How could he do that? She screamed in her mind and quickly poured the pail of cool water over her head to sooth her anger. It was just before midnight and Tomoe was taking a quick shower in the inn. She had returned to the inn after dinner-time after hearing the story from Kenshin.

How could she believe this man? This man, who had assassinated countless of people during the war,. He was practically a murderer. It was no wonder that the government want to capture him and put him on trial. She decided that it was no difference if he changed. She could not believe him anymore. Once a hitokiri, always a hitokiri.

She scooped up another pail of water over the bucket. She gazed at her reflection in the water. Who was she? Her hand slid into her wet kimono and touched her scar lightly. The scar was deep and long. It had taken months for the wound to heal. Thanks to Okami and her husband, she was able to recover fairly well.

You are Yukishiro Tomoe. That was what the man, Himura Kenshin, told her.

However, she remembered nothing of that. She could not recall her father, mother or her younger brother, Enishi. The name Enishi seemed foreign even to herself. She wondered what they looked like and if they were looking for her. Would they still be in Edo?

Enishi swore to complete the Jinchu .

Jinchu? Why would he do that?

For revenge against me… for I have taken you away from him.

It was obvious why Enishi held a grudge against him. Enishi witness him "killing" her. Though killing may not be the right word, the sword left a big scar on her back. She shuddered at the idea of the cold ruthless blade slicing her body. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she could not remember any of the events that Kenshin mentioned to her. Finally, she lifted up the pail and poured the water over her body. She dried herself with the towel and change into her sleeping kimono.

As she walked up to her room quietly, her thoughts went back to the conversations she had with Kenshin at the river bank.

I am sorry, Tomoe. I truly am.

He may be a hitokiri in the past. However, his words were sincere and he was being honest with her. He did not hide any details from her.

Kenshin mentioned she risked her life to protect him, to save him. Why would she do that? Did she really fall in love with him? This man who spilled blood and makes blood rain during the revolution?

She was frustrated. She always wanted to know about her past, to fill up the void in her memory. However, what she heard was unexpected. Maybe not knowing about her past is better. She twisted and turn in the futon, trying hard to fall asleep. However, she was unable to calm her mind. The information of her past was overwhelming to her. She stared at the ceiling with half sleepy eyes.

Who am I, really?

…

Three days before the Jinchuu.

It was business as usual in the Yamanoya, with customers checking in and out of the inn or ordering a meal. No one perceived the trouble coming.

In the midday, a group of men with tattoos on their forearms and legs stomped into the Yamanoya. One of the member announced in a loud voice, "We are the Yakuza gang from Jipachi district, move aside and prepare a table of twelve for us."

"Welcome to the Yamanoya,"the Okami greeted with her usual smile, not showing any sign of anxiousness and led the gangsters to the right wing of the inn, which the largest suite room was situated. People in the Yamanoya scurried away from the path of the gang members or turned their head timidly away to avoid staring. After the gangsters settled down in the spacious room, they made their orders and began talking loudly in the room. All of them wore two swords on the left side, violating the rules of the government.

After a short while, Tomoe and two other assistants came to the right wing. "Excuse me, your orders are here," the oldest assistant greeted and placed the meals in front of each gangster.

At the sight of the women entering the room, the gangsters grinned at one another and sniggered at something they were talking earlier.

"Woman," one of the Yakuza members tilted his head and called to Tomoe, "come over and pour sake for us." At the suggestion, almost all the gang members turned their eyes to stare at her.

Tomoe gazed at the one who called her with pure anger, and then she bowed her head politely, "I am afraid this Yamanoya does not provide this service. If you would excuse me-"

Not waiting for her to finish speaking, another gangster shouted, "Don't take us lightly, woman. Serve us."

She did not flinch as the yakuza slammed the bottle of sake on the table, breaking the table into two.

At last, the gangster who occupied the middle seat, with alcove facing his back commented, "Looks like this woman have some fight in her. Well I happen to like that." It was easy to tell that this man must be the leader of the gang. "Bring her to me," he commanded and the gangster seated at the side stood up and approached Tomoe.

Alarmed, Tomoe took a step back and said, "Stay away."

"Do not worry, you will not be lonely. Your friends shall join our little party too," the leader said with a sly grin.

"Get away!" Tomoe shouted as she pushed the back of the shoulder of the two assistants out of the room and began to run down the corridor. However, one of the gangsters caught her by the arm and took her back to the room non-too gently.

….

Natsuo ran fast across the streets, she had narrowly escaped from the backdoor after witnessing the scene from the second floor and was running with all her might to Kamiya Kasshin dojo. She remembered that Kenshin resided in the dojo and she prayed she could find Kenshin there. The Yamanoya needed his help.

Kenshin had just walked out of the dojo to buy grocery for Kaoru when he spotted the running figure.

"Natsuo dono?" he called, surprised to find her presence.

"Himura san!" Natsuo greeted back and stopped her track just five steps in front of him.

"What's the matter?"

"Something terrible happened. The Yakuza…at Ya..ma…noya.." she said in between breaths and leaned against the wall with one hand to catch her breath. Just as she finished the last syllable of the name of the inn, she felt a gust of wind blew past her. She turned her head around to find Kenshin retreating back disappearing fast from her vision.

…

The spacious room in the right wing of Yamanoya was filled with laughter and chattering. The gangsters were shouting loudly across the room, drowning themselves with bottles of sake and greedily stuffing food into their mouths.

Tomoe sat in between the leader and another gangster, while Takeko, the older assistant sat opposite her and the other assistant sat at side. They were threatened to stay in the room and entertain these gangsters. Tomoe silently filled the cup of the leader with sake. She could hardly understand what the gangsters were discussing. But she could guess they were about the misdeeds they done and the plans to create terror among the innocent civilians.

