Standard Disclaimers Apply. The rights to Rurouni Kenshin are exclusively owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro, Sony Entertainment, Shueisha, Jump Comics and other associated groups. Do not sue!!! I am writing this to satiate my urge to write.

Be Still My Heart

Chapter Seven

Since that night, Kenshin and Kaoru found themselves a permanent roommate that would rid them both of the loneliness they never thought they felt until they had each other. It paved way to their beautiful and blossoming friendship.

Their nightly routine gradually developed as days went by. They would train together, have light or intense conversations and say good night before they went to sleep.

Every night, it was the same, but none complained. They never grew tired of it.

They never grew tired of each other.

~~~~~

As usual, the pale morning rays passed through the translucent door, beckoning our beautiful heroine to wake up. She turned to the other side, opened her blurry eyes and yawned, "Good morning, Kenshin."

"Good morning, Kamiya-dono," he smiled as he finished folding his beddings in one side.

While Kenshin's back was at her, Kaoru tightened the ties that held her gi as she started to fold her futon. Wearing a gi while sleeping was quite uncomfortable but sacrifices had to be made if she wanted to have a roommate. Putting on a thin and semi-sheer yukata would be…

… dangerous for them both.

Every morning, they helped each other clean up in silent coordination. Kaoru didn't mind the work at all. She even felt more comfortable and at home there at the abandoned dojo compared to her cold and uninviting quarters.

Meanwhile, as they were cleaning, Kenshin was subtly observing Kaoru's moves. He smiled inwardly at the thought that even if she was an aristocrat, she had managed to break all the rules by:

pretending to be a male,

being exemplary with the sword even as a woman,

being friendly and totally indiscriminate to a samurai who is of lower social class,

sleeping with that samurai in one room,

helping clean the samurai's room,

making that same samurai fall—

Kenshin shook his head, not wanting to finish his last statement as he picked up the pan and sheathe. It was time for the wake-up call, he had no time for silly thoughts.

Kaoru eyed the two interesting objects in his hands, grinning mischievously. Approaching him with her hands on the back, she asked, "Can I?"

"Oh no. This is my job," he replied, scratching his forehead.

Kaoru pursed her lips and held out her hands towards the two. Kenshin obliged her by handing her the pan and sheathe.

With child-like fascination, she grinned and repeated with much glee, "Can I?"

Kenshin smiled, uncertainly without giving her a straight answer.

"Oh, please," she begged. "Just this once. I just want to know what it feels like." Kaoru tugged the edge of his sleeves as she gave him a cute pout.

Unable to resist, Kenshin sighed. "Alright."

"Yosh!" she exclaimed, jumping in the air. Kaoru almost threw her arms around him. Good thing her reflexes were fast enough to conceal for her almost homosexual act.

Kenshin's insides churned upon the knowledge that it was he, who made this amazing woman exceptionally happy that morning.

It was a foreign feeling for him because he had never been that close enough to somebody to actually make them happy. The feeling was odd yet refreshing.

The feeling was delight. Pure and untainted delight.

The next thing Kenshin knew, Kaoru was already clanging the two objects with much enthusiasm that even the birds flew away from the trees.

"Kamiya-dono! Kamiya-dono!" he called out, running after her.

"What?" she turned back. "You never told me this was so much fun!"

"You are doing it all wrong."

"Huh?" she cringed her face in bafflement.

"It's supposed to be done this way." Taking the objects of noise from her, he tapped the sheathe into the pan. "Clang-clang! Clang-clang! Clang-clang!"

Kaoru rolled her eyes as she grabbed them from him. She feigned bowing as she grinned, "Sorry, Himura Kenshin, master of the pan, I didn't know this has a ritual rhythm. Pardon my ignorance."

Kenshin was about to say something when Kaoru ran off, beating the two in her own tempo. He just shrugged to himself, watching her in silent awe, I wonder how, with all the problems she carries and with all the hard work she does, she still manages to see the beauty of each situation… to have fun.

"Did you see the look on the wolf's face?" she grinned mischievously, running towards the red-head.

"I don't want to. Its too early for that," he whispered.

Kaoru chuckled, pulling him towards Saitoh's room, "Come on!"

Kenshin allowed himself to be half-dragged, sweat forming on his forehead, This is not good.

When they were steps away from Saitoh's door, he stepped out, a cigarette on one hand. He smirked, "Where do you two think you are going?"

Kenshin stopped while Kaoru's eyes widened, she coughed, "Ano… I just asked Himura-san where your quarters are so that I would be the first to greet you a pleasant morning."

Saitoh raised an eyebrow, puffing out his smoke, "Is that so?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed. Taking steps back with her companion, she added, "Now that we have said it, we are off. Don't want to be late for breakfast! Ja!" At that, they ran off.

Saitoh stared at their retreating figures, shaking his head, Ahous.

Kenshin and Kaoru had separated ways after that, knowing that the bright new day was ahead of them.

