"Where's your papa?" Megumi asked her daughter.
Gin wiped the excess water on the cups and pots and placed them on cabinet above her. "He's still speaking to Mr. Sagara." Then she returned the plates to the rack.
Megumi finished the last plate and passed it into her daughter. " They have to do a lot of story telling, It's been years since Souzou died, not a single word we heard that he's still alive." Then she sat on the floor, writing down the plants she's planning to add on her garden.
"Mama, what happened? Why did Papa assumed Mr. Sagara's already dead?" Gin asked sitting opposite her mama. "Where did he go? Why didn't he showed up much earlier?" Then Megumi told her everything she heard from Souzou.
"Sanosuke, I would like to talk about something else." Souzou said after an hour of talking about what happened in the past. "You said you have adopted Gin, I want to know the whole story." After Sanosuke told Souzou Gin's tragic past he felt he must protect her.
But there's Sano and Megumi.
Maybe a different kind of protection, It's time for her to bloom.
"Sano, there's a thing I want to talk about." Souzou said after a moment of silence.
Sano looked at his captain's eyes. "What is it? Is it about Gin?"
Souzou blushed away. "Yes, maybe it's time for her to go outside, how old is she?" He then asked after a series of "abnormal breathing".
"It's not very like you to blush at pretty ladies and ask about them, Captain." He said smiling slyly. "She's twenty, but I think you're right, she's a smart girl but never goes out." Sano added.
Souzou smiled and asked again, "Maybe you think I'm too old for your daughter, but I'm not that old for love, don't you think?" he asked, hoping Sano knows what he wants to say.
"I think so too because you didn't even look like you've grown old." Sano answered, wanting his captain to say more.
Souzou laughed, "I just want to tell that I am growing fond of your girl, Sano." He don't want to rush anything, he wants it to be perfect.
"Sorry to disturb you or anything, tonight will be the festivity of the roses, Gin and I will come, how about you, guys?" Megumi said, drawing her head inside the room.
"How about you, Captain Souzou?" Sano asked. "It's very rare to have a festival like this one, Every single roses is on its bloom."
Souzou had built a scene in his mind, answered he's eyes shining, "Yes, I'll come, I want to see the rose boast her beauty." For Captain Souzou Sagara, he wants to see Gin bloom together with the roses.
"Where's Gin?" Sano asked after he gathered himself from hearing those words from Souzou.
Megumi entered the room and sat beside her husband. "She's preparing herself, I chose a kimono for her, I gave her my pink one, she said she doesn't need to be too dressed, But oh my, I just want her beauty to float amidst the flowers." Then she smiled, "I do want her to be independent somehow, she has been a good daughter to us, and I don't what to take away her happiness, meeting other girls like her and going out, the things she should have done when she was in her teens."
"Don't worry about your lovely daughter, Megumi, I will take care of her during the festivity, I shall be an escort to her." Souzou proposed.
Sanosuke replied with satisfaction, "Very well, but I'd like her to know you very well, it isn't enough that she only knew you are her father's old friend."
"I know that you will take very good care of our girl, You can escort her during the festivity and get to know her." Megumi answered, very confident on the man.
Souzou bowed his head. "Thank you, I assure you, I can protect her."
The night of the Festival…
The surroundings is filled with different colors of roses, the air was filled with the sweet scent of the flowers and the skies is adorned with small yellow lights, The couple Megumi and Sanosuke hopped from another plant store into another one, Souzou and Gin only watched them nearby.
"Isn't it a beautiful sight? I never thought I'd see such a wonderful sight." Souzou said, engaging her in a conversation.
Gin answered, she's very pretty in her mother's pink kimono with blue belt around her waist. "Yes it is, I always prayed for this festival to come for the last year, The roses are all so beautiful, I wish I am one of them." They walked together, side by side, then reached a peaceful place, they sat on the side of the fountain, they can only hear the sound of the water's peaceful rush, the smell of the sweet scent of the roses and see the lights of the sky.
