Chapter 18

By Crystal

*Screw the disclaimers ^^;;*

The next morning when Kenshin had woken up, he could already smell the smell of breakfast cooking lingering in the air. He was convinced it was not Kaoru since she always woke up after he did, it must be Toshiko. When he stepped into the kitchen, he was not exactly surprised. Breakfast was being cooked by her, "Daijoubu ka?" He asked worriedly.

Toshiko turned around. "Hai, hai, Kenshin. I don't want anybody worrying about me anymore. I was just thinking of asking Tae-san for a job at the Akabeko, what do you think?" She asked, a tiny smile appearing on the lips.

"...Aa... That's a good idea, de gozaru." Kenshin replied. Toshiko raised an eyebrow, not happy with the 'de gozaru'. He gulped and then smiled innocently, 'She's healing faster than sessha thought she would, but...' At that very moment, Yahiko walked in, followed by Kaoru.

"Ohayou, Yahiko-kun, Kaoru!" Toshiko said happily.

If it had not been for that tiny second's sad aura, Kenshin would've been tricked by her too. She was covering her emotions well. Her eyes were no longer shining like they were days ago, her smile never too cheerful. Usually a forced smile. At least she forced a smile, as in Tomoe... She never even thought about smiling... Except those two times.

Somehow, sometimes, she would see Kaoru as Tomoe. It was weird, really. They were the complete opposite. One with grace, the other as a tom-boy. One with emotionless eyes, the other one with eyes that you could easily see through. It was probably they had both protected him. He snapped out of his thoughts as Toshiko and Kaoru waved their hands in his face. "...Ohayou Yahiko, Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin said cheerfully.

"Toshiko told me about finding a job at the Akabeko. What do you say, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.

"Kenshin has already thought it was good." Toshiko replied, sipping the miso soup she had cooked.

* * * * *

Uedo Kanda had already gotten to trust Soujiro more and more. Just to make sure he wouldn't betray the Juppon Gatana, he hand another trick up his sleeve. He had more than once heard Soujiro mumble a girl's name in his sleep.

Uedo had made a background check of her, Yukishiro Toshiko, age 16. Two parents and one sister that has passed away and one brother somewhere in the world. Hometown Tokyo. A day ago, he had sent one man that Soujiro knew, not very well, but who knew he was in Juppon Gatana to get close to Toshiko. That man's name was...

* * * * *

A month has passed and Toshiko had kept writing in her journal at night while she worked at the Akabeko in the morning. Sometimes, she would go to work with Yahiko since he volunteered to go whenever he had free time. Toshiko would always tease Yahiko until his cheeks flushed red. She was getting used to the family very well, Megumi and Kaoru as her older sisters, Kenshin and Sano as her older brothers and Yahiko as her younger brother. She had already dropped all the honorific.

She was healing, slowly, but certainly healing. Toshiko hadn't cried in at least two weeks and her smile was coming back slowly, Kenshin had realized. Megumi and Kaoru had also gotten her to shop with them at least once a week.

Toshiko was pouring tea in a cup, humming a song happily that she had heard from who knows where. The first week was hard, but it was getting better. She also got to know a few customers and serve them regularly. She had gotten the job easily because one of the waitress quit, she had told Tae-san she worked for Sae-san for a while, and last, because she was the Kenshin-gumi's friend.

"Toshiko! One plate of onigiri and one umeboshi ochazuke!" She heard a familiar voice.

Toshiko's smile brightened immediately, "Hai, Mokaku-san!" She yelled. A few days after she had arrived to work at the Akabeko, Hitzumi Mokaku had suddenly appeared and had asked Toshiko to serve him. Tae-san had never seen him before, nor had any other people in the area. Mokaku was interested in Toshiko past and therefore, she had told him most of her past. She had said that her sister died in some sort of accident and that she was only here to live with some friends. She had left out the part about Kenshin or Soujiro and had only said that she had someone she loved that left her, other than that, she refused to say anymore.

In return, Mokaku told Toshiko his past. He had turned into an orphan at the age of five and was therefore thrown into the streets of his hometown, Osaka. He lived like that for years until he learned to work and then traveled around Japan and then stayed at Tokyo. Toshiko and him had gone from a customer and waitress relationship to a really good friend relationship in not a long time. Not once did she consider Mokaku lying about his past. *winks*

Megumi, Kaoru, Sano and Yahiko joked about Mokaku and Toshiko being a pair, which Toshiko brushed away. She had never thought of Mokaku about being more than a friend and didn't intend to. Kenshin, of course, had done nothing, even if he didn't like Mokaku. If he had done anything, it would become suspicious. He couldn't feel any fighting ki in him, so was hoping that he had nothing to do with the Juppon Gatana. But, it was too much of a coincidence. A few days after Soujiro had left, this Mokaku had showed up and started being friends with Toshiko. It was better not to take any chance. He had, during the Bakumatsu, learned not to underestimate anyone, even though it was a kid.

As Toshiko carried the plate of onigiri and the bowl of umeboshi ochazuke, she saw Tae-san talking to Mokaku. At the sight of her, Mokaku smiled and waved for her to come, which she obliged. She walked towards them and put down the two dishes, then excused herself.

"Toshiko," She swirled herself around to face Tae-san and Mokaku again.

"Hai, Tae-san?" She asked.

Tae-san smiled at the girl's cheerfulness, "You may go once Mokaku-san finishes his meal."

Toshiko protested, "Demo, Tae-san!"

"Don't argue with me, young lady. Tsubame-chan and Aika-chan are working here, and the busiest time of the day is almost over. Go out with Mokaku-san. You need to go out more!" Tae-san said.

