The snow storm kept on going through the day. Kenshin soon found himself close to the town which came before Mitsukou – where the infamous Battousai was known as 'a cheap guy who couldn’t even afford a radish'. Sighing to himself, he remembered what had passed on the way there.
“Gomen na, Battousai-san," Keisuke had told him, “I can’t come with you… It’s not that I don’t want to make Kaoru happy, I just… I shouldn’t come now…”
”Keisuke-dono…” Kenshin uttered as the guy turned and ran in the opposite direction. He watched the back of his head as the running figure became farther and farther away. The snow continued to fall as Kenshin watched in amazement.
‘Naze… Why are you running away from someone you care about…? It was something I did before, but I never understood it myself… We’re such fools…’
Kenshin smiled slightly to himself as he started to go into the town. ‘I’m going at a fast pace. I should be back in Tokyo by tomorrow if I don’t stop at all. Although…’ He could feel his head throbbing a little. It had been a long time in the storm and he hadn’t had anything to eat. ‘I can’t stop now… Kaoru needs me! I will use every bit of my strength to get back to Tokyo!’
He suddenly ran into one of the town cops. “ORO!/UWAH!!” The two men fell over into the snow looking dizzy for a moment. One of his buddies came over and started laughing. “Oi oi!! What have we here??”
”E-to!” Kenshin felt very embarrassed and also very fearful. ‘If I get messed up with the police now, I won’t make it in time!!’
The cops read his expression and were very amused. “Daijoubu! We’re no longer after you bum! You see, we caught the killer just today! He’s in the jail right now!”
”Eh? Masaka…!” Kenshin took into a run and sped all the way to the jail house. When he got to there, he looked to the cop on patrol. “Can I see who the killer is??”
”You mean the Battousai?? Go right ahead, Oniisan.”
Kenshin peered into the jail and blinked his eyes. “SONNA!!”
* * * * * * * *
Back in Tokyo, Tsubame was sitting outside the house with Yutaro, watching the sunset ino the mountains. It had been a long day and Kaoru didn’t want to see anyone. “Daijoubu desu,” Yutaro insisted, his face shining with the orange glow from the sun. “Our Kaoru-san will be back soon.”
”Sou desu ne,” Tsubame replied. She could feel his hand on her shoulder and she started to relax. “I’m sure if she sees Kenshin-san again she’ll remember everything.”
”Hai,” the boy said, “We should brighten up. It won’t help the situation if we blame ourselves or if we don’t cheer Kaoru-san on.”
”Un! I’ll be as cheerful as I can!” Tsubame said, lifting a sparkling smile. “Let me go fix up dinner so we can all eat together… Aa, demo…” Before she could put on her apron and head into the kitchen, she stopped to rub her chin. “Ne, Yutaro-kun, didn’t you say you asked someone to come for dinner tonight?”
Yutaro nodded his head. “Aa, she should be here any minute.”
”Hah??” Tsubame then heard the sounds of a carriage coming down the road. Looking over to the gate, she saw the carriage arrive and stop. Then the door flew open. “Aa!! Shizuka-san!”
The elegantly dressed woman stepped down from the carriage and bowed her head as the two came running to her. “Konbawa!” Shizuka uttered, as she lifted her face and smiled at them, “It’s nice to see you all again.”
Tsubame watched with big eyes as Yutaro went over to kiss her hand. “Shizuka-san, I’m glad you were able to make it. Did you read the details of Kaoru-san’s condition?”
”Hai, I did,” Shizuka replied as she clasped Tsubame’s hand and the two of them walked towards the house with Yutaro trailing, “I’ll do all I can to help. I really owe everything to Kaoru-san.”
”I hope she at least remembers you,” Tsubame noted, “She doesn’t recognize me or Yutaro-kun. I can’t help but feel sad about it, but I will try hard to encourage Kaoru-san to remember with all my might.”
Shizuka grinned down at her. “Let’s all do our best. Now, can you lead me to my former student.”
Tsubame nodded her head and opened the door to the house. As they walked down the dark hallway, she thought about Shizuka’s connection with Kaoru. ‘Shizuka-san was a finishing teacher. She had learned her skills from Kaoru’s mother, Kamiya Hikari. Demo… after Kaoru-san no Okaasan’s death, Shizuka-san felt responsible to be like a motherly type of person in Kaoru-san’s life, demo…’
“This is the room?” Shizuka asked as they stopped in front of it, “Yoshi, I’m going in!” She then pulled the door opened. “Kaoru-san!!”
Kaoru had been lying on the floor in a daze, when that voice came and woke her up. “Eh? Eh? Eh??” Kaoru sat up, looking very embarrassed. “Aa!! Shizuka-san!!”
