Disclaimer: Nobuhiro Watsuki is the owner of Rurouni Kenshin and all of its characters.
A/N: Hi!! Are you all enjoying the ride thus far? ^^ I hope so!! Not much to say today... Prepare yourselves for a cliffhanger, just a warning. *hint hint* Happy reading!
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Kenshin awoke to the sound of the boats setting out to the sea for the morning's catch at the pier. Ruffling his hair, he stared out the window as the gentle rays of sun played around amusingly on his face. Opening the window, a tender breeze came streaming in to blend with the shadows in their little dark room, causing his friend on the other bed to stir in his sleep. Kenshin smiled at Sano as he watched his eyelids twitch from the sunlight. The former gangster hadn't taken a bath the previous night, and he stunk. Kenshin rose from his bed to help himself to the shower.
Moments later, he came stepping out, feeling refreshed as he rubbed his head with a towel to dry off his flaming red hair. People often thought he dyed it due to its natural radiant color. Sano appeared to be awake, as he sat up on his bed, rubbing his eyes. Kenshin was already dressed, and he greeted him gently.
"Morning Sano."
His friend mumbled in response and lugged himself over to the bathroom. Kenshin excused himself from their room to meet Aoshi and Misao back in the lounge.
"Morning Himura!"
"Ohayou, Misao."
Kenshin gave a bright smile to his friend as Aoshi came back from his trip to the café, carrying a tray of coffee and croissants.
"Ohayou, Aoshi."
Aoshi nodded in greeting, and set the tray down on the coffee table as they seated themselves on the armchairs. Misao had to have a few questions.
"Himura, what was yesterday's meeting about anyway?"
Aoshi sipped his coffee and responded.
"They wanted the world kendo champions to gather in order to plan for the next championship tournament."
"Is that all?"
Kenshin shook his head.
"They wanted a few volunteers to be the judges."
Misao's face brightened.
"Did any of you volunteer?"
Kenshin pointed to Aoshi, and she grinned.
"Aoshi-sama, you should've told me earlier!"
They couldn't help noticing the light tint of red on his cheeks as he tried to cover it by sipping his coffee. His embarrassment was easily visible.
"Himura, you didn't volunteer?"
"I prefer to actually BE in the tournament. I find it uncomfortable especially when I get into the excitement. It's aggravating to watch the others have all the fun when all you get to do is grade them on their skills..."
Misao chuckled and patted his back.
"I can clearly see your character, Himura."
Kenshin smiled, and from the corner of his eye he saw Sano come walking down the stairs.
"Sano, over here!"
Sanosuke placidly walked over to the three of them, and took up a croissant. He un-elegantly devoured it.
"What's today's plan?"
Aoshi bent over to place his cup on the table.
"We'll be having free time until 5:00 today. I want you all back here by 5:30 to get ready."
Kenshin turned abruptly to Aoshi.
"Get ready for what?"
"A party is scheduled for 6:30 tonight over at the head judges' house. Sano, I don't want to see any jeans, khakis, or t-shirts."
Sano grumbled as he sat down. Kenshin cocked his head, puzzled.
"How is it that Sano can go to the party? He doesn't have any association with any kendo club...well, not that I know of..."
Aoshi sighed as Sano whistled innocently behind Kenshin.
"They said to bring any friends who wishes to come. Depends on whether or not he wants to go."
Sano paused for a second, taking his time to think.
"If it means free food, I'm in."
"Would a simple skirt be presentable?"
Aoshi gave a glance at Misao.
"I'd prefer it to be a long skirt, at the least. I know a good boutique around here. You should come with me today."
Misao blushed at the thought of having Aoshi take her clothes shopping, but she nonetheless felt joyous. Sano stood and headed to the front door.
"Well, Saturday's just a plain old gambling day for me. Those French people have skill."
With that, he walked out onto the streets.
"What about you, Himura?"
Kenshin gave Misao a smile.
