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

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

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

Chapter 10: No Turning Back

With Yahiko back for the weekend classes, the current students swarmed around him before and after each lesson. It was nice to see them all excited to see the dojo celebrity return and he good-naturedly basked in their attention, taking the time to call them by name and tease them about how lazy they had become in his absence.

Kaoru couldn't help but smile at the palpable buzz of activity even if it did take longer for everyone to settle down and pay attention. She allowed Yahiko to run two of the beginner classes, simply watching from the sidelines. During his time at school, he seemed to have developed a more easy going demeanor that seemed the opposite of his younger, more rambunctious days. That patience worked well with the children, Kaoru noted with pride. Yahiko also helped out with the intermediate classes, but then he surprised her by insisting on joining as a student in the advanced group.

"Kendo on the university team is great and I'm learning a lot, but I miss having structured lessons," he explained.

That made sense. University teams emphasized training together as a team and winning competitions rather than personal growth. So she agreed.

With all the excitement, the day flew by. At one point, Kaoru caught a glimpse of Aoshi peering into the class, his eyes settling on Yahiko before moving onto her. There was a strange look of yearning in them, as if he wished he was a part of the enthusiastic crowd. But before she could wave him in to join them, he vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

She sighed and told herself it was time to take action on Aoshi. During a brief lull between classes, she texted Aoshi, asking him to meet her after the dojo closed to discuss his successor. It took him thirty seconds to respond back with an agreement.

Although the afternoon held the longest stretch of classes of five in a row, it seemed like minutes before the dojo closed for dinner. Hiko ordered gourmet Szechuan Chinese for them, ignoring Kaoru's genial offers to call Fast China Express, her go-to takeout restaurant instead. Enjoying the food and the company as Yahiko endured teasing from Hiko about a few blushing girls hovering around him, she couldn't help but wish Aoshi was here with them. He had disappeared as soon as his last kempo class was over and was nowhere to be found.

Even worse, Kaoru knew Misao hadn't shown up to any of the classes. Although the lawyer worked in the mornings on Saturday, she used to show up and stay for every single class in the afternoon, not just to spend time with Aoshi, but also hang out with Hiko and other women her age. It was a time of socialization, and the lawyer's infectious laughter could usually be heard all over the dojo, ringing with simple joy. Her absence was conspicuous and even Hiko commented on the perky young woman being missed by his students.

After dinner, there were only two classes left before Kaoru was done. She sent Yahiko home when he finished eating so he could spend some time with his parents, and taught until eight o'clock. Aoshi had one last class until nine. At twenty minutes before, Hiko stuck his head in her office and told her he was leaving. "Don't be too hard on Shinomori," he advised her before heading out.

Kaoru shook her head, wondering how he knew they were going to have a serious talk tonight. But things like that happened so frequently she didn't question it for too long. Hiko was extremely observant, much like Himura was, though he didn't call much attention to it unless there was something to say.

She stared at the resumes and notes she took during the interview of the two candidates, concentrating so hard the words started to blur on the page. Kaoru jerked back to reality when there was a quiet knock on door. Aoshi entered a moment later, taking a seat at his usual cushion in front of her desk. He sat with his back ramrod straight and face stiff with uncertainty. "You made a decision?" he asked.

Glancing at the clock, she realized it was nine twenty-two; right on time. Kaoru had taken most of the hour to think over the entire situation and sort her feelings and thoughts out. In the end, she settled on what she hoped was the right decision. And it was surprising to see how easily the idea came to her and how comfortable she was with it. Perhaps Hiko was right; she shouldn't let fear stop her from doing something and simply trust herself. Lifting her eyes to meet his closed expression, she nodded. "Yes. And I choose…neither." To emphasize her point, Kaoru picked up the sheaf of papers and ripped them in two.

Aoshi didn't twitch, but his eyes darkened from confusion. "I don't understand," he said slowly.

Dropping the scraps on her desk, she leaned forward, locking gazes with him. "I'm not going to choose anyone to replace you. So the only option you have left is to come back." Here, Kaoru's heart started pumping faster and she wiped suddenly sweaty hands on her pants. The words came out in a rush but it didn't diminish her determination. "I'll help you find Takeda. So even if Saitou and the government suspect your involvement, it'll be harder for them to prove it."

