Of Roses, Scent And Rain

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


author's notes:
after being reminded that this chap is invisible.....time to take action. Thnx!

Chapter 4

At the end of the main street, Kokoro and Kaoru went
separately on their ways, to each of their own home. Kokoro waved
good-bye as the black Lexus faded away from her sight. She walked to
the small alley, the shortest way to her house. She redundantly
thought of what had happened earlier in her training. The though of
telling her discrepancies in her specialty made her feel awful. For
the first time of her life in training, she was scolded er
er
sensei, telling it wasn't good enough for the upcoming tournament.
She always wins evereverybody in the campus knows that. Her records
from the previous school tournaments and championship games are very
remarkable. But to him, it seemed to be a child's play.

"Kuso!" Kokoro irritably stated.

She was nearing to their family's cybercafe, an adjoined
place to their own house. Her sisters were having a discussion
behind the pantry door about something – something about family
matters. Kokoro didn't bother at their conversation at first as
she was about to go upstairs to change her clothes. She decided to
greet her sisters and asked them about their day, upon nearing, she
stopped and listened silently.

"Don't worry, Omasu. Nothing will happen." as Okon continued to brew the serving coffee.

"I don't know. You can't stop me from worrying." Omasu
gripped the kitchen towel harshly with eyes unstable.

"Hush. This isn't the place for such nonsense, Omasu.
Nothing will happen as far as we…." Okon had sensed Kokoro behind
the door and ceased the talking. "Ohayo Kokoro-chan! What are you
doing there, behind the door?!" Kokoro smiled and went out from her hidings.

"Gomen Nasai. So what's with Omasu-oneesan? Why is she
worrying, worrying too much – for us and especially me? What is it?"
She asked pleadingly.

"It's nothing. She's just worrying about the expenses of the
house and your schooling. That's why. But we managed to solve that."
Okon calmly replied, trying not to open the discussion any wider.

"Oh really…. I'm not convinced." She projected a doubting
look, frowning.

Omasu went close to her younger sister and held her in her
beautiful, caring arms. "We're fine. Don't worry. Everything is
gonna be alright. I promise. *sniffed*"

"Okay." Deep inside, she's still not convinced. There is definitely
something wrong in the setting and she has to find it out. "What's
for dinner?"

Omasu released her and went to the cooking area without
looking Kokoro's eyes. Kokoro really assumed that there is something
wrong with her sisters and they don't want her to know it. She
doesn't know whether she will be happy or get mad on hiding
something on her, having all those secrets. She decided to go with
the flow first then do the rest. No secrets are kept forever.

"Wow!" Kokoro sniffed the welcoming aroma of beefstew.
"Smells good! Really good! How I wish I could cook one of this."

"Well it's about time for you to learn Kokoro-chan. Every
lady should know how to cook. It's for the good of their future
family, to her husband and children." Okon stated as she finally
arranged the coffee cups in a wooden tray.

Omasu agreed.

"Oh really….Is that so. Okay. One of these days I'll study
cooking with Omasu if it is alright with her." She perceived
directly to her older sister, raising an eyebrow.

"Fine with me. Dinner's serve." Omasu smiled and a bit
worried.

"Okay! I'm hungry!"

"Wash your hands first before eating, Kokoro-chan. I'll
deliver this to the costumer outside before he gets the hell out of
this place. I have overdone brewing the coffee because of the long
talking. Wait for me pls." Okon brushes out the bead curtain, a
service entrance to their cybercafe.

"Hai!" Kokoro nodded and went to the sink to wash her hands.

Omasu smiled and stared at her younger sister. She is still
worrying and Kokoro noticed that. In her eyes, there is madness –
madness from whatever keeping her mind unhinged. Kokoro stared at
the continuous gashing flow of water to her mild hands.

*******


"All of the day's work. Huew!" Kokoro deliberately fell on
her soft fluffy bed after taking a bath. She stared blankly to the
ceiling of her room, remembering her training with her sensei. She
brushed her bangs away from her eyes then sighed. "Saturday.
Tomorrow will be a bright day to all of us." She yawned.

