Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't earn money for this. I don't want to be sued. =3

Title – What We See In the Rain

Summary – Kaoru, a 22-year-old volunteer worker for the police, was sent to live in a small rundown town to investigate the death of Tomoe Yukishiro and the parents of Himura Kenshin. Of course, dealing with a little romance. [A/U - K/K]

Kaoru's Point Of View –

We arrived slightly late to the funeral, more or less because of me forgetting to set my alarm clock to a nice time to get up or Kenshin forgetting to tell me when the funeral was being held. But, we still made it.. his outfit had already been previously chosen before he met me, mine was not really for the occasion. At least, it was black.

Several people turned to us as we entered through the doorway into the room, most of them resumed watching the funeral as others continued to observe us until we took our seats. Mainly the female popular within the room, which was quite a lot.

The girl within the coffin was far more beautiful than I was, elegant looking even during her now eternal slumber. I glanced around the room, my azure eyes watching as almost everyone shed tears for the girl while the innocent children only looked lost whispering about why their precious Tomoe was asleep. My eyes fell upon the redhead beside me, studying his features before turning back to watching the people that sat in the long rows of the church.

I continued to watch as the funeral went on, and somewhere near the end there were people, who I briefly noted as Kenshin's classmates, attempted to comfort him, who apparently, did not look like he needed comforting. But that was just on the outside. I could literally feel sadness rolling off of him like waves from a beach.

I sat back against the chair next to Kenshin, a mask of sadness firmly placed upon her features for the occasion; even though she herself did not know the girl and couldn't feel two drops of remorse for her passing. Perhaps only one, the reason unknown to me at the time.

As I turned my attention back to Kenshin, who was still as stone, and asked, "Kenshin, are you all right?" I received a curt nod in return. I gave a slight nod, sighing softly before my attention returned back to the funeral.

Narrator's Point Of View –

Finally.

She stretched her arms out, and wandered out the door. Kenshin had decided to stay a little longer; she couldn't blame him. She was probably exactly like that at her parent's funeral, not that she remembered much of it anyway. Kaoru smiled wryly, placing her hands on her hips.

"Kaoru, I'm sorry to have to make you there for so long.." came a voice from behind her, a hand placed upon her back and pushed her further from the church as not to block the other people from emerging from the dark sanctuary of the immensely large room.

"It's quite all right, Kenshin. I didn't have anything to do anyway. Better than sitting all day on the couch sleeping and watching television," Kaoru murmured, leaning against an old cherry-blossom tree. She wore a long tight-fitting dress with slits at the sides and a rather low v-shaped neckline that showed a bit of her cleavage, pearl earrings, and black high-heels. As much as Kenshin would have protested the dress, she had told him that either he wanted her to wear that or an even more revealing one. He preferred the first one, and then asked why she didn't have any other sort of black wear.

Yep, she had a hard time answering that one. She couldn't have just said 'Well, I had volunteered to pretend to be an innocent-looking girl to lure a rapist into a prison wearing the outfits they bought me.'

"Ken-san! I almost thought you wouldn't show as you were so.." a longhaired girl remarked, cutting off Kaoru's train of thoughts in the process. Megumi narrowed her blue eyes at Kaoru before turning back to Kenshin, "..late to the funeral."

"Why would you think I wouldn't come, Megumi-san? It's not like Tomoe wasn't an important person to me.." Kenshin said, smiling bitterly.

"Sorry, Ken-san. Never mind what I said, now.. introduce me to your friend there." Her attention was once again on Kaoru, if looks could kill.. it wouldn't be a pretty sight.

"Oh yes, Megumi, this is Kamiya Kaoru. Kaoru, this is Takani Megumi." His voice brightening at the new topic to talk about, his hands waving to the one spoken about for emphasize.

Kaoru smiled politely, moving her hand out in front of her for a handshake, "Pleased to meet you, Takani-san."

Megumi glared at the woman's hand before reluctantly taking it into her own, "As am I.. Tanuki." That certainly slipped off of her tongue, though she couldn't say she truly did it on accident. She waited for a reaction, a reaction that most of her friends usually did.

None came.

Kaoru continued smiling politely, seemingly unfazed by the familiar nickname. It only annoyed her when Saitou or Sano called her it, perhaps because of the fact they had known each other for so long. Way too long.

Kenshin looked at the both of them with a confused expression, before once more smiling as the familiar genki Misao 'bounced' towards them, along with the towering figure of Aoshi Shinomori made their way from the receding crowd towards them. "Himura! Himura!"

"Misao-san, Aoshi-san." Replied the redhead, receiving a huge bear hug from Misao and a slight nod from Aoshi.

Kaoru turned her head to look over at the incoming figures, instantly recognizing the taller figure. She smiled a bit more, her eyes connecting with Aoshi's icy blue ones. Talk later.

"Kaoru, this is Misao Makimachi. And this is Aoshi Shinomori." Another round of introductions, though these were much brighter.. as bright as they could be with Aoshi around.

Misao, easily taking a liking towards the older girl, instantly began rambling on about herself and some of the 'gang'.. mostly about how amazingly handsome Aoshi was.

Kaoru laughed inwardly, Aoshi was one of her oldest friends within the police force. He had been sent any on an assignment that she wasn't told about while she herself was undercover in one of her own assignments. She glanced towards the younger girl, who continued chatting away, herself adding the occasionally 'I see..' 'You don't say..' and so on.

Megumi, who felt momentarily forgotten ( momentarily. x3 ), draped herself over Kenshin. "Ne, Ken-san.. how'd you meet Tan-Kamiya-san? And, where were you yesterday? It's not like you to not remember things like meeting at the Akabeko for lunch.."

His lavender eyes widen in sudden remembrance, "I'm sorry, Megumi-san!" he wailed, apologizing profusely, "I was kicked out of my house, and Kaoru found me still sitting at the school yard.. and graciously allowed to stay at her new house. Yesterday, I unpacked my things."

"Mm," Kaoru murmured, agreeing, nodding her head slightly.

"Himura! One of us could've lent you a room at one of our houses if you'd told us.." Misao said, brows furrowing.

"I didn't want to trouble, you guys.."

"But, you told a complete stranger instead! And burdened her!"

"Now, now.." Kaoru murmured, waving her hands in the air attempting to stop any incoming quarrels in the group. "I don't mind having him stayed in my house, I'm glad actually that I don't have to live alone.. it's not a burden."

Kenshin sighed, rubbing his temples lightly, then attempted to smile. "Why don't we all just go out for ice cream?"

The group all happily agreed, "Your treat, right?"

^^;

Kenshin's Point of View –

"Your ice cream is melting," Kaoru casually remarked, finger pointing towards the sugary liquid running down my sugar cone while licking her ice cream.

I watched as it rolled down, then absorbed by the napkin the ice-cream lady had wrapped around the come. "I know." I murmured. Apparently, I didn't feel like eating ice cream right now.

Short, I know. Long time no update, but it's getting sort of hard getting ideas for a funeral. I mean.. I have no idea what goes on there. ):

Review please!