"speech"
'thoughts'
THE ONLY ONES LEFT
Chapter One
"Thank you, Miss Takani."
"Oh, it's nothing Ma'am.. You know it's my privilege to cure the sickness of people, especially children like your daughter.."
It was just another normal day for Takani Megumi. Same old day waking up looking forward to nothing else but getting to cure the patients lining in front of her clinic.
"Okay, little Aki.. Just rest for today, okay?" Megumi said to the cute little boy who's been having the flu for three days now.
"But.. sensei.. I was planning to play with my friends this afternoon..." Aki replied, pouting..
Megumi bent down a little to face her patient. And said,
"Tell them you can play with them the moment you get well.. If you rest today, you could be lucky and get cured tomorrow. And oh..! I want you to drink the medicine your mom is going to give you once in a while.."
"That bitter-tasting liquid again?" Aki said before sticking her tongue out with disgust.
"Yes, Aki-chan." Megumi said with a smile.
Aki faced her, this time with the happy, innocent look in his face.
"If I do that, I will get cured.. And if I get cured, I can play with my friends, right?"
"Right! That's so good of you.. Now, go home, rest and take your medicine."
Megumi stood up and gave a packet with medicine in it to Aki's mother.
"Thank you once again, sensei."
With that, the middle-aged woman took her son's hand and headed out of the clinic.
Megumi sat in her chair and sighed.
'That's already the seventh this morning.. And it's only..' Then she stopped to look at her watch. 'Ten in the morning..! Kami-sama I'm tired already.. Not to mention bored..'
She then folded her arms over the table and leaned on it. Just when she was about close her eyes, she heard the door open.
'Grr.. Don't tell me it's another patient??'
With that, she quickly sat up straight and tried to fix her kimono.
An old man greeted her with a smile. "Ohayo, Megumi!"
"Gensai-sensei!! Ohayo! I thought it's another patient..!"
She stood up and gestured to the seat in front of her. Dr. Gensai nodded and took the seat.
Megumi sat once again and asked, "So, what brought you here today, sensei?"
"Since you've asked, I'll go straight to the point, now.." Dr. Gensai replied, leaning closer to the younger doctor.
'Hmm.. Dr. Gensai looked so serious.. What urgent thing could have brought him here today?' Megumi thought with a cloud of curiousness and sadness for it could be another difficult task.
Dr. Gensai sighed and slouched on the chair.
"You see, there are two patients from two different villages who are both in serious condition. I can't possibly attend to them at the same time. I was thinking if you could go and check one of them while I go check the other."
When she heard that, Megumi let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
"Oh, it's alright, sensei.. Geez.. You made me nervous!" Then she smiled.
"Thank you, Miss. Megumi!! You're of great help to me!" Dr. Gensai said with a smile of his own.
Megumi thought for a while.
"Are the villages far from here?"
"Well, a bit.. But not really that far.." Gensai replied. The old man stroked his chin before finishing his statement. "Let's see.. You'll have to ride a train and go down three stations from here. Then, you'll have to take a bus and walk a bit. Don't worry.. I'll give you a map."
"Oh.." Megumi said absentmindedly.
'I haven't gone out that far for some time.. It'll be good chance to escape from my usual boring routine. Ohohoho'
"The patient's name is Akane and she's suffering from cholera." The old doctor said as-a-matter-of-factly.
"And when do I need to head out?"
"As soon as possible. I'm going tomorrow to the other patient because the place is farther than that of yours."
"Uhm.. Okay. Maybe I'll just finish some of my business here in the clinic before I go." Megumi said.
With that, Dr. Gensai stood up and said, "That's fine with me. Now, if you'll excuse me.. I'm going to pack up for my leave."
Megumi walked the older doctor to the exit and said goodbye. She noticed that there's no line of people with bruises, headaches, stomach pains, abrasions and the like waiting outside the clinic.
'Looks like there'll be no more patients until later.' She looked at her watch once again and noted that it was almost time for lunch.
'That's why! Maybe I should go and take my lunch break, too.. Hmmm.. Where should I have my lunch?? In the Akabeko, maybe.. Or in the dojo? I have an idea!'
She removed her doctor's coat and got her pouch from the cabinet. She closed the lights and went out of the clinic immediately.
