"Love is not blind – it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less."

Rabbi Julius Gordon

I could not remember the last time I wore a dress. A year, two? More? It was honestly not coming to me, as I stood outside the window of a dress shop, staring at the most gorgeous dress I had ever seen. It was a wedding gown, and it was hard to describe. But it reminded me of a beautiful winter scene, from the mountains. Or an ice goddess, or some such. The gown had long, chiffon sleeves that came down just below the wrist, and up the chiffon it had roses embroidered in light blue. The sleeves connected to a silky looking material. The neckline was cut in a v, and along the neckline were small, very light blue designs, that trailed down from the tip of the v, to the waistline. The rest of the torso was rather simple, and then the skirt.. I couldn't even begin to describe it if I stared at it for days on end, studying ever detail just so I could describe it to you. In the back, I could tell because there was a mirror behind the mannequin so that those looking at the dress could see the back, were tiny little buttons from the waist up to the very top. At the top of the skirt part, was a gorgeous bow embroidered with the light blue designs, and the skirt.. it flowed in layers of chiffon, with little hints of embroidery and chiffon. It had simple, long white gloves to match, and the veil was the same chiffon with light blue roses as the sleeves.

It was one of those wedding dresses that automatically throw a girl into the daydream of her perfect wedding, with the sakura petals floating down around as she walks slowly down the aisle towards the man of her dreams, all the while she's looking like a princess. That was what I was doing for fifteen minutes, staring longingly at the dress of my dreams. The brides maids would be in beautiful dresses of dark blue and light blue, with handkerchief skirts and no sleeves, the flower girl would be in a less sleek version of that dress..

"Oi!" I was thrown out of my daydream rather roughly, as the voice of a man shouted at me, and my heart began to race as I turned to face the man, my eyes wide. "Boy, what do you think you're doin'?" the rather rough looking man asked, crossing his arms and giving me a harsh, questioning look from underneath the brim of his hat.

"Ah, sir, gomen, I was just… ano.." I hesitated, trying to think of what sort of excuse I could have for staring so intently at a wedding dress. I ran my hand back through my hair, which just barely came down below my ears, and looked back at the dress. "It's just beautiful, and reminds me of a winter princess or something. I was picturing, my, uh.. girlfriend in it. We've been talking about getting married lately, and I've been looking for a good wedding shop." I stated, turning back to the man and grinning sheepishly. It was a good lie, I thought. Semi-believable, after all, some boyfriends probably did that for their girlfriends.

"I see," the man said, though I couldn't quite tell if he believed me or not. I prayed that he did, I didn't want to have to explain myself even further. "So, does your girlfriend like blue?" the man inquired after a moment, and I thought I could see a bit of a smile underneath his large mustache. I almost let out a sigh of relief, but instead just forced myself to grin widely, nodding.

"Oh, yes, it's her favorite color, that's why this one caught my eye, with it's little bits of blue everywhere. She has this ribbon of the same shade, only darker, that her father gave her before he passed away. She always wears it. Never takes it off, except to bathe," I said warmly, putting just a little hint of truth into my words.

"Well, good then. Hope you'd be willing to spend a good deal of money for your lady, this one ain't cheap," the man said with a rumbling, jolly laugh. He reminded me a bit of a rougher Santa Clause, with dark hair. I glanced back in at the dress, and a slight smile crossed my mouth, before I looked back to the man.

"Yeah, it doesn't look cheap," I said in agreement, with a slight laugh, before suddenly realizing exactly how long I had been gawking at the dress. My eyes widened, and I looked at my watching, before yelping and quickly rushing to my bike. "Is it really 12:22?! I am so late!" I cried, swinging my leg over the side of the bike, glancing back at the now confused old man. "Sorry, sir, but I must be going! I'm late for a delivery. I hope I see you again someday!" I called as I sped off in the direction of where I was supposed to be dropping of the lunch I was supposed to deliver fifteen minutes ago.

