A special never broadcasted TV episode in which Kenshin & Kaoru are stranded together in a summer storm...

Note: Because of the many scene changes in this episode, I have tried to mark them naturally by making new paragraphs.
 

It is early morning. Kaoru reminds Yahiko he'll go to help at the Akabeko today. Looking ouside, Kaoru observes that it is already the end of summer.

Meanwhile Kenshin is ready to go out. Kaoru calls for him and Kenshin and Kaoru set off...

[Episode Title: "At the end of the wandering... a day when bonds are forged, where tides of ourselves lap..."]

At Megumi's office, Sanosuke is having a checkup for his injured hand. Megumi and Sanosuke remark about about Kenshin and Kaoru going grave-visiting. Megumi tells Sanosuke to come back in a week. Sanosuke asks if he can stay at her house for dinner while Kenshin and Kaoru are gone, and Megumi agrees. Sanosuke, satisfied, punches his hand and hurts himself. (Megumi is rather sarcastic after Sanosuke leaves ^^;;)

Meanwhile at the Akabeko, Yahiko is eating and Tsubame tells him to have more. Tae remarks that Tsubame will be a good wife someday (much to Tsubame's embarrassment ^^).

Kenshin and Kaoru have reached their destination, which appears to be near the ocean. Kaoru suggests that they go take a walk by the beach and Kenshin heartily agrees.

Back at Megumi's home, Sanosuke is chopping wood and he complains of having to do so much work for one day's meal. Megumi only teases him and Sanosuke is more annoyed. ^^;;

At the beach, Kaoru touches the water and pulls her hand back at the cold. She remarks to Kenshin that it has become an autumn ocean. Kenshin is his usually gentle and thoughtful self and only smiles. Kaoru calls to Kenshin and she shows him a shell that she has found.

It begins to rain...

Sanosuke sees the rain and stops working to go inside.

Tae and Tsubame remark about the rain and wonder how Kenshin and Kaoru are. Yahiko tells them it might strengthen their relationship and they don't need to worry because Kenshin and Kaoru aren't kids anymore.

Kaoru realizes that no ships will go out in the storm, so they won't be able to return home. Kenshin tells her not to worry; they'll work out something and the worst of the storm is ending.

Sanosuke is relaxing in the bath. Megumi, outside, tells him that she's leaving Dr. Gensai's yukata for him. To herself, Megumi is disgusted at the filthiness of Sanosuke's clothes and decides to wash them.
Sanosuke comes out the bath wearing the yukata. (It looks so funny ^^;;) Ayame and Suzume are playing and they look up and laugh. Megumi says it looks good. Sanosuke wonders what she did with his clothes. Megumi only smirks. Sanosuke is scared now and he asks where is clothes are, yelling. They are hung outside...

Kenshin and Kaoru have stopped at an inn to spend the night. The inn's hostess is friendly and gives them a room. Kenshin and Kaoru decide to rest in the inn until the first ship for home the next morning. Kaoru feels uncomfortable being in the room with Kenshin, which Kenshin quickly notices. He offers to leave right after dinner, but Kaoru tells him not to (to which Kenshin replies "Hai de gozaru" ^^;;). Kaoru orders him to avert his eyes while she changes. After she's done, Kenshin changes (and Kaoru peeks ^^;;).

The lights are turned out and they lie in their beds... After a while, Kaoru gets up and sees Kenshin who appears to be sleeping peacefully. (Sleeping Kenshin is just so sweet... *sigh*)  Kenshin's hand is hanging out of the side of his bed. Kaoru hesitantly puts her hand over his. She closes her eyes and goes to sleep. (I was pretty much jumping up and down at this point ^^;;)
Kenshin is actually not asleep. He opens his eyes slightly, knowing that Kaoru is holding his hand (but heck, he doesn't mind ^^;;)

Kaoru has a dream about Kenshih leaving her. ("I am a wanderer. I'm going to return to my journey." Pretty much like the Kyoto departure scene except there is deep chasm between them, like the one Misao tries to jump over when Kenshin tries to leave her.) Kaoru wakes up rather flustered, understandably. She calms down realizing that it was only a dream. She turns around to look at Kenshin. But he's not there...

Kenshin is at the beach, deeply thoughtful. Dawn begins to break; he turns in surprise as Kaoru runs toward him. Suddenly she trips and Kenshin catches her in his arms. There are tears in Kaoru's eyes; Kenshin is taken aback...

Kenshin holds out a seashell to give to Kaoru. Kaoru reaches for his hand to receive it...

[A series of Kyoto hen flashbacks follow, with mainly Kenshin and Kaoru memories but some others as well.]

Kenshin and Kaoru are on a ship returning home. Everyone is at the dock to greet their return.  Kenshin and Kaoru run up to meet them... And all's good ^^;;
 
 

My review

Basically it was a good, romantic, filler-type episode. Unfortunately it had little content plot-wise and dragged at times. (There were several parts where they showed rather pointless scenery just to kill time ^^o) However, as I said, it was still a good, romantic, filler-type episode, and it made me think of how Kenshin and Kaoru's life would be like now... Very sweet.. and shippy! ^.^ I recommend it, except it might be disappointing if you have to pay $50 to buy it.