Disclaimer: Nobuhiro Watsuki is the owner of Rurouni Kenshin and all of its characters.
A/N: Kenshin and Kaoru are the same age in this fic.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kaoru rotated the shoe in her hands, letting the smooth leather run through her fingers. She liked it. She set it aside in the box, and put on her old shoes.
Once the shoes were paid for, she walked farther into the store in search for temporary casual wear. Skirts, suits, and high heels never satisfied her urge to move.
* * *
"Yahiko, I'm so fed up with waiting for you!! Hurry up and choose!"
"I'm trying, itachi-onna! Shut up!"
"Why you little-"
Kenshin tried to pacify the two raging young ones as they stood along the isles of CDs. This was probably the seventh time Yahiko was doing his 'eeny meanie miny moe' logic...and it was starting to tick Misao off REALLY bad...
"Well, enough of this!! I'm going out to the food court for lunch! Kenshin, come with me!"
"Ah, but Misao-dono, I can't just leave Yahiko-"
"I'll be fine Kenshin, gosh, I'm not a kid anymore!"
Yahiko pouted at Kenshin as he smiled a little worriedly.
"Just shut up Yahiko-CHAN, you ought to be happy that Kenshin is worrying for you."
"Shut up, ITACHI!" (Itachi= weasel)
"Yahiko-CHAN."
"ITACHI."
"Yahiko-CHAN."
"ITACHI."
"Yahiko-CHAN."
"Misao-dono, I suggest we get going."
Misao shot Yahiko a death glare as he smirked triumphantly. The two of them walked out of the store to the food court, where Misao prepared herself to tear at any food within reach...
At that time, Kaoru was glancing at her watch while waiting in line to pay for her things. 3:30.
"Oh shoot, my laundry! I've got to go take it out!"
She dashed out of the line to go running into another.
Within minutes, Yahiko finally chose his CD and walked over to the register. He hummed a little tune as he walked, reading the label on its cover. Right then, he noticed a figure speeding towards him like a racecar, oblivious of the people around it. He realized it too late, and the figure came knocking into him head on at full speed. He was knocked to his feet, landing his butt on cold, hard tile. Groaning, he opened an eye to see a long, black haired woman kneeling in front of him, clutching her head as if she'd ran into a tower of brick. He frowned.
"You should watch where you're running, BUSU."
She looked up at him and scowled, her eyebrows furrowing above two orbs of clear blue.
"My apologies, your MAJESTY."
He pouted and looked away, grabbing for his CD. She stood up, brushing herself off and sighing. She outstretched her hand to him and smirked.
"Need a hand?"
He reluctantly accepted it, and with surprising strength he was pulled up to his feet, stumbling as he looked up at her. His height came up to her chin, her long hair tied up tightly in a ponytail behind her head. She was pretty, he had to admit, with her blue eyes and slender neck. He was too busy staring and found himself stumbling again. With two firm hands she grasped his shoulders and held him still for a second, smiling.
"Sorry 'bout that boya. You hurt?"
He flushed slightly and frowned, shaking his head.
"No."
"Good. Go ahead in line."
She cocked her head towards the line in front of them. Despite what she did to him, he DID need to keep his manners.
"S'ok. You go ahead."
And suddenly, she took her hand and ruffled his hair as if she'd known him for decades. Grinning, she walked into the line.
"Thanks."
He frowned at his treatment, and wished he'd never given her the spot, but sighed and took his place behind her. Her back turned to him had a scent of light orchids, drifting around her. He tried hard not to lean too close to take in the amusing scent. Once she had paid for her items, she waved her hand at him without turning around as she walked out to the food court.
"Jyaa ne."
He turned to the cashier to pay for his CD, and when he turned back to see her go, she had already blended into the crowds of people waiting for food.
* * *
Misao hummed brightly as she sat at the table, waiting for Kenshin to bring back the tray full of steaming hot Chinese food. True, loads of MSG, but what the heck. If it was food, she'd eat it. He finally came, balancing the tray carefully as a beef and broccoli bowl weighed down one end while a mixed plate balanced out the other. He set it down gingerly, taking in the steam and scents wafting into his face as Misao drooled. She briskly stood up.
"We need napkins."
