Standard disclaimers apply.

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews for Chapter 8: For her! Here's chapter 9 coming up! We usually see Sanosuke as the one doing the apologizing, but for this time, our beloved Fox is going to realise that she might not always be right. Plus! Megumi gets violent in this chapter! Hope its not totally OOC, but she has been pushed to the edge!

Read, enjoy and review!

Chapter 9: Gomen ne. (I am sorry.)

Takani Megumi lost track of how long she spent walking on the streets, aimlessly wandering like a puppet around Tokyo area, the strings controlling her being wherever her feet decided to lead her to. She knew she looked every bit the wreck she felt like, but she was in no mood to bother about the stares she was receiving from the passers-by on the streets.

Her face, numb from the biting cold, was as numb as her broken heart, as she slowly walked back to the apartment. She didn't wish to face Sanosuke, especially when the two of them are wounded and extremely volatile, but she really did not have any alternative choice. Not when Takeda-san will no longer be there to help her and when she hardly brought any money along with her.

I wonder what will happen when I actually face him later.

Climbing up the stairs one step at a time, Megumi's head swam with thoughts of Sanosuke with each step she took.

Clack. Her right boot's heel came into contact with the concrete step.

"You can insult me, but I won't allow it if you insult her."

Clack.

"You can tell me anything, Megumi! You don't have to-"

Clack.

"He played with your feelings! I was merely getting back at him for you!"

Clack.

"You are so ashamed that I ruined everything for you, right?"

Clack.

"Of all people…I did not expect you to say that to me." Sanosuke laughed bitterly. "I am such a fool."

Clack.

Megumi stood at the top of the flight of steps, before falling on her knees in a heap, her freezing hands gripping the stairs' railings as if her life depended on it.

Sanosuke…you're not the fool. I am the fool.

Megumi sat there in a daze for some time, her fingernails digging into the sleeves of the trench coat Sanosuke has bought for her, as she huddled into a small ball by the side of the steps. She was contemplating leaving the place, considering how she couldn't bring herself to face Sanosuke, until she heard Tae's voice.

"Megumi-san!" Tae, who had come out to dispose of a bag of trash, exclaimed in shock. "Nande koko ni…"

"Tae-san…" Megumi began weakly as she looked up at Tae, who was helping her into a standing position. "Sa…Sanosuke wa?"

Tae's face momentarily darkened at the mention of Sanosuke's face, but she brushed it off quickly and replied, "Kyou wa kaette konai."

"Why?"

"He more or less told me what happened over the phone earlier on…and just as he guessed, you will be reluctant to see his face…so he's spending the night outside." Tae said softly, gently leading Megumi back to the apartment.

Megumi looked down with guilt. It was all because of her that Sanosuke didn't even have a home to go back to. Even after she treated him that way, he was still kind to her in his very own subtle way.

"It's alright, Megumi-san." Tae quickly added, squeezing Megumi'a arm gently. "That guy can get a little hot-headed sometimes."

"No, Tae-san. It is my fault." Megumi replied.

Tae, at a loss for what to reply to that, could only nod before she took out the spare keys she had to Sanosuke's apartment and handing them to Megumi.

"There you go," Tae said, turning to leave. "If there's anything, just come over to either me or Katsu, alright?"

As Megumi nodded and bowed in thanks, Tae added, "Megumi-san, he really does care about you. Don't let him go through all the hurt again."

It was Megumi's turn to be at a loss for words, as she nodded and silently retreated to the interior of Sanosuke's apartment, shutting the door behind her.

Feeling her knees buckle from the grief and hurt in her heart, she pressed her palms desperately against the door for support, lowering herself onto the cold tiled floor as she huddled into a tight ball once again.

"He really does care about you."

With one shaking hand, Megumi unbuttoned her trench coat and shrugged out of it, her thoughts filling up with images of Sanosuke, from the very first day she met him at hamamatsu-cho train station.

She remembered fondly how he had approached her, bought her tea and piggy-backed her all the way to his apartment when she was crying and complaining like a spoiled brat.

