Disclaimer: Nobuhiro Watsuki is the owner of Rurouni Kenshin and all of its characters.
A/N: Kenshin and Kaoru are the same age!! Please note!! And thanks for reading!!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You'd better keep that safe, Kenshin. It's Kaoru's cell."
Kenshin sat there for a while, eyes gaping at the piece of torn off paper containing a series of numbers clearly written in his own handwriting. A grunt from Sano jerked him back into reality.
"Sano...how-"
"It's a long story."
"But tell me. How do you know Kaoru-dono?"
He heard Sano chuckle on the other line.
"Kaoru-DONO? Man, Kenshin you'd better do something 'bout that dialect of yours..."
"Sano, just answer me."
He sighed, rather disappointed that his friend was acting so serious.
"I see her at the airport every time she's over here in Paris. Hey, I'm a janitor, remember? But besides that, we work together in a flower shop."
Kenshin breathed.
So that's how he knew...
"Thanks Sano. I...I'll give it a try..."
He envisioned Sano giving him a few manly slaps on the back.
"That's Kenshin for ya. Giver 'er your charm, alright?"
His friend grinned back.
"Right. I'll talk to you later."
"Ciao."
*click*
* * *
Kaoru hummed as she flipped through the remaining pages in her book. She sat peacefully in bed, her body neatly concealed in a light blue robe. She rubbed her eyes as she set her book aside, thinking of Paris and her hectic schedule. She thought of Megumi, who should by now be working in her office, busily scribbling out prescriptions for patients. Sano just might be with her, giving her a few tosses of his good looks and charm. Such a capricious freak, that good friend of hers...
And then there was Kenshin...
How odd it was...the way she felt when he slipped wordlessly into her head. She continued to relate back to the day when they shared that single, special embrace. So innocent, that little hug, and yet...
She wrapped her arms around herself and caressed the soft, towel-like material, feeling suddenly cold. She always found herself cold...without the boy she recently discovered that she loved...
Suddenly, the smooth tones of her cell began to ring, playing Beethoven's Fur Elise out of the tiny speaker. Mumbling to herself, she lazily reached out of her bed, nearly falling off, and grabbed hold of the cell as she rummaged through her bag. She gingerly opened it up and held it up to her ear, feeling the cold plastic against her skin.
"Hello?"
* * *
Kenshin felt a surge of joy and a nervous jolt mingle together as he heard the soothing voice of a young woman. His breath got cut off, unbelieving the situation he was in. It was she...
"Kaoru...dono..."
Her eyes widened at the sound of his voice. His vocal chords seem to throb through the phone line into her heart, as her free hand dropped into her lap in recognition.
"Kenshin...?"
He gulped quietly, and set his voice into motion.
"Kaoru-dono, how have you been?"
Her eyes slightly watered, but she held them back to not make things so dramatic then they needed to be.
"Oh, Kenshin it's so good to hear from you! I-I've been-"
She wanted to tell him that she was okay, and was doing great with her work and was enjoying it thoroughly, but not all of that was true. She wasn't okay. He wasn't here...with her...
Kenshin waited, but no sound ushered from her mouth. He grew worried.
"Kaoru-dono, what's wrong?"
He heard her inhale some air and release it with some effort.
"I'm...a-alright..."
He certainly wasn't convinced.
"Kaoru-dono, sessha isn't convinced. Please tell me what's bothering you..."
She couldn't say it. For crying out loud, they've only known each other for a couple of months! How could he ever feel the same way she did?
"Oh, it's nothing. I-I'm just tired, that's all..."
He had to admit, he felt hurt. The woman he loved couldn't tell him what was on her mind. Did she not trust him? Were they not acquainted well enough?
"Kaoru-dono, I know we've only known each other for a few months but..."
He paused, thinking of what to say.
"But, really, if there is anything that you need to tell someone to relieve you of hardships, I'll be right here..."
It took some effort to say it, but he was pleased with his words.
Kaoru couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to say it. She wanted to tell him. But she was going too fast! He might even push her away at the rapid speed she was going...
"I-I...thanks...Kenshin... I want...I want to tell you..."
He felt his own heart beat quicken. What was she going to say? What was she trying to tell him?
"I want to ask you, actually..."
"Yes?"
"D-do...you ever think of me?"
Kaoru gasped at her question. It was too obvious! She was revealing too much of herself to him! That must have been her greatest mistake in her own archive. Her eyes closed tightly.
"Oh, I mean...I didn't..."
She felt herself be silently interrupted by the presence of his voice. It was cool, calm, and steady.
"Kaoru-dono, don't be embarrassed."
She seemed to relax at her words. Had he not take it the wrong way?
She sensed an innocent smile from the other end of the line.
