Chapter 7: The Pain in a Heart

Kenshin walked slowly down the street, staring at his feet. They were barely visible in the dark, but Kenshin had a great memory and knew exactly where his house was.

Why would Hiko-san carry a blade? Blades have been illegal since the Meiji Restoration. Shouldn't I have said something? He sighed. "What could I have said?" He asked aloud. "No one would've believed me… and besides… Maybe he needs it for some reason. I just hope it wasn't some old family heir-loom… I broke it…

His mind traced back to the fight he had with Chou. It almost seemed like a dream. It was over so suddenly… and Kenshin felt separated from himself all the way through. He had trouble concentrating at that point, but it came to him at the very last second, as if it was instinct. Had he really needed to hack his brain at all? It bothered him so much… and why did Chou want to fight him… and only him? He was willing to kill Kaoru to do it too. What was so special about him? Why were the Juppon Katana so interested in him? Did they know something that he didn't? He felt as if it was obvious, and he felt like an ignoramus for not figuring it out.

Kenshin soon made his way to his house and walked into the garage. He opened the door and entered the kitchen. "Mom! Dad! I'm home!" He called happily as he slipped off his shoes. "I'm sorry I'm so late…" He said walking around the corner. "I met some new friends at school and---- an--nnnd…." His eyes widened. His mouth fell open.

"…and…" He couldn't breathe. His socks began turning red from the warm, sticky liquid that soaked the floor. "Oh… my… m-m-mom… d-d-dad…" He dropped to his knees, and his pants soaked in the crimson fluid.

He grabbed his mother's limp body and lifted it towards him. He felt tears slip past his eyes, but he refused to blink. He couldn't. The image before him would not let him. His hands were turning red and the blood was splattering all over the front of him.

He felt her slip from his arms and fall to the floor. His stumbled to get up, stepped back very slowly. "No… no, no, no, no…" He said slowly as he backed up to the back door and then busted out.

-

Kenshin felt himself running blindly through the dark, and he became unaware of anything. He just kept running.

Stupid…I wish I could go one day without that group of bastards, the Juppon Katana, getting on my nerves… Hiko said to himself as he droved down the road. Why can't they just- "WOAH!" Hiko slammed on his brakes, a screeching noise echoing from his tires.

Kenshin stopped and stared straight into the headlights of a car he had run out in front of. He panted, his eyes staring eccentrically.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Hiko yelled, getting out of his car. "What're you doing running in front of-" It was then that Kenshin ran to him and clutched his shirt desperately.

"Y-you got-gotta h-h-help me! Dear god! GOD GOD! Please, h-help me, help me! Sweet mother of god? Why?! WHY?! Help me, god! Someone please! PLEASE!" Kenshin yelled crazily, his words slurring. "HELP ME!"

"Woah! Slow down!" Hiko cried, then finally got a good look at him. "Himura?"

"HELP ME! MOM! DAD! They're- mom, dad--- God! Someone!"

"Stop a minute! Kenshin!" Hiko shook him, trying to get him to gain composure. "What is going--" Kenshin stepped back and tripped, falling into the headlights. "…on…" Hiko said, staring at Kenshin's clothing.

"H-h-help… me…. P-please?… My mom… my dad… they…"

"Show me the way, kid," Hiko said, grabbing his shoulders.

"I-I-I don't know… I don't know…" Kenshin shook his head several times. "Over… street… there…" Kenshin pointed down the street he had came. Hiko picked him up and put him in the passenger seat, driving where he'd pointed.

-

Hiko walked into Kenshin's home and turned the corner. "Uh--!" Hiko was stunned. Kenshin broke down, crawling to his father and shaking him, crying hysterically.

"This… is horrible…" Hiko said. He stepped back and grabbed Kenshin's phone, dialing the number for the police. "Uh-hello? This is Hiko Seijirou, and I need to report a murder… What do you mean 'am I sure they're dead'?! There's blood everywhere, you bastard! Get down here now!"

Kenshin hugged his knees and stared at the bodies, rocking back and forth. "…who… did…this…? Who… did… this?" He muttered, over and over again. "They'll die… they'll…"

Hiko hung up the phone. "Kid…" He leaned down and grabbed his shoulders. "Let's get out of here."

"Mom… Dad…" Kenshin muttered. Hiko dragged him away from them.

-

It was utter chaos at Kenshin's house that night. Police cars and ambulances had pulled up, and everyone was running around and yelling at each other. Kenshin watched all of them go by in slow motion, a completely blank look on his face. He could hear their screaming and yelling, but they were quiet, muffled sounds, as if they were under water. He heard his own shaking breaths as well.

Suddenly, a heavy hand flew down upon his shoulder.

He gasped, raising up his head. He felt warm tears run down his cold face. He turned and faced the man behind him with frantic eyes. Hiko stared down at him calmly, still looking dominant and daunting.

"H--h---Hiko-san…. When did you get here?" Kenshin asked, proving to Hiko how lost he had actually been for the past hour.

"You're coming home with me tonight," Hiko said. "Let's go."

