Standard disclaimers:
I don't own Ruroken. Unfortunately Watsuki and some big name companies already 
have this 
privilege.

Special thanks to Hana Himura who edited this story for giving me helpful hints 
and advice and to
Firuze Khanume for giving VERY helpful comments and critics about Enishi.

First (it seems to be the most urgent question):
Yes, Kaoru will play a huge role in this story. My editor forced me *hehehe*, 
just kidding.
And yes, Sano will appear too. Kaoru will have her first appearance in the next 
chapter. 
It is not so easy to introduce everyone properly in such a short time, but I 
know you all wait 
for her. To reconcile you a bit: Kenshin and Sano have their first appearances 
in this chapter.

Just in case, if you wonder: I'll stick to the hiragana-reading of the names and 
I 'westernised' 
the names, meaning: I have the given name first and then the surname.



Chapter 2: Settling down


They carried the bags and the suitcases into the house, dropping them right in 
the entrance.
"Tomoe? Enishi? We are baaaack!" Megumi yelled into the dark, quiet house.

As no response of any kind was heard, Megumi turned to the sisters shrugging her 
shoulders
"Seems they are not at home."

Pointing to the clipboard hanging right-handed on the wall, on which two notes 
were pinned, 
Megumi explained
"For cases like this, we decided to purchase the message board."

Furrowing her eyebrows she took the first notice and read it aloud
"Just out to buy beverages. back soon. Tomoe."

She picked up the second message
"Training will last longer today. Bring Kenshin with me. Should be home at 8 
p.m. Enishi"

Sighing deeply Tokio took off her high-heeled shoes, her feet were swollen and 
hurting after the 
long flight and she massaged them 
"That gives us some time to refresh ourselves before they are back."

"Now let us see the house!" Enthusiastically slipping out of her gym shoes while 
jumping over the
bags, Misao landed on the tatamis already shoving the first door left handed 
aside. 
"That must be the living room according to the plan you sent us, or Megumi?" She 
shouted back 
over her shoulder.

Composed following together with Tokio and raising her eyebrows at the 
over-exited friend Megumi 
blankly stated "Yes."

As they reached the door, Misao already charged out of the room 
"Great! Tomoe did the furnishing, didn't she?"

On the other side were two more doors and the first one, just opposite to the 
living room, was 
opened, allowing to look into a huge kitchen with a large table in the middle, 
big enough for all
inmates to gather around and eat together.

After having a short glimpse into the kitchen, Misao stopped in front of the 
last door directly 
beside the stairs leading up to the second floor "This is Enishi's room?"

Turning her nose up Megumi confirmed "Yes, he chose this one."

Slyly Misao shoved the door a small crack open to throw a furtive glance inside:
A western-styled bed in the left corner, a desk with a computer on it in the 
right, a bookshelf 
at hand beside the desk, but the most eye-catching sight in his room was his 
Japanese sword, 
placed at a central place on the wall over the desk. A few sliding doors were he 
kept his other 
belongings were on the remaining left wall. She smirked, he was still not 
interested in 
decoration, so different from his sister, and closed the door listening to 
Megumi's statements 
once again.

"He wanted the room beside the stairs, murmuring something like he could take 
better care of us 
then." Megumi rolled her eyes "And believe me. He hears every little noise you 
make on this 
damned stairs. Akira already got to know it. 'Controlling us' would suit it 
better than 'taking 
care of us'."

Hearing the name of the old acquaintance Tokio refreshed her knowledge
"Akira is still in Kyoto, isn't he? Still working on the project for the 
Kawamuras?"

A wide grin spread on Megumi's face
"He will come tomorrow visiting Tomoe. It is a bit inconvenient for both of 
them, but being the 
architect means that he has to be present on the building site at this stadium 
of works and Tomoe
is busy with her studies here."

They went upstairs where seven doors belonging to small rooms were branching off 
a corridor, 
three on the right side, three left-handed and one at the very end.

