“Kaoru…” Kenshin uttered, staring at her determined face. He stepped forward and took hold of her hand, “Tell me what’s going on first.” She just turned to him, smiling brightly, her warm fingers massaging into his skin, “Oro?”

”I know how we can beat him once and for all.” she replied, “But it’s going to be tricky and I’m going to need you to trust me. Kenshin, it’s all a matter of timing.”

”What is?!” he exclaimed. She leaned forward, kissing him a third time, then turning to his ear and whispering the plan…

* * *
”What the hell is going on?” Hachi uttered, crossing his arms, “And what’s taking that woman so long!? Didn’t I tell her to get me some backup… aaa, how much longer?!” He paused to turn to Shizuka, who seemed to be deep in thought, “What’s wrong with you?”

”That person…” she uttered, “What is he to Kaoru-san?”

”You mean, Kenshin?” he asked, scratching his head, “Don’t you know?? Didn’t Shimako say anything??”

Shizuka shook her head. "Iie, she didn't say a word. Nor did Kaoru-chan. I haven't a clue on who he is."

“He’s Kaoru-chan’s husband! They’ve been together for a while now…!” He stopped and shook his head, chuckling; “You didn’t think she’d stay a child forever? She’s all grown up now and doing a great job if you ask me.” He smiled out after her, “Don’t tell her I said that.”

Shizuka too looked out towards the battle scene, “Kaoru-san…”

* * *
”Too dangerous de gozaru!” Kenshin gasped, “Kaoru, what are you thinking?! It’s just a mere fleeting moment, which we are to act. If the timing is off… then surely… I… you...”

”Kenshin,” she said, still not releasing his hand, “This man might never go away… and we might have to do this all over again someday. Demo… We can do this. I know we can. Because Kenshin… I believe in ‘us’ and in what we can do. Don’t you?”

He reached deep into her eyes, finding all the truth he needed and all the courage he could grasp, “I won’t ...” he uttered, tightening his hand, “I won’t lose you.”

”You won’t. As long as I won’t lose you.” she replied, solemnly, “I want us to be together always.”

Tearfully, he slowly smiled. “I want that as well.” he uttered, releasing her hand, and taking hold of the sakabatou, “… let’s do this!”

”It’s about time!” Yashiitomo chuckled, finally walking back towards them, “So, you’ve decided to die together as well?” Kenshin quickly stepped in front of her. The man just stopped a good distance away, shaking his head, “Battousai, I’ve already told you my reasons. And it’s too late to back away. I’m so close…!”

”Yashiitomo,” he replied, “If it doesn’t settle in your mind that you cannot just destroy and takes things at your will – we will have to permanently engrave it into your mind, right Kaoru?” His wife nodded, getting ready to start. Kenshin winked at her, then took another glance towards the man in front of him, “Then, this is it…”

“Nani…?” Yashiitomo uttered, glaring at them suspiciously.

“DOU RYU SEN!!!”

”The same old tricks!” he yelled, easily evading the flying rocks and snow. But then Kaoru came crashing down at him from the sky, “Oh! And what are you trying to do?!” he snapped, moving out of harm’s way and preparing his counter, “Don’t you know you can’t beat me with those weak moves!”

Moving one hand to the end on her shinai, while the other firmly on the center, she looked down and saw him about to make his attack. “HAAAAAA!” She reversed the shinai, striking his side, knocking him off balance. Landing in front of him, she attacked with multiple hits at his arms, elbows, knees, and ankles.

“MIYAMOTO RYU – OUGI MUJINKEN!!!”

’Sore wa…!!’ Shizuka’s eyes widened and she dropped her hands to her side, ‘Sore wa…!!’

“YOU… !!” Yashiitomo growled, his stance destroyed and limps weakened. Struggling to stand, he grabbed hold of her shinai, throwing her side, “NOW YOU DIE … !!!!”

But the moment Kaoru was thrown out of the way, Kenshin came flying at him, “AMAKAKERU RYU NO HIRAMEKI!!!”

