Hiya all again. I'm trying to make as many chapters as I can think up
before life gets crazy for me again. It's the semester break, and I'm
taking advantage. I had an idea brewing which a recent post by Firuze-nee-
san only fueled. I hope you all like my answer and my opinion, about why
I'm one of those people going against the grind and pairing up a weasel
with a tiger. ^^
...........
"Yukishiro-san, you have to get out of here!"
Seta Soujirou begged with a huff and a puff, hands on the desk, at the other end of which Yukishiro Enishi had a set of papers strewn before him. Despite knowing that this was an unprecedented event--considering that after all this was Seta Soujirou--he ignored the young man and continued with his work.
"Yukishiro-san, I am serious! You have to go hide!"
"From what, my blue-haired friend? The financial records are all straight." He had not lifted his eyes from his paperwork, as he balanced out the largest of the company's assests.
"They're going to kill you if they still find you here, Yukishiro- san."
"Who?"
"Somebody named Wu. Or his associates."
"Don't know him."
He arranged a few papers to get them out of his way, fixed his fountain pen, and completely ignored Seta for the next five minutes.
A month had passed since Enishi returned to Kyoto and to Misao. The wedding was set to happen within three weeks. The okashira had not objected. "Congratulations" was all he said, then he disappeared the rest of day to meditate. Enishi was quite aware that the okashira was just too honorable to say anything against the match, but he was disappointed Misao had chosen so. Enishi tried to make the best of it, and acknowledged the okashira's unselfless assistance in many occasions. If he could not be the okashira's friend, at least, he would be his ally in whatever plans he had for the future.
Seta Soujirou responded to the announcement differently. He gave them both his happiest plastered smile, wished them many happy years together, and even invited them to dinner on his treat, as the okashira had just paid him for his services. The three of them had a good time one evening at the Shirobeko, discussing the couple's plans. Misao promised they would do it again, some other night, but that it would be their treat. Soujirou smiled wide and agreed.
It was just that, something in his eyes felt odd to the white-haired businessman.
"Yukishiro-san, you're not really listening to me," Seta sulked.
"Of course not," he replied.
Over the last month, Enishi immersed himself in work. He re-oriented himself with the business deals the company had done over the past year, including his export deals with Shanghai. He remembered most of it with a little prompting from documents, and smoothed out remaining final details. Many of the negotiations he had conducted while in Shanghai were now ready to be cemented. Soon metal parts would be regularly distributed to legitimate partners in the continent.
Shiroyuki Shinichi was back in business.
Kyoto and Tokyo were aware that 'Shiroyuki Shinichi' was currently the businessman to beat. All have failed to beat him. He was no-nonsense with business deals. He did not settle for second-best. He wanted quality results quickly. He knew how to apply pressure when needed. At the same time, his workers were compensated well if they deserved it, improving employee morale and service. Overall, it resulted in the fastest growing enterprise both cities, and most of Japan, had seen.
Many friends and rivals of the company admitted this fact, and sent their congratulations on his safe return. Eventually the newspapers announced it as well, along with the news of his coming marriage.
"What does this famous 'Shiroyuki Shinichi' look like, anyhow?" Soujirou had overheard a couple of men talking at a wayside stall.
"Snow-white hair, and the best taste in Western clothes I've ever seen," someone replied. "If he didn't speak fluent Japanese, I could've sworn he was a foreigner!"
One man soon left after hearing this description, and Soujirou tailed him.
The man soon turned at a small alley and spoke with another man there, as the freelance spy listened at the corner.
"Tell Boss Wu, he's finally here."
"Will do, but you know the boss' instructions, right?"
"Once we learn the code, he goes."
"Right."
The men parted ways. Soujirou then proceeded immediately to the metalworks factory, to the operating manager's office.
Many people knew Shiroyuki, but only a few knew Yukishiro: the highest of police, Shinomori, Seta, Makimachi, and the Himuras. Therefore, for someone to be informing another not about Shiroyuki but about Yukishiro was something that deserved concern.
Seta banged on the desk. "Yukishiro-san, will you please stop and listen to me for a while?"
"Oh, are you still here?" he finally looked up at him.
"Yukishiro-san, listen! People are going to kill you!"
"Beginning with you, I suppose," he nonchalantly smirked at him.
Seta took his hands off the desk. "What...is that supposed to mean?"
