Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
Chapter 2: Making The Decision
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As the party-goers departed, Kaoru and Misao kept dancing and giggling with the Anderson brothers. Aoshi stared at Misao, wishing he was the one dancing with her but keeping his inner thoughts hidden. Kenshin started to worry. He better not try anything with Kaoru-dono. He seems like a nice enough guy, but he has to pass my tests first before he can be with her. The rurouni abruptly stopped his mental ranting. No wonder everyone thinks there's something between us! With my constant worry and protection of her I'd think the same thing too. He sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to stop his worrying even if he tried. It was just in his nature to worry.
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Finally, Thomas looked at the clock on the wall. "Oh, my! We should have left long ago. We have to open the restaurant tomorrow."
Misao giggled. "Still no staff?"
Daniel sighed. "It isn't easy! We just haven't had any applicants. But, I guess the bright side is without a staff, you don't have to pay them!"
Kaoru and Misao laughed and Misao began to shoo them out the door. "Well, if you have to open, you better be going! I'll stop by and talk to you guys soon!"
The two girls exchanged glances as the guys left. Misao silently asking Kaoru what she's been thinking all night and Kaoru silently telling Misao she'd explain later.
Kenshin smiled brightly as the two made their way over to join them. "Did you have fun?"
Kaoru immediately felt guilty. "Sorry for ignoring you, Kenshin. I honestly didn't realize how late it was getting. I just haven't danced with anyone since before Father left and it was so much fun to do so again."
Kenshin shook his head. "I wasn't trying to make you feel bad, Kaoru-dono. Sessha was merely asking."
Kaoru smiled back at him. "Well in that case, I did have fun!"
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After everyone bid their goodnights, Kaoru and Misao made a beeline for the room. Misao slid her shoji shut and immediately turned on Kaoru. "Alright, what have you been thinking all night?"
Kaoru blinked. "Right down to business, eh?"
Misao gave her a triumphant smile. "I'm a spy. It's in my blood."
Kaoru sighed. "You might not want to hear this. But, the more I turn it over in my head, the better it sounds."
Misao sat down and motioned for Kaoru to do the same. "Okay, let it go."
Kaoru took a deep breath and closed her eyes to gather her thoughts. "Well, after we talked about America with the Anderson brothers, I started to think maybe what we need is to get away from all this." She motioned with a sweep of her hand. "Really think about it, Misao. You've been idolizing Aoshi since you were a child. Do you think maybe, just maybe, your opinion of him has been clouded by that?"
Misao opened her mouth to answer, but Kaoru put a hand up. "Let me finish first. It's the same thing with Kenshin. I was alone after Father died and then Kenshin came along and saved my life twice in the same amount of days. All that time together and all the battles we've had to go through as a team, it could have muddled my judgment as well. I think if we left, we could clearly see how we feel. Without them around, it would be easier. If we really do love them, then we'll feel the same when we return. If we don't, then it will become clear while we're away. I also think it would help them in realizing how they feel for us. If they don't love us, then we can move on and we'll know we're strong enough to handle it because we've done it before."
Misao chewed her lip, head bowed as Kaoru spoke. She felt a slight lump in her throat. "You're making perfect sense. But, leave our home? I don't know if I could. Where would we go?"
Kaoru looked Misao dead in the eye. "America."
Misao began to chuckle a humorless laugh. "Are you insane? We'd have to be gone for months to go to America."
When she saw no trace of backing down in Kaoru, she felt the smile fade. "You're serious?"
Kaoru nodded.
"Geez, Kaoru. How long did you plan on being away?"
Kaoru paused to think. "I think a year should do it."
"A YEAR?!"
"Misao, calm down!"
Misao clamped a hand to her mouth. "Sorry. But, Kaoru a year? That's such a long time."
"Misao, we're convinced we're in love. We're going to need at least that much time to re-evaluate where we stand."
Misao seemed to mull it over in her mind. "Let me sleep on it?"
Kaoru nodded. "Take your time. This is a big decision."
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Kaoru woke up near dawn, giving up on sleep. Her rest had been fitful and laden with strange dreams that made no sense. She turned toward the window and saw Misao sitting with her knees up drawn, staring out the window. "Misao?"
Misao turned around and gave Kaoru the saddest smile she had ever seen. "When would we leave?"
Kaoru felt like crying, realizing the magnitude of what they were doing, but knowing it was best done this way. "I think the sooner we leave, the sooner we can return. How about three weeks? That would give us time to pack and get our travel plans together."
Misao nodded. "That would be feasible." She turned sideways so she could see Kaoru or outside the window with just a turn of her head. "It's just unbelievable to think that in three weeks, we'll be sailing away from Japan for a full year."
