Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the characters. If I did, I wouldn't be sitting in front of the computer writing all these. Oh and I definitely do not own the lyrics in the fic.

A/N: Here's a new story for all who like Sanosuke and Megumi! Set in modern Tokyo, this story was inspired by the countless Japanese drama I've watched involving Tokyo Tower. I have had the opportunity to visit Tokyo Tower last year in December, and it is really a beautiful place, beautiful enough to be the setting of a wintery romantic story. And so here I am, working on this story. Just a brief introduction, Megumi is a fresh graduate from Fukushima (modern day Aizu) and is travelling to Tokyo to meet her so-called fiancé, Takeda Kanryuu, whom she met when he attended a 3 week medical forum in Fukushima 2 years ago. He had abruptly talked about marriage with her one night, and how he was going to marry her when she comes to Tokyo. They were supposed to meet at Tokyo Tower on New Year's eve.

Enough said, please read on and enjoy!

Chapter One: Miss Bad Luck

Kono machi ni furitsu motteku

Masshiro na yuki no hana

Futari no mune ni sotto omoide wo egakuyo

Kore kara mo kimi to zutto...

(Song translation:

Pure white snow flakes piling up in the city

Leaving itself as a memory in our hearts

I'll be with you forever, from this very moment)

Takani Megumi hummed to Nakashima Mika's "Yuki no hana", lost in her imagination of how beautiful it would be when snowflakes descend upon the city, dancing down from the vast skies. I wonder if Tokyo is really as amazing as how everyone says it to be…She wondered as the train approached Shinbashi station.

"Shinbashi, the doors on the left side of the train will open. Shinbashi."

The doors on the left side opened when the train came to a complete standstill at Shinbashi station, sending a blast of cold air in from outside, making Megumi shiver from the sudden change in temperature. More passengers piled into the already crowded train, joining in the after-work peak hour rush, while Megumi clutched the handlebar of her luggage tighter, holding her handbag closer to herself.

I should really have opted for a taxi instead, Megumi thought, while a small voice in her head retorted cheekily, "No, no, Megumi. You couldn't have afforded it." Well, the tiny voice is right; she really couldn't afford taking a taxi from the train station, especially when she already blew a fortune on traveling from Fukushima to Tokyo. Megumi was squeezed against the wall when a lady in front of her accidentally dropped her keys and had to bend down to retrieve it.

Is this how Tokyo is like? So hectic and congested? In Fukushima, such large crowds are unheard of.

Shifting uncomfortably, Megumi reminded herself, its ok…it won't be long before you'll be sitting in the comfort of Takeda-san's house. After you find lodging, you can start planning how the two of you will get romantically reunited at the foot of Tokyo Tower 2 weeks later…and from then on, you'll be blissfully known as Mrs Takeda.

Megumi smiled to herself at the thoughts of marrying Takeda-san. Sure, he isn't much of a looker, and isn't exactly filthy rich or what, but she was drawn to his vast knowledge and his passion for his work as a researcher for a drug company. It was this very passion that Megumi admired, for it reminded her strongly of herself, and such drive and passion was not something many men possessed. Security was what she was looking for. Ever since her parents died in a fire years ago, she had been brought up by her maternal grandfather, Genzai. The trauma and pain she has gone through in her younger days made reliability and security a must-have in the man she marries, and Takeda fits the bill. He wasn't the type who screamed for attention too, hence allowing her to have her own career at the same time.

"Hamamatsu-cho. The doors on the right side will open. Hamamatsu-cho."

Megumi was startled when she realized that the train had reached her destination, Hamamatsu-cho, the nearest Japan Railway (JR) station to Tokyo Tower. With apologetic whispers of sumimasen, Megumi tried to inch her way through the crowd to the opposite door of the train, dragging her luggage bag behind her and trying to avoid the disapproving stares she was receiving from some fellow passengers.

Just as she was finally about to make it to the door, the all familiar tune came on.

"Doors closing, please stand clear."

