Days of Chocolates and Roses

Chapter 3: Plans

-xxx-

The days passed by, as tiring for Soujiro. Everyday was a hard training that made him sleepy on his classes because of not having too much rest. 500 push-ups in one-hand, running every morning and afternoon for 2 hours, so many exercises… but the scariest and most tiring was sparring with Shishio. He had always new wounds and bruises that made everyone even the teachers, shocked and perplexed.

Soujiro yawned as he went to his locker. He put some of his stuffs inside and got his Chemistry book.

"Look who is here?" One of Enishi's peers said. Unfortunately, Enishi was without them so no one could stop them from doing annoying things.

"Oh, it's nerdie-boy." Another man in the name of Katsu [yeah, he's the friend of Sano in Rk series…] teased.

Soujiro disregarded them and locked his locker. Fixing his glass, he said "Excuse me please. I got something to do." He was growing to be brave. He didn't want to be saved by Kaoru again. He wanted to change himself for the better. That was why he accept Shishio's offer.

Katsu pushed him in the chest that made Soujiro leaned in the lockers. "Getting brave, huh?"

"I said excuse me. Can't you understand?" Soujiro said once again. He flashed them a deadly glare. It made everyone of them, fuming.

"I hate your guts." Katsu was angry. He would punch Soujiro straight on the face but Soujiro caught his fist.

Soujiro twisted Katsu's arm and Katsu winced. 'When he became this brave and strong?' Katsu thought. Then Katsu remembered Shishio was training him.

The other man whom Katsu's only company punched Soujiro but Soujiro evaded it. He let go of Katsu's arm and vanished.

"What the… Where did he go?" The man looked around.

"He got away." Katsu massaged his arm.

"How?" The man asked.

"He was like Kenshin… moving in god's speed." Katsu was shocked. 'How the hell he can move that swiftly? Shishio made a guy who can match Kenshin. He can't take a defeat.' Katsu smirked.

"Let's meet him after class." The man grinned.

"Just forget it. He's in the tender loving care of Shishio." Katsu said and they left.

-xxx-

"So what's the result of your test?" Kaoru asked to the best pals.

"By the grace of God, we passed." Sano said. He took Kenshin's test paper and his also, and showed it to Kaoru. "Look! I'm higher than Kenshin." Sano was very proud.

"Teh! You're only ahead of me by one point." Kenshin shrugged. "And you're lucky to have Aoshi as your seatmate. You have someone to copy the answers."

"Lucky? He's a boring seatmate! And someone to copy? Thank god, I've got good eyesight. He said me last time; he wanted to pull out my eyes." Sano protested.

"Coz you're always depending on him every test. You're not even learning." Kenshin explained but Sano didn't hear it as he kept complaining.

 "He doesn't even laugh to my jokes! He always sleeps in the middle of my conversations! He likes contradicting me in everything! He's… "

"Sano, I think you're exaggerating and I also think you should start praying." Kenshin was trying to stop Sano because of the danger he would have.

"He's what?" Kaoru asked, nerve wracking. She loved too much her family and no one must ever dare to insult them in front of her.

"I say he' a Buddha-boy." Sano finished.

"Oh. Is that so?" Ice blue eyes flashed behind Sano.

"Hey. Hear that voice Kenshin. I guess he's" Sano looked at his back and saw Aoshi. Sano sweat dropped. "Uh-oh" His guess was right. Sano flew in one blow from Aoshi's fist. Kaoru and Kenshin blinked.

"How could I? When he's always talking nonsense." Aoshi said.

"Hi, Ken-san." Raven locks flew and scarlet orbs sparkled.

"Hello, Megumi." Kenshin was trying to form a smile. Kaoru was glaring at him. 'Better not to have Megumi sticking on me or I'll be next to Sano.' Kenshin gulped. "Megumi, I think you should aid Sano first." Kenshin grabbed Sano on his collar and presented it to Megumi.

Megumi was a doctor-to-be and she loved hanging-out with Kenshin and making Kaoru jealous. She was also Sano's boyfriend. Sano was really proud of having Megumi as his gorgeous girlfriend. They were usually fighting. Love-quarrels. But hey, the more you hate, the more you love…

"Eh? What happened to him?" Megumi asked.

"He took my brother's fist for babbling about him." Kaoru said.

"Poor Sano." Megumi shook her head. "I think I can't have a time with you, Ken-san. Take good care of Ken-san, Kaoru. Ja na!" Megumi pick-up the swirly-eyed Sano by his collar and dragged him in the clinic. How sweet and caring she is…

"Kaoru-chan!" Misao was running towards them and caught sight of his Aoshi-sama. Misao's heart was leaping in joy.

"Misao-chan, I've been waiting here for half an hour." Kaoru protested.

Misao controlled her feelings. "Uh, you know. Detentions." Misao explained.

"Onii-san, I'm entrusting Misao on you. Kenshin and I will go somewhere. Bye-bye!" Kaoru winked at Misao.

Misao was overjoyed. She could have a time with Aoshi.

Aoshi sweat dropped. He was not good with women. What shall he do?

"Aoshi-sama, do you want to go to the ice cream parlor?" Misao asked, eyes sparkling.

Aoshi seemed to like Misao's offer. It was too long since she went out with girls and eating some ice cream. "Ok." Aoshi said.

"Yipee!" Misao beamed a smile.

Aoshi was captivated by Misao's smile. "Kirei" Aoshi whispered.

"Nani?" Misao blinked.

"Eh? I said it's my treat." Aoshi sweat dropped. They didn't know how they affect each other…

 -xxx-

"Kenshin, where will we go?" Kaoru asked.

"Just wait." Kenshin replied and concentrated on the road.

20 minutes later…

Kenshin held Kaoru's hand and guided her. A short walk and tadah… He took out the blind-fold. "Ok. You can open your eyes." Kenshin said.

Kaoru slowly opened her eyes. She was astonished at a sight to behold. Streak of yellow, orange and red beamed. She could see everything below and the beautiful setting of the sun. Birds retreated, finding their way home.

"Kaoru." Kaoru averted her eyes and saw a basket of freshly picked forget-me-nots with a card that said 'Forget Me Not' [a/n… I love forget-me-nots…]. Kenshin smiled.

Tears came out from Kaoru's eyes. 'Kaoru, what's wrong?" Kenshin frowned. He didn't like it when she was crying and especially if it was his cause. [a/n… mushy… I'm not so into it!]

 "Kenshin!" Kaoru hugged Kenshin. He didn't know how happy she was. "Arigatou. Aishiteru." Kaoru whispered in his ears.

Kenshin broke the hug. He cupped Kaoru's cheeks. "You don't know how grateful I am to have you. Aishiteru." Kenshin kissed Kaoru passionately.

Little did they know, someone was watching them. Blue eyes filled with hatred and jealousy. 'The hell… should I butt in their relationship? Demo… if Kaoru is happy then I'm also happy.' Soujiro left, carrying a burden heavier than anything else.

-xxx-

Shishio smirked as he drank the red wine. "The plan is going better. Himura, you're down." Shishio laughed like a maniac.

Then the door opened, revealing a seductive lady. "Shishio-sama." Yumi Komagata presented herself as his new girlfriend.

-xxx-

I need your votes. Sou/Kao or Ken/Kao.