(A/N: My first RK story. Hope you'll like it!)

Sono aoku kooru hitomi
Kono mune ni dakishimetai
Those frozen blue eyes
I wish to embrace them in this heart

PITTER-PATTER! PITTER-PATTER!

The sound of the heavy rain was audible to everyone in town. The rain was so heavy that it looked like as if God was crying for someone's misery.

Nakushita, kono yuuki wo
Omoidashita once again
This courage lost again
Remember it once again

SPLASH!

Someone ran and stepped into a puddle of rainwater but did not care the least about it. That, was a she and she was crying. She vigorously wiped away her tears though it made no difference, as the rain had camouflaged her tears.

Sono kizu no itami taezu
Oogoe de naite ii no
The pain of the wound does not cease
Just cry it out

She was the new Okashira of the Oniwa Banshuu. The she was an experienced ninja that once hung out with a group of people from Tokyo. The group of friends namely Kenshin, Kaoru, Sanosuke and Yahiko.

Atataka na, namida wa
Koori, tokasu harvest rain
Warm tears
Melt the ice harvest rain

She was the girl who was always a cheerful and brave girl in front of her friends. She was the girl who was strong enough to stop herself from crying. But now, she's crying. Makimachi Misao was crying.

' Aoshi sama, what am I to you?'

' You are a very smart kid to me.'

' But I'm no longer a kid! I'm a woman now!'

' I know. I can see it. But, in my eyes, you will always be a kid.'

Watashi matte 'ru
I am waiting...

"Yahiko! Couldn't you just help us with the clothes! It's raining heavily!" Cried Kaoru as she took the clothes down from the bamboo.

"Why should I? Besides, Kenshin's helping you with it!" Yahiko replied.

"Sou desu yo, Kaoru dono. Come on, let's get into the shelter!" Said Kenshin as he grabbed Kaoru's hand and ran to the shelter.

BANG! BANG!

"Who's that in such a heavy rain?" Kaoru asked and ran towards the gate and opened it. "Misao chan!" She cried as she looked at the drenched girl. Kenshin and Yahiko heard her and ran towards them. "What are you doing here in such a heavy rain?"

Misao look at Kaoru tearfully. "Kaoru!" She cried and hugged on Kaoru. " He said he treated me as a kid! He said that I'm always a kid in his eyes! I feel really painful! Really painful!" Misao wailed and continued crying heavily. Kaoru patted on Misao's back as Kenshin and Yahiko look at Misao worriedly.

"Calm down, Misao chan! What are you talking about?" Asked Kaoru in a worried tone.

"Aoshi sama said..." Before she could finish her sentence, she fainted.

"Misao chan!"

"How is she, Megumi san?" Asked Kaoru.

"She's having a cold and a high fever." She replied as she packed her stuffs. "But she'll be okay."

"That's good." Said Kaoru in relief.

"Don't worry, Kaoru dono. Misao will be all right." Said Kenshin as he patted on Kaoru's shoulder. "But, why is she here?" He asked.

"I remember her mentioning something about Aoshi." Said Yahiko, crossing his arms. "Something must have happen between weasel girl and her Aoshi sama."

"Don't be rude, Yahiko!" Kaoru scolded. "You ought to show your manners!"

"It's all right, since she is still unconscious!" Said Sanosuke. "We ought to use this opportunity to say things about her."

"Sano!"

"Look!" Cried Megumi.

The group turned to look at Misao, who was opening her eyes.

"How are you feeling, Misao chan?" Asked Kaoru.

"Where am I?" Misao asked.

"You came to me and fainted, remember?" Said Kaoru.

"Sou desu ka?" The sick girl asked.

"You better get some more sleep." Said Megumi as she put a blanket on her. "You're having a really high fever."

Misao nodded weakly and closed her eyes to sleep.

"Gomen nasai ne! Misao chan must have caused a lot of trouble to you!" The two girls apologized formerly. It was Okon and Omasu.

"Please do not say so! She just slept here for a couple of days. She's having high fever but the temperature has gone down." Said Kaoru.

"Thanks for informing us about it." The two girls thanked again.

"Iya. It's my job to do so. I don't how I should explain to Aoshi and Okina if anything happens to her." Kenshin replied.

"Kenshin! Kaoru!" Cried a voice. It was Yahiko. "It's Misao! She...!"

Boku wa boku no basho e yukou
Mada, nani mo mienai keredo
As for me, I shall go to my place
And yet, I cannot see anything at all

He always had this everlasting smile planted on his face. An everlasting sweet smile. Everyone thought that he was always happy, always in happiness. However, the truth was that he was not.

