The Memory of Trees
The Mother
Prejudice is
The pre-judgement
Of a fellow member of
The human race
¡°Goodbye Megumi-san!¡± Kaoru called as she shouldered her bag, about to walk out of the Asylum gates. It was the end of the week, and Kaoru was going home for the night. Unlike her brother Soujiro, Kaoru¡¯s job did not allow her to return home during weekdays, and so Kaoru was quite relieved to be going home after sleeping in the nurses¡¯ quarters for a week. To ensure that there was never a shortage of nurses during the night, they took turns to return home, and it was finally Kaoru¡¯s.
As she was about to lock the door, a soft cry of her name interrupted her. She looked up.
¡°Kenshin? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in bed?¡± Kaoru asked, intrigued.
¡°Doctor Takani said that I could accompany you while you were going home tonight, in case anything happened on the way,¡± Kenshin said, smiling sheepishly at her. ¡°If you didn¡¯t mind, that is.¡±
Kaoru laughed. ¡°Of course not, Kenshin. And I¡¯m certain my family would like to meet you,¡± she said, passing her bag to Kenshin, who stiffened at the mention of Kaoru¡¯s family.
¡°I think... not, Kaoru-dono,¡± Kenshin said, lowering his eyes to the ground.
Kaoru instinctively reached out and lifted Kenshin¡¯s chin with her fingers. ¡°Remember what I told you about looking at the ground, Kenshin?¡± she said accusingly.
¡°Sorry... Kaoru-dono,¡± Kenshin said slowly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about my family, Kenshin, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll like you.¡±
¡°Doctor Takani said to come straight back.¡± He was hesitant.
¡°Just drop by and say hello. It won¡¯t hurt anyone.¡±
A pause. ¡°Then... anything you say, Kaoru-dono.¡±
They walked in silence, enjoying each other¡¯s company. It was sleeting that night, and the snowflakes on Kaoru¡¯s eyelashes and hair made her look more beautiful than ever, Kenshin noticed, as he stole a glance across to Kaoru.
¡°Tomorrow is examination day, you know, Kenshin? I heard Doctor Genzai is coming over to look everyone over,¡± Kaoru said, breaking the silence
Kenshin nodded, shifting the bag to his other hand.
¡°Is it too heavy, Kenshin?¡± Kaoru asked.
Kenshin shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Kaoru-dono.¡±
They stayed silent again.
Then Kaoru asked, ¡°Kenshin?¡±
¡°Yes, Kaoru-dono?¡±
¡°Why are you so quiet?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing much.¡±
¡°Kenshin, why do you think that everything is nothing much?¡± Kaoru asked sharply. ¡°Just tell me, Kenshin. Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡±
¡°You¡¯d probably think I¡¯m worrying, but it¡¯s just that...¡±
¡°Just what?¡±
¡°It¡¯s just that... Every time Doctor Genzai comes over, Battousai kicks up a fuss.¡±
¡°He... kicks up a fuss?¡± Kaoru asked doubtfully.
¡°The first time there was an examination, I went crazy and tried to hit Megumi-dono with a chair. Luckily, Sanosuke pinned me down before I could do anything. Another time, I stopped talking. Then there was the time I ran straight into a wall, almost cracking my skull.¡±
¡°What does that mean, Kenshin?¡± Kaoru asked hesitantly.
¡°Battousai doesn¡¯t like checkups,¡± Kenshin said, a bitter smile on his face. ¡°Oh no, he hates them.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kenshin. Tomorrow it¡¯ll be different. You¡¯ll be fine- I know you¡¯ll be. Tell you what, I¡¯ll sit in the room with you when it¡¯s your turn, okay?¡±
Kenshin smiled. ¡°Thank you so much, Kaoru-dono. It¡¯s changed since you¡¯ve arrived,¡± he said softly.
Kaoru laughed. ¡°How could it? Everything¡¯s still the same as ever.¡±
¡°Oh no, it¡¯s not. I, for one, have changed.¡±
Of course you¡¯ve changed, Himura. You¡¯ve changed for the worse.
