Sentiments of gip-k: -(Loudly and nervously clearing throat) Wow. Already the seventh chapter. It's been a VERY long journey, eh?

Rabid Fans: Oh get to the story already! (Throwing fruit and screaming and getting ready to beat me up)

Me: (Timid now) Hey, take it e- OWWW! All right already! Calm down. I am starting the story now, you see? You want to know what's gonna happen to Kaoru, especially you, right fhb.? (Smiles) I notice you are getting restless and annoyed in your reviews and that's a bad thing. As for your suggestions… those were EXACTLY what I was going to do in the first place. (Nodding) Just a tad bit differently. :D

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Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, and Kenshin Himura ran away from me. What a terrible loss! (Crying in corner)

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---Unexpected redemption---

This is probably the fourth day since I have had anything to eat. I had not really been counting too well. I just didn't care. My whole world had shattered around me, and now I was shattering, too.

I was now starting to wonder whether life was worth living anymore. I had nothing. I didn't have even one student, and I most certainly did not have any friends.

When I finally dragged myself out of bed, I was nearly overcome by tears and nausea. But I braved up for the worst, purposely paying little attention to all that was around me for fear of it choking me.

I walked out of my room, and stumbled through the dojo aimlessly. My dojo. I had it all to myself, now, but I didn't feel happy- I didn't feel happy at all.

I walked through the dojo halls, the wonderful scent of the aging hardwood filling me with deep sadness. This was where all my students used to train. Deep sadness, yes. This place meant a lot too me.

As I walked through the dojo, I stumbled upon a place that I had not visited in quite a while- my father's room. He was long since dead, but I still felt the pain of his leaving me sometimes.

His room was very precious to me, but I still considered it his room even so long after he had passed away. I seemed to feel drawn to it, now. Maybe the homeliness of it would be a comfort to me, now that I felt so alone.

So I entered. Everything was exactly as I'd left it. My father's clothing was even still there, even the blue blankets on the futon. So was his small writing table, and the years old ink that I couldn't force myself to throw away. It all carried a rustic scent, and though the room was empty, I felt at peace in it, almost.

I sat right near his table, where I used to watch him work. I just sat there, frozen- silent. I wondered what he might have told me- what he might have been doing- were he still here. I gingerly touched the table's surface, and then placed my hand down on it, rubbing it over the wood as I admired its beautiful design. I let out a sigh.

As I was starting to rise from my position, I subconsciously brushed my hand under the table. Then I froze. I began feeling more. Edges… something sticking out… Oi! There was a box under there!

I quickly got back into my kneeling position, and gently turned the table upside down. Sure enough, there was a box. It was of similar color as the table, and it was kept in place by latches. I unlatched it from its position, and then pushed back the lid slowly to open it. I gasped. The inside contents were cushioned by beautiful red silk. The beauty of the box shocked me near as much as the contents. Two perfect kunais, or Japanese daggers, had been placed meticulously inside, as well as a small white piece folded of paper. I admired the pretty things for a while, but soon, my forehead crinkled in concentration. What on earth would the man who had invented the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, which did not hurt people but protected them, be doing with two kunais?

Then I remembered the note. I snatched it up hurriedly, reading the small note on the paper. Then I smiled, brightening at the sudden remembrance. My father's brother had given him the kunais for his birthday when I was three years of age. My father had not liked them, and though he hid it carefully until after the party, I had heard him grumbling about, stating his reasons for disliking the daggers and struggling to find a way to get rid of them. He meant it half-heartedly though, and even more so when my uncle died a few months later. So he had kept the daggers, though I had never found out where from.

Then a sudden wave of sadness came upon me. Oh how I missed my family! Father was mostly what I had, since my mother had died shortly after my birth. Uncle didn't come around very often, and most times he did it was to tease Father. But he had still been a nice man. I think he used to bring me sweets, which my Father prohibited.

So it had been nice until trouble had come around, and my father had died. Then I had been all alone… until Kenshin had come. My heart immediately felt vexed at the remembrance of Kenshin. How good he had been to me… how he had left me alone, seething in my sorrows.

I felt very down, right about that moment. I closed the box, and then stood up, deciding to take it with me wherever I was heading.

I walked throughout the dojo aimlessly as I had before. Each simple place- the trees where Kenshin and I had observed birds- the corners where Sano had sat lazily away from the sun's burn- the yard where Yahiko and I had trained together- filled me with deep and inexpressible sadness.