"Why don't you drink some sake with us," the leader said as he leaned his body closer to Tomoe and offered the cup to her.

"I decline."

"You are a pretty woman. You know, I would like to make you my mistress," the leader smirked as he placed his hand on the lap of Tomoe.

Instantly, she slapped his hand away and shifted herself away from the leader. "Don't touch me," she glared at him coldy and watched as the sake spilled onto the haori of the leader.

"How dare you," the leader barked, his mood changed drastically. He grabbed her chin roughly with one hand while the other reached for the sake bottle and pressed it against her lips. "Drink!"

Tomoe shook her head and pressed her lips together. However, the leader tightened his grip and forced her mouth to open to accept the sake from the bottle. She choked at the taste of the bitter sake that stung her tongue and tried to push the leader's hand away. She disliked the taste of sake. She could not even remember when was the last time she tasted drank it.

Someone help.…Kenshin….

It surprised her that she would think of the hitokiri. Yet, in the back of her mind, she knew he was the one who could save her.

"If you value your lives, stop what you are doing," a voice called. The room immediately filled with tension. From the corner of her eyes, Tomoe spotted the orange-red hair man.

The leader turned his gaze to the intruder and released his hold on Tomoe.

"Who are you?"one of the gang member commanded as he threatened Kenshin with his sword.

Kenshin remained silent and stared coldly at the group of men.

"Red hair with a large cross-shaped scar on his left cheek- I imagined how amazing such a swordsman might appear, but with such a short and thin build, your physique looks unexpectedly delicate," the leader commented with a hint of insult. Then he narrowed his eyes and reached for his sword, "Get rid of him!"

At the command, the other gangsters followed suit and poise for attack. With quick agility, Takeko and the other assistant who were sat nearest to the shoji ran passed Kenshin, out of the way for safety. While Tomoe stepped close to the back of the room, at a corner to avoid the fight.

Kenshin pressed his left thumb against the guard of his sakabato, releasing it from the sheath. He crouched low as he placed his feet on the mat in his ready position. In a second, one of the gangster charged at him. Kenshin slashed the man's shoulder in a single stroke with his sakabato, bring him down. Within a few minutes, the eleven gang members were all sprawling on the ground.

"Idiots," the leader muttered angrily as he stepped forward in his ready position. It seemed that he have no choice but to fight with Kenshin.

Kenshin had not yet used his special moves but he wanted to end this dispute soon. Moreover, he was irate at the leader for touching his wife. From a low overhead position, Kenshin tipped the point of his sword to the side and leapt sharply upwards. The leader looked up at his opponent, his eyes widened in surprise. He had not seen this stance before. Like a hawk taking aim at its prey, Kenshin delivered a single blow to the leader. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu." The ground shook with a loud thud as the leader collapsed.

Silence filled the room as Kenshin unsheathed his sakabato. He walked hurriedly towards Tomoe and asked softly, "Tomoe, are you alright?"

Tomoe looked at him with dazed eyes. She lifted her right hand and touched Kenshin's left cheek gently, tracing the cross-shaped scar with her fingertip.

"You…. truly makes blood rain…" she murmured in a dreamlike state.

Kenshin's eyes widened at her words. The very next moment, he saw her eyelids closed and her feet gave way. He reached out and caught her easily in his arms.

"Tomoe?" he called, his voice betrayed his uncertainty.

For a while, Tomoe remained silent. Just as Kenshin thought she must have fainted, she whispered, "Late."

"Eh?" he exclaimed.

Her hands grasped at the sleeves of his haori and she buried her head in his chest as she began to speak, "You are late. Didn't you mention you will protect the people? I thought I would be killed."

It was then Kenshin realized she was shaking from fright. She may seem calm and fearless in the eyes of others but she was truly terrified and afraid.

"This one is sorry to put you in such situation. This one promises it will not happen again," Kenshin said apologetically as he pressed her closer to him in a tight embrace.

She began to relax in his arms and murmured, "It's alright. I am glad you came. Thank you so much for your help."

They stayed like this for a long while until Kenshin felt her gripped on his sleeves slack and her rhythmic breathing. He relaxed his hold and looked down at her to find that she fell asleep in his arms. He found stains of sake on her kimono and realized she was drunk. Some things never changed. He smiled softly and carried her in bridal style to her room.

"He is strong," Natsuo who had returned to the inn said, as she looked at the unconscious bodies of the yakuza.

"I told you it is wise to hire him,"the Okami replied gleefully.

She would probably wake up in a couple of hours, Kenshin estimated as he stepped out of Tomoe's room.

"Himura san," the Okami called him from the corridor.

"Yes?"

"There is something I would like to discuss with you. If you do not mind, please come down to the reception room."

"Alright, Okami san," Kenshin nodded and followed Okami.

At the reception room, Okami passed a piece of paper to him. There listed a number of items.

Lacquer trays– 7

Plates - 18

Sake cups – 5

Bowls- 9

Chopsticks – 10 pairs

"What is this, Okami san?" Kenshin asked politely.

"This is the payment you owe me for destroying the Yamanoya properties during the dispute."

"Oro?"

"Say, mother, should not the gangsters be the one paying for all these," Natsuo said. She was the one who counted the number of items broken and spoiled.

"Of course those yakuza will have to pay but they will take the bigger share of the ruins they created such as the tatami mats, shoji. If you think it is easy to maintain an inn. You are wrong," Okami chided and continued, "Himura san, you are to work with me to pay off this, you can't run away now, can you?" The Okami ended the conversation with a wide grin.

"What has this one gotten into? " Kenshin thought as he gave the Okami a fake laugh. He knew he could never win a fight with a Okami.