Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is property of Yash Raj Films.

Special Thanks to Starz4122 for adding me to your Favorite Author's List! Thanks so much!!!! ^_^

Author's Notes: If you haven't done so already, check out this site: . Thanks! Sign his guestbook and check out his CD! He would really appreciate it! Thanks much!

Warning: Characters are a bit OOC.

~ WHEN SOMETHING CHANGES ~

Chapter 6

Farewell

Around 6:30 pm at Kaoru, Misao, and Megumi's Apartment

Kaoru's room was a mess.

Clothes, books, CDs, and other miscellaneous items were thrown into and around her brown suitcase.

Two figures stood amongst the chaotic destruction with faces aghast.

"I can't believe it, have you gone crazy?" Megumi said with an incomprehensible expression on her face. She looked over at Misao who was also wide-eyed. "She's gone crazy hasn't she? The tanuki girl has finally gone crazy."

Misao didn't respond.

Megumi looked back up at Kaoru and walked towards her. "Kaoru," she called. Kaoru didn't pay attention and continued to fold her clothes. "Kaoru!" Megumi called again this time with her hands around her waist. Her patience could only take so much of this madness.

"KAORU!"

The blue-eyed girl finally looked up. Her eyes had a questioning look wondering why Megumi looked so flustered.

"Don't play those games with us. What are you doing now? Packing to go home?!" Megumi asked with an arrogant flip of her hair. She pointed her index finger towards Kaoru. "You only have less than a year left of school. Even your father wouldn't want you to lose out on your college education just to go see him!"

Kaoru looked down at the shirt that she was currently folding and stopped. "Megumi . . I think it's for the best. My father's operation. . it's quite serious even though he might make light of it in the letter," she said in a voice lower than a whisper. "I know how he is," her fingers began to clutch her shirt more tightly at the thought that her father was sick. A tear fell from her eyes. She brushed it away quickly. Don't cry, Kaoru, she told herself.

"Oh Kaoru . ." Megumi started. She wanted to apologize.

Misao watched the scene unmoving as tears began to well up in her jade eyes. It wasn't a dream. Kaoru really was leaving them. She wiped some tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and sniffled.

"Kaoru!" Misao cried out as she ran from her position and put her arms around the girl sitting on the bed. Uncontrollable tears began to flow from her eyes. Kaoru, too began to cry. She didn't want to leave them. Misao, who had been her friend since the beginning of high school and Megumi, who she had met during the first year of college.

We were going to graduate together and throw a party afterwards, Misao thought sadly with yearning.

Megumi, too, shed tears. The past four years, she had gotten to be really good friends with both Kaoru and Misao. To have one of them leave so suddenly like this . . she was speechless.

Kaoru looked around her room and at her two dear friends and gave a teary smile. "Thanks. . thanks for being such great friends."

They embraced one another tightly, afraid to let go.

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Kenshin and Tomoe sat together on the couch flipping through some channels on the television.

"I don't understand it Tomoe," Kenshin started, "we have over a hundred channels and yet there's nothing of substance to watch."

Tomoe laughed quietly and shook her head. Her dark brown eyes glistened as she watched Kenshin giving a pout of boredom. Being with him, it had changed her a little. She felt happier. Tomoe sighed as she picked up the dirty dishes and carried them over to the sink.

Kenshin, who saw Tomoe do so, quickly got up and helped her. "It's not fair, Tomoe. You already cooked, and yet you get to clean also?"

Tomoe laughed. "I can do this, Kenshin."

Kenshin narrowed his eyes playfully. "No, just let me finish up. Let's go rent a movie to watch later, alright?"

Tomoe nodded as she let him go clean up. The man was so thoughtful and being with him felt like a dream at times. She never thought she would be as happy as she was now, since . . since ..

Akira.

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At Kaoru, Megumi, and Misao's Apartment

"Jou-chan, you can't be serious!" Sano said with wide eyes in disbelief. He ran his fingers through his spiky hair as he awaited her response.

Aoshi watched from the other side intently.

Kaoru looked down and fumbled with her fingers. She had a hard enough time saying goodbye to Misao and Megumi. She looked back up at the man before her. Sano was also a friend that she had met during her last year of middle school. She had always thought of him as the brother she never had.

"It's true. My father has a weak heart and needs to get an operation. That's why I need to go home," she said.

Sano looked at the girl with a frown. "I'm sorry Jou-chan," he started as he gave her a tight embrace. " … but can't you come back once the surgery is over? It is our final year .."

Kaoru closed her eyes as another tear found its way down her cheek. "I can't. His condition . .it's unstable especially because of the high stress work he has. I have to help him teach lessons at the dojo. It's his dream."

