Disclaimer: Neither Rurouni Kenshin nor its characters belongs to me. Sigh.

Author's Notes: Oh my dear readers, I'm so, so sorry for the delay. Working on other peoples' writing for work leaves me too drained lately to write my own. I can't even remember what a normal sleeping schedule is like, and it was never this bad when I was in college. Sigh. I AM SO BLOODY TIRED. At least I'm getting paid for that work though, right? Even if it's not much. I wish I wasn't so broke. I hate debt.

So… I found myself re-reading the previous chapters to get back into the swing of it and I noticed some typos. I apologize for those! I suck. If I have the time, I'll try to go back, fix, and re-upload. Hopefully. Forgive any typos in this one?

Anyway, a longer-than-usual chapter for you lot! I hope you like it! Two OCs in it, but theirs is only a brief inclusion in this chapter.

Also, thanks to everyone for your kind sentiments and reviews! It's nice to know that there are some people out there reading (and hopefully enjoying) the story. I'll really try to get the next chapter out more quickly. – Neomiko

Chapter 7

Kaoru wasn't really aware of how long she soaked there blissfully, her eyes closed. Languidly, she let her arms rise up, suspended in the hot water. The fingers of one hand brushed against something. Kaoru wrinkled her nose. She didn't remember being that close to the side edge. She explored the surface a bit with her hand. That doesn't feel like rock… What's floating right next to me…?

"…Kaoru… Kaoru, wake up."

Kaoru's eyes fluttered open, rolled to her right to where the voice came from. Shocked, she realized her fingers were tracing Aoshi's arm.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Kaoru lurched upright and snatched her hand back, the cloth against her forehead plopping into the water and splashing her in the face. She sputtered in embarrassment.

Aoshi's mouth twitched. Covering his amusement, he said, "No need for apologies. It's not as though you did it on purpose."

Kaoru's face burned hotly. What reply was there to that?

"Come, we've been here for quite a while. If we wish to see the azaleas at their brightest, we should be going soon." Aoshi stood up in the water, turning to step out.

Kaoru was treated to the magnificent view of the water sluicing down the planes of his broad back. She watched, fascinated by the rivulets running down the contours of his muscles, disappearing into the towel still wrapped around his waist. A very wet, clinging towel leaving very little to Kaoru's imagination. She suddenly thought it was a very good idea to get out of the hot springs, because her body temperature was steadily rising and there was nothing she could do about it.

Dismayed, Kaoru suddenly realized that if the towel around Aoshi's waist clung like a second skin to him, her own towel would hug her form in the same manner. She closed her eyes, listening to Aoshi step out of the water completely, dripping onto the rocks. After a few moments, she could hear his footsteps, and it sounded as if he were walking away. Apparently he was perfectly fine with being practically, completely exposed for everyone to see.

Refusing to open her eyes just yet, she continued to sit there, unsure of what to do. Shortly, she heard footsteps approaching. Taking a deep breath and steeling her nerves – Stop being such a ninny, Kaoru! – she cracked one eye open and looked to the side. Aoshi stood there, a fresh, large robe held out before him. Relief washed over her features and Kaoru gratefully stood up, allowing Aoshi to wrap the robe around her shoulders, covering her entire form. Discreetly, she noticed that Aoshi had also procured a robe for himself, hanging loosely on his frame.

Aoshi reached down and picked up their respective baskets, handing Kaoru hers. Wordlessly, he led them back to the women's dressing area. Before leaving for the men's section, he said, "I will wait for you back in the front lobby, Kaoru."

Kaoru nodded, watching as Aoshi tipped his head back at her and then turned, walking toward the men's dressing room. Knowing he couldn't see her, she sighed, thinking, I could watch him walk all day. Rousing herself from her musings, she slapped a hand against her cheek. Good lord, the heat from the onsen MUST be addling your brain, Kaoru! Give it a rest! With that, she spun around on her toes and hurried off to get changed. Hearing her quick steps, Aoshi turned his head back slightly to check on her… just to make sure none of the men from the springs tried to accost her.

