Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Hi Soshite Ame ❯ Samidare ( Chapter 1 )

Hi Soshite Ame (Fire And Rain)

A Fan Fiction Inspired By "Rurouni Kenshin", Kyoto Arc

By Karen


Part 1

Samidare (Midsummer Rain)


I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sands
I wake in pain
I dream of love as time runs through my hands

I dream of fire
These dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire
And in the flames
Her shadows play in the shape of a man's desire

This desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this…


(Outskirts Of Fujisawa City. July, 1879)

The town was small, not destitute looking per-say, but small in a comfortable, organized sort of way. The summer sun was already beginning it's journey downwards and the street lamps were being lit, creating a peaceful, idyllic scene…

The lone, disheveled figure adjusted his traveling pack as he made his way through the small crowds of people, coming home from a hard and honest days work... Every now and then he would raise his head to watch them... Friends, lovers, husbands, wives and their children... What must it be like, he wondered. What must it be like to live in the same place your whole life, to have a home and a family to come to?... For ten years he had thought he'd had those things too, until he'd realized that keeping them meant loosing himself…

Soujiro shook his head with a rueful smile. One year, one year since that day when he had left Kyoto, and Shishio Makoto, for good, and he still remembered every detail of it with perfect accuracy. Not that he regretted his decision, at least in the long run…

Trying to divert his thoughts to other matters, the young man studied the sign post for the name of the town. It seemed a pleasant enough place. Hopefully, he could get hired for some odd jobs and earn enough money for a few more meals and lodgings, just as he had been doing at other towns since he'd left the Juppon Gatana.

Soujiro then glanced at the few coins he held in his hand. Perhaps it was not enough for lodgings, but it might buy something decent to eat tonight…

Just then, the evening calm was shattered by a startled cry...

The boy turned around just in time to be roughly knocked over by a figure that seemed in an awful hurry to get away.

"Ooff!", he landed on the ground with a thud. "Excuse me, why don't you watch where you're…". He looked, and saw the running figure hurrying down another street, out of sight. "Going…" he muttered, picking himself up and rubbing his side...

He had just begun to dust himself off when he heard two angry voices directed at him...

"You there, boy!."

Soujiro's eyes widened and his throat tightened as he saw two uniformed police officers approaching. Never the less, he gave them his most polite smile. "Yes, gentlemen," he bowed respectfully. "What can I do for you?."

The larger of the two officers seized him by the collar of his shirt. "You can come with us to the station, that's what!. You're under arrest for thievery!."

Thievery?!. Oh no!. That person who had knocked him down. But he dared not protest. All the more reason for them to arrest him. The young man's heart sank as the officers began to drag him away. This was it!. Only a matter of time until they recognized him, or found out who he was. He'd be lucky if he got a merciful execution!.

"Sirs, you are arresting the wrong man!," came a new voice…

The officers turned, and Soujiro raised his head to see a rather homely young woman, about his own age, dark hair in a slightly messy bun, approaching them.

"I saw the whole thing," she continued, in an accent that did not quite sound Japanese. "It was another fellow. This boy was just in his way and got run down." She looked briefly at Soujiro... He looked back at her in gratitude…

"Really," the larger officer raised a critical eye, though his grip lessened somewhat. "Can you prove it?."

The girl sighed patiently. "Search him then, if you have to. But I doubt you'll find any stolen goods."

The officers proceeded to search the boy's pockets and traveling pack. They seemed disappointed that the search produced hardly anything more then a line and hook for fishing, a few coins and an extra pair of worn threadbare clothes.

Frustrated, they shoved him to the ground again. He winced as he landed on his hands and knees.

"A drifter, hmm?. Well, stay out of trouble. We don't appreciate your kind in this town. And a word of advice, it is dishonorable to hide behind a woman's skirts!."

A smirk played about the face of Soujiro's rescuer. "Really, officers, and whose skirts have you been hiding behind?. Didn't I see you both coming out of the Toya Teahouse with two Geishas the other evening?. I'm sure your wives would love to hear how you spend your free time."

At this the two of them grew slightly red in the face. The smaller officer tossed the boy's pack to the ground. "Just remember what we said, or you may not be so lucky the next time." And with that, the two of them left.

The girl then turned back to Soujiro, offering her hand to help him up. "Are you alright?," she asked, her dark eyes softening.

"Yes", he smiled, taking her hand and getting to his feet. "Thank you". He gave her a deep bow of gratitude.

She smiled back. "You're welcome. Don't worry about them, they always like to harass drifters."

"I prefer the term 'wanderer'."

