Chapter 12: Regrets...
Disclaimer: I don't own RK!
Everything was bright when I opened my eyes. I sat up slowly and yawned. I stretched then looked around. I was still in the living room and I saw still in my clothes from yesterday.
"I fell asleep in here...I didn't notice." I whispered to myself and stood up slowly. I made my way to the kitchen to grab something to eat and drink.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
I heard the sound and looked up at the wall clock. "It's still 7:35 am... So early!" I exclaimed. I stretched again and opened the refrigerator. "Hmm..." I mumbled as I looked inside. I took out the frozen meat-- particularly ham and took out two eggs. I grabbed the pan and turned on the gas underneath the stove. Typical breakfast.
"Kenshin is coming later...and my family is coming, too. If they saw Kenshin with me, would they think the other way around?" I asked myself as I cooked the meat and the eggs in another pan. As soon as I was done, I searched for some bread and saw it inside the ref. I toasted some slices of bread and I went upstairs.
"Aw... I feel awful... These clothes are so fitted and are so hot." I said and began taking off my blouse as I entered in my room. I took a deep breath when I released the blouse and started taking off my skirt.
"I wonder...what would Kenshin do here? Just talk? Why doesn't he talk with someone like Sanosuke or Megumi-chan? Why must I be the one?" I asked as I stepped inside my own bathroom and prepared the shower room.
I felt the cold water hugging my bare skin. "I also feel this awful headache... What's happening to me...?" I whispered. "I don't remember being drugged, being hit on the head, or being drunk yesterday..."
I was done in showering and changed to more comfortable clothes and went downstairs. I prepared hot cocoa and sat on the seat when all was ready.
"Itadakimasu!" I exclaimed and ate quietly.
RING! RING! RING!
I shrugged quickly and gulped. I stood up and reached for the phone. "Moshi- moshi, Kamiya residence." I said and took note of the 'Kamiya residence' that was the first time I said it when speaking at the phone.
"Kaoru-chan, it's mama."
I took a deep breath then sighed. "What?"
"Ah...we're almost there. I'm in the airport and I'm still waiting for your papa to come. You first brother will be there after we came and your second brother maybe is already there." Mama said.
"Uh-huh. Can I eat now, mama?"
"Ah...sure, you can. Bye, see you later."
"Bye." I said and put down the phone. I bit my lip and shook my head. "I don't know why I did that."
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I tied my hair in a ponytail way. It was 8:50 exact and Kenshin would be soon coming over. I sighed again as I slumped on the sofa. I played with my light blue blouse as I waited.
DING-DONG!
I bolted up quickly and went towards the door. "Who is it?" I asked.
"Guess who." The familiar voice said.
I fell silent for a while then took a deep breath and opened the main door. My eyes widened.
"Hi. Long time no see."
I could only smile. "Onii-chan."
My second brother looked confused because of my reaction. "Hmm? You don't look happy to see me."
I shook my head slowly and saw my brother open his arms. I hugged him tightly like he was my long lost father or something. "I missed you." I mumbled.
"Same here." he said while he ruffled my hair then let go of me. "How much do you miss me?"
"I can't explain. Well, what are you still doing, onii-chan? Come on in." I said and walked aside to let him in.
My brother smiled at me and looked around the house. "I can't believe I'm in Tokyo now. It's so boring in Okinawa." He explained as he sat on the sofa.
I stared at my second brother. He was so handsome because he had the looks of my mother who had a gentle face and when he was still studying at Seirin University, he had half of the female population in the university in love with him. He is truly fascinating and magnificent. He was not only good- looking but intelligent too, for he was the valedictorian in his last year of high school. He had this cool and almost cold expression to others that made them swoon over him but when it comes to me and my family, he's just like any other normal boy. I once thought that I was in love with my second brother, but when I thought clearly, he was not my love and it was forbidden.
Now that I can see my beautiful brother, I saw some changes. He had grown taller, developed his athletic body, and he had this masculine charm. It's good to have him back.
"Care for something to drink?" I asked.
"Oh, I'll do that. I'm not a visitor, you know. I live in this house, too."
"Sou (Oh)." I said and smiled at my second brother. I felt happy because he was like me in a different way. I enjoyed his company years ago and I don't know if I still feel that happiness when I'm with my brother.
My brother smiled at me and stood up. "What's my name, Kao-chan?"
I blinked and wondered why he was asking that. "Why are you suddenly asking me that?" I asked.
"Nothing. I just thought that you would hate all of us and forget our names."
I stared at him and kept quiet. After some seconds I said, "Aoshi."
Aoshi, my second brother, just smiled. "Yokatta." He whispered. "You truly hate us, right?"
"Why are you asking?" I asked.