Megumi explained the occupancy while pointing with her hand towards the 
mentioned ones.
"Straight ahead is the bathroom, I have the room right beside the bath. Tomoe 
chose the one next 
to mine in the middle. It is up to you which one you pick, we wanted to wait for 
you to discuss 
together what we will do with the remaining two rooms." 

Exited Misao already had opened the doors to all four vacant rooms, running from 
one to another 
and back. "I'll take this one!" Her head finally popped up from the one at the 
end of the 
corridor, opposite of Megumi's.

By the time Tokio had inspected the available rooms left and decided to take the 
first one beside
the stairs, next to Tomoe's.

"PHEW! Time to refresh. Let us get our luggage." Misao wanted to jump 
downstairs, but Megumi held
her back with a hand on her shoulder.

"Let Enishi do this. After all, he is the only man in the house, should he 
wrench his back with 
this heavy suitcases of yours. We share the shampoo, shower-gel and these stuff, 
just use it. Use
Tomoe's and mine yukata meanwhile, they are in the front-room of the bath."

"Thanks Megumi!" 
both sisters shouted unison heading towards the bath eagerly awaited the last 
hours.

Smiling amused, leaving them behind, Megumi went down the steps just in the 
moment Tomoe entered 
the house. Her black hair reaching to her chin was tightly combed behind her 
ears, her grey dress
and filigree, violet cardigan making most of her delicate built and graceful but 
somehow rigid 
posture. 

The glance of her dark-brown eyes met Megumi's and she registered the huge 
luggage pile with a 
slight lifting of her eyebrows at the sight.

"You are already back? Tokio and Misao are here?" She was carrying an visibly 
heavy rucksack on 
her back and two bags in her hands.

Megumi pointed up to the second floor "They are upstairs, showering and taking a 
hot bath. They 
were a bit messy and exhausted after the long trip."

"I can imagine. Every thing cleared?" The elegant, slender woman took of her 
shoes and walked 
towards the kitchen.

"They have already chosen a room and I arranged the delivery of their belongings 
for tomorrow."

Tomoe glanced back at the luggage pile lying in the way at the entrance
"These two will never change, I guess. I'll put the sake and beer right into the 
fridge."
With a sigh she put down the backpack and bags on the kitchen-table while Megumi 
switched on the 
water-heater.

"I'll prepare us some tea. Which one do you want, Tomoe?"

"Just some oolong tea for me. For you too?" 

Megumi put already some more oolong tea in a teapot after she signaled her 
consent, drinking her 
tea together with Tomoe.

While arranging the beer cans and the sake-bottles in the refrigerator, Tomoe 
scanned the 
remaining contents inside, realising a problem "What about food tonight, 
Megumi?"

Thoughtfully Megumi wrinkled her nose 
"We can order something later. I think no one of us is motivated to cook today."

Looking around Tomoe discovered the advertising-note thrown into their 
letter-box the day before 
on the table and picked it up, studying the offers
"You are right, let us try this new delivery service."

By now the water was boiling and they finished preparing the tea and finally 
settled down at the 
kitchen table.

They were drinking the refreshing beverage, when Tokio entered the room directly 
walking towards 
Tomoe smiling warm and hugging her sincerely.[1]
"Tomoe? How wonderful! I haven't seen you for such a long time!"

Misao had followed her sister and took a short glance at Tomoe, greeting her 
with a welcoming nod.

Tomoe endured the hug with a stoic patience answering and embracing back 
reserved.
"Nice to see you, Tokio. How are you?"

Tokio hold her a bit back and eyed her interested 
"Fine, thanks. But what about your paintings?"

Turning around, leaving the embrace, Tomoe mentioned in a matter-of-fact voice 
as if this would 
not bother her "I'll have an art opening in two months."

Thrilled Tokio clapped her hands together "A private view? Just for you?"

"No, I'll have just one room there for my pictures."

Over-exited Tokio squeezed Tomoe a second time
"Really? But this is great! I'd love to see your latest pictures." 
She grabbed her friend's hand and dragged her behind her out of the kitchen, 
heading upstairs 
were Tomoe kept her paintings in her room as she assumed.

Misao leaned forward to Megumi whispering in her ear 
"Can't believe it, she actually likes her paintings. They are so depressive."