Enishi puts his hands behind his head. "Don't think it has not come to my attention that you are attracted to Misao."
"That is NOT true, Yukishiro-san," he grinned his plastered grin at the businessman.
"You have always been nice to her, you have done all of those favors for her, you also probably took her out to dinner yourself without me. Am I mistaken?"
"Yes, you are," Seta smiled. "You ARE mistaken."
"Really?" he said with sarcasm. "Now how could that be? Such a handsome young man as yourself? Not fall for a pretty girl like her?"
"Well, it seems you will not listen to what I have to say until I answer you," he smiled again, and pulled up a chair. "As hard as it may be to believe, I only consider Misao-san as my friend. She has my respect as a fellow operative, and she has my support in anything she will do."
"Yet you have not been attracted to her? I find that hard to believe," Enishi chuckled. "I knew I had a rival in Shinomori, but I should have paid more attention to you."
"Why do you think so?" he tilted his head and grinned.
"I am not dense," the other man replied. "You two are roughly the same age. You get along well together. And you are quite opposite in personality to compliment each other. Well?"
Seta shrugged. "Other people have said that as well, about us, Shinomori-san included. However, I still say that Misao-san is only my friend."
"Why?"
"First of all, I cannot commit to a relationship as of yet. I have no stable source of income, as you well know. Freelancing also means that I don't stay in one place for long. One week I could be in Kyoto, another week I might have to suddenly go to Hokkaido. I have been around females long enough to realize that such a life is not to their liking. They like stability, and that is something I cannot provide. I have chosen to be a wanderer, much like Himura-san, and I am aware that the wanderer's life is destined to be lonely.
"Secondly, it would be unwise for me to even try to have more than a simple friendship with her, knowing that initially she admired Shinomori- san, then admired you. I would not allow myself to be disappointed in an undertaking I knew would fail from the beginning. This way, as her friend, I am sure I have at least a small place in her heart, the way she has with all her friends, and that is enough for me.
"Finally, someone as bubbly as Misao-san is best harnessed by someone like you. Someone older and wiser than her, someone who could control her raw energy and channel it to productive pursuits. I am too young to be that someone, and I am not wise enough. In fact, I allow her to control me most of the time. I, myself, am looking for my answers in life, so I should not be escorting another through this haphazard process I am going through. Thus, she chose you.
"All of that taken into consideration, please believe me when I say that she is only my friend, and nothing more. Because she is my friend, I consider you my friend as well, as a courtesy to her. I honor her choice, and I will continue to help her and you as best I can."
Enishi listened to the speech with interest. There was a touch of regret in the young man's voice, carefully masked by the cheerfulness in his demeanor. But it was also filled with sincerity, that Enishi did not question. He realized that, like Himura, Seta could have brainwashed him to believe things to his advantage, but did not. He told him the whole truth, and held nothing back. The young man was glib, but he was true to him.
He stood up, closed the windows and the door, and returned to his seat.
"I apologize for doubting your intentions, Seta. Now, talk. Who did you say wanted to kill me?"
"A certain Boss Wu. If I remember correctly, he used to be your second man. Do you know him?"
"I......think I do.....I remember seeing the name in the files before. Why?"
"Two men said that after they got the code from you, you were to be eliminated. I assume they work for that Boss Wu. As I think you would not give them the code they are after, if you recall which code that would be, I seriously suggest you leave Kyoto for the time being."
"But what about------"
"Misao-san? We'll explain the situation and keep her safe here."
The statement got the better of the businessman. "I knew it. That is your ulterior motive, isn't it? Keep her here, get me away from her, and get me killed someplace else," Enishi folded his arms and scowled.
"Absolutely NOT, Yukishiro-san!" Seta protested.
"And when I'm out of the way, you'll make her love you, and that's that," Enishi finished.
It was the last straw. Soujirou clenched his teeth and drew out his sword. He pointed it at Enishi's face.
"I would not do that, Seta," Enishi quietly opened a drawer and cocked a gold-lined pistol. "A sword is also my preferred weapon, but it can only do so much against firearms."
"Don't you dare point a pistol at me, Yukishiro," the other did not lower his sword, and maintained a straight face. "You owe your life to me, as much as you do to Misao-san.. Try to remember THAT, and tell me if I have ulterior motives against you."
Enishi only pointed the pistol straight at his skull.
