Where the Broken Heart Still Beats
Part: 4
By: Jean Lyons
************************************************************************
When Katai's siblings saw her tearstained face, they demanded to know what had happened and if 'he' had come back.
"No, Ryo, I haven't seen him in nearly a year. I just thought about it walking home with Kenshin."
"Ooh, who's Kenshin?" Manatsu asked eagerly.
"Just someone I met in the market."
"Do you like him?"
"We're friends, Manatsu. That's it. Although he is really handsome... His wife just died recently. Also, he's twice my age."
"Why did he make you think of 'him'?" Ryo asked, ready to run out the door after Kenshin and beat him to death if he'd hurt his baby sister.
"He asked about the baby. Honestly, Ryo, he doesn't know what happened. How could he have known?"
"Miss Katai?" said a small, nervous voice at her side "Is the mean man coming back?"
"Oh, Rumi, of course not! What made you think that?"
"You were talking about him, right?"
"Oh, yes, but he's not ever going to hurt either of us again. Go to sleep. I'll be there soon."
"Okay. Will you tell me a story?"
Katai sighed and took the child by the hand and led her to the room they shared with Manatsu. She told her a story about the Spanish boy again. Pietro was his name. She told the wide eyed little girl about him in great detail. Well, that was what he was five years ago. She couldn't help but wonder what he was now.
When she finished the story, she went to sleep. She had a long way to go the next day.
************************************************************************
In the morning, Katai gathered the few things she owned and the few things Rumi had and collected the katana off of the rack on the wall. She and Rumi said goodbye to all 9 of her siblings in turn, Ryo and Manatsu coming last. She would miss them all, but these two more than anything. After a long tearful goodbye, when she and Rumi where ready to leave, Kenshin came into the yard.
"Miss Katai, I didn't want our last conversation to be the painful one from last night. I just wanted to say, I'll miss you a great deal, that I will. If it will make you feel better about leaving the children, I could do it for you."
Katai just about melted. How sweet was that? "Thank you, Kenshin."
Kenshin nodded and walked away. Manatsu looked suspiciously at Katai. She hardly noticed. She said one last goodbye to her siblings, took Rumi by the hand, and was off.
The journey wasn't as long as she'd expected, but it was still more tiresome than she would have liked. After what seemed like an eternity, she was knocking at Hiko Seijurou's door.
"You're my new student, I presume?"
"Yes."
"You're rather small... You have a child, which I assume is yours... My, my, I do have my work cut out for me."
"I'm not as weak as I look, and I just took in the poor child. She isn't exactly mine."
"Is that all you have?" Seijurou, gesturing toward the sack that Katai carried.
"Yes, sir."
"Master," he corrected sternly.
"Yes, Master."
"Good. Now, come in. We've got lots to do. Your brother spent a great deal of money on you, so I suggest you pay him back by putting a hundred percent into this."
"Yes, Master."
"Let me see your sword." Katai handed him the sword and he scrutinized every little detail. Overall, it was in good condition, and therefore, suitable to use. He sheathed the sword once more and handed it back to her. "It's nice. Where did it come from?"
"I'm not sure, Master."
"Baka. You're nearly as bad as Kenshin was."
"With all do respect, Master, I've met Kenshin, and he is no baka."
"Then you must be worse."
"I'm no idiot either. Perhaps you are for saying so."
"Who's the Master here?" Who was she to contradict anything he said?
A more subdued Katai then went to work, unpacking and all the while telling Rumi stories to keep her occupied. Seijurou listened from the doorway, rather entertained, though he dared not show it. Instead, he squashed every inclination of something slightly supernatural. As soon as she was unpacked and had given Rumi a doll to keep her entertained, she and Seijurou went for their first lesson.
************************************************************************
When Katai had been with Seijurou for two weeks, he noticed how graceful she was. He watched her every movement, no longer criticizing something about the technique, but watching how quickly she moved and how gracefully she moved and how her hair moved in the wind. He knew he shouldn't be looking at her this way, but as long as she never knew, how much difference could it make? He also liked how she cooked. Apparently, she'd been taught by her sister, Manatsu. He liked the stories he overheard her telling Rumi and he liked how bold she was, though he pretended to hate it. The longer she stayed, the more he liked her, and after a month, he confessed only to himself that he'd fallen madly in love with her. After three months, he tried to hint that he loved her to no avail. After six months, he finally just walked up to her and told her.
