Of Roses, Scent And Rain

STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLY: I ABSOLUTELY DON'T own any of the characters from Rurouni Kenshin. And I DON'T make money out of this. This is for entertainment purposes only.


Author's notes:

ah....slow phase. It is slow phase again. ah! Need to finish it!







Chapter 14







The sun had finally settled down and the quiet bliss of the early night

had gradually taken over the time space. It was getting dark, both

Aoshi and Kokoro knew that. Before Aoshi stood and switch on the lights of

the room, he carefully laid his young student’s injured foot to a soft

cushion and removed the teacups away from his path. The room was

enlightened by the pinlights, and one of them was especially tuned on to the

altar.







“It’s dark now,” Kokoro interrupted, “well, I guess I have to go now.

Thank you very much for this. I sincerely do” With hidden blushes from

her face, she carefully stood up, balancing right as her sensei turned

to see her. “Where the heck is it?!” she said as she was about to find

her other sock.







“Kokoro,” Aoshi called, his eyes were fixed on the gloomy sky of

darkness.







Kokoro was still busy finding her sock from the cushions. Then again,

Aoshi called her as he was about to move closer to her.







“Aha! I got it!” Kokoro shouted, waving it to the air like there’s no

other person in the room. “Now, I can go home now.” She turned back to

face her sensei but she got outbalanced, about to stumble when her other

foot stepped-on on one of the cushions laid on the floor. “What the?!”







Without any hesitations, Aoshi had abruptly responded to capture her in

his arms. His body mechanism reacted upon Kokoro getting hurt. Why is

it so? Kokoro was shocked upon seeing her sensei, holding her like this

again.







“Be careful next time. I don’t want you to have another injury for me

to get concerned with,” Aoshi rebuked on her. “Stupidity won’t do you

any good.”







Right there after hearing from his lips, Kokoro had finally known the

truth, his motives about all of this. His concern for her was all about

her injury, to the school martial arts competition and nothing more.

She suddenly felt saddened.







“Who said anything for you giving concern to this?” she quickly

pointing her injured ankle, “and besides, you don’t have to. The tatami mat

won’t hurt me unlike what had happened to me yesterday.” Her rebellious

side had appeared which the personality Kokoro had known for. Somehow,

the pain of the truth had pierced through to her being, not seeing the

whole of it. She was hurt, indeed.







The warm atmosphere was suddenly replaced by coldness. Both didn’t talk

and one thing was left out to their consciousness, they still closely

held at each other. With footsteps sounded like sweeping from the

platform corridor, Okina – together with Shirojou – entered the room without

knowing what was happening.







“Excuse for my intrusion,” Okina politely said, as Shirojou guiding him

to walk-in. With shock in both of their eyes, the old man spoke,

stammering. “What is going on in here?”







Both Aoshi and Kokoro got alarmed upon hearing another voice inside the

room. Aoshi helped Kokoro to stand upright and had picked her fallen

sock from the floor.







“What is this all about?” Okina mischievously asked, looking towards

Aoshi who seemed to his face that everything was nothing.







“Ano,” Kokoro nervously tried to explain to the old man, “it was

nothing actually, I got slipped and sensei caught me into his arms. Don’t

want to have another injury while the competition isn’t over, do we?” Then

she smiled widely, trying to lessen the tension.







Okina observed the young girl Shirojou was talking about. “So this is

Aoshi’s private student. Oh well, from the looks of it, she is a really

a school girl. I thought she would be like the other female Aoshi would

have usually gone with. But still, 10 years have already been passed.

Maybe…maybe there are things that might have change during my long

sleep.” he said to himself as he examined her features from head to foot.







The air was getting thicker and she couldn’t breathe freely any longer

caused by nervousness upon seeing/noticing the look from Okina’s

suspicious eyes. One thing is for sure – she didn’t like it. His look to her

was some kind from a pervert imaging things on her, which made her a

little bit irritated and embarrassed. And with that feeling, she had

covered her bosom with her hands and arms, away from the view of the old

geezer.







“I have to go now.” Kokoro went towards the door, passing right beside

Okina and Shirojou.







“I’ll take you home.” Aoshi said as he followed her outside.