With that, the doors slammed shut, leaving Megumi standing in front of it like a complete idiot, fully geared with huge luggage bag and an expression of utter disbelief.

Uso…Sonna…

To make her embarrassment even worse, a group of young girls standing at the side started giggling at her plight among themselves, their eyes occasionally drifting onto her luggage bag. Fine, laugh all you want, Megumi thought, relaxing her hold on her bulky bag and flashing the girls a dirty look. Fancy laughing at others' bad luck.

Luckily, the young girls caught the look that Megumi threw them with and immediately shushed each other into silence. The cabin once again went back to its crowded yet silent atmosphere, the only sounds being those of the train on the railway tracks and the music from the advertisements aired on the TV screen inside the train. It wasn't long before the train approached the next station.

"Tamachi. The doors will be opening on the left. Tamachi."

THE LEFT! Kuso Kuso Kuso! Megumi thought frantically as she grabbed her luggage's handlebar and once again attempted crossing that mini ocean of people, adding a 'hontou ni' to her sumimasen this time round and trying, to no avail, to avoid the dirty looks thrown at her. Thankfully for her, Tamachi did not have as many boarding passengers as Hamamatsu-cho, and it was after painstaking efforts and apologies when Megumi found herself standing at the platform of Tamachi-station, Yamanote Line, watching the train leaving the platform.

Now to get back to Hamamatsu-cho, She thought wearily, making a mental note to stand near the left door after she boarded the approaching train at the opposite station. This is really turning out to be not so fun after all.

Dragging her luggage bag, Megumi walked across to the next platform, trying hard to ignore the cold that was creeping underneath her coat. Even her leather boots were unable to give her much warmth.

Finding a pillar where she could lean on for a while, Megumi proceeded to make herself more comfortable when the familiar music and a voice came over the PA system.

"Dear passengers, we regret to inform you that due to technical faults, the train going towards Tokyo station, Akihabara and Ueno will be delayed for 2 hours. Sorry for the inconvenience caused."

Tokyo station…Isn't that the same one going back to Hamamatsu-cho! Megumi could have fainted there and then. I can't possibly wait that long! Two hours…It is possible to walk from Tamachi to Hamamatsu-cho. After all, it is only one stop right?

An hour later, Takani Megumi wanted to slap herself for even having that thought. Walking along the dark streets of Tamachi, dragging a heavy luggage bag and shivering with cold, all she could do was walk on and follow the railway tracks. It was easy traveling by railway, but definitely not by foot, with all the underpasses, traffic lights and overhead bridges she had to cross. She had gone too far to walk back to Tamachi station, and she wasn't really feeling like waiting for 2 hours.

negai wo nagareboshi ni sotto tonaete mita keredo

nakitai yo todokanai omoi wo kono sora ni...

(Song translation:

I tried wishing silently upon a shooting star

But I won't cry, for my wish will reach the sky)

Singing Otsuka Ai's song "Planetarium" somehow gave a Megumi renewed hope and courage with its beautiful lyrics, making her hasten her footsteps. Hamamatsu-cho, hamamatsu-cho…

There it is! Megumi wanted to kiss herself for finally making it to the station, praising herself mentally over and over again. Looking around, she saw a vending machine at the street opposite of the train station. Nothing like a good, hot cup of tea in this horrible weather.

Making her way across the street, Megumi placed her luggage by a lamppost in a dark corner before walking to the machine, rummaging through her coin purse for loose change to buy a drink. 5 yen, 50 yen, 10 yen…where's that 100 yen coin? There it is! Holding the cup of steaming liquid cautiously, Megumi failed to notice two men picking up her luggage and making away with it stealthily. Turning around, she was just in time to see the men tear down the darkened street with her luggage bag, the shock of it all causing her to drop her cup of tea onto the clean pavement of Tamachi street.

