Chapter Four
When Kenshin awoke in the morning, Kaoru was gone. Her bed was neatly made and her night clothes hung on the rack. Kenshin smiled and stood from his sitting position. His age was generally catching up with him. His back was beginning to hurt more and more, especially when he slept like that. He quickly slid the Sakabatou sheath into his tie around his waist and started to walk to the dining area, figuring that was were everyone was.
Kenji sat at the table, eating his breakfast casually. His mother seemed in a rather perky mood. As she sat down at the end of the table, Kenji's eyes wandered to the heaping bowl of rice that was stationed in front of her. He then continued to watch her swallow it without hardly chewing.
"Mom, are you feeling OK?" Kenji questioned in a very serious tone. Kaoru shook her head up and down, her mouth too full of food to answer.
It was at that moment that Kenshin opened the door to the dining area. Kenji of course, with Battousai blood running through his veins, acted upon natural instinct; attack.
In one quick movement, Kenji drew his Bokutou, leapt across the table, upsetting it, and landing on top of Kenshin, slamming him on his back on the floor with the wooden sword pressing against Kenshin's hands right next to his neck.
"Who are you?" Kenji growled in a dangerous voice. His hair hung in his eyes, which where glowing a golden amber.
"KENJI!" screamed Kaoru, but Kenji ignored her.
"I-I'm Ken-Kenshin Himu-mura," Kenshin stammered, trying to push the boy off and grab his bokutou at the same time. But the boy was powerful.
Something inside Kenji snapped. This man was his father. How could he just leave them there for fourteen years and now come into their lives like nothing had ever happened?!
"You yarou (translated to bastered)! How can you? How COULD you! Ill kill you! Ill kill you!" His eyes were glowing with an intense hate. And Kenshin could feel his strength slipping away.
"OFF!" Kaoru grabbed the boy by the arms and hauled him off Kenshin, wrapping her arms around him to keep him from attacking Kenshin again.
"Kenji! Get a hold of yourself!" Kaoru slapped the boy, which made his amber eyes snap back to sapphire.
"How can you be so disrespectful to your own father, Kenji Himura!"
Kenji turned his intense glare to his mother.
"Never call me Himura. My last name is Kamiya."
Kaoru glared right back at her son.
"I am your mother, I named you. And I chose Himura, not Kamiya. Do not argue with me."
Kenji's eyes narrowed. "Besides, I have no father. That worthless scumbag, call him what you like, is not my father. I haven't had a father for fourteen years, and now he's trying to step back into my life like nothing happened, well, I wont have it." He glared back at Kenshin, who felt he was on trial.
"Kenji, go to your room, NOW!" shouted Kaoru, stamping her foot and pointing towards the hall.
Kenji started to his room, passing by Kenshin. Neither looked at each other, only staring strait ahead.
When Kenji was out of the way, Kenshin shut the door. Kaoru crumpled to the ground, letting out her breath.
"A mother shouldn't be afraid of her child. But when he acts like he's out for blood, I get so nervous. And he can tell."
Kenshin put a reassuring arm around her. "Well. Ill tell you this. He is defiantly my son. I acted just like him. But that's the Battousai part of him. Once he learns how to control that part of his blood, which should be in the next year or two, he'll be fine. But the main key is to not let him get away with anything and not be afraid of him."
Kaoru leaned into him. "He hates you. He has since he learned about you. He saw what your absence did to me, and it made him mad."
Kenshin nodded. "Trust me, I regret every moment of it."
Finally the two ate and cleaned the kitchen. Kenshin then set to the laundry while Kaoru got Kenji to clean the dojo. Whenever the boy passed Kenshin, he would glare at him with such hate, But Kenshin just ignored him.
Five minutes later, Kenshin the little girl he had seen the night before playing with a little boy and two older girls, about seventeen and eighteen. The two girls looked up and their eyes got real wide.
"Uncle Kenny?" They said in Unison
Kenshin winced inwardly. He has always detested that little nickname.
"Ayamai-chan, Suzumi-chan, long time, no see." He said in a mock tone.