"Ah, so you have forgotten that, too? The man who framed you had left you to die in a burning building. After the man confessed, I rushed into the building to save your hide. You know, I could have told Misao-san that I tried my best but I could not find you? I could have left you to die in there. As it was, you were quite dead already when I pulled you out. I gave her your exact status, and only then did Misao-san do the rest."
Enishi knit his brows for a few seconds, then looked again at Soujirou, without lowering the pistol. "Go on."
"On my word of honor, only one thing passed through my mind then: losing you would make my friend very sad, and I did not want her sad. I did not think of you as a rival or an enemy; you were the friend of my friend. That is all. That is why I helped you. That is why I am helping you now."
He resheathed his sword, and gave a plastered smile.
"I am like you; I'm still learning how to trust others unconditionally. I understand your concern. But also understand that with regards to Misao-san, my actions have no hidden motives. I will try to get more information for you, but you would be wise to lay low. I will see you at the Aioya. "
Soujirou exited the office, with as close to a frown as he could muster.
Animosity notwithstanding, Enishi walked toward the wall beside his window to the street, and leaned against it. He observed all the people coming and going through the factory's avenue. He even saw Misao pass by with a basketful of vegetables slung on one arm.
But after he saw her, he noticed that one man, leaning on a lamppost, had not changed position for a long time, and kept his eye on his window. Like him, the man wore Western clothing, stiffly, with the manner of one trained in the military. It made him slightly conspicuous to passersby but not enough to arouse suspicion. To pass time, the man smoked several cigarettes.
So it was true what Seta had told him. But it did not mean he was not going home to be with Misao. He hid his hair under a large leather hat, stuffed the pistol under his brown American suit and left the factory.
As he walked through the cobbled streets, he noted that the man from the lamppost followed him a short distance away. He kept redirecting his route, but the man was too good to lose the trail. As he turned the corner to reach the Aioya, he looked behind him. Alas, the tall smoker in Western clothes leaned on a wall nearby.
Also, all throughout his ever-changing route, he saw various types of men hidden behind walls and stalls, who noted his presence. He was sure he was not imagining things; the criminal instinct of looking more than both ways still proved useful. He reproved himself for not noticing much earlier, and made an excuse of being too busy working to notice.
He would worry about the threats on his life later. Now, he worried about the odd conversation he had with the wanderer.
"What do you think of Seta Soujirou?" was the first question he asked upon arrival at the Aioya.
"Good afternoon to you, too," Misao greeted with a raised eyebrow. "He's a nice guy. He's helped us a lot. Why do you ask?"
He took her by the hand, and pulled her into the kitchen. There, he grabbed for one small porcelain sake bottle, and then yanked her into the garden area.
But before he could raise the little bottle, Misao swiped it away from him, and threw it into the pond. "I am not marrying a drunkard, understood? Problems are settled best by discussion, not by weapons and not by drowning them in liquor."
"Fine." He hated the stuff, anyway. He settled down on the veranda, and sat her beside him. "Exactly what is that young man to you, once and for all, Misao?"
"Sou-chan?" She looked at him, tilted her head to one side and to the other, then laughed heartily. "Don't tell me you're jealous of him, Enishi!"
In reply, Enishi put his hands to his waist and looked at her sternly.
"Alright, alright! I'll take you seriously!" she said, trying to control her giggles. "He's my friend, so there, and that's all!"
"Really, now?"
"Look, my white-haired baka. I had no one to talk to while you were away. Aoshi-sama was around, of course, but he won't completely understand about you, am I right? Neither would any of the girls really understand. So he kept me company. He's quite a chatterbox when you get to know him. He kept me happy with stories here and there about what you were doing in the continent. And since he likes the woods, he goes with me through the long strolls while you were away. Does that answer your question?"
"And all this time, for one year, you have not been.....um.....um....."
"Attracted to Sou-chan? As I said, he's nice. That's all. He's nice. I like being his friend. He likes being my friend. That's fine with both of us. But for a husband? I don't think so," she grinned at the end. "He's just like the little brother I never had! And I don't want to marry my little brother."
In not so many words, Misao had just confirmed what Soujirou said in so many words. So the feeling was mutual. They were dear friends, but nothing more.
"There are many shades of friendship, my dear clueless one," she explained. "As you make more friends, you learn to enjoy those different shades and aspects. Soujirou is my friend, as is Himura, Kaoru-san, Aoshi- sama, many other people. I like them all as my friends, all in different ways. Similarly, my friendship with you is different from all the others. Every friendship is special in its own way, and I would be sorry to lose any of them."