How he let her sleep on the bed while he made do with the bath tub,

How he bought her breakfast when she was a total stranger,

How he immediately rushed down to Ikebukuro when she was stuck there in the rain with nowhere to go,

How he did not complain even once about her imposing on him,

How he brought her out on a date when she admitted that she haven't been on one,

How he kissed her at the stroke of midnight during the Christmas countdown at Yebisu Garden,

How he spent so much on her, just to let her know how a date feels like,

How he went down to Ikebukuro to get back at Takeda Kanryuu for hurting her.

All he did for her gained him nothing but her ungrateful and scathing words.

Gomen ne, Sano.

At that very instant, Megumi suddenly felt a deep loathing for herself. She was being every bit the heartless ingrate she thought Takeda Kanryuu to be. She had inflicted the pain she received from Kanryuu onto Sanosuke in a fit of anger and angst, overlooking all his kind intentions and condemning him.

She hated Takani Megumi. And hated her stupid pride even more.

You are such a horrid person, Megumi. You just have to hurt people who care for you.

Her heart felt like it was tearing apart from the inside slowly as regret caught up with her. She thought the feeling of being stranded at hamamatsu-cho was the worst ever, but she was being proven wrong right now. She thought she would be hurting from the loss of Kanryuu, but truthfully speaking, she found herself hurting more over the fact that she hurt Sanosuke.

This was the price she had to pay for having that pride. Getting defensive and pompously arrogant always led to regret finding its way into her mind to haunt her like a vengeful ghost after the anger had cleared.

Megumi buried her face in her cold hands, half-heartedly wishing that the cold would jolt her awake from this terrible nightmare and emotional dilemma. How could she ever put things right, now that she had done so much harm?

Megumi was still pondering over it, when a loud, sharp rap on the door behind her sounded.

Sanosuke!

Clambering hastily to her feet, Megumi gripped the door knob with trembling hands before swinging the door open, her lips slightly apart as she prepared to call his name…

"Sa-"

It wasn't him.

"Megumi," Katsu began, noting the disappointment all over Megumi's face and slightly embarrassed from having been mistaken for Sanosuke. "There's something that Tae and I think you deserve to know."

Megumi sat silently at the table in Katsu's apartment, her eyes fixed on the cup of hot, steaming mugi-cha placed in front of her. Funny how her mood had been entirely different a day ago when she was with Tae, purchasing those quaint little cups with sakura designs. Now as she thought of it, regret started rushing at her in full force, as if wishing to knock her off her feet.

"Megumi-san," Tae broke the silence, propping her elbows onto the table as she leaned forward slightly. "Did Sano ever mention Amakusa Sayo to you?"

Megumi shook her head, her curiosity aroused by whoever this Amakusa Sayo person was.

Why is she so important to the extent that they wish to talk about her? How is she linked to Sanosuke?

"She was the first girl Sanosuke fell for," Katsu answered softly. "And the first one who broke his heart. For some time, we thought she would be the last girl he fell for, but it seems that we were proven wrong."

Megumi's gaze fell into her lap as the realisation of Sanosuke's affections for her became even clearer. She'd be lying if she said she didn't sense that there was something in the air between the two of them, but because of Takeda Kanryuu's very existence, she was unable to face her own feelings bravely. Now that he was out of the picture, Megumi felt that she was now able to, provided that she stopped allowing her pride to dominate her actions.

"Megumi…we hope you wouldn't be the last one to break his heart as well. If you do not like him in the same way, I suggest that you leave him alone."

Megumi looked up at Katsu with her eyes wide; noticing the way Tae hit Katsu on the arm for his callous statement and issued him a death glare. Katsu was right, she should let him go before she hurts him too much. Finding her voice, Megumi cleared her throat before speaking up.

"I-I…I'm afraid I already hurt him." She admitted, her eyes filled with regret. "I…I was so angry, I mentioned that we were too different…and how I couldn't get through to him at all…"

"No wonder he was so upset," Tae mumbled wistfully, wrapping her fingers around the teacup for warmth. "Megumi-san…that was exactly what Sayo said to him when she rejected him. Sanosuke played around with women, but he never really got serious with any them, until he met her. And now, of course, you."

"When…when did it happen?" Megumi asked hesitantly.

