Chapter 1: Eighteen
"So Kaoru, tell me," started Kenshin, smiling. He watched lazily as she tossed her backpack in the back of the car and jumped into the passenger's seat. He drove his favorite car - his red (to match his hair, clearly), convertible BMW - all the way to Kaoru's high school so that he could pick her up on her special day.
"Tell you what?" Kaoru asked after she slammed the door shut. She glanced at him questioningly when he didn't answer right away- he was too focussed on weaving his way through the obstacles of cars and busses toward the main road. She shook her head. Kenshin never was good at multitasking.
"Well, how it feels to be finally considered an adult!" He grinned at her as her face changed from puzzled to sardonic. Kaoru rolled her eyes and turned back to the road. "I thought you were going to say something important, for once, idiot! And I forgot to thank you for that call at twelve this morning." She glared at his growing smile before adding, "Moron!"
"I wanted to be the first to wish my adult Kaoru happy birthday, of course," He laughed. "And besides, you didn't even answer. You can't be upset." They stopped at a red light and Kenshin turned to look fully at the newly turned eighteen year old. Her hair, a deep black, was tussled from riding around in his convertible. She struggled to hide her smile from their earlier banter, but couldn't keep a tiny curve from peaking out of her lips. She's beautiful, he conceded. Definitely not the little Kaoru that Sano and I used to tease. She suddenly looked at him, her strikingly blue eyes questioning.
"Kenshin! The light is green!" Kenshin abruptly looked back at the road and slammed on the pedal. "Jesus, Kenshin. I still don't know how you bribed the DMV to give you your license." She smirked prettily. "You suck at driving."
Kenshin laughed and said, "Sorry I was just checking out this fine and legal piece of ass in my front seat." He laughed harder when she blushed and punched his shoulder. "No, but seriously Kaoru I feel like it was yesterday when I held your hand to cross the street and now look at you! Old enough to buy your own cigarettes, booze, and porn!" He fake cried before laughing again.
"Kenshin you're only two years older than me, it's really not that big of a deal." Kaoru deadpanned. She honestly didn't understand why everyone was making a huge deal out of her birthday. Her mother jumped on her bed with uncensored excitement that morning, and showered her with kisses and hugs like she never had before. But she knew why her mother was happy.
Her birthday truly only meant one thing. She and Kenshin would marry very soon.
Before her father died, he and Kenshin's father had been best friends. They decided, after Kenshin was born, that the first born girl of the Kamiya family would be his wife. Kaoru was the first born and only girl from her father and therefore she became Kenshin's betrothed.
She had to admit that she was lucky. Kenshin was handsome, intelligent, and he was her best friend. Kenshin had been there at the hospital when she was born, had helped her learn how to walk, had, as he so eloquently put it, held her hand when ever they would cross a street.
And she loved him.
Unfortunately for her, the love that she felt for him was not reciprocated. He loved her, sure. His love, however, was not the love that is given to a girlfriend or a wife - he loved her as a sister, a best friend. He loved Tomoe Yukishiro like a girlfriend.
Tomoe Yukishiro, unfortunately for him, was taken. She, according to gossip, was very much in love Senator Kiyosato's son Akira. Like Kenshin's family and Kaoru's family, the Yukishiros were very wealthy and, had it not been for Kenshin's betrothal to Kaoru, Tomoe and Kenshin seemed as if they would have made the perfect couple. It pained Kaoru to see Kenshin pine for Tomoe because she didn't return his love.
It also pained Kaoru to know that when she and Kenshin married, it would be a loveless marriage for him.
Not for her.
She was jerked from her reverie when Kenshin pulled in front of their house. Had I really been daydreaming for that long? It's a fifteen minute ride from my school to my house! Kenshin gave her a side long glance. "Has sleepy head decided to join the rest of the world yet? I know your eighteen now and all high and mighty but sheesh."
She scoffed and slapped him on the back as the made their way toward her door. "Yeah, whatever Kenshin. You're just mad that I wasn't daydreaming about you." An arm caught hers as she reached for the door knob. She gulped at the close proximity of Kenshin's face to hers. His breath tickled her.
"Oh? Who were you daydreaming about then, little Kaoru." She turned red and shoved him away, cursing herself for letting him evoke such a reaction from her. "Um, Brad Pitt, of course." With that answer, she shouldered her way past him and opened to door.
