Summer Time-33rd Year of the Meiji Era

Two years had pasted since Shio walked away into the night, never to be seen again. A lot of things happened since that fateful day. Kenji and Meya got married earlier in the spring. He proposed to her the summer after Kiriko left. He had to ask her several times before he could convince her that he wasn't playing around. It was a beautiful wedding. To Kiriko's surprise, Meya made her the maid of honor. Kiriko was totally honored but didn't understand why. She and Meya were friends but not like how she was with Saganno. Meya told her that she admired Kiriko's courage during her trying time and that she would be proud to have her in the wedding. For the first time since they've known each other, Kiriko felt like she had a sister all her life and didn't even know it.

Everyone came to the wedding. Eko, Mrs. Hashi, Hiko, Miss Ti, Seiku and his son, the Shinomori family and some others that Kenji and Meya didn't know. Kiriko was able to get in touch with Ayana from the Odawara Tavern. She came to the wedding. It was good to see her again. Kiriko introduced her to Saganno. She could see that they liked each other right away.

During the ceremony, Kenji almost pasted out when Meya entered the room with the most gorgeous wedding kimono anyone had ever seen. Kaoru and Megumi made it together. To everyone's surprise, Sano bawled like a baby when he had to give Meya away. Megumi had to drag him out of the room so that they could continue the service. Kenshin kept a wide grin on his face the whole time. He had never seen his son look so nervous in his life. Once they said "I Do", the real party started. The reception lasted for two days and two nights. On the first night, Kano got drunk when he thought he could hang with Kenshin, Hiko, and Sanosuke. When Kaoru caught him, all the guys were scolded for letting a sixteen-year-old boy drink that much sake and she punished Kano by making him clean the dojo in his drunken state. Kano never got up for the second night. Everyone danced and drank and ate to their hearts content. It was definitely a wedding to remember.

Kenshin opened up a new business with the help of Kaoru, Sano and Yahiko. The Himura Cleaners was one of the first drop-off Laundromats in Japan. The idea started when Sano would bring his families clothes to Kenshin and he would wash, dry and fold everything then Sano would pay him for it. Next Yahiko started doing the same thing. One day, Yahiko teased Kenshin and told him that maybe he should open a business. Kaoru over heard the conversation and thought it was a great idea. Thus, Himura Cleaners started. When Kaoru began helping Kenshin with the business, she became too busy to continue teaching the swordsmenship so she appointed Kenji and Kano, master and assistant master of Kamiya Kasshin. They been teaching for the past year and have been doing well for the dojo.

Everything and everyone's been doing well, except for Kiriko. She hides her true feelings from her family and friends but ever since Shio left she's been miserable. The night he came to visit her after the sword fight, he thought she fell asleep. Unfortunately, she heard his last whisper in her ear,

(…"I promise I'll never hurt you again………Goodbye, Kiriko."…)

Once she heard the door close behind him, the tears started to leak from her closed eyes. She knew what he was going to do. She opened her eyes when she felt Kenshin holding her hand.

"He left, didn't he?" She asked.

Kenshin stared at her sadly then nodded. Kiriko pulled her hand away from him and wept silently. The next couple days after the fight with Shio, she never went back to the forest to get her sword. Saganno offered to retrieve it but she told him no because she knew it wasn't there. She had a heart warming feeling that Shio had Laplatina and that made her feel good. He had something of hers that reminded him of her.

It took a couple of mouths for her stomach to completely heal. The shell that she found, she made into a necklace. Whenever she felt lonely she would touch the shell and somehow feel closer to him. Hiko was a big help during her healing process. He always made her feel better when he came to visit. He would tell her and her brothers stories about their father and what he went through during his training. They would crack up when Kenshin would try to change the subject.

One time when Kiriko was feeling really depressed and she had the strong desire to go searching for Shio, Hiko took her to the side and gave her some encouraging words.

"I heard this some where a long time ago." He said. Kiriko listened closely. "If you love someone, let them go. If they come back to you, it was met to be. If they don't, then they were never worthy."

