She was riding down a quiet stretch of road, barely more than an hour
outside of Kyoto, when she spotted flowers and herbs by the roadside. She
could not resist stopping; she knew it would delay her trip home but she
could not resist a good find.
The horses ignored her, chewing grass by the roadside, as she gathered what she could find. When her arms were full, she brought the bundle up to her nose, closed her eyes, and inhaled the fragrance of the plants she held in her hands.
The smell brought to mind a memory from her early childhood, of one sunny day when her father had closed his clinic and taken her and her brothers out to show them useful medicinal plants. They spent the morning running around delightedly pointing out and picking up plants until Mother came with lunch boxes in her hands. They spent the rest of the afternoon under a tree playing tag while her parents sat simply enjoying one another's company.
As she pulled a white flower from the bunch, the happy memory rapidly disappeared. She dropped it suddenly, recalling that they were the color of those flowers she had placed by Misao's body.
"Excuse me, Miss."
Startled, Megumi straightened up. "Yes?"
"I see you are picking flowers and herbs," the woman bowed politely. "You seem like you may have some knowledge of medicines. Do you happen to know of anything to help coughing?"
Megumi looked at the woman sharply and saw the slight strain in her face. She stepped closer. "Tell me, are you coughing up fluid that is clear or bloody?"
"Oh," the woman looked flustered, "Not me. My son. He's coughing up a lot of clear fluid."
"I may be able to help." Megumi carefully put the bundle of plants in her hand away in one of the bags hanging over her shoulder. "Please take me to him, then."
The woman nodded excitedly and turned quickly down a path that left the main road. Megumi followed, pulling her horses behind her. Down the road, she saw a gentleman standing behind a small gate watching them. As they came towards the main building, he unlatched the gate.
"My husband, Takehima Shiro," the woman said. He bowed.
"Takani Megumi. I am a doctor, sir and a trained herbalist."
"A woman doctor," he scoffed, "You think she can help Kyu?"
Megumi bit back the urge to wipe that scowl off his face. After all, this was not the first time she met with some skepticism regarding her skills. "I have come from Kyoto, where this type of sickness was common. If I may see him, I may be able to help."
"Please, Shiro," the woman finally spoke up. "There is no other doctor or herbalist around. Takani-san is the only help we have."
The man's expression of weariness revealed something to Megumi then. This man bitterly believed his son was as a good as dead. His prickly manner towards her was a defense - a defense against getting his own hopes up too much.
She pushed past the man and into the house. The boy who must be Kyu was bundled up on the floor. The man and woman followed her in and watched as Megumi went over to the boy and removed the blanket from the little child's hands. She leaned over the boy, listening to his breathing and lightly touched his head to look for signs of fever.
Her face momentarily registered sadness; the child was maybe only 4 or 5 years of age and bore a handsome, intelligent face; little wonder his parents were desparate for any sort of help.
She looked up at the parents. "If one of you would bring the black bag here, I have something for his coughing. Please also bring me cold water and cloths, and also boil some clean water."
Megumi's confidence sparked something new in the man's face. He bowed his head slightly to Megumi and then went quickly to fetch the bag from the horses.
Mrs. Takehima quickly returned with a small bowl of cold water and cloths.
Megumi spoke in gentle tones, trying to make the woman understand something, without trying to highlight what had been incorrectly done up to that point. "Kyu thinks he is cold and tries to keep that blanket but he absolutely must not be bundled. He must be cooled. Remove his clothing and wipe him down with wet cloths."
The father of the boy had returned with the bag. Megumi nodded her thanks and opened it up in front of them. Carefully, such that they would trust what she asked of them, she opened up a container and thrust the open container at the father. "Smell this. It is a mix of herb and the flowers like what I was gathering outside. Made into tea and cooled, It can help the fever from the inside of Kyu's body." The man nodded, and then took the container and disappeared.
