Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is copyrighted to its respected owners, of which I am not one. No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Modern AU. Rated for violence and some adult situations in later chapters.

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 Six: Conversations with a Side of Sake

Although Red Dragon Corporation was considered domestically successful, not much was known about the CEO. As far as Kaoru knew, the main reason Himura got away with being an enigma was because his company remained rather small, especially compared to other sports equipment businesses like Asics or Mikasa Sports. Much of the focus was on supplying Japanese athletes in all sports with top quality goods rather than branching out into the international scene. It was, according to one sports magazine article Kaoru had read last year, for quality control purposes. Apparently Himura would rather stick with a smaller market and ensure their products were the best rather than lose tight control over production and step onto the world stage. Kaoru actually liked the kendo equipment they made and, when budget allowed, would buy it for the dojo.

And Kaoru, for the life of her, couldn't understand how things got twisted to the point where she was teaching that same puzzling man a different style of kendo and sitting next to him, mixing her rice and vegetables around with the spicy gochujang sauce that came with her meal. Himura, she noted with a covert side glance, seemed to be eating his short rib soup with a blissful expression on his face. She had to admit, his food smelled amazing, but so did hers. So she ate and pondered the mysteries of life.

She hadn't gotten far when Himura asked her, "So, what's your favorite food?"

He also confused the heck out of her but she gamely went along with his line of questioning since this was supposedly normal. "I'll try everything once," Kaoru told him. "Hungry kendo instructor, remember?"

He tilted his head with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Duly noted." Himura sipped some broth with the soup spoon. "Misao mentioned that she and Shinomori went out to dinner at that Italian place downtown."

Kaoru's eyebrows shot up. "She told you that?" Why would the lawyer tell her boss about a date? Why would Himura care? Unless this was all a plot to somehow finagle the land from her…

But before her thoughts proceeded further down the dark road, Himura laughed. "I guess you wouldn't know. I've known Misao for years so I've been charged with taking care of her. Her grandfather was one of the very first investors I approached. He liked the idea a lot. Misao did too, and wanted to join the company. But as a start-up, I could barely afford my secretary. And her grandfather was adamant that she attend university and graduate. So I told Misao that if she was able to become a lawyer within five years, I would take her on. By then, I'd either be able to afford her salary or my business would fail and she wouldn't be the only one looking for a job." He smiled and it looked a bit like a proud brother. "She graduated university, took the yobi-shiken and passed."

"Wow." Kaoru had heard the passing rate for the preliminary qualifying exam to skip law school was extremely small, which made the feat all the more impressive. "Makimachi-san must be really smart."

Himura grinned. "Smart and motivated. She wanted to move to Tokyo but her grandfather wouldn't allow it until she was gainfully employed. So the day after she completed her required internship, she showed up at my company and demanded I keep my promise of giving her a job. Of course I had to, and I never regretted it."

She stared at the man again, wondering just how many times she was going to see another side of him. His face relaxed as he recalled the fond memories, and his smiles seemed to light up his amethyst eyes until they virtually shone with something bright and beautiful.

And then she came to her senses. Kaoru shook herself, stunned at the direction her mind wandered. Where did that cheesy thought come from? Forcing herself back to the conversation, she attempted to smile at him. "I see. That makes more sense."

Himura didn't seem to have noticed her thoughts straying because he continued talking. "You know, I haven't seen Misao take a romantic interest in someone in a long time. She wanted to show everyone that she didn't get the head litigator position as a result of nepotism, so she's worked long and crazy hours alongside me. I'm glad she's cutting back on working and focusing more on dating. I mean, I don't know anything about Shinomori, but if Shishou hasn't said anything about him, that's probably a ringing endorsement."

"Yeah." Kaoru stared down at her half-eaten food as a niggling suspicion entered her mind.

"Misao says they're going out again in a couple of days."

"Uh-huh."

"She seems very excited for it. She wants to make a good impression on Shinomori, even though I told her it should be the opposite."

Kaoru resisted looking at him, still trying to verify if her hunch was correct. "I see."

Himura cleared his throat but sounded amused as he asked, "Are you picking up the hint yet?"

"I knew it!" Kaoru turned to face him with a fierce scowl. "You're fishing for information on Aoshi, aren't you? That's why you asked me to lunch today?"

