Chapter 20 Kenshin's New Mission part 1
Kaoru awoke, a pleasant feeling within her. She opened her eyes when she felt a finger trailing her cheek. She smiled slowly as her gaze met Kenshin's, whose face was just inches from her own. "Hi." She said softly. His smiled widened as he continued to stroke her face softly.
"Hi." He responded.
She closed her eyes as she yawned, stretching her body. Her actions were met with a poke in the ribs. She squeaked and curled her arms to her body, glaring playfully at Kenshin. "Oh no! No more tickling!"
He laughed as she scooted closer, wrapping herself around him. She sighed in contentment as she nuzzled her head under his chin. They lay in companionable silence for a time, content with the warmth emanating from their bodies.
"What time is it?" Kaoru spoke up.
"About three am." Kenshin answered.
She groaned as she tried to scoot closer to his warmth. "It's still early." She whined.
He chuckled. "We could give it another go."
He joked as she slapped his chest playfully, saying, "Mou! Aren't you still tired from earlier? I am!"
He laughed harder. "Tired or not, that sure didn't stop you an hour ago!"
Her face reddened as she laughed with him. "Oh shut up, will you."
"So what next?" Kenshin asked into the air.
Kaoru sat up on one elbow, looking at him. "What do you mean?"
He shrugged. "I mean, what does this make us?"
Kaoru stared at him. She hadn't thought about that. Shrugging as well, she answered, "I don't know…I guess we could just say that we are dating now, right? I mean, if that's what you want…"
He smiled as he turned and grabbed her, rolling her so she was on top of him. "Well, if that's what you want, Kaoru-sama."
She laughed at the honorific that he tacked onto her name. "That's right boy! You know your place, don't you?"
He rolled again, bringing her underneath him as he pinned her. Her breath hitched and her heart sped up at their close proximity. He breathed into her ear. "Yeah, and it seems that it's right here." He kissed her neck, sending shivers down her spine, the now familiar warmth spreading throughout her.
She snapped her eyes open as she struggled to push him off of her. "No! Not again! I don't think I can handle it! Your stamina is way higher than mine." She said in exasperation.
He chuckled, adopting a cocky air. "Yes, I am powerful in many ways, my lady." He said flirtatiously and she blushed at his inclination, still struggling to get him off of her. "I can't believe that you are still self-conscious about the things I say!" He said as he laughed at her plight. He finally gave in and rolled onto his back, allowing her to sit up.
She feigned irritation, crossing her arms as she spoke. "I told you. I will get you to blush one day, so you know how I feel."
He just chuckled. "Whatever you say, my lady. Whatever you say." They smiled at each other and Kaoru settled back down against him. He began to absently play with her hair, running his fingers through the silky locks.
After a few moments of silence, he spoke up. "Kaoru? I need to say this, so please don't take this the wrong way, ok?"
She sat still for a moment, and then nodded. "Ok, Kenshin. Say it."
He sighed. "I'm still wary of us together in public. I mean, after what happened that one night, who knows what kind of men will try to use you to get to me…"
She smiled in understanding, sitting up fully now, looking at him. "I understand your fears Kenshin." 'I have the same fear…' She thought to herself. She didn't know who was watching her anymore. Ever since Shishio was killed, she didn't think Kanryu had sent anyone else. But she could be wrong.
She gave him a determined look, saying, "Don't worry about me Kenshin. I can protect myself. I only had a hard time that night because I was sick the day before and my body hadn't healed properly."
He stared at her, doubt fringing his eyes. "I know you are strong, both in mind and in body. But some men are ruthless. They won't hesitate to kill women or children." He looked worried.
She sighed, a thought coming to her. "How about this. If I feel like I am sick, or I am not able to defend myself, then I will let you walk me home at night. To make sure that no one will ambush me. Otherwise, I can run pretty fast, so I can outrun enemies just fine." She offered.
He still looked uncertain and she brought her face closer to his, smiling softly. "I know you are concerned for my safety, and it warms my heart. But I love you. And I'll be damned if I let the world, or a few nasty men, get in the way of that." She stared at him with resolve. "We can't live our whole lives in fear of what we might loose. What kind of life would that be?" She said soothingly.