"I wanna get to know Paris. I'll probably wander around."
"If that's the case, here."
Misao handed him a few euros. (European money) Kenshin's eyes began to widen.
"Misao, I can't take this!"
"Himura, I KNOW you hardly have any money."
He looked away, blushing slightly. He was truly talented at the sword, but all he did for a living was to work at a cashier at some local supermarket, and give a few kids some private lessons. He hardly needed anything, and he only needed the money to buy Shishou's sake and their food. Aoshi chimed into the discussion.
"You ought to buy yourself a tuxedo or a suit or something, Himura."
"Here, I'll just give you a few coins in case you need to use the public telephone to call my cell. Other than that, you'll just have to regret not accepting my cash."
Misao gave Kenshin a wink, and he accepted the coins. That was a lot for him. Misao stood up with Aoshi and began to head for the door.
"I'll get you a suit if I find one."
"That's too much! I can't have somebody just go out and spend a hundred bucks for me!"
She punched him lightly in the shoulder.
"I'm not letting you go to the party in rags darlin'. Have fun!"
With that, the two of them left the building. Kenshin sat there for a while, thinking where to go, and finally stood up with his hands stuffed in his pockets of his khakis. He walked out to the flush of fresh air and slowly walked down la rue.
11:30 am, Kenshin let his feet take him to curious places in Paris, snooping into small confectioners shops to have a sample of their luscious chocolates displayed in their windows, or even step into little parks where chairs and tables were set outside on sunny days where old men gathered in silence for a game of chess. An old man of rosy-cheeks who wore a navy beret grinned at him once, challenging him lightly to a game of checkers in rapid French. Kenshin accepted, but lost immediately after a few moves. Sano's words were true. These French people had skill. The old man chuckled at his victory and patted his hand. He stood up shakily, clutching his cane, and politely excused himself as he walked away, blending into the mass of people out on the sidewalks.
* * *
Misao hummed amusingly as she sorted through the racks of dresses, all made of pure silk and fine embroidery here and there. Aoshi looked through the array of suits, searching for quality brands and materials with an expressionless face.
"Aoshi-sama how's this?"
Aoshi turned to see Misao holding a dress against her slim figure. It was a shade of dark gray, with a thin see-through layer of black material over the entire dress, made of silk. Silver and white beads glistened here and there and were sown in with the embroidery. Aoshi smirked when she turned away, distracted. In his eyes, she had really good taste.
"Go try it on."
She grinned at him, and she ran off to the fitting rooms while he continued to sort through the suits. He was starting to lose interest. They all practically looked the same...
"Aoshi-sama!"
In minutes, she came walking back to him with her dress. Its style matched Misao's body figure perfectly, showing off the slim waist and oval neckline. It could have been almost considered a sleeveless dress, but it covered her shoulders slightly, with white beads sown in along the edges. The bottom skirt portion was long, just enough so that it revealed about one inch of her feet. She smiled at him, with a hint of blush on her little cheeks.
"Do you think it's-"
"Great?"
Misao stared, and after a few seconds, nodded.
"Sure, I think it fits you...quite nicely."
She sighed happily, and began to walk back to the fitting rooms.
"That settles it then! I'm done!"
Aoshi quickly picked out a suit for himself, as well as one for Himura, and quickly took Misao's dress to the cashier to pay. Misao gave him the money to pay for all three items. Aoshi gave her a curious glance.
"I thought I was going to be the one paying..."
She waved a finger at him as she accepted the change.
"YOU paid for my ticket to GET here, so I pay for your suit. Now stop complaining at take the bag as you go out."
The woman at the cashier couldn't help smiling at the young taciturn man as he smirked, following the energetic girl out the door with their new clothes. He opened the door for her, and after the girl gave him a smile of complete joy, she took his hand and began running down the street. Together, they took off out of her visible range. Winter was coming, and romance seemed to linger in the air as summer faded into a deep sleep.
