Mornings After
By hye-kyo
Disclaimer: Okay, I don't own Ruroken…
Author's Notes: So this took a longer time than necessary. I haven't replied to most of your reviews just yet but I will. Don't worry. Well, this is rather short but I'd try to post the next chap as soon as possible. Anyway, thanks for those who read and reviewed! Thanks a lot!
Chapter twenty-one: dating
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"I'm looking for a pad," he told Kaoru as he drove.
"You're moving?" she asked, checking her red eyes on the rearview mirror.
"Yes."
She turned to him, "Does Misao know?"
"I'll tell her when I've found one."
"Why?"
They stopped as the lights went red. "What why?"
"Why are you moving out?" Kaoru wondered.
"I wanted to be independent."
"Independence doesn't equate to being alone."
He looked out into the window, "A part of it does. I'm starting to be independent."
She rolled her eyes.
"Aren't there any vacancy in your building?"
She shook her head, "And if there's any, that wouldn't be a good idea."
"Why not?"
She paused for a while and then, "You'd probably be at my apartment everyday. And that's what I do not want."
He frowned and then grinned, "Really? Why?"
"I hate seeing notes on the fridge," and she said it even before she thought of saying it. She then looked away.
He looked at her and was about to say something when the light went green.
--
He kicked a stone.
"Okay, good night," she said as she turned around and headed for the entrance to her building.
"Aren't you going to invite me in?"
"It's late."
"I won't leave a note on the fridge again," he said and he quickly took her arm and hurried to her apartment.
--
"Go home," she said with admonishment. She looked hard at him as he removed his shoes.
"I'll just call Misao," he grinned.
--
He was massaging her tired feet. "How are you feeling?"
"Good. Mmm…" she had her eyes closed, "You can have a second career as a masseuse."
"Yeah?" he frowned. He stopped and took the space beside her. "I'm sleepy."
"My feet still ache." She complained and she blinked one eye open and when he didn't budge she punched him playfully.
He caught her hand and smiled.
She smiled and closed her eyes. "I'm sleepy. And tired. And my feet ache."
"Don't sleep yet," he said as he inched closer.
"I…can't…" and she dozed off.
So she hated seeing notes on the fridge. At least now he knew.
--
Kaoru had to admit it, she was baffled. She was confused with their situation, with their relationship, with her feelings, with his feelings, with him. If that night didn't happen maybe she wouldn't be feeling so lost this moment. She stretched, felt a warm body beside her and realized that indeed there would be no notes on the fridge anymore.
"Good morning," Kenshin murmured as he inched closer to her.
She smiled. Okay, so maybe she was in love. Tae was right. "Good morning."
"As I told you, no notes on the fridge," he drawled, burying his face in her hair.
"Yeah…" she smiled. What was wrong with it? With this?
"What time is it?"
She knew what was wrong. He was in love with someone else. "Quarter to seven."
"Hmm…" he slipped an arm around her waist. "What are we doing Kaoru?"
"Hn?" she furrowed her brows. The way he said it, it was as if he was trying to mean something.
"What are we doing?"
"What?" she asked back. She doesn't know either. What are they doing anyway? "I don't know." And she was truthful.
He smiled, "It feels good though. Even if we both doesn't know."
"Yeah?" she frowned. So this was it? He wasn't going to pursue this any further?
"Yeah." And he tightened his embrace.
"Anyway," she said, realizing she wanted to simply irritate him, "I'm liking someone."
He jerked and sat up, "Who?"
She smiled, getting his attention. "Why would I tell you?"
"Because…" he looked worried, "Because you have to."
She frowned at him and laughed, "Okay, because you want to know I will tell you. It's Soujiro. Remember him?"
It took him a while and then, "Really?"
She smiled and nodded, "He's nice and kind. A real gentleman. I guess he's what I have been really looking for all this time."
"Looking for? All this time? What do you mean? You're thinking of settling down?"
"If he asks me why not?" and she laughed.
"Is he your boyfriend already?" he looked serious.
She sat up too, faced him, tamed his hair with her fingers and with a grin said, "Nope, not yet. But soon." And she stood up, walked to the bathroom and locked the door behind her.
--
So maybe she has to fall in love with someone else. Tae said that someone a couple of floors above them would be happy to know that she was still single. It was only now that she realized who Tae was referring to. She smiled. To think that Soujiro likes her was weird. He of all people!
She was happy with the way Kenshin had reacted. But she doesn't care. She knew he was in love with someone else. Maybe she just has to make herself fall for someone else. Someone who wouldn't ask her what they were doing because he would be sure that they were doing whatever they were doing because they were in love, because that someone was in love with her.
"Good morning," Tae said.
She smiled. "Good morning."
"How are you?" Tae asked, setting a cup of coffee down on her table.
"Better. Much better. I realized a lot of things."
"Like?" she sipped from her own cup.
She tapped her fingers against the table, "Like how to stop torturing myself."
Tae laughed. "I see. Very good then."
"Yeah." And she smiled to herself. Falling in love with someone else wouldn't be any harder than finding a job, would it?
--
It was a weekend and Kaoru arrived at the family house later than most of them. Misao had called her to check up on her. She was caught in traffic she said.
"You are late," it was Kenshin who welcomed her at the front door.
"I had to commute," she said.
"I told you I could've picked you up."
She patted him, "And I told you that I had things to finish."
"Like what? Flirt with your boss?"
That struck her but nevertheless she mockingly said, "Yeah. Why? Are you jealous?"
He frowned but didn't answer.
--
They were eating with the shoji leading to the porch held wide open.
"How old are you now Kaoru?" Hiko suddenly asked.
Kaoru frowned, "Why?"
"I was thinking that you're not getting any younger," he said as he sipped tea.
Kaoru sneered.