"Kenshin!" they squealed. Suddenly, Kenshin was being hugged and kissed and having cheeks rubbed against by the two older girls.
Kenji watched in disgust as his two older 'cousins' drooled over his father. He couldn't believe the man, walking into their lives like no time had passed. He wanted to puke. And his mother, how could she.
When Kenshin was able to breathe again, he looked up at the two girls.
"You two have defiantly grown over the last fifteen years. How old are you, seventeen and eighteen?"
both girls grinned. "actually, we're twenty-four and twenty-five," Ayami laughed.
Kenshin's eyes got really big and his jaw dropped. "Wh-what?"
Both girls nodded and laughed. "Well, we have to help Kaoru clean the dojo, see you later Kenshin!" they cried as they ran away. Kenshin smiled and picked up the basket of clean clothes. He hung them quickly and walked off to start lunch.
When he arraived at the kitchen, however, everyone was outside, eating and laughing. Including Sanoske, Magumi, Tsumbame, Yahiko and a small girl and boy.
Everyone grew quiet as Kenshin approached.
"Kenshin! When did you get back?" hollered Sano as he walked up to his friend. Kenshin smiled.
"Last night. It was really late." He glanced at Kaoru, who was studying her food with great interest.
Suddenly he noticed Kenji, Whom Kaoru was sitting very close to. The boy glanced up and glared with Kenshin, who simply smiled back.
"So Sano, what's happened to you in the last fifteen years?" Kenshin asked innocently.
Sano gave a wicked grin. "I got hitched. Had a kid, too."
"Oro?" cried Kenshin, "to who?"
He sat down next to Magumi and gave her a kiss on the lips.
"The Kitsune."
Kenshin started to laugh, but the two little kids darted threw his legs, the boy running to Yahiko and the girl skated to Sano.
"And this is our daughter, Chihiro. She's got her daddies strength and personality, but mommies grace and beauty." Added Magumi as she picked up the little girl.
Kenshin nodded and turned to Yahiko, who was avoiding Kenshin's eyes.
'great, another Lets-all-hate-kenshin-because-he-slept-with-kaoru-then-up- and-left-her-to-raise-a-child-by-herself-for-fifteen-years-untill-he- decides-to-come-back-unninounced supporter,' he thought.
"And how have you been Yahiko?" he asked innocently.
"Got married to Tsumbame and had a child," he said bluntly.
"His name is Haku, and he's got great instinct with a boken. Its Yahiko's Samurai blood." Tsumbame said, making up for his silence.
Kenshin nodded and patted Yahiko on the shoulder before walking over to Kaoru was. Or was once.
Slowly he started up towards the kitchen before he heard Kenji's voice.
"Mom, you didn't finish your food."
"You know I cant stand to listen to everyone's perfect life stories."
"Mom, our life story isn't that bad."
"Kenji, you have no clue what I've been through."
"Then spill it."
"its something that a mother shouldn't talk to with her son."
"Ok, so everyone got married before they had a kid, you didn't, no biggie."
"Kenji, he was gone for fifteen years. I loved him, and I thought, that after, he would ask me to marry him. I've always wanted that."
Kenji sighed and walked out of the kitchen. He paused at the door, his back facing his mother.
"I know you love him and that you want me to as well, but I just cant do that. After all we've been through, I've got to make him pay first. My revenge. That's what I want." The boy then walked outside, leaving Kaoru to think alone.
He wanted revenge. But in what form? And her desire to be with Kenshin was immeasurable. Everyone else she knew was married and happy. But she was miserable and trying desperately to control her son. Suddenly her own rage at Kenshin surfaced. Throwing down the dish she was drying, she started to walk outside but slammed right into Kenshin's chest.
The samurai looked down at her with kind eyes, and Kaoru felt her anger melt away.
"Hey," he said plainly.
"Hi," Kaoru felt very awkward. She glanced down at her hands, which were fumbling with a seam on her Kimono. Kenshin watched as she fumbled with her hands, but his gaze went back up to her face.
"Your hair has grown longer since I last saw you."
