Tears of the Red Sky

Chapter 6 : The Confrontation

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and any of its characters. If I did, I'd be doing mangas and not fanfictions. XD.. The OCs are mine though. =)

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Chapter 6 : The Confrontation

"So here you all are, slacking off while I run around the house attending to the sick and doing house chores. Get yourselves moving!" Kaoru yelled from the kitchen entrance.

"Here goes the grumpy raccoon again," Yahiko grumbled under his breath.

"You! Go clean the dojo!" She ordered Yahiko.

"Fine! We were just talking for a while," he grumbled.

"And you! It's still a little too early for lunchtime!" She told Sanosuke.

"Don't worry missy. I won't be eating lunch here," he informed her.

"Oh really? That's quite a surprise," Kaoru said sardonically.

"Tae-san asked me to run an errand for her in exchange for a free lunch."

"Tae-san doesn't have to give you anything. I heard you still haven't paid your debts and it just keeps piling up. Poor Tae-san. I keep telling her not to be too kind to you," Kaoru said.

"I promise to pay my debts when I finally have money," Sanosuke said defensively.

"When will that ever happen? You should be thankful that Tae-san is kind enough to still not get you arrested for not paying up every time you eat there," Yahiko told him.

"I told you, I'll settle my debts in time," he said annoyed, not because his friends were nagging at him but because everything they said were true. "And I keep telling you, kids shouldn't butt in on older people's conversation Yahiko."

"I'm NOT a kid!" Yahiko yelled.

"What were you all doing here anyway?" Kaoru inquired.

"We were just talking about that visitor of yours," Sanosuke said.

"Her name's Aki, Sanosuke. And what do you mean by my visitor? Kenshin brought her here. And I thought we all agreed to let her stay."

"Well, it's your place," Sanosuke answered matter-of-factly.

"So what about her?"

"We were just wondering about the whole thief thing," Sanosuke told her.

"Well," Kaoru muttered thoughtfully as she joined the group, "to be honest, I'm also itching to ask her about it. But Megumi's right, we should wait until she gets better. We can't cause anything that might further strain her already weak state."

"I don't see how asking about the truth could strain her. Unless of course it's true," Sanosuke grumbled.

"Think baka! Let's say that we interrogate her now and everybody learns that she really is the thief, the police might arrest her even in her current state. You can't put a sick person in jail! That rotten place will only make her condition worse!" Kaoru told him.

"Kaoru-dono is right Sano. And just thinking about the whole thing will stress her mentally, that it will," Kenshin agreed.

"You know, I really don't think she's a thief. She seems harmless," Yahiko stated.

"Anyone would seem harmless when they're bedridden, baka!" Sanosuke opposed.

"Hey! I'm just saying I don't feel suspicious around her!" Yahiko retorted angrily.