Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all its characters are not mine... unfortunately. It's Watsuki-sama's and I'm thinking to ask RK from him for my birthday. Hehe...
Chapter 1: The Plan
Kaoru sighed. I can't believe Chief Okubo practically begged Kenshin to go and fight Shishio Makoto. She watched as the redheaded rurouni hung the now-clean clothes. Can't they see he's now living in peace? Just because he was Battousai during the Tokugawa Era means that he still Battousai...
"Kaoru-dono?"
And can't they understand he's not going to kill anyone again? Even that vile moron Shishio who wants to conquer Japan?
"Oro... Kaoru-dono?"
And Kenshin can't possibly defeat Shishio in a fair fight with a no-killing rule... what were they thinking? Mou! Will Kenshin leave? Will he leave me? No-yes-
"K-kaoru-dono!"
"What!" she snapped. Baka Kenshin! Can't he see I'm mulling over a problem concerning an oblivious redheaded rurouni? Baka... he obviously doesn't care about me! Baka, baka...
Kenshin winced. "Oro... sessha just wants to know what's bothering Kaoru-dono, that he does..."
"Oh." Her voice softened. Did I mention that he is very sweet, too? "Don't worry, Kenshin. It doesn't matter anyway."
"But it matters to sessha when Kaoru-dono is sad..." he said softly. He stared at her intensely. "Sessha has been watching Kaoru-dono..."
Her heart skipped a beat, but then she sighed again. A friend... just a friend... "I'm not sad, Kenshin." she forced herself to say. "Just... lonely."
"Ah..." He nodded. "Sometimes, sessha feels lonely, too..."
"You do?" she asked, surprised.
"Hai. When sessha's lonely, sessha can't sleep... sessha stays awake at night 'til morning."
Baka Kenshin... that's just too many sessha's... I hate the word! "I see. I don't know why you're lonely, Kenshin, but you shouldn't be. There are so many people who love you like Sano, Yahiko, Megumi, Ayame, Suzume, and... and many more..." she mumbled.
"What about Kaoru-dono?"
"Me?" She almost choked on the word. Of course I love you! You're so dense, really, Kenshin... "What about me?"
"Why do you feel lonely?"
"Oh. I thought..." She shook her head. "Don't worry about me, Kenshin. I told you I am fine."
He took her hand gently. "You don't look fine... tell me what's wrong."
She looked at him, blinking. "K-kenshin..." It could be so easy to spill out her heart to him right now. But there was always that nagging thought in the back of her mind. Rejection. He will leave. I know he will... and then... and then he won't come back... "Just go... please..." she pleaded, snatching her hand away. Go... before the tears fall... please...
He didn't seem to realize that she was trying to hold herself back from crying. Worried at her unusual behavior, he pushed back her ebony hair from her face. "Kaoru-dono? What-"
Something inside her snapped. "Leave me alone." she said harshly. Why won't you go! her mind screamed.
"Demo Kaoru-dono, sessha-"
"Go away!"
"What's-"
"Fine." She stood up, her eyes flashing. "I know you don't care!" I know you don't care about me! "Go and fight Shishio and die!"
"Shishio? What?" When did it suddenly come to this? "Kaoru-dono-"
"I HATE YOU!" she hissed, her eyes flashing. She stormed away, ignoring Sano who was passing by.
"Hey!"
"Sessha... sessha cares, Kaoru-dono... sessha cares..."
"Sooooo, what's with Jou-chan? Why does she hate you?" Sano asked curiously, removing the ever-present fishbone from his mouth.
"Sano," Kenshin started, staring at the place where Kaoru had left. "Do you think I don't care for Kaoru-dono?"
Sano did something between a laugh and a snort. "Kenshin, buddy, you're practically kissing the ground jou-chan walks on..."
"Oro... sessha doesn't kiss the ground Kaoru-dono walks on- much..." Kenshin mumbled, blushing.
"And even a blind man could see that you're all over her. I mean, man! You're almost drooling at the sight of her..."
Kenshin fought a much deeper blush from coming forth. He decided to ignore Sano's last statement instead. "But why can't Kaoru-dono see how much sessha cares?"
"Well, she's practically as dense as you are, you know..."
"Sessha isn't-"
"Stop!" Sano interrupted. "First of all, Kenshin, drop the sessha. I'm sick and tired of this 'I'm unworthy' crap. Jou-chan probably is, too. You're the best for her, got it?"
"Sessha-"
"NO!"
"Oro... I am?"
Sano put an arm around Kenshin. "Yes you are, moron. I mean, imagine some guy with jou-chan... can you picture it in your mind?"
"Yes..." the redhead said slowly.
"Good. They're holding hands, then they're kissing. What do you think, Kenshin? Kenshin?" Sano glanced at his friend, then shivered. The rurouni's eyes were swirling with amber, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Wow... Saitou should give me an award or something. I can transfrom Kenshin to Battousai even without a fight...
"Sano, I swear, if someone touches Kaoru-dono, I WILL forget my vow with absolutely no hesitationand kill whoever he is." Kenshin growled icily.
Sano grinned, as Kenshin's eyes calmed down to amethyst. "Told ya, pal. Now do you want some advice on your boring, dull, and seemingly hopeless love life?"
