Author's Note:
Thank you very much to those who reviewed. J hehe…that wasn't expected. Anyway, this chapter's gonna be a bit long [a BIT] JJJ and maybe, it'll reveal more story than the first. So sit back and read…Hope ya like this one.
Standard disclaimers apply.
Midnight 1868, Moonlit 1878 –hagaki ozunoI walked along the familiar street that paralleled ours. Trouble always brewed in this place, maybe because there are many war freak guys over here. But, most of the kindest persons I know live in this street. Quite an irony, I think. But who cares? Yasu and I wont be starving for a night because some of the people there give me extra money if I did beat up the troublemaker for good. Some give us food. The kids look at me like a hero. I wondered what the Sekihoutai would think if they were alive…
" Hi, Mrs. Yuzawa." I greeted the familiar young mother nearby. She's the one who informs Yasu when there's trouble here. After Yasu gets the information, he sends me off even when it's early in the morning, like what's happening now.
" Oh, Sano. The guy I was talking about, he—"
" Yeah, I know. I'll take care of him." I raised my fist to show my determination.
" But, Sano, he—"
" I always beat up these kind of guys, right? There's no need to worry."
Right before she could say another word, I ran towards the usual place where those morons show up: the empty lot behind the only store in that area; the greatest targets of my targets. J
By the time I reached the area, my jaw dropped on the floor.
They were a big pack of goons, all muscularly and more that 6 feet tall. They were armed and had metal balls and chains as weapons, and their armors were all spiked.
But that wasn't the reason my jaw dropped on the floor. I'd be a chicken if I did.
A guy stood in the middle of the lot, scratching his head. He held a reversed-edged sword at his right hand.
Then that made me think…
Did this little guy actually defeat all these? Using that…weapon?
Aha…hahaha…. impossible. He doesn't look much of a fighter, anyway.
But I need to be sure, so…I confronted him.
" Oro?" Was the first word he said innocently when I tapped his shoulder.
I stared at his face, and something surprised me more. I felt like…I knew this guy a long time ago. I just can't remember where and when I saw his face.
" Mister?"
His second word snapped me out of my curious world again.
" Oh..." I scratched my head in embarrassment. But…me? Embarrassed? That's new… Anyway, I continued after 5 seconds of pausing. " Uhm…well, sorry if I'm mistaken, but did you beat up all of these guys yourself?"
The man smiled at me. " Well, I saw these men robbing from the poor old man at the store. I couldn't just stand by and watch." His smile turned to a sudden troubled look.
"Have I done something wrong?"
" No. It's just that…" I tried to sound as casual as I could. "…You took my job." I grinned to give him the aura that it wasn't a big deal.
" Ah… I' m sorry. Here, the people gave me some money right after I put these guys to sleep. They should be yours, I think."
" I think it's better if you keep them. I'm not the one who defeated them anyway."
It took us some time to stare at each other. And the same though repeated over and over. I know this man. I'm sure I know him. That red hair, those amethyst eyes. That smile…. yes, especially that smile. What's with this guy? And he even had a big plaster on his left cheek. I wonder what it's hiding?
" Kenshin!"
A female voice called out from behind.
Kenshin? Do I know a man called Kenshin?
" Ah, it's Kaoru." He knew that girl. Maybe his sister?
" Kenshin, what are you doing here? Everyone's waiting for you at the dojo." She shouted.
Who's this girl? I stared at her and I held back my laughter. She looked like a raccoon J. She doesn't look like this Kenshin guy either. Maybe a friend, but then again, maybe not.
She walked rapidly towards our direction and held him by the wrist.
" Kaoru…"
" Whether you like it or not, Kenshin, we'll go home right now."
I heard that Kenshin guy heave a heavy sigh.
" Stand back, chicken head." She said as she made her way through me.
Wait…Chicken head?!?!?!?
" Who are you calling chicken head, you raccoon?!" My head wanted to burst in anger. Why, nobody dared to call me chicken-head! And what's wrong with the hairstyle anyway? Yasu pointed it out before, but, heck. That's what I want and nobody tells me when to change my hairstyle!
