THE IMPOSSIBLE
by: Chiki Yumeshisa
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin……all original characters/ideas are mine to claim though.
A side story to WHEN THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOU. It becomes almost impossible to take care of such a demanding individual, how can one possibly make the heart love instead of hate even with an attitude like that?
Warnings: Brief swearing………..and family situations. O.O.
AN: This story will have various scenes in no apparent time order - just random events that help to enlighten the reader as to how some characters' lives were before the story WHEN THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOU. Bear with me as I jump from scene to scene in each chapter. This chapter - Kaoru's life!
Chapter 4:
-Kaoru-
She liked tests.
She loved school with a passion.
No, wait, she loved reading with a passion…….
She made a face, her pen hovering over her paper. What was it that she loved most that made her the way she was? She finally scribbled down the word, books. She loved books. Any type. Give them to her, and she'd devour them. She craved them sometimes – perhaps that was why she was always the top in her class. She strove to remember everything and she eagerly looked for the solutions to problems.
If she couldn't figure the solution, it would itch at her brain so much she'd look for them in books until she either found it, or settle with the thought that it would be answered later on in the future.
She went on to fill out the questionnaire:
Name: Kamiya Kaoru
Age: 15
Gender: Female
School: Yoshimitsu Middle High
Hair: Black
Eyes: Blue
Married or single? Single of course. Well, actually, Kaoru did like this boy in her class – his name was Katsu. He had black hair like hers and even though he acted like a total goofball, he was really smart too. He was always challenging her in the field of academics. She hoped that maybe, she'd get the courage to tell him one of those days…..
Background: Japanese
Parents: Divorced/Married – What should she choose? Her parents fought constantly, it was almost as if they were divorced. What kind of a stupid question was this anyway? The school board had no right to even ask such personal stuff. Once again, her pen hovered. What should she circle?
Finally, she circled the second one – her parents weren't divorced yet. She hoped that they would stay together. She quickly filled out the rest of the sheet, placing her address and telephone number in at the very end. Then, afterwards, she handed it in, grabbed her backpack and ran out of the room.
It was required for every student to fill in the sheet: they were all going to be going into high school and they needed the necessary information. Kaoru had signed up for and she fervently hoped that she had made it. The exam had been a breeze, and she was looking forward to seeing her best friends there.
They had already left for the day, leaving her behind to walk home on her own. She had let Minoru-chan borrow her cd player, so she was left to walk in silence.
Katsu came up from behind her and swat her on the back. His hands were full of chalk dust and he left a nice white print on the back of her navy uniform. Kaoru scowled, "Why do you have to be so immature all the time?" She demanded.
"Lighten up, Kamiya!" Katsu sang. "It's all in fun. It's chalk, it'll come off." He gave her a stupid silly grin. It made her smile, despite her chagrin at his actions. Her mother would never let her hear the end of it. She really didn't need the lecture. She tried to get it off. The idiot: he had placed it on her back where she couldn't reach.
"Where you headed off to?" He asked, walking in pace with her.
"The library." Was the response.
He held up his hands in mock defeat. "And here I wanted to ask you out too. I guess I have no place in a book worm's life."
Her cheeks heated. "Rot and die, Katsu – I would never go out with you anyway." And hold you tongue, Kaoru, because you're lying and you know it, she chided herself ruefully.
Katsu stuck out his tongue. "If you want, I'll walk you there." He offered.
She smiled at him. "Thanks."
"I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to protect yourself: you need a strong guy like me around." He teased.
She rolled her eyes. "I can protect myself better than you can." She told him smugly. And she could too: she had been learning the art of Kendo since she was very small. Pretty soon, her father told her she'd be a master. Her little brother, Yahiko, was well on his way too.
Katsu stuffed his hands in his pockets. He was wearing the high-button collar uniform that all the males wore. He began to whistle, the Japanese national anthem.
They went to the library together, where she picked up a couple of science books and a placed a couple of orders. She was happy: her order had come just in time. She was excited: something new to read!
Katsu gave her a small smile. "I don't see how you could want to read those."
"I'm looking forward to it." She said, grinning.
They walked together in silence to her front gate. Her house was raised bungalow-style one. Their basement was converted to a dojo, where students filed in to practice their budo. The Kamiya Kasshin Ryu was still teeming with life. The students were all dressed in a cream-colored yukatas and a light blue hakamas. Maybe in the whole school there was only two girls who trained in the art other than herself.
"Well, Kamiya, I'll take my leave here." Katsu said, giving her a peace-sign, raising to fingers in a salute.
"You're such a gentleman." Kaoru told him. "Thank you."
"Anything for the lady." Katsu told her. The way he said that reminded her of the way that Morisato did. He always called her a little lady. She watched as he loped away, his figure disappearing around the corner.