"Around two years back," Katsu answered as a matter-of-factly, taking a long gulp from his beer can. "He was a total wreck then. Different religion, different perspectives…Sayo looked for stability, while Sano was just quite incapable of providing her with that."

Guilt ate at Megumi's insides. If the damage Sayo caused made him hurt for two years before he was brave enough to love again, what about the damage she caused? Megumi was so desperate with worry, she swore she would do anything to turn time back or undo the damage inflicted.

"Megumi-san…don't feel too bad if you cannot return his affections…" Tae started, her hand reaching across the table for Megumi's, who was sitting in silence. "I can understand if you-"

"No, Tae-san. I like him…I like Sanosuke. I like him for who he is! I was just too stubborn and proud to do anything about it!" Megumi suddenly burst out, her hands clutching the edge of the table so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

A second after the words left her mouth, Megumi was surprised at how right this sounded. Yes, she did like Sanosuke, after all he had done for her. This was the right man for her. She had unknowingly fallen for him over the past few days, much to her own disbelief. She had to do something about the situation, being the cause of it, and she had to act fast.

"Don't say that just because you're feeling guilty." Katsu muttered, obviously displeased with Megumi for bringing his buddy on the emotional roller coaster, while gaining another whack from Tae.

Megumi shook her head, before opening her mouth again, her eyes filled with determination.

"Katsu-san. I need your help."

A raised eyebrow was all she got, as Katsu got his attention back onto his beer.

"Can you tell me where are the places Sanosuke frequents?"

A day went by without a call from Sanosuke, until Megumi got so frustrated and desperate that she decided to go look for him on her own immediately. Tae had advised against looking for Sanosuke the day before for he would return on his own by the time he cooled down. However, much to Megumi's disappointment, he did not, and the hours of sitting by the phone did not pay off either.

It was the 28th of December, just 3 more days to New Year's Day. And she didn't know where he was. Glancing at her watch, Megumi saw that it was around eight in the evening. Picking her coat up, she grabbed the keys on the table before running out of the door and onto the cold streets of Hamamatsu-cho.

Katsu had told her the places Sanosuke frequents along Harajuku, such as game arcades, Pachinko arcades, karaoke lounges, clubs and sometimes even izakayas. Tokyo is so big, but she is determined to find him, no matter what it takes. She didn't even give any thought about how she is going to apologise, but for now, it didn't really matter. She only wished to see his face, see if he's alright.

Taking the JR subway down to Harajuku from Hamamatsu-cho, Megumi couldn't help but notice how different the crowd at Harajuku is. It was filled with young people all decked out in the latest fashion accessories, outrageous dressing, and makeup and even as manga characters. It made her white trench coat look extremely out of place, but Megumi couldn't care less as she started making her way down the streets, looking out for all the possible places where she might find Sanosuke. The place was crowded and big, but she had the feeling she could find him.

She had tried searching at 5 game arcades and 3 karaoke lounges, but to no avail. It was now almost ten-thirty, but Sanosuke was still nowhere to be seen, and neither had he replied to any of her phone messages. She walked hastily down the streets, ignoring the weird stares she received from people strolling idly, the strong winter wind whipping her long hair back as she passed by shop after shop, only to arrive at a Pachinko arcade, its bright neon lighting making it a sharp contrast to the night sky. "24 hours entertainment!", it read.

Standing at the entrance, Megumi hovered between the door and the pavement like a non-swimmer without armbands at the edge of a deep, deep pool. She had never been in such a place before, and a place where people gambled was definitely more than enough to scare her away usually. She was still pondering on whether she should enter when a girl coming out of the Pachinko arcade with her boyfriend pushed open the door and bumped into her.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" The girl shouted as Megumi hurriedly bowed in apology with a "sumimasen". "If you want to enter, then enter! Don't stand there like that!" The girl added with a scowl, rubbing her arm before walking off.

As the door closed, Megumi peered in, only to catch a glimpse of brown spiky hair before the door closed completely, cutting off her view.

Sanosuke! Machigaimasen!

Pushing the door excitedly, Megumi ran into the Pachinko arcade, cringing from the smell of cigarettes and loud music that permeated the air, looking around her for any signs of Sanosuke.

