Disclaimer: I confess to Almighty Minna-san that I do not own Rurouni
Kenshin and its characters. They rightfully belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-
sensei so don't sue me. I only write this kind of stuff for entertainment
purposes only.
Author's greetings: When I went home this afternoon, I watched TV with my nephew and niece while my younger brother played Pokemon in the PC. That's when the idea for this fic hit me. What if Kaoru was a prostitute and Kenshin met her in a nightclub? There's a little bit of lesson here too… I think. Don't worry, there's no lemon here. Just pure blah, blah, blah. Now read on and enjoy. PUH-lease review too.
WARNING: I dunno… tell me if this fic contains a bit of OOCness, okay?
Rating: PG (though ratings will vary as the story unfolds)
Love Me As Who I Really Am
Chapter I: The First Time I Met You
"Are you really serious about this, Kaoru?" Misao asked her best friend, eyebrows furrowing in worry. "I mean, Dad and I are always ready to help you. You can leave this cramped flat and move into my house. You could bring your brother, Yahiko with you, even though he's a total pest. What are best friends for?" Misao stood up and walked towards her best friend's tattered bed and sat down beside her. "Please, have mercy on yourself, girl."
Kaoru shook her head from left to right. She peered into Misao's face. "Misao, I am eternally grateful for Okina and your help. Okina took my brother and me in since our parents died when I was thirteen. But I'm nineteen now. I'm of legal age and have to live through my own earnings. Yes, I don't have to pay for my college tuition because I'm a full scholar. But I want to support Yahiko and send him to school myself. Please understand. Kindly respect my decision." She took Misao's hand and held it in her own.
Misao remained silent for several seconds. Finally, she looked up into the older girl's face. "Why don't you live with the daughter of your mom's best friend? Wasn't it you two were quite close when you were still children?" She asked Kaoru hopefully.
"Who? Megumi?" Kaoru asked, surprised the younger girl brought the topic up. But she shrugged the idea off. "No. She can't take us in. As you know, her parents died with my parents when that building… exploded. She had gone through a trauma then. Yeah, we're still close, but she's not that sweet as before. And she's struggling to survive, too. She's only twenty-three and is training to be a very good doctor in some hospital in New York." Kaoru explained.
"You do communicate, right?" Misao inquired.
"Right." Kaoru replied smiling.
"But…"
"Please, Misao, I know what I'm doing."
"JUST TAKE SOME OTHER JOB!" Misao exploded.
Kaoru covered her ears with her hands. "Misao, can you shout, like, any louder?"
Misao stood up and began pacing around the room. She paused and stared worriedly at her best friend. "Do you really want to be a common prostitute? Sell your body? Let some guy take your virginity away?"
"Do you think I would want to be called a prostitute?" Kaoru stood up and looked out the window. "Los Angeles doesn't seem like the City of Angels at the moment." She sighed.
"How did Yahiko take it?" Misao asked unexpectedly.
Kaoru didn't answer.
'You haven't told him yet?!" Misao asked disbelievingly.
"I don't know where to start!" Kaoru shrugged. "You know him. He'll explode."
"I know what you mean, girl. But, can't you just be a cashier or a waitress or something more DECENT?"
Kaoru sighed heavily. "They won't take me. I only want part-time work. They want those who'll work full-time. And anyway, they said I scare the customers away." She chuckled. "I wonder what they meant?"
Misao chuckled with her. "I told you. Lose that tiger-look, sister." Then she became serious once again. "Promise me one thing."
"What?" Kaoru sat once again on her bed and retied the laces of her shoes. Her black shoes actually reached the top portion of her ankles with two inches-high heels. She had on a black hanging top with a V-neck, exposing the creamy skin from her slender throat to below her collarbone and brown, leather, fitting pants that hung to her slim thighs like second skin with the portion from knees down to her feet in a flared style.
Misao stared at the older girl. *My best friend doesn't deserve to be a cheap prostitute. I'm gonna persuade her to stop this madness soon. *
"I said what is it, Misao?" Kaoru stood up and faced her squarely.
