Disclaimer: … I don't know what you're talking about… lol.
Chapter 3: Reintroduction
Kaoru stood inside the bathroom, slowly removing the rest of her clothes and wondering what had prompted her to walk all the way up the beach just to do that in the first place. It wasn't like she had to get naked to change into her swim suit, so there was nothing for her to feel embarrassed about. When she was younger, she had immediately stripped on the beach and ran laughing and shrieking into the softly swaying motion of the ocean water. Of course, that had been with her father and Misao in tow… this was with a very attractive older man who she was possibly crushing rather hard over.
Besides, she was really starting to doubt her intentions over wearing the bikini in the first place. It wasn't exactly the most appropriate thing to be wearing in front of the man's son. Like Kenji would care anyway, she knew, but still… she was supposed to be here for Kenji and Kenji alone. Not trying to use him as an excuse to get closer to the older of the pair. Feeling slightly ashamed of herself, Kaoru sighed while removing the rest of her clothes, folding them neatly and placing them in her bag.
Taking out the wrap that she had bought in defiance of Misao, thankful that she had brought it at all, she deftly tied it around her waist before shouldering her bag and walking out into the bright sunshine. Well, he was right about one thing, it is way too hot to be playing in the park or walking around the zoo looking at lazy animals. Running a hand up her arm she winced at the slight sheen of sweat she was already showing, the heat soaking through her pores and making her feel slightly dirty with its intensity. Squinting against the refection off the water, Kaoru leveled her gaze around the only slightly crowded beach (thankful that Kenshin had found a spot that was less frequented by tourists) looking for the telling shock of red hair that would inform her of their location. When she finally did spot them it was only to find another woman standing next to the two, her own dark hair spilling around her slim body and her hands moving animatedly as she talked. Feeling a sudden surge of anger and jealousy run through her veins, Kaoru quickened her pace to hopefully intervene and run the tramp off.
Only a few feet from the trio, her anger increased at finding Kenji hiding behind Kenshin's leg, his obvious wariness showing in the timid action. Stopping when Kenshin turned slightly bewildered violet eyes to her, she didn't know what to make of his discomfort at the other woman's actions. Not knowing whether to laugh at the look or beat the woman into the ground for making both of her red-heads uneasy, Kaoru turned to the slightly smaller woman, only to be met with the mischievous aquamarine eyes of her best friend.
"Kaoru! There you are. This idiot doesn't believe that I know you. Can you believe that?!"
Misao placed both of her hands on her bikini clad hips and turned a glare on the man standing helplessly beside her. Kaoru did laugh this time, finally realizing what was going on. Misao hardly let anyone get a word in edge wise, let alone whether or not the older man believed her or not. Kenji's reaction wasn't uncalled for either, as the animation of this small woman usually had people looking rather uncertain.
"Well, maybe you just didn't let him talk between your rants, Misao-love. You know you jump to conclusions too fast when people don't talk back." Kaoru laughingly chided the girl, watching the look of dawning comprehension wash over her face and then the repentant look that followed.
"Uh, right… Sorry 'bout that." She grinned sheepishly at the two guys, biting her lip in contriteness.
"What are you doing here anyway, and what prompted you to attack the poor guys?"
"Well, I'm on a date." Misao's face took on a look of triumph, her eyes lighting insanely and her hands lacing together to ball under her chin. "I've been trying to get this guy to take me out for the past week or two and he finally relented the other night. It was a miracle that I got him to the beach actually, but after dinner last night he admitted that he liked spending time with me so I asked him if he wanted to do something today. I so surprised him by dragging him here. Of course he had to buy a pair of swimming trunks since he wasn't really prepared, but it was well worth it because I just know that we are going to have the best of fun. He's changing right now in the bathrooms up the beach, and since I was already ready I just went ahead and stripped out here and that was when I noticed him." Misao took a moment to point at Kenshin. "I recognized him from the restaurant and knew that this was the Himura that you have been talking about, especially when I noticed the cute little boy helping him. So I decided to come over and talk to him and ask about you, since you haven't been answering your phone on the weekends I figured you would be here. And here you are… we're going to have so much fun now that there is five of us instead of just the two of us on our own." Misao giggled and clapped her hands like a little girl getting a lollipop, happily content with the extra piece of gum that she found in the middle.
Kaoru looked over at Kenshin and laughed at the stupefied expression on his face. There really was no other way for someone who didn't know Misao to take her never ending flow of energy. She was going to be especially energetic now that she had let them know her delight in getting her way with someone that had caught her eye. No dout she would be a little ball of hellfire for the rest of the day. Kaoru seriously hoped that this guy she was with was going to be able to handle her.
