Chapter 20

By Crystal

Author's Notes:  Quite a few of flashbacks in this chapter.  Hopefully, Kenshin and Kaoru will stop being so dense within the next few chapters.

*Screw the disclaimers ^^;;*

Another normal day...  Soujiro thought bitterly.  Another normal day of not seeing Toshiko.  Soujiro sighed and looked behind his back and surprised himself again for the thousandth time that Kiya wasn't there.  Right.  Kiya-san had something to do today.  Great for me.  Uedo-sama had called Kiya-san in his room that morning and had discussed something with her, after she came out, she had informed Soujiro that she wouldn't be accompanying him to the market or anything.

Of course he was glad!  He was free of her for a whole day, must have been the best day of his life since he rejoined the Juppon Gatana.  Once again, his mind drifted back to Toshiko...  How was she doing?  How had she reacted after she had gotten home that day... Two days to be exact?  Did she cry?  Was she angry?  Was she indifferent?  He looked up and suddenly found himself in front of the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo.  Weird...  I must have walked here unconsciously.

He turned around and began walking away the dojo, until he heard a yell.  "TOSHIKO-CHAN!"  A woman's voice...  Then the sound of a knife hitting the floor.  "Hajime!"  The woman again...  Saitoh Hajime's name...  His eyes widened as the information sank in and his face paled noticeably.

He couldn't believe he had fallen for the trick...  Saitoh...  He must have made this whole thing up about the Juppon Gatana...  He wanted to kill Toshiko...  And when he left, he killed her.  A woman saw him kill Toshiko and yelled his name...  Soujiro stopped thinking for a moment.  What the heck, that didn't make sense.  He frowned a bit and sensing that nobody was spying on him or following him, he thanked Kami-sama for letting him have his own 'free time' and immediately jumped over the gates and ran to the kitchen.  It was most likely that the knife was in the kitchen...  Where else do you find a knife?

As he turned around the corner to see the kitchen, his mouth went wide open at the sight.  A woman with her hair tied in a bun was holding onto the limp body of Toshiko and Saitoh was crouched behind her.  A knife was on the floor, with blood on it.  Not a lot...  But...

Saitoh turned around at the sound of someone's footsteps and frowned slightly.  "What the hell are you doing here, ahou?"

"Is she... all right?"  Soujiro asked, ignoring the question Saitoh had asked him.

"See for yourself."  Saitoh said and Soujiro went to take the place of the woman holding onto her.  Her eyes was closed and she would have looked really peaceful if it wasn't for the line of blood dripping down the side of her throat slowly, drop by drop.

* * * * *

Ahou, mind telling me why the hell you are here?  That must be Saitoh-san... Always calling people ahous...

I heard your wife, Tokio-san screaming Toshiko's name.  I came just to check if she was all right.  Soujiro...  Why are...  you here...?

That was stupid of you.  You could have been followed, then you would have screwed up the whole plan! 

What plan, Hajime?

I don't give a damn!  I just wanted to make sure she was all right!  Soujiro...?  Me...?  All right?  He still cares...?  Of course not...  I must be dreaming...  He loves that woman.  I must be dreaming...  I'm dead.

As I said before, that was very stu...

Hajime.  Tokio-san...  I would like to hear the whole story.  A groan.  I never thought I'd see the day Saitoh-san groan...  Actually, I'm not exactly seeing it...  Just hearing it.  Up in heaven or down in hell...  Somewhere around there.  Hell, probably.  I did commit suicide...  Or, it might just be a dream.

I'll explain, Tokio-san.  Soujiro's voice...  Saitoh-san sent me on a mission to spy on the Juppon Gatana because...  I'm so tired...  The sounds are diminishing...  I can barely hear anymore...  Was that... the last time I'd hear his voice?  The last time I'd feel him this close?  I feel him holding onto me...  But I'm dead...  So I can't possibly be feeling anything...  Anything at all...  He stopped talking...  Why?  I feel a kiss on my forehead, so familiar, yet so exotic...  I find myself surrounded by darkness the second time that day...

