Masque 7


By Sky fairy 77

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing.

AN: Thank you for the support in reading the story. It means a lot. I'm trying to keep up with school and work and things. It's hard to balance it all. So I'm trying my best to keep my stories coming for all of you. Please enjoy this chapter.


Kaoru after resting for a few more hours in the nurse's office, decided it was time to leave. She has a pass to leave school from the nurse but Kaoru wanted to hang around for a little bit longer. Kaoru had felt overjoyed to see Kenshin concerned for her considering their least conversation. But a part of her couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that Soujiro hadn't shown up at all. 'I wonder if he's here today…' She gathered up her books from her locker shoving them into her bag. As she made her way outside she passed the door that led to 'their special place'. 'I wonder…' thought Kaoru taking a step closer to the door. Pushing it open so that she made the least amount of noise possible. As she rounded the corner she found him lying there. Resting gently on his side fast asleep. She set her bad down next to his feet, drawing her own legs up to use as a place to write she quickly scribbled him a note.

Soujiro,

Where were you? You didn't come and visit me in the nurse's office with everyone else. Here's my cell number, give me a call after you're done with school and you are awake. 1-234-5678-9101

-Kaoru

Once she finished writing the note she placed in Soujiro's hand closing it gently so he would note lose the note. "There you go Soujiro." She said looking down at the sleeping boy, "Now have a nice nap." She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek before leaving and starting her journey home to her house.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!" there was a loud beeping noise coming from Soujiro's bag on the ground beside him. Groaning he stretched his stiff limbs. A piece of white paper tumbled from his hand and floated to the ground. "Huh, how'd that get there?" He reached down picking it up. Slowly he unfolded it and read it carefully. "Kaoru…" he breathed. It was then that he noticed the faint fragrance of jasmine and it suddenly dawned on him that the kiss couldn't have been a dream. He grinned ear to ear and with one hand rubbed his cheek lightly. He left the courtyard and went to his class counting down the minutes until he could call Kaoru.

Once he was totally free from school her dialed her number. He patiently waited as the phone rang then he heard it, the slight click and then her voice "Hello?"

"Hey Kaoru! It's…" but before he could say another word Kaoru cut him off and finished his sentence.

"Soujiro!" she cried happily "Here wait can I call you back in a second? Ok thanks!" there was a click and the line was dead. 'What was that all about?' he thought starring down at his phone.

A minute later his phone began to ring again. He answered it but before he could say hello he could hear Kaoru's voice on the line, "Sorry about that my cell was on the verge of dying plus I couldn't really hear you at all." She laughed. "I'm assuming you got my note then since you called."

"Yeah I did. Hey what was all that stuff about the nurse's office about?" he asked remembering it.

"Oh that… I kinda collapsed during class." She said calmly as if it was an everyday occurrence.

"You what? When? How? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine Soujiro don't worry about me. I've been feeling a bit under the weather this week and I guess I just pushed myself a little too hard, that's all. I'm shocked you didn't notice I was gone in bio."

"Truth be told I had no idea you were feeling unwell. I wasn't in bio today, I was across the school making up a test. Though I did think it strange that you weren't at our usual spot but well I attributed that to your chronic tardiness. So while I was waiting for you I feel asleep. You aren't mad, are you?"

"No," she chuckled " you know I'm the one who's usually asleep not you. Its just kinda funny."

"Yeah I know it is."

There was a long pause where neither of them spoke. Soujiro could feel the tension mounting and was trying to come up with something to say when Kaoru beat him to it.

"I have to tell you something."

"Ok sure." He said but the tone of her voice sounded sad and depressed and he felt worried about what she had to say. It was like all the happiness in the air was being sucked dry.

"You might want to sit down?"

"Sit down? Kaoru what's going on here?" he asked perplex but the dread in his stomach mounting.

"I'm sorry…" she fell silent again. It was clear that this was difficult for her to say. "I can't return your feelings."

"Oh alright… Yeah… well that's okay." He finished lamely all happiness gone from his voice.

"I want you to know the whole story."

"You don't hav…"

"I do have to. It started three years ago when I met Kenshin. He was one of my first friends. Well I eventually began to discover that my feelings ran deeper than just friendship. This year I set him up with Tomoe, you know her right? Well I felt it was the right thing to do, despite my feeling's for him. Then he told me he was moving and everything changed… I remember every single detail about what happened that day. I still can't listen to the song I was listening to on my CD player when he told me it. I was so broken hearted. Since then I've been having pretty vivid nightmares as you have seen, which causes my perpetual lack of sleep. I still love Kenshin and I'm pretty sure I'm falling for you but its not right to tell you yes when I clearly have mixed feelings. I'm so sorry…. You're everything any girl could ever ask for yet here I am saying I can't…" Soujiro swore he heard quiet sobs for a moment before they fell quiet again.

Soujiro didn't know what to say he'd always sensed something within their relationship. But all he could mange to say was "Thanks…" he paused, "Thank you for leaving and being honest with me. I should get going now and head home. Bye." He shut his phone so he wouldn't have to hear another word Kaoru said. He turned it off and shoved it into his pocket. He wasn't in much of a mood to talk to anyone.

Kaoru starred down miserably at the phone clutched in her hands. They were shaking uncontrollably just like her frame was. The phone fell to the floor and the battery went flying . But even that didn't stop the tears from following. Drawing her knees up to her chest she sat on her bad trying to calm herself down. But nothing seemed to be working everything was reminding her of her situation. She drew the pillow close and tried to fall to sleep, tears following at a steady rate down her cheeks.

"Hey Soujiro?"

"What's up Misao?"

"Have you heard from Kaoru lately? I' m really worried about her she hasn't picked up her phone from anyone and she hasn't even answered the door when I've stopped by. You have nay ideas what is up with her?"

"No, sorry" he lied feeling the guilt rise up inside of him. He watched the clock tick counting the minutes down one by one until school was over, waiting for the chance to go check up on Kaoru. Then the bell rang and Soujiro made his way to he same bike rack from the weekend before when he's told her 'this has to mean something.' he thought to himself. Taking his bike off of the rake he pedaled over to Kaoru's house. The flood of memories of their bike ride home together came back to him, the way she leaned on him, what they talked about, and their kiss. 'It wasn't all for nothing. I care too much about her to see her hurting like this. What kind of friend am I to turn my back on her, just for not being able to love me back. I'm so selfish.' He thought over and over again as her pulled up to Kaoru's house.

He got off his bike and went to the front door and knocked loudly, hoping she would come to the door. "Kaoru! Kaoru, I know your home! It's Soujiro. Please open up?" he called. After a few more minutes of knocking he finally gave up. Sighing he walked back down the walkway. He stopped to pick up a small rock. He threw high high up into the air and it went sailing into the glass of the window in Kaoru's room. "Kaoru! I don't care if you don't come to the door. I want to say I'm sorry! I don't want things to be like this! Kaoru I still love you know matter what, even if you can't love me back! Kaoru!


AN: So yeah, I'm going to end it there. Bit of a cliffhanger for you folks. So this story is coming down to its last chapters. At most there are like 4 left, most likely 3. Unfortunately I have to first write the chapters from scratch so its not as easy as just having time to type them up. So I hope that you like this chapter and I'll try to have the next one up as soon as possible. So for those of you who don't know I used to have an account, but my mother shut it down. I'm on the verge of getting it back. So I was wondering if you could tell me in your review whether I should more these stories over to that account or just leave them here as they are.


Vote:
1) Leave them
2) Move them


Review Shoutouts:

kokoronagomu: Thank you for wonderful support throughout this story. It means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter.