Battles of the Heart

Chapter 9: A Golden Reunion and the Money-Making Antics of a Gambler

Tsubame stood up. She needed to wash her face of the tearstains defiling her cheeks. She heard people crying and exclaiming in the front hall. I don't want to know… she thought bitterly. She shuffled slowly into the kitchen and splashed some water on her face. There! Much better! She then proceeded to dry her dripping cheeks when her name was called.

"Tsubame-chan!" yelled Kaoru.

She trotted miserably over to where Kaoru stood. "Hai?"

Kaoru said nothing but grabbed her arm and dragged her over to where pretty much the entire Aoiya had gathered at the front door. "Close your eyes, Tsubame-chan." Tsubame did as she was asked and her older friend led her to the center of the crowd. "Minna-san! Move away!"

Kenshin's voice was heard, "You can go now, de gozaru yo."

The group dispersed until it was just Kaoru, Tsubame, and Yahiko. "You can open your eyes now, Tsubame-chan." She opened them and gasped at the sight before her. Smiling softly, Kaoru left the young pair alone.

Tsubame gaped for a moment before realizing what she was doing and promptly shut her mouth. She blinked, but he was still there. Yahiko was slumped in a chair, looking very beaten up, but he was alive nonetheless. "Yahiko-chan!"

Tsubame cried as she ran to him. For once, Yahiko didn't comment on the '-chan'.

"Tsubame-chan," he grinned weakly. As he fell backwards with the force of Tsubame's embrace, he felt something wet on his kimono shirt. They were tears. She stared at the girl upon him in surprise. She missed me this much? He felt an odd sense of giddiness. He caught her and slid onto the floor. "Did you miss me?"

Tsubame giggled through her sobs, "Hai, could you tell?" Her words were muffled as her face was pressed into his kimono shirt but all he did was stroke her clutching fingers.

"Shhh, did you really believe I would leave you all alone with…never mind."

"…Yutaro?" inquired Tsubame.

"Yeah," Yahiko replied, somewhat bitterly.

"Well, hai."

Yahiko shook his head in mock disbelief, "Tsk tsk, Tsubame-chan, have you no faith in me?" She said nothing, and he looked down to find her contented face pressed against his chest. He smiled and closed his eyes and as his chest rose and fell in the steady rhythm of sleep, his heart finally beating in time with the girl's upon him.

Sano walked casually up to Sae. "Konnichiwa, Sae-san, how are you?" he drawled.

"What do you want, Sanosuke, I'm a little busy," she retorted.

"Ouch. Can I get a job?"

Sae took a double take, "Nani? You want a job?"

Sanosuke looked on with a look of mock hurt, "Yeah, can't an honest man ask for a job around here?"

Sae smiled, "Doushite?"

"Because I need to make some money to buy something…expensive…"

Sae giggled, "Sure, you can have a job! Since you can't cook, put on this uniform and you can wait on the customers."

Sano blanched; it was a frilly white apron with a red-pink outlining. "I have to wear that!"

"Of course, Sanosuke, it's worth it, isn't it, to buy Megumi that necklace?"

Sano blushed, "How'd you know?"

Sae looked disapprovingly at him, "Women know these things. It's called a woman's intuition."

Sano shrugged, "Whatever," he sighed, "Who do I serve first?"

"Here you go, sir," smiled Sano. This was embarrassing. "Is there anything else you would like?"

"Iie, iie, arigatou," replied the man politely.

"Here's your food, miss," he said in a gentleman's voice.

She smiled at him, "Why, arigatou. If you don't mind me asking, why is a big strong, handsome man such as yourself working in the Shirobecko as a waiter?"

He blushed, "I'm just making a few extra yen."

"Oh really? What for? And why here?"

Sano blushed some more, "I know Sae quite well, so I asked for this job as a friend. As for why…that's not really any of your business, miss."

The young woman giggled, "Of course it isn't. You're saving up for a special someone, aren't you? Is she pretty?"

Sano fell over, "Nani! Is it that 'woman's intuition' thing again?"

The woman smiled a little more broadly this time, "Of course, that's the special talent of all women."

Sano sighed. This was his eighth day of waiting on people, and he was getting sick of it already. This is a girl's job. But his money pile was growing. He had just enough money to pay for the necklace. The necklace. He wished from the bottom of his heart that she would like it. Three or four more days until I've made enough money for it. He had been working at the Shirobecko from the moment it opened until, sometimes, even after it had closed. On top of that, he had been going around Kyoto looking for odd jobs to earn himself a few extra yen. It was really paying off. He imagined the doctor's face when he gave it to her. That expression of what he hoped would be pure delight was all that pushed him to keep waiting at the beef pot restaurant. The humiliation was terrible. If she ever came to eat there while he was working, well, that would end it all. He'd never live it through, or hear the end of it. Love really changes people. He mused, Just hope it changes her, too.

Megumi sighed inwardly. It was like the poor guy thought he could win her over by doing all sorts of things for her. Going to expensive restaurants seemed to be his favorite. How long had it been since she had a homemade meal? That damn Akeno! He took her out to dinner every night! It was getting a little tiresome. Couldn't he, like, take a nice long walk with me or something? Men were so oblivious to a woman's feelings! "Akeno-kun, let's go home. I'm feeling a little tired," Megumi lied.

"Demo," Akeno protested, "What about dessert?"

"Iie, really, Akeno-kun, I'm fine," she assured him, pasting a reassuring grin on her face.

"Alright, where do you want to stay tonight? My house, or the Aoiya?"

Megumi sighed silently. Wasn't it obvious? "The Aoiya, if you don't mind."

Akeno smiled, "Sure, whatever makes you happy, tenshi-koi."

When they got to the Aoiya, Megumi kissed Akeno on the cheek and strode quickly, maybe a little too quickly, to her room. Only one thing filled her mind: a certain tori-atama…