co·op·er·a·tion | \ (ˌ)kō-ˌä-pə-ˈrā-shən:br /

1. an act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit; joint actionbr /

2. the association of persons or businesses for common, usually economic, benefit

Chapter 5: Unusual Behavior

September 29th

Himura, Kaoru realized, was truly a frightening individual.

After the ignominious and literal slamming of the door in his face, exactly two hours later, she received an email from Himura's secretary with a monthly schedule for lessons. It also included a caveat of possible last-minute cancellations depending on any surprise meetings. If Himura could, he would make up for those missed classes on other days.

Kaoru stared at her phone in disbelief for several long minutes, unable to believe just how cold-blooded he was. If he was willing to put up with her less-than-sterling behavior, Himura was definitely up to something. Something evil and dastardly and utterly diabolical. Dread churned at the pit of her stomach, a constant companion these days. If she didn't need food to live, Kaoru would have lost weight from sheer anxiety.

To make things even more confusing, when Himura appeared for class, his demeanor hadn't changed at all. Kaoru assumed he would go back to being sneering or difficult, but he didn't. Himura still remained attentive as ever and she noticed that he had been practicing katas as she had instructed. He also - noticeably - didn't ask any further personal questions about Aoshi. He didn't even broach the subject of selling the land. All he did was come for his lessons, play his part of an eager student, and then leave, only to start it all over again the next time they met.

Kaoru was pleased.

She was also worried.

Somehow, even with gut-wrenching concern about Aoshi and trying not to fracture their relationship even further, all Kaoru could think about was Himura plotting something conniving. Between Makimachi Misao's comment about him getting everything he wanted and Hiko's warning of how deadly he was, she'd bowl over in shock if Himura didn't have something up his sleeve. But what? Whatever it was, she had to be prepared for anything.

After Himura's fifth private lesson which went exactly the same cordial and impersonal way, Kaoru stumbled back to her office and collapsed onto the mat, clutching her head as it rested on the desk. The stress was too much. She was always on alert for the slightest hint of anything from his motions or his words, but there was nothing there. Nothing! Her mind constantly dissected every single meeting in an effort to second-guess him. "Why?" she murmured to herself over and over again. "Why?"

"Kaoru?"

Her eyes lifted up. Aoshi hovered at the threshold of the office, blatant concern glimmering in his normally glacial eyes. Kaoru supposed walking in while she moaned to herself would be worrisome to even the most stoic of people. "Yes?" she asked wearily.

They hadn't spoken much since the little spat from last week. Kaoru had avoided being alone with him and Aoshi extended the same courtesy. But the physical distance did nothing to ease the gulf between them and she was acutely aware that Aoshi would be leaving in a month. Kaoru was particularly reminded of that fact when one of the potential kempo instructors had come in for an interview yesterday. He seemed like a nice enough man with sterling credentials from the martial arts world. Hiko had nothing to say, which probably was the most glowing review of all. One more candidate was supposed to come in for an interview next week.

But how could she make a final decision? Because deciding on one or the other meant that she had accepted Aoshi's decision when she hadn't. Kaoru still held out hope that she could somehow shake some sense into Aoshi and he would change his mind.

"Kaoru!"

She shook herself and sat up, rubbing her left shoulder wearily. "Sorry, what?" Aoshi had been saying something, but it ended up sounding like a droning buzz instead of actual coherent words.

He ventured further into her office and sat down in front of her, scrutinizing her face as if categorizing every line and crease. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

"You mean, besides you leaving?" She tried not to make it sound like an accusation, but she wasn't sure how well she succeeded.

Aoshi, for his part, didn't bat an eyelash. "Yes."

Kaoru exhaled slowly and stared down at her desk. There was some reports to fill out about the yearly building inspections but she pushed the papers aside. She wanted to say it was nothing because, at this moment, it truly was nothing. But what if it turned into something? What if Himura somehow managed to pull the wool over her eyes and found a way to swipe her land?

"Kaoru, you're allowing your imagination to run away with you. There's no way Himura would be able to steal your property from you. For one, it's been in your family for generations and you have all the proper documentation. Essentially, no one can take it away from you unless you decide to sell, which we both know won't happen."

