"Kenshin? Where are you?" Kaoru stepped into the kitchen looking
for her husband. He wasn't there, either. She had already searched the
bedroom and the dojo's practice room. This was getting frustrating.
"Mou! Kenshin!" she muttered to herself. This wasn't like him.
Lately he had taken to hovering very close by her. Since they had found
out about the pregnancy, he had been watching her like a hawk, making sure
she was okay. Why did he decide to sneak off now? They had to go to Megumi
and Sanosuke's place soon. They were going to be late.
"Yahiko? Have you seen Kenshin?"
"Yeah. He's in the storage shed in the back. I think he's looking for
something back there."
"The storage shed?" she asked herself. Kaoru sighed in frustration.
That was the one place she didn't look. What was he doing in there?
"Kenshin? Are you in here? What are you doing?" she called out into
the shadows. Her eyes hadn't quite adjusted to the lack of sunlight, but
the room seemed empty. "Kenshin?" No one.
Suddenly, she felt the presence of someone behind her. She tried to
turn around, but a pair of strong arms stopped her. "Kenshin?"
"Kaoru." He hugged her close to him. She relaxed against him. He always
smelled so comforting to her. He smelled of... well, Kenshin.
"What are you doing in here?" she asked, her eyes closed, savoring the
feel of him.
"Nothing really. Looking for things in here." Several storage chests
were opened around the room. "But I keep getting distracted. I was thinking
about the day I met you."
"That day...." She turned in his arms to look into his eyes. The warm
violet seemed to touch something in her soul. There was just something
about his eyes.... They had fascinated her from the very beginning.
"I was thinking about how everything has changed since that day. I would
never have imagined any of this for me. That day, I was just trying to
get through Tokyo without being noticed by anyone."
"Kenshin." He leaned forward, holding her closer to him.
"When you ran up to me on that road, yelling for me to wait, yelling
for Hitokiri Battousai to wait.... I thought, how does this child know
who I was? Can she see what I really am?" He hugged her, his hand moving
towards her belly. The slight swell was barely detectable. Their child
was growing within her. God, he loved her.
"I looked into your eyes that day and thought that they were so pure.
Pure and good. And full of rage. An avenging angel. You were beautiful."
They both smiled at the memory.
Over time, Kaoru had learned the value of patience. It had been very
foolhardy of her to rush out and confront a person, let alone a murderer
on impulse. She had learned enough to know how to choose her fights carefully.
Risking your life like that was careless and stupid.
"I had to stop the killings. I had to stop Battousai. That was all I
thought about...." She felt his arms tighten around her at that.
"I know. I shudder to think what would have happened if you had actually
found Gohei right away that day instead of me."
"I think you would have found me if I had not found you. Maybe you would
have heard the commotion." She smiled teasingly at him. "Something would
have drawn us together. I know it. There's a red string between us. Now,
tell me what are you looking for in here?"
"I was looking for that box of kimono that you told me about yesterday."
She looked over to where he pointed. A box was open, revealing colorful
kimono sized for a child.
"Kimono? Ara, those are from when I was small. Aren't you getting
ahead of yourself? The baby isn't due for another five and a half months,"
she said teasingly. "And even then, we don't know whether the baby will
be a boy or a girl."
"I wanted to be prepared," he replied with a soft smile. "We're going
to have a daughter just like you."
She smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips. "You sweet talker. You
sound like Sanosuke, making predictions like that. I dunno. I'm kinda hoping
for a miniature Ken-chan. Now, come on! We have to go to Megumi's. There's
a party for Shin-chan tonight, remember?"
"Oh yeah." He pulled her close again, kissing her until her cheeks were
pinked. When he pulled back, they were both breathing a little harder than
before. "How much time do we have?" he asked, his eyes glittering.
"We definitely don't have enough for that," she replied, pouting. "Come
on. No more distractions. Shin-chan will be disappointed if we don't hurry
up and get there."
"Too bad..." he said, grinning as he allowed his wife to lead him out
of the room.
