Standard Disclaimers Apply.

Chapter Five

            The next morning, Kaoru hummed her way to the dinning room. Kenshin looked at her quizzically and asked, "Good dreams, Kaoru?"

            "Not really…" Kaoru answered while fiddling with her fingers.

            Kenshin approached her, kissed her on the forehead and greeted, "Good morning, love. So… why are you in such a good mood?"

            "It's a secret!"

Kenshin frowned at her, causing her to grin upon seeing his not-so-pleased facial expression. She rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Oh come on, Kenshin! Lighten up! If I am in a bad mood, you'll get worried. Don't tell me you're worried because I am in an extremely good mood."

Kenshin kneeled beside her and touched her nose lightly with his finger, "Kaoru… the reason why I am so worried is that you are not telling me why you are so happy. I feel as if you are planning to do something."

Kaoru smiled widely and nodded gleefully.

"So…"

"So?"

"So… what is it?" Kenshin asked eagerly.

"Well, like I told you before, there are many things written in my mother's journal that leave me baffled. It came to me that maybe…"

"…you can ask Dr. Genzai about it," Kenshin finished as if he read Kaoru's mind.

"Exactly!"

Kenshin pressed his lips to Kaoru's forehead and whispered, "Good for you, love. When are you planning to ask him?"

"After breakfast."

Kenshin bowed his head and said sadly, "I'm sorry, Kaoru. I don't think I'll be able to accompany you because I have work."

"That's alright, Kenshin," Kaoru said, holding his hands. "I understand."

"What are you planning to ask him anyway?"

~~~~~

            "Dr. Genzai!" Kaoru called out as she knocked on the clinic's door. Hearing no response, she walked inside and looked around for anybody's presence. Kaoru sighed in disappointment, "Weird… the clinic never really becomes empty."

            Just then, the doors of one of the rooms flew open, almost giving Kaoru a heart attack. Dr. Genzai smiled at Kaoru's reaction and asked good-naturedly, "Kaoru-chan? What brings you here? Has the ointment I gave you for the dojo run out?"

             "Actually, that is not the reason why I came here."

            "Oh." Dr. Genzai raised his eyebrows and asked worriedly, "Is there anything wrong?"

            Kaoru shook her head replied,  "I just wanted to ask you a few questions."

            "Okay, let's sit inside the consultation room so we can talk privately," Dr. Genzai said as he led his visitor to the other room.

            They sat across each other. Taking a deep breath, Kaoru asked, "Dr. Genzai, how long did you know my mother?"

            "I've known her since your father courted her. I had been the Kamiya's family doctor since your father was still a baby and I had just started practicing medicine."

            "Good," Kaoru smiled. "Were you close to my parents?"

            Dr. Genzai was starting to get nervous and he fidgeted on his seat. "Yes, Kaoru-chan, even before you were born, they always invited me over the dojo. I was also the one who took care of your grandparents before they passed away. Why do you ask?"

            "You see, I was reading mother's journal and…"

            Dr. Genzai's eyes widened when she mentioned the journal. He clumsily stood up, cutting off Kaoru's statement. He stammered, "Anoo… Kaoru-chan… I forgot I have to tend to another patient…" With that, he headed to the door.

            "Wait!!" Kaoru said, trying to catch up with him.

            Dr. Genzai turned around, not meeting her eyes.

            "Do you know who Aki is?"

            "Kaoru-chan, I am a very old man. I'm sorry I can't help you… You can't possibly expect me to remember your mother's ex-lover," Dr. Genzai paled when his words finally sank in. "I… I… have to go…" Dr. Genzai immediately went out of the room and entered one of the vacant receiving rooms. He leaned on the wall and sighed,  I should never have given her the journal… But… that was one of her mother's last wishes… He shook his head in frustration. I shouldn't have. Now she is going to start asking questions that will break my heart to answer.

            Meanwhile, back at the consultation room, Kaoru's mind was swimming. I heard it… and I know he is aware that he slipped. Why? Why does he avoid the topic?? I am not even going to ask him about Aki… he was just an introduction. I was going to ask if my father did anything to upset my mother. Kaoru banged her fist on the table in utter frustration, "Why is this happening!!!? Instead of getting some answers, I am bombarded with even more questions!! Uuuggghhh!!!!" Kaoru closed her eyes and said to herself with much conviction, "I am not going to give up. I'll try to investigate some more then I'll ask him again." Think Kaoru, think. Don't let your emotions get to you. Okay, I have to start in the beginning. Aki… Kaoru snapped her eyes open and said out loud, "That's it!!!"