Her friend's firm voice jerked Kaoru from her stupor and she stared at him. She must have spoken her concerns aloud, or Aoshi had somehow managed to develop mind-reading abilities from last week. But more importantly, his steady and blunt reassurances sank in and she nodded, feeling absurdly relieved at the no-nonsense, firm tone. If Aoshi spoke like that, it had to be true. "You're right. I'm just being silly."

"Not silly, but perhaps overly concerned. It's understandable, considering this is your livelihood and your legacy."

Kaoru nodded eagerly, glad to hear someone corroborate her thoughts. "Yes! I'm not going crazy!"

Aoshi cast her a strange look. "I also said 'overly concerned'. Has Himura done or said something to make you think this way?"

"Well…no. But isn't that weird? Makimachi-san said Himura isn't the kind of man to just give up. He sent fifteen lawyers here which showed how serious he is in trying to get the land." Kaoru grounded her teeth at the memory, remembering just how long she had to sit there listening to them convince her to sell. "And then he shows up and all of a sudden he wants to take kendo lessons from me when his own teacher is right here? If that's not enough to make me concerned, what is?"

He nodded in agreement, though his voice held an edge of caution. "It is rather peculiar. And you know I don't like or trust the man. But if you keep searching for an ulterior motive, sooner or later you'll find one whether it's true or not."

She scowled because, as usual, he was right. Himura hadn't done anything, but the suspicious part of her always added the silent 'yet'. "Whose side are you on anyway?"

"Yours. Always yours. But as your friend, it's hard to see you like this. Himura hasn't done anything questionable thus far, so try to relax and enjoy teaching the lessons while you can. You always have the option of being distrustful of him, but how effective of a teacher can you be if you're always second-guessing your student? Is your goal to spread the philosophy of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu or to be right?"

His rational words struck Kaoru but that didn't mean she was ready to face it just yet. Not when she had spent so much energy the past couple of weeks trying to figure out what was going on with Himura. "Fine, I'll think about it," she mumbled.

Aoshi nodded and stood up. "Good." He turned to go, hesitated, and looked down at her. "It's been a while since we spent some time together. Come over tonight. I'll have some of your favorite snacks ready."

That was probably as close to an appeasement as she would get, a tentative olive branch to start repairing the rift between them. Kaoru had pretended he wasn't a part of her life for the past week and a half, but that wasn't an option any longer, not when she knew she would regret it. So Kaoru nodded. "I'll be there."

He offered her a tiny smile in response and headed out.

Kaoru sat there for a long while, mulling things over. Aoshi was right; she wasn't being fair to Himura by being suspicious of him when he hadn't done anything at all. It wasn't wrong to be ready in case Himura did something, but until then, she had an obligation to give him her best effort in teaching him kendo. Resolving to be a better sensei and not shame her ancestors any longer, she reached for the inspection forms to work on them.

As an additional peace offering, Kaoru stopped by the store to pick up some more tea before she headed to Aoshi's apartment. He let her inside and she sighed in happiness upon seeing ice cream mochi and amanatto and taiyaki already laid out on a plate for consumption. Tossing the tea box to Aoshi, she bounded over to the couch and flopped down before reaching for the treats. "You're the best," she said in between bites of the fish shaped sweet.

"Aa." He headed to the kitchenette and added the tea leaves to the strainer before letting it steep in the hot water prepared earlier. He then brought the pot and two cups on a tray over to the table before joining her on the couch.

Kaoru held out the plate to him, knowing he took a mochi only to be sociable. Watching him take a small bite of the dessert and chew, she sighed and set the dish back down. Kaoru knew she couldn't pretend Aoshi wasn't leaving in a few weeks and let him leave, unprepared for resistance not only from Takeda, but from the police. "I saw Saitou-san last week," she began.

"I know."

Startled, Kaoru swung her gaze at him. "What?"

"When you went out to lunch with Himura, I followed you as far as the front gate of the dojo and saw Saitou sitting down next to you. From his body language, I assumed he wasn't there just for lunch."

