Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
The Bargain
Help!
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
January
His arms were still around her and hers were around his neck as they both stared at each other, both of them scrutinizing the other's reaction to what he just said.
"Go out… with you?" she asked dubiously.
He blushed and nodded, his earlier confidence fading into something akin to embarrassment at her scrutiny. He lifted his eyes to meet hers and blushed even more at the mirth that he found in her sapphire orbs. Without much ado, he let her go when she burst out laughing so hard that tears were starting to fall down her face. She was turning red because of the effort that her laughter required and the unstoppable giggles that took her breath away.
He scoffed at her reaction and looked away, still blushing as he watched her continue to guffaw through his peripheral vision. When her giggles finally started to die down, he turned towards her emotionlessly and observed her while she tried to compose herself, her hand grabbing the strap of her training bag that fell while she was too busy laughing at him.
"Oh God." She breathed, giggling a bit more at his expense. "Oh God this is rich."
"Glad I could amuse you." Kenshin replied blankly.
Kaoru met his eyes once more and smiled giddily at his embarrassment. "Oh Red, you are so amusing."
"Apparently." He scoffed. "Mind sharing why you're obviously so eager to date me?"
"You don't want to date me." She remarked, pulling him out the door so they could make their way out the building. The night was not getting any earlier and they both had classes the next day, so she wanted to get as much sleep as she could.
"I asked you, didn't I? Or was I not clear enough for you?"
Mischievously, she looked back at him. "You don't want to dateme."
"How many times do we have to go through this?"
She laughed once more and tugged on his arm more firmly, leading him down the stairs that would lead to the sports building's main door. "Come on, Red. Let's talk on the way home."
"What happened to you being able to take care of yourself?"
"Oh please. This is rich, Himura. I'm not trading this conversation for anything in the world. So hurry your ass up. I'm freezing and you don't want my blood on your hands if I get pneumonia or something."
He chose to not reply to her remark since he was too busy dreading the time that they'd be spending together during their drive back to Easton. He was pretty sure that Kaoru knew what he was going to say. Sometimes, that woman was just so unpredictable that she left him reeling with various emotions after their every interaction.
He locked the door right after they stepped out of the building and double-checked it to make sure that he wouldn't be blamed if any of the equipment got lost over the night. Kaoru was jogging in place to try to make herself feel warmer and they both hurried to his car where he blasted his heater on immediately so they could both ward off the chill of the winter night.
Mirth was still shining in her eyes as he pulled out of the driveway and he resolved to not open his mouth until she did, not wanting to say something stupid that might get himself into trouble. What was on his mind was dangerous enough, and he knew that he had to explain his purpose properly although by the looks of it, she knew what he wanted perfectly well already.
"You don't want to date me." She stated without a doubt.
"What makes you think that?"
She chuckled. "Well, for one, you haven't dated anyone else since Tomoe."
"Your point?" he asked with a raised brow.
"That means you still haven't gotten yourself a rebound."
"Why are—"
"Shut up. We all know that's necessary in this day and age." She pointed out. "Although," she continued. "I don't think you're a rebound type of guy, you know what I mean?"
He nodded silently, slowing his car down when he saw the red light shining at the intersection.
"And I'm not a rebound type of girl."
"I know you aren't." He replied honestly.
"So the only plausible reason behind you asking me that favor, so to speak, is because you want Tomoe back by making her jealous."
His eyes widened. "Hey, that's not—"
"Oh stop it. I know you, and I know how much you want her back. This is a silly and childish way of doing it, though. But I bet you already know that." She mused as he continued driving back to their apartment building. "You must be getting pretty desperate if you're asking me to do what you want me to do."
He grinned. "Well clearly, you don't know me well enough."
"What do you mean?" she asked curiously.
Kenshin stayed silent for the rest of their five minute drive and parked his car flawlessly. They both remained in the vehicle for a few moments while he struggled to find a way to answer her question properly.
"I'm not going to say what you said isn't true." He started. "I still want her back."
"But?" she grunted when he just looked ahead of him. "Oh come on, Himura. You might as well tell me. You already know one of my biggest secrets—"
"One of your biggest secrets?"
She shrugged. "You know what you need to know; and I need to know what I need to know if you really want us to go through with this "dating" gig of yours."
"Fine." He replied, pausing once again before he shared his embarrassing admission. "The truth is… at this point I really just want to forget her, you know?" he sighed, locking his amethyst orbs with her so she could see the sincerity behind his words.
This time, it was Kaoru who paused and looked out of her window. "Forget, huh?" she whispered.
The redhead stared at her intently. "Look, I'm not telling you that you're going to be my rebound, because like I said earlier, we're both not the type of people who believe in rebounds; and I'm not asking you to go out with me 'cause I want to make her jealous because, again, you were right when you said that that's a completely immature and childish way of going through the post-break up process."
He gave Kaoru some time to digest what he just told her, but he got worried when her gaze seemed far off, as though she wasn't thinking of what he said at all. Her face was completely emotionless and her usually bright and lively eyes seemed empty. He steeled himself for the rejection that he was pretty sure he was going to receive, but he was surprised when she suddenly looked back at him.
"I will not be your rebound, Kenshin Himura." She stated.
"I just told you—"
She smiled. "I know what you said, but I'm not going to go out with you just because of that."
He sighed and stepped out of his car at the same time as she did, feeling dejected and unsure of himself now that he knew where he stood with her. 'Really, what the hell was I thinking? Asking her out like that." He scolded himself mentally.
They both got in the elevator and stared at their reflections on the metal doors, although he still glanced at her from time to time to see if she was feeling as awkward as he was after all that.
Suddenly, she smiled brightly and looked up at him. "The fact still stands that I haven't repaid my end of the bargain, Red."
"You don't have to—"
"I think I have a better idea on how I can help you forget." She grinned.
"Uh… what?" he asked with confusion lacing his voice.
There was a brief 'ding' when the elevator reached her floor. "Let's talk in the morning. Call me when breakfast is ready." She instructed, before smiling up at him, her eyes bright with mischief and an emotion he couldn't decipher. "Besides, maybe you could help me forget too. Bye."
The metal doors closed once more and took him up to his floor. He removed his shoes and went through his usual evening routine, all the while thinking about the mystery that was Kaoru Kamiya.
The next morning, the first thing he did was to make himself a strong cup of coffee, forgoing the usual cream and sugar that he usually took with his caffeine. He was so tired and sleepy, which was perfectly understandable given the time that he was able to get home the night before. Once the hot drink finally kicked in, he suddenly remembered that he was supposed to be meeting his sapphire-eyed friend for breakfast.
