Hello! I'm still working on my other story, but I needed to get my mind out of a rut so I began this one! I hope you like this one - I do! Please enjoy! ^__^

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. I sure wish I did though. :[

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It was warm. Sunny and warm. The birds were chirping happily, the flowers were blooming with color. A soft wind blew Kaoru's raven-black hair into her face, tickling her cheek. The young woman sighed, looking around her at the beautiful day. It was such a nice day out, something everybody had been waiting for all spring. It had finally come to cheer people's spirits... So why was she so miserable? She couldn't put a smile on her face. While she was around other people the smile appeared to cover what was under the skin. But while she was sitting here, letting the warmth of the sun caress her skin, she couldn't bring up a smile to save her life. She opened her little purple book. It was a very important book - Purple, bound by a beautiful black ribbon, with lace trailing down the side of it. She had began writing in it about a year before Kenshin arrived - when she had turned sixteen. There were so many important memories contained in that book. Kaoru looked at her previous entry and began to write.

I'm sorry it's been a while since I last wrote - I've been very busy. It's been about seven months... Yahiko is doing very well in his training. I'm more and more proud of him every day. He's beginning to act like a man, sort of. He still has quite a way to go, but the biggest improvement is that he no longer calls me busu. Unless he's asking for a beating, that is. He even takes a bath more than once a week now! Sano left for China a while ago; He didn't give much of a reason. He just said he would be back sometime soon, and he was right. He arrived a few days ago, and is now staying with us. He hasn't said for how long, but I'm sure he won't stay too little. He'll stay for a while, if not for Megumi-san then for the free food he gets! Everyone misses his goof-ball personality. Even Kenshin.

Kenshin... He hasn't left yet. He says he won't, unless he has to. However, I can't help that little part of me that still worries he will. That he will leave and never return. I wish he could see how wonderful of a person he is. His smile, his tender touches, his respect for people, and so much more. I know I've told you how much I love him before, but it's only grown stronger. I know I worry too much, I've been told that many times. But I just can't help it with him! I never want him to leave me... If everyone else leaves, I would be sad, but okay. If Kenshin leaves... I don't know how I would handle it. I don't think I could handle it. I'm so confused around him... I know he doesn't feel the same toward me. How could he? I'm just a silly girl, barely nineteen years old. I'm hot-headed, I can't cook, I'm stubborn, and I'm far from beautiful. Kenshin deserves so much better. If the woman he falls in love with can see him like I see him - for what he is now, not for what he was then - I know he'll be so happy. That's all I want for him, is to be truly happy.

I had another dream last night... About him. It was similar to the ones I've mentioned before, only different. Instead of him leaving right away, he stayed and talked with me. From across the crevice, we talked. About the stars, nature... About his past. Though I know almost nothing about his past - apart from it was far from wonderful - what he said in the dream was so real. I'm sure what he holds in his memories is horrid, things he could never share with a young girl like me. Although I wish he would... But we spoke back and forth, of so many things... I looked up at the stars for just one moment, and when I looked back at him he was gone. The rest was the same. But just that he spoke to me this time, that he stayed even for a little bit... It was more than enough to keep some hope alive.

But enough of that. Today is a beautiful day! I better be heading for town. I promised Tae I would help her at the Akabeko today. I promise to write soon!

Kaoru sighed, looking up at the sky with deep blue eyes. They flickered with a sadness that could match the depth of the ocean. "Kaoru!" Yahiko called. "Time to go! Where the heck are ya?"

Kaoru stood up quickly, startled. "I'm coming Yahiko! Geez..." She ran out front to meet him and off they ran, silly looks on both their faces and they challenged each other to a race. In her hurry, however, she forgot about the little purple book that sat outside her room, facing out to the blue sky.

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"Miss Kaoru?"

The redhead waited at the door of the young lady's room. Upon receiving no answer, he tried again. "Miss Kaoru?" No answer. "I'm coming in Miss Kaoru." He opened the door slowly, making sure it was safe. The first thing he noticed was that the door leading outside was slightly open, and the room was clean of laundry. He closed the screen door behind him. Kenshin was unsure if he should be in her room without her present. But he decided to at least close the other door. He walked through it, closing it after him. He looked out at the beautiful day - so peaceful. I wonder when Miss Kaoru will be home, that I do. The swordsman's eyes softened, and as he was about to walk away spotted something on the ground. He picked it up curiously. It was an elegant book, purple and lacy bound together with a silky black ribbon. He stared at it a while before he decided to open it.

Not now. He decided to open it later, in private, to determine the owner. Though he had a pretty good idea, there was something that told him to open it. He knew he shouldn't, it was such an invasion of privacy! But something in the back of his mind nagged at him to open it. Later.

He went to finish the laundry, even though he knew where his mind would be.

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"Kenshin, this is sooo good!"

