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 romanticized 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.

ABOUT YUUTA/SAITOU - I modeled Saitou's view on homosexuality from what I saw happen to a good friend of mine who is gay. Apparently this view in the original country that I came from is still holding true. Homosexuality in the Asian country that I came from is not viewed favorably and gay/lesbians cannot come out easily unlike in the US.

ABOUT SAITOU'S NAME - Someone asked me why I chose to use Saitou Hajime in this fic. If I wanted to be historically correct I knew I should've used Yamaguchi Hajime as that is his real name before he left Edo but I chose Saitou Hajime because for me it feels weird to use a different name.

ABOUT TATSUO - Tatsuo is actually the name of one of Fujita Gorou's (aka Saitou Hajime's) sons. I used it haphazardly unfortunately. It is only after I was already into chapter IX that I found out he really did have a brother named Hiroaki Yamaguchi.

ABOUT SASUE - same thing as what happened with Tatsuo - Saitou's sister's real name is Katsu.

Oh by the way as most of the readers know.. In this fic both Saitou's parents are already dead. In case you wanted to know what their names are. It's Yusuke Yamaguchi and Masu Yamaguchi.

italics - denotes thoughts
asterisks - denotes sound/thoughts/misc

I DECIDED TO ADD THE REVIEWER NOTES ON THE BOTTOM AS I DON'T WANT TO GIVE AWAY THE CHAPTER.. :o)

CHAPTER XII – Our Plights at an Inn II

"It's him isn't it?"

Midori was staring at Saitou. The young man has been silent the whole afternoon lost in thought.

"Hm?" Saitou turned his head slowly to the young woman sitting cross legged on the floor.

"Oh come on. Don't play dumb with me." She stood up sitted herself beside him on the futon. "You're afraid to go home because of that stupid brother of yours."

"I'm not afraid of him. We just don't get along well."

She placed her hands on his and took out the katana that he cradled.

"Who gave this to you?" she inquired as she lightly ran her fingers along the dull side of the blade.

"My father. It's nothing special only a Japanese katana." He said shrugging.

"O?" she narrowed her eyes at him. "For such a trivial memento, you sure cling to it like your life depends on it."

"It's good to have around for self-defense." Saitou took the katana away from Midori, placed it on the floor. He then proceeded and slumped himself on the futon.

"Is your world so troubling that you feel the need to be always armed?" She dropped her body towards the futon and laid beside Saitou. "Is self preservation the only thing in your mind? Didn't you ever want to do something out of your own free will?"

Saitou turned away and sighed. "If one loses their life then there's nothing else possible, is there?"

"That's true. But I hate to think you live that way, if wielding a sword is definitely necessary then you need to find a purpose behind it aside from self preservation. A glorious cause I think." She smiled at the ceiling. "I think you'd be good in that."

Saitou just stared outside. It was getting dark. He stood up and lingered momentarily, then decided to smoke beside the window. Each puff on his cigarette noticeably faster each time it touched his lips. He kept looking outside frowning as the night quickly claimed daylight.

Midori sighed. "You don't have to go. At least for the night you can stay here."

"How about you?"

"If you don't mind I want to stay here too." She propped her head with her arms and said. "There's really nothing interesting to go back home to. Akio's annoying the hell out of me and I still haven't decided how to approach Yuuta.

Saitou glanced a meaningful look at the futon for two.

Midori laughed. "You really distrust me that much? I think two adults should be able to keep their hands off each other or are you nervous you can't?"

For the first time that day Saitou grinned at her. She felt relieved. At least he can take a joke.

Midori decided it was time to lay the futon into a bed position. She stood up and gave it a big pull.

"Itai!" she cried clutching her right hand. It had started bleeding.

"Baka! Why'd you do that!" He sat her down immediately and took the clean towels and started wiping the blood.

"Kume. I keep forgetting about it." She smiled at him, hiding her frustration.

"What did the doctor say?" Saitou asked as he wrapped the wound with the cleaner part of the old bandages.

Midori kept her smile, she beamed even more when he looked at her. "Oh it will be fine. He said I can play the piano for you in a couple of weeks or so."

He finished wrapping the wound and left her by the futon. He leaned his back on the wall and crossed his arms while keeping his eyes focused on her.

"Stop smiling." Came the cold voice.

She laughed nervously and asked "What are you talking about? Genki! Genki!"

"If it hurts just say so. If you can't use it fully anymore just say so." His eyes focused on her green ones. "I'm sorry about it. You should be too." He broke their line of sight and glanced towards the floor.

"It's okay. Really. It's not much to pay, to help someone you lo." she stopped herself. What am I thinking?

Whether Saitou didn't hear it or whether he was just ignoring it Midori felt relieved he did not pursue it any further. Instead she focused her attention on Saitou, his family, his experiences and his dreams. To her dismay though, when asked about his dreams, he merely replied "Nothing".

She laid beside him to sleep. They kept their backs turned but Midori couldn't help but feel the body warmth that emanated on his back. She blushed and started talking to distract herself.

"Hajime? Are you awake?"

"Hai."

"What do you think about Akio?" ----- Why am I asking this?

Silence.

"I'm not in a position to answer that. You're his fiancé."

She sighed. Yeah but he's different now.

"Do you think I should still go through with it?"

"You mean marriage?"

"Yes."

"Why are you marrying him?"

"Because it has already been arranged. It will bring honor to our family." -- But he's changed.

"If that reason is good enough for you, then you should."

She closed her eyes.

"What if it isn't?"

"Then you should not."

"It's not that simple."

"I think it should be."

I've got to stop this. It's SO depressing. She changed the subject.

"What do you plan to do tomorrow when you go home?"

"Nothing yet."

"Yet?"

"When it is time to leave I will."

.. "Will you let me know?"

He did not answer.

TO REVIEWER:

MissBehavin: Yeah I know. If I can let Saitou take his life away I would but I think Saitou is a bit more noble than that (I don't think being a jerk satisfies the requirement of AKU SOKU ZAN). Yuuta no plans, other things will brew but I might use Yuuta later. Lemon chapter not yet, not until the time is right. :O)

So I can really post in fanfiction.net with an "R" rating? I really need that chapter later to make the story beautiful..