Standard Disclaimer Applies.
A/N: Revised and reposted.
Chapter Two
Lies
Megumi sighed. Finally, she reached her destination. The dojo was already at sight. She could almost feel the happy ambiance of the place she came to love. She missed everything in this place. It had been years and she wasn't able to watch Ken-san's chibi grew up. So she had to imagine the baby was now big enough to run around chasing Yahiko, laughing and squealing his name. Tailing after Kenji would be the red head father. Kaoru would be at the porch watching the scene with delight.
She smiled at the thought. Her friends will be surprised with her unexpected arrival. She looked down at the small figure gripping her left hand while her right clutched their bags. Mindlessly, she held the little hand tighter. The small figure looked up at her, sensing the tension in his mother's fingers. Megumi smiled down tenderly wiping away the concerned look from the child's face. She thought, her friends would surely be surprised now.
She started a slow pace towards the gate to let the child catch up with her. When she reached the open gate, she mentally smiled. The scene unfolding in front of her was exactly as she expected. She inhaled deeper to accent her first greetings.
"Hello! I can see everyone's enjoying the fine weather." Her red lips arched into a wide smile, satisfaction was evident now that she got their attention. The chasing had stopped and four pairs of shock-stricken eyes were on her direction.
Kaoru was the first to recover from the surprise.
"Megumi-san!" She ran over the space between them passing the other three figures that were still standing stupidly at their ground. She held Megumi's hand that was clutching the bags noticing the child at Megumi's left, his two hands now gripping Megumi's and stepping back to hide his small body behind her. Kaoru smiled back at the small face, blue pair of eyes interestingly watching the other woman.
Kenshin and Yahiko followed Kaoru, each saying their greetings. Kenji nosed his way between his father and Yahiko, almost jumping in front of their visitor as he tried to remember her. Apparently, he can't. After all, he was only a baby when she made her last visit years ago.
When they were finally settled inside the house, Kaoru was the first to ask her question, impatient to keep it a little longer.
"Megumi..." she dragged her name intentionally to indicate her point while looking at the child sitting next to her friend shyly munching on his bean cake.
Megumi caught the meaning immediately. She knew well that they would really ask. But she had been prepared for this. It had taken her years to gather the courage she needed to weave a plausible story she would made them to believe.
"My son, Ryusei," Megumi said, finding it easier to express the words than she had expected. Somehow, those words were almost true. After all, it was Megumi who raised him since birth.
She watched her friends absorb the depth of what she said. She almost chuckled when she saw her friends' exchange of looks.
Yahiko opened his mouth giving an impression to blurt something out but he stopped, unable to speak after realizing Ryusei's eyes were watching him intently.
Her friends, sensing the awkwardness of the situation, decided not to push the conversation further. They decided that the topic required a more serious atmosphere than they have now and settled to discuss it much later. They shifted instead to a milder topic, much to Megumi's dismay. She was becoming impatient to finish what she had prepared for. She couldn't wait a little longer fearing that her resolve might break.
But then, she realized instantly she must not hurry things up or else, she might provoke suspicion from her friends. She scolded herself mentally.
After dinner, as Kaoru summoned her son to sleep, so was Megumi, kissing Ryusei's forehead.
"Mama, can I play with Kenji tomorrow?" the child asked sleepily.
It was always a wonder how children get easily acquainted with each other. Ryusei had played with Kenji all day long, chasing after the older child and imitating his stunts.
"Of course, my dear, tomorrow! But you must sleep now so that you're fast enough to chase him, ne?" Megumi said with a whispered affection luring the child to sleep.
He nodded in response and closed his eyes. Megumi, after watching her son for another minute, got to her feet and went out of the room silently. She made her way to the living room to find Kenshin and Kaoru already there. She held her breath a little deeper. This was the confrontation she'd been waiting and prepared for. She was feeling guilty for what she was about to do, but she has to. She had promised to a dying friend, a deathbed oath meant to be solemn.
