"Good morning, Kaoru!" Kenshin greeted cheerfully as he opened the shoji doors to Kaoru's room.
"Goo moring, Kenshi…" Kaoru replied sleepily as she turned around to face him.
Kenshin smiled as he looked at Kaoru lovingly. He caressed her cheek as he kissed her forehead.
"Hmmm…" Kaoru smiled, fluttering her eyes open. She stared at Kenshin's soft violet eyes and mumbled, "I'll never ever get tired of waking up at the sight of your eyes."
Kenshin leaned down to press a soft kiss on her lips as he pulled up the covers to cover her exposed body.
Kaoru blushed at the realization that her yukata had loosened, leaving almost nothing for the imagination. She fidgeted with the edges of the sheet embarrassingly as she stammered, "Ano… Kenshin, will you turn around for a moment… I am just going to fix myself."
Kenshin nodded, amused as he did what he was told. Kaoru sat up and tightened the sash of her yukata. When she had finished, she said, "You can turn around now."
Kenshin faced her, placing her hands in between his, "Kaoru, I just want to tell you that Sano and I are going around town to look for work."
Kaoru smiled teasingly and said while playing with the edges of his gi, "What for? Kenshin, isn't doing the laundry here in the dojo a decent enough job for you?"
Kenshin chuckled as he kissed her smiling lips. "I just want to provide my future wife with everything she wants."
Kaoru smiled with her eyes glistening as she wrapped her arms around him for a soft embrace. She whispered to his ears, "You're all I want Kenshin… Nothing more… No material thing can replace the wonderful love you have given me."
Kenshin smiled, "I feel the same way, love. But, I want to be able to support our family. You do want a family, right Kaoru?"
Kaoru tightened her embrace around him as she said joyously, "Of course, Kenshin! We will build our own family together."
Kenshin pulled back and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips. He placed a finger on Kaoru's lips and said knowingly, "Don't worry about us, okay? I'll be home soon. In the meantime, enjoy your day!" Kenshin smiled at her and motioned to leave.
"Take care, anata!" Kaoru blushed at the endearment she used.
Kenshin pressed on last kiss on her lips before he left.
Once the shoji doors were closed, she sighed to herself, Hmmm… What should I do today? She stood up, folded her futon and changed into her kimono. She was about to leave the room when something caught her eye, Mother's journal. She kneeled down in front of it and gently touched its edges as if it were something very delicate that she should handle with outmost care. She stared at it intensely as images and memories of her mother flooded her. She raised her finger and traced the writings on the front page, "Mi… ha… ru… Beautiful as a sunny day." She lifted the journal and hugged it to her chest as tears began to fall from her eyes. "Mother… thank you for this gift. Finally, I will be able to get to know you the way I should." Kaoru brushed away the tears as she stood up to leave the room.
~~~~~
"Oi Kenshin! What kind of job do you have in mind?" Sano asked while chewing on his fishbone.
"I don't really know, Sano. I just want a decent job that pays good money. After Kaoru and I get married, I don't want her to teach at other dojos anymore. I want to be our family's breadwinner… I suppose… you and I share the same motivation, right Sano?"
"You're right, Kenshin. Kitsune-chan is going to give birth in two months. It is not that I want Megumi to quit her job, I mean, she'll never do that. It is her passion. I just don't want to be an irresponsible father. I want to be able to help with the household expenses... Y'know, support my family."
"Sano, I always knew Megumi was good for you…"
"You know what? You're right." Stopping in front of an establishment, Sano grinned and scratched his head, "This is the place."
Kenshin looked dumbfounded and squeaked, "Oro?"
"Well, you said you wanted a decent job that pays good money. You never said anything about honorable!! Besides, what our women don't know won't hurt us" Sano said while dragging his red-head friend inside the building.
"But Sano…."