"All this cold colours and bare landscapes." Megumi agreed shuddering "It always 
conveys a deep 
feeling of absolute solitude and great despair."

"We are here!" A deep, manly voice called from the entrance causing Misao to 
jump up.

"ENISHI!!!" A scream was heard and not a second later the young man, wearing a 
perfectly fitting 
black leather-trouser and -jacket, was squeezed by a female in a yukata, her 
legs thrown around 
his waist, her plait swinging aside, pitching into the face of the red-haired 
man standing beside
him who lost his footing over the unexpected greeting and fell right into the 
pile of luggage.

Enishi's black sunglasses were just about to glide down his nose making a look 
at his turquoise 
eyes possible, his white, tousled hair made an interesting contrast to his black 
clothing. In his
right ear was an earring, altogether he conveyed a bold impression, the 
motorcycle helmet fell of
his hands due to the impetuous greeting.

"ORO?" The red-haired man buried in the luggage pile exclaimed.

"Misao! You are finally here!" Enishi tried to free himself from the young woman 
clinched onto 
him.

"Enishi! I'm so happy to see you again." Enthusiastically she squeezed him a 
second time 
heartfelt causing a smirk on his face.

"Hehe! Nice to hear I'm so loved here." He murmured to himself placing her back 
on her feet, 
smiling at her.

Misao turned her attention to the red-haired man inside her bags, letting go of 
Enishi completely
and offered him her hand to help him out of the pile.
"You must be Kenshin-san. Pleased to meet you. I'm Misao Makimachi."

"The pleasure is mine, Makimachi-san." He had managed to pull himself out of the 
bags and dusted 
of the black jeans he was wearing and the black T-shirt, laying the motorcycle 
helmet he had 
still in his hands aside and bowed politely to the young woman. 
"I'm Kenshin Himura. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Misao laughed out loud "Hey, you already know Enishi! Therefore you should know 
there is no need 
to be this formula!"

A wide grin spread over the red-hair's face "I can imagine."

"You are a friend of Enishi?"

"No, not exactly." He shook his head what let his long read hair gathered in a 
low pony-tail 
swing aside, "We organise the Kendo-club at University together and thought 
tonight would be a 
good opportunity to discuss about the next tournament since Aoshi will be here 
also. It is a bit 
complicated to get all people together at one time in one place."[2]

Not really listening to his statement in detail, Misao wrinkled here nose and 
jumped at the chance
"Maybe you two could carry the luggage up to our rooms? Please?"

"No problem." Enishi and Kenshin grabbed the bags and carried them upstairs, 
Misao, who wanted to
get dressed at last, high on their heels.

Meanwhile Megumi had moved to the living room with their tea waiting for the 
others to come down 
and join her.

She did not have to wait very long and Tomoe entered, making herself comfortable 
on the velvet 
and silk cushions they used instead of a couch.

"Misao and Tokio wanted to dress." Tomoe just explained to Megumi, when Enishi 
and Kenshin walked
into the room, Enishi heading straightforward to the large window on the 
opposite wall.

Kenshin started to settle down on the cushions, but a deadly glare from Enishi 
stopped him 
mid-way, as it was the place beside Tomoe and he recalled in the last moment how 
sensible Enishi 
was about his sister.

He changed his mind and joined Enishi who had opened the sliding window to the 
side of the house,
sitting on the window bench still wearing his heavy black leather trousers but 
now only in a 
black T-shirt showing his muscular arms, one foot on the bench, one leg dangling 
indolent down.

Enishi get a new cigarette-packet out of his pocket, opened it and took one 
negligent, lightening
it while Kenshin was settling beside him.

"You are shortening our life-time!" Megumi exclaimed from her place.

"I know, I know." Enishi took a delightful drag of his cigarette, inhaling the 
smoke deep in his 
lungs.

"But remember: we stroked a deal that smoking is allowed in this room at the 
opened window." 
Enishi continued lazily while exhaling the smoke provocative in Megumi's 
direction.

