A/N: Since sRoze asked (:huggles sRoze: You don't have to learn Portuguese :D) and I seem to have finally finished all the work I had for spring break, here it is, chapter 4! Enjoy :)

Disclaimer: I don't own RK. I bet that surprised you ;P


Before entering the restaurant, Aoshi took the time to glance at the enormous sign above the door, announcing to the world the name Aoi-ya, as well as promising the "best food in town". He sighed as he pushed the door.

A bell chimed softly. The agent realised that his height, a little above average, had caused him to bump his head into a small wind chime hanging from the ceiling, by the door. He held it with his hand to make the annoying sound stop and partly because everyone in the restaurant was now staring at him fixedly, curiosity gleaming in their eyes.

The girl he had met some days before, Misao Makimachi, appeared at the sound of the bell, coming from the kitchen. She had thought a new client had just entered, only she didn't expect him to be Aoshi Shinomori, the mysterious man who made her nervous and unsure like no one else had managed so far.

"Er..." she murmured, hesitating a little. "Can I help you?"

"Yes. I'd like to talk to you, if that's possible, Makimachi-san."

"Misao." she insisted once more, beaming at him.

Aoshi nodded and followed Misao to a table in a secluded corner of the restaurant. They were aware of everyone's attention focused on them, but they preferred not to leave the Aoi-ya and go through the trouble of finding some other quiet place to talk. «Besides, I could really use a cup of coffee.» Aoshi thought.

As if she had read his mind, the girl asked him if he wanted to have something to drink while they talked. He asked for a strong, black coffee, which was brought to him by an elderly man, white-haired and wearing a friendly expression, his beard tied up with a pink ribbon, making him look quite ridiculous. Aoshi took a sip and sighed contently. The town might not be the most interesting place in the planet and the people were surely not the nicest ones; but at least the coffee... they knew how to make it.

"It's my grandfather." Misao introduced the old man. "Jiya, this is the federal agent that came to help investigate Tomoe's death... Shinomori-san."

They shook hands and studied each other carefully for a few seconds. Even though the old man, at first sight, looked a bit strange and perverted (seeing as he didn't stop ogling the other waitresses), he possessed clear and inteligent eyes. «One could almost say the eyes of a cop.» Aoshi mused. Perhaps the man had more to him than it seemed, like everyone he had met thus far.

"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Misao inquired curiously, after her grandfather had left them to go harass the other two waitresses.

"It came to our knowledge recently that Himura-san and the victim had an argument. What can you tell me about it?"

Misao lowered her head to concentrate on her own hands, laid out in front of her on the table. "Not much, I'm afraid." She coughed slightly to mask the embarrassment written all over her voice. "I mean, practically nothing."

"Maki..." Aoshi started, stopping abruptly when he reminded himself to call her Misao, or the girl would change the subject back to the matter of her name. "... Misao. I want the truth. This kind of subterfuges may work with Toba's police department, but I'd rather not have to know from others the things you should tell me."

"Alright, alright! I'll tell you." Misao gave in easily. "It all happened because of Tomoe's brother, I think."

"What's his name?" Aoshi had pulled a small notepad from his pocket and was now scribbling furiously.

"Enishi Yukishiro. I think he never liked the idea of his sister getting married and all... Anyway, a couple of months ago he showed up at the dojo. He and Himura got in a fight and almost killed each other, until Tomoe stepped in and managed to stop them. I never saw him again after that."

"If he didn't return, what was that argument between Himura-san and the victim about?"

Misao furrowed her brow, obviously displeased at Aoshi's words. "Why do you keep calling her 'the victim'? 'The victim' this, 'the victim' that... she had a name, you know?"

"Yes, I do. But let's not change the subject. Shall he continue?"

"I don't know if we should, because you are being a bit of an asshole!"

As soon as she realised what she had just said, Misao covered her mouth with both hands and blurted apologies. As for the inexpressive federal agent, he just kept staring at her as if nothing unusual had happened. The sound of the wind chime rescued them from the embarrassing silence that had fallen upon them. Misao glanced nervously at the door and waved to Megumi, who had just entered, inviting her to join them.

"Hello!" the doctor greeted them. "Shinomori-san, I didn't expect to find you here."

"I was just leaving." he declared in a steely voice, placing some coins on the table to pay for his coffee. "Makimachi-san, we'll continue this talk at the station. Later today, if that's possible."

Misao's usually careless and happy expression hardened when Aoshi reverted to a cold 'Makimachi-san'. She pushed the coins towards him and growled aggressively. "It's on the house, Shinomori-san."

After he had left, Misao rested her head on the table, apparently exhausted by the short exchange of words with the man. Megumi giggled and playfully tugged at her long braid. "What? Do you always get like this after seeing a handsome man like him?"

"It's not funny!" she retorted. "And he's not that handsome!"

"Of course, of course" Megumi pretended to agree with a fuming Misao. "If you don't want him, can I keep him for myself?" she asked, her red lips curled in a malicious, albeit friendly smile.

"Sure, and I hope you have fun." Misao sighed. "I think it would be impossible for me to spend more than five minutes with him."

XxXxXxX

Aoshi stopped just outside the Aoi-ya. That hadn't gone too well; the girl, who at first had appeared too emotive and easy to manipulate, was very different from what he what predicted.

Once again, he sighed. He had been doing that too often lately. He looked up at the sky, heavy with grey clouds, and for a moment he thought he had seen four very familiar faces. Aoshi closed his eyes quickly and shook his head. Remember them now and fill his heart with grief and anger at their fate wouldn't bring them back, no matter how much he wanted it.

«I'm tired.» he admitted to himself, not realising he had used the same words as Kenshin, immersed in his pain. «I don't know if I can go on...»


A/N: Please take the time to review if you've read this far ;)