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 action

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

Chapter 13: When You Think You Know a Person

October 18th

The next morning, Kaoru took some time to scrub the bathroom clean and tidy up the living room. Then she dusted and vacuumed everywhere. While she wasn't at her apartment long enough to make a big mess and her place was usually presentable, she was more fastidious about cleaning the dojo than her apartment. A part of her recognized it was because she considered the dojo her actual home and this place was merely temporary. Kaoru was reminded of that fact when Kenshin had asked her why she lived away from the dojo. Someday soon, she'd move back to her childhood home and hopefully create new memories with a family of her own.

But she didn't dwell too long on that thought. Once the cleaning was done, Kaoru took a quick trip to the local market and stocked up on some snacks, drinks, and dessert. Not knowing what Kenshin preferred, she decided to pick up a few of the popular items and hope he'd like at least one thing she bought.

With her cleaning and errands done, Kaoru started for the dojo with an extra bounce in her step. The giddy feeling from two days ago returned in full force. The next ten hours was going to be torture, waiting. She'd have to find a way to pass the time; perhaps she'd do some training of her own to burn off the excess energy.

A brown-haired man flashed her a friendly smile as he passed by and Kaoru returned the gesture absentmindedly before dismissing him completely. But before she took another two steps, someone called out behind her, "Hey, Jou-chan!"

Blinking, Kaoru stopped and glanced around the street to see no one else around the immediate vicinity. She looked over her shoulder. "Um, you mean me?"

The brown-haired man grinned. "Yeah, you. I've seen you around here a few times. Do you live in this neighborhood?" He ambled closer, his posture relaxed and slightly slouched. Wearing distressed jeans and a white, sleeveless muscle shirt with the word 'Bad' scrawled diagonally in red letters, the casual clothes hung somewhat loosely on his lean figure. Despite the boyish behavior, he looked several years older than her.

"I live around here," she acknowledged noncommittally.

The man continued to grin. "Yeah, I thought so. You run the Kamiya dojo, right? I'm Sagara Sanosuke. I moved into the area a couple of weeks ago. Since I keep spotting you on the street, I thought I'd finally introduce myself."

"Ah. Welcome, Sagara-san. I'm Kamiya Kaoru, owner of the dojo." Kaoru bowed in greeting, remembering that she had seen him on-and-off around the neighborhood for a while now. "I almost ran into you last week, right?"

"Yeah, but it's okay. You looked like you had a lot on your mind that day. I've been meaning to stop by and check out your business, but I usually work nights and most weekends as a security guard." He glanced down the street where the dojo was. "I hear good things about your place."

"I'm flattered. We certainly try to be as neighborly as possible." Kaoru studied him to check out his physique for clues to his potential interests. The loose clothes couldn't quite disguise wiry strength in his arms or the subtle shift of muscles at the torso. But 'security guard' didn't quite seem to fit him. Sagara had the look of a club bouncer who didn't mind a fight or two. "Are you a martial artist?"

Sagara chuckled. "Naw, I'm just a brawler. I've never had any formal training, but I heard you guys have some great hand-to-hand instructors." He winked. "Any chance I can get into the women's only self-defense class?"

Despite herself, Kaoru found her mouth twitching from amusement. She had been begged by numerous men to be allowed into the class, and of course their purposes were to flirt with the female students. Because it would be detrimental to the business, she always refused on the grounds of protecting the women-only prerogative to train without fear of being judged by men. But the brown-haired man was obviously joking so Kaoru simply shook her head. "Sorry, Sagara-san, but that won't be possible. Of course, you're free to talk to the instructor about starting a male-only class."

He made a face. "That's a terrible idea. No guy would ever come to a class like that. Well, I'll let you go, Jou-chan. It was nice meeting ya."

"And you." Kaoru bowed again before heading towards the dojo again, amused at his easy going demeanor. Sagara Sanosuke seemed like the kind of man who considered everyone his best friend despite the short acquaintance.

"Hey, Jou-chan!"

Kaoru turned around yet again as Sagara approached her with a disarming, sheepish grin. "Yes?"

"So I had to pay my rent and I won't get paid for another few days. Do you have a couple of extra yen I could borrow for some food? You know, now that we're friends and all?"

Mouth dropping open at the brazen request, Kaoru realized she was looking at a first-class mooch.

"Kaoru, we'll need to meet tomorrow to go over a few things."

Kaoru nodded, grabbing her phone and keys and a wallet that was significantly lighter than it was in the morning thanks to the new neighbor. Kenshin had just texted to say he was on the way to her apartment so she had to hurry to make sure she got there before him. "Sure, Aoshi. When tomorrow?"