"Fuck it." He said as he ran to his bathroom to take a quick shower before dressing himself for the day. Since he didn't know what she liked to eat, he decided to prepare a basic but filling breakfast—making two plates of bacon, eggs, and a couple of pancakes in case she was extra hungry like he was. Once the table was set, he immediately picked up his phone and scanned through his contacts to call Kaoru.
"Hey." He greeted.
"Shit, what time is it?" She asked groggily.
He chuckled. "Seven thirty. I'm guessing you're still in bed?"
"Yeah, damn it." She cursed. "Give me twenty minutes."
Kaoru ended the call without even a goodbye as she rushed to get herself ready for the day. It was a good thing she was going up to Kenshin's apartment for her morning meal since that would mean that she wouldn't have to suffer through the long line in the café in their campus just to get a bagel and a strong cup of coffee. Her decision to shower the night before was also a blessing since that meant that she wouldn't have to wash her hair that morning—saving her even more time.
She brushed her teeth and washed her face before hastily pulling her hair up in a messy bun and grabbing a white long-sleeved blouse and a pair of black stockings from her messy closet. Given the dress code that their department required, she pulled on a thick black, long-sleeved dress on top of it all .
'I really need to get my laundry washed soon.' She thought as she laced up her brown boots and grabbed her cream-colored coat along with her bag and violin case before rushing out her door—making sure that it was locked and that she had her keys with her.
By the time she got to Kenshin's floor, she was breathing heavily and praying to all the gods and spirits that the red-haired man had a decent breakfast prepared for the two of them.
She knocked three times and he saw him grinning amusedly when he answered the door. Annoyed, she shoved him aside and scoffed at his laughter.
"Feeling a bit grumpy this morning, huh?" he chuckled.
"You better have coffee, Himura."
He forced himself to control his laughter before replying. "It's already on the table, my lady."
Gently, she placed her violin case on his black couch and put her bag beside it. Kaoru sat down on one of the seats around the circle dining table and wasted no time in taking a long sip of the aforementioned drink, disregarding its hot temperature as she chugged it down.
The amused redhead sat across from her more gracefully than she did, noting that she didn't look like she rushed through her morning at all. He poured them both a glass of orange juice and patiently waited for her to compose herself before speaking. With the way she was acting right now, he knew better than to open his mouth before she did. He'd never seen an angry Kaoru before and he really didn't want to see it then.
When the violinist finally got her bearings, she looked out his rather large window. Since her sanity has returned, she was finally able to notice the delicious smell of the beautiful breakfast that was placed right in front of her.
"Wow." She gasped when she saw what was on her plate.
Kenshin laughed. "What? Haven't you ever seen a plate of nutritious food at this time of the morning?"
"Oh shut up." She replied. "If you've been living off of bagels and toast since freshman year, I bet you'd have the same reaction."
"Sorry, that's not possible. Unlike you, I can work a stove without burning down the kitchen." He said playfully.
Kaoru picked up her utensils but caught his mirth-filled gaze with her suddenly apologetic orbs. "Hey, sorry for uh—the way I came in and all." She sighed. "I'm not usually like that. It's just that—"
He raised a hand to stop her. "It's okay, I don't mind. You're allowed to not be a morning person, you know. It's not a crime." He smiled. "Besides, I guess I should just count myself lucky for discovering yet another side to the great Kaoru Kamiya."
"The what? What are—anyway, I just wanted to say sorry. I mean, you went through all this trouble for me and I just barged in here like an uncivilized heathen. You didn't deserve that."
"Who says this breakfast was for your benefit?" He asked with a raised brow, but he was clearly still amused so she wasn't all that troubled by it. "I seem to remember you saying something about having a great idea to help me with my… situation."
"You know, the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem." She stated before taking a bite of one of the bacon strips on her plate. "Oh god," she sighed. "This is heaven."
He chuckled. "I'm glad you approve." He also started eating his meal after seeing that she enjoyed what he had prepared for the two of them. "You're talking as though I have a drug problem, though."
"Well the thing is, I think you do. Think of it as going to a rehab… a love rehab." She said without blinking.
He laughed. "A love rehab? Seriously?"
Kaoru gave into her giggles and shook her head at her own silliness. "I know it sounds stupid, but that's sort of what you need right now, isn't it? I mean, think of Tomoe as a habit you've formed for two years. So now, you have to break the habit of thinking and being with her so much."
"So you're saying I need therapy?"
"Yes, and you need professional help." She grinned. "And you are a very lucky guy because I am a professional."
"Oh?" he chuckled once more. "Who said you were?"
"I did, and that's all that counts." She said proudly. "Anyway, the way I see it, you have so many memories of her in your head. Like, there are places and things and all sorts of stuff that you used to do with her, right?"
"Well we were in a two-year relationship. I think it's pretty impossible to not have those… stuff." He mocked playfully.
"Do you want my help or not?" she raised a brow at him. When she saw him shake his head amusedly, she continued. "So our main goal here is to do something about those memories of yours. We have to replace them."
"Replace them?"
"Yeah, think of it this way. You have an image in your head of what happened when you were, let's say, in a mall. So whenever you go to the mall, you remember her, right?" He nodded. "So what we have to do now is to make new images; sort of like replacing the image of Tomoe in your head with someone else."
"But isn't that the point of a rebound?" He asked.
"No." She replied. "'Cause with a rebound, you're basically forcing a person to fit into the image that you want; like having a puzzle with a missing piece and forcing another one that clearly won't fit into the empty space." She sipped a bit of her juice before continuing. "With my foolproof method, you know that your main intent is to experience something new in that place with another person. So you won't be forcing yourself or anything, which makes all the difference—and the best part is, the person you're going to be making those memories with won't expect anything from you, so it won't get complicated."
"And I'm guessing this is where you come in?"
"Of course." She said proudly. "I do have my end of the bargain to fulfill, and I'll have you know that I'm a rather delightful person."
"Getting a bit cocky there, aren't we?" he chortled.
She grinned. "Not really. I'm just stating facts here."
They paused to finish off their breakfast and put the used dishes in the dishwasher. Kenshin was busy drying his hands when Kaoru spoke again from where she was leaning against the doorway that led to the redhead's kitchen.
"So what do you think, Red?"
He sighed. "You know, in a way, this solution of yours is confusing… but at the same time it makes sense."
"Of course it does. I came up with it, after all." She said.