* * *
Kaoru finished off her cup of latte as she folded up her morning newspaper. She paid the waitress a tip and carried out the packaged remaining of her baguette sandwich as she left the café. Lunch in Paris was like heaven, to simply enjoy a sip of hot beverage and the crispness of a fresh baked baguette with a slice of creamy cheese and ham while watching the varieties of people go walking by with elegance. The Parisian fashion fascinated her, with all the stylish designs and scents of expensive perfumes go wafting by. She often times enjoyed taking a peek in those chic stores with radiant colors and lovely scents and costly brands. She never bought anything, just wished for them.
Exiting the café, she took a deep breath as the autumn winds swept her hair away in a spinning swirl, letting leaves of all colors mingle around her. She checked her watch. 4:30pm. She quickly called a taxi and set off to a new destination.
* * *
"Aoshi-sama, I think it's about time we went home."
Misao pulled his arm as they walked in the streets. Aoshi bent his head to check his watch.
"4:30. I say you're right."
Arm in arm, they walked home in peace. Misao immediately ran up to her room as soon as they arrived, and dived into her shower. Looking acceptable was going to be a big thing for her, especially when Aoshi was around... Aoshi looked around, glancing at his watch in the lobby. Neither Kenshin nor Sano had come back yet. Considering how they were, he walked back to his room to prepare himself.
Misao quickly dried her hair, using the blow dryer and a brush. Her hair had to look different today. She was NOT going to let anyone see her in casual appearance. Slipping on her new dress, she applied her make-up lightly, just enough to make herself look presentable. Using her comb, she bundled her hair up neatly with a black, butterfly-shaped clip, and a length of hair sagged down like a ponytail. Adding a few finishing touches, she slipped on a pair of black gloves that went up to her wrists. She pulled on a pair of knee-highs, and after slipping on her night-black high heels, she went clicking away down the hallway to where Aoshi awaited her in the lobby.
* * *
Golden leaves of autumn danced around him in circles as he watched elegant couples walk arm in arm down la rue as they pointed at illuminated showcases containing classy brands of perfume and mink coats. The sun began to set behind him as he slowly began to trudge home. Kenshin's mind continued to go back to thoughts of Kaoru, and the day they met. He suddenly felt lonesome as couples, clinging to each other romantically, went by him by the dozens. The cool winds and the dancing leaves whispered forlorn secrets to his open ears. He glanced at his watch. 5:00. He needed to head home to prepare himself. Suddenly, the light scent of lilacs came wandering around his nose, sweetly urging him to come. His thoughts suddenly remembered Misao. If she was going to go out and buy him an expensive suit, he knew he had to do something in return. And for simple thanks, the idea of flowers seemed best. He let himself follow the enticing scent of sweetness to the flower shop.
He finally saw a small shop sandwiched between a large boutique and a café, as it shone out from being illuminated with soft candlelight. He stopped finally in front of it, gazing at the wide diversity of the colors of different petals. Roses by the dozens bloomed crimson in a jar, while clusters of Gladiolus blushed pink. Sweet violets smiled up at him from the corner, and Liles of the Valley blossomed in silent beauty along the counter. Radiant sunflowers watched the sun set intently, and a small pot of Narcissus sat patiently in the corner, waiting to be bought. All these were being presented in the store's showcase. Kenshin slowly placed a hand on the door, and a little bell tinkled as he stepped into the warm and bright atmosphere.
Footsteps came clicking on hard tile, and in a whirl of black hair, the figure of a woman stood behind the counter.
She wore a cream colored apron, with flowered embroidery adorning the edges, and the string behind her was tied neatly in a bow. In her hands she had a pot containing a single hibiscus, and she looked up abruptly to his gaze.
She had sapphire eyes.
Both eyes of violet and blue widened in recognition.
"Kaoru..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
CLIFFHANGER!! ^______^ What do you think? What will happen? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Please let me know!!! Thanks for reading!!!