Scowling, she decided to lecture him about spying on her later. "Well, you're right. He told me to warn you against going near Yokohama Prison."

He considered that for a long moment, mochi forgotten in his hand. "Why would he approach you and not me?" he finally asked. "He knows I teach at the dojo."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "It's probably because he knows it's futile to warn you and I would be a more effective messenger. Also, he probably likes you as much as you like him."

"I have no quarrels with Saitou."

"I'm sure he'll be thrilled to hear it." She lapsed into silence for a while, picking up the teapot to pour some of the hot liquid into each cup. For some reason, it was hard to discuss this with Aoshi. Maybe because talking about it meant the entire situation was real and not going away as she'd hoped. "If he's taken the time to warn me, that probably means he'll be lurking around to try and stop you," Kaoru said at last. "He doesn't have any love for Takeda either, but he has to uphold the laws and not many people are able to go up against you."

"Aa."

She frowned at the one word response. "I suppose that's not going to change your mind at all."

Aoshi didn't respond right away, leaning over to set the melting dessert back on the plate. His expression remained inscrutable, but Kaoru could tell he was weighing something in his mind. And when he finally spoke, they weren't words she expected to hear. "I took Misao out on a date the other night."

His words didn't sink in right away. Kaoru remained sitting there, mind blank until she realized the implication. All concerns of Saitou and Takeda disappeared. She swiveled her gaze at him so fast Kaoru was surprised she didn't get whiplash. "What? Are you joking? No, why would you joke about that, that would be cruel and you're not so mean. But still, I can't believe it! You went out on a date? And you didn't even tell me?" Her voice rose in volume and pitch with every question coming out of her mouth.

He looked pained at the onslaught of questions and rattling comments. "This is why I didn't want to tell you at first. May I continue?"

Kaoru waved her hand, leaning forward in her eagerness to hear the story. "Yes, yes, go on."

He shifted on the couch, swallowing visibly. "I only did it because she kept pestering me and I got tired of it. She told me to go out on five dates with her and I'll change my mind or she'll back off. I countered with three and she agreed."

Trying to fight back a bubble of laughter at the lawyer's confidence and bargaining skills, Kaoru ignored Aoshi's scowl at her amusement with practiced ease. "Wow, Makimachi-san actually wore you down?"

"She is quite persistent."

Grinning at the understatement of the force of nature known as Makimachi Misao, Kaoru nodded. Even though the lawyer wasn't taking lessons from her, Kaoru saw Misao frequently flitting around the dojo, laughing and chatting with everyone from young to old. With her bubbly personality and warm charm, she'd won the admiration of almost everyone in just a few weeks since she started lessons. "So you broke down and took her out. What happened?"

"To be clear, apparently she took me out on a date. She insisted on picking me up and taking me to the Italian place downtown. She seemed disappointed I'd been there before with you and Hiko-san, but that didn't keep her down for long." Aoshi paused and Kaoru was fascinated to see that his eyes had the faraway look of reliving fond memories. "She was her usual talkative and energetic self and she still had the breath to ask me all sorts of random questions."

His voice trailed off and Kaoru blinked several times to make sure she was seeing right. The half-smile Aoshi sported looked almost wistful. "But?" she prompted softly.

"But it was…nice. She didn't expect me to talk more than I wanted to, avoided mentioning any awkward topics, and wasn't too familiar or too distant. She even paid for the meal and drove me home by midnight, saying she knew I was tired after teaching classes."

There was something in his tone that had Kaoru almost sighing with envy. Aoshi wasn't one to trust people or even spend time with others easily, and yet he had allowed Misao to take him out. At the same time, she knew it bothered him to enjoy something just when he was about to throw his life away. Aoshi had brought it up to her now, after she told him about Saitou. Kaoru hoped that meant he was rethinking his entire revenge plan. Just to make sure, she asked carefully, "It sounds like it was the perfect first date. When are you going out next?"

He didn't answer right away, eyes averted. Kaoru waited, allowing him the privacy he silently requested while fervently hoping he would truly give the lawyer a chance to show him some happiness. "I was thinking of dinner on Sunday," he said at last. "Since classes end at six, we can eat dinner at a reasonable hour instead of her waiting for me to finish teaching."

