MUST READ: EI GUYZ! SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING. IT'S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME SINCE I LAST PUBLISHED MY FANFIC. UGH! I'M REALLY ADDICTED TO SAMURAI X NOW. ANYWAY, ABOUT THIS FANFIC, IT'S ABOUT KENSHIN AND CORI'S (KAORU) FIRST, LET'S SAY THIS IS WHEN THEY FIRST MET EACH OTHER. BUT SHE DOESN'T REALLY KNOW HIM-YET. SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THAT HE WAS THE DREADFUL BATTOUSAI. ANYWAY JUST READ THIS FANFIC OF MINE AND JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF IT, OKAY? EI, I USED SOME JAPANESE WORDS THERE, SO YOU MIGHT REFER TO THE BOTTOM PART OF YOUR SCREEN OR WHATEVER. TO THOSE WHO KNOW HOW TO SPEAK AND WRITE JAPANESE THERE PLEASE BEAR WITH ME BECAUSE I'M NOT A JAPANESE AND I'M NOT CERTAIN OF THE SPELLING. CIAO!

p.s. this fic was sort of an experiment and this is my first ruruoni kenshin fic so please bear with me. don't expect too much...wehehehe...if you think this fic has not enough action, you're wrong. THERE'S GONNA BE ACTION AS THE STORY GOES ALONG...

"That good for nothing Taka, I-I'll show him…I'll show him!" murmured a frustrated woman of twenty-four as she hurriedly walked from a rather shabby restaurant, eyebrows crossed and fists clenched. She was quite tall but of how she moved seemed too boyish for a woman her age. Her long black hair tied in a ponytail with a blue neckerchief tied around it. She seemed so pretty yet for a man to look at her she would seem tough.

"How dare he do that to me? What am I to him anyway? A toy of his affections?" she continued to murmur, her face flustering red. She continued to walk fast, seeming not to care where she was going since her mind was focused on thinking about her ever-so-heavy problem. She still continued walking with her mind occupied with something else, not noticing that someone was behind her, taking also the same direction that she was heading to.

"…of course I'm beautiful, even though I'm not that sexy. How dare he…" the figure was fast approaching behind her. She continued to walk, not noticing someone fast approaching and she still continued to murmur. The figure was near her, running, carrying a sword and seemed so tired but still kept on running. In his hand was rather a big basket of what seemed like carrots.

She still continued on walking when all of a sudden someone knocked her and with a splash fell into a lake. Good thing it wasn't that deep.

"BAKA! Why don't you see where you're going!" she screamed furiously. (Boy, was that temper boiling!) The stranger reached out for her hand. She was drenching wet.

"Oh! I'm really sorry about that. You see, I was to deliver those carrots to someone who asked a favor from me. Sorry, miss, I didn't really mean to knock you down," he apologized as he pointed the carrots that were once neatly arranged in the basket, now scattered on the ground and helped her get up.

"You're drenching wet, maybe I can help you. I volunteer to walk you to your house. After all, it was my fault. I'm really, really sorry, miss," the man apologized again.

The woman felt a little shame, and forgave him, who she agreed to let him walk her home and helped him with those scattered carrots.

"You're not from here. I didn't see you around here before. Where are you from?" asked the girl to the man.

"That, I'm not really sure. You see, I'm a wanderer. I want to travel and see what fate has in store for me. Actually, I want to live in peace," he said and smiled at her.

The girl blushed and smiled, but turned into a frown when she saw his sword.

"Y-you're a s-swordsm-man?" she asked, a bit horrified.

"Oh, this?" he held his sword, "this is my sword that was once-uh, given to me. I use it to protect the innocent and the weak."

"But don't you know that it is prohibited to carry a sword in the streets? You'll get caught!" worried the girl.

"Oh, don't worry about me. It's not like it's for killing, it's just for protecting those who needed help."

The girl silenced for a moment. The stranger noticed this and tried to cheer her up.

For a stranger, he seems so peaceful and cheerful to those he had just met, like me. For a swordsman like him, he seems so kind and light-hearted.

"I'm sorry, miss, but I can't seem to help but notice you so angry when you were by yourself a while ago, and now you seem so sad. Maybe it would lighten you up if you could share it to me. I mean, if it's okay with you," smiled the swordsman.

The girl frowned and lowered her head.

"Oh! I apologize. It was really nosy of me to ask -."

"No, it's okay. Besides, I think it's better if you could share and let your emotions for a while, don't you think?" smiled the girl, "wait a minute, how about let's stop for a while under that cherry blossom tree? It's kind of tiring to walk for such a long distance – pretty much."

"But you're wet! You'll catch cold."

"Oh, this? It's nothing. Actually, it's not that wet, just a little damp, that's all."

