Chapter 7
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Flowers, Death, and Cake
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(AN: thanks for reviewing everybody. So far the character poles stand thus including Vera-Chan's and Luna-Sama's:
Aki: 3
Sano: 2
Kenshin: 1
Suzuka: 1
Aoshi: 1
Everyone else: nada ^^;;
KEEP SENDING VOTES!!!! You may be cheating your fav character out of recognition! ^O^ did I mention you're allowed to vote for two characters? I've only had five people vote so far and three out of them voted for two characters in one vote, so feel free:))
~~~~~~~
The next morning, Shura, Sarujiro, and Iwa headed back home, Tokyo began to clean up after the festivities, and Sano sat on the porch, bored.
After the previous night, everything had dulled down. A lot. Too much. Apparently, it was affecting everyone else too, because Aki walked out of the dojo with the same bored expression he was pretty sure he had. She sat next to him, put her head on his knee, and started naming off things on each finger.
"Kaoru-San's teaching a lesson. Misao-Chan's asleep. Kenshin-San's doing the laundry. Who knows where Suzuka-San and Aoshi-San are? Megumi-San's at the clinic and probably as bored as I am because flu season's just about over and I'm done with all my agenda for the day. I'm very bored. So how's your day been?"
"About the same," he said scratching his head. "I've got an idea, though."
"Eh?" she asked, looking up, slightly confused. "What's that look on your face for, baka?"
"What do you think, battleaxe?" he asked as he started a tickle fest for lack of anything better to do which ended up with both of them laughing and out of breath. "Not so bored anymore, are ya?"
"Hah, hah, Sano, my friend, you are pure evil..."
"So..."
"Yeah, so...."
"When are we gonna spring it on everyone?"
"Uh...when everyone's in one spot?"
"Eh, makes sense."
Their conversation was cut short with cold, malicious laughter coming from the dojo gates.
"Well if it ain't Rooster-Head?!"
"What do you want, Broom-Head?!"
"To settle our score, what else?"
"I don't have anything to do with you," Sano explained. "Aki, get out of here, I've got a bad feeling about this," he added under his breath.
Aki glanced from him to the blonde man and got the general idea, and stepped into the dojo.
"Hah! You want it that way, Sagara? I can make you hate me..." he sneered, doffing his coat and taking out his flimsy sword (AN: you know, that long, metal slap-bracelet he calls a sword.) With one motion, the blade flew into the dojo through the screen before Sano could stop it. He heard a scream, but it wasn't Aki, and oddly enough, the blade burst into innumerable shards, leaving Cho with just his hilt.
Aki opened the door, she had a scratch under her arm where she had caught the blade, but other than that, she was just fine. Behind her, Kaoru had her hands over her mouth in shock, but was unscathed. "Sano," Aki said. "Kick his butt." She turned around, putting her sword back in its scabbard and her scythe back on its belt. She gave Sano one more look of encouragement before closing the door.
"Come on, Kaoru-San, you've got a class to teach," Aki reminded her friend as she walked her through the dojo.
"B-but, Kenshin came and told me that Cho was here and what he had done before , so I sent them home early through the back of the dojo," she explained.
"Let's get everyone else in a safe spot and I'll personally make sure he doesn't hurt anyone," she reassured her.
"What's happen-?" Misao started but stopped in mid-word. "That's Cho's voice!"
"He and Sano are trying to settle a score or something. We've got to get everyone in one spot, just in case...something comes through the door."
Seeing the look on Cho's face, Sano leaned his zan-batou back where it was. Maybe it was Kenshin rubbing off on him, but it didn't seem fair to face him with a zan-batou when he only had his two other swords and a broken sword hilt.
"Okay, Broom-Head," he said, hanging his coat on his zan-batou. "Now it's personal."
"No weapons?!" Cho shouted. "Hah! Have it your way, Rooster-Head!!"
The two fighters had the initial staring match, but didn't seem to able to decide which one should attack first.
"You gonna attack or just stand there?" Cho asked.
"Have it your way," Sano said as he rushed forward, fist ready to strike.
"Where's Yahiko?" Aki asked as she, Misao, and Kaoru ran through the dojo looking for anyone to round up.
"Where's Kenshin? Suzuka and Aoshi escorted my class into town," Kaoru explained
"You two keep looking, I've got a bad feeling about the battle," Aki said, starting to turn around, but Misao grabbed her arm.
