Chapter 5
By Crystal
*Screw the disclaimers ^^;;*
I was on my way to Hiko-san's. It was February 17, 1879. We'll arrive to Tokyo in around two weeks time, then we'll be meeting Kaoru and the man that she loves. If we don't get any stuff delaying us, we'll probably have a few days to spare, but then I'll stay at my house quietly. I loved the quiet, even after all these years. Never did I have somewhere quiet to go to, unless I was travelling, when I was travelling, no one was with me.
I was walking up the path to Hiko-san's house and my mind drifted to Kaoru's letter. Myojin Yahiko, I knew his mother. Passed by her in the market quite a few times. Tomoko. Myojin Tomoko. I heard a rumour that she gave birth to a son named Yahiko right after the revolution and that her husband died in the war. She then became a prostitute to feed the son. I must say she is very brave and I'm sure her son is very well raised. I heard she also died a few years back... He must be living with Kaoru now, she always had a kind heart.
Then there was Sagara Sanosuke, I heard the name Sagara once... But I don't know when. A freeloader, eh? Well, he was probably living at Kaoru's too, or smooching off of her. Takani was a famous doctor, not too surprised that the only family member that survived became a doctor. Then a kid the mysterious man saved. Although I must say, the man does save a lot of people. There was Kaoru several times, then there was the kid. Whoever the man was, he was sure to be a good husband to Kaoru, as long as he loved her too, that is.
Feeling me around, Kenji burst out the door and I smiled at the sight of him. He looked really excited, even though I would be too, if I had only been at one place for the first fourteen years of my life. Actually... That's how I spent it, but anyways, I didn't expect the son of Battousai to spend it like that. The second I gave birth to Kenji, I knew he was going to be as energetic as his father.
He waved a second and then ran back into the house while Hiko-san came out, I bowed to him again, telling him that Kenji would be back in less than three months and told him to contact me if he had located Kenshin. Kenji bounced out at that moment, and for the first time, I was going to travel with someone... Actually, that wasn't going to be my first time. The trip to Otsu with Kenshin was my first, but that's all fine.
* * * * *
We arrived in Tokyo on March 4, 1879. Tomorrow was the day I was going to meet whoever it was. I guess I was excited, though I didn't know at the time, I showed Kenji a bit around town and told him where we were going to eat tomorrow for lunch, at the Akabeko. He had a really good sense of direction, I noticed. Probably got it from his father, though most of his personality and looks were from his father. The weird thing was, people kept pointing at Kenji, though the both of us ignored it.
Ah well, I was getting tired anyways. I guess I might as well go back home. Toshiko welcomed me back warmly and even welcomed Kenji warmly. He smiled. As they were in around the same age group, they became close in less than an hour... Kenji's first friend in Tokyo, even though Toshiko was actually her aunt. It didn't feel right, after all, Toshiko was only three years older.
I told the both of them I was tired, so as usual, I wrote in my journal and slipped in my futon, and I closed my eyes. Surprisingly, I couldn't sleep. Something was annoying me. A gut feeling. A gut feeling that something, let it be good or bad was going to happen.
* * * * *
As usual, as I woke up, I combed my hair until it shined and put it in my usual low ponytail. I used a bit of haikubai-kou like I had during the past decade and wore a new kimono I had bought in Otsu. The background was blue, very light blue. On the left was a sakura tree and at the bottom was a lake where the sakura flowers fell. I wore my new shawl, then checked myself in the mirror, then went out to get Toshiko and Kenji.
In no time, Toshiko, Kenji and I were walking down the street towards the Akabeko. Suddenly, something caught my eye and I urged Toshiko to go on, she refused, so we all stayed. Blood and White Plums was the book this store was selling. There was a big line-up for other books, so Kenji urged me on, telling me he knew where the Akabeko was. I trusted him, like I've said before, he had a good sense of direction. Toshiko and I walked to the Akabeko and she slid open the door leading to the restaurant and went in. I followed.
I heard a warm laugh. At that very second, time froze, I froze... My heart froze. That laugh I had heard only a few rare times. That laugh. Can only be by him. Himura Kenshin, Hitokiri Battousai. How long I stood there, I didn't know, though I did hear him say a few things. With politeness I had never heard from him before. Kaoru was with him. So the man was Kenshin, my husband. What should I do? Leave and never come back and let them be and let them have a 'happily ever after' ending? Life was never like that, I never had a 'happily ever after' ending, though Kaoru did deserve it. She was sweet, kind, innocent and beautiful. Everything a man looked in for a woman.
What could I do? At that moment, I heard him laugh again at something Kaoru said, then the laugh stopped abruptly. He knew I was there. My scent, my perfume. For the first time in life, I had regretted wearing the perfume. I should have let them be. But I had no choice now. In less than a second, I saw him in front of me. He looked like he always was, but his ponytail was a low one now, no longer the high ponytail I had grown to love so much. His eyes clear violet, no longer the amber that made him look so handsome, but it was now filled with kindness and love, no longer anger and hatred for the world.
