For the past
three days, Yahiko and Misao have been searching
Arakawa in hopes of finding some clues leading
to Kaoru's whereabouts. Nothing has turned
up. While friends are searching for her,
Kaoru is actually living a rather quiet
and peaceful life as Enishi's hostage. She
finds it a bit stupid that the hostage has
to cook for herself, however. As she complains
while over the cutting board, a drop of
compassion falls upon her head. Kaoru not
only cooks for herself, but Enishi as well.
She feels a bit sorry for the boy and makes
a meal for him, since he hasn't eaten for
days. Enishi doesn't want Kaoru's offer,
but it is forced upon him anyway. He thinks
back at Tomoe once more, then tastes some
of the food. Even he thinks Kaoru's cooking
is terrible.
When Yahiko
and Misao return to the Kamiya Dojo after
another hopeless day's work, they find Oibore
there, begging for food. Misao allows the
bum to join supper. While she goes off to
prepare something, Yahiko begins his daily
practice. Oibore watches in admiration.
Once he notices that Oibore's eyes are on
him, Yahiko asks the old man if he was a
samurai. With an uncommon serious look in
his eyes, Oibore admits that he was, but
a weak one. He mentions that when he was
trying to become a samurai, he lost his
son and daughter over that time. Though,
Oibore thinks things that are lost will
eventually return, but if they are thrown
away, they will never come back. Oibore
refers to Kenshin afterwards, thinking the
rurouni has not yet reached the point of
throwing away anything. In his thoughts,
Yahiko ponders, wondering who the old man
named Oibore really is.
Late that
night, Gein digs up a casket in a cemetery,
but when he opens it up, a net springs out
and captures him. Aoshi walks out of hiding
and demands to know where Kaoru is. Gein
easily breaks out of the net with the diamond-edge
wire equipped on his fingers, demanding
something of his own - to know where his
beautiful creation is.