Anyway…
" You. Who else? Dummy."
My eyes sent sparks of anger towards hers, and she did the same. I was so angry. How could this…. this…woman humiliate me like this?!
" Calm down, please." Kenshin halted us both. "I'm sorry, mister. My friend's only in a bad temper today and--"
" Enough talk, Kenshin. We leave."
Right before I knew it, that raccoon girl dragged Kenshin out of that place.
" Whatever…".
Before I left, I noticed a small cloth that looked like a wallet. I picked it up. Is this his? I'll just return it tomorrow.
~*~*~
I walked home after I had a long chat with Mrs. Yuzawa at her place, apologizing that I woke up late and made other people take care of the problem.
Heck, this is one unusual and weird day. Encounter with a guy I think I know but I'm not sure if not, my money off to somebody-else's hand, and most of all, a raccoon-girl-human [whatever] gate-crashing onto my life and even calling me chicken head. What's with this day, anyway? I even told Yasu to prepare hot sake when I go home, but I haven't even dropped a single sweat. Sake doesn't taste good that way. It'll only feel empty and like something's missing.
Oh well, its just sake.
But what really bothered me most is that guy…Kenshin…
I thought I need to ask Yasu 'bout that.
I slid the door open and stepped inside the house without a word.
" Sano? Is that you? I've been waiting for hours ya know. M'pal Jou gave some sake 'while ago. 'said it was the best. Ain't he kind? I warmed yer share, though it got a bit cold 'cause it was just sittin' here, waiting fer ya. 'just gonna warm it up again, na?"
He sounded drunk. Maybe that sake was really good. Yasu never drink too much if the sake isn't fine.
" By the way, how 'bout those guys ya beat up? C'mon, share sumthin, buddy. Tell me what happened." He started to warm the sake bottle over some fire in the wood stove.
I lay on the floor next to the old man and crossed my arms under my head.
" Yasu?"
" Mm?"
" Do I know someone called Kenshin?"
Yasu nearly dropped the second bottle he was about to put at the stove. Good thing I caught it with my foot.
" What's with that reaction, man? You know that guy?"
Yasu remained quiet. That meant he knew.
I started to toss the wallet up and down as I waited for his reply. This may be serious. Maybe he needed more time.
10 minutes or so passed. He still had his mouth shut. And that made me impatient.
I lifted my foot and kicked his head.
He…fell down…snoring.
" Argh…DAMN YOU! Who told you to sleep while I was still talking to you?!?! That's why you were quiet!"
It took him a while to recover from the kick. Hah…maybe I should give him a plaster or—
Wait.
Plaster?
" Well, it'll be no use if I—"
" Hold on…" I covered his mouth before he could speak another word.
" Tell me…is this Kenshin-guy…is he…"
I released his mouth the moment the thought struck me hard at that moment. Why didn't I notice? That red hair, those amethyst orbs, that smile, and the scar that he kept under that plaster…
" Battousai…"
"…"
I heard Yasu laugh. " Well, what a surprise. Didn't thought ya could think, Sano."
I had no time to get angry about Yasu's words. The mere thought that that Kenshin guy, who looked like a weakling, and that almost-superior Battousai I met ten years ago, was the same…was one.
Kami-sama…
" Battousai brought ya here ten years ago. He asked me to train ya to become stronger. He knew, and I knew, that this time'll come, that both of ya would meet again. So he told me, that after the Tokugawa era, he would stop being a killer and he would change his name into Himura Kenshin. I didn't believe him at first, I mean, how could a killer poss'bly be this soft? But seeing those eyes, those scary yet beautiful eyes, I found myself speechless. Of course, I cannot leave you, a child, to die out there. So I took ya in."
" And so, to make me strong, you made me fight those bad guys over the other street."
Yasu nodded. " To make ya useful and strong, na? Ain't I smart?" he grinned widely.
