Note: This scene takes place at the end of the manga right after everyone at the Kamiya dojo go their separate ways.
"It was just like you said, 'Eventually each will walk their own path. Each will live their own lives…so it's a little lonely…but we'll endure it." Kaoru said.
You and I, that we will, thought Kenshin with a slight smile as he, Kaoru and Yahiko slowly walked back to the dojo.
That evening, Yahiko excused himself to go "help out" at the Akabeko. Kaoru had raised a knowing eyebrow but uncharacteristically did not mention Tsubame or poke fun at him. Kenshin looked as if nothing had changed. He was sitting on the porch happily scrubbing laundry as always.
Tonight I'm going to be alone with Kenshin, thought Kaoru nervously. I've waited for this for so long…but I don't even know what to do. What if he actually doesn't like me like THAT…what if I had been imagining the difference in his tone of voice when he says me name? What if I had been imagining his glances at me linger for longer than they should have? No, no, no Kaoru Kamiya. Focus. Come on. You can do this…whatever this is.
Kenshin had finished hanging the laundry to dry. "It might even be able to dry tonight. I feel a warm breeze, don't you feel that Miss Kaoru?" He slightly tilted his head toward the sky. The moonlight fell onto his hair, causing it to smolder like fire burning calmly in a fireplace. Something else caught her eye…or the lack of something did.
"Kenshin…your scar." Kenshin instinctively raised a hand to it.
"I don't know if I'm imagining this or not, but it looks like it's fading a little bit!"
Kenshin smiled and turned towards her, his amethyst eyes radiating. "I've been forgiven, that I have. Tomoe…she wants me to be happy. No, she wants us to be happy."
Kaoru's heart leapt in her chest. Whatever did Kenshin mean by us? Us as in Kenshin and I as separate people or us as in together…couple together? Kaoru blushed at the thought and tried to push it away. Of course probably not couple together. Kenshin was her friend. Right?
Kenshin went inside the dojo to put the buckets back in and Kaoru sighed. She sat on the porch steps and stared up at the stars. I wish that Kenshin felt the same way I do about him, she sighed. The crickets were chirping and the fireflies were out.
Stay with me, don't fall asleep to soon
Kenshin rushed to put everything away. He hoped Kaoru wouldn't fall asleep on the porch waiting for him. "Oro!" he exclaimed as he tripped over a loose board. He wanted to spend some time with Kaoru before they went to bed.
The angels can wait for a moment
Kaoru blushed to herself as she thought about the empty dojo that was occupied by just Kenshin and herself that night. She sighed. If she were Megumi she would know what to do but she was clueless.
Come real close…forget the world outside
"Tonight is beautiful, isn't it?" Kenshin's voice came from behind her. He plopped down beside her. Kaoru nodded. A strand of hair fell into her face and he brushed it away with a finger. Kaoru suddenly leaned into him. "Are you okay Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin asked worriedly. "Yes…I am. I just…I just want to be closer to you, that's all."
Tonight we're alone
They sat in silence together. Kenshin carefully inched his arm around Kaoru's body and held her. Kaoru felt Kenshin's heartbeat through his chest. She sighed happily. They never had a quiet moment like this before. Well, excluding the night Kenshin walked away from her, intending to leave forever.
It's finally you and I
Every time they were together, there were others around. It made Kaoru nervous, but happy all at the same time. Just Kenshin and I, she thought.
It wasn't meant to feel like this
I'm so happy, thought Kenshin. I feel guilty for being so happy. I don't deserve to feel this way. I've taken countless people's happiness from them…Enishi…Tomoe…
As if she read his thoughts, Kaoru spoke "It's ok to be happy sometimes Kenshin." He smiled. She knew him better than anyone else.
Not without you
"Thank you, Miss Kaoru." He whispered. "Thank you for everything." Kaoru went a little limp in his arms. "I remembered when you said that last. You left after saying that."
Don't be afraid, I'll be right by your side
In response, Kenshin pulled her closer. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise, that I do. I'm home."
Through the laughter and pain
A thousand memories rushed through Kaoru's head. All those petty one-sided fights she had with Kenshin (one sided because Kenshin would usually stand there with a confused look on his face), all the times she would rush to him after a battle, heart pounding with relief, all the times she and him would laugh about a matter uncontrollably…
Together we're bound to fly
A warm breeze attacked them both suddenly, causing their clothing and hair to whip around furiously. Kaoru stretched out her arms. "I feel like I'm flying", she squealed.
I wasn't meant to love like this, not without you
Kenshin looked down at her. The way he looked at her was so different from the way he looked at Tomoe. He had gradually grown to love Tomoe, as two people usually do when they are alone together for a long time. He had loved her because she was like the eye of a hurricane, a calm break from the chaos committed by his sword. But he had loved Kaoru from the moment he met her. When Jinei stole her away, he was surprised at the intensity of his anger. He was so angry that he could have killed Jinei if it were not for Kaoru's strength to break out of the spell. She was so strong. She was so passionate. She was so alive. She was the hurricane. And he had been caught up in her wake.
Made a few mistakes, yeah…like sometimes we do
"I'm sorry Miss Kaoru, for everything I put you through. It must have been hard."
"Oh Kenshin, you're so silly. I had the greatest adventure in my life! Do you really think I would have it any other way?"
"I'm sorry about my past."
Kaoru punched him lightly. "I told you in the beginning I didn't care about it. Never did, never will. So just relax and enjoy the night with me ok?"
Kenshin smiled. "Ok."