“Don’t you want to introduce me to that girl, Aoshi?” Okina spoke,

likely to have been mocking him as his eyes following Aoshi’s back.







“She’s my student and I will take her home now.” Aoshi coldly said,

exiting the room.







Kokoro heard what her sensei told to the old geezer. So, she was really

his student after all – heard right from his mouth. She had asked

herself why hope for better relationship when all ends at that state.

Scolding in her mind, she told herself to close the door of love for him or

she will just die in vain of hoping the impossibility for the both of

them of getting close as lovers….or even yet….







She wore her shoes back and took her bags. They were heavy but she had

to carry them all the way towards the main gate.







“Why is it every time I go this place, certain things made me sore?

Damn it.” Kokoro cursed. She unnoticeably dragged her sports bag at the

floor while the other one was on her left shoulder.







Aoshi quickly caught up with her. Without words, he took her sports bag

and went on his way towards his big motorcycle outside the premise.







“Hey!” the young girl shrieked and was about to run to catch him up for

her bag, “what are you doing? Give it back!” she was making her attempt

to get her bag back.







Her sensei continued his walked and headed outside the gate, to his

huge motorbike.







Before arriving outside, some of the maids along the pathway to the

gate bowed their heads to show respect to the leaving guest of their

Okashira. Kokoro did the same, giving them smiles but caused by her

confusion. Then she bid them farewell.







Upon the gate, Kokoro nagged her sensei about taking her sports bag. As

she gave her serious words that might hurt his ego, Aoshi continued

conditioning his motorbike. He wore his black heavy helmet and soon, her

sports bag on his front lap.







“Hop on for I will take you home,” seriously said Aoshi.







“I can manage myself. You don’t have to do all of this. Please, just

save both our efforts,” she sarcastically rebuked.







“Your anger will surely badly affect your injured ankle if you don’t

stop from doing that. The herb won’t work even if we retreat it. And by

that point of view, you surely won’t have any chances on getting back on

your training as soon as possible. ”







And with those words, she had mellowed down a bit, thinking that he had

a point. The treatment she had won’t work, all will be lost, if she

continued this.







“Just hop on and everything will soon be over,” said Aoshi.







As commanded by her sensei, Kokoro, with a little hesitation from her

head, had abided. She secured her bag from her back and wore the red

helmet she used during her first ride from this same motorbike.







“Sumimasen,” Kokoro mumbled, a bit irritated. She hopped on to his big

bike, then again, secured her school mini-shirt from the wind. “I’m

ready. Let’s go.”







Aoshi immediately drove-off as soon as everything was secured and

readied, As they moved-on towards the main roads of the city, Kokoro’s grip

to his belly were not as tight as before. Somehow, Aoshi had noticed

its loose feeling. Her hold to him was somewhat different, so cold. She

didn’t even lean her head to his back, hoping nothing more but to make

all of these soon be over.











*******











Back at the Aoiya Sanosuke saw his lady comrades returning to their

assigned task. Kero was with him but didn’t pay any attention to it. He

was busy putting the Sake at the back wine cellar.







“Hey, what’s the commotion all about?” Sanosuke approached one of the

maidens and asked.







“Master Shinomori had just left minutes ago with the guest,” replied

the maiden, as she was about to wipe the table beside her clean.







“And who is that guest be?” Sanosuke continued investigating, kind of

projecting again his street charm – as he always did.







“She is the Okashira’s special student. She’s quite a nagging person

but thoughtful and cute,” she replied and thought for a moment. “And as

far as I know, her name is Shiawase Kokoro.”







Sanosuke stopped for a moment and thanked his lady comrade from sharing

him some of information. “So the weasel girl came back,” he said,

turning his back to her.







“Kindly help me on this, Sano. It’s too heavy for only me to carry.”

Kero called Sanosuke back.







“The weasel girl was here a while ago and she didn’t even think of

visiting us.” Sanosuke teased, making fun for her sudden visit.







“Quit the crap, will you? I just need some help and I might not finish

the job.”







“What’s with the rude attitude, Sounan?” Sanosuke asked, grinning.