"Yeah, Finally home!" Misao proclaimed satisfied, suddenly standing in the 
middle of the room, 
letting herself fall with wide-spread arms on her back into the cushions, 
"and in casual clothes!" she continued, relieved looking down at her trousers 
and T-shirt.

"Can't see what is different about this dressing to the one on the flight, 
Misao."
Tokio had followed her sister and sat down beside her eyeing the trousers with 
visible 
disapproval.

"You'll never understand, Tokio. There ARE differences between my cloths..."

"I'm here!" A male voice interrupted from the entrance and Megumi's fox-ears 
popped up while 
responding "WE ARE HERE!"

Turning with a sly smile to the sisters she proclaimed "Now you get to know 
Aoshi."

Instantly both sisters focused their undivided attention towards the door and a 
tall, handsome 
man entered the scene.

He was dressed in a neat dark-blue suit of an excellent quality, over-all his 
appearance was that
of a respectable business-man or politician. He barely nodded into the gathered 
round and waved 
indolent "Hello everyone."

Misao lost control over her face-muscles as she got the first glimpse of the 
'old bone' her mouth
was wide-opened for a while before she realised it and closed it.

The attentive glance of his blue eyes fell on Misao and Tokio 
"I'm Aoshi Shinomori. You must be Tokio Makimachi" He nodded to the older 
looking female unknown 
to him and she bowed back politely. 

"Then you have to be Misao Makimachi." He bowed to the second unknown female "I 
already heard a 
great deal of you." 

Misao nearly fell over her back and he turned to his girlfriend while loosening 
his tie to get 
more comfortable.

"Hello, Megumi."

"Hello, Aoshi."

They greeted each other, exchanging a short glance before he knelt down beside 
her, taking a cup 
and filling it with tea, focusing his attention back on the siblings.
"So you are the two infamous Makimachi-sisters?"

As Misao was visibly not capable of forming a clear thought, Tokio answered 
nodding her head 
"Yes, we just arrived here in Tokyo."

"You want to study here?"

"mmm, to be precise, I already finished my studies, I'll make my PhD at the 
Institute-Hospital of
the University of Tokyo together with Megumi, but in another field of research. 
My sister" She 
pointed with her hand to Misao "Will start studying at the same University at 
the Graduate school
for education. But she is not sure yet on which section she will specialise."

"So we all attend the same University." Kenshin wondered from the window-bench, 
placing his feet 
on it, wrapping both arms around his legs.

"You are studying there too? What are you studying?" Tokio raised her eyebrows 
at the red-haired 
man questioningly.

"Civil law."

Misao had been able to follow the last part of the conversation properly and 
interfered 
interested "Really? Why?"

"I felt compelled. Still the people of lower classes are suppressed: by the 
government, by 
well-off people. They need someone to defend them properly at court, not only 
for own benefit, 
but someone who fights for them with his whole heart." Kenshin explained his 
motivation.

"You want to be a barrister-at-law?" Tokio inquired, impressed about the young 
man's obviously 
deep inside in society and unusual thoughts about Japan's justice and 
government.

Kenshin nodded and was just about to explain it in detail, but he was cut off.

"So you don't know yet on which field you will specialise?" Enishi asked Misao 
disapproved about
her lack of determination, concerned about the well-being of his so-called 
charge, simply 
ignoring Kenshin.

Misao cheered up deciding to show Enishi that she indeed looked after University 
and had 
informed herself "I looked in the Web-Pages and I already decided which clubs I 
join."

"You have not decided yet which courses you choose but you are sure about your 
clubs?" 
By now Tokio meant to interfere, she saw that Misao had been busy with the 
University of Tokyo in
the Internet, but she thought she would inform herself about her subject of 
studies seriously.

"Yes! Of course I'll join the Kempo club. I trained in London and I'd love to 
continue here." 
Misao jumped up and made a few playful practise kicks with her legs.

"Really? What a coincidence! Aoshi is one of the instructors there." Megumi laid 
her hand on the 
shoulder of her boyfriend.