"You don't want to marry your little brother, or your adopted father," Enishi smirked. "That's why you're marrying a white-haired baka."
"Not exactly," she grinned back. "I'm marrying my best friend."
She patted his hand and leaned contentedly on his shoulder.
.............
I don't think that' s much of an answer, but that's how I see things about the S/M pairing. It's cute when it happens and when it works. (I've read S/M fics I've liked a lot.) But it seems that Misao is the kind of person who falls for mature, older men. Because even if she is wise beyond her years, for the most part she will stay this happy and bubbly girl all her life. She needs someone to stabilize him. It is not like Kaoru, who probably would be happy with a guy just a little older than herself. She's happy with Kenshin, not exactly because he's that many years older and wiser, but because even if he's that much older they think very much alike.
As you can see, Sabbie-chan, I'm not done yet, and I won't be for a little while. ^^ The Vandread fic will be over in one more chapter, however. The second to the last chappie is already posted. Sorry for the long delay. Thanks much. Congrats on getting into that hard-to-get-into animation class!
Curls of Serenity-He hasn't lost it, as you can well see. ^^ And he remembers.
JML-The wandering smiley? Present and accounted for! Rakuninmura is in Tokyo, but Kyoto has something similar to it that Oibore said he would go to.
Maeko-Nohara-Unfortunately I go for the mushy stuff with just a little angst mixed in. ^^ I hope this current speed is fast enough for ya.
Mi-Happy ending? Aren't I known for that? But we'll see. ^^
Devil1-Thanks much!
BittersweetKandy-Thanks! I'm sorry you've missed the last chappie.
CatH-Thanks for reminding me I was taking the Enishi-san thing a bit too far already. ^^ Glad you liked Oibore.
Firuze-nee-san-Yeah. After that chapter I'm now convinced I'm not drinking alcohol myself. If I can imagine that it can happen to me, so I'd rather not. ^^ Well, we'll see where we can add Saint Misao.
Jbramx2-Thanks for liking Oibore. I like that old geezer a lot too. ^^
Mary-Ann-Thanks! I type the stuff as I see it in my head. ^^ I like that aspect of reading and writing, when you can see things in your head.
Thanks again! I hope to see you soon!
...........
"Yukishiro-san, you have to get out of here!"
Seta Soujirou begged with a huff and a puff, hands on the desk, at the other end of which Yukishiro Enishi had a set of papers strewn before him. Despite knowing that this was an unprecedented event--considering that after all this was Seta Soujirou--he ignored the young man and continued with his work.
"Yukishiro-san, I am serious! You have to go hide!"
"From what, my blue-haired friend? The financial records are all straight." He had not lifted his eyes from his paperwork, as he balanced out the largest of the company's assests.
"They're going to kill you if they still find you here, Yukishiro- san."
"Who?"
"Somebody named Wu. Or his associates."
"Don't know him."
He arranged a few papers to get them out of his way, fixed his fountain pen, and completely ignored Seta for the next five minutes.
A month had passed since Enishi returned to Kyoto and to Misao. The wedding was set to happen within three weeks. The okashira had not objected. "Congratulations" was all he said, then he disappeared the rest of day to meditate. Enishi was quite aware that the okashira was just too honorable to say anything against the match, but he was disappointed Misao had chosen so. Enishi tried to make the best of it, and acknowledged the okashira's unselfless assistance in many occasions. If he could not be the okashira's friend, at least, he would be his ally in whatever plans he had for the future.
Seta Soujirou responded to the announcement differently. He gave them both his happiest plastered smile, wished them many happy years together, and even invited them to dinner on his treat, as the okashira had just paid him for his services. The three of them had a good time one evening at the Shirobeko, discussing the couple's plans. Misao promised they would do it again, some other night, but that it would be their treat. Soujirou smiled wide and agreed.
It was just that, something in his eyes felt odd to the white-haired businessman.
"Yukishiro-san, you're not really listening to me," Seta sulked.
"Of course not," he replied.
Over the last month, Enishi immersed himself in work. He re-oriented himself with the business deals the company had done over the past year, including his export deals with Shanghai. He remembered most of it with a little prompting from documents, and smoothed out remaining final details. Many of the negotiations he had conducted while in Shanghai were now ready to be cemented. Soon metal parts would be regularly distributed to legitimate partners in the continent.