"Yes." He remained completely unrepentant. "Among other things, but that's my primary goal for today. Tell me about Shinomori."

She raised an eyebrow at him, noting the demand that didn't sound like a demand but an expectation that she would acquiesce to his wishes. "Does Makimachi-san know you're trying to pump me for information?"

He waved a hand dismissively. "I'm sure she's expecting it. What's the point of acting like a protective friend if I can't vet the man?"

"He's not applying for a job at your company!" she shot back in exasperation. "There's no such thing as 'vetting' him. Why don't you let the two adults work it out amongst themselves?"

"I'm not asking for dirt on him," Himura reassured her. "I won't even ask about this Takeda fellow. No, don't stiffen up like that, I said I wouldn't, even though apparently it's a very big deal. I just want to know what kind of man he is. I wouldn't be performing my due diligence if I didn't get some sort of information on him. And since you know him best, I thought I'd ask you first."

Kaoru looked away, refusing to meet his gaze lest he somehow read her mind. It was probably poor protection against his keen eyes that bore into her like a man with x-ray vision, but there was nothing else she could do. "Wouldn't you think I'm biased?" she asked in a half-hearted attempt to avoid answering him.

"You could be, but you don't seem like the kind of woman who would gush about someone if it wasn't true." Himura finished his soup and pushed the bowl away. "Would he treat her well? Shinomori appears to be the kind of guy who doesn't know much of a romantic side. Or any side, except stoicism." The last remark held a note of derision and disapproval in his tone.

"Makimachi-san doesn't act like she minds," Kaoru pointed out. She wasn't sure if she should be offended that Kenshin didn't like Aoshi's mannerisms or be sympathetic. After all, most people preferred a friendlier, open attitude. "If she had a problem with it, would she have asked him out?"

He nodded in concession. "True. Okay, what about his previous jobs? I wasn't able to find much information, except he worked for the government for several years before he joined your dojo as the kempo instructor."

She shrugged, still not looking at him to avoid giving anything away from her expression. This was the tricky part and she had to proceed with caution lest Kenshin figure out more than he should. "After university, he worked for the National Public Safety Commission as a junior aide, I think. We weren't in regular touch back then. I was focused on studying at school to get into university and he was busy trying to make a career."

"What made him quit?"

"I guess he realized it wasn't the kind of job he wanted." Kaoru let out a long breath, remembering how he seemed to magically appear at the dojo when she needed him the most. "At least, that's what he told me. But mostly I think it was out of loyalty to my family. Our parents were best friends and Aoshi and I grew up together. My father had just passed away and I was in my second year at university. I panicked because I didn't know how to run the dojo all by myself, especially while attending school. Education was very important to my dad so dropping out would have been like betraying him. And closing the dojo wasn't an option either. Aoshi understood my dilemma and came back to help me."

Himura remained silent for a while, long enough for Kaoru to finish her food. When he finally spoke, his voice had grown thoughtful. "So he's loyal to the point of giving up a steady government career."

At that understatement, Kaoru finally met his gaze and corrected him. "Aoshi is the most loyal man you could ever hope to find in this world. If he ends up committing to Makimachi-san, he'll do everything he can to keep her happy and safe. And that's not me being biased, it's the truth."

Their gazes clashed but she didn't look away. Himura then smiled, though it was more of a quirk of his lips than actual amusement. "I think the same could be said for you, Kamiya-san. Loyalty like this isn't common. I've met a lot of people who talk about commitment but never prove it."

"Then you need to make better acquaintances, Himura-san." Kaoru stood up from her stool, deciding she was done with the interrogation. She was already late getting back to finish her work anyway. "Thanks for lunch. Enjoy your day off."

As she headed back to the dojo, Kaoru wondered if she felt guilty for lying to Himura about Aoshi's background. It had slipped out easily enough for her friend's protection and maybe even Misao's. The cover story had been drilled into her for years, with enough witnesses to corroborate it if someone were curious enough to look into the past. But Kaoru realized she also didn't care for the high-handed way Himura acted, cornering her into eating lunch just so he could question her about Aoshi. Why she was so upset about it was a mystery, but it was something she would have to figure out another time.