Mou namida nagasu no mo
Kitto kowaku nai you
To the flowing tears
Surely, no more shall I be afraid

He was emotionless. The only emotion he had was enjoyment. He had always been a great follower of ShiShiO. He believed everything he said. But now, he does not.

Ano hito ga kureta kotae dake ja
Hontou no boku ni nareranai ne
The answer that man gave me
Really does not suit my true self

He knew that the answers that man gave him were all wrong. Nobody deserved to die. He learnt that from the once-Hitokiri Battousai, Himura Kenshin.

Nani ga mitsukaru n' darou
Nani wo mitsukerarenai n' darou
Kokoro ni kakushite oita
Boku no kakera
Perhaps I shall discover something
Perhaps there is something that I cannot discover
The piece of me
That has hidden in my heart

A breeze blew by. Everyone who saw him smiled at him, for he was smiling to everyone. But, the truth was, he had no idea what he should do other than smiling.

Tada kaze no sasu basho e
Tatta hitori de aruite yukou
Mishiranu hontou no boku ni
Doko ka de aeru no nara
Only towards where the winds show me
I alone shall go
If somewhere I will find
My unknown true self

And now, this guy was searching for a real answer, for his real self. But it seemed like he always get to the dead end. He was really eager to know the answers for his questions. He really wanted to. But... How?

"Mou! I had enough of this! I'm not going to stay in the house for another day! It only reminds me of him!" Misao cried to herself. Misao had woke up and secretly came out to shop. She was carrying a handful of things in her arms and eating something at the same time. "Let's see... What else do I need to buy..."

"Ah!" She cried softly as someone bumped onto the left side and caused her to drop something on the ground. The guy did not notice what he did and walked away. Misao fumed.

"Oi, kimi!" She cried. The guy stopped. His back looked so familiar to her but she couldn't recognize. He turned around and looked around.

"Boku wa desu ka?" He asked, looking at Misao.

"Sou yo! Kimi yo!" Misao cried. Wait a minute! This guy looks familiar! " Ah!" She cried. "Tenken no Soujirou!" Misao cried, pointing at the smiling guy.

"Where did you heard about me? Yeah, I was a Tenken, but now I'm just a rurouni, little girl." Soujirou replied with his usual smile.

Misao fumed. "LITTLE GIRL?!" She shouted. Everyone around them look at them. "DID YOU CALL ME A LITTLE GIRL?"

"Erm... Is there anything wrong?" Soujirou asked innocently.

"IT'S SO TERRIBLE WRONG!" Misao cried. "I'M A WOMAN, NOT A LITTLE GIRL, YOU SMILING IDIOT!"

"Eh?" Asked Soujirou innocently and smiled. "I see. Nowadays little girls wants to grow up as fast as possible, na?"

"I'M NOT A LITTLE GIRL! I'M ALREADY SEVENTEEN!" She cried as everyone around them laughed. "Is there anything so funny?" She said coldly and stared at the crowd. The crowd immediately stopped laughing and walked away. "Wake up, man!" Misao cried. "You mean you totally forgotten such a pretty woman like me?" She asked as she flipped her hair.

"Ah!" Soujirou cried in realization.

"So, you remembered a pretty woman like me?" She asked anxiously.

"You're the little girl with Himura san!" Soujirou answered with a bigger smile with his eyes opened. Misao's fumed.

"I said I'm not a little girl..." She said, showing her fist. "Ah sou!" She said, putting down her fist. "What are you doing here?" Misao asked in a serious tone.

"I'm here to look for Himura san." Soujirou replied. "Do you know where he lives?"

"Kenshin? Oh, I'm staying in his house now." Misao replied, still putting up a wall of defense in front of her.

"Hontou?" Asked Soujirou, without failing to show his smile. "Can you bring me to his place?" He asked.

"Sure." Misao said. Then, she grinned. "But how can you prove that you aren't a Tenken anymore and you are not out to harm Kenshin?"

"Cos' I finally understood that what ShiShiO san taught me were wrong." Said Soujirou as he closed his eyes. "ShiShiO san told me hat the weak has to die. But Himura san taught me that nobody deserves to die. And I know that he is right. Himura san changed me. He made me feel eager to know the real answer." Soujirou paused and opened his eyes and looked into Misao's eyes. "And I'm here to ask him for the answer."

Misao stared at his eyes for a moment. He wasn't lying. "All right." Misao replied. "And how can you prove that you won't do any harm to such a pretty woman like me?" She asked in a proud voice.

"Erm... Cos' I'm not interested in kids?" Soujirou paused and replied with a smile. Misao sweatdropped. "Saa, let's go, little girl!" He said as he pats on her head. Misao fumed, again.

"HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU THAT I'M NOT A LITTLE GIRL?!"

(A/N: Heh, hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please, RR!)