This is just the first half of Chapter 4. For some reason, I've been having an incredibly hard time getting this chapter written, so I decided to just post the first half already because 1) I promised a New Year's update, and I'm already a week late, and 2) I need to make an explanation and apology for the little "fake reviews" disaster. So, the promised update is below, and the explanation/apology is at the end. Um…enjoy?

Fascination (Chapter 4a)

Kenshin slipped easily through the deserted back streets of Kyoto, the hat on his head obscuring his hair and eyes as much as possible. He tried to project an air of harmlessness and ordinariness on the few occasions that he ventured out in daylight, and the few people he passed did not take much notice of him.

It was mid-afternoon and he still had several hours before it was time to take up his position outside the Shinsengumi's inn. Instead of staying inside his room as he usually did, he had found himself wandering the streets—aimlessly for the most part, although the hitokiri in him noted any information that might be useful in the future.

As he skirted the edges of the city's more crowded center, he found himself passing by a small park dotted with cherry trees. He found himself remembering Okita's playful voice: "Ne, Himura-san, have you been to see the cherry blossoms yet? They're very beautiful! You should go and see them some time!"

He imagined Okita teasing him again tonight, "Himura-san, have you seen the cherry blossoms like I told you to? You really should!" and his own quiet voice answering the young Captain for the first time, "Yes, I have. I saw them today." He imagined the stunned look that would be on Okita's face, and something close to laughter stirred in him, his lips curving faintly in an involuntary smile.

When he realized what he was thinking, he stopped dead, eyes widening in alarm. What was he doing? Had he lost his mind? He and Okita were not playing some kind of game, whatever the Shinsengumi captain might think; and he certainly shouldn't want to tease Okita back. He should want nothing more than to see the other swordsman fall under his blade; one less obstacle in the way of the new era that he was fighting for.

Yet, as he walked on, he couldn't help thinking that he would like a laughing, mischievous Okita far better than an Okita stiff with the unnatural stillness of death.

Running footsteps headed towards him shook him out of his reverie. They were light and quick—a child's footsteps.

"Kenshin-ojisan!" a voice behind him called.

Kenshin whirled around in surprise. He gave a small gasp as a little girl threw herself at him, and his hand jerked automatically towards his sword. He forced himself to stop and catch the child instead, his arms going around her as she hugged him fiercely.

"Kenshin-ojisan!" she cried again, beaming up at him. "Don't you remember me? I'm Kazuko-chan!" she added, seeing his look of confusion.

"Oh! From Otsu, ne?"

Kazuko nodded happily. Now he remembered…she had been one of the children that he had played with, when he and Tomoe—

Kenshin broke that thought off sharply, closing his eyes against the surge of grief that tore through him.

"Kenshin-ojisan? Are you all right?"

Kazuko's worried hands patting at his face brought Kenshin back to reality.

"Aa, I'm fine," he replied, forcing a smile for her sake.

She studied him for a moment, then decided that he really was all right. "Will you come play with us?" she asked. "Me an' Miharu-chan an' Junko-chan were playing tag over there—" she pointed towards the park, where two other girls were watching her exchange with Kenshin, "—an' I saw you, an' I remembered that you were really good at playing. So will you play with us?"

Kenshin hesitated. "I…don't think I can, Kazuko-chan. I should go; I have things to do—"

"Please, Kenshin-ojisan? Just for a little while?"

"I shouldn't—"

Kenshin stopped, unable to resist Kazuko's pleading expression. "All right. But just for a little while."

-----

Souji smiled cheerfully to himself as he made his way to the small park where he liked to spend his rare free time. For once, he wasn't needed for any Shinsengumi business, so he had the entire day to do as he liked. He had woken up late and spent the morning practicing his kata in the inn's courtyard before deciding to visit the park.

As the cherry trees came into view, he heard the sound of children at play, laughing and shrieking. It was a familiar sound in the park, and his smile widened as he quickened his pace. Although many thought it was an odd habit, he truly loved playing with children. The other captains, when they saw him doing it, always just shook their heads and murmured that all geniuses were a little quirky.