She hugged her pillow and viewed the two beautiful roses
from her lovely glass vase, wandering if she finally found the
mysterious man from the alley she spied last night. The man in the
alley and her sensei is, perhaps, the same person, in flesh and
blood. They could be because of the similar scent of a particular
woman's perfume. Heck! Kokoro chortled and stood up. She sat to her
chair from the desk and simply grabbed the body of the vase. The moon
shined beautifully tonight. What a wonderful sight. She felt as
something had made her feel tranquil and comforted. She suspected
the roses from her vase and the bright moon. The ill-tempered
feeling about her training slowly faded away from her mind and
promised to train herself more for her own good. She picked the red
rose from the vase, nearing it to her sight. She scanned the rose.

"Red. It's too red. It's too red as a blood." Kokoro brushed
her fingers to the moist petals then smelled. "The scent of a rose
is something worth dying for….." A voice prompted from her mind
abruptly. It isn't hers or any voice she remembers. Her eyes widened
and she stood up, leaving her chair slammed on the floor. She was
terrified on hearing such an unthinkable thought. She shivered and
had reflexively held the rose tightly from its stem, its thorny
stem. Her left hand was pierced by the rose's thorns. Strip of blood
gashed out from her fist, still reacting numbly, wondering. Moments
later, she felt the pain from her wounded hand. Unknowingly, she
immediately threw the rose to the floor, aching from the one it
produced.

"Ouch! What the heck!" She instantly searches for her first
aid kit from her drawer. She took the cotton buds and the alcohol
from the kit. She managed to tend herself in healing her wound
without any help from her sisters.

After finishing tending her wounds on her left palm, she
cleaned away the used buds and hid the first aid kit back to her
drawers. Her hand is on bandage. The pain gradually ceases. She
remembered the red rose, the one she threw to the floor. She reached
and looked at it. Blood from her hands still left the marks to the
thorns of the lovely flower. She quickly put it back to her vase, cleaning it to the water that kept it alive. She picked her chair
and put it upright; turn the lights-off, then went to her bed. She
lay down and positioned for her to view the two roses from her vase
from the desk. The blood had mixed with the pure clean water – a view
that she will never forget. What about the voice? The unknown voice
prompter in her mind a while ago that caused her frightened then
wounded. She gradually stopped from thinking anything more of the
incident. It's getting late and she has to reserve more energy for
tomorrow, to face new challenges and adventures. She, now, gently
sleeps.


*******

Kokoro's trusted alarm clock rang around 5 o' clock, waking
her up for the new bright day to enjoy with. She stood drowsily, going to her closet. At the door of her closet, she intentionally
bumped herself for her to be fully awake. And it did, as always. She
yawned and opened it, choosing the best comfortable clothes she
could wear for today. She located her white shirt and khaki Capri
pants along with her hanged t-shirts. She took them and placed it to
her cluttered bed. Then, she quickly looked for her towel and went
directly to the bathroom to take a nice clean bath. Moments later…..

"Ah!" She yawned again. ", it's a very bright morning.",
then looked at her moist roses, receiving dew from last night's damp
atmosphere.

After bathing, she wears her clothes placed from her bed
then cleaned the mess she had produced. Now, it's time for her to
have a new adventure, she thought. She raced downstairs, leaving her
hair loose. It swung beautifully upon her shoulders and back.

"Kokoro-chan! Is that you?" Okon shouted from the kitchen,
preparing the menu for today while their other sister cleaned the
inner café area where computers mostly found.

"Hai! I'll be going to the park. I just need gh agh air and
exercise to start with. I'll be back soon! Mata ne!" Kokoro grabbed a
piece of bread from their dining table and run off the house.

On the streets, people are starting to do their daily
morning rituals. Some are opening up their stores and some are
sweeping some excess dirt or trashes from their covered area. Each
of their own flowers was showered with water so that they could also
start with the new day. Some people also thought of having
themselves tour the surrounding early serene area, which will be
good for their consumption of fresh air and view. Kokoro watched
amazedly as they moved and do their things in life. The sun started
to touch each of the town folks' perspectives. A wonderful feeling
to see all at good hands.

"Ahah!" Kokoro stretched her arms to the arm and
yawns. "Ohayo m!"
!"

People from the surrounding neighborhood also greeted her a
warm hello.

"Kokoro-chan! What made you woke up this early? It's very
unusual for you to do such a thing. It isn't your school day." An
old woman – family's friend, holding a 2 month-old baby into her
arms, from the sidewalk asked.

Kokoro looked at the woman and went close to her side. She
smiled gladly and explained her side. As she continuously talked to
her, she glanced at the little one, silently sleeping to her
grandmother's protective arms safely. It was a beautiful morning yet the baby preferred slumbering instead. Kids.