"Wanderer then," she nodded. "Where are you heading?."

He knelt down, gathering up his pack and the coins he had dropped. "Anywhere, I suppose," was the soft answer.

"Do you have any place to stay?."

"No, not at the moment."

"Any money?."

"Some," he admitted. He showed her the coins in his hand.

She eyed it skeptically. "I don't know a place in this town where you could get food and board for the night with just that." Then she brushed a few stray strands of black hair from her eyes thoughtfully. "Are you looking for work?".

"Maybe," Soujiro put the coins back in his pocket. "If I can find something."

At this, she nodded, smiling. "Well, you're in luck. My inn can always use an extra hand."

"You own an inn?," the young man tilted his head.

"Yes, you could stay there and earn enough to get you a little farther in your wanderings, that is, if you're interested."

Soujiro studied this stranger. With hair coming loose from her bun and clear, intelligent eyes, she made him think a little of Yumi. Of course Yumi had been lovely, graceful, and always elegantly dressed, while this girl was plain and heavy-set, with clothes that bordered between East and West. A furisode(1) tied with a sash, but no obi bow,(2) worn over a western-style shirt, though she was hardly haikara.(3)

"Alright," he finally agreed with a polite smile and another bow. "I would be happy to accept your offer."

She grinned slightly at his formality. "I'm not the Emperor, you know," then she gestured towards another small street. "Follow me, the Sakura Ryokan(4) is this way."

**********

He awoke to the warmth of the sun on his face and the scent of fresh morning air… Outside, he could hear the birds singing… Strange, he smiled to himself, strange, he had never taken much notice or pleasure in those things until after he had set out on his own...

He remembered little of the previous evening. It had been almost night when his mysterious guide and he had arrived. He had been hungry, but to exhausted from days of traveling to eat, so she had lead him to a clean, well organized storage shed at the back of the Inn , presented him with a tatami mat(5) and futon(6) and that had been that.

He had just gotten up, and was rolling up his futon when there came footsteps outside…

Before Soujiro could even answer, the fusuma(7) slid open. and in stepped a little boy, no more then seven or eight. In his hands he held a small tray with food on it.

"Ohayo!,"(8) he greeted him with a friendly smile. He looked at the tray, then back at him. "I'm Taro Machiko, and we thought you might be hungry."

The boy smiled back. "Ita da ki masu."(9) Accepting the tray, he sat down, cross-legged and began to eat. The ocha,(10) miso(11) and rice were very good, even if he did not particularly care for natto,(12) but he was in no position to criticize.

He must have been very hungry indeed, for Taro put a hand in front of his mouth to stifle a laugh at how fast he was eating.

"Go chiso sama deshita,"(13) Soujiro said, a little sheepishly, putting the cleared tray down. "Thank you very much."

The little boy cheerfully took the tray and stood up. "You're welcome. They told me to tell you there's a big basin behind the shed, and you should wash."

Here the young man studied the worn, faded sleeves of his kimono with an embarrassed smile. Aside from the rivers and lakes he'd passed, there had been few opportunities for that.

Taro then handed him some folded garments, a freshhakima,(14) kimono and even new zouri.(15) "These are for you too."

Soujiro graciously accepted them. He had a change of clothes in his pack, but they were just as worn, faded and ripped as the ones he was wearing. These would be much more suitable.

"They also said to come by the back door to the kitchen when you're ready," the little boy added, and with that he left, closing the fusuma behind him.

The young wanderer wondered just who 'they' were, but he supposed he would know soon enough.

**********

If Shishio or Yumi could have seen him during this past year, they would either be furious or shocked beyond all reason, Soujiro decided with a chuckle as he made his way to what he presumed to be the ryokan's kitchen. He had not had a very good chance to see the place last night, as it had been dark, and with him being so tired, but now he found himself admiring the place. It was a modest size, set on the outskirts of town. Far enough to be peaceful and scenic, and close enough not to be overly secluded.

As he neared the kitchen, he could smell rice and other things cooking, and he could hear the pleasant chatter of voices…

Almost cautiously, he opened the fusuma, and at once numerous pairs of eyes were on him. He recognized little Taro, though next to him a tall young woman with her hair in a neat, tight bun raised a brow, eyeing the newcomer suspiciously, almost condescendingly. He was washed, and wearing faded, yet cleaner and more presentable, clothing, but he was still a wanderer, and a stranger.

Smiling politely, the boy bowed in greeting. "Ohayo!. Forgive me for disturbing you, but I was wondering where I might find the owner of this establishment?."