Kaoru tried to keep the sobs from happening. "I know that. But, I can't think of anything else. I've been trying to get Kenshin to notice me as more than a friend for almost two years now and nothing has worked. I'm beginning to think it wasn't meant to be. This trip will help me in figuring this out. Same with you."
Misao nodded. "I know. Well, let's get started on the day. We have a lot to figure out and you guys leave tomorrow."
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Kaoru and Misao slipped out of the Aoiya before anyone else was awake. They left a note on the table that they'd be out shopping all day to ease anyone's worries.
As they made their way through town, they noticed the shopkeepers setting up for the day. "Misao, where exactly are we going?"
Misao smiled at her. "Well, if we're going to America, there's only one logical place to go first." She pointed to a small restaurant in the near distance and Kaoru squinted to read the sign.
"Taste of America?"
Misao nodded. "Anderson brothers. Let's go."
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Misao and Kaoru entered the restaurant and were greeted by a very girly scream and the sound of a plate breaking followed by deep laughter. Misao rolled her eyes and grinned at Kaoru. They peeked around the corner into the kitchen and Misao began to giggle. "You are such a klutz, Daniel."
Daniel looked up from his spot on the floor where he was picking up the shards and glared at her. Thomas was bent over clutching his sides as he tried to get his laughing under control. "Oh, I didn't expect to scare you that bad! That was priceless!"
Kaoru flashed an inquisitive gaze to Thomas who filled her in. "My dear brother here has the backbone of a jellyfish. Misao and I have loads of fun jumping around corners and scaring the heck out of him. That and the fact that he screams like a girl."
Daniel just glared harder. "Shut up."
Thomas made his way over to them. "So, what brings you two lovely ladies here?"
Misao took a deep breath. "Well, Kaoru and I have decided to go to America for a year. Could you help us in deciding where to go and where to stay?"
Thomas smiled knowingly. "Getting away from it all to re-evaluate where you stand with two guys, eh?"
Kaoru blinked. "How did you know?"
Daniel dumped the broken plate into a bucket and smiled at her. "It's obvious that you're in love with Himura-san and Misao has told us repeatedly about her problems with Aoshi, so it's the most reasonable thing to conclude."
Thomas signaled for the two girls to sit at a nearby table. "Had breakfast yet?"
Misao shook her head.
Thomas rubbed his hands together. "Good! We can all eat together while we discuss this."
They munched on pancakes as they made polite conversation, trying to stay away from the inevitable topic of America until they could focus on it entirely. Finally, they had finished and Daniel cleaned up while Thomas rummaged around in his room for some information for the girls.
Thomas came back downstairs holding a folder. "I've put all the information I had in this folder for you. It has names of reputable hotels and restaurants so you don't wander into unfavorable parts of town."
Misao rose an eyebrow. "What town?"
Thomas's eyes grew round in realization and he blushed slightly. "Sorry, I assumed you were going to New York since we discussed it last night."
Kaoru looked over at the paper Misao held. "Well, I guess that would be a good place to go. At least we now have information on that town and we know it's civilized there."
Misao agreed with her. "You're right. I guess it's New York then. Do you have price info in here?"
Thomas shook his head. "Prices I have would be useless. It all depends on what ship you sail on, who the captain is, how long the ride will be, there are a lot of factors."
Misao picked up a small scrap of paper that fell out. "Who's Kasumi Jones?"
Thomas smiled at her. "Actually, you'll probably want to stay with her while you're there. She's a very sweet woman whose family traveled to America while she was young and she married there. She and her husband own a restaurant and a very nice hotel. I included her address for you. She used to be a neighbor of ours. She's the person who got us interested in Japan when we were kids."
Misao stood up as two patrons entered the restaurant. "Well, I guess we should be going. Thank you for all your information and we'll see you when we return!"
Daniel and Thomas waved after them as they walked out of the restaurant.
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After a full day of window shopping and thinking, they returned to the Aoiya for dinner. They kept their spirits up, having decided not to tell anyone until the tickets were purchased. After that, they wouldn't be able to stop them from leaving.
Later that night as they got ready for bed, Misao pulled out a sack of money and handed it to Kaoru. "Here you go. This should be enough to cover the tickets."
Kaoru looked in the pouch and her eyes almost popped out of her head. "This much?"
Misao waved a hand. "Yeah. I'll have more when we leave. Don't worry. We'll have plenty of money."
Kaoru stared in disbelief at Misao. "More?! Misao, where did you get all this?"
Misao looked at her. "What do you mean? I own the Aoiya. My grandfather built it as our base and Jiya is running it until I'm ready to take over the duties."
Kaoru shook her head and smiled slightly. "You never cease to amaze me."
