~Chapter Two- A feeling of never seeing you again as you walked off in the wind~

Yahiko was standing in the front yard holding the newspaper Kenshin had bought that day in his hands.

"What is it Yahiko?" Kenshin questioned once he had reached the boy.

"Check it out! It says here that there's gonna be this huge storm rolling in soon! Can you believe that???" Yahiko explained, pointing to a column in the black and white print.

Kenshin looked up at the sky.

Not a cloud in sight!

Just blue for as far as the eye could see!

"That is a bit strange, Yahiko. But why is it such a big deal? We'll get a storm, so we'll just stay in doors all day." Kenshin informed.

Yahiko shook his head. "Bad things happen when it storms like it says it's gonna. Thunder, lightening, rain turning into hail, high winds. It may be just a superstition, but I just thought I'd let you know that things won't be as safe as they are now."

Kenshin put a hand on Yahiko's shoulder. "You worry too much! I gotta go fix dinner now, I do, so you go back to whatever you were doing."

With that cheerful smile on his face, Kenshin departed to the kitchen inside the dojo.

Yahiko stood in the yard still, staring at the paper. *Bad things happen when it storms. Be careful.* He told himself in thought.

Suddenly, a sharp wind picked up.

"Oh no!!!! My doll!!" Ayame exclaimed from the porch as one of the paper dolls she had cut out flew up onto the air stream and was being carried away.

Yahiko took off running after it.

He jumped up onto the woodpile in the courtyard and leaped up, grabbing it in thin air.

Ayame and Sazume ran to him to retrieve the doll. "Thank you so much, Yahiko! You saved her!" Ayame stated.

"Yeah! You saved her!" Sazume jumped up, copying her sister.

Yahiko grinned down at them and handed Ayame the doll.

As the two girls ran back to the porch, Yahiko felt the wind once again. *Bad things….*

~With Kaoru~

Kaoru pulled on her kimono, her hair wrapped up with a towel.

She tied the obi around her waste, and walked to her room.

Inside, the flowers still sat.

She knelt down on her knees comfortably, and smelt them.

They were so fresh! Even the due hadn't evaporated yet!

She imagined they were from the Fuji mountains.

All the flowers were blooming up there by the waterfalls.

She had always heard of these blossoms, but never in her life had she received a whole bouquet of them!

"I have to repay you somehow…" She spoke aloud as she thought of Kenshin in her mind.

She fell onto her futon and held her eyes shut.

His image was so wonderful in her mind.

"….Kenshin…." She whispered to herself.

Just then, the wind picked up outside and rattled her screen doors!

She at up and waited for it to stop.

"That's strange." She stated to herself before getting up and heading for the kitchen.

~With Kenshin~

The tofu on the counter smelt good as Kenshin began to chop it, his sleeves tied back with string.

He hummed a tune and didn't notice the wind blowing outside.

He was in too good of mood to notice anything wrong with the day.

Kaoru walked in a minute later, her hair still wrapped up with the towel.

She didn't mind Kenshin seeing her in such a state. They were much too close now for it to even matter.

She could roll around in the mud all night and never wash and it wouldn't matter to him. He would just laugh playfully.

Kaoru smiled when she saw Kenshin in such a good frame of mind.

"Oh Yummy! So we're having the tofu tonight?" She questioned, peering over his shoulder.

Kenshin turned to her and nodded. "There's plenty more though. We'll have enough to last through the storm."

Kaoru blinked. "What storm?"

"Yahiko told me that the paper read that a bad storm was rolling in. Rain, hail, wind, thunder, lightening….the works." Kenshin explained.

Kaoru looked out the door. "So that explains the wind picking up out there. I was in my room and it was rattling the screen doors! Freaked me out."

Kenshin stopped chopping and looked out the door too. "I hadn't even noticed that. The strange thing is Yahiko is acting strange. He says that there's some sort of superstition about storms like this. He said bad things might happen. I think he worries too much."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "He doesn't worry too much, he believes stuff like that too much! Sanoske probably told him that superstition and now it's gotten to his head! I'll just have a little talk with that roster-head when he gets back tomorrow!"

Kenshin laughed slightly and got back to his chopping.

