Chapter 5

She smells clean now. Is that sakura? One of the women must have given
her some of their perfume. It's nice. My self-acquired gifts are 
becoming wanted again. My sense of smell was the worst of all my 
gifts. The scent of sewage and blood can get on one’s nerves very 
quickly to say the least. Her natural smell is very relaxing though. 
You are making me spoil myself Onee-san.

“What do we do now that we’re clean?” Her voice startles me. What do 
we do now? Onee-san? I guess I have to make my own choice again. I let 
my eyes fall on Liya. She is beaming. Her eyes sparkle like a young 
girl who has found a prize she is not sure she should have but is 
happy nonetheless.

I have been staring at her too long. She’s blushing again. Almost 
nervously, she licks her lips reminding me of her nutritional needs. 
Food. “I guess we go and eat.” I hate visiting the Akabeko, but I 
doubt the more expensive restaurants will suit her. She’s getting 
frustrated with all the money I’m spending.

“I’m sorry. I borrowed two coins for the chords to make the ’endless 
knot’ necklaces-”

“It’s okay.” I grin at her politeness.

“I will find a way to pay you back someday.” Now that wasn’t in her 
usual polite tone. She was telling me forcefully what she was going to 
be doing. I guess I can’t argue with that, so I nod as we enter the 
Akabeko.

(“They’re actually going to eat at Ms. Tae’s!? He blew up the first 
one!” Kenshin sighs at his wife’s indignation. “I guess we have no 
choice but to eat out today, that we do not.” “Yahiko’s working now. I 
hope he doesn’t get into any trouble.” Both cringe and rush to the 
restaurant.)

“Welcome! Two? Right this way!” Ms. Tae still has no idea that I 
caused the destruction of the original shop. I plan to keep it that 
way. She is the only one in town that continues to treat me decently. 
Well I guess that includes that kimono shop keeper now as well.

We sit at the designated table and wait for the waitress. I hope it’s 
Ms. Tae. I think she and Liya would get along. Strangely, I like the 
idea of her having friends she can count on besides me. Ms. Tae is 
patient and kind.

“You…” It’s the brat from the Kamiya place. I close my eyes and will 
myself not to kill the child. Liya is completely clueless as to what’s 
happening, but she has the knowledge to understand his tone. He’s 
scaring her. I think he’s making her be frightened of me as well. I 
don’t want that. I don’t want her to be scared of me. I like having 
her around.

“I did not come here to fight. I came here to eat.” I clench my fists 
upon my knees. Liya is worried. I think she noticed my dangerous ki. 
Try to settle yourself. Don’t scare her. Don’t make her run away.

“I don’t care. You don’t belong here…bastard…” He is keeping his voice 
low so that he doesn’t cause trouble. ’He has every right to be 
angry,’ I keep telling myself. It has become a mantra. I destroyed his 
life for a time and now I return, even if it is to make Liya happy and 
see Onee-san smile.

“If you won’t feed me,” I say through clenched teeth, “at least feed 
my companion. She is starving.” He should at least do that much. 

“I won’t feed your whore!” His voice has raised. Liya flinches.

“Qing…ni.men wu xi…ni wo.men rang chi…Qing…” Her voice is softer than 
usual. Her fists are clenched. Lips quiver with fear and pain. 
“Qing…wo bu shi biao…wo liang…ni.men wu xi…” How dare this brat call 
her a whore! My clenched fists begin to draw blood. I am losing my
control. The small red stream flows from my palm staining my pants.

‘Onee-san help. What do I do?’ She frowns at Yahiko. ’Do you want me 
to kill him? What about the police? And Battousai?’ She frowns at me. 
No killing. She doesn’t want me to kill anymore. I see. ’I will inform 
him of his mistake then.’

“You have scared her. I cannot forgive that.” My metallic teal eyes 
fall upon him with the wrath of my past destructive force. “I did not 
come here to fight, but if you call her a whore again I will. She is 
not, nor will she ever be a whore!”

Liya flinches again. Her eyes are cast down. I don’t want to see her 
like this anymore. This hurts to see her unhappy. Her smile is as 
important as Onee-san’s. “bu…gaishou…wo bu shi gaishou!” She 
understood that? The yakusa! They must have taught her that! She’s
crying now. I’ve never seen her cry once during this week that I’ve 
known her! The brat made her cry!

My eyes widen in hate. I can’t control it anymore. No one will make 
her frown, let alone cry! I don’t care how young this brat is! 
Onee-san! Why are you frowning at me?? Please! Let me hurt him! 
Please! No! Stop frowning! I have to make him pay! Battousai is 
getting up. I have to make him pay too! All of the brat’s saviors will 
pay! This can’t be ignored! Don’t you see that Onee-san!? Please! 
Don’t frown on me!