I, Kamiya Kaoru, was a girl disguised as a boy. Why? Well, it sort of came about six years ago, when I was fifteen. My father died, leaving me and my two sisters, Misao and Megumi, to fend for ourselves. Our mother died when we were very young. Even though Megumi was the oldest by two years, she wanted to go to college rather than to start working and taking care of us immediately. Misao, being three years younger than me, naturally couldn't start working, not to mention she's the sweet, hyper, fun-loving type. And then there was me. I was always a go-getter sort of girl, and so I decided that I would take over the role of the head of the family. And being the head of the family just works better if you're male, and so I started disguising myself as a boy. I took over our father's dojo, and I got many, many different jobs, which I still work to this day. Not to mention a few more than I had then.

So that leads me to my current situation. I was a food delivery 'boy', and it was the fifth time I was late to my delivery this week, and it was only Wednesday. I knew I should try to do better, but I couldn't help it if I got distracted, especially since I only got four to six hours of sleep a night, and that really added up. But as I rode, I knew that when I got back to the restaurant, I was going to be fired. My boss wasn't lenient.

I wasn't concentrating on the road, either. That is never a good thing, I've learned over my years of being a driver. Actually, I knew that even before I could drive, because it was rather obvious. You need to see to be able to drive, so obviously, you need to actually watch what you're doing. Even if your eyes on the road, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're doing it right. You have to have your mind more than halfway on what you're doing. My mind was three fourths of the way on the fact that I was most likely going to get fired, and so I didn't noticed the car stop in front of me until I crash head-first into the trunk.

"Oh, crap.." I muttered, from the pavement. Just what I needed! A cracked skull, along with – possibly – a broken bike and spilled food. The world was spinning slightly, and it was really no wonder, with that kind of a collision. I laid there, unmoving, for a moment, before deciding that I needed to get up before I got ran over.

"Hey, are you alright?" I heard above me, just before I was about to get up. It wasn't really what I was expecting; after all, I had done it to myself. Not like I had gotten hit by the car behind me, or something. I blinked my eyes open, and looked up at the owner of the voice. It was a man. He didn't just look like a normal man, though. He had long, brilliant red hair pulled into a low ponytail which was dangling over his shoulder, and the oddest color of eyes. Violet. He's so beautiful, I mused to myself, and I knew that a blush had gone across my cheeks as I stared up at him. He also had a cross-shaped scar on his cheek that I couldn't help wondering how he had gotten.

I stared up at him for who-knows how long, before I finally realized what I was doing, and went even redder, reaching up and taking the hand I just barely noticed that he had offered to me. "Ah, I am so sorry, I just.. I didn't mean to stare, but I hit my head, and, um," I stuttered, trying to think of some reasonable excuse a boy would have for staring at another man the way I was staring at him, besides being gay. "Thank you." It was pathetic, but it was all I could think of. Stupid, stupid, stupid..

"It's okay," the man said, pulling me to my feet, and I had to ponder that strength. He barely looked like he could lift an encyclopedia – those things are huge, you know? – and here he was, pulling me to my feet with one hand. I wasn't exactly the lightest girl, though I wasn't what you'd call fat by a long shot. Far more muscular than chubby. I was rather thin, if I do say so myself. But that's not the point, the point is he pulled me effortlessly to my feet, and I looked at him in confusion a moment. He blinked at my expression, and then said, "Oro? What is it?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm being really rude today. I was just confused at how easily you pulled me up, but obviously that's a little bit of a…"

"Oh, it's okay," he interrupted me, and I clamped my mouth shut, blinking at him as he just smiled at me. "I get that a lot." He stated, before looking down at my bike. I also looked down, and groaned out loud. I could see that the entire front end was smashed, which was not really surprising, considering how hard I hit the car. Stupid Kaoru! Thankfully, it looked as though the food hadn't spilled. "Do you.. need a ride?"

