A/N: Well, sorry for the super long period without an update, but here it finally is! In this chapter there's more Yahiko cause a lot of people have been asking for it and I wanna try and write with more characters to make the story even more interesting. But that kinda means that there's less KxK, but there will be a lot of them in the next chapter which is sorta forming in my brain, so no worries! Anyway, hope you enjoy it and remember to review and tell me what you think!

And no, I don't own RK, I mean, if I did do you really think I'd be writing fanfiction? No, I'd be in a mansion sipping Starbucks (um...my crack)


Chapter 7 : Where It's At


After practice, Sojiro had asked for a ride home and Kaoru couldn't be happier to have some time to talk to her old friend. Misao had come with her too, of course, but was oddly quiet in the back seat. But Kaoru didn't notice too much as she had all her attention on Sojiro.

"Well, it was kind of unintentional." Sojiro began to talk, as they pulled out of the parking lot, Kaoru deciding to cut out on a shower and go straight home to use the hot springs again (reminding her self to wear a bathing suit just in case).

"I got injured, twisted my ankle, during one of the more intense practices back in Tokyo and they threw me off the team, even though I healed completely in two weeks. They considered me weak."

"They can do that?!" Kaoru gasped, glancing over to Sojiro before locking her eyes back on the road.

"We had just gotten a new coach, so I guess yeah. And I personally think he was just freaked out by all my smiling." He answered with a shrug, obviously not the least bit annoyed with the decision.

"So anyway, I decided I didn't really want to stay at that stuck-up, preppy, private Highschool in that huge dirty city. Me and my parents had always wanted to live in the country anyway." His smile stretched a little more over his face and Kaoru could tell by the light atmosphere in the car he was genuinely happy.

"And then I remembered what town you had gone to, and decided to follow you like the stalker I am." He laughed lightly at his own joke, Kaoru joining along.

"And it helps too that this soccer team is the third best team in Japan." He added nonchalantly, but it made Kaoru's eyes bug out.

"WHAT?!" She screeched as she slammed on the brakes of her old jeep, making Misao fall onto the floor with a yelp, having been lying down without a seat belt since these were rural roads.

"Kaoru, it's no big deal." Sojiro tried to consol as the car stood still in the middle of the road; thankfully no other cars approaching on either side. Misao got up with a groan and sat back in her seat, this time strapping on a seat belt.

"I had no idea! No wonder the practices are so hard!" Kaoru thought out loud as she leaned her head against the top of the steering wheel.

"Well, yeah, they're trying to get first this year and beat our old school, Tokyo Preparatory Academy, showing that you don't need all that money and glamour to win." He explained briefly, making a small smile come onto Kaoru's lips and press on the gas petal again, making the car jump into motion.

"Well then, it seems like we've switched to the right side in this epic war of colliding titans." Kaoru said in a comical deep voice that made both of the old soccer playing friends join in laughter again.

"Oh, turn here! It's my house!" Sojiro said as they approached a driveway, taking at least two minutes to drive up the windy road before the house finally came into view.

"Where's your house Kou-chan?" Sojiro asked before he jumped out of the jeep.

"Up there." She stated as she pointed to her large palace like house on the highest hill in the area, able to see it from almost anywhere in town.

"Whe-oh! Bet we can have some awesome parties up there!" Sojiro whistled, a smile that had a trace of a smirk on his handsome face, which made Kaoru roll her eyes.

"But who lives in the second?" He asked quickly after as his bright eyes had taken in to account her house wasn't alone on the hill.

"Dunno…Oh hey! Look! Whoever lives there is driving up there right now!" Kaoru cheered and squinted her eyes to try and get a better look.

"A blackm, convertible Ferrari?!" Sojiro asked, knowing he had better eyesight then Kaoru, but wondering who had such a flamboyant car. They'd sped into the garage before he could have seen the driver to identify, or at least, describe them.

"The only person I know who'd have a car like that is Kenshin." Kaoru furrowed her brow in thought, remembering how Misao had seen him in that window and how he was at the hot springs too. She had deduced he was only working in that house with Sano like they'd done in her home, but could it be possible that he was actually her neighbor? She shook her head lightly and closed her eyes, still in denial.