"Lunch? Since Himura canceled his lessons for the week." He obligingly stepped out of her office so she could close the door.

"Okay, sounds good. Oh, how's Misao-san? Have you guys talked?"

Instantly, Aoshi's expression darkened. "We'll be meeting soon."

That didn't sound good. Kaoru considered asking what was going on, but from her friend's glower, it didn't look like a smart idea at the moment. She could also ask Misao directly since the lawyer would be more upfront. "Um, okay. Well, I have to rush home, can you finish closing up?"

"Yes. Enjoy your date. And remind Himura if he does anything inappropriate, I'll kill him." His deadpan expression and tone might make others think he was joking, but Kaoru knew he wasn't.

Scowling at him, she exclaimed, "Aoshi!" Deciding to lecture him tomorrow, she shot him a warning glance before hurrying out.

The ten minute walk to her apartment was made in a four minute sprint and Kaoru let herself inside, panting slightly from both the run and nerves. She toed off her shoes, half tripping over them in her haste to turn on the living room lamp and get the snacks ready. By the time the food were arranged on a plate and the water heated, Kenshin knocked on the door. As Kaoru let him in, she was instantly hit with a mouthwatering aroma wafting from the bag in his hand. "Korean fried chicken!" she exclaimed.

Kenshin chuckled. "And a hello to you too." He shut the door behind him and took off his shoes. Having discarded his jacket and tie somewhere, Kenshin looked relaxed in his charcoal pinstripe pants and white shirt unbuttoned at the throat. "This place just opened up down the street from my office. My employees have been abuzz about how good it was, so I figured you'd enjoy it too."

"I love it. It's usually eaten with some sort of alcohol. Do you like to drink? I might have something."

"I brought a few cans of beer. I may drink one but since I have to drive home, I won't indulge in more than that." Kenshin side-eyed her. "I know you don't have much tolerance for alcohol so if you decide to drink, I'm going to place a limit on you."

Remembering the hangover and subsequent mistakes from a couple of weeks ago, she shuddered. "No need. I'm fine with just water." Kaoru set aside the snacks while Kenshin took out the still-warm chicken, the pickled radishes, and three cans of beer.

"I got half spicy, half soy garlic. Is that okay? I noticed when you ate your bibimbap you didn't add in all the red spicy sauce."

"That's perfect. I like both. What about you?" Kaoru brought out two plates and extra napkins before sitting down.

"I like both too. But before we start eating…" Kenshin stepped close. He cupped her face with both hands and leaned down to press a lingering kiss on her lips. "Hello."

Flushing at his forward behavior despite how her lips tingled from the intimate touch, Kaoru swatted him away. "What are you doing? We need to eat before the chicken grows cold!"

Kenshin grinned and scooted his chair closer to hers. "It makes it easier to share," he explained with an innocent expression. "Itadakimasu!"

In between bites, they chatted about their day. Kaoru mentioned meeting Sano who somehow managed to finagle twenty-five hundred yen from her. "Luckily he lives around the corner from the dojo so I'm definitely going to get my money back," she finished darkly.

"He sounds like quite a character. Are you sure he's harmless? What if he keeps asking for money?"

"No problem, I'll just whack him a few times with a bokken. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy to hit a girl back." Kaoru grinned at him, hearing an undercurrent of worry. "Stop frowning. I'm a great judge of character. Now, tell me how your day was. How's Yahiko? He hasn't stopped by the dojo since he started his internship. The brat hasn't even texted me!"

Kenshin chuckled. "He's doing great and learning fast. Enthusiastic, asks a lot of good questions, and he catches on very quickly. Today, he was helping two department section chiefs on a variety of projects and they're all singing his praises. He's been staying late as well, though I'm going to limit that as much as possible. If he keeps this up, I'm going to offer him a temporary position during his break."

Even though she expected as much, hearing Kenshin compliment Yahiko so much caused her stomach to churn uneasily. Her former student seemed to be enjoying the new experiences much more than she expected. "That's great."

Something in her voice must have not sounded sincere because Kenshin put his half-eaten wing down and peered at her. "Are you okay?"

Note to self, stop forgetting he's extremely observant, Kaoru scolded herself. Under his expectant gaze and patience, she sighed and set her chicken leg down, wiping her fingers with a napkin. "Yes, I'm fine. It's nothing."

"It doesn't sound like it's nothing."

