A/N: Ok! Chapter 2! Not much to say except I've been flowing with creativity recently! Oh and my b-day's Monday!
Forgetting Shinta
Chapter 2
The shack was dark but there was no mistaking those two figures.
"Shinta..." She murmured, tears escaping her delicate blue eyes.
He held her tall, thin form in his arms while pressing his tender lips to hers.
They hadn't even noticed her come in.
She ran her fingers through his short black hair as they deepened the kiss.
"Shinta!" Kaoru sobbed loudly.
Shinta jumped back at her shaking voice.
It was just light enough for her to see Tomoe smile.
"Kaoru?" Shinta stepped forward and attempted to help her up but she smacked his hand away.
Grabbing the edge of the door she managed to pull herself up and run back to her house.
Tears still streaming down her face.
"Kaoru?" Amber, another employee, shook Kaoru gently.
"Did I fall asleep?" Kaoru lifted her head from the conference table which they used to nap on slow days like today.
"Yeah, and there's a cute man here to see you. I believe his name is Kenshin." Amber winked.
"Please, you know I don't date." Kaoru straightened out her dress and made sure she hadn't messed up her hair before proceeding out into the main hall.
Sure enough, Kenshin stood there, his long red hair pulled back in a ponytail as it had been the other night.
Kaoru felt her heart jump when she noticed his muscles through his black t-shirt.
"I'm glad you're here. I have the painting in the back room if you'd like to come with me." Kaoru motioned towards a door on the right side of the hall.
Kenshin followed her as she unlocked the door and they continued down the hall to another locked door.
She opened this one and led him into a large room filled with paintings.
"There it is." She pointed to the one that hung on the center of the back wall.
Kenshin was surprised by how good the painting actually was.
The two samurai were standing opposite each other in tattered clothing in a burning city ready to fight.
"It's called 'The Final Battle'."
"It's amazing, your grandfather must have been a very talented man."
"Yeah, if you want it I can wrap it up for you but if you don't I understand."
"I'd love it if you could wrap it up for me."
"Great, I can get someone to deliver it to your dojo by tonight if you'd like."
"That sounds great."
"I really feel like this is going to a good home." Kaoru led him back out into the main hall.
Kenshin nearly fell over when he saw his father and brother standing by the front desk, his father of course was flirting with the woman there.
"Kenshin!" Yahiko greeted.
"Ms. Kamiya, this is my younger brother Yahiko and that man is my father, Hiko." Kenshin introduced them.
"Oh, it's a pleasure." Kaoru smiled sweetly as Hiko turned at the sound of his name.
"The pleasure's mine." Hiko kissed her hand.
"The other night Kenshin told me that you used to teach kendo. I bet you're proud that your son is following your example."
"Very, I just wish he could find a woman, like yourself, who likes kendo as much as he does." Hiko winked at Kenshin.
"Do you want me to go out with your son?" Kaoru blushed and noticed Kenshin did too.
"Ignore them. My father can be somewhat of a bother when it comes to my love life."
"We should probably get going Kenshin. But please feel free to drop by anytime Ms. Kamiya, I'm sure Kenshin could use the company." Hiko pushed his boys towards the door.
"That man is gorgeous!" Amber said after they left.
"Who Kenshin? He's pretty cute."
"No, Hiko! Between his amazing personality and his hot body I wanted to take him into the conference room and just take him!" Amber sighed.
"Ok, then…" Kaoru sat back at her desk, almost disgusted.
"Wait, you actually think someone's cute Kaoru?! I'm calling Misao and Megumi right now!" Amber grabbed the phone just to have Kaoru grab it from her.
"Absolutely not! I said he was cute, not that I wanted to date him or anything. Misao would flip and try to get me to go out with him or something."
"Maybe you need to go out Kaoru. There are millions of good looking guys that come in here everyday and you turn every one of them down!"
"I can't. I don't want to go through that again." She felt tears well up in her eyes.
"Don't cry, Misao told me that someone did something to you but she never told me what."
"I can't talk about it right now. I'm going to go get some lunch now." Kaoru grabbed her purse and headed out the door.
"Why don't you just tell everyone the truth? I mean you told Sano and I." Aoshi's voice came over her cell phone.
"It's just complicated and you know that. The only reason you and Sano know is because I was going through a difficult time between my parents and Shinta."
"Yeah, but Kaoru, not all men are bad. I'm marrying Misao and soon as Sano can afford it he plans to marry Megumi."
"But how many times has Misao or Megumi gotten there heart broken by a cheating boyfriend? Pretty often."
"Kaoru, if you want to find a man that truly loves and respects you then you're going to have to go through some hard times. I think you should get to know this Kenshin guy a little better."
"Fine." Kaoru sighed.
"I'm glad I could help. I have to go know Kaoru."
"Bye." Kaoru dropped her phone back into her purse and finished up her salad.
She needed to get back to work.
Somehow, she had to try and snag this Kenshin guy and tonight's delivery would be a good start.
Kaoru had the painting wrapped and decided to use the company truck to deliver the painting herself.
Before getting out, she took out her hair tie and let her hair cascade down her back.
She also removed her jacket so she was just wearing her knee-length red dress with a low v-neckline to reveal just enough cleavage.
She had to stop letting Megumi and Misao buy her clothes.
With one last mirror check, she went inside to see if Kenshin could help her with the painting.
This time around everything was unpacked and the entrance actually looked like, well, an entrance.
