Chapter 2
Kenshin sat up against the wall, holding his sakabatou to his shoulder as usual. This had never happened before. He had never failed to give Kaoru exactly what she wanted...until now. Why was his body so unresponsive? It was almost as if he was catatonic. Was it all the years of battle during the Revolution that made him the way he was? He had not been with a woman for over ten years altogether, when he became a wanderer. Before that, he had Tomoe...
A ray of golden sunlight burst through the window, blinding him slightly. It was morning already, and he had spent all these hours thinking. Well, he should start on his chores and breakfast before the others woke up. But wait...no one else was here! Sanosuke had his own place and Yahiko had spent the night over there, which meant-- Kaoru was the only one here!!
"Oro!" he moaned. After last night's performance, he could never face her again! Kenshin sighed heavily and stood up, shuffling over to the shoji door. He knew that he would have to face her eventually, and after all the time he had spent with her, he learned that it was best to face her sooner. Opening the door, he carefully walked down the hall, listening for any indication that Kaoru might be up. Hearing nothing, he continued quietly to the kitchen and began to prepare breakfast.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as a he sensed another presence in the room. He knew that it wasn't Kaoru because the feeling he felt from the other person was not anger or hostility. In fact, it felt more like a strange calmness. He gripped the small knife he was using to chop the vegetables with and spun around. Swirling blue orbs stared at him and he gulped.
"K-Kaoru-don--!" Kenshin caught himself before he could let the unwanted honorific slip. Kaoru's eyebrow twitched for a split second, but she erased the annoyance she felt and let her composure take over again. She put on a smile.
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Kenshin," she said cheerfully, walking up beside him. He tensed, unconsciously gripping the knife in his hand. She noticed this and placed her hand on his. He stared at her curiously, wondering why she was acting so happy when he had rejected her the night before.
"Oh, ohayo, Kaoru," he replied uncertainly. Was she perhaps planning something? Planning...revenge? He didn't know...
"Do you need help with breakfast? I'll be more than happy to cook what you've already cut up."
"All right then," Kenshin replied. He relaxed a little as she gathered the chopped vegetables and carried them to the cooking pot outside. Maybe he was just being paranoid. But he shouldn't let his guard down, because she was known to be bipolar when it came to her emotions. They continued to fix the meal in silence, not talking until they had finished eating.
"I should get going now. I need to go teach my students." She stood up, taking her bowl and cup with her. She set them in the cleaning bucket for Kenshin to do later.
"So you will be back at your usual time then?" Kenshin asked.
"Actually, I'll be going with Megumi to town today, so I'll be back in time for dinner."
"Okay," he replied, then more quietly, "Have fun then...koishii." Kaoru stopped in the doorway, as if she had heard him. She turned around slowly and walked back, kneeling beside him. She surprised him by hugging his neck, to which he hesitantly returned.
"Kenshin," she whispered in his ear, "I just want you to know...that it's okay. I am still your wife and I will always be here for you. Aishiteru." Without another word, she released him and stepped out the door. When she left, a smile spread on his face. How could he think that his sweet Kaoru would plan revenge on him? Shaking his head, he stood up and started on his chores.
"What about this one, Megumi?" Kaoru held up a pretty pink kimono with yellow flowers on the bottom.
"No, I don't think so. You're thinking too childish, Tanuki. What you need is something more racy...like that!" Megumi rushed over to the next shop, tugging Kaoru with her. Out in front was a woman's dress, but it certainly wasn't the usual style that she wore. It had a considerably low neckline, and short sleeves; in addition, the length would only be at her knees.
"I don't know about this. It seems so, well, not for me," she finished lamely, touching the soft material.
"What are you talking about? Of course it's for you." Megumi took the dress off the display and handed it to her. "Consider it an early birthday present from me, okay?"
"You mean you're gonna buy this? For me??" she stammered. She stared at the vivid red and gold dress, still unbelieving.
"Yes, it's all yours."
"But why?"
"Kaoru-chan, if you want Ken-san to 'get better' then you're going to have to do your part. This is all in the art of seduction."
"But it's just a dress. How will this help?"
"Just trust me, okay? Stop arguing, I know what I'm doing." Megumi took the gown from her and went to pay for it. Kaoru sighed, biting her lip.
"I hope you're right," she said to herself. Megumi came back, smiling. She handed the dress to her and pulled her to the next shop.
"Now, we need to do something about your hair."
"WHAT!? What's wrong with it? There's no way that I'm cutting it!" Kaoru screamed, causing several people to stop and stare.
"I never said anything about cutting your hair. It just needs a different style, that's all," explained Megumi. "I was thinking of letting it down for a change. You always have it up in that silly ponytail." Kaoru pouted and crossed her arms. She liked her hair the way it was.