"Okay, let me get this straight." Kenshin started, trying to clarify and digest everything that Kaoru explained. "You're going to help me forget Tomoe by doing everything that Tomoe and I did when we were together with me?"
"Yes, because it's all very simple, Kenshin. You're obviously still haunted by Tomoe; at this point she's become like a demon of sorts—no, let me finish," she raised her hand when she saw him tensing up and wanting to defend his ex. "See, the thing with forgetting and getting better is that you have to face your demons; you've been so busy avoiding everything that reminds you of her that it makes you think about it even more." She looked at him intently. "Now, to help you, I'll be right there with you when you confront your memories, so to speak."
He wanted to ask her how she knew all this, but her eyes turned light again and he knew he wouldn't get any answers.
"To put it simply, we'll be replacing your Tomoe memories with Kaoru memories." She joked.
He chuckled and everything that she told him clicked in his head, making him smile as they both walked back into his living room to gather their things. "Okay, I get it now." He grinned at her. "The question is, just how far are you willing to go with this? You do know we did all sorts of things that couples do, right?"
"That's all up to you, really. Just do everything that you used to do with her that you want to forget with me."
"Everything?" he grinned mischievously.
She laughed. "You're not that lucky, Red. But yeah, everything; it's your call. I know you developed habits with her—even little ones, and I'm telling you now that I won't mind."
He grabbed his keys and turned off all the lights before opening the door so the two of them could leave his apartment. "So in a way, we'll be friends who happen to do things that people in relationships do?"
"If that's the way you understand it, then yeah." She shrugged.
He thought about it for a moment. She seemed pretty invested in this idea of hers and he had to admit that she really did make sense. He couldn't deny what she said about him avoiding all of the places that would trigger memories of his past two-year relationship, and having her there as he faced everything would be a great deal of help. He smiled and nodded. "Alright. When do we start?"
"I'm game if you are, Red." The violinist grinned.
"Well alright then. Glad to know you're all set to go with this."
"I never come into a battle unprepared, Kenshin." The elevator finally arrived at their floor and they walked in together and waited for the metal contraption to bring them to their destination. "I just have a couple of rules before we actually go through with this."
"Rules?" he asked curiously.
She nodded. "Yeah. First, don't ever ask me questions—"
"So I can't ask you what time it is?" He joked.
She smacked his stomach lightly to scold him. "Shut up, you know what I mean. And second," she said with a straight face. "don't ever take me seriously."
"Is that an unclichéd way of saying don't fall in love with you?" he chuckled.
"You are such a smartass, you know that?" she admonished.
"How do you know all of these things anyway? Have you been in a lot of relationships before? Is that why you're such a professional?"
"That's breaking rule number one." She pointed out. "But since I'm so kindhearted and it is your first mistake, I guess I won't mind answering. I have, if you must know, but I'm horrible with them so in the end, I just end up breaking them off. Save myself the hassle and all."
"Well it's a good thing we won't be in a relationship, then." He stated. "Wait, so you've never been broken up with? How sure are you that this will all work out in the end?"
The elevator dinged and opened at the basement parking lot. "Relationships aren't the only things that make people want to forget, Kenshin." She said softly before stepping out of the elevator and walking to her car. She was about to unlock her vehicle when the redhead's hand shot out to stop her.
"Ride with me today." He requested. When he saw her starting to protest, he shrugged and elaborated. "I'm just testing how far the everything you said is."
She grinned. "Alright. But we're taking my car tomorrow. I don't want you to think that I'm in this to take advantage of you or anything."
"You won't be."
"I don't care. We're trading cars every other day, okay? I still want everything to be fair."
"You're doing more than enough for me, Kaoru. The least I can do is to drive you around."
"Still. I don't care."
"Fine." He decided, "I guess in your point of view, that suggestion of yours is fair again."
:"You know it." She giggled.
She put her violin case on the backseat before settling herself in the car where Kenshin was already seated. He started the engine and made his way up the ramp that would lead to the usually empty street.
"You know, for someone who had no time to prepare properly, you look composed." He mused. "Except for the hair, though."
"I don't know if you're mocking me or if you're being serious about this."
"I mean it." He said sincerely. "I actually expected you to be in a pair of jeans and a shirt after talking to you over the phone earlier. You must be some sort of miracle worker."
"With what I'm about to do with you? I'd say I really am." She chuckled. "But we have this thing today in class and we have to look presentable. Showing up in a pair of jeans won't really make a good impression."
"Oh? What thing?"
She laughed. "Small talk? Really?"
"Hey, I'm trying here." He replied as he turned a corner. "At least this isn't as awkward as our first drive together. That was just painful."
"I'll agree with that. I saved us both the pain from that, though. So really, that's proof enough of how I'm such a delight."
"You keep saying that, but I have yet to see it."
"You'll see." She promised. "I have it on good authority that I'm brilliant company."
"Really? Whose?"
"Everyone's." she said confidently.
He chuckled. "And you say I'm full of it? Your confidence is astounding, Kaoru Kamiya."
"And yours isn't, Kenshin Himura. Really, you should realize how great of a person you are. You downplay yourself too much."
"Is that your way of saying I'm cool?"
She scrunched up her nose. "No, not cool… I'd say you're okay."
"Okay?" he laughed. "That's all I get from you? Okay?"
"You should be happy I said it in the first place. When Sano asked me what I think about him, I told him he was an asshole."
"Well that's what I thought of him too. The first time we met, he bumped into me and called me a shrimp."
She giggled. "Really? So what happened to make you two so close?"
"I'm not really sure." He shrugged. "I think it was when I punched him and broke his nose for slamming me into my locker. Damn retard things I'm the type of person who could be bullied."
"I bully you all the time and I don't see you trying to break my nose."
"Don't you remember, Miss Kamiya? I don't believe that chivalry is dead." He grinned. "I'm a gentleman, and gentlemen don't hit women."
"You're sparring with me tonight. I think that cancels out what you just said."
"You seem to be forgetting what I told you yesterday. I don't bother with all that gallantry when I have no one to impress." He glanced at her. "And I'm not even going to bother trying to impress you since I think that'll be breaking rule number two."
"Damn straight." She agreed as she reached behind her to grab her violin case and get herself ready to step out of the black vehicle since they were already near the entrance to her building. "Besides, I like you better this way."
He grinned and stopped the car in front of the music and arts building of their campus and waited for her to leave. "I'll see you later, then? What time will you be out?"
"Around six or so. You? I can walk back to Easton if you get out earlier than I do."
