Megumi tossed and turned the entire night, getting a fitful and unsatisfying sleep. Kenshin rested beside her, sitting with both knees to his chest, his arms around them. It was his usual pose when he was on alert. Megumi felt ashamed that Kenshin had to take this pose to sleep. She wasn't going to pounce him in the dead of night. She wanted him to care for her, to accept her and to welcome her love with open arms. But she couldn't say that to Kenshin, and she had no idea how to convey that to him. She teased and played her mischievous tricks, which she knew had an effect on Kenshin, but she did not want to force herself on him. Megumi wanted Kenshin to accept and fall in love with her. That was all she ever wanted.

After Megumi finally fell into a somewhat peaceful sleep, she awoke to the bright sunlight streaming in from the window. She awoke with a yawn, looking over to Kenshin's futon, only to see it made. She sighed, hoping to tease Kenshin about not peeking when she got dressed, but he had figured out her plan in advance. Or perhaps he simply was kind enough to give her some privacy. Megumi felt it was the latter. She respected him for it, for respecting her, though it made her worry her charms might not be as effective. Regardless, she washed and dressed herself, taking a deep breath to appear relaxed and poised as always, and left the room with a smile. She found Kenshin with the innkeepers children, a young boy who seemed in awe of Kenshin, and a preteen girl who seemed to enjoy running her fingers through Kenshin's crimson red hair. Megumi smiled happily to herself, as Kenshin somehow had an innocence and kindness that drew children to him. Just like Kaoru, Megumi wondered what kind of Father Kenshin would make, and how proud and honored she'd be to not only be Kenshin's wife but mother to his children. But that would have to wait.

"I am sorry to cut your fun short, Kenshin-kun, but we must be going"

Kenshin looked to Megumi with his soft blue eyes and his kind smile, and Megumi felt herself take a few more steps towards Kenshin. She was drawn to him and those eyes.

"As you wish, Megumi-san. It was a pleasure meeting you both, but this one must be going!"

Kenshin stood up and bowed to the innkeeper, bidding a fond farewell to the two children. Megumi took her place beside Kenshin, and they left the inn quietly. Megumi felt her heart soar as she was bathed in sunlight. She had always loved beautiful, clear days like today, and loved this day all them ore because she was sharing it with Kenshin. Kenshin seemed just as happy, his eyes moving around, taking in every sight, a peaceful smile on his lips. Megumi wanted to reach out and take his hand in hers, but she thought better of it. It was too soon, and Kenshin was too happy on this fine day for her to bother him.

A few hours later, Megumi and Kenshin happened upon a large beef pot restaurant that was similar to the Akabeko back home. Megumi took Kenshin's hand in hers with a smile

"Kenshin-san! I am hungry, as I am sure you are. Lets stop here for dinner!"

Kenshin looked up to the restaurant, taking no notice of Megumi holding his hand, and nodded. Megumi smiled, not sure what to make of him not reacting to her holding his hand. But she was hungry, and so she led him inside, holding his hand the entire time. A few of the patrons looked to them as they entered, and Megumi felt a little stir in her heart as it looked like she and Kenshin were husband and wife, hand in hand. They took a seat at a table, and Megumi was pleased to find the waitress was a tall but unremarkable young woman with short black hair and soft brown eyes. She was kind and Kenshin was kind in return, but otherwise Megumi was happy to find she had no interest in him and he had no interest in her. As Kenshin and Megumi were waiting for their sukiyaki, Megumi caught the attention of two men a few tables away. One man was a large, burly man, bald and rude, who licked his lips as he stared at Megumi lustfully. He wore a long shirt and long black pants as well as a black belt with a large sword by his side, despite the ban on swords now in effect. His companion was the opposite, a short man with wiry chestnut brown hair and small brown eyes that darted back and forth quickly. He wore some sort of potato-sack outfit, both of them looking like they wore dirty rags. Megumi pictured them as a gorilla and a rat, and chuckled to herself as she saw them in her mind being fools. She regretted this, however, as they stood up and trotted over to her table. The large, gorilla-like man grinned lewdly to Megumi and Kenshin.

"Well well, two fine ladies to play with on such a beautiful day! How about I buy you ladies some dinner and we both go back to my place for a little fun with me and Hanjo?"

Hanjo, the little rat-like man, grinned lewdly as well and eased back into the shadow of the larger man, nodding eagerly. Megumi was disgusted by these two men, both at their lack of respect and at their appearance. Kenshin, however, simply looked to the bigger man with a smile.

"Oro? This one is sorry, sir, but this one is no woman. This one is but a simple wanderer, and a man, so this one has no interest in going back to your place for a little fun. And this one is sure Megumi-san shares the desire to stay here and eat our dinner together. Thank you for the offer, and you are welcome to sit with us and chat, but after dinner we must be on our way again."

