Catharsis
crossroads
.:chapter twelve:.
Kenshin moved on reflex, pulling Kaoru to the ground even as it vibrated beneath them. The booming of the crust shifting violently was followed by the terrible sound of wood splintering several yards ahead of them. Kaoru tried to find the source of the noise, but the movement of the earth sent her arms sprawling. She heard a scream and her confused fear suddenly doubled. Each second writhed past her at an agonizing pace.
Just when she wondered if the earth would split in two, it stilled.
Kaoru looked through disheveled hair to see part of the bridge had collapsed into the river below. A woman clung desperately to the railings, eyes wide with fear even as Kenshin hurriedly pulled her to safety. At that moment, all thoughts about her conversation with the rurouni dissolved into panic. She mumbled Yahiko's name and turned to look back in the direction they came. She thought of the bridge collapsing and remembered the sound of wood splintering.
Her blood ran cold.
"Kenshin!" She cried as she hiked up her kimono. "Yahiko!"
She didn't wait for his response. She simply ran. The first thing she saw was the dojo gate hanging by a single hinge. The column supporting it splintered under its weight.
"Yahiko!" She shouted, voice frightened.
"It's not safe to enter that way, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin warned as she eyed a narrow opening in the damaged gate. His words went ignored. She squeezed herself through and tore her kimono in the rush.
"Yahiko!"
A head poked out from inside the dojo. "What? I'm in here."
His reply freed her heart, then came the reprimand. "What are you thinking?! Don't go in there!"
"I wanted to check out the damage," he scowled. "It's a mess! You should come see."
Kenshin beckoned to the boy. "Come out here, Yahiko. We don't know how safe the dojo is right now."
"It's fine," he said, knocking on the door frame for emphasis. "What's the big deal?"
"The bridge collapsed, idiot!" Kaoru fumed, "That's the big deal!"
"It did?" Yahiko asked with a morbid, childish excitement. "Really? I didn't think the earthquake was that bad."
Kaoru snorted and rolled her eyes as Kenshin walked the perimeter of the dojo. Then, he ventured inside.
"The dojo looks safe, Kaoru-dono. The support beams aren't cracked or splintered."
The kendo instructor stepped toward her family heirloom. Yahiko joined her in the dojo as Kenshin went to examine the damage to the house.
"So did the whole bridge collapse?" Yahiko asked as Kaoru bent to pick up a fallen painting — a portrait of her parents done by her grandfather shortly before he died. Standing on her tip-toes, she attempted to hang it once more.
"No," she said as she finished hanging it, then bent to retrieve a fallen plaque. "Only a part of it fell. The corner closest to our side."
"That's it? And you came running back here screaming for me like that?" He rolled his eyes. "Stupid."
Kaoru turned to glare at him. "How many earthquakes have you been through, Yahiko-chan?"
He bristled at the suffix. "One."
"And when was that? The last one I remember was nearly..." She did some quick figuring in her head, "seven years ago!"
"I remember it!" He said defensively, eyes challenging.
"You were 3-years-old."
"So?"
"So!?" Kaoru pointed at him, "It was minor compared to this one! Who knows what kind of damage we'll find in the city. People could be trapped—"
"Kaoru-dono."
She gave Kenshin her attention.
"The house appears safe." He handed her a hastily tied bag full of bandages and other medical supplies, "We should go into town now."
• • •
The damage seemed to get worse the closer they got to the city. Kenshin remarked that the proximity of the buildings in the center of town may have caused a domino effect, with one building or wall falling on another building or wall until an entire row of structures became damaged or destroyed. Without a word, they hurried their pace.
Moments later, their feet slowed when they heard a child crying and a woman wailing for help. Their ears led them to a scene that gave them their first taste of the disaster. One of the walls of the home fell inward, causing part of the roof to collapse and a second wall to lean precariously. Two men struggled to remove the rubble as a woman standing nearby grew hysterical.
Kaoru instinctively went to the woman and offered her comfort as Kenshin and Yahiko gave aid to the two men. The removal of the rubble moved quicker with the extra hands. Soon a foot was seen, followed by a leg stained with blood. The sight quickened their pace as a little girl buried her face in the skirt of her mother's kimono.
An ominous creak brought the work to a sudden halt and the men froze in place, uneasily watching the leaning wall.
