May 14th

Kenshin knocked on her door, "Kiriko?"

"Do not come in here."

Kenshin stepped away from her door. The sound of her voice was filled with so much hurt that it made his heart ache. "Kiriko….I'm sorry."

Silence.

Kenshin stood there for a minute and stared at her door. Then he looked down at his feet and headed towards his bedroom. When he walked in, Kaoru was sitting on their futon waiting for him patiently.

"What did she say?"

Kenshin changed into his yukata and sat on the futon next to Kaoru. "She just told me not to enter her room and when I apologized….the silence that came back to me….made my blood run cold."

When Kaoru saw the utter hurt and pain all over her husband's face, she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She also noticed the silver streak in Kenshin hair had widened but she didn't say anything about it.

"Kenshin, I think it's time to tell your children what they want to hear….This has gotten out of control between you and Kiriko….She loves you so much that it's killing her that you won't tell them the truth."

"I know…. I've made up my mind to tell them tomorrow morning."

"Oh Kenshin….I figured this fight would make you change your-"

"It wasn't the fight."

Kaoru looked at him slightly puzzled. "Then what would make you-"

"Two things made me change my mind….First…..was her eyes."

She gasped. "You saw it too.…Kenshin…how on earth would she have the Battousai's eyes?"

"I don't know but I saw and felt her eyes before they changed colors. I never knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end of those eyes but tonight I did….I never knew it could be so frightening."

Kenshin took Kaoru's hand and placed it on his left cheek, "As you know these scars will never heal because they are a reminder of what I did and who I was. Just as…" He took her same hand and placed it in his hair, "…these strands are the result of me holding this secret inside for so long….Kiriko was right…A secret does eat away at your soul. This is my other reason for telling them. You know I've had too many things happen in my life that has eaten away at me. I don't need to add this one"

The tears wouldn't stop falling from Kaoru's eyes. Kenshin wiped them away and laid down, "Don't worry anymore my love. I will tell them everything that I will."

She placed her head on his chest and wrapped her arm around his waist. "Thank you, Kenshin." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. Soon, they fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile in Kiriko's room…..

I promised myself I would find out about him even if he didn't tell me and I plan on doing just that. She placed some left over rice cakes, clothes and an extra blanket in her satchel. That man said he came from Kyoto. Kiriko stopped packing and thought for a moment, hhhmmm, I recall seeing some letters that came from Kyoto also. Hhhmmm….now who were they from……….OH I remember. She tied up her satchel, I know Kyoto is where I'm gonna find all my answers, picked up her fishing rod and walked quietly towards her door. She took one last look around the room and was about to leave, until, her eyes stopped on the kimono her mother made. I don't know why I would need this but…she rolled it and stuffed it in to her satchel. Then Kiriko sneaked into Kano's room and took his bokken. She left a note where the bokken had been.

"I promise to bring this back to you, little brother," she whispered and kissed him on the forehead.

He mumbled something then turned over. She stopped by Kenji's room and whispered her goodbyes to him. Last she stopped at her parents' room. Kiriko slid the door open slightly and watched her parents sleeping.

"Good bye, mom. I love you. Goodbye, daddy. I love you very much. I know your gonna to be mad at me but I must do this. Goodbye." She whispered and slid the door shut.

Kiriko ran over to Sano and Megumi's house. She had say goodbye to one last person.

"Saganno." She whispered loudly as she tapped on his window.

Kiriko could see him stir in his sleep but he wouldn't wake up.

"Saganno!"

Saganno opened his eyes. He finally got up and opened the window.

"Kiriko, I don't feel like sparing with you tonight, I'm tired." He yawned as he wiped the sleep out of his eyes.

"No I'm not practicing tonight. I just came by to say…..goodbye."

Saganno yawned again. "Run that by me again?"

"I came here tonight to say goodbye to you. I'm leaving."

He had a puzzled look on his face. "Leaving? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Kyoto."

"Kyoto!"

"Shhhh not so loud."

"Kiriko why are you going there. What the hell is in Kyoto?"

She signed and told Saganno the whole story of what happened with her father.

"The answers to my questions are in Kyoto. I must go."

"Kiriko I can't let you go alone. Let me come with you. Just give me a second to get-"

"No, Saganno. No….I need to do this alone. Please understand."

Saganno looked into her beautiful indigo eyes. He loved her so much and didn't want her to go alone. However, he also understood that she has never been anywhere alone and that this is something she must do for herself.

"I-I understand, Kiriko."

"Thank you, Saganno for being such a good friend to me." She hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He blushed slightly and smiled.

"Oh…before you go..." Saganno ran back into his room and came back with a small sack full of money. "Take this with you. It's not much but it's all I have."

"Saganno I can't-"

"Please…..please take it Kiriko. You're going to need this more than I do. I want you to have it."

Her eyes started to water as she took the sack from Saganno. "Thank you so much."

"Good luck, Kiriko and promise to get back here safely."

"I promise." She smiled and whispered sweetly. "Goodbye, Saganno."

He stood there for a moment to watch her disappear into the night. Saganno then looked at his calendar it was May 14th. I'll count the days until you return. Please come back safely.

Kano was the first to wake up the next morning. I want to start practice early, he thought, cause I'm gonna kick Kenji ass like Kiriko did. He chuckled then he grabbed for his bokken without looking and pulled back a piece of paper instead. "Huh?" Kano opened the note:

Dear Kano,

Please don't be mad at me but I'm borrowing your bokken. I promise to return it to you.

Love,

Kiriko

"I'M GONNA KILL HER!"

He darted out of his room towards Kiriko's room.

"KIRIKO! GIVE ME…"

Seeing she wasn't there, he ran to the kitchen and then to the bathhouse. Finally, he went to the dojo. It was completely deserted. Where the hell is she? He ran around to her "so called" secret hiding place. Nothing. Kano was starting to get nervous now and he sprinted back towards the house.

"MOM! DAD! I CAN'T FIND KIRIKO!"