Kenshin wanted to laugh. Such a, what he considered, romantic/loving moment and she thought about his hair!
"Yea, I've gotten it cut a few times, but it grows back."
They fell silent again. Kenshin couldn't stand it. Carefully he grabbed her fumbling hands. A blush creped into Kaoru's cheeks as she raised her eyes to meet his. Slowly Kenshin lowered his face to hers. Kaoru closed her eyes, just as Kenshin's lips grazed hers---
"Hey Kaoru, Kenshin, you guess should see this! Yahiko's got the upper hand on ken-sorry!" Sano ducked back from the room as he saw Kenshin and Kaoru. Kenshin glared at him and Kaoru glanced to her left.
Kenshin let out a low growl of frustration. It was impossible to get alone with someone here for even three minutes! Unless it was three in the morning.
Kenshin's mind drifted to obscenely thoughts fifteen years old. Immediately he buried them as he looked at where Kaoru once was. He then felt a light tug at his arm as Kaoru pulled him to the door.
"Go Yahiko!" She yelled.
Kenshin looked over Kaoru's shoulder at the dojo courtyard.
Yahiko and Kenji were jumping all over the place, jabbing at each other with Bokens. He watched as Kenji jabbed at Yahiko, barley missing him. But Yahiko countered by swatting at his feet with the Boken, knocking them right out from underneath him and sending him on the ground, landing hard on his side. But in the blink of an eye Kenji was back uo and this time landed a hit square on Yahiko's shoulder. The man twirled away before slashing down, but Kenji darted away. Both boys leapt away from each, their bokens in a defensive position as they tried to regain their breath. Finally, Yahiko charged, and at first glance, it appeared he was going to strike towards the right, but changed positions in mid swing. Kenji started to dodge toward the right, seeing the change, but Yahiko changed it again, swinging it back to the right and catching Kenji hard in the side.
The boy tumbled several feet before coming to a still stop. He pushed himself up, a little trickle of blood seeping from his mouth. Glancing toward his mother to see her reaction, his blood started to boil at what he saw. His mother was holding hands with that scumbag. Kenjis eyes blazed amber, but he knew better than to attack that man while he was so close to his mother. She could easily take him down with a boken. SO instead, he turned the attack upon Yahiko.
With the inhuman speed he had inherited from his father, Kenji raced foreword in a flash. Yahiko barley had time to react, bringing the boken up to protect his face out of instinct. Kenji gathered all his strength and slammed his own boken down on Yahiko's, obliterating both wooden swords into splinters.
Everyone was stunned.
Kenji threw down the remaining handle that was in his hand and glared at his father. Kenshin glared right back. His eyes steadily started a light amber glow as he bored into the boys eyes.
'your next. Ill kill you for what you've done to us. You don't touch kaoru, got it?'
'You shouldn't refer to your mother by her name unless someone asks her name. And I have the right to do anything I wish with her, with her permission of course.'
Kenji's eyes flashed.
'you have a reason to be mad at me, Kenji. I don't blame you. But it was in the best interest of the country that I leave and fight the war. If I hadn't, you would have never been born, because you mother would have been dead. One day, you will understand.'
Kenji was fuming. He ran and jumped over the fence, running back down the street into town.
Everyone was staring at Kenshin now, who simply turned in an effort to hide his golden eyes. He quickly made his way to Kaoru's room, where he punched himself quickly in the face. He then shook his head, trying to clear his now fuzzy head.
"Kenshin?"
Kenshin wiped around, his hand on the sakabatou's handle from pure instinct. But his eyes softened as he saw Kaoru standing at the door entrance.
(ok, if you go to Genkai-dama{www.gd.animedd.com} and Download Rurouni Kenshin Himura Guitar version and listen to it playing while reading this part, it sounds really cool. And it adds to the reading effect too!)
"Yes?"
Kaoru made her way into the room and sat on the futon bed. smoothing out her kimono as she spoke.
"What happened between you and Kenji out there?"
Kenshin sighed and sat on the ground.
