Chapter 2:~ Life Goes On

On that sorrowful year my wife died, I fell into a deep depression. My second love died because of me. I had no care for my life but God had to take the lives of the people I loved so dearly. He knows my weakness and that is my incompatibility to protect my beloved. You can say that I'm cursed or either God just want to torture me. It doesn't matter anyway. What's done is undone and I deserved it. I knew failure was not an option. I can only put the blame on no one but myself.

It was late afternoon, the neighborhood was quiet and it was peaceful. The leaves rustled along with the breeze and the big tree provided much shade and soon I found myself asleep under one of the trees. It was a lazy afternoon.

Soon after, my sharp hearing picked up footsteps proceeding towards the gate. I woke up and looked towards the gate. IKaoru? Yahiko?/I Half of me was expecting Kaoru and the other half expecting Yahiko.

"Kenshin-san!"

A mature adult voice called out my name. It must be Yahiko. I got up and walked to the gate. There a different young adult in rugged clothes stood in front of me. His cheekbones protruded; his childish features disappeared. He wore a look of weariness but he held firmly to his bokken. IAhh. My son./I

"Yahiko?"

My tone was questioning. Somehow I doubted he was Yahiko with his looks to kill and his dazzling smile, not a single bit of the child he looked before could be detected on his face.

"Kenshin-san, tadaima. Kaoru-san doko iru no?"

A weary smile flashed across his face. ISo he doesn't know about it./I He will learn of the painful truth.

"Yahiko-san, you look weary. Take a rest and have a shower. We shall have a tea ceremony later. We have much to talk."

He was really tired as he merely nodded and dragged himself to his room.

**************************************************************************** ******* Looking refreshed, he kneeled opposite of me. I started the tea ceremony once in a while glancing up at Yahiko. He looked calm and collected. In my mind, I was thinking of how I was to tell him of the painful story. Both of them were as close as brothers and sisters. Though they were always quarreling or fighting with each other, they cared for each other and helped each other when it was needed. INow he's our son./I I handed the cup of tea to him. He took it with a smile and quietly sipped his tea. The tea ceremony was over. Now, I will have to tell.

"Yahiko-san, have you noticed the tablet at the dojo?"

"No, I haven't. May I ask who's is it."

I sighed and closed my eyes.

"It's my wife, Kaoru-dono."

II'm sorry my son, I've failed to protect your mother.I/

He stared at me, momentarily stunned and was speechless.

"Why? How? It cannot be."

He mananged to blurt out. After a moment of silence, he continued.

"Oka-san? Impoosible! I just saw her a few days ago. It cannot be."

He looked at me questioningly.

"It's the truth. A few days ago, was our wedding anniversary adn her death anniversary. On that day, she told me that you would return and we would adopt you as our son. This has always been her wish and I agreed to her suggestion. She must have returned in her ghostly gorm when she came to you for she is dead for over a year already."

His eyes focused on his cup of tea that was on the mat. He seemed to be drowned in his own thoughts.

II can only offer you an apology to you. I'm sorry, my son. Much as it hurts.I/

"Just when I return, you tell me a truth so painful- my new-found mother's death. This has to happened when I was away. I didn't even see her body. I feel as if a stranger was the one dead and not my mother. I'm not able to feel the sadness of my mother's death. I came back to only find my mother gone, never to return."

As he said this, his eyes were looking down all the while.

"As for why and how, please tell me another day. For now, I need to rest. Tomorrow morning, we shall visit oka-san's grave. I wish to pay my respects to her."

His hazel brown eyes were cloudy, troubled, filled with doubt. Looking at the state he's in, filled my being with pain. The painfulness of guilt and disappointment. It saddens me very much. I closed my eyes and replied a yes. Then I heard the door shut softly behind.

IIt's hurtful for me to tell you the truth adn for you to hear it. But you have to accept it just like I did. I've learned that life goes on.I/