A/N: This is my first fan fiction ever! It is inspired by Dishwalla's song "Every Little Thing", so I borrowed that title for my fic. I wish to get honest reviews and constructive criticism and not flames…

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine as well as the song where I got my inspiration from.

Warning: Characters are/may be OOC.

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Every Little Thing

Chapter 1

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He always got what he wanted.

And right now, he really wanted to be out of the killer traffic from hell. Kenshin Himura, one of the top businessmen in Japan, sighed for the nth time that hour. He unhurriedly brought his index finger and middle finger to rub his temples, trying to hopefully get rid of the maddening headache he's been having. Who would have thought that after 2 years, he would be driving through this same road to her apartment building? Yes, it had been 5 months since they both decided that living separately might be the best thing for both of them.

He tried to take his mind off of thinking about why again had they separated, by rummaging through his things on the passenger seat, wishing to get that damn pain reliever he knew he brought with him. But his mind wasn't agreeing with what he wanted this time as he came across that question again. Why had they separated? Why did they have that fight of fights that night? Hell, why did he even decide to marry her in the first place! Well, the answer to the last question was quite easy to get a hold of…

He wanted her. All of her.

Shaking his head as if to get rid of her memories, he noticed that he just passed by the cafe. It still had that same look from 2 years ago with coffee aficionados enjoying their little conversations under a huge umbrella situated in the middle of the table just outside the shop. But the people nor the place was not what had his attention reeling back to thoughts of her. It was that coffee shop, not just any other.

It was at that cafe where he first saw her.

It was a bright spring Friday morning. He decided to read the paper for a while before checking the whole town out. Sano and Megumi's engagement party was scheduled on that night in one of the clubs in town. He made sure he had no appointments for that day, knowing how important that night was to his best friend.

He knew what to expect about the town. Sano had mentioned it to be a small city with a lot of friendly people around. But he never expected to see someone that would get his attention in such a place as this. He sat on one of the booths near the window with his paper opened on the business section, when he saw the woman near the counter.

He couldn't help looking at her. She wore a light blue straight dress that covered her knees. The belt on her waist that resembled a thinner version of an obi, only accentuated the fine curves of her body. Her sandals highlighted the pair of perfect legs she had. She has long black hair secured by an indigo ribbon in a ponytail. She was not really what you'd call beautiful, but there was something stunning about her when she softly laughed at whatever the burly man behind the counter said to her. Kenshin watched her with interest through hooded bangs while pretending to read his paper.

"Okay now, Paulo, no more joking, I need my latte and muffin in 5 minutes or I'll be late." She said, poorly trying to sound angry at the coffee shop owner, who was must be in his late forties or early fifties.

"Well, if you think service here is slow, why don't you find another coffee shop to buy your stupid coffee from?" the man said with heavy Spanish accent. It might have annoyed other customers, but it did no harm to the girl who tried to work her charisma by giving the owner a half-smile, half-pout.

The poor man had nothing against her charm.

"Paulo, you know that I only live for coffee from your shop and nothing else." she sounded so sweet trying to bring in good humor to their conversation.

Feigning annoyance from the girl's answer, the owner shrugged and said, "Whatever señorita, here's your coffee. And don't blame your lateness to my shop's service. Go now, you're making my business look bad already." He said while handing her the coffee and muffins she ordered.

"Oh, come on now, we both know, that I never made your business look bad. In fact, I think my presence even adds luck to it." She smiled cheekily as she teased the man unconsciously using her charm.

Paulo only grunted at that. He may not out rightly admit it, but she was right, her presence adds life to his coffee shop as well as his day. He was just showing grumpiness that morning because he was really worried when she didn't come in at the usual time she does. It may seem that he loathed the girl, but really, she is the only one he allows to speak to him in that way. She was like the daughter he never had.

Kenshin was watching her the whole time. So, when she turned around, he tried to cover his view with his paper, not wanting to let the girl notice how interested he really was. She was really oblivious to the curious looks the red head was giving her or she would have blushed in a million shades of red because the gorgeous man was clearly showing interest in her. She hurriedly sprinted out of the coffee shop and hailed for a cab to take her to work.