Shiroyuki Shinichi was back in business.
Kyoto and Tokyo were aware that 'Shiroyuki Shinichi' was currently the businessman to beat. All have failed to beat him. He was no-nonsense with business deals. He did not settle for second-best. He wanted quality results quickly. He knew how to apply pressure when needed. At the same time, his workers were compensated well if they deserved it, improving employee morale and service. Overall, it resulted in the fastest growing enterprise both cities, and most of Japan, had seen.
Many friends and rivals of the company admitted this fact, and sent their congratulations on his safe return. Eventually the newspapers announced it as well, along with the news of his coming marriage.
"What does this famous 'Shiroyuki Shinichi' look like, anyhow?" Soujirou had overheard a couple of men talking at a wayside stall.
"Snow-white hair, and the best taste in Western clothes I've ever seen," someone replied. "If he didn't speak fluent Japanese, I could've sworn he was a foreigner!"
One man soon left after hearing this description, and Soujirou tailed him.
The man soon turned at a small alley and spoke with another man there, as the freelance spy listened at the corner.
"Tell Boss Wu, he's finally here."
"Will do, but you know the boss' instructions, right?"
"Once we learn the code, he goes."
"Right."
The men parted ways. Soujirou then proceeded immediately to the metalworks factory, to the operating manager's office.
Many people knew Shiroyuki, but only a few knew Yukishiro: the highest of police, Shinomori, Seta, Makimachi, and the Himuras. Therefore, for someone to be informing another not about Shiroyuki but about Yukishiro was something that deserved concern.
Seta banged on the desk. "Yukishiro-san, will you please stop and listen to me for a while?"
"Oh, are you still here?" he finally looked up at him.
"Yukishiro-san, listen! People are going to kill you!"
"Beginning with you, I suppose," he nonchalantly smirked at him.
Seta took his hands off the desk. "What...is that supposed to mean?"
Enishi puts his hands behind his head. "Don't think it has not come to my attention that you are attracted to Misao."
"That is NOT true, Yukishiro-san," he grinned his plastered grin at the businessman.
"You have always been nice to her, you have done all of those favors for her, you also probably took her out to dinner yourself without me. Am I mistaken?"
"Yes, you are," Seta smiled. "You ARE mistaken."
"Really?" he said with sarcasm. "Now how could that be? Such a handsome young man as yourself? Not fall for a pretty girl like her?"
"Well, it seems you will not listen to what I have to say until I answer you," he smiled again, and pulled up a chair. "As hard as it may be to believe, I only consider Misao-san as my friend. She has my respect as a fellow operative, and she has my support in anything she will do."
"Yet you have not been attracted to her? I find that hard to believe," Enishi chuckled. "I knew I had a rival in Shinomori, but I should have paid more attention to you."
"Why do you think so?" he tilted his head and grinned.
"I am not dense," the other man replied. "You two are roughly the same age. You get along well together. And you are quite opposite in personality to compliment each other. Well?"
Seta shrugged. "Other people have said that as well, about us, Shinomori-san included. However, I still say that Misao-san is only my friend."
"Why?"
"First of all, I cannot commit to a relationship as of yet. I have no stable source of income, as you well know. Freelancing also means that I don't stay in one place for long. One week I could be in Kyoto, another week I might have to suddenly go to Hokkaido. I have been around females long enough to realize that such a life is not to their liking. They like stability, and that is something I cannot provide. I have chosen to be a wanderer, much like Himura-san, and I am aware that the wanderer's life is destined to be lonely.
"Secondly, it would be unwise for me to even try to have more than a simple friendship with her, knowing that initially she admired Shinomori- san, then admired you. I would not allow myself to be disappointed in an undertaking I knew would fail from the beginning. This way, as her friend, I am sure I have at least a small place in her heart, the way she has with all her friends, and that is enough for me.
"Finally, someone as bubbly as Misao-san is best harnessed by someone like you. Someone older and wiser than her, someone who could control her raw energy and channel it to productive pursuits. I am too young to be that someone, and I am not wise enough. In fact, I allow her to control me most of the time. I, myself, am looking for my answers in life, so I should not be escorting another through this haphazard process I am going through. Thus, she chose you.
