**Gomen ne for not updating for a long time! Thanks for supporters and
Soujiro/Misao + Enishi/kaoru fans! Here's a short one, but I promise the
next would be soon and much longer, with waff and new advances seen!! ^_^**
Chapter 14 : Occurrences
Stunned silence fell upon the both of them, they just...well...used their eyes. In deep observation she stared at his expression while he stared at her whole new image.
"Very...very..." Soujiro started in a stutter. "beautiful..."
"Thank...thank you." her cheeks felt a burning hot sensation, dyeing her face in an ominous pink. "Well, I'll better start cooking, erm...it's not early." she turned to walk away, finding herself caught in another awkward situation. The setting sun peeked through the clouds, giving it's last yawn before turning in.
"No," he reached out and held her arm. "I'll cook this time." showing her one of his warmest smiles. She felt her heart flutter at that, worse still, it was not the first time. The uneasiness around him had begun to start some time ago. Specifically, it was since he carried her for the first time and saved her life. "O...ok." she returned his smile and proceeded on walking. It was a pleasant evening to go out for a stroll and be back just in time for dinner...
...to which she was clearing the dishes to...
...and found the core reason she didn't want to wear a kimono in the first place...
*sweat*
"Arrggh...I STILL don't see anything wrong with wearing plain simple shorts and shirt." she grumbled as she placed the plates and bowls on the rack, after washing them. Apparently her sleeves had gotten soaked with water. Misao tries frantically to splatter them off, only further wetting herself and the rest of the kimono. "That's it!! I'm changing back! To heck if it's weird to others." She was about to turn back to head to her room when there was a muffled sound coming from outside, closely resembling a slight laugh.
She snapped her head back, glaring out the bamboo window. "Why...who's that who dare lau..."
Misao couldn't complete her sentence, her slipper slipped on the patch of water on the ground that dripped from her wet clothes. *thump* "Itaaa...!!"
The amused sound turned into a rustling of leaves as someone rushed inside in house as fast as possible. Soujiro only skidded to a stop at the kitchen doorway. Slowly and cautiously, he knelt down next to her sprawled self, sitting in a very difficult and uncomfortable position. "Da...daijobu ka?"
She wanted to scream out in his face a sarcastic 'what-do-you-think??' answer, but couldn't bring herself to talk. Besides her aching on her back and butt, she sprained an ankle too. Gritting her teeth in pain, she held herself from crying or screaming aloud. But she could manage showing her anger. "You were outside laughing away, weren't you?"
He grinned inwardly at her little child-like tantrum, but showed an innocent face. "Maa, maa...let's not bother about that. I'll try to get you out of this fix first." Putting his hands under her arms, he tried to lift her gently, but a soft whine was heard, dragging her only made the sprain worse. He was thankful she didn't protest to him helping. Her face was already red from embarrassment.
"Opps, I'm sorry." he released her down, and this time carefully carried her up with a hand under her legs and another supporting her back. The sprain was really painful but she sought hard not to show it. Unfortunately, it was pretty obvious. "It's ok, Misao-chan. I'll help you heal that, so don't cry, ok?" Soujiro consoled, with a sad expression as he felt bad for laughing at her moments ago. She tilted her head lower whilst he led her out of the kitchen, and out of the house, not into the bedroom. Misao let down her brave front, biting her lip and leaned onto his chest, all to put it plainly that indeed she is in pain, no use trying to hide it when he knows it already. There was a deep feeling of ease and excitedment, butterflies in the stomach and weakness in the heart. She delighted to be cared for, but he...he was different. He was comfortable to be with right from the start, there was no need to pretend to be someone else, nor be afraid he wouldn't like any part of her. Truly, she wasn't angry with him for petty reasons, since the past year she has grown and matured, slowly, but continuously. Misao begun to understand just what true love is, and see it in more than looks or character, but in the strong desire to make the other person contented, to be happy at the sight of him happy, and sad when he's upset. There exist a special bonding to read the other's mind, and know the other's feelings. Love wouldn't cut out as admiration or momentary crush, it takes effort, time, and what she really feels now as he laid her down on the soft grass with abundant fresh air around - understanding.
To be able to understand when he does what he does, even if you may not know why.
"See? The starts up there, I was looking at the them a while ago. Tonight is a cloudless night, so try focussing on them as I'll help you mend your ankle."
...To have a desire to search into his heart, find out his inner self and true being...
"Just lay back, I hope it wouldn't be too painful." he took out her socks and softly rubbed the bruised area.
"Gomen ne, I...I was laughing at you. I have not laughed for a very long time...well...it seems in appropriate to laugh at that...I was...erm..."
"Soujiro,"
"H..Hai? I'm really sorry! Really!"
"..."
...To love, to do anything just to make him happy...
"Arigatou." she whispered, and closed her eyes, giving herself to slumber under the twilight sky.