"Kenji is mad at me because I made you pregnant and then left you all alone. I tried to explain to him that I had to leave for the war. That if I hadn't, he wouldn't be alive because you would've been dead. But he got even madder and ran off."
Kenshin looked out the window. "Even now, this government is unstable. In about a months time, at the farthest, the war will begin again. "
Kaoru felt tears in her eyes. She glanced down at the floor.
"And, you will have to leave again."
Kenshin looked at her. "Yes. But this will be the biggest war of all. All the samurai will be needed. And all potential Samurai. It will be made law here in a couple of days, that the government has the right to come to any dojo and recruit well-trained men that have any training whatsoever in the art of swords. That means that both Yahiko and Kenji will be forced by law to fight. As well as myself. And possibly you too, Kaoru. You are the master of the Kamiya Kasshin style, meaning that you are trained and know how to handle a sword."
Kenshin glanced down at his hands. "I have broken my vow never to kill. I have slain men again, known the feeling of blood again. But if we don't fight, this country will be doomed."
Kaoru was silently sobbing now. Kenshin glanced up at her, and finally, sat next to her. He wrapped his arms around her, and looked into her sapphire eyes.
"That's why I didn't want to come back, Kaoru-dono. I was just passing through here to get to another town. But I saw Kenji fight, his sword style and everything. I couldn't help it. I followed him here, then fell asleep. I saw you when I woke up, and I knew I wouldn't be able to leave."
Their faces drew closer and closer. Kaoru closed her eyes and felt Kenshin's breath on her lips. He hesitated, but then finally pushed his lips against hers. Kaoru felt His arms travel down her back. And kaoru felt her own hands fumbling with the knot on Kenshin's gi.
"No," Kaoru said against his lips and pushed away. Kenshin stopped and scooted back, slight confusion in his eyes.
"Kenshin, I realize that you arnt the same man you were fifteen years ago, but I cant trust you. Not after what you did to me. I might never fully have the trust in you I had before. I love you, but I just cant."
Kaoru stood and left the room, feeling guilty.
'She has the right. I did her wrong and she has the right.'
When Kenshin awoke in the morning, Kaoru was gone. Her bed was neatly made and her night clothes hung on the rack. Kenshin smiled and stood from his sitting position. His age was generally catching up with him. His back was beginning to hurt more and more, especially when he slept like that. He quickly slid the Sakabatou sheath into his tie around his waist and started to walk to the dining area, figuring that was were everyone was.
Kenji sat at the table, eating his breakfast casually. His mother seemed in a rather perky mood. As she sat down at the end of the table, Kenji's eyes wandered to the heaping bowl of rice that was stationed in front of her. He then continued to watch her swallow it without hardly chewing.
"Mom, are you feeling OK?" Kenji questioned in a very serious tone. Kaoru shook her head up and down, her mouth too full of food to answer.
It was at that moment that Kenshin opened the door to the dining area. Kenji of course, with Battousai blood running through his veins, acted upon natural instinct; attack.
In one quick movement, Kenji drew his Bokutou, leapt across the table, upsetting it, and landing on top of Kenshin, slamming him on his back on the floor with the wooden sword pressing against Kenshin's hands right next to his neck.
"Who are you?" Kenji growled in a dangerous voice. His hair hung in his eyes, which where glowing a golden amber.
"KENJI!" screamed Kaoru, but Kenji ignored her.
"I-I'm Ken-Kenshin Himu-mura," Kenshin stammered, trying to push the boy off and grab his bokutou at the same time. But the boy was powerful.
Something inside Kenji snapped. This man was his father. How could he just leave them there for fourteen years and now come into their lives like nothing had ever happened?!
"You yarou (translated to bastered)! How can you? How COULD you! Ill kill you! Ill kill you!" His eyes were glowing with an intense hate. And Kenshin could feel his strength slipping away.
"OFF!" Kaoru grabbed the boy by the arms and hauled him off Kenshin, wrapping her arms around him to keep him from attacking Kenshin again.
"Kenji! Get a hold of yourself!" Kaoru slapped the boy, which made his amber eyes snap back to sapphire.