Kero sat at the nearby wooden chair and wiped his sweat from his

forehead and neck. “Sorry about that. It’s just that I’m so tired from doing

the works – I mean both of the Okashira’s assigned work. I’m not like

you, Sano. You are strong and can handle yourself at extreme measures.

Not like me, a weakling in this group.”







“That’s ok. I understand. And don’t call yourself a weakling when you

are not. Gohei suits that price, not you so quit blaming yourself from

senseless things. You just used your abilities in other stuff…. Maybe

that includes your investigative side, more like a journalist as some of

our comrades say.” Sano had humbled himself before Kero, a quality that

isn’t normal for him.







“What is it this time, Sano? Do you want something from me, right?

Haven’t you eating your food lately? She sure had really done it with you

this time.” Kero teased Sanosuke. He was pertaining to Sayo’s special

dishes to him.







“Will you stop that!” He unintentionally shouted at his friend.

Everyone, the servants and customers, had turned their heads towards Sano

after doing the unexpected thing, waiting for him to say something. Sano

began lowering himself from the public view and apologized. “As I have

said it before, Sayo and I are not going out,” he whispered to him.







“Sure, sure you do.” Kero seemed not to believe Sanosuke’s words. “Have

it your way. Well, we have lots of things to do so please, do help me

from the chores. I have to finish all of this before the Okashira comes

back.” He stood up and arranged back the chair to the table.







“What about it, Kero? Do you have something to report to him this time?

Is it good news?” From the sound of Kero’s words a while ago, he would

likely to have something important t tell/report to the Okashira.







“I certainly have something to tell to him and it’s a secret.”







“Come on, tell me.”







“I won’t. It’s a report that I have to deliver to him confidentially,”

Kero spoke sluggishly, as he was about to carry another 2 large jars of

Sake. “Just do the chores and live your life, ok.” Then he smiled.







“Damn you, Kero. I’ll get you on this." Sano was about to playfully

punch on Kero's back but his friend warned him before hitting him one.







“Touch me or you’ll never have the story. I’m serious.” Kero said as he

entered inside the kitchen. “I’m serious!”







“Alright! Alight then. Have it your way.” Sano expressed his thought in

disappointment of not knowing Kero’s report.







*******







“Thanks for the ride, sensei.” Her voice was a bit low and she didn’t

even made an effort of eyeing Aoshi straight to his eyes. She turned

her back and walked towards the gate, with her bags on both shoulders.







“Are you sure you will be alright with that, carrying those heavy bags

to your house?” Somehow, Aoshi’s frigidness melted a bit, showing his

true concern to her.







“I can do this. Thanks for the help, sensei. I’ll just see you tomorrow

at the gym as like what you have just said. Oyasumi nasai.” Kokoro then

opened the door in front of her and entered. She threw her bags aside

and instantly closed it as soon as she fully stand at the house inner

territory. “Oyasumi nasai, Aoshi-kun.”







Seeing the door slowly closing to him, it was his queue to leave the

Shiawase’s residence. Aoshi switched-on the gears of the motorbike but he

had notice a car in front of him.







******











Kokoro had entered her house, shutting the main door behind. As she was

about to climb up stairs, Okon, her eldest sister, suddenly walked-in

the foyer from the way access of their living room without knowing what

was happening to her little sister. They accidentally bumped at each

other. Kokoro was shoved a bit away from her, without any reactions

marked on her face, as if nothing happened.







“Sorry about that,” Okon admitted her fault as she was about to pick up

her cleaning towel that had fallen to the floor when the incident

happened. “I wasn’t paying any attention in what I have been doing lately. I

sure have forgotten things roaming in this house. Cleaning our abode

has pretty occupied much of my mind.”







“And why is that?” Kokoro bluntly asked, standing. “What’s the

occasion?”







Okon paused for a moment and think of something. She didn’t dare of

answering her back, as of now.







“Well?” Kokoro waited, raising an eyebrow.







Her elder sister stood up and smiled at her. “Are you hungry? I will

make up your dinner as soon as I finish this foyer area, okey?” Okon went

to the kitchen to find some new cleaning towel to use. “You go up

stairs and have your bath.”