*****
"Tsubame." Yahiko took the tray she was holding from her. She grimaced
and grabbed it back.
"Hi, Yahiko. Is it time already?"
"Yeah. We better get going. Kenshin and Kaoru said that they would meet
us later at Sano's place."
"Later, huh?"
Yahiko shook his head and sighed. "Hey. I don't ask questions." Tsubame
giggled at that.
"Yahiko!" She grinned back at him.
"Anyway, they're going to be a little late."
They walked through the streets of Tokyo in companionable silence. Yahiko
was used to being teased about his relationship with Tsubame. The facts
were that they were friends. That was all. Just friends. Best friends....
But only friends. At least that's how it had been for five years. Yahiko
had to keep telling himself that it would be stupid to try to change anything
about it.
Tsubame found a place in their family. In Kaoru and Megumi and Tae,
she saw that she could be independent and strong. Tsubame was a lot less
timid than she used to be. Yahiko was always there, as a friend. As a brother.
To support her.
Tsubame would always think of him as a brother.
"Isn't it wonderful, though?"
"Huh?" Yahiko shook his head to clear it. "What's wonderful?"
"Everyone is having babies. Everyone is so happy."
"It's great, Tsubame. They all deserve to be happy. All of us have gone
through so much together."
"I was thinking...."
"About what?"
"About.... Just about how everything has changed so much. I was thinking
about what I want to do with my life. The world is changing so much."
"What you want to do?"
"Yeah. I... I've been reading a lot. I really want to.... Well, you
know that the government has been building schools.... I want to go learn,
Yahiko. Maybe about the West. I was thinking of studying English. And some
more Dutch.... Maybe teaching others about it. Everyone is still so closed
minded about some things here....."
"Tsubame...."
She stopped suddenly and turned to him. Her eyes were fierce. "Don't
tell me I can't because I'm a girl, Yahiko."
"I wasn't going to say that! Tsubame. You can do anything you want to.
You know we will support you in it."
"You will?" She suddenly looked as young and uncertain as the girl she
was 5 years ago. Her voice was hesitant and shaky.
"Tsubame. Japan is changing so much because of the West. If you want....
If you want to be part of that change. I'll be here for you."
Tsubame smiled at him and leaned over, kissing him lightly on the cheek.
"Thanks, Yahiko. You've always been there for me."
*****
"Keiko and Seinosuke," Sano said with obvious satisfaction. He grinned
at his sleeping babies. The only word that could describe him would be...content.
"Eh? Keiko and SEInosuke?" Yahiko asked incredulously. He looked down
at the sleeping babies and shook his head. Sano's hand could definitely
be seen in the naming of the infants. Again.
"Yeah. Those are the names Megumi-chan and I decided on. I think they'll
suit them fine."
"If you have another boy, another name with -nosuke might be hard to
come by. There can't be that many more," Yahiko mumbled. Sanosuke rebutted
by hitting the teen up side the head.
"Aho," he muttered. "I still have a few left...." he muttered
to himself.
"Hey! I'm just stating a fact." He rubbed his head. "At the rate you
two are going- Ow!" Yahiko moved out Sano's reach. "Keiko, eh?"
"It's written as graceful child," Megumi said with a smile.
"Cute name...," he said with a smile. He touched the baby's cheek gently
and lowered his voice. "So let's see. Seinosuke. Written as clarity of
the middle. Shinnosuke. Heart of the middle. Sanosuke. Middle of the stomach...."
Yahiko couldn't dodge getting conked on the head again. He should have
known that Sano could move fast when he wanted to. "Brat."
"Just pointing out the facts... Geesh."
"You two! Keep it down!" Tsubame scolded. The twins were beginning to
stir from their nap. "See. Look what you did! You woke them up."
"Yeah! Woke 'em up!" Shinnosuke repeated, nodding his head in agreement.
He toddled over to help (or hinder) Tsubame in calming the newborns. "Dwon't
cwy," he said soothingly, patting them softly like he watched his mother
and father do so often.