He followed the sound to a small clearing on one side of the park, mostly hidden from view by bushes and trees. He pushed easily through the bushes—

And froze in amazement.

Playing with the children was a young man with unmistakable red hair.

'Himura?' he thought incredulously. Yes, it was the Ishinshishi's deadliest swordsman, chasing a little girl with a small smile on his face.

Souji could only stand and stare. Not only was the sight so unexpected, so completely surreal, but also…

…how could he ever have been so wrong about Himura's appearance? When they first met, he remembered thinking to himself that Battousai had a sort of cold, sullen beauty. He couldn't have been further from the truth.

Seeing Himura like this, with a smile warming his strange amber eyes and the afternoon sun turning his hair to brilliant red-gold flame—Souji decided that Himura's beauty wasn't cold at all. It was pure fire; dangerous but temptingly warm and bright, drawing him closer to try and touch it, knowing that it would burn him if he did.

-----

Kenshin stopped chasing Junko abruptly, sensing a familiar ki behind him. He turned quickly, and immediately tensed when he saw Okita. A cold glare replaced his smile, his hands flew to his sword, and he dropped into his trademark battou-jutsu stance. Okita stiffened at the action, hand also going to his katana's hilt, preparing to draw. The two men watched each other warily, wondering who would move first.

At that moment, the three girls spotted Okita as well. Oblivious to the sudden tension between the two swordsmen, they happily mobbed him.

"Souji-niichan!" they cried, throwing their arms around his waist. "Souji-niichan, you came today!"

-----

"Ah…hai…" Souji answered weakly, lowering his gaze to the girls. It was probably safe to look away from his opponent while they were hugging him—he knew that Battousai was not a child-killer, despite all the horrific rumors spread about him.

"C'mon, I want you to meet someone!" Kazuko said, tugging enthusiastically on his arm. She pulled him over to Himura, who was watching them with an expression bordering on shock.

"Souji-niichan, this is Kenshin-ojisan. Kenshin-ojisan, this is Souji-niichan," she announced.

Both men were silent for a moment, completely at a loss for what to do. Then Souji's impish smile returned, and he bowed slightly to Himura.

"It's a pleasure to meet you…Kenshin-san," he said, the laughter in his eyes belying the formality of his words.

Himura—no, apparently it was "Kenshin" now—hesitated for a moment, then bowed back.

"Likewise…Souji-san."

To be continued in Chapter 4b! Heh heh heh…

(Don't worry, I will not take months to write 4b. I'll start working on it right away, and I promise, cross my heart, that it will be up before the end of January!)

Note:

Ojisan – uncle (in the manga, the children addressed Tomoe as "Aunt Tomoe", so therefore Kenshin was presumably addressed as "Uncle Kenshin".)

Niichan – big brother (informal) (I'd say the children would call Souji this, since he's more approachable and his behavior is more childlike than Kenshin's. )

Anyway, as for the "fake reviews" disaster…I am very, very sorry that I accused the reviews of hahaha, bloodymary and BloodofVipers of being fake. I'm really, really sorry for being such a suspicious person, and I swear never to do anything like that again.

As for the explanation…well, there were two reasons. First, I don't think I've ever received so many reviews in such a short span of time, especially since it had been so long since I had updated. So basically, it was kind of…too good to be true.

Also, BloodofVipers made the comment that "It dissapoints me that you have seemed to abandon this fic because of the few reviews." So I thought, "Aha! People think that I haven't updated this fic because I want more reviews! So therefore people think that giving me lots and lots of reviews will make me update again! Hmm...maybe that's why I suddenly got so many reviews at the same time; because someone is trying to get me to update!"

So, yeah. There's your explanation. Yes, I know I'm way too suspicious. I'm sorry. I won't do it again!

Reviewer responses will be posted in Chapter 4b, otherwise the notes would be longer than the actual fic! ;)