Thank you for all the wonderful, fantastic reviews! I am having so much fun writing this story and will be sad when it ends too, but I am really looking forward to the special chapter I am planning! I want to write it so bad! LOL! I will give you one hint about it. I had the idea early in the story, but Firuze game me the idea I needed to pull it off, so thank you Firuze! LOL! Now everyone is going to be running to read your reviews to see if they can guess! HEHE!

AthenaSun: I should have known you would use that nickname just to spite me. LOL

Asaka-chan: It did cross my mind to have Kenshin join them, but I thought of something else fun too. ^_^ And if your young enough that you go crying to mummy, you shouldn't be using pickup lines! ROFL

Gypsy-chan: Thanks for your enthusiastic and long review, I loved it! And I know it will be sad when this fic ends, but I think readers like you that have stuck with me will REALLY love the ending…or hate me for it! I guess we will have to wait and see…

Susan: Thanks for reviewing both chapters! I missed you on the last chapter, but now your back! YAY!

Rebecca: Kenshin will be adequately tortured, never fear…HAHAHA! (Oopss, been hanging around Hiko too much again, I know its bad for me…)

Sister Weasel: (Taps fingers on desk and waits…glares at phone and considers calling you…glares at computer and sees BIG GAPING HOLE where your review should be…sisters…SIGH!) Okay, you finally reviewed! Now that you have reviewed and ff.net has finished having problems, I can post! YAY!

Chibi-Angel: (Looks a little guilty) Luna? She went loony from hanging around me too long. (Looks even more guilty now) About the ka and na and yo and whatever he uses at the end of his phrases, I have no clue what they each mean specifically, I just use them randomly, LMAO! Sad, I know.





The Morning After

Chapter 17



(Kyoto – Aoshi & Misao)

"Our special day is almost here Aoshi-sama…"

"Ah."

"Isn't it romantic?"

"Ah."

"Do you love me?"

"Ah."

"Your going to buy me a new wedding kimono, ne?"

"You wish."

Misao made a face at him behind his back.

"I saw that."

Misao gulped and began to edge away. {He is really scary sometimes!}

****

(Tokyo – Sano & Megumi)

"Please stop! I promise I'll try harder!"

"No more promises! I am going to take care of you once and for all!"

He screamed loudly, but it was abruptly cut off.

"Oh hohohoho!"

(Gasping) "Are you trying to kill me?"

Megumi laughs loudly and pushes he head under water again.

"We have to get the dirt behind those big ears! Oh hohoho!"

****

(Tokyo – Kenshin & Kaoru)

"Kenshin?" Kaoru was watching him from the porch while he did the laundry, and she moved to sit beside him while he worked. He smiled at her, but the smile suddenly dropped from his face when she started fluttering her eyelashes at him. He knew what was coming.

"Gomen, Kenshin, but I have something in my eyes!" She started giggling and he just groaned. Everyone had been teasing him all day about the stories Hiko had told about him. He had to do something soon or she was going to spend the rest of their lives laughing at him!

The other practical jokes that had been played that day were Yahiko carrying on a conversation with his shinai, and much worse, Hiko asking Kenshin if he wanted to marry Soujirou! Soujirou even went along with him and faked a broken heart, smiling through the "pain". Kaoru laughed at everything!

Her making fun of him had to be the worst, but what could he do about it? He stared into the soapy water, like he was hoping it would reveal the answer to him. And in a way, maybe it did! He suddenly had a mental picture of a man with wet gloves and a soggy cigarette doing the laundry. "Saitou!" He exclaimed out of nowhere, stopping Kaoru's laughter. "What about Saitou?" She looked completely lost.

Kenshin laughed nervously. "Iiya, it's nothing de gozaru ka!" She looked at him suspiciously, but he hastily went back to his washing, scrubbing one of her Kimonos with a vengeance. He wouldn't look her in the eyes anymore, and she was started to feel annoyed. Sighing, she finally made a move to leave, but before she could, he stopped her.

"Umm…sessha was wondering…" He paused and she waited for him to continue. "Would you consider going with me to the Akabeko tonight for dinner? Just you and I of course do gozaru yo!" He hastily added the last part in case she got the wrong idea. She stared at him in surprise. Was he actually asking her out on a date? Kenshin? She was so shocked she forgot to answer, and he began to fidget nervously.

She finally came to her senses and nodded, and he looked very relieved. Giving her that cute little rurouni smile, he once again went to work on the clothes. She walked off looking just plain confused. Well, perhaps also a little hopeful too! ^_-

For the first time in his life, Kenshin abandoned the clothes he was washing and didn't even bother to dry his hands! He had a date to prepare for!

****

They were at the Akabeko that night, and Kenshin felt like passing out from the fear. Was it really a good idea to try and mimic Saitou's date? Probably not, but he had made it this far and he couldn't back down now! Kaoru was dressed up very nicely, and he couldn't stop staring at her. She was talking with Tae and looking more beautiful than he had ever seen her. He snapped out of his trance when Tae mentioned food.

