Hey, hope you like this story. This is basically a love triangle story, but please do read the story. Feel free to leave any reviews if you like. If you have any questions, comments, or even flames, they are all welcomed. Enjoy!
Dislaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin series. I wish I did but I don't. : (
Chapter One
Realization
Just standing back and watching everything was something Kaoru Kamiya could not do so easily. She had known him her whole life, spent time with him, shared her secrets with him, yet when she looked at him now, she realized his past self was different from who he was now. Everything about him changed. As much as Kaoru wished she could turn back time, let him know what she truly felt inside for him, she could not do so. Instead she watched from the distance as he fell for another girl.
Behind her placid look, behind her gentle smile, Kaoru felt the burning sensation of betrayal. How could the man she known all her life not noticed her feelings? People say best friends can read each other's mind, they can understand one another, when others can't understand them, yet he didn't know her feelings. This was her senior year in high school, the ending of being a teenager and turning into a permanent adult. She was about to hit eighteen, but she wondered if her best friend Kenshin Himura would know when her birthday is. Most likely the answer to that question would be a no.
Everything changed so much when the new girl first appeared in school. She dressed simple, wearing a tight shirt which her curves, her black long shining hair tied at the nape of her neck, her large brown eyes captivated anyone who dared look into them and then there was the look she carried. She always walked with a pleasant smile on her face. Kaoru knew why Kenshin fell for her. But what did Tomoe have that she didn't possess? So what if she was like tomboy, who always dressed in baggy clothes. So what if she was perky, and hid her emotions behind her smile. So what if she put others before her, and wasn't a good cook. She still had a lot of good qualities for Kenshin to like her.
Kaoru watched sadly as her best friend Kenshin looked at Tomoe with so much love in his eyes. She watched as he slowly and gently moved a strand of hair from Tomoe's face. Kaoru turned away before she could see Kenshin kissed his beloved Tomoe. She could not bear to watch a pleasant sight like that. As long as if it weren't her, she couldn't stand to see Kenshin with someone else.
"You have two more months, before school is over. Two more months to do good in all your classes before you leave this school. Just two more months to endure more of this pain," she whispered to herself. She would give almost anything to be in Tomoe shoes even if it was one second to enjoy her time being with Kenshin. But that was just a wish that will never come true. This is where she will stay forever. She will never be like a girl, or dress like a girl to attract Kenshin. Her mother once told her, for someone to like her, they had to like her for her as a person and not because she was like someone else. She always remembered that.
Slowly and carefully as to not make a noise to disturb the young couple Kaoru carefully moved away from the shadows and walked into the dojo with the memories of her and Kenshin playing together when they were smaller.
"Hey Kaoru!" Kaoru turned around to see who was calling her. She knew who called her the moment she saw a figure looming over her.
"Hey Kenshin, where's Tomoe? Didn't you say you were walking her to school this morning?" asked Kaoru with a perky attitude, but inside she felt the scorching burn of betrayal, of so much endless sorrow.
"Well at first I decided to walk with her, but at the last minute she had a change of plans. So I decided to walk you to school as I always do, but I didn't catch with you at the beginning," replied Kenshin as he looked straight ahead at the next block. He never did divert his attention to Kaoru.
"Oh," was all she said. The rest of the moments walking to school were quiet. Why should anyone say anything when there is nothing more left to say?
At school was a different story. Kaoru attended all of her classes. She decided to ditch her kendo classes and walk home by herself. Today people noticed the change in her. They said she wasn't all that perky as she usually was. She was more quiet then usual, almost well composed. She didn't bother to say anything in class, and she did all this to see if Kenshin noticed her changes. However she failed once again to catch his attention. All of his undivided attention went to Tomoe. Kaoru signed. She better give up before she hurt herself even more, but how could she? Every day she saw him with Tomoe. When they did have a chance to hang out, he only talked about her or says nothing at all. And then there was all the love she saw his violet eyes held when he looked at Tomoe. Kaoru really wished she could be Tomoe, even if it were for a second.
Without realizing it, tears streamed down Kaoru's face and fell to the floor, like rain drops. She bent her head low as she could and walked home much faster hoping that no one saw her. Her right hand clutched her chest, while her breathing became ragged, and rather short. Her long raven strands fell around the curves of her face hiding her tears and the trail that was left behind by her tears. Why, why would Kenshin not notice her? What did she do so wrong? Did he even consider her as a best friend still?
So many questions, so many unusual answers left Kaoru feeling dizzy and weak. She didn't have time to eat properly, or even to study well. Her father was always so busy with work. When he did come home, he never really talked to her.
"Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Stop blaming other people for your problems, when it's yours alone. Learn to deal with them, to cope with them, because either way you'll have to live with them," she whispered to herself.