"This --" Megumi removed a bottle from her bag and showed it to Mrs. Takehima. "-- this is what removes the bad fluids from the chest." She poured a little into her mouth and swallowed to show its safety, and then lifted the boy's head gently. The boy obediently took the liquid and swallowed. "He will want to cough more for a while, and in that case, you must sit him up and help him."
The woman nodded while continuing to cool down Kyu, who kept shivering despite their attempts to help him.
"Anything else I can do, Doctor?" The man had returned with a pot of hot water and placed it on a table to cool.
Megumi noted the overtones of friendliness in his voice. "No, not until after he's had that other tea." She sat down across from the mother. "May I ask when he became ill?"
"Our boy was only a little sick a few days ago, but then yesterday it became very bad. I don't know how Kyu got it." She mused. "You mentioned that you have seen this illness before?"
"Yes, there were some cases closer to Aizu, but not as bad. The cases in Kyoto were much worse," Megumi sighed. "But those we were able to treat earlier and also keep rested did well." She closed her eyes briefly, "However, some did not make it."
"I'm sorry, Doctor." The woman reached across and patted Megumi's hand.
Megumi was struck by the sympathetic gesture. Despite the fact that her own son lay ill and too was at risk of dying, she managed to focus beyond herself. 'What good people,' she thought to herself, her expression wistful.
"The tea is cool now," Mr. Takehima spoke up suddenly. "May I feed it to Kyu?"
"--Yes." Megumi was surprised, but admired the father's willingness to play nursemaid.
Mrs. Takehima noted the doctor's surprise, and then in a quiet voice that could not be heard by Mr. Takehima looked at the doctor, "He is misunderstood a lot. He really is a good father, Takani-san."
Megumi nodded as she watched him prop his son up gently and coax him to take the tea. Perhaps she had unfairly stereotyped Mr Takehima based on his earlier snide comment to her. She watched as he spoke to his boy, telling the little child how the tea would cool his insides. The sound of the father's voice soothed Kyu, and he obediently took the cup. Megumi could not help but appreciate the particular scene and yet, at the same time, deep down it made her feel somewhat lonely.
When the boy had drunk the tea, all there was left to do was to watch and wait. That evening, Megumi readily took the invitation to stay with the Takehimas in order to watch over Kyu. When morning came, Megumi leaned over the sleeping child and felt his head, and put her ear over his mouth to listen to his breathing. "He is doing better," she looked up and smiled at the anxious Mr. Takehima who had for the most part sat the whole night by Kyu's side.
Mrs. Takehima who had just entered the room with a small tray in her hands, nearly dropped it when she overheard Megumi's comment to her husband. "Oh my!"
"It isn't over yet," Megumi warned. "We will have to keep watch over him. The fever is better, but now we have to wait for the coughing to stop as well."
"Thank you, doctor." Mrs. Takehima eyes were shining as she handed Megumi a bowl of soup. "Now, please eat. You must keep up your strength, doctor." Mr. Takehima declined a bowl and disappeared out the door. Where he had gone became clear a little later, when several people stopped by to see for themselves whether Kyu Takehima was truly better.
Their curiosity satisfied, the old women escorted the doctor outside for fresh air and additional food. Megumi was overwhelmed by the huge fuss they made over her and the numerous questions about helps for the various ailments they suffered from. Still, she did her best to offer advice.
However, when the topic turned to her training and her personal life, she could only blush. They were mortified to find out that she had no family. They were not satisfied that she had enough friends, and they couldn't understand why at the moment she was not married, courted, or even have admirers. When they had figured out her age, they were even more appalled by everything she said. She had a feeling they thought something surely must be wrong with her. After all, why would a pretty single lady still be alone?
"You need a matchmaker, is that it Dr. Takani?" one of the old ladies winked. "With no family to help you, you probably had no chance to meet with one. We would be happy to go on your behalf to a local matchmaker in Kyoto. She set my eldest daughter up with a young man in a town close by."
