Part 3 Minor Attachments
Yahiko lost his concentration, as his mind floated off to where Kenshin
and Sanosuke had disappeared to. Unfortunately, Kaoru's wooden boken
didn't.
"Yahiko!" she knocked his head several times with moderate
power. "You should be concentrating on your practicing. Aren't
you the SAME person that wants to learn the succession technique to
Kamiya Katsushin Ryu?"
He sat down on the wooden floor with his sword in hand. His face was
pensive, making Kaoru wonder just what was going on in his head.
"Kaoru?"
"What is it, Yahiko?"
"It's just something strange about what happened when Sano and
Kenshin walked off down the road. . ."
"What's that?"
He paused, as if contemplating his answer further before he could say
anything. "I didn't want to go with them this time. . ."
Kaoru thought about it, and realized that, indeed, Yahiko was right.
Usually he would insist on going with them, or he would be left out
and his samurai pride left tattered. This time, though, he opted to
stay at home.
"Maybe you're growing up, Yahiko!" she joked lightly, chuckling.
"It's about time you realized that you don't have to run off into
every fight that Kenshin faces. I know how you admire him. . . "
Kaoru paused slightly, then continued, " . . .but hopefully, you're
realizing that you'll soon have your own battles to deal with. I believe
you'll stay true to the true meaning of our Budo for the rest of your
life."
Yahiko took a deep breath, then put his hands behind his back and laid
on the floor.
"You might be right. . . ."
Kaoru joined him on the floor next to him. She held out her left hand
in front of her face. Did Kenshin really want to propose to her? Was
he really ready to be married to her? It still seemed like a dream.
. . . Kaoru sighed audibly, turning Yahiko's head toward her.
"What are YOU thinking?"
Smiling, more to herself than Yahiko, she said softly, "I hope
Kenshin's all right, and that he'll come back and keep his promise.
."
Genzai-sensei had returned to the clinic to check on the waiting patients
for the morning shift. Megumi promised him that she would return in
the afternoon after she had made some lunch at the Dojo for Ken-san
and the others. Ayame and Suzume were their usual jolly and playful
selves, trying to get Megumi to play with them for a little while. Tae
and Tsubame had returned to the Akabeko to open up for late breakfast
servings to the general community.
So much for the surprise proposal to Kaoru.
Megumi often wondered what Kenshin saw in Kaoru. For a while, she wanted
to be the one Kenshin loved. Although he never admitted his true feelings
for Kaoru, Megumi always knew by the way he looked at her, the way he
was around her, and the way he always promised that he'd come back for
her. It was his aura, she supposed.
The children were outside playing with the ball just off the steps
of the house. It was a little windy, and fall wind tended to be slightly
on the chilly side. This year it was still warm into late September,
which meant more business at the clinic.
"This is my way of paying back all the lives I have caused so
much pain in. ." she softly reminded herself, sitting down on the
nearby bench.
<FLASHBACK START>
Alone in the third floor confinement of Kanryu Takeda's home, sword
in hand, Megumi prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.
"Ken-san. . . everybody. . ." she whispered shakily. "Thank
you so much. I'm so happy you were my friends. . .thank you. . ."
In a rush, Megumi stood, pointing the short blade to her chest for
a direct entrance to the heart. The door in front of her opened swiftly,
and from out of nowhere, Sanosuke caught the blade of the sword in his
hand, preventing her from continuing her suicide attempt. In shock,
Megumi sucked in her breath and stared in to Sanosuke's shocked and
slightly disgusted eyes.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he shouted
vehemently, grabbing the sword from her and throwing it to the floor.
Megumi was a hairsbreadth from crying when she lowered her head,
saying, "I have to die in order to atone for what I've done. I
have to pay for. . ."
Sanosuke caught her before she could continue speaking.
"Don't be so stupid! Kenshin, Yahiko, and Jo-chan have gone
through a lot to save you, and you STILL want to die? What'd be the
point if you killed yourself?" She still felt she had to do something
to atone for it all. She was confused and didn't understand why they
wouldn't let her die.
"But. . . ."
Kenshin's voice rose above the brief silence in the room.
"Your death won't bring anyone back," he said softly from
the open doorway. "I believe I can make up for what I've done by
using my sword to protect and help people. That's why I'm not the Hitokiri
Battousai anymore."
He turned to her and smiled. Her face was still confused, trying
desperately to understand. Soon tears fell to her cheeks in realization
and understanding. . .
<FLASHBACK OVER>
Suddenly, in the distance from the road, she heard someone running
toward the Dojo. Could it be. . . .? Her eyes didn't deceive her.
"Ken-san!" she shouted, starting toward him.
"Megumi-dono!" Kenshin replied. When they were close enough,
Megumi realized the large lump of female flesh in Sanosuke's hands.
"Who is this girl?" she asked curiously.
"She needs your help. You've got to take a look at her,"
Sanosuke insisted, starting inside to the empty guest room. Megumi followed
directly behind him, gathering her medical supplies along the way.
"Kaoru! Get in here! I need your assistance!" Megumi shouted
toward the training room as she passed it by. Kaoru and Yahiko peeked
outside, realizing that Kenshin and Sanosuke had returned.
"Kenshin, you're back!" she smiled, but realized that Kenshin
wasn't returning her smile. "What's wrong?"
She looked inside the room at the girl being laid on the makeshift
bed in the guest room.
"Kaoru! Didn't I say I need your assistance? Get in here!"
a slightly irate Megumi repeated.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" Kaoru quickly responded, running
into the room.
"Get me some bandages and some hot water," she ordered. "Yahiko!
Get the bottle in the kitchen that says "antiseptic". Okay?"
"Okay!" the two responded in unison, rushing off to their
respective jobs.
