FINAL CHAPTER
Part 10: A wish upon a shooting star
In all her life Megumi had never felt such crushing anguish. It was all so horrible. How did Enishi get the accessory? What chance did she have of proving she didn't give the accessory to Enishi is he said she did? It really didn't matter---she had known the marriage was doomed for days now. Anyway, she had no intention of allowing herself to be humiliated again in the morning. She had to get away now.
Wearily she got up from the bed and began to collect her belongings. She took only the things she had brought with her, leaving behind the wedding ring and the gift and clothes Aoshi had given her on her honeymoon. It was nearly dawn when she was finished.
Without a sound she made her way down the stairs, across the foyer, and out into the courtyard. In no time, she had gotten out onto the main road through a gap in the fence. As if a miracle, a carriage owned by a missionary couple came by and gave her a ride to the train station bound for Tokyo. She used her savings, but it's not enough for the trip so she has chosen among the other available stops, and she selected Nagoya. At least its half-way 'home'. She wondered what will Dr. Gensai if he heard the whole story. Meanwhile she allow herself not to think on what to do once she took a brief sojourn in Nagoya.she couldn't plan now----the hurt and humiliation were too raw.
The next two weeks passed by in a haze of pain. For the first three or four days, Megumi was inside a rented room of the inn she had found, and nursed her misery, eating nearly nothing, trying to forget her life in Kyoto. Finally, her funds were so low that she had to do something about it. She broke her isolation and found a job as a waitress and cook at a nearby restaurant, and plans for her route back to Tokyo. The hurt and humiliation receded and gave way to incredible loneliness. Despite all he'd done to her, she missed Aoshi dreadfully.
Towards the end of the second week, she decided to contact Dr. Gensai through a public phone. Dr. Gensai is relieved to hear her voice from the phone and told her Aoshi was looking for her, with the help of other Onis. Megumi asked him to give him a message, that she would accept annulment and would sign any papers he wanted her to. But she even refused to tell Dr. Gensai where she was. She did not want Aoshi to find her, not now, not ever again.
*****
One rainy night after work, while hurrying home, she saw a man across the street that reminded her of Aoshi, wearing a wide light colored trench coat so unusual to be seen worn by most people. She turned away. She couldn't bear to look. She didn't want to see anyone or anything that reminded her of Aoshi.
She shivered and her steps increased. A gust of wind blew rain in her face, almost blinding her. Something hard grabbed her arm, spinning her around. Frightened, she looked up.
"No!" It couldn't be Aoshi's icy blue eyes staring down at her out of a wet, bleak face! "No!" She said it again.
"Megumi." When he spoke she realized he was real and not an apparition.
"Get away from me!" she screamed. "Get away!" Her voice was shrill with the terror that gave her strength to jerk away from him and put her feet in motion. She began to run as if her life depended on it. She ran in manic flight along the darkened streets, till she reached her room. She slammed the door behind her and threw the dead bolt in place. Her fingers slowly relaxed their hold on the bolt, and she leaned her against the door. A sharp rap caused her to jerk away from it. The rap came again.
"Let me in, Megumi. I want to talk to you. I'm not leaving until you open this door." The pounding that followed jarred the wall. He was going to wake up all the people in the neighborhood. Let him in and get it over with, she reasoned with herself even while she was unbolting the door.
He stood there in the pouring rain, and she stared, eyes large and frightened.
"May I come in?"
She nodded numbly, turned her back on him, and went to the small cooking area. She went to the small stone stove and put some fire on under a small porcelain kettle and set out two tea cups. She was pouring the herbal tea mixture by the dining room when Aoshi came up beside her.
"One of those for me? Good! I don't know when I've been so cold."
'I'll sign any annulment papers, Aoshi. Let's get on with it. I don't want you here."
He sat down and cupped his hands around the one cup. "I don't blame you for being bitter, Megumi."
"Don't you?"
"I know you didn't take the accessory. I realize you must hate the sight of me, but at least let me tell you what happened and give me a chance to apologize."
"If it will make you feel any better, I accept your apology. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to bow out of your life and get on with mine." She knew her biting words affected him. His lips tightened and his hands on the cup were shaking. "The morning you left, I decided to track down Enishi myself. I went up and find him just a town near Kobe. Needless to say, he was surprised to see me. He was very furious and perplexed; as it turned out he knew nothing at all about either the accessory or the letter. He was intimidated by my appearance that he admitted about his scheming plot and returned the check you had given him back in Kyoto. I had him taken care of and I'm confident he'll never bother you again." There was a dead coldness in his eyes when he said the last statement, "Anyhow, when I went back to Kyoto I quickly discovered who had set you up as a thief."
