Disclaimers: All hail to those who own RK.
--
The setting sun gave it's last rays, painting a crimson picture as it went down beyond the horizon. A figure, stood illuminated by a tall, old tree. Brushing through him a gently breeze past and he waited for another man.
Another figure appeared with another shadow cast upon the land.
"Father."
"Keitaro. Sorry for disturbing you. I have to talk to you."
"Hai."
"Son..." he sighed, as he turned to face him. "Are you really sure about this? Do you still want the ball to continue?"
"Yes. I am very sure about it. About everything."
"And her?"
"I sure she'll forgive me."
The old man sighed once again.
"Son... you have been too naïve... to this harsh world you may see before you..."
And the sun let out it's last weak rays before disappearing. The sky now a velvet silk, comforting to the surroundings.
"I will take my leave now." Keitaro bowed, then turned and left with confident striding steps, leaving the old man still standing by the swaying tree blown by the stray wind.
--
Kaoru opened her eyes tentatively. She had pretended to sleep to trick them not to probe her any further into finer details. She needed to be alone.
Megumi...
She looked across her room, where Megumi had kindly picked her things up and left it there for her.
The letter.
She crawled out of her futon tentatively towards it, touching it hesitantly. Then picking it up firmly.
"Mou... I have to face the truth someday." Muttering at her own discovered weakness, she opened the letter.
--
Kaoru-chan,
I'm sure by now you have known of my arrival. I am very sorry to have caused you so much pain three years ago... But... though I know I have no more worth to say I love you, I still care about you a lot. Europe has been nice. Father of course reprimanded me for what I have done, and set me to work. Thus now of my arrival here, I hope to find a bride, with my father's wishes, to hold a ball here. The address and information needed are enclosed below. I really hope that you can attend it. And this is my saying of sorry to Tatsuki.
Keitaro
--
Looking at the content with disgust, she tried controlling her anger and spite against this man she once considered a friend.
"Can money really buy everything back, Keitaro?" Kaoru spat under her breath.
Crumpling the paper she threw it aside. The ball means nothing to her, especially the grudge she had been holding against him three years ago. Why, of all reasons she should go there? A ball can't even bring back her friend's life.
The crumpled paper rolled to the books. Kaoru followed with her eyes and then the books.
"Oh!" She reached for them and pulling them to her, feeling the rough pages with her fingertips. Remembering the time when her father had spent hours over these, working hard with every page, even spending throughout the night under the oil lamp to finish it before the day he was sent for another assignment by the police. Hugging them to her, she could almost smell her father's scent.
"Otouchan..."
Smiling with tenderness, she stood and changed into her kendo clothes. Then crept outside quietly when she realise it was night.
growl
Putting a hand sheepishly at her stomach, she realised she hadn't had dinner. It seems so long ago when it was lunch, and worse, she didn't touch her meal that time of day.
"Hungry, Kaoru-dono?"
"Eep!" Almost jumping out of her skin, she spun and grabbed hold of the front of his gi. "Don't DO that!" she growled into the face of Kenshin.
"Aa... sumanu, Kaoru-dono... Do you want sessha to cook for you?" He put up his hands in front of him as a defeated sign.
"Arigatou. And make it pronto. I'll be in the dojo when it's ready." And she turned and walked deliberately towards the hulking figure of the hall.
--
Kenshin hummed as he worked, shaping the onigiri the way she liked it.
It's good that she's back to her normal self. But how long she'll last, being so ignorant?
Touching it up, he wrapped it in leaves and carrying it to the dojo. Wonder why she's there in the middle of the night?
Stepping into the hall which is dimly illuminated by a single lamp, he saw her. Gracefully, she moved into position, and doing some kendo skills with precision and accuracy, again and again. Her face deep in concentration, sweat covered her frowning forehead. Kenshin's breath caught in his throat.
Snap out of it!
Shaking his head, he cleared of his thoughts and walked into the room.
"Suminasen, Kaoru-dono... your dinner is ready." He gave her the pile of onigiri, and noticing the books opened by the area of respect.
"Arigatou!" She grabbed them gratefully, sat down and ate them hungrily. Kenshin took the opportunity ad sat beside her.
The moments went by with Kaoru stuffing her face with the perfectly made onigiri.
"Done! Thank you for taking the trouble, Kenshin." She handed the empty packet to him.
"Ano... Kaoru-dono... can I ask you something, if it doesn't bother you too much." Kenshin spoke as he took the packet from her.
"Go on... you needn't be so polite. You're with a friend." Smiling, she encouraged him with her eyes.
With a friend...
Kenshin will always remember that. But... "What are in those books?"
"They are from my father... I was actually thinking of improving my skills because since I feel that Yahiko had already reached the stage of being able to teach. But..." She made a face of discontent. "Given his attitude, I think I'll make him suffer for a few more years before he can really teach with me."
"Oro..."
"Anyway... given the consequences this morning, I guess I have to put it off till now." Kaoru smiled bitterly.
"Demo... what for do you need to improve your skills? You are already a good teacher to your students, you are popular among your students in other dojos, and sessha..." He looked at her steadily. "You have sessha to protect you. Sessha swore it before, didn't I?"
