72. Frozen

Kenshin was trying to fight the headache that seemed to be coming his way. The night had been almost perfect, almost. He had taken Mizumi to the pizza place where they had met for the first time so many years ago. He thought she would appreciate his good memory, his attempt to be romantic, but apparently, nothing registered in her mind.

Instead, she declared that the place was too… simple and not up to their levels for a date. Granted, the pizza place was usually packed with university students. Heck, even some professors liked to show up there. The pizza was good, after all. However, it wasn't good enough to make his ex or soon-to-be-not-ex (if things worked according to his plans) happy.

So after her negative comment about the place of choice, Kenshin decided to take her to a more upscale restaurant right in downtown. It was a four-star French restaurant and lo and behold, Mizumi was very pleased at the second choice.

After dinner, Kenshin thought about taking her for a walk to the beach. It was a very nice evening and the sky was very clear. Maybe he could ask her there if she wanted to be his girlfriend again—that was very romantic after all. Yet, once they got there, Mizumi kept complaining about the wind (it was just a breeze, a nice one too), the sand getting into her shoes, and a series of other complaints that made Kenshin sigh in defeat and call it a night.

Now, as he was driving her home, Kenshin noticed that his car needed a gas refill.

"Tonight was lovely, Kenshin! Thank you so much." Mizumi's voice interrupted his thoughts and Kenshin smiled. Almost perfect night. Almost.

"You're welcome, Mizumi. I'm glad you liked it." He spoke softly, his eyes on the road.

"I hope it happens again," Mizumi spoke huskily, "but maybe next time we can stay up late."

Turning his head briefly toward the right side, Kenshin smiled in spite of himself at her innuendo. "Of course," was all he said.

Silence reigned inside the car again and after a good ten minutes, Kenshin saw a familiar gas station. He parked the car in front of one of the free pumps and unbuckled himself.

"The car needs some gas. I'll be right back."

Five minutes later, they were back on the road.

"So how's work, Kenshin?" Mizumi spoke suddenly, her eyes checking one perfectly French-manicured hand.

"It's good. My shifts are more stable and there haven't been that many emergencies lately."

"Good."

"How about you?" Kenshin asked in an attempt to keep her talking. He knew she liked to talk about her job, or anything that involved herself, really.

"It's great! Although one of the cases for next week will be a pain. It's about this woman who's suing her cheating husband for, well, cheating." Mizumi rolled her eyes but continued, "she's asking for half a million as compensation and psychological damages. Well, it's more like I told her to ask for that much. I mean, the man cheated! And he's loaded. He can afford that." She said cheekily. "Besides, it's not her fault that her husband decided to go back to his first wife. According to him, the woman I'm representing spent too much money and barely worked. But according to her, why should she work so much if her husband was that rich? I agree, actually." She spoke even more heatedly.

"I mean, this sounds terrible, but I feel that he married her to be his trophy wife. He knew what he was doing. If you marry a woman two decades younger, one whom you met at a bar, what do you expect?" Mizumi snorted and rolled her eyes.

Kenshin only nodded in acquiescence and then frowned. "Alright… interesting."

"Yes. But let's not talk about work anymore." A hand landed itself on Kenshin's right shoulder and then it squeezed it. "So where are you taking me next?" A smile followed a seductive raised eyebrow.

"Eager for our next date?" Kenshin asked with mischief, his tone matching the mood the woman sitting next to him had set.

"Well, can't blame me for loving the company."

Kenshin chuckled but noticed that he couldn't do anything more since they had arrived to their destination.

"We're here," he said with some disappointment as he parked the car in front of Mizumi's apartment complex.

Unbuckling herself, Mizumi turned and placed a kiss on Kenshin's lips. "See you." She said before leaving the car.

When Kenshin saw her disappear through the entrance doors of the building, he backed up and went back to the road.

Smiling to himself, he thought that it hadn't been a bad idea to date Mizumi again. Their relationship hadn't ended well, and to be honest, that had been eating at him for a while. Until he met Kaoru.

He frowned as the name inserted itself in his mind.

Kaoru was a wonderful woman, one he liked and had adored while they were dating. She was pretty, very dedicated, independent, and in spite of her temper, she was fun to be around with. He enjoyed their time together; however, when Mizumi re-appeared in his life just when he considered having a more serious relationship with Kaoru, Kenshin was left wondering.

On the one hand, he did want his relationship with Kaoru to grow. On the other hand, he also wanted to rekindle his relationship with Mizumi, to get closure. After a few meetings with his ex, he realized that maybe he was being unfair to Kaoru. Maybe they were better as friends since it didn't make sense to be with her if he was still thinking about getting back together with Mizumi.

Things began to grow cold with Kaoru between his doubts and uncertainty. So after he hinted that friendship was perhaps the better path, Kaoru agreed. Two months after that, and with the help of Mizumi's sudden interest in him once again, Kenshin decided that they should try dating again. Things were going well thus far, and tonight was supposed to be the night when he asked Mizumi to be his official girlfriend (for a second time). Yet, it seemed that maybe he should ask next time. Fine by him.

As he continued driving, he decided that he wanted to return to the beach. Tonight's outcome wasn't what he had expected. Although he was optimistic for next time, his nerves were also a bit on the edge. Maybe walking along the ocean could calm him enough before he returned home and went to bed. He needed to have a good night sleep since he had one surgery tomorrow morning.

As he parked his car, Kenshin noticed that there was another car a few meters away.

It seems that I'm not the only one here tonight.

He took off his shoes and rolled up his pants. He walked for a good five minutes along the wooden edges that separated the street's asphalt from the sandy beach, when he noticed a laughing couple very close to the shore.

In the semi darkness, Kenshin realized that he knew that profile. He froze when he recognized sparkling blue eyes, even from that far away.

Kenshin saw Kaoru, laughing in the arms of a good-looking man as he twirled her around while avoiding her playful punches at the same time.

Who is HE?