Kaoru nodded. Most of the dojo classes on the weekdays ended late to accommodate students and working adults. The weekends were also extremely busy because they held classes all day from Saturday to Sunday evening. Their schedules were the complete opposite of most office workers, making it hard to meet with friends or even date in general. "That sounds like a good plan."

They fell silent again, allowing the methodical ticking of the clock to provide some background noise. Finally, Kaoru leaned over to pick up her tea cup and finish the lukewarm beverage. "I'm glad you're giving her a chance, Aoshi," she murmured.

He didn't move but she glanced at him and saw his eyes glint with unusual emotion. "So am I," he replied.

"Finally made up with Shinomori, did you?" Hiko asked, watching her warm up in preparation for Himura's lesson.

"I guess so." It was Friday just before noon and, for whatever reason, the master had decided to keep her company until her student arrived. Kaoru bounced up and down on her toes to get the blood flowing. Himura had already advanced to the point where she started to take a more active role in teaching. The speed in which he absorbed her instructions was almost astounding, but it was his earnest hard work that convinced her she had to let go of her wariness against him. If not for the sake of her sanity, then at least for the sake of her family's legacy.

Hiko grunted. "He's developing feelings for our resident genki lawyer?"

Kaoru almost paused her arm stretches but caught herself just in time, though she probably hadn't fooled the master in the least. Aoshi hadn't mentioned if she was allowed to tell anyone else about the budding relationship, so she was honor bound to not let anything slip. "Um, what makes you say that?"

She heard the smirk in Hiko's voice as he responded. "If you saw how stiffly polite he was to her the other night, you'd be able to guess it."

Wincing at the obvious picture, Kaoru tried to maintain a nonchalant air. "Well, you know how Aoshi is with most people."

"Hmm. Do you think she'll be enough to stop him from going after Takeda?"

Exasperation and shock warred within her and she finally dropped the façade of warming up to stare at Hiko. "How do you find out about these things?" she demanded, wishing she had his connections for information.

"Hmph. It's not hard to guess what makes Shinomori tick."

"His background is sealed. You shouldn't know about Takeda," Kaoru pointed out.

"Neither should you," Hiko countered. "But you do and I do, and now we both know the other knows."

Kaoru bent over to touch the ground with her fingertips, feeling the pull of her hamstring muscles as she considered the implication of his last statement. Hiko wasn't going to reveal his source of information to her, which she expected. And it was kind of a relief that someone else knew what was going on. Even if Hiko's default was a neutral position which meant he wasn't going to help, at least he wasn't going to do anything to hurt Aoshi either. "Okay, fine. Do you have any brilliant ideas on how to stop him? I'm willing to try almost anything."

"He's a grown man who's made his decision. You shouldn't try to stop him."

She eyed him balefully from her forward fold position. "Is that really your advice?"

Hiko shrugged. "You asked me."

"And I regret it now," Kaoru muttered, straightening up to twist her upper body to the right and left.

"Is my baka deshi rubbing off on you? I said you shouldn't stop him from leaving. But I didn't say you should let him throw his life away as if it was nothing."

Groaning because apparently he expected her to think, Kaoru finished a few counts of neck circles. "I know you're being very avuncular and all that, but can't you just give me a straight answer for once? How do I save his life without stopping him from going after Takeda?"

"He means you should look for ways to remind Shinomori-san what he would be giving up if he did leave," a new voice explained.

Kaoru froze. She cursed silently for talking about such a personal subject when she knew Himura would be arriving any minute. Just when she was convinced he would respect the boundary lines she had drawn and she was willing to stop looking for ulterior motives on his behavior, he now had more fodder to ask her uncomfortable questions she couldn't - and wouldn't - answer.

Hiko glanced over at the door as Himura bowed to the room before entering and bowing to the two people in the room. "It's good to know some of my wisdom's rubbed off on you. One out of a thousand life lessons, but I guess I can't expect better odds than that." The comment seemed cordial enough, but Kaoru still winced at the thin edge of scorn at the implication of his words.

