Author's Notes: Okay, since everyone was SO patient for the last chapter, this one is going to get done quickly. (In two weeks by popular demand.)

Dragon's Hitokiri: That is soooo touching! You can't imagine how wonderful that makes me feel! I'm like…FAMOUS! Lol, not really, but you really made my day with that comment, thank you!

Guacamoli: Hmm…will Kaoru ever tell him?! Who knows?! I DON'T! Actually, yes I do, but that line sounded much more dramatic. THANKS FOR REVIEWING!

Mememe: Heh heh, gotta have the fluffiness.

Kik-ting: I can tell you right now, Kenshin doesn't. He's too DENSE! Thanks for the nice compliments!

Mizu-Ryuuseisui Inc: Thanks for your review! PASSION, MUST HAVE IT!

Moon Syrn: I LOVE YOU! You're one of my most faithful reviewers! PEACE OUT!

Sky Fairy 77: Thanks again so much! I love how you always review with such energy!

Final Genesis: HAPPY NEW YEAR! WOOHOOO!

August Doubts

August. If Kaoru had to pick a word for every month, she would have the perfect word for August.

Damn.

School was back,(their school had adopted the American way of the year.) and Kaoru, now a sophomore, had gotten her schedule, books, and new supplies for her next year. She remembered how she and Misao had gone over their schedules likes school girls, comparing classes at the coffee table. They had already skimmed their schedules and were happy about one simple thing…

"No Wakamaru!" they rejoiced, jumping all over the furniture and opening left over fire crackers that Kaoru had bought in America.

"Oh Kaoru it was genius not to take math this year!" Misao cried waterfall tears at their brilliance, "No Wakamaru!"

"I guess I will miss his "Want to hear about my cat Mr. Snuffles?" speeches," Kaoru sighed sarcastically, "So anyway, what's on your schedule?" They both sat down at the coffee table, doing their best to calm down after the outburst.

"Umm…I have first class on Monday with Hanabishi…" Misao murmured while eating her cookie, "Biology."

"Biology too!" Kaoru squealed with Misao and they hugged as they scribbled on their schedule to make a big happy face in the first class. "Umm…next one, 2:00 P.M., American Literature Honors with Yotori…"

"Please Kaoru, why even ask?" Misao said, "You know that I'll never get into an Honors class as long as I live."

"I'm surprised I got in…" Kaoru admitted, "There are a lot of students with better grades than I have."

"Trying out for any extra curricular activities this year Kaoru?" Misao asked casually.

"Umm…I may help with costumes in the Drama Club, but other than that I don't really know."

"I'm trying out for something!" Misao squealed.

"What?" Kaoru asked excitedly, "Softball? Basketball? Football(soccer)?"

"Nuh uh!" Misao shook her head, "Kendo!"

"K-kendo…?" Kaoru asked disbelieving, "But that's a team for only boys."

"Not true!" Misao suddenly whisked out a brick thick volume entitled "SCHOOL OVERLOOK" and opened to a doggy eared page. She cleared her throat, "Kendo is a sport offered all year around for students to compete in swordsmen competitions. Our school's team has currently won the National Tournament for four years in a row, and accepts new members every new year. Tryouts are held and anyone with or without Kendo experience may try out for the team. Team captains will choose…blah blah blah," Misao used the words "blah blah blah" to indicate that there was nothing else important to read and closed the book, "See? Anyone! And I just happen to be part of that group!"

"You just want to try out because Aoshi's the captain, don't you?" (Yes, Aoshi is the captain, not Kenshin. I think he's more of the Captain type then our sweetie Kenshin is.)

"ACK! Of course not!" Misao blushed and fiddled with her feet, "Umm…what's next on your schedule?"

"You first, it's your turn."

"Uhhh…3:00 P.M. Monday, Philosophy," Misao looked at her schedule, "Ekiko."

"Nah…I've got Honors Classical Japanese at 5:00," Kaoru sighed.

"Oh my gosh!" Misao gasped, "That class is like FULL of Gradies!"

"Gradies…?" Kaoru asked, dumbfounded.

"Graduate Students dummy!" Misao explained, "All the Grad Students come to that class, you're really lucky! I bet Kenshin will be there…"

"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, "Isn't Kenshin a Senior this year?"

"Oh no," Misao shook her head, "Kenshin graduated, I thought you knew."

Kaoru stopped, and looked at her schedule, "So…he's gone?"

"Well, I don't know," Misao sighed, "He may have stayed here as a Graduate Student, but a lot of people go onto more professional Universities for that…"

"Kenshin wouldn't just leave!" Kaoru told her firmly, making Misao back up into her chair, "N-not without saying goodbye."

"Kaoru…" Misao whispered as she saw Kaoru's eyes starting to get teary and her face becoming red. "Umm…how about we go check out his dorm! I'm sure he's staying!"

"R-really…?" Kaoru asked, hoping for a bit of moral support out of her best friend.

"Yeah, let's go!" Misao laughed, grabbed Kaoru's hand and led her out of their dorm room towards Dorm D where Kenshin was supposed to be living.

