Chapter 4
Upon her arrival Misao felt sleepy and dazed. Misao no baka! She admonished herself, you shouldn't have stayed up so late thinking about how you were going to say goodbye to Aoshi-sama! She was quite hungry, as her stomach constantly and embarrassingly reminded her every minute it could. She couldn't wait for a proper meal—unless Kaoru was the one who prepared it.
"Misao-chan! Over here!" Misao cocked her head to her right and saw a sight that brought tears to her eyes: Kenshin, who was holding a temperamental Kenji, with a very pregnant Kaoru by his side. Farther off was a tall and scruffy Yahiko with Tsubame-chan, who had blossomed gracefully over the years. Misao dropped her bag sloppily and run towards Kaoru, her smile curving up and threatening to fill her entire face, "Kaorruuuuu!!!! It's been so long! When are you expecting?" Stopping short in front of Kaoru, Misao gleamed at her with tears in her eyes. The choking hug Kaoru expected never came—instead, Misao gave her a soft and awkward embrace, "Sorry, I don't want to throttle your child, ne Kaoru?"
Kaoru smiled warmly, "So, it was only for the sake of my child that you didn't suffocate me with one of your trademark bear hugs, eh? I see how it is… I'm always a mother before anything else. First Kenji, then Kenshin and Yahiko-chan, and now you! Mou, I'll never be allowed to do anything before I deliver the baby except sit around and eat!" Misao was helpless with laughter as she pictured Yahiko and Kenshin fussing around Kaoru, the reigning queen of the pillows. Kaoru paid no attention to Misao's humor at her expense, taking her time to inspect Misao as she continued laughing with mirth.
"Misao-chan, you're actually wearing something other than your onmitsu uniform? Finally! It seems like Okon and Omasu knocked some decency and etiquette into your head! You look very pretty in this kimono; it suits you well."
Under Kaoru's mild scolding, Misao had begun to protest, only to give in to more giggles when Yahiko interrupted Kaoru rudely, "Well, you can hold your petty comments, because the itachi-onna looks better than you, busu!" Kaoru glared at him, but made no move to throttle him, since she was way too far into pregnancy to exert herself physically and chase him. Instead, she calmly took off her geta slipper and chucked it at Yahiko, hitting him square on the forehead.
Misao held back a worried Tsubame-chan as the fighting intensified between the two, shaking her head gently, "You should know by now not to get involved in their little squabbles; you could get hurt."
"Maa, maa, Kaoru," Kenshin reproached gently, grasping his wife's waist so he could keep her and Yahiko from killing each other, "Misao has just arrived! She must be very tired…" and, as if on cue, Misao's stomach growled noisily, "…and very hungry."
Laughter rang through the air as Misao blushed becomingly, thinking, "It really is good to see all of them again…"
"See, after every rainfall, there's always a rainbow that shines across the sky!"
Kenji looked at the sky in awe as he fingered Misao's hair, chewing on it and taking in her wildflower scent with boyish glee, "Misao-oneechan knows so much! She's much smarter than Otousan!" Misao laughed triumphantly as she saw Kenshin cringe from behind his load of laundry, "And is Misao-oneechan prettier than your Okaasan?" Kenji deliberated on the question for a second, and then traitorously chirped, "Hai! Right now Okaasan is too fat!"
With that last comment, Misao nearly choked on her tea. She put down her teacup as she sputtered, "Kenji, do you know why your Okaasan is so round?" She looked into Kenji's round, innocent eyes and sighed with collective longing and affection: I want one of these…
Kenji nodded seriously as he twirled Misao's hair around with his chubby little fingers, "Okaasan is going to have another baby, a little brother or sister! Then I'll have another playmate and someone to bug Otousan with. His angelic earnestness changed into an expression of delighted devilment as he thought up all of the pranks he and his little sibling could pull on his father. "Playmate, eh? More like partner in crime," Misao thought as she watched this flight of countenance with amusement: she could just hear what Kenji's father would say in response to this: "Orororo…"
"Oro," muttered Kenshin as he lifted up a particularly soiled shirt Kenji had spoiled during playtime, "something has to be done with Kenji." He peeked over the piles of clothes to see Misao holding his son and pointing to the rainbow that illuminated the sky. A mild sprinkle of rain had passed an hour ago, and the yard felt fresh with the added moisture, making it a pleasant place to spend the afternoon. Misao had been with them for three days, and her added company brought much solace to the slightly disgruntled Kaoru and her household. Kenshin smiled slightly as he watched Kenji chew contentedly on Misao's hair, "I guess I'll have to heat the bath water for her this evening as well…"
Misao had brought fresh gaiety and much needed order to the slightly gloomy household. Kaoru tended to feel irritable with her helplessness towards the last months of her pregnancy, and a little comfort and discreet deliberation brought much more positive effects to the household. Kenji was much better behaved these days, since Misao took great pains to make him respect his father and treat others with consideration. She had also probably cued Yahiko in on Kaoru's "delicate" situation as well, since Yahiko tried to hold his tongue for a while, and had even offered to help out more often. The change the young onmitsu brought about surprised even Kenshin—sometimes he couldn't see where the rowdy energetic teenager had gone, and when she had been replaced with this responsible, loving woman. He could only place his reasons on Aoshi: Misao, with her love for him, had adjusted herself to suit his more reserved and cautious ways, thus trimming all unnecessary fancies and irregularities. She had improved upon her disposition, yet kept her spirit constant and true to herself—in short; she had matured into a lovely woman. Kenshin mildly wondered if Aoshi himself had seen the change—if not, he wouldn't be able to resist for long.
The slight man watched as his son and friend giggled over a joke and flinched when he heard Kenji utter his name, sighing, "I don't even want to know what they were laughing about." Yet he continued to watch the two nestle together merrily, observing mildly that Misao would make a fine mother, indeed.
Aoshi gazed at the upcoming storm clouds with a slightly troubled look. He had spent the afternoon wafting in paperwork and absently playing with a small kunai all the while. As he ran his finger along the smooth face of the blade, Aoshi mildly wondered how Misao was doing at the Himuras'. He shifted his attention from his business and concentrated on the small knife and its unknowing owner and stood up suddenly. Aoshi gripped the kunai in his enclosed hand and concluded, "It is time for me to give her the last one…" With that, he opened a small cabinet drawer by his side and took out a silky azure handkerchief. Placing the knife inside, he folded it carefully and hid it in the drawer with a promise to the woman he had grown to love.