Sano Diaries

Chapter 01 - NEW CHALLENGE

It was the first day of spring. Everyone at the Kamiya Dojo was enjoying the day.

Kaoru was sitting on the porch sipping tea. Yahiko was practicing in the yard. Kenshin

was doing the laundry as usual. Suddenly, the front gate opens and in walks... or rather

limps, Sanosuke. Everyone's eyes focus on Sano. Yahiko stops mid-stroke, Kenshin

is holding up a wet shirt halfway to the line, and Kaoru=s teacup is poised right in front

of her lips. Silence hangs in the air as everyone examines Sano in disbelief. Sano

looks as though he had just been beaten up. There were bruises on his shoulder and

abdomen and he could barely walk. However, the look on his face was not one of

anger or pain; in fact the crooked smile on his face seemed to suggest intrigue rather

than anything else.

KAORU: Sanosuke, what happened?

But Sano ignored her and kept walking. Kaoru became angry at this (no surprise there)

and decided to take action. She ran up behind Sano and smacked him hard in the back

of the head.

SANOSUKE: (yelling) Hey! What was that for?!

KAORU: (yelling back) Listen to me when I'm talking to you! What's wrong with you

anyway?!

Kenshin intervenes…

KENSHIN: umo... Sano... tell me, what happened? Are you all right?

SANOSUKE: (startled from his thoughts) Huh? I'm alright (suddenly becoming

embarrassed as he realizes that everyone is staring at him). Uh, nothing happened.

KAORU: (yelling) What are you talking about you idiot! Look at you!

SANOSUKE: (yelling) Who's an idiot?!

KENSHIN: Please calm down you two. Sano it's obvious something happened to you,

that it is. Who did this to you?

Patches of light pink erupt in Sano's cheeks…

SANOSUKE: Uh, no one…

YAHIKO: Come on Sano. The guy who did this to you must have been really strong.

A quick flush of red lights up Sanosuke's cheeks as he looks away. Kenshin and Kaoru

look at each other as they begin to suspect something.

KAORU: Oooh, don't tell me it was your girlfriend who did this to you…

Crimson engulfs Sano's face as he yells a retort at Kaoru…

SANOSUKE: (yelling) Shut up! I told you nothing happened so LEAVE. ME. ALONE!

Yahiko begins jumping up and down around Sano, chanting "Sano's got a girlfriend,

Sano's got a girlfriend…" Predictably, this scene does not last long. After only a few

verses Sanosuke punches Yahiko in the head, then walks quickly away despite his

injuries. Kaoru and Kenshin watch him leave.

KAORU: (turning to Kenshin) Kenshin, what do you think happened to Sano? Could a

girl really have done that to him?