Yashiitomo was about to counter, but to his realization, the shinai was still clasped in his hands. Too late to let it go and get himself into stance, the sakabatou made contact. “Aaaaaarggghhhh!!!” He landed on the ground, a giant indent left on his chest. The shinai rolled out his hands, the bones within them shattered.

“You…” he uttered weakly, unable to move. Kaoru stopped in front of him, holding his sword, “You… why can’t you… just die…?”

She closed her eyes for a moment, then lift the sword. She then ran her finger against the blade, breaking the skin. A line of blood ran down it as she stabbed it into ground and turned to leave.

Kenshin stopped her with an arm around her waist. “Kaoru…” She didn’t answer him, staring down at the fallen opponent, red dripping from her hand onto the white snow. ‘Those words are hurting you… many things are hurting you…’ he thought, pulling her into a hug, ‘I won’t let you go through it alone… never again…’

Shimako and the backup had finally arrived, as well as Megumi. “Just what the heck happened here?” she gasped, “Looks like a war zone!! Ken-san, Kaoru-chan… you two don’t look in good shape…”

”Aa,” Kenshin uttered, turning his face towards his wife, “Daijoubu ka?”

She simply smiled at him. “Uhn! Daijoubu, Kenshin. We did it… it’s finally over.” But he could see pass her smile and into her soul. He knew of the deep wounds within and he knew that it was far from over.

* * *
After going back and forth to the police station, Hachi came by to pick up his wife. She was leaning against one of the poles of the house, completely exhausted. He knelt down and kissed her on her temple, “Good job, Shimako-koishi. You did great. Arigatou.”

”Uhn…” she murmured, barely awake, “Can we go home yet…?”

At her side, Shizuka was sipping a cup of tea, staring through the open door. Within the room, Megumi was dressing Kenshin’s wounds. He had gotten the worse end of Yashiitomo’s attacks, but strangely he didn’t feel much of the pain. He sat still as the fox doctor finished on his chest then moved to get more bandages.

“Ken-san, I still can’t believe you kept this from all of us… when Yahiko-kun and Sanosuke hear about you having battles without them, there’s going to be hell to pay. I know that for sure.” Megumi sighed, “At least you told Kaoru-chan… but still! This is inexcusable!!”

“Aa, suman.” he uttered, shivering a bit, his clothes on the floor in a bloody and shredded pile. Kaoru suddenly walked into the room, carrying a fresh change of clothing. She sat down next to him, examining the bandage work. “Megumi-dono’s almost done. Then she could take a look at your injuries de gozaru.”

”Iie, I’m fine.” she replied, “Just a few scratches. I can easily bandage them myself.” She picked up roll and proceeded to get up and go towards the door, “Hm? Hachi, Shimako-san, Shizuka-san… are you all going home now?”

”Hai!” Hachi chimed, his arm around his wife, “It’s getting dark so we better get going. And this lady here is ready to go to sleep. Jaa…”

“Hold on a moment,” Shizuka suddenly said. They all turned towards her. She was standing opposite of Kaoru, the two of them locked in a gaze. She then uttered, “You had no right using Keisuke’s move.”

Kaoru nodded. “I know I didn’t. Demo, I hope he forgives me. Somehow I know he will.” she said, “But, Shizuka-san, I hope that you too will forgive me someday.”

”I cannot do that.” she replied, “Even if you saved my life… no matter what your feelings are… I cannot do that.”

Hachi stepped in between them, “Shizuka- aren’t you being a bit too harsh? What happened in the past happened… and you can’t do anything about. Keisuke is gone… you’ve got to get over it.”

”I AM OVER IT!” she snapped, pushing him aside, “Hachi – don’t tell me as if you know anything! All of you… you don’t know what I went through!”

”Of course I know what you went through – I was there. We were all there. And you’re not the only one who suffered.” he replied, “All of us… Kaoru-chan too…” He crossed his arms, leaning against the post, “I’ve always thought though… the one who suffered most was Keisuke.”