He was being silly really. What was he thinking? It was obvious that he would never see her again and yet he felt weirdly disappointed about it. She was just an ordinary girl and he had seen and met more attractive ones before and yet, he felt that he wanted to see her again. He wanted to know her well. It was simple…

He wanted her.

"Hey, you with the red hair. Are you just going to sit there and watch my customers? Or do you ever plan to order something? This is a coffee shop you know, not the library." The coffee shop's owner said breaking him off from his jumbled thoughts. He then remembered that he had been sitting there for around 10 minutes already before the girl entered the establishment.

"Um, yes, I'm sorry, just a cup of coffee please. No cream." He said politely to the man who snorted at his response and went on to prepare his coffee.

The lean man with bright blond hair sitting next to Kenshin's booth, spoke to him in almost a whisper, "Don't mind him, he's not really a morning person you see."

"You know Chou, I'll appreciate it if you don't bad mouth me in my own business." Came the stern reply from Paulo who was now ready with Kenshin's coffee.

"Mr. Paulo, I was just helping this man here not to get on your bad side." Chou said, humor apparent in his voice that only earned him snorts and glares from the burly man. Chou then turned to Kenshin and continued, "You're new here, Mr…?" he said while stretching out his hand for a handshake.

Kenshin took a sip from his coffee and reached out for the offered hand. "Himura, Kenshin Himura."

"Himura? You're The Kenshin Himura?" the redhead was used to reactions like these from people, so he just nodded and took another sip from his cup. It's as if they saw a movie star or something when he tells them who he is, something that you'll really get used to when you're in the business world for almost all your life.

"Man! You're like one of the richest of the rich! What brings you to this town? The name's Chou by the way." He said with excitement evident in his voice.

"I'm here for a friend of mine." He said, brushing off Jake's reaction like he didn't even say it loudly.

Chou, who considers himself a business minded man had business proposals popping up his head before Kenshin even managed to give a reply. He really saw this fortunate meeting as a chance to make it big in business with no less than Kenshin Himura himself. So, "Ah, I can be your friend too, Mr. Himura. You know, I have this…"

"Stop bothering my customers Chou or I'll throw you out." Paulo said folding his arms across his chest clearly intimidating the blond.

"Hey, I was just trying to be friendly here. Unlike some people I know." Chou said while shrugging and giving Himura a wink.

Kenshin who was watching the whole exchange before him, just smiled and tried to appreciate that man's uncalled friendliness. He really didn't mind talking to a man like Chou. In fact, he kind of reminds him of Sano. He thought of what Sano's possible reaction would be when he tells him he met someone just like him. Kenshin smiled at the idea. Sano didn't like being compared to anyone. He thinks he's one of a kind, though his fiancée thinks he's a stupid rooster head who deserves a kick or two in the head. Ah, but she agreed to his marriage proposal nonetheless or Kenshin wouldn't be there.

While Chou and Paulo continued to bicker, the red head then tried to resume his reading though he found it difficult for his thoughts suddenly wandered on a certain blue-eyed woman he just laid his eyes on.

He spent a great deal of his day thinking about that woman. He felt like a silly school boy who just experienced his first crush. He was surprised to realize how the memory of her smile embedded itself in the deepest recesses of his mind. He wanted to see that smile again. He wanted to see her smile for him. He wanted to see her smile because of him. He wanted her to smile thinking about them. Wait, did he just think that? He then suddenly felt his heart beat rapidly again. Why was it that easy to think about a "them" when he doesn't even know what her name was?

Well, there was a first time for everything. And that day proved that overused statement true. Though Kenshin was a rational man, he just couldn't simply tell himself that seeing her that morning was nothing to him. That night, at Sano and Megumi's engagement party, he never thought that he would see her there. He never believed in fate or destiny, so again for the first time, he did. Who would have thought that his beautiful blue-eyed angel happened to be Megumi's sister, Kaoru. Yep, if there was such a thing as fate, that must be it.

Then, everything went smoothly from there. They dated for around five months before he decided to make her know that he was serious about making her only his, though he knew that from the moment their eyes locked at Sano and Megumi's party that he was willing to spend the rest of his life with her. Yes, he asked her to marry him. And she did.

