Chapter 5

"G-gomenasai [sorry], Soujirou." she hicced the words out.

"Daijoubu ka? Doushita no?" he asked while helping her up.

"S-soujirou...it's just that I'm..." she tried to explain, but her words failed her and she went on ahead with Soujirou following her behind. "I don't think we should be tarrying. They might get up at any moment."

After a couple of minutes of walking, her tears started to well up again. "Iie, naku ja nai [I'm not gonna cry]!"

"Karu-chan, zenbu wa daijoubu desu [everything's OK]." he said trying to comfort her.

"Iie, anata wa wakaranai no yo [you don't understand]. My stepbrother has been torturing me for years now since my father married that old hag." Karu let her tears flow as she said those words and buried her face deep in her hands.

"Karu..." Soujirou whispered knowing he can do nothing for her.

"He does it every night he gets depressed. He-he chains me s-so I-I can't fend him off in any way." she cried letting herself sit on the ground. "My step mom wants me killed and gets every opportunity she gets in trying to assassinate me with her hired henchmen. My father doesn't care that much about me now because he wants to please that bitch since he wasn't able to help my mom with everything that she needed him to do. He's still in trauma and doesn't want to believe me. I want to die, Soujirou, I-I just can't. I promised my mom that I'll strive to live a life that will have a lot of meaning and that I will only die by unavoidable circumstances. I want to keep that promise as her last request." She let go of the communicating device that she held in her hand.

Soujirou kneeled beside her and wrapped his arms around her heaving shoulders. "Sumimasen. Shite iranakatta [I didn't know]. Karu, I know that your father loves you very much and he doesn't want you hurt. If he fixes that thing," he said handing her the communicating device, "That only proves that he loves you and he wants you back. No parent wants his/her own child harmed in any way." Unless you're a bastard like I am. "I wish there is something else I could do for you to ease your pain."

"Soujirou," Karu faced him with her tear-stained face, "You have already done more than your part of the bargain. You carried me under your wing, you helped me with everything you've got, and, you taught me a lot of things. Anata wa oniisan kesshite watashi ni nakutte [You're the brother I never had]." and with that she let herself cry freely upon his chest.

Soujirou embraced her firmly and gently stroked her back, "I'm glad to hear that. I don't know how to act as a brother, moreover a family member, Karu-chan."

"Nani ga imi suru ka [what do you mean]?" she asked looking up at him.

Soujirou told his side of the story and left Karu to stare at him in disbelief! Not that his story was that sad, but because he had gone through a lot of burdens himself and she had not even cared to notice. She looked away from him in embarrassment despite her actions and clenched her fist, thinking of any thing or anyway to comfort him just as he did.

Thinking of none, she apologized, "Su-sumimasen [I'm so sorry], Soujirou. I- I wish I could do something to ease your pain. Nani ga suru shite iranai [I don't know what to do]!"

"Daijoubu, Karu..." He replied solemnly "Knowing that you don't resent me after what I have told you is enough to lighten up my load."

"Soujirou..." she turned to look at him looking a little perky, nodded and picked up the device. "Anata wa tadashii [you're right]. Watashi no otousan kereba kakeru [My father will call]. Kono michi wo iku made Tokyou desu yo ne [This road goes until Tokyo, right]?" she winced a little finally noticing the sharp pain she had been having the whole time with the wound bleeding slightly. "Now, don't worry about this like you did the last time, OK?"

"Hai. Sou desu, Karu-chan. Ja, ikou [well, let's go]..." he stood up and held out his hand offering Karu some help to stand. Himura-san... he thought remembering all he had told him.

"Soujirou-kun, kore [here]." she said handing him 2 daggers. "I don't know what to give you. Even money wouldn't last time. I hope this will remind you of me when I go or help you in any way."

"I'm sure it will, Karu."

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They arrived at Tokyo by midday and Karu can't help looking from store to store and shack after shack, giving everyone the impression that she was a foreigner. Literally, jumping from the left structure to the right, Soujirou tailed her feeling quite embarrassed at the fit he was in. He tried to calm her down, but it was no use. She only stopped her 'house-hopping' when her wounded waist became too annoyingly painful and then leaned against the wall of a shop.

"I told you to take it easy." Soujirou told her assessing the severity of the wound.

Karu gasped as Soujirou brushed lightly against the wound.

