Autumn Eyes
By: Silver Teardrops
__________________________*_____________________________
Chapter 2
'Are we in this together?'
Kenshin was sitting again in the early morning at the same exact spot from yesterday afternoon. He had grown to like that spot out of all the places in the park. It was soothing and it reminded him so much of Kaoru, which was a plus. Yesterday evening, both families received a call from the magazine and then the school. They all approved of the idea and the parents got together on the phone and thought it was such a great opportunity and an excuse to meet one another, so they agreed with the magazine's offer. Kenshin wondered what Kaoru thought of it all, perhaps she dispised him secretly and thought it was a waste of time to hang around a red headed boy. But then again...you never know.
"Himura-san! What a surprise to see you here!" Kaoru's cheerful yet graceful voice pulled Kenshin out of his thoughts.
"Ohayo Kamiya-san." Kenshin greeted with a nod. Kaoru sat down beside him on the grass.
"What are you doing up so early, on a school day, in the park?" Kaoru asked, wanitng to also to ask, why was he at her reading spot?
"I guess, I needed some place to think. By the way why are you up so early? School doesn't start until another hour and a half."
"I come here every morning, to read, to think, to write. It's my favorite thing I look forward to everyday."
"Oh I see, so, about yesterday. What do you think of it?" Kenshin asked, he was tomodachi's with her, was he not?
"About the magazine? I was skeptical at first but then I came to accept the idea, not knowing why they would want such an ugly girl to model for the school's name..." Kaoru drifted off sadly looking towards the ground.
"What are you talking about? I see nothing close to an ugly girl around here, only one that is kawaii." Kenshin said to Kaoru and she blushed giggling a bit.
"Arigatou demo...I'm not close to kawaii as you though." Kaoru joked back and Kenshin blushed chuckling with her. He thought he wanted to spend time alone today, but found it was just the opposite, he wanted to be around Kaoru.
"Oh, we must get going! Time has past so soon! It's a quarter till school starts!" Kaoru exclaimed grabbing her school blazer and her bookbag and stood up, Kenshin pulled up his bookbag adn slung it over his shoulder while he walked side by side with Kaoru.
"It's nice having a friend nearby, don't you think?" Kenshin asked all of the sudden.
"It is." Kaoru admitted smiling that sincere smile at Kenshin again. The two reached the front gate and Sano quickly grabbed Kenshin away and Kaoru was pulled by Megumi and Misao in another direction.
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Aoshi was found leaning against the side of the school when Sano had dragged Kenshin all the way there.
"What's the big deal?" Kenshin asked, snatching back what was his body.
"Oh, I have a lot to tell you guys, and I think Aoshi may have something to share but his news can wait." Sano began grinning like an idiot. Kenshin had an idea, every time you found Sano like this, you know that he is liking some girl of some sort. BUt Aoshi...hmm...this was definetly different.
"Listen up, you remember yesterday right? When we all went to the nearby cafe and just chilled? Well after you guys left for home I stuck around and I bumped into the most gorgeous girl ever. I knew I've seen her in class yesterday also, but I didn't have the time to catch her name. So we had a little chat." Sano said gushing almost.
"So, what's her name?" Aoshi asked, clearly not very interested. Kenshin wanted to burst out laughing but Sano kept on with his story.
"Takani Megumi. Such a wonderful name for such a beautiful lady." Sano stated to the two and they both couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"What? Was it something I said that's so funny?" Sano said in a daring tone, daring any of the two to tell him why to his face. Kenshin couldn't care less what tone he used, because he was going to say it no matter what.
"Yes, such a beautiful name? Wow Sano you are so poetic!" Aoshi chuckled softly and Sano blushed red.
"Well-I don't see Aoshi taking a stand to who he likes." Sano said as a last resort to take the laughter off of him. Aoshi stop chuckling and turned away, and Kenshin just had to know, who did Aoshi like?