Now that he's thinking about it, maybe it would have been better for both of them if she hadn't said 'yes'. If she declined his proposal then, he wouldn't have this excess emotional baggage he's been having for the past months. It wasn't easy for him to let her go but he knew that he had to or he would have just ended hurting her and hurting

himself as well. But maybe he shouldn't have asked her to marry him in the first place. Though he wanted her to say 'yes' then, or though he knew that she would say 'yes', he never should have asked, but then again, he also knew that he couldn't live thinking of her as another man's wife.

She would only be his. His wife, his Kaoru.

Even if they had only been together for barely 2 years, he would have to say that Kaoru had been a good wife. She was opinionated and ill-tempered at times, but when she sees the logic behind his arguments, she would accept defeat and be the obedient wife that he wanted her to be. Yes, she was obedient. He asked her to quit her teaching job at the pre-school, she did. He wanted her to stay at home, telling her how he wanted her to take care of everything relating to domestic stuff, she did. She even enrolled in a cooking school to improve her nonexistent cooking skills.

They were living a happy albeit a monotonous married lifestyle. At least that was what he thought. If they had been truly happy, maybe he wouldn't be driving through this cursed road, suffering this traffic and headache from hell. Where was that damn pill again? Anyway, it was not until that fateful night that he really felt that there was something disconcertingly amiss about their marriage.

That night, he felt that there was something wrong about her. He knew that he was in for another argument the moment he realized that she didn't answer the door when he got home. What could be up again this time? He didn't say anything when she served overdone fried eggs and bacon at breakfast, right? He gave her the obligatory goodbye kiss this morning, right? So, why didn't she welcome him home this time?

He found out as soon as he opened their bedroom door. The place was neat and tidy, just the way they both wanted it to be. But what was not right in the picture was his wife curled up on her side of the bed. She was not in her pajamas or night clothes, so that means she wasn't asleep. Yes, she was still awake for he was hearing sniffling sounds apparently coming from her. She slightly shifted, when she felt him enter and eyeing her back.

It was easy to know he was there. Her husband's presence could really be overwhelming. But right now, she would try not to think about that since she had this feeling for days. She was having doubts and insecurities about their relationship. She was starting to feel as if she wasn't important to him anymore. She didn't know if this feeling was out of being left alone at home all the time or purely female instinct that her husband is fooling around somehow. She was well aware that her husband was popular to the female species and she also knew that he was friendly with them. But he was her husband! She must trust him, right? He couldn't be cheating on her now, right? She tried to push those thoughts away and focused on what she should be doing upon his arrival. She rose from her position and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I'll go prepare dinner." She said without looking at him. She stood up as soon as she found her slippers.

He wanted to know what was wrong, but it looks like Kaoru wouldn't bother telling him. But the expression on her beautiful face clearly told him that she was hurt about something.

He tried to ignore it and walked to the bathroom instead. She was about to open the door when she heard him say, "Don't bother. I'm full." That made her freeze from where she was standing beside the slightly ajar bedroom door. He heard her breathe in deeply before she spoke again, "I see." Was that doubt in her voice? But he continued folding his sleeves before washing his hands.

"I ate at that Italian restaurant you wanted us to go to. The food was good." He told her as he went out of the bathroom to change his clothes. She was now sitting in front of her dresser brushing her hair. He saw that as a good sign, so he continued, "You're right, we should go there sometime. They serve really good pasta. Tomoe said.." he stopped what he was about to say, when he saw her visibly tense and stopped brushing her hair.

He knew what that meant. This wasn't the first time that she felt uncomfortable talking or even hearing about Tomoe. In fact, they always ended up in a fight with the mere mention of her name. And that exactly was what was coming right now. He never understood why she always seemed jealous of Tomoe.

Tomoe, she was his good friend back in college, who eventually became his girlfriend for a time too, but that doesn't have bearing anymore now that they're older. He was even surprised to find her working as the representative of the company that was applying to be a partner to the Hiten Mitsurugi Group of Companies. If there was anything between Tomoe and him right now, it was plainly business and friendship. Kaoru should know and understand that.

But she saw it in another way. She was jealous of Tomoe and maybe insecure about their relationship and the thought frustrated him. She was the one he married. He wouldn't have done that if he was still hooked up on Tomoe until today.