A hand. When did I stand up? When did I grab the brat? That hand. 
“Qing…Enishi…ni wu xi…” Her soft hand touches my arm. She has quite a 
grip for such a petite woman. I find myself putting the boy down. She 
doesn’t want me to hurt him. Now I am the one making her cry.

“He should have paid for hurting you. He should have paid…” Her grip 
tightens. I let him go. Gently, she takes my hand and walks me out the 
door. Ms. Tae is trying to calm people down. I made a ruckus. The brat 
shouldn’t have tested me.

“wo.men wan le…” She gives a slight bow to Ms. Tae. I mumble a 
translation as we pass her by. I really am a monster. My sister is 
smiling at me though. True, her smile is very sad, but she’s still 
smiling. I was stopped. I didn’t kill. The boy was hurt a bit, but he 
wasn’t killed. Onee-san doesn’t want me to kill anymore. I will have 
to try harder next time.

“I’m sorry…I…”

“It’s okay. He wasn’t hurt badly. He shouldn’t have said that. You 
didn’t deserve it.” She is still leading me away from the restaurant. 
I follow, my eyes watching my feet. I ruined the day. It was so nice 
up till now. No. It was the brat’s fault. But it was mine too. I 
should have controlled myself. 

“But…I-”

“You did not deserve it.” End of discussion. I forgot how tiring an 
emotion anger is. I just want to sit down now.

She leads me to a small soba booth. I guess we’ll be eating here 
instead. “Eat. Hunger is making you cranky.” I manage to find the 
strength to give her a weak smile. So simple is her way of thinking. 
Onee-san gives me her favorite motherly smile. The kind she used to 
give me after a good scolding when I was little.

“I see you’re causing trouble.” Saitoh?! My day is just getting worse 
and worse. I didn’t even sense him. True, he’s watched me many times 
when I come in to town. Most of his men keep an eye on me. Someone 
always knows where I am and what I’m doing. I’m surprised I haven’t 
been arrested yet.

“Do you know him?” In a manner of speaking. I nod. She smiles and 
regards the chief. “Liya.”

“What did she say?” He sets his bowl of soba down and gives her a good 
look from top to bottom. His eyes narrow. Of course, his eyes are 
already pretty narrow. It doesn’t take much to get a reaction like 
that.

“It’s her name…”

“The brat was asking for it. I’m not going to arrest you.” He tosses a 
few coins on the counter. Placing his hat on his head, he tips it at 
Liya. She smiles and nods before searching my eyes. Her concern 
radiates off of her in subtle waves of heat. Almost as if she’s trying 
to figure out the monster without words.

“What?”

“You are so kind to me, yet people hate you. Why do they not see what 
I see?” The way she worded her question is astonishing to say the 
least. So tactful. Why is she being tactful to a demon? Is it because 
she’s afraid of angering me?

“Because I hurt them a year ago.” Hurt. What an understatement. “To 
them I am a demon.”

She’s very quiet. Her smile has faded. I’m waiting for her to run 
away. I get a week. No. A day of happiness and now she will run away 
from the demon. ‘It’s just not fair onee-san…’

“A demon does not buy a woman clothes without bad motives. He does not 
worry about a woman and become angry when bad things are said about 
her.” She’s not running? Wait. She’s smiling?? My head rests in the 
palm of her hand while her thumb caresses my cheek. When did I start 
crying? “If you were once a demon, you are not one now.”

‘Onee-san she’s not running away! She’s staying! She doesn’t think I’m 
a monster! She’s…She’s kissing my forehead…’ Her lips are soft, 
soothing. Like onee-san’s when I was hurt as a child. My body goes 
lax. If it weren’t for her holding me, I would be falling over. I 
almost wish I could fall. Her hair is like silk caressing my face. Her 
lips are like the petals of a flower. I am completely at her mercy.

I am hers. Not as a lover, but hers just the same. Like I said before, 
her smile is as important as onee-san’s. When she frowns, I am lost. I 
could conquer the world just to see her smile, but I think she would 
be happier to see me conquer myself.

“Let’s eat. You need food.” Yes. So does she. I gesture for two bowls 
and tea. My smile is beaming, but I know my eyes are weak. Come to 
think of it, so are my legs. It’s a good thing I’m sitting down.

* * *

“Please everyone! It’s all over! Settle down! It’s okay!” Tae-dono is 
trying desperately to settle everyone down. One by one, they finally 
comply to her request. Everything will be back the way it should now. 
Well…maybe not completely. Yahiko seems very shaken. He is strong, but 
he is still young. The young get scared. Hell, the experienced get 
scared too.

“Yahiko…” He manages to look over at me. His mouth opens and closes. I 
know my eyes have changed color slightly. They aren’t golden, but they 
aren’t the eyes of the rurouni. My hand still rests on the sheath of 
my sakabatou. “Daijoubu…?”