"Katai, I don't want to be your teacher."
"What? Who will I learn from then?"
"I'll still teach you, but I don't want to officially be your teacher. I want you to stop calling me Master and call me Hiko."
"Why?"
"Because, Katai, I want to court you, and it wouldn't do for you to be calling me Master."
An aghast Katai nearly choked on the fish she was eating. Hiko wanted what?
"So, what do you say?
"If I could please have some time to think about it?"
"Of course."
"I need to go practice. If you'd please just stay here and not watch this time, I'd appreciate it. It would give me time to think. I'll have an answer by the time I come back inside. Would that be alright?"
"Promise?"
"Yes, Master."
Hiko looked rather disappointed at her calling him Master, but he said nothing.
Outside, Katai pondered Hiko's question. One the one hand, he would make a good husband, as far as supporting her, and he did seem to love her. On the other hand, He was almost three times her age, he wasn't the most pleasant of people, and after having been raped so many times and having seen Rumi molested as she was, had made her nearly terrified of the thought of being in such a vulnerable position. Also, she didn't love him. But, then, she probably would never have someone love her as Hiko did and even if he felt she was inferior to him, he still did love her and that counted for something. So she finished practicing, went inside and told him yes.
************************************************************************
~*TBC*~
Umm... I'm glad to say I've FINALLY gotten two reviews. Thank you very much. Both of you. **feels loved** I haven't visited my dead character cage in awhile...
**walks over to cage where Mike (from What the Heart Wants) is talking a very bored Kaoru's ear off**
Kaoru: We're bored! Why are we all locked in such a tiny cage with nothing to do but listen to this? **gestures toward Mike**
Jean: **gives them her diary to read so they won't be bored.**
All Dead People (I'll make a list later): Ooh... Who's Wes?
Jean: Hey, don't read that part!!!
Kaoru: **reading** "Wes is so dreamy... he has blonde hair, brown eyes and the most GORGEOUS umm... EVERYTHING!!! He's sooo hot..."
Jean: **runs to get her diary back from the dead people** **Doesn't.** **Chases Kaoru, whom she has accidentally let out.**
Bye All,
Jean
************************************************************************
When Katai's siblings saw her tearstained face, they demanded to know what had happened and if 'he' had come back.
"No, Ryo, I haven't seen him in nearly a year. I just thought about it walking home with Kenshin."
"Ooh, who's Kenshin?" Manatsu asked eagerly.
"Just someone I met in the market."
"Do you like him?"
"We're friends, Manatsu. That's it. Although he is really handsome... His wife just died recently. Also, he's twice my age."
"Why did he make you think of 'him'?" Ryo asked, ready to run out the door after Kenshin and beat him to death if he'd hurt his baby sister.
"He asked about the baby. Honestly, Ryo, he doesn't know what happened. How could he have known?"
"Miss Katai?" said a small, nervous voice at her side "Is the mean man coming back?"
"Oh, Rumi, of course not! What made you think that?"
"You were talking about him, right?"
"Oh, yes, but he's not ever going to hurt either of us again. Go to sleep. I'll be there soon."
"Okay. Will you tell me a story?"
Katai sighed and took the child by the hand and led her to the room they shared with Manatsu. She told her a story about the Spanish boy again. Pietro was his name. She told the wide eyed little girl about him in great detail. Well, that was what he was five years ago. She couldn't help but wonder what he was now.
When she finished the story, she went to sleep. She had a long way to go the next day.
************************************************************************
In the morning, Katai gathered the few things she owned and the few things Rumi had and collected the katana off of the rack on the wall. She and Rumi said goodbye to all 9 of her siblings in turn, Ryo and Manatsu coming last. She would miss them all, but these two more than anything. After a long tearful goodbye, when she and Rumi where ready to leave, Kenshin came into the yard.
"Miss Katai, I didn't want our last conversation to be the painful one from last night. I just wanted to say, I'll miss you a great deal, that I will. If it will make you feel better about leaving the children, I could do it for you."
Katai just about melted. How sweet was that? "Thank you, Kenshin."
Kenshin nodded and walked away. Manatsu looked suspiciously at Katai. She hardly noticed. She said one last goodbye to her siblings, took Rumi by the hand, and was off.