"Ch-chotto!" Megumi screamed, her tea forgotten, giving chase to the 2 thieves, who were by now, mere shadows in the dark street. Running in her high-heel boots with the chilly winter air beating against her face, and squinting in the dark to make out the forms of the two men, Megumi failed to notice the crevice in the pavement in front of her.

Snap! Went her right boot's heel as it plunged straight into the small crevice, causing Megumi to fall in an unladylike heap in the middle of the road. She did not know if it is a good thing that there was no one there to witness the theft; she sure didn't want anyone to see her sprawled on the pavement. Pain shot through her side as she attempted to stand up and resume going after the thieves.

Picking herself up gingerly, Megumi winced in pain as she tried to hobble to the side of the road. Great, now I can hardly stand. She thought bitterly. What about my luggage? Do they even have conscience?

Painstakingly, she hobbled back to Hamamatsu-cho, trying not to meet the stares of the occasional passers-by. Going to the train station's information counter, she asked breathlessly, no longer bothering if her hair was messy or if she sounded like a total loony. "I want to make a police report. Where is the police station?"

Another 45 minutes has passed when Megumi found herself sitting in the lounge of the Hamamatsu-cho police station, her hand massaging her bruised knee while a policeman took her statement with a rather bored look on his face. The others seemed to be more occupied with gossiping about their police superintendent, who was obviously, absent at the moment.

"So did you see their faces?"

"No."

"Why?"

"It was too dark."

The middle-aged policeman tsk-tsked and muttered something under his breath about young ladies walking on dark streets, while scribbling furiously on his clipboard. After a few other useless questions, Megumi was asked to leave her contact number and to be dismissed.

"Wait a minute," She asked in utter disbelief. "Are you telling me that this is it? What about me money inside my luggage? What about my lodging? I came all the way from Fukushima, and now I need help!" Megumi suppressed the burning urge to point out that he didn't even have the decency to offer her a hot drink.

"Miss, I think you are mistaken, we do not settle trivial problems like lodging."

Trivial!

"Maybe, you can seek help from friends in Tokyo-"

Sou da! Takeda-san! Why haven't I thought of it?

Muttering a "doumo arigatou" that she obviously was reluctant to say, Megumi stepped out of the warm interior of the police station out back into the cold with what she thought was a dignified way of walking. Except it was never really easy to do so when you have a broken heel.

Clutching her handbag, which was her only possession except for her mobile phone, Megumi searched her phonebook for Takeda's number. She hadn't talked to him in about three months, only exchanging emails occasionally.

Suga…Tachibana…Takeda! Pressing the "call" button, Megumi placed her phone to her ear, excitedly waiting for Kanryuu's voice to cut through the persistent ringing.

How should I greet him? Takeda-san? Kanryuu-kun? Or maybe just Kanryuu?

But the ringing did not stop, not until… "Moshi moshi. This is Takeda Kanryuu. I am not free to pick up your call at the moment, so please leave a message. I'll get back to you ASAP."

The beep came on and Megumi wasted no time in getting over her disappointment. "Takeda-san? It's me, Megumi! I am in Tokyo now, but my luggage has just been stolen. I am stuck at hamamatsu-cho. Please help me! Call me back as soon as you see this message."

Pressing the button to end the call, Megumi slipped her phone back into her handbag. For the first time in the whole night, she was able to take a break. Hobbling back to hamamatsu-cho train station where it'd make it easier for Kanryuu to find her, Megumi settled herself down on the steps. Taking a deep breath of cold air, she looked around the area and cursed Lady Luck for playing such games with her. Stuck with no place to go, only with less than 10000 yen in her bag, a mobile phone and a boyfriend who is uncontactable. Oh and a pair of boots with one broken heel. Even the JR train service chose to pick on her!

Megumi kept glancing at her watch; it was growing colder with the passing minute, and she was cold and hungry. Her feet were aching and her mind was tired. An hour and fifteen minutes has passed, but still no news from Kanryuu. What's going on!

