~listen to the voices of the Akabeko workers in their typical southern accent as done in the English version (gomen to all you die hard Japanese lovers) but please try to listen to them as that. (^.^)

Everyone was bright and cheery when they entered the Akabeko. Kenshin was seemingly much better and was always smiling. They were all greeted with the usual enthusiastic faces of the Akabeko workers and shown a seat. Kenshin was doing much better now and was very excitedly awaiting the meal were going to order. Tsubame had stepped over to see how everyone was doing….(COUYahikoGH). And Tae was taking a second to check up on Kenshin after hearing that he had been sick.

"Oh my. And he had a fever the whole time? Well he seams to be doing better now, then doesn't he." Tae said.

"Yes, I feel much better, that I do." Kenshin replied.

"Well, I have some other customers I need to attend to! Some one will be with you to take your order in a few moments. I'll see you around," Tae said waving as she walked away.

"Yeah, me too," Tsubame said in her sweet little shy voice, face behind her serving trey, and walked away behind Tae.

The Kenshin Gumi sat around for a little bit while they waited on a waitress to come and take their order. … and they waited… and … waited. …and some more they seamed to wait. (~it had only been a minute~)

"GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! Where's a waitress I'm hungry!!! It always seems to take them the longest when you're the most hungry!!" Sanosuke yelled, making everyone in a reasonable distance turn shocked and angrily toward Sano who went embarrassedly chibi, and turned his face away. "Well it's true," he mumbled under his breath.

"Now, now," came a new voice, "You don't have to be so loud." A young and beautiful perpetually smiley eyed girl with pitch black hair/purple highlights and a southern accent popped her head down in front of Sano's face, who jumped back in statement. "I'll be your waitress today," she smiled at them. She was bending down in front Kenshin, head facing Sano.

"Oh, I haven't seen you around here before…. Are you new?" Kaoru questioned the girl.

"Hiiii!! My name's Hashi Yuri," she said very happily, "I just moved here from Yokohama! And Tae Chan was so nice to give me a job!!"

"Oh, … I see. … So are you taking our order or not?" Sano said annoyed and shrunk away from an evil glare from Kaoru.

"OH!! GOMEN!!! I'll take your order now," she said whipping out a piece of paper to take notes on.

"We'd like a large pot of Sukiyaki," Kaoru said.

"VERY LARGE!" Sano added.

Kaoru glared at him, then turned to Kenshin, "Anything else that you would like, Kenshin?"

"I'd like some green tea, if it's not asking too much," Kenshin smiled over in reply to Kaoru's question.

"No, it's no problem at all," Kaoru said. Then turning back to Yuri said, "So we'll be having three waters and one green tea!" Sano and Yahiko glare at Kaoru. She's getting cheap on us

"I'll be right back with your food. You four just sit back and relax," she said smiling and hopped away, black hair swishing happily behind her.

As she walks away Sano and Yahiko move closer to each other. "Woo, she's pretty cute." Yahiko said, with a silly look on his face.

"Yeah, That medium length black hair, pretty smiling eyes, and cute little southern voice."

Evil grin, "HEY! Sano, but aren't you and Meg…. ~!!BAMMM!!~"

"Oh yeah What about you and Tsubame???" Sano said with his fist jammed in Yahiko's face.

"I agree she is very nice looking, that I do. But…" Kenshin trails off looking thoughtful.

"But…" Kaoru questions.

"Her kimono was a little to lose and showy, that it was," Kenshin said blushing furiously!!!

"WAS IT!!!" Sano and Yahiko said both at once.

"KINSHIN!!!…. BAKA!!!" Kaoru yelled and started to throttle poor Kenshin, who's only fault was sitting where he had been sitting.

"K..K…Kaoru DoNo! I…iii….TtTtaaaiiiii!!! Be gentle please!!" Kenshin said swaying back and forth.

"EH………. OH NO!!! KENSHIN I'M SORRY!!!!" Kaoru said patting and pampering Kenshin, who was spirally eyed going oro.

"It's ok, Kaoru Dono, that it is," Kenshin said blushing as Kaoru watery eyed apologized to him.

Yahiko looked playfully from Kenshin to Kaoru, "Hey, Kenshin, you're 'BLUSHING'!!"

Kenshin, blushing even more looked up and away. Kaoru did similarly. And they both sat there blushing fervently, while Yahiko and Sanosuke chuckled over in their corner.

"W….well, anyway!" Kaoru said clearing her throat, (still blushing). "Ah!! Here comes our food!" She awkward stuttered out, still blushing and looking uneasily at Kenshin, who was also still blushing and looking away.

"Sorry it took so long," Yuri said bending down placing the food in front of everyone, (Yahiko and Sano start to chuckle and blush, Kenshin and Kaoru both looked away) Seeing their odd behavior she looked puzzled towards them, "What… is something wrong."

Sano spoke up in a laugh, "No, no nothing's wrong." He made as straight a face as possible.

"Well then, I'm gonna go back now, I have other customers to attend to." She said and walked off smiling.

"What a nice person," Yahiko said, dreamy eyed.

"Men!!" Kaoru exclaimed, irritated.

Kenshin was staring watery eyed and drooling with a thank heaven! look on his face at his food and precious green tea. And soon after this they were all in a contest of eat all you could eat before it was eaten for you by someone else. ….Kaoru, Sano, and Yahiko were pretty much tied….in last place!!! KENSHIN was in the lead, eating like a rabid wolf …. with table manners. But he was soon done leaving plenty left for the others and he sat back and calmly sipped his green tea while everyone else was still fighting over the food.

…

After paying their bill they all left the Akabeko and headed on their way back to the dojo. It was getting cloudy again. Kenshin was walking a little ways behind everyone listening to them talk. It's nice, he thought, to have such great friends.

"Now that Kenshin's doing better I can go back to work giving lessons at the other dojos! I can have money again! …. Hey Sano,, when are you going to get a job…. and pay me back?" Kaoru said sneakily at Sanosuke.

Sano very shocked, turned towards Kaoru, "J…JO Chan!!??"

"Haahaahaa," Kaoru laughed, "I'm just kidding, just kidding!"

"Oh, well, that's better," Sano said relieved.

"So," Yahiko started, "When are you going to get a job and pay back Megu….~!!BAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMM!!~ ………………….IIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!! I WASN'T EVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

It was starting to sprinkle and the ground gradually became more wet. Kaoru looked down at her 'new' kimono and looked peeved.

"Why??? Why??? Always, WHY?"

"Ah, well, we need to hurry up and get inside before we catch our death of cold," Sano suggested.

"I would have thought that you'd want to be sick so you could go see…………" Sano gave him a glare warning him not to finish that sentence.

"Ok, let's hurry. Come on Kenshin," Kaoru said wet, turning around to face Kenshin. "K….Kenshin?!!!" he wasn't there. "Kenshin?" she said looking around her as the rain picked up. Then she saw a small crumpled up figure lying in the road a little ways back, still and unconscious. Her heart stopped, "KEENNSHIIINN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

…to be continued…