"Aoshi do tell me, who do you like?" Kenshin tried to pursuade him. Aoshi looked back at his red headed friend then sighed, Kenshin was too hard to hide the truth from.
"Makimachi Misao."
"Kamiya-san's best friend?I think Takani-san is also close to her." Kenshin mused aloud. Sano and Aoshi looked curiously at him, who was Kamiya-san?
"Sano, remember yesterday, when we got into class. The girl who spoke to me was named Kamiya Kaoru, remember now?" Kenshin reminded Sano and Sano smiled nodded his head.
"Oh yeah, that quiet girl. She's pretty too. But Takani is more my style."
"Kamiya-san? Was she the girl we pulled you from yesterday?" Aoshi mused.
"Hai, I was going to ask her for some notes." Kenshin made a quick white lie about it and his friends seemed okay with it.
BELL RINGS!
"Time for class." Sano muttered but smiled immediately remembering that he was in the same class as his crush. Kenshin smiled, wow, all of his friends had found someone they liked in that class, what a coincidence (isn't it :p).
__________________________*_____________________________
School ended an hour ago or a few minutes over, but Kenshin and Kaoru were still there, nervously pacing around the school courtyard.
"You think it was all a joke?" Kaoru asked for the nth time that day.
"Kamiya-san, onegai, settle down. I do believe it is true, not a joke, that I do." Kenshin smiled, comforting Kaoru in a huge way, but not knowing he had done so.
"Okay then. So how was your day today? I believe you left campus to go for lunch." Kaoru sat beside Kenshin on the edge of a fountain.
"Oh, that, we went to the Akabeko. A casual restaurant to eat at, sometime soon we should all go there together, you and your friends with us, ne?" Kenshin asked Kaoru. She looked at him for a second before smiling again and saying her answer as softly as her voice was.
"Sure, that'll be fun, I just have to tell Misao and Megumi about it."
"THERE THEY ARE! AREN'T THEY THE SWEETEST THING TOGETHER?" The photographer came yelling towards the two innocent students; making them blush furiously. The photographer and the magazine lady was with a crew of about 5 people. Two were make-up artists/hair stylist, while the other two were cameramen and the last one was the agent for the two.
"So...what are we supposed to be doing exactly?" Kenshin spoke up clearing his throat. The magazine lady smiled at his simplicity.
"What you were meant to do, model silly. Call me by Tomoe-san by the way." She smiled and Kenshin blushed now knowing his question was quite stupid.
"Um, so do we have to like-change or something?" Kaoru asked meekly as she stepped behind Kenshin. The makeup artists immediately fell for her beauty.
"No, you're modeling for the school today, so you have your uniforms on and that is quite enough. The artists here will just add on to your natural beauty, for both of you." Tomoe said smiling yet again, she had never met such wonderful students as these two and they make the cutest of couples.
"Okay, how do we pose and everything?" Kenshin asked looking at Kaoru as she was attacked by the artists, they wanted to attack him too, but he looked fiercely at them daring them to try-so they ignored him for now.
"Lets just get you two made up then we'll make the poses for you to do." Tomoe smiled as Kenshin soon was attacked whether he liked it or not. The two had little to no make up on, although Kenshin's hair was tide in a low ponytail rather than in his usual hair down fashion. Kaoru had on a light natural colored makeup and her hair was placed down on each shoulder-revealing a school-girl look.
"Okay you two, come over here by the school fountain. Come on, hurry." Tomoe rushed them to the spot. There she made Kaoru sit on the edge of the fountain as she had done before and made Kenshin stand beside her acting as if they were just joking around on campus. Both of them acted natural and the pose worked great and Tomoe decided that was enough, but the cameramen thought it would be best if they had one more pose.
So Tomoe took the two to the front gate of the school and told Kaoru to lean on the gate as if waiting for someone to arrive and Kenshin on the other side of the gate looking out ahead. It was so innocent looking and kawaii that Tomoe wanted to squeeze it out of them.
