Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Letters to Okassan ❯ Chapter 1

09/19/2001

Letters to Okassan

Seta Satchin was sitting on a subway bound for Kyoto,Japan. Damn this stupid school project.I should be in Shibuya right now,cruising with my girlfriends,boy-hunting.But look!Now I have to go visit my great grandfather's home!If it were not for that new Louis Vuitton bag Daddy promised me,I could care less if I repeat this course.

Satchin is the only child of Seta Soujirou and Makimachi Misao.She studies in one of the pricey private schools abound in the Harajuku quarter of Tokyo where she and her parents live.Daddy's girl is how everyone calls her at school because her father practically worships her a little too much.

"Everyone going off at Kyoto Station 1!We're going to be there in 5 minutes time folks!" the digitized voice of the train operator was heard on the speakers.

"Satchin-chan!!!!" She could hear a delicate female voice over the crowds of people in the train station. "Okon-san!It's good to see you!" Satchin said in the most polite voice she could ever muster.At least Okon's cooler than the other people.She thought.

Shortly they stashed Satchin's stuff at the back of Okon's spankin' new car. "Your okassan told me that you're staying here for a month?" Okon asked Satchin while they were driving across the highway. "Hai."

"What is this school project about anyway?"Okon asked her again as they stopped at an intersection.

"Well.......we're supposed to gather some visual evidence of our clan....it's for my Sociology class..." Satchin replied before fishing around her purse for a stick of cigarette.

"Does your parents know that you smoke Satchin-chan?" Okon asked her while pressing the button that would automatically make the window go down.

"They don't have to know....."Satchin replied in a carefree tone.

Okon cast her a disaproving look.

"Aaaw c'mon Okon!Lighten up girl!Don't tell me you're going to squeal to homebase that I'm a smoker,ne?" Satchin groveled.

"No.It's not my place to interfere with the family affairs of other people."Okon replied staring ahead.

They stopped for lunch at a convinience store and by the time they reached what was formerly the Oniwabashuu headquarters it was already dinner time.

Shiro,Kuno and Omasu greeted them.

After the usual handing over of presents,they got Satchin settled in her mother's old room.

No sooner when Satchin closed the door,her mobile phone rang.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Satchin-chan!!!!How's my little angel?"

"Daddy!Hi!!!"

"Aaaawww....look at that....you're going to be there for a month and look at your old man.You haven't even been gone for 24 hours,but I'm starting to miss you already....."

"Aaaw Daddy......."she wheedled.

"If you need some money to be transferred to your account,don't hesitate to call me,darling."

"Of course Daddy.Have you eaten dinner already?"

"Hai sweetie!Hey,your mom wants to talk to you.I'm going to pass the phone to her."

"Ok.Hi mom......"

***************

Satchin woke up to sunlight streaming through the paper panes of her window and wondered where she was. Kyoto.Doing this damned school project.

She sighed and looked at the clock

"Nine o' clock?!I'm awake on nine a.m. and it's not even a school day?!"she muttered.

She got dressed and headed for her mother's personal bathroom.

"Hard to believe that a clan of ninjas used to live here.It's all modern and stuff."she mumbled to her reflection in the mirror.

After lunch,Satchin decided to get a head start on her project. Omasu showed her the attic where the family memoirs and documents are placed.

"Damn!I'm going to look through these dusty stuff?! My nails are going to be really ruined!"she complained to herself.

She started walking around and suddenly went sprawling on the floor.

"What the f-?!Heeeeey,what's this?"she said out loud as she saw what tripped her.

It was a small box.A litttle bit larger than a shoebox would normally be.

"My...this box is pretty!What is it doing in a place like this?This probably cost a fortune!"she mumbled,debating whether she should open the box or not.

"Oh well.Might as well open it."she said with a shrug."Oh damn.I broke a nail."

When she opened the box,what she saw inside surprised her.It was pictures of her mother when she was a lot younger.And she was with another man.

"Was this a former boyfriend?My....my......'kassan.....you have good taste in men!"she muttered while looking at the photos. When she was done looking at the photographs,she saw a thick journal at the bottom of the box. Satchin opened the journal and started reading its contents.Unconciously she sank to the dusty floor,reading her mother's past life which is growing more interesting with every page.

Satchin kept on reading her mother's adventures when she was still her age. Satchin wasn't able to believe that her mother used to be a ninja too. And that she posed as a prostitute who would steal men's money before they could even touch her. Misao kept mentioning the name Aoshi Shinomori in every journal entry, aside from that,she also mentioned that she would look all over Japan until she found him.