“A-aa…”

“Are you as confused as I am?” Kaoru has learned not to be scared of 
my change in personality anymore. She merely compensates for it by 
being more gentle and submissive. I nod curtly. I couldn’t understand 
what the girl said exactly, but I have a general idea. This was 
Yahiko’s fault. Enishi is not good at controlling himself yet. Yahiko 
didn’t think before he spoke and things got out of hand. He should not 
have called her what he did. Enishi had every right to react as he 
did, even if it was a bit much. At least, the girl was able to control 
him. It is good to see that my brother-in-law has found someone with 
that kind of power.

“I will speak to him. He was at fault with this.” Kaoru nods and lets 
me take Yahiko behind the Akabeko for our needed discussion. I see 
Tae-dono rush to my wife. There is gossip with this and the young 
woman is the empress of all the gossip in town. I hope anata will be 
tactful with the knowledge she will give to Tae-dono.

I let my hand rest on the boy’s shoulder. He knows he’s in for 
something. My eyes have not changed back yet. “He deserved it. He has 
no idea what he put us through. What he put you through. He’s a 
bastard.” Yahiko’s age betrays him and tears leak from his eyes. This 
is going to take a while.

“He doesn’t need to be reminded of what he did. He knows very well 
what it did to me and our family. Like I once blamed myself for my 
past, he does the same now. You did nothing but anger him. It was not 
your place to-”

“He doesn’t know! He enjoyed it! He enjoyed seeing you suffer!” I sigh 
while my eyes remain closed. My jaw sets. Yahiko is trying my patience.

“Yes. He did enjoy seeing me suffer, but not anymore. He is trying to 
find himself and make amends. He is learning.”

“Is that what that ‘girl’ is for?” Yahiko is not convinced. It will 
take a long time for him to heal. Jinchuu has taken a great toll from 
him.

“She…especially…did not deserve your hate Yahiko. She has done a lot 
for him. I see a drastic improvement in his control today than I have 
this whole year that I have been keeping my eye on him. A whore, as 
you called her, could not do that for him. In the future, do not place 
blame until you know all the facts.” Yahiko’s eyes are cast downwards. 
He will learn eventually.

“Kenshin! Is this true? Is that the man that…” She gasps. Sessha 
guesses that Kaoru failed at being tactful. Anata has never been very 
good at wording delicate subjects.

“Yes, but he is not to be feared now. He will not harm you or your 
customers. Yahiko simply jumped to conclusions and angered him. Next 
time he comes in, treat him as you would any other customer.” She nods 
and bites her lip. Sessha doubts she will treat him the same now, but 
she will not throw him out. That is the least Sessha could ask for. 
Enishi deserves to heal.

* * *

Author's Notes:

I know I put a lot of Chinese in this chapter. I think it's about time
I informed you of how to pronounce the language. I won't overload you.
I'll only show you how to pronounce the words in this chapter.

Now, Chinese is a tonal language. This means that speaking it is like
singing it. If you use the wrong tone for a word, you are not saying
the right word. My teacher showed us that by teaching us an entire
story made up of the word 'ma'. This is how important the tones are
in the Chinese language.

1 tone = is a straight tone. think of the baby doll that says, "mama"
2 tone = is an upward tone. like you're asking a question.
3 tone = is both up and down. like you're whining.
4 tone = is a downward tone. like you're scolding someone.
5 tone = it's not really a tone. it's not labeled. it's a tone
because it's not a tone...if you can understand that logic.

I use the Pinyin form of transliteration. School textbooks use a
different one, so this won't help you pronounce that stuff. 

'q' = a 'ch' sound
'x' = a 'sh' sound. a bit like a hiss as well. shallow 'sh'
'sh' = a swallowed 'sh' sound. pull your tongue back to make the sound.
'ch' = like 'sh'. a swallowed 'ch' sound.

qing(3) = please
ni(3) = you
men = plural
wu(2) = do not; not...
xi(4) = fight; feud; quarrel
wo(3) = I; me (wo.men = we)
bu(4) = no; not
shi(4) = yes, right; to be
rang(4) = allow, permit
chi(1) = to eat
biao(3) = prostitute, whore
liang(2) = good, virtuous, respectable
wan(3) = regret, be sorry
le = particle of completed action (noncommittal way to end a sentence)

I'm sorry if the sentence structure isn't perfect. I haven't taken the
language for a year now and I'm writing based on my memory. If it's
really wrong, please tell me and I will change it.

Japanese words:

gaishou = whore, prostitute
daijoubu = are you okay? (among other similar meanings)
Aa = yes

That should be it for this chapter. If you have any other questions,
don't be afraid to ask. my email is: sarina7667@gundamwing.org