Kenshin looked at her, awe reflecting in his eyes at the wisdom and steadfastness of her words. "Ok, Kaoru. I trust you." She smiled as he sat up to stretch his arms to the sky. He stood and Kaoru turned her head, a blush creeping to her face.
Kenshin laughed when he saw her turn, his cockiness returning. "I know. It's ok to have to look away. I'm just too much man to handle, aren't I?" He teased.
She huffed but remained the way she was, head away from him. "Look, I have never seen a naked man before last night. I'm still…adjusting…"
She trailed off as he laughed again. "I understand. But, I'll have you know, it was my first time, too."
She whipped her head to him, disbelief written across her face, all embarrassment momentarily forgotten. "It was not! How did you know what you were doing then?" She asked, truly curious.
He shrugged. "Instinct, I guess. We are all born with it." He winked as he began to get dressed. She shook her head as she stood to get dressed as well. He turned and rummaged through his drawer, letting out a soft 'aha' as he found the item he was searching for. He turned and held it out to Kaoru, who opened her hand.
He let the necklace fall from his hand to hers, speaking as he did so. "This is my insignia. My sign, if you will. Wear it. If any man tries to mess with you, flash this to them. If they are smart, they will know what it means." He stated.
Kaoru held up the chain to get a better look. It was a charm in the shape of a very small silver katana, the detailing very fine and clear. She felt her stomach stir. It was the insignia of a Hitokiri. Every one of them had one of their own.
In the underworld, to have the insignia of another Hitokiri meant that you were under their protection. She had one herself, in the shape of a sakura branch.
As she undid the clasp, Kenshin grabbed it from her, coming behind her to put it on. She felt the cool metal settle against her skin and absently reached to play with it as Kenshin let her hair fall back into place.
He came to the front of her smiling. "Do you like it?" He asked.
She smiled warmly. "Yes, I like it very much, it's beautiful. Thank you Kenshin."
He nodded as he tied his hakama. He reached for his katana, placing at his waist. "You don't have to go yet. I just need to go. I need to travel this morning to talk to a head government official about my next assignment."
She breathed in slowly, answering, "I need to get back to the mansion anyways." She answered as she tucked the necklace beneath her kimono, out of sight. He nodded as they both turned and headed to the front door. Stopping, Kaoru stared at him, unsure of what it was she should say. "Um…" She started, feeling insecurity prick her inside.
Seeming to sense this, he smiled at her, grabbing her arm and bringing her close for a hug. "Thank you Kaoru." He said into her ear.
She returned the embrace, whispering, "For what?"
"For everything. For your love." He answered. She pulled back from him, and then brought her face to his, capturing his lips in a kiss. He closed his eyes, smiling slightly at her boldness as he kissed back.
They broke apart and he put his hand to her cheek, resting his forehead upon hers. "I love you, Kaoru."
She smiled wistfully as her heart skipped a beat, the familiar lightness and warmth washing over her. "I love you, Kenshin." She responded.
He pulled her in for one last kiss, both simultaneously wishing they could stay like that forever, but knowing it wasn't possible.
Sighing, they broke apart once more and Kenshin shut the door behind them, jumping to his roof. He turned to stare lovingly at her before leaping away across the rooftops. She watched him go, longing in her eyes. When he was out of sight, she began her trek to the mansion, feeling light and happy at the turn of events.
'This still feels like a dream…I can't believe this is actually happening…' She thought as she craned her head to the sky, watching the stars as she walked.
As the mansion came into view, Kaoru's content feeling disappeared rapidly, replaced by the well-known twinge of dread as it pooled in her stomach She knew she would have to see Kanryu soon. And he probably would question her about her whereabouts. She didn't care at this point. She wouldn't have changed anything about last night's events. She only hoped that Kanryu wouldn't catch on to the fact that she was in love with the very man he wanted her to kill.