~~~~~

Ever since that morning, Kaoru was searching for her other friend. His unusual rooster-like hair made him distinguishable miles away, but Kaoru couldn't seem to find him. Maybe he is just sick, she reassured herself.

She and Sanosuke had grown close since they met, not as close as she and Kenshin but they were still good friends. They accompanied each other during bushido classes and preferred to be sparring partners during training.

After lunch, all students went inside their classroom for their bushido instructions led by Saitoh Hajime. Kaoru stared at the empty seat beside her, waiting.

The student behind her placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered, "Sanosuke had left."

"What?" she asked, immediately turning around.

A carriage arrived last midnight to pick him up. It seemed so urgent that he wasn't even given a proper dismissal by the board.

"Oh."

"I heard that his Taicho sent for him."

Kaoru smiled in relief as she faced front, He must be so excited getting his assignment. Letting the wind carry her words, she whispered, "Ganbatte ne, Sagara Sanosuke."

Just then, their instructor arrived. As usual, he had a cigarette dangling on his mouth. Everybody sat erect, not wanting to be reprimanded by the wolf in front of them.

As Saitoh began his discussion, Kaoru's mind drifted to a certain, memorable time and place.

It was about 9:00 in the morning. Free time for the students, so Kaoru Kamiya decided to embark on something utterly new to her. Laundry.

With a big smile plastered on her face, she placed all her soiled clothes in a basin and headed towards one empty corner of the grounds.

"You doing laundry, too?" Kenshin looked up, his hands filled with suds.

Kaoru rolled her eyes and held out the basin for him to see, "Yes, isn't it obvious?"

"Let me think…"

Shaking her head, Kaoru took her place beside him, pouring water on the basin and began scrubbing.

"Oro?" Kenshin squeaked as he watched Kaoru battle with her clothes. Trying to salvage what decent clothes she had left, he grabbed the piece she was working on and said, "Stop! Stop that! Not like that!"

"What?" she glared.

"Like this," he demonstrated. "Gently…"

"Like this?" she asked, mimicking his movements.

"You learn fast my lord," Kenshin nodded as he stretched the one he had just washed to see if it was thoroughly cleaned. Blushing scarlet, he gasped in horror upon the realization that he was holding out Kaoru's underpants for everyone to see.

Good thing Kaoru was too busy concentrating to notice what had just happened so Kenshin immediately slipped that certain article under her pile before she found out what he used for demonstration, or so he thought.

Little did he know that Kaoru knew from the start. She just refrained herself from reacting because it would only cause much attention, which in that case, is rather synonymous to scandal.

"I learned from the best samurai," she smiled, feigning innocence.

Kenshin smiled back at her and said, "You—

"Kamiya!" came a growl loud enough to jolt her back to reality.

"Yes, sir?" she asked nervously, sweat forming on her forehead.

"You seem to be very attentive today. Tell me, what is the essence of the bushido?"

Kaoru looked down, searching her mind for the answer. "A samurai must be totally loyal to the feudal lord. He must also be willing to give his life in the defense of his lord, his lord's honor, including his own. He should be properly trained in martial arts, refined and has a good grasp of proper etiquette. This is important because it would govern his actions and behavior in all situations." Kaoru smiled in contentment when she had finished.

Saitoh smirked and continued, "Who is Imagawa Sadayo?"

"Born in 1325. Died in 1429. He was the one who said that Without knowledge of Learning, one will ultimately have no military victories."

"Do you agree with him?"

"Of course!" she replied with much conviction. "Knowledge is the foundation to everything. Without knowledge, one would not know of the proper handling of the sword, of formulating tactics—"

"Of listening to one's peers," he finished. "Kamiya, do not be cocky and listen to my class."

Seeing her fault, she bowed her head in apology as she tried to focus on her class.

