A/N: This is kind of a remake of this story that I wrote on my mom's laptop before it crashed many years ago so I hope you all like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own ANYTHING! I'm poor…:(
Forgetting Shinta
Chapter 1
The sky was a dark gray and thunder was booming loudly.
The rain was pouring hard.
Kaoru continued running.
She just knew it wasn't true.
The old fishing shack was in view and it was only a matter of time before she knew the truth.
Covered in mud and soaking wet from the cold rain, she opened the door...
"Earth to Kaoru!" Misao practically shouted in her ear.
"Wha?" Kaoru groggily sat up.
She'd had that dream again.
"You got a call from the studio and I guess they need you down there."
"But it's my day off!" She whined.
"Sorry!"
"I'm going." Kaoru climbed out of bed.
"By the way, Aoshi wants me to go to one of his business parties tonight and you better come with me."
"Why? Megumi and Sano would probably love to go." Kaoru groaned.
"Megumi's working the night shift at the hospital tonight and you know how I am around the people Aoshi works with!"
"It's not my fault that Aoshi's father was a big name in the music industry and that he left him a label when he died." She murmured.
"No, but it is your fault that I met Aoshi!"
"That'll be a funny story to tell the kids someday!" Kaoru called from her walk in closet.
"I'm glad you found it funny! Now just tell me you'll go."
"Fine." Kaoru sighed as she walked back out dressed in black pants and a short sleeved white dress shirt.
"Thank you! Maybe we can pick you up a date while we're there." Misao winked and followed Kaoru out of the room.
"You know I don't date." She made sure to grab her keys and cell phone before slipping on her black heels.
"I don't see why not? Whatever happened to you happened 9 years ago! And that's what you get for dating a foster child who was two years older than you!"
"End of discussion Misao. Now I shouldn't be long so don't burn the apartment down or Megumi and I will personally kill you." Kaoru warned Misao before leaving.
Kenshin attempted to dust off some of the boxes that he, Yahiko, and his father had brought into his new kendo school.
Hiko plopped down in the corner with a large thud.
He sipped the beer in his hand.
Yahiko sat down next to him, needing a break.
"Hey Kenshin, your brother found a box of your old junk in the closet the other day. You must have missed it when you moved into the new apartment."
"You had an old year book in there. What was with the short black hair? And your name! What kind of name is Shinta?!" Yahiko doubled over in laughter.
"See Kenshin, I wasn't the only one who thought that Kenshin was a better name than Shinta. That's why I renamed you when I adopted you."
"Yahiko's a strong name so I didn't have to be renamed when I was adopted!" Yahiko boasted proudly.
"Did dad tell you that you almost weren't adopted?" Kenshin shot back.
"What?!" Yahiko whined.
"Do you honestly think that I wanted another rebel? But Kenshin talked me into it. You were 11 then right?"
"Yes, and I was 17." Kenshin walked over and sat beside them.
"And now we're one happy family." Hiko put his arms around the boys' shoulders.
Kaoru typed in the last of her data on the computer before attending to another costumer.
For some reason the art studio was packed today.
"Thank you so much Kaoru, I was swamped and being new and all." One of the new employees sucked up.
"It's my pleasure." Kaoru peered down at her watch, the hours had flown.
"I'll take care of the rest if you need to leace."
"Thanks, I'll see you soon." Kaoru called as she began to walk home.
Misao was sitting on the couch talking to Aoshi on her phone when Kaoru arrived.
"Kaoru, I want you to wear that little black dress in your closet. You know the one that goes to your knee and has the sweetheart neckline." Misao said, still on the phone with Aoshi.
Megumi walked out in her blue scrubs, still a little groggy.
"I think Sano's going to come by later after he goes to the gym to pick up his phone so I told him you'd leave the key under the mat." Megumi said before leaving the apartment.
"Ok, we'll meet you there soon. I love you." Misao kissed into the phone before ending the call.
"Ok, let's get dressed and get going."
Misao led Kaoru into the country club.
Misao wore a strapless navy blue cocktail dress that came just below her knee while Kaoru wore the little black dress that she'd been instructed to.
Aoshi stood with some of his business partners, wearing a white button up shirt and black pants as usual.
"Let's just stay here for a while." Misao held onto Kaoru's arm.
Aoshi kept glancing over, telling Misao to come over, but she didn't move an inch.
"I think he wants you to come over there." Kaoru whispered.
"I know, but I'm going to make him come over here and greet me." Misao replied stubbornly.
"You're so weird. Could it be that you just don't want to make a fool out of yourself in front of all of Aoshi's peers?"
"No!"
When Kaoru peered back up Aoshi was at the bar.
"Now he's alone." Kaoru pushed her towards the bar.
"Megumi would never do this to me!"
"I'm not Megumi."
"I hate to break up the argument ladies." Aoshi appeared behind Misao holding a margarita and a glass of champagne.
"Aoshi." Misao turned around to come face to face with her charming boyfriend.
"I brought you something." Aoshi handed her the margarita and the champagne to Kaoru.
"Thank you." She murmured.
"Come to the bathroom with me Misao." Kaoru grabbed her hand and pulled her away.
Aoshi was left alone and slightly confused.
After making sure the bathroom door shut completely and that there was no one else in there Kaoru finally confronted Misao.
"What's wrong with you? You're acting like a school girl!"
"Oh my god Kaoru, I'm terrified! Aoshi's going to ask me to marry him and I'm so nervous! When he calls me in the morning I get jittery!"
"Ok, first off you need to calm down. I will find out what Aoshi's up to and try to prepare you. Now let's go." Kaoru once again grabbed Misao's hand and led her out.