Kaoru blushed at his words, but what she said was different from her expressions. "That's the problem! There will be the time where you can't protect me all the while! I have to be strong. For you, for everyone!"
"There will be a day, with dire consequences where you have to watch me, instead of protecting me from danger. Kenshin... please understand. It's not that I don't trust you... but I don't trust with fate anymore."
Smiling bitterly to him, she got up and said with her back to him.
"Go back and have a rest, Kenshin. I'll be fine on my own..."
"Kaoru-dono..." He said helplessly. Though he understood, somehow, deep within him, he knew he had to let go. "Demo, I'll stay with you for the night of practise. It's not that you don't need any rest too."
Kaoru turned.
"Arigatou."
And the night, with the crickets chirping its wild symphony outside, the sky with its numerous stars, they both spent it in silence, except with the swish and crack of the bokken.
--
Sanosuke pushed the shoji opened drunkenly.
"Ja ne, minna-san..." and he hiccuped. Swaying drunkenly, he headed home.
"Damn sake..." He clutched his throbbing head. Leaning against the wall of the alley, he tried to push down the pain.
"Tori atama!" A sharp, high feminine voice sounded worriedly. "What are you doing here?"
"Ah... Kitsune... just a bit of sake at the house..." And he hiccuped continuously.
"And losing a whole pocket of hard-earn money, did you do that?" Megumi scolded him. Going to his side, she slung his arm over her shoulder.
"Yucks... you stink. C'mon... let's go to Genzai-sensei's house... it's the nearest... and let him give you his best sleeping liquid... it may take your headache away..." And she struggled to led him on.
"What are YOU doing in the middle of the night then?" He asked drunkenly.
"I just came back from a patient's house, doing something sensible, unlike you." She huffed.
"Aa." With that, he drooped his head, and snored.
"NOT NOW!! DON'T YOU DARE TO SLEEP NOW!" She screeched to the sleeping Sanosuke.
"Damn..." And she dragged him from the leg to Genzai's house, Sanosuke's head dragging against the ground.
--
"How can you do this to him?" Genzai-sensei reprimanded her as he tended to the scratches on Sanosuke's cheek where Megumi had dragged him to Genzai's house.
"I had no choice! I can't possibly carry him all the way here!" She argued back. "And who asked him to drink so much?"
Sighing, Genzai-sensei finished up with his work and then turned to her. "Alright alright... now... don't let it get into a bigger matter. I don't want the girls to wake up. And tomorrow's a busy day too... get some rest, ok?"
Nodding, she took one last look at the sleeping Sanosuke, before heading to her room.
--
--
The setting sun gave it's last rays, painting a crimson picture as it went down beyond the horizon. A figure, stood illuminated by a tall, old tree. Brushing through him a gently breeze past and he waited for another man.
Another figure appeared with another shadow cast upon the land.
"Father."
"Keitaro. Sorry for disturbing you. I have to talk to you."
"Hai."
"Son..." he sighed, as he turned to face him. "Are you really sure about this? Do you still want the ball to continue?"
"Yes. I am very sure about it. About everything."
"And her?"
"I sure she'll forgive me."
The old man sighed once again.
"Son... you have been too naïve... to this harsh world you may see before you..."
And the sun let out it's last weak rays before disappearing. The sky now a velvet silk, comforting to the surroundings.
"I will take my leave now." Keitaro bowed, then turned and left with confident striding steps, leaving the old man still standing by the swaying tree blown by the stray wind.
--
Kaoru opened her eyes tentatively. She had pretended to sleep to trick them not to probe her any further into finer details. She needed to be alone.
Megumi...
She looked across her room, where Megumi had kindly picked her things up and left it there for her.
The letter.
She crawled out of her futon tentatively towards it, touching it hesitantly. Then picking it up firmly.
"Mou... I have to face the truth someday." Muttering at her own discovered weakness, she opened the letter.
--
Kaoru-chan,
I'm sure by now you have known of my arrival. I am very sorry to have caused you so much pain three years ago... But... though I know I have no more worth to say I love you, I still care about you a lot. Europe has been nice. Father of course reprimanded me for what I have done, and set me to work. Thus now of my arrival here, I hope to find a bride, with my father's wishes, to hold a ball here. The address and information needed are enclosed below. I really hope that you can attend it. And this is my saying of sorry to Tatsuki.
Keitaro
--
Looking at the content with disgust, she tried controlling her anger and spite against this man she once considered a friend.
"Can money really buy everything back, Keitaro?" Kaoru spat under her breath.
Crumpling the paper she threw it aside. The ball means nothing to her, especially the grudge she had been holding against him three years ago. Why, of all reasons she should go there? A ball can't even bring back her friend's life.
The crumpled paper rolled to the books. Kaoru followed with her eyes and then the books.
"Oh!" She reached for them and pulling them to her, feeling the rough pages with her fingertips. Remembering the time when her father had spent hours over these, working hard with every page, even spending throughout the night under the oil lamp to finish it before the day he was sent for another assignment by the police. Hugging them to her, she could almost smell her father's scent.
"Otouchan..."
