Chapter 8 Aki sighed and looked out the window of the dojo, she was SO bored. There really wasn't anything to do lately. Kaoru was training with Yahiko. Sano and Megumi where off doing God knows what. Kenshin, well, he was off doing what he usually did during the day, which was laundry, cooking, or just playing with Ayame and Suzume. THAT WAS IT! She jumped up and ran outside to find Kenshin, or the two little girls. She saw Ayame and Suzume sitting on the steps of the dojo, looking absolutely bored out of their minds. "Ayame-chan, Suzume-chan, you two bored?" Aki asked smiling. They looked up at the short red haired girl and nodded. "Ken-nii-chan is doing laundry." Ayame said sadly. "AGAIN!!" Suzume cried. Aki smiled and patted each of them on the head. "Its okay, I'm bored too, but I have an idea. Ayame-chan, why don't you go get Kenshin-nii-san and tell him that he is going to take place in a game of hide and seek, because we are bored." Aki said smiling. Ayame cocked her head to one side and smiled. She then jumped up and ran over to Kenshin who was busy hanging wet laundry. She tugged on the sleeve of his hakama. Kenshin looked down when he felt something tug on his sleeve. He saw Ayame and smiled. "Ayame-chan, what can I do for you de gozaru-yo?" he asked cocking his head to one side. Ayame giggled and smiled at him. "Ken-nii- chan, you need to go hide, it's time for hide and seek, and I'm it! Aki-nee- chan and Suzume are playing too! So that means you have to play too Ken- nii-chan!!!" Ayame shouted happily. Kenshin blinked and looked over at his younger sister. "Oro?" Aki just smiled and laughed, while waving innocently. The smile on her face told him that it was obviously her idea. He gave a small sigh and smiled. He then finished putting up the last of the laundry and shook his head. "Very well de gozaru, now go find a place to count, and we will hide, that we will." He said with a slight sigh. Aki tried not to laugh at the antics of her older brother. She and Suzume then stood up to go find a place to hide. Ayame happily skipped by them to go count. Kenshin smiled and went to hide, but before he glanced at his sister. The look clearly said, 'Thanks,' with a quirky smile on his lips. Aki winked at Kenshin, and then ran off to find her own hiding spot. "See you at the base Kenshin-nii-san." She called behind her as she ran off to her own hiding spot. Kenshin was left standing there listening to Ayame count as everyone else ran off to hide. "Now where to hide de gozaru." He looked around and decided that the tree was one of his best bets. With that he hopped up and caught the lowest branch and hoisted himself up and into the tree and did his best to make sure that he was as well hidden as he could be. "8, 9 and 10! Ready or not he" They called out they went a little further and then tried again "Aki- neeeee-Chan!! Where are you?!" The little girls took off again to find one or both of the two red heads. Aki listened very, very closely. When she heard nothing she carefully lifted the top to the bath cover and peeked out and grinned. Then carefully put the bath cover back down. Kenshin was hiding in the tree hoping that he was well, hidden from sight when he heard Ayame and Suzume coming to look for him. He hoped and hoped with a smile playing at his lips that he wouldn't be caught, but when he heard giggles from below and a little girl's voice call out "Ken-nii we found you!!" he knew that he was caught. But that was okay. He didn't mind, he climbed down out of the tree with a big smile on his face letting know that he was caught. "We found you Ken-nii, now you have to help us find Aki!" Ayame called. "Come on Ken-nii if we don't find Aki soon she'll beat us to the base!" Suzume cried happily. Kenshin blinked "Aki hasn't been found yet that she hasn't?" The two girls shook they're heads. "Aki-nee-chan, must be a little better at hiding than you are Ken-nii." Supplied the two girls helpfully. Kenshin laughed, the two girls always knew that he hid in the tree, that's okay. He enjoyed playing with the two little girls. They had become quick friends from the very beginning. The three of them took off to find Aki who was still hiding, in what had to be a very well, hidden spot. Just then when Kenshin and the girls were about to set off to find Aki, Sano and Megumi came over. The girls stopped and ran over to Megumi. "Megumi-san!!" the two girls set off to hug Megumi, while Sano came over to talk to Kenshin. "So, Kenshin, what's going on? Where's Aki?" he said looking around. Kenshin smiled and said "We are playing hide-and-seek that we are. So far Ayame has found Suzume and shessa, but we haven't found Aki yet, and Ayame is hoping that Aki does not make it to base before she has a chance to catch her." Sano smiled at Kenshin, "So Ayame is looking for Aki?? Is anyone else playing that hasn't been found yet Kenshin?" His smile turned into a grin when Kenshin shook his head, then took off to look around the dojo hoping he didn't look