Standard disclaimers apply.

A/N: Thank you for all the amazing feedback for chapter 6 "Under the White Light"! Who doesn't love beautiful dates? Anyway here's chapter 7, though there will not be any of the sweet SM moments we love. I apologise for that in advance! Takeda Kanryuu shows his ugly face for the first time as well! Please read and review!

Chapter 7: Bittersweet

Sanosuke couldn't help but give Katsu a big grin when he saw the 12-can carton of Asahi beer in his hands, a luxury that Sanosuke had been deprived of since the day he met Megumi. It felt like a long time since the two good friends sat down at Sanosuke's place to have a good drink together.

"Thanks buddy. You're the best!" Sanosuke exclaimed, reaching out for a can of beer, before Katsu landed a loud smack onto his outstretched hand.

"ITAI!" Sanosuke yelled, drawing back his hand and shaking it to relieve the sharp sting. "Temee…Nani yatten no yo!"

"This is an interrogation, baka." Katsu said nonchalantly, shrugging. "I am so many burning questions for you. One beer for every ten questions. This is a good time to talk, when Tae is out shopping with that girl! We need to guy talk every now and then, you know."

Sanosuke rolled his eyes and went back to rubbing his now reddening hand, muttering, "You're twisted, Katsu. I always had a feeling you were psychotic."

Flashing Sanosuke his best psycho serial killer smile, Katsu took his place opposite Sanosuke at the small table in his apartment, before placing both his hands formally on the table and asking, "So, what's up with that mystery girl?"

"She has a name, Tonkatsu."

"Stop calling me that!" Katsu retorted, raising a fist. "Ok, fine. What's with that…wait, what's her name again? Oh yes yes, Megumi. The prissy name."

"She's from Fukushima…" Sanosuke answered casually, ignoring Katsu's comment on Megumi's name. "…and she's here to get married."

"USO!" Katsu gave Sanosuke the you've-got-to-be-kidding look.

"Uso janai." Sanosuke said firmly, his face kept straight. Uso dattara ii noni…

"So she's here to marry one of those rich, neat dudes? The Shinjuku/Ikebukuro type?"

"I guess." Sanosuke muttered, not really wishing to talk about this. "Definitely not the Harajuku/Shibuya type."

Definitely not my type of guy…

"Where's she going to stay in the meantime?"

"Here." Sanosuke replied casually. "She lost her luggage on the very first time she arrived."

"So why are you letting her stay here? Where's that dude? You mean you picked her off the streets and now she's sharing your place?"

A shrug from Sanosuke left Katsu asking more.

"What do you mean by that? He's nowhere to be found? And you are letting her stay under your roof for free like some charity shelter? What about her exact background? How much do you know about her, buddy?"

"I don't know why." Sanosuke answered, slightly defeated as he raked a hand through his spiky hair. "I mean, she hadn't been able to contact her boyfriend, and she's all alone in Tokyo without friends and valuables. I'd be inhuman if I turned her out!"

"She might turn out to be some trickster for all you know! You might call me paranoid, Sano, but honestly, there's no telling. Haven't you been watching the news lately?"

"She's not that sort…"

"How do you know?"

"I…I brought her out on a date yesterday…She's a nice girl, though she really has this obsession with hygiene, likes squabbling, can't stop hitting me with her handbag, stubborn about the most trivial things like washing plates…"

"Sagara Sanosuke, you're doomed." Katsu announced dramatically, leaning forward to look at Sanosuke in the eyes. "You're in love."

"Shut up, Tonkatsu."

Katsu brushed off the stupid nickname and pointed a finger accusingly at Sanosuke. "You always say 'shut up' when you know I am right."

"I am not in love. Enough of you and your stupid theories."

"You've got the hots for her."

"I haven't."

A look of disbelief and exasperation lingered on Katsu's face as regarded Sanosuke with the you-can't-fool-me look, his fingers tapping the table top lightly as he awaited Sanosuke's confession.

"Ok, fine, fine. I admit it, ok? It's just a crush anyway." Sanosuke muttered, throwing up his arms in defeat, expecting Katsu to start roaring with laughter. However, his good friend/neighbour did not react the way he anticipated.

"Sanosuke," Katsu began, his face serious. "What are you thinking? This girl is getting married."

"So? That doesn't mean I can't like her." Sanosuke muttered stubbornly, refusing to meet Katsu's eyes.

"But that also means that she is unattainable! Why bother to even desire when you know very well that she is unattainable?"

"This is my own business."

"You should know that nothing is going to come out of it. She practically belongs to another guy! It's fine if you play around with those chicks you hang out with at Harajuku, but I can tell you are not treating her like one of those bimbos!"

"What is this, a lecture?"

"Don't get all defensive. I just don't want to see it all over again…"

Sanosuke fell silent. He definitely knew very well what Katsu was talking about.

Amakusa Sayo…

Katsu continued, worry etched on his face. "You know who I am referring to, don't you? Sayo was single, and it already brought you so much pain! It's going to be even worse with this one! She's engaged! Man, I really don't know what the hell you're thinking. Do you get a kick out of getting hurt? You should have seen yourself back then…you were such a wreck! Spare a thought for people who care about you! Hell, my girl cried over you! Tae was so damn worried you'll go kill yourself or something!"