"I think of you...a lot..."
She felt her cheeks burn at those words. She bowed her head a little bit.
"Okay..."
"Is there anything else Kaoru-dono would like to ask me?"
She smiled. She could feel him grinning.
"You're such a kidder Kenshin. No, that's all I wanted to know, thank you."
"In that case, I have a question for you..."
"Yes?"
"What about me? Do you ever think about your loveable little red-headed friend?"
She laughed. She couldn't help it. His charm was like a cure to everything. The tension between them seemed to subside as their laughter filled each other's speakers.
"Of course I do, silly. I can't help it...for some reason..."
"Same here."
There was a little romantic pause between them, as if they were exchanging something personal through telepathy.
Just a romantic moment.
"Um, Kaoru-dono, if you hear about a short, red-headed kendoists on the side of the street bankrupt, remember it's me, ok?"
She squinted an eye in confusion.
"Eh? Why?"
"I'm afraid my phone bill is getting jacked up at...a rapid rate, let's say..."
She chuckled.
"Oh alright. I hope we talk again..."
"Yea, I hope so too."
"Okay."
"Kaoru-dono?"
"Mm?"
"I miss you."
She blushed.
"I miss you too."
And with that he cut the line, leaving Kaoru feeling joyous and disappointed at the same time. Right when thoughts of him are wandering in her head, he calls.
'Seriously,' she thought. 'I swear, there must be something in between us...'
* * *
Kenshin held the phone in his hand, staring at it with wide eyes, still disbelieving the sound of the voice he'd been longing to hear that he'd heard not but a few seconds ago...
"Kaor-"
"HIMURA!!"
He jumped and looked to the door. Misao was standing there, grinning like a mad man who'd won the lottery.
"Done?"
He nodded and handed the phone to her.
"Well?"
He looked at her with questionable eyes.
"What?"
"What did she say?"
Her grin stretched even wider.
She couldn't help noticing the furious blush that washed over his face like a tsunami. His eyes bulged like a pair of eggs jolting out of his sockets.
"M-MIISAO-DONO, Y-OU-"
"Heeheeheee."
She waved the phone at him and ran back to her room for a good night's sleep...and for some serious thinking to do, as if she'd been reading an engrossing book and was wondering what was about to happen next...
* * *
Kaoru flew back to Paris that day, assisting passengers the same way she'd been doing for nearly a year now. Back into the streets, she used her cell phone to contact a nearby friend, and headed immediately to her house...
"Kaoru-chan!! Oh my, how wonderful you look!"
Kaoru smiled as the woman opened the door, welcoming her warmly into a small brick house with smoke soaring from the chimney. It felt wonderful to see familiar faces again.
"Tae-san, you look so well!"
"Ah, no better then you my dear. Go ahead and drop your stuff off in the room to your right upstairs, and make yourself at home."
Tae went shuffling into the kitchen to make tea as Kaoru rushed up to her room and threw off her uniform. She replaced it with a casual outfit and ran downstairs, only to be thrown backwards by a pair of short arms lunging themselves into her in a tight embrace.
"Kaoru-san!!"
Kaoru hugged the little girl, grinning as they walked to the table in the same position.
"My, Tsubame-chan, you've grown!"
Tae smiled warmly at the two of them as she served fruit tarts along with the tea.
"How is Japan? Is it getting cold there as well?"
Kaoru nodded as she sipped her tea.
"Yes. I got in contact with your twin, Tae-san. The Akabeko is going quite well. Still in good business."
Tae nodded in approval. A year ago, Tae had decided to change environments for a while, and chose Paris as her destination. She left her twin in charge of Akabeko, and came here with Tsubame-chan to open a small bakery. Even here, business was like a slice of pie for Tae. Customers seemed to come by the thousands every week.
"I assume everyone is well?"
She nodded.
Tea time went past splendidly as they shared stories. Tae finished her tea first, and related her some surprising news.
"Kaoru-chan, while you're here, we're also going to have another guest to stay with us. He will be staying in the room next to yours. He's very quiet. Will that be alright with you?"
"Oh, most certainly!"
Right then, the sound of the door opening reached their ears. Tae looked behind her.
"Oh, and there he is now! Come on up young man!"
The sound of leather boots thumping down the wooden hallway made Kaoru turn. Tsubame seemed to shrink into the corner, her hand to her mouth as she stared up at him.
A tall man stood before them. He wore a black trench coat, with his hands in his pockets and the collar covering his mouth. Thin slits were his eyes, revealing a shade of dark gray from beneath. His hand lowered his round, purple sunglasses down his nose. His hair was utterly white.
"Okaerinasai, Enishi-san."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Mini note: Okaerinasai=Welcome home.