From those words left by her elder sister, it had left doubts from

Kokoro’s mind about her motives on this kind of sudden change for Okon

wasn’t the type of person who is eager on cleaning. Kokoro knew that she

can cook, do laundry and any women choirs at the house but on this kind

of basis; it was way too awkward. In running businesses, she’s really

damn good of it. Omasu often take care of their homely needs and the

choirs.







“Oneesan…” Kokoro mumbled as she fled away from the foyer up to her

room.







Halfway to the second floor, Kokoro was surprised upon Okon’s yell from

the kitchen. Her voice had reached to her ears that had ringed a bell

to her consciousness. She suddenly stopped from her current position.







“Next time, please don’t hesitate to invite your sensei to come inside

our house. We would like to get to know him better and let him try our

specialties done by Omasu. We owe him an apology.”







She was, again, spied by her sister. Instead on answering her sister

back, she just smirked and continued going upstairs to her room.







*******







Arrived at Aoiya, Kurojou, one of his trusted subordinate welcomed

Aoshi with a bow and told him of something important.







“Okashira, a friend of yours is waiting at the Cherry tree platform. He

said that it’s urgent.”







“I’ll take it from here. Arigatou.” Aoshi continued his walk towards

the mansion.







“Hai.” Kurojou replied and went on his separate way towards their busy

restaurant to manage.







Aoshi was very silent and never did think of who ever it was waiting

for him at his favorite platform. All he knew that he was home and Kokoro

will be in good shape in no time after treating her some of his secret

herb medicinal treatment to her injury. All he had to do is to wait.

Time will tell of the outcome. Upon entering the mansion’s garden, he saw

a tall man waiting in the platform, standing right in his favorite

spot. Disrespect was somehow seen from that setting which Aoshi didn’t

very like it. Instinctively, one of his eyebrows had raised but nothing

came along to his reaction from his face the great impertinence he felt

inside from the man’s unkindly position. From all the places, why have

to be there? Each of his footsteps led it way towards the platform as

the moonlight half sets in to shine on the man’s lower part of his face.

Long hair and wearing a coat, this would likely his friend at the

school.







“What are you doing in here?” two meters away from the platform, Aoshi

ceased from walking and look straightly at the man’s face.







“Oh, you are finally here. I was about to wait you in the dojo but your

old man told me to wait you here instead.” The man had politely

replied.







“Well, as I see, he didn’t tell you anything about coming from this

place. I don’t allow people coming here.” Aoshi turned his view away from

him as he watched the Sakura tree swayed its branches and leaves,

dancing from the passing through breeze.







“Is that so?” The man went down from the platform and wore his shoes

from the ground. “Sorry about that. I didn’t meant to,”







“That’s alright. It was done anyway,” Aoshi abruptly interrupted his

speech. “What made you visit me tonight,Hiko-san?”







The man stood up and grinned. “What’s with the harsh words? Haven’t you

eaten anything healthy lately? Watch your health.”







“You know that I speak this way. I thought that you are used at my

ways.”







“Lately, it’s getting annoying for my senses but I’ll try to immune

myself on that. I’ll give myself double dosage.”







“Says who?”







“Nothing,” Seijouro smiled and laughed a bit.







Aoshi went to the platform, near Hiko, and sat at its edge. “So, you

are about to tell me of something, right? Spill it up.”







Hiko turned himself to view Aoshi and crossed his arms from his chest.

The night was colder than the past ones but that was not the reason why

he did that. “I heard about the Red Baron.”







Red Baron. It was the name he and Hiko secretly talked about. It is

said to be Aoshi’s one of unforgettable mission to finish.







“And so he is here, back in town to menace,” he spoke as his voice

sounding like there was anger forming larger inside of him.







“Had he been appearing to you lately? In ten years, he sure has some

things to fix on with you. He was back from a foreign country. I guessed

that he came from his latest trip….London. Yeah, it was in London.”







“I don’t care where or what he had been up to. I just want to have my

hands get back to my kodachis and find its ways to his throat, or even

to his blasted heart to regain what is rightfully mine.” Feeling grew

even more aggressive as time passed on the said topic.







“He was back in town since half a year ago. Why haven’t you made any

moves to finish this whole crazy thing? I can tell, you know. I have seen

your life and I described it to be in the process of slow

deteriorating. It isn’t pleasing to see.”