Despite his public scolding, Saitoh inwardly smiled, You have taught her well, Miharu.

~~~~~

When everyone had settled inside their room, Kaoru snuck out again, going to her other room, bringing along with her scrolls of her poems.

Kenshin welcomed her with a smile on his face as he opened the door for her.

Kaoru smiled back at him as she settled herself beside one of the lamps. She unrolled the scrolls, motioning Kenshin to sit beside her.

"Have tried writing a poem in your free time?"

He shook his head in reply.

"Oh." Blushing faintly, she asked, "Would you like to read what I had written before? Tell me what you think, okay?"

Kenshin bowed down his head and shook it sadly.

"Why? Don't you like poetry?" she asked, a tinge of hurt could be traced in her voice.

"It's not that—" he replied, looking into her eyes in… shame?

Kaoru looked back, her lips pressed together in a slight frown.

"My brushstrokes are so…" he finished weakly as he downcast his eyes. "…Ano… you see… I never really spent too much time with it."

"Oh," Kaoru replied, stunned at what she heard. Then, she smiled, moving over to sit beside him. She titled his chin up and said, "Then, I'll teach you. It isn't too late to learn, you know."

Kenshin looked up, eyes filled with confusion, "Why are you doing this for me?"

"Because you are my best friend."

They remained silent after that as Kaoru prepared the blank sheet of paper, a brush and an ink. She wrote hiragana characters on the white paper while Kenshin watched her in deep thought, I had spent all my life here, fighting for nothing… protecting nothing. Then, she came along and turned my world. What have I done to deserve such kindness? It bewilders me completely, but I am not complaining.

Unfortunately, I am not.

Should I be?

She is heaven and I am… I am dirt.

We are worlds apart but still—

"Shall we start?" she smiled, handing me the brush.

— I would do anything to see her smile.

He accepted the brush, gesturing her to start.

Kenshin was a fast learner because of his sharp memory and dexterous wrists and Kaoru, on the other hand, was a good teacher, assisting him all the way.

For the rest of the night until early dawn, Kaoru patiently taught Kenshin hiragana and…

…the beauty of falling in love.

Author's Notes:

GOMEN NASAI!!!!! Sorry… I had been too busy! Hope this extremely waffy chap made up for it!

Women could learn to write only hiragana, and thus were prevented from reading political and business transactions or great literary works, which were written in the more formal kanji.

Even if he was instructed with the sword skills, he lack the written knowledge because with all the time he consumed with housework and the craft… he didn't have anytime to practice those.

A woman is to obey her father as daughter, her husband as wife, and her son as aged mother."2 A basic tenant of Buddhism is that salvation is not possible for women, and the Samurai believed that "...A woman should look upon her husband as if he were heaven itself."

Since I am really struggling with writing now… I am going to make sure that I am going to thank everyone who inspired me and helped me with my block…

THANKS TO ALL MY REVIEWERS:

JML- :chibi-angel bows down: sou desu, jml-sama! ^_~ Qi in Chinese is broader than the way I explained it but oh well… on to the fic! ^_^ thanks a lot! I'll try to include that when I edit in the end of the fic.

Hana Himura- hehehe… how are you, girl? I missed you!

Lizzie, Aku-chan- I'm glad you liked it.

Smilesforyou- oh! That's sooooo sweet! :melts in a puddle of goo:

Momori- thanks a lot! It means so much!

Hosi-ni-onegai- thanks for the info but that isn't the only reason why I wrote it that way. By the time Kaoru admits her real name, there's going to be a turning point of their relationship. ^_^

Kyaa-kyaff- thanks a lot! You know what? I like you name… the way my tongue rolls as I say it… hehehe…

Vesca- not only that they will… :gasp:

Ro-chan- that's okay! ^_^ it's the thought that counts! Hehehe…

Bunny-sama- I feel so flattered! ^__^ how's everything! Have you received my Christmas mail?

Michelle M.- me, too. But please take note that this is an A/U fic… this isn't a back to the Bakumatsu fic because this happened even before that. ^_^

Chiki- can't get enough of waff moments!!!

Gypsy-chan- how are you? have you received my mails? I had been trying to contact you but, I guess you're busy, too. I hope everything is okay with you… I miss yah!

Shunu no Miko, Melfina-Pan, Dernhelm- don't worry… I'll try to update sooner.

Chitchat- :evil grins: of course I know that! ^_~ hehehe… just wait and see…

Kaoru Himura- that's okay… I guess, we all are busy these days.

Nikki- actually mir and I had been pretty busy so I just try to edit it a little and just focus on the story itself. Sorry on that…

drea13rk- hehehe… don't worry I have plans for that. No spoilers for now! ^_~ trust me!

Nicky-chan- I love them that way!!! ^_^ no angst for K&K especially now.

RyuichiFanGirl- oh okay… better study first… ^_^

Luraia Soul- yup… I definitely prefer the original jap version. There are some dubbed lines which totally alter the essense of the dialogue. Ugh! Really frustrating. Thanks so much! Keep the reviews coming!

Bakaneko- hehehe… incense is not necessary, neko-chan. Just an honest and sincere review would do. ^_~

Skipper- Actually, I've tried two styles already. A little of taekwondo and a little of aikido a couple of years back.

Red Ninja, Kawaii sakura-chan- honto ni? :makes puppy dog eyes:

Claria- actually, I love that line, too. I often utter those in my head especially when a certain baka megane comes into my mind! ^_~

J. Liha, Rei2- sure! ^_^ I love this story too much to give up on it!

C'mon everyone… it's not too hard to make me happy… just press the review button!