"Where have you been my pet?" Kanryu stood at the top of the stairs, tapping his foot impatiently.
Kaoru suddenly had a bad taste in her mouth as she asked, "Don't you ever sleep?"
He sneered, his patience growing thinner. "Answer the question girl."
She rolled her eyes, sighing. "I wasn't feeling well. I was throwing up and didn't feel I could walk home. Tae let me stay at the restaurant until I felt better."
Kanryu looked suspiciously at her. "So you chose to return at four in the morning?" He sounded more like an upset father at this point.
"I felt better. I thought you would be happy knowing I came straight back when I felt I could walk, rather than waiting any longer." She said tiredly. She hoped he would just buy into it, too exhausted to argue.
He stared at her a moment, then asked, "So, are you closer now?"
She looked at him. "Closer?" She asked, trying to stall.
He stomped his foot in agitation. "To the Battosai!"
She shrugged. "I'm trying. He's a tough nut to crack." She started to walk towards the basement.
He stopped her short, his grating voice dangerous. "You had better not be lying, Kaoru-chan. You know the consequences if you are." He warned.
She turned to glare at him. "Save your idle threats, Kanryu. I still have a month and a half left. The job will get done." She turned, leaving him alone to contemplate her words as she made her way quietly down the stairs.
Everyone was asleep. She silently changed into her sleeping apparel and slipped into her covers, sighing as she felt slumber immediately begin to overtake her. She allowed her heavy lids to shut almost immediately, thinking to herself.
'Just you wait Kanryu. The job will get done. It just won't be the same job you had in mind. '
Kaoru woke with a start, the sound of Megumi's voice finally reaching her ears. "Kao-chan, wake up!"
She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She clutched her head immediately, groaning in pain. She had a massive headache. It was from lack of sleep, she guessed. "What time is it, Nee-chan?" Kaoru asked groggily.
Megumi straightened, answering. "About seven am. I'm surprised that Kanryu has allowed you to stay in bed this long." Megumi pursed her lips, crossing her arms and staring at Kaoru.
Kaoru noticed her look and asked, "What? What's the look for?"
Megumi let out an exasperated sigh. "Where were you all night, Kao-chan? I was worried sick!"
Kaoru felt bad all of the sudden, forgetting that Megumi had no idea of what was going on. She blushed a bit in remembrance of the night's events, wringing her hands. "I…I was…"
Megumi brought her face closer, noticing the color on her face. "Does it have to do with the red head?" She asked, a knowing smirk finding it's way to her face. Kaoru's face instantly deepened in color as Megumi's eyes widened. She looked around to make sure no one was around to listen, and sat close to Kaoru on her cot. "What happened? Just how close are you two now?"
Kaoru nearly chocked as she sputtered, "Close? Now what do you mean by close, Nee-chan. Can you define it?"
Megumi grabbed Kaoru by the face, forcing her to look into her eyes. Kaoru's palms began to sweat as Megumi's gaze bore into her own, searching and probing for answers.
Megumi's eyes widened further. "Kao-chan? Did you…" She trailed off as Kaoru coughed.
"Did I what Nee-chan?" She asked nervously.
Megumi stared harder at her. "You did, didn't you?"
Kaoru nearly jumped in surprise at the disbelief in her sister's voice. "Did I what, Nee-chan?" Megumi flitted her eyes back and forth. No one was in the room.
She drew closer. "You did IT. Didn't you?" Her question turned more into a statement.
Kaoru didn't think she could be any redder. "It?" She tried to hold out longer, but Megumi wouldn't have it. She grabbed her sister by the shoulders, shaking her.
"Don't play dumb Kaoru! You know what IT is!"
Kaoru bubbled with laughter. "Stop it Nee-chan! My head is pounding!"
Megumi promptly let her go, but continued to stare at her expectantly.
Kaoru's laughter faded and she sobered as she finally answered, "Yes. There, are you happy?"
Megumi showed no visible signs of any emotion for a moment. But her face broke into a huge grin as she said, "I knew it! I just knew it! I could see it in your eyes!" She said excitedly.