Megumi bit her lip, prepared to make a snide and crude remark, surprised by Kenshin's cool demeanor. She expected Kenshin to be somewhat angry at being called a woman and was calmed by his resolve. He didn't sound angry, or hurt, simply regarded the gorilla-man with kindness and much more respect than he deserved, at least in her opinion. Both the bigger man and the rat-like Hanjo blinked, obviously not expecting this reaction out of Kenshin. Megumi smiled at another quality she found endearing in Kenshin. He was in control of his emotions and always did his best to difuse a dangerous situation. Furthermore, though she hated the idea, Kenshin treated the two men with some amount of respect, offering to let them join in and have a peaceful meal. Megumi knew better, of course, and the bigger man snorted loudly

"What? Join you? Oh no, little lady, you and your sexy friend here are coming with me and you are coming right now!"

Megumi winced, catching quite a few patrons who sank in their seats or tensed with anxiety at this turn of events. She shook her head, cursing her good looks and sex appeal. Kenshin, once again, was quite calm. The larger man went for his sword quickly, making Megumi tense, but surprisingly Kenshin beat him to it. One moment Kenshin was sitting peacefully in his seat beside the man, and the next moment he was behind the man, his hand resting on the hilt of the mans large sword. The man grabbed Kenshin's hand instead of the hilt, and Kenshin held the sword down as he dug the hilt of his Sakabatou into the lower part of the mans back. Megumi blinked in awe, a smile forming on her lips, but that smile soon faded, as did the color of her face, when she looked to Kenshin. His normally kind blue eyes were devoid of kindness and warmth, and were now an icy, emotionless blue. Kenshin spoke in an even tone, low and precise, lacking any kindness or respect for the man Kenshin once had. Megumi knew when he said "I" instead of the respectful "This one" Kenshin was angry and was doing his best to hold himself back.

"I would ask you not to draw your sword in a crowded restaurant, in front of women and children. Any disagreements you have with me can be discussed outside, away from so many innocent people. As I said, we have no interest in anything beyond a polite conversation. So sit back down at your table and leave us be, as I...."

Megumi felt a tense feeling in her stomach, barely able to react as Hanjo pulled a small knife from the folds of the shirt he wore and lunged at Kenshin's back. Kenshin spoke to the larger man, and Hanjo had carefully worked his way behind Kenshin to attack. Megumi wasn't watching Hanjo and only caught him at the last moment. Kenshin, however, drew his sword from his belt, and forcefully rammed the scabbard into Hanjo's stomach, forcing Hanjo to drop the knife and clutch his stomach in pain. In the same swift movement, Kenshin drew the scabbard above Hanjo and slammed it down on his head, causing Hanjo to fall forward at Kenshin's feet. It had all happened in the blink of an eye, and Kenshin never took his eyes off the larger man, defending and disarming Hanjo without so much as a glance towards him. Kenshin looked down to Hanjo with the same cold look.

"We are not finished speaking. Don't interrupt us when we are talking..."

Kenshin's words were wasted, as Hanjo was out cold the moment Kenshin's scabbard slammed down on his head. Kenshin put his sword back at his side, and the large man looked into Kenshin's eyes, the color fading from his face, and shook his head. He didn't need to see Hanjo lying at Kenshin's feet unconscious. All it took was one look into the Kenshin's cold blue eyes, and the man threw himself at Kenshin's feet

"I am sorry Sir! I am so sorry! Please forgive me!" he pleaded

The large man threw a small sack of coins on his table to pay for his meal, and grabbed Hanjo by the scruff of his neck, running out of the restaurant as fast as his feet would carry him. Kenshin watched the two leave, and sat back down across from Megumi. He stroked his stomach, regarding Megumi with his kind blue eyes again

"This one is so hungry! This one hopes our food will be ready soon!"

Megumi, and every single man, woman and child in the restaurant, stared at Kenshin in stunned silence. Suddenly a loud cheer arose, and many rose to give Kenshin a pat on the back and offer him some of their food. Kenshin looked bewildered, accepting some food for the simple reason he was hungry, and refused all the sake that was offered to him in exchange for hot green tea. Megumi shook her head, surprised at all that had happened. It had happened so quickly, her mind just couldn't adjust to it all. And Kenshin was remarkably humble, perhaps too humble. He seemed surprised and almost ashamed at all the attention that was given him, and at first politely refused when the owner of the restaurant gave them a very large helping of free food. In the end he accepted it, as well as extra food for their travels.

As Megumi and Kenshin left the restaurant, Megumi was unable to speak, and was at a loss for words. She didn't know what to make of it all, mostly because Kenshin made no big deal or even small deal out of what had happened. She took his hand in hers with a smile

"Thank you, Kenshin-kun"

"Oro? For what, Megumi-san?" he asked

"For being so kind and for just being you" she cooed

Kenshin tilted his head and shrugged

"There is no need to thank this one. It was simply the best way to handle dinner, that it was." he said

Megumi smiled and squeezed his hand softly, and Kenshin did not pull away. As they kept walking and came upon their Inn for the night, Megumi kept her hand in his and checked in, this time getting a room with two beds. This was not the night for the vixen to work her magic. Megumi was happy just to be with Kenshin, happy he was in control and did what was best for everyone. She excused herself and slid a partition between the room and a side room, undressing and dressing again without a mention of it, setting down into her bed with a purr.

"Goodnight, Kenshin-kun"

"Goodnight, Megumi-san"