"You've found her already, Shaiming."(16) As if on cue, the fusuma to the serving area opened and in stepped the girl who had rescued him from the police the other evening. In her hands was a tray of soiled dishes and unwanted leftovers.

"Shaiming?." He wasn't sure he'd heard that word before.

She set the tray near the wash basin and brushed her bangs from her eyes good naturedly. "It means 'sunshine'. I don't think you've stopped smiling since I left you last night."

"Really!," the other woman crossed her arms. "Hiring help is one thing, but to just take in some… tramp off the streets?. I would have thought you had better sense then that."

"Don't start, Lieko," she answered, giving her a chastising look. "He needs a job for a while and this inn can always use an extra pair of hands." Soujiros new employer then gestured to the dishes. "If you can start on that, I can get some orders finished allot earlier."

The young man nodded pleasantly. "I would be glad to."

"Thank you," she nodded back, and went about preparing the next set of orders…

Smiling, Soujiro set to work on the dishes. He remembered, when he first set out he had thought he would not be able to handle these kind of tasks, thanks to… unpleasant memories, but the very first job he had taken had proved to be no real trouble. He grinned, recalling how his eyes had widened when he had discovered not everyone got a beating for missing a spot on the floor.

Chuckling, Soujiro looked up from his work to be met with brief, friendly glances from his new employer and Taro, as well as a haughtily raised eyebrow from Lieko…

**********

"You stupid brat!. I told you that I wanted a hundred barrels of rice moved to the west shed today!. Get out there and move em', runt!. When I tell you to do something you're supposed do it!. What the hell are you smiling for?!. Listen up!. Until you finish the job right you're not setting one foot inside this house!. You can sleep outside tonight!."

"Come on, why do you bother with him, Dad?."

"Don't forget to do your chores when you're done with the rice!."

"And massaging my shoulders too!."

"The old man sure left us allot of trouble with this good for nothing brat he had with some other woman!."

"It's alright, Dad. Just think of him as a servant that we don't have to pay, who can wait on us hand and foot!."

"He brought it on himself, always smiling like that. He must think we took him out of love, but we were only worried what people would think."

"Huh, what's that?."

"Stop kidding around!. I'd never let him inherit one cent of our wholesale rice business!. It belongs to my kids!."



Rice... the texture of it... the smell of it as it cooked... He shook his head with a bitter smile... He had never been fond of rice... Sometimes, when he smelt or tasted it, he almost swore he could still hear their angry voices…



"Uh oh!. Looks like Soujiro screwed up again and broke another barrel of rice!."

"What a klutz!."

"What was that?!. Soujiro! Another one?!. Do you have any idea how many barrels of rice this makes?!. I've had it up to here with you!. Come here, boy!."



He finished dishing out the rice onto the plates. After adding the hot vegetables, noodles and sauce, he presented the plates to Taro. "Here, you go. These orders are ready."

He smiled. "That was really fast!. You're good!."

Soujiro smiled back as he watched the little boy leave to deliver the orders... So innocent... His own skills in the kitchen had come from years of bruises, cuts and sleeping outside, but, no doubt, Taro and the others had had a much gentler teacher…

It was now after the busy lunch rush, and time for the staff to have theirs. The boy helped himself to some odanga(17) and ocha and seated himself on the steps of the inns engawa(18)…

As he ate, he watched the afternoon sun shine through the trees and listened to the leaves rustling in the wind... He smiled thoughtfully. As much as he preferred his new life as a wanderer to his former one as an assassin, it was always good to find a place to stay, even only for a short time…

"Any room for me?," came a pleasant voice...

Brought out of his thoughts, Soujiro turned to see the mistress of the ryokan smiling down at him, a cup of ocha in her hands…

"Certainly", he greeted her, patting the steps. "By all means, make yourself comfortable… Miss?…" Strange, she had unknowingly saved him from possible execution, given him work for as long as he needed, and they still had not been properly introduced.

She seated herself on the step above him with a soft chuckle. "Kita, Kita Hoshi, and you are?..."

"Soujiro, Soujiro Harumasa,"(19) he answered without hesitation. Harumasa had been his mothers family name. He had been only five or six years old when she had brought him to his late fathers family, so he couldn't really remember that much about her other then her name, Kaiya Harumasa, and that he would never forgive her for leaving him there. None the less, he had been using her family name to avoid trouble with the law, grateful to have found at least some good coming from being illegitimate.

She tilted her head. "Eh?, Jiro then. Soujiro sounds like something that got caught in the clothes wringer!."