"Kawaii." Kokoro said, wishing that she could have one – not
within these days but in the near future with someone she loves.
Then she blushed. The old woman was totally clueless to her act.
Kokoro kissed the young one's petite forehead and waved goodbye.
She, then, moves to her targeted goal – to the park.

She viewed the passing areas with sweet smile and galore.
Now, she's nearing the park and could almost hear the sound of the
chirping of doves and other species of birds homing in there. She
ran to it and on her way she met a small group of people doing their
exercise – Tai-chi. It is a form of exercise emphasizing the
benefits of chi to our body with the help of natural elements, doing
slow tranquil movements. The view is very inviting yet she has to go
to her SPECIAL SECRET PLACE she used to hide when she was a little
girl whenever she was scolded by her elder sisters. It is a place
where she contemplates whenever she had problems or troubles in
life. But this time it's different.

"Finally." She thought while walking towards the big oak
tree of the park. It was partly hidden from the public area so it
makes it a good place for silent meditation and related.

"It's been a year ago since I went to this place. I wonder
how tall it grew after I left it." She went close to its tree trunk,
touching its memorable marks in its barks that she had created long
before. She touched the area of the tree trunk where she used to
punch because of her training of Kempo. She also stroked the X marks
she did on throwing kunais, also a part of her training. And lastly,
she went at the back of the tree, bent, and saw small partition of
trunk capable of being a hiding place. She sighed.

"My childhood. My sweet childhood." She chuckled. "This is
where I met Kaoru-chan.. She was very afraid, crying like a baby.
She got lost in the park while trying to catch a butterfly. Ha!"
Then sighed. "Still, I'm happy it happened."

She looked up to the tree and decided to climb up. She viewed
wonderfully the beautiful places of her town up here – the
mountains, the town, and the sea. All are majestic to her eyes and
heart.

"Wow! It's still beaul oul out here. I'm glad to be here
once again to view everything such peaceful." She embraced the
smooth flow of the wind as it passed to her body. She sat at the
highest branch of the tree and waited the completion of the
appearance of the sun to the city. She breathed the fresh air, soothing her lungs. She missed this kind of activity she used to do.
And she's very happy of doing to all over again.

While she was staring out to the magnificent skies of Edo,
she suddenly heard cries from below. Cries of a child, like what she
heard when Kaoru did when she got lost. She immediately scanned the
world below her place and saw two small kids, simply standing right
at the front of the big oak tree. She climbed down as fast as she
could, balancing every steps she made – a sign of a good martial
artist. When she arrived, the two little girls were still
crying….for what?

"Ohayo little ones! Why are you both crying?" She kneeled before them,
leveling her face to theirs just to wipe her handkerchief to the
girls' faces.

"We are lost. *sniff-sniff*. We are suppose to be on our way
to our play center when me and my little sister got lost on our
traced tracks."

"You two are too young to travel alone in the city. Your
mother and father would have been pretty awful worried of you two."
Kokoro replied. "By the way, my name is Shiawase Kokoro. My friends
usually call me Kokoro."

"My name is Ayame ands iss is my little sister, Suzume-chan.
Nice to meet you. *sniff-sniff*" Ayame tried to shake hands with
Kokoro.

"Big brother told us not to talk to strangers!" Suzume
slapped her older sister `s hand away from Kokoro's.

Kokoro was shocked yet understood what the young lady meant.
She stared Suzume and gently held her hand to her petite shoulders
although the child reacted fearful.

"I'm not a stranger anymore because I already introduced
myself a while ago to the both of you. Isn't?" Then she smiled, somehow felt dumb to herself.

Suzume was a bit confused but somehow Kokoro is right.

"Don't worry. Just tell me where it is then I'll do the
rest. Okay? I'm your friend already. I won't hurt you." Kokoro held
her palm to the frightened child. Ayame waited for her young
sister's reaction silently. Later, she finally accepted Kokoro's
assistance, now also smiling and wiping her excess tears from her
pretty face.

"Pls. do." Suzume holds the palm of Kokoro.

Kokoro carried Suzume while Ayame grasped at her right hand.
Ayame told Kokoro everything she knows about the place – how it
looks and paths she remembers. Then the three are happily touring
the park, like sisters, and finally went to the targeted place.

*******

"A playing area huh………" Kokoro mumbled as she probes the
neighborhood area across the park.

"Hai! It has a garden full of Roses," Suzume stated.

