Disclaimer: I certainly don't own Rurouni Kenshin and its characters.
They, as far as I'm concerned, belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei so don't
sue a poor girl like myself. Go do something else. I wrote this stuff for
entertainment purposes only.
Author's greetings: I am very, very sad, ladies and gents so I won't be able to say hello. The diskette I was using to save my fanfics into was not recognized in my PC cuz the PC said it was not formatted. I was sure my floppy disk was damaged. I'm now using a different disk but it ain't the same, I tell you. But Chapter 4 is here right before you so just read it and enjoy. Ganbarimasu!
Rating: PG (though ratings may vary as the plot unfolds)
Second Chance
Chapter 4: Journey for Self-Enlightenment
Kaoru stirred from her sleep. *Odd…* she thought. She can't hear the usual chopping of vegetables from the kitchen. And according to her judgment, it might be hours after dawn. *Why didn't anybody wake me up? *
Last night seemed so unusual to her. *What happened? * She sat up and ran her hand over her face. Then she froze.
She remembered. Every detail of what happened last night, every word that guy in black said, the promise Kenshin made to her, and the promise she made to him. The last thing she remembered was a handkerchief covering her nose and mouth, making her smell some scent which smelled like roses.
"I'll be back, I promise, Kaoru-dono… for you…"
*They took Kenshin with them…* she broke down into soft sobs but tears would not fall down. She remembered that she shed tears last night… when Kenshin decided to go with them. *Just because of me… he always gets into trouble… always because of me… * Her tears cannot be held back any longer. They began flowing down once more.
*Wait! Maybe it was all just a dream! * Kaoru consoled herself.
"It was all a dream!" She said out loud. "Kenshin'll surely be in his room, if his not in the kitchen."
She stood up and, sliding her door open, she ran towards Kenshin's room. She paused outside his room and tried listening for sounds inside. Seconds passed. Nothing.
"Kenshin?" She asked no one in particular, hoping that somebody would answer from inside the room.
No answer.
Sliding his door open widely, she looked around.
Morning sunrays entered his room. Kenshin's room was spic and span. *Just like him. * Kaoru fell to her knees. She began shaking her head, with a distant look in her eyes. *No… no… no… *
She heard heavy footsteps coming towards her, followed by soft ones that probably belong to a young boy. She looked up and saw Sano. She gave him a weak smile, but the agony in her face was very visible. "He's just outside, doing the laundry. Ne, Sano?"
Sano said nothing. His mouth was shut tightly. She realized that there were dark circles under his eyes. Yahiko was right behind him, staring at the floor. And she knew that her supposed to be dream, certainly happened last night.
She covered her face with both hands and began to sob. Sano kneeled beside her, patting her shoulder lightly like an older brother. "It was real." Sano told her softly.
"I know… I just wanted to believe it wasn't…" she told him, wiping the tears away from her eyes.
Yahiko sank to the floor. "Why Kenshin? Why, of all people, did they choose Kenshin?" Yahiko asked them pointlessly. He bowed his head and began crying like the ten-year-old boy that he was. Kaoru and Sano stared at him. Yahiko never cries. At least not in front of them.
Kaoru gathered Yahiko into her arms, locking him in a loose sisterly hug. He gave no signs of objection and gave in to the embrace.
Then she sensed somebody watching the three of them. She looked into Megumi's direction and looked at her helplessly.
"Megumi-san…" Kaoru started but was cut short when she realized that the young doctor looked different.
She was standing a few feet away from them, a tray of teapot and teacups in both hands. Her once neatly combed hair was unruly, her face was a picture of anguish, her red lips, pale from worry. She took a few steps towards them but stopped, unable to go on. She sank to her knees, putting the tray aside. She covered her mouth with one hand and the other hand was supporting almost all of her weight to the floor. "Ken-san… " She mumbled softly through her hand, tears flowing down her cheeks and hand.
*We look pathetic. * Kaoru thought to herself, frowning slightly. *Is this the Kenshin-gumi? * Kaoru knew she had to pull the Kenshin-gumi, her family, back together again.
Yahiko had pulled away from her now, wiping away his tears but the tears won't stop flowing. So he let them flow down his cheeks without uttering a single sound, head bowed.
Kaoru stood up. "Minna, we should not feel vulnerable at this time." She started.
Yahiko looked up at her, teary-eyed. Sano turned to her direction and Megumi removed her hand from her mouth to stare at Kaoru.
"Kenshin did promise he'd come back, ne? We have known Kenshin for so long now, and Kenshin is not one who would break a promise." Kaoru looked into every person's face, hoping that her words had cheered any of them up, even just a little bit. "Ne, minna?"
