Disclaimer: I do not own RK, or any of its characters. Please don't sue, I'm flat broke as it is.

AN: I wrote this for the 100 Situations LJ community. It's a little different from what I posted there though. I'm still not sure if I like how it turned out, but I hope you guys enjoy it. Please review, yeah?

Oh, and no, I did not misspell 'favourite'. I refuse to omit the 'u'. (ignores spellcheck)

You have no reason to be nervous. This is Kenshin, remember? Sano's pal. You've known him for years. It's not the first time we've hung out. The fact that the two of you are alone shouldn't matter. Just behave normally, and everything will be fine.

Stop fretting about how you look. Your hair's fine, and you're in your uniform, just like he is, so don't worry about being underdressed or anything. And if you haven't figured out how to look good in your uniform after all this years, well, it's too late to start worrying now…

"You're not really enjoying this, are you?"

At Kenshin's words, Kaoru snapped out of her inner pep talk, and looked up to face him. His tone had been slightly anxious, and as he spoke, his hand scratched at the back of his head, a gesture that further betrayed nervousness.

The apologetic expression on Kenshin's face made him look even cuter, if that was possible. Kaoru had to fight down a giggle. The normally calm and collected Kenshin Himura was actually jittery, and it was because of her. Well, mostly anyway. Still, the thought that he might be worried about how whether she was enjoying his company was rather flattering.

Kaoru managed a reassuring smile. "It's really not your fault, so don't worry about it," she mumbled, nervously twirling a finger in her long ponytail. Darn it, no matter how much she tried to deny it, there was something about him that always made him go tongue-tied in his presence. To hide her own discomfiture, she turned to throw a glare over her shoulder to the culprits responsible for their predicament.

There they were the three of them, just a few tables away. Too far to eavesdrop but close enough to observe hers and Kenshin's every move. Predictably, Sanosuke and Misao grinned and waved, apparently oblivious to her annoyance. Megumi simply rolled her eyes.

"Hey, come on Kenshin, shouldn't you be holding her hand or something?" Sano yelled, drawing the attention of the café's other patrons. Some of them were glancing at her and Kenshin now, clearly amused.

Kaoru resisted the urge to hammer her head against the table.

I suppose I should be thanking them for arranging this, but really, following us around…this is just too much!

"Does that mean…that you're glad that Sanosuke and the rest set up us?"

Startled by Kenshin's words, Kaoru turned back to stare blankly at him. He had gone back to speaking in his customarily measured tones, but there was a strangely earnest look in his violet eyes…As she struggled to figure out what he was talking about, it belatedly occurred to her that she had voiced out that last thought.

Oops.

"Well, I, I…" Kaoru sputtered. Unable to phrase a coherent denial, Kaoru stared hard at her shoes, blushing furiously. This wasn't how he was supposed to find out!

Kenshin, mercifully, did not continue to press her for an answer. Instead, he gave her a sheepish smile. "Actually, I feel more or less the same way too," he admitted. He leaned forward a little to glance over Kaoru's shoulders at their so-called friends. "I was actually glad when they arranged for us to have this, um, date," Kaoru noted with a sense of wonderment, at the reddening of Kenshin's cheeks as he spoke, "but I did not count on them coming along with us, that I did not."

Fascinated as she was by his blushing, it took a few moments for the implication his words to register. When it finally hit her, she squeaked, "What?"

That earned her a surprised stare from Kenshin. "Er…what what?"

"N-nothing." Feeling more embarrassed than before, she turned to stare at her shoes, refusing to meet his puzzled gaze. Had she really heard him right?

Now more than ever, Kaoru wished that she was alone with Kenshin. She'd known that he'd been tricked into coming to the café, just like she had, and that kept her from being certain as to whether he truly liked her. His last comment had held very encouraging implications, yet…The pessimistic part of her refused to believe it. He probably just feels sorry for me, she told herself. No point getting her hopes up.

She wanted to ask him, right there and then, if he really did like the idea of dating her. Being alone here with him provided her with a golden opportunity, but knowing that there were several pairs of eyes watching them closely, she simply couldn't summon the courage.

Heck, she mused, even if those three weren't around, she'd probably still be too chicken anyway.

Feeling suddenly depressed, Kaoru took a sip of her mocha frappe, hoping that a taste of her favourite drink would help lift her lowering spirits.

It didn't. Kaoru stifled another sigh. It didn't seem like there was a point in going on with this whole thing anymore. She turned to ask Kenshin what he thought.

She saw that Kenshin's attention was no longer on her. He was frowning slightly, as if he was thinking hard about something.

"Uh, Kenshin…?" She called out hesitantly. What, was she boring him already?

For a moment, Kenshin appeared to be ignoring her, his eyes still staring elsewhere. But before she could take offense, he abruptly turned back to face her. His lips were curved in small, mischievous smile.

She was bewildered when he held out his hand to her.

"Come on."

"Oh, come on!" Misao threw her arms into the air and groaned in disbelief Sanosuke noted, with amusement, that heads had turned once more to glance at their table. "They just looked like they were making progress. Don't tell me they're going to go back at staring at their feet!"

Sanosuke grinned. "I don't know about you two, but I've never seen Kenshin this nervous with another girl." Then he sighed and ran a hand through his spiked hair. "But yeah, this is starting to get really boring." To emphasize his feelings, he slumped forward and plopped his head on the table, tiredly letting out his breath.

Maddeningly smug as always, Megumi merely raised an eyebrow as she regarded the other two. "What exactly were you expecting?" She chided. Unlike him and Misao, she'd seem unexcited about the whole spying expedition. Sano had been wondering why she'd chosen to join them anyway.