**
"Ka...Kamiya..." the man stuttered, taking a step into the lighted dojo and revealed his gruesome self. But that wasn't his focus, he forced his last words into a message. "Kamiya Dojo...DOOMED!!" Enishi jerked his head away from the elder he was talking to and rushed forward to the collapsing heap on the ground.
"Ka...Kamiya.." he tried to reinforce his message again, only being silenced by the white-haired boy who caught his frail self.
"Don't, don't say another word." Enishi quickly examined the casuality, whoose whole body was bathed in blood, hand still tightly clutching a sword. It seemed he went though a very fierce, but defeated battle. He was wounded beyond possible healing, as time has started to drain his life out. "Can someone please pass me bandages and medication? Please hurry!" Enishi asked aloud, his voice no trace of tension though his heart desperately wanted to save the man before him. His mind, however, were entertaining any horid thought he could think of at Kamiya Dojo. "Quick, he's bleeding too much!"
"Go there now." the dojo-master said gently, behind him students with first- aid supplies. "We'll do our best to keep him stable and alive."
A confirming nod, and Enishi rushed out as fast as can, into the darkness that enveloped the streets.
**
Kaoru tossed and turned in her room, shared with Yahiko sleeping in the other corner, though it was smaller, a little cramp, she was glad to be given a place to sleep. Outside, stray cats purred and dogs barked, with constant drips of water heard from a leak somewhere.
"The dojo is better," she murmured to herself, starring at the ceiling that threatens to cave in anytime.
Unsurprisingly, Yahiko was not perturbed, sound asleep and softly snoring. "but Jine pleaded me to stay, and much work is still not done..." she sighed. It's going to be a long day ahead...
Closing her eyes she remembers his pleading face, eyes brimmed with tears, a broken voice that could break her heart. "Okachan, stay for tonight! Please!! Tomorrow morning I'll be a good boy, I promise!"
"Demo, Jine" she sought to explain. "I need to go back, I don't...well, belong here."
"Neither do I! Neither do anyone of us here!" he exclaimed, now with tear- brimmed eyes.
That's when she gave in, thinking a day at Rakuninmura wouldn't be that bad, right?
**
Fire swallowed the place, curling it's licks around all corners and the structure seems to give in to the ground any moment. From the past the dojo had been destroyed several times, but the worst had come. It was about to collapse.
"Kuso!!" Enishi cursed, seeing the inferno from a distance. His mind raced rapidly to try salvage the situation, but it seemed beyond help. The heat was too intense to go too near. His heart then suddenly skipped a beat.
"KAORU!! KENSHIN!!"
Chapter 14 : Occurrences
Stunned silence fell upon the both of them, they just...well...used their eyes. In deep observation she stared at his expression while he stared at her whole new image.
"Very...very..." Soujiro started in a stutter. "beautiful..."
"Thank...thank you." her cheeks felt a burning hot sensation, dyeing her face in an ominous pink. "Well, I'll better start cooking, erm...it's not early." she turned to walk away, finding herself caught in another awkward situation. The setting sun peeked through the clouds, giving it's last yawn before turning in.
"No," he reached out and held her arm. "I'll cook this time." showing her one of his warmest smiles. She felt her heart flutter at that, worse still, it was not the first time. The uneasiness around him had begun to start some time ago. Specifically, it was since he carried her for the first time and saved her life. "O...ok." she returned his smile and proceeded on walking. It was a pleasant evening to go out for a stroll and be back just in time for dinner...
...to which she was clearing the dishes to...
...and found the core reason she didn't want to wear a kimono in the first place...
*sweat*
"Arrggh...I STILL don't see anything wrong with wearing plain simple shorts and shirt." she grumbled as she placed the plates and bowls on the rack, after washing them. Apparently her sleeves had gotten soaked with water. Misao tries frantically to splatter them off, only further wetting herself and the rest of the kimono. "That's it!! I'm changing back! To heck if it's weird to others." She was about to turn back to head to her room when there was a muffled sound coming from outside, closely resembling a slight laugh.
She snapped her head back, glaring out the bamboo window. "Why...who's that who dare lau..."
Misao couldn't complete her sentence, her slipper slipped on the patch of water on the ground that dripped from her wet clothes. *thump* "Itaaa...!!"
The amused sound turned into a rustling of leaves as someone rushed inside in house as fast as possible. Soujiro only skidded to a stop at the kitchen doorway. Slowly and cautiously, he knelt down next to her sprawled self, sitting in a very difficult and uncomfortable position. "Da...daijobu ka?"
She wanted to scream out in his face a sarcastic 'what-do-you-think??' answer, but couldn't bring herself to talk. Besides her aching on her back and butt, she sprained an ankle too. Gritting her teeth in pain, she held herself from crying or screaming aloud. But she could manage showing her anger. "You were outside laughing away, weren't you?"