When an hour and fifteen minutes became an hour and a half, Megumi couldn't take it anymore. She sobbed loudly with her head in her hands, her sobs being the only sounds along the entire street. It was already 12 plus, too late to check into any hotel in the vicinity. Her brain entertained morbid thoughts of herself freezing to death at the steps outside hamamatsu-cho train station, as people stood around her in the morning, looking at her corpse…

"Hey Miss…are you OK?"

A deep smooth voice cut through the morbid thoughts clouding her brain and she looked up, only to see a young man with spiky brown hair and brown eyes peering down at her. She couldn't exactly make out his face though, especially when it was dark and her eyes were all watery.

"Miss? What happened?" He pressed on, before taking a long drag on his cigarette and blowing out clouds of smoke in the chilly night air.

"I am stuck in hamamatsu-cho, with nowhere to go! I am from Fukushima and I have no friends here…My boyfriend is nowhere to be found, my luggage was stolen, my heel is broken, my knee is bruised, I was patronized by the idiotic policeman, I couldn't even get out at hamamatsu-cho when I was on the train, I had to walk from Tamachi station here because of technical faults, I have hardly enough money for lodging and…and…" Megumi let out a loud sob. "I don't even have a bloody 100 yen coin for a bloody cup of tea!" With that, she broke down again, sobbing loudly into her hands.

"Shhh! You're making that cop suspicious!" He hissed, still shocked from her outburst and at her series of unfortunate events.

"Is there any problem?" A policeman on patrol asked warily.

"Hi officer, cold night, isn't it?" Seeing that the policeman didn't look very convinced, he added. "My girl's just a bit upset…We'll be fine." To make it look even more convincing, the stranger sat down beside Megumi and put his arm around her, giving the policeman a big grin.

The policeman rolled his eyes and muttered something about kids nowadays and their love problems, before walking off.

"Ok Miss, I guess I'll be making a move too-"

"No! You can't! You can't just leave me here…" Megumi pleaded, grabbing the man's arm. "I have no place to go…" Her tears were once again threatening to start.

The stranger sighed and threw his cigarette onto the floor, before stepping on it. Gently pulling his arm out of her grip, he walked across the road and bought a cup of hot tea, passing it to her when he returned.

"I am Sagara Sanosuke. You can call me Sano." Now that tears were no longer clouding her vision, she could make out that he was good-looking. Ok. Very good-looking. Hunkilicious.

"I-I am Takani Megumi." She replied, taking a sip of hot tea, warming her insides.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go."

"Huh?" She asked, clearly surprised. "Oh!"

A smile spread across her face as she picked herself up, still wincing from the pain in her knee. Hobbling towards him, she smiled sincerely. "Thank you so much."

They started walking, but it wasn't until the third step when Sanosuke abruptly got down to a squatting position and signaled for her to get on his back with his thumb.

"Eh?"

"Get on. At the rate you're walking, we'll reach my place next morning." He said, signaling again with his thumb.

"H-hai." Megumi answered nervously, before climbing onto his broad back. He stood up, steadies himself and placed his hands below her thighs to keep her in place. Megumi gulped nervously; this was the first time a guy ever did this to her.

"Hold on, ok?" He steadied himself and began walking into the night. "You know what, you're not that light after all…Miss Bad Luck."

Whack! Went her handbag at the side of his head.

"Itai!"

And the duo started squabbling, as they walked down the silent streets of Hamamatsu-cho.

To be continued…

A/N: Hope you guys liked it:):) Lalala now I am thinking of a kiss scene at the foot of Tokyo Tower. Please review if you think it is good!

Songs:

Yuki no Hana by Nakashima Mika

Planetarium by Otsuka Ai

Sumimasen – Excuse me

Uso – No way!

Sonna – Why is it like this?

Kuso – Damn it

Hontou ni sumimasen – really sorry

Chotto – Hey!

Sou da – Oh yes

Doumo arigatou – Thank you very much

Moshi-moshi – Hello

Hai – Yes

Itai - Ouch