"Okay," Kaoru stated with a smile, holding her wooden sword just as her father taught her, "This move works best when an opponent lunges at you. It's best to use it with an opponent the same size as you. So, you probably won't use it often, but I figure if you start practicing now, you'll get it when you're big enough. Maybe."
Yahiko glared at the slight insult his way. It was the demonstration, so Yahiko lunged at Kaoru just as she instructed. A second later, he was landing relatively gently on the ground. He blinked up, having absolutely no inking as to what happened.
Though the child would never admit it, seeing Kaoru's smiling, smug face was actually a relief. Kaoru wasn't one to hide her feelings very well, and Yahiko knew that she had been miserable these past few days. What he didn't know was why.
He got up and brushed the dirt off his clothes.
"Well, that was a waste of legwork," Sanosuke's voice stated.
The two were caught off guard at seeing Megumi and Sanosuke coming toward them. True, they came by nearly every day, but never this early. Was Megumi going to check Kaoru's leg?
Or, Kaoru thought as she gulped, were they here to speak with Kenshin?
"The hell you doing here?" Yahiko demanded, "We ate all the breakfast."
The twig in Sanosuke's mouth twirled to the right. The spiky haired man put an affectionate hand on Yahiko's head.
"Just thought I'd see you train, little buddy."
The boy threw the hand off him in disgust.
"I'm not your buddy, pal!"
This produced a chuckle from Sanosuke. Kaoru felt relieved. If the man was acting this carefree, then surely he wasn't here to talk to Kenshin. Which was a good thing, because Kaoru didn't need her friends to get involved.
Megumi ushered her inside with a silent wave. Kaoru placed her wooden katana back in its proper place before following the doctor. Kaoru kept a close lookout for Kenshin, fearful that she was going to run into him at any point. She hadn't seen him at all today, making her wonder if he was avoiding her just like she was avoiding him.
The doctor instructed Kaoru to sit down. Kaoru managed not to flinch as she did so. Megumi pulled up her kimono to see the bruise.
"It looks better than it did before. The medicine has been working well then?"
"Um…yeah. Did you guys really come here just to check on me?"
Megumi smiled, "That and other things."
Kaoru knew immediately what 'other things' was suppose to insinuate. She fixed herself up just as Sanosuke entered the room. He looked around, and Kaoru knew that he was watching out for Kenshin.
"So we're your guests. Do we get something to eat?" Sanosuke asked. Yahiko came up behind him.
"I knew it. You just came to beg for free food."
"Yahiko," Megumi scolded, "You're free to accuse Sano of that kind of thing, but don't think I'm the type of woman who begs."
"That's right, Yahiko," Kenshin's voice nearly made everyone in the room jump, "These are our friends, that they are."
Yahiko was the only one in the room who wasn't eyeing Kenshin like he was going to go crazy at any second. Kenshin didn't seem to notice the strange looks. Kaoru knew better. She knew that he knew. He was just ignoring them.
He turned to look at Kaoru directly in the eye. From the look on his face, there was no hint that he had been Battousai just last night.
"So Miss Kaoru. How are you feeling?"
Megumi nudged Kaoru when she took a little too long to answer.
"Oh. Um…better."
"That's good," Kenshin went on as if nothing was unusual about this whole ordeal, "Since Miss Megumi and Sano are here, I should go make us some lunch."
Yahiko sighed in relief.
"Good. I'm tired of ugly trying to cook."
Kenshin clapped his hands together and proceeded to head to the kitchen. Yahiko gave Kaoru a curious look. It took a second for her to ponder why, then it came to her. She usually scolded Yahiko for calling her names and insulting her cooking abilities.
Kaoru must be acting not too much like herself. It wasn't like she could help herself, with Battousai the Manslayer on the loose. He had showed her his side last night. That kind Himura act wasn't fooling her for a second. Megumi waited for Kenshin to leave the room before leaning into her ear.
"He seems kind of normal."
"He's not. He went crazy on me yesterday."
"Are you sure?" Megumi studied her expression, noting the fearful look on Kaoru's face.
"Yeah."
"Hmm….I wonder if we can't see that side of him. It would be good if Sano and I knew exactly what we're dealing with in order to assess the situation."
"You mean…" Kaoru gulped, "Make him go Battousai on purpose?"
"He's already Battousai now, isn't he? Like you said, this is just an act. I'm telling you right now. At this point, acting like everything's okay won't be at all productive."
"I guess you're right."
Sanosuke was listening in on what the two women were saying. He sat beside them so that he could add his two cents.
"Little Missy, don't do anything you don't feel comfortable doing. We don't need a full demonstration. We heard plenty of stories."
She shook her head, "Thanks. But Megumi's right. I need to show you guys. I think I have an idea. Wait here a second."
With that, she pulled herself up and walked into the kitchen. Kenshin had her back toward her, his hands moving so fast as they sliced that she could barely see the knife. She swallowed thickly.
