Unconditional Love
Chapter Six
A light wind blew, the leaves of the Cypress trees swaying. Flowers were blooming with the glowing sunshine in the clear sky. None of this reflected the sadness of Kaoru. She was in a gloomy mood. Always alone with no one there for her. She sat on the bench staring blankly at the lake she had loved since she was a little girl.
She stopped crying silently minutes ago when she arrived at her home. She was inured in being alone without the consolation in her grief. There would be no one for her, or so she thought.
Yugi observed Kaoru a few feet away from her. He smiled sadly. Kaoru was seating there so peacefully, looking serene and pure but there was an aura of pain and suffering. The door to her past was not closed. He knew in his heart that Kenshin will be the only one to change her life. She needed a friend and most of all someone who would love her and bring her that unconditional love to her. Her only savior was Himura Kenshin. Only him.
He walked slowly and as he neared Kaoru he touched her shoulder gently and squeezed her giving warmth to her. Kaoru was startled and slowly shifted her head to face him with surprise. She had not expected Yugi to come after her.
"Hi, my dear. May I have a seat beside you?" Kaoru could only nod in response. She didn't want to speak. She felt something special from Yugi. There was a silent bond between them. Yugi sat next to Kaoru and gave a fatherly smile.
Neither of them spoke. They enjoyed each other's company. It was if they had known each other for a long time. Yugi heaved a sigh. Taking a deep breath, he finally broke the silence.
"I'm here for you, Kaoru. Let me comfort you. You know, Kaoru, I felt that we could be really good friends. It's something that I can't explain. I want to be your friend." Kaoru said nothing.
He hesitated. He glanced at Kaoru sympathetically. "Kenshin is like a son to me. He is very special. Everyone who works for him loves him. We all do. It's an honor to serve the Himuras for generations.
"He may always smile but there is something that pains him. It was then that I realized that a part of him was missing. He had everything he wanted- the empire, talents, intelligence, achievements and so on. However it wasn't whole to him. He always seemed to be melancholy. I couldn't understand until one day Hiko told me. Hiko is the uncle of Kenshin. He is the brother of Kenshin's mother.
"He inherited the ancient fortress when he turned thirteen. His parents died of a plane crash. He was heartbroken at the sudden loss of his beloved parents. Still, he led a happy life. But I sensed something in him that I couldn't quite figure it out. Then I talked to him. He confided in me.
"He finally told his secret to me. Only Hiko and I knew about this. It was this secret that made me determined to help him. And I did. Not out of loyalty to my master or because it was a duty to do so, but because I wanted to. I wanted to help people in distress.
"Kaoru, you must understand how much Kenshin care about you. He didn't just research about your family for twelve years. He was searching for an answer as to why you didn't believe in love anymore. He made a promise to Ryuki that he would banish this secret, so powerful that it made you lose sight in love. I do not know what this secret is, but I know that it must be something terrible. Only you, Kaoru know this.
"You have to wake up and face your past, my dear. Kenshin knows what's best for you. He wants nothing but your eternal happiness. He was upset when you left.
"He is merely doing his best to help you. Believe me, dear, that he is the only one for you. Please understand." Yugi stopped and closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the quiet environment. After a minute, he reached out his hand and held Kaoru's hand tightly.
Kaoru held the older man's hand in return and smiled. Speaking for the first time since he arrived she said softly, "Thank you, Yugi. Ever since my trusted servant, Ryuki passed away I have always been alone. Even if she was alive, I was still alone. The pain was always there." She paused.
Tears were brimming her eyes. Slowly the tears rolled down her soft pale cheeks. "I'd forgotten that Kenshin was my childhood friend. I felt so guilty that I inflicted pain to him. He didn't deserve it. He was so good to me. We were so close. Gradually, my feelings started to change. I was falling in love even though I was too young.
"I thought that everything was taken away from me when my parents died. Kenshin had already left then. So I stayed in the corner where I would be alone and live in complete darkness. Ever since the tragic part of my childhood, I forgot all about my happiness. There was no childhood.
"The past kept haunting me. I was too weak to do what the Kamiyas before me did in order to bury this secret." She looked at Yugi, her eyes filled with pain and grief that made Yugi want to cry. Without realizing it, Yugi's eyes were filled with tears.
