Her face grew soft as they slowly walked down the road.
Shinomori Aoshi, who prided himself on knowing everything, could not explain what had prompted that far away look on the face of Takani Megumi who, as custom dictated, walked a few steps behind him.
They had detoured their trip to Kyoto through Tokyo. He had insisted that they pay a call to the Himuras before catching the first train that would take them closer to Kyoto. She readily agreed with a slight laugh. He suspected she would tease all of them as she had the poor Morimotos.
He slowed a little now, allowing her to catch up to him.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been here,” she smiled at him. “And it seems like only yesterday.”
“This is home to you.” There was a slight hesitation in his voice.
She impulsively took his arm, as if to reassure him. “It’s not that.”
His other hand covered hers, keeping her from letting go as they resumed walking. Her face blushed slightly at the gesture and she averted her eyes in order to ignore the curious looks of passerbys as she continued to talk. “Aoshi-san, after Aizu, I didn’t really feel my life was worth anything. But the people here changed that, just as Misao and Kenshin changed the direction of your life.”
“My, my, my,” a gruff voice interrupted their conversation. “In the streets behaving like this, Aoshi Shinomori. I never thought I’d see the day—"
“Okina—" Aoshi warned the man as the woman beside him tried to withdraw her hand in mortification from his arm.
“Well,” Okina winked and waved his arm. “We were about to close shop for tea. But if the lady is willing to serve, then perhaps you can follow me back to our office.”
“We have a train to catch—"
“I know, I know,” Okina said as they followed him. “--the late train to Kyoto. You can have a cup of tea with me, see the Himuras, and be on the train in plenty of time. Not like I won’t see you again anyways.”
“It’s alright,” Megumi smiled up Aoshi. “Okina-san should be the first to know.”
“Know what?” Okina’s ears perked up as he opened the door of what Megumi assumed to be the headquarters of the trade office that Aoshi had mentioned to her.
Aoshi gave Megumi a look – and understanding, she withdrew to the back to take care of the tea as the two gentlemen were seated at a table.
“Megumi-san is coming back to Kyoto. She will set up her practice there.”
“So your handholding in the street out there was just a business gesture,” Okina laughed.
“She comes at my request.”
“I see,” Okina raised his eyebrow . “In this proper age and time, I take your words to mean that you have propositioned her, am I correct?”
Aoshi nodded.
“It is a good match.” Okina nodded vigorously to himself and started thinking aloud. “A woman doctor, with training in the West… very good looking and very smart. Good. Good. Attractive, plus very healthy. Healthy enough to bear you at least three, no maybe four grandchild—“
A smack on the head interrupted Okina before he could speculate aloud any further.
“She hits hard too,” Okina sighed to himself as he rubbed his head and ignored the furious Megumi who stood next to him with a pot of tea. “A very good match for Aoshi Shinomori.”
“You perverted old man!” Megumi stomped her foot. “Who said anything about grandchildren!!”
Aoshi wisely took the pot of tea from Megumi’s hand before that could be used against Okina and poured the tea into the cups which Okina had carefully set out.
“Right, right,” OKina cowered. “I mean, after the marriage.”
“Marriage?” Megumi got a sly look on her face. “Who said anything about marriage? I’m a modern woman! I simply agreed to come back with Aoshi-san to Kyoto—“
“Oh?” Okina crowed happily, “Your modernness is amazing and I must say that I wish that more understanding women like you were around—“ Okina jumped as Aoshi pounded his cup back on the table.
“Perverted old man,” Aoshi stood up. “You are only making it worse. This is the second time today that woman has mocked the offer I made of marriage.”
“Oh dear,” Okina turned to Megumi, who looked slightly startled. “I think our teasing rather bothers him. I think it best if you just go along with what I was going to say initially and that is we must of course have you married off as soon as possible.” To himself he added, “First a traditional Japanese wedding, for our customers have been dying to see such a ceremony, and a Western one – “ he cackled, “would certain bring a lot of our Japanese friends and customers to Kyoto.”
“I think it’s time we better go,” Megumi cooed suddenly at Aoshi, who could only blink at the sudden infusion of warmth in her voice. “Okina-san obviously needs a nap.”
“Okina-san,” Aoshi bowed politely. “We will discuss this when you return to Kyoto. For now, please try to control your excitement.”
“That’s right, Okina-san,” Megumi said coolly, “You might scare this woman away with your schemes. I have a mind to turn around and go back to Aizu.”
“No no no no no no,” Okina laughed weakly, “Aoshi-san will have my hide if I interfere with his affairs. Alright, be on your way to the Himuras then and give them my regards.”
Megumi and Aoshi both bowed politely to Okina and then stepped out of the door. As they walked away, Aoshi did not notice Megumi turning her head to wink at Okina, who very slyly winked back.


