Author's Notes: Hi! Hello, and thank you for your interest in this story. *bows in appreciation* Thank you thank you. Before you read though, I'd like to warn you of a couple of things. This is a Rurouni Kenshin story featuring the pairing Kenshin and Kaoru. The story is Alternate Universe, so prepare a lot of unusual things. For one thing I've reduced the age gap to nothing (shameless me, yes yes I know). Then the story's set in modern new millenia, contrary to RK's original timeline, Meiji 69. ^^x Just a warning though. You might encounter some swearing here, so please pardon.
So with that said, please proceed reading the chapter below. I hope you enjoy! If you do (or even if you didn't) please don't forget to leave a review. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. ^_^ Thankies!
Night Sky
by: Ezra
Standard disclaimers apply.
Chapter 1: Again
Kamiya Kaoru smiled as she stepped within the university's gates, a sense of accomplishment filling her. She had worked long and hard to get here, surviving a series of interviews and brain-wracking tests, beating a hundred or more students who had wanted to be in the same spot she was in right now. Indeed luck had been on her side, she mused, as she walked slowly towards the main building. She could see it all now, her graduating with honors and companies running after her to get them to work for her. She smiled to herself.
Getting in here was hard, and I am not going to let this opportunity slip, she thought. I will graduate with an accounting degree, and make everyone proud.
Quickly she climbed the steps to the main building and waited by a drinking fountain. Then someone came along, particularly a girl with green-tinted black hair.
"Kaoru-chan!" she called.
Kaoru whirled around in anticipation. Not to her disappointment was her good friend, standing a few meters away. She was waving her hand at her, clutching her sandwich and bag in another. Kaoru smiled. She was in the middle of breakfast.
"Shura!" Kaoru called back. "There you are. Let's go to the auditorium before we lose seats."
"Sure, in a minute," the other girl replied. "Let me just take another bite and we'll be off."
Shura took one last bite and proceeded to stuff the remnants in her schoolbag. It was then when she saw a flash of red, making her turn around in curiosity. There, standing a few meters from her was a guy with flaming red hair, wearing a black body hugging shirt and black pants. He walked past everyone in confident strides, catching every girl's eye as he did so. One look at him and Shura had formulated a one-word description that fit him perfectly: hot.
She was frozen for a split second before turning to her companion. Her eyes widened at the sight of Kaoru. There she was, glued to her spot, her eyes fixed on where the redhead had been. But her eyes held nothing such as admiration nor fascination for the man. Instead her sapphire orbs were cold, ice-like with fury.
"What's he doing here?" she heard her say.
"K-Kaoru-chan..." Shura could only stammer.
Himura Kenshin walked down the packed hallways in confident strides. He knew he was getting everyone's attention, both men and women alike. And he relished it. He delighted at the fact that the girls, especially, were fond of him and his good looks. He knew that ever since he was a child. As early as three, one of his female playmates had blurted out he was cute, pink suffused in her cheeks. At first he didn't mind, but as he grew older, he began to realize what a valuable asset good looks were.
All the girls he had passed by in the main entrance had stopped, swooned or looked at him with admiration. Except for one girl that is. He needn't find out who she was. In the back of his mind, he retained a little of what she had looked like. Long black hair that fell about her shoulders, fair skin and blue eyes... He knew too well who that girl was. It had been a while since they had last seen each other, four years to be exact. And in those four years she had indeed changed.
He shook his head slightly as he reached his destination, the auditorium. By the door he saw some familiar faces standing. There they were, three boys and two girls he knew very well. Yes, they had been waiting for him.
"Kenshin, how are you?" one of the boys asked, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder.
"Cool," was Kenshin's reply, a wide grin plastered on his face.
"Already eye-catching ne?" came one of the girls.
Indeed, he was. At that moment every other girl in the hallway was looking at him, all of them murmuring about who the redhead was and how hot he looked. Kenshin shook his head.
"Intoxicating seems more appropriate," said another feminine voice. "Girls have been swooning all over the place."
The men all grinned at Takani Megumi's remark as she flipped her hair nonchalantly and started fanning herself.
"This place is warm," she muttered to herself, fanning her hands a little harder.
"Here, you can borrow mine," said the other girl, handing Megumi a cardboard fan.
"Arigato Misao-chan," Megumi replied.
"Well what is there to expect from our number one lover boy?" said one of the guys beside Megumi.
"Sanosuke, some modesty please," Kenshin spoke. "It's my first day here at university and I don't want to slip up."
"Now look who's talking!" Misao giggled. The others started laughing as well, and laughed even harder at the small blush that crept through Kenshin's cheeks.
Just then, two girls began approaching the auditorium. As Sano noted, one was a girl with green-tinted black hair, a little tall, fair, good form and poise. One word description: cute. Then the girl beside her, also raven-haired, as tall as her companion, fair, poised and confident. It was her. He could recognize her anywhere, even though she wore her hair differently now. Albeit not used to seeing her long black hair bouncing loosely below her shoulder blades, she was the same girl he had not seen in so many years, only that she was changed.
