Rating: PG to T for a brief very close moment between you know who.

Warnings:

- Some parts are manga-ish, but the characters are mostly based on the live action movies. More mature.

- A very intimate moment, but nothing graphic.

Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Notes:

- zooeyy: Thank you so much for your kind words. I have amazing beta that also helps me to make all the chapters very smooth to read. Thanks to her, too :)

- KenshinFan: You are too kind. I wish you have FF account so we can chat.

- Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts, and faves *hugs to you all*

- This is one of my favorite chapters. You can see why. Enjoy!

Beta: Thank you, orchid14. Your comment for a certain part of this chapter makes me laugh so hard. LMAO.


Chapter 10

Kenshin woke up before the sun rose. Kaoru was still asleep in her room and he smiled in satisfaction. Kenshin rose from where he sat, slid his sakabatou into the waistband of his hakama and as a habit, he walked to the kitchen. His eyebrows shot up when he saw a man already there, preparing breakfast, a bandage on his left arm. The man sensed his presence and he turned around, and Kenshin almost scowled when he recognized the man was the one who gave him the look when they first met.

The man smiled back. "Ohayo, Himura-san."

And he knew his name, too. Great.

"Ohayo," Kenshin replied in neutral voice, giving hint he wanted to know the man's name.

"I'm Kato Hideo," Hideo replied. Kenshin's ki made him a little uncomfortable, but he acted like nothing happened.

"Nice to meet you, Kato-san. I can see you are preparing breakfast. Perhaps I could give you a hand?"

Hideo nodded in gratitude. "That would be great."

And then, both men worked in silent. Kenshin had to admit Hideo was a good cook, much better than him actually.

"Are you Kamiya-san's friend?" Hideo suddenly asked.

Kenshin stilled before smiled inwardly. At least, Hideo wasn't in the first name basis with Kaoru. However, his ki made Kenshin uneasy. He could sense curiosity and…jealousy.

Kenshin tried to answer it without making clear on how much Kaoru meant to him. "You can say that."

"Hmm…" Hideo said again. "You must be a very good friend of hers to follow her here."

The redhead swordsman almost chuckled. Looked like he was not the only one who got mesmerized by Kaoru. Kenshin thanked Yahiko silently for pointing about another man approaching Kaoru.

Kenshin shrugged, not affirming nor denying it.

Hideo stopped what he was doing and turned to look at the swordsman. Hideo was taller than Kenshin, but after seeing how proficient Kenshin was with his sword last night, the young man was smart enough not to provoke the redhead in front of him.

"What exactly are you doing here, Himura-san?"

Kenshin stared at Hideo's eyes. "To help."

Hideo snorted. "Kamiya-san also said the same thing. You both are so alike." And then, he went silent before continuing, "She is a very special girl."

"Yes, she is," Kenshin answered.

"And her heart already belonged to someone else. Too bad."

Kenshin knew Kaoru had a lot of admirers in Tokyo, he never thought he would deal with at least one of them to compete for Kaoru's affection. And now, he had a conversation with a man who harbored romantic feelings towards Kaoru. Yes, he knew Hideo had eyes for the girl. But, Kenshin could tell Kaoru didn't feel the same way, a part that made him slightly happy. That was why Hideo didn't do anything to make his purpose clear to her. And Kenshin silently prayed being a week in this dojo hadn't changed Kaoru's mind.

"You care about her," Kenshin stated in a surprisingly neutral tone while in reality, his jealousy came into the surface.

"I do. But, I am also not stupid to know there's a man occupied her mind." Hideo's eyes turned hard. "I know you have feelings for her, but I don't understand what makes her so reluctant towards you. If you feel the same way, you better do something."

Kenshin had to admire the young man's bluntness. He continued his cooking while answering, "I know. And that's what I'm trying to explain to her so she doesn't have to feel hesitant again."

Hideo eyed Kenshin before turning back to his task.

"Good," the man replied curtly.

No words said after that and Kenshin knew they had their silent understanding.

x

The thing that Kaoru remembered after she woke up was Kenshin's shadow outside her room. She blinked several times when she saw there was no one there. Kaoru shook her head for she was sure she wasn't dreaming. After donning her outfit, her growling stomach led her to the kitchen and her eyes widened when she saw Hideo and Kenshin arranging the dining table.

Both men smiled and greeted her good morning, and Kaoru replied in daze. She sat next to Kenshin after they finished, and they began to eat breakfast. Kaoru stole a glance at Kenshin and blushed when she remembered how the man caressed her cheek last night and their short conversation before she went to sleep. Hideo quickly finished his food for he couldn't stand the atmosphere between the pair in front of him. He excused himself, leaving Kaoru and Kenshin alone.

