Someday When Wishes Do Come True
Prologue: Three Days After With Three Different People
By: Empathic Soul
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. This story is slightly AU although it is set in the Meiji Era as well, a few days after Jinchuu ended. Characters that would be included are Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, Sanosuke, Aoshi, Misao, Soujiro, Saitoh, Megumi, and Enishi. Couples are not yet determined.
Something so uniquely entrancing...
Something enchanting...
Bewildering...
Ethereal?
Ever thought of a single event, thing, or even a person that you wanted all your life, you needed all your life, to come to you?
Have you wished of such?
Have you wished for someone to finally understand who you really are?
Who you want to be?
Who you dreamt to be?
Have you wished for someone to exist only for you?
And yet came to fully accept you...
The person that you are...
The imperfect person that you are...
And yet
Just as when you were about to have it...him...her...
It vanished?
She vanished?
He vanished?
How does it feel?
Feels like a dream doesn't it?
Of course it does...
Because it is
Azure eyes met with the sun's gentle rays as it slowly filtered inside a single room in the dojo. Her eyelashes flickered a bit, placing her right hand over her eyes, shielding away from the greeting rays of dawn, she tried to rub off some of the sleep that was left with her. It was another day indeed, and yet another day full of smiles...laughter...
Sarcastic...She knew somehow.
She pulled close her yukata covering her body. Conservative that she is, she did not desire to walk in the dojo merely wearing such a thin garment. She stood up, took her robe and wrapped it over her thin frame.
It was a nice morning. It was a nice day. She hoped it would be at least.
It has been only three days since she came back from her little "vacation" in Enishi's little island trip, if anyone would call that a trip. She had to admit though, she missed the special treatment that she received there, not counting the times that the white-haired assassin attempted to kill her by choking her and glaring her to death—she considered herself well- treated. She could trudge along the house as long as she did not bother anyone, especially the master. She could go to the kitchen and cook all she wants and Enishi gladly eats it not even complaining a bit. She could read books and even sleep in that Western futon, Enishi calls a bed.
It was special treatment for her—all right.
But as always, there is no place like home. As much as she got used to the Western house, she still missed the traditional dojo, her home. Everything was peaceful for her here. She has gotten used to the smell of wood and the fresh morning scent of Cherry Blossoms during spring and even the gentle breeze that filters through the house during mornings. The cold drafts of winter and autumn make her fond of the place as well.
It was called memories...
She stopped on the porch and sat there facing the gate of the dojo. She stared at it and smiled softly to herself, a sad reproachful smile. Closing her eyes while listening to the morning breeze she tried to concentrate.
She felt her chi slowly rise and sway along with the wind. Any kendo teacher should know the art of chi. Her breath relaxed and her tensed muscles loosened up. She breathed in and out slowly and leaned slightly on the wall. She could slowly feel herself drifting into unconsciousness; it was a lullaby for her concentrating like this in the early morning where there are no distur...
"BUSUUUUUUUU!!!!"
...bances...
Kaoru opened one of her eyes in a slight glare. There was a hint of amber but soon it vanished and returned to the normal shade of blue. Although there remained a hint of annoyance, she raised her head to see the panicked expression in the boy's face. Kaoru sighed.
How long will they realize that I would not be kidnapped?
Kaoru straightened up and observed as the boy rushed towards her then kneeling in front so that they are face-to-face. Kaoru raised a slender brow in pretend confusion to at least acknowledge the boy's worry, even though the latter would not dare to admit it...directly at least.
"You woke up early, busu!" Yahiko muttered with a slightly edgy tone, which Kaoru chose to ignore.
"You did not come all the way here to call me that right?" Kaoru sighed looking slightly weary. Yahiko noted it and became more worried. To him, he could not help but worry over the girl he grew accustomed to be his older sister, especially after a traumatizing event of thinking she was dead.
"Well BUSU, Breakfast is ready and if you don't hurry we're eating your share." Yahiko grunted, thinking of a fast excuse why he came running over to her that early in the morning. Well it was not a lie anyway.
"Breakfast?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow. Surely he's kidding. Kenshin is not even cooking yet...
"Yeah, we already have breakfast..." Yahiko looked up for a moment and then smiled slightly, a bit nervously, "...at the Akebeko! We're having breakfast in the Akebeko today!"
Yeah that's right! Tae-san wanted to see Kaoru badly after being rescued from Enishi!
"Akebeko? Yahiko, are you insane? Breakfast at the Akebeko?" Kaoru sighed this is getting out of hand. She has to put a stop to this or else it would just exhaust her brain more than it already is at the moment.
"Yeah! I forgot to tell you last night that Tae-san invited us to eat there today." Yahiko jumped up hoping to grab Kaoru's attention at least, now that he knew she felt that he was lying. He did not know how but probably it has something to do with female intuition.
