Hello. Thanks for reading the first chapter. For those of you who are used to me and have read my other material, I will not follow my White and Black plotline here, and will retain canon pairings. For those who are tracking the GetBackers fic, I'm not forgetting that one, but I've hit a wall, so I'm letting the story brew in my head for a while first. Thank you for understanding. Hope you like.

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You would think that, after years of being picked on and hurt by various kinds of thugs and useless men, Tsubame would have taken a self-defense course. A little karate, or judo, or some kendo. She never did. Not for lack of trying, because Kaoru had begged and even forced her to learn kendo. Unfortunately, Tsubame was too sweet a girl for that kind of thing. She cried at the thought of hurting someone else, deserving or not. Kaoru finally gave up on her.

The kendo master just assured the regular presence of Tsubame's favorite bodyguard. She pestered it so much on Tsubame that even she did not want to be pestered about it anymore.

"It's alright, really, Kaoru-san," Tsubame kept bowing profusely to Kaoru, the last time she and her husband were at the Akabeko, spending time away from a fast-growing bundle of energy. "You don't have to force Yahiko-san to protect me. I'll be fine on my own."

"Fine? FINE!" Kaoru shouted back, a grinning husband holding her back quietly. "Tsubame, you've just been robbed last week. Last month a group of thugs tripped you and ruined your vegetables. I've seen a few young men try to hit on you. You know that without Yahiko, people take advantage of you!"

"But other people protect me, too, Kaoru-san," Tsubame bowed again. "Like Himura-san………"

"And that's pretty much it, Tsubame-chan!" Kaoru shouted back.

"But some of the other boys in town help me out, too………"

"Because they want to have a date with you. Even Yahiko's like that!"

"I guess so………."

"Look, if you have to go out with a young man, I would rather have it that it's Yahiko, you hear! So nag him a bit and tell him he has to be around you a little more!"

The Akabeko door slid open, and a very annoyed young man entered.

"Really, Kaoru-san, it's not necessary………"

"What are you making her do again, you old hag?" the young man finally intervened.

"N-n-nothing! Nothing at all, Yahiko!" Kaoru laughed with shame.

"Whatever it is you're planning, raccoon, I'm not falling for it again," he murmured as he flopped beside Kenshin. "I'll do my own thing, at my own terms."

Kaoru remained silent for a few seconds, as the hotpot bubbled in front of her. "So, when?"

"When……….." Yahiko started.

"…….what?" Tsubame ended.

"WHEN DO YOU PLAN TO MARRY HER!"

"WHAT!" Yahiko and Tsubame both looked away and blushed.

"That would be quite enough, Kaoru-dono……" Kenshin tried to intervene.

"-DONO!"

"Sorry, koishii," Kenshin gave a little smile, then waved a finger at her, "But I still say, you have to stop teasing them!"

"Hai, hai………" Kaoru laughed aloud, and left it at that.

But the concern was legitimate. Myoujin Yahiko was now already 18 years old, and Tsubame already 20. While the young man had become one of her best friends and her most reliable protector, Yahiko still had not made a move beyond friendship. It was something everybody was expecting, and something everybody had tried at least once to foster. No plans and schemes had worked, so far.

Many a girlfriend had asked Tsubame if she was not in the least concerned about being 20 years old and still unmarried. She only said that she earned a good living at the Akabeko, and that she was in no hurry to get married. The males of the town kept convincing her to forget about "that troublemaker with the big sword". Still, she refused them all.

"What in the world do you see in that guy!" the rejected suitors all asked.

"He's a good boy," she would smile and answer.

"Whatever," and the males walked away.

Things were about to change, though, to end the deadlock.

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"Hey! It's the pretty wench from the Akabeko!"

She heard the usual hoots, whistles, and calls again, from all around her. She avoided narrow alleys and lonely streets as a rule, but there were still times when a group of young men would gang around her and demand her attention.

In this case, Tae had sent her on an errand for spices at the far end of the market. Yahiko was busy at the dojo just then, and was not able to go with her. Because it was a store she frequented, and a part of the market usually filled with people, she did not worry.

But she was mistaken. It was late afternoon, and the market was partly deserted. Many of the workers were finishing up their duties for the day, and the sight of a beautiful young lady walking alone was tempting. Soon, Tsubame was surrounded by a group of muscular men with lustful eyes.

"Why don't you let us take you out with us tonight, little missy?" one crooned.

"We promise to be good to you," another moved in and dared to hold up her chin.

"Please stop it……………" she begged with a fearful voice and shaking basket of spices.

"Just one time, little miss…………what do you think, men?" one called out as the men gave a cheer.

"Please, stop………." she begged again. She forced her way out of the circle from all points, but someone always pushed her back. The men just laughed louder and louder at all her efforts. One grabbed her arm and made her drop her basket, as another moved closer and started pulling at her obi from behind.