"And we all are forbidden to touch them said by our
teacher." Ayame explains

"Oh really? It should be because a rose has sharp thorns enveloping
its stem. What made them think to plant something dangerous in a
kid's area?" Kokoro wandered.

"I don't know."

"Me neither." Suzume replied. "Still, they are beautiful to view
with – with our teacher." Then she giggled.

Kokoro got amazed to the shown emotion of the little girl she's
carrying. She is small yet entertaining. She remembered herself when
she was little, with her sisters playing mindlessly. Gone with the
good old days.

"Should we call first your parents? They may be have very much
worried because,"

"We don't have any parents anymore. They died when Suzume-chan was a few months old. Big brother told us they died of a certain accident."
Ayame sobbed.

Kokoro felt sorry for the two. She was also sorry for asking about
it.

"There it is!" Suzume yelled out.

Kokoro perceived a small bungalow wooden house with much wide space
for the playing area, of course, for the children. She saw no other
children playin itn it. It was simply like a closed area due to the
weekends. She doubted the two but it seemed to be fit to their
descriptions. Kokoro and the girls went close to the place. Kokoro
held Suzume down to the ground, enabling her stand and move freely.

"Hooray!!! We are finally in here!" Both girls are very happy on
finding the place, finally arrived to their targeted goal.

"Let's see if sensei is here, Suzume-chan." Ayame looked excitedly
to her younger sister.

"Hai!" They instantly ran towards the vicinity of the play area, leaving Kokoro at the front gates.

The girls stopped and looked back to Kokoro.

"Why don't you come with us, oneesan?" The two little angels waited.

"I can't. I'm not allowed to enter without any permission from the
owner. I might get sued of trespassing." Kokoro said as she waved her
hand to the air.

"Don't worry. The doctor will allow you to enter this place.
Promise!" Suzume ran towards Kokoro and pushed her at her slender back just to get inside of the area.

"A doctor?"

"Yes. She owns this place. And she's our friend."

"Oh." She wondered.

The two girls grabbed each Kokoro's hands tightly, making their way
in to the small house. Kokoro was anxious yet with these beautiful
angels beside her, everything will be alright.

"Ohayo Doctor-sensei!" Both little girls yelled.

A womanly figured appeared from the shadows approaching to the
foyer. She wore a long white robe usually used by doctors,
a black blouse and brown mini-skirt – above knee level.
She has long black shiny hair, loosely brushing to her gorgeous figure and back.
As she walked towards them, she glanced smilingly to the little kids waiting for her.

"Ohayo my little angels. What made you come here? The daycare center
is closed for today. Only my clinic openly operates." The lady
doctor reached for her sandals. "And who is this beautiful lady
standing behind you girls?"

"Our friend Kokoro-dono. She helped us on searching this place. We
got lost in the way." Ayame explained as she went close to Kokoro's
side.

"Sou, sou!" Suzume replied.

"Oh I see." The lady went close to Kokoro and gave her hand to greet
her. "My name is Takani Megumi. My family owns this place and I'm
not yet a doctor. I'm a medical student unlike these kids say. My
family runs this clinic for so many years and it's time for me to
endow my duty. This is a clinic with a daycare center, of course,
for little children. You are very much welcome in here. Visit us as
often you like."

"I love to." Kokoro scanned the surroundings. "Nice place!"

"Arigato." Megumi bowed down.

Kokoro perceived roses from certain colorful fences outside the
house. She looked at it, making the others speculate. Red beautiful
roses blossom beautifully at the yard of the place. So fascinating,
so serene – so inviting….

"We used not to have roses in our yard because, obviously, for the
safety precautions of the children but one of our staff planted them
their. For some reasons, the children love it. And they very much
enjoyed playing here without disturbing the flowers. To view them is
enough." Megumi explained as she went closer to Kokoro.

"It's because you don't want us to touch it Doctor-sensei!" Suzume
replied smilingly.

"They are beautiful. I love roses." Kokoro whispered.

"I do too, same with the one who planted them." Megumi mindlessly
talked her feelings to Kokoro.

"Nani?"

"Oh nothing…." A customer arrived from the clinic to have her
monthly check-up. "I have to go. My father's patient arrived. Feel
free to enjoy the view and place, Kokoro-san." Megumi tapped her
fingers to Kokoro's left shoulder blade. Kokoro nodded.

"Can we come?! Can we come?!" Ayame and Suzume pleaded, grabbing
Megumi's doctor robe.