”What are you doing??” Shizuka scolded, “Lying on the filthy floor like this?? Honto ni you really do pick up bad traits when I am not around!”
”A-Aa, iya… sore wa…” Kaoru stammered as she scrambled to her feet and bowed her head, “S-Sumimasen!!” She started shove Shizuka out of the room and close the door. “Please give me a moment to get myself together! I will meet you in the tea room!”
The door then slammed in her face. “Ara!!!” Shizuka snapped at the closed door, “Is this how you treat your guest with such ill preparation!?”
”Sumimasen!!!” Kaoru cried on the other side.
Yutaro and Tsubame both shrugged. ‘At least she has her mind off being depressed about her father dying. This is a start…’
* * * * * * * *
Kenshin found himself trudging back into the snow again. This time, he was thinking about what had happened at the jailhouse.
“I can't believe it…" Kenshin uttered, staring through the bars of the cells, "It’s you, Hidaka…”
The exhausted looking swordsman just sat on the ground, his head leaning onto his arms. “Aa… Himura… so you’re here now.”
”What are you doing in there??!”
The guard chuckled, “Why he is the Hitokiri Battousai of course! He confessed to all the murders this passed week and has been jailed by us honorary cops! Wait until the big guys in Tokyo hear about this!”
Kenshin blinked his eyes at his old Inshin Shishi comrade from the Bakumatsu. “Why… Why did you…??”
”I heard that the Battousai was wanted for murder,” Hidaka replied, “At first I thought it was a joke, because you… I mean the real Battousai wouldn’t do such a thing. Not when he has so much to live for, that is. It must have been trouble for him to accused of such a crime right now.”
”Hidaka, don’t tell me you did this because you wanted to save me?”
”Iya, it’s all right. You see, I also heard that my son had turned into such a lost soul. I have failed as a parent and a human being, so I decided this is how I would die… In the glory of the Hitokiri Battousai…”
”Dame da!” Kenshin exclaimed, grabbing his collar through the bars, “I won’t let you die! I won’t be given guilt for another man’s death… You’re going to live, Hidaka! I’ll find the real killer!”
“OI! What are you doing?!?” the guard exclaimed, prying Kenshin away from the bars, “Are you associated with the Battousai’s crimes?!”
”I AM the Battousai!!”
”NANI?!!?”
Hidaka stood up very frantically. “Chigau yo! I am the Battousai!!! This man is just trying to steal my glory! Make him leave at once!”
As the guard dragged him out, Kenshin stared towards his old friend, who had fell back on the floor with a look of sadness. ‘Hidaka… I won’t let you die… I’ll find him… the bastard who is really responsible…’
Kenshin now was feeling very weak as he tried to keep going in the snowstorm. ‘I have to keep going… Not only for Kaoru’s life… But Hidaka’s too… No, I cannot give up! Demo… ore wa…’
Kenshin tripped and fell face first into the white dust. His entire body shaking, he couldn’t feel anything anymore. He even could see anymore. Everything was blurry and the snow continued to fall on him until it covered him completely.
‘Dame da… I have let everyone down…’
* * * * * * * * *
“Gomen nasai…”
Shizuka stopped pouring the tea and looked over at the bowed head of the woman across from her. “ ‘Gomen nasai’ – nani te?”
Kaoru clutched at the fabric of her kimono, her head still bowed. “The last thing I remember saying to you was how I hated your teaching, that I had enough. I was rude and offensive… Shizuka-san had always been there for me since I was little, but I was ungrateful.”
”Maa, it doesn’t matter anymore. That happened a long time ago. I’m over it.” Shizuka replied, placing the cup of tea in front of her, “Besides, you convinced me that you had better things to do with your time and that your potential was in someone else’s teaching, not mine.”
”Demo…!” Kaoru lifted her face that still was troubled, “I still feel like something is terribly wrong… I mean, I just learned my father had died, demo… I cannot cry for him… Is there something wrong with me? Am I that an ungrateful person?”
”Kaoru-san…” Shizuka looked into her own teacup. “You have nothing to be ashamed about. The reason you cannot cry for him now is because you have already cried enough. It’s not that you aren’t a good enough daughter, it’s only you don’t remember doing such things.”
”Sou desu…” she sighed, rubbing her head, “I feel like I’ve forgotten a lot… It’s really confusing and I don’t know what to do now…”
Shizuka concentrated on the saddened face. ‘Should I tell her more? About… what has happened in her life…?’ She too sighed into her teacup. ‘Kari-sensei would know what to do now… Demo, I am the one who is here and not Kari-sensei… Like Tsubame-san and Yutaro-kun… I will help Kaoru-san with all my might… dakara…’
“OI BUSU!!” A loud voice startled them both. Apparently Yahiko had gotten bored being in a sick bed and snuck out looking for food. “What the hell is going on?? Where’s dinner!”