"No, it's alright. I'm out by five anyway so I can just wait around."
She thought about what could make his waiting easier for him since he seemed to be the type of person to insist on what he wanted to do. "Enishi and I'll just be rehearsing from four to six. If you want, you can come in and wait around there. We'll be in room 206. The one with the grand piano."
"Sure." He nodded. "Just text me when I can come up."
She nodded at him and opened the door to step out of the car when she suddenly felt Kenshin grab her left arm. He leaned into her and placed a quick peck on her cheek, blushing and nervously waiting for her reaction as he did so. It was a small and insignificant gesture, but it was something that he remembered fondly whenever he'd drop Tomoe off by her building—and Kaoru did say that she wouldn't mind.
Kaoru shook herself out of her shock and looked back at him with a gentle smile. "Right. Kiss before we leave the car. Got it."
He laughed and watched her close the door and throw a brief wave to signal her goodbye. The redhead waited for her to get into her building's lobby before he started moving again, all the while smiling at the thought of finally being able to move on with such a spontaneous person.
'This'll be interesting. But let's see how this'll go.' He thought amusedly.
The violinist walked into the building in a good mood, thinking that what she'll be doing with the redhead in the following weeks would be fun. She wasn't really shy with people in terms of showing affection—not that that meant that she slept around or anything, it's just that she loved showing the people she cared about how much she appreciated their presence in her life; especially given what she had experienced before. Besides, she only did acts like that with people she trusted. What made her happy that morning was the knowledge that that trait of hers would actually be helping a friend heal from what he had experienced.
She'd only known the redhead for a few months, but during that time, she'd grown fond of him and his gentle nature; that, and their witty banters were always fun for her. Now that he knew her secret love for kendo and he'd promised to help her better herself by sparring with her every now and then, she felt an even deeper connection with him since she really wanted to prove to herself that she was strong enough—and that despite her first teacher's absence, she could still show him that she could improve herself and make him proud; she might even learn a few more tricks that would make her even better than she already thought herself to be.
To be honest, she felt like she wasn't doing enough for him. He'd offered to help her so many times—which she'd accepted because sadly, she really did need the help—that she felt like what she had done for him in return couldn't even compare to the amount of effort that he'd exerted for her. At that moment, she decided that she'd do the best that she could to help him move on so she could see the side of him that was one hundred percent happy and whole.
She didn't intend to replace Tomoe in his life. She knew that the woman would always hold a piece of his heart. All she really wanted to do was to show him that despite her absence in his life, he could still be happy and not be haunted by memories of her whenever he'd do something that he used to do with his ex. Moving on was a difficult process, and she was glad that, in a way, she'd really be able to help him.
"Hey." She heard a familiar voice greet her from behind.
The violinist turned to find the blonde-haired man that she was also good friends with. "Enishi." She smiled. "How's it going?"
He scoffed. "It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since I last saw you. How do you think it's going?"
"You have a point." She giggled. "I was just being polite."
"Whatever." He grunted. She was used to his aloof attitude at this time of the morning because, like her, he was also not a morning person—something that she regretted showing to Kenshin earlier. Still, she always managed to get her act together before she'd come to her first class since her annoyance at having to wake up so early would be replaced by the excitement she felt at the prospect of playing her favorite instrument the whole day long—aside from a few history and theoretical lessons, plus the French class she chose to enroll herself in.
She smiled and waited for him to catch up with her so they could walk together to their first class. "I saw Himura dropping you off earlier."
"What of it?"
He looked dubiously down at her. "Since when have you two been dating?"
"We aren't." She chuckled. "We're just really good friends; and we live in the same building. We finally agreed to take one car out of the parking lot whenever we'd come to school. It makes sense since we have relatively the same schedules anyway."
"Friends. Right." He scoffed. "Are you really friends or is this building up into something?"
"Of course not. You know I don't date friends. It… complicates things."
"Yeah, but you haven't been friends with him that long yet. I don't know if he qualifies as a good friend."
She sighed. "We're just friends, Enishi. I mean it."
"Look," he sighed. "All I'm saying is you should be careful with him. You know he's still moping around for my sister and I don't want to get stuck in the middle of any crap from any of you. You're the only decent person in this building and I'd hate to have to chew your head off for something that shouldn't even be any of my business."
"I know that, which is why I'm telling you that we're just friends. We're just getting really close, is all." She looked up at his tired face as they were walking up the stairs that would lead to their assigned class room. "Have you gotten any coffee yet? You look horrible."
"Well ain't that the cherry on top of this very merry morning." He mocked before sighing at his crude behavior. "Sorry, cherry pie, coffee just hasn't kicked in yet."
She laughed. "Don't worry. I'm used to your obnoxious behavior at this time of the morning. After three years, I don't expect any apologies from you anymore."
"Good. 'Cause that means I won't have to apologize to you tomorrow." He grinned.
They entered the music room and waited for their other classmates—whom they barely talked to anyway since most of the students in their department felt like every day was a competition and that they all had to be better than the rest. It was a good thing that Kaoru and Enishi weren't really interested in participating in what the others were doing, and they were pretty content with just having each other to go through college with. Besides, the dynamics of their friendship was fun. He never asked too many questions, and she never complained about his crude behavior, and for the two of them, that was enough.
They sat beside each other at the back of the classroom—as they always did, and talked about random things until Enishi's mood finally improved in time for the arrival of their professor.
Versatility was the topic for the day. As music students of the most prestigious university in their country, they were all expected to be able to play at least two other instruments aside from the one that they preferred playing. It was also a requirement for them to have the ability to adapt to any genre without having any trouble. As their project for the week, they were tasked to play a piece that would involve the use of at least three instruments. The catch was that they weren't allowed to submit a recording or video of any of the classical pieces that they all know so well. By the end of the class, the students were all muttering about the difficulty of the assignment and how they would be able to accomplish it in time for its deadline on Monday the next week.
"What in the hell is that old bat thinking?" Enishi moaned once they've left the room. "Three instruments in one recording? That means we're going to have to play around with mixes and all that."
"Haven't you been paying any attention to the tech classes we have? They taught us how to do that last year, blondie."
He scoffed. "Cherry pie, it's like you don't know me at all. When was the last time you saw me actually listening to the stupid lessons?"
"The stupid lessons are what's going to allow you to graduate, you idiot." She pointed out. "How do you expect to get out of this place?"
"By cheating off of you." He smirked. "And with my unbelievable talent."
"Go ahead and brag, but if you end up staying for another three years because you've been slacking around, I won't even bother feeling sorry for you." She admonished.