"So, who is this guy and why haven't I heard about him?" Kaoru dropped her bag next to the large blanket that was laid out for the three of them, bending over to dig out the bottle of sunscreen that she had packed so she wouldn't come away from the day with a horrible sunburn. Bent as she was, she missed the interaction of the other two adults standing next to her, the lingering glance Kenshin gave to her half dressed form and the knowing look that Misao darted at him when he finally looked away as she stood up. Kenshin blushed slightly at being caught and Misao bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. Catching the look on Misao's face, Kaoru creased her brow questioningly, but the girl waved it off.
"Oh, his name's Shinomori Aoshi," Briefly Kaoru looked over at Kenshin when he choked and covered his mouth with his hand, the blatant shock and amusement in his eyes confusing her. "And he's the nicest guy. Always so polite and listens to everything that I have to say. He never interrupts and genuinely likes to hear about my day, even if it does suck." Misao was beaming and her eyes took on a glassy quality, dreamily reminiscing about things only she knew.
"Well, he sounds really nice. Maybe you'll keep a hold of this one a little longer than the last then?" Kaoru teasingly poked fun at the girl, watching the blush stain her cheeks at her reference to her hasty exploits with every other guy she had been with, none of them measuring up to her standards like she wanted.
Misao suddenly caught Kaoru off guard by laughing and jumping at her to hug herself to her tightly, her high pitched shriek echoing in her ears. "Are you kidding?! I'm keeping this one! There's no way I'm letting him get away now that I have him!"
Kaoru looked slightly shocked at this declaration, the commitment the girl was already showing something that had never happened before with any of the other guys she dated.
"Well, he sounds really important to you Mi-love, maybe I could meet him?"
"Ya mean it!" Misao looked at Kaoru with a fierce joy glowing in her eyes. Kaoru never wanted to meet any of her boyfriends, and with Kaoru being her best friend and a sort of older sister/mother figure, since she didn't have any family of her own, it meant a lot to her.
"Of course I do."
Misao shrieked again, causing Kenshin to wince and Kenji to whimper slightly and hide himself further behind his father's leg. A leg that Kaoru just realized was actually bare to the sun since he was wearing his swimming trunks. Too bad he's still wearing his shirt. Inwardly pouting as she looked him over she caught his eye briefly but quickly looked away.
Then the younger woman was looking over her shoulder and detaching herself from her friend to run over to the guy who was the current focus of their conversation. Attaching herself to him instead, she drug him back over to them.
"Aoshi-sama, come meet my best friend and her date!"
Kenshin watched Kaoru shake her head slightly, her mouth silently repeating the girl's name for the man, and then raising an eyebrow to him when she declared them together. Kenshin smiled sheepishly, not really reputing the wording that her friend used to describe their relationship, but then, not agreeing either. If it was a real date he would have her all to himself. Would I be able to handle having her all to myself? Another part of his mind readied him for the confrontation that was about to occur, suddenly realizing that this was the end to his nice charade around who he really was with the entrance of this stoic man.
Aoshi walked up to the trio standing on the beach, the two red-heads already known to him, but the woman who stood with them someone he couldn't name. He had a feeling he was about to find out though, what with the enthusiasm that the small woman clinging to his arm was showing about introducing him to her and her so called date. The thought almost made him smirk. Himura-san has a date?
"Aoshi-sama this is Kamiya Kaoru, she's been my friend since back in elementary school." Misao beamed happily at her and Kaoru bowed politely, watching the ice blue eyes of the man in front of her take her in in a glance before returning the bow and then looking over to the man behind her. Kaoru watched Misao open her mouth again to introduce the men, but was stopped by the cool voice of her date.
"Himura-san, I did not expect to see you today."
Kenshin cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable, before nodding and returning the sentiment.
"You two know each other?" Misao looked more excited than surprised, her optimism over everything showing through at that moment.
"We work together." Kenshin spoke up hastily, hoping that it would clear up their acquaintance and move the conversation on to other, safer topics.
"You work with Aoshi-sama?" Misao did look surprised this time, her eyes curiously glancing between the two, peaking Kaoru's own curiosity when Kenshin nodded but Aoshi's brow creased. The taller man seemed puzzled and a bit suspicious.
"I think it would be more accurate to say that I work for Himura-san. He does own the company, after all."
"Wait…" Misao turned wide eyes on Kenshin, understanding finally hitting her as to who he was. "You're the Himura?! Like, the owner and operator of Himura Technologies?!"