She opened the door, leading into her house. She didn't bother to say hello to her neighbors as she usually do. Her kindness act toward others stopped since the day Tomoe came into the picture. Kaoru took the mail inside her mail box, slammed it shut and closed her door. She checked to see if any universities wrote her. So far almost all the schools she picked, she got accepted to attend it. Once upon a time Kenshin decided to go to the same college with her, but now that was only another fleeting dreadful memory that brought tears into her eyes.
Kaoru threw the mail down onto a bookshelf near her doorway entrance and ran upstairs into her room to cry herself asleep as she did every afternoon.
One Month Later
"Kaoru, come on lets go, we're going to be late for school!" yelled Kaoru's friend. Kaoru ran her hairbrush through her raven hair one last time to rearrange her hair. She tied her hair in a low ponytail, instead of her normal high ponytail. She admired herself in the mirror one last time, liking the way she looked. It took her a whole month to heal. Not only did she heal at heart, her appearance changed as well. Instead of wearing baggy clothes, she now wore tight fitting clothes. Today she wore a simple black short sleeve top, which showed the contour of her curves, and a blue skirt a little above her knees. She knew her friend Misao would freak about the skirt, but lately her personality, her attitude changed.
Kaoru threw the brush down and headed outside to meet her dear friend, Misao. They've known each other since the beginning of high school, and Kaoru really enjoyed her company. It was time she started hanging out more with the girls then the boys. Misao was a bright, cheerful young girl. She could be understanding, and was a good kendo fighter. She was mainly known as Kaoru's ally, as well as a good friend.
"Okay, we have lots of good things happening, like the senior prom, the graduation, the senior trip! I love senior years and it's almost over! I can't wait! Oh man, and then we're going to be seeing each other next year in college! Kaoru this couldn't get any better!" yelled Misao. The whole entire block heard everything she said. All the strangers watched her with a look either she was a crazy, or she should keep her mouth shut.
"Yes school is almost over and I can't wait to start college."
"Why are you so passive for Kaoru? Come on you should cheer up once in a while!"
"Misao, you know why I don't like to show feelings again. Right now I have school to think about then other people."
"I thought you finally got over that Kaoru. You have to stop dwelling so much in the past and move on in the future. That's all you can ever go."
Kaoru laughed. Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to look at Misao. Instead she did her best to keep her face impassive, while her voice spoke with emotion. "It's rather amazing how one person can know someone their whole life, but then one day change so much. My heart hurts, yet it yearns for love. I don't when I can fully heal, but one day I will. I can guarantee you that much. Until then I can only keep my emotions inside."
"Kaoru, yes one day you will heal, and right now I'm seeing a whole different you," said Misao. Then before Kaoru could react to Misao's reaction, she felt Misao poking her, lecturing her with words. For the first time in a long time Kaoru smiled.
English AP class was over for Kaoru. She was really glad for that class to be over. She wiped her sweaty forehead with the back of hand and used her other hand like a fan. The whole day seemed like a normal, average day. She knew exactly what was going to happen because she lived through it every day. On her way out from class she knew she was going to bump into Tomoe and Kenshin. Those were the two last people she ever wanted to meet. She specifically told Misao she wanted to meet her after this class so they can go to their next class together, so she wouldn't have to face being humiliated by Kenshin. But then again plans could change.
Kaoru waited a couple of minutes outside her classroom. She checked her watched, signed and then waited again. Every few seconds she checked her watch. She guessed Misao was going to be late to catch up with her. She couldn't wait anymore. If she didn't get to her next class, the lateness could go on her attendance sheet. That was something she personally didn't want.
Just a moment before Kaoru could make her chance to escape from in front her English AP classroom, she made out two familiar voices, which she hadn't heard from in a long time. Right before her, she saw Kenshin wrapping his arm around Tomoe, whispering something into her ear, while tickling her at her side and making her laugh.
"Tomoe, you know this is almost the ending of our school year," said Kenshin as held her hand in his.
"Yes I do know that," she said with a pleasant look on her face.
"Well I want to ask you if you want to go to the prom with me?" he asked. He stopped walking beside Tomoe, and stood his ground waiting for her final answer patiently.
"Kenshin, you know that you mean very much to me. The answer is yes. Yes I would love to go to the prom with you," she whispered very quietly. She turned around, walked his direction, took his hand, and kissed it. She looked at him with so much love, and resolve, that it made a few tears fall from Kaoru's eyes.
Kaoru decided to eye witness enough of their love scene. Before she could turn to walk away, she felt a hard, large hand fiercely grabbed her upper arm and pushed her back against the wall. Her scream caught in her throat when she her sapphire eyes met burning fierce amber eyes.