"You are such a nerd. I don't know why I'm even friends with you. I'm too cool for the likes of your little head."
She laughed. "You're friends with me because I'm the only person who's not trying to cut your throat open with a fiddle."
"One of these days, I'm going to prove you wrong. You'll see. I'll get myself a better friend and I'm going to leave you all alone to drown in all the tension."
"I'd see that on the same day that men start raining down from the sky."
"At half past ten?" he chuckled. "I didn't know you were into that type of music, Kaoru."
"Who isn't? It's so catchy."
"Catchy and disgusting. It's horrible how people are so into music like that. The lyrics don't even make sense."
"And yet you're so familiar with them." She giggled. "Stop pretending you don't know those songs, Enishi. Even the best musicians enjoy pop songs every now and then."
The two went into their next class where Kaoru watched Enishi try to keep his eyes open in an effort to pay attention to the droning of their old professor regarding the history of the music of the romantic era. Since she was already very familiar with the topic, she spent the rest of the hour and a half thinking about what piece she would put together for the project from their previous class.
She had to admit that she wasn't really all that talented with coming up with pieces that involved more than her beloved violin. Yes, she knew how to play the piano and the guitar, and her voice wasn't really all that bad—although she preferred to not showcase that talent of hers since she didn't want to embarrass herself. However, when it came to putting all three of them together, well, let's just say that it was like she was being asked to hold her breath for two whole minutes under water. Perhaps she'd ask Misao, her most creative friend, for help on this one. She always did seem to come up with great ideas a few minutes after you've briefed her on what needed to be done.
The rest of the day passed and the two were grateful when all of their classes finally ended and they were given time to just loaf around in one of the music rooms that the building held. Usually, students were allowed to sign up for the use of one of the ten music rooms after school hours in case they needed to practice for something, but since the two were pretty well known among the professors and the department's board, they were given the most access to these rooms. To be honest, it was an unspoken rule that Room 206 was theirs to occupy once they've finished their classes—a fact that made most of the other students jealous of their influence in the department. Still, that didn't stop them from using the room since they didn't really give a damn on what the other students thought of them. Besides, they were given the right to use the room most often because they were usually assigned to perform the concluding pieces of the recitals that their department held; and they were also the two top scorers in the talent exam that they went through in order to get into the program.
"Oh god, I've been waiting for this the whole day." Enishi groaned as they entered the room, throwing his bag unceremoniously by the grand piano that was located on the left corner of the room.
The music room was wide and had wooden floors, with only a couple of windows adorning the cream-colored walls of the area. Other instruments were scattered all around the vicinity to allow students access to instruments that weren't portable. Enishi sighed when he settled himself on the leather seat in front of the piano, where he stroked the keys lovingly as though they were his greatest treasure.
"Hello, baby." He crooned.
Kaoru laughed at his behavior and brought out her own instrument, readying herself for their afternoon jam. "You're always so dramatic whenever we come here, blondie."
"You just don't understand, Kaoru… it's like… it's like when I come here, I get the other half of my empty heart back."
She struck him lightly with her fiddle and chuckled. "You're being stupid again."
Enishi chuckled and cracked his knuckles while Kaoru polished the brown surface of her violin to a sheen, making sure that it was so clean that it almost reflected her face whenever she'd look down at it.
"So, any ideas on what you're gonna do for the multi-instrument thing?" The pianist asked casually.
She sighed. "Nothing yet. I've been thinking about it the whole day, but I still have no clue on what I should do for it. We're not allowed to play the classics so that means we're going to have to prepare our own sheet music—all in the span of four days. I think they all expect us to be geniuses."
"We kind of are, you know." Enishi mused arrogantly. "Anyway, I think I'm going to go surf around the internet for ideas after we're done here. Wanna join me?"
She shook her head. "I can't. Kenshin's supposed to tutor me in French tonight."
"French, huh?" The blonde-haired man grinned mischievously.
"Not that French, you stupid fuck. Is that all that's in your head these days?"
He laughed. "Can't help it if women just throw themselves at me. I am but a man, and I can't deny those girls of what they obviously want. I don't want to hurt their feelings or anything."
"Yeah, right." She scoffed. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, playboy." She paused in thought for a moment before addressing the previous topic that they had. "Anyway, I think I might ask Misao for some help. Maybe she can come up with something for me."
"That's not fair." Enishi moaned. "I don't have friends in any other department."
"That's because you don't bother to make friends. All you do is stick your penis up someone's hole then you spend the rest of your pathetic life avoiding the girls you've slept with."
"That's crude." He admonished before grinning. "Crude, but true."
The two of them fell into a comfortable silence then as they both focused on warming themselves up for whatever they'd want to play that afternoon. They took advantage of every time that they'd be given to spend in that room because it had brilliant acoustics, but mostly it was because playing music took their mind off of their other issues and gave them a bit of peace—especially after long days. In fact, there were times when they'd spend more than five hours just playing whatever piece they felt like hearing because they got so into it.
"So what do you feel like playing today?" Kaoru asked serenely. "It was my choice last time, so you get to pick."
Enishi sighed. "How about a bit of the classics? I'm game for Moonlight Sonata. Are you?"
"A bit morose for this day, but it's alright. Your cue, then."
It only took a moment before Enishi started the opening notes for the said piece, filling the room with the gentle and slow melody of the song. A minute later, Kaoru joined in with her violin, making the emotions that the music they were making was supposed to elicit more pronounced. Both musicians closed their eyes and let the sound wash over them, having memorized every note and movement given the number of times that they've already played it before.
As always, the world was drowned out when they started playing together. Nothing mattered except for the music and there was nothing that could break through the bubble that they have created for themselves. The strokes of Kaoru's violin were in perfect tune with the notes that Enishi was playing and the room echoed every sound back to them, enhancing and strengthening the barrier around them even more. When they played, they both felt magical and powerful, and there was a serenity there that no one could ever touch.
Kaoru's movements were graceful, her neck and torso going along with the strokes that her fiddle required in order to match the sounds coming from the piano that Enishi was playing. There was passion singing in both of their souls, and it was reflected by how beautifully they played Beethoven's masterpiece. This was why they were considered the best in their batch—every time they played, they never had any ulterior motives; they didn't have any desire to be considered as the top students, and they weren't doing this to impress other people. They really, truly, just enjoyed hearing the beautiful melodies because they both considered it as an escape from the world—making their pieces more powerful because of the emotion behind it.
