Life had knocked her hard, but it had also given her a new outlook on life and love.
She found love once again in the arms of a generous stranger. A man overflowing with love for her.
She really loved this man, but it was a different kind of love. This was a more mature love. More mature than the one she had shared with her first husband, her first love.
Her eyes still contained a lingering sadness, but that was never going to truly go away.
In an instant, she had lost everything that she held dearest, and at the hands of a loved one.
Remembering that day, she felt the tears forming in her blue eyes.
"Mama." A voice cut through her thoughts, bringing her back to reality.
A little girl with black hair and wide brown eyes stared back at her. In an instance all those sad feelings dispersed.
"Is that for me?" she asked the little girl, who was handing her a flower.
"Yes." The little girl said.
"Thank you." She said, bringing the girl into her embrace.
She was glad to god that he had given her another chance to live. She was so happy to have this little girl. She was such a sweet thing, but that feeling was not always like that.
When she discovered she was pregnant again, she worried. She had been traumatized by what had happened with her first child, but her husband had been very supportive.
'I am scared. What if…' but she had not finished for her husband had taken her hand and assured her that no matter what he would be by her side.
He was a merchant, very different from her first husband. This new man knew nothing about swords, but he was the most wonderful man alive.
"She's asleep." Her husband said, coming home from a long ay of work.
"Yes, she had been playing all day."
"Well I will give her this when she wakes." He said, showing Kaoru a doll he had bought for his daughter.
"She'll love it." Kaoru told her husband with a tender smile on her face.
How different this family life was from her previous one, how different.
Maybe because she was older now that she could see things with more maturity, and lead this marriage in a different direction than her previous one. She learned to be more assertive.
'Mother, all this time, your love has been suffocating me. That is why I have come to the conclusion that I hate you more than I hated that man.'
Those words still stung every time she remembered them. She was afraid to hear them again from her child, and so, she decided to give the girl more room to breathe. She never wanted to hear those words again.
They were the picture of the perfect family.
She was happy with her new life.
"Mail, mail!" the mailman came by.
"Is there any for me?" she asked.
"As a matter of fact there is." Said the man handing her a letter.
"Thank you."
"Oh look, it's from Misao." She told her husband.
"What does she say?" he inquired.
'Kaoru,
How have you been? When are you coming to visit? You promised but you still have not shown your face by the Aoyia. I am making you liable if you don't come! I want to see the baby and your husband, by the way my greetings to him. Soujiro and I are doing just well. Of course he still makes me angry all the time and I want to kick him out, but I can't. You know how that is…Aoshi is also doing well, still talks very little, but at least he socializes more with us…and what can you tell me about Megumi-san, Yahiko and Tsubame-kun oh yeah and that rooster head? I hope every one is doing well. If you do not come to visit, I am going to have to go there myself! You have been warned.
With much love,
Misao.'
"She is still energetic." Her husband said.
"Yes, she doesn't change."
Her husband had only met Misao and Soujiro once, and that was on the day of their marriage, but Misao's personality was an easy one, and even though her husband didn't really know her, he felt like he did.
"We should go." She told her husband, "And take the baby so that they can meet her."
"That is a wonderful idea." He said.
'Misao,
You won't have to make me liable for anything, I promise you that by the end of this month we will be arriving at your home, so please do not throw Soujiro out. As far as what everybody has been doing, what can I tell you? It has been a while since we wrote to each other, but not much has changed. Megumi is still working hard with no signs of marrying anytime soon, Sanosuke, well we all knew it was bound to happen, but he ended his relationship with Tae-san. I was a little disappointed since they had been together for a while, but you know him, what a waste. Yahiko and Tsubame do not come around as often, those twins of theirs are a handful. And you, you really are keeping your word of not having children, eh?…well until I see you next month,
Give my kind regards to Soujiro…
With love,
Kaoru.'
"Heh, check it our Soujiro, Kaoru is coming and bringing the family."Misao had just received the letter.
"That is a surprise." He said, "It seemed to me like Kaoru-san was reluctant to come to the Aoyia."
"I assume your suspicions are true, but I am glad she is coming."
"That means that she is slowly coming to terms with everything that happened to her."
"You're probably right, she already started by re-marrying, but she still has not faced all off the things that still hurt her." Said Misao.
"The one thing I really wish for her is that Kenji never returns." Said Soujiro.
"Yes that would be the best for her."
"But you know, sometimes I cannot stop myself and think that I cannot really hate Kenji, and is not that I approve of killing his father, but…." Soujiro stopped in his tracks; Misao didn't really know that he had killed his own family years ago.
"I think he was a very lonely kid, kinda like you, so, I guess that is why you are saying that you can't really hate him?"
"Yes." He lied. "Did you know that Kenshin-san did not love Kaoru-san?" he suddenly asked his wife.
"What? He didn't love her, but then why did he marry her? Why did he live with her for so long? Why did he have Kenji then?"
"Simply put, he didn't know how to repay her kindness and wanted her to be happy. As long as she was happy, he didn't care about himself."
"Well, that was selfish of him on all accounts, that was extremely cruel, I saw how much she loved him, but I guess if she was happy and she never found out, it was…." But she could not find the words to describe what Kenshin had done without it sounding like she approved of it.
"Well you know not all marriages are based on love." He said.
"That may be, but I could never imagine that from him. Soujiro, why did you marry me?"
"Because…I wanted to." He said.
And some may not be content with such an ambiguous answer, but to Misao that was enough. That was just the type of man she had married, and she loved him nonetheless.
"Now to get ready for Kaoru's arrival." She said.
The end of the month had arrived, as well as some people.
"Let's see, yes this is the place. The Aoyia. I had not been here in so long, but it is still like I remember it." Said Kaoru.
"Kaoru, Welcome, welcome to our home." Misao greeted.
"Thank you for having us." Said her husband.
"It's our pleasure." Said Soujiro.
"Kaoru your baby looks nothing like you, she's so pretty." Misao joked.
"Are you trying to imply something Misao?" Kaoru asked in mock anger.
"Yes, that you married a handsome man."
"Well thank you, but you yourself married a handsome man."
"I know."
And while the women talked, the men decided to leave them alone.
"I understand this place brings Kaoru some bad memories?" her husband asked Soujiro.
"It seems to remind her of her late husband, but you must know the story of what happened."
"I do, and that is why I was dubious as to bring her here, but it seems that I was worrying for nothing."
"It would seem so." Said Soujiro.
"Hey, you two, come on in!" Misao called out to them.
"Coming." Soujiro replied.
With the early morning sun, the group of friends walked into the Aoyia, and beyond it, the unknown.
Well that was intense…at least for me..so she deserved a happy ending, u guys agree right? Oh and the husband and her daughter not having a name…well I'm not much of a fan of OC characters, so that is why they have no names.like in manga when they don't show the characters face…I was trying to go for that same feeling…. well I hope u liked the ending…see I promised I wasn't gonna let her suffer.
Well till next time….maybe….hope u enjoyed the story….sorry cus I made u K/K fans suffer….
Bye bye!