The boy had to laugh!. He'd been called allot of things, brat, bastard, boy, never that!. He also couldn't help noticing how much more at ease his employer seemed with him, compared to her efficient, business-like manner this morning.

Kita took a sip of her green tea. "So, where are you from?."

"Kyoto," Soujiro quietly munched on a dumpling. "Though I haven't been back there for more then a year."

"Really?," she seemed curious. "Why not?."

At this, he lowered his eyes, his voice soft... "I... I would really prefer not to talk about it, Miss Kita…"

Was it his imagination, or was that a flicker of recognition he saw in her face?...

"I understand, Shaiming," she nodded…

The two were silent for a moment, neither sure of what to say next… Finally, Soujiro remembered something he'd been wanting to ask her. "How long have you been in charge of this Inn, Miss Kita?."

She smiled, holding her cup with one hand while straightening her skirt and apron with the other. "Just about a year, I'd say. The old master and his wife took me on when I arrived from Beijing three years ago, and they had no relatives except for Taro, so they left it to me when they died."

Beijing, China?. Well, that explained her accent and the foreign sounding words she would sometimes use, though she spoke nearly perfect Japanese. Soujiro was surprised to say the least. He had never met anybody from Beijing before, since much of the Juppon Gatana's equipment and machinery had been purchased from Shanghai.

"I see," he smiled, then he offered her a dumpling. "Danga?…"

She smiled back, accepting the dumpling. "Thank you."

**********

Over the next week, he found himself adjusting quickly. He had worked at several odd jobs and a few inns during the past year, so the routine at the Sakura Ryokan was nothing terribly new.

Kita, he found, was a competent and experienced businesswoman, who kept good order among both guests and staff. Her skills in Japanese, Chinese and Western cooking, which she began to teach Soujiro on the first day, kept the restaurant popular among customers. Taro, whom Soujiro learned was the late owners grandson, was always pleasant and friendly, and even haughty Lieko soon admitted it was good to have an extra hand about.

Between wandering and working, the young wanderer found he had had more opportunities to think during the last year. Perhaps that was because in the ten years he'd spent with Shishio, he had left that all up to him, content to simply follow orders… but now he was making up for lost time.

Soujiro remembered how he had compared Makoto and Himura. 'Two men who wandered the same road for ten years, yet ended up in completely different places'… After walking the path of an assassin for a decade, he had found himself leaving it behind him, with a large price on his head and desperate for a way to clean all those years of blood off his hands… He wondered, where would this new path take him in nine more years?…


"Fish! Fresh fish!."

"Sugared fruits and candies for sale!."

"Flowers! Buy a bouquet of beautiful flowers!."

Today Soujiro was accompanying Kita and Taro into town. Miss Hoshi had wanted to buy an extra supply of fruits and vegetables, and had asked if he wanted to join her and Taro. Reasoning that the police had been content to forget about him after more then a week, the boy agreed.

"Hey, Kita," Taro asked. "How about I get the oranges, apples and peaches?. You and Jiro can get the lettuce, carrots and the rest."

Kita had to grin, knowing her charge preferred to be on his own in public, a way of showing off his growing independence. "Fine, but meet us here in at least half an hour, alright?."

"Alright," the child nodded, and with that, he accepted the money she handed him for the fruit and took off down the street…

Soujiro frowned to himself as he watched him go. How he envied Taro!. Why was it that some children were born into good homes with caring families and had a peaceful, secure future to look forward to, while others... others...

"Jiro?... Hello?... Are you alright?…"

He turned to see Kita looking at him with some concern. "Eh?... What?…"

"I asked if you were alright," she folded her arms, tilting her head. "You seemed a little sad for a moment."

"Oh, I'm fine, perfectly fine. I was just… thinking of something… that's all."

She nodded, satisfied with his answer, and the two continued on their way…

It was a pleasant July day, sunny, but the town was close enough to the ocean to get its cool breeze.

As they wandered from stall to stall, inspecting the fresh grown goods, Soujiro and Kita chatted easily, like old friends. During the time he had been here, he found himself enjoying her straightforward, direct manner, while she herself loved the way almost every one of his sentences seemed to have a playful, hidden meaning.

"Do you think Miss Lieko will manage alright at the ryokan while we're gone?."

Kita chuckled as she selected another handful of fresh vegetables. "Oh yes, after that first time, she knows better."

Soujiro grinned, having a feeling this was leading up to something amusing. "And what happened that first time, may I ask?."

"Well, I left her in charge of the Inn while I went to market... and when I got back, would you believe it?. She was giving almost every handsome, eligible man in town free meals in the serving area!."