~~~~~

            "Kenshin! My arm is already stiff and aching!!" Sano complained under his breath.

            Kenshin glared at him and snarled, "I don't think you have the right to complain, Sano! After all this was your idea.

            "Hold still!!!"

            "Sorry, sorry," Kenshin said, grinning softly.

"Oi! Greenhorn, what is this for anyway?"

"Oh, this is for the experiment I am doing entitled 'West meets East'"

Sano snarled, "Chikuso! why do we have to wear this thin white sheets and pieces of grass on our hair? This is embar— "

"Sanosuke-san! This is art and you should be honored that you are portraying Zues, god of the entire heavens!!"

Sano's face lit up and gave them a cocky smile, "Of course I am!"

"I am doing a  painting wherein I am incorporating Greek Mythology gods in the background of Japan," Ryuzaburo stated matter-of-factly.

Unable to contain himself, he glared at both of his companions, his eyes almost turning amber. He growled, "What I don't get is why I am supposed to wear this costume you gave me?!!?"

"Maa, maa, Himura-san, you are Cupid, god of Love. That is what you are supposed wear." Ryuzaburo replied softly to pacify him. Nope! It is not a good idea to enrage the Hitokiri Battousai.

Kenshin's eyes twitched in anger as he burst out, "This is not a costume! This is UNDERWEAR!!!"

Sano stared at his red-faced friend, This is definitely not good. I thought he would just oro his way through this.

~~~~~

            Kaoru walked around the market with the sense of unfamiliarity overwhelming her. She had passed by the same streets, haggled in the same stalls, talked to the same vendors, yet… with all the pieces of her mother's memory obscuring her own… she felt lost. Actually, she knew exactly what to do… to ask the traders if they can recall a man named Aki. But on the way to the market, she felt her spirits dissipate when a realization dawned upon her. How can she expect people from a very busy market where traders and buyers come and go day and night, to remember a Spanish businessman, who used to sell some commodity she does not know, more than twenty years ago. Do you think I should change the order of the sentences… should I start with 'on the way to the market'? or is this okay?

            Kaoru knew she must not give up but a part of her was telling her that she did not need to burden herself with issues of the past that might have been long resolved. Not only had the talk with Dr. Genzai confused her even more, now, her mind was in turmoil whether or not she should proceed with the investigation. With a heavy heart, she walked towards the riverbank. Watching the soft ripples of the water had always soothed her. It also gave her peace of mind when she needed to think.

~~~~~

            After the mental, physical and emotional torture he went through during his modeling job, Kenshin was on his way back home. He was walking on his usual path  when a figure of a woman, he knew too well, caught his attention. Even at a distance, he knew that she was brooding. He slowly approached her and sat beside her. "It didn't turn out well, did it?" Kenshin asked in a tone, which asserted more of a statement than a question.

            Kaoru shook her head and wrapped her arms around Kenshin, seeking for warmth and support. She burst out crying, "I don't know why I trouble myself with all these. I know mother wouldn't want to burden me with past problems… I know that I should just give up… I don't know what to do, Kenshin… I don't know!! I really want to learn more about mother because we never really had gotten the chance to know each other but it seems so hopeless… with every bit of information I gather, I just become more confused…"

            Kenshin wrapped his arms around Kaoru as he gently stroked her back, "Shhh…. Kaoru. Don't cry. You're right. I'm sure your mother wouldn't want to burden you with past issues. Maybe she just wants you to learn from them or to get to know her better. Kaoru, she had a purpose for doing giving you her journal. Maybe you still can't figure that out now but you will… in time. Don't give up on her."

            "It's not that I want to give up on her. I just don't know what to do…" she sobbed.

            "I'll help you, Kaoru. You know I am here for you, right?" Kenshin tilted up her chin and wiped away the tears from her eyes.

            Kaoru nodded and asked softly, "Will you accompany me to the market? I was supposed to ask around before… before I lost hope."

            Kenshin kissed her gently on the lips and whispered, "That doesn't seem like the Kaoru I know…" He smiled teasingly, "Where's the determination? The courage? The strength? Where are these characteristics that make up the woman I love?"