He shook his head and sighed, "You're going to rest and there will be no arguing about it, OK?"

"You won't hear a complain from me. It hurts too much to argue about it." she looked at her own wound. "Besides, I think we both need rest after what went on a while ago...you know, the travel and the fight?" she looked at him through the corner of her eye. "Sa, doko ka [so, where to]?"

"You sit on that bench over there, I'll go look." he said pointing to a bench near a tree.

Soujirou walked opposite her as soon as she got seated and started to look for a place to stay. Shall I visit Himura-san? he asked himself, Maybe tomorrow. I'm sure Karu would love to see Kenshin...or maybe she has seen him already since she had been to the Tokugawa era already. Just then, a finger tapped on his shoulder and he turned around to see who it was. Surprised to see a bare chest in front of him he looked up. With one look at the face of the man that just caught his attention, he smiled, "Sagara-san! Is that you? You seem to have a beard, now."

"I thought it was you, Soujirou! Heh, nagai kami [you have a long hair]." Sanosuke slapped him at the back. "Don't say my name out loud. I'm still wanted, you know." he whispered. "So how long has it been... 6 years, 7 years?"

"8 years, Sagara-san." he reminded him.

"A! Naruhodo [I knew it]! How's it going? Who's that pretty chick you were with?"

"Ano kanojo wa, Karu-san desu [that girl's Karu]."

"Hontou [really]? Omae no koibito [your sweethart]?"

"Chigau yo [you're wrong], Sanosuke-san!"

"Can I meet her?"

"Alright, but please don't take long. I still need to find her a place to stay. Her injury is quite severe."

Soujirou took him to Karu to meet her and they talked about what was going on at the moment. Although Sanosuke never understood why they were still wandering since Karu never told him her secret. He then invited them to rest at Kaoru's place for a while. They refused because they didn't want to cause any trouble for Kaoru at all. Seeing Kaoru across the distance, Sanosuke called out for her to come.

"Sanosuke! Anta wa kearu [you're back]!" Kaoru exclaimed excitedly, but, winced at the sight of his beard. "Mou, Sanosuke! You should shave. What happened to you after going on a trip all over the world? Come back to the dojou. There's reunion and I sure am glad you came back."

"Shh." he shushed her, "I shouldn't. Without it, the police will recognize me once again and perhaps arrest me. It's quite amazing you recognized me immediately."

"Jou-chan, kono hito wa Soujirou to nakama Karu [this person is Soujirou and his friend, Karu]. I'm sure Kenshin still knows him 'coz I still do. And I was wondering if you could invite them over." Sanosuke explained.

"Hontou ka?! I think I'll trust you this time, Sanosuke. And that's just because they don't look like the gambling types you have gone with before you left." Kaoru cleared her throat, "I'm Himura Kaoru, Kenshin's wife. I'm sure my husband would like to have you two over. Would you come with us. I'd prepare dinner for you."

"That's very kind of you, Kaoru-san. We appreciate it a lot." Soujirou bowed.

"Dame da yo [this is not good]!" Sanosuke told himself inaudible enough so that Kaoru wouldn't hear.

"And we can have Megumi and Genzai-sensei look on that, too." Kaoru offered Karu. "That wound looks pretty nasty."

"Domo arigatou gozaimasu, Kaoru-san. I hope it wouldn't be too much trouble." Karu thanked her.

"Zenzen [not at all]! Shall we?"

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"Tadaima [We're back], Kenshin!" Kaoru said as she came through the gates.

"Okaeri nasai [welcome home], Kaoru-dono...Sano!" Kenshin greeted in surprise as he saw Sanosuke was back. "You've grown a beard! Will you still be going off to foreign lands after a stay here?"

"Aa." Sano said solemnly, "Ja! let's be happy so long as I'm here. I do hope you have sake." Kenshin nodded.

"Kenji-kun wa?" Kaoru asked.

"Nemurite [he's sleeping], Kaoru-dono. What shall we have for dinner?"

"Okonomiyaki." Kaoru declared.

"Oi, Kenshin. Look what the cat dragged in." Sanosuke pointed at Soujirou, who was behind him, with his thumb.

"Soujirou! O-genki de gozaru ka [how are you]? Seems that you're not tending to your hair now, are you?" Kenshin greeted.