"Get him out!" The woman cried, pushing Kaoru and her clinging daughter away as she stepped toward the broken house. "You can't stop! Get him out!"
Kaoru followed after her and reached for her arm, "Miss..."
"Tarou is still in there!" she yelled brokenly. "Please!"
Kenshin was the first to resume the work and the others hesitated for only a moment longer before following his lead. Seeing the men working again provided the distraught woman with a sliver of calm, but still she trembled.
"What's your name?" Kaoru asked as she moved to stand beside her. She said nothing for a long moment. Lips quivered as the men struggled to lift part of the fallen wall that covered her husband's upper body.
"M- Mako," she whispered finally.
The wall removed, the men looked upon their find. The expression on their faces, particularly on Yahiko, bore the terrible truth. Mako pushed forward, determined to go to her husband. What she saw brought her to a sudden halt.
No one said a word. Kaoru's throat tightened. Yahiko tried not to look green. The little girl sniffled.
And then Mako fainted.
• • •
"I found an extra blanket," Kaoru smiled as she held out the folded fabric. "It's pretty worn, but it should do the job."
The elderly man took it hesitantly. "It's not your last one, is it?"
Her smile faltered. It was the last blanket, but she wasn't about to tell him that. He needed it. The dojo wasn't as warm as the house at night and she already felt awful that she didn't have any room for him in her home. He was very nearly in his seventies and she hated to think of him sleeping on the cold, hard floor of the dojo, but it couldn't be helped. Every available space was being used as a temporary shelter for those who had no where else to go.
"Please take it, Jiro-san," she affirmed. He paused, uncertainty reflecting in his eyes. Even if he didn't take it now she would see to it that he didn't sleep the night without it. Lips parting into a reassuring smile, Kaoru said, "Please. I insist!"
He finally took it from her with a consenting nod. "Th-thank you."
"Miss Kamiya?"
Kaoru turned toward the new voice, "Yes?"
A middle-aged man who she had never seen before stood only a few feet away. "I have a delivery for you," he said as he pointed his thumb toward the wide open gate where three other men were waiting. The large gateway doors that gave her home privacy had to be removed for the sake of safety. They had yet to find the time, let alone afford the supplies, to make the necessary repairs.
"What delivery?" Kaoru asked, perplexed. "I didn't order anything."
"Supplies," the man said offhandedly as he motioned to his co-workers. They immediately disappeared and reappeared carrying planks of wood and a large crate.
Kaoru's eyes went wide as she watched them carrying the heavy load toward her. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "I didn't order any of this. There's been a mistake."
The men carrying the plants of wood paused, turning their attention to their boss. Holding up a sheet of paper, he asked, "You're Kamiya Kaoru, right?"
"I... well... y-yes..."
"Then there's no mistake," the man reassured her as he gestured to his men again. They immediately unloaded the planks of wood next to the dojo before turning around and heading back to the gate. "We were given specific instructions to deliver these supplies to you as soon as possible."
She opened and closed her mouth soundlessly before realization hit her. "By whom?"
"Where do you want this?" one of the men called out, his arms straining to hold his side of a particularly large wooden crate.
"Uh..." Kaoru thought fast, then pointed toward the growing pile of wood planks, "just put it down right there... I guess."
He and his partner quickly lowered it before ambling back toward the gate to retrieve the rest of the delivery.
"Could you sign this, please?" The man standing beside her asked, holding out a slip of paper to her. She took the parchment and scanned it. Sure enough, her name was listed as the recipient of the goods. Along with the words, 'PAID IN FULL.'
"Who paid for this?" Kaoru asked.
"No idea," he said, holding out a thoroughly worn pencil for her to take. He pointed at the bottom corner of the paper, "Just sign there."
"Where did the order come from?"
"China."
Her body flinched as the image of Enishi filled her mind. 'It can't be,' she thought.
"I don't have the purchaser's name on any of my paperwork," he continued. "But it's paid for and we were given specific instructions to deliver everything today. Now if you don't mind," he pointed at the form, "sign here, please."
Kaoru reached for the offered pencil in a daze. "Are... are you sure?" she asked. "It didn't come from someone in Japan?"
The delivery man cleared his throat and looked pointedly at the place where he wanted her to sign.
'Who would know to donate stuff like this from China?' she wondered. Heart pounding hard in her chest, she swallowed hard and asked, "Is it from... Shanghai?"