Thus ends chapter 9! TO BE CONTINUED...
A/N: Kenshin and Kaoru are the same age!! Please note!! And thanks for reading!!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You'd better keep that safe, Kenshin. It's Kaoru's cell."
Kenshin sat there for a while, eyes gaping at the piece of torn off paper containing a series of numbers clearly written in his own handwriting. A grunt from Sano jerked him back into reality.
"Sano...how-"
"It's a long story."
"But tell me. How do you know Kaoru-dono?"
He heard Sano chuckle on the other line.
"Kaoru-DONO? Man, Kenshin you'd better do something 'bout that dialect of yours..."
"Sano, just answer me."
He sighed, rather disappointed that his friend was acting so serious.
"I see her at the airport every time she's over here in Paris. Hey, I'm a janitor, remember? But besides that, we work together in a flower shop."
Kenshin breathed.
So that's how he knew...
"Thanks Sano. I...I'll give it a try..."
He envisioned Sano giving him a few manly slaps on the back.
"That's Kenshin for ya. Giver 'er your charm, alright?"
His friend grinned back.
"Right. I'll talk to you later."
"Ciao."
*click*
* * *
Kaoru hummed as she flipped through the remaining pages in her book. She sat peacefully in bed, her body neatly concealed in a light blue robe. She rubbed her eyes as she set her book aside, thinking of Paris and her hectic schedule. She thought of Megumi, who should by now be working in her office, busily scribbling out prescriptions for patients. Sano just might be with her, giving her a few tosses of his good looks and charm. Such a capricious freak, that good friend of hers...
And then there was Kenshin...
How odd it was...the way she felt when he slipped wordlessly into her head. She continued to relate back to the day when they shared that single, special embrace. So innocent, that little hug, and yet...
She wrapped her arms around herself and caressed the soft, towel-like material, feeling suddenly cold. She always found herself cold...without the boy she recently discovered that she loved...
Suddenly, the smooth tones of her cell began to ring, playing Beethoven's Fur Elise out of the tiny speaker. Mumbling to herself, she lazily reached out of her bed, nearly falling off, and grabbed hold of the cell as she rummaged through her bag. She gingerly opened it up and held it up to her ear, feeling the cold plastic against her skin.
"Hello?"
* * *
Kenshin felt a surge of joy and a nervous jolt mingle together as he heard the soothing voice of a young woman. His breath got cut off, unbelieving the situation he was in. It was she...
"Kaoru...dono..."
Her eyes widened at the sound of his voice. His vocal chords seem to throb through the phone line into her heart, as her free hand dropped into her lap in recognition.
"Kenshin...?"
He gulped quietly, and set his voice into motion.
"Kaoru-dono, how have you been?"
Her eyes slightly watered, but she held them back to not make things so dramatic then they needed to be.
"Oh, Kenshin it's so good to hear from you! I-I've been-"
She wanted to tell him that she was okay, and was doing great with her work and was enjoying it thoroughly, but not all of that was true. She wasn't okay. He wasn't here...with her...
Kenshin waited, but no sound ushered from her mouth. He grew worried.
"Kaoru-dono, what's wrong?"
He heard her inhale some air and release it with some effort.
"I'm...a-alright..."
He certainly wasn't convinced.
"Kaoru-dono, sessha isn't convinced. Please tell me what's bothering you..."
She couldn't say it. For crying out loud, they've only known each other for a couple of months! How could he ever feel the same way she did?
"Oh, it's nothing. I-I'm just tired, that's all..."
He had to admit, he felt hurt. The woman he loved couldn't tell him what was on her mind. Did she not trust him? Were they not acquainted well enough?
"Kaoru-dono, I know we've only known each other for a few months but..."
He paused, thinking of what to say.
"But, really, if there is anything that you need to tell someone to relieve you of hardships, I'll be right here..."
It took some effort to say it, but he was pleased with his words.
Kaoru couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to say it. She wanted to tell him. But she was going too fast! He might even push her away at the rapid speed she was going...
"I-I...thanks...Kenshin... I want...I want to tell you..."
He felt his own heart beat quicken. What was she going to say? What was she trying to tell him?
"I want to ask you, actually..."
"Yes?"
"D-do...you ever think of me?"
Kaoru gasped at her question. It was too obvious! She was revealing too much of herself to him! That must have been her greatest mistake in her own archive. Her eyes closed tightly.
"Oh, I mean...I didn't..."
She felt herself be silently interrupted by the presence of his voice. It was cool, calm, and steady.
"Kaoru-dono, don't be embarrassed."
She seemed to relax at her words. Had he not take it the wrong way?
She sensed an innocent smile from the other end of the line.
"I think of you...a lot..."