Been through lot of heartaches…
Kaoru remembered that night on May 14, when Kenshin had hugged her for the very first time, and then left. He was so, so warm. When he left, it was as if someone had taken the sun right out of the sky. It was so cold, and dark and lifeless. Kaoru fell to the ground and cried until she had no more tears left to cry.
It was so hard to pull away from Kaoru. Kenshin wanted to hold her forever. But he remembered his duties to protect and his promise for atonement. With a heavy heart and leaden arms, he pulled away, turned as fast as he could, and left without turning back. He knew if he took a glance back, he could never leave. Leaving Kaoru was the hardest thing in the world because he had a choice. In Tomoe's case, he had to leave her, she was dead. But Kaoru was alive with arms wide open. She had given him a home, she had given him unconditional love. Kenshin struggled to put one foot in front of the other, but he forced himself to move forward.
Heartbreaks
Images of Enishi's katana thrust into Kaoru's body made Kenshin shudder and instinctively he pulled Kaoru closer to him. He would never forget how it felt when he thought he had lost Kaoru forever. Overwhelming grief that took his breath away as hot tears ran down his face and he gasped for air. Intense guilt that he wasn't able to protect her. Indescribable anger that he wasn't able to save her. He had never felt such strong emotions in his life. A swordsman's life was all about balance and being able to keep calm. All those feelings hit him so suddenly and when they left, he was left numb and dazed in the town of those who had given up on everything.
But I made it back to you
Kenshin woke up in a room and heard voices whispering furiously through the door. "You can't tell Kenshin that Kaoru's alive, not yet! It might affect his process of healing!" whispered Megumi. "Oh come on, Kenshin is a lot stronger than that!" Yahiko retorted. "You'd have to tell him sooner or later." Miss Kaoru's alive, thought Kenshin. Kaoru…she's alive. His heart leapt in his chest, and he was on his feet in a flash. The gang then burst through the door and saw him standing. "Kenshin!" exclaimed Yahiko happily. "Let's go get Miss Kaoru." said Kenshin, trying to mask his excitement by attempting to sound calm. He would never forget how his heart almost exploded with happiness when he saw Kaoru coming out of the forest with Enishi. It took everything he had not to run to her, scoop her up and never let go.
After the long and exhausting battle with Enishi, Kenshin walked over to Kaoru. "Are you unhurt?" he asked with his usual smile. "Yes." She answered, falling in love with him all over again. He was so kind, so selfless—Suddenly Kenshin fell over into her arms. "Oro?" She caught him and held him until his breathing calmed down. She never remembered feeling this happy.
Because when I look at my life, how the pieces fall into place
The first time he met Kaoru, Kenshin was already engulfed in her passion and life. She came at him with a wooden sword and threatened him, of all people. She was unafraid to take on whoever the manslayer was. It was bold, but it also was cute, although Kenshin would NEVER admit it. There were so many roads he could have taken to get through that little town in Tokyo, but he chose that road. The road that led him straight to Kaoru.
It just wasn't right without you
"I want to stay with you, Kenshin." Kaoru blushed right she had said that. How could she be so forward? But Kenshin had smiled and put his arm around her shoulders.
When I see how my path seems to end up before your face
"Going home with you is the strangest thing. It feels so…natural." Kenshin had said after finally coming back to the dojo from Kyoto after the battle with Shishio.
The state of my heart, the place where we are
Kenshin looked down at Kaoru who was snuggling into the curve of his arm. She felt his movement and looked up at him, eyelashes brushing against the bottom of his chin. "Kenshin?" He smiled down at her. "I was just reminiscing. We've been through so much, and we're still here." Kaoru nodded. "It's great isn't it…but um Kenshin, you're squishing me." Kenshin's eyes widened. "Oro? Sorry", he laughed sheepishly. "This one is just afraid to lose you again", he said as he loosened his grip. Kaoru blushed, thankful that it was dark. "I could never lose you again either", she said and suddenly threw her arms around him and squeezed him. "Orororo!" Kenshin exclaimed in surprise as he gasped for air. "Miss Kaoru, I didn't realize how strong you were."
"Excuse me?!" With that Kaoru pushed Kenshin down on the porch floor, held down his wrists and sat on his chest.
"You're scary, Miss Kaoru…" Kenshin whispered teasingly.
"Says the man everyone is afraid of." Kaoru snapped back.
"What about you?" Kenshin asked, suddenly serious.
"What about me?" Kaoru asked quizzically.
"Are you afraid of me?"
Kaoru burst out laughing. "How could I be afraid of you? You're clumsy, not to mention dense and obsessed with doing laundry. And I think you're too kind…and too selfless…and caring…" she trailed off.
"And I think you're beautiful." Kenshin mumbled.
"Sorry, what? You should stop mumbling like that, other people could get a bad impression." Kaoru scolded.
"Nothing, I just said I'm stronger than you." Kenshin flipped over so that he was on top of Kaoru. "I win." he said with a grin.
"KENSHINNNNNNNNNN GET OFF OF MEEEEEE you're so fat I can't breathe." Kaoru complained. She rolled over so that she was on top again. The samurai's eyes glinted deep purple and she gazed at his perfect, smiling face. She put a hand on his cheek and felt his warmth seep into her fingers.
"Miss Kaoru…" Kenshin said with wide eyes.
Kaoru put a finger to his lips. "Shhh." she whispered. She slowly bent her face down and met his lips with hers. The crickets chirped and the stars continued to sparkle overhead.
Is written in the stars