This is probably the longest chapter that will be. I'm not sure yet. We'll see won't we?

Chapter 5

Jin lied in his bed trying to grasp the dream he just had. It was a good one. He, Mugen, Fuu, and Kumiko were all traveling together. Like one big family. There were other parts that he could barely remember. He had the urge to fall asleep again, hoping he would fall back into the dream he was just having.

"Hey, Jin! Breakfast is going to be ready soon. Are you awake?" He heard Kumiko call from the other room.

'Damn it.' He thought, 'Well she is just as good as the dream, but I hope Fuu and Mugen are alright.'

He saw Kumiko's face peek from behind the wall.

"I'm awake." Jin said to her, "I'll be out in a second."

"Alright, I'll be waiting."

"You don't have to."

"I know." And then she retreated from behind the wall.

Jin smiled and sighed. He stretched and got up from the bed and headed towards the kitchen.

"Good morning." She said to him.

"Good morning." He replied.

A plate of tororo and some oniguries waited for him, along with a tangerine to have afterwards.

Jin took a bite and said, "Simply delicious."

"That is what you always say. Are you just giving me compliments or something?" she replied with suspicion.

"Of course I am. And I don't have any other words to describe this." He said pointing to the dish in front of him.

"How about…delectable or…savory?" she said with a grin.

Jin shrugged, "Ok. Simply delectable. And also very savory. How is that?"

"That sounded dumb."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know it just did."

"Then what shall I call it then?"

"Let's not call it anything. Just eat!"

"How about-

"No."

"But-

"We are not starting this again!"

Jin grinned and said, "Well, what do you plan on doing today?"

"I'm going to go to the village to get some more supplies." She answered absent-mindedly.

"Can I go with you?"

Kumiko looked at him and then down to his chest were his wounds were.

"I don't feel as much pain today, practically none actually. Your ointment helped a lot." He said to her hoping that he could go.

"I'll look at it first, then I will decide to let you go or not."

Jin nodded and started to undo his shirt.

"Easy! You don't have to show me now!"

"Ok." And he started eating again.

After breakfast they washed the dishes as they normally did and immediately after, Jin started to undo his shirt again.

"Jin." Kumiko said with a sigh.

"What?"

"Nothing, go ahead." She said with a wave of her hand and then thought, 'He really wants to go with me.'

Jin set his shirt on the counter and went for the bandages, but was cut off by a throb of pain when he tried to reach to far upwards.

"I'll get that." She said to him.

She carefully undid the bandages and let the wounds show. Jin sat down in one of the chairs and let her work her magic. He watched as she checked over the cuts that were closing well and without infection. She went to one of the cabinets and pulled out the jar with a different ointment in it. She scooped some of the medicines in her fingers and gently rubbed it on his wounds. It stung a little, but Jin had a feeling that it was a good sign and didn't object.

"I think you will be fine. You can come to town with me." She said while she rewrapped him.

"Thank you." He said to her.

Whether the 'thank you' was for the healing of wounds or the fact she let him come with her, she didn't know.

With a sly smile she looked at him, "How good are you at horseback riding?"

Jin clutched onto Kumiko's waist for dear life. They were galloping at full speed with, of course, no saddle or bridal on a 2 or 3 year old stallion!

'She is insane!" he kept repeating in his mind, 'I must be also…I got on the damn thing. Sonne you better not even think about bucking!'

Kumiko turned her head around to look at his face. By the way he was clutching unto her it was rather obvious that he didn't trust this horse.

"Kumiko? Can we slow down a bit? I am feeling a little bit emasculated by the fact that I'm in the back holding onto you when usually it's the girl who is holding onto the boy!" Jin yelled over the thudding of horse hooves.

"How old are you anyway?"

He stared at her in disbelief. There is no way she is trying to start a conversation while riding a stallion without a-you know.

"Are you serious?" He asked.

When she didn't answer, he knew she was.

"Well, I'm-I'm 20." He said after a hesitation, "What about you?"

"I'm 17."

"Really?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, you don't exactly look it. You kind of look 15 or 16."

"I'm taking that as a compliment."

Jin laughed and they rode in silence until the village came into view.

"That is a small village." Jin commented.

"Yes, that is one of the reasons why I love it so much." She commented back as she cooed to Sonne to come down to a trot and then a smooth walk.

Jin couldn't help but be impressed at how well she rode the horse.

"How long have you lived near here?" he asked.

"Uh, just about 2 years, but I lived by myself for 1 year."

"That is it? I would have thought you lived alone for a long time."

She shook her head with a smile and said, "First we'll buy the things I need and then we will go visit my friends at the Ruri Teashop."