Aoshi was standing outside overlooking the garden all by himself.
"Ok, you stay here and I'll go speak with him." Kaoru handed Misao her drink and began to walk away.
"Be gentle!" Misao called.
Aoshi had his eyes closed and his hands clasped together as he leaned over the railing.
"Aoshi, we've know each other since high school right?" Kaoru stood next to him.
"That's a stupid question." He didn't bother to open his eyes.
"Are you going to ask Misao to marry you?"
She heard him chuckle at that and he turned to face her.
"She's figured it out huh?"
"She's freaked and because you're like a brother to me, I'll tell her that that wasn't your intention so you can catch her off guard."
"Good, I plan to do it after this party. I'm going to take her to the park where you introduced us." Aoshi smiled at the memory.
"Ok, I'll go calm her down." Kaoru turned around and headed back to where she'd left Misao.
Misao practically jumped her when she got there.
"What'd he say?"
"Well, I told him that I was curious about your relationship and wanted to know what he intended to do and he told me that he thinks he likes the way you are as of right now."
"Thanks Kaoru! I was nervous there for a second."
"You should go home with him tonight, he's kind of stressed and would like your company."
"Ok, I'm going to go hang out with him then. Is that ok?"
"Yeah, I should probably be heading back to the apartment anyway. I'll probably have to help Sano find his cell anyway."
She watched Misao run and greet Aoshi with a peck on the lips and smiled.
True love, the one thing she was sure she'd never find.
Kaoru decided it was a nice night for a walk home.
She passed many buildings and signs but one happened to catch her eye.
She noticed a little dojo off to the side of the road and smiled.
Her father was a kendo instructor but when her parents divorced she rarely saw him due to how far away he was.
Peering down at her watch it was about 7:30pm and prayed it was still open.
She had something that the owner just had to have.
Her black heels clicked on the wooden floor as she stepped in.
There were still some boxes here and there but she figured that they had to be opening soon.
"Hello?" She called out.
A red haired man stepped out from the hallway.
"Sorry, we're not opened yet." He smiled.
"I know, it's just that I really love kendo, see my father teaches it, and I was just wondering if I could give something to your school. My grandfather was an artist and he painted this one picture that everyone loved of two samurai in a battle and he would never sell it. Well on his deathbed he told me that I was to find the painting a good home and I'd like to give it to your dojo. My name's Kaoru by the way." She extended her hand to him.
"That'd be wonderful. I'm Kenshin, the owner and instructor. My father is a retired instructor and taught my brother and I."
"It's great that there are still people in this world with a passion for kendo. I work down the road at an art gallery and I could probably get you that painting if you'd come down some time and ask for me. Here's my card." She dug a business card out of her purse and handed it to her.
"I'll be by soon. I'm interested to see your grandfather's work."
"I'll see you around then." She smiled before leaving.
Kenshin stared at the card.
"Kaoru Kamiya. That name's so familiar." He murmured to himself.
"Well, well, do I sense love for the first time since that skanky little miss that you dated not to long ago?" Hiko and Yahiko leaned against the wall by the hallway entrance.
"Tomoe is not skanky, we dated a long time."
"She dumped your sorry ass for someone with money. She's skanky gold digger."
"Think what you want father but she got her family to move when I got adopted because she wanted to be with me."
"That one has a better looking ass anyway." Hiko took a swig of whiskey.
"I'm not interested in her that way dad, she's just a fairly attractive woman with a passion for kendo."
"Suit yourself. Maybe I should chase that one then."
Kenshin and Yahiko rolled their eyes before heading off down the hall.
Misao and Aoshi sat in the back of his limo and relaxed.
It was about 9pm and they were both tired.
The limo rolled to a stop in front of a small park known as the Lily garden.
"What are we doing here?" Misao blushed.
"Come on, we haven't been here together since the day we met. I wanted to take a little walk." Aoshi grabbed her hand and helped her out of the limo.
"I was so embarrassed." Misao said as they strolled into the garden.
"And you think I wasn't a little surprised?" Aoshi led her down the path towards the bench in front of the fountain.
"I'm keeping by dress on so we're not going to relive it." She blushed as she sat down on the bench.
Aoshi sat across from her on the edge of the fountain.
"Misao, two years ago today, we sat here in this very spot and I fell in love with you. I remember when Kaoru called me and told me to come here because she wanted us to meet and when I got here I saw a beautiful woman sitting on the bench next to Kaoru, still a little wet from going swimming. I sat where I'm sitting now and that's when you took off your shirt because you had your bikini on under it. But somehow, it got untied and I saw a lot more of you than expected before even the first date. I can remember how flustered you were and I loved your quirky little attitude. You made me a very happy man that day and I'd like you to make me even happier by becoming my wife." He pulled a black velvet box out of his pocket and popped it open revealing an 18kt white gold 2ct TW round center diamond engagement ring. (A/N: It's a pretty ring, I found it at Helzberg's.)
"Oh my god." She place her hand over her mouth and stared at the ring in awe, it had to be pretty expensive.
Aoshi was nervous, what it she said no?
"Oh my god, yes! I just can't believe that you convinced Kaoru to lie to me." She took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger, making sure it fit perfectly.
"It wasn't that hard. Kaoru and I have been friends forever."
"I love you Aoshi." Misao jumped from the bench and kissed him.
"I love you too Misao."
"Now we just have to find some one who can make Kaoru as happy as you've made me."
"That's easier said than done."
A/N" Ok! That's actually my longest chapter even though it seemed a bit slow for my taste. Oh well... I hoped everyone liked it and next chapter we'll fall a little deeper into the dream. Please review!