Yesterday's Memories

Chapter Five: Peony

She sighed heavily, reveling in what little peace was left of the morning. Convincing Sano, Yahiko, and Kenshin that she would be all right was tiring. However, she was finally able to do just that, and she saw them off after reassuring them that she would go right to work after moving her flowers onto the roof of the apartment.

She remembered the reluctant behavior of all three of them, especially Kenshin. After breakfast, she couldn't help but notice the tension between the redheaded man and Enishi. It wasn't like Kenshin to act so cold towards strangers; he was usually friendly and willing to start a conversation.

But not with Enishi.

"What are you doing up here?"

As if he materialized, Enishi was right there a few feet behind her. Kaoru turned around and walked over to him, a strange calmness in her steps as she approached.

Raising a brow, he said nothing when she had closed the distance between them with one final step. He watched how the morning wind weaved through the thick, raven strands of her hair and bangs, and how the blue of her eyes seemed to glisten in the light of the slowly rising sun...

A hard knock broke his thoughts, and a throbbing pain began to swell in his head. His hands immediately began to rub the bump forming beneath the silver white locks of his hair. He looked to Kaoru and found that a clenched fist was resting at her side and she was scowling at him.

"And what was that for?" he asked crossly, still nursing his injured head.

"For sneaking into my bed last night," she curtly answered, and she began to tend to one of her potted flowers. "And for all the commotion you caused this morning!"

Enishi took a moment to recover and decided that it was safe to speak again. "You didn't answer my question."

Kaoru, still peeved at her guest, began watering her flowers. "What does it look like? I'm taking care of my garden."

Several clay pots filled with red geraniums and white azaleas adorned the rooftop. Vines of colorful morning glories entwined around sticks that stood up firmly from pots of soil. Purple and yellow pansies and light blue phlox created a pleasantly scenic atmosphere on top of the structure of steel and concrete.

She looked back again and caught the scrutinizing look on Enishi's face. "Yeah, I know it's not exactly extravagant, but it's still a garden."

"Your landlord doesn't have a problem with this?"

"No. He knew how much my mom loved to have a garden of her own, so he let us keep flowers up here."

He watched as she moved to a pot speckled with geraniums and poured water onto the waiting soil.

"I'm the only one who takes care of them now. I really can't expect someone as macho as Sano to want to help, and Yahiko would rather rot his brains out with cartoons than water flowers."

"You have quite...eccentric neighbors," Enishi commented, pushing his glasses farther up along the bridge of his nose. "Are they always so polite to your guests?"

Kaoru sensed the sarcasm in his voice and laughed. "Cut them some slack. They're really good guys."

"The one with the bizarre hair was interrogating me like I was a criminal, and the brat was looking at me like he wanted me to throw myself into traffic."

She smiled in spite of Enishi's cryptic tone. "Can you blame them? It's not everyday that they find a complete stranger sharing the same bed with me."

"But I'm not a complete stranger."

"To them you are," Kaoru replied, "and you're one to talk about 'bizarre' hair. What about yours?"

Enishi held a strand of white with the tips of his index finger and thumb. "What about it?"

"I think you're a little young to be sprouting white hair. The last time I saw you, I could've sworn it was black."

"I can't help my genes, Kaoru," he answered. "I have my great- grandfather to thank—"

Kaoru's shrill scream interrupted him and broke the dreamlike silence of the late morning. Enishi's senses sharpened and his hands clenched into fists as a reflex, ready to take on the threat that had frightened Kaoru.

"I'm SO dead!!!" she cried in panic, rushing away from her little garden with the watering can gripped in her hand. "I'm gonna be late!!!"

Before Enishi could say a word, she shoved the watering can into his chest, some of the cold liquid splashing onto his shirt.

"Water the rest of the flowers for me," she said through a strained breath. She then looked away from him and ran downstairs into the building.

Enishi was still for a few more moments until he heard a door swinging open and hurried footsteps. He looked over the edge of the roof to see the top of Kaoru's head. She was cursing angrily while slipping on a high-heeled shoe and cradling a folder bursting with papers in her other arm.

"Late, late, LATE!!!" she cried over and over again like a broken record. Suddenly, she looked to the rooftop to catch Enishi watching her from above.

"Lunch is in the fridge!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, completely shattering the last remains of the morning quiet. "If you get hungry, just heat it up!"

Kaoru turned away, but abruptly stopped and her face tilted up to meet his stare. "Oh, and I'm still mad at you for what you did this morning!"