"Misanagi." She said it calmly and looked defiantly into his surprised eyes.
"How did you know?"
"She was the only one who hated me enough to do that to me. She was the one who would gain the most if I left." Her voice cracked and she turned her face away.
"Omasu saw her leaving your room just after you had been there to get your purse. I confronted Misanagi and she admitted she took it."
Megumi's laugh was harsh and hollow. "It sounded more like a theater drama all the time. 'Mistress steals precious jewelry to frame up wife of her lover.'"
His face turned deep red and their eyes did battle. "If you meant that to be funny, it isn't. I have never been Misanagi's lover and wouldn't be even if she was the only woman in earth."
"No?" Anger brought her to her feet. "All right. Just to set the record straight, I overheard you talking to Misanagi the night we spent with your sensei. You said and I quote--- 'Megumi will not interfere with us, she has nothing to do with us.' Don't sit there and tell me I didn't hear that with my own ears."
His expression mirrored his astonishment. "You took that to mean she is my mistress?"
"I may be naïve, but I'm not stupid! I was going to ask for an annulment even before you practically accused me of being a thief."
He was quiet for so long that she looked at him and was surprised to see the shadow of pain in his eyes. "Megumi." He held out his hand. "Come and sit down and let me tell you about Misanagi." She walked past him and sat down on a cushion.
"The Sanadas and the Oniwabanshu's don't have any close contact, but apparently they got involved with the Kenshin-gumi to stop a group of German elite calling themselves the Black Knights in getting the Holy Water. I know you are a friend of Himura, so I presumed you knew of this event. You are one along with Dr. Gensai who wants to heal this certain man. Since the Kenshin-gumi and the Oniwabanshus had developed some ties, the two clans eventually met and cooperated. Okina-sensei got acquainted with their leader and met Moriya Misanagi. When everything was over, we learned she had fallen deeply at one of the black knights, a one-eared man called Schneider who was rumored to have died in battle. She presumed he still lives and it worries the Sanadas. They think the best way to get over with it and for the benefit of both sides; they arranged an inter-marriage between two clans. I was selected as the best possible candidate, after all she was a young okashira of the sanadas and I'm close to her age and also a leader myself for the oniwabanshus. She saw security and a broader influential status in becoming my wife. That's all there is to it. I don't love Misanagi, I have never loved her. But long ago I assumed the responsibility to look after her best interest, and if I had to help her look for this man she still pins for I will do it. I didn't think our marriage would change that relationship I had with her."
They sat silently, but the tension was alive between them. Megumi felt emotion begin to infiltrate the icy barrier with which she had protected herself. The bitterness she had felt so long seemed to dissolve in one shuddering sigh, leaving only emptiness.
She stared at him with eyes dilated with pain
"It's impossible for me to forget you doubted me. Regardless of what evidence anyone had given me about you, it wouldn't have shaken my faith. I'd never have believed you as a thief." Her lower lip quivered.
"Perhaps not, but you did believe that I was unfaithful to you, and surely that's much worse. The truth is, Megumi, that you doubted me as mush as I doubted you." She realized that what he said is true. If she hadn't actually believed that Aoshi didn't---couldn't----love her, she never would have left.
"When we are hurt and angry," Aoshi continued, "We all say things we don't mean. I was angry and I was hurt and disappointed. I thought you still wanted Enishi. Most of all I was angry at myself for allowing my feelings to get involved with a woman."
He stood up. "I have to be honest with you, Megumi. I never believed I'd truly love someone. I never even thought of someday my feelings would yearn and I'll be looking for a companion to spend my life with, to me all the women are the same. But when I met you, I knew you were different." He said it softly and she felt his hand lightly touch her hair. "I knew you would be faithful to me, but even before we were married I wanted more. I.I wanted your love as well."
She looked up, now, at his unsmiling mouth and with all her heart she wanted to believe him. But conviction refused to come. She got up quickly.
He grabbed her forearms and jerked her toward him. "I can't lose you! We had beginning of something good. Better than good--- wonderful! Its like seeing a shooting star in the sky and see your wishes come true."