When did it change from being playful and fun to serious?
_______
"We're taking you out for your birthday." Kaoru looked away from the opened refrigerator to find the owner of the voice. Sano had not even spared her a glance when he made his declaration - his fingers still pounded away at his video game controller. He and Kenshin were playing some Tekken game.
"I'm sorry, come again?" Kaoru sputtered. She grabbed juice out of the fridge and stared at his profile. Then, without bothering to grab a glass, she drank from the carton. Kenshin, watching her out of his peripheral, grimaced in disgust.
"Jesus Kaoru, I like that juice. I don't want Kaoru germs!" He didn't take his eye off of the screen but his distraction allowed Sano to land a few blows on him. Kaoru didn't even bat an eyelash. "You'll be getting all of the Kaoru germs you could ask for once we're married, future husband," she mocked. She missed the way Kenshin stiffened on the couch. Sano's character kicked him soundly in the head.
"Ugh, yuck, but anyway Kaoru there's this party I want to go to but it's your birthday. So, being the prodigious problem solver that I am, I've decided to take you with me to the party! How genius!" Sano exclaimed. Unlike Kenshin, Sano could multitask. Kenshin stared in disbelief when his character did not get up again and "Play again?" popped up on the screen.
"Man, Sano you play this far too much," said Kenshin. Sano merely smirked and, with an audible yawn, stood and stretched. He quickly strode over to the kitchen toward his amused little sister. Grabbing her in a bear hug he mock sobbed, "Oh my god, wittle Kaoru is so big now! I can take her to parties and feed her alcohol!" He winced but chuckled as Kaoru elbowed him in the shoulder and slipped from his grasp.
Kenshin piped, "I said the same thing. Little Kaoru!" Kaoru groaned and rested her head against the cabinet door. "What's with you two? Remember the last time I was drunk? Because I don't, and that's reason enough to abstain from alcohol." Sano chuckled and mused, "Yeah that was hilarious. Well, until I had to make sure you didn't drown in your own puddle of puke." He made a disgusted face. "Yeah, that was repulsive."
Kaoru glared at him. "Well if you hadn't forced me to drink all of that sake, then I wouldn't have puked all over you." Kenshin waved his hand. "Yeah, yeah enough with this adorable memory. What party are we taking Kaoru to? Shinomori's?" Sano nodded and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He batted Kaoru's hand away as she tried to snatch them.
"Tsk, tsk, Kaoru. You wouldn't get in the way of a man's addiction would you?" He beckoned them to follow them outside to the back porch. Reluctantly, Kaoru followed. She didn't want to be the annoying sister, but she worried about Sano's habit with smoking. Their father had died of lung cancer and it was as if Sano's smoking habits mocked his passing. Their father had never touched a cigarette to his lips. She knew that arguing with him would lead nowhere, as it had in the past, so she dropped it. "Anyway Kaoru, since it's your first night out as an eighteen year old, Megumi asked if she could come over tonight and get you dolled up for the party," he explained, after taking a deep puff from his cigarette.
Kenshin chuckled deeply as Kaoru blue eyes flashed. "Sano I can't believe you! It's my birthday and you're already using me to see Megumi and go to some damn party." Kenshin amber eyes flitted to Sano, "She's right man. When are you going to finally tell that woman that you like her?"
Sheepishly, Sano flicked ash from his cigarette onto the porch and smiled at Kaoru. "C'mon baby sis, you're an adult now. We don't have to baby you on your birthdays anymore and even more you can come out with us now. Please let Megumi come over." Kaoru looked into his pleading eyes and sighed.
It wasn't as though she didn't like Megumi. Megumi was just far too opiniated for her own good. She declared Kaoru to be a skinny, little tomboy and said that she was fated to change Kaoru into the beauty that she was meant to be. Unconciously, Kaoru looked down at her clothing. She wore one of Sanosuke's large shirts and a pair of Kenshin's sweat pants.
Okay so maybe Megumi was right about the tomboy part. But what was she supposed to do? The only other girl friend that she had, Misao Mikamachi, was a tomboy as well. Growing up with Sano and Kenshin, she never nurtured a love for make up and fashion. She practiced kendo, for god's sake.