Kenshin gazed at Kaoru's innocent face. She was smiling at him, her beautiful blue eyes shining in awe. The redhead simply smiled. "Thank you, Miss Kaoru. I'm happy you like it." He heard Yahiko compliment the meal as well, but his focus was on the raven-haired woman. She was eating slowly, her eyes closed as she chewed as if to savor the taste. He bowed his head to finish his own meal. It wasn't right to look at Kaoru like that. She was a young, respectable woman. He shouldn't be gazing at her with such... thoughts in his head. Then again, he shouldn't read her private notebook, but he was going to do just that later in the evening.

When the meal was over Kaoru offered to help him do the dishes, and he accepted. He enjoyed her company, more than others, and though he couldn't figure out why he wasn't about to refuse it. They stood, Kenshin washing and Kaoru drying, in near silence. "So Kenshin..."

"Yes Miss Kaoru?"

He saw her eye twitch a bit at that, but she said nothing. "How was your day today?" She gave him a smile.

He suddenly became nervous. "It was - It was a normal day." He stuttered a bit and slapped himself mentally. Kenshin no baka!

Kaoru eyed him a bit. "Normal? So nothing interesting happened?"

Kenshin shook his head. "Not a thing, Miss Kaoru. I did go to the market. It was a beautiful day out, that it was."

"Aa," she agreed. "It was so warm today! A day to remember." She smiled and stared off at nothing in particular. She then noticed the dishes were done. "Well, I suppose I'd better be heading to bed. I have an early morning tomorrow."

The swordsman agreed. "Aa. Time for bed. Well then, good night Miss. Kaoru." He smiled at her.

"Good night Kenshin." Kaoru waved and shuffled off to bed.

Kenshin looked on after she had gone. He sighed, and decided it was time to read the book. As wrong as it is... I guess... He quickly padded to his own room. After changing into his light sleeping clothes and lighting a lamp, he pulled the little book out of the folds of his hakama. He ran his fingers over the cover, tracing the lace along the edge. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't ignore the nagging part of his mind. Something told him to read it. And with that, he opened the front page.

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"Where the heck is it?!"

Kaoru searched her room frantically, turning everything upside down over and over again, shaking things out, until finally she realized it wasn't there. She sat down by her now messy blankets and began to tear up. She was desperate - where the heck was her notebook? It was very important to her - so many things she had written in there that she hadn't dared to say out loud. So many forbidden dreams she'd had, so many moments she'd wished had happened, or things that had and what she wished had come of them... Who would take a simple notebook?

Kaoru ran her hands over her face and through her hair. She swore to find it in the morning, to look everywhere until it was back in her safe hands again. But for now, sleep was best. Maybe it would bring her peace...

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Kenshin's face was hot. How could he not be blushing after all the things he'd read? He felt dirty in a way, for violating Kaoru's privacy. Yet, he was glad he did. So many things explained... There were so many... explicit things in those pages, so many private thoughts and moments. He hadn't read the entire thing, just skimmed and read where he saw his name mentioned. He only meant to read the first entry, to confirm it belonged to the only young woman living in the dojo, but his curiosity got the best of him... Now he had a complicated problem on his hands. He'd known his feelings for Kaoru were there, and strong, for quite some time now. He was not blind. All those moments they had shared, and how he had told only her any parts of his past, even though he made them seem as painless as possible. But Kenshin was never sure if she would reciprocate those emotions. He also felt he would be violating something so pure, so sacred... He couldn't do it. Now that he had seen all these emotions, those... dreams... She was young, but Kaoru was at the point in her life where curiosity would get the best of her.

I want... I want to stay with her... It was true. He never wanted to leave her again. She made him happy, with her innocence, her pure and caring heart, her simple trust... Around her, he felt completed. But now a problem arose. Would he really be able to keep her safe if they were in a relationship? It was true that no one from his past had shown up lately, but that didn't mean they never would. When they had thought her dead... He lost all hope. What if the same that happened to Tomoe happened to Kaoru? But he was different now...

Can I protect her?

There was a simple answer. Yes. I can. And I will.

Kenshin's violet eyes flickered with a strong emotion, turning them slightly amber in color. He looked directly at the small lamp as it began to flicker. He blew it out softly and continued to stare long after the wick was cold. His fingers continued to feel the notebook's cover gently, focusing on the lace. Delicate yet strong, just like his dear Kaoru. His emotions began to fluster in him. Worry first, then determination, followed by a sadness and then a sort of excitement. It was decided.

"I will tell her," he muttered to himself. "But how...?" As he laid back, sleep avoided him for a while, before finally his eyelids began to droop and he felt himself slip off into a peaceful slumber.

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I would appreciate any reviews! Constructive advice is always welcome. I do wish to improve, and advice/praise gives me confidence! [lol and I love hearing from all you awesome people!]

See you next chapter! :]