"Enough for today, since it went without a hitch, tomorrow we will meet at the Sakura Park, as we had done before after school. There we will do some minor shots for a front page of Angels, Devils = Girls and Boys magazine. It'll be great till then, have a great evening!" Tomoe waved good bye as the crew left and the agent had produce the two with a card to contact him.
"Wow, that was kinda fun." Kaoru said giggling and Kenshin smiled. She looked even more angelic than she already was.
__________________________*_____________________________
Aoshi, Sano, and Kenshin all met at the Kendo Practice Dojo, but it didn't focus on kendo only, it had a wide range of training in there.
"Sano, meet ya' later?" Kenshin said as Sano was about to leave to another part of the dojo. Sano nodded and left and Aoshi nodded back to Sano.
"Kenshin, since my sensei is not here, I would like to train with you if you don't mind me." Aoshi started a quick chat with Kenshin. Kenshin looked up as he grabbed his sword from the floor.
"Sure, what are you going to fight me with?" Kenshin asked as he tied the sheath w/ the blade around his waist.
"I prefer kodachis, swords just aren't for me."
"Sure, okay." Kenshin smiled as Aoshi took a stance from across the room and he took his own stance, one hand above the hilt and his legs spread far apart.
"Ready....and go." Aoshi took a start and Kenshin quickly used his speed to his advantage-this was going to be a fun battle.
__________________________*_____________________________
Kaoru was smiling as her friends traded thoughts on things from ice cream flavors to clothes and then of course to boys. Especially the 3 new boys in their homeroom, they were cute in fact.
"I met him too! Sagara Sanosuke, he's a bit rough, not my type but I wouldn't mind his arms around me. Ohohohoh." Megumi laughed as Misao blushed nudging her.
"Aren't you ashamed of what you said? Only physical attraction will not do!" Misao lectured Megumi while Megumi countered back making Misao blush more. Kaoru just sat back enjoying their energy.
"And you? I saw you talking with that new guy who sits between us. It seems that you like him...a lot too. I wonder is it just PHYSICAL attraction?" Megumi giggled as Misao went on a rampage and almost tore down the whole store, if it was not for their friend Kaoru.
"Misao! Megumi! Stop this at once, everyone is staring at us as if we did something horrible, now act more civil!" Kaoru said strictly but it kind of lost its effect as her soft voice was put into a demanding mode. But her friends knew when she was not joking so they settled down.
"Kaoru, I heard you are going to represent the school in a contest or something, but I heard Himura-san also got accepted and it involves you two taking photos together. So how was it?" Megumi changed the subject, quite tired of the direction of the other one.
"Oh yes, it was fun! I actually liked it, and Himura-san cooperated just fine with it. We are also taking poses tomorrow evening for the Angels, Devils magazine." Kaoru informed her friends. They gasped as they heard all this information dump on them.
"Wait, how come you got accepted, when you never even knew about it? And if you got accepted how come I didn't? I'm prettier than you by far." Megumi said brat-like but also jealous. Misao kicked Megumi under the table and she knew she had gotten out of line.
"Gomen Kaoru, I meant to say how did they find you and Himura-san for the job?"
"It's alright, they found us one day at the park and said we were perfect and gave us everything. It was quite a lot to take in at first, and still now, I don't believe it's still true at all." Kaoru said smiling and Misao was glad, Kaoru was getting a little more social for her own good, sometimes Kaoru would drift so far away that she never seems to notice exactly what was happening to her. Misao shuddered as she remembered Kaoru's past incident, and tried to shake it out of her mind.
"Is something the matter Misao?" Kaoru asked as she saw her friend shiver. Misao looked up and smiled shaking her head no.
"We must be going now, you too, don't you have an important family meeting today, which is incorporated with your businesses?" Megumi asked Kaoru as she stood up along with Misao. Kaoru quickly remembered standing up too.