Misao looked suspicious at the handsome man, dressed in an expensive suit, who 
did not bat an 
eyelid. She did not consider such a man being capable of fighting, Kempo 
especially, but she 
pushed her thoughts aside. "And I want to join the tea-ceremony-club!"

Astonished Tokio eyed her younger sister "Tea-ceremony? Are you sure about this, 
Misao?"

Misao turned annoyed to her older sister "Of course I am! Why not, Tokio?" she 
demanded to know.

Teasingly Tokio grinned about the over-energetic girl
"You need patience for this. I doubt you have this." and was rewarded instantly.

"KECHO KICK!" Misao attacked her sister yelling, but Tokio dodged the attack 
with nonchalance 
which caused Misao to fly over her and landing unblocked in the wall. 

Aoshi just raised one eyebrow about the offered performance. Instantly Misao 
jumped up again, 
charging towards her sister, throwing an arm around her throat causing an 
defending move of Tokio.

Megumi chose to ignore the brawling sisters, waving the advertising-note high in 
the air
"What about dinner now? Tomoe suggested to test this new delivery service, they 
have various 
bentos there." and got the attention of all three men immediately.

Kenshin's eyes widened in astonishment "Delivering bento? What strange kind of 
business is this?"

Enishi shrugged his shoulders, casting a glance at Kenshin signaling him better 
not to doubt 
suggestions that were made by Tomoe "What matters, we should try it."

They all had a look into the advertisement-note, even Tokio and Misao stopped 
their brawl for a 
second, decided for their meals which Megumi ordered by telephone.

While cutting the connection and putting the hand-piece down, she informed her 
in a state of 
expectancy waiting friends.
"It will arrive in half an hour at the latest. What do you want to do in the 
meantime?"

"COCKTAIL-TIME" Misao exclaimed jumping up effusive "Tokio learned some new 
receipts in London." 
She tugged her defenceless sister up and dragged her behind her to the kitchen 
what Tokio 
endured with unbelievable patience, only waving at her friends.
"Megumi! Tomoe! Could you help us?"

The four young women gathered in the kitchen starting the preparation, Tokio 
organised having 
Megumi, Misao and Tomoe at hand to help her.
"Could you please cut the pine-apples in pieces, Misao?"

Misao grabbed the pine-apple, threw it high in the air, took out some small 
kitchen-knifes,
spitting the fruit with them as it fell down, catching it in one hand "Yup, no 
problem for me."

As Tokio started to crush the ice she asked for more help
"Megumi, could you press the oranges out? We need some fresh juice for it, 
otherwise it doesn't 
tastes so well."

Nodding Megumi took some oranges out of a basket placed in the middle of the 
table and turned to 
the fruit-press "How much do you need?"

"Four or five should be enough."

Taking the first bottle of rum Tokio addressed Tomoe "Tomoe, could you please do 
the decoration?"

Without saying a word or making a slight move, indicating that she heard what 
she was asked for, 
Tomoe picked the first pieces of the pine-apples up, putting them together with 
some cocktail-
cherries and orange-slices on toothpicks.

Meanwhile the three men in the living room started to plan the martial arts 
competition that was 
supposed to take place in one month. Kenshin reached for his backpack beside 
him, taking out a 
pack of papers.

"How many competitors entered for the tournament?" Aoshi wanted to know.

Quickly Kenshin skimmed the lists "We have forty-three male participants 
over-all in the 
Kendo-section. Only eleven want to participate with short swords, together with 
you, Aoshi," 
he cast a glance at Aoshi who barely nodded indicating that he would participate 
as well 
"It would make twelve."

"I suggest that Aoshi takes care of the section for the two-swords technique. It 
is no need for 
ko-system there, with twelve competitors only. You can fight against everyone in 
the first 
round." Enishi interjected, leaning forward, a concentrated and interested 
expression on his 
features.

Nodding his approval to Enishi, Aoshi resumed quickly
"That makes thirty-one in the 'one-sword'-section."

Kenshin took his pencil, went through the list and marked some names 
"Yes, and not all at the same level. We will have to divide them into beginners, 
advanced and 
skilled. The abilities are too different."

