, I was thinking he reminded me of the warriors of old, you know? Like a general or something. So I thought the name was appropriate." Misao beamed at Aoshi who stared back at her impassively. "Anyway, I'd better leave for my meeting before the traffic gets worse. How did your luncheon go with Kenshin?" she asked Kaoru.

Surprised to hear that Misao knew of the appointment, Kaoru replied, "It went just fine." She told herself it wasn't a lie but she actually didn't know how the meeting went. Himura had acknowledged that she wasn't going to give up the land, but somehow Kaoru didn't think that was the last she would hear of the CEO.

"Hmm," Misao said as she stared at the kendo instructor in a calculating manner that seemed the opposite of her normal happy-go-lucky personality. Kaoru realized she might have caught a glimpse of how the woman became the head litigator of a successful company at such a young age. "Kenshin is very single-minded and determined. If you managed to dissuade him from further going after the dojo land, then you'll have accomplished something no one else has before."

That was Kaoru's fear but she hid it behind a bright smile. "Well, we had a nice discussion and I think we left on the same page."

Aoshi gave Kaoru a hard look, having known her too many years to be fooled by a mask. Turning to the lawyer, he asked pointedly, "Misao, didn't you say you had your own meeting to attend downtown?"

"Oh, shi- I mean, yes, yes I do!" Glancing at her watch, Misao offered a hurried bow to both of them. "I'll see you later in class tonight, Aoshi-sama. Bye, Kamiya-sensei!" The last of her words were thrown over her shoulder as she clattered down the hallway, quick even in her high heels. Mere seconds later, the front door slammed shut.

Kaoru shot Aoshi an amused look. "'Aoshi-sama'?" she repeated with a snicker.

"Don't start with me, Kaoru, I'm not in the mood." Aoshi turned and stalked down the hallway to her office where, presumably, Hiko waited for them.

Undeterred by his warning, she hurried to catch up to him and they entered the room together. "And did I hear you call Makimachi-san by her first name?" she teased. "Have you taken the next step in your relationship already?"

"What? You mean Aoshi actually knows what women are?" Hiko said in mocking disbelief. He was already seated on one of the tatami mats with a half empty bento box and a small jug of sake in front of him.

"Enough, you two," Aoshi said with a warning tone that indicated he was nearing his patience. He then stopped and stared at the bento box. "You opened my lunch?"

"Why, were you going to eat it?" Hiko asked innocently. He slid the rest of it over to Aoshi's feet who stared at him with thinned lips. "It's actually pretty good. Homemade and everything. That perky little lawyer put a lot of effort into it. You should thank her properly later."

Kaoru rolled her eyes at the leer on Hiko's face as she went around the low table she used as a desk to sit down. "I think you've finally traumatized him to his limits, Hiko-san. Eating someone else's bento is beneath you."

The burly man shrugged his shoulders, entirely unrepentant. "He fought her tooth and nail about accepting it until she just left it on the table. I assumed he wouldn't eat it. That would break her heart, and we don't want our clients to be upset, do we?"

"Even so, you could have given Aoshi a chance to personally give it to you," Kaoru said with a weary sigh. She didn't want to deal with personnel issues on top of what was going on with the dojo, but it was the inevitable clash of personalities between two strong-willed men. "Aoshi, sit down. Why don't you just ask Makimachi-san later tonight to make you another one tomorrow? I'm sure she'll be happy to do so, especially if she found out one of your co-workers ate it by accident."

Aoshi dragged in a long, deep breath as if to calm his temper and covered the box up before taking his own seat. "Let's just focus on the situation at hand. What did Himura say?"

Kaoru eyed her friend warily and decided to follow along. Like most men, Aoshi didn't enjoy discussing feelings but he especially didn't like sharing anything personal when there was business to be done. "Well, here's what happened." She went over their entire conversation and ended with, "What do you think?"

Hiko took a thoughtful swig of sake. "I think he hasn't given up yet."

Aoshi nodded in agreement. "It seems unlikely that after all the effort he has gone through, he would simply stop his attempts to buy the land from you."

Kaoru groaned at their confirmation of her suspicions and leaned back, covering her eyes with a hand. "Why can't he just take no for an answer?"

"If he gave up every time someone refused him, I highly doubt he'll be where he is today," Hiko said. "Of course, he also isn't the most intelligent man, either."

Kaoru lowered her arm to blink at the large man. "You sound like you know him."

Hiko waved his hand dismissively. "A long, long time ago, when he was nothing more than a little brat. Now that he's older and successful, he thinks he knows better than his elders."