~

Their reception at the Kamiya dojo fared much better.
“Megumi-san? Aoshi-san?” Kaoru was chasing out the last of her students for the day. “What a surprise!” She came over to Megumi and embraced her. “Megumi, you look well.”
“So do you,” Megumi smiled. “We stopped at Okina-san’s office.”
“Ah,” Kaoru nodded. “Kenshin and Kenji are doing laundry.”
Megumi hid her smile with her hand. Somehow, some things never changed.
“Megumi-dono, Aoshi-dono!” Kenshin Himura was all smiles as he came around from the side of the house. Little Kenji trailed behind him, with an anxious Yahiko following the child, hoping to keep him from teetering over..
“What brings you to Tokyo?” Kenshin asked. “I know Okina is here.”
“We go to Kyoto.”
“I see,” Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko all nodded.
“Come in won’t you?” Kaoru suddenly remembered her manners. “Have tea and cake?.”
When Aoshi hesitated, Yahiko spoke up, “She didn’t make it. Kenshin did.”
“Yahiko!!” Kaoru yelled, forgetting herself.
“So you haven’t learned how to cook yet have you?” Megumi laughed.
“What do you mean!!” Kaoru continued to glare.
“Well—“ Yahiko started to answer and soon Kaoru, Yahiko and Megumi were all bantering.
Aoshi gave Kenshin a faint smile. “Life is not very peaceful for you is it?”
“It isn’t with those two and now Kenji,” Kenshin nodded. “Just like his mother, he is. But—" he smiled as he looked at everyone else, “I would not have it any other way.”
“Hmph.” Aoshi shook his head. “I do not understand you, Battousai.”
“I think you may someday,” Kenshin closed his eyes as he did when he was smiling widely. “Megumi-dono goes to Kyoto as well I take it?”
“Yes.” Aoshi answered. “We leave tonight.”
“I see,” Kenshin responded. “I am glad to hear that.”
“Yes, it seems that Okina will have his amusements to the very end.”
As they watched Megumi and Kaoru go back and forth, with Yahiko now in between them trying to head off another war, Kenshin gave Aoshi an amused look. “Think you’ll be able to manage?”
Aoshi bowed his head. “I am not one for much teasing.”
“It’s always in fun,” Kenshin shook his head, “You must take it has a compliment that Megumi-dono is very comfortable now in your presence.“
“Ah.” He gave a slight shrug. “I am finding this part of Megumi-san very interesting. We will see what happens next.”
Kenshin nodded, and then turned his attention back to the squabbling women. “Ladies, ladies. Please—the train comes soon and you should not fight so quickly.”
“Kenshin!” They both turned to him, “Tell her that I am a better cook.”
Kenshin looked slightly nervous. “Well, I uh—"
Aoshi sympathized with the look of pure misery on Kenshin’s face. The poor man was obviously in agony. Answer truthfully and Kaoru would be crushed. Answer with a lie, and Kaoru would happily continue to cook horrible meals.
“Megumi-san.” Aoshi pointed to Kenji, who was looking up at the women with tears forming in his eyes.
“Oh!” Megumi suddenly noticed the little boy at her feet. She reached down and consoled the child. “I’m sorry, Kenji! Your auntie Megumi was just teasing your mom. I promise not to be loud anymore.”
“Oh Kenji!” Kaoru had already squatted down next to her to pat his head.
Yahiko, who had been completely forgotten in all the confusion, merely looked relieved.
“Let’s go inside together and get tea with your mother, Kenji” Kaoru smiled at her child. “Auntie Megumi will come with us to help us.” And with those words, their little fight was already forgotten and the three went inside.
Yahiko kept a safe distance and gave them a puzzled look before turning to Aoshi and Kenshin, shaking his head. “Women are so strange.”