That's what he told himself, anyway.

--

--

As Kaoru toweled off completely and began dressing herself, she heard a couple of women enter the room behind her. She kept her eyes forward on her cubicle, wanting to be done quickly so that she could meet Aoshi in the lobby. However, she couldn't help slowing down when she overheard some of their conversation about a handsome, tall, dark-haired man in the onsen.

"… Oh my, yes, Hanako-chan, did you see that man?" one woman's low voice sounded from directly behind Kaoru. She fought the urge to turn around.

"Chiharu-chan, how could I not? He was easily the tallest man there," her friend Hanako replied. Now Kaoru really had to fight the desire to look over her shoulder.

"Easily the most attractive, you mean." Kaoru's fingers twitched as she tied her obi. "It's a shame, though."

"What is?" Hanako asked.

"Well, he seems to be taken. Didn't you see that girl he was with?" Kaoru's fingers stopped moving completely.

"That one with the ponytail? Well, she was a pretty little thing. Got a lot of stares, too… If only I were that young again. But what makes you say they're together?"

"They stood so close to each other. She walked over before he did, and she looked a little scared and lost. But then he came up right behind her, and positively towered over her, glaring at all the men looking at her. And even put a hand on her shoulder. Her bare shoulder!" Kaoru's fingers clenched her obi before she realized she was crumpling it. She smoothed the wrinkles out slowly and finished tying it.

"I suppose you're right. They did stay together, by themselves, the whole time they were in the springs. And he was so considerate of her shyness, now that I think about it."

"I know! He would look at her so tenderly, too. If only my husband still looked at me like that." Chiharu sighed.

What is she talking about? By now, Kaoru was sure she was blushing, so she rushed to put her used robe and towels away with her basket. As she turned to leave, one of the ladies caught sight of her face.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, young lady! We were just talking about you and your young man!" Chiharu exclaimed.

Kaoru smiled a little nervously. "Oh, it's quite all right. But… he's not my young man…"

"Oh, of course," she interrupted, "He must be your husband."

The denial stuck in Kaoru's throat. Blushing brilliantly, she could only give a little shake of her head and tremulous smile before she bowed to the two women and practically fled the room. Kaoru could hear them tittering as she left.

"They must be newlyweds. Did you see how she blushed?" Hanako asked.

"And she all but ran out of here! No doubt to return to that handsome husband of hers."

"Ah, young love." Chiharu sighed, placing a hand over her heart. With that, both women burst into giggles.

--

--

Meanwhile, Aoshi was dealing with his own share of speculation in the men's dressing room. He had always prided himself on his endless patience, but he found that he could not escape the appreciative comments about Kaoru's form quickly enough. He had never felt much of a violent reaction to the words of non-fighting men before, but he couldn't seem to help feeling like he really wanted to punch someone. Suffice to say, he was very glad to have separated Kaoru as much as possible from the others in the hot springs.

Aoshi made it to the front lobby in record time. He stood near the entrance, but faced the women's hallway, waiting for Kaoru to appear. Suddenly, the door slid open and Kaoru burst forth, shutting it behind her with a snap. Catching sight of Aoshi, she walked quickly to him, occasionally glancing behind her almost as if the devil were on her heels.

Aoshi raised one eyebrow in question as Kaoru nearly tumbled to a stop in front of him, looking flushed and out of breath, some of her hair still clinging in wet tendrils around her face and neck. She looked over her shoulder again.

"Kaoru, are you all right?"

Her head snapped back to face him, and she smiled, somewhat defensively.

"Oh! I'm fine! I just… uh, there were a couple of… in the dressing room…" Kaoru didn't know how to express her thoughts.

Aoshi's features darkened. "Did something happen?"

"No! I mean, not exactly… that is to say…" Kaoru shrugged helplessly, tongue-tied. She looked over her shoulder yet again, and spotted the same two older women exiting the room. Turning back around, she slapped her hands on her cheeks to hide her blush and looked up at him. "Well, we really ought to get going, yes? So much to see and all."