Her voice choked on a cry and her face crumbled hopelessly. Great tearing sobs shook her, and with a soft groan he pulled her against his chest.
"Don't cry, koishii.don't cry." He said against the top of her head. He held her close, waiting for the storm of tears to spend itself. "Hurry, koishii," she heard him say. "Hurry and stop crying so I can kiss you." Firm fingers raised her chin and a soft handkerchief wiped her eyes and nose, then his lips were on hers.
"Ai shiteru," he whispered against her lips. "Nante, ai shiteru wa! I've been through hell these past few weeks. I could have killed Misanagi!"
She was trembling and wildly flushed. A corner of her mind still couldn't believe he could love her. The man who refused to allow strong emotions to take hold of reasoning has admitted it, with no utter denial. She put her hand on his chest and held herself away from him. "Onegai.don't say something you don't mean. I couldn't bear it."
"Ai shiteru, I want you for the rest of my life. You are my life! I was so wrong about love. It is real, both hurtful and wonderful." Her heart turned over. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "Put your arms around me, koishii." There was anguish in his voice that pierced her like a thorn. "Daite yo, ai shiteru mo ie yo."
"Hai, I do love you." Her arms went tight around him. "I thought I was going to die from it, I love you so much."
They stood locked together in the middle of the room. Their embrace was like finally coming home, like finding a safe harbor in a storm, truly like a wish has finally come true once upon a shooting star.
(Translation: onegai=please, ai shiteru= I love you, Nante ai shiteru wa= Oh, how I love you, Daite yo, ai shiteru mo ie yo=hold me, tell me you love me too.)
Finally '_ ~THE END~ _' at last
** Credits:
Many domo arigatous for the information/opinions/suggestions provided by Chaos, Chibi angel and Kawaiimisao and from many others that made the story possible, even if I made it mega-mushville to the end. Meiling-sama, Niisama and others for some help on Japanese terms that I need for the story's completion, which resulted a dry spell for my soujiro-misao fictions. If there is one thing I learned, an RK fiction writer who doesn't know much about RK should watch more.I think should be watching them all over again now ^_^ ohohoho...thanks for the help
Ori
**
Part 10: A wish upon a shooting star
In all her life Megumi had never felt such crushing anguish. It was all so horrible. How did Enishi get the accessory? What chance did she have of proving she didn't give the accessory to Enishi is he said she did? It really didn't matter---she had known the marriage was doomed for days now. Anyway, she had no intention of allowing herself to be humiliated again in the morning. She had to get away now.
Wearily she got up from the bed and began to collect her belongings. She took only the things she had brought with her, leaving behind the wedding ring and the gift and clothes Aoshi had given her on her honeymoon. It was nearly dawn when she was finished.
Without a sound she made her way down the stairs, across the foyer, and out into the courtyard. In no time, she had gotten out onto the main road through a gap in the fence. As if a miracle, a carriage owned by a missionary couple came by and gave her a ride to the train station bound for Tokyo. She used her savings, but it's not enough for the trip so she has chosen among the other available stops, and she selected Nagoya. At least its half-way 'home'. She wondered what will Dr. Gensai if he heard the whole story. Meanwhile she allow herself not to think on what to do once she took a brief sojourn in Nagoya.she couldn't plan now----the hurt and humiliation were too raw.
The next two weeks passed by in a haze of pain. For the first three or four days, Megumi was inside a rented room of the inn she had found, and nursed her misery, eating nearly nothing, trying to forget her life in Kyoto. Finally, her funds were so low that she had to do something about it. She broke her isolation and found a job as a waitress and cook at a nearby restaurant, and plans for her route back to Tokyo. The hurt and humiliation receded and gave way to incredible loneliness. Despite all he'd done to her, she missed Aoshi dreadfully.
Towards the end of the second week, she decided to contact Dr. Gensai through a public phone. Dr. Gensai is relieved to hear her voice from the phone and told her Aoshi was looking for her, with the help of other Onis. Megumi asked him to give him a message, that she would accept annulment and would sign any papers he wanted her to. But she even refused to tell Dr. Gensai where she was. She did not want Aoshi to find her, not now, not ever again.
*****
One rainy night after work, while hurrying home, she saw a man across the street that reminded her of Aoshi, wearing a wide light colored trench coat so unusual to be seen worn by most people. She turned away. She couldn't bear to look. She didn't want to see anyone or anything that reminded her of Aoshi.