"You were always left alone in this big house. If it weren't for my injury, I--"
"Let's not talk about that now." I interrupted.
"Oh, okay." Aoshi said and kept quiet. "I wonder what time onii-san (our first brother) will come...also otousan and okaasan?" he said to himself. He stared at me suddenly.
"What are you staring at?" I asked, turning on the electric fan.
"Are you going somewhere?" Aoshi asked.
"Well, my friend said he will come here, but since I don't want to interrupt 'our' family reunion, I better entertain him outside our house." I explained and sat on the sofa.
"Hmm? Who's your friend?" Aoshi asked aloud, approaching the kitchen to grab something to drink.
"Why do you care?" I asked, feeling my blood rush to my face.
Aoshi smiled at me. "I just wanted to know if my little sister has a boyfriend already." He said, teasing me.
"No!!" I exclaimed, standing up from the sofa. "I don't have one and I'm too young to have one!"
"Whatever you say." Aoshi said coolly as he lifted his hands to brush away some stray hairs from his gentle face.
"Mou! Do you really want me to get mad at you?" I asked, annoyed.
Aoshi chuckled softly. "Same as always, Kao-chan."
I pouted then heard the doorbell ringing.
"Maybe it's your friend." Aoshi said and walked pass by me.
"What are you doing?" I asked, following him behind.
"I'll greet him and make friends with my little sister's boyfriend." Aoshi teased and held the doorknob.
"Wha! Onii-chan, onegai!!" I exclaimed, stopping him by grabbing arm. But I was too late because he already opened the door.
Silence came...
I peeked at the door and saw Kenshin's eyes widen in surprise. "Ah... Excuse me," I said as I pushed my brother at the side. "A-no...come in, Himura." I said and let Kenshin in.
Kenshin stared at me and his stare was placed on Aoshi with suspicion.
"Hmm? So, kid, what's your name?" Aoshi asked, sitting himself at the sofa that was at the opposite side of Kenshin.
"Kenshin. Himura Kenshin, it is." Kenshin said and smiled slightly.
"So Kao-chan is using your surname...interesting." he mumbled. Aoshi studied Kenshin then looked at me. "How are you treating my little sister?"
"Little sister?" Kenshin repeated, surprised. "Ah...well, I guess."
Aoshi smirked slightly. "That's good."
"Yame nasai, onii-chan!!!!" I exclaimed.
Aoshi kept quiet then stood up, making his way to the kitchen again. "Okay, I'll stay out of your love life for now." He mumbled and continued searching for something in the refrigerator.
I sighed and looked at Kenshin. I sat at where my brother was sitting at earlier. "A-no... Gomen nasai for my onii-chan. He's just like that and all."
Kenshin blinked and smiled. "I didn't know he was your brother. The first or the second, though?" he asked.
"Second," I said and took a deep breath. "Don't worry about him. He's like that when he's at 'home' but when he's outside; he's so cold and 'cool' as the others say..." I whispered. "By the way, his name is Aoshi."
"Oh." Kenshin sighed. "He looks very much like you." He complimented.
"Of course. He's my onii-chan. He would never be my brother if he does not look a teeny bit like me at all..." I said and leaned on the sofa. "A- no...can we go outside? My family is coming home today and I don't feel like you meeting them yet. They might think the other way around."
"Oh, you're scared that they'll think of us as having a relationship?" Kenshin asked while laughing.
"Hai!!" I exclaimed and stood up. I opened the door. "Let's go?"
"Ah." Kenshin said. "We'll be going now. Nice meeting you, Aoshi-san." Kenshin said as he stepped outside the house.
"See you later, onii-chan. Just tell the others where I'm off to. I'll be back soon." I said and smiled as I closed the door while laughing because I saw the confused look in his eyes.
"Well, where should we go?" Kenshin asked.
"A-no...I actually wanted to talk to you about something..." I whispered, becoming serious in a second.
Kenshin blinked then smiled warmly at me. "We can go to the park then. It's still morning so it's still peaceful there." He explained.
I nodded. "Yes...good idea." I just said and just followed him in front of me.
We were walking towards the nearest park in maybe about 5 minutes or so.
I glanced up at Kenshin down to his moving feet and up to his head. "A- no...can I ask you something, Himura?"
"What?" Kenshin asked, still waking straight towards the park.
I could see the outline of park already. "You don't have to answer this silly question of mine. Ah...why were surprised when you saw onii-chan?"
Kenshin fell silent after I asked him that question.
I looked down on the ground where we're walking on. I shouldn't have asked that. He'll look suspicious and ask me why or he'll say to me that it's none of my business. But what if he was astonished by my brother's beauty? Oh God.
