Suenagaku na Aki (Ever stay autumn)
Chapter 22
Maekawa looked at the aspiring boy in front of him. "Send my regards to your teacher, Yahiko-kun"
"I will"
"Don't forget to practice"
"Yeah, like Busu will let me slack off" Yahiko bowed at Maekawa who bowed back. "I'll have to get going now"
Yahiko walked out of the Maekawa dojo. Once he exited the gate of its compound, he quickly sprinted home. Actually, he didn't want to go to the Maekawa dojo to train, but Kaoru insisted that he go, saying that he had to go in her place. And once he was there, he couldn't leave the dojo earlier than he expected as Maekawa asked for his help to train some new students. He couldn't refuse without making the dojo owner feel a bit suspicious. Now that he had finally finished his training, he didn't want to waste anytime returning back to the dojo. He was afraid for Kaoru being left alone, especially since Megumi and Misao had to go somewhere else. And with her current state, Yahiko wouldn't to let her out of his sight.
He was so lost in thought that he only became aware his surroundings when the back of his head hit something hard. He quickly looked around him to find he was lying on the ground, facing up. Yahiko got up and sat, while rubbing the back of his head absently. He saw a pair of shapely legs.
"That's right. Just feast your eyes on them. First you bump into me, and now you take the opportunity to sneak a look," a woman's voice taunted. "What is happening to our society today? Young kids are growing up perverts"
"HEY! I'm not a kid. And I'm not a pervert, whatever that means," Yahiko protested. He raised his head to see a woman sporting short hair, shorter than Tsubame's. Despite the slight resemblance, the woman was older and had a mischievous look in her eyes.
"Come on, Nabiki, couldn't you see that it's an accident? And you're the one who was running, so we can say that it's your fault" Yahiko looked to see another woman giving him a hand. The second woman looked as old as the first one, and had long raven hair, with the end tied by a ribbon. Yahiko guessed that their age were wasclose to Kaoru's. "My name is Shizuka, this is my sister, Nabiki. What's yours?"
Yahiko stood out without accepting her hand. "Yahiko" He dusted his clothes. "Myoujin Yahiko"
"A nice name for a young man like you," Shizuka remarked.
"Yeah, if you were not so perverted, I would say that you have a warriors' name. And I suppose I have to apologize for bumping into you" Nabiki said while smirking, looking at her sister. "Or else my sister here will kill me with her nagging.
Yahiko looked at Shizuka and felt that she was not the type to nag. In fact, her serene face didn't even look menacing at all. Despite being young, he was willing to go out on a limb to say that the woman is the type that could stay calm even in a crisis, just like Megumi. "Thank you for your compliment and your apology is accepted" He turned around, trying to locate the quickest route to the dojo.
"We have wronged you," Shizuka said. "Please, let us make it up to you" Shizuka pointed in a direction. "Why don't we go to the restaurant over there? We'll treat you to lunch as a sign of apology"
"Lunch? Sorry, but I have to go" Yahiko began to walk away when he felt the back of his gi being pulled.
"At least tell us why you don't forgive us"
Yahiko whirled around. "Listen. I forgive you. Now I have to go home"
Shizuka bowed. "Everyone knows that not accepting any apology offering means you don't forgive the guilty party"
"Yeah. Don't you know society etiquette?" Nabiki continued.
"I know about that! But I've to go back before she…"
Nabiki smirked. "She? A girlfriend? At your age? What about her?"
"No, my …sister" Yahiko turned once more. "Look. I appreciate your gesture. But I really have to get going. These few days have been a hectic period, and I don't have time to rest or play around" He wanted to sprint when Shizuka's word stopped him.
"Even in the middle of a life threatening sword fight, there will be a moment of peace and tranquility"
He turned. "Who… who said that? It sounds familiar"
"My husband. He fought in the restoration war"
"Oh"
"Now, from the way you turned out, I can see that your sister has been a very responsible and good sister"
"Yeah"
"She will understand if you get home a bit late. I should know, as I have a brother"
Nabiki smiled. "And I have a sister"
'Yeah. Like I trust her to be left alone. Wait a minute… something's strange here' "The two of you have a brother or a sister?"
The question caught Shizuka off guard who turned to Nabiki who put her hand on her head, as if regretting her words.
"Well?"
Nabiki sighed. "It shames me to say this, but our brother is a cross dresser. With the way he acts, I consider him a girl"
Yahiko shivered as an image of Kamatari came to mind. "Okay, I understand about it, but…"
"Nothing will happen" Nabiki said suddenly, her expression mysterious. "I can promise you that"
"Huh?"
"You worry about her, that's why you wanted to get home as fast as possible. But don't worry, she will be there"
Despite the suspicious way Nabiki talked, Yahiko felt that he could trust the two women, but his previous life as a pick pocket taught him to be very careful around strangers. "How come you're so sure? You know her?"
Shizuka gave an assuring smile. "No, we don't. But you needed to hear that, didn't you? To hear that all's well, even thought it is a lie"
Nabiki nodded solemnly. "Your face showed as much". Then, in an instant, her demeanor changed and she snickered. "You can object to our invitation as much as you want but," she pointed to his stomach, "your stomach betrays you"
The young boy's shoulder slumped in defeat as his stomach growled.
"Thank you for the meal," Yahiko said in gratitude.
"No, it's our honor," Shizuka said as she handed him a food container. "And here's some more to bring home. It should be more than enough"
Yahiko shook his head. "But I can't accept this"
"Please, we insist," Shizuka said while shoving it into his reluctant hands while Nabiki watched quietly, her head propped on her elbow.
