Standard Disclaimers Apply. The rights to Rurouni Kenshin are exclusively owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro, Sony Entertainment, Shueisha, Jump Comics and other associated groups. Do not sue!!! I am writing this to satiate my urge to write.

Chapter One  Daydreams

Loud fast footsteps could be heard in the corridors of the Yamagata High School as a young girl with long hair tied in a braid ran through it. "Hey Kaoru! Wait up!" Misao panted as she leaned over to catch her breath. "I have been looking for you for hours… Where have you been?"

Her bestfriend since childhood, Kaoru, replied, "Huh? I was in the gym training Yahiko-CHAN". Kaoru emphasized on the word "chan", knowing that Yahiko was behind her.

"Who are you calling chan, busu?" A young boy wearing a white polo and a black overcoat uniform yelled. With that remark, Kaoru took out her bokken and hit Yahiko hard on the head. "Itai!" Yahiko said as he rubbed his sore head. He could already feel a bump rising from his head, "What's the matter, eh busu! You on a bad mood?"

Misao looked startled and looked at Kaoru straight in the eye. "Hey Kaoru-chan are you okey?"

"Yeah, I am okey, its just that I always feel jittery before History class. I really hate our professor! He is such a jerk. If I only I could, I must've hit him with my bokken millions of times already."

Misao sighed with exasperation, "Yeah, I know what you mean. Omigosh! That's the second bell! We better run for it or else we might be late."

"Bye Busu! See you later at practice!" Yahiko said as he stuck his tongue out at Kaoru.

Kaoru turned around and walked straight to Yahiko, "Why you little…." Misao restrained her by pulling her arm to the opposite direction.

"C'mon shihondai… we don't want to be late for the wolf's class."

"Oh alright!" Kaoru sighed in resignation as they both started to run for their class.

Misao was pulling Kaoru across the corridor and turned to her, "Kaoru… hurry up… oooomph!" Misao bumped into a person, which knocked her off her feet immediately. "Why you! Why don't you watch were you're going?!!!" Misao demanded as she slowly look up to the person she bumped into, her heart began to beat rapidly. "Aoshi… sama?"

Aoshi nodded with his ice blue eyes and turned around to go his way. Meanwhile, Kaoru was impatiently tapping her foot on the floor. "Earth to Misao! Wake up! I thought we were late for class!" Kaoru said as she wave her hands across Misao's face.

"Omigosh! I bumped into Aoshi-sama. Oh! His chest is so hard. I felt his well defined muscles. He is so sexy!," Misao chanted as if in a trance. Kaoru sighed and pulled Misao's arm and dragged her into their History classroom. "Oh… Aoshi-sama!!!" Misao giggled.

Misao's trance was cut short as they entered their history classroom. The smell of cigarette smoke can easily be discerned. Kaoru coughed as they entered causing the whole class including their teacher to stare at them as they move towards their seat.

Their teacher puffed the cigarette smoke at them and said, "I see the weasel and raccoon took a long time to come down from the woods this afternoon."

Misao smirked and replied, "Good afternoon to you too, Professor Goro." Misao and Kaoru settled on their seats at the back and slumped on their chairs. Misao gave Kaoru a he's-at-it-again look and Kaoru replied by giving Misao a I-bet-he's-gonna-embarrass-us-again look.

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," Fujita began, "The Hitokiri Battousai was a major catalyst of the Meiji era."

Kaoru looked out the window and slowly, Fujita's voice slowly began to fade in her ears. She took out her notebook and began doodling. It all started with flowers, spirals, the sun and then she began to sing The Corr's song "Only when I sleep" in her head. As she sings the song in her head, she began to draw a person's eyes, a man's eyes to be precise. It was soft and beautiful, almost like staring at the one who drew it. Kaoru gazed at her artwork somewhat drowned at the intensity of the eyes she drew. She closed her eyes and imagined that the eyes were real, staring at her. Deep pools of blue, no, she wanted them purple, soft yet intense. Kaoru smiled with satisfaction but she was cut short of her musings when the bell rang.

Misao nudged her best friend as they stood up from their seats and asked, "Why are smiling?"

Kaoru turned to Misao and replied, "Oh nothing, I just thought of something beautiful."

Their class with Professor Goro ended and their next class was with Dr. Genzai. Dr. Genzai finished a Doctorate Degree on Literature and Drama. He is a kind old man and most of his students like him although he tends to be moody at times when his arthritis hits.

"Good afternoon class! We are not going to have a quiz today about Yasunari Kawabata because we are going to discuss the upcoming play organized by the History and Drama department headed by Professor Fujita Goro and me respectively."

Misao gave an audible sigh as she whispered to Kaoru, "Whew! Thank God! I really didn't study last night."

Dr. Genzai cleared his throat signaling Misao to keep quiet., "It is a combination of history and drama. History in the sense that we are going to use a historical character and we are going to place him on a fictional background…"

Kaoru, who was listening intently to the Dr. Genzai's speech, found her thoughts drifting away to those eyes whom she saw in her mind minutes ago. Misao, on the other hand, is engraving the word Aoshi on her arm chair using her kunai.