Sano perked up, stood up and winked at all of them. "Yeah! Kenshin never breaks his promises! So it's possible he'll come back!" Sano pulled up the sleeve of his shirt. "And when we see those damn guys who kidnapped Kenshin again, we'll kick their damn butts!"
Yahiko stood up, looking very courageous. "Yeah! We'll kick their asses!!" The rest of the Kenshin-gumi pumped their fists up into the air.
@@@
Kaoru accompanied Yahiko to the Akabeko earlier that afternoon. While Yahiko worked, Tae offered her some green tea.
Kaoru couldn't help but overhear the guys at the next table. Not that she was eavesdropping, it's just because those guys had their saliva slashing all over the place. Apparently, they were talking about the Takamigumi. Kaoru strained her ears to hear the rest of their conversation.
"… they have been killing obsolete government officials for the past weeks… without spilling a drop of blood. Aren't they cool?" One, large, burly guy said.
"Right." Another one replied. "Just among us, you guys, according to some connections I have, I learned that this Takamigumi consists of fifteen factions all over the country. Their faction closest to Tokyo was actually situated in Kamakura."
Kaoru shuddered uncontrollably.
"Kamakura, huh?" Another sly-looking guy with arching eyebrows snickered. "Are you certain?"
"Yeah." The informer said. "Kamakura seemed to be the main headquarters of the Takamigumi. I guarantee this information is quite reliable, you guys." He nodded affirmatively.
The large, burly man stood up. "Who cares? Ya just better stay out of their way if you want to live until seventy." He shrugged and left.
"I agree with him, man. Stay out of their way." The sly-looking guy advised the informer and left himself.
"What's the problem, you guys? I wasn't saying ya should go after them, ya know!" the informer exploded and, after tossing some coins at their table, he ran after his comrades.
Kaoru sat silently. *What's taking Tae so long? *
She stood up and left for the dojo without letting Tae know she was leaving.
@@@
Kaoru was alone once again at the dojo. Yahiko was at the Akabeko, doing some extra work for Tae, Sano went out to gamble and Megumi went back to her clinic, but promised she'd be back when it grows dark.
Kaoru decided to change the blankets of every room in the house. She hadn't done that in a long time. It was actually Kenshin's work. Changing the blankets made her think of Kenshin again.
After she was done changing the blankets in Yahiko and Sano's room, she decided to proceed to Kenshin's room.
Sighing, she began to walk slowly towards his room. *Kenshin… *
"How I love her naïve perception of me… " Kenshin had said that to Gohei when she was attacked by Gohei and his gang. She sighed at the thought.
*Kenshin. * She kept repeating his name again and again in her mind. Before she knew it, she was outside his room.
She was about to slide his door open when something caught her eyes on the ground. She looked around the backyard, searching for that something. She saw Kenshin's sakabatou lying on the ground. Putting the pile of blankets on the floor, she went down to the backyard, putting on her wooden slippers.
She picked up the sakaba and pressed it close to her chest, bowing down her head at the same time. Tears gradually fell down. *Kenshin… come back to me… *
Kaoru looked up into the blue sky, tears still flowing down. *It seems like all I've done lately is cry. * Kaoru giggled to herself nervously, wiping away the hot tears that fell from her eyes. *I'm no crybaby. I have to pull my family back together, even… even without Kenshin… *
Kaoru sighed.
*But how will I pull my family back together? * She went back inside the dojo and sat down in her room, forgetting that she still has not changed the blankets in Kenshin's room. She thought and thought and thought. Very hard, actually.
"I've got it!" She said out loudly, perking up. "A vacation!"
*A vacation is quite nice, ne? * She asked herself quite unsurely. As far as she was concerned, money can't be much of a problem. She'd been earning something more than the usual lately. *The problem is… where will we be vacationing? * She thought, twirling a lock of her hair that escaped from her ribbon. *Nagasaki is too far away… * she exhaled heavily. *We've just been to Kyoto and… and we've gone to Yokohama too." Then, a smile formed in her lips. "I hope the guys would like to have a 'vacation' at Kamakura. It sounds perfectly fine to me. *
Now the excitement began to build up. *I'd really love to see the temples in there, especially the statue of Daibatsu. * She smiled at the thought.
"I hope I don't surprise the guys when I tell them. Yare… I'm gonna tell them during dinner. It would be nice if Megumi-san could come too." She told to herself stridently.
@@@
"Bleh! Yuck! Your cooking tastes much like dirt, busu! No… dirt tastes much better than your cooking!" Yahiko insulted Kaoru cruelly, spitting out the rice balls Kaoru made.
