Chapter 1: Someone Gone, Someone New
"Kenshin!" Kaoru called happily, running to him.
Kenshin was just coming back from getting the tofu. Kaoru stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the look on his face. It was filled with sorrow, which wasn't a good sign. He's going to leave me. I know it!
Sure enough Kenshin looked away and said, "Miss Kaoru, this will be the last time we see eachother, that it will."
"But Kenshin, why?" She asked, tears coming to her eyes.
"I...I'm a wanderer Kaoru, I've got to keep wandering." He said sadly. "Goodbye."
"KENSHIN!" Kaoru cried as Kenshin ran away, unbeknownst to her, broken hearted.
Even after Kenshin had fully disappeared Kaoru stayed there, face to the ground. She was really, truly hurt and didn't know why Kenshin had done what he had. It saddened her even more when she remembered she had never told him how she felt about him. She never got the chance to confess her love before he was gone from her life. It felt like a piece of her had left with Kenshin and she felt empty inside.
A year had passed since Kenshin had left and Kaoru had just gotten worse ever since. She never smiled anymore, barely said a word and usually stayed in her room all day. She didn't even practice the Kamiya Kasshin anymore.
Today was the first time she had left the dojo in two weeks and the only reason she had was because of her friends insistance that they were busy and needed someone to get tonight's dinner.
Kaoru sighed. She felt so lonely. "Kenshin...why'd you leave me?"
"Why does a beautiful girl like you look so sad?" A man's voice asked from behind.
Kaoru turned around. Standing there was a man taller than her with long red hair. He had on a weird outfit Kaoru had never seen the likes of before. She looked into his emrald eyes and was entranced. They were beautiful and kind, making Kaoru feel a little happy.
"Who are you?" Kaoru asked.
"My name is Shuiichi Minamino, but my friends call me Kurama," The man smiled. "What about you?"
"My name is Kaoru Kamiya," She said and held out her hand.
Shuiichi took it with a friendly smile. "Pleased to meet you Kaoru."
"Same here," Kaoru smiled. For the first time in a year she felt happy.
"You look so sad," Shuiichi said. "Need someone to walk with?"
"That...that would be nice, Shuiichi," She said joyously. "And then if you want you can come to my dojo for dinner and meet my friends."
"I don't want to intrude..." Shuiichi said." And please, call me Kurama. You are my new friend after all."
"Ok, Kurama," Kaoru said. "But I'd love for you to come back to my dojo with me. It wouldn't be intruding at all."
So they went to town to get dinner.
Perfect. Now the mission Koenma assigned me will be easier. Kurama and Kaoru finally made it to Kaoru's dojo. The sign read Kamiya Kasshin Ryu.
"Kaoru, may I ask what that means?" Kurama asked with intrest. This was part of the mission.
"Well actually, it means to protect people with the sword," She smiled. "We use wooden swords because we don't believe in killing our enemy."
"Hmm," Kurama said. "That's very different than what we are supposed to do."
"Oh?" Kaoru asked.
"Yes," Kurama said. "But it's nothing, let's go inside."
After dinner was cooked, Kurama was intoduced to Kaoru's friends. There was Sonosuke Sigara, fighter for hire, Megumi, a doctor, Yahiko, one of Kaoru's students who was like a younger brother to her, but his mission objective was missing.
"Didn't Kenshin Himura used to live with you?" Kurama asked.
"Yes, but he continued his wandering a year ago," Kaoru said sadly. "Did you know him."
"Not exactly," Kurama replied. "My friend knows alot about him, though and asked me to say hi."
"Oh," Kaoru said simply.
I think I might actually like this guy...I had forgotten about Kenshin for a while, until he mentioned him...
Kaoru sighed in her futon. Everyone was in theirs, too, for it was night now. Kurama was offered to sleep in Kenshin's old room since they didn't know they would keep him there that late. I can't fall in love with Kurama...I won't...I can't forget Kenshin! She silently cried herself to sleep.