"Huh? What? Uh, I mean promise me this. Puhlease, don't let them touch you." Misao said with this really serious look on her face.
"Touch the who of the them? What are you talking about, Misao?" Kaoru cocked her head to the side curiously.
"I said promise me that you won't let those men touch you." Misao smiled. "Talk them to sleep instead."
Kaoru smiled. "Trust me. My body's reserved for my future husband." Then they both giggled their heads silly.
Suddenly, the door swung open. "What're you guys guffawing about?" A boy about the age of eleven walked into the small room, skateboard in one hand. He had spiky hair and had on a loose orange shirt and loose khaki pants.
"Shut up, Yahiko." Misao glared at the younger boy.
Yahiko stuck his tongue out at Misao. The seventeen-year-old girl muttered something, which nobody could surely understand.
Then Yahiko saw that his sister was all dressed up. "You guys going somewhere?"
Kaoru nodded. "Yeah, it's almost lunch. Misao and I are going out to eat on a nice restaurant. Come on, come with us." She added, grabbing her bag from the bed.
"Why not. Though it would be better if some weasel would just stay behind." Yahiko said innocently.
Misao bonked Yahiko on the head hard. "Brat! I'm gonna pay for what you eat so respect me!"
@@@
"Loosen up, Kenshin." Sano tried persuading his auburn-haired friend as they were walking along the hallway. "You've been working hard since we joined the FBI. Why don't you just come with the group to the nightclub tonight?"
"I told you, Sano, I've got too much work to do." Kenshin said as he quickened his pace, still holding the folders that held important files in one hand. "And I'm not interested."
"Come on! Aoshi's coming too." Sano filled him in as they entered the open door.
Kenshin tried walking faster than his friend and reached his table. He sat down on his chair and set the folders on the table and opened them one by one. "Why don't you go on ahead if you want to spend the night in that club that you call… what do you call the club again?"
Sano let out a chuckle. "It's called… the Seduction Hall." He said with this really dreamy look in his eyes. "Man! You gotta come along! You hafta! I tell you, man. There are lots of hot babes and sexy chicks in this club." Sano moved his eyebrows up and down in a wicked way.
Kenshin didn't answer. He was looking into some files about the cases of whomever.
"Kenshin! Are you coming or what?" Sano asked impatiently.
Kenshin didn't take his eyes off the files he was looking into. "I don't care if there are HOT BABES or SEXY CHICKS in that hall of yours but that club is clearly just a red-light district."
Sano sighed. "Come on, Kenshin. Enjoy life while your still alive."
Kenshin heaved a heavy sigh, and then closed the folder he was looking into. He looked up to his friend. "Since you won't stop irritating me, Sano… okay, I'll come with you. Now let me work." He opened the folders again and burrowed his nose into it.
"How could you say that to me, man? I'm your partner, remember?" Sano said, resting his hands on the table.
"Let me work." Kenshin said abruptly.
"Sure. Oh, I think you should stop working now. It's already lunch break. Come on. Let's go outside and eat. Your treat. I think I could ask Aoshi to come with us. The more, the merrier, right?" Sano joked.
Kenshin sighed once again. "When you're around, Sano, I can't seem to finish my job."
Sano placed his right arm around Kenshin's neck and dragged him away from his table. "Come on!"
"Oro!" Kenshin muttered as his face gradually turned purple with suffocation.
@@@
"Sano, you couldn't always eat for free, you know." Kenshin told Sano.
Sano shrugged. "Don't worry, man. I'll pay you back."
Kenshin smiled in amusement. "You presently owe me two hundred and seventy five dollars."
Kenshin, Sano and Aoshi were sitting on Table V in a nice restaurant called Oishii Cuisine. This restaurant serves both oriental and western dishes. And as usual, Sano was the one who ordered for the group.
"I said I'd pay you back, OK, Kenshin. Yo! Waiter! Waiter! Can I have some service here please?!" Sano waved at the waiter impatiently. "Good, you're here."