Kaoru bonked Yahiko in the head with a bokken, which, unknown to Yahiko, she had hidden under her tatami mat. "Be thankful that I even thought of cooking for a brat like you!" She shouted heatedly.
"Where'd all the extra money that you earned for the past few days go?! Did you spend them all for yourself, you selfish busu?! We could have eaten at the Akabeko with the money you earned!" Yahiko could not stop insulting her. He was now rubbing a very big bump on his head.
"Stop insulting, Yahiko, if you don't want to get another RICE BALL on that empty head of yours!" She threatened him by tightening her fists. "Besides, I was planning the EXTRA money I earned for something bigger…"
"What is this SOMETHING BIGGER, Jou-chan?" Sano wanted to know, swallowing whole a rice ball and forcing himself to swallow it because he was very hungry. "A new kimono?"
She gave him a warning look.
Sano shrugged. "What's your problem? I'm just asking a simple question."
"I took the liberty of planning a vacation… but since you and Yahiko could not stop insulting me, I think I should not let you come…" Kaoru crossed her arms and closed her eyes in irritation.
In mere seconds, Sano was shaking her almost violently. "Are you for real, Jou-chan?" He inquired, after he had quit shaking her.
"Really? I can not believe a tanuki girl such as yourself can plan a vacation all by yourself." Megumi said arrogantly, looking scornfully at Kaoru's rice balls.
Kaoru grimaced. "Megumi-san, I was also going to invite you to come with us but since---"
Megumi cut her off. "So where are WE vacationing?" She asked Kaoru coolly, stressing the WE, which meant, for her, that she was included. She placed both of her elbows on the low table and rested her chin on the back of her hands.
Kaoru smirked secretly. "Kamakura."
Now, it was Yahiko's turn to shake her. "Kamakura?!!! Sugoi!"
Kaoru was able to bonk him successfully on the head once again, which left him swirly-eyed. "Yeah, it's Kamakura. I'm glad that you guys find my decision quite interesting."
"Interesting?!" Sano asked her incredulously. "It's amazing, Jou-chan!"
"It's great!" Yahiko added energetically.
"Quite OK." Megumi said nonchalantly, and smiled two seconds later.
Kaoru smiled. The Kenshin-gumi pumped their fists into the air and let out a big yell.
"Kamakura… here we come!!!" then the preparations began.
They were busy gathering necessary things when Megumi suddenly popped this question up, "Ano, but what if Ken-san returns while we are away?" She asked simply.
Everybody stopped what they were doing and stared at the female doctor.
"Oh… I never thought of that…" Kaoru said softly.
"Yeah, now that you've said it, Megitsune, I'm wondering, too." Sano looked at Kaoru, waiting for an answer.
"Gee… the thought never crossed my mind, actually. So, what are we gonna do, Kaoru?" Yahiko queried.
"Yare… we'll just leave a note at his room, or at the kitchen, stating that we'll be at Nara. Then, we'll just leave some money so that he'll follow us." Kaoru said slowly. "So, what do you guys think?"
They thought for a moment. "Sounds fine." Megumi responded.
"And here's another suggestion. Our vacation will also be a quest." Kaoru declared.
"A---a quest?" Sano said, his mouth dropping open. "Quest for what, huh?"
"Well, while we're vacationing, if luck's good to us, we could look for Kenshin, too." She said triumphantly.
"Well, I have to admit, I agree. If one of us spots Kenshin, we drag him back with us." Yahiko added.
Everyone agreed with the plan. And they began going back to their work. But Kaoru and Megumi sat together at the porch, for they have finished gathering their things.
"Megumi-san…" Kaoru started.
"Hmmm?" Megumi answered, looking up into the sky.
"Who placed me in my room last night?" She asked.
Megumi did not answer for several seconds. She sighed. "Kaoru, if you can remember, they made ALL of us unconscious. Sano didn't know why you were in bed when we woke up, lying in the backyard outside Kenshin's room. Yahiko had no idea himself and I definitely don't know." Megumi said loudly.
"I was wondering myself." Kaoru informed Megumi.
"So… why'd you plan this vacation, Kaoru?" Megumi looked into the younger girl's face, searching for the answer.
Kaoru faced her. "I wanted us to take our minds of the problem. It seemed to be making us feel vulnerable. I don't like that." She filled her in. *I'm not entirely lying… * Kaoru told herself.
Megumi giggled softly. "I can't believe how lightly we're taking this." She said. "And I can't believe how lightly you're taking THIS, Kaoru."
"Oi!" Kaoru protested.
"Really, Kaoru. When Kenshin left for Kyoto, you actually broke down." Megumi laughed at her.
