The sun shone brightly the next morning. Yahiko yawned and opened his door, gazing into the cloudless sky. 'Today I begin my extensive training... in order to beat that koitsu, I will have to get even stronger!'

After dressing quickly, he took his bundle of shinai and went out to splash some water on his face. Eying the line for the outhouse, he decided to take a leak in the woods. But as he was pitter-pattering in the bushes, he heard voices behind him.

"Demo... would he? Ano, it's a bit early... I think he would still be asleep."

"Sou desu ne... Still, let's ask him."

Yahiko blinked. 'Eeeh?! Those two!!?' He quickly bent down to pull up his hakama, but it was already too late. Behind him were a rustle of footsteps. Panicking, he screamed, "WAAAH!! JOTTO!!"

Wearing a western suit, Yutaro stood behind him, making a face. "You really are some hoodlum... peeing in the bushes. That's so uncivilized!" he replied, "Daijoubu desu. Tsubame-san is by the road - demo, what are you thinking?! There IS an outhouse!"

"Shaddap!" Yahiko sneered, tying his sash then turning towards him, "Besides, what are you guys up to so early in the morning? Hmm??"

"My uncle's lending me his boat for the afternoon. I was thinking we could all go fishing and have lunch on deck. It'll be fun." Yutaro said as they walked back to the road to the waiting Tsubame, in a yellow kimono, clips in her hair. "What do you say?"

"Hmm..." he uttered, rubbing his chin, "Hah? Yarou, what happened to yer arm??"

"Oh!" Yutaro looked down to his left arm, which was in a sling, "I had an accident the other day at the Akebeko..."

Tsubame giggled, "He was trying to impress Tae-san by carrying some heavy equipment for her. But he really was pushing himself too much and fell down the stairs. Genzai-sensei says he can't use it until it properly heals."

Yahiko dropped his head and sighed, "You try too hard. And what's with you and older women?? First it was Kaoru, then Megumi, and NOW Tae??!"

"K-Kaoru-san too?!" Tsubame gasped, "Mou, I didn't know that. Yutaro-kun, you ARE very fickle!"

Yutaro blushed and scratched his head, brown hair falling into his eyes, "At least I make an effort..." He then moved back to their original subject, "So what do you say, Yatsu? Coming with us?"

"Iya," Yahiko replied, "I've got some training to do. You guys go on without me. Catch some fish for dinner, na?"

"H...Hai..." Tsubame uttered, a bit disappointed.

"Aa, we'll bring ya a big catfish." Yutaro replied.

"Very fun!" Yahiko snapped at the other boy. He then relaxed a bit, going to pick up his bundle of shinai and turn for the road. He smiled at his friends warmly in the sunshine. "Daga, you two have fun okay? Jaa... matte na!" he said, before leaving.

"Mou..." Tsubame sighed after him, "I knew he wouldn't want to come."

"Daijoubu desu. He'll come around eventually." Yutaro replied, patting her arm, "For now, let's go make preparations to go out on the boat. It's going to be nice out today. Might as well enjoy it."

She slowly smiled, nodded her head. "Hai!"

* * *
"Oro?" Kenshin murmured, pealing his face off the floor. He turned his head to see Megumi and Sanosuke eating breakfast, "Aaa?! Why didn't anyone wake Sessha up de gozaru?!"

"Datte," Megumi replied, wearing her house kimono, a lavender shade - her hair tied back with a cord, "What difference does it make if you wake up or not. Kaoru-chan will surely kill you when you get home."

The samurai frowned a little. "Honto de gozaru..." he sighed, rubbing his lazy purple eyes, "Sessha will go wash up and get ready to go then." He then walked outside to the washtub.

Sanosuke watched after him, then turned to Megumi, "That's right, you checked up on her yesterday. So, how is Jou-chan?"

The doctor didn't move her focus away from her tea and simply replied, "Hormones."

He just started choking. After gulping down some tea and gagging, he leaned towards her, scolding, "Oi oi! I'm eating here!"

"I'm serious." Megumi replied, taking a sip, "She's a bit frustrated. You've been taking her husband out away from her too long, depriving her of what she really needs right now."

"Daga, Kenshin's all for going out and not staying home. If you ask me, it's more like a domestic problem."

"Sou sou... Don't say I didn't warn you."

Just then, Kenshin came walking into the room, still drying his face. He slowly made it to the table and sat next to Sanosuke, gazing at the leftovers. "Sessha supposes to head on out after a bit of breakfast de gozaru."

"Aa! Now I remember!" Sanosuke uttered, reaching into his pocket and taking out a folded note, "Kono cop left this for you. Soushite..." He pointed to the burn mark left on his forehead from the cigarette singe Saitou gave him. "When I see that bastard... KUSO!!"