"Hai. Genki desu [I'm fine]. And you have cut yours off. Kono hito wa Yamaokami Karu desu, watashi no tomodachi [this is Karu Yamaokami, a friend of mine]." Soujirou said touching his now lengthly hair.

"Sou de gozaru na?" Kenshin replied.

"Konnichiwa, Kenshin-san." Karu greeted.

"Where have I seen you before? You look somewhat familiar." Kenshin told her.

"Eh?" she tried to put her most surprised look. Yeah you've seen me before...when you were still battousai.

"Never mind. Please come in. I think you'll need a lot of rest, Karu-dono. I'll be calling on Genzai-sensei to take care of that. Do you need any help at all in getting in?" he offered after noticing the injury Karu had.

"Iie. Arigato gozaimasu." Karu thanked him and was led by Kaoru to the room where Kenji slept. Genzai followed in afterwards and took care of her injury.

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Soujirou waited on the porch (?) and stared into the sky with his sword in his embrace. He seemed to be in his own world until Kenshin came and sat by him.

"A! Himura-san." Soujirou exclaimed in surprise.

"Soujirou, how is your wandering coming along? It seems that it's going well for you since you've only been wandering for 8 years." Kenshin started

"I'm not sure, Himura-san. I can't tell." Soujirou doubted himself.

"I find it very impressive. Having found someone after 8 years. What do you think of her?" the elder of the two asked bluntly.

"Anou ne [uh], I think she's a very strong-willed and knowledgeable girl."

"Hontou de gozaru? Uchi wa doko ni aru de gozaru ka [where do you live*]?"

"Uchi wa nanimo nai [we don't have a house]."

"Oro?" Kenshin exclaimed in surprise.

"Well, you see Himura-san, Karu was...she had...I mean she..." Soujirou stammered.

"Nani de gozaru ka?"

"Well, she was running away from some thugs out to get her when she was a child and was orphaned when her parents died saving her. She grew up in the...well, I forgot where she grew up, but all I know is she grew up without knowing her mother." he lied so as not to reveal the truth which Karu had trusted him with.

"Sou de gozaru na."

Momentary silence swept between them. And, by the arrival of Kenji, the silence was finally broken. He came out rubbing his eyes calling out to his father which beckoned the former to come. He sat between the two and looked strangely at Soujirou.

"Kono otoko wa dare ka, otousan [who is this man, dad]?" Kenji asked his dad.

"Sono otoko wa [that man]? Sono otoko wa Seta Soujirou."

"Kodomo ga mitai [he looks like a child]." Kenji commented.

"Do you think so?" Soujirou asked. Kenji nodded. "Nan sai desu ka [how old are you]?"

"Gosai [5 yrs. old]." He replied, "Anata wa [and you]?"

"Ni juu roku sai [26 yrs. old]." Soujirou smiled.

"Anou, otousan, can you help me with the kanji that sensei gave us as an assignment? Soujirou-san, you too."

"Ee. Heya e watashi-tachi ni matte de gozaru yo [O.K. wait for us in the room]." Kenshin patted his son on his head. Acknowledging his response, he ran off into the room.

"He seems to look like you at first glance." Kenshin commented as he looked at the sunlight above them. His cross scar gave a shadow-cast look as the sunlight shone on his features.

Kenshin started to stand up and walk toward the door where Kenji vanished into with Soujirou close behind. Somewhere in his heart, Soujirou felt somewhat envious of Kenshin. Having friends as much and as true as them...having Kenji who can give him joy in the little achievements he accomplished...and most of all, having Kaoru of whom he has been protecting and loving ever since they first met. He laughed inwardly to himself thinking of who could ever love who had been such a merciless killer like him without a good reason to do so.

Author's notes: 'shite iranai' and 'shiranai' are the same as I've found out during the past week
Tokyo's Japanese (real) spelling is Tokyou, so don't be confused about the spelling... Tokyo is an English spelling.
'Kanojo' kinda sounds like 'girlfriend' in Japanese ('kare' for male). But when used in certain instances it is she.
'Okonomiyaki' is a type of pancake grilled with meat, vegetables and egg (believe me...it's delicious! If Kaoru doesn't cook it) @o@.
*lirerally means 'where is your house'. But it sounds awkward and has the same meaning so I changed it.
I only put 'de gozaru...' in Japanese translatons.

Chapter 4

Chapter 6