Frowning in thought, Kaoru shuffled some papers around on her desk. She always got her best ideas when she was moving around or doing something. She wondered why Hiko had never said anything about their relationship before. Perhaps because it was rife with bad feelings, if one went by the utter contempt in Hiko's voice. Despite their long acquaintance, Kaoru really didn't know much about Hiko's personal life. But when it came to the dojo, she had to use everything in her arsenal to protect it. "Do you think you can meet with him and ask him to stop pursuing the land or whatever else he's planning?"

"I can meet with him, sure. But like I said, he won't take anything I say seriously. That red-headed brat wouldn't know common sense or decency if it came over and beat him on the head."

"I'd like you to do it anyway. Who knows? You may have more influence on him than you realize."

Shrugging his broad shoulders, Hiko nodded in agreement.

Satisfied that they weren't just sitting around and simply waiting, Kaoru looked up at the clock. "Well, we've got a couple hours left before the after-school classes begin. If either of you have any other brilliant ideas about what to do with Himura-san, let me know."

Aoshi nodded curtly. He gathered up the bento box and left without a word. Hiko snickered to himself and prepared to follow when Kaoru stopped him.

"Hiko-san, I think you're going a little too far with Aoshi these days. He may not show it, but he actually is sensitive on the inside."

He stopped and looked down at her. "How long have I known you?" he asked.

Her brows furrowed in confusion at the change in subject but she answered anyway. "Um, four years. Why?"

"And in those four years, have you seen me do anything I'm not certain about?"

Kaoru stared at the burly man for a long moment. "I'm not sure what you're saying. You're teasing Aoshi for a reason?"

Hiko snorted. "Sure, if you want to think about it like that. All I meant was that Shinomori needs to loosen up and enjoy life. At this rate, he'll be dead in ten years and we wouldn't know he's gone until three weeks after the fact."

She sighed as Hiko wandered off. He was right, of course. Aoshi had always been quiet and serious but it seemed lately the kempo instructor was withdrawing more and more to himself. He had even begun avoiding meeting with Kaoru and they had been friends since childhood. Kaoru had noticed it weeks ago but with the parade of lawyers and the headache of Himura Kenshin, she had been too preoccupied to talk to him. Perhaps she should sit down with him tonight and ask him if there was anything wrong.

Making a mental note to corner Aoshi later on, Kaoru turned her attention to going over her lesson plans. She had intermediate and advanced kendo classes tonight and she always made sure to have every minute carefully planned out. There were several students in both levels who were committed to the art and she didn't want to let them down.

It was almost four o'clock when her stomach gurgled loud enough to jar her concentration. She had forgotten to grab lunch on the way back to the dojo, having been too worried about what Himura was up to. Deciding to eat before she ended up fainting in front of her students, Kaoru made her way to the break room in the half-hearted hope there was something left in the mini fridge.

But when she entered the tiny room, she could hardly find the table. On it was a large caterer's platter of sushi and sashimi from the Michelin starred restaurant in town. On the counter sat yakisoba and ramen, separated by components. Extra containers of seaweed salad, kara-age, edamame, and gyoza completed the menu. Aoshi stood there, staring at the food as if it was poisonous.

"Um?" she asked dumbly. He pointed her to the card that had been set up on top of the mini refrigerator. Kaoru picked it up and opened the folded paper.

As you skipped lunch, I thought it only fair to buy you dinner. -Himura Kenshin

"He is lethal," Kaoru muttered, tossing the card in the garbage can.

"He hasn't given up," Aoshi agreed. "There's also sake in the refrigerator."

She sighed. "Don't tell Hiko-san until his classes are over." Surveying the mound of food that would feed at least ten people, Kaoru glanced over at her friend. "Well, I hate wasting food so I guess we should eat it. The sushi will definitely go bad. Why don't I come over tonight and we can try to finish the leftovers?"

Aoshi shifted his weight from foot to foot and Kaoru stared at the uncharacteristic agitated gesture. "I don't think tonight is a good time," he said slowly.

Kaoru interrupted him, now certain more than ever something was wrong. "I'm not going to take no for an answer, Aoshi. You've been avoiding me for weeks and you're not going to get away with it any longer. I'll be over after classes end tonight." Then she changed her tone to cajoling, trying to soften the otherwise bossy command. "I'll bring that green tea you like so much."

The briefest of frowns crossed Aoshi's face but he finally relented with a curt nod. Piling food on a plate for himself, he headed out of the kitchenette without another word.

Watching him go, Kaoru breathed out in relief that Aoshi didn't fight her on this. She would get some answers from him, help him if necessary, and then they could all focus on the problem of Himura Kenshin.

*I chose to use the measurement in acres instead of tsubo as it will be more familiar to most readers. 1.5 acres translates to approximately 1836 tsubo in Japanese measurements. I was just curious enough to look it up.

AN: Woohoo, new story! Let me know what you think so far!