"Did you sleep well, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked, making Kaoru jump.

"Um…yes, I did." And she looked at Kenshin. "Was I dreaming of you slept outside my room last night?"

Kenshin smiled, too innocent. "No."

Kaoru furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?"

"I used to sleep like that during war."

"The war is over, Kenshin."

"Old habits die hard."

"You were afraid something would happen to me, weren't you?" Kaoru's eyes fixed on Kenshin.

Kenshin didn't reply, only sipped his tea. He was not surprise Kaoru could figure out his reason for sleeping outside her room. The girl was very perceptive.

"Did you come here on foot?" Kaoru asked again when Kenshin didn't answer her previous question.

Kenshin's lips quirked a little. "By train, actually."

"Oh…I thought…well, when you went to Kyoto-"

"It's faster by train and Yokohama is a developed city with accommodated means of transport."

Kaoru frowned, ignoring the amusement in Kenshin's voice earlier. "Why are you doing this?"

Kenshin sipped his tea calmly again before looking at Kaoru's eyes. "Did I not make myself clear enough last night? I had to follow my heart."

Kaoru clenched her jaw. "I'm fine without your help."

"It didn't appear that way yesterday." And Kenshin's eyes turned hard. "That man almost killed you. What would have happened if I hadn't been there?"

Kaoru's face became stoic.

So, that is why. Kenshin was afraid she would have the same fate as his late wife. Why he just couldn't see her for who she is?

"So, you were afraid I would die like Tomoe-san?"

Kenshin's eyes widened when Kaoru mentioned Tomoe.

"Kaoru-"

"Stop, Kenshin. Just stop. I'm Kaoru, not her. Try to look at me without her shadow. Can you at least do that?"

"And that's why I'm here," Kenshin said in stern voice before he took several deep breaths to calm himself. He put his cup on the table. "I want us to go home together, to Tokyo."

Kaoru laughed bitterly. "And then what? You'll continue being my housekeeper and I'll be your landlord? Again?"

Kenshin held Kaoru's gaze, unwavered. "I like being your housekeeper. But, I prefer being the housekeeper and the landlord's husband at the same time."

Kaoru blinked and her heart hammered in her chest. "W-What?"

"You heard what I've said."

Kaoru looked at Kenshin in disbelief. "Are you…proposing to me?"

"Well, I'm hoping to court you first when we get home, but look like it's still going to take a while until we can go home."

Honestly, Kaoru always dreamed the moment when Kenshin asked her hand in marriage. But, she never imagined it would be far from Tokyo, and in her father's friend home. And for Kenshin, the words just came out before he could stop it. He never really knew how to propose or courting a woman for his first marriage kind of just happened out of thin air. He only followed his instinct and acted like a man to woo the object of his affection.

Kaoru's head spun and she suddenly rose from her seat. Kenshin only stared at Kaoru's retreating figure and wondered if he should have held himself from blurting out his proposal earlier.

x

Kenshin's arrival in Fujiya Dojo made the students curious, except for Hideo and Yosuke. Kenshin only sat in silence outside the training hall when Kaoru trained with Sakura and Inoe until lunch time, ignoring the curious looks. The students used the training hall after lunch to discuss strategies and the rest of them were working on Yosuke's farm. Kaoru was helping Yosuke again with his farm, after her teaching was over, didn't really paying attention if Kenshin followed her or not. Kaoru returned to the dojo when the sun was about to set and was surprised she didn't see Kenshin there at all.

Her heart sank.

Could he have returned to Tokyo?

Some students only told Kaoru that Kenshin was away since afternoon.

Meanwhile, in the other side of the town, Toshi finished drinking with a few of his boss's men to erase the image of the beautiful girl who lay on the ground with fierce eyes, before the red-haired swordsman helped her.

The odd swordsman.

Kobayashi had said his head got hit by the swordsman's sword. From his experience as a former warrior from the war, if his boss had been hit by ordinary sword, he would have been dead.

Toshi walked slowly for the effect of sake made him couldn't stand straight. Between his hazy thoughts, he remembered the rumors about the legendary hitokiri during war that had red hair and a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek.

Did the man have a scar on his cheek?

If he was truly the legendary hitokiri, why did he use a sword that doesn't kill?

Toshi shook his head and continued to walk.

When he turned on the corner of an alley, he sensed someone had followed him. He turned his body around with his hand on the hilt of his sword. But, he could see no one behind him. Again, he sensed the ki behind him, and Toshi turned around again, only to find an empty alley.