The pair had the decency to look a little sheepish. Being scolded by
Tsubame and Shinnosuke was not fun. And Yahiko definitely did not want
Tsubame to be angry at him. Having Kaoru, Megumi and Tae as role-models,
Tsubame had learned it was okay to express herself. In fact, she could
be downright scary sometimes....
"We'll be good," Yahiko promised, his eyes meeting Sanosuke's, ordering
him to agree. Sano grinned at the teenager knowingly.
"Heh. Sure," he replied. "We'll be very, very good from now on, Tsubame-chan."
"Sa-nooo-suke," Yahiko grounded out, dragging him further away from
Tsubame and the babies.
Sanosuke merely blinked back innocently at him. Yahiko didn't believe
that look for a second. "Nani? What's on your mind, brat?" He began
to smile. "Or maybe I should ask WHO is on your mind."
"Shut up!" Yahiko blushed furiously. He glanced quickly at Tsubame to
see if she was listening to the conversation, but she was far enough away
to miss the exchange.
"Sano...." Megumi's voice came from behind, full of warning. "Stop it."
"But Yahiko-chan is so cute when he's riled up," Sanosuke replied. He
wasn't through teasing the teen yet.
"Sano." He turned and grinned at his wife, kissing her on the nose.
"Fine. I'll be good. For you." He turned around and winked at Yahiko.
"And you should be good, too. I'm sure that we'll find out if you aren't.
Somehow. And I don't think Tae would-" Sanosuke gasped, his eyes watering
from Yahiko's sudden punch to his stomach. Yahiko's jab was really improving.
"I told you, Sano." Megumi smiled serenely at the hunched form of her
husband. "But you insisted." Sano grimaced in reply. Yahiko stalked off
to where Tsubame and the children were. They watched as he talked quietly
to Tsubame and joked with Shinnosuke.
"He's growing up, Sano. He'll be turning 16 soon. And he has seen a
lot in those years. And I think he's really getting sensitive about certain
things. And Tsubame is one of them. They've always been close. And he has
been protective of her for a long time."
"Yeah, yeah! He's still a brat though."
"Ah," she sighed, "Weren't you-"
"I got it, woman! I'll stop it. I can be good, too." He bent over to
kiss Megumi lightly on the mouth. "Say... How much longer do we have left
to wait before-"
"Hush!" She put her hand over his mouth. Sano's eyes were twinkling.
She knew that look. "Is that all you can think about?" She looked up teasingly.
"5 more. Weeks...." Sanosuke groaned. Megumi chuckled and walked off to
help Tsubame change the children's clothes.
"Oi, Yahiko! Where are Kenshin and Kaoru?" Yakiko had Shinnosuke
on his shoulders. He turned around at that question and walked towards
Sano.
"Those two? Kenshin asked me to go ahead of them. They should be coming
soon." He had left them behind because he wanted to walk there alone with
Tsubame. Where were they? Now that he thought about it, those two were
late....
"Ken-niicha? Ken-niicha and Kaoru-neecha awre coming! They pwromised!"
Shinnosuke tried to wiggle down from Yahiko's shoulders, without regard
to how far he was off the ground. "No fear," was already his motto.
"Heh." Sano reached up to grab his son before he fell off Yahiko and
onto the hard ground, tucking him neatly under his arm as if he were a
sack. "Those two are probably- OW!"
Megumi let go of this ear after a satisfying twist. "Sano. Not in front
of the kids!"
"I was going to say that they're probably going to pick you up something
special, Shin-chan," he muttered, rubbing at his ear. "It's not my fault
if you have that on your mind, Fox," he mumbled under his breath.
Yahiko chucked, plucking Shin-chan from his precarious position in father's
arms. He walked towards Tsubame, who was fanning the babies. She was humming
a little song to them under her breath. Tsubame had just turned 15. She
looked so cute, wearing her light blue yukata, her hair pulled back from
her face. When she turned to smile at him.... Yahiko shook is head. They
had known each other for years. He was going to ruin their friendship if
he continued....
"Yahiko-kun. What's wrong?"