"Ah Gotoh-san," another woman interrupted, "You know how unreliable they are. I don't think we need a matchmaker for our doctor. I happen to know of someone who lost his first wife and would make a very dependable husband."
Gotoh-san looked indignant. "That dependable man has a funny smile. You know how men with funny smiles are always hiding something. Besides" she sniffed, "he's not good looking enough for our pretty doctor, and you know his first wife hated his coldness."
"Well, at this age, one can not expect romance." The woman shook her head.
Honda-san spoke up then. "Well, I know of someone who is trying to find a wife for an army captain. OF course, he's probably five years younger than the doctor."
"He's as stupid as a rock." Gotoh-san interjected. "He'd make a terrible husband for the doctor!!"
Megumi watched the rapid exchange with some amusement. Not often in the company of older women, she rarely had a chance to see something like this. Was this what older women were always doing? Matchmaking and gossiping? She suddenly shot the women a mischievous smile. "I am so flattered by all this concern on my behalf. I was shy to say so earlier, but I have to admit that I do have someone I'm waiting for."
Their arguing stopped instantly and their eyes all turned towards her eagerly. "Do tell us, doctor" Honda-san looked at her with much interest.
It had been a while since Megumi had been able to joke like this. She fluttered her eyelashes and then lowered them, trying to think of something. "He's a very strong man. Tall, handsome."
"Ah, of course," they sighed.
"What does he do?" one woman asked. Megumi stifled a giggle. Clearly the women were buying into Megumi's little charade. She smiled coyly, "He is seeing the world, fighting injustice."
"So in other words, he's a wanderer?" The women gave her a dubious look. "But what's the point of loving a wandering man? When is he coming back?."
"I don't know," she answered with a huge dramatic sigh. "But I decided to wait the rest of my life for him."
She could tell by the way the woman were now exchanging glances that they thought she was a complete idiot when it came to matters of the heart. "Megumi-san," one of them finally spoke up, "Wanderers are never around enough to be good husbands. I will call on that matchmaker for you when I next go to Kyoto."
"I told you that matchmakers are quacks!" someone complained.
Megumi fumed silently as the old women started arguing anew over how they should "help" the doctor. Her little joke didn't seem to have done anything except strengthen their resolve. Fortunately before she could be forced to promise to all their potential matches, Mrs. Takehima stuck her head out of the room where Kyu was sleeping and asked for her to come in.
She fled to the room, shutting the door behind her.
She gave a sigh of relief and then came over to Kyu to look him over again. He was, to her relief, breathing much easier, and his fever was very low. She smiled at Mrs. Takehima. "He does better by the hour."
"Thanks to you," Mrs. Takehima smiled. "I hope those ladies do not bother you too much."
Megumi laughed quietly, "You asked for me just at the right time. I was about to witness a small battle there."
"You must get that a lot, Doctor," Mrs. Takehima smiled.
"Not really." Megumi shook her head. "I think most people do not know me well enough to suggest it, or are too afraid to bring up that subject. Really, I am flattered by all this attention, even though it is a bit unwanted. You would think I just inherited six new mothers."
Mrs. Takehima laughed. "They like you, Takani-san. Not just because you're a good doctor, but because you're different. You also are the first new person we've had here in a while, so of course they're going to be very interested in you. And despite their noisiness, the reason they've come is not to pester you about your life, but to offer their help. They want to help watch Kyu and let the three of us rest."
"I see." Megumi smiled. "Then I shall make sure they stay busy enough to stop gossiping too much about me and anyone else they've taken a liking too."
Megumi returned outside and began explaining what needed to be done. Once they stopped bickering amongst themselves, the old ladies were in fact quite useful. They were expert caretakers (many of them having had children of their own) and their help allowed the Takehimas and her opportunity to rest.
When Kyu sat up the next morning and asked for food and toys, Megumi knew Kyu was no longer in much danger. Children were rather remarkable, she realized as he happily asked her to help play with his toys. So easy to shake off the bad things and go on playing.