In reply to Gin's words, Souzou said; "Flowers even roses' beauty wilts, But yours, I know never will be." He said, the words coming from his heart, true to his word he held her hands that she kept in her lap.
Gin blushed furiously for never anyone except for her father said a compliment straight to her. "I… I don't know." She said taking back her hand, she lowered her eyes, for she can't look him into his.
Souzou leaned closer. "Please know, For I… I care for you." He said, can't take those words out of his mouth, maybe this is not just the time.
Gin stood up so quickly, Souzou felt he thought his biggest disappointment he never felt before. "I forgot, I must attend to something." She said not looking in his eyes, If she did she would see longing.
"Then let me come with you, Gin." Souzou said, trying to catch her eyes.
"If you insist, Mr. Sagara."
Souzou held her chin. "You can call me Souzou, and look into my eyes." Catching those shining crystal-blue eyes, he felt much more inlove with her. "Please, Gin, my sweet rose."
"Souzou, I must attend to something I really need to hurry or I won't catch the rose vendor." Her eyes, it felt it was sticked onto Souzou's eyes.
Souzou smiled, but quite disappointed. "Very well, Let's go then."
When they arrived at the middle of the square…
"Please, Souzou wait for Papa and Mama here, I'll be back in a minute." Gin said, her mind in a breeze and stomach still fluttering, then she left.
Souzou nodded and watched her walk away. "If I can only tell my feelings right then and there, But I'm afraid it might take some time."
A few minutes passed and Sanosuke and Megumi returned from their flower shopping.
Sano carrying 3 to 4 baskets of rose buds asked first. "Where's Gin? How's it, Captain?"
"She's a little unsure of herself because she won't open up her feelings when someone open theirs." Souzou answered sadly.
"Now there, Souzou, you won't rush to bloom a bud? You will not open her petals forcefully don't you, Take care of her, and soon she will open up." Megumi's words somehow lightened his heart.
Souzou smiled a relieved smile. "I'll take good care of her."
They're conversation was disturbed by the panicky crowd just behind Megumi.
"They're here! Save your daughters!" a stout man shouted accompanying her teenage daughter into their carriage.
Then another shouted from where Gin went in. "She's caught! Oh my God, somebody help her!"
Sanosuke blocked the old man's path. "Tell us what happened, Who's caught?" he asked praying it wasn't his girl.
He explained in a shaking voice. "A young woman in a pink kimono was caught by a sydicate who kidnaps beautiful, virgin women for prostitution! She entered my shop and was about going to pay for the rose musk when she was taken away!"
Without any word, Souzou ran to the scene, he saw a black carriage and a woman fighting off the men's grips.
"Let go off me, Help! Papa! Souzou!" it was Gin.
Souzou managed to pull one of the men's mask, then he dropped cold at the floor.
"We can't let anyone see our faces, drag him inside with the lady!" ordered a man with a grouchy voice.
When Sano and Megumi got into the scene, they were too late, No carriages, no men, No Gin.
"Gin! Answer me!" Sano shouted from the darkness. "Where are you?" tears streaming down the poor father's eyes.
Megumi could only comfort her husband for she too wanted to cry out loud. "Sano… let's pray Souzou is with Gin."
While inside the carriage…
"Souzou! Oh my God, are you awake?"Gin said, raising his face in her palms to keep his head from falling to the floor.
Souzou started regaining conciousness. "Gin…" his head aches so much he wants to hit it with a stone. "Did they hurt you?… Touch you?"
Gin accompanied him in sitting beside her. "No, what do they want Souzou?" fear in her voice.
"They are a syndicate who kidnaps virgin women for prostitution." He answered making her eyes shine in tears, He didn't want to scare her but rather make her know what situation they are in. "Don't cry, sweet rose, I shall be your protector, we'll get out of here." Then he pulled her closer, closer than she will ever be.
During the whole trip, Souzou can feel that Gin's trembling but no sobbing can be heard, "Gin, try to rest and I will be your guard, I'm afraid we're outside Kyoto, so you'll need energy when we get out of here."