"Eh? N-Nothing. I was just thinking about what a nice day it is...."
"Yahiko-niicha! Why awre you blwrushing?" Shinnosuke asked, patting
at Yahiko's cheeks.
"Shi- Shin-chan...." he half-groaned at Shinnosuke. The kid was going
to give him away! Apparently he had inherited a lot more than looks from
his father. Shin-chan merely smiled back innocently and continued to pat
at Yahiko's cheeks.
"Pwink! Yahiko-niicha all pwink!"
"Thanks, Shin-chan. Thanks a lot. It's the sun," he explained lamely.
"Are you all right, Yahiko?"
"Y-Yeah. I'm fine." He rubbed at his hair self-consciously. Tsubame
nodded, flashing a smile at him then turning to the children.
Sano and Megumi watched the exchange from a distance. "See. I told you,"
Megumi said, nodding to herself. "No matter how much Yahiko protests about
how they're only friends he can't hide from our knowing eyes." She chucked
to herself.
"Heh. They're just kids, Megumi."
"Who are just kids?" Kaoru asked from behind the pair. "What are you
talking about?"
"Why were you two late?" Sano asked with a wicked grin. "Where's Kenshin?"
We were not late because of what you're thinking, Sano!" Kaoru replied
with a blush. "Actually, we were getting Shin-chan's gift ready."
"I was right then. I told Shin-chan that you two were late because you
were getting him his gift."
Kenshin came in with a large wooden box. Yahiko and Tsubame carried
the children over to them. Shin-chan jumped up and down with excitement.
"Yah! Yah! What iz it?" His father crouched down to his level and grinned
back at him. Sano caught his son on the way up on a jump, pulling him high
on the momentum of it. Shin-chan laughed as he went up.
"Open it for him, Kenshin," Kaoru said with a smile.
Kenshin smiled, too, and opened the box to reveal a strange lamp, and
books.
"Kaoru. Kenshin. They're too much," Megumi said. "He's only 3. He won't
need them yet."
"Actually, most of the stuff is for later, but he can start using the
lamp now. It's used to show the patterns of the stars on the ceiling at
night," Kaoru said with a grin. "Since Shin-chan is going to be sleeping
by himself soon. It will make it less lonely in his room as he goes to
sleep," she explained to Megumi and Sanosuke.
"The stawrs?" Shin-chan said in awe as he lifted up the lamp gently.
It was darkened on all sides but the top. Blackened glass plates with clear
spots were in a separate box. They fit on to the top of the box snugly.
"Yes. Your 'kaachan and 'touchan can fix it so you can see the stars
at night in your room," Kenshin said to the toddler.
Shin-chan smiled and put his presents gently back into the box. "Shin-chan
wir take cawre of it. Pwromise. Domo-arigacho gosaimachu!" He made
a neat little bow, then ran off to play in the yard.
The adults looked at each other, slightly stunned. "He gets that from
my side of the family," Megumi offered in explanation, smiling at her son.
He was full of surprises.
*****
The soft chirping of the cicada echoed in the night. Yahiko walked silently
with Tsubame back to the Akabeko. It was always automatically assumed that
Yahiko would walk Tsubame back. He always did it.
"Tsubame." Yahiko stopped and to look up at the night sky. It was filled
with stars. It was beautiful. He turned to face Tsubame.
"What is it?"
"Do you ever think about what it would be like if we never found everyone
else?"
"It would be awful."
"Yeah. I was thinking. We are so lucky. The chances that we would end
up growing up with these people as our family.... It's like one in as many
stars in the sky."
Tsubame looked up at the sky. She gasped softly at the sight of the
sea of light. Her life had definitely not been bright before she had met
these people. The future.... She owed so much to them.
"But, that's what makes it so beautiful, Yahiko.... We are so lucky.
We need to take what we have gained and use it as much as we can. We owe
it to all of those who weren't so lucky, don't you think?"
For a long while, they stood together in the dark, looking up at the
night sky. The stars twinkled above them, unchangingly eternal.