She then sprinted away, her heels clicking against the sidewalk as she ran.

Enishi watched her until he could no longer make out her petite figure from the rooftop. The flush on her face when she was hurrying out of the apartment, the way her voice sounded when she was yelling at him from four stories below...they were characteristics of her that he couldn't help but find adorable, even if she had said she was angry with him.

His attention fell upon the remaining flowers that she had abandoned during her state of panic. A pot of sleeping peonies glimpsed at him from the rest of the garden. The closed petals were bunched up together like light scarlet parasols, the flowers not due to bloom until later in the day.

They looked just like the peonies he had picked for her when they were young. Perhaps Kaoru truly didn't forget about her stay in Kyoto. Perhaps she didn't forget about him...

His spirits lifted somewhat and his hope rekindled like a brightly lit flame of a candle, he watered the peonies while the rising sun watched on.

"Ugh, doesn't he ever bother to take notes?" Kaoru huffed, marking off another wrong answer with her red pen. Usually, most of her class did well, with the exception of a few. Apparently copying down her lessons on the blackboard was too much for some of her students to handle.

But consequently, Kaoru always had her red pen handy for those particular students.

"Kamiya," a deep voice beckoned her. She looked up from her tests to see another fellow teacher at her door.

"There's someone here to see you," he said, and Kenshin stepped forward into the room."

Her cheeks already suffused with light pink, Kaoru smiled. "Thank you."

The teacher went back to his classroom, leaving the frail redheaded man alone with the literature teacher. Kaoru uneasily stepped out of her chair to greet him, trying her best to keep her knees from shaking.

"Hello, Kenshin," she greeted warmly.

"Hello, Kaoru-dono," came the usual polite reply. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. And you?"

"I'm fine," he smiled. "I came here to see you."

'Kenshin wants to see me?!' the admission generated a happy feeling within her, and Kaoru suddenly felt like one of her giddy female students chatting away about a secret crush. She remained composed, but she couldn't stop the smile that reached her lips.

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yes. I just wanted to check up on you."

Her expectations spiraled downwards, and her smile faded as soon as it came. "Oh. Why, is something the matter?"

"No, not at all," he immediately answered. "It's just...I came here to talk about something."

Kaoru's brow knitted together. "What is it?"

Kenshin didn't say anything, but his violet eyes remained contact with hers. Kaoru felt a grimace ripple throughout her. Whenever he looked like that, she knew that he had something important to say.

"Kenshin...you can tell me. What is it?"

"...we...I mean, Sanosuke, Yahiko, and I...we don't really think that it is a wise idea for Yukishiro-san to stay in your home with you."

Now she knew that there was something wrong. Kenshin was never one to protest, even if he was polite about it, against someone that he had just met.

"Why?"

He took a deep breath before beginning again. "Because, we're afraid for you."

Kaoru laughed a bit, startling her older friend. "You guys really worry too much!"

She turned on her heel and walked over to the broad windowpane, her silhouette appearing against the polished tiles of the classroom. "I already told you. Enishi is a friend."

"Kaoru-dono, have you seen the way he looks at you?"

She whipped her head around, taken aback by the bluntness of the question. "W-what?"

"Sano doesn't like the idea of Yukishiro-san living with you, Kaoru- dono," he started. "He doesn't think that it is proper for a single woman to be sharing her home with a man.

"And Yahiko. He might be young, but he shares Sano's reasoning. They're both concerned."

Kaoru stared at her friend, wanting him to go on. "And you, Kenshin? What's your reasoning?"

"I know you said that you were just friends this morning, but forgive me for saying this..."

His violet gaze locked onto her. "Whenever I saw him, I noticed the way that Yukishiro-san looks at you. It is not how one looks at a friend, but rather how one looks at something desirable."

She blinked, unsure how she should react.

Kenshin sighed heavily. "I think he considers you to be more than a childhood friend, Kaoru-dono. I believe he is taking advantage of your invitation to stay in your apartment while he's in Tokyo."

Her cheeks darkened at Kenshin's statement and she vigorously shook her head. "That's not true!"

"He was in your bed this morning, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin insisted gently. "He could've easily taken advantage of you in your sleep."

Kaoru took a step back away from the windowpane and from Kenshin. She never saw him behave this way. She didn't notice it before, but he REALLY didn't like Enishi. And Kenshin normally liked everybody.

If she weren't so naïve, Kaoru would've seen that the redheaded man was jealous.

"Enishi wouldn't do something like that," she confidently stated.

