Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Soon As Forever is Through ❯ Okina's Death ( Chapter 1 )

Soon As Forever is Through......

by:Kristeta

"Okina,please hold on for us. You're going to get through this one I know." Omasu said as she placed another pillow under Okina's head to help him breathe easier.

"Mi---sao..... Whe--re is Mi--saooo..."Okina wheezed.

"She will be here in a while Okina,please don't talk anymore." Kuro reprimanded him.

"Dam--mit boy! What if I'm already dead by the time Misao arrives from Tokyo?"Okina wheezed loudly.

"Bring Ao---s--hi to me-ee!"he ordered.

Omasu turned and immediately left to look for Aoshi in the temple where he's always meditating. Fortunately,she didn't have to go far because Aoshi was just going through the gates of the Aoiya.

"Aoshi-sama!"

Aoshi regarded Omasu coolly.

"Aoshi-sama,Okina's asking for you. His condition is very bad!He can barely breathe! Please go to his room now." Omasu said.

Aoshi nodded wordlessly.

"Okina,Aoshi's here." Okon said.

"Sugoi . Now,leave us alone!" Okina said,the last end of his sentence ending in a hacking cough.

"Aoshi...."

"Hai,Okina?"

"I want you to do a favor for me. Grant a dying man his last wish......"

"It depends on the favor Okina."

"What I'm going to say won't take long."Okina wheezed some more.

"Well,what is it then?"

"I want you to marry Misao-chan two months after I die."

"Nani?!"

"Aoshi,I know deep inside you loved that girl despite of her weaselness.But Aoshi,she's almost 25 now. She's a grown woman.Please Aoshi,marry her...." Okina ended up in a hacking cough again.

Aoshi thought long about Okina's last wish.

"Alright Okina . I'll do it."

"Atta boy!That's the way to go... *wheeze*" Okina said breathlessly.

"Jiya!!! Jiya!!!!!" Misao yelled loudly as she entered the gates of Aoiya,ten minutes later.

"Misao-chan! Hurry up!Thank Kami you're here already!" Kuro said taking the bag with Misao's stuff from her.

"Where's Jiya?Is he...."

"No he's not dead. He's in his room with Aoshi. Now go!"Kuro replied.

Misao ran through the corridors of the Aoiya and paused in front of her grandfather's door. She took a deep breath before opening it.

What she saw made her jaw drop in surprise. Jiya looked like a dried-up prune due to his asthma and Aoshi was kneeling next to his futon.

Aoshi can't help but stare back at Misao. She sure has matured a lot in the last two years he have not seen her. She was wearing a stunning purple kimono with a silver obi cinched at her narrow waist. Misao seems more subdued now than the bratty kid he knew before.

"Jiya!!!!"Misao cried as she dropped next to his futon.

"Misao-chan.You're home...."Okina raised his hand to touch her face.

"Iie Jiya,please don't talk anymore. Reserve your strength and tonight I'll take you out to dinner,my treat! Just please regain your strength."Misao pleaded .

"Gomen nasai Misao. I don't think I could join you for dinner tonight....." Okina said as his head lolled over to the side.

"JIYA!!!! NO!!!!!"

"Misao,I'm not yet dead."

Misao slightly sweatdropped.

"Misao,I want you to grant your Jiya one last request before he dies."Okina spoke to Misao as if she were a child again.

"Anything Jiya!"

"Marry Aoshi two months after I'm buried."

"Jiya!Don't talk like that! You're not going to die!I'm going to take care of you,I'll take you to the temple festivals and you can go get meet girls. JIYA! YOU...... ARE...... NOT.........GOING .....TO.... DIE!"Misao said fervently .

"Misao,I want to hear you say yes,please?" Okina's wheezing was really getting bad.

Misao couldn't look at Aoshi.

"He already agreed." Okina countered.

"Alright Jiya."

"Misao,thank you. I really thank Kami-sama for giving me a granddaughter like you. You've always been my only joy. Misao,always remember I love you....." Okina said as he closed his eyes and stopped breathing altogether.

"Jiya?"

No answer.

"Come on Jiya,stop playing jokes on me.That's not funny."

"It's all over Misao. Call the others."Aoshi told her calmly.

"NO!!!! HE'S NOT DEAD!Who do you think you are huh?"Misao said,sobbing.

Aoshi left the room to go get the others to start preparing for Okina's wake and funeral .

"Jiya!How could you?!" Misao sobbed some more.

FIVE HOURS LATER

Okon knocked on Misao's door. "Misao,I'm leaving your dinner outside your door. Please eat some dinner so that you can regain your strength. Misao? Do you hear me?"

Misao was sprawled all over her futon and was staring at the starlit night sky outside her window.

Jiya's gone. I'm all alone in the world.

Lonely. Cold .

Those words ran through Misao's head .

Weakly,she started for the door and got the tray Okon left with her dinner.

Misao lighted her lantern and nibbled on her food without tasting it.

Then she left the tray outside her door again.

Misao retreated to a corner of her room and brought her knees up to her chin and started humming to herself a song Okina taught her when she was still a kid.

It was when her tears started to flow again.

She looked up when she heard the wooden door slide.

That's strange,she thought. They are all at Okina's wake. Nobody's in here except for me. Maybe that's Jiya's yurei.......

"Jiya?"she called out weakly through her tear-soaked eyes.

"Iie Misao,it's just Aoshi."

Misao saw Aoshi move through her room in his silent way . He sat down beside her and placed a tentative hand on her shoulder.

"When will you pay your respects to your grandfather?" Aoshi whispered to her.

"Tomorrow morning.I can't show up there with my eyes all red and my nose running."Misao said in a feeble attempt in smiling.

"Don't Misao. Don't be a hypocrite to yourself." Aoshi reprimanded her.

"Aoshi about what Jiya said,you don't have to do it if you don't want to."Misao said,not looking at him.

"Misao, I am a man of honor.I know what things I get myself into.I fully intend to marry you in two months. I can accept it if you don't want to go through this. I just want you to know that I'm definitely not forced into this." Aoshi said in a low voice.

Well minna!!! This is just part one!!!!!

PUH-LEEZE READ AND REVIEW!!!!!

I'll be working on chapter 2 after a few days because of this curse called FINAL EXAMINATIONS.

And minna,I need suggestions for the lemon part!!!

please email them to me at:

kristeta_01@edsamail.com.ph