Oh yes, Its Uotani the fishie reliving! Oh em gee, yes people, I am still alive! Rejoice! Well to tell you the truth my computer got rebooted. Thus, everything got deleted. sigh and I had chapter five and half of six too. But, I couldn't upload it at that time because my rotten computer went against me and wouldn't let me do anything. But fear not! That is why I wrote this piece! It might indeed be very crappy, but please read. I did spend two hours writing this and trying to make this something almost meaningful. Anyways, I think this is one of my best one shots I've ever done in fact, I've only done about three so far... so please read and review! Thank you so much for patiently waiting…even though this isn't really what you've been waiting for but...yes...Well, I have to say, this story has some of the same key elements as The Glass Maiden, except it takes a very different approach. Kaoru's mother died almost in the same way that she did in The Glass Maiden, but Kaoru is not a very cold person in this, if she ever is at all. In this passage, she's very much naïve, and that's what probably changes Kenshin's life as an assassin.
Well, here we go! Don't mind flaming me. But, it will hurt,go on, I know you guys have fun doing that. No just kidding, I love all you people who read my stuff. And Thank you again!
(last note: btw, I was at first editing this from another story that was never really done and got let down by oh so many readers so I took it down...yeah..but now, this one shot turns out to be practically nothing like it) old story: Kenshin was a taxi driver because he didn't have money for school and Kaoru's some rich girl. this story: Kenshin is a pro assassin while Kaoru's just a normal, naive school girl.
Quite Complete
A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction by Uotani the Fishie
She stretched her arms into the summer sunlight, running into the puddles of the last night's rain. It was days like this, where nothing was wrong; nothing. One day, years from now, she wanted to be in the same place, at the same time, being able to stare into the sun like this. Peace. If only, the world would try cooperating with her.
"Ah! It's such a nice sunny day right? I'm going to over to Kana's, papa."
The man stood up, smiling, curling up wrinkles to greet his lovely daughter. He had watched her grow into a beautiful young lady, and he wished for her to be happy. Always. "Kaoru-chan, remember concentrate on your studies.."
"I've heard it already." She sighed, a way that you sigh, when something is just right. She smiled. "I know I have to be a successful girl when I grow up, then marry someone, and then have a happy life. But, I'd much rather go over Kana's house right now. We're making a cake for her Tou-san. It's his birthday soon."
Yes, that was his daughter. Never once did she shed a tear, of anything relating to the subject of love, hate, betrayal. In so many ways, she was fully mature, and adult like, but, in other ways, she was as small and delicate as a paper flower. But she was his daughter, and those were the reasons why he loved her so much. Never once, he shouted at her. She tried so hard, after her mother died. "One day, you will have to worry. You know how much I love you, so make the Kamiya family name honorable. But remember, always, be happy."
That was the first day of the summer. She went onto her bike, still grinning gleefully. She tied her hair up, and started to go across the street, down the highway. When she was alone, she always thought of the same thing. Everyone thought she was happy, and it was true, she was. But there was always something missing. She had friends, her grades were decent enough. The times when she thought of this though; it never lasted long. Before she knew it, she was near Kana's house. They were friends since middle school, it seemed such a long time ago...
And then, there was him. He had no emotion, he killed for the better. It was not that he enjoyed killing, but, that was what life told him to do. He had the talent. He was a born assassin. He was not happy. He never tried to deny that fact. Summer days like this, did not have a great impact on him. But today was the day. His five hundredth assassination. And then, he would be done. He would lead a normal life again. Slowly, his hands unfolded the piece of paper on which his assignment was written on.
"Himura, Kenshin.
500th Attempt.
Target: Misaki, Kubo
142 Sempu Avenue
Kyoto"
Kenshin went into his jet black car, carrying one gun and two swords. His specialty was swords. Hell, he was so well known in training camp for his swords, that gigantic men twice his size with guns wouldn't even go near him. He drove, thinking how this mission would affect his life. Every assassin was to do a limit of five hundred kills; if they had lasted that long and had not gone insane yet. But he was not insane. He just killed, and that was all. The last mission is usually not hard at all, it is suppose to be just like any other assassination attempt. The man he was about to kill was quite old, and was probably going to die soon anyways. But the company wanted him dead. He had done too much to corrupt the government, and the sooner he died, the better.
Suddenly, just when he was about to drive in front of the house, a sight astounded him. He pressed onto the brakes, and they screeched loudly. However, he was seconds to late. The girl had fell off her bike, due to the impact of getting hit by his car. Quickly, Kenshin opened the car door and came out, just to see a young woman with a delicate face and her hair held up high, clutching onto her legs. Then, when he bent down, he was even more shocked. Her face lit up and a struggled smile formed across it.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was riding, I'm fine! My god! I'm so glad I didn't get killed!" She smiled as if nothing was wrong.
He had to act casual. This was great, his last assassination, and this happened. Yet, the girl was so joyful; even after getting hit by a car. It wasn't her fault. It was his.
"Umm, Miss, do you want me to take you to the hospital?" He asked her quietly, giving some consideration. It was okay, if he killed the man just one-or two hours late; But nothing more than that.
Kaoru was shocked, as if it was unnatural for someone who just hit you with a car to ask to take you to the hospital. "No! No! That's fine! That would be too troublesome! Just look in my backpack in the back of my bike! There's a few rolls of bandages in there for emergencies! If you can just get them for me..."
He took the backpack out of her bike, and laid it in front of her, opening it up. Inside, indeed were rolls of bandages. And, she smiled even a bigger smile as she saw them, and reached into them, despite that her legs were bleeding. It came out. For the first time, in, perhaps, for the past twenty years of his life, he started to laugh, so dumbfounded by this girl's eagerness and optimism. At first, he carried her onto the sidewalk, along with her bike. He pulled over his car, and once again, she looked so amazed and grateful.
