Tsubame lagged behind Tae, heading to the kitchen. She looked around, saw that the cooks already went home, then walked over to the area where the sake bottles were being warmed. She picked one out, put it on a tray then walked over to the tea counter and picked up some cookies. She smiled to herself thinking that he may be grateful for at least something sweet.
She returned to the main part of the restaurant, careful not to spill any sake or loose a cookie. She greeted Sano with a warm smile as she put the tray onto the table. "Here, let me clear this stuff up for you," she said taking the empty bottles from the table. He didn't react, just sat there staring sipping on his sake. Her smile didn't waver one bit as she turned to bring the bottle back to the kitchen area. Her face lost it's smile when she brought to bottles over the young man washing the last of the dishes. Sano hadn't moved from that spot since he walked into the Akabeko three hours ago.
She returned to Sanos table as he reached for the new bottle she had brought out to him, "Please, let me pour it for you," she said smiling warmly again. He looked up briefly to her face and nodded to her in response putting his left hand back into his lap. She poured him another cup as Tae came back from checking on everything in the back of the restaurant. She carried a bucket with rags and started to wipe down all the tables. A few other girls emerged from the back of the restaurant with brooms and cloths to wipe the floor down with.
Tsubame sat herself down across from Sano looking into his face that seemed to be covered with darkness so thick she couldn't see anything but. He looked up briefly when the sound of something breaking was heard from the back of the Akabeko. "Gomenasai Makoto," was heard faintly and everyone went back to cleaning and Sano was back into his dark shadows.
"Sano, please have one of the cookies I brought out for you. You should try and eat something," she said, her smile fading slightly. Tsubame looked at him with worry on her face then slipped from out of the booth so she could help clean. Sano just sat there staring, not seeing anything that was going on in front of him.
The girls chatted about things that went on during the day, nothing much, just how slow the day had been, or how much each girl had made for the day. Two of the older girls talked about walking home together. Tsubame helped with wiping down the floors and they were done ten minutes later.
Tae walked over to Sano, and though she hated to do it, had to ask him to leave so the girls could all go home.
"Eeeto...," she started, hesitating to have to do it. Sano looked up with glazed over eyes in response. "Sanosuke-san...We will be all leaving for the night and I have to escort Tsubame-chan home so...," she didn't finish what she was going to say because Sano got out from where he was sitting, put his hands in his pockets and started for the back of the Akabeko to leave out the backdoor. Tae followed him to the back with a worried look on her face and saw him out. She walked back to where the girls where putting the chairs up off the floor for the night and walked over to Tsubame. She bent over slightly and whispered into her ear, "Go to the dojo. Tell Kenshin he has left here." Tsubame nodded in response and followed Tae to the front door, where she unlocked it for the small girl to run to the dojo to tell Kenshin what was happening.
~~~~~
Kenshin paced around the room thinking to himself that Sano would be okay, he was with Tae right now. At least he knew where he was. Although that was true, he couldn't sleep. His night robe made a soft swishing sound as he paced around thinking that there should have been something that he could have done to prevent this from happening. He walked over to his futon, picked up his kimono and decided to go to the Akabeko to see how Sano was doing. He dressed as quick as he possibly could, and put his hair back into a low ponytail.
He walked out of the room and proceeded to walk out to the courtyard of the dojo when he heard faint knocking on the front gate. He found his zori sandals and ran to see who it was hoping that it wasn't bad news about Sano. There were only three people that knew what happened, he being one of them. Kaoru and Yahiko had gone on a small trip with Megumi and wouldn't be back until tomorrow. They had gone away to Kyoto to visit with Misao and to have a small outing to get some supplies for the medical clinic. Megumi insisted that Kyoto had this one special thing that she had to go there to get, so it turned into a short vacation for the three of them.
Kenshin hastily unlocked the door in the brightly shinning moonlight that hung all around him making things sluggish and odd with shadows. Tsubame stood before him holding no lantern and still wearing her Akabeko uniform. He knew it then, Sano had left there.
"Do you know where he was headed," Kenshin asked turning around to go back to his room for his sword, not giving a chance for Tsubame to speak.
"He didn't say one word Himura-san. He said hardly anything to Tae the entire time he was there."
He let his zori fall off in a untidy heap and made a dash for his quarters, scooped his sword up and put it into his hakama pants belt as he stepped back into his sandals. "Which direction did he go in?"
Tsubame thought for a moment trying to get her bearings, "Eeeto...I think he when West."
Kenshin thought for a moment about what was West of the Akabeko and decided he must of headed home. "Arigato Tsubame-chan. You have been a big help with this whole thing. Shittireishimasu." He half ran half jogged to the part of town where Sanos one room housing was located. He passed by a few drunks, none of them Sano. He came to his place and saw no light on inside, then proceeded inside to see if he was home or not.
~~~~~
Sano walked down the deserted street looking down at his feet with his hands in his pockets. He looked up into the night sky just as the silent tears started to blur his vision. He swore under his breath at himself and violently wiped the tears away.
A man watched the scene play out from a dark alleyway, contemplating to himself if getting himself beat by a man like that was worth the few yen he way win from the bloody fight. He slinked back into the darkness, deciding that weaker looking person was more his type.
Sano walked on stumbling here and there from his own emotional unstability rather then too much to drink. He walked out onto one of the main roads that ran parallel to the river and made his way over to the soft inviting grass near the banks of it. He sat by the river watching the fireflies cast small bursts of light that bounced off the water like stars. He wouldn't let it bother him...but...it had gotten him worse off and unprepared for it in the end. Silent tears ran down his face again as he finally let his emotions go. They dripped off his chin like rain water. He didn't bother to wipe them away, that would just make it more obvious that he was crying.
"Right about now," he thought, watching two fireflies blink through the air, blurred by his tears, "Kenshin is probably at my place looking for me."
He stood up and walked further up stream. He didn't want him to find out where he was. He didn't need Kenshin around him right now. He didn't care how much he knew what he was going through. He needed this time to himself to contemplate what he was going to do. He knew it was all his fault anyway. All of the blame was on him and he just had to clear his head before it ate him alive. Her last words droned into him like a hot knife. He shook his head violently trying to get them out.
~~~~
Kenshin yelled out, "Please excuse me, I'm coming in," then opened the sliding door to Sanos one room bachelor pad. He looked around in the little visibility there was, and saw that no one was there. He frowned and walked back out of the apartment, closed the door then sat down in front of it thinking where to look next.