"What can I do, Yugi? Tell Kenshin that I'm sorry that I hurted his feelings," Kaoru said quietly.
"I'm afraid I won't. Do it yourself, Kaoru. Go to him and he will be glad to see you. Glad isn't even the right word. It's more than that. Just trust him. He will help you close the door to your past. Believe in him, dear. He would surely make you happy. He is the light of your life. Don't doubt it," Yugi responded, rising up to leave. He patted her shoulder before heading to the secret door Kenshin had told him years ago.
Kaoru got up and called out, "Thank you Yugi! Tell Kenshin that I will be in the fortress at six o' clock." She didn't know why she said it without thinking. She was shocked that she called the man who kissed her by his first name. Yugi looked back at his shoulder, winked and gave a thumbs-up sign. He was grinning ears to ears as he left.
Kaoru was wearing a white peasant's skirt with a bright pink flowered pattern blouse. She put on her slip- on, getting ready for the dinner at the fortress. She combed her long jet black hair smoothly. She felt lighthearted. She forgot about her pain for a while.
Minutes later, she was in the fortress. Yugi came to greet and welcome her with enthusiasm. They both were happy to see each other again.
Kenshin was waiting in the garden. Kenshin saw Kaoru standing ladylike before him. He held his breath. His heart was at his throat. With her hair down she looked resplendent in her simple clothes.
She looked younger than her age. They both stared at each other, neither of them speaking.
"Hi, I'm sorry about this morning. I was foolish. Please forgive me," Kaoru said sincerely, her eyes downcast. She looked away. She was embarrassed to meet his gaze.
Kenshin just walked to Kaoru and then stopped. His face was a few inches away from hers. He lifted up her chin so she could see him. Suddenly his emotions rushed inside him. He wanted to feel her, touch her, love her, kiss her, but did none of these. Instead he hugged her tightly, feeling her close to him. How he loved her deeply. Kaoru felt warmth radiating from his embrace. She hugged him back. She finally had a friend to be with. All her memories of the time she spent with him in her childhood days came back. Every single minute they had had together was a cherished and precious memory Kaoru ever had. She was sorry that she had forgotten about him. She will not leave him. She needed him so much.
"How I have missed you, Kaoru. I love you."
Chapter Six
A light wind blew, the leaves of the Cypress trees swaying. Flowers were blooming with the glowing sunshine in the clear sky. None of this reflected the sadness of Kaoru. She was in a gloomy mood. Always alone with no one there for her. She sat on the bench staring blankly at the lake she had loved since she was a little girl.
She stopped crying silently minutes ago when she arrived at her home. She was inured in being alone without the consolation in her grief. There would be no one for her, or so she thought.
Yugi observed Kaoru a few feet away from her. He smiled sadly. Kaoru was seating there so peacefully, looking serene and pure but there was an aura of pain and suffering. The door to her past was not closed. He knew in his heart that Kenshin will be the only one to change her life. She needed a friend and most of all someone who would love her and bring her that unconditional love to her. Her only savior was Himura Kenshin. Only him.
He walked slowly and as he neared Kaoru he touched her shoulder gently and squeezed her giving warmth to her. Kaoru was startled and slowly shifted her head to face him with surprise. She had not expected Yugi to come after her.
"Hi, my dear. May I have a seat beside you?" Kaoru could only nod in response. She didn't want to speak. She felt something special from Yugi. There was a silent bond between them. Yugi sat next to Kaoru and gave a fatherly smile.
Neither of them spoke. They enjoyed each other's company. It was if they had known each other for a long time. Yugi heaved a sigh. Taking a deep breath, he finally broke the silence.
"I'm here for you, Kaoru. Let me comfort you. You know, Kaoru, I felt that we could be really good friends. It's something that I can't explain. I want to be your friend." Kaoru said nothing.
He hesitated. He glanced at Kaoru sympathetically. "Kenshin is like a son to me. He is very special. Everyone who works for him loves him. We all do. It's an honor to serve the Himuras for generations.
"He may always smile but there is something that pains him. It was then that I realized that a part of him was missing. He had everything he wanted- the empire, talents, intelligence, achievements and so on. However it wasn't whole to him. He always seemed to be melancholy. I couldn't understand until one day Hiko told me. Hiko is the uncle of Kenshin. He is the brother of Kenshin's mother.
