WHAT COMES AFTER
by flori-dono

DISCLAIMER: This is a Rurouni Kenshin inspired fanfiction. All RK characters are 
owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki and associates.

NOTES: 90% OOC
This is the product of baby-sitting three adorable but certainly
devilish cousins (with ages ranging from five to twelve) one   
stormy afternoon. Their connection to this certainly PG story,I
do not know. Anyway, this goes out to them: Sonny, RV and Verna.

***
Okon slumped forward, resting her forehead on Hiko's bare chest.

"Wow,"she murmured, still catching her breath.

Hiko remained silent.

"I must go," she said after a while. He made no move to stop her as she got off 
him.

"It's Misao's wedding tomorrow," she babbled as she donned her clothes on. She 
didn't want to look at him, knowing that he was observing her. "I should be 
helping with the preparations, ja..."

"Wait!"

Okon stilled as she was about to open the cabin door.

"Why?" Hiko said, getting up and putting his yukata on.

Okon willed herself to smile and turned around to face him.

"Well of course it's Misao!" she said, pretending she misunderstood.

"You know what I meant, why?" he persisted.

"Why did I sleep with you?" she asked.

Hiko stared at her.

Okon laughed.

"I didn't expect that question from you Hiko-sama. It's so out of character!" 
she said. 

"Don't take the question lightly Okon,"he said. "You were a virgin!"

Okon didn't know whether the situation is sad or funny. She decided it was both.

"I don't regret sleeping with you," she said, defiantly this time. "It was my 
decision to give my virginity up and to whom I gave it is my business! Are you 
saying that you didn't want to have sex with me? Well, I got a different message 
earlier!"

"Don't..." he said, dragging his hand through his hair. Okon followed the 
movement with her eyes. She wanted to tease those ebony tangles with her fingers 
again. "I admit that I wanted to, but I just don't sleep around. You gave me 
something precious and I can't offer you more."

Tears stung Okon's eyes at that.

"I don't want to sound like the bastard I usually am but I can't give you..."

"Love?" she said, finishing his speech for him. She smiled even if she wanted to 
cry. She walked forward, moving confidently despite her trembling legs. She 
patted the side of his face lightly. "Look, I'm really flattered Hiko-sama, but 
you don't have to torture yourself with guilt over a non-existent issue. If sex 
is all you can give then that is what I'll take."

"Okon..." Hiko took her hand off his face and placed it on her side. Did Okon 
just imagined it, or did Hiko's hand lingered on hers before finally releasing 
it?

"Hey, I really have to go," she said. She stepped forward and stood on tiptoe, 
giving Hiko a soft kiss on the lips. "Thanks for a wonderful afternoon. Don't 
worry, I won't come back."  

With that, she turned her back on him. This time, she walked out of his door. 
Once she reached the path through the forest she let her tears fall and ran 
towards the direction of the Aoiya.

Inside, Hiko took a long swig of sake from his jug. He cursed aloud and stared 
at the now closed door. 

"Then why do I have this feeling of regret?" he asked himself softly, knowing 
what his answer really was.

*OWARI*

I believe that this could never really happen knowing Hiko's charcater and all, 
but then...