Kaoru shook her head. "But how did you really know?" Megumi stopped to stare at her sister, a blush rising to her face this time. Kaoru's eyes widened at her sister's sudden uncomfortable ness.
She leaned into her, grinning wickedly. "So, Nee-chan. You have done IT too, I see." Megumi buried her face in her hands in embarrassment. Kaoru continued to grin as she elbowed Megumi in the ribs lightly, asking, "So, when did you and Sano do the deed? And where?" She was genuinely curious. Megumi laughed outright at Kaoru's forwardness.
Blush still in place, she answered, "A week ago. And it was at his place. So what about you? Where was it?"
"His place as well. Where else? The restaurant?"
Both girls took a moment to contemplate the question, both shaking their heads to rid the thoughts that sprung into their minds.
"I told him I loved him."
Megumi snapped her eyes to her sister, the next question in her eyes pretty obvious. Kaoru sighed and Megumi's shoulder's slumped slightly.
"He told me he loved me too!" Kaoru squealed girlishly.
Megumi perked up at this, smiling broadly at her sister's happiness. She hugged Kaoru, whispering to her, "I'm so glad for you, Kao-chan. You deserve some happiness."
Kaoru hugged back. "So do you, Nee-chan. I'm glad for you and Sano. I love you both and want you to be happy as well."
They pulled away, smiling at each other. Kaoru stood. "I had better get ready for work. I need to be there at nine." Megumi nodded as she stood as well.
"Oh, Nee-chan, do you have any of that powder stuff that helps with pain? My head is killing me."
Megumi smiled knowingly. "Didn't get much sleep last night, did you?"
Kaoru grinned, nodding. "Kenshin's stamina is not something to take lightly!"
Megumi made a face. "Too much information!"
They chuckled as Megumi handed her the aspirin. "Mix it with a cup of water and drink the whole thing. It tastes gross, but you need to drink it all to get good results."
Kaoru nodded as she put on her shoes. "Thanks Nee-chan."
She made her way up the stairs, but stopped and turned. "Megumi, could you toss me my katana?"
Megumi peeked around the corner, the sword already in her hands, smiling. She tossed it up to Kaoru, waving as she turned back around. Kaoru caught it and turned, heading up.
"Thank you!" She called over her shoulder.
She made her way to the courtyard, where she found Gohei practicing.
He turned to her, sneering. "Get enough beauty sleep?" He poked. She glared but said nothing as she fell into her regular routine. "How does it feel to be treated special by Kanryu?" He continued to taunt her, trying to get a rise out of the girl. She was a little confused when she noticed that his voice held no edge to it, but she scowled regardless.
"How does it feel to be so ugly, Gohei?" She retorted. He shook his head at the comment and snapped his mouth shut. "What are you doing here anyways?" Kaoru asked, still practicing. "I thought you had business in Osaka?"
"I did. But I'm back now to oversee your training." He answered, not missing a swing. She shook her head slightly. She would never understand her captors fully, or what it was they did all day.
Yahiko stared at Kaoru as they walked to the Akabeko. She was humming to herself, a smile about her lips.
He cocked his head in wonder. "Why are you so happy, Busu?" She turned her head to him, a large grin overtaking her face. Yahiko's eyes widened as he shrunk back a little. "What is with you?" He asked.
She shook her head slightly. "That's for me to know, and you…well, you to not know! Hee hee!" She giggled girlishly.
He made a face. "You are acting like a girl. It's scaring me."
She bopped him on the head, smile still in place. "That's because I am a girl, stupid." She said in a singsong voice.
He scowled as he rubbed his head, saying, "Since when?"
Under any normal circumstances, Kaoru would have reacted differently, but today, she was in a great mood. She shrugged as she continued to grin.
Yahiko sighed, shaking his head. "I'll never understand you."
Kaoru skipped ahead, rounding the corner of the Akabeko to enter the rear entrance. She smiled at Tae. "Konnichiwa, Tae-san!"
Tae turned and stopped what she was doing, smiling at her. "Well, hello you two. You look lively today Kaoru-chan."