"Oh! Yes, they are finding out who will be the next heir to the Aki Kamiya Inc.! Sorry but I'm running late, ja ne!" Kaoru grabbed some change out of her pocket and placed it on the table to pay for her drink and rushed on out not seeing if Misao and Megumi were waving.
"She can be so distant at times, then at others, she can be so- normal." Megumi mused and Misao agreed. Both were leaving to the same place. The Kino Hospital, where Megumi was learning medical doctor routines and Misao was working part time and playing with kids currently in the there.
__________________________*_____________________________
Kenshin came walking home with aches in his body and everything and all he wanted to do was get home, take a bath, then sleep. He didn't care if he had something to eat because his mouth wouldn't even open, he was too drain to even think about chewing anything. He went past houses and saw where Kaoru lived and looked at the top floor where all the lights were on. Something big must be happening inside, he'll ask her tomorrow morning, if he can wake up early.
"I'm home!" Kenshin yelled upon entering his house, he threw his bag onto the floor of the door and took off his shoes and slipped into his getas and went into the kitchen. There he found his mother smiling up at him from her book.
"Oh, how was today's shoot?"
"Fine, kasaan, what are you reading?"
"Oh, a little gift my friend at the office gave me. It's quite interesting-but I know you won't be interested, it's a love story, with a bit a action."
"Oh, okay then. Kasaan you need any help before I go take a bath?"
"No, but do make sure that when you make dinner for yourself tonight, don't leave it unattended and not clean up after you eat. I'll be working late again."
"Okay, ja ne kasaan." Kenshin went over and hugged his mother then left to his room, he slide open the shoji and then grabbed his hakama and headed for the bathhouse.
Kenshin settled himself in the hot water and sighed, it was the perfect remedy for all the aches he was feeling, perhaps the night will be better after a warm bath.
__________________________*_____________________________
Kaoru was seated by her mother and father as the two were discussing to her and to her cousins. Her father and mother decided that it will be best if they handed over the company now rather than later, because now, whoever gets it will learn from the experience.
"So in conclusion to what I've said, I have to pick one person for the job. But since I couldn't narrow it down enough, I will let the two I've finalized to test out how well they handle the workload and from then on, I will decide who will really be the true owner. The two mentioned people are: Seta Soujiro and my daughter, Kamiya Kaoru."
Kaoru gasped as she heard her name with her high-ranking cousin's. Soujiro wasn't one who talked much, but when he does, he spoke with such elegant grace and his never faltering smile won people over many times. How could her father think of even comparing her with him. It was almost impossible to think.
"Kaoru, it's nice that we will get to see each other more often than what we do now." Soujiro smiled from his side of the table. Kaoru smiled back.
"It will be, I hope I can keep up with you at least." Kaoru replied with equal grace and her softness of her voice made Soujiro's heartbeat a bit faster.
"I'm sure you will surpass me soon before we start." He joked trying to wonder why Kaoru's voice always had such a big effect on him. Kaoru was his cousin for crying out loud, distant cousin, but cousin nonetheless.
"Okay it's settled then, starting tomorrow I will be handed you two every document that is needed for the company and the work that needs to be done. It will be hard so I suggest you get a full meal tonight and a goodnight's sleep. I'll see you in the afternoon." Kaoru's father ended the meeting and everyone disperse congratulating and wishing luck to both her and Soujiro.
Kaoru had gotten a normal portion of her plate gone, but she didn't feel like eating at all, her father was watching her and she felt forced to. But after a warm bath and changing into a light yukata she resided to her room to rest. She then looked out the window and thought of Kenshin.
"I hope I can talk with him tomorrow." She whispered and laid her head down to sleep.
A/n: How you like? I tried to update it sooner but I was lazy heheh. Well as you can see Kaoru and Kenshin are close friends now, but maybe their direction with each other will change=into bitter enemies? Hope so? Hope not? Heheh just keep reviewing and I'll keep writing!
