Your fingertips across my skin,
the palm trees swayin' in the wind,
Images.
Kaoru heard footsteps behind her and quickly turned, a smile forming on her face when she saw the bright red hair and purple eyes of Himura Kenshin. Her smile faded though, as she noticed the serious look on his face and the terrifying look in his eyes. They were emotionless and dull. Kaoru knew he must have heard of Okubo-sama's assassination. As he got closer, she tried to think of something to say to comfort him. But just as she opened her mouth, Kenshin pulled her into his arms, crushing her lips with his. She tensed up, but then relaxed, melting under his lips, forgetting all the worries of May 14th. All too soon, he pulled away, his eyes showing no emotion.
You sang me Spanish lullabies,
the sweetest sadness in your eyes,
Clever trick.
"This one is off to Kyoto." he said, every muscle in his body tensed, as if expecting an attack at any moment. Kaoru froze, joy turning to horror. Going to Kyoto meant trying to kill Shishio. It meant Battousai would inevitably take over.
"N-no... Kenshin! You don't have to do this! You can turn back..." she nearly shouted, grabbing his arm, but he cut her off.
"No. The days spent here were indeed peaceful and full of happiness. But deep inside this one, battousai still lives. And this time... your voice will not reach to pull this one back. This one enjoyed every moment spent here with you... but this one is the government's only hope to bring down Shishio and save this peaceful era."
He pulled her into a hug and she stood frozen as each of his words sunk in. He was leaving them. She felt her heart breaking and desperately tried to hold herself together... but she couldn't stop the sobs that escaped her lips.
"Thank you for everything and.... goodbye." Kenshin said, "This one is rurouni. Once again... this one will drift."
Well I never wanna see you unhappy.
I thought you'd want the same for me.
He released her and turned, walking back into the darkness of the summer night. Kaoru fell to her knees, tears dripping to the ground.
"Ken... shin..." she sobbed, staring through tear-blurred eyes at his fading figure. She yelled his name over and over, each time more desperate than the last, but never once did his step falter.
She didn't know how long she yelled his name, praying that he would come back. Soon enough though, Yahiko woke up from her yelling and came outside to find his master covered in dirt and tears, fingers digging into the earth and sobbing Kenshin's name.
Goodbye my almost lover.
Goodbye my hopeless dream.
I'm tryin' not to think about you.
Can't you just let me be?
The next day, when she finally woke up, Kaoru tried desperately to make herself believe that it was all a nightmare. But she knew that never in her worst nightmare could she create those words or the look in Kenshin's eyes as he turned to leave.
So long my luckless romance.
My back is turned on you.
Should've known you'd bring me heartache.
Almost lovers always do.
She tried to block the pain by getting angry. Angry at who though? Kenshin? Never. Shishio? Maybe. Herself? Bingo. She should have taken Kihei's advice and not gotten involved with a rurouni. But no... she knew she would have gotten involved anyways. Kaoru rolled over on her futon, staring at the dull white rice-paper screen, trying not to think. But memories came anyways.
We walked along a crowded street,
you took my hand and danced with me.
Images.
She remembered silly things, like shopping and making Kenshin carry the heavy stuff. She remembered how ditzy he sometimes was, bumping into people. But she also remembered his other side. The unbeatable swordsman who carried a sakabato just to stop himself from killling. The dangerous predator, always fearless.
And when you left you kissed my lips.
You told me you would never ever forget these images.
And now....
She remembered how he looked last night. How his eyes seemed lifeless, in agony even as he kissed her. She remembered the feeling of his lips. How they scorched her right through to the bone, and the underlying urgency to the kiss... as if he was dying.
Well I never wanna see you unhappy.
I thought you'd want the same for me.
Goodbye my almost lover.
Goodbye my hopeless dream.
I'm tryin' not to think about you.
Can't you just let me be?
So long my luckless romance,
my back is turned on you.
Should've known you'd bring me heartache.
Almost lovers always do.
She stayed in bed the whole day, not even eating. Yahiko brought in some rice when it started getting dark but she just lay there... not moving. He called for Megumi to come take a look and she said she had a patient right now but she'd be over first thing in the morning.
I cannot go to the ocean.
I cannot drive the streets at night.
I cannot wake up in the morning.
Without you on my mind.
Everything... everything reminded her of him. As the night dragged slowly on, Kaoru felt herself giving in to the depression. The summer night air that wafted inside her room reminded her of him. The lightning bugs dancing carefree ouside her thin door reminded her of him. Even the laundry hung up outside reminded her of him.
So you're gone and I'm haunted.
And I bet you are just fine.
Did I make it that easy...
to walk right in and out of my life?
They had a peaceful life here. Why did he have to be the one to take down Shishio? Why did he have to come to Tokyo? Why didn't he trust her enough to take her with him? Why wasn't she strong enough to deal with this?
Goodbye my almost lover.
Goodbye my hopeless dream.
I'm tryin' not to think about you.
Can't you just let me be?
She knew the answer to the last one. She loved him. Of course she couldn't deal with him suddenly leaving her. What kind of person could?
So long my luckless romance.
My back is turned on you.
Should've known you'd bring me heartache.
Almost lovers always do.
She felt her eyelids getting heavy from exhaustion. She closed her eyes and closed her mind. Not wanting to delve any deeper into thoughts of him. Kenshin. The man she could have loved forever.