Kenshin smiled slightly and scratched his head, watching the crease form on Kaoru's brow with a small amount of trepidation. "Um… yes," he responded quietly, his eyes taking in the reactions around him. Aoshi only unwound himself enough to let his eyes narrow minimally, confused as to why his boss was suddenly half-fearful in front of these two women when he was nothing but ruthless at work, while Misao stared at him in outraged shock, her mouth hanging open.
"But… you're like the richest man in Japan!"
"… Only one of…"
"Wow… what are you doing out here mingling with normal people? You could like, buy out the whole beach and have it to yourself…"
Kenshin's stomach plummeted; his thoughts turning to a time and a woman who would have made him do just that. He had hated every minute of it, and though he had enjoyed her company, at the time, it had seemed somewhat cold and distant to kick everyone else out just so they could occupy one ten foot area on the beach. Looking back now, he should have seen that as a sign of her greedy nature, and not the excuse she had given for just wanting him all to herself. Watching Kenshin's face darken, his eyes becoming distant, Kaoru turned on Misao disapprovingly. Whatever way she felt about who he was, it did not sit well with her that her friend was making him uncomfortable.
"Well, maybe because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself like that. Maybe he likes mingling with 'normal' people." Misao turned her wide eyes to Kaoru, Aoshi following suit with an assessing look. "Jeez Misao, just because he has money doesn't mean that he isn't normal too. Or did you think he was going to start spouting blue blood just because his business is successful?" Huffing out a breath of frustration, Kaoru moved to sit on the blanket, opening her arms to the little boy when he detached himself from Kenshin's leg and attached himself to her instead. Cuddling the boy in her lap, she kissed him softly on the forehead before looking briefly back up at the other adults. "Come on. I thought we were supposed to be having fun."
Kenshin snapped out of his thoughts to watch his unexpected defender scold the smaller girl for her words. With the sun hitting her hair and highlighting her blue tints and softly outlining her pure skin, she looked like an angel… one that seemed to care nothing for the fact that he had more money than he knew what to do with. One that seemed more than content to stick around whether he had money or not. A woman that he was falling for more and more by the minute. Following her movements and the laughter of the boy that gladly went into her waiting arms, he smiled gently at her when she glanced at him, her own small smile telling him exactly what he wanted, needed, to know. She was there because she enjoyed being with them, and nothing would change that.
Misao darted curious eyes back and forth between the pair in front of her, Kaoru's rebuke and the look of relief on Kenshin's face informing her that she had been a little hasty in her wording. She hadn't meant anything by it, money wasn't something that she was interested in, but it was obvious that it meant something to the red-headed man in front of her. Meant something in a not so good way. Something must have happened to him in the past, a bad experience that has altered his view on people. Catching the smiles passed between the two, she smiled her own cheerful grin and almost squealed in delight. Apparently Kaoru passed. Looking up at Aoshi she caught his eye, and he gave her an approving nod. Taking the hint she stepped forward quickly to apologize.
"I'm sorry, Himura-san, I didn't mean to offend you or anything… I was just surprised that's all. Will you forgive me for thinking you'd be a fat, greedy old miser who cared nothing for the rest of us simple, poor folk?" Misao looked at him with huge, innocent eyes, her sweet tone and pouting lip a contradiction to the insult that rolled off her tongue.
"Oro?"
Kaoru raised an eyebrow before turning to the man standing over her and then burst out laughing at the stunned look on his face, his amethyst eyes rather confused and she could almost image them swirling in a daze. Then Kenji started laughing because she was laughing. Misao started giggling, glad that she had passed as well, Kenshin having grinned ruefully and huffing out a small laugh at the description. Aoshi shook his head slightly, wondering briefly why his boss was letting these girls get the best of him like they were.
"Maa, maa, there's no need to apologize. Many others have made that mistake as well."
Misao beamed happily before turning and wrapping her arm through Aoshi's and dragging him down the beach toward the water, her abrupt change in attitude and direction amusing to all. Including the stoic man she led off.
"Come on Aoshi-sama, I want to go swimming."
Kenshin watched the small pull at the corners of the man's mouth with some amazement, but understanding. The right woman would do that to you; bring out emotions that were not meant for anyone else.
"Hey! Did you remember sunscreen this time!?"
Kaoru yelled after the quickly retreating form of her best friend, shaking her head and rolling her eyes when the girl just waved a hand nonchalantly in the air.
"When she comes to work as red as a tomato I'm going to just laugh and say I told you so."
"This has happened before I sense?"
Kenshin moved to sit next to her, keeping a friendly distance while studying her face when she just smiled wider.
"Yeah… she is rather spontaneous, and her actions usually come with a 'who cares about the consequences' label."