It wasn't her most intelligent plan, but Kaoru didn't see any other way to ensure Aoshi would come back. And in the end, she knew she would sacrifice everything - even the dojo - to ensure his safety. The thought made her dizzy with fear and uncertainty, but that was to be expected, given the enormity of the situation. There would be no turning back from this path and she'd do everything in her power to help him.

For his part, Aoshi looked stunned, or as stunned as he could look. "Kaoru," he began carefully. "I appreciate your support. But this isn't your fight. This is mine."

"Your fight is my fight, Aoshi. Just like it was when we were kids, you had my back and I had yours. Now that we're adults, the stakes are higher so I need to be a better friend to you."

"This is too risky for you. The dojo-"

She interrupted him. The best way to make Aoshi concede was to stop his train of protests before he started down the path of righteous melodrama. "The dojo will be fine. I don't plan on either of us getting caught. And it's not like I'm going to be there with you when you confront Takeda or anything. What I mean is, I'll help make arrangements and be your alibi. I can make calls or contact people and help throw suspicion off your trail. Saitou-san is going to be watching you, if he hasn't started already, so I can do things that you might not be able to."

Aoshi stared at her for a long minute but Kaoru refused to back down, gazing back at him with a quirk of her eyebrows. Finally, the stone cold facade cracked and emotion flooded in those green eyes. "If you promise not to put yourself in any danger, then I would be-" here, his voice faltered, the first time he sounded so uncertain. Clearing his throat to regain his usual quiet assurance, he continued, "I would be grateful for your assistance."

Nodding vigorously, Kaoru gave him a small smile of understanding. "Good. So tell me your plans and we'll see what I can do on my end."

He hesitated for a moment before suggesting, "This might be a long discussion. Let's go back to my place. We might as well be comfortable while we talk."

Buoyed by his acceptance and relieved that he had acquiesced so quickly, Kaoru didn't even bother cleaning up her desk full of ripped paper. She left everything as is and followed Aoshi out the door. Locking up the dojo, they stopped by the convenience store to pick up some tea and snacks before they headed towards Aoshi's apartment. As they approached the building, he murmured to her, "Don't say anything about the Takeda situation until I've checked the room over."

She shot him a puzzled glance. "Check it over for what?"

Aoshi didn't respond and simply led the way inside. Kaoru shrugged, figuring she'd find out what he meant eventually. As they entered the apartment, she commented cheerfully, "I'll get the water started for the tea. Do you still have any of that taiyaki left?"

While she busied herself in the kitchenette, Aoshi took out a small, rectangular device and turned it on, scanning it around the entire studio, holding it up to the light fixtures and bookshelf. He went so far as to check the bathroom and his futon before heading to the kitchen and running it over every crevice and nook. Finally satisfied, he turned it off and nodded to her. "There's no listening devices planted to eavesdrop on our conversation so we can talk freely."

Kaoru let out a short laugh of disbelief and astonishment. She hadn't realized he'd become so paranoid that he thought somebody was spying on him. "You live an interesting life, Aoshi."

"Aa." He helped her put the snacks into bowls and carried the tea tray out to the living room. Sitting down on the small couch, he poured them each a cup of hot liquid. "What made you decide to help me?" he asked quietly.

She sighed and accepted the tea. "I couldn't just let you do this on your own. I guess I needed some time to realize how serious you are about this. I mean, I've been hoping the whole time you'd change your mind."

"I know," he replied, his voice even softer than before, and Kaoru knew he was thinking about Misao.

"You should see her one last time before you go," Kaoru said gently.

But he shook his head. "No. We've already said our goodbyes. Seeing her again will only bring more misery than solace." Aoshi glanced at her and attempted a small smile. "Besides, with your help, there is a greater chance I'll return. Then I can start thinking of ways to try and make it up to her."

His words caused a lump to grow in Kaoru's throat because it only confirmed that Aoshi had grown to care deeply for the lawyer. "Okay. Then let's figure out a plan of action. Do you have any idea where Takeda will go after he's released from prison?"

According to Aoshi's research, Takeda was scheduled to be officially freed at seven am at Yokohama Prison on Friday the 29th. He was expecting a trusted henchman to pick him up and take him to a currently undisclosed location. With Takeda's generally suspicious nature, there was no way he would get in the car with a complete stranger, and there were too many cameras at the prison itself to try anything. So Aoshi would have to wait, find out where Takeda was hiding out, and confront him then.

