Chapter 23
****
The next morning, Kenshin and Ichiro set off for Shukuba City. Aya was very worried about her son going out into the world for the first time, to which Kenshin only rolled his eyes and chuckled softly, making Ichiro blush and feel embarrassed.
- Mum, stop it!" he said, and after ruffling Keiji's "three-year-old" hair, he ran out of the house.
- Take care of yourselves. - Aya said, kissing Kenshin on the lips.
- Mm-hmm. It'll be fine. Don't let that weasel drink too much coffee, or he won't sleep at night. - Kenshin said with a smile, and took his son in his arms.
- And you, you little thug, you listen to your mum, understand?
- Yes! - Little Keiji declared.
Kenshin laughed, and handed his son into Aya's arms, and walked out of the house, meeting Ichiro at the exit of the cave.
- Don't resent your mother. She loves you very much, that's why she cares so much. - Kenshin said, adjusting his shoulder bag and heading down the mountain.
- I know... But man, I'm an adult and she treats me like a child!
- Because you are a child. You'll always be a kid to her, even at 50. Try to keep your resentment in check, okay?
- Yes, father... - Ichiro exhaled, and followed Kenshin's lead.
*****
At one o'clock in the afternoon, father and son reached the town of Shukuba, and immediately went to the wine shop. The seller recognised Kenshin at first sight, and greeted him warmly like an old friend.
Five minutes later, Kenshin and Ichiro left the liquor shop, and headed out to do some sightseeing, more to broaden Ichiro's horizons a bit.
Ichiro was like a redneck coming to a big city for the first time. The blue-eyed boy walked around with his mouth open most of the time, wondering about everything he could think of.
After an hour of wandering around the city, Kenshin and Ichiro went to all the necessary shops and bought various things, from spices to clothes, then went to a local eatery to eat. But then Kenshin caught an interesting conversation, and listened more closely.
- I'm not lying. Why would I lie? Everyone is talking about it, you'll see that by tonight the news will be on everyone's lips! - A middle-aged man, his face red with alcohol, said.
- It can't be! The Uchiha clan is one of the pillars of Konoha, to have the entire clan slaughtered overnight? What nonsense! - A sturdy-looking man in his forties, with a short but thick beard, said, not believing a word of it.
- You don't believe me? You'll see! Then you'll be ashamed of yourself for not believing an old friend.... - The red-faced man said with a sigh, and downed another shot of sake, eating something that looked like sauerkraut.
- You didn't have to make up stories so often to give your words any weight! - The broad-shouldered man said with a laugh, and took a drink of sake.
"What?! The Uchiha clan was cut?! So Itachi has already left Konoha, and Naruto and Sasuke are ten years old each... The canon is in full swing, and no one will be waiting for me!" - Pondered Kenshin, shocked by this unexpected news.
- Let's go, Ichiro. It's not the time to chill. - Kenshin said, paying off the cute waitress who was making eyes at him the whole time, and headed for the exit.
On the way back, Kenshin and Ichiro stopped by the same village, and bought 20 bottles of wine this time, having emptied almost all the stock in the shop.
At seven o'clock in the evening father and son returned home, where they were met by Aya and little Keiji, who squealed and threw himself into his father's arms, and then looked at his elder brother, and held out his arms to him.
Ichiro laughed, and took little Keiji in his arms, playing with his little brother for a bit.
Then Kenshin and Ichiro took turns showering, and Kenshin thought for the first time that at this rate their flat would become cramped for everyone. He could have rebuilt his "hideout" and created more simple showers, but he decided not to do so, judging that there was still enough room for four people.
After a shower, everyone gathered round the table and began to eat dinner. Aya cooked hare meat in the "oven", with wild potatoes, which were not much different from ordinary potatoes.
After eating dinner, Aya and Kenshin headed to the bedroom, enjoying each other's company. They hadn't been alone in a long time, so they just lay in each other's arms, kissing and caressing. Kenshin judiciously decided that it was too early to have sex, for a cheerful Keiji, for whom the bedroom was his own room, might run in at any moment.
Ichiro was doing the dishes, and Keiji was making circles from the living room to the kitchen, and then suddenly stopped and stared hungrily at the table, where a handful of candies bought in town were in a vase.
Ichiro, seeing the look in his little brother's eyes, took some candy and placed it in his little hands, causing the little boy to squeal of joy.
- Thank you old bat! - Said little Keiji, and hugged Ichiro.
- Ha ha, you're welcome, Keiji. We're brothers, and we're supposed to help each other! - Ichiro replied with a laugh, and ruffled his little brother's hair.
- Uh-huh! - Keiji agreed cheerfully, and skipped off to the bedroom, shouting: - Mummy, mummy, Ichiro gave me a candy! Look, I got you one too!
****
On the fourth day after Keiji's birth, or the thirty-fifth day after Kenshin's arrival in this world, the whole family went to the river in the afternoon to take a break from their routine and let little Keiji experience a happy childhood.
Keiji was very fond of his older brother, and tried to imitate him all the time. For example, when he couldn't swim, he decided to swim across the river with Ichiro, but was instantly caught by his mother and spanked on the soft spot.
But towards evening, Kenshin and Ichiro taught the little one how to swim, and Keiji didn't want to leave the river he liked so much.
In the evening, everyone had dinner and went to bed. It was the last night Keiji was allowed to sleep in his parents' bedroom, so he made the most of it, begging his mother to let him sleep in his parents' bed. And after much coaxing, and grumbling on Kenshin's part, a contented Keiji crawled in between his father and mother, falling fast asleep.