Kenshin caught her eye and gave her a soft smile. So he wants me to go? I'm such a sucker for him. "Okay, okay, I'll go to this stupid party and I'll let Megumi dress me up," she conceded.
Sano answered the door just before Megumi went to ring the doorbell a third time. "About time, rooster head." Barely sparing him a glance, she walking right by him to the stairs, towards his sister's rooms. Unable to hide his grin, he returned to where Kenshin sat at the kitchen counter.
Seeing his grin, Kenshin smirked. "So any progress with Megumi?" Kenshin asked. Sanosuke shook his head, still smiling. "That woman will be the death of me. She plays hard to get, but why else would she come over or agree to be my date to the party. Chick is definitely into me."
Kenshin merely smiled. Good for Sano, he thought. Finally a girl that could keep Sanosuke's interest for more than a week. As far as he knew, Sano had been after Megumi for the past two months. Before that, the boy was a notorious player, a heart breaker. Megumi was good for him.
When Kenshin said nothing, Sano decided to turn the conversation to him.
"And what about you buddy? Finally over your crush on Tomoe?" he asked, though already knowing the answer. Kenshin sighed and remained silent, shaking the ice around in his nearly empty glass. "You know that she's supposedly going to get married to Akira, right?" he prodded.
"Yeah. I just can't get over her though, Sano. From the moment I met her it's always been her." Kenshin sighed and put his hand to his head. "I know I'm supposed to marry Kaoru but she's like my little sister. Sound's lame but I want to be in love with my wife, Sano."
Kenshin thought about the first time he had met Tomoe Yukishiro. They had both been only twelve years old, attending a formal function with their parents. Kenshin's parents had seen how bored Tomoe and her younger brother Enishi had been and called Kenshin, Kaoru, and Sanosuke to come meet them.
She was beautiful then, as well. Always had been beautiful, Kenshin imagined. Her porcelain skin, her demure and brown eyes, the confident way that she carried herself... Until then Kenshin had been perfectly content with the idea of marrying little Kaoru.
Meeting Tomoe changed everything.
Sano was not so impressed, leaving with the younger Enishi and Kaoru to go play-fight outside. They were incredulous that Kenshin would rather sit at that boring party than go outside to play with them, he remembered. He remained with Tomoe the entire night; blushing when their hands accidentally touched, exchanging soft smiles.
Kenshin's face turned wistful.
Sano could sympathize but he also couldn't believe that Kenshin still didn't realize that he was attracted to his sister. The man's skull is thicker than steel, Sano thought, mentally rolling his eyes. He hadn't missed the way that Kenshin's eyes would linger on Kaoru longer than normal and he heard Kaoru on the phone with Kenshin late at night at times when he would return home. He would realize his stupidity, but hopefully sooner than later. It would save Kaoru heartbreak.
"Besides, we're only in college. I feel trapped with this marriage to Kaoru over my head. She's eighteen now, huh? That means we're to get married within six months," Kenshin mused.
"Whatever, Kenshin. Everything will work it out to the best. Even if you end up marrying Kaoru, at least you will be marrying you're best friend, ne?" With that Sano moved towards the living room.
There were more important things that musing about Kenshin's devastating love life.
Like Tekken.
Kenshin grinned at Sano's inability to be attentive to one subject and followed him.
"Do you have anything remotely female in your closet?" Megumi asked, exasperated. As far as she could tell, all Kaoru owned were either school uniforms, Kendo uniforms, or clothing from Sano and Kenshin. Whose clothes, she added snidely, are more fashionable than any that Kaoru owns.
Kaoru had the decency to blush. Defeated, Megumi moved to sit on her bed and figure out if she could have a dress brought to the Kaoru's residence within the hour. As she went through her contact list on her cell phone, Kaoru reached to the top shelf of her closet to pull out a box. She sat the box down in front of Megumi.
"Here are some clothes that my mom has been trying to get me in over the years." Like a fox eying it's prey, Megumi zeroed in on the box's contents and began to remove all of the clothes. Designer jeans, designer tops, designer dresses... "Kaoru all of these clothes are top of the line. The tags are still on them! You are truly the epitome of a tomboy," Megumi belittled. If she had a mother like Kaoru's!