"Yare… I wanted to be stronger…" Kaoru said. She actually had the urge to say she wanted to be stronger… for him.
"But don't you think you'd be breaking your promise to him when he comes back here and finds that you're not here, waiting for him?" Megumi asked.
Kaoru sighed and looked up into the night sky. Megumi always had been a rival for Kenshin's attention, but Kaoru also had always confided to the older woman. "I promised him I'd be waiting for him… that does not mean the only place where I'd be waiting at is here at the dojo. And the vacation would be good for US, Megumi-san. Who knows, we'll find our real selves in this vacation, ne?" She smiled at the older woman's direction.
Megumi smiled back. "Journey for self-enlightenment? That sounds good. But didn't you ever think of LOOKING for Kenshin?"
Kaoru sighed. "How could I? I don't know where he is."
Suddenly, Sano's head popped out of his door. Yahiko and his door, actually. "So, when the hell are we leaving?" He asked impatiently.
"Sano, I was waiting for all your consent to go on vacation that I haven't bought the train tickets yet. We'll probably be leaving the day after tomorrow if we catch the train." Kaoru explained.
Yahiko shoved Sano aside and went out of the room. "Did anybody say… TRAIN?" He asked, smirking at Sano.
"Train?!! Do you mean we're gonna travel… in a train?! A … machine?! Are you nuts, Jou-chan?!!" Sano was really hysterical at the moment, waving his arms around like an angry chimp. "Don't you know?!! Those kinds of things suck up your spirit!!!"
"Don't be such a chicken, Sano. You're already a rooster-head." Megumi insulted coldly.
"Don't call me 'rooster-head', MEGITSUNE!" Sano exploded. Then the usual arguing began once again.
Kaoru smiled then looked up into the starry night. At least, things are slightly back to normal. But she couldn't help but think that their vacation could be much better if Kenshin's with them. She smiled. The info that she gathered while the group was gone that afternoon was perfect.
*Kenshin… come back to me. I'll be waiting. *
@@@
Later that night, when everyone was asleep, Kaoru stood up from her futon and went outside her room. Looking up into the dark blue sky, she watched the stars blink from afar.
"Kenshin…" she said out loud. "I'll be waiting for you… I'll be looking for you… in Kamakura. Come back, onegai." She said to no one in particular. She pressed Kenshin's sakabatou, which she had been keeping with her all this time, to her chest.
The information she gathered that afternoon certainly was reliable. She had gone to the police station before she walked back home from the Akabeko to confirm what she heard there.
She met Saitou instead. She tried replaying the events that afternoon.
"What are you doing here." Saitou asked in a declarative tone, crossing his arms before his chest.
"Nothing. I just would like to ask about this Takamigumi. I've read a lot about them in the newspapers." Kaoru asked calmly.
"So ask." He replied.
"Is it true that the main headquarters of this group is located at Kamakura?" She asked, cocking her head to the side curiously.
Saitou looked at her at the corner of his left eye. "Confidential."
"Saitou…" Kaoru tried squeezing the information out of him.
"Who do you think am I any way? Any one who you could just get classified information from?" Saitou asked, an annoyed expression on his eyes.
"I think your Mibu's wolf."
Saitou sighed softly. "Fine. Yeah. Rumor said it was and it still is. Now you happy?"
"Arigatou." Kaoru bowed slightly.
"I haven't seen Himura lately." Saitou said with his back on her.
"His just around." Kaoru said coolly and went her way.
*If the main headquarters is situated in Kamakura…. it might mean that their daimyo might be staying there too, perhaps. And that guy who took Kenshin said it was their daimyo who wanted him, ne? It's better to take a risk rather than not doing anything at all. * Kaoru thought.
*I'll just tell the guys later why I thought of this 'vacation. In the meantime, I'll just let them think we're really going on a real vacation. If we reached Kamakura and found out that the information I gathered were all wrong, at least they won't be disappointed because they will be thinking it was a vacation, not a fight against the Takamigumi. *
She looked around and thought that nobody was listening. How wrong she was.
"Kenshin… aishiteru… " She said, wishing the wind would carry her words to Kenshin. She went back into her room and slid her door close, oblivious to the pair of silver eyes watching her in the night.
TBC
Author's notes: Yeah!!! Chapter 4 is finished at last! Sorry I wasn't able to update as soon as possible. As I said I was extremely busy with art classes. I'm very grateful to the guys who reviewed Chapters 1 to 3, namely, Gypsy-chan, sakura li and an anonymous person. Another one also reviewed my Chapter 1. Thanks for tellin' me the correct spelling of Kaoru.. You guys… aishiteru!