Despite how busy her weekends were, it gave Kaoru a brief respite from seeing Himura and to get excited for Aoshi's second date with Misao. In fact, after the dojo closed on Sunday, she went to his apartment and helped herself to some tea while Aoshi showered and changed. Misao would be coming to pick him up at seven.

Kaoru grinned to herself as she took her drink back to the tiny couch. There was no TV but she would only stay long enough to see them off before heading home herself. Then she'd have the whole evening to do whatever she wanted. The free time would have to last her a while: tomorrow, she had lessons with Himura again and for some reason, she dreaded seeing him after the last interrogation. And the second kempo instructor would be coming in for an interview right afterwards. Kaoru desperately hoped that Misao would be able to change Aoshi's mind and he would stay so she wouldn't have to decide on a replacement.

But she wouldn't worry about that right now. All Kaoru wanted to do was revel in the fact Aoshi was looking forward to this night as well. Even if he hadn't said so, his behavior said otherwise.

The doorbell rang a few minutes before seven and Aoshi still hadn't emerged from the bathroom. So Kaoru got up and shouted, "I'll get it but hurry up! Don't keep your date waiting." She unlocked the door and flung it open.

Misao blinked twice, apparently thrown off-guard by Kaoru's presence, but she recovered an instant later, bowing. "Kamiya-sensei, I didn't expect to see you here."

Kaoru giggled and reached out to pull Misao inside. "Come on, Makimachi-san. Outside of the dojo, when you're about to go on a date with Aoshi, you need to call me Kaoru."

A slight flush graced the petite woman's cheeks but she smiled broadly in return. "And I'm Misao."

"Misao-san, you look beautiful." Kaoru took a step back to look her over. The lawyer had chosen a royal blue dress with a simple scope-necked top and sheer sleeves. It flattered Misao's slim silhouette, molding around her slender figure with a cinched waistline. The bottom part of the dress fell straight down to just above her knees, making her legs seem longer. The four-inch navy heels added height but she would still barely come up to Aoshi's shoulder. Her glossy dark hair fell unbound down to her waist, though it was wavier than normal. She added some touches of color to her eyes, cheeks, and lips, but the makeup was so expertly applied it seemed as though it was all natural. She was holding a small blue clutch that matched the dress.

"Thank you. I hope this is okay. It's not too lawyer-ly right?" Misao smoothed the dress down with uneasy fingers.

"It's perfect," Kaoru assured her. "Aoshi won't know what hit him. Why don't you have a seat? I'll see what's taking him so long."

"I'm right here," Aoshi spoke behind her.

Kaoru turned and realized he was staring at Misao as if he had never seen her before. Smug delight burned in her chest while Kaoru eased away from between them. She checked her friend over, noting his hair was still slightly damp, but with a touch of mousse that tamed his locks into place. She nodded in approval at his choice of clothes: dark, creased slacks, a metal silver button-down shirt, and dark colored dress shoes. His footwear gave her pause; they looked new. Had he actually gone shopping for this date?

"Wow," Misao breathed, breaking into her thoughts. "You look great, Aoshi-sama."

Aoshi looked slightly pained at the honorific but he only replied, "And you as well, Misao. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, but I'm ready to go now. Just let me grab my jacket."

Kaoru turned and opened the tiny closet door to retrieve a leather jacket. "Here you go," she said cheerfully. "Now, you two better hurry along, you don't want to miss your reservations."

"Thanks, Kaoru-san." Misao flashed her another smile before she stepped outside the apartment.

Aoshi took the jacket from her with a thoughtful gaze. "I assume you have a date with takeout food and a movie?"

Rolling her eyes, she pushed him out the door. "Don't worry about me and have a good time tonight. You deserve it, and Misao-san deserves to enjoy it too. I'm just going to clean up my cup and go home. I expect a complete report on the night's activities tomorrow."

He grimaced. "I may be sick tomorrow."

"Then I'll be over with soup," she retorted, knowing he only said that to avoid an interrogation. "Now go! Have fun!"

Kaoru waited until the couple left before she went back to her lukewarm tea. Gulping it down in one sitting, she washed the cup and set it to dry, made sure the stove was off, turned off all the lights, and locked the door behind her.

The sun had already set and the streets rapidly emptied for the evening so Kaoru didn't linger as she hurried home several blocks away. Her stomach growled for attention and she considered what to get for her meal. Maybe Chinese. The food was good and plentiful, which meant leftovers for the next day so she wouldn't have to worry about dinner tomorrow.