"I thought that we've settled that issue." Annoyance and slight anger laced her voice as she turned around from her dresser. He was sitting on their bed, taking off his socks and shoes, when he audibly sighed and answered her, "Yes, we've settled that, so we shouldn't be talking about this anymore." It was really frustrating to know that Kaoru would bring up the Tomoe thing again.

She was really so mad right now. How dare he answer her like that! But she still tried to control her temper. She wouldn't want to make him think that she's just jealous over an ex-girlfriend. So she decided to try to appear bold and calm. She would not let him see how this whole thing was really affecting her. "Then explain why you had dinner, probably even lunch with her today. Or would you just rather have breakfast with her too." She let her emotions fly. Okay, so she really didn't try hard enough.

He took that then as a sign to tame the flaring temper directed at him. He stood up and walked over to where she was seated and kneeled in front of her taking her soft hands into his. He had tried to win previous arguments by wooing her and making her calm down via his innate charm before, surely it would work again this time. So, he took her hands to his lips and kissed it.

"Kaoru, nothing's going on with us. You have to understand that." He said caressing the back of her soft warm hands. He looked into her eyes searching for understanding but all that was there was wariness and uncertainty.

Kaoru was glad to hear those words but she knew that he had to be aware of the rift that slowly grows between them. It has been three weeks since he last touched her. What's bothering her is not the less time he had making love to her but it was around that time that Tomoe came trotting back in a business suit and meeting her husband once again. She didn't want to think about it but she was having this nagging feeling that only fueled her anger and frustration even more.

She couldn't even think how she was able to put up with their situation for this long. That's why it was clear to her now. She had to let him know that their marriage is faced with a problem. This conversation between them has long been overdue. So it would really be best to get it over with now and fix their relationship before it's too late. With that, she stood from her dresser's chair, and pulled her hands hastily away from Kenshin. She was walking toward their room's window when she spoke again.

"No Kenshin. I don't understand. And you don't understand anything either. Why are you acting like everything's okay when it isn't?" She then faced him, trying to see what his reaction to her outburst might be. And what she saw were his eyes that were turning amber. Her husband was not a really patient man and she has obviously pushed him to the limit this time.

"What's not okay, Kaoru? Stop making something simple so complicated! Dammit!" He said, standing up to look at her at eye level. He didn't see that coming. That really did it. He couldn't believe how his wooing tactics weren't working this time. And aside from that, Kaoru was acting like he wasn't giving her all that she needed.

"I'm not making anything complicated. It is complicated. I'm your wife but you act as if I don't mean anything to you." His words hurt but she tried not to let her tears fall. She would stand firm and fix this now.

He slightly huffed and matched her words indignantly. "You get everything that any woman would or could ever want and you tell me that you mean nothing to me?"

"I get things I don't need."

"Stop being illogical Kaoru."

"I'm not being illogical!"

"Well then if you're not happy at all why are you still here?"

"What?"

"I said—"

"I heard what you said. Did you really say that? Are you telling me to leave?" Kaoru asked, now letting all her tears go.

"I never asked you to stay." He was speaking his mind out, and it was true, he never asked her to. But was he asking her to leave?

Those words were all it took to take Kaoru's composure away. She was trembling from her sobs. She feared and dreaded the day she would hear something like that from him. Was it just because of the paper that says she was his wife that made him go home to her everyday? Did she at least really mean anything to him? "How could you say that? Do you really want me to leave?" Are you giving me up just like that?

Kenshin didn't know how to answer that, for the first time that night, he tried to examine what he said. He wasn't stupid or numb. He knew that they were growing apart from each other. Hey, marriage was not like candy you could buy at a random candy store and throw away if it sucked then decide to never buy the same candy again. But was he giving her up? He didn't know. Maybe he needed more time to think. Yes, that's it. He need time think about their relationship. He wasn't giving up anything yet. He just needed to think things over. And maybe he needs a lot of time to do it…alone?

Kaoru, whose feelings were in deep chaos at that moment, couldn't stand just looking at her husband. So, she willed herself to think fast. She once said she would do anything he wanted. And though it weakens her to even think about it, it was like she was left no choice but to do what he wanted. So, he wanted her to leave…she was not about to break her promise. If that was what he wanted then so be it. She then walked briskly to her closet and pulled out a bag big enough to place some of her clothes in and started packing.