"How can you be so disrespectful to your own father, Kenji Himura!"
Kenji turned his intense glare to his mother.
"Never call me Himura. My last name is Kamiya."
Kaoru glared right back at her son.
"I am your mother, I named you. And I chose Himura, not Kamiya. Do not argue with me."
Kenji's eyes narrowed. "Besides, I have no father. That worthless scumbag, call him what you like, is not my father. I haven't had a father for fourteen years, and now he's trying to step back into my life like nothing happened, well, I wont have it." He glared back at Kenshin, who felt he was on trial.
"Kenji, go to your room, NOW!" shouted Kaoru, stamping her foot and pointing towards the hall.
Kenji started to his room, passing by Kenshin. Neither looked at each other, only staring strait ahead.
When Kenji was out of the way, Kenshin shut the door. Kaoru crumpled to the ground, letting out her breath.
"A mother shouldn't be afraid of her child. But when he acts like he's out for blood, I get so nervous. And he can tell."
Kenshin put a reassuring arm around her. "Well. Ill tell you this. He is defiantly my son. I acted just like him. But that's the Battousai part of him. Once he learns how to control that part of his blood, which should be in the next year or two, he'll be fine. But the main key is to not let him get away with anything and not be afraid of him."
Kaoru leaned into him. "He hates you. He has since he learned about you. He saw what your absence did to me, and it made him mad."
Kenshin nodded. "Trust me, I regret every moment of it."
Finally the two ate and cleaned the kitchen. Kenshin then set to the laundry while Kaoru got Kenji to clean the dojo. Whenever the boy passed Kenshin, he would glare at him with such hate, But Kenshin just ignored him.
Five minutes later, Kenshin the little girl he had seen the night before playing with a little boy and two older girls, about seventeen and eighteen. The two girls looked up and their eyes got real wide.
"Uncle Kenny?" They said in Unison
Kenshin winced inwardly. He has always detested that little nickname.
"Ayamai-chan, Suzumi-chan, long time, no see." He said in a mock tone.
"Kenshin!" they squealed. Suddenly, Kenshin was being hugged and kissed and having cheeks rubbed against by the two older girls.
Kenji watched in disgust as his two older 'cousins' drooled over his father. He couldn't believe the man, walking into their lives like no time had passed. He wanted to puke. And his mother, how could she.
When Kenshin was able to breathe again, he looked up at the two girls.
"You two have defiantly grown over the last fifteen years. How old are you, seventeen and eighteen?"
both girls grinned. "actually, we're twenty-four and twenty-five," Ayami laughed.
Kenshin's eyes got really big and his jaw dropped. "Wh-what?"
Both girls nodded and laughed. "Well, we have to help Kaoru clean the dojo, see you later Kenshin!" they cried as they ran away. Kenshin smiled and picked up the basket of clean clothes. He hung them quickly and walked off to start lunch.
When he arraived at the kitchen, however, everyone was outside, eating and laughing. Including Sanoske, Magumi, Tsumbame, Yahiko and a small girl and boy.
Everyone grew quiet as Kenshin approached.
"Kenshin! When did you get back?" hollered Sano as he walked up to his friend. Kenshin smiled.
"Last night. It was really late." He glanced at Kaoru, who was studying her food with great interest.
Suddenly he noticed Kenji, Whom Kaoru was sitting very close to. The boy glanced up and glared with Kenshin, who simply smiled back.
"So Sano, what's happened to you in the last fifteen years?" Kenshin asked innocently.
Sano gave a wicked grin. "I got hitched. Had a kid, too."
"Oro?" cried Kenshin, "to who?"
He sat down next to Magumi and gave her a kiss on the lips.
"The Kitsune."
Kenshin started to laugh, but the two little kids darted threw his legs, the boy running to Yahiko and the girl skated to Sano.
"And this is our daughter, Chihiro. She's got her daddies strength and personality, but mommies grace and beauty." Added Magumi as she picked up the little girl.
Kenshin nodded and turned to Yahiko, who was avoiding Kenshin's eyes.