"Then why—"

"I don't know why he was in my room this morning, and I'm sorry if what you guys saw scared you out of your wits, but don't worry about me."

Kenshin was about to say something, but Kaoru cut him off.

"Thanks for thinking of me, but I'm an adult now, Kenshin. I can take care of myself. I know you all don't agree with me, but I'm letting Enishi stay at my home. Besides, I smacked him pretty hard before I left for work," she added with a grin, "I don't think he'll be going near my bed anytime soon."

In spite of his worries for her, Kenshin smiled. There wasn't any point trying to argue with her. She was too stubborn to change her mind.

"How come Sano's not with you?" she asked, steering the direction of the conversation to lighter things. "Does he actually have to work?"

A long, sleek surface that had been neatly polished before arrival. Four sturdy legs that supported the bulk of the weight without protesting with even the slightest creak...

Kaoru would like it. He was sure of it.

"Where do you want this, mister?"

Enishi regarded the movers with a look of superiority. The two men were holding the old coffee table at each end, their muscles straining from the weight.

He should get rid of it. The table had a few cracks running along its surface that promised that it would one day collapse onto the floor. But he felt that Kaoru wouldn't want her old table to be thrown away. She seemed to be the kind of person that had sentimental value in everything she owned.

"Put it on the rooftop for now," he replied. Enishi would've suggested a storage room, but he had no idea where such a place existed in the building. Kaoru didn't have much space in her apartment either, so the rooftop was the first place that came to mind.

The movers grumbled, but did as they were told. The white-haired man was willing to pay them twice as much as than they usually received. No sense arguing when the possibility of getting some extra cash was present.

A patch of spiky hair appeared at the front door, and Enishi recognized the young boy from earlier. He stepped into the living room, knapsack hanging casually from one shoulder as the brat regarded him with a cold glare similar to the one he gave him this morning.

"What are you doing with Kaoru's coffee table?"

Enishi's face remained indifferent. "I'm having it moved to the roof. Is there a problem with that?"

Yahiko eyed the new piece of furniture that now stood in the center of the room, and then looked at Enishi once more. "You can't buy her with fancy stuff, you know."

He crossed his arms. "I don't intend to."

Neither one exchanged a word, but the silence was interrupted with the sudden ringing of the phone. Dashing to it before Enishi could, Yahiko yanked the receiver and pressed it against his ear.

"Hello?"

"Yahiko?" Enishi immediately recognized the feminine voice. "Are you already out of school?"

"Yeah. I skipped practice."

An irritated sigh. "You shouldn't have done that. You made a commitment and you have to stick with it!"

"Yeah, yeah. Hey busu, Sano said that we're gonna eat at Tae's tonight. You coming?"

"I can't. I've got a faculty meeting tonight."

Disappointment crossed the boy's features, and it showed in his voice. "Oh..."

"Sorry, Yahiko. Maybe some other time."

"...yeah."

"Hey, is Enishi there?"

A disapproving scowl appeared on Yahiko's face. "Why the hell do you want to talk to HIM for?"

"I need to tell him something."

Shooting him venomous glare, Yahiko shoved the phone into his hand. Enishi took it, remaining smug as ever.

"Hello?"

"Hi," Kaoru greeted. "Did you eat lunch?"

A smile tugged his lips. She had been worried about him. "Yes, I did."

"That's good. Hey, I have a meeting, so I won't be coming home until later tonight."

"How late?"

"Probably around nine or so. I'll pick up dinner on the way home, or you can order something if you like."

"It's fine. I'll wait for you," as he answered, the last words sent a shiver of anger through the boy.

"Okay then. Well, I'll see later. Bye."

A click, and the line went dead. Enishi put the phone back to its place, unfazed by the dirty look the boy was giving him.

"You can't stay here."

Enishi stared at the boy, not moved by his statement. "And why not?"

"Because you don't belong here," the brat said. "Kaoru's not going to marry you, so you're just wasting your time."

Smirking, his eyes mocked the boy. "I don't believe that it's your place to tell me whether I belong here or not."

The boy said nothing as he gripped the strap of his knapsack. Before Enishi had the chance to goad him further, he left and went to his apartment.

Glad that he was able to have some peace, Enishi found himself looking over the table again. A vase of flowers would've tied the look together nicely...

After he had found a pair of scissors in the kitchen, Enishi left for the roof.

Her feet screamed at her in pain with each time her heel touched the sidewalk. Her shoes were killing her, and the fact that her body and mind had went numb after a day of angst-filled teenagers and a boring faculty meeting to top it all off wasn't making the night any better.