"I'm coming with you!"
"Don't worry, Aki-Chan, I'll find everyone else by myself, I grew up here, after all," Kaoru said with a smile, heading off down the way they were going.
Aki and Misao got to the door to try to guard it, but right then got there, all the screened doors exploded as a nearly unconscious Cho was thrown through them.
Sano, who had a lot less damage, threw Cho his coat and swords.
"Now, get out of here before *~I~* knock the rest of your brains out!!" Misao shouted.
Aki just cracked her knuckled and gave him a cold stare. To add to his convincing, Kenshin came around the corner. "Oh, hello, Cho, long time, no see, that it is."
"Hello, Battousai..." Cho started. "I was just leaving." And with that, Cho left the Kamiya dojo.
"Come on, Sano-Kun," Aki said, walking over to her beat-up friend. He had taken a lot less than Cho had, but he was still trying hard to stand up. She put one arm around him and let him put an arm around her shoulder as she lead him to the dojo. "Let's get you something to eat...and a new door."
"Hey! Go Sano!" Misao cheered as they walked.
"Kaoru-San," Aki started after Sano's scratches and bruises were taken care of, Suzuka and Aoshi were working on rebuilding the dojo's doors, and Aki was taking care of her own scratch. "You think we could have Megumi-San, Gensai-San, Ayame-Chan, and Suzume-Chan over for dinner tonight?"
"What for, Aki-Chan?" she asked, a little startled. "To celebrate?"
"Yeah, but not for Sano beating what's-his-face though, something more important than that."
"What is it? A hint maybe?"
"Oh no, Kaoru-San, you'll have to wait with everyone else."
"Wait for what?" Misao asked, walking in.
"Aki-Chan says she wants to celebrate something...an announcement she said. But she's not telling me," Kaoru explained, hoping the extra person would help with her plea.
"Aki-Chan, you can whisper in my ear and I promise I won't tell," Misao suggested.
Aki shook her head. "I'm going to wait for everyone else to get here, and after we've had dinner, then I'll tell."
"But, Aki-Chan," Kaoru started.
"You can tell your two best friends, right?" Misao finished.
"Fine, fine! I'll give you a hint, but that's all you get." Kaoru and Misao leaned in, ready to hear. "Flowers."
"What about them?" Kaoru asked.
"That was your hint."
"Are you...starting a garden?" Misao asked.
"No fair guessing, and no."
"Ah, Aki-Chan!" Kaoru and Misao said simultaneously.
"As soon as everybody else gets here and dinner's done, I can tell you, we had lunch about what, an hour ago?"
"Hoé...." Suzuka said, walking in, wiping her forehead. "Aoshi and I are done with the frames, and he said he'd do the screens for me. He's so sweet," she finished with a smile.
"Suzuka-Chan!" Kaoru said cheerfully. "Why don't we get Megumi, Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume for dinner?"
"Eh? Naze?" she asked a little confused. Her raven-haired friend whispered an explanation in her ear. "Oh, okay, let's get going then." And with that, she and Kaoru went out the door.
"You don't want me to get Saito, do you?" Misao asked.
"No, no!" Aki said with a laugh. "We could go to the Akobeko and invite Tsubame-San, Tae-San, and Sano's gambling buddies, though."
"Okay! The faster we learn this, the sooner everyone will be out of suspense!" Misao concluded, dragging her friend to her feet.
Kenshin, Sano, and Aoshi gave Misao an odd look as she dragged Aki out the front door with just enough time for Aki to grab her kasa.
"What was that about?" Aoshi asked.
Sano sat in thought for a minute, but finally got the idea. "An announcement."
"An announcement about what, Sano?" Kenshin asked.
"Can't tell you till after dinner."
"A hint would be appreciated, that it would."
"Keiki."
"Death?!"
"No, cake!" (AN: Yay!! Foreign word play!! XD)
"Are you having a birthday?" Kenshin asked.
"No, that's in February."
"Something to do with cake...." Aoshi pondered.
"I should get the dining room ready for guests, that I should," Kenshin said, getting up and leaving.
"I should finish the screens before the guests come," Aoshi, getting up, headed for the front door.
"And I...should get some sleep before they come," Sano finished, lounging back.
"What is for, Suzuka-Chan?" Megumi asked after Suzuka and Kaoru had invited her to the Kamiya dojo.