            Kaoru smiled, "It's back. The man I love gathered up my broken pieces and mended it for me." With that, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down for a sweet kiss. She murmured in between, "Thank you, love."

~~~~~

            That night, Kenshin and Kaoru snuggled on the front porch as they discussed their investigation.

            Kaoru leaned her head on his shoulder, placed her arm around his waist and frowned, "Mou! This is such a tiring day!!"

            "At least nothing went to waste, ne?" Kenshin said as he pressed his cheek against Kaoru's hair.

            "I can't believe it! I thought no one would remember him. I was starting to lose hope after asking around for a couple of hours, but I had this gut feeling we would find answers. Who would have thought that the seemingly senile old man remembered him… not to mention worked for him."

            "Appearances are often deceiving, Kaoru."

            "I know that…"

            "So what are you planning to do next?"

            "I don't know… Actually, the information we gathered wasn't that helpful. All that ojiisan said was he went back to his homeland last January 1860, just like mother said…" Kaoru paused for a moment and pouted, "Mou! We didn't really gather any new information."

            "Cheer up! At least we already have a connection. We can ask him another set of questions tomorrow," Kenshin said as he cradled her slowly.

            "Speaking of questions… I stopped by Dr. Genzai's clinic like I told you this morning…"

            "And…"

            "Well, I asked him if he knew Aki. He denied it. I'm sure he knows something but I don't know why he won't tell me!"

            "Maa, maa, love. He has his reasons. Don't be upset with him. Maybe he just wants you to find out things for yourself."

            "Mou!" Kaoru sighed in exasperation.

            "Do you know that you're so cute when you do that?" Kenshin said cupping her cheeks for a kiss.

            Kaoru pulled away, blushing because of the kiss. She smiled, "Thank you, Kenshin."

            "What for?"

            "For supporting me. For loving me. For everything. I'm grateful even for the fact that you exist. That you're you. I love you."

            "Me too, Kaoru. So much." He smiled as he leaned towards her again for another kiss.

~~~~~

Two months later…

            It was early dawn and a ship's loud horn could be heard across the distance, announcing its presence. It disembarked by the main dock as traders, visitors, men, women and children departed eagerly to embrace the new opportunities that awaited them in this foreign land.

            On one end of the boat, Regan took a deep breath as she slowly descended the stairs. She roamed her eyes around the foggy harbor, smiled and whispered to herself, "Tadaima…"

Author's Notes:

*What is Dr. Genzai hiding? You'll see…

*Finally! You know Sano and Kenshin's job! Hehehe… I hope I didn't disappoint you. I was supposed to go for the clown thing like chris suggested but I wanted them to do something new and weird and I don't know… crazy? Then I thought of Cupid and wallah! Kenshin on diapers… hehehehe!!!

*Regan is here!!! Yey! Read on and find out how she will affect the lives of Kenshin and Kaoru.

For all my co-authors, I am so sorry if I haven't been reviewing your new updates lately. I am really so tired and so busy these days. I promise, I'll review your fics as soon as I can. I can't wait!!!

For all my readers: I am currently constructing a webpage for my fanfictions. I need your help. Will you rate my each of my fics from one to five, one for Waff and three for ULTRA glucose overdose? I want to put a Waff Rating for each fic and since you are my readers, I think that it would be better for you to rate them. ^_^ thank you! I appreciate it very much!

Thank you to all those who read this fic and special thanks to those who left a review.

Dementedchris- thanks for the advice. I'll do that next time. Hehehe… Am I that transparent? ^_^

Hohotori- so what do you think of their job? Ehehehe… ^_^

Battousai angel- Yes! Thanks!

Gypsy-chan- hehehe… I'd have to hang myself if I did that! ^_^

Marstanuki- is it ok now?

Whodunnitgirl- thanks for the info, I'll keep that in mind.

Midori-chan- I also love that line! ^_^

Dora-chan- you are so good with this… hehehe. Thanks a lot for all your encouragement! I'll dedicate the next chap of 'Lie to Me' to you. Thanks for the two reviews, emails and even for listing me as one of your favorites. Little things mean a lot! And it drives me to work harder.

Tsuki-sama- Of course! I will never write an angst fic!!

Hana-chan- I hope I didn't stir up any more hentai thoughts. hehehe

JML- hehehe… what do you think of their jobs?

Susan- I always love waff especially when Kenshin and Kaoru supports each other on their problems.

Macy, Fuuzaki, JK- you'll know the answers soon enough. ^_^

Special thanks to Midori-chan for beta-reading this!

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