She shivered and her steps increased. A gust of wind blew rain in her face, almost blinding her. Something hard grabbed her arm, spinning her around. Frightened, she looked up.
"No!" It couldn't be Aoshi's icy blue eyes staring down at her out of a wet, bleak face! "No!" She said it again.
"Megumi." When he spoke she realized he was real and not an apparition.
"Get away from me!" she screamed. "Get away!" Her voice was shrill with the terror that gave her strength to jerk away from him and put her feet in motion. She began to run as if her life depended on it. She ran in manic flight along the darkened streets, till she reached her room. She slammed the door behind her and threw the dead bolt in place. Her fingers slowly relaxed their hold on the bolt, and she leaned her against the door. A sharp rap caused her to jerk away from it. The rap came again.
"Let me in, Megumi. I want to talk to you. I'm not leaving until you open this door." The pounding that followed jarred the wall. He was going to wake up all the people in the neighborhood. Let him in and get it over with, she reasoned with herself even while she was unbolting the door.
He stood there in the pouring rain, and she stared, eyes large and frightened.
"May I come in?"
She nodded numbly, turned her back on him, and went to the small cooking area. She went to the small stone stove and put some fire on under a small porcelain kettle and set out two tea cups. She was pouring the herbal tea mixture by the dining room when Aoshi came up beside her.
"One of those for me? Good! I don't know when I've been so cold."
'I'll sign any annulment papers, Aoshi. Let's get on with it. I don't want you here."
He sat down and cupped his hands around the one cup. "I don't blame you for being bitter, Megumi."
"Don't you?"
"I know you didn't take the accessory. I realize you must hate the sight of me, but at least let me tell you what happened and give me a chance to apologize."
"If it will make you feel any better, I accept your apology. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to bow out of your life and get on with mine." She knew her biting words affected him. His lips tightened and his hands on the cup were shaking. "The morning you left, I decided to track down Enishi myself. I went up and find him just a town near Kobe. Needless to say, he was surprised to see me. He was very furious and perplexed; as it turned out he knew nothing at all about either the accessory or the letter. He was intimidated by my appearance that he admitted about his scheming plot and returned the check you had given him back in Kyoto. I had him taken care of and I'm confident he'll never bother you again." There was a dead coldness in his eyes when he said the last statement, "Anyhow, when I went back to Kyoto I quickly discovered who had set you up as a thief."
"Misanagi." She said it calmly and looked defiantly into his surprised eyes.
"How did you know?"
"She was the only one who hated me enough to do that to me. She was the one who would gain the most if I left." Her voice cracked and she turned her face away.
"Omasu saw her leaving your room just after you had been there to get your purse. I confronted Misanagi and she admitted she took it."
Megumi's laugh was harsh and hollow. "It sounded more like a theater drama all the time. 'Mistress steals precious jewelry to frame up wife of her lover.'"
His face turned deep red and their eyes did battle. "If you meant that to be funny, it isn't. I have never been Misanagi's lover and wouldn't be even if she was the only woman in earth."
"No?" Anger brought her to her feet. "All right. Just to set the record straight, I overheard you talking to Misanagi the night we spent with your sensei. You said and I quote--- 'Megumi will not interfere with us, she has nothing to do with us.' Don't sit there and tell me I didn't hear that with my own ears."
His expression mirrored his astonishment. "You took that to mean she is my mistress?"
"I may be naïve, but I'm not stupid! I was going to ask for an annulment even before you practically accused me of being a thief."
He was quiet for so long that she looked at him and was surprised to see the shadow of pain in his eyes. "Megumi." He held out his hand. "Come and sit down and let me tell you about Misanagi." She walked past him and sat down on a cushion.