Sanosuke felt a pang in his heart. Yes, I have friends who care for me…but…I can't give up without trying…

After moments of silence, Sanosuke spoke up softly.

"I don't want to give up without trying. Katsu, I tried to curb my feelings…But…when we were at Yebisu, she was so pretty…I couldn't help it. I kissed her…I mean, we clarified that it was a date and that's all. No strings attached."

"No strings attached…then why are you bothering? I…I don't want to see you get hurt! It…it hurts me as well!"

Sanosuke looked up at Katsu in surprise. For all the years they've known each other, never had Katsu say anything remotely like this; it made Sanosuke feel that there are people to whom he mattered, people who care for him and love him like family. For a toughie like Katsu, it sure was hard getting it out.

"Katsu…that was so gross." Sanosuke said softly, his mouth curled up, somewhere between a smirk and a smile. "But…thanks man. You're a true friend."

Katsu returned his smile, before retorting. "Now that's even grosser."

Sanosuke shrugged, before giving Katsu a huge grin. "Now what about that beer? I am sure I answered more than ten!"

"You're impossible, baka." Katsu muttered, pulling out a can of Asahi beer and tossed it to Sanosuke. "Just don't get your heart in pieces and come back crying."

"Yes, Okaasan."

Katsu rolled his eyes and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. "You want one?"

Looking at the pack of cigarettes in Katsu's hand, Sanosuke was involuntarily reminded of Megumi.

"No, Katsu. I'm not having one, and neither are you."

Katsu's eyes widened as he stared at Sanosuke warily. "Who are you? What have you done with baka Sano?"

"Shut up. It's just that…Megumi forbids it. She hates the smell of cigarette smoke." Sanosuke said wistfully, surprising himself at the thought of how much she had affected him. "If you really want one, go out to the corridor."

"Sanosuke! You're acting as if you're married to her! Kami…You're henpecked!" Katsu exclaimed in disbelief. "You're really serious about her, aren't you?"

"Quite." Sanosuke gave a one-word reply before raising the can to his lips and taking a long gulp. "This is good."

Takani Megumi…Why are you making me feel this way?

"Megumi-san! Look at this…isn't it simply classy?" Tae exclaimed, peering into the display window of Daimaru shopping mall, gushing over a set of teacups with sakura and Japanese calligraphy designs.

Megumi smiled and nodded her approval, before Tae dragged her into Daimaru. Struggling with her numerous shopping bags, Tae was still highly energetic, enjoying her day off. The mall was filled with throngs of people, most probably out for the same reason as them. Christmas was after all, a public holiday for those who did not celebrate it.

"Megumi-san, wait here for me, won't you?" Tae asked, handing her shopping bags over to Megumi and motioning for her to stay by the side of a clothes rack. "Help me look after these…I have to get those pretty teacups! Sugu modotte kuru kara!"

Nodding and motioning for Tae to go, Megumi could hardly hear her over the noise in the departmental store, the air filled with all types of sounds like children wailing, people talking, laughing and Christmas songs. Relaxing her hold on their combined total of more than ten shopping bags, Megumi placed them gently on the floor before looking around absentmindedly, awaiting Tae's return.

It had been really nice of Tae to have asked her to go shopping together, enjoy girls' time out and also to sightsee and experience lifestyle in Tokyo, before meeting up with the boys for dinner.

Sanosuke…The issue that I am avoiding.

Megumi knew very well that she was getting addicted to the buta kimuchi don that was Sanosuke, but responsibility and integrity never failed to push the standard, boring gyudon back in her face. If she didn't choose the gyudon, she'd be disappointing the others who liked it too. For example, her very own grandfather, Genzai. The old man couldn't have been happier when Megumi told him about Kanryuu's promise. Kanryuu's job, background, financial status and his polite, formal air made him the ideal grandson-in-law.

The gyudon…It has been days since I came to Tokyo…and still, there's no reply from Takeda-san. What could have gone wrong? Where is he? Did I send the message wrongly, or could I have dialled the wrong number? Will I only get to see him on New Year's Day at Tokyo Tower? Does he know I am waiting here? How could he have not gotten my messages?

Inwardly sighing, Megumi pushed away thoughts of both men from her mind dejectedly, willing herself to cheer up as she continued looking around the place for any signs of Tae, tiptoeing to see above the heads of the mingling crowd. She was about to stop looking when she suddenly saw a familiar figure in the crowd. So familiar was the figure that her senses were suddenly on alert mode, and she tiptoed as high as she could manage in her boots to catch glimpses of that sharp, gaunt face. The very face she travelled from Fukushima to Tokyo to see for the rest of her life.

Takeda Kanryuu.

There can be no mistake. It is him, all right. But who is that woman beside him? Megumi wondered as she tried not to lose him and that woman by his side, their shoulders touching. Maybe it is because of the crowd…they are just pushed together.

"Takeda-san!" Megumi tried calling out, but her voice was drowned by the noise coming from the crowd, while Kanryuu just moved on along with the flow of people, getting further and further away from her. "Takeda-san!" She called out again, only to bow in embarrassed apology as a few shoppers cast weird stares in her direction, whereas Kanryuu still did not hear her.

