The Mysterious Blonde (Sanosuke Sagara) Pt. 21

"Thank you, for every thing you've done for us," Kaoru said. Everyone stood outside of the Aoiya, facing the Oniwaban Group.
"Not at all, take care," Okina said.
"Come back to Kyoto, I know we'll have lots of fun then..." Misao said, tears in her eyes.
"Of corse, and you'll have to come and see us in Tokyo!" Kaoru said.
"Or not, you're annoying," Yahiko muttered.
"We'll have lots of fun in Tokyo! You can bring Shi-san too!" Ume said. Misao cheered and hugged Ume tightly. Ume didn't really know Aoshi, but she gave him a nick name anyway. He didn't seemed to thrilled about it, but he naturally doesn't seem thrilled about anything.
"I will! I will!!" Misao said, sobbing. Then, Kenshin, Kaoru, Okina and Misao went inside to say good bye to Aoshi. Ume stayed outside and waited, she didn't feel like she needed to say goodbye to him, since she didn't know him all that well. Shiro approached Ume slowly.
"Umm, Ume-chan," Ume glanced up at him.
"Yes Shiro-san?" she asked. Shiro glanced at the ground and then back up at Ume. He seemed uncomfortable.
"Well, I just want to...umm...apologize for...how I acted this past month...that wasn'treally me...." Shiro said. Ume smiled.
"It's alright Shiro-san. I understand," Ume said. She noticed Sanosuke standing in the background glaring at Shiro. Kenshin and the rest came back out of the Aoiya.
"Okay Ume, we're ready to go!" Kaoru said. Ume nodded and turned around.
"Oh..Ume-chan!" Shiro said. Ume stopped and turned back around.
"Yes, Shiro-san?" she asked. Shiro stared at Ume for a moment and then leaned down and kissed her. Ume was shocked out of her mind, but she couldn't move. Unlucky for her, everyone saw this. Shiro pulled back and blushed slightly. He opened his eyes and noticed Ume's face was bright red.
"I'm...I'm sorry Ume-chan...it's just.....I've loved you since you saved me from Iwanbou. I know it hasn't been a long time but...." he turned and pointed to Omasu.
"Omasu-chan told me I should confess my feelings and I relized that you have feelings for Sano-san..." he whispered. Ume jumped.
"I do not-"
"You don't have to deny it. I can tell by the wayyou talk to him and by the way he talks to you. I know I might not have a place in your heart but...I just wanted to let you know how I felt," Shiro said. Ume just stood there. She was completely lost for words.
"Ummm..." It was then someone grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her away.
"C'mon Ume, we're leaving!" Sansouke stated, obviously angry. Ume glanced back at Shiro and the rest of the Oniwaban Group.
"Good bye everyone!" Misao called. Ume weakly waved, noticing Shiro staring at her the intire time she was in view.
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"That stupid rotten, piece of...." Sanosuke mumbled. Everyone was back in Tokyo after riding on a ship.
"Sano-san, you've been going on about Shiro-san ever since we left Kyoto. It's starting to get old," Ume said. Sanosuke glared at her.
"How could you leave yourself open like that!?" Sanosuke shouted. Ume glared at him.
"Why do I need to have my gaurd up around people who I consider friends!?" she snapped. Sanosuke glared at her.
"You know you're totally oblivious to people who are interested in you!?" Ume glared at him.
"You know, he has a point," Yahiko stated.
"Well, it's all in the past and we're almost home. Let's just get over it," Ume stated. Kaoru was walking with Kenshin. They were a little ways behind the others.
"You can tell that Sanosuke cares for Ume alot," Kaoru said. Kenshin nodded.
"To others, it might seem like they hate each other because they fight. But really, that's the only way they know how to show their affection," Kenshin said. Kaoru chuckled.
"Did you see the look on Ume's face when Shiro kissed her? She had no idea what to do!" Kaoru said. Kenshin smiled and watched Sanosuke and Ume argue.
"The look on Sanosuke's face was pretty funny also," Kenshin pointed out.
