Sorry for taking quite a while to update this chapter.  I hope you guys like this chapter.  As you may know this is where the story really begins.  From here on forward this story will have a different meaning.  Flames, advice, comments, and questions are all accepted in your review.  Please do enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin series.  I wish I did but I don't. : (

Departure/ Saying Farewell

Chapter Four       

               Hiko Kamiya turned around in his home to look at a very dear photo that was taken a long time ago of his precious daughter Kaoru Kamiya.  He saw the little girl in the picture look back at him with sparkling blue eyes, a warm smile on her face, her hands folded in a serene gesture, she wore one of her finest kimonos her mother made for her that day, and she wore her hair up in a high ponytail.  Every strand was neatly in place.

               Hiko couldn't take his eyes off the picture.  His little Kaoru has grown up so much since then.  She wasn't the same cheerful girl as he knew her.  Now she was serious, more worn down, her spirit which was once like a huge flame, flickered into a small candle flame.  Something bothered her, and Hiko wished he could have the time to sit down with her, and find out what's wrong with her, but he didn't know how to talk to her.  He loved her dearly.  He wished he could be there for her, when he was busy.  He knew he didn't act like a father, when she needed one.  He did so many wrong things, except one.  That was to keep her safe.  Before his wife passed away, he promised her he would take good care of Kaoru, and make sure her safety became number one.  That was exactly what he did.  He thought a small community; a small town would help keep his little Kaoru out of danger.  Instead it brought her more to the open world, and forced her to grow up much faster.  As Hiko lost himself looking at the picture before him, he never heard when someone entered his room.

               "She's on her way home at this very instant," said Aoshi as he watched his father staring at the picture of little Kaoru.

               "Good, I want her to come home safely.  I hope she's done packing her clothes and bidding farewell to her friends.  I honestly don't think she'll ever see them again," said Hiko with a cold harsh tone.  It wasn't that he wanted Kaoru not to have friends.  He understood the pain she felt, about leaving her friends, and leaving the home she grew up in.  He loved her a lot, and causing her the pain of leaving her home was something he couldn't bare to go through so easily.

               "Well, it looks like she didn't have a great day at school.  She came home with tears again," said Aoshi.  He looked outside from the window where he was standing.  He saw Kaoru running home, her petite figure drenched from the rain, her raven hair fell loose like waterfalls, swaying roughly with the wind.  After a couple moments, he saw her sat down on the wet steps in front of their home, her face buried within her hands.  He felt something in his heart; he felt like he should go out there and comfort her, however, he didn't.  She had to learn to take her own pain.  With every pain, comes new experiences as well as knowledge.

               "Leave her and let her be.  When she moves into her new home, she'll learn to get use to it."

               "But father, don't you think she should talk to someone?"

               "Aoshi, the only way Kaoru can ever learn how to deal with her own situations, is if she had the time to solve her own problems.  You always defended her, always stood by her even when she was wrong.  It's time for her to grow up and realize that one day she will have to face the world alone."

               "You and I both know how hard Kaoru worked in her life.  She worked so hard to take care of us.  She keeps the link between us as father and son, when we are not working.  The girl is the term determination itself.  She rarely asks anyone for help.  Whatever she thinks she sticks to it no matter what.  You remember her first time in the kitchen after mother's death.  Her first time at cooking was at the age of eight, and even though it came out bad, she never gave up.  She continued to learn how to cook until she learned to cook decent meals for us.  She worked hard in school to make us proud of her.  You know she's the soul of the house, and without her the foundation of this house will break," replied Aoshi as he walked away from the window to the picture of Kaoru hanging on the wall.

               "Yes I know she's done a great deal for us Aoshi, but we have to know when to give her, her free space and time," stated Hiko.  He hated when his son knew he was going to win an argument.

               "Think of it however you want.  Kaoru is suffering.  I can see it in her eyes.  She's getting paler, weaker, plus her smiles are not even real anymore.  I'm her brother.  I've known her for years, and no matter what you think I think you gave enough free space to Kaoru."

               "What is that suppose to mean?" asked Hiko raising his left brow.  He waited to here his son's answer.

               Aoshi stiffened.  He knew Hiko, his father was playing games with him.  The best thing for Aoshi to do was not take the topic any further.  But then again he had to take it to the next level.  "Kaoru is going to find out what we really do soon.  She's been on us for years.  I was thinking maybe she could join us."      

               "Are you crazy?"

               "Yes I am.  She's qualified.  We have taught her everything she needed to know to become one of us.  You and I both know she has talent, and if she were to join us she'll do hell of a job."

               "But don't forget she has many weaknesses.  One of them is she lets her emotions get into the way of how she thinks.  If she can't take something Aoshi, she'll blow our whole cover, which tried so long to hide it from the public."

               "Well if you believe so, I won't take it any further."  With those words Aoshi left his father to think for himself, while he decided to go join his little sister in the rain.

               Kaoru did it. She finally did it.  She created the ultimate sin.  The sin to love, and to be selfish at the same time, was a taboo for Kaoru.  Yes she did love Kenshin with all her heart.  Yes she did want to spend a lifetime with him.  But how could she?  Why did love have to be so cruel?  Was it like a game?  Was it an objection to feel a certain way for someone? 

               She remembered how she stood in front the class, expressing her soul to them.  She openly admitted in the poem of her love for Kenshin, but how could she?  What happened if he didn't want to have anything to do with her?  Again she made a fool of herself.  Kaoru buried her face in her hands as she let the rain drenched her petite figure.  From her posture anyone could tell it looked like her was tearing apart.  She wished she could cry, but she had no tears left to shed.  She wished she could scream, but her voice was to shallow, to low from the strain she put on it the past days.  What about Tomoe?  Kaoru didn't want to have anything to do with Tomoe. 