The journey wasn't as long as she'd expected, but it was still more tiresome than she would have liked. After what seemed like an eternity, she was knocking at Hiko Seijurou's door.
"You're my new student, I presume?"
"Yes."
"You're rather small... You have a child, which I assume is yours... My, my, I do have my work cut out for me."
"I'm not as weak as I look, and I just took in the poor child. She isn't exactly mine."
"Is that all you have?" Seijurou, gesturing toward the sack that Katai carried.
"Yes, sir."
"Master," he corrected sternly.
"Yes, Master."
"Good. Now, come in. We've got lots to do. Your brother spent a great deal of money on you, so I suggest you pay him back by putting a hundred percent into this."
"Yes, Master."
"Let me see your sword." Katai handed him the sword and he scrutinized every little detail. Overall, it was in good condition, and therefore, suitable to use. He sheathed the sword once more and handed it back to her. "It's nice. Where did it come from?"
"I'm not sure, Master."
"Baka. You're nearly as bad as Kenshin was."
"With all do respect, Master, I've met Kenshin, and he is no baka."
"Then you must be worse."
"I'm no idiot either. Perhaps you are for saying so."
"Who's the Master here?" Who was she to contradict anything he said?
A more subdued Katai then went to work, unpacking and all the while telling Rumi stories to keep her occupied. Seijurou listened from the doorway, rather entertained, though he dared not show it. Instead, he squashed every inclination of something slightly supernatural. As soon as she was unpacked and had given Rumi a doll to keep her entertained, she and Seijurou went for their first lesson.
************************************************************************
When Katai had been with Seijurou for two weeks, he noticed how graceful she was. He watched her every movement, no longer criticizing something about the technique, but watching how quickly she moved and how gracefully she moved and how her hair moved in the wind. He knew he shouldn't be looking at her this way, but as long as she never knew, how much difference could it make? He also liked how she cooked. Apparently, she'd been taught by her sister, Manatsu. He liked the stories he overheard her telling Rumi and he liked how bold she was, though he pretended to hate it. The longer she stayed, the more he liked her, and after a month, he confessed only to himself that he'd fallen madly in love with her. After three months, he tried to hint that he loved her to no avail. After six months, he finally just walked up to her and told her.
"Katai, I don't want to be your teacher."
"What? Who will I learn from then?"
"I'll still teach you, but I don't want to officially be your teacher. I want you to stop calling me Master and call me Hiko."
"Why?"
"Because, Katai, I want to court you, and it wouldn't do for you to be calling me Master."
An aghast Katai nearly choked on the fish she was eating. Hiko wanted what?
"So, what do you say?
"If I could please have some time to think about it?"
"Of course."
"I need to go practice. If you'd please just stay here and not watch this time, I'd appreciate it. It would give me time to think. I'll have an answer by the time I come back inside. Would that be alright?"
"Promise?"
"Yes, Master."
Hiko looked rather disappointed at her calling him Master, but he said nothing.
Outside, Katai pondered Hiko's question. One the one hand, he would make a good husband, as far as supporting her, and he did seem to love her. On the other hand, He was almost three times her age, he wasn't the most pleasant of people, and after having been raped so many times and having seen Rumi molested as she was, had made her nearly terrified of the thought of being in such a vulnerable position. Also, she didn't love him. But, then, she probably would never have someone love her as Hiko did and even if he felt she was inferior to him, he still did love her and that counted for something. So she finished practicing, went inside and told him yes.
************************************************************************
~*TBC*~
Umm... I'm glad to say I've FINALLY gotten two reviews. Thank you very much. Both of you. **feels loved** I haven't visited my dead character cage in awhile...
**walks over to cage where Mike (from What the Heart Wants) is talking a very bored Kaoru's ear off**
Kaoru: We're bored! Why are we all locked in such a tiny cage with nothing to do but listen to this? **gestures toward Mike**
Jean: **gives them her diary to read so they won't be bored.**
All Dead People (I'll make a list later): Ooh... Who's Wes?
Jean: Hey, don't read that part!!!
Kaoru: **reading** "Wes is so dreamy... he has blonde hair, brown eyes and the most GORGEOUS umm... EVERYTHING!!! He's sooo hot..."
Jean: **runs to get her diary back from the dead people** **Doesn't.** **Chases Kaoru, whom she has accidentally let out.**
Bye All,
Jean