Chapter One- The flowers as lovely as Kaoru~

The sun shown brightly on that day so far in the spring.

The light breeze blew through dark hair let loose without ribbons.

Kaoru tilted her head and smelt the new morning air.

It was so fresh.

So clean.

So wonderful.

Her heart sang in a tone of beauty as she sat outside her room and stared up at the blue sky.

She smiled.

"It's so lovely today. I can't believe it's been so long since I've been this happy." She wondered aloud to herself.

"Kaoru! You're still not dressed??!! My lessons begin to 10 minutes, you know!!!" Yahiko's voice tuned in.

Kaoru couldn't be mad at him or annoyed, even if she tried!

She turned to him with a grin. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot! Let me get dressed, alright? I'll be out shortly!"

She stood up and went into her room, closing the screens behind her.

Yahiko blinked in confusion. "Whoa….she's so happy today!" He stated to himself.

He looked up at the sky as two birds flew through the clouds. "Well, I guess I'm pretty happy too today. Who knows why. Maybe it's because spring has finally started to show itself this year!"

The flowers in the courtyard danced in the breeze.

Outside the dojo walls, children sang and skipped along on the road with their mothers.

Everything was so peaceful in Tokyo that day.

It was about 10:45 a.m., and already everyone was up and busy.

"I'm ready, Yahiko!" Kaoru's spoke from her screen doors.

Yahiko turned and found her in her practice kimono, boken at hand.

He smiled. "Alright! Let's start now, okay?"

Kaoru returned to smile and nodded, and they both ran off to practice in the front yard.

Since it was such an unusually perfect day, they didn't wanna waste it indoors.

"By the way, Yahiko, things are really quiet today. Where is everyone?" Kaoru questioned her student as they began the Kamiya exercises.

"Oh yeah! I was supposed to tell you! Sanoske won't be seen today because he's heading out of town with some of his gambling buddies…most likely to get drunk. Magumi and Dr. Genzai have a patient to take care of across town, so they'll be busy all day, so this morning Magumi brought over Ayame and Sazume for Kenshin to baby-sit." Yahiko explained.

Kaoru blinked and paused her drills. "If Kenshin's baby-sitting Ayame and Sazume, then where is he? He's usually doing laundry or playing hide-and-seek with the girls at this time."

Yahiko stopped his drills as well. "To tell you the truth I haven't seen Kenshin OR the girls all of today! I woke up around the time Magumi came to drop them off. I went to say hi to her, but she was the only one outside at that time. Kenshin, Ayame, and Sazume were gone somewhere."

Kaoru sighed and sat down on the ground. "Suppose they went shopping without me??? I would hate that!"

Yahiko rolled his eyes and continued his practice. "Oh come on, Kaoru! They're probably just shopping for food. Nothing special. And besides, if they WERE shopped for something special, they most likely wanted to get out of here before you woke up because they knew that you'd spend all the yin!! HAHAHA!"

Kaoru stood up and smacked Yahiko in the head.

"OUUCH!!! WHAT WAS THAT FOR??!!" He screeched and rubbed his head.

Kaoru turned away from the boy, and cleaned her face of the anger expression.

She saw the white clouds dancing through the blue heavens above.

"Well…let's finish the drills, okay?" She said again, turning back around.

Yahiko stared up at her, a bit confused. "Uh…okay. Sure."

The breezes that hit Kaoru were flying through the streets of Tokyo, and hit Kenshin's back as he stood in front of a newspaper stand with Ayame and Sazume at hand.

"Uncle Ken!! Uncle Ken!! Look at that one!! It's so cute!!" Ayame jumped up and down, Sazume doing the same as her sister.

Kenshin laughed and picked up a little paper doll set. "This one?"

Ayame smiled brightly. "Oh Uncle Ken! It's sooo pretty!"

Kenshin winked at the brown-headed girl, and then smiled at the stand owner. "I'll take this one, that I will! And this newspaper as well."

After he paid up, he handed the paper doll set to Ayame with a gentle grin.

"You mean it Uncle Ken???!!" She exclaimed.

He nodded. "It's all yours! Sazume already got what she wanted today, that she did, so please enjoy what you want, okay?"

Ayame couldn't express her happiness except to hug Kenshin's leg, and then show Sazume what she had gotten.

The much younger child showed off her item as well. A pin-wheel that spun in the wind.

"Well now, shall we got the tofu from Miss Tae and head home?" Kenshin questioned the two girls under him.

They both cheered at the idea, and then Kenshin led them to the Accebeko.

In the front, Tsubome swept the front step. "Oh, good morning, Mr. Himura!" She spoke shyly.

Kenshin grinned at the girl only Yahiko's age. "Good morning to you too, Miss Tsubome. Is Miss Tae available?"