Gin only nodded in silence, then answered. "Mr. S—…"
"Souzou, my love." Then he smiled even though she can't see it for she is lying on his chest. "What is it you wish to ask me?"
"Souzou, what are you planning to do?" Gin asked, her left hand on his heart, her head on his shoulders.
Souzou held her much closer and tighter. "I don't know, but I won't let them touch any part of you, now, calm yourself and rest while you still can."
"Yes, Souzou, there is one more thing I wish to ask." She said, her voice very tired. "Why is your heart so calm?"
"Because it's next to yours, and they beat as one, for I feel peace with you." Was the loving answer, until he realize she already fell asleep.
It was dawn when the carriage was opened. "Oh! Look how sweet, I hope he didn't took your purity already! Because you both rather die!" the fat, stinky man said, entering the carriage and dragging Souzou away.
"Please spare the woman, kill me instead!" Souzou pleaded when he was pushed in the ground, a shiny metal aimed at his head. "Please let her be!"
"Souzou! No!" Gin in tears, while two men are firmly holding her arms. "Souzou! You want me, I'll do anything, let him go! He wasn't…"
Souzou shouted in desperation. "Quiet! Don't take her…"
The echo of the gun made the birds fly away, Gin's scream was the only thing left to be heard.
"Gin, are you okay?" It's Sano, he knocked the two men guarding the lady, and she didn't even notice. "You're father is still good at this, Gin." He said finishing all the others.
Kenshin and Sanosuke arrived, Kenshin has knocked the man with a gun too, with his double-edged sword. "Souzou! He's shot!" he shouted.
"Souzou, please live." Gin kneeled and placed his head on her lap.
"We must stop the bleeding, or else he'll die running out of blood." Kenshin said after observing Souzou.
Sano tried to tear his jacket but Gin stopped her.
"Here, use my ribbon, I hope it can help." Gin prayed.
"Let's use the carriage to get back!" Sanosuke proposed, carrying the unconcious man inside the carriage. "Kenshin and I will drive, you take care of Captain Sagara."
Gin nodded. "Yes, Papa." Then Gin and Souzou was left alone again inside. "I'm sorry this has to happen, Souzou." Then her tears fell on Souzou's face, It was like the young woman's tears healed Souzou, he stirred and opened his eyes.
Souzou smiled weakly. "My love, don't cry, It hurts me a lot more…" he wiped the tears away from her cheeks. "Please don't move too much or speak, rest and Mama will help you." She said Souzou's head on her lap. "Please live… for me."
Souzou nodded and fell asleep.
It's been the whole day and the next day, at last Megumi and Kaoru has finally emerged from the room, with a tired look at their faces.
"Meg, Kaoru you both look so tired, here's water." Sano and Kenshin handed a glass of water to Megumi and Kaoru
Megumi smiled wearily. "Thank you, Sano, I'll go and rest for awhile, please look after him."
"I'll go get some warm water again." Kaoru said handing the glass back.
Kenshin stopped her. "No, I'll do it Kaoru, you go rest too."
"Okay, Gin's still inside, please look after her too, she wasn't eating very well." Kaoru said, rubbing her eyes.
"Yes, Kaoru." Kenshin answered.
"How's Souzou, Megumi?" Sano asked Megumi after she sat down for awhile.
Megumi collected her hair scattered on her shoulders. "He's strong, but I think if this happens again, he might not survive again." She explained.
Inside the room, where Souzou lay still unconcious, but thank God he's saved,the only thing that can be heard inside is the two bodies breathing, one hoping, one waiting.
Gin swept the fallen strands of Souzou's hair away from his face. Admiring the sleeping man's beauty, she can't help but sing a song of love coming from her heart…
Okay! The 2nd chappie's done, I think it's a lot worse than the first one… Well, did you like it, please tell me! HELP ME GO ON, If you think it needs heavy improvement please say so! The action part sucks, it doesn't even look liked action:)
But I'll do my very best!
Again, I apologize for the bad English..Daydreamer: Thank You for the list! Hope you like this one too!
Gabyhyatt: Really! Here's the 2nd one! I hope you liked this!