Finding her behavior extremely suspicious, Aoshi asked, "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes, yes, just fine! Let's go!" Kaoru started walking briskly to the entrance, snagging Aoshi's sleeve and tugging him along with her.

Unfortunately, Kaoru wasn't quick enough and the two women caught sight of them.

"Have fun here in Karuizawa, you two!" Hanako called out, waving.

"Be sure to take your wife to one of the nice restaurants!" Chiharu ordered.

Immediately, Kaoru's shoulders hunched, but she continued pulling Aoshi along. Simultaneously, Aoshi glanced over at the women, head tilted questioningly. Chiharu made a shooing motion with her hands. He gave a slight nod as he allowed Kaoru to pull him outside. The two women laughed.

"My, my! He really is such a handsome man." Chiharu said.

"I agree."

--

--

Kaoru really, really wanted to disappear right that moment. Why oh why hadn't she run out of there faster? Now she would have to explain the misunderstanding to Aoshi. She just hoped he wouldn't laugh at her, but she certainly couldn't blame him if he did. Just as long as he wasn't angry with her, she supposed it would be OK.

They slowed down once there were a short distance from the hot springs.

"Well, my wife, shall we go look for a nice restaurant?" Aoshi couldn't help teasing Kaoru.

In turn, she dropped his sleeve and buried her face in her hands. "I swear, I didn't tell them we were married! They were just talking about you in the dressing area and then they saw me and assumed that we were newlyweds and I didn't know what to say so I just ran away!" Kaoru moaned miserably. "I'm sorry!"

"Kaoru, calm down. I'm sure it was an easy mistake for them to make." When Kaoru showed no sign of raising her face, Aoshi decided more teasing was in order. As much as he wanted to laugh at her distress, he knew he would have to get her mind off the embarrassment.

In his most serious voice he said, "Unless… do you mean to say that you're sorry because you wouldn't want to marry someone like me? Because of my past?"

Kaoru gasped, her head shooting straight up so she could stare him in the eye. "That is completely ridiculous! You are one of the most honorable men I know! Why, how could you even think-"

"I know." Aoshi interrupted.

Kaoru stopped, glaring at the tall man. "You know? Then why would you say something like that?"

Aoshi merely smirked at her.

"Oh…. OH. You sneaky…" Kaoru laughed a little helplessly. "But it worked."

"Kaoru, don't be embarrassed by what those women said. It was an honest mistake and frankly, what does it matter? We are simply passing through this place, and the odds are very good that we will never see them again."

"You're right." Kaoru shrugged. "I know you're right. It's just… I didn't want you to get the impression that I was spreading stories…or…something."

Aoshi gave a solemn nod. "Of course. I would never believe that you are capable of such an outlandish tale."

"Wait…what? Are you…" Kaoru trailed off, peering at Aoshi. "I'm never going to be able to tell when you're joking, am I?"

Aoshi nodded again, face still completely serious. "Thus far, it seems unlikely."

Kaoru laughed again, and this time, Aoshi gave a small smile in return.

"Come Kaoru, let's find a nice place for lunch and then we'll see the azaleas, like we planned. At least, judging by the way you fled the hot springs, you seem to be moving much more easily."

"Oh, yes, I am feeling quite a bit better! A hot bath works wonders."

"Well, shall we walk for a bit? I know of a nice restaurant just a little further south than our lodgings."

"Oh, don't start!" Kaoru shook her head. "But yes, let's walk and enjoy this lovely day nature has given us."

Together, they made their way southward. Kaoru was delighted with the scenery. They walked by a brilliantly sparkling river, a silvery blue ribbon winding between stately trees and moss-covered stones. So used to the land being flat in Tokyo, Kaoru was impressed by the sometimes gentle and sometimes steep sloping of the mountainside. Aoshi told her about a few paths often taken by sightseers, but it took a while to hike, so they were going to skip them this time. As expected of the season, everything was so colorful and vibrant and Kaoru, having rarely seen evergreen trees, stood in awe, admiring the different shades of green.