* * * * *

Toshiko tried to open her eyes and found them terribly heavy...  After trying a few times, she finally got them to open and saw a familiar ceiling.  The ceiling of the dojo...  I thought I was dead?  She sat up quietly and painfully, feeling the pain in the front from the knife cut and in the back...  Most likely from someone knocking her out unconscious.  Her head turned painfully towards the shoji as she heard it open and a woman stepped inside.  "Tokio-san..."  She said quietly.

Tokio sat down on the floor and placed the tray of tea down, "I heard you waking up, so I brought some tea.  Now, if Hajime and I wasn't here, then you wouldn't have been here in this world anymore.  I want to know your reason for doing that."

Toshiko ignored what she said, "Was Soujiro here?"

A slight pause, but enough for Toshiko to tell something was out of place.  "Saitoh was...  Who's Soujiro?"  Her eyes were unreadable, emotionless, but Toshiko had been able to tell she was lying from the slight pause...  "I want to know your reason for doing that."  She repeated again.

Toshiko sighed in defeat, "It happened a while ago...  And it's felt like ages since I've known him...  But it's only been a few months...  That day...

Gomen nasai!

Daijoubu?

Daijoubu.  Ano...

Please call me Toshiko...  Would you mind telling me your name?

Oh right!  I forgot to tell you my name.  Seta Soujiro, a rurouni.  Call me Soujiro.

You know this man named Kenshin? Himura Kenshin? And neechan?  Can you...take me there?  Arigatou gozaimasu, Seta-san!

Can...I?

Seta Soujiro! I demand to know what is going on! PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!  Soujiro, don't you dare.

Now why wouldn't I dare?

Me. I killed them.

The Battousai...He let you live? And sent you to do something like this? I thought...He was a demon, slashing at everyone he saw.
I would love to be your daughter-in-law...

I know you would. You love him, a lot. And he you.

"I don't know, it's just a plain festival every year where everyone goes."

It's not just a plain festival!  You could wish whatever you want to wish for, it's special and it's only once an year!
Yeah, Soujiro's right, it's just a plain festival.  Sorry, I'll be right back.

Don't you ever get tired of smiling, Soujiro?
Soujiro likes you. That's all I'm going to say.

...It's beautiful, ne?"

Aa...

I wish it was like this everyday... With you... Woops...did I say that out loud? Heh, heh, heh. You didn't hear that.

Daijoubu ka, Toshiko?
Soujiro! Where the heck were you?!

Gomen nasai... I just don't know what I could do if you ever left me.  You're never going to leave me, right?

You don't like me... do you? You regretted it... didn't you?

Iie Toshiko, I didn't regret it.

I miss you...Soujiro.

Yukishiro-san.

...Seta...san. What a pleasure to see you again.

She closed her eyes and smiled fondly at her memories.  Then she opened her eyes, staring straight at Tokio's.  "Sou ka..."  Tokio said softly, then smiled a bit.  "Life is never a rose garden, but if everyone went to commit suicide every time something like this happened, the whole world wouldn't have a single soul living in it.  Love deeply, you might get hurt, but it's the only way to actually get closer towards happiness.  I've learnt that the hard way, just like you have."  She chuckled at Toshiko's widened eyes, "Yes...  Like you, I've tried to commit suicide too...  I am fortunate to still be alive and married to Hajime."  She showed the scar on her wrist.  It was faint, but still visible.

"Was your marriage with Saitoh arranged?  Don't answer if you think it's too personal."  Toshiko said.

Tokio shook her head, "I'm unlike you, yet like you.  I committed suicide because my father arranged my marriage.  A while later, my father died of sickness and I no longer needed to marry anyone.  I left for Kyoto, even if I knew it was a dangerous city, but I knew self defence.  I was a ninja, and that's when I met Hajime."

Toshiko nodded and felt a sudden dizziness overwhelm her, "You must be tired, after how Hajime knocked you unconscious."  She nodded, "Go sleep, I'll tell Himura-san about the incident two days ago.  And today, if you want."  She nodded again.  "Sleep well, Toshiko-chan."  Toshiko watched Tokio-san take the tray gracefully and close the shoji.  She felt her head hit the pillow and fell asleep.

* * * * *

He watched Toshiko through the gap Tokio-san had left purposely open and he thanked her silently.  Although he didn't hear the whole conversation between them, he had been able to catch most of the words.  Mostly the ones with Toshiko during their trip to Tokyo.  Watching her one last time, he walked silently to the gates, where he felt Kenshin's ki.  Alone.  He opened the dojo gates and even though Kenshin had felt him, he was still surprised.