Kaoru's temper flashed. " Look Megumi, I appreciate that you want to help me look nice but I can't help that I don't feel comfortable in clothes like those!" Megumi's eyes softened imperceptibly as Kaoru continued, "Not everyone can be as naturally gorgeous as you Megumi! Sorry that I'm so subpar!"
Megumi watched as Kaoru vented her frustration. She knew it was out of line to say such things to Kaoru - she forgot herself. From what Sano told her, their mother had never played a great part in their lives once she remarried and Kaoru must have adapted by latching onto Sano and Kenshin. She stood and hugged Kaoru, who seemed taken aback by this sudden intimacy. "I'm sorry Kaoru, I didn't mean to be so thoughtless." As swiftly as she had hugged Kaoru, she let her go and went back to the box.
Wary at the Megumi's rapid change in demeanor, she raised her eyebrow. "Sorry? Just like that?" she asked, incredulous. Megumi didn't say sorry! Megumi didn't even say please, or thank you! The woman glared at Kaoru, "Yes, sorry! And if you don't watch it I'll take it back and tell your brother where his favorite pair of sweatpants went!
Kaoru blanched. "Okay, okay I believe you. I love those sweatpants!" Megumi rolled her eyes. "Okay I'm definitely not sorry about saying you are a tomboy, Kaoru. As beautiful as you are." Kaoru went to open her mouth but Megumi cut her off. "Before you start spouting any nonsense about 'oh that's who I am', don't. Obviously, I'm not trying to change who you are." She cackled. "I'm just going to tweak the tomboy part a little."
She turned back to the box and lifted out an article of clothing. Kaoru sighed and moved to sit next to her. "Now what about this gorgeous blue dress?"
"Megumi what the hell is taking so damn long!" Sano called impatiently. Kenshin rolled his eyes from his place on the couch. "Sano, be more patient." Sano still paced back and forth in front of the stairs. "Jesus Sano, calm down over there!" came Kaoru's indignant yell. "You sound like an old man." Sano's face contorted in annoyance. "It's been a fucking hou-" A few seconds went by and Sano still didn't complete his sentence. Confused Kenshin turned to move towards where Sano stood. His eyes widened.
Kaoru stood glowing at the top of the stairs. Megumi had curled her naturally straight hair a little on the bottom and applied minimal makeup, but that wasn't what called his attention. He already knew that she was beautiful.
No, what called to his attention was her body. The cerulean dress she wore was strapless, boasting her cleavage and toned arms. From kendo, no doubt, Kenshin thought. Her legs were as long as the Eiffel tower, slender and toned as well. The heels she wore elongated her legs even more. She looked like a goddess.
"Okay who are you and where is Kaoru," Sano deadpanned. Kaoru started down the stairs, her face confused. "Sano do I really look so different? I even asked Megumi not to put on too much make up. Kenshin?" Kaoru looked to Kenshin for support, but he found that he couldn't use his voice box any longer. Megumi smirked at the reaction to her handiwork.
It is a gift, she bragged to herself.
Quickly Sano offered his arm towards the descending Megumi and said, "Of course, you look gorgeous as always, fox." Megumi's smirk deepened as she gave Sano and Kenshin a once over. "Yes, yes you boys do clean up nice as well. Now let's get going before we miss the party, morons!"
Kaoru reached for Kenshin's arm and smiled up at him. Unable to resist her smiles, he grinned back. If she was the one he was going to spend the rest of his life with, life wasn't all too bad.
___________
It wasn't that she minded all the attention she was getting from Kenshin and Sanosuke's friends. She didn't even care too much about the catty looks she was receiving from all of women at the party.
She just didn't understand why Kenshin was ignoring her.
She may have dressed the part, but she certainly didn't feel like a girly girl. She tried to get Kenshin to stick around her, but found that to be like trying to hold onto a slippery bar of soap. Sano, much to Megumi's chagrin, was preoccupied with wooing all of the ladies at the party. Kaoru smirked at the looks he was receiving from many men. Better watch it, brother, she thought, amused.
Weary of all of the unwanted attention and empty conversations, she moved to the outside porch. Aoshi's home was truly beautiful - it was right on the water and sported so many windows that in the daylight, sunlight speckled everywhere. Her home was beautiful as well, if she considered it her true home.