Kaoru's actions were like fingers that snapped him out of his thoughts. He then saw her quickly shoving in her clothes in a bag. If she wanted to leave him, she sure was packing light. This made him feel that Kaoru didn't want to really do this but why is she doing something she didn't want to do in the first place. As if hearing his thoughts, he heard her shaky voice saying…

"Is this what you really want, Kenshin?"

She was hoping he would say no. She was wishing that he wouldn't want this too. She was silently praying he would hold her now and tell her that everything he said was a mistake. That he didn't mean it. She had to hear him say everything would be okay. She closed her eyes, Kenshin wasn't answering her. She could feel her hot tears running down her face incessantly no matter how hard she tried to cease them. She waited for a few more moments before she stopped packing, and then she took a deep breath and spoke again.

"Is this what you really want? Please, tell me.." Tell me it's not what you want. She added mentally.

"Kaoru, I.." How would he say it? He didn't really know what he wants. All he wanted to do now was think about everything. So, he just said exactly what he was thinking. He needed this, and she might need it too. So, ".. maybe it would be best to think about us if we take some time away from each other." He then looked away from her not wanting to see how her blue eyes widened at what he said anymore. Somehow, something he thought was right to do was giving him an uneasy feeling just by looking into her eyes.

His wife on the other hand, just felt her world crumble from what she heard. But she had to be strong. Maybe he was right. Maybe they needed time apart to think things. Maybe he needed this time to realize what she really is in his life. It was not like she had a choice anyway. She would not ask him to take back what he said. She still had some pride left. She was strong. That was right, she was strong. She could do this. So, she wiped her tears away hastily and picked up her bag and said, "Very well, if that's what you want, you know where to find me."

Those were the words she spoke before she left. He let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding until he heard her drive away from their house. He had a lot of time to keep her from leaving but he didn't do anything like that. Kenshin Himura was never the one to plead or beg. That was the last time they saw and spoke to each other in five months and now here he was, bracing himself from her apartment's front door.

The apartment was exactly like he remembered it way back before their marriage. Kaoru and her sister Megumi lived in the same apartment when their parents died. When Megumi got married, it was natural for her to move in with her husband Sanosuke, which left Kaoru the apartment all for herself.

There were so many special moments that he and Kaoru shared in this apartment. But this isn't the time to remember them Himura. He knew what he had to do. Their marriage ended that night, he was only going to make it formal, make it legal with all the papers he spent a great deal of his time preparing. He had to do this to help him move on with his life. It wasn't like he wasn't over her, it's really not like that, but, he was a man maybe not a good one, but he wasn't some jerk who'll go on romancing other women even if he still techinically was married. In other words, he already understood the fact that his relationship with Kaoru was over and he wanted to move on with his life but he couldn't do it because no matter how hard he tried not to think about it, he feels guilty being with another while having a ring around his finger.

In the span of time that they were apart, Kaoru never called or emailed and neither did he. Sano talked to him a few days after the break up trying to get them back together. Apparently, Sano's efforts were futile for neither made a move to talk about what happened. Having no communication and knowing from her brother-in-law and his bestfriend, that she's at least doing fine, he took that as a sign that they were more comfortable living separate lives. So, to make everything easier for both of them, he did Kaoru the favor of filing for divorce.

Whatever her reaction may be, he decided that he wouldn't waver. If she cries, he'll tell her to stop and think about her own happiness instead. He wouldn't give in to her pleas if she would ask him to think about everything again. He was done thinking, and it was time for him to put his thoughts into action. He would not waver, he would not have doubts and have second thoughts. He was convinced of what he's supposed to do.

And his head, as if testing his firmness, made a trip back to that night when Kaoru asked her a question he never answered.

Is this what you really want, Kenshin?

Before knocking on her door, Kenshin willed himself to take a breath, making it deep. He closed his eyes and whispered to himself.

"Yes, this is what I want."

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This is just the first chapter.. I hope I didn't confuse you guys so much.. So, what do you think? (nervously fidgets..) Should I continue this or just stop writing? (bites her thumbnail out of uneasiness) Please tell me… Please Review!