" 'Kassan....I thought you lead a very boring life......You've hidden so much from me....." Satchin mumbled while flipping through the journal.

She had gone through about half the journal,and when she turned the next page, a sheet of paper fell out from the folds. Satchin picked it up from the dusty floor and realized that it was a letter to her mother.

"Ooooooh!Fancy that!I think it's a love letter!How novel!" Satchin muttered before reading it.

Hello love,

It's been way too long,since I realized that you're the most important thing in my life.

I've got a need to tell you....I know that I was wrong....Show you how I feel at what's going on.

I don't know what to say......

Except,I loved that girl so much. But I didn't show it.I started spreading myself too thin.Pulled it right,thought she didn't know it.Such childish games I've played.Fooled her with my touch.

Time has taught me so much....

I've known enough to say...

I was too young,but that's no excuse.I've had too much too soon.I'd wanted more room to please my restless youth.

Now understand,I can't take my place beside you.

You treated me so kind,you were all mine....And I just walked away...

Is there a way that we can turn back the hands of all of that precious time I let slip by? I can't take much more of this,so I got to try....

To get you back and say.....

I was too young,but that's no excuse.I've had too much too soon.I'd wanted more room to please my restless youth.

True love comes once in a lifetime....

And if it's true,then you'll be back in mine...

Aoshi

Her mother loved this man. But he had rejected her too many times to count. Satchin shook her head and resumed reading the journal. Her mother did everything to make this man named Aoshi to love her.

"Mother sure is very insistent. She must've loved this man too much.....I wonder why she didn't end up with him?" She mumbled to herself.

After she flipped through more pages,Satchin was unprepared for what she was about to read. Her mother decided to settle in Tokyo for good. She had decided to forget about Aoshi.

"Why 'Kassan? Man! I didn't know your love story was this tragic!"

After a couple of pages, Satchin learned about the reason behind her mother's heartbreak.

Aoshi Shinomori married another woman.And if that wasn't enough. Misao had to endure the torture of watching them get married as the entire Oniwabashuu was required to attend the private ceremony since Aoshi had no family of his own.

Satchin flipped to the next entry. Her mother wrote that she would be leaving for Tokyo in three days. The ink was botched. Satchin assumed that her mother was crying when she wrote this.

Another couple of pages and Satchin found another letter inserted between the pages.

Misao,

What's the matter? Is the truth too hard to hear? Well I think I know
I'm not the one you love.

We've both played out our lives.

But the years don't change the way I feel inside.

Are you missing me?

Well,just be aware of how much I still care.

I need your love.

I give to you my heart and soul.Now I just need to let you know.
you're a part of me that I just can't let go...

Well tell me something misao,is there still something inside
to remind you of the way it used to be?

And how the years have gone by,still there's something I must say,
no one ever could have loved you more than me.

So I pass some time now...wishing you were mine now...

Are you missing me?

Well you know it's not too late,how long must I wait to hear you say...

And i need your love....

Everywhere i go there's a memory....

But you can't decide on me,well you've gotta let go of your mind...

Someday you're going to find yourself just like me.....

Just be aware of how much I still care........

I just can't let go.......

Aoshi

Satchin read her mother's reaction to this letter, and she couldn't help agreeing with her mother's sentiments. She wanted to find out more things. But unfortunately,that was the last page in the journal.Satchin decided to take the box and its contents in her room.

She went out to the courtyard and saw Okon sweeping.

"Okon-san?"

"Hai, Saitchin-san?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly."

"What do you know of the man named Shinomori Aoshi?"

Okon became silent all of a sudden.

"Come on.Tell me."Satchin prodded.

"How did you know about his existence?" Okon asked her.

"I found something that belonged to my mother."was all Satchin said.

"I see. Well, he was the Okashira until he disappeared for years. That's when your great-grandfather decided to make your mother the Okashira of the clan." Okon replied.

"Your mother loved Aoshi so much. Until things happened. She met a few new friends,all of them are still living nearby. We all thought that they would end up together, but Aoshi married another woman all of a sudden. I think it's to prove that he could never love Misao because she's to immature for him."

"Okon, were you there when Aoshi got married to another woman?"

"Yes. And though your mother maintained an impassive face all throughout the ceremony which she was forced to attend. You could feel the pain and sorrow coursing through her that moment.A few weeks after the wedding,she announced that she was going to study in Tokyo. Okina-sama agreed with her and gave her his blessing. Five days before Misao's departure for Tokyo,Aoshi-sama showed up here and they talked for an entire afternoon,but not here. I think he took her to the river. He brought her back home,but your mother was very quiet. All she said was 'Goodbye Shinomori.' before going in...."