"What will you have, sir?" The waiter said grandly, a small pad of paper in one hand and a ball pen in the other. Kenshin suppressed his laughter when he saw the waiter's toupee. The waiter handed the menu to Kenshin, but Sano snatched it away from him.
"Hey! I do the talking here!" Sano said.
"It would be nice if you could also do the paying." Kenshin commented, amused.
Sano glared at him. Then he shifted his attention back to the waiter. "OK, listen up. I'd like three plates of beef steaks and—"
"Beef steaks? Aren't those expensive, Sano?" Kenshin cut in.
"Let me finish, Kenshin. Three beefsteaks, two glasses of orange juice and a glass of ice tea. Get it? And make quick!" The waiter nodded at Sano and left.
"Oro…" Kenshin muttered.
Sano grinned broadly. "Leave it to me, man. I know what I'm doing."
Aoshi looked out into the glass window with an impassive expression on his face. He rested his elbows on the table and glanced around the restaurant warily.
@@@
"C'mon! Let me order!" Yahiko told Misao.
"No way! You'll gobble up everything anyway, even your sister's!" Misao answered hotly.
Kaoru laughed to herself. The three of them were seated on Table XI in Oishii Cuisine, and Misao and Yahiko were arguing on who should do the ordering. The waiter was scratching his head in confusion.
Finally, the waiter handed the menu to Kaoru. "Will you please order for your friends, miss?"
"Sure. Ah… we'll have pasta and french-fries… and three large glasses of soda." Kaoru said slowly, scanning the menu with her fingers. She nodded affirmatively at the waiter.
The waiter smiled and took the menu from her. Then he turned his back on them and left.
Misao sighed. She glanced around the restaurant. Suddenly, her eyes rested on a certain dark-haired, impassive-looking guy with icy, blue eyes. She nudged Kaoru on the ribs.
"Kaoru, check out those guys at Table V." Misao jerked her head towards Aoshi's direction.
Kaoru followed her gaze. She saw the guy Misao was referring to all right, but her eyes rested on a certain redhead. But she just shook her head. "Stop fantasizing, Misao." She laughed at her best friend.
"I think the auburn-haired one is gorgeous too." Misao said, wiggling her fingers.
"Quit it, Misao." Kaoru replied shortly. "Anyways, I think I'm going to ask that waiter to give me three glasses of water too." She stood up and walked briskly towards the waiter who served them earlier. "Um, hi." She said uncertainly.
The waiter turned around and smiled at her. "What is it, miss?"
"May I please ask for three glasses of water?"
"Certainly." He went into the kitchen and after several seconds, he came back with three glasses of cold water placed on a metal tray.
"Here, I'll take it." Kaoru offered, taking the tray from the waiter. She began turning around but she suddenly collided into someone and she lost her balance.
"HEY!" She lost grasp of the tray and it clattered to the floor and the glasses broke.
"Weren't you watching where you're going?" She asked, rubbing her hip. Her eyes widened when she saw a glint of red.
The man had scrambled up and had held his hand out to her. "Sorry, my fault."
She took his hand and stood up herself. She recognized him as the redhead from Table V. She looked down and saw the broken glasses. She sighed, annoyed. "Oh, great… " She muttered. She stooped down and picked the broken pieces one by one and placed them on the metal tray.
The redhead bent down himself and helped. "Sorry, I wasn't aware that you were in front of me. I'll pay for the damage, miss."
By now, two waiters were already helping them pick up the broken glass pieces. "It's okay, miss, sir. We'll handle it." The waiter was saying.
Kaoru felt like all eyes were on her. She and the man stood up. "I'm sorry. Here take this." The auburn-haired guy handed a few dollars to the waiter. "And please give the lady another three glasses of water."
The waiter nodded. "I will serve them with what you ordered, miss." Then he left for the kitchen.
"Sorry for the trouble." He was saying.