The old ladies were true to their nature, and sson news of Kyu's miraculous recovery spread to other neighbors. More people started to appear at the Takehima household to call on the family and satisfy their curiosity about the woman doctor. Before she knew what was happening, Megumi was visiting persons in the area who had not seen a doctor for many normal sorts of complaints -- upset stomach, itchy skin, constipation, some bruises and scratches among them. She humored these requests, knowing that once she left there would not be someone to help them within close distance.
She thought it a bit strange that there weren't many cases of the mysterious illness, but many people here were fairly old. There were not many young families and people were fairly spread apart. However, soon enough, word came that another child was sick with a cough in a close by village, and before Megumi could really understand what was happening, she was being hustled down the road to see the next child.
Mrs. Honda, who was to assist her, explained something of the problem as they neared the home of the child. "The poor children's father works in Kyoto in some kind of carpentry trade. The mother has to stay here since the town is too expensive for her and all the children. Akiko, their youngest, is the one that is sick."
Megumi was shocked to see the poor condition of the child and the home she lived in. Unlike Kyu, Akiko did not have a good place to recover, and was already small for her age. With three of the four other children also weak from poor eating, Megumi had her hands full. She and Mrs. Honda stayed with the family the next few days, helping with many of the household tasks on top of managing the care of the children.
These few days gave her much to reflect upon. She did not envy the condition this family had to live under - the constant worry about basic necessities, their separation from their father, on top of their sickness. However - despite all that was not well - she was struck by the cheerfulness of the children and mother.
What gave all these people such happiness? Megumi continually returned to that question in her moments of quiet, which were few.
To her relief, Akiko recovered, although unlike her elder siblings, she would be much too weak to go running around like her older sisters for a long time. But she was certain the danger was past and Megumi, tired physically and mentally, suddenly felt she had to return home. It was too comfortable here; the longer she stayed, the more difficult returning to her quiet home would really be.
In her busyness, she told the Takehimas, she had neglected to write to the Morimotos. Mrs. Morimoto must be driving her husband crazy at this point. The Takehimas nodded but asked that she stay at least one more day to rest and to allow the village to see her off. Megumi relented.
They gathered that last night, the Takehima family and the various old women, and cheerfully discussed the weather, herbology, politics, trains, Westerners and assorted funny stories about their families.
Megumi smiled at the vibrant chatter but could not be coaxed into joining in the conversation. She was smart enough to not open her mouth this time and give the ladies something else to bother her about. Plus, she was feeling very tired. When her eyes drooped, the conversation quieted.
"She's so tired, poor thing," one person murmured.
"Always working alone must be hard," another ventured.
"Takani-sensei should sleep," they all chorused in agreement.
Megumi apologized for her poor company and then bowed to each of the ladies before excusing herself to another room and immediately going to sleep.
Morning came, and Megumi did not emerge. Mrs. Takehima left her alone; the doctor had not had one good night's rest for a week. However, Kyu was anxious to play with the doctor before she left, and pestered her every few minutes to ask if she had woken. Finally, she resolved to go in and wake the doctor.
Kyu followed her into the dark room and they both looked around puzzled.
"Mother?" Kyu pointed to the doctor. "What's wrong with Takani-sensei?"
Megumi was huddled in the far corner of the room, clutching her arms.
"Kyu," she said somewhat sharply, "Go fetch Gotoh-san and Honda-san."
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A/N: I must be trying to break some kind of FF. net record here in terms of updates but see how easily I am extorted by reviews! I had absolutely no idea that people also like this pairing or love Aoshi that much. Btw - I just saw CN rebroadcast the Aoshi/Megumi tower scene. Did you ever notice that sort of sad tune that plays throughout the scene? Also, isn't it weird how Aoshi won't face her while talking to her? Maybe it was to show her that he meant her no harm but there is such an interesting feel to it that you have to wonder anyways what's going on.