"Excuse me, mister," Misao walked up to a man with a badge that said "Dorm Director", "We're looking for a certain resident, Himura Kenshin-san?"

"Ahh yes…Himura-san," the man flipped through a clipboard he was holding, "It seems he moved out this year."

Kaoru froze, "W-what…?"

"Yes, it seems he's moved out," the man repeated, "He didn't leave a forwarding address, I'm sorry."

"Oh…sorry for bothering you," Misao bowed to him and led Kaoru out of the building. "K-Kaoru, this doesn't mean anything! He's probably just commuting from now on!"

"B-but then why wouldn't he leave an address?!" Kaoru cried, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. "He would only have done that if he had no intention of coming back!"

"Th-that's not true!" Misao insisted, "I'm sure he just…he just…" Misao stopped, and curled his hands into fists, not knowing what to say, "We…we can't give up hope Kaoru."

"I just want to go home," Kaoru said softly and starting walking down the path. Misao could only follow her silently, not saying a word.

"Welcome to Honors Classical Japanese," Prof. Rumiko, a nice looking woman in her thirties that had bright red short hair and hazel eyes, looked over at the class, which Kaoru saw was full of older students that looked at least in their mid-twenties. "I'm Professor Rumiko, and I'll be your teacher. Let me just take roll and we can get started."

Kaoru listened intently to the roll call, remembering what Misao had said…

"All the Grad Students come to that class, you're really lucky! I bet Kenshin will be there…"

"Harukai, Minako."

"Here!"

"Hibani, Jonuchi!"

"Here!"

"Ikedo, Shinji!"

He wasn't in the class. He wasn't in the class. Kaoru thought all the Graduate students were in this class! There were only about a hundred Grad students, and there were at least 80 people in this class! Kenshin…he must have not taken it…that's all…that's all.

"Well, it seems we have every Grad Student on campus in this class," Professor Ekiko observed and the class giggled. But Kaoru didn't make a sound. Was she serious? Was it a joke? Were all the Graduate Students in the school really in this class? If so…then Kenshin…he…he… "But we do have one undergraduate student here. Kamiya Kaoru-san, if you could please stand up." Kaoru's neck almost snapped as she was brought back to Earth as the teacher called out her name. She stood up quickly, almost knocking over her chair in the lecture hall, and the class started applauding.

"Sit over here Kamiya-chan!"

"Kaoru-chan, over here!"

"Hey Under Grad, sit next to me!"

People bombarded Kaoru with requests to sit by them, and Kaoru sat next to a boy and a girl, smiling sheepishly. The others gave a loud "ahhh…" of disappointment, and Kaoru just blushed. She looked over at the boy, he was tall with blonde hair and black eyes. Then…she turned to the girl, and stopped.

She had short, straight, no bangs brown hair that stopped just after her chin. Her dark, black, penetrating eyes that were narrowed into almost slits looked at Kaoru as though piercing her heart and soul with more hate than anything Kaoru could imagine. Kaoru shivered and then turned to the front of the room as Professor Rumiko began the lesson.

"So…" Kaoru heard a shrill voice talk to her softly as class ended and the students filed out of their seats. Kaoru turned her head and saw that it was the girl from before, and she was now smiling, her eyes still narrowed, "You're Kaoru Kamiya, eh?"

"Umm…yes," Kaoru nodded, "And you are…?"

"Yuko Ikibana," Yuko didn't extend her hand as she introduced herself. She looked Kaoru up and down, and then sniffed and gave a light frown, "So…you're the girl who's been tagging along with Ken-kun, eh?"

"T-tagging along?" Kaoru asked indignantly.

"I'm surprised. I thought Ken-kun had more taste," Yuko shrugged, "Oh well."

"Can we stop talking about Kenshin?" Kaoru asked quietly, "I'd really appreciate it."

"What, he dump you?" Kaoru's eyes shot open. "Finally got some sense I see."

"Kenshin and I aren't together…"

"I thought as much," Yuko sighed, "I was just teasing you. You see, actually, I wouldn't be talking to you if I didn't want a bit of information."

"I'm in a hurry, so if you don't mind," Kaoru started to walk out of the room, only to have Yuko step in front of her and stop her in mid tracks.

"I do mind actually," Yuko smirked, "I want to know if the rumor's true that Ken-kun is looking for a specific girl that he's head over heels in love with."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kaoru looked at Yuko, not making eye contact.

"But I think you do," Yuko drawled, "It seems that Ken-kun is--"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Kaoru grabbed Yuko by the shoulder, threw her to the side and sprinted out of the room, leaving an enraged Yuko behind…

Kaoru ran home, not looking back. She didn't want to talk about him, think about him! All he had ever brought her was pain and anger!

"I hate him…" Kaoru cried, "I hate him so much!"

She ran past the curb that he had saved her at, not wanting to look at it and remember his face, his scar, his hair, everything. Those calm, quiet eyes that she loved so much. He was gone, GONE!

Kaoru made her way up to her dorm room, opened the door, threw herself on the couch, and just sat there, waiting for something, anything to happen that could possibly make her feel any better.