"Aki-Chan wouldn't tell us exactly, and she only gave a vague hint," Kaoru explained.
"What was the hint?"
"Flowers."
"What about?"
"She wouldn't tell, she just said it was an announcement and it had to do with flowers."
"Ah, great, it's a riddle, just what I need after a long day."
"A long day of what, Megumi-Chan?" Suzuka asked.
"Auntie Suzuka!!" Ayame and Suzume greeted from behind. "Kaoru-Chan!!"
"Ayame-Chan, Suzume-Chan!!"
"Can we, Tae-San?" Tsubame asked. after receiving her invitation to the Kamiya dojo.
"I suppose we could tell everyone to go home about dinnertime," Tae pondered. "Would it be any trouble for you two to go home early?" she added to Sano's friends.
They just looked at Tae, back at each other, and shrugged.
"No, you're invited too!" Aki said.
"What do you want us over for?" Tae asked.
"Aki-Chan said it was an announcement," Misao explained.
"An announcement about what, Aki?" one of Sano's friends asked.
"Yeah, we're sort of stumped here," the other said.
"I can't tell until-"
"After dinner," Misao finished for her.
"We don't get a hint?" Tsubame asked.
"Flowers," she and Misao said at the same time.
"An announcement about flowers?" Tae asked.
"After dinner," Aki restated.
~~~
"Aki-Chan..." Misao started.
"It's after dinner...." Kaoru added.
"What's the proclamation?" Kenshin asked.
"It's been a few hours and all you've given us is flowers," Suzuka reminded her.
"Flowers?" Aoshi asked. "All we've gotten is keiki."
"Who died??" Misao asked.
"It was cake, that it was, Misao-San," Kenshin clarified.
"I think I might know what it is, but I wanna know just for sure," Sano's friend
"Yeah, I've got an idea, but if I'm wrong I'd be embarrassing the heck out of Sano," the other added.
"The secret ingredients in her saké?" Yahiko guessed.
"I don't think that's it, Yahiko-Chan," Tsubame said.
"I don't know, but it's got something to do with food," Doctor Gensai supposed.
"And pretty flowers!" Ayame exclaimed.
"Yeah, flowers!" Suzume added.
"Celebrating paying off Sanosuke-San's tab?" Tae asked.
"No, that was while ago," Misao concluded and shook her head. "Aki-Chan, what is it, already?!"
Instead of Aki answering, Sano answered. "We're getting married."
Kaoru reached over on one side, and Misao on the other, making something resembled a sandwich, Aki in the middle.
"Congratulations, Aki-Chan!!" Kaoru chimed.
"I'm so happy for you!!"
"Congratulations, Sano," Kenshin said.
Somehow over a fifteen-second pause, Suzuka, Ayame, Suzume, and Megumi had added to the dogpile on Aki. Tae and Tsubame just sat to one side and giggled.
"Go, Sano!" one of his friends shouted.
"Yeah, you got a whole clump of 'em!"
"Minna-San..." Aki's voice said. "I'm glad you're happy for me and everything....however, I need air to breathe...."
It took a bit, but everyone got the idea went back to their seats.
"So, when is it?" Kaoru asked.
"Who's gonna be the maid of honor?" Misao added.
"Or the best man?"
"Where's it gonna be?"
"Ah, come on," Aki said. "Give us a while to think about it, he proposed last night!"
"Oh, during the festival?" Kaoru asked.
"How cute!" Misao added.
"Who's invited?" Kenshin asked.
"See, this is what planning is for, we haven't done any of that yet," Aki explained.
"This has been fun and all, but it's getting late," Sano's friend piped up.
"Yeah, gotta go."
"Well, if you're going, we have to go see that nothing gets moved out of place," Tae said, taking Tsubame with her, following Sano's friends out the door.
"And we have to get back to the clinic," Megumi said, walking out with Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume.
"And WE," Kaoru said. "Are going to leave you two alone." And with that she herded out everyone, leaving just Aki and Sano.
"Sano," Aki started. "Misao and Aoshi are going to invite the Oniwabanshu. Kaoru-San's going to invite her class and their families. Megumi's going to invite her patients, and insist that I invite mine. Kenshin's most likely going to insist on inviting Saito and Yutaro. We're going to have half of Japan at our wedding!"
"We'll figure something out...eventually."