As the song drew to a close, they both eased up and took a breath before turning to face each other with a smile. After the day that they've had, it was only then that they felt as relaxed as they could.
"So, what next?" Kaoru asked gently.
Enishi 'hmm'ed in response, thinking about what he would like to hear after the morose melody that filled the room just a moment ago. "I want something light now."
"Classic?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "I don't want to think much today. Just play." He paused. "What about our favorite? Canon in D?"
She laughed. "Of course, good sir. Good choice, I feel the same way."
"Stressed?"
"Not really. Just had a lot on my mind recently, and we haven't been able to do this for a week. I kind of missed it."
"Just this or me too? I know how much you love being with me. I always make your day shine a little brighter." He joked.
She scoffed. "I think it's the other way around, loner. You'd never be able to survive this place if it weren't for me."
"Ha! As if. Don't flatter yourself too much, woman."
"I could say the same to you." She retorted. "Anyway, let's do this. I haven't heard this in a while."
Enishi nodded and turned to face the piano once again, smiling before he pressed the opening keys to Pachelbel's masterpiece. Once again, their rhythms matched and they let the music fill them once more—needing no words to prove that the chemistry that they shared was impeccable.
They didn't even struggle in playing the piece because, like Moonlight Sonata, they've played it so many times before that their bodies played most of the song based on muscle memory. Still, the passion and fire behind the way they played was not lost and they lost themselves in their own little bubble once more.
So focused were they on enjoying themselves that they didn't even notice when a certain redhead entered the room and leaned against the closed door. Kenshin was grateful that Kaoru gave him this chance to listen to them play. She'd heard her practice before but the effect that the room provided made the sounds from the instruments that much clearer and filled him with the warmth he usually felt whenever he'd hear her violin sing.
He watched as Kaoru's hands flittered across the strings of her violin and as she moved along with her fiddle gracefully. It was at that moment that he wished he would've bothered to learn how to play an instrument if only to be given the privilege of playing with her just as Enishi was able to.
When the piece ended, he broke their bubble by clapping from where he was standing with bright and proud eyes as he watched the sapphire-eyed beauty. The two musicians were clearly startled and he felt bad for making them feel that way, knowing that he could've announced his presence in a gentler manner.
Still, what's done is done so he just went on with what he wanted to say. "That was great. Is that for a recital or something?"
Kaoru smiled at him and shook her head. "No, just playing around for fun."
"That was fun? It looked pretty complicated to me." He replied honestly and shrugged. "I guess it's just one of the things I wouldn't understand, huh?"
"Seems like it." Kaoru chuckled, moving closer to where he was so she could give him a brief hug and a gentle peck on his cheek. "Hi." She smiled.
"Hey." He whispered. It was a wonder how she seemed so comfortable with welcoming him with so much warmth when they'd just talked about how they were going to go about their bargain that morning. He supposed it was natural for her to do so seeing as she'd never been shy with sharing physical affection to those she was really close to.
"Is it time to go yet?" she asked.
He shrugged. "Up to you. I don't mind waiting around. My car's parked anyway." He lifted his head to lock his eyes with the green gaze of the blonde-haired man who was still sitting by the piano. "Yukishiro." He greeted.
Enishi scoffed at him and started playing random tunes on his instrument. Kaoru, perceptive as she was, noticed the tension between the two men and thought that it would be best if she put as much distance between them as possible to avoid any conflicts. She didn't want to ruin the good mood she was in.
"No, we can go. I have a lot of stuff to do anyway." Pushing herself out of Kenshin's hold, she walked back to where her violin was and placed her instrument gently onto its velvet bed and closed the case's lid. The violinist grabbed her leather bag along with the case and approached Enishi. "Sorry blondie, I have to go." She said apologetically. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"
"Yeah, sure." Enishi replied with a smile, rising to give his friend a brief hug. "Remember what I told you, Kaoru. Be careful with him."
She chuckled, brushing his words off easily. "I will, I will." She gave him one last smile before walking away from him, throwing a brief "Bye" behind her as she made her way back towards where Kenshin was standing.
The redhead took her violin case from her despite her refusal, but she let him do what he wanted in the end, thinking about the bargain that they struck that morning. They left the room and stayed silent as they went down the building and into the parking lot where his black vehicle was parked.
"So what's up with you and Enishi?" she asked casually when they both settled into their seats.
He shrugged. "I don't know. We used to be fine before, but I guess it's to be expected given that I did date his sister."
"I see your point." She chuckled. "So, do you have time to help me with French tonight?"
The redhead grinned at her. "French already? We haven't even gone through the basics, if you know what I mean."
She scoffed. "Men. You're all the same."
"Anyway, yeah. You can come up whenever you want. I have a few papers to finish, but I won't mind answering your questions if you have trouble with anything." He said. "And bring your gym bag. We're going to the dojo tonight."
"Great." She smiled brightly. Really, her day couldn't have gone any better, and for that, she was thankful.
"Misao, I'm telling you, you really don't have to take this too seriously." Kaoru begged out of her friend who was currently working her ass off on the video that they prepared for her project.
The advertising major scoffed. "You think I'm going to do something half-assed? I never submit anything without making it look perfect."
"It doesn't even have to be a video! I told you a recording would be good enough. And you've already done so much with helping me with this and—"
"Oh just shut up and let me do my work, Kamiya."
Kenshin chuckled from where he was sitting on the driver's seat and started moving again once the stoplight turned green. There was a bit of a scuffle from where Misao was sitting since she was jolted by the sudden movement, making her laptop almost fall from where it was seated on her lap.
"Damn it, Himura! Are you trying to kill us all?"
He glanced at her angry face through the rearview mirror and smiled. "Nobody told you to edit a video in a moving vehicle, Misao. In fact, I told you not to do it."
"Yeah well someone's deadline is tomorrow and I don't have much time to finish this, do I?" she grunted.
Kaoru sighed. "Misao—"
"Shut up. Both of you. Just shut up."
The redhead chuckled again while Kaoru sighed and looked out of the window from the passenger's seat of the black car. She was very thankful for Misao for helping her arrange the piece she'd be submitting the next day. To be honest, she didn't think she was going to be able to pull it off since it seemed impossible at first, but her friend helped her get the main tunes of the different songs that they made a medley out of and translated all of the chords and notes to fit the three instruments that she used for the mash-up.