She rushed over to a little island in the side of the food court, humming the tune continuously. After taking a few, she spun around to head back when something caught her eye.
She saw a long, black ponytail protruding out of a line coming from the deli. The person's face was hidden with all the people around her, and an expression of familiarity was painted onto Misao's face. She squinted her eyes, thinking.
"...Kaoru?"
After a little while of staring and squinting, she shook her head and went back to the table.
There's no way angelic Kaoru of Paris could be out roaming the streets of Kyoto on her own...
* * *
Kaoru stood in line for what seemed like an hour. All she wanted was a sandwich, and now after five minutes of waiting they tell her they just ran out of ham. Great. So she ordered a vegetarian sandwich with a few slices of salami, just for a try.
So with a bag of clothing in one hand and a sandwich in the other, she started walking towards the door. The corner of her eye caused her to stop and pause, looking into the center of the many tables in the food court. Amongst all the people, a head of bright, flaming red hair blossomed like a tiger lily in a field of daisies. The many Japanese with their black hair dyed blonde looked strikingly awful, compared to the natural radiance of the red hair that caught her eye. In her mind, she was seeing Kenshin. She could feel her heart throbbing in a steady rhythm.
"...Ken...shin..."
She thought carefully as she stood there were her arms full. She saw the red hair eating with a girl, who was diving at her plate in front of her. No, it couldn't be him. She sighed, disheartened, and quickly stalked out the door...
Kenshin suddenly paused from his food, and turned around to look behind him. Misao looked at him curiously, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"Himura, what's wrong?"
He stared behind him for a few seconds, then turned back to his food, smiling at her.
He could have sworn he just felt a jolt shake him, and a vision of two blue spheres gazing at him, with black hair flowing around it, trimming up a beautiful and familiar face.
"It's nothing, Misao-dono. I just felt like someone was watching me..."
* * *
Kaoru sat nibbling her sandwich reluctantly in the lounge of her hotel with a cup of tea. She glared at the salami-stuffed bread with disgust. This was like eating liver compared to the glorious crunch of a baguette in France. She sighed as she looked out the window, thinking. Autumn leaves were falling outside.
'Kenshin, I wonder what you're doing right now...'
* * *
That night, Misao spoke to Sano over the phone, discussing quietly.
"Sano, are you certain?"
"I can't get any more certain."
Misao grinned.
"They're PERFECT."
"My point exactly. Kenshin's never act so strange before."
Misao nodded.
"I know. I talked to him."
She heard Sano suddenly grow tense.
"You didn't tell him about Jou-chan, did you?"
"No, no, of course not."
He relaxed.
"Good. It'll ruin everything."
"Ruin what?"
"I just don't want him knowing that WE know HER."
"Oh."
He sighed.
"Misao?"
"Yea?"
"Is he there?"
"Yea, why?"
"Let me talk to him."
She frowned.
"What are you going to do?"
"Just let me speak to him."
Misao got out of her bed and headed to Kenshin's room. She opened the shoji doors slightly to reveal him sitting at his desk, writing intently in the lamplight.
My Dearest Kaoru,
I'm afraid I cannot hold back my shyness any further. I find myself thinking of you day by day-
Kenshin crumpled the paper up, looking frustrated when he heard Misao's voice through the doors.
"Himura?"
"Oro?"
"It's Sano."
She handed Kenshin the phone as he stared at it, bewildered, and he gently took it from her hand, slowly bringing it up to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Oi, Kenshin."
"Sano, what are you-"
"Hey, Kenshin, we need to talk."
"About wha-"
"Listen to me. Get a sheet of paper and pencil."
"Sano what-"
"C'mon Kenshin, this is long distance! I'm broke!"
He quickly stumbled about to find his pen and straightened the paper in front of him.
"Okay."
He heard Sano flipping through the pages of something on the other line.
"Alright, let's see here...oh. Okay, write down this number."
Kenshin wrote down each number slowly, making sure that he could clearly read his handwriting. After the series of numbers, Kenshin looked down at his paper.
"Sano, what is this?"
"It's a phone number."
Kenshin smiled warily.
"I know that. Who's?"
There was a slight pause, and he heard Sano heave a sigh.
"I suggest you keep that number safe, Kenshin. It's Kaoru's cell."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
TO BE CONTINUED...
A/N: Kenshin and Kaoru are the same age in this fic.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kaoru rotated the shoe in her hands, letting the smooth leather run through her fingers. She liked it. She set it aside in the box, and put on her old shoes.
Once the shoes were paid for, she walked farther into the store in search for temporary casual wear. Skirts, suits, and high heels never satisfied her urge to move.
* * *
"Yahiko, I'm so fed up with waiting for you!! Hurry up and choose!"
"I'm trying, itachi-onna! Shut up!"
"Why you little-"
Kenshin tried to pacify the two raging young ones as they stood along the isles of CDs. This was probably the seventh time Yahiko was doing his 'eeny meanie miny moe' logic...and it was starting to tick Misao off REALLY bad...
"Well, enough of this!! I'm going out to the food court for lunch! Kenshin, come with me!"
"Ah, but Misao-dono, I can't just leave Yahiko-"
"I'll be fine Kenshin, gosh, I'm not a kid anymore!"
Yahiko pouted at Kenshin as he smiled a little worriedly.
"Just shut up Yahiko-CHAN, you ought to be happy that Kenshin is worrying for you."
"Shut up, ITACHI!" (Itachi= weasel)
"Yahiko-CHAN."
"ITACHI."
"Yahiko-CHAN."
"ITACHI."
"Yahiko-CHAN."
"Misao-dono, I suggest we get going."
Misao shot Yahiko a death glare as he smirked triumphantly. The two of them walked out of the store to the food court, where Misao prepared herself to tear at any food within reach...
At that time, Kaoru was glancing at her watch while waiting in line to pay for her things. 3:30.
"Oh shoot, my laundry! I've got to go take it out!"
She dashed out of the line to go running into another.
Within minutes, Yahiko finally chose his CD and walked over to the register. He hummed a little tune as he walked, reading the label on its cover. Right then, he noticed a figure speeding towards him like a racecar, oblivious of the people around it. He realized it too late, and the figure came knocking into him head on at full speed. He was knocked to his feet, landing his butt on cold, hard tile. Groaning, he opened an eye to see a long, black haired woman kneeling in front of him, clutching her head as if she'd ran into a tower of brick. He frowned.
"You should watch where you're running, BUSU."
She looked up at him and scowled, her eyebrows furrowing above two orbs of clear blue.
"My apologies, your MAJESTY."
He pouted and looked away, grabbing for his CD. She stood up, brushing herself off and sighing. She outstretched her hand to him and smirked.
"Need a hand?"
He reluctantly accepted it, and with surprising strength he was pulled up to his feet, stumbling as he looked up at her. His height came up to her chin, her long hair tied up tightly in a ponytail behind her head. She was pretty, he had to admit, with her blue eyes and slender neck. He was too busy staring and found himself stumbling again. With two firm hands she grasped his shoulders and held him still for a second, smiling.
"Sorry 'bout that boya. You hurt?"
He flushed slightly and frowned, shaking his head.
"No."
"Good. Go ahead in line."
She cocked her head towards the line in front of them. Despite what she did to him, he DID need to keep his manners.
"S'ok. You go ahead."
And suddenly, she took her hand and ruffled his hair as if she'd known him for decades. Grinning, she walked into the line.
"Thanks."
He frowned at his treatment, and wished he'd never given her the spot, but sighed and took his place behind her. Her back turned to him had a scent of light orchids, drifting around her. He tried hard not to lean too close to take in the amusing scent. Once she had paid for her items, she waved her hand at him without turning around as she walked out to the food court.
"Jyaa ne."
He turned to the cashier to pay for his CD, and when he turned back to see her go, she had already blended into the crowds of people waiting for food.
* * *
Misao hummed brightly as she sat at the table, waiting for Kenshin to bring back the tray full of steaming hot Chinese food. True, loads of MSG, but what the heck. If it was food, she'd eat it. He finally came, balancing the tray carefully as a beef and broccoli bowl weighed down one end while a mixed plate balanced out the other. He set it down gingerly, taking in the steam and scents wafting into his face as Misao drooled. She briskly stood up.
"We need napkins."
She rushed over to a little island in the side of the food court, humming the tune continuously. After taking a few, she spun around to head back when something caught her eye.