               Now Kaoru felt even worst.  Just thinking about Tomoe made her sick.  Tomoe was a very nice girl.  She was pleasant, nice, even though quiet, her personality can make up for it.  Kaoru never wanted to be on bad sides with Tomoe, after all Tomoe was the light to Kenshin eyes.  She never saw Kenshin smile, be so gentle and act so seriously with any other girl, but Tomoe was able to bring out that side of him.  She made him the person, who Kaoru wanted him to be.

               As Kaoru lost herself in thought she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, gesturing her to comfort her.  She smile a slow smile.  From the presence alone, she knew that was her brother Aoshi.  He was always there to support her, whenever she was down.  She wished her father could do the same, but he was always caught up working on something.

               "Kaoru, what's wrong?  Why are you crying?" asked Aoshi in a whisper.

               From where Kaoru was sitting she felt his arms wrapped around her to comfort her.  How could she tell him how she felt?  He might severely beat Kenshin up if she told him everything.  She didn't want to create a scene in school, so she decided not to tell him.  When Kaoru was younger Aoshi and Kenshin never did get along.  She was like the soul link between the both of them.  They only hung out together because of her.  Both of them had the same personalities.  Both of them were cold, distant, had a cold, serious expressions on their face.  The only one who could make them smile was her.  She was the reason they had something in common beside personality.  Since she was able to break into both of their shells, they got along with each other.  Personally however, they still hated each other.  Aoshi always told her that there was something funny, weird, and dark about Kenshin.  Kaoru of course never believed him because Kenshin was her best friend and best friends stick up for each other no matter what.  She never did like when Aoshi talked bad about Kenshin.  He only gave Kenshin a chance because when he left to start off his first year in college, Kenshin looked after her.

               "Kaoru, please tell me what the matter is.  Maybe I can help in someway," Aoshi whispered in over her head.

               The rain continued to fall.  All that can be heard in the silence besides Kaoru's sobs were the raindrops. 

               "Why do we have to leave Aoshi?" she whispered as she looked into her brother blue eyes which were now warm and full of concern.

               "I don't know the answer to that.  Only father does.  Most likely we won't tell the both of us why we're leaving, but I know he's doing it all for you."  Kaoru couldn't take it anymore.  They were so many lies, so many fake smiles, so many secrets that were being held from her.  She noticed them throughout her high school years.  Aoshi and her father were always on strict terms.  They never acted like how a normal father and son would interact with each other.  She couldn't take anymore lies from them.  Finally she snapped.

               "What are you talking?!"  Kaoru pulled away from her brother's embraced and moved back a few steps to face him.  She brought her hand to her hips, her sapphire eyes which once held sadness, held defiance.  "I know you know Aoshi.  I know that you and father are hiding something from me.  You think I couldn't tell when you guys were lying to me?  Well you guys got it all wrong.  I was able to tell.  I only played along for the sake of both yours and father's happiness thinking it was only child's play you guys were hiding from me.  I thought you guys were playing pranks on me or something, but then one day when father had to go to Washington D.C. for something serious and that's when I realized that both you and him were hiding a big secret from me.  I demand to know it Aoshi or if you don't tell me, then I'll find out myself."

               From where Kaoru was standing she saw the deadly glow in Aoshi's blue eyes.  She stepped back with fear in her eyes.  She wasn't expecting to see Aoshi's reaction like this.  She thought he might confess or just walk away when he wanted to end a topic.  Instead he closed the distance between him and her, grabbed by her forearms and almost shook the life out of her.

               "Kaoru, whatever business we have, we want you to stay away from it.  You have no right going into our business the way you do.  Just promise me you won't be so stupid as to try something reckless to find out our business. Whatever business we have is none of your concern!" Aoshi said with a cold voice.  His eyes looked so cold at that moment, that it stroke fear into Kaoru's heart.  Never did she see her brother like this, plus never did he act so violently towards her.  Without even murmuring an apology he left her there stand dumbfounded in the rain.

               It was late in the evening.  Kaoru, her brother, and their father were done packing the boxes in their old home.  Men came in pushing out the luggage, and carried out the luggages.  Kaoru stood before her home, to bid her silent farewell to the very home she grew up in.  This home brought her so many memories of her mother and her.  Now it was time to leave it forever.  Kaoru was truly to going to miss her home.  She clenched her fists, her body stiffened, her rate increased.  So many memories were going to disappear from her mind as they usually did.  Her home was a link to her sanity.  Without it, she will forever remain incomplete as she did without being able to receive back the love she had for Kenshin.

               But then gain, life was unfair.  However one person felt, did not guarantee the other person to feel the same.  There was only one thing to do now, move on with her life.  She had to forget her memories here, or at least find a way to bury them in her heart.  She was going to be living in a new town, with new people, a new school.  Her brother was going to be right around the corner.

               She walked into the jeep her brother pulled from right around the corner block.  Her father sat in the front.  He never did say anything to her, nor did any emotion showed in his eyes.  As her brother drove away from their old neighborhood to a new neighborhood, Kaoru silently watched the last of the familiar streets faded away along with the memories she had.  This was the last time she'll ever think about this place.  From here forward she was going to start a new life with new people in it.  She buried her memories in her heart, as she buried her love for Kenshin in her soul.