”B-B-Busu!?!?” Kaoru exclaimed, grabbing him by the collar, “Nani yo??! Who does this kid think he is?!?”
Yahiko chuckled, “Duh! I am Myoujin Yahiko! The greatest swordsman in Tokyo!”
”This kid??!”
”I AM NOT A KID!!!”
Kaoru crossed her arms and turned away. “Maa! I feel bad for whoever this kid’s teacher is… What a pain in the neck it must be to teach such a rude punk!”
”MY TEACHER IS YOU, BUSU!!!”
”EH?! I would never teach such a brat as you!! And stop calling me BUSU!!”
“BUSU! BUSU! BUSU!”
Shizuka laughed as she watched the two fight. ‘Some things just won’t ever change around here…’ She then reached over and pulled open the door. ‘Demo… it’s started snowing all of a sudden… Just like those times before…’
“Are?!” Kaoru spotted that someone was outside coming towards the house through the flurry. “Masaka!!” She shoved Yahiko aside and ran out the door. “I can’t believe it!!” She ran up to the snow-covered person and hugged him tightly. “You came back…”
”Kaoru… chan…”
Shizuka stood, staring in shock from the door. Yahiko also looked out, his eyes narrow. “Who’s that guy??”
Shizuka just continued to stare. At that person who had died years ago. ‘Masaka… Keisuke…??’
“EH?!” Kaoru then noticed that there was something on his back. “Sono hito wa…?!” she gasped as others from the house came running to help. “D-Dare…?”
Keisuke smiled slightly. “A good friend…” He then lifted the unconscious man and carried him inside. He could see Kaoru’s side profile as they went in. ‘I’m back… I’m finally back… demo…’ He looked down at Kenshin’s icy face. ‘At what expense…?’
* * * * * * * * *
Kaoru wanted to help get Keisuke settled in and also help the unconscious person he had brought with him, but she had to go lie down because she suddenly felt dizzy. Lying in her futon, she stared at the lantern feeling the warmth on her face.
‘Honto ni… I knew he would come back…’ Her eyes softened as her eyes reflected the light, ‘Keisuke…’ She then closed her eyes and thought back to the time when she was little. That one day…
In the dojo, the rows of students solemnly swung their shinai in unison, Kamiya-sensei standing in front, watching them and keeping the rhythm. Little by little, Keisuke lost pace with them, his arms slowing and finally, the shinai dropping to the floor. Everyone stopped and stared at him.
“Keisuke-san?” Kuma asked from next to him, “Is something wrong?”
He just started walking up to the front, stopping in front of Kamiya-sensei. He bowed his head and uttered, “Gomen nasai. I can’t do this anymore…” He then turned and walked out the dojo.
As he reached the gate, the sounds of hurried sandals made him pause slightly, “Keisuke!” Kaoru called from behind, “Chotto matte! Practice isn’t over yet… why are you leaving so early?”
He didn’t bother to turn around, his hand on the gate, “Kaoru-chan, I’m not coming back here again.” ”Keisuke…?” she uttered, “Doushite?”
”This damn school… I can’t stand it anymore! I’m leaving now and I’m never coming back! I never want to have anything do with Kamiya Kasshin Ryu or you ever again! Good-bye!”
”K-Keisuke! What did I do wrong?! Please tell me!” she cried, her words not even reaching him, “No! Don’t… please don’t go!” He just kept walking away, and then suddenly broke into a run. Kaoru stood at the gate in tears, “Keisuke… KEISUKE!!!”
‘That was the day Keisuke left… The first time I had ever heard the word Goodbye.’
Kaoru stopped to rub her eyes. She wondered if she would start crying, because the emotion inside was hurting, but no tears came out.
‘I had really thought that Keisuke was leaving because of me… It was a selfish and childish thing to think… But I couldn’t help it… I wanted to know… what I did wrong… why did the ones I cared about kept going away… demo…’
A smile slowly formed as she gazed into the light. “Demo… Even if bad things happen, I won’t give up! I will do my best always!”
She then heard the noise of someone coming into the room. ‘Eh?’ Someone was coming from behind and stopping at her futon. Then, without warning, climbed into the futon with her and wrapped an arm around her. ‘EEH??!?’
“Oro… much better…” uttered the unfamiliar voice that muffled in her ear. Kaoru looked down at the hand on her chest, and then slowly turned around to face the person. “So sleepy… de gozaru…” said the tired looking stranger with a big scar on his face.
Kaoru stared in shock, sweat beads rolling down her face and her cheeks bright red. “He… He… HENTAI!!!!!!!!!”