"Himura-san."  He bowed.

"Soujiro...  What are you doing here?"  Kenshin asked.

He put on his usual smile, "Tokio-san is inside tending Toshiko.  I'm sure she will tell you everything that has happened today...  And two days ago.  I must get going, or they'll be suspicious.  Ja, Himura-san."  Another bow before he walked out and sprinted away from his sight.

Kenshin frowned, Tokio-san?  Soujiro certainly wouldn't come if it wasn't something serious...  He walked back slowly to the dojo with his tofu bucket and sudden stopped in his tracks.  Something dead serious...  Carrying the tofu, he ran into the house and almost slammed the door open until a hand stopped him.

"Himura-san.  Toshiko-chan's resting."  Tokio's calm voice said.

"What happened, Tokio-dono?  He said something about you tending Toshiko...  And that you would tell me everything that happened, de gozaru."  Kenshin asked.

Tokio smiled reassuringly, "Let's go to your room.  I don't think Toshiko-chan would like to be disturbed in her sleep."  Kenshin lead Tokio to his room and they sat down comfortably.  "I had made Soujiro-kun and Hajime tell me exactly what was happening with the whole Juppon Gatana thing.  Apparently, the only person that knows is Himura-san, Hajime, Soujiro-kun, Kamatari-san, Chou-kun and now me.  Then Toshiko-chan told me what happened two days ago."

"Two days ago?  That's the day Toshiko came home crying, de gozaru."  Kenshin almost shouted, but kept his calm at the very last second.

"Now, Himura-san.  Can you please let me finish the story before you ask me anything?"  She saw Kenshin nod, "All right, two days ago, Toshiko-chan met Soujiro-kun somewhere in the market with a woman.  Toshiko-chan thought she was Soujiro-kun's love, since she was holding onto his arm.  Soujiro-kun told me today, while he was telling me the whole story about the Juppon Gatana, that she followed him everywhere.  Toshiko-chan came home crying because she...  Well, you don't exactly need explaining on that."

"Today while all of you were outside doing something, like you, buying tofu for example,"  She pointed at the bucket of tofu beside Kenshin.  "she tried to commit suicide."  Tokio saw Kenshin's eyes widen as big as saucers, "She's fine.  Fortunately, Hajime and I passed by to visit her and for no reason, Soujiro-kun just passed by and heard me call Hajime and Toshiko-chan's name.  Hajime immediately knocked her unconscious and then Soujiro-kun rushed in.  She just managed to cut her throat a bit.  She feels a bit dizzy and her neck hurts, but other than that, she's fine."

Kenshin sighed a sigh of relief.  "Do you think...  We should tell her?  Even though we might put her in danger.  Sessha thinks... she deserves to know..."

"Himura-san...  Hajime's right, you're too much of a softie.  The less people knows about the secret, the less chance of it being exposed.  When you're doing something like this, be as secretive and hide in the darkness as much as you can.  You being Battousai, a shadow assassin during the Bakumatsu, you should know that better than any of us."  Tokio said, looking straight at his eyes.

Kenshin looked back, eyes narrowed, "Who are you?  Saitoh would tell you about me being Battousai, but he would never tell you something like that."

"Takagi Tokio, spy for the Shinsengumi.  Just like you, I hide in the shadows."  She replied emotionless, then smiled a sad smile, "But you're right...  Toshiko-chan deserves to know...  I'm turning into a softie also...  But..." 

"I deserve to know what?"  The two of them turned around to meet Toshiko's confused gaze.  Because of the seriousness in the whole conversation, the both of them had not sensed Toshiko.  "I'm sorry, I just couldn't sleep, even if I was dizzy."

Naomi – Thanks.  Well, you see, Uedo Kanda's head is as messed up as Shishio's ^^  Hope that explains it

XenoMark – Arigatou!

EvaYasha – She's not dead, no worries ^^

Author's Notes:  Sorry it came out so...  Late.  Blame it on ff.net, de gozaru ka!  They had the site down for like, 2 days.  Anyhow, next up, I think is Crimson Puddles.  I'm half way done anyhow.  See ya!