-Silver Teardrops-
By: Silver Teardrops
__________________________*_____________________________
Chapter 2
'Are we in this together?'
Kenshin was sitting again in the early morning at the same exact spot from yesterday afternoon. He had grown to like that spot out of all the places in the park. It was soothing and it reminded him so much of Kaoru, which was a plus. Yesterday evening, both families received a call from the magazine and then the school. They all approved of the idea and the parents got together on the phone and thought it was such a great opportunity and an excuse to meet one another, so they agreed with the magazine's offer. Kenshin wondered what Kaoru thought of it all, perhaps she dispised him secretly and thought it was a waste of time to hang around a red headed boy. But then again...you never know.
"Himura-san! What a surprise to see you here!" Kaoru's cheerful yet graceful voice pulled Kenshin out of his thoughts.
"Ohayo Kamiya-san." Kenshin greeted with a nod. Kaoru sat down beside him on the grass.
"What are you doing up so early, on a school day, in the park?" Kaoru asked, wanitng to also to ask, why was he at her reading spot?
"I guess, I needed some place to think. By the way why are you up so early? School doesn't start until another hour and a half."
"I come here every morning, to read, to think, to write. It's my favorite thing I look forward to everyday."
"Oh I see, so, about yesterday. What do you think of it?" Kenshin asked, he was tomodachi's with her, was he not?
"About the magazine? I was skeptical at first but then I came to accept the idea, not knowing why they would want such an ugly girl to model for the school's name..." Kaoru drifted off sadly looking towards the ground.
"What are you talking about? I see nothing close to an ugly girl around here, only one that is kawaii." Kenshin said to Kaoru and she blushed giggling a bit.
"Arigatou demo...I'm not close to kawaii as you though." Kaoru joked back and Kenshin blushed chuckling with her. He thought he wanted to spend time alone today, but found it was just the opposite, he wanted to be around Kaoru.
"Oh, we must get going! Time has past so soon! It's a quarter till school starts!" Kaoru exclaimed grabbing her school blazer and her bookbag and stood up, Kenshin pulled up his bookbag adn slung it over his shoulder while he walked side by side with Kaoru.
"It's nice having a friend nearby, don't you think?" Kenshin asked all of the sudden.
"It is." Kaoru admitted smiling that sincere smile at Kenshin again. The two reached the front gate and Sano quickly grabbed Kenshin away and Kaoru was pulled by Megumi and Misao in another direction.
__________________________*_____________________________
Aoshi was found leaning against the side of the school when Sano had dragged Kenshin all the way there.
"What's the big deal?" Kenshin asked, snatching back what was his body.
"Oh, I have a lot to tell you guys, and I think Aoshi may have something to share but his news can wait." Sano began grinning like an idiot. Kenshin had an idea, every time you found Sano like this, you know that he is liking some girl of some sort. BUt Aoshi...hmm...this was definetly different.
"Listen up, you remember yesterday right? When we all went to the nearby cafe and just chilled? Well after you guys left for home I stuck around and I bumped into the most gorgeous girl ever. I knew I've seen her in class yesterday also, but I didn't have the time to catch her name. So we had a little chat." Sano said gushing almost.
"So, what's her name?" Aoshi asked, clearly not very interested. Kenshin wanted to burst out laughing but Sano kept on with his story.
"Takani Megumi. Such a wonderful name for such a beautiful lady." Sano stated to the two and they both couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"What? Was it something I said that's so funny?" Sano said in a daring tone, daring any of the two to tell him why to his face. Kenshin couldn't care less what tone he used, because he was going to say it no matter what.
"Yes, such a beautiful name? Wow Sano you are so poetic!" Aoshi chuckled softly and Sano blushed red.
"Well-I don't see Aoshi taking a stand to who he likes." Sano said as a last resort to take the laughter off of him. Aoshi stop chuckling and turned away, and Kenshin just had to know, who did Aoshi like?