Tsubome nodded with a smile. "Oh yes! She told me to watch for you. Please come in!"

Inside, the Accebeko was a bit slow. Only a few customers were eating breakfast here and there in their sitting rooms.

Tae came out from the back a few moments later. "Ah! Kenshin! I'm so glad you could make it today. This tofu needed a good place to go to, and I knew you'd be glad to use it for dinners! There's 20 pounds of it!"

Kenshin smile broadened. "Oh good! Then I'll be able to use it more then once, that I will! Thank you so much, Miss Tae!"

Tae nodded and asked Tsubome to go get the package from the ice-box.

"Oh! So I see you've been out shopped, have you?" Tae began to speak, as she noticed Ayame and Sazume's items.

Kenshin smiled. "Yeah. I'm baby-sitting the girls today, so I figured I'd take them into town with me."

Tae looked behind Kenshin and out the door. "Why isn't Miss Kaoru with you today? She loves to shop. I know she would have enjoyed herself today."

Kenshin smiled less-broad. "Miss Kaoru was sleeping when I left this morning into town with the girls. I didn't want to disturb her, you see."

Tae nodded. "Ah, I see then. She'll be disappointed, but ah well."

Kenshin sighed. "Now I feel bad about not waking her. I wish there was something I could do for her to make it up!"

Tae thought for a moment as Tsubome brought out the tofu and handed it to Kenshin.

Her light-bulb went on after a moment in mind. "I think I know exactly what to do, Kenshin. Come with me. Tsubome, watch the girls, alright?"

She led Kenshin into the back room, and then out the back door.

Outside the sun fell over Kenshin from above.

"What do you have in mind, Miss Tae?" He questioned.

She grinned and walked over to a small wooden cart parked in the alley.

"I told the man that came in today that I would be glad to watch his cart while he went off to find an inn." She explained.

She went and opened it up, and to Kenshin's surprise, freshly picked flowers from the mountains were inside, colored and most certainly rare!

"Aren't they just gorgeous? I imagine he's going to sell them tomorrow, seeing as it's going to be Saturday, a major shopping day. But I figure, since I'm watching them for him, I'll pay him when he gets back, and you can pick some out for Miss Kaoru!"

Kenshin smiled cheerily again. "If it's not too much trouble…thank you so much, Miss Tae! They're all so beautiful! I can't possibly choose one for her!"

Tae pointed out that he could make a bouquet and pay her back later.

He did just that.

He choose the most beautiful ones he could find, putting 2 blue ones in the middle, because they matched Kaoru's eyes.

"Thank you so much, Miss Tae, again. I hope she enjoys them." He exclaimed again before leaving with the girls.

Tae and Tsubome bowed and waved good-bye.

"I'm sure she'll adore you for them! See you later, you guys!" Tae called to them.

After Kenshin and the girls went out of sight through he crowd, Tsubome looked up at Tae. "Miss Tae? Why did you offer Kenshin the flowers?"

Tae smiled down at her young employee. "Well, Tsubome, sometimes things can't be explained very well. Kenshin needed something…to give to Miss Kaoru today, you see. I'm sure she'll love them." She winked.

Tsubome stared, then grinned as they went back inside the Accebeko to take care of more customers.

~Back at the dojo~

Yahiko was in his normal clothes now, laying on the front porch. The sun shinning down into his face.

"We're home!" Kenshin sounded all of a sudden.

Yahiko sat up as Ayame and Sazume jumped through the dojo gates and showed Yahiko what Kenshin had bought them.

"Dang, Kenshin. You better not tell Kaoru you got the girls stuff, or else she'll be MORE upset then she already is!" Yahiko informed.

Kenshin blinked. "What do you mean?"

Yahiko sighed. "Oh! This morning during practice I told her that you were probably in town shopped with Ayame and Sazume, and she wished she had gone with you if she had known."

Kenshin lowered his head. "Did she now? Well, I'm sure she'll feel much better after I give these to her."

Yahiko looked up as Kenshin pulled from on of the bags on his right arm the bouquet of flowers.

The boy's eyes widened. "Oh man…she'll be happy! Forget what I said a moment ago!"

Ayame and Sazume giggled. "Hehehe! Auntie Kaoru's gonna be so happy when Uncle Ken gives her her flowers. They're really pretty, just like her!"

Yahiko stared at them, and then back at Kenshin with a crafty grin. "You told them that, didn't you? That the flowers were pretty like Kaoru, right?"

Kenshin froze. "Oro?! I don't know what you're talking about, Yahiko, that I don't!" He was blushing furiously.

Yahiko shook his head. "You're hopeless, Kenshin."

