I don't own Rurouni Kenshin in any way, shape or form.
"Kaoru! You're back!"
Kaoru turned from scanning the room's occupants just in time for a body to crash into hers.
"It's been almost a year, and you didn't call, or write, or email, or text message, or even tell me that you were coming home! I had to hear it from my mother, who heard it from Tsubame, who heard it from Yahiko, who heard it from-"
"Sorry Tae," Kaoru broke in, knowing that the older woman could go on forever. "Things have been a little crazy lately." She looked the other woman over. "But you're looking good. The new uniforms look terrific."
"Don't they just?" Tae beamed, and twirled around so that she could see the full effect of the black and orange striped dress. It was knee-length, but styled like a kimono, and paired with a white apron.
The Akabeko was the restaurant that Tae's family owned, and one of the most popular places in town.
"I heard that your parents finally turned over the management to you."
"Yup, just last month." Tae's smiled seemed to get even bigger.
"Well, congratulations!"
"Thanks!" Her eyes drifted past Kaoru when the bell over the door chimed. "Oh my!" She clutched Kaoru's arm. "You will not believe who just walked in that door!"
"Who?" Kaoru tried to turn around, but didn't have a chance, as Tae dragged her toward the corner.
"Don't look!" Tae hissed. She peeked over Kaoru's shoulder. "Do you remember Kenshin Himura?"
"Hmm…red hair, purple eyes, bit of a bad boy, and split town with Tomoe Yukishiro, completely breaking my heart?" she asked dryly. "I have a vague recollection." How could she forget her first love? He was the boy next door, and she had loved him forever.
Tae seemed to miss the sarcasm. "Good. He's back now. I heard that he was finally taking his place in his uncle's company."
"Well, good for him. I guess we all grow up sooner or later."
"But that's not all." Tae shot a sly look at Kaoru. "He was here the other day, and he was asking about you."
Kaoru was definitely startled. "Why would he be asking about me?" She may have loved him for as long as she could remember, but he never even seemed to notice her as anything beyond his next-door neighbor. In his defense, she was five years younger than him…
"Well, as you said, everyone has to grow up sometime. Maybe he finally realized what was right under his nose."
"Tae, I haven't seen him in almost ten years. There's no way he would think of me that way. He probably remembered that we were friends, and was being polite."
"But he still remembered you." Tae looked triumphant.
Kaoru just rolled her eyes. She knew it was pointless to argue with Tae when she was like this. It was time to change the subject.
"So Tae, I'm hungry. How about-"
"I think you should go say hello to him."
Kaoru blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Kenshin. I think you should go say hello to him."
Kaoru sighed. "Tae, I know that you think that this is the romance that should be, but it's not. It's been ten years! Nothing is going to happen! And besides, I'm really here because I'm meeting-"
"You never know until you try. It won't kill you to say hello."
Kaoru glared at Tae, and then finally sighed, realizing that she wasn't going to win. "Fine. I'll say hi. Will that make you happy?"
"For now." Tae beamed. She grabbed Kaoru's arm and dragged her to where Kenshin was.
"Kenshin! Good to see you back." She gave Kaoru a shove toward him. "Oh, you remember Kaoru, right?"
Kenshin smiled at the two women. "Hello Tae. Of course I remember Kaoru." His eyes turned toward Kaoru, and seemed to darken, as his voice deepened. "Hello Kaoru."
For a moment, Kaoru was speechless, struck by this side of him that she'd never seen. So that's what all those other girls got to see. A poke in her back by Tae snapped her out of it, and she cleared her throat, trying to cover the pause.
"Hello Kenshin. How have you been?" She held out her hand for him to shake, and was proud that her voice sounded completely even, nothing like the fawning teenager that she'd been.
He took the proffered hand. "I've been doing well. Traveling, doing a bit of this and that. And now I'm here to take my place in my uncle's company." His eyes never left hers. And he still held her hand.
"So I hear." Kaoru was starting to get a little unnerved by the intensity of his eyes, and the way he seemed to be caressing her hand.
"And how about you? I heard that you just came back home yourself." He was still staring, and still caressing.
"Um, yes, that's right. Ah, I finished school, and came back to visit Misao." She was conscious of Tae standing behind, gleefully watching the proceedings. "It, ah, it's time for lunch now, so I really-"
"Will you join me for lunch Kaoru?" Kenshin's eyes seemed to gleam.
"Well, actually-"
"Oh what a great idea!" Tae burst in. "You two can catch up on old times." When Kaoru started to protest, Tae waved her off. "Don't worry; I'll take care of Misao. You two just go have fun."
"But-"
"Come along Kaoru, it's not like it's a hardship to eat with such a good-looking guy," Tae hissed at her, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward a table.
Kaoru sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to win this one. She sat down in the seat that Kenshin pulled out for her, before he sat in the seat across from her. Tae handed them each a menu, then with a look at Kaoru, she left them alone.
"I'm very happy to have run in to you today, Kaoru." Kenshin hadn't even looked at his menu.
Kaoru held the menu open in front of her, trying to hide from his gaze. "Um, really? Uh, why would that be?"
He reached out and placed his finger on the menu, lowering it to the table. "I was hoping that we'd have the chance to... reconnect."
Kaoru squeaked slightly as his hand reached out to cover hers. "Umm… reconnect? In what way?" Was it just her, or were these tables awfully small?
"Well," he leaned closer, "I was hoping," closer still, "that you" his free hand reached out to tip her chin up, so that she was looking in his eyes, "might," and he moved closer still, "take your hands off of her."
Kaoru blinked. "Excuse me?" That hadn't been at all what she was expecting.
But Kenshin wasn't even looking at her. She followed his gaze to the tall, dark haired man standing over them. He was glaring at the redhead. Tae hovered behind him.
Kenshin glared right back. "I don't know who you think you are, but-"
"I'm her husband."
At that, both Kenshin and Tae jerked their heads toward her. Kaoru didn't even notice.
"Aoshi!" She stood up and flung her arms around him, not even noticing as Kenshin's hands fell away. "I was starting to think that you'd never make it!"
He closed his arms possessively around her.
"Um, Kaoru? You want to explain this?" Tae's eyes were about the size of dinner plates.
Kaoru didn't pull away, just turned her head, still beaming. "I met Aoshi at school. He's a friend of Misao's family. We just clicked as soon as we met, and before I knew it, we were getting married. The wedding was a month ago. It was really small, so that's why I'm here. I wanted to all of my friends here to meet him. So, Aoshi, this is Tae and Kenshin. Tae and Kenshin, this is Aoshi."
Aoshi just nodded at them, as they seemed to be in shock. "And now, we need to get going. We were supposed to meet Misao and that boyfriend of hers ten minutes ago." Aoshi took Kaoru's arm and began to lead her from the restaurant.
"Bye Kenshin, nice to see you again! And Tae, we'll talk more again later," Kaoru called out before they went out the door.
Back at the table, Kenshin and Tae just stared after them. Finally, Kenshin just managed to say, "Well hell."
Tae could only nod in agreement.