She paused as she looked him in the eye and said while placing her hand over the beating of her heart, "And it's my own."

Sano let her go and looked at her with sad eyes of understanding. "I understand Jou-chan." He looked down and coughed, he was trying to hide the tears that began to form in his brown eyes. "Y-you know . . you're like a sister to me. If there's anything that I can do . ."

Kaoru placed a hand upon his own. "Thank you Sano. I feel like you're the brother I never had."

Sano smiled warmly as he looked at her. Then he remembered with a jolt, "What about Kenshin? Have you told him?"

Kaoru paled.

"Shit Jou-chan. You're leaving tomorrow and you haven't told Kenshin yet?"

Kaoru looked back down at her feet "I . . I am going to tell him tonight."

Sano looked sadly at her. "I – I . . okay." He was at a loss for words. He stood up and embraced his friend tightly. Aoshi also stood up.

"We should be going. We'd only be a nuisance to Kamiya-san. She still has a lot of packing to do," he stated.

Sano slowly let go of his Jou-chan as he nodded. "You take care, you hear?" he said with a smile. Kaoru nodded. They made their way out the door as they said their good-byes.

"I wish you the best in the future, Kamiya-san," Aoshi said while putting his hand out for her to shake. The blue-eyed girl gave a meek smile and nodded her thanks. Aoshi was more of an acquaintance that she had met through Misao during college. But because Misao had constantly talked about him, more like worshipped him, Kaoru added, Kaoru felt like she could call him a friend also. Countless times had Misao said that Aoshi was her 'soul mate', her 'soon to be lover', her 'one and only.' Kaoru just found that it was hilarious that Aoshi seemed so oblivious to her love.

She said her last good-byes as she watched her two friends leave.

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A few hours later

Tomoe and Kenshin sat comfortably next to one another on the couch watching one of the movies they had rented from Blockbuster. It was a Chinese movie starring Jet Li called "Hero". Kenshin smiled as he looked at Tomoe's facial expressions throughout the movie. She is so beautiful, he thought to himself.

He turned his attention back to the television. Jet Li was deflecting all the arrows with his sword. Kenshin sighed. It had been awhile since he had last practiced Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu under his Uncle Hiko. The last time he had done any sort sparring was with Kaoru.

Kaoru . . I wonder if she's feeling better..

Kenshin continued to watch the movie as he thought, Kaoru would like watching this also. As the minutes passed by, the movie became more and more engrossing.

*RING, *RING

Tomoe looked up from the television as she prepared to get up to go to the other room. Kenshin put a hand over her shoulder and shook his head. "It's probably someone who wants to go out to some club tonight. I just want to stay here with you."

She smiled as she sat back down. She placed her head upon his shoulders and she felt happy. After a couple of rings, the answering machine picked up.

'Ano . . hi Kenshin. This .. this is Kaoru .. I'm just calling to tell you that . . that . .I'm leaving.'

CLICK

And the message was left unheard.

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The next day

"Kaoru-dono! Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin called as he frantically ran to the train station looking through the windows of each car of the train. His red mane was in a mess as he pushed his way through the crowds of people. His eyes were crazily looking about searching for a girl with bright blue eyes. He had received the message she had left just an hour earlier and had called Megumi and Misao about where she was going, what transportation she was taking, what time she was departing, etc.

Tomoe came with him to help look for her.

"Kaoru-dono! Kaoru-dono!"

Kaoru sat back in the seat with some tears in her eyes. She heard his voice and she was afraid of facing him again. She was afraid that if she were to see him or talk to him that she would tell him the truth. That she would tell him that she loved him.

She knew that if she told him, it would only complicate matters. I'll only make matters more difficult for Kenshin. I don't want to make him feel guilty for not loving me back . . . She wiped another tear that fell quietly from her blue eyes. She fingered the blood red silk scarf around her neck tenderly. That's right .. Kenshin doesn't belong to me. He never did.

He never will.

More tears fell from her eyes onto the scarf. It held many fond memories. It was the first gift that Kenshin had given her when they were in middle school. The boy had saved up his allowance money that his uncle had given to him in order to buy it for her birthday. Kaoru smiled sadly.

And slowly unwound the scarf from her neck.

"Kaoru-dono!"

She heard his voice again and her heart ached as she sat back farther in her seat afraid to be seen. But it was too late. Kenshin had seen her and had run up into the train.

He saw her and his face lit up in happiness and relief. Thank god, she hasn't left yet. With renewed energy, he climbed up the steps into the car of the train where she was located. She was wearing a plain white shirt and blue jeans with her black hair pulled back with a headband. His heart began to beat faster as he saw her blue eyes look up at him.