The man gave her a look bordering on impatience. "Lady, I already told you all I know. Our job is to deliver the goods. That's it."
"I see. I'm sorry," she murmured.
'It has to be from him! Who else could afford all this?'
He pointed at the paper again, "Could you sign here, please, so we can go?"
Kaoru blushed, "Oh! Sorry, yes... of course."
The paper signed and the supplies delivered, Kaoru examined the crate. It was featureless, save for her name printed clearly on two sides. The eyes of her guests watched curiously as she retrieved a makeshift crowbar and pried the lid open. With a sudden pop, the lid slid off, revealing neatly packed tools, nails, hooks, thick rope, shingles... but there was no note. No personal message at all. Just... supplies.
A lot of supplies.
Kaoru could only stare in amazement. There was more wood, tools and raw materials laid out in front of her than she could ever possibly need to repair her home and dojo. 'Enishi wouldn't do something like this... would he?' Kaoru eyed the planks of wood, 'If it is from Enishi, how did he know we needed all of this?'
"It looks like your kindness is being repaid," Jiro said.
So caught up in her thoughts, she didn't realize he was standing right beside her until he spoke.
"Who do you think sent this to you?" he asked, lips parted into a warm smile.
"I'm... not sure," she lied, not wanting to speak her suspicions out loud. Not everyone knew the name of the man who orchestrated her 'death,' but she didn't want to risk causing a stir in case someone did. The less she mentioned Enishi, the better. "I think an old friend did."
"You must have been a big help to them," he said, smiling. "All these carpentry tools and wood... this is a very expensive gift."
"Yes, it certainly is." Kaoru picked up a hammer and turned it over in her hand.
"Well, this is good," Jiro's smile grew. "I know you haven't been able to do much work on your own home. With these supplies, we can finally do something to repay you for your kindness. You'll have to thank your friend next time you see him."
"No, you don't have to—"
"I don't think anyone here will take 'no' for an answer." He winked.
Kaoru felt her heart swell and a grateful smile pulled at her lips. "Th- thank you, Jiro-san. I appreciate it."
• • •
Yahiko inquired about the anonymous gift, but Kaoru feigned ignorance. She was certain the boy already had strong assumptions about who the mystery donor was, but he managed to keep those thoughts to himself. To her surprise (and disappointment), Kenshin said nothing of the gift at all. Other than express gratefulness to whomever had the items delivered to them, he seemed to have no interest regarding the identity of the donor.
Kaoru found his disinterest more than a little frustrating. She thought he would at least seem suspicious or concerned... after all, it came from China. Had the delivery man not told her that information himself, she would have discovered it on her own. The country of origin was stamped on the inside of the box.
Fortunately, Kaoru didn't have time to angst over Kenshin's reaction. Since receiving the delivery her days were quickly consumed by the demands of repair and clean-up. It took almost three weeks to repair the worst damage to the house and dojo. The remaining materials were quickly used to help repair her neighbor's homes so they could be lived in again. In less than five weeks, there was nothing left of the anonymous gift except well-worn tools.
With the major stuff taken care of, all that was left to repair at the Kamiya homestead were the little things, like furniture, shelving or knickknacks. When she wasn't required to provide aid and comfort for her remaining guests, she would steal an hour or two to herself to attempt to fix what she could on her own.
Like now. With a few nails and a hammer laying beside her, Kaoru marked the wall where she wanted the shelf to go. She'd been meaning to fix the fallen ledge in her bedroom, but put it off. Yahiko promised that he would do it, but had yet to get around to it. Not that she could blame him. Yahiko and Kenshin were also helping those in need. They'd been so busy removing rubble and looking for missing people that they frequently spent the night away from home. For the first few weeks after the quake, Kaoru often went to bed without having seen either one of them.
Lately, their time was spent specifically with the rebuilding effort and it seemed that every able-bodied man in Tokyo was helping. As a result, the work went fast. With the focus on rebuilding, rather than searching for people, Kenshin and Yahiko finally had some breathing room. Yahiko did his best to keep up with his training, making a point to try to be home before sunset. Even so, Kaoru rarely saw either one of them until well after dark.
One mark made, she used the edge of the shelf to guide her to where the next mark should be. The truth was, she was kind of glad Yahiko hadn't done the chore. After weeks of giving her time and concern to her neighbors, Kaoru yearned for the privacy such a repair job would provide her... even if it did only last a few, short minutes.