* * *
“Yakuso, Hachi, just leave me alone!!” his friend yelled, when he had visited him at the clinic, days after he left the dojo. There weren’t any lights on and it looked as though the color had gone from his face. “The images… the constant images…” he uttered, “Every time… I feel I’m being ripped apart…”

Shizuka stood at the doorway. She had been taking care of him, but his body was rejecting any intake of food and medicine. Her face showed evident worry and concern.

Hachi grabbed him by the collar. “Baka, are you just going to give up everything just like that?! Nothing is going to happen if you sit on your ass here and do nothing!”

”I feel like doing nothing!!” Keisuke snapped, clutching his head, “No matter what I do… Kami-sama, I wish I was dead!!!”

‘He’s being driven to madness…’ Hachi thought, letting him go, “Man, I don’t understand what happened to you. But I can tell you this… We need you… Kaoru-chan needs you… are you just going to leave like that?”

Hearing these words, he stared to the floor, “She’s a smart kid… she’ll figure it out. She’ll find a new friend…”

”Bastard! Don’t you care what happens to her? She’s in bad shape too… all of us are. Please, come back. We can get through this together.” But he just looked away, not saying a word. Hachi clutched a fist and sighed, “I’ve said too much so I better go…” He then turned and walked out the door.

“Keisuke…” Shizuka uttered, kneeling to him, “Maybe you should rest?”

He slowly lifted his head, “Shizuka, do you think he’s right?” he uttered, “The only time I actually felt alive was when I was training… has that part of me disappeared forever? Should I go and find it again? Shizuka, what should I do?”

”It doesn’t matter what you do.” she replied, turning away, “It’s your life, anyhow.”

He stared at the back of her head, then put his arm around her, “Why’d you stay with me? Didn’t we break up weeks ago? Shizuka…” Not an answer came. He tightened his hold, pressing his cheek against hers, “I can’t do it without you. I need you, Shizuka.”

After a moment, she broke away from his arm hold and stood, staring down at him, “You’ll have to do without me. I won’t stand by as you go back to that place and have yourself killed. Strangely, I thought this could be the best thing to happen to you – I thought you’d finally move on from your ‘dojo games’… but if you go back there, surely…”

”Shizuka…”

She shook her head, “I don’t care for you anymore. Go ahead – throw away your life. It doesn’t matter to me if you life or die.” Not looking at his face, or turning back, she hurried out the room. This would be the last she would see of him.

* * *
Dressed in his gray robe, Kenshin got up and walked towards the group outside the room, “Shizuka-dono, perhaps you might consider that Keisuke-dono’s state of mind when he went to go save Kaoru. Yes, he promised to bring back everyone home safely. Keredemo, did he promised to bring himself back de gozaru?”

”Eh?” she uttered, turning to him, “What are you saying?! Keisuke… wanted to die?!”

”When the one you love most could care less about whether you live or die… isn’t it so that your own worth means nothing de gozaru? Surely, Keisuke-dono left to rescue Kaoru, to protect his friends, and defeat Yashiitomo – only to resign his life in the end.”

“Demo it was Kaoru-chan who was the last to speak with him!”

Hachi moved back towards them, “Do you remember that night? I do… Keisuke was being operated on in the clinic. Over and over, he kept calling for you… to see you, Shizuka. I even sent Kuma to go get you. You never came.”

”Dakara!!!” she exclaimed. In her mind, she did remember her younger brother bursting into her room late at night, saying that Keisuke was asking for her. She simply replied, “I’m not going. Whatever happens to that person – he did it to himself!” Shaking her head, she yelled at the group, “Are you saying it’s my fault?!!”