There was a desk and computer and everything.
"I figured you be here." Hiko popped out from the hallway.
"I need a little help with this painting. It's kind of heavy."
"Sure, if you have a minute Kenshin can help you. Why don't you come watch, Kenshin and Yahiko are showing some students their skills."
"Of course." Kaoru followed him down the hall to the room on the very end.
He slid open the door to reveal the actual training room.
Kenshin and Yahiko were both dressed in a gi and hakama and glistening with sweat. (A/N: I probably wrote the wrong terms but oh well…you know what I mean.)
"Kenshin's actually more experienced than Yahiko and could beat him in seconds but he's showing off." Hiko whispered.
Kaoru chuckled at that.
With one swift movement, Kenshin finally finished off Yahiko.
The students were all amazed.
"Kenshin, you should never leave a woman who looks this good in a dress waiting." Hiko called.
Both Kenshin and Kaoru blushed.
Kenshin stepped out into the hall with Kaoru, shutting the noise in the room.
"Your dad was telling me that you're really good at kendo and you were just showing off. Any truth to that?" Kaoru asked as she led him out to the truck.
"I like to make my brother feel better which my dad insists is showing off." Kenshin panted.
"Maybe I can come and watch you more often." Kaoru said as she opened the back of the truck.
"Anytime."
Kenshin lifted the painting with ease.
"I'm embarrassed, either I'm really weak or you're really strong." Kaoru chuckled.
"You shouldn't be, I assume it's been a while since you practiced kendo."
"Yeah, my parents are divorced so my dad usually flies out here to see me."
"My class is about over so if you'd like I'm sure you could do some practicing."
"I'd love to." Kaoru said as she followed Kenshin back inside.
Kenshin placed the painting behind the desk for safe keeping so he could hang it up later.
"Since it'd be kind of difficult to practice in that, you should probably change. I'm sure there's a uniform that will fit you in that room." Kenshin pointed to the first door on the left.
"Thanks." Kaoru disappeared behind the door, which she decided to leave unlocked. After all, it worked for Misao.
After fully dressing, Kaoru took her hair tie from her wrist and once again pulled her hair back.
She folded her clothes and set them in a corner before stepping out into the hallway.
Kenshin was seeing off his last student when he sensed her presence.
There was just something about her, something familiar but different at the same time.
"Are you ready?" Kenshin handed her a wooden sword.
She nodded and followed him back to the training room which was now totally empty.
She'd never truly realized how truly handsome he was.
Kaoru stood opposite of Kenshin, getting into a defensive stance.
"Go easy on me." She winked.
Kenshin nodded and took a few steps forward, neither of them taking their eyes off each other.
Kenshin attempted to surprise her but Kaoru blocked his swing.
"How long has it been since you held a sword?"
"About 9 years, why?"
"I was expecting you to be a bit more rusty, my brother sometimes misses that one."
"I have a different style."
Kenshin tried to get her on her right side just to have her block again.
That's when she surprised Kenshin by trying a technique he hadn't seen in quite a while, one only someone who studied under him could know.
But Kenshin blocked before sneaking in a move that she didn't have time to block.
Unfortunately, it caused Kenshin to lose balance and he and Kaoru crashed down to the floor.
It was an awkward position for the both of them.
Kenshin was propped up on top of her while she lay beneath him, their lips almost touching.
She felt something familiar about his touch, it was soothing.
And his violet eyes brought her back to a simpler times, times with Shinta.
Her heart was pounding hard in her chest as Kenshin gazed into her sparkling blue eyes.
In the heat of the moment, Kenshin pressed his lips down softly against hers.
Kaoru was almost too shocked to respond.
She felt his warm tongue trace her bottom lip and she instinctively opened, letting her tongue meet his in a passionate battle.
He kissed like Shinta had too.
She shook the thought from her head, she was with Kenshin, not Shinta!
Kenshin pulled back when he heard the door slid open.
Hiko and Yahiko stood in the doorway, a smug grin on Hiko's face.
"Oh my god! I swear I don't do that often, I'm so sorry!" Kaoru pushed herself up off the floor.
Kenshin said nothing but just blushed, waiting for his father to say something.
"Come on Yahiko, we need to head home." Hiko pushed the kid down the hall, knowing not to even touch on the situation.
Kenshin turned to Kaoru, who was staring intently at the floor.
"I'm the one who should be apologizing, I kissed you."
"Kenshin, I'd like to do this again. I really like you." She murmured, kind of hoping he won't hear her.
"Ok, let's take everything else a little slower though." Kenshin gave a shy smile.
"Right. I should probably get going now." Kaoru made her way down the hall to change.
Kaoru stepped back out to see Kenshin, who had also changed, standing at the front door waiting for her.
"I'm about to head home." Kenshin held the door open for her.
"Goodnight Kenshin." Kaoru walked past him and over to the company truck, which she had to return that night.
"I want to see you tomorrow Kaoru!" He called.
"I'll come by after work." She called back.
He watched as she drove away.
"It's been a while, maybe dad was right about me dating again." Kenshin shrugged before getting into his own car and heading to his apartment.
A/N: Ok, I know things are going fast with Kenshin and Kaoru but that's just to show how must chemistry they already have…also, in a chapter or two the whole ordeal with Shinta will be explained in depth. And why he doesn't remember Kaoru will be explained eventually. I hope you all liked it and sorry, I know things are kinda confusing! Please review!