Their front lawn was freshly cut, and the window was open, letting in the smell of baking cookies. Most likely, her mother was cooking the snack for Ayame. The thought of food made Kaoru's stomach growl.
She took off her shoes at the door, arranging them neatly by the side of the wall on the tiled floor. It was obvious her mother had just finished mopping the wood of the hallway with the way it shone when the light hit it. "I'm home!" She called.
Ayame came out, toddling toward her, her arms outstretched. "Kao-neechan!" She called out happily.
Kaoru gathered the bundle in her arms. Her mother came out soon after. "Kaoru, there's mail for you."
"Really?" Her heart thumped. She hoped to God that it wasn't a rejection letter. She also hoped that it wasn't a bad news letter from the school. Thankfully though, when she opened the letter, good news was printed all over the sheet.
"Mother! I got accepted into Takunara High!" Her hands shook with excitement. She could hardly believe her eyes!
Her mother didn't even bother to look up. "That's nice." She said. She was more intent on checking to see whether the milk inside the baby's bottle was too hot. She tested it on her skin, and since she didn't flinch, she proceeded to give it to Suzume, Kaoru's youngest sister, who was merely a month old.
It was nothing new: Kaoru always got awards and prizes. It was only obvious she'd get accepted into the high school of her choice.
Despite her excitement, Kaoru felt a tinge of disappointment at the reaction. Her mother was never really close to her. She knew that if she told her father, he would be ecstatic for her. She consoled herself with that thought.
Yahiko walked in, his bokken slung over his shoulder. "Kao-nee, father is looking for you. He says he needs you help to teach today." He paused when he saw her elated face. "What's with you, ugly?"
"Oh be quiet!" She snapped happily, as she jogged past him and into her bedroom. She deposited Ayame on her bed, telling her not to spill anything. Her room was one of the biggest ones because of the amount of books she had piled on her floor. She had a few stuffed animals here and there, and Ayame happily rested her head on one of the stomachs.
She quickly changed into a yukata and hakama of her own and ran to meet her father in the training hall. Her library books came on time, her acceptance letter came in the mail – things couldn't get any better.
Or so she thought.
Sure enough, her father was happy for her. She was glad for that. Her father always called her his little angel, and she knew she could depend on him. Just as she was going to pour herself into her new books, she heard a glass crash to the floor and the baby let out a wail.
Kaoru dropped her books, and rushed out of her bedroom. A pit of dread was growing in the pit of her stomach. She felt a cold wash of fear run through her – they were fighting again. Another glass broke.
"It's always going to be like this, isn't it?" Her mother was screaming.
"Why do you have to be so selfish Saori!" Her father shouted back.
"If it weren't for the children, I would have gotten rid of you!"
Her father's anger peaked. "What did you say? Watch it, bitch!"
Her blood ran cold. It was getting there again. She made it to the kitchen finally, after what seemed like an eternity. Time seemed to have slowed down. She could hear her every breath. She watched as her mother covered Ayame's ears and as Suzume screamed, crying, from her chair. Yahiko was in the corner, his eyes wide.
"Watch what you say in front of the kids!" Her mother hollered. Ayame started to cry in protest.
"Get your hands off her!" Her father shouted, pulling Ayame roughly out of her mother's grasp. The poor child let out a yelp of pain.
"Mother, Father, stop!" Kaoru screamed over their shouts. She managed to get Suzume from her chair and pull Yahiko up from his crouched position. Suzume wailed at the top of her lungs from her arms, and Yahiko shook so badly, he could hardly stand. Oblivious to the chaos around them, their parents continued to curse at each other, the words flying back and forth. Kaoru's shouts for them to stop were lost in the whirlwind of insults and hurtful words.
Finally, Kaoru managed to usher her siblings out and into her bedroom, sitting Ayame on one thigh and Suzume on the other, hugging them tight. Yahiko rested his head on her shoulder as she jiggled them on her knees, cooing soothing words to them. She felt tears well up in her eyes but she didn't let them fall. She had to be strong for them.
Perhaps it would be better if they separated……..
It would give them less pain.
But then again, it might cause problems. She was torn: she loved both of them, but yet, she wanted a peaceful family.
A whole family.
But that wasn't going to happen……….
A single tear made its way down her cheek.
All her siblings jumped when they heard another crash and a shriek that sounded like a death cry.
What on earth?
Leaving them inside her bedroom, crying and sniffling, she went to see what had happened, and what greeted her was something she was not expecting to see.
To Be Continued...
AN: So there you have it, Kaoru's part of the story. As everyone can probably tell, she and her mother were never really close. I hope you enjoyed, please leave me a review!