~Momori^^
A/N: Hi!! Are you all enjoying the ride thus far? ^^ I hope so!! Not much to say today... Prepare yourselves for a cliffhanger, just a warning. *hint hint* Happy reading!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kenshin awoke to the sound of the boats setting out to the sea for the morning's catch at the pier. Ruffling his hair, he stared out the window as the gentle rays of sun played around amusingly on his face. Opening the window, a tender breeze came streaming in to blend with the shadows in their little dark room, causing his friend on the other bed to stir in his sleep. Kenshin smiled at Sano as he watched his eyelids twitch from the sunlight. The former gangster hadn't taken a bath the previous night, and he stunk. Kenshin rose from his bed to help himself to the shower.
Moments later, he came stepping out, feeling refreshed as he rubbed his head with a towel to dry off his flaming red hair. People often thought he dyed it due to its natural radiant color. Sano appeared to be awake, as he sat up on his bed, rubbing his eyes. Kenshin was already dressed, and he greeted him gently.
"Morning Sano."
His friend mumbled in response and lugged himself over to the bathroom. Kenshin excused himself from their room to meet Aoshi and Misao back in the lounge.
"Morning Himura!"
"Ohayou, Misao."
Kenshin gave a bright smile to his friend as Aoshi came back from his trip to the café, carrying a tray of coffee and croissants.
"Ohayou, Aoshi."
Aoshi nodded in greeting, and set the tray down on the coffee table as they seated themselves on the armchairs. Misao had to have a few questions.
"Himura, what was yesterday's meeting about anyway?"
Aoshi sipped his coffee and responded.
"They wanted the world kendo champions to gather in order to plan for the next championship tournament."
"Is that all?"
Kenshin shook his head.
"They wanted a few volunteers to be the judges."
Misao's face brightened.
"Did any of you volunteer?"
Kenshin pointed to Aoshi, and she grinned.
"Aoshi-sama, you should've told me earlier!"
They couldn't help noticing the light tint of red on his cheeks as he tried to cover it by sipping his coffee. His embarrassment was easily visible.
"Himura, you didn't volunteer?"
"I prefer to actually BE in the tournament. I find it uncomfortable especially when I get into the excitement. It's aggravating to watch the others have all the fun when all you get to do is grade them on their skills..."
Misao chuckled and patted his back.
"I can clearly see your character, Himura."
Kenshin smiled, and from the corner of his eye he saw Sano come walking down the stairs.
"Sano, over here!"
Sanosuke placidly walked over to the three of them, and took up a croissant. He un-elegantly devoured it.
"What's today's plan?"
Aoshi bent over to place his cup on the table.
"We'll be having free time until 5:00 today. I want you all back here by 5:30 to get ready."
Kenshin turned abruptly to Aoshi.
"Get ready for what?"
"A party is scheduled for 6:30 tonight over at the head judges' house. Sano, I don't want to see any jeans, khakis, or t-shirts."
Sano grumbled as he sat down. Kenshin cocked his head, puzzled.
"How is it that Sano can go to the party? He doesn't have any association with any kendo club...well, not that I know of..."
Aoshi sighed as Sano whistled innocently behind Kenshin.
"They said to bring any friends who wishes to come. Depends on whether or not he wants to go."
Sano paused for a second, taking his time to think.
"If it means free food, I'm in."
"Would a simple skirt be presentable?"
Aoshi gave a glance at Misao.
"I'd prefer it to be a long skirt, at the least. I know a good boutique around here. You should come with me today."
Misao blushed at the thought of having Aoshi take her clothes shopping, but she nonetheless felt joyous. Sano stood and headed to the front door.
"Well, Saturday's just a plain old gambling day for me. Those French people have skill."
With that, he walked out onto the streets.
"What about you, Himura?"
Kenshin gave Misao a smile.
"I wanna get to know Paris. I'll probably wander around."