Letting herself into her apartment, Kaoru flipped on the living room lights and headed straight for the shower. While she scrubbed herself clean and washed her hair, she dreamed of steaming food and a good movie to cap off her night. Eager to start, she towel-dried her hair and slipped into comfortable leggings and an old oversized t-shirt. Just as she picked up her phone to call the restaurant, someone knocked on her door.

How odd, she wasn't expecting anyone, unless the Chinese eatery somehow managed to read her mind and bring her order in advance. Frowning, Kaoru set the phone down and went to the door and put an eye to the peephole. Her jaw nearly dropped open at the visitor on the other side. She unlocked the door hastily and yanked it open. "Hiko-san! What are you doing here?"

"Dinner and discussion. Am I allowed in?"

"O-of course." Kaoru stepped back to let the older man sweep inside, heading for her couch. Hiko had visited before, usually with Aoshi. But more frequently, the three of them had dinner at a restaurant since she couldn't fix a meal to save her life, Aoshi didn't care to cook unless he was forced, and Hiko… well, she didn't know if the master knew his way around the kitchen or not. So his sudden appearance shocked her. Not that she minded, but this was out of the ordinary. Uneasy at his presence and purpose, Kaoru shut the door. "Um, tea, Hiko-san?"

Hiko sat down on the couch with his usual flowing grace. "Yes. The food should be here shortly. I already paid for it, so just grab the bags when it's delivered."

"Okay." Still at a loss, Kaoru went to her kitchen to heat up the water, pulling out her teapot and matching cups; they were her mother's and she used it only for company. She set to work on putting the loose tea leaves into the infuser and pouring the hot water over it. Piling it all on a tray, Kaoru took it out to the living room where Hiko was studying her walls filled with pictures of her family.

"So Shinomori went out on his date?" he asked as she poured him some tea.

"Yes. Misao-san picked him up. They're going to some tapas restaurant, I think." Kaoru took her own cup and sat down on the opposite end of the couch. "She planned it all so it should be an interesting night. Hiko-san, why are you here?"

He looked vaguely amused at her sudden change in subject. But before he could answer, there was another knock on the door. "Oh, the food arrived," he replied with an evil grin.

Scowling at the bad timing, Kaoru set her cup down and went to answer the door. She took the three bags of food from the delivery person who bowed and walked away. The tantalizing smell of pork and soup wafted up from the bags and her stomach rumbled. She shut the door with her foot and brought it to the table. Two of the bags were full of comfort food from a popular restaurant nearby, and the last one contained a sake bottle. She unpacked everything and spread the food out as Hiko joined her. Bringing out plates and utensils, a tokkori, and two ochoko cups, Kaoru sat down.

Hiko raised a brow as she poured him some sake with the formal two-handed method and set it down to pick up her own ceramic cup in the same manner. "You don't drink much." Obligingly, he returned the favor of pouring her a drink.

"I have a feeling I'm going to need some tonight," she replied grimly.

At that, he chuckled and held out his cup. "Kanpai." Hiko touched her ochoko briefly with his and took a sip. He nodded in approval. "Let's eat."

They didn't speak much as they ate. The food was piping hot and contained quite a few of her favorites. But as the dishes emptied and the sake drained, Kaoru felt several fingers of dread harden the food in her stomach into a rock. Setting her chopsticks down, she asked as neutrally as she could, "Hiko-san, what did you want to discuss?"

Hiko studied her carefully for a moment before he patted his lips with a napkin. "You've put your university degree to good use," he commented.

Used to such digressions - or perhaps it wasn't a digression at all - she glanced at her framed diploma. Unlike some new students, Kaoru had already known she was going to get a business degree when she entered university. "I suppose. My father never had a good head for running a business so I figured I'd do what I could to help the dojo."

Hiko grunted. "You've done well for yourself. Your parents would be proud."

"Thank you." Her heart ached as it always did when she thought of her parents, but it was a dull pain, bittersweet with the knowledge that he was right.

"Well, in light of all that, it's time I left the dojo so you can continue to grow the business. I'll stay until the end of next month so it'll be up to you if you want to continue offering self-defense classes, or add some other type of martial arts instead, or not."