"The Sanadas and the Oniwabanshu's don't have any close contact, but apparently they got involved with the Kenshin-gumi to stop a group of German elite calling themselves the Black Knights in getting the Holy Water. I know you are a friend of Himura, so I presumed you knew of this event. You are one along with Dr. Gensai who wants to heal this certain man. Since the Kenshin-gumi and the Oniwabanshus had developed some ties, the two clans eventually met and cooperated. Okina-sensei got acquainted with their leader and met Moriya Misanagi. When everything was over, we learned she had fallen deeply at one of the black knights, a one-eared man called Schneider who was rumored to have died in battle. She presumed he still lives and it worries the Sanadas. They think the best way to get over with it and for the benefit of both sides; they arranged an inter-marriage between two clans. I was selected as the best possible candidate, after all she was a young okashira of the sanadas and I'm close to her age and also a leader myself for the oniwabanshus. She saw security and a broader influential status in becoming my wife. That's all there is to it. I don't love Misanagi, I have never loved her. But long ago I assumed the responsibility to look after her best interest, and if I had to help her look for this man she still pins for I will do it. I didn't think our marriage would change that relationship I had with her."
They sat silently, but the tension was alive between them. Megumi felt emotion begin to infiltrate the icy barrier with which she had protected herself. The bitterness she had felt so long seemed to dissolve in one shuddering sigh, leaving only emptiness.
She stared at him with eyes dilated with pain
"It's impossible for me to forget you doubted me. Regardless of what evidence anyone had given me about you, it wouldn't have shaken my faith. I'd never have believed you as a thief." Her lower lip quivered.
"Perhaps not, but you did believe that I was unfaithful to you, and surely that's much worse. The truth is, Megumi, that you doubted me as mush as I doubted you." She realized that what he said is true. If she hadn't actually believed that Aoshi didn't---couldn't----love her, she never would have left.
"When we are hurt and angry," Aoshi continued, "We all say things we don't mean. I was angry and I was hurt and disappointed. I thought you still wanted Enishi. Most of all I was angry at myself for allowing my feelings to get involved with a woman."
He stood up. "I have to be honest with you, Megumi. I never believed I'd truly love someone. I never even thought of someday my feelings would yearn and I'll be looking for a companion to spend my life with, to me all the women are the same. But when I met you, I knew you were different." He said it softly and she felt his hand lightly touch her hair. "I knew you would be faithful to me, but even before we were married I wanted more. I.I wanted your love as well."
She looked up, now, at his unsmiling mouth and with all her heart she wanted to believe him. But conviction refused to come. She got up quickly.
He grabbed her forearms and jerked her toward him. "I can't lose you! We had beginning of something good. Better than good--- wonderful! Its like seeing a shooting star in the sky and see your wishes come true."
Her voice choked on a cry and her face crumbled hopelessly. Great tearing sobs shook her, and with a soft groan he pulled her against his chest.
"Don't cry, koishii.don't cry." He said against the top of her head. He held her close, waiting for the storm of tears to spend itself. "Hurry, koishii," she heard him say. "Hurry and stop crying so I can kiss you." Firm fingers raised her chin and a soft handkerchief wiped her eyes and nose, then his lips were on hers.
"Ai shiteru," he whispered against her lips. "Nante, ai shiteru wa! I've been through hell these past few weeks. I could have killed Misanagi!"
She was trembling and wildly flushed. A corner of her mind still couldn't believe he could love her. The man who refused to allow strong emotions to take hold of reasoning has admitted it, with no utter denial. She put her hand on his chest and held herself away from him. "Onegai.don't say something you don't mean. I couldn't bear it."
"Ai shiteru, I want you for the rest of my life. You are my life! I was so wrong about love. It is real, both hurtful and wonderful." Her heart turned over. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "Put your arms around me, koishii." There was anguish in his voice that pierced her like a thorn. "Daite yo, ai shiteru mo ie yo."
"Hai, I do love you." Her arms went tight around him. "I thought I was going to die from it, I love you so much."
They stood locked together in the middle of the room. Their embrace was like finally coming home, like finding a safe harbor in a storm, truly like a wish has finally come true once upon a shooting star.
(Translation: onegai=please, ai shiteru= I love you, Nante ai shiteru wa= Oh, how I love you, Daite yo, ai shiteru mo ie yo=hold me, tell me you love me too.)
Finally '_ ~THE END~ _' at last
** Credits:
Many domo arigatous for the information/opinions/suggestions provided by Chaos, Chibi angel and Kawaiimisao and from many others that made the story possible, even if I made it mega-mushville to the end. Meiling-sama, Niisama and others for some help on Japanese terms that I need for the story's completion, which resulted a dry spell for my soujiro-misao fictions. If there is one thing I learned, an RK fiction writer who doesn't know much about RK should watch more.I think should be watching them all over again now ^_^ ohohoho...thanks for the help
Ori
**