Kenshin just stared at the letter in his hands. 'Saitou should know what's going on with Takeru-dono... Demo, I wonder what he did. Didn't he promise not to cause trouble again? And that woman... she was surely his wife, Miki-san...' He strayed from his thoughts as Megumi began to pour him some tea. "Arigatou de gozaru!"

"Above everything, you must hurry home, Ken-san."

"H-Hai!"

Sanosuke folded his arms behind his head and leaned back. "Careful, Kenshin... Jou-chan's horny today." Kenshin simply replied by spraying the tea out of his mouth and choking.

* * *
Yahiko was practicing diligently further in the forest. Even with the trees as shade, the sunlight somehow hit him still. The growing summer heat annoying him, he eventually tore off his gi, continuing bare chest. Only when his arms became numb, did he finally stop for a break.

'Is that all I can do? I've only been practicing for five hours!' he yelled to himself, lying on the grass and staring into the clouds.

Though the world was still and peaceful, his mind filled with unrest and frustration - the image of the masked swordsman coming to mind. He gritted his teeth in anger at his defeat. Come back when you're stronger... we will fight again.

'Kuso! I thought I was strong enough... but kono takou! He's stealing my title and beaten every move I had on me! And he claims to use Kasshin, what a lie! If people were to believe him, what will happen to the school?! Arggg, I got to do something...!'

The taunting smile returned to memory. Hissing at no one, he pulled himself up, with newfound determination. Biting back at the soreness, he forced a powerful swing, only to collapse back down onto the cool ground.

'Naze!? It's too soon to quit! I need more strength!!' he muttered, clenching an arm. 'Maybe I'm going about this all wrong... maybe I need to... to go back...'

Closing his brown eyes, he breathed in the fresh smell of grass, sighing, "Daga, the question is 'will it be enough'...?"

* * *
Elsewhere, the sun was just as blaring, reflecting off the surface of the Tokyo bay, a modest sail boat floating along gracefully. Leaning back, Yutaro wore a fisher's cap tipped over his eyes, his free arm clutching his fishing pole. Letting out a yawn, he peered from under the cap and watched the chess game in process.

"Dou desu ka? Who's winning now?"

There wasn't a response right away. Tsubame and her opponent were staring long and hard at the board. After a pause, Tsubame lifted her white queen and placed it by the black king. "Checkmate."

"Sugoi na," the older woman uttered, smiling a bit despite her own defeat, "You only learned the rules moments ago and already have beaten a master."

"It's not that different from 'shogi'." Tsubame replied, "And you were very difficult to play against. Your skill and experience surely surpasses me."

"We will have to play again." the woman said, now putting away the game. She then took out a wood box, "Shall we have some tea now?"

"Please allow me." Tsubame said, and was given the box. With a miniature stove aboard she was able to boil the water, making the preparations in the meantime.

The woman observed her silently. "Not only that, but you are also an expert as a tea host?"

"Uhn, Kaoru-san taught me."

There was a pause. The woman lowered her eyes "Sou desu ka..." she uttered, "I was sure she given that up. Still, it seems she learned some things from me after all..."

"Sou ne." Tsubame said, passing her a cup, then one to Yutaro who had abandoned his pole, "Kaoru-san has taught me many things, as you her. It's like we're all related somehow... datte, sometimes she's like an older sister to me."

"Sometimes," the woman uttered, staring into her cup, "She was like a younger sister to me..." The other two turned towards her, but she just chuckled a bit, going to sip, "Dakara, a sharp girl like yourself shouldn't corrupt your thinking by following her. It'll only lead you through a painful life."

Tsubame shook her head, "Chigao desu. Pain is a part of life. I'd rather taste blood then the dirt of a freshly dug grave."

"Tsubame-kun...?"

She merely continued with her statement. "I may have a strong mind, but it's not enough." She lifted a hand to her chest, curling into a fist, "I want to be strong here. I want to touch people's lives the way that Kaoru-san does. I don't want to fear my own abilities or death or anything!"

A soft breeze passed through them. Tsubame had caught her gray eyes and was staring deep into them. "Sou desu ka..." the woman finally replied, "With that same determination..."

* * *
Kenshin came into the gate, wiping his brow. He had run all the way from Sanosuke and Megumi's place and the heat was too much. His clothes sopping with sweat, he panted and stumbled towards the house, wanting water. He blinked to see a curled up form lying on the walkway in the shade.

"Kaoru...?"

She had been in that spot over night, her arms braced in front of her round belly. It had been warm in the evening and the blanket she had used was long shrugged aside. On her face was an apparent frown, missing two arms to hold her tight. Perhaps she dreamt her reality - that she was sleeping alone.

