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Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic
Rurouni Kenshin & Samurai X Original Japanese
Version ©N. Watsuki/Shueisha * Fuji-TV * SME Visual Works Inc. * Sony Pictures
Entertainment
All Fanfics created by Chiruken (me) were written for the sole
purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for publication or sale.
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A Love Story
“In luck or out the toil has left its mark;
That old perplexity an empty purse,
Or the day’s vanity, the night’s remorse.”
--William Butler Yeats (1865 –1939)
Shinomori Aoshi sat sipping tea,
expression as unreadable as ever, watching as the dark-haired bundle of
bottomless exuberance clad in the blue ninja uniform of the Oniwabanshu bounded
into the room, a cheerful smile brightening her youthful features, green eyes
sparkling with excitement. “Ohayou,
Aoshi-sama!” Aoshi winced
inwardly at her enthusiastic…and loud…greeting, his eyes following her
energetic movements as she bounced around the room in a little hopping dance,
hands clasped behind her back. He
resisted the instinctive urge to recoil away from her when she practically
popped up in his lap with a huge grin.
“Aoshi-sama, it’s too nice of a day to be cooped up inside meditating.”
Aoshi drained the last of his tea and
calmly set his empty cup aside, standing gracefully after extricating himself
from Misao’s grasp. “Then I’ll meditate
in the garden.” He stepped around her,
ignoring her now forced cheery smile.
“And Misao?”
She looked up at him, the expression in
her eyes unguarded and revealing a pleading wistfulness that made him feel more
than a little uncomfortable. “Yes, Aoshi-sama?” There was an almost breathless quality to
her voice that seemed to only be present when she addressed Shinomori Aoshi.
He was barely able to conceal his
impatience. He had no desire to hurt
the girl’s feelings, but he refused to encourage her painfully obvious and
decidedly unwelcome affections. “I
don’t wish to be disturbed.” She smiled
and began to nod enthusiastically when he paused. Her smile wilted under his direct and unwavering stare. He kept his voice cold and impersonal when
he continued. “By anyone.”
Misao blinked, trying ineffectually to
hide her hurt and nodded slowly, lowering her gaze to the floor. “Yes, Aoshi-sama.” She answered in barely a whisper, fighting to keep her tone even.
Aoshi hesitated for a moment, torn between
feeling relief that he’d finally made her understand that he just wasn’t
interested in her and remorse that he’d wounded the girl’s sensitive
emotions. Finally with an inner sigh he
turned and left her alone. If he
softened, even for a moment to offer comfort and understanding, it would give
her false hope and cause Misao more pain later.
Misao listened as the shouji slid
closed signaling Aoshi’s departure, but remained motionless, green eyes
over-bright with unshed tears, and stared at the floor sightlessly. A few long moments passed as she drew in
several deep breaths in an attempt to regain her composure. Finally she swiped at her tear-filled eyes
with the back of her forearm angrily.
“Who needs love anyway?” She
whispered, attempting worldly indifference, but failing miserably and only
managing to sound lost and broken hearted.
She sniffed and reached into her pocket
withdrawing a letter addressed to Shinomori Aoshi. She stared at the envelop with narrowed eyes before dropping it
on the low tray supporting an empty tea pot.
She turned on her heel and strode for the shouji, her usual lively and
energetic step much more subdued.
She didn’t understand what had
happened. She’d believed for so long
that Aoshi returned her feelings, but now the truth was revealed. Whatever he felt for her, it certainly
didn’t match what she felt for him.
Somewhere along the way things had changed between them. She sniffed loudly again as fresh tears
filled her eyes. “So what do I do
now?” She whispered brokenly as the
tears fell.
**To Be Continued…**
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Definitions:
Ohayou:
Morning!
Aoshi-sama:
Lord Aoshi
Shouji:
sliding door of paper on wood frame
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