FINALLY! Someone else out there who doesn't think Kenshin and Kaoru "fit". (Maybe it's because I'm too much like her to really like her...gr.) I worship the ground you tread on. Once I get over the fear of over-eager Kaoru/Kenshin pairing followers, I might post one of my little experiments I have going...care to share any tips for dodging those eternal flames? You seem to be a master at this...as well as your writing. Which, if you can follow this compliment, reminds me a lot of the way the Japanese write/sing/ink paint...yeah, it's kinda mangled in there. But search hard enough, and you'll figure out what I mean! (I guess what I'm searching for is that it's delicate. Twisty and turny and it engages your mind as you read. Kudos! You recieve the proverbial cookie!)
Ta! ^.

"Kenshin obviously loved his "family" at the Kamiya Dojo, but it was Yuki whom he'd brought with him to the pottery shop and to her home. In everything Yuki said about Kenshin was the hint of a knowledge which went deeper than what Kaoru and the others possessed."

"Kaoru said, "I doubt that. I think that with a style as complicated as the Hiten Mitsurugi, it will take longer than one night for even Kenshin to learn the final technique."
Her soft little Kenshin-worshipping voice was seriously getting on Yuki's nerves. Normally she could ignore it, but not after having been grated by Master Hiko. "I'm going to take a bath first," she said, praying that Kaoru wouldn't offer to join her."

When Kaoru and Yahiko, amiably squabbling, had gone out into the yard, Hikaru said, "They're as worried about him as we are. And as fiercely loyal."
"Yes."
Hikaru smiled. "She has a schoolgirl's crush on Kenshin, nothing more."

"You don't consider Kaoru a threat to your relationship with Kenshin?"
Yuki shook her head. "At worst, when she finally understands it, she'll be hurt. I don't want that."
"You're very kind. If all goes as I suspect, here in Kyoto, Misao won't be the only young person to mature. Maybe Kaoru will learn to understand the difference between worship and love"

Hm... Well, I'm sorry you and Zora feel this way about Kenshin's relationship with Kaoru and the others, and that Zora's self insertion is a better choice for a love interest for Kenshin... Anyway, still an imaginative, creative and well written story, though I liked your stories concerning Hiko and Hikaru better.

Please continue it really a good story.

I absolutle love the fic, especially the last chapter! I like the way Hiko actually thought Kenshin as a son but kept calling him a baka deishi, and Kenshin thinking him as a father but deliberating saying something like "Hiko Seijuro has a crappy manner, no contempt to humanity, and is a lazy slob blah blah blah. This is very good ^_^ I can't say anything else, Gomen nasai!

This is wonderful story so far. I like Hikaru very much and Yuki fits in very well and is very believable and likeable, even if I do favor the Kenshin/Kaoru pairing. I love the way you write Hiko! You have really nailed his character, and the dialogue and interaction between Hikaru and Hiko is wonderfully written, sometimes funny, sometimes heart-rending, and sometimes both at the same time! Hiko's letter to Hikaru made me cry ... I know I've told you so myself, but I just wanted to post it up here for all the world to see! Keep writing. We need good writers and I just can't get enough of this!

This is my first read of your work and I'm glad to say I like it very much. I find the story, plot and characters very well developed.

Will definitely go take a look at the others now.

Personally, I'm not one for original characters in a non-AU fic, but you've managed to weave Yuki into the existing structure without making things seem too weird. Excellent!

What I like about it is that you've made Yuki a character that is more believable because of her emotions. This in spite of knowing nothing else whatsoever about her past, etc. Your detailed portrayal of Yuki's personality serves to place her in the fore, and yet, am glad you include the others of the Kenshingumi into the picture. It serves both as complement to the story and as contrast to the developing orginality of Yuki's character. If I had to described it, it'll look like a watercolour painting, with layers upon layers of colour added, where the images appear subtly but vividly nevetheless BECAUSE of the layering.

However, it's currently strongly dominated by the relationship of the two women, Hikaru and Yuki, and less of an emphasis on Kenshin himself, even when he does make his appearances.

This 'sessha' would like to know if his character and relationship with Yuki (Hikaru and Hiko too) will see more development?

You've given the basics very well in just 3 chapters, it would be nice to see how much further the intimacy will go.

I'm guessing you're not planning to divulge any further details of the plot. But that's fine with me. The air of mystery and uncertainty only adds to the charm.

In these times where good fanfiction is a rarity, your fics are water for the thirsty in a midle of the desert. Thank you again for this wonderful piece. I'll be waiting for the next chapter anxiously.

Hi!
I just wante dto leave you a note to say that I WANT MORE! :)

I've spent most of the day reading your kenshin fics, and I have to say that your character and writings are wonderful. I've always imagined that behind Hiko there was a great woman exactly like Hikaru.

Please say that there is more than just these 2 parts!

-Audrey

Hello, KIT?!?!?!?! Did you abandon that poor fic and us?! It's been a long time, even for authors who write long chapters!

If you abandoned it then, at least, say it in the summary and ease us from our hope that you're going to write again... I know it's driving me mad, coming from time to time checking if it's updated or not.

Well, I´ve been following the hole series, from ¨Sake, tea...¨ and I absolutely love it. That´s no surprise I guess, being Hiko one of my favourite characters, but I particularly like the way you picture him. Not to mention it´s hard to include an oc that seems real and is so likeable as your little creature is. Not to mention your writing is really good. So I´ll be looking forward for the next chapter (and all the rest to came) hope I don´t have to wait too much!

hey gal! remember me?
yar well keep up the good work man! i still remember you other hikaru fics and absolutely love them too. and i'm sure you can reproduce the same quality in this fic. i await its completion!

Luv,
Knanaki

Ah, finally got into the regular timeline fic... and it's just as good as the rest, ^_^ As much as I may like Hiko (although at times he can be *such* an **...) it's nice to see the focus shift off of him for the moment, so we can get more of a glimpse of how you write the older Kenshin.
I'm usually not a big fan of alternate pairings for Kenshin - I'm a rather devoted follower of Watsuki's original idea, so Tomoe and Kaoru are smiled upon more easily - but Yuki is certainly an intriguing character, and I'm looking forward to reading more about her. Sometime soon I'll check out Zora's fics and read about Yukiyo's past.
Anyway, keep it up! And people better start reviewing, or they'll be earning a good thrashing...

Oro… Hikaru at the Aoiya! As always, I love the way you have to express their feelings and to portray the characters, and how fluently you narrates the story. I’m very sorry that few people appreciate it as they should, especially with the low quality in the current fan fiction out there. But yours, as most of the excellent ones I chose as my favorites, are not mainstream fan fiction. Yours is a truly wonderful and imaginative work that few writers possess lately. I’ll be waiting anxiously for the next update.

Okay, I'll admit that this is a bit strange but still pretty good. I like the geisha idea but isn't it a little over done? Oh well, I guess I'll just have to keep reading.

Hi, I really like your story. I'm sort of new to the fanfiction world so I'm not sure what is and isn't considered good but I think that this is a pretty good story. How do you manage to write such long chapters? I can't sit down longer enough to type up 7 pages on the computer (at 12 pt. font). Oh well, I guess it comes with practice.