Chapter 9

The rooftop of the hotel was exceedingly dim, the only illumination coming from the distant stars and the moon peeking from the rolls of clouds. The wind was chilly and the night was peaceful, as it always had been.

Kenshin and Kaoru lay on the cold marbled floor of the rooftop; their thick winter jackets served not only as a makeshift bed but also as blankets. Her head was resting on his outstretched arm and her arm was upon his chest. They were watching the random flicker of the stars, secretly hoping that somehow they had a way to reach them and be as far from this place as possible.

Both had figured that after being nearly caught in their secret affair by Kenshin's father-in-law, this was the safest place they could go to where no one could witness their clandestine love affair or remind them of how unjustly incorrect their act was. No one would see their intimate bond, no one would hear their hearts' whispers, and no one would take them away from each other. No one could be a witness, except perhaps God and the immensity of the universe. But they were good friends, silent, uncritical, and forgiving.

Kenshin pulled her closer to him, if it was even possible, and pushed some of the loose strands of her hair away from her beautiful face.

"You're shaking" he spoke in a hushed, worried voice. Without waiting for her reply, Kenshin pulled his jacket over her shoulders and rubbed them gently with his fingers, trying to fight the iciness that he knew was creeping on her.

Kaoru smiled at his kindness and concern. She reassured him with a nod and gave his hand a light squeeze.

A quick silence shrouded them until Kenshin spoke again.

"Have you heard of Le Meilleur Quiche Restaurant?" he asked, suddenly remembering. "The hotel receptionist told me that it is indisputably the town's finest eatery."

"Is it the one located at the west side of the town square?"

"Yes, the restaurant with the prominent glass façade."

"Oh, I've seen it once but I haven't dined in yet," Kaoru said while shaking her head.

"Good, because I have reserved a dinner for you and me on the night after tomorrow's."

Kaoru turned up to him with a childlike interest, a smile playing in her lips, "Did I hear you right?"

Kenshin nodded in a slightly proud manner, "So are you free?"

Kaoru's smile widened and her eyes crinkled with excitement and delight before nodding her head slowly.


The day of the dinner came and Kaoru lingered a while longer in her bath before finally getting out and toweling off. She went to her closet and scanned through her dresses, choosing one that matched the color of her eyes.

The dress fell just below the knee and had pearl buttons in the front. She then stood in front of the mirror turning side to side and checking her overall appearance. After being convinced that the look was appropriate, she then began fixing her hair. Kaoru tried several ribbons of various colors but eventually decided on wearing her hair down so it gently touched her shoulders.

She put on a pair of earrings and sprayed a dash of perfume.

She wanted to be exceptionally beautiful tonight.

Retrieving her purse and room keys, Kaoru exited the room and immediately hailed a cab in front of the hotel. She gave directions to the kind-looking driver and watched the scene rolling by through window of the car.

Kenshin and she decided to go separately to the restaurant so that they could shun watchful and suspecting eyes around them.

They weren't so different from Sanosuke and Megumi now, she thought. Kenshin and she were hiding the technically the same romance, escaping from the same judgmental eyes of society, and enjoying the same stolen moments. They were reenacting Sanosuke and Megumi's hidden romance and it had unconsciously pained both of them to realize it.

But neither Kenshin nor she seemed to care. All they knew was that they established a most ultimate bond that neither of them would ever want to let go. They wouldn't be thinking of the uncertain future for now, more so of the agonizing past; what mattered the most were the present and the gift of togetherness it was bringing both of them.

"We're here," said the cab driver, taking Kaoru out of her distant thoughts. She paid for the bill and exited the cab.

The restaurant was unquestionably excellent. The façade of the building was made entirely of glass panels that were framed by detailed woodcarvings. At the entrance were two great statues that couldn't look any more genuine- one was holding a burst of flame in his hand while the other was looking straight into the darkening sky.

A good-looking serveurpolitely ushered her in where she was welcomed by the appetizing scent of baking pastries and the soft decrescendo of the small orchestra.

"Have you got any reservation Madame?" the receptionist asked in a practiced manner. He was an elderly man with a very amiable facial features and equally amiable voice.

"Yes, but I guess my companion isn't here yet."

"May I know your name?"

"Kaoru," she hesitated a little, "Kaoru Sagara."

The receptionist jotted something down before finally turning up to her.

"Mr. Himura had reserved a dinner for both of you. This way, please," he gestured with his hand and led the way towards their table. Courteously, he pulled the chair out for Kaoru and asked if she wanted anything while waiting.

"I'll have a glass of water."

"All right, it'll be here in a moment. Do you want anything else?"

Kaoru shook her head and smiled. With a gracious bow, he walked back to the general direction where they came from.

Instantly, her glass arrived and the quick withdrawal of the waiter had left her alone again. She opened her purse and retrieved her mobile phone, slightly hoping that Kenshin had sent her a message telling her that he was already on his way, she was disappointed.

After taking a little drink from her glass which was refreshing to her slightly parched throat, she checked her watched and realized that perhaps she would be waiting his arrival for a few minutes more. It gave her enough chance to look around the crowd and survey the surrounding.