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The blazing sun greeted her the moment the got out. With a smile in her face, she walked briskly to the Akabeko.
A very cheerful Tae greeted her. "Good morning, Miss Megumi! What are you having for lunch today?"
"Good morning, Tae.. Hmm.. I'd like to have some riceballs, miso soup and also some tofu.." Megumi said, counting with her fingers.
"Oh.. Isn't you appetite nice today?" Tae said, grinning at the doctor. "You don't usually eat that much.."
"Oh.. I forgot to tell you. I won't be dining in today. I'm planning to visit the Kenshin-gumi today." Megumi replied. "You know I can't eat that much food!"
"Oh, I see.. I'll be back with your order!"
A few minutes later, Tae was back with a number of bags. She handed them out to Megumi and smiled. "I hope you'll enjoy your meal!"
"Thank you, Tae!" After paying the food, Megumi set out to the dojo.
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When she arrived at the dojo, Kenshin immediately greeted her. "Ohayo, Megumi-dono! You're just in time for lunch, that you are!"
"Ohayo, Ken-san! Here, I brought some food with me." Megumi handed out the food she bought in the Akabeko to Kenshin.
"Arigato, Megumi-dono!! You can go in, now. I'll just set up the table for lunch." Kenshin said before heading to the kitchen.
Megumi entered and saw Kaoru training with Yahiko. Kaoru noticed her presence and greeted her immediately. "Ohayo, Megumi!" Megumi just nodded at her.
When she greeted Megumi, Yahiko immediately found a chance and hit her.
"Oi, Yahiko! It's not right to take advantage of your enemy!" Kaoru told the child, continuing their "fight."
Yahiko laughed at her and retaliated, "And busu, it's not right either to let your guard down! Hahaha!"
"I just stopped to greet our visitor! And it's so not nice of you not to greet Miss Megumi!!" Kaoru said, gritting her teeth. She doesn't like it when people, especially those younger than her, laugh at her.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Miss Megumi.. Good morning!! Here to visit your Ken-san??" When he said that, he looked at Kaoru with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Kaoru just shoot her a Why-are-you-looking-at-me-like-that look.
"Oh, playing innocent, huh, busu? Hahaha!" Yahiko laughed, again, at his trainer.
"You little brat! It's not good to stick your nose in other people's business!!" And Kaoru doubled her effort to hit the boy she's been training for a while.
Megumi just watched the two. Until now she's still amused at why these two still don't run out of insults at each other even after living together for years. After thinking for a while she said,
"Don't worry, Kaoru. I'm not here to visit just Ken-san!"
'I've given that up.'
She has realized that Kenshin and Kaoru are the ones who are destined to be together and that the affection she's been showing Kenshin was just a sister-brother thing.
'I mean.. who wouldn't notice? They keep on denying it but it's obvious, really..! They do look cute together and I'm just making things more difficult when I flirt with Ken-san.'
Her train of thoughts was interrupted by Yahiko.
"So, who are you gonna visit, then? Roosterhead? Hahaha!!"
Megumi blushed at this but she just said, "O.. Of course not!! I'm here to visit all of you!" She stammered a bit at the beginning but she emphasized the word 'all'. She's been actually close with Sano lately. Not because they have a relationship but when she thinks of it, Kenshin is with Kaoru, Misao has Aoshi and even Yahiko has Tsubame. That leaves only her and Sano to be together most of the time. When she thought of that, she just looked down at the floor and stood still.
Kaoru noticed this and said, her eyes with rage, "Yahiko! I told you to shut up!!"
Megumi tried to gain her composure and thought,
'We're just friends so I shouldn't be affected by those teasing.'
"It's okay, Kaoru. You actually look amusing to me... Ohohoho!" Megumi said.
"What's amusing? Me fighting this busu?? I thought people get irritated when they see us arguing all the time.. Now you've grown those fox ears, Miss Megumi!" Yahiko said.
Just then, Kenshin arrived and called them all for lunch.
"It's lunch time guys, that it is."
Upon hearing Kenshin, Kaoru set aside her bokken and shouted, "Coming!!"
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They were about to eat their lunch when they heard lazy, heavy footsteps going near the dining area.
"Hey! Now, isn't my instinct so sharp? I'm just in time for lunch!"