She saw a long, black ponytail protruding out of a line coming from the deli. The person's face was hidden with all the people around her, and an expression of familiarity was painted onto Misao's face. She squinted her eyes, thinking.
"...Kaoru?"
After a little while of staring and squinting, she shook her head and went back to the table.
There's no way angelic Kaoru of Paris could be out roaming the streets of Kyoto on her own...
* * *
Kaoru stood in line for what seemed like an hour. All she wanted was a sandwich, and now after five minutes of waiting they tell her they just ran out of ham. Great. So she ordered a vegetarian sandwich with a few slices of salami, just for a try.
So with a bag of clothing in one hand and a sandwich in the other, she started walking towards the door. The corner of her eye caused her to stop and pause, looking into the center of the many tables in the food court. Amongst all the people, a head of bright, flaming red hair blossomed like a tiger lily in a field of daisies. The many Japanese with their black hair dyed blonde looked strikingly awful, compared to the natural radiance of the red hair that caught her eye. In her mind, she was seeing Kenshin. She could feel her heart throbbing in a steady rhythm.
"...Ken...shin..."
She thought carefully as she stood there were her arms full. She saw the red hair eating with a girl, who was diving at her plate in front of her. No, it couldn't be him. She sighed, disheartened, and quickly stalked out the door...
Kenshin suddenly paused from his food, and turned around to look behind him. Misao looked at him curiously, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"Himura, what's wrong?"
He stared behind him for a few seconds, then turned back to his food, smiling at her.
He could have sworn he just felt a jolt shake him, and a vision of two blue spheres gazing at him, with black hair flowing around it, trimming up a beautiful and familiar face.
"It's nothing, Misao-dono. I just felt like someone was watching me..."
* * *
Kaoru sat nibbling her sandwich reluctantly in the lounge of her hotel with a cup of tea. She glared at the salami-stuffed bread with disgust. This was like eating liver compared to the glorious crunch of a baguette in France. She sighed as she looked out the window, thinking. Autumn leaves were falling outside.
'Kenshin, I wonder what you're doing right now...'
* * *
That night, Misao spoke to Sano over the phone, discussing quietly.
"Sano, are you certain?"
"I can't get any more certain."
Misao grinned.
"They're PERFECT."
"My point exactly. Kenshin's never act so strange before."
Misao nodded.
"I know. I talked to him."
She heard Sano suddenly grow tense.
"You didn't tell him about Jou-chan, did you?"
"No, no, of course not."
He relaxed.
"Good. It'll ruin everything."
"Ruin what?"
"I just don't want him knowing that WE know HER."
"Oh."
He sighed.
"Misao?"
"Yea?"
"Is he there?"
"Yea, why?"
"Let me talk to him."
She frowned.
"What are you going to do?"
"Just let me speak to him."
Misao got out of her bed and headed to Kenshin's room. She opened the shoji doors slightly to reveal him sitting at his desk, writing intently in the lamplight.
My Dearest Kaoru,
I'm afraid I cannot hold back my shyness any further. I find myself thinking of you day by day-
Kenshin crumpled the paper up, looking frustrated when he heard Misao's voice through the doors.
"Himura?"
"Oro?"
"It's Sano."
She handed Kenshin the phone as he stared at it, bewildered, and he gently took it from her hand, slowly bringing it up to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Oi, Kenshin."
"Sano, what are you-"
"Hey, Kenshin, we need to talk."
"About wha-"
"Listen to me. Get a sheet of paper and pencil."
"Sano what-"
"C'mon Kenshin, this is long distance! I'm broke!"
He quickly stumbled about to find his pen and straightened the paper in front of him.
"Okay."
He heard Sano flipping through the pages of something on the other line.
"Alright, let's see here...oh. Okay, write down this number."
Kenshin wrote down each number slowly, making sure that he could clearly read his handwriting. After the series of numbers, Kenshin looked down at his paper.
"Sano, what is this?"
"It's a phone number."
Kenshin smiled warily.
"I know that. Who's?"
There was a slight pause, and he heard Sano heave a sigh.
"I suggest you keep that number safe, Kenshin. It's Kaoru's cell."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
TO BE CONTINUED...