Chapter 10: Intruder

Hotsuma walked out from behind the tree, purposefully stomping his foot loudly on the ground so that they could hear him.

Asaki blinked seeing him, "H-Hotsuma. What are you doing here?"

"So Asaki, this is who you left me for?"

Jin looked at the man then to Asaki, "Left him for? What does he mean by that Asaki?"

"I stayed at his house last night…"

"And she had dinner with me and accepted a silk kimono robe from me."

"What? Asaki I come all the way here to see you and now I…" he shook his head, "No. Asaki I'm not going to argue about this because I know how you feel about me. You just wanted a place to stay and some food right?"

"At first…I didn't know what to make of him. He seemed to be a very kind and caring individual. Then after having dinner with him and staying at his house, I realized that there was more to him than I originally thought."

Hotsuma nodded, "And I have asked her to marry me and she has not yet given me an answer."

Asaki looked at him, "I gave you an answer. I said I wouldn't."

Hotsuma smiled, "You wouldn't or you couldn't?"

Asaki blinked, "What?"

"You wouldn't do it because of how you felt toward this other man or you couldn't because you really had deep feelings for us both?"

"It's not like that Hotsuma. I'm sorry to have to say this to you but I care more for Jin then I could ever care for you. We just…Jin and I have been through more together and he's the one I really love."

"I will show you how much I love you Asaki! I will fight this man and defeat him to show you that I am the only one that can protect you and have your love."

Jin's eyes narrowed, "I accept."

Asaki frowned, "Wait. Stop it both of you. I don't want you two to fight over me."

Hotsuma smiled, gripping onto the hilt of his blade tightly, "Don't worry Asaki. This will be over quickly."

Hotsuma quickly unsheathed his blade, but held it down, the sharp tip of his blade aimed at the ground at a slight angle. Jin ran over to him quickly, unsheathing his blade and slashing it at him in an upward motion. Hotsuma brought his hand up with the blade in it, easily and quickly deflecting the attack. Jin swung his blade at him again but again Hotsuma blocked it with ease. Hotsuma smirked. He saw an open spot as Jin was swinging his blade at him once more. He rushed in to attack him, Jin backing up to give himself enough room to block it. Asaki grew angry with the two and didn't want any blood shed. She unsheathed her sword, stepping between the two, and blocked Hotsuma's deadly, striking blow.

"Asaki. I could have taken him. Why did you block my attack?"

"This isn't necessary. It's stupid to fight for no reason and don't you dare say that your reason is me. I won't have anyone fighting over me like animals."

A man watched them while on top of a building. He smirked, looking at them through binoculars. It was strange; this man had items and clothing not from this time period. He would stand out in a crowd, maybe that's why he was on the roof. He stood at an even six foot. He had short, spiky brown hair, blue eyes and wore black pants with chains wrapped around each leg and a little below the brim as a kind of belt. He also wore a light blue t-shirt, a tattoo visible underneath the sleeve on the right hand side.

"Just you wait father. I'll have these bitches taken care of in no time, especially after the elimination is done. Then your death will be avenged." He laughed, "No, as a matter of fact it really won't be is it? 'Cuz when I get done with the elimination process, you'll still be alive and the future will be altered just for us."

Asaki frowned looking at the two men, "Put your swords away right now. If you two insist on fighting then you can do so without me."

Jin, hearing those words, sheathed his sword. He would not be without her anymore. He would not be separated from her again.

Hotsuma reluctantly sheathed his sword and nodded, "As you wish m'lady."

"Hotsuma. I love Jin so…I'm sorry about all of this. I thank you for the food and shelter."

"Very well m'lady. Just remember that if you two don't work out, I'll always be here for you and you can come see or visit me anytime."

Asaki bowed lightly, "Thank you Hotsuma."

Hotsuma nodded and turned, leaving. Something in his gut told him that something just wasn't right. How true he was indeed.

"Asaki, let's go…to your dojo. I've seen your students but I'd like to officially meet them if that's alright."

Asaki blinks, "How am I going to introduce you to them? 'Oh this is my old friend and love Jin. He supposedly died like I did but don't worry'?"

Jin smiled lightly, "How about if you told them I was your friend."

"My friend?"