Sometimes Kenshin wished Battousai would just shut up once in a while.
Kaoru turned to look at Kenshin as they reached her house. What could she see in his eyes? Fear? Apprehension?
¡°Kaoru-dono, I think-¡± Kenshin began as Kaoru pulled him through the gate.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kenshin, just come and meet my parents,¡± Kaoru said beseechingly.
Just then, the sliding door opened, revealing Kaoru¡¯s mother and brother, Soujiro.
¡°Good evening, onee-san!¡± Soujiro chirped.
¡°Kao-chan! We¡¯re so glad you¡¯re back! Your father went on a business trip to Kyoto a few days after you left, and I¡¯ve been worrying for the past few days about everyone,¡± Kaoru¡¯s mother gushed as she ran forward to hug Kaoru, who hugged her back.
¡°And who¡¯s this young man here?¡± Kaoru¡¯s mother asked as she released Kaoru and eyed Kenshin suspiciously.
¡°Oh, this is Himura Kenshin from the Asylum, mother. He walked me home,¡± Kaoru said, gesturing towards Kenshin, who bowed with a respectful ¡°Kamiya-dono.¡±
Very softly, Kaoru¡¯s mother asked, ¡°Doctor or nurse?¡±
¡°He¡¯s a patient, Mother,¡± Kaoru said loudly, shooting an apologetic glance at Kenshin.
Kaoru¡¯s mother directed a nervous smile that did not touch her eyes in Kenshin¡¯s direction as she ushered Kaoru into the house, pulling the sliding door shut behind her, and leaving Soujiro and Kenshin out in the snow.
¡°It is wonderful to meet you, Himura-san!¡± Soujiro said, smiling widely at Kenshin. ¡°I am Kaoru¡¯s brother, Soujiro.¡±
¡°Good evening, Soujiro-san,¡± Kenshin said quietly.
¡°Sou-chan would be nicer, Himura-san!¡±
¡°Then you should call me Kenshin, not Himura-san,¡± Kenshin laughed softly. ¡°Oh, and here is Kaoru-dono¡¯s luggage. Please tell her that I will be leaving now, and I am sorry that I caused so much of an inconvenience.¡±
¡°Will do, Himura-san!¡±
Soujiro frowned slightly as he watched the retreating figure of Kenshin walking down the road and disappearing from sight. Shinomori-san had mentioned someone that fitted Kenshin¡¯s description exactly, but Soujiro could not quite put his finger on the man¡¯s name. Wait, he remembered- how could he forget?
¡°Hitokiri Battousai,¡± Soujiro whispered, the smile back on his face. ¡°Saitou-san might find your new identity very interesting.¡±
A/N:
I NEED A BETA!! As in: a proofreader who actually reads the fic and knows how to give constructive criticism. Drop me a line at elfin_arwen01@hotmail.com, okay?
Review Thanks:
APRIL-MOON: Definitely poor Enishi. That guy is sad, man! Yeah, and he should have been put in the asylum. Let¡¯s see if I can do anything about that at the end of the fic...
TANGO OF CRÈME: Wait... I think he always had one, except he controlled it better... until Saitou-san appeared! HAH!
HIMURA JENNI: Battousai or Kenshin? Hmmm... I¡¯ve given it much thought, and my final verdict is that even though Battousai can be disturbingly sexy (what with licking his blood an all), Kenshin is the sweet guy that I really, really prefer. Sigh. It¡¯s great to find someone who likes Battousai, though!
XP-DARKANGEL: You equally touched me! *Sob! * And yes, Aoshi has to depend on Misao, except that halfway through she runs off to take revenge on Enishi... Oops, wasn¡¯t supposed to leak... XD
LITTOGRRLSTEPHIE: Ah... good question. Why must I make Aoshi go blind? Actually, it was my muse who suggested that. DAMN YOU ORION! Yeah, and Battousai is going to emerge, but I¡¯m not telling when...
TSUGOI KAKARLENA: Thanks so much, girl!
