As The Saying Goes…
Say What?
"Oh, god, look at that kid! He's a disaster!"
Kamiya Kaoru followed her best friend's line of vision, and immediately saw the boy she was talking about. Really, she would have probably noticed him without Misao's help. He was kinda hard to miss.
Having been taught well by her older sisters, Megumi, Okon, and Omasu, Misao declared almost everyone wearing anything but the best of trends, a fashion disaster. And this red-headed boy fit her definition by every tick of the long list of what not to wear.
A kelly green, plain t-shirt clashed strikingly with his fire engine red tresses. His hair was also long enough to rival Kaoru's. He had his bangs shadowing one eye, the left eye, and on his left cheek, was an inky black cross—clearly a tattoo.
He was wearing black shorts, which revealed pale, thin legs, fuzzy with red hairs. But for being so thin, his legs still appeared pretty muscular. They matched the rest of his exceptionally wiry frame, made clear by the thin fabric of the shirt.
White socks and gray Adidas sandals completed the ensemble. Kaoru pitied this poor boy, knowing that Misao would talk about him the rest of the bus ride home. Heck, she pitied herself too.
"I've never seen him on our bus before—do you know him, is he new? Think he'll let me give him a makeover? Kaoru?" Misao finally paused to see why Kaoru wasn't answering her. She noticed that the blue-eyed girl just looked exasperated; then she perked up a bit.
"Misao, hush! He's going to sit in front of us, I think. Just…be nice, okay?"
"I'm always nice!" Misao nearly yelled, just as the red-headed kid placed a hand on the seat in front of them, preparing to slide in. He looked at the two girls, the blue-eyed one grinning at him apologetically, and the green-eyed one glaring at her indignantly. They were both pretty cute, though he wasn't keen on the vociferous tone of the latter. Soft-spoken was more his type…
"Is that so?" he inquired, quirking a red eyebrow. He smiled genially, and met the second girl's surprised green eyes.
"Yes!" she insisted. The girl next to her sighed and rolled her eyes, to Kenshin's amusement.
"Well, then, I feel comfortable already, that I do…" he said, reaching out to shake her hand. "I'm Himura Kenshin. Just transferred here, from Haney High."
"Oh, geez, you have earrings too?" she asked, shaking his hand in three quick pulses.
"Oro?" Kenshin wondered what was wrong with his 'earrings'. His left one was a white cubic zirconium, set in silver, and the right was the same, but in black.
The one named Kaoru giggled. So he looked at her, to see her hiding her smile in her hand. When she pulled it away, conscious of the fact he was staring at her, he wondered why she covered it up. And wished she wouldn't.
"I'm sorry, did you just say 'oro'?" she inquired. Kenshin blushed a little, as he nodded.
"Yeah… Why?" He was gratified when she smiled again.
"My mom says that sometimes. I just thought she was the only person on earth! That is pretty funny…" She leaned back into the seat and smiled softly.
"I'm Kamiya Kaoru, by the way," she said a moment later. "And this incredibly nice girl is Makimachi Misao, my best friend."
"Hey," Kenshin said again. "So, what was that about my earrings, Misao-dono?"
"Uhhhh…" Misao suddenly felt a little guilty, after he called her such a respectful name, and used the same endearing expression as Kaoru's mom, her second mother. But, her honest nature was already taking over…
"Well, to be honest, it's your…unique style, Himura-san—"
"'Kenshin' is fine."
Misao smiled awkwardly, thinking, Of course…
"…Himura…" she "corrected".
"It's just, umm…strange, to be blunt. I mean, socks and sandals? Mismatched earrings? Green with red hair! C'mon, Himura, wake up! You really need some fashion intervention, forget about help!"
To both girls' amazement, Kenshin started laughing heartily, and fell into his seat as the bus began moving forward. They both leant over the edge of it, and stared at him cracking up, and turning even more red.
"Hey! What's so funny?" Misao asked inquisitively. She and Kaoru glanced at each other uncertainly, wondering about this weird kid more and more…
"Hah! It's just—HAH!" He shook with laughter a little while longer, before sitting up and wiping tears from his eyes.
"Sorry, girls, but do you really think…that I remotely care, about fashion?" Misao slowly began to frown.
"No…that's kinda what I was saying, wasn't it?"
"Yes, yes, but still… I've heard a million girls say what you just told me. And, I crack up every time.
"I can't fathom how hooked on clothing and appearance you girls are. And it makes me kinda sad, since I know it's because of us…the guys.
"I have a sister. Her name's Sachiko, and she's also new here, she's a freshman.
"…She's the one who dresses me, believe it or not. But, it's 'cause I like what she picks out. If I dressed myself all the time, I'd come to school in basketball shorts and a tank top everyday—that's what I sleep in.
"So, now you know…Himuras don't really care about what they wear, as long as it allows them to get cute girls to notice them for some reason or another." Kaoru and Misao blushed, and then the former leant further forward, saying, "Well, you could wear old newspaper, and I'm pretty sure you'd stick out, Kenshin. Your hair is kinda bright."
"Oh, yeah, that's true… Well, whatever works, you know?"
For the rest of the trip home, those three got better acquainted. Kaoru and Misao thought seriously about what Kenshin said, though his reasoning wasn't quite meant for them—as interested in looking nice as they were, they were both secretly tomboys at heart… And more than that, they were reasonable girls, who didn't let appearances deceive them.
Which was a good thing, since Himura Sachiko would strike anyone as crazy.
The girl was decked in a black and white checkered dress, complete with a red apron to match her auburn hair, and a large pearl necklace. Her silver converse completed the ensemble.
"Guess you don't have to wonder who my sister is…" Kenshin said, smiling knowingly, as they descended the steps of the bus together. He automatically reached back to give Kaoru a hand down, to her surprise.
"…Got that right," Misao said, in shock. "She's really pretty…"
"Thanks."
"…And you're definitely the more conservatively dressed of the two of you."
"…Uh, thanks, I think…"
"…Yeah…"
[A/N] So this was a really random idea. To be quite honest, I just wanted to write something that concerned Kenshin's appearance. And then the little moral lesson came in there somewhere along the way... The saying for this one is "You can't judge a book by its cover", though I know that isn't completely clear. But oh well, I like it the way it is! Being a writer is fun...so adventurous :) _caseyedith