Kaoru grinned as she nodded. "I feel great today!" She said cheerily as she stretched her arms to the sky.
Tae chuckled a bit. "Well, whatever made you this happy, I hope continues."
Kaoru winked. "Oh, I think it will, Tae-san."
She turned to put on her apron, and then went to the front, automatically searching for Kenshin. She rounded the corner and immediately stopped before she collided with Yui, her smile faltering a bit. Both girls' eyes widened as they stopped to stare at each other. Kaoru hadn't thought about Yui since yesterday, and now, she didn't know what to say to her.
'I really should be thanking her, I guess, because if she didn't do what she did, then things wouldn't have happened…'
Yui looked sheepishly at her, a small blush creeping to her face. Clasping her arms behind her back, she dug one foot in the ground, adopting a look of embarrassment. "Ano…Kaoru-san…" She began but trailed off.
Kaoru looked at her plight. Surprisingly, she felt no anger towards the other woman. She reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, smiling slightly. "It's ok, Yui-san. I'm not angry with you anymore."
Yui snapped her eyes to Kaoru's, clearly surprised. "But, I thought you would hate me for what I did."
Kaoru shook her head. "No, Yui-san, really, I don't."
Yui continued to stare at her. "I truly am sorry. I…it's just, you two had never said anything, so I thought that I…" 'Had a chance…' Yui finished the last part to herself.
Kaoru smiled again, holding out her hand to Yui. " I have no hard feelings towards you. Friends?"
Yui blinked at her outstretched hand, a bit unsure at first. But then she smiled broadly, clasping Kaoru's hand with her own. "Friends. Thank you Kaoru-san." 'I understand why Himura-san likes you so much…' The blonde thought as her guilt melted away at the warmth on Kaoru's face.
Kaoru nodded, saying, "I had better get to work. See you later Yui-san." She then brushed passed her, intent on finding Kenshin. She spotted his familiar red hair and her heart jumped to her throat.
She stopped short, thinking a moment. 'Will it be strange? I mean, it wasn't this morning, but now that some time has passed, what will he think? What should I say?' She straightened, trying to find her courage. 'Just be yourself, Kaoru! That's what he would say, anyways.' She smiled lightly, nodding to herself as she felt her feet begin to move in his direction once again.
She hadn't even reached him fully when she heard him say, "Why are you so nervous?" She jumped in surprise before she came around to the other side of the table, staring at him. He was smirking at her.
Her eyes narrowed, knowing he was going to start teasing her. "I…I just was thinking about things, that's all…" She trailed off, a bit embarrassed. His smirk turned into a kind smile as he motioned for her to sit beside him. She complied, sitting nervously at his side. She sat still for a moment, still unsure of what to say or do. This was all so new to her.
"Hey." He said softly, trying to get her attention.
She looked at him, his smile still in place. "What?" She answered.
He scooted a little closer and she felt her heart speed up. "Is there something wrong?" He asked softly.
She looked anxiously at him, the insecurity of their new relationship beginning to surface. "Nothing is wrong. I just…I'm just a little edgy, that's all."
He cocked his head slightly, asking, "Why?"
She wrung her hands, chewing on her bottom lip. "I…this is still very new to me and…I guess that I'm feeling a little insecure." She answered honestly.
He nodded, understanding flooding his face. "Aah. I see." He placed his hand on her own. "Don't worry, Kaoru. My feelings haven't just disappeared within a matter of hours. I'm not that shallow or fickle." He added to the end, a little playfully.
She smiled as the mood instantly lightened, chuckling. "Well that's good to know, because I sure was wondering." She teased.
They chuckled a bit more and as it died down, Kaoru asked, "What do you feel like today?" Kenshin looked deeply into her eyes, their faces inches apart. Kaoru felt herself melting at his stare.
"If I said you, would you hit me?" He said suddenly, instantly breaking the moment.
Her eyebrow ticked as she gave him a look. "Yes!" She whapped him on the arm and he laughed. "I mean what do you want to eat!" She couldn't help the smile that broke over her face as he laughed.
