Disclaimer: Do you think I own RK? Nope, sorry.

A/N: the reviewers responses will be at the bottom, along with an authors note.

Step by Step, Little by Little

Ch. 3 First Lessons

"Apparently it just did."

Kenshin sighed. Might as well get it over with. Kenshin walked up to them just as they stopped talking.

"Hey." A tall guy with spiky brown hair said. "We were just talking about you."  Kenshin rolled his eyes. As if that wasn't pitifully obvious. 

Undaunted, Sano continued talking. "I'm Sanosuke Sagara. People who know me call me Sano."

Kenshin wanted to say: "Well, people who don't know you can't call you, now can they?" but suppressed the urge. A comment might make it seem that he was interested in conversing with them.

Sano was still talking. "That's enough about me. Anyway this ice cube over here is Aoshi Shinomori, he's Missy's, a.k.a. Kaoru a.k.a tanuki, cousin. If he doesn't talk to you don't feel insulted, he's like that with everybody. The weasel over here is—" Sano was cut off by Misao.

"Hey I'm not a weasel!! And I can introduce myself." She turned to Kenshin and beamed. "Hi, I'm Misao Makamichi!"

"—and you already know Missy." Sano finished as he had never been interrupted.

Kenshin stayed silent for a beat, then remarked coldly. "And I care because? My job is to protect Kamiya, not to befriend freaks of nature."

Sano sighed and slid back into his seat next to Aoshi in front of the car. "Great another ice cube to deal with."

Misao grinned and winked at Kaoru. "Well, Kenshin, do you mind if I call you Kenshin? You're going to, what was the word, 'befriend' us anyways. And the only freak of nature here is Sano!" Misao sat back down next to Kaoru, while Kenshin sat on her other side.

Kaoru noticed the gleam in Misao's eyes and sighed inwardly. She felt bad for Kenshin; Misao would bother Kenshin till she got what she wanted or until she gave up. And since she's known Misao since she was born and she hadn't ever heard of Misao giving up. She was still in love with Aoshi and that had started in elementary school. Of course at the time she had brushed it aside as a silly childhood crush. Kaoru, herself, had no interest in boys past family or close friends. This is why she ended up needing a bodyguard. She got into fights way too much and lost most of them but she always got in a few good punches.

"Kaoru!!" Misao yelled in her ear.

"What? I drifted off somewhere." Kaoru answered. "Figures." Misao rolled her eyes. "I was asking are you ready to go?" Kaoru nodded. Aoshi rolled his eyes and started driving.

Sano turned around and took another look at Kenshin. "He has a cross-shaped scar and purple eyes. Why does that description seem so familiar? I mean how many people have purple eyes, a cross-shaped scar, and red hair? Who is he? Did I meet him in a street fight? Saitou wouldn't just pick a guy off the streets, would he?"

"SANO!!! We're here!!" Misao yelled in his ear. "Sorry, I was thinking." Sano said while getting out of the car.

Kaoru mock-gasped. "Sano? Thinking?" 

Misao put a look of shock on her face. "Sano, are you feeling well?"

"Ha, ha. Very funny. A man's entitled to think once in a while." Sano replied.

"When the man's you, people tend to wonder." 

Kenshin turned around to see it was Aoshi who spoke. "Here, I was think you were mute." Kenshin remarked.

"He's kinda like you. When he's quiet you wish he would talk. And when he talks you wish he would shut up." Sano said while walking into the hallway.

"Miss Kaoru!! Miss Misao!!" A voice shouted behind them. "Aoshi, Sano!! It's great to see you again." A boy with tousled brown hair and brown eyes filled with excitement walked up to them. 

"Hey Soujiro!" Sano said, while Aoshi nodded in acknowledgement.

"Hey Sou!" Kaoru said. "Hiya Sou-kun!!" Misao said while she hugged him.

"Um…hi." Soujiro stammered while he turned red. Misao, having eyes only for Aoshi, didn't notice.

"Back from China? Did you like it there?" Kaoru asked.

Soujiro Seta, another childhood friend, smiled. "Yeah it was fun."