The boy chuckled. "Well, you should never leave the fox in charge of the hen-house."

Kita agreed!. And they laughed together as they continued among the market stalls…

It was then that something caught the young man's eye... It was a large white paper, to far away to see what exactly was on it... Excusing himself from Kita, he approached it… As he drew nearer, his eyes widened at the familiar face in the picture, and the familiar name below it…



WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

On charges of murder and treason against the Meiji government

Soujiro Seta

Alias: Soujiro The Tenken(20)

REWARD



It was as if someone had frozen him there. He had seen these wanted posters, but only near Kyoto or Tokyo, and the last one he'd seen was months ago. He'd never thought the police would bother chasing him this long!.

But that was stupid, he thought, with a shake of his head. I was Shishio's right hand, and I'm the only one they haven't caught. The others. They had either died, joined the government, or turned themselves in to the police. Soujiro felt his back stiffen. If they somehow managed to catch him, he would rather be executed then serve the Meiji government.

"Jiro?," Kita called. "Are you coming?." She was to far ahead to see the poster clearly.

"Yes, yes, I'll be along in a minute. Don't bother waiting for me, Miss Kita," he called back.

"Alright then," and with that she took the days purchases and went off to meet Taro…

Once he was sure noone around could see, the boy quickly reached out and tore the poster from the wall where it hung. Hurriedly, he crumpled it up and tossed it aside into the grass. The less people to see that poster the better!.

Unknown to him, as he rushed off to rejoin Kita and Taro, another figure had seen what he'd just done... They quietly knelt down, unnoticed, and picked up the crumpled paper, slowly opening it and smoothing it out…

**********

The daylight had long since gone and the candles had been brought out, lighted and placed about the ryokan. And, as it was an unusually cool night for mid summer, the fire on the hearth had been lit as well.

It had been a rather quiet evening. Kita had gone out on one last errand and Soujiro was nearly finished sweeping the kitchen floor, while Lieko and Taro waited on the few remaining customers in the serving area... Three men there were... and they had been having glass after glass of sake...

Soujiro shook his head with a rueful grin. Neither he or Kita had really approved of sake or any other alcoholic beverage being sold at the Sakura Ryokan, "With the first glass a man drinks wine, with the second glass the wine drinks the wine, with the third glass the wine drinks the man,"( 21) Kita always said, but the others had insisted that every other normal inn did it, and that they could lose allot of business to them.

The larger of the three men, despite the law, was carrying a katana(22) … As he and the others drank more sake they grew angrier and louder… and as he grew angrier and louder, his grip tightened on the sword…

Lieko was just passing by their kotatsu(23) after serving them, when the larger man began to eye her... "Like I said, only dogs working here."

Lieko tried to hurry away from the kotatsu, but he quickly seized her wrist. "This one's the only one worthwhile, aren't you?."

The young woman's usually condescending expression quickly turned to one of fear. "N.. No.", she protested, trying to pull away. "No, I'm not. Leave me alone!."

But they only laughed at that. "Come on now, don't be like that. You know you want this." The large leader, his face red with drink, leaned forward to kiss her…

Terrified, Lieko tried to free herself again, but was soon slapped across the face and shoved roughly to the floor.

The three men began to advance closer towards her as she crouched against the wall, trembling...

"Don't touch her!," Taro cried, seizing the only weapon he could find, an extra broom, and moving himself protectively in front of Lieko. "I mean it!. Leave her alone!."

But the sight of an undersized eight year old child making threats and waving around a broom did little to discourage the drunks. They swiftly grabbed him and threw him out of their way. Then they seized Lieko and the leader prepared to put his hands under her clothes...

Meanwhile, wide-eyed, Soujiro stood frozen by the kitchen entranceway... It was like watching the scene replay itself before his eyes... His family... They were coming after him... They were going to kill him…


"Soujiro! Why you! How dare you try to make me look like a fool!."

"Hey, Soujiro!. I can't believe you did something that goes against the will of the government!."

"You little pig!. Do you want to ruin my business or something, you no good ingrate bastard?!."

"Out with it! Where's the rebel?!."

"You little pig!. I've had it up to here with you!. I'll kill you!."

"Hey, wait a second. As much as I'd like to see it, won't it look sort of bad?."

"Don't worry, we'll be fine. There's a dangerous criminal hiding around here, don't you remember?. I don't think that a kid being killed with him around these parts would look to suspicious. I don't see a problem as long as we tell the police."

"That's very true, and because we're giving the police information about the rebel I'm sure we'll all be handsomely rewarded, don't you think?."

"I won't let you destroy my business!."