"Maybe the problem wasn't my intelligence, but the way you taught those lessons," Himura pointed out evenly.

"Oh? Trying to compensate for your lack of brains, baka deshi? It's a poor workman who blames his tools."

Himura scowled. "What do you mean? Aren't you the workman?"

Hiko smirked. "So does that make you a tool?"

"Gentlemen!" Kaoru shouted, seeing that her student started to turn an interesting shade of red with clenched fists. She didn't really think they would actually get into a physical altercation, but the last thing she wanted to do was to entertain the thought of blood on her mats, a trip to the hospital, and possible police presence. Kaoru glared at both of them before turning to the older man. "Hiko-san, if you'll excuse us, it's time for Himura-san's lesson. I'll certainly think about what you said."

Grunting, Hiko nodded. "Don't hold back on him, Kaoru," he told her before striding out of the room.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and moved to the head of the room. "Pupil, attend," she ordered. Himura diligently took his place in front of her and Kaoru began the lesson.

Kaoru started by meditating with Himura so they could calm down and focus. After a few minutes, she noticed some of the stiffness left his shoulders which helped her to let go of her own anxiety that he'd start asking uncomfortable questions again. When they were both more centered, Kaoru ran through a quick warmup before starting the actual lesson. It took some effort but she managed to put aside all suspicions and simply concentrated on teaching her earnest student. Though she shouldn't have been, Kaoru was surprised to note how much more she enjoyed it without trying to second-guess him. Himura seemed to realize the eased tension and responded with greater attentiveness and ability. His movements were precise and confident, indicating he continued practicing at home as she instructed.

An odd, heady feeling coursed through Kaoru as she explained the third defensive form and Himura concentrated on her demonstration. It spread all over her body as he copied her movements almost perfectly the first time he tried. Whether he was just naturally skilled or it was his previous training, that same exhilaration when they had first sparred together came roaring back. Himura was an excellent student, but it was rare to find someone who made her feel so breathless and excited when it came to kendo. Her father had been one such person because he always challenged and stretched her to do her best. Yahiko was a close second because she saw the talent and pure enjoyment of the sport in his eyes every time he picked up a shinai. And now Himura? If she hadn't been so focused on teaching, the thought might have disconcerted her.

After having him practice the new form until he familiarized himself with it, Kaoru stepped in front of him to demonstrate how to use the kata with a partner. It only took Himura a few tries before performing it perfectly. On a whim, she pushed him farther and he responded. It seemed as though the more complicated the kata, the better Himura became. Kaoru caught his gaze for a moment in between swings, and the bright pupils fixed on her seemed to reflect the same ebullience she felt inside. She couldn't tear her eyes from his face, and yet she somehow knew every shift of his muscles, every foot slide, and every breath he took. Likewise, he seemed attuned to her maneuvers almost before Kaoru knew she was going to make it. But that made every movement even more electrifying as they stepped back and forth like a well choreographed dance. Neither noticed how much time had passed until someone cleared their throat loud enough to interrupt them in mid-clash. They both froze and swung their gazes to the threshold of the room.

"Himura-san's secretary is on the phone, wondering where he is," Aoshi replied to their silent confusion. "She expected him back an hour ago."

Kaoru blinked the sweat from her eyes and glanced at the wall clock above Aoshi's head. It was past two-thirty. "What? How can it be so late?"

Lowering his bamboo sword, Himura wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his gi while he glanced at the clock as well. "Dammit. Sensei-"

She reached for his shinai. "Yes, of course, you're dismissed."

Himura bowed to her and strode away, pausing long enough to turn and bow in respect to the room before he disappeared. He didn't acknowledge Aoshi but the taller man didn't seem to notice or care.

Instead, his eyes bore into Kaoru as he bowed and entered himself. "Having fun, were we?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

Blowing upward to dislodge damp bangs from her sweaty forehead, Kaoru returned both practice swords to the wall rack where they belonged. "Don't start that again, Aoshi," she warned with an edge to her voice. The exhilaration of teaching someone so skilled in kendo faded rapidly in light of her friend's disapproval.

Aoshi exhaled slowly. "I meant nothing from it. It's just unusual that you would lose so much track of time."