Who knows...Kenshin could be a fag. Well, it's not really surprising because I heard there were guys in Aoshi's new school and the ol' University that were either straight or discreet that were in love with him too. I remembered when I was in grade four; girls and boys always called my brother at the phone. He is lucky to have many admirers, though.
Kenshin could be a discreet guy, I don't know. Oh, poor Megumi-chan if it's true, because Kenshin's a--
"I was just surprised, that's all."
My thoughts were ripped instantly. My eyes widened and I blinked. "Wha?"
Kenshin looked at me and smiled teasingly. "Ithoughtthatyouwerehavingamaninyourhouseotherthanme. (1)" He said in one breath and walked quickly towards the park.
"Eh??? What did you say? You talk so quickly! What do you mean by that?" I asked, catching up with him.
"Forget it." Kenshin said with a sigh and sat on one of the benches.
I sat beside him and looked at my feet that looked interesting enough to stare at. I didn't know what he meant by that and I didn't know what he said. (Now I know...)
"What is it that you want to talk to me about?" Kenshin asked, relaxing.
"Ah, that." I said and my face lightened up. "A-no... Um... It's about Megumi-chan, you, and me." I whispered.
"What about us?" Kenshin asked, staring at me.
"A-no...I hope you still remember that I'm just a bridge..." I said, avoiding his eyes.
Kenshin blinked then stiffened. "Of course I remember. Why are you suddenly saying that?"
"I'm scared, Himura..."
"What? Why are you scared?"
"If you just saw Megumi-chan's frown and glare when you saved me from Sano, I became scared. I understand her, Himura. She's jealous..." I explained, blood rushing to my face again.
"Why should she be jealous? Any other boy would stop Sano doing that to you." Kenshin said and looked at away from me.
"I understand her! I think...we should remain classmates only." I said and leaned on the bench.
"What are you saying?" Kenshin asked seriously, his voice deep and low, almost growling.
I felt the late morning breeze upon my face and it blew my hair back. "I think...we should be distant friends. I don't want to hurt Megumi-chan. When I presented to her that I'll be the bridge for the two of you, she was full of worry because she said you might like me instead."
Silence.
"You don't like me, right?" I asked Kenshin in a whisper, regretting that I asked that. I didn't want an answer, too.
Kenshin kept quiet and I noticed that his knuckles were going white and he was biting his lower lip too.
"I mean...okay, we can be friends, but not more than friends. I'm saying this now because there's a tendency that--"
"I don't like Takani."
Period.
"Eh...?" I asked, not believing what my ears had heard.
Kaoru no baka.
"I don't like Takani." Kenshin said in finality. His expression was akin when he said 'that' twice.
"There's no way you can't like her! She's beautiful, graceful, smart and witty! She's also...problem-free." I explained.
Kenshin stared at me. "Remember when I called you up and you began chatting about Takani?" he asked.
I stared at him too and was silent. Fortunately, I recalled.
Flashback...
"So, what are we going to talk about?" Kenshin asked.
"Well... Do you know Takani Megumi who is our classmate?" I asked.
"Hai?"
"She's nice."
"Uh, right."
"She's cute."
"Hai...?"
"She's witty and fun to be with."
"Uh...and so?"
"You're going to be her lover." I said simply.
End of flashback...
I shook my head and smiled slightly. "Oh, that crazy little conversation...but you said afterwards that you were attracted to Megumi- chan somehow!"
"I did that because I wanted to make an excuse. I don't want to say 'no' to you and her. Before you presented yourself as the bridge and presented Takani as my future-lover-or-bride, I was in love with somebody else..." Kenshin whispered.
"Oh." I said simply, sighing. "Oh..." I said again. I stood up suddenly. "I should tell Megumi-chan all about it. Don't worry, she'll understand somehow. But I pity her, she loves you very much." I said and began to walk away.
A hand held my right arm that stopped me yet again.
"It's only infatuation." Kenshin said, his eyes locked with me.
"I know...but she seems to treat you seriously. I think she's really in love with you, Himura." I said and struggled to get out of Kenshin's grasp.
"Matte," Kenshin quickly said. "Don't you want to know whom I like now?"
I felt I was going to cry. I looked away from him slowly. "No thanks."
"Wait," Kenshin said. "I want to ask you a question, if you don't mind."
I relaxed. "What is it?" I asked.
"Promise me first that you'll let me walk you home even after my question." Kenshin said.
I blinked and became curios. "I promise. So what is it?" I said.
Curiosity is a bad trait.
I regretted that I let him question me.
"Do you...?" Kenshin asked, a little hesitant.
Stares and glares with gasps and soft breathings.
I waited, unsure how far this would go.
...and it came.
"Do you like me...?"
(1) I thought that you were having a man in your house other than me.TBC...