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"Kiriko, you have to let Shio go. He's confused right now. He doesn't know what to do with his life now that he's not in the revenge business anymore. You've got to let him be free so that he can find his own path. He left you behind because that's what was done to him. He feels if he stays close to you he'll hurt you again. However, he loves you. If that's true then he'll come back. If it's not then he was never worthy of your love." Kiriko sighed and held her shell. Hiko put his arm around her shoulders. "Do you remember what I told you about love and trust?"

"Yes."

"Do you love Shio?"

Kiriko looked up at him again. "Yes."

"Then there should be no doubt in your mind that he'll come back. Besides I have a good feeling about him……he'll be back. Believe me. He'll be back." Kiriko hugged Hiko so tightly that day he thought she might squeeze the sake from his pores but he enjoyed the hug anyway.

Now it's been a year since Hiko gave her that speech and a few times Kiriko had doubts but she would hold on to her shell and try to think positive.

It was the first day of summer and things were busy as usual at the Himura residence. Since it was Yahiko's idea, he and Tsubame helped with Kenshin's business. Kaoru and Tsubame were busy dealing with customers. Taking and returning their laundry. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kiriko were in the back washing, hanging up and folding clothes. Kiriko liked helping her father. She thought it was a weird business but if he enjoyed it then she was happy. Kenji and Kano were busy teaching a class. They had students of all ages. Kamiya Kasshin became very popular since they started teaching the classes. Kaoru wondered why it wasn't as prosperous when she taught but dismissed the thought quickly. As long as people were joining the class she really didn't care.

By late afternoon, everyone was tired. Luckily no one had to cook, Miss Ti brought over some leftovers from the restaurant. Everyone ate to their heart's content. After dinner, Kiriko went for a walk by the lake. When she saw Saganno sitting by the edge, she was surprised to see him there. She sat beside him.

"Hey man!" She punched him in the shoulder almost knocking him into the water.

Saganno was clearly startled. "Don't do that! You scared the crap out of me!"

Kiriko giggled. "Sorry…What are you doing out here?"

He looked back across the water, "Just thinking."

"About…" Kiriko looked at his face.

He sighed and looked into her eyes. "I'm afraid if I tell you, you might get upset."

Oh this is serious, she thought. "Saganno, you know you can tell me anything. I promise I won't get upset."

He sighed again. "Okay………um………Ilikesomeone." He mumbled this very fast.

"Huh? I didn't hear you."

"I said…" he swallowed hard, "that I like someone else."

"NO! How could YOU!" Kiriko screamed dramatically at him her face was turning red. Saganno looked at her shocked he didn't think she'd start crying.

"I'm sorry Kiriko, I-" Then he took a better look at her. She wasn't crying she was laughing.

"Did you really think I would be upset about that!" She laughed harder.

"I thought I would be betraying you if I liked someone else."

Kiriko became serious, "Saganno, I would never think that. I know you love me as a friend. As long as I have that, I'm happy." She smiled sweetly at him. He blushed. "I want you to be happy with someone…………I hope you're talking about Ayana?"

His eyes widen and his blush deepened. "How did you know?"

She giggled some more. "Duh! That's why I introduced you two. I knew you would like her. She's a nice girl……She told me she's moving to Tokyo in a couple of weeks. She was hoping you would take her to see the sights."

"She really said that?" He asked excitedly. He hadn't seen her since the wedding.

"Yes, she can't wait to see you again."

Saganno smiled brightly at the thought of seeing her again. Then he took a good look at Kiriko. She became very quiet all of a sudden. She was staring dreamily at the lake, rubbing her shell like she always did. He frowned.

"Kiriko, why do you try to hide your true feelings? We all know you miss him greatly."

She looked at him with a small smile, "Because I'm not going back to the selfish brat that I was. I miss him but he's not the only important thing in my life and I'm not about to mope around thinking only of him and myself." She got up and dusted off her hakama, "and besides…he's going to come back." She looked down at Saganno and smiled, "if he doesn't…" she punched her hand, "…I might just have to go knock some sense into him." She said jokingly then headed back to the house.

Saganno watched her disappear down the path. "That's not such a bad idea." He said to himself then got up and headed home.