That's when Kaoru realized he had amazing amethyst eyes. She forced herself to look away. "No harm done. Anyway, thanks for… um… that…" Kaoru stammered, blushing lightly.
"Don't mention it."
She smiled at him and began walking towards her table while the redhead turned around and entered the men's restroom. She sat down and took a deep breath.
Yahiko looked at her, left eyebrow raised. "You okay, Kaoru?"
She sighed. "Yeah."
Misao giggled. "Nice move!" She managed to say.
"Quit it, Misao." Kaoru said, then she giggled.
"So… isn't he gorgeous?" Misao asked, resting her elbows on the table and setting her chin on the back of her hands.
Kaoru shrugged. "I think." Then she smiled secretly.
@@@
Kenshin supported his weight on the tiled sink. *She's extremely beautiful. I've never felt like this before. *
He had decided to go to the men's restroom. While walking quickly towards the restroom, he had looked down to his shoes and had realized it was dirty, suddenly remembering that Sano 'accidentally' stepped on it this morning.
He had suddenly crashed into someone and fell down to the floor face first. "ORORORO!" was all he could muster. He heard a woman shout and the sound of glasses breaking. When he saw her sapphire eyes, he couldn't bear to take his gaze away from them.
She seemed so familiar, yet he was sure he hadn't seen her before. Her expression was innocent, yet there was a teasing smile forming on her lips.
*Maybe it was just my imagination. * Kenshin sighed, then, washed his hands, letting the cool water from the metal faucet run through his fingers. When he helped her up, the touch of her hand seemed so… familiar. *Where did I meet her? When did I meet her? *
He ran his hand through his hair and sighed deeply.
Suddenly, a hand settled on his right shoulder. "HUH?!" Kenshin jumped back slightly in surprise. The hand jerked away from his shoulder.
A man he had never met before was at his back, looking at him tentatively. "Uh, any problem, handsome?" The man winked at him.
"Uh, yeah… uh, gotta go!" Kenshin turned the faucet off and virtually fled out of the restroom. He began to walk rapidly back to their table. He sat down apprehensively.
"What was that all about, Kenshin? I see you're beginning to learn how to make a move on… hot babes. I told you. Just listen to what I teach you." Sano gave him a thumbs-up.
Kenshin ignored Sano's remark. "Some gay made a move on me in the restroom, though."
Sano burst out laughing. Aoshi's expression didn't change. He just turned his head to look into Kenshin's direction.
Seconds later, the waiter arrived with three plates of beefsteaks and three glasses. Kenshin sighed and began eating his steak slowly.
@@@
Kaoru gazed into Table V's direction. She stared at the auburn- haired guy who was slowly eating his steak. She had to admit… he's gorgeous. His hair was tied up into a tight ponytail. He's wearing a navy blue polo shirt with the first two buttons unfastened at the top and black loose pants. *Oh, stupid! I don't even know his name! *
Misao nudged her on the ribs. She was jolted out of her reverie. "You're daydreaming, girl."
"Oh, sorry." She looked out the glass window.
"Man! Where's that waiter?" Yahiko crossed his arm before his chest and furrowed his eyebrows impatiently. Suddenly, the waiter arrived with their food. "Man! I thought it'd take forever!" Yahiko muttered under his breath.
"I'm sorry, sir." The waiter said with confidence, smiling slightly at Yahiko as he set the dishes on the table. Then he left.
"Let's eat everybody!" Yahiko said energetically. He rolled the pasta into his fork and began shoving the fork into his mouth.
"KAORU!" Somebody called from across the room. Yahiko's fork froze halfway to his mouth. All three looked up. Kenshin and Sano turned around themselves to see who called and whom the caller was referring to.
Kaoru's and Misao's eyes widened in surprise as the person began walking towards their table.
TBC
Author's notes: Hi. Chapter I is finished. I'm really glad I was able to finish this. I hope you guys liked it. This is only my third fic; I just wanna know if I made any improvement in writing. Anyways, I still love all of you guys.
Until next time. AISHITERU!