“The goody principal has his sleeves against mine again. Why can’t you

simply watch for the outcome of my work? I simply take things at hand,

as you see. I make sure that everything will flow in perfect timing,”

Aoshi smoothly rubbed his forehead. A headache was about to unleash from

his nerves upon hearing such damned memories of sadness of his life.

“Be still and see what I will do to my problem, Hiko. Just mind your own

at school.”







Problems….speaking of it, there was one that made Hiko remember –

SHIAWASE KOKORO.







“How was Shiawase-san’s performance? I heard that she had an injury at

her ankle. What’s her status?”



he said, worrying for her training status.







Silence was what Hiko received from his friend, Aoshi. Does that mean

that Kokoro’s status in Kempo will likely have no good outcome?







“Your answer?”







“Why bother visiting me here at this time all because of that?”







“You don’t have to tell me your sarcasms, Shinomori-san. I am the

school’s principal and I just want to know her status of winning. Just

answer the question, will you,” Hiko replied, blocking Aoshi’s cynicism.







Aoshi sighed roughly. For the second thought, he was right. It was his

job to know this, all that concerns the upcoming martial arts

competition. “She lack in terms of strong concentration and the techniques she

often used in our training have lots of flaws. Her chances of winning

will likely loose this time of the year after knowing the abilities of

that gifted martial art student named Sanada Misanagi who will firstly

enter this competition. I knew that she had already studied Shiawase’s

moves especially the usual ones, which is why I am eager to teach her

some new tricks that might move her to the top. But the special training

wasn’t started yet due to some circumstances.”







“Oh that is why you don’t want to tell me anything about it,” he sighed

caused by disappointment.







“I will do teach her that in time but as of now, I will have to set

some terms regarding my other mission.”







“What mission? Oh, THAT mission. You still have the grasp on that one.”







“I have waited this for so long.” Aoshi gruffly muttered. “At least,

you should understand my terms.”







“It is ten years since that incident. Don’t you ever get tired of

searching Shihio and his men?” he sounded like a concerned friend but

nevertheless, he also would like to see in his pal’s face the satisfaction of

regaining what was taken from him…..it was his life from his

loved-ones…..







“Searching of justice, I won’t be” Aoshi instantly answered. He closed

his eyes, dreaming that that day would come for he and Shishio will see

each other – face to face, ending what is left to finish.







That fateful night on Aoiya’s had struck deeply on Aoshi’s senses. It

had marked a deep scar that no man or even time, can heal. Ending

everything with his kodachis will likely replace on his bidding to stop his

misery – striking the madman on his heart with it and take it as his

final glory. The heart, his grieving heart had made him remember his life

back on the old days. Those happy smiles from the family that took him

in, taking care of him after one severe incident happened during his

childhood. And that one severe incident was somehow, as he experienced,

the first massacre occurred on his life…..his real family – his loving

mother, respectable stepfather and his cherished unborn younger sister

was taken away from him in one of his coldest era of life….Christmas

night. He was at Makimaki’s house by then, unknowingly what was happening

to his family at that time. Sad at it was, the culprit was never been

found. Only footmarks and the anguishing aura of the dead persons were

left

at his house to tell him the awful truth at that night of gladness. He

somehow felt that he was responsible for their loss….like that he has

been feeling with the lost of his second family. His second family – the

Makimachi’s and the Oniwabanshuu – to whom he had finally taken on

refuge from the dark image of his past, was also taken away from him….It

was all the same. It had repeated itself for no known reasons why is this

happening to him – same plot, same settings. For all he knew, these

were the two of his darkest secrets that made him stop from showing his

emotions. That made him to be the man that he is currently now.







There came a rough breeze rushing towards them. Both had felt the

intense feeling about the topic and held nothing but silence. Seijouro went

close to Aoshi’ side and patted a hand on his shoulder. “I just hope

that all of that ends soon. You are still living in the shadows, in your

past, a thing that you should have long seen to heal. I just hope too

that you may live in a happy normal life.”







Aoshi didn’t respond. His eyes hid from the shadows of his bangs. A

grin came out from his face, almost an insanely one.