"Do you want to help Ken-san or not?" demanded Megumi, her hands on her hips. She nodded reluctantly. "Then come on." They saw an older woman in the store, putting away some silk ribbons.
"Excuse me," called Megumi, "Could you help us out please?"
"Of course," the woman replied, "What can I get you?"
"I have a friend that needs a makeover, as quickly as possible." Kaoru freaked and grabbed Megumi's hair, pulling her down.
"What do you mean a 'makeover'?? I thought we were just going to do my hair!" she whispered angrily. Megumi pried her hands from her hair.
"Oh please, you think that just doing your hair will make you the town beauty? Now come over here." She shoved Kaoru into a chair, ignoring her meek protests.
"This will only take a moment." For the next hour, the older woman washed her hair, put a strange sort of thick liquid in it ("It will make your hair glimmer and shine"), then brushed it straight and pulled it back out of the way. Then she started with her make-up...
"NOOOOOO!! Get that thing away from me!" Kaoru shrieked, holding her hands up to her eyebrows.
"Quit being such a crybaby, it's just a few stray hairs."
"But it hurts! Don't pull anymore out!" she whined.
"Get over it!" Megumi tilted Kaoru's head back and plucked some more hairs out from above her nose. "There, all done." Kaoru rubbed it with her fingers until it didn't hurt anymore.
"Anything else that's painful?" she asked miserably.
"Nope. Now close your eyes and relax. She has to apply your eye shadow." Kaoru obeyed and sank into the chair. What would he think of her, now that she was all dressed up? Would he feel different, or would this whole thing blow up in her face?
"Kaoru. KAORU! Wake up, will you?"
"What?" She sat up, feeling a bit dizzy.
"You fell asleep, my dear," explained the old woman.
"Is it done already?" Megumi nodded, a wide smile coming over her face.
"You turned out better than I thought. Here, look." She handed her a mirror.
"Wow," was all she could say as she looked at her face. Her lashes were thicker and darker than usual, her lips a deep blood red, her skin a snow white. Looking up at her hair, she saw her raven tresses, not swinging down from a ponytail, but in an elegant bun, held up by two long black hairpins.
"Is this really me?" she whispered, touching a whisp of hair by her ear.
"I've really outdone myself this time," Megumi said haughtily, "There's no way that Ken-san could resist you now." Kaoru smiled, agreeing with her.
"I can't thank you enough," she said to the shopkeeper, who bowed in gratitude.
"Come on, Kaoru. Let's go give him exactly what he wants." They paid their debt and left.
Kenshin sat up against the wall, holding his sakabatou to his shoulder as usual. This had never happened before. He had never failed to give Kaoru exactly what she wanted...until now. Why was his body so unresponsive? It was almost as if he was catatonic. Was it all the years of battle during the Revolution that made him the way he was? He had not been with a woman for over ten years altogether, when he became a wanderer. Before that, he had Tomoe...
A ray of golden sunlight burst through the window, blinding him slightly. It was morning already, and he had spent all these hours thinking. Well, he should start on his chores and breakfast before the others woke up. But wait...no one else was here! Sanosuke had his own place and Yahiko had spent the night over there, which meant-- Kaoru was the only one here!!
"Oro!" he moaned. After last night's performance, he could never face her again! Kenshin sighed heavily and stood up, shuffling over to the shoji door. He knew that he would have to face her eventually, and after all the time he had spent with her, he learned that it was best to face her sooner. Opening the door, he carefully walked down the hall, listening for any indication that Kaoru might be up. Hearing nothing, he continued quietly to the kitchen and began to prepare breakfast.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as a he sensed another presence in the room. He knew that it wasn't Kaoru because the feeling he felt from the other person was not anger or hostility. In fact, it felt more like a strange calmness. He gripped the small knife he was using to chop the vegetables with and spun around. Swirling blue orbs stared at him and he gulped.
"K-Kaoru-don--!" Kenshin caught himself before he could let the unwanted honorific slip. Kaoru's eyebrow twitched for a split second, but she erased the annoyance she felt and let her composure take over again. She put on a smile.
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Kenshin," she said cheerfully, walking up beside him. He tensed, unconsciously gripping the knife in his hand. She noticed this and placed her hand on his. He stared at her curiously, wondering why she was acting so happy when he had rejected her the night before.
"Oh, ohayo, Kaoru," he replied uncertainly. Was she perhaps planning something? Planning...revenge? He didn't know...
"Do you need help with breakfast? I'll be more than happy to cook what you've already cut up."
"All right then," Kenshin replied. He relaxed a little as she gathered the chopped vegetables and carried them to the cooking pot outside. Maybe he was just being paranoid. But he shouldn't let his guard down, because she was known to be bipolar when it came to her emotions. They continued to fix the meal in silence, not talking until they had finished eating.
"I should get going now. I need to go teach my students." She stood up, taking her bowl and cup with her. She set them in the cleaning bucket for Kenshin to do later.