He still had contacts at various levels of the government, he told her, so getting more information shouldn't be too difficult. If all worked out well, Takeda would be dead within a few days from his release. At worst, it would take weeks or even months to ferret out his location and find the right opportunity to kill him.

It disturbed Kaoru to hear Aoshi talk of killing someone so casually but he didn't even flinch. In fact, his eyes flashed dark pleasure every time he talked about getting close to Takeda. She tried not to think that she was helping her friend murder somebody. Even if she wasn't the one who pulled the trigger, she was part of a plan to make it easier for Aoshi. But Kaoru had promised to help and she was committed.

The discussion was long and it was nearly midnight as they finished discussing various angles and plans and contingencies. Kaoru didn't have much to do for the moment, though she would be going out to buy burner phones tomorrow evening, after the dojo closed. She'd suggested some ways to get Aoshi's likeness on the CCTVs nearby to throw government agents off balance. After all, not even Shinomori Aoshi would be able to be in two places at the same time. It wouldn't fool Saitou, but it would be a larger burden of proof for him to show that Aoshi was responsible for Takeda's death if he was supposedly around the dojo.

Aoshi walked her home despite her sleepy protests, though she was secretly grateful for his thoughtfulness; it had been a long day. Kaoru felt peace settling in her soul as she linked arms with him and leaned her head against his arm. Being involved with Aoshi's plans and knowing he could call on her if he needed to made her feel better. She still planned on trying to talk him out of going after Takeda every chance she got until he left, but at least he knew she would support him no matter what.

As they ambled the last fifty steps towards her apartment building, Aoshi murmured, "Kaoru?"

"Hmm?" she asked, eyes half-closed. The eventful day started early with the embarrassing breakfast outburst that still made her cringe every time her thoughts wandered in that direction. Tomorrow would be another long day of classes, though she was thankful the dojo closed at six. She would get to sleep in a little with plenty of time to get ready and head to work by ten o'clock.

"Were you supposed to meet Himura here?"

She jerked completely awake at the name, feeling a familiar rush of confused emotions and uncertainty. Kaoru shot him a puzzled glance. "Um, no. Why?"

"Because he's coming our way and he looks rather irate."

Her eyes followed Aoshi's gaze, eyes widening in confusion. Under the bright street light, Himura did indeed have a peeved expression on his face as he stalked over to them.

"I've been waiting for you for three hours," he informed her tightly. "I've texted and called and you didn't pick up, even though I knew you finished your classes a while ago."

Kaoru released Aoshi's arm and patted her pockets for her phone, then groaned when she realized she left it at the dojo. "It's not like anyone calls me on it anyway," she grumbled.

"It's sitting under the pile of papers at your desk, isn't it?" Aoshi guessed. He stepped aside as Himura stopped mere inches from her. "She forgets it often," he told the red-haired man.

"I do not," she muttered.

"She's also unreliable at texting back."

Kaoru glared at her so-called friend. Whose side was he on anyway? "Aoshi!"

Himura spared him a glance, wariness in his eyes. "Why are you telling me this?"

"So you don't go stomping around in an apoplectic rage, waiting for her," Aoshi replied. "The one good thing is, Kaoru is usually rather easy to find. If she's not at home, she's at the dojo. If she's not at the dojo, she's probably somewhere around the neighborhood either picking up a few groceries or indulging in some boba nearby. She doesn't have a car, so she doesn't go too far."

"Thanks for telling him things about my life that are none of his business," she snapped. "Anything else to add?"

He nodded gravely. "She's also rather mean when she's tired. I suggest you hold back your annoyance and seek her out tomorrow when she's in a better frame of mind."

Fed up with being talked about as if she wasn't right there, Kaoru growled and pushed past Himura to storm up to her apartment. But a hand unerringly caught her right elbow, halting her progress while he spoke to Aoshi in an almost cordial tone.

"Thank you for the advice. Good night."

Aoshi inclined his head, tugged on Kaoru's ponytail which further irritated her, and turned back towards home without another word.

Kaoru didn't want to face Himura but it was the coward's way and she refused to be called a coward. She was also certain Himura wouldn't release her elbow, at least not until he said what he wanted to say. Briefly, she toyed with the idea of using her kempo training to force him to let go, but he wasn't hurting her and she didn't want to use what Aoshi taught her for the wrong reasons and disrespect his teaching.

But that didn't defuse her fury. So when Kaoru finally turned to face him, her eyes burned with resentment at his manhandling. "What was so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow and you came and waited in front of my apartment for three hours which no one asked you to do? And then you have the gall to blame me for your actions?"