Kaoru reached up and un-raveled the towel around her head and let her damp hair fall down her back.

Kenshin glanced over at her and thought she looked so lovely.

She wasn't trying to be as such….she just was!

She went and sat down on the slope of the floor where the shoes went on and off.

She looked up at Kenshin and noticed his smile as he continued his cooking.

She sat and just watched him work.

Her eyes wouldn't let his figure escape.

Kenshin had no clue he was being stared at, and so did his preparations normally.

"Should we have some yaki-soba (noodles) too? We still have a bit left." Kenshin questioned Kaoru.

Kaoru blinked and looked away from him as he turned around.

"Oh sure! Why not! That sounds delicious!" She replied, her cheeks blushing madly.

Outside, clouds started to build up in the sky.

It was about 5:00 p.m. when Yahiko came into the kitchen with Ayame and Sazume.

"Something smells good in here!" Yahiko exclaimed, sniffing the air.

Sazume ran over to Kenshin's side and tugged on his pant leg. "Uncle Kennie! My pin-wheel goes really really fast outside!"

Kenshin looked down at the 2 year old, and then outside himself.

Sure enough, the wind was really picking up.

"Well, looks like the newspaper didn't lie this time, that it didn't." He stated, stirring the yaki-soba in the frying pan as fire blazing inside the stove.

Yahiko looked worried from across the room.

"Yahiko, don't tell me you really believe that superstition!" Kaoru said in an exasperated voice.

Yahiko glared at Kenshin for telling her about it.

The rurouni pretended not to notice.

"Well, yeah! It's true! It's not like something WILL happen bad, but we just gotta be careful. That's all I'm saying."

Kaoru shook her head. "Oh geez. Sanoske's got you believing it like it's religion now!"

Yahiko put on a sarcastic look. "Sanoske didn't tell me. This old guy down town when I was taking my walk was telling it to people passing by. Everyone was paying very close attention to him like he was some sort of saint! He was wearing really nice clothes too, and had these two German bodyguards. I figured it was important and so I listened. When I go back home, I found the newspaper Kenshin had bought and looked in the weather column. It talked about the storm coming in, and I took it that you all needed to know! It's a serious issue!"

When Yahiko finished explaining, everyone was silent.

"That….old man sounds like Sir Fu-Young. He's from China, and is a great fortune teller! When he talks of superstitions, one better listen, or you might get the message wrong." Kaoru clarified. "Maybe things do happen bad when it storms like it is going to!"

Ayame and Sazume hugged in fear.

"See!!! Now do you all believe me!!!!" Yahiko shouted.

Kenshin wiped his hands on a cloth and then turned to everyone. "What Miss Kaoru says is true! When Sir Fu-Young speaks, one had best listen! We'll make sure to be careful when the storm rolls in, agreed Yahiko?"

Yahiko grinned up at Kenshin. "You bet! Thanks for believed me finally!"

The red-head smiled and returned to the stove.

Kaoru stared out the door now in curiosity. *Sir Fu-Young was the one that spoke of women and children dying in a flood last year on the Northern coast of Japan! It was only a month after he had predicted such a thing that it actually happened! 5 bodies were found on shore, and 12 others are missing to this day! When he predicts things like that…..it's not something innocent.* She thought to herself. *What if…..*

"Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin's voice interrupted her thoughts.

She looked up and stared into his eyes. "Yes?" Her voice cracked.

Kenshin placed a hand on her shoulder. This made her cheeks darken.

"Don't think of it. We'll all be just fine, we will." He spoke in a soft tone.

Kaoru couldn't help but follow his calming words and forget about her fearful thoughts.

At least now things were fairly calm outside.

~Later that evening~

The 5 loners sat at the dinner table in the dining room, eating quietly.

Yahiko stuffed his face with yaki-soba, Ayame was staring at the messy Sazume as she played with her food. Kenshin trying to clean the 2 year old up all at the same time.

Kaoru giggled as she watched, and sipped her tea. "It's actually sort of peaceful tonight, don't you agree?"

After Kenshin finally reprehended Sazume by putting her in his lap, he nodded with a grin. "It is to tell you the truth. We don't have a full house like we usually do…but it's all good."