~~~~~~~
Flowers, Death, and Cake
~~~~~~~
(AN: thanks for reviewing everybody. So far the character poles stand thus including Vera-Chan's and Luna-Sama's:
Aki: 3
Sano: 2
Kenshin: 1
Suzuka: 1
Aoshi: 1
Everyone else: nada ^^;;
KEEP SENDING VOTES!!!! You may be cheating your fav character out of recognition! ^O^ did I mention you're allowed to vote for two characters? I've only had five people vote so far and three out of them voted for two characters in one vote, so feel free:))
~~~~~~~
The next morning, Shura, Sarujiro, and Iwa headed back home, Tokyo began to clean up after the festivities, and Sano sat on the porch, bored.
After the previous night, everything had dulled down. A lot. Too much. Apparently, it was affecting everyone else too, because Aki walked out of the dojo with the same bored expression he was pretty sure he had. She sat next to him, put her head on his knee, and started naming off things on each finger.
"Kaoru-San's teaching a lesson. Misao-Chan's asleep. Kenshin-San's doing the laundry. Who knows where Suzuka-San and Aoshi-San are? Megumi-San's at the clinic and probably as bored as I am because flu season's just about over and I'm done with all my agenda for the day. I'm very bored. So how's your day been?"
"About the same," he said scratching his head. "I've got an idea, though."
"Eh?" she asked, looking up, slightly confused. "What's that look on your face for, baka?"
"What do you think, battleaxe?" he asked as he started a tickle fest for lack of anything better to do which ended up with both of them laughing and out of breath. "Not so bored anymore, are ya?"
"Hah, hah, Sano, my friend, you are pure evil..."
"So..."
"Yeah, so...."
"When are we gonna spring it on everyone?"
"Uh...when everyone's in one spot?"
"Eh, makes sense."
Their conversation was cut short with cold, malicious laughter coming from the dojo gates.
"Well if it ain't Rooster-Head?!"
"What do you want, Broom-Head?!"
"To settle our score, what else?"
"I don't have anything to do with you," Sano explained. "Aki, get out of here, I've got a bad feeling about this," he added under his breath.
Aki glanced from him to the blonde man and got the general idea, and stepped into the dojo.
"Hah! You want it that way, Sagara? I can make you hate me..." he sneered, doffing his coat and taking out his flimsy sword (AN: you know, that long, metal slap-bracelet he calls a sword.) With one motion, the blade flew into the dojo through the screen before Sano could stop it. He heard a scream, but it wasn't Aki, and oddly enough, the blade burst into innumerable shards, leaving Cho with just his hilt.
Aki opened the door, she had a scratch under her arm where she had caught the blade, but other than that, she was just fine. Behind her, Kaoru had her hands over her mouth in shock, but was unscathed. "Sano," Aki said. "Kick his butt." She turned around, putting her sword back in its scabbard and her scythe back on its belt. She gave Sano one more look of encouragement before closing the door.
"Come on, Kaoru-San, you've got a class to teach," Aki reminded her friend as she walked her through the dojo.
"B-but, Kenshin came and told me that Cho was here and what he had done before , so I sent them home early through the back of the dojo," she explained.
"Let's get everyone else in a safe spot and I'll personally make sure he doesn't hurt anyone," she reassured her.
"What's happen-?" Misao started but stopped in mid-word. "That's Cho's voice!"
"He and Sano are trying to settle a score or something. We've got to get everyone in one spot, just in case...something comes through the door."
Seeing the look on Cho's face, Sano leaned his zan-batou back where it was. Maybe it was Kenshin rubbing off on him, but it didn't seem fair to face him with a zan-batou when he only had his two other swords and a broken sword hilt.
"Okay, Broom-Head," he said, hanging his coat on his zan-batou. "Now it's personal."
"No weapons?!" Cho shouted. "Hah! Have it your way, Rooster-Head!!"
The two fighters had the initial staring match, but didn't seem to able to decide which one should attack first.
"You gonna attack or just stand there?" Cho asked.
"Have it your way," Sano said as he rushed forward, fist ready to strike.
"Where's Yahiko?" Aki asked as she, Misao, and Kaoru ran through the dojo looking for anyone to round up.
"Where's Kenshin? Suzuka and Aoshi escorted my class into town," Kaoru explained
"You two keep looking, I've got a bad feeling about the battle," Aki said, starting to turn around, but Misao grabbed her arm.