BTW - who the heck is Fluffy-chan?
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The horses ignored her, chewing grass by the roadside, as she gathered what she could find. When her arms were full, she brought the bundle up to her nose, closed her eyes, and inhaled the fragrance of the plants she held in her hands.
The smell brought to mind a memory from her early childhood, of one sunny day when her father had closed his clinic and taken her and her brothers out to show them useful medicinal plants. They spent the morning running around delightedly pointing out and picking up plants until Mother came with lunch boxes in her hands. They spent the rest of the afternoon under a tree playing tag while her parents sat simply enjoying one another's company.
As she pulled a white flower from the bunch, the happy memory rapidly disappeared. She dropped it suddenly, recalling that they were the color of those flowers she had placed by Misao's body.
"Excuse me, Miss."
Startled, Megumi straightened up. "Yes?"
"I see you are picking flowers and herbs," the woman bowed politely. "You seem like you may have some knowledge of medicines. Do you happen to know of anything to help coughing?"
Megumi looked at the woman sharply and saw the slight strain in her face. She stepped closer. "Tell me, are you coughing up fluid that is clear or bloody?"
"Oh," the woman looked flustered, "Not me. My son. He's coughing up a lot of clear fluid."
"I may be able to help." Megumi carefully put the bundle of plants in her hand away in one of the bags hanging over her shoulder. "Please take me to him, then."
The woman nodded excitedly and turned quickly down a path that left the main road. Megumi followed, pulling her horses behind her. Down the road, she saw a gentleman standing behind a small gate watching them. As they came towards the main building, he unlatched the gate.
"My husband, Takehima Shiro," the woman said. He bowed.
"Takani Megumi. I am a doctor, sir and a trained herbalist."
"A woman doctor," he scoffed, "You think she can help Kyu?"
Megumi bit back the urge to wipe that scowl off his face. After all, this was not the first time she met with some skepticism regarding her skills. "I have come from Kyoto, where this type of sickness was common. If I may see him, I may be able to help."
"Please, Shiro," the woman finally spoke up. "There is no other doctor or herbalist around. Takani-san is the only help we have."
The man's expression of weariness revealed something to Megumi then. This man bitterly believed his son was as a good as dead. His prickly manner towards her was a defense - a defense against getting his own hopes up too much.
She pushed past the man and into the house. The boy who must be Kyu was bundled up on the floor. The man and woman followed her in and watched as Megumi went over to the boy and removed the blanket from the little child's hands. She leaned over the boy, listening to his breathing and lightly touched his head to look for signs of fever.
Her face momentarily registered sadness; the child was maybe only 4 or 5 years of age and bore a handsome, intelligent face; little wonder his parents were desparate for any sort of help.
She looked up at the parents. "If one of you would bring the black bag here, I have something for his coughing. Please also bring me cold water and cloths, and also boil some clean water."
Megumi's confidence sparked something new in the man's face. He bowed his head slightly to Megumi and then went quickly to fetch the bag from the horses.
Mrs. Takehima quickly returned with a small bowl of cold water and cloths.
Megumi spoke in gentle tones, trying to make the woman understand something, without trying to highlight what had been incorrectly done up to that point. "Kyu thinks he is cold and tries to keep that blanket but he absolutely must not be bundled. He must be cooled. Remove his clothing and wipe him down with wet cloths."
The father of the boy had returned with the bag. Megumi nodded her thanks and opened it up in front of them. Carefully, such that they would trust what she asked of them, she opened up a container and thrust the open container at the father. "Smell this. It is a mix of herb and the flowers like what I was gathering outside. Made into tea and cooled, It can help the fever from the inside of Kyu's body." The man nodded, and then took the container and disappeared.