And sure enough, there he was, leaning against the wall with some other people that Megumi didn't know. But even when she didn't know them, she knew they couldn't be really good company with the way they talked, laughed loudly and smoked.

Plucking up her courage, she approached them cautiously, before calling out his name.

"Sanosuke?"

He apparently didn't hear her over the noise, for he did not reply.

"Sanosuke?" She tried again, her voice slightly louder this time round.

That got his attention. His head snapped up at someone calling his name, before shock replaced the earlier amusement in his eyes as they met Megumi's cinnamon orbs. He stood there motionless, leaning against the wall as he stared at her, his arm wrapped around the waist of this pretty girl, who would have been prettier if not for the inch-thick makeup on her oval-shaped face.

She opened her mouth to say something, but before any sound could come out, he abruptly tore his gaze away from her form and returned his attention to his companions.

Walking briskly to stand in front of him, Megumi pushed past one of the girls surrounding him and gripped his arm, forcing him to turn in her direction. She could feel hostile looks on her, but she wasn't about to let him go.

"Nande?" Megumi asked, underlining her question by tugging on his arm. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his eyes as cold and harsh as his tone, ignoring her question.

"To witness how you degrade yourself!" Megumi retorted angrily, pissed off by his nonchalant attitude towards her. "To put an end to this…this promiscuous lifestyle you lead!"

"It's really none of your business, right?" He mumbled, trying to remove her hand from his arm.

"Sano-kun…who is she?" A typical Harajuku girl who was by Sanosuke's side asked, her voice whiny as she flashed Megumi looks of loathing and despise. Megumi, however, looked up at Sanosuke determinedly, waiting for his answer. "Why is she calling you Sanosuke? How old-fashioned!"

The group of girls surrounding him laughed hysterically as if on cue, clapping their perfectly manicured hands, nails covered with all sorts of outrageous nail-art designs, as they found amusement in Megumi's speech.

"I hardly know her." He replied, looking at the girl beside him, whose mouth was growing into a bigger smile by the second. "I think I know you so much better, Nacchi." He smiled, tweaking the delighted girl's nose playfully, oblivious to Megumi's existence.

"Natsumi! Sano-kun has come up with such a kawaii nickname for you!" Another girl gushed, clapping her hands together, her bleached blonde tresses bouncing slightly in her excitement. "Sugoku kawaii ne!"

"Kore wo yamete kudasai!" Megumi shouted abruptly, stopping the girls' voices momentarily as they all turned to look at her in surprise, while the only sounds audible were the sounds of the metal balls in the Pachinko machine colliding against each other. "I need to speak to Sanosuke!"

"Sanosuke, I know all about Sayo!" She said, taking advantage of the silence. "I am sorry…I never meant to-"

"Please tell her to shut up, Sano-kun…she's hurting my ears." The girl whined, stamping her feet, missing the wounded look on Sanosuke's face.

"You shut up! I am not talking to you!" Megumi yelled, fixing the girl with a glare.

This was the final straw for the girl named Natsumi. Gently walking out of Sanosuke's hold on her waist, she walked slowly until she was facing Megumi in the face. Sure, she was a little shorter, but the look on her face was still intimidating as she stared at Megumi straight in the eyes.

"Who the hell are you? Why are you pestering him?" She started, tilting her chin slightly in Megumi's direction in a challenging pose, as her friends cheered her on from behind her.

"I should be asking you that!" Megumi retorted, her tone equally harsh, her irritation fuelled by the heavy cigarette smoke on Natsumi's breath. "I live in his apartment!"

"Well he said that he hardly knows you…shouldn't you be removing yourself from the scene now, baka-onna?"

"I don't see how well you know him either," Megumi's eyes narrowed in anger. "And you have no right to call me baka-onna."

"You're asking how well I know him?" Natsumi taunted, slapping her palm gently against Megumi's left cheek repeatedly, causing the latter to shove her hand away in disgust. "Well enough to have him spend the night at my place. Well enough for him to share my bed. You should know the rest, Miss Prissy…Or do I have to describe it to you?" She added, eliciting loud hoots and laughter from the flashy girl gang.

"I don't believe you," Megumi was quick to reply, although she knew deep down that Natsumi was most probably telling the truth. "Sanosuke, is she telling the truth?"