In response to Megumi's question, Sanosuke shrugged, realizing that he really wasn't all that sure himself. "I dunno…some romantic gesture, I guess. Something Kenshin'll do to sweep Jou-chan off her feet."

"At this point, anything would be good," Misao growled. "Anything but that!" She waved a hand in the direction of the couple.

Megumi snorted. "Well," she drawled, "if you're going to insist on observing their every action, you can't really expect either of them to be comfortable enough to make any bold moves." The dark-haired girl vaguely gestured in the direction of Kaoru and Kenshin, who were now looking at everywhere but each other. "I mean, we had to resort to force to get them to go on a date we know they've both been wanting. They're not exactly the type to give us some PDA, if that's what you're hoping." Her tone suggested that it should have been obvious.

Sano frowned. "PDA?"

"That's public display of affection, rooster-brain."

She had a point, actually. But after that crack, there was no way he was going to admit it. However, before Sano could retort, Misao cut in. "Well, if that's what you think," she huffed, glaring at the other girl, "why'd you even come along?"

Megumi crossed her legs, leaned back into her chair and gave a small shrug. "Well, since I couldn't convince you two to leave the couple alone, I figured I might as well amuse myself by watching them squirm." Her lips curled in a slightly evil smile.

Sanosuke couldn't help barking out a laugh. Megumi could be one sadistic fox.

He'd been all for setting up his best friend with Jou-chan. Spying on them, though, hadn't been part of the plan. But Misao had insisted on sticking around, declaring that as the architects of the scheme, they had a right to see how it played out.

It had then occurred to Sano just how much fun it would be to see his best friend try to charm a girl to whom he was truly attracted. Especially one who didn't swoon in the guy's presence like every other freaking girl seemed to do…

But after those first few entertaining minutes – why, Kenshin, I never knew you could blush like that! – the whole thing was becoming a drag.

And Sano was starting to feel a teensy bit guilty about having fun at his friends expense –

"Oh, look, look!" Sanosuke's head snapped up at Misao shrieked.

"What?!" he yelped.

"I said look, rooster-head!" Misao was excitedly pointing in the direction of Kenshin and Kaoru's table.

Sanosuke turned back to look at them. He smirked when he saw that Kenshin was holding out a hand to Kaoru. Finally making a move now, eh? Leaning forward, he observed with interest as Kaoru took the proffered hand.

He was completely unprepared for what happened next.

In one swift movement, Kenshin pulled Kaoru to her feet, and the two of them fled through the entrance of the café.

Sanosuke's jaw dropped. He noted detachedly that his wasn't the only one.

For a few moments, the three of them stared at the newly vacated table, not quite believing what had just occurred.

Then Misao yelled, "They're getting away!" and grabbed Sano's arm as she dashed towards the café's entrance. Yelling, Sanosuke's free arm flailed before settling on Megumi's arm. Ignoring her cries of protest, he dragged the other girl along as well, and the three of them set off, somewhat awkwardly, after the runaway couple, leaving the curious stares of the other patrons behind.

As Sano jogged, an excitedly shrieking weasel on one arm and an indignantly complaining fox on the other, he felt a grin creeping onto his face.

Nice one, pal.

Kaoru wasn't sure how long they'd been running, but when they'd finally stopped, she was completely out of breath. One hand on her knee, she bent down as she gasped for air.

Kenshin, she noted with some measure of annoyance, seemed barely winded at all. He was looking around, searching for any sign of their pursuers, then grinned in satisfaction. "From the looks of it," he said, "I think we've lost them."

"That's…great." Exhaling heavily one last time, she turned to scan their surroundings as well. She frowned at what she saw.

They were in the park, she realized, right next to the pond. At this time of the day, they weren't many people around. There was an old lady sitting on the bench, tossing bread to the ducks, and a couple of joggers went past them.

Apart from that, they were pretty much alone. Maybe those turns we took weren't completely random after all…

In response to the quizzical look she directed towards him, Kenshin said, matter-of-factly, "Looks like a nice spot to have a private chat."

"It sure does." Firmly tamping down on the hope building up inside, she asked, in her most nonchalant tone, "So…What was it you said you wanted to talk me about?" That was what he'd said to convince her to go running around half the town with him. Not that he really needed to. It had actually been pretty fun, trying to escape from their nosy friends, her hand in his as they fled…

She flushed red when she realized that he was still gripping her hand. She wondered if he noticed, and if she should pull it away. Her musings were distracted, though, when she noticed him staring intently at her.

For a few moments, Kenshin merely regarded her. Then, to her bemusement, he directed his gaze towards the ground, as if deliberating something. When he met her gaze again, his handsome features had gone solemn.

Kaoru's heart sank.

"Okay, I confess. Earlier, I lied."

So he really wasn't thrilled about being forced into a date with her. Trying not to seem crestfallen, Kaoru mustered up a smile. Well, she'd already known that, right?

She blurted, "Well, I didn't think –"

"Talking wasn't really what I had in mind."

Startled at being cut off, Kaoru blinked.

Huh?

Thrown, she could only watch as he moved to stand closer to her. Her eyes widened when he leaned slowly leaned forward, cupped her cheek and gently pressed his lips against hers.

She stiffened in surprise, but only for an instant. Through no will of her own, her eyes were drifting closed, and she relaxed into the warmth of the kiss.

When he finally pulled away, she felt a breathlessness that had nothing to do with the fact that she had been running.

Her eyes opened, and she stared into his amethyst ones. There was a trace of uncertainty in them. "Please tell me," he said, "that you're enjoying this."

She laughed. A wide smile broke onto his face, and he slipped an arm around her before leaning in to kiss her once more.