I finally stopped, the unshed tears forming a large, choking lump in my throat. I felt myself slowly opened the box in my hand. The kunais glittered ominously in the bright sun. They haunted me as certainly as my past actions and present sad thoughts. Just die… there's nothing for you to live for, now. You could survive the first loneliness, but you'll never survive this. It was your fault all of this happened. Yahiko would never have died if you hadn't insisted on taking him on that stupid camping trip…

Tears rolled down my cheeks like waterfalls. Yes… it was all my fault. If I had not insisted that the group go on that trip… if I had…

I uncertainly put my hand on the hilts of both the daggers. I closed my eyes in concentration- struggling to breathe. My hand clasped unto the daggers, and my other hand let go of the box almost simultaneously, and clattered to the ground with a bang. The now free hand reached for the other kunai. Tears continued running down my cheeks. I tried to study the kunais through my tears. When I had finally forced myself to stop, momentarily, I studied the kunais. They still glittered, but this time… seductively. It was time… Kenshin did not love me. No one loved me.

With each passing thought I drew the daggers closer to my neck, each one pointed at a crucial vein. The one on my left- if that sunk in, I'd most certainly bleed to death. The other would just help the process. Closer… closer… they were here. I nearly flinched as I felt the cold points of the kunais against my neck. I squeezed my eyes shut as I forced myself to inch them in just a little bit more. I could feel them pressing… my heart pounded. They were pressing to the point of pain… nearly cutting. Anymore and I would die. This was the point.

"Miss- Kamiya?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin. The daggers clattered to the ground from shaking hands and then I rounded on the owner of the voice, eyes wide with fright. My heart was beating harder than a hammer. I could not believe who I was looking at.

He was an ordinary young man. He most likely had a few years on me. He wore clothes according to the western style. An old cap, as well as dusty brown pants, white shirt, reddish vest, and a grayish looking jacket. He had an uncertain look in his brilliant brown eyes, and his mouth was pressed in a thin line. He shifted his feet a bit nervously.

"Who are you?" I croaked, somehow managing to sound as incredulous as I felt.

The young man immediately snatched his hat off of his head, revealing unruly brown hair. He turned the hat nervously in his hands.

"I'm Kazuma," he said in a near shy voice. "Um, Kazuma Zhang."

I stared at him in blatant disbelief.

"Wh- what are you doing here?" I asked. I itched for him to go away, but was too tired and stressed to yell it out to him.

"Um, well…" Kazuma stammered. He stopped when he noticed the fallen box and daggers scattered on the ground. Then he looked up at me, his face the image of plain and pure concern.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Kamiya?" he asked worriedly.

There was something about his voice- the genuine concern and care. I immediately broke out into rough, shaking sobs. Tears rolled down my cheeks like waterfalls, but I could not stop them.

Kazuma's eyes roved here and there as if he was uncertain as what to do in this situation.

"Hey," he said gently as he slowly approached me. "It's okay."

I was crying so hard that I was unable to answer. Kazuma put his hand on my back sympathetically. Then he spoke in a near whisper. "What's wrong?"

"It's- it's- it's- I- I- Kenshin," I stammered out.

Kazuma did not seem to understand a word I was saying, from the look in his eyes.

"What was going on?" he asked. "I mean, when I first came here, you were doing something with those two knives and-"

"I was going to kill myself," I found myself blurting out through my continuous tears.

Kazuma's eyes widened, and I felt the hand he'd placed on my back tremble.

"What- I mean how- but- um- why?" he finally managed to ask.

I continued to sob, and found myself telling Kazuma the whole story.

When all was over, he gave me a very sympathetic look.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked softly.

I nodded, sniffling.

We spoke a little more, but not much. Kazuma still did not seem very confident that I was reliable to stay home alone. He did not seem to want to leave me, either.

So, considering the circumstances, as well as the massive size of the dojo, Kazuma decided he would like to stay with me. I did not object. In fact, I felt strangely comforted by it. So I let him stay.

Kazuma gave me sidelong glances at he picked up the kunais and the box that were strewn on the ground, but said nothing. He carefully put the kunais back in their rightful place, closed the box, fastened it shut, and then stood up from his bent position.

"Um, these look kinda fancy," he began. "Where'd you get them from, anyways?"

I half-snatched them away from Kazuma, who replied by giving me a hurt look that showed profuse apology.

"They were a gift," I said a bit snappishly. Then my voice softened. "My uncle gave them to my father as a gift- on his birthday."

Kazuma nodded slowly.

"Sorry if I-"

"It's all right," I said quickly, swallowing back tears. An odd silence reigned between us for a few moments. Finally, I broke it, being hit with sudden remembrance of what I was supposed to have been doing. "Oh, yes. I… guess I should show you to your room."

Kazuma nodded, and I led him through the dojo. I could feel his eyes boring into my back. He most likely did not trust me fully, but I did not blame him completely, however irritating that was.