"Koishii," he uttered, kneeling to her, seeing the discomfort of lying on the hard floor. He decided to bring her to the room and tuck her into bed. He slid his arms underneath her and lifted her up, getting onto his feet. But after a few steps, he soon lost his footing and fell to his stomach, her not touching the ground. "Oro, too heavy de gozaru...!"

Kaoru's eyes flickered open. "NANI?!!" she hissed, awaken by the insult, "KENSHIIN!! BAKAA!!!"

Below, Yahiko was making his arrival, gazing at the familiar scene before him. Kaoru was strangling Kenshin again. Somehow he felt relieved to see them like this. "Yo! What's going on?!"

"ORORORORORORO!!!!" Kenshin screamed, after Kaoru threw him towards Yahiko, who ducked the falling swordsman. Kenshin looked quite dead on the ground, sounds of pain continuing to come out.

Kaoru stood, crossing her arms, "Where the hell were you last night?! And why didn't you come home?!!? And I am NOT heavy!!!"

Yahiko chuckled, "Honto na! Kono busu must be a thousand kilograms by now!"

She just shoved him aside and ran up to her husband, who was still sprawled on the ground, "Baka, this is the third time this week. Can't you stay home just a bit more? I-I miss you, I need you... Kenshin, onegai!"

Kenshin didn't seem to hear her, his eyes still swirly and mouth open. "ORO..."

Kaoru tearfully turned away from him and rushed towards the house, but Yahiko stood in her way. "Nani?? What do you want? Just leave me alone!" she said, trying to go past him, but he held her by the shoulder, "Yahiko?"

He took out a handkerchief and placed it in her hand, "A crying face doesn't suit you." he uttered, waiting for her to dry her eyes. After that was settled, he got down onto the ground and bowed. "I have a request. Please consider taking me back into your school. Onegai suru, Kaoru... sensei."

She blinked at him, staring at the top of his spiky head. After an endless minute, she threw her head back and laughed, dropping the handkerchief on his head and walking around him into the house, "Yeah right! Ahahaha!!"

"J-Jotto!!" he gasped, lifting his head. But she had already slammed her door shut, still laughing. "KUSO!" he cursed, punching the ground, "Kenshin, your wife is such a...!!!"

"Oro," Kenshin uttered, now back to normal, but he had completely missed everything. "Nan de gozaru ka?" He paused, going to take out the note in his sleeve, "Aa! Sessha is supposed to meet Saitou at this time!"

Yahiko stared at him, "Saitou-teme? What for??"

But Kenshin ignored him and rushed up to the gate, calling out, "Kaoru! I've got to get going! Jaa...!"

The door rapidly slid open and she rushed out frantically, "Matte, Kenshin!!" she cried. But he was already gone down the road. The sadness entering her face again, she slid to her knees, clutching at her kimono, "Kenshin, don't go..."

Yahiko gazed at her sternly. 'I'm not going to give up. Somehow, I've got to convince Kaoru to take me back.'

* * *
At the pier, the boat had been securely tied. A carriage was waiting for the woman, dressed in a western dress, with a flowery hat and sunglasses. She stopped and stared at the two who had invited her along their boat ride.

"Arigatou gozaimashita. I had a good time. Our meetings are always so insightful. I cannot wait for our next... Tsubame-kun."

"Uhn, atashi mo." Tsubame replied with a smile, "Soushite... I'm indebted to you..."

The woman shook her head, "Do not think that way. Let's leave responsibility of actions to ourselves. After all, with your sharp mind, you have much potential. And I am sure you will need no one to direct you."

"I don't think so." Tsubame replied, cheerfully.

The woman lowered her glasses and turned back for a moment, "Surely, we will meet again." She then entered her carriage and drove away.

Yutaro walked up next to the girl, holding the bucket of fish. "Kirei naa... sono oonna..."

"Mou," Tsubame pouted, "She's too old for you, Yutaro-kun. Besides, have you already forgotten about your undying devotion to Tae-san??"

"Heh, you got me there. I still have a place in my heart for her, so don't tell about my unfaithfulness, na?" he chuckled, "I won't do it again, honto!"

"Hmp, so you say..."

"Tonikaku, I've got a couple red snapper to give to Kenshin-tachi for dinner. And didn't you said you were giving Kaoru-san a cooking lesson today?" She nodded slowly, still gazing after the carriage. "Saa, iku?"

"Uuhn!" she replied, smiling and taking the bucket from him. Together, they walked down the road towards the dojo. But Tsubame continued to think deeply about her recent meeting. 'Until next time...'