"All of that taken into consideration, please believe me when I say that she is only my friend, and nothing more. Because she is my friend, I consider you my friend as well, as a courtesy to her. I honor her choice, and I will continue to help her and you as best I can."
Enishi listened to the speech with interest. There was a touch of regret in the young man's voice, carefully masked by the cheerfulness in his demeanor. But it was also filled with sincerity, that Enishi did not question. He realized that, like Himura, Seta could have brainwashed him to believe things to his advantage, but did not. He told him the whole truth, and held nothing back. The young man was glib, but he was true to him.
He stood up, closed the windows and the door, and returned to his seat.
"I apologize for doubting your intentions, Seta. Now, talk. Who did you say wanted to kill me?"
"A certain Boss Wu. If I remember correctly, he used to be your second man. Do you know him?"
"I......think I do.....I remember seeing the name in the files before. Why?"
"Two men said that after they got the code from you, you were to be eliminated. I assume they work for that Boss Wu. As I think you would not give them the code they are after, if you recall which code that would be, I seriously suggest you leave Kyoto for the time being."
"But what about------"
"Misao-san? We'll explain the situation and keep her safe here."
The statement got the better of the businessman. "I knew it. That is your ulterior motive, isn't it? Keep her here, get me away from her, and get me killed someplace else," Enishi folded his arms and scowled.
"Absolutely NOT, Yukishiro-san!" Seta protested.
"And when I'm out of the way, you'll make her love you, and that's that," Enishi finished.
It was the last straw. Soujirou clenched his teeth and drew out his sword. He pointed it at Enishi's face.
"I would not do that, Seta," Enishi quietly opened a drawer and cocked a gold-lined pistol. "A sword is also my preferred weapon, but it can only do so much against firearms."
"Don't you dare point a pistol at me, Yukishiro," the other did not lower his sword, and maintained a straight face. "You owe your life to me, as much as you do to Misao-san.. Try to remember THAT, and tell me if I have ulterior motives against you."
Enishi only pointed the pistol straight at his skull.
"Ah, so you have forgotten that, too? The man who framed you had left you to die in a burning building. After the man confessed, I rushed into the building to save your hide. You know, I could have told Misao-san that I tried my best but I could not find you? I could have left you to die in there. As it was, you were quite dead already when I pulled you out. I gave her your exact status, and only then did Misao-san do the rest."
Enishi knit his brows for a few seconds, then looked again at Soujirou, without lowering the pistol. "Go on."
"On my word of honor, only one thing passed through my mind then: losing you would make my friend very sad, and I did not want her sad. I did not think of you as a rival or an enemy; you were the friend of my friend. That is all. That is why I helped you. That is why I am helping you now."
He resheathed his sword, and gave a plastered smile.
"I am like you; I'm still learning how to trust others unconditionally. I understand your concern. But also understand that with regards to Misao-san, my actions have no hidden motives. I will try to get more information for you, but you would be wise to lay low. I will see you at the Aioya. "
Soujirou exited the office, with as close to a frown as he could muster.
Animosity notwithstanding, Enishi walked toward the wall beside his window to the street, and leaned against it. He observed all the people coming and going through the factory's avenue. He even saw Misao pass by with a basketful of vegetables slung on one arm.
But after he saw her, he noticed that one man, leaning on a lamppost, had not changed position for a long time, and kept his eye on his window. Like him, the man wore Western clothing, stiffly, with the manner of one trained in the military. It made him slightly conspicuous to passersby but not enough to arouse suspicion. To pass time, the man smoked several cigarettes.
So it was true what Seta had told him. But it did not mean he was not going home to be with Misao. He hid his hair under a large leather hat, stuffed the pistol under his brown American suit and left the factory.
As he walked through the cobbled streets, he noted that the man from the lamppost followed him a short distance away. He kept redirecting his route, but the man was too good to lose the trail. As he turned the corner to reach the Aioya, he looked behind him. Alas, the tall smoker in Western clothes leaned on a wall nearby.
Also, all throughout his ever-changing route, he saw various types of men hidden behind walls and stalls, who noted his presence. He was sure he was not imagining things; the criminal instinct of looking more than both ways still proved useful. He reproved himself for not noticing much earlier, and made an excuse of being too busy working to notice.
He would worry about the threats on his life later. Now, he worried about the odd conversation he had with the wanderer.
"What do you think of Seta Soujirou?" was the first question he asked upon arrival at the Aioya.
