Sagara Family Visits

"HEY, little missy are you in there?" Sano yelled into the house, inviting himself in.

"Sano, you're so rude. This isn't your house." Megumi scolded him and pinched his ear.

"OUCH!"

Meya, Saganno, and Sanni started to giggle.

"Aayyy…. Rooster head is that you?" Kenji called out as he came from out of his room.

"BOY! Who are you callin rooster head! You should have more respect for your elders!" Sano barked.

"He's right Kenji, you should have respect for your elders. However, since Sano is still a child trapped in a men's body, you can call him whatever you like. I always do." Megumi commented and smiled at her crazy husband. Sano's face turned cherry red when everyone started laughing.

"SHUT UP! Now where is Kenshin and little missy?"

"Mom and dad are out back." Kano said as he entered the room.

Sano and Megumi headed for the back yard. Meya was about to follow when Kenji grabbed her arm. "Where you goin pretty lady? Why don't you come watch me workout?"

Meya snatched her arm away. "What did I tell you about touching me and why on earth would I want to watch you sweat?" She stood there glaring at him. Kenji grinned and looked her up and down. Meya was a pretty girl. She had long cocoa colored hair; creamy pale skin, bright brown eyes that shined in the sunlight and a body like a goddess. Kenji could remember when they were kids, how she use to get on his last nerve following him around all the time but as time went by he started to have feelings for her.

"Girl, stop playin. You know you luuuuuve me." He went to grab her again but she moved faster than he expected.

"OH PLEASE! Get over yourself and leave me alone! I don't have time for little boys! I need a real man!" The truth was she really did love him but she'd be damned to let his conceited ass know. Saganno and Kano both rolled their eyes. They knew where this was going.

As Kenji and Meya continued their little arguing/flirting squabble, Kano and Sanni went out side to play while Saganno walked to Kiriko's room. Seeing that she wasn't there, he went back to Kenji and Meya.

Clearing his throat to interrupt them, he asked, "where's Kiriko?"

"Oh…she's out by her secret spot." Kenji informed Saganno.

"Oh," he said. He knew what the secret spot means. Kiriko and her father had another argument.

"I better go talk to her," Saganno said as he headed for the door.

"Yeah…OH!….you go do that …. OUCH STOP IT!…while I…WILL YOU LET GO!…..take care of this…..OUCH!….wild child." Kenji stammered as he struggled to keep Meya from pinching his ears.

Saganno laughed at them and continued his walk towards the dojo.

Out in the back yard, Kaoru was sitting on the porch with Megumi talking about the new shops that opened up for the spring. Sano was over by Kenshin watching him do the laundry. Sano knew this was Kenshin's way of meditating.

"Kenshin, what's wrong? Something is really bother you because you're about to scrub a hole into that gi."

"Oro? I didn't know you were here Sano. When did you get here?"

"Man, I've been standing here for the past 20 minutes. You're really in deep thought today. What happened?"

Kenshin stopped scrubbing and looked down at the tub full of suds. He sighed and said, "Kiriko and I had another argument."

"Oh….about the same thing?" Sano leaned against the tree that they were under and sucked on his fish bone.

"Yes", Kenshin replied softly as he continued with washing the clothes.

"Hhhmmm…..you know Kenshin…..it might be time for you to tell your children about your past. I mean they're all old enough to understand."

Kenshin stopped washing and got up. "You know Kaoru and I made an agreement."

"Yeah, yeah I know but if this agreement is ruining the relationship with you and your daughter then I really think you and the little missy need to reconsider."

Kenshin turned and looked at Sano. "Sano you're right but I think I'm not ready to tell them yet. I'm……I'm actually afraid to tell them……and you already know why."

Sano knew but he didn't push the issue anymore. "Well, cheer up good buddy because the fox lady and I came here to invite you to come to town with us. What do say?"

Kenshin smiled, "Yes that sounds like a good idea that it does."

Meanwhile behind the dojo, Saganno found Kiriko hidden amongst the branches of her family's huge cherry blossom tree.

"Kiriko! Can I come up there!"

Kiriko looked down and smiled when she saw her best friend. "Hi, Saganno. Yeah come on up."

Saganno sat on the branch next to her. She looked at him and smiled. Saganno was about the same height and size as Sano. He had misty grey eyes and his hair was jet black like his mother yet he had the same rooster head like his father. Kiriko had to admit he was very handsome but she couldn't see him as more then just her friend. He'll make some girl very happy one day, she thought.

"Sooo….do you want to talk about it?" Saganno asked.

Kiriko sighed then became silent for a while. I guess she doesn't want to talk, Saganno thought as he looked at her beautiful face.

"I can't stand him." Kiriko whispered.

Saganno eyes widen. "Kiriko, don't say that. You know you love your father very much and he loves you too."

"If he really loved me so much then he would give me straight answers when I ask him questions. I'm tired of the bullshit. It worked when I was a little girl but not anymore. He needs to tell us this…this secret that he's been hiding."

Saganno put his arm around her and spoke softly, "Well…if your father is really keeping something from you and your brothers then he probably has good reason to."

"Why would he do that? We love him very much." She was silent for a moment, "Does your father know anything?" She looked in to Saganno's eyes.

"Not that I know of…but even if he did, it's not really my father's place to say anything to you."

"Yeah…. I guess you're right….. So… what's up?"

"Oh I almost forgot. We came over to invite you guys to come to town with us. I think there is going to be some kind of festival today."

Saganno could see Kiriko's indigo eyes starting to brighten up. He smiled and started climbing down the tree. "Well come on you sour puss. I'll race you to the front gate."

Saganno jumped off the trunk of the tree and started running. Kiriko started chuckling and shook her head, He knows I'm gonna beat him. She didn't bother climbing down the tree but jump from the branch instead. Kiriko landed a couple of feet behind him and ran passed him easily.