PUH-LEASEEEEEE! Review! Aishiteru, minna!
lieveit1 '^-^'
Author's greetings: I am very, very sad, ladies and gents so I won't be able to say hello. The diskette I was using to save my fanfics into was not recognized in my PC cuz the PC said it was not formatted. I was sure my floppy disk was damaged. I'm now using a different disk but it ain't the same, I tell you. But Chapter 4 is here right before you so just read it and enjoy. Ganbarimasu!
Rating: PG (though ratings may vary as the plot unfolds)
Second Chance
Chapter 4: Journey for Self-Enlightenment
Kaoru stirred from her sleep. *Odd…* she thought. She can't hear the usual chopping of vegetables from the kitchen. And according to her judgment, it might be hours after dawn. *Why didn't anybody wake me up? *
Last night seemed so unusual to her. *What happened? * She sat up and ran her hand over her face. Then she froze.
She remembered. Every detail of what happened last night, every word that guy in black said, the promise Kenshin made to her, and the promise she made to him. The last thing she remembered was a handkerchief covering her nose and mouth, making her smell some scent which smelled like roses.
"I'll be back, I promise, Kaoru-dono… for you…"
*They took Kenshin with them…* she broke down into soft sobs but tears would not fall down. She remembered that she shed tears last night… when Kenshin decided to go with them. *Just because of me… he always gets into trouble… always because of me… * Her tears cannot be held back any longer. They began flowing down once more.
*Wait! Maybe it was all just a dream! * Kaoru consoled herself.
"It was all a dream!" She said out loud. "Kenshin'll surely be in his room, if his not in the kitchen."
She stood up and, sliding her door open, she ran towards Kenshin's room. She paused outside his room and tried listening for sounds inside. Seconds passed. Nothing.
"Kenshin?" She asked no one in particular, hoping that somebody would answer from inside the room.
No answer.
Sliding his door open widely, she looked around.
Morning sunrays entered his room. Kenshin's room was spic and span. *Just like him. * Kaoru fell to her knees. She began shaking her head, with a distant look in her eyes. *No… no… no… *
She heard heavy footsteps coming towards her, followed by soft ones that probably belong to a young boy. She looked up and saw Sano. She gave him a weak smile, but the agony in her face was very visible. "He's just outside, doing the laundry. Ne, Sano?"
Sano said nothing. His mouth was shut tightly. She realized that there were dark circles under his eyes. Yahiko was right behind him, staring at the floor. And she knew that her supposed to be dream, certainly happened last night.
She covered her face with both hands and began to sob. Sano kneeled beside her, patting her shoulder lightly like an older brother. "It was real." Sano told her softly.
"I know… I just wanted to believe it wasn't…" she told him, wiping the tears away from her eyes.
Yahiko sank to the floor. "Why Kenshin? Why, of all people, did they choose Kenshin?" Yahiko asked them pointlessly. He bowed his head and began crying like the ten-year-old boy that he was. Kaoru and Sano stared at him. Yahiko never cries. At least not in front of them.
Kaoru gathered Yahiko into her arms, locking him in a loose sisterly hug. He gave no signs of objection and gave in to the embrace.
Then she sensed somebody watching the three of them. She looked into Megumi's direction and looked at her helplessly.
"Megumi-san…" Kaoru started but was cut short when she realized that the young doctor looked different.
She was standing a few feet away from them, a tray of teapot and teacups in both hands. Her once neatly combed hair was unruly, her face was a picture of anguish, her red lips, pale from worry. She took a few steps towards them but stopped, unable to go on. She sank to her knees, putting the tray aside. She covered her mouth with one hand and the other hand was supporting almost all of her weight to the floor. "Ken-san… " She mumbled softly through her hand, tears flowing down her cheeks and hand.
*We look pathetic. * Kaoru thought to herself, frowning slightly. *Is this the Kenshin-gumi? * Kaoru knew she had to pull the Kenshin-gumi, her family, back together again.
Yahiko had pulled away from her now, wiping away his tears but the tears won't stop flowing. So he let them flow down his cheeks without uttering a single sound, head bowed.
Kaoru stood up. "Minna, we should not feel vulnerable at this time." She started.
Yahiko looked up at her, teary-eyed. Sano turned to her direction and Megumi removed her hand from her mouth to stare at Kaoru.
"Kenshin did promise he'd come back, ne? We have known Kenshin for so long now, and Kenshin is not one who would break a promise." Kaoru looked into every person's face, hoping that her words had cheered any of them up, even just a little bit. "Ne, minna?"