It only took Misao an hour to come up with an idea that was based mostly out of her current obsession with the recently popular EDM genre—which is why she thought it would be impossible for them to arrange something out of all of the songs that she chose to sound good on a guitar, piano, and of course, violin. Still, they spent an entire night working on the sheet music alone so they could start recording the piece the next day. When Kaoru finally thought that she'd get a good night's rest come Saturday, the energetic girl burst into her apartment, yelling about a brilliant idea she had about making a video out of everything. She dragged Kaoru out of her room and immediately started talking her through what she had planned and how their day was going to go.
The sapphire-eyed woman was very lucky that Kenshin took pity on her and invited the two girls out to dinner to take a break after seeing how hard they were working the night before when he dropped by her apartment. Since Kaoru's part was over, all she really had to do now was to wait for Misao to finish putting the video together, but she still didn't want to leave her friend alone to work on her project since she already felt guilty enough for asking for help in the first place.
In all fairness though, the outcome of their brainstorming sounded really good. Their main inspiration was a DJ called Zedd, and it was his songs that they used for the medley—namely, Find You, Spectrum, Clarity, and Stay the Night. When they asked their other friends to listen to it, all of them were pleased and asked for copies of the recording—though Kaoru still wasn't sure if they were just being polite or if they really liked it. Still, she appreciated their support and besides, there wasn't any time to turn back now since her deadline was on the next day already.
Kenshin pulled over when they reached an Italian restaurant about thirty minutes away from their campus, and the three of them rushed to reach the entrance with their coats tightly covering their bodies. Misao had to carry the extra effort of hugging her laptop tightly to her chest so it wouldn't get damaged by the falling snow.
Once they were in the warm establishment, the redhead helped Kaoru out of her coat as Misao grumbled about how Kenshin at least made the right choice on the restaurant they'd be dining in that night. It was relatively quiet there and the tables were quite wide, giving her enough room to place her laptop on the table and continue with her work.
"Misao—" Kaoru started gently.
"If you're going to start blabbering on about how I don't have to put in so much effort into this, Kamiya, I swear I'm going to crush your fingers so you wouldn't be able to play with that violin of yours ever again." Misao threatened.
The violinist chuckled. "Actually, I was going to ask what you wanted for dinner. The least I could do is pay for your meal since you're already doing so much for me."
"Oh, great." Misao said without even looking up from her laptop. "I'll have a plate of carbonara, then. And a glass of wine wouldn't hurt."
"Okay." Kaoru smiled.
"You know, for someone so tiny, she could be really scary at times." Kenshin whispered to the woman beside him.
She laughed. "I'm used to it. But trust me, you haven't seen her worst side yet. And I'm telling you now that you won't ever want to see it."
"I don't think anybody would disagree with you on that." He replied. He waved the waiter over to their table and dictated the dishes they'd all be having for the night, along with three glasses of wine to make them feel warmer.
"Just how complicated is this project of yours?" Kenshin asked.
She sighed. "It's… hard. I mean, we're all so used to translating songs to fit our mastered instrument, but to make something that would fit three instruments at once by ourselves is complicated." She paused when she saw that he couldn't really comprehend what she was saying. "I know students from the more serious majors don't think too highly of us because we're all so based on art, and having a degree on anything related to the arts doesn't really mean that we'll have a stable job or anything." She motioned for him to not interrupt her when she saw that he was about to deny her statement. "That's why almost everyone in our department considers everyone else as competition. So aside from having to deal with difficult subjects and projects, you can't expect anyone else to help you out since you can't let them find your weakness."
"Not everyone thinks that way, you know." He mused. "But I guess the other students who don't know anyone from your side of the school don't understand what you all do exactly. Honestly when I first came here, I thought all that you guys did over there was have fun and play around all day."
"Yeah, that doesn't sound too far off from what I've heard from people so far." She chuckled.
"What made you go into that program anyway?"
Instead of answering his question, she smirked. "Are you forgetting rule number one already, Red?"
He laughed. "Ah. Sorry, it seemed to have slipped my mind. I forgot about all the skeletons you're hiding in your closet."
Their food arrived then and the trio arranged their plates to accommodate the space that Misao needed to continue working on the video she was editing. The wine that came along with their food was a perfect match for their plates of pasta and despite the advertising major's complete focus on what she was doing, the other two saw that she was pleased with what she was having for dinner.
"So, am I allowed to ask you how you seem to be so close to Enishi if all the students in your batch are so against each other?" The redhead asked. "Or is that against rule number one as well?"
Kaoru smiled. "No, it's a safe question." She paused to think for a while as she took a bite of her pasta and a quick sip of wine to wash it down. "I guess it's 'cause we're the only two people who don't really care about status." She chuckled. "When I first met him, he snubbed me completely 'cause he said he thought I was another one of the stuck up prudes that are all over our building. It wasn't until we first got assigned to play with each other that we got to talk. We had a week to prepare, but we both ended up cramming everything the night before."
"And yet you two were still brilliant." Kenshin commented.
"Brilliant's too big a word, I think." She blushed. "We just run on the same wavelength, and as our professors always say, we have great chemistry since we're both so comfortable with each other. So it wasn't long before we became good friends."
For a while, only the faint clicks coming from Misao's laptop could be heard as they enjoyed their restaurant had a great ambiance, and Kaoru really appreciated their choice of music. She smiled when she heard a couple of her favorite Italian songs play on the speakers and she even hummed along with the melody when her favorite parts would be sung by the talented artists.
Kenshin, on the other hand, was busy thinking about how well the past week went for them. At first, he was very wary of how it would all go given that it was such an unusual approach to his situation, but as he got to spend more and more time with the sapphire-eyed violinist, he found that it was impossible to feel awkward around her because of her dimpled smiles and her warm and welcoming attitude. Plus, their midnight spars were something that he greatly enjoyed since he got to learn more tricks, and the woman beside him greatly challenged his skill and endurance. He really didn't know why she was keeping her affinity for the sport a big secret since she was obviously so good at it, but as per the first rule of their bargain, he wasn't allowed to ask such a question. Besides, he had already tried asking her on the night that he discovered her secret and he didn't get anywhere.
Misao's sigh broke their silence, and the couple in front of her watched the tired woman close her eyes and rest her tired face on her hands. "Finally. I'm done."
Kaoru smiled brightly at her and stood up to give her friend a tight hug to show her appreciation. "Thank you so much, Misao. I really appreciate this."
"It was no big deal." The petite woman replied. "Besides, it was fun and super challenging. I don't think I've ever pulled something like this off before."
"Me neither." The violinist chuckled.
"So can we see your masterpiece, then?" Kenshin interrupted lightly.
