Chapter Six: Someone I'm Waiting For
Kaoru finally stopped her exercises when Yahiko came wandering in.
"Are you going to give me a lesson today?" he asked eyeing Kaoru.
Kaoru was already covered in sweat, causing her clothes to stick to her body. She was a little out of breath, considering she had been practicing for the last few hours non-stop. Her arms felt wobbly and unstable as she finally lowered her bokken.
"Later today, maybe. But for now go heat the bath for me, please." Kaoru said wearily.
"Do I have to?" Yahiko whined.
"JUST DO IT!" Kaoru said, absolutely no shred of patience left in her.
Yahiko rushed off to do as she said.
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Kaoru slipped into the hot water and sighed with relief. All her aches and pains seemed to disappear under the soothing touch of the hot water. All except for one, that was. The ache in her heart would just not go away. She was absolutely sure that she was in love with Kenshin. If only he was here right now. But he wasn't here. He was off on a journey to find his 'answer'. She had no clue when he would return. It could be years! That was what truly frightened her.
Finally Kaoru managed to drag herself out of the bath, even more tired than before. Walking back out to the yard she ran into Yahiko.
"Hey, aren't you going to make lunch? It's way past time and I'm starving!"
"Go find something to eat yourself! I'm too tired right now!" Kaoru snapped grumpily as she walked back into the house.
Yahiko stared after her, a frown on his face. He didn't have time to do anything else because there was a loud knock on the front gate. He opened the gate to see Yukimura standing outside with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.
"Is Kaoru here?" he asked slightly nervous.
"Yeah, I'll go get her. Just was here for a second." Yahiko said, rolling his eyes. Why would he bring flowers?
Kaoru walked quickly to the front gate wondering why Yukimura would have come, especially since she had been so rude last night, Yahiko had decided to go off to find some food, so Kaoru was all alone when she approached Yukimura. He smiled at her, handsome as ever and pulled out some flowers.
Kaoru gasped, surprised. They were beautiful, small and delicate blue blooms. Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes, remembering Kenshin every second.
"These are for you, Kaoru. I know it's a bit sudden, since we've only known each other for a day...." Yukimura began eagerly, but Kaoru gently handed back the flowers.
"I...I can't accept these.." Kaoru said, her voice trembling.
Yukimura frowned for a second, by then his smile returned, much more unsure. "Kaoru...Why?"
There was a far away glint in her eyes as she said quietly, "There is someone I'm waiting for."
Yukimura sighed. "Kenshin..right?"
"How do you know about him?" Kaoru asked suspiciously.
Yukimura looked hurt. "Well, I'm sorry for bothering, you Miss Kaoru." He said, his voice becoming cold and formal as he turned and left, throwing the flowers to the ground.
Kaoru looked after him, saddened. Slowly she bent down and picked up the squashed flowers. She sighed. What else could she have done? She hadn't even known Yukimura long enough to have an opinion on him. Sure he was handsome and charming, but she loved Kenshin. No one could compare to Kenshin, in looks and personality. He was perfect for her. That just made Kaoru even sadder, longing even more for Kenshin to come back. The flowers slipped from her hands and she spun around and ran wildly towards her room, her tears streaming down her face.
Kenshin quickened his pace. He was just on the outskirts of Tokyo and the sun was just setting. The fading light cast an orange glow over the entire city. There weren't that many people outside, so Kenshin was basically alone on the streets. His hurried footsteps echoed hollowly on the road as he approached the dojo.
He hesitated for a second at the gate, a sense of finality overcoming him, as though if he entered he was bound to his decision to tell Kaoru. Quietly he opened the gate, so not to disturb anyone. He was somewhat surprised to find the dojo completely silent, but after all it was nighttime.
The first one he met up with was Yahiko. He happened to be both very glad and very surprised at Kenshin's sudden arrival.
"Kenshin! You're finally back!" Yahiko exclaimed.
"Yes, Yahiko. I'm sorry for worrying you." Kenshin replied.
"If you're looking for Kaoru, she's in her room crying again." Yahiko said when he noticed Kenshin glancing around.
Kenshin's face darkened. "Crying?" He questioned.
Yahiko nodded casually. "I think it has something to do with Yukimura."
Kenshin became slightly worried. "Who is Yukimura?"
"Oh, yeah, I forgot that you haven't met him. He's a guy, Kaoru met. He brought her flowers today, but he didn't stay over like he did yesterday."
Kenshin's confidence faltered. Was Kaoru in love with this man? Could it be that she hadn't care that he had left? He nodded slightly to Yahiko before continuing to walk. He made his way down the hall till her reached Kaoru's door. He paused, his hand slightly raised, about to knock on the door, but he lowered it. He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't tell her. Not after what he had just heard. He would have to ask Sano about it tomorrow to see if he could shed any light on the situation. But as Kenshin turned to leave an overwhelming desire to see her again overtook him. He listened at the door for a second. Once he was sure Kaoru was asleep he quietly slid open the door and stepped inside.
Kenshin walked silently over to her futon and looked down at her. She looked so beautiful when she slept. Her ebony black hair was carefully braided at her side. He was surprised to see tears on her cheeks. She was crying in her sleep. Kenshin bent down and gently wiped the tears from her cheek, sighing. He wished things didn't have to be like this. He wished that she never would have to cry again. He watched her for a long time, simply taking in everything about her, not having to worry about anyone else. The only one he was thinking of was Kaoru, sweet sweet Kaoru.
Finally after an hour or two Kenshin slipped out and went to his own room. He couldn't sleep though. He stared up into the dark for hours, his thoughts troubled. He was so stupid to have left. If he had stayed then maybe Kaoru wouldn't have fallen for that guy. Finally, though, he managed to fall into troubled dreams.