"Wait, here," said the swordsman as he took a towel from the basket, "use this first. Although it may look a little shabby, at least it will bring you comfort."

And he gave it to the girl. The girl accepted it and they rested under the tree.

"Now this is enlightening, don't you think, miss?" smiled the swordsman at the girl.

There was a moment of silence, until…

"My fiancé l-left m-me," she confessed in a low voice.

The swordsman stared at her with pity and said, "A pretty girl like you? No way!"

"He left me for another woman…"

"Oh," said the swordsman and lowered his head, "well, maybe there's just a bit of misunderstanding."

The girl shook her head and stared at her feet.

"I just found out that he's been doing that for so many times behind my back. I-I d-don't know w-why…" she started to tremble.

"Miss, I'm not really good at this kind of stuff but I'm sure you two will work it out and everything's going to be back to normal."

"No. You don't understand. There was never a 'we' and definitely there's never going to be an 'us' in the future. I loved him so much and he's the only one I actually ever cared for and yet…why does this have to happen? Everything's g-gone…"

"I wanted to help you, but -."

Suddenly the girl flew her arms around the swordsman. The swordsman was shocked as tears started rolling down on her cheeks.

"I-I feel so t-terrible," whispered the girl.

The swordsman patted her lightly on the back and said, "Yes, you will really feel terrible but remember that even though someone crushed your spirits, it doesn't mean that he already crushed you. Instead of thinking about it, try doing worthwhile things like serving people or helping the weak. In that way, you can also forget about your problem. Besides, I think it will work out just fine because I believe you can be strong in times such as this, you just got to move on."

The girl finally released the swordsman and wiped her tears.

"Arigato," she murmured between sniffs.

"No problem, anytime at all."

They stared at each other for a moment when the swordsman remembered something.

"Oh no! I forgot I have to walk you home and still I have to deliver these carrots. C'mon, I'll walk you home now. Just tell me the direction, okay?"

"Okay," the girl agreed.

They set for the girl's house, and to keep her company he told her stories of his wanderings before: all the good people he met, the things he had learned from them and how one time he mistakenly thought it was a wild boar he was dealing with only to find out it was an old woman; fat and was wearing a shabby brown coat. Instead of reaching his destination on time, he ended up being chased by the poor old woman instead.

Finally, they reached the girl's house.

"It was really nice to meet you," smiled the swordsman.

"Well, actually it's suppose to be me who should say that and thank you for everything."

"You're welcome. That's the least that I can do for you."

The girl gave a smile.

"Well, miss, I have to go now. I still have to deliver these carrots before dark."

"Don't you want to stay first? You seem so tired."

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'll be fine on my own, Miss…aha!" laughed the man, " We've been talking like we've known each other for a long time and still I haven't got your name!"

"Oh! I haven't realized that until now…"

"Would it be impolite for me to know your name?"

"Oh! Not at all. My name is Kaoru Kamiya. And you?"

"Himura…Kenshin Himura."

"Kenshin Himura…that's not a difficult name to memorize."

"So are yours, and it's really a nice name."

"Thank you," the girl blushed and suddenly noticed something on the man's cheek, " I see you've got a pretty big wound there."

"Uh, this one? You see, I got it from…from tripping and falling flat in my face so that's where I got it."

"Oh dear…" the girl was startled.

"Oh no! Please, it's not that horrible really. Just that I was a bit clumsy back then."

"Oh, sorry…"

There was silence for a few moments, then…

"Well, I guess I have to get going now. Thank you for keeping me company, Miss Kaoru. I hope to see you again soon…sayonara!" and the swordsman took off.

Kaoru stared at the wanderer as he calmly and peacefully carried the basket of carrots in his hands as he was getting farther and farther before her eyes.

He was sure kind and humble for a swordsman. Yet, there was something in him that I can't seem to understand. She felt that there was something in Kenshin that was trying to conceal from her. Not that she wanted to know badly, she was just curious about that odd feeling when she was with him.

"Kenshin Himura…" she thought of the name again. Somehow she had heard of it before, but where? She wasn't exactly sure of it, but somehow he already existed in her life…or perhaps in her dreams. Could he be another name carved on Kaoru's heart?

Raindrops started to pour down. She didn't care whether she'll get wet as she stood her, still thinking about what happened earlier.

"The towel!" she suddenly remembered. She held the towel and stared at it. She was wondering when she would ever see him again. Kaoru can't wait to look into the eyes of the swordsman again.

Baka – idiot, moron, stupid

Arigato – thank you

Sayonara – goodbye, until we meet again

i know, kenshin was too open and Kaoru was too open too to a stranger she had just met. But i made Kenshin here appear to be approachable and thoughtful and helpful even to thise he had just met. anyway, he is really a kindred spirit just like in chapter 4...read on...