"O-oro?" Kenshin continued to stare up at him. He looked down. "W--why--- how…. Who?" Kenshin refused to look up as he bit his lip.

"I don't know. I'm sure it will all come through on the police record… Now, come on." Hiko put his hand on Kenshin's back and led him to his car.

-

Hiko drove down the street in the darkness. Kenshin stared at his feet, invisible in the dark floorboard. He felt so empty. "I…" He said.

"Hm?" Hiko turned and glanced at him.

"I should have been there… to protect them… but I was too busy… playing games… de gozaru yo…"

"No," Hiko said, his deep voice shaking Kenshin into looking at him. "You were too busy protecting Kaoru from being killed… and even if you had gotten there before they were killed, you would have been murdered as well. Then, Kaoru would've been hurt by Chou, and your family would have been dead. You should be proud. Only two murders happened tonight. There could've been four."

"No," Kenshin said. "NO! I--I could've done something!!!" He grew silent for a long time after that, the only noise being the tires on the road. "…when do I get to go back to my house?… and…. Where do I go after this? Will I be sent to a foster home?"

"I don't know. That's all up to the police and the decision of the government."

"I… I have some things back at my house to get… when I go… wherever…"

"Do you have any relatives?" Hiko asked.

"No."

"None?"

"I'm the only one left with the blood of Himura."

"Is that so…" Hiko said. Silence echoed through the car.

Kenshin lowered his head until his bangs hid his eyes. "… I could have… done… something…"

Hiko wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew that there had to be a reason that Kenshin's parents were now dead. The police said that no killings had been reported in months, at least not like that. It could've been anyone, but who knew Kenshin so well that they killed his parents? He had just gotten to this town! Unless of course it was someone from where he used to live… It could have been why they moved in the first place…

"Kenshin."

"what…" Kenshin stated.

"Why'd you move here, to Tokyo?"

"My father got transferred here for his job. He was making much better money, but I guess it doesn't really matter now… Mom… she had always wanted to move here. She told me that the possibilities were endless for me here, de gozaru yo…" He looked out the window at the darkness, lights gleaming like multi-colored fireflies within it.

"Did your family have any enemies?"

Kenshin was silent as he thought about it. "No… No, we were on good terms with everyone. I know that because my mom had to make cookies for everyone at Christmas, and it took her hours to make enough for all of her friends." He smiled slightly, but it quickly faded. "I'll never taste her cookies again."

"What about your dad?"

"My father was one of the best men on the planet. He did his job to his very best and treated everyone with respect. He took good care of his family, and he always made sure that everyone had everything he could give them."

"-and you? Did you have anyone against you at your old school?"

Kenshin laughed slightly. "I wish… I didn't have many friends, much less enemies. No one really cared what I did. I must say, I like it much better here… or at least I did."

"Then… I don't understand why this would happen… but you need to get a grip on yourself…"

"Oro?" Kenshin felt a ping of anger in his heart.

"Listen. Crying and mourning will not bring them back. It will only bring you more suffering, and I'm sure that's the last thing they wanted. They wanted you to be happy, and that's what you need to do. Fulfill their wishes, Kenshin. Be taken care of, and make something of yourself. You can't just sit in the floor wishing that something happened."

"-but-"

"Go ahead and give this a try. Wish in one hand, and spit in the other. See which one fills up faster. Now, you're fairly intelligent, so do the math."

"…but…"

"Don't bother, kid. I'm forty-three years old. I've seen a lot, and I know these things from experience. This is a step you'd have to take in your life eventually, so stop crying."

"I---I can't help it…" He said. "I… I saw my parents in a puddle of their own blood!!! I held their cold bodies in my arms, and they died for no reason!!! Don't tell me what I can and can't do! You've never seen your parents slaughtered in their own home!!!!" He broke down and buried his face in his knees.

"You're correct about this, Himura… but you can't just assume that I haven't seen my fair share of death. I've gone through stages like so, but I've learned that it does nothing more then tear me up inside. You don't need to beat yourself up. It'll only make it worse. Remember the good things that happened with them, not the bad. It'll only make it harder to get over, do you understand?"

"y-yes…" Kenshin whispered. "…but it's really hard…"

"Well, duh. It's because we humans were cursed with the power of emotions. Sometimes they're good, and sometimes they're bad, but they all make you able to enjoy sake."

"Sake?" Kenshin stared at him. Hiko smirked at him. Kenshin wiped his tears away and looked out the windshield. "What makes sake taste good?"

"Have you ever had it?"

"No…"

"Poor soul."

"Oro…"

"What's that mean anyway…?"

"What?"

"Nevermind…"

(A/N: Sad, huh... Did anyone see that coming? Anywho, I just wanted to thank you for all the reviews. I feel loved beyond imagination. Also, I was asked if there was going to be more humor in it. There is, no worries... Oh, and to that same person, read your history book. I don't want to be blamed for bad grades, ya' know. Anyway, that's all I had to say. TTYL, guys. Sayonara!)