"It would be an honor to meet Kawazoe-Chan's friends." He said with a bow knowing that the 'Chan' and the use of her last name would set her off a little. He was right.

"Alright, Sir Suave, hurry up, let's go." She said.

He smiled lightly and followed Kumiko into the village.

All eyes were on Jin when they reached the section of the village where most of the people spent there time. Nobody has seen Kawazoe Kumiko with a man that wasn't from their village. Actually, nobody has every saw Kawazoe Kumiko with a man. Though they pretended that they busied themselves with other things worth their while, continuously people would shift their eyes and stare at Jin.

'Ok…It is a little obvious that Kumiko doesn't really get to know many men, by the looks of these villagers.' He thought.

Jin kept his face hard and acted as if he didn't care about the stares, but truthfully, it was making him uncomfortable.

"Let's start the shopping." Kumiko said to him cheerfully.

She took him to the different venders and introduced him to practically everybody. He couldn't grasp all the names, but caught a few.

"Jin, this is Tsubaki. Tsubaki meet Jin!" Kumiko said with a smile.

With a bow he said, "It is a pleasure to meet you Tsubaki-Chan."

The girl named Tsubaki giggled and said, "Nice to meet you too! Now where did you find this gentleman Kumiko?"

"On the ground."

Tsubaki laughed and said, "I wished they were all that easy to find! It was nice meeting you, but I have to get back to my costumers."

Jin nodded to her and then looked at Kumiko with a stare.

"So you found me on the ground, huh?"

"Well, technically in a river…" she answered.

Jin sniffed and looked away as if his pride was taking hold of him. Kumiko let out a cute laugh and said, "You still need to meet the people of the Teahouse!"

And at that, she walked toward a pale green colored house with dark green curtains for the entrance. On top of the little house was a sign that said "Ruri Teahouse." He smiled at the little place and followed suite with Kumiko.

"Kumiko!" a feminine voice said loudly.

"Amane! I'm glad to see you up and well!" Kumiko said while embracing the other women.

"Oh, yes, I'm all better now! How have you-

She cut off her words at the sight of Jin.

"Who is your…friend?" she asked.

"Well, hello my Lady Kumiko! I'm glad to see-

A man who just walked in caught sight of Kumiko, but cut off his words as the woman called Amane did when he saw Jin.

At first he was at a lost for words then he said, "I haven't seen you around here. Kumiko, is this a friend from far away?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry. I didn't give introductions! Jin, this Amane and her husband Toyo. Amane and Toyo, this is Jin." She said with a huge smile.

'She's obviously enjoying everybody's reactions toward me…I'm not.' Jin thought to himself.

"Well it is nice to meet you Jin-san." Said Amane and Toyo, with a bow.

"Just Jin, please." He replied.

The both grinned and said, "You are like Kumiko, so modest! Of course, we should call you 'san' for you are a samurai."

They pointed at his swords and smiled again.

'Well that could be another reason why people were staring at me.' Jin thought, 'They probably never had seen a samurai in their village before.'

Jin gave them a smile and said, "Even so, you don't need to call me 'san'"

"Ok, whatever you'd like. Now sit, sit! Tell me what you want. I already know what she wants." said Toyo while gesturing at Kumiko.

"You do?" Jin asked.

"Yes, she orders the same thing every time she comes here."

"Well, then I guess I will have the same thing as her. It must be good if she orders it that much!"

At that Amane jumped into the conversation, "Yes, it is very good, but you might want to order something else with it. She doesn't eat very much, so there isn't much on the plate."

"Ok, then, what did she order in the past."

"She wanted the usual except without the side she always ordered, she used to have our abura-age, but I guess she got bored of it."

"Ah, yes, I remember when she used to order that." Amane said.

"Will all of you stop talking like I'm not here?!" said an aggravated Kumiko.

"I'll take that." said Jin with a grin.

"Alright then, both of your plates will be up in a while!" Toyo said and then left with Amane.

Kumiko glared at the grinning Jin and said, "I'm right here, in case you have forgotten me."

"Yes, yes, of course. It is just you are always teasing me, I thought maybe you can take it also, but I guess not." He said with a sigh.

"Oh, I can dish it and take it, don't worry!" she said defensively.

"Mmhmm, sure." He said as if he was distracted.

Kumiko shook her head and said, "Now what has gotten into you today? You are usually so quiet."

"Am I being bad?" He asked.

"Yes, you are."

"Whatever will you do with me?"

"I haven't decided…Maybe I'll have Sonne drag you home."

"I bet he will." Jin mumbled.

They sat in silence for a while. It was a comfortable silence. Jin liked the fact that he can just sit with her. You don't find that too often.