"So I've noticed."
Chewing her lip, Kaoru offered him an apologetic grimace. "I'm sorry if Misao offended you, she didn't mean anything by it I'm sure. Money is probably the last thing that she's ever worried about. She's more of a people person than that." Kaoru carefully avoided looking at him, playfully tickling the boy in her arms while talking to him.
"And you?"
Kaoru looked over at his closed expression, curiously tilting her head to the side and considering him.
"If money meant something to me I would be charging my students twice what I am now and kicking out the ones that I don't charge at all."
Shocked surprise registered finally on his face, showing his amazement that she was so giving with her knowledge.
"You have students you don't charge?"
"Yep" Kaoru smiled cheerfully at him, cuddling Kenji to her when he tired of dodging her hands. "A couple of my students have parents that don't like them learning from a woman, but they were still very much interested in learning. How could I turn them down when I've known the feeling and would never deny someone from learning what I could teach? Especially to eager hearts such as theirs. One," A rueful twist pulled at her lips. "he just can't afford it. His mother died when he was really young and it's just his father now, working two jobs just to keep him in school. He lives in one of the rougher parts of town," A passing thought darkened her eyes, showing an anger that he hadn't known she could possess. "and I found him almost half-dead in the gutter on my way home one night. He begged me not to call his father, because he didn't want to add any more stress to him, so I allowed him to stay with me for a few nights. I called his dad and told him that he was staying with a friend of course, claiming to be some unknown boy's mother. I paid for the hospital bill and made sure that he got his homework from school for a few days. Somewhere along the line he ended up catching me practicing and then begged me to teach him, so he could be stronger." She looked at him and grinned mischievously. "I refused of course."
"But…didn't you…?"
Kaoru shook her head in amusement. "I teach a technique bent on protecting life, not taking it away. How could I consent to teach it to a boy who only wanted to be stronger for his own personal reasons?"
Kenshin took this all in with a blatant surge of awe. He'd had no idea that her technique was focused around such a notion. The very thought made him smile and he found the wonderful woman next to him to be all the more appealing.
"So?"
"Well, he had to learn first… I don't know why it meant so much to me that he would use it properly, as there are many of my students I can truthfully say I don't know what they get out of it, but… it's different with him." Shyly Kaoru smiled at him, remembering a time before. "I think it's because he reminds me of myself at that age. Wanting to be stronger so I could help my own father, wanting to be able to take some of the burden he carried away from him. Since my mother died at such an early stage in my life, I can't remember much about her, and she was never there to help raise me or share the stress of life with my father." A sad tinge entered her blue eyes, her pupils distant and unfocused. In her arms Kenji stirred to look at her, a wonder filling his mind that this woman was like him… motherless. "My father endured so much just to make sure I had everything I could ever want, but… all I really wanted was for him to be happy."
"How did he die?"
"Cancer… it was terminal before they even found it… he didn't have a chance." Kaoru felt the familiar press of tears on the back of her eyes and the clenching of her throat around the sob that wished to be free. Clearing her throat quietly she looked down at the boy in her arms with a smile, his worried tug on her hair catching her attention.
"Kaoru… your daddy died?" The boy pieced together the words in his head, coming up with a notion that frightened him.
"Yes, little one. Four years ago."
"And… and you don't have a mommy?"
"No… she's gone too."
Blue-violet eyes darted back and forth between the two adults, his young mind contemplating a life without the loving adoration of either of them. Of being fatherless as well as motherless.
"You won't leave me too, will you Daddy?" Fearfully his eyes locked with the amethyst of the older red-head, his lip trembling with the effort to not cry at the thought. Shocked at the emotion his son was showing, feeling a deep sense of love that his son would find living without him so horrible, Kenshin leaned forward and rubbed a hand over his head affectionately.
"Of course not, Kenji. I'll always be here for you."
The young gaze turned again to the woman he was snuggled against.
"You won't leave me either will you?"
"I'll stay as long as you want me to, Kenji-love, as long as you want." Placing her own head on top of his, Kaoru cuddled him closer, smiling at the way he wrapped small arms around her stomach.
"Forever?"
Kenshin watched Kaoru's expression go blank, her eyes closing off for the first time since he'd met her and showing no emotion like they always would. Then her eyes darted to him before landing on the pleading ones of the child. Smiling softy she nodded her head, running slender fingers through his baby fine hair.
"As long as you want," she repeated. "Now… how about we get some sunscreen on you and go swimming?"
Happily Kenji nodded, content with the knowledge that his Kaoru was going to stay with him. She said she was going to be with him forever and he would take her word for it.