"Is Okita entered for the tournament?" Enishi wanted to know suspiciously.

Skimming the lists once more to find an assurance Kenshin's finger finally 
stopped at one name 
"Yes, here he is. He said, he wouldn't make it THIS easy for us this year."

"And I thought after he graduated and started working he wouldn't have enough 
time." 
Enishi grimaced excited about the challenging opponent.

Aoshi's eyebrows furrowed "That makes three strong fighters in your section: You 
two and Okita." 
He paused sipping on his tea "Every year the same finals. It is like you are 
already seeded, gets
boring with time."

Enishi shrugged his shoulders leaning back at the window-frame 
"It is not our fault that the other's are so weak."

Bending over the lists in Kenshin's hands Aoshi wondered
"What about the female competition?"

Letting his eyes wander over a single paper attached at the end Kenshin resumed 
"We only have five registered fighters. Should make it easy to plan. Enishi, I 
think Aoshi can 
organise the female-section and the two-swords-section while I can handle 
organising the 
one-sword-section. You can help me during the actual tournament, but I think I 
can manage the 
preparations with a little feed-back from you alone. This would mean less effort 
for you and you 
can concentrate on your studies."

Shrugging his shoulders Enishi swung his legs around placing his feet on the 
ground and raised 
"All right, I'll go then and look for our cocktails, hope the girls don't mess 
it up."

Enishi headed over to the kitchen, leaving the two men behind who started 
dividing the lists for 
the competition according to their responsibilities.

Reaching the kitchen-door, Enishi leaned against the door-frame placing his 
hands into the 
pockets of his trousers while watching the busy girls intensely, following their 
flurry of
activity with his turquoise eyes for some time, finally speaking in Tokio's 
direction
"Did you manage to get everything through the customers clearance?"

"With a little luck." Tokio cast an annoyed glance at her younger sister which 
Misao returned 
without batting an eyelid innocently "Misao nearly ruined everything by trying 
to give the 
officer a seductive look, but luckily she failed."

"Hey! What do you mean with 'I failed'?" Misao hissed, attentively raising her 
head over the pile
of small pine-apple-pieces in front of her.

Closing the cocktail-shaker with the last two drinks in it determined and 
starting to shake it, 
Tokio accounted for reason to her little sister.
"Ever looked in a mirror, Misao? It takes a ridiculous effect when you give it a 
try to be
seductive."

"What? Ridiculous? Give it a try?" Misao's eyes filled with anger already 
longing for the 
kitchen-knifes lying beside her.

Pouring out the last drinks into glasses Tokio enlightened her
"You look like a girl, Misao, no man will notice you."

"What? What about you, Tokio? You are not better! You are as seductive 
as...as..."
Misao scanned the surroundings frantically for a good comparison, at last her 
glance fell onto 
the chop-sticks and she picked one up "as this chop-stick!!"

"HA! Never! I'm better than you!" Annoyed Tokio slammed the shaker back on the 
kitchen-bench.

Enishi straightened in the door-frame as Megumi clapped in her hands, fox-ears 
popping up 
once more "All right sisters! Contest!" Tomoe's cat ears popped up.

Tokio and Misao turned their attention to Megumi who checked her watch
"I'll give you 15 minutes."

Deprecating Megumi waved at Misao
"You can take Aoshi. There is no way such a flat-chested girl can succeed in 
seducing MY 
boyfriend."

Misao's face reddened in the most possible crimson colour as her fists tightened 
in anger and 
frustration. "WHAT?!"

Megumi turned to Tokio, leaning forward "And you take Kenshin."

She addressed Tomoe and Enishi "We three are the judges, after 15 minutes we 
decide who won the 
competition, got it?"

All three young women nodded, Tokio and Misao with a concentrated expression on 
their faces took 
two cocktail glasses at a time into their hands and got ready to start.

"We start when I cough in the living room" Enishi suggested raising his hand 
warningly 
"Never forget: I'll have my eyes on you. If I notice they get the wrong 
impression I'll have to 
interfere, got me?"

Both nodded their consent and waited for Tomoe, Enishi and Megumi to walk over 
and get seated 
till they heard Enishi giving the signal.

