Whoops, Terry-dono. I apologize! I must have forgotten to review after reading! -_-; This is amazing, as your other fics are. Kioko is a wonderful character... Perhaps she comes from some real life inspiration some where? You seem very connected with her... I love your stories and I hope to see you post something again, soon... I hope that your health is well. Looking forward to reading more.

Wow! I can't believe I never reviewed this! I've actually read this more than three times and don't get tired of it at all! I think you understand Kenshin's character so well. Kioko's character is so good and believable too.

Thank you for writing this! It always makes me happy to read a well-written wandering years fic! XD

I really liked the story. Kioko was a fascinating character with substance, and i found it believable that she overcomes her fear, after all what Kenshin told her. As kenshin told his sad story I almost cried, you wrote so sensitive and introspective.
But still, it changed from hurt to heart-warming. :)

About Kenshins twisted personality: "He had heard somewhere, though, that if a person worried they were mad, it meant they weren’t. For some reason, he didn’t find it reassuring" - that really made me laugh out loud :)

thanks for uploading this one!
bye, blunablue

I really enjoyed myself reading this chapter! Kioko is such an enchanting personality, and I really like the often ironic duality between hers and Kenshins thoughts. :)
The Igo-duel towards the end of the chapter was wonderfully written, and definately took out some of the tension between the two since the nightmare-incident.
Very well done for your first try in Fanfiction.

Very cute! I would never beleive that this is your first Ruroken fanfiction. Kenshin's guilt and remorse he felt for himself was written perfectly, and your OC was a very believable character as well. Awesome job!

*sigh* I love stories of Kenshin during his post-Bakumatsu years! Great first fic!

I think you did a lovely job with your first fic, and I enjoyed reading it.

That was beautiful and awesome. I wish there had been some little after-thing, like maybe Kenshin visiting her or writing her a letter after he had settled in at the Kamiya Dojo. Or atleast her hearing about what had become of him somehow.

You're a great writer. ^.^

Excellent! That was a very charming tale. I can't wait to read more from you and by the way, you write wonderfully. =)

Love Randa*

Aw, I loved that - it was so cute and sweet and nice! Aw... *huggles Kenshin* *huggles Kioko* Luffles!

I really like this story. For some reasons, there aren't many fics written for Kenshin's ten-year interlude between the bakumatsu and the tokyo arc. I've always thought it would be most interesting to talk about what Kenshin did in those ten years. Just imagine, if Kenshin fought Jineh, Aoishi (twice), Saitoh, Shishio and Enishi in the span of one year, his ten-year interlude must be really interesting as well. Afterall, it's the time when Himura Battousai transforms into Himura Kenshin. Your story is simple yet plaintive, and it truly depicts Kenshin's inner torment. I wish there are more well-written stories like this one out there.

PS. i do think you used "sessha" and "this one" too often. If you pay close attention to the japanese dialogue, you would notice that Kenshin doesn't always use sessha, he also uses "ore" and other forms of "I" as well. This is because the word "sessha" can only be used in certain sentences and in a certain way. I don't really know Japanese that well, but i'm fluent in Mandarin, which has a equivalent of "sessha" (sounds very similar as well). Anyway, i think the dialogue would flow better if you use "I" as well as "this one".

just so that you know: Koiishi is feminine, itoshii or anata is masculine

What a sweet story! I absolutely love the sweet little character sketches of Kenshin best of all. Write more Kenshin onegai!

Even if this fic was writed a long time ago I felt like I should review a work well done. I have read all your fanfiction and I really like the way you characterize Kenshin. Since the redhead is a very difficult characther to write, but you manage do to it wonderfully.
I hope you keep writing.-
regards
myks

This was just a beautiful story. Seldom have I read an OC so moving and so true-to-life, nor one who interacted more believably with Our Boy.

The way you portrayed Kioko made me think you have lost someone yourself--I know it was very familiar to me, and mirrored much of my own journey through that valley.

Thanks for writing this!