"Kaoru-dono," Kenshin said with a tender smile on his face. He pulled her into a comfortable embrace. "I'm so glad that I found you right now. I was so scared that you would have left already." His breath tickled Kaoru's ear.

As he continued to hold onto her, he noticed how stiff she had become.

"Kenshin . . I . . I have to go," she stated while looking off to the corner. She pulled away from him and picked up the luggage that was on the seat.

"Why are you leaving?" he asked as he grabbed her luggage from her and began to haul them back outside. "We have midterms coming up soon! Who's going to help me study Greek Literature?" he asked with a light smile.

Kaoru looked down at her feet. "My father is sick and has to have surgery back home in Kyoto. I have to go see him and take care of him." Kenshin paused and turned around.

"So you'll be back in two weeks, right?"

She slowly shook her head 'no'.

Kenshin stared at her dumbfounded as he shook off the uncomfortable feeling a smile. "So you're coming back next semester then right?"

She shifted her feet, but continued to look down on the ground. "No," she paused as she clenched her fists, "I'm not coming back".

At that moment his heart stopped. He continued to stare at her. Blood had begun to drain from his upper body as realization dawned on him. "Wh- what do you mean? I mean . .we're graduating soon! You can't just leave like that! We've already worked so hard to get this far! What . .what are you doing, Kaoru-dono?!?! You can't leave!!"

"I'm sorry." A tear fell onto the floor. The wetness did not go unnoticed by Kenshin. He grabbed her upper arms and shook her.

"Y-you! Do you know what you're saying?!?!"

She looked up at him and his breath caught in his throat. Her eyes were full of tears and they had become a bit red. Her eyelids had also turned puffy from all the crying that she had been doing. Anger filled in Kenshin. He let go of her violently and stormed out of the train. Kaoru ran up to the door.

"Kenshin!"

Kenshin ignored her as he kept walking with his back faced towards her.

"Just go! Just forget about coming back! Just forget about school! Forget about us!"

Tomoe watched the scene with saddened eyes as Kenshin stormed away from the train. And from Kaoru.

Kaoru clenched the scarf that she still gripped tightly in her fists. She looked over at Tomoe with mellow blue eyes. She caressed the silky fabric one more time as she threw it towards the other woman. The woman Kenshin loves.  Kenshin was hers now.

As the silk left Kaoru's hands, more tears began to well up in the girl's eyes. Tomoe watched in pain as she saw Kaoru cry. The train whistled. They were about to go.

Kenshin turned around in shock at the unwelcome noise. One of his worst nightmares was finally coming true. Kaoru was leaving him. He quickly looked back up at her and saw her standing near the door. The soft turn of the engine came on and the train started moving forward. His heart clenched in pain. He didn't want her to leave. Not like this.

Not a farewell like this.

He started running.

Kaoru looked back and saw Kenshin. His beautiful auburn hair was in a mess and his clothes had dirt caked onto it from the dust that the train was blowing on him.

"Kaoru, Kaoru !! I . . I . . I'll come and see you!!"

Kaoru couldn't help but let out a small smile. It was the first time that he had addressed her without the dono.

He watched as the train left the station and the loud steam engine became a distant hum. He looked back at Tomoe and saw it. The scarf that he had given to Kaoru. The significance of the scarf had not been lost on him. Kaoru was gone.

She had left him.

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It was at that moment that I realized that I had come in between them.

After Kaoru left, we tried to find out her whereabouts. Kenshin even went to Kyoto to visit her at the address she had left. But when he got there, he found out that her father had died during the operation because his heart was too weak. And Kaoru . . . she had moved.

Left Kyoto.

 She never called or wrote to him

Before we graduated from college, Kenshin proposed to me and we were married the week after graduation. A part of me thinks that we were married so quickly was because . .because he was afraid that I would leave him also.

You know, in the beginning when Kenshin and I had started to spend more time together studying, I was afraid. I was afraid that I was replacing him with Akira. Akira was the man that I had first fell in love with. We had started dating in high school and continued up until college. We agreed that we would get married as soon as we graduated. That made me so happy.

One day while I was at home I received a call.

Akira told me he was going to come over because he had something important to tell me. You don't know how excited I had been awaiting for him to arrive. The beating of my heart was almost deafening.

But the minutes ticked by.

Hours ticked by.

Then the doorbell rang..

 I was going to scold Akira for being so late and for making me so worried. I opened the door.

And it wasn't Akira.

It was a policeman.