Hammering the first nail into the wall, Kaoru thought of Sanosuke. They could use his brute strength at a time like this, but the gangster was no where to be found. He fled town before she came back to Tokyo, eager to escape the police of a government he found morally objectionable. It pained Kaoru to think of how the two of them parted. He had been so angry with her on Enishi's island...
"Need help with that?"
The hammer thudded against the wall, just grazing Kaoru's thumb. "Mou!"
Yahiko rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry."
She stood to her full height and stretched her arms out over her head, "That's okay, I'm almost done here." The kendo instructor noticed the boy was wearing his old clothes. "You're leaving with Kenshin now?"
"Yeah. We're supposed to help the Tomino family again today."
Kaoru looked out the window beyond Yahiko to see Kenshin. He smiled playfully, eyes crinkling and face filled with happiness as he listened to a little boy talk animatedly. He ruffled the young boy's hair and then gave that same smile to his mother and older sister. Kaoru recognized them as one of the families preparing to leave the dojo to move back into their newly repaired home. The woman said something and Kenshin's grin grew.
A pained countenance lifted Kaoru's lips. He seemed so at peace. So comfortable. Her smile faltered as a new thought struck her. 'He's smiling like he did when I first met him.'
She hadn't noticed it before. All her time had been spent with the displaced so she never had a chance to really look at Kenshin. The rurouni was in his element. Working to save lives, protecting property from looters, clearing rubble, repairing support beams and collapsed roofs, carrying the injured to receive medical care... for the first time since the kidnapping, Kaoru saw genuine satisfaction in Kenshin.
It was a satisfaction her friendship had ceased to provide. Her optimism surfaced, and hope swelled in her chest. 'Is he... getting better? Will he smile like that for me?'
Then it really hit. Recent encounters with the rurouni replayed in her mind. The way he still avoided any lingering eye contact, or answered her questions with one-word answers, or avoided being alone with her for longer than he had too...
Bitterness stung her heart. She felt like an acquaintance rather than a friend. No matter what she did, he still maintained his distance from her. His politeness was a shield. She knew it wasn't his intention to hurt her, but she felt distinctly rejected. Try as she might, she could not bridge the gap between them. Not when Kenshin refused to receive her efforts.
'Why can't things go back to the way they used to be?'
"He's starting to act like he used to," Yahiko remarked, following her line of sight. His comments startled Kaoru from her introspective stare and sent a blush to her cheeks. "But he still has that atonement bullshit thing. I think he's some kind of massagist."
She blinked at him, her brows creased in confusion. "Massagist?"
"Yeah, you know," he said, his tone taking on a condescending edge. "Massagist. He likes to punish himself."
Kaoru laughed, finally understanding what he meant. "That's 'masochist.'"
Yahiko shrugged. "Same difference."
"No it's not," her lips still curled in amusement. "Not even close."
The boy looked on with a forced disinterest as his cheeks took on a pinkish hue. "Well, whatever. Close enough."
"A masochist isn't motivated by a need for atonement," Kaoru continued. "So really, not the same."
"Fine," he muttered. "Whatever."
Seeing that he was feeling more than a little sensitive to her correction, she changed the subject. "I thought you guys finished with the Tomino family yesterday."
"Well, their house is safe to live in," Yahiko explained, "but the roof needs to be fixed so it doesn't leak and Kenshin decided we'd do that today. After that, we're supposed to go to Nagano's house. I'm not sure what needs done there."
"Sounds like you'll be pretty busy."
"No kidding," the boy grumbled. "He always has to help strangers first."
The last part was said with a tremor of bitterness, the wound of Rakinumura still rubbed him raw. Regardless, the truth of his words couldn't be denied. The need to atone was a driving force in Kenshin's psyche.
Kaoru stared blankly at Yahiko as thoughts swirled in her head. 'The need to help others, the compulsion to be in service to those in need... that's what Kenshin is. That's his self-appointed duty, isn't it? That's why he became a hitokiri and fought for this era...'
"What?" He asked defensively, pulling her from her thoughts. "What are you looking at?"
She blinked and quickly looked away from him, "N-nothing. Sorry."
A pregnant silence pushed against them. Yahiko shifted his weight awkwardly.
"I should be back in time for practice tonight," he said at last.
"Alright," Kaoru caught a stray tear before it escaped down her cheek. "Be careful."