Frantically pulling out her mobile phone from her handbag, Megumi's fingers fumbled slightly with excitement and anticipation as she dialled Kanryuu's number, while her eyes followed his person among the throngs of shoppers. Pressing the phone to her ear, Megumi's excitement grew with each ring of it, to the extent where she felt like she was bursting when she saw him pull his mobile phone and peer at the screen…

YES! Answer the call, Takeda-san!

Only to see him press a button on his phone, before the ringing in her ear ceased, replaced by a droning beep that signalled the end of the phone call.

He had hung up on her.

After dinner at an eatery near the train station, Megumi found herself still in denial over what had just happened. Disbelief blocked off all other senses, and she was only vaguely aware of Katsu, Sanosuke and Tae's presence and her feeble attempts at holding conversations with them. Tae and Katsu were a little worried, but Megumi dismissed that easily by accounting it to fatigue. She didn't know about Sanosuke though; he was giving her a look that easily meant you-better-tell-me-what's-wrong-I-know-something's-terribly-wrong. She must have been really out of sorts, but who could still remain unaffected after realising that the man you were asked to get married by terminated a phone call from you after looking at the caller ID? It makes her think about the previous times when she left messages on his answering machine. Did he receive them and dismiss them in the very same manner as she witnessed for herself?

Megumi! What are you doing? You doubt Takeda-san? You should know that he's an honourable and nice man! He was so nice to you back in Fukushima and now you're so paranoid just because he didn't pick up your call? You're insane. Perhaps it was too noisy in the shopping mall so he just decided against speaking on the phone then? He'll call you later…That's the Takeda-san you know! Thoughts raced through Megumi's head as the little rational voice ranted on and on.

Yes. That must be it. He'll be calling later.

Megumi didn't really notice what was going on around her until they actually returned to the apartment, Sanosuke holding all her shopping bags and observing her in silence after they bade goodbye to Katsu and Tae.

Stepping into the apartment, Sanosuke quietly placed all the shopping on the table, before saying aloud, "We need to talk." He took a deep breath, ready to approach the issue with her before he realised that she did not give him a reply, or even the most remote hint that she actually was listening. Turning around, Sanosuke saw Megumi sitting on the floor, her knees drew up to her chest as she lay her head on her arms, her ebony black hair shielding her face from him.

"Megitsune?" He called warily, only to be ignored again.

Gosh, she didn't even respond to her most hated nickname. Something must have gone wrong. Is she crying? Sanosuke surprised himself when he found himself actually being concerned about Megumi; it was something he never done before. He never stuck around long enough to find out anything about the girls he used to be with, and neither did they seem like they have anything much for him to get concerned over. With this woman, he sure was surprising himself on such a regular basis that it no longer seemed surprising.

Kneeling down in front of her, Sanosuke bent and tried to peer through the gaps of her hair to see her face, afraid to touch her in such a state. Good, she isn't crying…He found it scary when women cry in front of him.

"Megitsune. Look up."

Silence.

"Megumi."

She finally raised her head, causing his heart to skip a beat. Those eyes…they were so forlorn and lost…for an instant, the confident, beautiful girl with a temper to match reminded him more of an abandoned puppy.

"What happened? Tell me!"

"I-I saw my boyfriend, Takeda Kanryuu."

Sanosuke felt as if someone had sent a punch to his middle.

"And…?" He managed to ask weakly, an ominous feeling building up in his gut. Is she going to leave right now?

"It was at Daimaru…I called out to him, but he didn't hear me."

"It's OK, Megumi." Sanosuke consoled her, patting her arm gently. "Maybe it was just too noisy."

"But…but when I called him, I saw clearly how he took out his phone, looked at the screen and…and hung up on me."

Sanosuke was at a loss for words, the only sign that reflected anything about his feelings was that his hand stiffened noticeably. Maybe that explained why that Takeda guy was so hard to contact.

"And…and…" Megumi was hesitant about saying the next part, her fingernails digging into her own arms as she struggled with the words.

"And what?" Sanosuke urged softly.

"And…I-I saw this woman with him." Megumi confided, her expression bitter. "They…they didn't look like they were simply friends."

"Megumi…" Sanosuke pulled her gently into his embrace, his larger hand rubbing circles on her back, in a bid to dispel her negative feelings.

That guy will pay. I'll make him suffer twice of whatever she did. Sanosuke knew he was being hot-headed, but he was always one to act before considering.

To be continued…

A/N: My, my…wonder what Sanosuke will do to Kanryuu? Please read and review, suggestions are greatly welcomed!

Itai – Ouch

Temee…Nani yatten no yo – You…what the hell are you doing? (Gangster-ish Jap)

Baka – Idiot

Tonkatsu – Pork cutlet (a lil bit of wordplay with Katsu's name)

USO! – You're kidding!

Uso janai – I am not kidding

Uso dattara ii noni – It would be good if it were a lie…

Okaasan – Mother

Kami - God

Sugu modotte kuru kara – I'll be back soon!