REMINDER: PLEASE REVIEW, I'LL BE LOOKIN' FORWARD TO IT.
lieveit1 '^-^
Author's greetings: When I went home this afternoon, I watched TV with my nephew and niece while my younger brother played Pokemon in the PC. That's when the idea for this fic hit me. What if Kaoru was a prostitute and Kenshin met her in a nightclub? There's a little bit of lesson here too… I think. Don't worry, there's no lemon here. Just pure blah, blah, blah. Now read on and enjoy. PUH-lease review too.
WARNING: I dunno… tell me if this fic contains a bit of OOCness, okay?
Rating: PG (though ratings will vary as the story unfolds)
Love Me As Who I Really Am
Chapter I: The First Time I Met You
"Are you really serious about this, Kaoru?" Misao asked her best friend, eyebrows furrowing in worry. "I mean, Dad and I are always ready to help you. You can leave this cramped flat and move into my house. You could bring your brother, Yahiko with you, even though he's a total pest. What are best friends for?" Misao stood up and walked towards her best friend's tattered bed and sat down beside her. "Please, have mercy on yourself, girl."
Kaoru shook her head from left to right. She peered into Misao's face. "Misao, I am eternally grateful for Okina and your help. Okina took my brother and me in since our parents died when I was thirteen. But I'm nineteen now. I'm of legal age and have to live through my own earnings. Yes, I don't have to pay for my college tuition because I'm a full scholar. But I want to support Yahiko and send him to school myself. Please understand. Kindly respect my decision." She took Misao's hand and held it in her own.
Misao remained silent for several seconds. Finally, she looked up into the older girl's face. "Why don't you live with the daughter of your mom's best friend? Wasn't it you two were quite close when you were still children?" She asked Kaoru hopefully.
"Who? Megumi?" Kaoru asked, surprised the younger girl brought the topic up. But she shrugged the idea off. "No. She can't take us in. As you know, her parents died with my parents when that building… exploded. She had gone through a trauma then. Yeah, we're still close, but she's not that sweet as before. And she's struggling to survive, too. She's only twenty-three and is training to be a very good doctor in some hospital in New York." Kaoru explained.
"You do communicate, right?" Misao inquired.
"Right." Kaoru replied smiling.
"But…"
"Please, Misao, I know what I'm doing."
"JUST TAKE SOME OTHER JOB!" Misao exploded.
Kaoru covered her ears with her hands. "Misao, can you shout, like, any louder?"
Misao stood up and began pacing around the room. She paused and stared worriedly at her best friend. "Do you really want to be a common prostitute? Sell your body? Let some guy take your virginity away?"
"Do you think I would want to be called a prostitute?" Kaoru stood up and looked out the window. "Los Angeles doesn't seem like the City of Angels at the moment." She sighed.
"How did Yahiko take it?" Misao asked unexpectedly.
Kaoru didn't answer.
'You haven't told him yet?!" Misao asked disbelievingly.
"I don't know where to start!" Kaoru shrugged. "You know him. He'll explode."
"I know what you mean, girl. But, can't you just be a cashier or a waitress or something more DECENT?"
Kaoru sighed heavily. "They won't take me. I only want part-time work. They want those who'll work full-time. And anyway, they said I scare the customers away." She chuckled. "I wonder what they meant?"
Misao chuckled with her. "I told you. Lose that tiger-look, sister." Then she became serious once again. "Promise me one thing."
"What?" Kaoru sat once again on her bed and retied the laces of her shoes. Her black shoes actually reached the top portion of her ankles with two inches-high heels. She had on a black hanging top with a V-neck, exposing the creamy skin from her slender throat to below her collarbone and brown, leather, fitting pants that hung to her slim thighs like second skin with the portion from knees down to her feet in a flared style.
Misao stared at the older girl. *My best friend doesn't deserve to be a cheap prostitute. I'm gonna persuade her to stop this madness soon. *
"I said what is it, Misao?" Kaoru stood up and faced her squarely.