Kenshin turned to her and smiled. He almost laughed but since it was his father who said it he tried to remain calm.
Kaoru sneered at him too.
"Remember my offer? I could put you up in a blind date if you want."
"Blind date?" Misao joined, "Sounds fun!"
Kaoru rolled her eyes and was about to speak when Kenshin cut her and said, "It's so cheap. Kaoru's not desperate."
Kaoru suddenly turned to him with wide eyes. Misao did so too.
"Blind dating is not an act of desperation my stupid son," his father said with a finger at his face, "I'm merely showing her the many options that lie ahead."
Kenshin looked away.
Kaoru smiled. So Kenshin doesn't want her to date other people. She turned to Hiko and said, "Why not? I guess I would like to try it."
Kenshin stared at her disbelievingly.
"You would like this guy I'd set you up with," Hiko said reassuringly.
"I would like to try too," Misao volunteered.
Okay, even though Kaoru agreed to try it doesn't mean that she was actually approving of it. "No Misao. You have Aoshi. I'll tell him if you'd go on a blind date."
Misao pouted and then murmured, "Okay."
"How about you Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, mocking him.
"I don't do silly stuff," and he stood up and excused himself.
Hiko leaned towards Kaoru and said in a sly voice, "I smell something."
Kaoru immediately reddened and looked away, "It's just your imagination Uncle. Stop watching too many fantasy soaps."
--
A week from now. Hiko had scheduled her blind date a week from now. Kaoru was now regretting it. But then again she was already here why not take a look and see what she could find? Maybe she would find someone better looking, someone not stupid, someone who could be in love with her. Someone other than Kenshin.
She stared at the ceiling. She should've just opted to share Misao's room. Maybe she could've fallen asleep faster if she was with someone. But she wanted some time alone so she opted to use her old room.
And then there was a knock.
"Who is it?" she asked, sitting up. It was dark but she could make out the silhouette of a man through the paper-paneled doors. It was probably Kenshin.
"It's me," he said. From his voice she knew it was Kenshin.
"Come in," she said and the shoji opened slightly. Kenshin came and sat beside her.
"I'm mad at you," he murmured.
Kaoru frowned, "Yeah? Why?"
He didn't answer.
"You disturbed me just to tell me that?" she scowled and pushed him.
"Yeah." And he looked away.
"Is this about the blind dating thing?"
"I thought you like your boss."
"So?" she arched a brow. She could make out his beautiful features through the dark.
"Why did you agree to go on a blind date?"
"Just for fun," she said and laughed softly. She doesn't want to wake the people up. This may arise confusion.
"Fun?" he frowned.
"You know me," she said, "I love fun."
"Yeah. Yeah." And he stood up and went to the shoji.
"Do I irritate you?" Kaoru laughed mockingly.
"Isn't it obvious?" he rolled his eyes.
"It's my life. Don't meddle with the things I do."
He glared at her and stood up. He walked to the shoji. "Fine. Just don't come to me crying when something happens to you again," he said sarcastically.
"Much better. And don't come to me either when you feel so stupid running after your ex," she spat back and quickly covered herself with the blanket.
--
Her week had been silent without Kenshin coming over to make her life more confusing. She knew it was the way things should be. For one reason or another she had that feeling that she doesn't like it. Kenshin had been, in some weird sort of way, a semi-permanent fixture in her life. And now that he was missing, she was feeling a bit empty. Maybe she needed to see him.
But no, she must not give in first. Besides it was he who started this. So no matter what she would not give in.
"Hey," Soujiro broke into her thoughts.
She turned and realized that she was having lunch with the supposedly man of her dreams. She smiled apologetically at him.
"You're zoning out."
"Ah…I'm just thinking," she said as she took a sip from her glass water.
"What about?"
"Nothing in particular."
He smiled, "Okay, if you don't want to tell me then…" he smiled again.
Kaoru gazed at him. He is really good-looking. But he wasn't just Kenshin. She shook her head inwardly. He is Soujiro for Kami's sake. And she should like him for being Soujiro. Besides, it would be really easy to fall for this kind of man. If only she hadn't fallen for someone else, for someone stupid. Stupid enough to ask them what they were doing and saying that it doesn't matter anyway since it felt good. If he was not so dumb he should've known that woman are turned off by non-committal phrases, or words pertaining to having fun without getting committed at all. Well, she thought, he assumed she wasn't like most women.
"You're zoning out again," Soujiro broke into her thoughts.
"Sorry," she apologized and smiled.
He laughed and then cleared his throat, "Do you like matchmaking online? I mean online dating?"
She frowned. Why ask? Soujiro wasn't the type who'd do such things. "No. I haven't done it actually."
"Yeah me too. How about speed dating?"
She laughed, "Not that one either."
He nodded, "Then how about blind dating?"
Kaoru frowned, "Haven't done before. Why are you asking anyway?"
"Someone was asking me to go to a blind date."
"Really?" she smiled at the sameness of situation, "Me too."
"Really? When?"
"Some time next week."
"I see. I'd have mine this week."
"I see." She said.
"I don't know if I should come."
"Why not?" she asked, leaning forward.
He played with his fork, "I'm not the type who goes to such things."
"Me neither but I accepted it because an uncle requested me to."
"A friend, well more of a mentor, asked me to do it," he laughed as he scratched the back of his neck.
"I think you should go. Maybe you'll meet the woman of your dreams."
In a low voice he murmured, "I already met her."
"What?" she asked, leaning forward.
"Nothing," he grinned and then said, "I guess…I guess there's no harm in going right? Besides it's not as if I am obliged to like whomever I'd be blind dating with, right?"
"Right." She said, feeling good at counseling. Maybe she should've taken a career in school counseling. She would advise students to do whatever they want, provided that they still finish school. She laughed.
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A/n: So that was chap 21...hope you like...