"Hey, Ren! Ren, are you there? Aoshi said I was supposed to come over!" Misao knocked on the door, calling in to her teacher friend.

The door behind her opened and Katsu poked his head out. "Misao? What are you looking for Ren for?"

"She's supposed to be doing something school related with me. But she's not answering her door." Misao looked up at Katsu, her arms folded across her chest. She was wearing purple velour pants and a long-sleeved, hooded shirt. Her hair dangled down her back in that long braid and fuzzy slippers were on her feet. She looked as if she had just gotten up.

"Of course she won't be answering. She's asleep on my couch." Katsu blinked, pushing his dark hair out of his face.

"What is she doing on your couch? Are you two some sort of couple or something? She never mentioned it to me before…"

"No. We're not a couple." Katsu blushed slightly. Although I'd like us to be one… "She got a phone call that really upset her this morning. So she came over and we talked about it. Then she fell asleep on my couch."

"Did he hurt her really bad this time? I haven't seen her since Wednesday."

"He busted her face up really bad. She's been here all day since she's scared out of her wits. I haven't done any work whatsoever because I've been with her all day."

"I'm going back upstairs then. Tell her I was looking for her and I'll be around."

"Okay."

He closed the door and Misao turned to go back to the elevator. Poor Ren…And Poor Katsu if he gets mixed up with her. All of out lives are so messed up…

She hummed a Goo Goo Dolls song as she waited for the elevator. Baby's black balloon makes her fly. I almost fell into that hole in your life…

Our lives are so full of holes…Every one here has a tragic story of some kind. We're all connected in some weird way. Teacher, student, colleague, neighbor, friend, relation…It goes around in one big circle. Funny how we all wound up here, in this building.

Aoshi picked this apartment. It's his fault I'm involved in this in any way. If we didn't live here, there would be no friendship with Ren and I would never graduate high school. She's helping me out so much and she didn't have to. No one's paying her to give me extra attention because I'm too lazy to do work. I owe them both a lot…

***

Kenji crawled across the floor of his father's dry cleaning shop. One could find interesting things down on the floor…Buttons, strings, dead leaves…Kenji was enjoying himself immensely when Kenshin suddenly lifted him from the floor.

"Now, now, Kenji, the floor is dirty; that it is." He chided his little son, who proceeded in yanking on his hair in protest. "Don't do that, Kenji. Daddy doesn't like it." He gently removed his son's little fingers from the lock of hair he had them wrapped around.

A great frown crossed Kenji's face. Then he stuck out his tongue at his father, blowing him a raspberry.

Kenshin laughed, hugging the boy to him. "You always give me so much trouble, yet you're a perfect angel for your mama. Sometimes I think you're out to get me."

***

It was four in the afternoon before Kamatari dragged himself out of bed and into the shower. Looking into the mirror above the sink, he found himself to be in a most sorry state. His dull hair was sticking up all over the place. His face was pale, his eyes blood-shot and ringed by dark circles.

"I'm pathetic." He moaned. His head still hurt. Every part of his thin, pallid body ached. He just wanted to crawl back into bed and never come out. He hadn't felt that horrid in a long time. Not since the last time he had gotten drunk ten years ago when Ren had said she hated him.

Ren. She had invaded his every thought for the past twenty-four hours. The way her hair fell across her forehead and around her face. Those big, haunted eyes. That faint little smile she had given him…How had she wound up in such a bad place in her life?

He had missed her. She had been good to him, until that nasty episode with Yasuo. That boy…What had they seen in him? He had been tall and lanky, with shaggy dark hair and inky eyes. He was attractive, but had he been worth losing a friendship over?

I don't think so…He peeled off his shirt, studying his fair figure in the mirror. Yasuo would never have wanted some one like me. But he apparently didn't want Ren either…Our friendship was ruined over something so petty.

He ran the water, testing it's temperature with a few slender fingers. It's not like I ever wanted anything romantic with her…She was just a friend. I've always been into men, so she shouldn't have felt threatened by that. But there's something about her that I can't help but love. Ren will still be Ren, no matter how much she's broken on the outside.

The shower felt good; it helped clear his mind. He wiped steam from the mirror as he toweled his hair. He looked a little better and a lot less sleepy. Maybe I'll go out for a little bit and get some fresh air…

***

Kaoru was really worried. Ren hadn't come to school again. Of course, Okita said she'd called in sick, but that didn't stop the other woman from worrying. Ren was not in a good situation. This nutcase she had dated was out for blood. He seemed to enjoy hurting her. This just caused Kaoru to fret even more.

Of course, she couldn't let this show in front of Yutaro.

The boy had followed her out of the school, informing her that he was supposed to be spending the weekend at his aunt's while his father went out of town. Yutaro's mother and Ren had been sisters, but Tsukayama Yuri had died shortly after her son was born, leaving the boy with only a father and his wayward aunt to look after him. He had been snubbed by his father's family because his mother came from a "less privileged" family. The Tsukayama family was rather affluent and Yutaro lived with his father in a penthouse apartment way across town.

"You think maybe Aunt Ren is sick?" He asked as he tagged along behind her, "She missed two days in a row…"

Poor Yutaro…So smart, yet so ignorant. He knew nothing about the dangerous situation his beloved relation was caught up in. Kaoru only prayed nothing would happen to her while the boy was there. Let the ex stay away for the weekend. It would be a tragedy, were anything to happen to innocent Yutaro.