"COUGH! COUGH!"

Misao charged into the living room kneeling down close to Aoshi opening her eyes 
wide and 
breathing in a sweet voice "Your cocktail, Aoshi-sama."

Without even casting a glance at her he took the glass out of her hands 
"Thanks."

In the meantime Tokio had reached Kenshin and knelt down in front of him, before 
the window 
bench, handing him his glass timid with a bowed head
"This one is for you, Kenshin."

He took the cocktail out of her hands "Thank you very much" and met her eyes, 
she didn't want to 
pass up the opportunity and winked.

"Oro?"

Observing her sister from the corner of her eyes, Misao bend over to get in the 
way of Aoshi's 
sight. He concentrated on the drink in his hand and tried it, simply ignoring 
the twinkling girl 
in front of him.

Tokio scooted closer to Kenshin while watching him with lowered lid through her 
long eyelashes 
furtively when he tried the first mouthful of the cocktail.

"Is it tasteful?" Tokio asked before sipping herself.

"Yes, it is very good, thank you."

"You can have more if you want." Tokio suggested while licking her lips and 
looking him deep in 
the eye meaningful.

"Oro!" his eyes widened as the young woman scooted even closer, now nearly 
sitting on his feet, 
her short skirt accidently moving up her thighs.

Irritated Kenshin turned his head to Enishi and registered that he was under 
close observation of
three eye-pairs pretending not to look at him, focusing their attention towards 
Aoshi and Misao 
suddenly.

Misao moved frantically in front of Aoshi waving her arms, trying to catch his 
attention by 
cracking silly jokes. Not one muscle in his face twitched while he concentrated 
on the cocktail 
in his hands and from the corner of her eye she glanced at her sister once more 
for a creative 
idea.

Putting the glass down, Tokio laid her hands on Kenshin's knees breathing
"Come on, I know you can say more than this."

"ORO!" The glass fell out of his hands, he caught it in the last moment, before 
the content would
have been spilled on the floor.

Misao decided coming to terms and licked her lips seductive as she thought
"Do you like the drink?" 
Aoshi fished for an ice-cube in his glass and took it in his mouth, letting it 
melt slowly. 
Realising this didn't work, Misao searched for more inspiration turning to her 
sister again.

Just in this moment Tokio raised on her knees to get closer to Kenshin's face 
and looked down on 
her bosom to turn his attention downwards. Her low-cut shirt fell forward 
allowing a glimpse at 
her not very flat-chested front.

"ORORORORORO!" Kenshin leaned back, fell off the window-bench and landed with a 
loud clash in the
garden.

Fascinated Misao had observed the unfolding scene, registered Kenshin falling 
out of the house 
with a satisfied grin, still senseless and clue-less around the ice-cube beside 
her.

Casting a glance at his watch, Enishi raised his hand high in the air. "Time's 
up."

Misao looked desperate in Enishi's direction and back to the motionless, 
stone-faced man kneeling
beside her. "Hey, the time was too short! He did only say ONE word!"

"TIME OUT!" Enishi proclaimed making his point clear to her and she closed her 
mouth scooting 
away from Aoshi.

"Now: who votes for Tokio?" Enishi wanted to know.

Five arms raised high in the air at once. A red-hair popping up in the window, 
smiling wide and a
stone-face revealing no emotion included.

"That is not fair!" Misao cried out angrily "I got Mr. Icicle and Tokio got Mr. 
Oro! That wasn't 
fair from the beginning, Enishi!"

"At last her attempt was entertaining." Megumi explained her vote dryly.

"Who told you that this is going to be fair, Misao? That is life." Enishi 
lectured Misao with a 
smirk bending over her, speaking directly in her face, only a few centimetres 
away from her.

Misao complained further "But Tokio touched him!"

"No one said I couldn't!" Tokio meant to defend herself.

Grinning about her friends Megumi stood up and went to the kitchen to catch some 
beer as the 
first cocktail was already finished.

Just in this moment a motorcycle stopped in front of the house, a box placed on 
the very end with
a writing on it: 'bento-bento-24h-delivery'.

