Chapter 5

" Aoshi-sama."

Seated in his room, staring out at nothing, Aoshi's mind blocked out the voice that called him. When he saw the woman standing in front of him, he could not ignore her anymore.

" Aoshi-sama. Himura is here to see you."

Aoshi looked up at Okon standing before him with her arms folded across her chest.

" Himura?"

" Yes. The Himura's came for the wedding. They've been here since yesterday."

Aoshi nodded and Okon left the room, leaving the door open to his visitors. He listened, the padding of small feet against the tatami mat, joined by another adult.

" Ohayo Aoshi-san."

Kaoru approached as Kenji ran happily towards him. He stared at the flaming red hair of the little boy, vitually identical to the hitokiri battousai but with nothing but childhood innocence. The little boy hugged his knee, knowing no restraints and fears of him as many others did.

" Aoshi-nii-chan!"

" Gomen nasai Aoshi-san. Kenji come here."

Kaoru rushed forward to scoop up her son before holding him in her lap as she took a seat opposite to Aoshi.

" Where is-"

" Kenshin went to visit his shishou. He'll be back soon."

Aoshi nodded, watching the small boy squirm in his mother's lap, eagerly leaning forward. He barely noticed as Okon entered the room with a tray of tea for his visitor and himself as well as a round paper ball for the kid. Kaoru smiled, letting go of Kenji so that he could play with the new toy. However, he seemed to have no interest in anything but the stoic person before him.

" The kid moves fast." Aoshi thought as Kenji climbed onto his lap and began to rub on his face with his chubby hands.

" Kenji no! Come here...leave Aoshi-san alone."

Kaoru moved forward and grabbed Kenji, holding him firmly in her lap.

" Kenji is a little excited about seeing you again I suppose."

" It's okay."

Kaoru brushed her hair and tucked several strands neatly behind her ear before sipping her tea.

" You must be wondering why I decided to talk to you today."

" aa."

" Well...the reason Misao ran away. Do you know why?"

" Iie."

" Well...I was thinking, and I'm sure you know, that Misao has always liked you."

" It's just a crush."

Kaoru put down her cup of tea and smiled at Aoshi.

" I don't think so. This Yoshimura-san...she was bethrothed is that correct?"

" Aaa."

" She probably told you she loves you right?"

" Aaa."

" And you refused."

This time, Aoshi nodded, calmly sipping his tea as Kaoru stared at him.

" Why do you think she did that?"

" She didn't want to marry Yoshimura."

" I haven't seen Misao in awhile. But I still know that she's true to her heart. I don't think she wants to marry anyone but you. Maybe that's why she ran away."

Aoshi remained silent, Kaoru's words reverberating off the walls of his mind.

" Aoshi I know you're not a very talkative person. Before, I don't think I would have had the courage to say this to you. But I've matured...and so has Misao. She's not a child anymore. I don't know very much about the past you both had together...but I think it's time you told her how you felt."

" How do you know how I feel?"

Kaoru's eyes widened at Aoshi's question, surprised that Aoshi was participating in the somewhat one-sided conversation.

" How can I say this...Aoshi-san. I don't know for sure how you feel...and I don't think you do either. But I'm going to say this for Misao's sake. If you don't act now...you may lose your chance with Misao."

Tension filled the air as both sat quietly. Kaoru did not know what else to say, and surely Aoshi would find no reply.

" Aoshi-nii-chan...are you mad at okaa-san? Ne?"

Aoshi had felt like hitting Kaoru for saying those words. But he couldn't hit her. Not because she was the battousai's wife, but because she had been speaking the truth, what had been running through his mind since the day she had left.

He stood abruptly, glancing down at the little boy who clung to his leg, smiling up at him. Gently, he pried the little boy's fingers away, lifting him and placing him back into his mother's scared arms.

" Iie."

___________


Misao smiled, appreciating the warmth of her handiwork as the fire got going under her supervision. Soot covered her hands and face as she stood to take a breather, away from the smoke. Pulling open the wooden door, she saw Hiko coming up the path of the trail carrying a bucket of water.

" I don't suppose you want me to cook right?"

Hiko set the bucket down, Misao noticing that it was absolutely filled to the brim. The muscles in his forearms rippled as he took off his mantle in style, the white material slicing through the air to fall on the chair, draping like silk. Misao blinked, opening her eyes again to see that all was an illusion. The mantle was dirtied and patched, the rough material no longer white and was draped messily over the chair.

" Damnit he's like Himura. He can always hide his faults."