"Well, gotta go! Don't stress Kou-chan!" He joked before grabbing his bag in his lap and running to his front door and disappeared inside the cozy house.

"Wanna go shot-gun Misao?" Kaoru asked as she twisted her head to look at her other close friend in the back. Misao shrugged her shoulders before climbing over the seat and then into it, able to do it easily with her good flexibility and thin body.

Kaoru backed up and drove down the old road smoothly, the road newly paved probably because there hadn't been one before Sojiro's family had bought the ancient looking house. She noticed it was made of deep brown wood nicely weathered, like her own, and there were numerous trees that surrounded it as if it was in it's own forest.

"You alright Misao? You're kinda quiet." Kaoru thought out loud after a few quiet minutes, which was a new record without either of the girls talking to each other if put in the same area with nothing else interrupting.

"Just thinking." She vaguely answered.

"About your King of Ice? Or should we switch it to King Eskimo..." Kaoru joked, but Misao was silent, not even saying a reply, which made Kaoru even more on edge.

"I was thinking of staying here and not going back to Tokyo." She finally answered as they were stopped at a red light in the only intersection in town.

"WHAT?! Seriously?! A transfer?!" Kaoru shrieked in happiness before going leaning over to hug her best friend, forgetting about how she was in a car for the second time today.

She was snapped out of it when she heard a light beep behind her and found that it was a green light. She quickly let go of Misao and stepped on the gas, peeling out into the intersection with a loud screech.

"Sorry!" She apologized as she tried to steady her jerking and looked back to look at the probably scared person following her and found that it was a wide eyed Kenshin and laughing Sano. She snorted as she looked how they were driving in a Porsche SUV and giving her quite a lot of space. She speed up and continued on her way, turning her eyes back to the road and her ears back to Misao.

"So are you gonna ask your parents? You are really only sixteen." Kaoru asked as she took a turn, slightly irked as Kenshin did the same thing.

"Yeah, I think they'll allow me cause they've heard me only bitching about TPA (Tokyo Preparatory Academy) even since you left. And my dad believes I should start branching out on my own to get ready for the real world since I'm sixteen and all." She said with a smile.

"Awesome! And, oddly, at this town they have great reception, so you can call your folks on your cellphone and drop the information whenever." Kaoru gushed as she finally turned into her driveway, practically choking as she saw Kenshin follow her.

She was totally going to pound him when he came up her driveway. But she blinked in surprise when she saw him turn to the other house and park outside the garage that the black Ferrari had gone in to.

"Hi there Kaoru and Misao." Kenshin nervously called, remembering Misao's name from practice, and waved from about twenty feet away.

"What're you doing?!" Kaoru yelled back as she tightened her hands into fists.

"Well, it IS his house little Missy." Sano said lazily, before Kenshin could respond, as he walked to Kenshin's front doors and went inside.

"Yeah right." Kaoru snorted before she grabbed Misao's wrist and marched into her own house, leaving Kenshin to sigh by himself before following Sano into his house.


"I think Sano was telling the truth." Misao advised Kaoru as she was sprawled on Kaoru's bed in her pajamas, Kaoru in her closet changing right now.

When they'd gotten back they'd had a nice time at the hot springs. After they were done with their deep soak they'd returned and made dinner for themselves and Yahiko who seemed to not want much because he was mad at Kaoru. She had been so absorbed with Sojiro she'd forgotten to pick him up so he'd gotten a ride with one of his friends. But Kaoru had felt bad and so had promised to make it up to him somehow, which he only scoffed at.

"And I think he's lying." Kaoru huffed.

"But think about it! I've seen him in that house twice now, and you've seen him around the property I bet!" Misao tried to convince, Kaoru's cheeks turning light pink as she remembered the reason why she insisted they wore bathing suits this evening.

"Fine, he might live there. I'll find out." Kaoru huffed as she emerged from her closet in a big shirt and short shorts.

"Lets just sleep, I'm so sore and tired. I need to get in better shape for the practices." She groaned as she rubbed her feet and shins that quite a few purple bruises could be easily seen on.

"And anyway, a greater Wednesday is in our future tomorrow." Misao giggled, knowing her plan would start to be set in motion tomorrow.


Wednesday...