I chuckled. " You and your stupid plans."
He laughed along.
" So, are ya that strong enough to show him that I've fulfilled my mission?"
" I don't know.." I stared at my hand and rolled it in a fist." Am I…am I strong enough?"
" Aw, c'mon. Look sharp! That's not the man I trained to beat up bad guys!"
" So. I am strong…I am…" I said with a smile.
" Louder! That ain't the spirit you ought to have!"
" I am strong!"
" Louder! What a big guy with soft voice!"
" I AM STRONG!!!" I shouted at his face. He seemed happy and satisfied. I felt glad and contented. Then I felt, how lucky I am that it's Yasu who found me.
" Good. Here's your sake."
~*~*~
Morning came.
The sun rose earlier than usual. But me? I woke up as late as usual. My typical morning bucket, my unexpected bath in the morning [from the bucket], and the typical targets [ of course, not from the bucket]. But as the whole day passed, something else was on my mind. I couldn't focus on what I was doing or thinking.
I was kinda excited. An unexplainable feeling. An unexplainable excitement. Something that empowers my whole being…the whole me…Like, I met Battousai again, and I'm gonna show him what I've become within those ten years. Be strong, he said. And I sure had become strong…maybe.
But does he still remember me?
What if he doesn't remember me?
Shoot. I wish he did remember.
I took a glance at the wallet before I stepped onto the empty lot behind the only store at this place. This….this is the place where we, after ten years, laid our eyes on each other once more.
I hope he does come back for his wallet.
Minutes passed, and what I had expected came.
Kenshin came. He had that smile of relief on his face. That made me smile too.
He came running. He really seemed happy, maybe because he could guess that I have his wallet.
" You're that mister yesterday, right?" He heaved a heavy sigh before he continued. " Do you—"
" I saw it lying here yesterday. 'Thought it was yours." I gave him the wallet and grinned.
" Thank you very much, Miss Kaoru would be so mad if I lose this wallet. "He heaved another sigh. He sounded like e was on a rush.
" On a rush?" I asked him.
" Quite, yes." He smiled. " Oh, I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself yesterday. Miss Kaoru dragged me al the way, it was so embarrassing…"
" Oh yeah, that raccoon-head." I said aloud by accident.
" I'm really sorry about her. She's really a nice girl if she's in the mood."
" Oops. Sorry." I stuck out my tongue. I was sorry for Kenshin, not for that stupid raccoon.
" It's okay. By the way, nice meeting you. I'm—"
" Himura Kenshin."
" Eh?" He sounded surprised.
" That's your name, right?"
" Oh, you heard it yesterday." He scratched his head.
" Or should I say, Battousai."
Now he looked more shocked than ever. Hehe, that was expected. His eyes were as wide as saucers. I could perfectly see those amethyst eyes…
Heck, what was I thinking?
" I…guess it would sound lame if I denied." He scratched his head more. His excuse sounded like Yasu.
" Don't you remember me? Ten years ago, in the forest? It was midnight back then. You told me to be strong." As I spoke, I mentally prayed that he would remember.
" It's me, Sagara Sanosuke! "
Kenshin stared at me. His eyebrows started to curve. I knew he was trying his best to remember me, and at the back of my mind, I was like 'Come on! Come on! I know you know me!'
" You…"
Yes. Come on. Say it. Say 'I remember you!'
" I'm sorry, I think I don't remember."
" WHAT?!"
" I-I'm really sorry, but I did try my best to remember…"
" That…can't be true!" I wanted to wail. How could he forget?
" Wait, remember Yasu—I mean—Yasuharu? You entrusted me to him, right? Ten years ago?"
"Well, I admit that name's quite familiar…but…your name doesn't… ring a bell…I'm sorry."
It felt like the whole world crashed onto me.
He didn't remember….
*~*~*~*
TBC.
Author's note:
Well, that's quite short again. Hehehe…
Hope you liked this chappie. [and the upcoming ones too!]
Please review!