His heart began to beat faster and he unsheathed his sword.

"I know you're there. Show me who you are!"

Only silence greeted him as the answer.

The effect of sake he had earlier was gone, replaced by high alert. Toshi gripped his sword hilt tightly and his eyes wildly looked around. As high as his guard had been, he didn't notice someone already stood next to him.

"I'm here," said a voice and Toshi jumped quickly while pointing his sword forward.

He gripped his sword tightly when the shadow appeared into the light and showed him the man he met yesterday, the red hair and…this time Toshi gulped.

A cross-shaped scar.

"You…Red…I know who you are…You are…"

"Where was your bravery yesterday when you almost killed an innocent young woman?" Kenshin asked Toshi in a deep voice.

Toshi swallowed heavily when he sensed Kenshin's ki.

"Why did you attack Fujiya Dojo?" Kenshin asked again although Yosuke already told him the reason from their conversation.

Toshi tried to calm his breathing. "Kobayashi-san wants the land."

Kenshin raised his eyebrows playfully. "Only for the land? There are so many pieces of properties here. Why that dojo in particular?"

"Kobayashi-san already planned to build a medicine factory to grow his business. The land of the dojo has the highest prospect among the others." Then Toshi quickly saw his opportunity. "You have great skills. You can join us. We can attack that place one more time."

Kenshin tilted his head and seemed to think things over. The answers he got were as the same as what Yosuke had told him, except for the next attack. He should inform the Fujiya Dojo's master about it.

Toshi grinned, thinking he could get Kenshin on his side. His grin vanished when Kenshin smirked.

"I'm not interested," the redhead answered.

Toshi blinked several times when Kenshin turned around and walked away. He smirked a little, trying to get Kenshin's attention again. "So, the former legendary hitokiri wants to help the master of a lousy dojo and a woman? Shame on you." He sheathed his sword back.

Before he could say anything else, Kenshin turned again to him and his eyes glinted in the dark.

"If you dare come near what's mine again, you will pay. Hard."

In a blink of an eye, Kenshin disappeared, leaving Toshi stood alone stunned in the dark alley.

x

Kaoru sighed and tied her yukata. Her shoulders were not sore anymore like when she first worked on the farm. She was getting used to farming. The light from the candle illuminated her shadow and she couldn't stop thinking about Kenshin. It was late at night and there was no sign of him.

The thought of Kenshin leaving was like a slice to her heart.

Suddenly she felt an arm wrapped around her waist and Kaoru yelped. She turned around to defend herself, but stop when she saw the one who hugged her from behind.

"Kenshin? Oh, Kami…you scared me." Kaoru put her free hand on her chest. She barely remembered he was a former assassin, and a lethal one at that. Sneaking into someone's room was easy for him.

Kenshin only grinned and lowered Kaoru's hand which ready to strike him. "Tadaima."

Kaoru narrowed her eyes and hit Kenshin playfully. "Okaerinasai. Where have you been? I was so worried."

Hearing Kaoru worried about him made Kenshin's felt warm inside. "I'm sorry. I had to do something. And now I need to have a few words with Fujiya-san."

At the mention of Yosuke, Kaoru frowned. "Is it bad?"

Kenshin shook his head and caressed Kaoru's hair lightly, "Iie. Just to give him some information I got."

"What? Kenshin-"

"No need to worry, Kaoru."

Kenshin released Kaoru's hand, fully aware of their closeness. Her soft body was slightly pressed onto him, made his body sang. The faint scent of jasmine ignited his desire. Kaoru, too, shivered in a good way hearing Kenshin said her name without the honorific and having Kenshin half-hugging her very intimately for the first time ever since they met. Her fingers were itching to unbind Kenshin's ponytail. She admitted she liked his hair loose.

Kenshin was the first to regain his control and shook his head mentally. "Now, you need some rest."

They stared at each other before Kaoru nodded. Kenshin helped Kaoru lay on the futon and put the blanket on her.

"Where will you sleep tonight?" Kaoru asked in low voice.

Kenshin smiled tenderly. "Where I can keep you safe."

Kaoru hummed and slowly closed her eyes. When Kaoru's ki softened, Kenshin kissed Kaoru's forehead before got out from her room.

He should sneak on her more often.

x

Yosuke was with Hideo when Kenshin met him in his room. Both men looked at him in surprise before Hideo excused himself. Yosuke smiled and gestured Kenshin to sit next to him.

"I haven't seen you all day, Himura-san."

Kenshin lay his sword next to him before answering, "I was looking for some information about Kobayashi, Fujiya-san."

Yosuke smirked. "Ah…doing a little spying, aren't you?"

