Dong dong dong.

The sound of the taiko drum resonated on the stage of the Kabuki theatre. On the stage stood a man with the mask of a demon, he was surrounded by a group of masked men. Following the sound of the drums was the hissing sound of metals sliding; they were drawing out their katana. She stared at the demon that stood there calmly as if there was not danger. All of a sudden, the men rushed up to him, wielding their katana. Just as the katana was about to pierce him, he disappeared. Her eyes widened as she wondered where did he go. Then she heard it, the sound of metal clashing and the groans of agony. It happened so fast; she almost could not see his movement.

Then it became so quiet, the drums were no longer beating. She felt something tickling her palm, she opened her palm and the fragrance of plum blossom surrounded her. There in her palm was a plum flower. When she looked up, she saw that there was only one figure- the demon left standing on the stage. He turned to face her and he held out his hands toward her as he slowly removed his mask….

…I will protect you…

…Your happiness…

She woke up instantly, staring at the wooden ceiling. It was the same recurring dreams. She wondered if it was her past, or just purely a dream. It frightened her sometimes but as time went by she accepted those dreams. Was he the man with the demon masked in her dream? The man, Himura sounded like him and he was a swordman once.

Closing her eyes to collect her thought, she got up from the futon and prepare for the day. As she combed her hair, she glanced at the hairpin on her make up table. Her father gave it to her on the day before. She smiled as she remembered her father's kind words. She was glad to meet her father. Her smile brightened at the thought of the Okami's husband and her father together, no doubt they would be great friends. Taking one last look at the mirror, she smiled, as she was satisfied with how the pin suited her. Then, she went out of her room to prepare for work.

…..

The day she left him, his life ended as well. The realization of his horrific acts let he hated himself. He finally understood the consequence of his actions. One man is responsible for one's action. He choose to wander, refusing all rewards or recognition, it was his way to try to atone for his sins. He knew there were people who would never forgive him, but still he tried. There were times he wondered why he tried so hard. Was he trying to ease the pain or was he simply trying to make himself feel better? No matter what he did, he could never erase the fact that he was once a hitokiri, one who killed in cold blood.

"My, you are in good spirit, young man. How are you?"

The cheery voice of the old man startled him.

Kenshin turned and stood up as he greeted the old man, "Good morning, Yukishiro dono. This one is fine. What about you?"

"I have never felt better. Would you like to have a dango?" Yukishiro said as he sat beside Kenshin on the corridor and passed a piece of dango to Kenshin.

Kenshin humbly accepted it with a small thank. Though he was amused by the choice in snacks of the old man.

"Ho ho ho, you are a fine young man, that you are," Yukishiro smiled.

They sat silently, enjoying the sweet taste of the dango.

A few moments later, Yukishiro spoke, "I want to thank you for looking after Tomoe."

"No, do not be, I should apology for taking her away from you," Kenshin immediately answered, slightly taken aback by Yukishiro's words. He felt bad towards Yukishiro san for marrying his daughter without his consent, and far worse, he almost killed his own wife.

"We all make mistakes, don't we?" Yukishiro said as he shook his head.

As Kenshin's eyes met those gentle eyes of the older man, he felt relieved. He was forgiven by the man whom he thought would not, should not forgive him for what he had done. "This unworthy one knows not what to say," said Kenshin as he looked away.

Yukishiro's voice became stern, "Himura san, don't speak in that way. We are all gifted in a unique and important way. You are worth more than what you think you are."

"But this one has-"

"Himura san," Yukishiro cut him off vehemently, "To be forgiven, you have to learn to forgive yourself first."

Kenshin was stunned for a moment. Then he looked at the floor, away from the gentle gaze of the old man, his voice lowered to a whisper as if speaking a secret, "This one does not deserve to be forgiven."

Yukishiro spoke gently as if soothing a child, "Himura san, forgiveness does not mean condoning. You have to put the past behind and live in the present. You are already a changed man, son."

For the first time, Kenshin was overwhelmed by the warm feeling in his heart that he wanted to just cry like a child, "This, this one-"

"There you go again."

"Yes, I will try."

Yukishiro simply gave him a nod of encouragement.

The moment of bliss seemed to be cut short upon the arrival of Kazuo.

"Good morning," Kazuo cheerful voice resonated in the corridor as he walked towards them. He greeted Kenshin who returned his polite greeting, before turning to Yukishiro, "You must be Yukishiro sama."