"So Ume," Yahiko said. Ume glaced down at him.
"I bet that was your frist kiss~!" he teased. Ume's face went bright red as she glared at Yahiko. Sansouke looked at Ume, shocked.
"W-Was it!?" he demanded.
"I'll kill you Ko-chan!" Ume shouted, chasing Yahiko.
"Ah? Look! They're back!" Everyone looked up and noticed Tae, Dr. Genzai and Tsubame standing at the gate of the dojo.
"HEY!" Yahiko called, running towards them.
"You all must be very tired! There's some food from the Akebeko inside," Tae said.
"Alright! Some good Tokyo cooking!" Sanosuke said.
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A few days passed and Ume was just as home as ever. She lay in the grass and stared up at the sky.
I will be leaving for Tokyo in a few nights. So if you go back to Tokyo with your friends, you won't have to keep searching for me.
Ume sighed.
If he was so bent up on meeting me when we got back home, why hasn't he come to get me yet? Ume thought.
"Well, it's not like I want to see his ugly mug any time sooner than what I have too. I hate that guy," Ume mumbled.
"Are you talking to yourself?" Ume looked up. Sanosuke was walking towards her with a fan in his hand.
"What are you doing laying out here in the heat?" he asked. Ume shrugged.
"Thinking," Ume mutter. Sanosuke tossed a paper onto Ume's face.
"This is for you," He said, sitting down in the grass next to Ume. Ume sat up and read the paper.
"It's from Mi-chan," Ume said. Sanosuke nodded.
Dear Ume,
Hey there! This is Misao here to tell you about everything in Kyoto! Everyone here is fine and great, well, except for Shiro. He sulks around the house and has turned down at least five women. He wants me to send all of his love to you, but that would have to take another six pieces of paper. I hope Sanosuke isn't too mad!! Anyway, we haven't spotted that Kaito guy that attacked you, so he should be in Tokyo. Other than that, everything is perfect and normal here in Kyoto! Write us back as soon as possible, and try not to keep Shiro waiting to long, okay?
From your friends in Kyoto!
I LOVE YOU UME-CHAAAAAN!!! <3 Shiro
Ume sighed at the last signature on the bottom. Sansouke looked up at Ume.
"What was all of that about?" Sansouke asked. Ume shook her head and pointed to Shiro's signature.
"Shiro-san is strange and I just-"
"That's not what I was talking about," Sanosuke said. Ume glanced up at him.
"Did Kaito attack you while we were fighting Shishio?" Sansouke asked. Ume paused, not sure what to say.
"Tell me the truth."
"That limits my possibilities of lieing my way out of this," Ume stated. Sanosuke sighed
"Yes, he did attack me, but there was no damage. Save for some bruises," Ume said. Sansouke looked back at Ume.
"The letter says he's in Tokyo. Did you not tell me something?" Sanosuke asked. Ume looked down at the ground.
"It's nothing, you don't have to worry about it," Ume said, folding up the letter.
"But I will worry about it unless you tell me what's going on! You know I don't like to be left out!" Sanosuke said. Ume glanced at him. She then stood up.
"I have to go write Mi-chan a letter," she said, walking away. Sanosuke jumped up and grabbed Ume's arm. She spun around and looked at him.
"Tell me what's going on, Ume. If you tell me, maybe I can help you," Sansouke said. Ume stared at Sanosuke for a long time.
I relized that you have feelings for Sano-san.
I can tell by the wayyou talk to him and by the way he talks to you.
"I'll tell you all about it once I write Mi-chan. alright?" Ume asked. Sansouke paused for a moment but then let go of Ume's arm.
"Fine, but don't forget and blow me off, alright?" Sansouke said. Ume nodded and walked to her room. She got out her writing matirials and began to write a letter to the Oniwaban Group.