A man with spiky brown hair that was hold back with a red head-band got of his 
motor-cycle and 
turned off the engine. Eyeing the house thoughtfully, checking back on the note 
in his hands once
again, he finally decided to open the box, to take out some bento and headed 
towards the house, 
entered while shouting from the entrance.

"OI! Someone here? Delivery!"

He heard some murmuring from the room left-handed while the infallible smell of 
alcohol reached 
his sensible nose. A very selective nose, sensible only to certain kind of 
smells of course.

"MEGUMI? Could you take it?" A peculiar, familiar voice yelled and he knitted 
his brow.

"No problem!" A woman entered his sight from the right and his eyes narrowed. It 
was the kind of 
woman he had always despised. Arrogant, neat, a typical upper-class girl.

"How much is it?" Absent-minded Megumi asked registering the young man in front 
of her only 
subconscious. He was wearing a red head-band and his hair spiked up on his head 
making him 
appearing larger than he actually was. Being asked he scratched himself confused 
behind his ears.

"hum, hum." He looked down at her hands where some beer cans were, she 
misinterpreted as she 
thought he was staring at her bosom.

"How much?" Megumi wanted to know annoyed and impatiently. This was exactly what 
she expected of 
a dump delivery boy.

"hum, hum." Longing he inspected the beer-brand, it was his favourite. 
This upper-class people know how to get drunken he resumed quickly.

"You won't need a calculator for such an easy operation, do you?"

One word in her sentence woke him up of his dream about the imaginary taste of 
beer on his tongue
"Calculator? No, I don't need this unnecessary, technical stuff."

By now Megumi had lost her patience, was this man not capable of carrying out 
even the easiest 
tasks? "THAN HOW MUCH IS IT? It can't be this difficult to sum up bento for 
seven persons."

Turning his mind back to his actual job he began to list 
"hum, we have four fish-bento, two with vegetables, two with meat, one with 
tofu. That makes.."

"But we ordered four with tofu, three with vegetable and one with meat!" 
Megumi interrupted fuming mad now.

"Oi, oi, woman. Look at this note: There it says... " his eyes widened in 
unbelieving 
astonishment and quickly he spirited the note away into the pockets of his 
trousers.

"Now, what are we doing with the bento?" Megumi demanded to know in a commanding 
under-tone.

"No problem, I can eat it for you." The man in front of her grinned widely 
impertinent, inviting 
himself to what he considered to be an interesting party.

"What takes you so long, Megumi?" Enishi's head popped up from the living room. 
As he recognised 
the delivery boy his eyes widened, greeting him with a respecting nod of his 
head
"Oi, Sanosuke!"

"Oi, Enishi!" Sanosuke nodded back, a smile spreading over his whole face.
What a lucky coincidence! His free meal and beer was guaranteed for this 
evening.

"You know him, Enishi?" Unbelieving Megumi investigated.

"Yes, he tuned my 'Ninja'." [3] Fox-ears were popping up once more and Enishi 
waved his 
acquaintance in "Come inside and have some beer with us."

Superior smiling Sanosuke passed Megumi.

They spent the rest of the evening relaxed together talking about martial arts, 
fast cars,
University and the last years.

The following days were busy with fitting up, finishing the last formalities, 
Tokio started her 
research at the institute Hospital together with Megumi and finally Misao's 
first day at 
University dawned.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

to be continued....

or not?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notes:

[1] There is some background behind the relationship of the Makimachis and the 
Yukishiros in this
story, you will learn about it.

[2] I know, Kendo is not this popular, but I didn't want to change it =^^=.
Simply couldn't place then into a baseball-team or another popular sport.

[3] Just in case, if you don't know: It is a motorcycle from Kawasaki.
Could you please buy me one? PLEASE? *Mara blinks, blinks, wide-eyed*
But what I really want you to buy me is.... a 'Hayabusa' from Suzuki.
What matters that I'm most likely not capable of handling it...

started on April 6th 2002
finished on April 12th 2002
first posted on April 13th 2002

Mara