Himura pressed his lips together and didn't speak right away. When he did, Kaoru knew he was attempting to control his frustration with her. "I was worried. You ran out of my car earlier this morning without even giving me the courtesy of some type of response, so I decided to give you time to think about it. A whole day should have sufficed and I texted you so we could meet after your classes. When you didn't respond, I thought either you were avoiding me or something terrible happened to you."

Kaoru sighed and some of her anger deflated. In light of his feelings, she supposed it wasn't too far-fetched for him to be concerned for her welfare. "Well, I didn't mean to worry or avoid you," she mumbled, glancing away to stare at her feet. "I was talking with Aoshi and we went over to his apartment afterwards for a long discussion. I just forgot my phone because I was preoccupied."

She could feel his eyes studying her under the streetlamp. "Come over to the house tomorrow," Himura said abruptly. "After your classes, and after my dinner with the Myojins. I'll have dessert and tea ready. We can talk when you're not so tired. Nine o'clock. I'll send a driver for you, there's no bus line where I live."

Considering the offer, Kaoru sighed and realized this was yet another conversation she couldn't avoid. "All right," she agreed.

He released her elbow and the absence of heat from his fingers disconcerted her to the point she rubbed the same spot. "Good night," he said softly.

Risking a quick glance at his face, she saw something like tentative hope from her answer. "Good night," she responded and hurried into the building before his expression could change.

Her heart pounded as Kaoru let herself inside her apartment. With the door shut behind her, she took a moment lean against it and try to calm her racing pulse. The unforeseen encounter with Himura guaranteed she wouldn't sleep well that night, not when he was expecting a response from her. How should she answer him? She didn't know how she felt about him, given her suspicion of his motives from the very beginning. Should she give him a chance?

Kaoru didn't pretend Himura wasn't a good looking man. She had thought that the first time they met. He also had the kind of confidence and boldness that appealed to her nature, someone who wasn't afraid of her temper or her ambitions to grow her business. And when he wasn't in imperial CEO mode, he seemed like a charming enough man. Himura had taken the time to listen to her problems without making her feel guilty about having them and even encouraged her not to give up. He had called her a warrior, and that was nice to hear because Kaoru didn't always believe it.

So under different circumstances, she would have had no qualms about dating him to see where it would lead. But with the current situation, could Kaoru trust him? What if all of this was an act so he could somehow get the property from her with some kind of devious, underhanded trick?

Maybe this was what Hiko was talking about, Kaoru realized as she mechanically took a shower and brushed her teeth to get ready for bed. He was telling her not to be afraid to take a chance. Hiko-san believes in him, she thought as she climbed under her covers. But can I?

As she expected, Kaoru didn't get much sleep and ended up mostly tossing and turning all night. Without the alarm on her phone, she slept uneasily until 9:17. Waking up and finding she had far less time to get ready than planned, she hurried through the usual morning ablutions and ran out of the apartment, trying to smooth her hair up, a hair tie between her teeth. Kaoru arrived at the dojo breathless and her ponytail skewed, but before the first student arrived. It would only leave a bad impression for parents if they saw her coming in late and unprepared.

Hiko clucked his tongue as she burst into her office but Aoshi didn't even blink as he handed her a paper cup of green tea and a chocolate croissant on a plate. "You are a life-saver," she breathed, accepting both items with the intent to wolf them down.

"He even charged your phone for you," Hiko commented blandly. "So you'll have a full battery for your busy day."

Kaoru glanced at Hiko, wondering if he knew she was coming over tonight. Would the master be there? Sometimes it was hard to tell what went through his mind, though Hiko seemed to have no problem reading hers. Deciding to take the path of least resistance, she murmured, "Thanks, Aoshi."

Hiko chortled as if he knew her avoidance of the issue before standing up with a graceful flex of muscles. "Well, I'm going to head to my classroom. Don't eat so fast or you'll get a stomachache, Kaoru." With that advice, he ambled out.

"He's right," Aoshi said. "You should slow down. The children will be fine for a few minutes without you, and Yahiko's already there waiting for them."

Relieved to hear things were covered, Kaoru attempted to chew the croissant before swallowing it. Washing it down with some tea, she breathed in deeply and nodded. "Okay, let's do this."

With a nod, Aoshi followed her out of the office and to their waiting students.