Toshiko pouted, "You sound so much like Sae-san, Megumi and Kaoru..." She grumbled.

Tae smiled triumphantly, "And I look like her too." Toshiko saw Mokaku watch amused at the both of them and she stuck out her tongue at him. Then she wrinkled her nose playfully and got to work.

Soon enough, Mokaku finished his meal and lead Toshiko away from the restaurant. He knew what she felt for him. Friends and only friends, but he wanted more than just friends. As they passed by a ribbon shop, he caught her looking at a white ribbon with bits of shiny stuff on the silk. He smiled inwardly and got her to stay outside the story for a few minutes for him to buy it.

As soon as she opened it up, her eyes widened. "You shouldn't have!"

Mokaku smiled, "But I did. Try putting it on."

Toshiko looked up at him, "H-hai..." She was wearing a white kimono and a high ponytail that morning, so it fit perfectly.

"Looks nice on you." Mokaku said.

"Arigatou..." Toshiko smiled brightly, but frown immediately as she felt someone holding her shoulder from behind her. Mokaku cursed, drunks always had to interfere when he was doing something important. His eyes widened in surprise as Toshiko slapped the man's face away angrily.

As the man was going to grab for him again, Mokaku spoke up, "Leave the lady alone if you want another day alive." His eyes was narrowed, eyes cold, making the drunks shiver to the very core of the being. The drunks left immediately, but Mokaku was sure they were going to come back... very soon. "Daijoubu?"

"Aa... I just can't believe... I just can't believe I slapped him like that." Toshiko said, staring at her hands.

Mokaku shrugged, "They deserved it." Then lead her away to the center of the market. Fortunately, he was alert and had felt the knife diving at him and Toshiko and dodged the knife by a large margin. Mokaku cursed for the second time that day, they were surrounded and he didn't have his damned katana with him. Thankfully, he was good with close combat, but if he did that, that would be giving out his identity to her. The corner of his eyes moved to the roof top directly behind them. He could certainly do that... 'I could just say I learned a few ninja tricks from someone he met on the road, but that was such a lame lie. Or, hopefully, she wouldn't be too curious about the whole thing.' He thought.

"Hold on tight to me." Mokaku said quietly. She looked up at him, confused. "Hold on tight." Knowing he was going to do something, she grabbed on his gi immediately and as he was about to fly up, someone spoke up.

"Thirty against two unarmed person is not very fair, is it now?" A cheerful voice said.

Mokaku heard Toshiko gasp and he felt his own lips curve up. This was going to be extremely interesting. Oh how he wished Kiya was with Soujiro, then this whole thing would probably give him some entertainment. Mokaku felt himself frown as the thirty men go down within five seconds, but he was not contented. Not a single drop of blood fell.

Soujiro was still smiling his usual smile until his eyes landed on the petite woman beside Mokaku. The smile died on his lips adruptly and he bowed slightly. "Yukishiro-san."

It ached her heart, but she said it anyways, "...Seta...san." She felt her eyes brimming with tears threatening to fall, but she looked up at the sky. A few seconds later she was her usual smiling self. "What a pleasure to see you again." She hated herself for acting as nothing happened. She had waited for this day for weeks, and? And she screws it up, that's what.

At that very moment, a beautiful woman dressed in a lilac coloured kimono walked up from behind Soujiro and linked her arms to him. Soujiro did not even feel her arms linking his, he only saw Toshiko beside Mokaku and narrowed his eyes at the sight of him with HIS Toshiko.

Toshiko hadn't seen the cold glare Soujiro had given Mokaku, she had only seen the way the woman linked her arms to him... not only did he not shake it off, but he didn't look like he was going to do so anytime soon.

Mokaku grinned at the sight of Soujiro glaring at him with all the anger he had. This was too entertaining. He smirked at the sight of Kiya smile mockingly at the woman beside him.

"Mokaku-san..." He looked down at the woman next to him. "Could you... bring me home?" He nodded and lead her away, but as he passed Soujiro, he gave him a mocking smile.

Soujiro understood the meaning perfectly well... it meant, do not betray the Juppon Gatana, or Toshiko dies. His eyes followed his angel dressed in white... His angelic Toshiko with her hair tied up high with a ribbon he had never seen. God she was perfect. How he wished Saitoh had never asked him to be a spy for the police. How he wished he could be his angel now. Life sucked, he should be used to it by now, but he still wasn't. The faster he got this over with, the better. But he'd have to do it carefully, or Toshiko might be in danger. Himura Battousai or not, he was not going to bet with the life of the person he loved most. Finally feeling the tug on his arm, he freed his arm away from the bothersome woman and left to the Juppon Gatana hideout in Tokyo.

Onigiri - Riceballs
Umeboshi ochazuke - snack made with leftover rice and pickled sour plums, soaked in hot tea (term taken from Memoires of a Geisha)

Tariq - I'll get Kenshin and Kaoru to love each other within the next few updates.

Naomi - Neither for now, but probably get his butt kicked when she finds out the real reason why he rejoined Juppon Gatana. ^^

XenoMark - Yup, it's been helping me a lot, as you can see ^^

Shuro - Thanks.

Chiki - Yay! You finally got to finish the story! All that is written anyhow. E-mail me about what you got confused about at clear_crystalglobe@hotmail.com and I'll try my best to explain it to you.

Author's Notes: I might've rushed this a bit, since I haven't written this fic for a week or two, it's kind of hard to rewrite the speed I have been writing, but I'm trying... Anyhow, keep reading and updating, I hope. I got to finish this chapter by the end of this week, yay! Ja ne! ^^