She eyed him warily, debating whether or not to explain her thoughts. "You'll think I'm ridiculous for thinking such things."

"I wouldn't."

Between his firm tone and unwavering gaze, Kaoru knew Kenshin was serious. He probably also wouldn't let her get away with simply dropping the issue since she didn't let him get away with a flippant answer two days ago. Kaoru exhaled slowly. "It's just that…Yahiko has been coming to the dojo since he was five. My father taught him first and when I was promoted to assistant master, I took over his training. We've gotten closer as he's grown older. When he went away to university, it was really weird not seeing him around every day. And now when I look at him, I see a confident, talented young man who might be losing interest in kendo. Or at least the dojo." Kaoru smiled but it felt wobbly, even to her. "Before he went to university, he told me his goal was to graduate and come back to teach as the assistant master. Now with all the new opportunities he has, that might not happen."

Kenshin listened intently and when she finished, he chuckled and his shoulders relaxed. "I don't think you have to worry too much about that, Kaoru. Yes, he's learning a lot and enjoying the corporate side of things, but whenever he's asked about his goals after graduation, all he talks about is about the dojo. His love for kendo really comes out in his eagerness and dedication. And while I'd love to ask him to come work for me full time after he graduates, I won't."

Kaoru frowned. "Why not?"

"Because I know I'll be turned down. Yahiko-kun is smart and motivated and he'd do well, but he doesn't want to join that type of business. His true love has always been for kendo and the relationships it forms." He leaned forward to touch her hands gently with his. "He wants to have a taste of these new opportunities, but he'll never stray. You won't lose him."

His words reassured Kaoru so much that her smile widened in gratitude. "Thanks for the encouragement."

The disarming grin on Kenshin's face lent a more boyish look to his youthful features. "My pleasure. See, I told you I was good at listening."

She laughed at the smug tone and nodded. "You're right, you are. I guess it's a good thing you don't charge by the hour."

Their conversation turned into more casual subjects and while Kaoru didn't usually have a problem with silence since she'd been lifelong friends with Aoshi, she found herself talking and laughing with Kenshin so much it felt natural. It had been a long time since her last boyfriend and she'd forgotten how fun and exciting the beginning of a new relationship was.

As they cleaned up the food and drinks, Kenshin volunteered to wash the few dishes they'd used while Kaoru made more tea. "Do you have more work to do at home?" she asked, glancing at the clock. It was almost eleven, and she didn't want Kenshin to stay up late again. It would be a dangerous drive back to his house from her apartment if he was tired from all the late nights.

Kenshin shrugged, busy scrubbing a plate. "I always have work to do, but for today, nothing that can't wait until tomorrow." He glanced at her as if he read her worry. "Twenty minutes isn't too long of a drive anyway."

"It is after a long day of work," she protested.

He chuckled. "I'm used to it, but thanks for your concern. And actually, Shishou is talking about moving back to Kyoto for a while. I think he's lost his taste for living in the city. So I'll probably end up getting an apartment somewhere closer to downtown. Let me know if you hear of anything at a reasonable price with car parking options."

Kaoru shot him a surprised glance as she assembled her mother's tea set. "That's sad to hear, I was hoping Hiko-san would stay around here so I could visit him occasionally. But why wouldn't you just keep staying at your house?"

"Oro? What house?"

Kaoru blinked and stared at the man at her sink who'd just finished rinsing the last plate and set it on the drying rack. "The house in Futako-Tamagawa. Where you invited me over two days ago."

Kenshin wiped up any last remaining water droplets around the sink, wrung the rag free of liquid, and set it on the faucet to dry before turning to face her. "That's not my house."

"Then whose house is it?" A brief moment of panic flashed through her mind, overcoming the confusion. Did Kenshin somehow 'borrow' the house to impress her? But he acted like he knew where everything was, so that couldn't be it.

But before her imagination continued thinking up any more unlikely scenarios, Kenshin clicked off the stovetop heat and picked up the whistling kettle. "That's Shishou's house. He likes staying there when he's in Tokyo because it's very private with all the trees around. You can't really see it from the front yard, but there's quite a large tract of land surrounding the house at the sides and back so it feels like the house is isolated."

The information threw Kaoru off balance as she absorbed what he just so casually said. "Hiko-san owns the house? And land?"

"Sure. It's not his biggest house, but he says it gives him some illusion of space in such a crowded city."

"Not his biggest house?" she repeated in a slightly louder tone to make sure she heard right and wasn't misunderstanding Kenshin's words.

