Just In Between
By Starian Princess

Chapter 1- Memories and Revelations

I tried to amuse myself by playing with the keychain Kenshin gave me some months ago when we first got together. It had been the start of the year and I'd been crushing over him since I was a freshman, so I decided that this would definitely be the time for me to tell him how much I liked him. I'd see him in the hall and utterly blush all over. It didn't have to be because I was embarrassed or anything, just that whenever I'd catch that dazzling gaze of his my insides would turn into mush. Yup, you could say I was in head over heels for him.

I laughed at a sudden thought. Everyone who knew about my crush totally agreed with the thought of us getting together. Well, everyone that is, except for my best friend. She was the closest thing to a sister for me, yet she was the only one who was very much against the idea of me going for a senior.

I remembered the times she'd flip when I'd rant about how wonderful it would be if we ever got together for real. Let me see, her favorite lines would be, "Oh Kaoru, you're too good for those stupid monkeys. Himura'd probably leave you when he didn't need you anymore."

All along I knew she was just really protective over me. She may act like the younger sister between the two of us, but she was also the best older sister anyone could ever ask for. I could see that in more ways than one. You see, unlike me she's not an only child. I find it really lucky to have a sibling and although Yahiko was a major pain in the butt at times, he was by far the cutest little brother in the whole world.

We instantly clicked the first time we met. Like Misao, at first he appealed to me as how to say… a wild little creature of some sort. They're both full of so much energy that you'd get tired even just trying to analyze where they get it all. It seemed to stem out of thin air. While Misao was a little more proper in a sense, Yahiko was incredibly blunt and insulting but you could understand that he just didn't know that much people of the opposite gender.

Hmm… I think the first thing he ever said to me was, "Whoa! Misao would talk about you all the time that I thought that you were some famous actress or something, but you're not even close. In fact, you look really ugly…"

His teasing tone gave him away but I played along anyways, and in no time "ugly" became his nickname for me. Whenever he'd come to give Misao's lunch, which she happened to forget about frequently, that'd be the first thing we'd hear. We would always know it was him and… we'd pretty much give him a beating for that. It was fun to play along in my own really aggressive way. It happened to consist of konks on the head, or sometimes an occasional thwack with my trusty boken. Oh, did I forget to mention that I take kendo lessons?

Anyways, this went on up until I got together with Kenshin. For some reason, he had tried to avoid me like crazy. When he would happen to pick up the phone, he wouldn't say the usual, "Oh hey ugly! How are you?" and instead call for Misao right away. But sometimes, I'd faintly hear, "Misao, ugly's on the line." And that would make me feel a little better.

After I finally told her about my observations, she guffawed for like ten minutes before whispering in the smallest teasing voice I'd ever heard her make, "Silly, Yahiko's had the cutest little crush on you ever since he met you."

Now at this time, I had to stop myself from laughing like crazy. Gosh, if she ever thought that I'd fall for something like that… You don't believe it, do you? Well, because I don't.

Kenshin simply smiled when I told him about that.

"I'm glad that I won that competition then." Those words just made me all the more happy that I was his girl.

One of the most memorable times we shared, I believe, is the time when I found out that my secret feelings for him were actually mutual. I was in the comfort room then, and two of his classmates came in squabbling like a bunch of parrots. They happened to have a thing for him too and I recalled being oh so jealous when I heard them say that they caught a peep of him in the changing room after gym class. But then my eyes widened to the size of saucers when I heard the blonde one say, "But I heard that he's crushing over some sophomore girl named Kamiya or something… What a waste!"

It was at that moment Misao chose to come running in calling for me, "Kaoru, hurry up! We are so late!" My vision totally wiped out and the last thing I remember was a faint shrill voice going, "Kaoru? Isn't that the Kamiya girl's first name?"

When I woke up, the first thing I saw was a blurry outline of a person standing over my bed. I vaguely remember when I was unconscious and was just about to come around, I'd heard the most beautiful voice saying, "When you wake up, I promise I'll tell you finally."

I really don't know if that was just a dream but sure enough, Kenshin was that blurry outline. His face was a somewhat frown, but when he noticed I had opened my eyes his dazzling smile fell into place. It was at that moment I think I fell in love. Flashbacks of what I heard in the comfort room brought me to looking at him intently. Although he was smiling, his eyes said that he had something bothering him. And I decided to ask.

"What time is it?" Great, this is probably one of the very few times I actually got to being with him alone and not in the hallway where someone could suddenly walk in, but that miserable question was all I could say? God help me…

"It's 3:00. I told your friend that I'd wait for you to wake up so she went on ahead." Hmm… So that means I'd been pretty much out since lunch break. I hope Misao isn't too mad. Oh wait, Kenshin said that he was going to wait for me to wake up? What could this possibly mean?

"So you're waiting for me?" Right, state the obvious. You are making yourself sound really dorky right now. I frowned.

"Do you not want me to wait for you?" Oh shit, did I just sound like I didn't want him there. Of course I did!

"N-No! I mean, thanks for waiting for me then. That's very kind of you." Okay, maybe I am going somewhere. Just be polite and smile… There we go! That wasn't too hard now was it? Who am I kidding? I'm blushing like a tomato!

"It's nothing. Actually, I really wanted to tell you something." Something? Oh gosh, could this be it?

"Oh? Umm… What is it?" I tried to sound pleasant but the strain of being so nervous made it so hard to even smile. What if what I heard was just some rumor going around? Yeah, people just got it all mixed up. It was Kaoru who liked Kenshin, not the other way around. How could he even possibly-

"I've liked you for so long. Kaoru, would you go out with me?"

That by far had been the happiest and most nerve-racking moments of my life. Pretty much things followed from there. I, of course, agreed with the biggest smile and he was just pleased. Poor guy… Awww… Isn't he the cutest thing?

I have to admit though; things went far too in place for my liking. We went on four really romantic dates and realized it was time to go to the next level. We then became an official couple and everyone was so happy, actually even Misao. There were some jealous schoolmates here and there, but it was nothing we couldn't handle.

I sighed. For some reason, now that I think about it our relationship was just too normal. I mean, the excitement and challenges never seemed to come. I guess what I'm trying to point out is that it wasn't the most perfect thing after all. Why didn't I notice this before? Kenshin probably did, that's why he broke it off with me.

Suddenly feeling a little better about the whole breaking up thing, I sat up and tossed the teddy keychain at my desk. It barely reached and made a clanging sound before laying still against the table surface.

I felt refreshed now that I had seen things in a whole new light. It isn't the best thing to stay moping around anyways. Hmm… I think it's about time to go to the park today. There is no way I'd stop doing my daily exercise just because a little pebble made me trip and fall.

-TBC-