I jerked my gaze up to the man, and I once again found myself staring at him. I was beginning to think I was going to make a habit out of that. Oh, yes, you're a hot red haired man, I think I will stare at you until you awkwardly tell me to stop! I mentally huffed, but physically, I smiled bit. "Oh, I'll be fine. Really. I've kept you here long enough, and the people behind you are beginning to get annoyed." I told him, glancing around his shiny, obviously expensive, car to the many cars lined up behind his.

I blushed deeply, and bent down quickly, grabbing the food boxes from my bike, before grabbing the bike itself, and pulling it up. It was an amazing feat, and I really don't know how I managed it. I know I looked ridiculous, though. I was attempting to balance the bike while still holding the boxes of food, trying to keep them from slipping. I strained my brain, trying to think of how to do this.

"Here, let me help you," I heard, before suddenly I wasn't balancing the bike against my hip, and the man who had helped me up had moved away from me. I blinked, and turned my head in the direction of the sidewalk, where I saw the man standing, holding my bike. He just kept on helping me..

I was getting a little suspicious of him, but I had no reason to be. Sure, he was suddenly being so nice to me and he didn't even know my name – or gender, even, for that matter, haha – but that could just be his personality. I walked over to the side walk next to him, and set the boxes of food back on the bike, strapping them on, all the while thinking of why he would be so nice. He didn't know my gender, so it obviously wasn't a knight in shining armor complex. Or was it? Maybe he just helped everyone.

I was obviously lost in thought, because the next time he spoke, I nearly jumped out of my skin, and looked at him like a deer caught in headlights. He laughed lightly, and smiled apologetically, holding his hands up. "Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to startle you. I just was saying that, I should probably be going now. I'm expected somewhere, and.. I don't want to keep you from your delivery any longer. Ja na," he said, bowing ever-so-slightly in farewell, and I bowed slightly back, watching him as he turned, and got back into his car, driving off. I stared for a few minutes, before smiling slightly to myself, and looking down at my bike.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, my mysterious, handsome knight," I whispered to myself, mentally smacking myself at the cheesiness. But I felt more like squealing like a schoolgirl and chasing after him, than berating myself for thinking like that.

With a sigh, I decided that it was important to continue on my route, and examined my bike, summing up the damage. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't still ride it. If I continued using it for too long without fixing it, I would have to get a new one, however. Not like I had the money for that, though. Oh well, I was going to be fired from that job soon, anyway. And the others I just had to take the bus to get to. I could always put 'new bike' on my wishlist for future birthday presents. Future, very-unlikely birthday presents.

Pushing the bike back over to the road, I waited a moment until there were no cars coming, before throwing my leg over the side quickly, and taking off just as quickly. I didn't want to get run over, after all, and plus, the quicker I went the sooner I would get the deliveries done, and the sooner I would be fired.

Strangely, I wasn't fired. When I got to work, my boss told me that I had one last screw up before I was out of there. I grumbled to myself as I changed out of my delivery 'boy' uniform, and back into my usual simple t-shirt and worn-out jeans, glancing at myself in the mirror once I had finished changing clothes. I looked like a rather effeminate, thinner version of my father. I used to always say that I was beautiful, and all men would do my bidding because of my wonderful, feminine charms. I smiled softly at my reflection, missing my beautiful, long hair. I had always been a fiery tempered tomboy, sure, but I still liked being a girl. Especially when I thought about that beautiful, red haired strange that had sort-of saved me earlier. A deep blush crossed my cheeks, and I frowned, shaking my head vigorously.

"Now, Kaoru! You mustn't think of these things! Imagine if you had been still dressing like a girl, and if he was actually a pervert? What then! You would be in a very bad position. And you can't be thinking of romance right now, you have to take care of your sisters," I sternly told myself, wagging a finger at my reflection. I don't think I convinced myself very well, but I decided to buy it, and nodded once, sharply. Slapping my cheeks twice, I smiled widely, and turned, heading out of the changing room. Thankfully, the changing room was very private.

"'Ey, Kaoru, remember what I said. One more mess up an' yer outta here," my boss snapped at me as I passed him, and I came very close to flipping him off as I passed, but I just barely kept my hand down.