"Uh huh. Well, I took your advice and didn't try to second-guess him. It made a big impact on the lesson and we just got caught up in it. That's all."

He nodded, expression easing back to its usual impassive look. "I suppose it's easier to concentrate more completely on one student than the usual five or ten."

Kaoru pointed at him. "Exactly! And let's be honest, Aoshi. Himura Kenshin isn't anything like my usual students. He's probably the most skilled person I've ever taught. I mean, Yahiko is a close second, but that brat will need at least five more years of intensive teaching and experience before he gets to that level."

"He's that good, is he?" Aoshi mused with a thoughtful expression.

"That good." Kaoru glanced around the room to make sure it was tidy enough to be ready for the afternoon classes later on. "I'm starving. I'm going to wash my face and find something to eat. Did you already have lunch?"

"I did. Hiko-san ate too. It's half past two, after all."

"I noticed," she retorted. At the threshold, Kaoru bowed to the room and headed off to her private bathroom to wash her face and neck. The cool water felt good against her sweaty skin and doused her with cold reality. Kaoru stared at herself in the mirror, watching the water drip down her flushed skin. Contrary to her logical words to Aoshi, Kaoru found herself trembling from the aftereffects of the adrenaline rush. In all her years of teaching, Kaoru had never lost track of time in class. Time management was one of the very first things her father taught her because there was usually another class right afterwards. Her explanation to Aoshi seemed reasonable, but that didn't explain that weird feeling of excitement during the lesson. Even Himura seemed to experience it because he was just as shocked as she was when Aoshi interrupted them.

Her stomach grumbled and it was much easier to concentrate on the emptiness in her belly than what had just happened. Kaoru left the bathroom and changed into her street clothes. Grabbing her phone and wallet, Kaoru considered her options as she hurried to leave the dojo. She wanted something filling but quick so she could finish some more paperwork before the afternoon lessons began. But as she passed through the front gate, she nearly ran into somebody hovering just outside the exit. "Oh!" Kaoru exclaimed as hands caught her arms to prevent a collision. "I'm sorry," she began, looking up, but then the sentence died in her throat.

Himura stared at her, his brows slightly furrowed as if he was confused by something. But at Kaoru's scowl, his expression cleared. "In a hurry, Kamiya-san?"

"Yes," she said, glancing pointedly down at his hands. "For lunch."

Realization struck and Himura released her immediately, stuffing both hands into his pockets in a sheepish gesture. "You really weren't kidding when you said kendo instructors get hungry, were you?" He jerked his head towards the street. "Can I buy you your meal?"

Kaoru sighed. This again. "Himura-san, I really don't think this is appropriate."

"It's two adults meeting for lunch in a very public space. I'm not sure how that can be construed as inappropriate." He shrugged. "If you'd like, you can just tell yourself we happened to meet at the same restaurant and sat in close proximity to one another. All just a coincidence."

She frowned at the ease in which he twisted things to his benefit. "I thought you had to go back to work," she said warily.

"It's already too late. I missed one meeting and my next one is in ten minutes which I'd never make on time in this traffic. I'm sweaty and hungry so I told my secretary to reschedule everything."

"It must be nice to be able to take some time off," Kaoru muttered. She hadn't had a day off in four years, when she started running the dojo by herself. Even if there weren't classes being held on a rare national holiday, she still had to maintain the exterior and interior of the dojo. They were both business owners, but their realities were far apart.

"I'll pay for it later this week, and some of my employees will too," Himura commented dryly. "But there's nothing I can do about it now, except to eat. There's a good Korean restaurant a couple of blocks away. What do you say?"

Her gurgling stomach was the response. Korean sounded heavenly. But then again, just about anything sounded amazing right now. "Fine, let's go."

They walked in silence, but oddly enough, Kaoru didn't feel uncomfortable with it. Maybe it was the aftereffects of the connection they had forged during his lesson. She wondered why HImura had waited for her. If he was as hungry as he said, he could have certainly gone ahead and eaten first. He must have been waiting for her, knowing she'd have to get her own lunch. But why? Did he feel like he was gaining her trust and wanted to bring up forbidden topics again?