~~

They sat next to one another on the wooden floors that faced the gate. Megumi remembered another afternoon like this one very well -- when she had stumbled upon Aoshi Shinomoro at the dojo, when he had advanced towards her and had reached down. She thought he meant to kill her. She had closed her eyes trying to block what she thought would be that fatal blow, but he had kneeled beside her and lightly touched her instead before Saitou had interrupted their exchange.
As she looked now into those same eyes, she realized now that she knew him much better --that his words didn’t always express what was inside. And now she saw he was ready to leave.
“Kaoru-san, Kenshin-san” Megumi turned her head back to Kaoru, who had the fussing Kenji in her lap. “I’m afraid it’s time for us to go.”
They rose together and walked over to the gate.
Kaoru said gently. “We will miss you... The both of you.” The two women embraced.
Megumi looked over at the men, who stood about awkwardly. Impishly, she decided to reach over and hug her Kenshin-san, earning her a startled “oro” from the man and a glare from Aoshi.
“We’ll come to Kyoto to see you soon,” Kaoru answered happily. “After the wedding.”
“Wedding?” a sly look crossed Megumi’s face, but when Aoshi gave her a warning look, she sighed. “Of course, Kaoru. You will be welcome to come to the wedding itself. Both weddings, if Okina-san has his way.”
“Eh?!” Yahiko, Kenshin and Kaoru all looked puzzled.
“Never mind,” Megumi answered. “I don’t want to get into that now. Okina is a very strange man.”
Aoshi was pleased by Megumi’s restraint. It was important to him that this conversation with the Himuras went well. Their acceptance of their imminent marriage was the blessing that he felt he needed. That was the reason for the visit to Tokyo. “Megumi, we should leave,” he said as they heard the warning whistle that indicated the train was to leave in 20 minutes.
He bowed politely to the three of them, “We will meet again.”
They bowed in return and waved as they hurried off, with him taking large strides and pulling her along by hand.
He looked at her again. That look – that soft look – was on her face again.
“Megumi?” he asked. “Are you alright?”
“Aoshi-san,” she shook her head after a moment and laughed breathlessly. “I’m so happy.”


~~

The Kenshin-gumi waved off the couple and then closed the gate behind them as they returned to the house.
“Kenshin?” Kaoru held a sleeping Kenji in her arms.
“Yes?”
“It’s strange isn’t it?” She looked worried. “I never thought that those two-- I mean, given their history – and Sanosuke.”
“Don’t worry, Kaoru.” Kenshin smiled at her. “I sense things will turn out alright.” Megumi was the sort of woman who could intrigue many simply by her outer beauty, but only a man like Aoshi would appreciate the intelligence and deep emotions that lay beneath. As for Aoshi – he had capitalized while Sano had lingered too long over addressing his feelings towards the doctor. Aoshi would certainly have his hands full with her quick wit and lively ways, but perhaps for his trouble, he would one day learn how to really smile.
“Things change.” Kenshin answered simply. To her, it probably did not seem like something she could fully understand. She didn’t know enough about him to understand that he too had changed a lot before he met Kaoru and came to care for her..
Kaoru looked at him then, and smiled. She trusted Kenshin fully, and if he said so, she believed it so. Like the two of them, Aoshi and Megumi had come to an understanding.
After all, she could be openminded couldn’t she?
It was spring. The time of cherry blossoms and a time for change.