Hiko followed Misao's line of sight and coughed.

" What are you staring at my mantle for?"

" I think you need to clean it...or get a new one."

Misao giggled as Hiko gave her a dirty look.

" That mantle is passed down through the line of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu masters. Do you want to stay here or what weasel?"

" Of course I do! I was only kidding....why didn't you give the mantle to Himura when he learnt the sucession technique?"

Misao flexed her arm, touching it tentavively to see whether it was getting better. Hiko coughed again, turning his back on Misao.

" It didn't fit my baka deshi."

Hiko's shoulders shook with laughter as Misao cocked her head to one side to figure out what was so hilarious. A mental image of Himura in Hiko's mantle infected her with laughter. Hiko's laughter stopped as abruptly as it had started as he moved the bucket of water to begin cooking, taking some vegetables from a box and began to chop them with alarming speed.

Misao stared google eyed as she watched the built man bustle around the kitchen. Could it be the macho man of the century meets Mr domestic? Misao cracked up, laughing hysterically as she fell back on the futon, rolling around on it, clutching her stomach. Hiko stopped mid chop as he turned to watch Misao looking rather amused.

" I know that my baka deshi is funny. But not *that* funny."

" ...I...hahha...you...mwahahhaha cook!"

Misao pointed to Hiko's chopping board and knife before she wiped her tears of laughter. Hiko gave her a dirty look, grinding his teeth together as he watched the teenager make fun of his domesticality.

" How do you think I survive on this mountain alone?"

Misao made an attempt to stop laughing as she smiled innocently at Hiko.

" You go down the mountain regularly for Sake."

" How do you think the baka deshi knows how to cook?"

A mental image of Hiko and Kenshin, both in akabeko uniforms and cooking filled her head.

" Irasshaimase!" Kenshin would say, as smiling he bowed.
Hiko would walk over, wiping his hands on his frilly and lacy apron before knuckling Kenshin for not sounding more upbeat and looking cuter. Then Hiko would show Kenshin how to cut the vegetables carefully, using Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu moves. Knuckling Kenshin when he got it wrong. Images of Hiko serving customers, smiling, being overly friendly and...not drinking sake.

Misao laughed until her stomach began to hurt as her little daydream got more and more ridiculous. Hiko tried to regain her attention but she was too far gone. Sighing, he turned back to his cooking, hoping to get the meal ready before sun down. At the rate they were going, they wouldn't eat until the next day.
__________

Okina rubbed the back of his neck in attempt to relax the taut muscles, tensing with stress. His meeting with Yoshimura would begin soon and Misao had not been found. In fact she had disappeared without a trace.

" What am I going to say to Yoshimura? I can't afford to offend him"

Everyone in the Oniwabanshuu knew how powerful the Yoshimura clan was, exerting their influence all over Japan. Even if it was the Meiji period, the Oniwabanshuu could not afford to have any clan exerting that much influence over so much, without having any imput. A diplomatic marriage had been set up, between the two okashira of each clan. In what should have been a carefully calculated move on both parts had been thrown into political chaos as one of the most important had disappeared.

" My pretty Misao. The star of this show...you shouldn't have run."

Okina sighed, stroking his beard absently as he leant on the railing off the balcony, staring up at the orange pink streaked sky. The wedding guests were still hovering around, constantly asking for news. The matter was becoming more inflamed, and he had no idea how, other than to provide flimsy excuses, to keep the thing from becoming an absolute nightmare.

" Of course, the okashira of the Yoshimura clan isn't dumb. He'll see through my excuses in a second. I can't afford to offend him or I'll cause an all out war between both clans...which would lead to disaster."

Okina rubbed his temples, trying to relieve his headache.

" What a mess this has become. My pretty Misao...why did you run away from your word? You said you would marry him. You shouldn't have asked me to choose between you and..."

Even though he knew deep down inside, Misao didn't want to marry anyone bu Aoshi, he had his obligations to the Oniwabanshuu. His old age and responsibility had made his heart harden.

" She'll marry him. We'll find her."

___________


A lone man made his way steadily up the mountain trail, bouncing from tree to tree. He could only seen as a blur, if human eyes were fast enough. He came to a stop, his sandals making a scraping sound on the ground as the dust settled around his ankles. His violet eyes scanned his surroundings. A familiar clearing, a small hut and the sound of rushing water. He breathed in the air, sighing happily. Peace was good for him.

He began to walk towards the house, a jug of sake by his side, squaring himself for the ordeal of visiting his shishou. He stopped in his tracks as he heard the sound of laughter and the smell of food.