"…Since in history, we hardly learn about the personal life of that person, we are going to explore that in the play we are producing. Although the personal life we are going to portray is purely fictional, we are still going to take into consideration the historical background of that person. I know you are all wondering who I am talking about. Well, the story is about the infamous Hitokiri Battousai…"

When Kaoru heard those words, she was snapped out of her daydreaming and leaned closer to the board to hear Dr. Genzai's words more accurately.

"… Almost all of the History books say that the Hitokiri Battousai was one of the producers of the Meiji era and at the climax of the war he disappeared. No one knew what happened to him since then. Battousai was viewed as the perfect killing machine… not necessarily a human being. The purpose of this play is slow the humanity inside Battousai by showing a chapter of his life including his love…"

With this words, Kaoru began to space out. She closed her eyes and she was transported to another time and place.

Kaoru opened her eyes and saw herself in a garden sitting on a man's lap. She was wearing a blue kimono and the man she was with was wearing a pink gi and white hakama. It didn't bother her at all, in fact, it actually felt right. She was leaning on his chest listening to heartbeat, feeling his breathing. She traced her fingers at the opening of his gi and she sighed contentedly.

"I'll always love you Kaoru." The man said as he kissed the top of her head.

Kaoru looked up and saw the eyes that she was dreaming about earlier. She leaned in closer to take a closer look at those eyes and she leaned her forehead against his. They were so close that their breaths were mingling with each other. "I love you too…" She knew that there was something else she should say but she couldn't remember. In fact, she can't remember his name. As seconds passed, the face of the man became blurred and obscured. Fearing that she will lose this man, Kaoru leaned forward to kiss him. She slowly parted her lips as she neared his welcoming mouth.

"Whhhoooaahhh!!!" Kaoru shrieked as her chair fell backwards.

"Kaoru-chan! Are you okey!?" Misao hurriedly stood up to assist her somewhat messed up friend.

Kaoru nodded and bit her lip to restrain herself from bursting into tears… So it was all a dream… it felt so real. Who was that man? Why can't I remember his name or face?

She touched Kaoru's head to feel is she had a fever of some sort. "Kaoru, you're all flushed up! Are you sure you are okey?"

Dr. Genzai approached the two girls and said, "Kaoru, you don't seem to be feeling well. Misao, why don't you accompany her to the clinic?"

Kaoru grabbed Misao's arm for support as she tried to get up and sit again. "I'm fine Dr. Genzai, I'm sorry for bothering you in your discussion. Please continue, I am very interested with what you are saying."

Misao eyed Kaoru suspiciously but she just shrugged it off, "Whatever you say Kaoru but if ever you are feeling bad, just tell me okey?"

Dr. Genzai returned to his position in front of the class and continued with his discussion, "As I was saying, the title of the play is "Battousai's Kokoro". The basic story line is that while the Hitokiri Battousai is traveling to Hokkaido, he will meet a woman named Sakura. A mugger is threatening her but fortunately, Battousai sees her and rescues her. He brings her to her home and cares for her until she regains consciousness. In return for saving her life, she asked him to stay with her until his business in Hokkaido is finished. Meanwhile, a former Shinsengumi named Hajime Saitoh is hunting Battousai to fulfill the Shinsengumi motto Aku Zoku Zan. When Battousai found out, he left Sakura to fight his former enemy and to return to his home in Kyoto. However, because of his deep attachment to the woman he has met in Hokkaido, he returns home and they live happily ever after. That is the basic story line but Professor Goro and I are still arguing about the details of the story since Professor Goro wants Battousai to lose to Hajime Saitoh because he believes that the Mibu Wolves are better than the Battousai. I, on the other hand, wants Battousai to win the battle to be able to return to that girl… Oh, well, we are still working on the script."

Kaoru raised her hand and asked, "When are the auditions for the play and when will the script be finalized?"

Dr. Genzai replied, "Actually we plan to finish the script during the duration of the practices. So I guess, revisions are going to be made then and there. The actors and actresses should be flexible enough to respond to those changes. Moreover, the two major characters in this story are Sakura and Battousai. The auditions for the roles are scheduled tomorrow, 1:00 in the afternoon at the high school mini-theater. Slots for the production crew are also open for volunteers. If you have anymore questions, just go to my office and I would gladly entertain them."

Kaoru smiled inwardly. Hmm… maybe I should audition for the role Sakura. It would be a great experience. I wonder who will be good enough to play Battousai's part?

At the other side of the room, Misao bowed her head to hide her smile. Hehehe… Aoshi-sama would really suit the role of Battousai! And of course I'll be his Sakura! Oh Aoshi-sama! Stay with me in Hokkaido!

"Misao, what are you doing?" Kaoru said tilting her head to the side.

Misao blushed when she caught herself hugging her arms to tightly, "Sorry, hehe I was thinking of Aoshi-sama!" Misao winked.

Kaoru sweatdropped.

Author's Notes:

Konnichiwa minna-san!!! Please read and review!!! Also please read the fic "An Object of Obsession". I co-authored it with Crystal Okamino. Thanks!!

Well, in their world, they have no written data of Battousai's personal life… I just had an idea that what if they made a "fanfic", well not really, a sort-of literary fiction of what they think happened to Battousai after he "disappeared". They will address him as Battousai since I don't think that history books (in their world) have a record of Kenshin's name.

Constructive reviews and comments are welcome.

Special Thanks to Hana-chan who pre-read this and encouraged me to post this =) emails are also welcome! =)