Kenshin stared at him blankly. "What?"
"Ooookay. In my opinion, you should tell jou-chan you love her." Sano said bluntly.
"O-oro! Am I that obvious?"
The gangster shrugged. "Pretty obvious, if you ask me. I know you love her, pal. Everyone- except jou-chan- knows you do. Really, Kenshin, jou-chan's worried about you. Even though she's young, she knows what love is. And SHE- LOVES- YOU."
"How can you be so sure?" Kenshin asked doubtfully. "She IS young. How can she like me? You could do much better for her."
"Kenshin, Kenshin, Kenshin." Sano said exasperatedly. For being the deadliest hitokiri in Japan, he sure is stupid... "I'm trying to help you out here, so don't pass everything to me. I'll give you three reasons why I'm NOT good for jou-chan." He raised a finger. "One, she's just like a little sister to me." Two fingers. "You'll kill me. I mean, how can I do much better for her when I'm dead?"
"Oro! Sano! I'm not going to kill you for that!" Amethyst turned to steely blue- Battousai warring with the rurouni persona. "I'm going to torture you slowly AND painfully, you'll wish you were never born." Sano was horrified to see Kenshin give a smile that can only be called EVIL. "And because I have a non-killing vow." Kenshin added cheerfully. He blinked. "Oro?"
"Riiiight." Three fingers. "She won't be happy, and jou-chan's happiness is very vital here."
He nodded. "Sessha could die peacefully if sessha knows Kaoru-dono is happy."
"Yes, I mean- NO! YOU ARE THE ONLY KEY TO HER HAPPINESS! And stop using SESSHA!" Sano thundered.
"ORORO! H-hai. Sano, are you sure about this? You heard Kaoru-dono. She hates me." Kenshin sighed. "She has told me to go and fight Shishio and die. I don't want her to hate me more."
"She won't hate you more than she hates kendo." Sano assured. "And she doesn't want you to fight Shishio. Trust me on this. I'm a love counselor."
"You can't even solve your problems with Megumi-dono..." Kenshin muttered.
"WHAT?"
Kenshin pasted his innocent look on his face. "Oro?"
"Just tell her, buddy. She wants to hear it from you. I have a plan." Sano lowered his voice to a whisper. "It's almost suppertime. After eating, I'll take the little brat away so you'll have some quality time with jou-chan. I'm trusting you to do it."
"Do what?"
Sano winked. "You know what I mean."
Kenshin frowned. "In fact, I don't know what you're talking about. What? Tell her I love her?"
"Nooo..." He whispered, something to Kenshin's ear.
"NANI? Ororororo! Sano, don't talk about Kaoru-dono like that! Sessha will not do anything! Sessha won't!"
Sano sweatdropped. "Ok, ok! Don't get so damn hysterical, buddy! Just... um... do what you want to do. And I don't want to hear SESSHA AGAIN!"
"H-hai! Thanks, Sano."
"No prob."
"Hey, Jou-chan..." Sano started, finally stopping from wolfing down his food. "Can I take the lil' brat to my place tonight?"
"Sure, whatever." Kaoru answered without looking at him, her tone clipped. "Just make sure he's back for his training."
"Hey!" Yahiko protested. "Don't I have a say in this? I feel like I've been borrowed."
"No. I'm sure you want to go to Ruffian's Row." Kaoru snapped. Stupid Kenshin. He didn't even care to follow me... baka! She stole a glance from him, only to find out he was looking at her too. She gave him a heated glare.
"Ouch." Yahiko muttered. "What's wrong, busu?"
Kaoru ignored him. Kenshin's shoulder's drooped. "It's hopeless." he mouthed to Sano.
"Busu! Why're you ignoring me now?"
Kaoru took a deep breath. "Shouldn't you be happy I'm ignoring your ugly and rude comments?" she hissed venomously. "Do you want to get bruised or what?"
Yahiko gulped. "Uh, no. Sorry."
Sano took out a jar of sake from somewhere. "Hey! I brought some sake for us! Lighten up!" Kenshin tore the jar from Sano's grasp, the began chugging it. "Kenshin!"
Yahiko's mouth gaped open. "Whoa."
Sano grabbed Kenshin. "Wake up, you stupid rurouni! This isn't in the plan!" he muttered.
"Orororororo..." Kenshin wheezed.
"I can't believe he emptied the whole jar..." the kid commented disbelievingly.
"Baka Kenshin..."
Sano shrugged, seeing this as an opportunity to get the two alone. "Let's go, kid. Don't worry jou-chan. I'll send him here first thing in the morning."
Yahiko snickered. "Bye, bye, busu. Have a good time! Hehe..."
"Matte!" They have already left. "Mou..."
"Kenshin, you're heavy..." Kaoru grumbled, plopping down tiredly on Kenshin's futon. She closed her eyes. "Baka Kenshin..." The door suddenly closed.
She gasped. "Who's there?"
"Kaoru..."
--------------------------------------------------
a/n: so, do you like it? this is my first general fic! is everything ok? if you like it or you want to give some comments- no flames, please!- you can give me a review, ne? hehe... plz review! arigato gozaimasu! i'll update soon!