"Huh? What? Uh, I mean promise me this. Puhlease, don't let them touch you." Misao said with this really serious look on her face.
"Touch the who of the them? What are you talking about, Misao?" Kaoru cocked her head to the side curiously.
"I said promise me that you won't let those men touch you." Misao smiled. "Talk them to sleep instead."
Kaoru smiled. "Trust me. My body's reserved for my future husband." Then they both giggled their heads silly.
Suddenly, the door swung open. "What're you guys guffawing about?" A boy about the age of eleven walked into the small room, skateboard in one hand. He had spiky hair and had on a loose orange shirt and loose khaki pants.
"Shut up, Yahiko." Misao glared at the younger boy.
Yahiko stuck his tongue out at Misao. The seventeen-year-old girl muttered something, which nobody could surely understand.
Then Yahiko saw that his sister was all dressed up. "You guys going somewhere?"
Kaoru nodded. "Yeah, it's almost lunch. Misao and I are going out to eat on a nice restaurant. Come on, come with us." She added, grabbing her bag from the bed.
"Why not. Though it would be better if some weasel would just stay behind." Yahiko said innocently.
Misao bonked Yahiko on the head hard. "Brat! I'm gonna pay for what you eat so respect me!"
@@@
"Loosen up, Kenshin." Sano tried persuading his auburn-haired friend as they were walking along the hallway. "You've been working hard since we joined the FBI. Why don't you just come with the group to the nightclub tonight?"
"I told you, Sano, I've got too much work to do." Kenshin said as he quickened his pace, still holding the folders that held important files in one hand. "And I'm not interested."
"Come on! Aoshi's coming too." Sano filled him in as they entered the open door.
Kenshin tried walking faster than his friend and reached his table. He sat down on his chair and set the folders on the table and opened them one by one. "Why don't you go on ahead if you want to spend the night in that club that you call… what do you call the club again?"
Sano let out a chuckle. "It's called… the Seduction Hall." He said with this really dreamy look in his eyes. "Man! You gotta come along! You hafta! I tell you, man. There are lots of hot babes and sexy chicks in this club." Sano moved his eyebrows up and down in a wicked way.
Kenshin didn't answer. He was looking into some files about the cases of whomever.
"Kenshin! Are you coming or what?" Sano asked impatiently.
Kenshin didn't take his eyes off the files he was looking into. "I don't care if there are HOT BABES or SEXY CHICKS in that hall of yours but that club is clearly just a red-light district."
Sano sighed. "Come on, Kenshin. Enjoy life while your still alive."
Kenshin heaved a heavy sigh, and then closed the folder he was looking into. He looked up to his friend. "Since you won't stop irritating me, Sano… okay, I'll come with you. Now let me work." He opened the folders again and burrowed his nose into it.
"How could you say that to me, man? I'm your partner, remember?" Sano said, resting his hands on the table.
"Let me work." Kenshin said abruptly.
"Sure. Oh, I think you should stop working now. It's already lunch break. Come on. Let's go outside and eat. Your treat. I think I could ask Aoshi to come with us. The more, the merrier, right?" Sano joked.
Kenshin sighed once again. "When you're around, Sano, I can't seem to finish my job."
Sano placed his right arm around Kenshin's neck and dragged him away from his table. "Come on!"
"Oro!" Kenshin muttered as his face gradually turned purple with suffocation.
@@@
"Sano, you couldn't always eat for free, you know." Kenshin told Sano.
Sano shrugged. "Don't worry, man. I'll pay you back."
Kenshin smiled in amusement. "You presently owe me two hundred and seventy five dollars."
Kenshin, Sano and Aoshi were sitting on Table V in a nice restaurant called Oishii Cuisine. This restaurant serves both oriental and western dishes. And as usual, Sano was the one who ordered for the group.
"I said I'd pay you back, OK, Kenshin. Yo! Waiter! Waiter! Can I have some service here please?!" Sano waved at the waiter impatiently. "Good, you're here."