At six-thirty, Kaoru locked the dojo doors. Yahiko had left at four o'clock to go home, shower, and change for his dinner with his family and Himura, and Hiko wandered out an hour later once he was done with the classes. That left just her and Aoshi and they decided to grab a quick dinner from the katsu street vendor.

"So, I didn't appreciate you telling Himura-san all that stuff last night," she said as soon as they sat down on the stools. Ordering the pork katsu, she turned her attention to Aoshi. "Why did you do that? I thought you didn't trust him."

"I don't. But there's obviously something going on between you two and I'm not foolish enough to try and stop it, no matter my own feelings." He paused to order his own meal. "Also, there was that look on his face."

"Oh you mean the look of severe annoyance concentrated completely on me because you ran off and left me on my own?" she asked sardonically.

"Yes, but there was also relief and confusion and uncertainty. He certainly wasn't happy to see you holding onto my arm. A man who experiences that many emotions and waits for a woman for three hours either cares deeply for her or is crazy."

Kaoru sighed and stared down at the countertop. Apparently Aoshi didn't think Himura was crazy and had chosen to believe in the first reason, which was another mark in Himura's favor. "He told me he wanted to date me yesterday morning," she admitted. "And tonight, I'm supposed to go over to his place for dessert and discussion. But don't worry, I think Hiko-san will be there. They live together."

Aoshi raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. What are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know yet. I've thought about it since last night and I'm no closer to an answer." She tapped her fingers on the counter in a frenetic pattern that reflected the state of her mind. "The problem is, I've been so suspicious of him trying to steal the land that I don't really know who he is. Anything he's said over the last month has been colored by my mistrust. Did I tell you he even chose Yahiko for his internship because there was a connection between us?"

"Himura is a businessman. Surely that's not the only reason why Yahiko won the internship."

"No, but it cemented the deal. What am I supposed to think? It seems like he's trying to worm his way into every part of my life, both professional and personal, for some hidden motivation. Hiko-san says he's not and I believe him, but can a good relationship be built off of such distrust?"

"Only you'll know the answer to that," he told her. "If you want it to and as you get to know each other better, those doubts can be overcome and trust will replace suspicion. If there wasn't this past history between you two, would you consider dating him?"

Kaoru fiddled with her napkin, not looking up at her oldest friend lest he see her cheeks stained red. "I mean, I'd at least go on one date with him. He's good looking and he likes kendo."

"So you do have some feelings for him," Aoshi remarked with some surprise. "I should have known. You spent all this time thinking about him. And even that sparring match from six weeks ago between you two was different. Everyone in the room could feel it."

She scowled. "You mean when you accused me of flirting with him? I told you it was nothing but a simple assessment of his skills. I mean, sure it was fun, but I like kendo, not every opponent I face!"

Aoshi raised his brows. "And yet you just said you were interested in him."

Kaoru threw her hands up, abandoning that argument because she knew she wouldn't change his mind. "But does that mean I should act on it? What if he is trying to trick me? Or what if I find I can't trust him after all? Is it worth the confusion and potential heartbreak if I'm wrong?"

Taking his time to consider his response, Aoshi finally replied, "It sounds like you've been asking yourself that same question over and over again, without a clear answer. So perhaps you should evaluate the situation from a different angle. If Himura were to suddenly disappear from your life, how would you feel? Relieved? Happy? Or upset and like you're missing something?"

Kaoru thought about that for a minute, offering an absent smile of thanks as their food came out. "That sounds like a good idea," she said at last. "It's something to mull over and it's definitely better than circling around the same thoughts over and over again." She cast him a dubious look, mildly surprised at his astuteness. "You take one woman out on three dates and all of a sudden you're an expert at relationships. How did you get to be so knowledgeable?"

Sighing, Aoshi stared down at his dinner. "Hiko-san gave me the same advice about Misao," he confessed.

"What?" She stared at him, astonished by the answer. "When?"

"It was several weeks ago when we weren't talking and Misao was asking me out constantly. Hiko-san finally pulled me aside and told me to stop acting like an idiot and accept the proposal, on my terms. Then he told me to consider how I'd feel if Misao wasn't around anymore." Aoshi frowned. "Hiko-san is far too perceptive. He probably knows about Takeda and our plans."