Grand paintings depicting various landscapes adorned the walls of the long room. At the middle was a space allotted for dancing. Above it, a huge, magnificent chandelier that looked like big chunks of diamonds sewn together hung from the high ceiling.

The majority of the clientele was composed of middle-aged people dining with either their partners or a handful of friends. Some were engaged in a light conversation while relishing the superior cuisine presented by the restaurant while others were pleased enough just by listening to the soft, unhurried tune that the orchestra was playing.

Just then, the orchestra began playing a new melody and the host invited the couples to dance to the tender beat the orchestra had created. Pair by pair, partners stood up and began slowly swaying to the rhythm of the music.

Kaoru smiled and watched the dance. She made a mental note that later she and Kenshin would dance, too, which reminded her of something totally unanticipated of him. He was late. She had been here for almost half an hour now and still no redhead was in sight.

Sighing, Kaoru flicked her phone open only to see that he still hadn't left a message for her. A delectable scent wafted through the air and she heard her stomach churned, she was hungry. Eventually, she was able to shrug the thought aside. She would wait for him, Kaoru decided.

A waiter approached her for the second time now and asked if she would want to take her orders. Repeatedly, he turned him down with a gracious apology and with the same, unchanging reason of having to wait for her companion. Kaoru was starting to feel a little embarrassed at her aloneness.

She glanced impatiently at the clock and only then did she comprehend that she had been waiting for an hour. She had considered calling him and had even tried for a few times. But she immediately hung up even if the other line hadn't even begun ringing. She was afraid to call him, inexplicably afraid to do so.

The hunger made her feel even worse. However, it was not what wholly troubled her; it was his unexpected delay. Kenshin was too much of a gentleman to stand her up or to even make her wait for hours.

Kaoru pushed aside the unpleasant thoughts that had viciously began gnawing at her mind.

'He will come, doubtlessly,' she thought.

"Madame," a voice called out to her and snapped her out of her distant thoughts. "Do you want to make you orders now?"

It was the same waiter that had been asking her now yet the professionally amiable expression on his face hadn't changed at all. Kaoru smiled uneasily.

"I'm sorry but I am waiting for someone. I believe that he will be here any moment from now," she said, even if a part of herself had trouble believing her own words.

"It's all right. Do you want another glass of water?" the waiter asked upon seeing that she had emptied her second glass.

"No, thank you. I will call for you if I need anything else."

"Where is he?" she asked anxiously to no one in particular.

Kenshin was late…awfully late.

Her azure orbs flicked towards the main entrance and Kaoru hoped that she would see a certain redhead there, wearing an apologetic smile and running towards her. She saw none.

Minute after minute, the people left in an uninterrupted sequence until she looked around only to realize that she was the only one left behind in the restaurant. The crew had thrown her innumerable glances, although the majority was out of curiosity, some were out of sympathy and even concern.

Kaoru avoided their looks and settled her gaze at the empty glasses in front of her. Nevertheless, through her peripheral vision she saw that the rest of the restaurant crew had finished cleaning up and the orchestra members had already left. The receptionist was discussing something to who seemed to be the establishment's manager, both of them throwing glances along her way.

The lights of the other half of the long room were turned off, and as if that served as a go signal, the receptionist walked towards her with an apologetic look drawn upon his face.

"Madame, it's very late," he started, his voice cordial but sorry, "I and the whole staff would like to extend our apologies as we have to close for the night."

Kaoru tried hard to smile and disguise the disappointment on her face, but failed miserably. Slowly, she stood up and stooped for a bow while repetitively making an apology to the kind man and the few remaining crew.

She exited the restaurant and walked to the stop. Kaoru plopped down at the bench with a sigh of loneliness and weakness. The streets were utterly empty, hushed she could even faintly hear the steady beating of her heart.

For several minutes, Kaoru stayed still while watching the repetitious changing of the traffic lights above her. When she realized the remote likelihood of a taxi passing by, Kaoru stood up and started walking back to the hotel. Her footsteps were slow and heavy, her head stooped and her eyes glued to the pavement. She was infinitely sad and disappointed.

Kenshin had not come.


Earlier that day, on his way to the rendezvous he and Kaoru agreed upon, Kenshin had stopped over a flower shop and bought a bouquet of white roses. He himself scanned among the flowers and picked the prettiest he could find. He even requested for the most elegant embellishment the florist was capable of.

Glancing at the flowers he had purchased, he wondered if Kaoru would like it as much as he hoped she would.

Continuing on his way and driving along, Kenshin felt his mobile phone vibrating. He retrieved it from his coat pocket and flicked it open, enthusiastically hoping that Kaoru was the one calling.

He was mistaken.

The voice that seeped from the other line was one that he wasn't certain he would have to welcome or not: it was his father-in-law, Mr. Genzai.

"Son, where are you?" his voice was somewhere in between being eager and glad, "I have good news for you."

The next few words Mr. Genzai said made his heart skip a beat and summoned the hidden fears and grudges he thought he had buried for good.

He pulled off to the side lane and stopped the car, holding his breath and staring off into the distant horizon. The sun had begun to set and so was his consciousness of the whole situation.

Time froze and Kenshin stopped breathing.

Part of him couldn't believe what he had just heard and the other part of him didn'twant to believe it.

"Megumi's awake."