Only two short months after her father's death, her mother, Ayeka, remarried the incredibly rich business tycoon, Shishio Makimoto. Ayeka was very beautiful, and it was a wonder that she had not married rich for her first marriage. Kaoru smiled, thinking of how happy and in love her mother was with her father when he was alive. Their family had been perfect, even though they had not been as well off as they were now.
Kaoru thought that her mother felt pressured to provide a new father for her children after her husband's death, and even more pressured by her wealthier friends, like Kenshin's mother, to marry someone noteworthy.
So they set her up with Shishio.
Kaoru did not mind Shishio, he was rarely ever at home. He, however, made it clear that he did not wish to have children and the only reason that he put up with her and her brother was because they were the children of Ayeka.
"Well, well! If it isn't the birthday girl!" A voice snapped her out of her musings. Kaoru turned slightly to see the silver haired Enishi giving her a lopsided grin. He held two drinks in his hand, one for her. She took the drink, smiling. "Enishi! I haven't seen you in ages!" She went to hug him, and he pulled her in laughing.
"How are you, Enishi?" She asked, giving him a once over. He dressed very nicely, in black slacks and a light blue button downed shirt. He had grown as well. His defined muscles were noticeable even through the long sleeves of his attire.
"I've been alright- applying to colleges like you are no doubt. So, birthday girl, how has your big day been? You're eighteen and legal!" Kaoru groaned. "I feel like everyone has been listening to the same broken record! Enishi we're the same age!" He looped an arm over her shoulder and laughed. "I know but it's fun teasing you, little Kaoru. I love seeing you get so flustered," he admitted.
She took a gulp of the drink he offered her. It burned down her throat. "Yuck, Enishi, what the heck is this?" She wondered. Enishi blinked before saying, "Why alcohol. Don't tell me you don't drink." Kaoru laughed and answered, "Well I do, but I've never tasted alcohol that tasted so horrible!"
They both laughed. Enishi looked her up and down. "Look at you. I never thought that anyone could ever get you in a dress, let alone tame that messy hair of yours." Kaoru laughed and punched him in the chest. "Enishi! You're lucky that I've known you for so long. Anyone else and I would have taken offense!"
Enishi merely smiled. "Either way, Kaoru, you look gorgeous tonight." He took his arm from around her and started into the ocean for a few moments. "Well, let's make the most of the -" he cut him self off and looked at his watch, "thirty minutes you have left on your special day." She giggled as he offered his arm and said, "Do me the honor, my fair lady?" She took his arm and they both went back inside to the party.
Kenshin stood at the corner of the room, feigning interest in some blonde chick that had taken a fancy to him.
He really only was watching Tomoe.
He was waiting for Akira to step away from her so that he could make his move to go speak with her. She was like a drug, enticing him, baiting him. They had made eye contact a few times during the party and it only served to fuel his desire to speak with her more.
Finally! Akira stepped away from her toward the bar, presumably to get them both another drink. Kenshin barely even excused himself from the conversation before he moved toward Tomoe, who was seated on the couch. Nonchalant, he sat near her and stared off into the distance, so as not to make his desire too obvious.
Tomoe turned towards him, smiling. "Kenshin! What a pleasant surprise!" Kenshin turned to Tomoe, with a mask of surprise. "Tomoe. How have you been?" Tomoe elegantly slid her body closer to his, and he could feel the heat from her body.
"I've been very well, Kenshin. How are your studies going at the university? Majoring in business, if I remember correctly?" She asked. He smiled, happy that she remembered their previous small talk. "Yes. Everything has been well at the university. I'm happy that the break is approaching. Will you be here during vacation?" He asked, careful to keep the hope out of his voice.
Tomoe shifted even closer.
"Yes, I will be coming here. Hopefully, we will be seeing a lot more of eachother than we have as of late, Kenshin." He nodded. "Of course. I would love that." She turned toward him, the epitome of loveliness. Her smiled shifted her face into that of a nymph, her eyes crinkled, and beautifully sculpted lips curved. He knew that if he didn't say anything now, he never would.