She wished that she had just stayed in bed.

A masculine figure stood a few feet away from her. As she drew closer, there was Enishi leaning nonchalantly against a lamppost.

He took in the weary sight of her lovely face and the way her body swayed back and forth, a bag of hot food dangling limply from her hand. "Tough day?"

She answered with a 'hmph', and walked past him. Sure enough he followed her by her side.

"Come now, you're still not angry with me for this morning, are you?"

Kaoru kept her eyes away from him, striding briskly to the apartment building. Funny how she had called him out of concern just earlier today, and now she was acting like she was angry with him again.

"Kaoru-chan, I did it out of concern for you," Enishi explained in a placating tone. Mock anger or not, the possibility that she was mad upset him.

"You were crying."

THAT made her stop in her tracks. Her feet ceased all movement, and he took it as a sign to continue.

"I heard you from my room, and I went to check on you. You looked like you were having a nightmare."

"...I was."

That worried him even more. What could she have dreamt about that would send her unconsciously to the verge of tears?

"What was it about?"

Her shoulders sagged, but she stood upright after a few seconds. She gave him a sideways glance and smiled softly. "It was nothing."

She was lying. He knew it, too. But if it was something too personal to discuss, then Enishi felt that it would be wisest to wait until she was ready to tell him.

He knew all too well how hard it was to talk of pain.

They walked in silence for a few more moments until Kaoru spoke up. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

He smiled. "I can't help but worry about you, Kaoru-chan."

She smirked playfully, her hand punching him lightly on the arm. "Such the smooth talker, aren't you? I bet you drive the girls back in Kyoto crazy."

"Perhaps," he said, grinning lightly. "If I did, I never noticed."

Kaoru gasped when she felt Enishi's hand taking hers, his fingers interlacing with her smaller ones.

"I only thought of you."

His hand was surprisingly soft against the palm of her skin despite its calluses. She felt a tingle passing throughout her, but she didn't mind. The gentle way he held her hand, the affectionate tone he used with her...it was so alien, yet so pleasantly familiar...

Blushing profusely, Kaoru yanked her hand away. "Oh, stop it."

Enishi noticed the pink of her cheeks and smiled. "But I mean it."

Kaoru said nothing as she took her key out and unlocked the front door of the building. Enishi holding the door for her and she mumbled a 'thanks'. They went up the stairs and entered Kaoru's apartment.

When she had seen what was waiting for her in her living room, Kaoru nearly dropped the food.

She approached it, her hands feeling the smoothness of the rosewood surface. "What's...this?"

"Your new coffee table," he answered.

Kaoru looked at him, regret filling her blue eyes. "Enishi, I didn't mean you really had to buy me a new table. I was just kidding."

"I wanted to get you it. Your other one was bound to break soon anyway."

Kaoru bit her lip. "...where is it?"

Knowing that she would still have her other table in mind, he answered, "On the rooftop. There wasn't any room to keep it here."

Kaoru's hands went over the surface again, and a smile lit her face when she had found the vase of pink peonies on the center of the table.

"They bloomed!"

"Yes. I cut some of them for you. I thought that you would've liked them."

"I really do," she gingerly held one between her fingers, caressing the silken petals. "Peonies are my favorite."

"I know," he said, kneeling down to her height next to the coffee table.

"Do...they still grow in your garden?"

Enishi looked at her in mute surprise, but he quickly got over it and nodded.

Another smile formed on her lips. "That's good." She giggled lightly. "Your garden was very pretty. Mine's just looks like a bunch of weeds compared to it."

She was too critical of herself. True, her garden wasn't as lavishing as his was, but she grew all of her flowers herself. Unlike his family, Kaoru's hands were the ones who planted those seeds and watered them. She saw to it that her flowers were nurtured. She didn't count on someone to take care of them for her.

He took a peony out of the vase, and broke the long stem off. Kaoru was about to protest, but the words died on her lips when Enishi tucked the flower behind her ear.

"It's very beautiful," he spoke. "Just like you."

Her cheeks matched the pink of the flowers' petals, but Kaoru only smiled. She looked away from him, squirming a bit underneath his gaze.

But at the same time, she felt...at ease.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

That was tough. I had to rewrite this a couple of times until I was satisfied. I have so many things that I want to write about, but I can't very well jump ahead like that if I want to make this story with your while

Anyway, thanks again for the wonderful reviews! You guys are great! Happy Mother's Day!

P.S. I might have another E/K story in the works. Not sure when I'll post it, but we'll see.