The un-claimer strikes again.

*****

Yuen let go of the breath she was holding and willed her heart to calm its pounding. Her mother would blame her for the door, she was sure of it. Wen would also scold her for humiliating a high-ranking monk, especially in front of his follower. But she had done it. Done it to spare the boy punishment…and maybe to keep Sanzo Houshi-sama from enacting his anger elsewhere. She never disobeyed her mother.

She slowly dragged herself into the room the boy had just vacated, seeing the broken door on the ground as though accusing her of negligence. She should have checked their rooms before they used it, she realized now. Or at least sent someone to do it for her. Wen would definitely blame this one on her.

"Oi," the voice startled Yuen out of her thoughts. She spun around to see the tall man leaning against the doorframe, looking at her curiously. "That looks…broken."

"Eh? Oh! Hai hai," she bowed, grinning sheepishly. "But it's alright. It was due for a repair anyway-"

"The saru did it, didn't he?"

Yuen blinked. "Ne?"

"Goku. The bakasaru." He stepped into the room, his hands in his pants pockets. "He knocked it down, didn't he?"

"Anou…"

"Kono bakasaru." She heard him mutter while he flashed her a grin, just a step or two away so that she could see the twin scars on his cheek. "No need to defend that saru. He always acts before he thinks."

"Anou, I wasn't defending him. Really." She managed to keep her grin from shaking. "Demo, I need to prop this door up so no one would trip over it-"

"Oh? Let me," he took two long strides to the door and effortlessly picked it up. "Where do you want this?"

"R-right here is fine…" she stammered, her eyes wide at his display of strength. He was as strong as Xia – maybe even stronger! And Xia was already the strongest one in the town…

The tall man propped the door where she indicated. "How's that?"

"Hai, that's perfect," she felt heat come up to her cheeks. "Arigato gozaimashita."

"Nandemo nai." He turned to face her fully, his hands in his pockets once again. "So, you have a boyfriend?"

Her mind blanked out for a moment in surprise before it dredged up memories – she quickly pushed them away, pushed the choking tears away as she refused to meet his strange red-eyed gaze. It was embarrassing to break down in front of a guest.

"I…used to…" She forced herself to smile cheerfully at him. "But he's gone now. Left a year or two ago."

"Hontou?" He inched closer to her until Yuen found herself backing away. "Why would he leave a pretty girl like you?"

"I-it wasn't...he didn't really mean to…demo…" she didn't know how to explain it. How could she tell him that he left because he couldn't live in the town anymore? She turned to look at something else other than his eyes. She didn't think she could stand the curiosity gleaming there. "I-it's not something I want to talk about."

"Aa." He finally stopped coming closer. "Don't look so sad."

"Eh?"

"It makes me want to ask you out."

Yuen stared at him in disbelief. "A-anou…"

"Gojyo. Sha Gojyo."

"Gojyo-san…I have work to do…"

"After work then."

"Demo..."

His face was only inches away from hers. She tried to back away but the wall stopped her. Her nostrils were filled with the scent of his cigarette brand. "G-Gojyo-san…"

He grinned casually at her and turned away. "Go back to work, Yuen-san."

"Anou…hai…" but he was already in the hallway by the time she regained her voice. She breathed in relief as she tried to calm her pounding heart, and then she berated herself for feeling relieved. This incident with the tall man wasn't done yet, she knew. Was he really being serious with what he said?

Not that she wasn't available now, with Xia gone.

Yuen found herself touching the folded parchment within her dress. If she closed her eyes, she could almost see him as he was back then; his black hair neatly tied back at his nape, tanned skin that held so much strength in his ropy muscles, and his blue, blue eyes always smiling at her. He never reeked of day-old sweat, no matter what work he did. Xia always took a bath before he came to see her. Always.

She sighed to herself and willed the memory away. Work called her, so she went downstairs quickly to tell her mother of the broken door - and perhaps lie to her about it.

Wen's imploring voice greeted her at the foot of the stairs. She found her mother speaking with Sanzo Houshi-sama with both her hands clasped respectfully on her chest. "-an honor if a high ranking monk such as yourself would preach at the town square," she was saying. "It would definitely bring the devout closer to the Buddha."

"Hn." The monk's deep voice carried over to Yuen. "If you're so devout, you don't need me to preach."

"Ah, of course, Sanzo Houshi-sama. But surely it would dispel the fear of youkai, wouldn't it? It has been a constant worry of the townspeople," Wen's expression never changed. "That the youkais would begin their siege anytime soon. It feels as though this town will never be rid of the fear."

Silence reigned at Wen's statement. Yuen held her breath wondering, no, fearful of the monk's reply. But there was none.

Instead, Sanzo Houshi-sama turned abruptly and left through the door to the restaurant. He never looked back as he threw over his shoulder, "True freedom may simply be in having a place to return to." And then he was gone.

Yuen turned to her mother, pausing at the frown she saw.

"Yuen,"

"Hai?"

Wen opened her mouth to say something, hesitated, and shook her head, saying, "Nothing," as she started to leave. "Continue serving Sanzo Houshi-sama and his companions."

"Hai."

While the door closed behind her mother, Yuen couldn't help but feel as though Sanzo Houshi's last words were meant for her. She had to admit that it was a silly notion, even if she couldn't quite dispel it. So she decided to push it to the back of her mind until she could figure out what it means. She shouldn't let something like that distract her from work. Wen was already scolding her for daydreaming too much.

Yuen started to return to her room duty when she realized that she hadn't told her mother about the door.

She sprinted for the door. Wen had only taken a few steps when Yuen reached her. "Okaasan,"

Stern dark eyes turned to her questioningly and, taking a deep breath, Yuen dropped her gaze to the floor. "Okaasan, the bathroom door to one of the rooms is broken."

"What happened."

She winced before replying. "It got stuck. I accidentally knocked it down when I tried to fix it."

She could feel her mother's anger bore holes through her feeble lie. But Yuen had no choice. Not if she didn't want her mother to find out the room was one she gave to Sanzo Houshi's party.

"Does any of the staff know that it might get stuck?" Wen's tone held barely controlled anger. Yuen was almost glad she caught up with her other in the restaurant. Wen would never explode in public.

"Iie." She shook her head slowly, eyes still on the polished floor. "Gomen, okaasan. I should have checked it-"

"I've already taught you what to do about problems like these." Wen interrupted. "You'll be the one paying for the repairs since you're the one who broke it."

"Hai, okaasan." She bowed politely before she practically fled into the kitchen, panting. Her smile wasn't forced, though. At least her mother believed her little lie.

Night soon fell without further incident.

Yuen stepped into her room, feeling the day's exhaustions on her back and legs. She was looking forward to a restful sleep that night, dreams notwithstanding. The things that happened with the Sanzo-ikkou weighed heavily on her mind, making her think of Xia once again. They had reminded her of him; of his antics, his gentleness, his inhuman strength, so much so that she almost felt as if he had returned to her. But she knew it was impossible. Xia would never return, not when things remained as they were.

She sighed to herself at the sweet memories the two of them shared, clutching at the folded parchment hidden in her dress. They had both loved butterflies for their beauty and freedom, so different from what everyone expected of them. The town's restrictions had forced Xia away, though the same restrictions brought them together. It was irony in itself.

She was just about to change into her nightclothes when a hand clamped over her mouth.

*****

A/N: The thing about school is that it doesn't help keep me on schedule.