"Oh, he definitely does," Kaoru assured him blithely, remembering her conversation with the master from a couple of weeks ago. "In fact, I'm pretty sure he knows what we're going to do before we even do it. Itadakimasu." She dug into her meal with relish.

Aoshi made some sort of disgruntled noise at the back of his throat before starting to eat as well. "Well, if he hasn't said anything to anyone yet, at least we know he won't share what he knows without good reason. But enough about that for now. How is Yahiko doing?"

The conversation turned to reminiscing about the past and how much Yahiko grew up in his first year at university and what to do with the extra space at the dojo for when Hiko left. Aoshi then headed home while Kaoru stopped by the convenience store to buy several burner phones before going back to her apartment. With disposable technology, it would let her and Aoshi communicate while making it harder to track someone.

It was almost eight when Kaoru finally arrived home. She took a shower to wash off the grime of teaching seven lessons but hesitated on what to wear to Himura's house. Should she dress up or was that too weird? This wasn't a date, was it? After long deliberations, she finally settled for a more casual look. Kaoru shimmied into her favorite white paperbag skirt that stopped a few inches above the knees. For the top, she chose a short sleeved turquoise v-neck that complimented her eyes, and her mother's silver necklace. Briefly, Kaoru debated on putting on some makeup but eventually decided against it. It took her forever to put it on in the first place from lack of practice, and the last thing she wanted to do was mess with something that might end up making her look awful.

Checking herself in the mirror, Kaoru decided it was dressy enough without looking too formal, but with some effort to look nice. She brushed her hair and fluffed it to add some extra volume to the dark locks. A few spritzes of her favorite jasmine scented perfume that always made her feel more than just a sweaty kendo teacher enveloped her enough just to make the senses tingle. Done with getting ready, Kaoru glanced at the clock. She still had some time before Himura's driver came to pick her up. Rummaging around her closet, she found a small purse to put her phone, keys, and wallet in and sat down carefully on the couch to watch some tv. Her phone rang a few minutes later and Kaoru picked up, expecting it to be either Himura or his driver. But a breathless voice responded to her greeting instead.

"Kaoru-san! I think I finally came up with a plan to stop Aoshi-sama from leaving! Do you know where he is?"

"Hi, Misao-san. Uh, Aoshi should be home now. We had dinner together but he left over a half hour ago."

"Perfect, thank you! I have to go, I'll talk to you later!"

"Wait, Misao-san, can you tell me-" Hearing the click as the other woman hung up, Kaoru sighed and finished lamely, "-your plan." Shrugging, she set the phone down and went back to surfing through channels. Whatever the lawyer was planning, she wished her the best.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Kamiya-san, Himura-sama sent me to pick you up," a voice called out.

Turning off the television, Kaoru made sure she had everything she needed and flicked off all the lights except one corner lamp. Hurrying to the closet, she pulled out a light jacket then opened the door. "I'm ready. Thank you for coming all this way for me."

The man, a tall burly figure with short-cropped dark hair and round eyes grinned widely at her. "My pleasure, Kamiya-san. I'm Kurojo, your driver for the evening. Please follow me."

Kaoru slipped on a pair of white strappy sandals and followed him down the stairs. Outside, she shivered from the chilly October air, grateful she had thought to bring a jacket. Darkness already settled in for the night, but Kaoru immediately noticed the white SUV parked in front of the door, gleaming under the lamp. Kurojo opened the back door for her and she slid inside, onto white leather seats that felt buttery soft against her skin. Marveling at the elegant interior, she looked around and noticed the Porsche badge on the steering wheel. Chuckling to herself, Kaoru knew Himura had deliberately sent the European car on purpose in response to her snarky comment yesterday. And just maybe to impress her a little.

Which it did. She had never ridden in one of these luxury cars before. Kurojo climbed into the front seat and started the car which growled out a powerful welcome. When he snapped on his seat belt and dropped the gear into drive, his eyes shifted to the rear view mirror. He offered her a friendly wink. "Ready, Kamiya-san?"

She nodded and clipped on her belt as well. Her heart thudded just a little faster from nerves. "As ready as I'll ever be."

AN: For those in the US, happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the new chapter and let me know what you think. Those mixed feelings about Kenshin are absolutely hilarious to read and some reviewers are scarily perceptive - are you guys, by chance, channeling Hiko?

I am still editing the next chapter because I'm not very happy with it so unfortunately it won't be posted for a bit longer. So as an apology, I have something different planned for next week. Hope you guys will enjoy it!