He snuck a peek in his little bag where he kept his money and sweat dropped. Ordering the cheapest food on the menu would be no problem. In fact, it was going to be a necessity! {Maybe Tae-dono needs her laundry done…}

"So what will it be?" Tae asked with a smile. Kaoru started to answer but Kenshin cut her off quickly. "What is the cheapest thing you have de gozaru?" Tae and Kaoru gave him a funny look and the latter tried to reason with him. "Kenshin, if money is a problem I can help you pay for the dinner."

He shook his head and gave them a nervous smile. "I still want the cheapest thing you have de gozaru na!" Kaoru was starting to glare at him. Tae looked confused but gave in and went to get the order, glancing back at the pair as she walked away. Kenshin was obviously not acting like himself. "What is your problem Kenshin? You're acting strange tonight!"

"Iiya, nothing is wrong! What makes you think that?" He was so nervous he forgot his usual de gozaru whatever. That more than anything made her really suspicious. She glared at him until Tae came back with the food. "Here you are! Would you like anything to drink? Tea?" Then she gave Kenshin an amused smile. "Or maybe water? It is cheaper!"

He felt like sinking through the floor, but nodded in agreement instead. Before Tae could leave to get it though, he gritted his teeth and yelled "Wait!" loudly enough to get the other people in the restaurants attention. Everyone was staring at them now! Tae and Kaoru turned to him once again, Kaoru looking very embarrassed at all the attention. "What is your problem now Kenshin!" she hissed.

"Sessha…sessha thinks Kaoru should get the water instead!" Both of them stared at him blankly, and he unconsciously inched closer to the wall behind him. "Why?" Tae finally asked. Kenshin started turning really, really red and his scar stood out is stark relief. "Because…then we won't have to tip you so much de gozaru yo!" He cringed and ducked, expecting a bokken to come his way at any second. He knew the way she could pull it out of nowhere that she was probably hiding it in her clothes.

Guess what? He was right. WHAM! He may have ducked, but she saw him do it and aimed lower. "KINSHIN NO BAKA!" she yelled. Getting up and pushing past a shocked Tae, she stomped out, leaving the poor rurouni swirly-eyed and too out of it to even try Saitou's proposal tactic. The whole date was a disaster!

****

It was much later that evening and Kenshin was walking home alone after Tae managed to revive him. He was holding his head and muttering to himself. The streets were deserted, but anyone who might have met him while he walked would have guessed he was drunk.

He made it about half way when he heard the voice of the LAST person he wanted to see right then. "Been drinking away your sorrows Battousai?" Kenshin glared in the direction of the voice and saw Saitou leaning on a nearby building. He could hardly see him in the darkness. "Your advice stinks de gozaru ka!"

Saitou looked honestly surprised. "What advice?" Kenshin then proceeded to tell him about the disaster of a date. When he finished, Saitou laughed. "That wasn't meant to be advice. And anyway, I left out one important detail." Kenshin waited to hear what think detail was, and he wasn't disappointed. "I was so impressed with Tokio because she cared enough not to ruin my reputation or kill my pride by attacking me in public. Kamiya- san on the other hand isn't like that, obviously. Thanks for the laugh Battousai, patrolling the street can get very dull this time of night."

He walked off laughing into the darkness. Poor Kenshin. Was he upset? Or maybe so devastated that he'll never be able to face Kaoru again? No, not at all! In fact, I think he looked much happier! He headed back to the dojo with an interesting look on his face, one I can't really describe. At least I can tell he looked determined, and maybe out to get a little revenge on Saitou. I guess we will see!

When he arrived back at the dojo, the only one present was Kaoru who was fuming on the porch. She glared at him as he approached. "You had better have a good explanation for how you were acting back there! I have never been more embarrassed in my life!" He smiled in the face of her anger instead of the usual cowering, and it gave her a pause.

"I have an excuse. It all started yesterday when I talked to Saitou…" He recited the whole story to her, despite the promise he made to Saitou that he wouldn't tell. Inwardly Kenshin was thinking {So what if I am breaking my promise and killing Saitou's pride. But what's that when my love life is at stake? Wait, make that my life PERIOD is at stake!}

When his story was finished, Kaoru was in tears. From laughing of course! He looked very relieved at her response and smiled happily. He cowered though when she stopped laughing and threatened him if he EVER tried to follow that jerk Saitou's example again she'd kill them both! He believed her capable of it too and promised that was one mistake he wasn't going to make again. She calmed down immediately.

But later that night, Kaoru couldn't sleep. Unknown to Kenshin, she had been worrying a lot over their relationship as well, and trying to think of what she could do about it. She wanted a proposal, but so far nothing like that had happened, and she was getting impatient. So now, it's her turn to plot! If she sat back and waited for Kenshin, she would obviously be an old lady with gray hair and every body part sagging before he would get around to it! What kind of devious ideas will her mind come up with, and whom will she get involved in her schemes?





Well, that concludes chapter 17! I hope you guys are enjoying this and I really want your opinions! Thank you to everyone who has kept with this story for so long! I am still not sure how I want to deal with Kenshin and Kaoru, so ideas are appreciated, LOL! Thank you so so so so much! ^_^