Autumn Eyes
By: Silver Teardrops

Chapter 6
'Seeing You All Too Soon'

Kenshin, Sano, Aoshi were all walking home together, and apparently, the shortest one was the saddest one. Kenshin had not spoken a word to anyone since his departure speech with Kaoru. Kaoru had left in tears and the hug was the only thing she could leave as a memory for their time they spent together. Even though they lived close by, Kenshin was not allowed to enter the main-hold of Aki Kamiya Inc. And with that known, he knew Kaoru would be double busy with family works and modeling.

"Oi! Kenshin! Snap back to us DUDE!" Sano hollered waving his hands around like crazy that passer-bys giggled as they saw him. Aoshi turned slightly away, embarassed by how he acts.

"Oro? Um Ahem, what was it that you were saying Sano?" Kenshin replied politely, a light smile plastered on his face.

"Stop faking it, and tell us, me, what are you thinking that gots you so down?" Sano leaned against a tree with a flick of his wrist a toothpick popped into his mouth. Aoshi stood by also, awaiting a honest and straight answer.

"You guys this really isn't the time for it, I'll tell you later." Kenshin turned around adn was about to head to his home until Aoshi had had enough of his 'don't worry about me, you guys' act and scooped him up and kidnapped him running behind Sano who led the way to a secluded spot.

"What the? Oro!!!" Kenshin kicked his way out of Aoshi's strong hold and flipped back into a stance, his breathing slightly accelerated. Aoshi smirked and dusted his blazer off and also took a stance and quickly flicked out two kodachis hidden. Sano eyes bugged out and ran in between them to stop them sheepishly.

"Well, yer guys! Look at the time, we have to get this honesty business out quickly I have to go home and wash my uh, um DoG! yeah my dog!" Sano laughed fakely and sweating hoping they'd buy his excuse. Aoshi stood up and Kenshin did too and Aoshi flicked his weapons back into their hiding places and looked squarely into Sano's eyes.

"You don't have a dog, I know because you invited me over yesterday and you couldn't possible have one now." Sano gulped and sheepishly scratched his head.

"Um, it's my um Aunt's yea, and she-Never mind about the damn dog anyways! Kenshin tell us the fucking truth, and you better not lie like hell you will suffer!" Sano quickly changed moods and fiercely demanded Kenshin start talking. Kenshin sighed as he felt himself shrinking.

"Guys, its about Kaoru, you see she doesn't want to be on her own in this business and if I haven't told you, both of us agreed to this only if the other was gonna be there. And well she's not sure she still wants to do this without me. Its fun and great but it just- its just not the same, you know?" Kenshin looked up and saw Sano watery eyed and biting his lip animation like. Kenshin turned around closed his eyes and walked off.

"You're not taking it seriously, so not to waste anymore of your time or mine, I'll be leaving." Kenshin walked off and as soon as he turned a corner, Sano began bawling. Aoshi sweatdropped.

"The passion, the love, the sincerity, it's jsut like a love story! It makes me weak!!! WAHHHHH!" Sano sobbed as he banged his fists on the nearby wall creating a crater.

"There there now, Kensin never knew you were such a softy coming to love stories, calm down, it's public do you have no shame?" Aoshi slowly began to move away from Sano as the two were continuing their walk home. Sano still crying like a baby.

"Kaoru, it's nice to see you back, I heard today you had a shoot and had to leave school early?" Kaoru's dad asked her at the dinner table. She bowed before she replied.

"Hai, chichi (one's own father, right?) I will be offered less shoots than before, so I may have time to work with the Industry work on hands now, gomen for the delay on my part in working." Kaoru politely replied as she, upon entering, saw most of the members of the workforce were accompany dinner tonight. That was why the maid had requested her wear the kimono laid out for her.

"You look lovely tonight, Kaoru-chan." Soujiro smiled from beside her and she bowed slightly acknowledging the statement.

"As do you Soujiro-kun," Kaoru then began to pick up the utensil and began to eat as troubles piled inside her mind. Soujirou noticed how reserved his cousin was being and began to worry and decided to do something.
"KENSHIN!!!" Kenshin heard his kasaan's yellings over his loud playing music and mumbled as he got out of his room sliding his door shut and making his way to his mother.