" Stop laughing and eat Weasel!"

His master's voice echoed towards him, his agitation and frustrations evident in his tone.

" Oro? .....Who is shishou talking to? ........WEASEL!?"

Using his god speed, he raced for the door of the hut, flinging the door wide open to see his master and a guest sitting at a table with bowls of food before them.

" Himura...what are you doing here?"

Kenshin released his grip on the jug of sake in surprise. Hiko made a diving save, not wanting good sake to go to waste.

" Misao what are you doing here? Don't you know that everyone at the Aoiya are looking for you? Why did you run away? Why did you run here?"

Misao looked at Hiko for support under the barrage of probing questions from his student. Hiko took no notice and slunk out with his meal and present from Kenshin- the jug of sake.

" erm...I didn't want to um...marry someone. Please...Himura. Don't tell anyone I'm here ok? Please?"

" Misao...you can't expect me to do that...don't you understand? Nobody knows where you are and everyone is worried."

" I bet you not everyone is."

Kenshin's eyes widened at Misao's blunt tone, not at all like the happy go-lucky teen he had travelled with several years earlier.

" Even if you don't believe it Misao...I know he's very worried about you. He went to look for you as soon as he found out."

Misao crossed her arms and stared defiantly at Kenshin.

" Who's he?"

" You know who I'm talking about. Aoshi."

" Oh him. He probably did it because he was ordered to."

" Ordered by who?"

" Probably by Okina."

Kenshin sighed. What Misao had speculated was pretty much true...except there was something odd about how guarded Misao seemed.

" I'm right aren't I?"

Misao spoked after a long silence. Kenshin nodded slightly, wearing a serious expression as he looked up from the floor.

" Are you going back?"

" No. Himura...please. Don't tell them I'm here. I like it here. I don't want to go back."

" Oro!? With my shishou?"

Misao laughed, half at Kenshin's ridiculous expression and half at herself for enjoying her time there.

" Well...it beats roaming off by myself. It's easy to be spotted that way."

" Misao. You can't run away from your family."

" I did it before. I can do it again."

" But last time...you ran away to find somebody. Who are you trying to find this time?"

" Myself."

__________


Kenshin picked up his sword as night fell, signalling the time for him to take his leave. Saying goodbye, and promising to return to his master, who merely shrugged it off still swigging his sake, Misao had caught him by the sleeve.

" Himura."

Kenshin gently pried Misao's hands off his sleeve and smiled.

" I know I know. I won't tell. But promise me you won't stay here too long. Even if he is my shishou...he's too much for a long amount of time."

Misao threw her arms around waist and began to squeeze happily. She released him when Kenshin began to thrash wildly, his sakabatou dropping to the floor with a clatter.

" Misao...I think you're beginning to get a grip like Okina."

Kenshin rubbed his back as he picked up his sword. When he straightened, he found a strange and painted clay pot stuck in his face.

" here."

" Oro?"

Kenshin took the pot from his master's hands and inspected it.

" It's one of my artworks. Be grateful baka. It'll be worth a lot soon."

" ...arigato gozaimashita."

Misao took the chance to poke Hiko in the chest and wave her arms wildly.

" You think that thing will be worth money some day? What a joke!"

Hiko ground his teeth together before starting a full scale scream match with the teenage girl. Kenshin smiled and moved for the door before he got caught up in the argument.

" ...I'll be back in a couple of days ok?"

Kenshin's answer were a few flying dishes and wooden logs, which he artfully dodged before triping over a stray pillow. Rubbing the back of his head, he got up, holding the clay pot to his side before walking out, closing the door behind him. It wasn't until he was a fair distance away until he stopped hearing the sounds of the pair arguing.

" If Misao wants to hide...she and Shishou better stop arguing."

***********

Yay! That's ...chapter.....5? wahoo! Hmm...to me it seems a little weird. Time seems to be moving rather slow...can't be helped I guess. There'll be a huge time fast forward soong...relatively that is. Don't expect something along the lines of " 3 years later" or even " 3 months later"! hehe.
Did Aoshi seem OOC? I tried to make him seem as cool as possible...but I guess you can't avoid him getting a little touchy feely when your dealing with a romance which includes him. I can't get him to stand like a block and drape Misao all over him...that's been tried already! Heh.
Oh and Hiko's grand master plan ( which isn't that great anyway imo!) will be revealed soon. It's just so I can get some more dimensions into this fic hehehe. I guess I'll talk about it as it comes! Until next time, ja ne.