With a brief wave, the boy left. She rose and went to her window to watch her student prepare to leave for the day with Kenshin. The two worked silently side-by-side as they gathered their needed tools, then with a few words Kenshin motioned toward the gate.
'Helping people is... cathartic for him now,' the kendo instructor thought as they left. 'He needs to help people. It's how he helps himself...'
Kaoru sighed and turned away from the window. Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to clear her mind. She still had a shelf to fix and few more chores to get done. Hammer in hand, she resumed her work but thoughts of Kenshin still filled her mind. 'He can't find peace here, can he? Not anymore... not with... just me...'
Tears stung her eyes. Biting her lip she pounded a nail into the wall and willed herself not to cry.
• • •
The crisp, night air bit at his nose and cheeks, sending shivers down his spine. Kenshin regretted not bringing along a heavier haori. The one he wore was old and offered little protection from the wind. Pulling the threadbare garment tighter around his body, he tried to ignore the growing cold.
He didn't expect the work to take so long to complete. Yahiko left late in the afternoon to practice with Kaoru, leaving him and one other man to complete the work themselves. One problem led to another and before long, the project turned ugly. Five hours later, the job still wasn't finished, but Kenshin felt too tired to continue. His body didn't have the same amount of stamina as it once did. Sleep was too important.
As he stepped past the gate and into the house, he realized Kaoru was waiting up for him. He offered a kind smile, "Hello, Kaoru-dono."
"Hello."
Kenshin removed his haori and relished in the warmth of the house.
"There's some hot tea in the kitchen," she said. "And I saved you some rice balls if you're hungry."
Kenshin smiled politely. "Thank you, Kaoru-dono."
He felt her follow him into the kitchen, her lingering presence alerting him to her need to speak.
"How did things go today?" he asked.
"Fine," Kaoru said, stepping further into the room. The soft glow of the lantern light highlighted her hair. "I helped Tae and Tsubame at the Akabeko for most of the afternoon. They told me to tell you 'hello.'"
"Ah," he smiled. "They're still short staffed?"
"Tae hired three new girls today. One of them is supposed to start tomorrow and the other two next Monday," Kaoru reached for two cups and motioned at the kettle. Kenshin nodded and she poured.
Hands wrapped gingerly around the mug, Kenshin enjoyed the feel of the warmth seep into his calloused skin. The peace trembled as the kendo instructor's aura lapped against him, stirring his nerves. He didn't need to look at her to know she was distressed.
He lifted his gaze to meet hers, "Is there something you wish to speak to me about, Kaoru-dono?"
She blinked, caught by the directness of his words. "Well... yes."
He waited quietly as Kaoru found her voice.
"It's been over two months since the earthquake," she began.
He sipped his tea.
"You've been working hard everyday," she continued. "Helping people rebuild, protecting property... a lot of families all over Tokyo are grateful to you."
Kenshin's brows creased as he wondered where she was going with this.
"It brings you peace, doesn't it?" she asked. "Becoming a rurouni... changed you, didn't it? Helping people made you happy again?"
Understanding dawned. When the earthquake hit, Kaoru had asked him if he wanted to become a rurouni again. His answer sparked her ire and he never had the chance to explain himself to her. Now the opportunity was upon him once more.
"Kaoru-dono, I hurt several families during the revolution. Men never came home to their wives and children because the Battousai cut them down," his expression was grave. "If helping people will help ease the pain I caused, then I will do it."
She was silent for several seconds, his words seeping into her heart. Then a sense of acquiescence seemed to wash over her. "That's what I thought," she said, still peering into her tea cup.
He didn't quite know what to say to that, so he remained mute. The silence seemed to be what she needed to reorient herself. After a few beats she sat up straighter, lifted her chin and forced out a question he instinctively knew was difficult for her to ask, "You still want to become a rurouni again, don't you?"
"I do."
The tea called to her and Kaoru dropped her gaze to her cup once more. Raven brows creased, she chewed on her lip, then clenched her jaw. He could almost feel the struggle going on within her. She clearly wanted to say something more, something significant to her, and she was trying hard to work up the courage to force the words out of her mouth. His heart twisted a bit at the sight. Her courage was one of the many things that drew him to her and it was bittersweet to watch her now.
As the moment stretched out he wondered what he should say or do to help alleviate her distress when resolution hardened her countenance.
"Do you love me?" she asked.