'great, another Lets-all-hate-kenshin-because-he-slept-with-kaoru-then-up- and-left-her-to-raise-a-child-by-herself-for-fifteen-years-untill-he- decides-to-come-back-unninounced supporter,' he thought.
"And how have you been Yahiko?" he asked innocently.
"Got married to Tsumbame and had a child," he said bluntly.
"His name is Haku, and he's got great instinct with a boken. Its Yahiko's Samurai blood." Tsumbame said, making up for his silence.
Kenshin nodded and patted Yahiko on the shoulder before walking over to Kaoru was. Or was once.
Slowly he started up towards the kitchen before he heard Kenji's voice.
"Mom, you didn't finish your food."
"You know I cant stand to listen to everyone's perfect life stories."
"Mom, our life story isn't that bad."
"Kenji, you have no clue what I've been through."
"Then spill it."
"its something that a mother shouldn't talk to with her son."
"Ok, so everyone got married before they had a kid, you didn't, no biggie."
"Kenji, he was gone for fifteen years. I loved him, and I thought, that after, he would ask me to marry him. I've always wanted that."
Kenji sighed and walked out of the kitchen. He paused at the door, his back facing his mother.
"I know you love him and that you want me to as well, but I just cant do that. After all we've been through, I've got to make him pay first. My revenge. That's what I want." The boy then walked outside, leaving Kaoru to think alone.
He wanted revenge. But in what form? And her desire to be with Kenshin was immeasurable. Everyone else she knew was married and happy. But she was miserable and trying desperately to control her son. Suddenly her own rage at Kenshin surfaced. Throwing down the dish she was drying, she started to walk outside but slammed right into Kenshin's chest.
The samurai looked down at her with kind eyes, and Kaoru felt her anger melt away.
"Hey," he said plainly.
"Hi," Kaoru felt very awkward. She glanced down at her hands, which were fumbling with a seam on her Kimono. Kenshin watched as she fumbled with her hands, but his gaze went back up to her face.
"Your hair has grown longer since I last saw you."
Kenshin wanted to laugh. Such a, what he considered, romantic/loving moment and she thought about his hair!
"Yea, I've gotten it cut a few times, but it grows back."
They fell silent again. Kenshin couldn't stand it. Carefully he grabbed her fumbling hands. A blush creped into Kaoru's cheeks as she raised her eyes to meet his. Slowly Kenshin lowered his face to hers. Kaoru closed her eyes, just as Kenshin's lips grazed hers---
"Hey Kaoru, Kenshin, you guess should see this! Yahiko's got the upper hand on ken-sorry!" Sano ducked back from the room as he saw Kenshin and Kaoru. Kenshin glared at him and Kaoru glanced to her left.
Kenshin let out a low growl of frustration. It was impossible to get alone with someone here for even three minutes! Unless it was three in the morning.
Kenshin's mind drifted to obscenely thoughts fifteen years old. Immediately he buried them as he looked at where Kaoru once was. He then felt a light tug at his arm as Kaoru pulled him to the door.
"Go Yahiko!" She yelled.
Kenshin looked over Kaoru's shoulder at the dojo courtyard.
Yahiko and Kenji were jumping all over the place, jabbing at each other with Bokens. He watched as Kenji jabbed at Yahiko, barley missing him. But Yahiko countered by swatting at his feet with the Boken, knocking them right out from underneath him and sending him on the ground, landing hard on his side. But in the blink of an eye Kenji was back uo and this time landed a hit square on Yahiko's shoulder. The man twirled away before slashing down, but Kenji darted away. Both boys leapt away from each, their bokens in a defensive position as they tried to regain their breath. Finally, Yahiko charged, and at first glance, it appeared he was going to strike towards the right, but changed positions in mid swing. Kenji started to dodge toward the right, seeing the change, but Yahiko changed it again, swinging it back to the right and catching Kenji hard in the side.