"Aoshi do tell me, who do you like?" Kenshin tried to pursuade him. Aoshi looked back at his red headed friend then sighed, Kenshin was too hard to hide the truth from.
"Makimachi Misao."
"Kamiya-san's best friend?I think Takani-san is also close to her." Kenshin mused aloud. Sano and Aoshi looked curiously at him, who was Kamiya-san?
"Sano, remember yesterday, when we got into class. The girl who spoke to me was named Kamiya Kaoru, remember now?" Kenshin reminded Sano and Sano smiled nodded his head.
"Oh yeah, that quiet girl. She's pretty too. But Takani is more my style."
"Kamiya-san? Was she the girl we pulled you from yesterday?" Aoshi mused.
"Hai, I was going to ask her for some notes." Kenshin made a quick white lie about it and his friends seemed okay with it.
BELL RINGS!
"Time for class." Sano muttered but smiled immediately remembering that he was in the same class as his crush. Kenshin smiled, wow, all of his friends had found someone they liked in that class, what a coincidence (isn't it :p).
__________________________*_____________________________
School ended an hour ago or a few minutes over, but Kenshin and Kaoru were still there, nervously pacing around the school courtyard.
"You think it was all a joke?" Kaoru asked for the nth time that day.
"Kamiya-san, onegai, settle down. I do believe it is true, not a joke, that I do." Kenshin smiled, comforting Kaoru in a huge way, but not knowing he had done so.
"Okay then. So how was your day today? I believe you left campus to go for lunch." Kaoru sat beside Kenshin on the edge of a fountain.
"Oh, that, we went to the Akabeko. A casual restaurant to eat at, sometime soon we should all go there together, you and your friends with us, ne?" Kenshin asked Kaoru. She looked at him for a second before smiling again and saying her answer as softly as her voice was.
"Sure, that'll be fun, I just have to tell Misao and Megumi about it."
"THERE THEY ARE! AREN'T THEY THE SWEETEST THING TOGETHER?" The photographer came yelling towards the two innocent students; making them blush furiously. The photographer and the magazine lady was with a crew of about 5 people. Two were make-up artists/hair stylist, while the other two were cameramen and the last one was the agent for the two.
"So...what are we supposed to be doing exactly?" Kenshin spoke up clearing his throat. The magazine lady smiled at his simplicity.
"What you were meant to do, model silly. Call me by Tomoe-san by the way." She smiled and Kenshin blushed now knowing his question was quite stupid.
"Um, so do we have to like-change or something?" Kaoru asked meekly as she stepped behind Kenshin. The makeup artists immediately fell for her beauty.
"No, you're modeling for the school today, so you have your uniforms on and that is quite enough. The artists here will just add on to your natural beauty, for both of you." Tomoe said smiling yet again, she had never met such wonderful students as these two and they make the cutest of couples.
"Okay, how do we pose and everything?" Kenshin asked looking at Kaoru as she was attacked by the artists, they wanted to attack him too, but he looked fiercely at them daring them to try-so they ignored him for now.
"Lets just get you two made up then we'll make the poses for you to do." Tomoe smiled as Kenshin soon was attacked whether he liked it or not. The two had little to no make up on, although Kenshin's hair was tide in a low ponytail rather than in his usual hair down fashion. Kaoru had on a light natural colored makeup and her hair was placed down on each shoulder-revealing a school-girl look.
"Okay you two, come over here by the school fountain. Come on, hurry." Tomoe rushed them to the spot. There she made Kaoru sit on the edge of the fountain as she had done before and made Kenshin stand beside her acting as if they were just joking around on campus. Both of them acted natural and the pose worked great and Tomoe decided that was enough, but the cameramen thought it would be best if they had one more pose.
So Tomoe took the two to the front gate of the school and told Kaoru to lean on the gate as if waiting for someone to arrive and Kenshin on the other side of the gate looking out ahead. It was so innocent looking and kawaii that Tomoe wanted to squeeze it out of them.