I showed Kazuma his room in the house. He thanked me, and gave a stiff bow. Stiff because he was obviously nervous.

"Well, I guess I don't have any stuff," Kazuma said, shrugging. He gave me a tight smile. I struggled to return it, but could not. I just was not in the mood for smiling.

"I-" I let out a large sigh. "I suppose I-"

Right then I just blacked out. When I came to, I found myself on the ground, and Kazuma leaning over me trying to awaken me.

"Wh- what just happened?" I asked, confused.

"You just fainted," he said. "Are you okay?"

I nodded softly, but my head kind of hurt. Kazuma helped me up, and I found myself having to lean on him to stay on my feet.

"Maybe you should go lie down," he said, sounding worried.

I shook my head quickly.

"No, no," I said. I did not want to return to that lonely bedroom, at all. "What had I been going to say -?" I begin, starting to get confused. "Oi! I said I was going to… fix dinner."

"No!" Kazuma cried. When he saw that startled look on my face, he looked a bit abashed, yet serious. "I mean, if you're tired or don't feel up to it, you don't have to."

"That's all right," I said, even though I felt dizzy.

Then Kazuma looked me over a bit, and he asked a question I had not expected.

"When was the last time you ate anything?"

The question brought me to alertness.

"It was… four days ago, or so," I replied, shocked at my own words. "I… don't remember."

"Wha -!" Kazuma started to exclaim, but stopped himself. "You have to have something to eat."

"I'm not really hungry," I said, eyeing the ground studiously.

"Miss Kamiya, I don't mean to sound to pushy or anything," Kazuma began, his light brown eyes burning an impression on my heart. "But you've gotta eat something. I mean, you just blacked out."

I nodded glumly.

"Hey, I'm not a good cook or anything but…"

So it ended with Kazuma ushering me into the kitchen. He sat me down softly on one of the mats, and set to work. He quickly cooked some vegetables, and odd variety.

As he worked, I sat at the table, staring into space. Kazuma is so… nice. I wonder why?

The sound of a plate being set down on the small table brought me back to alertness.

The vegetables were over-cooked, and the rice under-cooked. The tofu on the side had a strange sauce on it. The oddest thing was, though, that the food smelled so good. My stomach growled. When was the last time I'd had food?

"Uh, Miss Kamiya? Is it all right if I -?"

I quickly nodded, and Kazuma sat down across from me. I noticed that he was not touching his food, just looking at me. I stared at him back. Kazuma quickly looked away, wetting his lips nervously and trying to feign nonchalance.

I began stirring my food a little with my chopsticks, and I noticed Kazuma's eyes rove back around toward me. I looked up at him, and he quickly looked away. I gingerly tasted a bit of the food.

I was addicted. I believed I'd never tasted food so good in my entire life. After that…

I ate like a pig.

I do not know how many mmhmm!'s and uhmm!'s that erupted from me as I gobbled up the food, but I do know that they were a lot. Kazuma started eating only when I had, and I could not help but notice the proud smile that he was trying to keep from his lips. Men!

After that, we both retired to our rooms. I said goodnight to Kazuma, and he told me goodnight, as well. I had not realized how exhausted I was until my head hit the pillow. By then, I was sound asleep.

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gip-k's Post Chapter Statements: -Hi and bye to all readers! ^_^ I have finally finished up this chapter. I most certainly hope you have enjoyed it. I loved writing it. Kazuma saved Kaoru's life, and now Kaoru is okay. Well, at least for now. I just had to give her a break, SOME time in the story. Also, for all you YYH fans, you'll probably have noticed that "Kazuma" is Kuwabara's first name. ~_~ Yes, I stole it, lol. :-D

Well, that's about it! Here are my special thanks.

Dee-chan

Did you review last chapter? I am unsure. But thanks for sticking with me! ^_^ I'll try and do my best with this story, and all stories I make.

Brittanie Love

NO! Even you showed the emotion of incredulity at Kenshin's departure! ~_~ Yes, I KNOW. He did not HAVE to leave, but then again he had to leave. Hey he has an excuse. There was trouble down south! (Pouts) Okay, well thank you for reading the story, and I REALLY appreciate you adding me to your favorites list. ^_~

Crazed Fanatic Anime Fan

Yip-dee-do! ^_^ I'm happy you've been enjoying the story. You were also prepared for the horrible downfall that occurred after Kenshin left. ~_~ Yeah that was VERY depressing.

Female Hitokiri Battousai

Okay, hope I satisfied you this time! ^_^ I try my best, and you know that more than anyone else. :D Thank you for reading my story, and I wish you the best of luck with yours. ^_^ Thank you so much for reviewing and reading always, good friend. ^_~

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