The boy tumbled several feet before coming to a still stop. He pushed himself up, a little trickle of blood seeping from his mouth. Glancing toward his mother to see her reaction, his blood started to boil at what he saw. His mother was holding hands with that scumbag. Kenjis eyes blazed amber, but he knew better than to attack that man while he was so close to his mother. She could easily take him down with a boken. SO instead, he turned the attack upon Yahiko.
With the inhuman speed he had inherited from his father, Kenji raced foreword in a flash. Yahiko barley had time to react, bringing the boken up to protect his face out of instinct. Kenji gathered all his strength and slammed his own boken down on Yahiko's, obliterating both wooden swords into splinters.
Everyone was stunned.
Kenji threw down the remaining handle that was in his hand and glared at his father. Kenshin glared right back. His eyes steadily started a light amber glow as he bored into the boys eyes.
'your next. Ill kill you for what you've done to us. You don't touch kaoru, got it?'
'You shouldn't refer to your mother by her name unless someone asks her name. And I have the right to do anything I wish with her, with her permission of course.'
Kenji's eyes flashed.
'you have a reason to be mad at me, Kenji. I don't blame you. But it was in the best interest of the country that I leave and fight the war. If I hadn't, you would have never been born, because you mother would have been dead. One day, you will understand.'
Kenji was fuming. He ran and jumped over the fence, running back down the street into town.
Everyone was staring at Kenshin now, who simply turned in an effort to hide his golden eyes. He quickly made his way to Kaoru's room, where he punched himself quickly in the face. He then shook his head, trying to clear his now fuzzy head.
"Kenshin?"
Kenshin wiped around, his hand on the sakabatou's handle from pure instinct. But his eyes softened as he saw Kaoru standing at the door entrance.
(ok, if you go to Genkai-dama{www.gd.animedd.com} and Download Rurouni Kenshin Himura Guitar version and listen to it playing while reading this part, it sounds really cool. And it adds to the reading effect too!)
"Yes?"
Kaoru made her way into the room and sat on the futon bed. smoothing out her kimono as she spoke.
"What happened between you and Kenji out there?"
Kenshin sighed and sat on the ground.
"Kenji is mad at me because I made you pregnant and then left you all alone. I tried to explain to him that I had to leave for the war. That if I hadn't, he wouldn't be alive because you would've been dead. But he got even madder and ran off."
Kenshin looked out the window. "Even now, this government is unstable. In about a months time, at the farthest, the war will begin again. "
Kaoru felt tears in her eyes. She glanced down at the floor.
"And, you will have to leave again."
Kenshin looked at her. "Yes. But this will be the biggest war of all. All the samurai will be needed. And all potential Samurai. It will be made law here in a couple of days, that the government has the right to come to any dojo and recruit well-trained men that have any training whatsoever in the art of swords. That means that both Yahiko and Kenji will be forced by law to fight. As well as myself. And possibly you too, Kaoru. You are the master of the Kamiya Kasshin style, meaning that you are trained and know how to handle a sword."
Kenshin glanced down at his hands. "I have broken my vow never to kill. I have slain men again, known the feeling of blood again. But if we don't fight, this country will be doomed."
Kaoru was silently sobbing now. Kenshin glanced up at her, and finally, sat next to her. He wrapped his arms around her, and looked into her sapphire eyes.
"That's why I didn't want to come back, Kaoru-dono. I was just passing through here to get to another town. But I saw Kenji fight, his sword style and everything. I couldn't help it. I followed him here, then fell asleep. I saw you when I woke up, and I knew I wouldn't be able to leave."
Their faces drew closer and closer. Kaoru closed her eyes and felt Kenshin's breath on her lips. He hesitated, but then finally pushed his lips against hers. Kaoru felt His arms travel down her back. And kaoru felt her own hands fumbling with the knot on Kenshin's gi.
"No," Kaoru said against his lips and pushed away. Kenshin stopped and scooted back, slight confusion in his eyes.
"Kenshin, I realize that you arnt the same man you were fifteen years ago, but I cant trust you. Not after what you did to me. I might never fully have the trust in you I had before. I love you, but I just cant."
Kaoru stood and left the room, feeling guilty.
'She has the right. I did her wrong and she has the right.'