"Enough for today, since it went without a hitch, tomorrow we will meet at the Sakura Park, as we had done before after school. There we will do some minor shots for a front page of Angels, Devils = Girls and Boys magazine. It'll be great till then, have a great evening!" Tomoe waved good bye as the crew left and the agent had produce the two with a card to contact him.
"Wow, that was kinda fun." Kaoru said giggling and Kenshin smiled. She looked even more angelic than she already was.
__________________________*_____________________________
Aoshi, Sano, and Kenshin all met at the Kendo Practice Dojo, but it didn't focus on kendo only, it had a wide range of training in there.
"Sano, meet ya' later?" Kenshin said as Sano was about to leave to another part of the dojo. Sano nodded and left and Aoshi nodded back to Sano.
"Kenshin, since my sensei is not here, I would like to train with you if you don't mind me." Aoshi started a quick chat with Kenshin. Kenshin looked up as he grabbed his sword from the floor.
"Sure, what are you going to fight me with?" Kenshin asked as he tied the sheath w/ the blade around his waist.
"I prefer kodachis, swords just aren't for me."
"Sure, okay." Kenshin smiled as Aoshi took a stance from across the room and he took his own stance, one hand above the hilt and his legs spread far apart.
"Ready....and go." Aoshi took a start and Kenshin quickly used his speed to his advantage-this was going to be a fun battle.
__________________________*_____________________________
Kaoru was smiling as her friends traded thoughts on things from ice cream flavors to clothes and then of course to boys. Especially the 3 new boys in their homeroom, they were cute in fact.
"I met him too! Sagara Sanosuke, he's a bit rough, not my type but I wouldn't mind his arms around me. Ohohohoh." Megumi laughed as Misao blushed nudging her.
"Aren't you ashamed of what you said? Only physical attraction will not do!" Misao lectured Megumi while Megumi countered back making Misao blush more. Kaoru just sat back enjoying their energy.
"And you? I saw you talking with that new guy who sits between us. It seems that you like him...a lot too. I wonder is it just PHYSICAL attraction?" Megumi giggled as Misao went on a rampage and almost tore down the whole store, if it was not for their friend Kaoru.
"Misao! Megumi! Stop this at once, everyone is staring at us as if we did something horrible, now act more civil!" Kaoru said strictly but it kind of lost its effect as her soft voice was put into a demanding mode. But her friends knew when she was not joking so they settled down.
"Kaoru, I heard you are going to represent the school in a contest or something, but I heard Himura-san also got accepted and it involves you two taking photos together. So how was it?" Megumi changed the subject, quite tired of the direction of the other one.
"Oh yes, it was fun! I actually liked it, and Himura-san cooperated just fine with it. We are also taking poses tomorrow evening for the Angels, Devils magazine." Kaoru informed her friends. They gasped as they heard all this information dump on them.
"Wait, how come you got accepted, when you never even knew about it? And if you got accepted how come I didn't? I'm prettier than you by far." Megumi said brat-like but also jealous. Misao kicked Megumi under the table and she knew she had gotten out of line.
"Gomen Kaoru, I meant to say how did they find you and Himura-san for the job?"
"It's alright, they found us one day at the park and said we were perfect and gave us everything. It was quite a lot to take in at first, and still now, I don't believe it's still true at all." Kaoru said smiling and Misao was glad, Kaoru was getting a little more social for her own good, sometimes Kaoru would drift so far away that she never seems to notice exactly what was happening to her. Misao shuddered as she remembered Kaoru's past incident, and tried to shake it out of her mind.
"Is something the matter Misao?" Kaoru asked as she saw her friend shiver. Misao looked up and smiled shaking her head no.
"We must be going now, you too, don't you have an important family meeting today, which is incorporated with your businesses?" Megumi asked Kaoru as she stood up along with Misao. Kaoru quickly remembered standing up too.