"Ok, ok." He finally said. "What's the special today?"
Kaoru had to think a moment. It was a Thursday, which meant it was… "Yakitori and white rice today." She stated.
Kenshin nodded in approval. "That sounds good." She smiled and began to rise. He held onto her hand and she turned to look at him.
"Did I tell you how beautiful you look today, Kaoru?" He asked.
She blinked for a moment, then her face melted into a brilliant smile. "No, I don't think you did…"
He squeezed her hand. "Well, you do."
She blushed as her smile widened. She giggled a bit, taking her hand from his. "Why thank you." She turned to go, her steps light, her face beaming.
She danced into the kitchen, singing out to the cook, "One special pleeeease!" She grabbed the teapot and a cup and made her way back to Kenshin, the beaming smile never leaving her face. She set the cup in front of him, pouring his tea.
"So, when are you going to cook for me again, beautiful?" He blinked up at her, his face resting on his hands, elbows to the table.
She blinked again, feeling a pleasant jolt at the pet name. 'I could definitely get used to this…' She thought happily. She bent flirtatiously to him, bringing her face close to his. "Anytime you want, sweetie."
He smiled briefly before reaching a hand out, catching her behind the head. He forced her lips onto his gently for a moment in a quick kiss. He pulled back as he let go, settling into his chair, bringing both hands up and behind his head. "Alright then. How about tomorrow night?"
She was still getting over the kiss, shaking her head to bring her back to reality. "Ok, that sounds good. What do you want me to cook?"
He shrugged. "How about I buy the stuff, and you just cook it. I'll surprise you."
She nodded, smiling. "It's a date."
Heading to the kitchens, she found his order waiting. She returned swiftly, setting the steaming plate in front of him.
"What time do you get off?" He asked her as he snapped his chopsticks apart.
"Um, around seven. Why?" She asked.
"Is it ok if I come back and we talk for a bit before you go home? I can't stay for long, I have an assignment tonight." She nodded.
'I wonder what his assignment is?' She thought a little absently as she watched him eat. His eyes looked over her shoulder and she saw them narrow ever so slightly. She turned, seeing Kei come walking to her, a smile in place.
"Konnichiwa, Kaoru-san. And Himura-san." He bowed slightly in respect. Kaoru bowed in return, Kenshin merely nodding his head.
"Hello, Kei-kun. How are you today?" Kaoru asked cheerily.
"I am doing well." He answered. "I just wanted to apologize to the both of you." Kenshin's eyes widened a bit.
"For what Kei-kun?" Kaoru blinked. He really hadn't done anything wrong.
He put a hand behind his head, looking sheepishly at them. "I knew that there was something between you two and I feel as if I disrupted it, that's all."
Kaoru blinked. 'Who has the courage to be so blunt?' She smiled, shaking her head. "You don't have to apologize, Kei-kun. You did nothing wrong." He just smiled, shrugging. "By the way, your playing last night was wonderful. Thank you for letting me hear it."
Kei turned to go, nodding. "I would play for you any time you'd like. See you two later." He walked off, Kaoru staring after him.
She sat down across from Kenshin, looking at him. "Well, now that that situation is all done and over with…"
"Have you spoken with Hooji-san yet?" Kenshin asked around a mouthful of rice.
She nodded, answering, "She actually found me and apologized just a little bit ago. It's funny, I didn't feel anger towards her at all…"
Kenshin smiled knowingly. "I told you, she was no competition."
Kaoru blushed, shrugging her shoulders lightly. "I guess…so, you are going to come back after my shift then?"
He nodded. "If that's ok. It's supposed to be a clear night tonight and we could star gaze for a while."
Kaoru smiled playfully. "Oooh, how romantic."
He winked at her as he took another huge bite of rice, talking through his food. "I knur, ur'm jurst thurtful lurk thurt."
She blinked at him, and then laughed, standing. "Ok, whatever you say." She said as she walked by, patting him on the head. Kaoru waved goodbye as she went about her business, helping the other customers.