Standard disclaimers apply! It's Gonna Rain! belongs to Bonnie Pink. 13 reviews in one chapter?! I've broken my record of 6 reviews a chapter!!! WAIII!!! Onna is happy!
Ne, dementedchris, sorry for the outburst and thanks for the e-mail. :P
Kenshin: Thank goodness, no torture this time!
Onna: *snicker* Cause I have a lot of torturing in store for you in this fic.
Kaoru: I think we'd better high-tail it...
Onna: DON'T you even dare!
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Sano whistled under his breath. "Man! Her voice is sensational! And she's not too bad in the looks department either!"
"Sano..." Kenshin growled.
"All right!" his manager conceded, raising his hands.
"Now what?"
"You want her for the song, you go get her!"
"That should be your job!"
"Fine! We'll go together!" Sano stood and approached the girl before Kenshin could even say 'oro'. She raised her head at the sounds of their feet, her blue eyes widening with curiosity and a flicker of recognition.
An unknown feeling swept through the core of Kenshin's being, the same feeling when he looked into her eyes for the first time all those years ago...
"Excuse me, miss..." Kenshin said tentatively after a painful jab from Sano's elbow. "I, um... May we have a word with you?"
"O-Of course, Himura-sama," she nodded, smiling sweetly and blushing. "Let me just finish up here and tell the stage manager that I'm done."
Kenshin nodded back and watched her as she resumed her sweeping.
She seemed to have gotten back to her task with eagerness, almost as if she wanted the job done as soon as possible.
"Kaoru," she murmured, extending her hand to Sano, who shook it heartily. "Watashi wa Kamiya Kaoru desu."
Kaoru... Kenshin whispered mentally, captivated by her. "You have a very beautiful name, Kamiya-sa-"
"Please, Himura-sama. Call me Kaoru," she said, flushing slightly as she shook his hand.
"Aa, Kaoru-dono," he nodded, smiling. "Then I insist that you call me Kenshin."
"H-Hai..." she flushed even redder. "Kenshin-san..."
"Anyway," he said, gesturing for Kaoru to sit on one of the chairs. "Sano and I wish to give you an offer, and I sincerely hope that you will agree to this."
Kaoru nodded, indicating that he should go on.
"But first, I want to know what you are doing here? I don't usually allow minors to work in the stage crew. I understand you're 17?"
Kaoru shifted uneasily in her seat. "I... needed to find work to support myself, and this was the only job available that doesn't require schooling."
"Where are your parents?"
"I... I'm an orphan... a street kid..."
Kenshin caught the small flash of pain in her sapphire eyes and mentally cursed himself for being so insensitive.
"I see..." Sano murmured. "Well then, Kaoru-san, how would you like to sing a duet with Kenshin here?"
Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped. "M-me?"
Kenshin nodded, giving her a tender smile.
"Y-You want me to sing with you?"
"Kaoru-dono," he said, taking one of her cold hands in his. "I heard you singing earlier, and you have a fantastic voice. I would be honored if you would sing this duet with me."
"O-Oh my goodness... K-Kenshin-san, I've been a fan of y-yours since your first single came out. I... I would be so honored!"
Kenshin grinned. "Well, before we do get you to do the singing, I'll have to ask you to sign a contract with..." he turned to Sano.
"Makimachi Misao, another talent manager," Sano said. "She's 2 years older than you but is very good. I'm sure you two will be fast friends."
She nodded enthusiastically, her blue eyes sparkling.
"Pack whatever belongings you have, Kaoru-dono. I'll accompany you to your new place."
"I'll need to hear you sing, Kaoru-san," Misao said, smiling. "If Himura here is to be believed, you must have a beautiful voice to have captured his attention."
"A-ano..." Kaoru murmured, blushing as she was led into the recording studio. She slipped the earphones over her head, casting a nervous glance towards Kenshin's direction.
He gave her a smile and a thumbs up, silently encouraging her. She smiled at him, her tense shoulders relaxing as soon as the music of "It's Gonna Rain!", a favorite of hers, came blasting through the speakers.
Kaoru took a deep breath and began to sing.
Ashidori mo karukushite chao chao
Torumono mo toriaezu chao chao
Raion ga unaru mitai no raimei ga
Taisan wo unagashite iru
Dou naru no?
Sou...mou sugu ame
Dai kirai ame nanka chao chao
Mou sukoshi itai noni
Kaikan ga kaisan ni kawaru shunkan wo
Raion ga isogaseta no wa
Meihaku No! Meiwaku
It's gonna rain!
Ame wa mou aribai wo kesu no?
Kare wa mou wasurete shimau no?
Futari wa mou korekiri ni naru no?
Subete wa ame no seitte koto ni shite okou
Kare kara no renraku wa Nothing Nothing
Ame ni yoru kyoukun mo Nothing Nothing
Kanjou mo igirisu no tenki mitai ni
Utsurigi dattara totemo
Raku nanoni...gyaku na no
It's gonna rain!
Ame ga netsu wo yomigaeraseta
Kare mo futo watashi wo omoidashita
Futari wa ima koko ni michibikareta
Subete wa ame no sei, uun, okage na no
Ame wa hito wo yondari keshitari
Dare yori mo tegowai majishan ne
Futari wa itsumo damasarete bakari
Subete wa ame de hajimarun deshou...
It's gonna rain!
Misao looked at Kaoru, shell-shocked at the voice that came out of the speakers. She turned to Kenshin with a big grin and said, "Himura, she's fantastic! I've never heard a voice that gorgeous! You've got yourself a deal. I'll get the contract out now."
Kenshin grinned as he gave Kaoru another thumbs up sign. She grinned back, her eyes lighting up.
Kenshin felt like he was drowning in those blue pools.
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A/N: Yes, you guys must have noticed that I shrunk the age gap between Kenshin and Kaoru, and that Misao's older. Couldn't help it! It'll be hard to have them both as kids in the first chapter if I didn't keep their ages close! And Kaoru can't have a manager younger than she is!
Kenshin: Onna-dono...
Kaoru: Should I be scared now?
Onna: Hah! Be afraid! Be very afraid!