"Very well. I can't thank you enough for all you've done," Yahiko said. "But, it's getting late" He bowed.
"Wait, I have another thing to give to you" Shizuka said while handing a packet to him.
Yahiko looked at the packet. "And this is?"
"A very special tea for your sister. She will surely thank you if you prepare it for her"
The boy looked at her and looked at the packet back, smiling. "I will. Thank you very much once again" He bowed and left the two women, intent on getting home as soon as possible.
"Tadaima," Yahiko said as he opened the main gate. But no one answered him. Trying to dispel any negative thought, he closed the door slowly. He walked into the main compound of the dojo while looking for anyone. Failing to find anyone, he tried to use his ki sensing skill, but fail to detect any presence. He thought about the possibilities. Either no one was around, or he hadn't fully mastered the ki sensing. Yahiko wouldn't accept the later as it would justify what Kaoru said about him only practicing developing his physical skills.
Then, an unpleasant thought took seed. Wanting to disprove it, he ran to the dojo and opened it. It was empty. He heaved a sigh of relief and then ran toward Kaoru's room. It was also empty.
"Where could she be?" he muttered.
Then a hand on his shoulder caused adrenalin to rush inside him, propelling him to take the bokken behind his back, turn his body and jump back while slashing defensively.
"Your reaction is not bad, Yahiko," Kaoru said softly, her face expressionless.
"Kaoru!" Yahiko exclaimed, smiling. He managed to restrain himself from hugging her.
"Welcome home. How was the training?"
"Fine" Yahiko felt something. "Wait here" he rushed past her. Yahiko arrived at the front porch to see Megumi closing the gate.
"Where's Kaoru?" Megumi asked.
"She's inside"
"Good" Megumi wiped a sweat off her forehead. "It was a very hectic day. I wish I had something to drink"
Yahiko remembered the packet of tea he brought home. "Well, why don't you join Kaoru in the main room and I'll prepare something for you"
Megumi looked at him skeptically but complied quietly.
A few minutes later, Yahiko brought a tray containing tea set and put it in front of Kaoru and Megumi.
Megumi giggled. "I can't wait to tell this to Sano. He would love to hear about you serving us tea"
"You will tell him nothing!" Yahiko said, gritting his teeth. He then turned toward Kaoru who hold a cup near her face. The young boy saw her eyes slightly widened. "What's wrong?"
Kaoru looked at him. "My parents and I always drank this tea when they were alive" Her eyes became a bit downcast. "How did you know that I like this particular kind of tea?"
"I didn't. Someone gave it to me." Yahiko scratched his head, "as an of apology for knocking me down"
"I see" Kaoru closed her eyes and took a sip before putting her cup down.
"How is it?"
"It tastes great" Kaoru gave a small smile.
The smile was small and brief, but it was the first genuine smile Yahiko had seen since Kenshin's departure. That smile from her gave him hope that she would recover. As he basked in the glow of her smile, a nagging thought occurred to him. He was supposed to ask her something to do regarding her and Megumi, something about finding Megumi easily compared to her. But for the life of him, he couldn't remember what it was.
The two women watched as he walked further and further away from them. Finally, Shizuka spoke. "Is this all that we can do? Giving tea to calm her nerves? Isn't there anything else that we can do?"
Nabiki crossed her arms. "Our direct intervention is not desired. But, like the time you meet Kenshin in his dream, it will help. But the rest is up to them"
"But I wanted to do more"
"But you can't, because their destiny, however sad it may be, will be forged by their own hands. You should know that, as you also made such an important choice, Shizuka" Nabiki smiled, "or should I say, Kiyosato Tomoe"
Tomoe nodded.
"Let's go back to the spirit world. Akira would become worried if you don't return now" Nabiki said.
a
Author's note (21 September 2005)
1) This chapter is for those K&T fans who wandered into this fiction. I know that this is not a K&T fiction, but I would like to thank you for reading it.
2) Please don't forget to pray for the Katrina tragedy victims in particular and the world in general. By definition of pray, either you pray the way you know how, or for others, just think about them for a moment. I know, that sounds so religous of me, but I admit I'm not really a religous person.
3) Let me tell you, the above chapter is a bit of cross over. The character that was with Tomoe, do anyone have any idea who she is and from where? She'll be in my other fanfiction.
Crewel --> Thank you for reading about the S&M interaction here. I admit, this will never top those fine SM writers out there, but at least I can contribute a little to SM
TearsOfInfinity --> Denial is one of many methods people use when they feel pain, right? It's there in psychology field.
A lilmatchgirl --> I wanted to have Kenshin that's a bit selfish. But then again, if you hurt people that care about you (by running to Kyoto for example), aren't you being a bit selfish? Sure. You want to save people you care, but isn't that's because you're afraid that you will be hurt if something happen to them? So, that's a bit selfish (well, in my twisted defintion anyway) So all in all we human are selfish.
gabyhyatt --> You too ;-D
onime no kyo --> I'm throwing some more ingredients and spices into my cauldron of ideas
lolo popoki --> Glad you like it. Let's see how it turnes out. I'm going to use some ideas from my other fanfictions.
Hanabira --> That's bit hard, as Sano's powerful but a bit slow. Maybe Saitoh is more up to speed. If he's interested. Anyway, Kenshin warned him, right?
This chapter was checked by Fujifunmum