Second half of Chapter 4, we're just going to call it "5"
Aoshi woke up, immediately suspicious – this wasn't where he had fallen – his eyes snapped open, and he heard a conceited chuckle.
"Finally, you're awake. You've been out all afternoon."
He snapped his head around to see the man who called himself Himura's master.
"What am I doing here?"
The long rest had cleared Aoshi's mind, and now he wasn't clouded by those distracting emotions.
"I found you."
How much does he know? Aoshi thought.
"Although I must say, you do smell of sake."
Deciding to let the man run his course of deducement, Aoshi simply stared back at Hiko. Hiko stared back for a while, and after receiving no response, he continued.
"Now, if I'm to put two and two together correctly – you are the one who raped Misao, correct?"
Aoshi kept his stare, but a minute change in his demeanor – noticeable only to a perceptive few, mind – but confirmation enough. The evidence was enough already, but Hiko wanted to know how Aoshi took the event; after which, then to decide what to do with him.
"Answer."
Aoshi opened his mouth to make some kind of retort, but found his voice to be stuck in his throat.
"I-"
Just getting that word out was a stabbing pain to his heart. What was this? He couldn't even admit to his own failing?
"Troubling you, eh?"
Stares followed.
"I know what you're doing. You're willing to answer, provided you look cool doing it – no emotions for Mr. Shinomori, here. Confess, or I turn you in to face your friends, Misao, and the law."
Aoshi glared at Hiko. He would not bring himself to a sobbing mess in front of such a man – he would be a laughing stock among the outcast, the only place he could possibly hope to belong anymore. But to face Misao and the rest of the Oniwabanshu, that would simply have the same effect.
"Well?"
Aoshi took a deep breath. "I – was –" It was a strain to keep his eyes unwavering, a sick feeling came over his stomach, one of ultimate regret. He could admit to himself that he had done it, why could he not confess? There were things he regretted before, but none, none could compare to the personal scale that this one brought him to his knees for. "I was the one who – who –"
" – raped – "
A cold stream crawled its way down his face, and his voice caught in his throat. This would not get the best of him, he would not allow himself to deteriorate any further –
Misao woke up again, this time to a less-lonely Aoiya. She must have misjudged the time, earlier.
At length, Okina entered.
"How much sake did Aoshi drink?"
"Well…he took a sip, and then started to go a little odd…"
"He did this on one sip?"
"After that he grabbed the rest and downed it, then…he…yeah."
"Makes a little more sense, at least."
He was curious as to what drove Aoshi to commit such a thing – Aoshi, those years ago, had described himself as still having his head through such thoughts.
Misao looked up. "What is it?"
"Nothing, nothing."
"MISAO! Misao!" Omasu came and poked her head in the room. "Guess what? There's a new resturaunt opened a few blocks away, and they've got Western foods! Would you like to come and try them?"
She was somewhat desperate for a change of pace, something to get the event off of her mind.
"Yeah…yeah, I would."
"Well, we'll get someone to carry you, and we'll be off!"
"Say it."
"I – can't."
Hiko looked at the man before him, the man who struggled to keep his cries in as tears streamed down his face. It was almost unbelievable that this man could be brought to this state. It was a change completely absent from his character beforehand.
"Well. I suppose we're going to have to work on that, then."