Megumi had already immersed herself into the idea of how much keeping that simple pledge changed her life. It was too late now to turn back. She accustomed her resolve never to tell anyone mainly for two reasons: first, was to honor her solemn vow and second, was to crush the chance for anyone to claim Ryusei away from her.
She sat herself across the couple, gracing a smile on her lips. But Kenshin could never be fooled by that kind of easy façade. He had always been able to see through somebody's eyes. He knew their friend so well now to notice the tension and defiance behind her smile. The tension might be understandable, but defiance? Defiance from what?
"How are you, Megumi-dono? It's been five years since your last visit." Kenshin started mildly.
"What took you so long to visit us? We missed you so much, Megumi," Kaoru said. Her voice sounded almost hurt at her friend's negligence.
"Oh? But I think you were enjoying yourself being the only beauty here then." Megumi was in for a little irking, knowing quite well how Kaoru reacts easily.
"Megumi-san, you're diverting the topic!" Kaoru said accusingly.
"Hai. Hai… I'm sorry. But I did send letters, right?" Megumi said, very careful not to mention about Ryusei yet, unless her friend would start it.
"Of course. But to see you around here would be much better than letters. We appreciate you writing us, but it's just ... different."
She smiled. Kaoru obviously missed her. "I hate to say this but, well, I guess I did missed you too, Kaoru-chan."
"I remember you wrote us five months after Misao's..." Kaoru stopped abruptly, not knowing if it's right to say the word. But in a matter of second she decided not to say it.
"Anyway, you told us then that you had found a company in the clinic who reminds you of Misao. Then, you send one telling us your apprentice had moved away to marry. After that, nothing was really particular, as you said. You never mentioned about having him, Megumi." Kaoru finished, her eyes where on Megumi's face waiting for any reaction.
Megumi kept silent, letting Kaoru on her tirade while she thought of the first thing that she did to start her lies.
"Megumi-san, you should have told us. We could have at least visited you."
"I could have assisted you, you know." Kaoru said.
Megumi gave a chuckle. "This was supposed to be a surprise, that is why," she lied.
Kenshin eyed her suspiciously.
And that somehow pricked a nerve on her that she felt herself getting nervous about this confrontation. She decided to get over this as soon as possible before her conscience betrays her resolve.
"My son kept me busy" Megumi said it easily. There was truth in her words. She was busy taking care of her Ryusei and was very grateful to the Fujiyama couple for remaining true to her and supporting her situation by keeping their secret safe. Fujiyama Naoku was very kind to guide her inexperienced hands on how to take care of a baby. The couple was very dependable to run the clinic whenever she was out looking after her son.
"Megumi-san, we're just concerned about you. You never told us about this... about having a child." Kaoru said the words softly, careful not to offend her friend's feelings.
"I should be the one sorry I didn't send news. But just as I said, this was supposed to be a surprise. I also got busy with the new hospital and then this surprise came. And then this little surprise turned out to be the cutest treasure I ever had."
"Would it be more surprising if Ryusei's father... Is it Sagara?" Kenshin asked trying to get to the point gently and in the mildest way possible.
"KEN-SAN!" Megumi almost growled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Kenshin apologized with a stupid smile.
"No! Of course not. It's not Sagara, baka! That rooster-head!" Megumi said quickly. Somehow she was surprised at the mention of his name though she had foreseen they would come to think of it.
"If it's not him, then I guess you have chosen well, Megumi-san. Ryusei is so cute. I suppose you want to surprise us. Maybe he's some pretty guy and..." Kaoru stopped, realizing the gloom in Megumi's face.
"No, I have no one with me, except Ryusei. I have no one to show you, Kaoru-san. Ryusei's father... he left us." Megumi finished, injecting a fake sound of pain in her words to make it more convincing.
Kaoru gasped in shock. She never thought it could happen to her friend. She could never believe her friend to let such thing happen to her. It's not the way she knew Megumi. She wasn't the type to let her emotions rule over her head. "I'm sorry," was all Kaoru could utter.