"Good afternoon to you, too," Misao greeted with a raised eyebrow. "He's a nice guy. He's helped us a lot. Why do you ask?"
He took her by the hand, and pulled her into the kitchen. There, he grabbed for one small porcelain sake bottle, and then yanked her into the garden area.
But before he could raise the little bottle, Misao swiped it away from him, and threw it into the pond. "I am not marrying a drunkard, understood? Problems are settled best by discussion, not by weapons and not by drowning them in liquor."
"Fine." He hated the stuff, anyway. He settled down on the veranda, and sat her beside him. "Exactly what is that young man to you, once and for all, Misao?"
"Sou-chan?" She looked at him, tilted her head to one side and to the other, then laughed heartily. "Don't tell me you're jealous of him, Enishi!"
In reply, Enishi put his hands to his waist and looked at her sternly.
"Alright, alright! I'll take you seriously!" she said, trying to control her giggles. "He's my friend, so there, and that's all!"
"Really, now?"
"Look, my white-haired baka. I had no one to talk to while you were away. Aoshi-sama was around, of course, but he won't completely understand about you, am I right? Neither would any of the girls really understand. So he kept me company. He's quite a chatterbox when you get to know him. He kept me happy with stories here and there about what you were doing in the continent. And since he likes the woods, he goes with me through the long strolls while you were away. Does that answer your question?"
"And all this time, for one year, you have not been.....um.....um....."
"Attracted to Sou-chan? As I said, he's nice. That's all. He's nice. I like being his friend. He likes being my friend. That's fine with both of us. But for a husband? I don't think so," she grinned at the end. "He's just like the little brother I never had! And I don't want to marry my little brother."
In not so many words, Misao had just confirmed what Soujirou said in so many words. So the feeling was mutual. They were dear friends, but nothing more.
"There are many shades of friendship, my dear clueless one," she explained. "As you make more friends, you learn to enjoy those different shades and aspects. Soujirou is my friend, as is Himura, Kaoru-san, Aoshi- sama, many other people. I like them all as my friends, all in different ways. Similarly, my friendship with you is different from all the others. Every friendship is special in its own way, and I would be sorry to lose any of them."
"You don't want to marry your little brother, or your adopted father," Enishi smirked. "That's why you're marrying a white-haired baka."
"Not exactly," she grinned back. "I'm marrying my best friend."
She patted his hand and leaned contentedly on his shoulder.
.............
I don't think that' s much of an answer, but that's how I see things about the S/M pairing. It's cute when it happens and when it works. (I've read S/M fics I've liked a lot.) But it seems that Misao is the kind of person who falls for mature, older men. Because even if she is wise beyond her years, for the most part she will stay this happy and bubbly girl all her life. She needs someone to stabilize him. It is not like Kaoru, who probably would be happy with a guy just a little older than herself. She's happy with Kenshin, not exactly because he's that many years older and wiser, but because even if he's that much older they think very much alike.
As you can see, Sabbie-chan, I'm not done yet, and I won't be for a little while. ^^ The Vandread fic will be over in one more chapter, however. The second to the last chappie is already posted. Sorry for the long delay. Thanks much. Congrats on getting into that hard-to-get-into animation class!
Curls of Serenity-He hasn't lost it, as you can well see. ^^ And he remembers.
JML-The wandering smiley? Present and accounted for! Rakuninmura is in Tokyo, but Kyoto has something similar to it that Oibore said he would go to.
Maeko-Nohara-Unfortunately I go for the mushy stuff with just a little angst mixed in. ^^ I hope this current speed is fast enough for ya.
Mi-Happy ending? Aren't I known for that? But we'll see. ^^
Devil1-Thanks much!
BittersweetKandy-Thanks! I'm sorry you've missed the last chappie.
CatH-Thanks for reminding me I was taking the Enishi-san thing a bit too far already. ^^ Glad you liked Oibore.
Firuze-nee-san-Yeah. After that chapter I'm now convinced I'm not drinking alcohol myself. If I can imagine that it can happen to me, so I'd rather not. ^^ Well, we'll see where we can add Saint Misao.
Jbramx2-Thanks for liking Oibore. I like that old geezer a lot too. ^^
Mary-Ann-Thanks! I type the stuff as I see it in my head. ^^ I like that aspect of reading and writing, when you can see things in your head.
Thanks again! I hope to see you soon!