"Bye Yahiko-chan!" Kaoru called from her jeep as Yahiko jumped out of the car and in front of the school. He turned around to yell back but found that his older sister was already gone. Since he was a freshman, the school made it convenient in that their classes were bunched in one building. But that building was on the other side of the school to where the parking lot and Kaoru's classes, so she always just dropped him off.

He lifted his hand and was about to flip her off, but saw a big white truck pull up in the area where his sister's car had just vacated and decided not to be killed by an overprotected parent not wanting their children to be 'tainted'. He watched with half interested eyes, wondering why he didn't just go to his homeroom already, as the passenger door was opened.

He blinked as he saw a thin girl with short silky brown hair that fell just above her shoulders jump out. His eyes widened as she glanced over his way before grabbing her backpack and shutting the door. He started to fidget as he saw her coming closer to him even though she was just heading up to the front doors. He'd recognized her when she'd look his way, how could he have not? It was the girl that Kaoru was punishing him greatly over because of that stupid prank he and his friend had done.

When she finally locked eyes with him again as she started walking to the doors of the school, after she'd waved goodbye to her father, she recognized his face and stopped dead, her light brown eyes becoming huge, making her look like a deer stuck in headlights.

Yahiko sighed before walking up to her, deeming that if he apologized at least maybe Kaoru would let up on him a little.

"Um…Hi. My name's Myojin Yahiko. And what I did to you a few days ago…um…well…" he broke off as he rubbed the back of his spiky head, not used to apologizing for anything. His eyes meet with hers again, finding she looked as if she was hanging on every one of his words. He sighed as he finally gave into her pleading face.

"I'm sorry." He finally stated with closed eyes and a slightly furrowed brow. He opened his deep brown eyes and found that her face was practically glowing with gratitude.

"I accept your apology Yahiko-chan." She said with a cute smile and tilt of her head, her silky straight hair swishing with the slight movement.

"It's Yahiko-kun!" He ordered with glowing eyes, making the girl lightly yelp but then giggle. There was silence for a few tense seconds before Yahiko broke it again.

"So, uh, what's your name?" He asked trying to sound as nonchalant as he could.

"Oh, how rude of me!" She gasped as she put a hand to her mouth. "My name is Tsubame." She said as her smile grew back on to her soft face.

Yahiko lightly nodded his head before looking at his watch and finding they only had three minutes before eight.

"Come on, lets go before we're late and I get detention." Yahiko said as he turned to the stairs that lead to their school, a smiling Tsubame on his side.

"What homeroom are you in?" Yahiko asked as he shoved his hands into his blue jeans, his eyes not on the young girl whom he asked the question, but to his old Nike shoes that slightly squeaked against the black and white tile of the hallways.

"Uh…number seven." Tsubame answered, not really used to talking so much, especially to a boy.

"Hey, same one too. But I haven't really seen you in it though." He stated as he turned his head and looked down at her, him being an inch or so taller then her.

"Oh, that's cause I usually sit in the front and you sit in the middle or back area." She revealed as she looked up at him, an ever-present smile on her face that made light dimples.

"Hm." Yahiko hummed, noticing they were still about a minute away from the room.

"Are you new around here? I haven't seen you at all until a week or so ago." She asked as she looked around to find a few girls in her class leaning against their lockers and looking at the two of them with wide smirks, making her slouch her shoulders as if trying to hide away from the obvious attention.

"Yeah, moved from Tokyo cause of…uh…" He drifted off, a small throb in his chest as he remembered bad memories not so old.

"We moved cause of family stuff." He finally blurted, wondering why he was telling all of this to a girl he'd really just meet a few minutes ago.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to bring it up!" She apologized quickly with wide eyes, her face in shock again.

"No worries." He lightly laughed, his dark mood going away immediately, him being not one to dwell on negative points in his life. Tsubame lowered her eyes, knowing what he was feeling as she'd gone through family issues too.

"Well, come on, we only got a minute." Yahiko continued to say as they approached their desired door and opened it, snapping Tsubame out of her trance and making her smile come up again.

Yahiko growled as he was hit square in the cheek with a piece of spit-paper.

"Ha! Gotcha!" A boy with light gold-brown hair and stunning green eyes laughed from the fourth row as a straw hung from his mouth.