"What will you have, sir?" The waiter said grandly, a small pad of paper in one hand and a ball pen in the other. Kenshin suppressed his laughter when he saw the waiter's toupee. The waiter handed the menu to Kenshin, but Sano snatched it away from him.
"Hey! I do the talking here!" Sano said.
"It would be nice if you could also do the paying." Kenshin commented, amused.
Sano glared at him. Then he shifted his attention back to the waiter. "OK, listen up. I'd like three plates of beef steaks and—"
"Beef steaks? Aren't those expensive, Sano?" Kenshin cut in.
"Let me finish, Kenshin. Three beefsteaks, two glasses of orange juice and a glass of ice tea. Get it? And make quick!" The waiter nodded at Sano and left.
"Oro…" Kenshin muttered.
Sano grinned broadly. "Leave it to me, man. I know what I'm doing."
Aoshi looked out into the glass window with an impassive expression on his face. He rested his elbows on the table and glanced around the restaurant warily.
@@@
"C'mon! Let me order!" Yahiko told Misao.
"No way! You'll gobble up everything anyway, even your sister's!" Misao answered hotly.
Kaoru laughed to herself. The three of them were seated on Table XI in Oishii Cuisine, and Misao and Yahiko were arguing on who should do the ordering. The waiter was scratching his head in confusion.
Finally, the waiter handed the menu to Kaoru. "Will you please order for your friends, miss?"
"Sure. Ah… we'll have pasta and french-fries… and three large glasses of soda." Kaoru said slowly, scanning the menu with her fingers. She nodded affirmatively at the waiter.
The waiter smiled and took the menu from her. Then he turned his back on them and left.
Misao sighed. She glanced around the restaurant. Suddenly, her eyes rested on a certain dark-haired, impassive-looking guy with icy, blue eyes. She nudged Kaoru on the ribs.
"Kaoru, check out those guys at Table V." Misao jerked her head towards Aoshi's direction.
Kaoru followed her gaze. She saw the guy Misao was referring to all right, but her eyes rested on a certain redhead. But she just shook her head. "Stop fantasizing, Misao." She laughed at her best friend.
"I think the auburn-haired one is gorgeous too." Misao said, wiggling her fingers.
"Quit it, Misao." Kaoru replied shortly. "Anyways, I think I'm going to ask that waiter to give me three glasses of water too." She stood up and walked briskly towards the waiter who served them earlier. "Um, hi." She said uncertainly.
The waiter turned around and smiled at her. "What is it, miss?"
"May I please ask for three glasses of water?"
"Certainly." He went into the kitchen and after several seconds, he came back with three glasses of cold water placed on a metal tray.
"Here, I'll take it." Kaoru offered, taking the tray from the waiter. She began turning around but she suddenly collided into someone and she lost her balance.
"HEY!" She lost grasp of the tray and it clattered to the floor and the glasses broke.
"Weren't you watching where you're going?" She asked, rubbing her hip. Her eyes widened when she saw a glint of red.
The man had scrambled up and had held his hand out to her. "Sorry, my fault."
She took his hand and stood up herself. She recognized him as the redhead from Table V. She looked down and saw the broken glasses. She sighed, annoyed. "Oh, great… " She muttered. She stooped down and picked the broken pieces one by one and placed them on the metal tray.
The redhead bent down himself and helped. "Sorry, I wasn't aware that you were in front of me. I'll pay for the damage, miss."
By now, two waiters were already helping them pick up the broken glass pieces. "It's okay, miss, sir. We'll handle it." The waiter was saying.
Kaoru felt like all eyes were on her. She and the man stood up. "I'm sorry. Here take this." The auburn-haired guy handed a few dollars to the waiter. "And please give the lady another three glasses of water."
The waiter nodded. "I will serve them with what you ordered, miss." Then he left for the kitchen.
"Sorry for the trouble." He was saying.
That's when Kaoru realized he had amazing amethyst eyes. She forced herself to look away. "No harm done. Anyway, thanks for… um… that…" Kaoru stammered, blushing lightly.
"Don't mention it."
She smiled at him and began walking towards her table while the redhead turned around and entered the men's restroom. She sat down and took a deep breath.
Yahiko looked at her, left eyebrow raised. "You okay, Kaoru?"
She sighed. "Yeah."
Misao giggled. "Nice move!" She managed to say.
"Quit it, Misao." Kaoru said, then she giggled.
"So… isn't he gorgeous?" Misao asked, resting her elbows on the table and setting her chin on the back of her hands.
Kaoru shrugged. "I think." Then she smiled secretly.
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Kenshin supported his weight on the tiled sink. *She's extremely beautiful. I've never felt like this before. *
He had decided to go to the men's restroom. While walking quickly towards the restroom, he had looked down to his shoes and had realized it was dirty, suddenly remembering that Sano 'accidentally' stepped on it this morning.
He had suddenly crashed into someone and fell down to the floor face first. "ORORORO!" was all he could muster. He heard a woman shout and the sound of glasses breaking. When he saw her sapphire eyes, he couldn't bear to take his gaze away from them.
She seemed so familiar, yet he was sure he hadn't seen her before. Her expression was innocent, yet there was a teasing smile forming on her lips.
*Maybe it was just my imagination. * Kenshin sighed, then, washed his hands, letting the cool water from the metal faucet run through his fingers. When he helped her up, the touch of her hand seemed so… familiar. *Where did I meet her? When did I meet her? *
He ran his hand through his hair and sighed deeply.
Suddenly, a hand settled on his right shoulder. "HUH?!" Kenshin jumped back slightly in surprise. The hand jerked away from his shoulder.
A man he had never met before was at his back, looking at him tentatively. "Uh, any problem, handsome?" The man winked at him.
"Uh, yeah… uh, gotta go!" Kenshin turned the faucet off and virtually fled out of the restroom. He began to walk rapidly back to their table. He sat down apprehensively.
"What was that all about, Kenshin? I see you're beginning to learn how to make a move on… hot babes. I told you. Just listen to what I teach you." Sano gave him a thumbs-up.
Kenshin ignored Sano's remark. "Some gay made a move on me in the restroom, though."
Sano burst out laughing. Aoshi's expression didn't change. He just turned his head to look into Kenshin's direction.
Seconds later, the waiter arrived with three plates of beefsteaks and three glasses. Kenshin sighed and began eating his steak slowly.
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Kaoru gazed into Table V's direction. She stared at the auburn- haired guy who was slowly eating his steak. She had to admit… he's gorgeous. His hair was tied up into a tight ponytail. He's wearing a navy blue polo shirt with the first two buttons unfastened at the top and black loose pants. *Oh, stupid! I don't even know his name! *
Misao nudged her on the ribs. She was jolted out of her reverie. "You're daydreaming, girl."
"Oh, sorry." She looked out the glass window.
"Man! Where's that waiter?" Yahiko crossed his arm before his chest and furrowed his eyebrows impatiently. Suddenly, the waiter arrived with their food. "Man! I thought it'd take forever!" Yahiko muttered under his breath.
"I'm sorry, sir." The waiter said with confidence, smiling slightly at Yahiko as he set the dishes on the table. Then he left.
"Let's eat everybody!" Yahiko said energetically. He rolled the pasta into his fork and began shoving the fork into his mouth.
"KAORU!" Somebody called from across the room. Yahiko's fork froze halfway to his mouth. All three looked up. Kenshin and Sano turned around themselves to see who called and whom the caller was referring to.
Kaoru's and Misao's eyes widened in surprise as the person began walking towards their table.
TBC
Author's notes: Hi. Chapter I is finished. I'm really glad I was able to finish this. I hope you guys liked it. This is only my third fic; I just wanna know if I made any improvement in writing. Anyways, I still love all of you guys.
Until next time. AISHITERU!
REMINDER: PLEASE REVIEW, I'LL BE LOOKIN' FORWARD TO IT.
lieveit1 '^-^