"If it were me, I would have stayed there longer." Misao commented and sighed wistfully.

Soujiro still smiled. "It wouldn't have been fun without you. Or the rest of you guys." Soujiro added belatedly.  Soujiro then saw Kenshin. "Who are you, if I may ask?"

"He's Kenshin Himura. He's kind of my bodyguard." Kaoru answered before Kenshin could say anything.

"Really? Nice to meet you." Soujiro said while smiling.

Kenshin just nods. "Aoshiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!! Sou-channn!!!!" A voice screams ahead of them.

"Great, it's the Kitsune." Kaoru mumbles under her breath.

"Hi Aoshi, Soujiro. How are the best specimens of the male species doing?" A girl asked. She was tall with brown hair and brown eyes.

"Hey Kitsune!!" Sano said.

"Hey Rooster-head!!" Megumi Takani said with fake enthusiasm. She looked around and saw Kenshin. "Well, how do you do?"

"Great, till you came along." Kenshin said. Kaoru and Misao tried to, unsuccessfully, smother their giggles.

"Hi Tanuki, Weasel.  Trying to act like real ladies?" Megumi asked.

"We don't need to act, unlike you." Misao said with an evil grin.

Megumi gave her famous 'ho ho ho' laugh and flipped a piece of hair behind her back. "Whatever you say, darling."

Misao was about to say something but Kaoru put her hand over her mouth and dragged her to the bathroom.

"ARGGHH!!! WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS??? TALKING TO AOSHI THAT WAY!!!! SPECIEMEN!?!?!"  Misao yelled.

"Calm down, Misao." Kaoru said calmly. Thankfully Kenshin wasn't affected by Megumi. Wait…Why did she care?!?! Kaoru shook her head as to get rid of those thoughts.

Misao sighed. "Good thing Aoshi is too dense to notice she's coming on to him. Thanks Kaoru. I'm calmer now."

"No problem. Now you owe me one." Kaoru said.

"I'm not helping you get together with Enishi Yukishiro. Personally I don't know what you see in him." Misao said while walking out the door.

"Are you finally done?" Kenshin asked as soon as Kaoru was outside.

Kaoru jumped. "Yeesh!! What, were you staking outside the door or something?"

Kenshin sighed. "I'm supposed to stay with you at all possible times."

"Whatever." Kaoru said while walking away. Misao grinned at Kenshin and waved at him to follow.

Kenshin shrugged and went along while thinking hard. "Enishi Yukishiro? Nah, it couldn't be the same guy."  

The trio didn't notice the shadow in the corner. "Hmm…the Battousai. This school just got interesting." An evil smirk crossed the shadow's face.

To be Continued…

Reviewer Responses

Keri: Thanks. I'll try to make the next chapter longer.

Lil-Sun-Rie: Thank you. Sorry, but I was busy with homework!!! I'll try to update sooner.

Ikatsui Karite: ^//_//^ Thank you!!!

Kitsune KeNsHiN: I'll try!! Thanks for reviewing. Read AN.

Bando-Eido no Megami-sama, Allin656, KenshinInMuhHeart, Moderndaybattosai, Tigerrelly, baseballfreak202, Dreizhen, and Ginny-cry: Thank You!!!!

Aimi-chan: Thank you!!! Um…well you'll see about Enishi. Read AN.

Mimi-chan: Thanks and I will try next time…So you hate Tomoe, any specific reason why? Read AN.

MZ. AMbER EYES: Thanks…um read the AN.

A/N: Okay first of all, I'M SORRY!!!!!!! I'll try to update faster. I promise. I'll try my hardest. Okay second order of business. Enishi will be in the fic. Tomoe will be mentioned. They will sort of interfere with KK but they will be more like a catalyst for them. You'll see later on. But let me mention this for people who are worried: THIS WILL BE A KENSHIN/KAORU!!!! And it will also be MISAOSHI, Sano/Megumi, and one-sided Soujiro/Misao. Okay that's all for now.  Thanks for reading this. What is your favorite part in this story so far? Please review!!!!!!