Chapter Three- Oh the woes of teenage years.
Notes: Thanks to all of you who have reviewed. I want to tell you all that I did misspell Megumi's last name, it is Takani not Takina, thank you hitokiri chan for pointing it out. Damn my dyslectic fingers.
"What made you agree to such a ridiculous scheme as the one Aoshi-baka suggested? I thought you were smarter than that; don't tell me I should be disappointed."
"Hannya-san, I can't believe that you think that I actually agreed without argument. Actually, it didn't sound like a good idea then, and it still doesn't sound like a good idea now. But there is no way no avoid it. I guess that we should start practicing." I picked up my bokken and a defensive stance. I didn't think the spar between me and Aoshi had put me up to the same level as his group, but here I was ready to go against one of the best. Hannya didn't normally use swords, but he always seemed ready to help me train.
Before we could begin our spar Kenshin and Misao came over. Misao bounced right up to me, while Kenshin stayed back a little. "Hey Kaoru-san, you sure are good. I didn't think that I'd ever see someone as good as my Aoshi-sama, but, wow! So, how did you get that good? Maybe you could teach me on the weekends." That was Misao talking a mile a minute, and mostly to herself, too. It seemed as if practice was over.
Kenshin smiled at me and nodded at Hannya. "So it seems that you know more people than you think you do at this school, Kamiya-san." At that moment the door to the gym burst open and someone burst in along with them. It was Sagara and he ran right up to us.
"Oi! There you are Kenshin. I thought that you were going to show me that math equation and then go to kendo club." The chicken head looked around and saw that the club 'meeting' had already taken place.
"Oi, Sagara-san," I imitated him. "Aren't you in the kendo club?"
"Oh if it isn't the little missy. What are you doing here 'jou-chan? Pretending to learn how to fight like Weasel-girl over there." Misao jumped to the bait.
"Who are you calling weasel, Chicken-head." She jumped up as if to deliver a kick to his head.
"Maa, maa. Misao-san, Sano, please stop fighting." Kenshin stepped in between the two as if to try and stop any blood shed. By this time more people were attracted to the argument and had come over. Well, more like the rest of the club.
"Did you say, 'pretending to learn how to fight' when you were talking to Kaoru-chan?" I silently cursed Shikijou's hearing.
Sagara-san looked him up and down, measuring his fighting strength. "So what if I did? Are you another of her 'not boyfriends'?"
Hannya and Shikijou both looked at me with eyebrows raised. I sighed. "Why is it so important to you Sagara-san? Are you that interested in my life? You barely know me, yet you already chose to insult and tease me without reason. Or are you just upset that I have more friends than you do?" I felt stupid for even talking to him. I should have just ignored him and everything would have been fine, but no, my temper gets in the way. Aoshi looked at me with a frown on his face.
Misao started laughing at Sagara, as his face turned red and his cheeks puffed out in anger. "What do you mean by that?" Sagara asked his fist raised, out in front of him.
"Sano, calm down. What's your problem, she's new to this school and already you're being a bully?" Kenshin frowned at Sagara as if he was an upset parent.
"Argh, like I wanna waste my time on something this trivial. Hey 'Jou-chan, sorry for being rude." He looked at me as if expecting me to say something in return. I just glared at him and moved my arms around to indicate that I was waiting for more. He just raised his eyebrow.
"What about antagonizing me my first day, or trying to embarrass me infront of my friends and peers?" I stood there, tapping my foot, arms crossed, over my chest.
"Kaoru-chan, why do you go searching for trouble like that? I think that it's time that I take you home." Aoshi started to guide me out of the room.
"Aoshi don't be so mean. Hannya, Shiki, would you like to come over for diner? I don't think that Dad will mind and Aoshi here will be there and I know Dad won't mind his brooding presence so why not?" I knew that I was taking a risk, but I was mad, and these were old friends and it would be fun.
I saw Hannya nudge Shiki and Shiki smiled. "Who's cooking?"
"Okay we can go now," I said to Aoshi, who still was practically pushing me out the door. Quickly I turned around out of his grasp and ran back to Kenshin and Misao. "Bye guys. Wait for me out side the front gate tomorrow morning and we'll walk to our first class together." They nodded their heads and I ran back to my brother, smiling.
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"Oh, it sure is good to see you boys looking out for my children. Not that Aoshi or Kaoru need any protection, but I'm glad just the same." Dinner was done and Mr. Kamiya, or Dad as everyone called him, was ecstatic that his children still kept their old friends.
"Dad," I whined. "Leave them alone for a bit, they just finished eating. It takes a while to digest the infamous Kamiya cooking." Dad looked sheepishly at me as I frowned at him and the others burst out laughing.
"She's got you there Dad." Aoshi felt the need to include his two cents worth.
"Well enough of this how was school for you two?" Dad watched as Aoshi and I exchanged looks.
"Yes, how was school for you two?" Hannya inquired. He wanted to see us squirm or so it seemed.
"Well-," I began to tell Dad how it happened when Aoshi interrupted.
"I'll tell him."
"No, I will. You will undoubtedly leave important details out and keep them to yourself."
"Kids, stop fighting. Kaoru, please tell me how your first day of school was here in Kyoto. Is the education system as good as I am lead to believe?"