"They told me that you told them that you were leaving to go visit your dying friend."

"Slight problem Jin. I told them it was a female."

"Well then you can tell them that I'm another friend of yours. At least just until you feel you can tell them the truth about us."

Asaki nodded and the two walked together to her dojo. She slid open the door and, much to her surprise, it had been cleaned up.

Asaki blinked, "This can't be my dojo."

Jin looked at her, "Why not?"

"It would never be this clean without me here to do the cleaning."

Jin chuckled a bit, looking around, "This place seems empty."

"Yakami? Xiyan? Miage? Are any of you here?"

The three boys, at the mention of their names in their sensei's voice, ran out from where they were cleaning, seeing her there. They bowed and smiled.

Yakami held out a plate of sushi, "Welcome back sensei!"

Miage, "We have missed your presence here sensei."

Asaki smiled, "My my you boys sure missed me I wonder why that is."

Xiyan looked at Asaki, "It's because we couldn't train here without you and we all want to become stronger. Please don't ever leave us like that again Asaki."

Jin looked to her students then to her, "It seems your students really enjoy having you teach them."

Yakami blinked, "Who is this?"

Asaki sighed and the smiled once more, "This is my friend Jin. While visiting my dying friend in Kyoto, I found him there as well. It seems that Jin was there also, wanting to be there in her precious, final moments."

"Oh I see sensei. Well Mister Jin, please make yourself at him."

Jin nodded, "Thank you."

Jin, Asaki, Xiyan, Yakami and Miage all sat down to eat. They had all been quite hungry through everything. Much to Asaki's surprise, the boys had actually managed to cook good food. Usually, she had to be the one to cook the meals and clean up after them because of fear of messing up. Jin, being the wandering swordsman that he most often was, was just happy to receive a home cooked meal and a place to stay.

Jin was shown to his room but he soon went to Asaki's room moments later.

"Asaki, listen…"

"Yes Jin?"

"What happened with Hotsuma…"

"Jin, it was nothing really. I just stayed there and I…"

"No. I didn't mean that Asaki, I'm over that."

"Oh. Then what is it?"

"It was just what Hotsuma did. I guess that you could say that you and I have known each other for over two hundred years and I've never even asked you out on a date. You and I are so close and yet so far apart. Hotsuma, barely knowing you, could easily ask you to marry him. It makes me feel like…like I'm a terrible person. Me, a samurai, not having the courage to ask the woman I care deeply for out on a date…or even tell her the way that I feel about her."

Asaki smiled, "It's alright Jin. Please don't worry about it."

"Asaki I'm not finished."

Jin turned, facing Asaki then sighed, standing, pulling two things from within his shirt, holding them behind his back as he faced her again. "Asaki. Hotsuma made me realize what a fool and a coward I have been. I…I have two gifts for you and I hope that you will accept both."

Asaki blinked, looking over at Jin as he pulled the first gift from behind his back. It was wrapped with a bow and it appeared to be a kimono of some sort. Asaki took it, unwrapping and sliding the bow off of the delicate silk fabric. She unfolded the long gown. It was gold in color; white phoenix's wrapped and stitched into the fabric. The sleeves were long, extending down past her waist and the end of the gown was long as well with a small train behind it.

Asaki blinked, having seen the phoenix, sleeves and small train, "Jin does this mean…d-does this mean what I think it means?"

Jin smiled, "Now for my second gift. I wish to give you…this…" he pulled out a ring from behind his back. It had a few stones in it, the middle stone larger than the ones on either side of it. He took a hold of the ring, sliding it onto her ring finger on her left hand. "This ring will connect us together, to each others hearts."

Tears welled in Asaki's eyes and soon fell down her cheeks, "Oh Jin…"

"Asaki…please become my bride. Hotsuma made me realize that if I don't act on it now, you may be gone or find someone else before I get the chance."

"Yes Jin, I will marry you."

Jin smiled, hugging her tightly, handing her a red rose.

As the two shared a warm embrace the man from before that was on the roof watched them from the small hole in the wood. The man growled thinking to himself, "Again? No! I cannot allow this to happen again! I will kill them all! I must kill them otherwise the past will repeat itself once again!" He stormed off as a small gust of wind blew and he was nowhere to be found.