Kenshin finished pouring the hot water into the infuser and set the kettle down. Turning to face her, he broke into a wide smirk. "So I guess he never told you anything about his background, huh?"

Had her head not been spinning, Kaoru wouldn't have found his amusement at her expense at all charming. But preoccupied, she sagged against the counter as she tried to come to terms with the fact that Hiko owned property. And a lot of it, from how Kenshin was talking. "So…Hiko-san is rich?" That would explain his never ending source of money whenever they went out to eat because he always paid despite her being the employer, even at the most expensive places. She just never thought he was that wealthy because he didn't act like someone would if they were well off.

To her horror, Kenshin snorted. "'Rich' is an understatement." Grinning wickedly, he leaned closer to her and almost whispered his next words. "Shishou owns a third of the entertainment and publication businesses in the country. He heads a lot of magazines, newspapers, radio, and television studios."

Kaoru felt her knees buckle and she gripped the counter for support lest she fall over. From the sound of it, Hiko apparently wasn't just rich, he was probably one of the richest men in the country. "H-he does?" she said weakly.

"Yep. If I named a few, you've probably heard of them since they're mainstream media. " Kenshin picked up the tea tray and headed to the living room. Kaoru followed like a stiff puppet on strings.

"He doesn't act like a gazillionaire," she remarked casually, half hoping Kenshin would burst out into laughter and tell her he was joking.

But he didn't. Setting the tray down on the coffee table, he took a seat on her couch. "He doesn't," Kenshin agreed. "But don't be fooled, he knows exactly what's going on in each of his companies. You know Shishou, he won't let anyone get away with anything. He has extremely competent managers who send him frequent reports, so he knows when he has to intervene."

"Oh." Kaoru tried to wrap her head around this sudden news by latching onto something more concrete. "So why wouldn't you just stay there even if Hiko-san left?"

Kenshin shrugged. "Shishou will take the house staff with him so it'll be pretty empty. I'd be fine living alone but it's too big of a house for just one person. The emptiness of it would eventually drive me crazy. Besides, if I find a place around here, I'd be closer to work. And you."

Shaking her head, Kaoru tried to think everything through in a logical, cogent manner. She eased down next to him, still frowning. "So you don't own a house yourself?"

"No. I've always just rented. When Shishou came to Tokyo four years ago, he let me move in with him so I could save some money."

Instead of explaining things more clearly, that incongruous statement puzzled her even more. Kaoru wondered just how many more surprises were left in store for her when it came to Kenshin and Hiko.

But just as she was about to ask why a CEO of a successful company needed to save money, another sudden thought occurred to her, one that made her stomach churn uneasily. "But then…does that mean you're his heir?" The sheer idea that the man she was dating would one day be that rich made her insides twist into knots.

Puzzled, Kenshin tilted his head. "His heir? No, why?"

"Um, because you're his student! Hiko-san has never talked about his family before, so I'm assuming he has none alive."

"He doesn't have any near relatives, no. And he's not close to the remaining ones either. But his heir is currently a distant cousin, as far as I know. Shishou doesn't discuss this with me, as he shouldn't." Kenshin peered at her, brows slightly furrowed. "You know, I imagine most women would be happy if the man they were dating was going to inherit a lot of money. But you look like you're about to run screaming from your own apartment."

Kaoru relaxed slightly when she heard Kenshin was not going to inherit Hiko's companies. "Having money means a huge host of problems and I really just don't have time to deal with it. How does Hiko-san get away from those types of reporters who try to pick up gossip and take pictures of compromising positions to twist into a salacious story?"

He chuckled. "Easy. He owns most of those types of gossip magazines. And they know better than to spread rumors about the man who signs their paycheck. Even the ones he doesn't own are careful what they say about him and probably go out of their way not to mention his name at all. Shishou can be rather forceful when he wants to be."

"I can imagine," Kaoru murmured. The stunning revelation of Hiko's background slowly started to fade. "I can't believe I employed one of the richest men in the country as a self-defense teacher. Can you?"

Kenshin chuckled, eyes crinkling at the corner. "Yes, because that's what Shishou has been doing for the past four years. And he really enjoyed it too, from what I could tell."

"What do you think he'll do after he leaves the dojo?" Kaoru asked, reaching out to pour the tea into each cup.

"I think he mentioned something about pottery, but I'm not really certain. Shishou always finds a new hobby, concentrates on it for a while, and then moves on to something else. I think the challenge helps him from getting bored." Kenshin leaned forward, catching her gaze. "But let's not talk about Shishou anymore. I'm much more interested in the woman in front of me. And I have a somewhat sensitive question I want to ask you."