"Nothing to be sorry about. I'm fine. I'm happy with my son. Having him is enough." She found her words very true. Yes, she's happy to have Ryusei. Amidst all these lies, she realized, this happiness was the only truth she held.
"I can see that you are, Megumi-san. I can see he's a fine boy." Kenshin eased the tensed air this conversation held with a smile. He sensed Megumi's reluctance on talking about the details. He decided that if that was all Megumi preferred to tell, there's nothing they can do now. Knowing her, she makes it a point to make it clear that she is accountable only to herself when it comes to her decisions. But her reluctance only heightened the suspicion that there was more Megumi had chose to keep from them.
"Megumi-san, I hope you're aware of the danger you are in. This era had been a bit hostile to unmarried women with children." Concern was evident in Kenshin's voice.
"I am very much aware of that. Thank you for your concern. I'll be very careful."
"Whatever it is, Megumi, we're just here for you," Kaoru said with the usual welcome in her voice as she reached across the table to pat the older woman's hand.
"Thank you, Kaoru-san, Ken-san. I'm sorry but I have to ask for your cooperation never to talk about this anymore, for my son's sake. I hope you understand," Megumi said, her voice firm to emphasize the depth of her request.
"Of course, we do, Megumi-san!" Kenshin smiled looking at Kaoru for a sign of agreement. Kaoru nodded giving her most winning smile but at the back of her mind she was sorry for her friend.
"It's very late already. I'm sure you're very tired now, Megumi-san." Kenshin's smile never left his face. He got to his feet to which Kaoru followed.
"Yes, I am. I've been dying to get a good rest. The trip left me very exhausted especially the little one." Megumi said following Kaoru.
"Very well. Oyasumi-nasai, Megumi-san." The couple chorused.
"Thank you. Oyasumi, Ken-san, Kaoru." Then Megumi parted from them.
When Megumi was out of sight, Kaoru looked at her husband asking, "Kenshin, do you believe it?"
"I want to, Kaoru-dono, but I had a feeling she's keeping the most of it." Kenshin said it without looking at Kaoru but to the direction where Megumi faded into the shadows.
Kaoru kept silent contemplating intently. She found their friend very good at keeping appearance to the point that her beautiful face never even wavered with the pain she was so determined to keep. Kaoru smiled. She's still the headstrong Megumi they knew, a woman of admirable determination. But still, she can't help feeling sorry for her.
Kenshin, for his part, was convinced Megumi was hiding the most part of the story. Their friend almost fooled him. He knew and he felt that the pains injected in Megumi's words were genuine but it does not come from what she said. The pain emanated from somewhere, something deeper and part of what their friend had chose to hold back.
When Megumi reached her room, she went to where her son was lying. She carelessly traced his cheek with his middle finger.
"My son, you are MY SON. No one can take you away from me." Her vision now was blurred with hot tears threatening to fall.
"If keeping you means deceiving all the friends I knew and I held dearly, I would not hesitate to do so. If these lies will protect you against the cruel truth, I will willingly commit, for you. I don't care if I looked foolish to the friends I cherished, as long as I have you, my little Ryusei," Megumi whispered not much for her son but for herself. She never cared if the image of the headstrong, witty Megumi, her friends had associated her with, will be forfeited from their minds now.
She doesn't care at all. Now that she had eagerly placed herself into the middle of these lies, there's no turning back, there will never be.
Megumi's eyes closed, sleep was casting its power over her tired mind and body. The tears she held fell freely, passing the side of Ryusei's head to his pillow. She slept beside the boy, her hand hugging the little body protectively closed to her own.
oooooOooooo
It was already late when she woke up the following morning. As she opened her eyes, she almost jumped out from her lying position, had it not for her instant recognition that it was her son peering down his face so close to hers.
She laughed at herself, disguising it with a wide grin to which Ryusei believed was for him.
"Ohayou," he said. "Mama, you stayed late last night. You must be very tired you woke up late now," he added accusingly.
"Ohayou, little one! Mama's been talking to Ken-san and Kaoru-san. We had a very long talk, we stayed late." Megumi was sitting up now.