"What did I just order anyway?" Jin wondered after awhile.

Kumiko laughed and said, "You ordered tamagoyaki with a mochi on the side."

"They were right, you don't really eat that much."

"I don't need too."

"You need to stay alive!"

"Well obviously I'm doing something right, I'm here!"

It was now Jin's turn to shake his head and laugh.

"Order up my friends!" said Toyo with two plates on a tray.

"Thank you." said both Kumiko and Jin.

"No problem." he replied with a smile.

And at that he left them alone.

"Wow this does look great." Jin commented.

"Yes, they are the best in the village."

"I can see that." he said after taking a bite out of the tamagoyaki.

Kumiko told Jin about some of the villagers and about the different places.

"It's not much, but I love it here."

"I don't blame you. Everybody seems so kind."

"Well if you don't count the stares you were getting, yes they are."

"Oh, so you did notice!" Jin stated.

"Yes, I did. I thought it was funny."

"No, it wasn't funny! You would have thought I was wearing some weird clothing or…looked like you!"

"What the hell does that mean?"

Jin gave her an are-you-kidding-me look and replied, "Your blonde hair and blue eyes stick out like you wouldn't believe. If you were walking around in some town other than this, people wouldn't just be staring. They would be gawking!"

"Oh, I would be flattered." she said covering her face as though she was embarrassed.

"You're so vain I bet you would be."

"I'm not vain!"

They both laughed and continued their meal, while enjoying the silence that they could have.

After their food was done, Toyo came and took away the dishes. Amane also came out and handed both Kumiko and Jin a bento.

"Amane." she said while closing her eyes, "you are a women version of Toyo."

"Is that an insult or a compliment? Oh, and I almost forgot! I need to tell you something, come with me to the kitchen and I'll tell you."

Kumiko looked surprised and said, "Oh, alright. Do you mind waiting for a little longer Jin?"

"I never would mind." he replied.

"What a gentleman." came Toyo's voice from behind him, "I'll keep you company while those two talk."

Jin smiled and nodded.

'I want to learn more about Kumiko anyway.'

Kumiko followed Amane into the kitchen and set the bento box on the table.

'I might pretend that I forgot it, so they can serve it another customer that actually needs it.' she thought deviously.

Amane turned and looked at Kumiko with a concerned stare, "Kumiko, just who is this Jin man?"

"Oh, that is what was so important?" Kumiko said with a bored voice.

Amane's stare hardened, "You know that everybody in this village worries about you living alone and then a man that nobody knows shows up. We know that he is some traveler that you let take refuge in your house. And you should know how dangerous that is!"

"Amane, the man is safe. And he isn't some traveler. I found him hurt and I healed him. You can go look at his chest now, I bet he will let you. Since I now know that Toyo is probably drilling him real good." said Kumiko while trying to peek behind the wall to check on Jin.

Amane's face changed, "He was wounded?! And you didn't bring him to town!"

"Well, I didn't know how much time he had!" exclaimed Kumiko.

"Samurai fight I'm sure." Amane said with a shake of the head, "Sorry, about the rant, but I worry about you and I don't know this man."

"'This man' has a name."

"Sorry again, I mean, I don't know Jin. You better rescue him from Toyo if you don't want a dead samurai."

A vixen grin came across Kumiko's face, "Want to watch for a second and then make a rescue?"

Amane sighed and said, "Why do you make me do these things Kumiko?"

"Because I'm terrible like that."

Toyo sat down as he watched the ladies make their way to the kitchen.

"So Kumiko said your name was Jin, right?" he asked with a fake twinkle in his eye.

Jin sat down across from him, "Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Toyo nodded, "And I guessed correctly when I said you were a samurai?"

"Yes you did."

Toyo nodded again, "Just how did you meet our little Kumiko?"

"Uh, well, she kind of found me and she brought me to her house. She is very kind." Jin answered.

"Yes, she is. Too kind actually." said Toyo indifferently.

'Well, I see where this is going.' Jin thought.

Toyo was shooting daggers out of his once twinkling eyes, "Why couldn't you come to the village, instead of Kumiko's house?"

"I was hurt and..." Jin didn't finish.

"Don't think you can try anything on Kumiko. We love her too much to see her hurt!"

"Uh, sir-

"If you even think about touching her there'll be a mob coming after you!"

"Sir-

Toyo cut him off again, "I will pounce on you like a tiger on a goat, if you go near her!"

Jin opened his mouth, but-

"If you don't think I don't know that house of hers only has one bedroom, think again! Don't go near her bed! Don't even look at the doorway!"