Kaoru drew in a deep breath, staring down at her empty plate. She'd known this was coming. Hiko had told her from the beginning that his teaching there was a temporary arrangement and, in fact, stayed longer than she'd expected. Like Aoshi, he had shown up at her door as an unexpected gift from heaven, offering his expertise and wisdom and double-edged encouragement as he helped her run a business while Kaoru struggled to graduate from the university on time. Looking back, Kaoru knew she only made it this far because of the support and dedication of the two men. "I understand," she said softly.

Hiko snorted. "Well, don't look as if I just kicked a puppy. You don't need me anymore, which is why I'm moving on."

She lifted her eyes up to him, incredulous. "What? I think I need you now more than ever! If Aoshi ends up leaving…" Her heart clenched and Kaoru shook her head to get away from the sting of pain spreading across her chest. "Then I'll be all alone again," she finished, averting her gaze.

Sighing, the master tapped a finger on the table. "Have you learned nothing in the past four years? I thought you'd have things figured out better by now. You've proven yourself more than capable of running a business. You're an established part of the community. You have students and parents who admire you. Shinomori and I came along to ease the way but you're the reason why the dojo flourished."

"But without you two, we wouldn't have as many students," Kaoru argued. "I wouldn't have been as successful. People came to the dojo because-"

"Because of what? Some photos in a brochure your artist friend slapped together in an hour?" Hiko leaned forward. "And who thought it was a good idea to make that pamphlet in the first place? Who did all the advertising to bring those clients to you? Who made the decision to expand the dojo beyond just kendo, to create a website to join the technology era, to run the specials and schmooze people and put hours of sweat and effort into the place?"

His eyes bore into hers, forcing a response. "I did," she admitted.

Leaning back in his seat, he nodded. "That's right. You did it all and the only thing you needed from us was encouragement because you were young. You're an adult now and change is a part of life. So act like the grown up you are and stop worrying about things you can't control. Whether Shinomori leaves or not, whether I'm there or not, it still doesn't change the fact that you're in charge. You always have been and with you running it, I suspect the Kamiya dojo will outlast even the apocalypse."

Despite dread churning in her stomach, Kaoru smiled at that absurd comment. "Well, someone's got to be around teaching people how to revitalize and protect life."

Hiko smirked back at her and stood up. "You're a survivor, Kaoru. I knew that the moment I read about you in the newspaper. Otherwise I wouldn't have bothered extending my help. Who wants to babysit a grown woman for the rest of his life?" He sent her a pointed look. "If you look hard enough, you might realize you're not really alone. Just don't be afraid of taking a chance on new things."

She frowned and watched as he lumbered to the door. "Wait, you're just leaving? What was dinner, a bribe?"

He snorted, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Don't be ridiculous. I was hungry and I knew you would be ordering that disgusting fast food that isn't authentic Chinese. Anyway, what else is there to discuss?"

"Well, I mean…" Kaoru threw her hands up. "I don't know. But you don't have to leave. I have ice cream and more tea and sake I was saving." It was silly, she knew, but Hiko leaving would make her feel more alone than ever and she didn't want that. Even if it was temporary, she needed time to come to terms with the fact that her life was changing once more. But not tonight. Tonight would be about not thinking of tomorrow.

"Hmm, sake you say? Since when did you start buying it for your place?"

"I kept some on hand if ever you made a surprise visit to tell me you're leaving." She also had a bottle hidden in her office at the dojo but Hiko didn't need to know that - yet.

The master eyed her then shrugged. "All right, then. Let's drink."

She got the bottle out and they settled on the couch where she poured him a drink and Hiko reciprocated. For a long minute, they savored the fermented rice beverage in silence, though Kaoru winced as the alcohol hit her. She didn't drink often and even with food in her stomach, it was starting to rush to her head. But she was home and she knew Hiko would leave and lock the door behind him if she fell over in a stupor. "Tell me about yourself," she said finally as she poured him another drink.

"What do you want to know?" Hiko asked, touching ochokos together before taking another sip.

"I don't know. Tell me where you were born, and how you got into martial arts. Tell me what makes Hiko Seijuro tick." Whoops, the sake was apparently hitting her harder than she realized. That last one wasn't a question she would ever ask sober.