"Greetings, Miss Kaoru," he said without turning around. She edged closer toward him. It was time to use every ounce of courage she had to deal with him.
"Hey Kenshin. You promised you'd show me how to use a knife later. Well, it's later. So...can you show me now?"
A loud clunk as the knife hit the board for the final time. Kenshin had stopped slicing so suddenly that it unnerved Kaoru quite a bit, like the calm before the storm.
"I don't think so," he said. Kaoru found it rude of him to just decline without an explanation or an excuse. She swallowed again, this time trying to hold in her growing anger. At least she wasn't scared anymore.
"Why not?"
"Because I think it would be better to just focus on making a meal right now. Teaching how to handle a knife takes time, and we don't want to keep our friends waiting."
"Then you can teach me quickly."
"No, Miss Kaoru."
At this point Kaoru was getting so upset that she forgot all about the plan to turn him Battousai.
"And why not?"
Kenshin chuckled, "Because that would be dangerous. You might chop your pretty little fingers right off."
Kaoru tried to ignore that 'pretty' comment, though that was a difficult task. She stayed strong and placed her hands firmly on her hips.
"I can handle myself, thank you very much. I don't need you to be my father."
Finally, Kenshin turned around to look at her. A strange look erupted on his features. She couldn't tell if he was surprised or angry. Maybe he wasn't either.
"I'm not trying to be your father, Miss Kaoru," then suddenly, his expression shifted to one of slight malice, "Unless you enjoy that kind of thing. Do you, Miss Kaoru?"
Her face flushed red. Her heart hammered inside her chest, fear trailing down her back. Kenshin smiled his normal sweet smile, but that didn't make Kaoru feel any better. Kenshin slowly turned back and went to steam the rice.
Kaoru noticed that he left the knife on the board. She eyed him for a second. He was completely ignoring her, meaning that he wasn't paying attention to what she was doing.
She decided that she would strike.
Kaoru rushed towards the knife. Her plan was to grab it and finish chopping the vegetables, showing Kenshin once and for all how good her knife skills was. But just before she could reach it, he grabbed her wrist. She went in with her other arm and he took that moment to throw her over his shoulder.
She was too stunned to move for a second. That wasn't the plan at all. He held her like she was a big bag of rice. Kaoru struggled in his grasp when she realized that his hand was dangerously close to her lower region. Her struggling intensified to the point where she was pounding on his back.
"What are you doing? Let me go, Kenshin Himura!"
Her shouts brought Sanosuke into the room faster than if there was a fire. His eyes widened when he saw what was going on. Kaoru felt her face flush red. And worst of all, Kenshin still wouldn't let her down. She tried to jump out of his arms like a rabbit, but it was no good. He had too firm of a grip on her.
"Kenshin. Let me go!" she pleaded.
"You're going to have to put her down, Kenshin," Sanosuke said.
"Really?" the sharpness in Kenshin's tone made Kaoru pause immediately, "And what will you do if I don't?"
It wasn't an honest question from Kenshin Himura. It was a direct challenge from Battousai the Manslayer. Kaoru held on tightly. She was suddenly afraid that a fight was going to break out.
Turns out she wasn't the only one, if Sanosuke's concern expression was anything to go by. He might not be the smartest guy in the world, but even he knew that he couldn't beat Kenshin. Especially if Kenshin was planning on actually hurting him.
Sanosuke must've realized that he would have to tread carefully. He placed his hands in his pockets and walked forward a couple of steps.
"I just think that she wants to be put down is all."
This time Yahiko and Megumi entered the room, both startled by the strange sight that met them. Kaoru just wanted to die from embarrassment now.
"What are you doing, Kenshin?" Yahiko asked.
Sanosuke was close enough now to whisper so the other two couldn't hear.
"Listen. Just put her down. You're making a scene and I'm sure you're making Kaoru very uncomfortable."
Kenshin shrugged.
"Then she should listen to a man when he tells her not to touch a knife."
That was so cruel and so unlike anything that Kenshin would've ever said. Even Sanosuke seemed to be caught off guard by it.
"Please let her go."
"Why are you so insistent on that, Sano? Isn't Megumi your woman?"
Something in Kenshin's voice was both possessive and dangerous. It caused Kaoru to shudder. Megumi's eyes flashed like she just had a brilliant idea.
"Sir Ken! Please let her down. That position is not good for her leg. You might make the pain worse."
Kaoru smiled at her quick-thinking. Kenshin took in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled through his nose.
"I see. Alright."
He walked out the kitchen. Everyone stepped aside to let him through. Kenshin set Kaoru gently on the floor. She looked up at him. He held up a finger.
"Don't touch the knife again."
He was trying to scare her. She knew that. With that, Kenshin went back to the kitchen. Megumi and Sanosuke came to inspect her.
"Are you okay?"
Kaoru couldn't find the words to describe what she was feeling. She titled her head in order to meet Megumi's eyes.
"We got to stop him."