Yahiko shifted on his cushion and looked out the screen doors, that were open just a tad. "It's getting worse out there."

"Oh Yahiko, hush! I don't wanna know!" Kaoru sniffed and continued eating.

Yahiko stood up and smirked. "Why not? Are you AFRAID??"

Kaoru shot a glare up at Yahiko. "N..NO!!!! HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST THAT I AM AFRAID!!!"

She wanted to get up and chase after the boy, but she sat still.

Yahiko sarcastically laughed. "HA! Just as I thought!"

Suddenly, the wind outside rattled the screens behind Yahiko, and he jumped in fear, running to the other side of the room.

Kaoru shook her head. "Oh, oh. Now who was afraid again?"

Kenshin got up and peeked out the door.

It was already getting darker, and the clouds were moving in over the evening sky!

Even though it was coming close to summer, nights still fell early.

It was 7:00 p.m. then, and in one hour, the whole sky would be pitch black.

"Oh yeah, Ayame, Sazume? Did Miss Magumi say anything about if she was going to pick you up or not?" Her asked the little girls as he shut the door behind him.

Sazume tilted her head, but Ayame understood. "Yes, she did Uncle Ken! She said that if she wasn't back here after dinner to pick us up, that one of you could to take us home. Grandpa should be sleeping there already, but Auntie Magumi might still be helping the patient."

Kenshin glanced at the wall clock quickly, then nodded. "Well, it's already getting dark out there, and the storm will be setting in soon, so I think I'll take you two home now, if you say your grandfather is already there sleeping. I'll have to take care of the dishes when I get back."

Kaoru blinked after hearing this, and watched Kenshin leave the room, the two girls at hand.

She imagined he was heading for the front to put on some coats and head out!

She remembered the superstition. *Something bad……might happen.*

She jumped up, and rushed after Kenshin and the girls.

Yahiko chocked on his tea. "HEY!!! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE IN HERE!!!"

~With Kenshin~

Kenshin had fastened 2 small coats over Ayame and Sazume, putting their items he had bought them that morning in a small bag.

He was putting his arm into one of the coats when Kaoru ran into the room. "WAIT KENSHIN!!!!"

He turned to her quickly and stared. "What's the matter, Miss Kaoru?"

Her eyes looked worried. "Um….why don't you let me take the girls home! I know you have other things to do! I'll take care of this, okay?"

Kenshin was a bit confused. "Oh no! It's alright! I'll only be gone for less then 15 minutes! I'll have plenty of time to take care of the dishes and things like that when I get back."

Kaoru's heart thumped in her chest. *15 minutes???!!!! So many horrible things could happen to you in 15 minutes…including the girls!! I'm not taking that risk!* She confirmed in her mind.

"Actually!! Uh…well…I have to stop by Tae's house!!! I just remembered! I'll take the girls home and stop by her home real quick, and be back in a flash!" She put on a fake smile.

Kenshin blinked. "Alright, Miss Kaoru. I understand." He slipped the coat off his arms and handed it to her.

He had a feeling Kaoru didn't really need to see Tae.

As Kaoru put on the coat and took Ayame and Sazume's hands, he realized she was probably worried about the superstition that something bad might happen to him if he went out.

He felt a bit of worry himself as she opened the door, and the wind picked up around her, throwing her un-tied back hair in the current.

"Does everyone have their stuff?" She asked the girls.

They smiled and held up their bags.

"Alright! Let's go!" She said in a happy tone so that the wind was of no bother to her cute little step sisters.

As she began to walk down the pathway out the gates, Kenshin stepped out on the porch, and hesitantly felt his heart skip a beat.

"M…Miss Kaoru!" He called after her.

She turned back around to face him.

"….Be careful." His voice sounded concerned.

Kaoru smiled and nodded, and then continued to walk out the gates, turning out of sight behind the wall.

Kenshin stood there in the wind for a while, continuing to watch the open gates swing back and forth in the harsh breeze.

*Why is it….* He thought to himself. *….that I feel like this is the last time I'll see her?*

~Awww!!! Poor Kenshin!!! He's afraid he'll never see Kaoru again!!! OH NO!!!! What will happen next?? Read on to find out….~

~Smile B~