Annoyed with the man, Jin mumbled, "Hmph, I been in her bed."

"WHAT?!"

"Whoa, whoa, that isn't what I mean!" Jin explained quickly, "I've just been sleeping in it!" Jin kicked himself for saying that.

Toyo looked like he really was going to pounce on him, "You've been sleeping in Kawazoe-Chan's bed?!" he practically yelled.

"Hold up-

"That is it! You are moving out of that house today!"

"She hasn't been in the bed! And that is not your decision to make."

Toyo was seething now, "What are you doing? Trying to take over her home? Where is she sleeping if she isn't in the bed?"

Jin hesitated, "She has been sleeping…in the…kitchen."

"Kawazoe-Chan is too good to sleep on the floor! She is not a servant!"

"He has been sleeping in your bed, Kumiko?" Amane whispered loudly.

"Yes, but I haven't been sleeping with him! That is all that matters, right?" Kumiko answered with a sheepish look.

"No that isn't all that matters!" countered Amane.

Kumiko shushed her and started to listen to the boy's conversation again.

"Sir, I didn't want her to sleep on the floor, actually I would prefer it if she slept on the bed!" Jin said trying to calm the other man down.

"I bet you would!"

"No, no, no! That isn't what I mean! I mean, I'll sleep on the floor if I have too!"

"Sure that is what you say now!"

"Really!"

They both were not sitting anymore and both were now imagining pushing the other one off a cliff.

"I think 'operation: rescue Jin' needs to unfold." Amane said nervously when she saw both the men get up.

"Yeah, before they try to kill each other with something else other than staring." Kumiko agreed.

Both the ladies got up and put fake smiles on their faces as they walked into the room.

"Hello, boys!" they said in unison.

Jin and Toyo both grinned mechanically.

"Are you ready to go Jin?" Kumiko asked.

"Very ready…I'm getting tired." he said as he looked at Toyo, who was still leering at him.

"It was nice seeing you both!" Kumiko said to Toyo and Amane.

This time they smiled true smiles and nodded.

"Come back…soon." Toyo said as he directed his glare to Jin again.

Kumiko grinned, "We will."

'She said 'we'" Jin thought. It was hard to repress the joy that wanted to reach his face, 'but I can't forget about Fuu and Mugen.'

Jin was brought out of his trance when Kumiko's hand caught his and guided him out of the teashop.

As they were walking back through the village with the packages of supplies they bought Kumiko said, "Well that was extremely entertaining."

"Yes." was all that Jin could say.

"Especially, the talk that you and Toyo shared." she said with a small giggle.

Jin closed his eyes and sighed, "So you heard all of that?"

"Could I not have?"

"Were we really that loud?"

"No, but I was only in the next room."

"True. Sorry."

"Actually Jin, I think Toyo needs to apologize. I'm sure Amane is digging him right now, so no worries."

Jin smiled, "So did you tell Amane what happened?"

"For the most part, I just told her I found you and healed your wounds. That's it."

"Oh, why did you only tell her that? Why not the whole story?"

"Because we were too enthralled by the lively conversation that you and Toyo had to continue ours."

"Yeah, I shouldn't have gotten annoyed like I did." Jin said with a laugh.

"Are you kidding me? I would have punched him in the face if he was talking to me like that. You have a lot of patience."

At that Jin had a big laugh.

"Are you laughing at me or the thought of me punching someone in the face?"

"Both! I'm trying to imagine you, a barely five foot tall 17 year old girl, punching a grown man in a face!"

"Hey, I'm 5 foot 3! Not 4 foot 3!"

"I know, I know, I couldn't resist making fun of your height though."

"Nobody can…" Kumiko grumbled as they reached Sonne.

They put down the packages and started to go through them to make sure they had everything. Kumiko opened one of the bags and groaned.

"I swear I left this damn thing on the kitchen counter!" she said while lifting up the bento box, "That woman! She is sneakier than I imagined. Did you even see her do it?"

Jin was staring at the second box in that bag, "I didn't even see her take the one that she gave me off the table."

They blinked at each other for a minuet then shrugged, "At least you don't have to cook dinner now." Jin said, "But dessert is a different story."

Kumiko giggled, "I see you have taken a liking to my little German baking."

"Are you still trying to Germanize me?" Jin asked.

Kumiko looked at him and then remembered with a grin, "Yes, yes, I am."

"Then no, I haven't taken a liking too it. It just tastes…I'm not saying I like it."

They both laughed and slung the bags over Sonne's back and hopped on.

"Still nervous about Sonne?" asked Kumiko.

"Of course…and you should be, too!" he exclaimed as he started clutching her waist again as Sonne took off galloping.