"Watanabi stop!" she cried

"Why?" he lifted his hand to hit him again.

"He is a drunken fool." She whispered to him feeling his rage quiver threw his body.

"What so he can just go out and harass even more people." Watanabi pulled out his Katana, "No this ends here!" Katprin pulled at him again trying to get him to look at her rather then the man before him. "This has to end!" He turns his head to look at Katprin's sadden face.

"Please stop." She asked softly taking her hand to cover his hand on the hilt of the Katana. She pulled at his sword as he slowly let go she took the sword away from him. as she held it the tremendous weight of the sword Watanbi carried so easily threatened to pull her down. Watanabi looked away from those soft blue eyes and walked over to the far end of the room letting the drunk lay.there unconccios.

Watanabi caught sight of the owner of the Tea House who was helping the server girl begin to clean up the broken tables and dishes.

"Bring me some of that sake please." He gave a sigh and sat down amongst all the broken furniture. Katprin watched him as the owner past him a flask of sake and he had a long drink from it. She could see that something was bothering him.

"Would you have killed that drunken fool." She asked him quietly.

"What would one more be to the man who has killed countless others." He took another sip of sake and did not see the sorrow that crossed Katprin's face.

"Am I any better then them?" he asked more to himself then to Katprin.

"Yes you are." She reassured him

"I don't think I am. Even if you counted all the kills that each everyperson in this village have killed it wouldn't come close to how many I have condemned to death." Watanabi drank another cup of sake.

"But you stoped this time." Came her quiet response.

"That doesn't change anything." He snapped back at her hating the pitiful tone she took.

"Either does drinking that flask dry." she pointed to the sake bottle.

"I haven't drank that much. Look." He shook the flask that sloshed more then half full of sake. Watanabi called told the owner that he wished to leave.

"How much for this?" he waved a hand over what was left of their table and the sake he held. The owner bowed repeated in front of Watanabi.

"No, no you don't have too honorable Watanabi."

"No" Watanabi stop the man from bowing to him

"You stop those men." The man bowed again. Watanabi did not want the man gratitude.

"I did nothing so I can't except your offer." He pulled out a small bag full of coins. "How much?" The owner did not want to offend him so he held out his hand.

"10 copper pieces and you must stay the night here." Laughing Watanabi dug out some gold pieces and placed them in his hand. The owner's eyes widen in surprise at the 8 gold pieces in his hand. Thanking him repeatedly.

"That should cover our food and the mess and leave extra for you and your daughter ." He sighed "I am sorry for the ruckus I should have stepped in sooner." He got up to leave. Katprin saw his uneasy at the man's over appreciation of the rescue.

"Yes he does know how to clear a room." She giggled at the mess of the empty room.

"Yeah I sure do." He rubbed the back of his head with one hand.

"Wait" the owner cried "My daughter wishes to thank you." Out came the same girl that had severed the food earlier and the one the men had harassed. Blushing she bowed to Watanabi uttering a small thank you.

"You don't need to thank me. I am glad you are not hurt. I should have stop it sooner." He gave a half apology to the girl.

"Noo please there is no sorry for you saved me." She smiled adoringly at him. "If there is anything I can get you." She held her breathes he smiled at her

"Well I need someone to run an errand for me, I will pay you."

"For you anything." She gushed stepping closer to him.

"Look not far from here is a place called Shae they sell sake." he places some money in her hand "I want 4 bottles of their best sake. You can keep whatever is left over." He winked at her as she rushed off out the door. Watanabi turned to see Katprin standing there with her arms crossed giving him a disapproval look.

"Well aren't we just the generous one tonight." she teased

"What do you mean I am always generous, I never said I was poor or even in the middle class." He flashed a quick smile. Katprin sat down between the broken tables.

"You realize that girl sees you as a hero." She warned him.

"I am not a hero." He grated

"In her eyes you are." Katprin wondered why he became uneasy at those words.

"Why did you not do anything until they grabbed her?" She remembers the old man and the some of the other customers getting rough by the drunks.

"There is nothing more despicable then when men hits a women." He clenched his fist thinking on the fight.

"What of the old man and the others that they took food from." She challenged him to explain.

"A man should be able to defend himself."

"So should a woman." She snapped irritated by his attitude.

"Yes but a man should always be strong enough to defend the woman keep her out of such dangers." He grew quiet "Even though that strength will make him unworthy of her love."

"Then you will not have that worry with me." She watched him in puzzlement over his cryptic remark. "Look, here comes your little princess." Laughing Watanabi watched as the young girl came through the door.

"Well she is cute you know, so you might want to be careful I might trade you in for that sweet face of hers."

"Do what you want." She glared at him.
"You are even cuter when you are jealous then when you are mad." He laughed "So, so,

so cute."

"I am not jealous." She grated under her breathe as the girl came up and gave Watanabi the bottles of sake.

"Thanks." He gave her a big smile.

"Oh you are so welcome." She gushed at him.

"You are very cute you know that." He said but was looking at Katprin who was ignoring both him and the girl that was giggling shyly at him.

"Do you need a cup?" she asked wanting an excuses to stay with him a little longer.

"No that's ok."

"Do you need someone to help drink it with you." She sweetly asked him. Watanabi lifted his hand to wave off her offer.

"Oh a cut!" she grabbed his hand dabbing the small cut with the tip of her apron. "Here let me bandage that." Katprin turned her back not watching the little display.

"Come now Katprin its okay I still love you, but she is so cute." The girl stops her fussing over his hand to look up at Watanabi.

"Oh are you together?"

