WOW I ACTUALLY UPDATED! Blame my school for the long wait...and writer's block, and everybody else for writing good fanfics that distract me, and...*goes on* Well. Anyway. I'm going to try and keep this from being boring, and junk.

*Looks at reviews and gets teary eyed* You like me! You really like me! I'd like to thank all the little people who made this possible for me! *gets hit by a random flying tomato* Okay seriously. WO~OW! *is amazed at the positiveness of the reviews* I feel loved! Oh so loved!

Well, anyway, I forgot what the heck I was gonna write up here, so here's the new chapter! *suddenly realizes that she uses the phrase "Well, anyway" WAAAAAY too much.*

This chapter is brought to you by: The wonderful snow days I'm having this week! w00t!

CHAPTER THREE

I was so excited when Kenshin said he'd join the Kendo club. According to Soujiro, his uncle, Hiko Seijuuro, was quite famous. All that day people (namely Sano) kept complaining that I was acting WAY too hyper. But I just couldn't wait! Even Sou-kun's smile looked different. I could tell he was looking forward to seeing Kenshin in action. So that afternoon (after getting told off by all of my teachers for daydreaming in class) I was ready to burst with impatience.

When Kenshin walked into room next to the gym that served as a sort-of "makeshift dojo", I couldn't help noticing how good he looked in the traditional gi and hakama. After mentally slapping myself, I had snapped to attention when Soujiro stepped up and asked (and I quote) "If Himura-san would care to join him in a friendly spar?" He was using a bokken, which was very unusual, since it's much more dangerous than a shinai. No one moved for a moment, until Kenshin smiled back and agreed, and picked up a bokken. I both hoped that Kenshin was as good as I figured, and didn't, not wanting Soujiro to end up hurting him, or he Soujiro. But as the fight commenced, as I can say is WOW. I knew Sou-kun was fast, from different times I've seen him fight, but these two were practically blurs. I'd never seen anyone with their level of skill, not even at the few tournaments we'd gone to, and from the looks on the other club members' faces, I could tell they hadn't either.

.::*OrO*::.

The two boys skidded to a halt, and, breathing hard, turned to face each other. As one, they bowed respectfully to the other.

"You were holding back", commented Soujiro lightly.

"As were you.", answered the redhead in an equally light tone, automatically flicking his wrist, before going to trade his bokken for a shinai. Kaoru noted this.

'Don't they do that in all the old samurai movies?' she wondered ,'It flicks all of the blood off of the blade of a katana. Why would Kenshin do that?', Kaoru shrugged it off as she went to coach some of their freshman members who had just joined. 'Maybe his uncle's old fashioned...'

.::*OrO*::.

Kaoru sighed as she kicked off her shoes at the door. Carelessly dumping her bookbag on the floor, she called out that she was home.

"Ah, Kaoru-chan, how was your day?", asked her grandfather, coming into the room.

"Fine," she answered as Yahiko appeared.

"So how was practice? Did your boyfriend show up?" he asked, smirking.

"My boyfr- my what?!" Kaoru was confused, but thought she knew who he was talking about.

"You know! That Kenshin guy you were talking about all last night!"

"The heck?! He's not my boyfriend you little brat! I just met the guy yesterday for crying out loud!", she cried both angry and mortified. Both Yahiko and Kaoru were surprised when a voice came from the open doorway.

"Kamiya-san?", the girl whirled around, and turned red when she saw who it was.

"Ken- I mean Himura-san! What are you doing here?!"

He blinked. "I accidentally picked up your chemistry book this afternoon, and I thought I'd return it."

"Oh. Well how'd you find my house?"

"Makimachi-san told me how to get here, Kamiya-san.", he held the book out.

Kaoru took it. "Arigatou Himura-san. But how'd you know I would be home?"

"Makimachi-san said you didn't have any plans tonight... 'no plans tonight or ever' I think she said." He looked thoughtful. "But If I'm being a bother, I can leave."

'Dang. Misao never could keep her mouth closed. I'll have to get her for that "or ever" comment...' She registered the last thing Kenshin had said. "OH! No, no, you're fine.", she paused , "Uh, I mean, you're not bothering me or anything, I'm kinda glad you showed up." Kaoru mentally kicked herself for acting like such a ditz, as Yahiko snickered behind her and Kenshin blinked again. "Uh, would you like to stay for dinner?" she asked brightly, trying to cover her embarrassment.

"That'd be nice, Kamiya-san. Could I call my uncle so he'll know not to expect me for a while?"

"Sure, and you can just call me Kaoru. We're friends, ne?" Kenshin blinked for the third time that hour.

'Friends?', he thought, surprised. "Hai. And just Kenshin is fine for me.", he smiled at her.

'Gosh, he has a cute smile...' Kaoru thought as he introduced himself politely to her grandfather and Yahiko. 'Where did that thought come from?! Man, I sound like a have a crush on him or something. That's Misao's kind of thinking, like about that Shinomori guy she talks about all the time.' She briefly thought about Misao's one-sided romance with the aloof Shinomori Aoshi, a young man who was in their grade.

"So Kaoru says you do kendo too?", Yahiko was asking Kenshin. "Kaoru's teaching me the Kamiya Kasshin style."

"Oh that's the style you use Kami-, er, Kaoru-san?", she chose to ignore the '-san' for now.

"Yeah," the tanuki girl answered, "My father taught me. It was passed down through the Kamiya family. What style were you using this afternoon? It was amazing!"

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. It's a really old style I learned from my uncle. But I wasn't that good, My second attack was too slow, and my defense faulty..."

"No! Really, you were great!", Kaoru hastily told Kenshin. "I've never seen a fight like that!"

"This is all very interesting." said the forgotten Dr. Genzai, "But it's your turn to cook tonight Kaoru-chan."

"Oh great!", complained Yahiko. "Another chance for the busu to set the oven on fire! She can't cook to save her life." he told the bewildered Kenshin.

"I can too, brat! Besides, I only did that once..."

"Oro. Would you like me to help Kaoru-san?", Kenshin asked.

"Sure, Kenshin! Thanks!", Kaoru agreed, privately thankful that they WOULD have edible food that night.

"Yeah thanks!", Yahiko piped up. "I didn't feel like getting food poisoning tonight!"

Kenshin oro-ed again as Kaoru proceeded to angrily chase her younger cousin around the room.

.::*OrO*::.

DO NOT WORRY MY READERS! I will get to the plot soon...er...eventually. Um...lesse...Review please! And e-mail me at slightimperfections@yahoo.com if you have any question, or are just bored.

Ja ne!