She felt her cheeks burn at those words. She bowed her head a little bit.
"Okay..."
"Is there anything else Kaoru-dono would like to ask me?"
She smiled. She could feel him grinning.
"You're such a kidder Kenshin. No, that's all I wanted to know, thank you."
"In that case, I have a question for you..."
"Yes?"
"What about me? Do you ever think about your loveable little red-headed friend?"
She laughed. She couldn't help it. His charm was like a cure to everything. The tension between them seemed to subside as their laughter filled each other's speakers.
"Of course I do, silly. I can't help it...for some reason..."
"Same here."
There was a little romantic pause between them, as if they were exchanging something personal through telepathy.
Just a romantic moment.
"Um, Kaoru-dono, if you hear about a short, red-headed kendoists on the side of the street bankrupt, remember it's me, ok?"
She squinted an eye in confusion.
"Eh? Why?"
"I'm afraid my phone bill is getting jacked up at...a rapid rate, let's say..."
She chuckled.
"Oh alright. I hope we talk again..."
"Yea, I hope so too."
"Okay."
"Kaoru-dono?"
"Mm?"
"I miss you."
She blushed.
"I miss you too."
And with that he cut the line, leaving Kaoru feeling joyous and disappointed at the same time. Right when thoughts of him are wandering in her head, he calls.
'Seriously,' she thought. 'I swear, there must be something in between us...'
* * *
Kenshin held the phone in his hand, staring at it with wide eyes, still disbelieving the sound of the voice he'd been longing to hear that he'd heard not but a few seconds ago...
"Kaor-"
"HIMURA!!"
He jumped and looked to the door. Misao was standing there, grinning like a mad man who'd won the lottery.
"Done?"
He nodded and handed the phone to her.
"Well?"
He looked at her with questionable eyes.
"What?"
"What did she say?"
Her grin stretched even wider.
She couldn't help noticing the furious blush that washed over his face like a tsunami. His eyes bulged like a pair of eggs jolting out of his sockets.
"M-MIISAO-DONO, Y-OU-"
"Heeheeheee."
She waved the phone at him and ran back to her room for a good night's sleep...and for some serious thinking to do, as if she'd been reading an engrossing book and was wondering what was about to happen next...
* * *
Kaoru flew back to Paris that day, assisting passengers the same way she'd been doing for nearly a year now. Back into the streets, she used her cell phone to contact a nearby friend, and headed immediately to her house...
"Kaoru-chan!! Oh my, how wonderful you look!"
Kaoru smiled as the woman opened the door, welcoming her warmly into a small brick house with smoke soaring from the chimney. It felt wonderful to see familiar faces again.
"Tae-san, you look so well!"
"Ah, no better then you my dear. Go ahead and drop your stuff off in the room to your right upstairs, and make yourself at home."
Tae went shuffling into the kitchen to make tea as Kaoru rushed up to her room and threw off her uniform. She replaced it with a casual outfit and ran downstairs, only to be thrown backwards by a pair of short arms lunging themselves into her in a tight embrace.
"Kaoru-san!!"
Kaoru hugged the little girl, grinning as they walked to the table in the same position.
"My, Tsubame-chan, you've grown!"
Tae smiled warmly at the two of them as she served fruit tarts along with the tea.
"How is Japan? Is it getting cold there as well?"
Kaoru nodded as she sipped her tea.
"Yes. I got in contact with your twin, Tae-san. The Akabeko is going quite well. Still in good business."
Tae nodded in approval. A year ago, Tae had decided to change environments for a while, and chose Paris as her destination. She left her twin in charge of Akabeko, and came here with Tsubame-chan to open a small bakery. Even here, business was like a slice of pie for Tae. Customers seemed to come by the thousands every week.
"I assume everyone is well?"
She nodded.
Tea time went past splendidly as they shared stories. Tae finished her tea first, and related her some surprising news.
"Kaoru-chan, while you're here, we're also going to have another guest to stay with us. He will be staying in the room next to yours. He's very quiet. Will that be alright with you?"
"Oh, most certainly!"
Right then, the sound of the door opening reached their ears. Tae looked behind her.
"Oh, and there he is now! Come on up young man!"
The sound of leather boots thumping down the wooden hallway made Kaoru turn. Tsubame seemed to shrink into the corner, her hand to her mouth as she stared up at him.
A tall man stood before them. He wore a black trench coat, with his hands in his pockets and the collar covering his mouth. Thin slits were his eyes, revealing a shade of dark gray from beneath. His hand lowered his round, purple sunglasses down his nose. His hair was utterly white.
"Okaerinasai, Enishi-san."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Mini note: Okaerinasai=Welcome home.
Thus ends chapter 9! TO BE CONTINUED...