"It's still rendering. It'll be ready in about half an hour. In the meantime," Misao said pointedly. "I would greatly appreciate another glass of wine care of our little musician here."
"No problem at all, love." Kaoru chuckled. They gestured for the waiter to bring them another round of drinks and patiently waited for their glasses to be replenished. Her brows scrunched when she had a sudden thought. "Where are the others? I would've thought we'd all be hanging out since it's a Sunday. I know Aoshi's studying for his exams next week. But I haven't heard from Sano and Megumi since Thursday."
Kenshin shrugged. "Sano's busy trying to get his next flavor of the month and, Megumi drove back down south to see her family."
"What else can we expect from that giant of a man?" Misao scoffed. "Does he even study anymore? Or do you just let him cheat off of you?"
"Hey, call Sano what you may, but he's not a cheater—surprisingly. That man just has a knack for business. Probably 'cause of all the gambling he's been doing." The redhead answered.
Their drinks arrived and the three of them took a few moments to take sips of the delicious red wine. It was a good thing that most of the members of their little group had the same tastes, so they didn't argue much when it came to deciding where to eat or what to do.
"We're taking my car tomorrow, right?" Kaoru asked the man sitting beside her.
"I still really wish you'd just let me do all the driving. It makes me feel weird whenever you'd drop me off and pick me up."
"Oh please. Don't get all macho on me, Red. I might just have to hit you." She admonished. "What time's your first class anyway?"
"It isn't 'til 10, so we don't have to wake up too early for breakfast. Speaking of, what do you want for tomorrow? Any preferences?"
She shrugged. "Whatever you feel like eating. I'm not a picky person."
"I should think so, since you can't cook at all." He chuckled softly, making sure that Misao wouldn't be able to hear what he said since he remembered her asking him not to tell their other friends about her inability to make something edible.
Kaoru elbowed him on his chest and he choked on his wine a bit both from the sudden contact and his struggle to control his laughter when he saw her blush.
"My first class is at 12." The blue-eyed woman said, changing the topic to a safer one so she could stop the redhead from mocking her any further.
"I don't mind taking my car. It'd be easier for the two of us that way."
She shook her head. "No, you've had to wait around for me a lot of times this week, so I don't mind going to school a bit earlier than usual. Besides, it'll give me time to warm up for the day. I don't think any other students would be using 206 at around that time."
"No one uses 206 aside from you and Yukishiro." Kenshin reminded her. "It's because you two are the star students."
"Shut up, that's not true." Kaoru blushed again. "We just—"
The sound of Misao's hand hitting the table made the two stop their conversation, both of them surprised at the sudden noise that came from their petite friend. "Oh for the love of god," she groaned. "Can you two just go out already? Seeing you like this is pathetic. You're already flirting around, so just admit that you like each other so we can all get this over and done with."
"Misao," Kenshin started. "You know the two of us are just really—"
"Good friends, yeah, whatever." She scoffed. "With the way you two are acting, you seem to be getting somewhere else. So can you all just give us some peace of mind and speed the process up a little?"
"I don't know how many times we're going to have to go over this, love." Kaoru said patiently.
"We're going to go over this until the two of you start telling us the truth. Seriously, it's not like we'll mind anyway. We just want you to fucking admit it already."
The sudden gust of wind that went through the restaurant due to the opening of the entrance door made Kenshin look up to see who else would brave the weather to have a good plate of Italian food. He immediately regretted his decision when he saw a very familiar face looking back at him with surprise evident on her face.
'She just seems to be everywhere.' The redhead thought.
Tomoe was with Enishi, and it wasn't long before her brother noticed what caught his sister's attention. A scowl immediately crawled up his face, especially when he saw that the redhead was sitting beside his friend. The siblings were led by a waiter to a table somewhere behind where the trio were sitting, which would mean that they would pass by their table.
"Enishi!" Kaoru greeted brightly.
"Hey, cherry pie." The blonde-haired man replied warmly before throwing a scowl towards the redhead once more. "How's it going?"
"Misao just finished with my video. So I'm all set for tomorrow. You?"
"I conned Seta into fixing mine. I played around with Coldplay. What did you do?" He asked curiously.
"Zedd." She answered with a smirk.
Enishi groaned. "It figures you'd do something cooler than mine. I really hate you sometimes, you know?"
"You love me and you know it." She laughed.
Tomoe's soft voice broke the musicians' conversation when she greeted her ex with a gentle "Hey."
Kenshin gave her a soft smile in return. "Hi. Catching a late dinner?"
"Yeah. This idiot," she gestured towards her brother. "forgot to eat again and since I'm older, I have to make sure he won't die of malnutrition or anything."
All of them chuckled which seemed to cue an awkward silence to wash over them since none of them knew what to say next. After a few moments of just standing there, Enishi finally got fed up with their tense silence. "Well, this was awkward enough, and I'm starving, so I guess I'll see you tomorrow Kaoru." He smiled warmly down at her. "See you around, Makimachi."
"You too. Cheers." Misao said cheerily.
Everyone noticed how Enishi refused to acknowledge Kenshin's presence, which made them all wonder about why the pianist was acting so hostile towards the redhead when his sister was trying to be civil with him.
Tomoe bid them all a gentle goodbye and followed after Enishi to get settled on their table, and that was when Kenshin's mood darkened a little when he was reminded of the Sunday dinners that he used to share with the aspiring doctor.
A warm hand covered his from under the table and he turned to look at Kaoru curiously as a form of asking why she was holding his hand.
She smiled gently at him. "We're in this together, remember?"
He smiled at her reply and intertwined his fingers with hers, using her warmth to keep his supposed demons at bay.
Author's Note: Well, there we go. I don't know if you guys thought that things started moving too fast after Kaoru and Kenshin's bargain was struck, but I just want to reiterate that Kaoru's the type of person who isn't shy about showing her appreciation for her close friends physically. So the innocent pecks on the cheek and other gestures of support she keeps on giving Kenshin aren't really new to her. It's actually Kenshin who's a bit surprised at the way she's acting towards him—I hope I was able to make that clear.
If anyone's curious about the Zedd medley that I described in this chapter, please check out Daniel Jang's Zedd Medley on YouTube! He's a brilliant artist and I loved what he did with this.
Feedback is always appreciated! I'd love to hear what you all thought of this chapter. If you have any questions, go ahead and ask and I'll try to answer or address them all in the next chapter.
Also, I just want to say a big thanks to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter I posted! I loved everything! Thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.
Cheers! Sukhi hotu!