He kept silent while the girls around them made more oohs and aahs, deliberately avoiding Megumi's eyes and the haunting disappointment reflected in them. That gave her the answer, but before she could do anything about it, Natsumi spoke up again.

"Are you satisfied now? Now scram back to wherever you came from! Stop pestering my Sano-kun! Face it; you're just one of the many other women he played with! Just get over it!"

"So this is most probably your moment of glory right, after years of such a degrading lifestyle?" Megumi spat back, her tone harsh and hostile to mask the pain in her heart.

"You bitch! How dare you criticise me?" Natsumi screamed furiously, before raising her hand and slapping Megumi across the cheek forcefully, causing the latter to knock against the wall from the force of the slap.

It wasn't before long when Megumi picked herself up and tackled Natsumi to the ground, all common sense and better judgment shut out from her head as she felt fury course through her veins. Fury at herself, fury at Sanosuke and fury at Natsumi. She didn't care what the consequences were, but for now, all she wanted to do was to hurt this person.

Climbing on top of the screaming girl, Megumi slapped her twice across the face angrily before she felt someone pull at her long hair from behind, dragging her forcefully off Natsumi's thrashing frame. Megumi knew without looking that it was one of Natsumi's friends, who had a thick fistful of her long black hair in her grip, pulling her off. More and more of those girls joined in as they shook Megumi, clawed at her hair and slapped her, until she felt a pair of strong male hands on her shoulder, pulling her body towards his own.

"That's enough, leave her alone."

"Sano-kun!"

"Stop it, it's enough!"

Sanosuke…

Holding her by the arm, she felt him lead her to the exit, out of the Pachinko arcade onto the streets of Harajuku, the cold wind causing her teeth to chatter slightly as she instinctively wrapped her arms around herself.

"Did they hurt you?"

"No...Not much." Megumi replied, wincing from the stinging pain in her left cheek, before starting again. "Sanosuke-"

"You don't have to say anything, Megumi. You've seen it for yourself; this is how a gangster like me lives. You were right in saying that I was irrational, violent and all…I am a gangster, I am a delinquent. It's no wonder that Sayo and you feel the same way about me…I am a great big fool! We are too different in social status, as you've said. I shouldn't even have tried."

"Please, listen to me…"

"No, Megumi. It hurts a lot here," Sanosuke underlined his statement, pressing a fist to the left side of his chest. "Don't make it hurt more. I am tired of handing my heart out and getting it broken."

"What can I do to make you forgive me?" She asked, before he turned to leave for the Pachinko arcade without replying her. "Do you think it makes me feel good to see you act against your feelings and spend time with such loose women to spite me?"

He walked for a few steps, before stopping in his tracks. With his back still facing her, he spoke.

"The ointment for bruises is in the second drawer by my bed."

He continued walking, and did not even stop when she said, "Gomen ne."

Megumi could only watch as Sanosuke's back became more and more distant.

To be continued…

A/N: Ouch. Poor poor Sanosuke and Megumi…I found this chapter so sad. I think I successfully dampened my own mood by writing this. I felt as if I made Sanosuke a bit too cold in this fic, considering that in the manga and all he has always been tolerant of Megumi no matter whatever she did to him. But as I thought over it, I felt as if it would have been too forgiving on his part if she just went to the Pachinko arcade and apologised (this was what I had in mind initially). After all, the hurt is deep, and to say the same thing as Sayo would hurt him so even more. But he still cares for her, as you can read for yourself.

And how many of you noticed that there isn't really a confession of love from either of them?

Please review! Let me know what you think about this!

Nande koko ni… - Why are you here

Sanosuke wa…? – Where's Sanosuke?

Kyou wa kaette konai – He's not coming home today

Gomen ne – I am sorry

Mugi-cha – Roasted barley tea (Tastes like coffee, but it doesn't leave the strong creamy aftertaste)

Izakaya – Japanese wine houses

Sumimasen – sorry

Machigaimasen – It can't be wrong

Kawaii – cute

Sugoku kawaii ne – It's so cute!

Kore wo yamete kudasai – Please stop this!

Baka-onna – stupid woman

Gomen ne - I am sorry