"Jo-chan," Sano spoke. "It's been a while."
She stopped and peered into his eyes directly. Then she lowered her head a little and smiled.
"Sano, nice to see you again," she greeted. Then pointing to her companion, she said, "This is my friend, Shura."
"Nice to meet you," Shura grinned, bowing a little.
"Nice to meet you too," Sano replied. "We were friends, Jo-chan and I, back when we were kids."
"I-I see," Shura replied quite uncomfortably, taking a glance at her companion.
"You still remember the rest of us, don't you Jo-chan?" Sano continued. "No need for introductions."
"Yes, there is no need," Kaoru answered coolly. Her eyes moved from Sano, to Megumi, to Misao, to the other two boys she recognized as Ichiro and Tsunan, and then Kenshin. "It hasn't been too long, actually."
Misao flinched involuntarily, earning herself a hard pinch from Megumi. She bit her lip to keep herself from yelping in pain, and then hung her head low. Then there was an uncomfortable silence. No one wanted to speak. Misao looked sideways towards Kenshin, who had his head turned away from Kaoru. He was frowning.
"I'm sorry, we must leave now or else we'll lose our seats," Kaoru finally spoke so softly that it was scary.
"Hai, and we wouldn't want to be late. Kaoru-chan, let's get inside," Shura said, taking Kaoru's arm and leading her inside.
As soon as they had disappeared, Sano let out a heavy sigh.
"Air sure seemed humid," he remarked, flapping his shirt a bit. "Now I can breathe more freely."
The rest of them began to relax, and they started gathering their things to go inside. But Misao was nowhere near composed. Her breathing was getting quicker and she was starting to pale.
"Misao, are you alright?" Kenshin asked, his brows knotted in concern.
"I-I'm fine," she answered softly. Suddenly she bolted away from the group clutching her chest and breathing hard. Tsunan and Ichiro's eyes widened, Sano cursed and Kenshin looked away. Megumi's face hardened.
"Get inside, I'll follow Misao. She probably has asthma again," Megumi spoke, running after Misao.
The boys nodded, and went inside the dim auditorium hoping that Misao would be alright.
Orientation was like eternity. Sitting for two hours straight did not do justice to everyone's butts. All students were relieved once the emcee declared the event over, and they all moved out to go to their respective buildings. Kenshin was probably the most relieved that orientation was over, for when they went inside the auditorium, the only seats unoccupied were those behind the row Kaoru was seated. Talk about tension. Megumi arrived half an hour after orientation started with news that Misao had to stay in the clinic due to her asthma attack. It wasn't too serious, but the nurse had advised letting Misao stay for the next two hours.
The group went their separate ways: Sano off to the northern part of the campus with Tsunan for their civil engineering course, Kuro to the western part for his economics course along with Megumi, who was taking up medicine, while Kenshin and Misao to the eastern part for their business management and fine arts courses respectively.
It was Kenshin who volunteered to pick Misao up from the clinic and drive her to her building. After all, they were both headed in the same direction. He carefully ushered her to the front seat of his four-wheeler and drove. His radio was loud, but he didn't care. Usually Misao did, and under normal circumstances she would've toned it down. Then a fight on the radio's volume would ensue. But she didn't. She just sat in the front seat, quiet, immersed in her thoughts. Kenshin didn't like her quiet, and he knew what was bothering her.
"I know you blame me for what happened four years ago," he spoke.
"We're all to blame," was the soft reply.
Kenshin turned the volume down.
"You don't need to lie," he said, turning the wheel.
"We were all too shallow to understand her," Misao said. "She was more mature than we had expected."
"It was not our fault then."
She breathed in sharply almost startling Kenshin. Her vision suddenly blurred and a tear slid down her cheek. She hated it. She absolutely abhorred it. Why were these people too proud to accept they were responsible for ruining a beautiful friendship? Oh yeah, she thought bitterly. Kaoru-chan wasn't much of a loss. She wasn't as pretty as Megumi anyway.
"It was! When will you learn to accept the fact that you made a mistake?!" she cried.
"So it's us now, not you anymore," Kenshin retorted.
"Because I've already accepted the fact that I in particular made a horrible mistake!" she exclaimed, wringing her hands. "I made a mistake in not running after her that day and apologizing. I shouldn't have listened to you or Megumi!"
"There we have it! You're blaming me and Megumi for what happened!"
Misao stopped. Her face was hard.
"Let me out," she whispered, gathering her things.
Kenshin abruptly stopped the car and Misao walked out. He watched as she walked briskly towards the Fine Arts building some minutes away.
"Bullshit," he cursed, punching the wheel. After a few
minutes' thoughts, he drove off.
End of Chapter 1. To be continued!
