NOTES:
FIRST! I don't own Rurouni Kenshin nor Saitou Hajime
(although I wish)... RK is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki.
It's
time for me to write again! Yey! This time, it'll be a fic about
Saitou's life before Kyoto and the Shinsengumi. This will be a
romanticised tale of what he was before joining the Shinsengumi and
why he left Tokyo (Edo). There will be times when Saitou will be OOC,
I intend to keep most of his personality just twisting it now and
then. But the OOC will be very apparent when it comes to his fighting
abilities, I don't think Saitou became a great swordsman overnight.
Agree? :O)
I also found out about how cigarettes were not
introduced until the Meiji.. Well since this is set before the Meiji,
please pardon.. I just had a hard time envisioning Saitou-kun not
smoking. As for the piano, well I think that's acceptable since I've
read that prior to the Bakumatsu, foreign good were already shipped
albeit slowly to Japan.
asterisks - denotes sound/thoughts/miscCHAPTER VII – A Man of Annoyances
"Hurry up Midori or you'll be late!" Midori's father growled while pushing the door open.
"Otou-san! Calm down. It only takes an hour to get to the port and it's still two hours before the ship docks."
"What kind of fiancé are you? Just hurry up and wait for him there!"
Midori bit her tongue. It was no use arguing with her father whenever he got excited. She herself was quite ecstatic about Akio. Two years they were apart, two years that they will have to make for lost time. She wondered how Akio was, how he has changed. She smiled to herself; her Akio was kind, decisive and quite attractive.
While fixing her hair her thoughts drifted back to the first time they met, the day of their arranged marriage.
FLASHBACK
"I'm glad you came Kaneda-san. I see you brought a fine young man."
"Eee (Yes). I've told you about my son Akio, Kyoda." a man garbed in extravagant clothing presented a young boy around the age of 13. The boy had straight light brown hair that was tied to a ponytail. His eyes were the color of emeralds.
"Sou desu (That's right.). Let's not waste time and introduce the two to one another." Kyoda smiled at his daughter who was preparing some refreshments for their guest. Kyoda motioned for the girl to come and she meekly obliged.
"Akio-kun, this is my daughter Midori..."
"Hajimemashite (How do you do?) Midori-san.", Akio bowed his head.
Midori did not answer but bowed lower to Akio.
Kyoda placed both hand on Midori's shoulder and moved her closer to Akio. "Why don't the two of you go out in the garden and start getting better acquainted."
"Hai! (Yes)", Akio answered promptly and excused himself.
In the garden, the two sat on the stone bench right next to a bunch of white roses. Midori started feeling uncomfortable. She started fidgeting with her kimono. Finally Akio broke the silence.
"So what do you like to do?" the boy looked at the girl.
"Me?"
"Yes YOU!" the boy smiled again.
Midori noticed that whenever Akio smiled his eyes seemed to smile along with him. The eyes were clear and innocent. She started to laugh.
"Hey. What so funny?" Akio asked puzzled.
"I thought it was smiling..." the girl pointed at Akio's face.
The boy started to contort his face in several different comical expressions. Then he started rubbing both hands on them commenting, "Nani? Do I have something on my face?"
She laughed harder, "Iie! I'm not telling!"
"Oh. That's not fair!" the boy pouted.
"Gome I didn't mean to." Midori was caught off by their fathers voices in the house.
Kyoda: I'm sure they'll make a good couple. Our family will be honored to wed Midori to Akio.
Midori surprised lowered her head and started fidgeting again.
Concerned about Midori's reaction Akio blurted, "You didn't know?"
"Iie.", an almost solemn look passed over her face.
The boy smiled again. "I don't think it's that bad. I think you're nice."
Midori blushed at the innocent comment. Finding that she could not find words at that moment she diverted her attention to the white roses beside them.
"Itai! (Ow! It hurts)", she exclaimed.
The boy immediately ran to her other side concerned. "Oh you cut your finger." He wagged his forefinger at her.. "Bad.. Bad.. You shouldn't play with sharp things."
Akio took a small white handkerchief from his pocket and tied the small finger with it.
END OF FLASHBACK
-------------------------
Saitou finished the afternoon classes with Yuuta. He was so glad that Yuuta required less physical contact today. The past few days Yuuta has been quite distracted although Saitou never knew why. Saitou only noticed that Yuuta was daydreaming, but a good growl from him always brought the young man back.