"This --" Megumi removed a bottle from her bag and showed it to Mrs. Takehima. "-- this is what removes the bad fluids from the chest." She poured a little into her mouth and swallowed to show its safety, and then lifted the boy's head gently. The boy obediently took the liquid and swallowed. "He will want to cough more for a while, and in that case, you must sit him up and help him."
The woman nodded while continuing to cool down Kyu, who kept shivering despite their attempts to help him.
"Anything else I can do, Doctor?" The man had returned with a pot of hot water and placed it on a table to cool.
Megumi noted the overtones of friendliness in his voice. "No, not until after he's had that other tea." She sat down across from the mother. "May I ask when he became ill?"
"Our boy was only a little sick a few days ago, but then yesterday it became very bad. I don't know how Kyu got it." She mused. "You mentioned that you have seen this illness before?"
"Yes, there were some cases closer to Aizu, but not as bad. The cases in Kyoto were much worse," Megumi sighed. "But those we were able to treat earlier and also keep rested did well." She closed her eyes briefly, "However, some did not make it."
"I'm sorry, Doctor." The woman reached across and patted Megumi's hand.
Megumi was struck by the sympathetic gesture. Despite the fact that her own son lay ill and too was at risk of dying, she managed to focus beyond herself. 'What good people,' she thought to herself, her expression wistful.
"The tea is cool now," Mr. Takehima spoke up suddenly. "May I feed it to Kyu?"
"--Yes." Megumi was surprised, but admired the father's willingness to play nursemaid.
Mrs. Takehima noted the doctor's surprise, and then in a quiet voice that could not be heard by Mr. Takehima looked at the doctor, "He is misunderstood a lot. He really is a good father, Takani-san."
Megumi nodded as she watched him prop his son up gently and coax him to take the tea. Perhaps she had unfairly stereotyped Mr Takehima based on his earlier snide comment to her. She watched as he spoke to his boy, telling the little child how the tea would cool his insides. The sound of the father's voice soothed Kyu, and he obediently took the cup. Megumi could not help but appreciate the particular scene and yet, at the same time, deep down it made her feel somewhat lonely.
When the boy had drunk the tea, all there was left to do was to watch and wait. That evening, Megumi readily took the invitation to stay with the Takehimas in order to watch over Kyu. When morning came, Megumi leaned over the sleeping child and felt his head, and put her ear over his mouth to listen to his breathing. "He is doing better," she looked up and smiled at the anxious Mr. Takehima who had for the most part sat the whole night by Kyu's side.
Mrs. Takehima who had just entered the room with a small tray in her hands, nearly dropped it when she overheard Megumi's comment to her husband. "Oh my!"
"It isn't over yet," Megumi warned. "We will have to keep watch over him. The fever is better, but now we have to wait for the coughing to stop as well."
"Thank you, doctor." Mrs. Takehima eyes were shining as she handed Megumi a bowl of soup. "Now, please eat. You must keep up your strength, doctor." Mr. Takehima declined a bowl and disappeared out the door. Where he had gone became clear a little later, when several people stopped by to see for themselves whether Kyu Takehima was truly better.
Their curiosity satisfied, the old women escorted the doctor outside for fresh air and additional food. Megumi was overwhelmed by the huge fuss they made over her and the numerous questions about helps for the various ailments they suffered from. Still, she did her best to offer advice.
However, when the topic turned to her training and her personal life, she could only blush. They were mortified to find out that she had no family. They were not satisfied that she had enough friends, and they couldn't understand why at the moment she was not married, courted, or even have admirers. When they had figured out her age, they were even more appalled by everything she said. She had a feeling they thought something surely must be wrong with her. After all, why would a pretty single lady still be alone?
"You need a matchmaker, is that it Dr. Takani?" one of the old ladies winked. "With no family to help you, you probably had no chance to meet with one. We would be happy to go on your behalf to a local matchmaker in Kyoto. She set my eldest daughter up with a young man in a town close by."
"Ah Gotoh-san," another woman interrupted, "You know how unreliable they are. I don't think we need a matchmaker for our doctor. I happen to know of someone who lost his first wife and would make a very dependable husband."
