It was such a happy day.
Such a happy day.
"Finally." Said Kenji. After many months of training, he had mastered the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki.
"Wow, Kaoru, you are getting old." Megumi told her.
"I'm getting old? How about you? You are five years older than me." Kaoru told her long-time friend.
After many years, some of the old family friends were reunited.
"Megumi-san, don't say that! I'm only a year younger than Kaoru, you are making me feel old!" Misao chirped.
"My apologies, Misao-san, Soujiro-san."
Soujiro gave a little laugh. "Well, I don't age as fast as Misao."
Misao gave him a nasty look. "Just because you are a man."
He gave her a smirk.
"Ah, I married a jerk!" Misao exclaimed.
"No, you married a psycho." Yahiko pointed out. It had taken a while for Yahiko to truly trust Soujiro, but since Misao married him, he figured he had changed for the good.
"I think I'm staring to agree with the kid." She said.
Everybody laughed.
"Listen, Sano is back and he's dating Tae-san." Tsubame said suddenly.
"WHAT!" was the unanimous reaction.
"It had almost slipped my mind, but when I went to visit Tea-san she told me he came back to pay his debt and they've been going out." She said.
"Megumi, he's cheating on you." Yahiko told her jokingly.
"I can't believe that rooster-head is dating Tae-san. It is just too weird." Said Megumi.
"Do I hear jealousy?" Kaoru asked slyly.
Megumi threw her a hard stare.
"So Misao-san, when are you going to have kids? You have been married for a while now?" Megumi asked, changing the subject.
"Never." Misao stated bluntly.
"What do you have to say about this Soujiro-san?" Tsubame asked, a bit shyly.
"It's her body."
"You're her husband." Kaoru pointed out.
"I have never been very motherly, unlike you Kaoru. You have always been nice and warm." Misao said.
"I will agree with Misao. I cannot imagine having children." Soujiro said.
"Why not torment the newly-weds instead?" suggested Misao.
Both Yahiko and Tsubame turned bright red.
"I do not want to kill the mood, but where is Kenji-san and Kenshin-san?" Soujiro asked.
"Kenshin is out running some errands and I never know where Kenji is." Said Kaoru truthfully.
Soujiro was glad to see that everything had worked fine between Kaoru and Kenshin. He hadn't seen them in two years, but it seemed that they still were content with the life they chose to live.
"Well, I am going to take a walk." Said Soujiro walking away.
"He's going to go look for Kenshin." Misao said.
"He looks up to him as a father figure." Megumi chirped in.
"Yes he does. After that psycho, Kenshin is the only other person he's ever admired. I am glad that Kenshin fought with him and showed him the right way." Said Misao.
"You found yourself a good husband." Kaoru told her.
"Yes I did and to think that I didn't like him in the beginning."
Kenji's legs couldn't carry him fast enough. He wanted to get home and challenge his father.
"I apologize." He said, as he bumped into someone.
"No offense taken." The man said.
"Soujiro-san?"
"Kenji-san?"
"Yes it is I." Soujiro said.
"I didn't know you were here."
"Misao and I arrived shortly after breakfast."
Kenji liked Soujiro, but at that moment he was the last person he wanted to see. With him there he couldn't challenge his father.
"Soujiro-san, would you like to spar with me?" Kenji asked suddenly.
He would try the Amakakeru Ryo no Hirameki on him.
'You'll have to forgive me Soujiro-san.' He thought.
"I accept. It has been a while since I sparred with someone." Said Soujiro.
It had been him that had told a young Kenji about his father's style.
'If it weren't for you Soujiro-san, I would not have gotten stronger.'
"Get ready Soujiro-san."
Kenji said menacingly. Soujiro gave him a smile. An unreadable smile. That was the reason why Kenji liked him so much. Nobody could tell what he was thinking.
"But there are times when I still cannot decipher what he is thinking." Misao said.
"Well I guess it's natural that he still has some remains of that wall in him." Megumi said.
"Yes I understand. That doesn't change anything."
"No, I'll let you live." Kenji said. Soujiro had not expected Kenji to know and use the Amakakeru Ryo no Hirameki and now he laid unconscious on the floor.
Kenji decided not to reverse the blade, thus saving Soujiro's life, just as Aoshi's had been saved years ago by that same sword.
"And now…my father." He said, walking away from Soujiro's body.