"That's it for today. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Sensei. Onee-chan said you should take dinner with us." Yuuta replied half- heartedly.
"Why?", Saitou replied curtly.
Yuuta sighed, "I think it's because she want you to meet Akio-san."
"Fine.", Saitou proceeded to the garden's far end where there was a stone bench. He started smoking. He noticed that the white rose's petals were starting to close. It was dusk.
After what seemed like hours to Saitou, the couple finally arrived. Saitou trying to remain nonchalant found himself observing Akio intently. The man was slightly taller than him, in perfect shape. He noticed how his posture definitely exudes that of a man who practices swordsmanship. He noted however one annoying thing about Akio, his chin was held a little bit too high.
Nisan Kyoda came out at once, happily greeting the man. Saitou grunted a little seeing how Kyoda seemed to be too attentive to Akio.
"I'm sure you are tired and hungry from your trip. We've prepared your bath and you food already so please hurry and come inside."
Kyoda held open the shoji door to welcome Akio into his house. Akio nodded and without hesitation placed his bags on the floor and proceeded directly to the dinner table. Midori was about to follow Akio when she noticed that Saitou was still sitting on the bench.
"Saitou-kun. Sorry we took a while, please come and join us."
Saitou entered the house with Midori's prodding.
----------------------------
"Akio-kun, how is your father doing?" Kyoda asked beaming at the young man.
"He is doing fine. There's a lot of work that the Shogun is asking of him in Kyoto but being under their good graces is a good thing for my father."
"Hai! Hai! He really should come visit here sometime.", Kyoda hinting at Akio.
The young man just grinned at the reply.
"Kyoda-san, I see that you might be losing your touch."
"On what Akio-kun?"
Akio glanced around the room and pointed to the futon and a couple of pictures hanging on the wall.
"If I remember correctly those have been there before I left for Europe.", he said almost mockingly. "While I was, for example in Germany they had excellent seating and wall art. The first was called a "sofa" and the other was western portraits that were based on the "Renaissance."
"I see Akio." Kyoda-san answered, his embarrassment showing on his red face. "Maybe we will discuss your travels and you can give me some advice on such things."
"Yes. Also while I was in my travels I learned a lot about western culture. Their ideologies are just more modern." Akio paused. "Now if only we Japanese would open our doors more, we would be able to import more goods which I think are far more superior to what we currently have."
Midori half-way choked. It was bad enough that Akio embarrassed her father, now Akio was just belittling his own country. She looked up the table and was about to interject when she noticed that Saitou has put on tighter face, his annoyance blatantly showing.
In an effort to divert Saitou's attention, "Saitou-kun, how was Yuuta today?"
"He's progressing quite slowly.", his eyes still fixed on Akio.
Midori chuckled and shot Yuuta a look, "Well I see he's improved quite a lot. Thanks to you."
Saitou nodded and started eating once more. To Midori's dismay Akio would not quit talking about his trip to Europe and how the westerners were better, she had to do something so she decided that it was time for her to introduce Saitou to Akio.
"Akio there's someone I want you to meet.", she smiled fakely at Akio.
"Dare? (Who?)"
Midori stood up and went to Saitou's end of the table. "This man here has been very kind to all of us here, especially to Yuuta. His name is Saitou." She cut herself off, not knowing Saitou's given name.
To save her some embarrassment Saitou stood up and directed a glare to Akio and said, "Saitou Hajime."
Midori gave a brighter smile, "Saitou has saved my precious brother's life over a month ago and now Yuuta is learning Kendo from him."
"Ah so you yourself are a swordsman! That is good! How about we spar tomorrow? I have just finished learning "fencing" and I would like to try it out against kendo.", Akio said boastfully.
"Wakatta. Tomorrow then.", Saitou replied coldly then he turned his attention to the whole Nisan family, "Please excuse me. I am needed back home." Saitou left abruptly.
Midori understood why Saitou left. She herself would've gone. Akio has been quite boastful and rude that if it wasn't for her father she would've left with Saitou-kun. And what's up with Akio challenging Saitou like that?
Although she was worried at the sparring event between them tomorrow. She was glad too that she didn't have to ask Akio for a favor. She desperately needed to know if Saitou's constant beatings justified his kendo skills.