Gotoh-san looked indignant. "That dependable man has a funny smile. You know how men with funny smiles are always hiding something. Besides" she sniffed, "he's not good looking enough for our pretty doctor, and you know his first wife hated his coldness."
"Well, at this age, one can not expect romance." The woman shook her head.
Honda-san spoke up then. "Well, I know of someone who is trying to find a wife for an army captain. OF course, he's probably five years younger than the doctor."
"He's as stupid as a rock." Gotoh-san interjected. "He'd make a terrible husband for the doctor!!"
Megumi watched the rapid exchange with some amusement. Not often in the company of older women, she rarely had a chance to see something like this. Was this what older women were always doing? Matchmaking and gossiping? She suddenly shot the women a mischievous smile. "I am so flattered by all this concern on my behalf. I was shy to say so earlier, but I have to admit that I do have someone I'm waiting for."
Their arguing stopped instantly and their eyes all turned towards her eagerly. "Do tell us, doctor" Honda-san looked at her with much interest.
It had been a while since Megumi had been able to joke like this. She fluttered her eyelashes and then lowered them, trying to think of something. "He's a very strong man. Tall, handsome."
"Ah, of course," they sighed.
"What does he do?" one woman asked. Megumi stifled a giggle. Clearly the women were buying into Megumi's little charade. She smiled coyly, "He is seeing the world, fighting injustice."
"So in other words, he's a wanderer?" The women gave her a dubious look. "But what's the point of loving a wandering man? When is he coming back?."
"I don't know," she answered with a huge dramatic sigh. "But I decided to wait the rest of my life for him."
She could tell by the way the woman were now exchanging glances that they thought she was a complete idiot when it came to matters of the heart. "Megumi-san," one of them finally spoke up, "Wanderers are never around enough to be good husbands. I will call on that matchmaker for you when I next go to Kyoto."
"I told you that matchmakers are quacks!" someone complained.
Megumi fumed silently as the old women started arguing anew over how they should "help" the doctor. Her little joke didn't seem to have done anything except strengthen their resolve. Fortunately before she could be forced to promise to all their potential matches, Mrs. Takehima stuck her head out of the room where Kyu was sleeping and asked for her to come in.
She fled to the room, shutting the door behind her.
She gave a sigh of relief and then came over to Kyu to look him over again. He was, to her relief, breathing much easier, and his fever was very low. She smiled at Mrs. Takehima. "He does better by the hour."
"Thanks to you," Mrs. Takehima smiled. "I hope those ladies do not bother you too much."
Megumi laughed quietly, "You asked for me just at the right time. I was about to witness a small battle there."
"You must get that a lot, Doctor," Mrs. Takehima smiled.
"Not really." Megumi shook her head. "I think most people do not know me well enough to suggest it, or are too afraid to bring up that subject. Really, I am flattered by all this attention, even though it is a bit unwanted. You would think I just inherited six new mothers."
Mrs. Takehima laughed. "They like you, Takani-san. Not just because you're a good doctor, but because you're different. You also are the first new person we've had here in a while, so of course they're going to be very interested in you. And despite their noisiness, the reason they've come is not to pester you about your life, but to offer their help. They want to help watch Kyu and let the three of us rest."
"I see." Megumi smiled. "Then I shall make sure they stay busy enough to stop gossiping too much about me and anyone else they've taken a liking too."
Megumi returned outside and began explaining what needed to be done. Once they stopped bickering amongst themselves, the old ladies were in fact quite useful. They were expert caretakers (many of them having had children of their own) and their help allowed the Takehimas and her opportunity to rest.
When Kyu sat up the next morning and asked for food and toys, Megumi knew Kyu was no longer in much danger. Children were rather remarkable, she realized as he happily asked her to help play with his toys. So easy to shake off the bad things and go on playing.