"Okon, how did you know all of these things?"

"Hehehehe Satchin. I am not an Oniwabashuu for nothing. We are all trained spies,remember?"

"Did they see each other again?"

"Yes. Aoshi also got invited on your mother's wedding day.He showed up with his wife and his son. I didn't like his wife though. She was way too vain. His son, Iyasu, looks very much like him when Aoshi was young. Your mother's other friends were there too. She was the last to get married among them,for your information."

"Okon-san,could you accompany me to 'Kassan's old friends tomorrow?"

"Of course. I'll give them a call tonight."

************************************************************** ****

The next morning, Satchin was ushered into a large mansion a few streets from where she lives. According to Okon, this is the home of Dr. Megumi and Sanosuke Sagara.

"Madame Megumi, the people you've been expecting are here."she heard the hushed voice of the butler upstairs.

"Arigato Tadao-san. Have they been served some tea,yet?"

"Of course Madame."

"Tell them I'm coming down in a few moments. I just have to sign some new documents. Where is Sanosuke?"

"He still making his rounds at the firecracker factory Madame."

"I see.Go see to our guests Tadao-san."

After a few moments, Satchin was almost getting bored looking around the living room. Just then she heard a voice from the grandiose staircase.

"Hello Okon. Hello Satchin-san." a glamorous woman was descending the stairs. Her long black hair hung behind her.

"Hello Dr. Megumi." Satchin said.

Just then the front door opened to a man with brown hair and what looks like a very expensive business suit.

"Sano!You're just in time!This is Misao's only child! Seta Satchin." Megumi told her husband with a gesture toward Satchin.

"Hello young lady." Sano said.

"Hello sir."Satchin said with a smile.

Megumi's face was in shock as she was assesing Satchin.

"Sano....she has Misao's facial features....and Soujirou's smile....."

************************************************************ ******

After a few moments, Satchin was introduced to Makoto and Maiko Sagara. Maiko was three years older than Satchin. Megumi insisted that she accompany Satchin to the home of the Himura's. While Okon said that she'd best be heading off for work.

The two hit it off immediately. After they had lunch at a restaurant, they walked to the Himura's home,when another house caught Satchin's attention.

"Nice huh?" Maiko asked her.

"Oh yeah."Satchin replied as she started walking again.

"That's the home of the Stock Exchange CEO, Shinomori Aoshi and his wife Reiko." Maiko explained.

"Aaahh.." was all Satchin said.

They haven't gone far when a car stopped beside them.

"Oh! Mr. Shinomori! It's you!" Maiko exclaimed.

"Hello Maiko-chan.It's nice to see you." Aoshi said behind the wheel of his BMW.His eyes strayed over to the girl with Maiko Sagara. He could have sworn it was Misao.

"Oh!Pardon me for my manners. Mr. Shinomori, this is Seta Satchin."

"Hello Mr. Shinomori."

Her voice seems cold toward me. And her eyes....they suddenly lost their girlish gait than when she was with Maiko. Could it be that Misao told her about me? What is Misao's daughter with Soujirou doing here in Kyoto?

"Hello Ms. Seta."

"Well....we'd be going off to Mihoko's home now!" Maiko said cheerfully.

"She need to be introduced to the coolest people in town,you know!" she said in a stage whisper to Aoshi.

"Have fun girls."He said with a smile before driving into his huge home.

******************************************************************

Three days later, Mihoko,Maiko and Satchin were cruising the mall.

"Hey Satchin,you're here for only a month right?" Maiko asked her.

"Yeah,I'm only here for my project in Sociology."Satchin replied.

Mihoko was about to say something when her mobile phone rang.

"Moshi moshi? Oh Oniisan Kenji!What?Oh ok.I'll go ask my girlfriends first.If they agree where will we meet you guys?Oh. Ok. Got it." Mihoko said into her cellular phone then hung up.

"Hey girlfriends! My older bro wants to know if you guys would like to have lunch with him and his friends."

************************************************************** ****

They were supposed to have lunch at this restaurant with private rooms. Satchin saw Himura Kenji- Mihoko's older brother, Sagara Makoto-Maiko's older brother and another young man who she haven't met yet.

"Seta Satchin, I would like you to meet Shinomori Iyasu. Shinomori Iyasu, meet Seta Satchin." Kenji said.

Satchin bowed politely,so did Iyasu.

So this is Aoshi's son....he is handsome.....