"Yeah" he chuckled at Katprin blushing face.

"We are not!" she barked getting up.

"Look at her all red isn't she the cutest thing you have ever seen." He put an arm around the girl while watching Katprin stand there growling at him. The girl pushes off Watanabi arm and makes a quick bow to her.

"Oh I am sorry."

"Don't, we are not together." Katprin step back from the girl. Watanabi could not hold his laughter in.

"Its nothing to be sorry about she is still in denial. She loves me but she doesn't want others to know."

"Oh but if she doesn't want you." The girl let her words trail off.

He watched Katprin move towards the door. "Just look at her. Her eyes tell you everything." He winks to the girl.

"I have had enough." Katprin waved an arm in the air.

"Ooh come on Kat, come please." He half begged her. Katprin stopped near the door spun around and snapped a "No" at him.

"I'll give you a kiss if you come back." He coyly teased her.

"I am not the one that wants your kiss." She stared at the giggling serving girl.

"Kat come I will give you a long deep kiss!" Watanabi persisted

"I would rather kiss a frog!" she snapped

"Ha Ha fine then I'll kiss her if you do not want my kiss." He pulled the girl close to him. Katprin stood with whole body stiff with anger as she watched him cradle the girl in his arms. He tilted her back and gave her a light gentle kiss on the lips letting it linger a moment. Watanabi looked up just in time to dodge a broken vase that was flying at his head.

"Why you…" Katprin screamed as she grabbed a fallen bowel off the floor flinging at

Watanabi who jumped out of the way as it sailed towards him.

"Ahhh wait." He yelped in surprise as yet another barrage of broken flatware came flying at him like throwing stars.

"How could you?" she yelled each word with throwing a utensil at his head. He rolled out of the way finding that her aim was near impossible to dodge.

"I thought you didn't care?" he smiled as he squatted down behind an over turned table. He noticed that the owner had rushed in at the sound of smashing dishes. His arm flaying wildly trying to stop Katprin from destroying what was left of his business.
"Ahhh I could just hit that smug look off your face." Katprin screamed as she threw anything that was handy off the floor.

"You were the one that told me to kiss her." He defended himself, "You said you didn't care."

"And you thought you should! Ahh Men are all the same." She stops looking for him.

"Please no more." Begged the owner as she walked around the room.

"I love you Kat." Watanabi sat up from behind the table giving her a sorrowful look but was met with a broken piece of wood flying at him.

"I hate you." She growled

"Then why are you so mad." He jumped to the side letting the wood crash into the wall and then dived at Katprin grabbing hold of her he wrapped his arms around her letting them fall to the floor. He looked down at her, surprised to see the tears in her eyes. Wiping them away he kissed her lovingly

"I love you there is no other girl for me." He leaned in to giving her a long deep kiss. She pulled away

"Then why?" came her small plea.

"Because I love you."

"No you don't" Katprin tried to push him off her but he just rolled over so that she was resting on top of his chest. With one hand he caressed her hair playing with it between his fingers he quietly reassured her.

"Shh its okay."

"You must leave! Get out, you are wrecking my house." The owner cried to them then stacked off into the back.

"We should move on. Lets go Kat." He whispered into her ear but she did not move. He realized that she fell asleep. Sighing he sat up carefully lifting her into his arms her carried her towards the door. He was met at the door by the young girl. He smiled at her.
"I never did asked you your name is." He half apologized to her for it seems to be a habit he was fallen into with this girl.

"It's Andrea." She blushed looking to see if her father was still in the back "You don't have to leave he was just a little upset, he will calm down."

"Thanks but I think we over stayed our welcome." He half laughed at the destroyed room.

"Is she alright?" Andrea asked looking at the woman in his arms.

"Yeah she is just tired." He looked at Katprin lovingly in his arms.

"Well she sure was mad." Andrea tilled her head "I have never seen dishes fly like that before." Watanabi smirked at the girl's comment.

"Well she is a Master." He explained "But she has the most beautiful eyes and those delicate hands that make her a master have the gentlest touch." He hugged Katprin to him feeling her warmth through the kimono.

"Do do you really love her?" Andrea asked in surprise after witnessing this woman just about kills him.

"I am sorry but yes I do"

"Well it didn't look like she shared the same feelings" she bluntly said.

"I know she loves me, it's just hard for her to let herself say those words."

"Why bother?" Andrea let some of her jealousy show, "I would not have that problem." She smiled at him.

"You are very cute."

"You are very handsome and need some of my care." She reached out to touch his face.

"You could find a place to put her and come back to finish that kiss you started."

"No I can not."

"She didn't seem to need your protection." Andrea tried again to get him to stay with her.

"Maybe not but I love her and will protect her with my life." Watanabi saw the sad look that crossed her face. He careful laid down Katprin and turned towards Andrea.

"Since we didn't finish our kiss hows this." He lifted her chin up "I will give you the kiss but you mustn't tell anyone." Watanabi leaned in slowly pressing his lips against her soft lips. As he pulled away she pulled toward him leaving her there he gently picked up Katprin still sleeping body and walked out the door.

"She is one lucky woman to have you." Andrea called as she realized that he was leaving.
"Maybe I am the lucky one." He chide back.

"If you change your mind I am here." She gave it one last effort to win him over. Laughing Watanabi kept walking caring his quiet love with him.

"If it doesn't work out I'll be back for you." Andrea stood in front of the Tea House watching as he slowly walked into the darkness. She knew that she might never see him again but she would think of him every time she smelled the sent of cherry blossoms.