Kenshin gave Yosuke a coy smile. "Pressing information from someone who was scared of me is an easy task. He told me everything without him realizing it."

Yosuke laughed and slowly his laughter subsided. "What did you get?"

"The same as you told me, Fujiya-san. And there will be another attack soon. Perhaps it will be the final."

Yosuke's eyes widened and he frowned. "A lot of us were injured. I don't know if we can hold another attack."

"And so are Kobayashi's men. They will wait until they can regroup or at least most of them are healed," Kenshin said again.

"Do you know when they will attack?"

Kenshin shook his head. "Iie. Not yet." His eyes glinted mischievously. "I can try to get the information for you."

Yosuke chuckled. "You sure are so much fun to be around." And his face turned serious. "Do you think we can endure another attack? Kaoru mentioned about having friends in Kyoto, a shinobi clan."

Kenshin folded his arms on his chest. "Yes, the Oniwabanshuu. They are our allies and would be gladly to help. They have spies all over the place, too. I wonder if I can meet one of them here."

Yosuke raised his eyebrows. "They also have spies in Yokohama?"

"They basically have spies everywhere. I know they have another clan in Tokyo, but they work discreetly. I've met some of them."

"To keep a hold on you, I see."

Kenshin smiled knowingly. "One of the members is very close to Kaoru-dono like a sister. The orders probably came from her. And, they mostly knew about Kaoru-dono's departure to your dojo. I'm sure they also knew about what had happened here."

Yosuke blinked rapidly. He never thought Kenshin and Kaoru had their own protection.

"Even if we ask for their help, we don't know when Kobayashi's next attack will be. It's best for you to prepare your students and yourself, Fujiya-san. Meanwhile, I can keep an eye for Kobayashi's plan."

Yosuke went silent before releasing a deep breath.

"Thank you, Himura-san."

Kenshin nodded curtly before grabbed his sword and rose from his seat. "Good night, Fujiya-san."

The former hitokiri walked back to Kaoru's room and slid the shoji door opened. His heart warmed when he saw the girl was sleeping peacefully under the blanket. Her dark hair sprawled on the futon. She looked so much younger than her actual age, making him feel he was young again.

Kenshin stepped inside and sat next to Kaoru's sleeping form. During his short marriage, before that one night, he often stared at Tomoe while she was sleeping. Not because she was beautiful, it was because he didn't fully trust her. As hard as he tried to deny it, his instinct apparently was true when he learned the truth about his late wife.

This time, he looked at Kaoru for admiring her beauty and not to question why she was chosen to be with him.

I'm Kaoru, not her.

No, she was not her. For Kenshin, it was time to live in the present.

Kenshin slowly caressed Kaoru's soft cheek before got up and left the room. He closed the shoji and leaning again on the pillar.

Whatever happened, he would protect this dojo. Kobayashi had said about medicine factory, who knew what kind of medicine he would make. He won't allow another Takeda Kanryu appeared and caused another havoc.

And of course, he would protect Kaoru.

His Kaoru.

x

Kenshin relayed his conversation with Yosuke to Kaoru in the morning, after their breakfast, in front of her room when she wanted to take her bokken, including Kobayashi's plan to attack one more time.

"I never thought it was going to be like this," Kaoru furrowed her eyebrows after listening to Kenshin. "I don't know what I have to do if Kamiya Dojo has to endure the same fate."

"You have me, Kaoru. Kamiya Dojo is also my home. I will protect it with my life."

Kenshin's answer made Kaoru blink in surprise. Without breaking his gaze, Kenshin moved closer and held Kaoru's hands. Kaoru's heart thumped loudly in her chest.

"Kenshin…"

"I, too, want to stay by your side, Kaoru."

Kenshin's heart was in his eyes, Kaoru could see it. But, the dark clouds broke the happy spell.

"But-"

Kenshin tightened his grip on Kaoru's hands, silently telling her to look into his eyes. "I want to live in the present, Kaoru. I want you. Do you still want me?"

Oh…

Kaoru almost collapsed into the ground. Kami, how long have she waited for this?

Kenshin watched her face and either he realized it or not, his face leaned closer. And Kaoru only stood hazily. Kenshin's eyes reverted to Kaoru's lips and he moved to kiss those lips, to show her he meant what he said earlier when…

"Kamiya-san? Sakura and Inoe are waiting for you in the training hall."

Kaoru quickly stepped backwards and hid her blushing face. Kenshin only closed his eyes and calmed himself, trying not to strangle Kato Hideo.

That young man was surely a mood killer.


Another note: Sexual tension is never a good thing.