Kaoru told herself not to read into his intentions so her suspicions would redevelop. All she could do was wait and see.

The Korean restaurant was a hole-in-the-wall place tucked between a convenient store and a phone repair shop. Ducking under the cloth noren that served as the door, they were immediately greeted by a cheery looking man who gestured for them to take a seat. The smoky smell of fish and sizzling beef assaulted their noses at the first inhale and it made Kaoru's stomach rumble even louder. At this late hour, there were only a handful of people enjoying some stews at the tables scattered on the left side of the restaurant. The right side contained a long counter and multiple stools for quick ordering and eating.

Deciding that casual and fast was the way to go, Kaoru took a seat on a stool, ignoring the knowing smile as Himura sat down on her left. She didn't care if he knew why she chose to eat at the counter. Picking up the menu the shop owner gave them, she scanned the choices and decided on her lunch.

"The stews here are delicious," Himura remarked as he skimmed his own menu. "I'm partial to the short rib soup. Very rich flavor."

Kaoru glanced at him with an odd look. "That's nice."

"What are you going to get?"

"Uh, probably the bulgogi bibimbap," she said, casting him another odd gaze.

He set the menu down and turned his attention to her. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Why are you asking me weird questions and saying random things?" she countered.

Himura laughed. "It's not weird. I was making conversation as I would with anyone else. Or are you just possessive about your food? I don't plan on stealing some," he teased.

"No. I just-" Kaoru stopped and shrugged. Turning off her suspicion was apparently harder than she thought. "I don't know. It's been a while since someone asked me what I was going to get." Whenever she ate out with Aoshi and Hiko, they never bothered to ask her, they simply ordered what each wanted and that was that.

Now it was his turn to give her a strange look. "You don't go out much, do you?" he said finally. "I mean, besides with Shinomori and Shishou."

She stared down at the bar, only looking up briefly to bow her head in thanks to the shop owner when he set a glass of water down in front of her. For some reason, Kaoru felt embarrassed, as if it was her fault she didn't have many friends anymore. "It's hard to have a social life when you're teaching late almost every night of the week," she finally replied.

Seeming to sense her discomfiture, Himura cleared his throat and ordered their meal. Kaoru listened to his light tenor tone, thankful she didn't have to look up or do anything else while she struggled to get herself back under control. Why would his comment make her feel so self-conscious? She was so immersed in her own thoughts she barely heard him speaking again, this time to her.

"The first day I decided to start my own business, I drew up plans. Tons of them. Most were ridiculous but a few had merit. It took a few months, but I finally knew it was possible when Shishou heard my latest presentation and didn't riddle it with a million holes like he did the previous forty-two proposals." Himura laughed quietly to himself. "It wasn't my favorite idea, but apparently it was the best one I had. So I went with it. I pitched the idea to anyone who would listen, eventually rounded up enough investors, and started Red Dragon Corporation. I worked ninety hours a week for the first three years and I barely saw any family or friends during that time. Every minute of my time was spent on keeping the business going. It was rough. There were days, weeks even, when I didn't think it was worth the sweat and tears. But eventually, things began to get easier and I could go back to having a life. You know, seeing my friends more than my secretary and engineers." He smiled at her, a warm, genuine smile that seemed to light up his bright eyes. "I guess that's just my way of saying 'hang in there, it'll get better'. When you see your business take off and you know you're making an impact in your community, it makes all the sacrifice worthwhile."

Kaoru stared at him, embarrassment forgotten. Every word Himura spoke resonated deep inside because he seemed to understand exactly what she was going through as a business owner. By sharing something so personal and so encouraging, that simple gesture transformed him from a calculating schemer into a more relatable human being. At the very least, Himura demonstrated he understood her feelings better than Hiko or Aoshi. Kaoru shook her head slowly in bewilderment. "Who are you?" she asked, unable to reconcile him from the man she had met weeks ago in that fancy American restaurant, all oily charm and dispassionate business demeanor.

AN: A new chapter to celebrate my birthday. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Next Chapter: A Date and Drinking (but it's probably not what you think!)