The old man grinned, "Yes, I am."

"I am Sakamoto Kazuo. It is my honor to meet you, Yukishiro sama," said Kazuo with a bow.

"I am glad to meet you too, Sakamoto san."

"In fact, Yukishiro sama, I have been wanting to meet you when I first heard about you."

"Why would that be?"

"Well…," Kazuo looked at Kenshin as if conveying a message.

Kenshin nodded and said, "Pardon me, I remembered Okami san needs my help in the store house." With that, he bowed slightly and left.

As Kenshin took a turn into the inn house, Kazuo said nervously. "I am not sure if it is appropriate but I would like you to ask you a question." Even though Kenshin had left them to speak privately, he still felt jumpy.

"And what would that be?" Yukishiro probed.

Seeing the gentle look of Yukishiro, Kazuo gathered his courage, "I would like to ask your permission to court your daughter."

Unknown to them, Kenshin had stayed close by, his fist clenched at those words of Kazuo. So that's the question. How dare he. Tomoe was his wife. But Kenshin calmed himself. After all he had no right to interfere with Tomoe's choice.

"You look rather young, may I ask how old are you this year?" Yukishiro asked politely.

"I am twenty two this year," replied Kazuo, slightly confused by the unexpected question.

Kenshin tilted his head to the side; this man was the same age as Enishi.

Yukishiro said, "I am afraid you may need to reconsider, Sakamoto san, you see my daughter is born in the 4th year of Koka."

"But- that's-you mean Tomoe-" Kazuo stuttered, in his mind, he had already calculated the age difference between Tomoe and him.

"Yes," nodded Yukishiro.

Kazuo shook his head to clear his mind, then he spoke with more determination, "Age does not matter, Yukishiro sama. I want to take care of your daughter."

"Yes, indeed," Yukishiro smiled knowingly. "But alas, the permission is not mine you should seek and I am afraid you are unaware that my daughter was married to Himura."

….

Natsuo giggled smiled slyly and said, "Look at those two." She was referring to Kazuo and Kenshin who was standing in the courtyard, facing one another. Kazuo had come to the inn suddenly with a katana in his hand, requested to see Himura Kenshin for a match. It only took the people a while to figure out the reason behind this.

"Kenshin looks troubled…" Kaoru said worriedly as she looked at Kenshin's troubled face. He had not drawn his reverse blade and was trying hard to convince the merchant's son to stop this scene.

"That's the battle between men," a cool voice said from behind them.

Kaoru turned, startled and said, "Megumi san! Why are you here?"

"Oh, I am just passing by. I heard there is a new chef and would like to try the new dishes."

"Really?" Kazuo asked Natsuo.

"Yes, it's my mother's fault though…, you see, she urm…asked Yukishiro san if he could helped out in the kitchen since he is rather free."

"Yukishiro san? You mean Enishi?"

"That's right. Well, he is in the kitchen now."

"Please excuse me," Kaoru said and stood up to walk to the direction of the kitchen.

"You will be surprised," Natsuo winked at her.

Kaoru definitely did not expect this.

Squeals and giggles filled the kitchen. Young ladies, not including the maids gathered around him, the new chef.

Why is he so popular? Sure he was handsome and well-built but-

Her thoughts were cut off by the squeals of the ladies. She tiptoed and spotted the striking white hair. Enishi was cutting the vegetables swiftly at amazing speed and accuracy.

"Wow! How do you do that, sensei?" exclaimed someone.

"This is delicious, Yukishiro sama!"

Eh? Kaoru almost tumbled to the floor. Is there something wrong in this picture?

Sure, he corrected her about her cooking but him being a chef. No way!

….

"Tomoe, could you pass me the pickled vegetables in the storeroom," Okami san called.

"Yes," Tomoe answered and walked to the storeroom, she looked at the shelves in search of the pickled vegetables. They were placed at the upper shelve. Without much thought, she reached out her hands, then withdrew it immediately as she remembered something.

She retracted her footsteps to find Okami san,"…Excuse me, Okami san, the pickled vegetables are placed at the upper shelf."

"Ah! I am sorry. I didn't know. It's all right. I will get them myself."

Tomoe nodded.

As Okami san spotted the red hair, she called, "Himura san!"

"Yes?" Kenshin enquired, slightly worn out. He had just managed to persuade Kazuo to go home without causing a scene.