"Oh! Yes, they are finding out who will be the next heir to the Aki Kamiya Inc.! Sorry but I'm running late, ja ne!" Kaoru grabbed some change out of her pocket and placed it on the table to pay for her drink and rushed on out not seeing if Misao and Megumi were waving.
"She can be so distant at times, then at others, she can be so- normal." Megumi mused and Misao agreed. Both were leaving to the same place. The Kino Hospital, where Megumi was learning medical doctor routines and Misao was working part time and playing with kids currently in the there.
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Kenshin came walking home with aches in his body and everything and all he wanted to do was get home, take a bath, then sleep. He didn't care if he had something to eat because his mouth wouldn't even open, he was too drain to even think about chewing anything. He went past houses and saw where Kaoru lived and looked at the top floor where all the lights were on. Something big must be happening inside, he'll ask her tomorrow morning, if he can wake up early.
"I'm home!" Kenshin yelled upon entering his house, he threw his bag onto the floor of the door and took off his shoes and slipped into his getas and went into the kitchen. There he found his mother smiling up at him from her book.
"Oh, how was today's shoot?"
"Fine, kasaan, what are you reading?"
"Oh, a little gift my friend at the office gave me. It's quite interesting-but I know you won't be interested, it's a love story, with a bit a action."
"Oh, okay then. Kasaan you need any help before I go take a bath?"
"No, but do make sure that when you make dinner for yourself tonight, don't leave it unattended and not clean up after you eat. I'll be working late again."
"Okay, ja ne kasaan." Kenshin went over and hugged his mother then left to his room, he slide open the shoji and then grabbed his hakama and headed for the bathhouse.
Kenshin settled himself in the hot water and sighed, it was the perfect remedy for all the aches he was feeling, perhaps the night will be better after a warm bath.
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Kaoru was seated by her mother and father as the two were discussing to her and to her cousins. Her father and mother decided that it will be best if they handed over the company now rather than later, because now, whoever gets it will learn from the experience.
"So in conclusion to what I've said, I have to pick one person for the job. But since I couldn't narrow it down enough, I will let the two I've finalized to test out how well they handle the workload and from then on, I will decide who will really be the true owner. The two mentioned people are: Seta Soujiro and my daughter, Kamiya Kaoru."
Kaoru gasped as she heard her name with her high-ranking cousin's. Soujiro wasn't one who talked much, but when he does, he spoke with such elegant grace and his never faltering smile won people over many times. How could her father think of even comparing her with him. It was almost impossible to think.
"Kaoru, it's nice that we will get to see each other more often than what we do now." Soujiro smiled from his side of the table. Kaoru smiled back.
"It will be, I hope I can keep up with you at least." Kaoru replied with equal grace and her softness of her voice made Soujiro's heartbeat a bit faster.
"I'm sure you will surpass me soon before we start." He joked trying to wonder why Kaoru's voice always had such a big effect on him. Kaoru was his cousin for crying out loud, distant cousin, but cousin nonetheless.
"Okay it's settled then, starting tomorrow I will be handed you two every document that is needed for the company and the work that needs to be done. It will be hard so I suggest you get a full meal tonight and a goodnight's sleep. I'll see you in the afternoon." Kaoru's father ended the meeting and everyone disperse congratulating and wishing luck to both her and Soujiro.
Kaoru had gotten a normal portion of her plate gone, but she didn't feel like eating at all, her father was watching her and she felt forced to. But after a warm bath and changing into a light yukata she resided to her room to rest. She then looked out the window and thought of Kenshin.
"I hope I can talk with him tomorrow." She whispered and laid her head down to sleep.
A/n: How you like? I tried to update it sooner but I was lazy heheh. Well as you can see Kaoru and Kenshin are close friends now, but maybe their direction with each other will change=into bitter enemies? Hope so? Hope not? Heheh just keep reviewing and I'll keep writing!
-Silver Teardrops-