"I'm coming with you!"
"Don't worry, Aki-Chan, I'll find everyone else by myself, I grew up here, after all," Kaoru said with a smile, heading off down the way they were going.
Aki and Misao got to the door to try to guard it, but right then got there, all the screened doors exploded as a nearly unconscious Cho was thrown through them.
Sano, who had a lot less damage, threw Cho his coat and swords.
"Now, get out of here before *~I~* knock the rest of your brains out!!" Misao shouted.
Aki just cracked her knuckled and gave him a cold stare. To add to his convincing, Kenshin came around the corner. "Oh, hello, Cho, long time, no see, that it is."
"Hello, Battousai..." Cho started. "I was just leaving." And with that, Cho left the Kamiya dojo.
"Come on, Sano-Kun," Aki said, walking over to her beat-up friend. He had taken a lot less than Cho had, but he was still trying hard to stand up. She put one arm around him and let him put an arm around her shoulder as she lead him to the dojo. "Let's get you something to eat...and a new door."
"Hey! Go Sano!" Misao cheered as they walked.
"Kaoru-San," Aki started after Sano's scratches and bruises were taken care of, Suzuka and Aoshi were working on rebuilding the dojo's doors, and Aki was taking care of her own scratch. "You think we could have Megumi-San, Gensai-San, Ayame-Chan, and Suzume-Chan over for dinner tonight?"
"What for, Aki-Chan?" she asked, a little startled. "To celebrate?"
"Yeah, but not for Sano beating what's-his-face though, something more important than that."
"What is it? A hint maybe?"
"Oh no, Kaoru-San, you'll have to wait with everyone else."
"Wait for what?" Misao asked, walking in.
"Aki-Chan says she wants to celebrate something...an announcement she said. But she's not telling me," Kaoru explained, hoping the extra person would help with her plea.
"Aki-Chan, you can whisper in my ear and I promise I won't tell," Misao suggested.
Aki shook her head. "I'm going to wait for everyone else to get here, and after we've had dinner, then I'll tell."
"But, Aki-Chan," Kaoru started.
"You can tell your two best friends, right?" Misao finished.
"Fine, fine! I'll give you a hint, but that's all you get." Kaoru and Misao leaned in, ready to hear. "Flowers."
"What about them?" Kaoru asked.
"That was your hint."
"Are you...starting a garden?" Misao asked.
"No fair guessing, and no."
"Ah, Aki-Chan!" Kaoru and Misao said simultaneously.
"As soon as everybody else gets here and dinner's done, I can tell you, we had lunch about what, an hour ago?"
"Hoé...." Suzuka said, walking in, wiping her forehead. "Aoshi and I are done with the frames, and he said he'd do the screens for me. He's so sweet," she finished with a smile.
"Suzuka-Chan!" Kaoru said cheerfully. "Why don't we get Megumi, Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume for dinner?"
"Eh? Naze?" she asked a little confused. Her raven-haired friend whispered an explanation in her ear. "Oh, okay, let's get going then." And with that, she and Kaoru went out the door.
"You don't want me to get Saito, do you?" Misao asked.
"No, no!" Aki said with a laugh. "We could go to the Akobeko and invite Tsubame-San, Tae-San, and Sano's gambling buddies, though."
"Okay! The faster we learn this, the sooner everyone will be out of suspense!" Misao concluded, dragging her friend to her feet.
Kenshin, Sano, and Aoshi gave Misao an odd look as she dragged Aki out the front door with just enough time for Aki to grab her kasa.
"What was that about?" Aoshi asked.
Sano sat in thought for a minute, but finally got the idea. "An announcement."
"An announcement about what, Sano?" Kenshin asked.
"Can't tell you till after dinner."
"A hint would be appreciated, that it would."
"Keiki."
"Death?!"
"No, cake!" (AN: Yay!! Foreign word play!! XD)
"Are you having a birthday?" Kenshin asked.
"No, that's in February."
"Something to do with cake...." Aoshi pondered.
"I should get the dining room ready for guests, that I should," Kenshin said, getting up and leaving.
"I should finish the screens before the guests come," Aoshi, getting up, headed for the front door.
"And I...should get some sleep before they come," Sano finished, lounging back.
"What is for, Suzuka-Chan?" Megumi asked after Suzuka and Kaoru had invited her to the Kamiya dojo.