"Well, see ya." Yahiko said, holding down a growl as he rubbed off the wet piece of paper before stomping over to his friend.

"Bye." Tsubame whispered with a light blush as she too went to her own desk in the front row, square in the middle.

"Oh-ho! Some one's getting some candy." Yahiko hear his friend say while waggling his eyebrows as Yahiko sat down to his left, his friend having saved it for him.

"Shut up Yutaro." Yahiko growled out to his new best friend. Like Yahiko, he'd just moved here, but from Germany. He was still fluent in Japanese though because his father spoke it to him ever since he was a baby. He only lived with his father who'd become extremely wealthy from trading, his mother, who was german and the reason they had lived in Germany, passing away when he was very young. His hyper, prideful, and cocky attitude had immediately rivaled Yahiko's and they'd, oddly, become instant friends.

"Wasn't that the girl that we-" He was cut off as Yahiko clamped his hand over his mouth before removing it in a few seconds.

"Yes, that's her." Yahiko answered which only made Yutaro break out in a feral smirk that made him look very similar to a cat with his thin eyes and sharp cheek bones.

Yahiko was about to tell him to go do something very rude, but the teacher interrupted him as she started the lesson and he was forced to settle for a glare before turning back to the teacher, his eyes briefly wondering over to Tsubame, her light brown hair gleaming in the light.

He sighed as he heard he was going to be learning about mostly history today. He put his head in his hands, sarcastically thinking of how great his life was right now.


"Hi! My name is Misao and I'd like to sit in on classes today to see if I'd like to transfer." Misao chirped with glittering eyes at the office desk, Kaoru having gone off to her first class.

"Didn't you do that yesterday?" the woman asked as she recognized her face and name.

"Yes, but this time I'm going to be serious about it, evaluate the teaching methods and information taught. And I'd like to see the other new students schedules who transferred into the senior class this year for reference, if you don't mind." She said with an air of knowledge and authority that made the middle aged woman behind the desk smile at her strong personality. She typed a few things on her computer before the sound of something printing was heard.

"Three students so far have transferred this year into the senior class. Please go around the school today, free of charge. Just wear this around your neck." The woman instructed as she handed something that looked like something a VIP person would wear instead of a visiting student.

"Thank you very much!" Misao gushed before lightly bowing and turning away.

She closed the office door and stood outside, looking at the three schedules in her hands, an odd smirk growing on her face. She knew that the three new students were Kaoru, Sojiro, and her Aoshi. All she had to do was see which of the schedules was his, and then she could put herself in his classes to spend more time with him when she switched schools here.

She lightly laughed at her master plan before starting to go down the hallway, the slight clink of her elevated golden slippers and swoosh of her short, light yellow summer dress the only sounds.


Kaoru chewed on the top her mechanical pencil in thought as she looked at the white board and then back to her paper. She was currently in her first class, calculus, and because her brain didn't really officially start up until nine o'clock, she was having a harder time then normal understanding a problem.

"Need help?"

She turned to the person on her right who'd whispered the question to find Kenshin, wondering briefly how she didn't notice him before.

"Not from you." She snorted as she glared at him.

"Fine." He snapped back, fed up by her negative energy towards him. He glared back, his eyes flashing dangerously, making Kaoru blink in surprise and her glare dispatch as Kenshin turned back towards his own papers, leaving her with no more words.

She turned back to her own papers and her shoulders slumped as she realized she kinda did deserve the cold shoulder, not being exactly the nicest person to Kenshin when he was mostly nice to her. She sighed before turning her eyes to his red head, his hand furiously scribbling on the paper in an even rhythm, seemingly having no problem at all with Kaoru's toughest subject.

"Kenshin?" She questioned quietly, making him stop his writing and focus his amethyst eyes to her for a second before beginning to scribble like a mad man again.

"Um…actually, I could use your help." She said with a small smile as if trying to convince him she was really a good person.

"Alright." Kenshin sighed as he stopped his work, a light smile on his own features.


A/N: Well, thank you for reading and Mele Kalikimaka (Merry X-mas in Hawaiian) and as lame as it sounds, here's my holiday present to you all! Hope you all have a great holiday season in no matter what you celebrate!