Eventually, they made their way past their lodgings and down to the little restaurant Aoshi mentioned. It was a quaint little place that charmed Kaoru immediately. To Kaoru's chagrin, when they were seated at a little table, she spotted the same two ladies sitting nearby, having tea, apparently at the end of their meal. Even worse, the women recognized them instantly.

"Oh look, isn't that sweet? There's that young couple we saw at the hot springs!" Hanako exclaimed.

"Well done, young man. This is one of the best restaurants in town. I'm glad to see you're treating your wife so well." Chiharu spoke up.

Kaoru's mouth dropped open in dismay. Aoshi only nodded at the women.

"Of course. I'll be taking her to see the azaleas after lunch."

At that, the women let out delighted squeals. Kaoru turned and made a crazy face at Aoshi, as if to ask, why are you encouraging them? He merely blinked in response. Kaoru rolled her eyes. She looked back down at the menu.

"You should be sure to try the soba and the oyaki – they're local specialties." Hanako suggested.

Kaoru's eye twitched, but she nodded, anyway.

"Thank you for the recommendations," Aoshi replied. He ordered the soba and oyaki, as well as some roasted fish from the menu.

Fortunately for Kaoru, the two women left shortly after Kaoru and Aoshi's food arrived.

"Have a good time!" Chiharu waved good-bye.

As soon as they were out the door, Kaoru breathed a sigh of relief.

"Really, Kaoru, why do you let their words bother you? They're just old, nosy ladies, but they mean no harm."

Kaoru shrugged, feigning indifference as she picked at her food. "They remind me of some of the people back in Tokyo."

Aoshi stared at her. Finally, he spoke. "Well, you're here now, not there. Don't let the memory bother you."

"You're right. I know you're right. OK! No more gloom!" Kaoru stuffed a bit of grilled fish into her mouth. "Oh! This is delicious!"

--

--

After lunch, they walked out of the restaurant and down the mountain a little ways, in search of azaleas. Feeling very relaxed after the hot springs, the walk to the restaurant and lunch, they weren't in a hurry. They took their time walking southward even further to where there were supposed to be clusters of azalea bushes nearby.

Along the way they passed through a small marketplace featuring local artisan goods. They walked along the path, browsing the various stalls. Some woodworkers were developing reputations for excellent crafts: intricate boxes, figures, fans and other items lined several booths. At other stalls, local culinary specialties were displayed. Here and there, Kaoru bought some of the local jams to bring to the Aoiya and to bring back to the dojo as well – they would easily last the journey.

Soon enough, Aoshi, with his height advantage, spotted a burst of color beyond the thinning tree coverage.

"Come, Kaoru, we're nearly there." Hearing this, Kaoru perked up.

"What do azaleas look like, Aoshi?" Curiosity colored Kaoru's voice as she looked at Aoshi.

"Flowers." Kaoru swatted his arm playfully.

"I know they're flowers! I mean, what color?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Aoshi stopped, gesturing in front of him.

Kaoru stopped as well, and looked forward. There were masses of dark green and lighter bushes dotted with shades of wild azaleas. There were clusters of pink, purple and white flowers everywhere. Kaoru laughed delightedly.

"It's so beautiful! Not quite the same as Ageo, but this is a wilder, untamed beauty. I think it's just as amazing, don't you?"

Aoshi gave Kaoru a long, assessing stare. "Sometimes the unrefined can be more beautiful."

Kaoru returned his stare with a slightly puzzled look. They gazed at each a long while, until Kaoru was the first to turn away. She navigated her way along the azalea bushes, admiring the varied colors. Aoshi simply watched her.

They stayed there among the azaleas, in the shade of the trees, for quite a while, before deciding to venture back to their waki-honjin and dinner.

To Be Continued…