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Four Seasons
...continued
And Autumn falls…
“Aoshi-sama! Aoshi-sama! Damn, where is he? Ojiichan!!!!!!” Misao called out to Okina as she searched frantically for Aoshi.
Okina stepped out of his room and rubbed his ears. “Oi, Misao! Would you stop hollering so early in the morning!? People are still asleep! The birds aren’t even awake yet!”
“Hah! I wouldn’t have expected YOU, of all people, to say that when you do the same thing.”
“I do not! Since when?!” Okina demanded.
“Since… Aoshi-sama! Where have you been?!” Misao exclaimed, Okina momentarily forgotten, as Aoshi approached them in the hall, his face impassive.
“Oh, were you looking for him? I could have told you, he was in the temple dark and early, meditating,” Okina casually informed her. He made a waving motion saying, “Well, I have to see what Shiro’s preparing for breakfast… I will NOT have tofu again today! Misao, don’t get into trouble.”
Misao frowned at Okina’s retreating back. “Get into trouble?! I’m at HOME! How am I supposed to get into trouble?!”
Aoshi smiled inwardly at her gruff mutterings, noticing that it didn’t become her anymore, and grudgingly quelling the urge to tell her so. “He’s just concerned.”
“Oh really? From his tone of voice, you’d think I liked getting into trouble. Sometimes Jiichan can be so patronizing.” She sighed.
“What did you want from me again?” Aoshi asked.
Misao turned back to him, smiling. “Oh yes. Since Himura and Kaoru invited us over at their place for the festival last year, I thought we’d invite them over this year. Jiichan already gave me his consent. What do you think?”
“If Okina already agreed to the idea, why would you still ask for my approval?”
“Aoshi-sama! You’re okashira! Of course, I would ask for your permission. It matters!” Misao explained.
“Why?” Aoshi pressed, trying to figure out how long her patience would last.
Misao was unaware of the little game he was playing, and rolled her eyes. “I don’t know. Just because.”
Aoshi was slightly amused at her flustered expression, but gave no clue of it in his own. It wasn’t everyday that he got to look at her like this… well, okay… maybe it was everyday…
“Well? Would you mind having Himura and Kaoru over for the festival?” Misao repeated expectantly.
“If it matters so much to you, I guess it won’t hurt…,” Aoshi replied, never finishing his sentence as she jumped at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Thank you, Aoshi-sama!” she exclaimed. Realizing what she had just done, Misao drew back and regained her composure, though the excitement was still in her eyes.
“I’ll go write Kaoru now,” she said, turning away, then looking back and adding, “Would you accompany me to the postoffice later to mail it?”
Aoshi nodded as he watched Misao beam at him and skip (or what action resembling skipping she could accomplish in her kimono) happily to her room.
Okina chose that time to come out of one of the other rooms. He eyed Aoshi who was still gazing down the hall. “Well? Have you told her yet?”
The Oniwabanshuu Okashira bowed his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he crumpled a piece of paper in his pocket and replied, “No, not yet.”
He didn’t know how the future Shinomori Misao would react if he told her he would be leaving for Germany.
When Winter ceases…
“Kaoru-dono, what are you doing?” Kenshin asked his wife as she passed him in the kitchen.
“I’m going to write a letter to Misao. She’s inviting us over for the festival, but I’m not sure if we can, not with the baby on the way.”
Kenshin grinned from his position in front of the sink. “Does she know about Aoshi’s plan of going to Germany?”
Kaoru shook her head, holding up the letter for him to see. “I don’t believe he’s told her yet, or else she would be raving by now.” She sighed. “What is taking that man so long? I thought he loved her.”
“He does, Kaoru, but it’s not easy for him to say so.” Kenshin smiled. “Although it won’t be long. Have you tucked Kenji in yet?”
Kaoru nodded. “Gave quite a fuss, too. But he’s asleep now.” She laid a hand on her tummy, her face glowing the way only expectant mothers would. “You know, he’s very excited about the baby. Wants her to be a girl, actually. He’s probably the only person who likes sisters. Not even Yahiko is fond of sisters. Remember when he used to say girls were worthless? And Ayame and Suzume slapped him on both cheeks?”
Kenshin sweatdropped. “No, I don’t believe I remember…”
“That was the day… that was the day…,” Kaoru started, her mind registering the day that it happened. “That was the day you were so spaced out because you were having nightmares about the Bakumatsu…”
“… before the whole Kyoto incident happened,” Kenshin finished, turning to face her. He grinned. “Is it cliché for me to say that we’ve gone through a lot?”
His wife smiled. “It’s true anyway. Time makes people change. Yahiko’s already sixteen and mastering the Kamiya style. Sano’s back but I’m sure he’ll set off again, just like before — he likes that. Megumi’s happy with her practice in Aizu, and Misao… well…,” she drifted off wistfully, “… Misao will be married soon.”
Kenshin put his hands on her belly. “As for us, we’re gonna have one more bundle of joy in this house.”
“What would you like to name the baby, Kenshin?”
“If it were a boy or a girl?”
“Well, since Kenji wants a sister, what would you name her”
Kenshin thought and shrugged. “I don’t know, what would you like to name her, Kaoru?”
Kaoru smiled, her face radiant. “Tomoe.”
Love endures.
~owari~
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