"Nani okasaan?" Kenshin rubbed his eyes as he saw who was seated before him, Hiko his agent with a black bag papers spiling from it. Kenshin plopped on a seat and nodded a good evening to Hiko and vice versa.

"Kenshin, I'm here to give you all the offers you have this month, and I wouldn't be a good agent if I made you do everything adn most you don't like- so I'm letting you pick what you want to do and we'll go with that. Then after this I'm off to Kaoru's house to talk with her. I hope her meeting tonight does not interfer." Hiko mused and Kenshin's eyes bugged out.

"Um, maybe I can-" Kenshin stopped and held his head low.

"Never mind, thanks for bringing me that offers, I will look over them." Kenshin heard Hiko leave the house and left a big stack of paper on the table.

"Leave it there kasaan, I'm gonna bring them in my room later tonight, you rest yourself." Kenshin felt his mom pat his shoulder and retreated to her room and nothing but silence was heard. Then suddenly Kenshin heard sobbing, and not anyone's---Kaoru's. The same sobs he heard from her as they last hugged, last closely interacted with her.

He balled up and began shaking involuntary and then tears spilled from his lavendar eyes. The pain of being separated from her---it's hard to handle, even if she's a few houses away it seems like they were miles apart.

"Kaoru..." Kenshin whispered as he buried his head into his arms.
Kaoru was excused to her office, shared with Soujiro, who as also excused and began to work on the documents given. Kaoru busily went thru them all and Soujiro admired how she can focus so easily while sometimes it's hard for him to just sit still.

"Um, sumimasen, Kaoru-chan? Um someone here, named Hiko-san wants to speak with you for a moment," The maid was bowed outside of the sliding door. Kaoru looked up from midstamping her page and nodded for him to come in.

"Oh I see, beauty and brains, and responsibilty? Wow, I never thought I'd see the day---"

"Just tell her what you came here for, she and I have work to do..." Soujiro spat as he defensively saw how Kaoru saddened as he walked in.

"OK OK! I wasn't gonna---gomen for my words, I've been drinking more than usual. By the way to quicken my visit here, I came to drop off your offers of shoots and decided you can pick out whichever one you like best and you'll do those. And I must say, there will be a big surprise for you in one of the offers, okay?" Hiko looked straight into Kaoru's blue eyes and saw something that wasn't meant to be seen on anything beautiful as her.

"Yea, that sounds great. Domo for coming adn dropping them off, I appreciate it." Kaoru stood up and walked to the front of her desk and bowed slowly and Hiko did likewise.

"No, thank you for being you," Hiko smiled sincerely before he took his leave. Kaoru suddenlt felt dizzy and wobbled a little bit and Soujiro was there to catch her before she fell. He felt her forehead to find that she has a fever---a hot one too!

"tasukenasai! tasukenasai!!!" Soujiro yelled frantically carrying Kaoru up in his arms. Maids came rushing and Kaoru's otousan ran too.

"What happened? Was it that Hiko? What happened Soujiro-kun!"

"No, Kaoru has a fever and it seems pretty bad, she's very hot right now---she needs immediate attention." Soujiro rushed past scrambling people and went to Kaoru room placing her on her futon and ordering maids to do this and do that while Kaoru's father stood aside watching as his precious gem was coughing and spewing blood from her pale lips. What had happened? She was all right at dinner a while ago?
Kenshin woke up in cold sweat and eyes wide open, breath coming up short. He looked around and found that he had fell asleep on the chair in the living room. He had a nightmare, that involved Kaoru, she was frantically screaming his name and screaming for help but he couldn't reach her in time---and it all felt so real that he was already in his shoes and running towards her house. No matter if they let him in or not, he's gonna get to her!
"Kaoru, please, if you need anything wake me, I'll be staying here with you tonight, I don't want anything to happen to my favorite cousin." Soujiro smiled as Kaoru blushed- it was so visible now that she was practically pale white.

"Arigatou...Soujiro-kun, arigatou."

"Iie, shhhh, be quiet and rest--"

"DAMN! LEMME IN!" Slam Kenshin was in the doorway breathing heavily and looked at Kaoru and then at Soujiro and thought the wrong thing. Kenshin ran to Soujiro and grabbed his collar and faced him and snarled.