"Hai, Tommii-san," I said, bowing to him, before standing up straight, and walking out the front door.

Once outside, I barely kept myself from grabbing the nearest long stick, and running back in, to beat 'Tommii-san' into the ground. But the Kamiya Kasshin style was meant for protecting – self defense, others-defense – not for beating annoying-as-hell employers into the ground. Plus, who knew, that could be like planting him, and the idea of a Tommii Hachigoro plant was scary. It would grow miniature Tommii-sans, and I didn't want to subject the world to that.

Taking a couple of deep, calming breaths, I climbed onto my bike, and rode off towards home, hoping that I could make it through tomorrow with no mishaps. Of course, he'd threatened to fire me at least ten times by then, and hadn't yet, so I didn't really need to be worried, but there was always that off chance he could change his mind and instead of saying 'next time', saying 'you're fire'. I couldn't take that chance, either. Because then I would have to find another job, and I honestly didn't think I could. I'd searched long and hard enough for the last one, and just barely got it. Maybe I would become the librarian at my old high-school..

Before I knew it, I was home. The place that my sisters and I lived in was a very average house. The rest of it was a very simple place, with two rooms – one that Megumi had to herself, and one that Misao and I shared – a kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom. And then there was, of course, the dojo. I parked in our little sort-of-garage, and climbed off the bike, walking out and pulling down the large door, locking it once it was closed. Standing up straight once more, I looked up into the sky, and stretched my arms high above my head. It was good to be home. I smiled, and then proceeded up to the door of the house, humming a song as I did so. I was looking forward to just eating a nice, big meal cook by Meg, and then collapsing into bed and sleeping for the rest of my life.

"Kaoruuuu-chaaaan!" was the first thing I heard upon opening the door to my house, and I soon had my eighteen-year-old sister clinging to me in a hug. "You're home late! You didn't get fired, did you? Oh, if you did, I'm going to kill that rotten rat bastard Tommii!" she growled, pulled back from me, and producing a set of kunai out of – seemingly – nowhere, holding them threateningly. Ah, Misao, my forever genki younger sister.

"Mou," I mumbled, rolling my eyes slightly, smiling and laughing slightly. "Daijyoubu, Misao-chan, I didn't get fired. Today was just really busy." I sighed, and the magically-appearing kunai disappeared. I don't know where she put those things, and really, I didn't particularly want to know.

"Oh." She replied, obviously disappointed by the fact that she wasn't going to get to kill my boss. She visibly brightened after a bit, though, and smiled widely. "Dinner's almost ready!" With that, she turned and bounced into the kitchen/dining room. I watched a moment, before shaking my head, and headed into the room after her. I don't know where she got all of her energy from, but I wished I could borrow some. After all, all she did was go to school, and then hang out with friends afterwards. It wasn't really fair, I worked all day. Oh well. I walked into the kitchen, and flopped down at our Western style table, leaning against the back of the chair.

"Tsukareta?" Megumi asked me, glancing over her shoulder at me. I just nodded, muttering a 'tsukareta' in response. She nodded back, grabbing the many different delicious looking foods that she had fixed, placing them at different places on the table. I grinned widely, sitting up straight. With that, we dug in, kind of ignoring conversation at that moment.

Once we'd all pretty much finished our dinner, I sighed deeply, and sat back again, patting my stomach. "That definitely was good after such a hectic day.." I muttered, looking up at the ceiling above me, wondering a moment what the red haired stranger was doing at the moment. It was the first time I had thought about him since I was delivering the food earlier, and a small smile crossed my lips as I thought about him.

"Oooh, looks like Kaoru-chan had a better day than she is letting on," Misao teased, reaching over and poking my arm, making me look down at her with a dark glare, a light pink blush across my cheeks.

As I was about to retort to that, Megumi laughed her usual 'oh-ho-ho', and I could practically see a pair of fox ears sprout out the top of her head. "Did our little Kaoru meet a boy?"