Luckily, Hiko seemed amused by her tipsy behavior. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Of course I am! Would I ask if I didn't?"

"You've never asked before."

Kaoru waved her hand around. "We've never, just the two of us, shared a bottle of sake before."

"Hmm, good point. Well, I was a handsome prodigy born to my parents. My master discovered me and taught me everything he knew, most of which I passed down to my own baka deshi."

She frowned. It sounded like a good story but something seemed to be missing. "That sounds terribly incomplete. Where are the details? How did you meet Kenshin? Why do you call him 'baka deshi' when he's scarily smart with laser eyes that make you think he's picking through your brain?"

He chuckled. "Laser eyes, huh? That's a new one."

"They're so bright and glittery. Pretty, like a jewel. But sharp and they'll cut you if you're not careful." Kaoru picked up the tokkori and frowned, realizing it was already half empty. When did they drink so much already? She accepted the drink Hiko poured for her and Kaoru felt the sake warm her entire body as she sipped it. "But, you know, he can be a nice guy too. Even when he used me to get information about Aoshi, he bought me lunch and asked me what my favorite food was." She leaned forward and dropped her voice to a stage whisper. "I told him I liked everything. It takes a lot of energy teaching classes and I think my stomach has a mind of its own."

"You're not a picky eater, that's certain," Hiko agreed. "It's one of your more likeable traits. So you two went out to eat lunch together again?"

"Twice." Kaoru held up three fingers. "The first time, Saitou-san came over and talked about Aoshi in front of Kenshin." She shook her head solemnly, ignoring how her vision swam from the motion. "That was stupid of him to do that. If we're not careful, Himura will figure everything out about Aoshi's secret government background. And then who knows what'll happen?"

"Indeed." Hiko gazed thoughtfully at her. "How are lessons with him going?"

She groaned. "So great. He's good. Super good. Best student I ever taught. He catches on quick and does everything I tell him to do like a good little pupil." Kaoru paused as a sudden thought occurred to her and she wondered out loud, "If I told him to cluck like a chicken because it's part of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, do y'think he'd do it?"

"He might."

Kaoru roared in laughter at that thought and slapped her leg. "That would be hilarious! I'll have to try it tomorrow. But, ugh, that means I have to see him for lessons. He makes my head pound, he's so confusing." Depression settled on her and she pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them with a mournful pout. "I like teaching him, but it hurts because he might try to steal the land from me. It's mine, it has to stay in the family. I need to pass it to my children. That is, if I ever get married." With that melancholy thought pulling her mood down even farther, she unfolded her legs and poured more sake and received some in turn. The beverage was getting easier and easier to drink and it warmed her from the tip of her toes to the top of her head.

"Dating someone would be a good first step," Hiko commented. Did his voice sound dry? No, his tone hadn't changed a bit. He was giving her serious advice for which she was grateful.

But… She sighed. "Date who? No one wants to be with a sweaty tomboy like me. And you're leaving and Aoshi's leaving and I'm just going to die all alone in my dojo. I don't even have a cat for company." Her eyes filled and a tear, unbidden, slipped down her cheek.

"That just means you haven't met the right person yet. Kaoru, if you start weeping, I'm going to leave. Sit up and finish your drink. You can't just leave it sitting there."

Dutifully, Kaoru straightened up and drank as instructed, relishing the now-familiar burn down her throat. "I'm not going to cry," she promised, squinting when she realized there were three Hiko's swimming in front of her. She didn't know he was a triplet. Did they have enough alcohol for all four of them? "I was just sad that everyone's leaving me. But I can do it! Maybe if I become more successful and rich, I can attract a boyfriend."

All three Hikos toasted her with his ochoko. "That's the spirit. Now, tell me more about your lessons with my baka deshi and how you feel about him."

AN: It's been a long and crazy summer and I can't believe half of August is already over. I'll try to keep the updates more regular, but I'm starting a new job next month, which will impact how much free time I have for writing. Still, the story will be completed, even if it's takes longer than I imagined it would.

I'll be responding to reviews shortly. Thanks for reading, I loved hearing all your speculations and comments about what's been happening. Keep them coming!

Next Chapter: Kenshin gets to see Kaoru in her natural habitat and Kaoru sees another side of Kenshin.