Kaoru finally stopped her exercises when Yahiko came wandering in.
"Are you going to give me a lesson today?" he asked eyeing Kaoru.
Kaoru was already covered in sweat, causing her clothes to stick to her body. She was a little out of breath, considering she had been practicing for the last few hours non-stop. Her arms felt wobbly and unstable as she finally lowered her bokken.
"Later today, maybe. But for now go heat the bath for me, please." Kaoru said wearily.
"Do I have to?" Yahiko whined.
"JUST DO IT!" Kaoru said, absolutely no shred of patience left in her.
Yahiko rushed off to do as she said.
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Kaoru slipped into the hot water and sighed with relief. All her aches and pains seemed to disappear under the soothing touch of the hot water. All except for one, that was. The ache in her heart would just not go away. She was absolutely sure that she was in love with Kenshin. If only he was here right now. But he wasn't here. He was off on a journey to find his 'answer'. She had no clue when he would return. It could be years! That was what truly frightened her.
Finally Kaoru managed to drag herself out of the bath, even more tired than before. Walking back out to the yard she ran into Yahiko.
"Hey, aren't you going to make lunch? It's way past time and I'm starving!"
"Go find something to eat yourself! I'm too tired right now!" Kaoru snapped grumpily as she walked back into the house.
Yahiko stared after her, a frown on his face. He didn't have time to do anything else because there was a loud knock on the front gate. He opened the gate to see Yukimura standing outside with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.
"Is Kaoru here?" he asked slightly nervous.
"Yeah, I'll go get her. Just was here for a second." Yahiko said, rolling his eyes. Why would he bring flowers?
Kaoru walked quickly to the front gate wondering why Yukimura would have come, especially since she had been so rude last night, Yahiko had decided to go off to find some food, so Kaoru was all alone when she approached Yukimura. He smiled at her, handsome as ever and pulled out some flowers.
Kaoru gasped, surprised. They were beautiful, small and delicate blue blooms. Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes, remembering Kenshin every second.
"These are for you, Kaoru. I know it's a bit sudden, since we've only known each other for a day...." Yukimura began eagerly, but Kaoru gently handed back the flowers.
"I...I can't accept these.." Kaoru said, her voice trembling.
Yukimura frowned for a second, by then his smile returned, much more unsure. "Kaoru...Why?"
There was a far away glint in her eyes as she said quietly, "There is someone I'm waiting for."
Yukimura sighed. "Kenshin..right?"
"How do you know about him?" Kaoru asked suspiciously.
Yukimura looked hurt. "Well, I'm sorry for bothering, you Miss Kaoru." He said, his voice becoming cold and formal as he turned and left, throwing the flowers to the ground.
Kaoru looked after him, saddened. Slowly she bent down and picked up the squashed flowers. She sighed. What else could she have done? She hadn't even known Yukimura long enough to have an opinion on him. Sure he was handsome and charming, but she loved Kenshin. No one could compare to Kenshin, in looks and personality. He was perfect for her. That just made Kaoru even sadder, longing even more for Kenshin to come back. The flowers slipped from her hands and she spun around and ran wildly towards her room, her tears streaming down her face.
Kenshin quickened his pace. He was just on the outskirts of Tokyo and the sun was just setting. The fading light cast an orange glow over the entire city. There weren't that many people outside, so Kenshin was basically alone on the streets. His hurried footsteps echoed hollowly on the road as he approached the dojo.
He hesitated for a second at the gate, a sense of finality overcoming him, as though if he entered he was bound to his decision to tell Kaoru. Quietly he opened the gate, so not to disturb anyone. He was somewhat surprised to find the dojo completely silent, but after all it was nighttime.
The first one he met up with was Yahiko. He happened to be both very glad and very surprised at Kenshin's sudden arrival.
"Kenshin! You're finally back!" Yahiko exclaimed.
"Yes, Yahiko. I'm sorry for worrying you." Kenshin replied.
"If you're looking for Kaoru, she's in her room crying again." Yahiko said when he noticed Kenshin glancing around.
Kenshin's face darkened. "Crying?" He questioned.
Yahiko nodded casually. "I think it has something to do with Yukimura."
Kenshin became slightly worried. "Who is Yukimura?"
"Oh, yeah, I forgot that you haven't met him. He's a guy, Kaoru met. He brought her flowers today, but he didn't stay over like he did yesterday."
Kenshin's confidence faltered. Was Kaoru in love with this man? Could it be that she hadn't care that he had left? He nodded slightly to Yahiko before continuing to walk. He made his way down the hall till her reached Kaoru's door. He paused, his hand slightly raised, about to knock on the door, but he lowered it. He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't tell her. Not after what he had just heard. He would have to ask Sano about it tomorrow to see if he could shed any light on the situation. But as Kenshin turned to leave an overwhelming desire to see her again overtook him. He listened at the door for a second. Once he was sure Kaoru was asleep he quietly slid open the door and stepped inside.
Kenshin walked silently over to her futon and looked down at her. She looked so beautiful when she slept. Her ebony black hair was carefully braided at her side. He was surprised to see tears on her cheeks. She was crying in her sleep. Kenshin bent down and gently wiped the tears from her cheek, sighing. He wished things didn't have to be like this. He wished that she never would have to cry again. He watched her for a long time, simply taking in everything about her, not having to worry about anyone else. The only one he was thinking of was Kaoru, sweet sweet Kaoru.
Finally after an hour or two Kenshin slipped out and went to his own room. He couldn't sleep though. He stared up into the dark for hours, his thoughts troubled. He was so stupid to have left. If he had stayed then maybe Kaoru wouldn't have fallen for that guy. Finally, though, he managed to fall into troubled dreams.