My face went very bright red, and I felt like grabbing my boken and attacking her, but I knew that would just lead to more 'oh-ho-ho, maybe dear Kaoru should've been born a boy!'s and those sorts of arguments. They were regular things around the Kamiya household. I took a deep breath, and smiled tightly, an obvious twitch in my eyebrow. "Not like that, Megumi-chan."

She cocked an eyebrow, and the next thing I knew, they were both leaning onto the table towards me. I backed up into my chair slightly, my eyebrows raised a little. That wasn't exactly the response I was expecting. "So, you did meet a boy? Not like that, but you met one?" Misao inquired, and I rolled my eyes, but nodded slightly. "Sugoooi! Tell us about him!"

"Well.. I don't know his name," I stated, a dreamy smile on my lips. I had to let myself be a girl sometimes, you know. My sisters both made a quiet, teasing 'oooo', and I glared at them both, before smiling again. "But, he was beautiful. Not ruggedly handsome, like the kind I usually go for, but he had a certain… dangerous quality to him. He had a cross shaped scar on his left cheek," here, both of my sisters gasped quietly, "and his hair was really long. And, it was such an exotic color.. it was red."

"Red!" Misao exclaimed, placing her chin in her hands, her eyes wide. I could see the wheels turning, and I had to wonder what she was thinking. That is, I had to wonder until she voiced it, since she never really kept her thoughts to herself. "I wonder if he's Irish or something? Or if he just dyes it? It could be henna. What kind of a red was it?"

"It was natural. The roots were red, too," I stated, blushing lightly at the fact that I'd checked that closely.

"It could just be a really good dye job." Megumi stated, tapping her lips, while looking up at the ceiling. I just shrugged a bit, glancing down at the table. It didn't look fake to me, it looked real. "Anyway, continue."

"Arigatou," I said, before doing as she said. "I think it was natural. Even though, he didn't really look very foreign to me. I think he must have been at least half Japanese. He was pretty short, only about five three, and thin, but he was really strong. Pulled me all the way to my feet with just one hand. Oh! Have I mentioned his eyes? They were a gorgeous shade of purple."

"Purple eyes?" Megumi inquired, and I could see the fascination on her face. She shook her head slowly, and looked down at the surface of the table, before looking back up at me. "Wow, you really do get the interesting ones, don't you?"

I nodded slowly, laughing slightly. If only they knew how interesting he really was, with his slightly feminine voice, strong hand, obviously muscular physique.. he was just an enigma. I smiled deeply, wondering if I would ever meet him again. Probably not, but one could hope. I glanced at the surface of the table, before looking up at my sisters. "Yeah. Well, I'm gonna go to bed now. Have to get up early, you know." I said, scooting my chair back, before stretching slightly."Oyasumi nasai!"

"Oyasumi nasai."

A/N: Hello, hello! I haven't written a Rurouni Kenshin fan-fic in a long time, and I felt like writing one so badly I couldn't write on my Fushigi Yuugi fan-fic until I wrote this. I mean, I didn't even know what I wanted to write but I wanted to write it anyway. Haha. So.. this is obviously an AU, but that's not all. The characters may be slightly OOC, but that's because they've all grown up differently so naturally they're going to be a bit different. Also, this is lightly based on the Korean drama Coffee Prince, so if anyone has seen it and thinks I'm not being original but pretending to be, don't worry. I know I'm not. Well, I am slightly, I'm twisting both stories to my will. Hahaha. That's what fan-fiction's all about, though, right? XD Having fun with it. Well, I hope you enjoyed it! I might be more inspired to write the next chapter with a good review or two? That is if anyone even wants the next chapter. If you like it, let me know it's not a complete waste of uploading! And, I know the title is silly, but it's a play on 'Coffee Prince', and I literally couldn't think of anything else. I searched for forty-five minutes to think of that. x.x

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin(I just officially finished watching it by watching Reflection last night, and I was still a kid when it came out), or Coffee Prince. Or pretty much anything mentioned in here. Oh, and the quote at the top of the page? That's going to be a regular thing. It won't necessarily fit with the chapter, but there is always going to be a quote.