Sano perked up, stood up and winked at all of them. "Yeah! Kenshin never breaks his promises! So it's possible he'll come back!" Sano pulled up the sleeve of his shirt. "And when we see those damn guys who kidnapped Kenshin again, we'll kick their damn butts!"
Yahiko stood up, looking very courageous. "Yeah! We'll kick their asses!!" The rest of the Kenshin-gumi pumped their fists up into the air.
@@@
Kaoru accompanied Yahiko to the Akabeko earlier that afternoon. While Yahiko worked, Tae offered her some green tea.
Kaoru couldn't help but overhear the guys at the next table. Not that she was eavesdropping, it's just because those guys had their saliva slashing all over the place. Apparently, they were talking about the Takamigumi. Kaoru strained her ears to hear the rest of their conversation.
"… they have been killing obsolete government officials for the past weeks… without spilling a drop of blood. Aren't they cool?" One, large, burly guy said.
"Right." Another one replied. "Just among us, you guys, according to some connections I have, I learned that this Takamigumi consists of fifteen factions all over the country. Their faction closest to Tokyo was actually situated in Kamakura."
Kaoru shuddered uncontrollably.
"Kamakura, huh?" Another sly-looking guy with arching eyebrows snickered. "Are you certain?"
"Yeah." The informer said. "Kamakura seemed to be the main headquarters of the Takamigumi. I guarantee this information is quite reliable, you guys." He nodded affirmatively.
The large, burly man stood up. "Who cares? Ya just better stay out of their way if you want to live until seventy." He shrugged and left.
"I agree with him, man. Stay out of their way." The sly-looking guy advised the informer and left himself.
"What's the problem, you guys? I wasn't saying ya should go after them, ya know!" the informer exploded and, after tossing some coins at their table, he ran after his comrades.
Kaoru sat silently. *What's taking Tae so long? *
She stood up and left for the dojo without letting Tae know she was leaving.
@@@
Kaoru was alone once again at the dojo. Yahiko was at the Akabeko, doing some extra work for Tae, Sano went out to gamble and Megumi went back to her clinic, but promised she'd be back when it grows dark.
Kaoru decided to change the blankets of every room in the house. She hadn't done that in a long time. It was actually Kenshin's work. Changing the blankets made her think of Kenshin again.
After she was done changing the blankets in Yahiko and Sano's room, she decided to proceed to Kenshin's room.
Sighing, she began to walk slowly towards his room. *Kenshin… *
"How I love her naïve perception of me… " Kenshin had said that to Gohei when she was attacked by Gohei and his gang. She sighed at the thought.
*Kenshin. * She kept repeating his name again and again in her mind. Before she knew it, she was outside his room.
She was about to slide his door open when something caught her eyes on the ground. She looked around the backyard, searching for that something. She saw Kenshin's sakabatou lying on the ground. Putting the pile of blankets on the floor, she went down to the backyard, putting on her wooden slippers.
She picked up the sakaba and pressed it close to her chest, bowing down her head at the same time. Tears gradually fell down. *Kenshin… come back to me… *
Kaoru looked up into the blue sky, tears still flowing down. *It seems like all I've done lately is cry. * Kaoru giggled to herself nervously, wiping away the hot tears that fell from her eyes. *I'm no crybaby. I have to pull my family back together, even… even without Kenshin… *
Kaoru sighed.
*But how will I pull my family back together? * She went back inside the dojo and sat down in her room, forgetting that she still has not changed the blankets in Kenshin's room. She thought and thought and thought. Very hard, actually.
"I've got it!" She said out loudly, perking up. "A vacation!"
*A vacation is quite nice, ne? * She asked herself quite unsurely. As far as she was concerned, money can't be much of a problem. She'd been earning something more than the usual lately. *The problem is… where will we be vacationing? * She thought, twirling a lock of her hair that escaped from her ribbon. *Nagasaki is too far away… * she exhaled heavily. *We've just been to Kyoto and… and we've gone to Yokohama too." Then, a smile formed in her lips. "I hope the guys would like to have a 'vacation' at Kamakura. It sounds perfectly fine to me. *
Now the excitement began to build up. *I'd really love to see the temples in there, especially the statue of Daibatsu. * She smiled at the thought.
"I hope I don't surprise the guys when I tell them. Yare… I'm gonna tell them during dinner. It would be nice if Megumi-san could come too." She told to herself stridently.
@@@
"Bleh! Yuck! Your cooking tastes much like dirt, busu! No… dirt tastes much better than your cooking!" Yahiko insulted Kaoru cruelly, spitting out the rice balls Kaoru made.
Kaoru bonked Yahiko in the head with a bokken, which, unknown to Yahiko, she had hidden under her tatami mat. "Be thankful that I even thought of cooking for a brat like you!" She shouted heatedly.