"I can't believe that you'd do such a horrible thing after all we've done to raise you!. Bah!."

"Go ahead and do him in, brother."

"You got it!. One dead brat coming up!."

"If you are strong you live. If you are weak…"


"…You die…" Soujiro whispered as Shishios words, the words he had ground into him for ten years, repeated themselves over and over in his mind... He tapped one foot, then the other, on the floor, a habit from the past whenever he prepared himself for a battle... Smiling coldly, he stepped out from the kitchen...

"Jiro!," Lieko cried when she saw him. "No!."

Taro rushed to her side and they clung to each other in fear. "Run away, Jiro!. Get out of here!."

But Soujiro saw and heard only the three attackers as they turned around and spotted him...

"What've we got here," the leader sneered. "Another little boy?. Don't you have any real men to fight for you, girlie?."

Lieko sobbed and Taro helped her cover the torn upper part of her kimono with her shawl...

At once the bigger man drew his katana and lunged towards the approaching boy... but Soujiro was ready for him. In one movement, almost to swift to be seen, he dodged the sword and kicked out at the man, sending him flying into the wall…

The boy leaned down and picked up the katana the leader had dropped… It had been close to two years since he had handled one... and yet... it felt almost disturbingly right… familiar…

"In the end, only the fittest survive in this world," he repeated, his eyes widening at the sight of the moonlight glinting off the sword. "If you're strong you live. If you're weak you die." And with lightning swift accuracy he raised the katana and beheaded the leader in a single stroke.

Lieko turned away and held Taro closer to her, pressing his face into her shawl so he would not have to see either…

The two other men cried out in rage over their slain comrade. They each drew their knives from their belts and charged forward, ready to finish Soujiro off…

"In the end only the fittest survive in this world!," the boy chanted as he sliced open the first attacker. "If you're strong you live!. If you're weak…" and with that he beheaded the second attacker. "You die!." Then all was silent…

Soujiro stared down at the bodies of the three men... then he raised his head to meet shocked and relieved gazes from Lieko and Taro…

"What's going on in here?…" Just then, the fusuma to the serving area opened and in stepped Kita, back from her errands… Almost before she got in the doorway she dropped her parcels to the ground. She stood frozen in her tracks, covering her mouth with her hands to stifle her horrified gasp. "Ay ya!.(24) Gods, what happened?!."

"Kita! Oh, Kita!," Lieko cried. She and Taro ran to their friend, barely able to control their tears.

Taro hugged Kita around the waist, as that was the only part he could reach. "It was so scary!. They came and they tried to... to..."

Though her hands were shaking uncontrollably, and she was beginning to feel terribly nauseous at the sight of the grisly scene on the floor, Miss Hoshi returned Taros embrace and stroked Lieko's hair comfortingly. She could only guess what they must have been through in the past few minutes. "Shhh, it's alright. It's over now. You're both safe."

Lieko wiped the tears from her face and nodded. "Jiro!," she said. "He saved us!."

"Yes!," added Taro. "You should have seen him!. He was amazing!."

Kita released her friends and looked to where Soujiro was standing, motionless, over the bodies of the drunken attackers… but the boy did not notice…

He felt his throat tightening and his hands trembling, causing him to drop the katana to the floor with a sickening clatter… Why?... Why did this have to happen?... The very thing he'd been trying to escape and avoid for almost two years, and it had finally found him again!.

"Jiro?…"

He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and turned to see Kita beside him, concern in her eyes…

"Are... are you alright?…"

As he had done so many times in the past, the boy nodded and smiled through the pain and the guilt… "Yes…" He then turned his gaze back to the dead men. "I killed them…" he said, his voice a little softer…

Kita did not remove her hand from his arm. "They probably would have killed the three of you if you hadn't," she answered decisively. Then, to Soujiros surprise, her face and eyes hardened as she glared down at the slain attackers. "I'm only sorry you didn't stab them in the back, through the lungs. It would have been more painful, and they wouldn't have been able to let out a whisper."

**********

Later that night, the clouds had become heavy enough to start a gentle summer shower that would be more then welcomed by farmers in the area…

The falling rain made a light pitter pattering sound on the roof of the storage shed… the sweet, fresh scent drifted through the opened shoji(25)... The boy sleeping peacefully on his futon breathed it in… Suddenly, the young man began to stir and cry out…


"Agghh!!."

"You're not getting away!."

"Kill the swine!."

"Someone, help me! Anyone! Somebody! Anybody! Somebody, help me!."

"He ain't here."

"Damn! Where'd he hide himself?."

"They're going to kill me. Mister Shishio, help me."