~~~~~
After eating breakfast, Kaoru searched around the dojo for a place where she could curl up and read. The dojo was pretty quiet, considering that it was empty, so silence was not the question. She was looking for the perfect spot. Finally, she sat down under the sakura tree behind the dojo, This is where mother and I used to sit when she was teaching me how to read and write… this is also the tree where she sat while watching father train me Kamiya Kasshin Ryu… This spot bears so many memories because our family used to stay here always… After they left, I hardly came here… until now that is. Kaoru folded her knees to the side as she opened the journal to the first page…
September 12, 1859
This has been a wonderful day. Aki and I met by the river to talk. I arrived there early so I sat on a log and patiently waited for him while I read a book to pass time. He was late, as usual… but I didn't mind. I knew that he had business to attend to. He is a very busy man and I understand that because he is a trader. Oh! How I would love to travel and see the world with him.
As I was staring at my reflection on the river, I heard a branch crack behind me. I turned around and I caught him trying to sneak behind me. I frowned at him but it was immediately replaced with a smile when he handed me a beautifully wrapped package. I opened it eagerly, as a child, who cannot wait for his sweets, would. I stared at it in awe. It was a fine-looking book with my name engraved on the front page. When I opened it, I was surprised. It was blank. I looked at him quizzically so he explained to me that I was supposed to be the author of this book and I should write down the special things that happened to me. Hmm… Special events… Oh! I know! I'll write down the day we first met… that is certainly a special day.
Kaoru closed the book for a moment and asked herself, "Aki? Does that mean that my mother loved someone before my father?" She brushed that thought aside and continued reading…
…Aki and I met last month. It was raining very hard that day. Good thing, I brought my parasol with me or else I would have been stranded in the rain.
While searching for a gift for my mother at the market, I saw him. He was standing in the rain. He looked so gorgeous. I cautiously walked towards him so that I could observe his features carefully. Even at first glance, I knew he wasn't Japanese. He had dark hair and deep gray eyes. As I stared at his soft eyes, I was so shocked when he turned and smiled my way. We held each other's gaze for a moment. I didn't know what came over me but I found myself inching towards him. I raised up my umbrella to cover us both and smiled, "Would you like to share?" He smiled back at me and that was it… that was how we met.
He told me his name was Marcus Laios. His name sounded lousy in Japanese so he told me to call him Aki instead. Aki… just perfect… as perfect as the autumn rain that brought us together.
Kaoru closed her eyes to contemplate on the things her mother wrote in her journal. She chuckled, "Well I guess, I know now which side of the family I got my boldness." She gave an audible sigh as she rested her back on the trunk of the sakura tree. I wonder who that Aki is.
Kaoru was snapped out of her musings when she heard Megumi call her from the dojo. She stood up, dusted her kimono and brought her precious treasure as she entered the dojo from the back. "Sorry, Megumi. I was reading in the back. Is there anything wrong?"
Megumi giggled and replied, "Silly girl, of course there is nothing wrong. Sano already told me the good news. I'm sorry if I wasn't able to come during your big announcement. You know, morning sickness."
Kaoru smiled and nodded. Much to Kaoru's surprise, Megumi walked towards her and gave her a sisterly hug, "Oh Kaoru-chan I am so happy for you!"
Kaoru smiled sincerely, "Thank you, Megumi. Come, let's sit down at the living room and drink some tea."
Megumi followed her lead as she said, "I am glad Ken-san had finally decided to permanently settle down. You know, Kaoru, I always knew that you were all he needed to stop being a rurouni…"
Kaoru bowed her head slightly to show her appreciation as she placed down the tray containing the tea and mochi. She whispered, cheeks flushing with embarrassment, "Ano… don't worry Kenshin was the one who prepared those."
Megumi chuckled, "Oh come on, Kaoru. Don't tell me that after all this time, it took you until now to realize that you're a bad cook! Ohohoho!!"
Kaoru raised her eyebrows as she looked at Megumi piercingly.
"Maa, tanuki-chan, it was just a joke," Megumi rolled her eyes as she continued, "Seriously… In you, Kenshin found the answer he had been searching for in his ten years of wandering. In the same way, you filled the emptiness of your heart through him. Kaoru, if only you know how lucky you are to have each other."
Kaoru's eyes softened as she embraced Megumi. She whispered, "I know. Thank you. This means so much to me."
Megumi nodded, "… Make each other happy."