"Alright but behave yourselves. First, we have to call the folks at
your house." Megumi looked at the patient. "This way, ma'am." The
patient followed.


*******

Kokoro was left alone in the foyer and decided to tour herself a
little. She went outside of the bungalow, seeking her way to the
garden. The wind blew gently on her hair, hovering it. Such a
heartwarming moment for her. She walked towards the flock of roses.
The wind also blew upon them, swaying beautifully with every sweet
touches made from the breath of heavens. She bent down and smelled
one of the luscious roses. So fragrant, like the one she has at her
room – at the vase. The person who planted these surely has a good
heart. Nurturing such magnificent creatures would be likely be done
by a person who has a deeper shared emotions. Deep inside, she's
glad to be in this place.

While she probed to the red roses, she heard noises from the back of
the bungalow – some kind of a noise from a water sprinkler. She
stood up and went on investigating, as always. At the corner of the
house, she gently poked at the other side, looking if there is
someone there. A man stood among the white roses, showering them
with enough water. He stood there, facing back to Kokoro's vision.
She viewed him more clearly and somehow, recognized him a bit. He's
tall and slender. Much like her….her….her sensei!

"Who goes there?" The man stated as he continued to shower water
upon the white roses without looking whoever it was. "Shiawase-san."

"How come he knows that I'm here?" she thought. She went out from
hiding.

"What brings you here?" Aoshi asked, still not looking back to her.

"Ah – eh….erm…." She can't think of anything to reason with.

Suddenly, Ayame and Suzume ran towards them, happily seeing their
teacher with Kokoro.

"Sensei! Si!" i!" Suzume yelled.

Aoshi took Suzume and held her into his arms. Kokoro remembered the
time she was held in his arms due to her dumbness and felt envied on
the little girl's happy giggles, seeing her sensei again.

"Why are you here? It's Saturday and you two aren't supposed to be
here." Aoshi viewed Suzume's then Ayame's faces.

"It's just that we missed the roses." Suzume explained blushingly.

"Usotsuki! We came here not only for the pretty roses….it's you,
sensei…." Ayame also blushed, pertaining to be bolder than her
little sister.

Aoshi didn't mind the puppy love the two little girls felt for him.
He's just going with the flow and ensures it will all surpass in due
time. Aoshi looked at Kokoro, having a smiling eyes – eyes that she
newly been encountered since she met him. He got stunning blue eyes,
looks of a gentle and tranquil person. Kokoro's heart pumped faster –
again!

"I'm hungry." Suzume thumps her aching stomach.

"Oh gosh….me too." Ayame sat on one of the rocks close by.

"Ayame-chan," Aoshi called her and picked her up. "Let's have a
breakfast."

The two girls were very happy and excited of it. Such noise was
heard by Megumi inside the clinic.

”What's with the commotion out here? Oh! Aoshi-san. You're here. I
thought it was somebody else." She went closer to Aoshi, seeming
forgetting that there is another grown individual among the crowd.
They seemed to be like a family when they mixed together. Such an
envy view and irritable to felt with. Why do she have to be jealous?
In what grounds? Heck! Kokoro now wished to leave the happy family
alone. And besides, Megumi might be his girlfriend.

"Sensei! Meet Kokoro-oneesan. She helped us finding this place."
Suzume pointed her out while Kokoro reacted surprisingly.

"Yeah Sensei! She did!" Ayame seconds the motion.

"Oh really…." Aoshi perceived Kokoro again. "We will have a
breakfast. I insist you to come with us." Then projected a sweet
glance at Kokoro. Her heart was slowly melting upon seeing such
gorgeous view. Is this still her sensei?

"Ah – eh… I have other plans to do. Gomen." She shyly stated.

"Pls. come with us, Kokoro-san. It will be our start of a very good
friendship." Megumi pleaded.

Kokoro thought deeply as she examined her situation – to them and
herself. What now? What will she do? She felt outcast by them who
seemingly projected a perfect family.

"I simply must say, you should go with us and that's an order."
Aoshi smiled, reacting like his old self again.

"An order?" Suzume asked.

Aoshi didn't respond, just looking through the wandering eyes of
Kokoro.

"Okay. I'll go." Kokoro sighed very deeply. She now faced a new
dilemma for this very bright and exciting day. The little girls in
the arms of Aoshi are very pleased. "Kuso! What will I do?" she
thought to herself.


tbc.....