"Where'd all the extra money that you earned for the past few days go?! Did you spend them all for yourself, you selfish busu?! We could have eaten at the Akabeko with the money you earned!" Yahiko could not stop insulting her. He was now rubbing a very big bump on his head.
"Stop insulting, Yahiko, if you don't want to get another RICE BALL on that empty head of yours!" She threatened him by tightening her fists. "Besides, I was planning the EXTRA money I earned for something bigger…"
"What is this SOMETHING BIGGER, Jou-chan?" Sano wanted to know, swallowing whole a rice ball and forcing himself to swallow it because he was very hungry. "A new kimono?"
She gave him a warning look.
Sano shrugged. "What's your problem? I'm just asking a simple question."
"I took the liberty of planning a vacation… but since you and Yahiko could not stop insulting me, I think I should not let you come…" Kaoru crossed her arms and closed her eyes in irritation.
In mere seconds, Sano was shaking her almost violently. "Are you for real, Jou-chan?" He inquired, after he had quit shaking her.
"Really? I can not believe a tanuki girl such as yourself can plan a vacation all by yourself." Megumi said arrogantly, looking scornfully at Kaoru's rice balls.
Kaoru grimaced. "Megumi-san, I was also going to invite you to come with us but since---"
Megumi cut her off. "So where are WE vacationing?" She asked Kaoru coolly, stressing the WE, which meant, for her, that she was included. She placed both of her elbows on the low table and rested her chin on the back of her hands.
Kaoru smirked secretly. "Kamakura."
Now, it was Yahiko's turn to shake her. "Kamakura?!!! Sugoi!"
Kaoru was able to bonk him successfully on the head once again, which left him swirly-eyed. "Yeah, it's Kamakura. I'm glad that you guys find my decision quite interesting."
"Interesting?!" Sano asked her incredulously. "It's amazing, Jou-chan!"
"It's great!" Yahiko added energetically.
"Quite OK." Megumi said nonchalantly, and smiled two seconds later.
Kaoru smiled. The Kenshin-gumi pumped their fists into the air and let out a big yell.
"Kamakura… here we come!!!" then the preparations began.
They were busy gathering necessary things when Megumi suddenly popped this question up, "Ano, but what if Ken-san returns while we are away?" She asked simply.
Everybody stopped what they were doing and stared at the female doctor.
"Oh… I never thought of that…" Kaoru said softly.
"Yeah, now that you've said it, Megitsune, I'm wondering, too." Sano looked at Kaoru, waiting for an answer.
"Gee… the thought never crossed my mind, actually. So, what are we gonna do, Kaoru?" Yahiko queried.
"Yare… we'll just leave a note at his room, or at the kitchen, stating that we'll be at Nara. Then, we'll just leave some money so that he'll follow us." Kaoru said slowly. "So, what do you guys think?"
They thought for a moment. "Sounds fine." Megumi responded.
"And here's another suggestion. Our vacation will also be a quest." Kaoru declared.
"A---a quest?" Sano said, his mouth dropping open. "Quest for what, huh?"
"Well, while we're vacationing, if luck's good to us, we could look for Kenshin, too." She said triumphantly.
"Well, I have to admit, I agree. If one of us spots Kenshin, we drag him back with us." Yahiko added.
Everyone agreed with the plan. And they began going back to their work. But Kaoru and Megumi sat together at the porch, for they have finished gathering their things.
"Megumi-san…" Kaoru started.
"Hmmm?" Megumi answered, looking up into the sky.
"Who placed me in my room last night?" She asked.
Megumi did not answer for several seconds. She sighed. "Kaoru, if you can remember, they made ALL of us unconscious. Sano didn't know why you were in bed when we woke up, lying in the backyard outside Kenshin's room. Yahiko had no idea himself and I definitely don't know." Megumi said loudly.
"I was wondering myself." Kaoru informed Megumi.
"So… why'd you plan this vacation, Kaoru?" Megumi looked into the younger girl's face, searching for the answer.
Kaoru faced her. "I wanted us to take our minds of the problem. It seemed to be making us feel vulnerable. I don't like that." She filled her in. *I'm not entirely lying… * Kaoru told herself.
Megumi giggled softly. "I can't believe how lightly we're taking this." She said. "And I can't believe how lightly you're taking THIS, Kaoru."
"Oi!" Kaoru protested.
"Really, Kaoru. When Kenshin left for Kyoto, you actually broke down." Megumi laughed at her.
"Yare… I wanted to be stronger…" Kaoru said. She actually had the urge to say she wanted to be stronger… for him.