"Oh yes dad. It's great. I spent all of my class time talking, because the lessons were so easy." Dad's face resumed its normal expression as he noticed I was back to my playful humor. I continued my story. I told him about everything that had happened that day, especially the parts about Aoshi pretending I wasn't his sister and meeting all my new friends and seeing Hannya and Shiki at practice. "Aoshi how come you didn't warn me about a girl named Megumi Takani?" Aoshi practically spit out his mouthful of after dinner tea when I asked my question.
"Takani-san is a very persistent admirer of your brother. He didn't warn you? I'm surprised; normally he is so protective of you…" Shiki trailed off when he noticed Hannya and Aoshi staring at him.
"You're right. But this whole charade is to his advantage. I think my brother has finally become...," the realization made me upset, "self-centered." I got up from the table and ran to my room before the tears could display themselves.
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(Note: This is not Kaoru telling it, it's my view.)
"Aoshi, you had better not be making Kaoru do this- play this role playing game just so you can avoid some advances from girls at your school. Now go up stairs and try to talk to your sister or evaluate your actions." He waited until his son left the room. "Hannya, Shikijou, how much of a threat are these girls to my daughter? What types of dirty tricks do they play?" Papa bear had come out of hibernation and decided he wasn't going to leave until he knew his baby was safe.
"Well sir, if they ganged up on Kaoru at kendo practice when she had bokken, I doubt that they would get very far. Normally they don't have any arguments with other girls because no one has been able to get close to ice block, I mean Aoshi." Shikijou smirked at the underground nickname given to Aoshi. "If the whole farce were to be called off there would be no cause for alarm. If it continues, I don't know how Kaoru will continue to put up with the harassment I know will ensue. I suggest that Shikijou and I become her pseudo or so-called bodyguards. She has mentioned Kenshin Himura. He is an excellent swordsman and seems to enjoy Kaoru-chan's company, I trust that he would protect her if need be." Information, as it has been said is Hannya's area of specialty.
"I see." Dad took a couple of minutes to contemplate what he had just been told. "What of this girl Misao? I don't think I caught her last name."
"Her last name is Makmachi. She is trustworthy and I have reservations about her going against Kaoru. She has no romantic feelings invested in your son, but she views him as her idol, but since Kaoru almost beat Aoshi at a spar, Kaoru made be another hero in her eyes." Hannya looked at Mr. Kamiya as his own hero. He had led a very large dojo in Kyoto and taught all sorts of martial arts, stopping only when he met his wife and she wanted to live in Tokyo. It seemed his son was following in his foot steps with leading the Kendo Club.
"I guess then all we can do is take all precautions for her safety and make sure that none of this gets out of hand. I will not call it off unless it does get out of hands. Aoshi, I trust, is close enough to being an adult that he can deal with this issue as he sees fit. I think that I must say good night to you fine gentlemen and retire to rest. It has been quiet an eventful evening." He got up to head upstairs as Hannya and Shikijou bowed their heads in his direction.
"Good-night, sir." They said in unison and let themselves out.
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(Meanwhile.)
I heard him before he knocked on my door. He knocked sharply three times. "Kaoru," he called, "will you please let me in?"
"Go away. I don't want to talk to you." I knew I sounded pathetic but I was a tumble of emotions, sadness, anger, and confusion.
"Kao-chan," he stood outside my door lingering, "… Kao-chan, you know I love you. I don't mean to be a selfish jerk. We can tell everyone tomorrow that you are my sister tomorrow, first thing." I heard him sigh and lean his head against the door. I knew I was being naïve but I opened the door before he had a chance to take his words back. He fell face forward onto my bedroom floor. As he lay on the ground I kneeled down next to him and gently flipped him over.
"Do you mean it? You'll tell everyone?" I put my pillow under his head in hopes of making him more comfortable since he had fallen down.
"If it would make you feel better, I'll personally tell everyone. Every single person in our school." He looked at me so honestly and I felt bad for some reason.
"No. You don't have to tell everyone." His face picked up at that comment, but I wasn't finished. "I just get to tell who I want, like Misao and Kenshin and that stupid Chicken head, Sagara-san so he'll stop saying you're my boyfriend. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, that's more than I deserve from you Kao-chan." He sat up and wrapped his arms around me. "I have the best sister in the world." Then he gave me a kiss on the forehead. I smirked in disgust; Aoshi was only this affectionate when he knew he had screwed up royally. "Now let's get you to bed."
It was my turn to rag on him some more. "That's where I was before you came banging on my door." Obliging, I crawled back in bed, then my dad walked in my room.
"I trust that my Hime-chan is feeling better?" He looked sternly at Aoshi, but I interceded before they got into a fight.
"I'm feeling much better, daddy. In fact Aoshi and I have agreed that I can tell whomever I want and that's that." My dad smiled at me and I smiled back. I liked all the attention I was receiving and wanted more. "I was just settling down for bed and Aoshi was going to give me a detailed report about all his fans so I'll know what to expect next time I come up against them." Aoshi looked shocked, but quickly recovered as my dad looked at him.
"I'm leaving this in your hands Aoshi. I know that you will do your best to make this good. Good night son." He rested his hand on Aoshi's shoulder before heading over to me. As he kissed my head he said, "Sweet dreams, Hime-chan." Then he left to go to his own room.
When he was certain dad couldn't hear him he said, "I'm going to give you a detailed report tomorrow, seeing as you are half asleep now and I want to put in all in writing so you have something to reference to. Good night." He turned off my light and exited my room. Within minutes I had fallen asleep.