Raising her brows, Kaoru cocked her head slightly. "Okay, what is it?" she asked.

He seemed to consider his words carefully. "Well, I've been curious about something. But don't be offended by it, I just want the entire matter clarified."

Even more intrigued and puzzled by his words, Kaoru nodded. "Okay, sure, I'll keep an open mind. Ask away."

"Have you ever considered Shinomori as a love interest?"

The query should have been expected but it has been so long since someone asked it that Kaoru was rendered speechless. She almost choked from shock and amusement. Of course Kenshin would ask, considering how protective Aoshi had been of her. Drawing back so she could stare at him straight in the eyes, Kaoru answered in a firm tone, "No. Kami, no. That will never, ever happen."

"But you act so close," Kenshin pointed out. "And you said your parents were friends."

"We can be that close because we know there's no chance of us ending up together." Wistfully, Kaoru recalled the happy memories of her childhood that flashed through her mind, back when both sets of parents were alive. "We basically grew up together but we didn't always had the best of relationships. He was a few years older than me and a boy at that. It was more like we were constantly thrust together because of our parents. But Aoshi was always there for me when I needed help. And I'd like to think I kept him from being too serious all the time with the scrapes I got us into against his will."

Kenshin finally leaned back to put some space between them, a thoughtful expression on his face. "So he's always been that reticent."

"He had to grow up fast. His father was always sickly so his mom worked long hours to support the family and pay for the hospital bills. Aoshi came over to the dojo every day after school. My dad realized he needed an outlet for all the stress and got him into kendo and then eventually into kempo." Kaoru glanced at Kenshin. "I think our parents sort of hoped we'd fall in love, but they never pushed us. I imagine they realized early on, just like Aoshi and I did, that we wouldn't really suit each other. Whether Aoshi recognizes it or not, he needs someone who'll try to understand him and coddle him a little. I'm more of a deal-with-it personality and I won't put up with his brooding. Misao-san is a much better match for him." Kaoru paused and raised an eyebrow at him, realizing she could turn the tables back on him. "And speaking of which, I could ask the same about you and Misao-san."

Kenshin grinned. "That's true. Misao-chan and I didn't grow up together, but her grandfather and Shishou have been friends for a long time. So while we met once or twice a year, they were just brief interactions. With the age difference, we were never expected to be friends. I never saw her as anything more than the granddaughter of my master's friend. We only got closer when she started at the company. We work really well together, but that's it. Nothing else has ever crossed our minds."

Kaoru nodded. Although she hadn't seen Misao and Kenshin interact together, she understood being close to someone didn't mean one was in love with them. "Well, there you have it. Are you satisfied?"

"Yes. I didn't really want to have to fight Shinomori but the way he acts towards me especially when we're together made me wonder. Are you sure he feels the same way as you?"

"Yes," she said firmly. "We had a discussion about that. Also, Aoshi isn't the kind of guy to date someone else if he's in love with another. Extremely loyal, remember? To him, it would be better to be alone than to pretend affection with someone else."

Kenshin chuckled and Kaoru noticed his body relaxed at her reassurances. "Okay, you convinced me. I was just making sure." He leaned forward again suddenly, catching Kaoru off-guard so they nearly knocked heads together. Caressing her cheek with his thumb, his voice dropped into a murmur. "Also, I recall stating that the loyal one is you. Shinomori is lucky to have you on his side." Drawing back with a long sigh, Kenshin glanced at his watch. "I'd better go. It's getting late and I have boring logistic meetings all day tomorrow. It wouldn't look good if I started falling asleep in them."

Disappointed that the evening was coming to an end, Kaoru nodded. They cleaned up the tea tray together and then she walked him to the door. "Be careful on your way home."

"I'll call you tomorrow," Kenshin promised as he slipped his shoes on. "Good night."

"Good night." Kaoru leaned against the door, watching him take the steps down. When he was out of sight, she sighed and shut the door. Kaoru was a little surprised to be missing him already, but tonight had gone smoothly without any of the first date awkwardness. The instant he arrived, her nerves settled and she hadn't felt so comfortable with someone in a long time. On top of that, their conversations were filled with all sorts of interesting information not just about Kenshin, but Hiko as well. "Just when you think you know a person," Kaoru murmured, wondering what else she would learn next.

Oh yeah, my foreshadowing skills are so awesome. :P

Next Chapter: Aoshi's plans (or whatever he wants to call them) continue. Kaoru learns something surprising about Kenshin from Hiko.