Kaoru stopped mid-step and did not even bother to look back at Yahiko. She knew somehow that it was merely a ploy to actually get her back to shape and to mood somehow. But to an extent, she believes she still needs more time, alone mostly.
But how can she? When almost anywhere she goes there is one person with her. Take for example, Yahiko. He would not even want to leave the dojo anymore. Kaoru felt like the boy blamed himself over her death because he was not there to protect her. She did not need protection...
The jinchuu was necessary...
I was supposed to happen...
That was what was meant to happen...
What she did not know is what would happen next...
On the other hand, Sanosuke was also getting on the edge always. He bought back sponge cakes for her and sometimes he even bought money. Kaoru swore that it would probably be the end of the world the day Sano bought back some money to help her. The ultimate freeloader with cash!!!
She could still remember it clearly.
"What are you doing?" Kaoru asked Sano who sat by the porch looking at Ayame and Suzume playing in the yard.
"Nothing, Jou-chan." Sano smiled at her and looked with at her with slight worry. Kaoru had to bite her tongue not to hit him and shout that she's okay.
"Okay, if you say so." Kaoru shrugged. "If you're this quiet I fear that you are up to no good."
"Jou-chan! That's mean! I'm not that bad am I?" Sano pouted and looked at Kaoru with puppy-dog eyes, which to most it has no effect.
"Yes you are. And those kinds of pitiful eyes do not work. Megumi-san already told you that." Kaoru crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay Sano what are you up to? DO you want a loan again?"
Sano laughed and then he started to roar with laughter. Kaoru merely stared at him as if he finally lost his mind. She thought that Enishi probably was much more sane than this guy. One moment he's sad, the next he's contemplating, then pitiful, then a raving lunatic?
What has the world come to?
"Jou-chan, as a matter of fact, I'm here to give you money." Sano handed Kaoru over a stash of money and Kaoru stared at it as if it had some kind of poison.
Okay, the world has ended and this is a new life.
Kaoru stared at the extended hand and then stared at the face of Sano. She stared more, and more, and more... Sano already fidgeted under her scrutiny.
"Stop staring Jou-chan!' Sano moved aside the line of vision to emphasize his point.
"Sano, you did not get this by robbing a bank didn't you?" Kaoru asked bluntly and Sano had to hold to a post not to fall over.
"I have more pride than that!!!" Sano exclaimed looking insulted but at the same time happy to get a nasty remark from the girl, it reminds her of the fiery attitude Kaoru had before she came back from Enishi.
"Sanosuke..." Kaoru placed a threatening tone and stance, worried that the man had caused trouble to get money just to help them get by.
"Honest!!! This was given to me by a restaurant owner when I found his lost cat." Sano grinned proud of his accomplishment.
Kaoru had to gap this time. If it weren't Sano being taller than her, she would gladly claim that the man had reverted to some preadolescent age wherein he decides to take pride on good deeds. Where was the gangster?
"Okay you, who are you and where have you taken Sanosuke?" Kaoru grabbed the hand of Sanosuke and looked at him straight in the eye. "You're not Sano! Sano does not take money home for us. He does not take pride into rescuing small kittens. And most of all, he's a selfish, impolite, tactless freeloader! Who are you!"
"You make me sound so bad after I heard that!" Sano muttered looking at Kaoru with a smirk and giving her a slight nudge on the arm. She did not flinch of course but merely pulled her hand away.
"It's only the truth." Kaoru rudely commented back and Sano had to mutter an ouch.
"No seriously Jou-chan, that money is yours. Take it, its once in a lifetime!" Sano smirked. "this is the first and the last."
Kaoru sighed and merely took the money.
"Now that's the Sano I know."
Well that was what happened. If Sano was a worrier and Yahiko was an even bigger worrier, the biggest of all is Kenshin. Kenshin almost attempted to lock the gates to prevent Kaoru from going out alone. He accompanied her when she went to her lessons, when she went to the market, when she visited the grave of her father, when she went to Dr. Genzai, in short, he went anywhere with her.
There was no saying no or even a short quiet time. Kenshin always asked her if she needed something, if she wanted something, if she was in pain, if she was alright, and in about a few minutes he'll start to ask that again.
How can Kaoru tell him that all she wants is a little private time and he could not even give it to her because of his unnecessary worrying, not that she minds of course, we're talking about Kenshin here.
But then again, Kaoru was not used to such "princess treatment". There was none during the start of the Meiji Era and nor was there any in the Bakumatsu especially during which she was...
"Kaoru-dono." Kenshin greeted from behind startling both Yahiko and Kaoru from their own respective brooding sessions.
"I told you he'll come." Kaoru sighed and placed on a smile. Another regular day...
TBC