Megumi walked into the dojo the next day, looking very grand. Perhaps her grandeur was mostly due to her height, putting her above everyone at the dojo except Sano. But there was something in her bearing that put even Sano to shame. Confidence of a woman taking up a challenge. And there was a new challenge. She couldn't possibly stay away while Souji and Kaoru were spending so much time with Kenshin!

Kenshin smiled brightly at Megumi in greeting and Okita felt an urge to go to him, grab his skull, and turn his head away from the woman. Instead, Okita leaned his still aching head on a cool brick wall and started to bash his head on it lightly as he watched.

Okita could almost see the foxy ears on Megumi as she held on to Kenshin's arm while Kaoru alternated from turning purple to red with rage. Okita noted that Kenshin, while blushing, made no effort to shake her off. It was evident that while Megumi acted like a complete floozy sometimes in front of Kenshin, she still demanded the kind of respect and admiration from Kenshin that were rare in women. Do not think of them as competition, Okita thought, bashing his head a little harder on the brick wall. Stopping, Okita noticed that Yahiko was staring at him as if he was mad...and gave a wan smile in return, grinning wider as Yahiko turned red and looked away.

"Ken-san's always been such a man," Megumi purred. "It's no wonder there are three women hanging onto him." She grinned wickedly as she shot a glance at Sano. "Unlike some immature boys who keep hanging around..."

Sano growled at the challenge. "You just like him because he saved your sorry ass. If everyone Kenshin saved was as shameless as you, this dojo would be full of idiotic simpering women."

"Since all of you are here, why don't we go to Akebeko to have lunch?" Kaoru suggested, her temper barely in check. The last thing she needed bickering between Sano and Megumi...

"What? Burnt lunch again?" Megumi snickered.

"Maa maa.." Kenshin stepped in between the two women before things got worse. "That's a great idea, Kaoru-dono. And I'm sure Yahiko would love to see Tsubame too."

Yahiko, who had been lost in thoughts, jumped at the mention of his name. He had been thinking that the Souji woman was completely crazy. Why else would she be hitting her own head on the wall? As if any additional proof of her insanity was needed after Saitou all but admitted that they had been lovers. Yahiko hadn't been there when Saitou had said it, but any woman who would put up with, much less love, the psycho cop had to be more than a little psycho herself. And there was that unnerving feeling he felt whenever she looked at him. The closest he could define the feeling was fear... and he didn't appreciate Kenshin mentioning Tsumbame in front of the mad woman. God only knew what she would do to helpless Tsubame!






Akebeko was as crowded as usual when they entered.

"I'm afraid there are no empty tables," Tsubame said, "But Tokio-san is here. If you would like, I'll ask if she would mind you joining her."

So it was that all the Kenshin-gumi ended up sitting with Tokio, none of them having met her before except for Okita and Kenshin.

"So you're the psycho cop's wife." Sano-said in his usual tactlessness, followed by a discreet kick on his shin by Megumi under the table.

"I am Tokio Saitou. It is very nice to meet you." Tokio said, politely. "And nice to see you again, Souji-san."

"So you know each other?" Kaoru asked.

"Yes... Souji-san is an old friend of my husband."

At that moment, Tsubame tripped on a small rock, sending the ordered food flying. In the next instant, the Kenshin-gumi watched wide-eyed as Kenshin and Okita quickly intercepted all the bowls before they tipped and gently placed them on the table. Tokio calmly took a sip of her tea.

Sano started to clap as Yahiko narrowed his eyes. "That was great, Souji-san," Sano exclaimed. "Do you practice any martial arts?"

"I...just cook a lot, that's all..." Souji mumbled, damning his reflexes.

"Well. I guess that means only Kaoru can't cook amongst us." Megumi snickered.

"That's why Kenshin likes her the most," Yahiko claimed, feeling defensive of Kaoru. He sent Okita a glare. "If there's one thing Kenshin likes, it's being needed and being able to help. I mean.. how would he be able to pay for his keep at the dojo if he wasn't even needed for house chores?"

There was a murmur of consensus amongst the people at the table.

But that's not all, is it? Kenshin wondered. I'm not just... attached to Kaoru because I feel needed, do I? There are other people who need me... and I don't leave her to help them, do I? Except to save Japan from Shishio, of course... Because Japan needed me... needed me more than she did.. but that was for a whole bloody (excuse the language) country....






A few tables away, a man observed the Kenshin-gumi silently. If there was something that he had learned during Bakumatsu, and especially after Bakumatsu, it was being invisible... Invisible in the crowd... Invisible in the dark.. there were many ways and he was good at it. Invisible and watching, patiently...

A corner of his lips lifted slightly in a smile. He really was not the stalker type. If only he wasn't so very good at it, he probably would have given it up long ago. Once his life had depended on it. As it was, he hardly stalked people anymore since his job and life did not depend on it. But he was still good. And the group was so amusing to watch...

And she... she smiled at Himura Battousai with such faith. Such innocent faith..






Saitou found his wife surrounded by idiots...in his opinion, of course. Ah. Must make an exception for Souji for Souji had never been an idiot. Until recently, of course. He let out a sigh of disgust as he observed Okita join the raccoon and the fox in gazing adoringly at Battousai. His only consolation was that Okita snapped out of it as he approached the table.

"Saitou-san," Okita smiled.

"I am here to pick up my wife." Saitou ignored the beings of lesser intelligence (in his opinion, again) and helped his wife up.

Eventually, he threw a disgusted look at the rurouni as the sound of Maaa.. Maaa escalated. The racoon woman and the fox woman were both trying to serve food and drinks to the rurouni and becoming more hostile towards each other by the second.

"You've always been wishy-washy, Battousai," Saitou commented as he lit his cigarette. "Taking forever to figure out what you want. You wanted revolution without the violence. You want to fight killers without killing anyone. You want friendship without the responsibility so you can leave to fight for justice at the drop of a hat without guilt. Always the ideal without the unpleasantness that comes with it." He faced Kenshin, looking at the two women around him. "Perhaps you should make up your mind, Battousai. These women are not going to wait for you forever. In your attempt not to offend either, you're being unintentionally cruel to keep both hanging."

With that said, Saitou left with his wife.






Again. Very sorry that I'm writing this so slowly. I have made outline of t he whole fic so I know I'll finish it... just don't know exactly when. Looking at the outline, it seems the fic will be about 7-9 chapters.

-shizuru