"There you are. I never would have expected you to hide here. Hey, where'd you get that expensive looking wakizashi?. Was it in the rice shed or something?. Let's have a look, shall we?."

"In the end, only the fittest survive in this world. If you're strong you live. If you're weak…"


"Agghh!!. Help me!. Somebody!. Somebody!. Anybody!. Somebody, help me!," Soujiro screamed as he tossed and turned fitfully in his sleep... Along with his desperate cries, the sound of the rain on the roof and the blowing wind grew steadily louder…

"Why didn't you protect me?!," he screamed again, this time clawing at his sleeves and arms. "Nobody wanted to help me!. You didn't protect me!."

**********

Kita lay in her futon, hands behind her head, staring into the darkness with a frown on her face… She was unable to sleep... It had been a bad business, a very bad business...

After calming and comforting Lieko and Taro, she had sent them to their rooms to rest, then she and Jiro, well, more her then him, had contacted the police, saying that a huge fight had broken out in the restaurant and the three men had killed each other in a drunken rage...

Miss Hoshi closed her eyes, trying to imagine away the memory of blood and bodies on the now sparkling clean floor... It was to close to home... To close to the reason she had left China in the first place, and changed her name…

She was then brought out of her bad memories by a painful, tortured scream coming from outside…

Ay ya! What was happening now?. Quickly, she got up and slid into her slippers, tying a robe over her nemaki.(26)

The storage shed was right near the staffs quarters where she slept, so she did not have far to run in the rain. Hurriedly, Kita opened the fusuma to be met with a sight perhaps even more disturbing then the dead men... Soujiro lay sprawled on the floor, writhing like an animal in pain. He violently clutched his head and banged it repeatedly against the floor, then, screaming out in a mixture of grief, agony and terror, he raked his fingernails across his arms.

"Jiro!," she cried, throwing herself beside him and taking hold of his wrists, though it was all she could do to keep him from breaking away to attack himself again. "Jiro! It's alright! Wake up!."

To her dismay, he continued to struggle, still caught in his nightmare. "Agghh!! Help me!. Somebody!. Somebody!. Anybody!. Somebody, help me!," he kept screaming, and, "Why didn't you protect me?!. Nobody wanted to help me!. You didn't protect me!."

"Jiro!," Kita tried again, this time putting her arms around him and shaking him firmly. "Jiro, it's me, Kita!. It's alright!. Wake up, please!."

She was beginning to get through to him. After a few moments he stopped struggling and his breathing calmed. Soon, his eyes flickered open. "K... Kita?…" he whispered shakily…

"It's alright," she repeated, gently brushing his hair from his eyes. "It was just a nightmare." Her tone was light and soothing, but fear and concern welled up inside her. What had happened this evening must have affected him far more seriously then he had let on at first, probably even more then Lieko and Taro. And why shouldn't it?, she thought. After all, killing wasn't easy... It was never easy…

The boy had been brought out of his nightmare, but he was not completely awake yet. "Please," he whispered, throwing himself into the girl's waiting arms and clinging to her. "Please, don't let him get me."

Kita blinked in surprise. "Who?."

"My stepfather." Soujiro sobbed, tears streaming down his pale face…

The girl took a deep breath at this revelation, but continued to hold her stricken friend. "Shhh, it's alright, Shaiming," she said, tightening her arms protectively around Soujiro and rocking him back and forth like a child. "Noone is going to get you. You're safe now."

**********

Soujiro did not even wince as the warm water and ointment stung the scrapes and scratches on his arms. He had been wounded countless times during his life, and far worse then this... Instead he smiled at Kita, who had just finished dabbing the last of the ointment on his arms... "Thank you."

She nodded, finishing with her doctoring and sitting herself on the zabuton across from him. "You're welcome". Then she reached for the warm pot and cups nearby. "Ocha?."

The boy chuckled to himself. That seemed to be Miss Hoshi's cure for everything, a cup of green tea. "Yes please."

The two sat there in the Inn's kitchen, enjoying the soothing warmth of the ocha…

"How are Miss Lieko and Taro?," Soujiro asked.

"Oh, they're fine," Kita answered assuringly. "Just give them a good nights rest and they should be alright." Her gaze then fixed itself on him. "What about you, Jiro?."

Still smiling, he looked away and studied his cup... "Oh, it's nothing", he said. "I'm just sorry to have caused so much trouble for you."

"No," she shook her head. "I think it was partly my fault."

"Your fault?."