"Tomoe, I want to date you," he said, bluntly. Tomoe's face changed from one of happy to one of confusion. "But, Kenshin, you are engaged to marry Kaoru I thought." He leaned forward, urgently. "Yes, this is true but I am able to end the engagement if I truly want to." He grasped her hand. "And I am very interested in you, Tomoe Yukishiro."
Tomoe looked uncertain. Of course she liked the attractive and wealthy Kenshin Himura. Who didn't? She had not pursued him because he had been betrothed since infancy to the step daughter of Shishio Makoto, Kamiya Kaoru. It was because of this she made plans to marry Akira, a man who she believed the second best to Kenshin Himura.
"But Kenshin, if only I had known that before," she looked down, despondently. "I am engaged to marry Akira Kiyosato now." Kenshin dropped her hand, disappointedly. Akira had returned with two drinks and hand and turned to smile brilliantly at Kenshin. "Kenshin! How have you been!" he asked, completely unaware of what had just transpired between his fiance and his friend. Kenshin's facade allowed him to smile back and answer, "I've been well." He shook Akira's hand and stood to leave, stating that he didn't want to interrupt them any further.
He missed the way Tomoe's eyes followed his exit.
Kenshin had grabbed her from Enishi without explanation and demanded that they leave. He looked ready to kill. Enishi, of course, sputtered in indignation, but Kenshin barely even allowed them anytime to respond. He pulled her out the door into the car, and they left.
"What about Sano, Kenshin. He has no car to return home. Why are we even leaving so early? Kenshin?" Kenshin ignored Kaoru's questions, his eyes hard as steel as he replayed his conversation with Tomoe over and over in his mind. If he had said something earlier, would they be dating now? Fuck this engagement, fuck my parents, fuck Kaoru, he thought angrily.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, timidly. Kenshin turned towards the girl, and all of the anger he had felt towards her immediately dissipated. She was slightly out of breath from being pulled so forcefully out of Aoshi's house, her eyes were wide and puzzled. It wasn't her fault, she was just as much of a victim as he was. "Yeah?" he asked gruffly.
Slightly put off, Kaoru muttered, "Nevermind." The rest of the ride was silent.
As soon as the pulled into her driveway, Kaoru jumped out of the car and walked swiftly to her house. Kenshin put his head in his hands. It wasn't right of him to take his frustrations out on Kaoru like that. It was her birthday for god's sake, and he just pulled her out of that house because he was upset.
He walked into the house after her and went immediately to her room. He knocked on her door twice and, after sounds of shuffling, was greeted by the sight of his little best friend. He took her into his arms and mumbled, "I'm sorry, I just saw Tomoe there with Akira and got upset." She shifted in his arms to get a good look at his face.
She knew that if Enishi had been at the party, Tomoe definitely had been there. She felt so sorry for Kenshin, knowing how much he felt for Tomoe and knowing that she was the obstacle blocking his way from her. It hurt her though, that she could do nothing to change his mind. That she couldn't make him love her, his future wife, the way he loved Tomoe Yukishiro.
She smiled brightly, hiding her pain from him. "It's alright Kenshin, I didn't want to be at that stupid party anyway." She patted his arm as if to dismiss everything that happened between them and turned away. He stared, thinking to himself how lucky he was to have such an understanding friend. If he had tried to take Sano out of that party, the man would have had a heart attack.
She motioned for Kenshin to step further inside and turned around again. She turned her head to look at him. "Kenshin can you unzip this dress? I can't really reach the top of the zipper that well..." She trailed off. Kenshin's eyes widened, his amber eyes flashing with an unrecognizable emotion. I must be drunk, he thought, trying to dispel the naked images of Kaoru in his mind.
He unzipped her dress and was greeted with a great view of her back all the way down to her tailbone. She turned around. The dress was loose around the front, and from where he was standing he had a great view of her breasts. "Thanks." She said and then waited patiently for him to leave.
When he went to the door, it wasn't to leave.
He shut the door, turned around and pulled her into a hungry kiss. Shocked, Kaoru was numbly aware of the dress she had asked Kenshin to unzip slowly being pulled downward to expose her naked form. His lightly calloused hands began to caress her body, and she felt herself flame at his touch.
She vaguely remembered being carried to her bed. I must be drunk, she thought, dazed.
R&R, please. Love, Michelle.