Sanosuke sat against the wall, watching the young Hiroe being tended
by Megumi. What a doctor she was, Sanosuke thought. Definitely a foxy
doctor. . . Kenshin realized that Ayame and Suzume were at the doorway
looking in at Hiroe.
"Who's that girl, brother Ken?" Ayame asked. Not far behind,
was Suzume asking the same question . "Ken brother, who's she?"
"Don't worry, Ayame, Suzume. Megumi-dono will take good care of
her. You'll meet her later. Now, let's see if we can get you some snacks.
Come on!" Kenshin steered the children away from the room by taking
them to the kitchen for something quick to eat.
In the meantime, Kaoru and Yahiko returned to the room to assist Megumi.
"She has many bruises all over. She is just physically tired and
needs a lot of rest and food. Goodness, she doesn't look like she's
eaten in days! I won't be able to see how much more serious her injuries
are until I do a thorough examination."
Through it all, Sanosuke sat there and kept an eye on the girl. What
was it about her? Is it possible that he had somehow gotten attached
to this girl? She told him and ONLY him about all the things that had
gone on in that village. That didn't necessarily make him special, but
maybe it was the fact that she trusted him enough to tell him in the
first place. Sanosuke contemplated that for a second. Perhaps that may
have been the case. He could only sit back and watch for now, just to
make sure she would be okay.
About a half hour later, Megumi was done with her examination. Her
final diagnosis was extreme exhaustion, moderate damage to her pelvic
area, and multiple bruises, but the girl would make it through. While
Kaoru cleaned and bandaged Hiroe's bruises, Megumi gave Hiroe a tonic
to help her body regain strength. Yahiko had returned to the front yard
to keep the children company, so that Kenshin could return to the room.
"How is Hiroe, Megumi?" Sanosuke stood, finally.
"Hiroe. . . .hmm, she will be fine. Just needs some rest is all.
You should get something to eat Sanosuke. I never thought I'd be saying
that, but it's true. . ."
"I think I'll do that. . .when I do, I'll come back and keep an
eye on Hiroe. You can go on when I come back," Sanosuke said, turning
from the room. He ran into Kenshin as he walked down the hallway.
"How is Hiroe-dono?" Kenshin asked. "She'll be fine,
the doc says. Just needs some rest," Sanosuke responded, continuing
to walk.
"Where're you going?"
"Out. I'll be back in about an hour."
Kenshin, never one to question Sanosuke's moods or movements, silently
accepted it, nodding to him. He entered the room, noting the excellent
work Kaoru was doing on Hiroe's leg bruises. Megumi was standing by
the window, watching Sanosuke leave the Dojo.
"I wonder where HE is going," she muttered to herself.
"If I know Sanosuke as well as I think I do, he's probably going
to check out his connections to get some leads in this situation,"
Kenshin answered her unasked question.
"Ken-san! Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Kaoru-dono?"
"Kenshin. . " Kaoru looked up, finally seeing a smile on
his face. "Let me finish this last one," she said, cleaning
the wound thoroughly, then wrapping it. "There! All done!"
Megumi looked at the two of them. It was pretty obvious they wanted
to be alone for the moment. "You two should let this girl rest.
I'll stay here and watch her until Sanosuke returns."
Kenshin and Kaoru quietly left the room and sought the privacy of the
training hall. They sat relatively close to each other on the floor.
"You were doing a great job in there, Kaoru-dono. I had no idea
you could do that so well," Kenshin complimented her.
"Thank you, Kenshin. I was just doing what Megumi told me to do,"
she blushed at the compliment.
A sudden comment burst into the room: "WELL IF YOU CAN'T COOK,
YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW HOW TO DO SOMETHING!" It was followed by familiar
laughter of the fox they all knew and loved.
"Me. .gu. . .mi. . ." Kaoru fumed, but quickly calmed down
when Kenshin was laughing.
"Kaoru-dono. . ." Kenshin refocused on Kaoru, "I'm sorry
I left like that early this morning. I meant to do this. . ."
Kenshin grasped Kaoru's left hand lightly, pulling off the ring, then
putting it back on slowly.
"Kaoru-dono. . . .will you marry me?"
Although it was what Kaoru had been expecting, hoping and preparing
herself for for over a year, she was still struck speechless.
"Kenshin. . . ." she said in a wispy voice, ". . .yes.
. .yes, I'll marry you. . "
He smiled happily, reaching out to embrace Kaoru. The two held each
other as if they were the only two people in existence. As their strong
holds weakened, their eyes met and held. Little did they know, they
were being spied on by Megumi and Yahiko.
"C'mon Kaoru, do it! Kiss him!" he whispered to himself.
"Oh, I can't look any more. . .I'm going back to the room. . ."
Megumi turned around and left Yahiko alone in the hallway peeping.
Kenshin slowly lowered his head to Kaoru's, his lips getting ever closer
to their goal. By now, Kaoru refused to breathe, for fear she'd break
their love spell and ruin the moment. She closed her eyes and braced
herself for the kiss she had been waiting for forever. As his lips touched
hers, she felt every part of her body go into overdrive in expectation.
Kenshin was everything she could have ever imagined, and he was all
hers. The kiss wasn't passionate or lust-filled, but entailed a promise
to Kaoru that Kenshin would be with her always.
As soon as it started, it had finished; Kenshin was smiling and Kaoru
was gasping for breath.
"I guess it's official, Kaoru-dono. . . ."
"Yeah. . ."
The sound of a carriage outside made their heads turn. Yahiko was already
outside checking out who it could be. The dust finally settled to reveal
a face none of them had ever thought they'd see again.
"You! What the hell are you doing here?" Yahiko asked.
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