"He inherited the ancient fortress when he turned thirteen. His parents died of a plane crash. He was heartbroken at the sudden loss of his beloved parents. Still, he led a happy life. But I sensed something in him that I couldn't quite figure it out. Then I talked to him. He confided in me.
"He finally told his secret to me. Only Hiko and I knew about this. It was this secret that made me determined to help him. And I did. Not out of loyalty to my master or because it was a duty to do so, but because I wanted to. I wanted to help people in distress.
"Kaoru, you must understand how much Kenshin care about you. He didn't just research about your family for twelve years. He was searching for an answer as to why you didn't believe in love anymore. He made a promise to Ryuki that he would banish this secret, so powerful that it made you lose sight in love. I do not know what this secret is, but I know that it must be something terrible. Only you, Kaoru know this.
"You have to wake up and face your past, my dear. Kenshin knows what's best for you. He wants nothing but your eternal happiness. He was upset when you left.
"He is merely doing his best to help you. Believe me, dear, that he is the only one for you. Please understand." Yugi stopped and closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the quiet environment. After a minute, he reached out his hand and held Kaoru's hand tightly.
Kaoru held the older man's hand in return and smiled. Speaking for the first time since he arrived she said softly, "Thank you, Yugi. Ever since my trusted servant, Ryuki passed away I have always been alone. Even if she was alive, I was still alone. The pain was always there." She paused.
Tears were brimming her eyes. Slowly the tears rolled down her soft pale cheeks. "I'd forgotten that Kenshin was my childhood friend. I felt so guilty that I inflicted pain to him. He didn't deserve it. He was so good to me. We were so close. Gradually, my feelings started to change. I was falling in love even though I was too young.
"I thought that everything was taken away from me when my parents died. Kenshin had already left then. So I stayed in the corner where I would be alone and live in complete darkness. Ever since the tragic part of my childhood, I forgot all about my happiness. There was no childhood.
"The past kept haunting me. I was too weak to do what the Kamiyas before me did in order to bury this secret." She looked at Yugi, her eyes filled with pain and grief that made Yugi want to cry. Without realizing it, Yugi's eyes were filled with tears.
"What can I do, Yugi? Tell Kenshin that I'm sorry that I hurted his feelings," Kaoru said quietly.
"I'm afraid I won't. Do it yourself, Kaoru. Go to him and he will be glad to see you. Glad isn't even the right word. It's more than that. Just trust him. He will help you close the door to your past. Believe in him, dear. He would surely make you happy. He is the light of your life. Don't doubt it," Yugi responded, rising up to leave. He patted her shoulder before heading to the secret door Kenshin had told him years ago.
Kaoru got up and called out, "Thank you Yugi! Tell Kenshin that I will be in the fortress at six o' clock." She didn't know why she said it without thinking. She was shocked that she called the man who kissed her by his first name. Yugi looked back at his shoulder, winked and gave a thumbs-up sign. He was grinning ears to ears as he left.
Kaoru was wearing a white peasant's skirt with a bright pink flowered pattern blouse. She put on her slip- on, getting ready for the dinner at the fortress. She combed her long jet black hair smoothly. She felt lighthearted. She forgot about her pain for a while.
Minutes later, she was in the fortress. Yugi came to greet and welcome her with enthusiasm. They both were happy to see each other again.
Kenshin was waiting in the garden. Kenshin saw Kaoru standing ladylike before him. He held his breath. His heart was at his throat. With her hair down she looked resplendent in her simple clothes.
She looked younger than her age. They both stared at each other, neither of them speaking.
"Hi, I'm sorry about this morning. I was foolish. Please forgive me," Kaoru said sincerely, her eyes downcast. She looked away. She was embarrassed to meet his gaze.
Kenshin just walked to Kaoru and then stopped. His face was a few inches away from hers. He lifted up her chin so she could see him. Suddenly his emotions rushed inside him. He wanted to feel her, touch her, love her, kiss her, but did none of these. Instead he hugged her tightly, feeling her close to him. How he loved her deeply. Kaoru felt warmth radiating from his embrace. She hugged him back. She finally had a friend to be with. All her memories of the time she spent with him in her childhood days came back. Every single minute they had had together was a cherished and precious memory Kaoru ever had. She was sorry that she had forgotten about him. She will not leave him. She needed him so much.
"How I have missed you, Kaoru. I love you."