”Iie. The truth is that until the end – Keisuke suffered… he suffered more because he couldn’t see your face, the one he loved most.” Everyone stopped and turned towards Kaoru, her tearful face staring down to the floor, “I couldn’t keep Keisuke alive… I tried so hard… but he couldn’t stay anymore. He left again…”

“Kaoru…” Kenshin uttered, staring at her. But there was nothing he could do for her. She had already moved away from his grasp and started walking towards Shizuka.

“Shizuka-san, I know surely if it had been you at Keisuke’s side… I know… “ She then took out the journal and placed it in her hands, “Please forgive Keisuke. Please don’t look back and hate him. I want… I want you remember the good times.”

Shizuka accepted the journal, and continued to stare at her. “Kaoru-san… I won’t be coming back here anymore.” She then turned to leave, walking towards the gate. She stopped and turned back slightly, “Good-bye…” With those words she was gone.

* * *
In the middle of the night, sleep would not come. Wounds still were aching with every word that had been said that day. Taking her robe, Kaoru walked outside and stood in the moonlight, her eyes fixated on the still world. She slowly made her way down the walkway and through the yard, going up to the gate, gazing at the empty road.

‘Good-bye…’ She could hear it echo in her mind, shaking her to the point of sobs. ‘Good-bye – I really dislike that word. Every time I hear it - it’s like a knife in my heart...’

She watched repeated scenes. People coming and going. Keisuke running down the path. Her friends and students leaving. Her father. “Otou-san! Matte!!” she had cried, “Don’t go – I have a bad feeling!”

He simply smiled and patted her on the head, “Good-bye, Kaoru.”

’Doushite…?’ she thought watching his memory fade down the path, ‘Why does everyone leave… why can’t I… ?’

She saw the brief memory of Kenshin holding her tightly amongst fireflies. “Imama arigatou… soushite… sayonara…”

”Why can’t I make anyone stay…?” she uttered, her tears splattering down onto the snow, “Why won’t anyone stay with me… ?”

”Kaoru,” Kenshin stood behind her, slowly putting his hand on her shoulder, “I’m not going anywhere.”

”Iya, you don’t know that! Sure, you’re married to me… and you love me now… demo… demo! Someday surely, I know…!”

He tightened his arms around her, nuzzling with his face with hers, “Chigao, that won’t happen. I won’t let it happen.” She turned into him, crying into his shoulder. He watched her, remembering what Hachi was telling him before he left:

It would be a lie to say that Kaoru-chan didn’t love Keisuke… but it was a child’s love – always being afraid of being separated or abandoned… it was the only way she knew how to love. Demo, Kenshin – you’ve gotten her to surpass this… you’ve taught her to love without fear and without doubting. I’ve seen it many times between you two. Don’t let her give it up… don’t let her fall into the same despair Keisuke did. You can make her forget about all those years of loneliness.

She suddenly uttered, ”Is this… what Keisuke was talking about… ?”

“Oro?” he asked, looking down at her, her tears had stopped falling, but remained in her eyes and on her cheeks, taking in the radiance of the moon, “Nan de gozaru?”

”That feeling which burns in my chest… when you are with me – I know I can go on forever.” she uttered, “Like what Shizuka was to Keisuke… if the day comes you don’t want to be with me anymore – I know I couldn’t bear living.”

”Sou de gozaru…” he uttered, drying her tears, “The same is with me, I can't live without you either. So I don’t think we’ll ever face that day."

"Please don't... don't ever tell me 'good-bye', Kenshin."

"I promise you." he whispered, "Until the day I die – I will be… where ever you are."

"Ken... " Suddenly the sky gave way, millions of snowflakes coming down onto them. She lifted her head and stared upward, “Look!” She turned back to realize that all he could see was her. Smiling, he covered her lips with hers, a passionate kiss lasting as the white snow continued to shower over them and the entire dojo.

‘Those memories that gave me comfort… I don’t need them anymore… as long as you’re with me… aishiteru Kenshin…’

Fin

Ending song: Red Bean / Hung Dau
Performed by Faye Wong; composed by Jim Lau, lyrics by Lin Xi