"I will." I will live to make him happy, Kaoru inwardly smiled.
Megumi pulled back as fox ears appeared from her head, "Speaking of happy, I know ways and positions that will make him the happiest man on earth! Ohohohoho!!!!"
Kaoru blushed a very deep shade of scarlet as she exclaimed, 'Megumi!!! That is none of your business and I… we… we have no plans of doing that anytime soon so…"
"Oh come on, Kaoru… We're both women here. Don't tell me you've never dreamed of having Kenshin… Don't you find him attractive?"
"Of course I do, I actually think that he has the most sexiest butt. Don't you think so, Megu—"
"Oro!!!" Kenshin piped out.
"Kenshin!!!!" Kaoru exclaimed, feeling her face on the verge of exploding. "How… How long have you been there?"
"Long enough," Sano said casually as he approached Megumi, giving her a slight kiss on the lips. "Che! Didn't know you had in you, Jou-chan!" Sano winked.
Megumi smiled widely, finding the scene before her quite amusing.
Kaoru fumed and punched Kenshin across the room, "Kenshin you idiot!!! Don't you even know how to knock or say you're home!!?"
"Orororororo!!!"
"Take it easy on him, Jou-chan. Kenshin had a hard day."
"Oh," Kaoru's face fell as she approached her swirly-eyed fiancée. "Ano… Kenshin, are you alright?"
"Yes, Kaoru, don't worry." Kenshin fixed himself up and stood in front of Kaoru. He gave her a wide smile and announced gleefully, "Sano and I found ourselves a new job!!!"
"Which is?" Megumi asked curiously.
Kaoru looked at him questioningly.
"…"
"Which is?" Megumi repeated.
Kaoru's eyes began to twitch in irritation as she demanded, "Well, what the hell is it!!?"
"It's a…" Kenshin began
Kaoru and Megumi looked at Kenshin expectantly.
"…secret." Sano finished.
Kaoru and Megumi exchanged looks and grinned evilly.
The men noticed this and sweat began to form on their foreheads as they remembered an earlier thought, What our women don't know won't hurt us… Uh-oh…
The next thing they knew was… total darkness.
Author's Notes:
Now that the background has been completely established. Major revelations in the next chapter. Wait for it everyone!!! Expect a fast-paced disclosure of events for the entire fic.
Thanks to all those who left a review and even those who didn't!
Hana-chan- that brat musn't have expected it! I know!!! The graphics are terrific…
Dora-chan- thanks for reviewing every chap. I really appreciate it!! (1)Regan is very strong… she has to be… (2) Ewww!!! No way am I going to write about a necrophiliac! Yech! (3) Me, too. I don't like them paired with others. But I am a big fan of alternate pairings as long as it doesn't include Kenshin or Kaoru.
Shiraha, Susan, Battousai Angel, Macy- You'll know soon enough. I'm going to speed up the pace a little bit for the next chapter. I don't want to waste precious chapters.
Demon-wolf- more to come! I'm trying to finish everything before my vacation ends.
Hatokirei, Midori-chan- I know, no wonder Kaoru always beat him up then again, it makes me wonder why Battousai won't beat him… oh no! forget that Sano is so cute!
Chocobo_no_miko- let's just say that waff serves as my therapy. =)
Emerentiana- I'm glad… I wanted to make it different yet sweet.
JK- thanks… is that a promise? I'll always expect your reviews, ok?
JML- yep! You got me there! LOST is a perfect word to describe her. Hmmm… about the honeymoon… I was thinking of writing a Lem— oh, nevermind.
Gypsy-chan- I'm so glad you appreciated the comic relief I added for the story because there won't be any in the last few chaps. It's going to be dark but don't worry waff will come. Can't live without waff! ::winks::
Marstanuki- hehehehe… you really don't like Megumi, don't you? Don't worry. She won't actually do much in this fic but she is important in bringing out another revelation.
Special thanks to Midori-chan for beta-reading this!
Hope you enjoy this so far!!! PLEASE tell me what you think! Comments, suggestions, reactions, constructive criticisms, love advice ::whoops::, waff demands are welcome!