That was a question he had asked himself, more than once, so the answer came quickly... though he was reluctant to give it. "I can't let myself," he said quietly, his voice reflecting a hint of regret, but his expression remained resolute.
She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath.
"Kaoru-dono, I—"
Her eyes opened again full of heartache and an edge of anger. "When will you leave?"
Kenshin's brows rose in surprise. The last thing he expected was for her to ask such a question. He had assumed that there would be anger, hurt and disappointment... but not certainty. It almost felt as though she had just given him permission to leave. His greatest worry for the last few weeks had been how he would explain himself to her, how he could make her understand. He had hurt her too much already and he didn't want to hurt her more.
'She's changed,' he thought. 'She's beginning to fall out of love with me... Does she even realize it?' A grimace of anguish rippled through him. There were too many regrets already, too much heartache. He wouldn't draw this out unnecessarily. She deserved better. It was time to let go.
"I was thinking of leaving at the end of the month," he said.
Kaoru pressed her lips together but said nothing. Then she stood, taking her still steaming cup of tea with her and placing it on the counter. He felt her demeanor shift from unsettled to a forced confidence as he watched her out of the corners of his eyes. The girl squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. Every inch of her appeared determined and independent except her eyes. They shined with a dolefulness that made his heart clench painfully in his chest.
"I won't wait for you, Kenshin," she said, voice strained. "I want you to be happy again, but I can't..." she trailed off, squeezing her eyes shut as she struggled to maintain her composure. Opening her eyes to peer at him, she said, "I won't wait for you. Not if you can't let yourself love me."
• • •
TWO MONTHS LATER
Flowers lined the grave site, indicating a recent visitor. Enishi stared at the matching bouquet of white plums leaning against the stone and grimaced. 'Battousai must have been here,' he surmised from the evidence, 'and recently, too...'
Movement caught his eye. Two elderly men were heading out of the cemetery, both wore similar uniforms. "Excuse me?" Enishi called to them, wanting to confirm his hypothesis.
They paused and turned.
"Are you the caretakers here?" he asked.
"Yes, we are," the taller one said. "What can we help you with?"
Enishi's lips parted into a charming smile. "I was wondering if you saw who left this bouquet of white plums at Yukishiro Tomoe's grave?"
Both men made their way toward him to peer at the grave in question. The shorter gent spoke first. "A woman stopped by here about three..." he paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "maybe four days ago."
Enishi's brows creased. "A woman?"
"Yeah," the shorter one said. "You saw her, didn't you Taji? That little redheaded woman?"
"Redheaded woman?" Taji concentrated as he searched for the memory. Face red with exasperation, he glared at his companion. "You blind fool! That was a man."
"It was?"
Enishi smiled with amusement. It should be no surprise that a frail looking man with such girlish hair would be mistaken as a woman. Obviously some semblance of justice still existed on this screwed-up planet.
"You're sure?" The shorter man asked with lingering doubt. "She... he seems too... pretty to be a man..."
"Of course I'm sure," Taji said.
Enishi adjusted his hold on the wrapped tachi. "Did you happen to notice if he had a scar on his cheek?"
"She didn't have a scar," the shorter one answered immediately.
Taji rolled his eyes at his co-worker's quick response. "I didn't notice any scar, but we didn't get a good look at him." He pointed to a fresh grave, "We were preparing that plot over there when he came by."
"I see," Enishi gazed at the recently dug grave. From that position, they wouldn't see the scar. Not unless Battousai turned to face them or turned his back to nee-san's grave.
"Was there another woman with him?" Enishi asked. "She would have been a bit shorter than him, with long, black hair."
"No, he was alone," Taji said. "He only stayed a few minutes to pray, and then he left."
"I see," came the soft reply. Enishi smiled, "You've been very helpful, thank you."
The two men smiled in return and went on their way, leaving Enishi alone with his sister. Two images formed in his mind. One of Tomoe and the other of Kamiya. His sister's expression had softened since learning the truth of her relationship with Battousai and coming to understand Kamiya's true role in his Jinchuu, but she still had yet to fully smile for him. Even so, her eyes were no longer sad. In fact, Enishi was certain now what would make his sister happy.
With that thought, Kamiya's image burned brighter in his mind. She was what Tomoe wanted for him. She was what he needed.
'I'm coming to see you, Kamiya. I'm coming to take you away from Battousai forever.'