like he was on a mission. Megumi looked up from the two little girls' attention, and saw Sano walking off. She walked over to Kenshin after patting both of the girls on the head, "Where is he off to now, Ken-san?" Kenshin shook his head and smiled. "I don't know that I don't. But I think there is a slight idea Megumi-dono, that Sano is help Ayame look for Aki, for she is the only that hasn't been found by Ayame and Suzume that she hasn't." Sano went off looking for Aki, just for the fun of it. He looked in the obvious places that he could think of, but so far he had found no trace of her. Ayame and Suzume caught up with him, Suzume, tugged on Sano's pant leg to get his attention. "Sano-nii-san, have you found any sign on Aki-nee- chan? Ayame and I haven't found anything yet. We were hoping you have, and maybe that you could help us find her. Aki-nee-chan is very good at playing hide-and-seek." Sano smiled at the two little girls. Hey! They were really quite adorable when they asked for his help in finding Aki, so, how could he turn down such as cute offer? He nodded, "I guess I could help you find Aki." Hey, being able to yank Aki's chain and Megumi's meant that it was a good day, getting them both made the day even better. The girls cheered in delight, and ran off to continue the search for the last person that was still left to find. Sano thought about where a small person like Aki could hide. then he thought of one, grinning he set off to check.
Aki smiled to her self knowing that she had found a good hiding spot for it had been a long time since the two little girls came past looking for her or Kenshin. She wondered if he had been caught yet. she smiled at the thought of her brother getting caught by the two little girls that loved him so much. It made her chuckle inwardly. Just then she head a noise from outside, and grew very silent. Thinking it was the girls again, she made no move to run to base, but she knew that she couldn't stay too long or else they would wonder about her. Promising her self that she would make a run to base after these set of footsteps.
Sano opened the door to the bath and looked around, so far nothing yet. well, at least she was better at hiding then Kenshin was. He had to admit that his friend may be extremely strong, fast and cleaver, but when it came to hiding, in a game, he stunk. But he knew that he meant it in a nice way, and that Kenshin would never find out that he thought that about him, he continued to explore the area of the bath a little more carefully. Just then he looked down at the cover over the bath and grinned. He lifted the cover to the bath and there lay Aki blinking looking surprised. He raised an eyebrow at Aki and asked, "Aki, what are you doing in there?" Aki gave Sano a sheepish smile and replied with "well. you see. I'm playing hide-and-seek with Ayame, Suzume and Kenshin. And it's Ayame's turn to find us, and she's pretty good" She smiled and put a finger to her lips then whispered "So, shhhh.. Please?"
Sano smiled back at Aki then took in a deep breath and thought Oh, am I going to enjoy this! Heh.' then called out in a LOUD voice "HEY AYAME!! I FOUND AKI FOR YOU SHE'S IN BATH HOUSE!! HURRY BEFORE SHE GETS AWAY!!" Aki's jaw dropped. How dare he do that!! That's cheating!! That was very fair, the least he could've done was give her a head start! "Sano!" Aki hissed! "That's cheating!" Sano just grinned down at her shocked expression and knew that the day had turned from boring to wonderful. He knew that he was in a good mood now. Aki hopped out of the bath as fast as she could and muttered a word that sounded a lot like 'cheater' and glared at him as she got ready to take off for the base.
Sano grinned, and thought about making his day even better by watching Ayame 'catch' Aki. With that he grabbed the back of her yukata and held her in place. Aki felt herself going nowhere and not very fast. The more she tried to loosen his hand from her yukata, it just wouldn't budge!! Just then she head Ayame and Suzume running up, more than likely followed by her brother. She glared at Sano over her shoulder and began muttering underneath her breath, he caught a few phrases but not all, that was okay. The more frustrated she got with his as the footsteps neared the better it made his mood. He was feeling just great, and knew that he day couldn't get any better than it was now.
Ayame came in and quickly laid her hand on Aki's arm, and clearly pronounced that she had found Aki and now it were her turn to count while they went off and hid. Aki smiled at Ayame, and agreed. Then sighed as the girls took off to find a decent place to hide. Kenshin had stayed behind to smile at Aki, he was so glad that she was all right, after that incident with Hiruma Gohei, he was glad to see her playing with the two girls and him. He went up to her and gave her a brief hug surprising her a bit. Aki smiled and knew what was on her brother's mind. He cupped her face briefly smiled and took off to go and hide.