The old ladies were true to their nature, and sson news of Kyu's miraculous recovery spread to other neighbors. More people started to appear at the Takehima household to call on the family and satisfy their curiosity about the woman doctor. Before she knew what was happening, Megumi was visiting persons in the area who had not seen a doctor for many normal sorts of complaints -- upset stomach, itchy skin, constipation, some bruises and scratches among them. She humored these requests, knowing that once she left there would not be someone to help them within close distance.
She thought it a bit strange that there weren't many cases of the mysterious illness, but many people here were fairly old. There were not many young families and people were fairly spread apart. However, soon enough, word came that another child was sick with a cough in a close by village, and before Megumi could really understand what was happening, she was being hustled down the road to see the next child.
Mrs. Honda, who was to assist her, explained something of the problem as they neared the home of the child. "The poor children's father works in Kyoto in some kind of carpentry trade. The mother has to stay here since the town is too expensive for her and all the children. Akiko, their youngest, is the one that is sick."
Megumi was shocked to see the poor condition of the child and the home she lived in. Unlike Kyu, Akiko did not have a good place to recover, and was already small for her age. With three of the four other children also weak from poor eating, Megumi had her hands full. She and Mrs. Honda stayed with the family the next few days, helping with many of the household tasks on top of managing the care of the children.
These few days gave her much to reflect upon. She did not envy the condition this family had to live under - the constant worry about basic necessities, their separation from their father, on top of their sickness. However - despite all that was not well - she was struck by the cheerfulness of the children and mother.
What gave all these people such happiness? Megumi continually returned to that question in her moments of quiet, which were few.
To her relief, Akiko recovered, although unlike her elder siblings, she would be much too weak to go running around like her older sisters for a long time. But she was certain the danger was past and Megumi, tired physically and mentally, suddenly felt she had to return home. It was too comfortable here; the longer she stayed, the more difficult returning to her quiet home would really be.
In her busyness, she told the Takehimas, she had neglected to write to the Morimotos. Mrs. Morimoto must be driving her husband crazy at this point. The Takehimas nodded but asked that she stay at least one more day to rest and to allow the village to see her off. Megumi relented.
They gathered that last night, the Takehima family and the various old women, and cheerfully discussed the weather, herbology, politics, trains, Westerners and assorted funny stories about their families.
Megumi smiled at the vibrant chatter but could not be coaxed into joining in the conversation. She was smart enough to not open her mouth this time and give the ladies something else to bother her about. Plus, she was feeling very tired. When her eyes drooped, the conversation quieted.
"She's so tired, poor thing," one person murmured.
"Always working alone must be hard," another ventured.
"Takani-sensei should sleep," they all chorused in agreement.
Megumi apologized for her poor company and then bowed to each of the ladies before excusing herself to another room and immediately going to sleep.
Morning came, and Megumi did not emerge. Mrs. Takehima left her alone; the doctor had not had one good night's rest for a week. However, Kyu was anxious to play with the doctor before she left, and pestered her every few minutes to ask if she had woken. Finally, she resolved to go in and wake the doctor.
Kyu followed her into the dark room and they both looked around puzzled.
"Mother?" Kyu pointed to the doctor. "What's wrong with Takani-sensei?"
Megumi was huddled in the far corner of the room, clutching her arms.
"Kyu," she said somewhat sharply, "Go fetch Gotoh-san and Honda-san."
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A/N: I must be trying to break some kind of FF. net record here in terms of updates but see how easily I am extorted by reviews! I had absolutely no idea that people also like this pairing or love Aoshi that much. Btw - I just saw CN rebroadcast the Aoshi/Megumi tower scene. Did you ever notice that sort of sad tune that plays throughout the scene? Also, isn't it weird how Aoshi won't face her while talking to her? Maybe it was to show her that he meant her no harm but there is such an interesting feel to it that you have to wonder anyways what's going on.
BTW - who the heck is Fluffy-chan?
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