A/N: Here's the next chapter, after prom! Thanks so much for this great support! I write this story for you guys! Hope you enjoy it!
Previously on Reaching True Feelings:"Shall we?" Youko said as he turned his head to Kaoru, walking out of the school building and heading for the limousine, doing his level best to be a fine gentleman and friend.
Kaoru looked out the window in the nicely furnished limousine. If all she got was a threat from Tsukane, then she believed it to be a pretty decent night overall. Youko looked out of his own window, lethargically leaning in his seat as he sighed heavily. He didn't know why but he was really tired. Maybe it had to do with snagging four glasses of punch but hey, he could be wrong. "Kaoru, when do you turn eighteen again?" Youko inquired, head slowly turning to face her.
"June. 30th. You want to rub it in don't you? I already know you're 'legal' Youko and that you have been for a few months now." Kaoru said in monotone.
"It's just that I finally have a car." Kaoru raised an eyebrow. Youko on the road? Good one. "So now I'll be able to drive anywhere I want," he added coolly, waiting for her to 'ooh' and 'aah' but much to his dismay, she did nothing more than roll her eyes. "Oh come on…you can at least congratulate me for passing my driver's exam." Kaoru punched a fist in the air sarcastically, Youko now rolling his eyes. "Was that supposed to be an imitation of me or something?" The girl nodded and a grin made its way to her face. "Very funny."
"I thought so too," she retorted as the limousine came to a halt. Kaoru opening her door and flashing a smile back at Youko. "I'll see you at school, Romeo," she joked, shutting the door and waving goodbye to him. It seemed strange to her though. As she watched the limousine drive down the street until she could see it no longer, she had wondered about Tsukane's threat. She hadn't gone through with it like she said that she would. Is she just all talk or is she really going to do it? I thought that I would be in the clear, seeing how prom is over now… Kaoru walked as cautiously as she could to her front door, ever careful not to trip and fall.
She opened the door to her house with her spare key and the first thing she did was fling off her extravagant red sandals. "Okasan! I'm home!" Kaoru cried as she looked up at the staircase. Her mother did not come down to greet her and she found that rather odd. "Huh, she must be really tired from work or something." She said to herself as she went upstairs to check on her. I should tell her that I'll be going to Kenshin's. I wouldn't want her worrying…
"…And this should cover everything, mac…" Youko said as he slipped the limo driver two hundred dollars. "Take care," he concluded. And then the driver was off. Youko ran a hand through his hair and moaned. Shutting his eyes, he massaged a shoulder with his left hand. "Man…what a night…why do I feel like I wanna sleep and do nothing else?" He shrugged to himself and headed for his front door where he opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow. He saw someone sitting on his front porch. And not just anyone. It was Tsukane. "Uhh, Tsukane…not to be rude or anything…but why the hell are you camping out on my doorstep?!"
She walked toward him and took his hands in hers, admiring everything about him. He was, after all, the most popular guy in school. Every girl who wasn't clinically insane wanted him with a burning passion. He noticed that she was getting a little touchy-feely and backed away slightly until suddenly, she spoke. "Why is it that all you men make it so hard for me?" He said nothing and waited for her to explain herself. "Youko-kun," she said in a child-like voice as she kissed him on the cheek. "I have two things to tell you. But first, can we get a little more comfortable together?" She tried to plant her lips on his own but with an uncanny reflex, he had managed to back away further just in time.
"Fine. Well the first thing that I have to say… is that I'm leaving…my father has won my custody battle. I'm leaving before graduation… Youko please." His eyes went wide. She wasn't joking. And she sure as hell wasn't about to make her last few days in Tokyo dull and boring either. She tried to kiss him again but he put his arms out and stopped her. "Why won't you let it all be?"
"Okay, you trying to have sex with me out in the open is a little weird…even for you… you might be leaving and all but that doesn't mean that I'll be more apt to give you what you want…"
"But you never used to mind it before," she replied, pouting.
"Yeah, but that was a year ago…when we were going out. It's really unlike you to come back and ask for this…especially on the night of the prom…what's your angle?" She came up to him again and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, looking into him with flaring green eyes of determination. "You seriously have to explain yourself this time, Tsukane. You giving me these seductive looks are only telling me that you want to do me. Now unless I'm wrong, start explaining or else we'll be getting nowhere, am I right? So what's the second thing you have to tell me?"
She giggled. "Youko-kun, you're just as cute as ever…"
"And you're still as vague as ever. Hey! What do you know? We haven't changed one bit…"
"Then it would be right if we did this…" She said as she turned him around and pushed him backward, directing him toward his porch. "After all, if we haven't changed…then our relationship should still be the same…" She pressed her lips up against his and her body violently chafed against his own. Her bun was slowly becoming undone but she didn't care. The only thing that she wanted to do was have him again. She tried to reach into his back pocket to get his house key but he pushed her away suddenly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "What's wrong? I know that you liked that as much as I did…" Youko stayed quiet. He hated to admit it but she was right about that one.
"I don't understand why you want me back this much…especially now that you're…ahem…leaving…" He said, chocolate eyes narrowing in distaste.
"Youko…you don't want this…do you?" He slowly shook his head. "Is it because of Kaoru? Is it that you love Kaoru too much to do this to her or something? You would break my heart to go off with someone else who already is in love with someone?!" She said as she feigned crying. Youko raised an eyebrow. What did she mean when she said that Kaoru was in love with someone else? He wanted to know the answers but he waited patiently for her to speak again, nevertheless. "I can't believe this… Youko…how much did she change you?"
"She didn't. I did. And what does Kaoru have to do with anything anyway?"
"She doesn't love you, you know…"
"Yeah, you're probably right." He paused. "Wait a minute…how the heck would you know? You don't even like the girl so why would you even bother to find out her personal business…?"