"But don't you think you'd be breaking your promise to him when he comes back here and finds that you're not here, waiting for him?" Megumi asked.
Kaoru sighed and looked up into the night sky. Megumi always had been a rival for Kenshin's attention, but Kaoru also had always confided to the older woman. "I promised him I'd be waiting for him… that does not mean the only place where I'd be waiting at is here at the dojo. And the vacation would be good for US, Megumi-san. Who knows, we'll find our real selves in this vacation, ne?" She smiled at the older woman's direction.
Megumi smiled back. "Journey for self-enlightenment? That sounds good. But didn't you ever think of LOOKING for Kenshin?"
Kaoru sighed. "How could I? I don't know where he is."
Suddenly, Sano's head popped out of his door. Yahiko and his door, actually. "So, when the hell are we leaving?" He asked impatiently.
"Sano, I was waiting for all your consent to go on vacation that I haven't bought the train tickets yet. We'll probably be leaving the day after tomorrow if we catch the train." Kaoru explained.
Yahiko shoved Sano aside and went out of the room. "Did anybody say… TRAIN?" He asked, smirking at Sano.
"Train?!! Do you mean we're gonna travel… in a train?! A … machine?! Are you nuts, Jou-chan?!!" Sano was really hysterical at the moment, waving his arms around like an angry chimp. "Don't you know?!! Those kinds of things suck up your spirit!!!"
"Don't be such a chicken, Sano. You're already a rooster-head." Megumi insulted coldly.
"Don't call me 'rooster-head', MEGITSUNE!" Sano exploded. Then the usual arguing began once again.
Kaoru smiled then looked up into the starry night. At least, things are slightly back to normal. But she couldn't help but think that their vacation could be much better if Kenshin's with them. She smiled. The info that she gathered while the group was gone that afternoon was perfect.
*Kenshin… come back to me. I'll be waiting. *
@@@
Later that night, when everyone was asleep, Kaoru stood up from her futon and went outside her room. Looking up into the dark blue sky, she watched the stars blink from afar.
"Kenshin…" she said out loud. "I'll be waiting for you… I'll be looking for you… in Kamakura. Come back, onegai." She said to no one in particular. She pressed Kenshin's sakabatou, which she had been keeping with her all this time, to her chest.
The information she gathered that afternoon certainly was reliable. She had gone to the police station before she walked back home from the Akabeko to confirm what she heard there.
She met Saitou instead. She tried replaying the events that afternoon.
"What are you doing here." Saitou asked in a declarative tone, crossing his arms before his chest.
"Nothing. I just would like to ask about this Takamigumi. I've read a lot about them in the newspapers." Kaoru asked calmly.
"So ask." He replied.
"Is it true that the main headquarters of this group is located at Kamakura?" She asked, cocking her head to the side curiously.
Saitou looked at her at the corner of his left eye. "Confidential."
"Saitou…" Kaoru tried squeezing the information out of him.
"Who do you think am I any way? Any one who you could just get classified information from?" Saitou asked, an annoyed expression on his eyes.
"I think your Mibu's wolf."
Saitou sighed softly. "Fine. Yeah. Rumor said it was and it still is. Now you happy?"
"Arigatou." Kaoru bowed slightly.
"I haven't seen Himura lately." Saitou said with his back on her.
"His just around." Kaoru said coolly and went her way.
*If the main headquarters is situated in Kamakura…. it might mean that their daimyo might be staying there too, perhaps. And that guy who took Kenshin said it was their daimyo who wanted him, ne? It's better to take a risk rather than not doing anything at all. * Kaoru thought.
*I'll just tell the guys later why I thought of this 'vacation. In the meantime, I'll just let them think we're really going on a real vacation. If we reached Kamakura and found out that the information I gathered were all wrong, at least they won't be disappointed because they will be thinking it was a vacation, not a fight against the Takamigumi. *
She looked around and thought that nobody was listening. How wrong she was.
"Kenshin… aishiteru… " She said, wishing the wind would carry her words to Kenshin. She went back into her room and slid her door close, oblivious to the pair of silver eyes watching her in the night.
TBC
Author's notes: Yeah!!! Chapter 4 is finished at last! Sorry I wasn't able to update as soon as possible. As I said I was extremely busy with art classes. I'm very grateful to the guys who reviewed Chapters 1 to 3, namely, Gypsy-chan, sakura li and an anonymous person. Another one also reviewed my Chapter 1. Thanks for tellin' me the correct spelling of Kaoru.. You guys… aishiteru!
PUH-LEASEEEEEE! Review! Aishiteru, minna!
lieveit1 '^-^'