Smiling with tenderness, she stood and changed into her kendo clothes. Then crept outside quietly when she realise it was night.
growl
Putting a hand sheepishly at her stomach, she realised she hadn't had dinner. It seems so long ago when it was lunch, and worse, she didn't touch her meal that time of day.
"Hungry, Kaoru-dono?"
"Eep!" Almost jumping out of her skin, she spun and grabbed hold of the front of his gi. "Don't DO that!" she growled into the face of Kenshin.
"Aa... sumanu, Kaoru-dono... Do you want sessha to cook for you?" He put up his hands in front of him as a defeated sign.
"Arigatou. And make it pronto. I'll be in the dojo when it's ready." And she turned and walked deliberately towards the hulking figure of the hall.
--
Kenshin hummed as he worked, shaping the onigiri the way she liked it.
It's good that she's back to her normal self. But how long she'll last, being so ignorant?
Touching it up, he wrapped it in leaves and carrying it to the dojo. Wonder why she's there in the middle of the night?
Stepping into the hall which is dimly illuminated by a single lamp, he saw her. Gracefully, she moved into position, and doing some kendo skills with precision and accuracy, again and again. Her face deep in concentration, sweat covered her frowning forehead. Kenshin's breath caught in his throat.
Snap out of it!
Shaking his head, he cleared of his thoughts and walked into the room.
"Suminasen, Kaoru-dono... your dinner is ready." He gave her the pile of onigiri, and noticing the books opened by the area of respect.
"Arigatou!" She grabbed them gratefully, sat down and ate them hungrily. Kenshin took the opportunity ad sat beside her.
The moments went by with Kaoru stuffing her face with the perfectly made onigiri.
"Done! Thank you for taking the trouble, Kenshin." She handed the empty packet to him.
"Ano... Kaoru-dono... can I ask you something, if it doesn't bother you too much." Kenshin spoke as he took the packet from her.
"Go on... you needn't be so polite. You're with a friend." Smiling, she encouraged him with her eyes.
With a friend...
Kenshin will always remember that. But... "What are in those books?"
"They are from my father... I was actually thinking of improving my skills because since I feel that Yahiko had already reached the stage of being able to teach. But..." She made a face of discontent. "Given his attitude, I think I'll make him suffer for a few more years before he can really teach with me."
"Oro..."
"Anyway... given the consequences this morning, I guess I have to put it off till now." Kaoru smiled bitterly.
"Demo... what for do you need to improve your skills? You are already a good teacher to your students, you are popular among your students in other dojos, and sessha..." He looked at her steadily. "You have sessha to protect you. Sessha swore it before, didn't I?"
Kaoru blushed at his words, but what she said was different from her expressions. "That's the problem! There will be the time where you can't protect me all the while! I have to be strong. For you, for everyone!"
"There will be a day, with dire consequences where you have to watch me, instead of protecting me from danger. Kenshin... please understand. It's not that I don't trust you... but I don't trust with fate anymore."
Smiling bitterly to him, she got up and said with her back to him.
"Go back and have a rest, Kenshin. I'll be fine on my own..."
"Kaoru-dono..." He said helplessly. Though he understood, somehow, deep within him, he knew he had to let go. "Demo, I'll stay with you for the night of practise. It's not that you don't need any rest too."
Kaoru turned.
"Arigatou."
And the night, with the crickets chirping its wild symphony outside, the sky with its numerous stars, they both spent it in silence, except with the swish and crack of the bokken.
--
Sanosuke pushed the shoji opened drunkenly.
"Ja ne, minna-san..." and he hiccuped. Swaying drunkenly, he headed home.
"Damn sake..." He clutched his throbbing head. Leaning against the wall of the alley, he tried to push down the pain.
"Tori atama!" A sharp, high feminine voice sounded worriedly. "What are you doing here?"
"Ah... Kitsune... just a bit of sake at the house..." And he hiccuped continuously.
"And losing a whole pocket of hard-earn money, did you do that?" Megumi scolded him. Going to his side, she slung his arm over her shoulder.
"Yucks... you stink. C'mon... let's go to Genzai-sensei's house... it's the nearest... and let him give you his best sleeping liquid... it may take your headache away..." And she struggled to led him on.
"What are YOU doing in the middle of the night then?" He asked drunkenly.
"I just came back from a patient's house, doing something sensible, unlike you." She huffed.
"Aa." With that, he drooped his head, and snored.
"NOT NOW!! DON'T YOU DARE TO SLEEP NOW!" She screeched to the sleeping Sanosuke.
"Damn..." And she dragged him from the leg to Genzai's house, Sanosuke's head dragging against the ground.
--
"How can you do this to him?" Genzai-sensei reprimanded her as he tended to the scratches on Sanosuke's cheek where Megumi had dragged him to Genzai's house.
"I had no choice! I can't possibly carry him all the way here!" She argued back. "And who asked him to drink so much?"
Sighing, Genzai-sensei finished up with his work and then turned to her. "Alright alright... now... don't let it get into a bigger matter. I don't want the girls to wake up. And tomorrow's a busy day too... get some rest, ok?"
Nodding, she took one last look at the sleeping Sanosuke, before heading to her room.
--