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A/N: Alright. Please bear with me for the next couple chapters. I don't know how long a boat ride would take from Japan to New York or what route they would take or any of that. I tried to research it but kept hitting dead ends. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed so far and leave a review please! Hugs & Kisses!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
As the party-goers departed, Kaoru and Misao kept dancing and giggling with the Anderson brothers. Aoshi stared at Misao, wishing he was the one dancing with her but keeping his inner thoughts hidden. Kenshin started to worry. He better not try anything with Kaoru-dono. He seems like a nice enough guy, but he has to pass my tests first before he can be with her. The rurouni abruptly stopped his mental ranting. No wonder everyone thinks there's something between us! With my constant worry and protection of her I'd think the same thing too. He sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to stop his worrying even if he tried. It was just in his nature to worry.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Finally, Thomas looked at the clock on the wall. "Oh, my! We should have left long ago. We have to open the restaurant tomorrow."
Misao giggled. "Still no staff?"
Daniel sighed. "It isn't easy! We just haven't had any applicants. But, I guess the bright side is without a staff, you don't have to pay them!"
Kaoru and Misao laughed and Misao began to shoo them out the door. "Well, if you have to open, you better be going! I'll stop by and talk to you guys soon!"
The two girls exchanged glances as the guys left. Misao silently asking Kaoru what she's been thinking all night and Kaoru silently telling Misao she'd explain later.
Kenshin smiled brightly as the two made their way over to join them. "Did you have fun?"
Kaoru immediately felt guilty. "Sorry for ignoring you, Kenshin. I honestly didn't realize how late it was getting. I just haven't danced with anyone since before Father left and it was so much fun to do so again."
Kenshin shook his head. "I wasn't trying to make you feel bad, Kaoru-dono. Sessha was merely asking."
Kaoru smiled back at him. "Well in that case, I did have fun!"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
After everyone bid their goodnights, Kaoru and Misao made a beeline for the room. Misao slid her shoji shut and immediately turned on Kaoru. "Alright, what have you been thinking all night?"
Kaoru blinked. "Right down to business, eh?"
Misao gave her a triumphant smile. "I'm a spy. It's in my blood."
Kaoru sighed. "You might not want to hear this. But, the more I turn it over in my head, the better it sounds."
Misao sat down and motioned for Kaoru to do the same. "Okay, let it go."
Kaoru took a deep breath and closed her eyes to gather her thoughts. "Well, after we talked about America with the Anderson brothers, I started to think maybe what we need is to get away from all this." She motioned with a sweep of her hand. "Really think about it, Misao. You've been idolizing Aoshi since you were a child. Do you think maybe, just maybe, your opinion of him has been clouded by that?"
Misao opened her mouth to answer, but Kaoru put a hand up. "Let me finish first. It's the same thing with Kenshin. I was alone after Father died and then Kenshin came along and saved my life twice in the same amount of days. All that time together and all the battles we've had to go through as a team, it could have muddled my judgment as well. I think if we left, we could clearly see how we feel. Without them around, it would be easier. If we really do love them, then we'll feel the same when we return. If we don't, then it will become clear while we're away. I also think it would help them in realizing how they feel for us. If they don't love us, then we can move on and we'll know we're strong enough to handle it because we've done it before."
Misao chewed her lip, head bowed as Kaoru spoke. She felt a slight lump in her throat. "You're making perfect sense. But, leave our home? I don't know if I could. Where would we go?"
Kaoru looked Misao dead in the eye. "America."
Misao began to chuckle a humorless laugh. "Are you insane? We'd have to be gone for months to go to America."
When she saw no trace of backing down in Kaoru, she felt the smile fade. "You're serious?"
Kaoru nodded.
"Geez, Kaoru. How long did you plan on being away?"
Kaoru paused to think. "I think a year should do it."
"A YEAR?!"
"Misao, calm down!"
Misao clamped a hand to her mouth. "Sorry. But, Kaoru a year? That's such a long time."
"Misao, we're convinced we're in love. We're going to need at least that much time to re-evaluate where we stand."
Misao seemed to mull it over in her mind. "Let me sleep on it?"
Kaoru nodded. "Take your time. This is a big decision."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Kaoru woke up near dawn, giving up on sleep. Her rest had been fitful and laden with strange dreams that made no sense. She turned toward the window and saw Misao sitting with her knees up drawn, staring out the window. "Misao?"
Misao turned around and gave Kaoru the saddest smile she had ever seen. "When would we leave?"
Kaoru felt like crying, realizing the magnitude of what they were doing, but knowing it was best done this way. "I think the sooner we leave, the sooner we can return. How about three weeks? That would give us time to pack and get our travel plans together."
Misao nodded. "That would be feasible." She turned sideways so she could see Kaoru or outside the window with just a turn of her head. "It's just unbelievable to think that in three weeks, we'll be sailing away from Japan for a full year."