Okami seemed not to take notice and continued, "Could you accompany Tomoe chan to collect the new furniture?"

Kenshin looked at the slightly surprised Tomoe and back to Okami san before he answered, "Yes."

It seemed so familiar, yet so different, she was walking beside him, not three steps behind him, no more, the world had changed.

"Himura san, could you accompany Tomoe chan?"

"Why?" he retorted, he was not going to help her, he frowned still frustrated about the questions she asked him and more irritated for he could not answer them.

"You are free, aren't you? Go do something good, or would you rather have the other Choshu han accompany her?"

"I understand!" he huffed at Okami san, who grinned at him, knowing he would agree with her.

He huffed and walked in the street, he could feel her presence, soft footsteps behind him. He frowned, why did he have to go out if he did not want to. But he did not feel safe either if she went out with another man.

"Himura san, is there anything wrong?"

"Nothing!" he replied coldly as he looked at her, "It's none of your business."

She looked back at him unaffected, "That's right. It seems I still could not understand you way of living, please pardon me." With that, she unexpectedly took a turn and walked away from him.

"Hey!" he called.

She turned and look back at him, "What?"

"Where do you think you are going?"

"The house is this way." She answered indifferently.

"Eh?" he could feel that his face must be beet red now, he was leading her to the wrong way, no, he was simply taking a longer route. "Feh!" he stomped past her and began walking in front of her in the correct direction.

They arrived at a craftsmen mansion there were wooden tables and chairs stacked on one side.

"Oh, it's Tomoe sama!" the children squealed when they saw her.

Tomoe greeted the craftsmen children with a smile. "Have you all been good?"

"Yes, Tomoe sama," answered one of the children.

"Did you bring anything for us?" asked another.

"Yes, it's your favourite sweets," she said and placed a packet of sweets in the hands of the eldest child.

"Thank you so much," replied the children as they eagerly reached their hands out to the eldest child for the treat and the eldest child placed one piece of sweet on each of his siblings hand.

"Who is this man? Is he a foreigner?" one of the children asked as he reached out to grab Kenshin's orange-red hair.

"I know, he must be a servant!" another suggested.

"Here's the order for the Okami san," the craftsman said as he came out of the shop with the new furniture.

"Thank you."

"It is quite heavy but I see Okami sent someone. Hmm. A new face."

"I am Himura Kenshin, nice to meet you."

"Himura san is a bodyguard of the Yamanoya inn," Tomoe explained as she paid the craftsman.

"I see. Hmm, you sure is strong, Himura san," the craftsman commented as he saw Kenshin easily lifted the furniture up with his arms. "Good bye. Please send my regards to Okami san and her family."

"Yes, I will. Thank you."

"Good bye! Tomoe sama and scarlet!"

"Scarlet?" Tomoe enquired.

"That's what the children called me," Kenshin explained.

"I thought to-ma-to would be more appropriate." Tomoe giggled, speaking in katakana, English which she learnt.

"Eh?" Kenshin surprised not quite understanding what she had just said but he smiled nonetheless.

The arrived back to the inn shortly.

"Please place the lacquer table here. Let's see…" she muttered and looked up at the shelf to place the cups on the top shelve when she suddenly flinched and retracted her hands.

"Tomoe?" Kenshin went to her side, concerned.

How could she be so careless again. She should have known best to ask for help. She looked at him and held the cups to him, "Could you help me place them on the shelves?"

Kenshin's browed deepened with concern, the shelves were not that high, she could have reached them easily so why was she asking him for help. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I am fine. It is just that my shoulder…" she explained softly, placing a hand over her right shoulder.

There was no need for any further explanations. Kenshin knew what she meant. He recalled the day when he chased after her, even though he held onto her hands firmly, she did not put much pressure in breaking free. She could not. So that was why.

Kenshin took over the cups and Tomoe stepped back, allowing him space to put the remaining utensils neatly back on the shelf.

"I am sorry," Kenshin said, too ashamed to look at her.

"Hm? Why did you apologize for?"

"I hurt you." He felt guilty. She suffered because of him. She had taken away her happiness.

"Himura san," she said, "I have forgiven you, haven't I?"

As he brought his gaze back at her, at her smile, he was bursting with emotions.

He was forgiven.

What have he done to deserve this?

"Tomoe, I …thank you."

…..