Had Kaoru really changed him so? Was I really that bad as a wife that I could not even erase that anger for him? Was I really such a disgrace to the Yukishiro family. I heard Toshiko call me, but all I saw was the man in front of me, with the cross scar I had grown to remember so well. The auburn hair was still there and so was he. Kaoru stood up beside him and called my name, his eyes widening. He probably didn't believe I was alive and thought he was hallucinating. Guess what, anata? You weren't. I'm right here, in front of you, seeing some woman that I had raised love you and about to confess to you. I felt myself on the verge of tears, and then, you whispered one single word.
"Tomoe..." That single word made my world crumble down. He was in love with a woman I raised and I could do nothing but watch. I felt weak and wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. The man Kaoru loves us Kenshin... man she loves is Kenshin... She loves Kenshin... Kenshin... My husband. She loves my husband.
What did you expect, Yukishiro Tomoe? For him to wait for someone that he thought had died, someone that he had killed by accident? Someone that had betrayed him and scarred his cheek for life? You must be kidding me, Yukishiro Tomoe.
Yukishiro Tomoe... I haven't used that name for ages. I always introduced myself as either Himura Tomoe or just plain Tomoe... Yukishiro Tomoe... No way in hell was I staying here anymore. After ten years of hell, I see the man I had waited for and loved to love another woman. I turned around and ran out the door and into the streets and I heard Kenshin call my name desperately. And I ran into someone.
"Okaasan! What's wrong?" Kenji... I felt him stiffen immediately as he saw Kenshin running behind me. By now, most of the people on the streets cowered away from the two swordsman. Kenji stood in front of me protectively and put his right hand on the sword handle. He was probably furious at Kenshin that he hadn't noticed the cross scar and red hair on him. I wanted to tell him not to fight, but my mouth was dry... I was complete utter useless garbage. "What the hell did you chase my mother for?" His voice was filled with rage and I caught a glimpse of his eyes. Amber. Amber, like the dying fire in hell.
"No... Kenji... no..." I whispered.
I was sure Kenshin didn't hear me, but he looked at Kenji with shock. And uttered a single word again. "...Kenji?" Kenji whipped his head around to face him, at the sight of his face, Kenji's eyes narrowed. He reminded me so much of Kenshin when he was Battousai. "Himura... Kenji."
"How the hell do you know my name, you bastard?"
I gasped at the sudden language my son was using. "Kenji!" Kenji's eyes widen as he realized what he just said and was about to open his mouth, but I stopped him. I saw Kaoru and someone who should be Yahiko and a teenage boy run after Kaoru. Then there was Toshiko.
"Tomoe..." Kenshin stepped closer to me, I had been waiting for this day for an eternity, then why couldn't I just face him? Was I scared of being rejected? Of course, after ten years of waiting, who wouldn't be. "Is that... Kenji?" I nodded my head dumbly, not knowing what to say and collapsed. I knew Kenji would catch me, but instead, Kenshin did. "Why didn't you tell me, why?"
I shook my head in the crook of his neck and heard Kaoru gasp. So she had finally noticed the familiar looks in Kenji and Kenshin... I couldn't feel but be happy. I know I was thinking like a bitch, but what right didn't I have? A decade. One god damn decade. Excuse my language... I choked a sob, "I wanted to tell you... So much after... The revolution... You went through Otsu... Waited entire day for you... Never... even saw you." I managed to say and he pulled me into a tighter embrace. It felt good again... The smell of him and the touch of his fingers on my back.
"Okaasan! I don't get this! First you run away from him, then you tell him something I don't understand! Except Otsu!" I shook my head dumbly again, not knowing what to say.
After a minute, I finally found my voice again. "Who has red hair and a cross scar on his face?" I asked, more calmly.
"Battousai." Kenji said, then he looked at Kenshin more closely, "Hitokiri Battousai."
A protest from Kaoru, "Kenshin's not Battousai anymore! He's changed!"
Kenji looked at her coldly, making her shut up, "I know that. Don't need you telling me." Before anyone could utter another word, Kenji nodded coldly, I knew it wasn't because he hated Kenshin, he just didn't know what to do around his father... Then his mouth formed a word. "Otousan."
I felt Kenshin help me up again, "Kenji." Kenshin helped me walk across to where Kenji was, then he embraced Kenji. Kenji returned the hug awkwardly, just then, the book I had wanted to buy fell out of his hands. Kenshin picked it up and read it, then smiled at me, or rather, grinned childishly, "I bought this yesterday. I think it describes us well, don't you think?"
I nodded my head silently, then said, "Now we know how the story ends. The girl never dies..."
Sakura Alex – Big...? Hope this is big enough ^^
Rook – Heh, sorry, I uploaded 'The Difference Between Rain and Tears' of chapter 4 ^^
rika – He's at the dojo ^^
Blueraingurl – I'm afraid we'll need at least a billion Kenshins to have every fan calmed down, after all, there are billion of Kenshin fans ^^
XenoMark – Can't be good is right ^^
Author's Notes: This is not the end of the story. Wonder what Kaoru's reaction will be ^^
