Reflections Of Another
I would first like to say thank you to my reviewers!
Crewel: Thank you! I hope this story turns out well enough for me to write more SxM in the future:
Sky Fairy 77: Haven't seen you in a long time: I tried to make the wedding scene funnier, but it didn't really turn out well. –pouts. Thank you so much though!
WhiteRabbit5: Yes, I totally understand about the Kenshin characters growing old and stuff. My itchy fingers just had to put some sadness in there. However, I did decide that Kenshin should have a happy ageing life instead of sick and dying. Thank you for your review!
Shysie: Thank you! I didn't expect anyone to find it funny, though I tried to make it funny:
A/N : This chapter's pretty much going to be like the last, I'm thinking of more significant events that could happen between Sano and Megumi. Anyone have any ideas? Please review and tell me! Enjoy.
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine, I do not own it, nor possess it… But if I did… Okay, I think I'll stop dreaming.
Sanosuke and Megumi's soft laughter could be heard within the rustles of the dry leaves and the cold autumn wind. It was hard to believe that twenty years had passed them by so quickly. It seemed like their wedding was just yesterday. The laughter died down and Sanosuke stared at his wife's beautiful face. There were signs of ageing, with wrinkles in the corners of her eyes and crease marks on her forehead. Sano lifted his hand and softly caressed Megumi's face. He felt a tinge of emotion hit him.
"What's wrong..? Are you noticing my wrinkles only now?" Megumi said jokingly with a smile. Her eyes still lit up like diamonds.
"N-No… It's just that I can't believe it's been twenty years… In another twenty years, we'll be grandparents, or even dead. I can't bare the thought of losing you… I still remember the time when you got so sick, no one knew what to do. Even Doctor Gensai said it was a miracle for you to survive." Sano replied with sadness in his soft voice.
Megumi sighed and looked away. She took a sip of her green tea and placed her hands on her lap. It was only with Sano's care that she got well from her sickness.
"Bless Doctor Gensai and his wisdom… For even after his passing (death), his teachings still remain within me forever… He was an extremely wise man…" Megumi murmured slowly.
"He was a wonderful doctor… I can never forget how anxious he was when you fell ill." Sanosuke replied with nostalgia in his voice.
"He has been really kind to me while I was still learning from him… Sometimes I just can't believe he's really gone. But Ayame and Suzume are all grown up now! It's good to see them nurturing their lives well… Ah, if only Yoshi would turn out to be like them, filial, generous and kind…" Megumi said with a plausible smile on her face.
"I'm sure Yoshi will turn out to become a fine boy, dear. You've brought him up so well." Sanosuke continued.
Megumi pondered for a moment and her thoughts led her back to the time she fell sick… Why did she keep Sanosuke in the dark at that period of time?
"Sano," Megumi started as Sano diverted his attention to her. "I'm sorry I kept my sickness from you the other time… I-I just didn't want you to worry for me. I know how you are when you panic."
"W-What do you mean when I panic!" Sano protested.
Megumi let out a girlish giggle that made her seem like a five year old kid. Sano still seemed to be so defensive like a young child. She went into the kitchen and brought out a cup of green tea for Sano, sat down, and reminisced about the past once again.
15 years back. Megumi: 27, Sano: 24.
Megumi's Illness.
It was a cold winter night and Megumi's hard coughing and wheezing could be heard from across the doorway. It wasn't the first day that this has been happening. Sanosuke passed by her door, sighed and shook his head.
"Megumi, you have to get yourself treated. Your cough keeps getting worse everyday. C'mon, tell me what illness do you have?" Sano probed persistently.
"It's nothing… It's just a cold,"
Sanosuke probed on insistently and Megumi just shook her head and waved her hand dismissively at Sano. His face turned red and his eyebrows creased together in frustration. He lost his temper at Megumi.
"Why do you always answer me this way when I just want you to get better? You're such a stubborn woman!" Sano retorted angrily.
"Sano, I already said it's nothing! Why don't you just leave me to rest?" Megumi answered loudly, her voice hoarse from all the coughing.
Sanosuke clenched his fists and tightened his jaw. He was really frustrated, but he didn't know what to do. Stiffly, he walked out of Megumi's room and slammed the door. A few seconds later, Megumi heard a vase outside smashed. Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She didn't know how to tell Sano the truth.
Sanosuke stood before the broken vase on the floor. Each time he gets extremely frustrated with Megumi, he would use his long-learned fist style, Futae no Kiwami on something. It wasn't the first time a vase has been broken.
"Why must she treat me this way…" Sano pondered out loud as he buried his face in his palms out of frustration.
He cleaned up the debris of the vase and went out for a walk to calm down and visit Kenshin and Kaoru.