"She had a little accident." Kaoru lied, "And she tripped down the steps. Banged herself up pretty good. Her face is a mess. That's why she hasn't been at school."

"I hope she went to see Dr Takani. She took real good care of my arm when I messed it up. I mean, they said I probably would never be able to use it again, but Dr Takani fixed it up pretty well. I still can't use my right hand for a lot of stuff, but I can use my arm again."

"I don't think it was as bad as all that, Yutaro." Kaoru couldn't help but smile at the boy. He could be so charming, when he wanted to. Being in a less well-to-do neighborhood seemed to have a certain effect on the boy. He simply wasn't the same brat he usually was.

"Oh. But I worry about her a lot." He frowned up at her from under his bangs, "She always seems so scared of something."

"She's had it rough, Yutaro."

"I know that." He sighed, "But it's not fair. Dad has so much money and he never helps her out." His frown deepened, "She could be living someplace so much nicer than this if Dad would give her money."

Kaoru smiled wanly. In any other situation, Yutaro would have been bragging about his own financial status. When it came to Ren, however, nothing mattered but her well-being.

***

Where am I? Ren lifted her head and looked around, rubbing sleep from her eyes. The one which had been blackened and bruised was still tender and it throbbed when she touched it. Her gaze came to rest on a painting above the shabby couch on which she lay curled up. That's right…I'm across the hall at Katsu's…Did I…Her face burned red…Did I fall asleep on his couch?

"How are you feeling?"

She looked up. Katsu was standing in the doorway, his turquoise eyes lit with concern. He looked nervous and jittery, as if he wanted to say more, but was unsure what exactly to say.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep here…" She blushed, "I'm such a nuisance."

"No, it's okay. I don't mind. Sometimes I get too caught up in my work and need a good dose of reality anyway."

"Why are you being so kind to me? I'm just a stupid piece of trash." She looked down, studying the threadbare carpet intently.

"Is that what he told you?" Katsu shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"That's what he tells me all the time. He always says he shouldn't have wasted time with a loser like me." Her voice became very quiet and he almost didn't even hear her.

"He's the loser, Ren. You've got a lot going for you. You have a good education, a good job and people who care about you. Every one here worries about you, but you don't let us help you ever." He sat down beside her, gently taking her hand in his, "I know you don't like to do it, but please can't you trust me to help you?"

She looked up, her eyes wet with tears. "Oh, Katsu…I'd like to trust you…But…I trusted him too."

"I'm not like that, Ren." A contemplative frown crossed his face, "I wouldn't abuse a woman. It just doesn't work that way."

"I want to believe that so badly…" She looked away from him, her voice low and mournful, "I want to believe it more than anything…"

"Then believe it. I really like you. A lot." He said quietly, "I want to know you better and maybe be at least friends. I won't ask for more from you until you're ready."

"I can't get involved with you. It'll only make things worse…"

"It doesn't have to. Why don't you go to the police?"

"Saito won't listen to me any more. He's sick of hearing about it because he can never catch him. He just eludes them by disappearing between the shadows and into some little world where no one can reach him, not even me. It drives Saito crazy and he gets mad at me for wasting his time."

"That's not fair to you." Katsu's eyes narrowed down. Yet another reason I'm not too fond of the current state of our fine country… "You haven't done anything wrong and he's blaming you for it?"

"He says I'm pestering him. That's why I went to a lawyer yesterday. I need to do something to get myself out of this mess."'

"And I want to be there to help you, no matter what. You're not getting rid of me that easily!" He teased, a half smile on his face. He could be just as stubborn as she was. And he wasn't about to let her slip through his fingers.

A soft smile crossed her face and she hugged him. I don't want to get rid of you…But I can't be with you yet either…

***

Aoshi rolled over and stared at the ceiling. He wondered what Misao had done when she realized he didn't wake her up. She probably didn't even care…She probably hates me for making her go to school every day…

Ugh.

Might as well get up and see what she's doing.

If she's even here.

He sat up, cracking his back and pushing his dark hair from his eyes. It was five o'clock, the same time his internal alarm always had him up after he had been at work all night. He rose and shuffled down the hall, his flannel pants making little crackle noises as the dry air hit them.

It was cold in the apartment. During the day, while Misao was at school and he was asleep, he had gotten into the habit of turning down the heat to save money. Now frigid air was hitting his bare chest and causing him to shiver as he wandered to the thermostat.

Suppose she does go away to college…I'll be…lonely. He blinked as he twisted the knob and the heater came on. Lonely…I've never thought about it before because I've always given the impression that I liked being alone. But being with Misao…She makes me feel…good. Like nothing I did in the past matters.

I could be so happy with her.

But she deserves better. She deserves a proper education and some one who never caused other people pain. And a better place to live, where there aren't crazy men ravishing her friends every week and she doesn't have to lock the door all the time.

He wandered into the kitchen in search of something to eat. She had scribbled something illegible on the note in response to what he said. He smiled to himself as he picked up the bag from the bakery and looked over the note. I looked like it said:

Aoshi…You big jerk! I thought something happened to you when I woke up and it was noon. I'm going out and I'll be back when I get back. Oh, and I didn't eat your stupid donut!

He pulled the Bear Claw from the bag and began to munch on it thoughtfully. How can I fix things so she'll be happy here with me the way she makes me happy?