Dear Mi-chan,
Thank you for updating me about Kyoto. It's nice to know that things are back to normal, or, as normal as they could get at the Aoiya. How is everyone? Is Shi-san still as gloomy as ever? If he is, don't push yourself to hard to make him smile, okay? It just takes time. Please tell Shiro-san that I think about everyone in Kyoto every day. That includes him. Sano-san is still a bit angry at him, but he should get over it soon. Could you do a favor for me and go visit Kama-san? I think he'de be glad to have some company, even if it's you guys. Just tell him that I sent you and he should calm down. There has been no sign of Kaito yet, so let's just hope it stays that way. I'm just not in the mood to see his ugly mug. Everyone in Tokyo is fine and we're all glad to be home. Well, take care and say hello to everyone for me!
From all of your friends in Tokyo, thinking about you always!
Ume set down her brush and blew on it to make it dry. Once dry, she folded it up and put it in an envalope. She stepped out of her room and ran into someone.
"Are you done?" Sanosuke asked. Ume glanced up at him and sighed.
"Pick a place to sit," Ume said. Sanosuke led Ume outside and sat back down in the grass. Ume sat across from Sanosuke and sighed.
"So, start," Sanosuke demanded.
"After the police came by to take the Juppon Gatana, Kaito appeared and we got into a little fight. He said that he had a deal to make with me, but he wasn't going to tell me until I got back to Tokyo,"
"A deal?" Sanosuke asked. Ume nodded.
"He said he would come to get me when I returned to Tokyo, but so far, there's been no sign of him. If I'm lucky he killed over on the way here," Ume growled, glaring at the ground. Sanosuke sighed.
"Ume, if you think you're going to fight this battle by yourself, you're wrong," Sanosuke pointed out.
"I don't want to get you guys involved with my problems-"
"That's exactly what Kenshin said before he took off to Kyoto. Look what happened, we all came with him anyway. No matter what you do, you can't stop us from helping you, Ume." Sanosuke said. Ume sighed and looked at the envalope in her hands.
"Before you go in and start helping me, can you at least let me try it on my own. When I start to struggle, then you can help, okay? I need to do this on my own first." Ume said. Sanosuke stared at her for a moment.
"Fine, but even if you beg for me not to help, I'm not going to listen. We're all here for you." he said. Ume smiled and nodded.
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A fewdays later....
At the Aoiya....
"Ume-chan wrote back!" Misao called. Everyone in the Aoiya came running to Misao at the front gate. Misao took the letter into the house and set down. Everyone sat down around here. She read it out loud for everyone to hear. When she was done, Shiro took the letter.
"A letter written by Ume-chan, herself! I will keep this, always!!' Shiro said, holding the paper close to his heart. Misao rolled her eyes.
"She even wrote my name! She thinks about me every day! I'll do whatever Ume-chan says and go visit Kamatari as soon as possible! I'll even take the letter as proof! I love Ume-chan~~!" Shiro said, practically skipping down the hallway. Okina sighed.
"What has happened to that boy?" he asked. Misao shook her head.
"Even I don't do that, and I'm in love with Aoshi-sama!" Misao said.
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Ume stretched and sighed.
"It's almost been three weeks and he still hasn't come..." Ume mumbled. For the passed week she hadn't been able to focus on anything else. She had even called Kenshin 'Kaito' by mistake. She walked out of her room and wondered outside. Kenshin was hanging up the clean laundry.
"Good morning, Ken-san," Ume said. Kenshin turned to her and smiled.
"Hello ume-donno. What do you plan to do today?" Kenshin asked. Ume shrugged.
"I've been thinking I want to go on a walk. I have some thinking to do," Ume said. She said good bye to Kenshin and walked out of the dojo. She aimlessly walked around, lost in her own thoughts.
I know that Kaito told me not to look for him, but I can't help but to keep thinkingthat if I go walking by myself he'll come! Ume thought. She sighed and kicked a rock.
"This is bull crap!" she hissed at the rock.
"Is it now?" Ume stopped and looked around.
"I've finally come for you, Ume. Follow me quietly so we can discuss our deal," Ume spun around and saw Kaito standing behind her. He was dressed asa merchant with a large round hat to hide his face. Ume glared at him for a moment and then nodded, walking towards him.
"Alright, let's get this over with," Ume said.