"So you will be back at your usual time then?" Kenshin asked.
"Actually, I'll be going with Megumi to town today, so I'll be back in time for dinner."
"Okay," he replied, then more quietly, "Have fun then...koishii." Kaoru stopped in the doorway, as if she had heard him. She turned around slowly and walked back, kneeling beside him. She surprised him by hugging his neck, to which he hesitantly returned.
"Kenshin," she whispered in his ear, "I just want you to know...that it's okay. I am still your wife and I will always be here for you. Aishiteru." Without another word, she released him and stepped out the door. When she left, a smile spread on his face. How could he think that his sweet Kaoru would plan revenge on him? Shaking his head, he stood up and started on his chores.
"What about this one, Megumi?" Kaoru held up a pretty pink kimono with yellow flowers on the bottom.
"No, I don't think so. You're thinking too childish, Tanuki. What you need is something more racy...like that!" Megumi rushed over to the next shop, tugging Kaoru with her. Out in front was a woman's dress, but it certainly wasn't the usual style that she wore. It had a considerably low neckline, and short sleeves; in addition, the length would only be at her knees.
"I don't know about this. It seems so, well, not for me," she finished lamely, touching the soft material.
"What are you talking about? Of course it's for you." Megumi took the dress off the display and handed it to her. "Consider it an early birthday present from me, okay?"
"You mean you're gonna buy this? For me??" she stammered. She stared at the vivid red and gold dress, still unbelieving.
"Yes, it's all yours."
"But why?"
"Kaoru-chan, if you want Ken-san to 'get better' then you're going to have to do your part. This is all in the art of seduction."
"But it's just a dress. How will this help?"
"Just trust me, okay? Stop arguing, I know what I'm doing." Megumi took the gown from her and went to pay for it. Kaoru sighed, biting her lip.
"I hope you're right," she said to herself. Megumi came back, smiling. She handed the dress to her and pulled her to the next shop.
"Now, we need to do something about your hair."
"WHAT!? What's wrong with it? There's no way that I'm cutting it!" Kaoru screamed, causing several people to stop and stare.
"I never said anything about cutting your hair. It just needs a different style, that's all," explained Megumi. "I was thinking of letting it down for a change. You always have it up in that silly ponytail." Kaoru pouted and crossed her arms. She liked her hair the way it was.
"Do you want to help Ken-san or not?" demanded Megumi, her hands on her hips. She nodded reluctantly. "Then come on." They saw an older woman in the store, putting away some silk ribbons.
"Excuse me," called Megumi, "Could you help us out please?"
"Of course," the woman replied, "What can I get you?"
"I have a friend that needs a makeover, as quickly as possible." Kaoru freaked and grabbed Megumi's hair, pulling her down.
"What do you mean a 'makeover'?? I thought we were just going to do my hair!" she whispered angrily. Megumi pried her hands from her hair.
"Oh please, you think that just doing your hair will make you the town beauty? Now come over here." She shoved Kaoru into a chair, ignoring her meek protests.
"This will only take a moment." For the next hour, the older woman washed her hair, put a strange sort of thick liquid in it ("It will make your hair glimmer and shine"), then brushed it straight and pulled it back out of the way. Then she started with her make-up...
"NOOOOOO!! Get that thing away from me!" Kaoru shrieked, holding her hands up to her eyebrows.
"Quit being such a crybaby, it's just a few stray hairs."
"But it hurts! Don't pull anymore out!" she whined.
"Get over it!" Megumi tilted Kaoru's head back and plucked some more hairs out from above her nose. "There, all done." Kaoru rubbed it with her fingers until it didn't hurt anymore.
"Anything else that's painful?" she asked miserably.
"Nope. Now close your eyes and relax. She has to apply your eye shadow." Kaoru obeyed and sank into the chair. What would he think of her, now that she was all dressed up? Would he feel different, or would this whole thing blow up in her face?
"Kaoru. KAORU! Wake up, will you?"
"What?" She sat up, feeling a bit dizzy.
"You fell asleep, my dear," explained the old woman.
"Is it done already?" Megumi nodded, a wide smile coming over her face.
"You turned out better than I thought. Here, look." She handed her a mirror.
"Wow," was all she could say as she looked at her face. Her lashes were thicker and darker than usual, her lips a deep blood red, her skin a snow white. Looking up at her hair, she saw her raven tresses, not swinging down from a ponytail, but in an elegant bun, held up by two long black hairpins.
"Is this really me?" she whispered, touching a whisp of hair by her ear.
"I've really outdone myself this time," Megumi said haughtily, "There's no way that Ken-san could resist you now." Kaoru smiled, agreeing with her.
"I can't thank you enough," she said to the shopkeeper, who bowed in gratitude.
"Come on, Kaoru. Let's go give him exactly what he wants." They paid their debt and left.