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)
Nisan Kyoda slammed his fist into the wall. The living room was a mess, several pieces of shattered porcelain was scattered on the wooden floor and the lone center table was turned topsy turvy.
"Kami-sama Kyoda! Stop or you will hurt yourself." Misa pleaded with her husband.
"Don't worry otou-san, that man will pay!" Akio said to Kyoda through clenched teeth. The man's emerald eyes were of a hard color and the skin beneath it were pale and puffy.
Upon hearing the young man, Kyoda turned to his soon to be son-in-law and rested his hands on the young man's shoulder.
"I know you will, that is why I entrusted Midori to you."
"Otou-san please sit down." As if by magic the young man's words had calmed the old man and has stopped his smashing frenzy.
He waited for his daughter with both hands covering his face as in despair. His wife carefully cleaned up the floor and while his son, was curled in a corner unable to speak. His future son-in-law was the only one that morning who did not throw a tantrum nor did he looked concerned. If he to be summed up that moment, anger would be a good word.
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Saitou opened his eyes to a lady who was embracing him. His first instinct was to push her away, but her sleeping face caught his attention and he let his gaze linger on her a while longer. His breath slowed as he let his free hand lightly trace her face, careful not to touch her lest he wake her. He felt light hearted that moment; it has been a while since he felt comfortable with anyone. No one has touched him so dearly after his mother died and having Midori arms around him felt good. He let his hand lightly touch her chin and then with his thumb traced her cheek.
"mmm.." sighed the young woman.
Saitou immediately took his hand away but instead, Midori though sleepy eyed stopped him and placed his hand back to her cheeks and did not let go.
"It's okay Hajime." She murmured not opening her eyes. "Just a moment more, the sun is not up yet."
Saitou sighed and relaxed himself again. For a few moments he fell back to sleep.
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KNOCK KNOCK!
"Hoi! Wake up you two!" a voice was calling.
Saitou shot up from bed and covered his eyes as the sun-lit room blinded him.
"One moment!"
As he opened the door he was greeted by the innkeeper, smiling just too sweetly for his taste. The man gave him a wink and whispered "How did it go?", to which Saitou just snarled back at him.
"Yare. Yare! What a temper so early in the morning!" the innkeeper laughed. "I came to ask if you'll be staying for another day, if not well you'll need to checkout before the hour is over."
"Fine. Wait for us downstairs." Replied the man not hiding his annoyance.
"Wa-ka-tta! Hope you come back soon." The innkeeper winked at him again and tried to peek into the room, towards the sleeping young lady but Saitou stepped over to block his vision and closed the door on the man's face.
-----------------------------------
"I'll take you home."
"No need for that Saitou-KUN!" replied the chirpy young lady. "I can take care of myself!"
"No. I'm coming." He followed her despite her protest. Baka! Why are you so happy?
As they grew closer to the Nisan's household Saitou started feeling very uneasy but he kept his poker face as he did not want to change Midori's chirpy disposition. The young lady kept grabbing his hand and leading him along the way, like a small child. She would usually flash him a wide smile or a knowing grin.
"I am so hungry! Hurry up Hajime!" as she dragged the young man.
Midori eagerly knocked on the gates to their house.
-----------------------
"I'll get it." Said Misa almost running to the door
Her husband though was quicker and motioned Misa to the side. He proceeded to the gate followed by Akio.
As he opened the door, he immediately saw Saitou behind Midori and if eyes could kill, they would have done so at that moment.
"Otou-san. Ohay..."
SLAP!
Midori's head twisted as she found herself falling. Luckily Saitou was there to break her fall and the young man held to steady Midori.
"Otou-san?"
"Damn you Midori! How could you do this?" the accusation came from the old man.
"What do you mean otou-san?"
"How could you give yourself to THAT man!" Kyoda pointed to Hajime and grabbed her daughter into the house, then turned back to the young man.
"Damn you Saitou! After I let you in my house and respected you! I told you if you needed anything just ask!"
Kyoda looked tearily at his daughter then his eyes hardened as he turned his attention to Saitou again.
Midori grabbed his arm and said "But otou-san! We didn't do anything!"
Kyoda pushed his daughter away and continued to force his accusing comments to Saitou.
"You did not have to dishonor my daughter and dishonor my family! My daughter is too good for you!"
Kyoda screamed and started to lunge at the silent young man. Akio stopped the old man saying that he will handle this. Then he stepped up to face Saitou.
"I don't care what has happened between you and Midori. She is MINE." Said the Akio has he towered over Hajime.
Saitou broke his silence. He did not dare speak back to Kyoda, but Akio was a different matter.
"Whoever said anyone owned her?" he narrowed his amber eyes at the taller man.
"If you want her, then you will have to fight me. If you win you can have her." Said the pompous young man.
Midori's eyes widened. I am not your property She struggled free of her father's hold to give Akio a piece of her mind but Hajime shot her a look that paralyzed her to where she was.
"I accept. You will let her chose if I win." He took his unsheathed katana as Akio stepped out into the snow covered street.
REVIEWERS:
MissBehavin – Thank you for continuing to read this fic. I'm so glad someone is reading and reviewing it really does help me write more and a little bit faster :O) Well Saitou needs Midori, but I think it can go either way. I just think they need each other. Jerks! Yeah Kami-sama will take care of them. By the way what is NC-17?
LinkLovr – You do? Then review more wink wink, so I can respond more.. Actually just like what I told MissBehavin, it's really great to get reviews cause then I feel that people are reading so I write more. Sometimes I find it hard to write coz I get discourage when I feel no one is reading, so it really helps.