Akira had been in a car accident and had been killed on contact. Those few words . .with those few words, I felt as if my world had fallen apart that day. Then the policeman took out a diamond ring from his coat pocket. I felt my throat tighten and my mind become hazy. I took the ring and shut the door. I looked at the object for hours and hours. I knew. I knew. Akira was coming to propose to me that day. And and . . he had gotten into the accident on his way over to my house.

I don't remember what happened after the realization. I blacked out. The days afterward passed by in a hazy state. I don't recall how I had spent them.

 Akira's  family hated me and blamed me for his death.

It didn't matter because I had blamed myself also.

My father was worried about my withdrawn attitude. One year later, he transferred me to Tokyo University. He said that I had too many memories back in Kyoto. A part of me agreed with him. I wanted to move on, but at the same time I wanted to remember. I wanted to remember him. I thought that by moving to a new city and thus starting a new life, that I would forget Akira.

But your father showed me differently. He was the one that showed me that Akira still had a place in my heart and will always have one. He showed me that it wasn't my fault that Akira had gotten into an accident that day. And most importantly, he showed me that I could love again.

That is why dear Kaoru-chan . .why I want your father to be happy again.

I saw it in his eyes whenever he spoke to Kaoru, looked at Kaoru, and talked about Kaoru. That special light. It was only reserved for one person. Her.

I once asked my father whether or not it was wrong to see love in two people's eyes and not tell them about it. He told me that it wouldn't have mattered if I had told them or not. They would have to realize the love for themselves because it's not love if they don't.

When I was alive, I had tried to locate her whereabouts ever since she left that day. I had no such luck and now I'm passing down the task to you.

Please find Kamiya Kaoru and bring her back her first love.

Love,

Okaasan

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- To be continued ( . . . and so the real plot begins to unfold)

Author's Notes:

Please read and review! I would really appreciate it if you left some feedback and any comments/criticisms ! ^_^ But thanks to those who have been leaving reviews! I enjoy reading them.

Tomoe and Kenshin loved each other. Yes, it was a pure and true love and they had a happy marriage although it was very short. However, I think that Kenshin and Kaoru are soul mates just like how Akira and Tomoe are soul mates (though they seem to be rather tragic ones).

And another point, no Kenshin didn't know that Kaoru loved him. Sad, huh? =*(

Also . . if you enjoy this fic, I would recommend you to watch the Indian movie that this fic is based off of. "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" It's well worth it although it lasts about three and a half hours. It's like a musical. Great songs and dance sequences. The story is well worth watching. I've actually watched this movie like four or five times. (the whole thing!) .. and it got me into other Bollywood movies.

Reader Responses:

Koishii Sweet – Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like it thus far.

Oni Tokage – Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying this story as well. ^_^ I'm still in the process of working on  "A Memory Forgotten." It's been taking longer than I thought it would at first. I know I left it at a pretty evil cliffhanger. =x. Gomen gomen! And thanks for the info about grade schools. =0)

Ryoga – Thanks!

Saotome – Thanks!

Kakashi – Thanks for reviewing all the chapters thus far. I appreciate it.

TenkunoMeiou – Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story so far. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

MissBehavin – Hello! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I hope you enjoy this one as well. Hmm .. yes, Kaoru is pretty strong emotionally in this fic ^_^. If only I can be just as strong . . maybe ^_^

CurlsofSerenity – Hi! Wow, I'm glad you like this fic too. =) *smiles happily. Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

Wistful-Eyes – Hello. I'm glad you liked my portrayal of Megumi. I always thought of her as the logical-thinking one and has her fun making wise cracks and teasing Misao and Kaoru.  Yeah, I agree. I don't like fics where she is portrayed as a "sharp-snooty-flirt" as you call it. ^_^

Alli – Hello! Thanks for reviewing! Hehe .. evil side and good side? ^_^ I think I have one too, evil side that is.

*evil side of donna –  "no kaoru and no tomoe for you, kenshin!"

                                       kenshin looks up and whimpers.

                                        "not even just one?"

                                       "NO!"

Lol . .ok, that was a bit twisted.

Naruto Fan – Thanks

Fan4000 – Thanks for reviewing! Sorry this was another sad chapter. Tomoe's story is pretty sad too. I tried to make it similar to the actual series. =/ .. with Akira dying and all, but I didn't want Kenshin to kill him off like he did in the manga.

CrismHeart – Hi. I'm glad you like the story so far. And thanks for reviewing my other one-shot fic! =D Hehe . I'm glad you liked it. Yeah, this was another sad chapter. =( Poor Kaoru, Poor Tomoe, and Poor Kenshin. Sniff sniff..

Serenity Blossom - ^_^ I'm glad you've enjoyed the chapters so far! Hope you enjoy the rest of the story as it unfolds.