"Reminiscing the old times," Ryu chirped. It was not a question, rather, a statement.
"Hai," she answered it anyway. She dropped a kiss on her son's forehead. She realized Ryusei had been responsible enough to change from his sleeping yukata. She had taught him so. Growing around in a house of adults, he assumed maturity to himself, far from most the children of his age.
"Mama, come up now. You haven't had breakfast yet," he was impatiently pulling her up from the bed this time. She couldn't understand what made him so excited.
"What's in a hurry, Ryu-chan?"
"Kaoru-san said you must eat your breakfast first so that you'll be strong like me, before we go for a picnic," Ryusei said, jumping around her mother as she tried to brush off the tangles in the bedclothes.
"Have you taken your bath already, Ryu-chan?" Megumi asked grinning, knowing well that the child wasn't capable enough of doing it himself yet. The chore of dressing, however, had been quite easier for him.
The child shook his head.
"Then you'll do first before we go for picnic."
"But Kaoru-san will be waiting," Ryusei said with his cutest pout, which Megumi found she couldn't help but smile.
"Oh, she'll wait than to smell you stink," Megumi answered scooping her son up, tickling him at the same time, earning short squeals of laughter. The laughter that was always been the sweetest of sounds she considered, she thought.
The following days of Megumi's stay at the dojo turned out fine. Ryusei found an easy acquaintance with Kenji who was his only playmate in this side of town. She found the acceptance she had always wanted for her boy. This place was always been different from any other place in Japan, she realized. This place means acceptance. It had always been that way even before she found refuge in this dwelling a long time ago. Everyone was accepted her, and it all started with the one person who embraced them all despite their dark past. It was Kaoru, her dear friend Kaoru.
Had it not been for her, there will be no Himura Kenshin and the whole Kenshin-gumi to rescue Megumi from the dark clutches of her past. Kaoru had always been so kind and openhearted. Her air of acceptance had been a great help for her brave leap towards a whole new life, leaving her unpleasant past behind. Kenshin had opened a new door for her and it was Kaoru's encompassing warmth and openness that lighted the way. It was no wonder Kenshin chose Kaoru over her.
She cannot begrudge her friend for that because she deserved the price of her kindness. She won the heart of someone as Kenshin. They were well suited for each other. Their kindness complimented each other.
Megumi smiled at the thought. She was happy for them; yet, she can't help but be jealous of the peacefulness this kind family had attained.
She wondered if she and Ryusei would ever have that same harmony. She cast a long look at Ryusei, who was chasing after Kenji in the yard, then again her spirit was revived to the same zeal she possessed when she gave her oath to her dying sister. She silently vowed to herself, they would attain it whatever it takes.
END OF CHAPTER TWO
My warmest thanks to all who reviewed:
Mij – Thanks a lot for the kind comments. It's a great help for a beginner like me. I hope you continue reviewing and correcting. I do really appreciate your opinions, I could give you a kiss.
Crewel, kakashi-fan – Thanks for the time you spared to review. If you wonder what pairing my fic favors, you've got to continue reading my next chapters.
kie-san – Don't be sad about the lose of Izumi's character because her character will live on the story. How? You'll find it out if you continue reading and reviewing. Anyways, thanks.
Wistful eyes – You're right and it will really be complicated if you have a child that is not yours! Thanks for reviewing...
Trupana – Thanks for considering it 'Intriguing". I'm a little thrilled that you came in to review. Truthfully, I've been admiring your fics. So, if it's not too much to ask, lend me some of your 'talents'. Have pity to a beginner... :(
Leila Winters – Yup, it's a bit hard to like a character that would just show up and in a matter of second, it's gone. Izumi is the kind of character that may not be physically present amidst the cast but will always affect them in one way or another. I admire your genius. It looks like you are close into picturing the whole of my fic :(
Glassy-lass and Shimizu Hitomi - Thanks for reviewing!
Anyways, my sincere gratitude to all who reviewed. I apologize if there's some more else I hadn't mentioned. I'll do later.