From the Author of Loved, But Not Forgotten brings Rurouni Kenshin, the Lost Episode!
Kenshin loves Kaoru with all of his heart, enough to let her go. But when Kaoru loves him back and neither can tell each other in time, Kenshin's life may be lying on the line. Can Kaoru save Kenshin by giving up her whole world, or will Kenshin die of heartbreak?
The sun shone beautifully and brightly as Kamiya Karou slid open the door that led outside with a smile. Still in her night time kimono, the pink fabric warmed Kaoru up from the slightly frigid night before as it absorbed much of the sun's heat. With her hair down, Kaoru smiled even more as her eyes found what she was looking for.
"Good morning Kaoru-dono," Kenshin greeted as he placed the last sheet on the bamboo rack that ran across the side of the house like a banister. The brilliant red hair shone with magnificence as Kenshin's smile made the outside of the dojo that much more beautiful than it already was. Amethyst eyes twinkling, Kenshin took a step forwards so he was just a couple of feet away from Kaoru.
'Oh yeah, I almost forgot Yahiko left the Dojo yesterday and now, Kenshin and I are left here,' Kaoru got the butterflies in her stomach of happiness and closed her eyes, smile still staying on her face.
"I have finished cooking breakfast. C'mon. Let's eat." Kenshin then took Kaoru by the hand as the two walked inside the Dojo.
While the two sat down, Kenshin was watching Kaoru eagerly to see if she liked the meal he had prepared especially for her. But Kaoru did not touch her meal; in fact she did not even look at it.
When Kaoru's knuckles tightened, Kenshin's eyes filled up with concern.
"Kaoru-dono, don't you want the food I cooked for you? S-sorry…I…"
"No it's not that. I just miss all of them. I never thought that this Dojo would be quiet again…" Kaoru trailed off as she bowed her head, letting her bangs cover her eyes. "Kenshin?"
Kenshin looked at her with a little question mark above his head.
"Will you leave too?" Kaoru asked with small pools of water forming in her eyes. Kenshin's eyes softened as he look at the raven-haired beauty sitting before him. A very small smile tugged at his lips.
"Kenshin, you have done it before. There's no doubt that you can do it again. Kenshin, if you'll leave I'll…I…" Kaoru chocked out, trying not to let herself cry in front of Kenshin.
"Slurp, slurp," was all that Kaoru heard as the then looked up to find Kenshin drinking his green tea.
"DON'T IGNORE ME!" Kaoru's face went red with fury, her eyebrows cocked all of the way down and her jaw clenched.
Kenshin placed his green tea down and then gave Kaoru a very handsome and reassuring smile, eyes tender and compassionate. This caused red-from-rage face to turn into a blush. Kenshin's eyes then closed and formed happy arcs.
"W-why are you smiling? Why don't you just answer my question?" Kaoru asked slightly angry with the blush still remaining on her face. Kenshin opened his eyes and tilted his head to the side slightly and looked Kaoru dead in the eye, his smile never wavering.
"Kaoru-dono, when I thought you were dead, I left the dojo. I thought there was no reason for me to live." This caused Kaoru to stare at Kenshin absent-mindedly as her pretty little head absorbed all of the new information coming her way. "Now, I think you should eat your food before it gets cold."
"I can't understand what you mean, but…Okay I'll eat," Kaoru smiled a slightly confused smile as Kenshin turned back to his food, very pleased that he had at least told Kaoru partially how he felt.
"Kenshin…" Kenshin's head turned around immediately at the sound of Kaoru's voice.
"Can you teach me how to cook?" Kaoru fingers bore the peace sign. Kenshin then fell down anime style with a small "oro" audible as his feet were then up in the air.
"Will you? Kenshin?" Kaoru brought her hands to her neckline and clenched her fists in anticipation, a lock of her hair falling over her shoulder and found it's way to her chest.
"Of course," Kenshin replied innocently as a bruise on his head and a bandage on his cheek suddenly appeared.
"Oh yeah? I'm so glad!" Kaoru's eyes were gleaming and little stars had formed around her head. She then leaned over and gave a shocked Kenshin a very big hug.