“Anyway, I came by to know about Shiawase’s training status ad about

the Red Baron. Hope that we will win again,” changing his topic into the

lighter side, "Our school is very expecting on it.” Hiko was walking

away from the platform where Aoshi sits. He was about to make his exit

out from the mansion, a time to leave.







“Talking to me to the phone won’t do you any harm,” Aoshi gave a quick

sarcastic statement.







“I appreciate your special welcoming to me, Shinomori-san. And about

that suggestion, I will surely decline on it for I know that you don’t

use one; you hated using it,” he softly laughed.







“Say my greetings to the Shiawase’s. I just know that you were coming

to their residence this time of the night.” Aoshi was never fooled by

Hiko’s actions.







“Spying on me again?” Hiko abruptly ceased after hearing Aoshi’s words.







“I don’t spy on my friends. I just assume things that are very obvious

to my eyes.”







Those words had attached something from Hiko’s consciousness. “I know

and I trust you on that.” He continued his walk, exiting his way out of

the mansion. Maids waiting from the gate bowed against him and he

finally left.







The garden was, again, quiet for him to stay. But he prefer very much

of this setting. In this way, he will be able to have certain things to

check on to, with his mind, silently against the solemnity of the night

itself. Half an hour past, Aoshi was about to leave his position at his

favorite platform when Kero (Sounan) suddenly appeared from his back.







“What is it you come for, Sounan?” Aoshi had already sensed the coming

of Sounan from his back.







“Reporting for duty, Sir,” Sounan bowed his head down and continued,

“about Code Akuma.”







“Speak,”







“According to my sources, Shishio had finally arrived from Western

Europe and settle in this town. I have confirmed that the European mansion

at the top of the hill, just outside of the city, is under his name. We

usually see his encounter during his stay at the mansion around 10 in

the evening with his associates on his ‘businesses’. His meetings from

the past month usually involved in drug smuggling in the North and West

side of Japan. They had some difficulty on handling the transportation

of goods due to some unexpected raids coming from the special forces

formed by the government headed by WOLF.”







WOLF. Somehow, it had given Aoshi moments to think of about that man

leading the group of the police to raid something as big fish as this.

“The WOLF had finally risen from the dead and did his job as a

policeman.”







“Do you happen to know him, Okashira?”







Aoshi didn’t answer. He felt that there is no need of telling him the

identity of WOLF.







“As I was saying,” Sounan continued his report though he felt a little

bit of embarrassed, “Shishio usually come home at the mansion and fixed

things regarding the lost income and goods he had from the raids.”







“So the bastard will only have his ass back in this country all because

of lost income and goods caused by WOLF. Nice one.”







“But not only that, he was searching for someone in this city and I

don’t have yet the exact information about it. He had exerted so much

money and effort on this one. I have no idea why.”







Aoshi slowly stood and faced Sounan. “He is searching for someone. It

was too untypical of him to do such thing.”







“I also found out that in his mansion, he will hold a social party,

with special guests from all parts of the world – world of opium and

kidnapping to be exact. They will about to issue the next godfather of their

organization which I have been tipped that Shishio will be its next

successor. He had proven himself true enough to be the sole reigning drug

lord from the rest of the world. The theme of the party will be

masqueraded and it will happen this coming Friday night. Certain famous

fashion designers will also attend the gathering to cover it up.”







Upon hearing Sounan’s last statements regarding Shishio, it had raised

him ideas that might push him through to finish what hadn’t been closed

– his duel to the devil himself. Aoshi continued his walk towards the

mansion, leaving Sounan his message of order.







“I want all of you be ready for the upcoming task we will have on Code

Akuma. Wait for my orders tomorrow, understood?”







“Hai,” Sounan respectfully replied, bowing his head against his

Okashira.







Not far from the two was Okina, hiding from the shadows. He had heard

about all about it that he thought that he had the idea what was about

to happen, the tactic that their young Okashira will likely take on

charge for this mission. What else but to attend on the lion’s large

dungeon.







“I just wish that you are right on this one, Aoshi,” Okina hissed, as

he was about to leave at his current position with the help of his

guiding stick at his right hand.







tbc....



gomen for the grammar