She took another sip of her tea. "Yes, I should have been more sensitive towards you earlier. I was just so furious…" It was true, when she'd seen Lieko and Taro so frightened and upset and Jiro so shaken, in spite of his constant smile, she'd wished she'd had killed those men herself... but then, it would have been Beijing all over again, wouldn't it?…

The boy shook his head and took a sip from his own cup. "No, it was not your fault. You mustn't think that." How could she blame herself?, he wondered. She certainly was not responsible for the memories that incident had triggered. "Miss Kita," he stood up and bowed politely after finishing his tea. "I want to thank you for everything. Noone has ever really been this kind to me before. I'll always remember it."

She brushed a few stray tendrils of hair from her face after finishing her own tea. "Where do you think you'll go… I mean… once you've made enough to take you farther?…"

"I don't know, really…" he answered truthfully.

She stood up and smiled. "Well, for now, I'm glad you're here."

Soujiro looked at her... Then, surprisingly, he felt a smile spread across his own face. This was not his old false, empty smile that he'd created to mask his pain from everything, and everyone, that had ever harmed him. This was genuine, and given out of a deep inner gladness… "Thank you, so am I."


To Be Continued...


(1) Traditional long-sleeved Kimono worn by younger unmarried women. Elder, married women wear a shorter sleeved version called a Tomesode.

(2) Generally, Obi sashes/belts are worn with bows for decoration, but seeing as Kita is of Chinese origins, I thought I'd omit the bow.

(3) A "Japish" term meaning "one who pretends to be western in lifestyle, one who follows the trends." I think the word stems from the fact that western dress shirts had higher collars than the Japanese kimono - so that anyone who went "western" in dress (and their lifestyles) were following the latest fads, and were "high-collar." The Japanese, who were cynical of this westernization, wrote it the term (pronounced "haikara") as "ash-shell." The opposite of "haikara" is "bankara," which means "one who leads a mundane/retro lifestyle."

(4) Cherry Blossom Inn.

(5) Traditional Japanese mat made of straw.

(6) Sleeping cot and quilt, which can be rolled up and stored away for space.

(7) Sliding door made of paper and wood.

(8) "Good morning."

(9) "I humbly receive." "May I begin?" "It looks/smells wonderful; I am beginning." Polite phrase said prior to having a meal.

(10) Japanese green tea.

(11) A light or dark paste made from fermented soybeans, salt, and sometimes rice or barley; salty and savory in flavor; most well known as the basis for a soup served almost daily; also used as a marinade for fish, meat, and vegetables.

(12) Fermented soy beans.

(13) "Thank you", "It was a treat or a special meal", "Thank you (for paying)." Polite phrase said after a meal.

(14) An outer garment worn over the kimono that are either split between the legs like pants or non-split like a skirt. hakima pants originated as an outer garment to protect samurai warriors legs from brush when riding a horse. Today, the hakima is worn as formal attire for ceremonies, traditional Japanese dance, artists and martial arts.

(15) Japanese sandals that can be made from many materials including straw, tree bark, and leather. The difference between a zouri and a waraji is that you have to tie down a waraji, while a zouri is a slip-on like beach thongs.

(16) "Sunshine".

(17) Dumplings.

(18) Similar to the Western porch or veranda. When all the house's exterior panels are closed, the engawa remains exposed to the wind and the rain. It is the space that links the inside of the building with the outside of the building.
When the shutters and panels of the engawa are open, emphasis is on the inside of the house. When the panels are closed, emphasis is on the outside of the house. The engawa is less an exit or even an entrance as it is a threshold.

(19) I read somewhere that the famous young captain of the Shinsengumi first unit, Okita Souji, was known as Soujiro Harumasa in his childhood. Since Watsuki Nobuhiro mentioned modeling Soujiro partly after Okita, I couldn't think of a more perfect family name for Soujiro's mother then Harumasa!. Also, I remember reading that Okita had an elder sister whose name is not known, so I decided that she would be Soujiro's unknown mother, making Okita Soujiro's uncle!. I may do more with this idea in upcoming stories!.

(20) "Tenken", "Heaven Sword".

(21) An actual Japanese proverb.

(22) Traditional Japanese sword.

(23) Japanese kotatsu tables are a traditional table used both in Japanese homes and restaurants. The kotatsu table is probably the most extensively used piece of furniture and considered the emotional center of the home for family and friends gather around its welcoming warmth. The modern kotatsu table features an electric heater in the center and the removable reversible top is placed over a blanket to contain the heat.

(24) A Chinese expression, mostly of negative surprise or shock.

(25) Similar to a fusuma, only a window.

(26) Traditional sleeping kimono.