It took a while, and he helped her wrap the bandages around her injuries. Nothing was broken; he felt glad. He didn't realize it at that moment, but he was under her spell of happiness, not feeling any hatred, or anything else; and nothing could stop it. Once again, she did something strange-pulled out two oranges out of her bag.
"I think my body will have to adjust to these bandages for a while. So, I guess ten minutes will do." She handed him and orange, and he shook his head, waving his hand out indicating a no. But she kept offering it, smiling, insisting.
No one had ever done this to him before. No one. He was not used to it, not one bit. And yet, he took the orange, slowly peeling it.
"Thank you..."
"Blah! Don't say that! I should be thanking you! At least one of us was paying attention to the road! If you didn't see me, I don't know what I would do! I still have people to live for you know!" She chuckled, as if she was saying it in a jokingly way, but, in a serious way at the same time. He could not understand.
"People to live for? Why don't you just live for your own sake?" It was true. For him, there was no one to live for- no one.
She looked up into the sky, sighing. "Because, those people, are in a way, me. They are who I am, and if they loose me, or if I loose them, it wouldn't be...the same...that's something I learned years ago…"
A moment of silence followed, as he considered what she had just said. He hadn't ever thought of it that way. But, it was true. You are what people around you raised you as. She must have been raised, in such...happiness. So many girls were raised in happiness, he knew that. This girl though, it was like, her life was perfect.
She continued. "And anyways, today was important." Her tone of voice seemed to go a bit farther away, just a bit. "My friend, Kana, and I were supposed to make a cake for her father today. He is turning ninety one this year...I wanted to help her because this is probably, the last birthday he will get. Death is, really hard to face." Kaoru closed her eyes.
"What are you thinking about right now?" He said it, without any control. It just came out, just like that.
"I never got to make a cake for my mother. I was so stubborn to learn. Then I never got to make a cake for her...She was killed."
Kenshin's heart started pounding, as if it knew already what was coming..
"I was eight then. I remember…she was assassinated by a company that worked for the government. It was a mistake; turns out the assassination was suppose to happen next door."
A mistake. Nine years ago. An attempt to kill an ex-assassin Sayamu Tite, became a mistake, and he killed the woman next door. It was a vague memory, but he remembered. A woman, in her early thirties, protecting a girl. "Kaoru, stay with mommy!" She whispered. "Kaoru, don't die...mommy will be here with you...so live, honey, live...for everyone…"
Could this really be her-The daughter that the mother so vigorously tried to protect?
The girl in front of him said this in sadness, but kept eating her orange, with no tears at all. "But I'm glad, I'm so glad I'm still alive. I want to greet Kana's father for probably his last birthday. He'll die soon, but I'm glad I don't have to worry about seeing him...getting killed in front of me. He is like another father to me, and I want to be able to make a cake for him."
She stood up, walking slowly towards a house nearby, waving back at him. "Thank you very much, you are so kind. You sat and heard me babble forever!" And he genuinely smiled back. Then she stopped. "Hey, what's your name?"
Why are you so happy?
Why do you speak to me, someone who has already bloodied his hands?
"Oh..." He wondered if he should tell her his real name or not. Of course, he could. After this last assassination, it was over, no more stalkers or any killers after him. "Himura Kenshin."
"That's a beautiful name..." She giggled. "It was very nice meeting you. If only, I could meet more people like you, who wouldn't drive away if they hit me just a little like that. Ja, and, my name, is Kamiya Kaoru." She was indeed, so naive. Innocence had permanently tainted her.
Beautiful name?
Do you know what I've done to deserve it?
He kept looking at her, walking into the house. He could kill the man he had to right now, and so…
As he looked at the street, he realized he was already there. Sempu Avenue. He looked around for the house number, and then he saw it. 142. The girl had just stepped onto the doorstep of that house, greeted by another girl and an old man.
I'm still watching you from afar, but I can't understand this feeling…
I don't want you to be hurt once more.
He crumpled up the assignment, and went into his car. The assassin had no desire to complete his five hundredth kill. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a cell phone. He dialed a number, that he always dialed to inform if the mission had been done or not.
"Katsura-sama? Yeah. I already killed the guy. Yeah, I'm sure he's dead. No, I'll do the clean up this time. Yeah, it's fine. I'm coming back now."
He still didn't turn on the engine of his car. As he thought about the girl's name, her words, his sticky hands because of the orange she gave him, his head turned down, and he started crying.
Meeting you was like a dream, and I don't really want to leave…
"...Happy Birthday dear Daddy, happy birthday to you!"
"Thank you so much for helping me with the cake"
"No problem, it was great!"
"Hey, and who was that guy who was staring at you after you came into my house? It was scary!"
"Oh, don't worry about him. He was very nice, he barely hit me with his car!"
"What! He hit you with his car and you let him get away with it like that! I'm going to call the police and.."
"No! It's nothing like that! He didn't mean to and I said he could go! And, anyways.."
"Anyways what?"
"It was weird meeting him, like we were connected somehow, you know...?"
"Oh, whatever, you and your weird connections! You said the same thing to the store clerk the other day!"
"Hey I was kidding that time!"
She really wanted to see him again, on a bright summer day. And eat oranges together. But she probably would never meet him again. However...
She truly felt like they were connected. At that time, she could not say it, but to be she felt, quite complete.
I've realized, that I am not quite complete without you.
End.
final note:I dedicate this to vincent, and I hope you are always happy too.