#omake 1

His haughty, antisocial master, suddenly interested in a woman? Had he glimpsed her from the window and been love-struck? The possibility was as strange as snow tomorrow, but not implausible.

His thoughts were interrupted by Yahiko, sprinting across the yard to head for the Akabeko. Aoshi and Misao had offered to babysit again; behind the wall, there were feet shuffling and stepping, indicating that they were preparing to go as well.

He lifted the empty laundry basket and decided that he would brew a pot of ginger tea. It would warm their bellies and counter illness. With Kenji in the house, it’d be disastrous if anyone fell sick. Just as he opened the sliding door, he was met with a bulky presence.

“I’m going out.” His master grunted and moved past him.

“Goodbye, Shishou.” He then added, almost offhandedly. “Have fun with courting.”

That resulted in a definite reaction. Shishou spun around, with an impressive glare. “Don’t mistake interest for love.”

He widened his eyes, keeping them round and innocent. “Oro, are you interested in Tae-dono?”

“I never said that, baka deshi.” With that, he was off.

Kenshin suppressed a grin. Who was the idiot now?

***

“He’s gone to see Tae?” Kaoru repeated, disbelieving. She blew at her ginger tea to cool the surface, before taking a sip. “Is that what he’s been doing?”

He swallowed his tea and nodded. “This one thinks so. He did react badly, when this one said it was courting.”

She set her cup down with shaking hands and couldn’t stop herself from giggling at how bold he was. “Kenshin, I can’t believe you said that!”

“But, it was proof.” He amiably replied, moving to sit next to her, and their shoulders touched. “Still, this one finds it strange.”

“It’s not so hard to believe. Tae has nice eyes, like a doe’s.” She mused aloud. “And she’s single. I think Otou-san was the only one who ever proposed to her.”

She didn’t learn about the proposal, until after her father had left. Tae had been uncharacteristically troubled, confessing that she had rejected the offer. She explained her reasons why and asked Kaoru not to think any less of her. As if she would, she’d answered and was actually relieved. It would have been awkward, because Tae had been her friend first.

“If he keeps going back, that could mean she doesn’t mind him being around. So, she might like him, right?”

“Hm, maybe…?” He seemed preoccupied, sliding his hand around her waist and kissing the space below her ear.

She laughed, a little breathlessly. “You’re not listening at all, are you?”

“This one is being very attentive.” He tried for a clueless expression. It was a contrast to his fingers working at the knot of her obi and diving under cloth.

Well, they could always continue the conversation later. She turned and gently moved him onto his back. “Not attentive enough.”

He smiled up at her. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah, a really long time.” Kaoru fairly purred. “But Kenshin, we have guests.”

| Table of Contents | >Next |

Let’s get this manga reader started! First, let’s all just make it clear that being Ren is suffering.