"Wait here. I'll just get changed, okay." Kaoru's face was alive and brilliant as she stood up and was practically a bout to dance.
"Okay, I'll wait here." Kaoru then rushed outside to get her daytime kimono.
Looking around, Kenshin then spotted Kaoru's tray. "Kaoru-dono forgot to eat her breakfast!
"Sniff sniff, maybe she really doesn't like the food I cooked for her," Kenshin's newly chibi body started gushing out tears. "It can't be. Maybe she was just too excited," Kenshin reasoned with himself, now returning serious.
Now in her own room, Kaoru was slowly taking off her kimono as she was so happy. Sliding off the final sleeve to the top half of her Kimono, Kaoru accidentally dropped the sleeve. Quickly snatching it, Kaoru let in a sigh of relief that no one had seen that.
"Kaoru-dono, you forgot to eat your breakfast so I…" Kenshin's eyes snapped open as he then saw what a stupid mistake he had made by sliding open the door without warning as he then saw that the top half of Kaoru's body was left pretty much exposed. Kenshin immediately had about thirteen sweat drops coming from his head as Kaoru finally regained her senses.
"KENSHIN! YOU IDIOT!" Kaoru immediately brought up the kimono to cover herself as Kenshin could do nothing but stand in the door with the most awkward of expressions on his face.
"I'm sorry. I forgot that you're dressing up…," Kenshin's nervous voice was followed by a blush that immediately pouned up under his eyes and his nose, followed by many, many nervous sweat drops forming on his forehead, neck and cheek.
"WAAAA!" Kenshin cried out as he then got punched out of the room full force by none other than our raven haired beauty.
"Kaoru-dono, I think you are even stronger than Shishio…" Kenshin got out the best he could with the familiar swirls in his eyes.
Inside, Kaoru continued to get changed. If one looked hard and close enough, there was uncertainty, affection and nervousness in her eyes. But Kaoru would never let anyone know how she was feeling. Secretly, she had wanted Kenshin to love her, not just her but her body and mind. Now she had scared Kenshin away from looking at her body, probably for good.
Later on, when they are about to cook, Kaoru dared a quick glance at Kenshin. Kenshin sensed eyes upon him of course and caught Kaoru looking at himself. But Kaoru knew quickly reverted her eyes away and straightened up with a message on her face that read "Erk!" and she quickly turned around, not wanting to face Kenshin. Kenshin sweatdropped, but his concerned gaze remained fixed on the back of Kaoru's head, hoping to see her face.
Kaoru tilted her head forwards slightly and made a fist with her hand in fear and anxiety. Eventually striking up the courage to speak again, Kaoru blushed slightly as she asked, not turning her head to face Kenshin:
"Will you teach me how to cook?" Kaoru finally turned to face Kenshin, who had a small little smile and gave a small chuckle.
"You're not angry with me anymore?" Kenshin asked, body still facing the wooden counter in front of the two but face looking at Kaoru. Kaoru put up a brave smile and pushed some locks of hair that were in front of her face behind her ear.
"Well, you're the only person left to me and if I get mad with you, no one will teach me to cook today." Kaoru felt slightly better now that she was talking to Kenshin.
"Then, let's get started!"
Kaoru then daintily sliced a yam with her index finger on top of the blade while the rest of her long, slender fingers gripped the wooden handle.
"Kenshin, just tell me what to do, okay? Don't help me." Kaoru looked at Kenshin for a second, and then returned to cutting the yam. The window open, the light hit Kaoru's face and made her look quite angelic, especially when a lock of her hair fell from behind her ear to her lips, which was then followed by Kenshin's eyes.
'She's growing prettier everyday, that she is…I think I…'
"Ouch! I…I…" Kaoru winced as she brought the blade down upon her finger that was holding the yam.
"What's the matter Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin immediately rushed in asking, completely concerned for Kaoru.
"I'm fine. It's just a cut. And it's not that deep," Kaoru stated sheepishly as she showed Kenshin the cut. Kenshin's hand immediately went for the wounded hand and brought it up. Kaoru was completely shocked by Kenshin's actions as the redhead then placed the injured finger up to his mouth and whipped the blood away with his tongue, his eyes closed as doing so. Kaoru's heart started to pound at the closeness between the two of them and how gentlemanly Kenshin was acting.