As usual, Sagara Sanosuke came home for free lunch.
Upon seeing him, Megumi flipped her hair and said, "Oh, well.. It's just the roosterhead..!"
Sanosuke approached the gang and said sarcastically, "That's such a warm welcome, kitsune-onna.. Thank you..!"
Kaoru sighed and said in a low voice. "I thought so."
Sanosuke saw this and said, "You thought so?? What?"
Kaoru looked at him and said, "I knew you'd come home by this hour. You always do.. You go home only when it's time to eat, you baka!"
Sano grinned and said, "Hmmm.. why? Missed me?"
Kaoru, as she was, got irritated at this and merely shouted, "You baka!! The hell I'd miss you!" Then she stuck her tongue out and did an akambe like a child.
"Now, now.. We should eat before the food gets cold. That we should" That statement was, of course, from Kenshin.
Sano sat down and said, "Itadakimasu!" At that, they started to eat peacefully. When Kaoru finished her food, she harrumphed to catch the attention of everyone who's present.
"I have good news for you, guys." She said, with her most irresistible smile.
"And what good news could that be?" Sano immediately asked, his mouth still full from his last bite.
"Yeah, what good news could someone like you bring?" Yahiko said. Sano and him usually gang up on insulting Kaoru and they've been used to it.
"Just shut up and listen, okay??" Kaoru said, irked. Then she tried her best to make her voice as gentle as possible again.
"As you all know, our village is celebrating its 117th Foundation Anniversary. This night, there'll be lots of programs, parades, contests, fireworks and such at the town.. So, I was thinking if we could all go there tonight. That is, if you all agree." After finishing her statement, Kaoru looked at her comrades one by one.
"That sounds like fun, that it is." Kenshin said to break the silence.
"So, what do you think?" Kaoru said, looking at the other three. When her eyes landed on Sano and Yahiko, she said, "I'll treat those who will go with me for dinner."
Upon hearing that, the two immediately replied, "Count me in!!"
"I knew you would want to go with a little bit of encouragement.!" Kaoru said, the encouragement being the food.
"And how about you Miss Megumi?"
"Oh.. I could take some time off, you know.." Megumi said, all the while thinking, 'I won't be here for days so I might as well join them..'
"Well.. It's settled then!! I've invited Misao and Aoshi, too. They said they would meet us in the town square.. Now, I need to make some preparations. Can you accompany me, Megumi?? We should fix ourselves for the festival!" And then, Kaoru stood up, extending her hand for Megumi.
"Do I really need to come and do that fixing thing?" Megumi asked, a little hesitant to go with Kaoru.
When Kaoru saw that her friend's thinking twice, she just dragged her to the other room, saying something about girls and looking good.
"Hmm.. I hope it'll be fun tonight.." Yahiko said, continuing his disturbed lunch.
"You'll be okay, you know! Hey! Maybe you should bring your girlfriend!!" Sano said, elbowing the younger boy.
Yahiko blushed at the thought and said immediately, "Tsubame is not my girlfriend!!"
Sano, as cunning as he was, laughed and said, "I didn't mention any names!! Now that you've said it..... Hahaha!!!"
Yahiko just rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever!!" Then, he ran out the dojo.
"I bet he's gonna go and tell that Tsubame girl in the Akabeko about the festival tonight.. Kids.." Sano said, continuing his also distracted lunch.
"How about you, Kenshin? Oh, I remember you have Jo-chan! Hahaha!"
Kenshin just looked down to hide his blush. And then, he thought of an idea.
"Sano, how about you bring Megumi-dono with you like you always do?"
Sano was taken aback and he felt a bit surprised and sad at the same time. "Huh?? I can't take her with me 'coz.. Uhmm.. she.. uh.. likes you, remember?"
But Sano knew better than to show that he's hurt so he immediately added, "Besides, I never brought her with me!! She comes on her own will but since you all have your own partners, we end up being together most of the time!!"
Kenshin just smiled at the attempt and said, "That's the point!!, that it is..!" Then, the former rurouni stood up and said, "Just call me when you've already finished your meal so I can clean up, okay?" Then he went out of the room.
Sano just nodded and thought, "That's the point? Hmmm.."
Then, realizing that he was the only one left there, he finished his meal as fast as he could and went on to call Kenshin.