The Next Day:
"Megumi, I'm home from work," Sano shouted roughly from the gate. "Get me some tea if you can, dear. I'm really tired today."
Silence answered him and Sano raised an eyebrow. It was unusual for Megumi to be out at this hour, and her patients usually came to their house for consultations. Sanosuke entered the kitchen and realized there was no food to be prepared for dinner. Was Megumi still mad at him?
"Oh, surely she can't be still mad at me… MEGUMI… WHERE ARE YOU?"
Still, no reply came from the doorway. Sensing something odd, Sano went into the room to check and there wasn't anyone in there. Soon, he entered the bathroom and had a shock. Megumi was lying there motionless on the floor with the towel scattered on the floor together with her loose clothes.
"M-Megumi," Sano yelled anxiously as he ran towards her and held her up.
No matter what Sano tried, Megumi was unable to wake up. It was time for the last resort. Sanosuke carried Megumi in his arms and ran down the street to find Doctor Gensai. Being the old man he was, it was hard for him to treat anyone these days, but he was still Sanosuke's most trusted doctor.
Finally, after Doctor Gensai had a thorough look at Megumi, he shook his head and had a forlorn look on his face. Sano could not bear to look into Doctor Gensai's eyes in fear of finding bad news. He couldn't afford to lose Megumi.
"She has Tuberculosis. It's a lung infection. She definitely would have diagnosed her condition earlier. I don't know why she didn't come to me sooner." Doctor Gensai said as he shook his head.
Sanosuke slumped against the wall and stared into blank space. How could this be happening to him? If only he had forced Megumi to go to Doctor Gensai earlier… This wouldn't have happened. He knew she didn't tell him her true condition in fear of worrying him… How could Megumi be so silly?
"W-Will she survive?"
"It depends on her… Definitely, with the right medication and environment, her condition will improve. Be sure to keep her warm this winter and feed her hot water after her medication. She will wake up soon, don't worry. Also, Sanosuke, she needs a lot of emotional support from you. Try not to make her upset." Doctor Gensai explained.
Sano said nothing and stared at Doctor Gensai. He didn't know what to say and no words escaped his lips. He regretted arguing with Megumi earlier on.
Doctor Gensai shook his head and wiped his forehead with his hand. His eyes were full of sorrow and stress. He never expected his closest student to become so gravely ill... Finally, after a few moments of silence, Doctor Gensai finally spoke up.
"Sano, her condition is critical, but it will improve as long as you follow my instructions. I will come to check on her tomorrow afternoon. Don't worry, we'll just hope for the best. I'm just as worried as you are, Sanosuke,"
Sano and Doctor Gensai talked a little further more, and finally, he collected the medicine and took Megumi home. He rested her in her bed and took all the spare quilts out to cover her. Sanosuke even boiled a pot of hot water and the medication for three hours. Finally, Megumi awoke.
Sanosuke was by her side when Megumi tossed around to the pungent smell of the medication. It smelt of rotten tobacco. Sanosuke barely caught a wink of sleep while looking after Megumi. He regularly forced the medicine down her throat while she slept and while her body tried to reject the horrible tasting medicine.
"Megumi, you're awake!"
Megumi opened her eyes slowly and saw a blur vision of Sano. She couldn't remember what happened. Her head pounded and her mouth tasted sour and bitter at the same time.
"Sano… What happened?" Megumi muttered out of her dry throat.
"You passed out… Why didn't you tell me about your condition? Doctor Gensai was so afraid you wouldn't make it. Here, drink some water, you'll feel better, I promise." Sano said as he fed Megumi the water.
Megumi had tears running out of her eyes as she drank the water obediently. She didn't want to be such a bother to Sanosuke and see him so worked up over her. She knew he would get overly-worried and start panicking.
"I-I'm sorry… I really am… I just didn't want you to worry."
"Don't be silly, I will always be here for you! I love you, that is why I worry. Now be a good girl and drink up your medicine, dear." Sano replied lovingly.
Megumi smiled weakly and drank her medicine. Sanosuke stroked her hair and caressed her face lightly so that she would feel comfortable and go to sleep. Soon, Megumi fell asleep in Sanosuke's lap, with Sano snoring by her side.
A few days go by and Megumi slowly recovered with Doctor Gensai and Sanosuke's effort. She had passed her critical stage and was slowly recovering from her illness. After this, both of them have learned to appreciate each other more and support each other through their future obstacles together.
Ahh! I thought the way that I ended it was super crap. –pouts. Anyway, how was that? REVIEWS PLEASE! Thank you to all that has reviewed in the previous chapter. Chapter 3 will come up soon! Love you all! Xoxo.