"If that's the case, here."
Misao handed him a few euros. (European money) Kenshin's eyes began to widen.
"Misao, I can't take this!"
"Himura, I KNOW you hardly have any money."
He looked away, blushing slightly. He was truly talented at the sword, but all he did for a living was to work at a cashier at some local supermarket, and give a few kids some private lessons. He hardly needed anything, and he only needed the money to buy Shishou's sake and their food. Aoshi chimed into the discussion.
"You ought to buy yourself a tuxedo or a suit or something, Himura."
"Here, I'll just give you a few coins in case you need to use the public telephone to call my cell. Other than that, you'll just have to regret not accepting my cash."
Misao gave Kenshin a wink, and he accepted the coins. That was a lot for him. Misao stood up with Aoshi and began to head for the door.
"I'll get you a suit if I find one."
"That's too much! I can't have somebody just go out and spend a hundred bucks for me!"
She punched him lightly in the shoulder.
"I'm not letting you go to the party in rags darlin'. Have fun!"
With that, the two of them left the building. Kenshin sat there for a while, thinking where to go, and finally stood up with his hands stuffed in his pockets of his khakis. He walked out to the flush of fresh air and slowly walked down la rue.
11:30 am, Kenshin let his feet take him to curious places in Paris, snooping into small confectioners shops to have a sample of their luscious chocolates displayed in their windows, or even step into little parks where chairs and tables were set outside on sunny days where old men gathered in silence for a game of chess. An old man of rosy-cheeks who wore a navy beret grinned at him once, challenging him lightly to a game of checkers in rapid French. Kenshin accepted, but lost immediately after a few moves. Sano's words were true. These French people had skill. The old man chuckled at his victory and patted his hand. He stood up shakily, clutching his cane, and politely excused himself as he walked away, blending into the mass of people out on the sidewalks.
* * *
Misao hummed amusingly as she sorted through the racks of dresses, all made of pure silk and fine embroidery here and there. Aoshi looked through the array of suits, searching for quality brands and materials with an expressionless face.
"Aoshi-sama how's this?"
Aoshi turned to see Misao holding a dress against her slim figure. It was a shade of dark gray, with a thin see-through layer of black material over the entire dress, made of silk. Silver and white beads glistened here and there and were sown in with the embroidery. Aoshi smirked when she turned away, distracted. In his eyes, she had really good taste.
"Go try it on."
She grinned at him, and she ran off to the fitting rooms while he continued to sort through the suits. He was starting to lose interest. They all practically looked the same...
"Aoshi-sama!"
In minutes, she came walking back to him with her dress. Its style matched Misao's body figure perfectly, showing off the slim waist and oval neckline. It could have been almost considered a sleeveless dress, but it covered her shoulders slightly, with white beads sown in along the edges. The bottom skirt portion was long, just enough so that it revealed about one inch of her feet. She smiled at him, with a hint of blush on her little cheeks.
"Do you think it's-"
"Great?"
Misao stared, and after a few seconds, nodded.
"Sure, I think it fits you...quite nicely."
She sighed happily, and began to walk back to the fitting rooms.
"That settles it then! I'm done!"
Aoshi quickly picked out a suit for himself, as well as one for Himura, and quickly took Misao's dress to the cashier to pay. Misao gave him the money to pay for all three items. Aoshi gave her a curious glance.
"I thought I was going to be the one paying..."
She waved a finger at him as she accepted the change.
"YOU paid for my ticket to GET here, so I pay for your suit. Now stop complaining at take the bag as you go out."
The woman at the cashier couldn't help smiling at the young taciturn man as he smirked, following the energetic girl out the door with their new clothes. He opened the door for her, and after the girl gave him a smile of complete joy, she took his hand and began running down the street. Together, they took off out of her visible range. Winter was coming, and romance seemed to linger in the air as summer faded into a deep sleep.