After a while, Kaoru came over her shock and twitched her pinky.
"Kenshin, please let go of my hand now. I still need to peel other vegetables." Kaoru asked gently. Kenshin did so, but not before giving Kaoru's finger a very small kiss that made Kaoru's heart do flip flops in her chest.
"Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin asked, trying to get Kaoru's attention.
"Yes,…what is it?" Kaoru asked, not stopping from her current activity of vegetable peeling. Kenshin then looked at her with passion in his eyes and a smile upon his lips.
"Do you need anything?" Kaoru asked somewhat nervously, her heart beating so hard and so loud he was sure that Kenshin could hear it.
"No. Never mind." Kenshin closed his eyes and smiled, tilting his head down.
"You're hiding something from me. Tell me what you're thinking about." Kaoru said in that tone that she would use right before she gets frustrated. Paring knife in hand Kaoru had a look that easily read "tell me or else"
"No, nothing" Kenshin halfway stuttered.
"Tell me," Kaoru remained in the same tone as she brought the back of the tip of the paring knife up to Kenshin's eye level. Kenshin's eyes went as big as saucers as he knew that Kaoru was very handy with a paring knife when she wanted to be.
'How can I say this to her?' Kenshin's eyes never left the blade.
"Oh no! Kaoru-chan! What's happening here?" A gasping Misao then walked in, hand to her wide open mouth.
'Misao-dono, you saved me!' Kenshin was overjoyed as Kaoru's hand lowered and loosened her grip on the knife as if nothing had happened.
"Ah…Eh…N…Nothing. So, why are you here?"
"Really, I just wanted to check if you wedding is was ready. Hahaha," Misao laughed as she finished walking into the kitchen. "So when's your wedding day?"
"WEDDING DAY?" the Chibi Kenshin and Kaoru's faces were filled with complete and utter shock, no, flabbergastation! Misao nodded, her body chibi as well now.
"You two are very lucky. You'll live together and have children…and, and…" a little heart appeared next to Misao's head as her eyes widened and looked extremely cute "Isn't that fun? I hope Aoshi-sama and I will get married. I envy you two!"
The room now completely filled with seriousness, Kaoru held her head low but then turned ever so slightly to look back at Kenshin. 'I wonder what Kenshin will say…This is my chance to know what he really feels about me.'
"Oh no, Misao-dono. Kaoru and I………um, ……can't get married. We're just friends and……I treat her just like a little sister." Kenshin's eyes widened. 'What am I saying? I know deep inside that I love her but…'
"A…" Kaoru started, her eyes now two complete arcs trying to look as happy as she could. "I think I need to buy some tofu. I'll go to the store and get some." Kaoru then rushed past Kenshin with her bangs hiding her face the best they could. But if you looked underneath the bangs, you would see tears, some that even strayed and ended up flying onto Kenshin's kimono.
"Little sister, huh?" Misao finally broke the silence in the room as she fixed her gravity-defying braided hair. "Kenshin, do you know much Kaoru loves you?" she finally asked, completely stern and serious
Bangs hiding his face as well, Kenshin could only seek with much grief and sadness in his voice: "I'm aware of how much Kaoru loves me…And I…I…"
"You what?" Misao demanded, getting tired of how little Kenshin seemed to ever show he cared about her friend that was obviously only ever going to love this one man. Kenshin finally looked up at Misao with eyes empty and sad.
"I love Kaoru-dono more than anything else in this world.
…
A/N: WHEEEE! He finally admits he loves her out loud! Crying shame it isn't to Kaoru's face though. Don't worry, Unlike LBF, this story isn't going to drag on. Only two chapters. Promise. I was gunna make it one, but that would be too long.
Well I hope you liked this one. Will Kenshin tell Kaoru he loves her? Or will Kaoru be too upset about Kenshin 'treating her like a little sister' and leave Kenshin and the dojo for good? Can Misao knock some sense into Kenshin and get him to admit to his love how much she actually means to him? Why does this author ask so many questions?
LoL, r&r please! -