Kenshin laughed, then asked Yahiko to put the flowers in water and set them in Kaoru's room.

Just as Yahiko did so though, the girls following him, Kaoru stepped out from the other side of the dojo, carrying the broom with her.

She had been sweeping the dojo porches up, and had the front porch left to do.

"Oh! Kenshin! You're home!" Kaoru smiled to him when she saw him standing in the front yard.

Kenshin turned and caught her smile.

The word "home" was still so wonderful to his ears.

He grinned back at her softly. "Miss Kaoru!"

Kaoru set the broom on the side of the dojo wall and walked up to him. "Did you have fun downtown with the girls?"

Kenshin blinked, trying to get grasp on reality. "Oh! Yes, as a matter of fact. I'm sorry for not waking you though. Yahiko told me you were upset."

Kaoru shook her head. "Oh no! It's alright, really! I was just being stubborn this morning."

"Well, on the bright side I got 20 pounds of tofu for us!" Kenshin changed the subject.

Kaoru smiled. "Oh. Thank you, Kenshin. I imagine Tae gave it to you for free?"

Kenshin nodded.

Yahiko had come back from his mission now and was just watching from the porch as Kenshin and Kaoru had a normal, not to mention BORING conversation.

He sighed. "Geez, you'd think they'd have something more interesting to talk about other then what they've been doing today."

He felt a tug on his kimono sleeve. "Yahiko! Wanna play paper dolls with me and Sazume?" Ayame asked as she knelt down beside him.

Yahiko raised an eye-brow. "Uh…not really. Sorry. I'm goin for a walk now anyway."

Kaoru turned to Yahiko now and stared. "Why are you walking? Don't you wanna stay here and help me finish up the chores??!!"

Yahiko sniffed and walked past Kaoru. "Why don't you get into some NORMAL clothes, Kaoru!"

Kaoru looked down at herself, seeing the practice clothes still on and dirty.

She blushed angrily. "YOU MEAN TO SAY I DON'T LOOK JUST FINE THE WAY I LOOK NOW???!!! HUH??????????"

Yahiko was already out the gates and walking down the street,

Kenshin grinned, knowing the real reason why Yahiko had suggested Kaoru go to her room and change.

Kaoru sighed. "Fine. I'll be right back."

Kenshin's smile grew at this, knowing that shortly…Kaoru would find her surprise.

Before Kaoru left, she noticed the overly-happy expression on his face.

A bit confused she asked him to finish up the sweeping, then headed off again.

Kenshin was happy to finish up for her.

Ayame watched from the porch as Kaoru left. "Uncle Ken! She's gonna find them now, huh?" She whispered.

Kenshin nodded and put a finger to his lips. "Shhhhh."

The two girls giggled, and returned to their playing.

~With Kaoru~

Kaoru walked towards her door.

Her feet were bare on the wooden porch as she approached.

She let out a small sigh once she reached the door.

She opened the door, and right in front of her lie the bouquet of flowers, shimmering with beauty in the afternoon sunlight.

Her mouth dropped open, and she fell to her knees.

"Th…They're so beautiful…" She whispered to herself. "But who could have.."

A shadow fell over her then and she looked up behind her.

Kenshin was standing there smiling.

Kaoru knew it was him.

She got to her feet and turned to face him.

Her smile was as bright as ever.

Kenshin didn't know what to expect of her.

She suddenly brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck. "I don't deserve them."

Kenshin just stood there.

He had only been held by Kaoru briefly in the past…but never so lightly and full-heartedly as this.

He liked it.

So much he didn't want to let go when she let go of his neck and let her arms fall to her sides.

"Miss Kaoru, of course you deserve them! They're the least I could do for you since I left without you today!" He explained himself, trying not to sound too happy.

Kaoru lowered her head.

Her heart beat in a strange sort of rhythm she had always longed to feel. "Thank you…" She managed to say.

Kenshin nodded.

"Hey Kenshin!!!!! Come here a minute!!!!!!" Yahiko's voice sounded from the front yard.

Kenshin's smile vanished.

Not that he wasn't glad Yahiko needed him for something…he just wanted to stay there.

Kaoru looked towards the front. "You're being paged. I'm going to get in the bath and relax. I'll see you later!"

Kenshin quickly pushed his disappointment aside and smiled as Kaoru turned and went into her room.

"KENSHIN!!!!!!" Yahiko cried out again.

Kenshin blinked, and then rushed down the porch to see what Yahiko wanted.

As he turned the corner of the house, Kaoru opened her door and peeked out at him as he disappeared.

She looked back at her flowers and grinned before gathering up her clothes and heading for the bathhouse across the courtyard.

~Are yah liking it so far?? I AM! Please continue reading! ^_^~

~Smile B~