"Make love to me and I'll tell you…" She said as she motioned for him to come over and have a piece of her like he did very often in the past.
"You're the one playing hard to get now…" He replied. "I don't have time for this so thanks, but no thanks…" Youko pulled out his key and unlocked his door. "If you're here without a purpose, I suggest you leave before your parents freak." Tsukane shook her head. "Okay…so then tell me what you have against Kaoru. If you do, then I'll stay here and listen to you… and if you don't, I'll leave right now. Up to you." Tsukane bit her lip but said nothing. Youko would have to resort to drastic measures. "Okay fine…" He said again, deciding to humor the girl. "If you tell me, I'll make love to you…deal?" He said, laughing inwardly. If she hasn't changed, she'd agree and trust me blindly. Well fat chance that I'll ever tickle her fancy again…the thing is, she just doesn't realize it… Tsukane reluctantly nodded. I knew it.
"I found something out. Kaoru was involved…" She said as she tried her very best from taking him then and there. He was delectable, that much was certain. "Well anyway, Youko-kun, are you sure you want me to tell you this because you'll be utterly disappointed once you find out this news…" He wasn't sure what to say. If he had ignored her, he would continue to live a successful life without worries or headaches. If he said that he wanted to hear what she had to say, he ran the risk of messing a part of his life up. But there always was that burning curiosity that itched him to say yes. He nodded as she thought he would. "She loves someone else, Youko… she's been dating someone else…"
"Yes, you vaguely mentioned that part earlier…get to the point already…"
"Right. Well the guy that she's apparently so head-over-heels in love with is someone that you know…" Youko thought for a minute but before he was about to give an answer, Tsukane cut in. "Don't bother with the guessing. Even I wouldn't have predicted this one. Well anyway…the person that stole your precious Kaoru away from you is…Mr. Himura…" Youko's eyes widened. He froze. "Okay, anata…I'm ready for you now…" She said as she gave off a seductive wink. Youko couldn't hear her. He was in another world. "Hello?! We had a deal, remember?"
"Excuse me…" He said as he ran over to his car and jumped in. Tsukane let out an exasperated sigh and tapped her foot impatiently on the ground. "I don't believe this…" He said to himself as he placed the key in the ignition, turned it, and backed his new convertible out of his spacious driveway. He started to drive down his street but then stopped the car and told Tsukane one more thing, "And besides, I wouldn't have sex with you ever again because I've been there and done that way too many times. You're pretty boring…not to mention a bit on the ditzy side…" And then he drove off, leaving an infuriated Tsukane behind.
Kaoru had redressed herself into a pair of khaki capris and black v-neck tee shirt. She would much rather be with Kenshin as comfortable as can be than as pretty as can be. Besides, Kenshin thought her to be absolutely stunning no matter what she wore. Preferably he would like to see her wear nothing but that was beyond the point. "Okay, Okasan. I'll see you later!" She said as she trotted down the stairs and plopping onto her sofa where she fastened her sporty black sandals on her tiny feet. It was 9:45 and Kenshin said that he would stop by at precisely 10. She had a decent fifteen minute wait.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang and Kaoru scrambled to her feet to answer the door. "Youko…" Kaoru said in a rather surprised state as the door swung open. Why on earth would he stop by? "Is there something that I can do for you or what? You lost something? Need something?" Kaoru said again, noticing that something was wrong. Oh yes. She could see it in his eyes. There was something that she could see in his chestnut colored eyes. It was anger.
"I need to know if it's true or not… Tsukane surprisingly stopped by my house and I thought that she was only trying to get in my pants but the fact is, she told me something that I find really hard to believe…" He started out. Kaoru knew what it was and sighed heavily. Tsukane was really good at trying to seduce and ruin people's lives. Yes, she was quite adept at it indeed. "Are you…going out with Himura like she said?" Youko blurted out as he took a firm hold of her two hands, Kaoru looking away. She didn't even have to say anything. Youko knew from her expression that it was all true. "Oh, Kami-sama… Kaoru… I can't believe you…"
"Youko, I…"
"Don't say anything!" He said, rather infuriated. "You know…you could have told me from the way beginning…you know…before I really started to like you."
"Yeah but you would have freaked either way! And I don't even know why you started liking me anyway. I was different and I was a nerd. So what if I did everything I was supposed to? You did it too and look how you ended up…the most popular guy in our entire high school." Kaoru shrugged and put a hand up to her head. "I don't even see how you talked to me this year. I was in my own little group and you had your stupid popular hungry crowds, feeding your ego day after day." Youko's eyebrow twitched. "And maybe I did start to like a teacher. Big deal! At least I was loved."
"If you hadn't noticed…I really, really liked you, Kaoru."
"Yeah but I could never see you as something more than a friend! I know that hurts but I was happy with Ke-- Mr. Himura. I was in love with him! He was the first person to stop and treat me with decency, rather than judge me for who I was in the past. I was sick of all that… I was sick of the way that everyone looked at me and thought that I was a stupid antisocial girl." Kaoru looked away and put a hand over her face, biting back her tears. Youko didn't say anything. "We've kept our relationship a secret until now. And I don't care anymore. I love him. Okay?! I said it!" Kaoru shot back, no longer hiding her emotions, tears streaming down her face. Youko wanted to comfort her but because of the fact that she was talking about something that hurt him as well, he couldn't stand it. He said nothing, exited her house, and stormed off in his car… Kaoru watched him go, saddened that he had to find out the truth in the way that he did.
A/N: So Youko finally knows now. More drama shall be added to the mix in the next chapter, along with something very unpredicable! I hope you liked this chapter! The next one will come out soon! Ciao! Please review!
Son Christine