* * *
Kaoru finished off her cup of latte as she folded up her morning newspaper. She paid the waitress a tip and carried out the packaged remaining of her baguette sandwich as she left the café. Lunch in Paris was like heaven, to simply enjoy a sip of hot beverage and the crispness of a fresh baked baguette with a slice of creamy cheese and ham while watching the varieties of people go walking by with elegance. The Parisian fashion fascinated her, with all the stylish designs and scents of expensive perfumes go wafting by. She often times enjoyed taking a peek in those chic stores with radiant colors and lovely scents and costly brands. She never bought anything, just wished for them.
Exiting the café, she took a deep breath as the autumn winds swept her hair away in a spinning swirl, letting leaves of all colors mingle around her. She checked her watch. 4:30pm. She quickly called a taxi and set off to a new destination.
* * *
"Aoshi-sama, I think it's about time we went home."
Misao pulled his arm as they walked in the streets. Aoshi bent his head to check his watch.
"4:30. I say you're right."
Arm in arm, they walked home in peace. Misao immediately ran up to her room as soon as they arrived, and dived into her shower. Looking acceptable was going to be a big thing for her, especially when Aoshi was around... Aoshi looked around, glancing at his watch in the lobby. Neither Kenshin nor Sano had come back yet. Considering how they were, he walked back to his room to prepare himself.
Misao quickly dried her hair, using the blow dryer and a brush. Her hair had to look different today. She was NOT going to let anyone see her in casual appearance. Slipping on her new dress, she applied her make-up lightly, just enough to make herself look presentable. Using her comb, she bundled her hair up neatly with a black, butterfly-shaped clip, and a length of hair sagged down like a ponytail. Adding a few finishing touches, she slipped on a pair of black gloves that went up to her wrists. She pulled on a pair of knee-highs, and after slipping on her night-black high heels, she went clicking away down the hallway to where Aoshi awaited her in the lobby.
* * *
Golden leaves of autumn danced around him in circles as he watched elegant couples walk arm in arm down la rue as they pointed at illuminated showcases containing classy brands of perfume and mink coats. The sun began to set behind him as he slowly began to trudge home. Kenshin's mind continued to go back to thoughts of Kaoru, and the day they met. He suddenly felt lonesome as couples, clinging to each other romantically, went by him by the dozens. The cool winds and the dancing leaves whispered forlorn secrets to his open ears. He glanced at his watch. 5:00. He needed to head home to prepare himself. Suddenly, the light scent of lilacs came wandering around his nose, sweetly urging him to come. His thoughts suddenly remembered Misao. If she was going to go out and buy him an expensive suit, he knew he had to do something in return. And for simple thanks, the idea of flowers seemed best. He let himself follow the enticing scent of sweetness to the flower shop.
He finally saw a small shop sandwiched between a large boutique and a café, as it shone out from being illuminated with soft candlelight. He stopped finally in front of it, gazing at the wide diversity of the colors of different petals. Roses by the dozens bloomed crimson in a jar, while clusters of Gladiolus blushed pink. Sweet violets smiled up at him from the corner, and Liles of the Valley blossomed in silent beauty along the counter. Radiant sunflowers watched the sun set intently, and a small pot of Narcissus sat patiently in the corner, waiting to be bought. All these were being presented in the store's showcase. Kenshin slowly placed a hand on the door, and a little bell tinkled as he stepped into the warm and bright atmosphere.
Footsteps came clicking on hard tile, and in a whirl of black hair, the figure of a woman stood behind the counter.
She wore a cream colored apron, with flowered embroidery adorning the edges, and the string behind her was tied neatly in a bow. In her hands she had a pot containing a single hibiscus, and she looked up abruptly to his gaze.
She had sapphire eyes.
Both eyes of violet and blue widened in recognition.
"Kaoru..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
CLIFFHANGER!! ^______^ What do you think? What will happen? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Please let me know!!! Thanks for reading!!!
~Momori^^