"If you did this, you're gonna pay---by me. Kaoru didn't do anything to you so why did you make her-"

"Kenshin?" Kaoru got up and coughed a little, a bit of red slipped on the side of her mouth.

"Kaoru? Are you okay? He didn't do anything to you did he? DID HE? WHY ARE YOU SO PALE? TELL ME!" Kenshin let go of Soujiro long ago and was kneeling by Kaoru holding her hand and looking at her very worried.

"Kenshin, you're so---giggle silly!" Kaoru started to laugh lightly and then she looked at Kenshin's warm eyes.

"I'm quite all right, I'm just sleepy," Kaoru smiled gently and then Soujiro spoke breaking her every word just spoken.

"Like hell you are---you fainted! You coughed a bucket full of blood! Sheesh Kaoru-chan, I love you and all but sometimes you are so thickheaded that you care for everyone else when you should care about yourself! AND YOU ARE? COMING IN AT THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND ALMOST CHOKING ME TO DEATH?!" Soujiro took rage at Kenshin but the emotion was never on his face, only in his voice. He still look calmly happy?

"Um, yeah, sorry about that---gomen nasaii Soujiro-san. I am a friend of Kaoru's in the modeling business and in school. I had a dream that- it may sound silly but-I had a feeling Kaoru needed help so I ran over, despite if it was real or not. Gomen to you both, I should be leaving to let you-" Kaoru's hand held on tightly to Kenshin's wrist.

"Don't, you're dream was real-I need you're help-please stay." Kaoru mumbled her face as white as snow.

"I will, I was waiting to be invited of course," Kenshin took his seat by Kaoru's side and held her hand as she settled back down and closed her eyes. Soujiro sat by the wall and watched hte two as they talked and laughed a bit at silly jokes. This maybe the first time, Soujiro's ever seen Kaoru trust a guy like Kenshin.
Kaoru woke up to a pleasant sun shining through her window and a velvety hand clasping hers. She looked to her right and saw the most handsome face she's seen sleeping.

"Ohayo Kaoru-chan, about time you woke up." Kaoru looked to the left and saw Soujiro leaning on the wall a smile as always.

"Ohayo Sou-kun, It's late?"

"Aa, almost 9, good thing it's a Saturday, you two were having fun last night that you lost track of time, and guess what, your fever broke too. Breakfast for you two will come up at 9:30 so wake him up when it's time." Soujiro bowed and Kaoru bowed as she slowly sat up.

"Domo, really we appreciate it."

"Nothing to it cousin, enjoy." Soujiro left the room sliding the door shut softly and Kaoru smiled.

"Ah, I can't believe it, we've said good bye yet we see each other again so soon, it's crazy I tell you," Kenshin laid on his side watching as Kaoru turned to him.

"Well, it may seem, but I'm glad it happened. By the way, can you get that pile of papers over there, and help me go through them?"

Kenshin nodded and got up to retrieve them and as he did a big pile slipped on the way. He picked it up and started to hyperventilate. Kaoru quickly got up and read what Kenshin was holding.

"Kaoru Kamiya, it is a pleasure and will be a great honor if you will join us in a movie production with your modeling partner--Kenshin Himura. Both of you two are the shoo-in for the roles and we would hope to see you on the set soon." Kaoru finished reading the paragraph and she couldn't believe it!

"ORO! Kaoru we could be in a movie together! AND the good news is, that a movie takes a long time! So we didn't neccessarily had to say goodbye Kaoru will you take it? I will if you would, I mean its a good deal!" Kenshin excitedly exclaimed. Kaoru nodded vigorously and smiled brillantly in hours.

"FINALLY! I have something to be happy about and you too! Kenshin we're gonna be movie stars!" Kaoru jumped with Kenshin holding hands and finally they stopped as someone at the door coughed.

"Excuse me, but your breakfasts are here, after you're done please leave the tray outside in the hall, enjoy." The maid placed the two trays of food inside and left in wuite a hurry and soon the two were found crumbling on the floor laughing.

Maybe they were destined to be together afterall.
A/n: I know, its crappy but I can't remember how I wanted it to go, but i hope you still like how I'm pushing it in a direction. Please review and be truthfully honest and tell me if this sucks or anything.