"Aki-Chan wouldn't tell us exactly, and she only gave a vague hint," Kaoru explained.
"What was the hint?"
"Flowers."
"What about?"
"She wouldn't tell, she just said it was an announcement and it had to do with flowers."
"Ah, great, it's a riddle, just what I need after a long day."
"A long day of what, Megumi-Chan?" Suzuka asked.
"Auntie Suzuka!!" Ayame and Suzume greeted from behind. "Kaoru-Chan!!"
"Ayame-Chan, Suzume-Chan!!"
"Can we, Tae-San?" Tsubame asked. after receiving her invitation to the Kamiya dojo.
"I suppose we could tell everyone to go home about dinnertime," Tae pondered. "Would it be any trouble for you two to go home early?" she added to Sano's friends.
They just looked at Tae, back at each other, and shrugged.
"No, you're invited too!" Aki said.
"What do you want us over for?" Tae asked.
"Aki-Chan said it was an announcement," Misao explained.
"An announcement about what, Aki?" one of Sano's friends asked.
"Yeah, we're sort of stumped here," the other said.
"I can't tell until-"
"After dinner," Misao finished for her.
"We don't get a hint?" Tsubame asked.
"Flowers," she and Misao said at the same time.
"An announcement about flowers?" Tae asked.
"After dinner," Aki restated.
~~~
"Aki-Chan..." Misao started.
"It's after dinner...." Kaoru added.
"What's the proclamation?" Kenshin asked.
"It's been a few hours and all you've given us is flowers," Suzuka reminded her.
"Flowers?" Aoshi asked. "All we've gotten is keiki."
"Who died??" Misao asked.
"It was cake, that it was, Misao-San," Kenshin clarified.
"I think I might know what it is, but I wanna know just for sure," Sano's friend
"Yeah, I've got an idea, but if I'm wrong I'd be embarrassing the heck out of Sano," the other added.
"The secret ingredients in her saké?" Yahiko guessed.
"I don't think that's it, Yahiko-Chan," Tsubame said.
"I don't know, but it's got something to do with food," Doctor Gensai supposed.
"And pretty flowers!" Ayame exclaimed.
"Yeah, flowers!" Suzume added.
"Celebrating paying off Sanosuke-San's tab?" Tae asked.
"No, that was while ago," Misao concluded and shook her head. "Aki-Chan, what is it, already?!"
Instead of Aki answering, Sano answered. "We're getting married."
Kaoru reached over on one side, and Misao on the other, making something resembled a sandwich, Aki in the middle.
"Congratulations, Aki-Chan!!" Kaoru chimed.
"I'm so happy for you!!"
"Congratulations, Sano," Kenshin said.
Somehow over a fifteen-second pause, Suzuka, Ayame, Suzume, and Megumi had added to the dogpile on Aki. Tae and Tsubame just sat to one side and giggled.
"Go, Sano!" one of his friends shouted.
"Yeah, you got a whole clump of 'em!"
"Minna-San..." Aki's voice said. "I'm glad you're happy for me and everything....however, I need air to breathe...."
It took a bit, but everyone got the idea went back to their seats.
"So, when is it?" Kaoru asked.
"Who's gonna be the maid of honor?" Misao added.
"Or the best man?"
"Where's it gonna be?"
"Ah, come on," Aki said. "Give us a while to think about it, he proposed last night!"
"Oh, during the festival?" Kaoru asked.
"How cute!" Misao added.
"Who's invited?" Kenshin asked.
"See, this is what planning is for, we haven't done any of that yet," Aki explained.
"This has been fun and all, but it's getting late," Sano's friend piped up.
"Yeah, gotta go."
"Well, if you're going, we have to go see that nothing gets moved out of place," Tae said, taking Tsubame with her, following Sano's friends out the door.
"And we have to get back to the clinic," Megumi said, walking out with Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume.
"And WE," Kaoru said. "Are going to leave you two alone." And with that she herded out everyone, leaving just Aki and Sano.
"Sano," Aki started. "Misao and Aoshi are going to invite the Oniwabanshu. Kaoru-San's going to invite her class and their families. Megumi's going to invite her patients, and insist that I invite mine. Kenshin's most likely going to insist on inviting Saito and Yutaro. We're going to have half of Japan at our wedding!"
"We'll figure something out...eventually."