Kaoru tried to keep the sobs from happening. "I know that. But, I can't think of anything else. I've been trying to get Kenshin to notice me as more than a friend for almost two years now and nothing has worked. I'm beginning to think it wasn't meant to be. This trip will help me in figuring this out. Same with you."
Misao nodded. "I know. Well, let's get started on the day. We have a lot to figure out and you guys leave tomorrow."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Kaoru and Misao slipped out of the Aoiya before anyone else was awake. They left a note on the table that they'd be out shopping all day to ease anyone's worries.
As they made their way through town, they noticed the shopkeepers setting up for the day. "Misao, where exactly are we going?"
Misao smiled at her. "Well, if we're going to America, there's only one logical place to go first." She pointed to a small restaurant in the near distance and Kaoru squinted to read the sign.
"Taste of America?"
Misao nodded. "Anderson brothers. Let's go."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Misao and Kaoru entered the restaurant and were greeted by a very girly scream and the sound of a plate breaking followed by deep laughter. Misao rolled her eyes and grinned at Kaoru. They peeked around the corner into the kitchen and Misao began to giggle. "You are such a klutz, Daniel."
Daniel looked up from his spot on the floor where he was picking up the shards and glared at her. Thomas was bent over clutching his sides as he tried to get his laughing under control. "Oh, I didn't expect to scare you that bad! That was priceless!"
Kaoru flashed an inquisitive gaze to Thomas who filled her in. "My dear brother here has the backbone of a jellyfish. Misao and I have loads of fun jumping around corners and scaring the heck out of him. That and the fact that he screams like a girl."
Daniel just glared harder. "Shut up."
Thomas made his way over to them. "So, what brings you two lovely ladies here?"
Misao took a deep breath. "Well, Kaoru and I have decided to go to America for a year. Could you help us in deciding where to go and where to stay?"
Thomas smiled knowingly. "Getting away from it all to re-evaluate where you stand with two guys, eh?"
Kaoru blinked. "How did you know?"
Daniel dumped the broken plate into a bucket and smiled at her. "It's obvious that you're in love with Himura-san and Misao has told us repeatedly about her problems with Aoshi, so it's the most reasonable thing to conclude."
Thomas signaled for the two girls to sit at a nearby table. "Had breakfast yet?"
Misao shook her head.
Thomas rubbed his hands together. "Good! We can all eat together while we discuss this."
They munched on pancakes as they made polite conversation, trying to stay away from the inevitable topic of America until they could focus on it entirely. Finally, they had finished and Daniel cleaned up while Thomas rummaged around in his room for some information for the girls.
Thomas came back downstairs holding a folder. "I've put all the information I had in this folder for you. It has names of reputable hotels and restaurants so you don't wander into unfavorable parts of town."
Misao rose an eyebrow. "What town?"
Thomas's eyes grew round in realization and he blushed slightly. "Sorry, I assumed you were going to New York since we discussed it last night."
Kaoru looked over at the paper Misao held. "Well, I guess that would be a good place to go. At least we now have information on that town and we know it's civilized there."
Misao agreed with her. "You're right. I guess it's New York then. Do you have price info in here?"
Thomas shook his head. "Prices I have would be useless. It all depends on what ship you sail on, who the captain is, how long the ride will be, there are a lot of factors."
Misao picked up a small scrap of paper that fell out. "Who's Kasumi Jones?"
Thomas smiled at her. "Actually, you'll probably want to stay with her while you're there. She's a very sweet woman whose family traveled to America while she was young and she married there. She and her husband own a restaurant and a very nice hotel. I included her address for you. She used to be a neighbor of ours. She's the person who got us interested in Japan when we were kids."
Misao stood up as two patrons entered the restaurant. "Well, I guess we should be going. Thank you for all your information and we'll see you when we return!"
Daniel and Thomas waved after them as they walked out of the restaurant.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
After a full day of window shopping and thinking, they returned to the Aoiya for dinner. They kept their spirits up, having decided not to tell anyone until the tickets were purchased. After that, they wouldn't be able to stop them from leaving.
Later that night as they got ready for bed, Misao pulled out a sack of money and handed it to Kaoru. "Here you go. This should be enough to cover the tickets."
Kaoru looked in the pouch and her eyes almost popped out of her head. "This much?"
Misao waved a hand. "Yeah. I'll have more when we leave. Don't worry. We'll have plenty of money."
Kaoru stared in disbelief at Misao. "More?! Misao, where did you get all this?"
Misao looked at her. "What do you mean? I own the Aoiya. My grandfather built it as our base and Jiya is running it until I'm ready to take over the duties."
Kaoru shook her head and smiled slightly. "You never cease to amaze me."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A/N: Alright. Please bear with me for the next couple chapters. I don't know how long a boat ride would take from Japan to New York or what route they would take or any of that. I tried to research it but kept hitting dead ends. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed so far and leave a review please! Hugs & Kisses!