He grinned inwardly at her little child-like tantrum, but showed an innocent face. "Maa, maa...let's not bother about that. I'll try to get you out of this fix first." Putting his hands under her arms, he tried to lift her gently, but a soft whine was heard, dragging her only made the sprain worse. He was thankful she didn't protest to him helping. Her face was already red from embarrassment.
"Opps, I'm sorry." he released her down, and this time carefully carried her up with a hand under her legs and another supporting her back. The sprain was really painful but she sought hard not to show it. Unfortunately, it was pretty obvious. "It's ok, Misao-chan. I'll help you heal that, so don't cry, ok?" Soujiro consoled, with a sad expression as he felt bad for laughing at her moments ago. She tilted her head lower whilst he led her out of the kitchen, and out of the house, not into the bedroom. Misao let down her brave front, biting her lip and leaned onto his chest, all to put it plainly that indeed she is in pain, no use trying to hide it when he knows it already. There was a deep feeling of ease and excitedment, butterflies in the stomach and weakness in the heart. She delighted to be cared for, but he...he was different. He was comfortable to be with right from the start, there was no need to pretend to be someone else, nor be afraid he wouldn't like any part of her. Truly, she wasn't angry with him for petty reasons, since the past year she has grown and matured, slowly, but continuously. Misao begun to understand just what true love is, and see it in more than looks or character, but in the strong desire to make the other person contented, to be happy at the sight of him happy, and sad when he's upset. There exist a special bonding to read the other's mind, and know the other's feelings. Love wouldn't cut out as admiration or momentary crush, it takes effort, time, and what she really feels now as he laid her down on the soft grass with abundant fresh air around - understanding.
To be able to understand when he does what he does, even if you may not know why.
"See? The starts up there, I was looking at the them a while ago. Tonight is a cloudless night, so try focussing on them as I'll help you mend your ankle."
...To have a desire to search into his heart, find out his inner self and true being...
"Just lay back, I hope it wouldn't be too painful." he took out her socks and softly rubbed the bruised area.
"Gomen ne, I...I was laughing at you. I have not laughed for a very long time...well...it seems in appropriate to laugh at that...I was...erm..."
"Soujiro,"
"H..Hai? I'm really sorry! Really!"
"..."
...To love, to do anything just to make him happy...
"Arigatou." she whispered, and closed her eyes, giving herself to slumber under the twilight sky.
**
"Ka...Kamiya..." the man stuttered, taking a step into the lighted dojo and revealed his gruesome self. But that wasn't his focus, he forced his last words into a message. "Kamiya Dojo...DOOMED!!" Enishi jerked his head away from the elder he was talking to and rushed forward to the collapsing heap on the ground.
"Ka...Kamiya.." he tried to reinforce his message again, only being silenced by the white-haired boy who caught his frail self.
"Don't, don't say another word." Enishi quickly examined the casuality, whoose whole body was bathed in blood, hand still tightly clutching a sword. It seemed he went though a very fierce, but defeated battle. He was wounded beyond possible healing, as time has started to drain his life out. "Can someone please pass me bandages and medication? Please hurry!" Enishi asked aloud, his voice no trace of tension though his heart desperately wanted to save the man before him. His mind, however, were entertaining any horid thought he could think of at Kamiya Dojo. "Quick, he's bleeding too much!"
"Go there now." the dojo-master said gently, behind him students with first- aid supplies. "We'll do our best to keep him stable and alive."
A confirming nod, and Enishi rushed out as fast as can, into the darkness that enveloped the streets.
**
Kaoru tossed and turned in her room, shared with Yahiko sleeping in the other corner, though it was smaller, a little cramp, she was glad to be given a place to sleep. Outside, stray cats purred and dogs barked, with constant drips of water heard from a leak somewhere.
"The dojo is better," she murmured to herself, starring at the ceiling that threatens to cave in anytime.
Unsurprisingly, Yahiko was not perturbed, sound asleep and softly snoring. "but Jine pleaded me to stay, and much work is still not done..." she sighed. It's going to be a long day ahead...
Closing her eyes she remembers his pleading face, eyes brimmed with tears, a broken voice that could break her heart. "Okachan, stay for tonight! Please!! Tomorrow morning I'll be a good boy, I promise!"
"Demo, Jine" she sought to explain. "I need to go back, I don't...well, belong here."
"Neither do I! Neither do anyone of us here!" he exclaimed, now with tear- brimmed eyes.
That's when she gave in, thinking a day at Rakuninmura wouldn't be that bad, right?
**
Fire swallowed the place, curling it's licks around all corners and the structure seems to give in to the ground any moment. From the past the dojo had been destroyed several times, but the worst had come. It was about to collapse.
"Kuso!!" Enishi cursed, seeing the inferno from a distance. His mind raced rapidly to try salvage the situation, but it seemed beyond help. The heat was too intense to go too near. His heart then suddenly skipped a beat.
"KAORU!! KENSHIN!!"