She closed her eyes tightly, and waited for the worst to happen. Only one thought ran through her head. Where…….is……he? Where…….is…….he? Where…….

She fell herself fall to the ground, as the hold on her arm was released. She heard screaming voices, and felt a rush of wind, then nothing. Then a voice came from overhead.

"Oh, no…………dear lady, are you alright?"

It did not sound anything like Yahiko-chan. It did not even sound like anyone she knew. She fluttered her eyelids to see who it was.

"Are you hurt anywhere? Maybe I can take you to the nearest doctor?"

It was a young man with a high tenor, and he sounded sincerely concerned. His bluish-black hair circled his head and fell evenly around it. He had a worried face, and eyes that looked……..a lot like Himura-san's. Sad but hopeful. But the concern was not leaving his face, so she shook her head to clear it and smiled back at him.

"Thank you, sir. I will be alright." She then looked around. Only he and she were left. "What happened to……?"

"Oh, those men?" the young man gave a sheepish smile. "I took care of them. They won't be back for a while."

"By yourself?" Tsubame asked in surprise. He nodded once.

"But I did not hear anyone fight them! They can't have just disappeared!"

"Speed and silence are part of my technique," he said as he patted a little sword at his waist. "I am sorry if I did not explain that."

She was barely aware of the silly smile on her face. There was another person besides Yahiko and Himura-san who could do that kind of thing. As he helped her stand, she became aware of a strange……new……feeling.

"Allow me to walk you home, um, um…….."

"Tsubame," she said as she felt the warmth in her cheeks. "What is your name, kind sir?" She could not believe she was asking for the man's name so frankly!

"Seta Soujirou, at your service," and he gave a slight smile. "Oh! I used to come to Tokyo often, but this is the first time I have stayed for quite a while."

She gave a little ah. No wonder she had not seen him before. Still, she just automatically handed him her basket with what was left of its contents, rather used to Yahiko doing the same thing for her. He took up the basket without a word, and carried it.

She smiled meekly as they walked home in silence, a short distance apart. She found herself stealing little glances at the young man while they walked. He was not too tall; Yahiko was even a little bit taller than the young man. And the young man was not TOO young anymore – not as old as Himura-san but certainly older than Yahiko or herself. He was not muscular and tight. Rather, his arms and legs seemed fine-tuned for his frame. Best of all, he did not impose himself on her. He did not make passes, nor did he brag about what he did, like most of the other young men did. He just kept walking near her, the basket on one arm, making sure she was alright, but nothing more. She was liking was she was seeing, more every minute. He must have noticed her glances, because she saw an embarrassed little grin form across his face.

Finally Tsubame stopped in front of the Akabeko. He also stopped, just a few inches away from her, and returned her basket. She felt a little charge pass between him to her. She felt her hands shaking as she held the basket and bowed to him. "Thank you very much, Seta-san……."

"Call me Jiro, I guess, Tsubame-san," the young man said. "I know people who know people who just might get rattled hearing my name."

She giggled. "Much like Himura-san! But he doesn't mind too much."

He seemed surprised. "Himura-san? You know Himura Kenshin-san?"

"In this neighborhood, who doesn't?"

She was about to tell him all about it, but the young man looked up and noticed the stars slowly appearing in the sky. "But it's getting late, Tsubame-san. We can talk about him some other time."

She nodded, and felt the silly grin again on her face. "Just come by this restaurant, alright?"

"Are you sure?" he asked.

She just smiled and nodded.

"Until next time then, Tsubame-san. It was an honor to meet you." He bowed to her.

But as he raised his head, their eyes met, and a delicate understanding was reached. It was with difficulty that they broke their gaze at each other, and parted, as the young man turned his back and walked away.

This sensation was new to her. She had never felt it before, at least, not to this degree. He was nice, he was likeable, he was good-looking, he was sweet, and he liked her back. She was so overwhelmed that she felt giddy and floating as she entered the Akabeko.

"Who was that just now, Tsubame-chan?" Tae asked without looking up from her accounting.

"Jiro-san…………" the young lady answered with a dreamy eye.

The new tone in Tsubame's voice made Tae look up, and see the faint blush and slight smile. She chuckled.

"Things will now start to get VERY interesting," she said.

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If you are wondering why I used Jiro instead of Sou-chan, like most other people………I don't exactly know. It just sounded really nice. I used "Jiro" the first time in one of my one-shots, part of the ones in Commercial Life.

I'm not particularly sure if this has been done before, at least this way. If it has, rest assured that I'm not trying to copy anybody's work. As usual, I must tell my readers that I produce new chapters whenever I can, which is, sometimes, not too quickly. I hope you would be patient and keep track of this little story. Thanks for reading and I hope you come back.