"KAORU!" Misao lunged into the room at full speed, dressed in a white kimono jacket and blue hakama with a kendo sword on her back, "KAORU, KAORU, KAORUUUU!"

"What is it Misao…?" Kaoru asked lazily.

"I MADE IT, I MADE IT, I MADE IT!" Misao jumped on Kaoru, squealing at the top of her lungs.

"Made what…?" Kaoru asked again, eyes still drooping.

"The Kendo Team stupid!" Misao gave Kaoru a sharp clonk over the head, "What else?! The wrestling team?!"

"Oh…" Kaoru said, "Congrats."

"At first all the guys were like "She's a girl, noo way!"" she mimicked them in a stupid way, "But then Lord Aoshi came forward and let me join! I think he really does like me!"

"Lord…Aoshi…" Kaoru sighed as she thought about Misao. Aoshi didn't leave her, and Misao was so sure of her feelings for him. She would never let him get away. Even if he was a Grad Student this year…

Wait… He was a Graduate Student this year! "Misao! What time does the Kendo team practice?!" she asked, grabbing Misao's wrists forcefully.

"Umm…5:00 to 7:00," she nodded, "Why?"

"That's why Kenshin wasn't in the class!" Kaoru laughed, "He's on the Kendo team! He was there, wasn't he…?"

Misao's eyes became dull and she refused to speak. Kaoru's happy face soon became one of sadness… "He was there…wasn't he?"

"When I asked Lord Aoshi where Kenshin was…" Misao bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes, "He said that he was too busy moving…"

Kaoru froze. Moving? That meant…he was…going away. Going away! Going away! "No! That can't be right!" Kaoru insisted, tears started to choke her words, "He couldn't have left! HE COULDN'T HAVE!" With that, she sprinted out the door, her tears flying from her face. Misao's calls to her didn't even reach her ears as she ran out, crunching autumn leaves under her feet as she sprinted down the sidewalk.

"Kenshin!" she called to herself, more than to Kenshin, "Why…why? You still hadn't found Jacket Girl! You wouldn't leave me!"

Kaoru kneeled down on the sidewalk, crying into her knees, and then, she looked up and surveyed where she was. She was there…at the curb where he had found her right in front of the University. Where he had given her that jacket and then…gone away. Just like right now…

"Kenshin…come back to me," she whispered, tears still streaming down her face like rivers. "Please come back to me…please."

"Kaoru-dono? What are you doing on the ground?"

"And now I'm hallucinating…great," she whispered to herself.

"Kaoru-dono?" Kaoru paused as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw that it was none other than Kenshin who had been speaking to her.

"You…you're real?" she asked, trying to dry her tears.

"I think so, oro," Kenshin laughed, "What are you doing looking so sad?"

"I…I…" she looked at him, and once again, the tears started to well. "Ken…Kenshin…" This time, they overflowed on her cheeks, and she couldn't help but cry her heart out from happiness, "Kenshin! You're back!" She ran to him and threw herself upon him, knocking him to the ground.

"Oro!?"

"Kenshin, I thought you had gone! Your dorm was gone! And, and you weren't at Kendo and--"

"I was moving to my new house," Kenshin told her and she looked up at him, confused. "I had to move, so I had to miss Kendo."

"Why didn't you leave your address?!" Kaoru asked, "I was so worried about you!"

"But I did," Kenshin said and Kaoru facefaulted, "With Sano. He didn't tell you?"

DING, DONG!

"I'm coming, jeez!" Sano threw away the beer can he had been drinking and lazily walked to the door and opened it. "Hey…Missy?"

"Hey Sano!" she smiled and waved pleasantly, "I heard from Kenshin that he moved!"

"Oh yeah, I was supposed to give you his address, sorry bout that!"

"Sa-no-suke…"

"Hey Missy…" Sanosuke sweatdropped as flames started to erupt around Kaoru, "What's that thing behind your back…?"

"Oh…this…?" Kaoru asked playfully, slowly pulling out a titanium baseball bat from her back, "Just something I like to call, "THE PUNISHMENT BAT!"

"OW, OW, OH CRAP, OW, OW, HEY I'M SORRY, OW!"

The moral of the story is…

Always make sure to remember to give forwarding addresses.

"I'm so glad you didn't leave Kenshin," Kaoru smiled as she and Kenshin sat at her table drinking coffee, "I was…really scared that you would."

"I couldn't leave yet!" Kenshin laughed, and Kaoru's eyes became dull.

"Because of her…right?"

"Well…now that you mention it, yeah!" Kenshin nodded and Kaoru's head perked up, "But what I meant is that I have so many good friends here, that I do! I couldn't just leave."

"Kenshin…" Kaoru smiled at him with watery eyes, and in a moment, Kenshin was wrapped in a hug from Kaoru.

"Oro?"

"Kenshin…don't ever leave," Kaoru said, her voice muffled,into his shirt and he smiled and placed his hands around her waist.

"Never Kaoru-dono. Never…"

THE END OF THIS CHAPTER!

WOOOHOOO!

Okay everyone, 1, 2, 3…

Everyone: Awwwwww

Remember, please R&R! (Remember e-mail addresses)

NEXT CHAPTER: September Symphony