The Tradition
By hye-kyo
Disclaimer: Nope, RK isn't mine…
Author's Notes: No plot here, just something I came up with after reading a book on Japanese romance and sexuality. I'm not really sure about the yobai thing I mentioned here. There was no mention of age. It was done during the Heian, if my memory serves me right, it is a way of getting a partner in marriage something like that. But anyway, there's really nothing to it, just a drabble I thought of posting. So there.
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Kaoru Kamiya knew that since she started her monthly menstruation things would change for her. At seventeen, she agreed to go through her first, and hopefully last, yobai.
It was dark. And being of peasant standing, she was obliged to leave her door unlocked for the night. She rested down, watched the ceiling and shuddered at every sound, at every crack, at every murmur. She was nervous. She was afraid.
She closed her eyes, hoped that sleep would come to her and prayed that Kami would allow her to dream of amethyst eyes again.
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Kenshin Himura looked around. Against the worries of his page he went out the palace, snagged his page's clothes and donned them on. He had been out the imperial palace before to appease his curiosity and but it only served to increase it.
He wondered around the square, saw some people drinking and decided to join them. He was told tonight was a yobai night. He quizzically joined the crowd, received a sake cup for himself and joined the conversation.
At twenty-eight he was told that he should've been married. He only laughed. One mentioned that he hadn't seen him before.
"I came to town just recently," he lied. He looked around and since everyone was already a bit intoxicated they didn't push the subject any further.
"I'm going to see Sakura-chan," one said.
And they started naming names when he was suddenly asked.
Kenshin laughed. He doesn't know. He was hoping he'd chance upon the girl he saw before. But the problem was he didn't know where she was living. He thought of asking but it might rouse something in their conversation since everyone knew who was pining for whom. He might be stepping on someone's territory.
Oh well, he'd just look for her himself.
He drank a couple of sake cups, watched as the men started leaving, heading off into the dark, into the unlocked doors of the women.
He stood up and decided to walk.
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Kaoru roused as the softest of whispers reached her ears. She shivered and not wanting to open her eyes she whispered, "Dare?"
There was a wordless murmur which only made her shiver more. She knew she should open her eyes. She was to accept this man, whoever this was, for it was according to the rules of the yobai. It was a tradition. This would assure her of a good marriage.
Kaoru didn't intend to sleep earlier, wanting to be on guard lest someone she doesn't want would come in, but tired as she was she fell asleep even before she thought of not doing so. So here she was, caught off guard.
She slowly opened her eyes, prayed so hard that she'd find amethyst eyes.
"What is your name?" the man whispered, his frame hovering above her.
Kaoru was struck. Had Kami really answered her prayers? Or was she dreaming? Had she prayed so hard that she was now dreaming?
"I am Kenshin," he whispered, breath so close she could smell sake and something sweet she couldn't name.
She choked her own name. This was the same man she saw nights ago near the well. She looked for him but he was nowhere in the village. Who was this man?
"I'll leave if you tell me to," he said, his mouth so close that it felt like he was kissing her with words. "There's someone you might want to—"
"S-stay p-please," it was her fear of not seeing him again that made her speak. She gently held on his gi.
A smile curled up his lips, "Hai."
"K-Kaoru…" she whispered, "My name is Kaoru…"
"Beautiful name." And she felt the faintest of pressure on her lips. It was a kiss. A kiss much better that she had ever dreamed. She unconsciously closed her eyes.
He chuckled softly, "I've seen you near the well."
She nodded, remembering nothing but the kiss.
"I came back to see you."
She opened her eyes, looked deep into his and asked, "D-doushite?"
He smiled, "I couldn't explain. Let me show you instead." And he kissed her again.
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A/n: So nothing much eh?